Don’t Be Afraid To Hire A Business Consultant

Yesterday, I was interviewing guest expert Jim Norris on a teleseminar on the subject of creating your own Peer Advisory Board. And he made an interesting but right-on-target statement that, “In larger businesses, hiring consultants and contractors to improve your business or strategies is perfectly normal and accepted. But most entrepreneurs, solopreneurs and small business owners see that as a sign of weakness or failure.”

Maybe that’s because hiring a consultant is often a last ditch effort to save your business when what you’ve been doing hasn’t worked. Really, getting help from experts, coaches, consultants and other experienced entrepreneurs should be part of your formula for success right from the start (Let’s face it, very few entrepreneurs know much about actually running and growing a successful business when we first start out!).

It might also be, in part, due to most entrepreneurs’ inherent do-it-yourself ethos. It’s their business, and they’re going to do it their way. As a result, many would rather use the trial-by-fire method and see for themselves than take anyone’s advice.

That’s just silly. Trying to reinvent a perfectly good wheel is nothing but a waste of time. It’s better to find someone with experience who can show you exactly what works and what doesn’t. Then you can always tweak it to suit your needs.

Finally, I think there are some entrepreneurs who just don’t want to admit they’re struggling—even to a coach or consultant. It’s that whole “fake it ‘til you make it” mentality taken way, way too far.

Okay people…If you’re struggling to grow your business, you have got to get over these issues…Ideally before you’re exhausted, out of cash, and on the verge of giving up!!

Because asking for help is not a sign of weakness or failure. It’s a sign of intelligence and forthcoming success. And it’s the best way to shortcut the process and skip a lot of the struggle.

I know every time I’ve hired a coach or consultant, or signed up for a high-priced training session, my business has taken a huge leap forward!

While it’s awesome if you can afford to hire a consultant or business coach on an ongoing basis, not every entrepreneur can. So below are five ways to get help that range from free to serious investment. All can be worthwhile. But you do often get what you pay for.

1)      Create your own, structured Mastermind Group or Peer Advisory Board that meets regularly to offer each other advice and support

2)      Join an existing business support or mastermind group

3)      Meet regularly with another entrepreneur at a similar stage in business to exchange ideas, or even co-work (get together to work on your own separate projects so you have someone to give you feedback and bounce ideas off of)

4)      Hire an experienced consultant or coach with a proven track record for just one hour to help you gain clarity, get answers, and create a plan for going forward

5)      Invest in a multi-week group coaching program

How You Can Become a Successful Leader

6 steps to make it happen

How would you define a leader? Political figures, teachers, actors, and many other people may come to mind, but it’s important to know that a title does not qualify a leader. Even owning a small business doesn’t define a leader. According to Dictionary.com, a leader is “a guiding or directing head, as of an army, movement, or political group.”

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Anyone can be a leader, but just as the above video points out, it takes a lot of work. There are many qualities that a leader needs to posses. For starters, a leader needs to have a plan. By having a plan, a leader knows what to expect and can address issues proactively.

Secondly, a leader needs to have a vision. In other words, a leader needs to guide, in this case, his employees, toward one particular goal.

Taking the second step just a little further, the third element a leader needs is to do is share the vision. All the employees need to be on board with the leader in order to develop the vision and turn it into a reality.

Fourthly, a leader needs to take charge. Not only does a leader need to execute his authority, but he also needs to take action. These actions could be anything from making a decision to launching a product.

A leader should also inspire through example. Leaders need to set the bar for their employees by working diligently on the vision. When employees see this behavior, they will likely follow suit.

Lastly, a leader needs to ask for help. A business owner has so much on his plate that it is impossible to do it alone. Until he learns to delegate, the business will not be unified and could possibly be prevented from growth.

As you think about these steps, remember that leaders are not born that way. While some people do possess more leadership qualities than others, it is possible for the others to become leaders too. It is not an easy task, but it is necessary in reaching success.

