Life can be good, but at the same time, it can be tough, challenging, and unpredictable. Regardless of life’s ups and downs, it is essential to always look at the brighter side of things, no matter how difficult it may be.
Starting a business is a massive leap, and we know the risks and challenges involved. “How to Stay Motivated During Tough Times” is a question many entrepreneurs grapple with, but awareness doesn’t make it less manageable and, in no way, prepares us for what’s to come.
Every day, we face new challenges and curveballs that can test our will and make us question our goals. It is easy to be blind-sighted by our emotions, but digging deeper into the whys and controlling the situation as effectively as possible can make a significant impact.
Why Integrate Side Projects?
Being creative within the constraints of client briefs, budgets and timelines is the norm for most agencies. However, investing in research and development as a true, creative outlet is a powerful addition. In these side projects alone, your team members can pool their expertise to create and shape their own vision — a powerful way to develop motivation, interdisciplinary skills and close relationships.
“Tough times never last, but tough people do.” — Robert H Schuller
Our Business Start-Up Journey
Taking The First Steps
The first stage involves a myriad of emotions that might shape the course of your company’s development. This was the stage where everyone in our start-up was excited and eager to land our first client.
Still, there was also that overpowering fear and frustration about what it’s going to take to get that first client to turn up so we can finally do business and show them and our future clients what we can do and offer.
Fortunately, we received projects, but most importantly, everyone on the team realized the importance of their roles in helping to accomplish the goals and meet the client’s expectations.
During the first stage, we learned to value everyone’s contribution to the organization. Having one less committed team member could cause problems for everyone.
Growing And Learning
Compared to the initial stages, the continuous growth and room for learning in the next phase are more challenging and can test everyone’s resilience and commitment. This is where we get our dose of failures, and mistakes often lead to money loss in a business.
This stage requires us to be fearless in taking new chances, adopting new methodologies, and tapping additional mentors and advisors that can allow us to see our challenges from a different perspective so we can find solutions in non-conventional ways.
Growing can be scary because we often like to stick to the processes that worked for us in the past, but with businesses, changes are necessary. We must be adaptable and accepting of new concepts and ideas to minimize sinking into the same pitfalls.
Our Challenges In The Team
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Maintaining The Culture
During the start-up phase, we only have a few people onboard. As the company grows, hiring new talents becomes imperative. One of the challenges of getting new hires is ensuring that the organization’s culture is maintained and that everyone is agreeable and supportive of this culture.
This weight lies on the shoulders of our recruitment team and a hiring process that can find the balance between talent and work ethics. From the recruiters and sourcing coordinators to the operations leadership team, everyone needs to perform their functions while, at the same time, thriving in a culture that everyone is supportive and happy with.
Retaining people and making them feel valued is always a challenge. When we finally find and practice that organizational culture, we have employees growing with the company, taking on new roles, and steering everyone to success. We have to exert less time and effort to address attrition, and goals like global expansion can be more attainable.
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The Unknown
Basing our structure and implementations on a well-written and scientifically researched playbook is not guaranteeing that we’ll always be prepared for tomorrow. Despite having the best team, surprises are inevitable.
At our startup, we have come to the understanding that every day, anything can happen. Being in the entrepreneurship industry longer than others doesn’t mean that we’ll always be ready and well-equipped for the unknown.
We will not have definitive answers or immediate alternatives to challenges and questions. Still, we have learned to be resilient and adaptable to change to make the necessary adjustments. We know that we will figure things out, whether it’s to do with our recruitment process or employee engagement.
Understandably, addressing the unknown is not an overnight process, but a carefully thought out methodology, implementation, and follow-through always lead to wins.
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Consistent Communication
Like most growing companies, at our startup too, communication was a focus initially. However, as everyone got into the routine and grew comfortable with different situations, the communication dwindled.
Before and when a company goes live, all information is disseminated on all levels, and each member is aligned in all aspects. During the learning phase, communication decreases as expected, but it should still be a top priority for everyone.
Open, honest, and straightforward communication can make everyone feel part of the team, and a sense of belongingness is part of healthy organizational culture. Nowadays, many communication channels are available for use, including traditional announcement boards, emails, and group chats.
Our Best Practices
These best practices came from our own experiences, which are worth sharing because they continue to help us make every day a successful business day.
#1. Learn About Accountability
If we’re wrong, we take full responsibility for it. Making excuses won’t help, so acknowledging the mistakes, apologizing for them, and doing something about it is an excellent formula.
#2. Be Ready To Say Sorry
Apologizing is sometimes taken as a sign of incompetence when it comes to work because it usually means we failed to do something correctly. There’s some grain of truth in there, but being able to sincerely say “I’m sorry” says a lot about our character, not just as employees but as individuals. These two words are not the easiest to say, but they can make a huge difference.
#3. Talk To Your Teammates
Always have an open communication line with everyone you are working with but, of course, make sure that everybody remains professional and respectful. Be honest and make every conversation worthwhile.
#4. Ask For Help
There are days when we’ll need more ideas for business, and we’ll need everyone to be all hands on deck. So don’t hesitate to ask for assistance, another alternative, or a bright concept from your team. Remember that everyone should be geared toward the same goal.
On a side note, the leadership team also needs to learn how to delegate effectively. We must remind ourselves that we have competent and reliable people on our team who can always help us.
#5. Appreciation Goes A Long Way
Everyone on the team must be valued, and their efforts appreciated. We like to ensure that all our employees feel important to the team and like an integral part of the team. You can easily overlook this, especially in times of struggle, but making everyone feel like a single unit can make a difference.
Final Thoughts
We hope that my experiences also help you stay motivated and positive during tough times!
This quote from Robert Tew may come in handy and be worth sharing with your team: “The struggle you’re in today is developing the strength you need tomorrow!”
