Having the diverse background I do has taught me a lot of different skills. Most of those skills have helped me become the successful entrepreneur of today, running a company with a turnover of over £32 million, this year.

I have put a short list of 9 of the most valuable tips I have picked up in my line of work, I am sure every entrepreneur – experienced or budding, will appreciate and benefit from.

 

    1. Learn from Your Idols

We all have an idol – someone we admire, we aspire to, we measure against. Watch them carefully, learn from them and apply their approach to their profession into your business. You definitely want to learn from the best – your idol, who might not even be in the same line of work as you are. So, pick up the skills you like and tweak them to match your business model and market.

Learn what gives them confidence, learn what their drive to succeed is and apply it in your speeches and drive to grow.

   

    2. Read, Watch, Learn

No one was born ready for their job – a handyman can’t just pick up the hammer and do a great job from the first time and a baker can’t start baking without burning the whole batch of bread. There are books, videos, courses you can attend to learn and practice what you want to do. Considering how widely spread and easily accessible all types of information there is nowadays, not knowing, especially facts and innovations within your business field is pure and simple laziness. If you want to be a successful entrepreneur and be the best in your niche, you should read, watch and learn!

 

    3. Tune in

Make a point of listening to what the people you work with have to say. They surely have expertise in certain fields you haven’t acquired yet.

And don’t limit yourself to your work environment. Look around at your friends, your family, your former employer, your business contacts. You will be surprised the insights they might have and the out-of-the-box thinking they might contribute with to your company.

 

    4. Polish Your Skills

Find the thing you want to be good at and work on it, learn it, try and try, until you can call yourself an expert in it. Natural talent fades away if not used. Acquired skills fade away if not polished.

 

     5.Find your true comfort zone

Sometimes the right position or company for you might be across the country or even across the ocean. You should learn to take chances, to jump at opportunities and to never be afraid to try new things and places. Don’t be afraid to book a flight and go find your dream job!

Another benefit of traveling and working abroad especially is that you get exposed to different cultures, people, and skills. This can only add to your skill-set and can be of great help when you are ready to take the most important journey of your life – setting up your own business.

Get out of your comfort zone. Expand it. Change it. Find your true comfort zone.

 

     6. Build Your Network

Having people you can count on for help and advice, especially at the early days of your business, can make all the difference between success and failure. Make an effort to build a network of friends, colleagues, ex-colleagues, family, and acquaintances of different background, that you can go to when in need of their expert opinion.

Don’t be afraid or ashamed to ask for an advice – this could help you out a lot at the right moment. Do not, however, forget that this goes both ways – you should not only receive, you should give back to the person who needs a hand himself.

     

     7. Deliver

Planning is essential, no doubt there. But delivering is equally important and crucial. Your clients will expect a quality service from you. Learn how to deliver. Take notes from other companies – how they work, what and how they deliver. Clients and employees are equally important – ask what are their needs and what are their opinions. Whatever you choose to do, you must deliver, but you must do it in a professional manner.

 

8. Try – Fail – Try – Succeed

 

When you start your business it is very likely that you will fall sometimes – whether you didn’t finish a certain task or haven’t managed a specific problem.

But you should never give up. Learn to accept the failure as being given a second chance to try, to improve, to succeed.

Winston Churchill said it best: “Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.”

   

    9.Forget Arrogance

Avoid doing everything yourself and being too proud. You need your team, friends, and family behind you, show them you appreciate them, no matter how successful you become, be a leader, not a boss. Inspire, teach and lead people. Treat them right and they will take you to new horizons.

Be proud of your achievements. Celebrate success. And people will follow.