With many out of a job, countless lives lost and a crumbling economy, 2020 has been a crazy year to say the least. With daily changes that keep things unpredictable, we are continuously forced to adapt our day to day lives. In the world of online entrepreneurship however, it’s been business as usual. The online world is abundant with near endless possibilities for anyone looking to take control of both their time and their income. One entrepreneur who took advantage of the extra time spent at home during the crisis is Lewis Schenk.
Formerly an NJCAA All-American golfer, Lewis was an aspiring professional golfer at the end of 2020. Things took a turn at the end of last year however, when a great business opportunity presented itself. This business venture combined with hours of practice and playing golf, his attention was divided. At a crossroads as to which path he truly wanted to take, the pandemic forced Lewis down the avenue of business. With the enforced lockdowns and ample amounts of time spent at home, Lewis doubled down on his business, which saw him work with over 100 new clients in just 10 weeks. Now he has his sights set high, with a new paradigm on what’s truly possible. Lewis has a unique approach to his craft, setting himself apart from fellow entrepreneurs. Here he shares his 5 tips for business owners in 2020:
1. Grow Your Network.
“Your network is your net-worth” – Dan Pena.
Besides it being perhaps the most cliché statement in recent history, it makes a lot of sense: if you hang out with winners, you’ll be a winner, and if you hang out with losers, you’ll be a loser. Lewis learned this early on, being incredibly selective with his time, and choose to spend it with people who supported him, rather than those who could hold him back. “The only reason I was able to scale my business so quickly was because of my powerful online network,” Lewis explained. With physical networking being put on hold for most of 2020, we are blessed to have social media as a means of networking. With the click of a button, you can find hundreds, if not thousands of like-minded people, who share a common goal of financial freedom and success. Connecting with other entrepreneurs, in particular those who are well ahead of you, is perhaps one of the most powerful ways to shortcut success.
2. Be Adaptable.
The ability to adapt is more important now than ever, with technology and business changing so fast. If you fail to adapt, you become irrelevant. With one of his other businesses shutting its doors due to COVID-19 at the start of the year, Lewis was forced to adapt to an online business model, taking the challenge head on and achieving far more than he thought possible in that short amount of time. “Adaptability is the key to success in a post-covid world. If you aren’t ready to pivot when things change, you’ll fall behind and be forced to return to the rat race,” Lewis explained. With the unpredictable state of the world, the ability to adapt is paramount.
3. Practice Daily Discipline.
“Discipline is at the core of any material success” – Will Smith.
Whether it be working out, meditating, reading or journaling, having some kind of daily discipline will keep you on the right track for success. “My morning routine sets my day up for success. I wake up, read 10 pages, meditate for 10 minutes, then write down my goals. It’s simple, effective and powerful, and it’s got me some great results,” explained Lewis. Discipline is a transferrable skill, and by building the habit of discipline in one area, you will be able to carry that over into another.
4. Brand Yourself.
People like to do business with those that they know, like and trust. There are so many ‘gurus’ and ‘entrepreneurs’ out there who slide into your DM’s. A quick glimpse at their profiles with just 7 photos of them in their bathroom, your instinct will be screaming at you not to do business with them. “Branding yourself is huge. You need to position yourself as the go-to expert in your industry to have any chance of making it,” Lewis explained. Being able to think in the eyes of your potential customer is crucial, as it is their values that you need to appeal to, not your own. Before you go trying to sell through your Instagram, take a hard look at your profile and think whether or not you’d truly do business with yourself.
5. Rest.
In the fast-paced world we live in, there is so much emphasis placed on ‘hustling’ and ‘grinding’. What many people forget is the most important thing of all – rest. Much like we need sleep to recharge our body, we need breaks from work to recharge our minds. This allows us to better reflect, strategize and come up with new ideas. “I’m guilty of not taking enough time off. The more I learn and grow, the more I realise I truly need rest in order to operate at my highest potential,” Lewis explained. Burnout is incredibly common amongst entrepreneurs, and as counterintuitive as it may seem, rest will allow you to achieve more and eventually overtake your competition.
Being a business owner is one of the most stressful, yet fulfilling things you’ll ever experience. Whether you’re 5 years in, or just starting out, Lewis’ 5 tips are of vital importance, and will greatly help you in your journey towards success.
If you want to learn more, visit his website and follow him on Instagram @lewis_schenk
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Brendan Cox (born 08/29/2000) is an American teen serial entrepreneur who currently owns and runs various businesses. Specializing in graphic design and branding, Cox is one of the most successful entrepreneurs in his age group.
