👇 Get connected with Kara and her business
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💡Some ‘A-ha’ moments from the podcast
Ideas are magical things that find you especially in your childhood. But it takes a few ‘aha’ moments and hearing it multiple times to realise that you have a business idea!
“My idea came to me in whispers as a little girl, when I imagined what it would be like to help lots of people at one time. The tangible parts, I had to be hit on the head with it…when I relocated back to Canada after working at a non-profit, I wanted to get back into law and be a Chief Mental Health Officer but the job did not exist…But they [the hiring firms] said that if you go away and do this on your own, we will hire you”
Get out of the programming of what defines a founder and CEO. Believe in yourself and be proud of the work that you are putting in
“I started this business because all these people told me I had a business…but I would describe it as a “cute referral business”. The first time I introduced myself as a CEO was not when I planned the business, I only felt comfortable taking on that title 18 months later…I was drinking the kool aid, and it is only now that I am absolutely unapologetic about my business.”
Find your PEOPLE - the enablers, supporters, and cheerleaders
“Every success you have is a function of relationships and people…Identify who are the people you can point to to help you score goals, who are the people who will support you, and who are the people who will rush around you and cheer you on when you score a goal”
Focus more on your PRODUCT vs the packaging / marketing (e.g. the perfect website), especially in the early stages
“When what you are doing adds value, the business finds you. So, focus on adding value. And build a business you want to run…if you want to build a business that involves travel, then figure out how to work from different officers. Be an expert on your business, not just in what you are delivering, but also in what you think it should be as a business”
The formula to sustainability changes over time depending on your situation. Make intentional choices and bring the right people in to help you
“Ruthless prioritisation…it is ruthless because it is hard. The balance of my business has changed over time. What helped me is finding someone (my husband) who believed in me and my business, and bring him in to help me. I cannot have it all, but in every moment, I make choices. If I am intentional, over time, I will be more often satisfied than not…that is as good as it can get”
💬 Kara’s advice to women who want to build businesses on their own terms
“Ask yourself what it would feel like if you actually believed that this would happen, and imagine your wildest most audacious dream. Then find that sensation as often as you can. Maybe it’s a song, exercise, and actually believing that it is going to happen”
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