Moxie Business: Creative & Courageous Business

Will You Just Start Already

February 20 Dawn

Where are you stalling?

Where are you saying ‘I’m not ready’.

Where has fear got your guts truly locked in?

Just start. Start now. You don’t need to have the full colour picture of the end result in your mind before you begin. Any end result before you get there is just a projection anyway, it’s not fact or truth as it is yet to exist.

There are no guarantees that what you are trying to achieve is going to be successful beyond your wildest imagination. There are no guarantees that what you are creating people will like and buy. There are no guarantees that what you are working on today will be your best work in 10 years time.

In fact, there are no guarantees about anything.

You have no control over what’s going to come up, neither do I, we don’t have that power. And yet, we cannot survive for long on the imaginary edge in business of will I, won’t I – eventually you have to move. Do you move forwards or retreat backwards?

The bottom of all the work you are doing today could fall out by tomorrow.

So, I’ll ask again where are you stalling?

What are you not doing but you know it needs done?

What are you waiting on?

What piece of irrefutable evidence are you seeking to confirm to you that what you are doing carries no risk? It doesn’t exist.

Are you lurking around waiting to see how stuff works for others? Are you too busy watching what everyone else is up to, watching them fail and have success so you will eventually have enough proof that you can go-ahead or not?

You have choices to make: you can choose to stay in love with excuses or you can choose not to. Your call.

You can use excuses of I don’t have the skills, abilities, knowledge, power, influence, connections, technical know-how and whatever others you can think up to keep you stuck. Fear loves that, it loves the fact it’s immobilising you.

But you don’t have them? They aren’t excuses? That’s the truth.

You’ll never learn them until you start. You can’t over obstacles in your way if you aren’t heading somewhere and letting them come up. You have to start. What’s to appear will come up in good time, at the right time, it will present itself to you and because you started, because you overcame the obstacles of yesterday you will be in a better place for the ones today.

Doing your most authentic and great work is sometimes like leaping into a void: a pit of unknowns, no safety net, no sure guarantees that everything will happen in the exact order you want them to happen. Doing your most authentic and great work is always about pushing through your own barriers and excuses. Doing your most authentic and great work is leaping when you aren’t 100% ready.

Every step you take is unknown, sometimes each step is riskier than the last. Overcome your own excuses and objections by starting, today’s obstacles will become something else tomorrow and that’s the way it goes.

Start. Or retreat back of the ledge. You may be more comfortable and safe but is that what you really want deep down?

Start now, start from where you are with all that you have at this moment. Start now with the resources you do have, with the passion you came with. Start now meeting the needs you see today and the skills you have to meet them. Start now with a picture of the end result you would like but be willing (and sometimes need to) change it. Start now and invent as you go, create as you move along, accept help when needed, give it when asked.

Please. I urge you to just start.

JoyFear Moments + In Related News …

February 13 Dawn

So Monday came around last week and on the write it down and hope to have least done a couple of things by the end of the day list was the Living Moxie Not-Really-A-Newsletter thang.

I sat for two hours and had nothing, brain freeze. I started the odd paragraph. And then deleted. Started. Deleted. Started. Deleted.

Then I did come up with something and the cat walked across the keyboard, the computer got all pissed and shut down.

So then I had a JOYFEAR moment, what would happen if I told people I had nothing. So I did.

What happened? You replied.

And you made me laugh. You really are witty peeps.

Apparently having nothing is a shared experience we both have, huh? Thank you for your advice of have a bath, you need coffee and quickly, take a break, go and walk the dogs, which makes me even more surprised, you remember the smaller details, the things that I don’t think matter, you remember. Dogs? Coffee? Bath to think?

There was a time when I wouldn’t have had the guts to send an email like that. Here’s my thinking there is so much that I still do in business that is ‘monkey-style’ or ‘parrot fashion’.

What this has reminded me is that nothing compares to just being open, vulnerable and human.

It’s where we can all meet.

