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Solidify Your Business Network Immediately Using This Little Known Business Strategy

Posted by
Jackie Nagel, Synnovatia

Back in the “day,” experts touted “Girard’s Law of 250” as instrumental in creating and nurturing your business network. It was based on a non-scientific theory that the average number of attendees at a funeral or a wedding was 250. From this concept, it was assumed that the average size of an individual’s professional network was 250 people. And, from the magnitude of the network, a successful, growing business could be launched.

This, of course, was pre-google. There was no easy way to verify its validity. Like the childhood game of “telephone,” it was passed down from generation to generation of sales professionals as the touchstone for business development — develop relationships with an average of 250 people and ensure your success. It was that simple. We followed it blindly, using it to guide our relationship marketing.

Joe Girard, the world’s greatest #1 retail salesman as attested by the Guinness Book of World Records, wasn’t alone in his business strategy of developing your business network.

Dr. Robin Dunbar, an anthropologist, and evolutionary psychologist notes the average size of an individual’s social circle to be 150 people. Pew research, on the other hand, logs the size of the average American network as 634 connections.

No matter the average size of one’s network, nurturing your network is key — especially when it comes to acquiring and retaining clients.

Relationships: The Key to Business Success

It’s a known fact that it is 5X costlier to acquire a new client than to maintain and retain a current or former client. Furthermore, a 2% increase in spending on client retention will reduce marketing costs by as much as 10%. In a boot-strapped small business, those are some impressive numbers!

For most small business owners, a more engaging association with our clients and potential clients is important. Connecting with our clients beyond the transaction is a valuable — and extremely gratifying — aspect of small business ownership.

With effort focused on satisfaction, experience, and retention — rather than on the sales transaction — bonds of trust begin to take shape. But don’t get too comfortable . . .

The Decline of Mindshare: The Learning/Forgetting Cycle

German scientist, Hermann Ebbinghaus, was the first to define the concept of the learning curve. He discovered that by consistently dispensing learning over some time, we could radically improve our ability to learn. Additionally, if not repeated at regular intervals, accessibility to the learned material would slowly decay to the point of feeling as though it had been forgotten. (Hmmm, my high school history class is coming to mind.)

What does this have to do with the business network? PLENTY!

Relationship development and marketing are all about mindshare. Without time and attention, the flourishing relationships you worked so hard to foster rapidly decay.

Consider this: when someone first interacts with you and your business, you occupy their “mindshare” — at least in the immediate time frame — as they “learn” about you. If an opportunity arises during that “learning” time frame — while you remain top of mind — they are most likely to think of you. However, over time and with little repeat interaction with your business, they soon “forget” you. (Nothing personal, right?)

© Mindmaven

However, according to Dr. Ebbinghaus, regular interaction intervals (aka learning) maintains a level of knowledge that is more easily accessible in times of need. Hence the conclusion is that regularly interacting with your primary network leads to more business and referrals.

©Mindmaven

Nurturing Networks

The nuts and bolts of leveraging the learning/spacing curve to nurture your network aren’t well established. However, insight into this phenomenon can elevate your relationship marketing game considerably.

Consider this as a starter plan for building and/or restoring trust in your network:

1) Identify 20–30 raving fans.
Ken Blanchard, the author of Raving Fans, defined a raving fan as “a customer who is so devoted to your products and services that they wouldn’t dream of taking their business elsewhere and will sing from the rooftops about just how good you are.”

2) Reach out to one fan every day.
Bam! That’s it. Five minutes each day reaching out to the most valuable members of your network — not to sell — but rather to say hi, discover what’s new in their world, get to know their needs today as well as tomorrow — to show you care and stay top of the mind for whatever else may come along.

6 Vital Skills Small Business Owners Need to Master

Posted by
Jackie Nagel, Synnovatia

Running a business is not for the faint of heart or the weary of spirit. In addition to the stamina required to run the race, there are skills that make growing your business a little bit easier.

Recently, HubSpot published a blog titled 9 Agonizing Business Skills You Need to Grit Your Teeth and Learn. It put my brain cells on full throttle to write about the real business skills to master to move your business to the next level.

Bite Into These Business Skills

According to a veteran chief executive, Terry H. Hill over at business.com, “Over half of new businesses fail mainly because the entrepreneur is unable to translate their passion into practical business skills. Success demands more than hard work, resilience, and expertise in your field. In order to succeed, you need to understand and to become proficient in a set of fundamental business skills.”

