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MenuHow to get out of the shell, to stop thinking "do I really can?" and start making things I've ever wanted, like expand my business?
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In my experience there are two things that hold an entrepreneur back from taking action...
But before you read them please understand that EVERYONE experiences these things in their life at one time or another. So this is NOT a judgment call but simply an observation.
Realize that if you react defensively to either of these (more likely to happen if you are stuck due to the first one) then you may just need to "take a step back" from your situation to be able to assess things less emotionally.
Ready... Here are the 2 things that hold most entrepreneurs back:
1. Fear - If you are worried that you will fail or that you aren't "ready yet" or you are literally paralyzed because you "don't know where to start" and feeling overwhelmed - then this could be why you are stuck.
2. Complacency - If you are comfortable where you are and If you have the calm attitude of "I'll get to it tomorrow..." then this might be the reason you are stuck.
To move past these roadblocks try the following:
1. Find your "Reason Why". Re-visit your personal goals and reconnect with why you are doing this. Get excited by your future - so much so that it pulls you towards it. Include your personal goals - like the financial and time freedom you will accomplish and what that will mean to your life. And make sure it's more than just about you... Why will the world (aka the world of your customers and clients) be a better place because of what you do?
2. Inventory your strengths and resources. What are you great at and passionate about? What resources do you have available to you that give you the edge? What could you start doing TODAY that would both begin to move you towards your goal AND that excites you to be able to do?
If you found these tips to be helpful - let me know how else I can help. Perhaps you need some guidance on how to put together your business model or your marketing plan or to simply create a business that replaces your current "job income" so you can REALLY get to work building a business that creates financial and time freedom for you!
In any case - I wish you massive success!
This is a typical question for those who have yet to venture into operating a business, assuming the business you mentioned is profitable and without shrinking demand you should already feel comfortable to operate it and expand it because growing a business, except for pivoting and or seeking investments, is really nothing more than hiring more sales people, putting in more hours, being friendlier to your customers.
Obviously each of these implies its own "to-do" lists but you can start tackling it with follow up calls, end of work surveys, referral discounts, offering limited time only options, match competitor prices, etc...
I hate to say this, but many questions are better asked over the phone and better explained and results. Give me or any applicable person here a call and let's talk about your business in particular and what approach can help you change your mindset by applying easy to track changes into your business :)
I've seen that syndrome over a hundred times while mentoring and teaching courses and everything can sum up in a single term: Motivation.
The low level of motivation is the reason for you to keep asking that question without taking action.
Lack of motivation is caused by different factors, and could be tackled with different actions. The easiest way to fight that is by leaving yourself no choice.
"Just do it", as a popular brand says in their motto. If you work full-time, quit. All of your income should come from your business venture, so you better get that going ASAP.
If everything is too vague, break it into groups and subtasks. Define everything in details and set milestones. Deadlines are always a good motivator. Announce them publicly to everyone - if you count on your name, you better not fail that.
If you are afraid of the competitors, find your unique selling point. Beat them with a killer feature and sell it at your best.
Whenever my mentees or students have doubts, I outline them the alternative. A boring 9-6 job, a mean manager, tedious tasks, lack of progress. Planning in iterations with pressuring deadlines leaves you no time to think of "can I" since you're too busy to execute the plan and progress further.
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The Systems Mindset would work for your personal life. Consider the following quotes from Sam Carpenter's book "Work the System" : "Unhappy people are not in control of their lives because they spend their days coping with the unintentional bad results of unmanaged systems. Happy people are in control of their lives, spending their days enjoying the intentional good results of managed systems." ..."each of us is a system of systems. But here’s the rub: some of them—each of which, always remember, can be visualized as a distinct entity—are headed in oblique directions, confusing our efforts to reach our conscious goals." So basically, we act as Project Engineers who constantly work to tweak and perfect the various systems that make up the various aspects of our lives. To move forward in an integrated manner rather than "firefighting" or constant crisis management. We start this by taking a stance "above and apart" from the issues so that the distance gives us the detachment to study the various systems that we are part of. Think about the 3 main documents that Sam Carpenter talked about in the book which he says is vital for business. These are :- 1. Strategic Objectives 2. Operating principles 3. Working procedures In your personal life, your strategic objectives would be your ultimate purpose or life mission. Operating principles would be the principles you use to make decisions and should be congruent with your strategic objectives. And working procedures would be how you do any specific "thing". For instance, if one of your strategic objectives is to live with integrity, your guiding principle for that would involve asking if a particular action is congruent with your sense of integrity. Then one of the working procedures for your relationships would deal with honest communication. Eg. in your "Late going home" procedure, you might have the following steps : 1. Call spouse 2. Inform true reason 3. Inform what time you can be expected back. "Inform true reason" would be congruent with your objective. You would communicate the true reason and not an excuse. The above is a rather simplistic example but this entire approach can be useful to all areas of our lives even if we don't create detailed working procedures as we would for businesses. This is how the Systems Mindset can be applied to our personal lives. It would help us identify our values and live more in line with them. And to live more effectively and efficiently too.LN
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How do you determine if a business idea is worth pursuing?
You ask the customers, and gauge their level of interest. Better yet, get yourself in front of some customers, and instead of telling them what you make or do, ask them what they need. When you notice that many of them need the same thing, and if it is something you can make or provide, you then have a business idea worth pursing.DF
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How can I smoothly transition from full time worker to self-employment?
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What is the best country to start an online marketing and design business in?
I have registered over 20 companies in the last decade and from my experience I can tell you that every country serves a different purpose. I run a small gambling company that I have registered in Malta due to the legality of online gambling there. I have another company registered in Delaware, whilst my main company is registered in the Netherlands. If your business is only online I would advise you to register it in Europe or if you must in the United States in Delaware/Nevada. Credibility wise I would say that registering your company in Singapore or Malta or Costa Rica, will not benefit you much opposed to say Delaware or The Netherlands. I am available for a call if you need anymore help. I am currently doing a promotion for a one time free 15 minute phone call so just send me a message for the discount code.GS
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Hello! Aside from the typical website platforms, I would recommend using Twitter's hashtags and user handles. Try following and using the ones that your potential prospect or otherwise ideal partners would be following and start sharing about your work, your progress, and outreach for a potential partner. If possible try to be local when doing so. But obviously, some to use include Startups.co, Basecamp, Inc 500, yesPHX, BetaBulls, MPV, Lean Startup, Lean Methodologies, TechCrunch, etc.HV
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