Playing Bigger
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I went to Fabienne Frederickson’s Client Appreciation event in Marina Del Rey on Thursday night. I’m still buzzed because I was SO inspired by not just her words and advice, but by the many attendees that I spoke to who had previously taken her workshops and experienced profound transformations in their businesses and attitudes about success.
Getting the chance to give Fabienne a hug and chat with her was worth the drive for me, but what I was most moved by was the sincerity and passion these women (and men – Jonathan Mitchell, you were awesome!) had about growing their businesses in a way that serves people. I mean if all you ever watched was reality TV and late night infomercials (which it seems the majority of people in this country does), you would never get the idea that that is what building a business is all about: Serving people. Sharing your gifts and talents in a way that helps someone else to grow, thrive, learn, etc.
After having been online for a few months, I’d heard (and I must admit, grown quite weary of) all the rhetoric such as “Play a Bigger Game”, Take your Business to the Next Level”, “Master your Mindset”, et. al. Seriously, all I kept saying to myself was “can someone please just tell me how to get some paying customers…please?”
But after Fabienne’s event, I must say that the phrase “playing a bigger game” takes on a whole new meaning for me now. It’s not about rhetoric; it’s about recognizing, and constantly reminding ourselves, that it is our DUTY to share what we know with other people. We are responsible for helping others by being our authentic selves and operating “our magic” as only we can. It’s why we’re here.
The other major thing that stays with me from that eveing is a quote that Fabienne attributed to one of her mentors, but unfortunately I can’t remember who it was. Nonetheless, it’s a powerful quote, one that’s been playing over and over in my head for the past 2 days:
“When you’re interested in something, you do what’s convenient; when you’re committed to something, you do whatever it takes.”
I know that those words alone will inspire me to keep taking action to spread the word about my business – to share my gifts with whomever my path crosses in the hopes of helping as many people as I can.
What about you? What inspires you to share your talents with the world around you?
Popularity: 41% [?]
Tags: building a business, business workshops, small businessThe (He)Art of Conversation
Came across the following quote in my online travels today:
“Past hurts cause us to protect our hearts. Future happiness depends on our recognition (and breaking down) of the walls that we put up around us.”
It’s a bit of a paraphrase because my computer froze up and when I re-booted I couldn’t find the advertisement again…but I digress. The quote stood out to me because it reminded me of on ongoing “conversation” I have with my husband about the nature of relationships, or more specifically communication in intimate relationships.
I chide him from time to time about how he will sometimes “glaze over” if I’m talking about something I’m excited about and I’m just chattering away. But, on the other hand if someone, like a friend or acquaintance, was chatting away about the same thing, he’d be fully engaged and interactive with them.
His take is that relationships between spouses or partners are very different than casual or other familial relationships and therefore fraught with so much baggage and history that conversation is bound to be somewhat less engaging than it is with other people.
My take is that it is precisely because there is so much baggage and history, that the conversation needs to make extra effort to stay engaged and interactive – even when it’s annoying or uncomfortable. Why? Well, serendipitously, as I was pondering this question, I came across a great blog post by a woman named Marnie, aka NellaLouise, of the excellent blog Smiling Buddha Cabaret. Her blog post discusses real conversation versus ‘talk’.
“Once fear and ego are addressed a conversation is possible. Once we realize that vulnerability is not a weakness to be disguised by aggression, silence, nonchalance or all the other fronts we put up, then meaning can happen.
Real conversation brings resolution. It’s not always pleasant nor does it always end with smiles. Sometimes the conversation first needs to be about being heard. Sometimes the conversation has to be about endings as much as beginnings. Sometimes it has to be about pain rather than pleasure. But it always leads to clarification and furthers understanding.
Converstion is far more intimate than talk. It comes and goes from the heart.”
Popularity: 100% [?]
Tags: Couples Communication, relationship conversation, Relationship Repair2010 Homebuyer Tax Credit
Tax season is upon is and, for entrepreneurs, that means figuring out what we can write off as a business expense. Here is a little tip. If your business is doing well and you find yourself at a point in your life where you are thinking about buying a home or moving up to a larger home, you can take advantage of a government stimulus package called the 2010 Homebuyer Tax Credit.
This is actually a credit that has been expanded this year to include, not only first time homebuyers, but those homebuyers who have lived in their current residence for a while and want to upgrade. The credit is $6500 for those who currently own and have lived in their home for at least 5 of the last 8 years. For new homebuyers or people who have not owned a home for at least 3 years, the tax credit is $8000.
