Vita's Tip in 10: Entrepreneurship is Hard. Do This to Make it Easier.

Hello, hello, friend, welcome to this week’s episode of Vita’s Tip in 10. Today's tip is, as always, inspired by my experiences and my adventures as a window treatment business owner. And today I want to share some insight on approaching a difficult task. 

So the other day I was having a conversation with someone who was interested in some of my Systems, which I teach and share in my VIP Experience Days, as well as templates that can be purchased. 

And this window treatment professional that I spoke to had some very good questions, which is to be expected before making any kind of significant investment. We should all be doing our due diligence and asking lots of questions before we jump right into any kind of purchase or consider implementing a new system. 

What she wanted to know was:  

How easy are your systems to implement?  

Will it be easy for me to learn them?  

Will it be easy for my staff to adapt to them?  

And the short answer, the honest answer to those questions is, no. It is not easy. Implementing anything new is difficult, and implementing new systems and processes can be very difficult. And when you have a team, getting your people to accept and adapt to change is never easy.  

And that’s exactly what I explained to her. You can always count on me to be very clear and straight forward – I’m not going to sugarcoat anything. I’m not going to tell you it’s going to be easy to implement when it’s not – that’s just not how I operate. So I was honest with her, and I gave her the very simple answer that no, it is not easy. 

But that doesn’t mean it should stop you from moving forward. 

Because really, everything we do as entrepreneurs is difficult, isn’t it? I’ve talked before about how those of us that choose this path and lifestyle are wired different. Being an entrepreneur is challenging, and it is definitely not for the faint of heart. Running a business is not for anyone who is looking for an easy or slow-paced career. 

But, despite the challenges, one of the best parts is that the barrier to entry into entrepreneurship, especially in our industry, is very low.  

The learning curve and knowledge needed, while certainly not what any of us would call “easy” is not so complex that it requires an advanced degree in mathematics or physics. We don't have to have years and years of schooling and residency and fellowships. We don't necessarily need to have very high-end skills or a business degree to get started.  

As an entrepreneur, the most important attribute you can have, what sets you apart from anyone in any other line of work, is having true grit and a nuanced acumen, and a true passion and desire to make your business a success.  

And so, to go back to the question that this window treatment professional was asking me.  

“Are your systems easy to implement?” 

And to that, I ask, “How long can you keep operating the way that you are before you’re ready to throw in the towel?” 

You need to ask yourself what is harder: Putting in the time and work to implement a system that will allow you to operate your business more efficiently, OR continuing to operate the same way you always have, working long hours, feeling overwhelmed, and wondering why you started a business in the first place. 

I encourage you to ask yourself these questions when considering the concept of what is hard:  

Are the pain points that you have right now stronger than the pain of learning a new system and embracing higher-efficiency and learning new tools?  

Would you rather experience the pain and frustration of wasting tons of time and money making mistakes, and risking your reputation, rather than go through the discomfort and challenges of implementing a new system? 

What it all boils down to, is you do the hard thing now, or the harder thing later. Implementing a new system, or any kind of change, is not easy. But can you really picture yourself, five years down the road, operating just the same way you are now? 

If the answer is a resounding NO, then my friend, you know it’s time to face those challenges head-on.  

As Glennon Doyle would say, you can do hard things! And, you don’t have to do it alone. I host window treatment business owners for a two-day intensive in my newly renovated studio in Bucks County, PA where I hand over all of my systems for you to use and put to work immediately. They are not easy to implement – but, my Friend, they are 100% worth it if you crave organization and systemization in your business. Visit my website for more information and to schedule a discovery call. 

And in the meantime I’ll be looking forward to bringing you a new episode of Vita’s Tip in Ten next Thursday. See you next time!