Operational guidance for running a creator business well

A good habit tracker can help you build good habits, stay on track with your goals and improve your life overall. What’s amazing about tracking your habits is that you can do it in many different formats. You can use a habit tracker app or utilize bullet journaling if you prefer pen and paper.

So, if you’re determined to make a change and build better habits, you’ll definitely want to look into finding a habit tracker to help you do that and so much more.

What is a habit tracker?

A habit tracker is a tool you use to track your habit streaks for one or more habits in a given period of time. You can have a simple calendar where you mark each day with an “X” when you stick with the habit. Or you can download digital tracker templates from online stores like Etsy or download the one above.

Your habit tracker can be as simple or as complex as you desire. The key is to have a process that makes tracking your habits as easy as possible.

If you’re looking to get started with your habit tracking, we created a free printable habit tracker, you can find it in the module above. The only thing standing between you and better habits is downloading the pdf that’s designed to make habit tracking effortless for everyone. So, download your free pdf file today and start tracking your habits instantly!

Tracking periods

You can track your habits in daily, weekly, and monthly increments. Which one you choose will depend on what sort of habits you’re looking to create.

Daily habit trackers work best for building small daily habits or breaking bad habits. When you track little things in your daily routine like how many glasses of water you drank, 10-minute meditation, journaling, and affirmations, daily tracking works the best.

Weekly habit trackers are perfect for habits you want to track that you might not engage in every day, but on a weekly basis. For example, changing sheets, cleaning cat litter, going to the gym, going to therapy, etc.

And monthly habit trackers are focused on the bigger picture and track monthly habits/goals that you need to be consistent with to achieve your bigger milestones. Monthly habits could be something like reaching out to one new client, watering plants, paying bills, changing the water in a fish tank, etc.

How long should you track your habits?

There are many different suggestions on the internet for how long you should track a habit for it to become a habit. Some say it takes 28 days, others believe it’s 90 days, and you might find that some say it takes six months to build a habit that lasts.

The real answer is – it depends. It depends on a person, on their lifestyle, and on the habit they’re trying to build. James Clear, the NYT bestselling author of Atomic Habits, believes that habit tracking should last forever. “Because once you stop doing it, it is no longer a habit. A habit is a lifestyle to be lived, not a finish line to be crossed,” he writes in his book.

What to track in your habit tracker

What’s wonderful about tracking your habits is that it’s a flexible system that allows you to fully customize what you want to track and how often. You can track as many habits as you want at once, and they can range from health and wellness to business.

There are no limitations to what kind of habits you can track, as long as they’re important to you and get you closer to your goals. But let’s take a look at some examples of habits that people often track to help you get inspired.

Health and wellness

• Drink 8 glasses of water.
• Consume 2,000 calories daily.
• Go to the gym 3 times a week.
• Go to the gym on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.
• Do a yoga class once a week.
• Go on a walk 3 times a week.
• Hit 10,000 steps every day.
• Do 10 minutes of cardio at the gym 3 times a week.
• Take the medication before bed.
• Symptoms: pain-free days, episodes, breakouts, etc.
• Period: length, symptoms, moods
• Mood: happy, sad, unmotivated, motivated, angry, irritated, depressed, etc.
• Take iron, magnesium, and vitamin D daily.
• Get 8 hours of sleep every night.
• Get 3 minutes in a cold shower in the morning.

Personal development

• Go to bed before midnight on weekdays.
• Wake up after the first alarm in the morning.
• Read a chapter of a book every day before bed.
• No screen time before bed.
• Make the bed in the morning.
• Listen to 10 minutes of a podcast every day.
• Learn a new word every day.
• Spend 10 minutes training the dog every day.

Personal finance

• No spend days: track days when you don’t spend money.
• Cook a meal at home instead of ordering takeout.
• Pay bills.
• Update the budget.
• Transfer 5% of the paycheck into a savings account.
• Pay off credit card bills.

Household

• Do the dishes before going to bed.
• Do laundry on Sunday morning.
• Change sheets every two weeks.
• Take out trash and recycling weekly.
• Water plants once every two weeks.
• Change water in a fish tank once per month.
• Feed the fish on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
• Clean cat litter once per week.
• Clean the fridge every two weeks.

Spirituality

• Spend 5 minutes in the morning practicing affirmations.
• Meditate for 5 minutes during lunch break.
• List 3 things you’re grateful for today.
• Journal for 10 minutes in the morning.
• Pray for 5 minutes before sleep.
• Spend time in nature every day.

Hobbies

• Draw for 30 minutes per day.
• Practice a new painting technique once a week.
• Knit every day for 20 minutes while watching TV.
• Spend 30 minutes practicing hand lettering.

Business

• Reply to social media comments for 30 minutes a day.
• Post on social media every day.
• Work on your course curriculum for 30 minutes a day.
• Reach out to one new prospective client.
• Connect with one new industry leader.
• Publish a blog post.
• Film and publish a TikTok video.
• Spend 30 minutes working on a new project daily.

Benefits of habit tracking

To ensure habit tracking is as effective as possible, we should discuss all the benefits of habit tracking and whether or not the process works as well as we think.

Helps you build habits

The very first benefit of habit tracking is obvious — it helps you build strong, long-lasting habits. There is scientific evidence that shows that tracking a behavior increases the likelihood of it being established as a habit. And having good habits is crucial for a happy, healthy, and satisfactory life and business.

In his book, James Clear explains that habit trackers help us build long-term habits through visualization. “And while you are waiting for the long-term rewards of your efforts to accumulate, you need a reason to stick with it in the short term. You need some immediate feedback that shows you are on the right path,” he writes in his book.

The visualization argument fits in with the habit formation research from Harvard Health that shows three important factors that come into play when forming a habit: reminder, routine, and reward. Having a habit tracker reminds you to stick with the habit, and check-in in with it on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis creates a routine and when you get to see your progress visually, it activates the reward system in your brain.

Helps you achieve your goals

Habits are a crucial part of achieving the goals you set for yourself. One way having a habit tracker helps is that tracking habits increase motivation.

A small study published in 2020 looked into university students and how tracking their study habits will affect their mental health and motivation to study. Researchers found that after six weeks of tracking study habits, students were less likely to experience bad moods and were more motivated during their studies.

While motivation is not a sustainable driving force when it comes to achieving goals (especially long-term), it is a key component to help you get started building habits that will later sustain the discipline you need to achieve the goals you set.

Another way that habit tracking helps you achieve your goals is by encouraging you to celebrate micro-wins. And celebrating wins is a key component of setting and achieving goals that many people tend to overlook.

