Simple Yet Powerful Keys to Small Business Success!

Hiscox Authors Series: Leverage knowledge from experts to make your small business a success.

Do you often feel like you’re doing everything yourself and feeling exhausted? I call this the “lone wolf” syndrome. How can you avoid this?

ASK! Ask for what you want. Be clear and specific. Ask for help. Ask for feedback. Ask for information. For example, website design, maintenance and SEO optimization is not my forte! After asking for help from many experts, I found one person who does all three reasonably and well. Now I can make one phone call or send one email to make changes or ask a question.

This has eliminated stress and saved me time and money. Doing it myself takes me much longer. My time is better spent doing what I’m best at in my business.

I’ve asked many successful entrepreneurs what is the best piece of advice they would give someone starting out in business. They all said know what you need, and ask for help when you need it. No one becomes a success entirely on their own.

So, now that you know it is important for your business to ask for what you need, why do so few people actually do it?

Here are some common reasons:

• I’ll look like I don’t know what I’m doing

• I know I can do it better myself

• They’ll say “No”.

• If I ask for feedback on a new idea, someone might steal it.

• I’m afraid.

What’s your reason? Try it this week.

ASK! See what magic happens! Susan Urquhart-Brown is owner of Career Steps Coaching and author of The Accidental Entrepreneur: The 50 Things I Wish Someone Would Have Told Me About Starting a Business. To learn more, visit her website,  follow her on Twitter and “Like” her on Facebook.