TAGS: SMALL BUSINESS OWNER I LOVES HER WORK
Vera's Instagram profile is followed by 21K+ small businesses and entrepreneurs! And when I bumped into her on the street randomly (and decided to introduce myself), I could immediately understand why. She is warm and approachable and immediately wanted to help me. In our chat, she shares wisdom from 7 years of entrepreneurship, what she does on her low-energy days and some great productivity tips👇
What makes you smile when you think about your work?
At this moment I work with a lot of people who are starting their own entrepreneurial journey. When I help them with their content and it brings them money, it also brings them in a way freedom. They are usually starting their own work from passion, so when they tell me about their first clients or first sales this is truly meaningful and makes me smile.
How would your daughters explain what you do?
Interesting question 😊 They don't know a lot about my work, but they know that when I have a phone in my hands I am working. And they know that it’s something about education curses.
What is your go-to productivity tip?
Write down your ideas. We tend to forget them even when we think that it’s a great idea. I'm not proud of it, but I don't have a planner or a calendar. What I do have is a list and you wouldn't believe what goes on it. It is also where my creative ideas stem from.
Another important lesson that I learned is to choose your focus. I would say I'm not very organized, but I’m very focused and if I'm in it, I'm all in. I used to run multiple projects at the same time, but I've been an entrepreneur for seven years and I’ve learned that only focus gives you real results.
How does your normal work-week look like (and do you even have one)?
I do. Our day starts by taking our children to kindergarten and having a slow breakfast. It brings us some kind of joy knowing that we don't have to rush and that we can sit together in the morning and talk. Then we start working. For instance, I work on my content or connect with my clients or strangers 😊 This is why sometimes my work is not ‘visible’. On those days, maybe I don’t publish anything, but I spend hours talking to ‘my people'. So at times, my work is creative and at other times it’s more behind-the-scenes operational.
Two-three times a week, I usually have casual meetings with my clients. Over time, a lot of them have became my friends. We are in a similar position, growing our own businesses and this connects us. This all happens until 4pm. And then I'm a mom. And after that, when my kids go to bed, sometimes I also work in the evening.
Do you have any days when you don't feel like posting? What do you do then?
I also have days with low energy, but on those days I still try to be disciplined. This means I do easier tasks. For instance, I won't work on my most creative posts, but I will make a story or answer questions and in this way, I stay consistent.
Experience has thought me that you can also get tired from the work you love, it's normal. When I felt it for the first time, I wasn't sure if that was okay. But we're all human, and the good news is that when you rest, you love it again 😊
What was a turning moment for the growth of your business?
When my husband and I started, we had a marketing agency and we were making websites, mobile apps and marketing strategies. The key moment came when I decided to focus on growing my Instagram profile and share my knowledge. This is when I realised that doing what I really love is helping others - and that this is my purpose.
At first, I was just sharing what I knew. But I kept a laser focus, rejected all other projects and just worked on my Instagram profile. I think it is these two things - having focus and working on something that I feel deeply connected to, that made the difference.
And of course, I'm also happy to be earning money, but I would do this either way.
There were moments when I had an internal judging voice asking questions like: is this what you love working on? Who needs this? Is this serious enough? Now, I'm very happy that I persisted.
What is a piece of bad advice you would give to your clients?
Pretend to be like someone else and copy your successful colleagues. People will see it and feel it. Jokes aside, you need to find your own way, and this is what works like a magnet.
Is there something you wish I asked?
“Where do you see yourself in five years?”
I'm not sure and this is why it’s intriguing to me. When you reach the point you dreamed of, then you start to wonder okay, what's next? Maybe we will make a big educational platform for all the small businesses where you could find lots of practical knowledge. Let’s see...
P.S. Find lots of useful tips on Vera's Instagram here.
P.S.S. If you need help with procrastination and a support system to work on what you love, check if Playground is for you.
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