It’s a good thing life-long learning is baked into the DNA of the entrepreneur! With homage to HubSpot, and as a business coach who has worked next to small business owners, allow me to present the vital business skills you want to learn … no teeth-gritting required.

  1. Strategic Thinking. As entrepreneurs, it’s not wise to be operationally busy every waking moment of the day.

Escaping your daily routine for a bout of thinking strategically changes your perspective. It permits you to see your business in a different light. It presents new insights that shape your decisions and give you a “leg up” in your business.

And, don’t worry! You’re not alone if this is a skill that could use some sharpening. Only 4-7% of leaders consider themselves competent in this area.

  1. Strategic Planning. The natural progression following a healthy dose of strategic thinking is strategic planning.

The insights gained while thinking strategically help identify goals and formulate plans that give shape to your vision. Rather than “shoot from the hip,” planning proficiency makes resource allocation a dream.

  1. Goal Setting. Closely aligned with your strategic thinking and planning is your ability to set the kind of clear, audacious goals that move your business forward. After all, isn’t that what it’s all about?

Although it sounds simple, setting, and achieving goals is not as easy as one would believe. Selecting the right goals, identifying the precise tactics to make those goals happen, and setting up your lead and lag measures challenge the most ardent performer.

Is it doable? Absolutely!

  1. Marketing. Yikes! Where do we begin to define and develop effective marketing skills, especially in this mad, mad, mad business environment. This is a great place to consider outsourcing to the experts given the vast amount of information and skill needed to market for results.

Outsourcing doesn’t leave you off the learning hook, however. It’s important to glean a basic understanding of marketing to make sure you hire the right vendors.

  1. Sales. Surprise! You’re already selling. You sell your kids on wearing a coat to school. You sell your spouse on taking you to dinner. The real question is how skilled are you at selling in your business?

Selling plays a vital role in your business success. It’s important to get it right. With just a bit of focused intention, your ability to match your selling style to your clients’ buying style will be second nature for you.

Gone are the days of the obnoxious used car sales approach. Thank goodness!

  1. Organization. Does this sound like you need a professional organizer? Perhaps you do but these are the kind of organizational skills that go beyond having things in neat little piles.

Acquiring the ability to master prioritization, productivity, and performance ensures you’re functioning – and focusing – on what matters most.

Ready for Class?

Thanks to advancements in technology, accessibility to acquiring essential business skills have never been easier. Although institutions of higher learning are catching up to teaching the entrepreneurial skillset, it still lacks relevance for today’s modern world. Just ask Elon Musk!

In the meantime, you can bone up on your skills through several – if not all – of these methods. After all, school is never out for the pro.

  1. Online courses. There’s no shortage of self-directed online courses to be had. Check out Lynda.com, Udemy.com, or the free online courses at Santa Clara University
  1. Local courses. If you like to learn in a face-to-face environment, you’re in luck. The business terrain is dotted with small business development centers that offer low cost or free courses on a variety of topics.
  1. Stand-up comedy course. Yes, you read that right. If you’re the kind entrepreneur that abhors a traditional learning environment, enrolling in a stand-up comedy course might be your ticket. (You can read about my improv experience.)
  1. Engage a business coach with a teaching style. Many skilled business coaches have a real heart – and skill – needed to guide an entrepreneur through the honing of their skills.

If you have a chance to read HubSpot’s blog, you may find a few more skills that aren’t covered here. Alas, I’d rather master strategic thinking than Excel documentation. (That’s what my virtual assistant is for.)

Avoid Making This Everyday Mistake with Your Business Strategy When Growing Your Small Business

Posted by
Jackie Nagel, Synnovatia

Like any small business owner, you accepted the challenge of business ownership. Bravo! You knew you were in for a wild ride, but little did you know how your decisions could drive or derail your goals.

There’s little room for error in a small business.

Unlike larger, better capitalized businesses, we start with bootstraps (for pulling ourselves up) and a prayer (for getting out of jams). We parlay our passion, experience, and crafty chops into a business that makes Mom proud.

Our desire to grow is strong. Our determination is unparalleled. Our enthusiasm is contagious. Our belief — although wavering at times — remains steadfast.

Then, what’s the problem?

WE FORGOT TO SELECT A STRATEGY! Whoopsie.

