15 Tips For Building The Confidence To Be The Brand
23 Jul
Business Coach, Confidence Culture, Grow Your Expertise, Inspiration

15 Tips For Building The Confidence To Be The Brand

So, you’ve taken that leap and built a business. First, congratulations. Not many people have the mental and emotional fortitude to pull off what you did. 

But…

Being an entrepreneur comes with a unique set of stressors.

While you’re steadily growing, it’s common to worry that you’re not getting the traction you need to really take off. 

As brilliant as many business owners may be, many lack the confidence to fully show up as the face of their brand. But confidence is a key component of success in business. The more confident you are, the more people will be attracted to your brand and want to learn more about you.

15 Tips For Building The Confidence

These 15 tips will help you build the confidence to become the brand so you can attract more prospects and scale to the next level. 

1. Know Your Brand 

You can’t begin to show up in a way that inspires others to follow if you aren’t clear on who you are and where your brand is going. Start by defining your purpose. What are you here to do? Who are you here to serve? How do you want to make people feel? 

When you know that, you can begin to embody the real essence of your brand. 

2. Do What You Say You’re Going To Do 

Nobody likes flakiness—especially in business. Whether it’s working 1:1 with a client or something you push out on social media, hold yourself accountable for the things you say. People will begin to associate that respect they have for you with your overall brand. 

3. Get Clear On Your Values & Beliefs 

This is a crucial step. Values and beliefs are so important to the foundation of who you are and what your brand stands for. They need to be deeply ingrained in your messaging and interaction with others. 

4. Share Your Story

In uncovering your values, belief and mission, start to weave a story about your experience in relation to those—and then share it! Especially if it’s messy, real, and shows your audience that you know first-hand what they’re going through. 

5. Use Your Voice 

Social media makes it easier than ever for brands to have a distinct voice. Make it a priority to be active on your favorite platforms and speak up about the things that matter to you. Don’t be afraid to show multiple facets of your personality, even if they don’t relate directly to your brand. 

6. Show Enthusiasm

There’s nothing as contagious as enthusiasm. If you’re excited about something, show it. Chances are, you’ll attract some people who are just as excited about it as you. 

7. Share Your Passions 

Don’t keep your interests to yourself — share them with the world. Be open and honest about what you’re into so your audience can get to know you better. 

8. Get Visible and STAY Visible 

So many founders and CEOs love to hide behind their businesses. But if you want people to trust you enough to buy from you, you have to be willing to come out and show your face every now and again. 

9. While We’re Talking About Visibility…Keep A Visible List Of Accomplishments 

Sometimes, we forget how awesome we are. Displaying a list of all the things you’re proud of will come in handy when you’re feeling down and insecure. 

10. Practice Positive Affirmations 

Positive affirmations are the new “fake it till you make it.” Write down a few things you hope to be and repeat them to yourself every day as reminders of where you want your brand to go. 

11. Be Consistent  

While you’re an ever-evolving human, it’s important to keep your brand consistent. Some change every now and then is great, but try to stick to some consistent themes so people know what to expect from you. 

12. Get Vulnerable

One of the best ways to connect with your audience is to show them that you’re human. Businesses need not be totally above board and professional all the time. Get real every once in a while so you can connect with your audience on a deeper level. 

13. Stop Falling For The Comparison Trap

It’s so easy to get caught up in where you are now and compare yourself to other people. But when you start going down that Instagram rabbit hole, remember that no one can do it like you—because there’s no one like you. 

14. Be Kind To Yourself

Putting yourself out there is hard, and it’s not always going to feel good. When you’re feeling insecure, practice self-compassion and give yourself a little break. 

15. Stay Authentic & Transparent

And finally, build your brand based on the person you authentically are—and don’t let anyone tell you that’s not enough.

— 

​​If you want help increasing your confidence so you can elevate your brand, click here to learn more about working with Alison Todd. 

The Art of Confidence
22 Jul
Business Coach, Confidence Culture, Entrepreneurship

The Art of Confidence

Let’s face it: it takes confidence to run a business. You can’t sell your products and services only half-heartedly believing in yourself. Garnering a client list and succeeding in your market takes self-assurance in order to fully develop into the complete professional you know you can be. 

But confidence isn’t always easy to grasp. It can be incredibly difficult, regardless if you’re a seasoned entrepreneur, beginner businessperson, or failed executive. With that in mind, I’ve gathered some easy tricks to bolster your confidence so that you can be the best business owner you can be–and then some. 

Fake it ‘Til You Make It

This may seem facetious to suggest but…it’s actually true. You’ve probably heard the rhetoric, “think it and it’ll be true” time and time again, well the same goes for confidence. If you work hard enough to project a confident mentality, you will eventually become the confidence you’re putting out there. And everyone you meet who seems completely self-confident? They’re doing the same thing!

