Building an Online Business with Integrity
As I drove home from Bible study, a deep realization washed over me. We had spent the evening getting deep into the raw, authentic honesty that challenges us to be transparent, not just with God, but with ourselves. It's a level of sincerity that goes beyond mere confession. It struck me then how this principle of unguarded truthfulness is not just a spiritual practice but a cornerstone of my own business success.
Building a business with integrity is about confronting our faults and failures head-on, refusing to mask them with pretense or denial. It's about embracing our mistakes as opportunities for growth and forging a path of a real, authentic connection with our clients. It's what held me back for a long time, I guess you could say, burying my head in the sand. Join me as I share the mistakes that held me back and the ultimate lessons learned from them.
Why it's essential to be honest with ourselves about our faults and failures
Honesty seems simple, right? We all want to live an honest life, don't we? My guess is that I'm not too far off since lesson three in Seeking Him by Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth and Tim Grissom discusses the need for God's help in this area. https://seekinghim.com/ I left questioning what areas in my life and business I may not share out of fear of judgment. Instead, I find myself so focused on the day-to-day that I forget to take an honest look back at my struggles. All those bumps in the road along my journey that allowed me to grow. I worried that if I shared, I would be frowned upon and not embraced. The LORD gave me those struggles to use in order to help others. When we take those mistakes and share them it allows us to build a business with integrity.
On the way home, my mind drifted off into the areas that I tend to sweep under the rug because I’m not proud of the struggle. Which is silly, because the five mistakes I’m sharing with you are so common. I am not a unicorn here. I know I came up with more than five, but these were the ones that I could get down on paper when I got home.
Mistake #1: Ignoring Your Gut Instinct
Not trusting or ignoring my gut instinct. In the early days of my entrepreneurial journey, I was caught in the tangled mess of decision-making. When you start out the decisions are endless, and going from an employee to a business owner. That was a struggle for me. There were times when something felt ‘off,' but I couldn't quite put my finger on what it was. My gut sent me warning signals, but I chose to ignore them, believing all the external advice should take precedence. But building a business with integrity means listening to that inner voice, even when it doesn't align with what you should be doing in order to be successful.
I remember going back and forth on what services to offer, and who I wanted to help. I found myself constantly chasing the next thing which would be the best offer. Not necessarily the offer that felt good to me, but the offer that would in the words of Tom Cruise “Show Me The Money”.
Did the numbers add up yes, they did! However, I did not love the work, and looking back I self-sabotaged my success because I did not truly feel I was building a business with integrity to what I wanted to do. I’m a business owner with certification after certification in order to find my thing. Listen to all the noise, instead of pausing and evaluating what brought me joy.
All the twists and turns have been hard and deflating, but it was also enlightening. A business with integrity is about more than just following trends or playing by the book. It's about aligning with your core values and trusting your intuition, even when it goes against the grain. All my failures have taught me the importance of being true to myself, my values, and my instincts.
Now, when faced with significant decisions, I pause and tune in to what my gut is telling me. It's not about disregarding logic or expert opinions; it's about finding a balance and honoring that inner wisdom that often knows best. This mindfulness practice has transformed my business approach, creating a sense of honesty and integrity that resonates with my clients.
In building a business with integrity, your gut instinct can be your most trusted advisor. It can guide you away from pitfalls and toward opportunities that truly align with who you are and what you believe in. You can ignore it at your own risk, or you can embrace it as a powerful tool on your journey to success.
Mistake #2: Overcomplicating Processes
Overthinking? Oh, I've been there, and it's a messy place to be, especially when it comes to running a business with integrity. I used to be the queen of overcomplicating things, especially in my content creation process. What should have been simple, repeatable steps turned into a lot of unnecessary steps that squashed my creativity. And let's be honest, for someone who in the past dreaded creating organic content for her website, this was pure torture.
I can still feel the overwhelming weight of those late nights in my office, the clock ticking away as I scrambled to write content for the next day. My kids were in bed, and there I was, frozen in front of my computer screen, trapped in a cycle of procrastination and panic. If you were to scroll through my earlier blog posts, the stress and rush were all too apparent.
