Creating your business vision to help you scale

Creating your business vision to help you scale

The entrepreneurial journey is one of major personal growth. Creating a vision for your life around your health and wellness and setting personal goals is extremely important when it comes to keeping your mind balanced and in check. Likewise, creating a vision for your business is equally as important for scaling and growing your business. 

While performance, budgeting, and money are all very important aspects of scaling and something that every business should do, it’s not the core of scaling. Creating a vision to scale your business involves getting a clear picture in your mind of where you see your business going. This picture involves the customers you’d like to serve, the different revenue streams that your business will create, the employees you’ll be hiring, the physical space where you would like to operate, and so on. 

A clear vision of how you will feel once you achieve this business growth is also very vital to the process, as you are connecting your mind with your emotions. The clearer you are able to get, the better. Whether it’s writing it down or adding pictures to help tie what you see in your mind to a clearer vision. This will help you stay on track, get clarity, and keep your eye on the prize. 

Tips to remember as your scale your biz

Once your vision is clear, it is time to get ready for growth and scaling your business. Below are 4 important things to remember as you scale your biz:

Flexibility

When we create a vision for scaling our business, our main focus tends to be the ‘what.’ Sometimes, when we are too focused on the ‘how’ we become too rigid in our approach. Being able to pivot and be flexible is super important on this journey. Flexibility allows us to be able to thrive, even in the face of adversity. This was proven by businesses that were able to stay flexible during the pandemic. 

Learn to pivot

Flexibility and pivoting go hand in hand, and are essential for entrepreneurs. Sometimes we need to pivot and change our model to better suit the current conditions of the business environment. Learning to pivot in unexpected situations is key to sustaining growth. 

Don’t give up at “no”

On this journey, you are going to get no’s; it’s inevitable. But the good thing is that you’re also going to get yesses, but you have to keep going past the no’s. When you understand and believe in your mission and core values of your business, a ‘no’ should not stop you. You have to remember that a ‘no’ from someone does not mean a ‘no’ from everyone. There are always people who will need and want your services.

Remember your “why”

 When you create a vision to scale your business, the deeper meaning behind it should lead back to why you want to do it. Keeping anchored to your “why” is going to help you to stay on course and focused and help you to scale your business. For most entrepreneurs, it’s more than just dollars and cents. It’s about creating impact. This is what will keep you going. 

So, while spreadsheets and budgets are important, one of the most important things about scaling your business is having a clear vision. Those key points listed above will help you to scale, stay on track, and grow the business of your dreams. 

For more help on scaling your business, book a discovery call! I’ll be happy to work with you on specific takeaways that you could implement right away. 

by Julie Cass

The Positive Change Group

Employee Empowerment: How to make your employees feel empowered

Employee Empowerment: How to make your employees feel empowered

How You Can Make Your Employees Feel Empowered

Empowering employees is one of the most motivating things you can do. Empowering employees means giving your team members permission to take action and make decisions within your organization. It also implies trust and understanding and allows your employees to feel more part of the process and a bigger contributor to the results.

Empowering employees is important for growing a sustainable business. While many companies may grow ground-up from one or two entrepreneurs’ time and dedication, true growth is the product of multiple people working together. “Multiplying” yourself (as opposed to a strict leader-follower mindset) multiplies your organization’s strength and capabilities.

Motivating and empowering employees is vital for leaders of all levels. Research shows employee empowerment leads to higher job satisfaction, improved work performance, and greater organizational commitment.

Whether you’re a seasoned or aspiring leader, understanding how you can enable your colleagues to reach their full potential has several benefits. Here are some ways to empower your employees and cultivate a winning team.

What is employee empowerment?

Employee empowerment is a management philosophy emphasizing the importance of giving employees the autonomy, resources, and support they need to act independently and be held accountable for their decisions.

Employee empowerment can significantly impact employee satisfaction, productivity, and engagement. The hallmark of this approach is a willingness among leaders and managers to share power with their teams to achieve better results for the company, employees, and customers or clients.

Knowing how to motivate and empower employees

The benefits of employee empowerment

Empowering employees may boost morale, increase productivity, foster innovation, and increase retention, positively impacting the company’s bottom line.

Motivate employees

According to research, employee motivation is directly connected to increasing employee autonomy. More control over the time, place, and manner workers do their duties has increased productivity. On the other hand, employees will put their best foot forward if they get the opportunity to show off their talents.

Greater trust in leadership

According to a meta-analysis published in Harvard Business Review, leaders who empower their staff are more trusted by their subordinates than leaders who do not empower their employees. To be clear, this does not mean that empowering staff means handing over tasks that managers don’t like. Empowered leaders act as coaches, encouraging and supporting their employees as they strive for excellence. 

