Most business owners I know want to grow their business – but it can prove very challenging, especially at this point in time (2020 just keeps throwing us curve balls, hey!).
Some people are still looking to push their business to big heights, others are re-evaluating and setting those goals lower in response to the whole Covid-19 situation.
But everyone’s goals and expectations for their business can be vastly different to the next.
So regardless of how big you want to get, whether you want massive growth or just to reach that goal so you can have more freedom from your business – these tips are bound to make your think, stretch and maybe even just reinforce what you already know!
- Find a Mentor
Every small business owner is on a journey, the only difference is how far along the track they’ve travelled. Finding a mentor who is further down the track and who has already faced and broken through the challenges you are confronting is one of the most effective ways to accelerate your progress.
Finding a mentor can mean paying one, like clients pay me, or it can mean simply following someone on social media and signing up for all their freebies and getting all you can from them. Maybe there is someone in your world like a friend who’s just a little ahead of where you want to be and you can shout them wine or coffee in exchange for their wisdom!
My friend I were having a conversation and she was saying how a podcast she was listening to recommended that people my age (I’m in my 40’s) and above even have a Millennial as a mentor! I haven’t stopped thinking about that since – and perhaps that is something that you can utilise in your business.
My pro tip here though is don’t have too many mentors.
I have one key person who mentors me, and I found them very early on. I’ve paid enormous money to my mentor over the past 10 years, but every single cent has been well spent. Everything was a lesson – the good, the bad and the darn right ugly at times too. But I wouldn’t change it, any of it, for the world. It’s got me here and I like it here!
A good way to start on a mentor journey is to choose one or two people you trust and are aligned with your values and vision and follow them, listen to them. Too many opinions from too many people will not accelerate your growth but more than likely inhibit it! Just keep that in mind. Find your tribe!
- Learn to Market your Talent
You may not know this, but you already have all the talent you need to succeed. I see this all the time, people thinking they need to get the next degree, the next certificate, the next qualification and THEN the money will come in. No, it won’t. You ARE talented enough right now. Need to read that again? YOU ARE TALENTED ENOUGH RIGHT NOW!
You just need to become a better marketer of what you do. Become better at putting yourself out there as the expert in your field. I don’t crap on about more video and putting your face all over your marketing more often for nothing – it’s strategic – you need to be known as the expert and if you’re never out there how can we know!
Become a better marketer of what you do!
- Connect with a Community
A proverb that really resonates with me is this on:
If you want to go fast go alone, if you want to go far go together.
Build your tribe, or find your tribe as I mentioned before.
Surrounding myself with like-minded, forward thinking small business owners who push me, challenge me and celebrate with me is the BEST, by far, thing I have ever done in business.
Isolation is one of the biggest hidden killers of business. Currently I have a tribe of amazing small business owners in my local Business Development Group in Yarrawonga where I live, and there are so many communities both locally and online who can provide you this support, you just need to reach out and connect with them.
- Be Careful who you Share your Dreams with.
Now this piece of advice was one my mentor taught me very early on. Never have entrepreneurial conversations with non-entrepreneurs. In other words, don’t have business conversations with people who have no freakin’ idea what it takes to run a business!
Because business can be HARD. It’s real hard – you know that.
Even those who love you most, and often from the best-intentioned places, will try to save you from making mistakes or taking a risk. But that is not how you build a business. We learn so much from mistakes and risks and for some of us that’s how we are built – people who don’t understand will crush that – don’t let them crush you!
- Ready Fire Aim
For those of you how have listened to my podcast, or read my various blogs, or who have shared my journey or shared my mentor at any stage will be very familiar with this one.
Another gem my mentor taught me is “the world doesn’t need someone else aiming to do something”. We just need to do it. Ready, Fire, Aim.
Of course, sometimes I take this a little too far and find myself building things on the fly, but so far, ready fire aim has served me well.
There are two types of entrepreneurs in the world, those who aim to do things and those who do it. The fact is the world doesn’t need any more people aiming to act. What we need is people willing to FIRE.
Success comes quickest to those that do, so remember it’s progress before perfection.
- Build a Movement
The fact is that as humans we want to belong to something bigger than ourselves. So, if you can align your values with the values of the people you attract, then you can build a movement. And the speed of that growth will be determined by the size of your movement.
If you don’t know what your values are – then there’s some homework. Write down the core values of your business and start aligning them with your expertise, your marketing and the audience you are attracting.
- Your Business will Never Outperform you
This one – well it’s quite possibly why you are reading this blog. The most successful entrepreneurs all share one thing in common, an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. In the rapidly changing business environment we live in, it’s crucial that you create time and space to work on learning, innovating and growing you. So, congratulations on being a life long learner. For as long as you are looking for new things to learn your business will continue to grow.
I hope you’re inspired to keep growing in your business and now have some tools and tricks to keep on track for hitting those goals – whatever your goals are.
I am very glad to have you as part of my world, as part of my tribe, and I’d also love to catch up between podcasts so don’t forget to join my Facebook group Like Minded Business Owners. I look forward to seeing you in there! Of course, links to my other social accounts are below.
If you have any comments or questions, please feel free to leave me a comment!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jenn Donovan is a marketing strategist and social media extraordinaire, coach and mentor to savvy business owners. Owner and Founder of Social Media & Marketing Australia.
With a passion for making business simple, because it’s isn’t easy but it should be simple or at least simpler, she’s built a reputation for helping other small business owners simplify their marketing and businesses so they can reach their goals, be more profitable and live the dream (finding the freedom they set out to achieve when they started … the illusive small business owner freedom dream …!)
Jenn believes in giving before asking and that’s why she’s the host of the popular Small Business Made Simple Podcast
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