Chloe
Josee
I found this excellent article in the Globe and Mail today and really wanted to share it with you. If you are currently not an Entrepreneur and never intend to be, then I want you to read this article with a life goal you have on your bucket list. For more great articles from the Globe and Mail go to: www.theglobeandmail.com
In the Beginning
One of the most persistent myths of entrepreneurship is that 90 per cent of start-ups fail within the first two years.
The accuracy of the statistic is debatable, but what’s not up for debate is how tough the haul is for the first three years.
Making the mental adjustment from employee to employer was the initial hurdle I had to get over. Having just careened over the three year “since we registered the business name” milestone, I thought I’d share the lessons learned from being a newbie entrepreneur for other aspiring self-employed types:
1. Think big, even when you’re small.
It’s all about perception. Acting with the confidence of a larger business can set your startup apart. Going head to head with established players, we invested heavily in branding and marketing materials and a premier virtual office address, all in an effort to demonstrate credibility out of the gate. It seemed to work. Most people thought we’d been around for 20 years, even though it had only been weeks. Just make sure you limit that image of a big fish to brand building – don’t carry it over into spending like one.
2. Don’t go it alone.
Surround yourself with advisers, mentors, and other entrepreneurs who can help you think through the myriad of decisions flying your way and help boost your spirits when things look bleak. Before launching Executive Roundtable, I assembled a group of advisers (former clients, colleagues and influencers) and met with them quarterly to get input on the business strategy and direction. Not only was it a great way to get feedback on the business, the group helped me keep on track against my goals. If you’d rather not start your own, check out what’s out there. Groups for startups abound. Google them and get involved.
3. Do the work and the numbers will take care of themselves.
I found the quickest way to slow down my business was to spend my time obsessing about money. When I spent my time thinking about what I could do to help leaders instead, the business started to flow. Instead of thinking about your bank balance, think about the customers you need to be calling.
4. Be prepared to shift gears.
It’s important to start with a vision and an idea, but don’t ignore early feedback on your product or service. When clients weren’t responding to our initial sales approach, we adjusted our strategy. Recently we’ve been able to slowly reintroduce some of the ideas that, in hindsight, we probably tried to launch too early. Selling is all about what your customer wants to buy, not what you need to sell.
5. Buckle up, it’s going to get bumpy.
Being an entrepreneur is a lot like riding a roller coaster. For every high you get from landing a new client or making a great pitch, there’s a low that comes from cancelled orders and delayed projects. Keeping a list of accomplishments helped me keep my eyes on the big prize. And, continuously paying attention to my sales funnel has helped temper the disappointments and delays. For every low, there’s a high that’s coming around the next bend if you keep at it.
6. Chase the vision, not the dollars.
In the first few years of business, cash is going to be tight. I probably could have made more money slinging lattes at a coffee shop. I met with lots of newbie entrepreneurs who had visions of replacing their six-figure salaries in their first year. Most of them ended up closing shop and heading back into full-time work. The lesson I took away was this: unrealistic salary targets can cause you to make poor short-term decisions that affect the long-term viability of your business.
7. Nobody’s going to do it for you.
Creating “partnerships” and “alliances” with other organizations always sounds like a good idea. Dreams of easy referrals and shortened sales cycles dance in your head. In my experience, the only alliances that worked for me were the ones where other client bases were completely aligned to my own (but not competitive) and they were as hungry for business as I was. But most importantly, they shared the same core values around work. Without those three components, you may find yourself overinvesting in coffee talks.
8. Reflect on your accomplishments.
Twelve months into my business launch, all I could see was the giant to-do list of things that I hadn’t done for my business. Writing an update to my program advisory committee gave me a great opportunity to reflect on what I had done. Now I take time each month to reflect on what’s been accomplished (as well as that 90 day to-do list).
9. To grow, you have to let go.
My main objective has been to build a business, versus a solo-preneur. By the start of year two I knew that I was going to have to start handing my baby over to others. Hiring is never easy, but it takes on a whole new meaning when you’re potentially paying someone more than you’re paying yourself. After juggling three part-time hourly people, I realized I needed to bite the bullet and hire one full-time person. What I’ve learned is that hiring someone full-time before you need them allows you more time to train and mentor them, which makes letting go so much easier.
10. Help others.
It’s easy to become consumed in the challenges of your own start-up and feel like you don’t have the time to have “networking” meetings or “informational” interviews. But the reality is that business today is all about relationships. Many of my “info sessions” have led to business leads, speaker recommendations and expert panellists who’ve contributed to the growth of our business. And some have been duds. But to get, you have to give.
