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Picture this: You're lounging on a beach, phone tucked away in your hotel room, completely disconnected from your business for two full weeks. Does the thought make you break into a cold sweat? If so, you're not alone – and more importantly, this might be the wake-up call your business needs.
and it's one of the most revealing indicators of whether you've built a truly valuable business asset or created a job for yourself.
But here's the thing: building a sellable business isn't just about planning for some distant future exit – it's about creating freedom and value right now.
Let me share a perspective that changed how I view business building forever.
Every decision you make in your business either builds or diminishes its future value. Think of it like building a house – you wouldn't construct it without thinking about its resale value, would you?
The same principle applies to your business.
It's not just about making money – it's about how you make it.
A truly valuable business maintains healthy profit margins (typically 15-30% in traditional businesses, higher for online ones) and, more importantly, has diversified revenue streams. Think of it as not putting all your eggs in one client basket, which builds your business resiliency to various economic and market shifts over time.
Remember that beach vacation we talked about?
That's only possible with a scalable business model. This means having documented processes that anyone can follow, leveraging technology, and creating systems that don't rely on your personal genius.
Here's a reality check: When was the last time you tried a new business without Googling them first? Exactly. Your online presence isn't just marketing – it's a crucial business asset. A professional website (check out the designer of my beautiful website), active social media, and positive online reviews aren't optional anymore; they're essential components of your business's value.
One of my clients recently took their first two-week vacation in five years. The result? Their business not only survived but thrived. How? They had gradually built systems, trained team members, and documented processes that made them non-essential to daily operations.
Think subscription boxes are just for product businesses? Think again. Every business, even service-based ones, can create recurring revenue models. From maintenance contracts to loyalty programs, the key is creating predictable, steady income streams.
Want to stop competing on price? Your market position is key. This isn't just about being different – it's about being strategically different in ways that matter to your target market and create barriers to entry for competitors.
Efficiency isn't just about cutting costs – it's about optimizing operations so you can deliver premium service without premium overhead. This means smart automation, streamlined workflows, and strategic use of technology.
A documented growth strategy isn't just for big corporations. It's your business's GPS, showing potential buyers (and yourself) the path to future growth and opportunities.
Clean books, proper licenses, and protected intellectual property might not be exciting, but they're crucial to your business's value and transferability.
Even if selling isn't on your horizon, planning for it forces you to build a better business today.
If this feels overwhelming, remember: you don't have to tackle everything at once.
Start with the Vacation Test.
Plan a short break. Think what you need to put in place in your business to make it happen. Create a step-by-step plan and implement it. Then go away and observe what breaks down in your absence. These pain points become your roadmap for further improvement.
Begin with these three steps:
Remember, building a sellable business isn't just about the eventual payday – it's about creating a business that serves you, rather than enslaves you.
The Real Question The question isn't whether you plan to sell your business.
The question is: Are you building a valuable asset or just buying yourself a job? Because the same elements that make your business sellable also make it more enjoyable, more profitable, and more capable of running without your constant presence.
Ready to start building real business value? Take the Vacation Test. Your future self (and your potential buyers) will thank you.
Want to dive deeper into building a valuable, sellable business? Let's talk about your business's potential. Schedule a free consultation with me here to discover how we can transform your business into a valuable asset.
I love motivational and inspirational quotes. They bear the truths that sometimes we forget about. Since entrepreneurs deal with lots of challenges regularly, not to mention the current virus crisis, a great motivational quote can change your outlook for the day.
That’s why I decided to handpick 23 of my favorite quotes for you to read whenever you need a bit of inspiration.
What we think affects our feelings, feeling drive our behaviors and our behaviors are directly collated to our results.
Keep your thoughts positive, because your thoughts become your words.
Keep your words positive, because your words become your behavior.
Keep your behavior positive, because your behavior become your habits.
Keep your habits positive, because your habits become your values.
Keep your values positive, because your values become your destiny.
Mahatma Gandhi
We might not have an influence over everything that happens to us, but we get to decide how we react to those things and what we do about them.
I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions.
Stephen Covey
No one can operate in unnecessary complexity. Complicated is overwhelming, creates chaos, especially in hard times.
Life can be as simple or as complicated as you make it be. Chose simple, it's a faster way to happiness.
Maggie Perotin, Stairway to Leadership
Align what you do in your business with your strategies. Align your strategy with your vision and dream. This way you’ll stay on course.
You’ve got to think about big things while you’re doing small things so that all the small things go in the right direction.
Alvin Toffler
Innovation is creativity. Creativity is one of the essential skills to nurture in our businesses. It helps us be unique and stand out in the market.
You can't use up creativity. The more you use the more you have.
Maya Angelou
In the new COVID reality, the times are hard right now for a lot of us. J.K. Rowling knows something about that. Let’s learn from her.
Failure is so important. It is the ability to resist failure or use failure that often leads to greater success.
J.K. Rowling
The daily habits and routines we set in our lives have a more significant impact on our success than motivation to pursue our dreams.
It was character that got us out of bed, commitment that moved us into action, and discipline that enabled us to follow through.
Zig Ziglar
Perfectionism is limiting. We cannot grow when we wait for the things to be perfect (will they ever be?). The only way to grow is to put yourself out there and do the best you can with the knowledge and resources you have in every given moment. The more you do that, the better you become.
The world needs your excellence, not perfection. Don’t hold back, lean into it.
Maggie Perotin, Stairway to Leadership
Have you been dreaming about doing what you’re passionate about but waiting for the right moment? That moment is now.
Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.
Oprah Winfrey
A keystone habit is one that ends up having a ripple effect on your life. Create good keystone habits that have a positive influence in many areas of your life. Start small, now, with one. You have the time.
If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude.
Colin Powell
I wrote a whole article about hope. If you’re out of hope right now or think hope is just wishful thinking, it might help you. You can read it here.
Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.
Helen Keller
Sometimes we are so close to the problem that we don’t see solutions. And quite often the solutions are very simple. If you’re in this situation and need help, I’m happy to offer a free consultation to help. You can book it here.
Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.
Dr Seuss
In every challenge, there is an opportunity waiting to be taken advantage of.
When you see a roadblock or challenge as an opportunity, it is amazing how you are already halfway there.
Frances Hesselbein
The path to success is to take massive, determined actions.
