If you’re thinking “I’d start my own business in a second… IF I knew what it should be — what products to sell or services to offer,” you’re not alone. Not even close. I can’t tell you how many messages I receive from aspiring entrepreneurs who’ve put their dreams on pause because they haven’t found their “thing.” Or, if they have, they think it’s not important, original, or powerful enough to center their business around.
And, honestly, I get it…
Before leaving my corporate career, I racked my brain trying to come up with the BIGGEST of BIG business ideas. I wanted to create something that wasn’t “just” emotionally and financially fulfilling — but world-changing. Which, if I’m being totally honest, caused me more distress than progress and kept me sipping instant coffee in my cubicle for way longer than necessary.
If I could travel back in time Marty Mcfly-style, I'd tell myself the same thing I’m about to tell you, friend…
Your business doesn’t have to save the world. All that really matters is that it feels like you, reflecting your unique experience and expertise and genuinely exciting you.
Because that excitement, that passion, and sense of purpose, is what will allow you to do whatever it takes to make this work. To stick out the tough times and keep going when you’re up to your eyeballs in new client emails.
Now if you’re reading this, you might not have a clear picture of what’s so special about your experience, expertise, or what excites you. You might not know what type of business will allow you to set yourself apart — that’s where your “you factor” can help.
What Is Your “You” Factor?
Let’s start with the basics, friend! Your “you” factor is a clear understanding of the unique product or service that only you can bring to the world. It’s what sets you and your business apart and helps bring everything else into focus. And once you know what it is, you’re able to move forward with more purpose and clarity.
Your “you” factor is the foundation that you create when you…
- Think objectively about your professional experience and expertise (take the fact that none of what you’ve done feels like a big deal because you’re too close to it out of the equation!)
- Define what truly excites you as an entrepreneur (versus what others might find exciting or what you believe *should* excite you.)
- Understand how your past experiences are valuable in a current or future business venture.
Why Does Your “You” Factor Matter?
We live in a world where we’re inundated with ideas, opportunities, and distractions. Knowing your “you” factor allows you to quickly filter out the noise and focus on what matters most. It’s something that you can come back to when you get stuck or frustrated with your progress — something that will reignite your passion and help you stay in your lane.
It creates a foundation that allows your business to grow and withstand the ebbs and flows of an unpredictable market. Because ultimately, the success of your business isn’t just about how much revenue you generate or how many followers you have. It’s about your ability to connect with the right people and serve them in a way that feels authentic, genuine, and fulfilling.
Does this feel like just what you need? Are you ready to move forward with more clarity and focus? Great! Now let’s take the next step…
Discover Your “You Factor” in 4 Steps
01. Create An Experience Catalog
The first step is to hone in on what you already have experience doing — maybe it’s the knowledge you’ve accumulated or the transformations you’ve either achieved for yourself or others. It’s your current expertise and the lessons you’ve learned from the past that you can use to create something lasting.
To get started, grab a pencil and paper or pop open your note-taking app of choice. Then list 5-10 things that you feel really good about. Things that friends and family members come to you for advice on. That you could talk about all day without getting bored.
02. Know The Problem, Create The Solution
The best businesses are built around solving a problem — people’s problems. What are the biggest challenges that people in your community have? That you have had yourself? The more specific, the better.
For instance, let’s say you’ve been crushing it as a business consultant for 10 years. In your experience, you’ve learned that businesses struggle with their marketing strategy on social media. Why is that a problem for them? It impacts their visibility, revenue, and ability to reach more of the people who need them.
You could offer a service or create a program that helps your audience get clarity and make real progress in just one week, with simple guidance through email or online videos. ⇐ All are based on your unique experience of doing this for yourself or companies you’ve worked for in the past.
03. Tune In To Excitement
Excitement is essential — it will show up not only in the quality of your product or service, but in how you talk about it, market it, and how you show up every day. When you’re working on something you don’t love and things get tough, you’ll want to just throw in the towel. But when it’s something that inspires you, you’ll feel resilient.
So ask yourself, what lights me up? What can’t I stop talking about when I get together with my friends? By keeping up with your inner passions you are much more likely to create a business around it.
But if after doing this exercise, nothing stood out for you — that’s okay too. It just means you might need to look deeper and examine your passions from a different angle.
04. Check Your Profit Potential
Before you go full throttle into the excitement stage and decide you’ve found your “you factor,” it is important to do some research on whether your idea is financially viable.
The easiest way to do that is by paying attention to what people are already paying for. What type of content, products, or services does the person you’re hoping to help buy? Do they buy courses, coaching, software, or apps on the topic you’re considering?
Now that you better understand your “you” factor and what will set you and your business apart, you might be wondering “okay, Amy, but what do I do with this information — where do I go from here?”
Well, friend… I’d love to introduce you to something that will answer that question and many, many more… drumroll, please…
My New York Times Bestselling Book, Two Weeks Notice: Find the Courage to Quit Your Job, Make More Money, Work Where You Want, and Change the World!
I’m so excited to share this with you! Inside, you’ll not only dig deeper into your “you” factor but learn how to use it to build a successful business that enables you to leave your desk job and live life on your own terms, including step-by-step strategies for:
✅ Creating an exit strategy, overcoming cold feet, and transitioning from employee to boss of your own business with as little “overwhelmed” and as much “overjoyed” as possible
✅ Using content to connect with the customers or clients who don’t just want but need your help and are more than willing to pay for it
✅ Setting burnout-proof boundaries and protecting your time so you can make measurable progress while juggling kids, work, and all your other obligations
✅ Leveraging the latest revenue-generating strategies so you can start increasing your income before even finishing the book
✅ Creating your website and starting your email list (Aka. the single most valuable asset of your business!) from scratch — even if technology makes your head spin
And that’s just scratching the surface!
I wrote Two Weeks Notice because I couldn’t find a comprehensive guide for starting and building a business in 2022 — up to this point, aspiring entrepreneurs have had to trial and error their way through the process, many of them giving up before getting to see the results of their hard work.
Now that doesn’t have to be you, friend!
If you want to find fulfillment, not to mention freedom doing the work you love when, where, and how you love doing it, grab your copy of Two Weeks Notice today!
