Here is a key question for the day - do you think as entrepreneurs we are increasingly losing our ability to really focus and concentrate our efforts on achieving complex or even routine tasks without getting distracted by a blur of social media and emails? Are the demands of being able to multitask all the time stopping us from filtering out everything that is irrelevant to what we are doing in the moment, and instead taking our eyes constantly off what is important? If all that resonates with you, it appears you are not alone. In an interesting book by author and professor Cal Newport entitled Deep Work (Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World), he argues that the ability to concentrate intensely is a skill that must be trained. Deep work is the ability to focus without distraction on a cognitively demanding task, allowing you to quickly master complicated information and produce better results in less time. According to his research, it appears deep work will make you better at what you do and provide the sense of true fulfillment that comes from craftsmanship, being completely present in completing the task at hand. He believes that deep work could be our ‘super power’ in an increasingly competitive twenty-first century economy. Something to think about this morning as we look to find an edge!

In business there is often the temptation to think that what we are creating, our products and services, are potentially relevant to everyone out there in some way or another, but in reality this is very rarely the case. The trick is to embrace the fact that you have a specific audience or market you are trying to reach, and instead get to know exactly what it needs, and what it’s pain points are that you can solve. It’s critical to know your market and audience as well as you know your own space if you are really going to reach out and connect. Not just that, it’s key to gain these insights in order to innovate and create new products and services, and at the same time create new market opportunities where your own business can find its niche. So spend time and effort really getting to know your target audience inside out and start thinking about how your business and its offerings are going to make a difference.

They often say that if you want something badly enough, that becomes the driving force to help you to try and attain it. It’s the same in business as an entrepreneur - you need to have driving ambition to help you to achieve the success you crave. Often, the difference between success and failure is just how much you want it and how hard you are prepared to work to get it. Having that ambition doesn’t necessarily guarantee success in life and business, but it will keep you going through the tough times and keep you motivated on your journey. If you look at those entrepreneurs who have achieved significant success, the one thing they share is the drive to succeed, to keep going no matter what hurdles they encounter, to ignore the doubters and keep chasing the dream. There is a famous quote that says: “Ambition is the first step to success. The second step is action.” How true!

Do you often experience the feeling that your life and business, both of which are closely intertwined when you are an entrepreneur, are just getting far too cluttered, too complicated? Do you often long for things to be just a bit simpler? If the answer is yes, then you are like many other entrepreneurs out there - but remember that simple doesn’t necessarily equate to small. It’s all about focusing on creating products and services that are simple to implement for the customer, and simple to administer in the most stress-free way for the business as a whole. This ‘keeping it simple’ approach also means that you can declutter your mind and the way you do things as an entrepreneur, giving you the freedom to think with more clarity, and make decisions that are unfettered by too many other extraneous issues and pressures. After all, when our lives are simplified and decluttered, we tend not to overthink things and instead gain essential perspective, a key factor for business success. 

If as a startup you are getting to the point where there are simply too many things to do but not enough hours in the day, then it might be time to consider outsourcing some of the key tasks that are a hassle. After all, it’s not just a question of working harder or more hours, but in working smarter. So why not identify those specific tasks that are negatively affecting your productivity and efficiency, and that are not your own personal strengths - it could be routine administration, book-keeping, sales, social media management, or a combination of any of those specialist activities. Then, bring in the skills and resources you need, as and when you need them, and while you are at it, why not also consider outsourcing to another woman entrepreneur - it’s a win-win. By outsourcing some of the work you need to do but don’t enjoy or have time to do effectively, you are freeing up time to actually focus on growing your business and delivering to your clients.

