“I was home with a new baby thinking about my next career move and thought, why not me?”
Victoria is a former industry CEO. She saw a disconnect between policy objectives, government and consumers and realised that there was a gap in the market she could fill. “I had often thought there was a market for someone with policy skills, who understood industry objectives to enter the communications arena. I was home with a new baby thinking about my next career move and thought, why not me?” Flourish Communication stems from Victoria’s first-hand experience in primary industries and provides strategic communications and policy advice to government and industry organisations. Victoria knows what it is like to be the boss, but has realised that when you start up your own business, you really need to have a firm understanding on everything. “Every new project brings challenges that require creative solutions. I enjoy the process of breaking down a problem and crafting a response that meets the needs of all stakeholders.” Three things Victoria wish she had been told before she started in business:
- Know your finances. “Know how much money you need to earn to pay your bills and pay yourself an income.”
- Think of your client as your boss. “You may have been able to fudge a deadline with your boss, but a client won’t accept excuses or delays.”
- Plan for the future. Make goals and plan ahead. Know where you want your business to be in the next 3, 6 and 12 months.
When you are running your own company you need to have an eye on every ball, not only for the present but also for the future. You need to map out your finances and learn how much you have to make now to keep yourself going in the long run. You have to look ahead to create and manage your business growth. Victoria Taylor’s advice for starting a business:
- Take your time to get the fundamentals right at the start; finances, systems, policies and software. Once the “boring stuff” is perfected you can start having fun with your business without playing catchup.
- Be honest an accountable: to your clients, to yourself, to your staff and to your suppliers. Integrity is everything in business.
- Remember to say thank you to your clients, staff and suppliers. After all, they’re helping you achieve your business goals.
- Understanding your finances is critical. You cannot make money from business without a clear idea of what you need to earn each week to cover your input costs and obligations. If that’s not what the market is willing to pay, you may need to revisit your costs or business model.
- People will expect you to have an online presence. With so many free social platforms to choose from, there’s no excuse for not marketing to, and engaging with, customers through social media.
Learn more about Victoria Taylor, This post was co-authored by Ella McDougall, an intern with HerBusiness. Ella is studying Journalism at the University of Technology, Sydney.
