Inspirational stories from entrepreneurial downfalls to new starts. Tips for (not only) aspiring entrepreneurs. Talking about working with finances and mind, planning and the art of failure. This is what the New Beginnings conference, held in Brno, brought.
On 18-20 September, the Impact Hub in Brno hosted a conference New beginnings. We, as a media partner of the event, could not miss it. The conference was suitable mostly for new freelancers, but also for those who have been in business for a while and realize that they still have room for improvement or are stuck in a rut. Participants gained valuable practical tips, heard inspiring stories from entrepreneurs and had the opportunity to make new contacts, whether they spent just one or all three days at the conference.
Running out of the start
Why do you want to do business? What is your driving force? What is your vision? It's good to answer such questions in the first place, a lot of other things depend on that. If you have only had a student or employee experience so far and you are planning to start your own business, find out what and how, but at the same time don't wait for the moment when you are 100% ready, e.g. financially. Entrepreneurship requires both courage and a certain amount of enthusiasm. If you just hope and wait until you have better starting conditions, you might not even get started. As she said in her post Lucie Halušková: "If you want something you never had, you have to do something you never did." Work with the resources you have, have things you don't understand explained or delegate them to people who can do them better and faster.
The art of failure and working with emotions
Are you afraid to make mistakes? Many of us are. But as the saying goes - it's human to make mistakes. In life and at work, we have made mistakes, bigger or smaller, and naturally we will continue to do so in the future. But even failure can be seen as an art. "When we can fail, it sets us free. It's not that I don't care that I make mistakes. Working with the mistake is very important. Mistakes are part of the process. It's good to accept that we make mistakes." she said Monika Čuhelová and she recommended that we train for failure, in small ways. Her statement resonated with everyone present "Even falling on your face is a step forward." There's something to it. After all, you can fall down a few times. The important thing is that you get back up again. You can learn from your mistakes and be even stronger as a result.
Emotions are not only associated with failure. Working with emotions in companies and individual entrepreneurs is the focus of Maja Bourkova, author and main organizer of the New Beginnings conference, who translates her nearly thirty years of experience in marketing and people management into consulting and mentoring. "It's really important to talk about emotions, to admit that we have them, to discern where our feelings come from, to find out what makes us feel good or what makes us feel good. The more we get to know ourselves, the better we can understand our surroundings. For example, we will have more patience with colleagues who are not having their day, or with customers who are in a funk because they are dealing with a problem."
With a price tag on the forehead
Our personal and professional lives can be complicated by a distorted view of our worth and low self-esteem. Many people have trouble pricing their services and undervalue themselves. "We take pricing very personally. It's like we're putting a price tag on ourselves," came from Madly Čevelové. The right price is the way to attract the right clients and deter unwanted ones.
Lack of self-confidence, feelings of inadequacy and frequent comparisons hinder introverts not only in the work sphere. These are the ones Jana Neuwerthová Šmýdováwho talked about the obstacles introverts (mostly in their own heads) face and how they can adapt their self-presentation and marketing. "As an introvert, you tend to overthink everything. You think that everyone is judging you, that everyone is looking at you. But no one cares about your insecurities but you." They advise you to choose networks and communication channels that not only fit your business, but also take into account your strengths. She also mentions the importance of working with energy - some types of activities (such as speaking in front of people and networking) can drain you more, so it's a good idea to think about how much and when you'll engage in them.
Expedition Abyss
He shared a powerful personal story Roman Zelenka. He was doing well, he had a share in the company, but because of the behaviour of his partner, things started to go downhill - in his words, into the abyss. The toxic partner was also his father. He used his experience to illustrate how a toxic person acts and how to fight back. If you are dealing with such a personality, don't feed it with your emotions. He's like a fish in water in conflict. It can be a little worse if you're too nice. "Toxic personalities translate your kindness as your weakness. It is possible that the nicer and kinder you are, the more you will attract toxic and highly conflicted people because they see you as easy prey."
If you are dealing with such a person, Roman advises you to step back from the problem, take a bird's-eye view of the situation and calmly reflect on what you can do. If you need to get out of a toxic relationship, it's good not to be alone. Find someone you can talk to about it and who will support you, whether friends, family, a colleague or a therapist, for example. Try to keep a firm attitude. Take into account that you can't usually change a toxic person. This is also why it is sometimes better to be the wiser one and step back, e.g. quit your job, and find a work environment where you are happier.
Don't miss the train
For business and life in general, it is important to educate yourself over the long term. Because whenever you stand still, don't follow trends and don't learn new things, you regress. She talked about this topic Gabriela Šiller. As in everything, approach self-development slowly, give yourself smaller goals so that you do not give up. Make learning (and any other activities you want to engage in - e.g. exercise) a habit. Regularity is important, maybe ten minutes a day is enough. Look for a form of learning that suits you (perhaps attend a similar conference sometime), use dead time (time sitting on public transport etc.), put what you have learned into practice.
It's just the beginning
"The conference is over, but I believe that for many of us something has begun here," she said at the end of the last day Lenka Jánskáwho was involved in the organisation and also shared her experience in financial planning or spoke about the importance of business vision.
"In business and in life, we want to take inspiration from those who have succeeded and built something. The themes that have come together here are so fundamental that they had to be heard. That's why I am very glad that the pilot edition of the conference was able to take place. The fact that the meeting was more intimate than we had originally planned gave it a huge added value in terms of togetherness and the opportunity to share. It wasn't a big anonymous crowd, people weren't afraid to join in the debate and ask questions. They took away what they needed," Maja Bourková evaluated the event. "I'm also very grateful that nowadays, more or less, companies are getting the message that you can work with mental health. The discomfort that one goes through life with, that weighs one down like a pebble in a shoe, can be pulled out, can be got rid of. It's important not to be alone on it. And also not to forget to rest."
There are still plenty of topics and related questions that can be raised. That is why Maja is planning the next edition of the conference. "In the spring, I would also like to organize an event focused on personal life, health, relationships... How we are in our personal life translates into work and vice versa."
