5 Lessons I Lived By While I Built A 7-Figure Business

While I didn’t start my business with any real sales experience (well, besides selling some girl scout cookies and setting up a few lemonade stands), I learned firsthand what it takes to build a stable and successful business from the ground up.

People often ask me what the “secret” to my success is…

The un-sexy answer is hard work and being willing to do things that most other people simply are not!

But there’s also a lot of wisdom that I’ve learned over the last 13+ years that I want to share with you in hopes that it helps transform your life, leadership and business the way it helped mine!

lesson #1:

 

-Teddy Roosevelt

I originally read this in one of John Maxwell’s books several years ago, but it’s one of those timeless lessons that still rings true today!

And honestly? I think it might be more important than ever!

With so many of our conversations happening via text and behind a screen, we can’t forget that people still want that personal connection and attention.

Of course there are different standards in every industry, but I’m a big believer that network marketing is relationship marketing above all else.

You can have the best products in the world and know everything about them, but if people can’t sense that you genuinely care about them & their goals, what’s going to make them do business with YOU?

Think about it… when there are thousands of other people selling the exact same product or service you are, people are buying into you as much as they’re buying what you’re offering.

So, how do you build that relationship?

By showing you care!

Take the time to ask questions and get to know people. Find out what their goals are. Ask how their family is doing. Pay attention when they share something with you. Be an encourager. Listen!

It’s the simple things, done consistently, that show people you care about them.

And once someone knows you, likes you, and trusts you… they are more willing to follow you, join you, take your advice, buy your product, or simply listen to what you have to say!

It really is that simple!

lesson #2:

 

One of the amazing benefits of being your own boss is that you get to have complete control over your time & schedule.

You get to decide where you work, when you work, and how often.

It’s an amazing freedom, but it also happens to be one of the biggest challenges for a lot of people because there’s no one telling you what to do.

There’s no boss hovering over your shoulder, no one checking up on you to see if you did what you were supposed to, and no one punishing you if you don’t do something… it’s up to YOU to do what needs to get done (even when you don’t feel like it).

When it came to working my business, I found out very quickly that I needed a plan each day.

If I didn’t tell my time where to go, it always went somewhere… but rarely where I wanted it to go!

That’s why I started creating a 6-list each night before bed. I made a prioritized list with 6 of the most important tasks I could do for my business the next day and made a goal to get it done before noon.

Making my 6-list a priority every morning was so crucial for keeping me focused on what mattered most!

If I didn’t, it was too easy for me to get caught up with errands and day-to-day “stuff” that I didn’t actually get anything done for my business.

And if you’re being really intentional, tackle the task that makes the biggest impact FIRST!

That way, even if you don’t get *everything* done that you wanted to, you’ll feel better knowing you got the most impactful thing finished.

Ultimately the plan you create is what keeps you focused on the most important, income-producing activities, but even the most perfect plan is worthless without ACTION!

So… decide what matters most, make a list, and execute.

The results will follow!

lesson #3:

 

I first heard this quote at the Willow Creek Global Leadership Summit a few years ago and it has stuck with me ever since.

As much as I love how technology allows us to connect with people all over the world in a matter of seconds, I don’t think anything can replace the feeling of being face-to-face with someone.

It’s the difference of talking to your best friend over the phone or talking as you sit across from each other.

You might have the same conversation, but there is something special about being in the same room as someone that you just can’t get from behind a screen.

That’s why I made it such a priority to spend real time with my team in-person as much as possible.

Sometimes that meant driving 3, 4 or 5 hours to help a new teammate launch their business (even if only 2 of the 10 guests showed up).

Sometimes it meant flying across the country to help an emerging team that was growing (even if it meant bringing my babies with me).

Sometimes it meant hosting an event or a retreat out of my own pocket so we could spend more quality time getting to know each other.

Sometimes it meant months and months of showing up with little to show for it…

But in the long-run? It meant EVERYTHING.

It made me a better leader. It created incredible community & loyalty amongst our team. It helped us create layered leadership and duplication.

The list goes on and on. But I truly believe that every moment I invested into people & spending quality time with them was returned back to me a hundredfold!

