Jen A. Miller Consulting

Tag: toast talk

Overcome the #1 Obstacle of Launching a Business
If you are an aspiring entrepreneur who hasn’t yet taken the first step toward launch, I’m going to take a guess that one of the things holding you back is a fear of failure. This is probably the #1 obstacle to overcome and it’s something that every founder faces.

No matter how great your idea the truth is, you have no way of knowing how things are going to turn out once you launch your business. And that, can be extremely scary.

The thing that sets successful people apart though is that they have found a way to get over their fear and embrace the uncertainty before them. If you think about it this way, that means there are many people who have gone before you who have figured out how to do this.

While there is no right or wrong answer, here are four tips shared with me by female founders on getting over your fear of failure.
1. Invest the time to become an expert
Do your research and become the most knowledgeable person you know on your topic. With the availability of information at our fingertips there is nothing holding you back from soaking up as much knowledge as possible. If you’re confident in what you’re talking about, you’ll feel more confident in sharing your ideas, and running 110% after your idea.
1. Financially Prepare
If you have an idea you want to run after or maybe just know that one day you want to run your own business, plan for that. Don’t up and leave your day job until you’re financially secure. Save. Create a budget and have a backup for making money if you need it. You’ll be able to focus better on your work if you’re not burdened by the “what-ifs” if things don’t work out.
1. Take it One Step at a Time
You don’t get from A to Z without a lot of letters in between. The thing goes for launching your business. You’re only going to make it from idea to ideal by taking things one step at a time. Set realistic expectations and goals for yourself that will keep you motivated and encouraged as you grow your business
1. Be Specific About Your Vision
Success may look very different for you than someone else. Your vision may be to build something that gives you the freedom to work when and wherever you want. Someone else’s vision may be to become the market leader in their industry. Hold yourself accountable to your personal vision and remember it’s not failure if it wasn’t your goal in the first place.

And one last thing, remember there is no end to building your business. It is a journey. Things may not always turn out as you’d planned but that doesn’t make those steps any less valuable. Hold yourself accountable for learning as you go not for knowing all the answers up front and you’ll start to see uncertainty as opportunity instead of something to be feared.

Now it’s your turn. What are your best tips for getting over the fear of failure?

Leave your answers in the comments below and keep the conversation going over at @toastmeetsjam.

If you like this video please subscribe and share it with all of your friends. Thanks so much for watching, why not stick around and for another helping of Toast Meets Jam?
October 28, 2015
How to Find Friends Who “Get It”
One of the most challenging parts about finding balance as an entrepreneur is maintaining strong friendships while you’re head down building your business.

Challenging, yes. Impossible, no. The key is to find friends who “get it”.

One of the truths I’ve come to really embrace as I’ve gotten older is that it’s okay to be selective with our friendships. In fact, as we get clearer on our vision for our lives, it because increasingly important to be intentional with whom we spend our time.

This theme is consistently reiterated by the female founders whom I interview. Their strongest friendships are often with those people who share the same passion or vision for their life. And this makes sense when you think about it. When you find people who are on a similar journey as you, it’s only natural that your paths should regularly cross. You’ll find yourselves attending the same events, connected to the same people, and seeking out the same opportunities.

The beautiful thing that begins to happen is that your professional and personal lives begin to fall in sync. The efforts you make towards building your business are also those that keep you connected to your network of friends. And the friendships that you build are with people who understand your vision and can support you as grow.

Now I’ll admit that making new friends after college isn’t always the easiest thing but there are a few ways I’ve found to work particularly well.
1. Go to Events: Look out for events that are targeted towards founders or folks in your field. Eventbrite, Facebook,, and MeetUp.com are two of my go-to resources to find out what’s going on. It can be a bit intimidating to show up alone at first but you’ll find that the more often you put yourself out there, the more familiar faces you get to know.
2. Ask for Introductions: Another great way to get to know people is by asking for introductions. LinkedIn is a great tool for sussing out who’s in your network. A personal introduction from a friend is one of the best ways to get to know someone new.
3. Build your personal brand through social media: Social media can be phenomenal way to connect with other people who share the same interests. Follow people who live in your area and post similar content. Connect first online and then don’t be shy about asking to meet up in person. Many of my close friends are people I actually first met online.
What about you? How have you found friends who really “get it”, who share your similar passion and vision for life?

Leave your answers in the comments below and keep the conversation going over at @toastmeetsjam

If you like this video please subscribe and share with all of your friends. Thanks so much for watching, why not stick around for another serving of Toast Meets Jam?
October 19, 2015
How to Build a Business and a Life You Love
If this is your first time tuning in to Toast Talk, welcome! I’ve partnered up with Entrepreneur Magazine to bring you this new series featuring actionable advice by and for female founders. The first topic we’re tackling is overcoming the obstacles of launching a business.

One of the questions I always ask the young women I interview is, what has been the hardest part about building your business. Not too surprisingly, the answer has to that question often revolves around the sacrifices that have to be made. “I don’t have time for my friends or family. I don’t time to do the things I used to love to do. I give everything I have to my business.”

