If you've been wanting to finally get a head start on setting your goals and creating a plan that actually works for you, then today's episode is just for you. I'm going to share why September is my January and how you can embrace this powerful way of planning to set yourself up for more success the rest of this year and the year to come. This strategy can help you take control of your business growth now and transform overwhelm into focused action. Welcome to the Mind your Time podcast. I'm Shannon Baker, your coffee loving host and business strategist. Each week, I will share practical insights and bold strategies for six figure entrepreneurs looking to clean up their back office and create streamlined systems. The weekly episodes will help you take control of your time, scale your business and create success on your own terms. So grab your cup of coffee or your favorite beverage and let's dive into today's topic.

One of the biggest challenges that I see with entrepreneurs especially women on the verge of hitting six figures or just beyond is that they jump from one thing to the next without giving anything enough time to work. The pressure to try new strategies and chase trends. It can be overwhelming, and I know this firsthand because I've been there chasing shiny objects, trying new things and feeling that I was missing out if I didn't hop on every opportunity that came my way. But how do you decide what really deserves your time and energy and how do you filter out all the noise and focus on what truly matters?

Well, for me, the mindset shift that I had to embrace came in 2022, but I had already been through a part of my journey that helped me realize that what I was doing just wasn't working anymore, and I'm going to share more about that, because it's a big part of why my business looks so differently today than it did when I first started my virtual assistant business in 2012. So in 2022, I decided that September 1st was going to be my new January. Now, I had heard about this concept before, but for some reason that year, it really struck a chord with me and made me want to look into it and try it out. It really felt like the perfect time to reset the calendar on my terms, redirect my energy and my resources and focus on what truly mattered to me, so that I could gain the lifestyle freedom that I had been aiming for. So, again, I started my virtual assistant business in 2012. And let me tell you, it grew fast.

Now, on the surface, it was a success. I mean, I had clients, I was making good money, I had scaled back my work schedule. I wasn't working full time anymore, but I was working part time for someone else and part time in my business. But here's the thing I wasn't happy, and neither was my family. The business was not aligned with my values and neither was the way that it impacted my family. I wasn't present when I should have been. I didn't have any systems in place, I had no real boundaries and I was constantly frustrated dealing with inefficiencies, not just in my client's business, but in my business, and I felt like I was always putting out fires instead of being proactive, and that's not how I wanted to live and it definitely isn't how I wanted my business to operate. So you can probably guess what happens Eventually, I hit a breaking point. Probably guess what happens Eventually, I hit a breaking point.

So in 2019, I made a decision to shut down that business, even though financially it was successful and I was close to hitting six figures. And let me tell you, that wasn't an easy decision. I was really scared to walk away from the money that I was making, but I knew I needed to take a step back and figure out what kind of business I really wanted to build and how I wanted structure to support my lifestyle. So I ended all the contracts that I had and I went back to work part-time as an accounting assistant to really give myself space one to recover. I also needed to breathe, reconnect with my family, especially my daughter, because she was younger at the time and I needed to reevaluate my path forward.

Now, looking back, this was the best decision that I could have ever made, but at the time I really felt like I was taking a step back, really failing. But I needed to do that and take that time to get clear on my values, my mission, my vision, really understand what I truly wanted my business to look like, and I wanted one that was going to support my lifestyle and allow me to be present with my family. So during this time, I invested in some private coaching really some mentoring, and that helped me realize my true passion. That was helping purpose-driven women implement systems that align with their values, reduce overwhelm and allow them to grow their businesses without burning out. This is my mission. The business that I was running before it didn't reflect that. So I had to pivot, to be true to myself.

So from 2019 to 2021, I worked part-time, slowly building out my new business model, and it took time and it definitely wasn't always easy. There were moments when I really questioned whether I would ever get back to really being an entrepreneur. But after a year or so, that steady paycheck became a safety blanket and at that point I was scared to leave that paycheck behind. But I'm an entrepreneur at heart. So the more time that went by, the more miserable I felt. So I had a black coffee talk with myself, decided I need to create a plan. Then I had to be patient and trust the process. So in 2021, after two years of professional development, refining my services, getting clear on my goals, I started that path back into entrepreneurship. This process led to the birth of the Shannon Baker LLC and, ultimately, tsb Management Solutions, and during this time, I also rebranded the podcast, and let me tell you all of this was a labor of love.

