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How serious are you about growing your business?

By on April 15, 2014
african

By Annemarie Cross

Let me ask you a question…

Out of a score of 10 – how serious are you REALLY about building your business?

Be honest…

[Note: 0 equals: don’t really care if I succeed or not, and 10 equals: “Are you kidding me – it’s my ‘big audacious dream’ to build a successful business!”]

Hopefully you’ve screamed out a loud 10 – I know I did when my business coach asked me this very same question several years ago.

BTW, scoring a 10 doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice everything else in your life.

No way.

I had three young children, three stepchildren, a husband, and a life outside of my business. I wanted the family, my hobbies/interests, and my business.

Yep, I wanted it all AND I was willing to do what it took to achieve it.

If your score was less than 9 – I’d advise you go back and revisit ‘why’ you started your business in the first place.

For me (besides wanting to support my family and be able to buy myself nice things i.e. bags and jewelry :-) ) my big ‘why’ was that I wanted to help women entrepreneurs and executives, recognise their gifts and talents, position themselves in a powerful and memorable way, so they could get paid what they were worth, doing what they loved.

It’s rewarding; it’s what drives me; and the reason I started my business.

Why was that my big ‘why’?

Because it frustrates the heck-out-of -me when I see highly talented women being undervalued and underpaid for their work.

And, I have three beautiful daughters who I would hate to see being undervalued and underpaid for their incredible skills and talents.

So my mission and purpose is to turn that around – one woman at a time.

As my business continues to grow from strength to strength, I’ll be impacting the lives of more women across the world so they’ll be able to build the business (or career) of their dreams AND be getting paid what they’re worth, doing what they love.

That’s what motivates me. That’s why I have a big audacious goal that is a whopping big ‘10’. And, that’s why I take big, bold, audacious steps each and every day to help me get there.

What about you?

Are you taking big, bold steps in your business?

Here are three indicators that may be a sign that you’re not taking the big bold steps you think you are:

1. You’re not visible:

Do you have a solid online AND offline visibility/marketing strategy that gets you out in front of your ideal client every single day? Or are you stuck behind your computer hiding out?

While I’m a HUGE advocate for online marketing and social media platforms it’s also just as important to get out there to connect with people face-to-face.

I did this a few weeks ago and came away with clients who have invested in my high-level programs and numerous enquiries. Because I showed up offline as well as online.

Your Big Bold Action Step: Make time TODAY to revisit your visibility strategies so you can show up in a powerful, memorable way.

2. You’re not investing in yourself and your business:

Do you have a coach/mentor to keep you accountable, focused and working on the right activities that will help you stretch and grow your business? Or are you doing it alone and operating from a scarcity mindset?

Remember, what you put your attention and energy on will expand, so if the business decisions you make are from fear and lack, guess what will keep showing up in your business?

Your Big Bold Action Step: Make a commitment TODAY to find a coach/mentor who will help you focus on the right activities; who will help you get more clients; and who will help you build a healthy and positive self-esteem (i.e. self-belief/self-worth) so you can get paid what you’re worth, doing what you love. BTW – I’d love to be your coach – let’s talk!

3. You’re not being accountable for the hours you work:

When I look back – juggling a young family while continuing to grow my business meant that I had to be accountable for every hour I worked.

My time was precious so I couldn’t afford to be chatting on the phone, or take time out of my day to catch-up with a friend who decided to pop in out of the blue for coffee.

My friends and family soon learned that the time I put aside to work on my business was precious and they no-longer popped in unexpectedly.

It also meant I needed to concentrate on key activities that got me in front of my ideal client.  To free up my time so I could work on income-generating activities I outsourced my administrative tasks to a virtual assistant.

What about you? Are you working on the right activities that will drive your business forward? Or are you completing tasks that could easily be done by an assistant? Are you stretching yourself so thin that you feel exhausted and struggling to maintain momentum, let alone attract new clients?

What about friends and colleagues? Do they respect your time or do they expect you to drop everything when they feel like ‘popping by’.

Your Big Bold Action Step: Set boundaries and stick to them. Work out the activities you need to outsource and make a commitment TODAY to find support so you can work on revenue-producing activities so you can achieve your big, audacious goals.

Remember (and this is a Tweetable!!!)

Mediocre actions generate mediocre results. The time for action in your #smallbiz is NOW! Via @AnnemarieCoach #womeninbusiness Tweet This

Are you happy with achieving “average” results?

I’m not! Neither are my clients. I hope you’re not either.

Time to get going? Let’s do it!

Annemarie CrossAnnemarie Cross is an authority in influence and impact – a Business Coach residing in Melbourne.

Money, Marketing & Mindset Business Coach for Women Entrepreneurs: Annemarie draws on her 18+ years’ award-winning expertise to provide ‘step-by-step’ personal branding, business building and marketing strategies alongside breakthrough personal, business & money mindset principles for women in business so they can stand out, get more clients and build a wildly successful business doing what they love. Annemarie is also the International Award-Winning Podcast Host of thewww.AmbitiousEntrepreneurShow.com.

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