The Intuitive Entrepreneur: How to Step up as a Leader of your Business
We live in a data-driven world, that is no secret. As someone with a background as a strategy consultant and General Manager in Big Data and AI, I have witnessed firsthand the significance of data in shaping business strategies. However, there's another essential aspect of decision-making, especially in business, that often goes overlooked - intuition.
Intuition is a soft skill that becomes invaluable, especially in uncertain contexts, such as business, leadership, or economic turnaround. In times when data and evidence can be conflicting or insufficient, intuition helps us cut through the noise and move forward confidently.
By connecting inward, leaders and entrepreneurs can tap into their untapped genius.
The intersection of Intuition and Strategy
Entrepreneurship thrives at the intersection of intuition and strategy. While data, science, and logic are undeniably crucial in our decision-making processes, soft skills like intuition play a pivotal role, particularly in uncertain business environments.
Intuition allows us to cut through the noise and move forward with confidence.
This belief in the power of intuition is not unique to me. Visionaries like Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson, and Steve Jobs have all attributed their success to intuition.
Samantha Wills even closed her multimillion-dollar business following her intuition, highlighting its profound impact. These are stories I talk about in my book, Light It: How To Trust Your Intuition And Build A Thriving Business.
Let me share some examples not included in my book:
Jeff Bezos, Founder of Amazon, did an interview where he mentioned intuition in business (from 9 minutes)
Sara Blakely, Founder of Spanx talked about the power of intuition in business in an Instagram Reel.
While I have been saying this over and over again, it is time to learn more about the Intuitive Entrepreneur and how to step up as the leader for your business.
Real-Life Examples: My Clients who have used Intuition and Strategy
Let's delve into some real-life success stories that showcase the incredible potential of intuition in entrepreneurship.
Entrepreneurs like Mickael Roger, Fiona McKenzie, and Jade Warne have all harnessed the power of intuition to achieve significant business growth.
Mickael Roger, Co-founder of PropHero, shares, "We launched PropHero in a second country (Spain) only six months after starting the company. Logic was pushing for not doing it, but we trusted our intuition that there was a market opportunity. Fast forward 12 months later, Europe accounts for over 50% of revenue, and this helped us develop a playbook that allowed us to open a third country (Indonesia) despite being only two years old."
Fiona McKenzie, CEO and Co-Founder of My Fit Pro, adds, "Following my intuition and charging what we're worth without feeling guilty resulted in a 38% increase in Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR) year on year."
Jade Warne, CEO and founder of Instagram Growth Club, shares her experience, saying, "Trusting intuition does not come naturally to me, but listening to the wisdom within unlocked an increase of 88% in profit for my business."
How intuition has impacted my business
As the Founder and CEO of Essential Shift Consulting in Sydney, I started this business with experience in leadership, strategy and brought a lot of my data knowledge to my clients. But that wasn’t all.
During my time at Deloitte, I challenged the norm of relying solely on data and logic. I firmly believed in the role of intuition in decision-making, and it wasn't just a belief - it was a practice that led me to secure multi-million dollar projects.
Clients chose to work with me because I demonstrated a unique combination of intuition, a deep understanding of the political landscape, and data-driven analysis. Even if they didn’t know what it all meant for them and their business.
My connection to intuition is deeply rooted in my family heritage as a fourth-generation healer, where I learned the importance of this invaluable skill.
How can you start your intuition in a business journey?
So, how can you tap into your own entrepreneurial intuition? Here are some actionable steps:
Practice Mindfulness: Dedicate time for self-reflection and meditation to connect with your inner self.
Trust Your Gut: Start listening to your instincts in decision-making processes, even when data is scarce.
Seek Feedback: Encourage open and honest feedback from trusted advisors or colleagues to validate your intuitive decisions.
Learn from Experience: Pay attention to instances where your intuition proved right and use these lessons to refine your skills.
To help you tap into your own entrepreneurial intuition, I've developed a framework that offers practical strategies. I call it the L.I.G.H.T framework and it is one I unpack in my book.
Final thoughts
While data and logic are essential, intuition is a powerful complement, especially in uncertain business landscapes.
It can guide you through conflicting evidence and lead you to untapped opportunities. As you tune into your intuition, you may just discover your own untapped genius, unlocking new heights of success in business and leadership.