All businesses go through cycles: building up momentum, booming with having more clients than they can take on, and dry spells with fewer people buying.

The COVID pandemic has been a hard hit on many businesses. Some were able to pivot and thrive, some maintained their income, some had to shut down.

Running a successful, long-lasting business requires strategy and grit.

No matter the market conditions, successful entrepreneurs:

• are always able to pause and look inside their business;
• understand how the current situation is affecting them; and
• adapt to it to thrive.

And if right now you're in the dry spell seeing fewer customers, this read will help you pause and look inside your business.

Once you identify the reasons for your current challenges, you'll be one step closer to changing the situation for the better.

1. You stopped actively networking & building relationships.

If you relied on local, in-person, networking to find your ideal clients, then COVID changed that quickly and drastically. It's been a few months now, so you've probably switched to the online world and were able you start building the relationships here.

However, if you've always been online and stopped networking because you more clients than you could handle, that's why you're seeing a dry spell lately.

Consistent action in relationship building with your potential clients, regardless of how your business is doing, allows you to maintain a steady customer base.

2. The needs and wants of your customers changed.

As the market conditions change, the needs and wants of your clients will too.

As a business owner, you need to know what's going on. Even if you don't stay ahead of the game when conditions change, tuning in closer to what your clients are saying is vital.

Here is why:

• In a booming market, your clients will be optimistic, more ready to spend because they want the prosperity others are experiencing;
• In a recession - people become conservative, more scared and not as bold in taking risks;
• In a recovery market – your clients are starting to "wake up," they open their eyes to different possibilities and are less risk-averse.

Knowing how your client feels and what they need in each of these situations is key to understanding how to successfully shift and adapt your offering.

3. Your messaging is off.

If you're not speaking your ideal client's language, they won't relate and engage with you, your business, and your offering. So the question is, why is your messaging off?

Have you just entered a new market or are new to the business and need time and focus on getting to know your audience?

Or has the market shifted and with it what your client wants. If you haven't noticed that yet, it's time to do some research.

4. You stopped asking for a sale.

Many entrepreneurs don't like selling. It's because many have this stereotype of the "salesly" and sleazy car salesmen ingrained in our brains. So they'll avoid asking for a sale as much as possible to avoid being perceived as one.

The thing is, if you don't ask for a sale, you won't get it.

You get in life what you have the courage to ask for.

Oprah Winfrey

If that's your reason, then shift your perception of selling.

Selling is a fun conversation between you and your potential client. Especially if what your offer is of good quality and helps people. If you'd like to make that shift but don't know how to go about it, download my Sales Strategy Outline here.

It'll help you map out a real conversation that feels natural rather than pushy.

5. You are not in front of your audience consistently anymore.

Just like with networking, if you have an audience and aren't nurturing them regularly, they will stop seeing you in their feed.

Moreover, lack of consistency tells your ideal clients that you're not really committed to them or your business. No wonder they are buying less and less.

If that is your reason, I'm sure you know what to do 😊.

6. Your offering price is not at the right level for their current financial situation.

Just like the market, your ideal client's financial situation can change rapidly. If you're not in tune with that, your sales will plummet or not be as good as they could be.

Look at your offering. Are you only selling high-end ticket items, but your clientele cannot afford them anymore? It's time to pivot and create a new, more affordable offer.

This logic works the other way around as well. If your clientele is looking for a luxury item and you don't offer it, they will go somewhere else, and you lose the sales.

7. You shifted your focus to working on things you like in your business, not the ones that generate sales.

That's why having a strategic business plan that can guide you is so important.

It's also important to pause throughout the year and review this plan to see if it's still serving you or if it needs improvements.

Because as humans, we tend to drift easily. Without such regular checks, you might find yourself miles away from your goals without even realizing it while working hard and being busy every day.

8. You stopped following up.

Did you know that the majority of sales happen after 4 or even 7 follow-ups? If you're not following up with your potential clients, you're leaving money on the table.

So if you have never done it or stopped doing it, it's time to go back to this great habit :0). And doesn't it feel good to reconnect with all those fantastic people you chatted to once before?

9. You abandoned your marketing strategy.

As mentioned in point 7, your business needs a strategic plan.

And one of its most essential parts is the marketing strategy. Do you have one? If you do, go back to it and see if you're still doing what you initially planned. Maybe it's time to go back on track?

If you don't, then create one asap and start following it. You'll see your results improve pretty fast.

10. You failed to adjust your marketing strategy to changing market conditions.

And when you review your marketing strategy, don't forget to align it with the current market condition.

The places where your ideal clients hang out might have changed. The way they speak and what they want might have changed as well. Your marketing strategy needs to reflect that.

One last thing before you go, I hope that today's blog sheds some light on why you might be seeing fewer clients lately.

If you identified the reasons but still don't know what to do to change your situation, then a free strategy session with me is your next step.

Through it, I can help you identify your next steps and offer suggestions on how to go about it. Step 1 to receive this help is to click here.

Have you ever worked on something in our business that took awfully long to bring results you expected?

So long, in fact, that you were ready to quit a couple of times, but your gut was telling you to keep going? And then when the breakthrough came, you were sooo grateful that you did!

Or on the flip side, did you work on something for soo long without ANY results that you wished you stopped it and pivoted sooner? Because it would have saved you lots of time, stress and money?

Being an entrepreneur, a creative being that tries new strategies regularly isn't easy. Sometimes our ideas work instantly. While others need time to mature, flower, and bear fruit. And sometimes it's best just to let them go.

The trick is to know when. And that's a challenge for many entrepreneurs. Here are five signs that can help you pause and determine whether it's time to keep going, pivot, or let it go.

1. Your marketing efforts bring no or minimal results.

Depending on whether you're running a paid advertising campaign or soft organic marketing, the results need a different length of time to materialize. It's good to understand that and align your expectations with it.

For example, if you've done market research and your offering is viable for sale, paid advertising should bring you some results within days. If it doesn't, it's time to pause and see what should be tweaked and adjusted. Might be in your copy, landing page, audience targeting, etc.

Organic content marketing, on the other hand, intends to build an audience first and then softly sell, which takes much longer to bear fruit. Here your first gage can be the engagement of your audience. If that's working well, then it's only a matter of time for them to buy your offering.

On the flip side, if no matter what you post and do, you hear crickets, then it's time pause. Either tweak and improve or let it go and replace it with a new one.

2. When you're not clear on what problems you solve

As an entrepreneur, through your offering, you help people solve problems or reach goals they have (or both). To do that, you also need to know whom you're helping. Trying to solve all the problems for everyone is not a good marketing strategy. Why? That's a conversation we can have over a free virtual coffee chat ;).

