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How To Fill Your Sales Funnel Over The Summer – 5 Tips To Get Started by @XLConsultingGro

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fill your sales funnel over the summer

by Elaine Slatter | Featured Contributor

It’s a great idea to fill your sales funnel over the summer when everyone is more relaxed. Sales are all about making connections with people in your target customer group.  Sales don’t happen the first time you meet someone.  There is a process for sales that takes time.  During the summer people are on vacation, spending time with their families and generally having a good time.  But that doesn’t mean they take the whole summer off!  Well, a few people have that luxury, but for most of us, we are still working.  It’s important to keep that in mind so you can still work on filling your sales funnel over the summer because what you are doing is building relationships for later on down the road, perhaps this fall or winter?

How can you fill your sales funnel over the summer?

  1. Invite your prospects to coffee on a patio or if you don’t have time for a physical meeting, why not schedule a coffee date over Zoom?  Convenient for you and convenient for your contact.Attend networking events where your prospects are hanging out.  If your target audience is golfers, then go to fundraising golf tournaments.  There are plenty of opportunities to spend quality time building relationships when you are spending the whole day with like-minded people
  2. Seek out connectors – connectors are people who meet you and then offer to introduce you to other people who might need your services.  They are usually introverts, really good listeners who want to understand you and your services, so be very clear what you and your services are all about.  They don’t necessarily need your services themselves but are only too happy to introduce you to people who could.
  3. Tee up speaking engagements.  Some conveners are looking for speakers up to a year in advance, so make contacts over the summer when it is less busy to seek out opportunities for later in the year.
  4. Strategically plan your fall and winter by mapping out how you are going to deliver value to the people already on your mailing list.  You can prep for your courses, ebooks and maybe even map out your first book of authority and get started over the summer.  Did you know that writing a book is the best way to give value to prospects?  It is the best business card you can have, it will help you fill your sales funnel over the summer and all year long.
  5. Seek out collaborators – These are people who you know and maybe work in a similar field but your services are complementary to each other.  You can even collaborate with trusted competitors if you decide that you can work together and carve out different sections where you agree not to compete.

How To Find Time To Start a Business While Having a Full-Time Job by @MaryLiu

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by Mary Liu

“I wish I had the time to do that.”

This is a saying I hear far too often, and an excuse I used to always use. It’s so easy to say, but I realized that it was just an excuse so I could stay in my comfort zone. It wasn’t until last year when I decided to challenge myself and take action on a niche product idea that I discovered I actually had a lot more time in a day than I thought.

When I was in the initial stages of developing my product idea, I had to figure out how to balance this along with a full-time job. Because of this, I learned a lot about how to maximize my time, and as a result turned an idea into a product and launched it on e-commerce in 6 months.

Today, I still use what I learned about time management to balance a full-time job, my e-commerce side business, and still leave time for myself.

So, how did I do it? Below are 3 tips that worked for me in turning an idea into a product in 6 months while working at a full-time job.

Tip #1: Learn during times when you can easily multi-task

Here are some examples of what I mean:

  • Walking or commuting to places (e.g. work)
  • Waiting for an appointment (e.g. doctor’s appointment)
  • Meal prepping for the week (e.g. chopping/prepping food for an hour)
  • At the gym (e.g. running on the treadmill)
  • Shopping (e.g. buying groceries)

These are perfect moments to listen to podcasts, watch videos, or read articles. This was helpful for me in learning the next steps I needed to take on my idea.

In some of these instances, I had anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour. However, all of these moments will add up, where finishing one article on my commute to work became 10 articles by the end of the week. And that was enough to help me understand what I needed to do next with my idea.

Tip #2: Find times when you can create instead of consume

We all have some sort of routine we follow. When I tracked what I was doing for a week, I realized that there were instances when I was spending a lot of time consuming.

It’s okay consuming content especially when it comes to learning, but I made sure that I still had time for creating.

For instance, here are some examples I found in my routine where I took some of the time spent on consuming content to work on my idea:

  • TV (e.g. watching Netflix for 2-3 hours after work)
  • Browsing the web (e.g. spending hours on YouTube)
  • Social media (e.g. scrolling through Instagram or Facebook)

Don’t get me wrong, I still do the above from time to time, but it’s all about moderation. Instead of spending hours watching shows, I would take a few of those hours to work on my idea instead.

Tip #3: Create a to-do list for the week with very specific tasks

What I found helpful in saving time during the week was creating a to-do list on Sundays. I would lay out everything I wanted to accomplish for that week in order of priorities and make the tasks very specific.

For instance, when I was developing my product, I wouldn’t put “build a product” as my to-do for that week. Instead, I would write “reach out to manufacturers” or “find a graphic designer.”

That way, I knew what steps I needed to take going into each week and I didn’t have to spend time feeling overwhelmed on what to do the day of. This was helpful for me to remain focused on the specific tasks I needed to accomplish just for that week.

Once I reflected on what I was doing each week and where I was spending my time, I was able to find opportunities using these tips to find time in my schedule and make progress on my idea. All of these small moments added up, and by the end of 6 months I had a business.

Now I can say, “I had the time to do that.”

And I want you to be able to say it too.

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Mary Liu is a marketer and business coach who has experience working on million-dollar brands and launching new-to-market products. She is passionate about using her experience to help female entrepreneurs understand how they can turn their product idea into a business. Learn more about Mary here and get her free guide on the 2 most important steps to take after you’ve landed on a business idea.

