Melany Viljoen is a powerhouse. She is a motivational speaker, a highly established businesswoman and now an author of a the highly anticipated self-development book titled “Become An Overnight Success” which is tipped to be one of the self-development books of the year.
Mel has built up the Tammy Taylor Nails brand in South Africa with plans to grow the brand in the UAE in the near future.
We asked Melany to share some tips for young and aspiring entrepreneurs:
- Get Gritty
Grit is perseverance and consistency. Grit is the “I’m going to do whatever it takes” attitude that we expect of entrepreneurs. Grit is the ability to keep working when everyone tells you that you should give up. If you want to be a successful entrepreneur, you have to be gritty.
Honestly, without hard work and perseverance, you’re not going anywhere in the entrepreneurial world.
- Continuously Educate Yourself.
Be a voracious learner. You can attend live seminars or classes online. I also recommend reading books by a successful entrepreneur you admire. Even if they aren’t in the same field as you, you could learn a lot from both their successes and failures. Observing how they solve problems can give you tips on resolving your quandaries.
- Network, Network, Network!
Don’t be afraid to seek help. Most of us have contacts who can contribute to our success. I’m not saying you should call them up and immediately start pitching to them, but you can always meet them to catch up over coffee or a meal and see if there is any way that they’re able to help. You could also start with LinkedIn, which was meant for business networking in the first place. A friendly greeting and introduction with no expectations of any outcome is all it takes to start a conversation with a stranger. It might seem unpleasant and awkward at first, but the more you do it, the easier it becomes. I believe your network is your net worth.
- Successful Entrepreneurs Listen To Complaints
This is one of the tips that I think is the most important for entrepreneurs to learn.
Your customer’s complaints are how you identify your business’s weaknesses.
Similarly to the last tip, without customers, you can’t have a successful business. There’s another possible scenario, though. You might have customers who are interested in your product or service, but if you don’t listen to their complaints, you soon will have no customers. Take your customers seriously, treat their complaints with respect, and listen.
- Learn From Mistakes.
Many entrepreneurs point to mistakes as being their best teacher. When you learn from your mistakes, you move closer to success even though you initially failed.
- Find A Mentor.
Having a mentor you can trust is a valuable asset. Whether you’re in a mastermind group or have stayed in touch with your former teachers or other business associates, guidance is always valuable. Work with someone who has climbed that very mountain you are trying to navigate to shorten your learning curve.
- Successful Entrepreneurs Deliver, Not Sell
Honestly, no one likes to be sold to. I mean seriously, who enjoys going to the car lot and buying a new car? We all know what we’re getting ourselves into and dread it.
Instead of selling to your potential customers, deliver. Offer them a free trial and deliver a great product. When your company delivers a great product or service, you’ll build customer loyalty faster than you can say, “successful entrepreneur.”