Tony Robbins
If you really want to do something, you'll find a way. If you don’t, you'll find an excuse.
Jim Rohn
To become the person you dream of with the results you want, self-development is the answer.
The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.
Albert Einstein
You should never view your challenges as a disadvantage. Instead, it's important for you to understand that your experience facing and overcoming adversity is actually one of your biggest advantages.
Michelle Obama
Most great people have attained their greatest success just one step beyond their greatest failure.
Napoleon Hill
Use the time you have now to bring you closer to where you want to be. Don’t let it slip through your fingers wasted.
Time is really the only capital that any human being has, and the only thing he can’t afford to lose.
Thomas A. Edison
Dreaming is the first step of the universe telling you you’re capable of achieving it. DREAM-PLAN-DO!
If you can dream it, you can do it.
Walt Disney
Once you have a dream, the next step is to plan it. DREAM-PLAN-DO
A goal without a plan is just a wish.
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.
Don’t wait. Start today. DREAM-PLAN-DO
Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.
Mother Teresa
Without fear, there would be no courage. Any antidote needs its trigger. Next time you feel scared to go after your dreams, remember that only this way you'll find the courage to do it.
Maggie Perotin, Stairway to Leadership
Being an entrepreneur is not easy, especially in the beginning, but even later on. There's so much to learn and to do, so much information to filter through, no wonder that can be completely overwhelming. That overwhelm is like tuition fee to the school of hard knocks, a.k.a. Entrepreneurship.
If you're there now: feeling like you don't know what your next steps should be or where to even begin or paralyzed and unable to make a decision, then wait no more and read this.
First, gain awareness by understanding why you feel overwhelmed, and then pick one or two ay below that will help you deal with it.
Social media is a fantastic way for many of us to run our businesses online. But on the other hand, it has a dark side to it that, if not controlled, can overshadow the bright side.
If you're spending time scrolling through your FB or Instagram feed mindlessly, notice the pattern first. In the beginning, you enjoy the posts, comments, and contribute yourself.
But the longer you do that, the more you start comparing yourself to others. You look at their businesses' successes beginning to think: "I'll never get there. I'm not as good as them; I don't have the same resources, I don't know as much..." etc., etc. And by the time you finish, the fear of failure and imposter syndrome get activated. You're so down that you don't even feel like starting anything to move your business forward.
Running a business is a challenging and busy undertaking. And there's always SO MUCH to do. If you wanted to, you could work 24/7/365 non-stop and still not get it all done and just get burned out instead. Feeling overwhelmed is only a natural consequence of trying to do it all.
When you watch the news, read conspiracy theories on the latest events, get into discussions over things that you can't really control or change, all it does to you is make you feel helpless at first and then hopeless. As humans, we like to instill change, be helpful and productive. If all we bring on ourselves throughout the day is a feeling that we can't do or change anything, the will to action goes away … on our own request.
Those might be great lyrics for a song, but lack of patience doesn't favor the entrepreneurs. Trying to jump to your BIG Hairy Audacious goals in one leap does nothing else but overwhelm you. Why? Because your logical brain tells you that such a huge jump is impossible. And you know it's right.
I wrote about the Shiny Object Syndrome before, so I will make a quick point here. Distractions, such as social media, laundry, need to clean, etc., take you away from working on your business when you plan to.
Moreover, the realization that you wasted your time and didn't move an inch forward often takes away the will to create and do the productive things in your business. You start building a habit for distraction, not creation, which in turn gets (yes, you guessed it) overwhelming.
Now that you know why you're feeling overwhelmed let's move on to how you can overcome it.
If your environment is messy, it's hard to focus. So yes, do clean if needed but pick a time to do it separate from your business time. I'm sure you'll feel much better and will get working on your business with a renewed spark of energy afterward.
Most importantly, though, declutter your mind. You don't need to do it all, all the time. What you need is to focus on is 20% of the essential things in your business that brings you 80% of the results. And that's best achieved when you're clear on what's important and prioritize those things. If challenges with prioritization are what you struggle most with, then my Ultimate Guide to Reduce Stress & Increase Results is what you need. It's free, and you can download it here.
Rome wasn't built in one day as they say. As an entrepreneur, you need to have patience. Or if you don't have it yet, learn it. Building a lasting successful business is a long-term game. What helps with it is being proactive, strategic, and patient.
How to develop your patience muscle?
Well, if you have kids, I'm sure they're teaching you some right this moment (as mine do 😉). If you don't or want to work at it more, be kind to yourself.
Self-care such as proper rest (sleep and time off), staying active, eating healthy, mindfulness is not a luxury. It's a prerequisite to running a successful business.
As women, we often feel guilty when taking time for ourselves, but as a CEO, it's your duty. You are the most critical asset of your business, and you need to invest in yourself. Self-care is an essential part of such investment. Once you do that, patience will follow along.
I cannot stress this enough. All of us sometimes get into that trap of getting all wrapped up and upset over something we heard in the news. Unless you can do something about it, following the news is only going to shrink your circle of influence and drain your energy.
When energy is low, it's hard to be motivated to run a business. But didn't you start it to help others? Those clients are waiting for you to find them, to solve their problems and bring them closer to their dreams.
When you focus on things that you can control in your life, you do make a positive change in the world, one client at a time. And the more you help, the more you expand your circle of influence.
Big Hairy and Audacious Goals are great to start working on your dream. But if you leave them at that, they'll overwhelm you.
The trick is to break them down int into small achievable chunks. When you do that, you can then take one step at a time towards them.
Why is it important? Because one step doesn't feel overwhelming; it's more like: "oh yes, I can do that!" So when you take it and progress one step after another, and then combine it with focus and patience; there's nothing that can stop you from achieving your BHAG's. You'll climb that mountain, and to others it'll seem like you did it in one big leap.
Writing down your thoughts has magical powers. And not only for your mind to keep it calm and focused on your goals but also for creativity.
Ideas come to us all the time, but if we don't write them down right away, they will dissipate in the vast abyss of other thoughts never to be remembered again. What if an idea you had while driving was the 1million $ idea?
So, create a habit of having a notebook with you at all times. Jot down ideas that come to you and review them from time to time. I also use my journal for planning, gratitude, and content creation. It's one of the essential tools in my business and personal development.
