A’Ron Burns got the idea for Roll-N-Sweetz from working at a similar store downtown. He targeted North Omaha for his first store because he wanted to support his community.

Meet a rare breed: the brilliantly sharp minds who dodge the overthinking trap. Intelligence isn’t just about acing tests; it’s about gliding through life with clarity, dodging the pitfalls of endless “what ifs” and “should haves.” These folks? They’ve got a knack for it. And I’m about to share with you the 10 behaviors that … Continue reading "People who are really intelligent but never overthink usually display these 10 specific behaviors"

Seconded employees—employees temporarily assigned to a different role, organization, or department—choose more innovative ideas and influence permanent staff to do the same, finds new research from ESMT Berlin.

100+ Best Tools with Complete Information, Real User Reviews, and In-Depth Details that you Need to Pick a Tool. Get Hand-Picked Tools for your Online Business Growth.

How do you develop a strong entrepreneurial mindset, no matter what? Good question. The most successful entrepreneurs don’t just use a great business model or the right marketing strategies. They also work on shifting beliefs that are holding them back. And today, you’ll learn 23 actionable mindset traits of successful entrepreneurs so that you can build a thriving business. Want to learn more? Let’s dive right in. What is an entrepreneurial mindset? 23 successful entrepreneurial mindset strategies What is an entrepreneurial mindset? In the corporate world, you need to get it all “perfect.” That’s not how it works in the entrepreneurial world. As an entrepreneur, you need an entirely different approach to building beliefs, resilience, and motivation to achieve entrepreneurial success. The thing is: Business failure often comes down to the lack of an entrepreneurial mindset. Here’s how you can adopt entrepreneurial thinking and adopt an entrepreneurial mindset. Why is an entrepreneurial mindset important? The key to a successful business? The right mindset. If you can't overcome challenges, solve problems, and become action oriented, you won’t come far. But if you drop the negative beliefs that are keeping you stuck, can bounce back from rejections and obstacles, and trust that the successes you’ve seen others enjoy are possible for you as well, you are much closer to growing a successful small business and "making" it as an entrepreneur. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkYocV23ThE Take it from a girl from a small town in Texas, who grew up in a typical middle-class family, and was considered “average” for most of her childhood. The reason I was able to break out of the life that I was originally destined for was because I decided that I could be more than what had been planned for me. Ultimately, this led me to replace my 9-to-5 in just 4 months, before I left my job. And my business continues to grow, year after year. The best part? Everyone can cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset. How do you develop an entrepreneurial mindset? Mindset is essentially the inner game, your beliefs and thoughts, that shape your thought processes. Your mindset is affected by various factors -- your background, upbringing, friends, family, partners, culture… But while you, like me, might not have a typical “entrepreneurial” background, you can change your mindset. It’s true. As research shows, we all have a negativity bias. This means that your brain focuses more on the negative than the positive. But you can instead adopt a positive attitude. This just goes to show that your mindset is flexible. Science also shows that intelligence and how you approach intelligence (and that way, success) depends on your mindset. With a growth mindset, you see intelligence as expandable. Someone with a fixed mindset can change to a growth mindset–and this tends to improve their results. It comes down to shifting those beliefs that aren’t serving you and replacing them with good beliefs. In fact, the smartest person won't succeed unless they work on their confidence, problem solving, critical thinking–all those things that make up your entrepreneurial mindset as a business owner. Here below, we’ll look at 23 such mindset shifts you can make to improve your entrepreneurial thinking. 23 successful entrepreneurial mindset strategies How do you improve your entrepreneurial mindset? These are 23 strategies I’ve used and/or I’ve helped my clients use. Time and time again, I see how they help people adopt a different perspective and go from employee to entrepreneur, get their first clients, and grow businesses that allow them the freedom and impact they’re working towards. One of my students shares their results. 1. Shift from numbers to actions Do you ever think things like “I need to make this much money to succeed"? There’s a time and place for this type of thinking, but in the beginning it just serves to overwhelm you. Instead, focus on getting one client at a time. Think: “Where can I connect with one person?” and “Who would get great value from working with me?” This is what I did in my first online business and all the way to my first six figures. I networked, went into Facebook groups, and posted a bit on LinkedIn. I used whatever platform I thought my audience was on. It was a much more doable and enjoyable process — and it ensured that I didn’t get frustrated because my goal seemed so far off. 2. Stop comparing yourself to others Do you compare yourself to people who are further ahead? What many don’t realize is this: You're not competing with those people. It's usually pretty hard to connect with someone who is really established. For example, you probably won't get Warren Buffet as your financial consultant–and you don't want to. After all, he makes billions. His advise wouldn't be applicable to your situation. Similarly, people with huge audiences or thousands of customers tend to be more detached from their day-to-day business and customers can’t expect that much personal support. When you’re just starting out, you’re able to give that support. And that’s how you stand out from the crowd, even when others seem to be much further ahead. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8q5U2m-6yHc 3. Set goals that you can believe in A excerpt from my journal: “I want to make $30,000 by the end of this month.” Now, there’s nothing wrong with this goal on its own. But I wrote this back when I hadn’t yet made a single dollar in my business. After two years of trying. A few years later, I did reach my goal. But my initial goal was always doomed to fail. The same applies to aspiring entrepreneurs who haven’t made a single sale yet and who come to me and say, “I want to make six figures in four months, just like you did.” That's not to say your goal can't be ambitious. But focus on one that isn't unattainable. Want to Build a 6-Figure Coaching Business So You Can Achieve More Freedom? Get Instant Access To My FREE Ultimate Guide Below! GET INSTANT ACCESS When you sign up, you’ll also receive regular updates on building a successful online business. 