When did you start learning life lessons?
I believe I started understanding mine from early on. Working in my family’s function centre from a young age, I understood the value of hard work—and with it, the knowledge that I could be the master of my own destiny.
As my life and career have progressed, my life lessons have evolved. But much of what I’ve learned, and what I’ve used to guide success for my businesses and the ones I advise, can be brought back to those years in the family business.
Since then I’ve obtained a degree in organisational psychology, built 12 businesses of my own, and helped almost 600 small businesses increase their profits by an average of $420,000 a year.
Today I’m turning my life lessons and business expertise into a new business: Life Lessons with Erica King. I’ll be combining my business prowess—gained and sharpened over the past thirty years—with the lessons I’ve learned, to guide SMEs into greater heights of success through profitability. Now here I’m sharing the life lessons that I use to make business, successful.
1. You’ll succeed by working smarter not harder
You are your business’s most valuable asset, and you should use yourself wisely. Don’t do everything, but understand everything that needs doing, and seek out the people and tools you need to support you.
2. Credibility is everything.
Your business is your credibility. Without a great reputation you won’t go far—so make sure what you’re doing is aligned to your core values. You’ll need to be able to consistently provide the best product or service for your customers, so they can spread the word about how great you are.
3. Never look for the easy route to success.
If something seems too good to be true, it probably is! Too often success stories are presented as ‘overnight successes’, but the reality is usually far from the truth. Building a successful business takes time.
4. Embrace change
It’s important you stay true to your core values, but your great idea might not be what your customers actually want or need. Let them guide you and allow your business to pivot when you gain new insights. That way you’ll always be giving your customers something they want.
These life lessons haven’t only served me well. They’ve helped hundreds of small businesses grow and thrive, and they can help yours, too. If you’d like to learn more about how to apply my life lessons to your business to increase profits, get in touch.
I’m open for business.
