Following the rise in popularity of ‘expectations versus reality’ social media hashtags which have been used 255,000 times on Instagram and received 1.1 billion views on TikTok, The Accountancy Partnership is challenging SME owners to join in and share their experiences of being an entrepreneur.
UK entrepreneurs are encouraged to share pictures and videos of the realities they face as business owners to raise awareness of the true experiences of running a small business. The Accountancy Partnership, a Wirral-based online accounting firm, is on a mission to share the realities of entrepreneurs’ daily tasks to raise awareness of their unique roles and bring a true reflection of business to aspiring entrepreneurs.
Recent research into the topic found that almost a quarter (24%) of small business owners felt that social media has glamorised expectations of being an entrepreneur. The same study also found more than half (52%) of entrepreneurs found running a business more challenging than expected.
“It’s no secret that being your own boss and running a business can be difficult,” said Lee Murphy, Managing Director at The Accountancy Partnership. “However, we want to look behind the curtain to show aspiring and current business owners that the job is enjoyable and varied. While what we share on social media may often be a glamorised version of events, encouraging people to share their realities can help break the taboo of what life as an entrepreneur might really be like.”
The survey of 235 small business owners found that one in five (19%) of SME owners enjoy sharing their updates and experiences on social media, with 16% citing social media as a source of inspiration for them.
“While economic conditions are currently tough, positives can be found in sharing experiences and engaging with others in similar situations online,” added Murphy. “So far, we have had people sharing tales of having to build their own desk before they could work at it and pets invading Zoom calls, to outstanding achievements and award wins.”