fbpx

Interview Patty

Unconscious Competence

October 15, 2024

“You can be miserable before you have a cookie and you can be miserable after you eat a cookie, but you can't be miserable while you are eating a cookie.” - Ina Garten, chef, entrepreneur, writer, and host of Barefoot Contessa

Doesn’t this make all kinds of sense?

Even when you’re eating only the broken cookies, it’s hard to be miserable, but…
 

The Broken Cookie Effect® is very real and very problematic.

 

Today’s Questions:

 

What is easy for you but difficult for your clients? Are you highlighting that value or discounting it because that difficult thing seems easy for you?


But Here’s the Twist . . .

 

At its core, The Broken Cookie Effect® is about bringing the spirit of self-sacrifice we saw in our mothers and grandmothers into our businesses. We make the mistake of thinking we can’t serve others and still achieve our personal goals.

I first recognized this Effect with pricing, when we routinely undervalue ourselves, underprice our services – and then overdeliver.

Over time, I began seeing it in many aspects of businesses owned by women, including how they eventually exit their business.

But there is another layer I talk about in my book that makes The Broken Cookie Effect® even more dangerous.

“Has someone given you feedback about a particular skill set, capability, or personality trait that they appreciated? Did you recognize this as a Hidden Advantage?

Or did you dismiss the compliment because this skill, capability, or trait comes naturally to you? “Oh, that’s nothing,” you might say. “It’s easy. Anyone could do it.”

Think about it this way: If you do a job in thirty minutes, it’s because you spent many years gaining the expertise to do that specific job efficiently. Over the years, you invested time into education, research, and even trial and error. Your buyer owes you for the years, not the minutes.

In addition, think about what is easy for you but difficult for your clients. Thanks to the skills you mastered over the years, can you help your clients streamline, improve, protect, or promote themselves?

The work and results you provide your clients are extraordinarily valuable because you are an expert who spent years honing your skills.”

-- Excerpt from Patty’s book,  Your Hidden AdvantageUnlock the Power to Attract Right-fit Clients and Boost Your Revenue

This layer is known as ‘unconscious competence’. When our innate abilities and well-honed skills converge in mastery, we often forget how difficult it is for others to do what we can do so effortlessly.

That is dangerous because we tend to devalue and sometimes dismiss our skills and experience because it’s second nature to us.

 

Now What?

 

The Barefoot Contessa also claims: “Most of life's problems can be solved with a good cookie.”

I believe this – and I believe it’s time for women to grab the whole cookie.

That’s why I’ve built my business as an advocate for women business owners. In particular, I specialize in helping women founders transition to their Third Act – when you’re ready to do the work you’ve always longed to do.

Work that lights you up… work that is your purpose instead of just a paycheck.

Often, to get to your Third Act, you need to exit from your second act, preferably with funds from a sale that turns your business into a wealth-building tool.

Have you built a profitable and valuable business but instead of feeling like there's something missing, you’re feeling like there's something more?

If you’ve built an accounting firm, a law firm, a financial services firm, a psychology practice, or a specialty consulting firm that is generating $1 million to $10 million in annual revenue, you are in a prime market.

Larger firms and companies are growing by buying other firms. This has long been the case, but we’re seeing a higher rate than ever.

I wish it wasn’t the case, but I see too many women who actually lose their company instead of exiting on their own terms. The exit process is filled with pitfalls and complex issues – especially for women.

Your advocate, by definition, is looking out for your best interests. They are not taking a brokerage fee, commission, or equity. They are not motivated by how quickly the exit moves or the final dollar amounts. They want what you want – and will help you get it.

In my experience, women don't retire; they transition into a new stage of purpose and impact. Whether you are 40 or 60, the idea of retirement may not appeal to you. Just because you can retire doesn’t mean you’ll want to.

We can redefine ‘retirement’ and think of your eventual business exit as a ‘purposeful transition’.

Are you ready to leap into your Third Act and grab the whole cookie?

That requires a new way of thinking, new skills, a simple and elegant design, and an advocate by your side. Contact me to learn more. 

Discover your Exit Readiness Index™ with this assessment: http://she-exits.com/

A Note from Patty...

My life’s work is empowering high-achieving women business owners to fine-tune their operations and scale their revenue for strategic growth, creating real business value and emerging exit ready. That value can transform into wealth when they are ready to exit their company - and I believe that wealth in the hands of women elevates society as a whole.

Building Blocks

7941 Katy Fwy. #414
Houston, TX 77024 USA

© 2024 The Block Group Inc. All rights reserved.  Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Disclaimer