I honestly cannot BELIEVE IT! I AM SO EXCITED! 🎉🎉🎉
ONE YEAR AGO THIS WEEK, I launched the Rising Female Entrepreneurs Community!
Boy, it sure has been a wild ride. And so so worth it!
What a fantastic group of supportive and connected women…
And it has spread like wildfire… The number of members EXPLODED to nearly 9,000 engaged female entrepreneurs in just ONE short year.
So, “How did I do this?”
Below are my SECRET ingredients to skyrocket your new business success.
Ingredient #1: Assess before you begin.
The first essential element before starting is to evaluate if you should do this in the first place. It’s vital to be aligned and excited about what you do to stand behind it, even when times are tough.
Why start something if you will only stop in the long term?
First, reflect on if this aligns with your values, vision, and purpose.
Does this next step make sense based on what is important to you and where you want to go?
What is your true purpose for starting this endeavor?
Will this be worthwhile?
What results do you need for it to be worth it? And is that result worth the time, energy, and effort required to make it successful?
Read How to Overcome Indecision through Core Values, How to Know Your Next Step Forward, and Visualizing Success in 2022 for more.
And if you need help building your vision with an aligned strategy (you’ll actually stick to), email me the word PROGRAM.
And most importantly, do you even WANT to do this?
Do you feel you will ENJOY doing this, or is this something you feel you have to do or think you “should” do?
It’s essential that this is something you want to do and will enjoy versus a “chore” you “have to do.” Do what you feel excited about instead.
Remember that you deserve to ENJOY your life and business. So don’t create a misaligned workload for yourself that feels like a hassle.
How do you know if you will like it if you have never done it before?
Take your best-educated guess.
What similar experiences do you have that you can evaluate?
For example, I never spent much time in Facebook Communities before building my group.
However, I have spent my entire career and have years of experience building global teams, leading meetings, and conducting trainings.
Most importantly, I love connecting with people. So although I did not know 100%, I did have a sense that this is something I would most likely enjoy.
So what is your experience? Can you relate a similar knowledge or skill to the new endeavors you are starting? Tap into past experiences that you have enjoyed.
And is this within your skill set, or are you willing and able to learn new skills to ensure your success?
It is ideal if this showcases your superpowers, strengths, and expertise.
If needed, can you hire someone to eliminate what is not within your capabilities? If this is not within your talents and you will never become competent or have help in this area, it is a waste of time.
Honestly, ask yourself if you are willing to work hard when faced with challenges.
Are you ready to put in the time, money, and commitment needed to do this?
If you evaluate the opportunity and it’s a full body, yes, time to move to Ingredient #2.
Ingredient #2: Just start.
I get it. Starting anything new can feel daunting.
You may be thinking, What if it’s a lot of work and takes up all my time? What if it doesn’t work? What if I hate it? And, of course, What if I fail?
Sound familiar?
It may seem overwhelming when you haven’t done something before. After all, you are learning and practicing new skills, and you aren’t sure if it will work or if it’s for you.
But if you have decided it is something you want, just start. Often starting is much more challenging than actually doing something. So, you may need to overcome your fear and take action.
If you need help, read 5 Steps to Overcome Fear and Take Action for more.
Bonus: This was also the topic of my first Facebook Live in the group. Despite the weird lighting disaster, I showed up anyway. Check this out here.
Ingredient #3: Grow ONE thing at a time.
Instead of doing everything at once, focus on one area, master that area, and then move on.
I hear you. So many different areas need attention, and you may have shiny object syndrome.
You may want several ideal clients, businesses, offers, and strategies. And you probably also want to be on all platforms to get the most visibility.
You may even have a fear of missing out.
However, if you want to grow anything exponentially and do it well, start by focusing intentionally on one thing at a time.
Think of this as growing a garden in a location with a limited water supply (representing your time, energy, and resources).
Would you plant multiple seeds that would not receive enough water to survive or one plant that would thrive?
Not worth it to have a bunch of dead plants, right?
So water your one seed, let it flourish, and then consider planting other seeds once you know there is enough water to go around.
Focus on one area, master that area, and then move on.
I focused 100% of my time, energy, and effort on growing my Facebook Community. The result is an almost 9,000-member, extremely engaged group built in just one year.
Join our free supportive community of female entrepreneurs to share strategy and mindset tips here!
Yes, I heard things like “Facebook is dead. You must be on Instagram or TikTok or have a YouTube channel or a podcast.” Sigh.
And it’s super easy to have FOMO. I have about 500 Instagram followers, 2 TikTok followers, 0 YouTube subscribers, and 0 podcasts. And that is fine.
Because what I DO have is:
- An incredibly engaged group of women with whom I have authentic connections, conversations, and community.
- A system for automating hundreds of qualified leads on repeat.
- A consistently growing and thriving community that I am proud of and love.
It is quality, not quantity. And now that I have mastered this, I can move on to grow in another area if I choose.
PS I just started posting again on Instagram, so make sure to follow me there @micheleleahcoaching.
Intentionally Focus on one thing for one year, and it will also skyrocket your success.
Ingredient #4: Keep going consistently.
After you start, you need to keep going. You can’t just plant a seed and pray.
Imagine if you planted a seed, watered it a few times, maybe on random weeks, and left it outside in the cold. What do you think would happen?
Not a whole lot.
My guess is you would not have a thriving plant. The plant would probably be dried out, damaged, or no longer alive.
Instead, it’s essential to care for it consistently. If you are serious about starting something new in your business, be serious about it by taking consistent action.
