TOP 5 BIZ COACHING QUESTIONS OF 2023
When is the right time to start my side hustle?
Now! The best thing about starting a side hustle is that you can do it on side of your main hustle and test out the idea to see if A) you like offering your product or service in exchange for money and B) that there is an audience who is willing and able to purchase what you have to offer. Once you’re in the game you’ll be able to gather information about what people want, the best way to deliver your offering and how much people are willing to pay for it. Lack of momentum is the single largest drain on motivation. We’re less likely to take action, the more we procrastinate. It doesn’t need to be perfect from the get go, get started and learn as you go. Ask questions, get a coach, take feedback and enjoy the ride. It’s not as scary as you think it is, I promise.
Start here:
Podcast: How to know if my idea will work
Tune into Sian Fay’s story ‘From freelancer to business’, Sian is a Business Coaching client of mine who successfully turned her love for photography into her full time business and shares her BTS process of how she did it.
For extra motivation and insights into why we don’t take action and how to overcome it download a copy of ‘Just Start: 5 Part Audio Series’ to help you just start!
How do I get in front of more paying customers to grow my business?
In order to grow your business beyond your friends, family and immediate circle you’ll need to first figure out where is your ideal customer spending their time and how you can get in front of them to let them know what you have to offer and call them to action. Most people skim through this step but in my opinion it’s one of the most important parts of starting and scaling a business. Taking significant time to really get to know your audience, who they are, why they need what you have to offer, where they will come looking for your product/service and when, is vital to a businesses success. It’s an activity that I return to on a regular basis to ensure my brand messaging, content and offers are on point and serving the needs of those I’m selling to. If you’re looking for your ideal customer, now is good time to revisit this step, review how you can be of service to your audience, solve a problem they are having or add value to their lives. Making sure to align your brand message to their values, needs and wants so as to make it clear that you have something of value for them. You might also want to consider what your point of difference is, why they would choose you over a competitor and why you’re the best person for the job. Once you’re clear on those points, take time to consider how will you convey this message to them, when and where?
Start here:
Part Four of our First Aid Kit for Your Business includes a video, worksheets and advice to help you do a deep dive on your customer and align yourself with your target market
How to overcome self doubt and comparison?
In my opinion mindset is one of the key components to building a successful business. Without the confidence in ourselves and our abilities, we rarely take action. It doesn’t matter how good your idea might be, how much experience you have or how popular your idea might be, without the belief that you have what it takes to make your idea a reality, you’re likely to succumb to self doubt, compassion and inaction. It happens to the best of us, myself included. But it doesn’t mean it has to stop you and most of the time it’s a limiting belief that wants to keep us safe and inside of our comfort zones. The trick is to catch it when it turns up, equip yourself with the tools to counter the negative self talk and figure out what you can do to take action despite fear showing up. Of all the successful businesses people that I’ve met over the years, not one of them has said they weren’t scared. Courage is the ability to act even in the face of fear. It’s different for all of us but know that it will show up when you go in search of a dream or goal that you haven’t yet achieved but it doesn’t need to stop you.
Start here:
Listen to a recent podcast episode where I share insights into where compassion comes from, how it has played out in my journey and tips for overcoming it.
Podcast: Overcoming Fear
How to go about goal setting?
We have the greatest chance of obtaining our goals if we have a plan for chasing them. Effective goals should inspire us to take clear action towards them. Research shows that without a plan as to how to obtain a goal we’re less likely to achieve them. The trick is to align your goals with your own personal curiosity, passion, purpose. Your goals should spark curiosity in you, like solving a problem or discovering something new, when we are curious we are more present to the task at hand, inspired to find creative solutions and interested enough to stick at it. Passion for what you’re doing ensures the goals are aligned to your skillsets, they light you up and put your talents to work. When our passions are aligned to our goals, we carve out time to work on them, we push ourselves beyond our comfort zone and we find more satisfaction in our work. The more passion, the more time, resources and focus we apply to it. Purpose is when our work feels like it has meaning for us, without it we can feel like we’re on a treadmill with no end in sight. When we find purpose in what you’re doing, we become more motivated to see it to the end. When we are working towards a goal that means something to us, we strengthen our sense of ‘why’ we’re getting up each day to go to work and increase our drive to take action, even when it gets hard. Take some time to align your goals with your curiosity, passion and purpose so as to personalise your goals and give yourself the best possible chance of achieving them.
Get in touch for a 1:1 Business Coaching session to help you set your goals and make a practical step-by-step plan to bring them to life in 2024
How do I start my side hustle?
You start. I’d suggest allocating 4-5 hours a week to work on your side hustle at first. As your business grows you can start to allocate more time, resources and focus to it. You don’t want to try and do it all in one go, you’ll set yourself an unrealistic goal and if it goes unachieved you’re more likely to give up on it all together. Instead, take some time to look at your weekly schedule, see where you can allocate time to your side hustle, put it in the diary and get to work. At first you might find that things come up and you’ll feel like you don’t have enough time but if you want it bad enough you’ll find the time. Start small, where you are now, with what you have and do one thing everyday to take you in the direction of your goals. Consistency is key and you’re better off making progress, no matter how small then putting it off until you have ‘more time.’ Sometimes it will require sacrifices and letting go of some of your previous commitments but ask yourself if, a year from now you’re still in the same place, how would you feel?
Start here:
Tune into this podcast episode ‘how to start a side hustle’ for expanded advice and tips on the process of getting started as I walk you through each chapter of the book ‘How to Start a Side Hustle’
