Diana Alt is a career growth strategist who helps people land their dream job. Diana works with those in mid-career looking for vertical growth and entrepreneurs just starting their journey. Diana created a four-part framework that, when utilized, allows you to advance your career in the field of your choice. With over 14 years of experience in the industry, Diana knows what it takes to advance in your job so that you can land your ideal position. Today, she shares the steps you can take if you’re ready to shift gears, change your professional path, and dive into new endeavors.
The defining question between those willing to work a nine to five in corporate America and entrepreneurs is how they define risk. That is what every client onboarding starts with when you work with Diana. In her experience, two fundamental mindsets regarding risk are always present. The first train of thought is being an employee, receiving wages, benefits, etc., and hoping to keep that position until you’re ready to retire. The second mindset is more entrepreneurial, which is why should I be satisfied with just one income stream. Once Diana asks these questions, she determines what the best path is. Perhaps, if they’re happy with the nine to five but are wondering about passive income or second and third income streams, she coaches that person on starting a freelance business that can segue into a full-time career or not. That choice is always left to the individual.
One aspect most people don’t focus on when they decide to go the entrepreneurial route is to lean into their strengths. Don’t follow cookie-cutter advice. Only outsource the work you can’t do on your own until you’re big enough to require the extra help due to time constraints. A second thought that people need to understand is that you must know yourself well. You need to know what your risk tolerance is. If financial security is of utmost importance to you, then you don’t leap until you are comfortable with your nest egg. Otherwise, you set yourself up for failure and anxiety. And those two mindsets usually equal failure.
When you go off on your own, part of being a successful entrepreneur is understanding the importance of outsourcing. It’s the only way to stay at the top of your game and not experience burnout. That comes down to hiring the right people and understanding that you need to pay them for the value they provide. You can’t expect to receive top-notch work when you are paying minimum wage. This is important in today’s culture. In a world where everyone is hiring at different wage points, the quality of work can sometimes suffer. Changing the terminology from “X Assistant” to “X Expert” needs to happen. No person can excel at everything, and it’s essential to understand that you cannot clone yourself. So when you are ready to make that leap and start outsourcing tasks and projects, you may need to hire more than one individual to fill the need.
In her experience, the one thing that Diane feels you should hold off on outsourcing is your marketing strategy. This is because only you, the entrepreneur, have a clear vision of where your business is going and how you want to get there. It’s ok to hire different team members to help with the marketing workload, but until you’re a big enough company, try to reserve that for yourself.
At the heart of what Diana does with her clients is asking hard questions. Having people dig deep to figure out what exactly it is that will make them happy and how they can achieve what they want. Once you understand your strengths and goals, you can adjust your compass to find the work that fits your ideal lifestyle and desires.
In this episode:
[2:45] Diana explains her path to becoming a career strategist
- Don’t settle for the status quo
- Do a deep dive into what you want out of life
[5:20] Figure out if you want to be independent or employed
- Success comes in many different forms
- If you’re looking for security, then working for someone else can be your goal
[9:01] Know what your risk tolerance is
- To make decisions with confidence, they need to be thought out
- Understanding what drives your anxiety and make preparations so that you don’t increase them
- Sometimes starting with a side hustle is the best way to test the entrepreneurial waters
[13:42] Most often, it’s at midlife that people begin to question is what they are doing is making them truly happy
- Typically women are afraid to say what they want because they have been conditioned to accept what is given to them
- You need to have the courage to be outspoken and chase your dreams
[16:31] You need to understand that you need to outsource
- As entrepreneurs, you will experience burnout if you don’t learn to outsource tasks
- Only outsource the things you can’t do or don’t want to
- Don’t listen to cookie-cutter advice. Everyone is unique, and things should be looked at from unique perspectives.
Watch the Interview:
Learn more and reach out:
- LinkedIn: Diana Alt
- Website: www.dianaalt.com
