What happens to your business when you can't function? Things to think about when the principal is taken out.

These past 3 weeks have been brutal - influenza followed by pneumonia and then a bout of laryngitis to top it off.  My voice is essential to my business. I'd be lying if I didn't admit to indulging in a little self pity. After all, I have experience with loss - tunnel vision led to loss of one career that required a driver's license. But self pity is a topic for another day.

I am cautiously optimistic about being on the mend. There have been times this past 3 weeks when I believed I was recovering only to have a setback again.

What plan do you have in place for WHEN YOU THE PRINCIPAL IS TAKEN OUT of your business? Do you even have a plan?

I didn't have a plan. BUT it has become front of mind for me now. I was absolutely blindsided by the illness.  I had no idea that I would be unable to function for 3 solid weeks - I need my voice to operate. I need energy to get things done especially at this time of year. I had neither. I handled the 3 programs that I had in the works by appealing to the good hearts of the attendees. That's not the most professional way to do business.

There's an insurance that you can purchase that kicks in when the principal is taken out. I want to know more about that.

But let's say you do have that insurance, is there anyone that you would bring in to manage your affairs? Is there anyone you would trust to do that? There are a lot of things to think about.

If you have employees, do they know the processes from start to finish. If you were able to bring in a manager, would it even work?

What if you can't be the go to person, can your staff help fill in the gaps? These are things we need to consider. Generally, we don't bother until we get in a bind.

It's a lot to think about and like most preventative measures, something that you need to have in place before disaster strikes. How far ahead have you planned for such an event.

It's a discussion you need to have today.

Working from home on a snow day? My top 3 suggestions for getting stuff done.

Working from home on a snow day? Want to get stuff done?

This post is for folks who have stuff that needs to get done but who find working from home distracting.

My top three tips are:

1. Do your round of posts on social media and then close the FB, Twitter, LinkedIn etc.. These can consume major amounts of time and before you know it, you have run out of day without accomplishing much.

2. Do the dreaded task first. Often referred to as "eating the frog". Get it out of the way early in the day. The day is guaranteed to get better as the day goes on.

3. Set the timer for 20 minutes chunks of time. No break for 20 minutes while you work on a task.
Breaking the day up into manageable chunks makes sense. Before you know it, the time is gone and you have another box checked on the list of things to do.

A freebie for you - factor fun into the day. Find ways to make the day enjoyable - bake cookies, make snow angels, get outside your comfort zone and tickle your funny bone.

I'd love to hear what you do to get stuff done on a snow day!!!

Happy Snow Day.

Cash is like blood; run out of either and you're dead. My favorite cash flow tips.

Truth be told, the first time I encountered the term "Cash Flow" was in a half day workshop on the topic. At the time, the material went over my head. It was a case of receiving information when I wasn't ready for it.

As adults, we have this unique way of learning - we don't pay too much attention to the topic unless it pertains to us.

At the time, I had no cash flowing in either direction. I was in the early stages of business trying to figure out how to get a client. I was a little green and I'm certain that everyone except me could tell.

Fast forward a few years and I find myself in a new position - with the plunge into "bricks and mortar" suddenly cash flow becomes an urgent and pressing topic.  I definitely had a timing issue when it came to cash flow. There was a lack of synchronicity between when bills needed to be paid and when I would be paid for services delivered. I was at that WTF moment.

I was immediately reminded of a quote one of my sages was fond of using "Cash is like blood; run out of either and you're dead."

Many businesses fail early for a number of reasons. One being that there is no market. I did not want to be the person who failed at business because of lack of skills around cash flow.

I dug out those books and they offered some good tips for planning and projections but there are some lessons that can only learned where the rubber hits the road.

Here are my favorite tips on the topic of cash flow.

1. Plan - have financial projections, do a budget or whatever you choose to call it. Map out the next year.

2. Don't be an ostrich - I like to keep my finger on the pulse. I'm all about the soft landing. Most of us do not enjoy that part of business but the reality is developing this habit early can save you from trouble later on.

3. Develop good relationships. I pride myself on being a good paymaster and I develop good relationships with people that I owe money to.  Because of this relationship, I was able to ask the landlord to hold onto a check for a couple of days when funds were low. We had built trust into the relationship.

