Episode 11

What every business owner wishes they could skip

Published on: 14th November, 2023

If your sales and marketing aren’t getting you the results you want, it’s probably because you skipped or quickly brushed over a crucial step. 

And it’s the step that makes almost every entrepreneur want to roll their eyes and throw their computer out the window: the business 101 stuff. You know, your ideal client, the problem you solve, your offer… 

While it’s the least exciting part of business, it’s the stuff that, no matter how advanced and successful you are, you gotta have the answers to. 

Avoid the resistance, get clear on those business fundamentals, and watch your sales and marketing become easier (and more fun!). 

Head over to iwannacollaborate.com and let us know what you took away from this conversation.

Music credit: The Funkster by Sweet Spot

A Subito Media production

Transcript
Jessica T:

Hello and welcome to the eavesdrop on us podcast.

2

:

I'm your host, Jessica.

3

:

And this week you have just me.

4

:

I am hosting my first solo

episode here on the podcast.

5

:

Normally it is me and my co host and

business partner, Susan, but this

6

:

week she is out on a trip to Savannah,

Georgia with my younger sister.

7

:

Rachel.

8

:

So one of our values here in the business

and in our family is spending time, you

9

:

know, outside of the business, doing

things that are enriching and fun.

10

:

And so she is often Savannah and

that's why I'm recording solo.

11

:

So.

12

:

This week, what I'm going to be bringing

to the table is a topic that has come

13

:

up pretty consistently with a lot of

our business consulting clients, as well

14

:

as in some of the business masterminds

that we're in, and one of the big

15

:

conversation points, so many business

owners are coming to us with even the

16

:

more successful business owners, those

with teams, those who are grossing, um,

17

:

You know, significant amounts of revenue.

18

:

It's a matter of how

can I continue to grow?

19

:

How can I get more?

20

:

And I think as many business owners

are feeling the pressures of the

21

:

economy and thinking about how they

can continue to grow their business

22

:

and find more customers and clients

and do more marketing and just gain

23

:

more visibility online and in person.

24

:

that has been a very interesting topic.

25

:

So what I want to unpack and dissect a

little bit here is I think an important

26

:

lesson for you, the listener to be

thinking about, because one of the

27

:

things that we were noticing, Susan and

I, as we were reflecting on our clients

28

:

and thinking about the conversations

in some of the masterminds that were.

29

:

Part of is that no matter how far you get

in your business, no matter how advanced

30

:

you get, no matter how big your team gets,

no matter how much revenue you're bringing

31

:

in, there are some core fundamentals, some

core foundational pieces in your business

32

:

that you always have to have clear.

33

:

And so it's interesting because.

34

:

Sometimes we'll be interacting

with business owners who are

35

:

much newer in their business.

36

:

And we interact with the, you know,

the vast majority of our clients

37

:

are very successful and established.

38

:

And the thing that both

have in common is this.

39

:

So when I talk about the business one

on one, the business fundamentals,

40

:

the business foundations, you know,

all of those are pretty much saying

41

:

the same thing, which is, you know,

you have to be clear on who it is that

42

:

you're serving, your ideal client.

43

:

You have to be clear on the

problem that you solve with

44

:

your products, services, offers.

45

:

And you have to have clarity about

your, your goals, where you want to

46

:

go, what you want to do with your

business, who you want to work with.

47

:

And those are just kind of three examples

of those core foundational pieces that

48

:

we often talk about with our clients.

49

:

And the thing that newer business

owners and experienced business

50

:

owners seem to have in common is.

51

:

I don't want to say resistance, but this

frustration, exasperation, eye rolling

52

:

energy around like, uh, the ideal client

conversation again, or the messaging

53

:

conversation or like sales goals.

54

:

It's all the stuff that you

think like, Oh, well, I already.

55

:

You know, I did it once.

56

:

I don't have to, I don't

have to get back to it.

57

:

And I think newer business owners get

frustrated with, with some of those

58

:

conversation points, because what is

first it's frustrating, you know, it's

59

:

one of those things where a lot of those

foundational pieces get fleshed out and

60

:

ironed out and clear with experience.

61

:

And so there's this, like, I

just want to get that part done.

62

:

Cause it's hard.

63

:

And I want to be bringing revenue in,

I think experienced business owners

64

:

get frustrated with it because it.

65

:

It seems like it's such a basic.

66

:

It's such a fundamental that

they're like, I'm beyond that.

