Taurus? How You Stay The Course – Overcoming The Fear Of Business Growth
The non-negotiable business priorities that CEO’s can’t miss in 2023 or Lessons from a CEO after the 1 in a 100 year event
Having been in business for over 28 years globally you kind of learn a thing or two about what it takes to keep a business going plus the importance of values, motivation, purpose, resilience and tenacity.
I named my company Taurus because when I looked the word up, it represented Tenacity, Loyalty, Earthy, likes beautiful things (not materialistic just likes beauty), nature, stubborn and No Bull. Did I say stubborn? Did I say No Bull?
Those words echo my journey and the journey you may need to prepare for. I’m proud to have been in business for so long and grown over 1,500 brands and mentored over 1,000 young graduates.
28 Years Later Of Course I Have Almost Seen It All
In that time, I have had three beautiful babies now adults, a miscarriage, three bouts of breast cancer, one marriage break up and divorce, the Global Financial Crisis, losing my sister and half brother to cancer, losing Mum during the Pandemic and last month losing Dad. I am in the media consistently, have won awards for our amazing work, helped to grow multi-billion businesses and my team are my inspiration. Our clients are our teachers, mission and friends.
However As My Mother Always Said ‘’Paradise Is Flawed’’.
As a CEO and Founder at the best of times, it’s pretty normal to experience the following: Hiring and firing, growing extraordinary careers and lifting others, winning and losing sales, building global brands, partnering, disappointment v elation, redundancies, managing debt, cashflow, strategy, late nights, early mornings, taking care of your health, standing for something, being proud, being relevant and yes making it past that critical 5 years to still be here after 28 years.
Sound like part of your journey? Are you somewhere along the same journey? If you are – I salute you and all of us who are forging our way and building businesses who employ and grow others. That, at it’s most simple is what I stand for and do each day. I grow people, brands and businesses.
So This Year After A 1 In A 100 Year Event With The Pandemic, Leadership 2023 Will Be Different
From empathy as a brand currency during the pandemic, lockdowns, restrictions and focus on health and wellbeing plus government furloughs and subsidies we are now back alone. Wondering what hit us and facing fast interest rate hikes. Our libertarian rights were impinged – we did get separated from loved ones and friends – we did go through something the world has never experienced before in that way. Power is almost un-affordable and the globe is shifting back from an employee skills shortage to pressure on costs and layoffs.
When Time Gets Tough, The Good News Is. The Tough Get Going. And You Are Tough. Right?
There is always a way.
Now is not the time to lose focus on the bigger picture or your purpose and vision.
Each problem is a challenge to be addressed and resolved.
Business is a little like Nature. Live or die. So my advice?
Surround yourself with the best, advisors who have done it before and lived what you have lived – don’t use advisors that speak lip service with no experience. We can all read the business self help books.
Extinguish the weakest link and focus. Protect your team and communicate the future.
Paint best and worst case scenarios. Plan for best and understand the implications of the worst case picture.
Brief your advisors. Pull them close or go find them if you haven’t yet had the joy of smart people around you to sound out the way.
You will need to be in a crowd that will help you get through. Cut the hanger on’s.
Focus on money, cash flow forecasts and budgets.
Communicate with your team what your Bullseye is and ideal scene.
Bring your closest into the fold. Find out what they want. Help them build their futures. Reward them well. Paint the future.
It’s OK To Be Vulnerable But Stick To The Plan – You Are After All – The Leader For A Reason
As the leader you carry all the risk. But you have got this far. Stick to your culture and core values. Never give up. 2023 will be a good year.
About The Author
By way of background: Sharon is a personal branding expert and regular speaker to universities, graduates, experts and even high calibre CEO’s. She was the first to launch her own trademarked and award-winning personal branding offering, Taurus Profile . Sharon is well placed to speak or contribute to this topic, particularly as someone who has been in business for 28 years. She’s lived through a number of crises and even in the darkest moments has come out the other side. She has seen these moments as opportunities to strengthen focus, tenacity and of course the key is – to never give up – values which helped shape Taurus today.
Check out Sharon’s website to see more content like this: https://www.sharonwilliams.com/