3 Beliefs You’ll Need As A Woman Entrepreneur

by Kendall SummerHawk

May I get a little vulnerable with you?

If you’ve been following me for awhile you probably think I’m always totally confident, completely in my power and never have a down day.

That couldn’t be farther from the truth!

I wouldn’t be human if that were true, and I certainly wouldn’t be a woman entrepreneur! Sure, I have a ton of confidence…except for those times when I slip into an old way of thinking.

Such as every time I begin to up-level my business.

LOL, right? But it makes sense because every time you make a big shift in what you want to achieve you’re going to come up against old beliefs that you thought you’d had handled…only to find them resurfacing at the least opportune moment.

What I’ve learned in the process of being tapped into my femininity AND growing a successful, multi 7-figure coaching business, is that every new level creates an opportunity to step more fully into my connection with spirit AND my confidence as a feminine leader.

Want the same for yourself? Good! Here are 3 core beliefs it’s time you strengthen if you’re serious about creating greater success in your business. Which one of these resonates most for YOU?

Belief #1: You ARE Good Enough

Not feeling good enough can undermine your confidence, causing you to under charge and over deliver. It can also cause you to over-worry about what others think, and fear being “found out” as a fraud.

Here’s a simple exercise you can do: identify 3 specific ways in which this belief worms its way into your life. Then ask yourself, “how would someone who doesn’t doubt her value respond or handle these situations?”

Journal your answers, then post them where you can see them for the next week.

Belief #2: You’re WORTH Being Respected

If you struggle with boundaries and always seem to be putting the needs of others first, then your self-respect is going to suffer. The solution? First, what are 3 areas in your business where you’re tolerating bad service, inferior work or late delivery?

Then, ask yourself, “if making excuses for others were no longer an option, what would I ask for instead?”

Journal your answers, then post them where you can see them for the next week.

Belief #3: You Have Valuable Gifts That DESERVE To Be Paid For

Not believing in the value of your skills and talents will cause you to give away your services without charging, to over deliver or to struggle with difficult, demanding or needy clients.

To fully claim the fees you deserve, try this: ask yourself, “as someone who has a rare talent for _____________, what is a fee that honors my gifts?”

First thought, best thought! Jot the number down and post it where you can see it and practice saying it out loud for the next week. You’ll be amazed at how you “grow into” your new number!

Would you like to learn simple ways you can brand, package and price your services, quickly move away from 'dollars-for-hours work' and create more money, time, and freedom in you business? Check out my web site, http://www.KendallSummerHawk.com, for free articles, resources and to sign up for my free audio mini-seminar "Money Blocks & Breakthroughs.

Award-winning, million dollar marketing coach Kendall SummerHawk is the leading expert in women entrepreneurs and money.

Using Pain or Pleasure in Your Marketing

by Alicia M Forest

About 3 years ago, I was driving around running errands, and I tuned into a local radio station that was hosting a radio-thon to raise money for St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. When the DJ said, “Think about what your healthy child is doing right now, playing, having a snack, whatever… and then think of the kids at St. Jude” – well, I couldn’t pull over fast enough to whip out my wallet and cell phone.

Now, like you, I get a lot of solicitations either in the mail or even via email. Most of those get dumped in the trash or deleted. But what was different about this time? I mean, I literally stopped what I was doing (driving!) to pull over, take out my credit card, call the number, and make my contribution.

So, what made me not even hesitate? It was that deep FEELING of empathy for those kids and their parents, as well as an overwhelming FEELING of gratefulness for my own healthy child.

You see, as humans, we tend to seek pleasure and avoid pain. And you may be surprised to learn that we actually will do more to avoid pain than we will to gain pleasure.

What that DJ said really got to me – it was incredibly painful for me to think of my own little girl ever being that sick. In order to avoid feeling that pain, I became a Partner in Hope and now make monthly and annual contributions to St. Jude’s directly from the proceeds of my business.

The same holds true in your marketing. If you can touch upon your target market’s pain, address what it is that they are most struggling with, and offer the solution to them – well, it’s a winning formula every time.

When you’re writing your sales pages, you want to state what problem your reader is struggling with and how your offering can solve it, right at the beginning.

One effective way of introducing your solution is by asking a question of your reader around what it’s like to struggle with the problem your offering solves. If you can relate to your reader’s frustration, pain, struggle, or challenge, you’ll immediately establish a connection and they will want to know more about how you can solve their issue for them.

Touching on your prospect’s pain and offering them relief by way of your solution is not manipulative. It’s direct, honest and open. Your reader is at your website because they are looking for a solution. If you want to help them, then the only way to do that is to tell them that you understand their pain and that you offer the solution.

So, think about your market. Are they more likely to seek out your services or your products because they want to gain pleasure? Or is it because they want to solve their most pressing problems? Then weave your answer into your marketing messages.


Alicia M Forest, MBA, 6-Figure Business Breakthrough Mentor, teaches entrepreneurs how to attract more clients, create profit-making products and services, make more sales, and ultimately live the life they desire and deserve. For FREE tips on how to breakthrough to 6 figures and beyond so you can live the life you ache for, visit http://aliciaforest.com

Company Culture: 3 Ways to Develop a Winning Attitude

by Brad Campbell

Buzzwords are developed for a reason. They are talked about with young up and comers and CEO’s alike. The buzzword is something which is embraced by all those looking to get ahead in business. Many buzzwords come and go, but only the best ones stick around. One of the buzzwords which does not appear to be going anywhere any time soon is ‘company culture’.