4. Become an excellent communicator. There's nothing worse than someone who uses passive aggressive tendencies when it comes to money. You can't get blood from a turnip and you can't get money when there is none. People know that. They're a lot more forgiving if you're not dodging phone calls.

Keep in mind that cash is king. Keep it front of mind and keep it flowing.

Cash Flow Workshop
Jan 26th
Register today.
Email
debbie.adams08@gmail.com

Upcoming Programs at PeopleCan

Upcoming Programs

PeopleCan Training

622 Sackville Drive, Unit 9

Lr. Sackville, NS

B4C 2S3

(902) 448-6376


June 16th, 2017
Cash Flow: What is it? How can you make it work for you? 

It’s tax time so you scramble to pull together some numbers so you can get your taxes done? Does this sound like you? Is this the first time you get to glimpse of what your bottom line is? Would you like to be able to do your financial projections for the next 3 years and then make those numbers work for you?

People who understand numbers and who regularly track those numbers generally make more money.

Get more info here

June 2017
PeopleCan Business Success for Direct Sellers
6 Month Programs Starting Monthly Beginning in June 2017

Direct sellers who have taken one of my Essentials to Business including Money Mindset and Taxes, Networking 101, Using FB Live to Sell Your Products plus Successful Collaborations that Sell have been asking me for more. So I've created a six month coaching program for entrepreneurs who are new to direct selling PeopleCan Business Success for Direct Sellers.

During our 6 months together, we will cover these 10 topics:

1. Perfect Your Craft Talk - Introduce yourself confidently at an event in a way that encourages engagement and relationship building. 

2. Run a Successful Home Party - I will share my template and tips for planning and hosting a successful home party - an essential for relationship marketing. 

3. Money Mindset and Taxes - a staple in business - what can you write off and is your mindset aligned with making money. 

4. Networking 101 - how to work a room like a professional designed for folks who don’t enjoy the thought of networking.

5. Essential Communication Skills – a topic that will be stressed in each session. How to communicate with confidence in business.

If you want to know more about the other 5 learning objectives, contact me for details. 

Format: 

Once a month we will meet in person at PeopleCan Training, 622 Sackville, Drive, Unit 9, Lr. Sackville, NS. 

Groups are limited to 8 people. There will be one person from your business - YOU. The other 7 people will represent a different product. That means that there will be many teachers in the room who may have something to share. 

Private FB Group - you will belong o a FB Group where you will find valuable resources. I will check in once a week with a training on the topic of the week. I will be using FB Live and you will be encouraged to use FB Live in the group to gain proficiency. Pitch free zone, learning only. 

Bonus: Book an optional 15-minute one on one coaching session with me each month. that's where you can speak about challenges that you are having that you may not want to bring up in group. 

If this sounds like you, email me at debbie.adams08@gmail.com or call me at (902) 448-6376 

Website: www.peoplecan.ca

This program will provide you with the support and accountability to build momentum and your bottom line.

Cost: $282.00 plus HST (that’s 47.00 per month) when you pay in full

Pay in 2 equal payments of $156.00 (that’s $52.00 a month)

Small Group Coaching: Let's Make Some Sales - Serious Entrepreneurs Only

Intensive 3 month program designed for folks who are serious about making sales.
3 month Committment
One objective - increase sales
6 people in a group
Power Coaching

Getting tired of not achieving goals? Is it time to check in to see if your "certainty" tank is filled?

A lot of folks get caught up in the "actions" that are required to achieve a goal. But that's not where you should be initially focusing all of your energy.

The fuel that drives "right action" is our belief system. Wouldn't it make perfect sense to ensure that we have a full talk before we head out?

 Let's break it down.

If you're living your life on purpose, you have taken some serious time this past month to set business goals for 2017. You also know how to write a goal as if it were already achieved. Having done this, you have come up with a solid plan for how you will proceed to ensure that when the year comes to a close, you will have achieved these goals.

What happens in life and in business in particular is that we make a plan, work hard on our plan, get real busy and we.....don't come near achieving the BIG GOALS that we have set for ourselves.

