Nestled in my purse next to my Boots reward card, sits my library card with scuffed corners and a water damaged surface. My tattered library card is the key to a world of endless knowledge and learning. Everything I need to know, from how to do my accounts to managing people, can be learnt with this little card, the simplicity of which is often overlooked by many. Furthering your business acumen can be costly, as courses are often expensive, especially for new business owners. But a library card is free and the access unlimited. I check out what I need, sit down with my notebook and treat it like a school textbook, but with a lot more interest. If I feel rusty in a certain area, I head to the library for the afternoon and button down what I’m looking for.
Once in a while I treat myself to a new business-related book. I look for what has been recommended by other entrepreneurs and in "good-read" lists and skip off to Waterstones. I devour them quickly: before bed, on the train, waiting in a coffee shop for a friend, whenever I have 10 minutes or more to myself. I digest the information in a giddy trance, excited for everything I’m going to know that I didn’t before. Slithers of Post-It notes peak from the pages, reminding me that something that resonated sits there in a paragraph waiting to be rediscovered in the future.
In the morning, when I reach for my phone, I head to the pages of Forbes, or Business Insider and read a couple of quick articles. Perhaps not even related to my field, but there’s usually something in there I can take away, another morsel of information I can store and use again later. All contributing to the bigger picture.
It would be impossible to read everything in one lifetime, so choosing what you want to read is critical. Read things that spark your interest, that will leave you with something to talk about. Whether it’s fiction or non-fiction, you’ll still be learning something valuable from the author.
About the Author:
Emma is the Founder of Women Who Do, running networking events in Winchester, Southampton and Exeter. She has worked in marketing for 7 years. If you'd like to be featured as a guest blogger you can contact her on emma@womenwd.co.uk or to join one of our events, take a look at what's on near you: https://www.womenwd.co.uk/get-involved
