Successfully Chaotic

S.7 Ep. 04 Taking Your First Step as an Entrepreneur

Ep. 04 Taking Your First Step as an Entrepreneur
I sort of know what it’s like to face change and to step out of the comfort zone. 
Now for some, change can happen in a number of ways:
It could be voluntary for many reasons
o Maybe you want to retire with purpose and you’ve had this idea in your head for awhile
o Maybe you’re already retired either from the military or the workforce and you want to try life 2.0 but this time doing something that makes you feel alive
Or maybe this life change you’re going through isn’t voluntary and you’re scrambling a bit to figure some things out
o It could be because of a job loss
o It could be because of a divorce
o It could be a number of reasons
Either way, voluntary change or involuntary change, it’s still change. And that’s something that a lot of people have a hard time with. 
But if nothing changes, then everything will stay the same right? And it’s for that reason alone that you’re even thinking about stepping out of your comfort zone. Maybe you’re tired of feeling comfortable. 
And even though you used to think that you’d never really pursue that dream you’ve had to start your own business, now, with the situation you’re facing, it’s starting to look like it might not be such a bad idea after all. Am I right? Like I said, I’ve been through this scenario more than once. 
But.. you’ve got a lot of questions. And doubts. And then more questions about the answers to the first questions. I get it. There’s a lot to think about. There’s a lot to talk about. But at the same time, if you’re anything like me, overthinking can also be tying your hands behind your back. 
So, are you an overthinker? Overplanner? One thing I noticed about overthinking is that it always seems to lean toward the negative. Have you ever noticed that? We don’t overthink the positive and wonder about all the things that could go right, do we? We seem to be naturally convinced of the negative and have to have someone, or maybe a few people, who are the ultimate optimist try and break through our negative thinking and persuade us that a good or great outcome is certainly possible as well. 
In his new book ‘Soundtracks’ by Jon Acuff, he describes overthinking this way. “It’s one of the most expensive things in the world because it wastes time, creativity, and productivity. It’s an epidemic of inaction, a tsunami of stuckness…Over the years, you’ve built a soundtrack about your career. You have a soundtrack for all your relationships. You have a soundtrack you believe about your hopes, dreams, goals, and every other aspect of your life. If you listen to any thought long enough, it becomes a part of your personal playlist.”
Now I’m a big fan of planning and being prepared. But I’ve also found that that can be an excuse for never actually moving forward to the point of actually doing something meaningful. Of flipping that commitment switch in your head and calling yourself an entrepreneur. 
Because there IS an entrepreneurial switch you have to at some point, flip. It’s there. And yes, it’s all about mindset and how we view ourselves and how we view the possibilities of success, and how we view our potential. It’s thinking about how we think. 
Because our thoughts control our emotions. Ok.. so, do you want to have a successful business someday? Whether it’s something full-time or part-time? If you want to be successful, then it’ll start when you believe you’ll be successful. Don’t have a pathway yet for your dream, then make a path. You can do it. We were made to dream. I believe in you. How? I already told you. If I can do it, so can you. 
Do you want to be an entrepreneur someday? Then start calling yourself one now. Start thinking of yourself as one now. You’ll need that mindset solidified in your head first, in advance, not later when you think you’ve arrived at some stage of accomplishment. 
Are you thinking about being an entrepreneur? Then tell yourself you are one now. Think like one. Act like one. Plan like one. Live like one. Introduce yourself as an entrepreneur. It’s not being fake or phony. This is the way it starts the process of how you work through the startup phase of launching your dream. This is what needs to happen to turn that dream into a reality. A commitment. An identity. A new focus on life and how you’ll live it. 
Don’t think you have what it takes? I won’t believe that. Look, if I can do it, so can you. Now, will you make some mistakes? Of course. Everyone does. And sometimes those mistakes will help you to learn what the true path you’re supposed to be on really is. Mistakes are just life telling you to not do that again. So then when we learn by the life mistakes or the business mistakes, no matter what they are, we’re on the way to a better, more focused path. 
Now, you can certainly just take all this in and store it away with everything else you’ve learned about starting your business, but be certain of this. The more you delay, the more money it could be costing you. This isn’t a guilt trip I’m pulling on you. This is just me thinking about how much passive income I would have never earned if I didn’t start when I did. Now did I start too late? Maybe. But I can’t change that. 
Now looking back, if I didn’t start my business when I did, I would have never started the process of receiving that passive income. Translation…money lost. Money never earned. Now if I had never flipped that entrepreneurial switch in my head and just kept working that job I hated, I many thousands of passive income dollars NEVER EARNED. 
So learn from my mistakes, yes, but also learn from my successes also, OK? There’s a time for planning and waiting and there comes a time to make a commitment. 
So what’s it going to be? Will today be the day you stop letting others decide what your path will be and take control of your dreams? Will today be the day you make the leap to take your life back? 
Sometimes there’s a leap forward and sometimes there are baby steps forward. I see it as a leap in your mindset and then the baby steps for the process you’ll need to go through to launch your business. 
But this message today isn’t about process. It’s about a choice. What are you going to choose to be today? You’re listening to a small business podcast or reading my small business blog for a reason. That shows me that you’re halfway there and you’ve got your finger on the switch you need to flip but you’re not quite sure about something yet. 
If you’re going to wait until you have all the answers to your questions, then you’ll never flip the switch. There are a lot of things you’ll just have to learn as you go. And that’s ok. That’s a normal part of the process. 
So whatever reasons you have for believing something other than you being successful? Get rid of them. 
Think you waited too long and the window of opportunity has passed? Don’t believe it. 
Not good with technology, so you don’t think you can learn what you need? Don’t believe it. There are plenty of resources and people that will help you.  
People might think you’re crazy so it’s holding you back. Don’t believe THEM. 
You’ve had a business before and it didn’t work out so you’re not sure if you can be successful this time. Don’t believe it. Your chances of success are even greater now that you made some mistakes and know what not to do.
 You can do this! Again, if I can do it, so can you. If you need some help along the way, reach out to someone that’s been through the process with success. 

