I don’t know about you, but remembering the early days of my business feels like remembering my teenage years. I can’t help but cringe and feel incredible compassion for the person I was back then and the challenges I had to work through. I certainly wouldn’t want to go through it again!
…My first year in business was chaotic and painful.
I used to work round the clock, but my to-do list never got any shorter. I started to doubt I could ever build a business that would support my family.
I spent thousands of dollars on online programs, but there was never enough time to actually immerse myself in them so that I could reap their benefits.
Everything seemed urgent. Everything seemed important.
My brain was constantly in overload. It couldn’t absorb any more information, so I’d go do dishes, wash windows, or scrub the bathroom. Our apartment was getting cleaner and cleaner, but my business was making very little progress.
Eye-opening conversation with my coach Tara McMullin
I promised myself not to buy another course unless I go through it as if my life depended on it. That life-altering course became Tara McMullin’s coaching program 10 Thousand Feet.
One day I told Tara: “I don’t know what advice to follow anymore. There are so many brilliant marketers out there, but I resist implementing their tips because everyone is trying to teach me how to build a massive following. But “massive” is not my thing. I want small, intimate, collaborative.”
Tara’s response: “Then, why don’t you build that?”
Wait, say what? I can design a business based on the way I love to work with clients and my values?
I don’t know why I needed Tara’s permission to build a business I really enjoyed running, but spotting and letting go of “proven” systems that were misaligned with how I worked and my values became my thing. And not just for myself, but for my clients too.
Entering the freedom lane
I got rid of the tried-and-true methods that were supposed to skyrocket my business but didn’t ring true to me.
Now I was streamlining what was working on and focusing the rest of my attention on the customer I wanted to work with.
I was determined to structure my business and my offerings in a way that supported my own goals and values, as well as the goals and values of my clients.
It felt absolutely amazing not having to rely on other people’s formulas.
Best systems come from within
Not surprisingly, that’s what makes my approach to streamlining my clients’ systems and processes so effective now—(re)building my clients’ systems around how they work and what works for them instead of imposing on them systems that work for others.
Setting up systems is about getting rid of complications, not adding to it. It’s about being vigilant about what works for you / your best customers and what doesn’t.
If you’d like to have a sounding board or someone who can ask you the right questions to reveal the systems that truly supports your business, let’s talk!
