Have you ever had an “I wish I’d done that differently” moment?
I have. I still do. And I’m sure I’ll continue to have those moments. You will too.
We’re humans. We’re not immune to failure–especially when we let our hearts, or egos, or ideas get in the way.
The worst part about these moments is looking back and thinking, “Wow, how did I not see that red flag? How was I completely unaware that I was being manipulated? Why did I think this was the right path for me to go down?”
If you saw my previous email, you know that about a year ago I made a few “mistakes” – choices – that ended up costing me $45,000.
Mistakes that could have been avoided if I had recognized the red flags and warning signs before committing to, what I believed at the time, was a magic pill that would place new clients on my calendar.
In my experience, mistakes and failure are the names we call our learning experiences before we’ve learned the lesson – they’re the negative words we use to describe the moments that become our triumphs and breakthroughs.
So today I want to share 3 valuable things I learned from my “mistake” because I know you’re going to experience similar challenges while clarifying your vision, building your team, and growing your business.
#1 – The Key to Building a Quality Team
As they say, hire slowly, fire fast. A large factor in the success of your business depends on choosing your team wisely.
Not only do you need to figure out who’s going to show up and do the work that needs to get done, you’ve also got to identify which people are going to bring the most value to the table.
I can confidently talk about the dos and don’ts of hiring a team because I’ve experienced it in real life and understand the challenges associated with our industry.
When I first set out to redo my website, I struggled to find people who could meet my needs. I paid $25,000 for content I wasn’t happy with. I hired a Squarespace web designer to design my website…twice…and was never happy with the end result.
I had writers tell me I was difficult to write for and I couldn’t help designers capture how I wanted to represent my brand. I was looking at other people for clarity, which made the entire process frustrating for everyone. I realized that I needed creatives who were willing to collaborate with me–not just service providers.
And I know now that I needed to have this experience of contrast to better understand how I work with others. I needed to experience what I didn’t like in order to claim what I did want.
And I also had to learn how to hire better.
When I gained that clarity and began to assemble the right type of team–something I can help teach you to do– things started to fall into place.
Morgaine Skye was the first web designer to truly capture the essence of my business and brand. She has been generous, thorough, patient, and a constant reminder that abundance is always there–we just have to ask for it. (I would recommend her to anyone in my community – let me know if you need an introduction! If you’re in need of a website, check out her beautiful work here.)
My website also needed new photos and my photographer Nico Nelson did the job brilliantly. Artistic, generous, powerful, professional–Nico took photographs that I loved and that my web designer loved as well.
Nico captured my energy, personality, and power in a photo in a way that also allows my website to feel clean and clutter free. Her talent enabled everything to flow together cohesively–almost effortlessly–on my website. Need Nico? Find her here.
And finally, after rotating through about 10 copywriters, I was connected with Ali from Scribble LLC. Our strategy was to begin slowly with a few small content projects. Once we recognized that we were a good fit, we moved onto the web copy that I’m proud to have on my site today. Ali understands me, my brand, and marketing. She’s been the square peg for our square hole and I’m so grateful for her partnership.
The big idea? It is your personal responsibility to ensure your team has the experience, tools, and resources necessary so that you can all succeed together.
#2 – The #1 Red Flag You Should Always Have On Your Radar
We hire people into our teams because we want them to produce results for us–especially in the areas of business that we are not experts in.
Here’s the problem…
While there are many talented and intelligent people that can help you reach your goals, many people will try and sell you on the idea that they have a magic pill that will solve all of your problems.
And if you are secretly hunting for a magic pill, you’ll buy it.
If anyone ever tells you they have the solution to all of your current business challenges, they’re LYING.
There’s no magic pill. No cure-all potion.
Your success is determined by the work you’re willing to put in as you work as a partner with your team to reach your goals.
#3 – The Struggle Isn’t Always Comfortable – Choose to Celebrate it and Lean In
Struggle is essential for growth.
If you learn to embrace struggle–the awkward, not quite working yet moments; the times when you need to get creative and resourceful–it can become a powerful (and even fun) tool for growth.
While building my new website was a kind of nightmare, I don’t regret the process. This exact experience trained me in exactly the way I most needed to claim my own power, sense of personal responsibility, and clarity about my vision and my team.