I set up NRG Healing when I knew my husband and I were going to get divorced. I wanted a flexible business that worked around my two children, and I wanted to do what I love. Crystals, Reiki, Himalayan Salt, helping people, teaching and exploring natural alternatives to medicine.
I’m not going to lie, its been tough. Nearly every evening I spent working; What was my website going to look like? How do I use Twitter? What on earth is Instagram? Do I need an accountant? It is a steep learning curve as you have to learn so many things aside from what you are most passionate about.
I have been to various networking events and training sessions with experts in their field. I have learnt from some extremely strong women who I would call my mentors. These ladies have not only helped me acquire new business skills, but also been able to share their life experiences with me too, which have been a great help.
My top tips for surviving your first year in business
- Don’t be afraid to ask for help and use people as sounding boards.
- Running your own business can take up a LOT of your time. Remember to plan in some you time too, daily, weekly and monthly. If I know I have big fairs coming up I will give myself a day off before or afterwards to recover
- Be realistic about what you can achieve
- Plan
- Collect peoples’ email addresses with their permission
- Surround yourself with positive, supportive people who believe in you and your business
- Sometimes when we think our business is going a certain direction, a curve ball is thrown in. Go with your gut, if it feels right to do something different do it 🙂
- Your passion in your business will shine through so perservere, perservere and perservere
- If you need to outsource something choose the thing you are really not great at, be it accounts, marketing or social media
- Finally be yourself, people appreciate authenticity and someone being themselves.
I’m hoping the next year is a bit easier, but I am sure it will still bring its fair amount of challenges which I am well up for!