4. Stop saying “should” Before I started my first online business, a digital advertising consultancy, I worked in the digital advertising space as a manager with a 6-figure salary. I was directly advising chief marketing officers at various established corporations. So I went looking for clients, thinking, “I know what I’m talking about. It’s going to be a steal to work with me!" But the problem was... I didn’t have any social presence or “proof” that I could run a business doing what I did. It was only after I had gotten my first clients and testimonials that I started seeing that momentum. If you’re thinking... “It should be easier for me…” “I should be further ahead…” “It shouldn’t be so hard…” Stop! Instead, accept responsibility for your progress and work on getting that first, second, and third client to build up that online reputation and business. 5. See your business as an infinite process This one is about feeling like you're behind. This is one of the most harmful ways of thinking and it WILL keep you stuck. You see, your business is an infinite process. Double down on the things that you can immediately focus on: “Where am I right now in my business?” “What do I need to focus on next?” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhhaIpmO1-s&t= 6. Always know what you’re working towards Imagine your dream life and scenario. Where do you wake up in the morning? How do you feel? What’s the first thing you do? Where are you? What does the rest of your day look like? Where you are right now is a result of your past decisions. Where you’ll be in the future is a result of what you’re doing now. By knowing what you’re working towards and being in control of your decisions, you get closer to your end goal. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuPIHyN_uYg&t= 7. Maintain beliefs that serve you It’s very hard to have something if you don’t actually believe you can have it. You might tell yourself you're not cut out for entrepreneurship... That you're not worth the money... Or that you don't deserve success... Ultimately, what you believe is your reality. This mindset shift is all about creating your own reality with new beliefs. A belief (“I can make $10,000 in my business every month”) might not seem realistic right now, but by building it up slowly (“I can get one client”), you create your new beliefs. 8. Consistently exercise your mindset Your mindset is like a muscle. And just like muscles, it needs some exercise. That’s why you should exercise it with a daily mindset routine. It doesn’t have to be a time-consuming routine, 30 minutes/day is plenty of time. I keep a morning mindset routine, which involves things like journaling. Watch this quick video to learn more about what it looks like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCXYyEek8qk&t= 9. Set intentions for every day Decide what you want to accomplish to zero in on those things–every morning. However, I’m not talking about some vague goals. Instead, be specific about your daily intentions. For years, I tried to make it a habit to go to the gym. But even when I got myself there, I had no clue what to do. So I’d walk for a while on the treadmill, do a few squats, and call it a day. I didn't know how to even have a good workout. So it didn’t matter how motivated I was! (Not to mention how un-motivating it was not knowing what to do.) Same thing for my business. It wasn’t until I literally broke it down into… Monday: Spend 15 minutes on A. Spend 15 minutes on B. Tuesday: Spend 15 minutes on B. Spend 15 minutes on C. …that I started seeing results. 10. Cultivate a success mindset How do you cultivate a success mindset? Thinking “I’m building a 6-figure business” or “I’m going to have the freedom to travel wherever I want” when you’re just starting out feels way too far off. But small wins feel much more attainable. Goals like talking to one potential client who might be interested in working with you or getting one comment/like/response to your social media post. And as success feeds success, those small wins snowball. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zulakiQ-kGE 11. Focus on the things you can control So often, new entrepreneurs will say things like: “I’ve tried this and that, but I haven’t gotten any clients yet. I feel so discouraged.” My answer? Yes, you will feel discouraged if you base your motivation on external factors. Instead, focus on the actions you’re taking now (how many times have you shared your offer, connected with people, shared a social media post…). In other words, things you CAN control. 12. Become self-motivated by default Maybe you’ve heard this advice before: If you want to motivate yourself to work out in the morning, you should lay out your clothes the night before you go to sleep. All you have to do when you wake up is get out of bed, put on your workout clothes, and go workout. Apply the same to your business. Do a little bit (not too much) every day so that it becomes a habit for you. And do it in a way that works for you. For me, when I started my business, I tried waking up early in the morning but that just made me sleepy and I didn’t get any work done. Because I’m a night owl, I decided to work in the evenings instead. I came home, relaxed for a bit, ate dinner, and then made myself comfortable on my cozy, grey couch and worked for at least 30 minutes every day. This is what my couch looked like. So comfy! 13. Stop doing things out of fear Early on in my business, I made hiring mistakes because I was driven by fear. For example, I spent a lot of money on copywriters. Why? I thought I had to hire professional writers to write my website and marketing content if I wanted to sell anything. After spending all this money, I realized that I could do it myself–and often even better than the copywriters because no one knows my business like I do. Nothing ever worked out when I did it out of fear. And I see many of my clients do this as well. They hire Facebook ads managers or funnel experts to help them. While there’s a time and place for those things, your motivation to hire someone shouldn’t be based on fear. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7Ckwbh3-sY&t 14. Work on your money mindset I grew up in a very standard, middle-class family. My father supported all four of us on his salary (which wasn’t that high). As a result, my parents were really frugal. So, when I started my business, I didn’t know how to handle my money. In my first year of this business, I crossed seven figures in sales. And let’s just say… I had a party. I threw money at designer clothes, an expensive apartment in New York (New York is pricey to begin with), and I even trained at the same celebrity gym as JLo. The reason I splurged so much was that I didn’t have the money mindset to hold on to my money. I made a lot of mistakes–and I learned an invaluable lesson. To build a business, you need to be ready to keep your money. And you need to have the mindset to make more money. If you’re struggling with getting clients or building a consistent business, your money mindset might be a huge part of it. 15. Show up consistently The people who build their businesses the fastest share one trait: They show up and do the work every day. Even if they’re tired or don’t feel like it. When I started my business, I worked in a tech startup in New York. My six-figure role was highly stressful and I was managing a team and millions of dollars in advertising budgets. I would come home tired every day. All I felt like doing was watching Netflix and sleeping. But every night, I sat down to do the work. This consistency led me to grow a six-figure business. The thing is: Consistency is the only way you will be able to start a business. 