Now What?® Coaching

Category: Life Lessons

Do You Have a Business or a Hobby?
Almost everyone seems to have entrepreneurial dreams these days.

With remote work becoming the norm, self-employment soaring, and the barrier to entry shrinking, more people are hanging their shingle, claiming to be open for business.

But just because it’s easier to start a business doesn’t mean it’s easy to find success. All too often, people underestimate the level of commitment it takes.

You can approach this one of two ways: as a hobbyist or as an actual business owner. You’re either taking this thing seriously or you’re not.

Are you sincere about building something lucrative and sustainable, or are you just dabbling in a non-committal way?

The answer may surprise you . . .

Because you can claim you’re in it to win, but if your results are showing otherwise, it’s time to get honest with yourself.

Here’s how to tell if your business is really more of a hobby —
1. You avoid talking to people. Rather than having a conversation with a potential client, you’d rather hide behind a website or steer clear of networking opportunities.
2. You don’t follow up. Instead of pursuing business, you leave it to luck.
3. You keep giving discounts. You’re so worried the prospect will say no (and you’ll have to go out and look for another one) that you won’t stand in your value.
4. You’re doing it all. Refusing to hire help, you remain chief cook and bottle washer.
5. You’re inconsistent. You try a little of this and a little of that, but you’re not sticking with anything long enough to make any meaningful progress.
Hobbies are great, but treating your business like a hobby is no way to reach your goals.

Here’s what to do instead —
1. Own it. Put your stake in the ground. Claim it and mean it: “I am a business owner.”
2. Make it clear. You need to get clear on your value, your offer, and your agreements.
3. Know your numbers. Reverse engineer your business to determine exactly what it takes to get the results you are targeting.
4. Identify your SS (your “Special Sauce”). What makes you unique? Know exactly how the value you offer is different from what everyone else is doing.
If you want to keep tinkering and tiddling around, be my guest. But if you want to own your business, make it work for you, and experience success, you’ll have to take a different approach.
October 29, 2023
Human Beings in the Time of War

I’m covering a touchy subject today – and I’m coming to you as a Jewish person.

Yes, I’m going there: war. Specifically, the Israeli and Hamas situation.

I’m not a religious person, but I was raised Jewish and identify as Jewish culturally. I believe Israel has a right to exist. That doesn’t mean I agree with all their policies and politics. However, blaming the people of Israel for what’s happening is like blaming the victims of 9/11 for what America does in the Middle East.

I do agree with what many are saying — that innocent people are caught in the storm, and that is tragic.

It dawned on me this week as we watched the atrocities happening of an anomaly of being human.

We teach our children on the playground not to hit or fight over things or bully others because it never leads to a positive outcome.

In the workplace, coworkers quibble and clash and butt heads — fighting for their spot, vying to get ahead — and we know this only causes more quibbling, clashing, and butting heads. We know cooler heads prevail.

But what happens to humanity in times of war?

War is grownups using children’s tactics on grownup problems.

I’m not making light of any of this, but I know we can do better. I invite you to do better. Focus on humanity.

Remember:
Everybody bleeds. Everybody hurts. Everybody loves.

Even if you and your loved ones are not in Israel or Gaza, you may be suffering from heartbreak. It’s painful to witness.

In times like this — when you feel like you can’t do anything at all — the best thing you can do is evolve. To contribute to an evolution away from hate and toward love.

As a person with white privilege, who is also part of a hated group (a Jew), I can see where people of color are coming from when they say that being quietly “not racist” is not enough.

Those of us who are hated need everyone (including ourselves) to stand up and face our own biases, including our unconscious biases whenever they arise.

How did you react to the news of war? Did you quietly feel like one side or the other “deserved it?” How do you feel about the people who are dying? Why?

What if someone came into your neighborhood and took your loved ones hostage, killed your children, raped, and pillaged? In Israel, Gaza, Ukraine, and countless other places around the world and throughout history, this has been a reality people face.

