On a personal note...When you feel like you can't do business

This week I had decided to post something a little more personal, so I hope it helps someone in some way. I wanted to give light of how to handle those times when your personal life becomes unstable and yet business does not stop when running your own enterprise. These are difficult times, and with a lack of motivation can be handle badly, leading to becoming overwhelmed as the 'to-do' list stacks up. However help is on the way.

 Over the last week my personal life took a jarring turn after I had been emotionally hurt by someone close to me that I deeply admired. As a result, I had to make the decision to leave them for my own well-being although I still cared for them. In short it was a break-up that I was not planning. Worse yet I didn't have time to breathe and take in what had happened. With three of the biggest partnerships of my life happening right in front of my eyes and the phone not stopping, the only way I was going to get through this was to find closure as quick as possible. As quoted by Indian billionaire Naveen Jain;

"business is like war you need to take care of your mind, body and soul before you begin"

 

 Safe to say I felt i could just hide from the world this week and eat like no tomorrow. However, I had a few tricks up my sleeve to get me back on par, as hiding was not an option. 

Routine Is Key

 

When feeling overwhelmed, it can be tempting just to stay in bed and hide from the world. Once it gets to 10 am or 11 you are two times more likely to do so. Make sure you become an early riser and make the most of your mornings. Getting several tasks completed in the morning will make you feel more confident about getting to the bottom of your 'to-do' list.

 

Family and Friends Are There For Those Times

 

Never underestimate the power of your support network. Family and friends are for those tough times. My best friend has been a rock of support and living my brother couldn't have been more of a blessing. Both are strong people that clearly have positive intentions to look out for me and those are the people you need around you. A lot of people will give you their opinions on the situation you are going through but those who have your best interest at heart are usual the ones who turn out to be right.

 

Spiritual Connection

 

Whether you are religious or just spiritual get back in touch with this aspect of your life. We all need to feel a rate of progression and development in all aspects of our life otherwise we begin to feel negatively about ourselves and regress into a depressive cycle. Spirituality is a way to form closure and invest in your own development. Personally, I turn to meditation for a spiritual connection of my own.

 

Gratitude

 

Being grateful for the small things can put the whole situation in perspective. Due to our busy lives we forget that there are good thing all around us that can be so basic. Writing down just ten things each day you are grateful for can open your eyes to the incredible people, place, landscapes, opportunities, connections and many more we each take for granted everyday. Your world will become a lot more beautiful.

 

Choose to be Happy

 

Choose to be happy? Well, yeah remember that in any situation that you are put in you still have a choice. So you are going through a tough time well how you deal with that is down to your perception of the situation.

 

Treat Yourself

 

Try a new experience or just plain treat yourself. There is nothing better than really indulging for an hour or two a day. It could just be a bubble bath or a spa day but make sure there is time for you to pamper. When we get stressed or too busy we forget how important this time is. You make meetings and time for others so why would you compromise the meeting with yourself?

 

Music is the Master of Your Mood

 

There is a reason I am in the music industry...because one song can change everything. I love the power of music and the way it can make you feel. I can instantly switch your mood so make sure you blast out some good songs when 

 

Reflect and Move Forward

 

Of course all these things help to get you moving when going through a tough time but it is important not to just use them as a distraction. Take the time to think about what happened to get you into this place. Use this bad experience as a positive to move forward to know what it is you want from life. Reflection is a key part of a healing process, so don't over look this.

 

Treat Someone Else 

 

As human beings we are said to get more satisfaction helping others than ourselves. Running a company called Support Young Talent I can say from experience this is 100% true. So when you are feeling low treat someone else, volunteer and give. Karma will come back around and help you too.

 

Get Out the House

 

Go and meet new people, new friends, get in touch with old friends or just find some inspiration outside of the house and a computer. Running an enterprise can mean you are glued to the computer a lot of the time so a frequent reminder of 'the real world' can never do any harm. 

