When I started my marketing firm, Dash of Social, at the age of 19, I just thought it would be a side hustle that would carry me through college and supplement my future career. I never thought it would be something that would reach six figures while I was still in undergrad until, well, it did.
My success definitely wasn’t something that happened overnight; in fact, there were quite a few months when making $2,000 – $3,000 really excited me… but, me being me, I didn’t want to stop there.
I knew that if I really wanted to take my business to the next level, there were adjustments I’d have to make, both personally and professionally, that would help me get there––so I did.
I can confidently say that the routines, habits, and mindsets below helped me reach that beloved 6-figure mark by December 2018, when I was just a 21-year-old college senior.
Moving my body daily
You may think that it’s totally cliche when people say that self-care and exercise are important, but they are seriously important. When I first started my business, I gave up going to the gym for a while because I felt like the additional time I’d gain from NOT going would be better used for working instead––but I was totally wrong. I found on the days that I didn’t go to the gym, I’d feel exhausted, unmotivated, and uninspired, and I knew that had to change.
I got back into going to the gym and decided to go first thing in the morning because I’m 100% an early bird, so my wakeup time became 4:15 am to allow me to get to my local gym at 5 am and run for an hour. I’ve now been doing this consistently for almost three years, and the results are incredible. Not only do I feel good but I also find myself more productive, energized, and excited about work. There have been so many studies proving that self-care influences success, and I genuinely believe that to be true.
Raising your prices
Raising your prices… the thought that keeps every entrepreneur up at night. I was scared to raise my prices for a LONG time because I felt like I was already struggling to get clients at what I was charging, so how would I get them at a higher rate?
The first business coach I hired actually told me I needed to double my prices, and the second business coach I hired told me I needed to raise them again… and I did BOTH times.
I found that raising my prices each time brought me closer to working with dream clients rather than micromanagers, having additional time in my schedule, and making more money.
If I kept my prices the same from when I first started, I’d have to have 2.75 times more clients than I do now in order to make the same amount of revenue I’ve brought in over the past year… and that’s a pretty scary thought.
I wanted to make more money without having to do more work, especially when I set my goal for the $100k mark, and that’s where raising my prices came in.
Understanding that plenty of clients will come to you
For the first few months of my senior year, my client base fluctuated. I had a few clients pause services for budget reasons, and then my client roster was stagnant from there… so I started to worry.
What if I don’t get more clients? What if more people stop working with me? What if I can’t actually take this full-time like I thought I could?
These were just some of the thoughts that ran through my head, but I knew what was wrong wasn’t from me not working hard enough, or not trying enough marketing tactics, or not investing in my company. What was wrong was actually my mindset. In order for me to grow, I had to believe I could.
I went from saying, “I don’t have enough clients” to “More clients are coming for me” and it without a doubt worked.
I was especially worried about not having enough work when I graduated from college because this would be my sole income, but what happened instead is amazing. I actually had an influx of clients begin working with me at that time, and I truly believe it’s because I had so much more time open up in my schedule due to not having school that the Universe provided for me and brought me the work that I wanted. Mind-blowing, right?
Say out loud what you want and it will come. Speak it into existence.
Being consistent with your practices
The most important thing to remember with ANY routine, habit, and mindset you implement is to be consistent. And also remember that what works for me may not work for you, so don’t be afraid to do a little trial and error to find what jives.
What do you do daily to bring yourself closer to success?
