Running your own business can be a real test of character. It is just you, your idea and the world. You can do anything. You can be anything. You can live anywhere.

And because you have so many opportunities, it can get really challenging to choose your own path. Who are you as an entrepreneur? What is your unique voice? (Not your unique selling point, but your real voice?) What are you willing to say through your business? Why are you doing what you are doing? And the most important – who are you?

This is what people want to know the most – who you are, what drives you, what you believe in. We live in an era of entrepreneurship. Look around you. By now, I know more people who run their own business than those who work for a pay cheque. With all the empowerment movements around the world, people have really started to think about their purpose, their legacy, their dreams. They want to be more than a shadow in somebody else’s life. They want to live with passion, work with purpose, and love with fearlessness.

All that excitement around “living your life to the fullest” empowered many people to transition from a structured corporate world to a zigzag path of entrepreneurship. And the Internet made it all possible. It doesn’t matter any more where you live, what language you speak and what school you went to. What matters are your ideas, your passion, and your creativity. This is what makes you stand out from the crowd. Your own voice.

But people are people. And in our society, money is a huge factor for getting out of bed in the morning. That’s why together with entrepreneurship, there is a boom of “How To” industries. And if we assume that every second person is an entrepreneur these days, then every third is an entrepreneur “who helps other entrepreneurs to succeed”. A self-proclaimed business guru. Industry creates industry. That’s when it is time for you to turn on your own judgment and follow your own voice.

Never do and say things out of character.         

It doesn’t matter what other people say to you about how you should brand yourself, promote your business and talk to customers. How do you know that they know better? And why do you assume that they do? What works for one person, doesn’t necessary work for all of us.

You are a unique individual – treat yourself as one!

Remember what Einstein said?

The same applies to marketing, promotion, and sales tactics. I do appreciate America for the many wonderful things it has to offer, but “American marketing” is not necessarily marketing for the rest of the world, especially, if you live in Asia. White skin is not necessarily the sign of a leader and brown skin is not necessarily the sign of a follower.

Next time, after you have watched all those “how to promote yourself” videos on YouTube, ask yourself:

“Is it really me? Is it really my style? Does it fit my culture and personality?”

Because if it doesn’t, don’t worry. Never settle for a lesser version of yourself.

Moneymaking is an art that many people have to learn, because only a few lucky ones know how to do it instinctively, but your way to wealth should never compromise your values and who you are. Think not just how to make money – think how to make money with dignity. Or as one of my friends said (who is a former investment banker and now a very successful entrepreneur):

“Making money is easy. Everybody can do it. I want to do more for myself and my employees – I want to make money with good karma. This is our core company value.”

Find your own voice. Asia is booming with talent and opportunities. Copying somebody else’s style takes you further and further away from who you really are.

As Jeff Brown said: “Knock all the gurus from your altar, and replace them with a picture of you.”

Visit Yana Fry Coaching page to find out more about Yana’s work.

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