March 1st marked the one year anniversary of jennyshih.com. It almost passed without me even realizing what a big occasion it was!
A lot has happened over the last twelve months. I’m blown away when I look back at all that has transpired.
To honor this anniversary, I’m sharing the top 10 things I learned about business in the last year, Late Show Top 10 style.
Click here to tweet about #8.
Click here to tweet about #5.
Click here to tweet about #3.
In the comments below, I want to hear from you. Tell me…
1. Which top 10 item was most poignant for you?
2. What’s one of the biggest lessons you’ve learned during your time in business?
Thanks for watching. If you like this video, please share it with your friends!
LOVING the new video format — gets me so jazzed up each week. As a fellow b-schooler I agree with 10 and 9. I’m following some action is better than no action and I can’t wait to start doubling my rates!
Thanks for the video encouragement, Marissa. It took me so long to finally do it but now I’m loving it, too.
The rate thing… it’s magical. Can’t wait to hear how it goes for you!
Congrats Jenny on your 1 yr anniversary!
I like the doubling rates tip, I’ve yet to do this one.
Looking forward to seeing more of your videos 🙂
Double-thanks, Anna! More videos are in the works!
Hi Jenny – congratulations – I thought you’d been around for years!
I loved the point about taking action being better than inaction. So true 🙂
I’m loving your videos too. Thanks!
Thanks, Nicola! I had an online life coaching business under a different name for 2 years prior to starting jennyshih.com. In the last 6 months of that business I was doing more business coaching then life coaching. So a big re-brand and website re-do was in order.
I love the action over inaction one, too 🙂
Hey Jenny, Love your video! Great tips… And I’d love to know the name of your VA
.. Thanks!
My VA is top secret. She’s all mine!
Hi Jenny,
Every point that you made resonated with me. I am still in the startup process of my business of life coaching and have many great ideas as well as the creativity and passion to make them happen. As I am currently unemployed following a large layoff at my former company, money has been my biggest obstacle so the points you made about investing in your business and doubling your rates were much appreciated. Thank you for what you do. I like your attitude and spirit.
Sending good luck vibes your way, Angel, in building your coaching business. I boot strapped life and business for quite some time to make this business work. It was worth every dinner we didn’t eat out and every new pair of jeans I didn’t buy.
Money is a tricky one for start-ups. I made some strategic (and significant) financial investments in the area I needed to learn most–marketing–and the impact it had on my business was HUGE.
Jenny, yer freakin me out with the ‘doubling your rates’ thing. So probably that’s the one for me next 🙂
And if you’re up for it, I’d love a whole post about that!
Recently, though, the one I’ve been using with powerfully good effects is the “just saying no.” No to free services, and no to clients that would be a bad fit. It’s amazing how much energy saying No releases, eh?
It’s funny that the rates thing freaks you out, Max. I wrote my top 10 and then hesitated on that one. I almost took it out. I was so caught up in what everyone would think. But I stayed true to my lessons and that was a big one and a magical one, too.
Yes it’s always interesting when it comes to money. We always make a judgment on what ‘we’ perceive to be the correct cost based on our ‘own’ understanding of value etc. Then there is the vacuum law of prosperity/attraction. When we increase our price some people will perceive that it is too expensive. They end up leaving which then ‘creates a hole’ for someone else to fill who is only too willing to pay the price.
Increase your cost and let your belief grow to that level (if it’s not already there). You will attract those that believe it’s good value and remove those who don’t.
Thanks for sharing. I love your stuff.
Yay Jenny! This is great! I love these kind of posts by the way. Video is such a great way to connect =)
No. 1 was most amusing.
No. 6 was poignant.
My biggest lesson so far:
1. Letting go of my expectations about what it “should” look like opens me up to greater possibilities (and keeps me from going into a tight ball of stress)
Oops I meant 10 was most amusing lol
I love that what you’ve learned about letting go. I totally agree with you. Getting to this point in my business would not have happened if I stayed firm with my initial idea of what being an entrepreneur would look like. I got to where I am because I took a step in what I thought was the right direction, I assessed how that felt, then took a step in whatever direction felt right next. It’s not a linear, logical process whatsoever!