Planning is being pro-active. Planning is knowing the three most important things you need to accomplish each day, each week, and each month. Planning reduces the number of urgent things that pop-up unexpectedly each day, raging havoc in your business and just adding to a never-ending to-do list. It reduces overwhelm.
Dale Carnegie said: An hour of planning can save you 10 hrs of doing.
As you read above, social media is great when you use it for or your business but evil when it sucks you into comparison and mindless scrolling.
Keep your phone at bay when you focus on business work that doesn't require you to be there. Stay alert and aware when you're online to notice when you start drifting to the scrolling mode instead of business work.
The key is to be aware and catch yourself. You can then re-shift your focus from comparison to growing your business.
Also, please don't look at your phone the minute you wake up. Take time to ground yourself for the day first.
When you feel overwhelmed, talking to a supportive friend, spouse, mentor, or coach will help. Getting stuff out of our head helps, and journaling can accomplish that too.
However, getting a different perspective on things takes that experience to a whole new level. Talking with another human can create breakthroughs, bring you clarity on things that are right in front of your nose, but you can't see them because you're too close to your problem.
So, who are you going to talk to today?
Sometimes it's good to pause, look back, and map your progress.
It makes you appreciate how much you've accomplished in your business. You can feel grateful for good things that happened, and for the lessons you've learned from more challenging moments.
Such reflection allows you to breathe, calm your mind, and restore motivation to keep going.
Take a break and do something you love: watch a movie, eat chocolate (with moderation 😉), or go for a walk. Nurturing our inner child helps us stay in an abundance mindset. This mindset supports motivation, willingness to act, and kills overwhelm.
Before you go, remember, overwhelm is a feeling we all experience at times. The key to success here is learning how to overcome it and not let it paralyze you.
I hope that these ten steps can help you do that. However, if you already know that you need a step by step plan personalized to your unique situation, then I'm here for you. All you need to do is schedule a free initial consultation with me here.
Success doesn't just happen to you. You need to create it.
I've seen many articles on why most people will never be successful. But, today, I wanted to write one on how you can be.
Because those who achieved their dream success (and what that means is different for each person) aren't smarter than you. They didn't have an easier life or better circumstances than you. They just did things that most people don't want to do long enough to see their dream results come to fruition.
The underlying principles of their success aren't complicated. However, this doesn't mean they're easy. What doesn't make them easy is that you need to persist and keep going no matter what happens, giving you a myriad of excuses to stop.
So what are those things that if you master help you achieve anything you want?
Everything starts in your mind.
Everything is created twice, first in mind, and then in reality.
Robert Sharma
For example, this creation can be fear and thought that you cannot achieve your dreams and live at the level you want. And we all know that this thought isn't that difficult to have.
Our brains are wired to look for danger, to be negative to keep us alive. What worked for the humans in caveman ages a long time ago is an obstacle that we now need to learn to deal with and control to achieve our full potential.
On the other hand, when you do that and intentionally redirect your thinking, you make your mind an ally in pursuing the dream life you want. The success you want to achieve. It doesn't matter how in the beginning. What matters is that you intentionally paint that picture in your mind, so it starts looking for it and help create it.
It's just like buying a new car. Before you decided on a make and model, you barely saw such cars on the streets. But then, once you made the decision, all the same vehicles (even the same color as you want) appeared on the road. Just as if everyone went and bought the very car you want the day you made the decision about getting it.
I bet it did. This was your brain having a thought you implanted in it working for you and scanning the environment to confirm that thought and help you make it a reality.
Now you can do the same thing with your dream business or life in general. Start knowing what you want and planting those images in your brain to work for you, not against you. And whenever negative thoughts come back, redirect them to the ones that serve you.
So once you have the right thought, then what's next?
What we think about affects how we feel about ourselves and the environment around us.
When you think negative thoughts: "I'm not good enough," "I'll never be able to do it," "I'm too busy." How do you usually feel at that moment? I'm guessing not very motivated to take action.
And when you don't take action, procrastinate or just take it half-convinced, it's hard to achieve anything you want, don't you agree?
Now, think of the last time you had positive, creative thoughts. The ones that say, "Yes, you can do this!" "You did this and this in the past, so you can do anything." Or even "I'm choosing to believe that I can do this, despite my current reality, and I'll take action towards it now." How do these make you feel? Motivated, wanting to act now, excited, and happy? Exactly!
Just like you can help your mind with intentional thoughts, mediation, affirmations, and other positive inputs, you can also help yourself with feelings.
I don't want to be at the mercy of my emotions. I want to use them, to enjoy them, and to dominate them.
Oscar Wilde
When you're able to positively impact your thoughts, you'll also be able to influence how you feel. And when those feelings serve you, they will push you to the third part of success, which action.
Taking action is the third step to achieving success. All 3 are equally important, and none can be skipped. You can have the best thoughts and feelings in the world, but nothing good will come your way if you don't act on them.
Actions require discipline, routine, and habits that help you push through even on the "I feel not so good days." Action creates momentum that beats procrastination. As well as building plans and focusing only on essential things.
To paraphrase Jim Rohn, you don't want to major in minor and trivial things. You want to major in major matters 😊.
And if one of the essential things is your business, then taking strategic action is key to its growth.
Our thoughts, feelings, and actions affect each other and cannot be separated. Those who achieve their dream level of success learn how to control all three and direct them to play into their advantage.
And don't get me wrong, they don't do it all by themselves. The most successful people intentionally get help along the way. As I said in the beginning, this formula is simple but far from easy (that's why most people cannot do it).
But I know that's not you. Why? Because you're here reading this article. You're someone who wants to achieve your full potential, someone who's willing to learn how to get there. And if you're ready for help with that, schedule a free consult with me here.
Even though North American work ethic is not as extreme as Japanese, we're still not taking as much vacation as our European neighbors. And yet vacation has sooooo many benefits that it should be easy to choose it over karoshi (a Japanese term for death by overwork).
Because the vacation season has begun and COVID restrictions lessened, it's good to remind ourselves why taking some time off is soo beneficial.
Even if this season you stay within your region instead of traveling abroad, you can still reap all the below benefits of vacation.
Let's be real, the recent few months have been quite stressful for most of us for different reasons. Our bodies and minds have been impacted even if you've been dealing with the situation like a pro.
