Want More Business Success? 7 Bad Business Habits You Need to Stop Doing

Want More Business Success? 7 Bad Business Habits You Need to Stop Doing
Being an entrepreneur can be overwhelming. You’ve probably felt that twinge on a Monday morning as you sit at our computer wondering where to start. You might even feel it worse during the months of September and January when we all are resetting our mindset and routines.

Imagine how much more overwhelming things can seem when you aren’t working with a business coach and you’ve developed bad habits in your business

I’ve seen it.

Anytime I host a retreat for my entry-level clients, I see a look of horror creep over their faces on the last day as I finish discussing the fundamentals of running a business. The fear deepens as I tell them what they need to do to keep moving on in their business. Granted, it’s a ton to take in – even when you’ve been doing this for years.

So many entrepreneurs have the passion for running their business but lack the necessary business skills. You don’t have to be one of them.

7 bad business habits that you need to STOP doing RIGHT NOW:

1. STOP using a generic email address for your business email.
Nothing screams unprofessional like a Hotmail, Yahoo, or Gmail email address. You’re a business owner, so act like one.

STOP using a ‘Gmail’ address and START using a business-related email address.

At a minimum, use an email address along with your own name, such as [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; or [email protected]. See the difference?

As a side note – If you work from your home, make sure you have a ‘business message’ on your phone. Please…don’t let your kids record it!

2. STOP working from your dining room or kitchen table.
Working from home has its own set of challenges. When you work in your dining room, you’re telling your family they can interrupt you at any time.

It’s time to take you and your business seriously.

STOP working from your table and START working from an office.

Move to another room, so you can shut the door at the end of the day and be fully present for your family.

If you are working from your table because your office is a mess…CLEAN YOUR OFFICE and get back to making money.

3. STOP funneling your business through your personal account.
Want to add more confusion and overwhelm to your business? Then keep using your personal account for your business.

If you’re ready to make things easier, open up and use a business account to track your revenue and expenses.

STOP using your personal account for business and START using a business account for your business. Do this today!

Not only does it make life easier, but it also creates a mindset shift, so you start acting like a business owner.

4. STOP being the Lone Ranger! (Even he needed Tonto.)
It’s impossible for you to wear many different hats and expect to grow your business. Why would you want to?

You’re in business to be of service to others, so why are you doing tasks that are equivalent to entry-level work?

STOP filing papers, running errands or doing administrative work and START using outside help to do menial tasks.

There are a variety of options available from hiring a VA for a few hours a month to enlisting the help of a student intern.

Hiring someone to help you is another way you shift your mindset from a hobbyist to a business owner.

One more thing…hire a business coach with a successful track record! You need help to succeed.

5. Stop mindless spending!
When you fail to plan, you start spending money on things you may not need for the stage you’re currently at, such as website design, graphics, home study courses and seminars.

This can be quite an expensive lesson!

STOP spending without a strategy and START working with your business coach on a plan.

A good coach will assist you in creating a workable plan. Once you do this, check in with your coach. Listen to them. Do what they tell you to do.

The payoff will be huge.

6. Stop throwing spaghetti at the wall and hoping something will stick. (Promote only one thing at a time!)
Many super-talented entrepreneurs confuse their prospects and clients by selling more than one product or service at a time.

This doesn’t work. What it does do is confuse your audience. When they are confused, no one is ready to buy.

STOP promoting more than one thing at a time and START with determining your fastest path to cash and focus on promoting it.

Staying focused on one thing will yield amazing results.

7. Stop playing the comparison game.
The only person you need to worry about is you. When you see others succeeding, it’s easy to put pressure on yourself to get to their level.

Each person’s entrepreneurial speed of implementation is different – some work more than 80 hours a week while others work about 15 hours a week on their business.

STOP comparing what you think is happening in someone else’s business and START following your business plan co-created with your coach.

Work the plan. Celebrate your own progress!

It’s time to stop settling for mediocrity.
Starting your business is everything from overwhelming, intimidating, and challenging. It’s easy to hang around mediocre entrepreneurs and pick up their bad habits.

Don’t settle for mediocrity.

You can do this. It takes a change of mindset, focus, and having great people around you to help.

It all starts with these simple steps. Implement them today, and there’ll be no stopping you from success!

What are you going to STOP doing that is sabotaging your business?


Pat Mussieux
About Pat Mussieux
Pat Mussieux is an author, television personality, internationally acclaimed speaker and award-winning business coach, located in London, Canada.

Her newest book, ‘Business Gets Better When YOU Get Better!” will be released in the summer of 2017. ‘Stop Compromising and Make All the Money You Want” (A Do-it-Yourself Guide to Starting Up and Starting Over) was released in July 2013. She has also co-written ‘Leadership Gurus Speak Out!” contributing her wisdom and expertise in the fields of Human Resources, Sales, Marketing and Training.

She has appeared regularly in media and print publications. Pat won the 2012, 2013 and 2015 STEVIE Awards – Female Entrepreneur of the Year in Canada, the 2014 STEVIE Award for Women in Business – Female Executive of the Year in Canada. Pat has been named as one of the “Top 100 Women Entrepreneur Experts to follow on Twitter”. She has also been nominated for Chatelaine magazine’s ‘Woman of the Year’.

Having transformed her life at age 57 from trash bag to travel in a private plane around the world, as well as taking her business from zero to close to a million dollars in less than 7 years are a direct result of her expertise in the area of mindset, marketing and money. She works with entrepreneurs around the world, including a mentoring project in both Johannesburg and Zimbabwe.

Pat regularly hosts a local TV show, ‘Wealthy Women Leaders’ – where she interviews successful, mature women entrepreneurs discussing the ‘good, the bad and the ugly’ of being in business. The intention of the show is to spark and inspire budding entrepreneurs.

She is very well known in the coaching industry for her skills and expertise in the areas of networking, marketing, time/energy management, life balance ……and her mantra is ‘it’s never too late’! It truly is about progress, not perfection as you create your ideal business to support your best life.

Her most important role, however, is that of grand-mother to 3 amazing young adults in Edmonton!