International Women’s Day – #ChooseToChallenge

Yo! young Anna (and all you other ballsy women reading this),

10 years at the helm of PLOTT has been a hell of a journey. Feelings of fear and anxiety. Times of triumph and joy. Lots of lessons learnt. Starting a business is probably one of the toughest career choices, but I think it’s the most rewarding.

Of course, I’m still making mistakes but here is what I do know…

Having done a marathon the year I started PLOTT, I realised you need to pace youself. Do something you love. I mean really love (as you’re going to be doing a lot of it). Be prepared to graft, but make sure you have fun! Prioritise time outside of work so you don’t miss out on life. It might be your business but it doesn’t have to be your life; and balancing those balls is important to avoid burn out. You’ve got to work for 40 years after all!

Networking isn’t just about new business. You’ll meet amazing suppliers and people you can collaborate with too. Sometimes, those collaborations will transform your business. And when you’re stressed and worried, pick up the phone and share your problems. You’ll always need your network for advice, mentoring or just to vent (and yes, it’s ok to vent!).

Getting the right people around you isn’t something you want to get wrong; loyalty is key. You’ll need a perfectly balanced team that gets on well and looks out for each other. When the proverbial hits the fan you’ll need a team to lean on to meet those impossible deadlines. You’ll also need them to share your successes, and a beer, with. If you get this right, it’ll mean a lot fewer sleepless nights and grey hairs!

Work with great people that inspire you. Build your reputation and relationships. Get reviews and use social media. If you do great work and enjoy it, your clients will refer you to their network. It’s that simple. At PLOTT, all our work comes to from happy clients who recommend us. And, clients that are hard work and you wake up stressing about? They’re not worth it. If you have an awkward client, don’t work with them again!

Never rest on your laurels. No matter what industry you’re in, things change all the time and you need to stay ahead of the curve. You do not know everything (and that’s ok).

Be kind to others and help where you can. Champion fellow businesses and support fellow business owners (especially women!). Your company should be more than just a group of people who work together to make money. Community has never been so crucial, so support local charities and businesses wherever possible; we are stronger together.