THE POWER OF A CONSCIOUS vs A HURRIED LIFE

I want to share with you a very special email that I have just received from a valued client:

”As we’ve worked together for the past few months, I can’t help but notice what a “firecracker” you are – dynamic, strong and smart.  This is not a life “coaching” conversation. Trust me.

One thing that I promised myself (or a gift to myself) two years ago, was a conscious decision to try to not lead a hurried life. Not that I’m successful all the time, but with kids, work, family, etc. so much is happening and hurried.

You seem to lead a hurried life.  And I want and hope for you that it’s not a matter of “slowing down” but a matter of keeping a conscious effort to schedule less and do more, if you know what I mean. You are too good of a business woman and person to live life without enjoying the moments. And I want that for you, cause you deserve it.

Okay, I’ll get off my soapbox and hope dearly that I haven’t offended but more shared my own personal failures and aspirations with you to lead a less hurried life. J

Have a wonderful day, my coach.”

As I am sharing this with you there are so many hidden messages I would like to derive from this and point out to you.

Firstly that it is easy for all of us to get lost in day to day busyness, completely loosing sight of the priorities that entrepreneurs have to set and set, and set again.

Secondly that even with the best will, beware that YOU can easily get buried in responsibilities and commitment to excellence, neglecting yourself, personal relationships and the focus for what is truly serving you best.

Thirdly, that it takes objective perspective from trusted confidants who have your best interest at heart and are not afraid to point out the obvious so you can stop, listen and make better choices.

And lastly and most importantly that by making a conscious effort to schedule less, we can endeavor to do more!

A tribute to clients & people who help us develop, grow and move forward with every meeting, conversation and much valued feedback.

THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART, PY!

Conny

THE POWER OF THE SUIT

Here I am as an uptight European runaway who is lucky enough to call the gorgeous West Coast her home. Many things run differently in these parts and it does include the business environment. 

So I had to learn to adjust to new cultures including how companies are run and operated. However, there is one differentiation I have to seriously question. The importance of the Power Suit. In Europe - a must; on the West Coast - an option. So if you are the stiff from Europe or the chill from Canada, lets look at the importance of the business attire.

During my corporate career I was responsible for sales & marketing management of three different countries in a highly competitive, male dominated environment, closing on average $500k-$1m in new business through one deal. Presentations at CEO and board level, meeting with large key accounts and industry giants, it kind of set the tone of importance for representing my company as a reliable and professional provider worthy of partnerships worth millions with even the biggest of leaders.

These connections never visited my office or our manufacturing plant. They bought on carefully build trust and confidence developed through a relationship with individual representatives of our organization, me included.

You can already see where this is leading. If I had turned up in corduroy comfies and a favorite t-shirt, somehow I can’t see that they would have entrusted me with their business. Although I would have still been the same individual representing the same high quality product. My appearance had a huge impact on their ability to trust our company to take the business relationship seriously and to deliver on a promise they could depend on. In fact I became part of that promise.

In addition by dressing in a professional business attire, in my case a two piece suit with a carefully pressed shirt, I felt empowered and positive, knowing that I made an impeccable first impression, understanding the importance of professional representation and setting of expectations.

Let’s put this on the map! As a Sales Director for a corporate organization you would naturally dress accordingly. So as a Company Owner and main representative of your business, isn’t it even more crucial to stand out by making the best impression and create trust with new prospects, oozing competence simply by wearing a suit? Remember, you are creating first impressions, building a reputation, representing a reliable brand and wooing new connections with an impeccable professional aura.

Imagine yourself dressed in that suit, feeling empowered during any size deal negotiations, commanding respect and knowing your connections feel instantaneously assured that you can deliver.

Maybe I still am an uptight European that needs to learn to chill but when it comes to setting a powerful expectation and a reliable lasting impression, the same rules apply across the nations. So don’t leave anything to chance and dress 4 success.

Let the competition be comfy and you be rich!
Power to you & the suit :)
Conny

THE POWER OF FEAR

I am not sure if I should even write about the ‘F’ word this week as it might lower the tone and won’t give you the same upbeat feeling like my usual blog posts do.  However I think we are among like minded individuals and should be able to be frank and honest about important things that have a high impact on our success. So taking a closer look at the Entrepreneurial Fear is essential to identify it, acknowledge it and then GIVE IT NO MORE FURTHER ATTENTION! Do you sometimes share the uneasy feeling in the pit of your tummy? Then read on!