So, if you're not clear on any of this, it means you're not ready to market your product or services. And in case you've started and not seeing any results, that's your queue to stop, get the clarity first, and only then resume your marketing.

3. Your gut is telling you this is not right for you.

Pushing yourself out of the comfort zone to grow as an entrepreneur and listening to your gut when not to do something because it's not right are two different things. The key for you is to know the difference.

Usually, when we're going in the right direction, we're super excited and feel expanded about doing things in our business. Yes, we might feel scared at the same time because we've never done it before. That's our comfort zone speaking. In this scenario, your job is to take the smallest viable step towards your goal and do it! Through baby steps and small wins, you'll slowly gain confidence, 100%!

On the other hand, when you've adopted a strategy in your business that's not getting you results and the more you try, the less comfortable it feels, that might be your gut telling you it's not the right strategy. Take the time to pause and listen to it.

Because there are MANY strategies for you to choose from when it comes to running your business. So pick those that feel natural, that make you feel expanded rather than contracted. I promise you; you'll get much better results with such a shift.

5. You feel like you're burning out.

When we're doing things that don't bring us joy, help us grow, or fill us with passion, working becomes soul depleting. And if we spend A LOT of time on those things, we get stressed out, tired, and overwhelmed. If your business is becoming a chore where you're just working crazy hours, burning out with no visible results, it's time to call it quits.

STOP. Reassess, see what's happening and why (you might need someone else to tell you that) so that you can escape the hamster wheel. Once you know what and why things aren't working, pick a direction that will expand and energize you. And you'll see, the results will follow.

5. Even though you're selling, your profits are low.

As the CEO of your business, your ultimate goal is to make a profit. If you're starting, then yes, making losses is OK because you're probably investing to get your business off the ground. At some point, though, it needs to start bringing in the money to support itself and you.

So if you're in a time when you should be profitable but aren't, then it's definitely the time to reassess your offering structure, pricing, sales and marketing, and make proper strategy changes. If you do it early in the game, you'll have a chance to save your business rather than let it go.

Now, before we part our ways, let me offer some help.

Because I didn't write this article only to point out where you might have a problem. If you're reading this and thinking OMG, Maggie, I do see some of these signs in my business, and clearly, I need to pause, then let's chat.

For FREE, I can help you figure out where exactly you have an issue and why. Once you know that, you can then decide whether you'll fix it alone or with my help. How does it sound to you?

All you need to do to book a free strategy session with me by clicking here and picking a time that works for you 😊.

Yes, I need your help to figure out the WHERE and WHY!

I hope to be talking with you soon!

Did you know that the probability of you selling more to existing customers is 60 to 70% when to new prospects it's only 5 to 20%? Also, 80% of your future profits will come from 20% of existing clients, and for most small businesses in North America, 65% of business comes from existing clients (Source: Small Biz Trends). And a customer who is “totally satisfied” brings 2.6 times as much revenue as one who is “somewhat satisfied.” Not to mention that they buy from you much more in their 3^rd year of being your customer than in the first.

Those and many more other stats prove that focusing on retaining your clients is a key growth strategy for your business. That's why today I'm going to talk about the four main ways you can do that.

1. Hone Your Customer Journey.

Your customer needs to have an excellent experience from when they start interacting with you, step by step, all the way to the end. Assuming your sales process wasn't too pushy to evoke buyer's remorse, your client feels super excited about their purchase and starting to work with you. Don't let that critical point in their journey evaporate. Remember, you have an eager customer who can't wait to work with you.

That's why customer onboarding is your most excellent chance to maintain the momentum and show your clients how excited you are to have them on board.

The next in line is your customer service.

Serving your customers is the whole point of your business existence. So make it easy for them to be in contact with you and have their questions or concerns answered promptly. Excellent customer service is one way to show your uniqueness and stand out from the crowd.

As your clients move along in their journey, make it easy for them to work with you again. For example, my Dad is an insurance agent in Poland, and he always makes sure to call his customers ahead of time to let them know when their policy is renewing and that they need to budget for that for this spent. He also reviews the policies with them finds ways for them maybe to pay less for the same or better coverage.

Even if you sell products, know when you sold them and when your customer would run out. Get ahead of the game and contact them before that time. Make it easy for them to reorder. Remember that most unsatisfied customers will not say anything, they'll leave and never come back. Most people stay quiet rather than be vocal about there dissatisfaction. I'm the primary example of such a customer.

2. Be More Valuable to Your Clients.

Always look for ways to deliver more value to your clients. And I don't mean here lowering your prices. Instead, being attentive to their needs and their problems will allow you to see if you have the solutions. It might bring ideas for innovation in your business in the form of a brand new offering or a change in the one you have.

Through it, you'll become the solution to your clients' problems.

But even if you cannot solve them yourself, refer your customers to trusted partners and collaborators. Your clients will still remember that you cared, listened to them, and help them in the time of need. That's how you'll build trust and make many deposits in their emotional bank account.

Another way you can be more valuable to your clients is by nurturing them the same way you nurture your potential clients,i.e., your free content. When you deliver valuable information that helps them for free, you'll always stay on top of their minds whenever they need something.

Personal development is another way to be more valuable to your clients.

Why? Because growing skills in your area of expertise will ensure that you provide better service or better products to them. Also, gaining business management skills will allow you to find better ways to run your business, which will ultimately benefit your clients. When you grow, your business grows because your clients benefit.

Lastly, be available to your clients, whether it's with a concern they have a concern or have a question. It doesn't mean you need to answer the second you receive their message, but don't let them wait days on end for it either. For example, in my coaching practice, I'm available to my clients in between our weekly coaching calls via email or chat to answer any questions or help them through anything they're working on that week. I am yet to have a client that has abused this perk.

3. Develop Genuine Relationships With Your Clients.

Genuine human to human connection builds trust and bonds. Be in regular contact with your client. And there are many ways to do that. Thank you cards, small gifts, regular check-ins, texts, PM's/DM's, or quick call will go a long way. Coffee chats virtual or in-person are also a great way to stay in touch and make emotional deposits in their trust account.

Moreover, asking for their opinion and feedback will not only be valued because people love to share their expertise, but also help you improve in areas we talked about in point one.

You can also read more on how to develop strong relationships with your clients here.

4. Be a Proactive Leader of Your Business

This last point summarizes and encompasses the other three. But because it's so important, I wanted to single it out here.

You are the CEO of the leader of your business and brand. Therefore, taking 100% responsibility for it, especially when things don't go right, is of utmost importance.

None of your clients is expecting you to be perfect because making mistakes is human. But when issues happen, don't blame circumstances or other things and take full responsibility for them. Your clients don't want to hear "the dog ate my homework" excuses. What they want and will appreciate is knowing what you have done to mitigate them and avoid them in the future. When you do that, most of your clients will be understanding. And compensating them with a gift will go a long way.

