Full Transcript for A Practical 90-Day Plan to Simplify Business Development

--> 00:02:15.280 So, Connie, thank you so much for being here. 00:02:15.680 --> 00:02:16.960 Oh, it's my pleasure. 00:02:16.960 --> 00:02:19.199 Thank you for that lovely introduction. 00:02:19.439 --> 00:02:20.319 You're welcome. 00:02:20.319 --> 00:02:25.919 Um, I'd like you, if you would please, to tell our audience a little bit more about what you do and who you serve. 00:02:26.240 --> 00:02:27.280 Absolutely. 00:02:27.280 --> 00:02:31.919 Uh so I work primarily with solo service providers. 00:02:31.919 --> 00:02:42.879 So people who hold positions like consultants or advisors, coaches, uh attorneys, whatever it might be, where they're solo in their business providing a professional service. 00:02:42.879 --> 00:02:45.599 Uh, I've been doing this for about 15 years. 00:02:45.599 --> 00:02:50.240 And you mentioned having done this before, having lived this before, right? 00:02:50.240 --> 00:03:01.360 So before, so I've been doing this coaching and business growth strategist uh work for about 15 years, but before that, I had an HR consulting business for about 15 years. 00:03:01.360 --> 00:03:08.240 And I was the first one in my family to be at all uh entrepreneurial. 00:03:08.240 --> 00:03:15.120 So I starting that out felt um felt difficult and felt kind of lonely, right? 00:03:15.120 --> 00:03:24.240 So I had had a business coach who had helped me uh grow that business and I learned so much about business development. 00:03:24.240 --> 00:03:30.000 And I learned so much about what I didn't know that I thought I knew about business development. 00:03:30.000 --> 00:03:38.800 So when I decided to make a change, when I sold that business and decided to make a change, I thought, you know, I really want to help others in that way. 00:03:38.800 --> 00:03:42.319 I want to help other solo business owners learn. 00:03:42.319 --> 00:03:44.879 Uh, often, often we don't know what we don't know. 00:03:44.879 --> 00:03:52.560 So helping them raise that awareness of perhaps things that they weren't aware of, things that could really help them in their business development. 00:03:52.560 --> 00:04:00.879 So went through into intensive coach training and I business background educationally and and work-wise had always been in my background. 00:04:00.879 --> 00:04:15.280 So it was a combination of all of that that I brought together to start working with those solopreneurs to, as you said, help them uh grow fulfilling and prof and profitable businesses faster. 00:04:15.599 --> 00:04:16.240 Yeah. 00:04:16.240 --> 00:04:21.759 Well, I love that you brought up that we don't know what we don't know. 00:04:21.759 --> 00:04:27.199 So many business owners, we have an area of expertise and we know our area of expertise. 00:04:27.199 --> 00:04:31.519 That does not mean we know business, and it's so overwhelming. 00:04:31.519 --> 00:04:40.240 Now, when I became a coach, I left the corporate world, I was there like 27 years, and I became a coach, and I'm like, oh, I I know

business. 00:04:40.240 --> 00:04:48.959 I've done, well, I was a computer programmer, then I was in a marketing department, I did a bunch of financial analysis, so I knew finance, I was a project manager. 00:04:48.959 --> 00:04:52.319 Like, I'm like, I've grabbed, I've been around the block. 00:04:52.319 --> 00:04:54.639 I have a master's in business, I have an MBA. 00:04:54.639 --> 00:04:59.279 This is gonna be a piece of cake starting this business, this little I I know business. 00:04:59.279 --> 00:05:02.639 So I know my expertise as a coach and I know business. 00:05:02.639 --> 00:05:18.480 Well, lo and behold, I didn't know business as a solopreneur in a um industry that is, you know, like um mental fitness, well, you know, wellness, um, a soft thing like that, right? 00:05:18.480 --> 00:05:23.439 So it, you know, I'm in a whole, I'm in the holistic, more, more of a holistic place. 00:05:23.439 --> 00:05:25.439 And I'm like, how wait a minute. 00:05:25.439 --> 00:05:33.920 And so I tried all these things, the way a big corporation would do them, because that's what was how I was trained in in school in my master's degree. 00:05:33.920 --> 00:05:36.480 That's how I was trained, working for the corporations. 00:05:36.480 --> 00:05:48.959 And what that did is this eagle vision was like, I can't do all that because I knew it, because I knew it needed to be done, but I didn't understand how could I do this as a solopreneur? 00:05:48.959 --> 00:05:56.720 I'm sure you have a lot of you work with a lot of solopreneurs, are just like, can one person even do all this? 00:05:57.199 --> 00:05:57.600 Right? 00:05:57.839 --> 00:06:03.040 It's like, and and what and if they don't have a business background, wait, what needs to be done? 00:06:03.040 --> 00:06:05.519 I have to do wait, what is bookkeeping? 00:06:05.519 --> 00:06:11.439 You know, like what yes, marketing in today's world, which is so different. 00:06:11.439 --> 00:06:13.199 I worked in the marketing department for 14 years. 00:06:13.199 --> 00:06:17.680 You think I know marketing, not social media marketing, it didn't exist back then, right? 00:06:17.680 --> 00:06:19.120 So crazy. 00:06:20.160 --> 00:06:21.920 I I completely agree with you. 00:06:21.920 --> 00:06:29.279 And one of the big differences you talked about marketing, because yeah, you would think that would be so so helpful in starting up a new business. 00:06:29.279 --> 00:06:34.079 But what you probably hadn't done before was have to sell yourself, right? 00:06:34.079 --> 00:06:40.560 You were marketing an organization or a department or a particular product that wasn't specifically yours. 00:06:40.560 --> 00:06:44.399 And I think a lot of solopreneurs struggle with that. 00:06:44.399 --> 00:07:00.800 Many of my clients come from the corporate world and then they decide they want to follow a passion on their own as a business owner, and all of a sudden they can feel a little stuck, like, oh, this feels really uncomfortable now, having to and in air quotes, sell myself, right? 