How to get ahead in business, it’s not what you think

How to get ahead in your business, it’s not what you think

What if I told you that in order to get ahead in your business, it’s time to start quitting.

Quitting as in doing all the things you have been doing that are not getting you to where you want to be.

To get ahead in your business, it’s imperitive that you are focusing on the right for you things. Those activities that work for your business.

I’m talking about working your business, marketing and profitability plan in a way that fits your goals, your aspirations and your desires.

Let me ask you, when you began your business did you sit down and map out a plan or did you jump in?

If you jumped in, you aren’t alone. I end up working with a lot of business owners who did that. Then they realized that they weren’t getting the results they desired. And it was taking a lot of time, money and effort.

Quit to get ahead

One of the best things I’ve done (and support my clients with) is to quit doing about 80% of what I had been doing. It’s a little scary at first. And yes, my clients often look at me like I’ve lost my head when I ask them to list out all they are doing and then cut 80% of it out.

They think (and maybe you do too) that they have to continue to do it or do it because they have always done it. Maybe yes, maybe no.

The best way to absolutely know is by having actual results as to what it is you actually got from doing what you are doing. Truly, you do not need to do all you are doing. And my guess is you struggle with it in the first place.

And what if you were to quit some of that to get ahead.

How to know what to quit

I’m not going to leave you hanging. I will show you how to know what to quit. That way, you can confidently quit. And while we are on the subject, quitting is not a bad thing. It can actually be a good thing.

First, what are the things you always seem to put off? You know those things like making phone calls, following up, writing a blog, doing your financials.

Second, what are the things you seem to “forget” to do? Things like forgetting you had an appointment, where you put a document, or forgetting to get back to someone.

Third, what is it you do, but don’t like or really hate to do and it seems to take you a long time to complete?

Fourth, what on your calendar is a “nice to have/do” that if you didn’t do it wouldn’t matter?

After you answer the above, you’ll have a list. This is where you begin. You simply quit doing them.

But…I can’t just quit doing them mindset

And that’s what it is, a mindset. Yes, you can. Here is an example from a client. She had a lot of meetings on her calendar and was constantly telling me she couldn’t get to what she really wanted to get done. We went through her calendar with a fine tooth comb and rated her meetings. 

She discovered (and I’m sure you won’t be surprised) that 80% of those meetings were nice to have meetings. They were not at all related to what she had said was her number one goal – to grow her business and take on more clients.

The meetings weren’t strategic nor were they with people who could help her reach her goals.

So before you say “I can’t” take a look at your mindset. Maybe you don’t want to and that’s a whole other story. And if you don’t want to, why? What are you afraid of missing by saying no.

If you keep doing what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten

You may have heard this saying. It is attributed to Henry Ford. If you want what you have, fantastic. Change nothing.

Yet, if you are frustrated, overwhelmed and working way harder than you think you need to, it’s time to take a long look at what you are doing.

And it’s time to quit. Quit settling for less, quit letting other unimportant things take over, quit whining that you don’t have what you want. You need to be willing to do things that you haven’t done in order to get what you want.

Are you ready? I hope so. I’d love to hear what you will quit so that you get what you want!


Schedule

It’s easy to create the results you desire once you know what to do and what order to do it in. If you struggle with this, I have something that will help. I call it my Business Mastery Custom Session.

You’ll be able to know what to quit and what to focus on to reach your goals easier and faster. I only have a few open in my schedule at a time and I’ve opened a few for you. So grab your session today!

 

Is the tale you spin weaving you to success?

Is the tale you spin weaving you to success?

Tales of the business owner! How they can help you succeed and how they can plummet you to ruins. In my last blog I talked about how having courage is key to having a successful business.

Is the tale you spin weaving you to success? Courage comes from within. No one can teach you courage. And that said, you can build your courage muscle. We create our own courage with the mindset we come to the table with. 

What kind of tale are you telling?

Just like a computer, you have your own operating system. Are you inputting a success system or are you inputting a failure system?