I'm not here to talk about accountability, check ins, or whether you can manage time well. No, I want to talk about your belief system - that little seed that can make or break even the most thorough and well laid out plan.

BEING CERTAIN MATTERS

How certain were you when you put those goals down on paper that you could actually achieve them? Be honest with yourself.

Are you shaking your head right now because you hadn't really given it much thought before?  You're in good company. It's an area that often gets neglected.

Just as a car needs fuel to move forward - your plans and dreams also need fuel.

Belief is our fuel - certainty is high octane energy that fires us up and keeps us focused when the going gets tough. It makes perfect sense to glance at the "Certainty Gauge" before you set out on a new journey and at regular intervals along the way.

HOW DO YOU GAUGE YOUR CERTAINTY LEVEL?

I can gauge my "Certainty Level" by visioning. If I struggle to envision a day with the goal already achieved, it tells me that I am feeling a little uncertain in my belief about achieving that goal. If I can't write a page on what a day will look like with the goal already achieved, I know that my fuel is low and I need to do something about it.

Writing has always helped me to fill my tank. I meditate and sit quietly with "MY WHY" for setting that particular goal in the first place.

I don't believe in wasting time or spinning tires - it's important that I have the belief system primed (the fuel tanks filled) before I take action or spend money on my business.

With a full tank of certainty, the likelihood of achieving a goal is greatly increased.

After all, success hinges on our belief that we can make it happen - spend time checking on your certainty levels and elevating your beliefs in the early days and you won't regret it down the road.  

After all you can only achieve that which you believe you can.

I would love to hear about your strategies to elevating your certainty.

Why I study Napoleon Hill: Dreamers dream even when they have no idea where the resources come from.

The instructor asked a question,

"If money were not an issue, what kind of home would you live in?"

I actually sat there and didn't even respond - this exercise seemed like a waste of time to me. What was the sense of thinking about this?  One of my classmates was a little more vocal than I was at the time and she yelled out:

"Why are you asking us that question? What are we wasting time on that for? Money is always the issue." I agreed with her and I saw others in the room who were nodding along with her.

That conversation took place 10 years ago, I'd love to know whether the rest of the class were as inspired as I was.


WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE DON'T KNOW

 I had no idea that this day would be a turning point for me. A door had opened and I stepped through.

People who achieve big dreams are also big dreamers. They dream in technicolour long before they know where the resources are coming from. This was a wild concept for me - the introduction to The Law of Attraction. It was the first time I had ever heard anyone speak about Napoleon Hill's "Think and Grow Rich"

It didn't take me long to realize that I didn't know how to dream this way and only a second longer to find out where I could learn. I purchased my first copy of the book within days and since then have read different versions and watched many videos on the topic.

....I became a sponge when it came to this topic - I wanted a better life - work I loved, great relationships, a good place to live. I wanted it all. I read everything I could read on the power of suggestion, the law of attraction, fixed and growth mindset, etc. I was a voracious learner. I did affirmations, wrote reams of prose, created vision boards, tapped, twisted and sought out people who were interested in the topic. If it would help me to break free of the limited thinking that I found myself in, I was interested in learning.

Now I teach other people. Some of the big gurus have gone on and forgotten how challenging it was in the early days to take that first step into a new way of thinking. I'm still close enough to it that I recall those early challenges - I love sharing what I have learned with others who are eager for a better life.

Come join us during our next book club - space is limited so you MUST pre-register.

Email for details.

debbie.adams08@gmail.com

Start date: Jan 9th @ 1:00 PM.

Working Against the Clock: 3 Peices of Advice for New Entrepreneurs Who are Doing it on a Dime or Very Few Dimes

In your first year of business, you're working against the clock.

You're trying to make money before you run out of start up funds. I was lucky that I only had to be answerable to me so getting in a tight jam was easier than if I had a spouse to answer to. That comes with a different set of challenges and not ones that I am qualified to speak on.

Let's face it, for many of us, those start up funds often aren't dedicated funds; they may be existing lines of credit that were intended to be emergency funds or maybe they're funds that we are diverting from somewhere else.

For myself, any money I made in the early days needed to go right back into the business so that I could go after the bigger contracts.