Not only did it bless my business, it blessed my life with incredible, lifelong friendships!

lesson #4:

 

Network marketing is the kind of industry where ANYONE can become successful, but it takes patience and consistent effort (especially early on) to get results.

In the beginning, it can feel like you’re working hard and investing more hours into your business than what you’re getting paid for.

The same goes for diet and exercise. You can’t go to the gym once or eat healthy for a day and expect any kind of real results.

And that’s normal! Any new business (or habit) takes times to establish.

But if you stay consistent, and put in the effort each day, those efforts start to compound over time to create exponential results.

So while you may not see results in a few weeks or even a few months, there is a powerful compound effect that happens when you stay consistent over time.

Think about it this way… if someone offered you a million dollars cash today or a penny that doubled in value every day for 30 days, which would you choose?!

If you chose the penny doubled every day, you’d be a whole lot richer!

THIS is the power of the compound effect and the same concept applies to your business.

Day 1: $.01

Day 2: $.02

Day 3: $.04

Day 4: $.08

Day 5: $.16

Day 6: $.32

Day 7: $.64

Day 8: $1.28

Day 9: $2.56

Day 10: $5.12

Day 11: $10.24

Day 12: $20.48

Day 13: $40.96

Day 14: $81.92

Day 15: $163.84

Day 16: $327.68

Day 17: $655.36

Day 18: $1,310.72

Day 19: $2,621.44

Day 20: $5,242.88

Day 21: $10,485.76

Day 22: $20,971.52

Day 23: $41,943.04

Day 24: $83,886.08

Day 25: $167,772.16

Day 26: $335,544.32

Day 27: $671,088.64

Day 28: $1,342,177.28

Day 29: $2,684,354.56

Day 30: $5,368,709.12

It’s easy to feel discouraged when you’re starting something new and not seeing results yet, but it’s so important to remember that consistency has a COMPOUND effect that turns the little actions you repeat daily into massive results!

sidenote: if you’ve never ready The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy, I highly recommend it! It’s the perfect book to help shift your perspective and understand the power of the compound effect.

lesson #5:

 

As someone who tends to feel like they CAN do it all, this was a huge a-ha moment for me!

When my kids were quite a bit younger, we went on a Disney cruise that had tons of different activities, shows and events going on each day.

As we were looking over the schedule, my oldest son, Landon, excitedly started listing off everything he wanted to do (and it was just about everything they had to offer!)

Without thinking twice, I looked and Landon and said, “Sweetie we can do anything, but we can’t do everything!”

And then the lightbulb went off — this is true for everything in life!

We are capable of doing anything we want, but there’s no way to do it all at once — especially if we want to do it well & enjoy the process!

Once I had that aha moment, I knew I had to get more intentional about blocking off time for my priorities.

When it was time to work my business, I had my 6-list ready to go so I could stay focused on the tasks in front of me.

When I was spending time with my family, I put my work aside so I could be more present with them!

I can’t say I’m always perfect, but what I can say is this: giving one thing 100% of your focus and attention is so much more effective than giving 10 things 10% of your energy and focus.

And trust me – I realize this isn’t always possible with a packed schedule or with young kids who need your attention on and off throughout the day!

But if you can be intentional about finding some small blocks of time throughout your day (even if it’s only 15-20 minutes at a time), I know you’ll be amazed by what you can get done when you are dedicating your energy to one thing at a time!

I know these are basic principles, but these five lessons truly transformed the way I thought about and worked my business each day.

So, while some of this may sound simple… that’s because it is!

But here’s the thing: there is no mantra, quote, or lesson that will change your business or life unless you DO something with it!

Because… really… any piece of “million dollar advice” is worthless if you can’t execute on it.

I’ll never tell you it’s easy to build a business and I’m not going to sugarcoat the work ethic it takes.

But if you’re serious about putting the work in, your work ethic will write your paycheck & the sky is truly the limit!

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About the Author:

Kami Pentecost

Kami Pentecost

Kami Pentecost is a former educator turned entrepreneur. Today, she is a work-from-home mom, success coach, and best-selling author. Kami is a determined dreamer who loves to show people how to live the life they've always wanted!
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