Who is In Your Circle of Influence?
Are you asking for feedback or advice from the wrong people?
A real quote from a client going through this exact thing. Does it sound familiar?
"Thank you so much Tina. I need to stop talking to the wrong friends who put all the doubts in my head."
Are you looking for Validation from the wrong peoplE?
I find this is a common problem among my clients. They look for advice, validation and feedback from people who don't understand their business goals or strategy. These are people you are looking to for validation but instead they are your doubters, and they are in your inner circle of influence.
This can be friends, family or even experts.
Friends and family have their own reasons for saying what they do. It is often out of love and care for you. They don't want to see you stressed, worried or taking risks, so they discourage you from pursuing your dream.
What they don't understand is the deep need we as business owners have to follow this dream. We just can't stop. I get it, I'm just like you!
The problem I see with most Experts (consultants, agencies, service providers) is they are used to working with large corporations and not solo-preneurs who are self-funding their dream. It isn't that their advice is bad or given with bad intentions, it is that they don't understand the nuance of the solo-preneur business-model.
As much as these people in your life mean well, what happens is they cause you to lose confidence and stop you from making progress.
The First Step IS To Set BoUNDARIES:
What I recommend instead is setting boundaries of how much of your business details you share with those who signal that they won't be supportive or aren’t working in your best interest.
They likely don’t mean to hurt your feelings or make you feel bad about yourself, they just don’t understand the drive and desire of the business owner with a dream.
Think for a minute of what their motivations might be?
Are they jealous that you don’t have as much time for them now that you are working on your business?
Could they be worried about you making a financial mistake?
Does it bring up emotions about a dream they didn’t pursue?
When evaluating Experts, do they have experience working with your level of budget and business experience? Remember what works in a corporate setting with large teams and budgets doesn’t always translate well to the solo-preneur start-up business.
Ask for references and be wary of slick sales pitches. There are some great experts out there just make sure they understand your niche, goals and level of business before you invest in their services.
Design your Own Circle of influence:
Remember you are in control!
Instead of letting those voices pull you down, cultivate a circle of influence of like-minded store owners. Those who are at the same stage you are, or a bit ahead and can share their wisdom and experience. People who understand and will lift you up and motivate you through the hard days and want to celebrate your wins with you, no matter how small!
The role oF a Business COach:
You might also want a coach, who understands and can guide you through the emotional and business blocks that you face each day. This is what I do.
I take a holistic approach to both the emotional and mindset side of running a business and the practical knowledge you need to succeed in e-commerce (Traffic, Conversions Rates, AOV, open and click rates, and more).
I understand where you are coming from because I am also a long time ecommerce store owner and have coached hundreds of store owners at all stages of business.
I also have years of corporate experience working at large advertising agencies, boutique agencies and tech and media companies. I come at this with a lot of knowledge and first-hand experience.
Does this sound like something you need? Contact me today for a consultation.