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Other than finding out what makes people tick, I think the next most fascinating topic is what people think about money. Have you noticed that we can rationalize any spending decision, when we want to?

In the last few weeks I’ve had the chance to speak to two money and marketing experts and fellow corporate fugitives as part of the Entrepreneurs Unplugged telesummit. Kendall Summerhawk on charging what you’re worth, and Kelly O’Neil on marketing to the affluent market.

The intriguing thing about money is that is it a true reflection of our most secret, personal beliefs and desires. Unfortunately some of these beliefs can be silent and deadly to our business lives.

The most obvious is when we undercharge for our services, or become doormats to our clients, because we feel beholden or dependent upon them for our financial security. Fear rules and objectivity and confidence go out the window. The client gets more than he or she should, as well as a piece of your soul! They are not buying you, so kick this habit to the curb and fast.

But some are more insidious. The most ironic example of this is our belief that we want to give value. We thrive on going the extra mile and above and beyond. Our clients love this and so they should. But what if the root of that issue is really about feeling the need to be valued, and that we have to “throw in” the extras to deserve or justify what we charge?

You may not even know that you do this! But start to pay attention, because it could be taking thousands of dollars out of your pocket every month.

When you go from employee to entrepreneur, it’s really easy to become overwhelmed with all you need to learn and do.

How to organize your office, what marketing tools to use, what to tell people about your services, how to set up your finances…it’s feels endless.

I have to tell you, that in many ways it is endless. As an entrepreneur you have entered into a contract with yourself that requires performance in many areas, beyond your professional expertise.

The good news is, the best place to start is exactly where you are, right now.

Lately I have had the chance to speak with some very high powered and successful entrepreneurs as part of the Entrepreneurs Unplugged telesummit. It has been really interesting to me that many of them have said similar things about feeling overwhelmed, and facing challenges.

The bottom line is that, there really is no single best way to do anything. What many of them have said is that what’s important is to go with your strengths, and to set yourself up for success. This means, if you’re struggling with all the marketing options and you like speaking, speak… use that as a key way to get your message out. If you don’t like talking on the phone, and you want to follow up with someone you met at an event, hook up with them on Facebook and send them a quick email. You get the idea.

The most important thing is to do something, and do it consistently. A mentor of mine told me that in her opinion, one of the main characteristics of a successful entrepreneur is tenacity (my husband laughed when I told him this, because he calls me the Terminator ;)  so I choose to take this as a compliment).

So if you are feeling overwhelmed, don’t be so hard on yourself! Simplify your action plan, don’t think you have to do it all right now, and just get out there and take steps, consistently.

If you have already started your business, or you are in the midst of dreaming about it, you’ll be able to relate to the feeling that ranges from nagging doubt, to heart palpitations.

It’s fear. The entrepreneur’s enemy #1 shows up in a lot of ways… limiting yourself and the sheer scope of your business, being afraid to charge more for your services, not getting the help you need, and hedging your bets by following what “everybody else” does instead of what you truly want to do.

Then there’s the heart-in-your-throat kind of fear, especially when you stretch yourself beyond your comfort zone. What if my big idea is a dud? What will others think? Will I have to go back to the corporate world? What if I fail?

Like President Franklin D. Roosevelt told the American people paralyzed in the grips of the Great Depression, “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”

What President Roosevelt brought to the nation was hope, combined with action. Now, I can’t promise to deliver the solution to today’s economy but I can tell you that fear is normal, and the best gift you can give yourself is permission to feel it, and then keep moving!

Know that behind every successful entrepreneur is fear – and guess what, it doesn’t go away! The most successful entrepreneurs feel it too.

In fact, if you aren’t feeling at least a little uncomfortable, you probably aren’t pushing at the edges of your comfort zone, which is precisely where you need to be to reach your most fabulous potential. Here’s what Naomi Dunford of IttyBiz fame had to say about this last week when I interviewed her for the Entrepreneurs Unplugged telesummit.

“There’s a lot of fear that goes into having your own business and it’s one of those things where I don’t think you can ever have top 10 tips for not being terrified, right? That’s not the way you can get rid of fear is with bullet points, but I think that it’s important for people to realize that if you’re not at least a little bit afraid, you’re probably not shooting for the right goals.

