Vulnerability is basically uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure. ~Brene Brown Business owners are often indistinguishable from their businesses. Our self-worth and our identity are all tied up in our business performance. When the business performs well, we’re champions; when it doesn’t, we can feel worthless. Each of our decisions, good, or bad, nudge our business one way or another. Luck, fortune, and the global economy also get their licks in — shaping our success, or failure, in ways we don’t want to admit. And all of that, or a good amount at least, is out there for our employees, our clients, even our family and friends, to see. So ✅ uncertainty, ✅ risk, and ✅ emotional … [Read more...]
“Is this your best work?”
I recently read a story about an editor who worked on a book manuscript. She finished editing it and turned it in to the publisher, who paid her the agreed-upon fee. Later she found out that the publisher chose not to publish the book and she was crestfallen. “All that work for nothing,” she said. But of course it wasn’t for nothing; she got paid her normal fee. So why was she so disappointed? I bet this very situation plays itself out in your business, too. Maybe you don’t publish books, but I’ll bet your team members write reports, develop presentations or proposals and turn them into you only to have you rewrite them, edit over them or not even use them. Yes, they get paid for that … [Read more...]
Are you a victor or a victim?
Last week I was talking to two different business owners, both were in similar circumstances, but they told me very different stories. Business Owner 1 This business owner runs a marketing firm that focuses on urban real estate companies. They had some terrible years in 2008 - 2012 — but the owner told a very positive story about that time. He told me about how the adversity of those times made him stronger as a leader. The agency was forced to branch out slightly from its prior target market. They started working with some for-profit student housing companies and found some REITs who were “flipping” apartment buildings that needed their help. Both of those sectors are going strong right … [Read more...]
What do you do when you feel like quitting?
It can’t keep going like this! You hustle to get more work (‘cause you NEED more work). But when the work comes in, too much of it falls on you! Yes, there’s a team, but it takes more time to get them to do the kick-off and set up the billing, and schedule the status calls…then it does just to do it yourself. That’s why you are alone here every night and most Saturdays. You think about what your spouse asked last month while staring at the bank balance, “If you’re working so hard, why are we barely making ends meet?” It’s a good question. There’s got to be some secret, some code to crack that will make this whole thing work! Other business owners don’t seem to be working … [Read more...]
How to get things done you are putting off.
I just got back from a family trip two weeks ago, and then a conference last week, so my to-do list is bursting at the seams as I try to get caught up. This is the kind of situation where I need to be 100% focused and productive, but my brain is all, "We need to do all the things! No, not that thing, some other thing! I don’t want to do that thing it’s messy and scary…AAARGhhh." So, yeah, when I need to be the most productive, my brain has a hard time focusing and wants to clear my inbox instead. So here are some things I’m doing this week to try to get things done when my brain’s not cooperating. If you can relate, read on. 1. Set a timer When I want to start something that my mind … [Read more...]
Why is it so hard to finish certain assignments?
Sometimes I procrastinate. I have something that would be easy if I just got it done, but instead, I put it off. Do you ever do that? Recently, I procrastinated on a deliverable that was my client was anxious to see. What I promised him seemed simple enough at the outset, it quickly showed itself to be a lot more complicated. The more complicated it got, the less confidence I had that I was going to get a useful result -- so I put it off and worked on other, more accessible, assignments. But I knew he needed it. So instead of delegating and renegotiating the deadline, I just kept promising myself that I would get to it. As time went by, and he kept reminding me that he still needed it, … [Read more...]
How many “grownups” do you have in your business?
I was chatting with a referral partner this week (The incomparable Adam Radulovic) and as we were discussing a company that I thought needed his services he asked me, “How many grownups are there in that organization?” “What do you mean, ‘grownups’?” I asked. “You know. Who’s telling the kids to do their homework, and making sure they’re picking their clothes up off the floor. Who’s driving decisions and accountability and making sure that the right things are getting done the right way?” BAM! Right there I learned one of the best questions to ask to assess the growth of a business. How many grownups does your business have? Here are some characteristics of grownups so you can know them … [Read more...]
Don’t do it because I told you to — do it because you want it!
Drove back from Boston to Chicago last weekend to ferry my new college graduate (and all her stuff) back home. Along the way, we played the license plate game. (We found 47 states in just over 1000 miles!) I couldn’t help but notice that every time we found a New Hampshire plate, I had a powerful reaction to the state’s motto. Somehow that motto, “Live free or die” made me want to push back. I found myself saying (in my head), “No! YOU live free. If I want to live in oppression, I can do that.” Observing that, I became aware of two different thoughts. First, I need to see someone about that oppositional defiance disorder! Second, there’s something about telling people what to do that … [Read more...]
Why is my business growth stuck? Natural barriers to growth in the business lifecycle.
Just like children, businesses grow through predictable phases. We start life as baby startups, then progress to raging growth companies, before settling into a more stable “adult” phase. But as we cross each of those growth stages things change -- and if we don't change with them our growth can get stuck. Here’s my version of this story (based mainly on the growth of B2B service businesses). Baby startup Once upon a time, you had an idea. It wasn’t your first idea, you’ve had many business ideas, but this one came at a time when you were feeling particularly frustrated (or desperate) and needed a change. So you started working on your idea, and before you knew it, you were in business … [Read more...]
Are you ready to change? (Reading Time 90 sec — but it’s a hard 90 sec)
In the last two emails, I've talked about some common problems that entrepreneurs confront when they are growing their business. They are over-invested in their importance and competence. They believe"If I work harder, it will get better." They don't see anyone helping them -- it's all up to them. They can't let go... If you are going to make progress growing your business, you are going to have to do some things differently. Things that make you uncomfortable. Things that you aren’t going to like (at first). Are you ready to do that? So I’ve got to ask you, what is your own bullshit that you can't stand any longer? * * * No, I’m serious. What stories have you been telling … [Read more...]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- …
- 29
- Next Page »