01.18.06

5 Things I Did Right in 2005

Posted in Business at 8:35 pm UTC by Michele PW

All in all, I’m pretty happy with how 2005 turned out. My
business is taking off. I’ve built a solid foundation to
support even more growth (which I forecast for 2006) and
I’ve even managed to take some time off.

I’d like all my subscribers to feel as good about their
business as I do about mine, so I thought I’d take a moment
to share 5 things I attribute to my successful 2005.

1. Attended seminars. This one is HUGE. Nothing beats
getting out of your office and away from your computer and
actually meeting people face to face. I’ve come away from
these events with clients, joint venture partners, and more.
(And that doesn’t even include the great information I
absorbed and was able to put to use in both my business and
my clients’ businesses.) If you only put one of my 5 tips to
use, this would be the one to do — that’s how valuable I’ve
discovered attending seminars to be.

2. Hired a coach. Again, this was another tough decision to
make, but I’m really glad I did. It’s difficult to see your
business objectively, so having a neutral observer on your
team is extremely valuable. Coaches help you get out of your
own way (and believe me, that’s a biggie for us
entrepreneurs.) They can help you with both your inner game
(your habits and mindset) and your outer game (your skills
and business structure). I’ve used two great ones, Melanie
Benson Strick, http://www.successconnections.com and Nancy
Marmolejo, http://www.comadrecoaching.com

3. Started systemizing my business. Unless you want to be
chained to your business night and day, you have got to
start systemizing your business. Yes, all businesses should
have systems in place, even if you don’t have anyone else
working for you and you primarily sell services. The best
part is when you do have systems in place, your business
suddenly starts running a lot more efficiently and
effectively (and you can start sleeping better at night and
relaxing on vacation). If you want some help with this, Beth
Schneider, http://www.processprodigy.com is fabulous.

4. Outsourced. For all you control freaks out there, this
one is for you. If you don’t start hiring some help, I
guarantee you’ll never be able to grow your business
because you’ll be constantly doing tasks you have no
business doing. Do yourself a favor and get some help…NOW.
I’ve just hired a project manager/director of client
services, plus I have 2 backup writers and 2 virtual
assistants. Building a team has been a big stress reliever
for me.

5. Focused on my inner game. Shifting my mindset away from
“freelancer” to “business owner” was another big piece of
the puzzle. As soon as I made that shift, all the other four
techniques fell into place because it suddenly made them
easier to do.

It’s tough to change your inner game on your own — hiring a
coach is probably the fastest way to do this. But there are
some good resources out there if you want to begin dabbling
in it first. T Harv Ecker and Mike Litman both have some
good products to get you started.

Michele Pariza Wacek owns Creative Concepts and Copywriting, a writing, marketing and creativity agency. She offers two free e-newsletters that help subscribers combine their creativity with hard-hitting marketing and copywriting principles to become more successful at attracting new clients, selling products and services and boosting business. She can be reached at http://www.writingusa.com. Copyright 2006 Michele Pariza Wacek

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