Life Is More Fun

Needing Support But Scared to Make the Call?

February 4 Dawn

A nervous client recently said to me they were a little scared about letting someone else in and they had to pluck up the courage to call because coaches have it all together.

Er.

No.

Myth.

Well, this one (me!) has never experienced life as all together.

An analogy: it’s a bit like going to see a Dr. Because of the job title they have, we automatically give them a lot of authority and instant power over our health, they have the title, so they know best, right? (Do they?) And we can (rightly or wrongly) assume that their life is in perfect working order: they probably don’t eat junk food, smoke, drink too much, or snort a line of the white stuff.

What do we know?

Their personal life could be crumbling apart around their stethoscope, they could be a regular at AA meetings, be covered in nicotine patches, going through a messy divorce, their kids could be not speaking to them, their partner having an affair and yet they come to work, leave their baggage at the door and then pick it up again at the end of the shift. We don’t get to see and will never know what goes on when they take off the white coat.

I mean, can you imagine a GP sitting you down and telling you their worries and problems? No, it wouldn’t be right.

I believe we all need support.

As a coach and trainer I pay for professional support and supervision. Because I’m self employed I don’t have the luxury (or dread depending on how you see it) of monthly support and supervision sessions with someone higher up the ladder (as I’m the only one my ladder), or an annual review.

I decided early on in my business that I wanted to pay someone who had no emotional investment in my business and who was prepared to just listen. To be there. To not judge me. I didn’t want business coaching, I wanted support.

So, every couple of months I pay a professional who who sits and nods as I tell them my woes, worries, concerns and strife’s, without ever mentioning names I tell her about things that I couldn’t help with, where I got stuck and stories I didn’t understand. I share with them moments when I feel lost (out my depth even) or when I struggled, or wished I had approached a situation in completely different way.

She asks the questions, I provide the answers. And I always come away from there feeling supported.

See, sometimes this work can be tough. Once you get used to me and I you, once we’ve settled in, and our relationship is formed, when you begin to open up and peel away the layers you feel safe in exposing and share the parts of who you really are I for one need support to help you.

Professionally I know your story is not mine: your problems and concerns don’t belong to me, but as soon as you share them I want to be able to help you in the best way possible for you at this time.

Occasionally your stories are hard to listen to. Sometimes when you share with me, even with all the professional training in the world, I still can quickly be reminded of an event in my own life. I can’t help it, emotions are funny buggers, they spring from no-where.

And that’s why I pay for support and supervision, I need to always know where I end and where you begin. I need to know that my stuff isn’t encroaching on your stuff.

I want you to know that even though I do what I do (and others like me) appear to have all our ducks lined up, that we appear to have life neatly packaged and bowed, we don’t. Well, I don’t. I can’t speak on behalf of others.

You said you’re scared about letting someone in, sometimes we’re scared that you’ve picked the right person to invite in. We have our limits too you know.

We’re human. Just like you. We have our own stuff going on, we may never share it all with you because you aren’t paying us to listen to our worries. We’re trained to leave our own luggage at the door, and rightly so. Sometimes we’ll give you snippets, if it’s appropriate to do so.

But please, leave behind that thoughts that coaches are all sorted. I don’t think it’s true. But (again) I can only speak for myself.

We can perhaps relate to your story because in some bizarre way it’s formatting is a little like our own. But we would never merge the two.

When you pick up the phone, send email or get in touch we know how hard that action could’ve been. We know that because we’ve probably been in a situation similar.

Most of the coaches I know don’t work in total isolation, they want to give you the best service, when you’re with them remember they are probably getting support behind the scenes for their life and work too: either through a regulating body, association, mastermind group, paid for support and supervision or even their own coach.

We do all need support.

We all need someone who’s ‘upright’ in our life.

Quit Doing Business With the Comparison Fear

January 31 Dawn

Do you constantly compare yourself to others in your little biz? Do you come online to do some business work and before you know it you’re looking at your peers websites, offerings and services and wishing you could do it just like them? Do you become disheartened? Do you then look back at your own stuff and think it’s not good enough?

