Debra Kasowski

What Every Small Business Owner Can Learn from The Olympics

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As a small business owner, you already know life is about endurance and sacrifice. If you are just starting out, it may be a harsh reality. The first few years you may be all things to all people. After building a strong foundation, you can begin to delegate some of the tasks that you do but in the meantime, you must go the distance. I love watching the Olympics as it inspires me to watch all the efforts of an athlete’s training come together. All the training compounded over time leads to the moment where it all comes together.

When I first got into business, no one told me about the long hours I would spend or about the hard work involved in making my dreams come true. Nonetheless, it was all worth it! Striving toward reaching my personal best is the ultimate achievement.

What can you as the small business owner learn from the Olympic athlete?

  • Keep yourself hydrated at all times. Dehydration creates a foggy mind. You need to be on top of your game to know your skills and talents.
  • Ensure you eat breakfast in the morning. It helps provide your body with the fuel and energy it needs to function.
  • Nourish your body with a healthy diet. Limit your sugar, fat, and alcohol intake.
  • Exercise matters. Get active in your favorite sport or sports. Walk, run,swim, or jog for at least 30-60 minutes daily. You may even add in some weight training. You need to keep your body strong and healthy.
  • Focus and concentrate on your end result even when practicing.
  • Aim for your personal best. Challenge yourself to always give your best in whatever you do.
  • Practice, practice, and more practice. If you are going to good at something, you need to do it over and over until you master it  in your mind and body. Learn about how you can improve. Hire a coach or mentor to help guide you.
  • Rest and relax. You need to take breaks to rejuvenate your mind, body, and spirit.
  • Celebrate your accomplishments. Acknowledge and record your wins or what went well each day. Look how far you have come.

The Olympic athlete’s day often starts very early in the morning before many people are up and about. Training and preparing. These athletes are disciplined and know what it means to persevere. They know what it takes to be a winner. You also know what it takes to be a winner in your industry.  Truly – what does it take?

What do you need to map out or plan to get there? What action steps must you take? What will your end result look like?

How to Take Your Networking to the Next Level

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You may have heard hundreds of elevator pitches and you may have a shoebox full of business cards but what good are they when you do not want or need their business. If you want to take your networking to the next level you need to start thinking differently.

Here are 3 tips to help you take your networking to the next level:

  1. Be Intentional – Develop a plan before you attend your networking event. Plan to meet at least 2-3 people you would like to connect and follow up with. Reacquaint yourself with a couple of people you have met in the past. Networking is about connecting, caring, and conversing.
  2. Make It About Them – Mix and mingle introducing yourself to others.Learn as much as you can in your limited time together. Find out what is important to them, what are some of their hobbies, do they have a family or a pet, and what they do for a living. Get to know them as a person first. Business cards come secondary.
  3. Follow-Up – Follow up with the people you intended to meet or who you spoke to about planning to get together within 24-48 hours of meeting. By doing this, people are more likely to remember meeting you. Try connecting with people every 30, 60, and 90 days if possible. You may send an email, an article of interest, or make a phone call letting them know what you are up to. You may not need their business and they  may not need yours but you both have contact who might need your businesses. Think about some of the other people in your network, who do they need to know. Be a connector!

When you are intentional and focus on others, follow up is easy. The awkwardness does not feel cold; it is like picking up the phone and talking to an old friend. I recently reconnected with a person I met at a networking event several years ago while on my family vacation. It was great getting to hear about what she was up to and watching the passion she had about her business. We could have talked for hours; I love it!

Who can you follow up with today? What are others doing to make a difference in the world? You may even connect with people on Facebook or Twitter getting to know the people who you are following and who may be following you.

 

How Changing Your Perspective Can Promote Action

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We have all cast judgments at one time or another but if you shift your perspective, you can see people in a whole different light. Try shifting your perspective when observing or working with others by noting the following, they:

  • have a mother
  • are one their own journey and quest to a destination of choice
  • have hopes and dreams like you
  • might be lacking a few lessons to sharpen their skills
  • may have had their heartbroken or never heard the words “I love you”
  • have fears and self-limiting beliefs just like you but may not have the coping skills
  • want their children to have they best they can offer
  • might be working two jobs to make ends meet
  • be better served if you view them with compassion.

