Are you selling many small packages instead of larger packages? Are you frustrated because you’re working all the time and not meeting your sales goals?
Holistic Sleep and Parenting Coaches, Pam Larouche and Elisa Costanza-Reyes of Restful Parenting join me on the podcast to talk about how you can start creating higher-level packages that ensure your revenue is higher and you are happier.
There are two different ways this can present itself. The first is trying to do too much in the sense that they see all the possibilities and try to tackle them all at once which becomes overwhelming. The second is burning up all your time doing the things that you could be outsourcing so you can focus your energy on the bigger picture. Trying to do it all only creates stress and makes you feel bad for not getting it done.
As your business grows or as your income develops, chances are, you haven't really made certain changes to keep pace with that. So, the things that served you well in the beginning, may not serve you as well now, but without taking time to reflect on what's working, what you might be good at, and what you could outsource so that you can do things you're gifted at, you just do it even though you're not really happy.
It's easy to overlook your unhappiness when you get into a routine of just doing the same thing all the time, whether or not it's serving you, or anyone else.
Content marketing is a fundamental part of online business growth. If you are marketing your business through content creation, that's great - but how well are you doing it? Is there room for improvement?
Today’s podcast is about creating content, the hows, the whys, the whens and the wheres. Rachel Browne joins me to talk to us about how to start creating stand out content that will get you the views and engagement you are looking for.
I talk a lot about visibility and the impact it can have for your business, but most people are afraid to post stuff online. With that in mind, I’ve invited Deepshika Sairam who is an Organic Lead Generation Expert & Business Mentor to the Biz Podcast to talk about generating leads in your business, which become sales, which means money in your business, which needs to be the priority in your business, right?
This Biz Podcast episode is covering one of the most common reasons people hire a business coach - to help them figure out how to make MORE money. Business owners want to make more money but they don't know how they're going to do it because they are already operating at full capacity. They have no more time.
How are they going to make more money without burning out, without feeling like everything is falling apart, and most importantly without hating their business?
In this podcast episode, I am speaking with Maya Khanna Le Roy, founder of a coaching and strategy firm called MKLC where they help entrepreneurs and leaders get clear and create space for their best work. We get into all the things you can think about and do to make things less dreadful.
When you have a great idea, but can’t find the time to execute it, it can feel awful.
This Biz Podcast episode is based on a previous training I did for entrepreneurs who felt like there is never enough money. Why are we always struggling to get comfy with having enough money to get everything we need both professionally and to pay ourselves?
If you’ve experienced these feelings, you’re not alone. Many business owners feel like there is never enough money. Once you’re clear on why you are feeling this way, it opens up the path to feeling like there IS enough money.
Are you currently a solopreneur or contract out some work, but would really like to grow your team and your business? Are you afraid of what it would mean to change the role you play in your business from doer to leader? In this podcast episode, I am speaking with Jennifer Reynolds, founder, lawyer and mediator of Fresh Legal in Ottawa all about how she went from a solo operation to a multiple-lawyer legal firm.
Stories and seeing the path others have travelled that you’d like to travel can really help you see how you’re going to move forward on your journey as an entrepreneur. So I’ve invited some of my clients, past and present, to join me on the podcast to talk about some of the growth and changes they’ve gone through, so you can learn and be inspired by all they’ve done. We’re starting with Amy Friesen of Tea and Toast.
A common conversation I have with clients is around how they feel like they're working all the time. They're working so hard, and it still doesn't feel like it's enough. It feels like they're not making enough money or they're not able to figure out how they can grow to the next level because they're already working so much. This podcast episode talks a bit about the things that I see people struggling with and what that means for their business, and then what that does to them and how they can start to make changes that are going to feel good.
Productivity is a word many business owners throw around. Many people think productivity means just doing more, but it's not just doing more, it's about doing the right things. In essence, productivity is investing your best time into your best activities, which is a great framework because it can apply to anything.
In my work as a Certified Business Coach, a question I often hear is whether or not a business should have a Facebook Group. Facebook Groups are a great way to engage with your audience and build relationships, which is key to the next step, which is to get them to buy from you. But Facebook Groups are not for every one or for every business.
Before you start a Facebook Group there are a few things you need to consider:
Not every business’ audience is spending a lot of time on Facebook. You need to research and find out if your audience is on Facebook. You also need to be clear on who your ideal audience is – once you know this, you will have the information you need to tell whether or not they spend time on Facebook.