The research shows that when removed from the typical day to day environments that may cause stress, we tend to relax faster. Our stress hormone levels go down, and with that, the symptoms, such as headaches, backaches, or other pains lessen or go away. Our bodies have time to heal and repair.
Thanks to stress reduction, we began to sleep better. No wonder we get to really REST on vacation. We end up having less on our minds keeping us up at night and experiencing longer sleep with fewer interruptions.
I don't know about you, but I love to be active during vacation. Definitely more active than usual. Whether it's hiking or sightseeing, swimming, or just playing more with kids. Along with stress reduction, that's definitely one of the reasons why taking vacation significantly lowers your risk of heart disease.
Vacation provides us with ample opportunity to Taking Time to Think. As we recharge, this lets our creative brain flourish, and new ideas come out. Less stress, more time outside breathing the fresh air, sun, and just having fun - all these things act as a power booster for our cognitive abilities. And then, when it's time to come back, we actually become more focused and productive during the business work time.
This one is a no brainer. Whether you're traveling with your partner only, friends, or the whole family, the relaxed fun time you have during vacation creates memories. Can you recall the last memories you have form one?
That's one of my favorite reasons for taking a vacation. Even if it's a staycation, it can become the most focused quality time you spend with your loved ones.
Did you know that even planning your vacation brings happiness? I know how excited I am when we do as a family. My trick to overcome January/ February Canadian winter blues is to plan summer vacation during that time. Booking camping, planning other trips, and talking about it as a family creates lots of excitement and joy.
Having vacation planned also gives you an additional thing to look forward to (outside of all the fantastic things you have planned for your business 😊!).
And then when the time comes, and you are present in the moment … Yes! How amazing is that?
Mine is starting now … I'm already packed and ready to create new fantastic memories with my family and embrace all ideas that come to mind during the Thinking Time. 😊
I'm sure you've already heard that journaling has many benefits. It can raise your spirits when you practice gratitude in it. It can help you increase self-awareness. It reduces stress levels when you download all the thoughts mixed in your mind onto paper and then take time to analyze them.
And in the process, you become a better writer – if you've ever wanted to write a book or your own marketing copy as an entrepreneur.
But there are many other ways you can use journaling to your benefit, especially as an entrepreneur.
I'm an avid planner. My weekly plans align with the strategic plan and vision I have for my business. A remarkably simple planning system I use fits on one page of my journal. It doesn't take longer than 15 mins to plan my week each Sunday. But, at the same time, it massively improved my productivity.
It's because I start each week knowing exactly what my tops priorities are and when I'm going to accomplish them. Thanks to it, I don't over-schedule myself either. I completely eliminated the never-ending to-do-list that just used to always keep growing on me and stressing me out.
And finally, the longer I use this system, the more productive I get with my time. I can accomplish in one week what some people need a month or two for.
This one is not for a never-ending to-do list, but more of a list of business ideas and topics for your content. Also: books to read and resources you came across and want to check out.
I do it because our minds tend to forget (or talk us out of) any fantastic new idea our creative side comes up with. So if you don't write it down right after you think of it, you'll likely never think of it again. And what if that idea was the one you needed to create a massive breakthrough in your business?
So even if hate journaling, then at least get into the habit of writing down your ideas as soon as they cross your mind. You'll thank me for this later.
Once you wrote down an idea and decided it's a great one to implement, a journal can help you get your thoughts organized. Once you're ready to action, start with brainstorming about it.
Is it a new offering you want to introduce?
Think about how it would look like, who'd be the ideal person to benefit from it, what it would take to create it, and then sell it.
Then start organizing your brainstorming into stages of a project. And keep going deeper into details. You won't even notice how fast you'll have a full draft version of a project plan!
We all have moments when our brain is trying to convince us that we're not capable of going after and achieving our dreams. When these negative thoughts overtake your day, it can be demoralizing and even paralyzing.
I found journaling to be an amazing tool to quickly turn these negative goblins into positive elves. It helps make my thoughts intentional.
There are many exercises out there that help with that.
For example, from "I'm not a known expert in marketing, who'd then buy from me?" to "I developed skill on marketing through …. I know I'm good as my clients love my work and keep coming back. Not everyone can afford a known expert. Only because I'm not famous doesn't mean I'm not an expert in my field." - I hope you get the gist of it now.
If you're an entrepreneur committed to growing your business, I'm assuming you're investing in your self-development. As you're learning new skills through books, podcasts, courses, or coaching, journaling can enhance such learning and maximize your investment.
First, track your progress. For example, if you've decided to develop a new habit of reading every day, track the days when you read and how long. Or if you've decided to connect with 10 new people each day, track how many people you connect with each day.
Tracking will give you awareness of how you're doing with that skill. It's not meant to be a tool for you to beat yourself up every time you miss a day. Contrary, it helps you to realize when you're consistent with it and when not. Then ask yourself why? Once you know that you can improve.
Which brings me to the 2nd step – performance analysis. Analyzing what you're doing and how you can improve takes this to a whole new level.
For example, if you're working on improving your sales skills. You tracked how many potential ideal client conversations you've had each week.
Then, write down what went well and what didn't go as well as you'd like. Next, think about and write down what you can do differently next time. Then go and try it. You won't believe how much you can improve by this simple exercise.
I hope you do. And then also that you'll slowly adopt all 5 or more.
Once you're ready and want to know more about my weekly planning or how to journal your way out of negative thoughts, reach out. Schedule a free brainstorming session here. I'll be happy to share some of my other journaling secrets 😉.
There has been a lot written about personal branding. Not so long ago, I wrote a blog about branding through leadership, and today I'm writing one more.
Because as an entrepreneur, especially a service-based one, you're also your business' brand. Your actions, services you provide to your customers, and how you behave create that brand. And even if you're selling someone else's products, your interactions with customers, posts on social media, and other behaviors represent you and the brand you're selling. All of this combined attracts (or deters) your ideal clients.
That's why today, I'd like to share with you three key strategies that'll help your personal brand not only stand out but also your ideal clients fall in love with it.
Intentionally or not, whatever marketing content you put out to the world to make your business visible, you're telling a story. And not only through each individual piece of content but also cumulatively over time.