16. Reframe failure When most entrepreneurs fail, they tend to see that failure as an end destination. They think, “I failed, so this will never work.” But failure and making mistakes is just a bump in the road–and an important part of entrepreneurship. In fact, the best entrepreneurs have probably failed more than anyone else. A few of my own “stepping stones:” Tens of thousands of dollars waste and many many many posts where I got zero likes and comments. A good example of one of my earlier social media posts that pretty much flopped. Instead of wallowing in failure and letting it keep you stuck, prepare for it. What will you do when you fail (and you will fail)? Find an answer to that and move on. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8GjThoCRvA 17. Shift your fear of success The fear of success is real. I’ve had countless clients say things like, “I’m afraid of getting a client, because what if I get too many clients to handle while working my job?” That’s when I tell them: “Focus on what’s ahead of you right now. Once you’ve worked with a number of clients you’ll be much faster at working with them, you’ll have processes, maybe you’ve even quit your job at this point.” Or people will be afraid of who they will be or what their life will look like once they’re successful. I used to have this fear too. I grew up believing, “Money is evil.” So of course I thought that people who have money are bad people (and not someone I wanted to be like). I had to reframe this belief to keep it from blocking my progress. If you identify these types of fears in yourself, write them down. Let’s take the first example: “I’m afraid of getting more clients because I can’t handle them.” Write down the answer to this question: “How many clients can I handle while in my job?” Maybe it’s 5, maybe it’s 10. Focus first on the first step (getting ONE client) and worry about the rest later. Because once you get there, you have so many options. You might leave your job. You might not take on more clients. Or you shift into a part-time position or become a contractor for your company. Want to Build a 6-Figure Coaching Business So You Can Achieve More Freedom? Get Instant Access To My FREE Ultimate Guide Below! GET INSTANT ACCESS When you sign up, you’ll also receive regular updates on building a successful online business. 18. Detach yourself from rejection As an entrepreneur, you need to get over this fear. Here’s the thing: When someone rejects you, it’s not about you. If someone says they don’t want to work with you, it might be that they’re not ready. Or they have their own things to work through. Rejection is just part of the process. I even get rejected these days–with a 7-figure business and an established brand. Here's just on example when I reached out to a podcast. And in my first online business, I got 30 “no’s” in a row. People even told me they couldn’t work with me because I looked like I was 12… That’s how bad it was. But instead of getting discouraged, I analyzed how I could improve. And soon enough, I had my first “yes” -- my first client who paid me $5,000. Don’t get stuck in rejection because you WILL get rejected. Cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset is all about taking responsibility for your own company and going through those “no’s” to get to your “yes.” 19. Trust yourself As an entrepreneur, people will judge you. Your co-workers, family, friends… I still get judged to this day. People comment on my ads, emails, YouTube videos, blog posts… And those comments aren’t always that nice. Instead of giving into self doubt, think: If you come from a place of integrity, that’s on them. 20. Become obsessed One of my best clients is a fully-booked coach. A while back, I noticed her doing something very smart. She was liking my responses to every question I answered in my mastermind group, as well as her responses to every livestream, Instagram post, and email I’ve shared over the last few months. In other words, she’s obsessively studying everything I have to teach and absorbing it to make her own. (Not copying, but understanding the underlying concept and using that for her own business, which is in a completely different industry.) I do it, too, when I’m learning something new. Like when I made the decision to commit to Instagram. ...I studied what accounts that I enjoyed were doing (like Kim Kardashian’s, Anastasia Brow Bar’s, and JLo’s). ...I Googled different Instagram palettes and themes. And played with my own filters and colors. ...I studied influencers who’d gone viral on Instagram to learn their tips for growing an audience. And I started testing everything I learned for myself. This kind of obsession is what helped me cross 7-figures in revenue so quickly. I was obsessed with growing my own coaching skills, my products, overdelivering, my clients, my systems...every part of my business. 21. Look backwards There’s this story about two rock climbers who are climbing the same mountain. When they’re halfway up the mountain, one of them looks up and thinks, “I can’t do it. The top is still too far away.” He feels exhausted and overwhelmed and stops climbing. The other one looks down. He thinks, “Wow, I’ve come so far!” Energized, he climbs to the top. It’s the same for entrepreneurs who want to reach their goals. Successful entrepreneurs celebrate their wins based on where they are right now. Someone who signs a $1,500 client might think, “Why am I not at $10k already?” But successful entrepreneurs celebrate what they achieve now and think, “Look how far I’ve come!” 22. Take fast action Something I see in my online groups is this: Someone might ask, “I haven’t gotten any clients yet. What should I do?” Our community supports them and gives them the advice they need. If we check in on them a few weeks later, they still won’t have implemented the advice. But our most successful students? They will get back to us in a few days and by that time, they’ve implemented all our advice. Too often, people think, “Is this the best use of my time?” or “What if I look stupid?” Instead of dwelling on those beliefs, successful entrepreneurs take immediate and continuous action. 23. Think: How can I make this work for me? Last, but not least: You might keep yourself stuck by thinking, “Will this work for me?” Instead, think: “How can I make this work for me?” For example, I’ll often see new entrepreneurs say things like, “I haven’t gotten any sales yet. Building a business feels impossible!” But if they made it work for them, they could take alternative steps, like asking their network for referrals, writing a guest post, or pitching a podcast. By problem solving and tailoring advice you get to your situation, you’ll succeed no matter what. Want to Build a 6-Figure Coaching Business So You Can Achieve More Freedom? Get Instant Access To My FREE Ultimate Guide Below! GET INSTANT ACCESS When you sign up, you’ll also receive regular updates on building a successful online business. Over to you! There you have it. Now you know what it takes to develop an entrepreneurial mindset. I’d love to know: What’s the #1 entrepreneur mindset you want to work on? Let me know in the comments below.

