The imprint you make on your business now, during these early days is what will guide you as you scale and grow. Developing a healthy, functional, disciplined, approach to your business now is key to your future performance – and vital to your brand identity. Remember, consumers today demand transparency – they want to believe in you and your company, as much as they want to enjoy your products and services. Don’t disappoint them.

Here are three action items to keep you on track:

1. Be reliable. However you decide to communicate with your audience, don’t deviate. If you blog once a week, don’t hedge your bets and think that no one will notice. You will notice, and that easy slip this week could lead to a slippery slope of hesitations and procrastinations in other areas of your business next week. Besides, frequency of communications is what helps you build your audience.
2. Show up. It’s easy to think that you’re not being noticed in the sea of social media. Don’t believe it! Show up and play with the big guns. Continue developing messages that you can deploy via Twitter, Facebook, Pintrest, et al, to keep people coming back to your site. And keep sharing relevant content from other bloggers and publishers – become an information resource. That is part of your role as a content producer.
3. Stay inspired. Daily. Hourly. Do your homework. If visitors don’t stay on your website or click through to various content, don’t get discouraged. Roll up your sleeves and iterate. Ask trusted associates and friends for feedback. And keep trolling the web for ideas. Watch what your peers are doing. Allow yourself to constantly learn and grow. Everyone started with baby steps. Just keep moving!

The “it” is Inspiration (with a capital I). Inspiration is the backbone of every purposeful business and of every authentic, achieving human being. Inspiration builds relationships, projects, companies, coalitions, revolutions, and nations. Inspiration radiates from a higher ground – its motive is progress, unity, collaboration, love. You can never get enough Inspiration!

Every one of us wants to be inspired, motivated and encouraged to go beyond where we are today, to reach for a higher ideal of ourselves, to live into possibility. Every one of us is hungry – no – we’re ravenous for anything that can help us unleash our true potentials. Why? Because potential is in our DNA. We’re born to create. We’re born to be amazing. And it’s about damn time we lived into all of that possibility.

You already know this. That’s why you’re here. So let’s cut to the chase. Why aren’t you living the life you want? Why haven’t you started working on that business idea? Oh, you have? Okay, so now you don’t believe your idea will fly, is that it?

Look, I know how this works. Some days you feel like recoiling and crawling into a hole because living into your potential can be very scary and downright difficult. You’re constantly being challenged – from the evil twin voice in your head that is nothing more than a phantom fear monger, to the real world issues that keep you up at night. All to be expected, and you have to push through the tentative times in order to reach the days when you’re on cloud nine – when you physically feel your potential pulsating through your body, when you know unequivocally that your idea is brilliant, (or will be) and that you are capable of achieving great things.

You have to keep proving to yourself that you can do what you want to do. You have to be relentless, because inertia, real world challenges, and the fear phantom are always lurking. How about this: while you’re driving home from work from that hum-drum job that you’re going to leave once your business is up and running, start fantasizing about that interview you’re going to have at that big entrepreneur’s conference in NYC. That’s right, conduct the interview right there in your car, and seriously –record yourself! And when those scurrilous moments of doubt come knockin’ at your door, listen to that interview, refine it, and get yourself back on track!

Keep refining your interview as your project or business idea unfolds. Build a narrative around your progress. Let the interviewer part of yourself ask really tough questions – no holds barred. Ask everything. And then answer honestly. This is your sandbox and you can create anything you want. Let your words create your reality.  Practicing your interview is one way to find the answers to your questions. And if you have a team in place, conduct interviews with all team members – everyone asks and everyone answers; equal opportunity to contribute and learn.

Wow. You are going to learn so much about yourself – and about your idea. You won’t believe some of the things you tell yourself. Seriously. Your genius will reveal itself throughout the process. And you will discover the deeper root that Pam Slim, author of Escape From Cubicle Nation, talks about in her blog.

Alternative idea: Write a speech instead – for that entrepreneurial conference that you will be attending after you launch your project. Write the narrative of your success: why you started the company, how it will change the world, who is using your products and services – how it all came to be, what inspired you, what held you back, and where you’re heading next. Keep updating your speech as you build your business. This is your story in action. There is so much to discover and unleash!

