Posts Tagged ‘business coaching’

90% of businesses fail in the first two years… and 99% of the time it is because of the lack of money. So fill your baskets with many beautiful eggs that you will be able to eat along the way before your own business generates its own (golden) eggs!! Don’t jump in foolishly. Prepare yourself before!
You know, when people hear my story about coming to the US from Paris, France with only two suitcases, they always ask me if it was difficult, because I make it sound easy by not giving too many details. OF COURSE, I prepared myself. It took me a full year of preparation, and three years of savings (because I had the idea a long time ago, I was saving for some “long term project”). I had to apply for a visa and create a BIG file. I sold almost all of my belongings (just kept paintings and sculptures). I visited Arizona a couple of times to make contacts and see locations, and to learn, learn, learn. I did prepare my big jump! Prepare yours!

Clear Money Worries
Save money! You should be able to live without expecting any income from your own company during the first year. I am not saying that it will happen, I am saying be prepared to have eggs that will help you pay all your current expenses for 12 months (or at least 6 months if you are more of a risk taker!). So, keep working full time for an employer for a little while, or work part time, and start your own business at the same time, whenever you can. This will keep the pressure off of your shoulders. You will stay relaxed and make good decisions not based on fear, but based on peace and Love.
I am constantly contacted by entrepreneurs, business owners, healers, artists, and writers that need my help, support and guidance (and certainly “clearing” and a clearer point of view too!) and think they cannot afford to invest even $400-500 on themselves. I understand their concern, but at the same time I think it is very sad not to be able to invest in yourself or in your business. If we want to grow, we need to change and invest in us. There is no other way!

We have to say “No” to scarcity and lack, “No” to feeling doomed. Where we put your attention will manifest. So, if instead of feeling good about money, you focus on the lack of money with thoughts like “I can’t afford it, I don’t have enough to invest in me” etc. you will get what you focus on… more lack. You are just planning your next 6-12 months of struggle and famine. Breathe and put your focus on something that feels good. Imagine clients waiting in line for your service(s). Imagine money flowing into your business account! Visualize your bank statement with a nice big number of $$$. Feel better – that is the key to creating more money. Since your business is your passion, do not tarnish it with your worries, fears and concerns. Revive the flame of your passion by feeling/seeing/sensing/imagining/knowing the clients are coming forth more and more right now. I can invest in myself and my business, because we deserve the best investment. We create tremendous value to our clients, and more and more people want to give us money.

Be done with Loneliness
We sometimes feel tremendously lonely when we start our own business - whether working from home, or having a studio, an office, or a clinic. If you don’t share your space with other entrepreneurs or like minded people, you will feel isolated. This does not feel good, right?! So, you need a strategy to avoid this and continue to feel good. Find people to cheer you up, to support you in your (new) adventure. Get a coach or a close friend that you can talk to ON A REGULAR BASIS while you grow your business. Find a mentor, someone that has followed a path that resembles yours. Maybe you can learn a few things that will help you avoid making mistakes and will save you some time and money.

Feel the Fear
Whenever you feel fear (should it be fear of failure or fear of success), always reconnect with the “why” you are on this fabulous adventure! Remember your goals, your dreams, what made you decide to take a leap of Faith and create your own business. Are you doing this to be your own boss and decide your schedule? Are you doing it to be able to work from home and spend a little more time with your children? Do you feel it is your mission, your passion, and you have to do it? Did you jump in to create a 6-figure income because you felt stuck as an employee? Whatever the reasons, you need to have them in mind. You could even create a small vision board with the representations of your dreams and goals and add smiling clients and money on it!! Also, add a date on the board - very often people forget to date their objectives and vision boards!

Design a Plan
Whether you are already in business and want to grow it to the next level, or you are just thinking about creating one, you need to have a plan. It doesn’t have to be a business plan with 50 pages - keep it simple! Write down where you want to go and what kind of steps you plan on taking to get there. You may also write down the resistance or obstacles that you have and add strategies to overcome them. (Watch for my next article on goal setting for your success)! Then feel the fear and… take action! It is the only way to do it. The fear may not disappear before you take any action, so don’t wait for that to happen. Thus, your fear will surely vanish when you start implementing what you wrote or said you would do. You will also gain more confidence and self-esteem because you DID what you said you would do! Preparation and action are a sure remedy for fear, and the rewards will be amazing.

***** Do you feel your business growth could go FASTER and EASIER? *****

Are you curious as to what your future looks like? Excited, passionate about the possibilities and ready to hear what the next steps are?

Get Clear Directions for Immediate Growth! Take my $100 value Gift! Call me to schedule your FREE 30 min. Success Strategy Session today: (602) 881-3040

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~Nathalie

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I did quit my job, -“I fired my boss” as I used to say- because I had a little voice inside telling me to do so. But, at the same time, I was so afraid. I could also hear another voice inside telling me all the horrible things that might happen. These two voices were creating an inner conflict that resembled a “pas-de-deux,” a well-orchestrated dance – very smooth, like a well-oiled machine. One voice would start, and the other one would reply, then it was the first ones turn… and I was in the middle of this conversation, completely frozen, non productive and confused.

But it doesn’t have to be this way! You see, I had never run a business before, so I was definitely out of my comfort zone, not knowing what to expect. I was worried I might not be able to do it and I could hear the opinion of people around me saying that they doubted it too!

How would I attract clients to my practice? Would I have enough of them to be able to thrive …or survive? Would I go broke and not be able to pay my bills? Would I make terrible mistakes in my business decisions? What did I need to know about taxes, employment, and all the legal stuff?
Then, I stopped my inner questioning for a minute (ah, the relief!!) and decided to take a deep breath and exhale all my fears and doubts. I actually had to take way more than a couple deep breaths due to the amount of pent up anxiety. I couldn’t even think straight anymore.

I asked myself: “what do I really want now in my life?” Do I want to continue on doing what I do? Working for this boss in this environment? With this amount of stress? With this schedule? With these co-workers? Or do I want to create a business where I can help people and be my own boss? And where I can choose my hours and also (at some point) choose my clients?

“Well, if you ask me, I want to be my own boss and help people. I feel completely drawn to create a business where I can be of service and make a difference in people’s lives”. The other voice had now calmed down totally. I couldn’t hear a word of doubt or fear in my head. I could sense a strange feeling of freedom and strength, certitude and peacefulness.

That is how I decided once and for all to fire my boss and become my own boss, working from home!
And I prepared to “step out alone in the big world.” I decided to quit, but stayed a few more months to build up my savings. I could invest in myself and in my own business. I didn’t do it without a plan. (I am a Virgo, so a few things have to be organized!) I didn’t want to run out of money before the turning point when the business would be established and generate income. I did not want to be forced to make the decision to go back to work in a JOB (Just Over Broke) because my business wouldn’t bring enough income in.

That is one thing I hear in my clients stories. They share with me that they had to go back to work for someone else because they did not create a safety net before leaving and they starved during the first six months (or sometimes a year) of being in business for themselves. I think that it is a wise decision to make if you cannot withstand the financial pressure and if you start making business decisions based on fear and lack of money. You do not see marketing and management the same way when you don’t generate enough revenue. You tend to forget the business’ best interest and do not invest in yourself as you should when you run out of money!

(part 2 ~tomorrow! In the meantime if you are serious about developing your business, make a list of what you think is presently blocking you from moving forward faster and higher and take me up on my FREE Success Strategy Session! Call me at 602-881-3040 to schedule our 30 min call. See my Services Page for more info.)

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