My Best “Secret” To Growing a Business That Lasts
Alright, I must confess: there is no perfect formula for creating a running a business that lasts. But I truly believe there is one major contributing factor to what has set my business apart and build a brand, not just a business.
That one thing is this: Being true to myself and staying in my own lane.
So, what exactly does that mean?
It means that you have to stop looking around and what everyone else is doing and try to mimic that. It means you have to really look inward and accept YOURSELF. It means that you have to stop comparing yourself to other businesses and people. It means that you have to truly know yourself and know what strengths you bring to the table. It means you have to do some good, hard personal work.
I know, it’s scary. Sometimes the scariest thing is actually loving and knowing yourself. We spend so much of our time getting to know others and watching others, but are you taking the same amount of time and dedication to love yourself and get to know yourself?
I don’t mean for this to get super deep and emotional. But, I want you to really take a minute to think about how much time you’re spending on working on YOU.
You are the greatest asset to your business because it’s YOUR business.
I am all about practicality, so if you really want to work on this, I’ve listed out three things that I have done that have helped me tap into this. This being: staying true to myself and staying in my own lane.
Three things that have helped me do this (and how you can too):
Writing a mission statement: I’ve written about how to write a mission statement, and I will say this all day long: you need a mission statement. I talk about this all the time with my coaching clients; you need something to ground you. And that’s what a mission statement does. It grounds you and helps inform all your business decisions. When you have a mission statement, you’re able to stop looking at everyone else and try doing what they’re doing. Instead, you look at your mission statement and only do things that align with that. It simplifies your life and helps you to be more grounded, streamlined, and focused. You can read this post to learn more about how to write a mission statement.
Setting clear and specific goals: in order to stay in your own lane, you have to set specific and clear goals! Without them, you’re just swimming upstream without a paddle or boat or life vest. You will sink. There are countless things you can do with your business, but you don’t necessarily have to do them all. So, your goals will guide you. Focus in YOUR goals. You don’t need to look around at everyone and create hundreds of goals because of what you see them doing. Look at YOUR goals. And work towards those. If you’re looking for a way to set clear, grace-filled, intentional goals, read this.
Finding support and accountability: you cannot do this alone. You need support and accountability not only in life, but also in business. You can either start a mastermind or simply ask some friends to help you out. My Mom (aka my Momager) is a constant support and accountability for me. I run most big decisions by her and ask for advice. She has told me when things don’t align with my mission statement or when I am not staying on track with what MY goals are. I have friends who help spread the word about my business. I have hired friends to coach me and help me. My husband is the number guys in the business. My sisters help me with new designs I am creating. It is NOT a one-woman show over here. Yes, I do all the “work” but I also have a huge team of support “staff” who help me achieve my goals. You need that too.