Don't give up!

This morning I had to dip into my savings to cover my taxes and bills.  I was on the phone with a lovely Charles Schwab representative who sounded young enough to be my daughter.  But as the conversation ended she and I extended it to the economy and how things were going and I shared my story with her.  Why I am sharing it with you is because I found myself telling her how "hopeful" I was that these turn of events will wind me up on a really good path. And so I wanted to share that sentiment with you.

Don't give up...don't give in and don't stop believing that you can make it!  Yes, the times are challenging us in ways we really never wanted to believe were possible but that also means there are new opportunities out there that were never ever possible.  What I found myself sharing with this young woman was the importance of believing in yourself as well as the importance of being able to shift your paradigm...and create a new vision for how you will work in this new economic time.  It can be an exciting adventure and one that moves you to reach a much more comfortable place in your life.  I know people who still have plenty of financial resources but have no idea what they will do for the rest of their life.  They are young, in their 40's and are lost in the freedom they currently are experiencing.  Sometimes I think the person who is struggling is more adaptable than the person who is financially secure because they are in a survival mode which keeps you on edge...moving, vigilant and on the hunt for the next money making opportunity.

I believe that people can make their own success but that goes hand in hand with creating a lifestyle that matches the opportunities that are out there.  If you have big dreams and a big lifestyle then you are going to need to work big and work harder to maintain that.  If you have small dreams and a smaller lifestyle then your needs can be met through a smaller economic goal.  But, if you have big dreams and a smaller lifestyle then all your financial success can create a greater opportunity to not only take care of yourself and/or family but to have something left over that you can use to help others with their dreams.

So...if this Monday morning is another reminder to you that you're still struggling to make things work...don't give up....just stay committed to your process...re-read your goals and make a new list of ways in which you can bring income in and stay afloat while you hone your skills as a small business owner.

I'm here in the struggle with you...wishing for the best to come to all of you!

Hiring People to help you with your Business -

I was just contacted by someone who has a small business that they run out of their home office.  This is the type of client that I really enjoy working with...why, because there are so many things I can help them with besides getting their books set up or cleaned up. 

As I've written before, this economy has created new opportunities for people who would otherwise be gainfully employed.  People are going down new paths by starting their own businesses or exploring self-employment or contract work.  Often these folks are just moving forward quickly without much planning.  In fact, I think it is probably the rare individual who actually takes the time to do a formal plan...at least that's been my experience.  Of course many self-employed people are providing services and those types of businesses are pretty easy to get started.  Low overhead, low cash outlay.  But even these people need help recording their transactions and keeping organized so tax season isn't a fiasco... which brings me back to what I wanted to mention here.

It is very important when you are meeting with your new bookkeeper, insurance broker, graphic designer or even attorney that you have enough conversation to determine if they are listening.  I have met with people who fired their last bookkeeper or insurance agent or???? because they didn't believe that the individual was listening to them or understood where they were coming from.  No matter how experienced, talented or informed they may be, if they are not good listeners, over time, things will probably get off track and you will become frustrated and not even realize why.
Listening is an important skill for anybody.  Without this skill you will be missing one of the most critical factors in developing a relationship with your client.  When you can listen and actually encapsulate what was expressed to you and repeat it back ... you will be surprised at the reaction of the party on the other side.  Why?  Because when someone feels they have been heard they are more likely to move forward with this person whether it is a business relationship or a personal relationship. When you know you are heard...that this person "gets you" you are far more likely to want to work with the person.  The same is true for people you interview to work for you.  If they cannot reiterate what you've told them then something is missing.  There is nothing more frustrating than having people around you who don't listen.  There is enough on your plate without adding this variable to your otherwise busy life.

So once you've determined that someone has the skills to do the job you want them to do, take the additional time to test their listening skills - then decide if you want this person on your team!

Short & Sweet and to the point that deserves a reminder!

The other day I was reviewed  a list I have of motivational business quotes and this is the one that struck me as being important considering all of us are building our future business in challenging times, wondering will it work?  Is the business out there?  Are we crazy???  The following quote summed up what I think are the most important points we need to remember:

"Success in business requires training and discipline and hard work.  But if you're not frightened b these things, the opportunities are just as great today as they ever were."

David Rockefeller

Anyone who has reached any level of success has had to become good at all three parts.  Learning a skill, trade or profession takes training...be it on-the-job, school or the hard knocks of life but becoming an individual who is trained at something is the first step. 

Next is discipline.  I have almost had a romantic notion about writing and how wonderful a life it would be to be an author.  But when I've read interviews with successful authors what stood out was the discipline by which they met each day.  Write write write...each day, every day.  And finally, hard work.  There are those people who think that success just happens.  Let me correct that thought...success does happen after hard work that is consistent, focused and disciplined.

If you can integrate these three ideas into your goal of building a business the odds are with you that you will be successful...why?  Because most people give up too easily; too quickly and find success much to "hard" to achieve.  You know differently so go for it!

Does work bring you want you want?

