By Honeytree on EtsyWhat is entrepreneurial sparkle? As Lady Gaga says...you were born this way baby.
Being an entrepreneur is a fire that's in your belly from a very early age. You know if it's there or not. The thought of freedom to live life on your own terms gets you really excited. You can visualise a big picture and the clearly see the end result in your mind's eye. This foresight is pure creative energy at its best.
When I was 7 I would steal my parent's cigarettes and then sell them back to them at a profit. I'd also play 'shops' frequently as a kid with my little sister, I'd dream about creating my own fashion label by altering clothes, make jewellery to sell in my dad's gallery and the list of entrepreneurial adventures goes on and on and on. In The Power of Influence I write about how I landed a job as a gift wrap designer for Hallmark when I was just 14. They purchased 6 of my designs that went global in all of the major department stores. And with that cool experience came media attention that fed my entrepreneurial sparkle and allowed for a lifetime pattern to emerge.
Here are 7 Ways to Ignite your own Entrepreneurial Sparkle
1. Get inspired by the success of others.
Read business magazines that profile successful business people. I used to love and get so inspired when a jewellery designer or brains behind a fashion label would get interviewed. There's something so cool about reading stories about what triggered inspiration in someone's heart to take action + build an empire. The key is to surround yourself in successful people and absorb their vibration to boost your own.
2. Write a business plan.
It's imperative to be able to project financially into the future so you can plan for best, most likely and worst case monetary scenarios. It's a great idea to update your business plan at least every 12 months. Things can change quickly, so it's important to create a document that can grow with you. Back in 2002, I won an award for business planning from the SHELL oil company. They funded the start-up of SPROUT CARDS. Crazily, I got 8,000 greeting cards printed! I sold them all but the return was peanuts for a lot of hard work, blood, sweat + tears. My advice? Do your homework and plan accordingly.
3. Value your time and get paid what you're worth.
Too often we're too polite to charge accordingly for our services. Take a peek around at your competitive market and either charge the same rate or slightly higher. You're totally worth it! This was a big lesson for me. I think the key is to be fair with your rates, affordable but not too much of a bargain. Charging more will keep your output at a higher standard to keep your clients happy. It's awesome accountability.
4. Look beyond limitations.
If you complain about there not being enough hours in the day... then wake up earlier! Don't hide behind parenthood either. You need to let your entrepreneurial sparkle shine! I have become a better entrepreneur because of my beautiful children. I've learned to stay focussed and use my time wisely. If I can leave a 10 year marriage with nothing but 20k + debt, no car, no furniture, 2 kids, little child support, little family support, 2 interstate moves and the single mumma's pension...then you can do anything! I turned my life around in less than 24 months. Anything is possible... but you have to look beyond the limitation to see the opportunities. True entrepreneurs see opportunities everywhere. That's why they make the most money during times of recession because of the ability to be so resourceful.
5. Focus on the joy.
It's sounds so cliche, but when you do what you love...the money will flow. Think about how much joy following your heart and living with passion and purpose is giving you. Always focus on the joy and feel grateful for your work. Entrepreneurial freedom is awesome!
6. Let go of being a control freak.
It's only been in recent times that I've allowed Sean (my business partner) to help me see the beauty of outsourcing. Here at Älska we now have a team of people behind the scenes to ensure that things run like clockwork and that our business grows. Hiring help allows you more time to enjoy your work and be with your loved ones. Our goal is to outsource everything except for the stuff we love to do .
7. Take time for you.
I need to work on this one myself. It's so easy to become addicted to your work and the results it brings in. I feel an odd compulsion to check my traffic statistics on an hourly basis. Just be careful that you allow time for play in your life. Watch a TV show, take the dog for a walk, take a long hot soak in the bathtub...whatever floats your boat, honey. If you can't be healthy and vibrant then your business will suffer.
I hope this helps you on your entrepreneurial adventures.
Here is one more piece of bonus piece of advice too...
Get clear about your mission.
Don't become a social media 'expert' because you end up with a lot of followers. That's a mistake I made, and will write a post about this another day. Make sure you genuinely enjoy and feel in alignment with your work as an entrepreneur.
Too often people desire to fill their role of feeling significant rather than being of service.
Dedicating your work to helping + inspiring others will give you the most amazing sense of fulfillment.
I just recently added a 'to-do' list category on my calendar. It's called 'What Can I Give Today?".
Wayne Dyer inspired me to really think about how I can be more of service. Let's talk about this on Facebook.
Namaste,
Sarah xx
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