Kimanzi Constable's Blog, page 27

The One Change That Led to Success in My Lifestyle Business

Today is the last day to register for Book Paid Consulting 101. 

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2011 was a rough year. It was the year that I woke up and decided to chase my dream, but I had no clue what I was doing. I tried to research but all the information online just overwhelmed me. I listened to the advice and tried seven different ways to make money in my lifestyle business with limited success.

2012 and 2013 were building years. I made some progress and even enough money to leave my bread delivery job. But, the real breakthrough in my lifestyle business came in 2015. That was the year I stopped trying to chase the online audience and went after the mainstream audience.

Go Mainstream

I know a lot of people who have been building a lifestyle business for years but haven’t made the progress they’ve wanted to make. I know people who have tried everything but the money never seems to come. Almost every time, the reason can be traced to a lack of audience or the lack of a non-crossover audience.

Think about this. In the online space–the space where there are influencers, income reports and a lot of the same kinds of conferences–there is a ton of crossover. The same people listen to the same podcasts; they attend the same conferences and read the same blogs. When it’s time for this audience to spend a little money, they usually buy a program or services from someone at the top.

Going after a mainstream audience puts you in a completely different space. 218 million people read the Huffington Post every month. Spend a minute and think about that number. There isn’t mush crossover in that audience. It’s the same for all the largest websites in the world. Writing for large media publications, consulting at companies, speaking at mainstream conferences are a few ways to go after a mainstream audience.

In 2015, I stopped chasing the crossover and went after a fairly untapped audience. It made all the difference in my business. My business exploded so much it caused me to enter a funk with all the interactions. I have also gotten bigger and more interesting opportunities by focusing on a mainstream audience.

This Can Make a Difference  

I’m not telling you that you should never guest post, get interviewed on a podcast, or try to sell to people in certain groups. I’m telling you that you can reach a fresh audience that’s hungry for your content and will buy some of the things you sell.

Start by identifying mainstream opportunities that are relevant to you because this isn’t a one-size-fits-all kind of situation. Don’t let self-limiting beliefs convince you that it’s not possible for you or your business. It is. Start adding a few of these opportunities to what you’re already doing. You will be surprised with the progress.

Have you tried going after mainstream opportunities?

Photo: Flickr/MauronB

 

The Secret of Million-Dollar Brands Is Their Cult-Like Following

If you want to consult for one of these companies that has built loyal fans, check out my brand new class:”Booking Paid Consulting 101.” 

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When you think about some of the world’s greatest brands and most successful entrepreneurs, they all have one thing in common — a cult-like following. When Apple releases a new iPhone, there are people lined up for days outside of Apple stores all over the world. When Malcolm Gladwell releases a new book, it’s all but guaranteed to be a New YorkTimes bestseller. When Warren Buffet invests or buys a company, there’s a large group of investors who follow suit.

We live in the Information Age. Today, three billion people log onto the Internet every day. We live in a time of unparalleled access to knowledge and opportunity. There’s has never been a better time to build a million dollar brand that attracts some of those three billion people.

Successful brands have a loyal and cult-like following, and it’s not an accident how they reached the position they are currently in. There were six ways they built their brand and principles they continue to use despite reaching incredible levels of success in their lives and businesses. You can use these principles to build your brand, and that, in turn, will build your business.

1. Never stop connecting personally.

One of the issues that arise when you achieve success is having enough time. You have responsibilities that need to be taken care of while having to maintain your business and its growth. Successful brands are one where the customer feels that personal connection.

Despite having grown a highly popular and cult-like brand, Gray Vaynerchuk continues to connect with his clients/followers on a personal level. That personal connection is what fuels his fans to tell others about Gary. Word of mouth marketing is still a powerful way to grow a business. Don’t lose sight of where you started and who helped you get to where you are. You can’t connect with everyone, but you can do your best to stay in touch with your community.

2. Don’t copy influencers.

One of the most common ways to create success is to model it. Modeling, however, is NOT the same as copying. There’s a temptation to look at the leaders in your industry and try to copy what they’re doing. Consumers buy from someone they know, like, and trust. They can never start the buying process in their mind if they never get to know the real you. You’ll never create a million dollar brand if it’s the clone of someone else’s.

3. Over deliver on your promises.

People recognize and respect a brand that’s real. There’s no shortage of self-proclaimed “experts” that make promises but don’t deliver. Million dollar brands start with an entrepreneur who does what they say and works hard to fulfill their obligations. Don’t make promises just to impress—make promises that you’ll do everything in your power to make a reality.

