She Owns It

Celebrating, Connecting, and Supporting Women Entrepreneurs

How to start outsourcing in your business

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by Jemma Broadstock

Are you reaching full capacity and need to start outsourcing some of your admin and social media tasks?

Perhaps you’ve been thinking about this for a while but you aren’t 100% sure it’s the right time. Well, chances are, if you are thinking about it, it’s because it IS the right time.⠀⠀⠀⠀
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You might have expected this to be an exciting next step in your venture, but instead, you’re terrified. You’re thinking:
• Where do I start?
• What tasks do I outsource first?
• Will they ever be able to do it as well as me?!
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When you’ve built your business from the ground up, it feels like your baby, so these feelings are completely normal. However, with good people to outsource to, it will be the best decision you ever made!

 

What to outsource first:

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Which tasks do you not enjoy? ⠀⠀⠀

Outsource these tasks first. You’ll find these the easiest to outsource because you’ll be glad to see them go and won’t miss them one bit.

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Which tasks are you not an expert in? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Be honest with yourself: what are you not so good at?! For example, do you know anything about websites? If not, stop trying to do it yourself and outsource it. Someone else can probably do it better. Put your pride aside, you can’t be an expert at everything and if you try to be, you’ll spread yourself too thin and be even more stressed!
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Which tasks are most time-consuming? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

This might be the hardest of all the tasks you outsource but it’s an important one because remember, outsourcing is all about saving as much time as possible so that you can focus on more important things. Maybe you find yourself spending 5 hours on Canva graphics that you know could have been done by someone else in 30 minutes. You might enjoy it, but if outsourcing graphic creation will save you HEAPS of time, do it! Imagine what you could to with those 5 extra hours.

 

 

Jemma Broadstock is a Virtual Assistant and Social Media Manager working with female-led online businesses. As well as working as a Virtual Assistant and Social Media Manager, Jemma also runs Virtually Done, an online platform for those wanting to learn how to be VAs.

Connect with Jemma on Instagram.

Learn more about her services here.

Considering a Business Pivot? Here are the 5 “P’s” you must Ponder before you Pounce by @Inspireonthego

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by Marleen Fairchild

 

Considering a Business Pivot? Here are the 5 “P’s” you must Ponder before you Pounce:

1. Passion equals Payment

Here are two P’s for the price of one. Change is often hard on most of us. So, if you’re truly considering a pivot in your business, it should be to get closer to the daily activities and subject matter you’re most passionate about. Consumers don’t pay for lukewarm information. Our hyper-informative society requires cutting edge research, insider exclusives, and poignant strategies that will get right to the point on what they need to know. To deliver these golden nuggets, time and time again, you have to be constantly and rigorously seeking out and developing this type of information to deliver to your audience/customer. Therefore, you must be passionate and engaged before you expect to charge for your expertise.

 

2. Pray

Not many people write this down in their business plan, but it is an often-understated necessity to business preparation and survival. Most entrepreneurs are very familiar with the term faith and speak candidly about their dependence on God to see them through situations that appear insurmountable from a business standpoint. Ask around, it will not take long to find an entrepreneur who lists faith as a catalyst for taking a leap into the unknown with only a hope and a prayer.

 

3. Pick a date

Procrastination is a terrible “P” to be plagued with. It has killed more dreams than can be counted. If you don’t set a date to when you will make a move, then someday will never come. One of the benefits of formal education is that a student is given clear guidelines as to when things are due. These declarative deadlines provide the incremental gauges needed to determine how much work needs to be done and by when so that the final product is ready by the deadline. The business world may not offer as clear of deadlines but you have to put them in place if you ever determine to make anything happen. It will not happen otherwise. Pick a date, then stick to it. Extensions in the real world are costly and don’t come easy, so don’t give yourself an out when the date arrives.