I think some of us get lost in the pressures of life and forget that this is our life and we need to be in charge of how it goes.  Some of you may have seen the article about a couple that decided to downsize and simplify their life -  But will it make you happy?   This article is not just about a couple making significant lifestyle changes but about an economy and culture that supports the need for more.  Working more, having more, buying more, doing more...more and more and faster and faster.  Don't get the idea that I think those who work hard and reap success are wrong.  Far from it - I think it's great that there are people like that.  Our economy needs them and so does the culture but that lifestyle is not for everyone...and that is my point.

Recently I was thinking about my situation and how challenging this 'building a business' is for me and I thought back to when I was in my late teens and early 20's.  Back then and even through my 30's & 40's I thought I was going to be "something".  Of course I had no idea what that "something" was but I had convinced myself that it was going to be big.  Yet, as the years passed and life presented various challenges both good ones and not so good ones, I did my best to make it through.  When I examined my patterns what emerged was my strong need for independence and choice.  Even though I worked as an employee most of my working career, I gravitated towards small companies or positions that would allow freedom & flexibility.  I worked hard, became a valuable employee and the benefit I gained and most valued was freedom/flexibility.   To do what?  To spend time riding my horse...to have breakfast on a weekday morning so I could sit and read.  To be able to enjoy a day when everyone else was working seemed to give me a a sense of satisfaction that I could do what I needed to preserve who I was.

Now that my path has changed it's course once again the same needs...freedom and choice...remain most important to me, but I have come to realize that I am not going to be "something" - instead I am just a regular person who is living the life I have built over time.  I am one of the those people who is being "something" by living life and enjoying it in a way that makes the most sense to me.  Getting to this realization has given me such a sense of peace and comfort.  I am happy with where I am and my desire to build a business.  My success comes with my ability to connect with and help others manage their finances while, at the same time, giving me time to enjoy my life.  Without even knowing it, I've finally become that "something" I always wanted to be...it's just that I didn't know what it would look like until now.

How to convey ideas to self and others?

Just this morning I was reading the NYTimes on-line and ran across a great visual addressing all the ideas of money, finance, planning for the future that each and every one of us considers.  It was done in such a unique and creative way I just had to share it.

Here it is -  The Sketchpad: Personal Finance on a Napkin  It draws you into exploring what the ideas are about and hopefully gets you thinking about where you stand and how you would rate yourself.

As we have all learned over time, no one person has the correct answer for all which is why it is important that we take responsibility for educating ourselves about money and the ideas around managing it.  Not that we have to be a whiz at every aspect of financial planning, investments, life insurance, as that makes no sense, but it is our responsibility to ourselves to have at least a global understanding so we can choose people who can help us get to where we want to go.

That, of course, suggests that we know where we are going.  I think that answer isn't always available to folks who work hard in a jobs that only allow them to cover their basic needs.  If you are just living check to check, you may not be able to take the time to think about the future or even believe there is a financial future for you.  But believe me, even those folks who can only save a few dollars here and there are trying to plan for tomorrow.

Take a look at this article and enjoy it's message.  Hopefully for those of you who, like myself, are visual learners, you'll start thinking again how you can better manage your own personal finances.

Tracking your Progress

How do you keep yourself motivated?  How do you link your marketing efforts to results? 

Without thinking we are always working to build our business.  When you are relaxing or cycling, taking a walk or even watching your favorite TV program...your mind is probably drifting to thoughts on how to get more business and create more success.  I don't know about any of you but I am always thinking about how to build my business.  Sometimes I wish I could shut my brain off and stop the process but right now it is so important to me to make ends meet that I am almost obsessed with the idea.

One thing I have done from the very beginning is to keep a journal of everything I do.  If I send out marketing letters I write down how many and to whom they went.  If I put an ad on Craigslist I write it down.  If I call someone and have a conversation about business...I write it down.  If I am actually working for a client I write it down.  Writing it down is important for me.

Why???  Because I review constantly what I've done and where I need to follow-up.  As I've said before and stressed over and over following up is key to getting to where you want to go.  If you have no record of all the effort you've made to get clients, there will be days when you feel like you're going nowhere...spinning your wheels and it "just ain't so!" 

So to stay motivated and feeling good about moving forward find a way that works for you.  Track your progress so you can evaluate results.  What did you do that got you a client?  What did you do that provided nothing towards your effort?  Did the cold calling prove to be a good investment of time?  Did you follow up with these people?  Continue to search your book and you'll find the questions that are specific to your efforts and they will show you that you're working hard to build your business...and that will get you up and working each and every day!

Good References for People in Business

I've always been an advocate for reading as much as you can on business.  Not all of us are gifted in our ability to absorb knowledge or create new and exciting adventures that end up making millions of dollars.  To the contrary, most of us wind up doing things we know how to do and make a business out of it.  Paul Hawken wrote a wonderful book "Growing a Business" which was about the creation of Smith & Hawkens -- it followed his travels from beginning to end and it serves as a very inexpensive education on what it takes to make something successful. 

Another very valuable book is "The "E" Myth" by Michael Gerber.  This book really points out how people who are very skilled turn their skills into a business - self-employment opportunity but find themselves trapped by their inability to grow beyond their skills.  When I read it I had many moments of realizing I did the same.

I will follow up with other books that help you understand the challenges that all people going into business for themselves encounter.  They are fun to read and they will inspire you to never give up on your dream!