That’s right, today I am going to share with you how I broke free and became the Enabled Entrepreneur. You can listen to this as a Podcast if you prefer, by following the link below.
Now we need to clear one myth up straightaway. All business owners or entrepreneurs are not born with the skills that they need to become successful, they have all learned them through their failures and crucially, learning not to repeat them. This also brings me nicely to the thing that all successful business owners and entrepreneurs share, their WHY, the reason they are doing what they do.
Fast forward to today:
“my business is all about using my expertise to ‘Enable those with Disabling Mindsets’ to transform their idea into a sustainable and profitable business and live life on their terms”
But let me share this truth with you. This didn’t happen overnight. I am telling you this because this is my WHY! I want to share my mistakes, so you don’t have to learn the hard way like I did.
LESSON 1
YOU must Analyse who YOU ARE. Have you ever tried to explain to somebody what you really want from life based on your true values and beliefs. Give it a go right now! It’s harder than it sounds isn’t it. Speaking from a position of hindsight, I wish I had done this before I left my well paid management post.
Now here’s a thing. Many people believe that this is just a matter of locking yourself away from everyone for a few hours with a sheet of paper and a pen or a laptop and just getting down your opinion as to who you are. Wrong! The one hard truth is that we (I include myself in this) are rubbish at looking in the mirror and accepting who we really are, warts and all. Be honest, here, if we don’t like what we see, we choose to erase it from our conscious thoughts and return it to the ‘never to be revealed’ space in our sub-conscious.
Trusted Advisor
YOU NEED a ‘Trusted Advisor’, someone who can ask YOU the questions. Someone who IS NOT EMOTIONALLY INVOLVED. So guess what, your Spouse or Partner or even your closest friend cannot help with this Analysis. Now for me this Mentor appeared relatively late in my journey as a business owner. In fact, it was approximately 3 years go. I had enrolled on a course of personal development around ‘Soft Skills’ and we had to pair up and do a Show & Tell about who we are. Now, those who already follow my Posts on a regular basis will have read the Blind Leading the Blind. If you haven’t here’s the link.
It was at this point that I had my lightbulb moment to what I now call The CATT Blueprint. Suffice it to say, it was about Congruence, Authenticity, Transparency and Trust. That is my WHY and my HOW and my WHAT! Do yourself a big favour and watch the short videos where I share how this can help you.
Note:
Analyse who YOU ARE before YOU leave a job. It will rapidly reduce the time it takes to get any business up and established.
LESSON 2
YOU MUST get serious about HOW YOU & YOUR FAMILY will survive in the early stages.
Far too many business start-ups fail because they run out of money to finance the business, but they get cold feet and start to look longingly at the life they said they hated. Its not just about the money, YOU MUST SELL YOUR IDEA to those closest to YOU first.
Let me be honest with YOU
Its no secret that my Family were not convinced in the early stages and they had good reason to be fearful. In my first twelve months in business I was spending more on marketing, going to Networking events, building a website, just getting myself out there and doing business with anyone who had a pulse and a cheque book. I had no credible plan. I seemed to flip from one thing one day to another thing the next day – I lacked FOCUS. In the early stages you will have those closest to you, give you the benefit of the doubt. But, their patience is like an elastic band. Pull it too far and it will snap!
And this was the point where another defining moment emerged.
It was far too late, any other sensible person had gone to bed and I was on Google. Looking for Religion or something that could enable me to salvage my dream, which was fast turning into a nightmare. I was watching a video about a guy in the States called Jim Horan, who was extolling the virtues of his easy to implement process to create a simple business plan. So, I thought spend a little, earn a lot. I purchased his book and started working on my One Page Business Plan. It helped me to FOCUS on what I SHOULD DO, rather than what I SHOULDN’T CONTINUE TO DO.
But, this process did not suit the many people with significant barriers that I helped. I adapted it and blended Emotional Intelligence into it and created an Ebook The One Page Business Results Map. Do yourself a favour and click the link here to get yours right now.
Note:
Please remember this before you take your next step:
“Fail to Plan Prepare to Fail”
Now if YOU really want to start planning how to break free, please click here to get started and very soon you’ll be answering all your questions with The Impressive Business Idea Generator.
I’ll see you on the other side
Chris Catt
Enabled Entrepreneur