So as we all know, I talk to (approximately) a SQUILLION people per week and I’m seeing two things coming up ALL the time.
- “Jess – I have problems with my business. I’m not making money and I don’t know what to do’.
- “Jess – I’ve got a ton of people in my audience that have XYZ problem – but when I offer them the solution, they DON’T BUY’.
IF YOU DON’T INVEST IN YOURSELF, NO-ONE ELSE WILL
(Said by Jess’ Mum every day for the first year of my business.)
I’m hearing a LOT of people say that their audience ‘just doesn’t buy’ or that they ‘need new people who’ll pay my prices’.
BOLLOCKS. (And no – I’m not judging)
But I AM tired of hearing the same crap time and again.
And I AM tired of people expecting that they’re going to name their business one day and make their first million the next.
Do you want to know what REALLY went into my business?
The EXACT recipe?
- A FUCK TON of FAILURE. Yep. I failed MORE times than I can count. I launched things that didn’t sell. I launched things when I didn’t have an audience… and then they didn’t sell. I ran webinars with no sound. I accepted clients that I didn’t enjoy working with. I worried about paying bills/ the mortgage and even considered going back to a J-O-B three months after I started.
- A TON OF INVESTMENT. That’s right, just like my mama said – “If you don’t invest in yourself, no-one else will”. That’s right. So don’t preach in FB groups that people should be investing in the expert if YOU are NOT. Over the last three years, I’ve invested well over six figures in coaching, marketing, technology AND THE REST to make my business thrive. I’ve invested when I DID have the money – and when I DIDN’T. And more importantly? I’ve never expected an investment to be a MIRACLE. I’ve invested strategically in my growth… even when strategically meant the boring coaching option rather than the all singing, all dancing programme that everyone and their dog is raving about.
- DO THE WORK. Right now, I CAN work 3 days a week in my business. I can switch the computer off at 5pm and go to bed and watch Netflix if I want… But when I was first starting? I WORKED MY ARSE OFF. Not on ‘busy’ work. I wasn’t in every Facebook group or posting memes… but I was strategically participating in groups that I knew could bring me clients. Leveraging my network. Spending time on PR to grow my audience. And showing up for EVERY investment I made. If I hired a coach, I showed up every session and I made sure that I DID the homework, reached out if I needed help and most importantly?
- BELIEVED IN MYSELF. Not every day. Some days I woke up and felt shitty. Sometimes I still do. But even when I wasn’t feeling ‘Perky Sue’ I knew that I was COMMITTED to making this business a reality – and instead of switching on Netflix/ running away to the supermarket/ avoiding my laptop for a few hours – I was focused on doing the daily (and often thankless) tasks that made me re-commit to my dream, every task at a time.
- GAVE UP MY EGO/ PRIDE. This was a biggie. For me to realise that I didn’t CARE if I had to stack shelves at my local supermarket/ become an Uber driver on the side/ take a corporate consulting gig here or there to continue my investments in myself and in my business – I HAD to give up my ego. I didn’t care what other people thought. I COMMITTED to making it happen and did ‘whatever it took’ <—- Not ALL THE HOURS (because burnout is NOT a badge of honour) but I did all the tasks; emailing my list regularly, growing my tribe, looking at forward trends, not jumping on the nearest ‘magic pill’.
And three years later?
I’ve created sustainable income.
I’ve created a tribe.
I’ve created wealth.
But it took ALL of those things to make it happen.
So when you’re thinking; ‘I can’t make money’ or ‘my people don’t buy’ or any other story that’s going round in your head about overnight success stories, I want you to honestly check in with yourself.
– Am I telling others to invest in solving their problem – but I’m not solving mine?
– Am I really showing up and doing the daily tasks necessary to build my business?
– Do I need some income RIGHT NOW – and am I prepared that it might mean that I need to take a part-time job temporarily to take me out of financial overwhelm but ultimately help me grow my business faster?
– Am I being coached currently? And am I showing up FULLY and doing ALL the work or are there areas that I’m avoiding? Am I asking for feedback/ telling them what I really need them to help me with – or am I expecting them to save me?
LEARN FROM MY MISTAKES.
I did all of these things and more. It took me WAY longer than it should have to be honest with myself about why I was REALLY struggling.
It doesn’t have to take you that long.
Just reassess openly exactly what you’re doing to achieve the results that you’re currently achieving – and ask ME how to get to the place that you want to be. And I’ll help!
** This isn’t to judge anyone or to make anyone feel bad – but there’s an online trend that’s coming up recently and I KNOW that it IS possible to make money (lots of money!) online. With integrity. But it takes a LOT of hard work, skin like rhino hide and ovaries of steel. ***