4. Create systems that foster growth and innovation.

A business and its brand live and die by its ability to innovate. In recent years, Apple has been questioned because of a perceived lack of innovation. You can innovate and grow when you put the right systems in place. These systems can include:

Delegate to your employees, a virtual assistant, or a consult who knows what they’re doing.
Have a plan for promotions for the calendar year.
Spend time creating your marketing campaign and make sure everyone involved understands the vision.
Have regular brainstorming sessions.


5. Continue to grow through personal development.

Your brand is connected to you as a person. If you want your brand to grow—you have to grow. Your personal growth can happen when you create healthy habits. These habits start with your health. What you eat and how active you are has an effect on your energy and confidence—two things needed in entrepreneurship. Growth also involves your mind. Reading books, watching inspiring/instructional videos, and investing in training all help you grow as a person, which leads to the growth of your brand.

6. Never get success make you complacent.

When you study successful brands, and the entrepreneurs behind them, you see a group of world changers. Elon Musk has redefined what we thought was possible in the auto, solar, and space industries. He could sit back and enjoy the fruits of his labor, but he continues to push forward. There are many entrepreneurs and brands like him. Success doesn’t have an end destination—it’s a constant state of growth. When you continue to grow, you create that cult-like million-dollar brand. Complacency is the enemy of growth.

A million dollar brand, and beyond, is possible in your business. You can create loyal and raving fans who will stick with you for life. It starts with embracing what makes you unique and owning it. Don’t try to copy even the most successful entrepreneurs. Just because it worked out a certain way for them, doesn’t mean you can copy and expect the same results. Build your brand differently.

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This article originally appeared on Entreprenuer.com.

One Way to Get Paid More as a Public Speaker

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I can clearly remember the thrill of getting my first check from speaking at a conference. The check wasn’t much, but I LOVED being paid to travel and speak. I wasn’t very good during that first talk, but it sparked a desire to travel and speak on topics that I was passionate about.

I’ve come a long way since that first check. In 2012, I spoke 36 times and all over the world. I made $22,000 (roughly) in speaking income. In 2013, I spoke 12 times but made more income. In 2014, I didn’t speak at all because we moved from Wisconsin to Maui, Hawaii. In 2015, I spoke 16 times but made more money than all the other years combined.

2015 was a breakthrough year in my business and an epiphany in my speaking career. Most of the speaking I did in 2015 is an opportunity that too many speakers either don’t know about or neglect to try. What changed in 2015, and an opportunity for you to make more money as a speaker, is paid consulting at companies.

What is Paid Consulting?

Business Insider estimates that companies paid outside consultants $39.3 billion dollars in 2014. I don’t know what the figures are for conferences, but that’s a lot of money. Paid consulting isn’t as glamorous as speaking to 1,000 people at a conference, but you can get more in-depth and make a couple of bucks.

Paid consulting is where you train at a company on a topic you have some knowledge of. You don’t have to be some kind of “established” expert to get booked at a company. You have to identify a problem within a company that you can solve. I have coaching clients that consult companies on mindset training for their employees, engineering, sales, social media, marketing, leadership and more. These companies range from being a single owner to large corporations.

The Difference

There are many conferences happening all over the world every day. Some of these conferences pay speakers—a lot of them do not (maybe the keynoters). Not every company brings in outside consultants to train, but more than you think can and will. These companies have budgets within a certain department, or as a company, to pay for training. There is more money to be made at companies versus conferences.

Now, please don’t misunderstand what I’m saying. This isn’t all about money. I know there are many people reading this who would gladly speak for free because you love it. But, if you have a family to support, or a business you’re building, you should be thinking about the money somewhat.

As you may know, I signed a large consulting contract this year. I’m writing this post from Medellin, Colombia. This is the home of a large consulting and marketing company that I consult for here and in Panama. I generally go into the offices once a week and train on digital marketing. I am paid well for what I do. Consulting for companies has helped me pivot in my speaking career and speak in a way I’m more comfortable with as an introvert.

You Can Do This

I’ve written a bunch about how you can book your first consulting contract. I had a series on my blog right here. Also, when you sign up for my email list (sign up is above), you get a free PDF that walks you through it.

