#25: Mind Your Business - Tips to Help You Simplify the Journey

 I, we took my friend and I took our dogs to the Whitefish Dog Park. It's one of the top dog parks in the country and we expected it to be crowded, but it was not. So I think people are kind of still feel even some businesses weren't open. I'm like a holiday weekend. So I think people are feeling it. Yeah, adjusting it well. Well, it's lovely to have those welcome to those that are listening to treasure myself for the first time on connect, inspire, create and of course to those who are returning, we hope that you're going to find value from our conversations as we cover so many different elements of entrepreneurship, from marketing to life balance to walking the dog. We included a little bit of everything and we've had some really interesting guests on our show, so do go back and listen here. A couple that I just wanted to share. We had Episode 14 which was curious about getting sober with Ryan Williams really reaching a was inspiring No zone kind of people don't want to go there, so definitely was listening to and then it was 10, we had the four mindset blocks that keep entrepreneurs from putting themselves out there with content creation with mary-kate Gulick and that was also some good notes to take from that one.

00:01:23

And then we had our wonderful guest Liz sharing with us, Why make your website easy to navigate? Oh, I loved her, I loved that, that was great. Uh and then I know that today we want to talk about mind your business and just tips to help you simplify the journey, how to stay in your lane and finances and I think Trish you mentioned our last guest resonated with you Renee Renee really inspired me because you and I carol, which is how we decided to do this episode. You and I started talking about how Renee mentioned abundance looking especially for women avoiding thinking of budget and restraint and more abundance and cash flow and that got you and I excited. I remember and we talked about the fact that women in business many of them don't seem to want to talk about money and together like just share that sort of like this taboo subject when we need to make money, we want to make money right?

00:02:27

I mean right that's why we're doing what we're doing. And I often think you know when you are doing something in your day I stopped to think is this moving me forward or is it just a distraction? Am I just going down a rabbit hole? And I think you know income concerns and talking about how much money we need. You know how about looking ahead and then this is how much money I would like to make this month, What's it gonna take to get me there? Uh clients do I have to work with perhaps you know, what do I need to pivot and change in my business? Um Am I offering too many things? Yes. And that was the other conversation we had. That's been I've been hearing it all over the place. There are no coincidences. And you and I talked about a common thread. You know, there's books out right now. The one thing focus on the one thing my mentor and coach mitch Mathews talks about choosing just one element to focus on uh having all the legs to our business, but really communicating that one thread.

00:03:31

What's that threat for you, carol? My thread is I'm just so compassionate, just wanting to encourage women in midlife that it's it's not too late and the overwhelmed with techy stuff and they feel I can't go there, I can't do that. And I just think because we work alone a lot of the time that we need to get out of our own head, and by putting things out there that we can bounce him around and somebody else and be encouraged, be validated. I love that's what you do, Trish that you step into validating people and I'm guessing that comes to play and you're coaching, yep, and I appreciate that because I tend to want to jump out and talk about several things, oh, I can help with that, I can talk about this, but although a lot of things resonate, it's not the same thing as getting our message out and it's really helped me, You've helped me. But also just this subject of the common thread, the one thing, and right now for me it's anxiety, unfortunately, it's anxiety.

00:04:33

We're all dealing with it at some level, every human being and more women than men and there are reasons for that. So that is my common thread with coaching is let's talk about our anxiety and some tools to sort of mitigate and reduce that. That's what's important I think is for people to know what the wind is, what they're going to get out of working with other of us. I was listening to a podcast this morning and actually it was on clubhouse and she was coming up saying she had no sign ups for her webinar that she just released and the woman who was leading and said, well what are you promising them they're going to take away what are they going to get from what you're delivering? And so it's all very well to say, but I love the fact that you're giving them tools to actually implement so therefore you can learn how to reduce your anxiety. But coming back, we were talking about things I know that you mentioned in your notes with me about that. You know the rose colored glasses when we first start out with our business?

00:05:36

Yes. No. Thanks for coming back around to that, that I wrote that down in my notes because being realistic, if we're going to wrap it right back around to the topic of today which is minding our business and being comfortable and open with money abundance, it's very okay to talk about and we need to talk about is in my case carol. The rose colored glasses applies to we have a dream with our business. Some of us are just starting a business or we're in the thick of it. And the rose colored glasses, I likened it to a relationship like a romance or or a new love, which is that dream we have with business. And the rose colored glasses is all that it can be and all that we dream it to be, which is what inspires us to start. But then I come back around to the reality. You know, we want to have that dream. We want to have that hope and intention. But then there's the reality like you just said, how much money do we want to make?

00:06:38

How much do we need to make? And then first and foremost, how much is it going to cost to start that business? Because in doing my research, 13% of businesses fail in the first year Due to lack of proper planning, 50% of new businesses fail in the first five years. So we have to be realistic, it's one thing to have a dream and then I'm going to toss it back over to you, but that rose colored glasses makes us fall in love with the idea, but then we have to maintain the relationship, we have to start talking about what it's going to take to maintain it, right? And I have just done that with the girls in my mastermind group is to go back when you were talking about money and you know, setting up is that we do not need a whole lot of money to set up our business. And I asked them to go through where money was leaking out and what they were spending money on what tools they thought they needed. And there were a couple that had two platforms that we're providing the same service. Oh, that's a good one, is where are we leaking money?

