Let’s be real
Running your own business can be highly rewarding, but also bloody tough! We have to wear so many hats: accountant, social media manager, events manager, sales team, designer, marketing manager, business development manager, analyst… the list goes on. So, with all this hat juggling going on, is it any wonder that sometimes we feel overwhelmed, lost, confused and generally a bit bogged down in our own bullshit? Is it any wonder that we often think “I need some help!”
Give yourself permission
Taking a step back and getting a really honest view of your business is hard. We don’t have time or we don’t have the motivation or we’ll do it next month or we’re too busy… and quite frankly sometimes we just don’t WANT to lift the lid and see what might be lurking in there. So it’s important to take a beat when you’re struggling and acknowledge that asking for help is 100% a healthy, positive decision for your business. Give yourself permission to pull back the curtains, have a really good look and figure out what you need to do to move yourself and your business forward. Give yourself permission to ask another human being for help. Remember: in business, this is not a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of strength!
OK I’m ready - where do I start?
STEP ONE: get really freakin clear on exactly what it is you want to change. There are lots of ways you can do this, for example:
a good old-fashioned SWOT analysis (listing out your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats)
think about what you want your life to look like in a 2 or 5 years time and what you might need to change within yourself or your business to get there
reconnect with your ‘why’ - you started your business because you had an idea and you worked your socks off to bring that idea to life, so it’s important to revisit this and check-in
alternatively, make a list of everything you don’t want in your life, then flip it around to understand what you do want!
STEP TWO: establish what 'success' would actually look like to you. If you found the perfect person to work with and spent time and money with them, what outcome would you be looking for within yourself, as well as your business? What would you like to feel, do, achieve or speak about differently? Write down what that version of you and your business looks like, so you know exactly what change would look like for you.
STEP THREE: now you know what you want to achieve and why, it’s time to think about what sort of person is going to help you make that happen. What’s important to you when you work with someone? What qualities do you value? What sort of experience or qualifications really matter? How do you want that person to make you feel? Rather than focusing on what someone might call themselves, or the services they offer, try to imagine what sort of working relationship is going to serve you best. Is it someone super professional that takes everything off your hands, or someone collaborative that you can have a good laugh with? (I fit into the second camp, in case you’re wondering!).
STEP FOUR: go out and start looking for the right person to help you! Talk to people in your network, browse social media, type your problem into Google and see what comes up. Honestly the words coach, mentor, consultant, mogul, expert etc are used pretty interchangeably these days, rightly or wrongly! Try not to worry about what people are calling themselves and instead look for people who are talking about the exact problem you have and painting a picture that aligns with your vision of what ‘success’ would look like. Side note: avoid the like the plague anyone who promises anything that sounds unrealistic to you. It’s key to trust your gut at this point.
Time to flip the script
Now it’s time for the fun bit: interviewing your perfect partner in crime. Contact people that interest you and notice how you feel when you reach out them for a chat, or what happens when you ask them about their services, or book a call. Tune into your instincts and filter out people who give off bad vibes. When you find yourself on an actual sales call with someone you’re excited about, remember that this call is NOT about them selling to you, it’s about them LISTENING to you. Don’t forget it’s also your opportunity to put questions to them! I highly recommend behavioural questioning as it will give you an instant barometer of how honest they are and how good they are at what they do. These kinds of questions might look terrifying but any good “expert” worth their salt shouldn’t struggle to answer them! Try questions like:
tell me about a time when you failed a client - what happened and what did you learn from it?
tell me about a time someone gave you a tough piece of feedback - what was it and how did you react?
tell me about a time you had to keep asking ‘why’ to understand a client’s real problem?
tell me about a time you had to change your approach half way through a project or client engagement - why did you do it and what did you change?
And the golden rule? If you don’t feel seen, heard and understood, then bail out my friend. If you feel like you’ve found the person that ticks all your boxes, then go for it! If you’ve done your homework then I promise you won’t regret it.
Need some help?
Honestly, a lot of coaching, mentoring and consulting is going to provide you with similar information, support and value. The key thing is that you feel a connection to the person you decide to work with. That’s why I offer a free call if you’re thinking about working with me, so that we can have a natter, get to know each other and understand if we’re a good fit. And if we’re not that’s totally cool, I know a bunch of awesome coaching and mentoring types so I can mostly likely refer you on to someone who is totally your cup of tea. If you’d like to shoot the shit, have a laugh and chat all things marketing and strategy, just hit the button below to get in touch. I can’t wait to hear from you.