Whether it’s a strategy for growth, content, social media, marketing, or sales — it’s completely MIA (missing in action). And, it leaves an indelible mark.

Understanding Business Strategy

Strategy is important for a variety of reasons. It helps us make decisions. It aligns our vision with our goals. It prevents us from making choices that pull us off course and take us down a rabbit hole in search of Alice in Wonderland. It helps us filter opportunities and risk.

It’s a good thing to have!

Minus a strategy, we become a wandering generality. We struggle. With a lack of congruency between our action and our intentions, building momentum and gaining traction makes it difficult to pop our head above the clouds.

All one needs to do is google “business strategy” to learn of senior executives around the world who claim to lack certainty in identifying a winning strategy. Is it any wonder we struggle? If global executives tussle with strategy, we don’t stand a chance!

Could it be strategy is missing because we don’t understand how to create a strategy that works? If that’s the case, you’re not alone.

Choose Your Weapon

Frankly, all the google-speak around innovation strategy, capabilities-driven strategy, merger and acquisition strategy, etc., etc. makes my head spin.

For the sake of small business, we just need a little nudge to get us moving in the right direction of finding the best strategy that makes business less of a daily burden.

Pour yourself a cup of coffee and pull up a chair as you consider your response to these questions:

  1. How will the business be built and managed?
  2. How will you capitalize on market opportunities?
  3. How will you solve critical problems?
  4. Will the strategy you’re considering result in growth and profitability?
  5. Is your strategy easy to understand?
  6. Does it align with your vision and mission?
  7. Does it serve the test of time?

There you have it. That wasn’t so bad, was it. Realizing the answers to these tightly-woven questions designs your decision-making tool — your samurai sword — to slay the enemies that thwart your progress.

Advanced Adventure into Strategy

In the event you’re feeling audacious and are ready for a deeper dive into strategy, feel free to download our handy dandy worksheet.

Be prepared! It does require time (10–12 hours) and brain cells.

If you want to dial in your business strategy as best as you can, here’s my suggested approach.

  1. Download the worksheet
  2. Set aside one hour per day for the next two weeks.
    Don’t tackle it all at once. It can be overwhelming and gets in the way of thinking as clearly as needed for this exercise.
  3. When your assigned appointment time arrives, resist the temptation to cancel on yourself. Set your timer and dig in. Tackle one piece of the puzzle at a time.

At the conclusion of the two weeks, you’ll have your business strategy dialed in. It will be much easier to keep your business on track and moving forward as you begin to employ your strategy.

In the words of the famous philosopher, John Mayer, “If you had started doing anything two weeks ago, by today you would have been two weeks better at it.”

Ready to begin?

Want to Boost Your Small Business Performance? Take These Coaching Tips For a Spin

Posted by
Jackie Nagel, Synnovatia
fit entrepreneur

Optimizing performance for our business is a primary objective for any small business entrepreneur. All you have to do is google “better business performance” to uncover 61,400,000 pages of tips, tools, and techniques. From better accountant to employee engagement to business models, the options are endless . . . and a bit overwhelming, I might add.

Yet, it appears that there are few resources devoted to what the overwhelmed, exhausted, yet passionate small business entrepreneur needs to know to truly spark greater business performance.

The Great Game of Business

Honestly, sometimes I think small business ownership should be an Olympic sport. It requires a herculean amount of mental, physical, and emotional energy.

Ask any high-performance athlete and they will tell you that performance is 90% mental. The same can be said for extraordinary execution in any discipline. Yet, the majority of resources are often focused on the technical aspects, such as staffing, marketing, and finance.

Granted, those are vital elements of any business operation. Yet, little information — and even fewer resources are left to care for the most important asset of the business — the owner!

The Fit Entrepreneur: Five Transformational Tactics for Improved Performance

Fitness is a term commonly associated with workouts, gear, sports, health, nutrition, and advice. All of these components are vitally important to create the stamina required for the endurance sport of small business ownership.

In addition to attaining the physical fitness vital for small business performance, adding these crucial directives prevents you from hitting the wall of neglect and ineffectuality.