Being proactive

If you see ahead of time that you can't deliver to what you've committed, say it. Whether it's a deadline, delivery delay, or anything else, step in front of that and tell your client what's going on. Also, tell them what your plan to mitigate the issue is. One of the worst feelings as a customer is being blindsided when expecting something to happen, and it doesn't. You will be more trustworthy this way. When you proactively communicate issues, you show respect and care for the best interest of your clients.

Moreover, as a leader also listen and ask questions before speaking. Effective communication is key to a successful business. Most issues I've ever seen in my career happened due to miscommunications. Listen to understand and stay tuned to your clients' needs avoids problems down the road.

Last but not least, be focused on innovation. True leaders want to better their businesses to serve their customers better. Innovation is a state of mind and skill that you can have, and I strongly encourage you to develop.

Customers are the bloodline of your business.

If you're a bit like me, you started the business to serve and help people, your clients. Now you must ensure you do everything you can to enhance and strengthen the trust they deposited in you when they chose your solutions.

And if you need help looking at your customer journey to see where you could improve it, or figuring out how to be more valuable to your clients, schedule a free brainstorming session with me here, and let's get to work!

Are you struggling right now in your business? Not having enough clients, enough time to find them, or personal issues, making it hard to stay consistent in your business? You're not alone.

Nobody's life is perfect because, as humans, we're not perfect. Even the most successful encounter challenges and don't have their journey filled with rose petals only. The difference between them and those who give up is how they deal with such challenges.

Being an entrepreneur is not easy. Because when life happens, you're the one needing to figure out how to tend to that while carrying on with the business. Here're some tips to make the most out of any unwanted situation.

Acknowledge that "life happens"

Dealing with tough situations, especially unexpected ones, is hard. It brings unwanted change that naturally we resist. However, the longer you resist and deny it happened, the longer and more challenging it will be for you to deal with it.

As humans, whenever we face change, we go through 4 stages:

• Shock (denial)
• Negative emotions (anger, sadness).
• Acknowledgment of the situation with exploration ("what's in it for me'). and
• Acceptance of the new reality.

When you come from the place of understanding that "life does happen," the first two phases of change will pass quickly. The quicker you can move to the exploration stage, where you look for ways to adapt, the faster you'll deal with the issue and get onto greener pastures.

Be prepared

Acknowledging that an unwanted situation will occur sooner or later puts you a step ahead in one more way. Because it allows you to prepare, and you should prepare when the sun is shining.

The same way Noah built his arc before the flooding, or the roofers can only repair the roof when the weather is nice; you need to prepare your business to run even if challenges occur when they're not there yet.

You can do many things to prepare, and some of them will be unique to your situation. A couple of must-haves, at minimum, is to have an emergency fund and a simple business continuity plan.

Having enough cash to run your business for 3-6 months (or longer), even if you can't bring any new income, brings a HUGE peace of mind when dealing with "life."

Having a plan on who does what and when if unwanted events happen allows your business to continue running even when you cannot support it fully.

Make planning your habit

Even without a catastrophic event, things can get derailed with small common issues: like a client defaulting on payment, your child getting sick, or an urgent need to help a close family member.

When you make planning your habit, it's much faster and easier to "juggle" things in your business as needed.

Planning allows you to be more productive on regular days. And in case of challenges, you can easily assess what can be postponed or canceled and what might need to be delegated or done. You can also decide to use your business continuity plan if you know that the unwanted situation will last longer.

Planning also allows you to communicate with your clients, partners proactively, and other collaborators, showing your professionalism and responsibility for commitments ... even if that communication is to ask for extended deadlines, for example.

It's never too late to start planning, and my DREAM-PLAN-DO journal can help you with that. It's a tremendous simple planning tool for your business that comes with an online masterclass.

Check it out!

• US, click here
• Canada, click here
• Other countries - search for this product # B08L8XPCS3 in your local Amazon search page.

Focus on the lessons

When challenges come up, it's natural to focus on the negative side of those events. However, those natural reactions (anger, resentment, anxiousness) aren't serving you in any way, shape, or form. And if they last too long, they can derail your business.

It's OK to give yourself your time to grieve and go through those emotions, but the sooner you can move on to looking for lessons from the event, the faster you'll improve the situation.

Why should you look for a silver lining?

Because taking the time to learn lessons from unwanted events helps us prepare better for the future. It allows you to grow, and with it, up-level your business. It can give you insight into what you can do to either ultimately prevent the situation from happening again or minimize its impact on your life and business.

Take time to figure out the solution

Once you uncover the silver lining, now it's the time to think about solutions. Brainstorming is always a great way to start because you can always find more than one way to address the problem. And if you're stuck in what you should do and have no mentor, coach, or trusted advisor to help, ask yourself how someone you look up to would handle it, what would they do ...

Running a business with the mindset that challenges are a natural occurrence and that no matter what happens, you'll be able to figure it out gives you a tremendous advantage. That's how you'll grow your resilience, one of the essential skills of every successful entrepreneur.

Such a powerful mindset shift is what my clients learn to do in a Business Results Accelerator Mastermind. It's a comprehensive program helping female entrepreneurs grow their businesses by attracting paying clients consistently. If you're curious to know more about it and how it can help you hit your income goals, schedule a discovery call with me here.

If you're planning to run your business for 10 years or more, then resilience is something you'll want to grow and nurture. The American Psychological Association defines resilience as "the process of adapting well in the face of adversity."

Why is being a resilient, particularly valuable quality for those running a business?

Because according to US Bank data:

• Roughly 20% of small businesses fail within the first year.
• Roughly 33% of small businesses fail within two years.
• Roughly 50%of small businesses fail within five years.
• Roughly 66% of small businesses fail within 10 years.

And the leading causes for these failures are:

1. Cash flow problems account for 82% of failures. Such issues can have different root causes or their combination: lack of a business plan, pricing issues, lack of or poor budgeting, or insufficient financing.
2. Poor understanding of the market, therefore not having the right marketing strategy. Or being too rigid and not changing fast enough with the market needs.
3. Fast growth and with it the entrepreneur not being able to hire and lead proper teams or put systems and structures in place, allowing for controlled growth.
4. Not being prepared properly to be a business owner and, therefore, not being ready to take on all the responsibilities that come with running a business.

I want to point your attention to the 4th reason why the businesses fail.

Why? Because it all starts with you, the entrepreneur, the leader. If you don't continually prepare and grow yourself to run your own business, the other three reasons will happen. If you do – you'll be able to deal with anything that comes your way.