As entrepreneurs, the chances are we have all experienced those moments as we build our businesses when we have a particular challenge to solve, but we just can’t see a solution. At these times, perspective is a great thing, but the trick is finding that perspective when you need it. Sometimes you just need to step back, break a challenge down into different viewpoints, and then assess the best way of solving it. So here is a practical approach to gaining perspective. Look at the challenge or problem you are trying to address. Then, create five boxes which represent different possible ways of viewing the problem. The first box should contain all the facts, nothing more, simply and starkly presented. The second box should contain all the possible negative things that could happen if you don’t address the problem. The third box should contain all the positive next steps if an effective solution is found. The fourth box should contain ironically all the ‘out-of-the-box’ possible ways of addressing the challenge. The fifth box should contain all the low risk possible solutions. Once you have all these different boxes in front of you, to help you to declutter your thoughts and lay out the possible choices, it may be easier to get the perspective you need to make the right decisions.

As any entrepreneur knows only too well, time is a precious commodity and one that needs to be managed really well if key business goals and objectives are to be achieved. But often we allow ourselves to be derailed time-wise by other people and their priorities instead of keeping focused on our own. As Steve Jobs famously said: “Average people allow time to impose its will on them; exceptional people impose their will on their time. It’s really clear that the most precious resource we all have is time.” There will always be seemingly impossible deadlines to meet, and there will inevitably be innumerable tasks to juggle, but it’s about getting things done as quickly and effectively as possible in order to free up the time you really need to focus on the things that add the most value to your life and business.

If there is one thing I know from the entrepreneurial journey in life, it’s that it’s essential to stay positive, and that means banishing negative thoughts, and distancing yourself from negative people who are just not supportive of what you are trying to do. Successful entrepreneurship to a large extent is all about confidence, and to be confident you need to be positive in your thoughts and actions, and also have positive people around you to back you and encourage you. So do yourself a big favor- take a hard look at yourself and where you are right now on your entrepreneurial journey. Ask yourself the question - what makes you have negative thoughts? Is it that you think you might fail? Or perhaps you doubt your abilities or talents in business? Or maybe you are experiencing huge feelings of guilt at not having achieved your goals as an entrepreneur but having put your family and friends through the ups and downs of your business without seeing much reward yet? The point is that there will always be challenges, there will always be uncertainty, there will always be times when you question your life choice to be an entrepreneur. But ultimately, it’s easier and so much more enjoyable to make this entrepreneurial journey when you focus on the positive and banish the negatives.

At the beginning of the year, it’s always good to assess your personal skills levels and to see if there is anything you need to improve upon or learn anew to keep you fresh and to equip you for specific challenges you will encounter on your business journey ahead. So why not take some time to look at your business action plan for 2017, look at each of your goals, and then assess really honestly if you need to enhance your knowledge or expertise through some focused training and development. Remember, it doesn’t always need to be a formal development programme - sometimes it can be doing some research on a key skills area, reading books or online training manuals to address a specific area of weakness, or taking an online development programme. Whatever approach you take, it’s always good to keep refreshing your skills and staying on top of the latest thinking and ways of doing things.

Everyone understands and appreciates the power of networks, they have been used for years to make things happen in the world, in our society, and in business. We have probably all heard about and encountered ‘the old boys network’ at some point in our lives and careers. It therefore makes sense that in the hugely competitive world of entrepreneurship, there are lessons to be learned from how networks can really support our entrepreneurial journeys. Not just in terms of opening doors and contacts for future business, but more from an encouragement perspective - and let’s face it, we need all the encouragement we can get. So, let’s make 2017 the year when we genuinely support one another as women entrepreneurs, no matter where in the world we are,  what business sectors we are operating in, or how successful or otherwise our business ventures are. We can all learn from one another, we can take strength from our shared experiences, we can celebrate our ups and commiserate over our downs, and above all, we can just be there for one another to make a difference. 

