As business owners, we need to be strong and able to withstand the rollercoasters in our work life; from the joys of a first client or online sale to the lows of dreading to see the end of week bank statement or having to make someone redundant because the business can no longer afford their employment.
Sometimes, it’s really hard being a SME, especially if you’re a one man band; you’re the coffee maker, the receiptionist, the marketer, the tech support when someone can’t place an order off your website… Having this on top of all the legalities of making sure your Companies House confirmation statement is completed on time, as well as the PAYE, worrying about whether you need to do another risk assessment plan in case the insurance company won’t cover you – it’s a wonder how some of us still have any hair left!
What I do know is that we have to not only be able to know and run our craft, but put on that that full body metal armour every single day. Sometimes, it’s not just the business itself, but the negativity we have to face from road rage when we drive to work to the online keyboard warrior who has posted a negative comment on our social media.
Recently, I have come across people who, rather than debate issues, seek to control the narrative by posting challenging comments. I was asked to post any studies on a mental health topic “if I could find any” they added. So I found and listed three published studies; there was silence for a few days, then both they and someone else popped up to say that the journals I had referenced were discredited and their full data wasn’t published. I replied by telling them to take the matter up with the publishing houses and get the articles removed if this was agreed, but until that time, the studies remained published.
Quite a few lessons learnt this year for sure, so this track is for everyone who has had to put on that suit of armour: Titanium is a transition metal known for its strength, light weight, and excellent resistance to corrosion – key qualities we need today and tomorrow!
Photo by Massimo Virgilio
