If you're building your business Part Time and struggling to get results, read the following story very carefully…
“I knew what was about to happen, but I still felt a thrill hearing them call my name.
As I made my way through the crowd towards the stage, I could hear the applause and feel the pats on my back.
All I could think was… Big Time!
On the stage now, the lights were blinding and hotter than I had imagined.
I could barely make out faces beyond the first couple of rows of the audience.
Yet, I could feel hundreds of eyes on me and it made me a little self conscious.
I’m not one for the spotlight, but this time it felt great.”
Big Time!
“As I stood between 3 of my favorite people — Tim Erway, Ferny Ceballos and Matt Crystal of Elite Marketing Pro …
and held my Affiliate Award while posing for pictures, I couldn’t help but remember the many times I felt like giving up.
The frustrations of working hard with very little to show for it.
The disappointment of nobody buying my stuff and marketing campaigns that flopped.
And my inner circle (my wife, my coach, and my cat) urging me to keep going, when every logical bone in my body was telling me to quit.
This award was for them…
Those who believed in me when maybe I didn’t totally believe in myself.
Big Time, baby!
This award was special. It was a validation of sorts.
It was proof that you COULD build a successful and profitable business “on the side”, working just 1-2 hours a day.
There were those who said I would never truly find success in my business until I quit my job and walked away from my “safety net.”
But I LIKED my job, my career that I worked so hard to establish.
I loved helping couples start a family and realize their dreams.
I didn’t want to give that up.
I just wanted to have it all.”
What Does “Big Time” Mean To You?
The title of this article is “From Part Time to Big Time.”
Many will equate “big time” with making a 6 figure income and living a life of total freedom.
That’s one definition, for sure.
But “big time” can mean different things to different people.
For some, hitting the big time in their business means having enough success so they can leave their job, work from home and take care of their family.
For others, the big time means not answering to a boss ever again.
And for many, hitting the big time can be as simple as making an extra $300 a month to pay some bills.
It all depends on your perspective.
For me, hitting the “big time” means having a steady income available to me when I decide to leave my career in healthcare.
It means I get to retire on my own terms and not be dependent on anyone or anything.
So how?
How did I end up on stage at No Excuses standing between Ferny, Tim and Matt, accepting an award for being a Top Affiliate…when I was only able to devote a small fraction of time to my business?
And what does that look like?
Today, I’m going to show you.
What follows are the steps I’ve taken to become a recognized leader in the industry while working a full time job.
This is not the only way to do it, but it’s been my way.
You’ll notice that many of the steps I’ve followed have nothing to do with my “Part Time” status.
That’s because…
Much of success in this industry has little to do with the amount of time you devote to your business and everything to do with how you spend that time.
Some of what I’m about to share will be new to you.
That’s because not very many leaders teach this stuff.
That’s not to say that it’s difficult; in fact, most of what I’ve done is anything but hard.
But as they say, it’s also easy NOT to do.
I know your time is short, so let’s get to it.
Here, in no particular order are the steps I’ve taken to go from a struggling Part Timer, with no clue how to become an entrepreneur or build a business…
To being up on stage accepting a Top Affiliate Award.
You ready?
Buckle up and keep your eyes on the road!
Words are powerful.
So are your thoughts.
They can move mountains.
And they can just as easily derail your business before it even gets off the ground.
Here’s the thing about words…
When you say something often enough, you start believing it, even if it’s not based on any accepted truth.
Remember this…
- Your Thoughts and Words become your Beliefs.
- Your Beliefs drive your Actions.
- Your Actions dictate your Results.
- Your Results (or lack of results) provide feedback to your brain, magnifying your original thoughts…
And the vicious circle starts all over again.
So having the thought and saying the words…
“I’m only Part Time, I can’t compete!” will become a belief if used often enough.
This belief of Not Being Good Enough stops you from taking the very action that could yield results.
Because the results don’t come, your original thoughts are validated…
“You see, I can’t compete. I’m not good enough!”
Yes, words are VERY powerful so watch them carefully.
That’s why working on your Mindset is so crucial to your success, especially if you’re building your business Part Time.
Don’t neglect it.
As a Part TImer, your time is your most precious resource.
You must do everything in your power to protect and nourish it.
I don't have the time to get into all the time-saving strategies I've used over the years… you can go find them after you finish here.
But let me say this.
Your business will not survive if you can’t (or won’t) get a handle on your time.
You MUST be able to carve out some business time on a regular basis.
It doesn’t have to be much — 1-2 hours a day (or 10-15 hours/week) will do.
But your business can’t be the thing you do “when you get time.”
Too often, that time is NEVER.
And that’s a tragedy.
This is HUGE if you’re building your business and holding down a traditional job.
