Client Case Study:
By the time Anabeth McConnell had become a business owner, she had already developed a truck load of hard and soft skills through the numerous lines of work she had pursued early in her career, the dual degrees she earned, her 10 years serving in the military, and her 8 years employed as a project manager. Still, when she bought the project management company she was employed at thus making the leap from employee to business owner, Anabeth felt like an accidental business owner who needed guidance.
Once she took over Inbound Design Partners, a brand and web strategy business, Anabeth quickly learned how different project managing a project is vs. project managing a business. Sure, she had a degree in project management followed by eight years of experience which proved very helpful, but project managing a whole business from the top down was a totally different animal. She had to wear ALL the hats and could no longer be a nine to fiver. Running the business swiftly became her life.
Anabeth was on the computer all day long. Her hubby was constantly asking her when she was coming to bed as she typed away at 11 o’clock at night. Her daughter was constantly asking Anabeth to play with her but the business needed her, too, so it always felt like a tug-of-war with her time and attention. She was feeling a ton of guilt not being able to be everywhere at once and not being able to please anyone. She realized she can’t do it all and when she tries, it’s all done poorly. Running the business she once loved being employed by was all-consuming and it felt awful. Anabeth knew she needed support and decided she’d give Leverage Lab® a try. Right away, she discovered that the skills she lacked were the skills being coached on by me and worked on by several other small business owners in the program.
Right away, the masterclasses and coaching sessions helped Anabeth see her business from an outside perspective which helped her a) determine if she was working on the right things and b) redirect her time and energy to the tasks and projects she should be taking on to achieve her goals more efficiently. She learned time management and delegation essentials, and how and when to say no which was crucial for reclaiming time. She discovered how breaking down her goals as well as breaking down the roles people must play in achieving those goals was monumental to her success. Most importantly, she learned strategies to get over her preconceived notions and navigate the incredible mindset shift that must happen when one becomes an accidental business owner.
Before Leverage Lab®, Anabeth’s background in project management led her to take on every project herself despite having a business partner and a team she could rely on. Now, she delegates more effectively and more readily distributes the giant workload with the assistance of the SOPs she and her team diligently created. Transforming into a better and more empowering leader felt like a weight was lifted off her shoulders as she passed the mantle on to others and was able to focus on her zone of genius. That shift has opened up her time for more thought leadership, more guilt-free time with her family, and a possible early retirement so she can travel the world.
For the first time in many years, Anabeth took time off during the holidays totally guilt-free and the business kept moving forward. That could not have been possible a year ago when her business totally consumed her time and energy. Today, life is simply better and she runs a better business. Anabeth credits a good amount of that success to the growth she achieved alongside other driven business owners in Leverage Lab®.
What You'll Discover In This Episode:
In this episode of Productivity Straight Talk, sit down with Anabeth McConnell who is the owner of Inbound Design Partners. We dive into her entrepreneurial journey and pull back the curtain on the work she put in to transition from project manager to business owner who must project manage an entire business.
Episode Links & Resources:
Hear A Clip From Anabeth McConnell:
About Guest:
Anabeth McConnell, owner of Inbound Design Partners, is a brand & web strategist with 12 years of experience helping hundreds of companies build a better sales funnel framework that attracts, captures, and converts higher quality leads.
By using both Inbound Marketing and StoryBrand methodologies, Anabeth works with SMBs to create user-centered brand messaging, conversion-focused websites, and lead-generation assets aimed at connecting the right message, to the right audience, at the right time.
A HubSpot Solutions Partner, Certified Digital Marketing Strategist, and a StoryBrand Certified Guide, Anabeth strives to help clients attract, capture & convert ideal leads, grow their customer base, and increase their bottom line.
As a native Texan, she enjoys teasing her Missouri-born husband that Texas has better BBQ but must admit enjoying family time at the Lake of the Ozarks does help her better adjust to living in the Midwest.
