EF News
We asked - you answered!
As part of our Big Question feature, we asked four Forum members: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given as an entrepreneur and, what impact has it had on you and your business?
Natasha McDonough, MMC Research & Marketing
The best piece of advice I was given was to not fill a gap in a conversation when it comes to talking price. Previously, I would start off talking about the price of a piece of work and offer the potential client an excuse or reason not to accept it! Perhaps I couldn't cope with the rejection! Once I started keeping quiet, I felt my confidence grow and realised that actually can be quite a comfortable conversation to have!’
Paul Moore, Happiest at Home
I refer to a quote from Jeff Bezos; “What we need to do is always lean into the future; when the world changes around you and when it changes against you - what used to be a tail wind is now a head wind - you have to lean into that and figure out what to do because complaining isn't a strategy”.
Ruth Plater, Radial Path
Don’t take things too personally! I’m certain most entrepreneurs will have felt the impact of the highs and the lows, so it may sound obvious, but in the early days of setting up my brand and performance marketing business, Radial Path, it was a bit of advice that I recall not receiving well but needed to hear.
When you invest so much of your time, energy, and money into establishing and growing your business, it can be very difficult to separate yourself from feedback directed at ‘the business’ - good or bad.
I’ve learned to sit back and objectively view my business, removing myself from the equation. This has given us the space to honestly critique what we do and work to constantly improve all areas of how we operate and deliver value to our customers. Our success is growing rapidly now off the back of this sort of perspective.’
Paul Edwards, Edwards Commercial Cleaning Services
Not to listen to the negative voices. If you believe in what you're doing, then go for it. Despite plenty of bad days, especially when starting up in business, we just kept going, kept believing and we still do.
