Alright– there’s something I need to say that I feel pretty fiery about, and it’s why you shouldn‘t DIY business. For those you that don’t know DIY, it stands for Do It Yourself. DIY is hip and all, when you‘re talking about art, decorating, building neat stuff in your house, or fixing your bike, but it’s a sucky strategy when it comes to business.
Here’s why:
When you read 4 Hour Workweek, or listen to entrepreneurship podcasts, or read articles, books, or whatever, you learn a lot of cool inspiring stuff, and even some strategy, but you don’t learn how to put it all together and actually IMPLEMENT a concrete plan to create a thriving business (yes, one that actually gives you money and clients.) On top of that, you can find opposing opinions everywhere, which is confusing!
Even if you have a natural business acumen and have figured out how to make money and get clients on your own (after all, that’s how I started!), you‘re probably either:
a) Not actually making good money.
b) Burned out.
c) Working more than you want to.
or
d) all of the above.
In my case, in my environmental consulting business, I was making okay money compared to my previous nonprofit jobs, but nothing near what I wanted to be able to have a decent lifestyle in San Francisco and pay for all of the awesome domestic and international travel that I love to do. (Jumping on a plane tomorrow as a matter of fact!)
Once I finally hired a mentor, I doubled my income. And I never have to ask myself, “Can I afford this?” when I get a new travel aspiration.
If you want to be successful, make money, have an awesome schedule and lifestyle, and truly live your passion through your work, you need someone to support you. Books, short online courses, and podcasts are NOT going to get you there. These are amazing tools, but they’re not the complete package. Entrepreneurs are chronic ideas people and typically struggle with focus and follow through. You need someone to light a pathway for you to discern which ideas to move forward with, and which ones to file for later.
If you‘re trying to DIY business, don’t be surprised if you‘re in the same exact place one year from now. I don’t mean to be harsh, but I do want you to know that if you‘re sick of spinning your wheels, consider that the best choice you could make would be to start working with someone who has been there before and can save you the time and heartache (not to mention the money) of trying to do it all by yourself. If you‘re constantly asking yourself what to do next, and wavering between working on your marketing or your website or getting that new certification, know that the next best step for you is getting CLARITY and a practical path. Hands down. Find someone to support you in this process.
Remember, business is not like cool home crafty projects and it’s not meant to be a DIY process. Behind every successful entrepreneur is their mentor. If you‘re looking for a life full of freedom, travel, and financial abundance and you want someone to help you create the formula for success, I’d be honored to speak with you about your dream. Just drop me a note and say hello, and share one thing you want, and one thing you‘re struggling with and we can set up a time to chat by phone, one on one.
If you‘re not feeling it yet, that’s cool! Keep reading those books and listening to those podcasts for more inspiration. You‘ll know when you‘re ready 🙂