Blog | Blackburn Consulting

Distractions, Distractions everywhere

July 17, 2018 by Audrey Blackburn Leave a Comment

My daughter got in the car from summer camp. I asked her how her day was and she started complaining about how her friends began yelling at her during the game to sit down because she ran past the blocker. She said that everyone was yelling her name over and over saying, sit down!!!! She ignored them for a while because she knew she was right and didn’t have to sit down. She knew the rules of the game. But, eventually she got tired of the yelling, gave in and sat down only to find out she was right after all.

This make me think of life as a business owner. When we start out we have these plans and dreams of what we are going to do with our business. We open up shop and get to work excited to share with the world what we offer. But somewhere in that first year we run into “those people”. You know the ones. They tell you how you are doing it all wrong or how your idea won’t work or how you should do things like they did. I call them distractions. Now don’t get me wrong, we all can use good advice and wisdom in running our businesses but then there are those that simply distract us.

Sometimes they distract us for a moment, a day, or a week but sometimes it can be much longer and they can even derail us completely or discourage us to the point that we want to give up. Running a business is hard enough without the distractors.

Here are 3 things that have helped me when the distractors show up:

1) Ask yourself if what they had to say was worthwhile. Is this something that is truly going to help you or is it just opinion? If it will help you then use it as wisdom, if not then chuck it and move on.

2) Ignore it. If you find yourself getting derailed by others advice then ignore it and keep on your path. If someone is simply giving you their opinion and it’s not something that is illegal or harmful to you in some way then ignore it and move forward!

3) Smile, thank them and do what the hell you want anyway. This is typically my choice. I smile and thank them for their input and then I do exactly what I wanted to in the first place. I do listen to the advice of others but I find so much of the advice that I don’t solicit is useless.

If you are on a mission and distractors are getting to you, stop and try one of these. Whatever you do, don’t get discouraged and give up. Just because they say your idea won’t work or that you should do it differently doesn’t mean you should! At the end of the day it is your business.

Be a FORCE in Business

July 9, 2018 by Audrey Blackburn Leave a Comment

Be a FORCE in Business

This article is by guest poster, Allan Younger. Allan is the Director of the Small Business Center at Forsyth Technical Community College, owner of GRACE Consulting, and teaches business classes to undergrad students at Winston Salem State University and Salem College. He has written more than 30 locally published magazine articles about business development. Allan’s wife is also an entrepreneur of a dance apparel store. He serves as her marketing consultant. Allan strongly believes that business leaders must be actively engaged in their communities.

This month, I want to discuss the concept of being a FORCE in business. Each year, I attend a small business summit in January sponsored by Guilford Technical Community College. The entire day is designed to start each year off with a bang for hundreds of current and prospective business owners. The message of one of the speakers really intrigued me. I quickly connected with Ivey Ghee on LinkedIn and asked her for permission to share some of the great things that I learned. She graciously agreed to allow me to introduce you to the concept of FORCE (in my words). In order to be a FORCE in business, the following is needed:

1. Faith – In order for others to believe in us, we must believe in ourselves. I often meet business owners who do not seem convinced in their ability to succeed.
2. Ownership – We encourage our clients to hold themselves accountable to the good and the bad aspects of their businesses. Sometimes when things are not going well, we tend to find other people or things to
blame. This should not be the case.
3. Resources – We have assembled a large number of resources in our Small Business Center and online. We are also connected to more than 20 organizations in Forsyth and Stokes counties that provide services to
small businesses.
4. Commitment – Dedication is essential. Unfortunately, many people that we meet are not 100% committed to the success of their ventures. That lack of commitment is often clear to potential customers and partners.
5. Energy – We must be passionate about our business ventures. In other words, we must have the drive and determination needed to be successful. If we do not, we cannot expect others to get excited when
we show up.

You may learn about our services at www.forsythtech.edu. Feel free to stop by our office at 525@Vine in Wake Forest Innovation Quarter just east of the heart of downtown Winston- Salem. You may also contact us at SBC@forsythtech.edu or by calling (336) 757-3810.

