Smart Women Get an “Entrepreneurial” Checkup

When we get sick, have the flu or some other ailment that we can’t seem to cure on our own, we go to the doctor for a checkup. The same is true in our businesses. If you feel like your business is not growing the way you had envisioned, maybe it’s time for an “entrepreneurial” checkup. This week, I’m going to share some simple, easy solutions that you can use to give your business a “checkup” to ensure healthy success.

n1. Join a Mastermind – Recently, my husband Greg was ill and had to be admitted to UCLA Medical Center, which is a teaching hospital. Students follow the heads of different departments around to visit patients, learn from the experts, and also mastermind together to figure out the best plan of action or solution to follow with each patient. I facilitate several Mastermind Circles for women and I personally belong to one myself. They are an excellent way to stay on track with your goals, meet with other people who have a desire to grow their businesses, and get good, quality feedback on your ideas. You can join a Mastermind or start one of your own. The key is to have positive people who are committed to possibility thinking and create an environment where everyone feels safe. Meeting one time per month is ideal.

n2. Find a Care Partner – Greg had several “care partners” each day when he was in the hospital. These people were there to support Greg, care for him, and make sure that his daily progress was monitored and that the doctor’s plans were being carried out. Who is the “care partner” in your business? If you are a solo entrepreneur or launching a new venture, chances are you are trying to do everything yourself, which is a big mistake. I learned this the hard way. When I first started out in business, I used to say I worked “8 to faint” because I was trying to do everything. I didn’t think I could afford to hire any help. Finally I realized that having someone just 5 hours a week in the beginning made a big difference. It allowed me the time to focus on the bigger picture and attract new clients. If you want to grow your business and take it to the next level, it’s essential that you find someone to outsource the administrative tasks that must be done. Having someone part-time to do your filing, going to the post office, or doing some of your clerical work can create the time and space you need to do your “genius” work and think about projects that will make your business grow and earn you income.

n3. Plan for the Day – Each and every day, the doctors and care partners would review Greg’s progress from the day before and make decisions for the current day with one goal in mind: To move Greg forward in a positive direction. Are you spending time each day taking steps to move your business in a positive, income earning direction? This is a big topic in my Women’s Success Circles. Discovering how to manage your time effectively so that you are working on “High” priority items rather than wasting your valuable time on “Low” priority items is key to achieving goals and realizing your vision for your business. A quick tip: Just because the phone is ringing doesn’t mean it needs to be answered right now. Get a good voice mail system. This can be a huge time-waster. Being able to prioritize what’s most important to the growth of your business is a skill that needs to be nurtured.

Why is a checkup so important? One of the questions that I regularly ask women in my Mastermind Circles is: Imagine it’s December 31, 2009: What will you be celebrating? What will you have accomplished in your business this year? Every choice, every decision you make, leads up to the December 31 outcome. It’s the choices we make that shape our businesses and our lives.

Spend some time this month giving your business an “entrepreneurial” checkup.

Anything is possible. Everything is waiting for you.