Written by: Abigail Tiefenthaler, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Most of us have the ability to have a healthy, consistent, and thriving business yet for so many it eludes us.
Why?
We can’t get out of our own way!
It’s sad but true, success is 90% mental and 10% ability. Okay, maybe those aren’t the actual numbers but look at any successful business owner and they will tell you that however they got there, they did it because they thought they could. Not necessarily because they knew how.
Even with a degree in Entrepreneurship, the ability to create a successful business takes confidence, courage, and commitment. The success path is often learned as you go based on an experience’s success or failure. The methodology gets refined as you move forward. The efficiencies become clearer as you build momentum.
After “belief” you must “apply.” And that’s the hard part. Not just for the procrastinators out there but for everyone else who questions something about their ability, their direction, and their fortitude. And here’s the thing. You can apply without even knowing why you’re doing what you’re doing. When you’re firing rounds in the dark without a target what usually happens? Nothing. And this can validate any limiting belief you have as well because you’re doing right! If you’re doing something should be happening. And we forget that nothing is something.
So here are some beliefs that can stop you from getting where you want to go. From realizing that dream of being a successful entrepreneur. From feeling like you’ve realized your purpose.
Are any of these beliefs challenging your success?
You want success but don’t really understand what’s needed to make it happen. Most successful entrepreneurs will tell you that they didn’t have all the pieces when they started, they simply started and knew they’d figure it out as they went along. Some did it through trial and error. Some hired help. But they knew they didn’t know everything and learned as they tried. Here’s the key. They tried. They suspended judgment. And they learned. What did you learn from your past failure? Can you identify what parts worked and what didn’t? Do you have an idea of why it didn’t work? Entrepreneurship is all about finding what works for you, your business, and your clients. All you need to know to start is, “Where do I want to go,” “Where am I now,” and “What do I think I need to bridge that gap?” Once you can clearly answer these questions, you have a direction to move forward. Until then, you will struggle.
You bring a W2 mindset to entrepreneurship. A lot of recovering corporate employees don’t understand how their day-to-day activities will change once they become an entrepreneur. And this lack of knowledge keeps them in a W2 mindset which will sabotage their success faster than any negative thinking. When you’re getting started with your own business you don’t want to keep track of time because most entrepreneurs will tell you they live, eat, and breathe their business. Especially in the beginning. It’s on their mind all the time because they’re looking to get better, do better and deliver better services with each client. And being an entrepreneur is risky. Very risky. There is no safety net. There is no manual. Everything is established by the business owner. Everything is done by the business owner. Everything starts and stops with the business owner. There is no up or down on the corporate ladder. A W2 mindset has you assuming and thinking that others will pick up the pieces you don’t even know exist. That doesn’t happen when you’re an entrepreneur. You’re the piece picker-upper. You’re the creator, implementer, and analyzer. Everything starts and stops with you. Can you find your way? Of course, but it takes time. And help, if you’re smart enough to ask for it. So, where do you need help to address challenges and fill gaps?
You believe you can correctly self-diagnose and don’t need help solving your challenges. Ah, the biggest problem of all. Bringing a knife to a gunfight. If you don’t really know what you need how are you supposed to get it? Too many of us think we know what we need when we don’t. Especially recovering corporate workers. They’ve spent years at conference tables working with various departments but have no clue what happens when the manager leaves the table and heads back to their office and their team. When we self-diagnose, we rob ourselves of the ability to truly understand not only the problem at hand but the bigger problem that lurks beneath the surface. And we need to understand that root cause because if we don’t, we will repeat the same mistake over and over and over again. Here’s the truth. We can only see what we can see. The reason we get outside help is so we have access to a wider range of critical thinking skills. We hire resources because we will have a wider range of skilled abilities. We will have more options. More solutions to consider. Self-diagnosing keeps us spinning our wheels or stuck in mud for days, weeks, or even months. Unfortunately, we’ve had people come work with us after years of trying to figure it out on their own. Very, very, very few people can get it right in today’s business world without some help. Where do you think your business would benefit from outside help?
You won’t invest $10K for help but you will invest $2K multiple times. This truism has always confused me. You won’t invest but you’ll dabble in support. You’ll buy a $2K program that you think will address your immediate challenge (again with the self-diagnosing), but you are not ready to fully commit with a $5K or $10K level solution. So, what happens? You have to keep buying the $2K programs because you didn’t get what you needed the 1st, 2nd or 3rd time which means you are actually spending more. More time. And usually more frustration. And maybe even deciding that whatever it is you wanted to do isn’t worth the time, money, and effort. Is this true all the time? Of course not, but I’ve met too many people who look at the price tag of investment and believe they can get the same support, content, and access cheaper. It usually doesn’t work that way. You get what you pay for.
