Category: Entrepreneurship

Balance and Boundaries Equal Freedom When Running a Business

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Here’s something that no one tells you when you go into business for yourself and that no one who DOESN’T go into business for themselves can even comprehend:

Balance and boundaries are not luxuries; they’re necessities.

Entrepreneurs can build businesses that either serve or enslave them. If you’ve started your own business and have been run ragged by all the things you felt you had to do to accommodate clients, you’re not alone. When just starting out, most people are willing to do just about anything to get the proverbial ball rolling.

Spoiler alert: This is not sustainable. No one can keep up such a rigorous pace forever. You need time to rest and cultivate clarity and balance.

What’s more, as your business grows and the details of your life bloom, it becomes absolutely impossible. Do you remember being in your 20s and actually having extra time when you had nothing to do? Blank space on your calendar?

If you own your own business, chances are those days are gone. When you grow as a person, so does your capacity. What doesn’t change is the number of hours on any given day.

So how can you find blank space on your calendar now? The secret is balance and boundaries, and here’s how you can get started being less busy and enjoying some much-needed free time.

Tips for Finding Balance and Setting Boundaries

Chances are, if you’re a business owner—especially a new one—you’re thinking there’s absolutely no way you can set boundaries with people. After all, you’re trying to get business. You need to be everything to everyone, right?

This statement isn’t only false, but will land you in hot water when you experience burnout after a few months or years of doing this. Get started setting those boundaries by taking the following steps:

1. Identify tasks you can delegate to others.

These may be customer service and sales-related tasks, among others, so you can focus on big-picture business development. Pro tip: you can even automate tasks!

2. Audit the relationships in your life.

If anyone—a client, a team member, a sibling, a neighbor—is eating up all of your energy or time, they have to go. It sounds harsh and we’re certainly not suggesting a Tony-Soprano-style “gotta go”, but if you want to change what you attract and accept in your life, you need business boundaries and life balance.

3. Remember that you are not obligated to help everyone.

Of course you’re trying to start a business, get clients, and be successful. But doing all of these things doesn’t mean bending over backwards for people. It means choosing your clients carefully and referring out the ones that aren’t a good fit for you.

So where do you lack boundaries? Where do you feel off-balance? We all struggle to maintain the right balance in our business and personal lives sometimes.

If this philosophy resonates with you, you’re not alone. So many others have come to realize that balance and boundaries are necessary to have freedom when running a business.

That’s why we started the Facebook group Get More Clients (You Love). We keep it real. We believe in real connections without people sucking energy from other people, and no BS. If all of that works for you, then we’ll see you in the group!

Tags business ownership, business success, client relationships, small business

Business Blogging Entrepreneurship

3 Ways Being Too Busy Hurts Your Business—And What You Can Do About It

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Being super busy is still a woefully outdated badge of honor for so many business owners. We equate busy with successful.

Why do we do this? Because we also have an outdated viewpoint of what success looks like.

We all need clients to be in business—the word itself reads like busy-ness. But being too busy will actually make your business suffer.

It’s understandable that you don’t want your business to be slow or have to worry about where you’ll get your next client. But that doesn’t mean we need to glorify being busy.

Here are three ways being overly busy hurts your business.

1. Being Too Busy Shortchanges Your Clients

When you’re busy, you tend to forget all the superior service details that set you apart from your competitors, and you end up shortchanging your clients. When your clients don’t get the attention they’ve come to expect from you, you risk losing them entirely.

2. Being Too Busy Isn’t Sustainable

Your business is reliant on your health and well-being, and, even if you have a team in place and can delegate tasks, you’re still ultimately in charge of it all. Studies show that we’re not using all our vacation days and are working longer hours. The stress to perform at top capacity is not sustainable physically or mentally.

3. Busy Leads to Burnout

When you’re in a place where you’re starting to hate your job and it’s a job you created for yourself, you’re in burnout or close to it. If you’re too deep in the day-to-day, you lose sight of the big picture and why you started your business in the first place.

Tips to Be Less Busy and More Successful

So how do you climb out of the burden of busy? Here are a few tips that can keep your business moving forward, but not buried in busy.

Stop Running Away

This tip may sting a little. Some of the time, being too busy is a symptom of low self-esteem. We can inflate our own importance and make ourselves unreachable by simply being “too busy”.

If you’re finding yourself overwhelmed and too busy to engage in the things you want to do, you need to do some soul searching and ask yourself why. Maybe you’re a people pleasing person or maybe you want your competitors or frenemies to think you’re important.

Spoiler alert: You already are. Sit with this for a while and ask yourself what being too busy satisfies in you.

Watch Your Mouth

Stop saying, “I don’t have time.” You do have time, but just not for everything. When you use your language to prioritize the things in your life, your perspective changes. When you reframe time by priority and not by activity, the game changes.

