Value Creation – 26 things I learned with Seth Godin

Here’s a summary of what I learned from the excellent Value Creation Masterclass on Udemy, hosted by Seth Godin at just £47.00.

1. I help dentists who want to make the journey from clinician to owner-manager and then on to entrepreneur;

2. I train, coach and mentor them (and their managers) on overall strategy and in the application of the 5 business systems outlined in The E-Myth Dentist;

3. The value I create is by bringing experience, connection and knowledge, thus saving time and money by developing the right people and systems;

4. The clients I attract are also interested in post-graduate education, trade associations, conferences and the business & personal development movement;

5. My clients are ready to evolve and want the monitoring and guidance that can accelerate their progress;

6. The story they tell their spouse when they hire me is that they have secured an experienced guide to safely reach their chosen summit;

7. The problems I solve are how to open or buy, grow or expand and, ultimately, how to sell a dental business;

8. I want to work with a small number of targeted, high-value clients;

9. I have historically focused on finding clients for my services. I need to consider developing products for my clients;

10. My asset is my experience, reputation and results. My asset is my client base;

11. I don’t currently leverage the asset;

12. I’m not in the business of hiring talent and reselling it at a profit;

13. Nobody can duplicate the way that I coach, write and speak;

14. I could use technology to create new and disruptive products;

15. I do things that other people will not do – notably, speak, write and coach highly demanding clients;

16. I do not need a salesforce;

17. I do value my strategic alliances and referrals;

18. My marketing has to be even more focused on storytelling and less on opinions and observations;

19. I’m a freelancer and not an entrepreneur;

20. “Freelancers get ahead by being more in demand, by charging more (and being worth it). They get ahead by being more connected, smarter, more effective.” Seth’s own words;

21. My sales cycle is 3 months;

22. My brand is very well established but I need to remind my audience of the value I create;

23. I have to show people that by hiring me they can achieve growth, confidence and the ability to delegate – they can create a business that will run and expand by itself;

24. The effect of my work is to create more profit, in less time, with happier people (full circle after 20 years!);

25. My long term plan is to have smaller targets;

26. The lifetime value I create is confidence

Thank you Seth – it has been a fascinating period of introspection.

I intend to use the material with clients, permission to do just that is embodied in the offer – that’s abundance mentality writ large.