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Unique Beautiful Fun
I read this week that how you treat others is how you feel inside and I got to thinking about how that relates to business. I firmly believe in karma. You get what you give, treat others how you want to be treated, give right to get right. But there are times that we don't feel right. Maybe you're not well, or dealing with a new family or a young baby, maybe you've suffered a bereavement or the sickness of someone you love.
Cruising Pinterest recently (as you do) I came across a meme stating "Dress for the job you want, not for the job you have". As a business owner you are a vital part of your business and its image. Like it or not you will be judged on how you present yourself (and I'm not just talking about the women here!). Some research suggests that when people meet you for the first time they make judgement about you in the first few seconds, often before you've even spoken to each other, so it matters how
It's been a challenging few weeks with one of my businesses but it's given me a timely reminder that you can't afford to be complacent. We have lost a few clients recently due to them having a slow down in their own businesses. What six weeks ago was our biggest sales year, has now turned to looking not so rosy. Don't get me wrong, we're not going out of business but, we are having to make some adaptions to cope with a sudden downturn.
After talking last week about broadening your sales offerings I thought we should also talk about Passive income. Exactly what is it? Passive income is income that you generate for little or no effort (except in the initial set up). Examples of passive income might be selling ebooks, online courses or seminars which people subscribe to, affiliate sales of other people's products, products that can be digitally downloaded, rent etc.
There's one certainty when you're running your own business and that's that there is always something else to do! So how do you keep track of it all? How do you remember all of the tasks, calls, paperwork that needs to be done and ensure that they are all actually done?
I have a very imperfect system but I have to say that for the most part it serves me. At the beginning of each week (either Sunday night or early Monday)
Can you believe there's only three months left of the year? It never fails to amaze me how quickly time passes. I've only just gotten used to typing 2016 instead of 2015! With that being said, are you feeling like me, that you've been largely derailed from what you wanted to achieve this year! Don't panic
I read a really interesting blog recently about a lady with an invisible illness and the amount of unsolicited advice she has received about treatments, cures and therapies for her condition. Much of this advice has come from complete strangers who know little or nothing of her history. This got me thinking about the amount of advice out there.
When things are not going well it can be very tempting to look for a scapegoat. Blame something or someone else for your misfortune and you can let yourself off the hook without too much conscience. But the thing about being the person in charge is that while not everything is your fault, everything is your problem! I mean that you may not like it but, ultimately it's up to you to take charge and tackle the problem.
There's a saying that "Comparison is the thief of joy". But in this Information Age it can be very hard not to compare yourself with others. I belong to a few business groups, both online and in real life and it can be easy to be caught up with other people's success. If you believe everything you hear and read, everybody's business is doubling year on year! Wow.
There’s a tendency at this time of year to take your foot off the pedal and cruise to the end of the year. How do I know this? Because I’m guilty of it. I was self talking to myself this morning about this very subject and finding every excuse about why its too late in the year to get things done! “ I’m not well, I’m too tired, it’s too late.” But let’s be honest, there are still well over two months left the year. In fact there’s over two months till Christmas
The Secret to a Happy Christmas
I used to be one of those people who took Christmas way too seriously. Everything had to be right. The decorations had to be coordinated with the gift wrapping of the the presents under the tree. If Christmas was at our house, the table had to be dazzling (and different every year), the food had to be making the table groan (and later the guests), there had to be every drink imaginable on offer as well as a big selection of deserts.
A few weeks ago I talked about making the most of whats left of the year (Blog 66 - A Strong Finish) and it got me to thinking about how we perceive time. If we were two months into the year we would feel the year had just begun but if we have two months till the end of the year we feel that the year is nearly over. Thats because we are thinking of an ending on December 31st. Theres ten months left as opposed to two months left.
When I think about the business people I admire, I sometimes find it difficult to stay away from the temptation to compare. I think that's one reason I'm drawn to people in such diverse occupations because it then becomes a mute point. Let's leave the comparison as the thief of joy conversation for another day!