The tale (aka story) you tell yourself and others will turn into a self-fulfilling prophecy. It’s up to you whether you want that to be one of success or failure.

I worked with a woman who always (and yes, always) would say “I can tell you what is going to happen.” Then it would and she’d say “I knew it!” Of course she did, she predicted it.

Now this was before I ever learned about mindset (and why I now believe it’s the single most important piece of making our lives what we want them to be) and I used to say to her, “what if you thought about it another way?” 

She was skeptical. Of course she was, her pattern was to predict and experience the worst. So we practiced and wouldn’t you know it, she started getting different results!

How to predict amazing results for yourself

Your turn, think of your business. What is one thing you really want but feel like oooh, I don’t know… and have some uncertainty around it. 

An example may be in raising your prices. A recent client just said she couldn’t get $1,500.00 out of her mouth for her fees. And had a big story around it. So we brought that figure down a little to one she felt she could, provided she did some mindset work and drafted out a script for herself.

She agreed to tell herself and others a new story. One that felt empowering, energizing and true for her.

Back to you, what is that one thing you really want. And what might it look like for you to have it? Share what it is in the comments below!

And who doesn’t love Lynda Carter as Wonder Woman!? 


ScheduleIt’s time for you to write yourself and your business a new story. It really it is. Let’s take you from just merely getting by to thriving, loving your business and telling a fabulously successful story for yourself! Get your Business Success Blueprint session right here! Don’t delay these fill up fast.

 

The missing ingredient it takes to run a successful business

The missing ingredient it takes to run a successful business

Running a business isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s not for those who are afraid to make decisions and it especially isn’t for someone who is afraid to make mistakes. Running a business take courage. Do you have that courage? It’s the missing ingredient it takes to run a successful business.

Courage comes from within. No one can teach you courage. And that said, you can build your courage muscle. 

Why you need courage

When I first started my business I didn’t give much thought to it. Now, I do not recommend this. It lead to lots of confusion, indecision, and money spent (and not always in the right places or for the right things).

I started my business and went by the seat of my pants. It wasn’t until I realized I wasn’t getting anywhere (as in not making any money) that I decided to hire a business coach to help me.

Best-decision-ever! I cut the time it took me to know what to do by half. She helped me see where my profits would come from (my services), what to charge, and who my ideal clients were.

She helped me know all the things I needed to do in and for my business.

Let’s name them, shall we:

  • Designing/Developing/Pricing Service Offerings (so people can work with you and pay you).
  • Promotions/Marketing (so your ideal clients can find you and pay you).
  • Sales/Enrolling Clients (so you can confidently sell your services and be paid).
  • Financial Management (so you can manage your cash flow, pay your bills and operate your business).

While that is not an exhaustive list, it is the main components of any business. And if you don’t already know this, a business that does not make money, is just a hobby. An expensive one.

Great! Knowing what it is you need to be doing is one thing, but actually DOING is an entirely different thing. You may have no idea how to design, price, promote (market), sell. So being told “ok, so now you are ready to sell” does nothing to inspire confidence. 

I mean, have you ever sold a thing before? In the beginning, I’d never sold a thing and what exactly do I say? If you are picking up the “I’m afraid” energy, you are spot on!

More like crash and burn

It wasn’t until I began to implement the amazing plan I had to build and grow my business that I realized there were two big pieces missing.

Courage and Know-how. Do you need both to be a successful business owner? No. But one of those is an absolute MUST. Running a business takes courage.

Did you guess courage? If yes, yay! You get a gold star. Know-how we all can learn (and we can also hire for). Courage comes from within.

If you go back to the list above, we all can learn HOW to do each of the categories. And we can even hire out for those.  But let me ask you, do you have the courage to do them. Are you confident in your skills to design, market and sell your services?

Truly, I hear “but I don’t want to be salesy” from so many business owners. It’s probably the #1 fear I hear especially when I’m working with a new client that came to me because they aren’t making the money they want to be making. 

