Working ON My Business – Week 21
I hope you started planing how to Double Down on what works in your business.
Remember: you MUST COMPLETE ALL 5 PARTS of this week’s assignment, to continue participating in the program.
So… just in case you didn’t start yet (or you missed it today)… CLICK HERE to do it NOW.
If your buddy/buddies did NOT do their part so far – make sure to remind them, or we will have to remove them from the program.
Tomorrow is our FIFTH Hot Seat ZOOM session (or “What Would Nisandeh Do”).
Practicalities
When: Thursday, November 10 – at 8pm CET (NL, BE, DE, AT, ES).
The meeting will go on for 90-120 minutes.
Please join the meeting 5 minutes before 8pm, so we can start exactly on time.
CLICK HERE to enter the Zoom meeting
If you are asked for, use:
Meeting ID: 846 3291 5928
Passcode: 269804
This is your opportunity to ask any question related to working ON your business (not necessarily to this week’s topic) – to make sure you get the maximum out of the program.
If you need inspiration, what types of questions to ask… CLICK HERE for 21 examples.
Please be aware, my focus will not be on solving your problem/challenge/setback – but on offering ways of thinking or approaching that problem/challenge/setback – so you develop your “thinking toolbox”.
I cannot promise to answer all your questions during the live ZOOM call, but those that I won’t manage – I’ll answer in the next days in the comment box below.
If you have any question, problem, challenge or setback you want me to show you how I would approach – please post it IN ENGLISH in the comment box below, on Wednesday – November 10th.
I will ONLY refer on the ZOOM meeting to questions that were submitted on Wednesday.
Top Commenters – last 30 Days
Working ON My Business – Week 21
I hope you started planing how to Double Down on what works in your business.
Remember: you MUST COMPLETE ALL 5 PARTS of this week’s assignment, to continue participating in the program.
So… just in case you didn’t start yet (or you missed it today)… CLICK HERE to do it NOW.
If your buddy/buddies did NOT do their part so far – make sure to remind them, or we will have to remove them from the program.
Tomorrow is our FIFTH Hot Seat ZOOM session (or “What Would Nisandeh Do”).
Practicalities
When: Thursday, November 10 – at 8pm CET (NL, BE, DE, AT, ES).
The meeting will go on for 90-120 minutes.
Please join the meeting 5 minutes before 8pm, so we can start exactly on time.
CLICK HERE to enter the Zoom meeting
If you are asked for, use:
Meeting ID: 846 3291 5928
Passcode: 269804
This is your opportunity to ask any question related to working ON your business (not necessarily to this week’s topic) – to make sure you get the maximum out of the program.
If you need inspiration, what types of questions to ask… CLICK HERE for 21 examples.
Please be aware, my focus will not be on solving your problem/challenge/setback – but on offering ways of thinking or approaching that problem/challenge/setback – so you develop your “thinking toolbox”.
I cannot promise to answer all your questions during the live ZOOM call, but those that I won’t manage – I’ll answer in the next days in the comment box below.
If you have any question, problem, challenge or setback you want me to show you how I would approach – please post it IN ENGLISH in the comment box below, on Wednesday – November 10th.
I will ONLY refer on the ZOOM meeting to questions that were submitted on Wednesday.
I am looking forward to celebrate your progress and results on Friday (I’m curious to hear what plan you’ll come up with).
Until then…
Live fully, stay awesome,
Nisandeh
117 comments
Hi Nisandeh,
I had an un-posted reply to your Q&A, I just wanted to send it anyway to honour you, and may be you like to see what your thoughts are on it:
Thank you for the great Q&A today.. interesting to get to know your thinking.., tnx for openess and honesty.
May I ask a follow-up question? I am really curious about how you think of the society/economic realm/system, do you think this is makable? So just to make it simple, there is the capitalist world view, and may be a socialist view, may be communist. And may be the capitalist is like a big U really close to te communist view. So, I am really cautious with trans-humanism and make-ble attitude from an absolute/centralist standpoint. But there are serious attempts to reshape the economy, to reshape society, to rebalance for example needs etc and to share resources in communities etc. and form for example cooperations. This comes more from humbleness and cooperation. And I really like these initiative. But somehow I am also sceptical towards this idealism. What do you think of cooperative communities? Do you think it is critical in survival during storm (as you mention in anticipation of the resilliance workshop)? Do you think economy can be reshaped? Is self-care in this shaking world synonym for egoism? Is a social / sharing attitude towards business viable when things get tuff?