If you want more specific help, check out a new class I’m offering (registration opens tomorrow) called Booking Paid Consulting 101. The class is three weeks, costs $197 and is live. Check out the details here.

Is paid consulting something you want to add to your lifestyle business?

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Photo: Flickr/ Pembina Institute

3 Things You Can Do Today That Will Make Your Life Better

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You wake up and your eyes open to what is your reality. For most, getting up will mean getting ready for some type of work situation. If it’s a job that doesn’t fulfill you, the mornings are hard. You wake up determined to have a good day and stay happy despite the challenges you know you’ll face.

Maybe it works out and you do have a good day—maybe it doesn’t. How well your day and life are isn’t determined solely by your choices each day. There’s a bigger foundation that has to be in place to live a happy life. There are three things you can start working on today to consistently live a life you love and one that makes you happy.

1. Start working on becoming the best version of yourself.

We thrive when we are the best version of ourselves physically, mentally, and emotionally. The physical can be regular exercise, yoga, or other types of ways to get your body into peak performance. The physical helps you reduce stress, focus and creates discipline in your life. The mental are things you’re probably already doing. This involves reading good books, watching videos that instruct and inspire, and listening to podcasts that nourish your mind.

The emotional involves prayer, meditation, or other ways of connecting with something greater than yourself. The point is to work on becoming strong in the major areas of your life, and that will lead to confidence, which is an important part of happiness. If you haven’t already, start working on becoming the best person you can be and only you know that means specifically in your life.

2. Get honest about the relationships in your life.

Your relationships have an effect on every area of your life. It may be romantic, friendships, family, or more. If the relationships are bad, they will sour your attitude and mindset. If they are good, they can help you grow as a person. I won’t give you all the quotes talking about how your relationships affect you—it’s something you already know.

Surround yourself with the relationships that will help you grow and reach your biggest life goals. Have people in your life that believe in you and support what you do. Develop relationships that make you happy. Purge any negative ones from your life to avoid being dragged down to their level. Spend some time today evaluating the relationships in your life. 

3. Focus on what will help you create freedom in your “work.”

This one is easier said than done. Life isn’t easy where you can wake up and magically find work that you love. But, you already know how your work affects your life. Your goal isn’t to get some dream job or start a lifestyle business that takes you all over the world. Your goal is to create freedom in your life, and that will mean something different for each person reading this.

Chances are, you probably aren’t in the work scenario you’d like to be in. Today can be the day you start doing something about that. Spend some time thinking about what you want to wake up each day and do for work. Start putting that plan in place. It doesn’t have to be some business, every day people find dreams jobs. This has to be right for you.

These are things that will take time, but they will lead to a happy and fulfilled life. You have choices and the ability to start working on creating the life you want to live. Yes, it will be hard, and you will face difficult roadblocks, but that’s life.

What are you doing every day to create a happy life?

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Photo: Flickr/ Geda Žyvatkauskaitė (amber inhim)

5 Wrongheaded Attitudes Stunting Your Growth as an Entrepreneur

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There are many different components that need to come together to create a successful business. You, as an entrepreneur, are a huge part of what creates the success in your business. Your personal habits and struggles can either cause your business to flourish or have it end up becoming another statistic.

Each of us will always deal with struggles in our lives, but there are five common struggles you can overcome to become a better entrepreneur. It won’t happen overnight, but with awareness and a willingness to do the hard work; you can stop giving into the struggles that keep your business from explosive growth.

1. Constantly reacting with emotion.

It’s natural to want to react in the moment, but it’s rarely smart. There are some decisions you should make based on more than just the facts—like certain moral choices you personal want to make. But, a majority of business decisions should be based on research and facts.

When you are faced with a situation where you feel your blood rising, stop. Close your eyes and start breathing deeply. The American Institute of Stress says that breathing deeply helps reduce your blood pressure, helps you calm down, and relaxes your muscles. Successful entrepreneurs have learned to be the master of their emotions. They learn to absorb the situation and then react rationally.

2. Unwillingness to admit when you’re wrong.

None of us ever want to be wrong, but that’s impossible in life. There are many times when we make the wrong decision in our business—how we react will determine whether or not there will be a successful outcome. When you let pride come before growth, your business suffers because you’ve clouded your clarity. When you’ve picked the wrong strategy or trusted the wrong person, admit it and move forward. Don’t dwell on the mistake. Learn from it and come back stronger and smarter.

