Last Updated on December 4, 2018 by Jessica Adams
Being an Entrepreneur comes with freedom and independence. It also comes with many obstacles Entrepreneurs hate. Like any job, there are great benefits and equally major struggles. It’s all about how you handle the pressure and responsibility when you’re in a position with very job-specific obstacles, such as those of an Entrepreneur. You need to be able to balance the ups and downs all by yourself. That said, there is one undeniable difference between being an Entrepreneur and being an employee. And that is your ability to change the role that you play in your business in a given day.
With that in mind, we have pulled together a list of obstacles that many Entrepreneurs agree are their least favorite parts of the job. With each obstacle we’ve offered a potential way to handle it. Don’t forget to share how you deal with these obstacles yourself, in the comments below!
4 Big-Time Obstacles Entrepreneurs Hate
(And What To Do About Them)
One Is the Loneliest Number
When you are an employee, it’s easy to overlook the little things. Like water-cooler gossip, hallway catch-ups, coffee runs and the fun times you share with colleagues. But the moment you enter the world of Entrepreneurship, one of the first things you notice is that you’re missing these little interactions. It can even start to take a mental toll on your productivity and your mood in general. When you read about Entrepreneurs needing to have thick skin, loneliness is one of the main reasons (believe it or not) that the thick skin is recommended. People don’t realize the psychological fortitude that it takes to motivate oneself throughout the day. You essentially need to become an entire cast of characters from your “office days” for yourself.
Our Advice: First and foremost, it helps if you have a strong sense of self. This way you can tune into your mood easily and know when enough is enough, it’s time to head to Starbucks to at least see other human beings. We also recommend joining local networking Meetup groups. You can also attend workshops or my personal favorite, rent a space in a shared office. It will make a world of difference because you’ll get a bit of your water cooler time back while remaining an Entrepreneur.
You Have Multiple Positions (but you’re still just ONE person)
When people take the leap into entrepreneurship it’s usually because they have a particular skill set that is easily marketable and in high demand. For example, let’s say you’re a great writer and have a “hobby blog” where you write about how you manage your time with four kids while pursuing your “solo” business as an Entrepreneur. Your skill set is managing your business and each day, with four kids (for sure!). Your high demand market is every single Mommy Blogger, who would love to learn all about your time management skills and how you run your business with the added responsibility of having all those kiddos!
Since you have a marketable skill set that’s in high demand, it would make sense to turn that blog of yours into a “portfolio” of your work. Since it’s likely filled with writing samples around the topic that your readers are looking for, you’ve already got that covered. Unfortunately, Entrepreneurship comes with a load of other tasks besides just the writing that you’re used to doing. You’re no longer just a writer or blogger. You’re also a bookkeeper, marketing specialist, social media manager, CEO and CFO!
Our Advice: Find a way to automate as many of your processes as possible. It will free up your time and keep your business running smoothly.
Repetition Is Key…
There are some repetitive tasks that you can automate, which is great. But then there are other little tasks that don’t transition as easily to automation. That’s where outsourcing becomes your best friend in the entire world. Let’s say tech really isn’t your thing, then save yourself a headache by using managed IT services. Or do you find it impossible to stay on top of your inbox, hire yourself a virtual assistant. If you have to write a weekly email to your subscribers but don’t have the time (or the drive!) to do so, hire a creative copywriter to do it for you.
Our Advice: Whatever the task may be, you’re the only who needs to make sure you get it done! And outsourcing is a great way to let go of some of that responsibility that’s all on your shoulders.
Staying Organized Is More Than Challenging
One of the hardest things an Entrepreneur has to manage, is herself (or himself). It’s managing your daily schedule on and off the job. Then there’s managing all of your bills and keeping track of all automated payments (bookkeeping). If you have an assistant, you also need to create and manage a whole other schedule. Then, of course, you need to pay him (or her), reimburse mileage (if applicable) and keep track of their time working with you or from their home. Now an assistant, virtual or otherwise, could actually help you with most of these mundane yet important tasks. But it’s always a good idea to have another system in place, like an app that helps you organize your to-do lists.
Our Advice: There are tons of Productivity apps on the market but the one I use to help manage my ever-growing to-do lists is the app, todoist. It’s available online and syncs with it’s corresponding phone app for iPhone, Android or Google Play. It helps you organize your projects into color-coded categories and to prioritize the things on those lists, along with sending you reminders throughout your day or week.
At the end of the day, being an Entrepreneur definitely beats being an employee (in my humble opinion!) but there are lots of obstacles, as with any career choice. The goal is to love what you do more than the headaches caused by the obstacles that come with the job. If that’s what you have, you’re further along than most!
Jessica Rose Adams
No Comments