Biggest Lessons

Going through the transition of NEW (a business I’ve loved for nearly 7 years) has been quite an experience. It literally took my miscarriage in December to have the courage to make this major change in my life. Miscarrying shed a lot of light on my priorities, energy, and how I spend my time. It showed me I had no choice but to make a change.

I had to accept that unless a business is making money, it really isn’t a business; it’s a hobby. And NEW (as a stand-alone entity) lost money! With this realization, I was faced with the most challenging business decision I’ve ever had to make.

Here are a few of the biggest lessons I’ve learned:

1. If you’re willing to sacrifice yourself and place other’s feelings above your own, you are actually being a disservice to them. As an entrepreneur, your priority needs to be taking care of yourself so you have a FULL tank to GIVE from. I knew this in my head, but this experience helped me “get it” on a whole different level. And, it’s true! I already feel so much more energy and excitement about creating new ways to help you with your business challenges.

2. It's OK if everyone doesn't "like" you. While nearly all of the feedback I’ve received about this transformation has been very positive, encouraging and enthusiastic; I have received a handful of hurtful accusations about my character and integrity. What I’ve learned from this (again something I’ve known in my mind, but “get” on a new level) is not everyone is going to like me or the decisions I make. And, it’s OK. Granted, it’s not easy to stay focused on the positive when these accusations are thrown; but is has given me deeper acceptance of not being liked by everyone and deeper conviction of the principles I stand on.

3. Entrepreneurs need to face the “business” of their business. This is especially important for creative entrepreneurs who care about their business and customers like I do. I was willing to ignore the bottom-line losses because all I wanted to do was support you. But, once I finally “got” that I needed to face the “business” of my business, I saw the reality I’ve been ignoring for years. If you haven’t done so lately, make a date with your PNL (Profit and Loss) statement and be willing to see what’s there. And, if you have multiple businesses (like I do), look at them INDIVIDUALLY... you can't ignore what's really going on when you separate each entity. I couldn’t do this until after my miscarriage when I was evaluating my entire life. Please do this now, and don’t wait for a major life event to catapult you into re-evaluation.

4. New beginnings bring new possibilities. I’ve simultaneously been experiencing the completion of the “era” of NEW, AND an abundance of new possibilities that come along with a new beginning. My creativity has never been higher; my enthusiasm about what I’m consciously creating for my business (and clients/customers) is awesome. Are there new beginnings occurring in YOUR life, perhaps a new way of thinking, a new business, a new product, a new relationship? Embrace the joy of your new beginnings and expect success.

Copyright 2007 Christine Kloser

Christine Kloser "The Conscious Business Coach," publishes the revolutionary 'Conscious Business Connection' ezine. If you're ready to transform “what is” to “what’s possible” for your business, get your FR^EE tips now at www.ConsciousBizReport.com.