No matter which way you look at it, it is all fear.
I was invited as a guest to a hair and fashion show yesterday evening. While there I had the pleasure of meeting this beautiful woman with keen fashion sense and high aspirations to match. We had a very candid conversation about her moving forward with what she so desires to achieve in life. She shared false objectives (which she admits is fear) with me as to why she has not moved forward. Just in case you share similar false objectives, I want to share my thoughts on them.
"I need an investor. I don't have the money."
- Be careful of what you ask for. Granted we would all love for someone to come by and drop a significant amount of funding in our laps. An investor wants a return in the quickness amount of time possible (like yesterday). As someone who desires to be an entrepreneur do you have your niche planned out, do you have a target market that is ready to become loyal customers, can you retain customers, can you market to get new customers, will you have that investor's money in 6 months and have money to operate your business? Do you even have anything to offer an investor?
- Don't let money be the fear to stop you from being your own boss. Definition of an entrepreneur- A person who organizes or operates a business or businesses, taking on greater than normal financial risk in order to do so. You will come out of pocket more often than you think until the business starts supporting itself. I think of the owners of the company Bare Naked®. The two partners put their savings together to buy supplies, they went to local restaurants and asked if they could use the kitchen at night to bake up batches of granola, the next morning they would be out on the street selling the granola, money increased, but it went back into the business. Look at them today! True entrepreneurs! I think of hearing Magic Johnson on the Tom Joyner Morning Show this morning. He stated that although he was Magic Johnson it did not matter to the banks. To them he was Magic Johnson the basketball superstar not the businessman. Magic Johnson did not obtain funding from investors initially, he did fundraisers with those in his circle. Are you getting the picture on this? Work to get what you desire.
- Your customers are your investors. How can you gain money without having something to offer? How can you have something to offer without having the customer service to go along with it? How can you have something to offer and customer service without having a vision? Find your niche. Fine tune your skills. Work on maintaining a humble spirit and a kind heart. Show your customers that you appreciate them, they will send people your way. Invest in your customers and they will invest in you.
- Ladies, yes ladies. You are millionaires and you don't even know it. Don't believe me. Go check your closet right now and look at all the things that were purchased because you thought you deserved it at the time. Guess what you deserve even more? To be financially free within the next 10,20,30 years!
"I don't want to get out there and then things fail."
- Wow, now that is a big fear. To allow something that has not happened to stop you. To premeditate all of the impossibilities. A wise entrepreneur uses several avenues to capture and hold the attention of consumers. What else do you aspire to accomplish in life? Is it helping others? Is it caring for four-legged creatures in need? Is it to bring balance and peace to your community? Is it to bring world peace. If so, research the ways that your business can be used in those areas. Think out of the box.
"My family and friends have said some terrible things to me."
-Debunk naysayers! Yes, even your family has to be pushed to the side sometimes. If you truly have the entrepreneurial spirit, let me say this to you, and I am only going to say it once. Being an entrepreneur I have come to realize that there are very few people who possess that spirit. The majority of people do not have the entrepreneurial spirit. Therefore, it is difficult for them to see a dream or vision that you have. It is not their fault, that is just how it is. You are only to blame if you allow them to extinguish your spirit. We all have been told hurtful things. I know I have, and yes it almost crippled me, but once (as I always proclaim) my husband shone that light on my entrepreneurial spirit, I fought to stay in this place where I am now.
-I recently read on Twitter that Ted Turner's friends said, "What! No one will ever watch a 24 hour news show!" HA!!! Who is naysaying now?! CNN baby!
-"Get over it!" Sounds harsh doesn't it? I know, I said it to myself hundreds of times.
No matter what successes you have, there will always be fear trying to come through the window. You get that investor. Guess what? Fear will still be there. You become a big hit. Guess what? Fear will still be there. You overcome all the naysayers. Guess what? Fear will still be there. Guess what? Fear cannot have any power over you, because you will build your confidence by knowing that you have what it takes to become a success and that you have something to offer and people will want it. So what am I saying? Get that fear out, because you got work to do. Financial freedom is at the door. Your sense of peace is at the door.
