Are you actually showing up in your business? Or are you just… doing the work?
I hosted a masterclass on what I call the ONtrepreneur Method. It was a great turnout. We had amazing participants. A lot of supportive small business owners and entrepreneurs attended. But after that session, I got to thinking about how many people registered and never showed up.
Life happens, right? It was free, so maybe they figured they would catch the replay.
But when I think about it more, frankly, they missed out on something that could have changed their business. That's the problem we’ll get into.
Three Types of Business Owners
After 35 years running multiple businesses, I've noticed there are three kinds of business owner mindsets.
- The employee mindset.
- The business operator mindset.
- The ONtrepreneur mindset – the true leader.
I’m going to focus on the two extremes of these business owners, the employee mindset and the ONtrepreneur mindset. Understanding the difference between the two could mean a breakthrough for your business.
Stuck in the Employee Mindset
I’ll start by saying that there is nothing wrong with buying yourself a job. If you're a web designer who just wants to do web design in your own business, that's fine. If you're happy where you are, keep doing what you're doing.
However, if you want real freedom and if you want to grow, the employee mindset will cap your growth every time. When I started my sign graphics business, I did every job that there was to do. I designed the signs and made them. I did the bookkeeping and the invoicing. The hiring and firing and even the bottle washing was all me. I loved it at first because it was my baby. But after a while, my business wasn't growing because I was stuck doing everything right in front of me.
I was in the employee mindset. It was tunnel vision. This happens when you're focused on client work, admin tasks, busy work. You're IN your business instead of ON it.
You're probably working more hours than when you had a regular 9-5 job.
Sound familiar?
Step Into the ONtrepreneur Mindset
The ONtrepreneur mindset (yes, with an O) is different. This is the leader mindset. It’s having clarity over your vision and building a team that supports it.
When you step into this role, you implement the systems and processes. You're the one that is consistent. You lead, facing business challenges head-on, instead of letting the business lead you.
When you have that leader mindset, you take the actions of a leader, like:
- outsourcing to a virtual assistant
- hiring a bookkeeper
- bringing on a coach or mentor
- building a board of advisors
These are the people that buy into your vision and help you get there faster. As you work to grow your business and maintain your trajectory, make sure you’re not doing it alone.
A Business Owner Framework, Not a Formula
The ONtrepreneur Method isn't some cookie-cutter entrepreneur system. It's not about 10x-ing your revenue or hitting arbitrary goals.
This is a framework for building the business YOU want. The business that serves YOUR life. For me, that means coaching and mentoring other business owners. Yes, I'm delivering a service, and that is when I am working IN my business. But I'm always working ON my business as well.
I have the vision. I have team members doing activities I shouldn't be doing, like editing my podcast. In fact, I have a whole episode about the ONtrepreneur Method on my podcast.
I could save money by doing it myself, sure. But is it really saving money if I spend hours on something that takes me away from growing my business?
What’s Next? Let’s Talk
Maybe you're not loving your business right now. Maybe you're stuck doing everything, and you’re starting to resent it. Maybe you registered for something and didn't show up because you're buried under to-dos. Believe me, I get it. I've been there. I truly believe we have all been there. There’s a better way to run your business that complements your life.
The ONtrepreneur Method helps you build the business you want while staying on track. It's about working smarter and not alone.
If something's holding you back, let's talk. Email me at marshall@marshallstern.net and let's figure out how to get you from employee to ONtrepreneur.
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