So, if put yourself in your ideal audience shoes and look back at all the pieces of content you have put out even this year. Look from their perspective.
What do you see?
Once you look back, you'll get an idea of what your personal brand is shaping to be. If you LOVE it, your audience will too. If not, then maybe now it's the time when you become intentional on what stories you tell. And if you know what you want to portray but not sure how, then this blog on writing stories will help you. Click here to read more.
There are no better stories than those that your happy clients tell about you. They're not only the lifeline of your business but also the best storytellers, marketers, and advocates of what you're all about. That's why word of mouth from a delighted customer is such a powerful growth tool. Giving them all the material they need to prase you is your primary role as a business owner.
So, think about what you do to nurture your clients:
When your clients feel nurtured, loved, and cared for, you won't need to ask for them to spread a word about you and your business. They will be doing it on their own, reinforcing your personal brand and spreading your story faster than you can yourself.
I wouldn't be true to what I stand for if I didn't mention anything here about your growth and personal development 😊. One of my values is excellence. Excellence is doing the best you can with what you have now. It's a willingness to put yourself out there even though you'll make mistakes along the way. Excellence is taking the mistakes as learning opportunities and also being proactive about your growth. It's knowing that to be more valuable to the clients and grow your business, you need to above all invest in yourself.
And with all that, as you grow, your story will grow with you. Let it. Don't hold back. You don't need to be perfect, day 1. Personal branding should and will follow your personal development; that's when it truly tells a story.
Everything we relate to evolves around storytelling. Stories bring out emotions, and that's how we remember things best. Every day you write your own unique story: in life and business. Because there is no one else in this world like you, make it intentional, consistent with what you stand for, and always growing. That's how you'll stand out and create a personal brand that your ideal audience falls in love with.
All businesses go through cycles: building up momentum, booming with having more clients than they can take on, and dry spells with fewer people buying.
The COVID pandemic has been a hard hit on many businesses. Some were able to pivot and thrive, some maintained their income, some had to shut down.
Running a successful, long-lasting business requires strategy and grit.
No matter the market conditions, successful entrepreneurs:
Once you identify the reasons for your current challenges, you'll be one step closer to changing the situation for the better.
If you relied on local, in-person, networking to find your ideal clients, then COVID changed that quickly and drastically. It's been a few months now, so you've probably switched to the online world and were able you start building the relationships here.
However, if you've always been online and stopped networking because you more clients than you could handle, that's why you're seeing a dry spell lately.
Consistent action in relationship building with your potential clients, regardless of how your business is doing, allows you to maintain a steady customer base.
As the market conditions change, the needs and wants of your clients will too.
As a business owner, you need to know what's going on. Even if you don't stay ahead of the game when conditions change, tuning in closer to what your clients are saying is vital.
Here is why:
Knowing how your client feels and what they need in each of these situations is key to understanding how to successfully shift and adapt your offering.
If you're not speaking your ideal client's language, they won't relate and engage with you, your business, and your offering. So the question is, why is your messaging off?
Have you just entered a new market or are new to the business and need time and focus on getting to know your audience?
Or has the market shifted and with it what your client wants. If you haven't noticed that yet, it's time to do some research.
Many entrepreneurs don't like selling. It's because many have this stereotype of the "salesly" and sleazy car salesmen ingrained in our brains. So they'll avoid asking for a sale as much as possible to avoid being perceived as one.
The thing is, if you don't ask for a sale, you won't get it.
You get in life what you have the courage to ask for.
Oprah Winfrey
If that's your reason, then shift your perception of selling.
Selling is a fun conversation between you and your potential client. Especially if what your offer is of good quality and helps people. If you'd like to make that shift but don't know how to go about it, download my Sales Strategy Outline here.
It'll help you map out a real conversation that feels natural rather than pushy.
Just like with networking, if you have an audience and aren't nurturing them regularly, they will stop seeing you in their feed.
Moreover, lack of consistency tells your ideal clients that you're not really committed to them or your business. No wonder they are buying less and less.
If that is your reason, I'm sure you know what to do 😊.
Just like the market, your ideal client's financial situation can change rapidly. If you're not in tune with that, your sales will plummet or not be as good as they could be.
Look at your offering. Are you only selling high-end ticket items, but your clientele cannot afford them anymore? It's time to pivot and create a new, more affordable offer.
This logic works the other way around as well. If your clientele is looking for a luxury item and you don't offer it, they will go somewhere else, and you lose the sales.
That's why having a strategic business plan that can guide you is so important.
It's also important to pause throughout the year and review this plan to see if it's still serving you or if it needs improvements.
Because as humans, we tend to drift easily. Without such regular checks, you might find yourself miles away from your goals without even realizing it while working hard and being busy every day.
Did you know that the majority of sales happen after 4 or even 7 follow-ups? If you're not following up with your potential clients, you're leaving money on the table.
So if you have never done it or stopped doing it, it's time to go back to this great habit :0). And doesn't it feel good to reconnect with all those fantastic people you chatted to once before?
As mentioned in point 7, your business needs a strategic plan.
And one of its most essential parts is the marketing strategy. Do you have one? If you do, go back to it and see if you're still doing what you initially planned. Maybe it's time to go back on track?
If you don't, then create one asap and start following it. You'll see your results improve pretty fast.
And when you review your marketing strategy, don't forget to align it with the current market condition.
The places where your ideal clients hang out might have changed. The way they speak and what they want might have changed as well. Your marketing strategy needs to reflect that.
One last thing before you go, I hope that today's blog sheds some light on why you might be seeing fewer clients lately.
If you identified the reasons but still don't know what to do to change your situation, then a free strategy session with me is your next step.
Through it, I can help you identify your next steps and offer suggestions on how to go about it. Step 1 to receive this help is to click here.
Have you ever worked on something in our business that took awfully long to bring results you expected?
So long, in fact, that you were ready to quit a couple of times, but your gut was telling you to keep going? And then when the breakthrough came, you were sooo grateful that you did!
Or on the flip side, did you work on something for soo long without ANY results that you wished you stopped it and pivoted sooner? Because it would have saved you lots of time, stress and money?
Being an entrepreneur, a creative being that tries new strategies regularly isn't easy. Sometimes our ideas work instantly. While others need time to mature, flower, and bear fruit. And sometimes it's best just to let them go.
