You get to create your life and business. It is within your power to be intentional about your business success by being deliberate and detailed about your vision.
You want to be able to relish your vision, sit in it, soak it in. Why? Because everything you do daily in your business, including the things that bore, overwhelm or irritate you, are in service of your vision. A strong, compelling, inspirational vision will pull you forwards.
Envisioning a new future may require a mind shift, to begin with. Your vision is more than a to-do list, more even than setting goals. It is about creating a big dream that pulls you forward.
Don’t worry if you don’t know how to get there. Thinking about getting there and how far we are from our goals is a great way to feel stuck or move backwards. So often get bogged down with the day-to-day and think like we’re not making meaningful progress.
Instead, let’s focus on the word “vision” and precisely this idea of envisioning a new future. This idea of picturing what you want mentally is important because the vision starts much earlier than the practical strategies, plans, and actions.
Can you confidently and succinctly describe your 12-month vision?
When we asked women inside the HerBusiness community about their business visions, more than half had created a vision in the past but acknowledged it needed to be updated. Some women had a vision but hadn’t documented it. Some people, a tiny percentage, had a clear vision. Many had no clear vision.
We’re bombarded by this idea that we should have a really big vision, especially when we see people like Richard Branson and Oprah Winfrey changing the world. So we start to believe our vision needs to be that ambitious. But here’s the thing: if your vision is to help 100 people with Type 2 diabetes feel better about their health. Or, to help a thousand women to create a wardrobe full of clothes that they love, or to help 20 corporations overhaul their corporate identity, all of these are profound, beautiful visions. Even a vision of working less and spending more time on your hobby is a valid vision.
Creating a vision is about what’s right for you and what captures your heart’s desire.
Why do we create a 12-month vision, not a 5-year or lifetime vision for our business?
Whether you’re trying out a new business model, or you’re looking for more ideal clients, or you’re figuring out your marketing, you want a focused vision for your business. You may be tempted to go really, really big, but here’s what I know. I couldn’t see more than 12 months ahead in some years running my business. Some of us can’t even see a few weeks ahead.
Envisioning years and years ahead can be challenging because the world changes all the time. A few years ago, the phrase “Watching TikTok videos will entertain us during the COVID pandemic” would have meant nothing to us. What commonly understood terms will we be using in another two years that we have no idea about today?
In my first few years of business, the vision I had is markedly different from my vision today. This is why I recommend focusing on the next 12 months.
Let’s envision what your business looks like one year from now.
Why is YOU the most essential Growth Zone in your business?
When women join the HerBusiness network, they experience a 12-month cycle of working on different parts of their business, from being savvier in their marketing, finding the right technology to manage their processes, understanding how to build a team, and so on. We call each of these areas Growth Zones.
One Growth Zone is called the You Growth Zone. You are the most essential part of your business. Your mindset, vision, and confidence are integral to having a successful business. I tell you this because vision is part of the You Growth Zone and is core to taking care of you.
It helps you design a business you love.
What do you want? What is ideal for you? And what is your 12-month vision?
Where do you want your business to be in 12-months’ time – even if you don’t yet know how you’re going to get there? If nothing that’s happened up until now mattered to the future of your business, how would your business look 12 months from now?
In 2019, I envisioned spending 10 weeks in New York City with my partner, PJ. I’d had this dream for many, many years, and I decided 2019 would be the year we were going to make it happen. Although, I admit I was scared to create this vision because I knew it would take a hell of a lot of work to get there.
I knew there’d be planning.
We’d have to upgrade our technology.
We’d have to manage the logistics far away and in different time zones.
And what about the team?
What promotions could we reasonably execute?
It turned out to be one of the most rewarding, exciting experiences of my life.
And it started as a vision.
HerBusiness member, Chantel Gilbert, built Bluegum Electrical Solutions from scratch with her husband Josh. They provide quality electrical services to customers in regional Victoria. They’ve helped hundreds of local families enhance their homes and businesses with electrical upgrades.
A couple of years ago, Chantel’s vision was to get a third van on the road. You might think that’s an oddly specific 12-month vision, but she knew if they had a third van, Josh could get off the tools a bit, she could step into the operations manager role, and they could afford to increase their staff.
A couple of years later, their revenue has climbed to almost $2 million. Chantel is super clear on her vision.
Fiona Keary created The Style Liberation, helping women put together a wardrobe full of clothes they love. Her 12-month vision is focused on bringing new members to her Super Stylers Program – an online membership community that helps coach and support women to look and feel fabulous.
Amanda Farmer of Your Strata Property helps property owners demystify the legal complexities of apartment living. She created a vision of more than 30% of her income coming from non-face-to-face legal services. Today more than 50% of her income comes from non-face-to-face services such as the power of creating a vision.
Your business activity might change every year; the world certainly has over the last 12 months.
How Do YOU Create a 12-Month Vision for My Business?
You can create a 12-month vision for you and your business in just 15 minutes.
- Find a quiet space and PAUSE. Block off the time and place to sit and REFLECT.
- CONNECT to what you want your business to look like 12 months from now.
- What big change would make your business more ideal for you?
- What could revolutionise your business?
- What do you want MORE of in your business?
- What do you want LESS of?
- WRITE a description of what you envision for your business. Examples may include:
- Setting a monetary target, e.g., increasing profit by $50,000 in 12 months.
- Building your customer base, e.g., increasing your membership group by 100 new people or growing your email list by 1,000.
- Stepping out of day-to-day operations, e.g., hiring a manager or a virtual staff member
- Scaling up, e.g., moving from 1:1 coaching or professional services to 1:many workshops, online courses or mentoring
- Expanding your business, e.g., taking your offline business online
- SHARE your 12-month vision with a group of your peers
- You might be part of a networking group. Be sure to share your goals in a supportive environment (Inside of HerBusiness, we call this the “Lift Up” move – where your wins can be shared and supported).
- You may have close friends with similar aspirations – make time to share your goals with them.
- You may be part of the HerBusiness Network with all its support and connections (If you’re not, request an invitation).
- Hold yourself to ACCOUNT.
- Writing down your vision is the first step to making it real.
- Sharing your 12-month vision will declare your intention and draw support and energy towards you.
- Reward yourself along the way for each micro-win to keep you motivated and focused.
Create a vision so strong, specific and compelling that you can’t help being pulled forward into an inspiring and exciting new future.
A 12-month vision, when realised, can revolutionise your business and take you to the next level.
Remember, it starts with you.
If you would like to experience the same level of support and connection as so many of our HerBusiness Network members, then head over to herbusinessnetwork.com and put your name down on the waitlist to join us when the doors are next open.
