In this week's episode~

Are you trustworthy? I mean, seriously, can I really trust you?

It's time for the becoming a profitable CEO podcast, and it's all about providing you with the tools to succeed on this ever-evolving business selling journey. My mission is to make sure, you know, you are not alone, that it is possible and that you yes, you can do this. You matter. The world is a better place for having you in it and your voice is needed.

I'm Teresa Cleveland, and I believe that we can all make a difference and that having that successful online business is one of the best ways to do that. Let's get to it.

Hi there, I'm so glad you join me today, it's week six of 2021, we're at that halfway mark of the first quarter of the year. I hope you're on track to meet all of your goals this quarter if things aren't playing out exactly the way you thought they were.

I just want to remind you to take a deep breath, step back, regroup. You've got this. You've got six more weeks. It's okay to course. Correct. That's why you've got those metrics in place and the things that you're watching so that you can course-correct when you need to. If you're running into any walls, you're having any trouble. You want to talk, feel free to reach out. I'd love to chat with you. You can always find me over in our Facebook community. You can get there by going to ThePurposefulCEO.com/Facebook.

All right. This week, I want to talk about something that's been coming up in different ways for different people. Some of it's come up online, some of it with clients and our strategy sessions. And it's even coming up for me in my own business. It can show up in a lot of different ways. But when we really dig down and get to it, it's all about trust and that's a big one.

So let's make sure we're all on the same page. I'm going to pop over to Google and the definition that comes up is a firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability or strength of someone or something that says relationships have to be built on trust. And personally, that's exactly what I believe. Trust is the foundation of every relationship without it. Where do we go? Seriously, if I can't trust you, how can I have a relationship with you?

And it's no different with our businesses and our audiences. And there are different relationships within our business. As we run our businesses, we have the relationship with our audience. We have the relationship with our team, if you have a team. Your relationship with your peers and most importantly, the relationship you have with yourself. Today, I'm going to get into the relationship with your audience and yourself because we're there in all of it. Right? So first of all, I want you to think about your favorite people and your favorite companies that you do business with and think about why.

Why are those your favorite people? Why are those your favorite businesses?

A lot of times it's the experience that they provide, the products they offer. And underneath it all is the dependability. Right? You can trust them. They're going to be there. They are going to deliver on what they say. You have that friend that you're going to be able to call no matter what's going on. And they're going to be there because they've proved to you over time that they are there for you.

And the same thing with these businesses. Now, a lot of times when we think about our favorite companies and I'm sure that we all have some different ones and then there are some shared ones as well. But, you know, a lot of times we'll think about the luxury brands like the Ritz or Disney, companies at that level.

But let me ask you this. What about McDonald's? Do you trust McDonald's? I do. They're always going to deliver that hamburger and fries, right? That filet fish. It's going to pretty much taste the same every time. So it's not about quality here, right? It's, in this case, it's about convenience or whatever reason you go to McDonald's. And I've never eaten at McDonald's in other countries, but I've heard that the experience is the same wherever you go. And we trust them because they are there day after day, year after year. I don't even know how many billion burgers they've sold now, but if I don't feel like cooking and it's been one of those days, one of those weeks, and I'm like, OK, I'm just going to go grab a McDonald's.

So Liam has something to eat. I don't have to sit here and wonder, like, I wonder if they're still down there before I get to my car. I just get in my car and go, right? Because I know they're going to be there. I don't wonder, like, oh, well, I wonder if they've just pulled up roots and moved. I don't have to think about it. They're they're they're dependable. They're trustworthy. And why obviously, McDonald's is a big name brand out there.

We also have those other smaller companies within our communities that we go to, restaurants, jewelry shops. There are those that we go to, family owned businesses that have been there for generations. And the new shop on the corner that's been consistent and putting out their messaging. And you see them in the community and doing the things consistently. You don't drive by at four o'clock every day and they're close to building that relationship with the community. So I want us to think about that in our businesses.

Just because you're not that big name guru yet or that household name yet, this is still so important. It's such an important foundational piece of our business, building trust with our audience.
So let's think for a minute about those companies that you don't like. I and I've got a couple running through my mind. And while there can be a lot of different reasons for that, I mean, they could have a crap product, they could have poor customer service or they just don't show up, like one day they're there and gone the next day.