With a positive mindset, daily affirmations, and a confident persona, you can become exactly the person you want to be by reprogramming your own brain.

Dress for Success

A big part of “fake it ‘til you make it” includes the way you present yourself. Have you ever dressed to the nines and walked into somewhere knowing how powerful you looked and people treated you exactly like that? 

There’s a reason: when you know you look good, you just end up feeling good, which results in natural feelings of confidence. 

Follow Other Successful Businesses for Motivation–But Avoid Comparisons

Follow other businesses in your market or industry and be inspired! It’s good business sense to know what your competition is up to, and knowing that you’re helping level the playing field for your business can lead to further confidence in yourself as a business owner.

However an easy pitfall to fall into is comparing your progress to that of others–stop it! Other businesses can have drastically different resources, budgets, and goals than you, even if you’re looking to them for inspiration–trust in your own journey and avoid any negative self-talk. You’ll get where you need to be.

Take Care of Your Body.

Mental and physical health is directly related to your sense of confidence. If you’re tired, stressed, anxious, or sick, you can’t work to your greatest ability–you know it and your clients will know it. By honoring your limits and respecting your body with good fuel, daily exercise, hydration, and sleep you can maintain your daily schedule and meet your own expectations for success. 

Believe in Yourself

When you start your business, you may face a ton of people telling you that you can’t do it–that you can’t succeed. Well, I’m here to tell you that the quickest way to failing is by believing these people: only you get to decide whether you fail or not. By believing in yourself, your brand, and your products, you can be self-confident enough to achieve all of your goals and more.

Confidence May Start With a C, But it Begins With You

Self-confidence isn’t something that can be bought or given to you by someone else–you alone control your own sense of confidence. But I believe in you, and I know that you can too. The art of confidence isn’t some mysterious gift passed down amongst those deemed worthy–it’s a skill that can be honed day in and day out. 

I know you can do it, and with my help we can get you there even faster. 

What is Business Coaching and Why Do I Need it?
04 Jun
Business Coach, Confidence Culture, Entrepreneurship, Grow Your Business

What is Business Coaching and Why Do I Need it?

As a business owner, you’ve been looking at your business in the same way since its inception—from the inside. It’s easy to get tunnel vision and miss issues that could be keeping your business from reaching its highest potential. Often, an outside perspective of your business can help you establish a clear vision of where you are, where you want to be, and how you can get there.

My friend, you need a business coach.

What is Business Coaching?

When you hire a business coach, they will provide you with that outside perspective that your business likely craves. They’re essentially a business mentor who can help you understand how to run your business more efficiently. Regardless of your industry or business size, a business coach is an investment in your future.

And business coaching isn’t one-size-fits-all—your coach will look at your individual strengths, areas of improvement, and goals to help you determine a curated plan. They’ll be there with you every step of the way as you execute the necessary steps to grow your business successfully.

Business Coach Roles and How They Will Help You Succeed

Your business coach will customize their coaching style to your specific needs but there are certain roles that every business coach fulfills. Some of the most important hats that a business coach wears are the following:

Outside Observer

Arguably one of the most important roles of business coaching, your coach will take a close but objective look at your business operations. They’ll identify any areas of concern and reprogram operations and provide you with an actionable plan designed to ensure nothing falls through the cracks.

Accountability Buddy

Imagine having a professional partner you will check up on you monthly, weekly, or even daily keep you accountable for business tasks? Enter your lifeline: your business coach. Expect them to keep you accountable for commitments that will help your business grow exponentially.

Analyst

Your business coach will monitor or even create KPIs (key performance indicators) for your business. These metrics allow you to track your progress and tangibly measure your business’ success. If you’re a business owner who is hesitant to analyze the metrics of your business (either out of fear or because you’re unsure how to), you can delegate that task to a knowledgeable business coach.

Goal Getter

You have goals, but you might not know how to approach them. Your business coach will prioritize your business aspirations and give you tangible steps to achieve them. Expect a meticulously organized timeline of events and milestones that you’ll work toward together.

Business Coaching is the Secret Sauce

Whether you’re a brand new or long-time business owner, you know that you’re meant for great things. Allow yourself to reach those great heights with the help of a qualified business coach. If you’re ready to become the business owner you’ve always dreamed out, learn more about my coaching options. 

Why is Business Confidence Important
04 Jun
Business Coach, Confidence Culture, Entrepreneurship

Why is Business Confidence Important?