  1. Care for self, first. One would think we would have learned this valuable lesson by now! Following the lead of the airline industry — put your own mask on first.
  1. Don’t think too far ahead. Small business entrepreneurs are a creative, optimistic bunch. It’s the one glaring skill that sets us apart from our corporate counterparts. Yet, thinking too far in advance — with little correlation to planning strategically — generates countless ideas which often adds to our sense of overwhelm.
  1. Plan only the next step. It would be nice to complete a project in one sitting, like the parents of a toddler eating a complete meal at one sitting. This is virtually impossible given all that is required.

Business projects are composed of moving pieces and growing insights. When you’re needing to put your project on pause, plan for the next step — and only one step — before leaving the project.

Punctuating it with a sticky note makes it much easier to pick up where you left off.

  1. Find your best performance cycle. Moving from one project to another, one fire to another, throughout the day is a real grind on the body and the mind.

There’s tons of research to support working in 60–90-minute segments followed by 5–15-minute rest and rejuvenation intervals . . . if that works for you. Much depends upon the intensity with which you focus.

If you have a tendency to focus intensely (like I do), you may find working in 30 or 45-minute work cycles with a 30 minute “recess” to be your ideal cycle for achieving peak performance.

Discover what is best for your mental, physical, and emotional well-being.

  1. Sandwich physical activity between intense exertion intervals. Contrary to what we think, we have a finite amount of mental energy available. Concentrated work cycles put a strain the brain resulting in “decision fatigue.”

One of the unhealthiest things we can do is immediately move on from one brain draining project to the next. Adding a bit of a physical intermission disrupts the wearing progression.

Whether it’s a brisk walk around the block, a 20-minute yoga class, or folding that load of laundry that’s been in the dryer for three days, physical activity replenishes our brain energy and prepares us for our next mental undertaking.

As a business owner myself, finding my ideal performance cycle is a work in progress. And, as a small business coach, I can honestly say we need to do better. Rather than search Google for the latest ground-breaking business growth initiative, why not snag one of these tips and apply it immediately. The results will be — well, in a word — transformational.

Need Some Guidance Selecting Your Business Strategy? Consider These Six Simple Steps.

Posted by
Jackie Nagel, Synnovatia

Every business needs one. And, every business has one. The question is whether or not your business strategy was selected on purpose.

The majority of small business entrepreneurs make up the 78% of the enterprises in the U.S. Although some have staff or freelancers to help implement their initiatives, most are juggling all the intricacies of business.

They are masters of their craft – accountants, lawyers, publicists, coaches, consultants, designers, thought leaders, and authors, just to mention a few – turned business owner and entrepreneur. In the pursuit of greater freedom and flexibility, they set out on their quest to launch a business.

Consciously considering a business strategy was likely the last thing on their mind.

Yet, as you grow in your position as owner, there comes a point when you recognize the need to take the reins. To be more intentional about what you’re creating and your approach to business growth.

Hence, the desire to find the precise business strategy . . .

See Clearly – Act Concisely

According to Forbes, a business strategy is a set of guiding principles that, when communicated and adopted in the organization, generates a desired pattern of decision making.

Strategy provides a well-defined roadmap to guide important decisions like resource allocation and prioritization. It takes one beyond the daily existence of overwhelm and decision fatigue to where the ability to see – and execute – on vision and goals is uncomplicated and straightforward.

Done right, a business strategy helps calm chaos and lift cloudiness.

Under Consideration

Before throwing a dart to isolate your business strategy, there are a few preambles to consider.

1) What is the vision for your business? It’s challenging, at best, to grow a business based on the right vision. Growing a business in the absence of a vision is insufferable (and scads of hard work). First step? Fire up your vision.

2) How will you grow? It may not be your goal to build a Goliath-type organization like Google or Deloitte but a strategy for how you intend to grow your business is important.

3) What aspects of your business can you capitalize on and leverage to spark growth? Each of us brings a one-of-a-kind perspective to our business that is unduplicatable. Don’t underestimate the value of your strengths. Consider the role your distinctiveness may bring to your strategy.

4) What are the risks in your chosen industry? Small business, in general, comes with risk. Each industry, in turn, brings their set of risks to the table. Understanding what lies ahead shapes how you think about your business strategy.

5) What are the trends in your industry? Like in the old English nursery rhyme, Jack Be Nimble, small business enterprises are dexterous. With the ability to respond, an aptly chosen strategy can nicely leverage budding opportunities.

6) What are your competitors up to? Let’s be honest, we can’t compete with Amazon on a wide variety of factors. But, look closely. Is there a loophole – a gap left open – that the right strategy can fill? Food for thought . . .

