HOW TO BEST SUPPORT THE ENTREPRENEUR IN YOUR LIFE
Congratulations on being a part of something so incredible as being in the life of an entrepreneur. Maybe you’re a close friend, maybe you’re a family member, or maybe you’re a spouse. No matter who you are to the entrepreneur in your life, the truth is that running a business, as beautiful as it can be, can also be stressful, especially with so many unknowns and curveballs right now.
Lucky for you, our founder and CEO (who started the company as one of the only photographers and videographers and now has built a team of creatives to take care of MEDIA’s clients), is also a certified life coach and has over a decade of experience when it comes to customer service. That means she knows a thing or two about how to properly and lovingly communicate with others during delicate situations, since she built MEDIA from a solo-preneur journey to a team of creatives who are rocking it in the digital marketing world with social media, e-mail, and SEO marketing for organic growth.
So, we decided to pick her brain and present you with some key communication and emotional intelligence skills.
Here are some pointers you can give to the loved ones in your life who are looking for ways to support you on your journey to growing your company into an empire!
HOW TO BEST SUPPORT THE ENTREPRENEUR IN YOUR LIFE
1. Love them first
No matter what may be frustrating you, what may be just itching to get out of your mouth when it comes to sharing your thoughts and opinions, remember to love them first. Running a business can be emotional for many, especially during stressful times, and words tend to fly out of each others’ lips here and there. Remember when facing any conversation that love, care, and understanding should be the main focus. When you are reframing a frustrating situation with the key purpose to love others first, communication has the potential to truly be a means of connection instead of dispute.
2. Every decision should be about what is best for them
There may be decisions being made about the business or a new opportunity that could be perceived as inconvenient for you. Remember that this is about the business owner, and that likely, you aren’t the only one who wouldn’t make the same decisions because of your own life needs. It’s important to note that if everyone was voicing each objection that came to mind, no decision or plans could be made at all because it is impossible to make everyone happy. Try to be supportive and understanding about the decisions being made. Their business is important to them, after all.
3. Cooler heads prevail
If you truly feel you need to communicate something that is important for the entrepreneur in your life to know, try using statements like: “Your happiness and success are some of the most important things to me right now, and therefore…” This will put the focus of your goal for sharing your thoughts at the forefront of your communication, and therefore allowing everyone to be more open to conversations.
4. Try to think ahead to what they need
We are blessed to work with some of the most loving, understanding, caring entrepreneurs out there, whether that is for photography, videography, web design, or social media content. That means that often they are so loving, caring and nice that they refrain from asking for the help that they need. If this sounds like the entrepreneur in your life, offer help where you see they could use it. Also important is to remember to only help if they truly have expressed they could use it. Encourage the entrepreneur in your life to be honest and open about what they need so you can best assist them. Being a business owner can get so crazy, and you probably also have so much on your plate, that it might be helpful to set mental reminders to take a step back, assess the situation, and see where you can offer help.
5. Delegate a caretaker for the entrepreneur who is also a parent
Many of the entrepreneurs that we work with have already experienced the beautiful gift of parenthood, especially our female clients. They are attentive, doting, and loving mothers, and it’s hard to turn that off in the midst of important business duties. If you let them, they will put aside themselves to tend to their kiddos’ needs like dressing them, running after them, fixing their hair, making sure they are fed and napped, etc. Some of them won’t ask for help unless you offer it multiple times. Be there to gently delegate someone to take care of the entrepreneur’s kiddos so they can feel at ease that their family is in good hands. You may even have to gently remind them that they deserve to take a day to themselves and that you’ve got it all taken care of multiple times!
6. Give them the benefit of the doubt
Understand that likely, no matter what, the entrepreneur in your life is attempting to create a business and schedule that works for everyone, and that they are managing many moving parts. You may be completely unaware of all that they are doing. Every decision they are making is their best effort to ensure that their business runs at its smoothest and that they can dedicate as much time to their loved ones as possible.
Have additional tips for entrepreneurs? Feel free to comment and share. And, if you could use a little extra support, feel free to share this article on your social media!
