Aunty K is in financial difficulties. She is a single mum of two, works a 9 to 5 job that pays a pittance, and she’s struggling to keep her head above water.
She is justifiably unhappy and angry with her situation, and one day, she said, “Enough! I’m going to do something about this.”
So she gets a hold of a copy of this book, which she reads thoroughly, and decides to put the 6 skills into action.
Here is what she does:
Step 1: Critical Thinking
She starts by critically analysing her strengths, interests and skills. Hand in hand with that, she looks at the opportunities presented by the market, and tries and find a match.
For example, she had done a web design course a few years before, and had enjoyed it and excelled at it. Perhaps she could start a freelance web design business.
But were there any opportunities? An analysis of the market would have shown that there are huge opportunities for web designers. Or perhaps she could leverage her cooking skills, since makes some of the most delicious pickles and jams, or so she had been told by others. Perhaps she could bottle those and sell them via social media.
A market analysis would have shown that there is an upsurge in home industry sales online, and that she could take advantage of that trend.
Step 2: Change Mindset:
Starting a business is a big move, and quite scary. There are all sorts of fears and apprehensions. There is a scary amount of work to be done, and a tonne of new skills to learn before starting and running a business. It can be daunting.
That is why most people quit before they even start.
But Aunty K is different. She embraces the idea of change and adaptability. She understands that starting a business is scary and fraught with risks. She acknowledges that there are gaps in her knowledge, and that may require learning new skills and taking calculated risks.
But she is ready for it. She is determined to change her life, and is willing to
do whatever it takes.
She’s done being stuck in a hopeless position. She’s done not being able to buy herself and her kids nice things. She hates not being able to put them through the best schools and give them the best opportunities.
“I’m done,” she says with gritted teeth. “I’m going to change it.”
Bye, bye comfort zone!
Step 3 – Complex problem solving: Starting a business, even a small, home-based one, is a complex task that takes a lot of careful planning.
Aunty K is ready for that because she has taught herself problem-solving skills and puts them to good use, developing a detailed business plan.
Step 4 – Creativity:
Aunty K realizes that she will need an effective marketing plan, one that would get the word out about her products and services, and also differentiate her business from competitors.
She will need to get those creative juices flowing, and explore unique ways to market her products or services and provide value to her customers.
Step 5 – Collaboration:
Aunty K is super-excited about her business, but she is well- aware that this is her first business and she would definitely need whatever help and advice she could get to give herself a better chance of success.
She understand that collaborating with others can provide valuable insights and resources.
She starts by seeking support and guidance from local business networks, mentors, and online communities. Everyone is eager and willing to help her. Next she finds people who can help her with other aspects of her business.
She finds a web designer, graphic designer,M and a social media person, whom she brings together and gets their support.
Step 6 – Communication:
When everything is ready and all her ducks are lined up in a row, she hits the market. It’s an exciting time for her!
She puts her entire focus on marketing and sales, which entail effectively communicating her business’s value proposition to potential customers.
She will have to find ways to clearly and persuasively communicate her products to the market – that’s the only way she can attract and retain clients.
Eventually, Aunty K’s business starts to grow, but she finds that the growth stops at a certain point. She hasn’t reached her targets yet.
So what does she do?
She goes through the six C’s again. Critical thinking, not enough money. How do I boost growth? And when she goes through the 6 C’s again, she notices that growth starts to increase again.
And she keeps going through that cycle until her business becomes a massive success beyond her own initial expectations.
Now this is how anybody – you – can apply these 6 skills to find success in anything you endeavor to accomplish.
No matter what “technical” skills you have; you could be a web designer, chef, plumber, video editor, writer – pretty much any skill in the world – it is possible to turn into a source of income by plugging it into the 6 Power Skills.
Or maybe you don’t have any “technical” skills, but you are passionate about something: health and fitness, arts and crafts, skateboarding, chess – you can also turn those into an income.
It doesn’t seem difficult now, does it? So go for it!
Just remember that it takes courage. Maybe there should have been a 7th C that encompasses all of the others, which says “Courage”.