147: How to Upscale Your Design Firm with Your Mindset
147: How to Upscale Your Design Firm with Your Mindset
with Michele Williams
Everything we do begins in our minds. Yes, you heard that right. Our work is based on our thoughts about what we can and cannot accomplish. In today’s podcast we will discuss the mindset that allows us to upscale our design firm. Enjoy!
Topics Mentioned:
Fear
Success
Intentionality
Action Oriented
Listen to the Episode
I have shared on the podcast before that I was greatly impacted by the book, “Atomic Habits” by James Clear. My big take away from this book was the simple fact that our actions are predicated by how we see our identity and that is predicated on our belief system.
Now, like you, I knew this. But I did not stop, prior to reading this book, and really dissect some of my actions and the beliefs and identities I had assumed that were at play behind them. When I did this work, my eyes were opened to the fact that some of my beliefs were actually self-sabotaging beliefs and needed to change.
I also remember that day in 2003 when I was doing my taxes from 2002 and saw there was a business loss. Part of the work to get this whole business thing back on track was to stop identifying as a hobbyist and to identify as a business owner. And when I changed what I believed about who I was and what I was doing – everything else changed.
In our time together today, I want to share with you some of the biggest mindset hurdles you should consider as you work to upscale your business. These are in no particular order and you can go back and forth through them as you move forward in life and business, so feel free to revisit them regularly!
Fear
Everyone feels fear. And if someone tells you they have none – be afraid of them. Although we each feel fear, it can certainly show up differently for each of us. Many look at me and see confidence. Yes, I have that. But I also have my own fair share of fears. When I think back to how I have allowed fear to rule over me in the past – and over my clients – here are some of the examples:
Fear of being seen as a failure. I cannot tell you how many times this thought comes up. That someone will be seen as a failure. And the big question is this – SO WHAT? Just because we may fail when trying something, it does not mean that we are a failure. If the worse thing is that we failed and tried – what did we also learn? Episode 1 with Ceil DiGuglielmo mentions fear and how it stopped her.
Fear of not knowing my financials. Oh yea – it’s getting real now, isn’t it? Many tell me that they fear knowing, understanding, and using their financials. And here is my answer – we are all fearful in some ways of what we do not know. Once we make a choice to learn about our financials and manage to them some of the fear subsides and is actually replaced with confidence and excitement. I offer 3 financial courses to help solve this fear. Pricing Without Emotion®, Understanding Your Financials™, and Master Your Profit®. Taking these courses will kick this fear to the curb.
Fear of being an imposter. We have all felt that way at some point – like we did not know everything. And honestly, as we progress in our businesses, we will continue to not know everything. That is what growth is all about. The minute we know it all – we are no longer stretching and growing. Learn to lean into the not knowing instead of being afraid of it. Cultivate a team around you who know more than you and who can assist.
Success
How we see success creates an identity for us. Some see success as making lots of sales and having a high revenue for the firm. Others see success as serving the clients well and getting repeat business and a ton of kudos. Success can also be determined by growing your teams and employees as well as how many times you have been published or how many likes or shares you have on social media. What determines success for you? And are you measuring it?
For me, success is made up of a few areas: client success using my systems, money to support my family, and making a larger impact on the world around me by using my gifts and talents. I feel very successful when those I am supporting are also successful. That is my biggest driver – to be of service. Define what constitutes success for you – and measure it. Ask yourself if you need to redefine success in a season of your life. There was a point in time that success to me was to be able to keep my business going while working less to serve a family need. It was not to make more – but to survive a season. Maybe some of you know what I am talking about. When considering scaling, ask yourself, how much is enough. What are you really striving for and at what cost? What are you willing to do and not do to attain that outcome?
Intentionality
Being intentional about doing anything has been a game changer for me. And it is a mindset that needs to be firmly rooted and established. Intentionality comes from knowing what you are doing and why you are doing it. Being in the moment and recognizing the derivative actions or outcomes from a choice. Yes, we sometimes have to make decisions off the cuff, but that should not be our norm. Many ask me how to be proactive in business instead of that reactive always “putting out fires” mindset. Proactiveness – if that is a word – is created by knowing your processes and systems and anticipating what comes next. Then making choices and decisions that are leading you towards the outcome you desire. Learn to be intentional in your company plans, hiring decisions, management and leadership activities, marketing and certainly in your financial activities.
Action Oriented
Sometimes, we can get seriously overwhelmed with all that there is to do to own and operate a business. I get it. I feel the same way. Instead of letting this feeling STOP me, I try to let it propel me. Meaning – push me to take action. Now here is where it gets interesting. This does not always mean BIG action, nor does it mean PERFECT action. It means moving forward – even slightly. And after a while you will gain traction. Choosing a mindset of taking action, even imperfect action, will keep you from staying stuck. The action might be to walk away for a few minutes. It might be to phone a friend. Maybe your action is to do the next thing in front of you in the best way you know how. OR, it might be to raise a flag and ask for help. We are not going to know everything in front of us and we are not always going to have the perfect team with the perfect project and perfect timing and perfect outcomes. Truthfully, I am not sure that is even a situation that can exist. We are imperfect people working with imperfect solutions to difficult problems most of the time. Staying intentional and action oriented is what creates success. Do something.
Creating a mindset to scale and grow means reviewing the mindsets that you currently have through the lens of where you want to be and what you want to be doing. Are they supportive of you getting there or are they holding you back? What do you believe about yourself and your team and your clients and your options? Is that all true? It is easy to deceive ourselves in protection mode so that we won’t be hurt or disappointed. But that can easily hold us back from opportunities to be all we can and to participate in ways that are exciting and fresh and new. Break out of the mold that is not supporting you.
Interestingly, I have been in positions where I could not see my own mindset as holding me back. It took my coach questioning me and asking what informed my mindset and thought process which made me take a serious look at my beliefs and identity around that mindset. More than once I found out the one thing I said I did not want or would not do was the one thing keeping me from what I wanted or desired in my business. I had to work through that thought process to realign my goals and beliefs. This is an activity I do often, and one that I use to support my clients.
If you are interested in working with a coach who help you see what you cannot see alone, I would love to assist you. Go to www.scarletthreadconsulting.com and check out the masterclass under resources that will show you how to reclaim your time, make more money and regain control of your business. Then set up a time for us to talk on a discovery call to see if coaching is right for you. Go ahead – take action – be intentional about your success – and give me a call. Choose to be profitable, because profit doesn’t happen by accident.
Key Thoughts:
I've shared in the podcast before that I was greatly impacted by the book Atomic Habits by James Clear, my big takeaway from this book was the simple fact that our actions are predicated on how we see our identity. Michele (0:58)
Part of the work to get this whole business thing back on track, was for me to stop identifying as a hobbyist and to start identifying as a business owner. And when I changed what I believed about who I was, and what I was doing, everything else changed. Michele (1:54)
Everybody feels fear. If somebody tells you they feel absolutely no fear, you need to be afraid to them. Michele (2:12)
Once we make a choice, you hear me make a choice to learn about our financials, and to manage them, some of the fears subsides and it actually becomes replaced with confidence and excitement. Michele (4:34)
As we progress in our businesses, we're going to continue to not know everything. That's what growth is all about. Michele (5:27)
Contact Michele:
Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting
Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL
Website: ScarletThreadConsulting.com
LinkedIn: Michele Williams
References and Resources:
AIM Masterclass - Watch now
Atomic Habits by James Clear