00:07:00.800 --> 00:07:02.240 I don't want to do that. 00:07:02.240 --> 00:07:08.560 And so much of it is related to the work that you do, Linda, in terms of um shifting mindset, right? 00:07:08.560 --> 00:07:12.000 And embracing that this is not about selling yourself. 00:07:12.000 --> 00:07:23.120 This is about really embracing that you provide a very valuable service to others, incredibly value, valuable and often to the point of who are you not to share? 00:07:23.120 --> 00:07:26.319 The wonderful gift that you have and the work that you do. 00:07:26.319 --> 00:07:28.720 So sometimes it's just that shift. 00:07:28.720 --> 00:07:33.920 But uh yeah, related to what you said, I think I absolutely agree with you. 00:07:33.920 --> 00:07:35.600 There's a huge shift there. 00:07:35.600 --> 00:07:43.040 Plus, there are a lot of things about businesses that apply differently for a solo business than they did for a corporation. 00:07:43.040 --> 00:07:51.439 So if you knew about all of the finance side of the corporation, it's going to be a completely different story as a business owner. 00:07:51.439 --> 00:07:58.800 Operationally, you'll need different systems, different technologies, and trying to figure all that out on your own can be overwhelming. 00:07:59.040 --> 00:08:00.240 Yeah, it really can. 00:08:00.240 --> 00:08:10.480 Um, I know, like when I work with new coaches, I love to work with new coaches and I help them bridge that gap between expertise and entrepreneur, not build the business. 00:08:10.480 --> 00:08:13.199 That's where I would send them to you in a heartbeat, Connie. 00:08:13.199 --> 00:08:17.360 But like to identify like what is uniquely mine. 00:08:17.360 --> 00:08:19.120 And that's really where that starts. 00:08:19.120 --> 00:08:27.519 Because if you don't know what's uniquely yours, you start thinking, you're I have to sell me and compete with all the other people in my sector. 00:08:27.519 --> 00:08:30.959 And you don't have to compete because it is uniquely yours. 00:08:31.120 --> 00:08:31.360 Yes. 00:08:31.519 --> 00:08:35.360 And so part of this mindset is is the what's the discover. 00:08:35.360 --> 00:08:38.720 I have like three pillars that I do, everything falls under. 00:08:38.720 --> 00:08:40.720 Discover it, own it, and do it. 00:08:40.720 --> 00:08:45.120 So this is the discover, discover what is mine uniquely. 00:08:45.120 --> 00:08:49.519 And I and when it comes to marketing, that's your your differentiation, right? 00:08:49.519 --> 00:08:55.600 And so um having an expert to even help you with that differentiation is is huge. 00:08:55.600 --> 00:08:57.360 And this is the discover phase. 00:08:57.360 --> 00:08:59.840 Then the own it phase is so much mindset. 00:08:59.840 --> 00:09:02.480 Like, wait, who am I to do this big thing? 00:09:02.480 --> 00:09:05.279 Who can I do it better, faster, stronger? 00:09:05.279 --> 00:09:06.879 Do I have to do it better, faster,

stronger? 00:09:06.879 --> 00:09:10.000 Do I have to do it just differently according to my unique gifts? 00:09:10.000 --> 00:09:16.639 And I love that you pointed out, and I always use my little Spider-Man reference with great power comes great responsibility. 00:09:16.639 --> 00:09:32.559 When you've been given a vision entrusted to you by the universe, and you've been given the gifts and the experience and the inner wisdom to give it, it's your responsibility to get it out there, which means it's your responsibility to get the obstacles out of the way. 00:09:32.559 --> 00:09:34.399 And that's part of the do-it pillar. 00:09:34.399 --> 00:09:36.480 Get out, get those obstacles out of the way. 00:09:36.799 --> 00:09:37.279 Love that. 00:09:37.440 --> 00:09:38.080 Yeah. 00:09:38.080 --> 00:09:40.399 Okay. 00:09:40.399 --> 00:09:44.799 So, all right, so let's talk about um visibility. 00:09:44.799 --> 00:09:46.000 That's a that's a big thing. 00:09:46.000 --> 00:09:55.360 People like if you if you're not being visible, if people don't know you're there and know what you uniquely provide, they won't find you and they can't hire you. 00:09:55.360 --> 00:10:03.039 And if they even do perchance find you and you have trouble test selling yourself because you believe you have to sell yourself. 00:10:03.039 --> 00:10:06.000 I have air quotes, everyone who's just listening on a podcast. 00:10:06.000 --> 00:10:11.759 Sell yourselves in air quotes because Connie already mentioned that it's not about selling yourself. 00:10:11.759 --> 00:10:22.480 So what happens then is your your business can start to like dry up, shrivel up, and then you start to what that does is that starts to trigger your feelings of unworthiness. 00:10:22.480 --> 00:10:27.279 See, I don't have what it takes anyway to create to build this business. 00:10:27.759 --> 00:10:28.720 Absolutely. 00:10:29.120 --> 00:10:29.600 Yeah. 00:10:29.600 --> 00:10:39.679 So what do you um like let's talk about how can we take this big thing that's so overwhelming to everyone, right? 00:10:39.679 --> 00:10:43.039 And especially I know we're gonna talk about in 90 days. 00:10:43.039 --> 00:10:49.840 Like what are the what what are the big the big things that we have to like put to the side and what are the things that we need to focus on? 00:10:50.240 --> 00:10:50.960 Okay, okay. 00:10:50.960 --> 00:10:52.240 Um, I love that. 00:10:52.240 --> 00:10:59.279 And I just want to mention one other scenario too, because we talked about solopreneurs that have difficulty selling themselves. 00:10:59.279 --> 00:11:11.039 I also see scenarios quite a bit where people they they get into their business, they start their business, they're really good at what they do, and and they do reach a certain level of success, right? 00:11:11.039 --> 00:11:14.720 They do have connections, they they get the business up and going. 00:11:14.720 --> 00:11:31.360 But often what also happens is they get almost get so successful right up front that they've got too much happening with the client service, they're really busy with work, and then they no longer focus on any marketing activities. 