If you don’t like Facebook, chances are you are not going to like running a Facebook Group for your business. I am not going to lie, having a Facebook Group can be a lot of work and requires a lot of time on Facebook. That being said, I love Facebook so I am enjoying myself while I engage with people in my Facebook Group. But if you do not like Facebook – you won’t like running a Facebook Group.
If your audience is on Facebook and you love being there too then go ahead and start a Group, and once you start a Group, focus on what you need to do to make your Group work for you.
What is it your audience values? What is it they are looking for? What do they need? You need to be clear on what you want them to know and what they want to know – it’s not always the same thing.
Smaller amounts of content are better. This is why GIF posts are so popular. They’re easy, they are fun and it makes commenting and engaging simple. People don’t like to take risks and look dumb - especially online. So, ask simple questions, such as: Where are you from? Where did you go to school? Simple questions get your engagement up and get people talking. And the more people talk, the more they will see what you post next.
There are always people online who watch and don’t post or engage so you need to post at least daily, if not more. Give your audience value and keep it simple… bite-sized pieces of information.
What is it you like most about Facebook Groups? Are Facebook Groups right for your business? Leave a comment and let me know.
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Aligning your time with your goals
Managing Your Social Media While On Vacation
Why Business Owners Should Be Using Facebook Live
Do you know what your why is?
Do you know why people are always asking you if you know what your why is?
Understanding your why helps you make sure that what you’re doing in your business and how you’re communicating with your audience is really working well; it helps you stay on track and motivated.
When you ask most people what their why is, they think along the lines of: why are they a fitness coach/graphic designer, etc. – they are answering what they are doing right now. What their job title is. They are not answering their why in the way that I like to dig in to it, the way Simon Sinek does in his book Start With Why.
Simon Sinek’s book, “Start With Why” digs in to the heart of why your why is important. It explains how your why is beyond your business – it is something that is a part of who you are. Your why has been with you since you were young – and is a thread that ties everything you have done together.
Figuring out your why can actually be quite complicated. You need to dig in far deeper than just into what you do but figure out what is at the heart of the choices you make in life. What inspires you. What makes you feel fulfilled.
For example, I am not a business coach because I want to help business owners make more money and find clarity in their goals, etc. While it is something I want to communicate, it’s not my why.
My why is: community.
If I look through my entire life I see that I was always the one on the social committee, organizing group events, creating groups to get like-minded people together, etc. I have always enjoyed having people around me who are like-minded and want to celebrate the same things as me. I have always been about bringing people together. My why is: To bring people together in communities of support so that we can all be stronger together.
Once you understand your why, you know what the right goals and choices are for you – and for your business. Making decisions can come back to your why, making it easier to choose.
Remember, your why is more than what you are doing right now – it may be part of it, but it is much more than that.
Once you find out what your motivation is, you will have a compass to help you create the right goals and it will be easier to achieve those goals because they will be more meaningful to you.
Do you know your why? If you don't, I encourage you to check on Simon Sinek's book Start With Why
How is money impacting your business?
How is your mindset around money impacting your business?
Money is a topic that comes up a lot in my business and in my clients' businesses - that they want to make more of it. That they're finally ready to invest in a coach because they've been trying to do everything along and they aren't getting any where. That asking for it feels so uncomfortable that they simply don't ask.
Dealing with the money stuff in your business is like peeling an onion – there are so many layers. This is because money affects every aspect of your life. It is an emotionally loaded subject.
I wanted to dig down through a few more layers so I invited Core Belief Engineering Practitioner, Megan O’Neill, to once again join me on the podcast to talk about money and business. Megan is a belief and mindset specialist who works with entrepreneurs on their mindset blocks and what holds them back in their businesses. She works with clients internationally via Skype and loves to talk about how people get stuck on money.
You can listen to the audio in the player above, read the recap in the blog post below, or scroll down to the bottom and watch the original live video!
Money is the number one mindset block that holds people back from moving forward in their business. This is because it runs through so many components of being a business owner – and believe it or not, the money issues we have as business owners are about more than just making money.
Business owners get stuck when it comes to pricing because they are under confident about what to charge. They're not clear or confident enough to charge their worth. Instead they “price source” – they ask other people what they should be charging for their products or services.