3 Stages of the Business Cycle

How to successfully get through them

Every business goes through phases and emotions. Although some vary from businesses to business, there are 3 distinct stages that every business will face at one time or another.

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Some of these phases are good, and the others aren’t so good. However, the above video explains that the key to getting through each of the stages is the same. Businesses simply need to stay positive and always look into the future.

The first phase is failure. Although never welcomed, failure can, in many cases, actually help the business in the long run. Multiple experts recall past failures that made their business stronger and more effective.

If business owners and managers dwell on the fact that a product or service failed, they will get stuck in the failure phase and possibly, even experience more failures. On the other hand, if they keep their head up and learn from it, they will grow and be able to put the failure phase behind.

The second phase is success, which is the phase that every business would like to stay. To stay successful, businesses need to, again, think ahead. Instead of sitting back and enjoying the success, businesses should be working on new ideas and strategies that would sustain their success.

Take Google, for example. Everyone can agree that the search and advertising giant is successful, but they have had some failures. But they continue to have success because they are constantly innovating and developing new products and services, even if some of them fail.

The third phase that all businesses experience is neglect for faithful customers. It seems that most businesses are so focused on drawing new customers that they forget about their loyal ones. While experts always say it is easier to keep customers than it is to obtain new ones, many businesses fail to follow this principle.

Businesses should continuously be thinking of ways to improve the customer experience. In the long term, this will not only reach the loyal customers, but it will also reach the new ones.

Ultimately, businesses need to remember that the future is the key to the present. Until they come to this point, they will prevent their business from growing and having continuing success.

What It Really Takes To Build A Successful Business

So here’s the deal…After 16 years and six business, I’ve learned a thing or two about what it really takes to build a successful business. And I’ll tell ya, most of what my Mom told me—and most of what I believed going into the first four—turned out to be dead wrong.

In each of my early businesses, the busier I got the more of my life I gave up. Soon I was working ridiculous hours but I didn’t have a whole lot in my bank account to show for it. I was basically chained to my computer.

Since my vision of success was working 25-30 hours a week and having plenty of time to ski, mountain bike, kayak and travel, I wasn’t too happy about the whole “you gotta give up your life to start a business” concept. But I did it. And frankly, it didn’t get any better until I decided to hell with that! There had to be another way!!

Thank goodness I found it! That’s why I created my newest business, The Unchained Entrepreneur. I wanted a place to share what I’ve learned with entrepreneurs everywhere.

Below are ten of the key business beliefs I’ve developed that helped me unchain myself from my business. I hope they help you start creating the business—and life—you’ve always dreamed of!

1.    Anyone who wants to have a successful, thriving business—and a fulfilling personal life—should be able to. Remember, it’s your business and your life. You have the power to make them be any way you want.

2.    Marketing isn’t an optional expense. It’s a mandatory investment in the success of your business.

3.    Sleep, get exercise, eat healthy, enjoy a hobby and take care of yourself. You always attract more success when you feel your best.

4.    If it isn’t fun make it fun, don’t do it at all, or find someone else to do it for you!

5.    Success is not defined by how many hours you work in your business, but by how many hours you’re able to spend NOT working in it!

6.    It’s better to be yourself versus what you think others want you to be—even in business. These days the best branding is personable, authentic and unique.

7.    Spend some time unplugged each week. Go out in the woods or a park or a lake somewhere where you can hear yourself think. Voice mail and off buttons exist for a reason.

8.    While it’s always good to do research and analysis, at some point you just have to trust your gut, make a decision and take action.

9.    It’s not what happens that matters, but how you deal with it. Changes that seem forced on you are almost always a good thing for your business in the long run (IE “The universe knows more than you do. Stop fighting it.”).

10.    The very things that scare you the most when it comes to marketing and growing your business are probably the things you most need to be doing.

Want a whole big batch of even more detailed, practical tips and wisdom to help you get started building the business—and life—you’ve been dreaming of?

Grab a copy of my FREE “Success without Shackles Starter Kit” here: http://theunchainedentrepreneur.com/