forRunning your own

Tasos Veliadis - socialabPartner/Business Unit Director

I often talk with people who have somegood ideas and want to set up their owncompanies. Having a considerable amountof experience myself in that sector, thesector of enterpreneuship, I wanted towrite about certain things that I wouldhave done differently and some others Igot right the first time round when Istarted.Oftentimes I wonder what would happen ifi could turn back time and give myselfcertain tips, in order to avoid difficultiesand mistakes that I have faced all theseyears. Here are some of the tips I learntthrough experience so far.

YOURSELF!

The biggest hardship I've faced stemsfrom the mindset represented by thesaying "if you want something done right,you got to do it yourself". But the thing isthat there's no other choice. You have toforget about it.I worked really hard in order to build ateam that I can trust and make sure thateach of its members will carry out theirtasks without me interfering too much. It'svital that you let members of your teamfeel that they could take it a step furtherand take full responsibility. This gives thema sense of determination, something thatwon't ever happen if you take upresponsibility for critical tasks all the time.

WHO YOU HIRE!

The people working with you representyour choices, your company's culture andeven yourself. Do not forget, the smallerthe company, the bigger the impact eachemployee has on its image.It might be tempting to solemny judge fromsomeone's skills, but from my experience Itend to believe that it's all about theperson itself. You can definitely trainsomeone with fewer skills and help themreach their full potential, but you can'tchange character traits that easy.

And safety!

All employees have to be safe in theirworkplace and you as their employer havethe legal responsibility to do your best inkeeping them so.Bear in mind that this is one of the thingsthat remain undebatable and if overlookedit might be detrimental to your business oreven place you on the wrong side of thelaw. Think about an unfortunate scenariowhere one of your employees has anaccident while in the office. Serious or not,this is something you definitely wouldn'twant to happen, right?

is what you get!

All teams need attention and care and this iseven more true about the team we direct. Assuch, we have always strived to find ways inorder to keep our team healthy and happybecause let's face it. We ourselves are a partof it.This can happen in a multitude of ways suchas offering benefits and workdays outside ofthe office, or even a free meal every first ofthe month. Every little thing plays a role inkeeping the whole of our company happy.We want everyone in our team to feelimportant. Without them, there is no company.

A good CRM system is worth both its literaland digital wight in gold. It helps membersof the team get on the same page andalso enables us to be in the know and seethe bigger picture of each account'sstatus.Without it, you'll never have a completelyclear and objective picture of what'shappening between your company andyour clients.

to pick up the phone

Don't expect that your phone will ring byitself or that the clients will run to yourdoor simply because you have a greatidea. It's essential that you go out andspeak, find the clients/partners that youaim at and call them first. Not to catch upon the latest gossip of course but topresent them your work, your ideas, yourteam. That's the only way the people youwant to approach will get to know you,giving you a chance to start thecooperation you've been after from thebeginning.

procedures

Are the maps of good business. Theydon't have to be as detailed as they oughtto be in, say, a construction company, butthey have to exist in order to guide theemployees adequately. Each employee hasto know exactly what is expected ofhim/her and which steps they have tofollow, depending on their place in thecompany.Otherwise, how can you ensure completionand maintanance of procedures in asystematic manner? Miscommunicationdue to bad organization usually results incosting you more time, effort and money.

Work less!

Work is fun! Many times you might beamongst the first to enter the office andamongst the last to leave. So the pointsince we have decided to spend that muchtime in the office, is to play more and haveas much fun as we can during our workdayand breaks. Building relationships withyour coworkers and the people you havearound you in the office, is the best thingyou can do in order to make everyonehave fun. Including yourself.

The office

You might be up to the neck with tasks youhave to carry out before you leave theoffice. The main thing though is to carryeach task out correctly and avoid gettingstressed. When you occupy a creativeposition it is vital that you leave the officeand give your mind a break every once sooften. Meet new people, discover newplaces, leave your desk for 10 minutes atleast and go around the building. Thechange of scenery will help inspire youand make you work more efficiently.

A must!

Having the proper contracts is importantto all businesses. In the beginning allrelationships may start with the bestintentions and close to perfectcircumstances. However, all companieshave been through crises in certainoccasions and with certain clients. Thismostly happens when the contracts aren'tcorrectly designed and especially whenthey fail to be beneficial to all parties. Thebest way to avoid going through a crisissuch as the aforementioned, is to thinkfoward and employ contracts designed tocover all bases and work as a safety net incase they have to do so.

FOR

YOUR BUSINESS

Tasos VeliadisPartner/Business Unit Director

Contact meMail: veliadis@socialab.gr

Linkedin: TASOS VELIADIS

You!

Tasos Veliadis - socialabPartner/Business Unit Director