The objective of the Small Business Center at Forsyth Tech is to help small businesses succeed by providing high quality, readily accessible assistance to prospective and existing business owners in Forsyth and Stokes counties. Our motto is “Increasing Business Success,” which describes our commitment to clients. The N.C. Community College’s Small Business Center Network assists in starting an average of more than 700 businesses each year and the centers have an economic impact in 90 percent of all N.C. counties each year, helping to create and retain over 3,800 jobs annually. Article appeared in Black Business Ink Magazine 2018.

Scarcity vs. Abundance – Behaviors

May 7, 2018 by Audrey Blackburn Leave a Comment

Scarcity Mindset vs. Abundance – Behaviors

So you are working on moving from a mindset of scarcity to one of abundance but what does that exactly look like in your behavior? What changes occur that make a difference? Just because you are thinking differently doesn’t mean you are going to act on it. Yeah, so that is the point. You have to take action. You can’t just think different, you have to do different. We talked about reframing last time as a tool to change your mindset. Reframing your thoughts is a great step to reframing your actions.

Where am I going to find my next customers? Reframe: My customers will come because I am going to offer high value services that they want and I will market to my niche so they know what is available to them.
You have to constantly hustle or the competition is going to crush you. Reframe: You can actually work with your competitors to serve the clients. There is more than enough for everyone. Collaboration is much better than competition.
I don’t have what it takes to do _________. Reframe: I am confident and brave enough to be seen. I know I have what it takes to do the job.
There isn’t enough __________. Reframe: There is more than enough _____________ (fill in the blank).
Fear of missing out (FOMO). Reframe: I am doing exactly what I am supposed to be doing today.
If I don’t fight for myself no one will. Reframe: I don’t have to fight.
I’m so busy. Reframe: My time is spent doing exactly what I want to do.

So how do we take these reframed thoughts and turn them into actions?

Reframing our actions

Once you reframe your thoughts then it is time to show what you are made of and walk the talk. Once you reframe your thoughts you will find it makes you step up your game. What do I mean? Here’s an example. My customers will come because I am going to offer high value services that they want and I will market to my niche so they know what is available to them. Now you actually have to work on developing high value services, marketing those services, discovering your niche and your best client (if you don’t already know) and then develop a plan to draw in those desired customers. This is a tall order but do you see how changing it from a worry statement to a confident statement gave you an action plan?

Another favorite of mine that when reframed gives a clear action plan. “I’m so busy” turned into “My time is spent doing exactly what I want to do.” Well, if my time is spent doing exactly what I want to do then I’ve got to get busy changing alot of things. This is a big one for me because I was too busy. I still am busy but it is getting better. Why you may ask? I reframed the “I’m so busy” and realized that the problem is I wasn’t doing exactly what I want to do. So I started to put things in motion that changed that and made the statement true. The reason I say I’m still busy is that it isn’t an overnight change. Big changes take time and sometimes we must take action in baby steps but all action is good and moves us in the right direction. Now instead of just thinking in abundance I’m moving towards living in abundance too.

Living in Abundance

So what changes do you need to make in your “stinking thinking”? Start out by writing out your scarcity thoughts and then once you’ve identified them then rewrite them into a positive reframing thought. Once you have reframed then do any actions jump out that you can take? Share with us how you are implementing this in your life.

Scarcity vs. Abundance – Mindset

April 8, 2018 by Audrey Blackburn Leave a Comment

Scarcity Mindset vs. Abundance Mindset

I know you have heard the terms scarcity and abundance but what do they really mean you or your organization. Many have a mindset of scarcity and don’t even know it. What does scarcity mean? Scarcity is when you perceive that something is in limited supply.

You worry where you are going to find your next customers or donors – scarcity mindset
You are fighting the competition to get what you can. You have to hustle. – scarcity mindset
I don’t have what it takes to do x,y,z – scarcity mindset
There isn’t enough _____________ – scarcity mindset
Fear of missing out – scarcity mindset
If I don’t fight for myself no one will – scarcity mindset
I’m so busy – scarcity mindset

When you truly take a look at scarcity it isn’t appealing.