So, if you are thinking about or in the process of buying and you can get a written contract by April 30, 2010 and close by June 30, 2010, you should definitely look into taking advantage of this. However, there are certain limitations. For instance, income levels cannot exceed $125,000 for singles and $225,000 for married couples. Also, the price of the home being purchased cannot be in excess of $800,000. To find out all the details you need to know, here is a link to more information - Home Buyer Tax Credit.
I hope this information is useful. I will be posting more tips and suggestions frequently on this site so check back soon. If you have any ideas or helpful hints of your own that you would like to share, I welcome your input.
Popularity: 19% [?]
Tags: 2010 Home Buyer Tax Credit, tax tipsWorking at Home Mom? Learn From My Mistake!
No doubt about it, being a working at home mom is challenging. People tend to focus on the at home part, but from my experience, the emphasis is definitely on the word work! As I write this, my two young daughters lay soundly sleeping in their beds and it is EARLY in the morning – the only time I can manage to really get any work done. I’ve experimented with various schedules: work while they watch tv (not recommended), get a p/t sitter (expensive, especially on days when the creative juices are really flowing), work after they go to bed (and….snore….snore…snore – you get the picture). In the end, it turned out that early mornings work really well for me – I’m fresh, alert and, blissfully, alone.
The journey to the perfect (for me) work at home schedule was a long and arduous one. I spent about 2 years falling flat on my face with missed deadlines, late appointments, under-scheduled play-dates and waaaaaaay overdue library books. I was juggling far too many things with far too little help – for far too long. The turning point for me came when my, at the time, 4 year old daughter asked me why I had to work on the computer all the time. I explained to her (in 4-year old terms) that I had to work with people called clients who needed my help. She went away for a few minutes to play and then came back (with the saddest face ever!) and said
“Mommy, I wish I was one of your clients.”
Sigh…
I didn’t EVER want to see that sad face again (not on account of my neglect!), so I determined right then and there that I would do whatever I could to only work when I was not with them (or when they were not awake). Of course it took me awhile to work it all out (and to get used to getting up so early!) but I was single-minded in my goal. And I made sure to keep my daughter in the loop and let her know that I was actively working to change the schedule around to her benefit.
Now this type of schedule may be impossible (or undesirable) for some people – I know a lot of stayat home moms who can’t bring themselves to open even one EYE before their kids wake up. But whether it’s early morning, late nights, during school hours or daycare, I encourage you to choose a work schedule that is agreeable for both you AND your kids. It makes a tremendous difference for them…and gives real meaning to the reason you probably decided to embark on the working at home moms journey in the first place. I lost sight of that reason for a little while. Please learn from my mistake.
To your Unlimited success!,
Tisha
Popularity: 46% [?]
Tags: work at home blog, working at home momFreebie Friday!
Hi ladies! Here’s a little something for you if you’ve been feeling a bit overwhelmed. It’s Nicole Dean’s fantastic ebook “Effective Yet Simple Strategies to Getting More Done when Working From Home”. Nicole is a very successful internet marketer who works from home while parenting 2 children and homeschooling her 12-year old.
Her ebook is chock-ful of tips and ideas to help you grow your business and manage your household with MUCH less stress and frustration.
I know each one of you can find something in there to help you stay sane (and stay in biz!). Enjoy – and have a FABULOUS weekend!
Popularity: 32% [?]
Tags: busy home biz, home biz organizing, overworked moms, time management strategiesReal Home Business Ideas for Moms
Everybody’s talking about how easy it is to find work-at-home success these days. Problem is, there’s a lot of information but little substance. You can try chasing the latest MLM or Direct Sales craze OR you can check out Nicole Dean’s awesome site Just Add Sweat. I have spent the last 5 years trying out various work from home business opportunities and more often than not I was disappointed with the lack of financial reward for the time, money and energy I invested.
Then I started paying attention to what successful work at home moms were doing. And when I say successful, I don’t mean adding a few extra dollars of spending money to the budget…I’m talking about women who are earning 6 and 7 figure incomes from their work-at-home efforts. When I started listening and learning from the do-ers instead of the talkers, my whole approach to my business changed – and so did my earnings. There are a number of websites and products that I found to be unbelievably helpful resources for growing my business and internet marketing skills. By far, the number one lesson I learned on my entrepreneurial journey was figuring out how to work “smarter not harder.”
