3.
You’re a… Frustrated CEO!
Your results show that you are feeling pretty frustrated. I'll place my bets that you don't even consider yourself a leader right now, let alone owning the CEO title that comes with being the owner and director of your business. I am sure I don't need to tell you that this needs to change.You didn't set up your business to be feeling the way you are. Your frustration levels have peaked to a point where you are seriously exploring the option to return to employment. You are spending too much time scrolling your social media feed comparing yourself to everyone else and there are too many other habits and behaviours that are really not serving you.You know you have potential. However, not enough people know about you. The small client base you do have, do love you. You just don't have enough of them and sometimes you are not completely convinced that all of your clients are the right fit either. It has been a case of needs - must for too long. Right now, your confidence is feeling super fragile. Because of how you are feeling, your belief in yourself has taken a huge knock and the more you continue going round in circles, the more it magnifies. The reality is, some won't cut the 'run your own business' mustard. Harsh, I know, but it is the truth. Leading a business takes courageous action, it takes resilience, and it needs you to get comfortable with being uncomfortable in times of uncertainty. It also requires your awareness, curiousity and openness to learning new habits, skills and being willing to change. BUT.....The good news. You haven't really pushed yourself that hard have you? You have let your fear and doubt get in your way. You allow the zillions of distractions to feed your procrastination on taking intentional action. So, its fair to say you haven't exhausted your efforts to give it a real good go.You performed in your life and work before. It is probable that you can again. BUT. It will take you getting intentional. It will require you being willing and open to change. It will require some focus on habits no longer serving you (and these could have been with you for a few years, so they won't move without some consciousness and effort).You will need to draw a line in the sand and accept that you need to do things very differently. Not tomorrow, but now. Shall we make a start? Please don't put off what you can start today.“Change is hard at the start, messy in the middle and gorgeous at the end” - Robin Sharma -Ready To Draw that Line? Let's get started...1. Start at the very beginning - with what you NEED right now. For me to help you, let's start with where you are at now. I want you to become the leader with a business you LOVE that makes you want to leap out of bed each morning. However, the reality is that right now we need to ensure that you can pay the bills, keep the roof over your head and food on the table. Maybe you don't need to worry about this, maybe you do. It is your need. If you don't 'have' to meet a financial need (because you have investment/a financial buffer/support with the bills) - you could skip this step and go to step 2. However, if you do have a financial need that is causing you sleepless nights (or even a desire to build some revenue urgently), then stay with me here as I cannot help you get mindful about why you are doing this and your purpose if you cannot sleep or think straight because you are stressing about money.Firstly, what do you need from this business financially? How much would make a difference to you currently? How much would keep the wolves from the door? Let's say it is £1000 a month. Then let's look at what you currently offer in terms of a product/service that doesn't require you reinventing the wheel, eg. you could sell it now. What is this? How much does it cost? Is it priced right? How many of these do you need to sell to meet that financial need? What could you change about it or how you sell it to help you hit this financial target? Could you diversify and offer this product differently to bring in more people? Also what do your customers need right now? Break down this £1000 and look at what you could do quickly to get that money in? How could you sell these products? Do you have a waitlist of people in your pipeline? People who have worked with you in the past that you could approach for a referral? When we have an urgent need for cashflow, I tend to focus on your immediate sales activity, rather than the longer term focus on your marketing strategy and positioning to your ideal client. Could you get testimonials of those who are super happy with your products and share these? Go all in on meeting your immediate financial need (and don't move anywhere else until you have made progress to achieving this.). Everything else is simply a distraction at this stage. 