Becoming a business owner is a big step in life; you’re truly taking your career into your own hands, and anything could happen next. And even though around 20% of businesses fail within the first year, 80% manage to make it to the second year and beyond. But what really makes the difference there? Well, it’s you!
However, running a successful business is one thing, but gaining your own personal and professional success as a business owner is another entirely. After all, simply founding a company of your own doesn’t automatically guarantee a long and prosperous career, and a lot of other people are going to be involved in the process. So with that in mind, here are the most typical aspects of a good business leader you should know about.
An Ability to Set Boundaries
Small business owners who don’t allow the company to take over their lives tend to be a step above those who work work work! It’s true – when you’re able to set clear, present boundaries between your work life and personal life, it’s clear you’ve already got stellar time management and organization skills.
So never feel bad for shutting up shop at 5 pm exactly. Don’t feel like you’re less than for not checking emails on weekends. And you should certainly have a separate professional and private bank account! Simply put, the more you prevent the two from mixing, the more control you retain over your working life.
A Vigilance for Security
Many small businesses fail thanks to just how lax security can be, but a successful business owner already has this risk in mind when they start out. They never quite get it off their mind and as a result, their business has a worthy front-line defense against malicious intrusion.
Vigilance is key in the working world; it’s a huge part of dealing with risky business decisions and mitigating the fallout from them. And in the digital world, it’s always best to start with your server and cloud security. Look into using services such as Securends CEM software to keep an eye on how your digital access works, and to ensure you know what’s happening at all times.
A Willingness to Go with the Flow
The working world can be unpredictable. It can also be messy, and it can often feel like everything will go wrong in a moment. However, instead of railing against this and turning away from work when things don’t go your way, go with the flow instead.
If a plan doesn’t work out, come up with a new one; business owners who are adaptable go much further than those who allow set their goals in stone. Success comes to those who work for it, so keep that in mind as you grow your business from day one to year five and beyond.
Success can be defined in a lot of ways, but make sure you keep stepping stones like those above in mind as you go.