[00:00:00] Marshall Stern: Welcome everyone to season number two of The Stern Truth Business Unfiltered. You know, this is really more than just business. This is leadership. This is life. We have some amazing guests lined up for this upcoming season. Plus, you will get to hear more from me on some simple tools, tips, and strategies to help you build a sustainable, profitable business.
[00:00:28] Enjoy season two, my friends. And enjoy this episode, which kicks off season two as we kick off the back to business time of September. Only four months to go before the end of the year. Now's the time. Enjoy.
[00:00:44] Hi, I'm Marshall Stern and I've spent over 35 years leading and growing multiple small businesses. I know firsthand the struggles of entrepreneurship, feeling isolated, lonely, overwhelmed, and feeling like you have to do it all by yourself. I've been through multiple recessions, and I have felt the highs and the lows.
[00:01:04] I've been there, and I get it. This podcast is here to change that. Every week I will bring you straight talking advice, real world strategies, and honest conversations about what it takes to succeed in business without the fluff, the gimmicks, or the sugar-coated. If you're ready to stop spinning your wheels and start making real progress, then you are in the right place.
[00:01:27] This is The Stern Truth.
[00:01:32] All right. Welcome back, everyone. Season number two. Can you believe it? Maybe not. Season number two is now underway, so this is the beginning of September. This is why we've decided for season number two to start now, because it is September, back to school for many, and I call it back to business time.
[00:01:55] So my question to all of you is, what are you doing to prepare, or now, in it, back to business? You see, the summertime is great. We have vacations. Our clients are on vacations. It is a slower time for many. Not all. Some, it is their busy time. But for many, it is a slower time, especially if you have young children.
[00:02:15] It's not slower necessarily because you're balancing the kids and your business, so on and so forth, so it's actually quite a hectic time. But focusing solely on business during the typical nine to five, let's face it, there's no typical nine to five as a business owner. It can be challenging. Now, it is September.
[00:02:33] Many of you might have kids that are already back to school. Maybe you don't have kids, but you're in business, and it's back to business because only in a few short months, my friends, it will be the end of this, this year, 2026. So, people say, on podcasts, "Don't date yourself," but you know what? I'm going to date it.
[00:02:53] It is September the 8th. Four months from now, it will be 2027. So, what are you going to do about it? Where are you with your goals you set in January? This episode today is going to be brief. It's going to be bold, and you can click off any time. That's the beauty of a podcast. But I hope you stay with us, and I hope you stay with us throughout season number two because there are going to be even more guests for you to learn from, more tips, tools, strategies that I'm going to deliver, and of course, the insights, the gold nuggets from our amazing guests.
[00:03:29] Just you wait and see. There's some really incredible guests, some... a lineup that is going to blow your mind. Not that season one didn't. Season two will not disappoint. You will hear some of my guests. You will hear just from me, just like we did in season number one. But enough about that. What I want to talk to you about today is the remaining four months of the year, September, October, November, December, and December is a write-off for many, at least the latter half of it with holidays.
[00:04:01] So do you have a plan in place? What are you doing to hold yourself accountable? If you want to come join us in the ONtrepreneur Inner Circle, its fall cohort begins next week. If you're listening to this and it's after September the 15th when the fall cohort is scheduled to begin, reach out to me. It's not too late.
[00:04:21] The bottom line is if you are feeling a little bit overwhelmed, a little bit unfocused at times, you're not able to, to get the traction and the momentum and get things done that you need to get done in order to grow your business, then maybe you should get some guidance on that.
[00:04:38] Stop being alone. You can join us in the Inner Circle, you and I can have a conversation, a one-to-one conversation, maybe we can work together, or maybe there's someone else out there for you, a business coach, a mentor, someone who can help push you and encourage you, and guide you to step into your unthinkable zone, which you don't even...
[00:04:58] You can't even think of right now because you're too caught up in working in the business. The ONtrepreneur Inner Circle is there for you. I'm there for you. There are others there for you as well. But it's all really about getting out of your own way because we all do that. We fall into that trap of working in the business and not enough on the business or maybe even… we know we have the insight that we need to work on the business, but something stops us. Life gets in the way.
[00:05:25] Maybe we're not even sure what to do. We know we need to work on it, but what does that really mean? "Marshall, you keep saying work on the business. What does that mean?" I'll tell you what that means. Stop being reactive all the time.
