Happy August! For those of us in the northern hemisphere, we’re marking the end of summer (unless you live in Houston where it lasts until about October) and we’re excited for the kiddos to return to school! It’s a time for celebration but I have a celebration of a different sort–August marks nineteen years since I began my coaching business… back in the days when you told people you were a coach and they asked “for what sport?”
Entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart. It was the riskiest career move that I ever made but it was the smartest life choice that I ever made too! As my clients know, I always end sessions with the question “What’s your GEM?” So today, here are a few gems from my 19 years in business. Thanks for being along for the ride!
19 GEMS from 19 Years in Business
1. Smart self-care is the foundation for success.
It took me a few years to figure out this one but I finally did which is why it’s the cornerstone of my work as a coach, healer, author, and speaker. When you practice smart self-care, you are the most vital expression of YOU that God intended you to be. It’s good for you, your family, your business/career, and the world.
2. Authentic networking is the fast path to a happy life.
Over the years, I’ve met many clients, friends and even my husband (!) through networking. When done right, networking is all about building relationships, caring about people, and finding ways to create a win-win. I know it comes more naturally for those of us who are extroverted but I have successfully inspired many of my introverted clients over the years to say “Wow, this networking thing is actually fun, Coach E!”
3. Givers gain.
The BNI networking organization’s motto, I learned very early on that people who succeed in business are the ones who help others succeed in business too. If you approach your relationships with a mindset of “How can I help?” it changes the way you operate in the world.
4. Work with your perfect customers only.
The international best-selling book Attracting Perfect Customers changed my life when I first read it. It helped me to realize that if I focused on envisioning my ideal people I could invite them into my business. It’s that easy. This book was truly a game changer for me.
5. To be successful as an entrepreneur it pays to have a coach.
I’m not just saying this because I am a business coach. Having a supportive accountability partner, a cheerleader, a resource person, and a visionary confidant is a great mix to have on your team. A coach can see what is possible for you when you can’t see it for yourself. I always have a coach, sometimes two or three at a time!
6. To be successful as an entrepreneur you have to have a team.
The lone ranger syndrome leads to burn out very quickly. Hire help and especially delegate your weaknesses (for me, that includes web design, administrative support, and accounting). Assess your business and life—where can you ask for help right now?
7. Leaders are readers.
My books may be my most treasured possessions. It’s my joy and it’s my job to learn and then share from the wisdom of those who have come before me.
8. Leaders are learners.
Most successful entrepreneurs take time every month, quarter, and year to attend workshops, seminars, and retreats to constantly up their game. Are you doing this?
9. Your vision for your business will change and grow as you change and grow.
I started off coaching high school and college students and now I work primarily with professional women. I originally offered only 1:1 coaching and now I also offer group coaching, speaking, training, retreats, workshops, and teleseminars. I’m also writing my first book!
10. It’s either a Hell Yes, a Hell No, or a Maybe.
I learned this gem from one of my coaches, Andrea Lee, (and in reality, 99% of the maybes end up in the Hell No category!) It’s a simple way to categorize your big project to-do list and helps you get clear really fast on where to focus your energy, time, and resources.
11. Do it, delegate it or delete it.
It may the greatest idea ever, but if it’s still hanging around flapping in the breeze, it was probably a Maybe which turned into a Hell No. Let it go.
12. A little bit of gratitude goes a long way.
Research has proven that expressing gratitude is good for your body, mind, and spirit. But it’s also good for business. Can’t tell you how many times I’ve followed up with someone with a thank you—sometimes a card, a call or a simple email—and they’ve circled back to either offer more business, refer a friend, or tell me about another opportunity. That’s not my motivation for expressing gratitude but it sure is a nice perk!
13. Take time to work on your business, not just in it.
This piece of wisdom comes from the legendary Michael Gerber of E-Myth fame. We spend so much time in the trenches of our business, we can get lost in the details. Taking time to think, dream, strategize, and plan assures your continued success. When was the last time you dedicated a few hours to work ON your business?
14. Easy, fun, and profitable.
This has been my motto since the early days of my coaching business. One of my coaches advised me that if I’m going to take on a new project, to make sure that it met at least two of the criterion and ideally all three. It really helps with decision making that is in alignment with my business. (If it meets all 3, chances are good, it’s a Hell Yes!)
15. Divine Timing, not my timing.
This was probably the hardest lesson for me to learn but now that I have surrendered to it, my life is so much easier and my business feels like I’m floating downriver, not like I’m trying to paddle upstream! Everything has a time and place and sometimes the stars align and sometimes they don’t. When you learn to trust that it all works out as it should, it takes the pressure off and allows you to settle into the flow of Life.
16. Trust your intuition.
You know those sensations you get in your gut when facing a decision? Sometimes you feel butterflies of excitement and your body starts to tingle and other times you feel a knot in your stomach that feels heavy and uncomfortable. Trust your body’s way of sending you information to let you know if moving forward is a good decision or not. We make too many decisions from the mind only and don’t consult with the body, too. When both are in alignment, you’ll know it. And when there’s discord, there’s a reason. Pay attention.
17. Big life transitions can change everything. Let them.
Whether you get married, have a baby, move to a new city, get divorced, a loved one dies or you’re faced with illness, these big life changes are opportunities to evaluate your priorities. It’s a good time to reconnect to your values and what matters to you and redirect your ship if you’ve gotten a little off course. Endings and beginnings are a part of the never ending cycles of life. Embrace them and treat each new chapter as a new adventure.
18. Celebrate the milestones—big and small—along the way.
Big life transitions require a lot of energy to do the things that need to be done and to process the emotions that come with them. Engaging in gatherings to celebrate the joys or to honor the losses can help to provide support along the way. That’s what my book is all about.
19. Relationships, really, are everything.
It’s true what they say. When you get to the end of your life, you don’t wish you had worked harder or spent more time at the office. You recount the love you shared with the precious people in your life. I saw that so clearly when my mom died three years ago. Her friends wrote the loveliest cards in her final months to tell her how much they adored her and recounted fond memories of time spent with her. Make sure you are making your personal relationships your #1 priority in life. You won’t regret it.
Revitalizing Actions:
- Review these GEMS and see if you want to try to incorporate one or more into your professional life. Let me know which ones resonate for you by sending me an email.
- Take time to review YOUR personal GEMS from your years in business. What wisdom would you like to share?
1 comment
This list of awesome advice can work for the entertainment business, too! Music artists need to be CEO’s of their own organizations, however small or large. I’ll be sharing… Thanks, Elizabeth!