S7 E3 Finding Your Unique Selling Point

When people have a problem they need to solve, they're looking for a solution from someone who knows how to help and from someone who wants to help.
My whole sales approach comes from the 'I can help you with that' perspective. The people who get their business have a very different perspective. They give. They serve. They have a natural ability to focus on the needs of others. Not to just put the spotlight on themselves.
And I'm also speaking from the perspective of being a client here. I give my money to those that have proven themselves worthy of my money.
They pour out content that helps solve problems. I contact them because they've already given me some great advice (for free), and I want to take it further.
They get my money because they've been able to communicate what they do, the problem they solve, and how I need them.
This is the foundation of a great USP. The unique selling point.  
What is a USP?
The distinct and appealing idea sets you and your business favorably apart from every other generic competitor.
Now, I think a great USP answers the following questions:
  What's in it for me?
  Why do I need you?
  What makes you unique?
  Why should I pay you?
 
And to answer those questions, you'll want to:
    Keep it Simple (because attention spans are short)
    Keep it Short (because attention spans are short)
    Show the benefit (how it solves a problem)
    Address an emotion (because even though we'd like to think we look at things from different angles and use our intellect to make decisions, we buy on emotion)
    Make it memorable (say something that stands out..how I end each Podcast episode)
Now, in your USP, Is your product or service:
    Easier
    Faster
    More widely available
    Simpler
    Cheaper
    Have a better guarantee
    Prettier
    More efficient
    Smaller
    A better value
    A better design
    Of higher quality
    Cutting-edge
    More time-tested?
Do you have a pitch? What's your message? Have you figured this out yet? Can you sift in a little story in your pitch? Look up Martin Barnes on LinkedIn if you need help with a rise. He started Pitch Club, and he's been helping people with their pitches for many years now.
To answer the question: Why do I need you? This is where you'll address how you solve a specific problem in the pitch.
To answer the question: Why should I pay you? There are a lot of people doing the same thing that you're doing, but if you've proven that you can provide real value for doing that 'thing you do,' AND if they like you (because personality has a lot to do with getting new business), then they'll pay you..and gladly pay you.
When my business coach sent email offers for products and services he was selling, I gladly pulled out my credit card and bought e-products and six months of coaching on a specific topic. Why? Because I liked him.
And that can be you as well. Be helpful. Be likable. Be a servant leader.
Another way of looking at what a good USP consists of hinges around: 'what you have that competitors don't.' Now, that can be a little tricky because, as I said before, many people are doing what you do and offering the same thing you're offering. But this is where your uniqueness comes in. This is where your personality shines through.
Why do we pick one professional athlete as 'the best' when there's always someone else out there that's just as good? Because we like them.
And that needs to be you. It would be best if you shone through with who you are, even in your USP.
What's my USP?
 I help people launch their personal brand business faster, so they can be more profitable quicker. Why? Because when I started my business 20 years ago, I could have used someone to help me launch more efficiently instead of just 'winging it.'
So, I created 'The 7 Basic Building Blocks to a Successful Online Business' course, which I coach people through. What are the seven essential building blocks? 
Vision- where you want to go and how you want to get there
Website- Open for business. Who you are and what you offer.
Product/Service- How you can help people solve their problem
Marketing- Opening the relationship with your target audience
Email list- Building the relationship further
Branding- Your verbal, visual, and values identity
Copywriting- The words you use to sell stuff
All this is excellent information, but I can make your launch easier and faster by tying all the initial tech together. I can either coach you through it or do it for you. That way, you can move on to doing 'that thing you do' and not have to worry about the foundation of your online business and all the frustrating techie stuff that goes along with it.
That's my USP.

