This summer I took an RV trip with my family up to Niagara Falls (on the Canada side). This was a completely new adventure for us and something we had been excited to do for quite a while.
Of course, as with many of the stories I tell you, I can point so much of the experience back to what I know about business.
Here’s what I learned on that trip and here are some business tips you can take away from it:
Plan as Best as You Can
We planned and prepped for our RV trip months ahead of time. When you’re packing an entire family into a 100 sf vehicle, you better know what to bring, but not bring too much either.
This goes for your consultancy as well.
Do your market research, write a business plan, and know what you’re offering clients before putting yourself out there.
Sure, there will be many things you’ll need to figure out as you go.
However, planning for the foundation of your business is essential for starting off strong and minimizing mistakes.
(Need a roadmap on how to do this? Explore our Accelerator here.)
Prepare to be Flexible
As much as we planned ahead of time, there were many more stops than we were prepared for, some missing supplies we hadn’t thought to pack, and a few impromptu changes we had to make mid-journey.
Like an RV trip, your consultancy is constantly in motion and always evolving.
As the economy shifts, so will your consultancy model. As you grow bored of your offerings, you’ll shift, level-up or scale. As your personal goals change, so will your business.
Expect the need for flexibility, evolving and shifts and keep your eyes open for signs it’s time to do so. If you want an easy, straight, perfectly paved road, then don’t start a business!
Expect Highs, Lows, and the Need for Resiliency
My RV trip wasn’t all an Instagram Highlight reel. I mean, looking back, it was incredible.
I loved the KOA RV park and the community of people who are passionate about RVing, I loved being able to play cards with my kids in the back while Mr. Upside drove us around. I loved sleeping in close quarters with the people I adore the most. I loved roasting marshmallows every night by the campfire.
But there were also meltdowns, wet towels, leaky bathrooms, overly tired kids and inevitable complaining (“It’s MY turn to sleep on the top bunk!”).
When you’re running a business, it’s not all perfect all the time.
You get into this business for the flexibility, autonomy and new sense of purpose. It’s a joy, no doubt!
But if you can go into it knowing with 100% certainty that there will be wins and losses, highs and lows, excitement and also letdowns, you’ll be better prepared to handle them when they happen.
And they will happen.
I hope one day you have the opportunity to go on an RV trip with people you love. It was one of my favorite memories from the summer!
