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From the outside, many small, entrepreneurial businesses boast company perks, new and exciting tech or products, and an inviting work environment. What is sometimes missed is the team of people behind its doors that are working, learning, and growing together on a daily basis. In my experience working at an entrepreneurial business, I’ve worked harder and learned more than any other time within my career. I launched my career from an entry-level sales role to a Senior Salesforce Consultant in just 3 short years. If you are thinking of joining an entrepreneurial business, but perhaps aren’t quite ready to make the leap, I hope sharing what I have learned can help inform your decision.
1. Come ready to fulfill responsibilities more than what is written into your Job Description
While a small, entrepreneurial business may be hiring you for a certain Job Title, I’ve learned that you must expect to show up and just get things done no matter what the task. Any task ranging from cleaning out the fridge to providing input on new Marketing collateral shows the company that you are willing to go the extra mile. A small business may not have the budget to fill every traditional role, and they rely heavily on the input and extra steps taken by everyone on the team. Those that continually step up become invaluable, and that is an asset for anyone’s career growth.
2. Avoid Negativity
Negativity breeds negativity. Working at an entrepreneurial business comes with a variety of challenges, and you have to be ready to handle those challenges with a positive mindset. Naturally, there will be people at every company that turn to negativity, and it is your job to flip the script. When you cannot change someone’s mindset, I’ve learned you have to keep your course or risk watching a team fall apart. Once negativity takes hold, people tend to fall like dominos.
3. Work with like-minded people
There are many small businesses that will catch your eye with attractive perks, but looking past the surface and ensuring you are working with a team of like-minded people is critical. Like-minded does not mean everyone is cut from the same cloth and thinks/works the same – but it does mean you align on core values and vision for the company. If you do not have the same end goals in mind, it is going to be near impossible to succeed.
4. Collaborate across teams
Be open to collaboration outside of just those on your immediate team. Entrepreneurial businesses can be small in numbers, but they become even smaller and siloed when you forget to look up and seek ideas from those outside of your team. A lot of what makes an entrepreneurial business tick is the relationships amongst its team-members, and those relationships cannot mature without consistent nurturing. I’ve learned that teammates feel valued when you seek their opinion, which drives overall job satisfaction and positivity in the workplace. Plus, they always have great ideas to share!
5. Work with grit and passion
Not every day is a walk in the park. It takes grit, determination, and tenacity to stick out some of the bumpy roads that may come your way. But if you are in a space that you are passionate about and you believe in the end goal, remember that some days you just have to power through and get the job done. In the end, you will continue to learn and grow, all while launching your career forward.
