Archive for October, 2010

Once upon a time you dreamed of a carefree life as an entrepreneur. You saw the vision of a business where you would satisfy all your clients’ needs, make tons of money and live the lifestyle of freedom and joy…..wait a second, stop the presses…the reality is hauntingly different.

Now don’t get mad. I know that you are working your tail off — sometimes 12-14 hours per day — to turn that dream into a reality. You eat, sleep (when you do) and think about your business 7 days a week with little return on the investment, and a ton of anger to show for it. But let’s take a step back and really look at what it takes to turn that hobby into a business so you CAN have the business you always dreamed of.

Today Is That Day

Today, you have a wonderful opportunity to closely examine what it takes to have a successful business. Here are five action items that you can implement right now so that you can make the transition from a hobby to a business:

1.  Develop a Business and Marketing Plan

When starting a new hobby there’s nothing much to plan; you just go out and get your supplies, set up a card table in the basement or spare room and start. Is this how you started your business? If so, let me tell you why this was a BIG mistake.

You want to be successful don’t you? How will you know if you are? Writing a business plan ensures you’re taking the necessary steps to plan out a course of action and to identify the goals that indicate you are on the right track. Without the plan, you’ll never know if you’re making the gains you desire.

Here’s a quick way to get started. Pick two or three marketing activities and make the commitment to do them consistently. These activities can range from attending at least one networking event each week to writing a newsletter. No matter what the activity, do them consistently to see results.

2.  Act Like You’re In Business

There are a couple of really important issues that fall under this heading of “acting like you’re in business”. First: Have a business email that is tied to your website or domain name. For example, maureen@daretobephenomenal.com instead of using a generic email address such as yourname@gmail.com. See the difference? In the first example, you know I have a legitimate business; the other, well you’re not quite sure.

Second issue: Brand yourself. You must have a distinct look and feel. When you brand yourself with colors, taglines and logos you begin to stand out in the crowd. All of your marketing material must have a cohesive look and feel to it. If it doesn’t, work towards branding yourself.

Finally, are you treating your personal and business financial accounts as separate? If you’re not doing this, please go and seek the help of a Quickbooks expert or bookkeeper who can help you separate your accounts so that you clearly know what you are spending and taking in on your business.

3.  Show Me The Money

Here is the plain hard truth: if you are not making money then you have a hobby, not a business. The business needs to be making money or at least be on its way to profitability. You can’t live on your savings account forever and racking up credit card debt to run a business is extremely risky, particularly if you own your own home. Your business won’t survive for very long if you can’t bring in clients and turn a profit.

4.  You Have A Support Team

Part of the trap many business owners fall into is they spend hours a week working IN their business instead of ON their business. They do too many tasks that would be better done by someone else. You have special talents and skills that bring in the revenue for your business. If you’re spending your time cleaning the house, managing the books, or managing your database then you have less time to go out and market and procure clients. Find a VA, housecleaner or personal assistant to help you. Learn to delegate!

5.  Learn, Learn, Learn

I have two coaches, am currently enrolled in a certification program and belong to a mastermind group. I made a commitment to myself that if I wanted to make my business successful, I knew I would have to make the time and monetary sacrifice to make it happen.

If you are struggling with your business or know deep in your soul that all you have is a hobby, I encourage you to consider hiring a coach, mentor or joining a mastermind so that you can turn that hobby into a thriving business.

My challenge to you this week is to take a good, hard look at your business and pick one area to work and improve on. Make a goal and outline the steps that are necessary for you to achieve success.

Each and every day I am lucky enough to impart extraordinary information to help my clients move from frustrating five figure income into six and even high six figures.  Most of what I share with my clients is about the money mindset shifts one needs to make in order to be a successful entrepreneur.

Mindset in combination with using my keen intuition and facing my fears are the foundation for the success me and my clients have had in our businesses.

Now, just to be clear, mindset is more than just reading some fancy, squishy feeling affirmations every day.  Your mindset is those deep rooted beliefs that you hold near and dear to you and would take an atomic bomb for you to let go of.  These beliefs help you through all of your challenges both business and personal.  Ultimately, your mindset helps you to make the decisions that change your life.

So here’s a list of mindset secrets to help you succeed in business and become that high six figure entrepreneur!

• Face your fears; never let fear influence your decision making ability
• Use challenges to spark your creativity and solve problems
• Never tolerate excuses from others or from yourself
• Believe “Where there’s a will there’s a way”
• Understand there’s real power in asking for help
• Knows that obstacles are a reason to strengthen your commitment to your bigger why
• Graciously welcomes new learning opportunities from teachers, mentors and coaches
• Know you can do, be and have anything you want
• Never, ever play the victim
• Holds firm to boundaries and stand solid in your personal power
• Knows that “NOW” is the right time
• Understands that fear and doubt are not truth
• Let’s go to grow
• Appreciates the growing and learning process and see the results in the transformation of your business
• Practices the attitude of gratitude
• Invest in the best mentoring and coaching

Print out this list and put it on your cork board or wall and reflect on the mindset secrets every day.

How you do money is how you do everything.

I posted that in my money reflections section of my newsletter last week.  I didn’t get one question or comment about it which I thought was kind of strange.