00:11:31.360 --> 00:11:35.600 And it's really hard to shift their time so that they're they're doing both. 00:11:35.600 --> 00:11:38.480 Maintaining that balance can be really difficult. 00:11:38.480 --> 00:11:45.840 So, what we're going to talk about can help people in either situation, either where you're just feeling like, ah, I don't have time to market. 00:11:45.840 --> 00:11:48.080 And if I did, I wouldn't know what to do anyway. 00:11:48.080 --> 00:11:54.720 And those people that have kind of the mindset issue of, oh, I don't want to be pushy with people and getting myself out there. 00:11:55.039 --> 00:11:55.440 Right. 00:11:55.440 --> 00:12:05.360 I love that you brought that up, that there's this this other piece because as we grow, we hit ceilings, and the ceilings have to do with our own capacity. 00:12:05.360 --> 00:12:10.240 Yes, and there's different things depending on which ceiling you're you're hitting. 00:12:10.240 --> 00:12:21.840 When you're working on a bunch of busy stuff, you're hitting a time capacity, but nothing's really moving because you're busy, busy, busy, and mostly because you're avoiding the thing that would make moves for your business. 00:12:21.840 --> 00:12:30.720 But then this other scenario that you talk about, you're you're making the moves, you're making the moves, and all of a sudden you get so much business and you realize I can't handle all of this on my own. 00:12:30.720 --> 00:12:34.320 So the solution's different depending on which ceiling that you're hitting. 00:12:34.320 --> 00:12:44.320 And that's part of your expertise is knowing what strategy to do and when, so that you can avoid hitting these ceilings as your business grows as well, correct? 00:12:44.559 --> 00:12:45.200 Absolutely. 00:12:45.200 --> 00:12:45.759 Absolutely. 00:12:45.759 --> 00:12:53.519 Because what it inevitably happens in that situation where you are overwhelmed is the projects or the client work, it does at some point come to an end. 00:12:53.519 --> 00:12:57.679 It does slow down, and then you find yourself thinking, oh, what am I doing next? 00:12:57.679 --> 00:13:02.240 And then you put your foot on the gas as fast as you can to get the word out there. 00:13:02.240 --> 00:13:14.240 Um, but ultimately for both sets of people, I believe there's and I work with my clients on a regular basis to develop a really simple process around their marketing. 00:13:14.240 --> 00:13:16.639 I think it can also be really overwhelming. 00:13:16.639 --> 00:13:22.399 We're inundated with so many messages about what we should be doing in our marketing, right? 00:13:22.399 --> 00:13:31.919 We need to be on the latest social media platform, or uh yeah, we should be blogging on Substack, or oh, you don't have a podcast yet, right? 00:13:31.919 --> 00:13:48.559 The when you think about the

possibilities for marketing, everywhere from in-person networking to online to speaking and teaching, even the activities themselves can be can put a stop to things because it feels overwhelming. 00:13:48.559 --> 00:13:56.399 So in in my process, the first thing that we look at is we narrow down those activities. 00:13:56.399 --> 00:13:59.600 And it's actually a pretty easy way to do that. 00:13:59.600 --> 00:14:10.879 And there's a simple exercise that I give to people, and I I'm I'm I'm still kind of blown away how people are kind of surprised, like, oh you know, I didn't think to do this. 00:14:10.879 --> 00:14:16.720 And so this is going to sound very obvious to you, but what I find is a lot of people don't do this. 00:14:16.720 --> 00:14:36.399 And what this involves is, and again, this is for established businesses, whether you've been in business a year or 20 years, just take a look at create a list of your last 10 to 20 clients and simply look at how did they find out about you in the first place. 00:14:36.399 --> 00:14:51.360 And then what led them to the decision to purchase whatever service or product it is from you because your last 10 clients are going to tell you exactly what you need to do moving forward. 00:14:51.360 --> 00:15:00.639 So I have uh a couple of clients where they are entirely, they've been almost like 80% of their work has come because people have found them online. 00:15:00.639 --> 00:15:15.759 I have other clients that have very relationship-based businesses where um networking and having coffee chats with people and really focusing on the relationship development is so important. 00:15:15.759 --> 00:15:22.320 Other clients have gotten the majority of their clients from speaking opportunities. 00:15:22.320 --> 00:15:26.000 It's individual to each person in each business. 00:15:26.000 --> 00:15:33.600 But if you take that time and just create that list, that's going to tell you right away what works. 00:15:33.600 --> 00:15:45.919 And it also often provides opportunities because sometimes you're looking at people that are past clients and you think, oh, you know, I never even mentioned to them that I have this new service that could really benefit them. 00:15:45.919 --> 00:15:52.559 So it also opens the eyes to, oh my goodness, I need to reach out to these people because they're your biggest fans already. 00:15:52.559 --> 00:15:55.440 They've already worked with you and purchased from you. 00:15:55.440 --> 00:15:56.799 So it goes both ways. 00:15:56.799 --> 00:16:01.759 It can bring clients very quickly and it can tell you exactly those activities to focus on. 00:16:02.000 --> 00:16:06.080 Well, that okay, so I absolutely love what you brought up. 00:16:06.080 --> 00:16:11.519 Um, first of all, I love and I tell every single client this all the time. 00:16:11.519 --> 00:16:12.720 Emulate what works. 00:16:12.720 --> 00:16:18.960 Stop trying to fix something that's broken until you recognize what does work. 00:16:18.960 --> 00:16:24.159 Because when I say, like, you know, we're doing business in a way that's uniquely ours, right? 00:16:24.159 --> 00:16:25.919 We're given our unique gifts to the world. 00:16:25.919 --> 00:16:28.559 The how we're doing it is just as unique. 