Exercise your Brain and Body

 

Being healthy and keeping fit will be a massive confidence booster for you during these tough times. When you eat good and feel good life becomes that little bit easier to handle. Get your diet right by drinking plenty of water. Get your body right by increasing your flexibility. I have recently cut out red meat and it has improved my diet and weight dramatically. Instead I now eat fish and white meat as well as making sure I alkalize my body every morning with greens to improve my digestive system. Running is a great way to relieve stress and release tension in muscle cramp from stress. 



If there are any other healthy tips you use to get through difficult times let me know in the comments, I'd love to try them out. 

Kimmy x

Top Two Funding Platforms for Entrepreneurs Under 25

Over the last year or so I have received funding from several funding platforms, all of which have helped my confidence, my network and the business grow. I have been given fantastic opportunities to meet other entrepreneurs in my age bracket who have become close friends. My mentors include those at the top of their field in tech, media and business. Needless to say I feel blessed to have the right people around me. However, out of all these programs I have selected my top two that I would recommend to any other young entrepreneur out there looking to launch a business venture or social enterprise. 

#1 - O2 Think Big

Who is it for? The age range for Think Big is aimed at young people looking to start a community interest project to improve a social issue in their area. The program is part of O2's corporate social responsibility program for people aged between 13-25 years old.

What support do they offer? Think Big O2 focus on offering mentoring support, business training and funding on three levels. Starting at the initial £300 for the Think Big Scheme, £2500 for Think Bigger, and a final round of up to £10,000 through the UnLtd and O2 join scheme. The final stage includes a residential weekend with 30 other young startups to go through training and build your network. In addition you are invited to participate in events and press releases are sent out on your behalf. For example through my time with O2 Think Big I featured in the Yorkshire Evening Post twice and had the chance to write an article for the Huffington Post. The events I attended included the opening of the Wayra Centre in London hosted by the Deputy Prime Minster, Nick Clegg. The support team within this initiative is particularly willing to help all applicants, although it can be a little patronising at times, it is definitely worth the application.

How do you apply? Online - Follow the link to see the full details of applying  

http://www.o2thinkbig.co.uk/

#2 - UnLtd

Who is it for? UnLtd make a strong point of supporting all social entrepreneurs that come in all shapes and sizes, the youngest of which I have met was 12! I must stress that this is ONLY for social entrepreneurs (those that run a business tackling a social issue).

What support do they offer? A large mentoring network, funding and training in business. UnLtd really encourage a community of social entrepreneurs and hold free events for those on the program to socialise. I have personally attended events to hear to stories of other entrepreneurs to discuss how they got started, look for collaboration and build my own support network. Throughout the program the mentoring has introduced me to tech experts, music experts and has helped with producing the legal documents for the business. In addition to events and mentoring the training weekend that UnLtd offer is excellent with business professional taking the time to go through legal structures, brand development and answer any other questions you may have about starting your business. However, the weekend is also a chance to meet people who are also starting up in your age group. I would highly recommend this platform to anyone who is looking for life long friends that can support you through your journey. 

How do you apply? Online - Follow the link below to see full details of applying

https://unltd.org.uk/

Good luck and feel free to tweet me @kimmydickson1 if you have any questions with applying.


Kimmy x

Benefit's of Uni, Excluding the Degree when Starting a Business

One of the proudest moments of my life had to be my graduation ceremony in July 2014, I had finally done it! After three years of studying International Development with Geography it had all come down to that one day. As a massive milestone in my development as a person and life the day offered some unexpected reflection of my last three years. I couldn't resist just the one picture and a quick note to show gratitude for The University of Leeds via social media.

 

Graduation day!

 Having looked at my accomplishments I then started to think...'could this all really be possible without the university's support?' - so what does University offer for start-ups?


1) Mentoring and support - I can't speak for all Universities but the mentoring and funding I received from The University of Leeds through their Spark initiative put me with some of the top business professionals in the city offering a whole weekend of Q & A and ongoing support.

2) Funding - The University of Leeds has one of the top funding scholarship programs offering funding for 13 creative business teams each year, one of which I was lucky to be awarded.

3) Time - Yes a student loan can be a burden but it also offered time to find your feet in your business. I know for a fact had I started the business one year later I would have not been able to survive.

