Wanna know a secret…I have yet to meet one person who loves to sit down and go through their business with a fine-tooth comb to find all the places they are messing up, ignoring, and/or leaving money on the table. Hell, it's what I do for a living and I still can't say I actually enjoy it, but…I do it.
I do it because I know the importance of seeking and collecting data. Data allows you to stop flying by the seat of your pants and instead make grown-ass woman moves. With data, you can exchange "guessing and hoping" for bold and decisive. Bold and decisive means you are confident in your next move. When you are confident in your next move, you show up differently. You show up with grit, tenacity, and a sense of belonging. When you are "guessing and hoping, you are inconsistent because you don't trust what you are doing. So then the question becomes HOW do I eliminate inconsistency from my life and business. My recommendation…SWOT it.
Yep, good old fashion pants suite, beige walls, stale coffee, corporate America SWOT. And because you may or may not know what SWOT stands for, I'm gonna break it down below:
1. S is for Strengths:
Start with the positives. Sit down and determine all the "well done" you accomplished within your business. Make a list of all the things that are going and/or went well within the last year.
2. W is for Weaknesses:
Now that you know what you did well, next attack the opposite with the same excitement. This should not make you feel bad, this is just uncovering your blind spots so you can keep improving. You cannot fix what you do not acknowledge.
3. O is for Opportunities:
The best place to determine your biggest opportunities is to look at some of the obstacles you have faced and/or will be facing in the near future. A simple shift in perspective will give you a solution and a solution means a product and/or service that someone will invest in.
4. T is for Threats:
Threats sound mean and dirty, but it's actually just another way of saying…" plan for the unexpected." In this category, you will need to visualize any and all scenarios that could cause you loss of people and/or profits. By getting them out of your head and onto paper you also eliminate the fear that resides unconsciously in your spirit.
Although I gave you the quick and dirty explanation of SWOT, this process should not be quick. In fact, before you even dive into attempting to SWOT, you will first need to make sure you have a framework to work from, or else you are going to feel like you are trying to eat an entire elephant. And if you don't have a framework, then add that to your Weaknesses list and begin developing one.
Rather you are starting, building, or elevating your business you need to dedicate time to develop a SWOT that you can create a strategy designed from data not "guessing and hoping."
WHO AM I?
I’m Kandis Troutman, The Creative Architect. I'm a mother, teacher, and spiritual seeker focused on purpose walking, and serving others. I help women activate their God-given power so they can transform their purpose into a prosperous business.
Thanks for reading my post. I try to publish new posts weekly, but I believe in leaving room for God, which means there are no guarantees. But check in often and let me know what content awakens your spirit and I’ll be more than happy to share my experiences.
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Don’t allow your life to become what you should have done or what you wish you could have accomplished. Instead, step into the greatness that is your destiny and start creating, building, and elevating the life of your dreams.
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