A small study led by a Professor of Entrepreneurial Management at Harvard Business School, Teresa Amabile, looked into different variables that affect how people feel at work. What researchers discovered was that the strongest indicator of a good day at work was whether any kind of progress (however small) was made.

Your habit tracker can help you keep track of the progress you make in your personal or professional life, which will increase your motivation to continue and improve your confidence in yourself that you are capable of achieving your goals.

Tracking your habits

Creators are busy and their work can easily pile up. So taking the time to decide on the most important habits for your success and then putting them into a tracker can be one of the keys to success for some. Think about the most important tasks to your overall well-being, your relationships, space, and business. Then write those things down in your habit tracker and start tracking!

Let’s paint this picture: You’re getting ready to create that piece of content that you’ve been sitting on for the past couple of weeks. Two hours and many cups of coffee in, you realize that you somehow have dozens of tabs open on your computer and very little work to show for it.

Even if you’ve been able to push through a situation like this, it can somewhat take a toll on your confidence as a content creator. Then procrastination settles in, and you find it even harder to be productive when the next task comes around.

But, a handy content creation technique just may be a way to resolve this endless cycle. Enter content batching, a process used by many top creators to make content execution seamless and efficient.

Lay it all out: What is content batching?

Simply put, content batching is the process of creating similar sorts of content that require the same systems, programs, process, etc., all in one sit-in.

For example, you decide to post on your business blog to boost a new product or course launch. That one blog post may entail writing the copy, editing, gathering imagery, and promoting on social media platforms (among other tasks). Add in the simple fact you have other blog posts that need to be pumped out as well.

With content batching, instead of working on each blog post and its accompanying assets one by one, you choose days to work on specific similar tasks. For example:

Monday: Brainstorm blog posts + create outlines for a set number of posts

Tuesday: Draft copy for blog posts

Wednesday: Gather imagery for all posts

Thursday: Create social media assets to promote upcoming blog posts

Friday: Edit blog posts + add in imagery and assets

Saturday: Schedule new blog posts and social media posts to drive traffic to your latest content

Sunday: Rest

Of course, you can batch blog content as you see fit for your schedule. This may include thinking in terms of a month worth of content or in days and weeks.

Think logically: Why is content batching beneficial?

Contrary to some beliefs, creating good content isn’t something you can always do on the fly. If you’re looking to create a consistent stream of revenue from your content, make sure you’re consistently putting out content that adds value to your brand. Batching content allows you always to have content in the funnel.

Yes, creating good content is time-intensive. If you’re balancing content creation while holding down a full-time job or other small business owner responsibilities, take note from those who have been there before.

Creator and food blogger Dominek Tubbs of DomNTheCity.com, is an excellent example of how this method can help you become super productive while consistently putting out quality content. She shares:

“As a creator who also holds a corporate position, batching content on the weekend has proved beneficial in building my brand and remaining consistent. Sitting down and carving out four to five hours to work on content allows other areas of my life to run seamlessly Monday through Friday. Batching content has enabled me to remain more present in other areas of my life with friends and loved ones.”

Let’s explore other ways batching content can be game-changing.

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Slow it down: Batching stops you from rushing your content

Most times, rushed content isn’t good content. Your target audience can tell when you haven’t put thought into the video, post, or recording you produced.

Stop scrambling to create content the day of (or even the week of) and plan ahead to ensure all your bases are covered. Nothing is worse than putting something out and realizing an essential piece of information—like an image or certain step is missing—after people already saw it. Reducing procrastination while increasing your productivity is what you should be aiming for with content batching.

Content batching also makes unplugging easier since you’ll always have content in the pipeline.

When you’re ahead of the game, you have time to do other things like relaxing and taking a break. You’ll even be able to focus your energies to exploring new facets of your business if you’ve batched content and have things scheduled out weeks in advance.

3 steps to success: Tips on batching content for beginners

If this is your first time batching content, we want to get one thing straight: It sounds much more complicated than it is. Here’s how you get started with batching content like a content marketing expert.

1. Research topics and dates

As a creator, it’s your responsibility to know what kind of content your audience or potential customers will be looking for and when. By doing some quick research, you can stay privy to holidays, trending topics, selling opportunities, and other tidbits that may point you in the direction of creating content your audience can’t wait to absorb.

2. Brainstorm and keep a running list of content ideas

Sometimes inspiration strikes at the most random moments. Whether you prefer a pen and pad or the notes app on your phone, keep a running list of ideas that you can potentially turn into content or social posts.

No idea is too small or obscure—jot it down and revisit it at a later date when it’s time to create. We always say the most niche topics make for some of the best courses and content. We say it because it’s true.

3. Schedule days to batch-specific types of content

As we mentioned before, marking days to complete similar tasks is the ideal way to batch content. You never wake up not knowing where to start as far as upcoming projects are concerned, for starters. Also, it will put some much needed routine back into your life.

For some thought-starting tips for outlining your course on Teachable, check out this post so you can jumpstart your content planning and get on your way to creating—and earning.

A bounty of options: Tools to make batching content easy

Now that you understand why content batching should be a part of your creative process, it’s time to make sure you’re equipped with the right tools.

Asana: If you wish you had a master calendar of all the things you need to do in one place, look no further. Asana is a great way to create lists for tasks you need to do. It also allows you to see a calendar view, which may help organize your time. Even better, they have an app, so you can never be without access to your calendar.

Pro-tip: Create projects in Asana for specific content types and make the subtasks the individual pieces of content and tasks to be completed.

Canva: If you’re unfamiliar, Canva is an excellent alternative for Adobe Photoshop that provides you with unique templates to make eye-catching visuals. Regarding batching content, Canva makes it super easy to organize content within the site. You can also collab when you need it.

It’s super user-friendly and makes creating similar types of content a seamless experience. Be sure to check out the social media scheduler within the site.

Unsplash: Not everyone has the eye for photos or the skill set to shoot their own images. Stock websites like Unsplash give you access to free, crisp stock imagery that you can use, for your website or social media channels.

Gain back some time by making “shooting images”. This is a task you can remove from your to-do list from time to time. (Of course, if you are ready to begin recording or shooting your own content for your course or various channels, you can. It’s easy to do so from the comfort of your own home.)

Hootsuite: Schedule posts for your content on your various social channels with this handy task-managing tool.

Bottom line: Using a content batching strategy can help improve your workflow and up your productivity. It can also help you begin to reclaim your time, so you can devote more energy to creating content and running your business effectively.

With 2021 coming to an end, it’s time for online course creators to wind down and start thinking about the next year. And it’s also a perfect time to spend some time doing end-of-year business reflection to help you set new goals and celebrate last year’s wins.

Why is reflection crucial?

