I floundered around for ages.
The process went something like this:
1. I made some small progresses. Got a client here, got a client there. Baby steps, baby steps, and baby steps.
2. I did busy work because it seemed like that was what needed to be done.
3. I stared at my computer, did laundry during the day (that was a selling feature in the original franchisee pitch, by the way), wandered around Costco…
4. I cried, not knowing what I was doing wrong.
5. Repeat 1 to 4 over and over again.
This is despite the fact that I had an MBA and knew things. Lots of things. I had a high GPA from an excellent school. Yet, it didn’t tell me what to do when I got up in the morning. Being knowledgeable is not good enough when you need direction and a kick in the ass.
This cycle went on for quite a while. On the surface, I was doing well. After my first year in operation, I beat the franchisor’s first year revenue target by about 96.9%. And I was dissatisfied. I knew I could do better.
I had to get off that rinse and repeat cycle I was living.
I got myself some mentors: a few fabulous people who reminded me of what needed to be done to make my life (and business) as big as I wanted it to be. And they hugged me when I was having a bad day, usually over the phone or by email.
You know what? None of it was rocket science. In fact, most of it was about uncovering that which I already knew.
But sometimes when you are in the jar, you cannot read the label.
That is why I will always include coaches and mentors on my team. And those coaches and mentors need to have their own coaches and mentors. We are all working together to grow our businesses and lives to be as big as we want them to be.
