By Marion Knaus with Raise the Bar Fitness & Nutrition & Granolala

If someone had warned me that I would experience constant overwhelm with starting a new business, I would have remained employed. The amount of work needed to get a business started, and then keep it running while continuing to work on building the business is incredible.

There are so many things to consider when you have a start-up. If it was only sharing the thing you love to do it would be so easy. However, there are so many supporting jobs and tasks to perform, many of which may not be part of your skill set and often you didn’t expect. A decision needs to be made whether or not you want to take the time to learn each of these new skills. The option of hiring outside services is there, however, they need to be budget-friendly and someone you can work well with.

Second guessing yourself? Check. Dreaming about the next steps in your business? Every night. Battling with tech? Par for the course. Other surprises that pop up? You bet they do.

It all seems never-ending. Just when you think you’ve got a handle on it, something else crops up that needs your immediate attention.

But the day will come when you realize so much of what you’ve been working on is functioning as anticipated. You discover you have fewer tasks to do. The work routine has a schedule. You can focus on building the dream you set out to realize.

It’s a process that takes up so much time and focus. It’s exhausting. It’s uncertain. It can be demoralizing one minute and euphoric the next. But after going through all of that, it’s all worth it. Every single moment.

The post Marion Knaus appeared first on Led Me to This.

By Jamie Allen Bishop with Jamie Allen Bishop Coaching

I opted to turn this prompt into something a little different than the original question. If I could give my younger self a piece of important advice for starting my business, what would it be?

My advice to myself is to CELEBRATE MORE!

You might be thinking, “What do you mean by celebrate more, Jamie?”

I mean look yourself in the mirror and say, “Great job!”

Then, go out and TELL OTHERS!!! Tell them over and over… for days, weeks, even months. Tell them until they ask you to stop. Tell your immediate circle of influence. Tell your neighbors and friends. Tell your community members – cashiers, doctors, hair stylists, fitness instructors, teachers, parents of your kids friends, etc. Shout your successes from the rooftops no matter how small and insignificant you might believe them to be.

Why? You may wonder.

Because your successes are inspiring, and guess who wants to be inspired by your success? Yep! Your next client! S/he is someone who genuinely wants your version of inspiration!

• Celebrate the firsts. Been officially in business for one week? One month? One year? CELEBRATE! Served your first or tenth or one-hundredth client? CELEBRATE! Showcased your first post with a new app design? CELEBRATE! Share every last accomplishment, and you’ll create a loyal and supportive client base.
• Celebrate all your wins in a BIG WAY… publicly, even! Dance around; shout it from the window at the street below; showcase your happiness in a live video; take yourself to a fancy dinner; etc. Celebrate your accomplishments – even the “small” ones. Because lots of small accomplishments strung together are what make GREAT and successful companies.
• Celebrate the new and shiny things… like a new desk or computer… or dollars in the bank… or a super happy client. We all love shiny things! Share them and remember to give yourself a pat on the back for recognizing how important each step of the journey is to you, your family, your colleagues/friends, and your supporters. Investing in yourself and your company is something worth celebrating. Your story inspires others.
• Celebrate the certifications. Education is perceived as valuable. Celebrate supporting yourself in seeking, learning, and implementing something new. Maybe it’s a way of thinking; or a new practitioner tool; or even a class that supported your pleasures – like painting or swimming. Whatever you do to lift yourself up is worth giving yourself kudos. Strike that super(s)hero pose in the mirror! You are awesome!
• Celebrate the implementation of any newfound knowledge. They say the best way to remember what you’ve learned is to do it – take action… then teach it to someone else.
• Celebrate your intuition. When you trust your intuition and it leads you down a beautiful path, celebrate listening to that gut instinct. People love those stories!
• Celebrate the events and collaborations. Featuring your product/service at a vendor fair? Celebrate! Being interviewed or featured in an article? Celebrate! Teaching a class with a friend? Celebrate!
• Celebrate the obstacles/challenges. These are the things that bring us closer to what we want by helping us realize (a) how committed we are to succeeding; and (b) what we do not want. Even obstacles are worth celebrating!

Like attracts like. Just as misery loves company, success LOVES celebration.

CELEBRATE more!

The post Jamie Allen Bishop appeared first on Led Me to This.

By Katja Chen with Joy Through Choices

The most helpful advice I’ve been given when starting my own business was, “Don’t reinvent the wheel.” 

Easier said than done, right? 