Yuk.

Okay you, there isn’t a problem with making a comparison.No, no, not when you’re choosing your gas and electric supplier or which cat-hotel to leave your furry-friend for a couple of weeks. But it sure as hell becomes one when you go beyond weighing up one thing against another logically to comparing yourself to them.

That is a problem.

I cannot tell you how many times I’ve had the ‘I wanna be like them conversation’ with little business owners: highly skilled experienced individuals comparing themselves, their work, their message, their websites, their programs, events, products, blogs, writing, content, offering, popularity … and so on with another. Someone they know, or even someone they don’t.

Even the other week I had a conversation with little biz owner who ‘didn’t want to launch their blog because they wanted to be as good as….’

Insanity.

When you’re looking outwards and having thoughts such as, ‘I wish I’d thought of that’ or ‘How can they do that, what’s wrong with me? or ‘They are so much better than me’ or ‘My stuff isn’t as good as theirs’ you’re on a hiding to nothing.

With love…

There is nobody on the planet, and I mean nobody, who can deliver your message into the world about who you are, what you do and how you do it better than you. Nobody. No such other person exists. They never have before and they never will in the future.

For sure, there are probably people out there who you really admire, and what they are doing is awesome. But they are doing it their way, you can’t ever replicate it, there isn’t another one of them either.

For sure, they actually could be more masterful at some stuff than you? And?

Dealing With Comparison

The fact you’re reading this post tells me you have crossed the biggest hurdle to overcoming comparison. In fact, if this was a race, you’re nearly at the end and about to finish.

Why? Because you are aware. And that is a good thing. You’re aware that sometimes when you observe others and when you want to go down the self punishment path it is doing you no good. Check. Error correction underway.

So let’s bag this one. Ready? Here’s a few things to try (read: try, that means taking action!)

Change Your Thoughts

When you see something that someone else has produced created or put out there and you are about to make a comparison tell your lizard brain (the one that has you locked in fears of not being good enough) to, ‘Shut the feck up’. Turn. It. Down.

Then…

Appreciate

Do you love what you’re about to compare? Is it something you would have loved to have come up with? Is it awesome? Is it beautiful? Inspiring? Creative?

Put comparing out the picture for a second, if it had been you that had produced it, what feedback would you like to receive? A tweet, a share, a quick email saying ‘I love what you’ve produced’, a note saying ‘this is really fantastic’. Then do it. Appreciate rather than compare.

But they are the competition you cry. And? So what? I’m not asking you to send all your customers and clients their way, I’m asking you as an individual to appreciate what another is doing. Is that too hard? We don’t need feedback, it’s nice to receive though. This is much healthier than comparing.

Focus

Focus on your own stuff. If you want to waste your life wishing you were more like/live a life like/create a business like, I advise you speak to someone who can help you acknowledge your own skills and support you to see your uniqueness.

The problem is with you, not the person you are comparing yourself too. You are the one look outward, perceiving, judging and comparing. You have a business to run, you don’t have the time to waste thinking others are better than you.

And hey, know what? They may be better are certain things, but people are waiting on you to help them your way. One person isn’t going to be right for everyone, focus on the people who you love to serve. Period.

If it’s a skill they have and you don’t, learn it. That’s it. Simple.

Love

Love this and repeat it often, especially straight after point 1 above, ‘I, myself, am enough’. Envy, jealousy, comparison of self against others is (bottom line) fear. The anti-dote to fear is love, so more of it please, for yourself.

And remember everyone has their own stuff going on, a lot of what we think is perfectly perfect is done behind ‘smoke and mirrors’.

You can keep comparing, that’s your choice, but are you comparing the real you to a perception you have of another person/thing/way of life, based solely on what you they have chosen to share with you? What about the things you don’t see?

