In today’s episode, I’m chatting with Janet Sawatsky, who is a repeat guest! Her first episode was very popular among our listeners, thanks to our honest and open conversation. She was a bit nervous after the conversation for being so raw, but it was actually really helpful for her, and she’s experienced a lot of growth. She’s back today to update us so we can look at the human side of growth.
How To Measure Success
Janet defines success as having a sense of calm in her business, family, and life. She wants to allow her central nervous system to remain calm and feel good. It’s all about having a profitable business where she is able to help people move forward in their business. She also wants her family to feel she is present and participating in their lives. And she is hoping to even sneak in a vacation before her daughter starts kindergarten in the fall.
This is so relatable because I have two older children, and my daughter now recognizes that I’ve been available for her because I work from home. Quality time is important to her, and I love being able to be here for them. My husband’s business is growing quickly, but this is a challenge for our family because he is traveling.
Success for me is similar, I want a calm business and to be profitable at any revenue amount. With that definition, it provides some flexibility. Plenty of large businesses are bringing in millions of dollars in revenue, but they aren’t profitable. If I remain profitable regardless of the revenue amount, I can be a bit more flexible with my work.
So many online advertisements make it seem like you can start a business with little investment in time or finances. But in reality, there is a large learning curve. Both Janet and I are lucky enough to run businesses that enhance our lives because we are able to help other people become successful and use our expertise to build stronger foundations.
When starting a small business, it takes a while to figure out exactly what clients you want and not take on the wrong people for your values and boundaries. Once you get to that point, you’ll be better and more successful. You won’t be desperate for the sale, and that’s one of the biggest hurdles for sales. Building confidence takes time, so allow yourself that time and grace to feel the fear and disappointment because you’ll grow so much.
Practice for Success with the Right Mindset
EMS framework is one of the most helpful tools that Janet has found. It seems too easy at first. It stands for Energy, Mindset, and Strategy. I encourage you to do something for your energy and mindset before diving into business for the day. Take some space for yourself, and it sounds simple, but it’s definitely not easy. Janet has found herself worked up and stressed out many days, but once she dove into the EMS framework, she quickly figured out that it could make a big effort. She starts her days with yoga, walks, and hanging out with her dog instead of diving into the work. Now, she is able to be bold and put her best foot forward every day in her work. Sustainability is important. After the last three years, we can no longer deny that today’s landscape is different, with high-stress levels.
Janet thinks about her daughter whenever she thinks about what she’s doing. She wants her daughter to grow up confident and grounded. If she wants to take her daughter on trips and ensure there is food on the table, she needs to ensure that she has a good mix of joy and money. Many people in the world are less fortunate than ourselves, so it’s also important to share. She wants to be a leader, a giver, and treat others well.
Personal Development Leads to Business Success
Many of us are breaking a cycle from our ancestry or generational narrative. The personal development work I’ve been able to do to break these cycles has happened because I became a business owner. My path has been accelerated with my work since starting a business and making business decisions.
Joy and revenue can coexist. Being a business owner promotes so much personal growth and development. Working for a big corporation has its perks, but most challenges and development are very specific to the company. You just don’t have the same investment in a company that is owned by someone else. Once you have a business, you must take risks and learn more about yourself, or you won’t reach your full potential.
Janet’s Recent Business Wins
Janet has been participating in the Bold Profit Academy, so I wanted to know some of her biggest wins recently. One of the biggest wins for Janet has been the mindset shift. The focus and clarity to get her mindset right has helped her be incredibly clear about what work she will do and who she will help. It helps her be bold in her marketing. Plus, she feels like she’s found sustainability and structure in her business that makes it also easier to manage her home and family life.
In addition, Janet has been able to recognize which activities weren’t getting her any results and get that time back to focus on something more beneficial to her. She was always busy, but some work she was doing wasn’t important and should not have been her focus. It was hard to get out of that cycle, but by surrounding herself with experts, she was able to start to recognize it. People on the outside can see those things way clearer than those on the inside.
Janet looks back six months and can easily see the changes in her business. She’s been able to reassess some of the activities she does in her business and is engaging with people differently. She’s moving away from posting online and on social media because that’s not where her target audience was. Instead, she’s looking for businesses with specific target demographics that she is an expert at helping, and she is getting out in the local community networking and creating opt-ins for businesses to use her tools and connect with her.
Final Thoughts on Success Over Time
Every day is a learning opportunity. Janet has had some incredible takeaways from the Bold Profit Academy and continues to work on her personal development. She’s had to do a lot of work to get to the stage she is at now. Her final words of advice are simple. When you’re starting something new, give yourself some time to learn and give yourself some grace. Businesses take a long time to build and grow. You will need help from others. Figure out what you need to learn and invest in yourself.
Connect with Janet on LinkedIn or through her website, 7 Point Trends. If you are searching for some personal development opportunities, check out Bold Profit Academy and find out how we can work together to grow and shift mindsets.
