business is pleasure

{five favourite pieces of advice for running a business}

1. dedication is key: know that if you're going to go for something, it should envelope your whole life; you're married to your business in a way, and you should know that going into it

2. have a business plan: you don't need a big business plan -- it can even be written on the back of a bar napkin -- you just need to write down your goals and visualize them happening

3. do what you love: if you're doing what you love, it is that much easier; it cuts all the work in half when it is your passion

4. read your client: cater to your client's unique taste; listen to them, their budget, their likes and dislikes -- don't give [your] clients “package a” or “package b”, but really sit with them and figure out exactly what they want and do [your] best to give them exactly that

5. don’t sweat the small stuff: this is much easier said than done; when you're a perfectionist and you're doing this sort of work, it's hard not to sweat the small stuff, but you have to keep perspective and remember the big picture

There's so much on my mind when I think of how these principles apply to my own life. And I see how I'm being groomed to be the kind of businesswoman set out before me. Completely unconventional. The antithesis of what we think a "businesswoman" to be. Think Kris Jenner. {I'm already married to my business and already "do" what I love.} Ah, God's design. This business advice applies to all aspects of life. I could go on and on...