Starting a business is exciting and ambiguous – and that’s the fun. It’s a time of possibility, experimentation, imagination, and showing the world what you can do. But, it can also feel slow, frustrating, and full of traps and distractions, leaving potential entrepreneurs to question their self-worth and to wonder why they started in the first place. As a small business coach, I’ll help you cultivate an entrepreneur’s mindset, so you can start and grow your businesses with confidence and step boldly into the role of business owner. Subscribe to get access to weekly tips, small business interviews, and more.
🙏 The Power of Gratitude
|
Hi Reader, Running a business means facing daily frustrations: plans fall through, projects drag on, results don’t come fast enough. It’s easy to focus only on what’s missing or not working. I’ve been there plenty of times. I know it sounds cliché, but gratitude offers a different lens on things. It doesn’t erase the challenges, but it helps me reframe them. Gratitude allows me to pause and notice what's working, helping me remember the foundation I'm already standing on. That shift can turn discouragement and scarcity into possibility. If you continue to find value in the ideas and insights I share every week, I’d appreciate it if you could take the next 5 minutes to complete one or both of the following actions. First, leave a review or provide feedback about this weekly newsletter. Any insights you can share about your experience will be appreciated. Use this form – just select “Newsletter, Freebies, & Blog Suggestions” when you get there. Second, forward this newsletter to a friend who might be starting and growing a business or anyone you know who’s seeking to cultivate an entrepreneur’s mindset. If they’re interested, they can use this link to explore previous editions and subscribe. 🚀 Heads up! This is the last newsletter of 2025. I hope you have a happy and healthy holiday season. See you in the new year. 🚀 Michael
Michael Schefman | 321 Liftoff Copyright © 2024 by 321 Liftoff LLC |
Michel Schefman, 321 Liftoff
Starting a business is exciting and ambiguous – and that’s the fun. It’s a time of possibility, experimentation, imagination, and showing the world what you can do. But, it can also feel slow, frustrating, and full of traps and distractions, leaving potential entrepreneurs to question their self-worth and to wonder why they started in the first place. As a small business coach, I’ll help you cultivate an entrepreneur’s mindset, so you can start and grow your businesses with confidence and step boldly into the role of business owner. Subscribe to get access to weekly tips, small business interviews, and more.
I used to worry constantly about being too busy. I never liked to have too many projects at once. I said no – a lot. To meetings, to calls, to opportunities. When my calendar filled up, I felt stressed and overwhelmed. I lived under the assumption that my time was precious and therefore was to be guarded and protected. That last part is still true – to some extent. Your time is precious. You only have this one life. You should be intentional. You should prioritize. But I had overcorrected in...
Happy early Valentine’s Day. Let’s talk about love – specifically, being too in love with your own ideas, perspective, or worldview. I recently finished a massive project. Honestly, it was a real success. The data is stronger, leaders are changing behavior, stakeholders are genuinely happy with the outcome, and… …this was probably my fifth or sixth attempt at doing almost this exact project. Earlier runs at the same problem fizzled out. We struggled to generate buy-in. We missed key...
One of my first jobs out of college was ordering and managing inventory as it moved through a retail supply chain. If you set the system up right, most of the time, the inventory flowed smoothly. But, the output had a lot to do with the input. We had a saying: garbage in, garbage out. Similarly, your work (output) is fueled by what you feed your brain (input). If you aren’t intentional, the algorithm will happily choose for you, keeping you stuck in cycles of outrage, noise, and distraction....