67

:

I don't want to go back to this.

68

:

Like I figured it out and what I want to

share with all of you today is a really

69

:

interesting lesson that actually I.

70

:

brought from one of the

mastermind calls that I was on.

71

:

And, before I get into that story, I

think what prompted this was, you know,

72

:

Susan and I were reflecting on like, why

is it that, people are so resistant to

73

:

these fundamentals and these foundational

pieces, the business 101 part of business.

74

:

And no matter sort of

what stage they're in.

75

:

And I think a lot of

it is because it just.

76

:

Feels like hard work.

77

:

It feels like, you know, I've already

done this and I want to get to the

78

:

good part, which is help me figure

out how to market better or get more

79

:

leads in, or like tweak this email.

80

:

And what's funny is that no matter

what, no matter how skilled you get,

81

:

you have to have those pieces in place.

82

:

And as Susan and I were talking about

that, we were called one of the.

83

:

I think one of our very first mentors

shared this lesson with us, and it

84

:

was from legendary basketball coach

john wooden wooden, which I hope

85

:

I'm pronouncing that correctly.

86

:

You could tell I'm clearly not.

87

:

I'm clearly not a someone who knows a lot

about sports, but he was really, I think.

88

:

He was so successful as a coach, not

just because of his strategy, um, but

89

:

because of one of the techniques he,

he taught his players very early on.

90

:

And I want to read this to you.

91

:

it's a quote that Jon Wooten

was relaying to an interviewer.

92

:

And it's titled how to put on your socks.

93

:

And I just want to read this.

94

:

It's like a short little paragraph here.

95

:

And he says, I think it's the

little things that really count.

96

:

The first thing I would show our

players at our first meeting was how

97

:

to put a little extra time putting

on their shoes and socks properly.

98

:

The most important part of your

equipment is your shoes and socks.

99

:

You plan a hard floor, so you

must have shoes that fit right.

100

:

And you must not permit your

socks to have wrinkles around the

101

:

little toe, where you generally

get blisters or around the heels.

102

:

It took just a few minutes, but I did show

my players how I wanted them to do it.

103

:

Hold up the sock, work it around

the little toe area and the heel

104

:

area so that there are no wrinkles.

105

:

Smooth it out.

106

:

Good.

107

:

Then hold the sock up while you put the

shoe on and the shoe must be spread apart,

108

:

not just pulled on top on the top laces.

109

:

You tighten it up snugly by each eyelet.

110

:

Then you tie it and then you double

tie it so it won't come undone because

111

:

I don't want shoes coming untied

during practice or during the game.

112

:

I don't want that to happen.

113

:

I'm sure that once I started

teaching that many years ago,

114

:

it did cut down on blisters.

115

:

It definitely helped, but that's

just a little detail that coaches

116

:

must take advantage of because

it's the little details that

117

:

make the big things come about.

118

:

And so if you think about it.

119

:

Now I'm not going to get into explaining

the intricacies of a basketball game, but

120

:

we could all kind of imagine basketball

players on the court in the middle of

121

:

a game, you know, trying to do, uh,

advanced plays or trying to, you know,

122

:

score during a really important game.

123

:

And what happens when they are

sort of slowed down by a blister.

124

:

We've all probably had

a blister at one point.

125

:

We know how painful that is and how that

slows us down and how it distracts us.

126

:

And we all have sort of felt like, you

know, we've all had a shoelace come

127

:

untied and you're in the middle of

something and you don't want to get

128

:

slowed down or delayed by having to stop,

interrupt what you were doing, tie your

129

:

shoelace or worse trip on it and fall.

130

:

And so you could see the

metaphor sort of building.

131

:

Right now, which is if you think

about this, how it applies to your

132

:

business, so many business owners

knew and also experienced as I just

133

:

talked about are, in the middle of

like, how do I get more customers?

134

:

How do I get more clients?

135

:

How do I, you know, bring

on this team member?

136

:

How do I do this?

137

:

How do I do that?

138

:

Sort of these, the, the impulse

is to jump to, I want to try this

139

:

sophisticated advanced thing.

140

:

I want to move up to the next level.

141

:

I want to, you know.

142

:

do this and that in my business.

143

:

But when the foundation is shaky,

when the socks are not put on

144

:

correctly, when the shoelaces are

not tied properly, you could already

145

:

see the challenges in front of you.

146

:

So let me show you what this looks like

in terms of how it shows up in business.