So what can you do to prepare yourself to run a long-lasting and successful business?

Here are a few steps you can start taking now and never stop.

Learn some foundational skills you need to run the business.

Most of those skills fall into the following areas: marketing and sales, time management, strategy, leadership, money management, and technology.

These foundations will serve you no matter what happens in the market. And as you continue expanding them and developing more expert knowledge, you'll be able to stay ahead of the market, predict the needs to change, build highly-performing teams and avert financial catastrophes before they happen.

If I was to give you only one piece of advice, it's this one: never stop learning and investing in yourself. Your business will grow if you grow first.

"How can I learn those skills then Maggie," you ask? There are many different avenues: schools, online courses, mentors, and coaches. There're an in-person, online, group, self-paced, or one-on-one learning? The one thing is sure, you cannot blame the lack of sources and opportunities to learn what you need ad set yourself up for success.

If you're not sure where to start or are interested in hiring a coach, then book a free chat with me here, and I'll be happy to point you in the direction that will serve you best right now.

Work on your mindset

Learning how to have your mind work for you, not against you, is one of the millionaires' secrets. Even when doubt, fear, or self-sabotaging thoughts happen, the most successful know how to get out of the rut and shift their mind to self-belief, confidence, and enthusiasm.

It's easy to get discouraged when the one thing you're working on fails 5127 times. You're thinking: "Are this many fails even possible?" – yes! This was the number of failed prototypes before the Dyson vacuum was ready to hit the marketplace.

And I get it; it's easy to stop believing you have something precious when you get rejected repeatedly (12 times or even more, for example, Stephen King or J.K. Rowling). But yet, some people keep going, and these are the ones that win.

One of the best mindsets you can adopt as an entrepreneur is treating roadblocks as learning opportunities and puzzle pieces to solve. Just like Ray Dalio describes in his book Principles:

By solving the puzzle, I get a gem in the form of a principle that helps me avoid the same sort of problem in the future.

Ray Dalio

Collecting lessons and applying them without beating yourself up will get you closer to success.

Innovate constantly

As you read before, resilience is the process of adapting well in the face of adversity. Part of it sits in innovation. Entrepreneurs who have this skill, always look for better ways to serve their clients and run their businesses.

This is where the skills you acquire from self-development help you gain the knowledge of the market, and then the rubber hits the road with you applying all this to stand out of the crowd. That's how you're showing your Ideal Client, you're the only one who can meet their needs best.

Build a support system.

No one can succeed without a proper support system. And by that, I mean two things: people who'll help you and systems and habits that will help you be innovative, consistent, healthy, and enthusiastic throughout your journey.

Who are the people? These will be mentors, coaches, fellow entrepreneurs, friends & family whom you can turn to for help in different things: self-development, sounding board, moral support, or collaboration. Additionally, as your business grows, you'll add employees, suppliers, and subcontractors.

The second part is system and habits, processes, and tools in your day to day that will support you as a business leader growing your business creatively through innovation without being overwhelmed or burned out.

Don't underestimate this part. Enthusiasm and motivation can get you started, but without the habits and routines, you won't be able to keep going consistently. They're vital in building your resilience.

If you're thinking: "Great, Maggie, but what systems and habits do I need now and how they'll help me?" let's talk. My Dream-Plan-Do coaching formula in all my programs empowers you not only with new skills but also with such routines that carry your results to the next level. If you want to know how – contact me here.

Social media is the place to be to market your business. Of course, if you're an online entrepreneur, that's a no-brainer and a must. But even if you relied on "local word of mouth," COVID changed that. The pandemic has shown us that if you don't have a way to sell and market your offering online, you can go out of business fast.

There're tonnes of strategies, how to's, and frameworks that work. And as an entrepreneur, I'm sure you create your own that aligns with who you are and what you stand for as a person and business.

Nevertheless, there are some core principles that you should follow to ensure your long-term success in the online world. Here are seven of them.

Principle 1: Listening

Listening online is more of reading the conversations that are happening. Which conversations? The ones of your ideal client. When you listen to what their goals and challenges are, you can create solutions that will sell. Moreover, you also learn how they talk about all this, how they tell their stories, describe their pain points and dreams. Listening allows you to understand your ideal client and learn to speak their language.

Principle 2: Strategy

By strategy, I mean being focused on your niche. If you try to appeal to everyone, no one will relate. The more you define your ideal client, the more successful you'll be. By strategy, I also mean being intentional about how you, as a business owner, stand out from the sea of others who want to help your ideal client.

Principle 3. Audience quality

You've probably heard that before, so I'll be the reminder 😊. As you build your audience on any social media platform, it's better to have 1,000 followers who stay and care about your content than 10,000 fake ones that follow you for a day and leave the next.

When your audience loves your content, they will engage. When they engage, they will get to know you better. With that, they will start to like you and trust you. And that's the straight path to successful selling.

Principle 4. Value

Yes, social media is a platform to build your personal brand. And yes, you should show your audience who you are as a person. But the only way people will keep coming back to your posts is if they see value in them. Quality images and copy create quality content!

Now, value means different things to different people. But since you listen and know your niche well, you'll also know how you can deliver value to them 😊.

Principle 5. Engagement

If you want to see engagement on your posts, you need to give that as well. Because social media conversations are precisely that – conversations with many participants in it. You can't post and never engage in other posts and then expect people to comment on your feed. Participate in other people's conversations, reply to comments left of your feed, contribute value. In short, engage.

Principle 6. Consistency

Building a social media following requires consistency and patience. Consistency shows that you're serious about what you offer. It shows that you care about your audience, and you're there for them, shine or rain. It shows respect and professionalism.

And patience is required because to build quality following takes time. This is a long-term game. None goes from 0 to 10,000 followers organically in a month. The fantastic thing about the long-term game is that it will compound.

Getting to 1,000 followers might take time, and a lot of effort, but getting another thousand will be much faster thanks to the compound effect (just like interest on your savings account).

Principle 7. Collaborations

Collaborations help you expand your circle of influence. When you collaborate with other entrepreneurs who share your passion and values to serve, and their offering is complementary to yours, it's a win-win-win.

You benefit from getting exposure to their audience, and they benefit from yours. Their audience becomes your audience for a moment and vice versa. And the best thing is, your ideal clients win too as thanks to you more of their problems get solved.

So are you ready to step up your social media world and serve?

I am :) for you and for me. And if you want to chat about "how to's" on any of these, connect with me for a free strategy session here.

Have you ever gotten a piece of advice that was an AHA moment for you? Advice that you decided to follow and has been serving you in business and life ever since?

