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In this section are a sampling of my published articles and links to media appearances.
by Deborah A. Bailey
Back before I started my business I had a different idea about what it would mean to be a business owner. All I could think about was having freedom over my own time and my career. I’ve always enjoyed writing, but I believed that being a writer could never be a very lucrative career. I also believed that I could never compete with writers who’d been out there for years.
Once I transitioned from my corporate job, I decided to start a virtual assistant business. I did that for a while and got a few clients, but I never felt completely committed to my choice. About 6 months into it I decided to be honest with myself. I wanted to feel passion about what I was doing, and the one thing that really made me feel that way was writing. So, I changed my website, got new business cards and redefined my business.
Now that I’ve been in business for a couple of years, I’ve decided to make changes yet again. In addition to writing, I’m emphasizing my editing skills and helping other business owners with their marketing communications.
There’s no rule saying that once you start a business you can never do anything else with it – or that you can never have multiple types of businesses or services. Having your own business gives you the freedom to change when you see new opportunities.
The changes in your business will also reflect the changes going on inside of you. As you evolve and gain confidence you’ll set your sights on new things that you want to do and achieve. It’s important to find that thing that you feel passionate about. Once you feel that excitement, you can take that energy and channel it into growing your business. That energy will also serve you when things aren’t going the way you’d like, or when you have doubts or are around negative people.
Don’t feel as though you have to stick to your first choices. As you discover your strengths and find the things that excite you, you’ll grow beyond what you initially believed you could do.
Positive effects of change in your business can include:
1. Opening up new streams of revenue as you add new products and services.
2. Becoming more of a risk taker and trusting your intuition when you have new ideas.
3. Reaching new customers you never knew existed.
When I decided to add new services to my business, I was afraid that I would have to start all over again. I’d put time into my business and I didn’t want to give up what I’d gained in order to start fresh. Fear of change can keep us stuck even when we want to go in a new direction.
If you have a new idea, or want to create a new website or new marketing materials, go for it. Have a new product idea or new services? Start working on them. You never know where that idea will lead you. Go ahead and start that blog or create that podcast to reach new customers. As your business changes, don’t be afraid to change your marketing strategies. Making changes in my business has given me a lot of new ideas and has re-ignited my passion. When we look at change as a positive, we can see opportunities for continued growth and reasons to stay excited about our businesses.
Copyright © 2009 Deborah A. Bailey
This article was originally published on Women&Biz.com.
Articles & Blog Posts
For more insights into career changes, check out the posts I've added here on my coaching blog.
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