There’s tons of hype out there about how to build a six figure business. There is absolutely nothing wrong with having this as a goal!

If you are going to work so hard, why not make “real” money?

You have likely heard of those success stories of people who went from zero to six figures in seven months. It is mouth watering and it makes you think anyone can do it.

Well, in theory anyone “could” do it that quick, but there are a ton of things that would need to be lined up for that to happen.

I know a woman who spent $20,000 she didn’t have, to attend a program that promised this outcome; plus the cost to fly there and stay in a fancy hotel.

However, at the end of the year she was still at the starting gate and felt discouraged.

A very small percentage meet that goal, and yet she ended up comparing herself to them and felt even worse.

I have to admit, at one time those programs grabbed my attention, but something always held me back. I have invested at least that much money in my business, so that’s not the issue. What I do know is that there are steps to building a business and it takes time to do it correctly.

If you are new in business- you might be thrilled to get to the first income level $50,000 a year. You wouldn’t be rich yet, but you would be building the foundation to grow from.

If you compare your business to building a house from scratch, the foundation level is the beginning. The six figure income  lives on the second floor.

The foundation is the most important piece.
• The foundation is the blueprint for the rest of the building.
• If you make big mistakes there, you will be having to deal with them constantly as you build higher.
• The mistakes have more  impact the taller the house gets.
• When the foundation is solid, it is much easier to add the next floors.

My advice to you, is to get it right at the beginning!

• Slow down and let go of your hurry to make money so fast.
• Make sure you don’t skip essential pieces in the foundation.
• Go for quality and value when you make decisions.
• Face your inner self-worth issues.
• Acknowledge your blind spots.

Do you want to know more about how to develop your  business blueprint in a step-by-step format?  Check out the Leap Forward Program.

Is your foundation blueprint built correctly? Take my free Business Self-Assessment to find out.

There’s tons of information and help out there about business planning, marketing and more, but still, people who are starting a new venture can get overwhelmed very quickly.

You have a great service to offer.
You help people to solve their problems.
And yet your challenge is to get your own business activated.

Maybe for some months you’ve been trying to do it all yourself, and yet you are aware of blind spots and it can feel discouraging.

It’s a smart to get help right away, otherwise it can feel confusing about where to focus your energy.

•  There is an actual proven system to follow where one action builds on the other.
•  It is important to be crystal clear on your intentions and goals for your business.
•  You can create a map, plan and set benchmarks to see and know you are on track.

If you are a therapist, designer, coach, writer, educator or a health and wellness practitioner, you probably have had very little business training and even if you have had some, when you begin your own business, it is another story.

• You own emotions will derail you.
• You feel desperate to make money and that can affect your decisions.
• You aren’t sure where to focus first.

If this sounds like you, the “Leap Forward Program” is perfect. We focus on helping you build your business with the core components that need to be put into place.

What are your answers to these questions?

Do you know exactly where you want to go?
What it will take for to get there?  Can you answer with a huge YES?

I write about self-doubt a lot. It’s not because I am obsessed with this topic. It’s because it comes up all the time.

Self doubt comes up for me regularly, and I have become an expert at seeing what triggers it and how to get past it.

It is one of the first things new small business clients share, regardless of how long they have been in business.

Self-doubt leads right into fear and panic and you might feel:

• I’m not good enough or smart enough.
• No one will want to hire me because…..
• I will fail and look bad!

There are more and I am sure you could create your own list. My own list has caused me more pain and suffering than anything else. Here is what I learned and it still works.

1. Have a crystal clear and detailed vision and picture of where you are going. This needs to include how much income you will get and the income streams that will provide it. Check out Chapter 5 in my book, “Your Money Map.”  I created this process during one of my most fearful times and it really helped me to shift. Remember your vision is about your business, not about the lifestyle you want.

2. Keep a positive attitude. Instead of saying, “I can’t or don’t know how,” say “Who can help me and how can I find out how?” Your own limiting thoughts are your worst enemy if you are a business owner. An important entrepreneurial trait is to have the ability to keep your focus positive. When I wake up to a bad day, I immediately look at ways to get more empowered. For me it is often about talking to my support team.

3. Take calculated risks. If you stay where it is safe, you won’t move forward and won’t grow. If you don’t want to take risks, it is better to have a job. To grow a business you have to get out of your comfort zone and invest in yourself. This can mean investing money, and jumping in with both feet.

These three points are intertwined and related. For example: You might have a fear of spending more money and creating another debt. Fair enough, however if you have a clear vision of where the money will come back, it makes it easier. Your fears can also be part of your limiting thoughts.

Tell me what you think about these three points. Can you see how they can work to help you stay away from self-doubt?

(above art by Rogenetheartist)

Pricing seems to be the issue of the week.  It seems like everyone I meet with is having a crisis around charging for their services.

It makes me wonder if this problem is contagious!