I'm sure you have. I've been blessed to have many people in my life share their wisdom with me, and through it helping me grow. So as a way to give back, I decided to share some of this advice with you in this blog. I hope it brings you as many fantastic outcomes as it has been for me. And that in turn, you'll connect with me to share your golden nuggets of advice :).

Never assume

This is the best advice ever that I got from one of my first Canadian mentors. It's great for any situation and works wonders in interpersonal communication and dealing with issues that involve other people. This advice helped me personally resolve many hairy misunderstandings, untangle snowballing miscommunications, and have better relationships with people in my personal and professional life.

This advice has the art of listening at its core.

When people communicate, they often assume that others know certain things and understand the reasoning behind what's being said. However, quite often, this is not that case, and such assumptions and lack of attentive listening lead to misunderstandings.

"Never assume" allows you to listen first to understand when you communicate with people.

Understand what are they know or don't know; understand their point of view. It helps you ask better questions before expressing your opinion and coming to conclusions on the situation.

It's not an easy nugget to follow, but I saved myself lots of trouble whenever I did.

How this advice can help you in business? Here's an example from sales.
When you're having a conversation with your ideal client, never assume that they know something and remember everything you told them. Don't be scared to ask clarifying questions or repeat anything important a few times.

Patience pays off

This advice doesn't mean just sitting around patiently doing nothing and hoping that our dreams come true. What it means is that as long as you take action and consistently do the strategic things you need to do to grow your business, you'll start reaping the benefits of that work sooner or later.

It also applies to relationships and other areas in life (ex. your health).

Strategic, focused actions, consistency, and patience are key to success. I have experienced it many times when following it in different areas of my life. Compared to 2019, in my business, most recently, I have seen exponential growth despite COVID 19.

Do the right thing

This is a hard one to follow, especially in relationships or parenting, when our emotions are involved. I know because I've been there.

Being a person that does the right thing and takes a higher road isn't always popular. It even can make you not so popular having to face other people's negative emotions towards your decisions and actions.

And very often, this is your duty as a leader of your business or family.

If you've ever said 'NO' to your child for something they really wanted but wasn't right for them, then you know what I mean. However, doing the right thing, taking a higher road always wins and pays off (advice # 2😊).

It also saves you energy for bigger and better things. When you get to hang up on little stuff, chasing things, or trying to prove others wrong, you lose time and energy on trivial matters.

People need what you offer.

When I first started my business, I was scared of selling like most of the new entrepreneurs. I didn't want to be pushy or 'salesy.' My whole philosophy and mindset around sales were plain wrong.

Then I read this advice: "there are at least 5 people out there who need what you offer." They need your help to grow their business, get rid of overwhelm, and lead a balanced life.

And you know what ... ? I knew this was true because I was talking to them regularly. I saw their struggles online, yet I was scared to convey how much value working with me can bring them.

And this one piece of advice helped and switch my mindset around sales. It helped me understand that if I'm not the one who will support my ideal client, someone else will. Someone who might not even be as good as me. This was the first steppingstone in reframing my whole mindset around selling.

If you don't grow, nothing in your life will grow either.

If you were to take out only one golden nugget today out of this entire blog, I hope this is the one. Everything starts with us. If we become better and grow as a person, everything around us will grow as well. Be our relationships, health, self-confidence, and business.

Whenever you want to take things in your business to the next level, you need to get there first.

Conscious self-development and growth have been an essential part of most of my life. It helped me get to where I am now, and it'll help me achieve the next stage. I made it a point in my business to invest 10% of my income into my strategic self-development. It's a non-negotiable item baked into my budget.

How about you? Do you treat self-development as a non-negotiable part of your business growth? Or rather a nice to have once you "get more clients" or "reach X$ income"?

If you're a bit like me, think about how where your business could go if you made self-growth and development a part of your daily, weekly, and monthly routine? Where could you take your marketing, sales, or productivity, or mindset?

And if you decide that you're ready to take any of these to the next level, then I'm here to help you. How? Schedule a free discovery call with me here, and let's have an exciting conversation about it 😊

Do you know why your Ideal Client would choose you over the others out there offering solutions to the same problems you solve? Do you know the unique benefits they get when buying your offering?

If your answer is "No" or "I'm not sure," then it's time to get on it and become clear on your Unique Selling Proposition (USP).

What's Unique Selling Proposition & why you need it?

USP is the thing that makes your business different from competitors. That allows you to stand out from the crowd so that the Ideal Client can notice you and say 'YES' this brand is perfect for my needs. Because it isn't just enough to be visible, you must stand out to be noticed.

And if you don't know how you stand out, how would you expect your client to understand why they should buy from you?

Unique Selling Proposition is not synonymous with your brand.

It's part of it but a very distinct part. Your brand is your story, your promise of what you deliver, and what you stand for. USP are concrete benefits that your Ideal Client gets when buying from you that are different from your competition.

For example, Walmart's USP and competitive advantage is being one of the cheapest retailers on the market. If you go there, you know you're getting a bargain. This USP has been baked not only into their marketing but the whole operation to ensure they deliver it.

On the other hand, Tiffany & Co. chose a style that brings experience and love as their USP. See how it's not luxury itself, even though you definitely feel the luxury when you buy a piece of high-quality jewelry from them.
Just read this: "Since 1837, the masterpieces of Tiffany & Co. have defined style and celebrated the world's great love stories."
If you close your eyes now, can you imagine what type of clients such USP attracts?

So now your turn.

And to help you figure out how to come up with your Unique Selling Proposition, here are 5 necessary steps:

1. Brainstorm

Write down the features that your offering has and then the benefits those features provide to your clients. Because really, no one buys anything for its features. People buy for what the products or services will do for them.

Here is an example: you don't buy a laptop because it has a keyboard, screen and is light. You buy it because of the convenience it provides. You can work with it from anywhere, move it around it and store it easily.

2. Do market research

Go out there and do some social listening. What are your clients looking for, what are their specific needs that your offering fills? How do they describe them? Know what really motivates your Ideal Clients to buy.
Also, look at your competitors and see what their USP is. Because you want to come up with something different, something they have missed. Think about how your offering is better than theirs.

3. Be creative

Think about what is unique about you and your brand. And how can you pair it with the unique benefits of your offer? Definitely don't try to please everyone. You want to attract only your Ideal Clients. More on how to define your niche, here.

4. Be bold

Don't try to hide. Be bold. Stand out in your own unique fantastic way. That's where your brand comes in. Just don't forget to be personable. You don't want to come across as stand-offish but rather someone who people can relate to and look up to simultaneously.

If you look at Oprah, even when she talks about the successes she achieved in her life, it's not to show others how much wealth she accumulated. It's to inspire them and show them that if she could do it, anyone can.