The term "scraping by" often didn't begin to capture the full story of early startups.

Tick tock tick tock - there's a reason why many of us never get off the ground. Cash is King. As my mentor likes to say "money is like blood - run out of either and you're dead".

In spite of doing many things well in the early days, there were many brutal lessons. Here are 3 pieces of advice that I feel are GOLDEN when it comes to starting a business. Definitely advice that I wish I would have had mayself. Keep in mind that I'm speaking to a very specific client when I write - failing is not an option for you.

1. Don't Incorporate Early. Ignore this advice if you fall into a "high risk of being sued" category. Otherwise, read on. I'm speaking to the regular Jane or Joe who is out there trying to drum up a little bit of business. Tax returns for incorporated businesses are expensive. Your first task is to learn how to make money. I meet too many people who are incorporated and ready for that first set of tax returns but who not yet never made a solitary nickel. What's up with that? Seek the advice of many people before letting someone talk you into incorporating. If you're a sole proprietor and need your taxes done, do email me for help, peoplecantraining@gmail.com.

2. Don't spend big bucks on a fancy website like I did in the early days. Yep, I learned most of my lessons the hard way. I have a theory -  sometimes in order to bolster our own self esteem, we make purchases like an expensive suit, a fancy website etc....so that we can start to feel the part. I get the psychology behind it but I'm hoping that by raising awareness, you won't make the same mistakes. That false status will only get you so far. There are so many other ways that you can come into your own when it comes to being a business person. Try hanging out with successful business owners. Successful people love to chat about business. We have a huge skills gap when we are forced into business  - one that won't be filled by the optics of an expensive website. Check out my latest very functional and practical website here to find out more about what we do at PeopleCan Training.

3. Join Toastmasters. From a business perspective, it has amazing bang for the buck. Anyone in business can tell a new entrepreneur from a thousand paces - it could be that they talk too much about their resume. It could be that they have their business cards at the ready all the time even when they weren't asked for one. It takes time to develop trust and to really own the role of business owner. Toastmasters will give you a venue to practice speaking before you take it live. It offers you a network of people who will become friends - people who will become your ambassadors when you're an established business. They also offer an amazing service at an affordable price. Great bang for your buck.

BONUS: Here's a bonus nugget  - learn to respond succinctly to the question "What problem are you solving for your client?" with intelligence.

Get out there and get 'er done. Owning a business is a way to a better life.

Taxes - Extra Expenses at the Holidays for Meals and Entertainment

I get asked this every year...

"Can I claim the cost of my office party?"

Generally speaking there is a limit of 50% that you're allowed to claim for meals and expenses. But there are a few exceptions and at this time of year this exception comes into play.

Keeping in mind that there is always the expectation that the expense will be reasonable, the rule for claiming that holiday shindig is a resounding "yes" you can claim 100% of your holiday party.

The caveat is that it has to be open to all employees and can include clients. The other bit that is worth noting is that you're not limited to claiming this expense once a year - you can host a party and claim 100% of meals and entertainment up to 6 times a year. Conditions apply.

....and yes, you can host the party in a restaurant or at your business location.

There are other times when you can claim more than the 50% - if you're uncertain, keep receipts and ask your tax specialist.

Debbie Adams is a Certified Tax Preparer specializing in Sole Proprietors.

It isn't enough to dream of a better life, you have to believe it's going to happen. That's how you create a better life.

The title of this post is kind of telling - it isn't your ability to dream that helps you to create a better life. It's your ability to dream and expect the things that you desire. That's been my learning curve and the lesson that I needed so desperately to embrace. I had the dreaming down pat long before I learned to manage my expectations.

At the worse point in my life, someone spoke those words at a seminar - the life that you have is the life that you are expecting. To say I was pissed was an understatement. I was in the midst of one of the worse days of my life. My home that I cherished had been on the market 8 months - I was behind on payments and even though I had equity in the home, I had no way of accessing the equity because my income was too low. I was living on a fixed income disability pension. (Some might say I didn't know the right broker - topic for another day) :).