00:16:28.559 --> 00:16:33.519 What works for you doesn't work for me, and vice versa, there's no one size fits all. 00:16:33.519 --> 00:16:40.080 So we're when we're if when you emulate what works, so why what works and why? 00:16:40.080 --> 00:16:45.279 And how might I take that and you do that over here, right? 00:16:45.279 --> 00:16:46.320 In another way. 00:16:46.320 --> 00:16:49.440 So that's one huge thing that you just mentioned. 00:16:49.440 --> 00:16:56.159 And the second thing is when you look at your past customers, like we tend to ignore them, like who's next, who's next, who's next? 00:16:56.159 --> 00:17:04.319 But the past customers trust you already because you they have already worked with you, right? 00:17:04.319 --> 00:17:07.039 So as a business owner, they already trust you. 00:17:07.039 --> 00:17:13.039 They are most likely going to recommend you because they trust you and they got results. 00:17:13.039 --> 00:17:22.319 And so when we're thinking of, I got to network forward, like um, instead of networking forward, thinking about nurturing the relationships we already have. 00:17:22.319 --> 00:17:27.279 We don't need 10,000 followers to grow our business. 00:17:27.279 --> 00:17:32.480 We need to nurture the relationships we have because especially for solopreneurs, right? 00:17:32.480 --> 00:17:33.599 Yes, exactly. 00:17:33.759 --> 00:17:37.200 We only have so much time, we can't do everything. 00:17:37.200 --> 00:17:38.720 Exactly. 00:17:38.720 --> 00:17:43.680 Yeah, no, those are those are super good points, and I I completely agree with what you said. 00:17:43.680 --> 00:17:47.920 So then do you want to talk about next step after that? 00:17:47.920 --> 00:17:48.559 Yes. 00:17:48.559 --> 00:17:49.119 Okay. 00:17:49.119 --> 00:17:58.640 So you figured out you what's risen to the top is probably one to three activities to focus on. 00:17:58.640 --> 00:18:07.519 And I recommend to my clients, at least for the next 90 days, if generating revenue is really important to you, forget the rest. 00:18:07.519 --> 00:18:09.759 Don't worry about the other activities. 00:18:09.759 --> 00:18:12.000 You can test something out later. 00:18:12.000 --> 00:18:17.839 But for now, when revenue is a is a priority, focus on those activities. 00:18:17.839 --> 00:18:22.880 So, and then identify what you can realistically commit to. 00:18:22.880 --> 00:18:31.440 Because often we'll talk about uh, you know, something that we're going to do marketing-wise, and and we think, oh, you know, no problem at all. 00:18:31.440 --> 00:18:34.319 I, boy, I can go to three networking events a week. 00:18:34.319 --> 00:18:38.079 I can, you know, I'll have a goal of 10 conversations a week.

00:18:38.079 --> 00:18:44.799 I work a lot with financial advisors and they have this average metric that they need to have 10 conversations a week. 00:18:44.799 --> 00:18:50.720 And to me, as a solo business owner, that can be super overwhelming. 00:18:50.720 --> 00:18:58.319 I mean, when do you and and of course for them, they have a system, they're working with different levels of people and they they figure out a way to work. 00:18:58.319 --> 00:19:01.440 But for your average solopreneur, that's overwhelming. 00:19:01.440 --> 00:19:16.480 So I really focus in on what you can realistically commit to, and even think about on your worst week, you know, when's when an unexpected emergency comes up, whether it's professionally or personally, what can you handle and start with that minimum? 00:19:16.480 --> 00:19:39.519 So for some people, using those examples that I provided, if uh relationship development is a big thing and really people need to trust you and get to know you, um, maybe it is going to one networking event a week or three a month, and then maybe it's setting a goal of two conversations a week, whatever that is, something you can commit to. 00:19:39.519 --> 00:19:46.000 For people who do get their business primarily from online work, right? 00:19:46.000 --> 00:19:52.640 If people find you online, all right, how can you make sure that your Google Business profile is regularly updated? 00:19:52.640 --> 00:20:00.559 How do you make sure that your website is not only uh search engine optimized, but now we have AEO, right? 00:20:00.559 --> 00:20:07.279 So that and and GEO, so that as people are searching differently using AI, that they're finding you too. 00:20:07.279 --> 00:20:09.599 What ways can you improve things? 00:20:09.599 --> 00:20:14.640 Or if it that other example I gave, if it's a speaking opportunity, right? 00:20:14.640 --> 00:20:23.200 How much time can you just commit during the week to researching opportunities for speaking and then outreach to people, right? 00:20:23.200 --> 00:20:25.039 And and the work that's involved with that. 00:20:25.039 --> 00:20:28.160 Sometimes it's a commitment for a certain amount of time. 00:20:28.160 --> 00:20:36.160 So you have the commitment, you have the activities, you've determined your level of commitment, and then get it on the calendar. 00:20:36.160 --> 00:20:49.599 Block the time and treat that time as if you are meeting with your most important client or your most important prospect because you are a level more important than that. 00:20:49.599 --> 00:20:50.799 This is your business. 00:20:50.799 --> 00:20:53.759 So really keep that time sacred. 00:20:53.759 --> 00:20:56.640 And then I'm a big fan of tracking. 00:20:56.640 --> 00:21:06.640 I have uh I'm I'm always I'm I I love technology, but for me, I have a handwritten tracker where I just track throughout the day every day when I have a conversation. 00:21:06.640 --> 00:21:08.559 Did I make an offer for service? 00:21:08.559 --> 00:21:15.839 Did I, whatever those activities are, tracking those, and then just making sure that I'm keeping up with the commitment that I made. 00:21:15.839 --> 00:21:19.359 Those they they're such simple steps, right, Linda? 00:21:19.359 --> 00:21:26.880 But so often people are get there's so many distractions in this world, and it's easy to get pulled away. 00:21:26.880 --> 00:21:35.440 But with consistency, especially over 90 days, I my clients always, always, always, always see results. 