Entrepreneurs often make up what they think they should be charging or let other people have a big influence on what they charge. Instead of doing this, recognize your value and charge your worth!
Everyone has a different perception on what they should be charging for a product or service. For example, say I have a beautiful piece of paper towel that one person may pay $20 for, but another person may only pay two cents because they don’t value it quite the same as the first person. If you ask the person who wants to pay 2 cents what to charge, you're going to be making a decision based on someone who didn't even want your paper towel in the first place, and without taking into account what it costs or is required to create that paper towel in the first place.
Pricing is a learning curve. When you first start out you may undercharge and what ends up happening is you end up giving away a lot of time for free, which can burn you out and make you resentful. This may then push you to raise your prices accordingly.
Business owners and entrepreneurs often fear that if they charge too much they will alienate current and potential clients. They fear people will think they charge too much and won’t want to work with them. In essence, they fear being judged.
If this sounds familiar, you need to determine what you need to charge in order to make what you need to make. For example, if you have 30 hours available to work per week then how much do you need to charge per hour, etc. in order to make what you need to make in a week?
Be strong and clear about your pricing. There will always be people who challenge you about your pricing, but be confident. Those who object may not be your ideal clients.
You should also know that you can start lower and increase your prices as you grow. If you are struggling to increase your prices then you need to dig deeper and find out what is blocking you. Do you fear being judged? Do you lack the confidence to charge your worth?
There is an old belief that often lingers with business owners that sales people are pushy.
Sales are just communicating what it is you do and what you have to offer.
Someone comes to you with a problem and you present them you with a solution – this is essentially sales. You are offering a solution to a problem. What people feel like they're doing (or are afraid people are going to think they're doing) is yelling "Give me your money! Give me your money!" at them.
You need to remember that when you are selling to a potential client, you are offering them a solution for their problem and they can take it or they can leave it.
It’s the used car salesperson mentality that can make people fear sales. But you must remember that you are providing value, not just trying to 'get their money' and be confident in your product or service.
If the idea of selling still frightens you, when people approach you about your service or product, ask them what they need. This empowers you to give them a realistic answer as to how you can help them.
It can be just as hard to let money out of your business as it is to bring it in to your business, but investing in your business is one of the best ways to start seeing growth.
There comes a time in a business owners’ journey when they realize they can't do it alone. Whether that is building a website, or doing your own social media – you will need to outsource, but the need “bootstrap” might be holding you back.
"I can do that myself, or I can learn it."
"I don't have the money to spend on that right now."
This money mindset block holds you back from hiring for the tasks that you don’t need to be doing or from spending money on your business.
In order to overcome this block, you need to focus on the bigger picture. You need to see that in order to make money you have to spend money. You may see it as losing money as opposed to seeing the opportunities that can come from spending money on your business.
Think of it like this – if you can hire out something such as your weekly newsletter for cheaper than you charge per hour and to someone who can do it quicker than yourself, then think of how much more you can make by outsourcing this task. Not to mention, outsourcing the tasks that do not make you happy will make you happier in the end. Think of it in terms of money, time and happiness.
Business owners and entrepreneurs need to get conscious about their money blocks. Often these money blocks are old and prevent people from earning the money they need to make. These money blocks are often mistaken for being smart i.e., if I do it all myself I am saving money – and even though it may feel like it is the right thing it is not the thing that will help you grow your business.
Money is a DEEP topic - personally and in your business. If you notice yourself struggling with making enough money, with asking for the sales, with figuring out to get comfortable with your prices or with letting yourself get help with certain things, considering booking a call with Lara or Megan. There are practical ways to figure out what to do next, and there are ways to dig down deep into your belief systems to find the root of the problem. Don't get stuck feeling like you figure this all out on your own when there are people who have already figured out the path through.
This episode was a new style, originally broadcast as a Facebook Live conversation and then brought in to the podcast. Did you like this format for the show? Would you like to see more conversational style podcast episodes? Leave a comment and let me know, and let me know what other topics or guests I should have on!
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I have made a lot of mistakes over the years, but I have learned a lot too – especially when it comes to money.
