This month my business has advanced into its second year. I was released from my consulting job a year ago.  Although it took a long time to get over the self-doubt and rebuild my confidence, I am now thankful for it.  I finally felt like I was able to let go of those feelings when I was on the Oprah cruise back in January.  During this past year, there are 5 things that I have learned to have a successful first year in business.

5 Things I Learned To Have A Successful First Year In Business

1. Be Part Of A Community

I am so thankful for the people who I’ve met at conferences, through social media, and mastermind groups.  The women in these communities have been very open and welcoming to me and they all genuinely want to help one another. 

I can’t begin to tell you how much knowledge I have gained by being a part of these great groups.  I have been able to ask questions without judgment and really admire the women who have built their businesses from the ground up up and are now very successful in this industry. 

Being a entrepreneur, I work from home most of the time.  But when I attend conferences, I have the opportunity to see my friends and make new friends.  I love the fact that at almost every event I have attended, I left with two or three great new friends that I remain in touch with throughout the year.  

2. Secure Multiple Sources Of Revenue

Blogging and social media marketing does generate revenue, but it doesn’t come automatically.  It takes time to build your reputation in the industry.  For that reason, I also provide consulting services to non-profit organizations, and local businesses and I even have clients in New York City.

Providing these services allows me to keep my technology skills fresh and gives me the chance to learn new things as well.  It is also something steady to rely on should the social media industry have a drastic change.

Social media is constantly changing, and you can’t rely on building your business on someone else’s land.  That’s why it is important to also build real life relationships with individuals and brands as well.

3. Attend Conferences

One of the first things I started to do when I wanted to turn my blogging into a business, was find conferences related to blogging.  My favorite blogging conference is Mom 2.0.  I attended Mom 2.0 for the past two years and always came home with so many notes and great information on how to grow, organize, and manage my business.  Conferences are also a great place to network, talk to brands, and find PR contacts to introduce yourself to in hopes to work with them in the future.

My favorite social media marketing conference is Social Media Marketing World, which is run by Social Media Examiner.  I volunteered at SMMW last year and am currently there now.  This conference is AMAZING!  So many social media experts are there and the atmosphere is electric.  Being a volunteer is a lot of work but it is worth every minute.

We have the opportunity to network and interact with the speakers, the attendees, sponsors, and other volunteers.  I’ve already exchanged business cards with several people that I am working with in my volunteer group and also individuals I met at the Pat Flynn Meetup last night!

4. Hire Experts To Do Things You Aren’t Comfortable Doing Yourself

I know a little bit about a lot of things.  But many times I don’t know enough of other things to take my business to the next level.  As I worked through the first year of my business I tried to do what I could but learned that I needed to hire some experts to do things that would advance my business.

SEO is one of those skills that I am not well versed in.  Since I hired someone to manage my SEO, my traffic to my blog has increased greatly.  Even though it costs me a little extra for this service, the payout will be great in the end.

I also hired a business coach.  This is a great resource for me to bounce my ideas off of and to help keep my focus and direct me to the area I need to give more of my attention.

5. Be Grateful

The most important lesson I learned this year is to be grateful.  I am grateful for every opportunity, large or small.  I am grateful for the people who have given me wonderful opportunities and experiences.

I have had the chance to do things I never imagined.  So now when I create my vision board every year, I add things that are dreams for me because dreams can come true.  Nothing is too big or too small to put on the vision board.  It is honestly, a little scary when I look back on what I put on the board last year and what actually came true!

Gratitude is a new trait that I have embraced this year.  I must admit that I am usually a glass-half-empty person.  My friends and I joked about it when we were away in Boston for a weekend last summer.  I keep a gratitude journal and when I am feeling stressed or down I stop myself in my tracks, take a deep breath and tell myself it is going to be a great day.

Being an entrepreneur isn’t easy. It’s not the safe route compared to a full-time job with benefits.  But the rewards are so much greater because they are a direct reflection of your efforts.  I love being a business owner.  There are days that I question it; but rarely does that happen.  I have so much to do and learn that there isn’t time to allow self-doubt or negative thoughts to come in and take over my mind.

Are you an entrepreneur?  Have you always wanted to own your own business?  If you have questions about it, reach out to me, I’d love to talk to you about it!