Try switching out the phrase, “I don’t have time to go to the doctor” with, “Going to the doctor isn’t my priority.” It changes the game, right? You’ll start to notice how “not having time” has been your go-to for everything. Only then will you be able to separate the things that are unproductive and useless from that which matters.

Raise Your Prices

If everyone wants what you do, that is fabulous. However, that does not mean they are entitled to it. If you offer different kinds of services that serve different needs for your clients, you need tiered pricing. What’s more is that, if you’re sought after to the point where you can’t take on new business, you’ll never scale. Growth is one thing; scaling is another. Your pricing should always focus on scalability.

Find Out How We Can Help

Being busy can be a symptom of a good business and a significant shift in the market. That said, busy should never be a substitute for running your business correctly. As business owners, we create our futures. Prioritize your time before you fill it!

GoBeyond SEO can help you automate some of your marketing processes and create a better way to sustain your business without jeopardizing the quality you offer your clients. Schedule a free strategy session with us for more information.

Tags business success, client services, Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship

3 Ways to Shift Your Mindset and Get Out of Survival Mode So Your Business Can Flourish

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Making a mindset shift from survival mode to moving your business forward is imperative for your growth. Staying in survival mode isn’t sustainable, and it won’t help your business evolve and flourish.

When running a business, focusing on your survival should be a last resort, not a permanent mindset. Of course, our current times have made focusing on anything other than survival feel like a luxury. But it isn’t.

How Does Survival Mode Hurt Your Growth?

Survival mode, when not fully necessary, is actually really wasteful. You waste time, energy, and money. You don’t move forward. You don’t enjoy your time. You don’t truly live, you survive. It’s accepting crackers when life’s buffet is still available.

Survival mode is an absolute trap designed to keep you small.

It’s true: thousands of businesses go under every year. Maybe you feel like you’re in a place where you can’t focus on anything other than survival. Isn’t it insensitive at best, and reckless at worst, to tell you to get out of survival mode?

Your mindset dictates your behavior. It’s not your fault that bad things happen in life. It’s not your fault that the pandemic happened or that the market need shifted and your business took a hit. It really isn’t your fault at all.

That said, it is 100% your responsibility to move forward and that WILL require a different way of looking at your situation.

So How Can You Get Out of It?

What are the three key mindset shifts you can use to get out of survival mode? These are truly challenging and go deeper than the “look on the bright side” state of mind!

Mindset Shift #1: Seek Constructive Criticism, Not Praise

This transition can be one of the most humbling and the most profound. The praise-seeking mindset can be extremely limiting.

Instead, try to see criticism as a window into where you may want to improve. Criticism is the fuel to greatness. Praise alone makes us soft. Seek out improvement, not abatement.

“Why waste time proving over and over how great you are, when you could be getting better?” – Dr. Carol S. Dweck

Mindset Shift #2: Be Intentional, but Like, for Real

“Be intentional” is a pretty typical mindset catch-all phrase, so let’s break this one down so you can see how it can work out in real life.

Survival mode often makes us anxious and reactive. Many of us, especially those who provide a service to our clients, are taught to always anticipate the needs of our clients. This mindset is exhausting and often leads to meltdowns when something goes wrong.

Even though you may have survived these mindsets and situations, this isn’t you living your best life or being the person you want to be. And maintaining this mindset isn’t going to help your business get better.

Instead, try to be proactive in your business endeavors and, wait for it… wait for it still… respond.

Put small amounts of money away in a savings account for when bumps (or global pandemics) come along. Be proactive.

Organize your offerings by profit margin. Wide profit margin offerings require the lowest investment from you (usually). Knowing which offerings require less from you, but still turn a profit, can help you figure out how to move forward when things get tough. Again, this is being proactive in a healthy way.

When possible, don’t let any one client be the lion’s share of your revenue. If they go away, where will you be? Don’t leave your fate in the hands of a client. Again, proactiveness, people!

When you get in the practice of being intentional about running your business and your life, you give yourself space to not freak out.

Mindset Shift #3: Confidence Is a Muscle, Not a Birthright

Confidence is not a personality trait. No one gets off this planet without moments of doubt and fear. Recognizing that discomfort is not the same as danger is an absolutely critical mindset shift.

Being nervous is not a reason to avoid a challenge. In fact, it’s a cue to try it. Confident people are not fearless people. Bravery and confidence do not exist without fear. Confident people acknowledge the fear, and rather than withdraw, they prepare. This is the ticket.

The moment you realize that thoughts and emotions are not actually facts, but rather interpretations of stimuli and, more than that, your thoughts are within your control, you’ll realize that confidence is something you can build within yourself.

It changes the game!

