How to choose what to do first

December 10, 2015 By

determine your destiny (1)In business, as a solo or small business owner it’s hard to know what to do first.  There are so many things to do, how do you know where to start?

Do you spend time finding clients or putting your ducks in a row?  Do you go out to networking events or build your website first?  It’s truly a quandary for some business owners.

It’s enough of a challenge to know what to do first in your business, never mind the how.

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Then, of course, there is the dilemma of the how to do it once you finally figure out what to do.  Business owners sometimes forget about that.

Being in that uncertain space creates a lot of stress, frustration and overwhelm, not to mention all those fears that show up.  It can cause you to come to a screeching halt in your business.

One amazing way I know to combat those problems is to be a part of a Mastermind.  You get access to others who can assist you out of that place I call “no-man’s-land” (well, in many cases it’s “no woman’s-land”) and into the place of knowing exactly what to do first.  This puts you into action, which leads to getting results, which leads to feeling really great about yourself.

A Mastermind is a group of biz owners who support each other in all aspects of their businesses.

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A Mastermind is a collective brain. It’s a group of like-minded business owners who support each other in all aspects of their business.  It is usually run by a coach, who has similar business experience, to help the members through trainings, laser coaching and facilitating the group.

I believe a Mastermind is a key component in any business.  Comprised of individuals who are not directly related to your business, they hear and see things differently and therefore can offer a new perspective.  In addition, mastermind members are available to support you when you run into areas in which you need help.

In a recent Mastermind that I run, one of the business owners was struggling with making a decision.  When she brought this to the group, another member spoke up and said “It sounds like you aren’t really on board with this idea” and that allowed the struggling member to truly see what she already knew… but was ignoring. It gave her the confidence to make the decision to say ‘no’ in quick time and move on to something else she would be on board with.

Afterward, she told me that without the support from the group, too much time and money would have been spent trying to figure out what to do.

If you are interested in joining a Mastermind, there are still spots available in my 2016 Prosperous Business Mastery Group.  Click here to learn more or simply email me and I’ll be happy to talk with you about how being a part in the Mastermind can benefit you.

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How you could be falling short.

December 3, 2015 By

It’s exciting, you decided to start your own business!  You set yourself up as a business entity, opened a business checking account and are ready to make sales.  You should be jumping up and down and doing the happy dance, but you are not.  It wasn’t supposed to be like this, you think, you even have moments of despair and thoughts of having to get a j-o-b. You may even have told your spouse if you don’t make the money you want, you will get a job even though that is the last thing you really want to do.  You really want this business venture to succeed!

When you put a limit on things, it’s almost as if you are drying up the well, so to speak, or putting a stopper on the flow.  When you make comments like, “I’ll give this until December” or “I’ll see where I am in six months.”  It’s as if you don’t expect yourself to be successful.  In order to have your business succeed, a few things have to happen.

Belief in Self. You need to believe that you will succeed no matter what.

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  • Belief in Self. You need to believe that you will succeed no matter what. Believe you have the intelligence, know-how and determination that no matter what you will make your business successful.
  • Positive Mindset. Along with your conviction in yourself to succeed, a positive mindset will keep you motivated to do the things that you need to in order to succeed in business.
  • Measurable Goals. Instead of saying “I’ll give it six months”, set measurable goals that equal results. Write out “I will have x number of clients by month six” and list out the steps you will take to get there.

I’ve worked with a lot of women who in the beginning of running their businesses (their dreams) let themselves get caught up in the “I can’t do this” syndrome. Yet once they began to believe in themselves, thought positively and set solid, do-able measurable goals they created six-figure businesses almost effortlessly!

Creating a business that you love; is satisfying and profitable is within your reach, you only need to believe!

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Creating a business that you love; is satisfying and profitable is within your reach, you only need to believe! I believe in you, what is it going to take for you to believe in you?

I’d love for you to create an OPTIMAL Business for yourself, please take the OPTIMAL business assessment to see where you can set some solid measurable goals for yourself!

