Working in the corporate world is not all gloom and doom, especially if you see the learning opportunities it affords. I worked for a bank for 4 years before taking the plunge to build Alama, this time in the finance industry gifted me invaluable insights about some key skills on what it takes to build a sustainable and profitable business.
Here I have complied a few lessons that well and truly stuck from my experience
1.Be Professional is not a cliché
This doesn’t simply mean be good at what you do, it extends to almost every facet of your business. People want to work with other people and companies that are reliable, competent, well organized, communicate effectively, accountable and deliver within stipulated timelines. Being professional doesn’t mean imposing an uptight boring culture on your team, but it does require setting guidelines that ensure the business runs efficiently and without much friction both within and without. Being professional with your work is the biggest asset you can put into your brand or business.
2.If you don’t understand a balance sheet don’t open shop
You need to understand how your business is doing with regards to profit, the margins on your services or products, your assets and the overall value of what you are doing. Most often than not creatives tend to dismiss the accounting part of the business or give it minimal attention then act all surprised when we can’t make head or tail of the money. You need to have your quote to invoice system up to shape just like your sketch to final concept. Don’t ignore the message the figures send.
3.Don’t mess around with your client service
The quickest way to destroy your business is to have loads of unsatisfied customers, unhappy customers are going to spread the negativity like a Trojan virus on steroids. Design and implement a customer service policy that covers standard communication procedures, response to complaints, being accountable when you mess up and generally how to keep the guys who dig your business happy. Creatives rely a lot on their referral networks so once that is messed up you are in trouble. Remember it’s easier to get more work from existing clients than to onboard new ones, so don’t piss them off.
4.Play nice with your workmates
It doesn’t matter whether your title is lead, CEO or founder, inculcate a culture of fair play, team work and cooperation amongst the guys you work with. Don’t be a boss be a leader, give your team a vision to aspire to and cultivate synergy. Once you have great team chemistry and work ethic those deadlines won’t look so terrifying. A great team delivers great results, don’t overlook it.
5.Have a Plan
It always seemed we knew where we were going, having an overall vision for your business gives it a sense of direction. Know what you want to achieve in all the terms then build coherent strategies around this goals. Do you intend to focus on building small static websites for small clients or you want to build ass kicking ecommerce applications for serious startups? You need to be clear on the vision and then plan accordingly.
So dear creative take some time to streamline your business skills. Everything is a continuous learning process Have a wonderful week ahead.