One of the most common ways small business owners describe being their own boss is that it’s “a labour of love”. Pouring your blood, sweat and tears into making a business successful is par for the course. But what happens when you fall out of love with your business?

Sarah Holder from Active Admin & Business Solutions knows the feeling. Based in Tamworth, NSW, Sarah helps other small businesses and solopreneurs think outside the box to solve business bottlenecks and streamline processes with strong admin policies and procedures.

Running her successful virtual business admin service since 2016, Sarah describes herself as an organised person with a very strong admin background – but a business advisor can only do so much. As many professional services operators know, success for her clients comes down to their own willingness to implement necessary change and complete projects.

As a solopreneur, this uphill battle, combined with feelings of loneliness and imposter syndrome, have caused Sarah to feel a love/hate relationship with her own business at times.

Sarah asks Kochie’s Business Builders’ Small Business Help Desk: “How do you fall back in love with your business?”

Small Business Help Desk: Tackling a love/hate relationship with your business

When times are tough, as they have certainly been for even well-established businesses in the past few years, keeping your own small business afloat can feel overwhelming.

Sarah identifies two main challenges in her business – ‘UFOs’ (unfinished objects) and simple loneliness.

“My buzz out of my business comes from seeing other people succeed,” Sarah tells Kochie’s Business Builders. “Yet I feel really disillusioned with the fact that some of these open projects aren’t getting across the line.

“I don’t like UFOs – unfinished objects – and getting somebody inside the business to dedicate their time to finishing projects is very difficult. When projects drag out and you can’t see the impact, it’s so disheartening. It’s like, what am I doing this for?”

In the midst of this quandary, Sarah won a local business award, triggering imposter syndrome to rear its ugly head.

“When I won in my category, I was really split on how to celebrate it because I just wasn’t feeling the love,” she admits.

“The biggest challenge that I have is that I don’t sit in enough space with other people, and I know I’m not alone. I’m a solopreneur, and the sound of imposter syndrome just echoes off the walls around you when you sit alone. It’s really hard to get out of your own head.”

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Small Business Help Desk: Tips to help bring back the love

Anaita Sarkar, founder of Sell Anything Online and Hero Packaging, says Sarah is not alone. In fact, falling out of love with your business – or at least, aspects of your business – may be more common than you think.

As a founder of multiple successful businesses, Anaita understands these pressures all too well. “This is such a great question because a lot of small business owners feel exactly the same way,” she says.

Anaita suggests three key factors that could make all the difference for any small business owner who is feeling lonely or disillusioned.

WATCH: Anaita answers Sarah’s question (post continues below)

Step 1: Identify problems, focus on the future

Anaita believes that solving a problem requires first recognising the exact reasons for the issue, and then envisioning where you really want your business to be.

“The first thing to do is figure out what made you fall out of love with your business in the first place. Is it cash flow? The daily grind? Clients? Is it loneliness?” advises Anaita. “Then pinpoint where you are now and where you want to be.”

Jotting down your big issues and comparing them to your business aspirations can be a great way to start charting a path back to feeling positive and happy in your business.

Then it’s time to take action.

Step 2: Put an action plan in place

“I want you to think of an action plan,” Anaita says. “And that action plan has nothing to do with goals and everything to do with daily tasks to get you from point A to point B.”

What are the steps you need to take to reach your ideal business situation? How can those steps be broken down into workable increments that get the job done?

“Each one of those tasks should be in your calendar as a time block,” says Anaita.

This gets the right tasks onto your to-do list at the right time, to help you tick off each step of the process while keeping yourself accountable.

Step 3: Give yourself things to look forward to

If you’re not feeling the love, create moments that will help revive your connection with others.

“Create mini events throughout the year that you’re excited about, and you can look forward to,” Anaita urges. “This could be a customer meet and greet, a product launch, or simply meeting with other business owners.

“If it’s loneliness that you’re feeling, I’d love you to join a group of like-minded business owners in group mentoring or group coaching.”

Joining a group or event to bounce ideas around and share everyday stressors can really help business owners feel more supported and learn from peers who have excellent advice of their own to share.

Search LinkedIn and Facebook for local, online and in-person business networking events, or groups who are targeting similar markets to you, to find your tribe.

And finally, remember that getting back to loving your business takes time. Each of these steps will help get you there.

“Falling back in love with your business is an ongoing process,” Anaita says. “Don’t be so hard on yourself. Take it one step at a time.”

Do you have tips to help fellow business owners feel the love in their business again? Share in the comments below.

Want more of your small business questions answered? Head to our Small Business Help Desk page for more helpful articles and videos:

This article is brought to you by Kochie’s Business Builders in partnership with NRMA Small Business Insurance.