There are other mindset shifts, but these three are especially important for business owners and stepping into the next iteration of the life you’re creating. Mindset shifts can come gradually or can flip like a switch. Recognizing the need for the shift is the first step. For everything.

Let Us Help You Shift Your Mindset

At GoBeyond SEO, we know just how important it is to be proactive and have the right mindset when it comes to your business. Let us help you shift your mindset and get out of survival mode so your business can flourish—book a free strategy session with us today!

Tags business blogging, business ownership, Entrepreneurship, small business

Business Blogging Entrepreneurship

6 Bull$h!t Free Success Hacks

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Let’s say you’re still working your regular job, but you’ve started offering your professional services on the side.

Your clients are people you know, such as neighbors and friends. Although making some money, you don’t believe you’ll ever close new clients because you’re less than stellar at sales. You don’t think you’ll make any money because talking about money is too scary. You don’t believe anyone would want to work with you over your competitors because they’ve been in business longer.

Spoiler Alert: You’re gonna need to believe in yourself. The survival of your business depends on it.

If you don’t believe in yourself, why should anyone else? Of course, it’s normal to feel like you won’t make it sometimes. It’s normal for your competitors to kick your ass, or a global pandemic to turn everything you thought you knew upside down. Sometimes “believing in yourself” really DOES feel like a bunch of BS.

Here’s a list of non-negotiables to manifest success, and NONE of them are BS. Pinky Swear.

1. Rest

Have you ever been on a roller coaster? Can you focus on anything other than the immersive experience you’re having?

It’s nearly impossible.

On the other hand, have you ever been to an amusement park and watched a roller coaster? You can sit on a bench, snack on some chips, fill a toddler’s sippy cup, talk to your Mom on the phone, and make a decision about dinner that night.

When you’re in the throes of entrepreneurship and self-doubt, you’re on the roller coaster. Take some time on the bench. You’ll make clearer decisions and be better equipped to manage emotions.

2. Embrace Discomfort

When did being uncomfortable become such a deterrent? Discomfort is a sign of progress. Discomfort can show you your boundary so you can find the best way to expand it.

When you’re faced with the discomfort of pursuit, focus on what you’ll miss if you don’t go for it, not what you’ll risk if you don’t make it.

3. Honor Your Dreams

Many people send their dreams and goals away in the name of helping or pleasing others. This can feel like the right thing to do.

Spoiler Alert: It isn’t.

When we don’t honor our dreams, we demonstrate to ourselves and others that they don’t have value. This is a breeding ground for bitterness and resentment. It will also keep your entrepreneurial goals completely out of reach.

Honoring your dreams isn’t just an activity to get you started. You must practice and honor your dreams every day to make them a reality.

4. Take Radical Accountability

Famine, drought, hurricanes, global pandemics, a new Google Algorithm (this one may be just us). All of these things can potentially blow up your business.

You think, “Why me?”

Totally understandable to feel that way. None of the above roadblocks are your fault, but now your business is in shambles. No one will make it better for you. It’s still on you to take responsibility. It’s not your fault, but how you choose to manage difficulty is your responsibility.

If you want your business to succeed, you need to maintain the mindset of radical accountability. When you practice radical accountability, trusting and believing in yourself becomes much easier.

5. Practice Active Gratitude

This step is crazy easy when things are going well, and wildly difficult when they are not. Active gratitude check-ins are a foolproof way to find calm, grace, and cultivate a healthy state of mind.

The best way to manage chaos is to avoid becoming a part of it. When you’re feeling down, defeated, foolish, or failing, start counting the things that you’re grateful for. If your mind is racing, be thankful for air in your lungs and food in your belly. Be grateful for access to coffee, a blue sky, or the opportunity to go to the beach that one time you and your friends had a blast.

Gratitude isn’t just for greeting cards and kitschy coffee mugs. Gratitude is literally fertilizer for the life you want.

6. Be Passionate and Optimistic

Passion is one of the most powerful emotions available to the human soul. Passion builds relationships, launches careers, and inspires those around you. Finding your unique passion can be difficult and can send you down that path of self-doubt if you don’t take the time to find it.

Get quiet. Write lists about things you love about yourself and about life. Cultivate optimism. Optimism helps us see the beauty of our dreams and all that is available to us.

The list of non-negotiables above aren’t meant to be exhaustive or executed perfectly. It is in the wandering that we find the path directly. It’s absolutely possible (and even commendable) to implement everything above flawfully and still absolutely believe in yourself, even while battling your own moments of doubt.

Success is within your reach—let these mindset hacks help you on your way!

And while you’re cultivating your passion and building your belief in yourself and your business, schedule a free strategy session with us at GoBeyond SEO to learn how we can help you implement the right digital marketing strategies to support your business’ success!

