If you're determined to take your business to that next level, but you're not quite sure where to start, this episode is for you. 

In this week’s episode, we’re ditching the ‘tactical advice.’ Instead, each of us is talking about 2 actionable and game-changing steps we've been implementing that are totally doable, and they won't cost you a single penny. 

Yeah, you heard that right! No need to shell out big bucks or drain your savings. This isn't some distant dream. We're talking about actionable strategies that are within your reach.

Head over to iwannacollaborate.com and let us know what you took away from this conversation.

Music credit: The Funkster by Sweet Spot

A Subito Media production

Hello, and welcome to the eavesdrop on us podcast.

2

I am your host, Jessica.

3

And I'm Susan.

4

And this week we are going to, we're in

Q4, we're toward the end of the year.

5

And it's one of those opportunities

for business owners to sort of take

6

a look at what have we accomplished?

7

Where do we want to go?

8

And as Nice as it can sound when

you've gotten to Q4, cause you're like,

9

Ooh, we're at the end of the year.

10

I think Susan, it's safe to say

that most business owners we talked

11

to feel a little bit overwhelmed

12

Susan: either

13

Jessica T: from, wow, we didn't

get as far as we wanted to.

14

That's usually one scenario we hear.

15

We thought we would

accomplish That much more.

16

And I think the other scenarios, they

kind of feel a little bit like, Oh my

17

gosh, there's still so much I want to do.

18

So it kind of feels overwhelming in the

sense of what do I need to be doing?

19

Where do I need to be putting my

attention as we wrap up the quarter?

20

So it sounds like that's

sort of what you're hearing

21

from business owners as well.

22

Susan: Yeah.

23

There's definitely a high

and low to it, right?

24

So the low is we didn't quite hit.

25

The ultimate goal that we

wanted to achieve and the

26

high of it is we crushed it.

27

Did we under play what the goal

should have been, could have been.

28

So you know, one is we really showed

up huge and one is we came up short.

29

So it always tends to be either

or at this time of the year.

30

So yeah, yeah.

31

I'm hearing a lot of that and I was

intrigued with the opportunity here

32

to talk with you about this because.

33

You know, for me, it always comes down to

what's going to move the needle forward.

34

And that

35

Jessica T: I, I think is actually a

productive way to look at this because

36

I think it removes the emotionality

and it, I think anchors people

37

into feeling like they are going

to be able to accomplish something.

38

Because I think again, in the

grand scheme of looking at like 12

39

months and what you've accomplished

in a year, what you still want

40

to do, it can be very paralyzing.

41

And so.

42

I think to illustrate this exercise,

why don't the two of us talk about

43

two things that we are doing to move

the business, our business forward.

44

And I think from that, the listeners

will be able to sort of see, okay,

45

what are two things that I can

do to move my business forward?

46

Susan: So if I could do that, I think

the two things I would share with

47

you is really going back to basics.

48

Right, really going healing the onion

back as everybody says, but honestly,

49

getting back to the business one on one

of business one on one and really also

50

understanding it's just not the business.

51

I also have to take care of me.

52

Right, so being brave, being, you

know, stoic, being, I can do it, I

53

can do everything and all things known

to mankind serves absolutely no one.

54

it's literally the equivalent to

saying everyone everywhere all

55

the time doesn't serve anybody.

56

So I had to really get clear with.

57

The horrible thing I hear

all the time, take care of

58

yourself, take care of yourself.

59

And we all hear it.

60

We all hear it.

61

And for the last time I

rolled my eyes with it, I

62

recognized, well, wait a second.

63

Why is it making me roll my eyes?

64

Take care of yourself.

65

And I recognized that, yeah, it's

because I was running on fumes.

66

I was really running hard and

not getting the equivalent or the

67

amount of sleep that I required.

68

My body requires.

69

And, you know, it really

came back full circle to me.

70

I was like, gosh, everybody talks about

this all the time, but we tune it out

71

for whatever reason, you know, and I'm

not going to go into why or what it

72

was, but, you know, I just recognized,

actually, I do need to slow it down.

73

I do need to get better rest and

that's all I'm going to focus on.

74

I don't need to fix everything.

75

I just need to take one thing and

focus on this and make it a reality.

