For my first Commetivity blog, I decided that I would talk about the pain and ultimate pleasure of setting up Supportivity.
I had been working in a corporate environment for more years than I care to remember and whilst I developed my skills as a people practitioner and met some wonderful people…. I always had this hankering to own my own business.
The corporate world can be captive at times. You felt hemmed in by petty constraints and the “in house” politics. I’ve always been a free spirit who enjoys working with people so as they can achieve their goals and pursue their ambitions. The concept of Supportivity is exactly that! Supporting business owners/SME’s and their employees to enhance business success through delivering people contribution.
That’s not to say that being a small business owner is not without its own pain before you get that enormous sense of pleasure (in the words of Murdoch from the A Team) watching a plan come together.
My plan involved deciding what Supportivity was all about and how do I get there. I had to create a check list of actions that needed to be achieved and what I had to do to achieve them. Even something as “simple” as deciding on a name can generate a high level of thought and anxiety (Is it original? does it reflect the business I’m in?)
The other important aspect about starting a business is that you are not alone. I have been given sound support and advice throughout the development of Supportivity, from the initial planting of the seeds to seeing the first green shoots appear. Having the right coach and mentor facilitates and gets your creative juices flowing, whilst at the same time providing you with the right amount of guidance and TLC. No point in preaching the value of coaching if you’re not prepared to take it on board yourself. Just make sure you find someone that you can build up rapport, trust and understanding with. I also obtained support in valuable areas such as web design and marketing, providing Supportivity with that bit of Savoir-Faire (adaptability).
As with all gardens, I will have to continually nurture and take care of Supportivity to make sure it remains on fertile soil.
To conclude, think of running your own business not as a painful experience and substitute pain for passion, commitment and resilience, knowing that it will all be worth it in the end.
Bernie O’Keeffe
Prime Supporter
Supportivity