You buy courses and coaching services without really understanding what’s included. Most people hear what they want to hear and see what they want to see. There’s a reason why it’s said that people buy with emotion and rationalize their purchase with fact. We get caught up in the moment. We hear or see one thing and develop a false sense of trust believing, “Ah, they get me, and this is exactly what I need!” (Again, with the self-diagnosing.) With coaching services especially, people will buy some programs because of the bonuses. It’s critical to know how you learn. How you apply. And what you need from the support you are buying. Some people can work through templates and videos. Others need more eyes on their business. Others need more community, so they don’t feel they’re the only one feeling something. You need to know what’s included with your purchases.
Ask questions. And listen to the answers. When you’re buying a program or service, you’re buying into someone else’s success believing it can be yours too. There’s nothing wrong with this assuming,
1. that the coach’s success was recent enough that their methods sill work, and
2. that you want what they have and are willing to do the work, invest the time and the money to make it happen. One thing I’ve seen repeatedly is that a lot of people buy solutions out of order and as a result, don’t complete them. This gets back into the self-diagnosing dilemma. If you don’t know what you really need, chances are you will try to solve the wrong problem with the wrong solution.
You think you have to know how to do it all to make sure the resources you hire know what they’re doing. This is one of the most fatal beliefs because it keeps you in a place where you are almost always working from a point of weakness. Let’s be real, if you were great at accounting you’d probably be an accountant. If you were great at marketing, you’d be a marketer. Instead, you’re a coach, consultant, or maker of some unique service or product. Or, you’ve found a better way to deliver something. When we focus on all the pieces that go into having a thriving business it is literally impossible to understand, know and do it all well. And, you shouldn’t have to. Remember the saying, “Surround yourself with people smarter than you are?” In this case, it refers to a lot of operational tasks that entrepreneurship requires. STOP spending your time trying to learn things that are always changing, like marketing and tax law. And remember, we hire these experts because things do change frequently and quickly. When you’re focusing on your zone of genius you stay in a higher state of excitement and expectation. When you’re working in areas that are not your zone of genius it drains you of energy and creates frustration. STOP. Just STOP. Find experts and hire resources that geek out on their area of the specialties you need. Ask questions. Then listen to them. Then hire them.
Remember, these are just beliefs. I get that they’re your beliefs, but beliefs create your thoughts, and your thoughts create your actions. Your beliefs can be changed and adapted to new situations. And, when you’re an entrepreneur, new situations arise on a daily basis.
Be prepared. Because you can do this!
To your success!
Abigail Tiefenthaler,Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Abigail Tiefenthaler, known as the “Launch and Leverage Strategist,” is the Co-Founder of Savvy Sales Strategy, a marketing and sales agency that works with professional coaches, speakers, and consultants who are ready to minimize start-up struggles, leverage their expertise, and get online clients consistently, so they can spend more time doing what they love, in both business and life.
With over a decade in the fast-paced corporate world of advertising, Abigail honed her strategic branding and marketing skills, working with prestigious clients such as Mrs. Smith’s, AT&T, Hershey Foods, and Kodak. Through these experiences, she learned that a hospitality approach created connections between companies and clients and that team member working in their zone of genius translated to more efficient and effective results.
Abigail has a deep respect for business fundamentals and how the development and implementation of those are critical for a successful business. As the Owner of Sunshine Promotions, a company she started in 1997, she applied these, enabling her to hit the one-million-dollar revenue mark at the end of her second year in operation. Today, she is passionate about helping business owners create a solid foundation to support their biggest dreams.
In 2019, after several years of working together through their individual businesses, Abigail partnered with Tami Crea and founded Savvy Sales Strategy, an agency that closes the loop between marketing and sales and moves coaches, speakers, and consultants into the six and seven-figure revenue arenas through brand strategy, messaging, and a pathway to create revenue and results, her clients say her practical, no-nonsense approach provides them with clarity on what they want to do and why they want to do it, shifting them from being practitioners of their expertise to a powerhouse professional and ultimately, fully stepping into the role of bona fide Business Owner.
When not working, Abigail loves traveling and renovating homes. She can be reached at abigail@savvysalesstrategy.com or 954-804-9413