3. Dismissing sensible advice.

There is a lot of bad advice that you receive as an entrepreneur. There is also good advice that may not be right for you. However, there is some advice that could help your business grow. You could be dismissing this advice for a number of reasons. It may be pride; it may be that you have a hard time accepting help from others—you’re battling the “do-it-all” syndrome. Whatever the reason is, you are missing out on an opportunity to learn from someone who has done what you’re trying to do. It’s a bad move if the advice can help you. Kick pride to the curb and evaluate the advice. Get honest about whether it can help you.

4. Letting envy sidetrack you.

Being envious is described as “a feeling of covetousness in regards to another’s advantages, success, or possessions.” We live in the digital age and have access to other entrepreneur’s successes daily through the Internet and social media. When another entrepreneur posts a win in their business, it’s easy to let envy cloud your focus. You spend more time than you should thinking about why and how they did what they did, and why things never seem to go smoothly for you.

Envy is a growth killer and one of the easiest ways to get sidetrack from the plan you set and the goals you’re trying to accomplish. Envy is natural, but it is an area of your life that you can manage and eventually control. Don’t let it keep you from growth.

5. Losing your momentum at the first sign of resistance.

Failure and risk are a part of every business. They offer opportunities to learn caution and grow as an entrepreneur. It’s natural to want to run at the first sign of trouble, but it’s not what will make you successful. Setbacks are difficult, but they don’t have to ruin the momentum you’ve built through hard work. This is an area you can overcome by creating a solid growth plan and sticking to it.

Your personality is what makes you who you are, and that is the person your customers want to do business with. Your goal isn’t to completely change or try to be like someone else. Your goal is to work on overcoming changeable struggles that don’t fit into your plan for your life and business growth.

Personal development has been around for hundred’s of years for a reason—it works. Read inspiring books, watch videos that inform and educate you, and listen to podcasts that help you beat any self-limiting beliefs. Don’t let these struggles keep you from what can be a great year in your business.

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Photo: Flickr/ Rosario

This article originally appeared on Entrepreneureur.com.

5 Strategies That Build a Successful Lifestyle Business

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I used to hate the term “lifestyle business” because in my mind I automatically started seeing all those spammy Facebook ads talking about the “laptop style.” I’ve come to see that lifestyle business is much more than the ads. It’s a business you create around the kind of lifestyle you want to live. It’s about creating freedom to spend your time the way you to want to spend it.

I know there are many who read my blog, and many people I know in general, that want to build this kind of a business and lifestyle. We all know what it takes yet many give up before they make any real progress or money. It took me years before I made real money with this lifestyle business. I know the frustration that comes when you put in all the effort but don’t get much return. Here are five strategies that work.

1. Start by realizing what’s possible.

I hate to write about mindset because it’s one of those topics you hear about a lot. But, the reality is that if you don’t believe it’s possible in your life, you won’t do anything about it. You have to realize that you can build a lifestyle business around a topic you’re passionate about. Many have done it, but more than that, you have it takes inside of you. You are strong and powerful and can do anything that you set your mind to. Get that belief firmly ingrained in your mind if this is going to become your reality. You can’t move forward without a firm belief in what’s possible to those who take action.

2. Get your messaging crystal clear.

The reason many don’t make money with a lifestyle business is because visitors don’t understand the tangible benefit of what is offered on the site. There’s a whole movement that talks about the “need to niche.” The problem is that the niching has gone too far. When someone can’t understand what they will get when they spend money with you, they won’t spend money with you. When someone visits your website, make it crystal clear how and in what way you can help them. You have about 7 to 37 seconds to make that first impression. Don’t niche so much that people think there’s no tangible benefit in what you offer.

3. Stop letting information overload win.  

There’s a lot of information out there and it overwhelms many. You don’t know what you should do or who’s advice you should listen to. Everyone seems to have the new and must use strategy. You see six-figure monthly income reports and you’re tempted to follow that person’s advice. To build a successful lifestyle business, you need a strong filter for the advice you follow. You need to learn from those who are just a head of you. There is wisdom in the knowledge from the A-Listers, but realize you will have to pay to play on that level. Follow the advice that will help you next steps and ignore the rest until it’s time.

4. Focus on building your audience.

This is perhaps the one struggle that gets most people. It’s easy to focus on the busy work and all the things that seem important, but it means nothing if you don’t have an audience. You need a group of people who follow and support what you do. Social media, podcast interviews, guest posting, and writing for large media publications are just a few ways you can build a strong and loyal following. Most of your efforts should be focused on building an audience if your following isn’t where it needs to be. The audience is what leads to income.

