I’m shredding the rules of business

The other day I found an old notebook and had a flick through it to see if there was

anything of interest in it.What I found actually mortified me. It was full of notes I’d

taken at a business event I went to to try and learn the Rules Of Business.

I was so abhorred by what I read that I actually RIPPED OUT the pages of notes,

and after I hit publish on this, I’m going to SHRED THEM. There were pages and pages

of notes like these.

Check it out.

It actually makes me feel a bit ICKY to read it. To think I tried to CONFORM to the ‘rules

of business’! That’s not me!

Here are my ‘rules’ right now.

1. Create something every day. 2. Help someone every day (hopefully by what I’ve created) 3. Offer something for sale every day. 4. If it ain’t fun, don’t do it.

That’s pretty much it.

Nine years ago, when I started my first business as a dominatrix, fresh out of

leaving the 9­5, do you think I knew about systems, strategies, sales funnels,

proposals, conversion rates, objectives, elevator pitches, marketing etc etc?! NO

WAY! But do you know what, it worked.

And then when I became a photographer, I thought I had to fit into the ‘proper’ world of

business. I thought I had to change what I was doing and presumed there were some

rules to follow to grow a successful business and THAT’S when I started researching

and studying and LOSING the part where I made my OWN rules.

And that continued for some time. When I went from photographer to social media

teacher, again, I REALLY got caught up in the rules! Do you know how many rules there

are about social media? Flipping BILLIONS!

‘Do things this way. No, you should do it that way. Don’t post

your blog at that time! How often should I tweet? Is it ok to

automate? You have to ENGAGE! Always include a photo! Make

sure you don’t write more than 659 words. etc etc’

You get the idea. And I got caught up in it but again, I hadn’t noticed I was losing the bit

where I made my OWN RULES and did what I liked. I got caught up in systems and

strategies and how­to’s and blueprints and ‘THIS is the only guide you need to know!’.

When did it get so complicated? When did we loose the ability to just

BE OURSELVES and so what we want?!

When did we rely on the rules like a crutch scared to move forward unless someone

else had said it was OK, and that it would work.

When this dawned on me, I started to let go of all the rules that I had spent so much

time and money on to learn. I used to think it was a BAD THING that I didn’t know the

rules when I first started out, when really, it was a GOOD THING!

I didn’t care. I had fun. If I didn’t enjoy something, I didn’t do it. I built

a business by following my own rules.

Business & life should feel NATURAL. We should be able to go with OUR flow. We

should be able to have a bright ideal and just do it. We shouldn’t wait to see if it’s been

done before or wait for someone to give us the thumbs up or the rules to prove that it

will work. Risk is part of entrepreneurship! Take a few. Every day.

How about we just try things out that feel right for US, and see work works

instead of trying to follow a check list. Been there and freaking well done that and it’s

constrictive and stressful – What if you forget a step in the sequence, eeeek?!

What if you got up every day and did what you FELT like in your business? What if you ONLY worked with people that you had a great time with? What if you could be YOU and be as creative as you felt like in your life and

business?

Well, you can. Drop the stuff that doesn’t matter. Drop the stuff that doesn’t feel right.

Drop the stuff that keeps you busy and that you don’t have fun with.

START asking yourself what feels good to do right now. Ask what you can do to

help someone today. Offer them something. Create a GIFT you know will help

people. Share your knowledge and DON’T HOLD BACK. Give it your all, have FUN

and make up YOUR OWN RULES.

ABOUT Karen Strunks is a speaker and

author and helps daring, rebellious,

non­conforming women create a No

Compromise life and business doing exactly

what they love.

Ten years ago she left her ‘cubicle cage’ and

made a break for freedom to follow her

passions; from dominatrix, to photographer, to social media and marketing

teacher to today, empowering women to step away from the norm, break

the rules and follow their passions.

Her work has been featured in print, TV and radio such as The Guardian,

BBC, Radio 4, Time Out NYC, The Telegraph, BBC Radio Wales, and she

has worked with national and international brands.

Karen regularly speaks at conferences and lectures at universities on

entrepreneurship, and about her story of leaving the 9­5 to pursue a life

less ordinary. Come and join Karen's FREE community on Facebook; Rebel

Business Bitches and pick up a FREE gift to help you create the life you

want. YOUR way.Website | Twitter | Youtube | Facebook