Social Folk @ the Start-up West Yorkshire Launch…

Events

31 Oct

Paige was kindly invited to speak at the Start-Up West Yorkshire Calderdale Launch in July, where she spoke about her freelance, business-building journey.

She offered some wonderful pearls of wisdom to budding local entrepreneurs - from lessons learned about setting boundaries all the way through to helpful tools to use to stay organized! Let’s take a look at some of the amazing advice Paige had to offer…

5 things that helped me along the way:

Networking. It really is ‘who you know’ not ‘what you know.’ Don’t get me wrong, it helped that I had the knowledge and success stories to support. But as soon as I started networking my business boomed.
Visualisation. Physically look at what you want in your life. Write it down, make mood boards, make sure it’s something you see on a daily basis.
Energy. Remove anyone around you that makes you feel drained or unsupported. I know it sounds savage but I spent way too long focusing on people who were not important on my journey.
Tools. Now I’m not the most organised or self-disciplined person, but with the right tools I figured out how to be ‘that guy.’ Google calendar, Trello, Toggl tracker, WhatsApp business. I swear by them.
Balance. Knowing when to take time off is a huge learning curve. It’s hard to see it as productive. But believe me, it is. I learned the hard way.

5 people that helped me along the way:

A close support network. This one is a given. I couldn’t have gotten through it without Warren, my mum, dad, and step-dad. The ones who are always there for me.
That really BAD client. This one might seem strange. But they will really make you understand your worth. They will help you grow. Once you find the confidence to end the relationship you will end up thanking them for it.
My therapist. Let’s be real. Life can get pretty stressful and having an unbiased ear to unload on keeps your other relationships happy and safe.
My line manager and cousin. This one is relatively new, but I’m so grateful that I have someone who works with me to create a better business. Someone I can trust, a second in command.
The inspiration. That person who you look at and think… that’s it. That’s how I’m going to be living in 10 years’ time.

5 tips for success:

Cut the BS. Just be yourself. If you’re not a professional well-to-do kind of person, then don’t pretend to be. 9 times out of 10 clients prefer authenticity.
Stand your ground. This one was tough for me. But you’ve got to get out of the mindset that you owe anybody your time and energy. That stuff is sacred. Protect it.
Don’t be afraid to say goodbye. From relationships, friendships, clients, situations… anything that doesn’t serve you and radiate positive energy.
Keep the next goal in reach. Always write down your 1 year and 3 year goals. Where do you see your life?
Be a nice person. But a strong person too. It’s so important to be nice! Just wanted to throw that out there because the business world can get mean sometimes.

5 tips for failure:

Take every mistake as a learning curve. I know it sounds cliche but it’s true.
Never dwell. Stuff happens and you’re only human. Own up where necessary, find a solution and swiftly move on.
Remember you’re not saving lives here. Unless you are, in which case I can’t help you there. But even the worst-case scenario is probably not that terrible.
Open communication. When you do make mistakes, just be honest. Tell the person in question what’s happened and the solution that you propose. You’re only one human!
Step away. Sometimes sitting behind your screen only makes a situation worse. Go outside, step away from the problem and come back with a fresh mind.

5 tips to keep yourself afloat:

Boundaries. Set that out of office, put on do not disturb, say no, follow up late invoices, let others know your boundaries from the get-go. That’s the best way to make it work for both of you.
Avoid hustle culture. I am sick to death of seeing people wake up at 5am and work every hour under the sun and calling that success. That’s not success in my eyes. I stick to 3-4 main jobs on a working day. If they are complete, my day is done. It’s maintainable.
Do something you enjoy every day. Treat yourself to a nice lunch, go and see a friend, do that yoga class. Don’t be afraid to live alongside your business.
Keep learning. You can never know everything. If you keep learning, you will never be disappointed in yourself because you are always a student. Plus, with social media, there is literally no such thing as an expert. It changes every week.
Don’t concentrate on your competition. They’re not your priority. You are. It doesn’t matter what your competition is posting or doing. Focus on your own goals.”