Building a Successful Business: Common Challenges and How to Overcome Them

This week, I wanted to address some comments that a few people wrote on one of my Facebook posts.

A few weeks back I posted this -

What do you feel you are the most confused about in terms of building your business?

Most wellness entrepreneurs are AMAZING at what they offer, but when it comes to building their businesses, they feel a little lost and frustrated.

I'm in the process of doing some market research, and I would be SO GRATEFUL to hear your thoughts.
What area are you most stressed about, or you need more support in as you grow your wellness business?

And a few people answered so I thought I’d address them in this post today - because I know that whatever these women post about the areas they are struggling with, that many of you who are reading will be able to relate and maybe you’re struggling with this as well.

Darla wrote this:

"Honestly it’s knowing the breakdown of what to do specifically. Like I know we need a website…. But what are all the moving parts of a website? We want to record courses, but what are all the parts of that? Like how do we edit? I feel confident in what to offer in content…. But how do we say it. Oh and what about work sheets? It’s the detail pieces that I seem to overlook or really just don’t understand."

And I should mentioned that a few people replied to Darla’s comment saying they felt the same way.

As entrepreneurs we wear a lot of hats, and getting to your first $100k is where all the blood sweat and tears comes in.

Darla got certified as a life coach and is super stoked about starting her business… but then it gets pretty overwhelming pretty quickly with all the moving parts.

So if we want to avoid burnout, avoid confusion and frustration, and make the process of starting and getting our businesses off the ground with as little stress as possible, we have to stop bumping into all the trees and look at the journey from a birds eye view.

Darla’s mind is thinking, ok a website, what are all the moving parts of a website? BOOM she hits that tree… then her brain thinks oh right, and all the courses and the course material, where do I even begin with that? BOOM another tree… plus there’s content, and social media and getting our message out there, and work sheets… BOOM, BOOM BOOM BOOM - she’s hitting all the trees.

I need to swoop in there like a bird and bring her up above the tree line so she can take a look from above and stop the chaos.

Here’s the other things about bumping into all those trees - she’s not going to get anywhere.

You know those fun houses you walk through at amusement parks, and there's the room that has all the big bags hanging from the ceiling - they look like a bunch of big punching bags, and as you walk through them trying to get to the other side they’re swinging and bumping into you - and they are heavy so then one knocks you into more and they start swinging, and you’re stumbling and getting pummeled from every direction trying to get through this thing.

That’s kind of what Darla was doing in her message.

Your brain looks at all the things and is like AHHHHHHHHH!

I can’t do this.
I don’t know how to do this.
What if I forget something.
I’m not techy.
When will I have the time?
I’m a life coach, not a website designer.

You’re brain will freak out because that’s its job.

Ok - so I’m swooping in.

Let’s look at this from a birds eye view. Let’s look at the journey to get through the forest without a broken face.

Choose to focus on one thing.

What makes the most sense to start with?

Does it make the most sense to start with creating a course first before the website… or does it make the most sense to start with creating worksheets for your clients?

The answer is - it depends.
Is your course online or in person? Are the worksheets part of the course material, or are they a lead magnet?

It depends because there is no one size fits all when it comes to building your business - and that’s great news!

So I would want Darla to lay it all out for herself. What makes the most sense to focus on first. Then choose to focus on that one thing.

If she wants to start working with clients as soon as possible and get them into her program - let’s say which is an in-person 8 week course, and the worksheets are a part of the course material.

Then she might choose to not worry about the website at this point, and just focus on putting the course together. Then once the course is structured she can work on creating the worksheets for that course.

And once that is completed - she can start promoting the course and get to work.

She doesn't necessarily need a website for that.

Now, while she’s running the course she could then work on building the site. And then she’ll be able to add testimonials, and she’ll have an even clearer idea on what her clients needs are from running the program, so her copy and messaging will be possibly more on point having run the course before working on the website.

Or… maybe her course is all online and it’s not an in-person type program. Maybe the majority of the content lives online, but she has a private Facebook group for the members who join and she helps to nurture her group there.

Well, in that case Darla’s first area to focus on could be to get the website up and running - as that will be where she hosts her course.

That could be first… then she focuses on the course material and get that all uploaded to the website, then she works on the worksheets, let’s say, that people will be able to download from the website.

There is no right or wrong - it really depends on what your business looks like, where you want to take it, and what areas you feel need your focus first.

You’ll know.

The second guessing is your brain just trying to keep you safe, but in doing so it will keep you stuck.

Lay it all out. List out all the things you want to work on. Choose what needs to be taken care of first, and then work on that.

Ok, next - Jennifer wrote this:

"For me, I find it’s getting the right messaging across to people to see the value in what I provide. I mean saying “I transform lives” is so general and it feels like everyone is using the same language and I want something unique. I’m impatient and want to have all my stuff out there like NOW, but I know it takes some time to build."