This is part two of what I have learned in my 10 years as an entrepreneur. A lot of the mistakes I am sharing today could have been avoided with simple planning; something I have struggled with over the years (but fortunately have a better handle on now :) . Often, a business owner's problems with money stems from their beliefs or what their history is with money. I am not immune to these mistakes and I am hoping the experiences I share here are relatable and that I can help you avoid the same mistakes by sharing what I learned over the years.
You need a budget. You need to know what your expenses are and how much you have to spend as well as how much you need and want to spend. When I had my first business, a clothing store, we didn’t really have a budget. We just bought what we wanted – if we thought something was cute and would sell then we would buy it. But we had no idea what our budget was in terms of what we needed to earn, how much we should spend on advertising, staffing and any other business related expenses.
A lot of entrepreneurs and small business owners do this same thing. The consequences of not having a budget can creep up on you slowly – before you know it you’re further into debt than you intended.
A budget does not need to be complicated. Know what you are earning, what you need to buy, know your numbers, and spend responsibly.
Entrepreneurs who offer a service often make up their prices based on what they think people are willing to pay versus what they are worth.
You need to know what you need to earn and what your hourly rate should be based on that number. You also need to keep in mind that you are not going be billing for every hour you are available to work; sometimes you will need to work ON your business. You need to consider the hours it takes for marketing, engaging with your Facebook Group, etc.
If you only want to work a certain number of hours per week then how much do you need to charge clients per hour in order to make the income you need to make?
Don’t guess how much money you will take home at the end of the day. Most businesses are not built so that you earn $5, you get $5. Huge percentages of what you earn are going to different costs.
A good rule of thumb is the thirds rule. 1/3 goes to savings, 1/3 goes to expenses and then 1/3 goes to you. So, how much do you need to earn so that you can pay your bills and pay yourself? Think it through and plan for it!
I used to think I could pay myself 75% of what I made and only have 25% to pay my expenses – but this only increased my debt. Over time, I accepted that I needed to earn more money as well as think through how I could divide up the money I did earn to ensure my expenses, etc. were also covered.
The lowest amount you’re willing to work for cannot be your price. Let’s say you figure out that you need to make $50 an hour in order to meet your income goal – don’t charge $50. Ask for more because this gives you the freedom to create packages, create discounts and deals when necessary, as well as give you some wiggle room to work for less if you need to.
Make sure you aren't accidentally earning way less than you deserve by not starting out at the right place. Earn what you need to make and charge what you need to make.
If you are charging sales tax then you need to save the sales tax. This sounds obvious, I know.
This is separate from your federal tax. I will admit that in the beginning, I didn’t do this, so when it came time to pay back my HST I had not put that money away and it took me a long time to pay it back. It's not that I didn't know I needed to save the HST, it's that I was falling behind by not charging properly, not budgeting properly, taking home the wrong amount of money and not having a plan - so I had to keep dipping in to the HST to pay all my expenses. I was not being smart! I now separate my HST so that it is now properly accounted for.
Consider all of these lessons pieces of a puzzle so that you have the money you need when you need it. This will save you from needless frustration and overwhelm. It will also prevent you from being underpaid.
Take the time to make a budget and create a plan so that you know what your numbers need to be and what that means in terms of how much you need to earn and how much you need to charge.
We all make mistakes in our businesses and you will likely still make some money mistakes in yours. That being said, a plan of action will do wonders to keep things on track.
It was MY coach that got me on track years ago and this is something I help my clients with regularly now. If you want to talk about how I can help you, book a free consultation and we'll talk.
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#8: Your Relationship with Money
What are you spending the most time on in your business? Are you spending time working on tasks that will grow your business, such as sales and marketing? Or are you busy working on mundane tasks that are preventing you from growing your business.
Kelly Roach is a coach who helps entrepreneurs all around the world make six and seven figure leaps. She also helps people build businesses around systems. Kelly joins me on the podcast to discuss why systems are so important in entrepreneurship and how focusing on the right tasks can make all the difference when it comes to reaching your goals.
Entrepreneurs tend to push back against systems, but systems can create freedom in your business. Systems don’t have to be hard. Systems are the things that hold and bind your business together and keep businesses running like well-oiled machines.
Systems are the core-principles or the automatic things that run a certain way to keep things moving each day. They are executed a specific way to generate a specific result and that could be your marketing, people management, product or service delivery, etc. If productivity is important to you and you want a freedom-based business, then you need systems to create the fluidity that can give you freedom.