Configured for Flow

Landing upon your ideal growth strategy becomes a much easier undertaking once you work through the various considerations.

And, with the core business essentials firmly intact, you’ll experience a renewed sense of focus, performance, and achievement essential to business success.

Won’t it be nice not to have to cross your fingers and hope for success! Whew!

The Business Strategy to Breakthrough to Success

Posted by
Jackie Nagel, Synnovatia

What small business entrepreneur hasn’t dreamt of achieving great things through their business. It’s what ignites our passion in the early days of our start-up and fuels our determination during the whitewater of growth and development.

For some entrepreneurs, winning the game of business eludes them — or at a minimum, is puzzling and perplexing. Yet, with the right business strategy, you can breakthrough your metaphorical glass ceiling.

Take A giant Step Forward

If you were fortunate enough to grow up in a neighborhood of ragtag kids, like I did, you may remember the game of Mother May I. One child played the role of the leader or captain, aptly named “Mother,” while the other kids took on the role of the game participants.

Mother would stand against one wall — facing the cavalcade of kids (aka the angry mob) — while the little mobsters (aka kids) lined up along the other wall anxiously awaiting their turn. This was usually accompanied by the traditional pushing and shoving while vying for an advantageous position.

The objective of the game was to reach Mother in the fewest actions possible or, at a minimum, before your snotty-nosed friends. As the winner, you would then get to be the Mother for the next round — and boss your friends around.

In order to make a move, permission had to be sought — and approved. Hence, the name Mother May I.

Child after child would take their turn by asking “Mother, may I take three giant steps forward” or “Mother may I take two twirls forward.” In response, Mother could accept the request with a “yes, you may” or reject the request and offer an alternative — “no, you may not but you may take four hops backward.” (That’s just plain mean!)

It was the ultimate “cross-over” game of the time.

the Business Cross-Over Game

Business is somewhat like Mother May I. Our objective is to advance from one destination — our current lot in life — to another, aptly named “our future.”

One of the major differences, however, is that as entrepreneurs, we play both roles of Mother and children.

We lean against one wall of our business desperately wanting to take three giant steps forward, then four hops followed by 10 pirouettes to reach our ultimate business vision.

Yet, to many entrepreneurs, it feels as though there are three giant steps forward followed by four frog hops backward. So frustrating!

Try as you might, progress is much too slow for your liking and all the other “kids” are passing you by in the race to achieve their goals. Even more frustrating!

And, just like in Mother May I, there are two key business strategies for breaking away from the pack and crossing over to win at this great game of business — asking permission and strategic planning.

Permission to Succeed

During the game of Mother May I, if a child states their desire for forward movement without preceding the request with “Mother May I,” their request is categorically denied. (Hit forehead with hand for being such a numbskull.)

And, as if the epic rejection of your request wasn’t failure enough, a request without permission was swiftly accompanied by a penalty of returning to start. ARG! The “fun,” along with some valuable life lessons, never ends.

So it is in business. Desperately longing for success isn’t enough if you haven’t asked for and given yourself permission to succeed.

Strategically Planning for the Win

The object of a good Mother in the game of Mother May I is to bring everyone forward as equally as possible. As a dirty little juvenile playing for the win, this took some conniving.

You had to know your competition, study their motives, and anticipate their moves in order to take decisive actions. Additionally, strategic execution of your plan was mandatory. Overtaking Mother too quickly could cause you to suffer the punishment of backward movement and bring you to ruin.

Again, just like in business. Competition needs to be studied, SMART goals need to be established, and plans need to be executed thoughtfully and strategically to arrive at your ultimate destination.

Have you asked for and given yourself permission to take three giant steps forward?

Have you studied your competition in order to better understand their next moves?

Have you plotted your goals and settled upon the strategic moves you’ll take?

If not, now may be the best time to ask permission of success and proceed with the strategic moves of a five-year-old vying for the win in the game of Mother May I.

The Best Kind of Business Strategy: Progress

Posted by
Jackie Nagel, Synnovatia

We’re a quarter of the way into the new year and a word is emerging among my seemingly unconnected clients. It’s progress. Whether it’s slow, deliberate, micro — it doesn’t matter. Progress in all shapes, sizes, and speeds is being celebrated as the powerful business strategy it is.

