When I started my coaching business, I had no idea what a successful coaching business would look like! I had to see different examples and then create my own version of success.
And honestly, my idea of a successful coaching business has changed over the years (perhaps your idea of success has also changed).
However, each time my vision of success has changed, it was important for me to build my business with a roadmap for where I wanted to end up!
An architect would NEVER build a house without a blueprint – a clear, step by step path to move forward.
They need to know….
- Will the house be a bungalow or a two-story.
- What the size of the lot is.
- Where the plumbing will go.
- Where the electricity will go.
- How many windows and where!
- The type of heating system needed.
- How many bedrooms and how many bathrooms!
- And the list goes on…
So why is it that so many entrepreneurs try building a business without a plan or a roadmap? In my 35+ years as a business owner and working with all types of business owners, generally I see that the majority of entrepreneurs start a business without knowing where they are heading!
Most start their business because they have a passion!
They take that passion and acquire an expertise in an area, perhaps a certification.
Then they develop a product or service to share that expertise/passion.
Then they promote the product/service.
If you’re at all successful sharing your expertise, then you get some sales.
Sound about right?
It’s what I did. Perhaps it’s what you did – and there’s nothing wrong with that at all!
BUT IN EVERY CASE, the growth stalls – flatlines! The business hits a sales plateau and can’t seem to grow any further. I’ve seen this happen to coaches, consultants, and all types of experts no matter if they earn $50k, $500K or $5 million!
They are simply unable to find the momentum for that next level of success.
WHY – two reasons!
1. They weren’t clear on where they were heading. The entrepreneur doesn’t have a clear vision or as I call it – A Big Picture Vision – that outlines the destination.
2. They didn’t have a play/roadmap for how they are going to achieve that level of success (and they’ve been winging it all along).
To put the above in perspective, let’s go back to the architect who needs a vision of what the house will look like when it’s finished before he can begin to draw the blueprint of the house. He needs to know from the owner what they have in their head before he can actually start putting all of the pieces together.
Well friends – what do you want your business to look like when you’ve finished with it?
Only then can you begin to outline what you need to do to get there – only then can you start to draw the roadmap.
If you’re anything like most of the clients I work with, you may have a VAGUE vision in your mind of what you want your business to look like…
You might say something like:
- I want to be successful
- I want more freedom
- I want to have an impact
While all of these are AWESOME – they aren’t specific enough to build a roadmap to achieve that level of success!
- What does success mean for you?
- What does freedom mean for you?
- What does impact mean for you?
If I use myself as an example, around 2018, I felt that success for me was working hard and earning $100k+. So, I crafted my $100k roadmap. I hustled. I invested in learning. I hosted live events. I drove hours to networking events. I launched group programs. And yes, I hit the $100k+ mark.
But then things changed. The world changed. And last year, my husband retired.
Suddenly, my definition of success changed. I no longer wanted to work so hard, and I wanted more free time. In fact, I was really specific and clear – I only wanted to work with clients two days a week; I didn’t want to work Fridays; and I reserved Mondays for content creation only.
Early this year, I made a list of what I was going to give up:
- No more live events
- No more group programs
- No more hustle
I also made the decision that I would do some consulting – in other words, creating specific marketing strategies for individual companies and then collaborate with smaller marketing agencies to implement the marketing.
I was also clear that I didn’t have to earn $100k+ to be happy.
From that vision, I built my marketing roadmap – my marketing efforts would be more select and fewer.
- Live networking events would be few and far between (and I would choose)
- Less content in my Facebook group; but more on YouTube and LinkedIn
- My personal Facebook page would be where I would share about adventures, mindset and some marketing
- More focus on creating my own unique content and less “learning” from gurus as they were a distraction to my own ‘next level thinking’.
So, you might ask, what has happened?
- I’m working less and making more (I’ll hit $100k+)
- Those clients I work with – we go deep – and they get OUTSTANDING results
- I’m super clear on who I’ll work with and what I’ll be doing
- I’ve got amazing flexibility and freedom
- I’ve streamlined and simplified my business like never before
Now I’m not saying that the way I’m working now is for everyone.
And I’m not saying that it’s what I thought I would be doing back in 2018.
And that’s okay!!!
However,
- It makes me happy
- It makes me $$$$
- I feel successful & impactful
- I have the exact freedom I desire!
Here’s this week’s takeaway…
- Decide what you want from your business
- Be specific about what you want in your life and your business
- Create a roadmap/blueprint to get what you want
- Implement the roadmap
- Stop winging it!
YOU CAN DO THIS
Diana
P.S. Are you following my ‘Where in the world is Diana going?” on my personal Facebook page (here)? Mornings just before 9am. I’m taking you along on my upcoming Canadian Adventure!
P.P.S. If you know a business leader who would like to get unstuck and move to the next level of success, then I’d love to have a conversation with them. Send them over to my website where they can hit the BIG BUTTON – Schedule a call!