2. Get curious about what you truly want. If your immediate needs are met financially, then you can move to this step.To be the leader with a business that makes you want to leap out of bed each morning, you need to firstly start from a place of purpose and alignment. What vision/picture could you attach to your financial goal? This is a great way to incentivise you to go after your goals. EG: You might need an extra £10,000 for a deposit for a house - link this to your financial goals so you can not only meet your goal, but you are building up that mortgage pot in the process. To be the leader with a business that makes you want to leap out of bed each morning , you need to start from a place of purpose and alignment. What does an ideal life/day look like for you? How do you want to work, when do you want to work? What are your values? When do you want to holiday/take a break? What is the fuel in your tank that will keep you going through difficult days and long hours? Business takes resilience and motivation to keep going is vital. Who do you want to work with - that ideal client is as much about you as it is about them? There is no point you working evenings because your clients need you to do this when you hate working evenings. What environment best suits your needs and productivity? Are you doing enough of what you love? Get this bit right before you even start to think about what you want to sell and to who and how. Alignment is VITAL in your business model. 3. Do the basics. Lay the foundations. You cannot scale a wobbly business and I guarantee your business will be wobbly if you try to build it on sand without structure and processes in place. It may be ok for a while, but it isn't sustainable. Ask yourself, how much money do you need to generate in revenue/profit over the next 12 months to pay yourself and cover your basic operating expenses? Then work back from here. How many hours do you ideally want to work your business? When are you wanting to be out of the business for holidays? This allows you to think about when you will be physically working and then you can start thinking about your products/services being the right fit. Who is your ideal client? What help do they need? What are they telling you they need or want? How do you want to work? Is it 1:1/group/offline/online? What tasks are really slowing you down right now? Could you bring in some initial help to free up 10 hours of your time so you can focus in on what will add the greatest value to your business and allow you to leverage your incredible strengths and zone of genius?When you know what your goal is, you can work backwards to create the plan and objectives - enabling you to see the exact steps you need to take to get there. The key for you at this stage of your business journey is to keep it simple. Get the blinkers on and focus in on the important activities that will help you move forward NOW.Who am I to advise you? Read on...Hi, I’m Leigh I am a qualified Executive Coach specializing in leadership and business coaching, consulting and mentoring to service-based owner managed businesses. With over 2 decades of experience in observing, partnering, and advising high performing business leaders and founders (including partnering to board level within a Fortune500), I have recruited and cultivated hundreds of leaders to improve performance, drive change and realise potential.I am very passionate about holding a much needed safe, honest and stretching space for business leaders (and their teams). I am also a huge advocate of leading consciously, encouraging a more balanced outlook to life. Meaning more of a focus on higher levels of performance without working around the clock.At the same time, I am on a mission to redefine the role of CEO in owner managed businesses. I believe that modern business and leadership provides an incredible opportunity to work smarter, with greater consciousness and alignment to what matters most. I TRULY would love more leaders to achieve their potential; building and structuring their business model and support team in a way that brings more joy, time, and money, empowering them to impact and change the lives of others along the way.I have been told I have a gift of being able to read the truth in leaders behavior and see beneath the surface of what is holding them back. It’s this, coupled with my supportive nature and honest feedback, that has led to many ambitious business leaders wanting me in their corner to support their next stage of growth. How could you get me in your corner?1. Get your hands on my new book: Foundations to Lead FromWhether you’re just starting your business & leadership journey, or you’re stuck & have lost the joy…it’s a great kickstart. The missing piece of the jigsaw to help you set up your business in a way that works for YOU and empowers the leader in you to emerge! Just click the button below to grab your copy.2. Send me a message. In today's busy world, it doesn't need to be any more fancy than a private message on my socials (you can find me on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram) or a quick hello into my email - hello@leighhowes.com. We can chat a little more and see if there may be some mutual fit together.3. Check out my website. Get a feel for me, my background, my style and what others have to say about having me in their corner. www.leighhowes.com/work-with-me.I know it feels tough right now, but you have taken a BIG step in the right direction. I’m going to shoot you an email (or two) to help you stay focused. Meanwhile, if you want to get more guidance, tips and advice - get your hands on my book and thereafter join my private and exclusive community JUST for my book readers. Click the link below. You've SO got this!