Improved creativity

In the same Harvard meta-analysis, leaders perceived as empowering that have direct reports and were more likely to be rated by their colleagues as highly creative. Unsurprisingly, subordinates who allowed their employees to think for themselves and collaborate across teams generated more novel ideas. 

Additionally, direct reports who felt empowered were more likely to volunteer for extra assignments and support their organizations outside their day-to-day job function. Psychologists suspected that empowered individuals were more committed to meaningful goals and used their creativity to achieve them.

A stronger bottom line

Companies that promote employee empowerment perform better than those that don’t. Businesses with highly motivated workers are 21 percent more profitable. Conversely, disengaged employees in the U.S. cost businesses a staggering $450 to $550 billion yearly.

4 steps for empowering employees in the workplace

Empowering people has many advantages, but establishing it as part of a company’s culture requires substantial effort. Follow these four steps to begin establishing best practices throughout your business.

1.) Feedback reveals how to empower your workforce effectively

When a company’s empowerment plan is implemented, individual personnel and the company’s culture must be considered. Spend time figuring out which forms of employee empowerment are most effective for your group. And empower employees to provide feedback to managers and senior leadership from the start of their time with the company, so they get into the habit, and any early issues can be identified and addressed. It’s important to use the correct engagement solution to facilitate open, honest interactions between workers and executives. In doing so, it order to empower everyone and build trust.

2.) Recognize to empower

More than twice as many employees engage in companies with a high rate of employee recognition, according to Brandon Hall Group’s Culture of Recognition Pulse Survey; and so Workplaces with high employee recognition are 79% more likely to have a high brand rating. Platforms for employee recognition demonstrate NPS boost ratings and raise stock values, in addition to enhancing individual performance.

3.) Provide opportunities for professional growth — and the necessary support

40% of workers who get subpar training quit their jobs within five years, according to HR experts. 

HR must also ensure its employees have a clear route to promotion within the organization.  Employees who are serious about advancing their careers should have access to a variety of resources, including coaching, mentorship, and training, to help them get there. If you’re looking to enhance morale and give your staff a sense of direction, try forming mentor connections with more senior employees. The seasoned boss and the newly hired employee may benefit from the other’s knowledge and expertise. Employees will not benefit much from the partnership if psychological safety is neglected.

4.) Make empowerment part of your organization’s culture and vision

A culture of empowerment can only be fostered by leaders who see their job as a support system for their staff. Think of methods for current employees to mentor new hires or set up mentorship circles. Everyone on your team, from HR to managers to upper-level executives, must feel empowered if you want your business to succeed.  An excellent starting point is to listen to and recognize workers, and to have an impact on the whole business, this must be done regularly. 

Therefore, a culture of continuity is created when people are empowered to face any challenges that may come their way, even a worldwide epidemic.

The Positive Change Group is on a mission to empower entrepreneurs and leaders by giving them the tools they need. Book a strategy call today.

Entrepreneurial Mindset: How To Think Like an Entrepreneur

Entrepreneurial Mindset: How To Think Like an Entrepreneur

The entrepreneurship journey requires perseverance and can be the most fulfilling, journey one can choose to take. It involves a lot of passion and heart for your business and will take a lot of commitment and the right mindset to succeed. 

Becoming a successful entrepreneur requires an entrepreneurial mindset that will keep the individual focused on the goal ahead, despite the challenges. Being in the right mental space, and having the right tools, will make the journey far easier. 

What is an entrepreneurial mindset?

Everyone has a mindset that affects how they live their day-to-day lives. Our attitude determines how and where we see ourselves, our dreams and ambitions, and even our limitations. They help us to be productive, but can also be blamed for procrastination and hindrances, both personally and professionally.

Essentially, mindset is a set of beliefs and assumptions, based on knowledge and experience, that we use to guide our behaviors and decisions. An entrepreneurial mindset is a specific set of beliefs and thought processes that influences entrepreneurial behavior. 

A successful entrepreneur learns to make their limited beliefs unlimited. You need a positive entrepreneurial mindset that influences a mode of thinking to help you achieve your goals. These skills enable you to identify significant opportunities, overcome obstacles, and learn from mistakes and challenges. 

Every mindset has dimensions and it’s no different for the entrepreneur. 

5 Dimensions of an entrepreneurial mindset 

 

High self-efficacy beliefs

The challenging road of entrepreneurship requires you to truly believe in yourself and what you have set out to achieve. High self-efficacy allows us to believe firmly in our goals, and motivate ourselves to achieve those goals. With confidence, we are more able to conquer challenges and obstacles, than fall victim to them. 

Strong internal locus of control

Having an external locus of control allows us to believe that fate or luck controls our lives and circumstances. An internal locus of control puts you in the mindset that your success and failures are in your hands. A high self-efficacy and internal locus of control tend to go hand in hand. People who have both will overcome failure and obstacles much more quickly, and with more determination to get it right the next time.