Filed Under: Business Mastery

Are you a master?

November 24, 2015 By

Business woman pointing to the cameraExactly what is a master?  For our purposes we are going to define a master as someone in control or influence of events and outcomes.

Let’s take a look at business.  Are you a master of your business?  I hope you said yes, because hopefully that means you are influencing your outcomes; reaching your goals and reaping the rewards.  In other words, you are setting SMART goals and reaching them.

Now if you are thinking “Hmmm, I am, kind of… but more often I’m not”, not to worry because you can turn that around.  A lot of times it’s because you have no idea what to do or when to do certain things.  I could be that you aren’t realistic with your outcomes or have a hard time with prioritizing and time management.

Setting SMART goals is part of the process you can use to become a master in your business.

SMART means:

  • Specific
  • Measurable
  • Achievable
  • Realistic
  • Time Oriented

Broken down, it looks like this.

  • A good way to get specific is to write out exactly what you will do and how you will do it, and be as detailed as you can be. Step by step plans are great here.
  • Then you want to make sure you are making progress with what you are doing, so you’ll want to measure it. Tracking is the only way to know where you are, how close or how far away, or if you really indeed did reach your target.
  • Some people set unattainable goals and that keeps them from mastering their business and their results. So make sure your goals are achievable as well as realistic because both can stop you in your tracks.
  • The last part is to have a timeline that will support you rather than set you up to fail. If you have too long or short of a time table it will be destructive to your overall result.

Setting SMART Goals is just one way to master your business.  Another way is being part of a mastermind group which is, in essence, a collective brain.  Napoleon Hill defines masterminds as “coordination of knowledge and effort, in a spirit of harmony, between two or more people for the attainment of a definite purpose.”

I have been a part of a mastermind since I began my business and it’s one of the most valuable pieces in helping me master my business.  The other members of my mastermind hear what I say differently than I ‘hear’ myself.  They offer me valuable input and observations as well as advice and sometimes suggestions that help me immensely.  I wouldn’t have been able to come up with these ideas by myself!  My mastermind can see when I’ve missed a step in goal setting or when I need support and encouragement.

It’s because I believe so strongly in the power of a mastermind that I’ve created the Prosperous Business Mastery Group Mastermind Program.  I created it in order to bring like-minded business owners — like you — together so that you can have the opportunity to master your business and take it to a whole new level.  Click here for more details.

Of course, feel free to reach out with any questions you may have.  It’s a really awesome way to become masterful at your business!

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Do you get into CRAP?

November 19, 2015 By

Thinking, tired or ill with headache business womanI’m curious. Do you get into a lot of CRAP? And what about experiencing The “BIG O”?

If you’re thinking right now “Has she lost it?” you can relax, they aren’t what you think. If you were thinking, “Holy cow, this is going to be interesting!”… you’re right. Keep reading.

As I see it, the BIG O for business owners is Overwhelm. Overwhelm causes a lot of stress, struggle and frustration; “a lot of tears and fears” as my mentor is known to say.

I’ve been there. I’ve had a lot of tears and a lot of fears and it was usually when it came to making money in my business. I didn’t know how or what to do and I shed a lot of tears trying to figure it out.

A lot of small business owners and entrepreneurs have the same problem. Sadly they often aren’t able to solve it for themselves. The BIG O leads to tears and fears, which leads to more BIG O, which then leads to what I call a lot of CRAP in business and in life. The BIG O, as you can see, leads to a lot of not-so-good things!

Now, when I say CRAP, this is exactly what I mean:

• Chaos

• Resistance

• Anxiety

• Procrastination

And when you are experiencing a whole lot of CRAP, it generally leads you to NOTHING — as in no clients, no money, no peace of mind, no freedom and certainly no happiness and joy!

One way to eliminate the BIG O, and therefore get out of CRAP, is to get very clear on what it is you are doing.