147

:

So I was on a mastermind call.

148

:

And what I love about this

particular mastermind group that

149

:

we're in is that it's a variety

of different business industries.

150

:

So, I mean, my gosh, there's like

a pet stain, product, you know,

151

:

they have like different sprays and

cleaners that help, pet owners clean

152

:

up, you know, pet stains there's.

153

:

People who do like, um,

custom made gift boxes.

154

:

There's people who are in, you

know, the legal field, there's,

155

:

um, someone who's an architect.

156

:

So it's a really cool,

diverse group of people.

157

:

And some of whom have achieved massive

amounts of traditional success.

158

:

You know, the, the revenue, the, you

know, they've, they've skyrocketed

159

:

in terms of following online.

160

:

And so by all markers, you're like,

oh my gosh, they are so advanced.

161

:

They're so they've got it together.

162

:

And what fascinated me.

163

:

Was one of the members today

was working on a web page to put

164

:

online to attract more people, to

attract new people into his world.

165

:

So it was a marketing challenge.

166

:

And one of the questions he brought to

the table was, he was like, I don't know

167

:

how to make this page more attractive.

168

:

I don't know how to get people to

once they land on this page to want

169

:

to sign up for something or want

to have a conversation with me.

170

:

And one of the key things that the

mastermind leaders pointed out was

171

:

like, well, okay, we could get into

the, into the weeds of like, okay,

172

:

you need this section, or you need

this color instead, or you need to

173

:

use this word instead of that word.

174

:

You know, all the stuff we think is going

to really make a radical difference.

175

:

And I think in many cases, those

elements do, but you'll never

176

:

guess the question that they asked

this person, you'll never guess.

177

:

Who is your ideal client?

178

:

Who are you trying to target?

179

:

Now, you could feel sort of the, the

frustration and, and I don't want

180

:

to say he visibly eye rolled, but

he probably did internally, this

181

:

person, because he was like, Oh my

God, this question again, you know?

182

:

And so you could see, Very clearly,

he kept asking all these questions to,

183

:

you know, not necessarily dodging the

question, but you could see him being

184

:

like, okay, so, but what if I tried,

um, you know, this, this lead magnet

185

:

instead of this lead magnet, or what if

I tried reorganizing the page this way?

186

:

And it kept coming back to the same thing,

which was, well, who are you trying?

187

:

To serve, who are you trying to help?

188

:

And until you have clarity around

that question, they were saying

189

:

to him, you know, it's, it's

not going to become any easier.

190

:

We're still going to, to have these

challenges because one of the things

191

:

that he was coming to the table with was,

I just want to get more, more people.

192

:

I just, you know, I haven't had

to market before cause we had such

193

:

a solid referral based business.

194

:

And here I am needing to really, you

know, beef up my, my online marketing.

195

:

And so he's like, well, I just

want to target, you know, anyone

196

:

who needs like this kind of

frantic, very reactive energy.

197

:

Like, I just want to find anyone

who needs, you know, a house.

198

:

And the, the question again, came back

to like, who are you trying to serve?

199

:

Who do you want to work with those

fundamental questions that so many of

200

:

us tackled at the very beginning of

our entrepreneurial journey and think

201

:

that like, well, I figured it out.

202

:

I know what I'm doing.

203

:

Like, I don't have to come

back to this conversation.

204

:

And so I'm sharing

these examples with you.

205

:

I'm sharing the metaphor from John Wooten.

206

:

I'm sharing the example from this

mastermind, because no matter how

207

:

far along you get in your business,

you have to have these things clear.

208

:

And I think this is a And I think that's

especially important when we think

209

:

about the decisions that many business

owners are going to be making as we wrap

210

:

up 2023 thinking about the next year.

211

:

if you don't know who you are trying to

work with right now if things are shifting

212

:

in your business and you're trying to,

evolve into your next phase or whatever

213

:

that looks like in your business or

you're trying to find more you're trying

214

:

to do a new thing in your business, like

doing some online marketing strategies,

215

:

you got to have those things clear.

216

:

Right.

217

:

So as you're thinking about your

own business, are things feeling

218

:

a bit challenging because you are

trying to do things without having

219

:

the foundational clarity, right?

220

:

Have you been trying to, I don't know,

try, I'm trying to think of all the things

221

:

that so many of our clients have, have

said that they want to do, are you trying

222

:

to create more content on social media?

