As we wrap up the Herbal Entrepreneur Conference, it's time to use this energy and inspiration that you got from each speaker to move forward on your unique herbal path.
Use the next couple days to MAP YOUR HERBAL PATH.
I've got some action steps that you can take as you move onwards and upwards this spring!
Phase 1 – Your Vision
1) Describe what your "ideal" day as an herbalist would look like. What do you want to be spending the bulk of your time doing?
- Foraging?
- Growing?
- Harvesting?
- Formulating?
- Learning?
- Teaching?
- Selling at markets?
- Seeing clients?
- Something else?
2) Write a few sentences about WHY you want to do this.
Phase 2 – Your Goal
Now that you got clear on your ultimate vision and what your ideal day as an herbalist is...
It's time to break it down to create a goal that you can work towards to begin moving towards your vision.
Your vision is NOT your goal.
Your vision is where a series of well thought out goals will take you.
And that's what this phase is all about!
Luckily for us - we have some resources from the Herbal Academy to help us!
This graphic is taken directly from their Entrepreneur Herbal course (affiliate link), so we're onto a winner!
You are going to create SMART goals that take you where you want to go that are:
- SPECIFIC: What exactly do you want to accomplish?
- MEASUREABLE: How will you know if you complete your goal?
- ATTAINABLE: Is your goal challenging but realistic?
- RELEVENT: Does your goal help you to achieve your vision?
- TIME SENSITIVE: When exactly should the goal be completed?
When you can get clarity about exactly what your are trying to achieve and are sure it's the RIGHT thing for you at this point in your herbal journey, you are more likely to achieve it.
So here is your action step for this phase:
3) Define YOUR current goal.
Hint: Keep it something that is achievable in the next 60-120 days so there there is enough time to make a difference but it's not too far away 😉
Phase 3 – Your Hurdle
On phase 2 you used the SMART goal framework to create a goal that you can complete to help you work towards your vision as an herbalist.
On phase 3, we're going to focus on the things that you expect might hold you back so that you can enter the battlefield prepared to face the opposition.
If you are AWARE of our shortcomings and challenges, you can take steps to minimize their impact so that you experience greater success.
4) Acknowledge what sort of hurdles that you might come up against in trying to reach your goal. What sort of things might hold you back?
- Time
- Knowledge
- Experience
- Location
- Family commitments
- Work commitments
- Space
- Or anything else... whatever you perceive as making your goal more difficult to achieve!
5) Write a sentence or two about what you could do to help overcome theses hurdles to reach your goal.
Phase 4 – Your Toolkit
You already faced your hurdles head on - if you know the enemy you are better equipped to beat it!
On phase 4, it's all about your TOOLKIT... what you need to reach your goal.
Often (but not always!) this will be the "answer" to your hurdle from phase 3.
Do you need to:
- Hire someone to help because you don't have enough time?
- Enroll in herbal school to get more knowledge?
- Find a mentor to get more experience?
- Get a space to have somewhere to carry out your business?
You might also need real physical tools to make it happen - things like:
- An accountant
- A lawyer
- Certified kitchen
- Packaging
- Copper still
- Garden space
- Supplies for products
- Classroom for workshops
- Or anything else!
Based on the replies I've got so far, I know a lot of the people who attend the conference are seeking to deepen their knowledge as their start their herbal entrepreneur path....
We've teamed up with the Herbal Academy so that you can all have access to the information that you need to truly get started.
You can SAVE $100 off the Entrepreneur course (affiliate link) if you join now by using the discount code: ENTREPRENEURSHIP.
(Thanks to Marlene Adelmann who spoke at the Herbal Entrepreneur Conference! 
)
I've done MANY of their other courses (Intro, Intermediate, Materia Medica, Wildcrafting, Fermentation) and have learned a lot!
That said, here are your action steps for phase 4!
6) Define what you need to reach your goal.
7) Write a sentence or two about how / where you are going to get this from.
Phase 5 - Your Commitment
This is the last phase of the Map Your Herbal Path Challenge. It's all about bringing it all together and COMMITTING to your plan to follow it through.
1. On Phase 1, you focused on you vision and where you want to head in the years to come.
2. On Phase 2, you created SMART goals that will help you to take steps (or leaps) forward towards you vision.
3. On Phase 3, you looked at the hurdles that might hold you back from reaching your goals (and how to face them head on!)
4. On Phase 4, you gathered you toolkit so that you are equipped with everything that you need to move forward.
Now is time for phase 5 and the last step is to COMMIT.
- You've got your vision.
- You've created a goal.
- You've worked out the details.
NOW it's time to commit to making it a reality.
Are you ready to do this?
Phase 5 is simple. Here's all you need to do:
8) Write down "YES I am going to ........."
9) Actually DO it! 😉