It’s still early in the new year but do you find you are still in vacation mode, not quite on your game yet and inevitably thinking you can put off fulfilling certain key tasks until tomorrow, or next week, or next month? Procrastination really is a negative hurdle that gets in the way of achieving success, so to start this new year in the right spirit, it’s better to get focused on the doing, not the excuse making. And let’s face it, procrastinating always takes more effort, particularly as it makes us feel guilty about what we should be doing. The well known US motivational speaker and writer, Denis Waitley, said: “Procrastination is the fear of success. People procrastinate because they are afraid of the success that they know will result if they move ahead now. Because success is heavy, it carries a responsibility with it, it is much easier to procrastinate and live on the ‘someday I’ll’ philosophy.” Wise words, but have you also noticed that when you focus and you are very near to completing a particular task, you are motivated to reach the finish line? So what are you waiting for, stop procrastinating, just do it! 

As entrepreneurs, we have probably all been there at some time or another - that point where our creativity in business seems to hit a roadblock and we are devoid of new ideas or new ways of doing things. However, there is no need to panic in these situations. One of the best ways of giving your creativity a real boost is through collaboration and bouncing ideas off other people who each bring something different to the table - and then it’s amazing how often new ideas emerge. As the hugely creative musician and entrepreneur Pharrell Williams says: “Collaborate with people you can learn from.” If you can open your mind and embrace the power of collaboration and being open to continually learning from others, then great things can be achieved. Collaboration is the spark which ignites innovative, out of the box thinking as a result of being surrounded with like-minded people who constantly push the envelope.

At the start of a new year it seems like there is all the time in the world to get things done, to create the next product, to build a brand, etc. But it’s easy to lose sight of what you are working towards with so much going on - it’s essential to keep the big picture in focus at all times. So do what the most successful entrepreneurs around the world do - check your day to day tasks and how you prioritize them by allocating them to a key goal you have to achieve as part of your big picture thinking. This requires discipline, but your business will thank you for it, as you will be constantly checking your actions in line with what the business needs you to achieve in order to thrive and grow. As Virgin founder, Sir Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group says, “Keep your eye on the bigger picture, but don't slip on attention to detail.”

How often do you hear people say “it’s impossible” when faced with a difficulty in life or a hurdle in business? Probably more often than you would like, but in the world of entrepreneurship, nothing is impossible. It might be hard (very hard at times), it will often be challenging, it will possibly test your willpower to the limits, but the chances are it won’t be impossible. It’s all a matter of how you look at life and how you approach it. The legendary boxer, Muhammad Ali, had an inspirational take on the subject, and was definitely an example of someone who defied the notion of impossible. He famously said:  “Impossible is not a fact. It’s an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It’s a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.” Words to inspire the next time you think something on your entrepreneurial journey is impossible.

If there is one thing we can never take for granted, it’s our customers. They are hard won, valued and hard to get back if we lose them. We need to take great care of the customers we have, and we constantly need to be on the lookout for our next customers who might be interested in what we have to sell. But we can’t just expect them to come and find us, just because we think we have great products or services to offer - it takes work, hard work, and constant work. Think about it - in our personal lives, we wouldn’t spend huge amounts of time, effort and money organizing the most wonderful party, and then not actively invite people to attend, instead just expecting them to hear about it by word of mouth and then come along. But often entrepreneurs underestimate the amount of time required to market to customers each and every day, in order to ensure the pipeline of orders and work continues to flow, and the company grows as a result. Consistent marketing to customers is an important habit to create, and like most habits, it needs to happen each and every day without fail in order to make the biggest impact. The marketplace is full of sales noise, competitors vying for ears, eyes and attention, and its essential that we ensure our brands, products and services are kept top of mind amongst the existing customers we are trying to keep or the new ones we are trying to win over. Make customer marketing your daily habit - your business will thank you for it.

