FEATURED POST OF THE WEEK

Our long-form article of the week. You can always view the current and past featured posts on Empower’s blog.

Three themes that emerged from last month’s workshop

Last month, I hosted my third &Grow lunch-and-learn workshop at Ampersand Studios in Nashville. Ampersand is a coworking space geared toward creative entrepreneurs, and they aim to further support their members’ businesses through tailored programming.

The topic of the most recent event was “Setting 2025 Up for Success.” Fitting for a January session, right?

My colleague, Katie Parker, and I explored the foundations of effective goal-setting and collaboration, emphasizing why, no matter the size of your business, these are crucial foundations.

Setting the tone

We had three objectives for the workshop:

1. Objective #1: Clarify why emerging entrepreneurs should prioritize collaboration and goal-setting early in the year.

2. Objective #2: Provide practical tools attendees could immediately apply.

3. Objective #3: Deliver an interactive session geared toward action.

To underscore the importance of these themes, I shared three key data points:

• Teams that set goals obtain 20-25% improved work performance.

• Poor communication can cost up to 18% of total salaries paid annually.

• Highly aligned teams achieve 58% higher revenue and are 72% more profitable.

I think the above made it clear: collaborative teams with clear goals outperform.

Then we got into the core content, with key takeaways summed up as:

• Teams perform better when goals are clear and aligned to strategy.

• Frameworks create focus and unifying language, enabling teams to move forward and stay motivated.

• Collaboration doesn’t help us only achieve goals; it multiplies impact.

• Structure doesn’t need to be a creativity killer. It’s often the unlock for better ideas and innovation.

The magic in breakout sessions

After laying the groundwork, we divided the audience into groups of three.

The task?

Each person presented a specific business goal or collaboration challenge. Then, the other two members brainstormed solutions or ways to advance the goal with their third partner.

As Katie and I walked around the room, it was clear how valuable it is for entrepreneurs to have peers as a sounding board. The conversations were engaged, candid and solution-oriented.

We then regrouped to share learnings and discuss sticking points.

While each narrative was slightly different, three themes really emerged:

• Theme #1 - Adding resources doesn’t always lead to immediate relief: Entrepreneurs experience tension when they can finally add teammates. Balancing onboarding, setting standards, introducing processes, aligning expectations and delegating can feel daunting to get right.

• Theme #2 - Narrowing priorities remains challenging: Many attendees were still refining their 2025 goals. They joined seeking accountability and guidance.

• Theme #3 - Business owners crave seamless collaboration: Workflow and process challenges create friction with collaborators, both internal and external.

While these are distinct, they all tie back to core processes and business systems that may not be in sync. Misalignment here impacts productivity, growth and customer delivery. If you were in that room, you’d have felt just how much these entrepreneurs wanted to break through these barriers.

The good news

All of these problems have solutions, even if they feel overwhelming.

I’ll tell you what I said to the attendees in that room:

When you reach that point where these areas of your business feel too messy or there’s too much ambiguity, step back and focus on a couple of key basics:

• Theme #1 - Don’t overlook onboarding. Invest the time to get this right so you don’t waste more effort later. Bringing new team members on board requires upfront effort (there's no way around it), and it's a two-way street. Build a lightweight process to align expectations and set them (and you) up for success.

• Theme #2 - Define your top three objectives for the year. Then, take those bigger goals and break them down into smaller, actionable milestones.

• Theme #3 - Identify the bottlenecks and outline the end-to-end workflow first. Don’t skip to the solution.

Each attendee left the workshop taking at least one step forward for their business, which is always my goal when I work with a business 1:1 or in a group session like this.

If any of these themes or challenges feel all too familiar and you’re interested in more of the content from the workshop, reply to the newsletter and I’ll be happy to share more.

WEEKLY DOSE OF EMPOWERMENT

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Grab an accountability partner

In Edition 002, I highlighted the impact accountability buddies had on my journey back to running postpartum. While that was relevant to a personal goal, partners who can keep you on track and honest are equally important in business.

What is an accountability partner?

An accountability partner is anyone who supports and encourages you to follow through with your commitments. This person will, no surprise, hold you accountable for the actions that influence your progress toward stated objectives.

An accountability partner can be a peer, friend, family member, mentor, group, a third party like us at Empower, etc. If you don’t have someone in your “tribe” who holds you to account, let me quickly tell you why you might want to consider finding one.

Increase goal achievement

The American Society of Training and Development found that people are 65% more likely to achieve their goals once they communicate them to another person. Those chances increase to 95% when they build in a consistent cadence to check in on progress.

Enhanced focus and productivity

When you communicate your commitments, your accountability partner will make sure you remain focused on those objectives, thereby making you more effective.

New perspective and objective feedback

A third party can bring new ideas, open your eyes to alternative ways of thinking and even uncover blindspots. This can help you make more informed decisions and accelerate progress.

If you’re seeking an accountability partner who can help you move the needle on operational challenges, be sure to click here or the banner at the top of this newsletter to learn more about Empower Progress. I designed that offering based on feedback from other emerging business owners and startup founders, specifically their desire for actionable advice, a plan and someone to keep them on track. 

JESSICA’S READ, OR LISTEN, PICK OF THE WEEK

A little something that got my gears turning this week and might pique your interest as well!

From No Mercy / No Malice: Think Slow

TL;DR

In this piece, Scott Galloway reflects on the work of psychologist Daniel Kahneman, emphasizing the importance of intentionality. He encourages readers to pause, reflect and engage in more deliberate decision-making rather than relying on instinct or gut reactions. He also shares personal strategies for minimizing decision fatigue, such as delegating routine choices, to conserve mental energy for more critical tasks.

It’s a good read for business leaders as a reminder to be thoughtful in major decisions, ensuring they are made with clarity and reason versus emotion. Our world changes at a breakneck pace, and it can be tempting, as Galloway states, to “fast-forwards to the end, believing we know what happened and why.”

JUST FOR FUN

Really, this section is just for fun. Who knows what will be in store each week?

Spring is in the air this week around Nashville. This is also the time of year when I start to get excited about more time outside, particularly outdoor runs. Indoor treadmill running just isn’t the same. In the past couple of years, I’ve become a fan of Bandit Running for my gear, so I was also excited to hear the Spring collection is coming, too. They’re going for all the season’s vibes and feels in this preview video. As of writing this, I have no idea what’s coming, but Bandit has my attention.

banditrunning

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LOOKING FOR MORE EMPOWERMENT?

You’ve worked hard to build your business. Let’s work together to make it last. We want to be your partner in the journey to develop the business that lives into your vision.

There are four primary ways Empower can partner with you to support getting your business to the next level. Click the image below to learn more about our core offerings.

If you’re ready to take the step, reach out to discuss how we can support your goals. 

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