Education … School(ing) … & Degree Signaling by @SBSLEducSoltns

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Dissecting the Differences

 

 

Remember ‘synonyms’ & ‘antonyms’?

 

Let’s revisit 2 words from our common past in a primary (‘K’-’5’) classroom.

Our teachers very likely taught us that a synonym’s definition = this ; whereas, an antonym’s = this.

Many graduates would admit, being authentic & unguarded, that much of what they learned while seated in a neat row of desks rarely, or maybe occasionally, applies to their professional lives post graduation.

This post’ll put these 2 terms in an entrepreneurial context; be advised that your assumptions, mindset, or experiences could be challenged head on, or perhaps, be confirmed.

 

Whichever it is for you, I appreciate your open mind all the same.

 

What might ‘education’ , ‘school(ing)’ & ‘degree signaling’ have in common?

Before dissecting the differences, we’ll talk a bit about what binds these three unlike concepts together.

 

  • They’re all often lumped together by companies who hire using conventional ‘HR’ practices
  • Over time, each one split off from the other two, in theory & in practice
  • Each have a purpose in the eyes of [a] stakeholder group/s

 

Let’s take each at face value individually. As you read, ask yourself: How might I envision, strategize, & apply each to my business?

 

Education = ‘educare’

 

Becoming deeply educated can absolutely result w/o hard evidence in the form of ‘POC’ (proof/s of credential/s).

 

Great education defies structure because it is always (always!) individualized, personalized, interactive, nimble, responsive and inspired.

– O. DeMille

 

Does this quote sum up your own experience inside of a school’s classroom?  If not, why? Ask big, open ended questions to net the very best long term value.

A self directed, customized path exists for most any citizen who looks for it.  Have you?  Do you encourage your staff to be lifelong learners?

 

Some education options to thoughtfully consider as a new startup, an existing business seeking to scale up, or if you’re looking to further diverse your income streams with a 2nd ( or 4th 🙂 ) venture:

 

  • 1:1 mentorship
  • Digital badging ( a form of ‘hot unbundling’ )
  • Apprenticeships
  • Extern/intern -ships
  • Digital nomadic / Gig economy

 

School(ing) = ‘skhole’

Going to school does not automatically imply that one is educated, nor should anyone jump to conclusions & suggest that all schools fail to educate. It’s not that clear cut, nor is it a ‘public v. private’ dichotomy, either:  There are above average, even great public, the same as exemplary private ones, from border to border, & sea to sea.

 

In this powerful essay, the late John Taylor Gatto opined:

 

Schools were designed by Horace Mann and Barnas Sears & W.R. Harper of the University of Chicago and Edward Thorndike of Columbia Teachers College and others to be instruments for the scientific management of a mass population.

 

Think this over:  As a business professional in the late 2010’s, does this sound anything like being educated?

Keeping squarely in mind that ‘skhole’ ‘s etymology clearly shows a word that no longer equates to educare, the root of education.

 

Huh? What’s ‘degree signaling” ?  

As America transitioned from a wartime footing ( mid 1940’s ), the economy morphed from one focused heavily on blue collar industry to one where white collars were the in demand choices.

 

As …

Factories = Products = blue collar industrial age

 

So … ( oft times )

Offices = Services = white collar industrial age

 

The ‘Organization Man’  was in the driver’s seat; it was a supremely influential read.

And the GI Bill offered taxpayer monies to returning vets to encourage careers in a service industry, often in a large office managed by a large corporation.

 

Year by year, decade by decade, by the late 80’s- early 90’s, a ‘college for all’ mentality sunk into many facets of our society, discouraging entrepreneurship (‘E’ pathway), the trades ( CTE/Career & Technical Education, primarily available thru community colleges ) , & other viable options

 

Thus, degree signaling was birthed …

If you had ‘POP’ ( proof of paper ) in hand, plus a resume / cover letter, you were more likely to be hired by a company, given a title, salary, & cubicle, & asked to play your often invisible role in the delivery of a service to the marketplace.

Yet, creative disruptors such as Praxis put forth for rational discussion that there IS a different way.

 

It’s up to you, with your open entrepreneurial mind, to decide if you’re willing to hire/promote, &/or make choices that are, ahem, ‘educated’, or driven solely by nostalgia.

 

Suggested Podcasts

 

How to Start a Startup

School Sucks Project

Modern Learners

 

Keep on learning, dear readers

 

As always, it’s a pleasure to provide additional resources to move you further along the journey.

 

School vs. Education. Where are we now?

Why the College Degree Is a Signal …

 

Mindvalley U

Stop Stealing Dreams

This is the sequel to ‘Stop Stealing Dreams’

 

30 Best Education Podcasts

Series: School is Optional

 

In short

 

  • Revisiting definitions: synonym & antonym
  • What these 3 terms share in common
  • Defining education more sharply
  • Schooling is its own concept.
  • Degree signaling?!
  • Podcast suggestions
  • Add’t resources

 

Thank YOU for reading!

______________________________

Confidence, Clarity and Taking Action Steps by @XLConsultingGro

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Confidence, Clarity and Taking Action Steps

by Elaine Slatter | Featured Contributor

Entrepreneurs who spend a lot of time working in isolation can easily lose their confidence, clarity and then taking action steps is more difficult.  Why is that?  Often that voice in our head becomes very negative and convinces us not to be bold, not to take risks, not to put ourselves out there.  So what do we have to do to change our mindset to have confidence, clarity and taking action steps every day?

Confidence

Confidence is a muscle that must be exercised frequently or it gradually withers away.