718 comments
Hi Matthias,
I'd love to answer your question, but you're using many terms I've never heard of ("trans-humanism", "absolute/centralist standpoint", "cooperative communities"...)
If you'd want to rephrase your question, using layman terms, and specific examples, I might be able to give you an answer...
117 comments
Ok, thanks for you invitation, I will re-frase as good as I can:
1. ok, what frightens me in the current world/economic situation is a contraction of power in very few companies/institutes/governments. So world+economy are together in many areas that are in my opinion not necessarily a good combination. So for example common land such as mountains, lakes but even farmland that is now more and more owned by very few big companies, also taking water supplies etc. within their reach of ownership. What happens now as a result: decentralised organic food production as a world-solution is a so called illusion/naive conception, because, if we will not centrally organise the whole food supply then half the world will starve. I know this sounds a bit simplistic, but this is really a commonly used argument against local and organic agriculture for example. So this is a makeable world from a central standpoint: big company standpoint.
2. what frightens me on the other hand is the happy-few/elitist solution: take good care and prepare for survival. I look forward to Thursday, because I believe you are very right, risks of break down is tremendous. So first: survival. But then again... so many people are left behind, omg, what a nasty situation.. can we be happy, knowing so much suffering is around us?
3. so my question is, how can we take care of each other in a sustainable way that is beyond the current economic situation...? Also, how can we take care for the commons such as clean air, clean water, etc. also mountains/seas/etc before we are too late. Or are we too late?
4. If you take this further: think of schools, hospitals, museums, artists, how can we make sure not every aspect of our live is determined by survival mode/economic self care/economic succes, but instead how can we provide vitality for processes that are beyond or before economic markets?
5. I truly try to figure out some alternatives myself. Stuard Ownership seems to be an alternative to common conception of company ownership. For example, outdoor company Patagonia recently became a Stuard Owned company, so the ownership of the company is not anymore solely a privat matter. I don't have the solution yet, but it feels harsh for me, myself, alone, to go and grow my own company, without having a "solution" or "answer" to the economic situation I don't like. Can you follow me?
6. So I try to be an answer with my company.
7. Start with my Why, my vision, I know, working and working and working on it... but may be you can also help to oversee more of the economic context and how to reshape it with respect for the people I cooperate with to make that happen.
718 comments
I like how you think, Matthias…
And I don’t have good answers for you.
But here are a few points to remember when you keep evolving your thinking:
1. Remember the airplane safety instructions, in case of air pressure drop in the cabin - put the oxygen mask first on yourself, before you help others. Meaning - you can’t help others if you’re dead or dying.
2. If you want people to change you need to be a leader by example.
So, first be that example… before trying to change the world.
3. In case the shit hits the fan, everyone will be affected.
Pain will be “obligatory”.
But suffering is ALWAYS “optional”.
4. I’ll share a little of my philosophy in the My Resilience Blueprint workshop.
It’s based on the same principle that Open Circles Academy worked.
First you change yourself, then you impact the closest people to you, then those will impact the people closest to them, and this is the way to make a better world.
I don’t know another way… so that’s what I’m doing myself, and what I’m going to share with you.
But you are very welcome to work on a completely different model, approach, vision…
117 comments
Thanks Nisandeh, to be continued.
117 comments
What would Nisandeh do:
One of the key lessons I learned during WOWB is to test things out + ask t-audience. In corporate jobs I learned: make a minimal viable product and start selling, see if it works. This is somehow related to "my way" so far: start delivering best I can and improve every time. 4 questions about this iterative process:
- when would you stop improving/testing a physical product? when is a product finished?
- how long/how would you continue with a product that is an ok product with ok income but also a little boring
- how do you keep up "product development" or innovation without falling in the trap of The Next Shiny Object Syndrome
-
117 comments
- what if the next step requires full commitment + many investments + high risk + probably some beginner mistakes thus big chance less income for a certain period but many chances ahead + lot potential to learn more? :
My case for last question:
- I am an expert in solar + I get many questions for heat from existing clients. Interested in new perspective on this subject (resillience, autonomous living) I am busy widening my scope, trying to evolve in other areas. One area is PVT (solar + thermic) + heat pump. This gets me in installer market for heat.