 

4. Purpose-driven

It never fails that at some point you will be deterred by some obstacle or hardship to making this move. You had better have a clearly defined purpose or motivator that will get you over that hump. Being ill-prepared here has sent many entrepreneurs back to indeed.com. This venture is not easy and is laden with grunt work. You may be saying to yourself today that you will do whatever it takes to get things done. I firmly believe that you will. However, you may not be ready for the immobility of an elderly parent to embellish your schedule, or the misbehavior of a child to trigger parent-teacher conferences or mandatory corrective action, or the layoff of a spouse that makes you question whether now is the right time to pursue this. Your pursuit will be challenged, and you need to be ready for it with enough purpose-fueled arsenal to get you through it.

 

5. Push and Press

Think about the last 10 minutes on the elliptical or the last mile in the marathon. You have given everything you have and you see the finish line in sight. Willpower may be faint and scarce. Support may be waning. The quarter is ending on a low note. The sales have all fallen through. Every potential lead has said no. The Holidays are ensuing. You have done all the research you can and you stand at the precipice unable to see the next clear step. Questions grip you. You know you have passion for this. You have prayed and have taken a leap of faith. You have set the date and you know why you are doing this with a strong and sure purpose. Now push on and press in. There is no time to think here. You have been diligent and reserved. There is no more to do, but to do it. Dig in and just move. Go. Grow. Push. Press. Pivot.

 

 

 

About Marleen Fairchild: After receiving her Bachelor and Master degrees in Communications from Cal State Fullerton and Cal State Los Angeles, Marleen made the decision to relocate to Las Vegas.

After successfully navigating her relocation to Las Vegas in 2015, Marleen found her passion in helping others smoothly traverse the logistical challenges of relocating to, and from, Las Vegas, Nevada, as a Realtor.

Marleen’s an avid reader, blogger and coffee enthusiast. She’s a member at Southern Hills Baptist Church, where she serves at the Coffee Shop, and can be found working from her laptop at odd hours in local coffee shops around the city.

How to Crush Your Big 2020 Goals even when the World Around You Is Falling Apart

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by Rakel Chafir

Whether there’s a global pandemic spreading, you just lost your number one client, or you’re in the midst of a divorce—or all three—you have other options beside curling up in your pajamas, turning the blinds down, and spending the day scrolling through social media waiting for something else to happen. You can still double your email list by the end of the year, launch your online course, get your new website up and running, and create multiple sales funnels. So go ahead, feel your feelings fully, let them all come out, but know this one thing: Your life and your business is only on hold if you decide it should be on hold.

Here are five things you can do to overcome low energy and refocus of your Big Goals when the world around you is falling apart:

1. Write down your goal (every day as soon as you wake up):
Writing down your big goals every single day means you’ll look at them every single day. It’s a constant, powerful reminder of where to put your focus. According to a study on goal setting, people who write down their goals are more likely to achieve it than those who don’t and yet very few people actually do it. It will take you only a few minutes, but it will help you stay consistent on your journey to success.

2. Keep a solid daily routine (no matter what happens around you):
Maintaining specific daily habits such as waking up at a specific time everyday, having a healthy breakfast, working out, showering, getting dressed, putting on makeup, and sitting down for a journalism session before doing or dwelling on anything else, can reduce our stress level and help us feel more in control of our lives while we are coping with change. No matter what’s going to happen, know that you will be having your meals at the same time, that we’ll be wearing fresh clean clothing, and that you’’ll be moving your body every single day.

3. Re-calibrate your nervous system:
Anxiety, fear, anger, and frustration are natural responses to stress, which can be expected during turbulent times. However if ignored or left unchecked, those unpleasant feelings will snowball and become extremely harmful to both your physical and mental health, not to mention, they will prevent you from having the clarity you need to consistently take action and move forward on your goals.
From simple breathing exercises, to meditation, and conscious body movement, all you need to practice along with some of the world most renown experts in the field, is an Internet connection and a digital device. Make it a priority.

