We said we were going to do this one DaM thing at a time. So where do we start?
Keeping it simple, of course.
The very first thing is to know what you want to do.
You want to build a DaM good business? A successful business? Great.
This then means we can say there are two (very simple) steps to achieving success:
Set yourself a business goal of having a successful business.
Achieve it.
Ta dah!
Oh wait, you want to know more? Ah well, OK then, keep reading.
But just because it's simple, doesn't mean it is easy. Every goal needs a plan. But that's OK.
You see, there is lots of guidance available on achieving goals - making plans, tracking progress. And even guidance on setting 'SMART' goals.
But they're missing one crucial point, right at the very beginning.
Accurately defining what you want - i.e. picking the right goal.
Let me give you a non-business example to start with:
A lot of people will say they want "to lose weight". WAIT. I hear you. I know that's not a 'SMART' goal.
OK, so let's imagine they say they want: "to lose 10% of their bodyweight (specific and measurable) in 6 months" (Achievable, Relevant and Time bound).
We have a SMART goal!
So then we need to find a way to do this.
My experience of the human brain is that we tend to look for the easiest, least painful way to achieve goals. Instant gratification? Sign me up!
Now there is one super easy way to do this, that requires zero change to your day to day routine, and just one, simple action. You interested?
Awesome.
I just need to cut off your leg. Just above the knee, like, tomorrow?
Ta dah! Goal achieved! You will have lost about 10% of your body weight, almost instantly! Woop!
At this point, I’m sure you’re thinking - this is RIDICULOUS. It is. And it’s kind of meant to be. You see, the problem here isn’t just the method - because ultimately it achieves the goal.
There are two problems.
It’s not a sustainable course of action to achieve a goal (I mean, you can only make this work like, twice?), and the goal itself wasn’t accurately defined in line with what was the actual desired outcome. THE GOAL WAS WRONG.
What this means is that in business, most people use the wrong metrics to define success.
They say, "I want to make money" or "I want a six-figure business"
What they actually mean is "I want a successful business that will sustain me / my family / allow me to retire etc etc"
And so they don't actually want to make money - they want to build a sustainable, profitable business.
Profit is not the same as money and "Six figures" is not a good goal for success. (I go into more detail on this in my free workbook available to those who are members of the DaM Good Business Club)
So why do so many people get it so wrong?
Fear.
The challenge is that many people are scared of numbers. Of accounting.
And that makes me sad.
The financial 'fear' means many business owners have a mind blank (or block) when it comes to the numbers. They don't want to engage with the numbers because accounting is maths right? And #maths is scary.
And so business finances and accounting is grossly misunderstood, with no one really wanting to engage in the numbers or being willing to try to learn because some douche teacher probably made them feel bad in secondary school.
But that's about to change. I'm going to help you to gain financial clarity and confidence in your business and its finances, so that you can understand your business, make better decisions, and build a better business, one DaM thing at a time.
What's coming up first? Exactly WHY accounting is going to change your business mindset, and then your business life.
You're welcome :)
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