Bianca Miller-Cole - The Business Survival Kit: How to get ahead without losing out on love, life and happiness

Byron Cole is a serial award-winning entrepreneur, public speaker, investor, philanthropist and business mentor. He has been involved in over fifteen business startups as a director, investor or shareholder. Byron is an investor in people, property and businesses of all types. He co-authored Self-Made with his wife, Bianca Miller-Cole, and is a co-host on their podcast of the same name.

Bianca Miller-Cole is an award-winning entrepreneur, global keynote speaker and top 10 powerful leader on LinkedIn, and she uses her experience to assist budding entrepreneurs through her platform, book and podcast, Self-Made. She started her personal branding company, The Be Group, in 2012, and works with clients including Deloitte, AMEX, Google, Facebook, EY, Accenture, Clifford Chance and many more to inspire workforce potential. In 2014 she founded a groundbreaking hosiery company, which went on to be the first to offer an inclusive range of colours on the high street. Bianca spends much of her time mentoring entrepreneurs to support them in creating thriving enterprises.

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First published by Penguin Business in 2021

Copyright Byron Cole and Bianca Miller-Cole, 2021

The moral right of the copyright holders has been asserted

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ISBN: 978-0-241-44740-6

This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorized distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the authors and publishers rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.

To Everyone Working Hard to Build a Better Life
and a Legacy for You and Your Family.
This Book Is Dedicated to You.

First of all, I would like to give thanks to God.

To my amazing wife, rock, co-author and business partner, Bianca. No long speech required. Thank you and I love you.

A special tribute goes to team Penguin, not only for making this journey so smooth but also for giving us the platform to get these important messages out to the world.

I would like to thank my mentees, past and present. You guys are my motivation and inspiration in so many different ways. Keep rising, keep shining and smash those goals nothing can stop you.

I cant let this moment go without thanking my social media followers and #byronites who support me unconditionally.

I would like to thank each and every one of you that has supported me along my journey.

I hope you all enjoy this book. We created this for YOU.

To your Success,

Byron I live to Inspire

Thank you to everyone who bought our first book, which resulted in the development of our Self Made mentoring community. The feedback from our readers and mentees inspired us to write this book. We recognize now that there is so much that goes unwritten and unsaid about the realities (and perils) of being in business. Starting a business is one thing; surviving and thriving while running a business is very much another. You all helped me to see that and realize it is a reality that needed to be articulated more widely. Witnessing your growth continues to motivate me to do and learn more.

Byron, you continue to wear many hats in my life as my best friend, soulmate, husband, co-author, major supporter and business partner. Our partnership continues to blossom because we are on the same page, writing each chapter in the book of our lives together our way! Thank you.

To my parents, I am who I am because of you, and for that I will always be grateful. I love you both.

To my clients, Ive been talking about intrapreneurship for years. I am so pleased you have embraced it. Thank you for trusting me.

To everyone who is currently reading this, dont let anyone say you cant. You can AND you will!

We have so many friends and family, we would love to name you all but that would be impossible, so instead we would like to thank you all from the bottom of our hearts for your continuous love and support you know who you are.

To our interviewees, industry experts, Martina, Trevor and everyone who helped us put this book together, we would like to extend a special thank you to you all. And to our team, who embrace our every business move.

There is no usual in business. Each business has its own voice, narrative and capabilities, as do the people who are at its forefront. Whether you are reading this as a business owner, a budding entrepreneur, an employee dedicated to your career, or a student you are the most important asset in any venture. And we have created this book for you, to help you understand the emotional rollercoaster of being in business and the business of you.

Business isnt easy it takes guts, it takes grit, it takes the odd tearful moment, but along with what might sometimes appear to be earth-shattering lows are the amazing highs that make it all worthwhile.

This is not a book that exists purely to tell you yes, you can do it. You already know if you can or cant (and if you dont, you will by the end of the book). Rather, this book tells you how to do it. It provides you with the coping mechanisms, strategies and support you need to make it happen.

Oh, and it will probably prove to you that you are not alone. Every emotion, feeling and issue you encounter has probably been experienced by every person around you the difference being, we arent afraid to talk about it in this book. Business is hard, but were here to hold your hand on the rollercoaster.

So, here we go were going to look at purpose, clarity, anxiety, procrastination, romantic conflict, sleep deprivation, imposter syndrome, and so much more. It will be emotional and sometimes difficult. It will also be a lot of fun. The secret is to know how to roll with the punches.

Join us on the journey. This is business as unusual.

Running a company particularly if its your first time involves a steep learning curve.

And thats OK. Youve undoubtedly accepted that there will be an enormous amount to learn. Youre going to have to get to grips with market research, preparing a business plan, raising money to get you through the first few months, hiring staff, and a whole host of other things. Yes, youll be in uncharted territory, but youve got a pretty good idea of whats involved. You know what to expect.

But were here to tell you that there will be surprises not least because youll be learning a huge amount about yourself and how you handle difficult and often stressful situations. Its this personal aspect of running a company that most business guides tend to ignore, sidestep or underplay.