“What’s wrong with being confident?” Absolutely nothing. In fact, confidently running your business is critical to its growth and success. When your confidence is low, you’re less likely to take calculated risks or go after your goals.

So, how do you gain (or regain) the confidence you need to run your business, and why is business confidence so important?

What is Business Confidence?

Business confidence is the mentality of looking forward to an optimistic business future—being confident that your business will succeed. That’s not to say that you can just sit back and dream about a successful business, and it’ll happen, but by having confidence, you’re more likely to ambitiously take the actions required to grow.

Tips to Gain Business Confidence

If you’re determined to find success as a business owner—which I know you are—you’ll need to build and maintain business confidence. It’s not just something you can find once, and you’re done—we all have to work to be confident and nurture it as outside factors change. Here are some powerful ways to build your business confidence:

Have a Game Plan

Without an organized plan, you’re walking around aimlessly. You can’t feel confident in your business because you don’t know what you’re doing! But with a structured plan, it’s easy to feel secure that you’re on the path to success. Make sure your business operations are well-developed and structured. Don’t just keep these plans up in your head—write them down, so you have actionable steps. A business coach can help you develop this game plan if you’re unsure where to start. By visualizing the future of your successful business, it’ll be hard not to be confident.

Be Strategic

Sure, risk-taking is part of being a confident business owner, but you don’t want to just leap whenever an opportunity presents itself. Ensure you’re taking calculated and strategic risks toward your business goals. Get crystal clear on the pros and cons of each decision and have a backup plan to fall back on should anything unfavorable happen.

Enlist Support

Confident business owners don’t do everything alone—they have a strong support network. Make sure you’re working with a strong team of employees who all share your values and vision. Invest in a business manager, accountant, and other professionals who can take tasks off your plate and leave you with peace of mind that all business elements are handled.

And finally, form a network of like-minded business professionals! Bounce ideas off these peers, then share your wins and challenges with them. They’ll likely want to do the same with you, so it’s a win-win for everyone. Business owners always want to help each other out.

Takeaways

With all the uncertainty surrounding running a business, it can be challenging to ride the waves confidently. But with a detailed game plan and qualified support, you can build confidence in business. So, roll your shoulders back and bring that chin up, business owner, because you are meant for big things.

Struggling in CEO Role
07 Apr
Confidence Culture, Entrepreneurship, Grow Your Business, Grow Your Expertise

Good Entrepreneur but a Bad CEO? Here are 5 Reasons You’re Struggling to Step into the CEO Role

As an entrepreneur, you’re creative; you’re innovative, you’re passionate. You take risks, chances, and you’re not afraid to fail. Your social skills are probably better than most other people you know.

But, a great entrepreneur doesn’t automatically equal a successful CEO. 

5 Reasons You’re Struggling as the CEO

Are you a great idea person but unsure about your role as the CEO? Here are five reasons you might find yourself struggling to step into a leadership position.

You Want to Be Overly Involved

Sounds counterintuitive, right? As an entrepreneur, it’s understandable that you want immersion in all of your business’s goings. Still, too much involvement prevents you from fully thriving in your zone of genius and stifles your team.

A good CEO knows how to let their team handle their tasks without micromanaging. Yes, you need to be kept in the know, keep track of your company’s successes and setbacks, and coach your team to the win, but a good CEO knows when — and how — to delegate.

You Don’t Know How to Hire the Right People.

You’ve got the entrepreneurial spirit. You are likely energized by those who are enthusiastic about your business as you are. But, enthusiasm doesn’t necessarily mean a qualified hire.

The most successful CEOs approach hiring their team like playing a chess game: strategically evaluating how each piece could lead to a win.

You Have a 10 Year Plan

Hear this one out. 

It’s crucial to have goals in mind and success on the horizon, but a good CEO knows that being rigidly dedicated to a plan leads to failure. You don’t know what your industry, the market, and your own life will hold in the next ten years.

A CEO destined for success knows how to plan for the future but is adept enough at business to pivot and prevail, no matter what comes.

Your Social Skills Are Fantastic, But Not Your Communication Skills

Entrepreneurs are a creative, intelligent, and inventive bunch, and people are drawn to this type of charisma. But good social skills don’t mean being a great communicator. 

Creative people often spend so much time thinking, creating and being inside their minds that the communication of their ideas and how they want them executed can be lost in translation. The strongest CEOs know when it’s time to hire a business consultant to develop the skills needed to communicate effectively and clearly with their teams.

You Have the Vision, But Not the Strategy

Goals are where you want to be, but the strategy is how you get there. 

You know that being a business owner involves taking some risks, — and maybe breaking some rules — along the way. But, if you don’t have a laser-focused strategy, you’re going to be stuck in the fog somewhere between success and stagnation.

