Stay Open to Opportunity

Some of the best opportunities that I have pursued in life have been the ones I was not looking for.
I did not seek ANY of these opportunities, but I also did not rule them out as being impossible.

the past year of starting my business I have stumbled across some amazing opportunities to grow my businesses and allow it to evolve in ways I never planned. I did not believe in my brand becoming worldwide, I did not see myself working with other entrepreneurs and I never thought of branching out to get involved with sports teams or fundraising opportunities.

It is important to have a vision for your business or brand, but when I first started I stayed very open to possibilities. I set goals and knew what I wanted to accomplish, but I left room for a little inspiration.
So how did these opportunities find me? 

Honestly I just stay very passionate about what I do and focus on building genuine connections. I have connected with like-minded entrepreneurs organically because I stay true to my own values as a business owner. I enjoy sales and marketing, but I will only reach out to others if I am genuinely interested in collaborating with them and willing to give them my time. 

This is how I "Network". 

What I just explained is how I network. I have considered and been invited to networking events, but I honestly have never gone to a Formal Networking event. Don't get me wrong, these events can be helpful but it's not my  social style. I have had more success talking one on one with people over coffee and showing genuine interested in their businesses and what they have to offer. For me, this does not feel like work at all! Standing in a group of people forcing myself to make conversation feels like work. This does not suit my personality, so I stay open to connecting with people in a way that feels natural to me. 

I thought I knew my Target Market. 

When I launched my business I believed my market would be young women like me, who enjoyed fitness and a balanced healthy lifestyle. I was close, but a little off on my predictions. My market is actually a few years older than I thought, but holds the energy and attitudes that inspires my brand. The great thing about staying open-minded about who my customers are is that now since I have a better idea about who my customers really are I can connect with them on a deeper level. I know what they want and need, what they are going through on a daily basis and what their lifestyles look like. If I stayed locked in on who I thought my market was going to be I would not be effectively connecting with my target audience. 

Get Uncomfortable. 

The last piece of advice I have is to get a little uncomfortable. Most of these opportunities that have found me have been ones I was unfamiliar with. I am a planner and I like to be prepared, so when something new and undiscovered comes my way my initial reaction is fear. Fear of not knowing if I can handle the opportunity or fear of not understanding it completely. I can recognize this now and I know it is a feeling I have to accept and work through. I decide to see the opportunity and shut down the fear. This is a tough thing to do because as an entrepreneur I want to feel competent and confident at all times! So I do some research, then make a decision to pursue it or not. If it can benefit my business I find a way to get the resources I need and make it happen!

This is a great time of year to consider fresh starts and take advantage of new opportunities! Stay open and the right ones will find you!

Kelsey xo