5. Ensure your messaging is clear

Once you have an idea of your USP, start messaging it to your audience. Make sure that you're not using expert language. Communicate it clearly ideally in your Ideal Clients' language.

So are you ready to get to work and define your USP?

When you do it, be creative and make the process fun. I bet that you'll learn a lot about your offering and Ideal Client while doing that. And if you ever need more guidance on how to go about it, connect with me here for a free brainstorming call.

A significant portion of my business coaching revolves around helping entrepreneurs regain focus, eliminate distractions, and become more productive. By productive, I don't mean work more or harder. I mean, work smarter and gain better results within the time you're already spending on your business.

It turns out that my experience aligns with research showing that time management is one of the biggest challenges for entrepreneurs right after funding and finding new clients.

That's why, in this blog, I'm sharing 15 proven ways that will help you boost your performance.

How? Through the elimination of distractions and thus increased focus and productivity.

1. Turn off the TV

TV can be very distracting. You put it for background noise, but then you catch yourself looking at it every so often and watching for 10-20 mins at a time. Such chopped focus slows you down in completing anything you're working on and lowers the quality of the output.

If you really need some background noise, put on relaxation music that can boost your productivity instead.

2. Spend less time on your phone

Nowadays, phones are even a worse enemy of focus than TV. Remember the last time you picked up your phone just to check an e-mail or a message and ended up spending 40 mins scrolling through your Instagram or Facebook feed? How many times a day this happens?

I'm sure you'll be shocked when you do the math. So what's the antidote? No phone near you when you're concentrating on client work, project, or any other important task.

3. Clean your office/ desk

Disorder in our physical space is distracting and stressful. Decluttering your desk and tidying up your office will eliminate the need to clean and organize every time you try to sit down and focus on writing that blog.

4. Prioritize

Out of the never-ending to-do list, know which one of the items listed there are critical and which ones can wait or genuinely don't have to be done. The key is to work on 20% of things that deliver you 80% of results.

5. Time block

What's not scheduled doesn't get done. If you don't put your most important work into your schedule, others will fill it with their priorities. Don't spend your days according to other people's agenda. Be in control. Block time for things you want and need to do.

6. Plan your days ahead of time

This one ties well with the previous two. For you to prioritize and time block effectively, you need to do it ahead of time. Weekly planning is key to being proactive and preventing the daily fires. Working continually in the firefighter mode won't grow your business. It will maintain it at best. Being proactive and strategic is what moves the needle.

7. Take regular breaks

Our brain can focus and be productive for about 90 mins at a time. After that, it gets tired and starts wondering. Trying to force it to do more and better becomes counterproductive. So take regular breaks. Even if they are 5-10 mins at a time. You'll see that when you get back to your work, you'll finish it much faster.

8. Turn off notifications on your electronics.

This point is self-explanatory. When you have a "ding" or "dong" going off every 2 mins from every app you have installed on your laptop and phone, it's impossible to focus. This one is non-negotiable and has to go if you want to become highly effective. So, don't wait and turn off all these notifications now 😊.

9. Don't keep the phone in your work-study area when you want to focus.

Now better yet. Don't keep your phone near you when you're working on a project. Make it hard for you to access it. I'm sure you know why I'm suggesting this technique 😉.

10. Work on the most important things first thing in the morning.

Highly-effective people get their most important things done first every day. Because life happens to all of us. It's easier to deal with it when your vital proprieties are completed before the day disintegrates.

11. Keep your Vision and dream life in mind.

When things don't go the way, you want them to. When the results don't show as quickly as you wish, remembering your WHY will help you keep going. Putting your Vision at the forefront of everything you do will also help you prioritize.

12. Avoid multitasking

Multitasking is overrated. Studies prove that our brain cannot focus on two cognitive tasks at a time. Yes, we can walk and listen to music because walking is automatic. We don't need to think about it.

When we try to multitask on two cognitive actions: a meeting and a project, for example, our mind has to switch back and forth between them. The results: you don't know what's going on in a meeting, and the quality of project work is not that great either.

Be present in everything you do. And be intentional with what you choose to do.

Maggie Perotin

13. Chunk big projects into smaller logical parts

Trying to do too much at once can be overwhelming. And that's when procrastination creeps in. So when you think of a task to do and feel overwhelmed, it means you need to break it down to smaller parts. Once you feel excited about the work ahead of you, it's time to focus on it 😊.

14. Establish routines

We are creatures of habit. And the most productive people use that to their benefit. Structure your days in ways that serve you. Create routines that will make it easy for you to focus, start any task, and take breaks. Following your internal rhythm helps.

15. 2-minute rule

This rule says that if a critical thing takes you less than 2 mins to do, do it right away. Don't put it on your to-do-list as it will take you more time to write it down and then retrieve it and do it later.

Above I've given you many proven techniques that work. However, if you try to apply them all at once, you'll get overwhelmed and actually do nothing. Which is not why I wrote this blog.

So my advice is: pick one. Start with the one tip that feels the easiest to implement. Do it for a week and then add another one. Continue until you feel you created high-productivity habits that work well for you.

At the same time, I know for some entrepreneurs it's hard to DIY this even though they know what to do. So if you tried before and couldn't establish systems that work for you or you know, message me.

With my help, we'll create a system that works for you and your unique situation. You'll save lots of time, stress & money trying to figure it out. My clients get amazing results when working with me, and you can too. Schedule a free discovery session first here.

Most of us can be our own worst critics. And when those moments happen, the negative thoughts in our mind can shut down our confidence, lower self-esteem, and kill pretty much any dream and million $ idea we have. That's why learning how to turn these thoughts around and make your mind works for you, not against you, is one of the keys to entrepreneurial success.

So what are the ten most common thoughts killing your business dream? And how can you get overcome them? Read on and find out.

1. It will never work.

Usually, additional thoughts that aren't too helpful follow this one: "it's a slow market," "there are too many people doing the same thing already," etc. The underlying root of these thoughts is the lack of belief that you can succeed and make your dream a reality.

The thing is, we're responsible 100% for our actions and how we react to circumstances that happen to us. Those who embrace that mindset take control back into their life. They have hope and can act on it.

Reminding yourself of past successes or progress you made so far, despite the adversity you've encountered, is a great way to turn these thoughts into the belief that you can achieve anything you desire.

2. It's not the right time to do it.

Or other variations of it: "I'm too old," "I'm too young," "I'll do it when …".

I learned that the same as with having kids, there's never a "perfect" moment to start something important in our lives. If we procrastinate too much, the moments will pass sooner than we realize. The best time to act on your million $ business idea is when they come to your mind. Even if it's just writing them down in the notebook, otherwise, within 5 mins, our mind will either talk us out of it or forget it altogether.

