We all start off the new year in a flurry of excitement as the ball drops and we celebrate just how amazing the coming year will be.
Then, reality sets in.
Next thing you know, you’re treading water as you work on all those big growth plans and the mythical “leveling up” you were doing becomes much, much harder than it looks.
Not to be a total downer. Just the opposite. I want you to know that if you’re feeling this way, you are not alone. Because if there’s one thing I’ve learned in my years as an entrepreneur and leader of various businesses it’s that our BIG plans are all essential, but the real test is how we handle our growing pains. (Yes, I’m looking at you – You will grow this year if you stick with it).
There’s no shortage of aspirational, go-getter messages out there telling us it’s time to level up and go bigger in our businesses because the freedom, the money, the impact will be amazing. And, yes, it will be amazing. But there will be bumps and barriers along the way.
New level, new devil!
New level, new devil is our catchy way of saying that at each level along the way there’s always going to be something you don’t expect.
The real test isn’t that you were able to grow your business. The real test and measure of success is in being able to weather the ups and downs along the way. It’s much like a marriage or a solid partnership isn’t all date nights and dream vacations, but more teamwork, meal planning and figuring out your 401ks.
Getting through the various stages of “leveling up” in our business relies on one key thing, and it’s not perseverance or resilience (no denying those are helpful) but I’m talking about our willingness and ability to lead.
By leadership, I don’t mean you’re going to bust out the pantyhose and get a stodgy, old-school corner office, but rather that you get your mindset firmly entrenched in thinking like a CEO.
Why? Having a CEO mindset will help you navigate the trickier parts of growth and prepare you for the more challenging bits along the way. I’m talking about the things you just can’t plan for from your VA going MIA, to an unexpected tax bill to a total mess on a client project.
Right now, you may have growth plans or be ready to level up, which means it’s the perfect time for you to do a check-in on your CEO mindset.
Here are a 3 things to check-in on so you’ve got the leadership smarts to back up your master plan:
1. Make Decisions for the Future of the Business (Not Just Your Bank Account)
One of the key areas that I see would-be business owners get stuck on as they start to move out of survival mode is not thinking strategically about the future of the business, especially when it comes to money and investing in future growth.
I get it. Suddenly you’re not running on a shoestring and you want to celebrate and reward yourself.
Celebrate yes, but don’t underestimate the true cost of growth and what you’ll need in the coming months to make your plan a reality. This may mean making the hard decision to not pay yourself more, and investing in a graphic designer or copywriter. Or it may mean creating a cushion for the leaner summer months so you’re not left scrambling.
A CEO acts in the best interest of the company, and not just what helps your lifestyle now. Think carefully about your finances and other key areas in terms of what it takes to level up so you don’t accidentally hold yourself back.
Create a financial plan now so you know what you need to operate and grow, and when it’s totally reasonable to pay yourself extra or give yourself a well-deserved raise.
2. Learn to Clone Yourself
Being the CEO requires you to have a functional understanding of the various areas of your business from accounting to sales, but that doesn’t meant you need to do them all. Every business will reach a breaking point where it’s no longer feasible for you to do everything yourself.
You may know this in your head, but in my experience, most business owners wait until they’re in a near burn-out situation to loosen their grip and actually hire people to help them.
As a CEO you need to constantly be doing a pulse check on your workload, what you need help with, what you simply don’t like doing and what’s better left to the experts. This may mean hiring your first VA or adding additional people to your team to support your growth.
Cloning is the CEO’s secret weapon when it comes to leveling up so take the time to make cloning part of your growth plans.
Take some time now to plan this out. Be specific, set timelines for who you need, why you need them and when you need them so it’s a tangible goal to work towards.
3. You’re the one In Charge of Your Time – Use It or Lose It.
You started a business for a lot of reasons, one of which was probably flexibility and to be the master of your own destiny. But somewhere along the way building a business, that goes by the wayside as everyone else becomes the boss of your time.
To make leveling up actually happen and to do it in a way that doesn’t drive you into the ground, you need to be the boss of your time. As the CEO, you need to be the one that sets when things happen, what days you have calls, what you spend your days focused on, and most of all, ensuring you have time set aside for the opportunities or surprises that come up along the way.
In a lot of ways, this is much harder than it seems, especially with that wiggle room in your calendar, as you’ll want to fill it up with something. My challenge to you is to leave a few hours a week for strategic planning to deal with the opportunities or surprises.
I personally block two hours on Monday and two hours on Friday for planning and reflection.
Time to Take Action!!
Pick one of the three sections above and schedule time for you to work on this area as the leader of your business.
When you’re focused on leading and being the CEO, the entire experience of leveling up will be a little smoother. Just remember, growing pains are part of the process, and actually a good thing as it means you’re on the verge of a breakthrough. Stay the course and you’ll be grateful you did!
In the comments tell us which item from the 3 above you are focused on.
Can’t wait to see where you are leveling up in the year ahead.
Amber