You can learn how to design, market and sell. I cannot teach you how to have courage and to be confident. I can show you areas I see where you have already proven you have courage and confidence. Yet, if you aren’t willing to see them or step into being courageous, a successful business may not be in the cards for you. It’s where you’ll find yourself crashing and burning time and again.

It’s time to courageously and confidently be a business owner

As you look at the future of your business, are you willing to step courageously into the shoes you need to fill in order to hit your business goals?

I hope so. The world needs what you have to offer. The people who need you, need you to be courageous so that they can find you. Courage is built one small step at a time (or sometimes one giant leap).

I bet there is something you have been wanting to do that if you did it, you’d say to yourself “that was courageous of me”. And that’s all you need to begin being courageous.

What might that look like for you? Share what it is in the comments below!


ScheduleBecause I know the value of having help, I have a special offer for you. It’s an opportunity for you to create the results you desire once you know what to do and what order to do it in. This will make it possible for you to get clear on what you need to do and when to do. From there you will build your courage one step at a time! Don’t delay click here and grab your spot!

 

Being heart-centered in business doesn’t mean giving it away

Being heart-centered in business doesn’t meant giving it away

In my 20 years as an entrepreneur and business coach, the one thing I know for sure is that women business owners are heart-centered. This isn’t a bad thing at all, in fact, it is very much what makes the female business owner unique.

And that said, because you are a heart-centered services-based business owner doesn’t meant giving it away. 

Being heart-centered is being aware of what you desire in life, knowing your values, knowing how to take responsibility for yourself and your emotions. You are making choices that honor your needs, values and beliefs.  We, as women, do this very well in our personal lives. 

For example, if children are important in your life, then you make decisions (everyday) that match your values.  Such as:

  • The school your kids go to  
  • Foods they eat
  • Charities you support 
  • People you associate with
  • Where you live

Every single answer ties back to your needs, values, and beliefs.  You get the picture, right? 

Now, and here’s the tricky part, let’s apply this to your business. A company’s main “business” is to make money. Otherwise, it’s just a very expensive hobby. I’m going to repeat that because this is the essence of having the open sign on the door. 

YOU ARE IN BUSINESS TO MAKE MONEY!

So how do you create and maintain a business that reflects the heart-centered YOU, while still bringing home the bacon?  Simple answer is mindset, because how you “do” money is how you “do” everything.

The Business Mindset

Your mindset is paramount to creating a successful and thriving business.  For instance, you are the face of your business, the reason people buy from you and are embedded in every product and service!

Before diving into the money aspect of things, I want you to have a very clear picture of your self worthYou need to feel confident in yourself as a business woman and in order to do that, you need to value your self worth.  Take a look at this list and fill in the blank.

  • Skills and talents you developed over time ______________
  • Positions you’ve held ______________
  • Degrees, schooling, etc. ______________
  • Awards ______________
  • Trainings, areas of study ______________
  • Life experiences or situations you’ve overcome (personal & professional) ______________
  • Natural skills and talents that you take for granted or don’t even think about ______________
  • Words others have said about you – any testimonials ______________
  • What you value and appreciate about yourself ______________
  • What you’ve created ______________
  • Your accomplishments that you are proud of ______________
  • What else! ______________

Now, pat yourself on the back because you are worth every penny!  Take this feeling and apply it to the financial aspect of your business.  This is Money Mindset!

Money Mindset

A money mindset is the overriding attitude about your finances. It drives how you make key financial decisions every day and impacts your ability to achieve goals.

If your money mindset is on the negative side, it’s most likely proving to be a hindrance. If you struggle to charge what you are worth AND what you need to make (i.e. covering your costs) in your business, there’s a good chance your business will not succeed.

Repeat after me:

“The More Comfortable I Get With Money, The More I Empower Myself” 

Repeat often!  Write it down and post it on your white board!  Make it your screensaver!  

You will be amazed what opportunities arise for you when you step into a positive money mindset!

