Finola Howard 0:01
I'm Finola Howard, Business Growth strategist with a joyful heart, and your host of the your truth shared podcast, I believe that every business has a story to tell, because that's how the market decides whether to buy or not, and your story has to resonate with who you are and with the people you want to serve. And this podcast is about helping you reach the market in a way that feels right to you. So if you're an entrepreneur with a dream you want to make real, then this is the podcast for you, because great marketing is your truth shared.
This is the episode where I put joy to the test and make my million euro declaration. It's a different take on that first million euro journey that many successful entrepreneurs share after the fact. So often the nuances of this journey are forgotten in retrospect, and yet that is truly where the mind shifts and the leaps happen. So lean in as I share with you a little more about this story.
I want to begin this episode with a question I've asked countless entrepreneurs over the years. In fact, I ask it almost every time I start working with somebody new. It's a simple question, but it holds incredible power. And I start with saying you can have whatever you want. Really you can. But ultimately, the question is, what are you willing to do to get it?
What are you willing to do to get what you want? And that question stops people in their tracks, because it's one thing to say you want something, it's another thing entirely to do what it takes to get it. And sometimes we're chasing things we don't really want. We're chasing what we think we should want.
And so this question, what are you willing to do to get it? Helps us sort the truth from the noise.
Now let me be very clear here. I start all of these conversations with no judgment. I start with an unswerving belief that you can indeed have whatever it is you want. I'm simply helping you shake off shoulds and focus on something that is uniquely yours, something that will bring you joy. The tendency, of course, is for people to assume, with this question that I'm only focused on the work you have to do to get what you want. And yes, that's true, you have to do the work, and not everyone is willing to do the work, but I'm also interested in the practices that will prepare you for your next leap.
Are you willing to lean into your genius? Are you willing to commit to a tangible end point? Are you willing to reflect and dig and uncover yourself, your customer, your voice, your joy and all the ingredients it takes to be successful? Are you willing to grow with your genius?
Are you willing to let go of the way you usually do things in order to carve new territory? We talked about that in episode 110 and are you willing to build processes that streamline everything you do? Are you willing to bring people in to help you with things you are not an expert in? Are you willing to be visible and use your purpose led voice? Are you willing to deliver on your purpose and be seen to do that? Are you willing to prove it? Are you willing to grow financially? Are you willing to embrace money as a worthy measure? Are you willing to make your dream for your business, your company or your organization real? It's a big ask, and not everyone is willing to answer the call.
Today, I'm putting myself on the line. I asked myself that same question, what are you willing to do to get what you want? Finola, and I realized the answer means going public.
It means sharing this with you, and it means declaring something I've quietly been thinking about for a while now. And yes, it takes courage. I think of my mom and dad. They always showed me courage in doing what needed to be done, even when it wasn't what they always wanted to do. It was the courage it took to do the things that needed to be done, and maybe that's what this generation gets to do. We get to choose what we want and then chase it with courage.
We get to reap the benefits of the paths our parents carved for us, where societal conditioning is not the determining factor of our success, we are, our ability to imagine, to create, to choose and to serve in a different way, accepting that leaning into want can be something of service because it's that deeper want, wanting a better life, a better world for. Better humans, a purposeful want.
So today I'm putting my neck on the line. Some of you know that I released a book last year that became an Amazon bestseller. It's called, What if Joy was how you measured success and the money proved you right? It's the book I needed to write, not about marketing, but about all the stuff that gets in the way of your marketing. It was written for the many, many entrepreneurs who know they have potential for more, but they've never fully unlocked it. It's a call to lean into your too muchness and see it for what it is, the genius that is uniquely you. It's a call to create space for success as you define it, without the limits that held you back before.
It was a powerful book to write, and I lived every single word, sometimes tearfully, yet ultimately with joy. And I remember the butterflies, terrified little butterflies as I pushed the button on Publish, the feeling you get as you release your work into the world, and the realization that this work is no longer within your sphere of control because you've just set free.