4) Peer support - After gaining a scholarship and becoming part of the Spark initiative I begun to surround myself with people my age that were also starting their businesses. What is nice is as they grow their network so do you. Often you come across similar problems and challenges within your business which you can help each other overcome.

5) Resources and skills - Students are often classed as lazy and unproductive... I can tell you this is far from the truth. In reality most students are desperate to explore and try opportunities. Therefore I was never short of people willing to offer their skills to help with the business, getting some essential experience in business or see what the music business had to offer.


Kimmy x

Transparency and Flaws = Respect

I recently had a major drama with a terrible videographer that managed to make my work a living hell. We had recorded footage for two clients and around 3 weeks after this freelance videographer, doing some work on the editing side of things, refused to contact me. Yes I had tried everything from tweeting him, turning up at his work (of which he used the excuse I have no phone or email)...and basically overall extremely pathetic excuses. I the meantime I was going through a nightmare as these two new clients had only just started working with us on SYT Media. So what a bad first impression...I have indirectly lost their footage!

There were many tears, sleepless nights and I finally just came to my wits end and openly told the clients what had happened. Both were more understanding than I thought and both took more of an attitude of... 'let's move on, screw him, lets re-record'. Not only was this ordeal extremely stressful but it allowed me to experience a worst case scenario. By being transparent with the clients they understood my efforts to work with them openly and honestly growing our relationship even more. I obviously compensated for the damage and put right what I previously couldn't and admitted my faults. Finally I managed to obtain the 'lost' footage and offered to take legal action if it was not returned which showed the depth of my support of both projects.

What I learned from this experience (other than an interview does not mean that you know someone), is that transparency and open honest communication, however bad, will gain you more respect than keeping it to yourself and trying to fix it behind closed doors.

Getting the Balance: Work vs Recuperation

I've been away from writing for the past few days testing out an idea I had about getting the balance between my work and making more time for myself to recuperate. In doing so I have been speaking to various people who have struggled or are still struggling with getting this balance. This applies to those that either work from home and feel as if they are working 24/7 or finding that the feeling of 'I've got some free time let's get some work done so I can get ahead' is constant. If you're burning the candle at both ends, well there is no way you are going to be able to make it with your health and mind still intact. I tested out a few guidelines for myself this week to see if they would help initiate this balance and give me a more focused mind.

 

Set Out Your Work Hours

Make sure your weekends are for you and your evenings give you time to recuperate. If you plan on doing a 9 to 5 day then stick to it. Always remember the time taken out is just as important to make those next few working hours more productive. For me these hours meant, if an email is coming in that person would have to wait to until 9 am the next day, I don't even open the email. In addition I do a lot of work through social media, so a Facebook detox was in order last weekend. A great tool I used to block the site temporarily called 'Self Control' worked wonders.

Prepare Yourself for the Day Ahead

Always start out with a daily routine before you pick up your phone to look at those emails coming in. You need to be ready to take on the world if something crazy happens. My daily routine includes; meditation, breakfast, shower and if time a little bit of comedy. When dealing with the worst case scenario and your business or job starts to go down the drain you want to be coming from a position of strength rather than weakness. So start the day on a high.

Don't Blow Yourself Off

This little pointer I picked up from Marie Forleo, but worked wonders for me. It's so important to take that time out for yourself but dedicate it to you too. In committing to yourself you understand that this is the same concept as booking in a meeting and holding yourself accountable. Just think, you wouldn't skip a meeting last minute so why would you give yourself any less respect? Make the time for you and stick to it. This compliments the two pointers above. 

Your Health is Your Baby

Feeling stressed out and overwhelmed with work can have a serious knock-on effect with your health. Many times I have felt my body saying 'enough is enough', with the consequence of bad back pains and 3 days of being ill. Back pains are still something I still deal with on a regular basis due to the injury I had caused about a year ago from ignoring the problems. If you don't look after yourself who will? Your health is the number one priority. Yes I understand you might have a life changing event going on but frankly if you're not well you can't go. Not only will you feel rubbish once you are there but your minimal efforts to interact with people will come across as rude. 

