6 Minute abs... It doesn't work.

Ambition is the fuel when business and life begin to suck. Not to put it blunt, but life and business can be blunt. I’ve learned some great lessons since beginning three different businesses and one of the things I wish when I started was for someone to really share the reality of business and entrepreneurship.

This week I am going to share my top ten thoughts, strategies, and not to do’s that may help you grow your business, organization, or simply improve your leadership.

Grab a drink of water (stay hydrated) and let’s get into this list.

Number One: Although you may never be ready, ensure you are prepared.

When I meet with solopreneurs, CEO’s, start-ups, non-profit organizations etc. and even myself when I first started. There is a often a clear picture of “dabbling” that is painted when hearing about business plans, growth strategies, and more. Motivation is a cool drug- but it’s also a drug. Meaning your buzz of motivation will taper off and you’ll be met with reality again. People often get super motivated to go change the world, and they tell everyone, and share it all over social media, and then when it comes to execution… they are nowhere to be seen, heard, or found.

Why?

They were not prepared enough to take the leap in whatever venture they were motivated by. The advice I offer is to understand where information obstacles will be along the way, and you’ll learn real values from them, but ensure you don’t go into whatever you are doing blindly. Do your research to have even a baseline idea and understand that blind mistakes often cause the death of an idea… time, money, and resources. The internet and YouTube are the two greatest teachers we have- utilize them to your advantage.

Number Two: “That’s not a good idea” Be ready!

One thing that is not short in this world is people who feel the need to voice their opinions on everything and then have the nerve to say people are too soft… There will be plenty of those people you meet who think they know how to do what you want better than you do. Be ready to smile and say thank you. The more time you waste listening to these “experts,” the less time you allow for yourself to develop knowledge. Many of the greatest ideas’ never came about because some egghead crushed the inspiration based on their personal opinion.

Learn to follow your value compass and never give into an unproductive conversation. You always get nowhere fast.

Number Three: Find the one who is the GOOD idea!

This point follows up on point two because you need to find who is doing it well and learn from them. Many of the great speakers I have not met, but I have studied every talk, their body language, the audience's reaction, and so on to see what I am missing and where I can improve to connect better with the room. Some of the knowledge I gained growing a professional speaker business cost a hefty amount, but I knew I needed to pay for what I was missing. Most people in this world have no problem helping but never take advantage of that help. Pay when you need to pay, and always give more of whatever you can when you get it.

Number Four: Stop telling everyone.

This one is short and sweet. Many of them don’t care about your business ideas or ventures. Remember, most will help you, but that doesn’t mean they care about your business 24/7. They will just be a small part. This is why it is highly recommended to work with professionals who truly want to help you succeed. Yes, there is a cost for business coaching, leadership coaching, etc. but why wouldn’t you want to have skin in the game if that person understands your skin in the game? Free advice is not always great advice. The reason I say to keep your conversations short is that you will eventually lose the “fire” in the belly talk after telling over and repeatedly. Save it for the person/company who will help execute that vision.

Number Five: Bleeding is bad. Woah.

It's a funny way of writing that title, but it speaks volumes in truth in business. When you are beginning your business or even your first leadership role, there will always be bleeding, and it is important to pay attention to those pain points. In business, the bleeding could be spending more money than you have in marketing but not generating any leads, conversations, etc. If that pattern continues without a pause to identify it’s not working, it will lead to business bleeding out.

In leadership, a mistake I see from leaders is they don’t take time to slow down and really see what’s happening. They are jumping into an elevated position, or maybe their first position, and hit the ground running they miss out on one critical piece of the business/personal that opens a wound or doesn’t allow them to heal the wound.

So, when things are bad… stop. Looking for the bleeding and healing it.

Number Six: Money is not a game.

I was working with an owner one time way back and they didn’t know where their money was going. They were in the tech industry and were “successful” from the look of the building. However, when promoted on financials… crickets. They had no clue where money was going or coming in, and they could have been robbed, and no one would have known.

My point is that money goes very quickly in business and even in a W-2 role. A few individuals I’ve worked with in a W-2 role were responsible for a P & L, and they struggled to understand where money was coming from and where money was going. They didn’t pay attention to vendor cost, marketing dollars being spent, or cost of repairs/tech-specific repairs.

Money is not a game- know where it is and never get caught not knowing.

Number Seven: Know when to pay.

You can only be an expert for a long time when you start to become successful. I learned this hard when it came to taxes and certain financial areas of owning businesses, after many headaches, and painful nights scratching my head. I finally invested in working with a CPA. That investment alone allowed me to take control of my business and not waste hours where it wasn’t productive.

Most of the time, owners try to do social media, marketing, and such on their own to save costs. The problem is that every task you do takes you away from something else. I learned this the hard way, too. I signed over all my social media to my guy Jayson Hines- who is the subject matter expert. I pay him for his expertise. That saves me money because clearly, what I did was not working.

If you want to check out Jayson’s work; Facebook

Number Eight: You need a mentor.

Ego is a great killer in development. I could leave it that, but I want to ensure the point is driven home.

Mentors are out there, and the problem is we often don’t ask- we are afraid. Don’t forget what I said earlier that some aspects you need to pay for the knowledge. Most mentors I have met had no problem helping as one thing happened. I didn’t waste their time.

This means coming to them with good questions and not goofy ideas. It also means implementing what they suggest. The biggest waste of time for a mentor is to provide valuable ideas only for you to never listen and execute them. Mentors are amazing for perspectives that you may never see, and often they have been successful in the industry you are in. Their perspective is critical.

Number Nine: PIVOT. A great word in business.

Example: I want to develop my leaders in my organization to become better at communication.

Problem: Leaders- speak better.

Pivot: The example was for leaders to communicate better- the problem when asked is leaders struggle with speaking (speak better).

The Pivot: Presentation skills training. Communication is vast and often more than just speaking. Speaking involves specific training to ensure posture, tone, and visual cues. Etc. are working properly.

Pivot is a great word in leadership/business.

Number Ten: Nothing is worth more than family/life.

I saved this point for last because it is the one that oftentimes causes the downfall of marriages, children's relationships, and feeling valued in life.

I have been poor, I have been rich, and if I become poor again, then I know how to become rich again. But if I lose my family- there is ZERO guarantee I can have them back.

Ensure that you don’t go too far down the path of leadership success, and business success that you lose everything along the way. The dollar we chase can be ripped up, burned, and shredded… it’s trash. But having people who love you no matter what, success or failure. That’s priceless, and you’ll die happier with them around you.

Was there something that stuck out today?

Was there something that you identified and wanted to make a priority?

I’d love an opportunity to hear from you. Email or DM for a free 60 min call to see if I can help you.

You lose nothing. If anything, you gain a new perspective which might be all you need.