5. Don’t be afraid to sell.

After you’ve built an audience, you have to sell a few things. The selling part of a lifestyle business is what turns a lot of people off and is hard for the rest of us. Instead of thinking of this as you selling, think of this as you offering something of value for a price. You are offering a product or service that can help people and you are charging a fair price for what you offer. If you approach this from a place of value, you should feel weird about selling.

Building a successful lifestyle business can be your reality if you approach this differently. Get clear about who you want to help and what you want to help people do. Always add value and never take advantage of people. You will stand out and people will do business with you. This dream can be your reality with hard work and patience.

What has been your biggest challenge building a lifestyle business?

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Photo: Flickr/ OFTO

How Saying No to These 6 Things Has Led to a Better Life

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I’m a people pleaser; it’s hard for me to say NO to people who ask for something–despite a reluctance inside of me. This has gotten me into trouble more than a few times. Time is precious and moves too quickly at times. There is also no lack of things that have to get done.

For 12 years, I took life a day at a time. I didn’t have goals or dreams; I woke up each day hoping for something more. In 2011, I had enough and chased my dream of being a writer. This meant more work on top of a day job that took 60-80 hours of my week.

It didn’t take long for me to realize that something had to give. I had to learn how to say NO to open up room for the things I was striving to do. Seeing how much time and energy was freed by saying NO, I started looking at all the other areas of my life. Here are six things that saying NO to helped me live a much better life.

1. Other people’s baggage. Life is hard for all of us. Sometimes it’s easier to push your baggage onto someone else — it may even happen without you realizing it. If you are trying to make changes in your life and someone reacts a certain way because of their baggage, it’s up to you to say NO. You don’t need any more drama in your life. For me, this meant ignoring some people on social media and purging negative people from my life.

2. Situations that I knew would make me angry. There are things in life that you KNOW you don’t want to do. For years, I just rolled with it. I went to gatherings and hung out with people that I knew would make me angry. When I said enough and stopped, it felt like a weight was lifted off of my shoulders.

3. A job that I absolutely hated. I delivered bread for 12 years and hated it. I felt stuck, and that, someone like me — a high school dropout — couldn’t do better. In 2011, I said NO more and worked hard for four years to make my dream of being a writer a reality. I now wake up loving what I get to do for work — it’s led to happier days.

4. Unhealthy habits that felt good. I love food. I said yes to junk food and NO to healthier choices. This, as you can imagine, led to major weight gain. At one point, I was 170 pounds overweight. When I started saying NO to unhealthy choices and started exercising, I was able to lose the 170 pounds in a two-year span. Today, I have more energy, focus, and confidence. Life is better.

5. Toxic relationships.Purging negative people from my life and saying NO to what they tried to project into my life, led to relief and happiness. It was hard, but a NO I had to say. Toxic people will keep you off track and make you not enjoy life. Purge negativity from your life whenever it’s possible.

6. Holding onto the past. I had a messed up childhood that involved physical and mental abuse. I chose to be homeless at 17 instead of continuing to be beaten with lamp cords. The demons from my past threatened to destroy me as I grew into an adult. I had to let go. I had to say No more. I had to forgive to begin the healing process. I don’t know what you have or are facing, I do know that to heal, you have to let go.

Just because you’re saying NO right now doesn’t mean you’ll have to so NO forever. Life has seasons, and some of them are busier than others. The point is to make sure you’re doing the things you want to do and that lead to the kind of life you wish to live.

Don’t let other people’s motives be how you live your life. This is YOUR life, and you get to decide how you live it. Say NO to things that don’t make sense for you. Say NO to things that don’t feel right to you. Trust your intuition, you know whether or not you want to do something. Don’t be pressured into saying yes.

What have you said NO to that made you feel good?

—Photo Credit: Flickr/ Rakesh JV

This article originally appeared The Huffington Post.

The Grass Isn’t Always Greener on the Other Side

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Life has been interesting over the last two years. I’ve had some opportunities that I didn’t believe were possible become my everyday reality. I have written for places that I used to read and dream about writing for. I’ve traveled over 250,000 miles to speak at conferences and companies all over the world. I’ve coached over 60 people on how they can build their lifestyle entrepreneurship dreams. I’ve been on some dream podcasts, made a couple of bucks and built a little bit of a following. It’s been a good two years.

