By Melissa Evans
Debt-ceiling debates, credit-rating crises and international economies teetering on a double-dip recession might just be more than enough to scare would-be entrepreneurs out of the risky business of pursuing their ambitions. But not all of them.
Self-made success story Melissa Evans believes innovators who have come to know their true strengths and align their business with their purpose and natural abilities will succeed even in turbulent times.
“Entrepreneurs and companies who have a clear understanding of who they are operate with certainty and confidence, which are the two things businesses and customers want most in these troubled times,” said Evans, a healthcare industry consultant and author of Sole to Soul: How to Identify Your Soul Purpose and Monetize It (www.soletosoulbook.com). “Everyone is not broke in this economy, some are thriving. Monetizing your purpose is the best way to have an abundant life.”
Hers is a modern, spiritual take on a classic economic theory: Countries and individuals are most successful and efficient when they know what they do best and focus on it. Aspiring entrepreneurs seeking more control over their financial futures or those looking to remake their careers after a layoff aren’t out of luck if they look inward and define their natural talents, she advised.
Evans offers these points for those looking to swim against the economic undertows:
Entrepreneurs must start by looking inward: They must know, love and be themselves to be successful.
They must inspire people to become aligned with their strengths and natural abilities and to put those skills to good use and to work for the good of their community.
Business people and companies must understand and assess the importance of being clear about their service so that customers can find them.
That clarity and forthrightness, in turn, will help people and companies monetize the talents and skills they offer, while removing limits to their growth.
“These are times that call out for individuals and business – and even our nation – to clearly define what makes them powerful, unique and able to move forward,” Evans said. “The greatest eras of economic growth occur when individuals, communities and countries embrace their gifts, talents and purpose and come from a place of genuine service – then they will be financially successful.”
As legions of both the unemployed and working people face the prospect that the overall economy will not improve soon, Evans believes a defeatist attitude is the worst possible path to take for individuals and the nation at large. Having interviewed scores of successful business people who succeeded despite the odds against them, Evans said the path to prosperity is clear: Those willing to work toward a single-minded, soul-inspired goal are successful and in turn create abundance for others, she said.
“You can monetize your ‘soul’ purpose, but it’s not all about the money – it’s about your gift and what you offer to others,” she said. “Those who understand what skills and traits make them special, who then develop a purposeful business plan and know how to remove the barriers that stand in their way – even a barrier as big as a recession – will and do succeed.”
Melissa Evans, MHA, PMP, founded The Broshe Group in 2001 in Atlanta, Georgia. With her focus on the healthcare industry, Evans helped numerous companies improve patient care, safety and service while growing profits.