Business reflection matters for many different reasons. But here are three of the most important ones for all online entrepreneurs:

Ensures you are on track

Running a business can get hectic. And when things are tense, and you’re focused on managing and running your business, it’s very easy to lose the vision of the bigger picture. Self-reflection ensures that you stay on track.

As you grow and improve, there will be new opportunities that come your way. Some of them will be life-changing, while others might not be worth your time. Serial entrepreneur and coach Dr. Jeff Cornwall writes that it’s a common trap entrepreneur find themselves in, stating: “Often they have lost track of their own goals and aspirations as the business takes on a life of its own. Many talk about becoming servants of the business rather than the business serving their needs.”

If you do business reflection sessions every quarter, you’ll be able to accommodate those new opportunities without going off track from your original business vision.

Improves business performance

Researchers at Harvard Business School have found that reflecting on our work and experience increases work performance. Many entrepreneurs learn from their failures and mistakes, and consistent business reflection helps them do that better. It’s a way to keep yourself accountable and ensure that you’re moving forward and getting better.

Allows you to celebrate

While business reflection is mostly focused on learning from your mistakes and improving in the future, it can also be useful to help you remember what you accomplished. It’s very easy to get lost in new goals and new challenges, forgetting to celebrate the wins in your business.

When you spend time on self-reflection on your small business, you have an opportunity to mark important wins, however small they might be. That will help you build your confidence and believe that you can achieve things even if they seem hard right now.

7-steps to productively reflect on your business

If you want to learn how to do your business reflection the right way, here is a very simple seven-step process to help you get started:

Step 1: Reflect on your goals

The first thing you’ll want to do is find the best way to reflect on your past business goals. Some people might find it helpful to do it digitally, using tools like Notion or simple Google Sheets. Others might prefer paper notebooks over digital files. Find the method that works for you and set aside enough time for this activity.

Many entrepreneurs utilize the morning pages, which is a concept created by Julia Cameron, in their daily lives to stay on top of their business and goals. Taking this daily practice and using it for your business reflection can be a great way to self-reflect productively if you’re doing it for the first time.

Step 2: What were the wins? Mark them

Once you’re ready and set up for your business reflection, start by marking all the wins from last year, however small they might be. It will probably be hard at first, so here are some questions you can ask yourself to get the brain flow going:

• What new products/courses did you launch this past year?
• What were the projects you worked on and completed?
• Did you reach a certain milestone you set yourself?
• Have you reached your financial goals? If not, how far away were you from your initial goal?
• Has your online course received praises from students?
• Have you gone to do interviews on other podcasts or written guest blogs?
• Was your business mentioned on a list, or was it featured in the local magazine/newspaper?
• Have you met someone who made a huge impact on you and your business?
• Did you hire help for your business?

Every small detail that pushed your business forward this past year matters, and you should mark them as your successes. It’s very easy to forget about all the small things when you get lost in the process of running your business. So, use this opportunity to congratulate yourself.

Step 3: What were the losses? Evaluate them

The next step won’t be so pleasant, but it’s equally important to conduct a successful business reflection. Just like you made a list of your wins before, now it’s time to look back and write down all the losses your business experienced and why. Here are some questions you might want to ask yourself:

• Did your new product/course launch didn’t go as well as planned?
• Have you missed out on a certain opportunity because of X, Y, Z?
• Did you receive negative feedback from your students?
• Did you release fewer products/courses this past year than expected?
• Was your revenue lower than expected?

Once you’re done listing your losses and things you wish you did better, it’s time to evaluate them. Ask yourself these questions:

• What stopped you from fulfilling your goal that failed?
• Was it something you need to do better, or would it be easier if you got help?
• What exact steps do you need to take, so it doesn’t happen next time?
• How have you addressed the situation when it happened, and how do you wish you had addressed it instead?

Reflecting on your failures will ensure that next time, you’re better prepared when something goes wrong. Failure is a natural part of entrepreneurship, and it’s the best way to become better, so don’t shy away from your failures.

Step 4: Learn, don’t judge

With a whole list of mistakes facing you eye to eye, it might be hard to be kind to yourself and refrain from judgment. Imposter syndrome will be strongest in moments like these. So, it’s important to realize that you need to embrace your mistakes and learn from them instead of judging yourself and putting yourself down.

This is where the morning page strategy comes in handy when doing your business reflection. It can serve you as a “brain dump” to write out any negative emotions that come to you during this process. Write them all down, preventing them from occupying your mind. After a while, you’re going to see that negative feelings will die down, and you’ll have space for positive ones once again.

Step 5: Prepare for yearly goals in advance

Formulating concrete, achievable goals takes time. It might take you a few brainstorming sessions to nail them down perfectly. So, take your time and give yourself enough space for setting New Year’s or yearly business goals.

Also, always write down your goals. Even if you know what you want to accomplish, make sure you mark them digitally or on paper. Research has proven that people who write down their goals are more likely to accomplish them. And if you’re serious about improving your business next year, start with this simple step.

Start your preparation for next year in November if possible. November is busy for most small business owners, but it’s also a great time to start looking at what you want your business to look like in the New Year. Write your goals down, and then leave them be for a while. Sit on them and then return to them when the busy season has ended, and you’re ready to transition into the next year.

Step 6: Simplify your goals

The success of your goals is very straightforward—the simpler, the better. If you did prior steps of your business reflection, then you’ll be fairly tuned in with what you want from your business in the future. Then, use that vision to remove the goals that are not important in the next year.

For example: Let’s say you have an online course teaching people to draw fashion illustrations. One of your goals for your business might be to be the #1 resource for learning fashion illustration in the US. That’s a wonderful goal to have. However, it’s very broad, and long-term focused.

For your yearly business goals, you want to have a list of more concrete and achievable goals. So, think about the next step for your business to take to fulfill the long-term goal of being the primary fashion illustration resource in the US. What can you do in the next year that will bring you closer to that broader goal?

Once you have it, write it down. And then go over every single goal on your list and do the same. Simplify, clarify and make your goals measurable.

Step 7: Track

Use a system that allows you to track and be on top of your goals daily and weekly. Always knowing where you are when it comes to your business goals will allow you to reflect on your business when the time comes. And it also will help you stay on track and make sure that you’re accomplishing your goals in time.

You can use tools like Notion, simply keep a sheet for tracking goals on Google Docs or go with a paper planner like Passion Planner. They have a built-in self-reflection system in place and a way to be on top of your work goals daily.

Progress over perfection

Remember, when it comes to your business, progress is always more important than perfection. Naturally, when you’re doing business reflection, you’ll want to have a perfect review of your business. But even if it doesn’t look perfect, it’s still valid and valuable.

