3PM was birthed just over three years ago when co-founders Sonia Majkic and Tamara Alaveras wanted to create an agile and dynamic digital agency to match the innovative developments going on daily in the digital space.
But as they found out, starting a business isn’t easy. It takes courage, grit and diligence, and some key elements to drive it home. All the well wishing in the world just isn’t enough. You need leads, patience, vision, goals and targets, a business mentor, and above all, you need to love what you do.
Leads
The fundamental truth is that no business can survive without sales or revenue. You can have a fitted office, hire a great team, have all the technologies and equipment, but if you have no customers, you have no business. You have to put in the hard work to reel them in, and put in even harder work to keep them. But, it’s all worth it when you see your business dreams coming true. Every lead is a reminder of why you’re doing what you’re doing, and it’s a damn good feeling.
Patience
If you want to start a business, you need copious amounts of patience. It takes hard work, persistence and resilience to see your business through to its success. Once you set the wheels in motion, set up a URL, have digital marketing practices in place, reached out to clients, etc., you need to trust the process. Good things come to those who wait (and put in the hard yards).
Vision
When starting a business, you need to have a vision. You have to see it in your mind first and then if you put in the hard work, it will take form. You need to be asking yourself, “where do I see my business?”. Vision will help you stay on track and not waiver in your journey in your purpose. It also keeps all employees in the same mindset and working towards a common goal with the same underlining values. Having vision keeps you focused and reaching to the beginning dream, however high it may be.
Targets and Goals
Having targets and goals in place is crucial for every business. Without KPIs, you can’t measure how your business is performing, especially over time. Goals fuel ambition and stop us from giving up. They keep our eyes set on the prize and they hold us accountable to our productivity and output. And they keep us from diverting off our paths to success. As Bill Copeland once said, “The trouble with not having a goal is that you can spend your life running up and down the field and never score.”
A Business Mentor
A lot of people will offer opinions and advice to you when start or run a business, but only a mentor can push you in the direction you need to go on a regular basis and positively impact your business over the long haul. It’s important to have someone supporting you, sharing wisdom with you and giving you the best strategies to get the best outcomes. A business mentor is important in keeping everything in check, making sure all the clogs keep ticking and that the business is constantly being pushed forward.
Love What You Do
It is absolutely crucial to the survival of your business that you love what you do. When starting a business there will be ups and downs, very high highs and very low lows, but at the end of the day, if your heart isn’t in it, it won’t work. When you love what you do, even the most tedious of jobs are rewarding, Mondays are the best days of the week and good things will happen.
