What does your COMPASS say?

What does your COMPASS say?

by | Nov 30, 2022 | Business Chaos, Business coaching for women, Busy Trap, Juggle Street, Peak Performance, Profitability and business growth, Smart Growth, Time Freedom

Do you remember when you made the decision to start your own business?

I do, it was freakin scary but I just knew I needed to take the leap.

Not only had I found something I loved doing (coaching), I was really good at it and I wanted to work with anyone and everyone who needed help.

But just like you, the more years in business, the more challenges we face and that initial excitement wanes.

There are pockets of time when we wobble, feel lost and wonder if we have the energy to keep going.

Funnily enough, the more success we have in business, the more pressure we put on ourselves to keep it up.

It might look something like this…

Externally – it looks like we’re smashing it, a growing team and a growing reputation

Internally – we realise that success in business is solely reliant on us being hands-on

Externally – we’re skilled at our craft and our clients rave about us

Internally – it feels chaotic and the performance of our team is inconsistent

There are just so many moving parts and we’re in the thick of it so we can’t see what we need to fix. 

All we know is, if nothing changes then perhaps it’s time to close up shop.

But wait!

Don’t give up – there is a solution…

It’s about removing the emotion and taking a snapshot of where things are at right now so you can make clearer decisions.

Uncover your strengths and your opportunities, understand what’s holding you back, and discover your blind spots.

Then make a plan to move out of chaos and back to clarity.

The model that Nicky and I use when we help businesses with this is COMPASS

C… Culture

the big picture – vision, purpose, values, goals, expectations, rewards

O… Operating rhythm

business structure, planning, key performance indicators, processes

M… Mindset

responsibility, ownership, transparency, self-reflection, excellence

P… Profitability

accounts, expenses, price reviews, money mindset, A-level clients

A… Action with Purpose

standards, client feedback, boundaries, test & measure, work-life balance

S… Sales

revenue targets, upselling, sales activity, sales skills, onboarding

S… Skills

feedback, coaching and development

And the process we use is the Business Health Check.

If you need help, click here to have a chat and see if it’s time to readjust your compass. 

Meet Nicky & Ness

Meet Nicky & Ness

Double your chance of success with two experienced Business and Leadership Mentors.

Nicky and Ness are obsessed with helping install smart business growth strategies - without the hard -core hustle and leveraging people leadership for peak performance. 

They are two savvy business women who have come together with a shared vision, bucket loads of passion and a burning desire to change hustle culture.

Underpinning everything they do is making sure you’re thriving now and able to thrive into the future as the world continues to change around you.

LEARN MORE ABOUT US
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Know that when you ask for help it isn’t shameful

Know that when you ask for help it isn’t shameful

by | Nov 3, 2022 | Business Chaos, Business coaching for women, Busy Trap, Juggle Street, Peak Performance, Profitability and business growth, Smart Growth, Time Freedom

In the world of social media, where only the best image of a business is shared, it’s easy to drop into comparisonitis.

The danger here is feeling ashamed of where you’re at.

Buoyed on by the belief that you “should be” at a different point, whatever that made-up story is, it’s a recipe for disaster.

The biggest danger we face is being too proud to reach out and ask for help.

In 2021 banking experts at The Bank of Queensland found the top reasons why 20% of small businesses fail in their first year (and 60% within five years). Included in the top 10 were:

    • Not having a business plan
    • Financial mismanagement
    • Growing too quickly
    • Failing to hire the right people
    •  Not asking for support

It’s kinda like going on a 100km hike without doing any research or training beforehand and hoping for the best.

That’s just setting yourself up to fail. And get killer blisters!

Rewind the clock to September 2013, I had just left my safe government job to start my own business. 

In the first three months, I did many coffee dates. 

I spoke with absolute passion about coaching and how I could help businesses and leaders.

The people I spoke to were encouraging and supportive. 

And I made no sales. 

The shame I felt at making a huge deal about starting my business and looking down the barrel of failure kept me awake, dripping in worry each night.

My saving grace? 

Hiring a business coach I couldn’t afford.