Entrepreneur depuis presque 3 ans, c’est peu pour certains mais lorsque je me revois au tout début de l’aventure, je me rends compte à quel point j’ai grandi non seulement dans mon entreprise mais aussi dans la façon que j’ai de la gérer. Des erreurs, des choses que j’aurais aimé savoir à l’époque, j’en ai […]

Musk is right: Managers have become alarmingly distanced from average workers. They should be able to do the same work as the employees they manage.

In nine experiments involving some 2,600 participants in the U.S., U.K., and Singapore, participants responded positively to bragging bosses.

What is entrepreneurship? This is a question that interests many people. The concept of entrepreneurship is closely associated with innovation and attracting investment.

It's tough being a CEO. Robinhood's Vlad Tenev averages four hours of sleep a night. Apple's Tim Cook wakes as early as 5 a.m.

Newly profitable Coupang, which serves customers in South Korea and Taiwan, joins the Fortune 500 list at No. 195.

No entrepreneur had a smooth business journey. Looking at their success, there might be a question in your minds that how to be a successful entrepreneur?

Watching entrepreneurs' luxury lifestyle obviously attracts everyone, and their easy to follow tips seem very practical.

You don't need to be a financial wizard to succeed as a business owner. Here are 6 secrets from some of today's top entrepreneurs on how you can master financial management.

Creative entrepreneurs are a breed of their own. Having a creative idea is just the start of the journey towards being a creative entrepreneur. The idea of being able to do something that you love and make it profitable is extremely tempting and it can be very rewarding. This is what draws many pe

Get inspired now! I have compiled a list of 7 best podcasts for aspiring entrepreneurs. Listen to these podcasts and learn more about entrepreneurship.

The Enterprise World is the Best Business Magazine for Entrepreneurs and Business Leaders. Cover Story | Video Interviews | Business Stories.

A’Ron Burns got the idea for Roll-N-Sweetz from working at a similar store downtown. He targeted North Omaha for his first store because he wanted to support his community.

Want to become a successful entrepreneur, but dont know where ti start? Use these 12 Habits to become a more successful entrepreneur.