When you stop comparing what is right here and now with what you wish were, you can begin to enjoy what is. Cheri Huber

Suffering From SOS (Shiny Object Syndrome)?

January 21 Dawn

I have suffered from SOS.

When running a business it’s one of the worst illnesses that will kill your mindset, productivity, sanity and ability to move forward and get stuff done. What’s sad is I see time and time again other solo biz owners being floored by it’s virus.

Back in 2008, I had it bad. Real bad. I wanted to bring my business online (successfully) and I didn’t know how to, so I went searching. I went looking for the person who had the holy grail of getting more clients. What I found was there are plenty peeps who say they have overflowing cup of marketing gold, but after following them, reading them and buying their crap (not all of it was), I realised I had been conned by a slick, hit-me-where-it’s really-painful sales messages.

Because my business was not where I wanted it to be, because I felt I was missing massive chunks of information, and because other people told me they had the solutions to all my client, marketing, attraction and mindset problems .. I would buy. I would buy every single Shiny Object.

We need clients. That’s the bottom line.

To survive even us authentic and ethical biz owners need people coming into our businesses on a regular basis.

We need to work out the best strategy to lead people in a heart-centred way to our products and services. We need systems in place where the people already looking for us are met with you coming from a place of trust saying ‘I’m here, I can help’.

Why am I telling you this?

Fooling:

Have you ever read anything like this: 7 Secrets To … The Fastest Way to Cash … How to Attract All the Clients … More Money, More Clients, More Sales the Easy and Instant Way, Your Competition is Doing This Right, Are You?

Many of them are playing to your worst nightmares and fears. Slick (and effective, but maybe not ethical) copywriting and marketing sales pages based on buying psychology, tapping into your pains and offering you easy, instant, affordable solutions.

Think about this, if it were THAT easy would you not already be doing it?

If you’re lacking in clients please don’t make my mistake and try and implement everything you have been feared into thinking you’re missing all at once. It’s not doable. And you may find you end up being out of sync for what you really stand for. Not all tactics have this effect may I add, some do work.

We (you and I) can learn every tactic and buy every shiny object, however we can’t implement ANY of them until we have a strategy.

And I’ll say this, when you are being feared by lack sales messages, you may find that don’t have all the technical knowledge and skills needed to implement these so called easy to use tactics. Example: it takes me two minutes to install a blog today and add all the bits needed to make it work, my first one took me two months and it was an ugly baby. I can add a mail form to a website (all pretty with bells on) in five mins perfectly coded. My first? About two weeks.

Learning all the techie stuff takes time, don’t be fooled by anyone who says it’s easy, it needs to be learned.

What to do once you have all the techie parts in place, takes even longer, and many little biz owners don’t even get to this part . They use the shiny object but not the strategy behind using the shiny object.

Example: adding a form to your website is the easiest part, having a system in place of what happens next, then next, then next, then next takes a heck of a lot of working out (of course you could buy pre made emails but don’t please, don’t, where is the authenticity in that?) Adding a blog? Simple. It’s how to build a successful, a client attraction blog that will take a while to learn. Thousands of pieces that need to be fired out all at once.

Shut down the noise.

I have no right really to say to you don’t buy tactics, your business is not my business. But if you’re buying because you’re scared your business is flunking, don’t buy shiny objects because you are in emergency mode. Don’t buy tactics. If you can afford it, buy someone who can help you see what you’re missing and help you focus on a strategy.

From one who knows it’s cheaper, less painful and a lot quicker than being disappointed when the Shiny Objects no longer sparkle.

Lessons from Jack and Jill for Your Business

January 11 Dawn

After meeting on a hill walk, Jack and Jill (from to fetch a pail of water + broke his crown fame) discovered they are in the same business, they both sell water buckets. Both of them have the same range and their prices are similar. Both of them started from scratch.

Jack has no profit and not enough paying clients.

Jill has increased profit in her business by 100% the first year, 300% the second and 500% the third and has more than enough clients.

