In December 2024 Ian Sanders clocked-up 25 years working for himself.
What’s kept the fire burning for 25 years? Here are his 25 Truths:
Get famous for doing one thing whether that’s a skill, product or service. Sure, be multidimensional and do things around the edges, but having a single-minded offering makes it clear and understandable, and you more hirable.
How you make your clients feel is as important as the quality of your work. They’re not just choosing what you do, they’re choosing how you do it.
Know that time is your most precious resource. Be choosy how you spend it.
Value yourself by charging enough money. Think about the rich experience and unique perspective you bring to every project.
Self-employment can be lonely: find a support network. Seek collaborators who have complementary skills and talents. Build a support network. Reach out to fellow founders and solo entrepreneurs you can meet for coffee and share tales from the trenches.
Switch on an entrepreneurial mindset to turn opportunities into invoices. Projects won’t land automatically in your lap, it’s up to you to keep your eyes peeled. Spot the gigs where you can show up and add value.
Everything is down to you, so lean in and get on it! Drumming up new business, finishing projects, booking in meetings, writing your social media posts, completing finances: it’s all down to you.
Know the rituals, habits and behaviours that fuel you. What time of day do you work best? How do you get creative inspiration? Do you like working with loud music or in silence? Design your working day around who you are and what makes you tick.
Make the most of the flexibility that comes with being your own boss: set yourself free. Release yourself from the laptop. Get out for coffee or a walk. Go see a movie on a Wednesday afternoon. Who’s to say you can’t?
When you get stuck, go on an Inspiration Jaunt. A photography gallery; a wander around a different part of the city; a walk in the country for some big sky dreaming. Schedule it in the diary as a non-negotiable every month.
Do good work and tell stories about it. Use social media and digital tools to tell the world who you are, about your working life and what interests you. Ensure there’s a regular drumbeat of stories.
Gather reliable go-to experts to help you build your business. Ensure you bring solid and trustworthy people into your business life - an accountant, a web designer, a photographer, a local IT dude - that you can have long term relationships with.
Find a mentor ahead of you on the entrepreneurial path who’s happy to share their wisdom.
Ignore the naysayers and doom mongers: stick to your guns! Tune out the negative voices. They don’t know the spirit that burns inside you or the wonderful ability you have to adapt and adjust and pick yourself up. Only you know what you can do.
Set boundaries to bookmark your working day. Go out for a walk before you start work, even around the block. Shut the door on your work at the end of the day (literally or metaphorically). Take a few minutes to decompress.
Reframe ‘networking’ as building connections with interesting people. We’re all humans who want good, valuable (not transactional) interactions and relationships.
Define your own metric for success. Your version that you’ve ‘made it’ could be when you can go for lunchtime swims or mid-morning dog walks. Or that you can pick up the kids from school when you want. Or that the work you created makes a difference. It’s not solely about the spreadsheet. Count the things that count.
Work is a mindset not a place you go. You might come up with great ideas walking along the canal, on a park bench or in a train carriage. Your work goes where you go.
Honour what’s sacred in your every day. Whether it's a flat white at your local coffee shop or a morning yoga session: if it matters, make time for it.
Be nice to everyone at the client, especially the supporting players. Remember the assistants and diary managers. Help them do their jobs. Those relationships matter just as much as the head honcho who signs off the invoice.
If something goes wrong? Pick up the phone and call. When there’s an issue or you're dealing with complicated matters, nothing beats talking directly. Don’t hide behind email.
Embrace the Unplan: get comfortable with uncertainty. Plan ahead if you like, but there’ll be plenty of things you can’t foresee. Accept there’ll be bumps and curveballs along the way.
Build a work life with no limits. One joy of walking this path is that you’re no longer boxed in by a job title. No-one else is dictating what you can and can’t do. Carve out a work life built upon You, reflecting your multidimensional talents and desires. Let the Real You in.
Have serious, stable work so you can do the fun, crazy stuff on the side. Ideally find an anchor client that will give you regular work and a degree of stability. That gives you more freedom to experiment with side projects.
You are the pilot of your rocketship, so do things your way. And nobody can say whether you’re doing it right or wrong - because you’re just making your own path.
“Ian has a lot of positive energy and he transported his passion for stories and storytelling in a great and engaging presentation.”
YVONNE HUG,
HEAD OF MARKETING COMMUNICATION EUROPE & SOUTH AFRICA, AMWAY
“Compelling storytelling in corporate communications is vital. Ian was a pleasure to work with. The ‘Power of Story’ workshop brought engaging examples and tools, applicable for all members of our team.”
PATRICK FLAJOLE
BUSINESS OPERATIONS MANAGER, CBRE (SEATTLE)