Isn’t it great when you can see a huge difference in your growth and the growth of your business as you cross the threshold to another year? Yes, sometimes it takes a while for these learnings to translate to more earnings and less hours – then that threshold crossing can be even sweeter. Still, you can smell potential paradigm shifters long before the revenue streams swell.
This year was full of big learnings – and I’ll be sharing the most paradigm-shifting, change-of-business-mind eye and heart openers over the next ezines. (I hope you can follow that – I’m certainly in the pre-holiday blur right now.) In other words, these are lessons or concepts that led to big changes of mind and heart in my own business frameworks in this last year.
Now these aren’t necessarily new or original. Yet it’s exciting when you take even a well-known concept and see how it transforms your business as you apply it in your unique situation. Okay… ready? drums….ohmmms …. champagne? sure….
LEVERAGING DEBT FOR BUSINESS GROWTH
I’ve long been a proponent of zero debt. My first years in business, being the smart cookie that I am, I took advantage of free teleclasses and programs, and became a master of resisting the “upsell”, the cash offer that is a part of most free offerings. I did the home study or DIY (do it yourself) approach as much as possible. I used my day job to finance my business – some even call the day job a business loan of sorts.
In 2011, I realized I’d gotten a bit black and white about my NO DEBT paradigm. I took the leap to extend myself, in credit and faith, to purchase coaching, workshops and classes for support and knowledge building. Now, before you line up with your credit cards ; ) let me share some critical caveats every business owner should consider BEFORE leaning into your line of credit.
BEFORE YOU DO THIS:
Mindset ready:
Get a sense of how ready you are to blast through mindset issues and old belief blocks. When you rise to the next level, your fear level can also rise. This can be paralyzing and a big time suck. You don’t want the clock ticking and credit card interest rising while you hide in the corner. So if you’ve already been expanding beyond your comfort zone, have tools for mindset challenges, and know how to feel your fear and do it anyway, you’re in a better place methinks to take that quantum leap and make the bigger investment.
Business foundations built:
I have been watching the new-ish emphasis on high ticket coaching programs. I’ll have a lot more to say on this in future ezines; there is a lot to consider in both offering these (the obvious benefit to you of raising your rates as you clarify and concentrate the value of what you offer to clients) and purchasing these. In terms of buying these for yourself, so far my sense is – unless you are clear in your genius, signature service to clients, and have the time and money to invest, there are other ways to get support that can also be great. If you are ready and clear, this is a great way to take your business to the next level and serve more people.
ROI Measuring
Other forms of support can still require your credit card at times – so make sure you are clear about a) how you’ll gain a good return on your investment (ROI) b) that you’ll be able to learn and implement the training and c) that what is promised from the investment is clear and relevant to your current stage of business building.
We all have those programs sitting on the shelf. Before taking on a new
program, make sure you don’t already have something like it. And don’t be afraid to ask questions to clarify the promised results – what those are, and what happens if the thing doesn’t deliver, BEFORE you buy. This is why savvy teachers encourage questions before clients buy. This is what guarantees are for, as well as testimonials. If this is a first time offer, as my last Branding webinar was, make sure your coach or instructor understands the value of beta testing.
The Dream to Reality Gap
A word for outright beginners: Having a dream and an intuitive sense of what you want to do to serve is a great start. Yet, if you have never stepped into doing what you hope to create, do some beta testing yourself before charging your credit card up the wazoo. Have a vision of being on the NY Times Bestseller list but not sure what the book is yet? Write daily for a month before you buy the weekend program. Think you could be an highly sought after speaker on the new age circuit? Try naming your topic, and do a sample talk before you call Hay House.
POSITIVE SIDE EFFECTS AND OTHER AHA’S
How you buy is often mirrored in how your clients buy. Won’t buy without bargains/discounts? Careful there. Not willing to invest in your own business training and support? My own experience is the amount of growth you can experience while staying at the DIY level is limited. This is a great place to investigate limiting core beliefs. Take the “I can do this myself” belief and use the core belief process below to have a little fun.
Part of what you need here is determined by where you want to get to and how big your business mission and soul service feels. The clearer you get on this, the more the universe will send helpers your way, of the type and cost that would best serve you.
I know this has probably raised more questions than it’s answered – so feel free to ask questions or add comments to the blog. You can also arrange a personal conversation with me to determine your business level and what support or training might make the most sense for you now. If I can’t serve you, I bet I know who or what can. As my ideal clients and services get more defined and specialized, I’m happy to recommend good programs and books that my wonderful colleagues teach/offer.
Here’s to learning, support and growth, for your business and soul work!
Blessings,
Denise Barnes
Denise, You asked for feedback so here goes. For me your writing resonates a frequency of Presence – to put it in my words. Resonating beneath the fun presentation/style; the stimulating strategies – practical suggestions on what to do; and thought provoking ideas – how you buy is how your clients buy, the role of limiting beliefs; is the frequency of presence. I really appreciate that and benefit from it.
However that doesn’t put cash in your pocket.
I am a grateful reader snacking on the food for thought you are so generous in serving.
I get it, I think (-:), how difficult it is to see out of the mire of the noise in my head, including limiting beliefs, as I navel gaze about who I am, who I want to be and how to get the gas for the journey.
In the meantime I silently treasure the gems you send.
Lots of love, Tom
Hi Tom! Great comment. And you’re right on. Presence and clarity in that “energy” end of the equation is key. And yes, that alone doesn’t bring in the cash. My formula that keep evolving – both practical side and magical (presence) sides are needed on the fundamental – “how do I approach this level”. AND then – for business success and using gifts in a way that we’re fully rewarded and not burning out – you need to know about some of the smarter biz models out there – how to go beyond dollars per hour model. How to hone in on your true genius, and leverage that / utilize that in several different structures/formats that bring in the cash, in regular, recurring and lose-the-up-and-down-cycle ways. I could say more – and will as you know – and I also have some pdfs etc. I’ll be sharing with the list next month. I’m anxious to share the ideas I’ve been getting from this past year’s training – it can really shift the paradigm. Which is the precipice we’re standing on now – big shift time. Blessings to you! Denise