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Mary Cravets

Business Lesson from a Workout FAIL

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Several years ago I hired a personal trainer to help kickstart some New Year’s Resolutions. I showed up in the early morning hours hopeful and ready to kick some ass.

10 minutes later, I was ready to pass out and throw up.

I wasn’t that out of shape, and my trainer hadn’t pushed me that hard. What happened?

After a brief discussion, I learned that you shouldn’t drink a large protein smoothie 30 minutes before a workout.

I had assumed that because you need energy for a workout, the best solution would be to eat right before you go to the gym.

I thought back to other failed attempts at working out and realized that this laughably simple – but foundational – wrong assumption led to the majority of my failures.

Changing this ONE assumption led to years of success in fitness. And…

I see this stuff in business all the time.

The assumption that accepting money means you’re not fully in the spirit of service to others.

The assumption that marketing is all about saying “look at me, look at me, look at me!”

The assumption that sales is about convincing and pushing others to do something they don’t want to do.

(all wrong, BTW)

Unearth YOUR assumptions and question them. Hidden, they will keep you stuck. Revealed, they will shift your results forever.

Why Pivoting Might be the Wrong Move

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“Pivot” is so overused it doesn’t even ping your radar anymore. Am I right?

Well, I’ve got news for you… “pivoting” may not mean what you think it means AND it’s not always the best way to navigate this crisis.

In an attempt to clear up assumptions and shine a light on all the great options to keep the momentum going in your business, I’m here to share:

  1. The 3 mistakes of pivoting.
  2. The foundation you need BEFORE making changes.
  3. The 5 P’s of Change (pivot + 4 other options)

Let’s dive in, shall we?

  1. The 3 mistakes of pivoting.

Mistake #1: Misunderstanding pivoting.

People are using “pivot” as a catch-all word to describe any change in your business. I think creates a lot of chaos. To combat the chaos, in my 3rd teaching point below, I’m going to give you the definition of the pivot as well as four other words for change so you can zero in more precisely on how to adjust your business right now. Until I give that definition, I’m going to use the word “change” as a more accurate catch-all. 

Mistake #2: Shaky foundation. 

It’s a mistake to make changes from a shaky foundation of strategy and processes. Ever play with a gyroscope? You know how when you get it going, you can shift it into all kinds of gravity-defying angles? That’s because you set the foundation and got the momentum going. But what happens when you don’t have the foundation set? It wobbles, rolls across the floor and under the couch where you can’t get to it.

Making changes without a solid foundation will not be for the better.


Mistake #3: Short-term thinking.

When life feels this out of control, it’s tempting to try to regain a sense of control by making short-term drastic changes. The problem is that some changes create serious brand confusion. 

Take my business, for example. I’m about simplifying client generation. If I looked around and thought – hey, I could really help people and meet a major market demand if I started selling hand sanitizer – what happens to my brand identity once this situation resolves? You have to consider what your business will look like afterward. If you want your business to be strong now and emerge from this crisis with momentum, it is rarely a good idea to make a drastic shift away from your core business.

Some things must change right now, yes. But there are fundamentals that DON’T needs to change… and during stressful times it’s hard to distinguish which is which.

Let’s move on to the fundamentals of client generation so you can fortify your foundation, and then I will give you the 5 P’s of change and some examples. After you read this article you’ll have what you need to evaluate your efforts and make decisions that are solid instead of reactionary.

  1. The foundation to have in place before making changes

Before you make any changes to service delivery or pricing or anything having to do with how you generate revenue (which I refer to as client generation), check your foundation. 

Start by stepping back from our current market conditions and ask yourself, “Do I have the essential elements of client generation defined clearly?

The 7 elements are:

  1. Goals
  2. Pricing and Packaging
  3. Ideal client
  4. Messaging
  5. Proactive lead generation
  6. Sales and closing process
  7. Time management

Do you have these in place? Remember the gyroscope that skittered under the couch? Don’t be that gyroscope! Make sure your foundation is in order, THEN move on to how to adjust. Which brings us to…