The onus is on all of us to evolve and grow and stand up and face our bias and to love — at home, in your community, at work, in your business, and everywhere you go.

Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.

October 22, 2023
Is it Time to Change Your M.O.?

We all have a certain m.o.

And if we let it, that m.o. runs the show.

Your modus operandi — or m.o. for short — is how you work. It’s the way you approach things, the manner in which you tackle a challenge, and the habits you carry out every day.

If it’s working for you, great. Keep doing what you do.

But if you ever hit a snag or you’re continuously hitting snags, and you think it might be time to start doing things a different way, you’re in luck.

Your m.o. is NOT set in stone.

That’s a good thing because you’ll need to adjust it to grow.

But how do you know if it’s time to change your m.o.?

I was coaching a group of leaders at one of my corporate clients recently, and they were preparing to head into a period of expected growth. Each of them was responsible for heading up a different area of the company, and they knew that things had to change. Operating at “business as usual” wasn’t going to sustain their expansion.

So they had to change their m.o.

Their operating systems needed an overhaul.

They had to figure out who would do what, where, why, and how. This required first getting crystal clear on their own role. Every individual needed to identify his/her most valuable contribution, delegate the rest, train their team members, and ensure everything would run smoothly at the next level.

They had to let go.

If you’re seeking growth in your business or career, chances are you need to change your m.o. too.

What’s your most essential contribution?
How can you focus on that?
What are you going to do to facilitate the necessary change?

Because for your business unit or private practice to grow, you have to let go.

For your skills, impact, and income to get to the next level, you have to let go.

If your current m.o. is keeping you stuck, it’s time for a change.

October 8, 2023
How to Stop Imposter Syndrome in Its Tracks
Do you ever feel like an imposter?

Are you sometimes afraid that someone’s going to discover you have no idea what you’re doing — that you’re not the expert you proclaim to be, you’re not as skilled as you’ve made yourself out to be, and you’re not quite qualified to be in the position you’ve found yourself in?

Maybe you’re worried that you don’t measure up somehow, so it makes you feel like you’re pretending to be someone you’re not.

Here’s what this looks like.

Them: We’d like to interview you [for a dream job]!
You: Maybe they didn’t notice I don’t have enough experience.

Them: Congratulations! We’d like to offer you the [dream] job.
You: I’ll surely be fired by Tuesday, once they figure out I’m a fraud.

Them: We’ve selected your proposal to speak at the next conference.
You: Oh no! I’m probably going to make a fool out of myself.

Them: I’m looking for a coach, and I’d love to work with you.
You: But what if I can’t help you get results, and you tell everyone I’m a con?

I’m not a doctor, but as a Master Certified Credentialed Coach with 30 years of experience, I can confidently assess what’s happening here.

Imposter Syndrome

Don’t worry; it’s not fatal to your career or success.

Most people struggle with it from time to time, and it’s entirely “treatable.”

If you feel like your Imposter Syndrome is flaring up, here’s what I suggest you do —
1. Pause and accept what’s happening. No sense in ignoring the symptoms. Denying it only makes things worse by trying to overcompensate.
2. Learn to recognize your triggers (comparisons, someone else’s recent success) and how you respond, so you can head it off at the pass. Before you go into a full-on panic, tell yourself, “This is just imposter syndrome flaring up again. Nothing alarming. You can do this.”
3. Notice your self-talk. As soon as you start beating yourself up, STOP. It may sound easier said than done, but you can tell yourself “no.” No more negative self-talk; you’re not listening.
4. Ask yourself what success looks like. Are you trying to measure up to a perfect ideal? Scratch that and aim for progress instead.
5. Keep learning. The best way to keep Imposter Syndrome at bay is to continue seeking out new knowledge and ways of doing things, evolving, and growing your skill set.
6. Celebrate wins! I can’t say enough about this. Remind your brain that you’re doing good things.
Do this again and again, every time Imposter Syndrome starts to creep up, and you’ll start experiencing it less and less.

