As freelancers and business owners, we sometimes fail to recognize how far we’ve come in our careers. When I graduated college and began looking for editorial jobs, I remember seeing all those requirements for “5+ years experience,” and I couldn’t even imagine being at that point in my career. (Plus, I thought, I’ll be ancient by then, anyways.) Fast forward 8 years and here I am, an editor and business owner.
If I don’t sit back and reflect, it does feel like I’ve been doing the same thing for a decade—the growth is imperceptible at first glance. Growth is funny that way. But there are a few signs that symbolize real, meaningful growth in business that I’ve spotted, and I want you to recognize them too!
5 signs you are growing in your business
You can confidently say “no”
When a project isn’t right for you, when you’re at capacity, when the emotional toll is not worth the money, when you simply wouldn’t enjoy doing it—you just say no. Not “not now…” or “maybe if…” or “I don’t think…” but NO. And being able to do so doesn’t just mean you’ve gotten to a place financially where you can be choosy about the work you take on, but that you’re confident something more worthy of your time and talents is on its way to you. It’s a faith in yourself and your business that comes with time.
You use your intuition when making decisions
I firmly believe that intuition is one of your best tools in business when it comes to making meaningful decisions. Your intuition is that “gut feeling” and you know you’re growing when that feeling gets stronger and harder to ignore. When you not only listen, but trust your intuition to make decisions (especially when it comes to spotting red flags), you’re again demonstrating a knowing that YOU are the final say in your business—no one else.
You play to your strengths
Over the years, I started to recognize my strengths. I also began to recognize which things I really loved doing. It is when those two match up—what you’re good at and what you love—that you find purpose. Then, it took an additional couple years of knowing this, to get to the point where I could make it so the majority of my day was spent working with this purpose. I started to say no to projects that didn’t align, started to say yes to those that did even when it was scary or challenging—I allowed myself to be guided by this purpose. Sometimes that means admitting to a client when I totally don’t know something, and other times it means reassuring them that hey, this IS my specialty, so trust me wouldja?
You’ve started to delegate
There are many reasons it’s hard to delegate tasks as a business owner. For one, you’re the expert so you feel like you should be able to do it all (silly). You might feel guilty for paying someone to do things you technically can. You also have a certain way of doing things—there’s a reason you not only made a career but an entire business out of it—so no one can do it like you can, right? It’s also a ton of work to find the right fit. It’s difficult to find people who align with your vision, your passion, your work ethic (if you’re self-employed you’re probably used to working your ass off), and well, your standards. But it’s worth the effort to have support—and sometimes it’s the only way to grow. Hiring support and giving them ownership of certain tasks shows your commitment to the success of your business, and again, that you trust in your ability to take this next step.
You ask for help
The “fake it till you make it” mentality discourages asking for help, especially early on in your freelance journey. I think you should always feel comfortable asking for help, but there’s a point in freelancing where you’ve been doing it on your own for so long that it actually takes a lot of guts to do so. Whether that’s telling a client you need more time/resources, outsourcing something you originally planned to do yourself, or letting colleagues know you need support—asking for help is a good sign that not only can you put your ego aside, but you value the opportunity to learn from someone else.
So much about growing in your business isn’t defined by the clients you have or money you bring in. It’s about how you create a sustainable career that respects your skills, passions, purpose, and overall wellness too.
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