In 2021, I realized I had a problem, like a cocktail shaker stuck on a bottle of top-shelf gin. The problem started in 2019, the year I decided to change the direction of my business.

My business began in the career industry, where I was helping career professionals with resume and LinkedIn profile updates.

While I enjoyed the work, my Ikigai pulled me to do something else. That something else was brand messaging.

To move closer to that “pull,” I became one of the first 20 certified StoryBrand guides and started working with clients who needed “StoryBrand.”

The work was excellent and sporadic, but it felt right in my soul. I knew I was headed in the right direction, but I didn’t realize I had unknowingly pivoted my business.

Fast forward to 2021, and I knew I had a problem.

• My messaging was off​
• My website was outdated​
• I was attracting the wrong clients​

Worse, sales were down. Ironically, I coach my clients on improving all these things. So, I took my “you need to practice what you preach” pill and got to work.

Fast forward to today, and I’m working with the people I want, when, where, and how I want.

Here’s what I did to pivot my business.

Pivot your business the right way.

My biggest mistake when I pivoted my business was that I was the only one who knew I’d changed directions, so you can imagine the confusion I created for prospects.

To avoid this same blunder, here are my suggestions for a successful pivot.

1. Start with Your Message

The single biggest mistake most sole proprietors make when pivoting is not updating their messaging.

Your message is the headline act in your brand’s happy hour.

If your message still points to your pre-pivot business, it muddles things for your prospective clients.

To get your message clear for yourself and your prospects, you’ll want to:

• Identify your new audience
• Determine the ingredients for your message
• Distill everything into one simple and clear message

Getting your message right is the most important thing you can do when pivoting or not.

In many cases, you’re too close to what you do to see your business the way prospects do, but if you want your pivot to succeed, you’ll need to put yourself in their shoes.

2. Define Your Method

Your method defines how you solve your client’s problems. It’s best when it’s a signature process that is uniquely yours.

​A unique method will set you apart from your competition and have prospects lining up at the bar for your signature cocktail.​

To determine your signature process, you need to define:

• The specific obstacles your clients face
• The process you use to overcome the obstacles
• The transformations your clients go through in your process

Once nailed down, your method will provide you with all of the marketing for your brand you’ll ever need.

Plus, you’ll have a distinct process to differentiate you from others, especially others who share the same certifications.

3. Nail Your Marketing (that doesn’t suck) ​
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Most sole proprietors struggle to target clients or promote their business, not because their products or services are bad, but because they misunderstand marketing.

As a former certified Book Yourself Solid® professional, I can tell you that:

When done right, marketing informs prospects that you exist and how you help. That’s it. The job of marketing is to generate interest.

So, when you think about marketing your business/brand, you need to consider:

• Who you’re talking to
• What obstacles they face
• How to tie your message to your content

​When you understand those three things, marketing will become less of a chore and, dare I say, a pleasure.
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Straight Up TLDR;

Making a pivot is hard, but it doesn’t have to be.​

To ensure you make a successful one, nail down your:

• Message
• Method
• Marketing

When you do, you’ll have opportunities coming your way versus going to someone else.