Aleks Saddington-Poole’s Post

What no one tells you about starting a business ⬇ It's worth reading 👇 Working for yourself is not the same as working for someone else. And the truth is it’s so much harder than people make out. But if you've got the pull to start your own company, if you’re fed up with lining the pockets of your boss, know you're gonna have to make so many more sacrifices than you making right now. You'll have to give up your evenings and weekdays, work longer hours, and deal with more stress than your current job. I won't sugarcoat it, but if you work hard in the beginning, you can join the fortunate few who gain the freedom of time, finances, and even location in their lives ✨ You can literally live the life completely on your terms. You can plan the life you wanna live and you can work towards a specific set of scenarios. But know, you’re going to have to put in the graft and you’re going to need to make sacrifices in the early stages. #business #startuplife #businessowner

Dear Solopreneurs, I need to confess something to all of you: When I first started my business, I thought to myself: "I'll work every waking hour and become successful faster!" So, I worked 7 days a week. - I hustled non-stop - I made progress - I felt productive But then I realized: I absolutely hate this. Why? Because working without breaks is the fastest route to burnout. - You lose creativity - You miss out on life - You become resentful of your own dream But everyone is glorifying the "hustle" now. Simply working hard isn't smart anymore. To be truly productive, you'll have to: - Set boundaries - Prioritize rest - Recharge your creativity Soon, you'll realize: This isn't what you signed up for. The constant grind will suck all the joy out of your entrepreneurial journey. And to top it all off, you'll learn: Working weekends doesn't guarantee success. You cannot measure "return on hours worked." Sure, if you're smart about it, you might: - Build your business faster - Reach goals quicker - Feel more accomplished But you'll struggle to sustain it long-term. Eventually, you'll start thinking of your business as a burden. So, why am I telling you this? Because, dear solopreneurs, I've been where you're at. It sucks, it's draining, and it's unsustainable. But you've got what it takes to find a better way. In the comment tell me "Your Weekend Experience" and I will tell you my story 😉

🚨ARE YOU HAVING FUN?🚨 You spend 2/3 of your day at work. Do You: ✅Feel Appreciated? ✅Get recognized for your Wins? ✅Build Your own schedule? ✅Love the people you work with? ✅Feel energized in the morning? ✅Leave with a sense of satisfaction? ✅Have energy to invest in your family after work? ✅Have freedom? ✅Get paid what you’re worth? Hmmmm…🤔 If you are answering NO, maybe reach out… Time to turn that into a YES! GO. GET. IT! #EntrepreneurLife #DreamBig #WorkHardPlayHard #SelfMade #BeYourOwnBoss #StartupJourney #HustleAndGrind #SuccessMindset #ChaseYourDreams #PassionToProfit #NeverGiveUp #DreamChaser #BusinessGoals #RiseAndGrind #InnovateCreateAchieve

𝗜'𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗜 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸... - I was tired of waiting for opportunities to come knocking - I was tired of getting rejections for my outreaches - I was tired of customising my CVs to the job requirements So, I took the leap of faith And started my solopreneurship journey! - It wasn't easy being a mom - But the freedom and fulfilment I've experienced since then... - I suppose that has been worth every late night and early morning. - So, friends, never afraid to take those risks. Never afraid to create your own door! - Be your own boss - Don't wait for opportunity - Hard work pays off big - Untap your full potential - Stop asking, start creating - Build your own business - Take control of your life - Don't settle for less - Strive for more To my 9-5ers friends, Even if you don't make up your mind now... Start a side hustle!! >>You never when it will transform into a full-fledged business P.S. How many of you support side hustles? #EntrepreneurMindset #CreateYourOwnOpportunity #BeYourOwnBoss #HardWorkPaysOff #UnleashYourPotential #StartYourBusiness #TakeControlOfYourLife #SuccessMindset #BusinessMotivation #EntrepreneurLife #MotivationMonday #InspirationBoost

