You've made THE decision... now what?

In the pit of your stomach there is a heavy feeling. Why? Because you’ve just made a major decision, and you are now second-guessing yourself as to whether it was the right one.

You know what? That’s to be expected, especially if it is something you’ve labored over in your head for a long time. That feeling of doubt however can quickly fade into more questions, like what next? How do I actually implement what I have decided to do?

Small steps. One foot in front of the other. Everyone has their own strategy for moving forward. Some take the end goal and work back. What do I mean? Say you want to revamp a publication you produce by September. Make a list of all the components that have to be done for you to accomplish this. Then look at what comes first, and start building a plan. Using your end date, set deadlines for each task so you stay on target and move your project along. 

You may also need to recruit people to work on this project, so consider the skill sets required and look within and outside your network for who may fit the bill. Do you have a budget? What can you afford? Ask yourself these tough questions, before you make any financial decisions that could end up costing you more money than you have.

Or perhaps you are changing direction in your business, with a new focus and new customer base or changing your career. While it may seem like starting over again, and in some ways it is, you have more experience under your belt and doing your homework will kick-start your venture. And with careers, so often our skills are transferrable, so in reality, you are not starting from scratch. 

As you can maybe tell, I am a list maker and I try to approach big projects – be it business or personal – by breaking down the tasks into manageable bite-size pieces.   I also happen to work well to deadlines, so I prefer to set myself a timeline around which I can assign different tasks.

The above are concrete steps to move your plan forward, but what isn’t part of this equation is how to deal with the self-doubt and negative thoughts that will creep in uninvited as you try to make changes. And for some, this is a tougher hurdle to overcome. After all, your inner critic has likely been living inside your head for years – and this gremlin can be hard to squash or quieten down.

This is where having a support team of friends and colleagues comes in. You need to surround yourself with people who believe in you, who are your cheerleaders no matter what, but who will also share the hard truth when necessary. By taking small steps you can have sweet wins along the way and make sure to celebrate these successes as you step out of your comfort zone and take this bold step into your future. I make this sound simple, and I know it’s not – but you don’t want to let your self doubt hold you back. You deserve better.

Sometimes once those big decisions are made, you feel lighter, freer and more confident. Go with that feeling.. Hold that dream. Hold it tight. Like the beautiful kite dancing in the wind, the universe is telling you that you are on your way, soaring way beyond what you ever thought was possible.

Business lessons from the kitchen

Photo by Vichaya Kiatying-Angsule

Do you like to cook?  How you operate in the kitchen can be an indicator of how you run your business.  

 For example, if you stick to the letter of the law in your recipes, it is quite likely that you are not so comfortable with risks. Whereas on the other hand, if you always tweaking a recipe or making up your own, going with the flow is more your comfort zone, which means you may not always stick to the tried and true.

I’ve written about this before, but recently I came to a couple of new conclusions.  Being the long weekend, and loving to cook, I decided to try some new recipes, which my husband will be quick to tell you, with mixed results.

First a disclaimer, when you live on a farm, miles from the local grocery store, 

improvising on ingredients becomes a way 
of life.  So when I decided to cook a Thai side dish that required molasses, I knew I was stumped. 

But guess what – you just have to google what can replace molasses in a recipe, and your question is answered.  How cool is that?  All of which shows that there is never one right way to do something.

However, having said that, the meal itself was not a great success.  It tasted good, don’t get me wrong, but I cooked too much.  I guess I still haven’t got used to cooking for two, instead of four. 

Not wanting to waste it, I plunked most of the food on my husband’s plate.  Now, we can do this in business when we give our clients too many options or too much information – the end result is the same – overwhelm. 

Just too much to take in or eat in one sitting.  So note to self, think about the amount of information/food is sufficient and enough to whet someone’s appetite, so they are ready for the next course.

My second lesson is when I decided to follow a recipe – a new experience for me – but I misread it.  I did it wrong.  However, quickly realizing what I’d done, I went with the flow, improvised and the end result was tasty. 

The same is true in business.  You can be told what is required and try to do it by the book, but if you goof or it doesn’t feel right, all is not lost, you can do it differently.

When my children were little, putting food on the table was frankly more of a chore.  Just making sure they ate, liked the meals was challenge enough.  A bit like when you start your business – you make do, accepting what works to keep your clients happy.

Twelve years into my business, I have come to realize that I can actually shape the menu – at work and at home. I no longer have to offer the basics, I can afford to take risks and elaborate.

I know my ingredients and I am not scared to mix them up – be it in the kitchen or in my business.  What about you? 

For further reading - What's Your Recipe for Success

You don't have to be alone when you own

I have always been a groupie.  

Like when we emigrated to Canada and actively sought out other ex-Brits, because we shared a common background, perspective and a dry sense of humour.  I found there was comfort in sharing observations of our new lives.

Or when I was a young mother, home alone with my first baby.  I’d always dreamt of being the “good mother,” ever-patient and loving every moment with my child.  Well, maybe not.  But that was my expectation and it wasn’t until I met up with some other young mothers, who fast became friends, that I realized how unrealistic my vision was.  These women were brave enough to remove the mask and we were able to share the good, the bad and the ugly with each other.

I was reminded of all this at this week’s re-launch of the Durham chapter when Jenny McKee, my new chapter leader, was quick to encourage the women to be real and not to put on phony fronts that all is well, when it isn’t.   It is when we are authentic and honest, both with ourselves and others, that we truly gain.

As I watched the women connect and open up to one another, you could see the heads nodding.  It is a relief to know that you are not the only one to feel isolated and alone when you run your own business – heck, that’s why I started Company of Women in the first place.

No matter what your business is, I’ve found that the issues are the same – finding customers, cash flow, keeping customers, cash flow, staying positive, and more -  and when we can open up and share our challenges, we can then draw on the wisdom of the women around us. 

Years ago I worked on a research project – Double Jeopardy – which was looking at how best to support women who were super-stressed and turning to drugs and alcohol to cope. What did we find out?  The women said connecting with others who had been in similar situations or were on the same path was what they needed.  It could be one-on-one or in groups, but the key component was that the women shared similar experiences.

As women we like to belong, to be part of a community and at Company of Women I’d like to think we’ve created a safe, non-judgmental environment where you can be Suzy, entrepreneur or just Suzy, depending on the day. 

Both are welcome. Let’s face it, the different segments of our lives are so intertwined, and each impacts the other.  So no matter what, just know that we support you and we’re here to help you succeed. 

Remember, there’s strength in numbers.