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Hi there.
Speaker:It's Sue.
Speaker:And thanks for joining me for tips and talk day.
Speaker:These are bite-sized topics that I pull from community questions and
Speaker:things that I'm observing in the world of handmade small business.
Speaker:If you'd like to submit a topic,
Speaker:DME over on Instagram at gift biz unwrapped,
Speaker:gosh, this year I've rolled out a number of new opportunities
Speaker:for you here.
Speaker:There are the bashes where you have a chance to showcase
Speaker:your business to this entire listening audience.
Speaker:There's the new owl app.
Speaker:When you have a quick question where you'd like my input,
Speaker:and now I'm excited to bring you gift biz boosts.
Speaker:Think of these as free strategy sessions,
Speaker:leaving you with a clear action plan to boost you forward.
Speaker:Whether you're at the beginning of your business journey and need
Speaker:concrete steps on how to start,
Speaker:or you've been doing this for a while and could use
Speaker:a fresh approach.
Speaker:These boosts are for you you'll know,
Speaker:a podcast is a boost.
Speaker:If you see that word in the title,
Speaker:want to get your own free boost.
Speaker:I'm taking these on a first come first serve basis.
Speaker:Head over to gift biz,
Speaker:unwrapped.com forward slash boost and sign up for your session today.
Speaker:My favorite number is two for real.
Speaker:I know,
Speaker:I know.
Speaker:You'd think it would be number one,
Speaker:right? I mean,
Speaker:who doesn't want to be at the top in the lead,
Speaker:the winner,
Speaker:if you will.
Speaker:And yes,
Speaker:that position is great.
Speaker:And I've been there.
Speaker:My share of times the leader in sales contests in my
Speaker:early corporate days,
Speaker:the manager of the top sales team,
Speaker:as I advanced in my career and achiever of other things
Speaker:I've attempted in my life too.
Speaker:If you want to hear about that on a personal level,
Speaker:take a listen to tips and talk episode number 78.
Speaker:I'm guessing you can identify times in your life when you've
Speaker:been on top too.
Speaker:So you'll be able to compare what I say here with
Speaker:your own experiences.
Speaker:Maybe it's becoming homecoming queen holding a position on the PTA
Speaker:or being the leader for a nonprofit or a club event.
Speaker:Spots at the top can have many faces and don't get
Speaker:me wrong.
Speaker:I enjoy and work to achieve that position.
Speaker:But in other cases,
Speaker:I like being number two better.
Speaker:Maybe I'll say this a little differently.
Speaker:I like being number two,
Speaker:just as much.
Speaker:How about that?
Speaker:Here's why being on the top automatically places you in a
Speaker:position of defending your turf.
Speaker:If you're in an elected position or leading a team,
Speaker:your performance will dictate your ability to stay in that spot.
Speaker:So the pressure is on,
Speaker:you're also in a position where critiquing is at an all
Speaker:time high by nature.
Speaker:Unfortunately, we judge people all the time and holding the top
Speaker:rank, magnifies the analysis of you.
Speaker:Many expect you to be perfect when you were in the
Speaker:number one spot,
Speaker:because I mean,
Speaker:how did you get there after all?
Speaker:You're also the benchmark to beat.
Speaker:If someone wants to challenge your post,
Speaker:that means there's talking analysis about your performance,
Speaker:which can be hurtful.
Speaker:I also learned that being on the top can be lonely
Speaker:in quite a few positions.
Speaker:I've been privy to confidential information and behind the scenes knowledge
Speaker:that had to stay with me,
Speaker:that meant a limited sounding board to hash through action steps
Speaker:or ideas for improvement in this spot.
Speaker:You see behind the scenes and all the messiness.
Speaker:Most people don't know about to be honest,
Speaker:sometimes it's nice.
Speaker:Just not to know of course being number one comes with
Speaker:a lot of great honors to the achievement you feel when
Speaker:you've reached your goal.
Speaker:It can come with recognition and respect with those around you.
Speaker:And of course,
Speaker:that feels great too.
Speaker:And it also includes the ability to affect progress and or
Speaker:change in your area of control.
Speaker:Success or failure starts and stops with you when you're in
Speaker:the Primo position.
Speaker:Some people thrive on this and some don't care for it
Speaker:at all.
Speaker:Me, I've been in both spots times where I've loved being
Speaker:in the lead and others where I couldn't wait to pass
Speaker:the torch.
Speaker:I guess in summary,
Speaker:to this point of the conversation being number one has its
Speaker:definite pros and cons.
Speaker:Now let's talk about the value of being number two and
Speaker:why this is my favorite number when you're in second place
Speaker:and you want to reach for the top,
Speaker:you have a vision and a position to strive for.
Speaker:Maybe you're like me in that.
Speaker:It keeps me motivated and energized to go for more.
Speaker:In that quest,
Speaker:you may challenge yourself to increase your knowledge or skills around
Speaker:things you've never considered for yourself before.
Speaker:Or you may stretch herself to do things you never thought
Speaker:you'd be capable of when your desire and motivation are great
Speaker:enough to push you out of.
Speaker:What's comfortable to see what can be possible.
Speaker:It's the best feeling in the world,
Speaker:but guess what?
Speaker:Most of the time we get trapped in our heads and
Speaker:we become the obstacle standing in the way.
Speaker:There is nothing like the feeling of success.
Speaker:When you break through your self-imposed barriers,
Speaker:by being a business owner,
Speaker:you hold both spots.
Speaker:Number one,
Speaker:and number two,
Speaker:as the owner,
Speaker:you run the ship.
Speaker:Of course,
Speaker:even if you have a team of people working with you,
Speaker:you're the one who envisioned and started the ball rolling with
Speaker:your company.
Speaker:You put in place the structure,
Speaker:the plan,
Speaker:no matter how formal it is,
Speaker:and let's not forget the whole maker methods behind production and
Speaker:presentation of your products.
Speaker:You're also the one who people come to with questions or
Speaker:to get approval of new ideas.
Speaker:That's all part of your role as the leader and owner
Speaker:of your business,
Speaker:your number two spot comes in when you consider your business
Speaker:among others within your industry,
Speaker:depending on what definition do you want to give to these
Speaker:rankings? There's always someone doing things that you perceive to be
Speaker:a step higher than you,
Speaker:bigger or better if you will.
Speaker:And I know this can be intimidating.
Speaker:I've experienced it.
Speaker:Another maker who's been in business longer and has more sales.
Speaker:Someone who seems to be more creative than you in product
Speaker:promotion, or is ahead of you with social media followers and
Speaker:on, and on the next time you see someone progressing ahead
Speaker:of you.
Speaker:I want you to reposition your thinking and open your mind
Speaker:to the benefit of being second.
Speaker:Seeing a fellow maker succeed,
Speaker:proves that it's possible for you to it's evidence that there's
Speaker:a path to that level while your road does not,
Speaker:and actually should not mimic someone else's.
Speaker:You can take clues from their actions to spark ideas for
Speaker:your own forward progress.
Speaker:Seeing others do what you've been afraid to do can spark
Speaker:action in you and open your mind's eye to a whole
Speaker:new level of opportunity.
Speaker:You never dared believe is possible.
Speaker:I'm here to tell you that it is possible and being
Speaker:number two provides the motivation for you to get there.
Speaker:That's a wrap.
Speaker:I'm a get to the point kind of girl.
Speaker:And this is what you can expect from these quick midweek
Speaker:sessions. Now it's your turn go out and fulfill that dream
Speaker:of yours.
Speaker:Share your handmade products with us.
