Last week, I started answering your questions from the survey I put out this summer. Last week was the job search edition. This week is all about starting your business! Yay!
Note: If you want even more guidance from me on how to start your business, check out The Corporate Rescue Plan.
1.How do you grow your blog with authentic and engaged viewers?
2. I need some money making tactics! More information on passive income, please!
3. How do I start a side business if I have a full-time job? How do you side hustle until you can
It's all about the time and your priorities. First, follow these 13 time management and productivity principles.
Second, you make a commitment and you make a no-excuses policy with yourself. You start sending an end date to your job. You start talking to people around you like you are an entrepreneur and that you will be doing this full-time as of (insert date here). This will give you more confidence and saying it out loud will get you more comfortable talking about it and visualizing that it will happen. Create a vision board and say affirmations daily. Believe that it will happen and it will.
4. How do you find out what kind of business is right for you, especially when you have so many interests?
Got lots of ideas? Don't worry. Me too. That's because we are fabulous entrepreneurs who want to change the world, right! But, it can be hard to focus with all the ideas spinning around in your head. Let's get them all down on paper, now! There are so many possibilities, now it's time to get them out.
5. What is the mindset I need to get out of the rat race?
First, read and implement my success principles. Then, practice these affirmations daily.
The most important mindset you can have is that anything is possible for you. Don't ever believe or tell yourself that you can't make your dream career or dream business happen. It might not happen tomorrow, but there truly is nothing you can't make happen with a little hard work and the right mentorship and support.
The mindset you need right now is to do the best you possible can at this very moment while making baby steps towards your dream job every single day. Do what you can, with what you have, from where you are today.
6. How do I get over the fear I have of starting a business?
It's so worth it. But I know it's scary. My husband and I were super scared too when we decided to BOTH
If you want to listen to us talk about our real life fears and how we got over them, watch this video.
7. How should I network without seeming desperate to make connections with people in your same field. It's hard when you're a contractor/freelancer.
I would change how you are networking. Get away from the networking events with people in your same field. Yuck.
8. How do I start freelancing? I need freelancing 101.
It's easy. Here's how you do it.
Find a client and offer them a free or discounted (fill in the blank here). Go above and beyond and WOW them. Then, interview them in a google hangout (preferred!) or record them on an audio call.
Ask them these four questions: Where were you before you started working with me? What in our working together was the most valuable to you? Where are you now? What would you say to someone who is thinking about working with me?
There, you have your first testimonial. You can post the video on your blog. Send it out as an email. Transcribe it and make a blog post or a free case study ebook. Ready, set, go!
9. How do I handle current stress when I can't leave my job quickly?
Don't focus on hating your current job and co-workers because that causes even more stress. Instead, be
If you're grateful for the job you have, even if its not your dream job, things will begin to change so you enjoy your job more and opportunities for you will suddenly appear. This is what happened to me. If you are grateful for the job you have, even it it's not your dream job, things will begin to change so you enjoy your job more and opportunities for you will suddenly appear. The more gratitude you feel, the happier you will be.
The only requirement is that you work DAILY on growing your business. You excitement for your new business that you are passionate about will start overflowing into your day job. You won't even care about that stupid email because you have other future plans! Your job is for the paycheck now but in time you will be running things and won't have to answer to stupid emails.
I know it is hard and stressful but focus on saying no and not trying to be perfect. If you aren't going to be there long term, don't focus on the raises and promotions. Focus instead on using every last second you have and every thought that you can on learning and growing FOR YOUR NEW BUSINESS, not your day job.
10. What action steps can be taken to reach my goals for my own business quicker and grow it so that I can leave my day job?
Focus on revenue generating activities and forget the rest. You have to be SO disciplined with your time and say no more than you say yes. Make a list of just 1-3 activities in your business that will produce income for you the fastest. (Note: Blogging is not one of them, sorry!) Then, look at your calendar and block out chunks of time to focus on those 1-2 revenue generating activities ONLY. You can do the other administrative stuff some other time but the thing that is going to get you leaving your day job is the cash flow coming in.
The other thing is to focus on the HIGH dollar amount activities ($1,000-$10,000), not the $50 activities. In order to quit, you need to make a living so you need to be replacing your day job income. Know exactly what you need to bring in every month and plot out how you can make it happen. If you don't know how to bring in higher dollar amounts, then do some more brainstorming. You aren't going to be able to making a living in the next 3-6 months selling $50 products, sorry!
11. How do you master self-confidence when you know you're doing what's right but those around you don't get it or have differing opinions.
I could do a whole blog post about this topic (and oh I have here)! This question is the story of my life!
I heard it all when I decided to quit my six-figure corporate job to work full-time on my business. I knew people, and even my very close family members, thought and said I was crazy. I learned very quickly already this year that other people cannot and WILL NOT have a say in my dreams and goals. I'm not saying don't listen to wise counsel. But, there's a difference between wise counsel and "Negative Nancy". Are you with me? If you are in this same position, these affirmations need to be done twice a day. Repeat positive words to yourself and limit the time around people who are saying the negative things.