Insights from The Corporate and Entrepreneurial Worlds
Over the past year, we have all become quite adept at working remotely. It has allowed us to be more flexible about our businesses. So we can spend our free time as we choose. When you are jet-setting off to a remote destination or taking a week off to backpack, having processes in place will simplify things for everyone (including you). You should be an integral part of building your business, but do not build it around you – in other words, try not to make the success depend on your daily presence. It will take you back to where you started: allowing your work to run your life instead of the other way around. Focus on empowering people, just like Leslie T Mitchell. As a world-renowned professional life coach and credit consultant, motivator, corporate trainer, speaker, entrepreneur, and author, she now stands as a beacon of motivation for all the millennials out there. She is one of the very few people who have been able to replace their monthly salary with multiple six-figure income streams. She is a proud mother of two and has been married for twenty years. With her consulting business, Mind Work Solutions, she has helped corporate executives thrive in multilevel marketing.
Keeping Your Priorities Straight
It is common for business owners to build businesses for many reasons. Usually, the core reason is having autonomy over their lives and reaching the point where they can earn their livelihood on their terms. It is crucial to keep this priority in mind so that your business does not run your life. It looks different for every entrepreneur, but having trust in fellow team members can be very critical. Discuss with them the company culture to keep the processes running smoothly. You can keep track of KPIs and any potential snags in the system by defining the daily and weekly check-ins. As a result, you can be a hands-off manager while still maintaining your creative autonomy to work with your business.
The Corporate Journey
During her 18 years with Corporate America, Leslie climbed the corporate ladder. It was during this time that her dream of opening her own business was born. She did not know what lay beyond a 9 to 5 job at that point. Her life was more than just doing monotonous jobs, and she always knew and felt this. For a long time, the flame in her heart remained dim. Unfortunately, when she got displaced from her job, this urge gained momentum. She was on medical leave at that time.
Stepping into the Entrepreneurial World
Leslie could feel the flame that had been dim all those years begin to burn with a ferocity like never before. Finally, she started to follow her dream of owning her own business. Her training and development consulting company MindWork Solutions, LLC, was born from her skill set as an Instructional Designer. Over the years, she has had the opportunity to consult with Verizon Wireless, GE, FP&L, and Owens Corning, to name a few.
That Credit Hiccup
In the process of setting up her consulting business, her finances and credit suffered. She had a credit score of around 780 for most of her adult life, but within three months, it dropped to 564. She and her husband had their dream cars, owned two homes, and lived a comfortable life. So initially, she didn’t think there was anything wrong with it. But when she attempted to use her credit card, she was denied. It was at that time she came to know about this hiccup. Having excellent credit has always been a lesson her father taught her. Her father would often tell her, “You can have zero dollars in the bank, but if you have a credit score of 800, you can get almost anything you want.” But what he didn’t teach her was how to deal with life when it surprises you that badly. Her score rose by over 225 points within six months. It happened when a friend introduced her to a credit repair program that helped her rebuild her credit and regained her buying power. As a result, she started a multilevel marketing business from home, which allowed her to change lives far more broadly.
Fighting Self Doubt
She also started questioning whether she was qualified enough for the job as a consultant, doubting herself. She admits that in the beginning, the challenge was not so much her ability to perform but rather changing her mindset to believe she could succeed. It meant overcoming the fear of failure that she had. She was aware that God had destined her for greatness. She was inspired to persevere through the obstacles and setbacks once she began to see herself as God did.
What Matters
Finally, Leslie says that the business culture you are building reflects your values as a business owner. Here’s a tip: take the first step yourself if you want your employees to have a work-life balance. Maintain clear clock-in and clock-out hours and encourage employees to live a balanced lifestyle.
