From Entrepreneur To ‘Impactpreneur’ — Acting Like An Annoying Toddler Is Good For Your Business

Your purpose as an impactpreneur is to uncover a client’s problems and find an appropriate solution.

Each brain you encounter thinks and functions very differently — so you have to get inside every single head that hires you (weird or scary or uncomfortable though that might be) to figure out which modus operandi will work best for that particular situation.

You know the most effective way to do this?

Act kind-of-like-a-two-year-old.

(I don’t mean pitching a plate of steamed broccoli across the room or throwing nap-time temper tantrums or grabbing other people’s stuff and running away while screaming “Mine! Mine! Mine!”)

Nope — I’m talking about asking why. Over. And over. And over again.

Mom: You need to come inside now.

Child: Why?

Mom: Because it’s raining.

Child: Why?

Mom: Because that’s what happens when water falls out of the sky.

Child: Why?

Mom: Because moisture in the clouds forms condensation that’s heavier than air.

Child: Why?

Mom: I don’t know.

Child: Why?

Mom: Because I spent that year I took earth sciences partying instead of doing homework.

Child: Why?

Mom: Because I was an irresponsible teenager who only cared about getting drunk and high.

Child: Why?

No — not like that. You don’t want to alienate an entire customer-base by doing something to them that makes you want to set your offspring on fire when they do it to you.

That’s why I said “kind-of-like-a-two-year-old” — not “exactly like a two-year-old.”

To qualify as suitably-probing-without-annoying-the-ever-loving-shit-out-of-people-who-pay-you-money, your questions must lead to meaningful information. Then more meaningful information. And then more:

Me: How can I help you today?

Client: I’m really struggling with the piles of paper on my desk.

Me: Why does all that paper end up on your desk?

Client: Because I don’t want to forget that I have to do something with it. Like make a call or pay a bill.

Me: Once you finish, why does it stay on the desk instead of going where it actually belongs?

Client: Because I don’t have anywhere else to put it.

Me: Why don’t you put it in your file cabinet?

Client: Because it’s full.

Me: Why is the file cabinet full?

Client: Because it’s stuffed with ancient crap that I need to clean out.

Me: Why is your storage clogged up with old papers, instead of you using it for current documents?

Client: Because my filing system is so outdated. I haven’t touched it in years.

Me: Why did you stop using it in the first place?

Client: Because I was putting the same kinds of papers in different folders, and couldn’t find them again.

Me: Why weren’t you able to store them all in just one file?

Client: Because I had a couple categories with the same stuff — like “car” and “honda” and “auto.”

Me: So we need to create a desktop to-do file where incoming items are contained and sorted according to the required action — then archive/toss no-longer-relevant data, tighten up your paper management system to eliminate duplicate folders, create a logical place for any homeless items to live, and label categories so they reflect your answer to the “where would you go to look for this document” question?

Client: Yes! How did you figure that out so quickly?

Me: I’m that good at assembling the scattered pieces of your cranial puzzle (or assorted loose marbles from your bag of tricks, depending on which mixed metaphor you like better) into a coherent whole.

In order to resolve dilemmas, you must discover causality.

The only way to do that, is by poking a professional proboscis in your purchaser’s province — not just a little bit, but way-up-nasal-cavity-deep in other people’s business.

You see, the folks-who-ask-you-for-help’s assumptions about what created their difficulties are often highly flawed. (As with my file cabinet owner, an overwhelmed WAHM who blamed her day-late-and-dollar-short-itude on two younger-than-grade-school kids — turned out the bigger issue was her inability to draw healthy boundaries with an employer who presumed she was at his twenty-four-hour-beck-and-call.)

Toddler-esque questioning offers a non-confrontational method for examining assumptions, rooting out incongruities, and doing a little cliental eye-opening about the true nature of any vexation.

(Oh, and another cool thing that happens during the the finding-of-hidden-answers-like-this is dopamine release, which automatically activates your client’s brain’s-reward-circuitry. Not only feels awesome-like-sex-or-heroin, it puts said mind in a state of heightened learning/retention and motivation — bonus!)

Author Bio

Ramona Creel is a woman of mystery and power, whose power is exceeded only by her mystery. A 20-year veteran Professional Organizer, Accountability Guru, and Golden Circle Member of NAPO, Ramona runs a one-babe cottage industry composed of 27% eyeliner, 13% tattoo ink, 18% dark chocolate, and 44% raw determination. (Believe me, she needs that extra 2%!) As a former Social Worker, Ramona describes her role as ‘resource-finder-and-problem-solver-extraordinaire.’ She plans eventually to take over the world using nothing more than unicorn glitter, cat fur, and movie quotes -- and her proudest credentials are ‘decreaser of world suckage’ and ‘queen of friggin’ everything.’ Ramona has worked with hundreds of clients, and has delivered scores of presentations on getting organized, being a better business person, achieving financial freedom, tin-can traveling, and embracing voluntary simplicity. She leads by example (having radically downsized herself) — traveling the country as a full-time RVer, living and working in less than 200 square feet. Ramona spreads the gospel of simplicity with everyone she meets — teaching others how to have more time and space for the truly important things in life (and be happy letting go of the rest). A modern-day Renaissance woman, Ramona has found a way to bring her many passions together into one satisfying career — as an organizer, coach, writer, artist, and speaker. Feel free to check out her latest triumphs and stupidities (kudos if you can figure out which are which) at www.RamonaCreel.com.