Photo Credit: Nathan Dumlao UNSPLASH
Diverse
“Why fit in when you were born to stand out?” ~Dr. Suess
Why being diverse is important as an Entrepreneur, Podcaster and Author. Susan Kiley is changing the transformation, lifestyle and writing communities one person at a time. Why it matters in 2020.
Powerful Diversity
In the entrepreneur space, every mentor or coach I ever spoke with talks about ‘niche’ or ‘choosing one’ path – stay on that path – success will happen. The topic of staying in your lane (ahem, niche) has earned a fair amount of attention, but why does a person need to be selective – niche? Why is it bad to be diverse? What does limiting ourselves to a single niche has to do with success, and why should we care? How does being diverse, or lack of it, influence our life?
Diversifying...
Success is like walking into a coffee shop and having choices: it takes time, diverse, and perseverance is required. Unless you are the type of person who sticks to familiarity, I am not that type of person. I love to diversify my life, my relationships, my goals, and my business. Right, wrong, or indifferent, it is who I am and how I run my business: diverse.
As a world obsessed with success (as a measure of our worth), we tend to focus on chasing shiny objects and never reaching success. We find it difficult to believe in ourselves, finding the motivation to do what is required daily, and enough time. Since believing in ourselves, motivation, and time are all related, we can simultaneously work on them.
For example, when we feel depressed and unmotivated, we are less likely to pursue our goals, ultimately sacrificing our dreams. How can the three tasks be tackled? How do they relate to being a diverse entrepreneur?
Picking a Niche
Most experts scream from their proverbial tower that to be successful, you must pick a niche. YOU MUST! I don’t see it this way. Here’s why. In 2020, a thing like Covid-19 rocked the world. Niched businesses and freelancers were the hardest hit. Every part of the freelance community around the world had a pause and pivot as the gig economy shut down.
For example, as a freelancer, you were a social media manager for an ultra-small niche: putt-putt courses. Yikes.
What happened for three months when all the putt-putt courses were forced to close, and even when allowed to open were on limited capacity? And, what about those businesses that also rented space for parties? What do you think happened to your freelance social media marketing business as a result of your niche closing?
You were cut. As your niche businesses lost income and were required to cut back on business expenses, you, as their social media manager, were cut.
Limiting yourself to an ultra-small niche will kill your business (most of the time). That’s not saying there isn’t success in being ultra-small in your niche selection.
Entrepreneurs are problem-fixers. If you are starting, you should consider these:
1. What am I good at?
2. What is missing in the market?
3. How can I solve what is missing in the market?
Niche markets can be successful depending on your business model (brick-n-mortar, freelancer, coach…). Let’s take a look at an article by Mashable writer Lindsay Rothfeld, where Rothfeld scoured the country for some of the “most creative and niche businesses.” The major takeaway for me: connect with people looking for something different.
Being a diverse entrepreneur is essential, even when you are a niche business or freelancer.
Follow your heart, it lets you land on what feels right.
Diverse Entrepreneurs Influence Life and Business...
My belief is we should strive to be diverse in our lives and in business.
We can be coaches, writers, marketers, branding experts, and health experts. We can be diverse – essential for success.
Over two decades, I have dabbled, established, and flourished in various business arenas. Being diverse has served me well – writing, creating baby products, running a physical retail store, publishing, marketing, social media management, content creation, podcaster, YouTuber, speaker, coach, trainer, etc….
Despite being diverse in various aspects of business, one is never an expert in all. Choose the one thing you are interested in and have the most passion for teaching. I selected coaching, writing, and all things lifestyle. Ultimately, I’m a fantastic content creator who can do other ‘things’ really good too.
Being diverse can also be a curse. Knowing too much, or having passion for multiple things can cause consumer confusion.
Many experts do not see the value in being diverse. If you listen to any given expert , guru or mentor, the first thing they say is to pick a niche. “Pick a lane and stay in it.” For years, that wasn’t easy because I didn’t want to put myself into a box. You do not need to be an expert in everything; you can be diverse.
When you do not pick a niche, consumers and followers tend to find themselves confused if you haven’t established the relationship of what it is you do. People want to hire you, work with you, and support your business, but if they are not sure what you do, they won’t.
Being diverse does not mean you sacrifice who you are or the business you build. You can be varied and successful in business. It would be best if you clarified what and how you can solve a specific problem for consumers.
Stay on your path, and success will come.
Why Being Diverse Matters
To give yourself the best chance of success, focus on one area you are good at a time. Please choose an area you get all giddy about waking up each day or talking to someone about it. Be open and flexible to the possibility you may experience another pandemic during your growing stages of business.
If you are a freelancer or business owner with an ultra-small niche, try expanding beyond to diversify you and your business. Remember that there are plenty of niches, businesses and customers to earn your dream income.
How are you diverse? Share your answer in the comments below!
Want to Learn More?
Ready to learn more about how you too can build a successful business and happy life? Success YOU will help you focus on those steps: lifestyle, writing, and entrepreneurship. By being persistent, and working on your goals every day, a SUCCESS YOU is possible – Happiness inevitable. Together, we will find our Happiness and Success.