With clarity, intention, and purpose, an entrepreneur can transform into a good CEO. Sometimes, it just takes help from a third-party perspective.

You Can Learn What it Takes to Succeed as a CEO

Coach Allison Todd is the warrior spirit on the front lines with you and the voice that tells you that you can do it. With clarity, a water-tight team, and a dynamic strategy, you can gain the skills and confidence you need to elevate your entrepreneurship into full-on CEO.

27 Jan
Confidence Culture, Entrepreneurship

Millennials in Business

Millennials are famous for their mix of creativity, passion, and intelligence, This mix makes them suitable to innovate and challenge the status quo. A constant hunt for more comfortable ways of doing things is very popular among millennials. We sometimes perceive their high affinity for ingenuity and smart working style as laziness.

Millennials Work Ethic

However, this is far from the truth. Millennials are among the most hardworking groups in today’s society, exhibiting a willingness to go the extra mile to make their dreams a reality.

They usually have a peculiar way of doing things, just like their thinking is out of the box. We see this unique working culture as weird, informal, and lackadaisical.

Millennials Work Environment

A lack of understanding of the millennial’s values and working style is highly responsible for the numerous wrong conclusions.

Millennials typically work best in a flexible and relaxed environment, where company goals and visions are communicated. They like being part of a team and put in their best effort when they are in the inner circle.

Millennials' in business

Contrary to the corporate world’s traditional work culture, millennials prefer to work in a fluid environment with little pressure. Therefore, most millennials prefer to work from home and willing to take slightly lower pay for this convenience.

A flexible work schedule is a yet another incentive millennials hold dear. A subgroup of millennials identifies as night owls. Members of this subgroup aren’t morning people and do their best work at night.

Firms with a workforce with a significant proportion of millennials usually invest in creating a relaxed working environment and flexible working system. The efficiency and productivity of millennials are clear to see.

Millennials are responsible for a lot of groundbreaking startups. Businesses with a predominantly millennial workforce are famous for their innovations, skill, and high-quality productivity.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the drive and willingness to try new ways of doing things makes them more likely to take risks. These characteristics, in the long run, help them to do things faster and better. The results are precise.

As a result Millennial-led businesses rise fast and quickly become forces to be reckoned with in whatever field they find themselves; Sometimes kicking out their competition.

Once focused, millennials are very energetic and efficient. These values also apply to their businesses and work ethics.

30 Dec
Confidence Culture, Inspiration

My One Word is Love

Who would have ever thought my one word could create such an experience. Last Saturday my whole direction changed. Energetically and physically I felt freedom, recognition, awe and love. It was swift and heavy almost like a weighted blanket wind storm. As fast as we were moving, I wanted to keep up at the very time I heard … surrender. I breathed so deeply it felt like i grew an inch. I’m not at all sure of the destination but so incredibly CONFIDENT and ready for the journey. I saw this moment in my dreams but never knew it was coming in this manner. And honored to be doing so with the 6 of you!

Sometimes the end of the year can be like hopping on a merry go round and spinning. Then, you pick a place to hop off. ??‍♀️ (my view of entrepreneur life at times). There is oftentimes more focused on the right and the wrong than my one word. Thank you to our gracious and fearless leader for coming to get us seven off of our merry go rounds. There is power in an invitation such as this. It says I see and hear you. ????????

Saturday was a day to remember. An unexpected best moments of 2019. Marking my spot here (and Facebook where this post originated) so next year, I can recall and reflect. I feel like I’m holding this moment in until we sing Happy New Year! ???? I’m honored to be among some powerful superstars committed to designing their destiny. We will scare each other with the size of our dreams, support each other with love and commit to push each other off ambitious cliffs as we soar! We are legacy builders being led by the power of love and the gift of time. Favor. ???‍♀️?

I choose the table. ?
Seated and prepared for take off.
#Level7 #AllisonTodd #NewYear #2020Triumphs #Gratitude #LOVE

17 Oct
Confidence Culture, Interview, Uncategorized

Finding Your Purpose In Your Connections

The road to success does not have to be achieved alone. As a matter of fact, look around, you are not alone. And if you are, that can be changed with purposeful connections. Finding your purpose in your connections has high ROI. Unlike the classic networking routine, genuine connections has more depth. A genuine connection requires time, mutual interest, engaged interactions and trust. It takes a personal investment to build relationships, thus everyone is not willing to do so.

How do you attract the right people to your circle?

How can you genuinely connect with others to identify the bigger purpose and grow?

