- I’m just a small business owner.
- I only run a small business.
- It’s just a small business really.
- I’m just a solopreneur.
I hear these phrases all the time. Business owners who are continually belittling what they do with the words they use to communicate it.
And by using those words, they paint themselves into a can’t/won’t/don’t mentality too:
- I can’t afford to do that as a small business.
- I won’t need to do that, I’m just a small business.
- I don’t need to think about that, I’m just a small business.
Can’t/won’t/don’t – there is SO much negativity in these words. So MUCH negativity in this mindset.
Here’s a little wakeup call/reality check about the power that small businesses have in the UK economy:
Small businesses (0-49 employees) number 5.5 million, making up 99.2% of total businesses.
99.2%
Do you know how much turnover those 5.5 million small businesses bring into the UK economy? No? I’m about to tell you.
636,893 million.*[1]
What’s small about that?
The reason this really grips my grollies is that the only thing small about your business is your mindset. And that holds so many small business owners back from realising their goals & ambitions for their businesses; I’m not talking about global domination from your kitchen table here (although there is no reason not to aim for the stars), I’m talking about using being a small business as an excuse for thinking small about it.
Just because you are a small business doesn’t mean you have to behave like one – THINK BIG, ACT BIG, MAKE BIG THINGS HAPPEN!
I choose to work with small business owners because I am one. They are my tribe. I know this tribe well having been part of it since 2001 when I first started my small business. I didn’t let being a small business hold me back from the goals I wanted to achieve then, and I don’t let them hold me back now.
So why are you?
My business may be small, but it means the world to me. It means the world to me for a lot of different reasons:
I simply love doing what I do – and my business allows me to do that in a way that I love too.
I gives me the freedom to make decisions about how I work, when I work, and who I work with.
It allows me to earn an income that gives me financial independence and freedom.
It gives me purpose, keeps me motivated and willing to work hard to make it successful & grow.
My business may be small, but I choose to think differently. I make sure that I have all the right foundations in place to let my business be protected and ready for growth:
- I have a bookkeeper & and an accountant, and I use an accounting software platform.
- I have the right insurance policies in place.
- I have a business bank account and I put money away for a rainy day & my tax return.
- I have great marketing support, & use great scheduling software.
- I have fabulous networking support & an amazing network that I nurture.
- I have professional suppliers that help me make sure my business looks good online & in print.
None of this is small. It requires investment, both of my time & of my business income to do this. By choosing to think big, to be ambitious for my business, choosing to invest in my business and get the support and suppliers I need & trust to get the job done, means I can focus on doing what I do best – help other small business owners move their businesses forward.
The next time you find yourself thinking you can’t/won’t/don’t about your small business – imagine what might happen if you could/would/did instead.
It could be game changing.
If you are ready to change your mindset and think BIG about your business, let’s have a chat.