Company culture means a winning attitude shared by everyone within the company. It is something which is invested in by the majority of the most successful companies. It involves empowering employees so that they feel as if they are a member of a larger picture rather than a cog in the machine. It does not matter if the business is in lead generation or retail, it is important to have a winning attitude. It is important to have company culture.

So, how do you get company culture? Different businesses attack the problem through different means. While a large company might hire consultants and invest millions into creating the winning attitude, it is simply not a course small businesses can pursue. Small companies like a telephone answering service or a local production company need to approach the problem from a different angle. Here are a few suggestions to get started on the road to company culture.

1. Listen to Employees. Employees need to feel as if they are respected. It is simple to make employees feel respected by simply respecting them. Call for company meetings regularly and talk about ideas for how to improve the business. Whether one on one or in a group setting, these strategy sessions make the employee feel as if they are really doing something rather than just punching a clock. The more regular the meetings are, the more productive they will be as employees will start preparing to speak their mind.

2. Try New Things. After meetings with employees, go to the next step and try out suggestions. As long as the suggestion will not damage the income or the reputation of the company, there is nothing to lose. You never know, it might be a great idea on how to generate new business. It is amazing how well ideas which sounded off the wall and even a bit garish at first will deliver superior results in the end. When the employees see you are using their ideas, they will be empowered and work even harder to produce for a company they love.

3. Maintain a Small Business Feel. As a company grows, the tendency is to lose the company culture focus. CEOs become distant from employees and mid-level managers become more interested in following the instructions handed down from on high rather than listening to employee suggestions. The door to the CEO should always be open no matter how large the company gets. While the CEO might not always be available for one on one conferences, managers should take the place and field the suggestions. Suggestions should be tried on every level by funneling the information upward.

The greater the energy in the business, the faster the business will grow. Get started today on creating company culture and success will follow.

Resource Nation provides free tools, tips, and purchasing advice for business owners and entrepreneurs in over 100 business categories ranging from phone systems to credit card processing. Whether it's connecting businesses with local and national pre-screened vendors, or offering easy service comparisons on a VoIP service, Resource Nation empowers business decision makers by providing the information they need to make smart choices.

Women Entrepreneurs The Secrets of Success for Monday, October 25th

Christine Gallagher

Christine Gallagher is a relationship marketing specialist and social media business coach. She graduated Cum Laude from Temple University in 2000 with a Bachelors in Communications and Mass Media and received a double Masters in Information Systems and Information Science from Drexel University in 2003.

Through her consulting, coaching and training business, Christine helps entrepreneurs and small business owners maximize their business profits using an integrated social media and online marketing strategy with a particular focus on blogging, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube. Christine also has a strong background in the world of Internet technology and is passionate about showing solopreneurs how to create powerful relationships using social media as well as teaching them how to stop trading dollars for hours by using online information marketing techniques. Christine currently has over 15,000 people in her social media community and on her email list and was recently featured as a social media marketing expert in the book Get Scrappy: A Small Business Owner's Guide to Marketing On Less. Her blog, CommunicateValue.com was also just chosen as one of the top 50 small business blogs by Konector.com

After applying Christine's proven online marketing methods, her clients typically experience a significant increase in traffic, subscribers, clients, affiliates and lucrative joint venture opportunities. Christine is an in-demand speaker both locally and virtually and regularly delivers social media and online marketing presentations and in-depth training. Christine lives in Southern New Jersey with her husband Sean and their 2 crazy cats.  http://communicatevalue.com


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Going the Extra Mile will Get You Even Farther

by Jack Canfield

In life, victory often goes to those who make a 100% commitment to the outcome. They give it their all and put everything they have into getting their desired result... whether it be an Olympic gold medal, the top sales award, a perfect dinner party, or an A in microbiology.

It's a simple concept, yet you'd be surprised how many people don't stick to their disciplines, follow through with their plans, or go the extra mile.

Are you someone who consistently goes the extra mile and routinely over delivers on your promises?

It's rare these days, but it's the hallmark of high achievers who know that exceeding expectations helps you stand above the crowd. Almost by force of habit, successful people simply do more.

As a result, they experience not only greater financial rewards for their extra efforts but also a personal transformation, becoming more self-confident, more self-reliant, and more influential with those around them.

These high achievers stand out from the crowd because of their extra efforts. They are unwilling to give up, even in the face of difficult times.

They get the promotions, they get the loyal customers, they grow their businesses twice as fast, they get financial rewards, job security, and they go home feeling satisfied.

Do you exceed expectations?

Do you surprise people with more than they were expecting from you?

Do you have the opportunity - but also the personal initiative - to go the extra mile?

To be successful you must change your thinking. You can only win by making extra efforts. People who go the extra mile always get payback. You will discover yourself becoming more self-confident, more self-reliant and more influential with those around you.

People notice the special services and all the small touches that make dealing with you so pleasurable. And when they are talking to their friends they will mention you and recommend you because you are the one who stands out.

People will see that you pay attention to detail, that you consider all the small things that really make a business successful, that you care about your image, and that you belong with all the other people who work hard to achieve. You will attract new business and new opportunities.

Listen to any success story and you will hear of someone who worked exceptionally hard to get what they wanted.