And here’s one last lesson that might be the most important one of all: believe in yourself and your vision. In the early days of my start-up, there were plenty of times when I wondered if what I was doing was worth it. Plus, you’ll always run into people (who aren’t your target customers) who are quick to tell you what you should or shouldn’t be doing.
In my experience, when you start to compromise on your vision, you water it down and risk alienating the very people that you want to serve. You’re not for everyone, nor should you be. But what I know for sure is this: be true to what you believe and the clients will come.
Special to The Globe and Mail
Glain Roberts-McCabe is the founder and president of the Executive Roundtable, a high-potential leadership engagement and retention organization for mid-career leaders
Written by Karin Luniw
Most people don’t know they possess brilliance.
But they do. We all have brilliance. Many times it goes untapped. Even business owners leave much of what they have to offer untapped.
Why?
Oh, you know, those nasty cousins – Doubt and Fear, oh yeah, and the other cousin, Worry.
I’m not going to spend a lot of time on the Trinity of Trouble today but know this – the most successful people that I know – multi-millionaires – have these three visit them regularly. They don’t slam the door shut on them and resist them because they know that what you resist, persists. Rather, they acknowledge them, thank them for their visit and make the decision to move forward anyway. This is one of the ways that they let their brilliance shine.
You can do that, too.
You see, right now, in whatever business you’re in right now, you have a story that makes you naturally attractive to more business. There is likely a reason that prompted you to do what you do. That’s what I want you to start to share with your customers. It’s this story that makes you more attractive to business but it’s likely that you’re not sharing your story as fully as you could.
Years ago, I started to follow two people that I found absolutely compelling. I have a few passions, learning about and applying universal laws to life and business, business success, and internet marketing. (hmm, okay – there’s a ton more but we’ll go for these now) When it comes to internet marketing, even 5-7 years ago there was a lot of people to choose from but I decided on two – Corey Rudl (late) and Ali Brown. Why them? Because they seemed real and relatable to me. They shared their story about their journey to gaining the success they were gaining and I ate it up, hook, line and sinker. I thought, if they can do this, I can, too!
Three and a half years ago, when I decided to start my first Law of Attraction Tips podcasts, I decided very firmly that I wanted to be real and say what I had to say. I told my story and that, along with a great topic, had people listening from the start from 18,000 downloads in the first month to an average of 50,000 downloads a week today. That’s how I leverage part of my brilliance.
You can do that, too.
It doesn’t have to be in a podcast (but I recommend it!) but there are plenty of ways to start sharing your story in a way that’s real, relevant and relatable to your potential customers. This alone will set you apart from your ‘competition’. In fact, it’s hard to have competition when your story is so different from other business doing something similar to you. Right now, people want to relate to you before they spend their money with you. There is a low trust level out there and it’s up to you to bridge that gap. Leveraging your brilliance is possible with what you have, now.
Here’s the thing, in having a desire for your business to do well, you could not have that desire without the ability to make it happen. The Law of Polarity proves this. This law indicates that all things have an opposite or contrast to it. For instance, you cannot have an up without a down, a right without a left, a black without a white. All things must be accompanied by the opposite. In this case, you cannot have a desire without the ability for you to create it NOW.
No, I’m not talking about wiggling your nose, Jeannie!
It means that the ability to create that desire exists in your vicinity now. Right now, the way to make it happen is around you. Whoa! Okay, so let’s come full circle. To leverage the brilliance that you already have you need to:
1. Be vigilant about what you focus on. Focus only on what you want not what you don’t want. Watch for that ‘million dollar idea’ now;
2. Kick the Trinity of Trouble – Doubt, Fear and Worry – to the curbside, respectfully, everytime they tap you on the shoulder trying to get your attention;
3. Start to identify what your story is about the ‘why’ of why you do the business you do;
4. Start to understand and KNOW that your brilliance and your desires are yours to have and create – go back to #1 and repeat.
Remember, you can do this on your own but you don’t have to go it alone, I’m here to help – connect with me about my coaching programs – I truly am great helping people identify and live their brilliance!
By Karin Luniw.
Her latest program “Success in the City. Leveraging Your Brilliance” you can reach her at karenluniw@shaw.ca www.karenluniw.com and download her podcasts on itunes. She has more than 20 million download on her programs to date.