Be Present - All You Have is Now

Being present is being mindful. I was so grateful to be taught this by Eckhart Tolle who understood that the present moment is all that you have, so why settle for anything else? We live int he present not the past or future. When you are eating, just eat rather than thinking 'what do I have to do today?' or 'I have that deadline I'm worried about'. It won't help you become more productive in the task you are currently doing. All you can do is all you can do. I get that saying just stop the worry and the buzz in your head, but there are ways to calm your mind on a regular basis through meditation. I highly recommend meditation to anyone suffering from anxiety, stress or just a frequent worrier. The practice will allow your mind to become more focused, relaxed and allow you to take in your surroundings giving your mind a mental break. See my previous post 'Switching off to standby and Switching Off' for more on this.

My Top 3 Female Entrepreneurs

It's always important to have someone you admire and can frequently draw inspiration from as it often gets you through the hard times in business. You will realise you aren't on your own and look to others who have maybe been in your situation and how they coped with it. That's why I have my top 3 entrepreneurs. This post is also a reminder to the many that I ask "name me a female entrepreneur", the most common reply; a blank stare and the remark "ooo...there aren't very many". This is not true!

Karren Brady - http://www.karrenbrady.com/

"People are scared of change, whereas I like it. I like the challenge of it."

 

Image from: www.huffingtonpost.co.uk

Successes:  Received CBE, director of Sports Newspaper at the age of 20, named as Business Woman of the Year 2007, Vice Chairman of West Ham FC in 2010.

 Having started working full time at the age of 18 at Saatchi & Saatchi and making it to Director of Sports Newspapers by the age of 20, Karren Brady is one woman who know the value of true hard work. Although she now sits as Vice Chairman of West Ham football club and is often referred to as 'the first woman in football' it's important not to forget that this young woman worked her butt off to get there. True dedication and an open mind to a challenge is something that can be taught but its better if you can just harness the business aspects and run with it. Understanding what drives a consumer can be underestimated and if understood can be a miracle your business needs. Karren has launched her career from so young and made it look so effortless.

  Read more: http://www.karrenbrady.com/biography/

Anita Roddrick 

"My job is to inspire. But we have a bloody business to run."

Image from: http://www.smh.com.au

Successes: Founder of The Body Shop, activist on animal rights, DBE in 2003, OBE in 1988, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Honouree in 1997.

A hard-nosed and business woman with a string passion and core values at heart - that's something I can draw on for inspiration. I try to add a little bit of Roddrick's strength in her business to my own and make sure everyday that I am sticking true to my values and why I began the business in the first place. This inspirational woman founded The Body Shop protecting the rights of animals and when she passed away in 2007 still held true to those values. Everyone can do with forming their core values in their business and be reminded of them everyday.

Marie Forleo  - http://www.marieforleo.com/

"I’m known to deliver the most innovative and highest quality small business and personal development training in the industry."

Image from: http://www.forbes.com/sites/danschawbel

Successes: Established multi-million dollar business over the course of the last 13 years, 190,000 subscribers in 191 countries around the world, 4 top selling fitness DVDs, best-seller book.
 
Not only has this young woman been super successful in marketing herself and image in such a short period of time, but her vibe undoubtedly will put you in a good mood. She is focused on helping others (particularly women) in accomplishing their goals in business but is also very aware of succeeding in personal development and retaining femininity. Marie currently features on her own YouTube channel answering questions from her audience to make sure that the wants and needs of her viewers are fulfilled. This for me is something that makes her stand out from the hundreds of female entrepreneurs out there today...she gets it. Understanding your audience is something we all can struggle with but if you need someone to guide you, this is your woman. Having interviewed and worked with the likes of Richard Branson, Tony Robbins and Oprah, Marie's credentials are ones to be trusted.  

Read more: http://www.marieforleo.com/about/#ixzz2tnXNahAb


Kimmy x

Feeling Bad... Just Stop It!

When I was a kid I was the worst at throwing a tantrum if I didn't get my way or something went wrong. Well now that I am older, I still cry but instead of getting angry about something when it goes wrong I have to deal with it, because frankly no one else will. Sometimes you have to give yourself some tough love and JUST STOP IT! Stop worrying and you can deal with the problem more logically and clearly, get worked up about it and you won't be as effective. If you have a bad habit then only you can change it no one else will and it's just that simple!