We all have this desire to do it our own way, leave our mark, our unique footprint. We don’t want to copy anyone or represent the “been there, done that” category.  Our business is meant to reflect us, our uniqueness, and our difference, right? So we spend a lot of time and money figuring out what sets us apart, how we want to do “our thing”… and we overlook a basic principle: Success leaves clues.  

My mentor told me to find someone who has what I want and then do what they do.  That does not mean regurgitating every word they say or adapting the way they talk, walk or dress.  It means looking at how they structure their day.  How they set priorities and balance their life.  How they handle the mundane part of the business; the action steps and activities that generate revenue.  Once comfortable with that, we can put our own “spin” on it and shape the way we do business, but only then.  

With that, I repeat the advice I was given and the one I’ve shared many times in the past few years:  Don’t reinvent the wheel.  Follow a person who has what you want and do what they do.  Success leaves clues.

Cheering you on!

The post Katja Chen appeared first on Led Me to This.

By Jill Vater with Jianna Studio Designs

“Clarity comes by way of careful thinking.” – Bonnie Christine

As a 15-year entrepreneur with more experience than I will bore you with here, I have a few tidbits of advice I would love to share with a new or up-and-coming entrepreneur. I would love to have had this advice back when I was starting out, and I hope it helps you on your small business journey.

Trust yourself over anyone else’s advice, including my own. Your journey is what led you to this point in your life, and only YOU can decide what’s right for you. That said, when the road to entrepreneurial success is paved with tidbits from those who have achieved what you desire to achieve, success is way faster! That is my wish for you: to get there quickly.

Write a business plan. If you’re not sure where to start, find someone who does and get them to help you. A business plan is a map that will guide you on a defined path. To know where you are going, you must have a way of getting there, and a map can help save time and money.

Set realistic goals. Be specific. Be as clear as possible to provide the structure that sets you up for success. Have three types of goals: realistic, stretch, and “impossible.” Set goals that are well defined and measurable, to include precise amounts of value so you can gauge your level of success.

Evaluate yourself and your business often. To remain relevant, you must keep your goals aligned with your career and your life.

Be time conscious. Always have a deadline. The human experience thrives on dates of when goals/projects need to be completed. If you leave yourself without a deadline, it will take you much longer to achieve a goal.

Be consistent. Take action on a daily basis. Try to do one thing every day to reach your goal and stay focused on your business. Recognize your comfort zones and do what it takes to step outside of it in order to think outside the box. Sometimes all you need is ten seconds of courage to get through whatever is holding you back.

Believe in Yourself. Have confidence in yourself and your self-worth. NEVER EVER UNDERESTIMATE YOUR WORTH. Recognize your value. Understand what your strengths and weaknesses are and use them to your fullest potential.

Follow through with whatever you commit to doing. There’s a reason why Jim Rohn’s saying is so well known, “The fortune is in the follow-up.”

Adjust. You may need to take detours. Everything is not going to happen the way that you have it planned and know you are not alone on this Journey.

Stay positive. A good attitude can get you through some of the most challenging events in your life.

Partnerships matter. Have an accountability partner and a community to help support you and guide you through the rough obstacles you are likely to face. WE ARE BETTER TOGETHER!

“Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.” – Helen Keller

The post Jill Vater appeared first on Led Me to This.

By Cheryl Clark with Clark Strategies

If you could tell someone one thing to watch out for when starting a business, what would it be?

Watch out for amazing opportunities!

Watch out for folks cheering for you that you didn’t even know were watching!

Watch out for having your heart so full that you think it may burst!

Watch out for having a pep in your step and a reason to get out of bed in the morning!

Watch out for every day to feel like a dream and here you are living it!

Watch out …. Yes! 

Watch out!

I have spoken publicly on ‘this’ subject more than once, and I’m glad this topic was suggested so I can write about it.

I hope I am wrong about your experience with the phrase “watch out”, and please know I will be sooo happy to admit it and say out loud “I was wrong”! 

Let me ask you – when you read this prompt, where did your mind automatically go?  Did it go to the sleepless nights?  Money worries?  Where are you getting your next client?  How you already have so much to do and don’t know where to start?  How this entrepreneurial journey is ‘not for the faint of heart’. 

If all of that is true – why are we here doing this?  We see time and again the posts on social media, the conversations in networking meetings, the emails, the memes tell us “grind”, “hard work”, “climb”, “get out of our comfort zone”.  We almost preach and constantly see what a crappy, hard-to-do, journey this entrepreneurial run will be. 

Is it true? 

Truth is, we find what we are looking for.  We see what we are focused on.

