Over the last few days, we’ve talked about creating an openness to finding the right new opportunities to grow your business. But even if you keep your glass-half-full and know what kind of opportunities your business is looking for, there’s one surefire way to make sure you neither see nor execute on any growth opportunities. Busyness is the enemy of growth. When you are booked end-to-end in zoom calls when there’s a line outside your door and 300 emails in your inbox, there’s no way you will find growth opportunities! Even if an opportunity came by and smacked you in the head, you’d miss it because you are already late for that next meeting! Why do I want to grow – don’t I have … [Read more...]

Businesses grow through stages. Just like babies become toddlers, who become kids, teenagers, and eventually adults, businesses grow through distinctive phases. In each phase, there are particular opportunities that the owner needs to focus on to maximize their rate of growth. Let’s look at each phase with some examples. The start-up phase Every business starts out looking for customers. To grow through the start-up phase, you need to identify a fit between what you offer and what the market needs, and then you need to learn how to communicate the value of your offer so that people will respond to it. In the start-up phase, every opportunity looks like a good one (because without new … [Read more...]

Almost every owner I talk to wants their business to grow. That’s especially true when you are under $2M in annual sales – where growth is imperative for survival (for you and the business)! Some owners are amazing at this. They are spotting growth opportunities all the time! They tend to have a “glass-half-full” approach to things, looking for what the gains would be from each new idea or venture (and potentially understating the risks). Others are more focused on keeping things steady, on delivering consistently. They tend to look at the risks or costs of new ideas and ventures first. Guess which one finds more new opportunities? The first ones do! (Don't believe me -- Harvard … [Read more...]

Saying no to our pet projects or marketing tactics that attract our eyes is one thing, but saying no to clients; that’s something else. I’ve thought of four times when you absolutely need to say “no” to a client or opportunity. 1. When it moves you off of your mission or values This one is easy. If doing the work goes against your values, you have to say no. Your values are there to tell you what to say no to. The second half of this is harder – when the work is taking you off your mission. Your mission is the difference you are making – your 100-year goal that is your North Star. It’s clear you don’t want work that distracts from that, but at the moment, it can feel really subtle. … [Read more...]

I had lunch with a friend this week who’s been attending to his father, whose health is failing. During lunch, he told me that his father’s big advice to him during this time has been to “not wait.” If there’s something you’ve been meaning to do, something that you want to accomplish, do it now! What do you want to accomplish? Earlier in the week, we talked about the importance of saying no and knowing what your focus needs to be so that you can make the most of the few chances you have to say yes! We can't pursue everything. The fewer things we set our sights on, the more likely we are to succeed. One of the keys to that is knowing what’s burning within you! What is it that you … [Read more...]

The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say “no” to almost everything. ~ Warren Buffet If there’s anyone who knows a thing or two about being really successful it’s Warren Buffet. He was a millionaire by 30 (in 1940, when there were a lot fewer millionaires), he’s made some incredible deals, so much so that his current net worth is over $70B! So when he gives me advice about how to be successful, I listen. Just say no As an individual or as a company, the only way to make progress is to say no. It’s hard to say no because it means having a clear opinion about what the best use of your time, talent, and money will be. You … [Read more...]

When you put together a proposal for a piece of work you’d be perfect for, how long is the document you are creating? Do you wax poetic about your "proprietary process? Do you include bios of your key people? Have you added case studies of similar projects? Or do you create a one-page summary that states clearly the results the client can expect from engaging with you, the price you are charging, and go with that? Your client doesn’t need 20 pages of reasons why they should hire you; they need one reason. They will hire you because you can help them to get closer to their desired future state. That’s it. If you can’t tell them that in one page, they will not see it in 20 … [Read more...]