Here's a little video to demonstrate my point of tough love...

Top 10 Tips on Networking

Networking can be intimidating and some people avoid it altogether. It's not a magic formula that needs to be uncovered or something you are just born with. However networking techniques are out there and can be taught but they are nothing special. Here are my top 10 tips to networking that always work for me. 

# ONE - Just Smile... Genuinely!
Never underestimate how far a smile can go. I know it sounds cheesy but really it does go a long way. Whenever I meet people for the first time the first thing I do is greet them with a smile. Immediately your body language will open up, and this 'stranger' will see you invite them in as a friendly face. I get told I smile a lot and laugh too (probably a little too much) but its better than being the grumpy one in the room. One extra tip would be to smile genuinely rather than just any old smile. How do these differ? Well a genuine smile can be seen in your eyes and your mouth, think about it when you are next laughing, rather than just smiling from your mouth.

#TWO - Keep an Open Mind
There is no way you can begin to network when you have preconceptions of people before hand or you judge them on the way they are dressed or look. You have to remove this completely. What happens if you meet someone who is your next big investor or worse someone who could be your next best friend and you don't give them the time of day because they are wearing tracksuit bottoms? You are inhibiting yourself by eliminating people you may deep down be fearful of or intimidated by. Make sure you are aware of when you are casting a preconception we all do it out of habit but take a chance to speak to everyone...what's the harm?

#THREE - Find a Friend
I recently went to an event by myself and knew there would be a lot of music industry professionals there that could potentially be great contacts. However I did feel intimidated and thought that I might be on my own for most of the night. I consciously made the decision to find a friend to network with that night. It was as simple as turning around to the girl next to me in the queue and asking "so how did you find out about this event?" As a result we are still in contact, she introduced me to some of her friends who happened to be a great link to get some of our artists into some top London venues.

#FOUR - Be Outgoing 
Confidence is always the common denominator in attractiveness for men and women. So why would networking be any different? I've found the most confident (not always the loudest) person in the room, to be the one person most people have been drawn to. If you are feeling shy, the best thing to do is fake it 'til you make it! Think of someone you believe is super confident and say to yourself 'what would they do in this situation and how would they act?' and be them for the night.

#FIVE - Asking the Questions
People love to talk about themselves, so the best way to make a friend quickly is to ask as many questions about them as possible. Keep them talking about their ventures and their experiences and so on. Not only will you gain a friendship but you will uncover what that person does for a living or hobby which might be beneficial to your business or build on a stronger friendship.

#SIX - Set Your Goals
Have a goal when setting out for a networking meeting. You know what type of field most people at the event will be in so use this to your advantage. I will normally go into an event saying I will be giving out 5 business cards minimum or I will be approaching .... for a video interview. Set your goals to make the event worth your while, don't just linger. If you can find a friend make a healthy competition out of it and see who can give out the most cards in the evening.

#SEVEN - Presentation is Key
You shouldn't judge people by their clothing or appearance but this doesn't mean people won't judge you. Go in with the best odds by presenting yourself the best way you can. Be formally dressed but with a little bit of personality. Look clean, professional, carry mints and smell good.

 #EIGHT - Let People Find You After the Event
Never leave the house or go to an event without business cards. If people have had a great conversation with you make sure they can find you. Always make sure your cards are accessible and never be afraid to give out a card even if people have not asked for one. As soon as you are about to leave a conversation follow it up with a goodbye, card and possibly the next step or time you will be in contact. These cards represent you, so make them good!

#NINE - Be Nice 
If you can't be nice then go home. Open with a compliment when you are first meeting someone as a good conversation starter. First impressions might last a long time for some people, so make sure you aren't giving the wrong one. You have chosen to go to the event, so make the most of it and make friends. This is an obvious point but you'd be surprised how many people get this wrong.

#TEN - They are Probably Thinking the same Thing
Many times I've felt scared and intimidated by various people at an event to even approach someone, but what I've found is most likely they are feeling the same way. So keep that in mind when you approach someone out of the blue. That same person is probably waiting to be talked to by you. Greet them confidently and with a smile and they will most likely do the same, treat them how you would like to be treated.