00:21:35.440 --> 00:21:38.880 And I do myself personally, because sometimes I get I drift away too. 00:21:38.880 --> 00:21:42.480 But when I come back to this process, works every time. 00:21:42.720 --> 00:21:43.200 Right. 00:21:43.200 --> 00:21:45.359 Well, thank you for outlining that. 00:21:45.359 --> 00:21:46.480 It's so clear. 00:21:46.480 --> 00:21:51.440 Um, and um, and it and you already, you know, can say that it works. 00:21:51.440 --> 00:21:53.759 You know it works, works for you, works for your clients. 00:21:53.759 --> 00:21:55.839 Um, I like to talk about the obstacles. 00:21:55.839 --> 00:21:57.839 So, what's in the way of doing these things? 00:21:57.839 --> 00:22:05.920 So, first of all, um Sometimes, uh, like you say, so people might overcommit. 00:22:05.920 --> 00:22:08.319 For someone like me, I'm a scanner. 00:22:08.319 --> 00:22:10.880 And if I don't like it, I'm not gonna do it. 00:22:10.880 --> 00:22:21.119 So if and and because I am attraction based, my attention and focus goes on what pulls me, and that's just how I'm wired. 00:22:21.119 --> 00:22:27.759 So knowing how I'm wired can help me to say, how could I take these beautiful steps that Connie gave me? 00:22:27.759 --> 00:22:32.559 Um, so first of all, identifying what I can realistically commit to. 00:22:32.559 --> 00:22:35.359 So I will commit to things that light me up. 00:22:35.359 --> 00:22:36.960 So I have to know that. 00:22:36.960 --> 00:22:50.880 So that means when I'm making my list of activities, even though these are the things that might all move my business forward or whatever in whatever goal I've chosen for the next 90 days, which one of them do I know I'm actually gonna do? 00:22:50.880 --> 00:22:51.440 Right. 00:22:51.440 --> 00:22:58.880 So that's my that's where I would take your step and say, make it fit me and how I naturally am wired. 00:22:58.880 --> 00:23:00.480 Um, because I know myself. 00:23:00.480 --> 00:23:04.799 And it's funny, like someone said I should, I won't write a book because I'm a talker, not a writer. 00:23:04.799 --> 00:23:07.440 But if I wrote a book, I it should be called The Lazy Entrepreneur. 00:23:07.440 --> 00:23:12.640 And it's really not about being lazy, it's really about honoring how you do what you do, your MO. 00:23:12.640 --> 00:23:16.640 And you know, and I'm very um nectar-based. 00:23:16.640 --> 00:23:17.680 Where's the nectar in it? 00:23:17.680 --> 00:23:19.920 For me, if there's nectar, I will stay focused.

00:23:19.920 --> 00:23:23.759 Like I I will I forget to get out of my chair. 00:23:23.759 --> 00:23:27.839 And my husband's like, Linda, you need to get up and move your body, you know. 00:23:28.079 --> 00:23:32.880 So um and and think about this, because this is the beauty of the system. 00:23:32.880 --> 00:23:40.960 If the majority of your past clients came from a particular activity that you did, that probably was an activity that lit you up. 00:23:40.960 --> 00:23:41.519 Exactly. 00:23:41.519 --> 00:23:48.799 Exactly was focused on the person that you most enjoy working with and who enjoys working with you. 00:23:48.799 --> 00:23:58.000 So as a result of that, I think I think the activities you come up with are going to be pretty well aligned with you and your personality and your energy. 00:23:58.240 --> 00:23:59.359 Yes, exactly. 00:23:59.359 --> 00:24:08.480 But then sometimes these activities moving forward, like when you're saying, um, like, yes, I know, you know, if it's gonna be networking relationships, I know it's gonna work for me. 00:24:08.480 --> 00:24:14.880 Um, I like, but then there's some activities that I'm like, well, I don't know if they work because I've never done them. 00:24:14.880 --> 00:24:20.240 But in today's world, like getting my website optimized, you know, like that's a that's a thing. 00:24:20.240 --> 00:24:31.519 But that's an activity that I know I'm not gonna want to go down that rabbit hole because it will pull a week away from my time of doing something else. 00:24:31.519 --> 00:24:48.319 Um, and so that's something where I would consider like, okay, I'm gonna have someone else do that because I can see the benefit, even though it's not an emulate what's working, or it's not an activity I identify with that's always that my clients have used to, you know, or that I that's brought me more business in the past. 00:24:48.319 --> 00:24:50.880 Um, so there's gonna be some things like that. 00:24:50.880 --> 00:24:56.640 And it doesn't mean I can't focus on them, it just means I'm gonna need a helper to focus on that. 00:24:56.640 --> 00:24:58.559 So I still might put that on my list. 00:24:58.559 --> 00:25:00.720 And then the block the time. 00:25:00.720 --> 00:25:09.119 I remember I taught, I taught a um, I did a webinar once called Time Management for people who've taken all the other time management classes and it's still not working. 00:25:09.359 --> 00:25:10.079 It's awesome. 00:25:10.559 --> 00:25:11.119 I love it. 00:25:11.119 --> 00:25:13.599 Like you're here today because all this, right? 00:25:13.599 --> 00:25:25.920 And the and it's because there's more than just like I love the time blocking, but I am such an easy boss that I'll be if I'm engaged in something else, I will not honor that you're gonna work on this at this time. 00:25:25.920 --> 00:25:29.920 I've I mean, I've been in business 17 years, I know this about myself. 00:25:29.920 --> 00:25:35.599 So, so um I think of it as as um energy and focus. 00:25:35.599 --> 00:25:38.480 So, how can I like when's my energy best? 00:25:38.480 --> 00:25:39.440 When am right? 00:25:39.440 --> 00:25:46.079 So instead of like, oh, I'm gonna do this at from 10 to 12 today, I'm like, no, I'm probably still gonna be sipping a cup of coffee at 10 o'clock. 00:25:46.079 --> 00:25:46.640 Who am I kidding? 00:25:46.640 --> 00:25:48.000 I'm gonna be working at 10 o'clock. 00:25:48.000 --> 00:25:50.240 I know this about myself, you know. 00:25:50.240 --> 00:25:58.720 Um, and and then so I time blocking doesn't work for me, but what does work for me is three things I know I'm gonna do today. 