Melanie Benson – Leverage

We pretty much stalked Melanie Benson until she agreed to share her expertise at this event… because she’s simply the best person we know at this critical part of the entrepreneurial game.

Mel is known as “The Entrepreneur’s Success Coach” because she knows first-hand how to build a successful, thriving company with her secret weapon — LEVERAGE. That’s the simple way to double and triple your revenue, eliminate unnecessary costs, and stay sane as you grow your business.

And get this: Melanie’s clients average a 172% revenue increase while creating more time for living their dream lifestyle.

Melanie helps entrepreneurs get their ideas out

2 groups of entrepreneurs

1. Has lots of ideas but not the results they want.

2. Has the big idea but doesn’t know how to pull it off.

One thing can keep entrepreneurs get neutralized and paralyzed — mindset

04:40 Signs your big idea is in neutral:

• Incremental growth
• Not excited or motivated
• Procrastinating
• Chasing too many ideas
• Blindly following others
• Playing it safe
• Stuck

How to get unstuck

9:40 What gets us over the hump and generates the fire inside that keeps us moving:

• Taps into something so inspiring that you have to keep moving.
• Has to have an impact that is more than just you. It evolves over time.
• Has to align with your unique gifts
• Requires you to play a bigger game
• Has to be scalable/leverageable
• Positions you for sustainable six figures or greater.

17:10 Action factors:

Action Factor #1. Clear the head trash — Doubts, fears that keep you from thinking clearly. Can’t think big. Can only think of what is right in front of you.

Need to focus more on what you do want rather than what you don’t want.

What am I willing to do differently to get that? Don’t be busy for busy’s sake.

25:27 Action Factor #2. Leap Model

Big Brilliant Business Idea Bluwprint

If you have a big enough “why” you will always find the “how” (Tony Robbins)

Building Blocks -> Strategic Plan -> Marketing -> Funding -> Resources -> Building Blocks

26:20 Marketing trifecta:

• Matches your client’s buying pattern,
• Matches your strengths
• Aligns with your brand

You need to figure out where your prospects are and meet them there.

Funding: This is what makes the business work.

You don’t have to be trapped by your own earning power.

29:50 Create a better funding strategy:

• Build business credit
• Stop pretending the money is there when it is not. Use the assets you have to grow your business.
• Fund your quantum leap

Resources: Have to tap into resources. Team building. Build the team that works for you.

33:40: Melanie describes a case study

35:00 Traditional Expansion models – First step to getting out of one-to-one model:

• Products
• Seminars
• Group Programs
• Sub Contractors
• Membership Programs

40:42 Quantum Expansion Model – When you already have something working you can us this to play the biggest game possible:

• Certification
• Franchising
• Licensing
• Merchandising
• Resellers
• Media

47:19 Action Factor #3: Be decisive

You have to know the right decision to make at the right time and be decisive. Don’t flip flop. Takes a lot of energy to be indecisive, and someone else might take your idea

1. Understand what has to be in place to allow you to make the right decision:

• Does it align with your values?
• Is it a priority?
• Is it going to tap your skills?
• Is it going to make a profit?
• Do you have the time and resources to pull it off?

51:18 Action Factor #4: Know how to prioritize.

Get the right things done first

Start with the thing that gives you a quick win.

Build motivation

53:04 Chart of payoff vs difficulty

54:07: She demonstrates how to work through an idea and prioritize.

Cash flow: If you are facing cash flow problems you have to first understand where your funds are going.

Be willing to challenge your assumptions of where you need to spend your money.

59:47: Use leverage to free up your time. You must be willing to let go and get support to take some of the load off your time.

First, do a gut check: does this business/product/service light a fire under you? If not, you want to find something else, or figure out why you want to pursue it. Use Melanie’s “get unstuck” factors as a checklist.

If you do have a big “why” but are still having a tough time getting started, do the following:

1. Get rid of the head trash: Focus on what you do want, rather than what you don’t want, and figure out what you are willing to do differently to get it.
2. Develop your strategic plan: Building Blocks -> Strategic Plan -> Marketing -> Funding -> Resources -> Building Blocks
3. Think about how you are going to expand once you start to get results.
4. Take decisive action.
5. Keep your priorities in order and work the most important things first.

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