It is time for you to step into who you really are, to shine in your life, if for no other reason than to feel good about yourself. Trust me, when you do, the rest will follow.


ScheduleIf you are challenged by money actions or need to consult with money before you make any decisions, a money mindset upgrade will do you and your business a world of good! I offer complimentary Business Blueprint Sessions to upgrade your money mindset and give you the platform for a successful and thriving business! Sign up for one now.

 

Managing your calendar to be a successful business owner

Managing your calendar to be a successful business owner

They say you can’t manage time. And while that is true, you can begin managing your calendar to be a successful business owner.

Last article I talked about playing the game Whack A Mole. Whack A Mole is an arcade game in which players use a mallet to hit toy moles, which appear at random, back into their holes. And in my experience so many business owners run their business this way.

Have you found yourself saying any of the following statements?

  • I don’t have enough time
  • Time seems to just disappear
  • If I had more time I would… (fill in the blank)

And have you or do you now, find yourself wondering where the day went frustrated that you can’t seem to get the most important things done? Or maybe you don’t even know what those important things are.

The importance of looking at the time you have available to work

I love a good process. And using your calendar is just that. First you need to know what goes on your calendar. When you are running a business, it’s important to know what your pillars are.

When I work with my clients we work with a business framework. I break that out into two segments. Foundational and Supporting. And I consider time management as supporting.

I also love to look at time blocks as time containers. You can only fit so much into a time container before it overflows and you are left with more to do than ta done.

I don’t know about you but I want more ta dones than to dos at the end of a day, week, month, quarter, and so on.

Take a look at your business. What is it you need to do to keep it operating, improve it and grow it for the future? Make a list. More than likely you have Operations/Admin, Marketing, Sales, Client Delivery/Service and one or two other main categories. 

Under each of those categories, what exactly are you doing for each. And then the big question is when are you (or do you) doing those actions? It’s important to first know what it is you are doing.

How to use your calendar effectively

So now that you know what are doing. Look at your calendar and begin to estimate (unless you know without a doubt how long your actions take you) time for each. Then look at your calendar and review how much open space you have and then begin to choose where you’d like to put your actions.

This is where the rubber meets the road and where you may go “Oh no! I don’t have any open time.” Or “I have hardly any open time.” There in lies the problem and why you aren’t getting things done and feel that things are piling up. Or as one of my clients said to me: “I feel like my to dos follow me around.”

Ultimately to use your calendar effectively here is what you need:

  • Know what you are doing
  • How long something takes to do
  • Have set times for specific actions/tasks (some examples are: Marketing Mondays, Sales/Consult Calls 10:00am-2:00pm Tuesday, Client Delivery every M/W/F from 10:00am-3:00p and Admin daily from 8:30am-9:30am and a weekday (end of week) wrap up session from 4:30-5:00p)
  • Everything entered into the calendar ahead of time

Once you learn how to manage your calendar time will seem to expand for you. Once you can get out of overwhelm and into better focus you’ll be able to reach your business goals so much easier.


ScheduleDo you struggle with doing playing Whack A Mole? Would you like to create a calendar that works for your business? I’ve played the Whack A Mole game and it isn’t fun. This is why I offer complimentary Business Blueprint Sessions. You’ll leave your session clear on what it is you are doing and when it’s best for you to do. This way you’ll be able to get it done! This session is my gift to you. I do this because I am committed to helping small business owners lead themselves with less stress and more success.

 

How to lead your business to the successes you desire

How to lead your business to the successes you desire.

Business! Holy moly! It’s an adventure, isn’t it? As a small business owner, it’s vital that you wear a lot of hats. Sometimes it’s hard to know what hat to wear as you lead your business to the successes you desire.

And often you are wearing all of hats at one time!

Here is the secret, the one thing that a small business owner needs to do (and do well) is to be able to lead themselves well. Just that alone can be a challenge. Why? Well, for one thing, if you are wearing a lot of hats your attention is pulled in a lot of different directions.

