Signature Bites, by Alison Tucker
Client Tell is a guest-post series from clients who have worked with me and want to share their process. The first series is a 5-part story from Alison Turner, Brownie Boss of Signature Bites, a small-batch, handmade and all natural gourmet brownie company. Let us know what you think of her story–and her brownies!
First step to breaking through the “brownie blockade”
- By Alison Turner
I approached my first phone session with Dyana with a good deal of trepidation. I was fearful of sounding like a “corporate snob”, of not appearing committed enough to my brownie cause, of coming across as “too knowing” about the ins-and-outs of starting a business when I’ve no proven track record.
Thankfully though, my desire to connect with someone who could help me break through my “brownie blockade” was more powerful – and so while it occurred to me to worm my way out of our initial conversation and put forth another self-imposed STOP sign, I forged ahead and made the call.
Dyana was brilliant at getting to the heart of things very quickly, and very painlessly! Her probing questions promptly validated my self-diagnosis for throwing out one excuse after another for not having developed my business as far as I proclaim I have wanted to. “It’s not a lack of self confidence,” she said, “It’s about shaking the anxiety loose and growing in a controlled fashion.”
Ah, control. That word comes up in my personal life too. My ever-supportive fiancé commented on my control issues this past weekend in an entirely different context, so I shouldn’t be surprised that this spills into my business persona as well. But what to do about it? When does too much control become a bad thing? How do I control my control problems?
Dyana was also quick to identify my very practical nature and approach to life, and encouraged me to start segregating the practical side of my brain from my brownie plans and aspirations. It’s almost as if my practical mind has a choke-hold on my ambitions, circumventing development because I’m trying to control the outcome of next steps instead of just moving forward.
I was also very encouraged to have Dyana explore my work-style preferences. I’m a social person, and historically, I’ve really enjoyed the corporate office atmosphere and working in teams with smart people. I fear my quest for entrepreneurship will leave me lonely and bereft of social interaction.
I wasn’t quite sure where all of this was heading, and how we would work through it. So when “homework” was assigned, I smiled to myself and like the good student I always was, I wrote down my assignments:
1. Come up with a brownie vision – how to take it from a one-woman collective to something much bigger and doesn’t have me as a lonely baker!
2. Map out my collective ambition and develop an organization chart. Define the ideal business model – is it Patagonia-style or Vermont Country Store?
3. Develop a target list of buyers, both “sure bets”, “maybe’s” and “fantasy” buyers.
But I think my most enjoyable, and easiest homework assignment – what Dyana called my “bonus” task – will be listing all those STOP signs I have no problem coming up with – just watch me fill up an entire sheet of paper with those!
Give Alison some feedback, add your own story and add your own blockades or blockade-busters below.
Find out more about Alison and order some brownies!