However, with time you’ll start noticing that the more disciplined with goal tracking you are and the more consistent with your self-reflection you get, the more of your goals will get accomplished. Simply because you’ll always be on track, putting your business first.

As leaders in our respective fields, we welcome any opportunity to gain invaluable insight into our skills, habits, and personality types. When we have a better understanding of how and why we operate, as a result of either nature or nurture, we can then make improvements to better ourselves and the interpersonal relationships necessary to enhance our personal brands and businesses.

Myers-Briggs is, arguably, the most widely recognized tool in identifying how one perceives the world and interacts with the people around them, though most recent attention has been placed on Enneagrams: nine unique ways that explain how and/or why a person may think, feel, or act in practically any situation.

To explain Enneagrams in further detail and shed light on what your specific type may say about your overall leadership style, we chatted with Michael Norton, co-director and teacher at The Enneagram Group, to lend his expertise and break down what it all means.

What is an Enneagram personality type?

“The Enneagram is a tool that identifies nine different ways of seeing and being in the world,” explains Norton. It can be used to illustrate how people may respond to social situations, romantic relationships, and, perhaps the most helpful since it takes up most of our day, work projects.

These are the nine Enneagrams by number and nickname. Keep in mind that no personality is better or worse than the other and you can identify yours by taking a short quiz (which is also available on The Enneagram Group’s website).

• Type One: The Reformer
• Type Two: The Helper
• Type Three: The Achiever
• Type Four: The Individualist
• Type Five: The Observer
• Type Six: The Loyal Skeptic
• Type Seven: The Enthusiast
• Type Eight: The Challenger
• Type Nine: The Peacemaker

Why Enneagrams are helpful for leaders, their teams, and the workplace

“As a leader, we choose to put our attention and focus on certain areas of our work, and to ignore or override information from others,” says Norton. “The Enneagram helps not only to recognize our strengths as a leader, but also how our worldview might be limiting our success.”

“In this way, the Enneagram is not only a map that points to our default patterns, but also offers ways to expand our limiting patterns and see reality more clearly,” he adds.

By going out of your way to understand and interpret your innate and learned behaviors, you’re already taking the first step to better yourself and deepen your sense of self-awareness.

“The tools we’ve developed with the Enneagram help people understand not only why others behave the way they do, but also how to work with others to find a solution,” argues Norton, claiming that these identifiable personality types can help to answer seemingly complex questions like “why does my boss act this way?”

“All workplaces have default operating systems that, intentionally or not, inform feedback, strategy and mission. In our experience, most of these operating systems are developed unconsciously and quickly become the water we swim in. Like a fish, a team feels disempowered to change it because they can’t see it,” stresses Norton. “When the teams we work with start to incorporate The Enneagram into their workplace, communication becomes more efficient and productive because the operating system becomes clear. Missions align and strategy is enhanced as the team starts to understand each individual’s unique skill set and focus.”

In fact, once you’ve developed a general grasp on how coworkers, clients, and direct reports see and experience the world, you can then interact with them in a way that is not only productive, but motivating.

“Less time is wasted on drama and miscommunication.”

Enneagram leadership styles and how to improve them

After proactively figuring out your Enneagram personality type, your next step is to actually take a step back and be open to feedback and constructive criticism.

We tapped Norton to provide a detailed explanation of each type’s typical leadership style, as well as a “growth edge,” which is an opportunity for leaders to challenge their norm, learn from potentially negative habits, and grow into a better version of themselves.

Type One: The Reformer

Leadership style: “Reformers focus their attention on what’s right and wrong, so as leaders they’re great at determining the right course of action and leading a team with integrity. This focus on doing the right thing can also create hardship for the One, as they might hold themselves and others to incredibly high standards and be perceived as judgemental by their team.”

Growth edge: “Notice how many ‘shoulds’ navigate your leadership style and find more time to communicate what you really want with your team.”

Type Two: The Helper

Leadership style: “Helpers focus their attention on the needs of others, so as leaders they’re fantastic at working hard to make their team feel cared for. They are great at the ‘people’ aspect of work. This focus on other’s needs can create dynamics at work where a Two leader will work really hard to avoid saying no or disappointing their team. They might fall into the trap of believing it’s easier to do it themselves than upset another team member.”

Growth edge: “Pay more attention to your own needs and ask your team directly to get those needs met. You should regularly check in with your team members on who is responsible for what, and notice your impulse to take on more than your [fair] share.”

Type Three: The Achiever

Leadership style: “Achievers focus their attention on tasks and getting things done, so as leaders they have a gift for motivating others and driving a project to the finish line. However, this focus on getting things done points to an underlying belief that their value comes from doing and achieving. Threes can struggle with slowing down, finding work/life balance, and recognizing when something has failed.”

Growth edge: “Notice how you might have a habit of exaggeration or ‘softening of the truth’ and can go blind to failure. You should recognize that admitting failure and expressing your frustration or fear builds morale and can actually build confidence in yourself as a leader.”

Type Four: The Individualist

Leadership style: “Individualists focus their attention on what’s missing in themselves, others, or the world, so as leaders they’re fantastic at noticing areas for improvement and finding innovative, creative solutions for them. The challenge of this focus is that Four leaders can have a hard time feeling complete or satisfied, both with themselves and with their team. This dissatisfaction can create psychological and emotional strain on a team because of their over-focus on problems and difficulties.”

Growth edge: “Focus on what is already present as positive and notice how your focus on what’s missing and wrong creates emotional reactivity and suffering for yourself and those around you.”

Type Five: The Observer

Leadership style: “Observers focus their attention on intrusion and what others might expect of them. They are often more comfortable with data and facts than people. This makes Fives more of a ‘thought leader’ than other types. They often exhibit a unique capacity to gather data and information on their own and are excellent at remaining objective and rational in a crisis. The challenge of this focus of attention is a pattern of isolation and detachment as the Five attempts to conserve energy.”

Growth edge: “Recognize how your instinct to withdraw and withhold actually invites more intrusion. Practice being more forthright and stay present which is, in the long run, a path to more energy and freedom.”

Type Six: The Loyal Skeptic

Leadership style: “Loyal skeptics focus their attention on potential problems and hazards. As leaders, they’re fantastic at thinking through what could go wrong and being prepared. Loyalty and predictability are really important for this type, so their leadership tends to be reliable, measured,and cautious. The difficulty for Six leaders is learning to trust. Because of a focus on what could go wrong, they rarely consider what could go right and can be seen as pessimistic or overly skeptical to team members.”

Growth edge: “Recognize how much of your strategy is led by fear. Start to take action and lean into a bit more risk before you’re fully prepared.”

