If you could write a letter to yourself to read before your started your business, what advice would you give? There are many things I wish I had known – perhaps some of the following will resonate with you too:

• You are not supposed to know how to do everything. What you DO need to get good at is finding the right answers quickly and getting the right advice. Trying to do everything will lead to burnout and not little success.
• You will never be ‘done’ with your work. The sooner you realise that putting in twice as much work generally doesn’t result in your business moving forward twice as fast, the sooner you will achieve work/life balance. There will always be more things you can work on, but your work should be about enabling a fruitful personal life, not be a drain on it.
• Your success is affected by the people around you. Jim Rohn has a great quote: “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with”. Choose to be around positive people, and choose to be around ‘doers’ not ‘talkers’.
• Never take advice from anyone who hasn’t done, or isn’t doing, what you want to accomplish.
• You will be embarking on an emotional rollercoaster. But know that when you feel down, things will improve. And when you feel great, enjoy the moment and celebrate! Starting a business will likely be the hardest thing you will ever do, but the rewards are also larger if you embark on it with support and the right advice.

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