If you’re absolutely certain that this is going to be a cake walk and it’s just no big deal, if you have that feeling that it doesn’t put you a little bit on edge, you’re not shooting for the right stuff. You’re getting yourself a job. If it’s safe then it’s really not what business is supposed to be because I don’t think it can be exciting, if there’s not a little bit of fear attached to it. But I think it’s important to realize that between the feedback that I’ve got and people have asked questions I’ve talked to over a thousand people and all of them are scared and some of them are pretty freaking successful… just be aware that other people are afraid because then, you don’t feel so alone and I think that’s some of way the fear comes in, because fear begets fear and more anxiety.”

 

As surreal as it feels at times I am in the middle of a six-week telesummit of my own creation and am having fabulous, inspiring conversations with very successful “corporate fugitives” as part of the Entrepreneurs Unplugged Telesummit I am producing with my friend Marcia Hoeck.

Our friendship, and this joint venture, developed quickly - which is fitting, as they say the “universe likes speed.”

So - what began as a casual conversation when we met in November, grew to an idea in mid December, which led to lining up speakers for an event we launched the first week of February.

Last week, I had the great honour of interviewing Michael Gerber, the world’s foremost small business guru. This one fascinating man has worked directly providing advice to hundreds of thousands of business owners over the past 35 years. I asked him if he noticed if people who left the corporate world to start a business face unique challenges. Here’s a bit of what he said:

 …their expectations are so completely inconsistent with what it’s truly going to require for them to do this thing on their own. They have resources that they’ve grown to expect that simply don’t exist when you go out on your own. So understand when you go out on your own in the cruel, cruel world, you suddenly come face to face with a completely different reality than the reality you experienced in your corporate world, in your corporate cubicle, in your corporate office, in your corporate environment where there was finance, where there was HR, where there was this, where there were budgets, and on and on and on and on and where there’s a political reality that shaped the kind of decisions that you made. 

Once you go out on your own, all of that’s gone. Every bit of it is gone. None of it is true. None of it exists and all of it has got to come from you. So when they leave the job, the corporate environment, that strange world that is so unlike this world, they are suddenly a stranger waking up in a strange world. And they have no idea how to do what they’re actually called to do…and you suddenly have to learn a whole new set of skills, capabilities but more important, you have to begin to come to a relationship with yourself in a completely new way.

He said so much more than that… which left me speechless at times! The truth of it is, we are ill equipped by academic and corporate backgrounds, to deal with the sheer and awesome power of what being a true entrepreneur is.

The fact is, we don’t allow ourselves the permission or capacity to truly explore and dream. And what’s more, most of us simply create a job of our own making, when what we secretly desire is SO much bigger.

So I leave with a quote from a very special person who is inspiring me to look at things from an entirely new perspective:

Sometimes the amount of my personal power scares me and I dim my light so I don’t scare others around me…but I think it’s time for those people to put on their sunglasses! - Kelly O’Neil UpLevel Strategies

I’ll let you in on a little secret love of mine - western movies - the more cowboys, tumbleweeds and horses, the better.

So the other night for some hard-earned R&R I finally watched the movie Appaloosa. In the opening scene, Everett Hitch (Viggo Mortensen) tells the story of how he left a second-generation career as a solder and graduate of West Point to become a peacekeeper for-hire, shoot first, ask questions later style. In his words, “the thing about soldierin’ is that it didn’t allow for much expansion of the soul, so I rode away to see how much I could expand it”.

His simple statement sums up the essence of what makes many of us turn away from the so-called security of a corporate position to venture out into the vast expanse of self-employment.

However just like Everett Hitch, our journey is not without peril (even though we’re not getting shot at!). I have been thinking about this a lot lately as I prepare for our twice weekly calls with successful business owners for the Corporate Entrepreneurs Unplugged telesummit.

Last week my co-host and I Marcia Hoeck talked about the common mistakes ex-corporate people make when they start out, and how we will approach each of these mistakes throughout the next six weeks. If you want to hear the interview where we discussed this, you can listen to the preview call on the event home page.