During your life, every success you have ever had leads to confidence in your own abilities.  This could be a success as a child in academics or athletics.  Perhaps it was the great summer job you aced as a teen or work success you have had.

You can even gain confidence from things that haven’t gone so well.  That promotion you deserved but didn’t get, the salary increase you expected but didn’t happen.  Everything we do in life adds layers of confidence. We learn from both events that went well and those that didn’t.

Keep A Journal

One great way to get over the confidence hurdle is to write all the events that have added to your confidence in a journal.  When you are having a bad day and need to get your brave on, read your journal so all your successes are again manifested in your sub-conscience.

Assess your skill set and Build Up Your Weaknesses

Networking

If networking isn’t your strength, check out our previous article. If you are an introvert you might think that networking isn’t for you because you just don’t like being the centre of attention.  But honestly, introverts are the best at networking because they love to listen to others talk and be the focus of a group.  While you are listening you can decide if you can add value to the conversation and if the people you are meeting are the right fit for your tribe.

LinkedIn

If you are having trouble finding events where you can physically network, then think of LinkedIn as your virtual networking community.  It isn’t just a resume and job-hunting site.  It’s much more than that.  Have you thought of how you are connecting with people on LinkedIn?  Do your research before you connect with people on LinkedIn and use the personal note section to let people know why you would like to connect with them.   (Remember, it’s all about the why…..why someone should connect with YOU.)  Don’t use this note space to sell yourself!

Once you have connected on LinkedIn you can invite people for a virtual coffee date over Skype or Zoom to find out more about them and

Public Speaking

If public speaking is not your forte, consider joining your local Toastmaster chapter to gain the speaking confidence you need.  One business professional I know uses the local toastmaster chapter to test out blog post ideas.  The feedback from the toastmaster speech shows whether the topic resonates with an audience or not.

What else should be in your confidence toolbox?  In today’s world, some kind of social media presence can help you gain traction for your startup.  Either train yourself up to have that confidence online or if you have a budget, hire professionals to learn about your branding voice and have them be your social media spokespeople.

Clarity

If you have confidence in your abilities, next on the list is clarity.  Clarity about your business objectives, and your personal objectives.  Write two lists, one for your business objectives and one for your personal objectives.

Are your objectives CLEAR?

These are maybe’s, they aren’t just dreams, they are actual objectives that you are going to SLAY! Once you have everything written down, then prioritize your objectives by importance to you and your business.

Some of your objectives might be huge and seem overwhelming, so don’t tackle those right away, we will cover these in the section on Action.  For now, just look at your list and knock off a few of the items that are easy to conquer.  Because conquering some objectives will help give you confidence that you can tackle some of the more difficult tasks.

If you have big, clear objectives that are hard to accomplish, then break them down into smaller bite-size pieces and follow this tactical plan and take ACTION.

Action

Once you have the confidence and clarity, take action.  Yes, take action steps right now!  If you use the SMART goal formula you will not waste your time going around in circles.  You will have achieved success.

S specific (from your clarity list)

M measurable (what is the measurement you are going to use)

A actionable/achievable (Is the item on your list achievable?)

R realistic (It just can’t be impossible!)

T time sensitive (Putting a time frame around your goal makes you take ACTION)

This applies to your personal life as well as your business life.  Step out of your comfort zone. Are you in the mindset to find confidence, clarity and taking action steps to change your life?  We hope so because every day is too valuable to waste.

Why female olderpreneurs are valuable for tech startups by Megan McLatchie of @WeAreNovaUK

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by Megan McLatchie

Very often it’s too easily assumed that the only successful tech startups are only created by teenage boys living by laptop light in their bedrooms. What doesn’t help is that the idea has been reinforced by the likes of Mark Zuckerburg, who launched the first version of Facebook from his Harvard dorm room in his early 20s. Arguably, young founders have some advantages. Their generation has lead them to be early adopters of technology and have no big commitments such as marriage, mortgages or children.

Sure, students are in a good position to start something of their own after graduation and before the reality of life kicks in. But does this determine a successful founder? Various research studies have shown the average age of a UK entrepreneur to be in their forties, and ‘olderpreneurs’ are more likely to achieve top growth. So really, do good things come to those who wait?

Respect your elders
An obvious reason age is a benefiting factor for startups is experience. Startups are notorious for being risky, and the frequent unexpected surprise and challenge doesn’t go amiss. It could be argued that young people may have the edge by being in the know of fad trends, but older entrepreneurs will be bringing years of valuable insight and experience from work and everyday life, valuable experience that can be drawn on to solve a problem worth solving (precious knowledge that you can’t learn from a quick google online!).

Passionate for Problem Solving
You’ve identified a widespread need, and have an idea that is commercially viable. Good ideas are good ideas irrespective of what age you are! What matters is that you’re passionate about the solution needed to drive the idea forward. Years of experience also means you have a greater understanding of who your audience is and the passion to find the solution when you identify what would/would not work. Believe in yourself and your idea, Sheownsit.com suggests five ways to overcome doubt and start your own business.

Are you really Middle-aged?
You’re only as old as you feel. People are now living longer and healthier lives than ever before, so there is no rush to begin your tech startup in your younger years. The average life expectancy for women in the UK is 82.9 years and according to an article from Forbes, a 50-year-old founder is about twice as likely to achieve success compared to a 30-year-old. If we associate youth with a more carefree approach to life, it could be argued that with age we take greater care to think things through. Startups are risky business, so maybe caution could help. Nova’s lean approach means we’re constantly testing a startup’s success in order to foresee potential pitfalls and make appropriate changes to MVP.