A growth mindset

A set or fixed mindset limits you by making you believe that your capabilities cannot be changed or evolve. If you have a growth mindset, you believe that you are not limited in your capabilities but that your intelligence and knowledge can advance with extra time and effort. You can cultivate a growth mindset simply by believing that you can.

Motivation

Personal motivation and drive tend to lead to higher engagement and psychological well-being. Being intrinsically motivated means, you are driven simply by the need and desire to get things done based on your internal goals. If you are solely motivated by external factors such as peer pressure or financial gain, the motivation will likely not last. To foster a deeper motivation; remember your ‘Why’. Why do you do what you do? The deeper meaning will be beyond compensation and flexibility.

Resilience

The drive and ability to persevere despite adversity is critical for entrepreneurial success. It won’t be easy, and the desire to quit will arise. High levels of resilience will help you to power through those moments and stay focused on the goals ahead.

In summary, entrepreneurship is challenging, but with the right mindset, it could lead to a very rewarding career.

Ready to develop a winning mindset to become the best version of yourself? Book a call today! 

by Julie Cass

The Positive Change Group

The importance of promoting corporate workplace wellness

The importance of promoting corporate workplace wellness

The traditional work world is seeing a major shift in how employees operate. More people are putting their health first and taking practical actions to keep their mental health in check. With work-related stress and personal concerns, it’s no surprise that employees are leaning toward this route. And managers have begun to take note. 

This has led to corporate wellness programs becoming more popular in many workspaces. 

What is meant by corporate wellness?

Corporate wellness refers to any workplace program designed to encourage healthier lifestyle choices and habits that will improve the well-being of employees.  It concerns employees’ physical, emotional, and mental health and helps foster an organizational culture of health. 

By investing in employees’ well-being, managers are able to benefit from motivated workers who are healthy, productive, and passionate about their jobs.  

In order to be effective at promoting employee wellness, you must address all 5 areas:

  • Mental and emotional well-being
  • Social well-being
  • Financial well-being
  • Physical well-being
  • Digital well-being 

5 pillars of well-being at work

Mental and emotional well-being

The ability to think clearly, operate, and respond to challenges that work presents daily is crucial, not just for the workplace, but for life in general. If employees feel liberated to express themselves and ask for help, it creates a workspace culture of both safety and community. 

Social well-being

Social well-being works hand in hand with the mental and emotional well-being pillars. Feeling connected to other like-minded people and having a strong place of belonging can positively impact our social and mental health. It is important to create a connection, a culture of community, and togetherness among your staff. In order to keep work-play cohesion among departments and teams. Organizing team activities, breaks, outings, and socials can really help to boost the social well-being of your employees and a sense of community. I.e. pot lucks, sugar challenges, etc.

Financial well-being

Financial stress can really take a toll and add to your employees’ stress and anxiety. Money is important for taking care of our needs and giving us a feeling of security in our lives. Talking about money and money management isn’t always easy or comfortable, and it can be even more difficult to cover this topic with your employees. However, removing the stigma associated with financial difficulties while offering tools and resources like money management or retirement programs to help can make a big difference.

Physical well-being

The benefits of being physically healthy with exercise, a balanced diet, and quality rest as a part of one’s routine should not be understated. Contributing to your employee’s physical well-being can look like this: Flexible workdays, a workplace gym or gym membership, healthy snacks and Lunch & Learn programs offered exclusively to employees and direct family members.

Digital well-being

The digital world has become a staple in most of our lives, including in the workspace. Having control of the tech in our lives without feeling overwhelmed, and being able to control screen time, is essential. Knowing when to unplug from the digital world and having a good balance, even as it relates to work, is very important to your employees’ digital well-being.

As a leader, you can promote corporate workplace wellness by implementing these 5 pillars and getting outside help from an expert coach in the field. If you are ready to help your employees take the steps needed to get them on the right track to overall health and corporate wellness, let’s talk! 

by Julie Cass

The Positive Change Group

How Executive Coaching Can Give Leaders an Edge in 2022

How Executive Coaching Can Give Leaders an Edge in 2022

Everyone aspires to improve in their careers at some point. Whether you are in an executive position or managerial role, there are steps you can take that will help you to become even more successful in your career, and improve your organization. One of those steps is to invest in yourself with Executive Coaching. 

What is Executive Coaching?

Executive Coaching is a collaboration between an Executive Coach and clients that consists of a series of one-on-one sessions that motivate clients to achieve their personal and professional objectives.

The main goal of executive coaching is to prompt behavioral and mindset change, improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the professional which has positive ripples through the organization.  The skills acquired from coaching can also positively impact their personal development as everything in life is connected and with a good coach you can thrive in all areas of your life. 

