Todd Sumamno
Building a skillset is essential for anyone, no matter what their career path. However, if you have decided to establish a business, you must be willing to learn new skills to help you become more versatile. When running a start-up or small business, you will likely need to take on more than one role as you might only be able to afford to hire a small team of staff to help you. Here are five useful skills for small business owners that you might want to learn more about to help you manage a business.
Leadership
Having strong leadership skills might be one of the most important things a business owner needs. You will need to work under pressure and be confident in your decisions. It’ll be your responsibility to motivate the rest of your team and lead by example to show them how you expect your business to operate. You must be able to communicate effectively with your team, customers or clients, and any other external companies you have a professional relationship with. Previous experience in management or senior positions will work in your favor.
Communication
To improve communication as a business skill, it’s essential to promote active listening, encourage open dialogue, and provide training on effective communication techniques. Effective communication is crucial in any company, but it can be challenging due to various factors such as different communication styles, language barriers, and diverse locations. For instance, if you have a remote company, communication can be a significant challenge, as the lack of face-to-face interaction can lead to miscommunication and misunderstandings. However, by organizing online team-building activities like online murder mystery games, even remote companies can improve communication skills in a fun and engaging way. These activities encourage effective communication, active listening, and problem-solving, fostering better collaboration and enhancing overall communication within the team.
Problem Solving
No matter how brilliant your business plan is, there will be the occasional problem that you won’t see coming. These circumstances can be very stressful and concerning, but you must stay focused and come up with some creative solutions to your problems. Not only will this help you resolve the current issue, but it will help you to better prepare for similar circumstances in the future.
IT Skills
Having basic IT skills will help you a lot when running a business, especially if you are operating on online platforms. If you want to develop your IT knowledge, think about enrolling in a training course that can help you build specific skills. For example, a Microsoft Azure certification path would be beneficial to those who want to learn more about cloud storage systems and how to effectively manage that data and utilize those specific tools and platforms.
Sales
Whether you have previous experience in sales or not, as a business owner it’s important that you understand the art of the pitch and how to promote your brand and products effectively to buyers and/or investors. If you have no previous experience in sales, find some resources online to help you develop these skills, and better understand the complexities of making a successful sale.
Bookkeeping
You can hire an accountant to manage your company’s books, and in some cases, this might be more beneficial. However, if you don’t have the budget to spend on a professional accountant, you will have to learn the ins and outs of bookkeeping yourself. It’s essential that your business accounts are correct and filed by the deadline; otherwise, you might face large fines or other legal issues. Once your primary bookkeeper has compiled your financials, you can have a second team audit your records to ensure full compliance. Assurance services London is one such firm that can provide audit services. There is also affordable accounting software available for small businesses that can help you keep track of your financial records easier.
You will need many skills as a business owner that will be useful to you, but these five are a good place to start your development.