4. Implement a Bounce Back Strategy:
If we don’t take a positive next step, we risk being caught in an emotional loop of failure. When you are having one of those days where even getting out of bed seems like an effort, take a deep breath, forgive yourself and let it go fully. Recognize that you are in it for the long run, then pick up your journal and answer these questions:
1. Which action can I take at this moment to feel even a little better?
2. What can I do differently tomorrow / this week/ this month?
3. What’s the biggest challenge I have overcome in my life?

5. Stay connected:
The feeling of isolation can fuel depression and contribute to the feeling of low energy and hopelessness. Be proactive about reaching out to others, speak about your feelings and ask how they’re doing as well. Doing that will help you get out your own bubble and boost your mental health. Above all, don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. There are countless professional services and support groups you can find on the web if friends and family don’t feel like a good option at this moment.

 

Rakel Chafir is a body confidence expert and success coach who teaches women how to heal their relationship with their body so they can reach their full potential in life. Her signature approach combines physical movement, resilience training and spiritual principles to help clients let go of unwanted weight, eliminate addictive behaviors, and more. Rakel has worked in some of New York City’s most elite studios as a certified personal trainer and also has an extensive background in health and wellness that includes being a Precision Nutrition Certified Coach, a Master Expert in Hypopressive Abdominal Method and more. Her expertise has been featured on Thrive Global. Rakel is the author of the forthcoming Free Your Body: 7 Steps To Get The Freedom You Deserve and the Body You Desire (November 2020).

The Coronavirus Will Change the Future of Working from Home by @juliekminer

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by Julie K. Miner

If the last few weeks have taught us anything instructive, and may even contain a silver lining, it’s that telecommuting – working from home – is here to stay and will most likely increase in scope and frequency in the years to come as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Twenty or thirty years ago, working from home was code for not doing any work while being arms-length from a phone just in case it happened to ring. But with cell phones, email, WiFi, text messaging, facetime, Skype, and now Zoom, working remotely has become easier and more prevalent in our society as employees and employers continue to struggle with the ongoing quest to find a competitive work/life balance. It has helped employees cope with the growing demands of being on the clock at all hours of the day and has allowed employers like my partner and me to offer a competitive leg-up with little to no downside to our employees.

In 2012, Gallup reported that 39 percent of Americans worked from home during some portion of their workweek. Eight years later, that number is closer to 45 percent of the national workforce operating from places other than a traditional office space one or more days a week. In less than a decade, many have replaced water coolers for kitchen sinks and suit pants for sweatpants.

Given the impact of the last two weeks – and most likely the next few weeks or months – that trend is only likely to increase as more and more companies, regardless of size, have enacted a work from home policy at the behest of mayors, governors and the federal government. Especially now with many shelter-in-place orders and closure of non-essential businesses throughout the country, almost every job that can be done from home is being done from home.

Perhaps, just as suddenly, many CEOs have discovered their businesses keep on functioning and (with the exception of the last week) prospering, even when their employees are out of the office. Conference calls still go on as planned, meetings (the ones that couldn’t be emails, of course) are now held online, and documents are reviewed and edited just as they were two weeks ago. Business is going on as normal as it can, given the circumstances.

When we started J Strategies, a full-service communications and public affairs consulting firm, my partner and I worked exclusively from our homes. Over time, as we added staff and clients, we maintained that ability, realizing it helped financially as well as emotionally.

Even as we grew, adding more employees and leasing office space, we ensured the ability of our staff to work from home at least one day a week (more if needed) would be preserved. Now, with approximately 20 employees in New York City, Albany, and Boston, the entire firm works from home every Friday, 52 weeks a year, answering emails and phone calls, and remaining just as available to clients as we would in an office environment during business hours (and beyond).

The rest of the week, if our employees have legitimate reasons (such as a doctor’s appointment or childcare issue) that would keep them from commuting into the office, we make every attempt to comply. We have found that by saying yes to these requests, it has made our staff more responsive to the demands of the job, not less. Emails and calls from managers are answered almost immediately when employees are home and client communications are tended to just as fast.