Multi-tasking Queens
Broadly speaking, when we get older we tend to have more responsibilities: family, mortgage, secure day job, and marriage being the biggies! We women are known for our multi-tasking. “Women bring a different life experience to business,” says Lynne Cadenhead, chairman of Women’s Enterprise Scotland.“[They] always have multiple roles in society: they’ll be wives, carers, mothers. They’re much more used to [juggling things] and more comfortable doing it.” Alongside this, technology has really broken down the barriers to starting a business alongside your day job, one of the reasons why ‘side-hustles’ are increasingly popular. Nova’s own process for starting a startup requires just one day a week from founders and actively encourages founders to stay in their full-time jobs.

Golden oldies
Let’s finish with some famous examples of female entrepreneurs that started later in life.

  • Vera Wang, (goes without saying) is well known for her global fashion brand but she didn’t open her high-end label until the age of 40. A long career working for Vogue meant she had the skills and life experience needed for her business to grow (and still continues to do so!).
  • Martha Stewart is now a familiar household name, beginning a successful career as a chef and writer of cookbooks. At the age of 56, she created the Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia media conglomerate. Branching out into TV, radio and even wine, it has continued to go from strength to strength.
  • Robin Chase, the founder of car-sharing service Zipcar (the transportation service which allows customers to rent cars by the hour), only made the decision to set up her own company at 41. In 2013 it was sold for $500 million, making Chase one of the richest women in the world overnight!

So, maybe good things come to those who wait?

 

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Megan McLatchie is a Marketing Executive for Nova, a tech startup co-foundry based in Liverpool. Nova provides free mentorship, support and guidance team, and resource investment to turn a good idea into a great startup. They have cofounded over 40 tech startups in the last 5 years, with a success rate far above the industry average.

The Energy of Entrepreneurship by @SBSLEducSoltns

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( A flyover of all the glorious forms of creating your own asset )

Just as a strong case can be made that entrepreneurship & education are intertwined, so the same can be said for energy & entrepreneurship. How many business owners do you know who live day to day with boundless determination?  Joy? A skip in their steps?

 

We have a B-i-G opportunity! We should encourage entrepreneurship’s many forms so the energy in our society is always flowing, & many new assets are created to better ourselves, families, communities, nations, & beyond!

 

Describing Our Economy

 

Thought leaders have been using various labels:

 

Conceptual Age

 

Gig economy

 

Youpreneur

 

Multisided platforms ( ‘Matchmaker Economics’ )

 

You might wonder; how do these inform, inspire, & instigate citizens to leave mediocrity behind to embrace these energetic forms of entrepreneurship?

Inform(ation)

 

With conventional classrooms in all 3 tracks very slow to adapt to the modern era, as entrepreneurs, we can share stories, teachable moments, & connections with those in our own, as well as younger, generations.

Welcome any opportunities to be someone’s mentor, advisor, or coach. Focus on paying forward crucial knowledge to others. Serve 1st always!

 

Inspire (-ation)

 

Often, entrepreneurship is not a soft fluffy bed; it’s part of the charm of the day to day journey to struggle at times! Anything that comes ‘easy’ often has more downside than engaging in smart x hard work building a business.

Don’t hide this from those whom you talk with, yet don’t muddy the clear lens of a passionate individual who wants to be a difference maker. Inspire her by adding value, w/ no stated expectation of reward or return.

 

Instigate ( lighting sparks )

 

Those who deeply understand principles such as the ‘Five Laws …’ & ‘Law of Attraction’  should be beacons of inspired instigation in her circles of influence.

The sparks lit in the fire pits of today will lead to the solutions of tomorrow.

So many of our most pressing societal challenges can be solved with entrepreneurial energy; if you flip back through the pages of history, you’ll see this jump off the pages.

 

7 Forms

 

Now, we transition from the most valuable question, why?, to what? +

 

( + we’ll leave out ‘how’; JFK’s 1962 Rice Univ Speech is the model for why not to focus on this Q )

 

Franchisor/franchisee

 

  • Franchise consultants set up shop to help someone who has the liquid capital to purchase a brand & its intellectual property, turnkey system/s, & in many cases, a ‘bricks & mortar’ location. Franchisees are far from cutting edge concept; although if you were talking with your grandparent(s), they would tell you that at 1 point, it was new & barely understood!

 

Solo-preneurial / proprietor

 

  • This is the simplest form. How do you monetize? Choices inc. hour for dollar billing ( ‘self employed’, creating your own job ); using a retainer; or working on a project basis. As with any form, there are pluses & the opposite; yet, if you’re very new to entrepreneurship, keeping things uncomplicated may be your wisest choice.

 

Gig / freelancer / contractor

 

  • Gig based businesses abound in our modern age; do depth based research to find options best for you.  Freelancing is very common in right brained, creative pursuits like social media, content/digital marketing, & writing.  Finally, being a contractor for a larger enterprise where you are offered more flexibility than an old school W-2 employee could very well be a win:win arrangement.

 

Broker / Agent

 

  • Insurance & real estate:  Both have high name recognizance, even by those who have never been entrepreneurial. Many of the agencies & companies operating in these very mature industries are always looking for someone who is servant minded & willing to tailor a solution to the consumer/prospective policyholder or buyer/seller ‘s unique needs.

 

Direct Sales

 

  • This form is newer on the block than its sister ( see below ).  How is it different than Ntwk Mkt/MLM?  It often generates income for the owner through the promotion of events versus growing a team.  For instance, you set up a cooking demo, offer products to those that attend at a % off, & build a relationship with them that goes beyond 1 transaction. Often, social media is used most often by these consultants, hosts, & associates.

