Seven Lessons Learned
(WE Magazine, June 2005)

By Ann Gdovin

When most people set out to start a business, they are seeking greater control over their lives, a chance at better pay, and an opportunity to do what they enjoy. When I founded Gdovin Personnel Inc., in 1996, those were important goals to me, too. In the nine years since then, I've been able to achieve those goals. But running a business also helped me discover new goals and taught me important lessons about what really makes a business work.

Currently, I am president and CEO of Gdovin Personnel, an independent staffing agency based in York, Pa. The agency specializes in placing qualified workers - about 90 percent of them women - in positions with medical practices or professional employers.

Like most business owners, I started my business only after years of experience, reflection, and planning. This time, and the time I've spent operating a company, have taught me seven key lessons about business -- and about creating a satisfying work life:

1. Find - and follow - your passion
Starting a company requires a passion for a particular business. I'm not alone in that realization, of course. In talking with other entrepreneurs in this region, I've found that passion is the single most important ingredient for each of them. I was fortunate to discover my passion for the staffing industry mostly by accident. At the age of 19, I took a position with an agency in Milwaukee, and soon discovered that I loved the process of matching the right jobseeker with the right employer. Each time you do your job properly, you dramatically improve an individual's life and help a business become more productive. I thought: "What could be more satisfying than that?"

2. Soak up the experience
To run a business, you need to know a bit about everything: management, accounting, human resources, marketing, and of course performing the tasks specific to your line of work. Those who learn about their field from a variety of different angles position themselves for entrepreneurial success. I was lucky enough - again, quite by accident - to work in a series of jobs in my industry, everything from recruiting to payroll. I also worked for different types of companies, from a large multinational corporate to a small, local outfit. In my business, I try to borrow the positive attributes of each.

3. Take a leap of faith
Many people feel the entrepreneurial urge at some point during their careers, but few actually wind up starting their own venture. That's a shame, but I understand their trepidation. It took me several years of work in the staffing industry before I finally set a goal of opening my own agency. The key turning point? When I realized I could survive on the sales I had made single-handedly for my final employer. Every successful entrepreneur finds a similar rationale for that final decision; after that, she must take the leap and never look back.

4. Work hard, but keep a balance
We often hear about young entrepreneurs who work 80-hour weeks to build a company. That's fine for some people, but it's also fine to establish your own definition of success. It's perfectly fine, for example, to reserve a healthy amount of time for your family. Setting specific parameters early on is a key to helping any entrepreneur keep her sanity. In my case, I leave all my work at the office; at home, I'm one of the family. It's not easy, and there are always tradeoffs, but it can be done.

5. Accept help graciously
Nobody can build a business alone. It may take financial backing from family, support from friends, or favors from colleagues in your industry. If you need help, accept it. I did. Then, once you've got your business up and running, be sure to support others who may need it.

6. Work for something besides money
Of course, every business exists to make a profit. But the entrepreneurs I know tend to succeed because they love their work. My job is to find highly qualified job candidates. By after years in my position, I've found that many women jobseekers who come through my door face the same problem: they simply don't know what they want from their working life. For me, teaching women to have career aspirations - to discover their own passion - has become every bit as important as quarterly revenue goals.

7. Never stop evolving
The business world is in constant flux. That means a successful business must keep pace with change. In my particular field, our region has seen a massive shift in the labor force over the past decade. Thousands of manufacturing jobs have disappeared, replaced by thousands in the healthcare and service sectors. At Gdovin, we've shifted our focus to accommodate these emerging employers. In fact, the medical division we opened in 2000 now accounts for more than half our business. The lesson? Take time to study your industry and think about how changes in the economy could affect your business.

Of course, there are many lessons to learn aside from these, and significant challenges that every entrepreneur struggles with every day. But the most important thing, for any business owner or employee, is this: find a job you look forward to doing, every day.

Ann Gdovin is President and CEO of Gdovin Personnel Inc. She can be reached by email at ann@gdovin.com or by visiting www.gdovin.com.