The number one attribute you need to run a business

What’s the number one skill you need to run a business? Is it about being a great practitioner? Is it about knowing the business stuff? Or is it something else?

The number one ability that business owners must have is courage – and oodles of it. Yes it is great to know what to do in practice, but what has to happen to put this into place?

It’s not enough to hope that something is going to happen.  You’ve got to bite the bullet, take action and actually worry about it later. 

I was speaking to a friend of mine recently and she said that I have courage in spades, and I laughed.  As it’s not always been that way.  But I know that if I don’t just do it, I will stagnate, I’ll never do what I really want to do, and sometimes I have to fail too!  I wasn’t convinced to begin with…

Then I started recounting the times when I’ve had courage: 

• When I wrote and published my first book and decided to approach some of the biggest names in the coaching industry – many of whom charge thousands of pounds for their time.  Why would they agree to speak with me? Yet I plucked up the courage and landed up spending time with the likes of ‘Supercoach’ Michael Neill, ‘Big Leap Coach’ Suzy Greaves (and now editor of Psychologies magazine)  Gladeana McMahon (the Chair of the Association for Coaching) and other amazing coaches. It was this book that it changed my life and my business.  I then went on to publish a second book and interview dozens more amazing entrepreneurs.

• The numerous times I’ve put myself ‘out there’ to speak at events, despite being incredibly shy. I remember the early days when I would rely on my notes and PowerPoint, and was terribly nervous. But now I trust in my knowledge and that I have the expertise that will add value to my audience.  In the last month, I’ve spoken at 2 events, am running a webinar later this month and have the third Star Biz conference happening in July.

• Going networking. Especially since my first attempt was a complete disaster; where I felt like I had a wishy-washy message, I was in front of the wrong audience, and then lost my car when I came out of the venue! But I chose to pick myself up, dust myself down, and have an extraordinary network of friends who are invaluable to my business.

There are so many lies that you are told when it comes to running a business, and you’ve got to do it your way.  You can certainly learn from others, and it helps to get an expert view on implementing new strategies – hey I wouldn’t be a great mentor if I didn’t do this for my clients! But if you don’t have courage, you won’t be successful.

What do you need to do this week to be more courageous in your business? 

If you don’t pick up the phone and follow up with your clients, how will they know you can help?

If you don’t get in front of the right people, how do they know you exist?

What do you need to do this week to be more courageous in your business?

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