3 Huge Mistakes I made
as an Entrepreneur that I regret!

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Hey Reader,

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Welcome to the 1st Edition of The Authentic Sales & Marketing Newsletter. Every Saturday morning, you’ll find this in your inbox, packed with valuable tips, insights, resources, and guidance tailored just for you.

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Today, I want to share the three critical mistakes I've made throughout my entrepreneurship journey since starting in this fast-paced online industry back in 2007, and how you can avoid doing the same. These lessons have shaped my current approach, and I hope by sharing them, you can avoid these pitfalls and shift to doing things differently.

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Reflecting on Nearly Two Decades in Business

After nearly 17 years (I've been at this since 2007), a lot of self-reflection has led me to understand better the subtle nuances that define long-term success versus fleeting wins.

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Here’s what I’ve learned from the mistakes that once shaped my path:

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THE 3 BIG MISTAKES I MADE

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1. Lack of an Exit Strategy: I was so ingrained in the hustle and the daily grind—that I never stopped to consider an exit. There was no plan for retirement, no strategy for stepping back. Every decision was about immediate survival or gain, never about long-term sustainability.
2. Underutilizing Intellectual Property: I have knowledge and experience in so many different areas but for the most part, I never really leveraged it beyond direct service delivery. What I wish I would have done instead was take the time to build a solid hub where I packaged and structured all of my knowledge into passive income streams that could continue to earn income for me on auto-pilot. This would have boomed in a major way during the pandemic... BUT.. I never slowed down to take the time to build things out properly, soooo.. I missed the boat on that!
3. Undervaluing My Expertise: Years of hard-earned expertise, yet I boxed myself into the generic mass market for far too long. I undervalued all that I have to offer, ignoring the potential of positioning myself as a high-value leader in the industry, until now!

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So what lessons did I learn from this, and what can you do moving forward to avoid similar challenges.. let's talk about it:

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Building with Speed vs. Building with Strategy

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The allure of instant results in the online business world is strong. We push for speed, often skipping crucial steps, aiming for immediate gains rather than sustainable growth. Looking back over my years in the industry, I realize I've often built more like I was in a hustle—aiming for quick cash without considering the long-term implications.

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The Pitfalls of Hustling vs. The Power of Strategy

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Hustling can bring in quick money for today. But without a solid infrastructure, it's just that—quick money, not sustainable income. I've launched countless projects, reaped the immediate rewards, and moved on, often neglecting to build a lasting foundation that could continuously support and grow my business.

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Learning from My Mistakes: Building an Evergreen Business

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I now understand the importance of slowing down and allowing myself to build a substantial, evergreen business. Think of it like planting a garden. The real value comes from nurturing your growth over time—be it an influential blog, a robust email list, a value driven YouTube channel or evergreen courses that teach timeless skills.

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Focusing on Value Over Trends

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Another shift in my approach is moving from trend-driven tactics to becoming a consistent beacon of value. Trends come and go, but fundamental expertise? That's forever!! That’s what draws people back time and again.

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Examples of people that have done this well are Pat Flynn, Amy Porterfield, Tony Robbins amongst so many others.

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My New Direction: Building a Solid Infrastructure

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Today, I’m channeling my efforts into creating a comprehensive catalog of all my work, packaged neatly in one place. This includes:

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• Building Solid Systems and Products: Now, I focus on creating assets like a robust blog, a comprehensive email list, and evergreen courses that provide continuous value.
• Valuing Consistency Over Trends: I've shifted from chasing trends to establishing myself as a consistent source of fundamental business wisdom, helping clients achieve long-term success.
• Packaging Intellectual Property: Recognizing the goldmine in my experiences and knowledge, I'm now committed to packaging this into structured, digestible formats that serve as long-term assets.

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Implementing a New Vision: The Path Forward

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As I refocus and rebuild, my strategy moving forward involves:

• Solidifying an Online Presence: Regularly sharing transformative business growth strategies and becoming a staple resource for entrepreneurs.
• Developing a Comprehensive Digital Academy: Offering a catalog of concise, impactful courses designed to meet the needs of business owners at every stage.

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Advice for Your Entrepreneurial Journey:

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1. Invest in Skill Mastery: Continuously refine your skills and adapt to industry changes, making sure you remain relevant and competitive. So many things are changing fast, especially with AI, However you can still be on top of the competition by always growing and learning in your area of expertise.
2. Package Your Expertise: Convert your knowledge into valuable resources that not only educate but also generate passive income. Things like ebooks, digital courses, templates, mini-courses. They're so many ways to monetize, the goal is simply to package up your expertise and have it ready for sale.
3. Think Long-Term: Focus on building assets that will secure your financial future and allow you to exit or scale as needed.

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These reflections and strategic shifts are fundamental to not just surviving but thriving in the business world. I hope sharing them inspires you to take a deeper look at how you’re building your future.

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I will be providing more mini-workshops to go into detail about how this all works so stay tuned.

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Thank you so much for joining me this Saturday. I look forward to our next edition where we'll continue to dive into strategies that drive real success.

Be Bold, Stop Waiting & Take Action,

Nicole S. Cooper

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"I don't just teach business strategies, I inspire business mastery!" (and I love supporting other committed Business Owners willing and read to do the work!) ​ ​Meet Nicole S. Cooper.​ An expert business strategist renowned for transforming budding entrepreneurs into Industry Leaders.

“Success doesn't come from what you do occasionally, it comes from what you do consisently!”

— Marie Forleo

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2051 Gattis School Rd. Suite 540 #135, Round Rock, TX 78664
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