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…

I guess after every high you get a bit of a low. And I’m trying to work out why I do feel a bit low right now.

Let me update you on the latest developments:

• Trial 2 with the University of Austria – interviews now complete, preparing the report now
• Trial 3 with ex-employer – it’s gone a bit quiet there – don’t know why… not a good feeling about that – waiting to hear back
• Meeting with global consultancy – went well, my contact there likes the idea – but he’s really only considering it for a project around team performance that he’s leading. I had hoped he’d look at Mirror Mirror as a more generic proposition… Anyway, it turns out they work with third parties quite a lot. He’ll discuss it internally and get back to me
• Another coaching consultancy in the US has signed my NDA and seem very keen to get involved – I’ve sent ‘behind the scenes’ materials and am awaiting a response from them too.

Doesn’t sound too shabby – right? Stuff in progress, right? Why the disappointment then?

I suppose in my heart of hearts, I was hoping to find a big consultancy who totally get it, who completely share my vision, who want to work with me, who want to buy in for a sum of money that reflects what I’ve put into it, who want to ramp things RIGHT UP and get it out there…

And now just writing that, I feel naïve. Would it really go like that, like the equivalent of a major record-deal for a pop singer? I’m such a stupid dreamer.

Get real, Lindsay. What’s wrong with a standard, humble 5-year growth plan?

And as I’m preparing some slides for another meeting with a potential partner, the Mirror Mirror concept grows in my mind …

Mirror Mirror actually delivers benefits in 4 clear areas (which is why I was reluctant to put it purely under the ‘alignment’ label to start with). I list those areas and other offerings that already exist alongside:

MM Benefit areas	Other offerings in these areas
Active leadership engagement	Leadership development training
	Coaching
A communications culture with more openness and appreciation of diversity & inclusion	Training
	Psychometric assessments / workshops
Improved common understanding in the team, leading to better decisions & actions (effectiveness)	Employee communications
	Workshops, such as conversation cafés or performance management
Creation of feedback for the wider organization	Employee surveys
	360 feedback tools

What if an organization routinely ran Mirror Mirror across all its teams annually? The offering could be streamlined, part automated and therefore be cheaper and more accessible. Would that replace all those other offerings? Would it be cheaper? How much value could that add?

Clearly some of the offerings would still exist where needed – but Mirror Mirror could certainly replace a lot of unnecessary activity.

My gut tells me there’s definitely something there. It’s so possible! Now THAT’S motivating.

I WANT TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

Disappointment? No – just impatience that the vision isn’t real right NOW.

Six months ago, I would have been thrilled with the possibilities that are popping up. Now I’m just adapting to a new normal.

Mirror Mirror identifies misalignment gaps and opportunities and works with teams to address those, for clarity, alignment and momentum: www.mirrormirrorhub.com