Instead, you want to get into creating what I like to call Business Mastery where you truly are the master of your business, you are moving along at a comfortable pace, getting things done and seeing amazing results.

Here are several things for you to get clear on:

• What is your big why?

• Why are you in business?

• What is your business’s purpose?

• What is the impact that you want to make with your business?

This knowledge is key to getting yourself out of overwhelm and into Business Mastery. You’ve heard the saying (you’ve probably heard me say it too) “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there.” When you have a crystal clear view of what you want, you will be able to identify with it, and from there you’ll be able to make it happen. Think about this: what you identify with, you become.

So why not identify with being masterful at business? Have a clear understanding of what you need to do to reach your goals of creating the business you want — one that makes great money!

If you haven’t answered the questions above, take 30 minutes to give it some thought.

Now, if you would like to have some help, I have an amazing opportunity open for you. It’s my 2016 Prosperous Business Mastery Group Mastermind Program. Click here for more information or feel free to reach out to me to set up a time to talk.

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Are you doing what it takes to reach your income goals?

November 10, 2015 By

318 MTE4XzA4RkVCTUFSQ0guanBnAre you a small or solo business owner? Are you making as much money as you would like? One of the recurring themes that I keep hearing from other small business owners and entrepreneurs is that it’s so hard to bring in more income.

I actually know that this is not true, which is why I want to share with you some steps to increase your income and an assignment to make it happen:

  1. Take on a Powerful, Positive Mindset. Your mindset will make or break you. No matter what it is you are struggling with — getting new business in the door ($$$), networking, setting up appointments, etc. — your mindset is to blame. When you have a struggle on the outside, you always have struggle on the inside.
  2. Set Attainable Goals. In working with business owners like you, I notice a lot have pie-in-the-sky goals. Things like wanting to earn six figures this year. Yes, this is great goal — in fact it can be powerful — but when asked how they are going to reach that goal, they tell me they don’t know. If you only have two clients and aren’t marketing to get more, is six figures even possible?
  3. Measure Your Results. Another big mistake I see people make is that they don’t have any idea where they are in the cycle of their results. Take money for example. You say you want to make $10,000 a month. Well, how will you know that is what you made if you aren’t measuring it? Tracking your results is the only way to know if you have truly met your attainable goals and/or if you need to course-correct.

All of the above work simultaneously toward increasing your income.

Wondering exactly how to accomplish the above? I’m happy to tell you! Your assignment, if you choose to accept it, is:

  1. Set time aside to create your own empowered positive mindset. You can take a look at your business and determine how you want to show up in each aspect of it, from the actual marketing, service and/or product delivery, customer services, etc. to your role as leader, time management and so on.
  2. Write out your goals to see if they are attainable. Do a little research and write out a few ideas of how you will know when you have attained your goals. Make sure you are clear. Write out in detail things you need in order to reach these goals. These can be such as hiring a team, replacing equipment, working with a trainer or a coach to help you reach your goals.
  3. Create tracking systems so that you know exactly where you are in your cycle – the sales cycle, money cycle, the debt cycle, you get the idea. Knowing exactly where you are with your business — and what you need to do to get to where you want to be — will have you knowing the score and how to make the changes!

Your business is one that should be enjoyable, fun even and prosperous.

If your business is not enjoyable, fun and prosperous, I would like for you to join me on November 17, 2015 at 3:00pm EST for my 3 Simple Steps to Double Your Income training call. Following this free 1-hour training call, you will walk away knowing exactly how to apply 3 Simple Steps so that you have the opportunity to double your income in ways you never thought possible!

Click here for more details!

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How to Get What You Want!

November 5, 2015 By

Don't look backLately I’ve taken notice to hearing a lot of people say, “I’ve got to let it go.”  So I started to pay attention whenever this comment was made.  I became aware that most people are not saying this in reference to holding on to things as I would have expected, but instead they are talking about holding on to the past. 

Think about it, how often do you spend time with your family and friends talking about what happened in the past? You talk about when you were growing up or in college or back when so-and-so did such-and-such.

