Learn how this entrepreneur uses her goals, and those of her clients, to maintain her motivation.
For entrepreneurs, there’s nothing quite like coming up with new business ideas. Your mind starts going a mile a minute, fueled by adrenaline and passion, as you make mental lists of concepts, goals and milestones until you’re ready to take the plunge and make it happen.
But how do you keep that initial motivation going strong when you’re in the thick of starting up a business? When you’re spending endless hours bringing that idea to fruition only to face setbacks and frustration while missing out on hobbies, time with loved ones and sleep?
Leyzcha Cerdeiros, Director of Sales and Co-founder of Staff Up, LLC, has been there.
After 15 years of working in the staffing and recruiting business, Cerdeiros and her co-founder were left disheartened. “After working for corporate firms, we saw ourselves steering away from our passion for people. When you work for a $3 billion company they speak of values and morality, but in the end all they want is for you to produce numbers.”
That discouragement led to a “light bulb” moment for Cerdeiros and her business partner, and just like countless entrepreneurs before them, the idea for their own company took form and lit a fire in them. Cerdeiros explains their plan, saying, “Our vision in opening this firm was to take the time to cultivate relationships with our customers and our associates. We both have the passion for business and the heart for people.”
But while there was no lack of drive—or ideas and goals—when Cerdeiros decided to start her own staffing agency, reality hit her and her partner quickly. “The first month, I must say, was the hardest. It is easy to have a vision in your head; but, executing that vision in real life is a huge challenge. There were times we would get so overwhelmed because things weren’t working out quite as we expected.”
So, how did they keep going? By setting goals: “We overcame every obstacle by taking a deep breath and making our to-do list into smaller to-do lists. Take the time to map out your vision on paper, create a checklist and be prepared to work hard until the vision is created.”
The duo got over that initial hump, and several years later Cerdeiros is still using goals to push forward, maintain motivation and build her business. But with experience has come new insights. By focusing on not only her goals, but the goals of the people she’s working for, she’s found a way to maintain the initial passion that first inspired Staff Up, LLC.
“Seeing how someone’s life can change by providing them with an opportunity is so inspirational to me. In my five years, I have seen a $10/hr forklift driver become a manager of a 3PL. I have had people tell me ‘because of the opportunity you provided me, I did not lose my home.’ And the relationships I have built with my customers are my motivation to wake up every day and do what I do best.”
For other entrepreneurs out there facing similar feelings and grasping to find motivation to continue, Cerdeiros offers some advice, “Sometimes, you have to learn to just stop and take a huge, deep breath and know everything will work out in the end. Take a leap of faith. Celebrate small and big accomplishments. Believe in yourself and the people that surround you in your business.”
To see what Cerdeiros and her business partner have built, check out Staff Up, LLC’s website at staffupllc.com.
