THE POWER OF ZEN

Busy, busy, busy - aren’t we all always busy? In fact we are so busy, we literally can’t hear ourselves think anymore! Then how can we try to determine a professional path based on our goals reflecting our most deeply founded needs? Without the ability to listen to ourselves because life has become overwhelmingly noisy, there is only one place to go. Nowhere! 

But wait. There is hope. Let me share:

Every time I start working with a new client, within a very short period of time, they start to make sense of their business model, gaining clarity around exactly what they want and how they are going to get it. Powerful stuff! For them, I am a miracle worker and although granted, I bring a lot of experience to the table, it is they who discover what they are truly meant to be doing.

For all the wisdom is already right there, locked up inside of them, buried under responsibilities, expectations and outside demands. By working together, it allows them to stop in their daily routine and take some time to seriously focus on their intentions. This unlocks the deeper knowledge they hold within themselves. By having an objective and experienced professional alongside, they quickly turn into reality, what they want once identified under the mental ‘clutter’.

I call this the Business of Zen. In the dictionary Zen is described as a meditative state  for emphasis of experiential wisdom that assists in the attainment of enlightenment. In other words by carefully listening to the inner self, one will find the answer.

I expect many of you who are reading this will sympathize with the difficulty of clearly identifying a straight forward path for their business or even the target of what you are aiming for. It does not have to be this way. You can very easily determine the next steps, if you take some quiet, reflective time. This can be with or without a mentor to help you get guided through.

Take as little as 10 minutes each day, to take time out for asking, listening and receiving. In business terms this is also known as planning! This may only allow you to plan out the day or maybe even the week however it will certainly allow you to ‘turn the eye inward’ for a strong connection with the wants and the why’s. If you need help with the how’s, you know where I am.

So if you have started another year with not moving forward and getting nowhere, regularly stop the busyness and listening to the inner you. I welcome you to practice the Business of Zen starting today. For it will bring you focus, happiness and abundant prosperity.

Yours in business & life,
Conny

THE POWER OF BACK-UP

As entrepreneurs there seems to be a common misconception that you have to prove that you can do it all by yourself. Asking for help seems either like a sign of weakness or an expense, you’d rather do without! Even while I am writing this, it seems ludicrous. So make 2011 the year you leverage the power of a team to get ahead faster, more lucratively!

I am not sure about you but I am a true believer that you will get out, what you are prepared to put in. Now there are only so many hours in a day and days in a week that will restrict this equation for you. By doubling the effort, you will double the results, right? Right! By quadrupling, you will get 4 times as much back. True? True! So why are you still trying to be all things to all departments?

No doubt you are talented, passionate and knowledgeable in your industry and there are areas within your business that are not your strength or lay outside your capabilities. So doesn’t it make sense that you cover those areas with additional professionals before you run into trouble or get stifled in moving forward because you are trying to figure things out by yourself instead of asking for help?

Let me highlight by sharing a recent true story: A new client in the data services industry had been doing well in establishing and growing her business. She put in long hours and lots of energy to provide the very best service to her clients. Over 3 years she spent endless hours of delivering incredible value and was consistently improving on her services.
One day her computer played up. She had never backed up and realized she had no IT support. @#^*!  She had no maintenance package and could not get anyone to come out for days to see what the problem was. When after THREE days she finally managed to get someone out to take a look.

Now imagine the same client signing up from the start for a $50 monthly IT maintenance package which offers data back-up services, telephone support and training. Do you think the ongoing investment of $600 per year would have been a better strategy than playing Russian Roulette with her data? Not only did she loose three days of earnings, all of the clients data and in turn her entire client base due to neglect? In fact, she can count herself lucky not to have been prosecuted because of her negligence!

If she had invested in IT support from the start, the problem would have never developed or at the very least she would have had her data backed up with a mirror image of her computer at regular intervals saving her from loss of earnings, loss of clients and loss of reputation?

Don’t leave yourself open to this type of vulnerability and do start looking to fill the weak areas in your business with additional professionals, either employed or subcontracted. Strengthening your internal and external team will put you ahead of the game and save you from devastation when you could have had the back-up!

Lets work smarter in 2011!
Happy New Year,
Conny

THE POWER OF CLARITY

A very common challenge among business entrepreneurs is the ability to have a very clear focus on what they are specializing in. Many times I have met with business owners who run a company alongside seemingly unrelated sideline offerings.

For example, a personal coach providing budgeting services, a child toy retailer offering hosting & design services for e-commerce sites, a HR consultant offering social media training  and so the list goes on.

It is almost as if the entrepreneur is not fully convinced of their own ability to make the one business model work, therefore wanting to keep other options of potential revenue streams open. Or having to choose and then commit to just one model, they might be concerned of missing out on opportunities, they know they could also deliver and get paid for.

Whatever the reasons, running with a number of unconnected options simultaneously will put an entrepreneur into a tailspin, weakening their power to succeed by not focusing all their attention and impact on one business model.

The companies that grow rapidly and reap the most rewards are the ones with a very clear understanding of their core products and services, knowing exactly which markets they are specializing in.
Once they have created significant market share, they then consider expanding their offerings into existing channels with complementary solutions to the core or broaden the markets they are targeting. Either way it is always with a very clear focus on just the one business model.

For moms in business this is even more important as the demands on your time are already divided between family and business commitments. Therefore trust my recommendation of choosing just one business model that you love and want to grow. Target a minimum of two markets and a maximum of three at a time. Ensure you stick to a specialist selection of core products and services until you have created the market share you need and want.

And then..., watch how your clarity turns into prosperity!

With this wishing you all the best until next time,
Conny Millard

THE POWER OF RESEARCH

How often do you take the time to really research products or services you are about to chose for yourself, your family or your business? Are you typically led by a) gut feeling, b) someone’s recommendation or c) by marketing messages?

And does the significance of the purchase impact the thoroughness or the time you spend, to look into your options in greater depth? Have I got you thinking yet?

I have just conducted a search for my very own business adviser knowing how powerful and driven objectivity, strategy and accountability can be! Everyone who is determined to really achieve great things, will need a mentor or adviser by their side, me included.

In the past, I have had a couple of different coaches who came to me through recommendations. I respected the people who connected me up with them and therefore felt that it had to work. Big mistake!

Not only is each individual ‘business’, or ‘life’, or ‘both’ coach fundamentally different in terms of experience, expertise and market knowledge but also their methodologies differ greatly. So going by someone else's recommendation might not work out very well as they are dealing with their own challenges, looking for a great fit that suits them.

Considering to rely on marketing messages is equally difficult. Business advisers are like great school teachers. Depending on your learning style and personality preferences, you will like a certain PERSON rather then the entire establishment. Therefore the marketing materials promoting certain methodologies or tools are irrelevant as it really comes down to the individual who delivers the content.

This leaves going by gut feeling! Now the only way you are going to be able to make the right decision on the best partner to create your financial and personal wealth, is if you are happy to be very thorough in your research of the options that are open to you. There is no quick fix or make do attitude that will find you the perfect individual with the right tools, the most relevant expertise and a nicely gelling personality.

If you have decided that you really want to achieve great things and you are committed to investing into the necessary indulgence of an adviser, then you can not cut any corners!

Be very clear from the outset what you need and what you are looking for, then take your time to thoroughly research your options and give many advisers the opportunity of introducing themselves and their practices. And then....listen to your heart! It will tell you instinctively what will be the best fit for you.

So, GET CLEAR, RESEARCH WELL and then, GET GOING! See you at the start line.

Conny