Wednesday, March 2, 2011

5 Keys for Being More Authentic in Business - Darnyelle A. Jervey


5 Keys for Being Authentic in Business

When you're a new entrepreneur, it is easy to see others doing what you desire to do and decide that the best thing to do is copy them. I do not recommend that because the grass is seldom greener on the other side. If we just learn how to consistently water our own grass, we will soon have grass that is just as green. The same holds true in business. Instead of trying to be like your competition, get MAD - make authentic decisions about the way you will operate your business.

I recommend that you take some time to "Inspect the Incredible," or complete a self-assessment, business plan review and strategic outline of your business goals and assess why you started your business, what makes you different.

Your Incredible Factor (your secret sauce, signature business move, unique selling proposition and hot undeniable gift all rolled up into a yummy client magnetic package) is the first clue that will enable you to serve your ideal clients despite what's happening on the other side.

To grow your business in true authenticity, I recommend the following tips and you should complete this process every 90 days in your business to ensure that you are always being authentic to your purpose, gifting, goals and objectives and ideally your customers.

  1. Clarify the reason why you started your business. Your "why" is not about you; it should be about those who will benefit from your gift. If, when you ask yourself why you are in business you say, "to make money;" "to increase my lifestyle," or "to show my naysayers that I could do it," you've missed the point and should get a job as you will never achieve your goals when you are selfish-minded and narrow-focused.
  2. Ensure that your gifting is completely innate in you. As an entrepreneur, you will trade working 8 hours a day for someone else for working 24 hours a day for yourself, so be sure that your gift is innate and you could do it all the time, without break because you will have to.
  3. Surround yourself with people who support and edify you. It will get tough and having the right circle of influence will make the difference. You should evaluate your circle as often as needed to make sure you always have the right mix directly next to you and your goals. Don't be afraid to let friends go. Everyone is not for every season and you have lives to change and it's very challenging with lots of dead weight.
  4. Set authentic goals. You want to be sure that your goals resonate with you on the deepest level- in your core. Set goals you can't wait to achieve, illustrating a desire to do whatever it takes to make them happen. Ensure that the goals you set for yourself and your business correspond to a problem that needs to be solved in the marketplace. It should be a problem you can solve easily and effortlessly because the solution is innate in you. This, my friend is authentic business at its best.
  5. Establish a vision statement, a mission statement, a brand statement and a power statement you can share openly, easily and effortlessly as needed. This will ensure that others understand the value you offer to the marketplace through your authenticity.

Before you can get to the profits and loss of doing business, you should be clear that the business you endeavor to offer to the marketplace not only resonates with you on the deepest levels but it authentically solves a problem. If you solve a problem with your gifts and talents, your business will profit - not only you, but those you serve.

Want to reprint the article? Sure, just be sure to include the following:

©2011 by Darnyelle A. Jervey. All Rights Reserved. Darnyelle A. Jervey, The Incredible Factor Business Mentor and Coach, is the founder of IncredibleOneEnterprises.com and the Leverage Your Incredible Factor System® a proven step by step program for turning your passion into profit. For more information and a FREE audio CD "How to Use Your Incredible Factor to Attract MORE Ideal Clients" visit

http://www.incredibleoneenterprises.com.

No comments: