Pleased to meet you!

With almost a quarter century of running small businesses under my belt, I’ve been genuinely forced to admit: what do I really know?

I’m honestly sick to death of the absolute bollocks that is peddled online. So I’m here as the anti-thesis. If you want positive platitudes and false hope, look away now.

This is real life. This is my real life. And I’ve created a Substack around it because, why the hell not?

Everyone’s peddling the perfect positive. If you get the impression that it CAN be done, that it ISN’T difficult, and it’s just YOU who doesn’t get it, then this is the place for you.

My writing style is raw, ragged, and rambunctiously off-beat. This is entrepreneurialism in the real world, warts and all.

Sneak on to my substack get a flavour and if I’m making you feel you are not alone, and there’s more worth paying for, subscribe for just the cost of a cup of coffee every month. 

Tricia

howtobeshitat

23 9

Two weeks.

A sick dog. Then a dead dog.

A massive project off track, then somehow delivered on time.

Kids sick (not mine). Well. Sick again.

Sell a car. Buy a car. Panic about crossover dates. Not in that order.

Hospital runs. “Simple” medical procedures that weren’t simple.

Deadlines colliding. Work piling in.

My wheels didn’t just wobble, they properly fell off!

Life doesn’t pause while you’re running a business.

Not for you. Not for your team. Not for anyone.

Want to know how we kept going when everything went wrong?

📖Full story out this Saturday – you can subscribe and read previous posts here: 👉Link in bio.

#smallbusiness #motivation #entrepreneurmindset #authenticity

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Open post by howtobeshitat with ID 18518365126043594
Two weeks. A sick dog. Then a dead dog. A massive project off track, then somehow delivered on time. Kids sick (not mine). Well. Sick again. Sell a car. Buy a car. Panic about crossover dates. Not in that order. Hospital runs. “Simple” medical procedures that weren’t simple. Deadlines colliding. Work piling in. My wheels didn’t just wobble, they properly fell off! Life doesn’t pause while you’re running a business. Not for you. Not for your team. Not for anyone. Want to know how we kept going when everything went wrong? 📖Full story out this Saturday – you can subscribe and read previous posts here: 👉Link in bio. #smallbusiness #motivation #entrepreneurmindset #authenticity

...

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It’s 10.45am on 30th December.

I am dripping wet, towel on, hair soaking, literally just jumped out of the shower, and the phone rings.

It’s the bank manager. I’m begging for a last-minute overdraft so wages can be paid.

Why? Because that year every single client had taken an unofficial festive payment holiday. Scheduling payments over Christmas? Too technical, apparently.

👉 Want the full story? My latest Substack is now live: Link in bio

#entrepreneur #businessowner #businessstrategy #growthmindset

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Open post by howtobeshitat with ID 17960678981977209
It’s 10.45am on 30th December. I am dripping wet, towel on, hair soaking, literally just jumped out of the shower, and the phone rings. It’s the bank manager. I’m begging for a last-minute overdraft so wages can be paid. Why? Because that year every single client had taken an unofficial festive payment holiday. Scheduling payments over Christmas? Too technical, apparently. 👉 Want the full story? My latest Substack is now live: Link in bio #entrepreneur #businessowner #businessstrategy #growthmindset

...

3 0

You know that moment on the rollercoaster?

The slow click-click---click to the top. Then the plunge.

Your brain knows what’s coming. Your stomach braces.

I’ve felt it every single month for over 20 years.

With one employee. With fourteen. With seven again. The wages bill changes. The weight of responsibility never does.

👉 Join me on this rollercoaster of running a business this Saturday at 8 am.

Subscribe and catch the full story on my Substack: Link in bio

#business #entrepreneurlife #mindsetmatters #selfgrowthjourney

0 1
Open post by howtobeshitat with ID 17855987307455315
You know that moment on the rollercoaster? The slow click-click---click to the top. Then the plunge. Your brain knows what’s coming. Your stomach braces. I’ve felt it every single month for over 20 years. With one employee. With fourteen. With seven again. The wages bill changes. The weight of responsibility never does. 👉 Join me on this rollercoaster of running a business this Saturday at 8 am. Subscribe and catch the full story on my Substack: Link in bio#business #entrepreneurlife #mindsetmatters #selfgrowthjourney

...

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As a proud Scot of a certain generation, Deacon Blue’s Wages Day has always been an anthem for me. The lyrics? A wee bit confusing. The sentiment? Spot on.

Running a business is like that song: if you want it all, you have to walk a day in my shoes. Do the heavy lifting. Face the tough calls.

The idea that having it all is easy is a modern myth. Sacrifice is inevitable.

I’ve written more about some of the sacrifices I’ve had to make while running a business.

They might surprise you: Link in bio

#entrepreneurship #businessgrowth #startup #growthhacking

0 0
Open post by howtobeshitat with ID 18058759484103622
As a proud Scot of a certain generation, Deacon Blue’s Wages Day has always been an anthem for me. The lyrics? A wee bit confusing. The sentiment? Spot on. Running a business is like that song: if you want it all, you have to walk a day in my shoes. Do the heavy lifting. Face the tough calls. The idea that having it all is easy is a modern myth. Sacrifice is inevitable. I’ve written more about some of the sacrifices I’ve had to make while running a business. They might surprise you: Link in bio#entrepreneurship #businessgrowth #startup #growthhacking

...

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There’s just one day a month which makes me feel genuinely sick to my stomach.

Not because I’m a woman. Blokes get it too.

I’ve survived over 240 months of this dread. If you run your own business, you know the feeling. One day rules your life. One day everything else bends around it.

It’s wages day.

Want more brutally honest business truth?

My latest Substack article goes live this Saturday.

Don’t miss it and subscribe now: Link in bio

#smallbusiness #motivation #entrepreneurmindset #authenticity

0 0
Open post by howtobeshitat with ID 18036517268470882
There’s just one day a month which makes me feel genuinely sick to my stomach. Not because I’m a woman. Blokes get it too. I’ve survived over 240 months of this dread. If you run your own business, you know the feeling. One day rules your life. One day everything else bends around it. It’s wages day. Want more brutally honest business truth? My latest Substack article goes live this Saturday. Don’t miss it and subscribe now: Link in bio#smallbusiness #motivation #entrepreneurmindset #authenticity

...

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Everyone likes to think they are in control. Awake at the wheel. Captaining the boat.

We set ourselves goals and objectives. We plan how we’re going to achieve them. We brief the team. Then we set off on the journey, all gung-ho that our route map is invincible.

But then we hit a pothole. And roadworks. Then someone in the back of the car is sick. And you forgot the wet wipes.

This week`s substack is about a crisis that changed my life.

https://open.substack.com/pub/howtobeshitatbusiness/p/the-illusion-of-control?r=52ddpo&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

1 0
Open post by howtobeshitat with ID 17887226859346276
Everyone likes to think they are in control. Awake at the wheel. Captaining the boat. We set ourselves goals and objectives. We plan how we’re going to achieve them. We brief the team. Then we set off on the journey, all gung-ho that our route map is invincible. But then we hit a pothole. And roadworks. Then someone in the back of the car is sick. And you forgot the wet wipes. This week's substack is about a crisis that changed my life. https://open.substack.com/pub/howtobeshitatbusiness/p/the-illusion-of-control?r=52ddpo&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

...

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Tomorrow`s substack covers what happened to me and my business during covid.

I know a great many businesses and their owners who will have been through similar challenges, many of them still fighting to survive to day, some 5+ years on from when the initial crisis struck.

For others, it was a positive life changing moment. A chance to catch a breath, work from home, redecorate the house.

For many it was a genuine matter of life and death.

The covid crisis bonds us all in ways we cannot ever imagine, but one thing is certain, our individual experiences of this crisis vary wildly.

This is my story.

1 0
Open post by howtobeshitat with ID 18056977253416092
Tomorrow's substack covers what happened to me and my business during covid. I know a great many businesses and their owners who will have been through similar challenges, many of them still fighting to survive to day, some 5+ years on from when the initial crisis struck. For others, it was a positive life changing moment. A chance to catch a breath, work from home, redecorate the house.For many it was a genuine matter of life and death. The covid crisis bonds us all in ways we cannot ever imagine, but one thing is certain, our individual experiences of this crisis vary wildly. This is my story.

...

1 0

Fail to plan, plan to fail?

Yeah, yeah.

But what happens when you have a plan and you completely ignore it?

Or if your worst case scenarios are not nearly as bad as reality?

Working in events for over two decades has taught me lots about the value of scenario planning and strengthened responses to crisis situations.

Nothing prepared me for the covid crisis.

3 0
Open post by howtobeshitat with ID 18262439356303301
Fail to plan, plan to fail?Yeah, yeah.But what happens when you have a plan and you completely ignore it?Or if your worst case scenarios are not nearly as bad as reality?Working in events for over two decades has taught me lots about the value of scenario planning and strengthened responses to crisis situations. Nothing prepared me for the covid crisis.

...

3 0