One of the earliest pieces of advice I was given when starting my own business was to ‘be myself’. I think it is still the best advice I have ever received. Too often I meet people in business who are obviously trying to be something, or someone, they are not. They are trying to emulate their competition, or be who they think people want them to be. But no one can sustain this for long. The only way to succeed in business is to be genuine.

In almost every industry, there is a level of trust that must be achieved before a customer will engage with you, and more importantly, continue to engage with you. Much of that trust ultimately comes down to the strength of your character. Every person you meet, whether they realise it or not, are looking to see if you are genuine.

When you communicate with someone (in person or otherwise), your reputation is established by what you say and by what you do. Brilliant branding and a fantastic mission statement mean nothing if it is not also backed up by a genuine connection. Much of this comes down to caring: when you care about your customers, they feel respected and valued, and will come back for more.

Being genuine is also about creating a strong reputation and credibility. To be credible, you have to consistently reflect your values and principles – if you are attempting to emulate someone else’s values, it will soon become obvious to others that you are not the ‘real deal’. ‘Being yourself’ not only becomes the simpler and ‘easier’ option, it is also the best way to build a business with a solid foundation.

Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender