As I speak with entrepreneurs around the world. I get a sense that not everyone is aware of the power of this moment. In fact, my journey as an entrepreneur has been anything but easy. My business almost collapsed three times, I was mocked and scrutinized for my big thinking and I was even told that my mission was too ambitious. However, I refused to allow any of that to stop me. Fast forward almost a decade later and I have outlasted every critic and silenced every skeptic. I have been featured on some of the largest media outlets in the world, people have read about me in the pages of prominent magazines and I have even won awards for excellence in my industry. Why am I sharing all this? Everything in my life shifted when I discerned the power of the moment. If you are going to have staying power as an entrepreneur, you must master the skill of discerning moments of opportunity. While economists and industry experts have many things to say about the state of the economy, I believe that is the greatest time in history for entrepreneurs. Now more than ever you must master creating remarkable moments in your business.

1. You need a clear mission and vision. According to Entrepreneur Magazine, it is vital that you establish a vision statement for your business. Vision statements help give identity to your business. More importantly, it helps define the direction and freedom that you need as an entrepreneur. I cannot tell you how many people I talk to on a normal basis that want me to help them with business strategy. However, when I probe them about their mission and vision they are clueless. If you do not have a clear mission and vision, then you should not even consider a strategy or marketing plan for your business. Drill down on what your business is, the purpose of your business and your overall vision. In addition, be able to communicate your mission and vision in a succinct way. Clarity has a lot to do with the success or failure of your business. 
2. Develop a clear strategy for marketing your business. Research from Hubspot concludes that one of the top marketing challenges of companies is having the budget to market. From personal experience, I can attest to the challenge of trying to market my business in the early days. During that time I relied heavily on word of mouth and media opportunities to market my business. However, it was still challenging because I did not have the money to devote to marketing like other competitors. While that was a difficult period in my life, I am grateful for that season because I learned so much. Social media became one of the biggest drivers of growth in my business. I spent hours on social media connecting with people, building a platform and becoming a base for conversations. My authority grew and influencers started connecting with me. Ultimately, I was able to drive more traffic to my website, attract new customers and establish myself as a thought leader in my industry. In addition, major media outlets became interested in my message and I was able to establish key relationships that catapulted my business to new heights of success. 
3. You need to master sustaining momentum. One thing I have learned as an entrepreneur is that momentum must become your obsession. As doors started to open to me in media, I understood that I have to sustain momentum. One of the mistakes I see entrepreneurs making today is that they do not know how to sustain momentum in their businesses. You cannot just get excited because you experience a breakthrough in your business or an uptick in your sales. Great entrepreneurs understand that you must capitalize on opportunities to sustain momentum. Smart Company states that you need to have a strong why and reflect on it often. Also, frame a copy of the first check that your business ever earned. Keep that check in your office and look at it regularly. Celebrate the big wins but do not allow victory to make you complacent. The same energy it took to create momentum in business will be required to sustain it. It is important to publicize your victories. Every time I saw breakthrough in my business I continued to share it. Why did I do that? When people see you succeeding word spreads like a wildfire. Doors continued to open, opportunities continued to emerge and my business continued to get exposure. Sustaining momentum requires you to be strategic about your moments. 
4. Redefine how business is done in your industry. I am so proud of the progress that my business has made over the years. However, I was not content with just getting recognition and exposure. I have always believed in mastery and setting the standard for excellence in everything that I do. As a writer, speaker, influencer and thought leader I have always distinguished myself in my industry and my field. Therefore, I made a decision to redefine how business was done in my industry. The only way to redefine how business is done in your industry is to distance yourself from the competition through distinction. In other words, you must have the ability to operate in such a way that you offer what no other business in your industry can offer. Your distinction will cause your name to ring loudly in your industry. In fact, my customers have often said that the solutions I offer are unlike any other in the industry. Customers know my value and they immediately associate my brand with excellence. This should be the goal of every entrepreneur. You get to the top of your industry by transforming the landscape of your industry. Make the decision that you will set the standard for your industry in everything that you do.