Failing Flawlessly: How to be a Graceful Small Business Owner
Updated: Feb 12
No one likes to fail. No one talks about their failures in great excitement or pride. If anything, failure is something we all keep a secret, ashamed of what we didn't accomplish, instead only sharing our successes. However, talking about our failures shouldn't be one of shame, it should be one of reflection and appreciation.
That's because we took a chance, we leapt when we didn't know what might be on the other side. So what if it didn't work out, we eliminated one more what-if in a world of unknowns. That should be something to celebrate, especially if we didn't give up!
"Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently." - Henry Ford
Chances are, if you're a small business owner, you've achieved a great success in your life; however, there is an equal chance that you also have a lot of failure behind and around you OR you want to take a chance, but are afraid you might jeopardize it all.
We, as the entrepreneurs and business owners of the world, should talk about failure and how to learn from it instead of keeping it a secret. We should avoid it as best we can, but we should also celebrate the positives when it shows its face.
As small business owners, we take failures a bit more harsh than the average person. It's just part of the culture of entrepreneurship. How we handle failure can have a massive impact on the moment but also on your ability to succeed on your next venture.
We put together a few tips on how you can best handle failures when they come along. Hopefully we can also put to bed the stigma surrounding failure so you can thrive.
1. Lend a Helping Hand When You See Failure
We all know from experience that failing is hard. And it never gets any easier, does it? So, when you see others experiencing a failure or getting dangerously close, be sure to offer your help and guidance. Not only is this right thing to do whenever someone is suffering, but it can have lasting benefits on your end as well.