You’ll hear how they put in the extra time, did what wasn’t part of their job description, and over-delivered on what was asked of them. You’ll hear how they stuck at it until they broke through, and usually you’ll hear how it only took them a couple of years to do it.

What have you been doing for the past couple of years? Think of what you could accomplish if you made it a habit to exceed everyone’s expectations. Image what doors could be open to you if you decided to be of better service and value.

How are you willing to go the extra mile? What kind of extra service are you willing to provide in order to stand out from the rest? What areas of your life could you be giving more of your effort and time, becoming more valuable, and improving your reputation?

Be willing to treat everyone like you’d treat your dearest friend. Don’t skimp on service. Don’t be mediocre or run of the mill. Show people what you are capable of. Show them that you care about your image and reputation.

When it comes to success, the people who are willing to go the extra mile get there that much faster!

* * *

Are you "stuck" in this area?
Send me your most pressing question about this topic, then join me for our monthly Ask Jack Canfield Tele-Clinic on November 3rd. www.AskJackCanfield.com
© 2010 The Canfield Training Group
All Rights Reserved.


Jack Canfield, America's #1 Success Coach, is founder of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul© and a leading authority on Peak Performance and Life Success. If you're ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get your FREE success tips from Jack Canfield now at: www.FreeSuccessStrategies.com

Women Entrepreneurs The Secrets of Success for Monday, October 11th

Anita Campbell

Anita Campbell is the founder, CEO, and editor of Small Business Trends, a popular website where small businesses and entrepreneurs can stay on top of trends driving the small business market. She also hosts Small Business Trends Radio and is a respected business speaker.

More recently, Anita acquired the website BizSugar, a social bookmarking and networking site for small and medium-sized business owners and managers. Through the site, users can meet other business owners with whom they can share interests and knowledge. As well, users can discover websites and articles that provide answers to common business challenges and share useful ideas.

http://www.bizsugar.com/
http://smallbiztrends.com/



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Women Entrepreneurs The Secrets of Success for Wednesday, October 6th

Joy Chudacoff 

Heralded as “The Coach for Women” in the millennium, Joy Chudacoff has x-ray vision when it comes to helping women discover their Big Ideas, Dreams and Goals! Joy draws on both her personal life and entrepreneurial experiences to support women in achieving better ways of living. It’s her passion, her purpose and her business. She is a Professional Certified Coach, highly skilled group leader, motivational speaker and a gifted communicator.

An entrepreneur for over 2 decades, Joy knows what it’s like to be a woman who integrates family and passionate work together. As a wife and mother of two, Joy understands the importance of self-care, family and reaching her entrepreneurial dreams of supporting women. Joy is on the Advisory Board for Women for Hire as well as a founding Board Member for The Broad’s Circle. She is the Business and Life Coach for the National Association of Entrepreneur Moms and serves as a Mastermind Leader for the Ali Brown Millionaire Protégé Club. Joy was awarded the 2009 Ali Brown Millionaire Protégé Club Platinum Excellence Award for having the most successful business programs that achieved growth in terms of clients and income.

Whether you’re looking at what’s next in your life, are a new business owner or have been in business years, Joy has easy, proven and simple programs that you can take advantage of to get everything in life that you want and deserve. Visit Joy’s website, www.SmartWomenSolutions.com, where you’ll find more articles by Joy plus information about her Women’s Success Circles, Smart Women Smart Solutions Coach Certification Programs at www.SuccessCircleCoach.com, Speaking engagements, teleclasses and upcoming events for women who are ready to live their Big Ideas, Dreams and Goals. Be sure to visit Joy’s blog, www.SmartWomenSolutions.com/blog.

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"Ready for a Time Management Tune-up?"

by Ali Brown

Summer’s fun has come to an end, and for many of us, the kids are back in school. Fall is a precious time to buckle down and get some real work done with your business before the holidays are here. You may feel busy at every moment, but at the end of the day are you pleased with your results?

“It's not so much how busy you are, but why you are busy. The bee is praised. The mosquito is swatted.” -Mary O’Connor

Perhaps it’s time for a time management tune-up. Here are some strategies to get you started:

1. Organize. If the clutter in your office and on your desk bothers you, spend some time getting it organized. A clear workspace will free your mind and rid yourself of distractions.

2. Prioritize. If all of your “gotta-dos” are swimming around in your head making you feel anxious, write them down on a list. You’ll feel better as soon as you do. Next, prioritize the list into:

a. Urgent – things you must do that affect your bottom line, such as preparing for a client meeting

b. Important – should-dos, such as doing your invoices to keep the cash flow coming in

c. Can wait – still need getting done, but you have some time, such as renewing your web domain before it expires

Sometimes you’ll have competing urgent tasks, and you’ll be torn over which one takes precedence. When that happens, follow the money--which item will affect your business’s income the most. That should reveal a clear winner, and if it doesn’t, quickly compare one to another, and do first the one that you select the most often.

3. Delegate. Ideally you’ll want to delegate your “important” and “can wait” tasks to your assistant, if you have one. Feel the relief already? Now you can focus on those urgent tasks that you identified with greater focus. By handing off the less urgent to-dos to someone else, you have prevented them from becoming “drop everything and do it” emergencies later.

4. Plan. Don’t let your email inbox schedule your day. Instead, take control of your agenda and determine what you want and need to get done before you get started. Use your online calendar to gently remind yourself of your pre-planned activities. Schedule your most taxing tasks for when you are most alert for greatest productivity. If you’re best in the morning, do your toughest tasks then, and save your afternoons for coffee meetings with clients.

5. Cushion. People who are always late don’t seem to know how long things take, and it’s always longer than we think. For example, you know an event is at 3pm, and it is only 1pm, so you have plenty of time. But when you add up how long it takes to shower, do hair, make-up, press your blouse, and drive in traffic, you might realize that you are already late before you started.

Try working backwards from the time you want to arrive at a function, preferably a little early to network, and subtract out the time it takes to put yourself together. Add some “cushion time” so that you’ll be relaxed when you arrive. Remember to add this padding to your calendar or online scheduler so you won’t box yourself into an impossible situation.

6. Protect. Zealously protect your calendar. People will want pieces of you throughout the day zapping your energy and time. You owe it to yourself and to others who have scheduled time with you to protect your time. “No” can be a difficult word to say, but you’ll find it can be liberating.

7. Focus. Remove your distracters to get something important done well in a short amount of time. You know what they are, and they can be addictive: cellphone, email, Facebook, etc. Just turn them off for an hour or two to be really productive. You’ll be amazed and how much you can get done!

After putting these strategies into action, be sure to schedule in a reward for yourself for being so diligent and purposeful. Like the bee, you’ll be praised, but be sure and treat yourself to some honey as well.

© 2010 Ali International, LLC

Self-made millionaire entrepreneur and Inc. 500-ranked CEO Ali Brown teaches women around the world how to start and grow profitable businesses that make a positive impact. She was named one of 2010’s Enterprising Women of the Year and was recently included in the Ernst & Young 2010 Class of Entrepreneurial Winning Women. She was ranked on Forbes.com as the #1 woman for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. Get her FREE weekly articles and advice at www.AliBrown.com

Women Entrepreneurs the Secrets of Success for Monday, September 27th

Dr. Donna Thomas-Rodgers

Dr. Donna was born and raised in Detroit Michigan. As a child Dr. Donna did not talk very much in her early years. She used that time to take it all in. She knew that one day she would speak and she wanted to have something great to say.

Dr. Donna attended Detroit Public Schools and was awarded a ROTC scholarship to attend college. After Graduating from College, Dr. Donna served in the U.S. Army as a Military Police Officer. It was during this time that Dr. Donna discovered her passion for leadership and changing the lives of those that she led. She realized then that she said had a great impact on those within her influence.

Dr. Donna served five and half years as a commissioned officer and then decided to change course and venture into Corporate America. She took a position with Frito-Lay in Orlando, Florida. During her time with Frito-Lay Dr. Donna has worked in every capacity of the Operations Function of the business. She has received several promotions during her career.

Dr. Donna has over 14 years of leadership experience. She is an expert in soldier, personal, leader, employee and team development. She has lead over 1,000 soldiers and 500 employees. Dr. Donna has conducted years of research and understands the components to achieving success in any industry.

Dr. Donna has the ability to transform people and organizations. She has a realistic approach to every situation. Her style is different than most. Her methods though unconventional are very effective.

Her vision is simple: Meet your potential!

Dr. Donna has a B.S. Public Law and Government, an M.S. Criminal Justice and a Ed.D Organizational Leadership. She's affiliated with Toastmasters International, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and Women of Color Alliance.

Her certifications and training include Level III Inclusion and Diversity Training, Continuous Improvement Master Trainer, Region Performance Based Trainer and an Air Assault Badge.

12:00 pm EDT
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7 Mistakes New Business Owners Make

by Deborah A Bailey

For many of us, starting and running a business isn’t something that comes naturally. In school we’re instructed in how to choose careers, not start businesses.

If this is new to you, you will not learn how to do it after just one class in marketing, sales or writing a business plan. You will have to adjust your entire way of thinking.

Here are some mistakes that new business owners should watch out for (some of them will be familiar to you even if you’ve been in business for a while).

1. Spending lots of money on things you don’t need.  If you aren’t selling a lot of products you may not need a shopping cart. Don’t plan on big product launches or obsess over having thousands of social media followers if you’re just starting out. You’ll be setting yourself up for failure if you try to follow the gurus (who have built their businesses over time) and believe that you can achieve the same success in 5, 8 or 10 easy steps.


2. Not wanting to spend any money on things you do need. There are a lot of free applications and online tools, and that’s great. But at some point you must start to invest in your business either by hiring experts to help you, buying tools, or by investing in training. You may be able to do lot of things on a shoestring, but if you want to grow your business you have to invest in it.

3. Wanting to stay in your comfort zone. If you are doing something you’ve never done (which is something business owners deal with everyday) then you will feel uncomfortable at times. If you let fear stop you from having new experiences, your business will suffer.

4. Letting other people define your success. At one time or another we’ve all been drawn into the group-think about what defines success. Is it making 6 figures? 7 figures? Going on exotic vacations? Having 20K followers on Twitter? There as many definitions as there are businesses. You can go broke following someone else’s idea of what success looks like. Yes, you can model successful people, but if you’re trying to recreate their experience it won’t work. Either you’re following your own path or you are not.

5. Not knowing how to sell. The good thing is that you don’t have to act like the stereotypical used car salesman in order to do so. If you believe in what you’re selling and you enjoy sharing it with others, that’s half the battle. However, don’t get caught in the trap of believing you can put your business on auto-pilot and it runs itself. It won’t. Even “passive income” products have to be marketed and sold. You’ll have to get out there and get the job done.