Now I will be transparent and tell you that behind the scenes, I was in hustle mode for just about a year because I was going to reach my goal, which was to leave my day job, and I am not a fan of hustle mode Well, that's not staying in hustle mode but, honestly, sometimes you have to put in extra work up front to make things happen so you can meet a deadline. And that's exactly what I had to do and what I did. But this time around, I had systems in place, I had a clear vision, I knew my mission and I had a business model that was aligned with my values. I wasn't just working for the sake of making money. I was building something that gave me the freedom I wanted, while being in a position to help others do the same. I started building my legacy. Building my legacy and I'm glad to say that this December 2024, I'll be celebrating my one year anniversary back in full-time entrepreneurship, and it has been a wild ride, but I am definitely enjoying the journey and the freedom.

Now, if you're feeling overwhelmed or you're unsure about your next step, I get it. I've been there and I know how hard it is to make big decisions when you're stuck in that space, but it is possible to break through. So today I want to share three tips that help me get unstuck and grow a business that is aligned with my values and that I know can help you do the same that is aligned with my values and that I know can help you do the same. So the first thing you have to do is take time to review or create your mission and your vision, and if you've been in business for a while, you probably need to refresh both of these. And if you're just starting out in your business, it's critical for you to write these two statements, because your mission and your vision give you the clarity that you need to make decisions with confidence. For example, as I was rebuilding my business, having a clear mission helped me evaluate opportunities and say no to any that did not align with my long-term vision, which my vision was to leave my job at the time, and let me tell you, it wasn't easy, but saying no to a lot of things kept me on track. And personally, I review my mission and my vision statements every year because they evolve over time, just like you do, and updating them is not a five minute task, but you have to focus and really put your mind into it, but it is so worth the effort.

Your mission statement defines your core values and your fundamental goals. It reveals what your business does, who you serve, how you serve them and the results that you help others achieve. This type of clarity shapes the decisions you make every day. If a choice does not align with your mission, then you need to pass on it. So let me share a few of my favorite mission statements to kind of help you with this process or get your mind in the right space.

Number one example my favorite place, starbucks. No surprise, right? I love coffee. But their mission statement is and I say this in quotes with every cup, with every conversation, with every community, we nurture the limitless possibilities of human connection. Now let me tell you, I have my favorite accumulated collection of Starbucks cups, among others, and I love them all. Drives my husband crazy, but so be it. But every time I sip from one of these cups, I'm reminded of the countless meaningful conversations that I've had in virtual coffee chats, how those connections have helped fuel my business journey and the ones that I've had, especially in person, like with my sister and my friends. They simply bring joy to my life. So Starbucks has accomplished their mission, at least in my case. So the point is clear your mission helps you communicate what you stand for and you work in harmony with that.

A clear vision helps you plan for tomorrow, and you have to be specific, but you need to keep it simple. Apple is a perfect example of how to do this. Their vision is to make the best products on earth and to leave the world better than we found it. That is simple but powerful. Having this type of clarity is really important when those opportunities or so-called opportunities come up, because, again, it allows you to decide if it aligns with your mission and your vision. And this type of clarity really was my guiding light as I prepared to leave my day job. My husband and I really, when it came down to that last year, we looked at our finances. It came down to that last year. We looked at our finances, determined what specifically I needed to bring into the family finances so that we could continue to pay our bills and live comfortably. And then my vision of full-time entrepreneurship that shaped my decisions, that supported my mission.

Now the next thing you need to do is set one clear goal for the next 90 days. No, do not try to do everything at once. Focus on one reasonable goal that fits the season that your life is in and moves your business forward. Then I want you to take that goal and break it down into manageable steps and take consistent action, because small steps matter. Now, inside the Mighty Society membership, there is a workbook called the 90-Day Goal Setting Worksheets that can help you with this process. But let me give you an example. If your goal is to increase your revenue by, let's say, $50,000 next year, break that down into quarterly milestones, which is about $12,500 per quarter. Then you evaluate your current revenue and your services and identify how are you going to make this increase happen. So for the first quarter, you might focus on, let's say, increasing your email subscribers by 20%. Now if you're wondering how you can come up with a great lead magnet idea to make this happen, then I have a resource that will help you, and inside this membership there's a free training to help you create a lead magnet in Canva. Now, this membership is the Canva Template Collection and it was created by Melissa LeMay, who is a certified Canva expert, and let me tell you, the templates inside that membership have made my life so much easier. I'll put my affiliate link in the show notes so you can take a look at that.

Next, I want you to think about the resources that you're going to need to achieve this goal. How many hours can you actually dedicate to your marketing each week, each month? Then you need to evaluate the return on your investment. How long is it going to take for you to recoup the time, energy and costs associated with reaching that goal? Having all of this data will put you in a position where you can create a detailed, step-by-step plan. Then you need to identify the platforms you're going to be active on outline, the type of content you're going to share, decide whether or not you actually need a new lead magnet or just refresh one that you already have. But once you've got this all laid out, you can repeat the process for the next quarter.

