If you’re a new entrepreneur, what task should always be on your daily to-do list, and why?
These answers are provided by the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invitation-only organization made up of the world’s most successful young entrepreneurs. YEC members represent nearly every industry, generate billions of dollars in revenue annually and have created tens of thousands of jobs. More information at yes.co.
1. Finding “You” Time
It is important that a new entrepreneur takes good care of himself. If you don’t take care of yourself, it’s impossible to be your best and grow your business.
– Daan Stevens, Protea Financial
2. Reading books by other entrepreneurs
Reading books quickly gives you knowledge, skills and advice. With just a few pages a day you can learn from the best. Pick up a book by an entrepreneur in your industry or on a topic you need help with. Those authors have spent their entire lives in the same process you are going through now. They left pages of what worked, what didn’t, and what they learned.
– Maria Harcourt, CosmoGlo
3. Go to ‘Inbox Zero’
Entrepreneurs should strive daily to get their email inbox to zero. Take some time to consciously review all correspondence at least once a day and then respond, delegate, postpone or delete it! This simple routine ensures that crucial tasks and deadlines don’t slip through the cracks.
– Jack Perkins, CFO hub
4. Plan daily tasks
If you want to survive as an entrepreneur, you need to learn how to budget your time. By pre-planning daily tasks to reduce waste and stay lean, you can maximize your efficiency and promote a healthy work-life balance.
– Ron Lieback, ContentMender
5. Building meaningful connections
Building meaningful connections and making the most of every communication should be one of the most important parts of the daily to-do list for new entrepreneurs. New introductions should be treated as opportunities to build a legitimate network for building influence and word of mouth. Budding entrepreneurs should make this a habit and meet everyone who could be the next step to growth.
– Candice Georgiadis, Digital day
6. Read reviews
As a new business owner, it’s important to listen to what your community and customers have to say. Read reviews, check social media, check your inbox and look everywhere people talk about your products every day. Listening to feedback and acting on it quickly are the key words. Staying active in relevant communities also gives you the opportunity to solve user pain points that larger companies don’t solve.
– Sujay Pawar, Astra
7. Meeting with your team
You should have a quick stand-up meeting with your team to see if everything is on track and if anyone needs help with their tasks. My experience is that if your employees know that you regularly monitor things and are always available for valuable feedback, team productivity increases. A good productive environment can really help your business grow.
– Benjamin Rojas, All-in-one SEO
8. Checking in with your business vision
Check with your original vision to make sure you’re not lost. Remember: there’s a big difference between necessary, conscious pivots and falling down rabbit holes. These quiet moments to compare your work to your original mission keep you grounded, show you how far you’ve come, and help you course-correct when distractions consume you.
– Tyler Bray, TK Trailer parts
9. Review daily sales
Check daily sales to make sure you reach your breakeven point. As entrepreneurs, we like to see the income coming in. Make sure you have the daily report that not only tells you what sold today, but also quickly lets you know that you’re on track for cash flow and goals. Being able to switch quickly is crucial for the long-term survival of a company.
– Marjorie Adams, Four-lane
10. Post to social media
The one task every new entrepreneur should do is post on social media daily. Honestly, it should be two to three times a day. Also post to industry or group accounts, in addition to your own accounts. Everyone depends on social media now, and posting that you’re open, posting about your sales, or posting to highlight a product will help bring attention to your business.
– Baruch Labunski, Rank safe
11. Learn a new skill
Learning a new skill should be on your daily to-do list. You won’t be able to label it as “done” on a regular basis because it takes time to acquire new skills, but you should strive consistently. Learning helps you become better than yesterday and stimulates your growth. It increases your efficiency and increases your chances of success.
– Stephanie Wells, Formidable shapes
12. Explore new ideas
As a new entrepreneur, you should always explore new growth opportunities in your niche. Spend at least an hour every day exploring new ideas and at the end of the week, shortlist those that show potential. Work on the feasibility of the shortlisted ideas and create an implementation plan based on that.
– Jared Atchison, WPForms
13. Listening to podcasts or industry news
It can be very tempting to have tunnel vision all day every day, but you’ll miss important insights and conversations happening in your industry. This is one of the best parts of my daily commute. I get very excited when I hear about the new ways my colleagues are solving problems or innovating.
– Matthew Capala, Alphametic
14. Monitor analyzes and KPIs
I believe that all new entrepreneurs should spend an hour every day monitoring their analytics and key performance indicators. If you want your online store to thrive, you need to be hyper-vigilant during this phase. Look for deviations and ways you can improve. You should also pay attention to strategies that work for your small business.
– John Turner, SeedProd LLC
15. Remind yourself of your higher purpose
A powerful daily task is to remind yourself of your higher purpose, whether it’s serving a specific number of customers, making a difference in your community, or something else. This will help you stay motivated and focused on what’s important, even when the going gets tough. Additionally, remembering your higher purpose will help you stay focused on the tasks that will help you achieve it.
– Blair Williams, MemberPress