I say, ‘flip the script’!  Sure, I could have put down some things I learned along the path that were hurdles, speed bumps, detours, and at times roadblocks that I damn well had to learn to navigate around.  Why share those first?  Why bring immediate attention to those? 

Watch out!  Two words can be a warning or bring about a level of excitement.  Like most things, it’s the energy we put behind the words that bring them meaning. 

So, yes, my friend, “WATCH OUT”.   Watch out because amazing things are on your path and horizon and the view is breathtaking as you walk the journey! 

Watch out.

The post Cheryl Clark appeared first on Led Me to This.

By Suzy Rawlins with Roots and Boots with Suzy Rawlins

Warning! Starting a business could lead to failure.  However, it could also lead to success.  It will definitely lead to lessons learned, networking, relationships being built, and so much more.  It is impossible to know what you are capable of unless you try.  Starting a business will have its trials and tribulations. However, it is 100% worth it.  If starting a business is on your bucket list, go for it.

“Your head is a dangerous neighborhood, don’t go there alone.” – Anonymous

This quote I heard over twenty years ago has always stuck with me.  There are many times in our lives when we are plagued by negative self-talk, but it is one hundred times worse when you are an entrepreneur.  There is no doubt that you can be successful if you believe in yourself and tell yourself that.

Now that you are out of your own head, don’t let the haters and nay-sayers get into your head.  It is inevitable that people will try to discourage you or derail you whenever you step out of your comfort zone and do something different or something out of the ordinary.  It is so common for people to say things that discourage you either due to their fear of starting a business themselves or their belief they are protecting you from failure.

Now that you are ready to get out of your own way, not let anyone stop you, and take the leap of faith, I am here cheering you on as you start your business.  You got this.  The lessons you will learn, the friendships you will make, and the obstacles you will overcome will be worth it.  The journey is one of the most rewarding experiences of your life, so buckle up and get ready for the ride of your life. 

The post Suzy Rawlins appeared first on Led Me to This.

By Sharon Loduca, Real Estate Professional in Ontario, Canada

When starting a business, there are so many things to watch out for. And, just saying “everything” will only serve to overwhelm you. Narrowing it down to one thing is a challenge at best .

One thing though – I’m going with “use your online calendar”. That, right there, would work fine, if I stopped now! This is the ONE thing that will help propel you in the right direction.

Here is my “why”.

Your “Business” has no mercy on your soul! It will consume you. If you let it. Your business can be a tool that allows you to live the life you want, or it can become your life.

No matter how much you LOVE your business. No matter how much you love your clients. Your product. The results you get. The money you make. Even your business needs “boundaries”.

Take time to think about all the things that are important to you: Family. Outings. Pickleball. The gym. Hiking. Clubbing. Hiking. Zen time. Feeding the birds. Study time. Sleep.

I’m a widowed mom who spearheaded three youngins into adulthood. I run my own business. And I love every bit of it. I am invested. Focused. Energetic (mostly). However, I found I wrestled with the amount of time I invested in business. I struggled with consistently being available for quality time outside of it. I would find myself exhausted. And grumpy. Extremely frustrated.

Fast forward to today, my gym time is on my calendar for 630 a.m. Monday to Friday. My kids, and friends, and colleagues, send me a calendar invite for planned events and get-togethers. “Add to calendar” is my favorite feature . Because I was so business focused, I knew if there was an “appointment” in my calendar I was gonna honour it. 

The value in this is inexpressible – giving the same respect and value to all things outside my business as business-related matters. Or at minimal, not letting business crowd out all the reasons why I run my own business in the first place. Just keep in mind that investing in all that defines “you”, is in fact investing in your business. Then, I assure you, you will run your business the best, and have the most fun doing it. So please, go “Calendize” yourself!!

This allows me to feel more aligned in my life – more balance. Less hustle. More focused. More in control.  And other things that are important to me began to surface more – spontaneity, and creativity.  Finding more balance, minimizing stress and burnout.

I get this is still easier said than done. You won’t always keep that appointment you set for yourself. But even then, it will remind you that you matter.  Give yourself grace. always. For what I cannot honour, I can at least acknowledge or reschedule, whether it be personal or business. The calendar is not in control. You are. It is simply a tool to help you process and define the memories you will make, the ladders you will scale. Use it to help enhance your life.

The goal is to find the balance that works for you; that allows you to pursue every one of your goals in a way that is aligned with your values, allowing you to live your most authentic life. And after all, isn’t that ultimately what we are all pursuing, what we all desire?

My friend Dolly sums it up best: “Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.” —Dolly Parton

The post Sharon Loduca appeared first on Led Me to This.