And once you've written it down, take intentional time to sit down and plan it out more. Think of the steps you could take in the next little while to start implementing the idea. When you have a plan, start implementing it step by step.

3. What will others think of me if I do it

It's though to be vulnerable; to put yourself out there and expose yourself to a potential risk of criticism by others or lack of support from the ones you care most about.

But on the flip side, do you want others' opinions and perceptions shape how you live your life? What you do and what you don't? The vulnerability allows you to take charge of your life and do things that are important to you, making you happy. In your business, it will attract your ideal clients!

Affirmations help me and my clients believe in our capabilities and let go of worrying about what others think of us. Try ones that you believe in, and you won't believe the difference they make 😉.

4. I'm too busy as it is to do it

We all have 24/7/365, and yet some people seem never to have it enough, while some are achieving incredible things.

Not having enough time is quite a common excuse. My take on it is if you know what you want, you can create time for it. The secret to having time is making it for the things that are important to us.

As I write this blog, I have a full time demanding corporate leadership role; I run my coaching practice; I'm in the middle of completing an online executive MBA; I volunteer and am a mom in a blended family of 4 kids. How do I do it and still have time for self-care and not burn out? I created time for all those things. I established routines and learned high-performance habits that allow me to be highly effective with my time.

Now I teach those techniques as part of my business coaching to empower women to build wildly successful businesses without the overwhelm. If you're interested in knowing more, then reach out to me here.

5. I can't afford to do it now.

Like with time, how we spend our money tells a lot about what we truly value: material things or experiences, spend items or investments (ex. a new purse vs. a book).

Running a business requires investments that may or may not pay off in the future. It requires taking risks. No business is successful without it. However, as leaders, we can minimize the risk and find creative ways to figure things out.

How do you do that? Market research, prototyping, and Beta testing are great ways to reduce cost and risk when launching a new offering.

Collaborations and bartering are great ways to get outsourcing help without the exchange of money. And the list goes on. As Marie Forleo says: Everything is figureoutable and I 100% believe that as well.

6. I'm not good enough to be successful.

Followed by "Who would ever buy from me," "Who do I think I am, thinking that this could work."

The imposter syndrome is familiar to many, even the most successful people. I wrote a separate blog on how to deal with it.

Journaling and affirmations will help you with this thought as well. And there's another powerful thing I want to mention here. It's your associations. It's critical to surround yourself with people who will support you, believe in you, and help you succeed.

These people can be your fellow entrepreneurs, mentors, coaches, friends, and family people who already achieved what you want to in their businesses. They will lift you when you're feeling down, teach you things that will help you get stronger, faster, and smarter and show you that anything is possible for those who want to go after it.

7. I'm scared of failing.

Here there is always a lot of "what if's." But this is focusing your whole energy on the future, something that doesn't exist. Don't get me wrong; it's good to be realistic and prepare for certain risks, have a plan B. That gives you a peace of mind.

But once you have it, it's time to focus on the present and things you can control. Because your choices now that lead to action or inaction are the ones shaping your future.

8. I'm good where I am; I don't need to change anything.

If that's really the truth, then stay where you are, why change? But if deep down, you know that this is a dream killer thought, then it's time to act.

Journal. Write up your dream ideal life five years from now. How would it look like? Where would you be? What would you do?

Then write down what your life will look if you don't do anything. Read it out loud. Think about how does it make you feel?

Most people will not change if they are cozy and comfortable. So if you're there but have a nagging feeling you want more, then create discomfort that will motivate you to action. Picturing yourself in 5-10 years can be a great way to do that.

9. But it's so much work, where do I even start.

Building a dream business is a lot of work, especially in the beginning. But hey, you're creating your dream, isn't that exciting? It's the journey that makes us better human beings, that's fun and memorable.

But if in the beginning, you feel overwhelmed and can't take the first step, talk to someone. Through my free strategy sessions, I help many women gain clarity on what next steps they should take to get unstuck and keep moving forward.

10. What if I try this or this, wait this is even better.

Shiny object syndrome - if not a dream killer, it becomes a dream-delayer. Establishing momentum in your business takes time and those who aren't patient enough fall prey to believing that this technique or this strategy will deliver their dreams super fast and without too much work. They end up switching from one thing to another, losing all the momentum gained from the previous strategies.

Consistency, patience, and sticking with the established strategy long enough is what will help you fast-track your business success. It's establishing habits and routines that support your chosen plan.

Don't fall for the "make a million in 3 months" promises. If it ever happens to anyone, it's like winning a lottery – the likelihood for it is close to zero. Growing a 6-8 figure business takes time, resilience, strategy, and consistency. And yes, it's possible! Any person who truly got there and stayed will tell you that.

If you don't know what business strategy is best for you, then reach out. I'll help you create one that makes you stand out and attract your ideal client.

Mother Nature is in constant change and evolution. And we as humans are part of that change. Some of it happens to us, and we need to chose how we react to it. But also, in many instances, we have the power to create change for ourselves.

Looking back at my life, I can identify 5 pivotal moments, decisions that others took, or I took myself. These moments changed my life for the better and led me to where I am today.

Even though stories behind those decisions could fill in a few books, I decided to condense them to a blog and share it with you. Why?

Because I want to help you make the decision you've been trying to make for a while. That decision you know deep down is the best thing for you, but it seems too big or scary to go after. I hope my story will inspire you to change that.

From Communist to Free Poland

This was not my decision. But without it, the others wouldn't have happened.

I was born in Communist Poland, in a small town, where freedom of thought, speech, or travel didn't exist. What existed were many absurdities that are funny now, fear, and numbness at best.

Many historical books describe these times, so if you'd like to discover that era for eastern and central European countries, "Europe" by Normal Davis is fantastic.

In 1989, when I was 11, an unimaginable thing happened, even after the years of protests and the Polish people showing their disapproval of the regime. The leaders of the freedom movement and governing regime came to an agreement. Poland was becoming a free real democracy in a peaceful way. Although not easy for many people, these times opened the portal for many opportunities for the entire nation. I happened to be young enough to take full benefit of this historical moment.

Talking About a Goal in Mind

I was always a good student. Actually, one of the best in my primary school and high school. So not getting into the University program I wanted was a blow. I chose an elite program in one of the best Polish Universities. There were over 5 candidates for each spot, and young people were applying from all over the country. I passed the exams but not well enough to get a spot. At least not the first time around. I was disappointed, discouraged, and without plan B.

What did I do? I decided to double down on prep, wait a year, and try again. It's because I felt that this program at this University was the right one for me. Not everyone in my family immediately supported my decision, but I stood my ground. In the end, my parents supported me in investing in my learning and prep for the year.