76

And I have to tell you, since I've

really committed to getting more

77

sleep, life is a lot brighter.

78

It's a lot lighter, easier, and more fun.

79

And no, it's not the cure all.

80

I don't want to make it sound

like it just solved world peace.

81

I wish it would, by the way.

82

I think we could all use a nap with that.

83

But, in this instance, let's

just get an extra hour or two.

84

Or, go into bed slightly earlier.

85

As opposed to the wee hours of the

morning, and it has made a big difference.

86

Now, how many times have you

heard that in your world?

87

Get more sleep, Jessica.

88

Just go get some more sleep.

89

And I'm sure you've rolled

your eyes, and I'm sure, others

90

have rolled their eyes at that.

91

But, you know, it's around for a reason.

92

It's around because it's sound guidance.

93

And that's what I mean by

getting back to the basics.

94

Jessica T: it's always so funny

when we roll our eyes or scoff

95

at the sort of foundational basic

principles of the stuff that works.

96

And I don't know if it's because we are

looking for something that's newfangled

97

or more complicated or more complex.

98

Like, Oh, if we, I know I need more

sleep, but if I tried this instead,

99

maybe that would work better.

100

I don't know.

101

It's so funny.

102

You nailed

103

Susan: it.

104

I happened to interrupt you there.

105

You nailed it.

106

We want something packaged in a new way

of the thing that we need to remember when

107

we heard David Bayer on stage one time,

and he said, We entrepreneurs just love

108

looking for solutions with new wrappings.

109

Right.

110

you nailed it so perfectly there, Jess.

111

I think it just nailed it.

112

Jessica T: Yeah.

113

I think it's just, I'm always

fascinated by human behavior and

114

I don't pretend to understand

why we do the things that we do.

115

There are experts out there that could

probably explain that to us, but it

116

is one of those where it's like, huh?

117

Imagine that I got a full night

of sleep and I feel better.

118

You know, who knew?

119

Susan: Yeah.

120

My second thing I could probably share

with you as a validation point of when

121

sound guidance is given to you way

back at the beginning, and you scoff,

122

to use your phrase, which I love, so

true, or you roll your eyes, a client

123

recently said to me this week, was

one of the better appointments I've

124

had in the long while, and she said to

me, I finally did what you've asked,

125

And I said, well, I've shared a lot,

which one because we've worked with

126

each other for almost four years.

127

So she lovingly shared with me, you

know, that PNI strategy that you've been.

128

consistently throwing at me to

get more sales, more connections,

129

more referral sources, more

champions, so on and so forth.

130

It really works.

131

I had to do everything in my being

not to go, yeah, I told you so,

132

or anything like that, because

that's, you know, that's not.

133

Productive, but I was overjoyed

that she had that breakthrough.

134

But what was it?

135

It was a basic.

136

It was a business 101 thing, right?

137

And that's what inspired me.

138

And that's why I lit up.

139

we hear these things, but we tend to.

140

Short thrift them.

141

So I wonder it got me thinking about our

142

Jessica T: business.

143

Well, I was just going to jump

in, actually ask you because you

144

said what the first thing was

that you're going back to basics.

145

And so I wondered from your

perspective, what has that looked like?

146

Susan: Well, I honest to goodness

it for me, it's been the sleep

147

because of my own personal journey.

148

Right.

149

Insomniac behaviors lately.

150

So being able to get some.

151

Well caught up sleep has

made a huge difference for

152

me in terms of the business.

153

I think what's really interesting

for me right now, there was a phrase

154

that always was presented to us is be

sure you get outta your comfort zone.

155

Don't get comfortable.

156

And you know, I think we all,

during the pandemic needed comfort.

157

We needed a comfort zone.

158

And to some degree we have, Change

was omnipresent, and we were just

159

seeking our own little corner of where

things could just be somewhat calm and

160

predictable, steady, grounded, rooted.

161

And I think there is a time where we as

business owners recognize, you know what,

162

I think we may have stayed in that state.

163

We're end of this, right?

164

In the sense of, we stay too

comfortable for too long.

165

We have to get out of our comfort zone.

166

Create.

