Jacqueline Low

Clients requirements are that you know what you’re doing and that they are being attended/handled accordingly. Some things that help: - Be accessible (within reason). So they feel that you give them priority. - Keep them updated so they know that their matter is being attended to & the progress. - Be a step ahead. I.e. clients may not be aware of the consequences of an action or inaction. Giving them the scenarios allows them to decide the best course of action. - Be honest. If you can’t do something, say so. Trying to do something that you can’t do & then making a mistake could be disastrous, especially if the mistake is expensive or irreversible. Sometimes, you may need others involvement to handle together.

Entrepreneurship is a big word and it can be lonely. Some things that have helped me during challenging times are- - My Why and purpose. It has to be strong enough to overcome the challenges. - Personal & professional support. People whom you can talk to & be the sounding board of your concerns & the mental support. They can give you perspectives that you yourself may not have thought of being too close to the situation. - Keep learning. Knowledge is not constant. It develops over time and what we knew of the business before, may not necessarily be the business of today. New technology, new ideas, new ways. We have to keep ourselves up to date. - Flexibility. Being open and ready to pivot and change with the times.

Getting to know your team members is the first step. Understanding them & what motivates them. Their strengths & weaknesses. With this interaction and understanding, you will know what needs improvement & sharpening. Give them opportunities to lead projects so they can develop and hone their leadership skills. Give feedback. Let them learn from their mistakes. Be the sounding board for them to voice out their concerns & fears but don’t give them the solutions. Let them review, access & improve on their own. This slowly removes the reliance and develops independence.

It’s always good to have feedback. Be humble to know that you are not perfect. That with different generations come different ways of looking at & doing things. Reflect on the feedback to see if it has merits, and if it does, see how you can learn from it and make improvements where necessary. This allows you to become better professionally. Seek feedback again after improvements have been made to see if you’re on the right track. Of course if the feedback has no merits, seek to understand why the party felt the way they did & clarify. This ensures they are not mistaken & the miscommunication/misconception/misunderstanding can be fixed.

Firstly, identify what is your style. Then understand what are the other leadership styles. Identify what’s similar & what’s different and bridge the gap of understanding how to help the team members understand the different styles. Nothing is worse than having a confused team which will affect productivity and morale.

1. Why - do you want to start a business? What is your motivation that will keep you going if/when it gets difficult? 2. What - are your skills, knowledge, experiences that you can provide to customers to solve their issues/pain points? 3. How - do you plan to fund your business and how long can you sustain if there is no stream of business? 4. Who - can you work/collaborate with if necessary? Do you need business partners? Networks are important. When you are able to answer these questions with some certainty, it gives you clarity on when you are ready.