Be good at something.

You probably already are, which is why you have the dream to build a business around it. But declaring what you’re good at is an excellent first step. The trick is not to be shy or doubt yourself. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking you have to be a world-class expert in your field before you debut your dream. Believe that you’re good at anything you like doing. If you need support and direction, absolutely hire a coach. But also know that interest, enthusiasm and dedication go a long way, and that your unique spin on your idea is what makes it special, and all yours. Stake your claim.

Create content.

Your content can be anything you want it to be as long as it helps you build your brand. Again, don’t let a lack of confidence hold you back. If you’re not going to write because you’re worried you are not the BEST writer in the world, let me solve that for you – you aren’t. There, now that’s behind you so you can write to your heart’s content. No judgment, no comparison complex, nothing stopping you.

Sometimes you have to wait for the content to reveal itself to you and naturally unfold, and other times you have to really push yourself to produce the work. From time to time there will be resistance and that’s natural, it’s there for most creators.

When that happens, do whatever you need to do to find the time and make the space to create your content, and then put it out into the world with the full understanding that nothing is ever 100 percent perfect and that’s ok. Sometimes the victory of getting it done is all the fuel you need to move to the next level.

Look for ways to stretch and grow.

Picasso said, “Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working.” I have a client who started as a yoga teacher. As she honed her skill and developed her teaching practice, she became fascinated with shadow work and trauma responses in her students. She decided to become a licensed psychotherapist and from that, she created an enormously successful signature program around yoga and mental health.

 Another client of mine is a spiritual teacher who has guided many thousands of students around the world. Over the years as she dedicated herself to her calling, she realized she wanted to scale her teaching and reach even more people. So she started writing books. She tells me she just channels them, they literally pour through her onto the page. She’s published dozens of books and she didn’t start out to be a writer at all, but her work inspired her to grow in new, unexpected ways.  

Put the right people in the right jobs.

In success, you’ll start hiring a team around you. Many times, as a start-up, you’ll hire or collaborate with people you know, and that’s great when it works out. But it’s impossible to get it right every single time. Be prepared to remove people quickly if they are not the right person for the job. Sometimes you can move them to a different role within your brand, and other times you need to lovingly say goodbye and set them free to find a job where they can shine.

Holding onto the wrong person to avoid the hard conversation is like dating someone you don’t like because you’re afraid of hurting their feelings. It’s not the answer, for you or for them.

I’ve seen the results – it brings the team down and stalls the energy behind your dream.

Be prepared to sell.

If you want to start a business, you have to be brave enough to sell. It’s as simple as that. Building a brand is not just about finding your purpose, or creating beautiful content, or pursuing your passions in new directions. In our professional lives, most of us have two choices: Sell, or work for someone who does. Make your choice, and then pursue it with joy. Loving and having fun with what you do is the cornerstone of building a successful, thriving brand.