EPISODE 02

Discovering who you are in business

What if I told you that, underneath it all, the success and impact you have in business is directly connected to how well you know yourself?

This is something I work on with both beginners in business and more experienced entrepreneurs because self clarity is so foundational to creating an effective business, brand and marketing strategy!

Tune in and start your journey to discover who you are in business.

show transcript

Hey, friends. Welcome back to the show. And today, I wanna ask you a question. Who are you in business? And I want you to keep thinking about that question as you listen to this episode.

Who are you? Because when you own a service based business, people are buying not only the results and the transformation you’re selling, but also an experience with you. So what if I told you underneath it all, the success and impact you have in business is directly connected to how well you know yourself. If you’re struggling with questions like, how do I stand out in a crowded market, or how do I figure out what services to offer? Or what social media platform should I focus on?

Well, it all starts with self reflection, self clarity, if you will. This is something I work on with both beginners in business and more experienced entrepreneurs because it is so foundational to creating an effective business, brand, and marketing strategy. You know, I recently saw the movie The Whale, and I was so pleased to see Brendan Fraser win the Oscar for it. It was so layered, so captivating, and thought provoking. And don’t worry if you haven’t seen it yet.

I won’t give too much away. But it’s about an English teacher who is struggling with obesity and trying to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter. And I know the film has sparked a heated debate around its portrayal of obesity, but the core theme of the film, it’s really about honesty. And at one point, the teacher gets really irritated with the generic essays his students are writing, and he tells them, hey. Look.

Forget the assignment. Forget what you think I want you to write, and just write me something honest. And when it comes to his daughter, he tells his daughter repeatedly how amazing she is because he sees the truth of who she really is, even though she doesn’t recognize her own talents and uniqueness and value. And no, it it’s hard for us to see our own unique value, isn’t it? Our own special gifts, the things that we do well almost effortlessly.

So I’d encourage you to ask a few people who know you well what they think your superpower is. Everyone has one. Look back at the feedback and testimonials you’ve received in your business. What do people see in you and value most about you? For one of my clients who provides creative services, we looked back at her testimonials, and one of her clients said, and I quote, that she was the perfect blend of intuitive BFF and tech nerd.

BFF, by the way, stands for best friends forever. And we saw a very clear pattern in what people said about her, that she finds this balance between the emotional and the practical using a unique blend of right and left brain genius that she applies to her work. So when it came time to update her website copy, we knew that this was one of the key concepts to emphasize. But back to that scene from The Whale where the teacher begs his students to write something honest. Figuring out who you are in business, it really requires you to get honest and get real with yourself.

What you’re amazing at, what you’re not so amazing at, what you believe, your your real and honest opinions and point of view related to what you do, your goals and vision, your personality, style, and approach. But it’s difficult to figure out because like a foggy morning here in Amsterdam, there are some thick clouds that get in the way of us discovering who we really are. Actually, four things, specifically. Number 1, looking around more than looking within. What do I mean by this?

Looking around at our competitors and copying their words, messaging, opinions, style, vibe, whatever, etcetera. Right? Trust me, though. The real you is far more interesting than a carbon copy of another coach, consultant, or service provider. Even if you don’t think you fit the mold of what you think is the right way to be, act, look, whatever.

One time, I had someone in my network tell me, and I forget the exact words she used, but she told me that she really preferred my quiet, laid back style of speaking and leadership far more than another coach in our space. And I have to admit, when I heard that, it really solidified my confidence in my natural style, and I let go of that ideal image I had in my head about what a business coach should be like. I know now that for some people, I am a perfect fit, and I don’t have to try to be something I’m not, which honestly is exhausting and unsustainable anyway. Now the second cloud that fogs up our vision when trying to gain clarity on who we are in business is fear of judgment. Now for be for beginners in business, this shows up as feeling afraid to fully step into that new identity and call yourself a business owner, a CEO, a coach or whatever the right title may be.

For more experienced entrepreneurs, it shows up as feeling afraid to get stronger and more bold in your messaging or positioning or in in talking about your authentic values or point of view. Any of that sound familiar? You know, we’re, we’re afraid often to fully revere reveal ourselves because, we worry. Like, what what are my family and friends gonna think? Will people judge my point of view or think it’s wrong or think it’s weird?

By the way, spoiler alert. Yes. Some people will, and some people will judge you. But think about all the great people, past and present, who dared to be bold or be different or just stand tall in their ideas. It really does come with the territory, but try to feel safe in knowing that for your perfect fit clients out there who are struggling with the problem you address, your message is exactly what they need to hear.

The third thing that gets in the way of knowing and owning who you are in business is the multipassionate trap. Now, this one’s for you if you have multiple passions, skills, ideas, and experience, and you’re asking yourself, how can I blend all this into one business? And I gotta be honest with you here. I think that question is flawed because the goal shouldn’t be trying to present a complete picture of everything you’ve ever done and can do of every passing interest and idea you have. I’ve seen blogs like this, by the way, where it’s completely random and all over the place.

If you wanna have a blog or Instagram page like that just for fun, go for it. But in business, you need it to be more focused. Otherwise, you’re just feeding your ego, creating confusion, diluting your message, and ultimately limiting your ability to have impact. Actually, I could do an entire episode on that topic and probably will. But for now, think about which topic or service you are most passionate about and naturally skilled at, And which aspect or area would you want to intentionally build your reputation around?

One of my past clients was a career coach, and her positioning was very broad and generic when she came to me. Her messaging was like, hey. Looking for a job? I can help you with that. But that didn’t represent the truth of who she is as a career coach at all.

Her process is very deep, comprehensive, and insightful. And we identified 3 very specific ideal client types that are a perfect fit for her personality and style of coaching. And we also realized her shorter coaching packages didn’t make sense. So this is a great example of how knowing who you are helps you make the right business decisions and stand out more. The 4th cloud that fogs up our vision when trying to gain clarity on who we are in business is just the general noise of our daily life and digital life.

All that noise and chaos prevents us from hearing the answers inside of us. That’s why people always get ideas in the shower because it’s one of the rare moments in our modern lives where we actually create mental space for ourselves. Earlier, I mentioned a common question people struggle with, and that is which social media platform should I focus on? Well, one way to answer that is, which platform brings out your unique way of expressing yourself? Right?

Which one really actually feels like you? Which one is the one where you feel like you can personally shine? Now on another topic, are any of you watching that Netflix show right now next in fashion? I’m not really into fashion, but I guess I enjoy watching the creative challenges and the process. And you know when the judges are advising the designers, they always say, we want to see you in the design.

Right? So that is your challenge as a business. Don’t just put a generic brand out there or copy people. Infuse who you are into it. Ask yourself, how can I lean into my natural qualities and point of view even more in the way I’m showing up online and in the way I’m serving clients?

Don’t be afraid of going to the edge with something. It could be the key to breaking through. As this episode comes to a close, remember the message of the movie The Whale. You are amazing, So go out there and create something that’s honest and true to yourself. Success will follow.

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