That marketing isn’t slimy. Here’s the guy that explained that to me. Check him out.
Thanks for the enthusiasm. 😉
http://marketingforhippies.com/
Thanks for sharing that resource. I’ve heard of that guy but never followed his stuff. Will go check him out.
Happy anniversary Jenny – Love your top ten lessons – “Marketing isn’t slimy” I am slowly figuring that out!
Thanks for being here, Stephanie!
Happy first year anniversary, Jenny! I love all of your top ten lessons especially #5 – imperfect action is better than no action at all. Congratulations on your success!
Thanks, Emily. #5 is one of my favorites!
Hi Jenny!
All of your top 10 spoke to me. Thanks for the inspiration!
I laughed out loud at, “…no, I don’t have time to meet you for coffee so you can pick my brain for free…” since I just learned (again) a lesson in that regard a couple of weeks ago. I asked a new woman I’d met to tea, because I wanted to get to know her as a friend, & midway through the conversation, I realized she had no desire to get to know anything about me — she was using our meeting to get some free coaching advice, and I was letting her! I realized, too, that next time, I’ll pay attention to my gut, say a polite ‘I’m starting to get the feeling you’re more interested in getting to know me as a coach, rather than a friend. Am I wrong?’ That way, I put the onus on her to make a decision about what she really wants — at the same time as getting the boundaries clear. 🙂
By the way, I’d love to know what your per session rates are. Maybe I need to be doubling mine! 😛
In general I’ve always been pretty good about saying NO, but the number of “Can I just pick your brain over coffee” requests has gone up quite a bit in the past few months. I LOVE to help people so it’s hard for me to say no. Business is so busy that I really have to meter out my time–which means a few more NOs.
I know that the more one’s business grows, the more requests there are for time/ ideas/ resources/ input/ whatever! So practicing NOs at appropriate times in the beginning will make it easier in the long run.
Being authentic is so important. It makes all the difference between looking like a slimy used-car salesman and someone my customers trust and love to work with. Taking big risks has definitely reaped big rewards in my business!
Totally agree with you on both points, Ken!
What a great video!! So much fun!!!
My favorite was the one about having supportive friends and colleagues– but I can’t remember which one it was! Which kind of sums up our whole relationship, J.
Love ya, and congratulations on your ONE YEAR anniversary!!!
XOXO
Anna
Thanks, Anna! You were definitely one of the people I had in mind when I mentioned that one. It’s been a wild ride, hasn’t it? Thanks for being such a great friend.
Wow, Jenny! You are just so awesome…I love getting to know you through these videos. Love, love, love it all!!
Lesson #1 made me laugh out loud. So very true!!! That’s my favorite one.
My own contribution to this is that building your business is a process and a journey. You’d better have FUN with it!!
Thanks so much for all you do. 🙂
You are totally right, Rebecca. It is a journey… and it never ever ends. Yes–fun is essential!
Congrats Jenny! WOOO HOOOO!!
Such great tips and reminders I loved them ALL!
I think having a support team cheering you on is KEY!
Can’t wait to connect soon…I think you’re doing some really amazing work and you have such awesome products and info…THANK YOU!
🙂 gia
A support team has enabled me to do so much more in my business. It was great to do it all by myself in the beginning, but that’s not sustainable for long term growth. They have been essential and I love them so much!
absolutely love, love, love this video blog. All the items resonate with me! The top one for me is doing something imperfect is better than not doing it all. That one will become my new mantra…ommmmm!
Congratulations on your first year celebration!
I love that one, too!
Yes, lots of celebrating going on here. I was rockin’ out to Lionel Richie’s “Dancing on the Ceiling” earlier today. Hooo-rahhh!