Quite a bit, right?

Does that surprise you?  It did me!  I realized wow, when I get together with certain people all we do is talk about the past – and it’s not usually in a positive frame either.  Well, that made me take pause and, honestly, it kind of horrified me.  You see, if we are constantly in the past, how can we possibly be in the present?

No wonder we all have a lot of stress!  I love one of Oprah’s quotes, “Every ending brings with it a brand new beginning.”  Yet we tend to hold on to the past like there is no tomorrow.  And you know what?  If you are spending your time in the past, you truly cannot even begin to create a tomorrow… let alone your future. 

Just like, if you aren’t exactly where you want to be, instead of dwelling on the negatives, think about the positives. It’s as simple as that.

When one of my family members had a sick baby, she would say “In time this too shall pass.”  It became a mantra of sorts and it’s absolutely true.  In time, no matter what it is happening — good, bad or indifferent — it will pass. 

Take a moment right now and set your sights on your future.  Think about how your life could be different.  See yourself in that place, that life, you want to have.  Feel how your life would be better.

You can’t have any of that if you talk about the past or dwell on the negatives.  Like attracts like.

I can tell you without a shadow of doubt (and believe me, I used to spend a lot of my life in doubt), that simply by putting your attention onto what you do want, not only will you get it, you’ll get so much more.  Again, like attracts like.

Try it!  Then let me know how well it works for you.

Do you have an experience to share?  Post comments below or email me directly.

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Do you feel like you are all alone?

October 15, 2015 By

Video conference with coworkers from abroadDo you consider yourself a master of your business? Master in this case meaning: somebody controlling or influencing events or other things, or somebody who is highly skilled.I am not keen on the word ‘controlling’. I really prefer the word ‘influencing’. To me, influence means to have an effect on something – such as an outcome. So from this point on, let’s talk about being masterful in your business from an influential point of view.

If you are a master in and of your business, then you would be able to create results that you want. Sounds powerful, right?

It is. In fact, this is what many business owners ultimately want for themselves. My clients won’t tell you that they started out wanting to be influential to themselves or others, but what they will tell you is that they knew something was missing. They knew something was holding them back from reaching their goals and from making the money they wanted to make (and often needed to keep their business open).

As a business owner, to be influential (or if you prefer “in control”) you need to do certain things in a certain way. In order to influence others to work with you and to be a part of your success, you need to be masterful.

How does one become masterful? There are many ways, but one that works beautifully and will put you on the fast-track is to mastermind with other like-minded individuals.

What is a mastermind? Napoleon Hill defines the “Master Mind” “as coordination of knowledge and effort, in a spirit of harmony, between two or more people for the attainment of a definite purpose.” When you join a mastermind group, you have more than one brain (you know the saying “Two brains are better than one”?) to help you in your endeavor of becoming masterful at your business.

Here are several examples of areas where you might gain knowledge and how a mastermind can help you:

  1. Mindset. We can get caught up in a negative way of thinking (mindset) that can hold us back. Being a part of a mastermind will allow others to share their perspective on your challenge that will help you see it in a new light so you can continue moving forward.
  2. Business Activities. Such as sales, marketing, managing team and such. My current mastermind group consists of women from all areas of business, internet-based as well as brick and mortar, and they each possess unique talents and skills that others in the group learn from.
  3. Support and Community. Because your mastermind group is not attached to the outcome of your decisions, they are able to be completely 100% honest with you about what they hear you say. Your mastermind group will challenge you to make bold commitments you might not otherwise make on your own.
  4. Accountability. Hopefully you will be stepping up in powerful and authentic ways in your business. Part of that growth and success is walking your talk and follow through. The beauty of a mastermind group is that they will hold you accountable to what you say you will do.

I’ve been a part of a mastermind in one shape or another since I began my business. I believe being a part of one has been a driving force in my learning and growth (as well as the power behind being motivated to accomplish what I say I will).