One day someone knocked at the door and when I answered the door - there was a gentleman standing there with registered mail. I had to sign for the dreaded letter - it was a notice from the lawyers informing me that they were going to foreclose on the mortgage. It was a soft landing - I hadn't run from my debt. I knew that this was the next step for me. Every day I hoped that the home would sell.

That same day, I got a call from the realtor that we had an offer on the house. Needless to say, we stalled the foreclosure and went ahead with the sale - I took a big hit on that sale because I was vulnerable and not making decisions from a position of strength. It would take a long time to realise the blessing hidden in this mess - many months later, I did eventually go bankrupt but there was no house included in the bankruptcy and for anyone who understands that industry, that makes a world of difference.

I landed in a pretty scary place - no home, no job and no prospects. I was literally dependent on someone's kind heart to help me out. It was a very low point in my life. At a seminar I was given tickets to, I heard this powerful message that really annoyed me at the time. The life you have is the one you believe you can have. Grrrrrrrrr - really?

It took me quite some time before I could appreciate this lesson. I've put enough distance between me and that terrible time to be able to reflect and I can see the wisdom in that statement now. I was struggling with high anxiety at the time - a real fear that I was going to be living in a cardboard box somewhere or dependent on others to get by in life. It was bad enough that I was visually impaired but I really didn't believe that I could create a better life. I was feeling about as low as I had ever been. Like they say - I had nowhere to go but up and I had tough lessons yet to learn.

I spent a lot of time working on the skills that it takes to unleash the creative powers that we all have. It's not an easy task - I took every course imaginable. If there was even a hint that I was creating this mess - someone please show me the way out. I begged the universe to show me how to become a believer when everything around me was not affirming the life I wanted.

The law of attraction depends on three things that have to be in alignment - our thoughts (dream a big dream) and our feelings (this is where belief comes in after all you're not getting fired up if you don't belief your dream can come true) and actions (in alignment with the dreams).

I had a vision board back then with some pretty impressive images on there but I didn't get excited when I looked at that board. Actually, more often than not, the thought that came up was "how do you go from here to there?" I wanted to know "how" but every book I read and every lesson I learned told me that I didn't need to know how. I just needed to get fired up about the good life.

Back them my EXPECTATIONS were low - I was stuck in this pity party but I kept going. If there was a lesson to learn I was going to learn it and I am so glad I did. Now I don't need to know how. I still have days where I stress but once we get rid of bad habits like complaining, it's hard to go back there for extended periods. I also have an accountability partner, a network of people who operate like I do, someone to kick me in the arse on the bad days - oh yes, there will be bad days.

What are you expecting in life? I don't mean what do you dream about - what are you expecting to happen? Really? Deep down? When you expect something to happen it gets you fired up with a knowing that it's coming toward you as quickly as you take action toward it. Don't lie to yourself if you're expectation is not there yet. Work on the skill of a disciplined mind - letting go of the how and working on the things that you need to work on to become the person who can sustain that dream.

It isn't enough to dream of a better life, you have to believe it will happen and only then take the right action.

Suspend Your Disbelief Until You Can See Your Way Clear - Dreaming is Not For Sissies.

Photo by Christian Holzinger

"I can't see my way clear." Sometimes the way that we speak in our Newfoundland vernacular can be a little confusing. But let's take a look at this one statement - when you "can't see your way clear", you're struggling to see how you can manage to find the resources to achieve a particular objective. I like to take bold action toward a goal even when "I can't see my way clear".

I once considered myself a "rookie dreamer". But fear ye not, dreaming is a skill and like most skills, it can be learned.

The first step is to learn to suspend your disbelief. How the heck do you "suspend" your disbelief?

When I first get students to dream of living their big dream - whether it be living in the perfect home or homestead, taking vacations more than once a year or enjoying a retirement life that is beyond magical, their first remark is usually...."where am I getting the money to do this?"

I call this type of resistance "only allowing yourself to dream to the capacity of your present resources".

Anyone can create a good life if you have the means to make it happen. What I want people to realise is that you can indeed create a better life for yourself without having a road map laid out in front of you and without having the resources at present to do so.

You're not going to be able to "see your way clear" to making it happen in the very beginning.