Time to let go of the story.

We all create stories about ourselves. Some were taught to us and we decided to believe them. Others we created, and we decided to believe those too! But in the end, all you have are stories that are only true if you believe them. Guess that that means? You can create new stories!

Your story may go something like this: “I have a great idea for a business, but my family needs me and my income. I’m exhausted most days. I’ve scribbled down a few thoughts in a notebook, but I don’t even know where that notebook is anymore. Still, sometimes, when I’m laying awake at night – I think about what might be possible if I could just make my idea a reality.”

Time to change your story. How about this: “I have a family who needs me and I make a decent income, so I really can’t leave my job right now. Sometimes I feel exhausted, but remarkably, I feel really alive when I think about my business idea. So now I get up a half-hour early each morning and work on the details of my business plan. And at night, when the kids are in bed, I go online for 45 minutes and do research. This isn’t a crash course, I’m in it for the long haul, and just knowing that I am taking small steps has made me feel like my business idea is possible.”

Okay, your turn. Retell your story to fit what you actually want to happen in your life. Get as detailed as you want. This is the new story that you are going to live into. Nothing can stop you now.

Except a creepy thing called fear. That’s okay. We’re going to tame that wild beast.

Time to let go of the fear.

What exactly is at the root of your fear?

• That you’ll fail? Who cares! You can always work on another idea.
• That you don’t have enough money? Well, there are a plethora of crowdfunding websites designed to help you get some early funding. Check out the Startup Resources page.
• That you’re not smart, good, young, hardworking, (fill-in-the-blank) enough?  Really? You’re reading this post. That’s a good start! Do you know how many people are starting businesses today without being 100% ready? If you wait until you think you know enough to start a business, the market will leave you behind. Sure, you have to be realistic. But inherent in starting anything new is risk. There are tangible ways to mitigate risk, and there are a vast number of resources available to guide and inspire you. Learning how other people overcame their fears will do wonders for yours. Remember, you are not alone.

Okay, now nothing can get in your way! Except, perhaps, an annoying lack of focus.

Time to commit like a hawk.

At this point the ideas are going to start swirling around in your head like a Starling Murmuration. Find that notebook, because you’re going to need to write down everything. Keep it in your car, at work, beside your bed, in the bathroom… wherever good ideas strike! Then get another notebook and start putting some structure around your ideas. What feels authentic? What exactly is your vision? Your mission? How will the world be better with your business idea? You are creating a living, breathing entity. It’s going to have a mind of its own. That’s okay.

Because you’re ready to commit like a hawk.

When a hawk sets its sights on prey, regardless of proximity, the hawk zeroes in and pursues that prey with laser-like focus. This action is called “committing.” The hawk sees nothing else. It swoops and remains committed until the bitter end.

Your business idea is your prey. And if you’re going to see your idea through to the bitter end, you have to commit. You’ll schedule time, on a consistent basis, to work on your project. You’ll make lists to help keep your project organized. You’ll do research – lots of research. And you’ll find your tribe… other people who will support you in realizing your dream. Your tribe might be like-minded friends. Or groups for entrepreneurs in your area. If you can’t find a group, start one! And don’t underestimate the importance of your online tribe. Find and follow folks who speak your language – who are aiming just as high, and who, like you, have committed to unleashing their full potential!

If you are just starting out, here are a few things to consider:

• do you have a name for your business?
• have you confirmed that the name is available in your state and online?
• do you have a logo?
• what is your unique selling proposition – in other words, what will make your business stand out from all the rest?
• who are your target audiences?
• what customer/client needs are your addressing with your business?
• what is your marketing and communications budget?

If you have an established business, what are your needs and concerns?

• new business is declining
• no one knows your business exists
• brand feels stale
• business is growing and a new marketing strategy is required
• it’s time put some new functionality on your website

Together, we will help you develop cost-effective solutions to reach your goals and grow your business.