How to Start a 6 Figure Side Business

Dec 22

What does it take to grow a 6 Figure Coaching, Consulting, or creative business?

It’s really not that hard to grow a successful business, but it does require you to do the little things, and do them well.

When you keep business simple, it grows. Every coach, consultant and book on business agrees that when you keep it simple, it simply grows.

The problem with most entrepreneurs is we are full of brilliant ideas, that our biggest struggle is focus. Shiny object syndrome is real, and if you follow every shiny object that comes into your line of sight, you will slow or completely stop your progress.

The simplicity of starting a thriving business boils down to:

1 Product

Many entreprenuers, including myself have made the simple mistake of thinking if we just have more products we will build a bigger business, and I believe there is a time and place to add new products and services, but it is not in the beginning.

To grow a thriving business, you first need to have a product that proves the concept of all the products and services that you will create later down the road.

Whether you are looking at a product based business like Burt’s Bee’s or Apple, a service based business like a bank. Every successful business gains it’s market foothold by doing 1 thing, and doing it really well, before branching out to additional products that feed their core business.

Burt’s Bee’s started as a chapstick company, then added lotions, creams, and skin care.

Apple started as a PC company, and as the market demanded added lap-tops, mp3 players, tablets, and phones, but they started with creating Personal Home Computers.

As you are creating your business model, do yourself a favor, be decisive, and focus on creating 1 Product at a Price with a Profit Margin. (Profit matters but that’s another blog post)

1 Market

Some call this your Avatar, which for me has never resonated and every time I hear the word avatar not in reference to the movie, I get a sassy.

I like to think of your market as your customer. The person I am talking to, who I know is looking for my product or service.

I imagine her as a friend, and every blog I write, podcast I record, or message I deliver I imagine I am having a conversation with her.

Knowing who your customer is, is knowing what problem you are solving for them, who they are, and why they want to work with you, or buy your product over your competitors.

1 Message

Message matters.

If there is a disconnect between your message and your product, your market will be confused. A confused buyer never buys.

The time it takes to hone your message can be as long or short as you need it to be. Find comfort in knowing that your message takes time to perfect and it is helpful to have someone to get feedback from when it comes to your messaging. Otherwise, it can feel much like beating your head against a brick wall as you continuously put stuff out there, but get little to no response.

How you talk about your product from the features and benefits to how it will serve your prospect and customer matters more than we like to think. If you are going to spend time on anything, spend time on your message. The product is the easy part.

The message is where most miss the mark.

1 Platform

Contrary to what you have heard, you do not need to spend your entire day posting all over social media, on all of the platforms to build a successful business. I have tried it, and let me tell you- it just made me hate social media more than I already do.

You just need to pick one platform, if it’s Facebook- then focus all your energy on building your audience on facebook, and getting them to an email list.

If it’s instagram, then focus your energy there.

Where ever you focus your attention be there. For me my platform is my blog, and I share my content to social media.

Keep it simple!

If you are looking for help finally getting your business off the ground, I am holding a 5 Day Launch Your 6 Figure Side Biz Workshop starting On Thursday January 7th.

In this workshop, I am going to walk you through taking your coaching, consulting or creative business idea and making it into a living breathing thing that you can grow to 6 figures fast.

Let me know in the comments, what is stopping you from getting your business off the ground.

Sara Goossen