If there is one thing that I have learnt about starting up and scaling up a business is that it is through growth that we become.
And it’s how we become that allows our growth to flow.
Now I know that may sound a little Yoda.
But having been a Dominant Do-er for most of my life and spent the first 25 or so years in business believing that I had to think and do my way to success, I have worn struggle and hard work as badges of honour. And over the past 15 years of running my own coaching and training business, I have witnessed, and worked with, many hundreds of other entrepreneurs who have been on the same path.
With more of us in our 40’s, 50’s and beyond starting up our own businesses and social enterprises more than ever before, we are struggling to keep up with the pace of life and unsustainable benchmarks for success.
We do not lack ability or ambition!
But because of factors specific to our age bracket – the Sandwich Generation (caring for both children and elderly parents), mid-life changes and menopausal/andropausal shifts – we often experience high levels of stress, hormonal imbalances and burn out whilst trying to grow our businesses.
Which also means that our society is losing out on an immense monetary and social potential that our micro-businesses can bring to our economy. Now, more than ever, we need to champion ways to help our global political and economic drivers deeply connected to our spirituality and humanity.
Because a large percentage of business growth advice and books focused on topics such as business models and the mechanics of starting up and growing a business are dominated today by digital internet marketers, there are very few practical and easy to read business books written for those entrepreneurs who have ambitions to grow a purpose-led business, but without the hustle-and-grind push to succeed or the sole focus of digital options.
As we start this brand new decade, you and I don’t need business dumbing down or being made pinker or softer. What we need is to fundamentally change the way we all – men and women of all ages – approach business growth to create a purpose-led and sustainable economy.
As many of you may know, my book, True Profit Business, was published last year. The book writing process took almost three years of researching, refining and articulating how to connect the ‘doing-ness’ of business – the mechanics, plans and processes – with the ‘being-ness’ of business – the power of energy flow and listening to intuition.
My mission was to simplify the business growth process so that entrepreneurs like you can make the money you want, but do it in a way that fuels your health and allows you to make the impact you want. So I am incredibly proud to have found out yesterday that my book has been shortlisted for best Start-up Inspiration business book in the Business Book Awards 2020.
To be recognised and have my book sit alongside a list of incredible books on topics such as leadership, sustainable change and promoting diversity is mind-blowing to me, especially as they have had a record number of books submitted this year. It gives me hope that the tide is turning and business mainstream is prepared to accept that our being-ness is not only a powerful economic force but also a critical one to work alongside our doing-ness.
The awards ceremony is in March, and I can’t wait (as well as feel ever so slightly squeaky bum about it all, too!) to attend and proudly showcase my book.
Thank you for all your support and encouragement. There are lots of people in my community who have been connected with me for many years now and the feedback and comments I get each time I write new content really does help motivate, inspire and draw me onwards and upwards. Thank you x
True Profit Business is available to order on all major book sites, including Amazon, Hive and Waterstones. If you do order your book on Amazon, please do leave a review as it really helps spread the word. To find out more about True Profit Business go to www.KarenSkidmore.com/book
“There are so few really practical, ballsy books like this. I love the way you set out those simple business models and give all the practicalities as well as bringing in the beingness of business. That combination is so powerful.”
The True Profit Business Podcast: Series 1 Episode 9
The Inner Game of Business Growth
We need to address this important part of the journey ahead of you; the one that is often called ‘The Inner Game’.
Welcome to True Profit Business, the podcast that dives into what it really takes to create a purposeful, playful and profitable business. In the last episode of this first series, Karen shares the five strategies that have helped her step up and grow over the years.
If you have been listening to all the episodes in this first series, thank you and congratulations! Hopefully, by listening to this podcast, you have decided that you are definitely up for playing bigger and growing your business.
However, your success is ultimately decided by how well you are able to play this Inner Game; how well you deal with the thoughts, worries and doubts you will experience as you go about your business growth plans. It really doesn’t matter how crystal clear your Big Vision is or how brilliant your 90-day plan is, if you let your fears and doubts pull you back from thinking bigger and taking action, you will play small.
The True Profit Business Podcast: Series 1 Episode 8
The 4 bottlenecks of your business growth
When you start to grow and scale up your business, there are four areas of your business model that either move you forward, or stifle your growth.
Welcome to True Profit Business, the podcast that dives into what it really takes to create a purposeful, playful and profitable business. In this episode, Karen is diving into the four choices you have of how you sell and deliver, and how these four choices help you decide which business model would work best for you.
These four areas in your business that can either fuel you or burn you out; these are your top four potential energy, time and profit drainers and/or energisers in your business. We recommend that you get a copy of the True Profit Workbook that accompanies Karen’s book and find the worksheet on Page 29 (click here to download a copy). As you listen to this episode and hear Karen take you through all four categories, make notes on what shows up for you before you decide on what your percentage allocations could be.