- what if something happens during winter/night, this risk frightens me. for solar i did not have such a risk, now i will have
- I can get some trainings + can cooperate with collegue with more experience, but we are new in this market.. it feels also a bit strange to start something new as long as old market is still booming. also there is not much improvement, we are still installing, the offer requires also much calculation and insecurities (long delivery time, price insecurity etc), should we get ourselves into more troubles? what would you do Nisandeh?
- investment in the right tools + materials (this is absolutely shiny, but also expensive addiction)
- the good thing: many learning opportunities, closer to allround expert position on energy (heat + power), total concept. Also interesting for real estate (buying-selling, buying -renting out + building-selling). projects are bigger (longer) + more chances of establishing top-products I have in mind (total renovation for example), in other words, I highly value the skills I will learn by doing.
Thus, what would you do? what do you think of the options: 1 move into business development mode, learn more etc. become more skilled? 2 stick to solar (+ rest of electric (storage, EV etc). 3 Move out of installing mode. About last option: would there still be enough "business" if I move out of offering physical products? what kind of "products" do you think I can create that don't require work for delivery? book, training, coaching, ok ok, I will take these into consideration, what else, do you see other possibilities?/opportunities? what would you recommend?
183 comments
What are you afraid of ?
178 comments
Introduction to the question:
Somewhere in the weeks before your decision to close your business in this form
(I think it was during the session about Youtube) you were talking about the training of the 13'th of january,
but you also mentioned an idear about forming a group with whom (if I heared it right) you wanted to go on with subjects which are not only or especially about business but about bigger goals and issues in this world (Those are my words, but that's the energy I remember.).
Question long:
My question is what (if) do you want to say about living on this earth and how to face the bigger issues which we will be or are already confronted with? For our generations and the generations to come.
And if there is a connection with entrepreneurship, what would Nisandeh especially do as a business-owner in facing the world in the next five to ten years?
Question short after idea-generator:
How to be maximum brave in the uncertainty and challenges of nowadays and future world as a human being and business-owner. What would Nisandeh do?
92 comments
Hi Nisandeh,
The following is troubling me. I conduct several different activities: curriculum / course development, consultancy, research, and running small educational programs (not always parallel). Most clients without to much effort and saying yes is easier than no. The domain is the same logistics and supply chains in several domains. Following WOMB and my pre-work I learned several things. Focus and choice will probably lead to a better result, but I'm afraid I will get bored and de-motivated, but who knows. In some of the business lines I have more customers, some have shorter assignment, some have better predictions for future work and some pay better. Then some of my clients are either the same or run in the same network.
So what would Nisandeh do (not expecting THE answer, but maybe some suggestion in steps to take ....
Marcel
154 comments
Because of WOMB I'm working on certain things that will make things easier in the future, when I have established my expert status 😊. However, right now I'm having a bit of a cash flow problem... In 2 weeks it's Black Friday. I have never participated in this discount madness, but I heard today that people are actually sitting behind the computer with their credit card to get special offers on Black Friday. What would Nisandeh do?
My thoughts:
- Offer all my online courses with 50% discount (for 24 hours). They do not require additional 'effort' from (only answering questions in the FB group)
- Offer 1 course with 50% discount and then do follow up email sequence to offer other courses at regular price.
How would you market a Black Friday deal?
My thoughts:
- Only offer it to people on my email list. How many emails would you send?
- Or make it into a public campaign with FB ads? This will take more effort, creating ads and finding my target audience
129 comments
Q&A 2 week 21
My other question is about sharpening my expert position.
In week 17 we worked on our expert positioning. The crux for me is in the assignment of Day 5 – Put it all together. I couldn't find the right words or way to put steps 1 through 4 together. How would Nisandeh use my answers from days 1 to 4 to articulate a fluid positioning sentence paragraph? Or is it 'simply' sticking the four formulations together?
