5 Foundations For Long Term Business Success
When I first started in business, I remember being so eager to grow as quickly as possible, that I left little thought for how sustainable my strategy was (if I could even say I had one!)
This meant I went around in circles following conflicting business advice found on Instagram, seeing some growth, but still always feeling pressured, overwhelmed or unsure where the next client was coming from. This only hindered my growth further.
Since then, I’ve found many ways to create a more sustainable version of success that actually feels aligned to me, my needs and my natural gifts.
In this article, I cover the five key foundations I’ve come to see as being integral to long-term success.
What we cover:
Get clear on your purpose
Know your values
Simplify the structure of your offerings
Have goals that are purely within your control
Cultivate mindful rituals
01. Get clear on your purpose
Your brand purpose why your business exists beyond making money. It’s a deep calling you feel to make a positive impact through your busines
When we know our purpose, we open up stronger source of inspiration, creativity and motivation. This is the starting point to growing a fulfilling business that’s in it for the long run.
Think about what you’re passionate about. What difference do you want to see in the world and how does that overlap with your unique talents, knowledge and experience? For more guidance download the free Brand Purpose Workbook
02. Know your values
Your brand values are the key principles that are important to you in business. They guide how you operate and what you intentionally embody.
When we make decisions based on our own values (rather than what others are doing), the version of success we create is aligned to who we truly are. This makes it much more easy and joyful to continue showing up each day in our business.
Ask yourself what’s truly important to you? What do you want to embody? What do you want to see more of in culture? How can you put these values into place in your business?
03. Simplify the structure of your offerings
Your offerings are usually a service, experience or product.
By simplifying our offerings, we make our business smoother and more satisfying to run. Marketing becomes easier and our audience can more readily understand how we can help them. Offering less things really well is more powerful than lots of things not so well.
If your business is product based, think about what you would really love to create. Simplify your product ranges so that each one is clearly defined.
If your business is service based, consider what you would enjoy offering. How would you like to spend your days?
Also think about how each offering could feed into one another, starting with the smallest, and leading to the full package. This increases the likelihood of someone working with you, as you are opening the door for them at different stages of readiness.
04. Have goals that are purely within your control
These are goals that you can achieve, without relying on external people, situations or factors.
External goals such as how much we earn, or how much impact we have, are still an important part of business. However when we have goals that are totally within our control, we take back our power and give ourselves the opportunity to feel fulfilled without relying on anyone else.
This creates both joy and momentum, key aspects of long-term success.
Ask yourself, what do I want my workdays to look like? How would I like to feel day to day? What would I like to create? What values would I like to embody? What tangible actions could I do that would tell me I’ve had a successful work day/week/month? Or perhaps, what would I like to learn? What new skills would I like to develop?
05. Cultivate mindful rituals
This means creating a routine where you regularly check in with where you are at, in yourself and business.
Mindfulness is awareness. As we become self-aware, we open up space for our own inner guide to lead us on the right path.
We cultivate an inner authority that cancels out all the outside noise, such as opinions, Instagram advice or adverts. This inner authority helps us make aligned decisions, so we don’t end up wasting time on things we later realise were never actually right for our business.
Experiment with creating a routine practice that is attainable. It could be daily, weekly, biweekly or monthly. Remove distractions, light a candle and do some deep reflection on how things are going. You can use these free 5 minute journaling sheets to get started. Download here.
If you are an action-based, over achiever type person, your mind might tell you this is unimportant or you don’t have time. Don’t listen! A little bit of mindful reflection can save you massive time in the long run, as it helps you create a version of success that truly makes you happy.
Closing thoughts
I believe we are worthy of having businesses that feel good for us. Our businesses are a place of home, expression, creativity and joy.
If you want to create this kind of success for yourself, I invite you slow down, close your ears to the noise, and connect to your inner authority to start taking steps towards a more long-term, fulfilling success.
Kat x