But I knew that without help, I was going back to my day job.

And that just wasn’t an option I was prepared to take.

My logic held me in good stead – I only needed one client to pay for him and another to cover my mortgage. 

Anything beyond that was a bonus.

Looking back on that decision, it was the best decision I made.

It moved my business results to multiple six figures within a year of working with my coach.

And saved so much stress and hard work.

What results could you change by getting out of your own way and asking for help?

If you’re wishing and hoping for better results in your business, Nicky Miklos-Woodley and I help female founders, with a team, to thrive in business.

We help you avoid all those dot points above. 

If you want to find out if working with a business coach is the right thing for you, book a free 20-minute clarity call here.

We promise you’ll leave knowing the #1 thing holding you back from creating a business you love whilst still having time to enjoy life!

Meet Nicky & Ness

Meet Nicky & Ness

Double your chance of success with two experienced Business and Leadership Mentors.

Nicky and Ness are obsessed with helping install smart business growth strategies - without the hard -core hustle and leveraging people leadership for peak performance. 

They are two savvy business women who have come together with a shared vision, bucket loads of passion and a burning desire to change hustle culture.

Underpinning everything they do is making sure you’re thriving now and able to thrive into the future as the world continues to change around you.

LEARN MORE ABOUT US
BOOK A CLARITY CALL

Supercharge Your Business!

Join us to receive expert podcast episodes and tips on how to achieve the work-life balance you've been craving while still watching your business grow.

Here’s why knowing that culture is the lifeblood of your business matters!

Here’s why knowing that culture is the lifeblood of your business matters!

by | Oct 12, 2022 | Business coaching for women, Juggle Street, Peak Performance, Womens Business Mastermind

There are a lot of buzzwords and checking off lists when it comes to talking about culture. But it’s so much more than that. 

People bring culture to life. 

I love McRindle’s explanation in a recent report likening culture with the roots of a tree. 

Think of the top of the tree as being reflective of what a business does, the trunk is the reason why it exists and the roots of the tree are the way (how) we do things ie. the culture. 

The roots of the tree are “hidden beneath the ground and seemingly unseen, however, the health of the root system determines the health of the tree’. 

How true this is! 

Culture is at times unseen, yet very clearly (and deeply) felt in the health of the business. 

When the roots aka culture go bad, there’s mistrust, micromanagement (check out this blog for more on how micromanagement can be the death of your business), low performance and the business owner becomes tethered to the day-to-day detail. 

Of course, you want your business to be performing, your people to be happy and engaged, taking ownership and pride in what they do and ultimately love coming to work. 

But believing that a one-off workshop and sticking values on the wall is enough is a big mistake. Big. Huge! as Julia Roberts would say. 

It’s simply not enough! 

Culture is ever-growing (and ever-changing) and needs to be tended to and watered daily. 

Understanding this makes all the difference in realising that culture is the lifeblood of your business. 

The standards and behaviours displayed by your team (and yourself as the business leader) are a great place to start when getting feedback on your current culture. 

According to McCrindle, 7 key areas matter when cultivating culture. 

  1. Leadership
  2. Meaningful work
  3. Team Connection & communication
  4. Vision
  5. Wellbeing
  6. Values & shared behaviour
  7. Training & development  

Culture is the first thing we look at in our clients’ business when we do a business health check. Along with the above 7 areas we also look at:

  1. Capacity to contribute fully
  2. Clarity of expectations
  3. Celebrating success
  4. Goals
  5. Rewards & Recognition
  6. And importantly, getting clear on the definition of what high performance looks like for each unique business

It’s time to take stock. 

  • How healthy are the roots of your culture?
  • Which of the 13 areas listed above do you focus on in your business?
  • Which areas could use a little love?

We love going deep into businesses to see what parts of your business engine (including culture) are healthy and those that need some TLC. If you’d like two experienced mentors to look under the hood of your business book a 20-minute clarity call here.