And with that, it’s like playing the game Whack A Mole. Whack A Mole is an arcade game in which players use a mallet to hit toy moles, which appear at random, back into their holes. AND it is also used with reference to a situation in which attempts to solve a problem are piecemeal or superficial, resulting only in temporary or minor improvement.

When you find yourself doing that more often than not, you aren’t leading you are really just being lead. As a small business owner, that is NOT the way to reach your successes.

You need to be in the driver’s seat of your business

The first thing you want to do is to assess your role. Are you behaving as a leader or are you abdicating your roll as a business owner? As in you wait for things to happen rather than being the driver of the results. Abdicating means fail to fulfill or undertake (a responsibility or duty).

An example for you. One of my client’s did not like to “sell” her services. She was a massage therapist. As you can imagine, her business was people-oriented. Which means, she needs to connect with people. Yet, she was so uncomfortable “selling” her services that she shied away from talking to people.

Before she came to work with me, here is what she did to “market” her business: she would put up flyers and post on Facebook that she had openings for the week. And guess what? She never got any business! 

My client was not in the driver’s seat and she was waiting for something to happen. She was abdicating her responsibility to herself and her business.

Once we changed her mindset about “selling” and put a plan together that felt good to her, her business blossomed!

How you can lead your business to the successes you desire

I always like to give practical action steps. So here are three things you can do right now to be the leader in and of your business.

  1. Make sure you have a written plan. Know what you are going for and what you need to do to get there. 
  2. Measure your results. Do you want 10 new clients? Know what your conversion rates are. (If you talk to 10 people and 10 say yes to you, your conversion rate is 100%. If you talk to 10 people and 5 people says yes, your conversation rate is 50% and that means you need to talk to 20 people to get your 10.) Keep track of your results, it makes it easy for you to know what to do (and to continue or stop doing).
  3. Revisit the plan often and course correct as needed. As the business owner, you also are the lead strategist, you need to set time aside to review the plan and make any changes.

I also see a lot of business owners struggle with wearing the right hat at the wrong time. Are you guilty of doing something that does not lead back to the money? Say scrolling on social media when you really need to be making follow-up calls?

This is where if you were paying someone to do the follow-up calls and found them scrolling on their social feeds, you wouldn’t be to happy with them. So, think of yourself as the employee and work on what brings your business the money!


ScheduleDo you struggle with doing the unimportant things before the important things? You aren’t alone. But if you are ready to lead your business to the successes you desire, I’m here to help. I’ve been there and I’ve done that! This is why I offer complimentary Business Blueprint Sessions. We’ll look at what you a doing now and how you can maximize your actions to your advantage! My gift to you. I do this because I am committed to helping small business owners lead themselves with less stress and more success.

 

You may already have what you need to make money in your business

You may already have what you need to make money in your business

One of the things I hear most as a Business Coach when I begin to work with a new client is: “I need to identify a viable way to make more money.” Maybe you say that exact thing too. And my guess is this, you may already have what you need to make money in your business.

Now, the above is not a bad statement. What I find interesting though is that often when we dig in I see that they already have a viable way (or several actually) to make more money. The problem is that they aren’t doing it. Often, they haven’t taken the time to lay out a system for it and/or given it enough time to see actual results.

I think it has to do with the phenomenon us small business owners get called bright shiny object syndrome. Or our penchant for immediate results that causes this. I see so many business owners giving up way to early. I have heard “well, it didn’t work” so many times I could be a millionaire.

Usually when I hear this, I ask “how long did you do this?” And I’m often met with “a couple of times”.

Seeing worthwhile results takes time

Just like building an emergency savings account or losing weight, time is often where the success lies when it comes to making money in your business.

There is a science to business. You need to experiment and give that experiment time to come to fruition. Of course, there are the specifics to put into place like knowing who your ideal clients are, where to find them, what to say to them and knowing what you are offering them that they feel is valuable for them to say yes please.

That’s all the backend work you need to already have done. There is strategy and then there are tactics. It’s the tactics that may take time to return the results you seek.