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OK, so it’s August 4th and we (the Southern Interior of British Columbia) have been in very warm to hot weather for several weeks now. With very little rain that has fallen and even less in the forecast, most of us are feeling a bit baked by now. So my observations of myself and friends and family has been that; unless you get out very early (before 8am) or (after 7pm). Not much gets done when it’s this hot. So how do we keep up our energy for the daily tasks that are on our to-do lists? And as a parent, how do you keep yourself from going crazy with the kids being home for the summer and trying to keep them cool and in the shade from the sun?
First and foremost; things you need to consider in this kind of heat:
When temperatures are forecast above 32 degrees C, or 90 degrees F, this brings an increased risk of heat stroke and excessive sun exposure.
National Health Authorities would like to remind you of some simple strategies to avoid the harmful effects of high temperatures.
Heat-related illnesses include heat stroke, heat cramps and heat exhaustion. Heat stroke is considered the most serious and requires immediate medical attention.
Heat stroke occurs when body temperature rises rapidly, the sweating mechanism fails and the body is unable to cool down. It is most common in infants, the elderly, outdoor workers physically exerting themselves in the heat, and people who are unable to leave their homes.
Heat stroke can occur without warning, and exhibits the following symptoms: Hot, red, dry skin, rapid pulse, rapid, shallow breathing, headache, confusion, untypical behaviour, possible loss of consciousness, extremely high core temperature of up to 41 degrees C (106 degrees Fahrenheit).
Victims of heat stroke require urgent medical attention — call 9-1-1 immediately. Provide the victim with shade or a cool area indoors, remove the victim’s clothing, apply cool water to their skin and fan them vigorously to promote sweating and evaporation.
Strategies to stay cool to avoid heat stroke: Drink plenty of fluids and avoid drinks that can lead to dehydration, such as alcohol and coffee, keep your home cool by closing blinds and curtains, stay indoors with air conditioning or a fan, avoid strenuous activity during the hottest time of day (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.), wear lightweight, light-coloured and loose fitting clothing, and a wide-brimmed hat when in the sun.
Never leave children or pets in a parked car. Temperatures can rise to 51.7 degrees C (125 F) within 20 minutes in an enclosed vehicle when the outside temperature is 33.9 degrees C (93 F).
Leaving car windows slightly open or “cracked” will not keep the inside of the vehicle at a safe temperature.
Check regularly on older people, and those who are unable to leave their homes, for signs of heat-related illness.
Avoiding excessive sun exposure can prevent heat stroke and help avoid sun damage and burns.
To minimize sun and UV exposure: Schedule outdoor physical activities when UV rays are at their weakest — before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m., especially between the months of April to October. Be aware of the daily UV index — the higher the number, the stronger the sun’s rays.
Always keep children under the age of one out of the sun. Be aware that water, snow, sand and concrete that can reflect up to 85 per cent of the sun’s dangerous rays. UVA rays can also penetrate glass (like the windshield of a car).
Remember to protect yourself even in cloudy or overcast weather since the sun’s rays can penetrate through clouds.
Seek and create shade: Seek shade as often as possible from trees, buildings, and canopies, etc, keep playpens, strollers and carriages in shaded areas.
Cover up: 80 per cent of skin cancers occur above the neck. Cover children’s head, neck and ears with a broad brimmed hat when outdoors, wear clothing that covers as much of the body as possible that is loose fitting and does not let light through.
For more information on heat-related illness, www.healthlinkbc.ca
Keep Up Your Energy!
So how do we keep up our energy when the heat is on? Actually, more beer is not the answer, but it sure does seem like a great idea at the time.
Movement: If you are someone who likes to get some exercise in your day, you simply have to get up much earlier to do it. Or you have to take it indoors.
Catch a Movie: As a break from the heat, we took our family to a funny movie last night, “Despicable Me.” The air-conditioning in a movie theatre will bring on the common cold. But we were prepared and all brought our sweaters, and they were needed, because at least we had something to wipe our hands on while enjoying 10 lbs of popcorn.
There is always the MALL… And is it busy when it gets super hot like it is right now. I would love to find out if sales increase when the weather is this hot. Or are people just doing the mall loop to kill some sunshine hours away?
Water is also a great escape, but be aware if you are outdoors enjoying the water, you need be able to get into some shade, because the cooling effect of the water does not mean you are escaping the burning effect of the sun.
Try a Kids Day Camp: Now if you have kids and they are a bit younger, there are lots of Summer Recreation Camps that are run by the local Recreation Centers, Boys and Girls Clubs, Community Theatres etc. As a former Recreation Professional who ran programs all summer, we know when it gets this hot how to keep kids cool with great activities, games crafts, and movies, so consider signing your kids up for a day or a week.