Love Kimmy x

Prioritising Work - The ABCD Rule

I have a problem which I noticed a year or two back about finding a way to manage my work. I was constantly stressed, procrastinated and overwhelmed, all due to taking on too much at once. However, I didn't want to give up the projects that I was working on. I made the decision I was going to be super organised, plan ahead and make sure if there was a spare moment I was relieving the work by working on the next due tasks. Sound like hard work...well if you don't want to drop the projects you already have, then what other choice do you have?

Its surprising how much this technique reduced the stress in my life and even opened up free time for me to take time out. Tasks were done with more quality and as a result my grades improved at university by 20%. If you have a similar problem with task management follow these few tips:


1) List all the tasks you need to complete - however large or small, long or short.
2) Look at all the tasks you have written and if you can complete any tasks in 2 minutes...then do them now and cross them off as you complete them.
3) Label each of the remaining tasks with a simple ABCD rule.

A- Immediately important and urgent with large consequences if not completed
B- Immediately important and urgent with little consequences if not completed
C- Not urgent and little consequence if not completed
D- Task can be delegated elsewhere

4) Immediately delegate all tasks labelled D and cross off as many tasks labelled C
5) Now begin to work through the tasks labelled A. Apply the rule that you are not allowed to work on any other tasks until all A tasks are complete, then all B tasks and finish with all C tasks.


Happy working and let me know of your successes below!

Love Kimmy x

Work is 24/7 in your own company - Even when you're high

I love running my own company and wouldn't change that for the world. However work is 24/7 and it doesn't stop, even on holiday. A friend of mine who is also a CEO of his company recently took a trip to Amsterdam and as most tourists do headed straight for the coffee shop. Needless to say his party were baked in the middle of the day and ended up out of their minds...until work called. The company has several investors so as something goes wrong he HAS to be at the end of the phone.

Unfortunately this was one of those times and the poor guy stoned out of his mind had to rush back to the hotel to fix the issue. I always remind myself of the funny side of this story as I think it's important when running your own company. 'Love what you do because it becomes your baby', not just the way you love it but the maintenance too!

Switching off to Standby and Switching off Completely

It's come to my attention that there is a difference between switching off your brain to standby, and switching off completely. The former often results in little relaxation and an underlying feeling of stress that you just can't get rid of. Switching off completely on the other hand is taking a break from the busy lifestyle you may have, calming the activity in the brain and the fact that there might also be a higher quality of relaxation.

Sleeping - Your brain is still active at night and having vivid dreams (induced by stress) can often mean you don't get the winks you need. I have often felt like this has put me on standby.

 Watching TV - Yes you may be watching your favorite program, or mindlessly flicking through the channels but this distraction from a busy day isn't the same. Your brain is still active while taking in what is happening on the screen your not always getting the most relaxing experience.

The most important thing to remember when switching off is that you are trying to minimize you thoughts and calm the brain. There is one activity that I highly recommend to anyone with a fast and busy life it only take 10 minutes per day to feel refreshed and ready to take on world. 

Mediation - this is super simple just focus on one colour you feel in the mood for, close your eyes and try to keep you mind on the colour. If you feel yourself thinking about other things, this is normal and mediation doesn't work instantly its something to develop. By doing mediation you are naturally calming your brain. I have found that 10 minutes of mediation before bed does wonders and can often lead to a more peaceful nights sleep. Don't believe me? Try it!  - Here is a link to a guided 20 minute mediation that I found useful aimed at relaxation, ideal for beginners.

20 Minute Guided Mediation

10 MINUTES PER DAY GOES A LONG WAY

Enjoy! 

Kimmy x

Hello!

Although I have written for my company, Support Young Talent, I haven't been able to share with that audience things I come across while building a business. 

The point of this blog is to share my ideas, life lesson and a place to hear about my ventures from my own perspective. Often I meet some of the most inspirational people but I lack the platform to tell people about it. I'm not one for sharing my life story so the plan is to make this as engaging, fun and useful as possible for others who maybe in a similar position. 

Kimmy x


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