3 Problems every Entrepreneur Has and What to Do about Them
As an entrepreneur, every day is a little different. From updating your site to contacting customers, brainstorming and going through your mails, every day is usually filled to the brim with work. While most days are exciting and fun, there are also days you struggle or your mood is sour because things are going wrong. In this article we talk about three common problems every entrepreneur has and also give you ideas on what you can do to deal with them.
1. No balance between your private life and work
A common problem with entrepreneurs is that they work themselves to the bone, especially in the beginning. There is always work waiting for you, so you often have to make long days. After a while, you will be physically and mentally tired. That is why it is important to make certain agreements with yourself. For example, you stop working at 8PM- unless there is an emergency. Or you can choose to plan in a daily ‘meeting’ with yourself, in which you take a walk in the park and do not look at your phone. Another possible priority can be to eat dinner with your family every night without your phone or laptop at the table. We know this sounds easier said than done; so start blocking certain hours in your agenda straight away. This way, you don’t plan other things during that time.
2. Not being paid for your services
There are few things less frustrating than having a client that does not pay you for your services. This might be a mistake, but also a conscious decision on their side. You can try to contact your debtor in all kinds of ways, but this takes a lot of time. Especially since you need to document every attempt at contact and there are all kinds of regulations on how you can collect an outstanding amount of money. You do not want to break a regulation just by trying to get your money back! That is why it is a good idea to use a collection agency (Dutch: incassobureau inschakelen) to get your bills paid. A debt collection agency (Dutch: incassobureau) knows the legislation and can use tools that you do not have access to, such as databases.
3. Making mistakes by doing everything yourself
Not only when faced with defaulters is it a good idea to outsource. Many starting entrepreneurs opt to do everything themselves, to cut costs this way. And while this is understandable, not everyone can be good at everything. When it takes you days and days to struggle through your taxes, it might just be a good idea to let your accountant handle this. You can use this time to focus on things that are important to your business and you do not make big mistakes trying to do it all yourself.