Defining Your Dream

“If your dream doesn’t make you uncomfortable, it isn’t big enough.” Kary Oberbrunner

Every day, more people are using the internet to start a side business, full time self employment or create a new revenue stream. There are always problems in the startup process. Issues that crop up that we didn’t expect, in addition to the problems that we did expect. But the solution isn’t more time or money, the solution is more clarity. 

Clarity is power. When you have clarity, you multiply your time because you know exactly what to work on next. When you have clarity, you conserve money because you know exactly where to invest it. When you have clarity, you can work through any issue that comes up and have the motivation to keep going forward without being sidetracked.

I want to encourage you to be a learner but also a DOER. Action cures fear.

“Clarity comes with a marriage of movement and meditation.” by Mike Kim

STEP 1- Determine Your ‘Why’

Few people or companies can clearly articulate why they do what they do. I’m not talking about making money, everyone has that as their reason ‘why’, but that’s really more of a result than a purpose.

Why will you get out of bed in the morning? Why will you be doing what you want your new startup business to do? Why will your company exist?
A little later, we’ll determine What to do, and then How to do it, but we all need to first start with WHY. People don’t buy what you do. There are a lot of others doing the same thing as you, but people are more drawn to Why you are doing it.

When a company tries to sell us What they do, they communicate from the outside, in. When you start your message with the reason Why you’re doing what you’re doing, you’re communicating from the inside out, which is a message that will reach people’s hearts and minds; this method will be more effective.

“Knowing your Why is not the only way to be successful, but it is the only way to maintain a lasting success and have a greater blend of innovation and flexibility.“ Simon Sinek

How do you determine your individual Why factor? Do you ‘go with your gut’?

The Clarity of Why

If people don’t buy what you do, but why you do it, then it’s of utmost importance that if you don’t know why you do what you do, how will anyone else know?

Next…

Time to do a brain dump on the ‘Why factor’. Just write down the initial reasons you have and don’t over think them. This is why teachers tell their students to go with the first answer and don’t change it. Your ‘gut’ answer is statistically the correct one. 

So, let’s go over the initial questions again:

Why will you get out of bed in the morning?

Why will you be doing what you want your new startup business to do? 

Why will your company exist?

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How did I answer the Why questions?

Why will I get out of bed in the morning? 

Why will I be doing what I want my business to do? 

Why will my company exist?

My Story

Born and raised in upstate New York, I grew up in a small town where photography, tennis, pool and ping pong were my main interests. At a time where modern computer technology was new, I went to school in New Jersey to pursue a career in IT.  

Working deeper and deeper into the technology roles I had, I found that training and public speaking were assets that helped me develop into other roles that were eventually coming in my future. 

I made the leap to self employment in 2002 where I was able to gain key insights and experience with the myriad of small business development issues including services for startup launches, sales, marketing, promotion, public speaking and training.   

There was a Non-profit organization that needed help with their website, operations, marketing, message and fundraising and asked for my help. I was able to coach the Executive Director one-on-one and make a significant impact in these areas. This was the initial confirmation message for me in pursuing small business coaching.  

Small business coaching was a natural fit, given my passion for people, processes, technology and helping others to turn their dreams into reality. Rather than me ‘finding’ coaching, coaching ‘found’ me.

After moving to Virginia in 2018, I continued to assist people with their small businesses or NPO development and serve as a catalyst for small business launches or later in life pivots to self employment. 

I truly enjoy this type of service to people and find real satisfaction in knowing that I can help them navigate through the startup process quicker and easier.   

This is my ‘Why’