It clearly was a crazy thing to do!  It didn’t make sense to wrap myself in a doona when it was the last thing I needed on such a hot evening.

There are times I do things just out of habit or perceived comfort when just the opposite action is called for.  Have you ever done that?

As a business owner, I often question whether what I’m doing is hitting the mark. How can I say it better?  Is my marketing reaching the right people? Is this a worthwhile strategy to pursue?  Is this the path with the heart?

It’s easier to stick with what I know and feel comfortable in (yep, pull the doona tighter around me) but this year I’ve committed to doing a couple of things differently in my business.  I’ve decided to:

1. Blog more consistently
2. Use social media (I’ve struggled with this in the past, as I’ve always valued my privacy and didn’t want to write innate status updates, however, I finally came to the obvious conclusion that it’s up to me to choose what I put out there)
3. Create new ways (apart from coaching) of passing my knowledge and the steps that I know work to clients who want to start a business or change their career

I don’t have the exact details of how it will all pan out, but stepping into what I’d like my business to evolve into several years from, this makes perfect sense.  Along the way, I’m counting on finding my own blogging voice, and deliver great content in new formats.

This means I’ll be testing new habits and carving out time regularly in my schedule to write. I know there are lots of knowledge gaps I’ll need to fill but I won’t let them stop me.  I’ll be giving myself a whole year to experiment, learn and adjust what I do.  And I’ll keep readers updated on the results.

So what about you?

What changes are you going to make?  How will you ensure you put new habits in place and take action on a consistent basis to get what you want?  How much time will give yourself to experiment?

Are you game enough to share them below?

Dr Eric Maisel

In a recent interview I conducted with Dr. Eric Maisel, America’s top creativity coach, I asked him for his insights on starting the entrepreneurial journey. First, just a bit of background on why I choose him for this topic. I first discovered Dr. Maisel’s work some years back when I came across his book A Writer’s Space. I found many parallels between the aspiring writers he addresses in his book and myself at the start of my foray into entrepreneurship.

Starting a new path or a business venture is much like starting a novel…

It is exciting…

The drive to begin and complete the venture comes from a force within…

It’s the process of breathing life into something that doesn’t yet exist…

You pour your heart and soul into it, and you want it to be wildly successful, however, you define success personally.

Yet the uncertainty of how it’s going to turn out can be nerve  wracking.

So much so, that many don’t even start the process because  it’s impossible to know for certain what the end outcome will be.

In this 17 minute interview with Dr. Maisel, the tips for entrepreneurs include include:
-    How to manage change and anxiety that pops up when you start your entrepreneurial venture
-    Daily practices to get your most meaningful work done, especially if you are straddling a job and your business at the same time (Dr. Maisel has authored over 35 books.  Needless to say, he does know a few things about getting things done!)
-    The importance making meaning versus find meaning
-    Why you need courage and tenacity more than you need talent to be successful

You can listen to my interview with Dr. Eric Maisel here.  Enjoy!

But it would be irresponsible if I said it will work out all the time for everyone.

So before you quit your job, read 10 Things To Consider Before Leaving You Day Job in the Age’s and The Sydney Morning Heralds My Small Business.  It includes a few of my my tips and insights from other experts on the subject. that appeared in The Age’s and The Sydney Morning Herald’s My Small Business.

A peacefulness follows any decision, even the wrong one.  ~Rita Mae Brown

Have you ever noticed how some folks just seem to move on from setbacks, move up the corporate ladder effortlessly or move towards their aspirations swiftly while others seem to be stuck in Ground Hog day?

There’s movement in the first group. They take steps and they get closer to their outcomes.  The second group, on the other hand, remains stagnant in situations they don’t want to be in. They are dogged by thoughts that they should be experiencing something different and this makes their day-to-day experience even more unsatisfying.

If you look closely, there’s one major behavioural trait that separates the two groups. The first group makes decisions and follows through on them, often experimenting along the way. The second group tends to overthink and avoid making decisions.

Want a quick reality check on whether you’ve made good decisions over the last year or whether you need to make better decisions in 2012?

Pick up a pen and paper and answer the following questions:

Compared to early 2011, what is your present situation at the start of 2012 in the following contexts of your career or business?

Rate your answers by using one of the following symbols in each of the career or business contexts below:

+ to indicate that your situation in that context has improved

-  to indicate that your situation in that context has become worse

 = to indicate no change has occurred in that context. Next to the = symbol, draw a smiley face to indicate that you’re happy with the situation as it is, or a sad face  if it’s something that you’re not satisfied with).

