Accidental entrepreneurs are absolutely my favourite people to work with. But what are accidental entrepreneurs, and are you one of them?
There are so many types of people in business; some learn their trade in house in a
huge company before going it alone, others stumble across an important mentor or
contact early on in their entrepreneurship journey, but most entrepreneurs start on
their own with an idea and a skill they excel at.
From social media management, to construction, from interior design to legal advice – the world is full of incredibly talented people who are bafflingly good at what they do. Before long, they kick off their business as a sole trader, and then because they’re so talented, a business accidentally grows up around them. Cue the “accidental” entrepreneur; while they aspire to build a fantastic lifestyle for
themselves and their families, they never really intended to grow a significant
business, and they don’t have any practical experience in running one.
In a start-up setting, this can quickly lead to feelings of overwhelm and confusion
when having to deal with company registrations, corporation tax and VAT for the first time. Past that stage, there are rules and regulations around hiring and IR35 to
contend with, grants to apply for, leases to consider, and admin duties spiral. Most
accidental entrepreneurs I’ve met have ended up spending all their time working on
their business, rather than doing the thing that they were amazing at to begin with,
and that they truly enjoy. It’s important to remember that that’s the thing that
generates the revenue!
Does all this sound familiar? If so, you’re not alone.
One of the most important and yet difficult skills to learn in business is that there are people out there who have skills that can support your business better than you can. It’s typical for accidental entrepreneurs to try and do everything themselves, to micromanage and to struggle with delegation. They often get in the way of their own growth. Learning to allow others with dedicated skill sets to support you and your business is arguably the most important thing you will ever do. It will turn you from an accidental entrepreneur into a deliberate entrepreneur, into an intentional success story.
If you need support in making your business work for you, in laying the foundations
of a business that will get you where you want to be, or in working out how to free up your time to focus on those income-generating skills you excel at, then drop me a line for a complimentary strategy call. Let’s get you feeling less accidental and more in control.
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