6. Believing that you can achieve huge results with very little effort. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. There are a lot of claims being made in order to cut through the noise and get our attention. Do yourself a favor and read the fine print. You’ll usually find something that says, “results are not typical.” Often the results that a few people achieve are represented as the average result of using a product or service. Don’t let desperation lead to you to make choices you’ll regret later on.

7. Not being clear on what you really want. What does your ideal business look like? Have you created goals for what you want to achieve? Do you have a vision for your life and your business? If not, it’s time to start creating one. If you don’t know where you’re going, how can you get there?

We can all learn from mistakes, so don’t beat yourself up for making them. Building a business is a journey, just be open to learning and growing as you go along.

Copyright © 2010 Deborah A. Bailey

Deborah A. Bailey is author of two non-fiction books including, “Think Like an Entrepreneur: Transforming Your Career and Taking Charge of Your Life.” She's also the creator and host of Women Entrepreneurs Radio, a weekly internet talk show. Her fiction work includes a short story collection and a novel, available on Amazon.com. 

For more information, visit http://www.BrightStreetBooks.com.

Women Entrepreneurs the Secrets of Success for Wednesday, September 15th

Maria Gamb

As a former Fortune 500 trailblazer, Maria Gamb served for twenty-plus years as an executive in businesses valued at upwards of $100 million. What were her keys to corporate success? Blending creativity, divine inspiration, and straightforward communication. Now, as the founder, CEO, and "Chief Change Agent" of NMS Communications, she shares her vast business skills, life experience, and knowledge of universal laws to help executives and entrepreneurs alike claim their ability to lead profitable, effective businesses that are providing great value to those they serve.

Ms. Gamb believes that a new breed of leadership is emerging, which bridges the gap between the harsh practicalities of business and the intuitive nature of Spirit-and it's this gap that she bridges with her own lecturing and teaching.

Ms. Gamb's career has taken her across the globe. She has lived for significant periods in Australia and England and worked in countless others. Her understanding and appreciation of cultural differences and the inner workings of different kinds of industries and their leadership make her a force to be reckoned with in the global business landscape.

Ms. Gamb works from a loft in Brooklyn, New York, where she pursues her passion to help businesspeople transform the world through her one-on-one and group executive mentoring programs, sales of online products, and public speaking. For more information about her programs and services go to: www.mariagamb.com. She is also a journalist for the online powerhouse Newswire.com and a featured business expert in the new magazine Belle Petite. Her book "Healing of the Corporate World" is set for release on Oct 12th, 2010. www.MariaGamb.com

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Three Steps to Your Quantum Leap

by David Neagle

I’ve been sharing with you some of the wisdom from Price Pritchett’s book, You2. Last time, I said that when you want to make a quantum leap, you have to quit trying harder.

More effort is not the answer.

If you want to completely change your outcome, you have to change your approach to the outcome. You have to shift gears, follow new patterns of thought and action.

Pritchett offers several strategies to help you make your own quantum leap. Here are three:

1. Ignore Conventional Approaches

Pritchett writes that we achieve conventional growth because we think along conventional lines. We make modest improvements because we’re not looking for anything more than that.

Quantum leaps require you to abandon the status quo, to ignore the usual.

I’ll be the first to admit that bucking convention is easier said than done. Unconventional approaches are going to bring to the surface any emotional issues or pain you may have around being unusual.

For example, you may fear being embarrassed or being considered “weird.” Perhaps, in addition, “big shots” were ridiculed in your family and neighborhood, so you fear losing love if you excel.

To counteract those fears, you have to recognize them when they come up for you, and then move through them. Take the action regardless of the fear. After you do that a couple of times, you’ll realize that your subconscious can scare you, but it doesn’t have to stop you.

You also have to become more solid in who you are. That way, your results won’t derail you either. If you fail, it’s okay. You’re not devastated by the failure because it doesn’t define you. And if you succeed, that’s okay too.

2. Get Ruthless About Doing Something Different

Pritchett writes that the you-squared approach requires an abrupt change in behavior. You have to get ruthless about trying something different. Look for a paradoxical move. Be illogical. Use finesse instead of effort.

For example, unlike the fly I told you about, if you’re banging your head against the glass, stop and look for an open door. If you’re pushing against the river, try going with the flow.

It’s crucial that you do something new. Faith in the familiar blinds you to better pathways. You may not know what that better pathway is yet, but as long as you rely upon what you’ve always done, you’re not going to find it.

However, if you break out of your rut, second-guess your routines, overcome the reliance upon your old methodologies, you will open yourself up to receive new, inspired ideas. And with those new ideas and actions can come the solution for your quantum leap.

3. Seek the Elegant Solution

While you’re experimenting, keep in mind that you’re seeking an elegant solution, an approach that is simple, precise, efficient and neat, less demanding of your energies and emotions. As Pritchett writes, it will be a deft move or a path of less resistance.

You really can accomplish more by doing less. But in order to do that, you have to think beyond what common sense would allow.

Do you recall my exercise from last time? I wanted you to ask yourself how you could accomplish ten times more in your business by doing less. What ideas did you come up with? Did you get discouraged because they seemed unrealistic? Or, did you trust, like I said, that if you have the idea, the way to do it will show up as well?

Go find your list and keep those ideas alive. Allow brilliance to strike. It may not come in the way that you expect, but it will come.

