If you have lots of ideas but not a lot of progress happening in your business, this article is going to help you change that. My guest, Brionna Ned is a self-proclaimed multidimensional misfit with multiple businesses to allow her freedom in entrepreneurship. It's possible to have it all but it's not possible to pursue it all at the same time and Brionna shares how she approaches being a multipassionate entrepreneur and the #1 question that will help you make decisions.
Brionna's 30,000 ft View Of Her Multidimensional Entrepreneur Business
While many entrepreneurs know it's important to focus on a central theme/niche for your business, there are other entrepreneurs who 100% embrace their multipassionate desires. Brionna Ned is one of those people and here's what her business currently looks like. *Please note I said "currently looks like" because it's also important to know that her business (and yours) will evolve over time so this won't be what it looks like forever.
**This was also a podcast episode (episode #196. Use the player below if you'd prefer to listen to this message.
Finding The Common Thread When You're A Multipassionate Entrepreneur
If you're a multipassionate entrepreneur with lots of ideas and passions, I'd encourage you to do what Brionna did and find the common theme that runs through them all.
Attorney = she wanted to help people understand legal words
Submissive List = she wanted to help people understand zodiac resources
Sustainable Cadences = she wanted to help people know how to live slower paced lives
Her Overall Theme/Message: giving people knowledge
"I really get bothered when people don't tell you how or empower you with the knowledge because the only way you're going to be able to do these things for yourself is if someone gives you the knowledge...All of my work is giving people knowledge." - Brionna Ned
Even though her businesses are providing knowledge and guidance on different topics she has a central theme that helped her understand her overall message. So how can you find this out for you? Here are some questions to ask yourself:
What makes you mad?
What do you get on your soapbox about?
What keeps you up at night?
Reflect on these questions and see how this shows up in your business.
Focus On One Thing At A Time To Make Progress As An Entrepreneur
You can have it all but you can't pursue it all at the same time, you're not superhuman. We have limited time and energy and it's important to know what to focus on next in order to make progress
However, this is difficult when you have multiple passions and interests. Brionna found that asking one question can help you identify what to focus on and put your energy towards:
"When you're choosing between things, pick the pain point that speaks to you the most." - Brionna Ned
And it's important to be very honest with yourself when answering this question. While there are millions of thoughts in your mind, what is the main pain point that you're thinking about. That will help you identify what you truly want to focus on.
When reflecting on this it's likely that you'll want to say they are all equal but in this moment remind yourself that you can pursue all your passions over time but the key to making progress is to focus in on one at a time.
"I'm going to answer the call and I'm going to answer it faithfully." - Brionna Ned
Here are a few more questions to help you reflect on this and help you focus:
What is the passion you're willing to prioritize when it means saying no to other things?
If you could leave people with one message right now what would it be?
"If you're trying to do too many things at once you won't have time for the meltdowns. Doing one thing at a time helps you process and integrate stuff from the past because then you know when it's ready to come off the shelf and come back around and you can actually engage with it instead of having it really trip you up." - Brionna Ned
Successful Entrepreneurs Embrace The Evolution Of Their Business
Especially when you're multipassionate, it's important to embrace the changes in your business. While you don't want to always change things up, when you can openly share that things are changing, your audience will appreciate it too and it helps you navigate the changes in a clear way.
Brionna shared how she has done this within her business:
"I've done this (change) to this group of people at this point a couple of times and they're still rocking with me. They aren't going anywhere and I think partly because they value the transparency, the transparency makes you human." - Brionna Ned
She also spoke about how we can think about our entrepreneurship journey like traveling down a road. Sometimes we will hit every red light on the way and others it will feel easy when we hit all the green lights.
Green Lights = things feel easy and in alignment
Yellow Lights = time to slow down to reflect on lessons being learned
Red Lights = when things don't feel in alignment and it's time for reflection and/or change
Once you have the "green light moment" or the realize that something doesn't feel in alignment with what you want to do in your business that doesn't mean you'll have all the answers right away. Sometimes we have to let things simmer for a time before we understand what our next step is.
"All you're looking for is the next right action." - Brionna Ned
Goals Help You Do It All...Eventually
There are times in our business when we need to focus on quick wins and low-hanging fruit so that our needs are met but that doesn't mean we abandon our overall dreams and goals.
Knowing what you want in the long run will help you set goals to help you get there but you still have to take it one step a time. Remember you can have it all but you can't have it all at the same time when it comes to making progress on your goals. Focus helps you move forward.
"One of my dreams and why I have these (free) newsletters is that I want to be a known public speaker and do more corporate workshops...and the proper way to do this is to build an audience." - Brionna Ned
Brionna found the avenue under her business umbrella that she could monetize so that her financial needs are being met but she always keeps her other dreams in mind. She found what felt easy and she knew the market was there and allowed that to be the financial component while she builds up the other avenues in her business.
Take Away Message / Action
"You have to understand that time is a finite resource and you've got to be realistic about what's possible." - Brionna Ned
Sometimes we have to go for the low-hanging fruit when it comes to making money in our business while we plan for the future of what we hope to do later. By getting your financial needs met now, you can plan for doing it the way you want to in the future but if you don't approach it this way, chances are you won't get to that final place you hope to be later.
Your next step is to identify two things: (1) what pain point do you want to focus on and remember not to lie to yourself with this, and (2) what is the low-hanging fruit currently to help you meet your financial goals now to set you up for the future.
Remember that things evolve in business and to embrace that evolution. Until next time give yourself permission to know what you want to pursue and grace along the way. I'll talk to you soon.
About Brionna:
Brionna is a self-described multidimensional misfit who writes, teaches, and talks about building more equitable, liberated and sustainable societal systems. She uses her formal training as a lawyer to help everyday people become legalese fluent. She also has two newsletters. Sustainable Cadences is for folks who want practical and actionable tools for creating a slower-paced life. The Submissive List is for people on self-transformation journeys who want tools and resources for working through and aligning with change.
Brionna's Resources:
Brionna's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_everyday_lawyer/
Brionna's Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrionnaNed
Brionna's Websites: https://www.theeverydaylawyer.co, https://www.brionnaned.com
Other Resources Mentioned:
Define Success Free Resource: https://www.amandamckinney.com/success
All podcast episodes: https://pod.link/1473751874
Amanda's Coaching Options: https://www.amandamckinney.com/coaching
Amanda's Book: https://www.amandamckinney.com/book
"You have to understand that time is a finite resource and you've got to be realistic about what's possible."
- Brionna Ned
Unapologetically Chase Your Definition Of Success
No matter how many ideas you have, it's important to have one thing truly defined and that's your definition of success.
If you'd like to explore this concept even more, my book Why Not You? An Accidental Entrepreneur's Guide To Success is waiting for you.
Defining success is just one chapter but in the book we will explore many other things that help you create your Y.O.U. Promise that becomes your guide to unapologetically chasing success for you.