When I talk to business owners, especially in staffing, I often hear, “I kind of fell into it.” That is fine, but I did not fall into staffing. I chose it on purpose.
In my twenties, my then-husband and I had a vision. We wanted to build a business we could scale and sell. We said, “Let’s see if we can retire in our thirties.”
And we did.
We started with that vision and worked backwards. Every decision had to answer one question: Can we grow and eventually exit this business?
Why Vision Comes First
Most entrepreneurs skip this part. They get excited about solving a problem, which matters, but they forget to ask, What do I actually want from this?
If your business does not align with your personal goals, you can end up building a profitable prison. I have seen it happen more times than I can count.
Your business should support your life, not control it.
That is why vision is step one. It kept us moving when things were hard. When I was exhausted and frustrated, that vision reminded me what we were working toward.
Vision Helps You Hire the Right People
As we grew, we brought in leadership. One of our key hires had different goals from us, and that worked in our favor.
Our goal was to retire. His goal was to become the CEO of a publicly traded staffing agency and to join YPO (Young Presidents’ Organization). We gave him the title of president so he could qualify. That helped him stay motivated even when things got tough.
He achieved his goals, and we achieved ours. That is the power of a shared vision.
Curious if you’re finally ready to hire smarter?
Read this next: How to Know You’re Finally Ready to Hire Smarter. It breaks down when it’s the right time to bring people on, and how to do it in a way that actually supports your bigger goals.
This Was Not Luck
Someone once told us, “You guys won the lottery.”
It may have looked that way, but it was not luck.
We had a plan. Every quarter, we met with our investment banker. We stayed focused on our goals. That is what made the exit possible.
Your Business Should Serve Your Life
Not everyone wants to retire early. That is not the point.
The point is that your business should align with your life. It should help you reach the goals that matter most to you, whether that is financial freedom, flexibility, or something else entirely.
If it does not, change the business. Do not change your vision.
Take Action: Define Your Vision
Ask yourself this question: What is one personal goal your business should be helping you reach but is not?
Download my Visioning Worksheet. Use it as a self-coaching tool. Fill it out now, and revisit it every quarter to make sure you are still aligned.
Your business should be the vehicle that takes you where you want to go.
Hi! I’m Diane Prince. I co-founded a company that we built from scratch to $50 million in six years and sold to a strategic buyer. I am a keynote speaker that talks and writes about building startups, founding businesses, and entrepreneurship. I share my perspective from my own experience from over 25 years building, scaling, and selling businesses.
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