 

Network Marketing ( MLM )

 

  • A mature form, when compared to its brother ( scroll up ), they’ve been options for upwards of a century! Yet, there is still much mis-understanding, inaccurate representation of its legality/lawfulness, etc.  This form is absolutely viable, esp. for those with people skills; those who are patient & don’t expect income overnight; or someone who is able to lead another by serving her first, a fundamental for building a team that replaces you.

 

Licensor / licensee

 

  • The licensee model is essentially ‘franchisee lite‘.  It has many elements of the latter, yet it doesn’t necessitate a bricks & mortar storefront;  often, you can be a mobile-preneur ( easily able to work at a coffee shop, coworking facility, or at home ). Licensors offer intellectual capital ( logos, brand awareness, a systems based approach to building revenue & cash flow ) in exchange for a 1 time, or recurring payment(s).

 

Lots of – ‘Preneurs!  Which are you?!

 

Profiles Worth Following

 

Sidepreneur

 

Mompreneurs

 

Teenpreneur Inc

 

Self directed Educational links

 

Employee vs Entrepreneur – Which is Riskier?

Actually, Starting Your Own Company …

Becoming an Entrepreneur …

 

In short …

 

  • Describing today’s economy
  • Inform, inspire, & instigate
  • 7 forms of energy: entrepreneurial options
  • Types of -preneurs
  • Three Twitter handles
  • For further learning …

 

Thank YOU for reading!

6 Science-Backed Activities For Leaders To Become More Zen In Life by @AngeKYoumatter

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by Angela Kambouris | Featured Contributor

Whether it’s mothers trying to separate teens from their screens to the busy executive going from conference calls to meditation, the evolution of technology impacts all facets of life. The digital world is permeating the fabric of life and its time to redefine the future of living.

As of December 2018, there are over 2.32 billion monthly active users worldwide on Facebook. There were 1.15 billion mobile daily active users. The average time spent per Facebook visit is 20 minutes and every 60 seconds, 510,000 comments are posted.

The average American spends 24 hours a week online. E-marketer trends forecasted that US adults would spend an average of 3 hours, 35 minutes per day on mobile devices in 2018 and by 2019 mobile will surpass TV as the medium attracting the most minutes in the US.

Smartphones and apps have changed the way we work, communicate and play. Technology is a double-edged sword. It brings people together, makes it easier for people to collaborate however the negative impact can be soul-destroying. People’s physical health is being compromised due to poor eating habits, working more late hours, exercising less through to posture issues, headaches, and the quality and quantity of sleep and emotional wellbeing being impacted.

It’s time to take back your overrun attention and life. Let’s dive into 6 actionable activities that support you to get your focus back, live more consciously and build a more mindful life.

Work Smart Rule

The Pareto principle, 80/20 rule is well known for 20% of your work is going to account for 80% of your results. If you apply this universal truth to business and life, you invest 20% of the time on the tasks that yield 80% of the results. Leveraging the principle involves in asking quality questions to decipher what you are investing your time in:

  • What have l done that has moved me closer to my vision?
  • What have l invested my time in that has had a negative or no impact on moving me towards my vision?
  • What would be the steps that l would need to take to move one step closer to my vision?
  • What would be the first thing l would implement to bring me closer?

By being specific, you will determine the very step you need to execute daily to become the most productive version of you. By organizing your daily tasks, you prioritize the key bite-sized chunks, you focus on the tasks with the highest payoffs and you tackle your top 20% of tasks first.  When you execute those tasks, your brain release dopamine, the feel-good hormone. By cultivating small achievements, you propel yourself to greater success.

Zen Time

The practice of mindfulness and meditation has been around for thousands of years. In more recent times, the business world has embraced these practices because research supports how these practices can change the wiring and makeup of your brain. Companies such as Google, Salesforce,  and Toyota have understood the personal benefits of mindfulness to support business objectives.

Training the mind to focus is becoming more critical than ever as your attention is being pulled in 1000 different directions at once. Learning the basics of mindfulness and meditation through courses, books, apps, and YouTube videos is readily available. Commitment to a daily practice, starting with dedicated time in your day to learning to be present. This can be a sitting meditation using an app such as Headspace or practice being in the moment when going for a walk.

The Art of Now

Being in the moment can be a reminder for you to be more mindful of wherever you happen to be. When emotions, thoughts or desires arise, you notice them, be kind to them and allow them to be just as they are. When you embrace the moment with an open mind, you merely observe without judgment. By being in the moment, research supports that by fine-tuning your ability to be present, you decrease your stress responses and increase your positive emotions. When you make room for the full range of your human experience, you will live with more inner peace.

Self-inquiry

Another way is to focus on the inner orchestra of your body by scanning from head to toe. Notice which part of the body you connect with and notice what you feel. Another way is to focus on one part of your body and notice the physical sensations you can feel. When you focus on bodily sensation you release tension that perhaps you were not aware of before. When you bring attention to areas of discomfort within the body you decrease symptoms of stress and improve psychological well-being.

Purposeful Action

Multi-tasking is a mere illusion and addictive. Your brain convinces you that it loves to multitask when in fact training your mind to focus on one thing at a time allows you to produce more meaningful results. When you commit to your actions being purposeful and deliberate, you slow everything down. You shut down your mental autopilot to allow the logical part of your brain steps into the driver’s seat.