00:25:58.720 --> 00:26:03.920 I'm not gonna limit myself as to one because freedom is such a high value for me. 00:26:03.920 --> 00:26:08.160 And squishing up my schedule makes me feel confined and tethered. 00:26:08.160 --> 00:26:14.000 And so if I just have three things and I don't time block them, I'm more likely to get them done. 00:26:14.000 --> 00:26:18.240 Um, especially if I can, you know, wrap them into like, how can I make them better? 00:26:18.240 --> 00:26:19.680 How can I better it, you know? 00:26:19.680 --> 00:26:23.200 So um, and then tracking, oh, I'm so bad. 00:26:23.200 --> 00:26:24.880 I recognize it needs to be done. 00:26:24.880 --> 00:26:31.200 I want someone else to do that because we're more likely to do the things we love than to do the things we don't love. 00:26:31.200 --> 00:26:33.920 And that's where we want to have some help. 00:26:33.920 --> 00:26:39.119 AI can be our best helper now if we can just learn how to use it a little better to do the tracking. 00:26:39.119 --> 00:26:45.759 Like, okay, every Monday I want you to go and look at all my social medias and tell me, you show me. 00:26:45.759 --> 00:26:48.559 I don't have to go there and pull up the numbers and do the math. 00:26:48.559 --> 00:26:57.200 You show me, you give me a report now that we have AI, so much easier to track if we can just learn how to do that real quickly and just set it and forget it. 00:26:57.200 --> 00:27:02.400 So, so I wanted to just look at each of your steps and let people know if they're like, Yeah, that won't work for me. 00:27:02.400 --> 00:27:03.359 Yes, it will. 00:27:03.359 --> 00:27:08.160 Here's the way a scanner would use this, your, your, your um process. 00:27:08.160 --> 00:27:09.200 So beautiful. 00:27:09.440 --> 00:27:19.680 And and just speaking of AI as well, I think related to this and related to what you're sharing here, you can also schedule a task on any of them where they check in with you in the morning. 00:27:19.680 --> 00:27:24.559 Okay, what are your top priorities, top three priorities, and identify those? 00:27:24.559 --> 00:27:26.480 And at the end of the day, check in. 00:27:26.480 --> 00:27:27.920 All right, how did that go? 00:27:27.920 --> 00:27:30.319 What do we need to adjust for the next day? 00:27:30.319 --> 00:27:34.880 And and have like I have AI tracking all kinds of

activities for me. 00:27:34.880 --> 00:27:40.640 So that I'm glad you brought that up because that's an excellent newer tool that people can use to help support them. 00:27:40.640 --> 00:27:42.640 It's like an assistant, just checking in. 00:27:42.640 --> 00:27:44.880 Hey, just want or an accountability partner. 00:27:44.880 --> 00:27:45.839 Yes. 00:27:46.400 --> 00:27:47.680 Yes, I love that. 00:27:47.680 --> 00:27:48.640 Okay, cool. 00:27:48.640 --> 00:28:03.279 All right, so we've got our list your clients, how they find you, um, and what led them to the decision to purchase, emulate what works, nurture the relationships with the people you that already trust you. 00:28:03.279 --> 00:28:11.519 Um, choose one to three activities that will actually help you achieve your most important goal over the next 90 days. 00:28:11.519 --> 00:28:17.759 Identify what you know you will realistically do, identify the activities that will actually get you there. 00:28:17.759 --> 00:28:22.640 Um, block the time or you know, make the time or find the time. 00:28:22.640 --> 00:28:31.680 Do whatever you got to do to make the time to work on them, and then track it in a way that is easy and in alignment with how some people love to track, like, oh, let me add it. 00:28:31.680 --> 00:28:32.880 Beautiful, do it yourself. 00:28:32.880 --> 00:28:34.319 Some people hate to track, like me. 00:28:34.319 --> 00:28:35.279 Use AI. 00:28:35.279 --> 00:28:38.240 Okay, what a beautiful list this has been so far. 00:28:38.880 --> 00:28:40.240 Anything else? 00:28:40.240 --> 00:28:46.240 Well, I think with any system that you're putting in place for the first time, make sure you have an assessment step there. 00:28:46.240 --> 00:28:48.160 So 30 days in, check. 00:28:48.160 --> 00:28:49.920 All right, how are things going? 00:28:49.920 --> 00:28:53.200 Do I need to increase a certain level of activity? 00:28:53.200 --> 00:28:57.200 Because I'm finding that I'm always doing more than I thought I would. 00:28:57.200 --> 00:29:02.799 Do I need to uh is something just it's just flopping on me, right? 00:29:02.799 --> 00:29:06.240 It's just not, you know, do you need to maybe consider tweaking something? 00:29:06.240 --> 00:29:10.160 So I think the assessment process is also really important to this. 00:29:10.160 --> 00:29:16.400 And if you do that a couple of times over this 90 days and track the results, right? 00:29:16.400 --> 00:29:27.519 How many um leads, how many sales, how many, if you want to track the conversations, whatever that is, you can see by the end of the 90 days what's really working and what isn't. 00:29:27.519 --> 00:29:31.200 So you really have a strong sense of what to do moving forward. 00:29:31.200 --> 00:29:35.680 And I think this is just a great time of year to be doing something like that, right? 00:29:35.680 --> 00:29:55.519 We know we have the holidays, and that that can break up some of this a little bit, but you can really get a sense toward at the end of the year, opening up the new year, what works so that when you start 2027, you are just on fire because you you you're focused and you've got time for other things because you're not trying to do everything, right? 00:29:55.920 --> 00:30:02.559 Right, yes, and that's um that's a that's a uh just a point I want to put an exclamation on. 00:30:02.559 --> 00:30:08.000 It whenever I make a to-do list that has seven things on it, who am I kidding? 00:30:08.000 --> 00:30:17.839 They're the seven things never get done, even if they're small in that day, because really that's a lot for your brain to have to jump back and forth and back and forth and back and forth. 00:30:17.839 --> 00:30:25.599 When and some things need deeper consideration, they need a little, they need you to go out for a walk so your subconscious can start working on it, right? 