Career (if you’re in an employed role):

-       Career Enjoyment

-       Income

-       Relationship with Coworkers

-       Promotion Opportunities:

-       Work Culture:

Business (if you’re self employed):

-       Profits:

-       Number of clients:

-       Quality of clients:

-       Marketing Strategies

-       Personal Productivity:

-       Enjoyment in Business:

Once you’ve completing the ratings, notice contexts that you’ve marked with a + symbol or a smiley face. Appreciate these blessings and the role you’ve played in creating them.

Next, look at the areas you have marked with a – symbol or a sad face.  Realise that for better or for worse, the situation is partly the result of your thoughts, actions (or inactions) and behaviours.

Make a decision now to change areas that you’re dissatisfied in and follow through on it.  It could be a small or simple decision, but effective follow though could alter the course of your life.

My success habit tip for 2012: Make decisions more often and more swiftly regardless of whether it’s perceived wrong.
After all, the more decisions you make, the easier decision making becomes and the better you become at making quality decisions.

Personally, I have identified areas where I will be making decisions more quickly.  I can’t wait to evaluate the results over the months to come.  I know that there will be massive changes in these contexts!

To briefly summarise what Rhonda Abrams describes:

Actualizing Activity - a business that you don’t rely on for an income as you already have other sources of income or need very little to survive on.

Solo Sustainer – this is the one man/woman show that rely on exchanging their service for income.

Balanced Business – this category of business provides a career for the owner and their employees.  It’s small enough for the owner to have control while having the possibility of further growth.

Visionary Business – these are ones that you read about in the media! They’ve got a big vision, huge risks, and require large funds to operate. More fail than survive.

In my personal experience, many  corporate escapees start with an actualizing activity (as they straddle their regular jobs with their entrepreneurial activity), or a solo  sustainer business.  This is driven by their desire to start small, minimize risk, contain costs and to pursue something they love doing quickly.  Over time, they increase their income and scope of the business.  Some want to go big with multiple offices, others prefer remaining small and working on strategies that will enable them to increase their income without necessarily getting into high debt, hiring full time staff or spending more time working.

Before starting a business, think about want you want your lifestyle to be like in the short, medium and long term and plan accordingly. If you’re already in business and find that your outcomes have changed, it’s never too late to implement new strategies that will change how your business works to suit your goals and desired lifestyle.

There is no blueprint that works for each and every person all the time, but there are certain effective steps and strategies that you can take to make your transition successful.  Finding out how others did it successfully is a major help.

Lisa Lovick from A Slice Of Orange

Lisa Lovick is someone who has done the corporate thing and decided to leave it behind to pursue an area that she is passionate about – establishing a providore that sells local produce!

In this audio interview with Lisa, you’ll hear how she made the transition including:

-      testing the viability of the business without spending tons of money!

-      funding the business initially

-      effective marketing strategies that’s worked for her

-      the importance of branding

-      naming your business and outgrowing it (and what she is doing about it)

-      Lisa’s favourite thing about being her own boss

Prior to posting this interview online, I spoke to a client of mine who is making a similar transition about this interview.  I know he found the points Lisa raised about her transition useful in his personal journey.  I hope you will too.

Enjoy listening!

I must say my garden needs a bit of tending.  The mini Myer lemon tree is doing great but my olive and cumquat trees are only “so-so”.

The answer is obvious. The olive and cumquat trees have outgrown the large pots.  It’s time take them off the pots, plant them in an appropriate spot in the ground and nurture them with the right types of plant foods to supplement their growth.   That’s what we did with our lemon tree. It worked.

Do you feel like your business or career, in its current form, is confining you? Or that the zest you once had has vanished? Or that you’re a lemon tree expecting (or expected to) produce apples?

That’s probably because your business (in its current form) was meant to be your training ground, not the spot you stay!

Many smart, creative and normally happy people  are struggling because:

1) They’ve outgrown their business model but haven’t put the strategies in place to enable growth and change. Figure out where you want to take your business and put the steps in place. Even if it’s just the first step in a series! The great thing about owning your own business is that you get to shape its direction.

2) They don’t like the people they work with. For business owners, this happens if you haven’t identified your niche and are just taking anyone through the door!  Focus, eliminate, prune.  Pick out the niche you want to serve and position yourself appropriately.

3) A fear or incongruity in moving forward. Nothing wrong with this as long as it doesn’t paralyse you!  Get more information or become more specific about what you want.  Assess your risk.  But most importantly do something! If you want to make quick strides, I’ll be happy to help.

Life is short. Bear fruit!