We are living in stressful times, to be sure. With the experiences of the last 10 years working from home, our firm is at a competitive advantage when it comes to weathering the storm in which we all now find ourselves. Many will not be as lucky.

Now, thousands of American companies are finding through a kind of baptism by fire that employees working from home is more than just tenable – it’s just as productive as it could be in another environment.

One day, weeks or maybe even months from now, the American workforce will come out of this experience stronger and more resilient than ever before. Hopefully, the stereotypes about working from home will be gone and employers will have more open minds about what constitutes a productive workday – regardless of location.

 

 

 

Julie K. Miner is a Managing Partner and CEO of J Strategies, a communications and government relations firm with offices in Albany, New York City, and Boston. She previously served as a regional director to US Senator Charles E. Schumer.

Leading teams effectively in this new COVID-19 World by @LeadToInspireC1

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by Crystal Smith

Within a matter of weeks many of us have been forced to manage our teams in this new virtual world because of the COVID 19 pandemic. In just three short weeks I have witnessed teams overcome the challenges extremely well. I have also witnessed teams crumble at the core. There are many leaders in my field that I follow on social media platforms who I admire and respect. Their ability to transform and pivot their organizations ranged from phenomenal and timely, to inefficient and too late. In my first week working in this virtual environment, I had a team member who resigned, a team member who needed accommodations because they were unable to perform in the work-from-home environment, and I introduced team members to two new platforms that allowed us to stay connected. What are the biggest takeaways thus far from this forced work from home environment?

  1. Leaders are the same people in the virtual world that they are in the brick and mortar world. In other words, we cannot expect people who were poor communicators, not engaged with their teams and unapproachable, to all of a sudden become amazing at all of these skills because we are now working virtually. These areas of deficiency will actually become more evident in this new world because the curtain has been pulled back and there is no office door where they can close and hide. The lesson – leaders, like all employees, should be evaluated and have 360 assessments from their teams in order to identify their areas of strengths and areas of improvement regularly. If these things are not done, when any other disaster or emergency takes place, these inefficiencies will be more challenging to overcome for the leader and for the team.
  2. Leaders don’t have to duplicate what was done when we were in buildings and offices. In other words, just because we met every Tuesday and Thursday at a designated time, doesn’t mean we have to do the same in a virtual environment. Quite honestly, many of my face to face meetings were not productive. In this new world we can re-evaluate what meetings are important and what can be sent in an email. So many of my meetings have been cancelled in this new virtual world and people are beginning to realize that not everything is “urgent”. We can also introduce new meeting platforms that allow us to meet using technology (Zoom, Skype for Business, Microsoft 365 Team, etc.). The lesson – we can use this tragedy as an opportunity to re-imagine the way we lead and do our work that is productive for our teams, our customers and our personal lives.
  3. Leaders may want to limit the “reply all” emails and ask team members to send a message to the leader first to determine if it is “reply all” worthy. I realized within two days that some people confused this “out of sight” experience as an opportunity to lead the ship that already had a captain – that captain was me. The request to the team to send all “reply all” messages to me first allowed messaging to be streamlined. During chaos and confusion, emails are often coming from everywhere, and it is easy to have messages become lost in translation. The lesson – it is important to control some of the messaging during times of uncertainty.
  4. Leaders should identify tools/apps that are useful to help teams stay engaged and stay connected. The tool that was most helpful for me in the beginning and continues to be useful, is Slido.com. It allows me to establish a platform for questions to be asked and I can answer as the moderator. Everyone can see the questions and responses. This limits the constant back and forth emails and provides a place for team members to go for quick questions that need to be answered. It also allows me to create polls that became fun activities. I created word clouds with simple questions like “How would you describe your first week working virtually in ONE word”. It was truly a learning process to gauge how the team was doing that first week in a visual word cloud. I also used a platform called FlipGrid that allowed team members to create quick 2 minute videos and respond with fun and engaging videos. We were able to laugh and connect in ways that were similar to visiting our offices throughout the day. The lesson – people still need to see people and connect beyond meetings and emails.

