Tips for startups: Using available resources

It's easy, especially in a start up, to think about all the things you don't have or will be able to do some day. It's even easier to use that as an excuse as to why you cannot perform your job today. Many of us have worked in other organizations with vast resources or large facilities. We've enjoyed amenities such as expansive break rooms, capable technical support departments, benefits packages and even company provided computers. 

While all of these advantages are nice and will hopefully be provided someday, we cannot let these become excuses as to why we don't perform our duties today. 

Look around at the resources available to you, be creative, and above all, take initiative. Don't wait around to have the perfect set of circumstances to allow you to be successful. 

Take graphic design for example. It would be wonderful to have a full-time graphic designer on your payroll who will make your dreams become a visual reality. Perhaps he or she would be versatile and create webpages and design promotional gear. They'll make sure that your company looks and feels as legitimate as you hope it will become one day.  But right now it's just you and your computer. You can still create great things using the software that comes with your computer or a few simple websites out there. It might not look as professional as a graphic designer's work, but something is better than nothing. 

I personally use pages, part of the iWork suite on my Mac. It's not much more than glorified word processing software, but after watching a few tutorials online, and attending a free workshop at the Apple store, I was able to take the pictures in my imagination and bring them to life on my computer. Ideally I would have a graphic designer with extensive experience using Adobe's full creative suite to build everything I want to do, but until then the $25 program available on the Mac App Store is working just great. 

You don't need expensive resources in order to be successful.  With these advanced tools make your job easier? It May, but it will also require advanced training to use them properly or the extra salary of someone who already knows how.  

If you are an employee within one of these small companies remember that success breeds priority. The more successful you are, the more priority your role or department will have in the organization. Business owners and managers naturally put resources where it will help them the most, and limited success will whet their appetite for more. Prove that you deserve additional resources, time, etc. by getting done what you can with the resources you have today. 

Whatever business you're in, remember that the ability to use the resources available to you makes you a very valuable employee, and can help you take on for the responsibility as you receive recognition for this important skill.