Today, I want to share with you a valuable business process that saved my life.

For the first decade of my career as an entrepreneur, I struggled with work-life harmony. I hustled constantly, convinced that was the only way to succeed. It took total burnout for me to realize that success achieved this way is neither sustainable nor healthy.

That’s when I started creating a process for myself that put not only my work and passion for business at the forefront but also my own well-being.

I call this process The Elevation Approach. This approach is a cycle that consists of 4 stages: preparation, inspiration, recreation, and transformation. These are the 4 stages I swear by for creating and launching businesses and big ideas.

Preparation

Planning is crucial and this stage should be dedicated to ironing out all the important details related to your brainchild. Refine your product and figure out the legal and financial matters pertaining to your business before you get the ball rolling.

Inspiration

Shift your focus from your product to your ideal customer. Think about their needs and how your product can be tweaked to better meet those needs. Draw inspiration from your peers and role models.

Recreation

By this point, you’ve been hustling non-stop for quite some time and this pace isn’t sustainable! It’s time to take a break and recharge – enjoy some downtime, go on holiday, and indulge in your hobbies. It sounds odd to hit the brakes just as you were about to launch, but sometimes you need to take a step back to get a new perspective – and some much-needed inspo! I always get my big breakthrough in this phase. 

Transformation

Come back to your idea more inspired than ever and tie up any loose ends. You’ve molded your product idea with care and attention without killing yourself in the process. Now, it’s time to release it into the world.

If you’ve read Elevation magazine, you’ve seen this approach. It’s how the magazine is arranged. I’ve always wanted our readers to take a journey through each work journal, and I hope you find this process helpful for planning, launching, and growing your business. 

To get you started, you can download this monthly Elevation Approach planning template. I’d love to hear what you think about it, so please email me!