How to make things count

Kim RavidaAre you a box checker?

Meaning, are you a checklist maker and do you love checking things off?

I do! It gives me a lot of satisfaction to check something off. Kind of like a jolt of the happy drug or something. I love to make lists, agendas, and To Dos and even better I love to check things off.

If you are like me, you probably know exactly what I am talking about.

But…are you checking the right boxes?

Last last year I came to realize that while I was a rock star at checking things off my list, I wasn’t actually checking a lot of things off that really mattered.

What I mean by that is that I had loads of things on my list and got loads of things done, but not what truly would help me get to where I wanted to be.

It occurred to me that while I was checking off the boxes, I wasn’t checking the right ones off. Are you doing the same thing? And are you wondering what that means for you? It means that you won’t ever reach your goals in the ways you probably want. It means that you are wasting time, perhaps avoiding and definitely not making things count.

You are great at counting down the days and the To Dos yet not great at making the days and the To Dos count.

Ways to make your days count!

Before we talk about applications let’s take a moment to accept where we are and look to where we want to go. Let’s not beat ourselves up over lost time or any of that. We’ll start where we are and go from here.

Ready? Here we go…

  • Begin with a visualization of what you want. Take a deep breath and close your eyes. Ask yourself what it is you truly want in your business and in your life?
  • Jot down your vision on paper. By documenting what you want you have your end game and you can begin to break that down to actionable steps.
  • Create a timeline for each goal. Some goals will be short-term goals and some will be longer-term ones.
  • Determine where to start. After you have created your timeline, you will now work backward. Write down the very first step you need to do in order to make your days count.
  • Draft a monthly, weekly and daily agenda. By looking at the month, week, day view you’ll know exactly what it is you need to do and by when to work on making things count.
  • Get busyIt’s time to make your days count! You have your visualization in your mind and on paper along with a timeline, you know where to start and you have your list!

Make your days count.

One of the best ways to make your days count is to do a daily and weekly review. At the end of each day and each week, take a look at what you accomplished and what you need to move forward. This gives you a nice road map to be able to see where you are at a glance and it also serves as a way for you to make sure you aren’t being too quick to count things down and are really making things count. Another thing it does is to help you see all you have accomplished!

By putting these strategies into action, you’ll soon eliminate those activities that are time wasters and energy drainers in your day and make every day count!

Would you like personal help making your days count by doing the right things? I’ve helped many business owners get clarity over their days so let’s do it! Sign up for a private 1/1 complimentary session with me and you’ll be able to make every day count!

Mistakes are what makes you the best!

Do you hate it when you make mistakes?

You may be saying, “what kind of question is that, of course I hate it when I make mistakes.”

And you wouldn’t be the only one. As human beings we quite hate making mistakes. It makes us feel useless, stupid, maybe even unqualified. It may cause us to think others will look at us differently and that we may end up losing out on something we want because of it.

Looking at mistakes differently.

But what if I told you that your fear of making mistakes could be the one thing that is holding you back? Back from getting what it is you really want out of life, and/or business?

When we are afraid to do something, we rob ourselves of the sheer enjoyment of doing something new. Of proving to ourselves that we can do something we at first thought we couldn’t. Look, before you know how to do something, of course, it’s going to be challenging. And that’s just great. Because if it wasn’t you wouldn’t feel such joy upon doing it and even mastering it. Cool, right? You bet!

Mistakes are what make you great!

Take a moment and look back at a past mistake, one that you know lead to you triumphing in your life or your business.

As you remember that mistake, how did you feel after you overcame it? What did you learn from it? How did it change you? How has it continued to change you? See mistakes, if you can embrace them, have the power to bring you to the best version of yourself.

Ever said “I’ll never do that again”? Sure you have, who hasn’t? Well, that’s because you have learned from your mistakes. Remember Yoda’s teaching to Luke? “There is no try.” And that’s because you must do, whether imperfect or perfect. In order to get something done, you have to do it.

How will you embrace your mistakes to make yourself great?

