The road from a broke owner to successful entrepreneur has been a long, tough climb.
I learned things the hard way. I thought, “I’ll just figure it out” and that cost me YEARS of my life, hundreds of thousands of dollars, and more sleep than I’ll ever make up in my lifetime.
Worst of all, I was starting to lose my passion for it when I finally got a business mentor.
That’s one of the reasons we mentor gyms now: to vault them over ALL of that.
But hard lessons are valuable, too.
Here are some I’ve learned:
1. “Heartily know, when demigods go, the gods arrive.” – Emerson.
People leave your gym (or life) for a reason. Usually it’s to make way for better people.
2. “You wouldn’t worry so much about what others think of you if you realized how seldom they do.”– Eleanor Roosevelt.
Seriously, you’re the only one worrying about your programming and most of the “box drama”. Your clients have lives outside the box.
3. “They’re not your friends.” – Big Nick
Your clients are your clients. They pay you money in exchange for service. Your friends do not. It’s black and white, not gray. You don’t do discounts for friends, or “cut them a deal.” If they ask, they’re not your friends.
4. “How will this affect your best clients?” – Mike Michalowicz
It’s very tempting, sometimes, to make an exception to get the sale. When a big company asks for a corporate discount, ask yourself if it’s fair for your new clients to pay less than your amazing existing clients.
5. “You can always afford to be generous.” – OK, that was me.
You don’t need money to help people. And you don’t need to give them money – or discounts – to help them, either.
This week, I showed my financial planner how to set up a free seminar. I showed my accountant how to build a Facebook ad for tax season, and told a group of 14 millionaires how to write a book. They don’t really need your money; they need your brain.
When you have to fire a client; when a coach sleeps with another coach; when you have a bad day, think on these 5 mantras.
I’ve leaned on them hundreds of times; they can bear your weight, too.
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