Strategies to Keep Your Business Dream Afloat Amidst Challenges

Have you ever found yourself on the brink of giving up, weighed down by the sheer pressure of entrepreneurship? I'm Erin Olson, and on today's Quality of Life podcast, I get real about the rollercoaster ride of running a business. Sharing from my own experience as a serial entrepreneur, I'll take you through the high stakes and intense challenges that come with wearing the multiple hats of a wife, mother, and business owner. This episode is my open book – a candid narrative filled with the gritty truths of financial struggles, team dynamics, and those critical moments when hope seems just out of reach.

But it's not all about the struggles; it's about the triumphs that come from them. I'll arm you with the practical strategies and mental tools I've used to stay focused and sidestep the distractions that can throw you off course. Learn how to implement social media boundaries, kickstart your day with business-centric morning routines, and tap into the power of your 'why' to keep your passion burning bright. We'll explore how simple actions like setting timers and prioritizing money-making tasks can align your day for success and keep the entrepreneurial flame alive. If you're in search of motivation and actionable advice to navigate the entrepreneurial journey, this is the episode you don't want to miss.

Thanks for listening! I'm glad you're here.

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See ya next week!
Erin

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:07

Welcome to the Quality of Life podcast. I'm Erin Olson, a wife, a mother and a serial entrepreneur. After starting three successful businesses, I've learned some hard lessons regarding the ins and the outs of starting and running a small business. My intention is to share my knowledge that I've learned from the School of Hard Knocks, so you don't have to learn it the hard way like I did Each week. I hope, to guide you to the next level in your business or in the business that you're working. So let's go. Hey guys, welcome back to the Quality of Life podcast.

Speaker 1: 0:43

Last week, I briefly touched on the story of a man named Darby quitting three feet before he found the mother load of gold in his goldmine and leaving it to be found by someone else. Well, it got me thinking about all the times in my past that I wanted to give up because it got hard, money was in short supply, issues with my team, or I just lost hope in myself and my business. If you haven't had these moments of doubt that have happened to you just before, warned that they will eventually happen. I'm not trying to put a hex on you or anything, as I am a pretty optimistic person, but I don't want you to think that owning or running a business is all rainbows and butterflies. Well, most of it is pretty awesome and super fulfilling. There are some very high highs and some rock bottom moments that will smack you right upside the head now and then, and I guess that's why they call it the School of Hard Knocks. Here's the thing don't lose heart when these things happen. Having moments that stop you in our tracks are gifts. Really, these moments are where the lesson is hidden. Find the lesson, learn from it and grow. I know I make that sound so simple, but as we look back on our lives, if you see a similar theme happening, that is just because you might have missed the lesson.

Speaker 1: 2:08

I have seen in my own life the recurring lesson of paying too much attention to what other people are doing and what they think of me. I admit it, I scroll on Facebook and Instagram all the time, watching what other people and businesses are doing and wonder if I should do what they're doing or, even worse, getting FOMO about what some people are doing, that I have had to give up to pursue my own business. It sucks. I tend to default to go into the feelings of what I'm missing out on because of what I chose to do for my work. I honestly kind of envy those who get to just go to their day jobs and punch out at the end of the day and go home and live their own lives without the constant thoughts of how to run their businesses rolling through their heads. I've had to really be on the watch for those thoughts so that I don't let them have a party in my mind, making me resent the choices that I have made to be a business owner. Those thoughts do nothing but take up my mental real estate and keep me from focusing on the things that I can do now to help myself and my business. I'm sure you have had very similar thoughts. These are distractions.

Speaker 1: 3:21

So there are a couple of tools that I have used to help keep me from losing my cool and my motivation. First, I put a timer on my phone that keeps me from spending too much time on social media. I know, I know it is super easy to just punch in the code and override it, but you actually have to mentally choose to consume other people's content over helping yourself, and that slows my scrolling considerably. Also, I try to never even look at my phone in the morning until I have done at least one thing to further my business. I have a friend in my mentorship group that says to not do anything else until you get three MMAs out of the way. Now I'm not talking MMA like the mixed martial arts, but MMA is, according to her, our money making activities make sense. Right? This would be making content, advertising, learning from a podcast or an audio book, making product brainstorming or about 1000 other things you could do to make money in your business. In essence, you are acting like a farmer who puts blinders on his workhorse so that the horse is not tempted to see the barn or green grass and lose its work ethic to the distractions around them. So put on your blinders. Another thing that has really helped me to steer the course in my business is to consistently go back to the reason you started this business in the first place.

Speaker 1: 4:45

Every morning, I spend just a couple of minutes journaling and reading my Bible to help me get my mind right for the day, but I usually will write down in my journal the intention of my business so that I am armed with my why before the world tries to tell me all the why nots. It's like the verses in Ephesians 3-6. Finally, be strong in the Lord and his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. This passage goes on to talk about the different parts of the armor, and I highly suggest that you make this a regular read, as it may help you to keep your head in the game.

Speaker 1: 5:25

I know that I mention God quite a bit in my business episodes and that seems kind of counterculture, but I will tell you, the biggest thing that keeps me going when I feel like giving up or feel like I've unqualified, or when I'm having doubts about the life that I have chosen as an entrepreneur, is my faith in God. If you are not a Christian, that's totally okay. I just hope that you can find your divine inspiration in whatever, god or the universe itself. That inspiration is what will carry you through the tough times. I believe that you were chosen for this life. You may not have all the qualifications to do this yet and you probably will have doubts about that, but you will get them soon or in the near future. I believe that God doesn't call the qualified. He qualifies the called. I don't know where I heard that saying, but that pops into my mind every time I feel like I am definitely not qualified to do the things that I am trying to do.

Speaker 1: 6:29

The other scripture that tends to get a lot of my attention is Jeremiah 29-11. It says For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. You were made for such a calling as this. I believe it, so steer the course that you have set out, on making adjustments as needed, but never quit. Well, guys, I hope this helped you.

Speaker 1: 6:59

This little pep talk is something that has been calling at me to tell you all for a long time, and I hope it will help keep you going. You will win. Just don't give up. If you know anybody who could use this little pep talk also, please share it with them and help me get the word out so that they can reach the quality of life that they're striving for as well. So, in the words of Joe Dirt, you gotta keep on keepin' on. Next week we are going back to the grind of tactical business lessons. Learn the hard way so that you don't have to learn it in as painful of a way, as I did. Thank you so much for tuning in this week and we will see you next week. See ya. Thanks for listening to today's episode. Be sure to check us out on the Quality of Life podcast, facebook and Instagram pages and our website, theaaronolsoncom, for downloads and more information. That is T-H-E-E-R-I-N-O-L-S-O-Ncom. Stay up to date by joining our email newsletter. Together, we can improve all of our quality of life.