Type Seven: The Enthusiast

Leadership style: “Enthusiasts focus their attention on pleasant options and possibilities. As leaders, they’re optimistic visionaries who can see connections and innovations that others can’t. The leadership challenge for a Seven is following through on their vision and not having too many balls in the air. Sevens are often very excited and engaged at the beginning of a project, but when it becomes difficult or frustrating, they often get distracted by something more exciting and new. Over time, this can create confusion on a team as to where they should be placing their energy and focus.”

Growth edge: “Slow down and focus on one task at a time. Sevens need to work on making and keeping their commitments, even if it starts to become uncomfortable or difficult.”

Type Eight: The Challenger

Leadership style: “Challengers focus their attention on fairness, truth, and empowerment. As leaders, they are strong and direct, and are great at inspiring a team to take action and have an impact. However, as leaders, Eights have a tendency to become controlling and unintentionally disempower the people around them. They are driven to be strong and protect their team from a world they perceive as tough, but this often causes them to overlook the value in everyone’s vulnerability, including their own.”

Growth edge: “Recognize that vulnerability is a strength in leadership. Let your team see your weakness, which can create more empowerment for everyone.”

Type Nine: The Peacemaker

Leadership style: “Peacemakers focus their attention on other people’s agendas. As leaders, they are great at supporting others on their team and have a unique strength of ‘leading from behind’ by listening to everyone’s position and synthesizing a solution. The challenge for Nine leaders is focusing on what’s important to them rather than on what’s important to others. Overly focusing on harmony often means creating consensus at the expense of their own agenda.”

Growth edge: “Take a personal position on an issue, regardless of what the group wants. Establish (and then adhere to) your own priorities and communicate them clearly to your team.”

Entrepreneurship is the quintessential American dream. Everyone has a business they’d love to start and great ideas about how they’d run that enterprise if only they had enough cash. But while the typical entrepreneur may have one or maybe two business ideas at most, some go above and beyond and start or work on multiple ventures simultaneously.

Someone who starts new businesses one after the other might be referred to as a serial entrepreneur. Serial entrepreneurship is a gateway to massive profits, and many of the most successful businesspeople are serial entrepreneurs as opposed to single-venture startup executives.

Today, let’s explore what a serial entrepreneur is and what they do day to day, look at how they start new ventures, plus look at some examples of successful “multipreneurs.”

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What is a serial entrepreneur?

A serial entrepreneur is a businessperson who starts and runs not just one company but several simultaneously.

For example, a serial entrepreneur might start a business venture right out of college. They grow that business’s value for a few years, then sell it to another executive and start a new business because they had another great idea.

This highlights the typical economic pattern for most serial entrepreneurs. They:

• Start a business
• Run it long-term until it turns a significant profit or until it starts to falter or fail
• Sell the business and take the profits
• Use the profits to start another company

Over their professional careers, serial entrepreneurs may start several or even dozens of different companies. They know, perhaps better than any other business professional, that failure is a part of the process. For a “multipreneur,” a business failing is just an opportunity to take those lessons and apply them to the next successful venture!

What are the characteristics of serial entrepreneurs?

Most successful serial entrepreneurs have key characteristics that allow them to keep going where others might give up. These characteristics include:

• A very strong drive to succeed: Entrepreneurship is difficult in any industry. Serial entrepreneurs need to be able to pick themselves up after failure and keep going.
• Vision: Good serial entrepreneurs must be able to envision excellent business ideas by studying the market and identifying opportunities.
• A problem-solving attitude: To be a serial entrepreneur, you can’t give up as soon as things get complicated.
• High risk tolerance: Serial entrepreneurship practically guarantees failure at some point, so you need to be able to accept that and keep going anyway.
• Curiosity: Most serial entrepreneurs are restless and can get bored very easily. They are always thinking about what’s next rather than what they did previously.
• Good financial savvy: This trait can be rare, as more than 60% of surveyed business owners report that they don’t feel confident in their financial or accounting abilities. However, understanding at least the basic concepts of business finance can provide the foundation on which you can build a stable and successful company.

That said, no two serial entrepreneurs are exactly alike, with each having their own personality, fixations, and business desires.

Serial entrepreneur examples

Fortunately, there are many successful serial entrepreneurs to look up to and take as examples.

Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey is perhaps the most famous American philanthropist alive today. But she’s also a very well-known serial entrepreneur!

You might mostly know her from The Oprah Winfrey Show, but she began her career as a TV anchor in the 1980s. Shortly after, she established the Harpo Productions Inc. company, through which she launched her titular TV show. As the third woman to own her studio, this put her on the map in more ways than one.

But Oprah Winfrey didn’t stop there. She founded the Oxygen cable TV station and launched the Oprah Winfrey Network in 2008. Today, Winfrey manages the magazine named after her and has authored many books. Thanks to her entrepreneurship adventures, she has an estimated net worth of over $2.5 billion.

Elon Musk

Who can forget the name Elon Musk? Musk began his entrepreneurship career with Zip2, a searchable business directory that was like an online version of the Yellow Pages. He founded this company in 1995, then sold it four years later for $307 million.

Musk was not content to be done with just that victory, however. He then founded PayPal known for its online financial serviceswith a business associate, selling the company to eBay for $1.5 billion.

Today, Musk is most known for SpaceX and Tesla Motors: two companies pushing the boundaries of science and technology further than they’ve ever gone before. More than many other serial entrepreneurs, Musk proves that you can pivot from industry to industry and still find success with the right mindset.

Richard Branson

Sir Richard Branson got his start as a serial entrepreneur early when he was 20 years old in 1970. At this young age, he began a mail-order record business. From that venture, he eventually grew the Virgin Group. Now, the Virgin Group owns 40 different companies and more than 200 distinct subsidiaries.

In essence, Richard Branson has built a diversified conglomerate of businesses to ensure he will always remain wealthy! Odds are you’ve heard of several of Branson’s companies in the past, like Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Clothing, Virgin Music, and so on.

Andreas von Bechtolsheim

This serial entrepreneur is one of the original co-founders of Sun Microsystems, a 1982 company that eventually grew into a billion-dollar business. However, von Bechtolsheim then established Granite Systems to manufacture network switches for other companies. He sold his company to Cisco Systems for $220 million.

That’s not all von Bechtolsheim accomplished in a short timeframe! He next moved to develop a server technology company named Kealia in 2001, sold that to Sun Microsystems in 2004, and then helped to cofound Arista Networks in 2005.

As if that wasn’t enough, von Bechtolsheim was one of the first investors in Google. With a $100,000 investment, he eventually gained a net worth of well over $9 billion.

Rod Drury

Last but not least is Rod Drury, a serial entrepreneur from New Zealand who primarily operates in the technology sector. For example, 1995 saw him establish Glazier Systems, then sell that company for $7 million in 1999.