Solutions exist all around you. Open up your mind, experiment in your actions and let yourself leap.

© Copyright 2010 – David Neagle’s Life Is Now Inc., All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

David Neagle, Million Dollar Income Acceleration Coach, mentors entrepreneurs to quantum leap their current businesses past the 7-Figure income level in just 12 months. David invites you to download—as his GIFT to you—his legendary “Art of Success” 4-hour audio program. This audio series is a tremendously compelling and comprehensive program that demonstrates—once and for all—that Success has nothing to do with “getting” or “achieving”, and everything to do with WHO we must BE to manifest our hearts’ true desires. For an additional bonus, Join our Text for Success mobile messaging program! Simply Te xt: success to the number: 85800

8 Ways Your Mentors/Advisors Can Help You Grow Your Business

by Maria Simone

There are several distinctions that can be made when describing someone who is thriving, or has the potential to thrive, in business. One of the things I look at is how well they’ve surrounded themselves with movers and shakers in their industry, influencers, investors, business experts, and so forth. Having such a diversity of talent close by can help accelerate your success in ways beyond your wildest imagination. Here are 8 mutually-agreeable ways you can work with Mentors and Advisors to help achieve your goals. Access www.the15minutementor.com to quickly find the Mentor resources you need next.

1.  Let them share their experience of having made the journey.
Have someone on hand who has traveled a similar path in business and ask them to help you with future pacing. They can easily stay a few steps ahead of you because they’ve been there and know the trail. Knowing your options means fewer obstacles, less risk and acceleration to your goals.

2.  Allow them to offer Moral Support.
It’s imperative to have someone around you who can be your moral compass and/or provide emotional support. That will help you stay grounded and reduce the number of “what was I thinking” crazy kind of days that occasionally do pop up.

3.  Position them as a funding magnet.
Someone who has raised capital and turned it into profit or has achieved success in your industry can probably duplicate their efforts. This is a huge risk reducer and investors like that.

4.  Receive CEO/Leadership Development Support.
You’ll want support as you evolve your inner-self so that as your business grows, you’re able to effectively lead your team.

5.  Help understanding financial forecasting.
You may have “people” that manage your books or run your numbers but it’s also helpful to get perspective from someone who has managed millions or even billions in revenue if this person isn’t already on your payroll.

6.  Let the connectors open doors for you.
Why stand in line when you don’t have to. Let someone else make the necessary introductions to new business and other opportunities. Move past the gatekeepers.

7.  Ask the creatives to help you innovate.
Brainstorm with your creative and visionary advisors to come up with amazing new product or marketing ideas or ways to package it all.

8.  Allow the influencers to help celebritize you.
If you are associated with people who are highly regarded in the public’s eye, chances are your status will also be elevated as they make your connection public. Similar to what a book endorsement does for an author.

About Maria Simone

Maria Simone is a dynamic speaker, author, and transformational business strategist. As the “Passion To Prosperity Diva”, http://passion2prosperity.com she helps entrepreneurs package their talents to create 6 or 7 figure businesses. Maria has started 4 businesses, has had online and offline success, and raised over $1.5 million in funding for various projects. She’s appeared on ABC News, Fox TV, and in Business Week, Success Magazine, and many other publications.

Webinar: Your Type, Defined for Success!

Presented by: Michele DeKinder-Smith
Date:  Wednesday, July 28
Time: 3:00 pm Eastern time

If you’re serious about taking a good look at yourself and how you affect your business, then it’s time to reserve your spot in the free webinar my friend Michele DeKinder-Smith is offering.

Michele, Founder and CEO of Jane Out of the Box, an online resource for female entrepreneurs, is completely passionate about helping women business owners to succeed, on their own terms.

Reserve your spot here: http://janeoutofthebox.com/2010event/

That’s why she’s offering, “Which Jane Are You? Defining Your Entrepreneurial Type So You Can Recognize and Utilize Your Strengths and Overcome Your Challenges.”

Having researched and interviewed more than 3,500 female entrepreneurs, Michele is at the cutting edge of what it takes to succeed – no matter where you are now.

Her powerful webinar will cover:

*An overview of the 5 different types of female entrepreneurs, so that you can determine your type and learn to work to your strengths and overcome your challenges.
*The Number One challenge facing each type.
*Advice for each type for overcoming her Number One Challenge.
*Why it’s crucial to understand your type – and all the others, too.
*How knowing your type can help you build a massively successful business that works for you, specifically.
*More information about upcoming Jane Out of the Box events that will give you even more customized action steps to find increased income, greater success, and more enjoyment in your unique business.

Trust me when I say that you definitely don’t want to miss this webinar, if you have bigger and better dreams for yourself, entrepreneurially.

Learn more about the webinar and reserve your spot at http://janeoutofthebox.com/2010event/

"Women Entrepreneurs - The Secrets of Success" for Thursday, July 22nd

Barb Wade

Barb Wade, M.A., specializes in coaching Entrepreneur-Moms to create thriving, 6-figure businesses without losing their families or their minds!  As a mother of two and thriving entrepreneur herself, Barb knows what it takes to build a strong and consistent business while simultaneously attending to quality time with her family - now in her 10th year of coaching, Barb has truly mastered the strategies and techniques to work smarter, not harder.