Ok Jennifer - I agree, I think saying I transform lives is used a lot in the health & wellness industry… because that’s what we’re doing, right?

We’re health and wellness entrepreneurs for a reason - to transform lives, AND I transform lives very differently than how Jennifer transforms lives, very differently from how Darla transforms lives, and differently from how you, who’s reading this right now transform lives.

This is what I call your x-factor.
What is it about working with you, Jennifer that is unlike working with anyone else. What do you bring to the table that no one else does?

And I know this can be a hard one for people.

What makes you unique? What makes what you do and how you work with your clients unique? HOW do you transform lives? How do your clients describe working with you, and how you changed their life?

And if you’re just starting and haven’t had many or any clients yet - that’s ok. Your x-factor can shift and change and evolve right alongside you on this entrepreneurial journey.

And Jennifer mentioned that she doesn’t want to use the same language - that she wants to be unique… by sharing your x-factor and how you transform lives in your own way, you inherently will be communicating what you do differently.

What I would want to stay away from is trying to be clever or super creative in a way that could overshadow what it is that you do - does that make sense?

Being real and authentic is much more interesting and attractive than trying to be clever for the sake of trying to be different. If that is overshadowing the value you provide or is actually confusing - I’ve seen some people get SUPER creative and fun in their messaging but then I'm left confused as to what they actually do.

Just by knowing what makes you unique… what makes your business unique… how you serve and transform and offer value in a way that is unlike anyone else… THAT RIGHT THERE will create messaging in your content that will stand out and be recognized by the people you are meant to serve.

And I should touch upon something that Jennifer also brought up, which I thought was very honest and so many of us can relate. She said: I’m impatient and want to have all my stuff out there like NOW

I totally get that! I still go through that when I’m launching a new lead magnet, or program, or have a new masterclass I’m teaching, or working towards building my mastermind.

I’m like why can’t it all be in place now. Why can’t it all be running smoothly now. Why can’t I have 100 people in my program like NOW!

So many of us can relate to that - so here’s the thing to remember. It’s not about the goal - it’s about who you become as you work towards it.

So Jennifer - who are you becoming as you work towards having your stuff out there… spreading your message… connecting with potential clients… working with your current clients.

Who are you becoming?

That’s really what being an unstoppable entrepreneur is all about.

We’ve all heard the quote it’s the journey, not the destination - and it’s true, but I want you to think about your transformation as an entrepreneur as you work towards building your business and how powerful that is.

I am not the same person I was 13 years ago when we opened Anamaya Resort.

I am not the same person I was 7 years ago when I created my first online program for women.

I’m not the same person. I’m not the same entrepreneur. I’m not the same woman.

So yes - the impatience is no joke, I get it. But if I had a magic wand and POOF I made it all happen for you, there would be so much lost - AND you might not be able to handle it. A big part of our growth journey is getting us ready for when things really start to flow.

So thank you for being so honest about that Jennifer - I know so many people reading right now who can relate.

And the last comment I’ll touch on in this post was by Alisa.

Alisa says: "I think for me it’s the fear of the unknown. So many of us have passions, interests and gifts we want to share. The art of building a business feels
Like an entirely different skill set. Having a coach, a guide and mentor to break the process into smaller pieces, offer tools and the next few steps is so valuable."

I love that Alisa - building a business is a different skill set.

For example, If people ask my client who’s a massage therapist & yoga teacher what she does - her answer is I’m a massage therapist and yoga teacher.

She doesn’t say, I’m an entrepreneur.

She went to school to be a massage therapist… she did a 200 hour yoga teacher training to become a certified yoga teacher.

This whole building a business journey we got ourselves into is a whole other thing!

That’s why we need to focus on one step at a time as I mentioned regarding Darla’s comment. That’s why we need to remind ourselves that our evolution as business builders happens in the work towards reaching our goals, and in all the failures, and the mis-steps, and the lessons learned.

Look ladies - this entrepreneurship thing is challenging!

That’s also why Alisa mentioned how important it is to have a coach, or mentor, or a guide to help you every step of the way.

We can’t do this on our own!

That’s why I created my Mastermind for Wellness Entrepreneurs - which Alisa and Darla are actually members of.

I created it because we all need the accountability. We all need that extra support and guidance when things get hard, because they will!

If you would like some support and an infusion of motivation, and learn some of the tools that I use to help me not only grow my businesses but that help me stay on track - then we would love to have you join the mastermind group.

And before I end this, my question for you this week is the same question I posted on Facebook that inspired this post:

What do you feel you are the most confused about in terms of building your business?

Just gaining some clarity on that can help you shift your perspective about what it is, how you think about it, or prioritize it. OR join my Mastermind and myself plus a whole group of women entrepreneurs can help you unpack and understand it, so it doesn’t leave you stuck.