The difference? The strategy Jill has implemented is the easiest formula to getting more business she:

Increased the number of clients.
Increased the size of sale.
She had repeat buyers.

What Happened?

When they started out Jack decided that he wanted to make his buckets available to everyone, even the people who did not want and would never want a bucket. He threw money and time trying to convince people who were not interested that they needed to buy a bucket. He advertised and promoted, but not to the people who really wanted (and were looking for him) or what he offered.

Jill though, she went looking for the people who were looking for buckets.

She searched online to find the people who were asking ‘Where Can I Buy a Bucket?’, she would provide them with information, she gave them advice and suggestions, she offered to help them out and sometimes she posted information about her buckets.

Their websites were different.

Both knew that people were searching online for buckets. Jill made her website all about the people searching for buckets; she offered free samples, bucket tasters, offers, discounts, a newsletter all about buckets, she had a blog that kept people updated about recent bucket trends.

Jack on the other hand, he wanted to make a sale. He built his website so that when people arrived they were faced with the sales process straight away. He never considered for one minute that bucket lovers would want to know more about the art of bucketing!

Jill offered a range of additional bucketing services, as well being able to buy buckets she gave people the opportunity to become part of the Bucket Club, a special place for bucket lovers, she blogged and spoke about excellent uses for buckets and she threw competitions and give-ways sometimes asking people to take pictures of their buckets in action, she created a real community for bucket lovers.

Jill knew that people would need a new bucket in time, so she set up a strategy whereby any returning clients got the best deals, offers and specials, she treated them like bucket royalty.

Jack wanted the sale. He wanted the money upfront. He wasn’t worried about building a relationship with the bucket lovers.

Because Jill had a strategy in place, and she knew her ideal client (niche) was women who loved decorative buckets everything she did in her business was for them. She became known for her love of decorative buckets. If you were a woman who wanted a bucket to suit you, Jill (her message, business, website, materials, marketing) proved she was an expert in this field.

Jill learned everything there was to know about decorative buckets for women. She hired mentors, she hired coaches, she attended seminars, read books, she read blogs and built relationships with others who were in the decorative bucket field. She was the go to gal in decorative buckets.

Jack wanted the money. He actually wasn’t that passionate about buckets.

Jill, she is different, she inspires others with her decorative buckets, she is so passionate about them it’s easy for her to talk endlessly. Her energy and passion shines.

Jill loves her clients because she took the time to really get to know them, she doesn’t concern herself trying to sell to people who will never be interested in what she offers. Because she offers a free sample and newsletter, she spends time building a relationship with those people, she knows (because they signed up on her website) that they have put their hand up to know more.

She doesn’t waste energy on convincing people that a bucket is a good purchase, she focuses her time on the people who want her services and buckets.

Jill, because of her enthusiasm and passion for buckets, has built her own bucket tribe, people love what she does because they know she has all the information they want. They feel Jill is committed to them having the best buckets and services this side of the hill.

Jill did start a list with a newsletter, all she added was a little mail sign-up form to her website. Jack didn’t do this. He didn’t think he would have the time. Jill loves her list, she spends most of her time thinking about that, she regularly asks people what they want her to give them.

Because of the effort Jill made on finding women who loved and were looking for decorative buckets she increased the number of clients. Because of the effort she made on becoming the expert in decorative buckets and continually giving people value, information, knowledge, ideas etc via emailing her list people would return to her time and time again, and because her time and effort wasn’t wasted chasing everyone she could focus on creating really special services for her clients, increasing her sale.

On a recent hill walk, Jill gave Jack these pointers to turning his business around:

Specialise in the buckets he loves to sell and that people are wanting to buy.
Find and meet (on or offline) the people looking for him. Invite them to his website, giving them a reason to visit.
Spend time looking after the people who have raised their hands to hearing more.
Create an online space that is informative, educational, fun – whatever suits the market.
Blog – it is one of the easiest ways to show credibility and expertise, and build relationships.
Offer other services to give yourself a multiple stream of income.