Are you in a place of transition in your business or career? Me too! If you’re an entrepreneur or freelancer, it comes with the territory. You have a vision for your business and life and as you grow, so do your dreams and aspirations. There’s always more to learn, more to implement and mindset shifts that need to be made in order to keep up with it all.
It’s not always the most comfortable place to be is it?
But being an entrepreneur or freelancer has never been about being comfortable. It’s about feeling the discomfort and doing what you need to anyway. It’s what separates you from everyone else.
So now you know you’re in good company (we ALL feel this way!), let’s talk about strategies to help you get from where you are to where you want to be.
1) Define your desired outcome
You can’t create a roadmap if you don’t know where you’re going, so take some time to figure out what really matters to you. A few questions you can ask yourself include:
- What do you want your business or career to do for you?
Do you want to have the flexibility to take 2 months off a year or work from anywhere in the world? Do you want to create a business where you can leverage your expertise and don’t have to exchange hours for dollars? - What do you want your business to do for others?
How does what you offer positively impact the lives of others? When you approach your business from a place of service, rather than trying to persuade someone to buy something, marketing yourself becomes so much easier and more genuine. - How much money do you need to make and how much money do you want to make?
Knowing these numbers will affect how you structure your business, grow and charge for your services.
2) Declare your goal to someone else
Things don’t become real until you say them out loud. Declaring your goals to people who will support you will speed along your progress immeasurably. Working with an accountability buddy or group is a great way to brainstorm ideas, share resources and ensure you do what you need to reach your goals.
3 Define the steps you need to take
You know where you want to be and you’ve declared it to your accountability group. Now it’s time to make it happen.
Write a list of what you need to do. These might include:
- Skills you need to learn
- Support you need in the form of learning or coaching
- Resources you need in the form of referral sources, collaborators and vendors
- Software or tech support
- Upgrading your personal and professional brand. This might include; getting new headshots, shooting a video, working with a stylist, or meeting with a new website designer
The key here is to remember is you don’t need to do it all at once. Getting from where you are to where you want to be is all about bridging. Instead of thinking you need to get from point A to point Z to have the business you want, think about what you need to do to get from point A to point B. Once you’re at B, what do you need to do to get to point C, D or E?
4) Create a statement of what you do and whom you do it for (even if you’re not working with those clients just yet)
Many of my clients find themselves in the frustrating cycle of knowing they are destined to work with a certain type of client, but don’t have that work in their portfolio yet. The first step is to state what you want to see happen.
I’ll give you an example; let’s say you’re a graphic designer who wants to work with socially conscious organizations and brands. You might say: “I work with socio or ecologically driven organizations position themselves more effectively to their target audience, generate more revenue and, as a result, make a greater impact in the world”.
Your declaration will attract and resonate with the clients you want to be working with and, once you get one project, you’re off to the races!
5) Edit your body of work to support your declaration
Choose the projects most aligned to the kind of work you want to be doing. You’re better off showing 3 projects that speak to the kind of work you want to be doing, than 15 that are all over the place. Remember, they don’t have to be a perfect match, just pull out the elements that feel most resonant.
6) Position yourself to the clients you want, not the ones you have
My mentor Fabienne Frederickson says we should create an “impression of increase” wherever we go. Meaning, when a client visits your website, speaks or meets with you, they get a distinct feeling that you are the right person to help them get to where they want to be. Always invest the most you can in your branding and appearance.
If you’re ready to start bridging your way from where you are to where you want to be, but don’t want to do it alone, I’d love to chat. Click here to schedule a free 30 minute introductory call with me and let’s talk about solutions!