167

Envision, commit, and we hear this all

the time in media, we hear it in the

168

blogosphere, we hear it in the vlogsphere,

we hear it in podcast universe.

169

The question is, how

do you make this real?

170

And I'm a big believer in one or two steps

into and then go figure it out from there.

171

You don't have to figure

out the whole dang thing.

172

And it feels good that we went

to an event that stretch us.

173

Did challenge us and that was invigorating

174

Jessica T: well, and I think what

you're saying here is, I think it's even

175

just recognizing in terms of 2 things.

176

Have I been sitting in

my comfort zone and.

177

To get out of my comfort zone, maybe

it's just disrupting my environment

178

and going somewhere else, for us, it

was traveling to an in person event.

179

We stayed in a hotel, got out

of our environment, our sort of

180

everyday predictable environment.

181

And so it, that could be something,

I mean, there's so many events now,

182

there's so many opportunities to

get out of your familiar space.

183

At last.

184

And surround yourself with people.

185

I think which was a big deal for us.

186

It was surrounding ourselves with

people and attendees speakers

187

content that was different.

188

It wasn't the same kind of voices

that we had been surrounded by.

189

And so I think That was really helpful

in terms of, okay, we're kind of feeling

190

this like lull in the business, but the

two of us and the stuff we're doing and

191

kind of want to shake it up a little

bit, but how do you, how do you do that?

192

One, you got to recognize, like

I said, you got to recognize

193

that you are in that and then

194

Susan: change your environment.

195

And that, I think that's

been exceptionally productive

196

for us and exciting.

197

I tend to be an optimistic person.

198

I'm not delusionally optimistic.

199

But I am an optimistic person.

200

It's not half empty, it's half full.

201

But sometimes when I experience

myself getting too comfortable,

202

That makes me wonder, okay, what,

what should or could we be doing?

203

And again, I, You don't have

to go to the, mooning back.

204

It's just, how can I

shift it up right now?

205

Could it be a new person, a new

voice, new author, a new program,

206

a new book, a new group of people?

207

It's just shifting it by one

step, maybe even two, and

208

then take another deep breath.

209

And I have said this forever, and at

least the 10 years in our business,

210

going on 10 years, and Prior to that,

I was always of that mindset, when

211

you're running a business, it can

sometimes away from us as business owners

212

and leaders and visionaries, right?

213

So it had for me, and I think that the

one to punch personally was the fact

214

that I was not getting enough sleep.

215

I just wasn't.

216

And you know, this is akin to

somebody telling me, are you drinking?

217

Or asking me, are you

drinking enough water?

218

But, but, but also,

219

Jessica T: you know, what I think is

coming up for me as I'm listening to that

220

is sometimes the way to take care of the

business, we will often search for like,

221

well, it's gotta be the business strategy.

222

It's gotta be this, it's gotta be that.

223

It's all the kind of nuts

and bolts of business.

224

And it's like, well, sure, possibly,

but also have you just tried.

225

Getting a good night of sleep, you

know, some, sometimes it's that

226

sometimes it's like, it's funny.

227

The places we search for the solution.

228

It's like, that's not

actually where the problem

229

Susan: is doors that more, that's really

the point for me today is that sometimes

230

it's right under our nose and we don't

have to go big and fancy and, crazy loud.

231

Sometimes we can just go quiet and

say, okay, what can I just do today?

232

Okay.

233

For me, so I show up in a better

mindset or health state, just

234

that, that alone has really.

235

Lifted clouds for me, and then

the idea of going out to a new

236

environment, new group, new perspective.

237

Well, that was just his map.

238

That was really delicious.

239

And, didn't we have a great creative

session as a result of both of those.

240

Oh,

241

Jessica T: absolutely.

242

We totally did.

243

We totally did.

244

And actually you bringing that up, I

think is, is such a good transition

245

into the two things that I am doing.

246

And I think the first one is, you know,

so we went to that event and it was.

247

New group of entrepreneurs, new

speakers, new content in the sense that

248

we had never really listened to that

content delivered in that way before.

249

And I think one of the things that

I'm really focused on, I think I

250

have been focused on at least for

the last six months anyway, is.

251

Really being mindful and

thoughtful of who I'm listening to.

