I'm sure you're aware of the old term, “spring cleaning”? Mother nature reminds us that before you add more to your life, it's always a good idea to let go of what no longer serves you. Like the leaves that fall from trees in autumn, room is made for the new growth that occurs every spring.
I'm finding many women entrepreneurs feeling this way right now (including yours truly : -)). Evaluating your business is a smart move, as long as you're willing to ask yourself the right questions and give yourself honest answers:
1. What's Working? So many times, we can forget to look at what's going well in our business as we have the tendency to focus on problems or challenges. Look through the lens of appreciation and make a list of what is working well. For example, do you have an assistant or team support that is inspired by your business vision and committed to doing their best? Is your business profitable each month?
2. What's Not Working? Spend some quality time making a thoughtful list of any challenges or concerns one-by-one so you can visually see areas that need improvement. You'll also want to identify what I call the “gaps” in your business – the place where some sort of breakdown is happening. For example, if your cash flow is inconsistent, either your marketing isn't attracting potential clients or your sales conversations aren't converting people into becoming paid clients. Or maybe, you're chained to the desk, working way too hard and on the way to burnout. In either of these examples, it's time to take a serious look at making some changes.
3. What's New? This is what entrepreneurs love! We are creative beings that enjoy new products, programs and services. The blood rushes through your veins at an electric pace when you are creating! This is where you need to be careful. There's this affliction that entrepreneurs suffer from called “Bright Shiny Object Syndrome” that can wreak havoc with your business (and income) if you aren't careful. It's great and necessary to stay up to date on the trends and come up with new, fresh ideas BUT, in the process you want to make sure you don't eliminate those products and services that your clients love and pay you for generously!
If the arrival of spring has given you an itch to shake things up in your business, set aside some time and ask yourself the three questions above and really give honest answers. Appreciate the great work you're doing and all that's going well. Give some serious thought to what's not going well and set a deadline to get the issue resolved. Finally, get your creative juices flowing and design a fresh, new service or product that you know your ideal client is craving.
Anything is possible. Everything is waiting for you.
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© 2014 Joy Chudacoff
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Joy Chudacoff, ICF, PCC, is the founder of Smart Women Smart Solutions®, a Professional Certified Coach to 1000’s of women, Motivational Speaker, and Entrepreneur. She publishes a weekly buzz generating ezine, Reflections On Life and Business for Women Entrepreneurs. If you’re ready take your life and your business to the next level, grab my FREE CD, From Surviving to Thriving: The 5 BIG Mistakes Women Make in Business and How to Avoid Them. Get your copied ordered here, http://bit.ly/Tb3LzR.
Love this article! 3 simple and profound questions. Thanks so much!