Editor’s Note: This is a guest post from Crys Williams from Big Bright Bulb.
It’s a reasonable mistake to make at the start. A lot of folks did it…including me.
You’re launching a business and need someone to point the way across unfamiliar territory. So you pick someone who has what you want: A large home, a life of travel, a short work week, or maybe a book deal.
And why wouldn’t you? It makes perfect sense to seek out the successful when you’re seeking success.
You might figure: I’ll do what they did and get what they got.
Sensible. Logical.
Wrong.
For one thing, you could do precisely what they did and not even get close to what they got. There are too many variables to predict or guarantee an outcome, as every fine print disclaimer will tell you.
For another, are you sure about what they’ve got? How are you sure?
Would you bet your business on it?
Don’t choose a mentor based on their apparent results.
Success breeds success, as the saying goes, and many who are successful with their business are also in the business of appearing successful.
What we see posted on their blog, website, Twitter, and Facebook may be entirely true and yet they’re just small, filtered – and sometimes strategic – snapshots of the truth.
Look at evidence of success with healthy skepticism.
Here’s what I’ve noticed in four years as both student and instructor, providing and receiving services, coaching and being coached:
- Their big and beautiful website may not yield a big and beautiful income.
- A price tag is evidence of what they’d like to earn, not what anyone has paid.
- Glowing testimonials aren’t always from satisfied, paying clients.
- Followers, likes, and subscribers aren’t a measure of popularity.
- Followers, likes, and subscribers aren’t a measure of revenue, either.
- Earnings aren’t profit.
- Luxuries may be evidence of earlier success…or someone else’s success.
Fancy websites don’t make money. Relevant services that are right-priced and clearly presented to people willing (and able) to pay are what make money.
No matter how high or low the price tag, it is not proof of sales. Neither are testimonials.
Sometimes they’re traded with colleagues, sometimes they come from friends who sampled the offer for free.
Engagement is a truer measure. Just because they’re talking to a crowd doesn’t mean anyone is listening. Are they often retweeted, liked, shared, or quoted?
I know someone with 15,000 followers who makes $45,000 per year, and someone else who earns five times that with one-fifth of the following.
They say they earned six-figures but how much made it to their pocket? Virtual assistants, designers, webmasters, and transaction fees gnaw at many online empires, and some get bitten right to the bone.
Their lifestyle may be supported by their spouse. Their business may be funded by savings accumulated while in a corporate job. That beach house may be on loan from a generous friend.
You can determine only so much from their outside, so start with knowing yourself on the inside.
Choose your path, then choose your guide
Look inward with that same curiosity and clarity. Avoid illusion and aim for insight.
Think—
- What kind of lifestyle do I want?
- How do I work best?
- What’s my personality like?
- How much do I need to earn?
Because if you’re a laid-back loner, a Type-A mentor whose success depends on a large staff isn’t a good fit.
If you’re a dyed-in-the-wool introvert, you won’t be comfortable with strategies offered by a card-carrying extrovert.
If you’re single and need to earn a full-time income for yourself and your two kids, someone who’s childless and primarily supported by spousal income won’t share your outlook, priorities, or urgency.
See what I mean? You don’t need a model or mentor that’s a carbon copy, but you’ll want one you can work with in harmony.
Choose a guide who aligns with who you are, how you work, and what you need, not just what you want.
Choose someone dissonant and your entrepreneurial journey will be painful trudge up a steep slope. You’ll labor over every step, need more rest more often, and arrive somewhere you don’t want to be.
But choose someone resonant and…wow. What an easy climb. It will be an effort, sure, but not toil. You’ll enjoy the view as well as the work, and you’ll be thrilled – maybe even surprised – with where you end up.
About the Crys: Crys Williams’ clients love how her brain works, and come to her for brainstorming, concept clarifying, idea wrangling, and problem-dissolving. She loves the pioneer spirit they bring to doing business online. Crys writes, works, and plays over at Big Bright Bulb.
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{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
I love this, Crys! So smart and something even the most seasoned of us need to hear.
Rhiannon´s last post ..Presenting: Simple Harmony
Thanks Rachel! Glad to hear that it’s even good as a reminder. Also love the idea of being seasoned…sweet & sour? spicy?
Crystal´s last post ..Going Shopping
hell yes! thank you for clearly and honestly laying out what I have said to my Brain Trust and beloved 100000 times. The damage that is done by the appearance of success is truly heartbreaking. I have clients come to me broke BROKE from taking everybody’s diamond encrusted programs – over and over again – and seeing no results. There is so much shell game going on out there and not nearly enough real business building. Thank you Crys for laying this out so lovingly and clearly. Charlie, this is a post to tweet up!
Jennifer Louden´s last post ..A Woman of Wholeness
Thanks Jennifer! Glad that it lines up
Charlie’s advice to “stay in my lane” was always welcome, always right on time. There’s nothing to gain from comparing and despairing. And I rarely hear of anyone coming out of those diamond-y program with anything except a bunch of binders and notable debt. But they do tempt, they surely do.
Crystal´s last post ..Going Shopping
Abso-freaking-lutely!
Awesome post. Just awesome!
Woohoo, Crys!
Hi Jess! Thanks so much
Crystal´s last post ..Going Shopping
This is wonderful, Crystal! Thank you for sharing this.
Resonance can’t be overstated.
Hi Angela! Thanks + happy to do it. Charlie was kind to ask me to share. xo
Crystal´s last post ..Going Shopping
This is such a great post. It reminds me of a quote that goes something like: Don’t compare your life to everyone else’s highlight reel. We only see what people WANT us to see online.
Hi Lindsay!
Thanks! And wow, love that quote! Hmph, it took me 300+ words to say the same thing ;-D
Reminds me of what someone once said about “reality” shows…42 minutes extracted from 7 days can be spun to look like anything at all. Anything.
Crystal´s last post ..Going Shopping
You’re welcome, Crystal!
VERY true about reality TV – I love reality shows, but I don’t buy their “truth.” Pure entertainment!
Exactly
Crystal´s last post ..Going Shopping
Great post!
“For one thing, you could do precisely what they did and not even get close to what they got. ”
Why I didn’t read such blogs 10 years ago. I did so many mistakes untill I understood that that every person has his own way.
I’m blogging about starting online start-ups and may be my experience would be helpful to someone who wants to start online business:
http://primadg.com/the-biggest-mistake-that-entrepreneurs-do-with-their-first-start-up/
Valera Vlasyuk´s last post ..Productivity steps that will help you to create successful start-up