How to get your business “mojo” back (and why we’re building a community to help)

2019 has been a weird year so far.  For me, to (badly) quote Dickens, it has been both the best and worst of times.  Personally it’s been AWESOME but from a business point of view it’s been our worst year yet in terms of sales and profit. Yikes.  Political instability, economic uncertainty and a general “wait and see” mindset have hit our pipeline and I know we’re not alone in this.  

As business owner, I have to take responsibility for our performance too.  I spent too much time in the business when it was super busy and neglected that same pipeline.  I got too comfortable doing the work rather than building the business and was happy to stay under the radar rather than reaching out to the audiences who can benefit from what we do.   And as a result, I totally lost my “mojo”. Don’t get me wrong, I have a great team, I’m working with lovely clients and I’m still passionate about what we do. But, on a day to day basis, I stopped loving my business.  I got frustrated because I know we could, we should be doing more. And I blamed myself for everything and anything that didn’t work. It’s been exhausting.    

Simon Sinek says, “You may not like what you do every day but you do get to LOVE what you do every day”.  I totally agree with this. And remembering this is one way to get your “mojo” back. Because if you remember why you do what you do, you can reconnect with the stuff that brings you joy. 

So based on how I’m surviving (and slowly bouncing back from) a really crappy business year to date, here’s how to get your business mojo back.

1. Reconnect with your vision and purpose

Purpose has been dismissed by cynics as a marketing ploy.  Nope. It’s the core building block that should drive your business or work.  Why do you do what you do? And where do you want that to take you? It was my vision that won me a Future Leaders award earlier this year.  And when the going gets tough, it’s that same vision that helps me refocus on what’s important.

2. Be honest about what you’re going through

Seriously it helps.  Even if everyone around you is saying “We’re really busy” when you ask how they are (note, that is not really an adequate response to that question), don’t feel that you have to slap on a brave smile or fake a veneer of success if you’re not feeling it.  Obviously be mindful of who you choose to open up to. No-one needs a raft of “I told you so’s” or “Could be worse” from an energy vampire. But, if you’re honest with people who share your values, they can (and usually will) help you.  Even it’s just to let you know that you’re not alone. Doing our Strategy Mastermind earlier this year was a brilliant experience (and also introduced me to Brene Brown’s work on vulnerability which is all about this stuff).  It allowed me to be honest about our challenges and seek help in moving forward from a group of amazing, like-minded leaders and business owners. Which brings me to my next point…

3. Don’t try and go it alone

As a leader and/or business owner, it can feel like you should have all the answers and come up with all the ideas.  This is not the case. Now is the time to seek help – from a coach, a trusted ally or business friend, and if you have one, your team.  We had a team meeting a couple of weeks ago and rather than using it purely as a catch up and briefing, we focused on problem solving and idea generation and came up with some exciting new activities to pilot (watch this space). And a massive shout out to Harriet Minter, my business coach, who has been an invaluable source of guidance. Seek help because you don’t know everything and connecting with others can help you rediscover the things that get you really excited!  

4. Do it your way

When you’re struggling, it’s easy to look around and get lost in the murky sea of competition – that feeling that there are loads of people doing what you do, except better, more profitably and with less work involved.  That noise is totally unhelpful. Rather than worrying about what others are doing, focus on your unique strengths - your expertise, your experiences and most of all, your brilliant personality.  Hone in on what makes you great and stand out, and even ask people you trust to find out what that is.  (NB if this is something you struggle with, we can help!)

So there you go.   I’ve bared my soul and shared some tips.  And my big take out from all of this is that it was the ability to reconnect with our brand that helped me get our mojo back.  And that’s what our new FACEBOOK COMMUNITY, Brand by Us, is all about.  A place for leaders and changemakers to inspire each other and provide much needed support when we lose our mojo.  A place where we can get excited and reconnect with our brands in a safe space.  

Why not join us?  Here’s the link or comment below and we’ll find you!

#smallbusiness #motivation #brand #personalbrand