00:07:41

That's good, that's good. You know what can you let go of? Um and what can you do yourself? And that's actually one of the reasons I am pivoting into digital courses and I have just launched a mini course on managing your social media with Canada and buffer because so many people think you need to take on this huge agency or somebody at vast expense to market your business. Whereas I do believe that when you start out you do have to wear all the hats and if I could just jump in and validate what you just said because I think the listeners really want to latch onto this key point is what's it gonna take to start our business financially. But let's start with what is free, what is out there? That's free. I use canvas cost me zero and I love it. So I love what you said about, let's start with, where are we spending right now, where we really don't even need to spend bengal hockey. I love that.

00:08:41

And then being consistent. So if there are tools that are going to help you show up, being consistent is what's important because if you pop up and then you disappear and then you pop up again, who are you? But if you're consistent and show up, I think that is so important when you're starting out in your business and I struggle with that. I struggle with, I think we all do. And so that's where, you know, bringing in a system that works individually. You can't embrace everybody's system. Yeah. Beard sticky notes, theater, whiteboard, Beard trailer, Be it ever note it's finding your own system blocking time on your calendar. I think that is always important to work on your business taking a chunk of time and putting it on your calendar, but I do want to come back. I know that you had something here that you made a note of reverse engineering and I think that comes back to the finances again, if we say we would like x amount of money generated by this business that we love and were inspired by, what does that look like And I know you have got something coming up, I know that you've got your group coaching that's closed for june but you are launching a second one.

00:09:51

Am I correct? Yes, thank you. That's july 15th. The small circle coaching is six women four sessions once a week and it's really a mini tribe confidential small group to talk about anxiety, to talk about what that means to each of us and then to hold each other accountable to address where that anxiety is right now in our lives. And you know, carol that accountability that tribe of women Really propels us forward. So the next, the next trip is July 15, You know, once again coming back to finance, we can't say, you know, $10,000 this month, that's what we want to turn it. In fact, I'm glad you said that because in my case, you know, it's kind of surprising in my mid fifties to think about the fact I'm a very different animal in terms of my career goals because honestly, I'd be thrilled and I'm not setting my bar too low, but I'm being realistic Reversers engineering.

00:10:53

Starting with the end in mind, I happen to like a white board because it's visual and on the right hand, which could be the finish line, that could be six months from now. And to me that works because I don't like to think too far ahead. If I made 20,000 this year, That would be a success based on reverse engineering. Because what's realistic, I know what I'm charging for my program. It's $600 per person. If I have this many people and I do this many programs that will yield that 20,000. So let's talk about money. There it is. Now, I have a friend Who made 100,000 during the pandemic and she couldn't believe it. She had a goal, but she just started doing her day to day work and that's what happened. Maybe I'll far exceed that 20,000 carol, but you have to have it in writing. Everybody knows that. And so that reverse engineering gives you the, the goal. That's realistic and you might exceed it. I love that. I love that you're putting a figure putting a number down there and then deciding what it's going to take to meet it because it's no good just creating a course and creating a webinar and creating stuff that you're just putting out there without because otherwise, as we've spoken about this, a side hustle or I think you used the word of job B or a hobby.

00:12:09

Yeah, mitch Matthews calls, well, I mean a lot of people call it, but yeah, a hobby or a job, a job be some people call it serial entrepreneur. You know, we jump, in fact sticking with it. That's that common thread that you and I have been talking about today goes back to not jumping out too quickly. Social media can make us jump all over the place and by staying focused. That's really the only way. You know, and you mentioned, I think I want to toss this back to you again because when is it time to pivot? Or when is it time? I'd like to hear your thoughts. How do you advise your clients carol? Kind of, what conversations do you have about how long to give something? Because I think a lot of us are inclined to give up too soon. I agree with you on that one. Yeah, that that and that brings us back to the consistency and sometimes it's going to take a year or two of just consistently showing up staying with what. But I think one of the things we do and just as you said now that your career has changed, so our business changes.

00:13:12

So what we thought of a year or two ago, what we're thinking of now on assad hustle is going to grow and so we have to allow that growth. But I love that. Coming back to your threat, what you're offering, you know at the moment I have three legs to my stool and I'm kind of comfortable with my three legged stool. Yeah, I think that I want and what are the opportunities that can align with those in the team with that? But I think, you know, as much as we're saying simplify and let's talk about one thing, there can be branches that come off that, but I like what you said about staying the course and so that's not to discourage those that do have a side hustle, stay the course with your side hustle until you feel confident to take it to the next level. But I think the same rules still apply if you have a side hustle sit what you'd like to go out of your side. That's great. Now I love that what you just said, because there are so many opportunities for side hustles that can totally fit in like a nice puzzle piece with your career attempt and your career movement where you are making inconsistent money, which most self, you know, self entrepreneurs are solo preneurs, there's, you know, upwards, there is care dot com, there is a need for pet walking, pet sitting.