The following year, not only did I get into THE program, but my plan B was also an option (Law School). As luring as the Law School was, I went to graduate from the original program.

Welcome to Canada

You know, I never planned to immigrate from Poland. However, life tends to open different doors in front of us, and it's up to us to decide if it's the opportunity we want to grab. This one came through a friend as a side conversation.

I was in the middle of an additional undergrad program trying to make ends meet working a low paying job and tutoring kids. During a break conversation between classes, my university friend told me about the Canadian Immigration program.

At that time, the labor market for young people in Poland was tough. 20% unemployment. I was lucky to have a job that paid the bills and left enough money for food. You know that the Communist Regime collapse I described in point 1? These were times when Poland was trying to get the economy back on track.

Long story short, I decided to look into the program as an option for a better life. Because I spoke English and French and my first husband at a time had family in Canada willing to help, we figured this could work and decided to apply. After 1.5 years of the application process, we were sitting on a plane to Toronto. We had 4 pieces of luggage and a bit of saving. Before that, I'd never set foot in North America or even flew a plane.

But moving to Canada was one of the best decisions I made in my life.

As hard as it was to leave the entire family and all friends behind, Canada turned out to be a fantastic country to live in. Not only because of economic opportunities but also values of respect, tolerance, and overall mindset of the people.

Nothing of Value Comes Easy

... And without moving here, I would have never met the love of my life, my soul mate, my current husband. And without him, our precious family wouldn't have been started either.

Getting there wasn't easy.

I decided to leave my first marriage (this is the first time I'm writing about it ever). It wasn't a bad marriage at all, my first husband is a great man. Which made it so much more difficult to leave. To be the "bad and selfish person," hurt others around me for an unknown future.

Why would you leave something "safe" and "comfortable", create pain around you when you had no idea what the other side would look like.

But that's the thing, isn't it? We never know how the other side looks like until we get there. We'll never find out if we don't go after it and give it a chance to materialize.

Mid-Life Crisis or Ultimate Wisdom?

Because of life pivots above, I had my kids past 30. My daughter was born when I was 33, and my son at 35. As I was getting closer to 40, the kids grew enough to move out of the baby diaper stage.

That's when a thought hit me: at 40, I really have more than 2/3 of my independent adult life still to live. Let's not kid ourselves up until 20, or so we are very dependant on others. And given that the life expectancy will soon be 80, I have another 40 years to live!

That very thought got me thinking about how I wanted to live going forward? What impact do I want to make on the world?

I was again living in my comfort zone, making 6 figures in a good corporate job, working with great people, and being very good at what I do.

So were these thoughts a women's mid-life crisis or ultimate wisdom coming down on me?

Whatever you call it, for me, it meant starting my business coaching practice. Why? Because my passion is to empower people and help them reach their full potential. And my skills are is business.

I decided to focus on and help women. Because, as women, we have A LOT going on. We also need to overcome many things for the world to see us and appreciate us for who we are. I believe that finally, the 21st century is our time; that's why I want to help women to rise up.

Here they are, 5 decisions, 5 pivotal moments in my life. We all have them.

The moments that push us out of our comfort zones. The doors that open opportunities in front of us to create our dream life. But also require us to make scary decisions. The decisions that might have an end goal in mind, but we don't always know how to get there or what the end result will really look like.

Do you have a door of opportunity opening in front of you now? Are you scared to make the decision? I'd love to connect with you and have a human to a human conversation about ditching our comfort zones and going for the life we want.

Sharing one's own story might feel natural for extroverted entrepreneurs, but it's not that easy for introverts. And yet your story and your voice with it are the most powerful marketing tools in your business.

Wasn't part of your story what motivated you to start your business in the first place? Why not use it to inspire others, attract your ideal client so you can help more people, and grow your biz?

It's not for me to convince you to do it, but what I can do is show you four reasons you should, at a minimum, consider it.

Your story is unique to you but can be an inspiration to many.

I love Winnie the Pooh – such a wise bear he is 😊

"I'm scared," said Piglet.
"A story will help," said Pooh.
"How?"
"Oh. Don't you know? Stories make your heart grow."

(Milne, 1979)

People go thru similar things, and even though your story is unique to you, it can inspire others to change their lives for the better in ways you'd never imagine. Why do you think movies and books are so beloved? Because we develop connections with the characters, we learn from them and get inspired.

Your story is as powerful as any blockbuster movie. Through it, you can create a real bond and connection with your ideal clients. Because people buy from those who they know, connect with, and get to like and trust.

Part of my story brought me to this moment. Creating my coaching business with a mission to empower women to build wildly successful businesses with no overwhelm. Why am I so focused on eliminating the overwhelm? Because of what happened to me 3 years back. It had such an impact on me that I decided to help as many women as I can to avoid it. And here is how I'm doing it lately.

People learn best through stories

Storytelling is one of the most powerful ways to teach and learn. I remember always begging my grandmother to tell me goodnight fairy tales that she learned from her mother and grandmother. They were stories you couldn't find in books and always carried deeper meaning about values. They taught me more about being kind and respectful to others than anything else.

So what do you want your audience to learn from you? What message does your brand carry? You can use your story to convey powerful and inspiring messages.

Your story co-creates your brand.

As a solopreneur, your story helps you create your brand and be unique. It helps to cut through all the noise out there, you must stand out.

Is screaming louder, going to help you? Can you invent new colors that no one else is using? That can be a tall order. Even though don't get me wrong, the colors will enhance and showcase your brand.

Screaming only adds to the noise. Colors look great but are not powerful enough on their own. Your story is what makes the hole in the wall fo noise like a river in a hag stone and flows through to reach those who need it.

And yes, I can almost hear thoughts coming up for you now (because I had them too 😥) ...

... my story is not remarkable; who'd be inspired by it?

... what if people criticize me for sharing it?

... nothing is exciting about it ...

What I want to tell you here is that all those thoughts ARE NOT TRUE. Your story has some serious power to help others, help you stand out, and grow your business. And you won't even know how much power it has until you start using it.

When people resonate with it, they will share it with others.

I saved the best reason for last. Because you'll inspire and help others, your story will spread. People love to share stories that helped them in life.

Remember the last time you recommended a book or movie you loved to your friends? Or the last time you shared a powerful TED Talk on your feed for others to see? Yes! That was a story that impacted you, and you wanted that impact to carry on.

The same will happen with your brand story. People who will resonate with it, who will feel inspired, will share it with others. And word of mouth is one of the best marketing strategies there is.

So are you convinced now? Will you take this blog and use it as your motivation to craft and share your story? I hope that you will. If you don't know how to go about it and start, then schedule a free consult with me here. I'll give you some tips 😊.