ONE top business tip for exponential growth
As a service based business owner, you’re no doubt committed to providing the highest possible level of service to your clients and students. This is of course at the forefront of your mind (or at least it should be!) And lead you to ask yourself questions such as ‘how does this message/program/service meet the need of my ideal client?’
The likelihood is that this isn’t something you need to be reminded of. It’s highly likely that if you’re reading this, you’re the sort of person who frequently thinks about how your work actually makes a difference.
For a moment, I also want you to think about something else and it’s likely not to come as naturally to you…
I want you to think about how your business is serving YOU.
Gasp. ‘How selfish, how UN service like’ – you might find yourself thinking/saying.
But you really need to hear this out…
Yesterday, when I was about to embark on the business tasks of my day after having a lovely coffee with a friend and then getting excited about the fact I’d found a new place to work locally to me – I just stared at the blank flashing cursor on my screen. I felt 100% uninspired and kind of ‘nothingy’. Of COURSE I had stuff to do (helloooo new mastermind opening in a little over 2 weeks!) BUT I just wasn’t feeling great about doing it.
Being a mature adult (most of the time) and someone who tries not to be swayed by my own feelings (most of the time), I HAD to get to the bottom of why I felt the way I was feeling. So, with blank cursor staring at me judgementally, I wrote…
“Okay Naomi, so what do you want?”
And from there, I deciphered why I was feeling the way I did by just replying to my own question. Suddenly, the cursor wasn’t so accusatory and the page wasn’t so blank. The ‘issue’ I uncovered?
Pretty much everything on my current business to-do list involves the stuff that doesn’t energise me.
‘Oh poor you, Naomi.’ I can hear you from here, and I know, I know #FirstWorldProblems. But lean in and listen for a sec…
You will TRULY thrive and grow – which means you’ll be more energised, more courageous, more creative, more productive & lots more besides – when you’re excited about what you’re doing and gain some sense of fulfillment from the task at hand.
This is the 70:30 concept – a key tool which is focused on in the leadership development program I’ve just been certified in (5 Voices). This is something I go into much more depth with during my mastermind.
But essentially, the 70:30 concept addresses the fact that if you can spend 70% of your time doing what energises you, you will actually CREATE the energy for the 30%’s worth of activity which you find frustrating, de-motivating, or just plain boring.
My to do list was looking like 70:30 – but the wrong way around.
You see the things which really energise me in my business are:
Creativity – I LOVE creating new programs, writing messages and teaching new content.
Client Results – When clients and students talk about shifts they’ve made in their lives and businesses as a result of doing the work I’ve taught/created/coached them through – I am SO lit up.
Sales – I’m one of those strange entrepreneurs who actually enjoy sales and don’t find them awkward. I know that someone investing in what I’ve created is worthwhile when they put the work in, and I therefore get excited about the prospect of supporting someone new when they invest in themselves.
Yesterday, most of what I had to do involved back end tech stuff with my membership site and my mastermind and I just felt uninspired by the whole idea.
So naturally, I decided that IN ORDER to energise me for that stuff (my 30%), I’d write this blog first because –creativity! And here I am… Next up, checking in on the videos and work which the amazing ladies in my 4-week program ‘Bountiful’ are dropping into the group because – client transformation. And perhaps I’ll make a sale today too. We’ll see… but two out of three isn’t bad either way, ey?
Now, does the tech side of things need to be done? Of COURSE it does. And this is where me and the ‘ONLY EVER do the stuff which lights you up’ people disagree. Because do you know what? Sometimes, you have to roll up your sleeves and do the work.
The difficult work, the less fun work, the boring work.
You can outsource it, of course. That’s what I do some of the time. But there are other times when it’s down to me, or it won’t get done.
If you’re in a place where you’re resistant to some of the work you’re meant to be doing in your business – ask yourself whether any of your current tasks are on the right side of your 70%. What can you do right now to energise you for the 30% you might need to get on with later?
Shortly, I’ll be going back to the back end/sales page/membership site techy stuff which I know needs to be done next, but I’ll be approaching it in a totally different way having done the ‘fun’ stuff first. That’s the blessing of working for yourself – you get to structure HOW you work. But please don’t be fooled, you still have to work.
Want to dive deeper into essential leadership tools like the 70:30 method and more. Join my mastermind by clicking the link below and let’s do this together…
The world is waiting for your work.
By the way… If you know you’re ready to finally draw a line in the sand as far as hanging out at hobby status or side hustle goes, I have just the thing. My ‘What’s in Your Hand’ live workshop has been created to empower you with the skillset and mindset you need in order to bring your God-given mission to life using the very gifts, skills & talents you already possess. You’ll walk away with a 4-week action plan and will be ready to get going immediately. To learn more and to register for next week’s workshop, click HERE.