Celebrate with me?
August 1, 2020 marked 20 years that I’ve been an entrepreneur. Woo Hoo! August 2000 is when I officially began my coaching business with my first paying coaching client.
I’ll never forget her—a woman named Sue who was an accomplished music teacher with a master’s degree but desired a more fulfilling career. Together, we worked to help her identify her new path working in interior design…she went back to school, got a part-time job in the industry and worked her way into the field. I remember she visited me several years later in my new city and we had lunch and she told me how happy she was and how grateful she was for our work together.
I’m soooo grateful to have participated in hundreds (thousands by now) of success stories like hers. People I’ve coached in 1:1, groups, retreats, speaking engagements, networking groups and more have made positive changes in their lives by starting businesses, changing careers, improving relationships, claiming better health, amping up their foundational self-care, enriching their spiritual lives and drastically transforming their lives. Discovering coaching as my calling has been one of the greatest gifts of my life—it has been a true honor to serve in this way.
Over the years, my business has morphed and changed. And it continues to do so. Adding in the spiritual work as a shamanic practitioner more than two years ago has added new depth and insight to my work with clients who are ready to access other realms for guidance and support.
Let me be clear…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—some treasures and tidbits—from my two decades in business. Thanks for being along for the ride!
1. Smart self-care is the foundation for success.
It took me a few years to figure this one out but I finally did which is why it’s the cornerstone of my work as a coach, healer, author and speaker. Smart self-care is not a luxury; it’s a necessity for vibrant living! It’s good for you, your family, your business/career and the world. Grab your copy of my e-book Smart Self-Care for Busy Women on Kindle if you haven’t already!
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.
So many entrepreneurs burn out because they don’t have enough help. Hire help and especially delegate your weaknesses. Here’s a quickie quiz to 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. (I’m in the middle of moving from Texas to North Carolina right now and the hardest part is culling through my books and deciding what to move and what to release.)
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.
It’s important to revisit your vision every few years because as you evolve, your vision will too! Have fun with this creative work – do some journaling, design a vision board, listen to a guided meditation or work with a coach to help you flesh out the next version of your big vision!
10. It’s either a Hell Yes, a Hell No or a Maybe.
I learned this gem from one of my favorite coaches, Andrea Lee. 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 Sacred Celebrations coaching is all about.
My family!
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 four 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.
20. Understanding your Human Design can be a game changer.
I’ve been dabbling in Human Design for a few years, but it wasn’t until I took a free learning lab from my coach Baeth Davis in her Align to Your Design Facebook group that I really got how we all have a genetic blueprint that we come into this life with and understanding it can dramatically improve your business and your life. If you’ve been studying HD, send me an email and let me know! I love connecting with others who are as fascinated by it as I am!
I invite you to 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 leaving a comment.
And/or take time to review YOUR personal GEMS from your years in business. What treasures and tidbits would you like to share?
Here’s to Tidbits & Treasures! And Twenty MORE Years!
Elizabeth