These books provide you with practical tips on hiring and communicating with your first employee.

Steve Jobs' former intern is now a tech CEO who sold his company to Google. He attributes much of his success to his time working at NeXT.

Larry Page turned 51 on Tuesday, and Fortune looked back at the philosophy behind the centibillionaire’s brainchild.

Cette semaine sur le podcast, je te liste donc 5 choses que tu fais peut-être et qui envoient les signes de l’amateurisme à ton public et collaborateurs.

Top business leaders often spend five hours per week doing deliberate learning.

Pixie Curtis could be set for life before she even finishes high school thanks to the widely successful accessory and toy businesses that she started with her mom in Sydney, Australia.

Gather's president and founder has three things for business owners to consider as they adjust to a permanently altered workplace.

Comment trouver ses premiers clients ? La question de toute entrepreneure. Ici, je te dévoile mes astuces, des prérequis à la pratique.

To become a successful entrepreneur , you need passion, perseverance and marketing skills to establish yourself in the long run.

Découvrez dans cet article mes meilleurs conseils pour réussir en tant qu'entrepreneur grâce à un meilleur mindset !

Want to know if YOU have what it takes to become an entrepreneur? I've helped 1000s of students start their own businesses. Many of them have gone on to quit their 9-5 and make a full-time income from their businesses. Today, I share those strategies with you. With them, you learn how to build a profitable business as fast as possible. The results you can get include results like this: Want to learn how to build your own business? Read on! You'll learn... What is entrepreneurship? How to choose a business model How to build your business in two steps The best way to grow a profitable business How to go full-time with your business and continue growing it Chapter 1: What is entrepreneurship? Let’s take it from the start: What entrepreneurship is. As an entrepreneur, you run your own company. You’re in charge and can grow your business as much as you want. But entrepreneurship also comes with its own challenges. Here’s what you need to know about what it means to become an entrepreneur. The benefits of entrepreneurship You might want to become an entrepreneur because of the many perks it offers. You're not alone. According to Freelancers Union, 57 million Americans do some type of freelancing work (this includes coaching and consulting). Here's the thing: As an entrepreneur, you get to work on things that can have a huge impact on people’s lives and feel more fulfilled in your work. Working for yourself means more flexibility because you choose what your workday looks like. You decide if you go on a vacation next month or take the afternoon off. Not only that, but you’re also challenged every day. You see, starting a business means that you step out on a personal development journey you probably wouldn’t otherwise. After all, as an entrepreneur, you need to shift a lot of your thinking and overcome mental blocks and barriers to be able to earn more and grow your business. For example, here’s why these successful entrepreneurs started their businesses: “In a nutshell, I wanted more control over my life -- where I worked, what projects I worked on, and how those projects were delivered. The longer answer is that corporate life was no longer working for me. I was told what projects to complete and how to complete them, but I'd been a copywriter for so long, I knew what they were asking wouldn't get them the results they were after. It broke my heart, because I believed in what that enterprise technology company was doing in the world. I knew I could do better for them, but I couldn't do that as an employee. That realization came at a pivotal time, too. I had worked at home for that enterprise technology company for 7 years, I was pregnant, and there was a corporate mandate that all remote employees were to be moved into onsite offices. I couldn't imagine spending my days working in a cubicle under fluorescent lights, producing work I didn't believe in, an hour away from my family. Becoming an entrepreneur seemed less risky than that!” Jessica Mehring, Conversion Content Writer, Horizon Peak Consulting “Although I fell into entrepreneurship unintentionally, I remained an entrepreneur because I liked knowing that my creative ideas made a difference in someone's life and business.” Maya Elious, Brand Strategist, mayaelious.com What it takes to become an entrepreneur At the same time, this personal development journey does come with its own challenges. You need to learn how to build your confidence and be OK with rejection. I’ve seen this first-hand. When I first started my business, my parents didn’t believe in me, which took a huge toll on my self-confidence. I didn’t feel comfortable promoting myself (it felt so salesy!). Plus, I didn’t know any entrepreneurs in real life, so I didn’t even understand what a business could look like. Today I speak on stages with people like Gary V. It wasn’t always so- being an entrepreneur means rejections, “failures,” and getting outside of your comfort zone. Those are all things that I learned along the way. And you can, too. What it takes is that you decide today that you want to start a business and eventually leave your 9-5. Then you start figuring it out, bit by bit. How to go from a 9-5 to entrepreneurship So how do you take the plunge and go from your 9-5 and start a full-time business? When I decided to become an entrepreneur, I had a great job with a six-figure salary and I managed a team of seven people. I had everything I (and my parents) had ever dreamt of. The managerial position, a great career, money in the bank, a high-rise condo apartment in New York… I had everything I had ever wanted. But I had a nagging feeling… I didn’t feel fulfilled. At the same time, I felt unfulfilled. And when I looked at people who were a few steps ahead of me, like our company’s vice president, I thought to myself, “I don’t want to end up there.” That’s when the thought of starting my own business started to take root. I figured, “What have I got to lose?” If my business didn’t pan out, so what? I wouldn’t be looking back many years from now thinking, “If only I had started that business