Gone is the mad dash to perfectionism. No more is the frantic pace of getting everything done now. The stress-inducing race to the finish line called perfection is being discarded — left behind — for a more realistic and thoughtful perspective on business growth.

Progress is being celebrated in spirited conversations. It’s not a resignation, as in “well, at least I’m making progress.” It’s a jubilance that comes with recognizing that one deliberate step at a time is worthy of joy. And, along with these joy-filled moments of acknowledgment comes a deep satisfaction and confidence that we’re on our way.

The Curse Of Perfectionism

The mad dash of earlier years as we rushed into the acceleration of business growth is, as we’ve discovered and come to admit, unrewarding. It is stress-filled and fatiguing. And, what’s more, the zoom that filled each day actually takes us further away from that we desired.

Surprisingly, perfectionism doesn’t contribute to the degree of growth we thought would be achieved. We willingly, knowingly, and consciously chose the path, with its windy, steep, uphill climbs. And, we tackled it at a fevered pitch. Battered and bruised, we marched into each day to do battle once more with our business environment only to discover little progress being made in exchange for the mammoth amount of effort and energy we expelled during our quest for perfection.

Baby Steps & Business Growth

So, it appears, this year is a more thoughtful and deliberate year as we approach our business growth with greater awareness and celebration.

Along with the celebration of progress, we’re learning that the joyful expression of a proverbial pat on the back can carry us quite a distance. It’s uplifting and encouraging. It builds our confidence and competence. It opens our eyes to possibilities and opportunities previously unseen. And, it carries us victoriously from hour to hour and day to day.

Progress, and the subsequent celebration of it, is a good path to travel.

Whether it’s overcoming the reluctance and fear to make the sales call or pulling the trigger and publishing the blog you thought was not quite “perfect,” each step — each action — each micro-movement is worthy of celebration.

Gone are the days in which we need to wait to celebrate and declare success until Facebook/Amazon/Google behemoth-size success is achieved. If we are honest, that is unlikely going to happen. Not only is it unlikely to happen, it is not our goal or dream to begin with. Thinking about it makes it laughable.

So, progress. Every day in every way you get better and better. Every day in every way you get closer to your desired vision. Every day in every way you move along the continuim of your success.

And, with a focus on progress rather than perfection, the road you travel — although it still contains its twists and turns and uphill climb — becomes a much sweeter journey. It’s one filled with greater joy and laughter. Where frequent breaks allow you to enjoy the smell of the fresh air, the pungent aroma of the pine trees, and experience the people you meet along the way.

Progress — it’s a joyful journey with the same destination as that of perfection.

Progress, measured and counted out like a metronome, takes us one step at a time, one action at a time, one motion at a time to our destiny.

There’s nothing more to say about it — other than to encourage YOU to consider which path you’re embracing. Is it that of perfection with its rushing, hurried, breathless pace? Or is it progress with its joy-filled, measured steps and outcomes?

Choose Progress over Perfection

I don’t know about you but I, for one, will be joining my colleagues in choosing progress. I, too, will celebrate each step along the way rather than wait until the end to be too tired, too exhausted, too fatigued to care to celebrate what the quest for perfection produced.

I will honor the progress made during each day knowing that step by step, inch by inch, day by day, progress (not perfection) is truly the key to my heart’s desire.

There’s nothing more to say about it, but to get to it. The day is awaiting for progress to be made.

The Unsuspecting Business Strategy That Beats Entrepreneurial Overwhelm

Posted by
Jackie Nagel, Synnovatia

Like any self-respecting entrepreneur, I lay awake in the early morning hours creating and regurgitating my to-do list only to overwhelm myself into a fit of anxiety over a day that has yet to start!

This morning was different, however, as I remembered a bit of so-called “meaningless” information I recently read in Sarah Knight’s book, get your sh*t together.

Sarah, who has a no-nonsense, irreverent approach to her writing, often challenges conventional wisdom or, as I like to call it, custodial wisdom or the business growth killing strategy. Custodial/conventional wisdom is wisdom that protects the status quo.

Can you think of anything more contrary — or energy killing — to the spirit of an entrepreneur? Me, either!

But, I digress . . .

The Anti To-Do List

In her most recent book, get your sh*t together…how to stop worrying about what you should do so you can finish what you need to do and start doing what you want to do, Sarah floats the contrary idea of creating a Don’t Do/Stop Doing list.

