By Guest Blogger Sandra Martini:
We hear about “lifestyle businesses” all the time. . .you know:
- taking exotic vacations 4-5 times a year
- plane full? No worries, you have interest in a private jet
- taking limos everywhere with the girls
Sounds like “the life” – unless that’s not the life you want.
I posted a piece on my blog last week outlining “7 Reasons Blueprints Don’t Work” in business and I could have listed several more.
What blueprint and “A to Z” business models miss is that fact that we’re all unique. My goals aren’t your goals, our values may be different, our version of “the dream life” may be polar opposites.
It doesn’t make yours right and mine wrong or vice versa. They’re just different.
I’ve designed – and keep refining – my business around my top values, the things which are important to me. And I feel it’s important for you to do the same, for you.
Last year, I helped my Mum move to South Carolina. I was supposed to be there 2-3 days. We had more settling in to do so I stayed a few days longer.
Then one of her “babies” (Mini, pictured above) got very ill. I stayed another week till she was out of danger.
All it took was a quick call to my hubby. My clients knew only because I posted things on social media and was running a 30-day Blog Challenge at the time.
That, for me, is an important part of my lifestyle business.
What’s your definition?
Once you know your definition, it’s time to design – yep, actively be involved in creating rather than “letting it happen” – your business so you can support your desired life:
- Imagine being 100 years old, which memories make you smile the most?
- You’re pleased that you’ve made a substantive impact on the world – how’d you do that?
- When you think about the people you’ve worked with over the years, you absolutely glow – what were they like?
- Money’s not an issue for you, hasn’t been for several decades – why? How did you create it?
- In fact, you don’t feel like you ever really had a *job* to retire from. How did you fill your most productive years (aka “What did you do?”)?
In designing your business, these are the questions we’ll be asking. Everything you do should contribute to your goals for the above while supporting your values.
I’d love to hear your thoughts below about what constitutes your ideal lifestyle business.
About the Author:
Sandra Martini (www.SandraMartini.com), creator of Escalator Marketing™ and her proprietary Escalator Profits™ System, is a strategic marketing and productivity mentor who shows creative heart-based entrepreneurs how to create sustainable businesses without losing their integrity or their minds.
If you’re interested in reading my blog on why blueprints don’t work – click here: “7 Reasons Blueprints Don’t Work” .
