Building A Business Is A LOT Of Work And A Lot Of Reward, All Wrapped Up In One!
By: Sandi Krakowski
Every now and then the comments sting… and to be honest, they down right hurt.
Building businesses for 15 years now has shown me that it goes with the territory and it is to be expected. That doesn't remove the fact that it's painful to see people struggle as they do.
We're very blessed to have so many amazing clients and when someone is cantankerous and gnarly, they usually stick out like a sore thumb. Both on our blog and in our social media connections. Those of you who have ever stuck up for me and told said gnarly people my story, you're awesome…
Let's look behind the situation however for a few quick moments so we can have a "Momma Sandi" moment to see how things work and why our thoughts can go south really quickly if we're not careful.
A classic can be something like, "Well you're a freaking millionaire of course you can hire staff and pay for ads! But what about the rest of us who are struggling day to day in a wore out job?! Give me a break!"
The more painful rendition occurred on my Facebook page the other day as we were talking about diamonds and grades of color and clarity. The commenter went on to say, "You're so damn arrogant and self-centered! Who the hell cares about your diamonds! Get a life!"
WOW.
I remember what it was like to feel that way. Seriously, I do.
My pain was so deep and so dark that my monitors were spot on for anyone who was doing what I wished I could but had 1000 excuses for why I couldn't. Pain from a horrific rape, kicked out of churches, abuse since I was a little girl and the list goes on. Hurting people do hurt people….. and for more than half of my entire life I was not only broken, I was shattered.
When I stepped out to build my first business, to be very blatantly honest, I didn't have anyone helping me, coaching me, mentoring me or even giving me advice. Oh my goodness the heartache I could have spared myself if I had just worked with a coach like I do now. Hundreds of thousands of dollars in sales, in under my first year…. and then onto millions and for the first time, millions in profits! It came in real fast…. and because of poverty, self hate and doubt, it went out fast too. Stupid purchases, giving it ALL away to the poor and saving nothing for our own 'crops' and growth.
The many years I beat myself up for all the stupid and horrific mistakes I'd made… and then when I came back into business and began to understand my first taste of "You are a threat to others" with success.
As we paid down more than six figures in medical debt…. paid down stupid purchases, began to work on ourselves more than anything else… and sadly, while we were creating a future, apparently others were sending their spiritual darts our way. OUCH.
Mentors who I trusted who sought to gain control over me and use me as their 'paraded trophy' so they could look better. It didn't matter who they were, there was always someone who made it very clear to me, "This is MY territory, get out now!"
Funny, I'd been hearing sit down, shut up and be quiet since I was a little girl….. when I began to hear it in business I had to remind just a few people that I wasn't going to PAY them for that kind of coaching. No thank you.
Then the loneliness of trying to making it alone…. swearing I'd never join another "cultic club" masquerading as a business again in my life….. and the path that God took me on, to get to where we are today.
When someone says, "You've had it all handed to you on a silver platter" I want to laugh… but seriously, I want to cry because I know that person is in a personal WAR FOR THEIR ART.
Steven Pressfield is the only person I know who has elaborated on this war better than anyone else.
Read his book here–>> http://www.stevenpressfield.com/the-war-of-art/
(TIP: Get the Mp3's and listen to them as many times as you can!!)
God would later position around me a team of leaders that would speak life into me and had created so much success for themselves that they were not only not threatened by me, it was their delight to see me overcome my own personal stuff so I could rise to where God was taking us!
The pleasure of paying cash for a trip to Maui, writing checks for hundreds of thousands of dollars to care for women in the slave trade, buying those who are hungry food and clothing and even making a big investment into a big diamond are all an outworking of that. It's a part of the life I wanted and the life God created. NONE of it being disconnected from the other.
My friends, building a business is a lot of work! But I want you to lean in real closely now….. because I want this to go deep into your heart.
It's also a lot of reward, and worth every single step it takes! It truly is.
Your business might be what you create to provide financial freedom for yourself. And that's great.
Or you might get bit with the "Create Jobs!" bug like we have and you'll thank God through tears as you pay six figures or more in salaries in one year.
Whatever the case may be…. the truth is, it's about a whole lot more than you!
It is my honor to help you get there, to help you grow while you're there, to help you overcome the pain, the pitfalls and the stumbling blocks as well.
YOU got this, my friend, and it's TIME for you to shine!
With love,
Sandi Krakowski