So the question is how do you build a business and a life that you love? I want to share a few principles that if you follow, can help keep that fire that ignited you into action from fizzling out.
1. Follow Your Passion
Ask yourself, am I building a business around something I love to do? Are you genuinely excited to wake up and get to work? If the answer is no, ask yourself why you’re doing it and if there’s a way to pivot the business into something you’re truly passionate about.
1. Build the business you want to run.
There can million ways to accomplish the same task. Choose the direction that makes you happy. If you want to build a billionaire dollar brand and have a thousand people working for you that’s great. If that sounds awful and you’d rather maintain life as a freelancer. That’s great to. Build the business that’s right for you.
1. Delegate the parts you don’t love.
Let’s face it, no matter what business you’re in, there will be parts of it you don’t like. If you’re really creative, the thought of keeping track of inventory and balancing the books might make you nauseous. Find help from people who like to do that work and delegate those tasks so you can be your best at what you’re best at.
1. Outsource your to-do list
You have enough on your plate to worry about without having to think about your personal to-do list. There are hacks for nearly everything that can make your life simpler and exponentially lessen the time you spend on personal errands. Amazon Prime, Instacart, Uber, TaskRabbit, are a few of my favorites. Depending on your budget and your location there will be different options available to you but I challenge you to take some time to look into them because they time they’ll save you in the end will be worth it!
1. Make time for the things that matter.
When you free up the time you spend on your to-do list, you’ll have more time for the things that matter. Take advantage of this. Find a workout class that you love and make it a part of your routine. Spend the time you would have in the grocery meeting a good friend for a coffee date. Schedule these into your calendar in the same way you would any other meeting and commit to making time for yourself.

Now the question’s on you. Have you built a business and a life that you love? How have you managed to do it?

Leave your answers in the comments below and keep the conversation going over @ToastMeetsJam.

Cheers!

Jen
September 30, 2015
Repeat this 1 Phrase Everyday to Feel More Confident

For the next few weeks we’re going to be talking about the obstacles that can come with launching a business. Last week we dove into the topic of shaking self-doubt. This week it’s all about learning to accept success.

Now you might be wondering how can success be an obstacle. Well, let me tell you a little story.

My friends and I love to get together for girls’ night dinners. A few months ago a friend suggested we all go around the table and fill in the sentence, “I’m a badass because….” with the idea that we all share what successes we were experiencing in our lives.

The table went silent at the suggestion followed by girls trying to make a run for the door. These incredibly accomplished young women would have been more comfortable if you’d asked them to jump out of a plane than answer the question.

The truth is, it can be extremely hard for us to embrace success and this can be a real obstacle when you’re trying to grow your business. After all, if you don’t believe you’re capable of achieving great things than how are they going to happen?

I loved this question and have started asking the female founders I interview to answer it. Watch now to see what a few of them had to say…

Now it’s your turn, complete the sentence “I’m a badass because…”. Leave your answers in the comments below and keep the conversation going over @ToastMeetsJam.

September 29, 2015
5 Steps to Shake Self Doubt

With Toast Meets Jam I’m constantly meeting and getting to know young female founders. If you’ve watched my interviews you’ll know that they’re all about getting to know the women behind the businesses. In getting to know these amazing young women I’ve picked up quite a bit of incredible advice on what it takes to launch your own business. With the help of Entrepreneur Magazine, I’ve created Toast Talk, a new series to bring you all of that advice rolled into one delicious dish that you can dig into every Tuesday.

To kick-off we’re going to start by talking about overcoming the obstacles that can come with launching a business. And this week we’re going to start by talking about self-doubt.

One of the biggest fears I hear from young women entrepreneurs is that they feel like have no idea what they are doing and are worried that someone is going to call them out for it. If this sounds like you, you’re in luck because I have 5 easy steps for you to shake that self doubt.

#1 Find Your Support System

Figure out who those people are in your life that are going to be there to support you as you grow your business. Remember, no matter how independent you are, this is not something you need to do alone and it will be much more fun if you invite people to be a part of the process with you. Find those friends, family members, and mentors who truly get it, will pick you up when you’re feeling down and push you forward when you need a little encouragement.

#2 Start Telling People About Your Business

It can be scary to share your ideas with other people. You might be worried about what they’ll think or about the negative feedback they might give. But by starting to talk about your business, not only will you start to gain more confidence in it but you’ll also start building out your support system. You’ll find that the people who care about you will want to see you succeed and will help you figure out the bits you don’t know by connecting you to the right people and resources.

#3 Don’t Worry About What Everyone Else is Doing

There are always going to be people out there for you to compare yourself to. And the reality is there are going to be people out there doing things that are very similar to what you are doing and who in your eyes might be doing it better. Good for them! Let them inspire you but don’t let them discourage you. Don’t get caught up in what other people are doing. Stay focused on what it is you need to be doing to grow your business.

#4 Remind Yourself Everyone Starts Somewhere

It can sometimes seem like everyone around you is an overnight success. Like they woke up one day, decided to launch a business, and boom they instantly had it all figured out and were a roaring success. When my mind starts trailing down this path I have to remind myself that everyone starts somewhere and even the people you look up to most likely have beginnings that look very similar to your own. One handy tool that I love to use when I need a little reminder of this is the Wayback Machine. This handy tool lets you go back in time to your favorite businesses and look at their historical versions websites. Trust me it does wonders for your confidence.

#5 Celebrate Your Successes

Last but not least, take time to celebrate the wins no matter how big or small. When you’re launching your businesses there are so many first you will encounter. Be proud of every step of the journey you take forward. Right these down somewhere so you can remember just how far you’ve come and how truly amazing you are!

Now I want to hear from you. What do you do to shake self doubt? Leave a comment below and join the conversation @ToastMeetsJam.

September 20, 2015