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The more details you can add to your vision, the more powerful it becomes. For example, the above vision could develop further into owning a residential property with bedroom accommodation for six guests and a large internal space in which to create an art studio, along with a separate studio located outside in a three-acre garden area. More details could then be added, such as giving an exact location. Would you be in the inner city, suburbs, or a rural setting? What about the specific type of building—town house, apartment, or log cabin?

This is an excerpt from my new book, Sole to Soul: How To Identify Your Soul Purpose and Monetize It, which is available now!  To download a free chapter and order, please click here.

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When you finally know that the time is right for you to branch out on your own, you experience a mixture of excitement and fear unique to starting your own business. Nothing else can make you feel that exact rush of emotions. You have so much possibility before you; you can't wait to get started!  But you will save yourself a lot of time and heartache if you slow down, take your time, and do it right.  So, here is the primary factor you need to know to get off to a great start:  Planning.

Planning is critical.  Many first-timers tend to skip the process of planning.  They're so excited to get things going that they just dive right in, without being ready and without working through all the boring, nitty-gritty details.  Some people don't put a lot of stock in plans, because they want to be more flexible – after all, plans change, right?  Right, and wrong.  Very wrong.  You wouldn't take off on a road trip in a foreign country without knowing where you're going, and you shouldn't do this with your business either. 

Planning serves more than one purpose, and should be the initial stage of any business’s development.  First, planning allows you to measure the path you must take toward eventual success and profitability. It allows you to map out what your expectations will be, and schedule time frames for meeting each of those expectations. For example, you can choose a date for your grand opening. (A snow cone and hot dog shack would get off to a much better start if it opened in June versus November.) And once you open your business, you're going to have operating expenses.  With a plan in place, you would know that the best month to open would be just before summer hits, and then once established you can adjust your menu to include hot lattes and soup for the winter months. 

You also should know what you need to do in order to cover your end from the very beginning. Do you know what process you have to follow in order to register your business with the local government offices? Do you know about zoning? If you’re going to run your business out of your home, do you know what zoning you have to apply for within your community? Think about doing all of this without a plan. Could you manage to keep everything in order and straight? What if you opened a hair salon in the basement of your house and things began to pick up only to have a knock on your front door one evening from your government’s officer informing you that you’re in violation of local ordinance ‘so and so’ and have to close your business until such time that your paperwork is in order?

What will you do if, within the first three months, you have minimal interest from the community? What will you define as successful or minimal? What is your marketing strategy? When will you evaluate whether it’s working? A plan will ideally answer these questions and give you a reference to review when the chaos of your business really kicks in.

Don’t be afraid of plans. They are certainly made to be broken, but it's foolish to start your own business without one. Plans will increase the odds of your success. They help make your own luck.

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You've got a great idea for a business, and you have the resources to make it happen.  You've rented the space, purchased the supplies, created your website – complete with the shopping cart – and ordered some really cool business cards.  But none of that is worth ANYTHING if you have neglected one very important person:  your customer.  Even entrepreneurs who have been in the trenches for a while can get sidetracked, so the following four basics apply at any stage of business growth.

First – Focus on customer needs.  Even though this is your own business, you still have someone to answer to – the customer!  And not just one, but a myriad of customers.  The more customers you have, the more successful you are – and the more bosses you have. Your customers are the reason why you’re making profits, so you will do well to appease them. Make your business a customer-centric one. Keep your customers close to you. You need to understand what they are looking for before you can deliver a superb experience to them.

Second – Customers need change.  Everyone loves the idea of change, because change usually means something better than before.  Think of any new phone, or gaming system, for instance. Even before purchasing, customers want to know if this new product can be exchanged or upgraded easily.  And you can't blame them; the market is saturated with so many choices that they're spoiled!  And if you don't have what they want, they will find a competitor who does.  So what's the next best thing you can do?  Hold their interest and sustain their excitement level about your business.  New flavors, colors, options - this is what keeps customers coming back.  Spruce up your business once in a while and give it a much needed revamp. Keep track of industry trends. Be in the loop of what’s hip and high in demand. Cater to the ever-evolving desires of your consumers– it’s the only way you will survive the cutthroat competition.

Third – Never lose sight of what it is you do better.  Kicking it up a notch doesn't mean you should forget your roots and try a new specialty altogether.  Stick to your competitive advantage.  This is your bread and butter: it's what your core customers are paying for.  If you stray too far from that, you might lose their loyalty, and your business.