How often are you experiencing situations where you would like to act or apply yourself  simply to find that fear is holding you back? Or maybe you are on the brink of great success but don’t want to take the next step, in fear of loosing or jeopardizing what you’ve already got?

There are many reasons why entrepreneurs might be enduring the churning feeling in their tummy due to some form of fear that they are possibly:

• Not doing enough
• Not knowing enough
• Not keeping up with the competition
• Not making enough money
• Not managing to balance life & work properly

Any of these thoughts create anxiety and might even be paralyzing for a concerned entrepreneur. This can have devastating consequences, like not moving forward, not capitalizing on obvious opportunities and frustration with oneself, possibly with looming self defeat. Gives you a knotted feeling just reading it, doesn’t it?

Fact is, all of this is in your own mind, only! And should any of the above be true, well guess what? You can do something about it. If you really feel that you aren’t doing enough, look at how you can take control of your time management to get more goal orientated actions done. Or if you are not making enough money, well firstly define what is enough and if you do see a shortfall, create extra revenue streams, cut out inflated expenses and get hunting for some more business.

It is exciting to think that if you stop paying attention to the “F” word and start actioning, you will feel a whole lot better.

Now we have only touched on fear as a negative. There is a positive to it as well (see, you knew I would get to this part)! Fear can be a powerful motivator to drive you above and beyond anything you ever dreamt possible. Typically this is pretty serious in the beginning because it is generated through a desperate situation.

To highlight let me briefly share the story of female client who had been running a message therapist clinic. She had her business for a number of years but didn’t really make the money that she could. She was too scared to go out and find new clients! When her little son got critically ill and she did not have enough financial resources to take time out to be with her little boy, it jolted her into a whole new level of action. She overcame her fear of selling, as the fear of not having the financial freedom in the future superseded, accelerating her to one of the top massage therapist clinics in her region.

I want you to know that it does not take something as core shaking as that, to finally  commit to overcoming your fears. It is as simple as a shift in mind! Next time the tummy starts churning, acknowledge & do it anyway! Let’s stop paying attention to the entrepreneurial “F” word and make it a thing of the past!

He can, she can, YOU can!
And you know it :)
Conny

THE POWER OF EASY

Interestingly you can see things objectively for others but when it comes to your own path, the best way does not seem quite so clear. You find yourself with the right level of ambition, committed to wanting to do really well, but have lost sight of how to take the quickest and easiest route there. So I have to ask you: “Why are you still going it the hard way instead of asking for directions?”

I have recently met with a young and ambitious entrepreneur who has all the skills and drive to really make his mark in the world of business. He had requested a strategy session to help him consolidate his business plan and wanted some pointers to ensure he would secure the cash injection of $100k that he needed to get his new business venture off the ground. As a new connection I needed to understand his motivations and intentions.

With plenty of probing, I firstly wanted to test his commitment level to the venture. If you are going to get financing, you’d better be in the new business with both feet firmly planted within and total commitment to your creditors.

We went through his anticipated revenue projections which he wasn’t sure off. And whilst we discussed markets, operations and HR needs, I think he started to grasp the magnitude of what he was about to commit to and how little he really knew. He hoped that his passion was going to guide him through.

In my practice I look for the easiest, most quickest route to profits and with that in mind we took another look at the business model and came up with an ingenious idea that will allow him to make up to $150k in the first year and then add his new business idea as a second revenue stream rather than setting up an entire new business around it. This way he can heavily leverage what is already there without having to refinance, cash-in on existing easy money which in turn will be partially invested into developing the new idea alongside it.

By the time we finished strategizing, he could not believe that he had not thought of this himself and had not been able to see what was so ‘clearly’ the easy route with minimal risk and optimal financial returns.

Now do you sometimes feel that easy does not come easy? Are your spinning your wheels not really getting where you want? Or only with the most tremendous effort? Business should not feel this way and if it does, chances are that you are potentially overcomplicating instead of taking the easy route.

If this is you, it’s time to change what you are doing. Of course you could just continue as has been and get more and more frustrated always on the brink of questioning why you are doing what you do. Or you can just simply decide it is time to get directions to save you from doing more than you need and receiving all that you want.

Take it from the man, who has now seen the Power of Easy. When YOU are ready to cut out the diversions, I look forward to having the conversation!