Jenny, thanks for sharing. I also have to agree about “imperfect action” vs. no action. Because imperfect action feels real and alive, while NO ACTion is such a drag. Wowza on the doubling your rates!
Right on, Colleen! Thanks for being here.
The one about hiring people so I don’t hold myself back or get in my own way! Yay for hiring out my stuff… I am on this.
Woo-hoo, Caryn! You’re ready to soar. I can feel it already!
Congratulations on your anniversary Jenny!! And thanks for sharing your top ten list. My favorites were ‘imperfect action is better than no action’ and ‘authenticity is always a best seller’. Keep up the great work! You are an inspiration to this coach-in-training.
Thanks, Alexandra! Glad you liked the video!
Jenny,
Congratulations! I just celebrated the 2nd anniversary of my website, and I can relate to ALL of your Top-10 list. I think overcoming perfection is one of the most important, and having something that is good is better than nothing at all! I constantly remind myself “perfect is the enemy of great.”
I love that you shared this in a video–so much more fun than reading, and we get the real you!
Congrats on your anniversary, too, Susan!
That’s a great one: Perfect is the enemy of great.
Thanks for sharing that here.
Oh Jenny…love the entire list AND the one about taking imperfect action resonates a bunch. It is my mantra for this year. I will act, even if I *should* re-record that interview or even if I did get excited and jump into the conversation before letting the other person finish or even if I don’t have 100000 blog posts to launch my new site.
Thanks for being such an energetic, gifted person who is sharing with the world.
You, my dear, rock!
love and light, hugs and blessings
MamaRed
Good for you for calling yourself on your shoulds, MamaRed. Those will keep you stuck forever!
Thanks for being here and bringing such positive energy to the conversation!
Awwwww…you’re such a sweetie Jenny. And you’re right about those shoulds…funny, I catch it for others and teach them how to let go of them. Guess we teach what we need to learn, eh?
Thanks for being you!
love and light, hugs and blessings
MamaRed
Congratulations Jenny! Your consistent enthusiasm and positive attitude has helped to keep me motivated.
My #1: I love to work, but tend to lose focus on “having a life”. Now I trust that my discipline and organizational skills will keep the momentum going – while taking time off to be with friends. I knew intellectually that balance rejuvenates your energy, but it took a long time to embrace it emotionally.
Please keep doing what you’re doing – you’re a real inspiration.
– Brenda Finne
That’s an important thing to learn, Brenda. And a tough one. My guess is that for those of us who LOVE what we do, it’s hard to remember that we need to do other things, too.
Thanks for being here!
Hahhah a Letterman top-ten video. Nice, Jenny 🙂
Double your rates and double your sales is my favorite 😉
Congrats on your anniversary, and I wish you increasingly awesome ones 😀
Thanks for your support, Jason!
Hi Jenny,
This was a great video….and you did it so well. I think everyone should do a video like this in the first year of their business. In fact each item – 10 great items really work well. Yours were truly fantastic. I wish I had thought of this years ago. It’s a good tool to help find out what your weak and powerful points are actually and should help you through the years to come. I think it should be done for 5 years because if you make it through the fifth year, you are usually going to be fine. The first 5 years can prove to be the hardest. Thank you for sharing and I learned from each point you put down…brought me back to when I first started years and years ago. I’m still implementing new ideas because of the technology that’s out there. Thanks a bunch and good luck – Anna Banana
Hi Jenny,
Congratulations on your first year of Jennyshih.com! And thanks for your open and honest video. I’m new to the world of online business, and I’ve been practising as a Dream Analyst, Angel Intuitive, Energy Reader, and Therapist as an online Practitioner since the beginning of 2014. I’ve been a practitioner for many years previous to shifting my business online.
The most poignant tips for me were: #8, #4 and #3, which are all works in progress 🙂
Loved your enthusiasm in #1. It made me smile and dream that one day I can say that too in my own video. i’ve just found your site as I’m thinking about doing B School and just read your review of it. Thanks for a great review and Q & A.