When you view people with compassion, you can gain a better perspective of where they are coming from. Stepping into someone else’s world you can learn what drives them to continue doing what they are doing and what holds them back from achieving their deepest desires.

“People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care… about them!” Zig Ziglar

By changing your perspective, you can now build an action plan to serve people better by:

  • offering solutions and opportunities
  • being someone people can relate to
  • being understanding of a person’s situation
  • helping people overcome their fears especially when it comes to buying your products and services.
  • making a difference by being their to listen.

Your compassion and kindness is what matters. People want to know that care about who they are and what they want. People first! Selling is not about being salesy it is about taking time to learn about others. What do you want to learn?

 

Why Vulnerability in Business Matters

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Do you think vulnerability matters? Do you relate to people better when you feel that they have similar interests to you or you can relate to them on some level? What factors help you develop that know, like, and trust?

Does Celebrity Status Make You Untouchable?

A colleague and I were having a discussion about celebrity status, the design of a person’s website, and developing content for your site. People who are celebrities are still like you and I – they eat breakfast, take vacations, and deal with the occasion temper tantrum from their kids. They are people would grew up having hopes and dreams just like you. One of the main differences is that they have been featured in a variety of media venues or they have been on film, highlighted in sport, or in the newspaper. Did you hear about them before they were in their feature film? On the hockey team? Or in the newspaper? People need to hear about you too. You are a celebrity in your own world.

I know people who shy away from asking people to be featured on their blog talk radio shows, interviews, or to share an idea because they think, “Why would they talk to me; they are a celebrity?” I cannot speak for all celebrities but several wonder why people do not ask more often. You are missing out on an opportunity. Celebrities are people who can share their journey so others can learn from them. They are celebrities because of their role or the work that they do.

What Makes Vulnerability Attractive?

When you share your journey and some of the ups and downs you have faced in growing your business people can relate to you. I love hear about how people have built businesses that started from a napkin over a couple cups of coffee. You do not always hear about all the late nights and obstacles that these people face. I find people are more endearing when they show you what it really takes to get things done. I am not saying you have to share every fine detail of your life but sharing a few of your trials and celebrations while stepping into who you are is what matters.

Don’t you want to relate to the person you work with and know that they understands your needs and have similar values to you? Your blog posts on your website should be written in the first person and written in conversation with your reader. Do not wait for perfection before you post or design your website. It is you people are waiting for – step into your celebrity status! Be YOU!

You build you know, like, and trust factor by being you first and sharing your business second!

 

Why Asking Others Opinions Might Not Be a Good Idea

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Why is it a problem to ask for another person’s opinion? Doesn’t outside feedback help you in your business? How can one opinion influence my behaviour? There may be many reasons to get feedback to change or adjust your course of action but another person’s opinion can be detrimental at times.

When asking the opinions of others is not a good idea:

  1. People Pleasing. If you are asking someone’s opinion just so you can please them you are heading for disaster. Sad to say, not everyone will have your interest at heart. You need to follow what you feel is right and be true to your values and what is important to you.
  2. You Cannot Make a Decision. If you allow others to make decisions for you, you may eventually regret it as you are giving away your power. You also make not like what the decisions result may be. Do not look at blaming the person you asked – you need to take responsibility for the final decision. Ensure you get what you want – you make the decision!
  3. You Have Not Thought Out Your Plan.  Shortcuts may work for some people but not all. You need to be clear on the outcome you desire. Take time to re-read your articles. Review your plans and think about obstacles or objections. How will you solve them?  It is human nature for people to judge how strong someone’s abilities are. Let people see your strengths. Be prepared and practice if you need to.

Remember someone’s opinion is someone’s opinion. It is their perspective of how they view the world and how things should be, not yours. If you want to succeed, you need to showcase who you are! You already know what you need to do so reach out and do it. Be brave and courageous – please yourself, make a decision, and make a plan to be YOU!