The quote on my office door says “leadership is a verb”. This is true whether in a building or in this new virtual world of work where many of us currently live.

 

 

Crystal Smith is a lifelong educator who currently serves as an administrator at a community college on the east coast. Crystal is a graduate of both Hampton University and The College of William and Mary, where she received her bachelors and master’s degree in Sociology. Her area of expertise is in the fields of family and gender studies and research and development.

Crystal started her career in human resources and worked with several Fortune 500 companies, including Lockheed Martin and Arthur Anderson Consulting. This work led her to consider education and teaching as a possible career goal. After an amazing career teaching in the K-12 system for five years, she decided to pursue a career in higher education. Crystal has been a higher education professional for over 17 years and this work led her to start her own consulting firm that specializes in leadership development, strategic planning and branding development.

The Secret To Thriving In Your Daily Routine by Meg Rohs of @nine56_studio

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by Meg Rohs

Maybe it was the postpartum hormones or the fact that I was in quarantine while being on maternity leave making me a little crazy, but I was determined to do more than just survive my days working from home. I wanted to thrive in them.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge believer in not trying to do it all or be it all during the postpartum period. After all, the most important thing is to focus on healing your body and taking care of your baby. But for me, creating an intentional daily routine wasn’t about getting more done, it was about showing up as my best to do the things I needed to do well. And more than just hurrying through them to move onto the next thing, actually enjoying them (answering emails, changing diapers, and cleaning the kitchen included).

The secret to thriving in your daily routine isn’t just for postpartum mamas. I built a work-from-home routine that not only allowed me take care of my baby, but also myself, and my business. Here’s how:

Design your day in blocks.

Our days can lose purpose and direction when they don’t have structure but we can also get really discouraged and frustrated when we try to adhere to a strict schedule that we can’t keep up with. Blocking is a technique I use to create both structure and flexibility in my routine.

The technique of blocking consists of dividing your day into blocks of similar amounts of time and filling those blocks of time with activities that work well together. This is a great way to bring both variety and structure to every day. The magic of blocking is that it allows you to easily adapt to different needs the day brings without losing your rhythm.

Here’s an example of how I block my days taking care of a new baby and running a business.

Block one. I’m focused on getting some work done for my business. I love sipping my morning coffee, creating content for my brand, and snuggly my babe next to my chest as he snoozes in his wrap (of course sometimes he’s screaming and I don’t get any work done, but those moments are going to happen too). I write the top three things that I want to get done for my business the night before so I can dive right in and make the most of these morning hours.

Block two. Here’s when we usually go on a walk and I’ll try to get a short exercise in. I also make myself a smoothie during this time (yes, even something as small as making a healthy smoothie for myself is part of my routine because otherwise I don’t take the time to do it). I found I’m much more likely to enjoy exercise after having a slow morning first. I tried to be the gal who jumped out of bed and got her workout in right away but it just didn’t feel productive to me. To block your routine in an effective way, you need to pay attention to which tasks flow best for you in which parts of your day.

Block three. This time I spend on miscellaneous tasks that I want to get done. This can look like bath time, taking photos for Instagram content, cleaning the house, ordering household supplies, anything that needs to get done. It’s important for me to block time for this kind of stuff every day. Otherwise they sit at the bottom of my to-do list and accumulate until I’m really bogged down.

Block four. I’m focused on getting dinner ready, cleaning the kitchen from the day, and getting ready for the next day. After I nurse my baby around 8pm we start our bedtime routine and are sleeping as soon as we can be after that. What I love about building my routine with blocks is that it keeps me focused on my priorities for this season but it’s also designed to evolve. So as my baby gets older and and our priorities change, our rhythm can easily change with them.

 

 

Meg Rohs is a small town mama, loungewear enthusiast, and total homebody who gives women tools to own their worth. She’s the founder of Nine56 Studio, a luxury loungewear brand for work-from-home mamas, dream builders, and homebodies like herself. Sign up for her weekly tips on connecting your clothing to your lifestyle and stories from her simple life in rural Wisconsin.

