Create Your Business Legacy

A person’s legacy is about the richness of the individual’s life, including what that person accomplished and the impact that he or she had on people and places. Some examples of leaving a personal legacy would be having children or dedicating your life to a social cause.

But for us entrepreneurs, we have a special opportunity to also leave another kind of legacy. We have the chance to create a business that will leave a legacy. Today, I want to share my story of how I feel I have done that, in hopes that it will help inspire you to determine what kind of business legacy you can leave.

When I was a little girl, I created a neighborhood circus. I put together the talent, I sold tickets to my show, and I turned my first profit. From that moment on, I knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur. I spent my whole adult life chasing that feeling. I worked in the corporate world but my mind was always racing, thinking of new business ideas and daydreaming about being my own boss. I had a lot of bad ideas, some good, and some even moderately profitable.

But everything changed when my now husband proposed to me. I didn’t think the proposal was that great and I asked him why he chose to propose to me that way. He told me that there weren’t any resources out there to help men proposing (this was 11 years ago) and a lightbulb went off. I told him I wanted to start a Proposal Planning company and the rest is history.

Now when I started my business, I didn’t know it would be as huge as it ended up being. But I just kept working hard and growing my business because I wanted to quit my day job so bad. And then something happened. People from all around the world started contacting me, asking me to help them start a Proposal Planning business in their country. People all over the US were also starting their Proposal Planning company, many using my model as their starting point.

And that is when it hit me. My business had left a legacy. My business had given people around the world an idea to start their own business. My little idea had helped to create jobs and a path to financial freedom for people around the globe. When I am no longer on this earth, when The Heart Bandits is no more, there will still be a Proposal Planning industry and I helped start that. Now with my Academy, I continue to help people around the world start their own Proposal Planning biz.

What can you do in your business that would allow your business to truly leave a legacy? To truly leave an impact on people or places that will last longer than you are here on this earth? Maybe you can offer a new service that will be the game changer. Or maybe you can get your business involved with a cause that will change lives. If you don’t already have the legacy in mind, work backwards. Think of the legacy you WANT your business to leave and then add a service or goal that will put you on the right path. Maybe it is creating a pop-up wedding biz or starting a Proposal Planning company in your area or for a certain segment of the market?

If you think Proposal Planning might be for you, be sure to sign up for my Proposal Planning Formula™ waitlist here. Don’t forget to download my FREE resources:

How To Get Your First Proposal Client

When you are getting ready to add Proposal Planning to your existing services or starting your own Proposal Planning business, one of your first fears will be how you will get your first client. Any entrepreneur feels that way when they start something new.

I was once there myself. When I started The Heart Bandits 11 years ago, no one had even heard of Proposal Planning. So I not only had the stress of finding a new client, but I had to do it when no one had heard of what I was doing. There wasn’t even Instagram or Pinterest back then!

Lucky for you, things are much easier now. Hiring a Proposal Planner is now accepted and guys are eager to get the help you will be offering. So how do you find your first client? There are several ways you can get leads and score your first client. Here are a few:

Reach Out To Your Network

Since you may not have an audience yet, one thing you can do is ask everyone you know if they know of anyone that is proposing soon. You could offer your services for free or at a discounted rate in exchange for using their photos on your website and social media. Normally I would never say to work for free, but when you need photos to start showing social proof, this is an amazing way to get it done.

Introduce Yourself

Send an email or call vendors in your area that would come into contact with your target audience. For example, a jewelry store that sells engagement rings is going to be in constant contact with people that are about to propose. Reach out to them and let them know you are a Proposal Planner. Ask them if you can bring some cards by or offer them a special rate if they refer clients to you.

Utilize Social Media

Correctly utilizing social media can get you clients fast. For example, if you post a photo of a proposal and use a hashtag that is popular (but not so popular that your post will get lost quickly), you will instantly be put in front of perspective clients that are searching for that hashtag. Don’t have a photo of a proposal you have planned? No worries! You can use a stock image and give proposal advice in the post. Or you can create an ad about your Proposal Planning services in Canva so when they search for that hashtag, they will find your services.

Remember, the hardest part is getting your FIRST client. But once you do get that first client and you start having proof of your work, it can really spiral for you there. Download my FREE Checklist For Your Proposal Planning Marketing Strategy here.

I have a couple more FREE resources for you below.