Don’t try to run before you can walk

You’re a smart businesswoman…so I’m sure you know already that online learning is an absolute gold rush right now.

In fact, if I were a betting woman, I’d take a confident punt right now and guess this about you: you’ve bought at least one course for your business in the last year or two…yes?

Seriously, it’s a safe bet for me to make. After all, the online learning industry has been one of the fastest-growing industries for a few years now, and the pandemic restrictions of the last year or so have made the market explode even further and faster.

Now, may I make a slightly cheeky bet too?

I’m going to guess you’ve bought more than just one online course. Perhaps even a few. And here’s something I know for sure: you are certainly not alone if you haven’t even opened some of them, let alone finished them all. No judgement here – I think there are very valid reasons why that happens.

In fact, that’s exactly what I want to talk about, because it breaks my heart to see you feeling overwhelmed, stressed, and failing to make the progress you should be getting from all these investments in your skills and knowledge. (Or even worse, losing heart and getting close to giving up. After all, if all these courses aren’t making you successful, what WILL it take?)

I know the cost of a course, membership or programme is only half the story. What really matters to you and your business is the value you get from it.

And I can promise you something right now: you are making life harder for yourself, and getting in your own way, if you try to chase the clamour of online courses and templates and blueprints…without bedding in your business foundations first.

I don’t mean to sound harsh. I know it’s tempting! Everywhere you look, there are shiny things that promise to turn the key, unlock whatever was holding you back, kickstart your momentum. Overwhelm can feel like you’re bobbing about in a soggy grey mist, and of course you want to believe this next purchase is The One Thing to get you motoring.

Or perhaps you’re signing up for all the things because you’re procrastinating. But however much you dress it up in the master disguise of busy-ness, procrastination is getting you nowhere fast. (The good news is that it’s almost always resolved with proper clarity and a decent plan.)

Now, I know there are some very good courses and programmes out there, with laser-sharp focus and well-proven tools and techniques – whether it’s about the tech, the funnels, the videos, the content, or the million other tools and strategies besides.

I’m not saying ‘don’t do the courses’.

What I definitely AM saying is that those courses will pay you proper dividends, move you forward, and return your investment and more – WHEN when you first have your business fundamentals in place.

It doesn’t matter if you’re bricks-and-mortar or online, product or service-based, starting up or scaling up. You need the basics in place, from mindset to message, from systems to support.

After all, how useful is a brilliant sales page template and training if you’re not nailed down on what you’re selling? Can you really max the value of ad strategy training if you’re not crystal clear about who you’re trying to reach? And so on…

You wouldn’t spend tens of thousands of pounds on a building, equipment and a couple of staff members until you knew what product you were going to make, would you?

Well, nor should you sink your time and your money into the front end of your online or 1:1 business until you have anchored the core of it. Get this right and you won’t simply be managing your business – you’ll be leading it. (I call it the transition from work horse to show pony!)

And even though there has never been a better time to start or build your own economy – with new technologies making everything accessible and affordable – achieving remarkable success as a business owner still depends on having a sound business model in place.

So, before you try to force all the different puzzle pieces together, make sure you have the top of the jigsaw box and can see the picture in all its perfect detail.

Is it easy to do? Well, it’s certainly true that not every business owner achieves it.

Is it doable? Absolutely! Of course it is, for anyone willing to take action, do the work, and do the right work.

If you’re an action-taker, and you want to make sure you’re taking the right action for remarkable success, you’re exactly my kind of smart businesswoman, and I’d love to tell you more about how my mastermind, membership, retreats or coaching packages will help you create real and lasting results. 

Here’s to your remarkable success – and to finally getting real value from all those courses!

Love, Karen x