People-first as a business strategy with Nancy Lyons | Ep. 158

It might feel crazy not to get involved in every operation of your business, but the more you let go, the better it performs. However, many entrepreneurs struggle with this bottleneck of hoarding and not letting go.  

 

Nancy Lyons, who joins us in this episode, has been in business for over 22 years, and her exponential growth happened the moment she stopped being the bottleneck of the business. She shares with us how she managed that setback of letting go, the significant milestones as an effective leader in inspiring her teams to success and shares valuable tips for entrepreneurs. 

 

Nancy Lyons has led employees and clients through thousands of business-teams, and work culture challenges. She is the author of "Interactive Project Management" and "Work Like a Boss," which provides a concise guide for individuals, highlighting actions, attitudes, and attributes crucial for improving the workplace for oneself and those around.  

 

Nancy's remarkable contributions have earned her numerous accolades and recognitions, including induction into the National Association of Women Business Owners' MN Hall of Fame, recognition among the "100 People to Know" by Twin Cities Business, and acknowledgment as one of the "101 most influential people in the world of work, management, and career" by Ladder magazine. She has been honored as the "Most Admired CEO" by Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal and received the "Business Owner of the Year" award from the National Association for Women Business Owners. 

 

Tune in.  

 

Key Highlights from The Show 

[03:05] Why Nancy Lyon feels crazy for not being involved fully in her business 

[05:18] Major bottlenecks she encountered as an entrepreneur and how she managed them 

[07:08] Entrepreneurship challenges she has faced 

[10:11] Significant milestones in her 22 years of business 

[14:52] Nancy's effective communication as the business CEO 

[18:43] What's next for Nancy in the business career 

[23:36] Reasons why Nancy became an entrepreneur 

[29:46] Practical recommendations to other entrepreneurs based on her experience 

[33:24] Best ways to reach out and connect with Nancy 

[33:58] Wrap up and calls to action 

 

Notable Quotes 

·        Adequate outside funding is critical to getting any product out of the ground. 

·        Success comes from knowing when to say yes or no. The more we narrow down things, the better and more successful we become. 

·        Embrace mistakes and failures. Failure in practice is how you get better. 

·        It might feel crazy to not get involved in every operation of your business, but letting go makes it grow exponentially. 

 

 

Connect With Nancy Lyons 

Personal Website: https://www.nancylyons.com/ 

Business: https://www.clockwork.com/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nylons/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancylyons/ 

 

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How much of the bottleneck in your business are you? Don’t underestimate the bottleneck’s impact. Take the Bottleneck Index and find out your bottleneck score now!