00:30:25.599 --> 00:30:43.039 Yes, and so um I it's it's hard when you're trying to grow and you're like there's so much to do, and I gotta do it all, instead of what this is almost like it's it's kind of like a an informed experiment that you're giving us with this 90 days. 00:30:43.039 --> 00:30:48.480 It's informed being informed by what we know has already worked and who it already worked for and why. 00:30:48.480 --> 00:30:57.839 It's an and it's an experiment, meaning we're just changing a tiny little bit of variables to see what result happens. 00:30:57.839 --> 00:31:03.119 We're not saying I'm gonna make a million dollars by the end of six months from now. 00:31:03.119 --> 00:31:05.200 We're not setting that so big. 00:31:05.200 --> 00:31:08.400 We're we're like looking at it like let's let me do this. 00:31:08.400 --> 00:31:11.920 Is like to see what's working and and I'm gonna try out. 00:31:11.920 --> 00:31:14.079 I'm trying to discover a system. 00:31:14.079 --> 00:31:21.440 So it's when I like telling people when we have an experimental mindset, we lower the stakes. 00:31:21.440 --> 00:31:25.279 And so then if we find out 30 days, we're like, oh, that didn't work. 00:31:25.279 --> 00:31:28.160 We don't have to be like, oh, see, I suck at this, I'm so bad. 00:31:28.160 --> 00:31:29.680 We don't have to have that mindset. 00:31:29.680 --> 00:31:31.519 We're like, okay, that was an experiment. 00:31:31.519 --> 00:31:33.279 It's we're scientific about it. 00:31:33.279 --> 00:31:34.480 That was an experiment. 00:31:34.480 --> 00:31:38.559 I looked at that, I tried this, and that was the result. 00:31:38.559 --> 00:31:39.200 Interesting. 00:31:39.200 --> 00:31:43.839 Now I have incredible feedback, yay, instead of oh, see, you suck. 00:31:43.839 --> 00:31:52.079 So we're looking at this experimental mindset, lowers the stakes, and when we don't make it mean something about ourselves, it's just data. 00:31:52.079 --> 00:31:53.119 That's all. 00:31:53.119 --> 00:31:54.640 It's just data. 00:31:54.640 --> 00:32:03.200 So I love that you've brought this into like just a 90-day thing where you're looking

at it every 30 days, but you gave a really nice process. 00:32:03.200 --> 00:32:05.759 Um, this is so concise. 00:32:05.759 --> 00:32:09.599 Like a lot of a lot of entrepreneurs were like, okay, what do I got to do? 00:32:09.599 --> 00:32:10.319 How do I do it? 00:32:10.319 --> 00:32:18.480 And you just gave us all these incredible steps, the result of which is after 90 days, you're gonna have a strong sense of what to do moving forward. 00:32:18.480 --> 00:32:30.400 And it doesn't mean you can't start another 90-day experimental mindset, get feedback because you might not like you, you're gonna be looking at one system, one part of your business in this 90 days. 00:32:30.400 --> 00:32:34.079 It's a it's a it's a focus instead of I'm trying to fix everything. 00:32:34.079 --> 00:32:36.160 That that's exactly what doesn't work. 00:32:36.160 --> 00:32:37.519 Exactly what doesn't work. 00:32:37.519 --> 00:32:43.119 So, okay, I focused and I found, and maybe you even maybe it's for marketing, it's one platform. 00:32:43.119 --> 00:32:46.319 Maybe you're looking at one platform like I'm just gonna Instagram. 00:32:46.319 --> 00:32:52.640 This is a 90-day Instagram you know, experiment and see what happens, or 90-day SEO. 00:32:52.640 --> 00:33:02.480 I'm gonna keep tweaking my SEO and see what happens, or 90 days, I'm gonna focus on networking, or 90 days, I'm gonna focus on you know, conversations with people who already trust me. 00:33:02.480 --> 00:33:03.599 What am I gonna do? 00:33:03.599 --> 00:33:05.519 It's experimental, and you can just do these. 00:33:05.519 --> 00:33:10.720 And I love the idea of a a 90-day, a quarterly focus. 00:33:10.720 --> 00:33:11.920 I absolutely love that. 00:33:11.920 --> 00:33:13.039 I've done that for a long time. 00:33:13.039 --> 00:33:15.200 What's my what's my project for the quarter? 00:33:15.200 --> 00:33:23.359 It's it's not like a big never ending, you know, it's just like one thing, and then I can measure, and then at the end, I've got something that helps me. 00:33:23.359 --> 00:33:25.440 I can take that now and move it forward. 00:33:25.440 --> 00:33:26.720 Beautiful process. 00:33:26.720 --> 00:33:27.839 Thank you so much for sharing this. 00:33:27.839 --> 00:33:28.400 It's been great. 00:33:28.720 --> 00:33:29.200 My pleasure. 00:33:29.200 --> 00:33:31.039 Thank you for inviting me to share this. 00:33:31.200 --> 00:33:32.400 Oh, you are welcome. 00:33:32.400 --> 00:33:37.039 So I always like to ask my guests um about sharing a turtle step. 00:33:37.039 --> 00:33:44.160 So for the listeners, um, some podcast listeners will listen to a podcast and go, oh, yeah, that was so really great. 00:33:44.160 --> 00:33:46.160 And then they hit play on the next episode. 00:33:46.160 --> 00:33:48.559 Hopefully, conversation's worth your while episode. 00:33:48.559 --> 00:33:59.440 Um, but before they hit play, I'd like to give something that the listener will do, actually, really do instead of think about doing or

plan to do later. 00:33:59.440 --> 00:34:02.559 Like do right now, that is so small they'll actually do it. 00:34:02.559 --> 00:34:03.839 Like it has to be that small. 00:34:03.839 --> 00:34:05.279 So I call it a turtle step. 00:34:05.279 --> 00:34:10.239 The smallest step you'll actually take, because it's too, it's so small, it seems safe, it seems easy. 00:34:10.239 --> 00:34:12.239 Like I can't take one little turtle step. 00:34:12.239 --> 00:34:16.079 So, what might you say that is to move their business forward? 00:34:16.400 --> 00:34:19.199 I would say, and I love the idea of a turtle step. 00:34:19.199 --> 00:34:28.880 So, assuming this is someone who is an established business owner and has a little bit of history to look back on, I would start by creating that list. 00:34:28.880 --> 00:34:34.880 And you don't even worry about it being the last 10 clients, make it the last five clients. 