Two Reasons Why Your Business is Stuck (+ What to Do About It)
Episode 238: Show Notes
On today’s episode of The Strategy Hour we are tackling a very important subject and a problem that is very close to home for most business owners, including ourselves here at TCC. We are going to be looking at the two schools of thought that might be holding up your business’ progress. With the rise in entrepreneurship and self-made business owners there has been a natural growth in literature and thought on the subject. So much of this has been helpful and inspiring in many different ways but there are also ways in which it can be stunting you and your work.
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The first popular school of thought we look at is the “hustle ‘till you die” attitude, which has been popularized by many successful entrepreneurs and has so much influence over the way go-getters portray themselves at events and online. We at Think Creative Collective know the value of hard work and persistence but attaching someone else’s or a collectively held image of blood sweat and tears to your own life can have devastating effects on your health, family life and of course your work. The second thing we look at is the idea that hiring and outsourcing is the direct line to success and credibility. After unpacking just how damaging these two ideas can be to you and those around you we look at ways in which you can avoid these problems, taking only the necessary pearls of wisdom from the philosophies and finding your own, healthy pathway to success!
Emylee’s First and Only Solo Launch
So often we tie up our self worth with the success of any given project. It doesn't even matter how much we have achieved in the past or might in the future, if the thing you are working on currently is failing it can really mess with you in serious way! We learned a valuable lesson when Emylee did her first and only solo launch before we officially became a business unit, and although it was not the hardest lesson we have learned as a team it was very impactful one. The launch was successful on a very small scale, a high percentage of Emylee’s then audience attended the webinar and again a relatively high amount bought in. In terms of the business we run now and the business Emylee was hoping to achieve it was nothing, but it was a good start. She made about $500 which in some ways is not negligible, but the course that was developed from that early seed, which eventually became the Money Making Creative course has now made close on $100,000! The lesson here is that it was the progress that was made after that first launch that really mattered, it was the follow up that was the real success. If Emylee had either felt satisfied or disappointed and taken her foot off the gas, this huge product would have dissolved right then!
The First School of Thought That Might Be Holding You Back
We have all measured ourselves up against certain benchmarks or heroes. We have all felt that in order to be successful there are certain boxes that need to be ticked. All of that is fine but we are here to tell you that you should be the one deciding what those boxes are! Do not let some external force or the pressures of society decide your measure of success. Examples of the ‘hardest grind’ or ‘hustling to you die’ have their utility in motivating you but when they become a hindrance and a source of frustration you know something is wrong. Believe us when we say, you can play by your own rules! Just because Gary Vaynerchuk seems to never stop working, does not mean that you have to work yourself to a standstill. That attitude is going to leave you sick, tired and unhappy until the end of your days. Take the inspiration, get up and go and decide your own goals and fate like the boss that you are!
Falling Into the Trap of Over Complicating Your Life
As entrepreneurs we are commonly very hard on ourselves but it’s important to remember where this pressure is coming from. A lot of the time it comes from all directions, society, your community, your friends and family, advertising, all of these can be sources of pressure and stress. If you let these external forces rule you life and the choices you make in it, it is very unlikely you will be living the healthy and happy life you deserve. Subscribe to your own rules and succeed at those based on your needs and ambitions! We have had big goals since the beginning, we wanted to build a multimillion dollar business and leave a legacy after we are gone. These were our intentions when we set out together and they are still relevant today. But at the same time both Emylee and Abagail knew that there were other goals in life besides work. There was family, health and travel! There is more to life than just entrepreneurship no matter how much you care about your biz! And in order to cater to all these goals we have had to sometimes take a slower and steadier approach over the faster and sexier one.
The School of Thought Around Outsourcing in Your Business
The second massively limiting mindset is being under the influence of the ‘outsourcing your way to success’ idea. You can even fall into this way of thinking without realizing it! Although this idea has come to prominence in the entrepreneurial field relatively recently it does have a strong hold of the popular imagination and we have seen the detrimental effects it has had on many businesses. What it effectively boils down to is handing off unpopular or disagreeable jobs to new employees. Whether this is handling your social media or blog posts. Some of us like certain jobs and not others, that is okay, but hiring new team members willy-nilly because you think that will make things easier and give your business a more professional touch is the wrong way to go about it. In the end no one is going to be as concerned and invested in your business as you. That’s why we propose the slowest and steadiest growth possible, especially around hiring more hands. There is nothing wrong with taking on a new employee to take care of your online presence when the time is right, but do not fool yourself into thinking it will make your new business legitimate in one magical moment! If you do not have time and energy for all the strategies you need to be asking yourself some more questions before jumping to outsource.
The Good News About Our Alternative to These Modes
So how to go about reducing the damage in these two areas, you ask? Well as usual we have you covered! Our solution is all that good stuff we are always talking about but cannot be repeated enough: intentional action and strategic work. This means doing things with purpose and patience, mindful of the time it takes to build success. We have seen the snowball effect so much with TCC and we know that with the right attitude and commitment you can experience it too! If you can identify where your potential for growth lies and how you can create spaces for it to flourish through hard work you are heading down a good path. We are often so focussed on the future, our ambitions and how great it will be when we achieve all of our goals, but what about enjoying right now? Where you find yourself today, who you are at the moment and the feelings and ideas that are all your own. Finding a way to reorganize the order of success can take you a long way.
The Pancakes Method and How You Start to Implement It
Here at Think Creative Collective we have just the thing to get you started down the path we have been describing and the even better news is that is free! The Perfect Business Roadmap is an hour long online tutorial on how to get your business working in the way that you want it to, servicing your needs, desires and unique lifestyle. You can easily find time to fit in a hour in your busy schedule and just watch the effect it has. We would love to hear about the results so please let us know as soon as you can! We guarantee that this small investment of time will get you closer to making the strategic and intentional decisions that will help you fulfill your business destiny! The hour-long course addresses the order of choices you make in your business, your mindset, managing your inner critic, technical know how and tips and also gives you the direct line to see more about how we do things in our business just for some extra inspiration!
Quote This
This is hustle in disguise and it is the most dangerous way of doing things!
Highlights
The Facebook Live We Hosted Recently That Informed This Episode. [0:01:38.2]
Why Business Paralysis Occurs for So Many Entrepreneurs. [0:04:32.9]
Emylee’s First and Only Solo Webinar Launch. [0:06:09.6]
The First School of Thought That Might Be Holding You Back. [0:09:27.0]
Falling Into the Trap of Over Complicating Your Life. [0:12:38.2]
Our Own Goals Here at Think Creative Collective. [0:14:53.6]
Choosing Your Own Goals and Not Sacrificing Yourself for Them. [0:17:12.2]
The School of Thought Around Outsourcing in Your Business. [0:19:49.5]
What This Outsourcing Mindset Can Lead to In You Business. [0:24:40.2]
The Good News About Our Alternative to These Modes. [0:26:26.0]
The Pancakes Method and How You Start to Implement It. [0:30:16.5]
ON TODAY’S SHOW
Abagail & Emylee
The Strategy Hour Podcast
We help overwhelmed and creative entrepreneurs break down their Oprah-sized dreams to create a functioning command center to tame the chaos of their business. Basically, we think you’re totally bomb diggity, we’re about to uplevel the shiz out of your business.
KEY TOPICS
Maintaining Business, Focus, Goals, Social Media, Intentionality, Strategy, Burnout