Yesterday we spoke to Marie Forleo who shared her story about leaving the New York Stock Exchange for the world of fashion magazines, professional dance and fitness, and then self employment. Marie has a unique style of her own and she teaches other business owners how to live in the moment, expand their possibilities and be their own best support system.

Funnily enough, she talked about surefire ways you can make a decision that’s right for you, and also how you can simply not make a mistake in your life or business if you tune in to certain things that only you can know. Which leads me to my next quote, from my cowboy Everett:

“Life has a way of making the foreseeable that which never happens, and the unforeseeable, that which your life becomes.”

So for those of us who think we have to plan perfectly and know everything before we start (Mistake #7, by the way), listen to Everett and Marie, and look for that which expands your soul.

Many entrepreneurs (and aspiring entrepreneurs) think they have to know exactly what they’re doing, and how to do it, before they start. They also tend to think and dream on a much smaller scale, in part due to that reason.

In 2008 I made it a point to uplevel my thinking — and the results of that have taken me to places I didn’t even know existed.

I have met amazing people, been approached to partner in incredible opportunities, and while doing so, increase my income. In November I attended an online marketing conference - billed to be a life altering event. This lived up to the hype, and more! A tiny seed of an idea quickly grew, and before Christmas, I started a new membership community, the Corporate Fugitive Network — a “safe haven” for corporate fugitives and those who want to say goodbye to their corporate jobs.

Shortly after that,  Marcia Hoeck and I got together on putting on a telesummit series built around the Corporate Fugitive theme. Next thing you know, we were getting fabulous speakers like Michael Gerber of the E-Myth fame, Pamela Slim from Escape from Cubicle Nation, Michael Port of Book Yourself Solid — and more!

So what did I learn from 2008:

Baby steps won’t get you far - commit yourself 100% and then hold on for the ride.

Open yourself up to new experiences and people outside of your comfort zone - if we didn’t ask Michael Gerber to participate in Corporate Entrepreneurs Unplugged because we thought he would be “too big” to consider it, we would have missed out on the opportunity to interview him.

Be willing to fail, but do it fast - there are no guarantees that your business idea or new product will be a hit. For that reason, why take months and months to perfect it? Get it out there, give it your best shot, and either reap the rewards if it’s successful, or move on quickly if it isn’t. Often our biggest growth comes from our “negative” experiences. I spent months on my first ebook and teleseminar, and only got lukewarm response. But I learned some important lessons - like listening to your market before you develop a product or service, as well as more efficient ways to get projects like that done.

Compensate for your weaknesses - take a hard look at yourself and figure out what you’re simply not good at. ALSO look at what you may be very good at, but spend too much time at. This is delegation begging to happen. Find a virtual assistant, get a part-time employee, or pay a student or a friend who could do the work with direction from you. For example, I spend too much time writing and marketing - and I have realized that just because this is my professional expertise, does not mean that I have to do it for my own business marketing. So the next time I rewrite my website, I will be getting professional help.

Make yourself accountable - At least in the online entrepreneur community where I like to spend a lot of time, coaching and mastermind groups are the norm. When I started my business, I had no idea what this was or how to get either. Since then, I have hired a coach to help me with certain areas of my mindset and business. And I participate in a weekly mastermind session with other entrepreneurs where we each share our wins, challenges, goals for the week, and ask for support from the other members.  I look forward to these meetings and we get up at ungodly hours to talk to each other, because we all live in different time zones. You can also join mastermind groups offered through group coaching programs or form one of your own. (if you want to start one, participate in forums like the one on the Corporate Fugitive Network or several on Facebook and other social media sites).

It has been a dramatic and exciting year for me and my business. The amount of personal and professional growth has been amazing.

One of the best things I did for myself in 2008 was making the commitment to continuously invest in my professional development, at a greater level and pace than I had before. Taking this step has not only enhanced my knowledge of certain areas of business, but has had the invaluable benefits of heightening my awareness level and building supportive networks.

For example, as a result of attending a conference, I met a group of people who were interested in continuing the momentum and applying our knowledge. We set up a regular weekly mastermind meeting where we share our wins, challenges, and plans, and most of all, request support from each other.