Sometimes you need to put in some effort

Have you ever tried something once and said “oh this doesn’t work”? So not only do you not give yourself ample time to have something work, but you also do not put in ample effort to make it work.

Here is an example: a client of mine wanted to have more bookings for her quarterly fitness classes. She wanted her fall classes to be booked over the summer. The plan was to send personal emails and make phone calls (yes, remember those =). She sent some emails and made a few phone calls.  Mind you,  she left messages and had not talked to anyone. Then promptly announced “no one was interested in signing up” to her fall class.

Upon further review, she never did actually have anyone say they weren’t interested in signing up.  She didn’t actually hear back from any of the people she emailed or called. 

You better believe that her next coaching assignment was to follow up and actually TALK to people – not just send messages. And not just any people, but her people. The people who always signed up for what she was offering. And I tasked her with doing it by a certain date.

She begrudging agreed.  And within a week she had a full roster of clients for her fall classes. Which meant, she was now officially booked ahead of time. And she had income coming in and her fall already laid out.

There are no quick fixes

While there are no quick fixes, if you lay out a solid plan and put the effort in, you will get results. If you have found yourself giving up quickly, not putting in the effort you need to see the results you want, you are not alone.

The good news is that you aren’t alone. The bad news is that if you want to stand out alone from your peers and competitors, you need to put in the work. You need to put in the time and the effort. As they say Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither was a thriving business.

So let me ask you, are you willing to put in the time, effort and yes sometimes the money to make your business what you want it to be?

I hope so! Because it is so worth it and there are many people out there that need you and what you have to offer.


ScheduleSometimes having fresh eyes on your business helps you to see what you already have and what to do with it to get the results you want. This is why I offer complimentary Business Blueprint Sessions. We’ll look at what you have and how you can maximize it to your advantage now! My gift to you. I do this because I am committed to helping service-based business owners step authentically into their business! 

 

Making money happen in your business

Making Money Happen in Your Business

My last blog asked this question: What is money anyway? And why should we put thought into the value of money?

A business’s main “business” is to make money. Otherwise, it’s a very expensive hobby. Several of my clients are sole practitioners. They went into business for many reasons, they lost a job, decided it was time to branch out on their own, wanted to be in control of their income. All really good reasons.

Yet, what a lot of them struggle with is how to make money in their business. And what exactly to do to make money. There sure is a lot we can say about this but for our purposes for here and now, let’s stick with charging for what you are wanting to sell. That’s as basic as I can get to help you make money happen in your business.

Charging for your services

The best way you can make money for your business is to sell your services. Which means you need to charge for them. You need to say for x I charge y.

For all of that to happen you need to know what your costs are. Again, my last blog talked about that. Basically you need to do a cost-analysis so that you know without a doubt how much it is costing you (as in paying out money) to run your business. We do pay to sell our services. 

You pay for things like rent, utilities, software, support (an accountant, assistant), office supplies and the like. If you are producing something like a workbook even, there is a cost to that. That cost needs to be included in what you need to charge for your services.

Pricing is a sticking point for so many small business owners. And in order to actually make money, you need to bring in MORE than you are shelling out.

Action time: take a look at what you are selling and how much it costs you. Then subtract what it is you are pricing it at, are you ahead or behind?

You need to be ahead by at least 10% or more to make money happen in your business.

The value of you

While a business is it’s separate entity. You often bring the value of you into it. And therefore your value of money as well. Your mindset is paramount to creating a successful and thriving business that has you making money happen in your business. How we do one thing in one area of our life falls into other areas of our lives. If your money mindset is a little on the negative side, it could be hindering you a lot. If you struggle to charge what you not only are worth but what you need to make in your business, are challenged by money actions and/or need to consult with money before you make any decisions, a money mindset upgrade will do you and your business a world of good!


