It’s the decade of the entrepreneur! It’s true. Today’s U.S. economy is fueled by 29.6 million small businesses, led by people just like you, people who are entrepreneurs who made their dreams into reality. Truth is, the only way to begin the journey of entrepreneurship is to start. And start today. Each one of us is in a unique position to approach our work in a fresh new way. One that’s real and authentic to each of us as individuals. What compelled me to write my book, Real You Incorporated and to create the 8-step Real You Process, is the last few years as I’ve watched people not satisfied doing things the same way. I’ve spent the last 20 years of my life as a leader in business, as the vice president of several companies, and always, as an entrepreneur. When I created my most recent company, Real Living, 8 years ago, it was just an idea. That for me wasn’t different. What was different was the chance to begin working with 4,000 entrepreneurs. Our real estate agents. That is the spark that led to my book. And to the step-by-step approach I’ll walk you through to get you started.
No matter your background, everyone can become an entrepreneur as long as you believe in yourself and what you do. That’s why it’s time to be real. It’s time to put the real you in your business – to define your own personal brand and bring it to the world as a unique competitive advantage. You no longer need to try to fit in. The key to being successful in your work today is in being your SELF.
If you’re working for someone else, and worried – especially given today’s economic realities – to jump into creating the business of your dreams, that’s ok! Start slowly. You can begin to make your dreams come true while you’re working at your 9 to 5. One of my favorite stories is a woman accountant who dreamed of becoming a voice-over artist. At one of my speeches she came up to me worried she’d never make her dreams come true. I asked her what stopped her from pursuing voice over work on the weekends or after work. The answer? Nothing. So she went for it and today is fulfilling her dreams.
Here’s the point: whether you’re starting your career or have years of experience, your work life – from here on out – needs to be built on your own personal uniqueness. Your brand. And your brand is both business and personal. And guess what? It’s uniquely yours. Once it is defined you can leverage it as your unique competitive advantage.
It’s time to become a member of the Entrepreneur Decade, either by starting your own business or by growing your already entrepreneurial pursuits to a new level. You can do it. The first step is realizing it all starts with you. It’s time to seize your decade and make your dreams come true.
