How many times have you been told to think big, to take massive leaps in your business, etc?
I know over the years, I’ve heard these or similar statements countless times, but for many, forcing yourself to take massive steps is stressful and isn’t necessary.
Oh yeah, I said it! It’s time to start small!
Let’s Build The Foundation First
Have you ever watched when a house is being built how it can seem like ages before you even see any structure, but once the structure is in place, building the house can be finished in weeks.
And the most boring part of building a house is the preparation.
The legalities aside, the ground has to be cleared and then excavated and to ensure the house doesn’t fall down, the foundation has to be strong.
It’s no different with your business and hence the reason I’m so adamant that it’s not always as wise as people think to take giant leaps in their business.
You have to build the foundation and a solid structure first and then you have a firm foundation to build on.
Learn, Implement And Grow
One of the things I love about the online business model is that you can grow as you learn. By learning in stages, you can literally build your business as you learn each individual step.
First you have the foundation, which is knowing who your ideal audience is, what their pain points are and knowing how you will solve their problem.
Second you have the frameworks, which includes your systems for building your list, automation etc, and finally you have the processes such as creating the content and getting it out in front of your ideal audience.
And even those 3 steps can be broken down into smaller segments enabling you to implement without losing sight of the big picture and your vision.
So I encourage you to think big, visualise what it will be like to own a business empire, but do remember that the best way to eat an elephant is one bit at a time.
Looking At The Endearing Success Stories
Let’s face it, we all love a good story … especially the “rags to riches stories.” And it can be so easy to build our business based on someone else’s model because we’re inspired by their story. But it’s important to look at the story behind someone else’s business before you try copying their business model.
I’m so inspired by the story of Michelle Moan, who after wearing an uncomfortable bra at a dinner function one evening decided enough was enough and women shouldn’t have to sit in their lovely attire adjusting their bra all evening.
So Michelle did something about it and started her own bra making company in her home. I’ve yet to read her book, but I understand from a from a friend that the title is very apt … For Michelle, it really has been a Fight To The Top.
Now, if I decided I was going to copy Michelle Moan just on the basis that she’s been so successful in the bra making industry, I’d probably fail. I don’t have her motivation, I may not have her negotiation or networking skills, and even though I may be inspired by her story to make bras that fit, without some adjustments at least, her business model may be incongruent with my business.
What is viable, is me taking a look at her vision, her discipline, her tenacity and adapting what worked for her to fit my business. That way, I have a business that carries my voice, my personality and has my imprint.
Here’s My Suggested Action For Building A Better Business
First of all, get yourself a journal and write in big, bold letters, your BIG WHY?
You want to keep in mind at all times, why you started your business, and at the end of each day, you want to ask whether the actions you took were consistent with your big why. Not only will it keep you focused on what’s important, you’ll release yourself from activities that will move you away from building and growing your business.
