Your way in business

I used to be a formula person.

I liked math and later accounting because 99% of the time, there was a clear answer.

When you solved the problem.
When you balanced the spreadsheet.
When you found the missing link.

X + Y = Z

I took this approach into my life, too.

Straight As + solid SAT score + extracurriculars = college acceptance
Accounting degree + CPA license + internship = full time job offer
Good job + beautiful apartment + handsome boyfriend = happiness ?

I was a formula person, until I started to see some flaws in the process.

There was a time when, on paper, I had all the things that I thought I wanted. Except, especially in the career department, I didn’t feel like I was in the right place.

I knew I could do the job, and I could do it well, but in my heart I knew this path I was on wasn’t my way.

You've probably heard what happened from there: I started to follow my inner voice, left the corporate world and have been working “my way” ever since.

Except it’s not that simple.

Even as a coach running my own business, and a business built on empowering others to follow their intuition, I still have moments where I hear the thought

“They know better than you.”

Unfortunately a lot of marketing, especially in the health, personal development and entrepreneurial spaces thrives on this belief system.

But that’s not my way.

Yesterday I joined an educational webinar put on by the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (where I studied to become a coach). The topic of this webinar was “Sign Clients and Expand Your Influence.”

I was interested in what this master coach had to say about signing clients, and I was also interested to see how she sold her product or service via the webinar (because I know that’s what most free trainings lead to: a sale).

Immediately I did not vibe with this woman’s approach. It felt very formulaic, masculine and aggressive.

There’s no doubt in my mind that her approach works, and I don’t question that she’s helped hundreds of coaches build their online businesses.

I’m not here to judge her way. But it was very clear to me that her way of doing business and sales specifically is and may never be in alignment with my way.

I could see this while watching the webinar, but it’s interesting how ingrained patterns and belief systems sneak up on you in real life. Practice time!

Later that afternoon, I had a coaching session with a woman who, after speaking to for 75 minutes, I’m confident would benefit from working with me in a greater capacity.

Sales is something I’ve done a lot of in my coaching career, and something I’m proud to say I know how to do from the heart. I do not feel slimy sharing about my products and services (and if you’re a coach and you do… let’s talk!). But in this moment, I didn’t feel like I wanted to “sell” to this woman.

I questioned myself for a hot second, mostly because of what I heard on the webinar. The message there was: you’ve got to convince your target client that they need you.

This is partially true. In any launch or when speaking with someone brand new, it is important to make sure they understand what you do, how you can help and what they’ll miss out on if they don’t say YES to this opportunity.

Humans, given the chance, will put off making a decision, especially one that will change their lives (even if it’s for the better).

I’ve done the launches and the funnels and the hard sells. I see the value in some of these techniques, some of the time. But yesterday I decided to take a different path, one that felt more true to me and the future that I want to feed.

I want to feed a future where my clients come to me: ready, willing and excited to get started. They know what I’m about, are eager to get down to business and ready (financially, emotionally, logistically) to receive support… because they know they deserve it.

This is how I operate as a consumer, so I know that it’s a possible path, even if it’s not the mainstream one.

But mainstream has never been my way and I’m getting more cool with my "road less traveled" every day.

I believe that easy is right.
I believe opportunities and abundance can flow to us, without struggle or endless hard work.
And I believe that there are many, many, many different paths to success.

So I will continue to act in accordance with these beliefs, even if that means taking a risk. Because when follow my way, I find my version of success in more and more moments.

Coming off of this week’s Full Moon in Capricorn is a beautiful time to reassess: what is your way, specifically with your work?

Which habits, practices and beliefs are serving you and your unique spirit, and which are you ready to let go of?

I encourage you to spend some time sitting with these questions or journaling this weekend.

And if you’re looking for support in uncovering your way in business, I’d love to speak with you.