Keeping in line with my desire to help other moms get out of the ‘paycheck rut’ I hope to save you all lots of valuable time and energy by sharing these amazing resources with you. And yes, in exchange for passing on what I consider to be some incredible information to my readers I may sometimes receive a small compensation. But as far as I’m concerned, it’s a matter of quality, NOT quantity as the saying goes. I will ONLY refer those products or services that have helped me in my home business endeavors and that I find to be valuable enough to pass on to others (and the cool thing is – with a little research and testing you can do this too!). On Nicole’s website you will find several ebooks designed to get you up and running quickly with your home business – not next month, but RIGHT NOW. No theory here…just concrete, proven, low-cost, money-making ideas and the steps to implement them with the skills you already have!
Popularity: 35% [?]
Tags: business ideas for moms, coaching for moms, mom biz coach, moms in small business business, Moms starting businessesGuaranteed Success
During a recent move to a new house, I was looking through an old journal of mine and I surprised myself a little bit. Prior to the move, my family had experienced some financial difficulties that made the last couple of years a bit more stressful than I would have liked. We muddled through, of course, but I would often think about different choices my husband and I could have made that would have spared us the struggles with money. I lamented my lack of commitment to the career path I had previously chosen (acting…yeah, I know) and what things might have been like if I had chosen another career altogether. But then my spiritual side bubbled up, as always, and reminded me that if I hadn’t gone down the pathways that I did, I wouldn’t be who I am – and I generally like who I am.
So – back to the matter at hand – the thing that surprised me a bit as I was reading this journal was not so much the misses in the big picture of my life but the small strokes that I had kinda forgotten about. Or, more to the point, the things that stood out for me the most were things that I tend to often take for granted. As I looked through the list of things I had written that I wanted to have in my life – well, as the song goes, “they were right before my eyes”: I had started not one but three small businesses, I’ve worked at home (with my kids by my side) almost since they were both babies, I married a man with a heart as big as the ocean, I’m incredibly blessed with a ridiculously loving, supportive family and I’ve made AMAZING friends that I know I can always count on. And these are things that exist in my life simply because they were my heart’s desire. So, the lesson for me was that, no, things don’t always work out the way we plan for them to – but if we focus on our dreams and then go about our lives with the intention of making them happen, then some things will ABSOLUTELY work out! Simple, I know, but it certainly shifted my thoughts from lack to gratefulness and all the possibilities of things I have yet to manifest in my life. Will I make a smashing success of everything I wish for? Probably not. But will I recognize and celebrate more readily all the positive things in my life? With all my heart!
And speaking of positive things – I want to share a video that I saw on the National Association of Home-Based Business Mom’s website. The organization is run by Debbie LaChusa, one of the many wonderful women entrepreneurs I’ve been following and admiring on my journey as a work at home mom. The video is a tribute to all the moms out there seeking to find balance between work and parenthood – you’re not alone! Check it out and enjoy…
http://www.nahbm.com/free-stuff/
Popularity: 32% [?]
Tags: gratitude, living in gratitude, moms working at home, money management, thankfulnessTweet-Out
Okay, so I think enough is enough. I understand that technology is awesome. I appreciate that we can reach people half-way around the world with a single click of the mouse. I too am Linked In, Face Booked, Twittered and I Digg it. But how much is too much?
Until recently, I resisted signing up for any of the above-mentioned accounts. When I first jumped on the social media bandwagon, I had just updated my website and created my first blog. I thought it would be a good way to let potential clients know that I was available for phone sessions and also to start offering some great hypnosis products from companies I was affiliated with. But then I began to experience some disturbing things – time, hours even, seemed to fly by when I was checking messages and interacting on my accounts. I would sit down to check one thing and before I realized what was happening, I got sucked into conversations, links, news items, pictures – even the often mundane details of other random people’s lives. As I became thoroughly hooked, I started noticing that when I was out at appointments or running errands, I was thinking of stuff I wanted to post on my accounts, people I needed to respond to or new and old friends I wanted to find or invite to sign up. When I got home, I would try to avoid heading straight to the computer, but inevitably I would get sucked once again into the vortex. Worst of all, I started looking for activities or projects that my kids could do without my assistance so that I would be free to get my screen-time in.
So, I’ve decided that my foray into social media is best left for scheduled times ONLY, and outside of that I am not allowed even one tweet. This does feel a little bit dramatic, but I think that’s only because I was on the way to being a junkie. Better to go through withdrawal now than add it to the list of ever-growing things that no longer seem like a convenience, but a necessity (cable, cell phone, wireless router – this means you!).