all those years ago.” While it might feel scary to start a business and take on the financial insecurity that comes with it, there’s one important thing to remember: You don’t need (and probably shouldn’t) quit your job before you’ve built up a great income in your business. For example, I started my business when I was still in my 9-5. When I quit my job a few months later, I had already made over $100,000 in my business. And I always recommend my clients to keep their business as a side business until they’ve exceeded a certain threshold. (My recommendation? Double your monthly salary). Why? Because this way, you can prepare for expenses like taxes and avoid any financial stress or feeling like you don’t know how much money you’ll be making next month. Now you know what it takes to become an entrepreneur. Excited to start building your own business? That’s what we’ll look at next. Want to Build a 6-Figure Coaching Business So You Can Achieve More Freedom? Get Instant Access To My FREE Ultimate Guide Below! GET INSTANT ACCESS When you sign up, you’ll also receive regular updates on building a successful online business. Chapter 2: How to choose a business model Before anything else, you need to decide on the type of business that you want to build. You see, there are different business models and they all come with their pros and cons. You can start a secure business that lets you quit your job and make a great income. Or a risky and world-altering startup with venture capital money. Here’s what you need to know about both business models. Building a startup Years before I built my coaching business, I dabbled in entrepreneurship. One of my ventures was a payment app with a multimillion-dollar valuation. These startups, like the Facebooks and Ubers of the world, are built to scale fast. They are incredibly risky and require a lot of venture capital money. It takes years to build these companies and while only the most successful businesses make headlines in the news, most startup founders work for years on ideas without anything to show for it. Now, while a huge business with hundreds or even thousands of employees might look successful on the outside, it isn’t always so. Not all of those businesses that succeed are very profitable. Just look at companies like Uber, which despite being a multi-billion dollar business hasn’t turned a profit yet. It takes more than VC money to build a profitable business. Thanks to having worked on my own startup, I knew this wasn’t the road I wanted to take because of the risk and uncertainty. Instead, I wanted to quit my job as fast as possible, while making good money and doing something that mattered in people’s lives. And that leads us to the next business model... A profitable business model that will help you quit your job If your goal is to quit your job and make a good income, a better alternative is to work on a business model that can turn a profit quickly and that you can build on the side, while you’re still working a 9-5. When I started my business, that’s exactly what I wanted to do. And the first thing I realized was that the fastest way to make this happen would be to start an online business. Why? Because online businesses can grow big, while you keep a great profit margin. And what I came to realize after having tried out a few online businesses is that selling a skill as a coach, consultant, or a freelancer is the best way to grow a sustainable business fast. A skill is wildly more profitable than selling something like an ecommerce product. A service-based business model means that you don’t need to find thousands of customers to make a good income. Instead, you work with a few, select clients. That’s because you can price your services (especially coaching and consulting) much higher than most physical products. For example: With a coaching package that is priced at $2,000, you would only need 5 clients to get to $10,000. With a $50 product, getting to that same result would require you to find 200 customers. See the difference? Replacing your salary will be much faster with a coaching business. And that’s before we look at the other costs that come with an ecommerce business. Inventory, shipping, customer service… You’ll have to sell plenty of products to be able to quit your job. Plus, you’ll need a much bigger team to build your business compared to a coaching business, which requires one person: Yourself. The same applies to other types of online businesses. Affiliate businesses (where you get a commission on every product you sell) or a blogging business might be profitable. But they take years to build. While you need one coaching client to make $1,500, you’ll need to sell eight affiliate offers at $200 to reach the same income. You’ll need to build up your website traffic and grow your email list. These are tasks which can take months or even years. Now you know why a service business is the fastest way to become an entrepreneur. But how do you turn that into a profitable business? That’s what we’ll look at next. Chapter 3: How to build your business in two steps What are the steps you need to take to become an entrepreneur once you’ve decided on your business model? It all comes down to finding a profitable idea and knowing your market so that you can build your business fast. Let’s find out how to do just that. How to find your profitable and enjoyable business idea Not sure what business idea to work on? I used to feel the same way. I was eager to build my business so that I could finally quit my job. But because I was so eager to quit, I made the mistake of trying to take shortcuts and choosing the “easiest” thing. Spoiler: It never works. Here’s what I did... Excel consulting When I first started building my own online business, I looked around for the fastest way to get started. I had seen all these Microsoft Excel experts selling Excel coaching. Because I used Excel so much in my day job, I thought, “Why not me?” Why couldn’t I do the same and sell Excel coaching for good money? Said and one, I started offering my services. The result? I failed miserably. I hadn’t done the one thing that will make or break a business: Because I had tried to take the fastest way out of my job, I hadn’t taken the time to understand my audience. I was expecting immediate success, which almost never happens, so by default, I had