Think
Bigger about Your Business!
When
I ask small business clients what it means to have
a Really Big Vision, imagining the most successful business
they can create, most think initially in terms
of earning a lot of money or prestige.
But more
and more I’ve noticed two significant trends among
women business owners (and some male clients as well). The
first is the desire to achieve a well-balanced, prosperous
life. This includes not just material wealth,
but free time, spiritual fulfillment, a loving and
supportive community and family, physical and emotional
well-being and a business that reflects their passion and
values.
On the
other hand, I’ve run across some who think they need
to sacrifice ambition and big dreams. They rationalize
that accepting little or no profit from their hard work
is okay as long as they like what they do. Recently
I’ve encountered a number of highly creative women
who left the corporate world to start businesses built on
their artistic talent, selling products such as handcrafted
jewelry, purses, scarves, hand painted tiles, clothing etc.
Nine out of ten are barely
breaking even. If you ask them
if they’d like to be wildly profitable they answer
with an enthusiastic “yes!”
So what’s not working?
Most
of us don’t have a Really Big Vision. I spent
years without one. Then miracles occurred as I slowly let
go of that bad habit.
We
allow all kinds of perceived roadblocks to prevent us from
visualizing exactly what our ideal business (and life) could
look like. If we’re uncomfortable
even imagining it, how can we create it?
Close
your eyes and imagine how incredible it would feel, if two
years from today,
you could have the business success and fulfilled life you
truly want.
This
kind of visioning, repeated daily, is a powerfully effective
step in bringing your vision to reality.
 Big
Vision Roadmap is about creating your Biggest Vision for
your business, busting through current roadblocks,
carefully mapping out how to reach your vision and then
relentlessly focusing on following the map until you arrive
at your destination.
Imagine
that you want to drive to a wonderful vacation spot located
hundreds of miles from your home. You’ve
planned this vacation carefully, saved for it, and are tremendously
excited about it. You get in your car and begin the journey.
Oh, there’s just one problem. You don’t
have a map. You know you need to travel
west so you head in a westerly direction and hope you’ll
find it. Sound ridiculous? Yet how many
of us run our businesses without detailed mapping, planning,
measurement, reflection and regular reassessment? Does IBM
do that? I don’t think so. And
how many of us take the quiet time to do the inner work
that will make clear the outer actions we need to take to
manifest the results we want?
Statistically,
50 percent of small businesses fail in the first four years.
Why? In working with scores of small business owners and
in the course of my own experience, the reasons are:
- fear,
- lack
of financing and budgeting,
- “I need
to do everything myself” syndrome,
- lack
of support, lack of confidence,
- lack of knowledge
about running a business (entrepreneurial skill set),
- focusing
on the next sale instead of bottom line profit,
- or limiting
personal habits that slow business growth.
Here’s
what builds a successful business that serves your life
(and not the other way around):
- laser-like
focus,
- motivation,
- passion,
- careful
budgeting,
- extreme self
confidence,
- focused,
savvy marketing,
- strong sales
skills,
- the
ability to delegate,
- self discipline,
- self
knowledge,
- regular inner
focus work,
- excellent
priority based time management,
- sufficient
funds to invest in the business and in expert outside
help,
- the
ability to work through your fears,
- strong business
systems, an ability to take calculated risks and most
important--
- clear,
exciting, well defined goals.
Let’s
get started on your personal Roadmap!
Make
a list of situations you are currently tolerating in your
business that are draining your time or energy.
- Does
anything make you feel overwhelmed?
- Is
there anywhere where you sell yourself short?
- Do
you feel satisfied with what you’ve accomplished
at the end of each workday?
- Would
you like to feel empowered, enervated and full of possibilities?
Take
one minute to download the Big Vision Inner Focus Techniques
Guide from our toolbox. Go to http://www.smartrack.net/BigVisionTool1.htm.
If you can spend just 15 minutes each morning following
this guide, you’ll begin an amazing Big Vision Journey!
Stay
tuned to continue the Journey next month! |
Janis
Pettit is President of SmarTrack which specializes in improving profit,
productivity and life balance through small business growth consulting,
business and executive coaching, workshops and tele-classes. Janis is
co-author of "136 Ways to Market Your Small Business". Her dynamic
Big Vision Roadmap series includes a Mastery Program for Small Business,
Big Vision Marketing, Big Vision Leadership, and an upcoming book. In
addition to owning four successful businesses over the last 18 years,
Janis has worked with scores of small businesses owners and independent
agents, as well as larger Fortune 1000 corporate clients. She hosted her
own TV business talk show in New York, has motivated hundreds of professionals
through public speaking and workshops and her articles on business growth
and marketing have been published both locally and internationally.