Mindset is everything. Whether you’re working toward a degree or starting a new hobby, your mindset plays a huge role in your progress. Mindset also plays an important role when it comes to growing your business, and there’s research to back this up.
A study by Applied Psychology found that when it comes to a business, a positive mindset can have a beneficial impact on the performance of employees and the business at large.
It’s one thing to realize how crucial your mindset is to your business, but it’s more complicated to actually shift it to benefit you and your team. The first step is to take an honest look at what your mindset is and how it’s impacting your business.
Fortunately, there are some tell-tale signs of a mindset in need of transformation, and they’re not hard to identify if you know what to listen for. These signs are what I call mindset roadblocks, and they’re phrases many entrepreneurs use and think without realizing how detrimental they can be.
So, after working with thousands of business builders, employees and entrepreneurs, I’ve compiled three mindsets that can often turn into roadblocks for business growth. Let’s walk through ways to combat each one so you can start leveling up your business.
"Do I get a certificate?"
Ah, the elusive certificate — the glittering prize that seems to entice many. You see, in the wild world of business growth, asking, "Do I get a certificate for taking this course?" can be an indicator your mindset needs a shift.
Here's why:
- Certificates don't print money
First and foremost, let's address the elephant in the room. Certificates are nice, no doubt about it. They're like digital trophies that you can hang on your virtual wall, but here's the catch: Certificates, much like participation medals, don't directly translate into revenue
- A distraction from what matters most
Collecting certificates can give a false sense of progress. Don’t get me wrong — certifications can be a good thing, but when they become a top priority, they can take up valuable time and keep you from other important parts of your business. - The real currency: Effort, experience, knowledge
In the entrepreneurial world, the real currency isn't certificates; it's effort. It's the countless attempts, failures and successes to make your business flourish. It's about resilience in the face of challenges and unwavering determination to overcome them.
How to challenge this mindset
The first thing you’ll need to tackle is where this mindset is coming from. Conquer the Chaos, a new book by Clate Mask, CEO of Keap, provides a roadmap on how to do this by explaining the keys to a successful entrepreneurial mindset. Clate describes how one crucial part of developing this mindset is confronting the brutal facts head-on. This step is one every small business owner needs to take, and it entails looking at your habits to see if there’s anything you need to change.
If you find yourself prioritizing certificates over all else, part of confronting the brutal facts will be reexamining your learning motives. If you’re only seeking knowledge that provides a certificate, you’re missing out on invaluable courses and training that could be just what your business, clients and team need. Instead of asking, “Will this give me a certificate?”, start training your mind to ask “Will this course provide value and insight I need to grow my business?” As you implement and act on this mindset, you’ll put your business first and discover relevant learning opportunities.
A tactic to try instead
At Keap, we offer lots of learning resources, including courses, webinars, events and more. Not all of these things offer a certificate for business automation and small business CRM software that you can add to your collection. However, they do provide expert strategies to help you get the most out of the software and insight you can pass on to clients.
After shifting your mindset away from certifications, you’ll want to take action to really break the habit. Start by taking inventory of the software you use, then see what trainings or support they offer and dive in. This is a great way to build a healthy habit of learning that will snowball throughout your entire business.
Certificates may look pretty on the wall, but the real beauty lies in building something extraordinary. So, roll up your sleeves, ask the right questions, and let your hard work be your most prized certificate.
"If we get this tool, it will solve all our problems"
In today's digital age, small business owners are bombarded with enticing offers promising quick success. From flashy marketing tools to trendy productivity apps, it's easy to fall into the trap of thinking these tools alone can transform your business. That’s why the next mindset roadblock is the fascination with instant software solutions.
The instant gratification illusion
Many entrepreneurs, especially those just starting, seek shortcuts to success. They invest in the latest software or attend webinars that promise miraculous results overnight. However, this mindset often overlooks the essence of business growth: patience, persistence, and strategic planning. While having the right tools is critical to success, relying solely on instant solutions can lead to unrealistic expectations and a shallow understanding of your business, hindering its long-term potential and leading to discouragement.