started working on a dead-end business. I thought Excel consulting would be easy. Not exactly... I didn’t sell a single Excel coaching package because of this. But I wasn’t discouraged. Instead, I tried the next thing: Resume formatting. Resume formatting on Elance (Upwork) When I realized that my Excel coaching wasn’t going to be the next million-dollar business, I looked around for more ideas. And I quickly realized that on sites like Elance (today Upwork) people were looking for skills that I could offer them. One sought-after skill on the site was resume formatting. People frequently asked me for career advice, so I saw my opportunity. I would start formatting people’s resumes and quickly make bank! I thought I would make a quick buck by formatting people’s resumes. It wasn’t worth it. Of course, I didn’t get far. I soon realized that most projects were priced at around $50. The work took closer to three hours, plus I had to keep on pitching to find new projects. In the end, my stint at Elance wasn’t very profitable so I decided to continue looking for a better business idea. Career coaching That’s when I realized that I could offer career coaching. I had all these friends asking me for job advice, so why not package it as a private coaching offer? This was the business idea that finally made good money. But I soon realized something else… I didn’t want to do it long-term. Giving people career advice didn’t feel exciting. After all, I wanted to get out of my job. I knew that the people I was helping would want to start their own businesses in a few years. Facebook advertising coaching At this point, I felt as if I had tried almost everything. But by a stroke of luck, I found that one thing that would lead me to build the business I have today. At the time, I was working with a copywriter, who helped me write copy for my career coaching business. When I asked her how she got clients, she replied: “Facebook groups.” Intrigued, I decided to check out these groups. And to my surprise, I realized that there were tons of entrepreneurs asking for help on how to set up and manage their Facebook ads. Facebook ads were something I was working with every day in my day job. So I started helping people out and giving advice in the groups I was a part of. Soon enough, people were asking how they could work with me. And within four months, I had built a 6+-figure coaching business. I was finally able to quit my job and build my business full-time. How to find YOUR idea As you can see, finding the right idea can take a bit of trial and error. But the thing is: YOU have a skill you can sell. It all comes down to figuring out what people want to and can pay for, what you can offer, and what you enjoy doing. To find your idea, look at what you’re already doing in your day job or in your free time. After all, your boss is already paying you for doing your job. You can bet that there are other people willing to do the same! Here’s a quick video I put together on how to find your idea: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPav8aq64vQ&t=307s And here’s how some of my clients have found their business ideas (and many have gone on to build 6- or 7-figure businesses): One of my clients had built a successful career with several managerial positions. Today, she helps people do the same as a career coach. A client had helped people with their relationships in jobs at companies like eHarmony. She became a 6-figure relationship coach. My client has worked for years with big retail companies like Forever21. Today, she is a retail store consultant. Another client had helped family members and himself get healthier with the help of herbs. He is now a health coach who helps people lose weight with herbs. My client is a Harvard graduate who now helps high school students get accepted into Ivy League schools as a college consultant. Want even more ideas? Take a look at this post with 121 service business ideas. Get to know your market Once you have an idea, you need to get to know your market. The biggest mistake I see new entrepreneurs make is to rush into launching a new business without taking this step first. Remember how my Excel coaching business failed? It was because I hadn’t taken the time to understand my market. With my Facebook ads coaching business, I intimately knew what people wanted and why. And that’s why I was able to sell more than six figures worth of coaching in just a few months. Understanding your market doesn’t have to be difficult. Already by monitoring and adding value to discussions happening in Facebook groups or on other social media platforms, you’ve taken the first step to understanding your audience. Want to Build a 6-Figure Coaching Business So You Can Achieve More Freedom? Get Instant Access To My FREE Ultimate Guide Below! GET INSTANT ACCESS When you sign up, you’ll also receive regular updates on building a successful online business. Chapter 4: The best way to grow a profitable business What does it take to grow a profitable business as an entrepreneur? Not everything comes down to your business model and idea. Instead (and this is something most people don’t talk about), much of your success builds on your mindset and how well you take the ups and downs of entrepreneurship. Here’s what you need to know. The qualities you need to become a successful entrepreneur The first thing to realize is that entrepreneurship is a skill. It’s not something you’re born with. For example, I didn’t know any entrepreneurs growing up or when I started my own business. I never even thought entrepreneurship would be something for me. My parents weren’t my biggest supporters, either. When I got my first client, I excitedly told them about my huge win. Instead of congratulating me, they skeptically said, “Luisa, how did you manage to scam them?” And when I called my mom to tell her I had been able to replace my salary and would go into entrepreneurship full-time, the reply I got was, “I never thought you would be able to do it.” As a new entrepreneur, you most probably will face rejection and other obstacles. Maybe your family doesn’t support you or people think you’re crazy for wanting something different. Potential clients will turn you down. And your business ideas might not always work out (just like my early ventures didn’t). But that’s the thing. Entrepreneurship is a marathon, not