Why do so many small businesses fail in the first 2 years? What is the common denominator among those who make it in spite of the odds and continue to grow?

One thing that is common among people who grow businesses that work is they get the help they need when they need it.

Another is they continue to learn and grow. But, learning is not the real secret here. Applying what you learn is the secret that turns failure into success.

Finally, people who succeed believe they can. They believe in their idea and in themselves fully. As a result, so do other people who ultimately become clients.

In coaching and working with small business owners and Solopreneurs, Ive observed a distinct difference between those who hope and those who do.

The "doers" are looking for action steps and take them right away. By contrast, the people who hope for the best tend to wait until everything is perfect before moving forward.

Of the thousands of possibilities, what action steps should you take? What are the steps that create failure and what are the steps that create success?

Focus on the contrast between success and failure

1. Success has a can do/I'll figure it out or get help and make it work attitude.

Failure embraces I'll hope for the best, try to remain positive and wait for an outcome kind of thinking.

2. Success sells products clients want to buy. Success finds that out through polling and asking clients what they want.

Failure sells products it thinks people want to buy. Failure never asks a client what they want or why.

3. Success creates a business around a talent or passion that is exciting and motivating. Inherent strengths and personal genius are used as competitive advantages. Success easily stands out from the crowd.

Failure builds a business around past experience. Failure feels it's stuck and has no other choice but to do what it has always done. It wakes up each day in an anxious state, hoping the day goes all right but feeling deep down disaster may be just around the next corner.

4. Success loves the people it works with. It is there to serve them in the highest and best way possible.

Failure often offers high quality, lowest prices, integrity, and honesty. Failure sounds a lot like everyone else.

Long sales cycles, cutting prices and a lot of open sales that are going to close really soon but never do are common.

5. Success knows it will be great and come out on top. It feels accomplishment in the smallest things and is grateful and highly motivated every day.

Failure wishes and hopes things will get better. It keeps doing what it has always done and expects a different result. Failure never steps outside of its comfort zone, even though that comfort zone has long since proven ineffective.

Look around at everyone you know who is in business. Who are you most attracted to? Why?

Chances are, you're attracted to success; wanting to emulate it and enjoy that free flowing, joy filled feeling for yourself.

Businesses fail because they run out of money.

They run out of money because they don't make enough sales.

They don't make enough sales because they don't have clearly defined systems and processes to create the revenue they need.

The information is out there. There are 87,000,000 web sites (Google) when you query sales training for small business. There are 118,000,000 sites for marketing plans for small business.

Now Google Love your life in business be sure to add the s to narrow the search for just those keywords.

It's the love and passion for what you're doing and who you are doing it for that drives success. Passionate enthusiasm is the key that attracts business.

So ACTION STEP 6 is Learn to Love Your Life in Business

Avoid failing by embracing a mindset of being a value to others. The question becomes What value do I have to provide this person to truly help them instead of What do I have to say to make a sale."

When you do, you are unbeatable, because no one else can ever be you.

You, as a small business owner or Solopreneur are the future of the American Economy. Opportunity abounds, but only if you take action to live the life of your dreams rather than staying stuck running in the same circle over and over again.