I worked hard to get here. I busted my butt for four years dealing with setbacks on top of failure. For years, it felt like I couldn’t move the needle. For years, I felt stuck in the middle. I would see others having so much success, and I always wondered why I couldn’t seem to break free to more profitability and opportunities. 2015 was the year that I reached that tipping point after four years of struggle.

Today, life is good but it’s brought on a whole new set of challenges. I travel a lot these days. I’ve spent a lot of time away from those that I love—that has been VERY hard. I thought with being away and alone I would have more opportunity to write and coach, but that has not been the case. There is always something to do and it’s thrown me off from my regular schedule. I’m writing this post on a Tuesday in Panama City, Panama and on Friday I’m traveling to Medellin, Colombia. To make that trip, I have to cram a lot of work into a few days while getting ready to speak in Colombia.

I don’t want you to think that I’m complaining. I’m content and grateful to have these opportunities. I love the life I live now and wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. The point of this post is to help you see that while you may look at the things I’m doing and want the opportunities, they come at a price.

We All Have Grass

Each of us has our set of challenges we all have to deal with. Each of us faces different struggles at different levels of our dream-chasing journey. You already know all of this. You already know that the people who end up being successful find a way to move past the struggles. Yet, the struggles—the challenges and the trials—somehow derail too many dream chasers.

Success creates freedom and the opportunity to make an impact—that’s a beautiful benefit. But, to get there (and once you get there) the problems don’t go away. You will have a whole new set of issues to deal with, and they will make you want to quit what you’re doing.

On Monday, I hit that point. I was overwhelmed with all the trainings I was doing. I was overwhelmed by the distance from the woman I love. I was tired of being in a place where English isn’t the primary language. I was frustrated at the amount of email I had and all the things on my to-do list. I called Delta and changed my flight to leave Panama on Monday—two weeks earlier than planned. I just couldn’t deal with it anymore.

Today, I’ve calmed, but I can see it’s an adjustment and a part of this journey. I still feel tight and like I could snap at any moment. I’ve been listening to music, I’ve been getting advice from my mastermind group, and I’ve been focused on doing one thing at a time. It’s helped me move forward towards the goals I’ve set for this year.

Wherever you are, whatever you’re facing, know that you CAN get through it. You can create a plan that leads to you accomplishing your goals. You can overcome the challenges and setbacks, and you can even overcome what happens when you reach a certain level of success. There’s a whole world of lessons and opportunities waiting for you. I hope you take advantage–especially this year.

What are some challenges you are currently facing?

 

4 Business Strategies That Seem Important But Aren’t

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As entrepreneurs, we’re always looking for strategies that will help our business experience explosive growth. We’re looking for an edge that can help us stand out from everyone else. For entrepreneurs today, those strategies are freely available through the access we have to knowledge through the Internet.

If there’s something you want to know more about, you simply have to Google it. Somebody, somewhere has written, podcasted or made a video about what you’re trying to learn. However, just because the information is available doesn’t mean it will help you and your specific situation.

There are four business strategies, but in reality, there are a lot more that won’t help your business grow. These strategies have the danger of sidetracking you from what would help your business reach the benchmarks you’ve set.

1. Making connections with influencers and industry leaders.

In the past, connecting with an influencer was one way to build your business quicker. Influencers tend to have large networks and their endorsement meant instant exposure for your business. Often, we would read about the “Oprah effect” and wanted an experience like that for our business.

The problem is that the Oprah effect—or connecting with an influencer—is the exception, not the rule. Influencers today are even busier because of social media. Their email boxes are full, they are flooded with social media messages, and they still have a business to run.

Your chance of breaking through all of that, and making a connection, is pretty slim. But, more than that, you don’t need to connect with an influencer to build your business fast. Everyone else is chasing influencers—let them chase while you focus on better ways of building.

2. Certifications that are specific to an industry or niche.

These days, you can get certified in all kinds of things. It’s not uncommon to run into a “So and so certified coach.” Or a graduate of some class or course you’ve never heard of. These certifications are displayed as if everyone knows what they mean—they don’t.

Those certifications don’t translate beyond that specific niche or industry. If you try to leverage them for bigger opportunities–I hate to break it to you–but you will be disappointed. If you want a certification because it will lead to business in your industry—get it. If your goal is to chase bigger opportunities, go after the social proof that translates beyond the niche.