a sprint. You’re in it for the long run and that might come with a few bumps in the road. To become a successful entrepreneur, you need to prepare for failure. When you do, it won’t hit you like a ton of bricks. Instead, you’ll be prepared and be able to see past that hiccup. And that’s what you need to build a successful business. The one thing that will build your business Beside mindset, you need the right strategy. Now, many entrepreneurs who start their own businesses think that there’s a “silver bullet” that will build their business. Like a marketing tactic or luck or something else. The truth is this: There is no silver bullet. But the thing that is closest to a silver bullet is to build relationships with your clients. When I started my coaching business, I was constantly giving value in Facebook groups. I would answer questions, talk to people, and offer them my help without expecting anything in return. Because of the value I gave, people quickly understood that I had the skills to help them. They thought, “Wow, she can give me all of this for free… Wonder what her paid program looks like?” Now, I didn’t intend to start selling coaching. But by giving value upfront, people basically started saying, “Take my money!” And that’s how I was able to build my business so fast. Read more about this "Taster Technique" here. Be strategic about your time Last, you need to be intentional with your time. As a new entrepreneur with both a job AND a side-business, your time is extremely limited. To be able to build your business as fast as possible, you need to be working on the RIGHT things. That’s why you shouldn’t try to do it all. There are tons of different ways to build and market your business. Blogging, SEO, social media, affiliate marketing, joint ventures, webinars... But when you’re first starting out, you should be focusing on a few, specific steps that will help you get clients fast. The simple formula is this: Go to where your clients are hanging out and give a lot of value. (Want the step-by-step and templates? You can read more about it here.) Once you have a healthy income, you can start adding on other marketing methods, like webinars and Facebook ads. This was what I did in my business. By doing this, I was able to build my business to more than 6-figures in four months while working a full-time job. In fact, I had a handful of activities I did every day. I scheduled them all in my calendar so that I would get them done even though I had a busy job to manage. If you commit to your business and start working on those most important things, you will build it much faster than you might think possible. Want to Build a 6-Figure Coaching Business So You Can Achieve More Freedom? Get Instant Access To My FREE Ultimate Guide Below! GET INSTANT ACCESS When you sign up, you’ll also receive regular updates on building a successful online business. Chapter 5: How to go full-time with your business and continue growing it Once you have achieved your income goal, you’re ready to quit your job. Remember: It doesn’t have to be in the distant future. You CAN do it sooner than you think by working on the right things. The next step is to start scaling your business. With a service business model (coaching, consulting, or freelancing), this usually means launching an online course. Online courses let you reach more people without having to put in more of your own time while giving your audience a great option to working one-on-one with you. How I scaled my business Once I had transitioned from my 9-5 into running my business full-time, I suddenly had a lot more time on my hands to build my business. I was finally able to start scaling it! As a result, it grew exponentially. In 11 months, my business had made 7-figures in revenue. But even more importantly, it was a sustainable business. Today, I’ve been in business for over 5 years, have a profitable business and couldn’t be happier I took the leap back when I did. However, what I quickly realized when I had just quit my job was that selling private coaching could only get me so far. It’s a great way to get started, but if you want to continue scaling your business, online courses are the way to go. Once I was booked out with private coaching clients, I took the next logical step and started selling online courses. And this is the time when you can start adding on new marketing strategies. For example, I first started scaling my business with Facebook ads, Facebook challenges, and webinars. After an $8,000 launch and a $100,000 launch, I had an $800,000 launch and crossed the 7-figure mark. What it came down to was doubling down on what already worked for me and taking calculated risks. And by continuing on that track, I run a multi 7-figure business today. Where can you take your business? Once you have a great income and are scaling your business, there are a lot of things you can do with your business. What I recommend my clients is this: Based on the experience you’ve gained when working with your private clients, create a great course that helps your clients succeed. For example, I tweaked my own “flagship course,” Employee to Entrepreneur, many times over the course of a few years. When your course is the absolute best course out there, it’s so much easier to win over and continue working with clients who can’t stop raving about you to their friends. The best part? You don’t have to work 24/7 on your business. Remember: As an entrepreneur, YOU decide what your day looks like. Building a business does take work, but ultimately, you should build a business that you love working on. Want to start building your business right away? There you have it. Now you know how you can become an entrepreneur. The most profitable and fastest way to get started is to start a service business. Once you’ve quit your job and have a profitable coaching business, you can scale your business with online courses. Over to you: To become an entrepreneur, what skill are you going to offer as a coach or consultant? Let me know in the comments below! Read more: How to Develop Your Entrepreneurial Mindset What is an Entrepreneur? The Biggest Fears of Starting a Business

"People aren't just numbers," said Brian Chesky. The Airbnb CEO and cofounder has spent the past eight months opening up his home to strangers to get inside the shoes of his customers.