Business-ing much?

Assalamualaikum
Found this very interesting article about the must-do's when starting a business. Somehow I think these are relatable in other aspects as well. Thanks for writing :)

1. Dress as if the world is watching.

This has been a game-changer in my life and business. You may think wearing pajamas to work sounds like a dream come true, but believe me, after a few weeks of that it's more like a nightmare. It doesn't boost your own confidence, help your business or your relationship. Now, even if I'm going to be working at home all day, I always make a point to shower, put on a little make-up and dress myself in an outfit that makes me feel fabulous.

This has changed not just the way I feel about myself, but also the relationship with my husband and how productive I am throughout the day. This also goes for your work environment. A tidy, organized space will go a long way for your mood, mindset and productivity level.

2. Become friends with Marketing.

If sales and marketing conjures up images of sleazy cars salesman, it's time to reframe the way you think about it. When I first started my business, I wasn't comfortable with marketing either. I thought somehow clients would just come flocking to me from the power of my vision board and weekly newsletter I sent out to 34 people on my list. And yes, my list was pretty much all my extended family.

I know that you're a brilliant writer, or a powerful coach, or have the ability to create art that literally leaps off the canvas; but if you don't spend time marketing, no one will ever care about what you do. So believe in what you're doing and know it will help others, then think about it as a means to simply reach and help more people in the most effective way possible.

3. Move past your resistance.

As a new entrepreneur, you will meet resistance. I work with a lot of coaching clients around moving past fear and resistance. It may come in the form of procrastination, standing in front of the fridge with the door open aimlessly staring at the milk, mindlessly checking Facebook (ooh! someone else got engaged!) or tweeting about the breakfast you ate rather than working on that big project.

Any of these have the same two things in common: fear and doubt. Fear will come up, but that's okay, take it as a signal pointing you in the direction you should go.

4. Surround yourself with people who uplift and inspire you.

We are the product of the people and environment we surround ourselves with. In fact, it's been said that we are the sum of the 5 people we spent the most time with. Hmm.. interesting right? If you surround yourself with people who tell you you're going to fail, or maybe are broke themselves, that is much more likely to happen to you.

So up your game! Start hanging out with people who uplift you, support you, and inspire you. Maybe even those who are one, five or ten steps ahead of you. Don't compare yourself to them, but use their story as an inspiration for what you can one day achieve.

5. Don't work 24/7

I can't stress this enough. As a new business owner it's easy to get carried away with work work work all the time. And well, it gets boring. When I first started my business, my husband was getting so annoyed with me a) working constantly or b) talking about work. We instated a date night where I wasn't allowed to talk about my business. And boy, it was refreshing! I know it's super exciting and easy to get all-consumed when starting a business, but people will get bored with you very fast. So keep yourself interesting! Go on trips, take up a cooking class, hang out with friends. Don't let yourself become one-sided.

6. You are your brand.

Your brand is the cornerstone of your business. And guess what? You are the cornerstone of your brand. So if you have a brand that.. sucks, you have to be ready to invest money to fix it. Some reasons why your brand might suck is if you've been trying too hard to sound like everybody else rather than speaking like your authentic self; the quality of your images and website are crap; you're not saying anything that people are finding interesting or unique; you're going after the wrong people; your brand is all over the place; or you're trying to be too many things to too many people.

Brands require constant attention. They can't be ignored or set up and forgotten about. What worked six months ago might not work anymore. Especially when your brand is a representation of you, you need to make sure that your unique personality shines through.

7. People don't want what you sell or they don't know they want it.

If people do not already know that they need something, you have to do ten times more work to educate them on why they need your thing. This is going to take ten times longer. For example, when you wonder how Linda's Donut Shop has been in business for so long, it's because people know they need coffee and donuts! It says it right on the sign, they drive past it on their way to work everyday, and maybe after a few drive-by then stop it and enjoy a jelly roll.

They do not necessarily know that they need what you're offering. Give it at least two years.. keep being your creative self, offering a stellar product, never let up, throw tons of money at a great brand, stellar copy, awesome coaches, ads on influential websites, then the world will start to go, "Oh! I definitely need her. Ready to buy".  Maybe. It takes time. Don't listen to those people you see online who say they had 'overnight success' and made six figures out of nowhere. There was a lot of behind scenes planning, building, crying and coaching to get there.

8. Build multiple streams of income.

Number 8 has two points: the first is that it's okay to take up a second job, and the second is that it's important to diversify your offerings. If getting a second job so that you have some money coming in will give you peace of mind, do it.

The second is that it's important to have multiple streams of income for your business. Ideally, you want to have active income (trading your time for services) and passive income (you made something once and the money flows). For passive income, I have a number of video courses that I offer on multiple sites, as well as ads and affiliate income. So if your main source of income is through online sales, get creative with what you can offer.

9. Spend less time in planning, more time in action.

The first year of my business was largely spent signing up for a gazilion newsletters, watching every webinar out there, hoarding tips on how to create a better Pinterest board, perfecting my tweets and creating the perfect client avatar. Then finally I dished out some money and hired a coach. That was the best thing I could have done because she helped me to get past my procrastination and resistance phase and just start doing stuff already. She also had already been in my shoes so she could tell me what worked and what didn't.. i.e. saving me hundreds of hours of wasted time.

It's time to get sh-t done. Block out all distractions (close your email, don't check Facebook or answer your phone) and take inspired, actionable steps towards your goal. Try a power hour where you create a list of 1-2 specific tasks and set a timer for an hour. Do not get up to pee. Do not start vacuuming the floor. Do not pursue the fridge for snacks. Just get the work done and use and accountability partner if you need one. I promise, you'll feel more accomplished in an hour than you have for the last week.

10. You haven't dealt with your own BS

You haven't dealt with your own crap about money. About success or failure. About your worth. About childhood drama. Whatever it is, if you don't deal with these things they'll drag you down faster in business than a sack of potatoes. And I'm by no means saying that you have to be perfect before your business will be successful. Far from it, being an entrepreneur will pull up all your bullsh-t stories, throw them in your face, spit you out, have you in tears, and then make you a better person than you knew you could be.

You have to be prepared to take on risk. You'll experience at times incredible loneliness and utter confusion. People may think you're crazy. But if you continue to follow through and repeat all the above steps with patience and persistence, you will be successful.