252

So it was one changing up the voices,

the people I follow on social media, the

253

people who I read on email, you know,

just those voices of whose information I'm

254

listening to, whose content I'm consuming.

255

And I think some people, it

was, Got me to a certain point.

256

It's like, I need something new.

257

I need something that's going

to challenge me because it was

258

feeling a bit boring, a bit stale.

259

And I think sometimes we're like,

well, we like the people we follow.

260

We like the people we listen to.

261

We like the events we go to because it's

predictable and you know, all of that.

262

And I was like, I really am

very interested in following

263

people, a select few people who.

264

Have not only been successful in

business, but I like their values.

265

I like what they stand for.

266

I think there's also evidence, not just of

their success, but there's a track record

267

of their own clients having success.

268

And I really just, I just stopped

listening to a lot of the people who.

269

Are forgive my language, but like it's the

negative kind of shitting on business and

270

shitting on others and kind of was like, I

just, I'm not in the mood for that because

271

I think the two of us are entering this

really expansive kind of creative space

272

as we go into our 10th year of business.

273

So I really want to be

listening to people.

274

Who are also like that.

275

I don't want to say there.

276

Look, don't take this as an absolute.

277

This isn't like it's sunshine and

rainbows all the time, but generally

278

they have a much more optimistic,

positive can do problem solving attitude.

279

Amen.

280

I've really unfollowed not, not because

I, you know, I know the word unfollow has.

281

Such a negative connotation to it,

but it's just like I have, I've

282

had a season of their content.

283

I'm interested in listening to

somebody else consuming somebody else.

284

And I think that's

reinvigorated my own creativity.

285

I don't feel as dreadful on social

media anymore because for a while

286

I was like, Oh my God, I just

like, I could not stand my feed.

287

I was like, I've got to clean this up.

288

I've got to clean this up.

289

Change.

290

Susan: You were so tuned

into your environment.

291

And what you were saying.

292

So what did you do?

293

How did you clean up your feed?

294

How did you go about doing that?

295

Well, I think it's just,

296

Jessica T: you know, I think from the,

the, the bigger names out there, right?

297

These are not people I had

direct connections with.

298

A lot of it was like unfollowing,

just getting them out of my feed and

299

introducing new names into my feed.

300

and I wouldn't say like I went

through anybody like personally

301

that I know, and I was like, no,

I don't want to listen to them.

302

No, a lot of it was like the

bigger names who kind of influenced

303

the worlds that we're in.

304

I'm not really about giving

examples, to be honest with you.

305

Like, I don't think that's the

306

Susan: point.

307

No, but I do think what is really,

I agree with you, by the way, it

308

doesn't serve anyone or anything.

309

No, it isn't by any stretch, but I think.

310

The bigger lesson there you have

is what you consume, you become.

311

Yeah.

312

And it was,

313

Jessica T: it was, it was interesting

because it was a lot of people,

314

this was just my personal experience

with who I had connected with

315

and who I had started following.

316

So it was collectively,

not individual, not.

317

You know, individual people, but it

was a lot of people critiquing the

318

industry, critiquing how we do business,

critiquing how others are behaving.

319

And I just, after a while, I

was like, wait a second, who,

320

Susan: who

321

Jessica T: are these

people dispensing this?

322

Like, I really started to think

really thoughtfully of that.

323

And so, um, it was just, it was cleaning

up the social media, cleaning up my

324

email, even the books I was consuming.

325

I was like, I just really want

to be surrounded by expansive,

326

bigger thinkers, optimists.

327

In the sense that they have

such a can do attitude.

328

So, um, so that I would say is

absolutely one thing is just really

329

protecting the voices that I'm

allowing into my head right now.

330

Nice.

331

And therefore allowing

332

Susan: business.

333

Well, I like at the same time,

you're in a dual state, right?

334

You're open minded to welcoming new.

335

Visions, voices, perspectives, but

at the same time, you're knowingly

336

saying, okay, I've, I've heard you.

337

You all have had your say.

338

Now it's time for a new group.

339

Yeah, they can do.

340

Jessica T: And I think that that.

341

When I hear other entrepreneurs

lamenting about how much they dislike

342

social media, specifically because

they're like, I just hate my feed

343

or then change it, then change it.

