We live in a time where just about anyone can start their own business. There is no shortage of great business and marketing advice available, but starting and running a business is no small task. Creating a successful business requires more than a website or storefront with a product to sell; it requires a business owner’s mindset.
According to Tony Robbins, a world authority on leadership psychology, the chokehold on any business is always the psychology and skills of the owner. Psychological or inner conflicts amount to 80 percent of the challenges businesses face.
Here are four steps to creating a business owner’s mindset that will help you achieve greater success in your business.
1 – PROACTIVE MIND
- Owner Mindset vs Employee Mindset
- There is a huge difference between an employee mindset and an owner mindset. Employees are often paid to wait: they work for two weeks, and then they get paid. Business owners often get paid in advance: before doing the work. This means business owners must be willing to work hard with the reward already in hand.
- Waiting vs Making
- Employees are used to waiting for the boss’s decisions. They are not the decision makers, and have little control over new policies and employees. On the other hand, owners have to make things happen. There’s no waiting around; a decision must be made. So, if you are used to waiting to make decisions, you must change your mindset because there is no higher-up to make decisions for you.
- Commit and then Complete
- The great thing about being a business owner is that you can solve problems that as an employee might take three months, but as an owner could possibly be solved in a day (using the right strategy, of course). This is exciting as a business owner!
2 – DESTROYING THE EXCUSE MAKER
- I don’t know enough
- I am not a professional
- I won’t be able to really help
- I don’t like sales
- I’m bad at marketing
- I procrastinate
- I worry about the future
- I don’t like to network
These are all excuses that can stop you from moving forward and destroy your success. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses, so if you lack knowledge in a particular area, it is time to learn.
Learning new things can be scary, and can even cause you to feel anxious and uncertain, but this is the only way to achieve growth.
The business owner knows learning at the last minute matters. Mistakes happen and it’s important to tell yourself, “I did my best!”
Eventually what is difficult and uncertain will feel easy and practiced.
3 – UNDERSTANDING YOUR CUSTOMER
Pretend to be them, enter their mindset.
- What do they need from you in order to buy your product or service?
- Are they able to find you?
- Do you have a solution to their problem?
- Do you create connection and trust with your customers?
These are just a few of the questions that you need to ask yourself. As you think more deeply about these types of questions, you will find yourself able to more effectively grow your business and problem solve.
4 – BE A LIST KEEPER AND FOLLOWER
Any seemingly daunting task within your business can be broken down into smaller, more manageable tasks. Get good at creating lists, then executing them. The list below may not contain actions required for your particular business, but is intended to represent the proper mindset of a business owner. You should create your own action items.
Also, human nature says that halfway through, you’ll want to abandon your list and start something new. You need discipline to finish the list. The more you practice following through, the easier this will become.
Have a checklist with your business actions such as this example below:
- Client outreach sales
- Calls
- Interviews
- Emails
- Advertising
- Local
- Internet
- Word of Mouth
- Follow up
- Calls to previous clients
- Networking
- Community
- Events
- Online
A few more things to think about:
Some of the most important information you’ll get as a business owner is from the client that didn’t sign up or buy from you. Follow up with them and find out what they didn’t get from you, what needed to be provided for them, or what they needed more of. This will help you when another client with similar needs comes to you.
Some people are big picture thinkers: they are thinking about how their business is going to look 10-15 years from now, but they’re stuck on the “What do I do right now?” “What small steps do I need to take now to get started?”
Here is where the list technique again comes in handy. Think in terms of the small steps. Think, “What type of conversations do I need to have? “What kind of emotions – like uncertainty- do I need to get used to having?” “What do I need to expose myself to?” These questions will start to build your lists.
Make a list of three items and a timeline of when those actions will happen, be it a week, a month, whatever. Be accountable to finishing those actions in the amount of time you’ve allotted.
After you complete a list, allow yourself to celebrate or reward yourself for completing that list. At the very least, acknowledge that you finished it. This will make The next list easier to complete.
We live in a world of “shiny object syndrome”, so it’s easy to get distracted and find other things to do. You have to pay attention to your list. It will keep you on track when you’re feeling grumpy or uninspired.
Also, know where you go to hide when you’re feeling uninspired. Do you hide in Facebook or other social media for hours when you feel uninspired? Maybe you need to take a day off from social media, or a week off. Do you hide in some other way? What is your procrastination?
If you really need to take a break, go for a walk or listen to music that elevates your mood. Then, get back to work.
Creating a business owner’s mindset may take some time, but if you’re struggling in your business and you’re not sure how to fix it, check your business owner psychology. Creating a business owner’s mindset can be the difference between success and failure.
Remember, 80 percent of all chokeholds on a business are the psychology or inner conflicts of the owner.
If fear and anxiety is holding you back from taking your business or personal life to the next level, I’m offering a weekend retreat this September called From Pain to Empowered. This weekend retreat offers powerful classes designed to bring clarity, inner strength, and personal empowerment, as well as offering a variety of classes in yoga, meditation, breathing, and essential oils. This incredible retreat is located at a beautiful resort tucked away in the mountains of Midway, Utah.
For more information on From Pain to Empowered Retreat, visit my website at: www.kleinneponath.com.