When thinking about business people it's hard to avoid some of the big names because they are often the ones that make the headlines.
Its been a really tough week! My little dog has been poorly and stopped responding to chemo. Between vet visits, oncology visits and trying to get him to eat it's been a roller coaster. Then Donald Trump was elected President of the United States. The outpouring I had from friends about how hard this was going to be for so many Americans was so sad. For Muslims, for Mexicans, for Hispanics, for women, for lgbtqi Americans,
Last week I talked about how to weather a storm and, let's face it, we all have stormy times. But life is never just one thing because as surely as we all have tough times we all, also, have good times. How do we recognise and even capitalise when things are going well?
For me, one of the big gifts I've gotten this year is to be more present. I've tried to take at least part of every day and really look around me and appreciate all that there is.
It's December! Wow that came fast didn't it? Only another four weeks or so and we'll be starting a new year. You better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout, I'm telling you why! Cause now is one of the most exciting times of the year. Not just do we have Christmas and New year to look forward to but, we can start planning next year.
I can already hear you all groaning and you shouldn't be.
I was talking last week about getting some planning done for next year before this one has come to a close and I've been thinking a bit about what my own plans for 2017 will be. The thing is, I find that for a large part, I'm quite focused on the individual steps and haven't given a lot of thought to the big picture. It can be easy to set small goals for yourself that are easily achievable or, at least easy to visualise but you (and me) should.
You know when you're on an aircraft and the safety instructions always tell you to put on your own oxygen before seeing to your children? There's a reason for that! If you don't take care of yourself first, you'll be in no condition to take care of others! At this time of year I think that's a great lesson to remember.
It's hard not to get caught up in all the madness of Christmas.
Well it's only a few days till C-Day and I hope you're all looking forward to it. I think it's so easy to be caught in the busy-ness at this time of year.
We're all so focused on the presents and the decorations and the food and, sometimes the travel, that we can forget that it is supposed to be a time of celebration. Whether you support the Christian traditions of Christmas or not I think that that's something we can all share in.
I love a new year. All that bright, shiny promise. A blank canvas each and every January. I've always done a bit of a summary at the end of each year about the things I accomplished, the projects I finished, the highlights, plus, a rough plan for the next twelve months of what I'd like to get done and always, always, how many holidays I hope to take. This year I ordered the Amazing Biz and Life planner (this is my third one).
I know sometimes it can be hard to be fired up by the start of a new year. There’s that post holiday slump, the Christmas hangover, not to mention the weight a lot of us have gained (me included!). But that general malaise that we feel is kind of a ripe atmosphere for dreaming your dreams for what’s to come!
Its a great time for laying in the pool or the bath and imagining what new products or services you can come up with for your business.
When I first started running a business the thought of managing the accounting and finance side was pretty daunting. I had no real background in those areas and was really wary about making any mistakes. I decided to start simply with a basic exercise book. One page for money coming in per month, the opposite page for money going out per month. It may not have been very high tech but it was what worked for me.
Theres a real danger, especially with creative businesses, to prolong releasing anything until its perfect. I’ve come to realise its completely the wrong attitude. Most artists I know are never completely satisfied with a piece of work and if you wait till you're happy you may never get anything out. While making things and being creative is lovely, if you're not getting a product in the market.
I’ve talked before about when people use the phrase ‘Its not personal, its just business’. It’s usually when they've not paid their bill or treated you badly. I’ve also talked about why I think its a load of bull. People shape businesses. They make the decisions, they decide the policies and the corporate culture. If their culture is one that always pays people late then a person or people made that decision. It wasn't made by some invisible entity.
There's always a lot to do when you run your own business so why would you bother setting up a formal manual for the procedures you use for your business? Simple. Because there will come a time (hopefully not too long away!) when you are no longer concentrating on running your business but on growing your business. Other people will be handling most of your day to day functions and if you already have each procedure documented.