344

Yeah.

345

And that's such a very specific

social media is a specific

346

way that that shows up for us.

347

Um, but I think, I think it's just

taking, and it was an afternoon

348

for me that I went through.

349

I sat down.

350

It was actually, we were

still at the conference.

351

Wow.

352

I sat down on the balcony of the hotel

room and I opened up Instagram and I just

353

started going through and I was like,

um, unfollow, unfollow, unfollow again,

354

no one I personally was connected with.

355

These were again, bigger, bigger names.

356

I didn't

357

Susan: know that.

358

I think that's so cool that,

The fast implementation of this.

359

I love it.

360

I was aware of that.

361

Jessica T: Well, and part of me,

you know, I'll be like, Oh my

362

gosh, I never have time for that.

363

I did.

364

And I, you know, I was like, I'm

just going to sit down and do

365

this right now and clean this up.

366

And I think, um, that's one,

you know, the, the principle is.

367

Tighten up the circle of voices that

you're listening to, and the action

368

associated with that is like, you

know, just go through your social

369

media and clean up like who you don't

want to be listening to anymore.

370

And I also think too, for

me, it's very intentional.

371

Yeah, it's just very,

it was very intentional.

372

I think the second one is, you

know, I think it happened over the

373

summer where I was like, I just

I'm in this space of looking to.

374

Enhance my, my own skillset and

try something new in the business.

375

And I remember asking you, I was like,

Susan, just tell me, like, tell me what,

376

what it is, or like coach it out of me.

377

And I remember you were saying

like, it doesn't happen that way.

378

And not everything is going to

immediately give you clarity.

379

Like you're not going to have immediate

clarity from things, from things.

380

And so I think what I have embraced is.

381

guess this has two, purposes to it.

382

I think it's really maintaining a

route, a personal routine specifically

383

of like being outside and having fresh

air and taking the dog for a walk and

384

allowing those opportunities to let

ideas marinate and let clarity come.

385

I think so often we are just.

386

Like someone just tell me the answer

or give me the answer or give it

387

to me or just tell me what it is

because I just, I don't want to

388

sit in this kind of uncertainty.

389

I don't want to sit in

this lack of clarity.

390

And I think we expect the people,

like, I just used you as an example,

391

Susan, because coaching is one of the

modalities that you use with your clients.

392

And I was like, Susan, if I was a

coaching client, what would you tell me?

393

And you were like, I would tell

you, you need to go let it marinate.

394

Let it ripen and let it come to you.

395

And so I think as much as we, as you and

I are about tactical with our clients,

396

I think there's also the softer side,

which is sometimes when you're looking

397

for bigger clarity around something.

398

Yes.

399

I think you really have to let

it marinate, and the answer will

400

come to you, and I think it will

also surprise you, the answer.

401

Susan: But I want to also add, you just

didn't sit by on the sidelines waiting for

402

this epiphany or the lightning in a bottle

to happen, you, you stuck with it, and you

403

found Grounding and safety and consistency

in your health regime and going to the

404

gym, walking the dog, being outside.

405

That gave me the framework to

allow yourself to loosen up a

406

little bit and allow yourself to

dream, think, consider way out.

407

And all of that requires patience,

my most hated word, patience.

408

And.

409

that's the marinating.

410

So I just want to acknowledge

the discipline you used

411

because it could be missed.

412

If somebody from the outside hearing

this, it could be mistaken as,

413

oh, I'll just sit around and wait.

414

No, no, no, no, no, no, no.

415

He intentionally created a

framework from which she muse.

416

And give that muse a chance to

recalibrate and re dream and re create.

417

That's so important.

418

Jessica T: Well, and I think also, I

think what is so important about that

419

for entrepreneurs in general is, I know

just by nature, And by virtue of what

420

we do with entrepreneurs, well, a lot

of people will come to us and say, like,

421

I don't want to try something bigger.

422

I want to try something new.

423

I want to try something different.

424

And oftentimes they'll be like,

okay, so what should I do?

425

Kind of asking us for like a top down

dictate of like, well, here's what you do.

426

Here's the one thing that's

going to change things.

427

And I think oftentimes.