Would you like to show how you would put it (read: my lyrics) all together, Nisandeh? I hope that when you show it, I have another 'aha' eureka moment, just like you said Nisandeh in a previous hotseat that if you were in my shoes and had my professional network and expert position in my case an association would start. Which I will also do next year with Marcel and Bas. 😉
129 comments
Q&A 1 week 21
Alma's question made me question whether I understood this week's assignment correctly. I have only mentioned those things (products) that give me the most results. I can't pinpoint the tactics, strategies, or people others mention. This doubt stopt me of going on analyzing the next steps of this week’s assignments.
Am I taking it too lightly, Nisandeh? In other words, how do you see that?
181 comments
Nisandeh, when you knew that coaches would be an important targetaudience what strategies did you use to bring them to the Business Bootcamp? Could I use these same strategies to get eg parents in my educationprogram (one day front end and 8 nights training) ?
323 comments
Tomorrow and next week Henny and me are giving a short workshop to potentially, our target audience.
-We created the workshop with context in mind, and one of the biggest struggles of the target audience.
-The call to action is to buy our boxed set/ book. The boxed set also contains a golden ticket with a free 'coaching'.
-We will hand out two business cards, one for them and if they loved us/ the workshop to someone they think could benefit.
-On the fly we will ask them their (other) biggest struggle/ question.
*For another client we are building a training programme. Later next year we would like to start selling it to a next group. We can not do that right now to this people yet. So, the idea is to get them into our visitors to friends list, building trust from now on.
>What should we do, you reckon, strategically to get the maximum out of these workshops?
>And also to bridge the gap between now and next year?
>What are the key elements that they need to know about us?
I hope that I made myself clear enough... Happy to clarify
146 comments
In an earlier assignment we talked about delegation. For this weeks assignment we want to double down on some of the activities that gave good results like more workshops, PO experiences and books/cardsets. But without proper delegation we will not make it because of time and knowledge.
In order to do the right thing we think to delegate tasks like;
- Create website content and keep it up to date
- Install Paymentsystem on the website
- Questionaires to customers
- Automated emailing
I think I have often read in previous assignments that entrepreneurs have VAs for this. What experience do you have with this Nisandeh? Or what would Nisandeh do?
And do other participants perhaps have experiences with this that they would like to share here?
154 comments
Hi Henny,
I've done everything on my own for many years, but I have 2 VA experiences.
I had a VA from the Philippines a while back. She was very cheap (€8/hour) and on Monday we would do a zoom call and then we would discuss the tasks for that week. However, she suddenly just 'disappeared'. Did not answer any of my emails or messages anymore...
I recently hired a VA for 2 hours per week (8 hours/month). She's Dutch and is a horse person, so I thought she could write things for my. I only hired her last month and we agreed on a 3 month 'trial' period until the end of this year. Cost € 50/hour, so for me that's a lot of money (right now), so I'm not sure if I will continue with this.
There is a Facebook group called "Ambiteuze meisjes". If you post a brief description of what you are looking for, you normally get several replies. Lots of 'meisjes' and women in there who are looking for all kinds of jobs, a lot of VA's also. Hope this is helpful!
117 comments
Hi Henny,
nice question + suggestion of Lucy. I have no exp with VA but do have with IPA (in person ass) + tip for you. I have many difficulties with giving things out of hands, but in person sitting and delegating tasks can be effective, especially if you are half needed. I do this with bookkeeping. May be you can find somebody that want a work-experience (in dutch stage). I had a few, if they are motivated to do a research in your company, they can paralel do also a lot of work for you. Good idea?
Good luck
477 comments
Dear Nisandeh,
I get my new customers through word of mouth. It is exclusively those individuals who deliver customers by doing it on their own initiative, without my input. The clients I ask to do this have not brought in any new clients. I find this difficult, because I would like to encourage this without being intrusive.
How would you do this in my situation, Nisandeh? What is a good method to boost word of mouth?
329 comments
Question about economics in life and in business
Dear Nisandeh,
I have read you say that you are very “cheap” (economic) when it comes to spending money. I love the way you keep things simple, to the core and economic.
Questions
* Can you please share with us your decision making process when it comes to purchasing something?
* How does Nisandeh lives a frugal and thrifty yet abundant life?