The sooner you create your systems, the sooner you will grow and achieve your goals. Many people think of advertising or outsourcing as something that happens when you reach a certain level in your business, however the sooner you put systems in place for these things, the sooner you can do these things and reach your business goals.
Entrepreneurs do not necessarily enjoy sales and marketing. Because of this they are working more hours then they need to be on many areas in their business that make them feel busy, but all the while they are not working on anything that is going to produce a specific result.
Track and measure how much time is going toward sales conversations (online and in person. Also measure how many webinars you are doing, etc. Measure everything you are doing to get more clients. Many entrepreneurs can free up time if they focus on systems that will get them more sales, that will make you more money – because that should be your priority.
Most entrepreneurs probably only spend an hour or less a week on prospecting, when they should be investing a lot more time interfacing with their target audience. This can be via email, webinars, and networking events. If you’re not closing sales it could have something to do with where you are spending your time. You need to be making enough offers to be able to close more offers.
If you are in the new stages of your business, then you need to spend a lot of time outward facing and getting in front of your target audience. Sales are the driver of everything in your business so it is where your attention needs be.
Figure out what you need to make hourly in order to make the income that you want to make. Then sort out the tasks that you spend your time on each day and see which of those hours are profit producing – everything else should back into those tasks. Separate your genius work from the mundane tasks and then believe in yourself! Hire someone who can do the other tasks so you can focus on what you need to do to build your business.
You cannot build a million dollar business trying to piece together $10 an hour tasks. It doesn’t work. Trust the mundane tasks to someone else so you can focus on your genius work.
None of us get into business with the intention of stressing over their financial situation. This is why you need to get uncomfortable… so you can do more of what you want to do, such as taking more vacations, home renovations, etc.
You need to be growing your audience, and this means getting in front of them and as uncomfortable as this may be for people – it is necessary. In order to do whatever it is you love doing, you also need to become a great marketer because if no one knows about you then it doesn’t matter how great whatever you are producing is, you are never going to get to do it and make money.
People have thousands of choices every week so new, fresh content on a regular basis is necessary so people can vet why they should work with you. People are buying through your teaching and the content you are sharing versus through a direct sales pitch. So if you are not strong in sales, think about where you are strong – can you use your podcast to show your audience what you have to offer and how they can take it to the next level?
If you’re an entrepreneur then you know you can make income for yourself. You should also know you can earn extra income to pay for a virtual assistant, etc. You need to invest in your business so that it can grow, you can’t wait for your business to grow before investing in it.
Be honest with yourself with how much time you are spending having conversations with prospect. This will enable you to release the work that is keeping you busy and that isn’t growing your business.
Remember: Your time should not be diluted on 100 different things that is not growing your business – align your time with your goals.
Time Mastery Revolution: Cut 20 Hours from your work week while growing your business quickly.
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#1: Three strategies to get the life and biz you want
Was your summer as great as you hoped? Were you hoping for more?
My life and business are built around needing a fair amount of time off to be with my three kids over Christmas, spring break and during the summer. As an entrepreneur, taking any amount of time off requires planning.
In the summer I take 4-5 weeks off and some summers have been great, but others (especially in the earlier years) have been stressful because I didn't have the right plans in place. It’s one thing to say you’re going to take a few weeks off from your business but in order to take time off successfully you need to plan so that your social media doesn’t drop off, people still know who you are, and so that you still have money coming in during that time or make more money previously so you are covered during your time off.
In the past I had missing systems, which got better as the years went by, but last summer despite the right systems in place, I was stressed out for a whole other reason - I had a hard time stepping away from my work. I also had a hard time being present with my kids. This made me realize that I needed to do a summer post-mortem to see what worked and didn't and that I should share it with everyone else so they could do it too.
Hanging out with Anne of Green Gables on PEI
It turns out, the summer model I thought I wanted is not the model I really want for my life or my business. I am okay with this – it’s okay that I changed my mind. I realized that I do not want 4-5 weeks off in a row during the summer. I realized I would be much happier with smaller blocks of time off.
I realized that the more downtime I have, the more ideas about my business I have; however if I have all this time off to spend with my kids I don’t have the time to actually implement these ideas… and these ideas are forgotten by the time I am back to work because I have other things that need to be done.
By being off for numerous weeks in a row I also miss out on many opportunities. I couldn’t take action on them because I was off and that made me nervous.