There’s one final note to draw your attention to as you listen to this episode. The common response to decisions here are often how-do-I questions. Put these questions to one side for now because they will hold you back and your energy will start to want to Lean In (go back and listen to Episode 5 for more on these energies). Lean Back throughout this episode and ensure you are feeling into what your intuition is telling you, rather than thinking about what action to take.
To explore this further, there are some working examples of how these percentages may work together demonstrated in Chapter 6 of Karen’s book, True Profit Business.
The True Profit Business Podcast: Series 1 Episode 7
The True Profit Business Models
Your business model is the way you decide to sell and deliver what it is you offer your clients and customers. There has been a huge push on designing and creating digital businesses in recent years and yet digital is NOT always the right path to take for many entrepreneurs and small business models.
Welcome to True Profit Business, the podcast that dives into what it really takes to create a purposeful, playful and profitable business. In this episode, Karen is be taking you through the four core business models – freelancer, consultant, agency and digital – and will be helping you decide which one could work best for you.
Most people end up with a business model based on one of two things; either a business model based on what everyone else in your professional has or a business model based on what you’ve been taught to be the most profitable or easiest to run. What this means is that most people’s businesses are out of alignment to their True Profit Compass, which can lead to burning out.
Karen dispels the myth that time-for-money is bad for business and helps you see that following a formula that promises you the quickest and easiest way of making money is not always the most profitable or even healthy for your mind, body and spirit.
The True Profit Business Podcast: Series 1 Episode 6
The True Profit Compass
Ever wished you could pull out a navigation tool when you find yourself lost in your business and need help making a decision on which direction to take next?
Now you can.
Welcome to True Profit Business, the podcast that dives into what it really takes to create a purposeful, playful and profitable business. In this episode, Karen will take you through this simple yet powerful tool to help you decide what you want and, more importantly, what you need your business to give you to ensure you get the results you want.
It’s easy to get caught up with Instagram versions of what business success looks like and not truly connect with what’s important to YOU. And this is what the True Profit Compass can help with.
As you probably know, a compass is an instrument used for navigation, but it doesn’t tell you which direction to take. It aligns you to the magnetic North so you can orientate yourself before making a decision on which way to go next. This is how your True Profit Compass works. It’s not designed to tell you which direction to take with your business but centres you in on what your business needs to fuel you with to enable you to grow and scale, without burning out.
Your business instinct is far stronger than you give it credit for and this tool is your opportunity to recalibrate and define clearly what it is you need from your business to enable you to play your bigger game. Once you are clear on what these needs are, you’ll be able to align your future decisions and growth plans with them. This means that when you do decide you need to buy a course, invest in a new marketing strategy or pay for a mentor to help you with a particular project, you will know that the external help won’t distract you with busy-ness but will set the pace and direction to take you on your growth path to create your True Profit Business.
The True Profit Business Podcast: Series 1 Episode 5
Lean In Lean Back Energy Shifts of Business
Lean In was a phrase originally coined by Sheryl Sanberg in her eponymous book. The book taught women to take personal responsibility of stepping up and being heard to rebalance diversity in the workplace. However, as Karen discovered over recent years, Leaning In can lead to burning out and exhaustion.
Lean In is a push energy, helping you focus and take action. It’s an important energy needed within business growth for solving here-and-now problems, making decisions and confidently moving forward with plans. But, like most things in life, we need polarity to realise our potential; we need to swing back the other way and harness the Lean Back energy to help expand strategic thinking, visioning, reviewing and connection with intuition.
Welcome to True Profit Business, the podcast that dives into what it really takes to create a purposeful, playful and profitable business. Following on from Episode 2, The doing and being of business, this episode takes you through these two energies, Lean In and Lean Back, and gives you a kinaesthetic and practical way of helping you understand how to harness both the doingness and beingness.
After you’ve listened, we’d recommend you run through the exercises that Karen gives you in Chapter 4 and shows you how to harness both the Lean In and Lean Back energies within your working week.
Have you ever considered the timings of your monthly cycle when planning your business or deciding when to launch your next programme… Read more: Marketing with your cycle
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![The Inner Game of Business Growth [Podcast S1 Ep9]](https://karenskidmore.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/True-Profit-Business-Podcast-9.png)
![The 4 bottlenecks of your business growth [Podcast S1 Ep8]](https://karenskidmore.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/True-Profit-Business-Podcast-8.png)
![The True Profit Business Models [Podcast S1 Ep7]](https://karenskidmore.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/True-Profit-Business-Podcast-7.png)
![The True Profit Compass [Podcast S1 Ep6]](https://karenskidmore.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/True-Profit-Business-Podcast-6.png)
![Lean In Lean Back Energy Shifts of Business [Podcast S1 Ep5]](https://karenskidmore.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/true-Profit-Business-Podcast-5.png)