Don’t get caught up in calling yourself an expert. Instead of thinking of yourself as someone who’s supposed to know everything, think of yourself as someone who makes it your business to learn everything you can about your particular topic of choice.

You’re not an imposter, so keep showing up as the best of who you are. You’ve got this!
October 1, 2023
Old Lessons Made New to Finish 2023 Strong

It’s hard to believe we’re already heading into the fourth quarter of 2023, but it’s coming right up.

So … how’s it going?

Would your September 2022 self be proud?
Are you on track to reach your goals?
Did you blow by your wildest expectations?
Have you made some wrong turns or hit detours?

No matter where you are now, you still have time to finish even stronger and better. You have time to focus on what you want to get done by the end of this year.

I’ve been thinking about this a lot this week. As you may know, not only am I a Master Certified Credentialed Coach, but I’m also an ordained interfaith minister, incorporating wisdom and inspiration from ancient traditions around the world, into my work and every day.

This past weekend was Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, followed by a 10-day period of Judaism’s High Holy Days, and this coming Sunday marks Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement or holiest day of the year.

It’s a time for reflection and renewal, introspection and connection.

A time for shedding the old and celebrating new beginnings — wishing family and friends a year filled with happiness, health, and prosperity.

As well as a time for thinking back over the past year, facing your missteps, asking forgiveness, and considering how you may become a better person in the year ahead.

Whether you take part in these customs or not, you can consider this a reminder that life is full of opportunities to begin again and move forward with renewed energy.

This weekend also marks the official first day of fall. Just like the trees shed leaves, what do you want to let go of? What do you want to make room for?

If you haven’t done it by now, maybe you didn’t really want to — so dump it!

Or forgive yourself for putting it off this long — and get to it!

Whatever you’re looking to accomplish in your career or business, the year’s not over yet. Celebrate how far you’ve come, make peace with your setbacks, and reawaken your drive to succeed.

September 24, 2023
The Power of Pumpkin Spice
Fall is just around the corner again, and you know what that means — it’s pumpkin spice season!

I know … you’re either rolling your eyes, giddy with excitement, or couldn’t care less. But stick with me here, because we should all be paying attention.

Love it or hate it, there’s no denying the POWER of pumpkin spice.

I kid you not — studies have found that Americans are spending over half a BILLION dollars on pumpkin spice stuff every year. Buying up everything from Starbucks lattes to scented trash bags, industry insiders call it the “pumpkin spice economy.”

Sure, it may seem like things have gotten out of hand, and seeing the hype start in mid-August is a pet peeve of mine. Personally, I’m a fan of pumpkin spice, and I’m an even bigger fan of pumpkin spice as a marketing phenomenon.

Marketers have NAILED this. Here’s how —
1. 1. Building anticipation: Those of us who are fans of the rich, fragrant flavor and scent crave our first annual sip or whiff.
  2. Creating emotional connection: It’s become interwoven with the coziness of the season, like a warm sweater, crackling fires, and family holiday gatherings.
  3. Making a limited-time offer: Not being able to order it year-round makes it special. Consumers hurry to buy while they can, as much as they can.
  4. Establishing consistency: We know this thing is coming down the pike every year and have come to rely on it.
How can you translate these lessons into your business or career?

Anticipation: Talk about what you’re brewing up; create intrigue. Developing a new program? Offer hints along the way. Working on an exciting project? Let others know you can’t wait to share. Before long, people will be on the lookout for whatever you have going on and want in on it.

Emotional connection: Make sure people associate your work with something deeper than a commodity. You don’t just offer accounting services, but peace of mind. Not just coaching, but clarity and inspiration.

Limited access: Scarcity encourages people to take action. Offer a limited number of one-on-one coaching opportunities. Focus on projects that make the greatest impact rather than spreading yourself thin.

Consistency: Let people know what to expect from you, so they can look forward to your upcoming podcast episode, newsletter, program launch, or presentation at the next industry conference — and depend on you showing up.

I’d love to know how you’re going to spice things up this fall. Hit reply and share.
September 17, 2023