In the event you are still a little skeptical, here are a few suggestions to consider and even try out:

  • If I do this, what is the worst that can happen?
  • If I do this, what will happen for me because I did it?
  • Even if I do this and it’s not perfect, I am still doing it.
  • There is no failure in trying, failure lies in not trying.
  • What if I succeeded in ways I can’t even imagine?

Can you see how there truly is never any mistakes or even failure? And that your fear is really just holding you back from all the greatness you desire?

So tell me, how will you embrace your mistakes to make yourself great? I would love you to share that with me. Simply post below and if you’d rather share privately, my email is kim@kimravida.com. Here is to your mistakes making your great!

Still struggling with this concept? Did it hit a nerve? Would you like to break through what is holding you back? Let’s do it! Sign up for a private 1/1 complimentary session with me and you’ll walk away with the one thing you need to have the success you want!

A day in the life of a business owner

Kim Ravida

All business owners aren’t the same.

Let me start off by saying each and every business owner I’ve ever worked with or even met, are similar yet not the same. That’s a good thing and maybe not such a good thing.

How so?

When we look at role models or people to emulate, we often perceive them as what we think they should look like. A lawyer or banker may wear a blue suit. A hair stylist may wear colorful clothing. And a dog groomer may wear old jeans. But what if the dog groomer wore the blue suit? Would you think to yourself “that’s weird”?

And because each business is different each will have specific to them systems, processes and actions. If you are a lawyer, banker, hair stylist or dog groomer than perhaps you may do what they are doing but what if you aren’t? Well, you already know that answer, you’ll do what works for you.

When we look to others to mold our businesses, it can often help, and it can also hinder. So even if someone does exactly what you do, it’s best for you to do you. And that means creating systems, processes and actions specifically geared to you and the results you want to achieve with your business.

Stepping (and staying in) into your own shoes.

Speaking from personal experience as well as client experience there have been times when it is good to do what another business owner has done or is doing. Yet, remembering that all business owners have different need and wants and personalities is key to your success.

A day in the life of a business owner who is a dog groomer will be different than one who is a hair stylist. Yet, they may have similar operating systems, processes and the way they interact with their clients. And a day in the life of a career or business coach will absolutely be different from the groomer and stylist. So if you are trying to run your business like the way someone else has, you more than likely will struggle.

So then how to operate your business your best way? By knowing exactly the kind of day you need to have. A day in the life of your business!

What does a day in the life of your business look like?

Start at the beginning:

  • What is your business?
  • Who do you serve?
  • How do you serve?
  • What things do you need to do every day that keeps your business operating (marketing, admin)?
  • How do you do those things?
  • Who does those things?

Look at all the things that goes into you running your business (even if you have loads of help). Then you’ll have your day in the life of a business owner and that’s you!

Not sure about what it is you do, should be doing or could be doing to be the best business owner you can be?  Sign up for a 90-minute Business Success Blueprint Session with me so that you can get clear, create (or tweak) your systems, processes and actions to achieve your desired results easier and faster.

Are You Realistic Or Are You Optimistic?

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Hey now, what’s the difference?

The dictionary states that being realistic is: having or showing a sensible and practical idea of what can be achieved or expected. And being optimistic is: hopeful and confident about the future.

So then, do you really need to be one or the other?

I say no. I say you can be both realistic and optimistic. And I see a lot of good coming from both.

How to use both to get ahead in your life and business.

Have you ever been accused of being too realistic, or even too optimistic? I have and it got me thinking.

If I’m too realistic, does that hold me back? What if I’m too optimistic, does that mean I’m engaging in pie in the sky results? The answer, is probably. =)

So, how can you use, say, a middle ground of being realistically optimistic to get what you want? Recently, I’ve been working with my clients to not set goals. Whoa, what, now?! You read that correctly.

My clients work on being at choice and choosing to set the results they want.

