Written by: Tracy Shroyer, PhD., Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
To stay focused and ensure consistency in working on my entrepreneurial endeavors, I challenged myself to a 60-day business sprint. The concept came from a book written by Nellie Corriveau titled Your Journey to Six Figures.
Earlier this year, I began my first attempt at a 60-day business sprint. I planned to follow along with the daily recommendations from Nellie’s book. The goal was to complete the daily task noted and share a daily update video for accountability within a private group.
As I reflected on Day 26, I realized that I was not focused on the area of my business I wanted, and things didn’t feel like they were working out. It felt forced. I was also going day by day viewing a day’s task with no pre-planning (which would have been more helpful). As a result, I announced that day 26 would be the end of that sprint. I decided to take a week or so to refocus before trying again.
Through my first attempt, I realized I needed to clarify what I was challenging myself to within my sprint. There was too much structure in the first attempt, and I am not sure I was at the right place for it.
On April 1 of 2022, I started a fresh, new, 60-day business sprint. The focus of my second sprint was more general than the first – to spend a minimum of 15-minutes each day working on my business. In addition to my business venture, I also work full-time. Consistency and momentum were critical to me in continuing my entrepreneurial efforts, so I had a lot riding on my ability to complete this sprint attempt.
I am writing this article on May 30, which is Day 60 of my 60-day business sprint!
If you have not heard of the concept of a business sprint, I am almost certain you have heard of similar journeys individuals have taken to do something. Typically, we hear about the sprint process related to working out, and in organizations that are focused on using agile approaches. It makes sense to use the concept to challenge ourselves in our businesses too.
Throughout my 60-day business sprint, there were standard processes I followed each day. This included creating a TikTok post (@upskilldoc), sharing a brief video update to a private group (serving as added accountability and motivation), and sharing these updates on my FaceBook Reels or Stories.
I told myself that it was not a failed attempt. Rather, it was a learning experience. There was a slight pause before I restarted, and I learned so much through my first attempt, and my successful completion, of my 60-day business sprint.
Here are three tips I learned from my 60-day business sprint journey:
1. Clarify the goal you are trying to achieve through your sprint.
I am thankful for one coach, Lindsay Dunlap, for questioning me on why I felt I had to follow the challenge by the book. That’s when I realized that no one was saying I had to follow anything by the book (so to speak). I had the freedom to make it my own. When I eased the reigns on what I needed out of the sprint, it felt right. I decided my goal was to spend a minimum of 15 minutes per day on my business (a realistic goal that would support me with consistency and motivation).
2.Secure real (and imagined) accountability.
I needed to have the accountability of posting my TikTok posts and sharing those, or more information in a brief video, in a private FaceBook group. Even though the group members may not have realized it, I was under the impression that group members were waiting for my update each evening. There was more motivation and encouragement from comments on these posts, and that kept me going when it got hard (and it did –days 13 and 26 were my hardest days).
3. Recognize how you will defer squirrel syndrome.
There were times when my mind began to wander, and I saw a shiny object (squirrel!) that I considered following down a rabbit hole. Although it was okay to spend more than 15-minutes each day on my business, it was important to do so in a manner that focused on what was important. Yes, ideas popped up along the way. For me to make progress, I needed to focus on what was in front of me. Something that supported me in doing this was notating my ideas – eventually placed in a backlog list – rather than letting them distract me.
Thank you, Nellie, for introducing me to the 60-day business sprint framework. It gave me the structure I needed to be consistent and motivated about my business. There were less than five days where I only spent the 15-minute minimum. Most days, I spent anywhere from one to three hours on my business.
It has not been an easy journey, but one that came with so much learning and flexibility along the way.
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Tracy Shroyer, PhD., Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Behind the pink slips, human stories. Dr. Tracy Shroyer empowers individuals and organizations navigating layoffs and career transitions with empathy, actionable tools, and unwavering support. From resume revamps to LinkedIn mastery, she helps turn uncertainty into opportunity. Join her blog, podcast, and free community, "Let's Talk About Layoffs," for resources, real talk, and a path forward.
