As EBW’s Founder and CEO, Ingrid Vanderveldt is often asked to share her advice on how to scale a business.

Here are Ingrid’s five tips to encourage innovators trying to scale their business and bring forward more success:

Find a Mentor.

Mentors are invaluable. Having the right mentor can mean gaining insight, encouragement, and advice gleaned from the direct experience of others. Having the right mentor can also help you increase your social and professional confidence and feel empowered to make decisions that will develop your communication, personal skills, and business growth. Your mentor can guide you on developing strategies and help you identify goals to keep you on track – all while offering you valuable insight as you being to scale and grow.

Surround yourself with positive people and lift one another up.

They say you are a reflection of the five people closest to you. Your time is your most valuable asset. Don’t waste it around people who are negative and who are a drain. To achieve your goals, it’s essential to have people in your life who understand your drive and passion. When you surround yourself with positive and like-minded thinkers, you have the support needed to be held accountable, the inspiration to think outside the box, and the encouragement to continue to grind as you scale your business. Bonus: You can do the same for them.

Get comfortable with being uncomfortable.

Growth comes with being uncomfortable. Life happens. You will be thrown curve balls and things will sometimes have to fall apart in order to fall into place. Change can bring uncomfortable, unsettling feelings along with it. Comfort zones, while they are just that – comfortable – are not as conductive to transformational growth. When you are uncomfortable, it puts you in a position where you must chose to push through. When you do, this is where the magic happens. This is the time when you’ll see all that you are capable of. Embrace the uncomfortable feeling while you scale your business, and you will see all the resilience and determination you have to succeed.

Keep clear and concise records.

Keep track of everything. Having clear and concise records will help you stay organized, save time and to help you grow in all aspects, including bookkeeping, tax preparation, and financial audits. It also helps when you are doing things like filing for grants or certifications, which can greatly help your business. Keeping clear and concise records will also allow you to monitor your progress in order to make necessary changes to scale.

Have faith in yourself.

This might be the most important. You need to have faith in yourself and your mission. You are taking this journey because it is something you believe in and you must also believe in yourself. You are capable of great things. Have faith in your abilities, skills, and passions. Scaling your business is directly linked to the self-confidence needed to grow. Spend quiet time each day rooting yourself in your purpose, vision and mission through meditation, and journaling. Taking control of your thoughts and feelings will help you to reach your peak state and lead your business to success.

Scaling your business is no easy feat. It takes confidence, a community, and clarity in communication. Check back with us to learn more about how to develop as a leader and scale your business.

Photo attribution: Christina Morillo – Pexels