[FIRST NAME GOES HERE],

Very few "online gurus" are talking about how brutal it is out here in these streets.

But it is.

And as a business leader who ideally wants not only to stay in business but also to grow it, you need to be able to make hard decisions in a calm, cool, and collected way.

So today is a little less thought leader-y and a little more biz pep-talk-y.

You with me?

Let's do it.

Step 1: Assess what is working and what is not.

Before you do ANYTHING, ask yourself...

What's driving revenue (and really look under the hood, sometimes what you think is driving rev isn't what's driving rev)?

What is getting client results? Like, not what you think is nice for them to have, but what do they actually need to be successful? Look at what they are using and what they aren't using.

It's so important that you are being honest.

Like, try your best to put everything on the table and look at it objectively.

You have to be willing to look at all pieces of the puzzle and assess them honestly!

Step 2: Assess the most significant DRAIN on the business

Again, it's time to get down and dirty here with some real honesty.

What's draining your BUDGET and profits?

What's draining your mental capacity?

What's the stuff that keeps you up at night?

You must put these things on the table to ensure that you are actually solving the real problem at hand.

Step 3: Reset your vision

What do you actually want things to look like, and what are you willing to do to achieve the success you want.

What are you NOT willing to give up?

What are you willing to sacrifice?

What are the things you LOVE about your role/business, that you want to stay part of?

What are things that you KNOW you should be giving away, but haven't been able to give up doing yet?

Consider your season of life. Have things changed? What you needed before you had kids is different than what you need now that you have kids.

What you needed while your kids were in school is different now that they are being homeschooled?

Really get clear on what you want this next season to be. It's okay if it's totally different. Build something you will LOVE!

Step 4: Ask yourself, what does the business need?

This is the most critical question.

Once you are clear on what's working and what's not, and where you want to go... you have to ask yourself, what does the business need?

Not what do my current team members want.

Not what used to work.

BUT, what does the BUSINESS need to accomplish the new vision (which should include company growth, impact on clients, and your personal financial and life goals).

Make decisions from that place, NOT emotion. NOT trends. NOT people's opinions.

Take care of the business so it can take care of you, your team, and your clients in an honest, supportive way.

Step 5: Ask yourself, what is the ONE DOMINO that if I knock that down, everything else will fall in place!

Once you are clear on this, there is usually ONE thing that, if you accomplish it, it's like a domino that will start knocking other dominoes down.

Maybe it's getting your recurring revenue over expenses, so every month you start at profitability.

Maybe it's a specific hire.

Maybe it's a new offer you need to get out to the world.

Maybe it's shutting down an offer.

Maybe it's paying off a debt that's weighing heavily.

Whatever the domino - I want you to be OBSESSIVE about it until it's done.

Make a 30, 60, or 90-day sprint to make that one thing happen.

Say no to everything else.

Free up your time and your team's time to make it happen.

Be relentless about this ONE thing until it's done, so you can start moving down the list.

The truth is, most people are operating on old systems.

They are throwing more money or more people at problems that are not easily solved by more money or more people.

There will be a need to take courageous action.

To let clients know about changes. To let team members go. To commit to working harder than you have before to make something happen.

But, you'll be building towards a compelling vision, shifting to adapt to the market, and making moves to set yourself up for LONG TERM success.

Promise me...

No more panic pivoting.

No more hopping on some rando guru's "magic fix" train.

Dial in, get focused, find the RIGHT support, and execute, mmmkay?

I'll see you next week,

Danielle

This felt like a non-Giphy type of email, so here's one for my fans...(FYI, I am TOTES team TAY, but this just felt like the sentiment for today's email).

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