#TLDR

Simon Trevarthen, Founder and Chief Inspiration Officer of Elevate Your Greatness, tells us that wellpreneurs can find their niche by studying their competitors, and that they can reach their full potential by focusing on the 1% improvement they can make to their business every single day.

We interviewed Simon Trevarthen, Founder and Chief Inspiration Officer of Elevate Your Greatness. Simon dedicates his life to helping entrepreneurs ignite their passion so they can reach their FULL potential. Here's what he's got to say about how entrepreneurs can stop second-guessing themselves so they can build their dream business.

As entrepreneurs, it can feel like we're taking advice from a million people at once. When there are so many different ways to skin a cat (I mean, run a business), it can feel like entrepreneurial whip lash.

When there's a million paths to take, how do you know if you're on the right path for YOU? It's time to get clear about one thing, entrepreneurs! Nobody knows everything when they're just starting out, and that's okay.

Problem #1: You don't know which niche to choose.

Maybe you know the options out there, but you don't feel "ON FIRE" when it comes to any particular one of them.

Or maybe you've already committed to a niche, but you constantly battle insecurities about not loving it enough, or not being sure about your skills in that realm.

"Rarely do you find a eureka moment," says Simon, "I think the key when finding your purpose is that it's more like a camera lens coming into focus."

Most of the time, your purpose unfolds unglamorously, quietly, slowly.

But even if you know what your purpose is, how do you actually build it into a business? How do you know it's something people will actually want to buy?

"All businesses do one thing -- bring value to the marketplace," says Simon, "What is the potential growth of your particular market segment and market size? How many people are willing to purchase within that niche?"

Time to do some research, rockstars!

Instead of focusing on what you want to SELL, discover what people want to BUY.

"Often, people come up with what they believe is their purpose," says Simon, "What they're going to bring to the marketplace, and they realize it's not actually what people want."

The Solution: Find out who your competitors are and  how much money they make.

Time to do some espionage.

You might think that having competitors is a bad thing, but really it means that the market is thriving. So if you're not sure if your idea will stick, here's what to do:

Take stock of how many competitors are out there that focus on your chosen niche.

This can be done with a simple Google search. Find your competitors. Sign up for their email lists. Figure out how much they're able to charge for their services. Get a sense for how many clients they have.

Determine if the market is growing or static.

If other people are demanding high prices and attracting customers in that niche, then chances are, that niche is healthy and sustainable.

This doesn't mean we're copying others -- it means we're making sure we're selling something people actually want to buy! This way, you can sell your services with confidence, knowing that there's a market for your skills, that people ACTUALLY need your help, and that they're willing to pay premium prices for your highly sought-after skills.

Score.

Problem #2: You're not sure what you bring to the table compared to your competitors.

You sniffed out your competitors and now you're feeling a little insecure.

How do you know what value you bring that they don't?

"The fundamental question is, 'does this approach fit who I am?", asks Simon, "The reality is that every cell in your body changes every seven years -- does who you want to be and who you want to present yourself as actually meet the needs of who you are today? One question I often ask my clients is, 'What do you uniquely give?'"

Crack open your notebook and muse on this for a few minutes.

If you're clear on what you give others, you can be clear on the value you're actually bringing to the table.

The Solution: Focus on the 1% improvement you can make to your business today.

Simon says, "What is a 1% improvement you can make to your business every day? Every day, just 1%. The accumulation of those marginal gains can actually revolutionize how you deliver value to the market and deliver exceptional quality to your customers."

In other words, keep your eyes on your own page, and keep rocking your unique brand of awesome.

You might be surprised how your clients perceive your strengths compared to your competitors. Trust in this.

"What I often say to clients is that the difference between average and exceptional, truly great organizations is often 2%. Just 2%! For instance, I do some work with a luxury hotel chain and they thought that customer service was based all on things like concierge, room service, all these things. And when they actually asked the customers 'what makes us special?' it was that this particular hotel brand allows you to choose your own pillow."

He continues, "It's that small little touch that sets you apart from your peers. So when you're thinking about your business and that 2%, it's not that you're offering a wildly different product. It's that little bit of sugar coating that gives it something special. Your clients will recognize this."

Problem #3: Business growth feels sluggish, and you don't know which next steps to take.

When most of us think about growth, we think about goals. Goals are great! But when we feel stalled in growth, it's not necessarily for a lack of goals, but for a surplus of fear.

"I often ask people to think about what their fears are," says Simon, "People often have wonderful goals, which are all positive, but they must ask themselves, 'what are my underlying fears?' Our fears are mostly past experiences imposing themselves on the present. Somebody else said you couldn't do it before. Therefore, you've hung onto that belief."

Acknowledging your fears is the first step in working past them, so you can get out of your own way and allow yourself to grow into your full potential.

"What are your fears and how do they present when it comes to new clients, talking in front of new clients? It could be those fears that have huge impacts in terms of your business," Says Simon.

Simon also reminds us, "Progress is more important than perfection."

The Solution: Expose yourself to your fears more and more over time.

First, learn the basics of what you're afraid of. If you're not sure how to tackle something, it might seem scarier to dive in. Do everything you can to learn how to master that which you are afraid of.

But if you know the ins and outs of something and you're STILL freaked out? The only way out is through.

"I used to be horribly claustrophobic," Simon says, "So I set myself 20 steps of the most craziest, stupidest things. Number two on the list was going to a concert, you're all together and squeeze together. After that, I had a new template of understanding of what I could do. So I went to number four on the list, which was, you know, going into really packed elevators all the way up. I think number 10 on my list or 11 I went great white shark diving in cages."

"Once I'd done that, I then said, well I can do caving, which is climbing underground. I was lubricated in my own sweat, but after about step 15, I was no longer claustrophobic. I had addressed that fear in a positive way, and it affected other aspects of my business and my work. If I could do that, what else could I do?"

"Fears will corrode and contaminate your dreams. You have to look for what you give and what you want to be as a leader. Think about what you want to overcome in terms of those fears."

From Baby Steps to Big Results for Health Coaches, Nutritionists, Dietitians, and other Wellpreneurs

As entrepreneurs, it can feel like we're driving through a foggy night. We can't always see what's ahead, but if we drive with intention and focus, we won't drive off a cliff. Probably. ;)

We at Meal Garden are here to support you in your entrepreneurial aspirations! Become a member of Meal Garden today and personalize your own web portal, so you can easily gather and share personalized meal plans with clients, track their progress, and keep those lines of communication open. It's free to join, so what are you waiting for? Click this link to get started!

mindfulness, inspiration, Getting Started, growing your business

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