How successful do you feel in your business?
Success has a certain vibe about it, one you can recognize and feel in your bones. And yet, it’s easy to live out of an outdated definition without realizing you’re doing it, making you feel unsuccessful. Have you looked at how you’re defining success recently? You might be ready to reinvent what success looks and feels like; updating your definition will do wonders for both your business and your psyche.
Taking good care of your clients means taking care of your business, and one of the simplest paths to taking care of both your clients *and* your business is by tracking the numbers.
There’s a revolution going on in the world of work, and it’s impacting all of us, self-employed professionals included. The Great Resignation, AKA the Big Quit, began in the spring of 2021, as significant numbers of employees began leaving their jobs. Surveys indicate that from 40-65% of the U.S. workforce is either considering quitting or already looking for a new job.
No doubt about it, it’s been a year…
As we approach year’s end, take a moment to reflect on how it started, and where you’re at now. Very likely it wasn’t business as usual, so what was it business AS?
What’s new or different? What did you try? How did things go? How would you like to finish the year?
The hot topic here in the U.S. this spring of 2021 is getting back to “normal.” But in my view, the more relevant topic is finding a new normal. All across the country, I’m hearing of people whose post-pandemic life includes moving to a new city, changing jobs or careers, retiring, or making remote work a permanent choice.
In 2020, many of us self-employed folks were just trying to survive. Some of us couldn’t work at all due to pandemic restrictions or home schooling needs. Others – serving industries like travel, food service, or personal care – lost our entire market overnight.
If you’re like many of the self-employed people I’ve talked with over the past year, 2020 came with plenty of challenges that sent you scrambling and doing your best to hang on. Survival became the order of the day, and making it through another day, week, or month felt like a victory (and rightfully so).
As anyone who has read my book Get Clients Now! might guess, I love to make plans. I recommend planning as a tool in almost every situation. You have a new business? You need a plan. We’re taking a trip to Italy? We must have a plan. You’d like to meet me for dinner while you’re in town? Let’s make a plan.
So, it’s not surprising that I’ve been feeling frustrated lately. Due to the worldwide impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, nothing I had planned for this year is coming to pass.
If you’re a business owner right now, chances are you’re dealing with uncertainty. Whether it’s a lot or a little, uncertainty can be disconcerting!
While doing business during uncertain times is a bit like chasing an ever-changing landscape, there are things you can do to make things easier.
Congratulations, you’re a business owner! You know your craft and are filling your days doing what you love, giving value to your customers, and putting well-earned cash in the bank as a result. Everything is as it should be.
Except.
There’s a voice you keep hearing that says something like:
You aren’t nuts & boltsy enough, how can you be successful in business? You can’t even understand a profit and loss statement – how do you expect to make it?
*sigh*