Here is an example from one of my clients who wanted to increase her income:

By March 31, 2018, I will have made an additional income of $5,000 by signing up 3 new (or previous) clients. I will do that by achieving the following results:

  • Create a clear message for my audience so they understand what I offer.
  • Attend two in-person networking groups per week with the end result of meeting 1-2 new prospects to connect with personally.
  • Invest 30-60 minutes a day in two on-line networking groups I’ve determined are the best fit for me.
  • Make a “can’t say no” offer to those prospects that I know will be a good fit and will get great results.
  • Monitor my actions and my mindset to hold myself accountable to taking daily actions in order to reach my end result.

Is this realistic? Yes, for my client, it is. Her services price point are in line with reaching her wanted results. Is it optimistic? Yes, she is hopeful and confident that she will be able to take the actions needed to have her reach her end result.

So while technically you could call the above goals, we talk in terms of results. Since results feel more concrete and yes, realistic. Then, this makes it possible for my clients to be optimistic since they have set really great actions and measurements for success.

Have you been struggling to reach the results you want?

Why not use the above as a guide and determine exactly what results you want. Once you have done that, you can list out your action steps. Here is a tip, keep your action steps clear and only have 5-8 of them. Any more and you’ll create overwhelm which creates confusion, which keeps you from taking daily action.

Remember, it’s about getting results, not about doing 100 (or more things). The less is truly the better.

What is your first step, then second and so on that will give you what you want? I’d love to hear about it. Please comment below.

One thing my clients say is that it’s easy to reach the results once you know what to do. If not being clear on what you need to do or the order in which to do it in, is a stumbling block for you, let’s fix that. Schedule your 90-minute Business Success Blueprint Session with me now. At the end of your session, you will have your concrete plan of actions to reach your desired results.

What if you just didn’t do it?

Look, it’s easy to get yourself to do things you don’t want to do. Now, what if you just didn’t do it?

Really, what would happen? Let’s think about this.

Possibilities of what might happen

You could die. But that depends on what it is you are contemplating not doing. If you are trying to overcome a serious illness and don’t take your medication, that’s a distinct possibility.

However, there are things that if you didn’t do, you could succeed beyond your imagination. Or you could discover you have been forcing yourself to do things that really just don’t matter.

But, let’s say it has to do with something you want to do with your business. What if you didn’t do it? What really would happen?

Let’s do an exercise. Choose ONE thing you have been trying to get done, or something you force yourself to do regularly but don’t want to do. Now get a piece of paper out (or open a blank document) and list out what you think will happen if you don’t do it.

So, what did you learn?

You learned 1) you really do have to do it or 2) you really don’t have to do it.

What really matters?

If you found that you are forcing yourself because for whatever reason you thought you had to do it, you hit on a goldmine of information.

There are so many “reasons” why we do things in our lives and in our businesses. And until you absolutely, without a doubt know your why – you may just be doing things because…

Reasons for defining your why:

  • You have clarity
  • Clarity gives you direction
  • Direction increases motivation
  • Motivation equals results

And ultimately in business we want results. So what if you only did what you knew would bring those results? What if you didn’t do what didn’t? Where do you think you’d be?

What are some of the things you had been telling yourself you had to do only to find out you really didn’t need to do them? I’d love to hear from you!

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The truth is, it’s all about you!

Good news! It’s about you.

Right off the bat, I’m giving you permission to make things about YOU!

My hope though is that you are already doing that. And just in case you aren’t, now is your time to do so. See as a solo entrepreneur/business owner it’s super-duper (yes, I just wrote that) important to take care of yourself.

You are the only one you have. And not only that but you are the only one your family has, your clients have, your friends have and so on. I think you get my point. Rather than ignoring you, what if you made it about you?

Consequently, you must realize just how important it is for you to take care of yourself. Your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health are mega important. Much has been written about balance. In particular, work/life balance. And much has been written about how that is impossible. It’s a matter of perspective. I like to look at balance as not 50/50 but in terms of how I’m feeling about my life and my work.

Why make it about you.

A wise woman once told me, “Kim, I take myself with me wherever I go and I want to feel good.” She meant both mind/body and spirit and she recognized that if she didn’t feel good in any of those areas she was out of balance. Take the time to do what YOU want to do – doesn’t matter if that is for your personal life or your business. You can trust me that you will at first feel a little weird, and then amazing.

