I was on a podcast this week (this time as a guest) & was asked what I would want to tell the 20-year-old version of myself.
I wasn’t prepared for the questions. Maybe they had been sent to me, but I obviously hadn’t looked, so the answer was the first thing that came to my head, but it was easy…
“Don’t feel afraid or embarrassed to ask for help.”
You see, the problem was that I thought that asking for help meant that I was a failure.
There’s a whole story about the limiting beliefs I had created in my early years, but one of them was that ‘I am a failure.’
So, if I asked for help, that would mean that I would have to be vulnerable, & I would worry about what others would think of me.
Then I became the helper & helped everyone else, so how could I ask for help?
This went on for a number of years.
But now, at the ripe age of nearly 54, I have gotten over this, & in fact, I’ve learned a very effective way of getting past it.
First of all, I don’t get triggered anymore or more likely, I recognise & deal with my triggers, & secondly, I’ve turned it on its head.
I often ask people who might be afraid of asking for help how they feel when they are asked to help.
They often say they feel great, wonderful, or any other superlatives, but all are positive.
And, of course, that’s true – for most of us, we love to help.
So, if you don’t ask for help, you are denying other people the chance to feel great—how selfish is that?
One of my core values is to help first, & my signature is signed off with “Here to help!” because I genuinely mean it.
These days, I am also not afraid to ask for help.
I am not the only source of ideas. I am not the only person who can possibly solve my problems. Many people have walked the road, been there, done that, got the T-shirt, or are just people who aren’t as close to the problem as I am & can be more objective. So why wouldn’t I ask for help?
Times are tough right now.
I am fortunate that all my businesses & all my clients’ businesses are doing well, but that’s because they have been brave enough to continuously look at the business & its issues & make changes with a laser-sharp focus. All of them have long-term plans & 90-day plans that they review every 90 days (about three months) & make changes as necessary.
We all use an external person to challenge us with our business plans.
For me, it’s my coach. For my clients, it’s me. 😊
I was worried that people who are struggling might decide to tighten their belts & hope for the best. I think we’re calling that Survive until 2025, which I HATE!
So, I have been relieved that in the last month, I have had four new clients come to me for help, who have signed up for the EOS Process,
Just yesterday, I had a client come to me, saying that they had traditionally run a really tight ship & made good money, but things had slowed a little. They knew that now was a good time to look at their systems, processes, & plans so that they could be really critical about how their business & people are performing & make adjustments so that they continue to grow, even in a reclining market.
And I applaud them for doing that.
I guarantee that when the economic decline slows, & we return to a growth market, all of the planning, systemising, predicting, & simplifying we will do over the next couple of months will pay off in spades.
I can’t guarantee that they will necessarily grow their business immediately, but I’m fairly confident that by following the EOS Process, they will be entering 2025 in a great space. In fact, I think they will see growth before the end of 2024.
Why?
Because I know what the EOS model, tools & process can do.
I have seen it in my businesses (BTW, all three businesses are on track for a record year!) & in the 15 businesses I am working with as their EOS Implementer.
Is this a sales pitch? NO!
Is this a desperate plea for you to ask for help if you feel like you need it? YES, PLEASE!
You don’t have to do this alone…
In the articles below there is a great Harvard Business Review article about why we struggle to ask for help.
Take a read & see if any of these things resonate with you.
But most importantly, reach out if I can help you.
It could be by attending one of our surprisingly cost-effective workshops on how you can scale up your business. Or it could be for a chat.
I’ll let you know if I can help, & if not, I’ll let you know & recommend someone who can.
This section gives you quick access to 9 links - to articles, blogs, podcasts & stuff that will help you to create a better business & lead a better life.
In this section, I introduce the team & our Trusted Partners.
For this week’s trusted partner, I introduce you to Dash Lingham, who started working with us last week! She has worked as an EA for four years & as a Medical Billing Specialist for two years, among other positions.
Dash is based in South Africa & is my new EOS Client Success Manager & Executive Assistant. Her role is to look after the EOS Clients on their journey & be my right-hand woman in the Business Action business.
How do you help people?
I love helping people in any way possible, and I love giving back. Therefore, I often participate in charity events and give food to those less fortunate once a month.
Why did you get into what you are doing?
It goes back to the first point. I’m a workaholic and enjoy a fast-paced job. Along with helping people, I found EA is my passion. It may not be a significant difference, but being able to ease the load off someone and help where I can is what I enjoy.
What do you love about it?
I love that every day is different. It’s fast-paced, and I get to network with so many different people from different walks of life.
What do you do in your spare time, pursuing other passions?
I love animals. I foster kittens from birth until adoption and volunteer at animal shelters, spending time with dogs and cats, feeding them and loving them. I also love crafts and often paint to unwind.
Tell us something that very few people know about you.
I am an introvert. I love people and networking, but my introverted ways only allow me to socialise in small groups at a time. It is something I am always working on to challenge myself to bigger groups, and I am getting better at it.
Do you have an outdoor area, like a balcony off your office, or do you like to have good sound when you’re sitting out in your garden?
If so, then you’re going to love this portable home speaker!
I ordered it from Flybuys (as they are leaving NZ), but you can also find it at Noel Leeming.
Bose is always fabulous, but the sounds you get from this little beast are outstanding… It just about blew my sock off. 😊
So, if you’re looking for a speaker that is Wi-Fi enabled, voice-controlled, links up to your other Bose products, & has a mighty bass sound from a tiny speaker, this is my new favourite!
We are here to help you live a better life by creating a better business. We are real-life business owners with years of experience & a strong desire to make a huge difference to the lives of entrepreneurs.
If anything here resonates with you or you would like our help, then please get in contact. Just reply to this newsletter & let us know who you would like to speak to…. Or visit our webpage & contact any of our team from their own pages.
If you know someone who would benefit from reading this, then please forward it onto them. 💖
If you’d like to learn more about any of these tools or would like to find out how I can help you achieve a better life through creating a better business, then book a free Discovery Call with me.
We’ll talk about what you want to get from your business & your life & come up with a plan to do that!
Debra Chantry-Taylor
Certified EOS Implementer | Accredited Family Business Advisor | Entrepreneurial Leadership & Business Coach | Speaker & Workshop Facilitator