Are you starting to get it?  Dreaming a better life into existence takes faith - so in order to get started you will need to suspend your disbelief if  you fall into the rookie dreamer category referred to above. By now, I'm hoping you are at least mildly curious.  If so, let's read on.

Your attempt at dreaming probably goes something like this.

You start to dream of driving a fancy and expensive car or opening that next business or quitting your job and suddenly a little voice reminds you that you've got more month than money, your student loan is in arrears and you are 30 days away from Christmas and you haven't even started your shopping. That's reality thinking. If you want to be stuck in the life you have, you will stop reading right now - after all it has been working for you so far. Yes, you have been very efficient - the practice that you presently have in place has been allowing you to create the life you have.

You've attracted what you've allowed yourself to dream of.

It takes strength of character and mind to dream of a bigger life long before you can "see your way clear". Dreaming is only the first step - I'm not going to touch on the "right action" here because the reality is, in order to muster the activation energy that is required to take that first step out in faith - you're going to have to buy into the part about dreams.

You can read more about achieving goals here. After all, creating an awesome life is a real art form. I would also suggest that you sign up for my blog and remain involved in the dialogue.

I come form a long line of realists - folks who are "sensible" about dreaming. Most of this law of attraction stuff would be hocus pocus and a crock of crap. But I've learned that this type of thinking keeps a person stuck. I have migrated over to the other camp of practitioners. After all, things could only get better. Learning to "suspend my disbelief" was one of the first things I needed to do.

When I set about trying to create a dream, I would have the same resistance "Not possible, seems like nonsense." But I would let the thought float away. If a thought like "I can't afford that" came up. I wouldn't engage or meander down that path. I would just release the thought and get back to dreaming. I dreamt myself off the couch into a new training facility where I could teach people simple skills. I even dreamt of teaching people who didn't have the resources to pay me. After all, if you're going to dream, you may as well make it a good one. I knew they would find the resources if they wanted the information - and they have.

There are many more steps to achieving a goal than dreaming. Some of those include having the right network, taking bold action and stepping out of your comfort zone. There is also a need to understand and avoid self sabotage which is apt to come along more often if you're not buying into the process or have underlying core beliefs that are counter productive to what you are trying to achieve. I can always spot a person who is a naysayer - they are full of "ya buts".

I  believe my law school experience came about as a result of me not quite getting it (I quit in 2nd year). I didn't feel comfortable with the decision - I felt like an impostor. I don't feel that now. I feel that I do have things to learn but I'm on my way to building a very productive life, a place where people come when they want to build a better life. I'm also very aware that there are things I need to learn and that there will be more turns in my road.

It all starts with a dream - even if you can't see yourself clear. Can you dream a little dream? I'd love to hear more.

When does it make sense to barter?

Sometimes I barter but when I do, there have to be certain conditions met.

- I won't barter if what I need is cash. The bills have to be paid before I will trade consulting for head shots. After all, I wouldn't purchase that product if the bills were not paid. So someones reluctance to pay for my services is not a good reason to barter.

- I must be getting the same value in return. If I give $200.00 worth of value (ie consulting or taxes) I expect to get $200.00 worth of value in return. I wouldn't give an hour of business coaching in return for a $60.00 manicure for example.

Listen to your instinct. If you feel like you got the bad end of the stick, you likely did.

Networks - no one makes it to that next level without asking for help from the people around them who can open doors. Get used to asking for help in business.

Privilege is defined as "a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group of people".  Having a network is an advantage.

A stark example would be to use President Barack Obama's children. Even though the President and first lady may not have come from privilege, there is no doubt that their children are now privileged. Let's say that those children decided to become entrepreneurs, the networks alone have the potential to be phenomenal.

Networks are important - growing one has been my biggest challenge in life and it has been my biggest disadvantage as well. When I think back on the tight places I have been in my life, the biggest challenge has been not having the network to get through it.

When you don't have that edge, you have to ask for help. It is key that you get comfortable with asking for the big ask. It only feels big to you when you are uncomfortable asking. Successful people ask all the time.

A Few Words to Support You When Your Mind is Made Up About Leaving

It's never an easy decision to leave a bad situation. Whether it's a job you hate, a career that saps the life out of you, a business partnership or a marriage, it takes a tremendous amount of courage to walk away. 

