The One Thing That Will Keep You Off The Fast Track To Financial Independence And What To Do Instead

I understand the “get it done” hustle. Girl, you know I do! As strong Black Women, we are hardwired to hustle. Expected to make things happen, when they need to happen, no matter what. And to make SURE they happen, we think if we want it done “right,” we better do it ourselves. (Feel me?)

As black women entrepreneurs, we’re expected to succeed! Figure things out. Do what has to be done, and make our own paper.

And I FEEL your drive, sis. I do.

But #realtalk:

Doing Every.Single.Thing in your business isn’t the RIGHT kind of hustle, if you want to get your name on the list of Black Woman Millionaires.

Now I’m not saying there’s nothing wrong with hustlin’. As long as you’re putting that hustle on the right stuff: the tasks that generate revenue for your business.

Think about it:

Does Oprah schedule her own guests?

Does Toni Morrison write her own press releases?

Does Kerry Washington book her own auditions?

No, no, and hell no!

They don’t spend their time on the “small” stuff—they focus on the big business vision, the strategic plan, and doing the things only they can do.

These powerhouse black entrepreneurs delegate tasks so they can work ON their business, instead of IN their business.

And that’s one of the reasons they’re powerhouses!

So what about you?

Where are you doing yourself, that you know you could (and should) hire out?

Copywriting?

Bookkeeping?

Running your client management software?

Booking your appointments?

Responding to emails and inquiries?

Finding the perfect image for your blog or ezine?

Managing your social media?

The list goes on and on!

The thing is … and sis, I NEED you to hear me …

You’ve GOT to value your time.

Now you know I know what it’s like to grind. I made my own way in the world, and it served me. But that survival strategy of getting it done—no matter what—is actually costly.

Stick with me here: we’re even going to do some math!

I can spend HOURS managing social media, writing copy, tending to customers, serving my clients, training my team, and creating win-win joint venture projects. But should I?

As a business mentor, I teach ALL my clients how to position themselves as high-end leaders in the marketplace. My programs range from $1k to $100k, depending on how much access you have to my multimillion-dollar brain trust to tend to your survival, messaging, marketing, and movement. So if I’m working with a small group of high-end clients, my time is literally worth five-figures per hour.

So for me, on the low end, an hour of my time can easily run into the thousands of dollars.

How about you?

Take your highest-paying client. Divide what that client paid you by eight (using an eight-hour workday as the standard). THAT is your base revenue per hour.

Let’s say your highest-paying client is $2k.

$2,000/8 hours = $250.

If this is you, you’re burning $250 an hour, when you’re not doing the tasks ONLY YOU CAN DO.

You might as well take a match to that $250!

This is why I teach my clients to do NOTHING but revenue-generating activities. Everything else, you can delegate to vendors, interns, and contractors.

Now hold up. I can practically hear you right now: “But Dr. Venus, I can’t afford to hire support!”

Girl, you can’t NOT afford to hire support! You can’t afford NOT to value your time.

I don’t want to hear excuses.

If you’re not hiring support, you’re either being cheap, a know-it-all, or prideful, and I’ll tell you right now, you’re going to burn yourself out and implode your business.

Trust me: I have walked this talk.

And that’s why today, I’m sharing 5 Defy Impossible “Revenue-Generating Activities” you can start with, to figure out what kind of support you need, and get it:

1. Make a list of what needs to get done.

In my arrogance, I try to work from my memory, and without fail, I drop something. Write everything down. When you do, you basically program your brain to keep them “top of mind,” and they get done more quickly and easily.

I amaze myself, no joke, at how much I get done when I simply write sh!t down.

2. Put a star by the things ONLY you can do, and calculate the cost.

Star the things ONLY you can do, and then do the math according to the example above. Chances are, it will always less than 50 bucks an hour. Put that into perspective! You can hustle, and stay small, or you can do the right activities—the revenue-generating activities—and spend the rest of your time enjoying your lifestyle!

When I become present with what my “do-it-myself” survival strategy is costing me, I can then make a conscious choice to delegate, hire, or make a request for support.

3. For all other tasks, identify who you know who can do them.

When you don’t know what to do, it’s easy to do nothing! Part of the reason I had trouble delegating was because I didn’t know who to ask for support.

My advice: just reach out. Ask people you know. Contact mentors. Get referrals from people who are successfully running a business.

4. Reach out.

Start reaching out to the referrals you received and offer payment, training, or a transactional barter, where you pay each other for the service, so it’s transactional and on the books for tax purposes, and you can write it off. The added bonus is that it then FEELS like business, instead of a favor.

5. Let go of perfect.

Remember that “no one is EVER going to do “my work” as good as me” feeling? It’s time to let go!

So what if the person doesn’t do it “as good” as you? As long as it gets done, and it is done well, it’s done.

You have more time to do ONLY what you can do. And that’s invaluable.

If this article resonates, and you are a successful and spirit-lead Sister Entrepreneur sick of working SO hard, and HUNGRY to break your first million in record time, I’d LOVE for you to join me in my new, exclusive Facebook community that gives you DIRECT & FREE access to REAL & PROVEN strategies and systems for building seven-figure success, including:

“Real & raw” mindset, messaging, marketing, and spirit-led strategies.

Monthly “love seats” (my version of a “hot seat” where I work LIVE & DIRECTLY with an entrepreneur on her business!).

Special, content-rich, “1st million” specific webinars, and much more!

I can’t wait to empower to your first million!

Request to join, here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/blackwomenfirstmillion/

P.S. When you send your request to join, be sure to READ the description of the group and answer the three questions. If you do not answer all three, you kill your shot of getting DIRECT access to my multimillion dollar brain trust on your business!! Be honest, and answer the super- simple questions. I would love to include you. ?