In particular, Barb teaches her clients how to consistently attract their own loyal, high-paying clients, how to charge what they're truly worth (and get it!), how to successfully sell their products and services without being "sales-y," how to create their own rewarding and lucrative businesses on their terms and schedule, and much more...all while having the freedom and flexibility for ample intimate time with their families.

In particular, Barb is passionate about helping clients move away from the limited, "hours for dollars" business paradigm, and instead create multiple streams of income for themselves from their expertise.  Barb offers a variety of services from both Private and Group Business Coaching Programs to V.I.P. Intensives to Telelcasses and Seminars on these passive and leveraged strategies, allowing her clients to work less, help more, and make more.  

In addition to working with her Entrepreneur-Mom clients, Barb has provided coaching for a variety of companies including IBM, House of Blues Digital, Sony Pictures Corporation, Hand & Associates, Digital Envelope, and Toyota.  Prior to becoming a Life Coach, Barb had a successful career in business as a Vice President for two of Bill Gross's prestigious Idealab Companies, and at Dreamworks SKG where she led the Kids and Family Products group for the studio's Interactive Media department. (And a little known secret about Barb is that right out of college, she landed a lead role on a prime-time NBC series and was a television actress for two years - a funny story!).

A frequent speaker on industry panels, Barb also served for 8 years as the official On Air Success Coach for the Fine Living Channel.  Barb loves living in northern Colorado and spending lots of time with her husband and 2 "spirited" daughters.

For a variety of valuable tips and resources, please visit www.BarbWade.com.

**SPECIAL GIFT only for listeners of Deb Bailey's "Women Entrepreneurs - The Secrets of Success" Blog Talk Radio Show at http://www.BarbWade.com/SOS ***

8:00 pm EDT
Listen to the live or archived show at:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/CoachDeb

Free Teleclass: "Grow That List! The 7 Streams of List Building That Are Working Right Now"

with Ali Brown

Date: Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Time: 7:00pm Eastern

On this special no-cost teleseminar, you'll learn...

* the 7 list-building "streams" you should be directing to your
site right now - to create a river of traffic

* how to create slow and steady flows of prospects as well as
fast gushes of list growth (and why you need both)

* 3 of the latest list-building methods that are relatively NEW
and that you should try

* which list-building methods are now outdated (cross these off
your to-do-list!)

* which software/applications Ali recommends to automatically
manage your list

* the MOST important thing you have to keep in mind when growing
your list

* how to get your list growing now...even if you don't have a
website yet

* details about Ali's BRAND NEW four-part telecourse on
list-building that she will be personally teaching this summer!

Learn more and register here:

http://www.millionaireprotegeclub.com/grow-your-list

Whether you're just starting to build a list for your new business
idea, OR you're ready for a "list-building checkup" to step up the
growth of your existing customer list, you'll learn how to spot new
list-building opportunities, win new qualified prospects, and build a
list that will help grow your business successfully.

It's been quite some time since Ali hosted a call like this, so
don't miss it!

Sign up now here to to reserve your space on this
complimentary teleseminar:

http://www.millionaireprotegeclub.com/grow-your-list

"See" you on the call!

Speaker & Trainer Marcus Smith on Women Entrepreneurs - The Secrets of Success

Marcus Smith is a Professional Speaker and Trainer.  In this capacity he creates seminars and workshops designed to meet the objectives of his clients through the power of public speaking and communicating.

His background includes a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering from Georgia Tech, well over 50 speeches and workshops, and over 1 million views as a TV anchor at Home Depot’s Corporate offices.  He  blends hardcore analytical ability and natural communication skills to address business concerns from all conceivable angles.  His experiences have shown him that communication (or lack thereof) can significantly impact the bottom line of a business.


http://www.marcusasmith.com
http://twitter.com/marcusasmith

12:00 pm EDT
Listen to the live or archived show at:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/CoachDeb

Public Speaking Fear - Will They Reject What I Say?

by Janet Hilts

Is your fear of speaking really a fear of rejection? That's at the bottom of public speaking anxiety for a lot of people. The way to deal with this fear is to first take a closer look. What are you afraid might be rejected? Your words?

Rejection Of Your Words
Here are a few facts to consider:

• Fact A: Your words only count for 7% of the actual message that you deliver. 7%! Can you believe it? The biggest part of your message is conveyed through your body language, facial expression and tone of voice. So that seriously takes the pressure off your words, doesn't it?  When you're speaking - whether that's to a client or a big audience - your intention is to connect with them, isn't it? That's what communication is all about. And people connect at the heart. That's where those nonverbal elements come into play. They're watching your eyes. They're looking to see if you're paying attention to them. They want the feeling that you care about them and their problem.
• Fact B: They want to feel positive emotions from hearing you - relief, hope, peace of mind. That experience does not come from your words.
  We've all heard words that sound empty, where the emotion doesn't match the actual words. Picture an eye-rolling teenager saying "I'm sorry" to a scolding teacher. The words aren't conveying their real meaning, are they? See how this reduces the pressure for you to get your words perfect? If your fear of rejection is about words, I hope your fear is shrinking.

On the positive side of things, think of the people you enjoy doing business with. They're just regular people, right? Just like you.

Now think of their speaking styles. Do they all have perfect grammar? Are they all fabulous speech writers and award-winning orators? Is their language completely clear of "uh" and "y'know"? Of course not!

And yours doesn't have to be either. For now, stop worrying about your words and focus on relaxing so your voice, face and body can react naturally. That's what helps you connect to people so you can really get your message across.

