Want to tune out negative comments and listen to your own internal business sense? Here’s how to find that freedom.
“He’s lucky he has his own business.”
“Must be great not having to punch in at 8:00 sharp every morning.”
“She can come and go as she pleases.”
“He must make a load of money”.
These types of preconceived notions about the life of an entrepreneur may appear true on the surface, but they are very misleading. They don’t provide an accurate picture of the life of a business owner, and they don’t make sense if you look into them more deeply.
Ideas like these are thrown around almost exclusively by people who have never attempted to start a business, or have had little to no interaction with people who have.
In Bahrain, we have two amazing groups that businesspeople will always have to face, no matter how large or small their businesses: the naysayers and the envy group.
The naysayers will put a negative spin on everything you do. From the moment you think of starting up, your business lifestyle, your schedule, whatever it is—it just seems bad to them. These notions stem from not knowing how tiring but satisfying running a business can be.
“They could very well be making more money or leading a much more comfortable life, but no—they still want a piece of your pie.
The envy group wants what you have—in most cases, without putting in any of the effort. They covet the business lifestyle without knowing how taxing it can be. Your success is what they want. They could very well be making more money or leading a much more comfortable life, but no—they still want a piece of your pie.
If you happen to belong to one of the two groups described above, try your best to be positive and supportive, because honestly, the hardship one has to endure at the start of a business is not easy, and it is not something everyone can do. Bear in mind that depending upon the nature of the business, it can take up to five years to experience proper returns on your investment.
To business owners: first and foremost, please accept the fact that even the people who matter the most to you, like your parents or closest friends, might be against your ideas—but listen to your heart, and get your brain to support your goals. Don’t let comments demotivate you. The main attributes an entrepreneur must possess are self-motivation and drive—so be that person, and block any negativity coming your way. Don’t lose faith in your ability to turn your business around, and take it from pure struggle to success. Those same people will come back and believe in you once you have made your abilities clear and are able to show them how serious you are about your business.
“Bahraini society is still relatively new to the idea of trading an unrewarding (albeit comfortable) lifestyle for an extremely rewarding but hectic one.
People around you might try to make you feel small about the financial sacrifices you have made, like selling your high-end car and settling for a vehicle that is more utilitarian. The fact is, you don’t need to explain anything to anyone. Let your actions stand as the main proof that all of your financial sacrifices were made for the right reasons.
As I mentioned in my previous article, Bahraini society is still relatively new to the idea of trading an unrewarding (albeit comfortable) lifestyle for an extremely rewarding but hectic one. Always remember: the “hectic” part only happens during the startup phase, which is the nature of the beast. Once you have survived that time period, it will be smooth sailing from then on.
A final message to new and hopeful entrepreneurs who can relate to the facts I have mentioned in this article: keep at it. Starting a business means, quite literally, managing everything that happens. Initially, you are the accountant, the salesman, the operations department, and probably the cleaner. You will skip social events and make sacrifices, and your income might not be what you’re used to for a while. The upside is: you are doing your own thing, it is what you want to do, and it WILL pay off in the long run.