Now, after you've got your plan, I want you to take a moment and visualize what your life will look like when you achieve that goal. Notice, I said when you achieve it, not if Visualizing your success. It's critical to this process, especially when you have effective systems in place to support your journey, which comes to tip number three. You need to look at your systems. You knew that I was not going to talk about that in this episode, right? Why? Because, no matter how great your goal is, doesn't matter how detailed or simple your plan is, nothing's going to happen if you don't have the right systems in your business. Now, this was something that I did not understand early on in business. That's why I was constantly putting out fires. But when I focused on building very efficient systems, automating what I could, streamlining my processes, setting boundaries and sticking to them, what I could, streamlining my processes, setting boundaries and sticking to them I gained control over my time and I could really focus on what would lead me to my goals.

Now, when it comes to systems, I have talked about the six core systems that every business needs in previous episodes, and I'm going to put a link in the show notes to the one where I give you a high level overview of all six. Now, if you need tools and resources that will help you clean up your back office and create your systems, then let me tell you if you are self-motivated, then the Mighty Society membership is perfect for you, because it has all those things that you're going to need in there, including appointments that you can book with me to get assistance in this process. But there are tools in there, like the BizOps checklist, those goal setting worksheets and even more that will help you to get your back office in order. So go to theshannonbakercom/membership to learn more and to join today.

Now, as we wrap up, let's do a quick recap. You need to create or refresh your mission and vision statements to align your business decisions with your long-term goals. You also need to set one clear goal for the next 90 days and break it down into manageable steps. Then you also have to assess your current business systems and identify the gaps and get those filled in, because strong systems are the foundation for success and are the pathway to the freedom that you want, so you can focus on your growth.

Now, if these tips resonate with you, but you're still wondering well, how can I implement all of this effectively? Then I want to tell you about my Power Planning Intensive. This is a 60-minute strategy session that's designed to help you gain clarity and focus. So, whether you're feeling like you're stuck, you're overwhelmed or you're just ready to move to the next level, this session is going to guide you through identifying that one key goal. We're going to assess your current operations and then develop a 90-day action plan that you can implement.

What makes the Power Planning Intensive so valuable is that you're going to walk away with a step-by-step roadmap that's tailored to your business, based on your lifestyle and your goals. So you're going to know exactly what you need to focus on for the next 90 days and you'll have the tools and systems in place, when you're done, to support your goals and your growth. Plus, you get a follow-up call 30 days later so we can check in on your progress and adjust the plan if needed, because it's all about turning overwhelm into action and creating sustainable growth. Now, trust me, I've been through the process of feeling stuck and overwhelmed, so I know how important it is to have clarity, structure and support when you're trying to take your business to the next level. The Power Planning Intensive is designed to give you that. So if you're ready to reset and refocus, then I encourage you to go ahead and book that call today. You do not have to go through this alone Now, as we wrap up, I want you to remember this you have the power to reset and refocus no matter where you are in your business journey.

So take the time to review your mission, set a clear goal for the next 90 days and definitely audit your systems in your back office. These steps are going to help you prioritize what really matters and lay the foundation for sustainable growth through the rest of this year and into the next, and if you need help along the way, please don't hesitate to reach out to me. Dm me on Instagram or you can head to theshannonbakercom forward slash membership to learn more about the Mighty Society membership, and I'll also put a link to the Power Planning Intensive in the show notes with everything else. Remember, this is your time to reset, refocus and move your business forward with clarity and confidence. I know you've got this, but let me help you. Thank you for tuning in this week.

Remember, just listening to this episode will not get you better results, so I challenge you to break the mold and take action today. If you're unsure where to start, book a call with me to get your questions answered about the Mighty Society membership or anything else that I mentioned. A link to my calendar is in the show notes. Not ready to take that step yet? No problem, be sure to connect with me on Instagram, at the_shannonbaker. You can ask me your questions there or let me know that you enjoyed the episode by taking a screenshot, sharing it and tagging me.

Now, if you haven't already grabbed my free audio masterclass, why don't you just start there. It's a great first step to assess your back office on your own, and this masterclass provides valuable insights and practical steps to help you organize your processes, reduce chaos and improve efficiency. Go to theshannonbakercom forward slash audio masterclass Now. If you haven't left a review for the podcast yet, please do so. I would love to hear from you, and it's an easy way to show some love to the podcast and help me reach more small business owners who are ready to defy the status quo. I can't wait to hear from you. So until next time, keep calm and streamline.