Summary

The article discusses the importance of continuous business evolution and goal setting to align with personal interests and client needs.

Abstract

The article emphasizes that a key aspect of entrepreneurship is the ability to adapt and evolve one's business over time. It highlights the author's personal journey of transitioning from a content marketer to a ghostwriter, editor, book coach, and writing partner, in response to changing interests and the discovery of new professional joys. The author advocates for setting flexible goals that can change with personal growth and the development of new skills, as well as the importance of saying no to work that doesn't align with one's interests. The article suggests that business owners should regularly reassess their goals and the nature of their work, making adjustments to ensure their business activities reflect their evolving passions and professional aspirations.

Opinions

The author believes in the necessity of constant evolution in business to meet both client needs and personal interests.
Enjoyment and personal fulfillment are seen as crucial factors in determining the direction of one's business.
Saying no to certain work and clients is considered essential for maintaining the integrity of the business and personal happiness.
Goals should be dynamic, changing as the business owner's interests and skills develop.
Long-term success involves challenging oneself and being open to trying new things within the business.
The article suggests that a willingness to change directions and experiment with new business strategies is a natural part of entrepreneurship.
Building longer relationships with clients through a monthly retainer model is presented as a preferred approach over one-off projects.
The author encourages embracing interesting opportunities and continuously redefining what brings joy in business to ensure sustained growth and enjoyment in one's work.

How To Keep Evolving Your Business

Setting goals and allowing change as you grow as an entrepreneur.

My business is always changing. I am continuously refining and re-thinking and looking to where I want to go next, what I want to focus on, and how to get there.

Especially as someone who says yes to new opportunities, the list of things I enjoy doing changes, evolves, and is added to over time.

As I have found newer things I really enjoy and would like to focus on, such as book coaching, I have continued to redefine business and marketing strategies to reflect that.

Instead of marketing myself as a blogger and content marketer, I show that I am a ghostwriter, an editor, a book coach, and a writing partner.

Constant evolution and change are what is needed for me to fit both the needs of my clients and my own needs and interests.

As it should.

But how do you set goals for yourself if things are always changing? Or reach them?

A large piece of being an entrepreneur is being able to do the work you want to do, work with people you want to work with, and create your own space.

You’re allowed to say no to work you don’t want to be doing, you are definitely allowed to break up with a client if the work is not right for you or they are a “bad” client, and you should be looking at both short and long-term goals and plans.

Changing directions is just a part of business and figuring out what I like and don’t like, what I enjoy, and experimenting with things I’ve never tried.

It’s also about being open to change and willing to make adjustments as needed, and seeing what you enjoy.

As I move forward in my business, I’m continuing to redefine what I enjoy doing most and putting myself in a position where my current clients and the projects I take on are aligned with my newer wants and needs.

My goals change as my interests change. Near the beginning my goals were to have X number of clients, which later became goals for making X number of dollars per month. Now that I am hitting those original goals, my goals have morphed, though of course one is to keep making more money.

But more than that, to only be doing the work I enjoy, to continue challenging myself and finding new things to try. How to meet that goal keeps shifting as I find new ways to express my writing and work for different clients that bring our new skills in me.

Whether you have been in business for one week, one month, or five years, keep asking yourself:

What do I want?
Do I enjoy working on this?
Am I happy with the types of projects I am working on?
What do I want to do next?
Do I have an opportunity to try something new?

As you answer these questions each month, the answers will change. Every time the answer changes, ask yourself “How do I do more of what I want and less of what I don’t want?”

This may turn into hiring a freelancer to assist you in your blogging for clients or a virtual assistant to help with the tasks you don’t enjoy or don’t have time for. Maybe that means purchasing and using a CRM and getting more organized as your business grows. It could manifest as a change in direction for your whole company.

When I first started my writing business, I was doing almost entirely one-off articles and blogs and projects for clients. As I learned more and raised my prices to better reflect my value, I also discovered that I prefer having longer relationships with clients and adapted my work into a monthly retainer business model, which works better for me and for having a stable income!

Say yes to interesting opportunities and never stop redefining what makes you happy in business. This is the key to growing and always continuing to enjoy your work!

Do you set goals in your business? What happens when you reach them? How do you approach making changes or redefining your business?