Next, Drury founded AfterMail, quickly selling the company for $15 million in 2006. Drury is most well-known for founding Xero in 2006, one of the first software-as-a-service (SaaS) companies. He sold $95 million worth of his Xero shares in 2017, but not before founding Pacific Fiber: a company that attempted (without success, unfortunately) to make a fiber-optic internet cable that connected the United States, Australia, and New Zealand.

Are you the next serial entrepreneur?

Serial entrepreneurs make and evolve industries. They are important individuals in a capitalist market and are often behind some of the biggest companies ever created. But although their success may seem out of reach, anyone can become a serial entrepreneur.

That includes you! With the right knowledge and drive, you can become a serial entrepreneur starting multiple successful business ventures. It all starts with taking the right classes, of course. Teachable can help you find the perfect courses to learn everything you need to succeed in entrepreneurship. Alternatively, you can use Teachable as an online course platform to build your audience and begin a career as a serial entrepreneur specializing in online teaching.

FAQs

What is the difference between an entrepreneur and a serial entrepreneur?

The difference between an entrepreneur and a serial entrepreneur is their focus. With a traditional entrepreneur, the focus is on one single idea or business at a time. Most business owners are traditional entrepreneurs. They have one or two unique ideas, grow their businesses from scratch, and develop those businesses over time. In many cases, they never leave their initial enterprises

Serial entrepreneurs, on the other hand, never stay in one place for too long. Like sharks, they have to keep moving to survive and thrive. In that way, they may start one company, lead it for a few years, sell it and move on to another enterprise.

However, entrepreneurs and serial entrepreneurs have many of the same characteristics, like:

• Imagination
• Ambition to succeed
• Creativity
• Leadership skills

What are the skills needed to be an entrepreneur?

To be a successful entrepreneur (serial or standard), you need to cultivate certain key skills. These skills include:

• Strong leadership skills, particularly if you plan to have many employees.
• Good communication skills so you can market successfully and lead your companies to success.
• Strong market understanding. You need to know what gaps currently exist in the market and how you can leverage them for profit.
• A lot of drive. To succeed as an entrepreneur, you need to be willing to buckle down and do a lot of work, often working more than 12 hours day-to-day.

Can anyone become a serial entrepreneur?

Yes! Anyone can become a serial entrepreneur with the right idea and ambition. However, it might be wiser to start as a standard entrepreneur. Start one single business, see if it works successfully, then move to a new venture once you have a great idea and your current business is valuable enough that you can sell it for a profit.

It’s no secret that your mindset holds incredible power. It can impact the levels of resilience, strength, and joy you experience. This can even have business impacts too. It can spill over to how you view the pricing of your courses and even how you interact with your students. Likewise, your ideals and beliefs around money will have an impact on the cash flow in your business. Plus it can influence your ability to grow as an entrepreneur. Let’s dive into the most potent money mindset shifts, what you can do to implement them, and ultimately increase your earnings!

6 ways to have a money mindset

Your money mindset is how you interact with money. It covers your attitude, the feelings you experience when dealing with or thinking about money, and your confidence levels. Improving that mindset can help you become a more successful entrepreneur and make smarter decisions. Here’s how to do that.

1. Rewire your limiting money beliefs

Everyone has beliefs about money. It’s an inevitable part of living in any society. We implicitly learn and adopt the commonly held money beliefs, so it’s totally normal if you find yourself in a limited mindset towards money. But some of those money beliefs can hold you back.

One way to help change your mindset is by writing. Write a list of your beliefs around money, and then write down examples of times you’ve seen those beliefs disproven. For example, if you have the belief: “You have to work really hard to earn a lot of money.” You can reframe that idea with examples of how making money can be easy once your online course is set up! Replace that limited belief with a positive reframe, like “making money can be easy” or “money flows to me with ease.” You can use an app like ThinkUp to help train your subconscious around this, which can be especially helpful as you’re falling asleep at night.

2. Strengthen your relationship with money

Just like we all have beliefs around money, we also have different relationships with money. It can be helpful to identify and examine your relationship with money. Then you can work on improving it, which can be incredibly beneficial for increasing cash flow.

If money were a person, consider how you would describe your relationship together. This might look like “money, you always come through at the last minute when I need you” or even “I don’t really pay attention to you, money.”

Write a letter to money and describe how it makes you feel, how much you trust it, what you expect of it, how you’d like your relationship to improve, etc. Although it can feel silly at first, personifying the money and strengthening the relationship can help make a more positive money mindset. This will in turn boost your confidence with money too.

3. Clean out and organize your wallet

Just like organization (or disorganization!) in other parts of your life can impact your mindset the same goes for your money. When the physical aspects and “tools” involved in your money management are in order, you can more easily do the necessary work. This goes for your physical wallet and any online systems or banking you use too. In your physical wallet, keep all your cash facing the same way, clear out old receipts, and set up all your cards in an accessible way. Gather excess change and transfer to a piggy bank or bring it to be cashed in. For your online systems, organize your invoices into folders, balance your checkbook if you use checks, and create a monthly overview for yourself. These are all effective ways of giving respect and attention to your money.

4. Start partaking in Money Magic Mondays

Of course, you can put your own spin on the name or day of the week you do it, but have regular dedicated time to sit down and review your finances. During this time, look over all the cash flow. Get familiar with the money coming in and the money going out of your business. You can track this by hand, or use a budget app like Mint to simplify things.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, put in extra effort to make this a fun and pleasurable experience. Light a candle, bring a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, and put on some soothing music to relax while you tend to your money. You might also consider putting on a money podcast like the Financial Feminist to empower you when it comes to the logistics of managing your money.

5. Get comfortable with money leaving your account

In most cases, spending money is seen as something that at best is a necessity, and at worst is a frivolous waste. Paying bills can feel like a drag. You may begrudgingly watch your bank account drop after paying a vendor or a monthly subscription. But to change your money mindset, view it as a cycle.

Money flows, which means it comes and it goes. When you can let money go with ease, you’re in a more mentally relaxed place in your relationship with money. Every time you use that credit card or pay cash for something, take a moment to express gratitude. Imagine that money making its way back to you. Using a mantra like “every dollar that I spend comes back to me times ten” can be a quick and intentional way to do this.

6. Keep a list of “money miracles”

Anytime you experience a small money miracle, take not. If you get an unexpected discount, write it down. Maybe the waiter forgot to charge you for that glass of wine at dinner. Or you get $10 in a birthday card from your great Aunt Sue. Whatever it is, write it down. Small instances like those can add up.