Fourth – Paying customers are the heart of every business.  This one is a no-brainer. In business, more than anything else, you need paying customers. In your initial marketing plans, you might have listed young, impressionable teenagers as your target audience. You then realize that it’s the aged elderly who are more interested in your products. They are the ones whose money fuels your business.  Do you still try to impress the teenagers or is it time to pack up your marketing tool bag and change your strategy? (Hopefully, it’s the latter.) Always focus all of your energy on your paying customers.

Without customers, you have no business.  Period.  Otherwise, it's just a hobby!  Pay attention to these customer basics, put them first, and you will always have customers.

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You are already your own unique fingerprint and no one can do what you do better than you, but by continuing to grow, you become even better at doing what you do. Growth is essential to ensure that there are no limits placed on your ability to go on living your soul purpose and to live that purpose fully. Living your purpose fully may take you to a place that is way beyond your current reality and perhaps even beyond the limits of your imagination, so you must continually grow, keep pushing those boundaries and make your possibilities endless.

This is an excerpt from my new book, Sole to Soul: How To Identify Your Soul Purpose and Monetize It, which is available now!  To download a free chapter and order, please click here.

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Your business takes on your personality, and  leadership styles and traits are pivotal to the success of a business.  Here are some more saboteur personality types that are known for destroying their business.  Laugh if you must, but I think you'll find you've run into these types before!

Saboteur #4 – Mr. Ringmaster.  He treats all his employee “performers” harshly.  Often seen with his whip, he drives his performers hard. The whip induces fear, and he knows it, and fear is the best motivating factor he can use to his advantage. He is a strict disciplinarian.  He sends his performers to the net the first day they get there –he believes the only way to learn the ropes is to climb them. It is survival of the fittest; only the strongest and hardiest will stay. Whoever wants to leave can leave– he has a multitude of candidates to choose from, anyway. It is his circus, his kingdom. He knows best.

Saboteur #5 – Mr. Optimistic.  He's so optimistic, he'd never believe he made it on a list like this.  He shrugs off the disapproval and keeps on grinning.  He lives in a carefree world, where everything will work out, and he's horrible with deadlines.  He doesn't really have a set plan or regiment– he realizes plans can change.  Problem is, he doesn't have a back-up.  Even if he were stranded on a sinking ship, he would still be singing praise about the thrills of diving. Sometimes optimism can rub off the wrong way, especially if Mr. Optimistic were to meet with Ms. Instantaneous (from Part 1).  “See, all of your negative energy right here? It’s not helping. Let us all just breathe, channel our good aura and let things be. Now, I don’t have a solution to the problem, but the solution is already inherent. It is already here. It will manifest itself. We will get through this.”

Saboteur #6 – Ms. Eternal Spirit.  She's a veteran.  A fighter.  She has all the experience of Mr. Customer Guru, but without the negative attitude.  She hasn't taken a sick day in years, because she honestly believes the business can't run without her.  She will always be there to take care of things.  She hasn't given much thought to training a successor – She is like our scientist friend; a workaholic who pledges never to retire.  If you’re looking to supplant her and inherit her money, you could be in for a long, long wait. She, in turn, realizes she overestimated her lifespan. It is at her deathbed that she makes her decision to name an heir to her throne.  In a rash decision, she misnames your inept three-year-old nephew as the new king. That’s Ms. Eternal Spirit for you. Always unpredictable.

Saboteur #7 – Ms. Prima Donna.  She prefers to fly solo.  That way she can take all the credit, which is even more important than profits.  If there’s any success, it must be hers and hers alone. She puts the spotlight on herself. Everything is all about ‘me, myself and I.’ She isn’t self-absorbed, though. She just doesn’t share the limelight. That’s why she micro-manages every aspect of her business. If it were humanly possible, she would hire only herself as her trusty assistant. She’s heard of the importance of networking but she disregards it. Ms. Prima Donna also thinks that engaging professional help is too expensive.  Besides, why hire help when she can do it herself? It’s a white elephant, so to speak.  Because she takes it upon herself to fulfill every single task in her business, she is incredibly stressed all of the time. Yet she doesn’t seek solace in another human being. See, she doesn’t want them to have the pleasure of saying, “Well, I was the one who helped tide you over during your darkest times!”

Did you see yourself in any of these personalities?  Take some time to examine yourself, and make sure you aren't your own worst enemy - a radical business saboteur!