Lastly, I love my job. I love my kids, but they are busy and can be very intense, so I need my work as a break from the chaos of kids life. I don’t do well with constantly being surrounded by noise and chaos; my ADHD brain needs quiet (which is why working from home works so well for me). I also find myself resenting the fact that I can’t be working, taking advantage of new opportunities and implementing my new ideas instead of enjoying time with my kids.
I took what I learned last summer and put it into place this summer. I was off and on from work a lot (I think some people thought I took the entire summer off ;) and it was FAR less stressful for me and I was more present when I was working and more present when I was with my kids. WIN WIN!
We love Calypso Waterpark
Last summer as I got back to my regular calls with clients I heard from business owner after business owner that they had struggled with summer as well.
Summer, for entrepreneurs, isn’t always as fabulous as we think it is going to be. We make plans for fun activities and time to enjoy the warm weather, and yet it can be disappointing when you reflect back at how the summer actually went.
I want to acknowledge that you are not alone if summer is hard for you – as a parent or as an entrepreneur.
I want to challenge you to think through how your summer went - do a post mortem so you can decide what to keep the same and what to change for next year.
Take the following questions and answer them in your favourite notebook or a word document. The reflection and answers will help you figure out what your summer plans should look like NEXT summer.
What was your plan for this summer? Describe in as much detail as possible how you thought it would go. For example, days or weeks off, extra help hired to make that happen, planned content, etc.
Spend a few minutes seeing what comes out for you. Answering these questions is the first step in making these plans that will help you effectively plan for next summer over the next ten months.
I hope you had a great summer and had a lot of great moments! But if you didn’t – let’s make a plan to make next summer a great one!
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#1: Three strategies to get the life and biz you want
#9: Managing Your Social Media While On Vacation
#11: Why your personal life can’t be separated from your business life
#18: Batching to save time and energy
Nicole Liloia is a former therapist turned accidental entrepreneur who does business strategy for other accidental entrepreneurs looking to scale their businesses and have multiple income streams. An accidental entrepreneur happens when someone starts making money doing something they enjoy, either through a hobby or side-hustle. They do not intend to start a business; they just start making money doing something they love and it evolves into a business. Nicole loves the business of owning a business, but it happened by accident. She thanks her batch system for keeping her business successful.
The Internet has given birth to many new types of business, it has also seen many new businesses fail because they do not have the systems and plans in place to make that business sustainable. Some of these businesses start off lucky, but then they end up spending more money then they are earning, but it you’re committed to running a business long term then you need to make it work.
Business owners need to understand that business has ups and downs, highs and lows. You need to know this and be okay with this. You need to know this is a regular business cycle and not to get upset and quit during the downs and lows. You have to have a positive mindset to deal with this.
You also need a strategy. You need to strategize for today, tomorrow, this month and the entire year. You do not want to be caught flying by the seat of your pants. If you do you will be wondering where your next income is going to come from long term, instead of working to grow your business with intention.
If you have a strategy then you can work to grow your business and make a long term plan.
The amount of time you put into your business will bring in an income, but it may not be profitable right off the bat. You need to really think about your metrics and figure out how many people you can work with in a day, week or year. How can you reach your income goals? Do you need to create passive income streams or other ways to earn money? You need to also account for the time you have available and how many people you will need to talk to make a sale. Track all numbers – how long it takes to convert a potential client, the length of your sales conversations, etc. How long are these people remaining in your pipeline? You need to take all this into account when looking at your income long term – each month contributes to your overall income goal.
Passive income is one possibility, however it is much easier to be successful with passive income once you already have a steady income flow. Passive income is generally a lower income source and needs a large audience to sell to. Many passive income sources need to be created and generally cost money to complete, i.e. due to graphic design, web design, etc. Passive income should be incorporated into your long-term business strategy.
It can be hard to be and stay visible as an entrepreneur. You need to market yourself and be consistent with your visibility. You need to find a pattern of visibility that you are comfortable with. Nicole sets aside 90-days in which she does hard core marketing and then backs off the rest of the time to focus on her clients. Again, you need to measure what works for you and your business day-to-day and for your overall income goals. If you batch your marketing efforts and repeat it over a specific amount of time then you don’t have to be in selling mode all the time if you don’t want to be. You can let people know ahead of time when you will be accepting new clients (in advance of your goals), which gets us out of being an accidental entrepreneur and into an intentional, strategic entrepreneur. This will help you get and stay ahead.
