Well, we did it. We’re on the happy side of our biggest launch yet. While I’m happy to give you a tactical break down of everything we did—and didn’t do—the most important parts of this launch were the fears, goals, and barriers to success that I conquered as the leader of this business.
1) Conquered organizing a team and letting them do the work.
With the way I planned the marketing around this launch, I had a lot on my proverbial plate. I did a CreativeLive workshop (on launching, no less) just 2 weeks before this launch. That meant that I needed to both do the content for that course and the marketing plan. I needed to send at least weekly emails from June through August—a period of time I normally sit back and relax my way through.
The only way I could pull this off was to rely on other people. First, I relied on the perennially awesome team at CreativeLive, including my content producer, Michael Karsh. Second, I hired Breanne Dyck to help me plan instructional activities that would make this my best workshop yet. Finally, I hired a project manager—my mom, no less—who set up all my tasks and to-dos in Evernote using Natasha Vorompiova’s Evernote for Small Business system.
Don’t worry. There will be more on hiring my mom and a full review of Natasha’s program very soon.
I also hired Claire Pelletreau to manage a Facebook ad campaign and relied on Brigitte and Megan even more than usual to support the business.
More than ever before, I got to show up and only supply brilliance—never mediocrity. Why put mediocrity into my business when I can hire others for their brilliance?
2) Conquered not believing I’m a special snowflake.
Believe it or not, I don’t believe that you’re the only person who can do what you do. And I don’t believe that very common mantra is a very good foundation for starting a business. This summer, I trained 8 women on how to use my methodology and had a very difficult time choosing 3 of them to coach 10ThousandFeet with me.
I’ll be taking new apprentices in early 2015. So look for that.
I couldn’t have grown this program to where it is without getting help on the delivery of the program. For me, that wasn’t about inviting in other experts to teach. The value of the program has always been in that it’s a bottom-up coaching program, not a top-down course.
Just a few days into the program, Jen Vertanen, Natasha Vorompiova, and Suzi Istvan are already laying down serious insight and wisdom for our participants.
Which leads me to number 3…
3) Conquered the 3rd role of the E-Myth narrative: manager.
The E-Myth (a sacred text among creative and lifestyle entrepreneurs) defines 3 roles that every small business owner has from time to time: technician, entrepreneur, and manager. The entrepreneur’s role is the one that comes most easily to my INTP personality. I’m happy to think big, conceptual thoughts, I’m happy to design my own systems, and I’m happy to move fast and break things.
It’s always been easiest to generate revenue (at little cost) by also being the technician and actively delivering the services that my business offers.
But the role of manager has seemed less than attractive or well-suited to me.
This was a bad assumption, however. I’m actually a great manager but, without the space and flexibility to manage my business and team the way I like, it felt extremely stressful. Now that 10ThousandFeet is handled on the logistical side by a customer support person, a project manager, and 3 coaches—in addition to Brigitte and myself—I am able to step into the role of manager and create a much better experience for everyone involved.
Which has actually put me at greater ease over the last few weeks, even as I step away from being the technician and the entrepreneur for a time.
What do you need to conquer?
We all have assumptions, modus operandi, and ruts that keep us from realizing the next level of success. Consider what assumptions you’ve been working under and how they are impacting your business and its opportunities for growth.
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Speaking of what you need to conquer, I’m also thrilled to tell you that I’m a featured expert in Natalie MacNeil’s Conquer Summit. It’s a completely free course (valued at $999) designed to help you build a foundation for your business that gives you more confidence, clarity, and cash.
I really love what Natalie has done with this program and all the high-quality effort they put into the program. You can sign-up—FREE—right here.
