FAITH! I hear you. Some of you are grabbing at your heart, appalled that I feel this is the the single most important factor needed to keep your business going! What about determination? What about smarts? What about perseverance? What about vision?! These are all very important factors in business as well and I’m definitely not discounting them.

But let me tell you a story about faith.

About four years ago as I was sitting on my couch, a stay-at-home mom looking at my son and wondering what his future would be like and how I would contribute to that, I began to think that it was time for me to step it up. I had rolled the dice a few times in the past years in starting a business, but nothing ever quite panned out.  But I was eager to give it a go again. Because I had…

FAITH.

I wasn’t sure what I wanted to create. But since I always had the entrepreneur spirit, it really didn’t matter what I created at the time as long as I was creating “something”. I eventually settled on opening up an e-commerce site selling used kids clothes, which I called Thrift 4 Kids. I put in my hard work, learned as much as possible on how to create a website, advertise it, optimize it for search engines, keyword analysis, marketing, and so forth, and four months later I was open for business.

Cool!

Within six months I was getting customers, building my list and had landed on the first page of Google for a relatively competitive keyword.

Awesome!

However, a year or so into this venture my heart felt very heavy and I was exhausted! Right around this time I began getting request from friends to create their websites. Up until this point I had only created my website using zencart (an e-commerce software) and although I had learned quite a bit I was nervous about creating websites using other types of software. But I was excited about the prospect of creating websites as this was something I really enjoyed when I was creating mine. So even though I had my doubts I took a leap of …

FAITH!

Soon afterwards I began NewBizBlogger.com, closed up my e-commerce shop and began taking on clients who needed help getting their online business started. As my blog and network began to grow and as I began to grow, I eventually realized that helping people get their online business up was great, but once again my heart felt heavy.

There was something missing.

Ever feel like that? Like there is a missing link, but you just can’t put your finger on it?

About year into my new business venture I was blessed with my first “coaching” client. This was someone who actually had a website up already. She had paid someone nearly $2000 to create her website, but was completely lost in how to get her online business going. She was frustrated and stressed for sure. She kind of new what she wanted to do, however she lacked direction and knowledge on HOW to do it.

After my first meeting with her, I became crystal clear where her issue lied; and that was with lack of clarity and focus.

A month or so later I was once again blessed with another client and after speaking with her extensively on the phone, I realized her issue – clarity and focus.

Hmm… seeing a pattern here.

Since then I have take on a few new clients and spoken with many potential clients about their businesses and their struggles. And almost all had that same common issue - lack of clarity and focus in their business on many different levels.

Right around this time I was struck with inspired thought. Ever have one of those? When all of sudden an idea hits you and you feel “this is it!” This is what all this *stuff* prior has led me to. The e-commerce site to NewBizBlogger.com to creating websites for clients to coaching clients in their business. This sequence of events had led me eventually to that one inspired thought.

My purpose is to work with people to gain clarity and focus in their business by helping them get clear on their message, what they offer and who they offer it to. Thus PackageYourGenius.com was born.

So once again I had to call upon…

FAITH!

You see each step I have taken has led to me another step. However as I took each step, I was blinded to the step after that. I had no idea that looking upon the face of my son that day would spark my interest to start an online business. I had no idea that that business would spark my interest to create this blog and help people start their online business. I had no idea that this site would lead me to coaching that eventually would lead me to my next step; in working with entrepreneurs and small business owners to gain clarity and focus in their business and use information marketing to expand their efforts.

I ultimately came to realize that without clarity and focus you will always have a cap on your business growth. How do I know this? Because it had been my journey and that of many others.

We all want certainty. Certainty that what we are doing is the “right” thing. Certainty that we are making the “right” choices. Certainty that the energy we put into our efforts will pay off. But at the end of the day, certainty is an illusion.

There are no certainties in life. What you have today may be gone tomorrow. What you thought was the “right path” may turn out to be the wrong one. This is why when all is said is done

FAITH

… is what’s going to keep you going.

KNOWING that you are being led to a path the is right for YOU! Have faith that there are no mistakes as long as you continue to listen to your inner voice and go with your inspired thoughts… even when they seem scary. Continue to take the next inspired thought even when you know that in the process you may have to give up something you’ve worked so hard on.

So know that when the going gets tough and you are on shaky ground, it is in having FAITH that you know you are on the path you are supposed to be on. Because once you lose faith, what’s left? Sceptism, doubt, fear.

Your thoughts?

A little blast from the past, just for fun … enjoy!