Could it be that everyone understands this statement?  I honestly didn’t think it was possible that everyone understood the statement so I decided to write a piece today that digs deeper into the statement.

Because we live in a universe that is made up of energy it’s safe to say that money is energy too.  Makes sense, right?  Which means if this energy is everywhere and money is energy too, our relationship with money is a symbol of our relationship with everything in our lives.

When you work at improving one area of your life usually other areas are improved as well.  So it’s safe to say when we improve our relationship with money other areas follow suit and get better and better.

So, how you do money is how you do everything.

Think about it this way…

• Do you feel like you ever have enough money? Do you have enough time?
• Do you have a tendency to waste money?  Do you often feel like you are wasting your time?
• Do you know how much money you have in your bank accounts?  Do you have an adequate picture of your physical health?

The goal here is to wake up and start recognizing where we are unconscious and to start changing our habits and beliefs to ones that better suit us.  By doing so we can start to conduct ourselves and stand more powerfully in our lives.

Money and the energy associated with it allows us to do just that.

The Holiday Extravaganza is happening again!

Networking, Shopping, Gift Bags, Raffles and More!

December 7, 2010
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Salvatore’s Restaurant • Lawrence, MA

Hope you are marking your calendar for Tuesday, December 7th so you won’t miss the Holiday Extravaganza of the year!

2009 DARE To Be Phenomenal’s Holiday Extravaganza SOLD OUT!  With over 400+ men and women in attendance and 67 businesses in represented it was a great time.

Here’s what last year’s attendees had to say:

“It was phenomenal. Great people! Very receptive to my business and obtained new clients.” ~ Susan Caldwell

“Wonderful and exciting. Good that people from outside the group were allowed to attend to increase exposure of member businesses. Thank you for all of your hard work, Maureen.” ~ Kerry Wiley

“Loved perusing the vendor tables. I bought some nice holiday gifts, too!” ~ Elizabeth Covino

“The event was wonderful; a lot of different people took part in the event. I made a lot of connections with new prospects and business women. Maureen did a fabulous job coordinating this event. Thanks, Mo, for all your hard work. I can’t wait for next year.” ~Connie Doto

“Maureen, you did an incredible job with this event…..you thought of every detail to make it enjoyable for vendors and guest alike! Hope you take a well deserved bow and the REST!” ~ Karen Kallie

“What a great turnout! I was able to get some Christmas shopping done as the event offered a wonderful variety of gifts! I enjoyed it very much.” ~ Mary Honan

“It was fantastic! The room was buzzing! As a vendor, I felt the shoppers were genuinely interested in our products. I can’t wait to do it again, next year!” ~ Maria Murphy

“Had a fantastic time. Thanks so much, Maureen, for putting together such a great event. Your hard work and dedication is amazing! ~ Trudy Lawler

“Great time! Nice way to kick off the Holidays!” ~ Karen Kaloustian

Do you have your table yet?  We are 80% SOLD OUT and tables are getting snatched up pretty fast. So, contact me today if you want a table at this great holiday event.

What would you say if I asked you to name all the ways you prevent money from flowing to you?  Would you be able to answer the question or would you look at me with confusion?

Not sure what I mean?  There are countless ways we block money from flowing into our lives and often times we are completely unaware of those blocks.

Let’s start with Physical Clutter.  Now, you might be asking what physical clutter has to do with opening the floodgates to making more money; but rest assured it has a lot to do with your ability to attract and make more.

Where do you keep your bills that need to be paid?  Are they strewn all over the place, needing  to be filed?  Do you keep some in your office and others in your car?  I want you to go and collect all the bills that need to be paid and place them in a folder with “Bills to be Paid” written across the front.  Make a commitment that each time a bill arrives in the mail, you will put that bill that needs to be paid in that folder.

Now let’s examine the physical clutter that has accumulated in your wallet.  Yup, that’s right…take out your wallet and look at it.  Is it stuffed to the gills with receipts and junk?  Is your money neatly organized with bills in order or is it just thrown in there?

I want you to clean out your wallet so you can make room for more money.  How on earth will you handle more money coming to you if you can’t even keep your wallet clean and organized?  Where will you put all that money?  There’s no room in your wallet unless you clean it out!  Do it today, ok?

The second area worth exploring is Schedule Clutter.  Schedule Clutter is things like interruptions in your daily activities, other priorities that seep into your day and feelings of overwhelm when working.

These too are all energy drains and block the natural flow of abundance and money.  Develop a schedule and stick to it.  Answer emails only once or twice a day.  Turn off that little bell that dings on your computer when you get new emails, or better yet, close out your email while you work.  Don’t say yes to appointments or other distractions that interfere with you accomplishing what you want and need to do each day.  This will help you to accomplish even more in your day and will reduce those feelings of overwhelm.

The next area is Emotional Clutter, which includes difficult relationships, draining relationships and people that have poor boundaries.  You probably read that last line and said, “Oh boy, I know exactly what she means.”

