Reflections of a Business Weirdo
Embracing Your Inner Weirdo in Business
Welcome back to Uncomplicating Business, where we simplify the entrepreneurial journey for teachers, helpers, and givers. I’m Sara, your business coach and creator of Selling for Weirdos.
In the world of business, standing out often feels like a both important and like an impossible task, all at the same time. Entrepreneurs struggle with the conforming to what’s expected while simultaneously working to express their unique selves. In this episode of the podcast, I shared what it means to me to embrace your "weird" in the business world. If you’ve ever felt out of place or unsure about how to carve your own path, this is for you.
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The Pressure to Fit In
As business owners, we get a fair amount of pressure (from both internal and external sources) to "do it right" based on what others have done and are doing. It’s oh so tempting to look at successful peers and think, “If I just replicate what they do, I’ll succeed too.” But as we all probably know (and have experienced), this often doesn’t actually lead to success – rather what we get instead is frustration and self-doubt.
What I've know is that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to business success. Just like in fashion, what fits one person may not fit another.
The Line Leader
I like to think of myself as a "line leader." Just as a line leader – the person at the head of the line, in a hallway, for example - focuses on reaching a destination without worrying about those behind them, we too can focus on our goals without getting distracted by others’ paths.
Our job as leaders in our businesses is to work from the front of the line to reach the destination that is OURS. Thinking about myself this way has helped me embrace my own journey, quirks and all. By acknowledging my own individual style and approach, I’ve found a way to move forward that feels authentic.
Redefining Success on Your Own Terms
One of the biggest challenges in business is defining success for our own selves rather than thinking about success in general, or in terms that come from outside sources. For some, success may look like rapid growth or hitting a million-dollar revenue mark – but that’s not what everyone wants from success – and it might not be what YOU want from success.
For me, success is about helping others and making a meaningful impact. The truth is, not every business needs to scale aggressively to be successful and that we get to measure success in whatever way fits our goals and style.
Understanding Your Unique Journey
It’s crucial to recognize that everyone’s journey is different – I know we all know this logically, but emotionally, it’s a different story. I’ve had experiences where I compared myself to others and questioned my worth – just like you, just like everyone has at one point or another. One of my most important realizations came when I joined a coaching mastermind and met a colleague who seemed to achieve everything with ease – and I just couldn’t figure out why I didn’t have what she had. What I came to see over time, though, was that her success was built on YEARS (and years and years) of networking and experience that I didn’t share, and that she largely didn’t talk about.
This understanding helped me shift my focus from comparison (because there is so much to any one person’s story that we just plain don’t know…) to appreciation for my own unique journey.
Embracing the Weird
For me, embracing my inner weirdo has shown up in a whole bunch of different ways in my business. Here are a few examples:
- Rejecting Conventional Scripts
Many new entrepreneurs – me, early on - feel pressured to follow established scripts for sales and marketing. For a long time I thought that following a specific script would be THE thing that made a difference and made selling ‘work’. And, of course, it didn’t. What I realized instead is that that true connection comes from listening, not from robotic responses – and so I let go of the scripts for selling.
- The Power of Presence
Being present in conversations—whether during a sales call or networking event—has transformed my approach to business. Rather than relying on a script, I’ve learned to show up and really and truly connect with others, which fosters meaningful connections. This shift has not only reduced my anxiety about how to ‘do calls right’ but has also allowed me to serve others more effectively.
- Celebrating Weirdness
What does it mean to be "weird" in business? For me, it means embracing what makes me different and using it to my advantage. What does it mean for you? Whether it’s your style, your methods, or your approach to client relationships, your uniqueness really is your greatest asset – if you allow it to be, and trust yourself to BE yourself.
Grounding Principles for Embracing Your Weird
- Stand Out to Help Others: The ultimate goal of business is to help others. Don’t be afraid to carve your own niche.
- Trust Yourself: Confidence in your abilities allows you to connect with your people authentically, as yourself.
- Your Weird Isn’t That Weird: Often, what we think of as odd is (way!) more relatable than we think.
- Choose Your Own Process: Business processes should work for you, not the other way around. You get to decide which processes are YOUR processes.
- Authenticity Matters: Hiding your true self only limits your ability to help others.
Conclusion
If you resonate with this message and want to explore your unique approach further, I invite you to join my Facebook group, UNComplicating Business for Teachers, Helpers, and Givers. It’s designed for entrepreneurs like you who want to embrace their individuality and connect with others who do the same.
Additionally, I teach a course called Selling for Weirdos that is built to help you create a sales process that feels right for you AND works. In this course, you'll discover how to navigate sales in a way that aligns with your values and style while also creating more income AND impact through your business.
Being a "weirdo" in business is not just acceptable; it’s actually essential for creating a fulfilling and impactful career. Embrace your unique path, trust your instincts, and remember that your differences are what make you special.
Let's celebrate our quirks together!