Because I come from a long line of employees in my family, I found the shift from employee to entrepreneur to be a challenging one.
When you’re a business owner, there is no boss to motivate you or keep you on track.
That job is yours alone.
There is no time clock to punch or Human Resources department to guide you… you ARE the Human Resources department of your business.
This can be difficult for those with an employee mindset.
You must adopt the mentality of an entrepreneur if you want to succeed as a business owner.
There’s no other way.
Finally, a word about MISTAKES.
As a marketer, you HAVE to make mistakes.
It’s the only way to grow your skills (and get results).
Because mistakes are frowned upon (and sometimes grounds for dismissal) in most jobs, it can be hard to let go of that mindset when it comes to your business.
Learn to make mistakes and enjoy them!
It means you’re growing.
I’m old enough to remember the song by Three Dog Night, “One is the Loneliest Number.”
Of course, it was a song about love.
When you’re building your business (especially Part Time), ONE can be the difference between a flourishing business and giving up on your dreams.
I’m talking about…
- One company.
- One product.
- One marketing method
- One essential task at a time.
I can tell you from experience that trying to be a jack of all trades in your marketing will make you mediocre at many and master of none. And that won’t cut it.
Also, I see too many Part Timers out there working with several companies and trying to sell way too many products. Grow your business in one company and even consider specializing in selling one of their products before you branch out.
You’ve got to get some results first before you spread your wings.
And when your time is limited and your To Do list is always expanding, consider downsizing. Choose the One Thing you can do right now that will have the most impact on your business. Do that one thing, if nothing else.
If you do that, your business will continue to grow no matter what.
Go Deeper: Be More Productive by Going Small
This may seem contradictory to my previous point on the Power of One, but hear me out.
Sometimes it can be hard to get traction in your business while going it alone.
I’ve watched many of my marketing friends partner up in their business and get results far beyond what either of them could have generated on their own.
A number of years back, I remember watching with amazement as my friends Jerry and Dathan teamed up to work their businesses.
Dathan was a lead generation expert but didn’t enjoy getting on the phone.
Jerry was a phone wizard and loved talking to people, but wasn’t terribly good at generating business leads.
Together, they were a well-oiled machine.
Dathan generated the leads and Jerry closed them.
It was wonderful to watch.
And they made a lot of money! 🙂
Can you do something like that?
Who do you know?
One other example…
A couple of years ago, I was participating in a company launch with some pretty heavy hitters.
I knew it would be hard to compete given my lack of experience and audience (compared to the “big guns”).
So I teamed up with 5 of my marketing buddies to work the launch.
We each added our own experience and expertise to the mix and came up with some killer bonuses to entice people to buy.
It was an amazing experience and one of the reasons I was able to finish in the Top 10 of that particular affiliate launch.
Yes, there can truly be safety in numbers when it comes to your business.
This may be my most important tip… and it involves LEVERAGING the audience of others.
When you’re struggling to get results in your business (and don’t have much time), look for what are called “exposure agents”…
Places where you can “borrow” large audiences and get more attention on what you have to offer.
Marketing systems like Elite Marketing Pro can be amazing exposure agents.
They have a large membership and community.
When you get results and are featured by large exposure agents like EMP, your audience will grow by leaps and bounds.
This has been one of the secrets to my rise in business, even with very limited time.
Other marketers can also be exposure agents.
One of the fastest ways to gain more exposure and have people notice you is to borrow the audience of a bigger marketer.
The formula is simple…
— You invest your time (and possibly money) in their training
— You implement what you learn and get results
— You tell the trainer about your results and provide a testimonial
— They tell their audience about you (and promote their training in the process)
— Their audience, now curious how you got the results, begin to follow you.
It’s a definite WIN-WIN.
The trainer gets the testimonial.
You get the exposure.
It’s the fastest way I know to grow your audience when you have limited time for your business.
Closing Thoughts
This stuff is not rocket science.
I didn’t get on stage, accepting that marketing award because I am any smarter than you.
I got on stage because I decided that I would NEVER give up and I didn’t use my lack of time as an excuse for not taking action.
Period.
Take what helps you in this post and go make it happen.
The results might come slowly, but they will come.
Get help if you need it (hiring a coach is one of the best investments you can make for you and your business)…
But never give up.
If I can do it… a geeky scientist with no selling experience and very little time, you can do it, too.
You can be the one getting on stage and accepting awards…
If you want it bad enough…
And you REFUSE to quit!
Suggested Business Resources
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Legendary Marketer - lead generation and business creation platform for affiliate and network marketers.
Fearless Influencer Academy - learn the skills and strategies for growing any business online.
It's Your Time to SHINE!
Dr. Bob Clarke
Email: Bob@BobandRosemary.com
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