Lessons Learned from My Third Year in Business
This week, my team and I celebrated the 3rd anniversary of Upleveling Your Business! Over the past year, I’ve tried a lot of new things and learned some very important lessons. Some of these lessons were easier to learn than others, but all of them have helped me grow personally and professionally. I’d like to share some of them with you!
I started UYB in August of 2019; at that time, I had a business plan, huge dreams, and the passion to see them become a reality. I had a small team of VAs to handle the daily work at the time, so a lot of things fell on me.
About 6 months in, the pandemic hit and our world turned upside down – but in the midst of it all, my business grew. We actually met our goal of a $1 million run rate shortly before our first anniversary!
In our second year, I started to expand my team and introduce new products. I brought on a Marketing Team and expanded my Admin Team along with several Specialty Coaches. We also upgraded our tech platforms to handle the new products we were producing.
In the midst of this growth, I found that we needed to revise and refine several of our systems – and my team learned the importance of documenting everything from the start. This makes growth and productivity so much easier!
Over the past year, my team has changed quite a bit, but we have also had several market changes to deal with. As things calm down and open up across the country and around the world – and as our lives change once again – it’s important to be able to pivot and get laser-focused on what our clients and audience really need.
Following are some of the key takeaways I’ve learned from that process!
Don’t Be Afraid to Fail
Obviously, none of us wants to fail. We invest a lot of time, passion, money, and effort into our businesses, and we want to see them succeed.
If you’re afraid to fail, however, chances are you’ll never take the risk that could result in amazing levels of success.
This doesn’t mean that you should just jump headlong into every idea that comes to mind, but it does mean that once you and your team have had a chance to do some market research and brainstorm the idea, you shouldn’t let fear of the unknown hold you back.
There are a few different questions my team and I ask ourselves when we’re looking at a new service, product, or promotion:
- Does it align with our mission and Core Values?
- Is it something that fits well into our brand?
- Is it something that fills a need or pain point our clients have?
- Can we execute and implement it well?
If the answer to all four of these questions is “yes,” it’s something we move forward with. If not, we either change the proposal, shelve it for a later date, or discard it altogether.
If we choose to move forward, we plan it out to the best ability and evaluate the results. We figure out what worked, what didn’t, and why – and then we use that data to do even better next time.
In some cases, our ideas are met with wild success; some turn out ok, and some…well, they fail. And we learn from each of them – and over time, each lesson helps us grow and succeed!
Surround Yourself with the Right Team
When I first started building my team, I wasn’t always quite sure what to look for. I knew I needed certain skill sets and availability, but past that, there was quite a bit of trial and error.
Some people are meant to be on your team for a specific time, while others will be with you long-term as you grow. (And, unfortunately, some aren’t meant to be on your team at all. While this is never a fun conversation, it is occasionally necessary to do.)
Over the past year, we have significantly refined our own hiring and onboarding systems – and while our new process may take longer, my team is stronger for it!
We are very intentional about bringing the right people onto our team – team members who are aligned with our mission and purpose, who have perspectives and personalities that will fit well in our culture, who are committed to helping us grow in different ways.
There are plenty of people who are willing to show up for a paycheck, but I want people who want to be part of our “work family” – who are ready to innovate, to collaborate, and to step in when needed. Over the past year, this is very much what our team has become, and I couldn’t be more thrilled!
During our 3rd Anniversary party, my team presented me with a video they had created, filled with incredible messages. I loved how they shared about the amazing culture we have built together as a team – honestly, it had me tearing up. Building this team and culture has not been easy, but it’s incredibly worth it!
Expand Boldly with Spanish-Language Coaching Programs
3 years ag when I wrote my initial business plan, one of the big goals I had was to create a Coaching Program and Systems Packages in Spanish. I already knew I had a lot to offer the English-speaking market, but I also knew that the Hispanic market was seriously lacking in business coaching and business development resources.
The problem is, I don’t speak Spanish!
Over the past several months, we have been vetting and hiring bilingual coaches, translating our resources, and developing the systems needed for a company to operate as one team in two languages. There’s been a lot to navigate, but this week, we launched our programs in Spanish!
These offerings include:
- Strategy and Specialty Coaching for Spanish-speaking business owners, offered by experienced bilingual Coaches in a number of areas
- Systems Packages, starting with our Financial Systems Manual Package (with several more coming soon!)
- Our monthly membership, Academia Digital de Éxito Empresarial, designed to help business owners step into their role as CEO and build a profitable, systems-based business – now completely in Spanish!
As we grow, we’ll continue to grow our Spanish program as well.
This has been a huge undertaking, and it’s one I never would have taken if I was determined not to step out of my comfort zone. But honestly, I didn’t start this business to live in my comfort zone – I did it because I want to make a difference in the world. I’m passionate about helping business owners and their teams build profitable businesses that allow them to live the kind of life they want to live – to reach their goals and pursue their dreams.
We have a lot of incredible plans for Year 4, and I look forward helping even more business owners reach their goals and achieve their dreams! If you’re interested in learning how we can help you, please contact us – our team is happy to answer your questions and help you find the right solutions for your company!