Here are 10 habits successful creative shop owners have in common:
Remember, hobby mindset = hobby profits, business or CEO mindset = business growth and scale.
To become the CEO of your creative business, start with just a few simple shifts in thinking, starting with how you talk to yourself: “I’m just a creative” to “I’m a creative with a CEO mindset” and from “I’m no good with the money side of the business” to “I’m not good at that yet”.
01
They define success.
Successful retailers define what success looks like TO THEM. They don’t care about what others define success as. For them, it’s on paper, they know what they want and why. What does running a successful business look like to you?
02
They become the CEO.
They identify and acknowledge that they ARE the CEO and they change their thinking so they can take steps to BE THE CEO. This can be a continued struggle, but they know (even when doubt creeps in) that they are the CEO, the leader and visionary of their business. It all starts with mindset. Do you call yourself the CEO? Why or why not?
03
They understand self care
And why self care matters. (It doesn’t mean they are great at it) Successful shop owners understand they are the leader, the visionary of their your business, if they burn out or get sick, what happens to the business? A healthy person = a healthier business. What steps can you take to add self care to your business model?
04
They are planners.
Even if they never thought of themselves that way. Successful retailers see that having a plan in place for the year, the quarter, the week, the day is important. Promotional calendars and business schedules need to be completed. Weekly CEO dates etc. If you don’t plan to make profits you won’t. Are you a planner? The answer to this needs to be yes, or “not yet, but I will be” – see #6
05
They seek mentors.
They seek out mentors and surround themselves with positive people who support them. They don’t isolate themselves and understand they need peeps and mentors that understand them. Many retailers wait until the brink of exhaustion or closure to seek help. (hello….that was me a long time ago). When I see retailers thriving, it’s because they have help, they ask, seek like minded people and don’t wear the martyr badge of “I can do it all alone” or “I don’t want anyone to know xxx”. . What’s up with that? What areas of your business do you need help with? Where can you seek a mentor or coach to help? What support do you need?
06
Words matter.
They watch their words to themselves. This is hard, and it takes practice, however, act like a CEO, talk to yourself like a CEO and soon your will be always be in the CEO Mindset. There is no room for negative talk and “I can’t’s”. Becoming the CEO of your creative business can start with just a few simple shifts in how you speak to yourself. “I’m just a creative not business minded” to “I’m a creative with a CEO mindset”. From “I’m no good with the spreadsheets” to “I’m not good at that yet”. Self tak and love is important.
07
They never stop learning.
They continue to learn and are continually improving their business and leadership skills, but more importantly they implement what they learn, they don’t sit in the state of overwhelm. Learn and then do. Seek help and take action. What is one specific skills do you need to learn right now in your business?
08
They do the hard things.
Pushing through the hard things in business is hard but as CEO’s we can’t avoid any aspect of the business. They pay attention to the business side of their business, including the numbers and metrics and forecasting and planning. They push through and learn. Even when it’s not fun or easy. What hard things do you avoid and know you need to start paying attention to?
09
They hire help as they grow.
No business with thrive if only one person is involved. That is a fact. You need people. It may start with bookkeepers or house cleaners, maybe someone on a Saturday, a prep person. Too often creatives running businesses stay in the trap of “doing it all”. This is a limited mindset, you need to hire and delegate. Start with your least favourite part of your business, and use that time to work on things that will create income. What do you know you need to hire out right now?
10
They don’t have a hobby mindset
This is hard for many of us as many of us started as a hobby and became “accidental entrepreneurs”. We need to shift our thinking from “this is a hobby, to this is a business” if we want to have business success. (no matter what “success” looks like to you.) Is this you?
Bonus
They are not happy with status quo.
Successful retailers understand they personally need to grow and change as does their retail store. They are willing to spend the time and energy required to take creative breaks, to explore and seek out new experiences for their customer, plan different workshops, new displays, to learn to do business in a new way, layering and adding skills as much as adding new product lines. This is a vital and critical aspect to having a successful CEO mindset.
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