I mean, after all, it takes one right conversation with the right person to make great things happen. And who doesn’t want to make great things happen? Here are some tips to get you and the one of to a winning start to finding purpose in your connections:

  1. Offer the arm of kindness to everyone you meet. People will respond with the same (not all but most). This creates a mutual starting point of safety and respect. People are more prone to openness when they feel safe to share. The next time you meet or interact with anyone– online or in person– consider programming your mindset as if you’ll be meeting with a friend and see the difference.
  2. See the goodness in everyone you meet. Learn from them, right or wrong, there is always something to learn. And when you learn, you grow. When you open yourself up to others, it is easy to see your purpose in your connections. Remember, compassion is the core of empathy, and there’s nothing more moving than giving someone or yourself a generous dose of optimism.
  3. Walk the talk. To build genuine connections, you must first be true to yourself. You cannot demand something you are not willing to give. Simply put you can not receive sincerity and truthfulness from others when you do not embody the same. Let your positive mindset be an infectious motivation for others. When you do, it is also easy to attract the same level of optimism to truly build deeper (no-nonsense) connections.
  4. Always strive to listen for understanding, instead of listening with the intent to reply. When you increase your listening skills, your level of understanding equally increases. Accepting people for who they are becomes habit. It is a fact that no matter how purposeful your connections are, you will not have everything in common. It’s human nature to differ in opinion. The idea is to bind such a connection with respect and empathy to ensure the same level of camaraderie even during adversity.
  5. Learn to listen proactively. Understand carefully what the other says by asking questions and clarifying things which you find vague or dubious. This requires sharpening your communication skills by using your sense of hearing and all other senses. This is even more true today when technology and the Internet world can sometimes do more harm than good in building connections.

Without a doubt, building genuine connections uncovers a ton about you and others. Connecting more with others allows you to connect more with self, thus discovering more about your purpose. Connecting with others is essential to human existence as no one is meant to walk this journey alone. The idea, however, is to connect with the right ones and be able to create lasting and fruitful results.

05 Apr
Confidence Culture, Grow Your Business

How to be Creative with your Blogging Process (Step Four)

Learn how to be creative with your blogging process by taking the fourth step. Note this is not the final step but it is step four. Now that you have made it to the final day of How to be Creative with your Blogging Process, I hope you have a general idea of what it takes to create your content. The next series will show you How to Market Content with your Blogging Process.

Complete the Process

To complete the process here’s a recap of the four steps to creative blogging success.

  • Brainstorm
  • Organize Ideas & Create the Planner
  • Select Images to Connect to your Content
  • Complete the Content & Tell Your Story (Hooray!)

Step four is all about filling in the gap. You have the title and blog summary from your Editorial Content Calendar. Perhaps you also saved your blog draft after selecting the image in step three. And here we are at the final step before scheduling your post. This is your opportunity to tell your story. Let’s grow!

creative blogging process step four

Happy writing! Connect with me on social? Let’s keep each other motivated and inspired to do what we love! I can’t wait to hear your reviews. Helpful or nah? I’ve got tons of content and curriculum.  If this didn’t help, I am sure there is something that will.

Subscribe to my Confidence Coach Notes and you will always be in the know.  That means first dibs on everything.  And that include the goodies!  If the Four Step Creative Blogging Process was helpful let me know in the comments. I’d love to know if we can make a difference next week with a new process.   

04 Apr
Confidence Culture, Grow Your Business

How to be Creative with your Blogging Process (Step Three)

Learn how to be creative with your blogging process by taking the third step. So glad that you are still with me! Yesterday, we reviewed step two. Did you select your planner yet? The Confident Culture got me to give them all four tools for all four steps. They have been showing off their work in group coaching. What fun.

Back to Work (Step Three)

The best part of a blog is the image. I invest the entire emotion in my image. I want the reader to know what I was feeling when I shared the content. How about you? Do you invest in your images, create them yourself or use no images at all? I work with a designer who delivers image packs. Let me know if you are interested and I will share the info.

creative blogging process step three

If you have the images outlined with the content, the vision begins to come together. At this point, you can decide to post all images and titles as drafts OR start writing. Either way you are super close to the finish line. Let’s take a mid-day break and invest time in image selection. Challenge yourself to plan the next 30-60-90 days.

90-Day Action Plan

Once you have your editorial content plan complete, you will know what type of images you need. Go ahead and lay out 90 days, it makes life much easier. And then grab your images. If you don’t have any (see above) , I know someone. Take some time to fill in the blanks on your planner. But, don’t stop there.

Make sure you are reviewing your story. Read it out loud to yourself. Fill in the blanks and begin blogging. If this Four Step Creative Blogging Process (Step Three) is helpful let me know in the comments. I’d love to know if the next 3 days make a difference in your process.

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