Why Saying "No" is Important for an Intentional Business

In this episode of Profits + Prosecco Podcast, I want to talk about this two-letter word that we often give way too much power to. We let the fear of hearing the word “No” stop us from so many things. “No” shouldn’t be feared. I want to encourage you to be able to hear it, say it, receive it, and respect it. This way, you can move towards a life that you are intended to live while showing up as your best self.

But before we dive right in, welcome to the Profits + Prosecco Podcast! I’m your host, Katie Ferro, CPA, reformed rule follower, creator of Booked Out Bookkeeper, mom to 3 little ones, and Kajabi enthusiast.

This podcast is for entrepreneurs who desire to change their life through their profitable business, and for bookkeepers and accountants who want to escape the 9-5 and start a simple scalable bookkeeping business like I did. 

Bookkeeping increases profits and profits change lives. So pop some bubbles and let me show you how! 

In this episode, we are going to tackle the word “No” and shift our mindset on how we view it from a negative term to a positive one. And for even more juicy details, listen to ALL of episode 4 of the Profits + Prosecco Podcast on your fave streaming platform.

Why the word “No” isn’t as big and scary as we make it out to be.

If there’s something you want, whether that’s a new client, a promotion, or some help around the house from your kids, the more you sit on desires without acting, the farther you are from living your truth. When it comes to starting or growing your business, the fear of hearing the word “No” may prevent you from inviting potential clients to calls with you or following up with them after you’ve had a great call. This is all because you’re afraid to hear this word. Whenever you do feel fear around this, I recommend playing out the entire scenario. Go deep into that worst-case scenario you picture in your head that stops you from taking action. What will happen to you if you do hear the word “No”?

Let’s say you have a great call with a potential client and you have left them with a quote to outline the next steps. It’s been a couple of days and you followed up with them only to hear the word “No”. What will happen then? You have closure, you know you can move on and don't have to worry about where that potential client is at. Now you can move forward to serve and engage with other potential clients. When we think about this logically, why is this two-letter word so scary and so fearful to us? If anything, it’s only giving us more clarity. The word “No” also means nothing about you, it’s not personal. Wouldn’t you rather hear your potential client decide not to move forward and get to dedicate your precious time to other clients than moping around wondering if they are going to work with you?

My top tips on how you can reframe your mind when it comes to the word “No”.

A book recommendation I want to share when it comes to hearing the word “No” in the context of sales is called “Go For No.” This concept is really good because the book focuses on how you should be going after a certain amount of “No’s” rather than “Yeses”. The more “No’s” you hear, the more “Yeses” you will hear inevitably. I want to also dive into the concept of being afraid to say “No” because this is necessary to live your truth and be intentional. If you feel this way, most likely you are giving yourself too much credit and perhaps a big ego by thinking this person needs to hear “Yes” otherwise they can’t handle it. Try to remember how it feels for you when someone is doing something they don’t want to do purely out of fear of letting you down. Wouldn’t you rather someone genuinely helping or assisting you instead of agreeing to people please?

Remember that the other person will be fine if you don’t say “Yes”, they will handle it themselves or go find someone who will show up better and assist them with what they need. This can apply to clients in business but also any part of your life. Next time you find yourself hesitant to say “No”, are you doing this person a favor, or are you harming them? That will help alleviate the stress and bring you back into focusing on how you can serve the other person rather than yourself. 

Why Saying "No" is Important for an Intentional Business: The Bottomline

I want you to reflect on a few questions. Where are you allowing the word “No” to hold too much power in your life? Is it in your personal life or business? What is it preventing you from doing, having, or being? Then ask yourself, who is suffering because of your attempted avoidance from this word? These are big questions I want you to think about, be sure to reach out and let me know the answers you have to them. I’d love to hear from you and what your biggest takeaways were from this episode! 

Don’t forget to tune into episode 4 of the Profits + Prosecco Podcast. Thank you so much for listening to Profits + Prosecco Podcast. I know this episode has helped you see how profitable businesses change lives. If you enjoyed the episode, please take a second to rate and review. Each review helps us reach and inspire more entrepreneurs and bookkeepers just like you. 

Don’t forget to take a screenshot, share it in your Instagram stories, and tag me at @orderlyaccountingbykatie. Cheers to your inevitable success and I’ll see you in the next episode! 

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