If you're a great business owner (which we know you are!) you're doing everything you can to help your vision and your employees succeed. But what have you done for yourself lately? Keeping up on the latest trends and putting yourself in a position to better your business through education are important steps that all business owners should take. Below, we've outlined a few ways for you to continue growing, making yourself a better colleague, mentor, and boss.
Keep up on industry trends
If you don't have your ear to the ground in your particular industry, your business is going to suffer. We know the time it takes to launch and run a business, not to mention finding the right work/life balance, but it's important you're still in the know. Keeping up with the latest industry trends, innovations, and news is crucial to your success.
Attend industry conferences
A great way to stay on top of industry trends is to attend conferences. It's also a great way for you to network, learn, and surround yourself with like-minded peers. Find the local conferences in your area, or invest in attending a major industry conference that has great reviews. Get yourself out there and learn, and who knows, one day you may even be invited to speak!
Learn about the parts of your business that scare you
What part of your business is the most challenging? Perhaps the marketing angle of the business is not something you excel in, maybe hiring is a bit of a challenge. While you've probably brought on an expert to help you with these aspects, ultimately, you're the decision maker. Take classes, subscribe to podcasts and newsletters, and read everything you can to be as informed as possible.
Give up some of your less important duties
Delegation is hard to learn - but it's important. Your time is most valuably spent doing the crucial things that no one else can do. If you're the type of person that has trouble giving up responsibility, bring someone on who can work closely with you but take away some of those more menial tasks. Executive assistants are a wonderful way to keep you organized, help take on some of those tasks, and give you a little extra time to continue learning.
Consult your mentor
If you had a mentor who has helped you on your journey, a great way to continue learning is to connect with them as often as you can. Set monthly or quarterly coffee meetings to go over the details of your business, ask questions, and garner any and all advice they can give. Just because you've launched your business doesn't mean you should forget about the people that helped you get there - they're just as welling to help you continue succeeding!