Eventually, I even plan on having a day or two in the week where there is NO emailing, texting, tweeting, FB updates – no computer access at all allowed. The goal would be to spend a whole day or two engaging in the world outside of my computer. Dusting off my handwriting and composing an actual letter that I send from the post office. Making phone calls to friends again. Walking to a local café without my computer or iPod. Meeting friends for a leisurely dinner out, instead of ordering in.
So a weekly virtual black-out is the plan. Anyone care to join me?
Popularity: 32% [?]
Tags: home business, isolation in home business, networking from home, social media overload, WAHMs issuesAre You Ready to Take Your Freelancing Business to the Next Level?
The small business sector is on fire. There are thousands of new businesses springing up every day and the ease and affordability of Internet access has made much of the growth in entrepreneurship today possible. This is wonderful news for freelancers and here’s why.
As business continues to heat up for online companies, managers are feeling the pressure to have quick access to reliable specialists who can
- Update the design of a website
- Write content for web pages, article marketing campaigns and brochures
- Proofread ebooks, manuscripts and promotional copy
- Provide customer service for web based or telephone help centers and
- Manage administrative and accounting tasks with ease and professionalism.
Many small businesses can not afford to hire employees. They may not have the office space or have enough work for a full time person. This makes temporary help so attractive.
The challenge today for a business owner is knowing where to turn to for this temporary or “as needed” assistance. A temporary employment agency can be costly and putting an advertisement in the newspaper can be time consuming and costly without necessarily providing the person that is really needed.
As a freelancer you know this already, but now there’s a freelancer’s directory that is helping to make that message loud and clear for you-the highly skilled female freelancer.
Shelancers is an online directory of professional female freelancers including graphic designers, bookkeepers, copywriters, virtual assistants, marketing specialists, website designers and many other professionals. This is a directory on a mission to help female freelancers push their businesses to the next level of success. Promotion and education go hand in hand at Shelancers.
“I decided to join Shelancers as a cost effective means of building up my client base. Shelancers is positioning itself as the “go-to” online directory for small businesses looking for the right professional to get the job done on time. They are also passionate about helping women to achieve financial success by sharing information on the best ways to succeed as a freelance professional today,” explains Nicole Dean of Just Add Sweat.
Business owners who choose Shelancers are selecting a directory that features freelancers who are benefiting from the professional information and resources created specifically for Shelancers’ members. Resources include monthly reports, audio recordings and an active online discussion board where members can pose questions and discuss best practices in their fields.
The Shelancers directory also offers users easy online navigation tailored specifically for the needs of business owners/hiring managers. Service providers are listed according to service categories (e.g., accounting, web design, copywriting, virtual assistants, marketing, etc.). Each listing provides freelancer contact information and available client feedback to help hiring managers/owners to readily secure references, quotes and samples of relevant work.
If you’re a freelancer looking for a directory with the right services and support to position you for long term success it’s time for you to visit Shelancers.
Popularity: 32% [?]
Tags: freelancing, outsourcing, virtual assistants, work at homeNeed Some Ideas?
Are you are looking for ideas for starting a business, or expanding your current business? Do you know you want to work from home, or at least work for yourself, but wonder just what you should do?
I really enjoy helping people come up with business ideas, and would love to be a part of making your work at home dream a reality!
So, here’s all you need to do:
Reply to this post telling me about what you love to do and would like to turn into a business or add to your existing business. Even if you don’t think it’s possible! Even if you don’t think there’s any money in it!
Examples:
What are your hobbies, favorites, passions, causes you support, things your friends/family ask your advice about, things you do better than others, talents, gifts, things you have a flair for, things you wish you could do more of if you had the time, etc.
Then, I’ll brainstorm ideas for you. Even if you think you’ve already thought of everything, you might be surprised. Pleasantly so!
So, who’s first?
P.S., if you’re shy about posting, send me a private email message here.
Popularity: 31% [?]
Tags: home biz coaching, mom biz coaching, mom biz ideas, small business ideas-
Feeling Overwhelmed?
•Do you often feel that parenthood is great, but...you need more? Do you feel guilty about that feeling?
•Do you struggle with self-doubt?
•Is your life in limbo because you're stuck in the past, rehashing old regrets time and time again?
•Are you ready to get serious about your true passions and live life like you mean it?
Link to Biz Mommy!
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