Anna knew what she wanted, but didn’t know how to get there.
She did know it was day one and she just started moving. Then she asked for a little help.
🌟 Welcome to Interview with a Goal-Crusher! 🌟
Hi, I’m Coach Tony, and this is Interview with a Goal-Crusher.
Every month, I sit down with someone who’s crushing their goals and building a happier life in the process. These are real people, not gurus … just like you. Think of it as free mentoring … straight from people who’ve done the hard work and have the wins (and lessons) to prove it.
These goal-crushers are out there chasing their biggest dreams. Why aren’t you?
Are you ready for a dad joke?
Before we dive in, here's a groan-worthy dad joke as a little palate cleanser. I promise it will be worth every penny you paid for it. 😂
My friend was shocked when I made a pun about baked goods. Turns out that bread puns happen when you yeast expect them.
Anna Turned “One Day” into Day One. Here’s How.
It’s the first Sunday of the month, which means it’s time for a new Interview with a Goal-Crusher.
This probably won’t shock you, but I love helping my clients become CEOs by bringing their business ideas to life. Getting to play even a small role in someone building something that matters to them is unbelievably fulfilling.
This interview is one of those stories.
Today, I am excited and honored to feature my longest-running client, Anna.
When Anna and I first started working together, she had a vision. She wanted to turn her baking hobby into a business. She wasn’t sure how to get started, but she knew she would get there… one day.
While that wasn’t her first day of baking, that was day one of her business journey.
Anna’s story is the perfect way to kick off this month’s theme. All month long, we will be focused on turning your “one day” dreams into day one of your journey to make them real.
This is going to be a big month. I will be sharing today’s interview and a new Ask Coach Tony. Later this month, our Goal Crusher Coffee Chat will help you follow in Anna’s footsteps with your “one day” business. Plus, I have another special announcement coming soon.
Let’s get this month started with Anna’s story.
Let’s start with the basics. Who are you, and what do you do?
I’m Anna of Anna Bakes Things.
I run a cottage bakery that focuses on bread! I primarily sell at the German Village farmers’ market May-November.
What motivated you to pursue your unique journey? What was your vision? Can you share your story?
Baking has always been something I enjoyed.
I used to do one-off things like cakes or pies for holidays or special occasions. But I got to the point where I was enjoying making bread so much more.
Then, after an accidental encounter at the farmers’ market, I got the idea to start a business and become a bread vendor at that same market!
What was the very first step you took to get started?
I think the very first step was actually just coming up with a name, which is always a really hard thing for me!
Then came getting all the social media going.
But it didn’t really become a business until I got involved with Coach Tony. He helped me actually move forward with setting up my LLC and getting all my ducks in a row.
What were your biggest challenges in chasing your goals? How did you push through them?
The biggest challenge was just getting started.
It felt very overwhelming, and I didn’t really know where to start.
Having someone to help me through the steps and to hype me up was really key to getting going.
Throughout the years, I’ve dealt with burnout. Sometimes, it’s just reminding myself that I’m allowed to take it easy from time to time. Especially if it means prioritizing my mental and physical health.
What goal-setting or success habits have worked well for you that you’d love to pass on to others?
List-making has been super instrumental in my success.
One of the first things Coach Tony had me implement was a list that broke down the priorities of what I needed to do and when I wanted it done by. Then once I finished that thing, I moved it to the done side.
Physically seeing myself accomplish things made it easier to not get overwhelmed and made me feel good about my progress.
What else would you like my Operation Melt readers to know about you, your work, or the journey you’ve taken?
One thing that I would totally recommend to people is to spend the money to make your life easier. If you can buy something that makes the task quicker or easier for you to do, it’s worth the money to save yourself time and energy in the long run.
What’s one thing you do that might look lazy or indulgent from the outside, but is actually essential to your success?
Scheduling downtime.
I’ve struggled with burnout over the years, and I’ve learned that I need to take care of myself first. Sometimes that means ordering delivery and sitting on the couch.
If you could go back and give 18-year-old you one piece of advice, what would it be and why?
It’s okay to not figure out what you want to do as a career right away.
Sometimes it takes time to find what you actually enjoy.
Where can people go to learn more about you or connect with your work?
Come visit me at the German Village farmers’ market, every other Saturday from 9a to 1p.
Find me on social media!
Facebook: http://facebook.com/AnnaBakesThings
Instagram: @annabakesthings614
With the right combination of ingredients (vision, passion, hard work and support), Anna was able to bake up a great business and make a little bread. Okay, you knew that pun was inevitable.