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Many people who identify their soul purpose as adults look back on their experiences in life to realize that their gift was always with them, even in early childhood. Professional singers have often been singers from childhood; dancers have been dancers from childhood, and great organizers have often been demonstrating their organizational skills since childhood. When they learn to recognize their gifts and identify their soul purpose, they are also able to recognize that their gifts have been growing with them, and they have grown into that purpose.

This is an excerpt from my new book, Sole to Soul: How To Identify Your Soul Purpose and Monetize It, which is available now!  To download a free chapter and order, please click here.

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Whether you just started your own business or are an old hand at it, you have learned by now that leadership styles and traits are pivotal to the success of a business.  After all, businesses are about people!  You can have all the resources and great ideas you can think of, and still your business can fail.  Why?  Because you killed it!

I want to introduce you to 7 saboteur personality types that are known for destroying that which they have created.  Don't think you will fit any of these profiles?  Look closely before you decide.

Saboteur #1 – Mr. Rocket Scientist – This guy (or gal) takes too much pride in his work.  The world revolves around his theories; his work is sacred.  No one else comes close to what he has accomplished.  Their sole purpose in life is to prove their own theories, and they spend years chasing leads that support their hypotheses.  He is a relentless, round-the-clock worker.  He never takes vacations, and doesn't respect those who do.  He cannot allow himself to take time off, because no one else is worthy of steering the ship in his absence.  The thought of hiring an assistant never occurs, because he cannot sublet his mind to someone of lower competency.  Besides, he wouldn't trust the newcomer not to steal his ideas.  Nice guy, huh?

Saboteur #2 – Ms. Instantaneous – She never has time!  What was supposed to be an inspiring attitude toward living life has now become a set of disastrous and exasperating work ethics.  If there’s any job that needs doing, it should have been finished ten minutes ago.  Everything is done with the snap of her fingers.  The real problem arises due to her inability to prioritize. Ms. Instantaneous firmly adheres to the “first come, first serve” policy.  All her customers need to take a queue number and she will attend to them on a case-by-case basis. While this sounds reasonable and her organization skills deserve applause, it isn’t how you do business.  Important customers who pay good money for faster services and top notch wine bring in revenue. They expect not to have to wait, but to be ushered right along to the express VIP lane. Because Ms. Instantaneous doesn’t know how to curry favor and curtail the waiting time, she might lose a big client.

Sabateur #3 – Mr. Customer Guru, AKA Mr. Know-It-All – He's kind of a smart aleck, and he's got an ego the size of a house.  His years of experience are impressive and undoubtedly deserving of a trophy. Yet his pitfall is letting his vintage experience get to his head. He is like a stubborn, old-fashioned father; just because he has been around a couple more years, he thinks he has all the power.  Seasoned and wise, he rejects new ideologies because he thinks he has no need for them.  Research isn’t on his priority list because he has his old dog tricks that work like a charm. He thinks that research is a waste of money.  Any attempt to tell him that his charm is losing its luster is futile. Incidentally, whenever someone mentions Twitter, he thinks they are referring to the yellow cartoon bird.  To the demands of his consumers, he remarks, “I’ve been in this business longer than you have breathed.” He meets constructive feedback from his customers with disdain. “I am the expert, who are you to critique my product?”  He forgets that ultimately, his job is to please the consumers.  He has also seen his fair share of customers. He believes that all customers are greedy, always looking to haggle and seek things that his business doesn’t provide. He refuses to budge- not even if dozens of customers have already expressed interest in a value-added product or service. He ignores their pleas and sticks to his unwavering business tricks.

O.K., you may be laughing at some of these types, but I guarantee you've met them!  You may even see yourself – just a little – in one of these types.  Stay tuned for Part 2, when we'll take a look at a few more!

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It's an age-old mindset: if I want something done right, I have to do it myself!  And because your business is your baby, you make all the decisions pertaining to it. You see it as your responsibility to protect. You believe if you are not there, the building might just come crashing down… so you scramble around your office, half possessed.

If this were a psychological disorder, it would be paranoia.

While you have a handful of staff who diligently report for duty, you refuse to delegate work because you cannot trust that they will do a good job, or at least do the job as well as you. In turn, they hesitate to take charge because you will rue the day they were born if they do so. What we end up having here is an overworked boss and very relaxed staff.

Talk about role reversal.  Many people would kill to have a boss like you!  To be an entrepreneur does not mean you are now a one man island. You are a boss now. You pay your staff handsomely, so make sure they do more than just serve as eye candy for the office! You have handpicked your talent and made them undergo every drug screening, proficiency test, and personality test known to man, and they have shown their qualities. It is time to put these qualities to work. More often than not, when put to the task, they can do a better job than you because they are far more educated in that specific area.