But then, something clicked. I realized that running a business with integrity didn't mean making things harder for myself. I needed to simplify, to find a rhythm that allowed my creativity to flow. That's when I created a checklist, a straightforward guide I could follow each time I wrote content. It was like a breath of fresh air, a roadmap that turned what used to be an overwhelming task into a structured, enjoyable process. I’m a person that craves structure and routine. It drives my husband crazy!
The key was writing down all the actions I took as I went along, breaking them down into manageable, repeatable steps. It wasn't just about making things easier for me; it was about aligning my work with my values and my natural flow. Today, content creation is no longer a burden; it's an expression of my voice, my brand, and my commitment to a business with integrity.
If you find yourself lost in the maze of overcomplication, take a step back. Write down your process, simplify it, embrace it. In business and in life, simplicity often leads to honesty, efficiency, and joy.
Mistake #3: Letting Fear of Failure Hold You Back
Fear of failure is like a shadow that often follows us in our entrepreneurial journey. At the beginning of my business, back in 2016, fear of failure held me back from stepping into my purpose. It wasn't until 2020 that I started to shake off that fear, though I must confess the fear of rejection still sometimes lingers.
But here's what I've learned about running a business with integrity: Fear of failure is not about the failure itself; it's about how we perceive it. In my 2021 post “How to Overcome Failure in Your Business,” I explored this idea in depth. Albert Einstein said it best, “You never fail until you stop trying.” Failure isn't a dead-end; it's a redirection. It's a challenge to find a new path, to learn, to grow, to reevaluate. Proverb 16:9 NRSV reveals this wisdom: “A person’s heart plans his way, but the Lord determines his steps.”
In my NLP certification, I was taught that there is no failure, only feedback. When something doesn't go as planned, it's an invitation to step back, assess, and look for another way. I've had my moments of being a Negative Nancy, doubting myself, and feeling overwhelmed. But I learned to reframe the situation, focus on my desired outcome, stay committed, and simplify my approach. As I often remind myself, “That's not true.” I can find clarity, align my focus, and move forward with integrity and resilience.
Running a business with integrity means embracing failure as a teacher, a guide, a friend. It means staying in it for the long haul, honoring the promises we make to ourselves, and seeking support when needed. It means telling ourselves, “I am a person that finds a way, even when it is hard.”
If you're an entrepreneur struggling with fear of failure, know this: You have the strength, wisdom, and courage to overcome it. Trust in your journey, find your path, and embrace failure as a stepping stone towards success and fulfillment. Your business with integrity is worth every effort, every lesson, every leap of faith.
Mistake #4: Not Setting Clear Boundaries with Clients
In the early years of my business, I struggled to define the line between being accommodating and being walked over. It was a challenging transition from employee to business owner. I carried the habit of saying yes to everything from my previous work life into my entrepreneurial journey, and you can probably guess how that went.
The one incident that sticks out in my mind was a client who blew up my phone while I was at my uncle's funeral. Despite reminding them multiple times about my unavailability and sending a final email before leaving the house, the client's lack of respect for my boundaries was a wake-up call. It was a painful lesson but one that made me reevaluate my entire onboarding process.
Running a business with integrity means understanding the fine line between opening doors to wonderful opportunities and saying yes out of fear that nothing better will come along. Saying yes to an overbearing client without setting clear boundaries is like sending an invitation for disaster.
So what did I do? I took control of the situation and set up non-negotiable deal-breaker questions during our discovery call. These became my permission to say no when needed. I began sharing my business policies, or Welcome Kit, before the discovery call, so clients would know exactly how we worked, the perks of working with us, and how to get started.
I stopped saying yes out of fear and began to believe that every no leads to a better yes. Sometimes, you have to learn the hard way where to draw the line, but every challenge is an opportunity to grow.
