I don’t live in regret. Don’t get me wrong… I’ve done many things that could — maybe even should — produce regret. I’ve had to say YES to my kids when I wished the honest answer about my past was NO. I’ve done stupid things and not done things I should’ve … blah, blah, blah. But, regret? It’s just not in me.
Everything I’ve done — or not done — has led me to WHO and WHAT and WHERE I am today… so, definitely “No regrets.” (Ain’t nobody got time for that.)
But, if I had to start over TODAY with just my laptop, no money, no team and just an idea for a business, here’s what I would do differently:
- I’d start out with a splash, really claiming my spot in this industry instead of just “easing” my way in, flying under the radar.
- I’d have EMBRACED the driven woman in me much earlier, instead of wondering WHY I couldn’t / didn’t “keep house” or even shop or think like the other women around me.
- I’d have fired clients when they broke my “non-negotiables” EVEN when I thought I “needed” their money. (A little secret: Every time you fire a client, i SWEAR 10 more show up wanting to take their place. Today, I get to work with SOUL MATE clients and I LOVE it.) Also, because I know you’re going to ask, here’s that list of the non-negotiables, which I wrote back in 2015: http:// www.bmichellepippin.com/ when-how-why-to-fire-a-payi ng-client/. These are MY guidelines, and yours will be different. It’s just important that you have them.
- I’d have separated myself from those playing small and stepped into the (small) circle of those playing for KEEPS… much (much) earlier. if you are in the “masses” of entrepreneurs, you are in the wrong crowd.
- I’d have protected my FITNESS level. Truly, I thought I was too busy to focus on what I was eating. I thought my “business” goals were too lofty to be bogged down with diet plans or cooking or whatever. I was DEAD WRONG, and — truly — only began ruthlessly pursuing getting my body back very recently. It SOOO matters. Not only in life, but in your business.
- I’d have messaged and sold EVERY SINGLE DAY. I would have reached my financial goals — and exceeded them — much faster.
I STILL would have grown Women Who WOW slowly… with in-person, invite-only events. This intimate, driven, dedicated culture we built, from the ground up, brick by brick continues to set us apart. I’d change NOTHING about that.
But, everything else, I would have gone FASTER with. I would have gotten into the media earlier and more often. I would have shown up earlier and bigger.
- I would have IMMEDIATELY sold what I wanted to sell instead of easing into entrepreneurship by taking what I thought was “available” to me.
- I would have hired an assistant sooner, before I thought I had the money to do so.
- I would have said YES way more often, even when it required me to travel. =)
Of course, all of these things are obvious to me from THIS vantage point. I was a different person “back then.” I had three kids, back to back, that stole my heart and focus. I don’t regret that AT ALL. I am a wife and mom FIRST… then and now.
But I do regret using my kids as an “excuse” as I often did… I could have designed THIS LIFE I HAVE NOW back then, but I thought it would take too much time away from my “momm-ing.” OH, if only I’d known how FREEing it would have been… how profitable… how much less I would have been stressing… how much more fun we could have had.
but I DIDNT know.
I only knew what I knew then.
And today, I see from a much different vantage point. This morning, I wrote to our Women Who WOW tribe about 3 ways I’ve been personally playing really small. Even to this day.
If you are COMMITTED to playing FULL OUT in your business, I want to partner with you.
PM me for details about how I can come along side of you, help make sense of your opportunities and “limitations” and custom design a business, life and income you LOVE.