It has been an honor to work with Anna and to be a happy customer of Anna Bakes Things. You absolutely must try her cinnamon rolls!
Here are three quotes that stuck with me from her interview.
“It felt very overwhelming, and I didn’t really know where to start.”
This is an incredibly common roadblock for all sorts of goal journeys, especially when starting a business. All too often, people get so overwhelmed thinking about the full journey that they never even take the first step.
Anna overcame her overwhelm with two essential steps.
First, she took small steps like naming her business and claiming social media accounts, without worrying about whether these were really the first steps. She got moving and built momentum.
Second, she didn’t try to do it all alone. Anna sought help by working with a coach.
“It’s okay to not figure out what you want to do as a career right away.”
If Anna had jumped right into a career that didn’t really fit, she would never have discovered her passion for baking.
Rushing to immediately commit to a career path is a recipe for unhappiness. Instead, do what Anna did. Take your time, explore options and find what really makes you happy.
“List-making has been super instrumental in my success.”
There’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all method for planning and tracking your work. Anna found that list-making worked well for her and she went with it. This is precisely why my Project Manage Your Life system depends on building the plan that works for you, not someone else.
Baker, CEO, Project Manager
Anna doesn’t just bake things. She also project manages her life. Throughout her story, Anna leveraged every one of the Project Manage Your Life (PMYL) strategies.
Here are three examples of how Anna demonstrated PMYL in action.
✅ Commit to SMART Goals
After discovering her passion for baking bread, Anna knew what she wanted. She wanted to turn her passion into a business.
With a little research, Anna built a rock-solid goal. She committed to building a cottage bakery. She knew why. She knew when, using the farmers’ market schedule as a guide. And she knew her goal was attainable.
Committing to her goal was the first step to achieving what she wanted. There’s no better way to turn today into day one of your journey than to commit to a goal that matters to you.
Pro Tip: Don’t have a SMART goal yet? The Project Manage Your Life Starter Kit will guide you through my goal-setting process and help you build the momentum to get you to the finish line.
✅ Expect and Plan Ahead for Problems
Anna’s business goal was very important to her. She wasn’t going to let anything get in her way.
Knowing her history of struggling with burnout, she wanted to be sure this didn’t stop her new business in its tracks. So, Anna planned ahead to prevent this. She proactively scheduled downtime for herself. By doing this, she allowed her battery to recharge before it hit zero.
There was another potential problem Anna identified early in her journey. Her plan to manage this problem needed a little help.
✅ Don’t Go It Alone
Anna knew she didn’t want to attempt building her business by herself. She wasn’t sure where to start and felt a little overwhelmed at the starting line. So, Anna asked for help. She learned from people who’ve built businesses ahead of her. Then, she engaged me as her coach.
It worked!
Anna launched her business and continues to grow and do amazing things.
One Day or Day One?
Anna had an idea for her “one day” business. With a clear vision, support and lots of hard work, she turned “one day” into day one of her business journey.
Do you have a business idea in your head that doesn’t seem to be going anywhere?
Do you keep saying, “one day, I will open my own business”?
Does it always feel like there’s just one or two more things you need to “figure out” before you can start working on your business?
I want to help you stop saying “one day” and make today day one of your journey. That’s what we will do in this month’s Goal Crusher Coffee Chat.
Your Business: Day One
From ‘One Day’ to Day One: What’s Actually Stopping You?
In this session, I will share how my clients overcome the most common obstacles that prevent them from starting their “one day” businesses.
Then, in our informal roundtable discussion, we will each answer one simple question:
What’s one thing that’s stopping you from starting your business today?
If you’re tired of saying “one day” and ready to start the business you’ve been dreaming of, this event is for you.
Anna’s story is proof that the hardest part of any goal is simply beginning. She didn’t wait until she had it all figured out. She named the business, claimed the social handles, and asked for help before she felt ready. That’s the real lesson: day one doesn’t require certainty, just a first step and someone in your corner.
You’re here for a reason. Let’s take the next step.
Meet Coach Tony
Tony Weaver is a master life coach, technologist, consultant, writer, and founder of Operation Melt.
He helps project managers and other left-brained high-achievers pursue their biggest goals.
Through free resources, personalized coaching, and his proven Project Manage Your Life system, Tony empowers clients to move their dreams from “someday” to success… one step at a time.
Learn more about Project Manage Your Life, the system my clients and I use to crush our goals, at OperationMelt.com/PMYL/
Meet Coach Tony