To have written an Amazon bestseller, was a dream. I hadn't even dreamed for myself. I was supported by Debbie, Emma, Sally and Rachel, my publisher and writing cohort, who lent me their belief and encouraged me to step out into the world. I am forever grateful to them. And now, one year later, the dust has settled, and I have found myself answering that question, what if with another question. Now, what?
So now it's my time to prove it in a lived way. My best work has always been from a lived experience. That's where the nuances and the nuggets are found, in the tiny moments and realizations that enable the next step. So often those nuances are forgotten in the retrospective look at what it takes to achieve each and every leap. And I know already that leaning into joy can lead to financial success. That's what my first book was about.
But I want to prove that you can do it in a bigger way, financially speaking. I want to prove that you can build something powerful and very profitable without sacrificing your joy, your weekends or your soul. So here it is my public declaration. I am going to build a million euro turnover business in the next two years, joyfully without burnout and on my own terms. The deadline is March 22 2027 and right now I'm nowhere near that number.
Yes, I have a good, solid, joyful business, but this is about turning up the dial, not just for me, but for the people I serve, the clients I mentor, and the message I believe in. So the real test begins now. I've helped clients grow from so many different starting points, from 30,000 to 70,000 turnover, from 70,000 to 250,000 from 250,000 to 350,000 2 million to 4 million and 10 million to 25 million. But now it's time for me to walk this exact path myself, to live it, and I know that in doing so, I will be better I'll be more useful, more impactful, because I'll know every bump in every wall and every mindset block from the inside. This is the path of joy, the path to thriving, to financial wealth and well being. This is where the theory meets practice, where joy meets metrics, next level metrics.
And because of this declaration, I'm changing the rhythm of the podcast from now on, every second episode will be a solo show, just me sharing what I'm learning on this journey to a joyful million expect real stories, strategies, lessons, mistakes and breakthroughs, because I want this to be useful to you too. So if you'd like to come along for the ride, there are three ways you can do that. Four if you count listening into this podcast, the first is to be a guest on the show. If you have unique insight or approach that could help me achieve this joyful million by March 2027, and help others that are listening into I'd love to talk to you. Reach out. I'll leave a link in the show notes where you can apply to join me on the show.
The second way you can join me is by joining my monthly behind the scenes email. This will be a deeper dive into what I'm learning and experimenting with. I'll be sharing the metrics of what works and what doesn't each month, and any of the mindset shifts I know I'll have to make as I go. I'm sure it'll include things I haven't thought of. Yet, but that's all part of the journey, isn't it? Learning what you don't know you need to know yet. The link, of course, is in the show notes.
And option three, you could join Cohort Two of my 12 month membership program. Soar if you've been thinking about taking a significant leap in your business this year, this is your moment. Members of the first cohort have already experienced 70% increases in their turnover, and they're just five months in. They are part of the inspiration for me to share this significant goal of mine. When you join soar, I ask you to choose something significant, a goal that you can own, then act on and repeat.
I felt there was no point in me asking you and the existing cohort for soar to choose something significant if I didn't share my own significant goals. And that means, of course, that when you join soar, you'll get the real benefit of this million euro journey, as I'll be directly passing on the learnings and insights in each of our live weekly sessions. Doors are open now. This is your summer to soar when most people take their foot off the pedal. Joining today means you get access to my early bird rate. So do check it out. The link to join us is in the show notes.
So there it is, my truth, my declaration, a joyful million euro business by March 22 2027 I've put my money, my time, my energy, where my mouth is. Now let's see what's possible, and I hope you'll choose something significant too, something you can own, act on repeat and then celebrate. Let's build joyful, powerful, financially thriving businesses together until next time, stay aligned, stay brave and stay joyful. Well, that's all for me for this week. I hope you enjoyed that episode. Reach out and let me know your thoughts and where you are on your business growth journey. Do click on the links in the show notes, if you'd like to join me on this journey to my first million
Thank you for listening to your truth shared. If you enjoy this episode, please do rate and review it in your favorite app, at love the podcast.com/yourTruthshared. It really helps spread the word and helps me continue to invest in this podcast.
