I have been and still am learning about having my own home staging and interior redesign business. By nature I am very reserved and shy. But running my own business has pushed me to the brink of doing things like I never would have believed.
For example, I sometimes have to initiate a conversation. To an extrovert this is no big deal. For the rest of us who are shy, going to the extreme as they say, is taking it to a new level. It is really hard to start up a converstation with a total stranger let alone even initiate one. My comfort level really skyrockets. I have to hide angry and depressing feelings and replace them with a grin on thise days that have really gone wrong.
I am still learning how to be patient. I can't control other people and what they are doing. If I am waiting to get a response from a client or a realtor, I need to realize that not everyone calls back right way. I am the type of person who always needs to be doing something even while relazing on the couch. When a client calls and wants me to do something for them, I want to keep at it until it is finished. There are those times when I need to talk with someone on the on the other end of the phone and they won't be there. I can't continue my first task until I hear back with whomever called me or whomever I talked with.
I am learning how to be organized. When a deadline comes up and I need to give a presentation, it is very hard to pull together the items I need when I am disorganized. I end up running around like a chicken with its head cut off. Two weeks ago when I was teaching a decorating class, I needed to pull together some handouts and accessories that I was going to use for the class. My printer ran out of ink as I was trying to print up those handouts and I still had not thought about what craft project we were going to do. Had I been more organized I probably would have been more calmer. As I get more into this business, I see the need to have everything printed and stored away with enough copies for everyone and them some. It is still hard to get myself to commit to one day to print up everything I need to and be done with it. Running this staging company is forcing me to become more organzied.
Another thing I am learning to do is to open up and write a blog. I am the type of person who keeps their feelings to themselves or I hide them. The term "blogging" keeps popping up everywhere and I realized that in order to get ranked higher in the search enigines, one must learn how to blog. I am now learning how to do that to. Blogging is somewhat easier for the shy person to do since we don't have to face people. Blogging can be done in the privacy of our homes. I don't believe I would have started blogging had it not been for my business.
Sometimes in this job I have to cold call someone. I hate it but it can't be avoided. This really pushes the old comfort zone. In order to promote my business I need to speak with other people or companies. I hate having to open up and say I need done. Extroverts may not understand but all you introverts know what I am talking about. Shy people really don't like talking about themselves or tooting their own horns. I have had to brag about my business and telll a little something about me in order to promote my business.
I am also learning about networking and scratching the other person's back so to speak. This is how things are done apparently in the business world. It's not about me and my company; it's about the client and what I can do for them and what's in it for them. I don't like the concept of if you do something for me, I will so something for you. I feel it should be done without having to reciprocate. Some of the corporate ideals go against my Christian beliefs, but I am learning that in order to have a successful business, one needs to put personal feelings and beliefs aside sometimes. I stil run a Christian business and there are some things I refuse to do no matter how much they might improve my company.
I guess that owning my own business has helped me in overcoming some of my shyness but there is always room for improvement.
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