Our Journey - It Takes Time
It takes time to build a business.
Although the ideas to start a business and what proceeds this can come in a whirlwind, it takes time to build a business. We have estimated for us the journey of building a sustainable business will take around two years.
The steps we took to get our business off the ground, and the working through the associated paperwork was second nature to us (due to past experiences) but still required thought, time and patience. We knew it was vital to get these things right the first time. We had seen examples of this not being done and the unwinding and ongoing problems it had caused. Remembering our business was simple compared with others and we did not require premises or a large capital investment.
Deciding on a structure.
Organising bank accounts – probably the most time consuming task.
IRD number.
Setting up software and systems.
With this behind us we set out to do more exciting things, getting our business cards printed, designing logos, creating our website and Facebook page. It all seemed easy enough at the onset, but despite what we thought was a reasonably good knowledge of social media, we soon found ourselves stumbling and recreating. It was time for us to call in the creative experts. We were determined that we could not launch our business until this step had been completed.
Lessons learnt:
You cant be an expert in everything.
Its good to know your strengths and smart to ask for help in those area’s that aren’t. In fact, there can be better ways to be spending your time and knowledge.
Don’t wait for everything to be 100% perfect before your launch your business.
Because of the nature of our business we didn’t require a launch ceremony. Social media and networking were our starting points.
As we grow and evolve we are having to implement new systems and process, and we expect this will never change.
I have travelled quite widely to remote and isolated places but growing a business is the most intrepid of my journeys so far. We make sure we celebrate our successes and learn from our disappointments. We want this to be a long and fulfilling journey.