Last week I opened up Facebook and saw a troubled post in a group for women business owners.
The original poster was two months into her consulting business, and as she put it, “reality is setting in.”
She had two clients, and several people who had promised to send business her way if they heard of something.
But now she was overcome with fear and questions. She worried about having enough money, having left behind good corporate health insurance, etc.
All of her fears bubbled up to the same big Entrepreneur’s Existential Question: “Did I do the right thing?”
To the group she asked: what would you recommend?
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Before I share what I said to her, I want to ask you: have you ever felt this way in your business? Have you ever wondered, “Did I do the right thing?”
If you have, you’re not alone, so perhaps what I shared with her will help you as well:
I said, every entrepreneur feels that way at times, and it goes in cycles.
My best advice is this: make sure that everything you’re doing is optimized towards one goal, and one goal only: getting clients.
Getting clients has a material benefit, of course, mostly in the bank account area. But it has an emotional benefit too: it helps you feel like you’re on the right track.
In the corporate world, there are colleagues, bosses, and management to tell you, “Good job!” and give you positive reinforcement.
When you’re running your own business… crickets. Yes, you can be the world’s most positive cheerleader for yourself, but it’s hard to do that in an isolation chamber. The antidote to dying on the vine in your own business is to get positive reinforcement.
The most powerful type of positive reinforcement is the one that also comes with dollar signs: new clients.
So, I know it’s very easy to tinker with your brand, or change your website copy, or do other things that make you feel like you’re making progress. But that’s Faux Progress. It doesn’t get you closer to to getting new clients.
What WILL make your business sustainable, get you paid, and reassure you that you’ve done the right thing in starting this business? Focus all your energy on getting new clients.
If you can optimize towards that one goal, the rest will fall into place.
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What do you think about what I’ve shared here? Do you have anything to add? Share it in the Facebook Group!
Xo,
Leah
P.S. Whenever you’re ready, here are three ways I can help you.
1. Join the free Smart Gets Paid Group and connect with women entrepreneurs who are learning how to get clients too.This is my new Facebook community where badass women like you learn how to get the clients they want, without feeling salesy. Click here to join.2. Learn how to get new clients without feeling salesy, in 10 weeksIf getting new clients is on your to-do list, but you’re not sure where to start, I can help. You’ll learn step-by-step how to get the clients you want, without feeling salesy. And you’ll get the support you need to put learning into practice in your business. NEXT SESSION STARTING AUGUST 29. Just reply to this email and put “Clients” in the subject line and I’ll get you the details.3. Work with me privatelyIf you’d like to work directly with me to learn how to sell, get paid more, and get the clients you really want, just reply to this message and put “Private” in the subject line. Tell me a little about your business and what you’re struggling with when it comes to selling, and I’ll get you all the details.