Are you simple or complicated?

January 7, 2016 By

Complicated or simple.What is one thing that can turn a good thing into a bad thing?  Too much of a good thing!  Does that sound like a riddle?  Well, it can be for lots of business owners.  What I mean is that oftentimes, instead of being short and to the point, many business owners overcomplicate what they do and what they say.

It’s easy to make simple things confusing. Think about what you might consider is effectively communicating, when really what’s happening is over communicating — and no one is hearing, much less listening (two different things), to what is being said.

How we do things in one area of our lives, we tend to do in other areas too.  Think about areas (business or personal) where you aren’t 100% happy with the results you are getting.

Ask yourself, “Am I making this more complicated than it needs to be?”  More than likely, if you aren’t getting the desired results you want, you are.

Are you making things complicated?

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After you see that you are making things complicated, it’s time to make them simple. 

The next time you notice yourself struggling with something because you’re making it more difficult than you should – simply stop and take a step back.  Ask yourself “What can I do to make this go smoother and easier so that I get what I want?” Once you have your answer, do it and watch what happens!

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Do you do Time Travel?

December 31, 2015 By

Time Travel SyndromeHave you have ever had this happen: you make an appointment with yourself to get something done, you put it in your calendar with extra “just-in-case time” and when the time comes to do it, you get down to business and then discover that even the “just-in-case time” wasn’t enough?

What is that??

It’s your thinking. The thinking that things won’t take as long as they do and time just goes by faster than you expected.

Time Travel Syndrome, you think you have lots of time but before you know it you’re in the future!

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I call it the Time Travel Syndrome. It’s when you plan for a set amount of time and poof it just is gone. And now you are ahead in time and with nothing accomplished.

How do we get it so that our time doesn’t just go poof leaving us standing there holding the bag of things to do that didn’t get done?

Well, one way is to know how much time you truly need especially for tasks you do more than once. In order to find out, you need to do a time travel experiment.

  • Review the task you are going to do
  • Estimate how much time you think it will take
  • Before you begin, set a timer (or stop watch) to determine how much time it actually takes
  • Keep a log of your recurring tasks and the actual time they take so you can accurately schedule your time and tasks

Bonus tip: add more time because even when you are accurate something is bound to happen: you’ll lose power, the phone will ring, your child will need something, the dog will want to go out, etc.

We’ll call this buffer time or a bit of a gap so that you can actually get the things done that you want to get done. It will also allow you to eliminate the stress, anxiety and frustration of having your time evaporate and finding that you time traveled without accomplishing much.

Just imagine how wonderful it is going to feel when you have more time than you thought you did. This is the perfect time for you to do your experiment so you can be productive in the New Year!

Speaking of the New Year, it is still not too late to sign up for the Prosperous Business Mastery Group Coaching and Mastermind Program. In this program, among many other things, you’ll become a master at making your time work for you! Click here to sign up.

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Are You Positively Positive?

December 22, 2015 By

I just read one of Tony Robbins books.  This quote really got me thinking:  “The difference between acting badly or brilliantly is not based on your ability, but on the state of your mind and/or body in any given moment.”

I gave this a lot of thought.  I realized that when I’m tired, I’m cranky and things go oh so wrong.  When I’m hungry, I’m rushing and I’m very short with myself and others.  When I’m not at my optimal, I’m angry, frustrated, stressed out and nothing I do ever goes right.

Can you relate?  So then, what’s a person to do?  The obvious physical actions are: eat and sleep.  But what about our mindset around those actions?  We all know that we should take care of ourselves better, but do we?  I know of more and more people who put off taking care of themselves, eating well, exercising, sleeping, and down time all in lieu of working more, doing more, being more.

A wise woman once told me “I have to take care of my body; I take it everywhere I go.”  So true.  Also true is that our body takes us everywhere we go.  Well then, since that is the case, how can we better take care of ourselves so that we are optimally running all the time?

The right mindset when it comes to running a business really can be the difference to your success.

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As business owners, what if we were to change our mindset to one that is supportive and loving of ourselves and others?  What do you suppose would happen?  The right mindset when it comes to running a business really can be the difference between a successful business and a failing or struggling business.

Think about your mindset as a business owner; would you say you have a positive or negative one?  Which is dominant?  Many clients when they first start working with me realize they have a negative attitude.  When they recognize that they are in a negative mindset they can’t believe it.  See, often they can’t even see it.  Ever heard the saying “can’t see the forest through the trees”?  Fortunately, in time they turn it around. 

Where might you be holding yourself back?  If you were to shift your mindset from negative to positive, could make a world of difference to your business?

If you are serious about making changes to your own mindset, join my Prosperous Business Mastery Group Mastermind Program where you’ll have lots of opportunities to learn how to change and master your mindset.  For more information click here.

Filed Under: Business Mastery, Personal Development, Reaching Goals, Self Worth Tagged With: , , , ,

Secret to Business Success

December 17, 2015 By

I’m a home-body.  I love to be home.  Not that I don’t leave my house, I do.  I travel and go places; but ultimately I really just like being home.  It’s my comfort zone.

A comfort zone is a place that feels good, is safe and protected; nothing wrong with that except that it’s the place where things do not happen.  

As a business owner it is important for you to stretch outside your comfort zone.

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As a business owner it is important for you to stretch outside your comfort zone.  We also call the comfort zone the safety zone, and you know what happens in a safety zone – nothing!

True, no one gets hurt in the comfort zone, but no one grows and expands and experiences really amazing things either.  Outside the safety zone is where you have the possibility and opportunity to learn, have fun and live.  Which do you want to be in?

When we step outside our comfort zone, we experience the greatest success.

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We tend to hold ourselves back for many reasons; fear of the unknown, feeling stupid, losing money, losing face or whatever.  However, I’m here to tell you not only from my own experience personally but also from my clients’ as well, thatwhen we do step outside our comfort and safety zone, the greatest success, accomplishment and feelings materialize and they are SO amazing. 

Here are several suggestions for you to step outside of your comfort zone:

  • Set up a one-on-one meeting close to your office.  Call up someone you would like to know more about (them personally as well as their business) and schedule to meet for coffee or a light lunch.
  • Attend networking events and meet two new people to connect with.  When you have the goal of meeting just two people, it makes it easier for you to get out there.  If you get there and find you enjoy it, meet more!
  • Do the one thing that you have wanted to do, but have been afraid to do.  Maybe it’s travel to a conference in another state or attend a workshop or do a speaking gig.  Whatever it is, choose the date and then do it!

Make a pact with yourself that you will start stepping outside your comfort and safety zone, even just a little bit, in order to reap all of the amazing experiences that are just out there waiting for you!  You will so gratified you did.  And when you do, be sure to drop me a note at kim@kimravida.com  (or simply reply to this email).  Or if you wish to share with a larger audience, post to my blog!

If you are ready now to step outside of that comfort zone, I have an amazing place for you to step into.  It is my 2016 Prosperous Business Mastery Group Mastermind Program that I am running beginning January 5.  Click here for the details.  It’s a great place to stretch yourself to grow and reap the rewards you want for you and your business.

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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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