OMG I can’t believe it’s been 5 years since I started CEO Chicks. As you can imagine I have learned a ton over the course of the 5 years but for the sake of time, I am going to share my top 5 takeaways with you.
Invest, invest, invest. As entrepreneurs, we should always be investing in our businesses. Every year I look for opportunities to invest in my team, myself, and our systems. This looks like virtual courses, team retreats, an upgrade to your systems and processes, bringing on interns and new employees.
Help or no help you have to move forward. As a visionary there are times I have a ton of people eager to help me and then there are times I have few. Even when looking for hired hands, it can be challenging to find the right fit for my organization. On one hand we offer digital products, live events, and coaching. While on the other hand, we offer done-for-you branding and marketing services. So needless to say there is always something going on.
During Women's History Month I shared a series of posts on women supporting women. I really think it's worth plugging it in here, as we are discussing the topic of help. Here it goes:
I have learned some support comes with a pure heart, conditions and at times hidden agendas. But I’m ok with that! Once I’m privy to the hearts of men I’m cool and I simply adjust accordingly. Support is something that comes in many different forms and levels. It’s like this.
You will get support from those that generally hit these 5 areas:
I love what you’re doing - These people will donate and/or volunteer and feel rewarded and satisfied because they aligned with your vision. They comment, like and share your posts, buy your products, all to show love. They appreciate the small things you do for them, it goes a long way.
I don’t love what you’re doing but I really love you - These people will share if you ask them too, they may pop up in the room so you see their face every now and then, but they really have no interest in what you do. They are simply there for you. They can be inconsistent with their support but all and all if you call them with a need they will show up and show out.
I don’t love you or what you do. These are some of my favorites. They are only coming to see what you are doing. They will buy a course, a book, sit in on your class just to check out what you got going on. They are kind of like the students that just take a class to get it over with. LOL. I welcome them too, they typically just want information on systems, processes, etc. They can be converted into loyal supporters if they enjoy the experience you provide.
I want to do what you do. This group is both precious and sensitive. They want more than the information they want more time with you. Based on the individual’s maturity level they can offend easily if they do not respect boundaries. They will support heavily at first and once they receive what they feel they need to do what it is you do they will move on. They are your star students, see it as such. They are supposed to move on. Don’t make the mistake of putting them in permanent positions because they are so good at doing what you do. Give them room to fly knowing few will return. (SN the tricky part is when you get a I just love you type person that pretends they don’t want to do what you do. So they pose as help and supporters to learn what they can for little to no cost. Then after a period of time they begin to duplicate your vision.)
I want to work with you! These are also my favorite. HIRED HANDS. Yep this group loves the vision and is willing to trade time for money to expand the vision. The boundaries are pretty clear, they have a job to do and not only that... They love doing it. I work with women, they will go to the moon and back with me as long as I am respectful, clear on what’s expected (EVEN WHEN IT CHANGES), and value them. While this support sounds transactional only it’s not. Relationship, trust, and company culture can make or break it.
3. Self-talk is a must! It’s so easy to underestimate yourself and forget who you are and how much the world needs what you have to offer. Especially during this crazy pandemic where we all had to pause on our plans. There was so much room for doubt and fear. I took my first in person speaking engagement in March this year. It had been a year since I spoke in public. Listen, that trip was so impactful to me that I wanted to refund the host! It gave me so much life and was a reminder that my voice was needed.
SPEAK LIFE OVER YOURSELF! Repeat after me:
“I am powerful, I am needed, I am anointed, I am beautiful, I am full of love and life, I am a problem solver, I am worthy, I am gifted, I am _________!”
Fill in the blanks. Remind yourself how amazing you are and walk in the power of those statements.
4. Have faith! Expect The unexpected! As a Christian in the marketplace, it is so important to share my faith as well as my journey with others and the key is to do it without embellishing. We must be authentic with our audience and that means being honest with where we are.
Toward the end of 2020 something wild happened. Our Regional Director received a message from a fellow Jack and Jill mom telling her she loved what she was doing with CEO Chicks and had a potential client she wanted us to brand assets and marketing for. Long story short, that friend was the Reverend Jesse Jackson. What an experience that was!
5. Be willing to change. Lord knows change can be one of the toughest things to do but it is also necessary. Whether it’s firing and hiring, rebranding, or expanding as I said, change is uncomfortable. I find comfort in studying the evolutions of brands like McDonald’s, Nike, Dunkin Donuts, Adidas, all of these brands have changed gradually over the years while remaining true to their core values. The diverse marketplace demands, the cultural changes in tech, music, and entertainment, the more society embraces new ideas… All this coupled with our own personal growth makes change inevitable. It’s best you learn how to embrace it.
Well there you have it, my top 5 major keys entrepreneurship has taught me! I would love to hear some of yours, or even any feedback you may have from reading this blog. Feel free to like, comment and share. Join the conversation in our Facebook group over at https://www.facebook.com/groups/ceochicks Looking forward to connecting with you there!