Shannon's thoughts on marketing, public relations, social technology, entrepreneurship and other things

Shannon Mouton
Shannon Mouton

the principal at Topaz Consulting, is a relationship marketing professional, with a passion for utilizing social technology for building B2B/B2C relationships, sharing information, networking and advancing the greater good. She has over 20 years of public relations, marketing and community building experience. Her combination of political, nonprofit, higher ed and corporate experience has afforded her opportunities to build communities where none existed, develop and launch innovative programming and bridge generational, economic and racial divides.

Shannon serves on the board of directors for the In Series, a Washington, DC performing arts organization. She is a regular contributor to Women Grow Business and Discover Exceptionalism, and her blog, Shannon Sez So, examines life's joys, pains and idiosyncrasies. Shannon is the founder of Topaz Consulting, a DC based marketing consultancy with a nationwide portfolio of clients. She graduated from Mount Vernon College (now part of The George Washington University) and is a proud native Washingtonian.

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2011 (31)
2010 (74)
 

What's in your BHAG?

Microsoft’s BHAG: A computer on every desk and in every home.
Google’s BHAG: Organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.

What is your Big Hairy Audacious Goal? Do you want to…

  • Be the keynote speaker at an international conference? 
  • Have 40-50 employees and clients from the Atlantic to the Pacific? 
  • Get your doctorate and be a tenured professor? 
  • Start a non-profit, foundation or be a philanthropist? 
  • Own a 120-unit apartment building? 
  • Be an elected official? 

So often businesses expend a lot of resources to develop their "vision.” You hire consultants and coaches and you go on retreats and attend seminars, and usually the answer is right in front of you all along … you simply forgot it.

Think back to when you first had the idea for your business, before you launched, before you registered for your L.L.C., even before you secured the domain. Go all the way back, when you dared to share the idea with a girlfriend, sister, Mother or spouse. In the midst of the excitement about your new adventure, you had the arrogance, foresight and courage to utter your BHAG. Do you remember? Are you still on track to achieve it or has the day-to-day of doing business clouded the vision for your business?

Here are some simple steps to keep your BHAG alive:

  1. Write it down – it does not exist if it it is not written down. 
  2. Post it – put it somewhere you can see it everyday and multiple times a day. 
  3. Speak it – repeat it to yourself out loud several times a day. 
  4. Track progress – acknowledge the small steps to achieving to your BHAG. 
  5. Move it, move it, move it – your BHAG won’t accomplish itself. 


From the proverbial horses mouth, Jim Collins, BHAG co-creator on How can you tell if you have a good BHAG? (video)

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Step 1: Get Out of Your Head

You have dreamed of being an entrepreneur --> owning your own business --> calling your own shots --> being your own boss

You have had ideas for a business since you were in college --> you talk to friends about it --> you dream about it

You have been told time & again that you're too smart to work for other people --> family & friends know it --> colleagues know it --> YOU know it

Do any of those statements resonate with you? If so, then why haven't you started your own enterprise?

This isn't one of those blog posts about overcoming fears, doubts or insecurities, you can find that information elsewhere. This is about the nuts and bolts of making your business ownership a reality. Ready...let's get started.

writeitdown

First and foremost, write your idea down. If it isn't written down, it doesn't exist.

Magical things happen when you write down your ideas:

  1. "It" becomes tangible, and once it becomes something you can touch, then it becomes something attainable and achievable.
  2. "It" gains clarity, moving from an abstract concept to a sentence to a paragraph.
  3. "It" grows as you can now envision taking it from here to there to everywhere.
  4. "It" starts to manifest itself as you have gotten the proverbial ball rolling in the direction of fulfillment.

What are you waiting for...you (we) aren't getting any younger. This is the first step to making "it" a reality...remember, even baby steps move forward.

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Posterous theme by Cory Watilo.
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