I don’t know where to start!

I hear this all the time! People with the greatest intentions, the greatest plans, fantastic ideas!

And they stop themselves because … “I don’t know where to start.”

Now these people aren’t stupid! Of course they’re not.

They’re capable, able people. People who’ve usually been earning their own crust for many years - but they are people who’ve decided that NOW is the time for a big change. 

They are not going to continue building someone else’s dream any more! They’re going to build their own.

Might that be you? 

Has the time come for you to strike out on your own? 

And their brain is full of ideas, Full of all the should-do’s and should-not-do’s … and they stand still. 

You see the confused brain does nothing!

If you can’t see your way forward, you don’t take the first step: that makes sense, doesn’t it!

But as they do say, the longest journey begins with a single step, and knowing WHAT that first step should be is critical! 

1. What do you want to achieve? 

You have to know first what it is you want, for instance, “I want to be a dog trainer”.

Simple, eh? Not so simple!

There are ALL SORTS of ways to be a dog trainer:

• You can work for yourself.

• You can work for another trainer. 

• You can work for a charity.

• You can work in a shelter.

• You can start your own School.

• You can specialise in a dog sport, a particular aspect of dog behaviour, and so on!

There’s a big difference between all these pathways, and a lot will depend on your level of competence, determination - and ultimately your confidence - which one you pick. 

So let’s say you’ve decided what path you want to follow - now what?

You’ve got to isolate the first step! 

For some people that will be some sort of training to be a trainer. Naturally you can’t teach ANYTHING without a thorough grounding in your subject! That would be daft - not to mention unethical!

But don’t be bamboozled into thinking you have to have endless qualifications, certifications, badges, and so on.

The most important thing is the experience - and there are lots of ways to gain experience in your chosen subject, whatever that may be. 

2. What do you REALLY need to do?

If you want to make your living at something - once you KNOW what knowledge you need to have - you need to make sure you’re up to speed with all the business side.

You’ll need knowledge of Tech, Systems, Marketing, Documentation, Tax, and maybe more - depending on what jurisdiction you live in. 

It really isn’t a good idea to focus totally blinkered on the learning side, and when you’re ready to start you find that you’ve put up your shingle, announced yourself, and NO-ONE comes!

If you build it, they will NOT come!

Can you see how you need to put as much focus into the business side of your … business - as the knowledge side?

There are ways to do all these things - how to get clients knocking at your door, how to stay within the law, how to do NON-SLEAZY marketing, how to convert enquiries into paying clients, and how to KEEP those clients for years …

And there are ways NOT to do them!

And you need someone to show you the difference! As one of my Dog Trainer Business students put it recently, “Your advice, your experience, coming from  a person who knows - is really powerful! You understand what we’re going through because you started the same way.”