Coaching allows the individual to take full responsibility in their life, allowing them to live from a more empowered state. The methodologies and strategies that a coach uses can be life changing but a key element of success in coaching is accountability with the professional. This is how change is created. 

Benefits of Executive Coaching 

Here are four (4) reasons why Executive Coaching will improve the way you lead in 2022. 

 

Identifies strengths and weaknesses

A successful business understands its strengths and weaknesses and makes adjustments to improve. Executive coaching aims to accomplish this in client sessions as well.  As a coach, they will help you identify your ‘zone of genius’ – what you excel at and allow you to focus on those areas. They will also help you self-recognize your areas of weakness and how you can improve those areas or set you up for success.  This then is exactly what you can do as a leader with your team, let them focus on their genius and get support for their weaknesses through support or with implementing different systems.  That way everyone in your organization can thrive.

Helps to clearly identify professional and personal goals

goals allow you to have a measurement for success and also stretch you in what you can achieve. Goals give a bigger vision of what is wanted. However, these goals must have certain criteria in order to be effective. They must be S.M.A.R.T – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.  These goals can be achieved with careful planning and helpful guidance from your coach. They will give individuals and the overall business a unified direction.

Improve productivity

Productivity is every organization’s main goal. In order to achieve maximum productivity, a coach will not only help with time management but also in how the executives capacity can increase and be more effective through mindset shifts, upgrading limiting beliefs, and raising individuals’ vibrations through a positive daily routine. When managers or leaders shift their own energy, not only does their productivity go up but they positively impact the whole team around them. A good coach will not navigate you to work harder, but rather adopt a work smarter mentality.

Help managers navigate change

Change is inevitable, especially in organizations and with the fast pace of the world today. People will move on or be promoted, or there might be shifts in the market and economy as we are witnessing now. The key to any leader’s success is being able to smoothly navigate these changes. Having a positive outlook and enough energy to lift those around them up when they feel defeated is key. But with every good leader to have the energy for others, they need a coach to help them with theirs. Executive coaching will help to guide leaders on how best to move through these changes to keep the organization on track and thriving. 

Those are some of the reasons that executive coaching can give leaders a real competitive advantage. 

One amazing book every leader should read in 2022

A good leader invests in quality executive coaching and great books that will challenge, inspire and stimulate the mind. 

Sometimes as leaders, you become so submerged in helping others that you completely disregard your own needs. Me First was written to help you overcome self-sabotage and develop a ‘me first’ mentality, to reclaim your life with joy and fulfillment. 

You can also purchase the transformational bundle, which includes transformational workshops! 

by Julie Cass

The Positive Change Group

Why outsource your corporate wellness programs?

Why outsource your corporate wellness programs

Employee burnout is a real thing. Nothing is worse than having stressed-out, demotivated, and overburdened employees. Prioritizing the mental and emotional health and wellness of your employees makes an amazing difference in the office environment and the overall productivity of your workforce. 

This is why corporate wellness programs were created. 

What is a corporate wellness program?

Corporate wellness programs are designed to provide employees with a support structure that encourages holistic wellbeing outside their job objectives and evaluations. These types of programs offer health and wellness solutions that speak to the physical, mental, and spiritual health of the employees. Research shows that nearly 3 in 5 employees reported an increase in negative feelings and work-related stress since 2020. 

Aside from the pandemic which has caused a general increase in anxiety among persons, studies also show that long work hours can also contribute to these negative work-related feelings. In fact, it was proven that extended working hours are directly linked to stress, depression, and suicide ideation among young employees between ages 20-35. 

Another study revealed that not only are Americans working longer hours these days, but they are also working longer hours than nearly everyone else in the entire world. The study showed that: 

  • Nearly 134 countries have laws that set a maximum length of the workweek, while the U.S. does not.
  • Workers in the U.S. work an average of 1,767 hours per year, as opposed to countries that are a part of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) which work an average of 1,687 hours.
  • U.S. workers work 435 more hours per year than German workers, 400 more hours per year than the United Kingdom (UK) workers, 365 more hours per year than French workers, and 169 more hours per year than Japanese workers. 

America has a culture of working hard, and while that has its positives, we also cannot ignore the downside to this as well, especially over prolonged periods of time. 

Canada has also opted for making changes to the workforce as a means of increasing employee retention. According to a recent survey by Mercer Canada, 54% of Canadian employees have adopted a hybrid work environment, as a way of prioritizing their employees’ mental health. 

The importance of corporate wellness in an organization

Due to these shocking statistics, and the evident effects of the current work environment that employees are experiencing, many HR departments have taken to implementing and offering programs that target mental and emotional health. Many hire professionals who are able to customize programs for their employees to help counteract work pressures and help them to reconnect with their inner selves. 

