Sole Traders Pro’s and Con’s

Sole Traders Pro’s and Con’s

The life of a sole trader is one that interesting, diverse, challenging and very rewarding.
Here we'll look at the ups and the downs.

Being a sole trader can mean you work alone and you make all the decisions, the downside to that is at times there are no colleagues to bounce ideas off or proof read your latest marketing blurb, but the up side is that you don’t have to consider other’s opinion that you potentially don’t agree with, you get to make all the decisions that you want to make, you call all the shots and run things the way things should be run, from your perspective.

Working on your own means you must find the opportunity to make contacts and interact with those who can help you build your business which equates to venturing outside your comfort zone and taking the bull by the horn to get to the next stage. Business owners and those who succeed acknowledge and take for granted that fear and overcoming it is all part and parcel of the game. Breaking free from your fears is a sign of growth and development and it’s required if you want to get to the next level.

Motivation is a challenge especially working as a sole trader where continuous effort is required to maintain focus and get up and go. Finding ways to keep going when the phone isn’t ringing and business is slow is one of the most challenging parts and it is here that one must find ways or discuss with inspirational individuals ways to retain the focus you had in the early stages of setting up the business.

Separating work and life are difficult especially in the early years when you want to devote all your time to the new venture. People have suggested that they feel guilty if they are not working on their business plans and yet they experience difficulties from family members stating that investing in the business is all they do so finding the right balance for your personal situation is an individual preference.



Networking groups are one the most effective exercises sole traders can invest in. They get you out with others who  are dealing with similar issues. You can discuss the challenges and benefits of what you do while also developing potential business along the way.

Perhaps you’d like to read more about the rewards and challenges of a sole trader if so check out this piece on startupsmart.com written by Oliver Milman
http://www.startupsmart.com.au/sole-trader/top-10-challenges-faced-by-sole-traders.html?displaypage=tip7

By Linda Ryan

 

Welcome To Dublin Business Network Blog The Art of Networking

Dublin Business Network would like to welcome you all to our blog!

Here you can read all about us as a group and what we achieve as our network group goes from strength to strength. Our network meets every Friday in Bewley's in Sandyford and we are always looking for new members who take networking seriously and can help us achieve our objectives

 

This blog will discuss the Art of Networking so you can get an idea of how we go about things...

 

Punctuality is the politeness of Kings            Louis XVIII

Being on time is important, it is a mark of respect and professionalism to arrive on time and gives fellow colleagues an indication how serious you take the meetings and how serious you will be when they come to refer you clients, so don't be late!!

 

Fear Not

Networking is all about putting yourself out there and moving on from your comfort zone. It is not easy to walk into a room of people who already know each other and start a conversation but it is a necessity if you want to network and get to know more people who can help you achieve your goals. Don't worry about making mistakes or appearing nervous, anyone who has done it before you will completely understand and will admire you for taking the time to get out there and feel the fear.

 

Small talk matters

Sometimes you just want to chat and find out about a person without the whole sales pitch so remember that we are all human and that talking about sport or current affairs can give you as keen an insight into people as when they take the stage and commence their structured talk on what they specifically do. People want to know they can connect with colleagues and potential business associates on a level where communication and discussion is easy and comfortable. Of course it's important to produce the goods but connecting is important in case things need exploration and discussion down the line.

 

Remember

Take the time to remember people's names and what they do. Although this can be a challenge there are ways to help you get over forgetting people's names and finding yourself in an awkward situation when you come to introduce your new colleague, check out our website for a great list of do's and don'ts !!

 

Confidence

The more confident you are about what you do the more that will be obvious to others and the more likely they are to think you are competent and gifted in what you do. Are you passionate about what you provide, do you love the area of work you find yourself working in, let others see this, if you have confidence in your abilities your fellow networkers will have comfort and confidence in referring you on for business.

“It is not so much our friends' help that helps us as the confident knowledge that they will help us.”

 

It's all about you...

Remember when you are chatting with people research stresses the more you engage others about themselves the more they think you are a nice and interesting person and in turn the more they like you. Talking about yourself is all well and good but if this commands the conversation it can result in turning people off and ultimately giving others a bad impression of you, so forget about yourself for a while and when the time is right let them know.

 

Networking is about people and in general people want to feel relaxed in your company, they want to feel interested in what you do, and if referring clients they want to feel confident in your abilities so take heed of these, reflect on them and if there is room for improvement don't be afraid to take the steps needed which will ultimately provide you with a platform to help you achieve your goals.