5 Things You Need to Know About Making Money Through Instagram

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Photo credit: @virtuallydone Instagram

by Jemma Broadstock

With marketing budgets increasingly being spent on digital marketing, you aren’t alone if you’re running around like a headless chicken trying to understand the ins and outs of using Instagram for your business.

So if you have no idea how to make money through your Instagram, here’s are 5 key things to bare in mind:

 

1. Consistency is Key

If you think posting an image every now and again is going to do it, you’re wrong. You need to be showing up consistently, not only on your feed, but on your stories too.

The message in your captions, stories, bio and hashtags all needs to make sense. If the content isn’t consistently sharing the same message or your content isn’t consistently being shared, people won’t become familiar with you as a brand.

You want to get to the point where people see a quote graphic you created pop up on their feed and they know it’s you before they’ve seen your name because the message, fonts and colours are all consistent with what they have seen from you before.

In an ideal world, people should be seeing something from you daily. This doesn’t mean you have to post something new and exciting every day, instead you can show up on your stories. Share an insight into your day, or upload your to do list – people love behind the scenes content, and this will keep your engagement up on the days you don’t post.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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2. Make sales easy⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

This might seem like an obvious point, but it’s a mistake I see way too often.

The average consumer attention span is 8 seconds. Someone should be able to click onto your profile and know within those 8 seconds who you are, what you do, and who your product or service is for. Your biography should explain this clearly and concisely, with a specific call to action and a link for people to click if they want to learn more.

“Mystical goddess helping millennial women do amazing things” might sound cool to you, but no one will know what that means. Who are you? What do you do? Who do you help? If you don’t answer these questions, they will not take the time to DM and ask you, they’ll simply click off your profile.

Your copy doesn’t need to be complex; it just needs to be simple and easy to understand.

 

3. Creating connections is everything

People often talk about the dreaded ‘algorithm’ which underlies some of the curious things Instagram does such as showing or not showing our account to other people.

Don’t let this scare you! Instagram is based on connection. If you engage with your target audience, and by engage, I mean follow, DM, comment and like, Instagram will connect you with more of those types of people.

This doesn’t mean you should be downloading ‘engagement’ apps or joining ‘engagement pods’. Instagram is clever and will punish you for any unnatural or fake engagement. Instead, each day spend some time genuinely connecting with people within your network. Vote on their story polls and send them a DM if you love what they are doing. This really is the secret to success on Instagram!

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4. Being vulnerable works

You might feel that everything on your Instagram has to remain 10/10 professional at all times BUT this stops connections from being made.

As we all know, people buy from people, and to build that like, know and trust factor, you need to show your human side. You can do this by uploading pictures of yourself, running mini trainings on your stories, or writing captions that give an insight into your life.

Sharing video content has become huge on Instagram lately and with 4 in 5 consumers admitting they would rather learn about a product through a video, it’s no wonder why!

By being vulnerable and sharing the person behind the business, people feel more connected to you. Whatever your story, share an insight into your life and it will make a huge difference to the way your followers engage with you.

On the flip side, if you make your life look perfect, people can’t relate. Instead, show the ups and downs of your business. Talk about your insecurities. Share your journey. You’ll be amazed how many people DM you and tell you they can relate.

Miss the last post and panicking? Share it!

Spilt coffee down your shirt before a big meeting? Share it!

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5. Good things take time

It might not be what you want to hear, but you won’t get 10k followers overnight or get clients with your first Instagram post. A successful social media profile takes months of hard work and good content to build up.

Be patient and it will pay off.

 

 

 

Jemma Broadstock is a Virtual Assistant and Social Media Manager specialising in using Instagram for online businesses. As well as working as a Virtual Assistant and Social Media Manager, Jemma also runs Virtually Done, an online platform for those wanting to learn how to be VAs.

Connect with Jemma on Instagram.

Learn more about her services here.