I talked last week about putting yourself into your business and why its important, and this post emphasises why you are, (or should be), your company biggest asset. Any self-employed person knows how easy it is to become caught up in the day-to-day running of your business. Particularly solo-preneurs, find it hard to find the time to take any stock of the big picture for the company or even, to assess how they are doing beyond just sales.
Even people who are pretty smart in business know one thing for sure - there's always more to learn! One of the easiest, and fastest, ways to learn is from other business people. Where do you find these people? There's numerous places - at your local chamber of commerce, a local business group or, in one of my favourite places - online.
Finding a mentor can be as easy as following one of your business idols. I particularly love the late Anita Roddick - who set up The Body Shop.
I hear a lot of small business owners talk about how hard some aspects of business are. Social media - "I'm no good at it - it's so hard." Accounting - "I've got no idea - it's so hard." Taxation - "it's so hard." I think many of us confuse something that's hard with something that's unfamiliar! Until I started my own business I had no real idea about accounting practices, social media or taxation along with a hundred and one other things! While learning some of them has been daunting, all of them have been learnable.
There's long been a saying that the customer always comes first! Personally, I don't agree. Treating customers well, listening to their concerns (and addressing them), and communicating effectively are all vital aspects of any business but I subscribe to Richard Brandon's view that your staff always need to come first. If your staff are well treated, if you listen to their concerns (and address them) and communicate effectively with them, then your staff will always treat your customers right. One follows the other
I read a lot of books about money. How people make it, how they manage it, how you should manage yours! There are a number of things that have struck a chord with me that gives us all lessons in becoming more wealthy.
Firstly, spend less than you earn. This may seem like a no brainer but it's surprising how many people I know, who have seen substantial rises in their pay checks over the years and yet, don't really have a lot to show for it. If every time you get a windfall you go on a splurge you're never going to increase your wealth.
I can't remember who said that you should always listen to good advice but you shouldn't always take it! A lot of the good advice I've heard has come not from business gurus or business experts but from friends and family.
One of my dads favourite sayings is, "You catch more flies with honey." In other words, you do better when you're sweet and this can be said to hold true not just in business but in life. If you have a disagreement, if you can avoid losing your temper but discuss an issue in a calm way.
Anyone in business these days relies heavily on a mobile phone. Whether it's to keep in touch with clients, to access the internet while away from the office or even, to assist with your accounting while on the road! Our reliance on our phones means that we need to be vigilant about making sure we keep them charged. Imagine being away from your workplace and a client needs to contact you urgently and you've got a flat battery.
I talked last week about taking time to re-charge. I wasn't sure that I'd have a ton of time for blogging when I got back from my short vacation so to take the pressure off myself
If you've been in business for a while chances are you've had to deal with an awkward customer. You know what I mean. They take up a lot of time wanting to know minute details about what they're buying, they have a hundred questions about your product or service, they want discounts or freebies and they want it all yesterday.
About a month ago I talked about building wealth and that I read a lot of books about money. I thought I might share what some of my favourites are.
What Rich People Know & desperately want to keep secret by by Brian Sher. This is not quite as cheesy as it sounds and has lots of great advice about money mindset and habits for success.
I'm always surprised by people who talk about separating life and business, especially people who work for themselves. I'm not talking about not having boundaries and taking regular breaks from working but more about that people compartmentalise this area of their life. My work takes up about one third of my time and I consider it to be an important part of my life - not seperate from my life!
I recently got turned down for a bank loan. I tell you this not because I see it as a failure, or because I want some sympathy but because when things don't go my way it usually leads to a fair bit of navel gazing on my part. The thing that I came to is to question how much is enough. I wanted the loan to buy another investment property. I've had some big dreams about the amount of property I'd like to own. Unfortunately, the bank, do not at this time, share my dream!
One of the scariest things when you first start in business is putting yourself out there. It's the number one thing that business owners seem to struggle with (me included!). Lots of business owners find the prospect of presenting themselves and their business to be one of the hardest things to do. It feels icky to be trying to promote yourself, unnatural and even a bit fake.
Try to remember that if you feel like this, you absolutely are not alone.