In all likelihood, you have invested a lot into trying to make this work. You've put your heart and soul into building this thing only to get to this point. I have been where you are and I know it's not an easy decision. I suspect you have gotten this point before but chickened out at the last minute. That's your truth isn't it? 

But this time it's different. This time, you're not turning back. You're going to let your feet take you where your heart already is. Now that you've made the decision - run as fast as you can. There's nothing more energetic than a mind made up. 

Women don't make these decisions flippantly. Putting our needs first is not something we have done well. I know you have thought long and real hard about how everyone will be impacted by this decision and you've decided that staying will be worse. Is that where you are? 

Here's the deal - if the present state of affairs is not life affirming,  you need to go. If your inner spiritual resources are depleted with every day that you wake up in this same job, same relationship or same boat, it's time to go.  If you believe you have done all that you can do and something must change then....

BE THE CHANGE

You have wings to fly. We are born to live a joyful life!!! We all have an opportunity to live a rich and rewarding life that inspires us. You know when it's time to take the leap. You thought you would save a bit of money and leave when you were in a better position but when the extra money comes along, you spend it. By the time the kids are grown or your responsibility lightens, you'll be so used to pushing your yearning down, that you won't even feel the need. The time has come. 

You're not alone - many of us have taken that leap and never looked back. Once you start caring about you, magic happens. 

Breathe........

Why mirrors are important if you want a successful business.

Are you serious about creating a successful and profitable business? If you really are, then you need to be able to take a long hard look in the mirror over and over again. Once you buy into the benefits of mirror then you will no longer avoid them. A good way to know when to look in a mirror is to look at what annoys you in other people. One of the things we have a tendency to do is see in other people what we can't see in ourselves. If you have trusted friends and colleagues, you can ask them "when have I been like that? There was talk of a 360 evaluation at one time. It's not an easy thing to do. I can remember the first time that I heard so and so speak about the 360 evaluation, I had to sit for a while and think - whose opinion would I trust to give me that information? Who would I turn to to let me know the truth? Who is going to have my back?That's a tough one. I actually found that I didn't trust a lot of people to care for me in that way. But I really needed to.

Entrepreneurship is an option for EVERYONE - only people with a fixed mindset would believe otherwise

I have had two identities in life that speak to my soul - mother and soldier. They're two core identities that I hold dear. I'll always be a mother but my career as a soldier was taken away from me and when it was, I was shaken to the core. After all, being a soldier wasn't a "job" I held, it was an identity I embraced.

Life landed me in a place where there was a title assigned to me - "disabled person living on a pension who had no purpose and who would never again find joy". Circumstances in life landed me in this place but I could not embrace the identity the way that I did with mother and soldier. After all, those roles brought me profound joy, the latter brought me anger and depression.

I'm getting excited here.....

I now wear a new title that is quickly becoming "who I am" as opposed to "what I do". I am an entrepreneur. I am in the business of educating people and more particularly I help people change their minds. After all, I have a bit of experience changing minds - I have changed my own.

I have read thousands of books since I started school at age 40. In each book, I had an ah ha moment that was core shattering.  Literally, I could see the world open up with each new lesson.

Dozen's of books have had an impact on my life but Carol Dweck's book called Mindset has become a staple. The reason I was able to move from the defeatist attitude I had in my late thirties to the attitude I hold today has to do with a change in mindset.

When the student is ready, the teacher will come.

I do wish I had known sooner the distinction between growth and fixed mindset but the teacher really does show up when you are ready. The knowledge found in this book brings hope and provides the explanation I needed for why I had made many of the choices I had made along the way; why I believed what I believed.

In the early days, I was sceptic that I would find a purpose in life but over time I came to believe that we have so much control over our lives and it all starts with our beliefs. People with growth mindsets live productive lives in spite of what happens to them.

If you're sitting there disgruntled with life - pick up this book and see if it helps you to look at things differently. I never would have believed that Entrepreneurship was for me - BUT I DO NOW!!!

