So I have rather important question for you today (one that so often gets overlooked, in the busy-ness of running our businesses)…
Are you 100% on target to hit your money goals for 2022?
Do you even know how much money you’ve made so far this year?
It’s so easy to get excited when we’re making sales and launching and bringing lots of money into the business.
But besides getting by day by day, week by week, we’ve all got something we need to be aiming for, haven’t we?
Isn’t that something we all do as business owners – set ourselves targets and goals for the month and the next quarter and the year? And for five years from now, mapping out that wonderful five year plan that everyone talks about?!
If you’re someone who’s quite spontaneous – which let’s be honest, I think lots of us entrepreneurial and creative types are – setting ourselves rigid targets and making financial plans can feel slightly restrictive. But having something to at least aim for is going to show that you’re on track. Because otherwise, how do you know that your business is moving in the right direction and heading towards where you really want to be?
And it’s NOT all about sales!
We all know it’s profitability that really counts. But my point is that you should know your numbers and what your figures are.
“Should” isn’t a word I use very often, because I think we can all get caught up in other people’s expectations and rules about how to grow a business, which risks pulling us away from our own path and what’s truly aligned and right for us. So I don’t use the word lightly here.
BUT how can you run a business that is viable, sustainable and doesn’t become a whole lot of headache and stress, if you don’t truly understand how much money is flowing through your business? And if it’s so important – why don’t we know our numbers?
I honestly think it’s simply because we’re busy.
We’re busy doing the work, getting the clients and serving the clients and making the money (let alone doing all the admin stuff and social media and writing your blog and launching your new website and building out your funnels and a million other things besides!).
Of course, we all know we need to take time out of working in our business, to work on it. To do that grown-up management stuff, the proper running-and-growing the business stuff.
It’s just really hard to fit into the diary, isn’t it?!
I think so often, it feels important but not urgent, compared to the day-to-day work of serving the clients and making the money and keeping all the plates spinning.
But it truly is time to start prioritising working on the business NOW. Because otherwise you get to the end of the year, go to see your accountant and literally have no idea what numbers they’re going to give you or what it all means. And suddenly it becomes urgent (like when you have no idea how you’ll pay your massive tax bill in January, not to mention ridiculously stressful!).
We’re now in June, which means we’re halfway through the year already. So are you halfway towards that target you set for this year? That idea in your head? Are you on track to meet it?
It might be that you’re not halfway there, because the bulk of your sales come in during the later part of the year. Maybe you’ve got a big launch planned for September or you’ve got a business where lots of people spend out on what you do just before Christmas or as the winter comes in.
But do you know that for sure? Have you had a chance to stop and look at your numbers properly?
I’ve worked with so many clients over the last few years who run amazing businesses. But when we sit down and look at their numbers, they are astounded by the amount of money coming in. I mean people running multi 6-figure or even 7-figure businesses, who don’t actually realise that’s how much money comes into their account!
Because the money comes in; bills go out; they pay their team and take their salary. And then tomorrow’s another day and we crack back on with the day job (so if you feel this way too, you’re very much not alone!).
So what can we do about this? Well – the key thing I recommend towards the end of my book, ‘Have Life Your Way’, is setting a regular date each month to look at your progress with your financial plans, to check you’re actually moving forward, and to review and tweak them accordingly.
Easier said than done though. Right?!
We’ve all put things in our calendar with the best of intentions, only to have to cancel them when something that feels more important comes up.
So last year, I decided it was time to add something to my portfolio of offers, to help and support my clients with prioritising this time to get properly on top of their financial stuff!
As a Money Coach (as well as being an award-winning Qualified Financial Adviser for well over a decade now), I’ve worked with some incredible people over the last seven years, where we’ve come up with an amazing plan. They know exactly what they need to do next.
But only a proportion of those people actually go on and DO the things to seriously build their wealth, reach their money goals and create real financial stability and security, for themselves and their families!
The rest have the best intentions (they really are amazing people) but get caught back up in their busy life, with work and kids and family and life generally. Many of the things they plan and want to do just never happen.
It’s entirely understandable, of course. But it genuinely makes me sad because it’s such a huge waste and missed opportunity.
I mean ALL the things on your financial to-do list. Like:
- Getting total clarity on your business numbers and net profit
- Tracking your net worth each month
- Sorting out your Will, life cover, private health care or car insurance
- Opening that ISA (finally!)
- Sorting out your bank accounts and automatic standing orders into your money pots
- Figuring out what you need have in place, to get the mortgage on your dream house
- Or simply just sitting there with your shredder and going through that massive pile of paperwork, that’s been sitting on the floor since before COVID!
It’s a combination of high-level 1:1 and group sessions (which are completely private – no sharing of your financial information required ever) AND tailored financial training resources.
All of which are specifically designed so you can hold the space to get the tasks done that you need to and have all the knowledge you need, to move confidently forward in your journey to growing your assets and your wealth.
Here’s the link again to get all The Asset Accelerator™ details right now and if you’ve got any questions at all, just click here to message me personally on Facebook.
Here’s to reaching the end of 2022, being able to say you’ve totally smashed your goals and feeling bloody brilliant about it!
Until next time,
Claire