Stage 1 – The Idea of your business

When you first start out in business, you’re working off an IDEA. Something sparks some joy in your life, and you grab onto it and start running. The excitement of it all takes you on the adventure of a lifetime.

This idea can come from anywhere.

• It could be from a personal impetus, something you just do, have always done, and love to do.
• You could have a mission, something happened to you, and you are now striving to rectify or ensure that it doesn’t happen to others.
• Your friends could have said, “Hey, you’re great at this thing! You should do it!” So you do.
• Or perhaps you were presented with an opportunity that you didn’t even know existed from someone you didn’t know, and it sparked the possibility of a new life.

This is the stage in which you’re figuring it all out.

You do everything yourself, the finances, marketing, dealing with clients, setting appointments, creating the images, EVERYTHING.

Bringing the IDEA to success

In wanting this IDEA to succeed, you pour your blood, sweat, and tears into it…which causes the overwhelm of “there’s so much to do and I’m doing it all”.

You’re also learning new things, which takes time…but most of us are impatient and we push really hard and get upset with ourselves when we don’t get it right the first time out.

Things get pushed to the last minute because other things seem important at the time…and then the deadline hits! WHOOPS!

It’s all so much that we get into a stressed or panicked mode because we’re concerned about “making it”.

It’s at this point you need a reminder that this is NORMAL! You’re in the IDEA stage of your business. It’s just a chaotic whirlpool of possibility and you’re starting to become aware of all the things. You’re just starting down the P.A.T.H. (Possibility, Awareness, Timing, Happiness).

You become aware of all the possible avenues you can take for this wonderful adventure you’ve embarked upon.

When you enter the jungle, you think because you have it all figured out. You have the machete, the first aid kit, good hiking boots, and some bug spray.

But the thing is, you don’t know what you don’t know. You don’t know about the creepy crawlies that can fit between the edges of your tent and sleeping bag or the birds that just happen to LOVE the color of your hat and constantly dive bomb you. (Obviously, I know nothing of the jungle! 😆)

It’s the same when starting a business.

Luckily starting a business is not quite as life threatening as the jungle. And if you take a few moments each day to write down what you did and how you did it, you’ll save yourself some headaches along the way.

It is never too early to start documenting your business…if for nothing else but to sit back and laugh at yourself at how cringe-worthy your first attempts were.

But seriously, you can’t get to where you know something really well without having gone through the rough starts, the cringe-worthy marketing, and the fall on your face mistakes. But if you have them documented, you’ll know what NOT to do next time as well as how to improve what DID work.

It is in this learning and experimenting time that GOLD appears and if you’re not in the habit of taking notes, that gold could easily slip away…never to be found again. Just start a notebook or a piece of paper and list out what you’re doing each day. Eventually you’ll have enough to look at what you do and start formulating your processes.

If you’re interested in learning more, check out the 3 Easy Steps to Identify Your First Process FREE PDF.

Until next time, Keep your eyes on the horizon, your hands on the wheel, and your foot on the GAS!!

Let’s DO THIS!