Remedies
If you’ve fallen victim to this mindset, you’re not alone. Growing a business is hard work, and it can be tempting to jump at every new software option, hoping for an overnight fix. To remedy this habit, start by remembering that while some software platforms are incredible assets and can help your team in countless ways, they’re not a one-stop shop or instant solution.
Instead, success in the business world is built on a strong foundation of core principles:
- Understanding your target audience
- Delivering exceptional value
- Building relationships
- Adapting to market demands
Tools can aid these processes, but they can never replace the need for a deep understanding of your business and its market. So, before diving head first into new software, intentionally remember and prioritize these fundamental principles. Not only will this help keep you from unrealistic expectations of software, but it will also enable you to use tools more effectively.
For example, Keap offers opportunities to help you build your personalized sales pipeline, identify your goals, develop growth strategies and more. Once you feel confident in these things, our business automation and small business CRM software can help you bring your sales funnel to life, automate each step of it (as well as repetitive admin tasks), and track your progress toward your goals. This is just one example of when you take the process of building the foundation seriously, you set yourself up for success with the software you choose to use.
Pro tip
Truly effective software options will have a learning curve. This is a necessary part of finding a platform that will actually do what it promises — so lean into it, and look for software that offers onboarding and coaching from experts.
"Yes, I can do it"
Ambition is a driving force behind every successful entrepreneur. It pushes individuals to dream big, set audacious goals and constantly strive for more. While ambition can be a powerful catalyst for growth, it can also become a double-edged sword when not tempered with practicality. Stretching yourself too thin in pursuit of grand ambitions is a warning sign that your mindset needs a bit of fine-tuning.
The allure and consequences of infinite opportunities
In today's interconnected world, opportunities abound. Entrepreneurs are often presented with a myriad of possibilities — new markets to explore, collaborations to engage in and ventures to undertake. Seizing opportunities is crucial for growth, but at the same time, juggling multiple ventures simultaneously can lead to:
- Overextension
- Diluted focus
- Drained resources.
Not to be the bearer of bad news, but the consequences don’t end there. When a small business owner (and in turn, their team) overextends themselves, it can also lead to a decline in the quality of products or services. For a business that’s stretched thin, delivering excellence becomes challenging. Customer satisfaction may dwindle, and reputation, once tarnished, is challenging to restore. Moreover, overextension can strain the financial health of a business, hindering its ability to sustain operations, invest in innovation, or weather unexpected challenges.
Despite these negative effects, hope is not lost. There are ways to set your business up for success simply by shifting the way you think and what opportunities you say yes to.
The Art of Strategic Decision-Making
There are two essential steps you can easily employ any time you feel yourself slipping into this overextended mindset.
- Change the way you evaluate opportunities. Become more critical whenever an opportunity crosses your desk. This is what Clate Mask describes in Conquer the Chaos as “entrepreneurial independence,” and it involves determining what advice and opportunities to follow and when to stay in your lane.
Instead of jumping at every chance that comes your way, take some time to look at it through the lens of your business's core strengths, long-term goals and available resources. Some questions you can ask yourself include: Can I afford to go through with the opportunity? Will it benefit my team? Does it align with my business’s niche? Will it help me accomplish any goals? - Employ software to get your time back. When great opportunities arise for your team, you’ll want to make sure you have the time to take them while still accomplishing your essential business tasks. This is where software can help. For starters, a CRM for small business can capture your leads, as well as organize, segment and store every contact you have. Then, business automation software can automate repetitive tasks so your team won’t have to worry about them, such as marketing emails and texts, invoicing and payment processing, referral requests, quotes, appointment scheduling and more. Automating your business can give you and your team time back so you can focus on other business initiatives, including saying yes to more relevant opportunities.
Start developing a mindset of success today
Changing your mindset, just like growing your business, won’t happen overnight. That’s why it’s important to be patient, give yourself grace and take small steps every day toward growth.