Act of Nature

In our modern work, distraction is running rife. Being able to disconnect and go into nature, whether it be a walk, hike or just sitting, you re-sensitize yourself to the life and beauty around you.  Environmental Health and Preventative Medicine published a study that found participants that walked in a forest had lower blood pressure and levels of cortisol (referred to as the stress hormone) afterward than those who strolled through a city environment.

Shinrin-Yoku or “forest bathing” was developed in Japan during the 1980’s, designed to combat stress from overwork. Today, it has become a cornerstone of preventive health care and healing in Japanese medicine. By simply being in nature, connecting through your senses of sight, hearing, tastes, smell and touch. By opening your senses, it bridges the gap between you and nature.

Your repeated experiences will shape your thinking and the way you live your life. What your practice, grows stronger.

CoWorking is Cutting Edge ( and Cool! A Primer. ) by @SBSLEducSoltns

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Coworking is a remarkable concept that will enable many additional citizens to pursue their callings in entrepreneurship without the pratfalls of the prior 2 eras, the blue & white collar industrial ages.

 

No longer will the price tag, complexity, or fear of having to sign a multi-year lease, or rent to (eventually) own agreement be a stumbling block to the dream to be in control of your income stream(s); you’re now sharing costs & concurrently joining an entrepreneurial tribe.

 

What is coworking?!

 

This is a superb definition

 

Think it over: We’ve really only had this option for little more than a decade. Running parallel to the astonishing rise of social media & the proliferation of smart devices, co-working grew from humble beginnings.

 

At this point, choosing to become a member of an existing co working space, whether it’s new, or well established, tags you as a late ‘early adopter’ or at the onset of the ‘early majority’ class(es) of business owner/professional.

 

Intrigued to know more?  Please click here.

 

Options for your business’ physical presence

 

All things being equal, there are 4 choices:

 

  • Work from home.  The flexibility of merging personal & professional lives under 1 roof always has appeal. Yet, if you’re a mom-preneur, have other neighborly commitments, or are easily distracted by the mass media, you might want to ask the hard question: will you be productive, or will you be ‘’busy’ ?

 

  • The ‘coffee shop’ = office.  Whether its an independent cafe, Starbucks, or Panera Bread, maybe you arrive early in the AM, order coffee & bagel, set up your notebook/tablet in the far corner near an outlet, & start working; that remains viable for some amongst us.

  • Conventional ‘bricks & mortar’.  Some business models & professions simply must have their own physical space:  Medical office/clinic? Restaurant/bar? Retail, esp. a clothing store?

 

  • And, then, there’s coworking. This article breaks down common options that most any space in your metro area will, or already is, offering.

 

Click to Tweet

 

“We break down walls so that we can breakthrough in our businesses!”

 

— Cynthia Chiam

 

Plusses of Coworking

 

Choose from the 4 above; none are ‘wrong’ – each option will appeal to someone & that someone might be you. However, let’s focus on the benefits of coworking.

 

You quite likely will …

  • Save a significant amount
  • Opt into various perks ( who doesn’t love ‘complimentary’ coffee?!? )
  • Find flexibility ( month to month arrangements are commonplace )
  • Learn how easy it can be to ‘barter’ services &/or products with your community/tribe

 

What if …

 

… co working hasn’t yet come to my area?

Take heart: many visionaries haven’t yet pushed outside the top 25 metros.

As always, there’s a trail of ‘breadcrumbs’ that the profit motive will enable, bringing facilities to your city.

 

One pioneer shares his vision – click here to read a short Q&A w/ him.

 

How Does Co Working fit into the Gig Economy?

 

Jim Collins, in his terrific book, ‘Great by Choice’, taught us to be able to zoom in & zoom out.

 

Let’s zoom out …

 

… & answer this Q.

 

  • 1st, co working is similarly flexible.  Do your research & check as many options as exist in your area; most spaces heartily welcome entrepreneurs who don’t want to sign multi-year deals.
  • 2nd, the Gig economy spotlights project ( ‘gig’ ) based ‘work’; so does a co-working space. You can run this type of business easily & find much joy in the process
  • Next, this economy encourages interdependence, as does the coworking option. Your ‘benefits’ ( insurance, investment vehicle/s ) could very well come in a barter agreement with a sales pro who offers them to solopreneurs & sits right next to you in the space.
  • Last, your ability to be cash flow positive is accelerated; you can keep your prices aligned with your ideal avatars & earn more without having to pay steep lease or rent payments.

Suggested Profiles

 

Using hashtag #coworking as a starting point, I suggest 3 Twitter handles worth a follow:

 

Deskmag

 

kowrkdotcom

 

New Worker Magazine

 

If you happen to be in, or looking to move to, central OH …

… the options are a plenty! Here’s a quick primer on some tip top choices:

 

CoHatch

 

Brickhouse Blue

 

Haven Collective

 

&  Serendipity Labs

 

Fantastic ‘All in 1’ Resources

 

As with any topic, the internet is a treasure trove of goodness, when used for altruistic means.

 

Co-working is no exception to this mantra. Here are a handful:

 

https://www.visualcapitalist.com/visualizing-rise-co-working-spaces/

* the BEST. The infographic on the above from December 2018 is amazing!

 

Top 60 CoWorking Blogs, Websites, & …

 

From coworking spaces to who is …

 

In the Gig Economy, Coworking spaces …

 

In short …

 

  • What exactly is coworking? Let’s explore.
  • 4 options you have for locating your business.
  • The positives of choosing coworking
  • Coworking’s a big trend, yet it’s not everywhere yet. It will be, though. Stay tuned!
  • Coworking & the Gig Economy are ‘fellow travelers’ = deeply interrelated.
  • The Twitterverse, unsurprisingly, has valuable handles worth following

 

Thank YOU for reading!