A thorough, well-executed program has many benefits, including the ability to:

  • Improve the emotional health and wellness of employees
  • Fortify positive work routines and practices 
  • Help prevent and avoid chronic illnesses associated with burnout
  • Improve social connectivity within the workplace
  • Encourage better, healthier communication among staff
  • Increase productivity levels
  • Establish and increase trust among team members and staff
  • Decrease staff churn rate 

So, now that you know the benefits of corporate wellness programs in an organization, how exactly do you go about implementing it?

 Benefits of outsourcing corporate wellness experts

While some HR departments may want to tackle these programs themselves, there is proven benefit to outsourcing experts in the field for these programs. The fact is, developing these kinds of programs requires extensive time and effort. The existing resources that are available may not be able to handle the dedicated additional effort to get it done effectively. 

A successful program requires a precise blend of mental, emotional, and overall wellness approaches, that takes the company’s office culture into consideration. The program also needs to be able to adapt and evolve to keep pace with growth and new wellness standards to meet the employees’ needs. In other words, in order for the program to be effective, expert resources are necessary. 

Additionally, there are some benefits that cannot be accessed with the use of an internal system. 

  1. Precise employee data collection – The feedback and data collected from the employees is the only way to develop a customized program specific to their needs. Some HR managers may not feel comfortable enough to ask the relevant questions necessary to collect this data. Especially since this involves the collection of sensitive, identifiable information of their employees.  An outside party can collect this data without bias, and is able to then tailor specific programs for the needs that arise.
  2. Staff Transparency – The fact is, just as some HR personnel may not feel comfortable collecting certain information from employees, employees may not feel comfortable being open with HR. The fear of bias and possible repercussions that can occur from disclosing sensitive information may prevent employees from being transparent with their issues. A third party is able to offer a discreet method where staff can share personal details and feedback about the company, which will allow the program to be more specific in its targeting of these concerns.
  3. Meeting where it matters – The truth is, HR professionals are unable to give the dedicated time and attention needed for staying on top of mental and behavioral practices and standards. Information around wellness is better assimilated with expert advice. Outsourced professionals are able to use these programs to bridge any gaps between HR and any resources they have and employees and their needs. 

Employees recognize the results and feel important. A staff that feels empowered and elevated will reflect in the overall performance and productivity of the organization. The overall wellness of your employees’ matters. Providing them with the tools and tangible steps to achieve their goals and restore inner unity will positively impact the organization. 

Learn about our employee wellness programs and book a call if you are ready to invest in your team’s wellbeing.

Investing in your team: Ways to grow revenue

Team members of an organization hold growing seedlings

Your employees are your biggest asset and in the current climate companies have had to expand in how they invest in their teams. A business is only as good as its employees’ weakest link and that’s why you need to consistently invest in your team. It’s impossible to grow revenue without a strong team of knowledgeable, dedicated employees. Investing in your team is also crucial at the leadership and management level.

There’s more to it than simply planning a team building day. You need to create a healthy environment and culture where your employees can perform their best daily. Here are the five major elements that you need to focus on.

Training

For entrepreneurs wishing to invest in their team, training is one of the most important places to start.

Statistics show that training is a key motivator for employees.

When on-boarding new workers, it is important to have an extensive training program. This should include a thorough orientation, process manuals, or video tutorials including the soft and hard skills needed to do the job. Employee success is dependent on how extensive your training is, so you need to ensure that you go in-depth and cover the full scope of their responsibilities.

Ongoing training is essential as every employee needs professional development linked to their current role. Essentially you need to set your team up for success by giving them the proper tools. This ongoing training is an activity that you should tailor to the needs of your business. Providing ongoing training is crucial if you want to grow revenue. 

Benefits

“Benefits” is a phrase that has changed subtly over the years and continues to evolve as workers demand change. As a business owner, you’ve certainly seen what other workplaces offer, and there’s a chance you’ve contemplated offering the same benefits so you don’t lose your competitive edge.

Recently, several employee benefits packages have been upgraded to include perks such as increased vacation time or remote work options. Benefits need to include support for mental health as we have seen this on a critical scale in today’s workforce. This can include wellness workshops, mindful coaching, wellness days and stress management tools.

The benefits you offer should represent the values that you and your employees share, as this will increase productivity and motivation. Bonus side effect; grow revenue.

Motivation

You can motivate your employees to perform their best in various ways, and money isn’t necessarily at the top of the list. Of course, you need to pay your employees what they’re worth and at a competitive rate if you want to retain them. However, what frequently inspires employees is a sense of belonging that stems from an authentic business culture where they feel appreciated.

Investing in your team should include learning about individual team members and finding methods to recognize and celebrate their accomplishments. It is critical to motivating them.

