The Seasons of Business.
— todays mantra — STOP second guessing your worth & what you provide to your clients.
There is a natural ebb & flow in business. When business is “slow” we have two responses: We can take it as a blessing to look for opportunities of IMPROVEMENT. We can REST. What you should not do is begin to question your worth, your progress!
Natural Seasons. In the same way that we have 4 seasons, our business has the same. Take advantage of the change in rhythm during each season.
When was the last time you updated your business plan?
Do you have a business plan?
What season is your business currently in?
What is currently bringing energy, what needs adjusting, what do you need to let go?
The 4 Seasons of Business:
Spring is about potential and possibility. Spring is called the season of "birth" because this is when you make new business plans, develop your marketing strategy, and establish relationships in your community. If you're in this season of your business, you'll be full of energy and ideas.
As the summer season comes around, the seeds you’ve planted in spring start to blossom. This is the time to nurture and tend to your growth. We have to make sure that what we've put into place in spring continues to grow. Like a garden, it may be time to remove the weeds to ensure that your garden can flourish. Keep watering and nurturing the seeds that you've planted so that they continue to thrive. A lot of this is reflected in the summer season of your business. If you're in a summer phase, you have to pay close attention to your operations to keep your business growing. You have to nurture your projects, continue to promote your services, tend to your relationships, and make new connections in your community. If you're in this stage of your business, all that creativity and energy of spring will have calmed down, but you must get your projects closer to completion.
The fall season is when our business becomes mature. Fall is the season of harvest, but only if you've put in the work in spring and summer. The same is true in your business. After consistently tending to your garden, you'll eventually see the results. This is the time that you reap the rewards of what you've planted in the previous seasons. That reward may mean landing that client that you love working with or that new skill is starting to feel more natural.
The winter season is the time for you to recover from the busy months of spring and summer. If you've ever experienced a true winter you know that there's absolutely nothing you can do for your garden outside. Winter has been called the season of rest. If you're in the winter season of your business, you'll be in a phase of slowing down and taking a rest. Taking rest could be something that you want or has been forced upon you. One reason could be that your clients dwindle. Maybe you introduce a new service deliverable but no one purchases it. Perhaps you no longer have the same energy and drive that you had during the spring and summer seasons. If you're in this season, remember to make time to reflect. Ask yourself whether what you're offering works or not and where you want to take your business once spring comes. Whether you want to be in the winter season or not consider all the business aspects that you may need to change or need to let go. —
These seasons of business do not always match the natural seasons around us. They may not match your community, or those around you. Whatever season you are in, it’s for you. If it feels like your peers are always in fall ( new bookings, reaping their work) or spring ( full of new ideas and projects) do not compare! I promise you, they have their seasons too.