We have all been there, surrounded by people who suck the life out of us, intrude into our lives, and are just plain awful people to deal with.  Don’t put up with it any longer.  These relationships are so detrimental to your ability to increase the flow of abundance and prosperity into your life that it’s scary!  When you stop trying to manage the situations that drain your energy, you find that you have more energy to devote to the really important areas of your life.

The final area I want to discuss today is Money Clutter.  This includes accounts that are not current, being unclear about how much money you bring into your business, and your personal and business debt.  Can you feel how just reading this creates a heaviness and energy drain in your body?  Is this you?  Can you see why this needs to be addressed immediately?

Let’s tackle your accounts that aren’t current.  Paying your bills on time every month will take care of the money clutter that blocks more money from coming to you.  When you ignore your bills because you’re afraid to open your checking account, or you’re not sure if you have the money to pay your bills, you create a lot of drama, stress and chaos.

Starting today, I want you to write down when you will pay your bills each month.  Go to the calendar and pencil in the date and do so for the remainder of the year.  Depending on how your money comes in you may need to pay bills weekly.  That’s ok.  The important thing is that you pay the bills at the same time each week or month and you do so consistently.

By clearing up these clutter areas in your life, you will remove the energy block that is preventing you from attracting money into your life. Don’t know where to start?  Pick one area and take it one step at a time.  I would love to hear how you are going to clear out the clutter to make room for more money in your life!

Do you want to learn more ways to rid yourself of these and other bad money habits?  Then consider requesting an application to my new Mastermind Program – The No Secrets, No BS:  The Nuts and Bolts To Increasing Revenue In This Economy! Just contact Lisa for an application.

“I can’t get my website done”, “My marketing plan is half done”, “I was supposed to finish this newsletter but the time flew by!”  Sound like you?

When speaking with women business owners ( and men too) I often hear a multitude of excuses for why their marketing efforts are stalled.  Whether you are the cause of it or you’re waiting for someone else  to finish the job, procrastination is the cause.

Procrastination is an emotionally charged issue that has you locked into a way of thinking.  But the reality is procrastination is really just resistance and once you bust through that resistance you can take action.

Here are three simple tips to help you rid yourself of the evil grip of resistance and procrastination.

1.  Stop the Excuses

If you are waiting for your web developer or virtual assistant to get that sales page, web site or newsletter finished it’s time to stop accepting these excuses and time to start having a conversation.

What you’re really resistant to is the fact you have to have this conversation so you procrastinate about it.  Nobody wants to be tough on someone, but it has to happen.   My advice is stop letting them tell you when the project will be done and instead tell them when you need it.   If they can’t meet the deadlines let them know you will find someone who can.

Rough?  Yes, but as soon as you are crystal clear on what you need the faster your business will get back on track.

2.  Why Are You Marketing In The First Place?

What’s your bigger reason for being in business?  You probably love the fact that you’re helping others, or maybe you are thrilled to be offering these gorgeous photographs.

No matter what you do for a living your bigger why will inspire you more than the marketing tasks themselves.  So focus on the why instead.

3.  Make the Commitment

When you commit to something out load and tell the world about it you are more likely to follow through and the really cool part is you will find yourself finding all the inspiration and motivation to get it done.

So, The Next Time You Find You’re Procrastinating…

Remember, procrastination is just a cover up for resistance.  Use one of these simple tips and start moving your business forward with ease.

When you enter into a contractual relationship with another person and then demand a refund when no refunds are clearly stipulated are you acting with integrity?

This just happened to a friend of mine.  She has a line in all her contracts that clearly state NO REFUNDS.  Yet she is often asked by people who either haven’t fully thought through the decision  for a refund or from others who feel that just because they ask they should get one.

So how should you handle this sticky money situation?

Before I answer that question I want you to remember one thing:  How someone does money is how they do everything!

Keep that in the back of  your mind as you read on.

1. Avoid The Remorse

Often times people will have buyer’s remorse after they have purchased a product, program or service.  Typically this remorse comes from fear. Fear that they just made a huge commitment either in themselves or their business.  And, it’s this fear of moving forward that wants to then jump ship.

The problem is that’s not a good enough reason to ask or get a refund.

The fact of the matter is that if someone asks for a refund they are  not honoring the commitment they made to themselves or to you.    If they cave into the fear they are feeling they are just playing small – real small. And that’s never good for anyone.

2.  If you give this refund are you standing in your power around money?

Probably not.  Truth be told most of us don’t want to deal with the hassle’s that come when someone starts asking or worse yet, demanding a refund.

Sometimes giving the refund just rids you of the negativity that comes when people start demanding refunds and the associated bad behaviors.

But if you have clear boundaries and have clearly stated no refunds, then what happens if you renege on your own policy?

I know this is a tough question for many of you to answer.  On the one hand you want to keep your customers happy but on the other hand you did clearly let them know that no refunds would be given.

3. Provide a Guarantee

Providing a guarantee is a great way to reassure your buyer.  If you don’t offer a guarantee of any kind than it makes it more difficult for the buyer to make the decision to buy.

But more importantly, with a guarantee you are clearly outlining under what circumstances a refund will be given.  It’s a great protection for your buyer and for you as well.

So back to the original question…do you give the refund?

Sorry, but that’s up to you to decide.