Tags business success, entrepreneurs, Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship GoBeyond Leadership

How Female Entrepreneurs Went from Scrappy Underdogs to Fighting for the Heavyweight Title

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For a long time, women have the disadvantage of being, well, women. Business was always done a certain way by certain people and big business wanted to uphold the status quo. However, female entrepreneurs having been coming out with both hands gloved, ready to fight for their business ventures.

When you are fighting what seems like an uphill battle, remember that you’re fighting the good fight. Yes, women entrepreneurs are like boxers busting their way through the business world. No one sees that powerful left hook. All around the world female entrepreneurs are taking the world by storm and changing at the same time.

Powerful Left Hook: Equality in the Numbers

We all know that women make up over half the planet, but now the numbers in business and education are starting to reflect that. Women are investing in education and with that education comes more women in the workforce and more business owners. According to The Atlantic, for every two men who earn bachelor’s degrees, three women are doing the same.

Pow! Women also earn 60% of Master’s degrees, 50% of law and medical degrees, and 42% of MBA’s. Pow! Pow! With just under 50% of PhDs earned by women, it seems that, finally, education numbers reflect society.

Also, for the first time ever, women make up over half of the U.S workforce. We’ll call it the old one-two. First, we get educated, then we show up to work. Not only that, but the United States ranks number one for the best business environment for female entrepreneurs. (Of course, that doesn’t mean it still doesn’t have a long road ahead of it. The U.S. only scored a 71 out of 100 across the categories analyzed.) Female entrepreneurs represent 48% of the market and 40% of new entrepreneurs are women. Thank you foremothers for fighting for equality!

Surprise Right Jab: Women-lead Businesses are More Valuable

When it comes to women and entrepreneurship, women are a proven better investment. I can see you nodding, ladies: you knew it all along, and here’s why.

Successful U.S. venture-backed companies had twice the number of women on the founding team. In a study of 1,500 companies, it was found that those firms with the most female executives also tend to perform better. Companies with more women at the top are more innovative and offer a wider set of influences on decisions. More diversity leads to better decision making across the board.

Ready for the jab? Not only are women important to have on the decision-making team, but it’s proven that women-run businesses are an overall better investment. Data from 350 micro institutions showed that lending to women was associated with lower write-offs and lower portfolio-at-risk.

In Kenya, for instance, it was found that women are trusted in their communities and therefore, their businesses are more successful. When you add to it that women-owned businesses created or maintain 23 million jobs and perform twice as well as those led by men, investing in women is just a smart option.

Now we’ve done a blow-by-blow of stats and numbers at you, let’s talk about how all of this leads to female entrepreneurs fighting for the heavyweight title.

The Uppercut: Reinvesting in the Community

When women are successful, their community is more successful. Their kids are better educated, their families are healthier, and the society they live in begins to thrive. Working women reinvest 90 cents on every dollar back into their community, wherein their male counterparts only invest 30 to 40 cents. Working women are like a strong uppercut to boosting the economy. By supporting working women, we are supporting the community, the world, and our futures.

The Haymaker: Creating Jobs

With women owned businesses creating a platform for success, it only makes sense that their new ventures would create jobs. In the U.S., more than half of the 9.72 million new jobs created in small and medium enterprises were by female-led companies. In the next ten years, there are 15 categories that are expected to grow the fastest. 13 of those are jobs held in majority by women. More jobs spur the economy, which means local and country economics do better. Like a haymaker, women are desperate to create new niches and new opportunities which knocks out unemployment and gives hope to the community.

The Bob and Weave: Innovation

All over the world, women are finding niche businesses created from necessity. They are innovating and inventing, filling voids and finding ways to fix problems in their communities. For example, Fereshteh Forough has founded the first all-girls coding school in Afghanistan, arming young women with in-demand skills to solidify their futures. Elena Shkarubo founded MeetnGreetMe, a place for global travelers to find concierge and lifestyle management services delivered by locals.

In Estonia, a hub of entrepreneurship in Europe, Kristel Kruustuk formed Testlio, a company that connects enterprises to software testers which leads to amazing customer experiences. These are just a few of the rockstar women seeking out problems, finding their niche and owning it. When problems come to from the left, women bob right and find solutions. Female innovators and entrepreneurs are turning around the economies in their communities and contributing globally.

So, what can we take away from this? (Besides, of course, that women are killing the game right now.) Female-led businesses are the future of our local and global economies. If you are considering starting a business or already have one, this is your time to take action and go for it. Women entrepreneurs are proven good investments who create jobs, innovate, and make their communities better. Fight the good fight and help female entrepreneurs secure that title!

Tags Entrepreneur, entrepreneurs, Entrepreneurship, female Entrepreneurs

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