by LORI A MCNEIL
AUTHOR, SPEAKER, BUSINESS COACH, INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS STRATEGIST
It begins with a thought. That thought grows inside. You have an idea. You want freedom. You desire to be the master of your own destiny. You are an entrepreneur. It sounds flashy. It looks luxurious. The call beckons you. Something inside you says, “I can do this” and off you go. Sound familiar?
Many entrepreneurs begin their journey this way. They step into their passion project (others call self-employment) only to feel flustered or feel like a failure. What sets the seemingly successful entrepreneurs apart from those barely getting by is not motivation, money, or mastery. It is found in the SETUP. The foundation that a person has when they enter the entrepreneurial space is what separates the two. There is not one building that goes up that remains up without a solid foundation. This same principle exists in business. The strength of your foundation will demonstrate (or predict) the strength of your business. Regardless of the subject, we could be discussing intellectual property, content, products, or services, the foundation that each is built upon will be the driving factor of success. Let’s explore how to SET UP your business to become a successful entrepreneur and have a sustainable business.
WHAT IS THE SETUP?
The SET UP is your thought process for building your business. It is thinking about Sustainability, Ethics, and Time management by Understanding Priorities. Let’s unpack these essentials.
Beyond thinking about the value, a business brings or the problem that you solve for others, your business will not survive if it is not created to be sustainable.
Sustainability is about positioning. What occurs inside the head of many entrepreneurs is this belief that ‘I have all the answers’ which, in the realm of confidence is absolute, but in the day to day can freeze and even polarize a business. Remaining open to potential and possible pivots in business requires the ability to see beyond today. This is where business planning comes into play.
A business with a plan and a destination will move. The benefit of having a plan is that along the journey you can pivot. I have heard it said that the plan is to get to the destination, not to follow the plan. Imagine driving from point A to point B on the freeway. In the event of an accident, you may have to take an alternate route, or you may sit in traffic for a while. Taking an alternate path will still get you to your destination, and although it may seem long it may just be a better path.
Sustainability demands an open mind. You may have the perfect plan to help someone. Remaining open to possibilities while having a plan keeps you focused and able to pivot. Your Ethics is what guides you along the journey towards sustainability. Ethics can be a tricky road to take. On the surface, they appear simple, easy, like a compass that directs you down the correct path. However, in business ethics regularly shift (or change) to fit the destination. Here is where the foundation can easily crack, and even though it may take years to break through, a foundation set upon movable ethics will falter. Too often we do not spend enough time flushing out our ethics. Occasionally it is because we tend to live them every single day, so it doesn’t feel like it needs to be a long discussion yet filtering what is important to you through various business situations proves well worth the time. This is where mentors and coaches come into play. Having someone who can speak into your life with total clarity and with unbiased lenses can help dig quicker, deeper, and thoroughly so that your foundation remains strong.
The third key in the SETUP process is the awareness of Time. Time management is crucial. For years, the buzz phrase of ‘worklife balance’ has been debated, deliberated, dialogued, discussed, debunked, and defended. Balance is relative. Balance is more of incorporating work and life together. A better word would be integration (thank you Les Brown). This is the vital ingredient for managing time. We know that time is the only commodity we cannot replace. Rather than spending countless hours determining which day and time to work, to be with family, let alone the myriad of emotions that encompass those thoughts such as guilt, shame, failure, solitary, loneliness; integrate. That mindset shift births the freedom to think in greater terms. Let’s be honest, we could spend all day every day at home or work because there is always something that needs to be done. Finding the right time management tactics that work the best for you will almost eliminate negative emotions and thoughts around time. Learning to not take things personal helps objectify time. When we take a moment to look at something objectively, we often see what changes need to be made clearer and make them quicker.
Put differently, Understanding Priorities creates a near-perfect construction for business. What is a top priority today may not be the top priority tomorrow. Living with this angle gives way to freedom. The freedom to chose and create. A project with specific deadlines will have greater priority than creating your media plan, for example. Both are important, both are crucial, however, if your priority is the media plan, but your clients/customers’ priority is the project, one must give. Here again, what seems like a simple concept has perplexed many. Often, I am asked about managing time, setting priorities, or daily routines. I share mine with the caveat that what works for me may not work for you, but the principles of what works… works.
FROM SET UP TO SHOW UP
Everything we just discussed was about setting up your business which specifically creates proper positioning. The wrong approach can create chaos. Chaos creates consequences. When positioned correctly, your business can expand, thrive, and continue. Your ability to nourish your business sprouts from strategic planning that originates through creative responses over charged reactions. With a foundation in place, the focus can turn to show up. Showing up after setting up produces presence. This strategy has proven itself time and time again. This is often referred to as the art of preparation. The better prepared we are for something, the easier it is to maintain awareness towards it. Awareness establishes thoughts. FROM THE BEGINNING
The beginning of anything we create originates from our thoughts. The actions we take, the words we say, the habits we create, the businesses we build, the relationships we desire, the success we work towards, all are birthed inside of our minds. It is the one place where what we create is ours. This intellectual property is what defines us, it is what, publicly showcases our unique creative abilities. The business world is a great place to develop and expand ideas into careers and platforms. Certainly, some people attempt to take what is not theirs, however, that should not stop anyone from living out their dreams. The business world, especially for entrepreneurs is carved perfectly for those with similar paths to be successful. Look at coaching, whether business, life, career, or relationships, countless opportunities exist to create your own platform. The “what” factor that contributes to the ability to be unique as an entrepreneur is how each one views sustainability, ethics, and time by understanding (and leveraging) priority level thinking. ~Lori McNeil
Lori McNeil is a Author, International Speaker, Media Strategist, International Business Coach. She is a strong passionate, influencer who leads people in building a Legacy for themselves and their business.
Lori is a advocate for worthwhile causes, such as literacy, supporting troops abroad, entrepreneurs, and other individuals and organizations to find and get on their path to success.
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