When starting a company alone, you are almost serving every function. You are the passionate leader, the team builder, engineer, marketing expert, logistics officer, bookkeeper and strategist all in one. The reality is that often this phase is necessary. That means that one of the most challenging things for the startup-minded to do is to keep investing, keep building their own personal skills and abilities.
This is time consuming as most entrepreneurs skip the personal investments because those investments seem disconnected from their businesses and products. If an entrepreneur has an extra hour, for example, many prefer to invest in their company over investing in themselves.
But investing in yourself as an entrepreneur is very important as it will ultimately have an effect on your company. Here are 5 ways you can keep making investments in yourself as an entrepreneur.
Take online courses
More and more very credible institutions and incubators are offering online courses and programs. It’s possible to earn certifications in a variety of business-related subjects from top universities across the world. Even if you’re just exercising your mind or staying up-to-date on current topics and trends, it’s a good investment.
Mind your physical health
Most entrepreneurs neglect their physical health. If your ability to work is the most essential thing to your business success, it makes no sense to risk it. I know how hard it is, but get to the gym, make good health and diet choices. Take vacations. As with all these suggestions, staying healthy is an investment in your business – it may help to think of it that way.
Consider using a co-working space
The collaborative, entrepreneurial spirit of shared ambition and sacrifice in a co-working community can be intoxicating and empowering. By co-locating, you’ll find mentors, partners and different-thinkers – all of whom can add to your personal growth and strategic creativity. So, consider moving yourself and your business to a co-working community.
Teach
Teaching confers a great deal of credibility on you. Teaching also forces you to know what you’re teaching at expert level, confront and consider new ideas and explain things in new ways. If you’re an expert in something, teach others and grow in it as well.
Read unrelated things
As an entrepreneur, you should be a reader. And you should make sure your reading list includes topics that are unrelated to your business endeavors. Read crime thrillers or romance novels or theoretical physics – whatever will distract you from your hour-to-hour obsessions. Giving your mind a break will inspire creative problem solving and invigorate your work when you return to it. Just a few hours a week of reading about ants or Adam Ant can make a big difference.
In conclusion, join organizations and attend events. Most people view networking as opportunities to advance their businesses. But they are just as important in building personal connections – assets you can take with you from project to project or business to business. Investing in networking and getting to know your network personally will increase your personal reach and capacity.
My name is Chigozie Japhet. I am a content writer, and a brand strategist. I like writing, reading, researching and watching football, especially my team, Man United. i believe in working hard, and also in relaxation as all work without play, makes Chigozie a dull boy.