223

:

Are you trying to get

more visible in that area?

224

:

Are you trying to create

a new product or service?

225

:

Are you trying to trim and, and remove

a product or service from your business?

226

:

Are you thinking of hiring a team member?

227

:

You know, all of that goes back to,

you got to have those pieces in place.

228

:

So I, I would encourage you to.

229

:

Just resist the eye rolling and really

think about how can I, over the next,

230

:

what today is November 10th, as I'm

recording this over the next couple

231

:

of weeks, as I am preparing for the

end of the year, really thinking

232

:

about 2024 for my business, have

I been skipping the foundational

233

:

business one on one elements because.

234

:

I want to get to the good stuff and I

want to kind of skip the pieces that are

235

:

going to, get me to my desired outcome.

236

:

Am I resisting those because I really

don't have clarity and you know, if

237

:

someone could just give me a perfectly

packaged, answer through a marketing

238

:

strategy or a team member that who

just magically appears at my door,

239

:

you know, that would be wonderful,

but that's just not how it works.

240

:

And so funny enough.

241

:

Right.

242

:

Of all the things Susan and I thought we

would be talking about with our clients.

243

:

It's, it's all of those basic pieces

in your business, really creating, you

244

:

know, if we, if I go back to the John

Gooden metaphor, it's really making sure

245

:

you've got the socks on, so they're not

wrinkled and are going to cause blisters.

246

:

It's really making sure those

shoes are on tied properly.

247

:

So you don't trip yourself or have to

stop in the middle of doing something, tie

248

:

your shoes and then try and recalibrate

and get back into the zone of things.

249

:

So really get clear on those things.

250

:

And what you want to achieve more

of in:

251

:

finding more clients, which is

probably having offers and services

252

:

and products that are profitable.

253

:

It is freeing up more

time in your business.

254

:

You got to have clarity

around those things.

255

:

So with that in mind, I'm

going to wrap up this episode.

256

:

This is a short one, just solo, just me.

257

:

I hope this has been helpful.

258

:

I hope that if nothing else, this has

given you that light bulb moment to

259

:

remember that no matter how far you

get in your business, there are certain

260

:

questions that you can never really escape

from never really, polish and finish one

261

:

time and then never have to revisit it.

262

:

Okay.

263

:

So with that in mind, have a great rest

of your day, your week tune in next time.

264

:

And we'll have another exciting topic.

Next Episode All Episodes Previous Episode

Join Our Newsletter!

Sign Up For Our Newsletter!

 
 
Show artwork for Eavesdrop on Us

About the Podcast

Eavesdrop on Us
Less how-to's. More real business conversations!
The honest business podcast YOU NEED IN YOUR LIFE!
We talk about what it's really like to be in business: the good, the frustrating, the "am I the only one going through this?!" kind of topics.

You're in the right place if you're looking for less "how to's" and more real conversations about what you're going through as an entrepreneur.

Come eavesdrop on our conversations-it'll be like joining us at the kitchen table after working a full day in your business.

About your hosts

Susan Terzakis

Profile picture for Susan Terzakis

5 Things to Know About Susan:


1. I traveled the continental U.S. playing hornline with the famed 27th Lancers drum and bugle corps.

2. As a family we’ve lived coast to coast, moving over 12 times!

3. Born and raised in historic Salem, Massachusetts, while working in our family restaurant, I was able to meet people visiting from all over the world and learned about their cultures and perspectives.

4. While working in the United States Senate as a staffer, I went to every city, village, town, and incorporation in New Hampshire. Every single one! I listened and learned about micro small businesses in our state.

5. I've taken four $100k businesses to over $2 million in annual sales, and I've helped lifestyle brands create revenue that gives them the freedom to spend quality time doing what matters most to them.

Jessica Terzakis

Profile picture for Jessica Terzakis
1. I won the Alfred Ernest Richards award for promising potential in literature and teaching, which started my 15-year career in teaching, curriculum design, and storytelling.
2. My favorite drink is tequila on the rocks. It's a definite conversation starter.
3. I love adrenaline. Whether it's roller coasters, speaking in front of an auditorium full of people, or getting on camera, that rush of energy makes me unstoppable at work.
4. I know how to captivate a room and sell from the stage, and I can help you see yourself doing something bigger than you ever thought you could.
5. At a recent event, one of my clients sold over a million dollars based on the curriculum we built together, and I can help you do the same!