I show up in my group EVERY single day. There has not been one day this entire year that I have been absent. And if I cannot be in the group, I have support to help me. I am tending to my garden by consistently showing up.
Not to sound harsh, but if you aren’t planning to show up consistently, don’t even bother.
Trust me. Your time will be better spent elsewhere.
Read Developing Goals You’ll Stick to (free training here), How to Hit Your Goals Consistently and How to Know Your Next Steps to Success (free training here) for more.
Ingredient #5: Develop a system.
How can you show up consistently if you don’t know what you are doing and have never done this before?
When you start any new endeavor, you may feel like you are in a rowboat in the middle of the ocean with no paddle.
So grab an oar by starting smaller than you want to. Do 50% less than you think you can handle, do it consistently, and then grow from there.
Next, get as organized as possible to make your life easier. Like many of my clients, maybe you feel “allergic to organization and structure,” but the organization creates a framework allowing you more freedom later.
Strive to develop systems to help you be stress-free while you save time, energy, and effort. Plan ahead.
For example, I have rotating daily posts in my Facebook Group planned for two months in advance. It took a little time to develop the system, but it is worth it as I no longer need to worry about posting each day.
Bonus: I have also created a FREE customizable tracker to show you exactly what to post to get more leads for your business. Want a copy?
Pro Tip: Blocking time and boosting your flow will create more freedom. For example, I write most of my content while walking outside. Where can you expand your time?
Ingredient #6: Quality over quantity.
Form authentic connections, treating others with kindness and respect.
Show up with excellence and stay in your integrity by not overextending yourself.
More is not more. For example, initially, I wanted as many people in my group as possible. However, I quickly learned this did not align with my value of creating authentic connections, so I intentionally slowed my growth.
Quality control is essential.
Don’t allow garbage because you are afraid to set certain boundaries and limitations.
Early in my design career, I learned that you are only as good as the worst piece in your portfolio.
Your role is to provide an excellent customer experience.
To promote quality, set rules, regulations, and guidelines, remove rotten apples that will infect others, and always follow your gut.
Suppose you were hosting a cocktail party. Your role is to put the music on, engage in conversation, serve hors d’oeuvres, and ensure everyone is having a good time.
If there are party crashers or you find people breaking glasses and disrespecting your party, remove them.
And if you struggle in this area, hire a bouncer.
Ingredient #7: Provide tremendous value.
Give as much value as possible, and then give some more.
Do not let fear of giving so much that “They won’t buy if you give away too much for free” stand in your way. That is not a thing.
If you authentically create tremendous value by solving your ideal client’s actual problems, they will come to you when they need help.
And you cannot possibly give everything you have away for free.
People will pay for having a step-by-step strategy and the additional support you provide when they work with you.
You do not need to leave out value by teaching the “what” and not the “how.”
I have spent the past year “giving away” SO much value for free. I wrote a weekly blog outlining the step-by-step process of over 55 topics and have conducted over 40 free trainings.
Yes, many people will participate and will never work with me for many different reasons. That is okay. Perhaps they will work with me in the future, recommend someone, or show up and contribute to the community’s enthusiasm. All are excellent outcomes.
Your goal is to provide value and solve problems to help other people.
Ingredient #8: Have support systems.
Did you know that the number one obstacle for entrepreneurs is isolation? Entrepreneurs tend to take it all on themselves without support and then feel disconnected and alone, burying themselves in work. If that sounds familiar, you are not alone.
Of course, you may be able to do this alone and figure it out independently. You are intelligent and resourceful.
Personally, I would much rather fast-track my success by learning from people who can guide me so that I don’t have to struggle as hard. I mean, why wouldn’t you?
And this comes in many forms.
A mentor or coach
Having guidance is critical, especially when setting out to do something new. There are too many unknown unknowns. I would not have built what I have in the past year without my coaches and mentors.
And now… Shhhhh… I am going to let you in on a little secret.
Business besties
It’s an excellent idea to connect to others in the same or similar fields as you. You may be saying to yourself, “but they are my “competition.” First, there is no such thing. You, your services, and all you offer are unique.
Forming relationships with “business besties” has been essential to my success. They give me support and advice and have cheered me on when times are tough (and they DO get tough).
Find your business besties. You will need it.
I have several Mastermind “crews” that are great friendships and support systems.
I have also become friendly with other group leaders and am part of a Facebook Community Leader chat where we share new features and have each other’s backs.
Hire Help
Last, if you can, hire support in the form of a Virtual Assistant, OBM, Accountant, etc., so that you can focus on your zone of genius instead of being stuck in the weeds. If this is not financially possible, concentrate on income-generating activities to quickly create this game-changing possibility.
Ingredient #9: Have fun.
Everything you do in life is to be happy, including your business. There is no point in starting something new if you can’t have fun on the journey.
Always ask yourself, how can I approach this with joy and fun? How can I enjoy this new endeavor to the fullest?
Yes, there will be times when it is challenging and will take work.
And how can you make this something you enjoy at the same time?
Recap
Starting a new business endeavor may seem daunting, yet by using the nine essential ingredients outlined, you are sure to see tremendous success.
Ingredient #1: Assess before you begin.
Ingredient #2: Just start.
Ingredient #3: Grow ONE thing at a time.
Ingredient #4: Keep going consistently.
Ingredient #5: Develop a system.
Ingredient #6: Quality over quantity.
Ingredient #7: Provide tremendous value.
Ingredient #8: Have support systems.
Ingredient #9: Have fun.
May you have incredible success in all that you do!
Michele x
If you need help building your vision with a step-by-step strategy (you can actually stick to) email me with the word PROGRAM.