00:14:31

Senior sitting, child sitting. Because of the pandemic. People are working from home, they need help with their, when they needed it when they didn't work at home, but those side hustles fit in. I like that. But yeah, I know that you left a note here with progress and not perfection. So that was you said something about don't be afraid to take time out and say no. Um yeah, that's it myself, that's a big one, because once again, the social media went back to your point about choosing a few. I get overwhelmed and I have anxiety when it comes to which mediums shall I work with? Because there's invitations every day to join clubhouse, to join facebook, to join linkedin, to join a group to do a live video recording. We want to try them and then we need to choose choosing and then not being distracted. That's exactly staying the course. You know, and I think, you know, perhaps we could allow that three legged stool to come back in that maybe there's three channels that work for you and your business.

00:15:36

And they're also going to be the places where you enjoy showing up because then that allows you to be authentic. If you're pushing yourself into a social media platform, just because you think that's where your clients are hanging out, but it does not allow you to be authentic, then you're not going to make the match. I think it's important to play in the sandpit that you feel happy and yes, and because you said that I have a question for you that's tied right to that sandbox mindset, uh carol and this is your wheelhouse. How do you suggest? How do you suggest that people do what they love to do? It's from that book, the focus factor, right? How do you advise your clients to do what they do well and then higher and not everybody has the money to hire, but higher out what we don't do well in my case scheduling the proper, you know, blogs, the proper content. I do it and I could discipline myself to do it more often, but it's my least favorite thing to be getting into social media and scheduling everything at the right time.

00:16:47

That's actually why I put together that little mini course, which yes, you can and I am fully supportive of using a V. A. If you can find the right V. A. To support you and do all that work a virtual assistant. And you know on fiber you can find that there's just there's very people within my linkedin group where you can find a virtual assistant. But the other thing that I love, I love buffer buffer makes my life easy. Okay. It just you can schedule, you can time the schedule, you can use evergreen content and that's what's in my little mini courses to show you how to use can ver buffer and then to keep a I like to keep a google document of copy that's relevant so that I don't have to think about it all over again. And I put all my links in one place and have everything. In one case it makes your life simple and that's your evergreen folder that it can utilize that content. Okay. So that we'll know more about that.

00:17:50

Yes. And I wanted to quickly mention um sorry, sorry, we're jumping all the time. I got so much energy today. I love it back to the back to the income and the earnings. How do we how do we wrap that up today? Because we've shared quite a bit of thought. We've shared the common thread idea we shared having that dream and the rose colored glasses. And then being realistic though, once we've got that, we've got to turn it into that business mindset and keep it consistent is what I take away today. That's that's my learning area, is remaining consistent with my plan. Um Anything else you would, you would I like the reverse engineering, you know, put a figure out there, put yourself under that pressure of going okay I would like to earn $2,000 this month. What does that look like? Have a look at how your pricing your products, are you being realistic? And I mean there's always that, oh the question was how do I price my product? I believe you can go with your gut feel I just feel that you know within reason.

00:18:55

So you're not going to sell your course for $3,000. But you've got field has led you to where you are and yeah, but I think putting a price on that and then putting a number. So does that mean Full people, six people in your calls And then how do you, how does. Yes. Yes. And I that again that's an area that I am right in the thick of right now is finding that sweet spot. And then how does Harrell pivot, how do you pivot in your life? How do you know when one of your project's needs to transition? Does it happen organically? I believe that it takes time you, when you start to see yourself being sucked into something that's not producing and you're spending way too much time on something that's not producing, then it's time to go wake up and go, hmm, let's put this back in its box and let's look at what generates income. Because we have to be realistic, we can play and it's not bringing in money that's not running a business. So let's really well sad.

00:19:57

That's well, let's look at what will produce income and I guess doesn't come back to let's focus on one thing. Yes, and I know for you Trish, you're going to focus on this group coaching. The small circle group coaching. So the popular woman and I am pivoting into creating courses for women that are starting out in midlife in their business and feeling overwhelmed with marketing and tech. I know that we don't all have time to attend webinars and our lungs and you know seven hours a week. So by making digital courses, I'm hoping that people can plug in as they wish and use that to help them grow their business and you'll, you'll provide that shortcut and eliminate a lot of the confusion that's out there. I think that I hope so. Thank you everybody for joining us today and just listening to this episode and I am just giving you a brief intro to Tricia and myself as you must be gathered, I am carol, the small business coach helping midlife women Solar Premier simply start and I share systems and tools to help you get that done and at the moment you can grab my mini course on simply start doctors.

00:21:04

My focus is wellness coaching, working with moderation between career and personal life and doing currently the small circle coaching for women. I work with men, but at this point it's a small circle women's groups, six women for sessions. The next group is launching July 15 so I am starting to fill seats for that group and it's my website is healthy life mindset dot com and I'll make sure you have everything in the show notes and thank you to those for listening. If you have loved what you've listened to today about business journeys and staying in your lane and talking about income and making money then we'd love you to share it with your friends. Do come and connect with us. You will find our podcast and connect, inspire great. And if you have something of value to share with our audience, come and leave us a message there. We'd love to hear from you until the next time. Bye Goodbye.