Nicky is a Sales and Business Leadership Coach with over 2 decades experience in sales and leadership. She’s been running successful coaching businesses since 2015 and is obsessed with helping business owners and teams thrive. She helps her clients install smart business growth strategies and leverage leadership for peak performance.
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It takes 30 days to get a grip on the health of your business

It takes 30 days to get a grip on the health of your business

by | Sep 20, 2022 | Business Chaos, Business coaching for women, Busy Trap, Juggle Street, Money Mindset and Management, Peak Performance, Profitability and business growth, Smart Growth, Time Freedom

Have you ever tried to ride a bike with a flat tyre? 

It’s slow, unsteady and bloody hard work.  It doesn’t matter how much air is in the other tyres. It’ll make for a bumpy ride and you might end up damaging the bike to the point that you can’t ride it anymore. 

Imagine your business has 3 tyres. Most of the time businesses focus on tending to and pumping up 1 or maybe 2 of the tyres. 

But they don’t actually see the others which can in turn end up driving the business into the ground. 

According to the ABS, 60% of businesses will fail within the first 3 years. And that number rises to over 90% after 5 years. 

The main reason discovered is that business owners are not upskilling in other areas like sales, finance and marketing. And they’re not planning. 

You didn’t go into business to be an expert at sales or finance. You went into business because you’re passionate, are damn good at what you do and can do it like no one else. 

BUT to be successful, I’m sorry to tell you, you do need to be across these other areas of your business … all while not getting burntout! 

It’s frustrating though because you don’t know what you don’t know. There’s an inkling there must be a better way but you don’t know where to start. 

Wouldn’t it be great if you knew how to keep things pumping without worry, having to invest more time or having to do more work?

If you could feel like things are under control so you can go back to loving your business again. 

Unfortunately, the more common approach is for business owners to either go into full avoidance mode burying their heads in the sand or getting a false sense of security by looking only at the ‘vanity’ numbers in the business. 

They default to working longer hours, working more and staying in the same vicious cycle. 

There are 3 pieces to this puzzle (heads up – these cover the 3 ‘tyres’ in your business).

  1. Focusing on smart growth meaning you having a plan, are focusing on both sales and profit
  2. Getting time freedom back through working on your beliefs, setting strong boundaries and working with, instead of against, your natural internal drivers
  3. Having an autonomous team you trust, that is thriving in the current culture

Is it time to look under the hood of your business, or check the air pressure in your business tyres?

Be the mechanic your business needs you to be. Or at least be the driver!

If you don’t know where to start, ask for help from someone who does. 

It only takes 30 days with the right focus in the right areas to get a real handle on what’s happening under the hood of your business. 

We take our clients through a business health check process that moves you from chaos to business clarity, in just 30 days. 

Book a clarity call here to uncover the #1 thing that’s holding you back right now.

Nicky is a Sales and Business Leadership Coach with over 2 decades experience in sales and leadership. She’s been running successful coaching businesses since 2015 and is obsessed with helping business owners and teams thrive. She helps her clients install smart business growth strategies and leverage leadership for peak performance.
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The dumbest thing I’ve done in business

The dumbest thing I’ve done in business

by | Sep 6, 2022 | Behind the Scenes, Business coaching for women, Juggle Street, Peak Performance, Smart Growth

Have you ever regretted a decision you’ve made in your business?

I certainly have!

In 2019 I was told I ‘should’ hire a VA through a big company (pretty sure the person suggesting got an affiliate kickback?) for 20 hours a week.

The cost was $300 per week. Not bad, you’d think?

The first VA they gave me was brilliant. He got heaps of work done and was proactive.

But unfortunately, he got really sick and had to leave after a month.

The next VA?

Let’s just say I should have listened to my gut instincts.

I wasn’t that impressed with her at the interview, but the recruiter promised me she was one of their best!

Umm, not my experience.

She needed to ask me questions and get guidance every single day, and I was too busy (and frustrated) to get back to her.

It felt like it was just soooo much easier to do the work myself because delegating to her was not a fun experience.

I started avoiding her and effectively, did what any other busy business owner with lots of money coming into the business would do… I buried my head in the sand.