This can be very challenging — although necessary — for the typical entrepreneur.

Entrepreneurs, by their very nature, have ideas that give birth to more ideas. Much like rabbits reproducing, a true entrepreneur’s mind continually spews out innovative ideas which, by the way, require some form of execution if they’re ever to see the light of day.

This explains why our bulging to-do list triggers the anxiety reflex in the most zen of us all. (Just ask Erik!)

Exhale the Angst

As I lay awake in the breaking dawn of the early morning, envisioning my mental trello board, I began moving cards from my mental to-do/doing list to the newly created don’t do/stop doing list. One by one, cards containing a plethora of activities that would challenge the most efficient and effective strategic execution system, quietly slid into place. And, as each card took its rightful place beneath the don’t do/stop doing header, my anxiety seeped away. With each slide of a don’t do/stop doing card, I exhaled the tension.

Ahhhh, finally! I actually could open my eyes knowing that I wasn’t going to be swallowed by overwhelm before the alarm went off.

You’ve Got This!

There’s something to be said about starting one’s day with business under control. Besides a stiff dose of caffeine in your coffee mug, there’s a lightness in your step and a song in your heart when a sense of “I’ve got this” permeates your being.

Speaking from my own experience of growing a 21st-century business, along with that of my coaching clients, I can emphatically affirm that the complexity of today’s business, combined with the creativity of entrepreneurial gray matter, is a lethal combination for the adrenal glands.

We are much too overwhelmed. So much so, that thinking strategically about any business initiative is almost nonexistent.

We don’t always make the best or brightest decisions when our brains are flooded with chemicals that cloud our vision and clog our neurons. Can I be so bold and brazen to call it out as it is?

It’s one of the biggest unspoken epidemic facing small business entrepreneurs.

And, like any good epidemic, we likely won’t “face the music” until it reaches a fevered pitch or, as is the case in my previous business, when a diagnosis of breast cancer sidelined me for a period of time.

One would think that such a diagnosis would be life-changing, but hard-fought habits and beliefs are tough to overcome. But, as long as I’m still in the ring — fighting for position — there’s hope and optimism that lessons can — and will — be learned.

So, back to my anxiety-reducing don’t do/stop doing list….

Let’s Do This Together

How about you? Do you have stuff, things to do, projects to complete, or ideas to spawn that are putting you into a fit of overwhelm?

Do you want to pull the covers over your head and call in sick for the day — or at least until the chest-crunching feeling of overwhelm and anxiety begin to lift?

Or, do you just need to create a don’t do/stop doing list for yourself as a reminder of what is worthy of your time and attention?

Trust me, its one of the best daily planning activities that you can undertake. And, it sure beats mindlessly poking around on Facebook to tap down the level of crushing angst that your bulging to-do list is creating within you.

Ready? Let’s begin…

Don’t do/stop doing:

  • beating myself up for what’s not getting done that is of little importance
  • worrying about what is not within my sphere of control or influence
  • comparing my business/myself to other entrepreneurs

There . . . I bet you feel better already.

Four Problems You Can Solve With an Innovative Business Strategy

Posted by
Jackie Nagel, Synnovatia

Developing a business strategy that is innovative is one of the most important things an entrepreneur can do for their business. When executed successfully, a well-thought-out business strategy takes a business, regardless of the industry, to new heights.

A business strategy is integral to the long-term success of your business because it allows you to spread your wings in the following areas:

Adaptability

According to Harvard Business Review, adaptability is the competitive advantage for businesses both big and small.

The entrepreneurial space is constantly changing and, if you’re not mindful, it’s easy to get left behind as your industry continues to evolve. A well-formulated business strategy, however, provides options for changes your business will likely face in the future.

Why not get ahead of the competitive curve by honing your business strategy now instead of when your back is against the wall.

Client Satisfaction

Clients are the cornerstone of your company. Naturally, you want to make sure they are always satisfied with your services and/or products. A business strategy makes it easy to create a customer satisfaction plan to follow when providing customer service.

Whether it’s handling a customer complaint, scheduling new services, or generating leads, you want each person to be left with a good impression of your business.

And, what better way to uncover moments of truth. 

Growth and Expansion

A business strategy provides a window into the future. It allows you to consider different paths your business might take. And, as your business continues to grow, It opens up opportunities to explore the development of other products and services.