You are more important than you believe you are.

First of all, can we agree that you ARE important? So before you tell me how you have so much to do and that others depend on you, take a moment to look into the future and envision the best version of yourself that you bring to your loved ones, your business and your clients. Then second, do what you need to do to make changes in your life so you have time to put yourself first. As a result, you will find that you have so much more to give others.

In conclusion, by taking care of yourself, you are better able to take care of everyone else. You’ll feel better, have more energy and be more equipped to reach both your personal and business goals! What’s not to like about that?!

Things will figure themselves out even without you.

And fear not, everything will be there for you when you are ready, and if not, maybe you didn’t need to do it/worry about it in the first place. The other thing you’ll find is things will figure themselves out. My previous blog was about taking time to rest, click here to read it if you haven’t already.

For now, determine what is one thing you will commit to doing for yourself to put yourself first in you life. Write it down and then do it. Notice how wonderful you feel and what happens in your life because you did it!

If you are looking to make your client attraction about you and what you want (which I know is also to help many others;-), get my free offer! It is truly set for YOU to make it about you (so then it can be about them).

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Sometimes The Best Thing You Can Do For Your Business Is Stop

All or nothing thinking.

It’s a go, go, go, type of world out there for businesses and sometimes the best thing you could do for yourself and your business is to STOP. It’s time to re-think this 24/7 thing you may find yourself in.

As a solo entrepreneur you are probably doing everything (or most of everything) yourself. It might be you feel you have to, you want to save money or you have no money to spend on help. While I don’t necessarily agree with that for the long haul, there may be really good reasons you are doing it now. And while you may not be able to afford help, you definitely can’t afford to burn yourself out.

I mean, if you are the only one doing the work, if you burn out, who will take your place? Um, that would be no-one! That means the best thing you can do for yourself and the business is to stop. Put a pause on what you are doing and take a rest.

Why you not only can take a rest but must do so.

As someone who is doing it all, you are burning the candle at both ends. Let’s list out what you might be doing on a daily and weekly basis:

  • Networking with potential clients
  • Email correspondence
  • Social Media Marketing
  • Marketing
  • Having sales conversations
  • Enrolling new clients
  • Onboarding new clients
  • Setting up and scheduling client appointments (and many more)
  • Bookkeeping
  • Daily, weekly and monthly administrative work

I could keep going, but you know what I’m talking about. In order for you to be fresh and keep your perspective open and receptive, it is imperative for you to have a fresh brain, body and attitude. Nothing turns off a potential client than someone who is frazzled and disheveled all of what can happen when you run yourself ragged. Is that the image you want to present to the world when you are out networking to get clients. I didn’t think so.

What taking a rest can do for you and your business.

If you are thinking “but I can’t take time off” hear me out. I’m not asking you to put your business on hold indefinitely or even for longer than say a weekend, what I’m hoping you’ll take away from this is that by taking time off, even if it is a weekend is that you will come back refreshed and with a new perspective. See time has a way of helping us see things differently.

When I first started I worked pretty much round the clock – and would have continued to do so if it wasn’t for a colleague of mine, Julie Gray who wrote an article on why I was procrastinating (well, she wasn’t saying “I” as in “Kim, here is why you were procrastinating,” but she might as well have, it hit me like a ton of bricks). What she said was the reason we procrastinate was because we weren’t taking breaks or even time off.

After I read that I basically came to a stop. I couldn’t move, it was so true. I had been pushing, pushing, pushing and finding that I wasn’t getting all that far because I was procrastinating! So, I took her advice and decided to take weekends off and viola, Monday came and I was ready, willing and able to get my work done. I found I had more successes, I attracted more clients, I felt better and get this, things were easier to get done!

What would you rather, harder or easier?

Here is the good news, it’s all up to you. You can have it harder or easier, which would you like? I’m thinking easier. So then WHEN is it you will stop? When will you take a break? When will you give yourself the rest you not only need but that is paramount to the success of your business? Go ahead, pull out your calendar and then schedule in time off in the next 3-5 days (yes, that’s right – or even for the upcoming weekend), you won’t be sorry if you do, but you may be sorry if you don’t.

