It was September 1st, 2019 and I was buying the Entre Money Coach domain for email and website to start my business.
I was taking my financial coaching practice online, and I was working more with entrepreneurs than families. And I had a mixture of excitement and a little fear.
I had no experience in the online space or with marketing. My previous business experiences were primarily referral based, and I really didn’t know anyone in the online space.
It’s been quite a ride! A mix of frustration, success, self-discovery, and growth at a level I never knew I needed. Here are some things I learned, and some tips as you grow your business.
What I have done right with my business
1. I got support for my business
Every new thing has a learning curve, so if you don’t have experience with it- get support!
Trade services, hire a coach or consultant, attend trainings, spend time in learning and setting up those systems that will create a successful business.
I work with all types of businesses on their numbers. Because I know numbers, profit, and how to make money and not lose it. I don’t know marketing, social media, how to be visible online, all of the nuances in running an online business.
So, I got a coach and social media help. I continue to work with those whose expertise will make my business better. You do not have to go it alone, and you shouldn’t.
2. I created a “success or bust” policy and started mindset work immediately
If you’ve followed me, you know that this isn’t my first business.
The model is completely different from anything I’ve done before, and I got frustrated pretty easily early on (I’m going to be completely honest here).
Recognizing that I didn’t have the best mindset for the rigors of the online space helped me start immediately on mindset work in addition to my strategy development.
I’ve always been able to separate business stuff from personal stuff, but I haven’t always seen my own blocks and biases preventing high performance as a business owner.
Entrepreneurship is a long game, a marathon if you will, and you must be mentally tough and clear to make the right decisions at the right time.
3. I immediately started working on my approach to stand out in the business market
There are many financial coaches in the marketplace. Many deal with personal finance, and many are money mindset coaches. I am neither.
I am a business money management and strategy expert. I have my own Breakthrough Number approach developed through my practice and training, and I have my own message related to profitability and entrepreneurship, paying yourself and protecting your legacy.
That message has been on podcasts, articles, my blogs, and social media. People know what I stand for, and some people resonate, and some do not.
You must have your message for the world in order to meet your purpose. Some people are destined to work with you.
What I could have done better
1. I didn’t find a business bestie and accountability partner
I joined a mastermind and met amazing fellow entrepreneurs, coaches, and got incredible support.
But these incredible ladies aren’t on speed dial. I didn’t prioritize my business bestie. I don’t have an accountability partner, except for my husband, who isn’t doing what I am doing.
I don’t have anyone to squeak my success with or to cry learning experiences with.
Entrepreneurship can be very lonely because most friends and family don’t “get it.”
So, I realized that I am missing this critical piece of entrepreneurship, and I’m still looking for that person!
2. I resisted some of the self-development practices, like meditating and journaling
I’m sometimes a very rigid person and when I start something, I want to know that I will be good at it and that I can sustain it.
If I try something, like meditating, and I spend ten minutes berating myself for having “stupid” thoughts, it just doesn’t work. So, I quit for a bit.
The more I read about it I realized that I had a gap in using the power of my mind to create my reality.
I realized that this work is critical to my growth and success, so I might as well do it. But I’m being flexible in HOW I do it for my own success.
I’m adopting video journaling because I sometimes struggle to sit still and write so I am listening to audiobooks with meditations in them.
3. I had spent more time developing new things rather than selling
“Build it and they will come” doesn’t apply to online business.
You can have the BEST mousetrap in the world, but babe, it’s the numbers. People have to know about you and your product.
That takes marketing and telling people about it and you have to reach the masses online, you need to have money to reach those people.
So, you have to start organically, growing your audience follower by follower and you need to sell to your audience. In all honesty, everything I created sold! Workshops, courses, programs. They all sold. But I didn’t sell nearly as many as I could have or should have. Because I sold a few of something and immediately went on to create something else.
Not focused on getting my offers out to the numbers and the worst part is that I help my own clients do just that, get their numbers stable by developing repeat business to their masses.
I could have grown much faster by taking my own advice and doing what my own clients do. That was a painful realization.
With the first year in the bag, I’ve enjoyed reflecting on and adjusting in my business.
As Entre Money Coach enters its second year, I look forward to serving more entrepreneurs and helping businesses become profitable.
What hasn’t changed is the passion I have to helping business owners pay themselves and create a legacy. Here’s to year two!
And by the way, if you are you getting my tips and strategies to support your business profitability helpful you can visit https://entremoneycoach.lpages.co/5-steps-to-create/ and grab my 5 Steps to Creating Your Winning Money Management Strategy.
You will receive my newsletter every other Thursday designed to celebrate and support entrepreneurs in their business. Talk to you soon!