Starting a business? Get Clear on These Two Things…
When new entrepreneurs come to me for help, it’s usually because they are experiencing one of a few things, including:
A general lack of direction, or feeling like they are FLAILING in their business,
Ungrounded in what it is they have to do or what’s missing,
Waning energy, motivation, creativity, and $$$
Suffering from shiny object syndrome – they jump from thing to thing not rooting into any real offer
A sense of desperation to make $$$ or to find clients
They don’t know what they should be ‘doing’ in their business day-to-day
My first question for them is always this: HOW CLEAR IS YOUR VISION AND HOW STRONG ARE YOUR ANCHORS?
Because, these two things are THE foundation of any successful and sustainable business – before creating products and before selling can even happen. I said what I said.
A CLEAR VISION
Without a clear vision, there is no direction and without direction you ultimately don’t have a business. When I ask entrepreneurs about their vision, I will often hear they spew off their monthly income targets or the individual accomplishments they hope to achieve – for example, “I want $100,000 months”, “I want to speak on stages in front of 1000’s of people”, or “I want to write a book”.
These are great goals to have but they are just that – goals.
Your vision is much bigger than your individual achievements. And, your vision can’t be actualized by completing one specific thing or crossing a goal off your list. Your vision is an articulation of the world you wish to live in, to create, or to be a part of THROUGH your business. Your vision is a declaration of your part in the utopian world you wish to live in. It should move you and, in moving you, it should inspire others to move with you.
Your vision is also your north star, it’s the direction you steer your proverbial ship. And, when you feel lost it helps to steer you back in the right direction. It makes what you say yes to and what you say no to a lot clearer.
So, the next time you find yourself being pulled in a new direction or romanticizing the next shiny object you can ask yourself this: Does this take me closer to or further from what I’m trying to do with my business?
For context, here are a few vision statements from some brands you know and love:
Chipotle: We believe that food has the power to change the world.
Supergoop!: Change the way the world thinks about sunscreen.
Nike: To do everything possible to expand human potential
lululemon: Be the experimental brand that ignites a community of people living the sweat life through sweat, grow, and connect.
Notice none of the examples listed above include HOW they will make this happen and they make no mention of specific products or accomplishments.
So, what’s your vision?
SOMETHING TO REMEMBER: You may not have a crystal clear vision right out of the gate and that’s okay. Sometimes it takes time to become clear. It will absolutely require you to iterate as you iterate. Start with something, make moves towards it and periodically check in to evolve the vision.
Rarely would the list of companies above declare these bold vision statements from day 1. They iterate.
Here are a few prompts to help you start thinking in line with your vision and to craft one that MOVES you:
I want to live in a world where…
Wouldn’t it be cool if…
If I could teach the world one thing, it would be…
If I could change one thing in the world, it would be…
I’m on a mission to…
I want others to know that…
When approaching these prompts, think beyond what you know to be true TODAY. Think beyond the current state of your business and finances and beyond your current knowledge based and ability. Think in the realm of an ideal world or impossible. Your vision isn’t something that is accomplished in a single action (or even in the next 5 actions). This is your life’s work.
STRONG BUSINESS ANCHORS
The concept of business anchors isn’t new, the way I approach them and their importance is. They are the foundation from which you can build ANY business. If your anchors are shaky or unclear, the symptoms that I listed above will become the norm.
Leaving them undefined is like building a house of cards. It will feel like you are throwing EVERYTHING and ANYTHING at the wall to see what sticks. If you aren’t grounded in your business anchors, how do you expect your dream client to know what it is you do for them?
When I say business anchors, I’m NOT talking about the menu of products, suite of services, list of modalities you offer or qualifications you have. While these are important to HOW you do what you do, they don’t answer the bigger questions that need answering first.
Your business anchors answer the following:
WHO YOU ARE – this is NOT your made up job title. Who you are articulates what you want to be known for, what you stand for, your unique values and perspectives. And it’s often articulated through storytelling that connects you with your audience
WHAT YOU DO – this is NOT your list of qualifications or modalities offered. What you do is articulated through the lens of one of these 4 things:
What problem do you help people solve?
What pain do you help them alleviate?
What desire do you help them actualize?
What transformation do you facilitate?
WHO YOU DO IT FOR – one of the (few) things I remember learning over the course of my university degree in business was this: If you try to speak to everyone, you ultimately speak to no one. Who do you do this for clearly defines the attributes of a single person. Hot take: that person is likely an old version of you or someone close to you. It helps to keep that person in mind in everything you do in your business. Note: as your product line grows, specific products may be for different people, and that’s ok.
WHY YOU DO IT – your why is NOT an income level, a possession you will acquire or anything material thing at all. Like achieving an individual goal, once you cross the thing off the list – then what? What will drive you then? You why is what drives you when sh*t gets hard, when launches don’t go to plan and when all you want to do is give up (or hide).
WHY YOU ARE THE ONE TO DO IT – This is one people often have a harder time answering. This is what makes you, YOU. It’s your secret sauce, what makes you unique. It’s the accumulation of your experiences, challenges, qualifications, perspectives, desires and outlooks. It's how you piece this all together to create this business, dear founder.
Is it possible to start a business without having these defined? Yes. But you will find yourself on a much windier road when things get hard or you get distracted along the way. When you lose your way, your anchors are what you ground back into. They are what remind you of why you started in the first place.
So, when you find yourself flailing, losing motivation (and $$$) come back to your BIG VISION and BUSINESS ANCHORS. They will:
Focus your vision
Make the path forward clear
Re-ignite your determination
Connect you back to the unwavering belief in what you do
Steady the mental spirals and energetic wobbles when you meet an edge.
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If you need help in getting clear on and building out your vision and business anchors, check out my coaching packages or book a free 15-Minute Virtual coffee date with me!