The goal of a mastermind is to provide a safe place for you to share your vulnerabilities (we all have them) and to ask for what you need. It’s a tool to grow beyond your wildest imagination and become more powerful than you even believe you are.

I will have a mastermind group forming in the near future; if you’d like more information about, drop me a line.

If you have experienced the benefits of a mastermind, I’d love to hear what you love best about it. Be sure to drop me a note at kim@kimravida.com. Or if you wish to share with a larger audience, post to my blog below!

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Are you seeing your true self?

October 1, 2015 By

pretty from withinDo you see yourself as a most beautiful, intelligent and loving person?  Or do you see yourself as less than those things?

I have no idea why, but a lot of people look in the mirror and think “Oh, I have wrinkles, my hair is horrible, I hate how I look, I’m not pretty” or down the path of “I’m not…” this or that.  Then they go into the inner sanctum of themselves and continue to say such negative things throughout the day – I’m stupid, what a fool, I’m a loser, I can’t do this, who do I think I am, no one likes me, I’m unlovable and so on.  It wears them down and keeps them down.

Where does this come from and why does it happen?

What if we were to see ourselves as who we truly are?  Brilliant, gorgeous, amazing, kind, loving, worthy of love, and worthy of anything and everything we want.  What if we embraced being the shining star we are… no matter what we think the outside looks like?

How great would life be?

But it doesn’t end there.  I know many young people (and older people, too!) who have low self-esteem and think of themselves as losers and not worth anything.  And no matter what I or anyone else tells them, they can’t aspire to be great and follow their dreams because they just don’t feel it.  If they don’t feel it on their own, nothing is going to happen for them.  It is really heartbreaking.

So how can we also help others feel as though they are wonderful and deserving?

What if we were kind, loving and supportive to everyone around us? What if we truly listened to others? What if we encouraged them without judgment, fear or worry so that they could go out and become exactly who they were put here to be?

What a wonderful, joyful, and highly successful world we would have!

You already may know this, but each of us are true miracles — just think about the birth process and how we come to be. Your true self is magnificent.  You are unique and special in so many ways.  Therefore, you are definitely a most beautiful, intelligent and loving person!

Can you think of someone you might encourage or support… or just reach out to and say “Hey, you are perfect just the way you are”?  If you can, please share with them what you truly think about them.  You never know, that one act could truly change the course of their life.

Do you have an experience to share?  I’d love for you to share by either emailing me at kim@kimravida.com or sharing here on my blog!

Filed Under: Self Worth Tagged With: , , , ,

But I have to treat my business seriously! Seriously?

September 17, 2015 By

Goofy businesswoman talks on her phone headset. I often get asked if I enjoy working by myself and my answer is a resounding YES!  Then the next thing I get asked is who do I have fun with at work.  Well, myself!  Doesn’t everyone know how to have fun on their own?

Right now as I am writing this, I’ve put on an Amazon Prime 80s radio station and am having fun listening to Foreigner, Dire Straits and other 80s bands.  I couldn’t do that when I worked in corporate. 

Now, that’s not to say I didn’t have fun working with other people, I sure did, loads of it.  Just recently I met with a friend whom I worked with in corporate and we were cracking up over all of our “work” shenanigans.

Many of my clients, before they began to work with me, were not having fun in their business.  They were struggling, frustrated and often in tears.  I’m not saying I don’t have those moments, because I do.  As a matter of fact, I just had one.  Then I remembered my objective: to have fun in my business.  See, at the end of my corporate career, I was miserably unhappy so I vowed I would never find myself in that situation again.