428

For it to be something that actually works

for something that is actually going to

429

be implemented for something that you

are actually going to be excited about.

430

I think we often have to, this is

kind of convoluted, but I think the

431

way to, to finding that next step,

that next, Thing that you're going

432

to do in your business that you're

excited about and committed to.

433

It has to be an alignment with you

and in congruence with what you want.

434

And I think that's why it

435

Susan: has to marinate.

436

Well, that's what I'm

437

Jessica T: saying is I think

oftentimes it's within us.

438

And sometimes you just have to

give yourself an opportunity

439

to marinate, let it ripen.

440

And then the answer will come and then

you're like, Oh my gosh, I cannot wait.

441

And I don't think it has to marry.

442

Like, look, we're not saying let it go

marinate for two years and sit on it.

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No,

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Susan: no, no, no, no, no, no.

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Give as a cautionary tale.

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No folks.

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This isn't that.

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What is it?

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Think, believe, receive.

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Well, there's a ton of steps in between

those huge pillars, isn't there?

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So I didn't want to short thrift you in.

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And acknowledge, quite frankly,

the deep work that you did.

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I mean, that was not easy for a person

that goes at the lightest speed on

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a normal day with a speed of light.

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What did I say?

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The speed, the lightest

speed, the lightest speed.

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I told you everything, folks, more

sleep, give the girl more sleep.

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There's my point is that.

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You know, when you're going at

that crazy speed, and we all

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do in small business, there are

just times you have those surges.

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The problem is sometimes when the

surges don't stop, but both you and

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I, at the beginning of the summer

made a very aware decision, a very

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clear decision, even for you to really

think that through for yourself.

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Wouldn't you agree?

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And Oh, absolutely.

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Jessica T: And that's why I don't know

if I have such a beautiful, concise way

467

of putting the lesson like I don't have

like a three or four word like here's

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the lesson and any concise description.

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I think it's just when I think of the

entrepreneurs I'm talking to right now

470

and they're like I said they're trying

to think like bigger what's, what

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can I do next or what's going to be.

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Exciting.

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How can I challenge

myself and push myself?

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I think it's one of those where whatever

you end up deciding on has to be

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something that's truly like congruent

and it's truly something you want to do.

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And I think when you are moving at that

speed of light and you are looking at

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someone else, just tell me what to do.

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Tell me what's, what it's going to be.

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It doesn't work that way.

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And so I think as.

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You're listening to this and thinking

of Q4 and that both the energy of

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wrapping things up, but also expansion.

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Cause you're thinking of next year

and it's like, well, here's what we

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accomplished this year, but you know,

next year I want to try something

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new or, or push this a little bit

more or, you know, whatever that is.

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I think it's also just giving yourself

the space to let that idea come to you.

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Susan: Yes.

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And this is what I mean by

just do one or two steps.

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You don't have to throw

everything out the window.

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You don't.

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And just one or two things, master that.

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And you know, the phrase that keeps

coming and screaming, quite frankly,

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in my head is less is genuinely more,

less meaning less, you know, confetti

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and wholesale change and reduce.

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No, just modify just one or two steps.

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And head, you see pragmatic Susan

here, had your pets do one for

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personal and one for the business.

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For me, it was sleep for the business.

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It was honestly, okay, here's where we go.

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Remember the basics I'm sharing

with all your clients, they really

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do work if you engage with them.

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So consequently, from that appointment

of hers, I'm asking every single

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client now, What is the one thing you

hear most in your head that I say?

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We're gonna do that.

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I can't wait to drive

them crazy with that next.

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But, that for me is

just a one or two steps.

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Less is more, less is more.

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And

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Jessica T: I, I think with that, I think

we've not only unpacked that, I think

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really productively for, for ourselves

and really being thoughtful about the

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business, but I, I think, I think for the

listener, just think of those two things.

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One thing that you can do personally,

one thing that you can do for the

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business and just take one or two steps

for each thing and see what happens.

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And so Susan, thank you so

much for another entertaining.

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Susan: This was fun.

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No, this is one of those where I

really had skin in the game on, on it.

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So I was thrilled that you

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Jessica T: All right.

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And I'll see you next time.

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Susan: Bye bye.