You can’t engage your team if you don’t get to know them, so investing in your team requires learning about them. Investing in your team and creating a culture of motivation can also simply include the leaders and management taking time throughout the day to interact with employees. 

One of the most effective methods to engage employees is to be interested in their motivations, families, hobbies, and so on. This creates a work environment where they will feel valued, appreciated and part of a community and that is when they’ll do their best work! 

Even something as simple as monthly accomplishment awards can alter the workplace and take on new significance when you invest in them. When you know your team, you can personalize their rewards to match their objectives and needs rather than generic awards that are meaningless in the long run.

Culture

The three elements mentioned above are all critical, but if they do not accurately reflect the culture of your workplace, they’re all meaningless. Integrity is one of the most important principles in establishing a solid corporate culture. This will hold all employees accountable including you as the leader to do what you say. It doesn’t matter whether it is a small promise like honoring a meeting time to a big promise such as a pay increase in an employee review. The key is when you have integrity as part of the corporate culture it builds everyone’s trust which will have a positive effect on revenue growth.  

Having 3 to 5 company core values is a great way to set the culture. A good team building experience is to get your team involved in coming up with these core values if you don’t already have them, or reviewing the current ones you have and updating them. This participation in your company’s core values will create ‘buy-in’ to reaching a common goal..

A connection formed from mutual respect with your workers contributes to developing a stable and healthy work culture. A business culture that enables employees to be a part of the bigger vision and feel like they make a difference promotes employee engagement and helps you grow revenue.

The Positive Change Group is here to help you grow as a leader. Julie Cass will help you wholistically work towards your goals. Everything you’ve ever wanted is within your reach. Learn more about how you can achieve them today!

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Your Guide To Becoming Your Own Boss

smiling lady at laptop with mug starting her own business

Is this the year to become your own boss?  

The Covid pandemic led to over 114 million people losing their jobs worldwide. This means that the current job market is volatile, so now’s the best time to become an entrepreneur.  After all, you can’t get fired when you don’t have a boss. There are also a lot of new opportunities for innovation.   

There’s a lot you need to consider before you can succeed as your own boss.  

But before we talk about the steps you need to take to succeed, let’s talk about the advantages and disadvantages of entrepreneurship.  

Advantages of Being An Entrepreneur  

Your Profits Are Yours  

There is no limit on how much you can earn when you’re the person in charge of your business. Imagine not needing to rely on anyone for a promotion or beg a boss for a raise. When you succeed as your own boss, you get paid first, and your profits belong to you.   

Doesn’t that sound good?   

You own your schedule   

If you’re someone who hates working 9-5, then becoming an entrepreneur could change your life. When you’re an entrepreneur, you choose your schedule, so you can pick the hours where you work the most efficiently. Are you a night owl? Start your own business, and you’ll be able to sleep as late as you want.   

You are the creator   

When you work for someone else, you follow their lead. You execute your job the way they want you to instead of how you feel best. For a lot of people, this suffocates their creativity. When you succeed as your own boss, you get to bring your vision to life.   

So, you get to control your profits, build your schedule, and escape the soul-sucking repetitiveness of a 9-5. 

What’s the downside?  Well, there’re a few.  

Disadvantages of Being An Entrepreneur  

You Lose The Security Of A Scheduled Paycheck   

The most significant disadvantage of being an entrepreneur is losing your steady paycheck.  You have to be a risk-taker to succeed. Entrepreneurship is a risky business, and you won’t have a safety net. If you aren’t willing to give up the guarantee that you’ll receive money at a specific time monthly, then being a full-time entrepreneur isn’t for you.  

Resilience is Key  

Succeeding as your own boss requires a lot of dedication. You’ll have to do a lot yourself, even the grunt work. Getting your business off the ground can be a struggle when you’re just starting out. You’ll have to: 

  • Establish Your Business 
  • Build A Loyal Customer Network 
  • Design A Website 
  • Build A Portfolio 
  • And More

You have to be willing to tough it out if you want your business to succeed.   

Everything Is Dependent On You  

Entrepreneurship is a thrilling experience, especially when everything is going well. 

The success of your business is entirely dependent on you. Work begins and ends when you want it to. Taking a sick day or going on a vacation means bringing everything to a halt. Hold yourself accountable to get your business off the ground. Procrastination can have devastating effects on your company’s productivity.   

Steps To Succeed As Your Own Boss  

Having weighed the pros and cons, is entrepreneurship for you? 

If you’re ready to boss up, here are some steps you need to take to succeed as your own boss.  

Develop Your Business Idea and Connect it to your Passion  

What type of business do you want to start? It is always easier to do what you love. 

If you already have a solid idea, great. If you don’t, no problem. You just need to do some research to help you develop the perfect idea to take the world by storm. This will require some soul searching.  

