Introduction
Oh, what if I fall?
Oh but my darling, what if you fly?
—Erin Hanson, young poet
Scaling a business has many similarities to swinging on the flying trapeze. I should know – as an adult, I have learned to do both.
On the trapeze, you must climb a 35-foot ladder to reach the top. Yes, it can be terrifying – but, just like growing your business, you must be willing to take many fearful risks in order to achieve your goals.
Once you make it up the ladder, you are standing on a platform that’s only a few feet wide. It is nerve wracking and, to some people, paralyzing. People often allow their fear or lack of direction to hold them back, and they are not willing to take the leap.
It is exactly the same in business when you are poised to expand and scale.
You have two choices at this point. One: You can gather your courage and break through to where all the riches are waiting – this experience is exhilarating, enriching, and tremendously rewarding. Or two: You can get stuck on the platform and tell yourself every reason why scaling is not a good idea. In this scenario, you go nowhere.
What will you choose to do?
I chose the first option, though it took some time to get there. I started my first business in college and, by the age of 25, I was already running my own national advertising and public relations firm. My clients included Fortune 100 companies such as Supercuts, Ben & Jerry’s, and Charlotte Russe. I was making great money, but I was working night and day. ...
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