Bonus:
Once you get some practice speaking naturally, you'll find it much easier to work with improving your actual words if you want to. It's ironic that once you let go of the fear about the words, your options for words open up. Your creative ability and willingness to experiment with new phrases totally expands once your speaking anxiety is gone.

From the desk of Janet Hilts MPH, EFT-ADV
http://SpeakUpAndShine.com

Copyright © 2010 Janet Hilts, Speak Up & Shine | Clearing Pathways, Inc.

Author Q&A: Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months by Melinda Emerson

Author and Small Business Coach Melinda Emerson was a very informative guest on the Women Entrepreneurs Radio™ show. In this post she shares more of her insights about starting a business and her new book, Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months: A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business that Works

Why did you write Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months?

My mission as small business coach is to End Small Business Failure. I wanted to develop a tool for people who are unhappy with their jobs and wanted to start a business. I also wanted to discourage people from just quitting their jobs without a well-researched plan. Too often I got calls from people seeking my advice about starting a business—after they had already quit their job which is just too late to start planning. I started out sending these would-be entrepreneurs a one pager with start-up tips. Then it was expanded into a special report, 44 Things To Do Before Going Into Business, which was the basis for this book. Over the years I became a business coach and lecturer on small business best practices. Since the recession began, small business owners have even less time to hit it big with their niche target customer now. I thought the best way to help entrepreneurs would be to provide a step-by-step proven method to start a successful small business.

What makes your book different from all the other start-up business books?

Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months provides a realistic, month-by-month planning guide to start a sustainable and profitable small business. If you’re planning to start a business soon, the key to being successful is not only to create a sound business concept, but also taking the time to figure out the business of running a business. This book will point out the important and necessary steps to take – so you will have the right foundation for a small business. Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months is not a book about writing a business plan; it’s about planning your successful small business.

Why does it take 12 months to start a business?

12 Months is an ideal time-frame to start a business, it’s not meant to be restrictive. I have been an entrepreneur for more than 11 years. Based on my experience, I believe the longer you plan, the more research you will do, and the more money you save, the more likely you are to succeed in business.

What if you don’t have 12 months?

Sometimes people are forced to start sooner. This is triggered by layoffs, getting fired, buyouts or retirement packages. I only planned for three months with my first business, but the challenge with that approach is you learn plenty of lessons the hard way, and that can be expensive. If you live by a budget, have your debt under control, and have a significant amount of savings, you will be able to start your business much sooner. Depending on your individual situation, it may take more than a year to get your personal finances in order.


Who should start a business?

Anyone with a solid, profitable business idea, willing to learn the business of running a business, can start a successful small business.

Why do small businesses fail so often?

1) No Life Plan—You need to develop a life plan and then build a business around that.
2) No Network—People do business with people they like and people they know. Who do you know and, more importantly, who knows you?
3) Lack of Target Market Focus—You have limited time and limited resources. Choose a niche so you can focus your marketing efforts.
4) Undercapitalized—If you do not save enough money to run your household for at least a year and fund the business, you may not be able to hang on until the business can generate any real revenue.
5) Lack of Fiscal Discipline—Do you run your business with a budget? Do you just rob the cash register when you need some cash? Do you make business decisions based on up-to-date financial information?

What are the 7 Essential Principals of Small Business Success?

Throughout the past five years, I have interviewed hundreds of entrepreneurs and business executives. After listening to what they said about running their businesses and observing how they did business, I realized that there were 7 things they all had in common. They include having an entrepreneurial mindset, utilizing strict fiscal discipline, and having a kitchen cabinet of advisors. They make use of a well-defined brand identity; have a niche market customer, excellent customer service, and a firm understanding every day of their cash position by carefully managing their banking relationship. Using these principles can help any business run at its best. It’s the gold standard all businesses need to strive for from the very beginning.

Who is this target audience for this book?

This book is for anyone looking to create a plan to fire their boss and start a small business. It will also help people who are within their few years of launching a new enterprise. I have also heard from seasoned business owners who tell me that this book could serve as a professional development course or a great roadmap to reinventing a struggling business.


Melinda F. Emerson, also known as Twitter’s SmallBizLady is a seasoned entrepreneur, professional speaker, and small business coach whose areas of expertise include small business start-up, business development and social media. She hosts #SmallBizChat weekly on Twitter for emerging entrepreneurs. She is the founder and CEO of Quintessence Multimedia, an award-winning strategic communications firm. She has created productions for such companies as Johnson & Johnson, Verizon, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Comcast. Her book Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works!” was released in March 2010 by Adams Media.

Tory Johnson's Spark & Hustle National Conference

Want to start or grow your small business? If so, Tory Johnson's three-day Spark & Hustle National Conference in July is something you can't afford to miss.

Tory's company (Women For Hire) was launched 11 years ago as a small, unknown, solo-venture and has grown into a multi-million dollar business with multiple income streams and a national presence.

Her commitment to each attendee is to provide simple (yet, often overlooked), strategic, and easy to implement solutions anyone can use to increase their bottom line right now.

No fluff. No theory. No "experts" trying to sell you something from the back of the room. Just real-world strategies designed to enable everyday business owners—from crafters, coaches and consultants, to publicists, product inventors and proprietors—to make 2010 their best year yet.

Snag your spot in the jam-packed program and receive national editorial coverage of YOUR business. Use code DB2010 for special savings. Click here to learn (& earn) more!