Speak Business: 3 Tips to Break Down the Language Barrier

I'm going to tell you how to improve your business.

Are you ready?

You must understand what your business is saying and act on that information.

Easy, right?

When I work with entrepreneurs who learn to use their business numbers, I see a consistent pattern.

Within the first month, they have a "hidden in plain sight" moment—a crucial business insight that was always there in their data, waiting to be discovered.

The "ah-ah" moment.

And then another one.

And another one.

After the first moment of clarity, everything changes.

The others are essential for solidifying their new understanding.

And they speak BusinessTalk.

Unfortunately, it's not always this straightforward. I help far more people get into the data world than people who just want to bring data literacy—also known as Business Talk—into their daily routine.

There are several reasons for that.

Data is a Jargon Word

It's intimidating and makes people feel uneasy.

Maybe you weren't that good at math in school. Perhaps you were a good student, but chose a different path, focusing on subjects you found more engaging.

Who wants to dust off their math knowledge when they've figured out there are other skills they're much better at? These other skills undoubtedly bring more satisfaction to their day.

Here are some of the usual objections I hear:

• Resistance to change. "I get along great with what I do already."

• Time and resource constraints. "Do you know how many tasks are on my to-do list already? I can't afford to spend more."

• Lack of awareness of benefits. "I'm doing great on my own, thanks."

• Fear of complexity. "It's very technical, isn't it?"

Here's the carrot.

With the right tools and resources, you can overcome these challenges and unlock the power of data literacy for your entrepreneurial journey!

Here's how, step by step:

Step 1: Start with Easy Steps

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step" -- Laoste

You don't have to become proficient in one day.

You just need to start.

Begin with small, beginner-level tasks and build from there.

Try our challenges or come to one of our events.

Remember, mindset is crucial in every field. Our Critical Thinking Challenge will build the mindset you need to succeed in talking with your business and understanding what's going on.

After mentality comes practice. Our events are designed to help you learn how to do one thing each. We'll make it nice and easy. You will be working with a few other people, and you will support each other. You are not alone in your struggles.

Step 2: Develop the Habit

Starting is easy. Everyone can download a PDF and read it.

Continuing is hard.

Sticking to learning when things are not working is hard.

Mastering new skills is hard.

But it's not impossible.

You must set aside time and develop the habit.

Set aside an hour a day to look at some numbers, try new charts, or read some "How-to" articles from our newsletter.

Time per day is great, but not enough.

You also need to set aside time for you to arrive at mastery of the new skill. Set aside three months. Work each day to become fluent in Business Talk in three months.

Forget the daily pressure.

Keep going.

Step 3: Continue Throught the Misunderstandings

Mastering Business Talk means understanding misunderstandings.

Set aside time daily and in the long run.

You started trying things.

You had the "ah" moment and found some great insight.

You took action.

It didn't work.

I witness this frequently. Success is built on mistakes. You'll make some.

Sure, it's all part of the learning journey, but our businesses are on the line here. We need to minimize mistakes.

The quicker you develop critical and analytical thinking skills, the fewer mistakes you'll make.

Set up tests and learn to dig deeper.

Keep going.

Keep going.

Keep going.

For a better business.

For a better life.