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗠𝘆 𝗦𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗛𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗜 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗨𝗽 𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗝𝗼𝗯 (Read this if you think your side business will negatively impact your corporate job) I used to worry that starting a side hustle would affect my corporate job. Would I be too exhausted by doing both? What would my colleagues think of me? What if I fail my side hustle? If you are the same, 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗱: Those fears and doubts quickly vanished. 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱, 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗜 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘂𝗽 𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲: ↳ 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁: I began to view my corporate responsibilities through an entrepreneurial lens, taking initiative, and contributing to my team in a more impactful way. ↳ 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝘅: Juggling my corporate role and my side business required me to think creatively about problem-solving, come up with fresh ideas and create efficient processes for both roles. ↳ 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗷𝗼𝗯: Managing both a side hustle and a full-time job honed my ability to focus and maximise productivity. I became adept at prioritizing tasks and using my time effectively. ↳ 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸: Running a business solo made me appreciate the value of having a team in my corporate job where we collaborate and place trust in each other. I view my team’s success as equally important as my success as an individual. Running my own business forced me out of my comfort zone on so many levels. It made me a better employee for my corporate job, and I gained a lot more confidence in my corporate career. I also became a more fulfilled person in both fields. 📳 Curious if a side hustle could unlock your potential? 𝗗𝗠 𝗺𝗲 for a free 30-minute call with me to explore how you can start your own side coaching business! 𝗣𝗦: What’s your biggest hesitation about starting a side hustle? ----- #Entrepreneurship #FemaleEntrepreneur #Hustlewithheels #CareerDevelopment #PersonalDevelopment

Let’s freakin do this… It is Sunday night and I am getting ready to head to the office for my 9-5 and the dread keeps coming in waves. I have to keep telling myself, let’s freakin do this just to be motivated. All weekend I have been on fire, happy, motivated, and able to get sh*t done! I have been able to focus on my business – the side hustle I feakin love. I can feel my mood change as soon as I love what I do and now I have to head to a job that does not light me up. Now here we go back to the office. Having to suffer in the daily commute. Having to go to a meeting to plan for a meeting. Having to put on my own suit of armor to prepare myself for what lies ahead. Having to sit there and daydream about what I would rather be doing. Having to be unmotivated and depressed. Having to be stressed about all the things that I want to be working on in my business but don’t know where to start. The list continues and here I am on a Sunday night,,, dreading the next day. Back in the day, this was me. I was working the 9-5 in management and losing myself in the job and putting on the suit or armor to pretend to be the person they thought I was. Yet on the weekend, I was on fire as I was doing what I love. Now I love Mondays as I get to wake up without an alarm (omg this is life-changing), I work with the most amazing clients, and I get to do what I LOVE. Getting to this point I stumbled, I failed, I crashed and I learned. Business is hard, and when you are a solopreneur - it is also lonely. Today, I no longer dread Mondays, and I get to do what I love. Helping people find and follow their passion and show them what is possible. I have been there, and understand that the struggle is real, but I also know that you can have a sustainable and thriving business when you have the right tools and the right community supporting you. If you are dreading Mondays and want to ignite that spark you had on the weekend to grow your side hustle, come and join me in the Boss Up Academy today. Apply here: https://lnkd.in/gtHbHgpB #BossUpAcademy #EntrepreneurialSuccess #SideHustleToSuccess

I love what I do so much, the reality is that taking time off often isn’t often what I want to do! I love pouring my energy and time into building our business – and in return, it’s an energy-giver seeing our business grow. A ‘day off’ could be catching up on admin, both personal and for the business. Before you know it, the day’s gone! I don’t really switch off → So I switch over. I plan in, and structure my time off and protect some time at the weekend. For me, that’s family time - which, yes, can overlap with work time (hi Joyce 😉). Quality time away from the business, preferably with a little sunshine, definitely socialising with friends, taking care of my wellbeing and not in front of a screen ☀️ It’s not about escaping work, it’s about enjoying work and enjoying life. How often do you REALLY take time off? 👀 #Entrepreneurship #Business