If you’re organized then you can take a step back and look at your goals and make sure you have enough money to run your business. This also allows you to batch your activities so nothing important is forgotten. For example, set aside a day and time a week or month where you can follow up with people. This way no one is forgotten. You will be able to build relationships this way and not forget about a potential client.
You can get a lot more done if you set aside a specific time to accomplish something rather than constantly stopping and starting again. You are also in the right frame of mind to stay focussed and be confident with the task at hand.
Nicole has a tool that helps people batch their business activities. Batch like a Boss helps business owners get ahead of stress, content, deadlines, and whatever else you need to do and start feeling accomplished and confident.
In order to be successful in business, be consistent, take action and have a clear, identifiable goal that can be measured and work every day to reach that goal and avoid panic mode.
Nicole's Batch Like a Boss worksheet
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#4: Where to start before starting a business
Do you find running a business overwhelming? Do you struggle to find the time to work ON your business as opposed to just in it?
Shelagh Cummins is a business coach and consultant specializing in helping women build and grow their businesses. Shelagh and I see a lot of business owners struggling with overwhelm. There is so much for business owners to do and so many wheels that need to be in alignment that it can be tricky to know where to focus without tipping the cart.
Take a piece of paper and do a brain dump of everything that is swimming around in your brain. Business owners carry so much in their brain from day-to-day that it’s important to put it down on paper. Don’t worry about organizing it – just get it out to get some clarity! Think about the one thing that will have the most amount of impact for you, your family and your business. What do you need the most of right now? This creates a priority list of what you need the most of: is it revenue, a better team, a marketing plan? What is it that you need that will have a domino affect on everything else?
Once this is out put it on a wall in front of you and start crossing off the things that are irrelevant or not that important. Then find the pieces that help you fill the immediate need. What are the milestones that you need to get done to get you the results you want the most? Do you need to hire help? Do you need to send an email to your mailing list?
Shelagh’s Productive! Planner helps you determine what you want the most and then determines the hurdles you need to get through to get there. Once you have the milestones, you then have to lay out the actions you need to take to get that end result. Once you have this figured out, just sit with it and be quiet with it, before you take any action at all.
There is going to be many “gears” or things that you want to get done. But think about what needs to come first – what one gear or wheel needs to turn to make the others work? For example, if your one thing is to earn more revenue, then you need more clients and in order to get more clients you may need to ramp up your marketing strategies. It’s a matter of looking at all the conflicting pieces and figuring out which one is going to fuel the other ones. Focus on that ONE first.
What is the end result of your project or goal? Why is that important to you? If you set a goal then you need to anchor it in something important. For example, if you want to earn more revenue don’t think of it in terms of a number, think of it in terms of what you will be able to do with that number. It allows you to derive from a place of purpose. For example, if you make $5000 you will be able to hire someone to help you grow your business or take a dream vacation.
How do you get to that goal? What milestones do you have to reach to get there? If your goal is to reach a certain number, such as $5000 – think about how many services or products you have to sell to reach that number. Is it a matter of raising the quantity or products or services, increasing the price or decreasing the production costs? What do you have to do to sell that much of that product or service? Is it being more visible on social media or networking more? What has to happen for you to get the end result?
We don’t allow ourselves the time to plan forward. We instead focus on tasks that keep us busy, but don’t necessarily work on tasks that will move our businesses forward. It doesn’t have to be this way. By being quiet and strategic about the actions you take each and every day, you allow yourself the momentum needed to get to your end goal. Planning is key.
Power moves are strategic and intentional actions. For example, scrolling Facebook mindlessly is not a power move – calling a client you haven’t heard from in awhile – that’s a power move. It’s an action that can pack a lot of punch.
Start your day in a place of quiet. Visualize your day before it starts – walk through it in your head so you are ready and prepared for your day. Then recognize that one, nonnegotiable thing that needs to be done that day in order to be successful.
Ask yourself how you’re going to be powerful today or empathetic today – figure out who you need to be that day to get whatever your one thing is, done.
Prioritize your actions every day. It allows you to focus on what is important. Give yourself permission to be human and celebrate what you did accomplish and understand that what you didn’t accomplish will still be there tomorrow.
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