These can be tricky to navigate in business
As we head into high summer, priorities are shifting for a lot of people.
There’s more daylight, which can lend itself to a tendency to “go, go go!” and make the most of every minute.
With the change of the season calendar-wise, I’ve also been thinking of the seasons we have in business.
First, there’s the GRIND season.
Someone recently asked me how long it took for me to hit six figures in my business, and the answer was three full years.
Even though I wasn't making much money in the beginning (I only made $50 in my first whole calendar year in business), I was working super diligently toward my goals.
Often, the revenue you bring in within your business is not a reflection of what you are currently doing, but it's a reflection of what you've done over the past 1-3 years. Sometimes revenue can take time to catch up with the work effort.
I tell all of my clients that when you're in the very beginning stages of a business, you can expect that the work will be harder than it's ever going to be for the smallest amount of revenue. That's because it's like a plane when it's first taking off.
The engine is burning a ton of fuel to lift the plane off the ground, and that's also one of the most dangerous times in flying. Once you're up in the air, you know how to glide, but you've got to get up there first.
It takes grit to make it through this first season in business, but when you do you’ll be greatly rewarded.
Next, there’s the GROW season.
Once you've found your groove in business and you're making a healthy income that can provide for you and your family, then it's time to grow.
The growing season, by the way, is different than the scaling season.
In the growing season, you're taking what you already planted and allowing it to put down stronger, deeper roots. You might also be raising your prices or elevating the kind of client that you're working with.
For example, in my growing season from 2018 to 2021, I raised the price of my mastermind from $500/month to $1,500/month and ultimately landed at $2,500/month.
Along the way, I was refining my mastermind offer and getting better and better at holding that space for my clients and delivering the coaching and mentorship services in a way that truly moved the needle for clients.
Sometimes, growth can lead straight into your SCALING season.
But for many people, after growth, they move into a PIVOT season.
This is a sticky season when you realize that what you’ve been doing up to this point might not be what you’re ultimately meant to do long-term.
My first major pivot season came in the spring of 2021, when I shut down my faith-centered coaching and mastermind offers and built my copywriting certification from the ground up.
This first pivot season involved turning off $300,000 in recurring revenue to allow the time and space for me to fully show up for and serve my new ideal client, which was someone who was looking to build a career as a conversion copywriter.
Pivot seasons can feel SCARY because you’re letting go of what’s been working to make space for something that’s yet to be proven.
When you’re in this season, you need to remember that you’ve built something powerful before. You’re never going to have to start from scratch again like you did in the GRIND season.
Remember that all of your experience is relevant to the new kind of business you’re pursuing.
And pat yourself on the back for being willing to take a risk to shift your business to what you’re truly feeling called to.
Because when you pivot into deeper alignment, what emerges is often BREAKTHROUGH.
A BREAKTHROUGH season is when you finally find the offer / ideal client match that feels totally right to both you and your clients. In this kind of season, it almost doesn’t matter how much work you’re doing, because it’s so darn enjoyable!
In a breakthrough season, things really feel in flow and you often start to see revenue levels you’ve never been able to hit before.
Savor this season.
Enjoy it! You’ve earned it.
From your Breakthrough season, you can begin your SCALING season if you wish.
This is when you’re rapidly expanding your market share. This can be a really tricky season because you’re taking something you feel deeply aligned with and exposing thousands more humans to it.
Not everyone new who comes into your audience is going to love your offer as much as the original clients from your breakthrough season, so as you scale you’ll need thicker skin.
When you scale, you’re widening your customer base, and we humans are a quirky, sometimes not-so-nice bunch. Remember that only 2% of your cold audience will ever become a client. That means 98 of 100 new people you talk to will be a NO for your offer.
Before you scale, make sure you’re prepared for mass rejection and that you’re truly dialed into your BELIEF in your offer. Otherwise a scaling season can really shake your confidence!
Grind.
Grow.
Pivot.
Breakthrough.
Scale.
Every phase has things that are character-building and will test your resolve to continue growing your business.
Every phase is worth it to make the impact you know you were made to make.
I’d love to know, which phase of business are you in right now?
Send me an email and share; I read every message.
To your success,
Anna
P.S. I’m opening back up my Power Hour Sessions for a special rate of just $250 for 3 days only. Click here to secure your Power Hour before midnight Central on Monday, 18 and get the special rate. The Power Hour is a custom 1:1 session designed to get you support for handling your biggest challenge in business right now. If you’re making anything less than $750k/year in your business, I’ve lived through your business stage and am equipped to support you in getting to your next level of growth and impact.
***Please note, you can purchase up to 3 of these sessions at the special rate if you’d like multiple check-points with me.***