Every entrepreneur is looking for that moment that can be deemed as their ‘big break’. There’s a lot of competition in the business world and it seems like there is always someone offering something. So how do you stand out from the crowd? How do you draw the attention of not only potential clients and partners, but publications that would like to feature you? How do you catch the eye of the Forbes’s and Entrepreneur’s of the world? The same way you capture the attention of your potential clients and partners.

Here’s how I became a 2x ‘30 Under 30’ honoree and ‘Forbes Next 1000’ nominated performance coach, author, and CEO that can be seen in the 40th Annual Forbes 400 Edition of Forbes Magazine.

1. Be Able to Clearly State What You Do

Messaging is e-v-er-y-thing. People should not be confused when you are explaining to them what you do. Have you ever had a friend that was trying to explain their business or product to you and by the end of it you still didn’t know what their business or product was? Your friends, family, and connections want to help you, but they can’t if they don’t know what you do exactly. I’m not saying they have to understand a day in the life of someone in your field, but you need to be able to explain what you do to them in a way that is short, concise, and jargon-free. Leave your “fancy” entrepreneur words at home and talk to your friend as a regular person.

If you want to test if your bio, mission statement, product description, or pitch makes sense to the masses, invite people that are not in your field to read it and give their feedback. Ask them if they understand what’s being offered and what’s being said.

It took me forever to come to the conclusion that I help women build the discipline and consistency needed to get and stay on track with hitting their goals. When you’re applying for grants, press features, or business partnerships, the first thing they are going to want to know is what your service, offer, or product is. It is okay to have an expanded version of that “ I ________” statement, but you need to be able to summarize it in one sentence so that you can get your ‘foot in the door’ of the opportunity you are trying to get. When looking at places like Forbes, Entrepreneur, Thrive Global, Insider, – and many more big names – for an opportunity, being able to clearly and confidently state what you do can be a game-changer. The second is being able to prove your credibility.

2. Prove Your Credibility/ Build Your Online Presence

When you learn about a new self-help app, podcast, business, – or anything you haven’t heard of before – what’s the first thing you do? You Google it. You do further research and see what all there is to find about them. One of the things that won my nomination for the Forbes ‘Next 1000’ was having a lot of positive things on Google pop up about me and my business from established and trustworthy publications.

You might be rolling your eyes or sighing in despair right now, but fear not, you can prove your credibility without having a lot of press on Google! Do you have a website? Do you have your business registered with sites that allow reviews? People need someplace to go to fact-check you and the more places, the merrier. The more people and places you have ‘singing your praises’ looks good to any place you are seeking to potentially gain an opportunity from– especially Forbes.

Start racking up proof that your service or product works. Ask people for those reviews. Pitch publications for features. Get your name and service out there for more people to know about. People feel safer working/ partnering with someone they can research.

3. Be Diligent

There is a lot of ‘noise’ out there and sometimes it can be hard to stand out. How many other people or businesses fall in your same category? I’m a Performance Coach and Certified Master Life Coach and if you tried to google how many self-proclaimed life or self-help coaches there are, the internet would break. But, who else is doing what you do isn’t important. What is important is your determination to be the last one standing. It is highly likely that you are going to be told ‘no’ way more times than you are told ‘yes’, in the beginning. But sometimes, all you need is one ‘yes’ that can change everything.

With that said, keep showing up. Annoyingly so if need be. Keep finding opportunities to put your name, face, and brand out there. Let the world know you exist!

Not every place you have your name associated with is going to be a Forbes or Entrepreneur, but those places can help you catch the attention of these places. Partner with influencers in your niche, do affiliate programs, get on podcasts, pitch to be in a bunch of smaller publications, speak at local events, start a podcast or youtube channel, partner with other entrepreneurs, get people on your email list, and do what you can to build your online presence. Mark as many places as possible with your presence so that as many people as possible know that you were here.

It’s not going to be easy making a name for yourself, and sometimes friends and onlookers don’t take you seriously until you catch your first break of success – but keep going. Things are just getting started and it only gets better from here!