Join me in Cape Breton on Nov 21 where I will be delivering my Reluctant Entrepreneur; Life Made Me Do It 

I will tell my story - perfectionism

Perfectionists do not tolerate flaws in their own work and we are very self critical and we care way too much about what others think. 

One of the benefits of being a perfectionist is that we are highly motivated to reach our goals. One of the shortcomings is that we give our power away, letting other people's opinion of us mean more than it should. 

I am a recovering perfectionist - what exactly does that mean? It means I took a big hit in life that resulted in me challenging my own assumptions about me, about my beliefs and about my own self worth - it was life altering and freeing. 

On November 12th, I will speak about this important and delicious topic. Contact me for details. 

debbie.adams08@gmail.com

Image Sofia Carvalho (Flickr.com)

Take time for play!!!

We laughed at ourselves as a group of 50+ women jumped on the trampoline and the kids looked at us like we were nuts. Can't believe how much fun we had.

When you have done all that you can do. When the last stone is turned. When you have knocked on every door possible. You have choices.

You can choose to worry or you can dance in the rain, take a hike, head to the beach. Point is, the solution won't show up until you carve out room for it. The way to make that happen is PLAY.

Make play a business strategy.

Jump in - learn as your go!!!

We both started laughing at the same time. Did you really just say that?

"I couldn't do that - I don't know how to do that."

Ya, she said it and then we started laughing because at the same time we both realized that this was a bold faced lie.

My friend and I have much in common including the habit of jumping with both feet into unfamiliar territory including jobs that are way above our pay grade. You see, we have figured out that successful people aren't afraid to do that - jump in and learn while you're going along. It's become a way of life. I encourage you to try it sometime. You'll impress yourself with your ability to learn on the fly.

I learned to swim by being thrown in the deep end - yep, that's the way my teacher liked to do it. Granted, my father was never far away but he had no qualms about being unconventional. We all jump into parenting without a frickin clue what we're doing but we manage to wing it until we get it right. That's a big job don't you think?

If you reverse engineered most jobs, they're broken down into the next step to be taken. Most often there are folks who can help you out. Sooooo, get out there and get her done. Done is better than perfect - you can learn as you go.

Not heart surgery though, if you're thinking of tackling that, maybe get that down pat first. But the rest - get crackin' - in the deep end.

The Social Media Challenge Packed a Lot of Punch

I absolutely love working with Sherri-Lee Woycik. She is that Canadian gal who manages the Badass Facebook Marketing group. I can't say enough about her challenge. It was a little tough to fit it all in what with running my own programming all week but I did manage to get most of it done.

As adult learners, we have a tendency to take away that nugget that we're ready to use next. This program had something for everyone. The more advanced FB marketing tips as well as tons of tips for beginners. She's an absolute master in her industry.

I am especially stoked because my name was drawn to attend a 6 hour boot camp intensive next week. I know that I will learn so much from that challenge.

So thanks SherriLee and if you're wanting to know more about her programs, check out her page above.

Got a Storefront? Don't network? Think again.

There was a time when you could hang up the "shingle" and wait for clients to come in by the droves. OK not quite droves but you get the drift. Hanging up your shingle was enough - people could find you now. 

A while back my daughter's car needed a bit of work. I didn't pull out the yellow pages. I didn't phone the local garage. Nope, I went on Facebook and asked my friends who they were using. That's how we shop these days. Relationship  marketing is king. 

Truth is, we're overwhelmed with the number of signs that are on the road these days. We are becoming immune to signage. We block most of them out. 

But if signs aren't working, how can we sell our products and services? We need to build relationships. Getting out and meeting people is essential to business success these days. Look for places in your community where people are gathering and go make some new friends. 

A few  years back, a group of us came together and started a business network called Plugged Into Sackville Business Network. We felt that the community needed a resource where like minded business people could come together to get to know one another. We have built amazing friendships in that little group. Not everyone who has walked through our doors have stayed - some folks didn't feel that their target market was in that group - but I beg to differ. You see even if your direct market isn't in that room, the folks who are there may know someone who is seeking just what you are selling.  

Keep in mind that if no one can find you, you don't exist  - it's as simple as that. 

After all, we do business with people we know and trust.