With Right Source celebrating its 5th birthday, I have been reflecting on the journey so far. So much I had hoped for has come to fruition. More surprising is the amount that has been learnt in 5 years. Here are my key lessons:
Being clear on who we are hasn’t changed
I pulled out my original business plan from 5 years ago. It was a conceptual plan that contained what I wanted Right Source to be – how we worked, how we engaged with clients and staff, and how we went about business in general. This has stayed true throughout the journey.
I have had multiple opportunities to give up
In 5 years I have had 6 clear options to give up on my dream of Right Source. From the initial step of leaving gainful employment, having patience while getting going, to receiving job offers to join other people’s dream. Each one of them would have been reasonable to take, so they were not easy decisions. Yet here I am.
It is hard
I have always been a hard worker, so when I was told it is hard starting a business, I was sceptical. I have learnt more in the last 5 years than the rest of my life. Working on your dream, in your dream job, with dream staff and dream clients does not result in you “never working a day in your life”. For me it means I have never worked harder because of the passion and enjoyment I have for what I do.
I am learning to listen and reflect
Feedback is the most valuable thing you can receive, good and bad. I have received a fair portion of both. Listening to bad feedback is tough and there are lessons to be learnt. Surprisingly I have found the more valuable lessons can be found in the good feedback. To find these lessons requires closer attention and reflection to be seen. I now take as much time reflecting on what I could do better as I do on what I have done well; to learn the lessons found in both.
Don’t act out of fear
Starting my own business was a big step into the unknown. What I discovered early on was there are a lot of people who sell to you using fear. When you move into a state of fear, you don’t tend to think as rationally. If someone is making me feel anxious, I try not to make any long-term decisions. I will take pause and consider the question in a less pressured setting.
Doing it On Purpose
Starting out, there is a strong desire to take every opportunity. As I have gone along, I have learnt that not every opportunity suits what I intended to create. I have learnt to be consistent with my vision and make a conscious decision to do or not do something. Sometimes I have travelled down a path and then realised it is not the right one, which calls for harder decisions. It is these decisions that have made Right Source what it is today. The people who work here, the clients we work with and the work we do.
With all these lessons, Right Source has moved from a dream, to something real and alive. Now others can see Right Source as what I had hoped it would be. I remain excited by the future and continuing on this journey.