May's diary

When I decided back in January to write a monthly diary for LinkedIn it felt like the natural segue from my previous 2to3days newsletter. As each month is so different I thought I would just go with the flow and see what unfolded. My ambition is to launch a new business, leveraging all of what was great about 2to3days. But back in January I didn’t have an end point or a 5 step plan. I just knew I needed to start figuring it out and all I knew was that I wasn’t going to get there in a straight line.

I sometimes think, do people read this diary or even care? And then from nowhere someone will reach out and say I loved reading what you said about XYZ last month. So I carry on. Some months I get more traction than others. It’s a learning curve. It’s a place of vulnerability. I get moments of explosive clarity and other moments that feel frustrating and murky. People ask, “have you started your business yet?” “No, I reply, I’m still figuring it out.” But figuring it out is the hard bit.

When it comes to work I am a natural 'hare'. I want to be out there – wheeling and dealing, making connections, making stuff happen. That’s my sweet spot. For now, I am in a new space. It can feel a bit like being lost, and sometimes it’s isolating – but at other times it feels liberating and free. I reckon that’s all part of the process and I try not to fight it (somedays I do!) but overall I trust the process.

Up until May I went wide on the new idea. I read books, listened to podcasts and scrolled through endless reams of LinkedIn feeds. I looked at websites and spoke to lots of people. I got excited… and disappointed. I listened, I took note, it all went in. I kept noodling away – all the while working long hours, long days, renovating our new home and digging out the weeds in the garden. Like all these projects it took far longer than I ever imagined. But it’s done, and the family are happy, so that’s good. Then May took hold and it turned out to be a pivotal month for me.

My biggest ‘ah ha’ moment came earlier this month, at the end of a busy day of meetings, I wrote in a WhatsApp message that “our problem is that we’re trying to eat the elephant.” It was a real ah-ha moment. In business, you can’t be all things to all people. Simplicity and focus are the keys to business success. I realised that we really needed to dig deep and get to the nub of the problem we were trying to solve. That moment shifted something in me and the shift was clarity. So no conversation, even if it leads you down a rabbit hole, is a waste of time. If you are committed to the journey, to the learning and the desire to succeed, get out there, keep talking and sharing your ideas. All feedback is good, whether you like it or not, because with it comes greater clarity.

My mantra for this month is ‘be specific’. If you can't say what your business is all about in a clearly defined sentence you haven’t nailed it. If you can’t define on one page the ‘why’ ‘what’ and ‘how’ of your business you haven’t yet cracked it. The positioning of a business is fundamental and it takes time to figure this out. But it’s sweet as a nut when you do!?

The imposter inside of me often kicks in and says you are taking too long, you should have figured this all out by now. Pah! That’s my ego talking, the restless ‘hare’ inside of me. For me it’s easier to do the doing than put in the thinking! But actually when I do the thinking I really love it, and it makes the doing a hell of a lot easier and more productive. I’m a very instinctive person with a high EQ so I’m learning to flex a new muscle. It’s when I marry my instinct with logic that I really step into my power. I know I am making meaningful progress and that’s what matters. There is no need to rush. No one will thank me for it.

My inspiration this month has come from talking to Holly Whelan, PhD Nigel Clark Holly Tucker MBE podcast Conversations of Inspiration. I espcially loved the one with Perry Haydn Taylor ?? . I ruminated on previous conversations with people I admire Penny Power OBE , Alex Hurd , Ewan Colville and Dominique Hainebach -. Reading Amy Grilli LinkedIn post that went viral and seeing the great work that Emmie Faust is doing with Female Talent Network . Speaking to the wise Tracy Gravesande , from learning from Antonia Welch and her journey to grow her business. I soak it all up, nothing is wasted. I take these insights back to my business partner, Benvon Crumpler and the two of us sit around my kitchen table or at the cafe next to the lido at Brockwell park honing in on the crux of the issue. What’s the change people really want to see and be part of, what will they pay for and how are we best positioned to fill that need? These are big and meaty questions. And I think we have nailed it. The idea, that is – together with a new name for the business, thanks to a brainstorm with Holly Whelan, PhD over a cappuccino in Tooting. Now we need to write the business plan. So that's June taken care of.

What have I learnt?

●????? Be specific.

●????? Less is more.

●????? Have a clear vision.

●????? Keep the idea simple. If you can’t write your business idea on one side of paper you haven’t defined it yet.

●????? Talk to people and share your idea. Feedback is never wasted if you value the source. The more specific your questions, the better the answers.

●????? Being lost is good - only when you are can you find your true calling.

●????? When you know you know!

What else have I been up to?

Green fingers - I have built a raised bed in my garden for some veg and cut flowers. I get a kick out of seeing my herbs, kale and beetroot growing shoots, although I fret about whether I have over or under-watered my sweetpeas!

Theatre - My husband and I went to watch 'The other Boleyn Girl’ at Chichester Theatre. He fell asleep for the first half and I for the second, so between us we watched the entire play. I wouldn’t rush!

Chelsea Flower show - A great friend and I went last Friday, quintessential Britain at its best - a true delight.

Watching Yellowstone on Apple TV - it's addictive - having binged on Clarkson’s Farm. I appreciate that Jeremy is ‘marmite’ but personally what I think he is doing for British farming is tremendous so I am a big fan and I love Marmite too!