As the saying goes, “Everything happens for a reason.” That incident, though painful at the time, led me to create a business that values not only the needs of the clients but my self-respect, time, and integrity. It taught me that setting clear boundaries is not just about protecting yourself; it's about creating a healthy, respectful, and thriving business relationship.
Now, I stand firm in my decisions, clear in my communication, and confident in my value. I know that every “no” is a step towards a “yes” that aligns with my vision, my integrity, and my purpose. And guess what? My business is all the better for it.
Mistake #5: Failing to Establish a Healthy Work-Life Balance
Pivoting from working outside the home with a full-time career into becoming a work-from-home entrepreneur to be present for your family is an exciting but challenging transition. If you've made this leap, you know that the journey can be filled with unexpected twists and turns, especially when it comes to achieving that elusive work-life balance.
Working with women entrepreneurs, specifically mothers, I've observed that they generally fall into one of two camps:
1. The Hustle Harder Camp:
This is where I found myself when I began my business. I was constantly creeping into my office at any free moment, driven by a mindset that I must hustle harder. The result? My work-life balance was entirely out of balance. Even though I was home every night with family, I wasn’t always present and full engaged with them.
Solution: Take conscious efforts to avoid the trap of hustling harder. Define your ‘why' – why you want to be present for your family and be an entrepreneur. Map out your dream week, planning it from the time you wake up to when you go to bed, incorporating both work and family time. Here's a link to my blog post on creating your dream week.
2. The Struggle Bus Camp:
This camp includes new entrepreneurs who struggle with time management and accountability when there's no set workday. Suddenly, you have all this freedom, and everything you've wanted to do is demanding attention.
Solution: Figure out your intentions and what you want from life as a work-from-home business owner. Be clear with yourself when you're in work mode and home mode by figuring out your time bank and time blocks. Set boundaries with your family so that everyone understands when you're “not home” even if physically present. Honor your commitments to your growing business and your family, being mindful of the balance between both.
Work-Life Balance Tips:
Finally, some tried-and-tested strategies have worked for me and my clients:
The Pomodoro Method: A fantastic way to tackle work and home to-do lists. Work for 25 minutes, then take a five-minute break to do quick household tasks.
Prepare the Night Before: Set yourself up for a stress-free morning by laying out clothes, preparing breakfast, and gathering everything you need for the next day.
Develop New Habits and Routines: As you become a work-from-home business owner, create routines that make your life smoother.
Self-Assessment: Regularly check in with yourself to discover where you feel out of balance.
Tools like my free resource, “Find Balance,” can help you identify areas to adjust.
By being aware of these pitfalls and actively working on solutions, you can avoid falling into the trap of an imbalanced life that might lead to burnout or family conflicts. Remember, your journey as a work-from-home business owner is unique, and creating a work-life balance that suits you is not just possible, but essential for long-term success.
Every transition is a learning opportunity. Embrace the challenges, learn from them, and most importantly, allow yourself the grace to find the balance that works best for you and your family. Trust me, it's a journey worth taking! 🏡💼💗
Time to Wrap This Up
Man, I’m a chatterbox this week, all this from one bible study. Building a business with integrity is a journey filled with opportunities and pitfalls. We've explored some key mistakes I’ve made along my business journey, such as not setting clear boundaries with clients, the importance of work-life balance, and the challenges of pivoting from traditional employment to entrepreneurship.
These mistakes, umm, I mean these insights, remind us that saying “no” can lead to a better “yes,” planning your dream week allows freedom and presence for your family and the power of intentional time management. As you navigate your path, you're not alone.
As always, I have a couple of mini-sessions available to book. But this week, I have an even more exciting announcement! Come October, we'll have an opening for a full-service, done-for-you client who's ready to create consistent content with ease. I'll be leading my team of Content VAs to make content creation as smooth and stress-free as possible. If you feel we would be a match made in heaven, I invite you to apply. Applications are now open.
Embrace the process, celebrate the growth, and believe that every “no” leads to a better “yes.” Here's to your continued success, friend! 🎉 Thank you so much for reading, I appreciate you and hope you have a wonderful week.
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