I never imagined 3 years ago the places I would go, the people I would meet. All I know is that I kept my mind and heart open to new friendships, opportunities, clients. The most important lessons that I have learned in 3 years can be summed up as:
Your ideas may will change.
Your customer avatar may will change.
Your website may will change
(Hey, I may know a thing or two about that! Hello, website #3).
Start.
Somewhere.
Anywhere.
Write the first words on the screen.
Write your first sales page.
Hit publish.
Don’t wait for it to be ‘epic’.
That amazing idea/product/service?
It’s only amazing when you execute it. You won’t know until you try. Keep a notebook of ideas but make sure to come back and revisit often.
Domain names and all that jazz.
You will get stuck and then unstuck and then stuck again. Try to be forward thinking and get something that you can grow with. Preferably your name. If some up-and-coming actress with the same name beat you to it, don’t let that stop you. Just blame your parents for not thinking of a more unique name (seriously, parents-to-be, register your child’s name as a domain name..they’ll thank you later). PICK something.
Blog themes.
There are a lot to choose from. Choose one and move on. Seriously. Because chances are 6 months from now you will change your mind. Websites are a constant work in progress. Strive for progress not perfection.
Back to that idea.
Keep it short and simple. Minimal viable product. No clue what I’m talking about? Here’s a podcast episode and a blog post and another one. There’s a lot that goes into creating something. Keep it simple.
Start before you are ready.
You don’t have to have everything lined up before you pull the trigger. And if you make a mistake? As long as you’re not dead or haven’t killed anyone..it’s not the end of the world. Product launches fail. Things don’t get sold out. That’s the unsexy reality of entrepreneurship and it happens more often than people let on.
It’s normal to look.
Check out what other people are doing in your industry. But don’t fall into the trap of comparisionitis. Their client list, their website, it’s their STORY. Be inspired but when the inspiration turns to desperation and defeat..turn inwards. Remember YOUR WHY. And work on creating your story.
You don’t have to do this alone.
Connect with awesome people. Join a mastermind. Join communities. Surround yourself with like-minded, action-takers who will push you higher and bring you that much closer to your goals.
Speaking of goals. Have goals.
And keep them where you can see them. Goals in a word document don’t get accomplished. And they don’t have to be huge. Revisit often and track your wins and failures. Weekly/monthly..break them down into doable pieces.
Say YES!
You never know what is behind door #3.
Remember your WHY
Some days you’ll find it hard and question your WHY. But think back to when you were in a cubicle (and looking for a way out) and the hustle will be all worth it.
Be of service.
Provide value.
You will dislike some clients
and love others but you won’t know until you try that website design and project management may not be your thing.
Hang out with people outside your niche.
It’s eye opening that not everyone thinks about or talks about your products and services the same way you do.
Do things that scare you
Whether that is a podcast, webinar or on-stage speaking (or something else) because it really is when you step outside of your comfort zone that the magic happens and you start to grow.
YOU are an EXPERT.
If you are 5 steps ahead of the people you are helping that makes you an expert. Just don’t go calling yourself a ninja/rockstar/guru. If you have to ask why, I can’t help you. Sorry.
Don’t undervalue your expertise
You’ve honed your craft. Think of the time you are saving your customers because they don’t have to go through the learning process. Charge accordingly. (See above point).
Toot your own horn
If you don’t, who will?. As a non-horn tooter for the looooongest time I’ve gotten better at this over the years. It gets easier. Be classy. #HumbleBrag
Connect.
Go on Skype Dates/Google Hangouts with other awesome entrepreneurs.
Hire a VA.
Don’t try to be wonderwoman or superman. That whole working in vs on your business. It’s a real thing. STOP while you’re ahead. Tweaking your blog post and SEO keywords is not where you should be spending all your time. Once you know what you have to do, delegate it.
Schedule it.
Put in on the calendar. If it ain’t scheduled. It’s not happening. Even gym time.
Don’t have self-control?
There’s an app for that. If you find yourself spending wasting all your time on social media….set boundaries.
Put your head down.
And do the work. To do lists don’t get done by themselves. Put blinders on, put your head down and focus. Shiny object syndrome is a thing and will rear its head more often than not. Check alignment with your goals.
Hang out IRL
Plan time to be out of the office and meet real people. And have fun. It’s easy to forget when you think you need to be hustling. all. the time.
A little ice cream is good every now and then.
Treat yourself. Celebrate small and big wins. It’s easy to forget and look to the next big challenge but every small thing adds up.
And finally, have fun.
I’d love to hear in the comments, your BIGGEST lesson learned so far!
Cathy Ballard supports conscious and spiritually aware entrepreneurs, who know they’re here to make a bigger difference in the world, to step into their power and get clear about what makes them uniquely special and valuable. She helps them package their brilliance, attract their ideal clients, and make the inner transformation necessary to create a profitable business that’s aligned with their life purpose and supports their hopes and dreams. Connect with her on Twitter @CathBallard
