When I first started my business, the advice seemed pretty straightforward: get out there and network. Join the Chamber of Commerce, attend networking events, go to conferences, meet people, and tell them what you do. Sounds simple enough, right? Except I’m an introvert, and putting me in a room full of people I don’t know isn’t exactly a recipe for success. I’d probably find a quiet corner and stay there. I’m much more comfortable having a one-on-one conversation than trying to work a room full of strangers.
And then there’s the cost. When you’re just starting a business, conferences, travel, and hotel expenses can add up quickly. Sometimes, you simply don’t have the money to invest in all those activities. So I did things differently, and it turns out that was perfectly fine.
I Built My Business My Way
One of my first clients was my aunt. From there, referrals started coming in, with one client recommending me to another and those connections helping me build my business over time. I also found clients through my blog and social media posts. I discovered that I was much better behind a keyboard than standing in a room trying to strike up conversations with strangers. Online groups, Facebook, email, and one-on-one conversations suited me much better than traditional networking events.
I wasn’t building my business the way all the experts said I should. I was finding ways to connect with people that worked for me, and more than 20 years later, I’m still here. That doesn’t mean every decision I’ve made has been perfect, but I learned something important along the way: you don’t have to be the loudest person in the room. You just have to show up consistently and reliably.
Your Business Should Fit You, Too
I see this with other business owners all the time. Some people love creating content but struggle to publish it regularly, while others are brilliant at what they do but would rather do almost anything than organize their files, manage their inbox, or keep track of all the little details that make a business run. And that’s okay, because we don’t all have the same strengths, interests, or working styles.
In fact, some of my best client relationships work precisely because our personalities and strengths are different. I was recently talking with a former client about social media, and she told me she rarely posts unless inspiration strikes. She knows consistency matters, but sticking to a schedule just isn’t how she naturally works. My response? That’s where I can help! She can create content when she feels inspired, and I can help keep things moving between those moments.
As I told another client, “Your brains and my organization, and we’ll get this project knocked out.” That’s how I like to work. We each bring something different to the table, and together, we get the job done. You don’t have to become good at everything or force yourself to enjoy tasks you dread. Sometimes, you just need to find a way to cover the things that don’t come naturally to you.
Your Life Will Change. Your Business Can, Too.
Here’s another thing I’ve learned over the years: the business you need today might not be the business you need five or ten years from now. When my kids were young, I worked while they were at school and again at night after they went to bed. My desk was my workspace, and it served another purpose, too. It was a signal to the boys that Mom was working, so don’t interrupt unless it was necessary!
These days, my schedule looks a little different. I do most of my work between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., and my office might be at home, in our RV, or wherever we happen to be. I’ve changed my services as technology has evolved, too. I’ve learned new skills, adapted to new tools, and found new ways to support my clients. My business has changed because my life has changed, and I think that’s how it should be.
You don’t have to hold on to the way you’ve always done things just because that’s how you started. You can change your schedule, your services, your priorities, and even your definition of success. Trying to fit someone else’s idea of what your business should look like can leave you feeling like you’re always falling short. It’s hard to be satisfied when you’re measuring your success against someone else’s goals instead of considering what you actually want from your business and your life.
You Don't Have to Take Every Piece of Advice
Over the years, I’ve had plenty of people encourage me to become a speaker, share my knowledge from a stage, and push myself outside my comfort zone. I appreciate that they saw potential in me, but I also knew that being a speaker wasn’t what I wanted to do. There is a difference between trying something new because it interests you and doing it because someone else thinks you should.
You can learn from other business owners without copying their entire approach. You can try new things without turning yourself into someone you’re not, and you can build a successful business without following every recommendation you hear. The trick is figuring out what works for you, your strengths, your circumstances, and the life you want to live. Not every piece of advice is bad advice; it just might not be the right advice for you.
Sometimes, the Best Solution Is Getting a Little Help
There’s one more thing I’ve learned from working with business owners for so many years: you don’t have to do everything yourself. Maybe you love working with clients but dread managing your inbox. Perhaps you’re full of ideas but can’t seem to find the time to turn them into regular content, or you’re spending so much time handling administrative tasks that the work you actually enjoy keeps getting pushed aside. These are common challenges, and they don’t mean you’re doing something wrong.
You don’t necessarily need to change your personality or force yourself to become better at every task. Sometimes, you just need someone whose strengths complement yours. That’s one of the things I enjoy most about being a Virtual Assistant. I can help with the details, organization, technology, and ongoing tasks that keep a business running, giving business owners more time and energy for the work they do best.
It’s not about doing everything perfectly. It’s about finding a way to make things work better for you, and sometimes that means recognizing which tasks you should handle yourself and which ones you could hand off to someone else.
Build a Business That Works for You
If there’s one thing I hope you take away from my experience, it’s this: find ways to work that fit your personality and strengths, and give yourself permission to change your business as your life changes. You don’t have to love networking events, become a speaker, follow someone else’s schedule, or build a business that looks impressive from the outside but leaves you exhausted behind the scenes. You get to decide what success looks like for you.
And if part of making that happen means getting some help with the things you don’t enjoy or don’t have time to manage, there’s nothing wrong with that. Your strengths are valuable, and so is your time. After all, the point of building a business isn’t to spend every waking hour working on it. It’s to build something that supports the life you want to live.