I’m going through a transition and growth phase in my business where I move from freelancer to leader and CEO. I’ve been reflecting a lot on where I started two years ago, my current mission, and where I want to go.
A lot of us look at our successes and how they elevated our businesses to the next level.
That’s not what this post is about. I’m reflecting on my client and project failures in the past. I’ve had four that truly impacted me at the time and have helped me change who I am as a business owner and leader today.
Here they are in chronological order, outline style:
- Subcontracted out to a popular person in this online space who runs an agency:
- This was my VERY first opportunity as an entrepreneur
- Their systems sucks, their SOP’s sucked – I know that’s blunt, but what they were asking for and what they gave me as instructions on how to implement were two different things. It was super frustrating and it didn’t seem like they cared. I felt like an employee and not a subcontractor.
- I got ‘let go’ because I couldn’t ‘keep up’. This experience had a HUGE impact on how I viewed myself as an entrepreneur and led to some pretty negative thoughts on if I could really hack it as a business owner.
- At first I thought this was a fail of mine. But in reality, it was totally them – bad leadership and systems lead to high turnover. I still see them looking for subcontractor hires in the online space and so hope they’ve improved their structure and vibe.
- What did I learn? To not allow ONE experience to affect my inner dialogue and how I view myself as a business owner. Also, what you see online is just an extremely small reel of what is truly going on in someone’s business – good AND bad.
- Subcontracted AGAIN through a friend of mine:
- This wasn’t necessarily a bad experience and their leadership, systems, and SOPs were AMAZING
- My confidence was so low I was afraid to speak up and ask for help when I needed it.
- I still felt like an employee and I think that was due to the fact that they had employees AND subs – there was no line drawn between the two.
- Looking back, it wasn’t a good fit and if I had the confidence and experience I have now, I know I would have been asked back to help with new projects.
- What did I learn? This experience reinforced why I went into business for myself. I didn’t want the employee vibe no matter how amazing the company and people are.
- My first ‘real’ client:
- They hired me on to help with admin work and some creative things I didn’t have a lot of experience with
- This client was so kind and amazing! I still follow them in the online space today.
- I wasn’t a good fit for them and I was desperate to have that first client ‘win’. This is a hard one to admit as I wasn’t taking advantage, I just didn’t know what my strengths were yet as an entrepreneur. I think a lot of us go through that when we first start out.
- I eventually realized that it wasn’t going to work because I couldn’t give them what they truly needed from a VA. I sent an email and let them go, but I imagine they were thinking the same thing (if you’re reading this, YOU ARE SO AMAZING!).
- What did I learn? If you have NO experience in something, you can learn yes. Unless it’s completely out of your area of expertise! Don’t take on clients that you know you can’t serve, it’s just poor business and wastes yours and their time. Don’t be afraid to let a client go, especially if it’s in THEIR best interest.
- My highest sale (at the time):
- They needed a system and course created in a beta tool they had purchased – I had no experience with this tool but felt confident that I could do it (I am a tech geek after all!).
- I was unorganized and overly confident in what I could deliver and didn’t recognize what they really needed.
- They are one of the kindest people I’ve met in this online space and no matter how hard I tried, I don’t think I got it right for them. But, the tool needs some help (in my partial defense) and I could have helped guide them more on their system outline before we even began creating.
- This one really stung because, to this day, I still don’t felt like I gave them what they completely needed for their offer. I know they follow me, and if you’re reading this, YOU ARE SO TALENTED and I’ll fix whatever you need!!!
- What did I learn: stay humble and constantly revisit, revise, and update your offers and systems. Ask for help and clarification from your network and your client. Doing so makes you a better leader and entrepreneur. There is NO shame in doing so!
There you have it, the four client/project fails of my business, to date. Why did I write ‘to date’? Because I know I will have more. Not intentionally, but they will happen whether it’s from me or the person(s) I’m working with.
It’s important to reflect back on what didn’t work just as much as what did. I invite you to make your own list, not to soak in negativity and how wrong the situation was, but to reflect on why it didn’t work out and how you can adjust to improve for the next time.
We learn and grow from our mistakes and that’s what makes a great entrepreneurial CEO and leader.