Feeling unsure of yourself? Feeling Stuck? At a loss for some inspiration?
Sometimes it feels like no one understands.
Or that there are too many things going on in your head to sort it all out. Paralysis sets in.
Or you feel like you ought to be totally clear before taking that next step, but it just isn't coming to you.
Where do you turn for advice?
Let me share a secret:. NO ONE can do it alone all of the time. And there’s no one lonelier than a business owner.
I've been there, and survived. And I've helped gobs of other women entrepreneurs survive and thrive. Just. Like. You.
My superpower is helping you see what is holding you back from your greatest good, AND coming up with ACTION STEPS to get you MOVING towards your dream business.
Sometimes we just need to be HEARD.
Our darling male partners often want to fix things for us, bless their hearts. But if you're lucky enough to have one like mine, he understands (most of the time) that I just need to VENT. Say things out loud. More often than not, I hear my own solution in my spoken words -- perhaps that I've been trying to ignore or deny -- even if I decide not to take my own advice. (Yes, that's an option...)
Then there are those times when you really DO need a sounding board with specific expertise to validate — or not — your idea. Enumerating aloud your tax questions is probably not going to be as effective as speaking with an experienced tax advisor.
Getting over a childhood trauma may require spending time with a licensed therapist in addition to hard work on yourself.
Being pissed off at your monster-in-law may simply need time, or bottle of wine with girlfriends-in-arms.
Yes, there are moments when we come to the end of our own expertise. We can deny or ignore the situation -- true, doing nothing can be a decision, and sometimes problems work themselves out. However, simply abdicating your participation limits your options unnecessarily.
I've personally found that having an objective and candid advisor/coach is worth the world when I find myself uncertain, at a crossroad, or a dead end. She helps me get outside myself and see the situation more objectively from a 30,000 foot view.
Having someone to hold up a mirror before you and tell you what they see in you and your situation can be life-changing.
There are times we need expert advice customized to our specific needs, when we need it. We need an advocate who we PAY to give us their expert advice. Like a good attorney, arguing and sticking up for us in spite of ourselves is invaluable.
What should you look for in a coach or advisor? Here are some of my non-negotiables:
Experience that matches your need - if you're a business owner, don't go to someone who's spent their entire career in, or coaching, exclusively corporate clients; or to a business owner who's only worked in one business - their own. You're paying for perspective!
Integrity - chances are you're feeling vulnerable so you need to know someone will hold confidences unquestioningly, even if you have mutual friends.
Perceptiveness - are they able to address and bring real value to the issue you're facing? Or are they just offering you their "one-size-fits-all" square peg? (Women KNOW one size doesn't fit all...)
Candor - we don't have time for "yes women." We need to get on with our lives, in a safe enough environment that we can hear when someone, with love and kindness, says "Snap out of it!"
Action-Oriented - at the end of a consult, do you feel as though you have something you can DO about your issue? You should go in with an idea of what outcome you want from a consultation; make sure you get it!
Most of all, don't let one hurdle stop you in your tracks. Get help if you need it, get to the HEART of the matter, so you can get on with being the awesome, sparkling, badass business maven you are!
Can you really see yourself and your situation clearly?