We're not going to work too hard. Right? To get in there and figure out what the heck is going on. Right? Our time is much, much too valuable for that. We're going to go with the people who are proven to us that they're going to be there. Now, in between these, the ones that we love, love, love, and the ones that we really don't care for, they're the ones that we can take them or leave them.

And why is that? Now, we talking about some of the obvious reasons, right? About the crap products and all of that. But I think that there's a not so obvious element to this. And it's that inconsistency. There's an inconsistent voice. There's an inconsistent story. There's an inconsistent presence. Right? I believe that one of the key components of trust is consistency. How we show up is an essential contributor to the level of trust that we have with our audience.

And look, somedays showing up is tougher than others. Shit happens and can hijack your plans. This week's podcast is a perfect example of this. My podcast publishing schedule is that I do a business building episode on Mondays where it's me sharing some information like I am today. And then on Thursdays, I have guest interviews with other incredible female online business owners who are sharing their story about their journey to becoming a profitable CEO.

Well, this week, I have to tell you, it has been a struggle. I had a legit reason that I was not going to be able to meet my deadline this week and get it out on Monday, and I'm not going to lie. It did cross my mind to just skip the business building episode this week. You know, and that voice started in my head. You know, it's a new podcast nobody's going to notice. And then I said, well, it's a new podcast. That's all the more reason that you need to show up and be there and show people that they can trust you.

So then I shifted into high gear where I was just like, I'm going to get it out no matter what. And I tried that and I was exhausted. And I ended up with a crap episode, one that I couldn't even publish in good conscience. So here I am on a Tuesday afternoon, rerecorded an episode that probably won't be published until late this evening. But it's an episode that I feel good about that I hope will encourage you to really stop and take a look at where you are and create a plan that works for you, one that you can use to be consistent and build that relationship with your audience.

Because I'm going to be honest, our relationship, you and I, that's important to me. I want you to know I'm in this for the long haul and I am going to show up consistently and that I'm going to be 100 percent real with you. Cupcakes and unicorns are great in fairy tales. But look, this is real life. This gig is not always a walk in the park. Things are not always predictable. So the first thing on my agenda tomorrow is to sit down and take inventory of a few things.

So today I'm encouraging you to look at your business and look at the places that you are either showing up very consistently or that you're not showing up consistently and then figure out what you can do about that. So, look, our time is valuable. No one knew me, our audience. No one has the time to invest in you and me. If we haven't shown that they can trust us, that they can depend on us, that we're going to be here and they're definitely not going to be pulling out their wallets to invest their dollars in us either.

So how do we increase the likelihood that we will be more consistent? I think we have to work backwards from there. And let's just look at some reasons that were not consistent so we can feel stuck, we can feel overwhelmed, overcommitted. We can doubt our abilities. There's a lot of things going on in there that will put us in that space of not taking action. And a lot of the time, if we're feeling over-committed or there's a down our abilities or we just plain feel stuck, it's because we have a lack of clarity, a lack of clarity about our audience, about our offers, about the direction we're going, the results we provide, or even what we actually do.

And that makes sense, right? If we can't see where we're going or what we're doing, how the heck can we move forward? And if we can't move forward, we can't show up. Right? So that's one thing is the whole clarity issue. And then there's another one. I feel like if it's not a lack of clarity, it's a lack of a plan. And I'm not talking about an idea for a plan. I'm talking about a clear plan that you can commit to.

And once you can identify the core reason that you've not been consistent, you're going to be able to move forward confidently. So let's look at that. If you need clarity, do what it takes to get it. Revisit your foundation. Are you aligned with your mission, your vision, your values? Do you even have that nailed down yet? If not, make that a priority, you can either do it yourself or you can hire someone to work with them.

For me, this is an area that I am absolutely passionate about because I know firsthand how powerful it is and it has been for me and many of my clients. If you want to talk more about that, reach out. I would be honored to help you. And if I'm not able to, I know other experts who I could refer you to. But this is what I'm talking about, about going all the way back. Right? We have to start and work backwards.

So, again, I encourage you to work with someone to figure out the clarity that you need that can help you move forward to show up. To start building that trust with your audience. Now, if you have clarity, that's awesome, kudos to you for putting in the work and knowing who you are, what you stand for, what you don't, who your people are and what you're doing. If we were sitting down having a strategy session, my next question would be, so what's your plan?