The trick is to know when. And that's a challenge for many entrepreneurs. Here are five signs that can help you pause and determine whether it's time to keep going, pivot, or let it go.
Depending on whether you're running a paid advertising campaign or soft organic marketing, the results need a different length of time to materialize. It's good to understand that and align your expectations with it.
For example, if you've done market research and your offering is viable for sale, paid advertising should bring you some results within days. If it doesn't, it's time to pause and see what should be tweaked and adjusted. Might be in your copy, landing page, audience targeting, etc.
Organic content marketing, on the other hand, intends to build an audience first and then softly sell, which takes much longer to bear fruit. Here your first gage can be the engagement of your audience. If that's working well, then it's only a matter of time for them to buy your offering.
On the flip side, if no matter what you post and do, you hear crickets, then it's time pause. Either tweak and improve or let it go and replace it with a new one.
As an entrepreneur, through your offering, you help people solve problems or reach goals they have (or both). To do that, you also need to know whom you're helping. Trying to solve all the problems for everyone is not a good marketing strategy. Why? That's a conversation we can have over a free virtual coffee chat ;).
So, if you're not clear on any of this, it means you're not ready to market your product or services. And in case you've started and not seeing any results, that's your queue to stop, get the clarity first, and only then resume your marketing.
Pushing yourself out of the comfort zone to grow as an entrepreneur and listening to your gut when not to do something because it's not right are two different things. The key for you is to know the difference.
Usually, when we're going in the right direction, we're super excited and feel expanded about doing things in our business. Yes, we might feel scared at the same time because we've never done it before. That's our comfort zone speaking. In this scenario, your job is to take the smallest viable step towards your goal and do it! Through baby steps and small wins, you'll slowly gain confidence, 100%!
On the other hand, when you've adopted a strategy in your business that's not getting you results and the more you try, the less comfortable it feels, that might be your gut telling you it's not the right strategy. Take the time to pause and listen to it.
Because there are MANY strategies for you to choose from when it comes to running your business. So pick those that feel natural, that make you feel expanded rather than contracted. I promise you; you'll get much better results with such a shift.
When we're doing things that don't bring us joy, help us grow, or fill us with passion, working becomes soul depleting. And if we spend A LOT of time on those things, we get stressed out, tired, and overwhelmed. If your business is becoming a chore where you're just working crazy hours, burning out with no visible results, it's time to call it quits.
STOP. Reassess, see what's happening and why (you might need someone else to tell you that) so that you can escape the hamster wheel. Once you know what and why things aren't working, pick a direction that will expand and energize you. And you'll see, the results will follow.
As the CEO of your business, your ultimate goal is to make a profit. If you're starting, then yes, making losses is OK because you're probably investing to get your business off the ground. At some point, though, it needs to start bringing in the money to support itself and you.
So if you're in a time when you should be profitable but aren't, then it's definitely the time to reassess your offering structure, pricing, sales and marketing, and make proper strategy changes. If you do it early in the game, you'll have a chance to save your business rather than let it go.
Because I didn't write this article only to point out where you might have a problem. If you're reading this and thinking OMG, Maggie, I do see some of these signs in my business, and clearly, I need to pause, then let's chat.
For FREE, I can help you figure out where exactly you have an issue and why. Once you know that, you can then decide whether you'll fix it alone or with my help. How does it sound to you?
All you need to do to book a free strategy session with me by clicking here and picking a time that works for you 😊.
Yes, I need your help to figure out the WHERE and WHY!
Did you know that the probability of you selling more to existing customers is 60 to 70% when to new prospects it's only 5 to 20%? Also, 80% of your future profits will come from 20% of existing clients, and for most small businesses in North America, 65% of business comes from existing clients (Source: Small Biz Trends). And a customer who is “totally satisfied” brings 2.6 times as much revenue as one who is “somewhat satisfied.” Not to mention that they buy from you much more in their 3rd year of being your customer than in the first.
Those and many more other stats prove that focusing on retaining your clients is a key growth strategy for your business. That's why today I'm going to talk about the four main ways you can do that.
Your customer needs to have an excellent experience from when they start interacting with you, step by step, all the way to the end. Assuming your sales process wasn't too pushy to evoke buyer's remorse, your client feels super excited about their purchase and starting to work with you. Don't let that critical point in their journey evaporate. Remember, you have an eager customer who can't wait to work with you.
That's why customer onboarding is your most excellent chance to maintain the momentum and show your clients how excited you are to have them on board.
Serving your customers is the whole point of your business existence. So make it easy for them to be in contact with you and have their questions or concerns answered promptly. Excellent customer service is one way to show your uniqueness and stand out from the crowd.
As your clients move along in their journey, make it easy for them to work with you again. For example, my Dad is an insurance agent in Poland, and he always makes sure to call his customers ahead of time to let them know when their policy is renewing and that they need to budget for that for this spent. He also reviews the policies with them finds ways for them maybe to pay less for the same or better coverage.
Even if you sell products, know when you sold them and when your customer would run out. Get ahead of the game and contact them before that time. Make it easy for them to reorder. Remember that most unsatisfied customers will not say anything, they'll leave and never come back. Most people stay quiet rather than be vocal about there dissatisfaction. I'm the primary example of such a customer.
Always look for ways to deliver more value to your clients. And I don't mean here lowering your prices. Instead, being attentive to their needs and their problems will allow you to see if you have the solutions. It might bring ideas for innovation in your business in the form of a brand new offering or a change in the one you have.
But even if you cannot solve them yourself, refer your customers to trusted partners and collaborators. Your clients will still remember that you cared, listened to them, and help them in the time of need. That's how you'll build trust and make many deposits in their emotional bank account.
Another way you can be more valuable to your clients is by nurturing them the same way you nurture your potential clients,i.e., your free content. When you deliver valuable information that helps them for free, you'll always stay on top of their minds whenever they need something.
Why? Because growing skills in your area of expertise will ensure that you provide better service or better products to them. Also, gaining business management skills will allow you to find better ways to run your business, which will ultimately benefit your clients. When you grow, your business grows because your clients benefit.
Lastly, be available to your clients, whether it's with a concern they have a concern or have a question. It doesn't mean you need to answer the second you receive their message, but don't let them wait days on end for it either. For example, in my coaching practice, I'm available to my clients in between our weekly coaching calls via email or chat to answer any questions or help them through anything they're working on that week. I am yet to have a client that has abused this perk.
