If you have considered entrepreneurship, it's likely because you want to experience one or more of the following:

• Space to pursue your dreams/life ambitions
• Obtain more money while doing something you REALLY enjoy
• Have the freedom to travel without your income being compromised
• More time and flexibility for yourself and your loved ones

But, getting to the place where all of this becomes a reality can be challenging, and for some, it may take longer than others.

It took me five years before I understood how all the pieces of the puzzle fit together so I could replicate it and teach it to others.

The learning curve was steep, to say the least, and I had experiences that gave me opportunities to learn the pitfalls of business.

I will share the five things that I wish I knew from the outside of my entrepreneurial career that will help you get to your desired result faster. I'll also share some things you can start doing today to help you on your journey.

Understanding and implementing the five things and the tools I will share will save you a great deal of time, money and heartache. Ok, get your notepad and pen. Let's go!

1 - Developing the mindset

Developing our mindseet is so important. I have found this to be the number one thing that has REALLY helped me be sustainable as an entrepreneur.

Most people start their careers as employees, which comes with a particular mindset.

You turn up and leave at the time someone else tells you to; someone else figures out all the operations, so you only need to turn up and follow their instructions.

Not to mention, someone else is responsible for the business growth strategy and would have come up with the initial concept of the business. You don't even have to worry about how you will get paid. You know that your money is sure so long as you clock in and out!

This experience does not prepare us to become a CEO responsible for the concept, strategy and implementation or delegation of ALL departments in our business.

Understanding how to do all of these things is crucial if you're going to make sales and have tangible cash flow that will allow your business to grow and thrive.

Which mindset do you have, an employee or CEO?

A C T I O N

• Regularly digest free business content online, such as on YouTube, in reputable business magazines and your local community
• Learn what it is to be a CEO and leader, and be committed to increasing your business acumen

2 - Up-level your planning

Understanding how to properly set goals and plan your year and quarter will ensure that the monthly and daily activities you set for yourself will be realistic and achievable.

They should account for 'life happening' and leave room for adjustments. For example, if you know you want to write a book by December 31st, you'll want to start thinking about the concept, outline the book structure and have delegated any necessary by the end of the first quarter of that year. By the end of the second quarter, you want to have started adding meat to the bones and have a first draft. By the end of the third quarter, you'll have had an editor return it to you on a couple of occasions for revisions. At the beginning of the third quarter (at the latest), you would want to have begun promoting your book. Sharing that your book will be released in the new year so that by the end of the last quarter, December 31st, everyone is eagerly anticipating your book release and those who pro-ordered are excited to receive their copy.

You can see in this example that you've given yourself wiggle room with no specific date and plenty of time to execute the plan to have our book written, edited, marketed and published in good time and without stress.

Having a solid strategy will give you success every single time.

A C T I O N

• Increase your EQ (Emotional Intelligence) to help you make rational and informed decisions for your life and business, so they do not clash
• Develop good time management and focus strategies to help you stay on task and increase productivity

3 - Preparation is king

However you found yourself in business, time must be taken to carefully consider the pros and cons for you and how it will impact you, your family and your future.

My business startup and growth programs always include how to plan your life to create your business around your lifestyle. While one person's lifestyle might differ from another, one synonymous thing is their desires for an improved lifestyle and/or greater career fulfilment.

When planning your business, don't be afraid to break the rules. Steve Jobs had the crazy idea for a phone to have a single button that gives you access to all areas of your phone. Seek to be a thought-leader in your space, don't be afraid to be innovative and seek to improve your industry by proposing valuable changes that will benefit you and others.

A C T I O N

• Start reading books that will help you get out of your comfort zone, face your fears and better understand yourself as a person
• Build a strong personal support network. This may include severing relationships that are not healthy, serving you to helping you reach your goals

4 - A solid business

Once you have thoroughly considered whether entrepreneurship is really for you, you'll want to develop your idea.

Finding a gap in the market that you feel strongly about and would like to contribute to will help you remain motivated, especially when things get tough.

Remember, every business must solve a problem and make meaningful contributions to the industry. We all have talents, skills and expertise that we can draw on, regardless of whether these have been acquired or developed through life experience or career progression.

A C T I O N

• Tackle the imposter syndrome with proven actions that enable you to move forward.
• Write a list of industry gaps and link your skills, knowledge and expertise to the solutions that will address the gap
• Use affirmations to remain committed and motivated on your journey

5 - Acquire proper systems

Consistent cash flow can be challenging to generate when you don't know what you're doing in business. Worse than that, not having systems that support you as the CEO to focus on CEO activity will certainly cripple your ability to be focused, undertake the necessary learning required and generate and increase your revenue.

Systems are better understood as the motherboard of your business. If you do not have the correct systems to complement the business you're creating, which should be structured to support your lifestyle, you are guaranteed to increase the chances of your business failing.

A C T I O N

• Get tech-savvy and automate your business as much as possible
• Don't be afraid to invest in your learning so that you grow and have a consistent and systematic way of keeping yourself accountable

When you fully understand and implement the changes you need to make and use the tools that will help you as a new freelancer, you will notice an increase in your confidence, opportunities coming your way and a thriving business.

While there will be some unavoidable pitfalls that you will experience while on your entrepreneurial journey, the frequency of those pitfalls, tackle them and recover from them will look very different compared to being unprepared for the journey you've begun or are about to begin.

I look forward to hearing about your successes as you implement and grow personally and in business. Don't be a stranger!