When you become an entrepreneur, part of you knows that it’s going to be a long journey toward achieving your business goals. You start the journey by conducting some market research and write your business plan, which includes taking the time to get clear on your ideal client, which helps you to start making some money and before you know it, things are going according to plan. You’re feeling good, cruising along, and making strides towards your journey, slow and steady. And then all of a sudden you hit construction and the orange and black signs get closer and closer and before you know it, you’re taking a road you weren’t expecting and it’s got you a little fearful.
Sound familiar?
As an entrepreneur, trust me I have been there and I know exactly how you feel. What I learned four years ago as I was starting my business is that sometimes the detour is for your good. In my case, an opportunity presented itself that would supplement my business, while giving me some great experience and allowing me to exercise my expertise to prefabricated audiences. Now, at first when the opportunity showed up, my ego was bruised and concerned that it would take me too far off my path. But quite the opposite happened. I realize today, four years later, that the detour is actually a big part of the reason that my business is widely successful. You see, along my detour, I met some strategic partners who now help to support Incredible One by referring clients, suggesting me for speaking engagements and hiring me consistently.
You see, while a detour is designed to provide an alternate route, you still get to arrive at your original destination usually a little bit more relaxed and better prepared for what’s waiting for you. Perhaps you’ve experienced or are currently on a detour. If so, be grateful for the detour and look for all that you are to gain as you take a fresh approach to achieving your goals. At this time, I recommend that you assess your situation by asking yourself:
What is this detour sparing me from?
What would have happened if I stayed on the original course?
What can I learn to grow my business during this detour?
As you prepare to maximize your detour, here are five strategies to aid your journey:
1. Believe that the detour is for your good. In faith, believe that the detour has arisen because you need to avoid some congestion or better still some confusion that would prevent you from unleashing your Incredible Factor in the best way for your message.
2. Reflect on what about your journey needed modification. Take the time to steal away from the day to day and focus on what you must modify so that you arrive on time to your business growth.
3. Revisit the map (your business plan) while you are driving along the new route. IS your initial vision still the same? Have you shifted your ideal client? Are you offering the same or different products and services? What in your business plan needs to be updated to reflect your current operations?
4. Do you have an operations manual? If so, this is a great time to update it to reflect new processes and procedures followed by your company to offer amazing customer service to your clients. Don’t have one? Now is the time to start one. Once you get back on the main road, traffic will be moving fast and you will need to bring on assistants to help you finish the journey. Having an operations manual will make it easy for them to get up to speed.
5. Need a pit stop? Perhaps this is a good time to stop for a few minutes and reenergize your business’s most precious resource…you. When was the last time you took a vacation? Even when your business is not yielding the finances to allow you to go away, you can get away from your business for a few days and tend to your needs so that you will be fit to continue the rest of the drive.
What do you think is necessary to do when you’re on a business detour? Share your thoughts here.
Happy travelling the best part of your journey is yet to come 😛
©2012 by Darnyelle A. Jervey. All Rights Reserved. Darnyelle A. Jervey, The Incredible Factor Business Mentor and Coach, is the founder of Incredible One Enterprises.com and the Leverage Your Incredible Factor System® a proven step by step program for turning your passion into profit. For more information and a FREE audio download “How to Use Your Incredible Factor to Attract MORE Ideal Clients” visit https://www.incredibleoneenterprises.com