I paid her $3,600 (12 weeks of work) to pretty much just create a report, that I later found out my email provider had the software to run in about 2 minutes 🤦‍♀️

Eek!

But the juggle was real and I didn’t have great processes in place at the time to help her work at peak performance.

The thing is until I stepped into my leadership as a business owner, the situation wasn’t going to change.

Here’s some food for thought – whether you’ve got one VA helping you occasionally or a full team of staff on your payroll, once you have people working for you, you are a leader.

To ensure you are leading effectively there are three areas to focus on.

We like to call it tapping into your ESP.

As a leader, you’re responsible for:

  • E – Setting the culture of your business for your team to live with you
  • S – Making sure there are structures and systems in place to ensure the operating rhythms of your business flow
  • P – Ensuring you and your team have the skills needed to perform your tasks

Once you’re across all of this, you’ll stop making silly mistakes like I did and stop leaking money from your business.

Meet Nicky & Ness

Meet Nicky & Ness

Double your chance of success with two experienced Business and Leadership Mentors.

Nicky and Ness are obsessed with helping install smart business growth strategies - without the hard -core hustle and leveraging people leadership for peak performance. 

They are two savvy business women who have come together with a shared vision, bucket loads of passion and a burning desire to change hustle culture.

Underpinning everything they do is making sure you’re thriving now and able to thrive into the future as the world continues to change around you.

LEARN MORE ABOUT US
BOOK A CLARITY CALL

Supercharge Your Business!

Join us to receive expert podcast episodes and tips on how to achieve the work-life balance you've been craving while still watching your business grow.

Micro-managing. A sure fire way to kill your business.

Micro-managing. A sure fire way to kill your business.

by | Aug 15, 2022 | Business coaching for women, Juggle Street, Peak Performance

As a business leader, you almost need a 6th sense to feel comfortable enough to step back from the business. 

But that can be impossible. And as things start to feel more out of control, the typical go-to is to try to take even more control. 

Hello micro-management!

The problem is that your team ends up feeling disempowered and you still have to juggle all the balls. 

Hello juggle street!

It creates an unhealthy and sometimes toxic environment (some go as far as saying micromanaging is a form of bullying). 

It devalues team members and shuts down creativity which can bring new (sometimes better) ways of doing things. 

It can negatively affect mental health and burnout rates and keeps the business leader tethered to the details. 

A survey conducted by Trinity solutions highlighted that 85% of people surveyed said morale was negatively impacted due to micro-management, 69% considered a job change and 36% changed jobs.

Eventually, your people will leave. 

Heck, you may end up resenting your business…  and worse case, having to walk away from (aka the death of) your business. 

We have to dig deeper to understand why it’s happening. 

There’s often a feeling of lack of control so the business leader starts to seek more control and holds on tighter. 

3 of the most common reasons people control and won’t let go:

  • Perfectionism (no one can do it as well as me)
  • Fear (of loss of control)
  • Ego (what will I do if I don’t do this or wear the busy badge as a badge of importance)

The problem with all of these is that they give a false sense of safety and therefore keep the business leader stuck.

What can you do instead of holding on to a false sense of control? 

Focus on building the below 3 areas within the business. If you do this well, instead of constantly guessing, you will have the 6th sense (or ESP) you’re looking for and the confidence to empower your people:

  1. Your culture… what Environment are you creating to empower and trust your team?
  2. Op rhythms… consider the Structure and systems you have in place to support your people
  3. Skills of the team… ensure consistent upskilling of your team, set your People up for success

Trust is one of the fundamental cornerstones of working relationships between leaders and their teams. Using this framework will directly help you build trust, quickly. 

Click here to watch a video taking you through ESP Business Leadership model in more detail and learn how you can use it to re-prioritise your many priorities.

Nicky is a Sales and Business Leadership Coach with over 2 decades experience in sales and leadership. She’s been running successful coaching businesses since 2015 and is obsessed with helping business owners and teams thrive. She helps her clients install smart business growth strategies and leverage leadership for peak performance.
BOOK A CHAT WITH NICKY

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