In the meantime, are you looking to build your business with ideal clients? Ideal meaning those that aren’t needy and make you feel you have to give them way more than you want? If so, sign up for my free offer below because it will help you find them!

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One simple way to improve your business

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I’m big on keeping things simple. I spent a lot of time making things difficult and try as I might it was not the best thing for me. Which is why I like to teach other solo-entrepreneurs how to be successful keeping things simple.

What that simple thing is.

The last blog I wrote was to share with you that YOU were the advantage to your success.

Now I would like to tell you that the one simple way to improve your business is to trust that you are the advantage to it’s success. See, most of our wins or lack there of happen in between our ears. What I mean by that is the thoughts you think will either make or break you. Your mindset is the #1 thing that will improve your business.

Do you remember The Little Engine That Could? If so, then you’ll remember that may other trains didn’t help them, until along came the Little Engine who thought “I think I can”. The reason the Little Engine succeeded was because it had faith in itself.

Do you have faith in yourself?

Are you someone who knows you can do something and when the going gets tough, do you have thoughts that say “I think I can” even when you might not know for sure?

One simple thing you can do to improve your business is to have faith in yourself. If you have a strong belief in yourself and you always succeed, I’d love to hear about how you do that. If you need to have a little more faith in yourself, here are several questions for you to help you:

  • Write down 5 “I AM” statements that are true right now. An I AM statement is something that you know is true for you. Such as I AM resourceful, I AM strong, I AM someone who can figure things out. It describes the essence of who you are.
  • Write down 5 “I AM” statements that you want to be true. These may reflect who you really want to see yourself as.  Such as I AM willing to ask for help, I AM known for having the answers, I AM valued.
  • Look for gaps. Look at your I AM statements that you want to be true. Is there a gap between where you are and where you want to be? Does it feel like too big of a stretch or is it a do-able stretch.
  • Determine 1-2 actions that you are willing to take to bring you to your ideal I AM. This will help you gain more faith in yourself.

This exercise will help you: 1) see where you are perfectly tuned in to yourself,  2) see where you may not have faith in yourself and 3) see where you will be able to get to where you want to be.

The importance of your level of consciousness.

When you raise your level of consciousness about yourself it is impossible to be where you started. Once you begin to have faith in yourself, you will be just like the Little Engine That Could, on your way to business success.

When you are truly you, feeling comfortable with who you are, having faith in yourself for your successes and knowing that you have what it takes to get there, you get there in the most simplest way possible. Which means that you’ll do whatever it is that feels good for you.

So what’s it going to be? Will you do what needs to be done to have the mindset that brings you all the successes you want? I think I know the answer!

Are you a solo-preneur looking to build your business with ideal clients? If so, sign up for my free offer below because it will help you find them!

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Do you have the stamina to run your business?

2Who is running the business, is it you or the other way around?

I’ve been working with a lot of business owners recently who are stressed out and exhausted running their business. In fact, I’d say their business is running them rather than the other way around.

Most of them have been sitting behind their computer tap, tap, tapping away at their keyboards. And we all know what goes along with that, a lot of sitting. Sitting equals being sedentary and that equals a lot of poor health.

The low down on being fit to run your business.

Owning a business is much like running a marathon, it is a long journey. The difference is that marathoners have a specific well-laid out plan for them to follow where they are in constant movement, then rest and recovery. In addition they do a lot of tracking and reviewing to see what works really well and what doesn’t.

It is an absolute that as a business owner you must be healthy and fit. Before you get all up in arms over that, I am not saying you have to be a marathoner or anything of the like. But what I am saying without a doubt, you have to incorporate fitness, eating healthy, stress-reduction and rest into your business plan.

When you are healthy and fit you feel better, you have more physical energy and you have more mental energy. Maybe you have heard that our biggest successes and our biggest failures are all because of our mindset.

When you are run down, strung out and stressed out, you simply don’t have the mental capacity to be at the top of your game.

More great reasons for being healthy and fit for running a successful business.

