Hi Reader,

Over the past few years, I've been observing patterns.

In my 1:1 coaching sessions and interviews with new entrepreneurs, I’ve noticed that new business owners often wrestle with the same types of challenges.

On the surface their experiences are quite different – a cider orchard, a toy store, an innovative startup focused on getting communities to work, and many more.

But, when you dive in, their stories are remarkably similar.

If I were to group them, I’d put them into four categories:

1. Growing Pains: normal & frustrating difficulties experienced at new stages of growth; if not tamed, they will constrain future growth.
2. Blocks and Obstacles: limiting beliefs, self-doubts, & unproductive behaviors that block the path and make you feel stuck.
3. Ambiguity: having no clear path forward; noise & conflicting information leave you feeling lost-in-space and disoriented.
4. Loneliness: feeling alone, misunderstood, unseen, rejected, and/or ostracized; these feelings can be real or perceived (Note: Loneliness might also be considered a type of Block. But, it has its own category because it seems to exacerbate every challenge).

Said simply:

• A Growing Pain is the thing that’s happening.
• A Block or Obstacle is the reaction (thought, feeling, or behavior) to that thing.
• Ambiguity is the context in which that thing is happening.
• Loneliness is the lingering emotional impact of that thing.

At least, this is my working theory. 🤓If any of that speaks to you, I'd like to hear your story (just reply to this email).

Observation is a business superpower. It helps you:

• Understand what problems actually need solving
• Spot patterns you’d otherwise miss
• Decide which challenges feel urgent and important
• Tune into the signal through the noise

What patterns are you noticing in your business?

Take a moment to pause & reflect. What patterns do you notice in your own business challenges? How often do your customers bring up the same problem in different words?

Actions, experiments, & things to try next. Make a list of your last 5-10 customer interactions. Write down some of the things they brought up. What do they have in common? You might need more data or experience before the patterns emerge, but remember that each customer interaction is a data point.

Until next time,

Michael

Michael Schefman | 321 Liftoff​

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