One of my favorite sayings is, "The Universe gives you exactly what you need, when you need it, and no sooner." A few days ago, I received just that.  Photo by dsearls

Someone who had taken my Networking Naturally Program two years ago wrote to me with the following:

"Just writing to let you know that your advice through the Networking Naturally Program is continuing to be of great help….."

He went on to talk about how relationships, formed through networking, were helping him transition to a new career, from being a full-time symphony musician to something full of potential that was still unfolding. I found it remarkable that my program, delivered to hundreds of people virtually at the same time, had had such a profound impact on someone whose hand I had never shaken, in a field so different from mine, who lived thousands of miles away, in the middle of the Pacific Ocean (Hawaii).

I started crying, overwhelmed by a sense of deep gratitude. 

This person's story was a reminder of the real reason I expanded beyond one-on-one coaching to teleseminars, webinars and information products for alumni associations. Initially, it was to survive during the depths of the recession, when it was difficult to sign up new coaching clients.  I quickly went to a business model where I could sell a solution in the form of a teleseminar series, for less than a $100.    

And while I mouthed the words about impacting more people, I didn't really get it until this moment. 

As an entrepreneur, it's easy to get caught up in operational details and/or long term planning of growing a business.  The meaning of the work, in a bigger sense, gets lost.   Especially when the journey seems more like a hiking through underbrush instead of a run on a gravel path, it can be discouraging.  The pay is low, the hours are long, and the outcome is uncertain.  I'm not complaining. It's just the reality. 

I now know why I'm doing the work I'm doing today.  It's not about building a business I can walk away from. Yes, that's nice, but it won't keep me going when finances are tight or I've worked another weekend.  It's not about the money, although I certainly won't mind when I'm in year 4 instead of year 2 and the sales pipeline is firmly established.  

To mimic a famous saying in a political campaign:  It's about the impact, stupid. 

I still love coaching my individual clients.  Over my lifetime, doing one-on-one coaching, I can serve hundreds of clients. That's a good thing. But the bigger question is this:

How can I serve more broadly and deeply, to impact not just hundreds, but tens of thousands? 

It's a question I'll be pondering for a long time.  Photo by Helico. 

How are increasing your impact?  I'd love to hear your ideas.