When we decide to create a new startup it can feel like we are running around trying to complete items on our to-do lists and putting out fires. It never feels like we have enough time. One way to make starting a startup go more smoothly is to lay a good foundation before we start.
A good foundation includes thinking through our branding, thinking through how we plan to create flow, thinking through how we will use social media, and finally thinking through how we will prioritize self-care. With a solid foundation, we will be able to focus on big picture thinking. If we do not spend the time before we start to create a solid plan, we will find that we get lost in the busyness and can reach a point where we burn out before we have even gotten our startup up off the ground.
Branding
If we want to have a successful startup it is important that we create a unique brand. A brand is who we are seen to be in the eyes of our customers and clients. Branding includes everything from the stories we tell about our organization to details such as what colours we use for our logo.
To create a famous brand, it can be useful to talk to a creative agency such as the folks at Volt agency in Nashville or another nationally recognized agency to develop quality graphics and web design. Such content can really help us stand out in our industries. Having a powerful brand is not just for well-established organizations and with some thought, we can use our brand to launch our startup and make a mark in often highly competitive fields.
Creating Flow
We often speak about flow, the state of being where we are so lost in our work that we lose track of time. We often are our most creative and adaptable when we are experiencing flow.
In order to have flow, it is important that we can put aside chunks of time which means boosting our daily productivity can be very helpful. Many things go into our productivity including being able to use software effectively, making sure we have the time we need to complete tasks and knowing when during the day we are most productive. If we can create flow for ourselves and our employees, we will find more success.
Social Media
To be able to connect with our customers it is important that we have an active social media presence. While we might be tempted to try and have a presence on every social media channel we will find it is more useful to focus on those channels that can connect us to our target demographic.
Social media works best when we can use it to engage with others. This means we will find more success if we have the time and energy to respond to questions and comments than if we simply post content and forget about it. This means that most startups need to make sure they have someone whose solo focus can be working on social media.
Self-Care
We understand that working at a startup can feel like constantly having to be on the go. It can feel like we must do more than what a large established organization must do and do it with fewer people, in a shorter period. This means if we do not intentionally set aside time for self-care it will slip to the bottom of our to-do list.
While working at a startup sometimes the best way to get some self-care into our lives is to find micro-practices we can include throughout our day. This might look like pausing for 5 mins and taking some deep slow breaths or making sure we have free time on the weekends for other pursuits. If we do not take care of ourselves, we will not be able to successfully keep going when we face challenges with our startup.
By putting in the time and effort to plan the foundations of our startup we will be more successful and be able to enjoy the process more. Startups can be a labour of love but that does not mean they have to take over our every waking hour. In addition, we often find that if we wait to create a plan until we are in the middle of launching a startup, we never actually get around to creating it. If we put in the time and energy to plan, we are much more likely to have a successful startup launch.