  1. The 5 P’s of change (Pivot + 4 other options)

  2. PAUSE: Stop some part of your business or not launch something planned.
    This is first because it helps conserve energy – and right now you need all you can get! Look at each of the essentials of client generation and decide – is there anything here to pause? For instance, I paused one of my programs I was going to launch because it was focused on live speaking events. I freed up my energy right away by pausing this program that would be in lower demand right now.
  3. POSITION: Explain the value of your services in relation to current market conditions.
    Don’t change your services. Don’t change your ideal client, but rather change how you describe your services in relation to current market conditions. This change mostly falls under messaging in your client generation process. For example, in my business, I still talk about client generation, but I’ve shifted a little because business owners who have been complacent about client generation suddenly and painfully are noticing how not having a plan is really hurting them. So, while I’m offering the same client generation programs I always offer, I’m emphasizing or positioning the program for these people to leverage this downtime and come out of the crisis with a stronger business.
  4. PIVOT: Execute some part of your business differently.
    Don’t create something new… we’re not there yet. We’ll get there in a sec. I’ll say it again: Pivot is to execute some part of your business differently. You’ve seen restaurants start to offer delivery, right? They’re not making different food and they didn’t create a new menu. They are just executing differently.
  5. PRODUCE: Create something new to meet current market conditions.
    This is where a lot of people START, and it’s burning a lot of energy. Look at the first 3 P’s FIRST, because they are all about making subtle shifts to what you’ve already worked so hard to build! If producing something IS the right move for you, make sure that it’s still in alignment with your ideal client to avoid brand confusion.
  6. PREPARE: Put things in place to be more stable in a future crisis.
    We are learning SO MUCH right now about the gaps in the stability of our businesses. Is there anything you can start now, or put on a list for the 3    rd or 4th quarter to build stability into your business? Maybe a new income stream or additional lead generation strategy. This is not the last crisis we’ll face. What do you regret not having in place now? How can you put that thing in place for next time? Make it a priority!

Author’s note: I am offering the 5 P’s of Change as a free facilitated discussion for the business owners and coach groups to help navigate this crisis. Contact me for more details.

The 5 Phases We’re All Going Through Right Now

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It’s been amazing and awful to cycle through being scared then creative then challenged then connected… and back around to scared again.

This rapid-fire cycling has made me SO much more intentional about getting support and connection from my community (the Watch Us Thrive calls are the best example of this)!

Through these connections, I noticed a very consistent pattern: 5 distinct phases that business owners are going through. The time frame for each phase is different for everyone, and the phases don’t necessarily occur in this exact order.

Phase 1: Abject Terror
Oh @#$%&! This is no joke, it’s not China’s problem, it’s actually here. The economic impact is going be staggering. My business will never survive. No one is buying anything. Ever again.

You freak out, become paralyzed and may be eating potato chips dipped into a chocolate milkshake. You have difficulty breathing, sleeping, and keeping your mind off toilet paper. Nothing productive happens during this phase.

Phase 2: Panic in Motion
You realize you’ve got to get off the couch, but can’t seem to stop arguing with people on social media or refreshing websites looking at COVID-19 graphs. Refreshing, refreshing, refreshing… WAIT – I gotta get to work!

You waffle back and forth, “Can I position myself to benefit from this? Wait – oh ick! NO! I can’t capitalize on this. But I’m helping people, right? Will they think I’m being opportunistic?”

More chips. More milkshakes. An emotional roller coaster that takes you, minute by minute, from feeling mildly hopeful to dipping into the desperation of, “We’re screwed forever… what’s the point of doing anything?”

Phase 3: Channeling “The Dude”*
Hey man, it’s cool, I have no control over this. I’ve pretty much been ordered to stay home, and it seems like no one is doing business anyway, so… maybe I’ll do some gardening. Or watch Pride and Prejudice (the 6-hour BBC version) at 2 o’clock in the afternoon. And then go for a walk.

I’m going to treat this kind of like a vacation.

This is ok. I mean it sucks, but maybe this is the universe’s way of telling me to slow down, right?

* The Dude is a waaaayyy chill aging hippie from the movie The Big Lebowski.

Phase 4: Productivity Overkill
THIS! This is the opportunity in the crisis! Yes! It all has meaning now.

I am NOT going to waste this time. I’ve been wanting to start my podcast and write my book. I’m going to take this time and do both. (I mean it is kind of weird how it’s harder to get things done even though my schedule is so open.)

So… ok, I’m going to frame the family pictures, start making bread, develop an online mastermind, can my own veggies, plant a garden, organize weekly Zoom calls for my family and create an online course while losing 20 pounds.

Oh thank goodness! I’ve worked myself into the normal over-scheduled pace I’m used to.

Phase 5: Settling into Your New Reality
You realize, this is how it’s going to be for a while, so you focus on figuring out new routines. How to work out at home, find alone time even though the kids are around, get work done.

Born out of necessity, you start to get creative. Solving problems you’ve been stewing on for months or even years. Collaborating with others because you’re craving connection.

Fears still crop up, but more often than not you see where you can be serving and thriving and simply running your damn business through the chaos.

Run Your Damn Business

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I am SO turned off by opportunism being passed off as “service” that I actually stopped marketing my business. But…

The income of my household depends on my business, so I’m not really in a position to NOT promote my business.

After a long week of ping-ponging between crying and laughing and paralysis and singing “I Will Survive”…

I wrote myself a letter.

Dear Mary,

Run your damn business.

Your services are valuable. They are no less valuable today than they were a week ago. No less relevant.