8 Ways Women Leaders Inspire The Next Generation by @AngeKYoumatter

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Photo by Fox from Pexels

by Angela Kambouris | Featured Contributor

Women throughout history have led through great wisdom. J.K Rowling’s hopeful 2008 Harvard commencement speech, Oprah’s powerful 2018 Golden Globe acceptance speech and Lady Gaga’s 2019 Oscar’s acceptance speech reminding you that if you have a dream, fight for it. There is a discipline for passion, and it is not about how many times you get rejected or fall, it is about how times you stand up, are brave and keep moving forward. As Marilyn Monroe once said, “give a girl the right shoes, and she can conquer the world”.

Inspiring women derive from all walks of life. In today’s world, there is nothing more important than lifting each other up to thrive in success, to empower one another and to dare to lead by being brave in the face of fear.

Women today are CEO’s, entrepreneurs and so much more. When women lead with compassion, they inspire the next generation to rise to great heights than ever before.

Today, it is our responsibility to pay it forward by empowering all women to embrace opportunities and possibilities beyond the limits of their imagination. That within lies the power to reclaim your power, strength, and vulnerability to stand in your truth and propel yourself towards what you want for your life. By planting the seeds, women collectively can stand strong.

Women’s International Day will be celebrated on March 8 this year. It’s a perfect opportunity to celebrate women to better the world. Here are eight ways women leaders inspire the next generation.

 Refusal to stay in a box

Behind every successful woman is a tribe of other successful women who have her back. Women who came before us, fought for our freedom and laid the foundation that provides us the platform to honor the truest expression of ourselves today – Coco Chanel forward thinker revolutionalized societal expectations around fashion and relationships, Eleanor Roosevelt First Lady of the United States, independent and outspoken on the rights of women and other humanitarian causes, Indira Gandi the first female  prime minister of India strongly advocated for women’s rights and advanced India on the international stage and Oprah Winfrey had the longest-running daytime talk show on television, broadcast in 145 countries around the world and established her leadership academy for girls. These extraordinary women paved the way for modern movements and created pathways that altered the course of history for all women.

Breakthrough and rise

With so many obstacles on the road to gender equality, women must uplift each other despite culture’s habit of trying to pit us against each other. Women must propel each other forward instead of holding each other back. By harnessing the collective energy of women, you can inspire future and aspiring women leaders.

One project that has brought this to life is the Girl Child Empowerment Trust in Zimbabwe to engender active participation in the upliftment of the girl child, raising awareness of issues impacting girls and creating a common platform for communicating their needs. There is a fundamental understanding that empowering African women and girls in the spheres of economics, education, human rights, and politics has significant advantages, both for the women and their families and their culture.

Be the leader you always were

Leadership always starts with you. As women, you must delve deep into your reflection to truly witness self-love and empowerment. Sustainable success will not come from fitting into anybody else’s mold, its imperative to live your own life and lead like the woman you are.  One cannot lead others, if you cannot lead yourself.

Embracing your feminine energy

As more women enter the C-suite or start their own companies, investing in embracing your feminine energy by trusting intuition, amplifying compassion and embodying patience, leads to a more holistic business. Traditionally women have been encouraged to emulate masculine leadership qualities to climb the corporate ladder however when women step into their true identities with openness, transparency, owning emotions, being clear about values, vulnerabilities and fears, modern audiences embrace the humanness when it comes to leading.

Want to lead like a woman, know your leadership journey

When women are fully aligned with their values, you preserve your energy, create flow states where you become a force for positivity. Conscious and inclusive leaders have stories about how they achieved their success. Sharing the story and your vulnerabilities hold power by connecting authentically with your people, customers, and investors.

Influencing relationships

When it comes to the workplace, women bring tremendous executive social skills that increase team work, they work more egalitarian and focus on bringing out the best in their people. Women encourage a high level of self-awareness and are conscious of the health of their teams. Psychology today supports due to women’s neurological make-up, women are more empathetic and as a result more likely to be better at tapping into their senses about how others are reacting.

Women who tap into their expansive thinking tend to expand strategy to a longer-term view. Women see possibilities through new ideas and innovative thinking, value empathy and collaboration which is part of their hard-wiring. Women leaders express competition differently by influencing relationships rather than hunting for the kill.

Queen Bee phenomenon

Unfortunately, the “queen bee” phenomenon surfaces within organizations as senior-level women distance themselves from junior women to be more accepted by male colleagues. When women snub other women, fail to support each other and communication breakdowns, these environments permeate and stain the fabric of the organization.

To breakthrough cultural experiences of competition rather than collaboration, creating a dedicated space, such as women-owned lunches to share challenges and celebrate success are opportunities within male-dominated industries. When you bring groups of people together, you appreciate that problems are not specific to you but in fact, are collective challenges. Being together creates an improved flow of information and a sense of unity that we are in this together.

Invest in women

Every time a woman brings her personal style confidently, you signal to other women that it is okay. If you want to uplift other women, lead by example. Women bring different flavors to the table and when you recognize excellence in other women, and yourself, you strengthen the capacity to let others shine through you.

Sponsorship is a phenomenal way to capture achievements, create a culture of support, recognizes and celebrates people and as an advocate, you can link them with opportunities on their behalf. It is an excellent way for future leaders to be brought to the attention of executives.

