Matt Saunders’ Post

The fine line between encouragement and criticism... As a coach my job is to help people improve. But social media, being the free-for-all it is, is a risky place to dish out advice. Because for every person who feels spurred on, you'll find another who wants me to just go away. Case in point: Whenever I post advice about ghosting, the comments are always a mixed bag. My central message to avoid ghosting is "be better" → Better processes → Stronger boundaries → Clearer onboarding For those who get ghosted but are looking for a solution, these are helpful messages. But to those sitting on unpaid invoices and eyeing up their bills, they just want the problem to go away. They don't want to "change". They see me as criticising them and as such, I'll be subject to their frustrations. And this is the line I have to walk, as someone trying to help. I've learned that some will read my content and feel encouraged. And others will read it and want to club me. Fair dos, it's the nature of this wild west platform. But I'm not going to stop trying to help. Curious to hear if you've experienced this, and how you deal with it?

Slamballs. One of my favourite workouts. And a great way to end a busy week. Happy weekend y’all ✌️

I used to be very negative 😬 I would look for the downside in any given situation. I'd rationalise this by calling myself a "realist". And I would say things like "well if this goes wrong, I will be proved right, but if it goes well, I will be pleasantly surprised" I honestly thought my logic was unassailable. And in a way, I suppose it was: I couldn't fail if I never tried. I could never be disappointed if my expectation was low. This is a very safe way to life, for sure. But it makes your life tiny. Some how, you never really feel in control. You struggle to find joy in anything. At the same time you get weirdly triggered by others who seem to be doing well, and those of a cheerful disposition. What I came to learn was two things: 1) You attract what you are - if you're a misery, you'll invite misery into your life in the form of people and events. After a while even the staunchest of miseries begin to question their disposition. 2) My dislike of positivity was actually a message - it was telling me that underneath it all, I was actually a positive person. I was just resisting it. Once I began to let go of the pay-off of being negative (false sense of security, Jack Dee-style humour etc) my whole world opened up. I became happier, lighter and more easy-going. My relationships improved and I even began to earn more money in my business. It turns out that life supports life. People and situations are attracted to those with a positive disposition, because the energy is expansive and more hopeful. There's no way I'm going back. Every day I cultivate my positive mindset by feeling grateful, giving love and being in the moment. I'm not sure why I felt compelled to share this today, but perhaps it's a message you can benefit from too 😊

This appeared in my Facebook memories today and, 9 years later, I still have no idea what it means. Any ideas? #TerribleDesign

Meetings are underrated IMO. Everyone seems to be trying to avoid them. But actually conversing with clients: - Creates connection and builds trust - Catches any issues before they escalate - Drives clarity into the detail Don’t hold clients at arms length. And don’t let them do that to you either. Have regular calls. This helps ensure: - Projects run smoothly - Invoices get paid - Everybody is happy What do you think about meetings?

I don't have much to say today except... THANK YOU 🙏 A couple of weeks ago I reached out asking people if I could interview them to help form my new coaching offering. And this week I made a post asking for feedback on the initial work-in-progress. In total 25 people agreed to speak with me on Zoom or share their thoughts over email, DM and voice note. The generosity around here is something else 😊 If you need help, support or a second set of eyes... just ask. So many people are willing to listen, help and cheer you on. What a community 🙏

Yesterday I asked "can anyone run a successful business?" At 120 votes the poll says 36% YES (if they really want it) and 64% NO (it's not for everyone) There was a great discussion in the comments (find the post from my profile if curious) and a couple of people asked what I think. Honestly..? I think that anyone has the potential to achieve anything available to them according to their physical and mental faculties. That is to say: if you are physically and mentally able to do a thing, you can do it. But there is a massive piece missing here: the *will* to do it. As a coach I have seen plenty of people "fail" because the intrinsic motivation is absent. Intrinsic motivation - that is motivation coming from within, not from the promise of external reward or other people's approval - is something I look out for in my clients. If they're trying to do something for the money, or through fear, or because they think they "should"... most of the time they'll fail. And even when they succeed, they'll feel bad, which to me is also a form failure. So in short my answer is YES. Given the right internal conditions, anyone CAN run a successful business. But the long and messy answer is that as humans these conditions fluctuate and are of course subject to external influence as well. The magic seems to be in knowing what you really, truly want - I believe there is a person of colossal failure and staggering success in every one of us. Steve Cardwell Joseph Minor Johannes Fraundorfer Rachel Barker Versaviya Despars Luke Wilcoxson Thomas Turner Dee Primett Anna Shephard Gareth W. Jean-François Bodart Brad R. Edwards

Hey all, a favour... I am redesigning my core offer and I would LOVE some feedback on it. In exchange I'd be happy to give you a free 45 minute coaching call to help you with any challenge you're facing in your business at the moment. The overall idea for the offer is to help solo business owners reclaim their freedom: → ⌚ Stop being micro-managed by clients and learn how to use your time more effectively → 💷 Stop trading time for money, and leverage your income by getting smarter about your service offering → ❤️ Stop overthinking and self-doubt by improving your clarity, focus and wellbeing It's a 15 minute Loom of the programme framework and there are 4 questions to answer at the end. If you're up for taking a look please send me a DM and in exchange I'd be happy to give you a free 45 minute coaching call to help you with any challenge you're facing in your business at the moment. ----- Please LIKE/comment for reach ✊ THANK YOU!

👀 Controversial? Do you think anyone could be their own boss? I often hear people say "not everyone is cut out for this" But others say "anyone can achieve whatever they put their mind to" So what do you think? Is business ownership available to all?

I’ve hired several times over my career. Here are my top tips if you want to step out of production and hire some help: ✊ Hire for attitude first, skills second. Skills can learned, but a good attitude is priceless. ✊ Look for alignment in values. Being able to get along with someone is critical for a good working relationship. ✊ When delegating, define up to 80% of your delivery process. Give space for the person to bring their own ideas. Nobody wants to be a puppet. ✊ Focus on the positive return of hiring, not the investment. ✊ Calls beat emails. Any hint of confusion or tension, speak. What's your experience of hiring? What are your blocks to hiring? I'd love to hear in the comments.