It’s not opportunistic to flip over the “Open for Business” sign and run your damn business.

Will everyone like it? No. Will everyone like YOU? No. (just like every other day of the year!)

But what does stopping accomplish? Who will be served if you cringe in fear of being criticized? Or worry about what might happen?

Maybe you’ll have to do a little more. Almost certainly you’ll have to do things differently.

But you won’t discover what needs to be changed unless you get your ass moving.

Worry and fears may crop up, but the Pity Party is officially OVER.

It’s time to run your damn business.

I love you,
Mary

My FB Post that Surprised You

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Many people were shocked that I ever feel this way.

Doubtful. Self-judging. Worried.

Days like this happen to all of us when we stretch beyond our comfort zones. These days aren’t fatal. But they aren’t any fun either.

My “stretch” includes a rebrand and new website, and investing massively in my business. My workload is temporarily huge and overwhelming.

In my well-adjusted and sane moments, I’m confident I’m on the verge of the next big growth spurt.

However, most of the time it just feels scary. A LOT of work, big investments and an unprecedented slow start to the year. So no, not scary… terrifying.

To deal with this, I’m focusing on my physical health, getting support from my peeps and going back to lessons I’ve articulated in blogs I wrote in the past. My favorites are below, in case you could use a boost today.

  • Having a bad day? This article will normalize it for you
  • Feel like you’re going backwards? This article will give you perspective.
  • Critics piling on? This article will give you a way to reframe it.

Tips to Successfully Explore the World Through Work-Away Travel

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Work-away trips are a fantastic thing: running your business while traveling.  Last year I tried it myself for the very first time by staying in Prague, Czechia for a month.

This trip was different from past travel in both its extended duration and for the combination of work and pleasure.  Because it was my first time doing this, I learned an amazing amount about myself, my business and how to travel while working.  That last sentence can also be written as follows: because it was my first time traveling it was painful and not as much fun as I’d hoped.

You see, I didn’t think ahead about time zones, access to health care, pilot strikes, cost of changing a portion of a trip, mental recovery time or how living outside of your comfort zone can be challenging even if you are loving it.

So, in an effort to prepare you for work away travel, here are tips from business owners who are successfully taking extended travel without losing momentum in their businesses.

  1. Schedule client calls with care. Due to poor planning on my part, while I was in Prague I found myself taking client calls at 8 pm and that was after working several hours during the normal day. As a result, I missed out on some fun things that others in my group got to do.Jane Garee with Showstopping Sales says: “I set up my Google calendar with both my home-based time zone and the time zone I will be working from on the trip about a month in advance. These can go side by side in Google so you see both time zones simultaneously. I also put both time zones on my Apple Watch (it’s very cool and both time zones can go on the same screen). I find that being able to quickly translate time zones in my head goes a long way to keeping stress at bay…  I’m a planner by nature so feeling good about what’s on my calendar and knowing I can easily fit in work and playtime makes living and working in a different country much easier.”
  2. If you are staying a longer time, pack less than you think you have to. For my Prague trip, I packed everything forgetting that I can do laundry in the apartment.Susan O’Brien, Owner of EcoLux Interiors says: “Coordinate every piece so that it goes with several other pieces and base it all on lightweight, and for the weather, you are heading into.  You need half of what you think you need, and a couple of scarves make a nothing outfit quite fun!”
  3. Book your flights way ahead of time if available and understand the fine print before buying a lower-priced ticket.Louise Crooks of Keys to Clarity Coaching says: “I book my flights to really far off destinations quite well in advance. Sometimes 9mths in advance. It means my tickets can be 35% cheaper than most folks will end up paying. Great way to save on a budget.”
  4. Keep your home in mind while you are away.Pam Ivey of Adventurous Life says: “I line up my petsitter right away to ensure the fur babies are looked after. She also picks up my mail, so that’s taken care of too. I ensure lawn maintenance/snow removal is arranged so it’s not a dead giveaway that I’m not home, and I’ve made sure everyone I want to keep in contact with at home (mom, sister, friend) has Skype at the ready and a tutorial given if needed.”  Another option is WhatsApp.  It’s an a
  5. Keep a copy of any important documents in the cloud somewhere. This includes business and personal documents along with copies of your passport.  Pam Ivey of Adventurous Life and Donna Kozik of Write a Book in a Weekend both agree with this.
  6. Don’t skimp on a carrying bag and accessories for your daily commute to the “office.” Finding a co-working space is the best way to be sure you keep up with your work.Pam Ivey of Adventurous Life says: “Make sure you have a good bag, whether it’s a shoulder bag or backpack to carry your laptop back and forth to the office. (I love my backpack because it keeps my hands free.) Don’t forget adapters! And adapters with built-in USB ports are awesome.