4. You shy away from the press. True story: Last year, a local reporter emailed me, asking me to meet him at the television studio in two hours for a story about Generation Y. I’m an extreme introvert, so the idea of getting on camera initially scared me, but I knew the exposure would be good for my business. As a result of the TV segment, I began seeing an uptick in my speaking income from groups who wanted to better understand the Gen-Y demographic. Unfortunately, many women shy away from press opportunities like this, not realizing what an impact it can have on their bottom line.
5. You’re afraid of social media. While women dominate many social networks online, we don’t use the tools as much as we could to promote our businesses and engage with potential customers. If you’re already on Twitter and Facebook, you might tend to use it for personal use rather than as a marketing tool because you’re afraid people will unfollow or unfriend you. But social media offers an enormous opportunity for marketing your business. The sooner you take advantage of it, the more income you can bring in. Fun fact: 99 percent of my business comes through my blog and Twitter!
6. You’re choosing money over passion. When I started my consulting business, many people advised against it because of the economy; they said I should pick something more stable. Instead, I chose the rather unpredictable path of earning a living from helping others. Â But guess what? I’m loving every minute of it, and this passion helps me stay motivated through the rough patches. When you prioritize your passion, it can keep you from starting a business doing something you hate just so you can make money. And the sweet irony is that when you do what you love, the money follows.
If you’re not making any money in your consulting business right now (or not making as much as you want to), don’t agonize over it – you’re not alone. Ask yourself if you’re stuck in any of these six mind traps and what one small step can you take today to overcome it?
Article originally appeared on theyec.org. Reprinted with permission.
Rosetta Thurman is a keynote speaker, author, consultant and coach who helps nonprofit leaders and passionate entrepreneurs change the world. Find out more about her business coaching services at http://thurmanconsulting.org.
YEC Urban is an initiative of the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only nonprofit organization comprised of the country’s most promising young entrepreneurs. YEC promotes entrepreneurship as a solution to youth unemployment and underemployment and provides its members with access to tools, mentorship, and resources that support each stage of a business’s development and growth. YEC Urban’s members are successful minority business owners, entrepreneurs and thought leaders.