The more that you focus on money in a positive way, the more that you’re training your brain to perceive that you are a magnet for money. With a positive money mindset, the money shows up for you in unexpected and terrific ways! The amount doesn’t matter—money is money, and you can respect it. Strengthen your relationship with money, no matter what form or the amount it comes in. The more you do this, the more likely it is to become the norm. What you focus on grows, so tracking these mini-miracles is a useful way to shift your focus to a more positive one.

Your new money mindset

Regardless of where you are with your money mindset, remember that it takes time. You won’t unlearn the limiting perceptions around money overnight. Have patience with yourself. And hold that light of possibility high as you reshape your perceptions and attitude as money becomes irresistibly attracted to you.

If there’s one thing most (or all) creators and entrepreneurs can agree on, it’s that building a business from scratch is no easy task. However, along the way, successful entrepreneurs find tactics that help them face and overcome challenges.

Research shows that your mindset, including how you talk to and view yourself, can have a massive impact on your success or failure. For example, business affirmations—positive statements about yourself—can reinforce positive thinking, boost your confidence, and motivate you to achieve your goals.

According to experts, developing a growth mindset can also help you reach your fullest potential. It can help you overcome a range of challenges from overcoming imposter syndrome to bouncing back from failure.

What is a growth mindset? We’ll dive into what a growth mindset means and share actionable tips you can use to develop one.

What is a growth mindset?

A growth mindset is a belief that with dedication and hard work, you can develop and improve your abilities. By learning and growing, you can become smarter and more successful.

Carol Dweck, a Stanford professor and author of Mindsets: The New Psychology of Success, coined the term over 30 years ago.

In her research, Dweck explores how a person’s mindset influences their behaviors and impacts their success. Based on her findings, Dweck proposes that there are two mindsets—fixed and growth.

Growth mindset vs fixed mindset

When Dweck first coined the term “growth mindset”, she was curious about how students react to failure.

She found that those with a growth mindset see failure as a challenge that they can overcome with more effort. Someone with a fixed mindset sees failure as inevitable—their abilities and intelligence are fixed and won’t improve.

Those with a growth mindset remain optimistic about their ability to achieve success. On the other hand, those with a fixed mindset believe that they either have the skills now or never will.

A fixed mindset can get in the way of your success, but how can you identify it? The comparison chart of fixed vs. growth mindset below can help.

How can a growth mindset help you scale your business?

The most successful creators and entrepreneurs have a growth mindset. They accept that they don’t have all the answers and skills now. However, they are confident that with hard work and persistence, they’ll be able to in the future (which will lead to success).

Developing your own growth mindset can help you scale your business. A growth mindset is an optimistic outlook that will push you to jump through hurdles that may be stunting your business growth.

Think of it as you acting as your cheerleader, whether things are smooth sailing or a bit bumpy. Instead of giving up, shifting your mindset will help you identify areas of improvement and build your skillset.

Growth mindset examples

There are many ways that you can use a growth mindset in your daily life, as well as in your business. Here are a few examples of situations where you can apply a growth mindset.

Losing a potential course or coaching client

Let’s say you host a discovery call with a potential, high-paying client for your courses or coaching services. Instead of landing the sale, the prospect emails you to let you know that they are not interested at that time.

A person with a fixed mindset views this as an absolute failure. If this happens several times, they may start to believe that their entire business is a failure and there is nothing they can do to improve it. Eventually, this can lead to them getting so discouraged that they quit altogether.

Someone with a growth mindset would view it as a learning opportunity. They will be curious about why the potential client didn’t convert this time.

• Was the pricing outside of their budget? Offer a payment installment plan or ask if their company has a professional development budget.
• Are there skills that several customers have asked about? If it makes sense, add a lesson that covers in-demand skills that are missing from your course.
• Did they hesitate because of a lack of social proof? Ask current students if they’ll share customer testimonials to add to your website.

How to develop a growth mindset

Now that you better understand what is a growth mindset, you can develop your own. Developing a growth mindset is easier than you might think. Keep reading to learn more about how to make the shift so you can live out your best life as a creator.

1. Get comfortable with not having all of the answers

The creator economy is only about a decade old. So many things have yet to be discovered. From new tools to marketing tactics, every day brings challenges and opportunities to grow.

You don’t need to have the answers to everything right away. View it as a learning experience. Remain a student and continue to educate yourself. You can do this by finding online communities or platforms such as the Teachable blog that offers free content to help you put your best creative foot forward.

2. Connect with other creators

The journey of becoming a creator and entrepreneur can feel lonely. Being a part of an online community with other creators to share resources and advice can make the journey feel less lonely.

Look for communities where you can add value by sharing some of your personal experiences while taking full advantage of learning from your peers.

3. Be mindful of negative self-talk

Words are powerful. The saying “you are your own worst critic” is true. Most people experience negative self-talk at some point in their lives. It is any self-deprecating, negative thought you have about yourself. An example of negative self-talk is when you think that you are a failure or that you will never be good enough.

If left unchecked, you’ll start believing your negative thoughts, even though they aren’t true. In other words, you’ll speak them into existence. You can’t stop your thoughts but you can develop positive thinking. Like negative thinking, you can speak positive thoughts so often that you believe them.

Learn how to recognize negative thoughts. When they happen, stop and shift to positive words and a growth mindset. For example, replace “I can’t do BLANK” with “I don’t know how to do BLANK, but I’m willing to learn.”

4. Respect the process and stop comparing your journey to your peers

We get it—it’s hard not to compare yourself to your peers. We live in a world where everyone is constantly posting their wins on social media.

However, you don’t see the obstacles and losses that your peers experience along the way (because who wants to struggle for the world to see). Instead, hyper-focus on how far along you’ve come.

5. Take the not yet approach

Dweck also says that taking a not yet approach can help you develop a growth mindset. Instead of thinking that a problem is too hard to solve or a goal is too big to achieve, you think that you just haven’t done it yet.

It is not that you are not smart or talented enough to accomplish it. You only need to develop your abilities so that you can accomplish your goals eventually. When you think in terms of not yet, you create a path for the future.

For example, if you haven’t hit $100,000 in annual sales yet, then you start thinking about ways that you can do it in the future. It becomes actionable and you start asking questions like:

• How can I add more value for my students?
• What marketing or pricing strategies can I use to increase sales?
• How can I gather customer feedback and research to improve my products?

Taking a not yet approach can help you view challenges as opportunities to learn and grow. Ultimately, it will help you improve your business and get closer to reaching your goals. Whether you want to increase your course sales or get more coaching clients, developing a growth mindset can help you achieve your goals.

At some point everyone finds themselves looking for support in their business, career, or life journey. And when you do, you’ll also have to learn about the differences of coaching vs mentoring. Even if you’re not there yet, there might come a time when you do need some support, so bookmark this page!