The entrepreneur life is not what it seems… Usually, it’s longer work hours as you build your business. You don’t have the boundaries of a 9 to 5. (Though even though boundaries aren’t as strict as they used to be.) Because I wasn’t getting income results like my siblings working more normal jobs, I thought I had to work longer to earn rest. To work Saturdays to keep up with social media and catch up on projects taking longer than I planned. But that was all a LIE. I don’t have to earn rest. It’s a natural rhythm God built into the very creation of the world I live in. So I’ve taken to my motto I always say kinda tongue-in-cheek—screw it and do it. I’m protecting my evenings and weekends as best I can. (There’s exceptions of course to honor certain commitments, but I don’t want it to be my norm anymore.) Even if success takes longer… (Anyone else hate the phase, “Success loves speed?”) Even if I don’t “feel” as productive at first… Even if people (and sometimes myself) think I’m crazy… I’m choosing rest. I’m choosing less. I’m choosing to slow down in a culture that telling me to hurry up or I’ll miss out. So friend, it’s okay to stop. It’s okay to need rest. It’s okay to not finish all that you wanted to get done today. There’s always tomorrow. Right? Wrong. Life is so fleeting. But life is also really beautiful. And I’m done missing it. What about you? ❤️

𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿, 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗷𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘁 𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲. Before I created the planner, I did this for far too long. Any new strategy that came my way, I jumped on it. It didn’t take long before I was spreading myself too thin, unable to do anything properly and feeling stressed and frustrated because I wasn't achieving what I wanted to. When you’re not clear and focused on what you’re trying to achieve, you don’t achieve. It’s as simple as that. You end up scattered, unsure of what you’re trying to do or how to do it. 𝗡𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 = 𝗻𝗼 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵. It’s a deadly cycle. 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗿𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗱𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝟱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀: ↳𝗠𝗮𝗽 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼.  Use mind mapping or lists to organise your thoughts and see the big picture. ↳𝗖𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀.  𝗙ocus your efforts on what truly matters. ↳𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁, 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁.  Warren Buffett’s advice: write down all your goals, then pick the top 5 most important ones. Focus on these and avoid the rest until you achieve them. ↳𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸, 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝟭 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸’𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗮𝘀𝗸𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁.  Break down your top goals into manageable weekly tasks to prevent overwhelm. ↳𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝘆𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸.  Review your progress and adjust your plan as needed. You’ll become more productive and have fewer things on your mind to worry about. 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 = 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀. Running your own business should give you satisfaction, not create another set of problems to avoid. Hone in on 'the important.' Prioritise the things that make a difference first. Everything else can wait. It’s about making an impact and getting to the end of the day with a sense of satisfaction, knowing you have accomplished what truly matters. #Solopreneur #EntrepreneurLife #SmallBusiness #BusinessGrowth #ProductivityHacks #GoalSetting

Chasing dreams isn’t for the faint-hearted, but it’s a journey that’s worth every bit of effort. 💪🚀 By day, I’m dedicated to my full-time job, giving my all to my role and my team. But after 9 p.m. (my timings are 11:30 p.m.–8:30 p.m.), my second shift kicks in – working on building my own business from scratch. Here's what my daily grind looks like: • 11-9: Focused on my job, learning and contributing • 9:30-10:30: A quick gym session followed by dinner • Till 2: Deep work sessions on scripts, outreach, team management, planning, etc • 2-9: Sleep (and we go again) Weekends? That's when I dive deep into business work and work from a cafe for a change of scenery and meeting a few friends. Is it exhausting? 100%. Is it worth it? Absolutely. Every late night, every missed hangout, and every moment of doubt is an investment in my future. I'm not just building a business; I'm building my dream life. To all the side hustlers reading this: Keep going. Your hard work isn't going unnoticed. We're not just chasing dreams; we're creating our own future. If you're thinking about starting your own thing, start small and stay consistent with it. The journey may be long, but the view from the top will be worth it. What's your dream, and how are you chasing it? Share your story, and let's motivate each other! 👇 #Entrepreneurship #SideHustle #DreamChasers #WorkLifeBalance #LinkedInCreator