Get your Money Mindset Upgrade now! I offer complimentary Business Blueprint Sessions. In this session, we’ll upgrade your money mindset so that you have a successful and thriving business now! My gift to you. I do this because I am committed to helping service-based business owners step authentically into their business their way! I also value helping business owners, like you make more money.

 

The value of money

Value of Money

Your view on the value of money

What is money anyway? And why should we put thought into the value of money?

As defined by Investopedia: Money is an economic unit that functions as a generally recognized medium of exchange for transactional purposes in an economy.

I don’t know about you, but that is not what I would have defined money as. And that my friend is the point I want to make.

We all define money in our own unique ways. Merriam-Webster defines money as: something generally accepted as a medium of exchange, a measure of value, or a means of payment. Which maybe that is what you said too.

The value of money really is what YOU put on it. As as a small business owner, when someone tells you that your prices are too high, what they really mean is they don’t value what you have or they don’t value seeing how it could help them. Usually, it is the latter.

Your money glasses

We all have our own perspective on money and how we feel about it. And we bring that to our businesses. It shows up in what we charge, how we handle late or non-payments, as well as how confident we are in making an offer (as in asking for a sale). Also known as “asking for money.”

I’ve had clients tell me that they could never charge that much for their services. And this is often after we have done a cost-analysis and they know without a doubt how much it is costing them (as in paying out money) to run their business.

So, the glasses you are wearing when it comes to money definitely hinders or helps when it comes to how you value money.

Changing the shade of your lenses

Have you heard the saying “how you do one thing is how you do everything?” Well, let’s look at it as how you do money is how you do everything…

Examples:

  • You are late paying bills, more than likely you are late to appointments
  • You misplace invoices or even checks, more than likely you misplace your keys or your glasses and other important paperwork
  • Your wallet is a mess or falling apart, more than likely you have a messy office (or even a messy house)

Can you see how you handle money, it shows up in other areas of your life. On a scale of 1-10, 1 being not at all to 10 being YES I succeed with my money!, go ahead and ask yourself:

How successful am I with money?

If you scored less than an 8, you have opportunity to take on a new, more supporting perspective when it comes to money.

Choose Your Money Path

Take a look at your business, how profitable are you? As in how much are you making after you subtract all of the costs you have to run your business. 

Are you at a loss, break-even or have extra (that’s your profit)? If you are at a profit, are you happy with it? If not, what would you like it to be? Write that number down and then write down as statement that will help you reach that goal. 

If you are at a loss or break-even, what is the number you would like to have? Write it down (even if it is a stretch). Let’s go with $5,000 profit each month.

Write that down as a statement. It will help you reach your goal.

Ultimately, you want to have a statement that is positively stated and in the present. An example:

“I am making $5,000 profit in my business every single month.”

What this does is it helps your brain begin to see in black and white what it is you are aiming for. The more you see it, the more the brain begins to work to achieving it, the more you begin to believe in it. It also puts your attention in the direction of what you need to be doing to reach that goal. Making money in your business shouldn’t be a hope. And in order to do that you need to take action. 

Get into action

Once you can see it and begin to believe, it’s time to take specific business and money making actions that will help you get there. Go back to your Business Plan. Look to see if it is still in line with what you need to be doing to reach your goal(s).

Several questions to ask:

  • What needs to be improved or changed?
  • In what way can I bring in additional income quickly? 
  • Do I need to revise my ideal client and where I market to them?
  • Where can I cut costs to lower my monthly burn rate?

Your Business Plan will guide you. Your Business Plan is the place for you to begin to look at money through different lenses. And it will drive you to take actions in the direction of what will bring you the results you need and want for your business.

When you begin to value money, like with everything, you begin to value yourself, your time, your energy and your customers. It’s amazing how putting on a new set of glasses can shift the way you do business and the way you do life.


A Business Plan is your business roadmap. Not sure you have one that is successful? Want help creating one that is? Or maybe you would like someone else’s eyes on the one you have to help you level it up. I offer complimentary Business Blueprint sessions. My gift to you. I do this because I am committed to helping service-based business owners step authentically into their business their way! I also value helping business owners, like you make more money.

