Here we are friends. We are at the end of this series!
If you missed the first four, make sure you scroll back down through the blog archives and get caught up! I don't want you to miss it!
I talk to people all.the.time. who want to know how to start a business, what it takes, and what is is really like in real life.
Those conversations inspired me to write this series for you. My husband Jeremey and I are serial business owners, and we have been self employed business owners now for over a decade. Needless to say, we have learned some things along the way and I am happy to share it with you in hopes it will help someone out there!
Alright, without further adieu, the final thing I am here to tell you that you do not need in order to start a successful business is this....the approval and support of all of your family and friends!
It is true! Hear me out.
You absolutely should get wise counsel before you move forward with a life-changing decision. But, you may find the supportive, encouraging, and truth-filled advice you need most will not always come from the people you would expect to be your biggest cheerleaders. In fact, it is often the opposite situation, and the harshest criticism tends to come from close friends and family.
Why? I wish I could answer this but I actually have no idea!
Familiarity? Jealousy? Envy? Skepticism? Wanting to keep someone where they are because it is more comfortable and safe?
Whatever the reasons, it is a thing, a very real and potentially discouraging thing.
This is my best advice to you:
Protect your dream. Hold it close. And share it slowly and carefully.
This may stun you, but you do not actually have to share it with anyone and everyone, or even on social media at all.
When we do that, in our excitement and emotion, we often open the door wide open for unwanted advice, criticism, and comments. That can make it very difficult to continue to hear clear directions from God when all of a sudden dozens of other voices are invited to contribute to the conversation.
DO share it with your spouse, your Pastor, and the friend who is genuinely happy for you when things go well in your life but will also love you enough to tell you when you are off base. Those friends are rare, but they do exist.
These are the people in your life you should listen to, seek their approval, and care about what they have to say. They are safeguards.
Would it be nice to have everyone's support? Of course it would, but rarely does that actually happen. If you have a God-given dream for a business idea and you know it, do not waste a moment worrying about the haters. They might just be wishing they had thought of it or done it first.
I hope this encourages you to know you do not NEED anything from them in order to succeed! I would venture to say many many great thinkers, successful people, and leaders have been some of the most harshly criticized and unsupported people there are.
In the words of my Pastor (one of the wisest men I know), "The tallest trees experience the harshest winds." I do not know about you but wind does not scare me when I know God is with me!
Will you send me a message if this encouraged you? I love to hear from you!
