Shake That Feeling Of Doing Things Wrong For A Profitable Small Business
Ever feel like you’re having more days where your day runs you instead of you running your day? Well, then, this post is going to help you get a little leg up on the day and start taking small steps toward better outcomes and a more profitable small business.
As a small business owner it’s easy to feel like we are doing things wrong and blame ourselves for not getting the results we want in our businesses. However, I’ve found (and tons of research supports this) that you can do a lot ‘wrong’ and still build a profitable small business when you focus on just a few important things.
Your Number 1 ‘To Do’ Is Done First Thing…
Whether you are running a flourishing small business or still developing a side-hustle into something you want to do full time, this one is key to long-term success. Set aside a block of time in the morning – whether it’s before you begin your regular work day or the first block of that work day.
This is when you do your top 1-3 things on your list for the day. Make those sales calls. Follow up with your best prospects. Create a killer piece of content. Whatever it is – do it in the morning while your creative juices are flowing freely.
Be Selfish
This one is especially important for women. As a female entrepreneur, I know all too well the problem of over-committing and having almost nothing left for ourselves. This is so common for mom who have a business.
Here’s the deal – be selfish. Now, hear me out. This isn’t the lock-the-door-to-the-bathroom-and-ignore-the-kids-while-you-drink-wine-in-the-bath kind of selfish (although, that has its place). I’m talking about simply taking care of yourself.
This usually starts with learning to say no a whole lot more. If the request isn’t necessary for your family or supporting a job or business outcome, say no. A friend of mine says, “If it’s not a ‘heck yeah,’ it’s a firm no.”
Taking care of yourself allows you to take better care of your family and your business. Start with the simple things. Get enough sleep at night (at least 7 hours is recommended for most adults), drink enough water, eat healthy foods and move around a little. Keep it simple.
Practice Praise and Gratitude
We are simply bombarded with negativity from every angle these days. News, fake news, politics, face politics. It’s crazy how crazy things are.
What we absolutely don’t have enough of is praise. Say ‘thank you’ (and ‘please’ for that matter). Acknowledge when someone does something nice, even small things. Expressing praise to another person makes us a little happier as well.
And gratitude? Well, many researches find that practicing gratitude can have the single biggest impact on our lives. Appreciate what you have. Find 3 things for which you can express gratitude every single day. I like doing this first thing in the morning… it works great at night, too.
What does this have to do with building a profitable small business? Well, isn’t that something for which you’d express gratitude? I thought so…
‘Fake It Til You Make It’ Isn’t Wrong
Ugh! How many times have I heard someone express short-sighted opinions on this one. Here’s the deal. When done ‘properly,’ this works great.
This does NOT mean you should pretend you’ve achieve things you have not or reached milestones you have not. Don’t make stuff up. Period.
It does mean you should come from a place of confidence and work on your self-belief every morning and night. Many people say ‘pray as though it is until it becomes’ should actually be ‘behave as though it is until it becomes.’
This simply means that you should start BEING and BEHAVING like the person who has achieved the outcomes you want in your business. Show up like you deserve to have the business you want. I know, I know… we’re getting a little woo-woo, but as my friend Gemma says…it’s “Practical Woo.” And it works.
Systems Rule Goals
Nearly every business owner I work with was taught to set goals and work toward them. Well, I do things a little differently.
Goals are great. It’s smart to write them down for the year, quarter and month.
Then you have to break that down into the behaviors that will produce the goals.
That’s where the magic happens.
If your goal is a more profitable small business, then this is important. Moving from mid-four figures per month to five figures per month doesn’t happen because you wrote down a goal. It happens because you implemented a system of behaviors to predictably create that outcome in your business.
It’s not sexy, but it works like crazy.
Look at how you go about your business practices day in and day out. See if you can find areas for a 1% to 2% change or improvement. That’s how things change over time. That’s how you build a solid business.
Conclusion
When you spend most of your life being a good student, over-achiever and corporate glass-ceiling-buster, it’s hard to shift into an entrepreneurial mindset and embrace a path to true success and happiness in a business created by you.
I meditate (almost) every day. I do my best to stay on track with food and water and exercise. Taking care of myself helps me make sure I will be around for a long time for my family.
It took a few years to figure these things out and shift out of the employee-driven, corporate mindset that had served me so well for 20+ years. I’m hoping this article will help you get there a little faster.
Suggested Reading:
How To Fail At Almost Everything And Still Win Big by Scott Adams
What are your best tips for persevering even when you feel like things aren’t going your way? Join the conversation with a comment below…
Cheers!
Penny