One of the topics that comes up perhaps most often at our monthly Lioness Lean In Breakfast events around the continent is the fear experienced by startups that someone will come along and steal your idea. And yet as I often share in these conversations, this should not be your biggest worry as a startup. In fact, how to practically turn your idea into a viable business proposition, and getting it launched quickly into the marketplace, should be your real concern. I was reminded of this fact when I was reading an article which featured a quote by Sean Parker, the founder of Napster.  He said: “Your biggest challenge as an entrepreneur is not concealing your idea from others or keeping your idea a secret, it is actually convincing people that you’re not crazy and that you can pull this off.” He’s so right - this is the real challenge to be overcome. So, stop worrying that someone is going to steal your idea and instead, build it, launch it, and refine it once it is out there - after all, the biggest advantage comes from being first to market. 

How many times are we asked by people questions such as: so what’s next?; where to now?; what’s your next big plan/project?; how do you top what you achieved last year? It seems as there is never a time to actually enjoy the moment we are in, the current stage we have reached on our entrepreneurial journeys. But the point is, our lives do not have to be about constantly chasing the next goal, or the next seemingly out of reach target. We can take the time to simply enjoy where we are right now. As the internationally renowned author and speaker, Dr Wayne Dyer, said on the subject: “Present-moment living, getting in touch with your now, is at the heart of effective living. When you think about it, there really is no other moment you can live. Now is all there is, and the future is just another present moment to live when it arrives.” Something to think about as we journey through our own entrepreneurial lives. Enjoy living in the moment! 

At a human level, we all know how wonderful it makes us feel to receive a compliment about our businesses, our brands and the products and services we are creating and delivering. And as entrepreneurs, we know how much hard work goes into building a successful business, or developing and launching a new product. Therefore, it’s great to receive recognition and appreciation for what we are doing. But it is particularly rewarding when our fellow entrepreneurs give us feedback and positively comment on our businesses, or the innovations behind our new products and services. After all, they know only too well the trials and tribulations, the tears shed, the hours and hours of sheer hard graft behind the scenes to get to that point. That’s why it’s important to take time to compliment and appreciate our fellow women entrepreneurs. Not only that, did you know that when you give a genuine and heartfelt compliment to someone, your body experiences a biochemical reaction of so called ‘happy chemicals’, such as oxytocin and serotonin, and that’s why it feels great to give a compliment, as well as receive one. So, go ahead and make another woman entrepreneur’s day today!

Do you remember the days when the job of building a brand for a business was the sole responsibility of external consultants and specialists, together with a small number of executives in the boardroom? If you have ever worked inside a big corporate, then this will undoubtedly resonate. However, for the entrepreneur, particularly the startup busy building a brand from the ground up, usually with a small budget but big ideas, this is no longer the case. Today, it’s the responsibility of everyone in the business, from the founders to the employees who are along for the exciting startup ride. It’s still great to have expert input and advice from the brand specialists, particularly if they are also startups and know only too well how to maximize creative ideas and equally creativebudget conscious spend and are prepared to walk-the-walk with you. But gone are the days  of remote branding experts controlling a company’s brand-building efforts from behind closed doors - today, successful brand-building is the responsibility of everybody in the business - from the CEO to the sales team. It’s all about creating the best customer experience, making every brand touchpoint count, and everyone inside the company or contributing to it, has a key role to play.

I don’t know about you, but I am the ultimate list-maker - I love writing them and fastidiously ticking off the actions, one by one as they are completed. It not only makes me feel better, particularly on those days where there just seem to be too many things to be achieved in an impossibly small amount of time, but it also increases my productivity. However, as an entrepreneur, there is always a danger with list-making that they never actually get completed, just added to constantly, and therefore they become more of a burden than a help. So, here are some tips to help you get those to-do lists completed. Firstly, break large tasks into smaller pieces, thereby making them easier to complete on deadline. Secondly, prioritize all the actions on the list - use the 80/20 principle - work out what is going to deliver 80% of the impact for 20% of the effort. Thirdly, plan ahead to maximize your efficiency and that of your teams. Finally, keep your to-do lists realistic and achievable. Ultimately, it’s all about the planning and the prioritizing - happy list-making!