S.7 Ep. 02: How mind mapping can help your business

I came across mind mapping years ago, and it’s always helped me to see an overall plan in a great visual way. Always.
If you’re not familiar with mind mapping, what is it?
A Mind Map is an easy way to brainstorm your thoughts and plans and allows you to visually structure your ideas so you can see how your plan will play out from a different angle.
This is great for those who don’t retain things well from just black-and-white print or reading a business plan.
 
Listen to S7 EP02 As Maria Daniels, discusses more on Mind Mapping. 

S7 EP.01 Starting a Business From the Inside Out

S06 E18 Finding Success & Fulfillment as a Mission-Driven Business Owner

This episode is sponsored by @podcast_sauce.
In this episode, Kristen Olsen and Maria Daniels reminisce about experiences of becoming a business owner, why they started, what it means to be mission driven and being in a state of "almost balancing". 
Kristen is a fellow podcaster and hosts a show called Tumeric and Tequila and can be found here! https://turmericandtequila.com/ 
Kristen has also founded KO Alliance.  KO Alliance works with mission driven humans and businesses to authentically activate in desired communities. Specializing in strategic partnerships- creating mutually beneficial long term relationships. https://koalliance.com/
 
Leave a podcast review! 
Find more about Maria and Successfully Chaotic at www.successfullychaotic.com
 
 
 

S06 E17 Reclaiming your identity, autism mom, burnout to unstoppable

Claudia Taboada is an author, speaker and burnout prevention coach for busy high achieving mothers who wear multiple hats and who are feeling burned out and overwhelmed. Her coaching program helps them reclaim their health, their sanity and their power in 90 days or less.
In this episode, Maria and Claudia discuss being mothers, autism, dealing with change, regaining your identity, building self and being your own guide and a Self - Reflection Journal and Planner that can aid those in need of reclaiming their power. 
Find Claudia online:
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/ClaudiaTaboadaTheUnstoppableMom/
Self-Reflection Journal & Memoir: https://www.amazon.com/Claudia-Taboada/e/B084D9S265/ref=aufs_dp_fta_dsk
Find everything that's Successfully Chaotic here: www.sucessfullychaotic.com 

S06 E16 Is winning and failing and synonymous with success?

Tim Winders is a Strategic Coach, Author, and host of SeekGoCreate, a podcast and YouTube interview show.
In this episode, Maria and Tim discuss parenting, lifestyle change, being forced to change, what it's like living the nomad life and more from his experiences for over 40 years in leadership, business and ministry. 
Tim's Website: https://timwinders.com/
Tim's Podcast: https://seekgocreate.com/
Tim's Book: https://timwinders.com/book
Discover more episodes, blogs and more from Maria Daniels: www.successfullychaotic.com 

S06 E15 How I navigate through small business ownership and mindfulness

Maria Daniels shares thought process during inflation, what it's like navigating a small business and how to overcome struggle and pivoting thought uncertainty and maintaining awareness and mindset...
Follow @successfully_chaotic 
Email @info@successfullychaotic.com
Visit: successfullychaotic.com 
Visit: resetbusinessconsulting.com
Follow @resetbusinessco
Visit: resetbusinessconsulting.com 
 

S06 E14 FINE is a 4-letter word and does meditation work?

This is Successfully Chaotic's 100th episode!!
Lori Saitz is the founder of Zen Rabbit and podcast host of FINE is a 4-letter word. She joins Maria Daniels today to discuss how she walked away from her marriage and first business to evolve from being fine and creating her new business, Zen Rabbit. Also, is meditation something that should be part of one's practice and does it work?
Lori can be found on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorisaitz/
Lori's website: https://zenrabbit.com/
Everything Successfully Chaotic: www.successfullychaotic.com

S06 E13 Education, Connections and Entrepreneurship in 2022

SJ Barakony is the education sherpa and super connecter. SJ visits Maria Daniels to discuss the insights that happen to be revealing itself in the shift that is creating growth and opportunity in today’s society. 
Millions of Americans may have removed themselves from the day to day 9-5 and moved into the space of letting their “side hustles” become a main source of income.
Connect with SJ online:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sbslsfoundersj/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.education.sherpa/
Want more Successfully Chaotic? Visit www.successfullychaotic.com