Showing posts with label Growth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Growth. Show all posts

26 October 2018

Overcoming Entrepreneurial Lonliness


Ask any Business Owner or Entrepreneur and they will tell you that owning and running a business can be a lonely and isolated role. Especially when the going gets tough and you are the only person who can and will make the final decision. You cannot expect your spouse or friends to relate to your problems as they are not involved in the day-to-day running and management of your business, they probably have their own worries which is taking up enough of their time and energy. 

It is important to prioritize your relationships, no longer can you meet people at the drop of a hat and go for a drink or a coffee. That does not mean you isolate yourself but choose your friends wisely, the ones who you know will be with you through thick and thin. They are your true friends who you can trust and confide in.

To help with your personal development and learning look at getting a mentor or coach who can help you reach a decision in a logical and from an impartial point of view offering guidance and to help you see the woods from the trees. You could also consider on bringing on board a non-executive Director.

In ancient Greece the great philosophers Socrates and Plato would have sat for hours with their peers debating matters of interest and concern in what was a forerunner of the Mastermind Group.

The Mastermind Group concept can be traced back to the author Napoleon Hill. In 1908, Hill was commissioned by the American industrialist Andrew Carnegie to interview over 500 of the most successful people of the day and put together a general formula for business and life success. The ‘project’ took over 20 years to complete culminating in ‘The Law of Success’ later to become ‘Think and Grow Rich’, which included a series of steps of which he advocates the ‘Power of the Mastermind’ which we now know as the Mastermind Group.

A Mastermind Group is a group of people preferably not more than six who are of a like mind from either the same or different industries sharing a common need for success in their business venture. The group meets on a regular basis with the objective of supporting each other through the sharing of experiences and knowledge.

When forming a Group choose members who are likely to create synergy, who are focused, ambitious, open-minded and goal oriented with a positive outlook who will bring to each and every meeting energy and a willingness to share. It is beneficial to include people who have real experience and success in business and who have overcome personal challenges. The Group is designed as a long-term support system and not as a ‘drop-in’ session whenever you feel you need a motivational lift.

The Group becomes a place where individuals can bounce ideas, discuss problems confidentially and learn from the wisdom of their fellow Group members. Mastermind Groups can offer valuable benefits including accountability to ensure that projects don’t slip in terms of deadlines and completion. An additional advantage is the power of simply stating your goals out loud which in turn can help you to clarify your thinking and to ‘follow-through’

So if you find yourself in a situation where you are starting to get over whelmed and feel you have no one to turn to with your problems why not take the initiative and create your own Mastermind Group and gain from the support of fellow business people. Organise your initial meetings in a local coffee shop, they will welcome the extra business and who knows they might even benefit from the Group themselves.

If you are looking for help to grow your business and if I can help you why not call or email me for a confidential Breakthrough Call.

07 October 2018

5 tips on how to create your Personal Brand

We all have a personal brand whether we like it or not – it is what people think and say about us when we are not in the room – it is not about our job, it’s about our essence and what people think are our core traits. Your Personal Brand is your reputation and what it is like in the minds of others, what people know you for, how they experience you, what they expect you to do and to say.

To establish your Personal Brand follow these simple steps to identify your key skills and traits:
  1. Ask for feedback from people you know really well what they really think about you by writing down 5-10 key words, both positive and negative words they think describe you best. Ask them to clarify the words if they say ‘honest’ do they mean you won’t steal from your company?
  2. What do you want your Personal Brand to stand for – answer / describe yourself under the following 6 key areas:
    • Values: What’s important to you
    • Drivers: What motivates you
    • Reputation: What others think about you
    • Behaviour: How you act in front of others
    • Skills: What you can do that others can’t
    • Image: How you look and dress
    Create a MindMap with your name in the centre with each branch as one of the key areas from above with sub branch’s that are words that sum up the area i.e. under ‘Values’ you could write ‘loyal’, ‘energetic’; under ‘Drivers’ you could write ‘problem solver’ etc
  1. Think like Oprah – boil your Personal Brand down to the one key word or idea which you want people to know you by – identify that one core thing – in Oprah’s case people trust her and feel connected, her key trait is ‘Empathy’
  2. Use Social Media, what do you engage with and say on line – this is the area you can create your own persona and presence but be careful what you say on line ast could come back and haunt you!
  3. Take action by bringing your brand to life, push yourself to do more around your Personal Brand so others will identify with you. Use your passion and talent to gain recognition and make yourself in demand.
Your Personal Brand cannot be bought, nor made up – it has to be earned – the good news is it is never too late to improve your Personal Brand by focusing on who you are, what you are great at and what value you deliver to others. 

Remember your Personal Brand is all about your reputation – it is all about you!

If I can help you with your Personal Brand or LinkedIn Profile Makeover then give me a shout.

Tips on how to open and close presentations?

What is the most important part of any presentation: the opening few seconds. This is the time you will either grab the attention of your ...