These two words might seem synonymous, they’re sometimes even mistakenly interchanged. And there is a lot of overlap and similarity between them. However, there are nuanced differences between coaching and mentoring to consider before enlisting help from one or both types of professionals.

While both are commonly employed within organizations to enhance employee engagement, it’s increasingly common for individuals to seek learning and development on their own. In fact, coaching is a career path that has grown in popularity over the past few years. Meanwhile, mentors can be guides within any industry, and many people are starting to capitalize on that new need for guidance through mentorship programs.

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Being a mentor or a coach means the opportunity to help others reach for high potential. And both roles require a number of specific skills. The goal is to benefit the individuals being coached or mentored as well as their organizations and even the facilitators.

This blog will dive into the distinctions between coaching and mentoring, as well as the benefits of mentorship vs coaching. But first, let’s define them both so we’re working with the same definitions of a mentor vs coach.

What is a mentor?

A mentor is typically someone with the experience and wisdom to share with others who might be looking to learn from someone more senior. It’s a less formal role than coaching might be. Coaches are usually hired to achieve specific results. A mentor, on the other hand, is a person who shares their wisdom with another to support their growth and development. Mentoring relationships are typically, though not always, formed with the intention of career development. And a mentor is someone in your industry or on a similar career path.

An example of a mentor outside one’s career might be a teacher, guru, or spiritual guide. Traditionally mentors have been paid to offer their knowledge/expertise. But now many entrepreneurs are cashing in on demand for mentors. They’re doing so by adding mentoring opportunities to their offerings. While some organizations are adding mentoring programs to support their employees, their growth, and job satisfaction.

What is a coach?

Unlike mentoring, which frequently exists within already established workplaces and hierarchies, coaching does not require the same structure. But what coaching does require is a certification for those offering professional services. Coaches can become certified by organizations like the International Coach Federation (ICF.) The ICF defines coaching as “partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.” And they help train potential coaches to make sure they are certified and have the knowledge to be effective for their clients.

Coaching relationships are more transactional than mentoring relationships might be. And they are usually formed with specific goals for any area of one’s life. For instance, there are financial coaches, career coaches, relationship coaches, fitness coaches, and more. But what makes for an effective coach is the ability to balance. They have to balance what a client is experiencing, while encouraging them to reach their full potential. This is what makes coaching so special and something that can become a business where people sell online coaching.

Difference between coaching vs mentoring

There are slight differences between coaching and mentoring. We’ll cover them below.  

Commitment

Mentoring tends to be on a longer-term basis and functions more like a relationship. While coaching is more of a short-term relationship. Of course, this isn’t always the case. Mentoring can be short and sweet. And clients can always make the decision to extend their coaching sessions.

Goals

The aim or focus of coaching sessions is decided upon by the client and facilitated by the coach. A mentor, on the other hand, might provide more of a guiding hand. And share relevant experience and opinions on certain subjects.

Format

Coaching can sometimes be more structured. The sessions come in the form of consistent, regularly-scheduled meetings. Whereas mentoring is generally less formal. Coaching is also nondirective. Meaning the coach co-creates or collaborates with clients to guide them in their life. Often they do this by asking open-ended questions and sharing facilitation techniques. Mentoring, on the other hand, is more experience-based chatting. It can consist of delegating their information like offering guidance through direction and advice.

Expertise

Most frequently a mentor is a member of the same industry or field of study as their mentee. Or they at least have firsthand experience in the field. But no formal training or qualifications are required to be a mentor. But coaching is the opposite. Certification is required while firsthand experience isn’t always. Coaches also tend to have their own specific areas of expertise. For instance, you wouldn’t hire a fitness coach to help you reach your financial goals.

Formality

Mentorship relationships are more casual. Because mentors typically aren’t paid, they can be more casual and more conversational. Mentors and mentees might meet over coffee or chat while on a walk. But coaches have a more formal relationship with the people they coach. They probably have a laid-out plan and take notes each time they meet. And likely have a set meeting scheduled with their clients.

Outcome

Coaching is performance-driven and, for that reason, can have more specific and measurable results. Mentoring, on the other hand, is development-driven and therefore it can be more difficult to measure the progress that comes from coaching.

Of course, there are always exceptions to these generalities. You might find a mentor who is more formal in their approach. Or a coach who has a general focus rather than a specific area they coach people in. But both are in demand and can be deeply valuable for the people involved.

Benefits to mentoring and coaching

There are clear benefits to mentoring and coaching. Everyone benefits from different teaching styles so it makes sense that some would find more value in a coaching relationship while others might want a mentor. The flexibility of both styles is key. But all sessions ideally hold individuals accountable and encourage their growth and development. They also enhance interpersonal skills and relationship-building across the board.

When deciding whether mentoring or coaching is right for you, focus on your goal first. You might want to set an intention, then see if coaching or mentorship aligns best. You can always shop around for a coach or mentor. It should be a good fit for you, your goals, and your needs. Plus, your mentor or coach needs to feel like it’s a good fit too.

FAQs

Are coach and mentor the same thing?

No. Coaches and mentors play different roles with the people they work with. A mentor is usually someone in your field who has wisdom and experience to impart. Plus it’s usually a much longer-term relationship for those involved and can span many years. Being a mentor also doesn’t require any kind of certification and isn’t usually paid. While coaches are usually paid for a set period of time and need a certification which is one of the bigger differences between coaching and mentoring.

Can you combine coaching and mentoring?

Yes. Because of the inherent overlap, namely helping others reach for high potential, a coach might offer mentoring techniques, while a mentor might offer coaching techniques. To make these subtle differences even more complex is that, in today’s demand for both approaches, there can be slight variations among styles of mentorship vs coaching, leading to a lot of exceptions and similarities between the two. There are infinite benefits to mentoring and coaching, as either or both can be very supportive teaching styles for different individuals.

It can be hard to stay motivated and keep all your mounting tasks organized. That’s why we created this packet to help you stay productive and organized without burning out.

You can set all the SMART goals you want, but without taking action you’ll never get them done. Setting good goals is half the battle. You also need to set boundaries with your work and make sure you’re spending your time wisely when working. These are all important to avoiding creator burnout. Our goal is to help you accomplish your goals in the most efficient way.

Use our packet of to-do lists, note-taking templates, schedules, and productivity hacks to start checking things off your to-do list ASAP. We know you can do it. Sometimes all it takes is writing your tasks out and organizing them so you can visualize how to prioritize each one. Or it takes a weekly calendar template to keep track of when each social media post should go out. How ever you use this guide we know it can help you be more efficient and less stressed in the process.

Download it below.

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