Starting a business? Develop these top 3 skills for success!

Have you ever had an idea brewing in your head and thought, “Hey, I could make some money off of this!”? 

From opening a lemonade stand in the summer to founding a multinational corporation, starting a business isn't as easy as it might sound.

While there are several skills a person needs to be successful when starting a business, three key ones include communication, organization, and time management.

From speaking with clients to emailing employees, having great communication skills is essential to leading a business to success.

Photo by Volodymyr Hryshchenko on Unsplash

What does having great business communication skills really mean, though?

Imagine you need to close an important sale with a new client. The client is friendly, but they simply won't stop talking. You don't want to be disrespectful, but you do need to gather information. What do you need to do?

Listening to understand oractive listeningallows you to focus on what someone is truly saying instead of what you want to reply.

Try to take mental note of some of the client's key concerns so you can address them later. This will help the client feel understood and most likely like to a successful sale.

From emailing clients to messaging employees, communication is important to any business's success. But business communication is not as easy as it looks. For example, when can you use "Reply All"? When do you use formal language instead of informal language?

While Drake suggests using the CC field instead of "Reply All" is better, the level of formality in your written communication should match your business brand.

What we don't say with words is sometimes said with the face or body. From a stern face and crossed arms to signal disapproval to an enthusiastic "thumbs up" to communicate agreement, body language matters.

Keeping physical and digital documents like employee files, taxes, and customer account information organized is a must for any new business owner. How does one organize all of the things? Say no more!

Physical Documents

• File organizers

• Folders

• Filing cabinets

Digital Documents

• File manager applications

• Folders and subfolders

• Cloud-based storage

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Regardless of whether a document is physical or digital, following a consistent naming system is crucial. For example, use a customer's last name and first name initial followed by their company name and document title: "DoeJ-CompanyA-Budget."

Starting and maintaining a business will sometimes require working odd or overtime hours. That said, good time management skills will help you find balance between your personal life and work as a new business owner.

Follow these three tips to help you manage your time:

1. Use productivity applications like Notion.

2. Delegate tasks to employees or hire independent contractors.

3. Block out time for breaks.

The world of business can sure feel like being in a tank full of sharks, but now that you know the top three skills needed to start a business, are you ready for a swim?

Remember, communication, organization, and time management are not just important business skills. You can take these skills anywhere and find success!