Yours in Business & Life,
Conny

THE POWER OF THE NETWORK

Have you ever heard of the saying:” You become the company that you keep”? Thinking back to our parents, they understood the importance of surrounding their children with the right friends for the right influence and were determined to watch over us ensuring we made the right choices. Strange how what was important then, is also most crucial now.  For business entrepreneurs this is especially true!

As entrepreneurs creating a powerful network of like minded individuals who can help excel prosperity, is one of the most key parts of creating success. Many of us have read about it or have watched people with same abilities and knowledge greatly surpass others of a similar composition, wondering how they have managed to get that much further ahead than the others. Yes, I know. It’s starting to dawn on you now, isn’t it?! That’s right. It is because they are the ones with the more powerful network that gives them the leverage to grow much, much faster.

I think in one of my more recent blogs I mentioned how your network equals your net-worth. It is just not enough to be a self believing, motivated, ambitious, educated and knowledgable individual who is the very best in their field. Without top quality people   and a top quality network, your business will at best ever only be mediocre.

When considering where and how to invest your time most effectively, concentrating on the development of a sterling professional network has to be your number one tactic of business development. This is not an easy task and will not easily be met by simply running from networking event to networking event.

Be strategic about your attendance at the right events only. Consider splashing out regularly on a $125 ticket to a gala event with top business people and high quality guest speakers as a better investment of your time and money with potentially greater returns, then cheaper alternatives. The connections you will make in those circles may just be the ticket to the successful company you are striving to build.

Now sticking with the theme of old sayings, I would like to finish off with one of my dad’s favorites:” It is not about what you know but who you know!”. As an entrepreneur himself, he handed down his knowledge about the importance of a powerful professional network to get where you want to be, and fast.

Now I am happy to share my ‘heirloom’ and remind you of this simple truth. So look around you. If you still do not have the opportunities you know you are able and willing to embrace, maybe it’s time to expand your network. Just make sure it is with the right people with the right influence!

Yours in business & life,

Conny

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 FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

It’s time to unroot the truth about entrepreneurial failure - Lack of Financial Responsibility! After many years in working with business owners from all walks of life, in all kinds of industries, of all ages and nationalities, I can finally and safely pinpoint the #1 reason why small businesses don’t sustain. The failure rate of all business start up’s is directly linked to the common theme of financial avoiders. This year I want to urge you all to become an excellent money manager. This will be your insurance to success!

I have the ultimate pleasure of meeting hundreds if not thousands of business owners every year from a diversified range of industries and with little similarity of their demographical profile. Yet they have a couple of things in common:

Firstly they are truly passionate about what they do. Typically they share very high work ethics with an undeterred commitment of trying to be the very best they can, hoping to turn their passion into profits. And that is where it gets tricky! Profits! I would say 9 times out of 10 when asked, entrepreneurs have no definite figure of the amount of money they made last year, last month, last week or even today. We are talking only in terms of revenue. I have not even asked about profits, yet.

Lots of business owners are trying very hard to create a financial goal for the year because they have heard so many times the importance of goal setting. So now they have a target but they have no means of measuring against it. I want you all to know, this is true for most business owners. Everyone is so busy with worrying about attracting a client, acquiring a client, retaining a client as well as the day to day operation and administration, that they feel they can’t take on the worries about the financials as well.

Reading this I truly hope, you are currently having an AHA moment. Because when you look at the order of importance of running a sustainable business, finances are right up there with clients acquisition and retention! So why don’t they pay more attention or give some focus to it? Well, I have asked many and some of them are scared that the financial rewards do not reflect the hard work they are putting in, some of them think there is not enough money yet to manage, and some of them simply don’t know where to start.

So for those of you who are scared, let me tell you it is much more stressful not knowing rather than having the control. And if you really are not making enough money to warrant the amount of time you are investing, you will want to know about it, so you can make changes to your business model.

For those of you who think there is not enough money yet to manage, that is a terrible excuse! Get into good money management habits from the start. You still need to know all the aspects of the financial situation at all times so you can measure, learn and adjust as necessary.

And for those of you who simply don’t know where to start, there are tons of resources and professionals who will support you as much or as little as you need and can afford. But ignoring it altogether, will come and bite you big if left undiscovered.

Now that you know the importance of managing your company’s money, you clearly have two choices, ignore it and become part of the statistics or control it and become successful in your business.

Get in touch if you need help with finding the right professional connection or resources to make you an excellent money manager. It’s all about the profits because profits equals money and time to do what you want to do and not what you have to!

Yours in business & life,
Conny