How to change our mindset

No one wants to live in a scarcity mindset. It effects everything you do, the actions you take and the decisions you make daily. When you come from a place of scarcity you feel there is never enough of the resources you need. But what if you changed the script to one of abundance? What is abundance? The definition of abundance is “a plentiful or oversufficient quantity or supply”. You can change your mindset to one of abundance by changing the way you think. It doesn’t happen all at once but in the small changes and shifts in your thinking every single day.

Here are some steps you can take when you find yourself in a scarcity mindset:

Reframe your thinking – Stop when you find your are thinking negative/scarcity based thoughts. Reframe them into ones of abundant thinking. If you feel something is lacking imagine it as plentiful. If you are feeling the pinch of lack, imagine yourself with an overabundance of what you are seeking.
Daily affirmations – Write out affirmations that support an abundanct mindset. Ex: I have all the resources that I need to complete this task. I am capable, strong and efficient.
Be grateful – It’s hard to stay in scarcity when you are grateful for what you have and what is to come.
Look for the good in everything – As much as you can throughout the day notice the good. If you train your mind to see the good then you will see less of the bad. You will find that you see more good in every single thing.
Encourage others – if you need encouragement then encourage others. You will not only feel good from helping someone else but you will be encouraging yourself as well.

Living in Abundance

Living in Abundance means knowing that there is enough to go around for all. You don’t have to fight for the scraps. Resources are plentiful. If you are in business, there are plenty of customers for everyone. If you need money, there are plenty of funds to go around. If you need encouragement, you will find it. Take some time today to write down ways that you can live abundantly.

Tell us about it. How do you plan to move from scarcity to abundance today?

If you are interested in moving your small business or nonprofit from scarcity to abundance, contact us today!

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The State of Small Business Marketing

March 22, 2018 by Audrey Blackburn Leave a Comment

In my previous article, I discussed the three main reasons why people establish and maintain relationships with the Small Business Center. These reasons include starting a business, enhancing an existing business, and problem resolution. This month, I want to discuss the state of small business as it relates to marketing. I regularly read articles about small business success (and the lack of it) in order to position the Small Business Center to meet needs in the market place. I also attend conferences with this objective in mind. I came across some interesting statistics related to marketing. Marketing continues to be a big challenge for businesses of all sizes and types. I was pleased to learn that roughly 54% of small businesses invest 4% or more of their revenue in marketing. Here are some of the things that I learned: Digital Marketing: Use of LinkedIn and Instagram has increased. Use of Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and YouTube has decreased. Although use has declined, Facebook remains the most used platform.

37% use designated business accounts.

Top Marketing Tools: 56% website

50% email

48% social media

48% word of mouth

37% print collateral

34% internet advertising

33% direct mail

29% TV, radio, and/or print ads

28% Search Engine Optimization

23% trade shows/conferences

For these reasons and many others, we offer a variety of business education events. In January 2018, we started a Marketing Excellence series. Each month we will discuss ways to strengthen our marketing efforts. It is essential that we determine the best ways to connect with our potential (and existing) customers. You will be encouraged to leave each session with new ideas and strategies for implementation.

We also have a team of business mentors who meet with business owners on a one-on-one basis to work through various ventures, challenges, and enhancement opportunities. Some of our mentors have marketing as a specialty. We are confident that we can help you to stay (or get back) on the road to success. We look forward to supporting you. You may learn about our services at www.forsythtech.edu. Feel free to stop by our office at 525@Vine in Wake Forest Innovation Quarter just east of the heart of downtown Winston- Salem. You may also contact us at SBC@forsythtech.edu or by calling (336) 757-3810. The objective of the Small Business Center at Forsyth Tech is to help small businesses succeed by providing high quality, readily accessible assistance to prospective and existing business owners in Forsyth and Stokes counties. Our motto is “Increasing Business Success,” which describes our commitment to clients. The N.C. Community College’s Small Business Center Network assists in starting an average of more than 800 businesses each year and the centers have an economic impact in 90 percent of all N.C. counties each year, helping to create and retain over 2,800 jobs annually.

If you are an entrepreneurial thinker and would like more information about starting or expanding a business, contact the Forsyth Tech Small Business Center for free information, including small business seminars and one-on-one counseling. 336-757-3810 SBC@forsythtech.edu 525@Vine Street Winston-Salem, NC 27101