[00:05:38] A few weeks ago, we talked about the power of 10 seconds. Slow down, stopping so reactive to the good and the not so good, the challenging. Go back to that episode, have a listen to it. Get focused on... here's my tip for the remaining four months and moving forward, but specifically the remaining four months. Decide today you – all I want you to do, get some clarity.
[00:06:02] Decide today you are going to get clarity. This week. And I'd love to hear back from you what that is. You are going to get clarity this week on what you want the remaining four months to look like. If you could create this yourself, which you can, what do you want to have achieved by December 31st, 2026? Don't wait.
[00:06:22] That's why we did the ONtrepreneur Bonfire series, which finished just last week. We do it every summer because it helps business owners, entrepreneurs who really want to get a head start and not wait until the back to business time, the September rolls around. They want to be ready for when September rolls around.
[00:06:39] And our clients, our members who joined the Inner Circle are ready. They have more clarity. How about you? If you don't, slow down. Think about what is it that you want to achieve by 2026, December 31st, 2026? That's number one. Then work backwards, and you and I can have a conversation. We're going to be doing this in the ONtrepreneur Inner Circle.
[00:07:01] We're going to be working on the “how.” Don't think about the how right now. Think about the “what.” What is it that you want by the end of the year? Then we can work on the how. You could bring me on your team, someone else on your team, speak to other business owners, whatever works for you. Don't hold yourself back.
[00:07:17] Give yourself an opportunity for success. Set yourself up for success. Time blocking can be an incredible tool if done right. If done incorrectly or a way that you're trying to fit into this, this certain specific time block or a day-timer, it won't work for you. That's what we do with our clients. We meet our clients where they are at.
[00:07:37] Not one system fits all, okay? Time blocking can be very powerful. Being clear on your why and your what is powerful. Stepping into the leadership role that your business, your clients need you to step into rather than just being the employee of your business is critical every day, every day. Doing something business development-wise every single day, reaching out, stepping outside of your comfort zone, being comfortable being uncomfortable is critical.
[00:08:07] That's my challenge for you. Try those strategies. Try having the leader's mindset. Try moving away from the employee mindset to the leader's mindset or the ONtrepreneur Mindset. All I want you to do this week, if you're not sure where you want the rest of the year to go, and you're wondering where the year has gone, and you haven't accomplished what you've wanted to accomplish, or you have a bigger goal, a bigger dream you want to push even further and further, then let's chat.
[00:08:38] Just simply email me, marshall@marshallstern.net, marshall@marshallstern.net. If you want to check out or you want to join – not check out. If you want to join the ONtrepreneur Inner Circle, if you want to check it out, check out what it's all about, let's have a chat. Just send me an email. Don't wait, gang. Season two will be over before you know it, and I don't want to be talking about the same thing going into season three for you.
[00:09:02] Go back, and I want you to listen to some of the episodes that we talked about and some of the guests we talked with in season one. But more importantly, when you listen to these episodes, when you hear these strategies, these insights, and some of them resonate with you, take action on them. Another course isn't going to do it for you necessarily, unless it's a skill set. We have to actually implement and take action.
[00:09:26] Enjoy season two. I also want to hear from you if you want to hear certain topics that you haven't heard or want to hear again about, okay? So, send me that email or comment below, wherever you're watching this, seeing this, hearing this, whatever it is. I want to hear from you - marshall@marshallstern.net is the easiest way
[00:09:45] But I'd love to hear – if you're watching this on YouTube, love to hear your comments. Give us a five-star Google review, five-star podcast review, whatever you can do to give a review so that other people can hear this podcast and hear this important message.
[00:09:59] There's no time but today to begin to finish this year off strong. It is September 8th when I'm publishing this. It is back to business time. Let's go for it. We'll see you again next week on another episode of The Stern Truth Business Unfiltered.
[00:10:21] Thank you so much for tuning in to the Stern Truth. If you found today's episode helpful, we would love to hear from you. Please like, share, and leave us a review. Also, if you'd like to be a guest in an upcoming episode or join us in one of our Momentum accountability group sessions, simply email me to marshall@marshallstern.net.
[00:10:42] That's marshall@marshallstern.net. And don't forget to hit the subscribe button so you never miss an episode. Until next time, keep pushing forward and leading with confidence.
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