One thing that I was not entirely prepared for when I first started working for myself was the amount of outgoings that were necessary. Along with the costs of buying raw materials for manufacturing products, theres the stationery costs, the internet and phone costs, costs for software, costs for advertising. The list can seem endless. Before you start moaning about how much there can be to pay for I want you to think about what you can do to improve this situation for the future.
Way back in Blog 58 (A Reflection of You), I talked about how you present yourself to the world and why it matters. Over and above putting your best foot forward, how you present yourself also matters in the context of your business as a whole. If you're a corporate recruiter and you present yourself in your hippie boho people may find the discord between you and your business confusing..
One of the few certainties when you run your own business is that life will be full of uncertainty. I think it's probably the number one reason why people are reluctant to strike out on their own!
There's the uncertainty of whether you'll have any sales, whether you'll make any money, whether you're capable of keeping all the plates spinning, whether you're capable of leading a team
It's not always easy determining who your real audience is but it's worth taking some time to try and pinpoint exactly who it is buying your goods and services and from where. The whole reason for doing this is so that you can target your audience more specifically. So how do you decide your buyers profile?
Firstly, you need to have a clear idea about who is buying from you as opposed who is following you.
When you've been in business for while it can be easy to get in a bit of a rut when things are running okay. Maybe it's a case of you stick to a schedule that's no longer efficient, stay with a supplier that no longer meets all of your needs or keep on using a contractor that's no longer a good fit for your changing business. That's why it's so important to routinely do a business health check on what's working, what's not and, what could be better.
When you've been in business for while it can be easy to get in a bit of a rut when things are running okay. Maybe it's a case of you stick to a schedule that's no longer efficient, stay with a supplier that no longer meets all of your needs or keep on using a contractor that's no longer a good fit for your changing business. That's why it's so important to routinely do a business health check on what's working, what's not and, what could be better.
You hear a lot of people talking about value adding to your product or service but I think there can be some confusion about exactly what that is. Value adding, in short, is where you give your customer something in addition to what they've paid for. The trick to good value adding is to provide things that the customer values and wants, but that do not have a large outlay for yourself. Let's look at some examples.
When you're busy running your business and handling not just the day-to-day, but what needs to be done in the next 3,6 or 12 months, it's not easy to find the time to think about the longer term. Do you have an idea about what your business will look like in five years, or even ten years? If something happens to you is there a plan in place to wind up or continue? Like making a will, many people put off planning for the longer term because they don't like having to think about what that means.
Every business has its fair share of ups and downs. There are times when your sales may take a tumble through no fault of your own and there are times when you may see an unexpected peak. You can't always foresee when the ups and downs are coming but it is important to be vigilant about when changes are happening in your business and to make adjustments for it!
In my cleaning business, one of the biggest changes came with a change of government.
When you first start out in business you're delighted to get a sale - any sale. As time goes by you might start to find that sales peak and dip at various times. Maybe its seasonal, maybe its because of factors your customers are experiencing and nothing over which you have any control. How can you overcome these peaks and troughs and stabilise your income? One way is to look for other income streams. An income stream is just another term for a different product.
There's a number of old sayings that people use for business that have become almost mythic they have been spoken so many times. I want to take a closer look at some of these old chestnuts.
‘The customer is always right.’ Wrong, wrong, wrong. The customer is not always right. People who are rude, obnoxious or disrespectful can never be right. Customers who expect something for nothing are not right and
When you work for yourself, and particularly when you work by yourself it can sometimes get a little lonely. When you've only got the cat (or dog) to bounce ideas off it can sometimes give rise to a nagging little voice of criticism. Don't listen!
The great thing about being in business for yourself is you get to make all the decisions. The bad thing about being in business for yourself is you have to make all the decisions!
So how do you overcome your inner critic and the isolation of being top dog?
Have you ever had one of those experiences where someone has completely misunderstood something you've said? It's happened to me a few times, most often online.
The problem with communicating online with text is that there is no nuance to what you say.
People can't read your expression or the tone of your voice like they can when they see you face to face.