Jodie Fox, co-founder of Shoes of Prey

First up, is my audio interview with Jodie Fox, a former lawyer and advertising account manager now co-founder of Shoes Of Prey, a company that enables women to design their own bespoke shoes online!

If you were a friend of Jodie’s while she was in the corporate world, you would have known about her one-of-a-kind shoes.  You see, Jodie used to get her shoes custom-designed and made. Naturally, her unique shoes were a hot topic among her friends.

Little did she know then that one day she would be running her own bespoke shoe company with customers around the world!

In this audio interview, you’ll hear:

-       How Jodie and her two business partners came up with the business concept.

-       How they tested the viability of their business idea before launching it.

-       What they did to fund their startup.

-       Her transition from full time employee to  business owner.

-       Cost effective marketing strategies ANY business owner can (and should) use.

-       Jodie’s tips on building and engaging an online community.  At the time of this interview, Shoes of Prey had just reached a new milestone – 20,000 Facebook fans.

-       The joys and challenges of working with her spouse.

-       Jodie’s top three tips for aspiring entrepreneurs who want to start and grow a business.

Also, check out 22Michaels.com a blog by Jodie and her business partners, Michael Fox and Mike Knapp about their entrepreneurial journey.

Are you a clever fox?

In naming the business, there were several reasons I choose the name “Clever Fox”. Mostly it conveys a spirit – about being resourceful, adapting to challenges and thriving. You can more read about what’s in the name here.

Every now and then, I come across an article in the newspaper or the internet about foxes and how they demonstrate that spirit. I love these stories!  It never fails to put a smile on my face. Here’s one about a fox that was found living at the top of the UK’s tallest skyscraper.

Are you in a tight spot?  Feeling trapped? Or are you simply yearning to express yourself through your work?  Here are a few choices we all have – we can think and act like a fox, bury our heads in the sand, or just remain in a holding position hoping for luck to change it all.  At different points in my life, I’ve used all these strategies. The first alternative though, which required thinking, planning and taking steps to get my outcome has always had the best results.

Over the course of the year, I’ll be bringing you audio interviews and blog posts about some clever individuals who are pursuing business ideas and careers that they thriving in.  I hope their stories will inspire you, give you ideas and help you make your move!

To stay abreast, keep an eye out on the blog or subscribe to the Clever Fox Ezine by downloading the Clever Kit (yep – that green kit on the right of the screen).

Kickstart your business lovingly for better results

In view of Valentine’s Day, I’m dedicating this post to solopreneurs who love what they do and are dedicated to nurturing it, despite the strains along the way.  As you’ll see, growing your small business is not too different from nurturing a relationship with someone you love.

Here are my five tips:

1. Establish a strong foundation

Any loving relationship needs a strong foundation to grow from.  Your relationship with your business is no different.  Many solopreneurs experience phases of feast or famine, and yo-yo from wanting a long lasting relationship with their business to calling it quits for a more secure relationship (presumably a regular paycheck).

Those quiet months are frustrating.  That’s why it’s imperative to get the basics right – a vision for your business that is clear and motivating, a well researched business model, a plan to grow your business and properly managed finances.

2. Grow together

As your business grows, its needs will change. You need to adapt accordingly. You may need to upgrade your own skills, develop new ways of distributing your services or implement new processes (even personal habits) to manage the change. Keep learning, growing and stay on top of things.

3. Spend quality time together

It’s not the amount of time you spend in the business but the quality time you spend working on it. Choose wisely between what you can outsource and what only you can do yourself.

Far too many small business owners I know spend ages doing their own books and zero time marketing their business. My guess is their time would be better spent getting more ideal clients.

4. Celebrate the special days

Just as you would celebrate Valentine’s Day, special holidays and birthdays with your loved one, rejoice when you reach business milestones.  OK, maybe rejoicing and celebrating is a bit too ‘out there’, but at least pause and reflect on what you’ve actually achieved in the last six months. You may be quite chuffed with yourself – and your business.

5. Go on a retreat

Go on your own special retreat with a specific intention for your business e.g. to review your strategy, develop a plan for the next five years or to brainstorm marketing ideas. Bring along a blank notepad and coloured pens to capture your ideas.

A retreat doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. It can be a place you drive to for the weekend where you can have a mini holiday as well as time to strategise.  For something closer to home, go for a picnic, a short walk in nature, or a new place that gets your creative juices going. The whole point of picking a pleasant location is to break routines, holding patterns and inhibitions which will help you think expansively and creatively. And one more thing, leave the phone behind!

Grow your business lovingly and your business will love you back with more ideal clients, happy work days and peaceful nights.