Tip 178) Stop overthinking. it's exhausting!

​One Step at a Time - Guest Post by Elizabeth Withers. 

Overthinking is Exhausting
E Withers Cleaning was born in August 2017 with no idea of where to start and faced with the anxieties of going it alone. I kept it simple, locally based and prepared for little or no money coming in to begin with.

We are a small cleaning business based in Bristol catering for domestic regular, end of tenancy/one off cleans and office cleaning.

​Starting a new business, even just the first thoughts of going it alone, can be very daunting. Trust me, I know - I’ve done it. Starting a new career in my mid 30s, I thought I must be mad, but I went for it and I’m loving it. 

​I’ve made both good and bad decisions along the way, which have been time-consuming, nerve-wracking, confidence-building and a huge learning experience roller coaster.

So, I began…
I sat at my desk, pen in hand, above a big blank sheet of paper ready to brainstorm. After some time, the page was still blank with only the words 'BUSINESS IDEAS' in a cloud squiggle and not a letter more. A few hours later, after much deviation checking social media and drinking gallons of tea, I had only written the typical 'write a book', 'sell stuff', 'get a new job'.

Then something ignited in my brain. Cleaning. I can do that and I can do it well.

I got overwhelmed trying to research everything from domestic to commercial, carpet cleaning, joining awarding bodies, finding about employing staff, and spending money and time I didn’t have. This was getting exhausting.

I spent weeks researching every little thought, scribbling away on pieces of paper haphazardly littered in the office everywhere. I didn’t really get anywhere, just irrelevant titbits of information, not really understanding much about any of it. When really, if I’d kept things simple, I could have got some insurance, and started to advertise, and potentially earn, during those weeks.

Now, after just over 18 months, I’m comfortable with where the business is, and we are now looking to expand into other areas, so the whole process will start again. The task will be much easier this time following these ways of working.

The 12 things I should have done:

1. Don’t spend every waking hour overthinking and trying to get everything done at once. Take everything ONE STEP AT A TIME.
2.  Brainstorm – keep a notebook and pen handy. Sometimes ideas pop into your head at the funniest times and places.
3.  Keep it simple – what can I offer straight away, for minimal cost and is easy to set up? As they say, Rome wasn’t built in a day.
4. Give yourself time to think things through and let your mind absorb, understand and sort the relevancy of the information you find into a way that works for you.
5. Set your mind into two places; business mind and personal mind connections can really weigh heavy on decisions you make but, in the end, don’t let your heart rule your head.
6. Network - talk to those in the profession. It’s quite amazing, although you are potential competition, it's surprising what information people are willing to give out. From this it can help you decide what areas you want to go in, and which areas you want to leave well alone.
7.  Professional bodies are a must -  financial advisors, etc., help you brainstorm in the beginning and find out what you need to do to ensure compliance.
8. Research the local competition - what can you offer that is different if you’re not going for a niche market?
9. Build yourself up slowly, tweak as you go along - from business plans to filing systems and business models.
10. Reflect on what you’ve achieved - what went well? Expand on it. What didn’t go so well? Think about why and maybe try it again - perhaps it just wasn’t the right time and place.
11. Use free social media platforms to get your name and offer out there before you start to pay for advertising.
12. DON’T GIVE UP! I didn’t!

 
See the E Withers Cleaning Facebook page for more about our services: https://www.facebook.com/ewitherscleaning1/


​PS. Need help, advice or support? Join a lovely bunch of like-minded, positive people at one the The Small Business Growth Clubs that I run each month to raise money for HappiMe. Bespoke advice from me for £20. Bargain :-)