Yesterday I ran into an entrepreneur I know, and I thought of you..
This entrepreneur started her coaching/consulting business around 5 years ago, focusing on messaging and storytelling for businesses and entrepreneurs.
She had a ton of private and corporate clients – including Google and other “big” clients. She got great press in big business magazines, NY Times, NPR news, and more. She was clearly doing pretty well!
For a while.
I bumped into her a few times over the last year, and each time, she seemed more and more discouraged, depressed and negative. Super low vibe.
She told me her business slowed down. A LOT. As in no money left, in major debt and fell into a depressive, negative, fear-based, hopeless state … a lot.
I found this to be strange as I know many coaches/consultants who focus on the same “messaging” niche, and they’re thriving and growing their 6-7 figure businesses!
So was it really that business just suddenly slowed?
Well, here is my theory as to what went wrong with her business based on what I observed the last 5 years:
(1) She never focused on building and engaging her community…her own tribe. I only received around 1-3 emails a year from her biz, and they were usually just announcements, events, or selling me something.
I never got emails getting to know her or hear her stories. I never got any tips or advice that would help my business or my life. I never heard any of her client stories. I was not engaged. I actually forgot that she and her services existed CONNECTION. IS. KEY.
(2) She got too comfortable for too long, and did not create and execute on any future growth plan. She could have expanded in so many ways, but instead she relied on something that worked well for a while 3-4 years ago. YOU MUST STEP OUTSIDE YOUR COMFORT ZONE TO GROW.
(3) She fell behind her competition who had built their communities, grew their mail lists, knew how to engage their tribes, and give them useful content. So her competition was wayyyy more “top of mind” to both old and potential clients. GIVING = RECEIVING.
(4) Because of 1-3 above, she didn’t have enough new potential clients in her pipeline. No pipeline, NO CLIENTS, NO MONEY.
(5) She did not have any guidance from someone who knew business, who’s done it before, who could guide her along. She had no one helping or holding her accountable. GET HELP, STAY ACCOUNTABLE.
(6) She was a first-time entrepreneur who “winged it” alone, and rode the waves of her “lucky success”. But without any help, accountability or growth plan in place, waves and you both crash. DON’T “WING IT” ALONE.
(7) She didn’t work on herself, her mindset or her personal growth. This is the most important step that left her in the dust. She was mentally and spiritually stagnant. YOUR BIZ ONLY GROWS AS MUCH AS YOU DO.
Whenever I saw her, I helped her and gave tips that helped me, my clients and other successful entrepreneurs. I also suggested she work with a business coach. Not just me.. I gave other great biz coaches, including my own.
She said she “didn’t have the money”.
But the truth is she didn’t want to invest in her biz and herself… and she “didn’t have the money” because she DIDN’T KNOW HOW TO MAKE MONEY!
I showed her how to see “spending money” from a real entrepreneur’s perspective — successful, wealthy people see “spending money” as investing into their business and it’s growth.
Invest $X so you can learn how to make 100 x $X! A no brainer.
When I saw her yesterday, she was in such a bad mental state I suggested she stop working on everything and ONLY WORK ON HER MIND. I said this:
“Your energy and your words are coming from a place of fear, worry and distress. I understand, and I know it’s hard… but being angry and negative does not work when you’re trying to save/grow your biz and get clients.”
Coming from a fear-based negative energy state actually repels clients and money from coming to you. People feel your low-vibe energy.
Improving your mind and feeling state should be on the very top of your To Do list!
30-70 minutes of daily meditation, writing and reading helpful books to get into a better, more clear, happier, higher energy mental state will be 1000x more beneficial to you than doing 30-70 minutes worth of ‘work’.”
Does any of her story sound familiar to YOU??
I would hate to see you like this in a few years.
I have soooo many clients who come to me after 2-4 years of “winging it”, but not making much money.
They buy online programs, pay for downloads, listen to webinars, videos, podcasts, read articles… but they have no idea how to create and truly IMPLEMENT A GROWTH PLAN.
I want you to know there is a better way than “winging it” on you own… you do not have to go broke and suffer like my friend.
Your gifts, services and your future are wayyyy too important to wing it, depend on luck, or hope for the best…