What happens when you realise your path is entrepreneurship rather than employment? Lindsay takes up the challenge and shares an account of her journey as it unfolds…

A few things. Firstly – finally, I think we have landed the USP. It’s strange, but some things that seem easy just seem to go on without landing for MUCH longer than you would like. Here it is – I hope you like it:

Mirror Mirror is the only structured, repeatable offering that allows your team to explore their shared current reality as a way of creating the clarity, alignment and momentum needed to get to the next level.

Secondly – since our first test client decided not to go ahead this month, I reviewed how we could best spend our time. There’s so much to do, it’s about what to do first and how to do it so it works. Remember, the situation is that the Mirror Mirror design started in earnest in September. The beta test phase opened with some marketing work in January. We have lots of leads but are yet to attract the first test client.
Before I go on, I must say, I’m feeling a bit flat today. I think I need a bit of a break, so this will be a short blog.

Here’s the priority list, based on some insights:

•  INSIGHT: some team leaders may feel threatened by the prospect of Mirror Mirror. Adapt the messages to show that external support to help the team is smart.
• INSIGHT: if we are having trouble bringing in teams to use Mirror Mirror, then recruit freelancers and small consultancies to add this to their list of offerings to attract clients that way (this is what we call the Delivery Agent business model, which needs to start now rather than later)
• INSIGHT: if Mirror Mirror is positioned to help teams transition from one situation to the next, start working with consultancies who will already be in place supporting change (and who won’t want ‘ad hoc’ externals coming in from left-field.
• INSIGHT: people will only consider using Mirror Mirror if they have seen or heard about it from 2 or 3 credible sources, so let’s ramp up the wider marketing efforts.

And that’s how my days are going.

80% business development: calling people I know. Explaining Mirror Mirror. Getting referral names of people in HR / Change / Coaching / freelancers. Reaching out to those people. Setting up skype calls or meetings. Finding out where they are coming from. Explaining Mirror Mirror. Sending information. Tracking all of these activities. Following up with people who wanted to be contacted later.

 20% marketing: Preparing a website. Working on the messaging. Collecting names of publications, conferences, communities to follow as marketing opportunities.

I do enjoy this actually – people are very generous and willing to help – lots of the reactions are positive, but I run out steam after about 5 hours each day. I heard that successful entrepreneurs keep adjusting. My insights and priorities plan is the way I do it. I hope it’s alright…

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