“Success Starts With Keeping It Real With Yourself and Your Business!” – Trina Newby
The saying “Fake it til you make it” has gotten a lot of businesswomen in trouble. I call it the “Cloud 9 Syndrome”. It’s where you are so excited about the art of being in business and the potential of having success that you feel it before you’ve actually achieved it. Most businesswomen use this excitement to motivate them to become task-driven and goal oriented and yet for some it serves only as a false environment for playing the wrong game of business.
“I’ve got my cell phone, business cards, brochures, website, leather briefcase and by the way, I’ll pretend I have plenty of clients. This should give me the appearance of being successful right?”
The above description might give the appearance of being successful, but it is not what success is all about. It’s only a description of someone pretending to be in business and sooner or later, they will have to face reality. Reality will take place every time a bill is opened and it can’t be paid or a business checking account statement arrives only to show the account overdrawn.
Most businesswomen at one time or another have played the game only to realize that it’s not the road to success. The first step to achieving true business success is being able to be real with yourself. Start by doing a self-examination and asking yourself the following questions:
- Have I been playing business or am I actually practicing good business habits that are getting positive results?
- Am I able to receive an income from my business?
- How is my business financially?
- Can I afford to purchase simple everyday supplies needed?
- Do I have a business and marketing plan?
- Am I following up with contacts and potential clients?
- Have I taken steps to evaluate whether my business is making a profit or not?
- Have I sought help from a business consultant or coach to gain a fresh perspective or hold myself accountable?
All of the above questions are important to ask and answer. Many businesswomen that fall prey to the “fake it til you make it” mindset have a tendency to hide from the truth and continue on with a pattern of falseness that can go on for years. This not only leads to business failure, but it also causes undo stress and lowers self-confidence. There are many women who have started
businesses that would have been extremely successful if they would have only been real with themselves and their business.
Below are 8 tips on keeping it real:
- Develop a business plan and strategy to operate your business based on research, competition and need. If you’re not ready for a full
- 3-5 year executive plan, write a *Working Business Plan, which outlines your next 3, 6, 9 and 12 months of operation.
- Have checkpoints set in place to determine when a strategy is not working.
- “Don’t put the cart before the horse”. Don’t make false promises to clients or customers that you can’t keep. Be up front and let
- them know what you can provide. Sometimes teaming up with an associate will allow you to provide more.
- Create a daily operations plan that serves as a guide for task to be accomplished.
- Cut out excessive spending on office supplies and items that only make you look good, but really aren’t being used.
- Figure out how much operating capital your business needs to function properly and how much income you need to meet your minimum
- monthly personal expenses. The total of those two figures is what your monthly cash flow goals should be.
- If your business isn’t making a profit, go to professionals that can help you evaluate the problem and find solutions.
- When your quality of life is being affected by your business due to little or no money coming in, make a decision to do temp work or
- call business associates that might need some temp work done (put embarrassment behind you).
- Have a timeline as to how long you will continue to operate your business without a profit or break-even point.
Put on the shoes of courage and know when to make a change for the better. Learn from your experiences and keep moving. Don’t allow something that didn’t work out embarrass you or stop you from trying something new. If you should have to start something new, make sure it’s for all of the right reasons and not to just “play business”.
About the Author
Trina Newby is a Business Success Coach for Women and Founder of Women About Biz. She is also the host of the Successful Woman Radio show. Visit her site at http://www.womenaboutbiz.com.