3. Growing a large social media following.

Every day, you can look at your email or social media messages and find at least one person trying to sell you on their social media marketing services. They tell you that your social media presence isn’t big enough and their service can help you double your growth.

Social media is great as one part of a diverse marketing strategy. It shouldn’t be the end-all, be-all. Sorry social media marketers. The organic reach is low, and social media followers can be purchased. The more important part of the equation is the engagement of your social media following.

4. Always staying “busy.”

There is much “busy work” in entrepreneurship. There is always something to do that seems important. This busy work includes always working on the little things that will distract you. The busy work is great for outsourcing and outsourcing could save you an invaluable amount of time.

Your goal as an entrepreneur is to focus on systems and the bigger picture. You can’t get caught up in distractions. You have to build systems that streamline what your business does and helps it run efficiently without your presence. This has to be bigger than just you—no matter what type of business you run.

Time is a valuable resource because you can’t recover time. If you spend your time chasing strategies that won’t help your business grow, you are losing money. Focus on what will help you where you are—not what others tell you is a good strategy for you. Focus on creating a business that brings you income, flexibility, and freedom to live your life the way you truly want to.

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Photo: Flickr/ Giuseppe Milo

This article originally appeared on Entreprenuer.com.

6 Things You Can Do Every Day to Become a Better Entrepreneur

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Success in entrepreneurship is not an end destination. It’s a daily battle to be your best version of yourself even as you put out information, services and products that help your customers’ lives. It’s a constant work in progress that requires consistent effort. The “laptop lifestyle” version of entrepreneurship exists only in misleading Facebook ads.

Running a successful business means planning for the future. You should have monthly and yearly goals. But, to be successful with those goals requires their daily implementation. Here are six things you can do every day to become a better entrepreneur and one who accomplish all of your biggest goals.

1. Plan each day the night before.

Yeah, I know what you’re thinking: duh. You know that it’s important to plan the night before, yet, many who will read this DON’T. You wake up and “wing it” all day hoping to be productive –and that’s a terrible strategy. To make the most of each day, you need a solid plan.

This plan includes knowing what’s important and what’s a wish. There are things that have to get done and things that can wait. We tend to want to do the easier tasks, but that may be hurting your business. Spend some time each night getting honest about where your focus needs to be.

2. Wake up a little earlier.

What time you wake up is a personal choice, but you should wake up early enough to have some you time. There should be some quiet time each morning to reflect, refresh and get re-energized. You can spend this time meditating, praying and engaging in some physical exercise. Getting your blood pumping and clearing your mind are elements of a formula many successful entrepreneurs use daily.

3. Start your day with positivity.

As you wake up earlier, have a plan for what you will feed your mind with. I’m not going to tell you to avoid email and social media. I am going to tell you to feed your mind with inspirational and motivation content. The specific media isn’t important: podcasts, videos, books, magazines, etc. What is important is to not let negativity ruin your day before it’s even started.

4. Don’t give your time away.

One of the best ways to ruin a productive day is to give into distractions. Distractions come from people and situations that want your time. When you veer away from your plan in order to deal with someone else’s urgent problem, you give up control. Becoming a better entrepreneur starts with planning and sticking to that plan. It also involves having the strength to say no. It stings to hurt people’s feelings, but this is your life and business. So, do what’s right for you.

5. Work on one project at a time.

The myth of multi-tasking as a valid strategy has been around as long as entrepreneurship has, but science has proven it’s not effective.. Instead stick to your plan for the day and take each task one at a time. Give your full attention and energy to making what you’re working on the best it can be. You’re not striving for perfection, but you are striving for excellence.

6. Respect your work-life boundaries.

As entrepreneurs, we are all about pushing hard to hits our goals, but that’s a surefire way to burn out. Some of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs have clear boundaries. You decide ahead of time when you’ll stop “work” and focus on your personal life. You decide not to take business call all hours of the day and night.

There are more than six things to put on this list, of course, but these are a good start. It takes a lot out of you to be a good entrepreneur. It takes focusing on what’s right for you and your customers. It takes putting in the not-so-exciting daily work that leads to success.

Overall, the main goal of entrepreneurship is to create freedom in your life and make an impact in the lives of those whom your business serves. To do that, you need a plan, focus and constant growth both personally and in your business. Set yourself up for success each day, and strive to get better.

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Photo: Flickr/ Lee_Salford

This article originally appeared on Entreprenuer.com.