I also think this is more a women’s issue. I want to whisper this in case it is not politically correct to imply this, but women do seem to end up giving and giving without getting paid enough.

Here are some examples I have heard already this week:

•  Under-acknowledging the value of your service. One woman admitted to me today that she has no trouble expecting a hefty bill from her lawyer or paying her counselor, because she needs those services, but she is not seeing her own service is equally important. She wonders if people will really value it.

•  Giving too much! you offered a free 30 minute introductory meeting and then end up going for over 90 minutes. You offered tons of solutions to a potential client who has not yet hired you. Client hears too much and gets confused and then backs away. Giving is part of marketing but you have to know how much to give and how to lead it into a sale.

•  Poor communication about what you are offering. You lack clear written documents that outline exactly what is covered in your program. As a result clients keep asking for more and you keep giving more without any additional charge, because of your fear that if don’t, the client will be angry and feel not taken care of. Lack of clarity makes everyone confused.

All of these situations are a result of a mixture of low self-worth, self-doubt and not fully stepping into a full leader of your business. If you can relate to any of the above issues, here are a few things you can do.

1. Make sure there really is a burning need for your service. You need to see the value on a gut level, not just in your head. You have to feel the value 100%. If you don’t, this is the first place to begin. You can’t successfully offer a service you don’t really believe in.  If you do acknowledge the value fully, then the issue is about you, not your service.

2. Your own self-worth needs to come from knowing you are a really good person, skilled and an expert at what you do. You help people and make a difference.  If your self-worth depends on everyone liking you,  hiring you and paying you, your potential clients will feel your desperation or discomfort and it won’t make them feel secure and trusting that you can help them. When you feel good inside, you can put forth clear structures that then help people to feel safe with you. They know where they stand and won’t feel confused.

3. Be willing to step into those big leadership boots. Operate from a clear business plan and vision that states how much money you plan to earn and where it will come from. From that plan you can figure out what you need to charge in order to run your business. Get away from charging by the hour as you have a whole infrastructure to support. It is not just about the minutes you spend with the client.

By the way- I can identify with all the above. I used to be similar and it was painful to look at myself. The good news is that I followed my own advice and changed!   If I could do it, so can you.  I would love to hear your stories and comments below and if you want more help just let me know.

Read more about why people undercharge.
The dance of giving and receiving.

You need more money coming in. If your business is fairly new, you know it’s normal to not have huge sales at the beginning but it is still really hard! You still need to pay your rent, loan payments, buy food and all the set up costs.

If you’ve been in business a bit longer it can be even more discouraging because you think you “should,” be doing better by now so you start feeling like a failure. The stress can be overwhelming!

Does this sound like you? You have a great service and feel confident about helping people with your skills, but you need more people to help.

It was the same for me. I remember being discouraged and comparing myself to other people who appeared more successful. I assumed they had tons of customers and I didn’t know why I didn’t. Asking that question is the first step. Here is what I learned and now my sales are consistent. I hope these steps will also help you.

1. Move past your negative self-talk as that will just zap your energy and keeps you stuck like a rat in a maze. Feelings of failure will just etch way at your self-worth. It won’t help you solve the problem. Let go of shame and get help.

2. Decide to find out what is not working and why. There is always a reason and it can take a new pair of eyes to help you see past your own blind spots.

The tendency is to make more poor decisions and keep doing the same things that aren’t working. If they aren’t working, doing  them more doesn’t make it better. It just means you spend a lot of energy without a positive return.

3. Learn how marketing and sales are inter-related. When you follow a strong marketing plan, people begin to trust you and see you as an expert. They will self-select to work with you and tell their friends. Most people skip these steps and lunge right into trying to convince people, because of their own financial stress and not understanding the system. It doesn’t work. Figure out what is holding you back.

Your momentum and excitement at first will bring you some business, but it won’t last the long haul without staying focused on a strategy based on a sound marketing plan.

4. Listen to your customers or clients. The backbone of your marketing plan is based on knowing your niche customers intimately. What makes them tick and what is their problem they need help with. What benefits do they want and why.

The home page of your website needs to be all about these people and what they want. Make sure your home page is written in plain language, non-technical as most people are being driven by their emotional need.

5. Help people make the decision to hire you. Focus on the benefits they want and help them to see how receiving the benefits will make a significant difference to them. If they are hesitant then ask what that’s about.

Most people are stopped by either money, time or trust. They don’t want to spend the money or think they don’t have it. If they hire you they need to see the return on their investment and it’s up to you to help them see how that will work. Timing is always important and people will make time for something if they see it is being very important.

If you are offering a service, people need to trust that you can help them. You develop trust via your marketing process, listening and giving value.

Remember- just because you are a skilled professional and an expert at what you do, doesn’t mean you are an expert at running your business.

These five steps are essential and help and focus. It will be worth it in the long run when you begin to see your sales increase. Which of these five steps are you already doing and which ones do you need help with? Ask a question and I am happy to respond.