While my honey and I walked the quaint street of Cottonwood, along with several other couples, we peered into the windows of the many cute little shops and galleries lining the perimeter.
We would have liked to gone into the shops… but… get this…. THEY WERE CLOSED!!! Every shop except for one mineral shop (the owner was packing up and closing as we walked by) and one book store with nobody tending the store (I guess if you want to purchase a book, you leave your money on the counter???). So, essentially, all the shops and galleries were closed.
So let’s look at their HUGE mistake and see how we can learn what not to do…
Nicks, a very popular restaurant opens at 5:30 with a waiting line every day. People are waiting for thirty to sixty minutes with nothing to do. Many of these people are tourists (Cottonwood is near Sedona, a major tourist attraction) and when you’re on vacation, you’re happy and in the mood to spend money.
There’s a captive audience because there’s not much room inside Nick’s to wait. All the shops and galleries closed at 5:00…. right when the crowds are coming in looking for something to do and places to spend money. They’re not allowing all this potential income to come into their lives. They have shut and locked the doors.
Not only do I not want to believe what I see… I can’t believe what I hear…
I repeatedly hear store owners in Old Town Cottonwood complain they’re not getting enough business and they can’t pay bills. So, they close their doors and blame it on the economy, they blame it on the area, they blame it on others, they blame it on Walmart. The lesson here is running your business like a luke warm hobby does not create a thriving practice.
All of us, me included, periodically need a check up from the neck up….
Action Steps:
Get totally real with yourself (this is for you, nobody else sees it) …
If you were working for someone else right now (perhaps back in dreaded corporate) and showing up the way you are currently showing up in your own business, would you be fired? Would you be written up?
How about your attitude? How are you showing up? Would you have friends? Do you have an attitude of entitlement or “you owe me”?
Where in your business are you doing the minimum?
When are you making appointments then not keeping them?
Where are you not consistent?
Do you secretly want to be rescued?
Where do you let things go longer than they should?
Notice I said where and when. All of us slip and need to readjust from time to time.
Print out this check list, add your own (share what you add on in the comments below) and give yourself a check up quarterly.
Today, identify 3 places in your business can you step it up and show up bigger and better.
Make the changes and enjoy your rewards.
Extra bonus:
Here are 4 of the most common areas entrepreneurs sabotage themselves:
Not keeping track of your finances. You should know exactly how much money you have incoming and outgoing.
Not getting help. Being afraid to spend the money to hire a coach, an admin assistant, a bookkeeper, etc.
Arrogance. Telling yourself “I already know that. I can do it on my own”. Come on, nobody knows everything. If you want to get better results, you have to have help from someone who can see the potential for your business that you cannot see because you’re too close. Trying to coach yourself is like trying to give yourself a haircut…. it ain’t pretty!
Talking yourself out of getting help by saying “I’m not ready”. All the actions I’ve taken to boost my career and offer more to my clients have been before I knew how, before I knew what the final results would be, and before I felt ready. If you want things to happen, you have to get into motion. Want to do this together? Contact me and I’ll help you.
Please write your comments below – What is your favorite nugget you got from this, today? What are you most excited about implementing from this “Yes I Can With A Plan! Bright Ideas” edition?
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“Success mentor Lisa Long teaches alternative and holistic practitioners around the world how to start and grow a profitable business that make a positive impact. Get her FREE CD “How to Focus and Succeed in Record Time… Every Time at www.yesicanwithaplan.com”