The CONNECT Approach to Building Successful Businesses

Full Disclosure: My approach to building a successful business differs from the approach of most others.

We are going to interweave a deep dive into your business or budding business idea with a deep dive into you (as well as a third component that we will explore in the coming months). I believe a healthy, strong business that you remain passionate about is very dependent on you knowing yourself well. 

When you take time to study yourself and develop a strong sense of self-awareness . . . 

• You avoid self-destructive thinking (self-doubt, Imposter Syndrome, etc.)

• You navigate challenges with confidence (I can handle this!)

• You take educated, calculated risks, as opposed to flying by the seat of your pants (I have systems in place that guide me.)

• You get hyper-focused on the things that repeatedly move your business forward (I can ID the actions that move the needle.)

• You keep passion and joy in your work (I do meaningful work, and I love it!)

• You build relationships in your business and in your community (even when that community is online)

The Problem

You lack structure and organization, which leads to inconsistent or stagnant growth.

3 Organization Personalities

There are usually 3 personalities that describe solopreneurs and side hustlers managing their businesses. Which one sounds the most like you?

The Creative: You believe the creative mind thrives in unstructured settings. When the muse speaks you can stay on task for hours or even days creating more and more things. Ideas seem to flow like a river.

The Bouncer: You love to try new systems and organization ideas! Pinterest is your blackhole. If you try something for a week or two and it stops working, you are flexible enough to try something else. You could probably educate people on every process, routine, system, and program out there from A-Z. You have tried it all.

The Overachiever: You organize everything! In fact, you are obsessive about it. You spend hours creating structures and processes for everything you do. Files and folders? Check! Color-coding? Check? Alarms and notifications? Check, and check! Your schedule is down to the minute.

Why They Fail

The Creative: Whether they admit it or not, human beings crave structure. It is 100% not true that the creative mind thrives without structure (aka creative chaos). Quite the opposite. Sure, you may experience spurts of creativity and genius, but you also experience creative droughts and the desperation that accompanies it. I get it. I’m a recovering creative who loved the thrill of experiencing those creative highs! However, the flipside of that were creative lows in the form of blocks. 

The Bouncer: Bouncers try things out of desperation. They never take time to figure out what they need and why they need it. If you are a bouncer, you never give any process time or consistency to prove itself effective.

The Overachiever: This is a fast track to burnout. Also, The Overachiever typically spends more time on processes than profits. They are working on the business, not in the business. Structure is good but, like many things in life, it’s all about balance.

Take Action!

The Concept of Micro-Goals

Having structure and organization is a must for successful businesses. Consistency is key! My #1 rule is to keep it SIMPLE. One process I use and teach to solopreneurs, side hustlers, and small business operators is the concept of micro-goals.

Micro-goals leverage time and urgency to keep your business moving forward.

I’m introducing this concept first, because we will use micro-goals every week to grow and expand. Micro-goals are written out in detail every week. You choose one thing you want to accomplish and you give yourself 7 days or less to make it happen. 

Micro-goals train you to be consistent and action-focused. 

Apply Micro-Goals to Our 3 Personalities

The Creative: Use micro-goals to create a schedule that doesn’t feel so daunting. Completing tasks in 7 days or less is totally doable. When you have a focused micro-goal it keeps you in a state of forward momentum.

The Bouncer: Use micro-goals to help you look at the systems you are trying and how you are implementing them. What is making them ineffective? Is it user error versus system error? Ask: Is the system ineffective or am I inconsistent? Am I using it fully or am I picking and choosing parts? This analysis may help you understand any expectation gaps you might have and any inconsistencies that work against you.

The Overachiever: Use micro-goals to analyze and manage your time. Note how much time you are investing in planning versus doing. Micro-goals takes paralysis by analysis and eats its lunch! (I use the Plan . . . Act, Act, Act method.)

Did you participate in our Thursday poll? (on our FB Group Page’s Thursday Post @ CONNECT collective)

If you are an established solopreneur or side hustler and need support with scaling your business, contact me for a coaching session.

Sending you all Peace, Love, & Harmony!