If you are running your own business, it can feel counter-intuitive to suddenly have too much unexpected free time on your hands. While for many people staying inside translates into an opportunity to unwind and get some much-needed rest, there are always options if you would like to spend some of that time productively. By focusing on building career-related skills you can make the most of your time at home and prepare better for the next day.
Hone your digital marketing skills
In sync with the rest of Britain, Cornish entrepreneurs are set to feel the impact of staying inside. As the head of the Cornwall Chamber of Commerce has explained, roughly 40% of businesses in Cornwall might be affected. As life gradually returns to normal, this upheaval might prove an opportunity for your business to venture into uncharted territory – especially with regard to its digital presence. And what better way to develop your company than to learn from the best? Google has launched an online training course website dubbed Digital Garage. It is a non-profit online platform, with a suite of seminars and courses that focus on digital skills – and it has been particularly geared towards the needs of small businesses. If you are just starting out, one of their core courses explains the ‘Fundamentals of Digital Marketing’, while there are other courses for more seasoned entrepreneurs which focus on niche subjects such as customer engagement on mobile.
Managing your money
Now is as good a time as any to brush up on your financial skills, which are an important part of running a successful business. Even if you think you already have a grasp on the basics of managing your money, you can spend your time focusing on understanding the theory behind your practical skills and intuition. This includes branching out to read more about financial markets in general, which is bound to come in handy in estimating how best to approach the reopening of the economy. Traders have a lot of insight to offer on how markets work, so even if you are not interested in following their profession it might be worth it to look into forex trading lessons.
Discovering how theories like the ones penned by Elliott Waves and Andrew Pitchfork can help estimate patterns, evaluate market psychology and manage exposure to risk will allow you to develop transferable skills you can apply to your own business.
Take a course in business leadership
By now, you must have heard of Masterclass – a platform dedicated to bringing people succinct lessons on a specific skill by some of the leading names in their respective industries. If you manage to look past the interesting classes offered by Anna Wintour, Dr Jane Goodall, or Paul Krugman, there is an interesting Masterclass on Business Leadership on offer. Hosted by Howard Schultz, the businessman who exemplifies a rags-to-riches story that landed him at the helm of Starbucks, he shares tips and advice based on his experience. Bonus: there is also a segment on how to lead your business through a financial crisis.
Develop your soft skills
If you feel confident in your core business management qualities, there is always the option of polishing the soft skills required for the job. You can take a look through the free mini-series offered by Cornwall-based business consultant Trevor Lee and pick any area in which you think there is still room for improvement. Suggested topics range from public speaking and successful PowerPoint presentations to networking more effectively or understanding how and when to be flexible.
They say that every crisis is an opportunity in disguise – and with so many options for business training online, this sounds truer than ever for Cornish business owners and employees.
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