Last month, June 2015, my Biz turned 11! Woohoo. So I decided I would have a blog party to celebrate and invite some of my favourite biz buddies to share what they’ve learned from being in biz for many, many years. This week, my guest is the lovely Chris Barnett from X10dit. Here’s Chris’s wisdom from 18 years in biz!
One morning in October 1997 I was sitting at my desk as IT Manager of an automotive engineering company, wondering what I should do next.
There were any number of pressing, stressful issues to attend to, it was a difficult choice.
Instead of hacking through the swath of computer problems, I found myself listening to a little voice inside of me that suggested I do something very different for a change.
I fired up my word processor and wrote my resignation and handed it to my boss. I’ve never regretted that leap into the dark for a single moment. That was almost 18 years ago and I’ve been self-employed ever since.
1997 In the first year I was excited and threw myself into self-employment as an IT contractor.
1998 I knew I had really grasped the most vital concerns of running a business!
1999 I realised I had no idea what I was doing in year 2 but it was clear there were far more vital concerns than I had anticipated! I also started a new business with a business partner.
2000 I discovered that starting a business partnership without a clear plan of action can lead to a rapid unraveling of business relations.
2001 I found out that working on your own demons is a vital part of business success.
2002 Sometimes you need to slow down, sit down and take stock of what’s happening ( I didn’t… )
2003 Another new business with 2 business partners. Successful, briefly. I discovered that hiring help often brings with it a sense of responsibility you weren’t expecting.
2004 I learnt that your relationship with business partners needs to be strong like a marriage, maybe even more so than a marriage, if you are all to keep pulling in the same direction.
2005 I started a new phase and another new business. I found that there’s always someone who will lend you money if you just keep asking (that doesn’t always mean it’s a good idea!).
2006 Some events stop you dead in your tracks. While doing business is fun, life is short, you only get one go. Happiness is definitely not found in a balance sheet.
2007 Some people imagine that separating business and domestic life is just a matter of boundaries. In your own business the boundaries are very blurred.
2008 Change is an everyday occurrence, accept it and see where it takes you, deny it and see how it breaks you.
2009 Self-employment can drastically alter your attitude to risk. Your friends may think you’ve lost your mind as they watch you leap into the dark once again!
2010 Sometimes elements of your business get washed away in matter of moments. This year I ditched all of my old IT and have operated in the Cloud ever since.
2011 When your intuition tells you to get up and get out it’s okay to ask why? But don’t doubt that one day you’ll have to follow it.
2012 I realised that doing something you love is the best way to make a purposeful contribution to your world. Hanging on to business that drains you is wasteful, it denies the world the best that you have to offer it.
2013 When an unexpected opportunity connects you back to joyful creation, take heed and maybe change course!
2014 No matter how long you’ve been in business there are sometimes dark days. Sometimes unexpected things fall out of a dark sky!
2015 I still love being self-employed. I’ve learnt that it’s a massive part of my answer to finding my own rich path through life.
On my journey I’ve discovered that it’s the experiences I’ve had that have created the true joy in my life. I’ve realised that this joy will only end when I stop looking for new experiences.
My advice to all on the occasion of Donna’s business birthday is “Never, ever stop looking!”
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