What to avoid when it’s this hot?
1. Too much strenuous outdoor activity. I know this is tough especially if you work outdoors. But from a safety standpoint, your company knows too much sun exposure is hazardous to you and their company.
2. The Fridge, if you are trying to lay low and save some energy by just hanging out indoors, then don’t let boredom catch you with your head in the fridge every 20 minutes. So have some healthy snacks to nibble on to keep you occupied and get you through the heat wave.
3. Only garden if you have to in the shade. Or wait till the sun has gone down. Most experts say, if you want the best garden, water in the early morning hours.
4. You must avoid de-hydration. So drink a ton of water to keep you hydrated when it’s this hot.
And remember this, this too shall pass and we will be coming up with ideas on how to keep ourselves busy when the rain returns again. Till then… “Wear Sunscreen”
Linda Edgecombe
“Accountability with an Edge”
Kickstart your Professional Speaking www.shifttopaidspeaking.com
www.lindaedgecombe.com
888-868-9601
Did you know that right now, right this moment you have the ability with what you already have to leverage your own personal brilliance in order to build your business?
Well, you do.
One of my favourite things to share with groups I speak to is about how their brain works. Often people claim that their processing capability is less than what I’m about to share with you but no matter how you slice it – it is incomprehensible. The shame is that we don’t always use it to leverage ourselves in our business. The fact is, we work way too hard.
Do you go through your day expecting to come across the million-dollar idea? (It’s all relative – for some a million isn’t going to cut it – for others, it’s over and beyond) Next question: Would you be able to recognize the million dollar idea if you saw it?
Most people say ‘yes’ at this point. I say it’s not likely they would.
This is where we need to start to leverage what you already have – your focus.
The fact is, day in and day out, we tend to focus on what’s in front of us and if we’re in business or trying to make a quota – what we’re usually focused on is the problem.
C’mon, be honest and think about yesterday – what did you spend most of your day thinking about? It’s a rare bird that can say they were focused solely on the good that’s happening around them.
The way our brain works means that whatever we’re focused on, whatever messages we constantly feed it (which turn into beliefs) in turn sets off a mechanism that I compare to a huge radar dish that is constantly scanning the environment to prove us right. I’ll repeat that – whatever we consciously choose to focus on – our brain looks for in order to prove us right….whether it’s right or wrong.
Ever lose your keys temporarily?
When you did, you were likely muttering to yourself, ‘I can’t find my keys’, ‘They’re not here’. Notice what you’re prompting your brain to do. You’re prompting it to prove you right even though your subconscious mind can process over 400 billion bytes of information per second and it knows EXACTLY where your keys are – it can’t send your conscious mind that sensory information because it would be contradicting your focus that ‘the keys are not here’.
It’s the same with us at work. If we’re constantly focused on the problem or the challenges that are facing us – we will find them – it cannot be any other way.
The great news is that you can leverage this knowledge and create an almost unfair advantage in your work and business. If you truly start to shift your focus to be expecting the million dollar idea to show up – your subconscious will start to scan the environment for it. This is the first thing you can do to start leveraging your brilliance for your business. If the million dollar idea is there (and it is) if you keep your focus – you will have no choice but to see it.
This is just the start in leveraging your brilliance – next, I’ll share how the power of your story can attract all the business you want and how an amazing natural law proves that you can have what you desire for your self and your business.
Written by Karen Luniw – Your Personal and Business Attraction Expert and Speaker
Personal and Business Attraction Expert and Speaker, Karen Luniw is the Author of “Attraction in Action” and creator of one of the top downloaded podcasts on iTunes “The Law of Attraction Tips”. This podcast has been downloaded by over 11 million people all over the world. Karen helps go-getters, business people and sales professionals to bust through their blocks and attract more money.
Karen has a very real, down-to-earth approach and each client clearly experiences what Karen practices what she teaches. She can confirm that Attraction principles have worked for her and it can absolutely work for you. Karen’s clients learn to use a new mindset and other powerful tools to get anything they desire. Success in the City: Leveraging Your Brilliance is Karen’s top keynote topic
Karen’s podcasts have been downloaded over
10,000,000 x by people just like you all over the world
What are you creating today? Get results and attract more.
Sign up for my free weekly tips letter at the link below…
http://www.karenluniw.com
http://www.thehuffingtonpost.com/karen-luniw
250 808-5628 (Canada)
310 256-2305 (USA)
Have a great week!
Linda Edgecombe
Here are some of the photos from my Mountain Trek experience. Enjoy!
