10 tips for business (and Ron Burgundy, too)

Jul 9

Written By

Experience is the best teacher, and since founding Rachel Sutherland Communications, I’ve had a crash course in equal parts of what to do/not to do. So please allow me a moment to share some of the #entrepreneur knowledge I’ve accumulated thus far:

It’s show business, not show friends. Keep the lines distinct and clear. It’ll save you difficult conversations down the line. I promise.
Be honest, in all that you do and say. Always. That doesn’t give you a free pass to be mean or ugly, but honesty will earn you trust and credibility.
Transparency is key. It goes right along with honesty. You want free stuff for an event you’re staging? OK, but be clear about your intentions when you make the ask.
Take it from Ron Burgundy, if you have to tell people you are a big deal, you’re probably not. That means no referring to yourself as a "maven" "guru" or "Instagram celebrity" or "social media celebrity."
“Can I pick your brain?” should be struck from your vocabulary. Immediately. What do I hear when that question is asked of me? "Tell me how you do what you do, and then I'm going to (try to) do it too." If you’re looking to network and learn from someone, be direct and specific with your ask.
Relationships are everything and require tending, just like a garden. If you don’t water and feed relationships, they’ll wither and die.
Say thank you often and mean it.
Being humble is far more attractive than being boastful.
Facebook, and more specifically personal Facebook Messenger, is not a channel for business. It shouldn’t take but a few clicks to find my email address and send me a message there. Send me a personal message on Facebook about business? Immediate strike against us doing business together.
Focus on what you can control, not what others are doing. That’s not to say you should at least keep your competitors in your peripheral, but don’t obsess and compare 24-7.