Idea And Market Evaluation   

Validating your business is the process of assessing if there’s a place for your business in the current market. You must analyze if your concept is viable and research the market you wish to join. So basically, ask yourself, can I do it? And if I did it, who would want it, who’s my customer?  

If it doesn’t currently exist on the market, you need to figure out why that is. It’s not uncommon for a fantastic-sounding idea to be implausible.   

Is your idea realistic, in-demand, and profitable? 

If yes, then you may just have the next big thing.   

Market Research  

Market research is the process of learning about your potential customers and competitors.   It helps: 

  • Define your customer personas, 
  • Define your target market, 
  • Understand the feasibility of your business. 

When you know your customer’s challenges, needs, and current solutions, you’ll know the best way to serve them. That enables you to optimize your product or service.  

Keep the Momentum Going  

Inspiration is easy in the beginning and keeping it going long-term is necessary in order to succeed. This is why it is so important to understand “why” you chose the business and how you anchored it into your vision. Make a vision board and place it where you can easily see and visualize your success!  

The Positive Change Group commits to helping business leaders and entrepreneurs like you to maximize their potential by teaching them to take a ‘wholistic’ approach. Our goal is to help you succeed on your own. For additional details on how to succeed in a new biz, and keeping the momentum going, check out our online course so you can learn more about how we can help you today! 

How Corporate Wellness Boosts Profits

business employees stretch break

What defines the success of your business? Is it profits, customer satisfaction, or impact on the community? The more you break it down, the more you realize all these factors have one thing in common. You can’t define your success without a happy workforce to make it happen.

Leave your workstation, and let’s go for a little retreat. It’s time to show you why corporate wellness is more important than you think!

What is Corporate Wellness?

To understand the benefits of a corporate wellness strategy, we must understand what it entails. Corporate Wellness is any activity or policy within the workplace that improves the health & wellness of employees. 

An effective wellness policy must encourage workers to adopt healthy habits, encourage teamwork and increase productivity without leading to burnout.

Why does corporate wellness matter?

Employees spend the majority of their lives at work. With more employees working from home than ever before, the work-life balance has shifted negatively towards a busier and more stressful lifestyle. 

High levels of inflation have also put a damper on our ability to reap the rewards of our hard work, while supply chains have crippled, making some sales targets hard to reach. This is the reality of many businesses today, but there are ways to help our treasured staff rise above the issues at hand.

Here are the Facts

  • For every dollar spent on wellness programs, workers spend less time absent and less money on healthcare. 1
  • Long working hours leads to an increased risk of heart disease 2
  • Stressed workers cost the US over 300 billion dollars every year 3

How to make your workplace fit for work?

An effective corporate wellness program can make a huge difference in your staff’s productivity and overall wellbeing. You may also notice a positive return on your investment as workers spend less time sick, less time exhausted and more time creating quality products and services.

Focus on Movement

One of the most popular corporate wellness techniques is to create an environment focused on the fitness of your staff. Establishing a gym at the office or incentivizing staff with a free gym membership may encourage them to stay on top of their game and keep healthy without breaking their pocket. Allow employees 15 minutes per day to take a walk as a health initiative.

Corporate entities may also offer cash incentives to employees that meet their personal fitness goals. This gives each worker a motivational boost, knowing that their company cares about their own wellness beyond the workplace.

Clear the Air

Smoking is one of the most lethal habits in workplace culture. Workers who smoke are more likely to spend more on health-related expenses and spend less time on the job. Heavy smokers may also have a lower life expectancy, which increases the turnover rate within the workforce in the worst way.

Smoke Cessation corporate wellness programs aim to reduce the number of employees who smoke through lifestyle coaching, special incentives for quitting, and medical support to keep them away from cigarettes. 

This simple strategy also boosts the public perception of your company as one that focuses on a healthy and happy workforce.

Team Sports

No need to wait for the next Olympics. You can host your own series of games from the comfort of your workplace. When workers are encouraged to take part in corporate wellness activities outside of the usual workflow, they may work better as a team, get a better understanding of their strengths and weaknesses and show more initiative.

This can be as simple as a paper toss challenge or complex as a multi-level tournament for a cash prize. Teamwork makes the dream work, after all.

Retreats

It’s easy to lose focus on what’s important when we’re always on the grind. One of the most effective corporate wellness programs is a timely company-sponsored retreat. Releasing your workforce from the usual hustle and bustle for a week and experiencing something new together can do wonders for staff morale. 

A well-planned retreat may also encourage new idea development, increasing the company’s offerings and boosting profits in the future.

Encourage Breaks

A burnt-out staff is never a good thing. It’s important to create an environment where workers feel comfortable moving at a pace that yields the best results. An effective corporate wellness program should encourage staff to take a breather every now and then, without worrying about the pause in productivity affecting their performance review. 