Learning to both maintain and grow your business is a process, which by the way, is made exponentially easier with the use of a good business strategy. That’s why it’s important your business plan is as adaptable and unique as your company. It gives you the confidence and foundation you need to continue a steady growth pattern.

Trend Setting

One of the best parts about adhering to a business strategy is the opportunity it presents to become a trendsetter in your industry.

As an entrepreneur, it’s vital that you are able to recognize the trends in your industry, understanding how each one is making an impact. Forbes.com explains this practice as merging business strategy with business innovation.

Key Takeaway

By taking the time to hone your business strategy skills, you’ll be able to steer your ship in an exciting direction you never thought possible—while maintaining alignment with your values and principles.

Life doesn’t get much better!

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Tools to Navigate An Evolving Small Business Environment

Posted by
Jackie Nagel, Synnovatia

Some time ago, Fast Company ran an article on the supposed demise of strategic planning in favor of strategic execution – stating that the 3–5 year strategic plans are too cumbersome and outdated.

Undoubtedly, many solopreneurs and small business owners leapt for joy as they read of its hypothetical passing.

Before we all jump ship on the idea of planning strategically, it’s important to remember that you cannot strategically execute on what we did not strategically plan.

However, we do need tools that are a better fit for business today.

Strategic Planning: Compass Over Maps

In their book, The 12 Week Year: Get More Done in 12 Weeks than Others Do in 12 Month, authors Brian Moran and Michael Lennington floated two important notions:

  1. Traditional strategic planning is a thing of the past.
  2. “Annualized thinking” creates a belief that there is plenty of time to make things happen. (Isn’t this the truth!)

In Whiplash: How to Survive Our Faster Future by Joichio Ito and Jeff Howe, they took the strategic planning challenge one step further to put forth the concept of compass over maps.

“The decision to forfeit the map in favor of the compass recognizes that in an increasingly unpredictable world moving ever more quickly, a detailed map may lead you deep into the woods at an unnecessarily high cost. A good compass, though, will always take you where you need to go.” (from Whiplash)

The traditional strategic plan might be considered a map. Like the Triptik previously designed by AAA for your family trip to the Grand Canyon. It outlined the best way to get there with the greatest expediency, but it had its limitations. If there were road closures or construction, there was no way of knowing that. And, it neither inspired or allowed anyone to veer off course to see the biggest ball of twine in the world.

Google maps has changed that somewhat, but the notion of maps is excellent when the destination is known and efficiency is key.

Perhaps a compass is a better tool for today. After all, how many of your businesses look exactly like you thought they would five years ago?

In business today, we face challenges that don’t have easy solutions. Plus, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to predict with any accuracy what the decisions of companies like Google and Facebook – those whom we’ve become dependent upon to generate leads – will have on our futures.

I love what Sylvia Lafair, President, Creative Energy Options says about the maps versus compass predicament:

Maps are stationary, may be dated and causes frustration when inaccurate.
Maps provide a description; a compass provides vision and direction.
Maps can slow you down when the path is not clear.
Maps cannot show you how to get on that road not traveled.
Maps are poor indicators of what is unfamiliar.
Maps are about going on a chosen course and staying there, no deviations.
Compass is about a process of discovery. It’s about learning as you go along. It’s about more than one right path. It’s about hunches and taking chances.

Compass Use 101

A Compass is used two ways:

  1. Periodically gather your bearings to find out which direction you’re headed. Frequency of use? It depends. Is this familiar terrain? Have I walked this way before?
  2. Focus on points in the distance — but not too far into the distance as large objects, like a mountain, do not lend itself to enough accuracy for use. Follow the direction of arrow, focusing on a near-distant object like a tree or telephone pole to use as a guide. Once you reach each guide point, use your compass to find another.

A Compass tells you where you’re at relative to your true north.

What is the true north in your business? It’s your ultimate business vision, of course.

What guides your movement forward? It’s the point in the not-too-distant future you are working toward.

What Say You?

What do you say? Is a compass approach a more effective tool for moving your business forward than the traditional strategic roadmap? Tell us what you think….

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Brooke Billingsley

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Synnovatia is a strategic coaching firm that is detailed and knowledgeable about business. i have a small business that grew from $150K to $750K because of the goal setting and resources that Synnovatia provided. It saves me years of learning on my own.

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