 

Why right now is the best time to start your online coaching business, and 5 steps to get you started

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by Rakel Chafir

With everything that’s going on in the world, starting a new business may sound counter intuitive. However, if we give ourselves permission to place our anxiety on hold just long enough to take a deep breath, we might be able to recognize this moment as an excellent opportunity to both reflect and take action.

With millions of people confined to their homes in the effort to contain the spread of the virus, the Internet today offers the only option to continue working, learning, and connecting with the outside world. Figures show an increase in global Internet traffic up to 50% in the last three months alone. More people than ever before are spending more time on a variety of websites and social media apps that share your potential target market.

And if that wasn’t enough of a reason to start thinking that maybe this might be a great time to give your dream of being a successful online coach some serious thoughts, think about the other undeniable phenomenon that is happening at this moment. People are struggling to cope with fear and confinement, and whether you want to be a life coach, an online fitness trainer, or a wellness guru, they can really use your help.

While economic uncertainty is never a desirable situation, the inherent agility of an online coaching business will allow you to get started and come out on top.

 

Here are the first 5 steps to get you on your way:

 

 

Step 1: Define your ideal customer avatar:

Your Ideal customer avatar represents either an existing or potential customer who wants and needs your content, your product, or your services. This person may be one of your current clients, a friend you have been helping pro bono, or even yourself. Get clear on your ICA’s likes, aspirations, fears, and daily challenges. For example, Is your ideal client a single millennial or a new mom over 40? An Introvert or an extrovert? An overwhelmed business owner or a full-time employee? The more you know about your ICAs, the more you’ll be able to create solutions to their wants and needs.

Step 2: Define your message: 

Rather than compare yourself to other online entrepreneurs, and feel like you need to have the same offers and qualifications they do, think about what makes you unique. You might have a personal success story that got you started on your wellness journey, and now you may feel called to share it with others. Or perhaps, you are an executive who has found balance and joy in life after years of burn out, so now you can other corporate leaders get there as well. Whatever it may be, your unique story will fuel your desire to make a difference in another person’s life and enable you to establish an authentic connection with prospective clients.

STEP 3: Initiate authentic connections:

The great thing about the Internet is that your audience is already there, congregating in existing websites, reading blogs, meeting in Facebook groups. Once you know who your ICA is (Step 1), you can research the online platforms where she/he interacts and join them yourself. You want to spend time studying these platforms, getting familiar with the conversations that are taking place there, and initiating authentic communication aimed at building trust and connection with your ideal customers.

STEP 4: Change your inner dialogue:

Go from “who am I to do this?” to “who am I to doubt my heart-felt desires?”.  If you have been raised to find value in hard work, you might resist the idea that you can take ownership of what you want without first having to prove you have enough credentials and accomplishments. However, the simple fact that you wholeheartedly desire to start your online coaching business and have an impact in the world is enough of a reason to give yourself permission to go for it.

STEP 5: Make wise investments:

One of the biggest mistakes I see coaches make is investing in expensive programs at the beginning of their careers. I am not knocking down any particular one here, but unless you are looking into a specific coaching field that requires certification, you don’t need that piece of paper to get started. Instead, begin by hiring a coach or a mentor who can help you set up weekly and monthly objectives, and offer you a first-hand experience of the very support you wish to offer others.

The five steps above will help you get the clarity you need to identify your path and initiate interactions with your prospective clients. There are many other things you’ll need to do next, but none of them will work unless you first get clear and give yourself permission to honor your desire fully.

 

 

Rakel Chafir is a body confidence expert and success coach who teaches women how to heal their relationship with their body so they can reach their full potential in life. Her signature approach combines physical movement, resilience training and spiritual principles to help clients let go of unwanted weight, eliminate addictive behaviors, and more. Rakel has worked in some of New York City’s most elite studios as a certified personal trainer and also has an extensive background in health and wellness that includes being a Precision Nutrition Certified Coach, a Master Expert in Hypopressive Abdominal Method and more. Her expertise has been featured on Thrive Global, Addicted2Success and CEOWorld Magazine. Rakel is the author of the forthcoming Free Your Body: 7 Steps To Get The Freedom You Deserve and the Body You Desire (November 2020).