As a business owner, you cannot take on every task. It doesn’t work and you won’t stay in business for long if you try. Similarly, inundating yourself with such a workload puts unnecessary stress on you. You become fatigued and you may even fall ill. Your business then takes a tumble and goes down with you.

Share your business with the people you call colleagues. Every action requires fresh decision making. Innovative ideas don’t just emanate from one person. Bounce ideas off one another! Then, you can reap the benefits of teamwork.

Your employees are in the trenches, working with the products or services you offer, as well as with your customers. They know what comments have been made and they may have ideas that will make something more efficient or that could potentially bring more interest to your great idea. When the President deals with a military situation, he confers with his top military advisors, generals, think-tanks, and those he deems important to the decision-making process.  They spend time weeding through all possible scenarios, so that nothing is missed.  While one person may have the best idea from the start, this doesn’t mean it’s the only option. Your employees are your advisors, but they’re more than that. They have ideas to contribute.  When you invite your employees to share their ideas about what could help your business grow, and they begin to believe that they are being taken seriously, then you’ll find they work harder and take more pride in their daily routine.  You’ll also note that your customers start feeling happier because of the manner in which they are being treated.

Don’t take on every hat within your business. Learn to trust the people you have working for you. The more you empower them, the more you can focus on the other aspects of your business that will ensure its long-term growth and success.  When your employees feel empowered within your business, they’ll be more open to sharing more ideas with you and will be even more anxious to help your business grow. They become family, and will look out for your best interest when on and off duty. They’ll also spread the word about what a great business you operate.

This can only truly happen when, as a business owner, you relinquish some amount of control to others.  Don’t burn yourself out (or as the adage goes: don’t burn the candle at both ends).

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When you are growing in your purpose, you understand what that purpose is and who you are here to serve. When you have that understanding, you are able to identify ways to be the best you can be through your purpose and be of the utmost service.

By continuing to grow in your soul purpose, you continue to make the most of your gift and can keep offering your tribe the best service you possibly can by making full use of that gift. By growing in your purpose, you maintain the flow of energy that will bring abundance to you and to your tribe.

This is an excerpt from my new book, Sole to Soul: How To Identify Your Soul Purpose and Monetize It, which is available now!  To download a free chapter and order, please click here.

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It's amazing how many myths there are about entrepreneurs!  As noted in the first two parts in this article series, there are myths out there about how things “magically” materialize for certain people, and how running a business is a fun, glamorous walk in the park.  But nothing comes without effort, and if you come across a successful entrepreneur – it's because that individual has invested time and money in himself and his business.  Here are the last 3 myths that I've heard:

Myth #8 – With time, it gets easier!

Fact - While it's true that the first years of owning your business are exhausting, you can never take your eye off the ball.  You still have to oversee the daily operations, and as your business grows – you have more to cover.  Then you have the competition, with their fancy ad campaigns and slick promises.  And then as times change, so does your customer demographic, so that means new marketing and sales strategies.  As an entrepreneur, you will constantly have to evaluate, and re-evaluate, your business model, target audience, and structure to ensure that it operates at its highest possible rate.  However, there is an advantage to being a small business owner and having the competitive advantage of swift decision-making.  Some things get easier, but some things get harder.

Myth #9 – Once built, it will sell itself.

Fact – They may not come!  You can put in your blood and sweat, but if you neglect your business, it will soon fade away. No business sells itself. You have to nurture it. You can do this by getting the word out and building your reputation. Create your own fanfare and invite all those who would come and see.  Determine your target audience and your promotional tools, and work that plan.  But inviting everyone will just turn out to be a big waste of time.

Myth #10 – It's all about the bottom line.

Fact – Some business owners are overly practical.  I mean, it's true that a healthy bottom line is vital to the survival of a business, but if it's the only thing on your list, it's going to cost you your sanity!  Give meaning to your work, inspire your employees- treat them like family and they will give you their best.  If you need to cut your workforce to avoid going out of business, that's survival.  It happens, but when you've done your best to let employees know they are valued, they will know that they've been treated fairly – and your reputation in the community will not suffer.

These are the hardest myths for me to hear, because they don't give credit to the amount of pressure and social responsibility that entrepreneurs face today.  We are an integral part of our communities.  Plant and water the seeds of your business, prune when necessary, and don't forget to enjoy the fruits of your labor!

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