valules

Tess Be Yourself

Sometimes it feels like there is an awful lot of pressure to do what everyone else is doing on social media. Whether it’s the latest dance trend, the latest audio gag reel, or some other thing, none of those things truly feels like YOU.
(Actually, I have a caveat … if doing all those things IS you, go for gold. Love your style!)

The problem is, for most of us, it’s just not. And what that often leads to is resistance to having an authentic presence online.
My business clients know that they *should* be online so clients, referrers, and future staff can get to know them, but they just shudder at the assumption it means jumping onto social media trends.
I’m here to tell you it ain’t necessarily so … in fact being just your plain old self is much more engaging!

So whether it’s telling stories about what you’re most passionate about in your work, or sharing a hobby, your garden, or your fur babies (yes please!) - it all tells us so much more about you and your personality, which is of course the personality behind your business. And that’s what the people really want - to get to know, like, and trust you - which makes it so much easier to choose you as the service that will best meet their needs.

So let yourself off the hook. And just be yourself.

At heart, all businesses run on the same fuel. Values.

Personal values feed a business's mission. Uncovering these values can help guide every decision we make, from revenue streams to fee structures, marketing to recruitment.

But what if there’s a clash between personal values and the needs of the business?

I see this when our “business hat” comes into conflict with our “caring hat”. I get it. It's hard to balance this sometimes.

Private practice owners are typically hard-working, compassionate and fair-minded. In fact, I’ve NEVER come across a business coaching client who wasn’t. But most reach a point where a vital business decision feels uncomfortable from a values perspective. Whether it’s increasing fees, letting staff go, or simply saying no.

As a business coach, I tend to ask why this decision makes you feel less like the good person you know yourself to be? I ask about your ideal solution. We dive into identifying barriers to achieving that and ways to overcome those barriers - all guided by your values.

It is possible to grow your business AND live within your values. It’s vital, in fact, if you want to survive the stress of business long-term. But that doesn’t mean it comes naturally, which is where engaging a business coach can help.

Business coaching isn’t just about you making more money (although, I’m all for that), or simply focussing on marketing (even though this is important too), it's often about the less tangible things. Like values.

Without understanding what drives us, what feels right in our bones, we risk flying blind. Grabbing random snippets of advice in FB groups, without knowing what will actually work for YOU.

"Daring leaders who live into their values are never silent about hard things" - Brene Brown