Right? And again, it's not the one that goes like, well, I thought I could do this and then I'd follow up and do that. And it would be awesome to start doing this other thing. I would definitely call you on that, because that's not a plan. Those are ideas. And without that plan, how could you possibly be consistent and show up? Think about it. If you were going on a trip, you can get in your car, you could drive around aimlessly and you'll probably never get to wherever it was you wanted to go.

But if you put the address in your navigator or get out a map, you are able to plot your course. You know where you're going, you know how long it's going to take. You know, if you need to stop for gas, like your plan is going to get you there. So in our businesses, a solid plan is a set of mapped out specific actions that will happen at specific times. Great. So we can all come up with a solid plan, so we can all come up with a solid plan.

We can do the research. We can see the things that we need to do or are supposed to do and all the things we can make that plan. But guess what? To make it a successful plan, this is where commitment comes into play. So this is where you are that you need to come up with your plan. I want you to sit down and create a plan that you can and will commit to. And that brings you joy.

It makes absolutely no sense to come up with a plan where you're saying that you're going to do things that you think are the right things if they're not in alignment with you and what you're willing to do, because guess what? You're not going to do them. Or if you do actually do them, they're going to get pushed all the way down to the last minute and they're going to end up being crap. And believe you, me, your audience, my audience can smell crap a mile away.

So let's just take visibility, for instance. Is it preferable in the online world to show up live on camera? Does that mean that if you're terrified of doing it, that you have to do it? No, absolutely not. No, I'm all about that fear, the feeling. Do it anyway, but not if the cost of that at the expense of that is where you stop and don't want to share your brilliance. Heck, no. You can deal with that fear another day.

But it also doesn't mean that you don't show up, right? Because there are multiple ways to show up consistently online without being alive in front of the camera. So you could record a video and share that. If you're comfortable with that, you could write a blog post, be a guest contributor on other people's blog post, have a podcast, be a guest on a podcast. And those are just to name a few. Are there any of those things that you could commit to that you're going to feel good about?

Put that in your plan. We have a tendency that if we don't have that immediate success or it doesn't feel good, that that means we have to stop, we have to throw it out and start all over again or that we're not cut out for this and all the other stories that we tell ourselves. And that, my friend, is not the case, something that I say to my clients on a regular basis when they come up with, well, I can't do that because I say write that down.

And if that's true, then what? Right? So think about that. If it's true that you don't want to show up online in front of a camera right now for whatever reason, then life and then you just brainstorm all day, then what's, you know, and don't monitor them. Write them all down, get them all out. You can say, OK, if that's true, then I need to close down my business and go work at the Wal-Mart and be a reader.

That might be one of the things on top of that list, you know, that comes out or you say, OK, if that's true, then how could I do it? And then you're going to do a little bit of research. Right? But don't pull that out and look at it, because all that junk that's going on in our heads so many times is just trying to protect us. And that's OK. We just have to show up and say, all right and sort through it with stuff we've picked up all through, all through life.

But it doesn't mean that it's true or that you need to give up or throw in the towel or anything else. My point today, when it comes to your plan, is to make sure that your plan is filled with actions that you will actually take, because when you have a plan that you feel good about, it's filled with actions that are aligned with you, who you serve and how you want to serve. There are very, very few things that will interfere with you being consistent.

That's a fact.

And through that consistency, you're going to build the trust with your audience. Those people who are out there searching for what you have to offer, you're building that know, like and trust that we all hear about. So again, today, I'm encouraging you to sit down, look for the places in your business that you're consistent and that you're not consistent. Celebrate those places that you are and figure out how to change those places that you aren't.

And if you need help with that, I'm here. You're welcome to go over to the website and schedule a time for us to talk about where you are, where you want to be and how I can help you get there. Well, that's it for this week. But be sure to tune in this Thursday for my guest interview when my friend April Pertwee ask, what's your story? Until then, let's go make a difference. Thanks.

Or tuning in to another episode of Becoming a Profitable CEO. I'll be back next week. But in the meantime, let's continue the conversation. Head on over to our Facebook group at ThePurposefulCEO.com/Facebook and share your take on today's episode.