Working From Home? 3 Easy Ways to Level Up Your Loungewear by Sandra Martinelli of @shopdelicora

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by Sandra Martinelli

Calling all quaran-queens: It’s time to level up your loungewear. We’ve all heard it before… “Dressing up makes you feel better.” I agree. However, if you are one of the millions currently working from home during the shelter in place, you know how difficult it is to get out of your yoga pants. If you haven’t put on a pair of jeans in weeks, I’m here to say “that’s okay!” This is coming from someone who struts into the office in her cheetah print Giuseppe Zanotti stilettos on a random Tuesday. I’ll never knock dressing up, but a happy medium exists!

Here are 3 easy ways to level up your loungewear and become the athleisure boss I know you are.

1. Adopt a long sweater

Find a long sweater to pull together to your everyday top and yoga pants. Not only will the perfect sweater keep you cozy, but playing around with different lengths will add dimension to your whole look. I found my long sweater through a local boutique currently making deliveries.

If you have a favorite local boutique, I’d highly recommend giving them a follow via Instagram or Facebook and supporting them in any way you can. Chances are that they are experiencing challenges due to COVID-19. This is especially true if they don’t have an e-commerce presence, so be sure to reach out if possible! If you’d prefer to shop online, here are some online retailers I absolutely love.
Choosy
Poshmark (I love shopping consignment!)
Vici Dolls
Nordstrom
Lulus
Asos

 

 

2. Keep your jewelry game on point

As a jewelry designer, I simply believe jewelry gives you superpowers. Have you ever felt naked without earrings or your favorite necklace? Have you ever put on your jewelry ensemble and your reflection does a double take? Of course you have! It is time to layer, sister girl. Lay out your collection and start wearing your go to pieces. In the mood to treat yourself? Head to Delicora and find your next favorite piece of jewelry. I founded Delicora to offer fun, unique, lightweight, and high quality jewelry at fair prices. I have incredibly sensitive skin with an aggressive allergic reaction to nickel, so I built a line that is 100% nickel free. You’ll find 14k gold filled, sterling silver, and gold vermeil options throughout the site.

These are the pieces I’m rocking in this leveled up loungewear look.
Laguna Hoops ($48)
Sandra Necklace ($48)
Lanikai Looped Lariat ($98)

Starting June 2019, we began a partnership with the Feeding America non-profit supporting children and families suffering from food scarcity. Every Delicora item sold also contributes 20 meals to Feeding America. During this time of sheltering in place, families will be depending on local food banks more than ever. Consider making a donation to Feeding America and learn about the programs set to help those in need during this time.

3. Bring on the lipstick

Someone once told me, “All a girl ever really needs is a great pair of earrings and her lipstick.” This strikes a chord. I completely agree! Top your entire look off by wearing a little lipstick! Many of you may be giving your skin some breathing time, and I think that is simply fabulous. I believe great skin starts with a discipline routine and going light on your foundation. While you let your skin breathe, add just a touch of lip color to brighten your face. I personally love Nars Cosmetics. I’m wearing the Nars Lipstick in Tolede and the Nars Precision Lip Liner in Vence.

I also love Nars:
Satin Lip Pencils (I have 8 different colors I play around with!)
Afterglow Lip Balm (for the ladies who don’t do lipstick)

I hope you found this helpful, and level up your look without compromising comfort! Just remember, there’s a happy medium out there and you and strike the perfect balance.

 

 

 

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Sandra Martinelli is the founder and designer of Delicora Jewelry based in Northern California who has been featured in PopSugar, Reader’s Digest, and more. Delicora is dedicated to offering high quality jewelry keeping sensitive skin in mind. ​Sign up​ for Delicora’s VIP list and be the first to find out about new releases and receive special promos