Some large-scale companies offer nap rooms where workers can take a moment to decompress before continuing with the day’s activities. Google famously has sleep pods across the campus for this very same reason.

Lunch Luxuries

Food is one of the greatest motivators in the world. A healthy, tasty, and filling lunch program can significantly reduce stress, improve the diet and incentivize the workplace.

Corporate wellness programs should focus on the dietary needs of their workers and encourage a healthier and happier lifestyle. Many tech companies offer free snacks, beverages, and even meals at any given time of the day. Some companies may even deliver healthy snacks directly to your office.

Wellness Works

It’s easy to build a corporate wellness program within your workplace. Work within your budget and start building today for a better, happier & healthier workplace tomorrow.

3 Must Do’s Before Starting Your Own Biz to Propel Your Success!

starting your own business

I have been an entrepreneur for most of my life. I have had the opportunity over the years to start and scale many businesses myself and coach hundreds of my clients on how to do the same. Over the years I have learnt so much on what it takes to be successful in business and how you can fast track your success by understanding how powerful of a creator you are. Looking back when I first started in business, I wish I had a better understanding of why these 3 strategies are so important before even starting. I am going to share with you the 3 things I wish I knew when I was starting my first business.

  1. Crystalize your Dream

Before starting your own business crystalize your idea, crystalize your intent. Like a foundation when you are building a house, it’s what keeps it solid and keeps you on track. The clearer you get the easier it gets. Clarity allows us to speed up how we manifest and create every day. For most people this is the hardest part because they don’t know what they want. You are worth spending time to get really clear on what you want. The following exercise will help you crystalize your dream.

Exercise:

  • Have a journal – call it your dream book or idea book. This is your safe place to do brain dumps on all your ideas. Get creative and dream big. Ask yourself and write down your answers to the following:
  • What I really want is . . . (Allow this to be something that you love to do and that does not feel like work because it makes you happy.)
  • My dream business is . . .
  • What does your dream business look like? (Size, number of employees, location, online or in person.)
  1. Define your ‘Why’

Part of the cement that is going to hold your business true and strong for the long run is understanding why you have decided to open a business. It’s an important step that you must go through mentally and emotionally to identify “Why I want this”, because when things get challenging, you want to have a solid footing reminding you why you are starting your own business

Exercise:

  • Dig deep, finding the emotional component gets you closer to your true why. Physically write down your reason. It’s also useful to know what this business will do for you. Be specific and describe how owning this business will make you feel once successful.
  • Take a look at what motivates you to start your own business. In fact, think about what you would be doing in a year from now, if you weren’t starting your business. What career would you be doing otherwise? Fast forward 10 years, and if you didn’t open your business for whatever reason, think about how your life looks like and how it feels?
  1. Align your mind and your heart for success

Now that you have identified your ‘why’ and understand your passion, you must get your mind onboard. Our minds and our beliefs can be our biggest passageway or obstacle to success. The key is to have your mind believe in your success as if it has already happened.

Exercise:

  • To get started, let yourself envision your future self as you manage a successful dream business. Envision that you have clients and that you are making money. Practice this imagery.
  • As you imagine your successful future self, write a paragraph from that place, describing your business. It will become the foundation for what you can tell a client “this is what I do”. The paragraph you write, must be written in the present tense. Do not use phrases such as “I hope to” or “I want to”. It is an affirmation in the present tense. This is part of the process in building and growing and creating the foundations for your business to come into fruition.
  • Have fun with it, be concise, clear, specific and be in the present tense.

In summary it is worth spending some time in the beginning to really crystalize your dream – get clear on what you want, identify your ‘why’ to keep you on track and motivated, and work on your mindset to align with your heart and believe in your success. This is where the true magic will happen!

Want to make the process of starting a business easy? Want to learn all the business fundamentals plus how to achieve a successful mindset to really propel your success?

We have made it simple and accessible for you to start. Join our on line program ‘Leap to Freedom’. It gives you 6 weeks of instructional videos, workbook exercises and downloads to help you navigate from conception to successful launch. It even includes meditations on how to remove money blocks and generate abundance. As a bonus your will get 2, 90-minute business strategy sessions with me to help you fast track success in your new business.

Julie Cass, founder of The Positive Change Group, shares valuable information across media platforms. She has appeared on Global TV, CHCH, and CP24 speaking on issues of physical and emotional health, relationship building, and women’s empowerment.

Julie is awaiting the release of her newly written book and is published in several magazines including Canadian Living and Canadian Business Journal covering topics of leadership and personal fulfillment. She has also made appearances on a variety of podcasts and engaged with audiences at numerous public speaking events.