So how can you have fun while running your business?  Here are a few tips:

  • Determine that you want fun in your business.  One client said to me, “I can’t have fun in my business; I have to take it seriously.”  Seriously?  Fun also means amusing, enjoyable, pleasurable, and entertaining.  I don’t know about you, but I’d rather be in an enjoyable place than in a somber, solemn, grave place (yes, those are other words for serious).
  • Decide what fun looks like for you.  Fun for everyone is different.  What do you think is fun?  Is it fun to come into the office and declare the queen has arrived, wear funky clothing or jewelry, and drink from a fun cup?  I am always accompanied by one of my dogs and I joyfully declare the “office is open” and it cracks me up.
  • Incorporate fun daily.  Maybe you call a colleague and have a laugh, watch a YouTube video or read a joke. What matters is that you put fun into your daily schedule. If you’re getting to the end of your day and realize you haven’t had fun yet, jump up and dance, sing to a song, be silly.  Trust me, it works (I’m bee-bopping to Ozzy’s “Crazy Train” – think that’s not fun?).  What will you do?
  • Remember that fun IS #1!  This comes in handy on those days that you are pressing to get projects done and tasks are coming at you faster than you can imagine.  Or on those days where you are overwhelmed and feeling like you want to go and get a j-o-b because this business building thing is freakin’ hard!  Stop and remind yourself that Fun is #1 in your business and then go and have some – yes, right then – whenever you feel that frustration, struggle or hopelessness.  When you do, you’ll not only feel instant relief but you’ll also discover how easy things come together simply by taking a moment and having fun!

Life was made to be enjoyed.  Let’s face it, in business there are many things that can be depressing; not enough clients, not enough money, having to do a lot of things you don’t like or do well.  I’m sure you could rattle off a quick list, but you can’t fully enjoy life if you’re not also enjoying your business.

Whether you are entertaining yourself (like I am today =) or are with others where laughter abounds, incorporating a little fun into your business day is an amazing way to create a lot of uplifting energy that will have you attracting the right kinds of people, experiences and success in no time!

If you already are making Fun #1 in your business or if you decided to incorporate it after reading this, I’d love to hear how.  Be sure to drop me a note to let me know what you are doing for fun!  Or if you wish to share with a larger audience, post below to my blog!

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To tell the truth…

September 3, 2015 By

Concept of accusation of guilty business womanI haven’t always been honest.  Man, that was hard admit — to you and to myself.  But now that the truth has been told… what do I really mean?

Well, I realized that I am someone who is so loving, caring and compassionate that I was not being of exceptional service to my clients!  See, I come from a place of not wanting to hurt anyone – and so I would let my clients’ pussyfoot around and not stand in their power.  Oh sure, I pushed them (I know this because they are very free in telling me “Kim, you’re pushing it!”), but there were times I let them off the hook and boy, does that make me mad at myself now.

It makes me mad because that is what they do for and to themselves already.  They came to me because what they were doing wasn’t working and they needed that proverbial kick in the can…  and I wasn’t doing that enough! 

Once I recognized that I had been afraid of creating conflict or controversy, I decided right then and there that I wasn’t being honest with myself and with my clients and I was making a change.

What happened next is so amazing!  After my clients were introduced to the “new” Coach Kim — and got over the shock of me no longer using kid gloves with them but really holding them powerful no matter what (something I learned from my own coach) — they began to see even faster results.  It was inspiring!  When they understood that I was no longer afraid of creating conflict or controversy, they were able to step outside of their comfort zone and really soar.

By allowing them to see what was possible for them, they got a taste of how their life could be. Instead of being fearful of “What if it doesn’t work?” they began to take actions based on those positive feelings and came from a place of “What if the results are so amazing?”

My new truths are that it’s okay to push someone out of their comfort zone and I can still do it in a loving, caring, compassionate way – hey, that’s just who I am!  And it’s okay if someone gets upset with me.  When I teach my group exercise classes, I often say “I don’t care if you don’t like me right now, you’ll love me when we are done and you feel great!”  By embracing that philosophy in my coaching business and challenging my clients to truly be greater and wiser and more successful than they think they can be, I am absolutely standing in my honesty with and to them.

Is there a place in your life where you aren’t being honest to those you are trying to serve?  I hope this helps you change your thinking. Share your story below!

Filed Under: Self Worth Tagged With: , , , , ,
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