Genuine human to human connection builds trust and bonds. Be in regular contact with your client. And there are many ways to do that. Thank you cards, small gifts, regular check-ins, texts, PM's/DM's, or quick call will go a long way. Coffee chats virtual or in-person are also a great way to stay in touch and make emotional deposits in their trust account.
Moreover, asking for their opinion and feedback will not only be valued because people love to share their expertise, but also help you improve in areas we talked about in point one.
You can also read more on how to develop strong relationships with your clients here.
This last point summarizes and encompasses the other three. But because it's so important, I wanted to single it out here.
You are the CEO of the leader of your business and brand. Therefore, taking 100% responsibility for it, especially when things don't go right, is of utmost importance.
None of your clients is expecting you to be perfect because making mistakes is human. But when issues happen, don't blame circumstances or other things and take full responsibility for them. Your clients don't want to hear "the dog ate my homework" excuses. What they want and will appreciate is knowing what you have done to mitigate them and avoid them in the future. When you do that, most of your clients will be understanding. And compensating them with a gift will go a long way.
If you see ahead of time that you can't deliver to what you've committed, say it. Whether it's a deadline, delivery delay, or anything else, step in front of that and tell your client what's going on. Also, tell them what your plan to mitigate the issue is. One of the worst feelings as a customer is being blindsided when expecting something to happen, and it doesn't. You will be more trustworthy this way. When you proactively communicate issues, you show respect and care for the best interest of your clients.
Moreover, as a leader also listen and ask questions before speaking. Effective communication is key to a successful business. Most issues I've ever seen in my career happened due to miscommunications. Listen to understand and stay tuned to your clients' needs avoids problems down the road.
Last but not least, be focused on innovation. True leaders want to better their businesses to serve their customers better. Innovation is a state of mind and skill that you can have, and I strongly encourage you to develop.
If you're a bit like me, you started the business to serve and help people, your clients. Now you must ensure you do everything you can to enhance and strengthen the trust they deposited in you when they chose your solutions.
And if you need help looking at your customer journey to see where you could improve it, or figuring out how to be more valuable to your clients, schedule a free brainstorming session with me here, and let's get to work!
Are you struggling right now in your business? Not having enough clients, enough time to find them, or personal issues, making it hard to stay consistent in your business? You're not alone.
Nobody's life is perfect because, as humans, we're not perfect. Even the most successful encounter challenges and don't have their journey filled with rose petals only. The difference between them and those who give up is how they deal with such challenges.
Being an entrepreneur is not easy. Because when life happens, you're the one needing to figure out how to tend to that while carrying on with the business. Here're some tips to make the most out of any unwanted situation.
Dealing with tough situations, especially unexpected ones, is hard. It brings unwanted change that naturally we resist. However, the longer you resist and deny it happened, the longer and more challenging it will be for you to deal with it.
As humans, whenever we face change, we go through 4 stages:
When you come from the place of understanding that "life does happen," the first two phases of change will pass quickly. The quicker you can move to the exploration stage, where you look for ways to adapt, the faster you'll deal with the issue and get onto greener pastures.
Acknowledging that an unwanted situation will occur sooner or later puts you a step ahead in one more way. Because it allows you to prepare, and you should prepare when the sun is shining.
The same way Noah built his arc before the flooding, or the roofers can only repair the roof when the weather is nice; you need to prepare your business to run even if challenges occur when they're not there yet.
You can do many things to prepare, and some of them will be unique to your situation. A couple of must-haves, at minimum, is to have an emergency fund and a simple business continuity plan.
Having enough cash to run your business for 3-6 months (or longer), even if you can't bring any new income, brings a HUGE peace of mind when dealing with "life."
Having a plan on who does what and when if unwanted events happen allows your business to continue running even when you cannot support it fully.
Even without a catastrophic event, things can get derailed with small common issues: like a client defaulting on payment, your child getting sick, or an urgent need to help a close family member.
When you make planning your habit, it's much faster and easier to "juggle" things in your business as needed.
Planning allows you to be more productive on regular days. And in case of challenges, you can easily assess what can be postponed or canceled and what might need to be delegated or done. You can also decide to use your business continuity plan if you know that the unwanted situation will last longer.
Planning also allows you to communicate with your clients, partners proactively, and other collaborators, showing your professionalism and responsibility for commitments ... even if that communication is to ask for extended deadlines, for example.
It's never too late to start planning, and my DREAM-PLAN-DO journal can help you with that. It's a tremendous simple planning tool for your business that comes with an online masterclass.
Check it out!
When challenges come up, it's natural to focus on the negative side of those events. However, those natural reactions (anger, resentment, anxiousness) aren't serving you in any way, shape, or form. And if they last too long, they can derail your business.
It's OK to give yourself your time to grieve and go through those emotions, but the sooner you can move on to looking for lessons from the event, the faster you'll improve the situation.
Why should you look for a silver lining?
Because taking the time to learn lessons from unwanted events helps us prepare better for the future. It allows you to grow, and with it, up-level your business. It can give you insight into what you can do to either ultimately prevent the situation from happening again or minimize its impact on your life and business.
Once you uncover the silver lining, now it's the time to think about solutions. Brainstorming is always a great way to start because you can always find more than one way to address the problem. And if you're stuck in what you should do and have no mentor, coach, or trusted advisor to help, ask yourself how someone you look up to would handle it, what would they do ...
Running a business with the mindset that challenges are a natural occurrence and that no matter what happens, you'll be able to figure it out gives you a tremendous advantage. That's how you'll grow your resilience, one of the essential skills of every successful entrepreneur.
Such a powerful mindset shift is what my clients learn to do in a Business Results Accelerator Mastermind. It's a comprehensive program helping female entrepreneurs grow their businesses by attracting paying clients consistently. If you're curious to know more about it and how it can help you hit your income goals, schedule a discovery call with me here.
If you're planning to run your business for 10 years or more, then resilience is something you'll want to grow and nurture. The American Psychological Association defines resilience as "the process of adapting well in the face of adversity."
Because according to US Bank data:
And the leading causes for these failures are:
I want to point your attention to the 4th reason why the businesses fail.
