Playing the Inner Game to Win

The weather guys were right this time around. We Michiganders got around 8 inches of snow! And, my girls finally got their first snow day this school year and enjoyed every minute of it. Kids like to play games because it's a fun way to challenge one another and there's always a winner!

When it comes to our business, many of us play a game with ourselves. Unfortunately, fear and apprehension gets the best of us. But it doesn't have to be that way!

You've been running your own business for a few years now and you know you do a great job at meeting the career coaching and/or resume writing needs of your clients. Your clients tell you so.

Perhaps you've been thinking about raising your prices, adding more to your coaching services, resume writing packages, or overall service offerings. Maybe you've been thinking about subcontracting some of your workload. You've been thinking about it, but haven't acted on it yet because it just never seems like the right time to take action. At least, this is what you keep telling yourself. [Read more...]

Money Talks... But People Don't

Doesn't it seem like the majority of clients who contact you want to know how much it's going to cost for them to work with you FIRST rather than wanting to find out how working with you is going to help them achieve their goal?

Here's a quick quiz about one of the major issues most individuals struggle with these days.

1. What do you think are the two most frequent points of conflict that recur in relationship after relationship?
2. Name the biggest fear people have about their future.
3. Guess the secret we hold dearest, beyond even our most intimate relations.

If you said... [read more!]

Creating Systems for Success

The holiday parties and gatherings are over and it's time to get back to business. Ringing in the "New Year" means thousands and thousands of people are ready and willing to make changes for a happier and healthier new year.

People will be trying to make the most of 2010 by either finding or making more time to spend with their family and friends, looking for ways to make their lives less stressful, and enjoying what they do for a living. And when it comes to their job or career, you are part of the solution.

Everyone deserves to be successful to enjoy ALL that life has to offer. In my article today, discover how creating systems can contribute to your success.

Most of us run our lives on a handful of systems. Between our cell phones, electronic planners, and email inboxes, we have organized ourselves, and our time. If you ever doubt the importance of these systems, recall your panic the last time you lost your planner or BlackBerry!

Yet, as important as these systems are, most of us don't take advantage of what systems can do to improve our businesses. [Read more...]

Time Out !!

Christmas is just three days away and if you're like me, you can't wait to get a few days off to rest and enjoy some well-deserved time with family and friends.

Make it a point to enjoy yourself and take a "time out" from work knowing that you're actually setting yourself up for success at the same time.

Rest to Success

Come January, it will be the beginning of a new year and thousands of people will once again strive to lead healthier lives, spend more quality time with their family, or find higher paying jobs.

As career professionals, this is music to our ears because these people are potential clients! But, let's not over do it.

As the pace of business as well as modern life accelerates, the need for rest sometimes gets pushed to the bottom of our to-do list—when rest is exactly what we need to perform at our peak. [Read more...]

Adaptability: How to Survive in Today's Business Climate

As small business owners, you and I both know our time can get away from us quickly if we're not careful. Family is very important to me and keeping up with my three girls as well as being there for my oldest daughter (who just became a first-time mommy) time is even MORE precious to me than ever before.

I love being my own boss and owning my own business because it allows me to be home for my family AND I get to call all the shots at work. After all, isn't this why we went into business for ourselves?

However, being in business for ourselves means that we face the same challenges when it comes to attracting clients/customers, marketing our business, and surviving when times get tough just like larger companies do.

Adaptability: How to Survive in Today's Business Climate

It's tough for everyone these days in one way or another. There's no getting around the news--foreclosures, bailouts and breathtaking stock market swings. It's real. It's upon us. It can be scary.

Though we can't control the economy, we can control our perception (and reaction) to it. Every crisis creates a positive by-product--opportunity. It's more important than ever to think creatively and adapt "on-the-fly" to seize those opportunities. Companies that do so will thrive, even during the most challenging times. Here are some survival strategies for tough times:

Don't Panic. Be a Leader. Fear plays a role in the ups and downs of the stock market. Don't let it create the same anxiety in your business. Plan ahead based on facts, not fear.

Think of yourself as captain of the ship. With stormy seas, the passengers (your clients) look for leadership. Define flexibility with your actions. Don't sugar coat any problems. Use clear, consistent, and confident communication when having discussions with clients as well as potential clients. Demonstrating your leadership and confidence establishes a positive mindset.

Make "Recession" Your Call to Action - Hard times breed efficiency. Take the time to fix the inefficiencies you've been putting off. Also, re-evaluate your direction. Be realistic about the situation as it is now, not what you projected months ago that it would be. [Read more]