Welcome to the second ‘Bev’s Blog’. Thank you to all of you who have been in touch for your feedback. It gives me great pleasure to be able to communicate my thoughts and advice in this medium. Bev’s Blog appears monthly in our EBA Online newsletter. Please comment against my blogs: I can’t answer your questions personally yet we select questions on a regular basis to answer in the form of other blogs, (keeping your name anonymous if you prefer). Blogs are a fabulous way to promote yourself and your business as a social media tool for broadcasting and networking.

We recently hosted the fourth of our fast-growing EBA seminars. Our ‘Millionaire Mentor team of experts’ are really getting into their stride now and we are seeing the birth of a dynamic business network that will have a life well beyond the scope of our seminar weekends. Our Business Growth Days are helping to generate many new businesses and taking others to new heights. The Entrepreneurs’ Business Academy (the EBA) is growing fast and it is heartening to see so much business growth and enthusiasm in the midst of ongoing gloomy economic reports. As many hundreds of people are discovering, a downturn in the economy is also a potential upturn in opportunity. It all depends on how you choose to view the world. And that is what I want to talk about this month.

No modern business is an island

To mis-quote John Donne: ‘No business owner is an island.’ Or as the Monty Python crew famously sang: ‘Always look on the bright side of life.’ Don’t shut yourself away in a home silo, feeling as if you are the only one who is facing a challenge in the current climate. Get talking to other business owners. Giving vent to your feelings and sharing problems will spark new ideas and solutions; may provide a fresh perspective; and could open the door to new contacts and business opportunities.

When the going gets tough the tough get going

During testing times, members of my team often say to me ‘How can you stay so calm? What if everything goes wrong?’ My answer is almost always that ‘Everything will be fine; and even if it isn’t, we will deal with it – so it will still be fine.’ Worry is just a way of programming your brain to be negative. When I am feeling anxious, I find it useful to take myself outside my head and imagine looking down at what is really going on. From that ‘big picture’ viewpoint I ask myself: ‘If x happened; what would I do next? Or if y happened; what would I do? Is somebody going to die if it all goes wrong?’

That last question never fails to help keep things in perspective. It helps to think of business as a game of chess. You need to anticipate a few a few moves ahead and have a plan for each eventuality.

Facing challenges keeps us strong. As the philosopher Nietzsche once put it: ‘That which doesn’t kill you will make you stronger.’ Mental resilience or toughness is what separates the great from the ‘could be’ great. As a leader you need to remain calm and clear under pressure. In times of turbulence a composed and focused leader is the lighthouse in a storm, who brings out the best in people; enabling them to navigate their way, take a team approach, and make sure a practical solution can be found.

Enter the ‘stretch zone’

If running your own business was easy everyone would do it. The reason most entrepreneurs get excited about business is because results aren’t guaranteed. We can win or lose. Sports people would soon lose interest in competing if they were guaranteed to win every event and so would most entrepreneurs. Most would agree that the harder the game, the greater the victory. I’m not suggesting we all want business to be a tough slog everyday but many entrepreneurs are at their best when they have to fight their way out of a corner. I sometimes phrase it as being comfortable feeling uncomfortable. It may sound strange but the more challenges you face in business, and the further you venture into your ‘stretch’ zone the more likely you are to stay the distance.

There is always a way – over, under, around or through

When things don’t go to plan I get as disappointed as anyone but I also feel a flutter of excitement knowing that there is another way to reach the outcome. I just need to find a way over, under, around or though whatever stands in the way of success. This is another reason why having a business Mentor can be invaluable as you can benefit from their years of experience – and find the route through more quickly and efficiently.

Good luck. Believe in yourself and you can make anything happen. Our next TOTAL Business Seminar Day will take place on Saturday 25^th September in London. Tickets are already selling fast. See our website for details and booking info www.the-eba.com

Until next time, take care of yourself this month, find your passion and make it happen.

Bev James