Finding THE Way

It is an interesting thing, starting a business. Especially a brick and mortar business. So often these days, most of what I read pertains to online businesses. Start Ups. And all things 'necessary'. to be successful at it.

And there is a LOT of information out there. Let me be clear. THERE IS A LOT OF INFO OUT THERE! And it can definitely feel overwhelming. It can lead to analysis paralysis---there is always a little more to learn, a little more to know, getting to that one perfect piece that helps the rest of the puzzle fall magically into place.

I've learned something, though. Regardless of what the business. Regardless of what you need to learn, there is most definitely going to be a lot of information to sort through, to make sense of, and to leverage for your benefit. So begin. Just because you begin doesn't mean you stop learning along the way. It doesn't mean you can't shift your approach or change your mind. It does mean you won't keep that great idea under wraps, anymore, though.

Here are 4 easy things to do to get started... and by the way, you don't need to be starting a business for these steps to be meaningful to you:

• Define what you want to do. This may sound impertinent, but you would be surprised at the number of people I have had conversations with who actually aren't able to describe what they want to do or the impact they want to have.
• Understand your competition and re-imagine what that means... find out what they do and how you are different. Where are there complementary areas you can help each other with? In what ways do add value? What makes you different and sets you apart?
  
• Spend some time identifying your perfect 'client, guest, customer...' and really get to know who they are. What are they looking for? Artist, Coach, and Businesswoman, Kiala Givehand calls it the 'Front Row Five'. By taking some time to not only think about the demographic information of who that is, but also who they are by developing short storylines, you'll gain great foundational information from which to build not only your offerings, but your ways of communicating as well.
  
• Begin with easy, obtainable goals. The momentum you build by early successes is extraordinary. In corporate jargon we called it the low hanging fruit. Set yourself up for success by identifying some early wins. Get out of your head and into action.  

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