Female Founder Brianna Meighan Reveals How Marathon Running Fuels Her Business Success
*LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / October 31, 2023 /* Once upon a time, for many, the idea of building a brand was as daunting as the idea of running a marathon - such obscure and inconceivable missions seemed reserved only for the most courageous of souls. Now, just imagine doing both. Brianna Meighan, a five-time marathon runner and Founder and CEO of a CPG brand that is estimated to reach $50 million in revenue by the end of 2023, is proof that it can be done. Building a brand from the ground up is not for the faint of heart, but if long hours and delayed gratification are your thing, then you may share a common thread found in marathon runners and founders.
Photo Credits: John Russo
Marathon runners, like startup founders - get a reputation for being lone wolves. It's no secret that the idea of running a marathon (26.2 miles or 42.1km) does not rank high on most people's list of fun pastime activities, nor does the idea of clocking hundreds of thousands of hours, alone, building a business with no guarantee for a successful outcome. Both marathoners and founders put in hard work, but getting to the finish line depends on much more than just logging the miles and long hours. Five-time marathon runner and founder and CEO Brianna Meighan shares her Top 3 lessons that running marathons has taught her about business and building a successful health and wellness CPG brand:
*Lesson 1: Small Wins Lead to Big Wins*
"Training for a marathon requires a lot of running, so I try to run every day," Brianna shares. "I keep marathon-ready year-round because I am all about collecting those all-important 'small wins.' One of the things I love most about running and marathon training is that it helps me to have a healthy relationship with 'me.' When I accomplish my daily runs or achieve my mileage goals for that day, it makes me feel very happy, and I feel 'proud of myself.' I was born with a built-in drill sergeant inner voice, and as a distance runner, a Founder, and CEO, I know that small wins lead to big wins, and it's these big wins that create momentum, and this momentum is what trigger the flywheel for success."
It is so important that we find ways to create daily opportunities for these 'small wins' on a micro level, in our daily personal lives, as well as on a macro level, such as within our businesses. Small wins can be anything from running for 15 minutes every day, going to bed early at night, making your bed as soon as you wake up, or deciding to cut out eating carbs except for on the weekends. Momentum builds more momentum, and the momentum that these small wins create ultimately helps to build and yield more confidence and trust in yourself. In business, you absolutely must have the confidence to be able to trust in yourself and stand behind your vision, your ideas and your decisions. If you don't believe in yourself, you can't expect anyone else to either.
*Lesson 2: Plan and Pacing*
Both training for a marathon and building a business require a solid plan that also includes a timeline so you can pace yourself and grow accordingly. Developing a successful business and running a marathon don't happen by accident and are not things you can achieve by just winging it. Both require a carefully crafted plan and the discipline to be able to stick to that plan and pace yourself along the way. Obviously, no plan is ever set in stone, so you will also have to have the bandwidth to adjust and adapt along the way.
Just like in business, when running a marathon, there will be easy and less demanding moments, such as when the course is flat or downhill. But then you also have to plan and be prepared for the intense hill climbs or for when you find yourself running for ten miles straight in heavy rain or a headwind - these factors can make or break you on your race day if you haven't learned to pace yourself.
Pacing is vital when it comes to managing and sticking to a budget in business, whether you are self-funding or you have raised capital from investors. Runners must conserve their energy reserves throughout the marathon just like founders must conserve their financial resources for those tricky, unexpected surprises that undoubtedly will occur. Therefore, success and endurance are dependent on a solid plan and responsible pacing along the way.
*Lesson 3: Focus and Commitment*
"Running a marathon demands much more than physical conditioning; but requires the mental clarity, focus and commitment to keep you from getting distracted and quitting along the way," Brianna says. The exact same goes for being a business founder. Distraction takes many, many forms, and the greatest being the little voice inside our own heads, which many people often refer to as the monkey mind. Building a brand and distance running have another common denominator, and that is that they both restrict the need for instant gratification.
"Training for marathons has taught me how to ignore distractions, control my inner-monkey mind voice and embrace delayed gratification. They say, 'if you don't learn how to control your inner monkey mind, your monkey mind will control you.' It is totally normal to doubt yourself, but learn how to control that negative or pessimistic voice in your head so that it doesn't control you and hold you back," Brianna adds.
Learning to resist instant gratification requires developing a new level of focus, which is just like developing a new muscle in your body. At first, it isn't easy; in fact, it can be quite painful, which is why new businesses usually fail in the beginning, and people training for a marathon tend to quit shortly after starting. But if you commit daily to improving and developing your focus, with time, you will see how much easier it becomes to starve your distractions and run full force in the direction of your goals.
One way to develop your focus and learn how to control your inner monkey mind is by meditating. "Every day, as soon as I wake up, I meditate for 11 minutes," shares Brianna. "My daily meditation practice is what has helped me to develop laser focus and to control my inner monkey mind (this is what inspired me to start my YouTube channel dedicated to sharing my short daily motivation and guided meditations). Once you master this, it will serve you everywhere you go."
For a lot of runners, the best part of the marathon is at the finish line; however, for founders like Brianna Meighan, the finish line is purely symbolic. In startups, as in life, we often have to keep running just when we thought the worst was over. Life, running, and business will remind us that with strength, persistence, focus, grit, love and a ton of passion, there is no limit to what we can truly accomplish.
*About Brianna Meighan*
Brianna Meighan is an accomplished CEO and founder who has redefined success in the world of business. Beyond her corporate leadership, she has carved a distinctive path as a five-time marathon runner and accomplished equestrian, seamlessly blending the worlds of entrepreneurship, as a female founder, and sports. With a relentless drive and a passion for both health and wellness, Brianna has blazed her trail to becoming a prominent figure in the business and fitness sectors.
Country: United States
Media Contact: Giselle Posta
Company: BRIANNA GROUP
Email: PR@BriannaGroup.com
Phone Number: 786-818-3330
Website:www.BriannaGroup.com
*SOURCE:* BRIANNA GROUP
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