Why? Because it all starts with you, the entrepreneur, the leader. If you don't continually prepare and grow yourself to run your own business, the other three reasons will happen. If you do – you'll be able to deal with anything that comes your way.
Here are a few steps you can start taking now and never stop.
Most of those skills fall into the following areas: marketing and sales, time management, strategy, leadership, money management, and technology.
These foundations will serve you no matter what happens in the market. And as you continue expanding them and developing more expert knowledge, you'll be able to stay ahead of the market, predict the needs to change, build highly-performing teams and avert financial catastrophes before they happen.
If I was to give you only one piece of advice, it's this one: never stop learning and investing in yourself. Your business will grow if you grow first.
"How can I learn those skills then Maggie," you ask? There are many different avenues: schools, online courses, mentors, and coaches. There're an in-person, online, group, self-paced, or one-on-one learning? The one thing is sure, you cannot blame the lack of sources and opportunities to learn what you need ad set yourself up for success.
If you're not sure where to start or are interested in hiring a coach, then book a free chat with me here, and I'll be happy to point you in the direction that will serve you best right now.
Learning how to have your mind work for you, not against you, is one of the millionaires' secrets. Even when doubt, fear, or self-sabotaging thoughts happen, the most successful know how to get out of the rut and shift their mind to self-belief, confidence, and enthusiasm.
It's easy to get discouraged when the one thing you're working on fails 5127 times. You're thinking: "Are this many fails even possible?" – yes! This was the number of failed prototypes before the Dyson vacuum was ready to hit the marketplace.
And I get it; it's easy to stop believing you have something precious when you get rejected repeatedly (12 times or even more, for example, Stephen King or J.K. Rowling). But yet, some people keep going, and these are the ones that win.
One of the best mindsets you can adopt as an entrepreneur is treating roadblocks as learning opportunities and puzzle pieces to solve. Just like Ray Dalio describes in his book Principles:
By solving the puzzle, I get a gem in the form of a principle that helps me avoid the same sort of problem in the future.
Ray Dalio
Collecting lessons and applying them without beating yourself up will get you closer to success.
As you read before, resilience is the process of adapting well in the face of adversity. Part of it sits in innovation. Entrepreneurs who have this skill, always look for better ways to serve their clients and run their businesses.
This is where the skills you acquire from self-development help you gain the knowledge of the market, and then the rubber hits the road with you applying all this to stand out of the crowd. That's how you're showing your Ideal Client, you're the only one who can meet their needs best.
No one can succeed without a proper support system. And by that, I mean two things: people who'll help you and systems and habits that will help you be innovative, consistent, healthy, and enthusiastic throughout your journey.
Who are the people? These will be mentors, coaches, fellow entrepreneurs, friends & family whom you can turn to for help in different things: self-development, sounding board, moral support, or collaboration. Additionally, as your business grows, you'll add employees, suppliers, and subcontractors.
The second part is system and habits, processes, and tools in your day to day that will support you as a business leader growing your business creatively through innovation without being overwhelmed or burned out.
Don't underestimate this part. Enthusiasm and motivation can get you started, but without the habits and routines, you won't be able to keep going consistently. They're vital in building your resilience.
If you're thinking: "Great, Maggie, but what systems and habits do I need now and how they'll help me?" let's talk. My Dream-Plan-Do coaching formula in all my programs empowers you not only with new skills but also with such routines that carry your results to the next level. If you want to know how – contact me here.
Social media is the place to be to market your business. Of course, if you're an online entrepreneur, that's a no-brainer and a must. But even if you relied on "local word of mouth," COVID changed that. The pandemic has shown us that if you don't have a way to sell and market your offering online, you can go out of business fast.
There're tonnes of strategies, how to's, and frameworks that work. And as an entrepreneur, I'm sure you create your own that aligns with who you are and what you stand for as a person and business.
Nevertheless, there are some core principles that you should follow to ensure your long-term success in the online world. Here are seven of them.
Listening online is more of reading the conversations that are happening. Which conversations? The ones of your ideal client. When you listen to what their goals and challenges are, you can create solutions that will sell. Moreover, you also learn how they talk about all this, how they tell their stories, describe their pain points and dreams. Listening allows you to understand your ideal client and learn to speak their language.
By strategy, I mean being focused on your niche. If you try to appeal to everyone, no one will relate. The more you define your ideal client, the more successful you'll be. By strategy, I also mean being intentional about how you, as a business owner, stand out from the sea of others who want to help your ideal client.
You've probably heard that before, so I'll be the reminder 😊. As you build your audience on any social media platform, it's better to have 1,000 followers who stay and care about your content than 10,000 fake ones that follow you for a day and leave the next.
When your audience loves your content, they will engage. When they engage, they will get to know you better. With that, they will start to like you and trust you. And that's the straight path to successful selling.
Yes, social media is a platform to build your personal brand. And yes, you should show your audience who you are as a person. But the only way people will keep coming back to your posts is if they see value in them. Quality images and copy create quality content!
Now, value means different things to different people. But since you listen and know your niche well, you'll also know how you can deliver value to them 😊.
If you want to see engagement on your posts, you need to give that as well. Because social media conversations are precisely that – conversations with many participants in it. You can't post and never engage in other posts and then expect people to comment on your feed. Participate in other people's conversations, reply to comments left of your feed, contribute value. In short, engage.
Building a social media following requires consistency and patience. Consistency shows that you're serious about what you offer. It shows that you care about your audience, and you're there for them, shine or rain. It shows respect and professionalism.
And patience is required because to build quality following takes time. This is a long-term game. None goes from 0 to 10,000 followers organically in a month. The fantastic thing about the long-term game is that it will compound.
Getting to 1,000 followers might take time, and a lot of effort, but getting another thousand will be much faster thanks to the compound effect (just like interest on your savings account).
Collaborations help you expand your circle of influence. When you collaborate with other entrepreneurs who share your passion and values to serve, and their offering is complementary to yours, it's a win-win-win.
You benefit from getting exposure to their audience, and they benefit from yours. Their audience becomes your audience for a moment and vice versa. And the best thing is, your ideal clients win too as thanks to you more of their problems get solved.
I am :) for you and for me. And if you want to chat about "how to's" on any of these, connect with me for a free strategy session here.