00:34:34.880 --> 00:34:42.079 And do that, do that assess that uh that small assessment of where did they come from? 00:34:42.079 --> 00:34:52.079 I I tell you what, I did a post about this process on LinkedIn uh last month and I had a few people and I challenged people to to just create the list. 00:34:52.079 --> 00:35:03.760 And I had two people contact me privately to tell me that they they got business out of that exercise because it reminded them to contact some of the people on the list. 00:35:03.760 --> 00:35:07.599 So just taking that one step can make such a difference. 00:35:07.599 --> 00:35:09.519 So just start creating the list. 00:35:09.519 --> 00:35:10.239 Five names. 00:35:10.239 --> 00:35:12.159 Oh, fabulous. 00:35:13.199 --> 00:35:13.760 Fabulous. 00:35:13.760 --> 00:35:15.039 That's a great turtle step. 00:35:15.039 --> 00:35:16.400 Okay, awesome. 00:35:16.400 --> 00:35:29.280 Um, let's see if I have um a turtle step related to that would be if if your brain goes, yeah, but when Connie says, just write the last five clients, how they found you. 00:35:29.280 --> 00:35:46.800 Like um, if your mind goes, yeah, but um the turtle step is to recognize that you probably have some in inner resistance, which is a whole different um obstacle than I don't know what to do. 00:35:46.800 --> 00:35:50.239 Connie told you what to do, so clear, so concise. 00:35:50.239 --> 00:35:54.000 If you don't know what to do, so you do know what to do. 00:35:54.000 --> 00:36:08.079 If you're having a yeah, but if you're feeling resistance, recognize I'm feeling resistance because that what that does is it instead of like there's something wrong with me, I'll never be able to do it, you're like, oh, isn't that interesting? 00:36:08.079 --> 00:36:10.000 I'm feeling resistance to doing this. 00:36:10.000 --> 00:36:11.599 I wonder why. 00:36:11.599 --> 00:36:20.480 So it's it's important to understand the psychological that there are psychological barriers to doing the thing that we're here to do. 00:36:20.480 --> 00:36:27.599 And so it takes attention on both that mindset side and the activity side. 00:36:27.599 --> 00:36:34.000 And that, like especially, Connie, you've you shared how to simplify, how to focus, how to be consistent. 00:36:34.000 --> 00:36:45.360 Like those are the things that will move a business forward if you also work on the resistance and the obstacles that seem to keep getting in the way of doing those things. 00:36:45.360 --> 00:36:49.039 So that's why I say just recognize and give yourself some grace. 00:36:49.039 --> 00:36:55.360 Okay, I found some resistance, and that's okay because it's data, just like we were just talking about. 00:36:55.360 --> 00:36:56.159 This is data. 00:36:56.159 --> 00:36:57.360 I now have some information. 00:36:57.360 --> 00:36:58.559 I have resistance. 00:36:58.559 --> 00:37:01.599 If you have resistance, you can get a clarity chat with me. 00:37:01.599 --> 00:37:02.960 I'll help you move through the resistance. 00:37:02.960 --> 00:37:06.400 Then you call Connie and she helps you move through the steps. 00:37:06.400 --> 00:37:07.519 So perfect. 00:37:07.519 --> 00:37:11.519 Connie, this has been um such a wonderful, wonderful conversation. 00:37:11.519 --> 00:37:20.400 I I absolutely adore it and I know it's it's helpful for me, not just for um our audience, but like fabulous. 00:37:20.400 --> 00:37:23.440 So I know you have something that you want to share with our audience. 00:37:23.440 --> 00:37:25.920 I love when you have like a gift, like so. 00:37:25.920 --> 00:37:28.239 People are like, yes, I'm I I'm ready. 00:37:28.239 --> 00:37:29.119 I want to do this. 00:37:29.119 --> 00:37:30.559 So what do you have? 00:37:30.880 --> 00:37:35.199 Well, this goes back to what you said about loving 90-day processes. 00:37:35.199 --> 00:37:36.320 I do as well. 00:37:36.320 --> 00:37:42.159 So often when I'm yeah for myself, for my clients, we work in quarterly chunks. 00:37:42.159 --> 00:37:55.119 So I have uh a quarterly streamlining planner as a gift where a person can go through not only their marketing activities, but the other activities in their business as well. 00:37:55.119 --> 00:37:59.760 Uh, operations, finances, management of self, right? 00:37:59.760 --> 00:38:12.079 And do an assessment so they know those those small activities and those small steps that they can take in the upcoming quarter that all together will make such a more powerful business for them. 00:38:12.079 --> 00:38:16.239 So um it's a it's a an assessment and streamlining process. 00:38:16.239 --> 00:38:22.800 This is again a great time to take it as we're coming toward the end of the year to prepare for the first quarter of 2027. 00:38:23.440 --> 00:38:24.400 Oh, beautiful. 00:38:24.400 --> 00:38:26.000 Okay, so you gave me the link. 00:38:26.000 --> 00:38:30.079 So everyone, I'm gonna put the link to this in the show notes. 00:38:30.079 --> 00:38:35.760 And um it is uh what's it called, Connie? 00:38:35.760 --> 00:38:37.599 So they know what it's called. 00:38:38.719 --> 00:38:43.840 Uh I yeah, off the top of my head, the uh I'm drawing a blank on the exact middle of it. 00:38:44.000 --> 00:38:44.880 Oh, it's that oh I know. 00:38:44.880 --> 00:38:47.119 Oh, Streamline to Success Quarterly Planner. 00:38:47.119 --> 00:38:48.159 That's there we go. 00:38:48.159 --> 00:38:48.480 Thank you. 00:38:48.480 --> 00:38:50.559 Okay, so the quarterly planner. 00:38:50.559 --> 00:38:53.599 So I will put the link to that in the show notes today. 00:38:53.599 --> 00:38:56.880 Okay, perfect! Oh my gosh, well, that's our show. 00:38:56.880 --> 00:39:02.239 If today's conversation has you thinking about what's next for you, I'd love to explore that with you. 00:39:02.239 --> 00:39:08.159 You can visit lynabooker.com to learn about my coaching and book a complimentary clarity chat with me. 00:39:08.159 --> 00:39:13.519 And if you enjoyed today's episode, please like it and share it and subscribe so you don't miss what's next. 00:39:13.519 --> 00:39:16.800 Join me next week for another conversation worth your while. 00:39:16.800 --> 00:39:23.280 And until next time, make sure that you've made this conversation worth your while by fueling the spark that it ignited.