Hey there, Impact Igniters! 💥
Andrew here with another edition of our newsletter, where I’ll share the raw truth about facing dark days, learning from my recent coaching group launch, switching up my content strategy, and what’s on the agenda for this week.
Buckle up, because we’re about to dive into the heart of the entrepreneurial journey.
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EVEN I HAVE DARK DAYS
Confession:
Even though I have a lot of winning days… There are still days when I struggle. There are still days when everything doesn’t go to plan.
Do you know what keeps me going?
- First, the impact that I’m trying to make in the world. To help create stronger businesses, communities, and families – through my ideas and the ideas of others (you!).
- Second, my strategic approach to building my business.
Now you might be wondering.
“What’s this strategic approach you’re referring to Andrew?”
It’s all about investing time in a long-term strategic vision. Not chasing shiny technology or fancy hacks that don’t amount to anything. The most painful thing in business is seeing all the fruits of your labour end up in the bin. Here’s what I do to avoid that happening:
1️⃣ Accept that absolutely everything has an opportunity cost.
2️⃣ Consider what other opportunities I’m passing over when I choose to pursue a project or idea.
3️⃣ Have absolute clarity on my five-year business goals.
Having such a focused approach to building my business helps me on the darker days.
🤔 “But how?” you ask.
Well, imagine your dream goal is to build a LEGO lighthouse. Halfway through, you discover you built it in the wrong place or not high enough. Annoying? Yes. But it’s not a complete disaster. You can learn, adapt, and rebuild. You stay motivated because it’s in alignment with your dream goals.
In contrast, what if you built a LEGO elephant because your friend excitedly told you about their experience building one? Intrigued, you thought, “Oh, that sounds exciting and interesting. I’ll give it a go!” Then, halfway through, you realise you’ve run out of bricks and start to wonder, “Why am I actually building this elephant? I never really wanted to do it; it’s my friend’s goal, not mine.” At this point, it would be all too easy to abandon the project, wasting time, money, and energy.
It’s natural that projects require “going back to the drawing board”. But with a strategic approach, you can avoid the pain of starting from scratch.
🚀 OOPS, I GOT IT WRONG
I launched my Ignitors coaching group last week, and it didn’t go as well as I’d hoped. But that’s okay because I can learn from my mistakes and try again later.
Here are my plans:
1️⃣ Hit my audience targets before I attempt to launch again. (I need 500 candidates)
2️⃣ Make changes in how I launch the group (communicate limited spaces and time for making a decision on whether to join)
3️⃣ Consider using a webinar
Sometimes, you’ve just got to accept the way things are and be resigned to the fact that you’ll be able to make a greater impact later down the line if you remain strategic, persistent, and committed to what you’re doing.
🌍 MOVING TO A BUILD-IN-PUBLIC FOCUS
Another confession: I’m spread too thin at the moment, trying to develop my main niche authority business (leadership and teamwork) and Impact Igniters at the same time.
To help me make more of an impact in both areas, I’m going to switch up the content I share on Twitter and in this newsletter. I’ll focus more on my main niche, which will (counter-intuitively) give me more lessons, tips, and strategies to share with you.
📅 ON THE AGENDA FOR THIS WEEK
1️⃣ Meetings with a potential collaborator.
2️⃣ Briefing my website designer (more on this soon)
3️⃣ Meetings with two global brands….
This is an exciting opportunity, but I want to approach these interactions with a long-term mindset. Instead of prioritising immediate wins or trying to secure a contract right off the bat, I’ll focus on nurturing strong, lasting relationships with these companies.
Here’s why:
- When you’re dealing with huge enterprises, it’s crucial to truly understand their business, challenges, and objectives before proposing a solution.
- By taking the time to build trust, rapport, and genuine connections, you create a foundation for collaboration that’s far more sustainable and fruitful in the long run.
So, in these initial meetings, I’ll prioritise getting to know the people, the company culture, and their pain points. Once I’ve gained a deeper understanding of their needs, I’ll be in a much better position to offer a compelling solution that they’ll not only appreciate but also be more likely to invest in. And that, my friends, is how you create long-term partnerships and open the door to multiple opportunities for making a meaningful impact.
KEEP GOING
As we wrap up this week’s newsletter, remember that each challenge and setback is an opportunity to learn, grow, and come back stronger. Embrace the journey, and trust that with persistence and strategic thinking, you’ll shatter those glass ceilings and make a lasting impact on the world.
Keep shining, keep igniting, and stay extraordinary!
Your friend, Andrew.