Today, the world demands moments where the power of women’s voices must be heard. Women must be invited to illuminate the world in their unique way. You all have the responsibility and the capacity to stand in your power, embrace your vulnerabilities and amplify your strengths in your approach to empower future generations of women.

13 Ways Leaders Re-Boot Employee Engagement In Business by @AngeKYoumatter

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13 Ways Leaders Re-Boot Employee Engagement In Business

by Angela Kambouris | Featured Contributor

Can you remember when you first joined your team, full of enthusiasm, passion, and determination you were going to make a difference? You are pumped with new ideas, strategies and palpable energy that would permeate the walls of any building.

Then as time progressed, days turn into months, your energy plateaued, your enthusiasm waned, and you began to feel disconnected. Frustrations mounted, roadblocks seemed like unachievable peak tops. If this sounds familiar, you are around great company. No one is immune to feeling alone, experiencing the same frustrations or at times the lack of productivity. All levels of the organization, including entrepreneurial leaders have experienced at some point the disconnect. The good news is that many have also risen above to confront and re-engage within their organization.

Here is a list of thirteen actionable ideas to re-boot engagement in your business.

Time is precious

Leaders must spend time with their team member, both formally through training, coaching, performance and informally through conversations, coffee and morning tea. By engaging in conversations that determine skill gaps, what you need to close the gap and the behaviors you want to change and impact with your team creates an opportunity to identify the priorities for the next 30 and 90 days, both individually and as a collective group. The power is in the conversation.

Results, not input

An emphasis must be on outcomes and the end results rather than input. Leaders must shift the responsibility to the employee to determine how individually they can work and fulfill their responsibilities. When leading others, employees must learn to see clearly that their success or lack of, is not determined by managers or circumstances but is in their own hands. Leaders empower people to become experts at leading themselves.  When you let people drive their results, they hold themselves accountable.

Can l see you?

Visibility within the organization, speaking at meetings with your people, channeling nervous energy into adding value, presenting information that taps into all representational systems – logical information, using body language, compelling visuals and engaging the audience, creates a space to bring your people along graciously. When you are clear about communication styles, inclusivity breeds.

Future leaders

You want your people to feel more connected and engaged, include employees in company strategy. People feel more empowered, it doesn’t cost anything, respect permeates the culture, people feel heard, different ideas are brought to the table and the identification of future leaders are revealed.

Collective thinking

There is strength in bringing together teams from different areas – internal or external – for a workplace lunch, industry conference or individually to work on a project. The power of collaborating, bringing fresh ideas, problem-solving or sharing best practice knowledge, cultivates strong professional relationships that benefit both people and business.

Walk and talk

Walk and talk meetings or mentoring walks lead to healthy minds and healthy business performance and productivity. When you get and move, immerse yourself in the fresh air you will be amazed at how productive people feel. It starts at the top.

Imagine having time to create what inspires you

Google introduced a 20 percent program where employees spend 20 percent of their time at work doing whatever they like. In a smaller company, a variation may be one week out of every 8 weeks to work on a passion project. By encouraging your people to work on side projects you promote skill development, learning of new technologies and an ability to explore untouched territories in the marketplace. Encouraging creativity makes sound business sense and it helps you attract the best talent.

4-Day week

Given the digital world has had a profound impact on everyday life, including work hours, companies are now looking at cutting their work week to 4 days a week resulting in higher productivity in business, more motivated staff and less burnout. In New Zealand, Perpetual Guardian, a trust company reported that since the pilot of a 32 hour week in 2018, there had been a fall in stress and an increase in staff engagement.

A personal assistant for the week

Giving a little help by hiring a personal assistant for a day or week to recognize the time and effort your people have put in every single day, creates ripples within your organization. A dedicated person to work through administration and menial tasks that must be done so the recognized person can have an opportunity to dedicate time to working on their passion project for the week. Imagine the ROI.

Employee Award ideas

Recognizing and rewarding the efforts of your people can be done in a fun and innovative way. Start with identifying the fundamental values within the workplace that you want your people to be alignment with and identify titles that can be celebrated once a month. For instance, rewarding improving the quality of customer service in the company, a title may be for an award “Customer Whisperer”; awarding a top performer may be “Hall of Fame” award; an appreciation award for making a difference to people within the company “The Master Yoda Award” and “The Marvel team” award that celebrates and appreciates team effort and results.

Meaningful words

Mantras help unite people under a common purpose, supports employees to humanely connect with your brand and product and is a uniquely powerful source of motivation. One way to leverage the mantra is by making it visible throughout the building on posters, t-shirts, or in a workplace manifesto painted on a wall in the building. Make it meaningful and watch how people embody your brand and unleash the power of your team.

Rapid-fire

One way to start the day is to create a sense of team spirit with a rapid-fire catch–up. Fifteen minutes of sharing your wins, roadblocks and focus for the day. Team conversations ensure all members are on the same page and have an awareness of how to best support each other.

Pulse performance

When you create environments where pulse performance practices are embedded that encourage regular feedback, monthly check-ins, ongoing discussions to ensure alignment with objectives, exposing blind spots and amplifying strengths, magic happens. Leadership development in today’s climate is non-negotiable. By coaching managers in providing feedback with an attitude of ‘what needs to be done next’ rather than rating past performance and induces dialogue on a deeper level as people want to be able to grow and be better. The more personal development opportunities within the organization, the more you will retain talent.

When you tap into the genuine commitment of unlocking the human potential within your organization, people re-engage, and success comes to those who dare to be brave.