A large study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine discovered that for workers who ate healthy and had regular exercise such as exercising at least three days per week were more likely to have a better job performance than those who did not.

You may not consider “job performance” when it comes to you because you probably don’t consider yourself an employee, but you really are. In fact, if you are like a lot of my clients you are the main worker bee so why not be the healthiest one?

When you put your fitness, eating well and sleep as a priority your brain power is boosted, stress is reduced and your work performance is improved. And least we forget, your overall mood increases! Talk about a positive mindset!

It doesn’t have to be hard!

Now for the good news! Increasing your health and fitness doesn’t have to be hard. Nor does it have to take tons of hours. What it does take is a bit of planning and execution but hey, you are a business owner you are used to that already. So take the skills you have been using and implement them on your health and fitness plan. And if you really aren’t sure where to start, here is a very quick video I posted to my Facebook page to get you started. It’s really simple, and you’ll probably go “really?”, yes really!

One of the things I make sure my clients have is their very own personalized health and fitness plan that supports their business goals (not to mention the personal ones too =) and that is easy for them to achieve. If that’s something you’d like but can’t seem to figure out on your own, let me know email me at kim@kimravida.com! I’d love to help you create a kick-butt plan that gives you all the stamina you need to run a healthy, successful business!

 

 

Is your marketing right on or are you stumbling and bumbling?

What is marketing, anyway?

In business marketing is a BIG word. It’s used all the time, but what exactly does it mean and what does it mean to you?

Marketing as is defined by Wikipedia is: the communication between a company and the consumer audience that aims to increase the value of the company or its merchandise, or to raise the profile of the company and its products in the public mind. The purpose of marketing is to induce behavioral change in the receptive audience.[1]

The American Marketing Association has defined marketing as “the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large.” [2]

And this is all fine and good, but what does it mean to and for you? Well, ultimately it means exposure, you get known, you make SALES and you have money! Whoohoo. Are you getting excited yet?

Oh but wait, there is more!

How can your marketing improve your success?

One thing that I see small business owners and solopreneurs fail at is creating marketing messages that capture their spirit, personality and passion. They fail to put themselves into.

One of my clients owns a successful hair salon and the reason it was successful was because she knew that it was her that people came into see.

In the beginning, it wasn’t always that way, she wanted to and did take a more background role. What she noticed was that she didn’t get as much repeat business as she did when she was the one greeting, setting their next appointments and conversing with them.

After she understood it was her Unique Brilliance that lead to more business, it was easy to create a marketing plan that filled in the missing pieces and gave her much success.

By identifying your Unique Brilliance and what you bring to the table, you can use it as a powerful catalyst for using your gifts and talents on your most profitable actions.

Unlock your powerful, instantly recognizable presence.

The best way to become a client-attraction and opportunity magnet is to know and strategically use your spirit, personality and passion to create hot marketing messages, create amazing images, attention-getting copy and many other marketing touch points that lead to increased clients and sales.

Knowing Your Unique Brilliance

Your own Unique Brilliance is not a skill, it’s a powerful force that describes the very core of who you are as an individual.

Here are a few questions for you to ask:

  • Write down what you loved to do as a child.
  • What are some words or qualities that describe that?
  • Finish this sentence:  My Unique Brilliance is that I _____________________

A few examples: I inspire possibility; I ignite passion and action; I empower greatness.

Keep in mind that your Unique Brilliance is just you – so it will not mention others and it does not describe steps or process.

How can you use your Unique Brilliance in your marketing? If you empower greatness how does that look? What social media messages and images are you creating; what are you talking about to potential clients; and how are you presenting your business to the world?

It’s fun and exciting! You can effortlessly create amazing marketing materials. You won’t be just creating a message you’ll be creating and building a brand!

If you are stumbling and bumbling with your marketing and attracting clients in your business and want to create amazing marketing messages that are on point and on brand, I have something you can’t say no to, it’s called Create The Soul of Your Business Marketing Guide. All you have to do is email me at kim@kimravida.com and put in the subject line YES! It is my gift to you. Don’t wait, this offer will go fast and it’s so awesome you won’t want to miss out.