As some of you know, I had a difficult year last year. Our franchise has come to a halt, due mostly to the GFC and I’m back to being a business coach instead of the CEO of a global business coaching franchise. (And divorced, broke, single Dad, reduced to eating worms from the garden)

Yes, I know, it’s all very sad. I can hear the violins and your tears splashing on your keyboard as you read.

Well I’m fine, thanks for asking and this experience of rebuilding my personal coaching business has been interesting. I thought you might like to hear what I’ve learnt lately.

The markets are still a bit tough – people are a lot less ready to spend money than they were in 2008. They look a lot harder at your value and your cost before they commit.

Is it the same in your industry?

I’m told it is in business coaching – lots of coaches have gone off to find other income sources and given coaching away. Including most of the fishes, actually….

The markets appear to be picking up a little bit now – this year money has been freeing up slightly, small businesses are feeling a little less scared and starting to think about growth instead of survival. There’s a palpable sense of coming out the other side everywhere you look.

So what did I learn?

You have to keep your head down and work harder and you have to keep doing what you know works.

Keep turning the wheel, as they say. I joined some networking groups and have been turning my marketing wheel as hard as I bloody well can for a year and a quarter. It’s hard work and it takes stamina. But it is starting to look like I’ll have a business again soon. Note that I’m not enjoying foreign holidays yet – it will take longer before things are right financially but know that sticking with what you know works, works.

That’s the lesson – if you have a business that has something good to offer, the markets are still there. They didn’t go away, they just stepped back a bit.

Vitally, don’t panic and change direction. Certainly, don’t panic and change direction over and over again. It doesn’t work. Consistency (of your marketing especially) is a good thing and people are responding more to someone’s longevity than ever.

I think I’ll expand on this theme over the coming weeks as I get back into writing articles and get my head out of my own bum.

Ahh! Sunlight. It hurts my eyes…

Now that I’ve confessed it all to you, I want to know your story… have you learned a hard lesson this year in business? Leave a comment below

Jon Dale
Small Fish Business Coaching Byron Bay
www.smallfish.com.au