I was doing before I was doing...

Yes, you read that correctly. In a world full of buzz words popping up everyday and constant recreations of wheels, sometimes we have to evaluate what's already happening. A while ago, I shared a bit about imposter syndrome in "So Much to Prove," but today I want talk about stepping into the confidence of what we already know, what we've already been doing and building from there.

I first heard about the concept of fractional c-suite professionals during the Goldman Sachs Black in Business cohort a few years back. As I dug a little deeper into the buzz word, I realized I already was doing that. Maybe on a smaller scale sure, but I was doing it nonetheless. I was providing operations management strategy before realizing that I was just maintaining a client's status quo. I was building and improving processes. I was training my clients' staff who own the day-to-day implementation. Before that realization, I was consulting with start-ups -giving tangible deliverables, conducting solid research to inform their decisions, providing wise counsel, and challenging them to dig deeper to build a strong foundation - prior to calling myself a consultant. I could go on and on about work I've done without realizing the full extent of what I was doing.

This is not to say "oh, I'm so great, I do all this stuff," rather the point is to challenge us to pay attention and truly inspect what what do - not just serve as our own harshest critique. Doing this step will help us better articulate what we do as we evolve. Braxton Management is not the same entity it was when I started it in undergrad doing legal secretarial services for a criminal defense attorney.

We have to continually monitor what we actually do and who we serve because those are bound to evolve in most service businesses. Don't panic when new buzz words pop up. Gain prospective, compare the buzz words to what you do, and implement them in your vocabulary when appropriate - not every buzz word is necessary and remember to always stay true to your mission.

I've perceived myself as left behind because I looked at the surface of new trends without digging deeper. Staying relevant is paramount, but if you look close enough you may see that you're already doing it or at least a portion of it. Does any of this resonate with you? Let us know. My team and I want to ensure that we provide useful solutions and prospective.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss your business pain problem, schedule a chat with us.

Cheers. -K.T. Braxton, MBA