I started my small business with zero business knowledge. I think most small business owners do.
I learnt everything I needed to know from other successful business owners. I went to their seminars, I read their books and sometimes I had one as a personal coach.
As I learnt from them, I wrote up affirmations to help me adopt new ways of thinking and doing. I put affirmations in my bedroom and read them each morning and again before I went to sleep. I even had some on the back of my office door where only I could see them.
Here are some of the lessons I learnt that helped me build my multi-million-dollar business. I hope they help you too:
1. Success is clarity, planning and action
If I fail to plan, I plan to fail.
2. Have total clarity on what it is I want
- Create it first in my mind
- Write it down (goals written down are 60% more likely to be achieved)
- Refer to it often (increases success by another 30%)
- If it’s been done before, I know that it is achievable.
- The only thing that will stop me is myself
- I know I can do it
3. I am in control of my mind
I can make my world what I want it to be.
4. Don’t worry
About what I can’t control.
5. Focus on what I can control
I can control…
- Everything I think
- Everything I say
- Everything I do
6. I can choose my mood
I chose to be positive and ‘solution focused’.
7. Develop the 5 key skills:
- Empowering beliefs
- Positive, solution-based thinking
- Persistence (never give up)
- Focus only on what I can control
- Enthusiasm and passion
8. Replace dis-empowering beliefs
- Dis-empowering beliefs make everything seem like an enormous challenge, and I’ll probably find dead-ends.
- Replace them with empowering beliefs which enable almost anything to be achieved
9. Do what only I can do
10. It doesn’t matter if it’s not 100% right
11. Have ‘No Fail’ small business goals
- Write a business plan before the start of each financial year
- 90 DAY GOALS – List the actions needed to reach the goals and then CHUNK IT DOWN
- 30 DAY GOALS – Review monthly without fail. I booked time to do it with someone who held me accountable.
- WEEKLY GOALS – The plan that got me to the monthly goals
- DAILY REVIEW – I always review where I am against my goals. I can change direction if I’m ‘off course’.
- REVIEW short and long term goals every 90 days. I booked a day to do it with someone who held me accountable.
12. Plan each day and turn off distractions
- Have a daily goal (maximum 10)
- Plan
- Take action
- Hit the mark
- Accept the consequences – don’t make excuses
- Move on
13. Distractions are controllable
- Don’t take incoming calls – return calls 3 times a day
- Turn off all unnecessary notifications
14. Small business success
- Is generated from a state of mind. It can be learned like a math formula.
- Anyone can learn it
- Successful small business owners know where they are headed
- Successful people are not put off by failure. Every obstacle can be overcome and learnt from.
15. Not everything has to work out for me all the time
Just a few key things some of the time
16. Success leaves clues
Study the techniques of successful small business people in your field. Do what they do, speak how they speak, go where they go, read what they read.
17. Take advice
But only from someone who has achieved what I want to achieve
18. Decide what my ‘Big Rocks’ are
Do whatever is most important first. The rest will get done if it’s important.
And lastly my favorite Richard Carlson quote for times when everything seemed to go wrong:
“Nothing matters a great deal, and a great many things don’t matter at all!”
Over time, I learn that that quote was indeed true!
What are some of the lessons and affirmations that have worked for you?
To your business success!
Love a list of success tips! Thanks Jan.
My pleasure Jenny!
Perfect timing as I take my business to the next level. Lots of great tips and reminders. Thank you.
Good luck with growing your business Chantel. If you need any clarification on any of the tips, let me know!
Great read.
Things to take on board for our business for sure
Pleased you found it might be helpful Tracey.
Some good tips here Jan. Particularly like #11.
I’m curious, how much of a role did having a mentor, a team (employed or outsourced staff), and supportive community contribute to your success?
Hi Anf
Having a mentor (or coach) was absolutely integral to my success. I knew how to do ‘the job’, but I didn’t know how to run a business and as it grew, I needed to learn many different things. The role of the coach was often to get me to understand things that I didn’t know. I learnt early on to always pay for expert advice. Commitment is higher.
Having the right team was essential because as the business grew I needed to work ‘on’ it rather than ‘in’ it. Having a team that could deliver the service (instead of me), and in the same way was key.
Re a supportive community. I found running a company fairly isolating. The best support I found was from a group of other CEOs from the same industry, my life partner and mentors.
These are solid tips for not only small businesses, but life in general! Thanks for sharing, Jan.
You’re welcome Beth and yes, I agree with you!
This is a great list and applicable to so many situations. With all the self-help options out there, these tips streamline the process with recommendations that can be put into action straight away.
Thanks for your comment Brigid. It’s choosing which actions to take that makes the big difference isn’t it!