I’m Melinda Emerson and every week as @SmallBizLady, I conduct interviews with experts on my Twitter talk show #SmallBizChat. The show takes place every Wed on Twitter from 8-9pm ET. This is excerpted from my recent interview with Paul Wilson Jr @pwilsonjr. Paul is the founder and Chief Inspiration Officer of Biznovations, LLC. The company inspires and designs creative solutions that empower individuals and companies to maximize financial and social profitability. They design and implement innovative strategies and processes that help organizations reach their operational, financial, and community goals. He also authored the book, Dream B.I.G. in 3D: How to Pursue a Bold, Innovative, God-Inspired Life! For more information http://www.paulwilsonjr.com.
Smallbizlady: What’s the difference between a vision and a dream in business?
Paul Wilson Jr: I’ve heard it said that a vision is a dream with a deadline. A dream is all about creating a mental picture that stretches the boundaries of your imagination for what you believe is possible. A (business) vision brings clarity, specificity, and direction to the dream.
Smallbizlady: Where do you find inspiration to dream big in business?
Paul Wilson Jr: Faith in God. Other big dreamers. Vision boards. Imagining the benefits and results of the lives that my business is targeted to reach. Driving through areas of the city that I want to see transformed. Praying for the people that I want to impact. In essence, putting myself in situations to have my mind stretched, including different types of learning environments, listening to those who inspire me, reading books, and other things.
Smallbizlady: How do you shift from dreaming big to doing big things in your business?
Paul Wilson Jr: Vision without execution leads to frustration. One vision is often a combination of many (complimentary) ideas. List all the different ideas needed to realize your vision. Choose one to work on first and build your business plan for that. Implement, grow, and perfect that idea and then build on it with another complimentary idea going through the same process.
Smallbizlady: What is one key of success for implementing a big dream?
Paul Wilson Jr: One key to long-term business success is that there’s alignment and congruency between the vision of the business and the dream/mission/purpose of the individual.
Smallbizlady: How can you ensure that your life plan is aligned with your business plan?
Paul Wilson Jr: Your business plan should be an outgrowth of your life plan. This also ensures that you’re in the right business for the right reasons.
Smallbizlady: How can you assess if your business is the right fit for your life plan?
Paul Wilson Jr: Evaluate and assess the alignment of three things in relation to your business: 1) Your purpose, your passions, and your professional skills. 2) Your purpose involves your personal vision, mission, and values. 3) Your passions are key areas that drive and stretch you to be excellent – no matter what it takes. Your professional skills combine your talents, knowledge, education, experience, etc.
Smallbizlady: What hinders big dreamers from having successful businesses?
Paul Wilson Jr: The person is more important than the plan. Don’t get intoxicated with the dream and then not be willing to following through on the execution to implement it. The best business plan is only as good as the people who are executing it. Develop yourself so that you are the best person you can be to execute your business plan.
Smallbizlady: How do you keep doubts out of your dreams?
Paul Wilson Jr: For some people dreaming can inadvertently cause doubt when you stop dreaming and starting thinking about all the reasons why you can’t do something. Reverse that with thinking about all the reasons you CAN do it. Dominate your doubts or your doubts will dominate you.
Smallbizlady: How do you overcome F.E.A.R. in order to dream big in business?
Paul Wilson Jr: Focus your thoughts in a positive direction — for me it’s God’s power. Evaluate your obstacles thoroughly to assess their validity. Attack the enemies “in-a-me” (silence the negative voices). Respond to the challenge.
Smallbizlady: How do you ensure long-term sustainability of your big business dream?
Paul Wilson Jr: It’s not about you — it’s about what you leave for someone else to build on. That’s legacy. Build a business where you are focused on the size of your significance versus the significance of your size.
If you found this interview helpful, join us on Wednesdays 8-9pm ET follow @SmallBizChat on Twitter.
For more tips on how start or grow your small business subscribe to my blog www.succeedasyourownboss.com.
Melinda Emerson, known to many as “SmallBizLady,” is a Veteran Entrepreneur, Small Business Coach and Social Media Strategist who hosts #SmallBizChat weekly on Twitter for emerging entrepreneurs. #Smallbizchat is the trusted resource on Twitter to discuss everything entrepreneurs need to know about launching and running a profitable small business. Her first book Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months was released in March 2010.
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