On this morning’s call I raised the topic of balancing mom time with business time, since for many women myself included, flexibility and having time for our children is one of the main reasons we started our businesses in the first place. Our discussion was insightful and helpful to me, and the group dynamic is such that sharing experiences helps each other.

When I finished the call, I asked my 7-year old daughter what she liked most about mom working at home in her own business. She said “When I want a hug, I don’t have to wait until the end of the day.”

Setting up networks that support and nurture you mean you don’t have to wait for hugs — so once again, I am humbled by the wisdom of children who seem to give you exactly the perspective you need! Happy holidays.

I am a recovering dabbler. This affliction tends to strike creative types - especially authors, consultants and graphic artists who do this work “on the side” while holding down guaranteed paying jobs, or the self-employed who happily accept any assignment that pays - or promises to!

Luckily for me I worked out my affliction while I was still employed. So like most recovering evangelists I feel qualified to diagnose these symptoms in others:

• willing to work for nothing, or lower than standard rates, as a way to get foot in door
• easily talked in to the argument from potential client that the offered crappy 1980s rate is in the fact the 2000s standard market rate
• keeps one foot in aforementioned door, and other foot in safe, but soul-sucking door of corporate or other form of employment
• afraid to focus on one specific market or specialty in fear that it won’t be enough
• may also manifest in a contrarian symptom - will stick to one specific specialty or niche even if it not’s paying off

Here’s the deal - as counterintuitive as it can be to turn work down or refuse to follow the norm in your market, the only way to raise yourself above the market is to be different. Especially today, there is no reason to settle for the old way of consulting or freelancing. There is a HUGE world out there. Hint: we have the Internet now!

I live near Winnipeg, Manitoba in Canada. It is affectionately (the kind of affection in dysfunctional families) called the Wholesale City. In other words, people want everything cheap. This is not good for artists, writers or consultants. But I have managed to charge top rate and above, and get it, even in the first year of my business - by standing for something, getting known as an expert beyond your geographic boundaries, setting up my business differently than others in my market, and not being afraid to branch out and offer other (complementary) services.

Hey, if I can do it, you can too (people from Winnipeg also have inferiority complexes about living in Winnipeg).

Since hanging up my shingle, so to speak, so many people have asked me how I handle working alone at home. The reactions range from “I couldn’t do what you do” to “I would watch TV all day” to “I would miss the social contact too much.”

The truth is - I have never felt so connected to so many people. The reason for this is that once you step out and get into the zone that is right for you, you begin to naturally attract and connect with others who are just as passionate about their businesses as you are. This doesn’t mean abandoning all previous friends and networks, it means opening yourself up to the ones that you need, to learn, to do business, to grow.

Emphasis on the stepping out - you have to get out there:

• virtually - use social media tools like Facebook, Twitter, etc. Join groups, look up people you admire and see what they belong to and who their friends are, and start building your own network. Join a membership site related to your business that offers training and a member forum - there are tonnes of them out there - many free, or low cost.
• physically - you don’t need to your plan to a “t” to start - just be clear on your service and start talking about it, attend conferences, local networking meetings, and don’t overlook your friends and family and other personal contacts - when they ask “how’s work” or what you do, tell them!
• mentally and emotionally - it has been said that starting a business in the ultimate personal growth tool, and that is the absolute truth! Any insecurities, limiting beliefs about yourself, your value, etc. work against what you say and do, sending conflicting vibes to others. To grow your business, you have to be willing to grow yourself.

p.s. another plus of branding yourself - you get to work in your interests … can you tell I was a 1990s X-Files fan?

Whether you are already in business for yourself, or are thinking about it, one of the strangest hurdles to overcome is realizing that you are in fact, the business. The beauty of this is that since there is no one exactly like you, you are free to build your business on your skills and what you are best at.

Many people who are leaving the corporate world find the most natural and obvious shift is to become a consultant. But many (myself included) do not necessarily want a bricks and mortar office, employees and complicated structures to start. 

After all - for most of us, the attraction is a more flexible, humane way of earning a living that allows us to feel good when we look in the mirror.

Do spend the time to think about your end goal - and reverse engineer it. You don’t have to know everything when you start. You’ll figure it out, and be true to what you really want. If you don’t, you’ll feel like an employee in your own business before you know it.