* How does Nisandeh saves and compounds money?
Many thanks in advance for your reply. Can’t wait to hear your answer 🤗
329 comments
Question about Passive Income Generation
Dear Nisandeh,
I want to create valuable content focusing on The Expert book and Youtube channel strategies that you taught us.
My main goal is to positively impact as many lives as I possibly can.
However I would also like to support my family financially through the generation of Steady Passive Income.
However, I am struggling before I start (complicating myself). What I know is that I mostly will develop products and services that my target audience will ask me (and pay forward) to create.
Learning about your journey enlightens and inspires me.
You shared with us that you set an initial passive income goal of €3000,- per month. If I understood correctly this journey leaded you to a wonderful path of abundance and fulfillment 😃
Questions:
1. How did you achieve your passive income goal in the past? In order words, what were the steps you took until you succeeded?
2. How would you generate passive income with your new Expert Strategies (Book and YouTube)?
Answering myself question 2, this is what I would do:
* Start vlogging about my topic answering the most relevant questions/ pains
* Read blogs and community forums to find out the most pressing pains/ topics
* Create irresistible offers and offer them
* Build and deliver products and services only if enough people pay it forward
What would Nisandeh do?
Many thanks in advance for your reply
314 comments
My question for the hotseat is:
As I have different company`s is it better to split up the activitys on specific days or do some for every company ever day?
I dont mean working with my clients or give a training but working on the business.
117 comments
hmm, interesting question, look forward to the answer too.
215 comments
I have planned a 4-day retreat (the max that I could pull myself out of family life), to re-calibrate my professional and personal pathway for the next decade. The QUESTION is: which are the 3 to 5 (rather than just 1) high-quality questions to ask/answer for myself?
The BACKGROUND of the question … My life is good, but I’m still ambitious. I have to balance & optimize [1] an idealistic vision (increase grown-ups' self-reliance regarding topics they weren’t well-prepared for, that can help them prosper more), [2] ego interests (financial freedom and recognition), and [3] a personal desire (organize/produce social joy). I’m having/doing it all, but not (anymore) in a very fulfilling way, plus I want to amplify drastically — notably part 1 & 2 (which partly “shake hands”, and partly stand in each other’s way, especially regarding steep income increase / financial freedom).
215 comments
PS: I am already aware of the process pointers for formulating high(er) quality questions (such as: ask the why - and the why behind that, address the real problem, make the question open to various solutions, etc), and I already have formulated some options, but I'm interested in which questions you would ask in the above situation, which is probably sufficiently general for a significant subset of us.
477 comments
Dear Nisandeh,
Would you please give feedback on the text of the cover of my first book that I am about to publish. I realize this is a unique opportunity to ask directly from you. It will be my first physical book that, according to your instructive lessons in the WOMB , I will soon be using it to establish contact with potential customers. You understand that your feedback on this cover will make all the difference. Thank you very much if you do this.
This is the text as I wrote it:
The right answer for every conversation
The fact that you and I can communicate with others gives a sense of connection with the other. Unfortunately, the current generation is the least connected generation ever. It amazes me every time how enthusiastic participants react after the experience of a real dialogue. I built up my expertise in the field of communication and behavior chronologically over a period of 30 years from information officer, communication advisor, senior communication advisor, team leader communication to communication trainer and coach now. I was in front of and behind the camera, leading press conferences, election debates, information evenings and dialogues. With this expertise you will find an answer to every conversation question. I wish you very nice and effective conversations in which you always experience connection with the other.
Marcel Dassen
As a trainer and coach I help specialists in their development to manager. What I stand for is connecting the manager with his team, allowing them to be authentic and effective. A leader who knows himself and his employees through and through and has the ability to get the best out of each other together. By allowing employees to grow above themselves while remaining deeply connected to the other team members, a manager develops into a leader who grows above himself.
718 comments
Sorry, Marcel…
Not my expertise.
Nor am I your target audience…
ALWAYS… ALWAYS… ALWAYS… ASK THEM.
Good luck with launching your new book… exciting!
477 comments
Thanks Nisandeh,
It took a while for my response, but I immediately started working on it yesterday. The effect is impressive and I am so grateful to you that I did this.