 

How to step into your marketing plan authentically.

Reasons to step into your marketing plan authentically.

We do business with people we know, like and trust. As a service-based business owner, it is important for you to step into your marketing plan authentically.

What do I mean by this? I mean be yourself. Be genuine. There is no one else like you. You are unique and specially made. I mean, bring your specialness to the formula.

When I work with business owners who want help creating a marketing plan that works for them, so many of them tell me “I just have to do social media better”. Seems reasonable right? Until I ask them what they like about doing social media and they say “well…I really don’t even like social media.”

Your Golden Ticket!

AHA! This information is the golden ticket. It’s the golden ticket because it’s the reason why they have struggled with their marketing plan. If you don’t like something, why would you do it?!

Well, for starters because everyone else is doing it. And then there is FOMO (fear of missing out). But let me ask you this, just because someone else is doing something, does it mean you have to do it too?

I can hear you saying what your mother used to say (so annoying when you are a teenager), “if so and so jumped off the bridge, would you jump too?” Now, you may out of spite back then have said YES! However, as you stand now, as an adult you more than likely would say no or not necessarily.

And if you said no, it’s because you know it wouldn’t be the right thing for you to do. So let me ask you this, is what you are doing for your marketing the right thing for you to do and are you loving doing it?

If you answered YES! Fantastic. That’s what we want to hear. But if you, like my clients, are saying “I just have to do xxxx better…” that’s a sign that what you are doing may not be the best thing for you to be doing. And it’s time for you to do something you really like and enjoy. And that, my friend, is the secret to marketing authentically and putting together a marketing plan that is authentically you.

Marketing authentically changes everything.

A marketing plan is something you put together to create exposure for your business. That’s really all it is. What you plan to do, when and how.

When I work with my clients, we work with 7 important pillars. There are foundational ones and structural ones. Branding and Marketing are foundational ones. As you probably already know, if you do not have the right foundation things fall apart.

As you think about stepping into your marketing plan authentically, can you see yourself in it? Can you see yourself enjoying it? Can you see yourself excited about what you want to share? This is how to step into marketing authentically!

Using your energy to market authentically.

When you think about something you love to do or an experience you are looking forward to, can you feel the energy of it? The way you are looking forward to it. Think about an upcoming vacation or family event that you just can’t wait for! It’s that energy you want to have when you are creating your marketing plan. And it’s that energy you want to step into when you are implementing and executing it!

I’ll give you a real-time example. I sat down to write this and thought “I have no idea what I want to say…” I knew I wanted to write about marketing because that’s what I’ve been talking about lately but I was stumped. Then I thought about you and thought what can I share that would make a difference? And how do I want to feel as I’m sharing it. I decided I wanted to feel energized and helpful. And since that is who I am, I authentically stepped into that mindset.

Try it! Think of a mindset you’d like to be in. One where you are truly you. It changes you right then and there. Can you feel it?! I bet you can. This is what it means to be authentically you!

Be courageous, let the world see the true authentic you.

Your true authentic self is what the world needs. It’s what your clients need. It’s what you need. 

It’s a place where you are in the flow, feeling good, seeing amazing results. It’s the place where you can be each and every day. So often we act based on how we feel. I’ve heard “but I don’t feel like it…” a lot when it comes to doing things in business. There are too many women business owners waiting to “feel like it” and I believe it’s because they are out of alignment with their true authentic self.

It is time for you to step into who you really are, to shine in your life, if for no other reason than to feel good about yourself. Trust me, when you do, the rest will follow.

And if you find yourself wanting to create a marketing plan that only has what you love to do on it, then that’s a wonderful place to be!


You are onboard with creating that authentic-to-you marketing plan but have no idea just how to do it? I’ve got you covered! Sign up for my free gift of a Business Blueprint session. Why free? Why you? Because I am committed to helping service-based business owners step authentically into their business their way! Walk away with your unique-to-you, feel-good marketing plan!