Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
New Year - New Resolutions? Here's how to stick to them!
We've all heard it before (maybe even been a participant) - This year, I am going to (fill in resolution here). Most people shoot for one of the big 3 - quit smoking, lose weight, get a new job. But how often does a resolution turn into a reality? Not often, according to most of the articles I have read on new year resolutions for the last decade.
Why not? Why are we so excited and committed at the beginning of the year, and then by mid-February, we have every reason (excuse) why we just can't stick to what we set out to do only weeks earlier?
Committing to several new, and often dramatic, lifestlye changes is not easy. It is a shock to your normal routine, it's a shock to your body and mind as well.
Each year, instead of picking a resolution, I pick a keyword. I don't expect myself to be perfect, but I do expect myself to commit and improve. I decide which keyword will be my focus for improvement, and I remind myself of it daily.
Last year, my focus was "balance." I wanted to learn how to be not only a business owner and coach (which is how I had previously been defined for 6 years) but also a mother. Instead of telling myself on Jan 1st, "I am going to lose ALL the baby weight, I am going to be the best mother on Earth, and I am going to run a kick-ass company this year" I said, "This year I want to find a balance between the two most important things in my life. My family, and my business."
And you know what? I did. It took 8 months, but I did it.
It wasn't another rule I put on myself that I would later have to rebel against. It wasn't mandated. It was merely a choice I made to be present at home, and present at work. It was something I had to practice daily, I had to revise my schedule and do my best to be there for everyone. But I also had to learn to say NO sometimes, and not overcommit if I couldn't deliver.
When you are setting goals this year, I would encourage you to pick a keyword or a theme, and give yourself time and space to improve little by little. Progress motivates, and it is easier to stick with something if you have room to breathe.
This year, my keyword is "boundaries." I will practice setting clear boundaries with my clients, business partners, employees, friends and family. And, while it's a work in progress, I can bet I won't have given up on it by February!
Why not? Why are we so excited and committed at the beginning of the year, and then by mid-February, we have every reason (excuse) why we just can't stick to what we set out to do only weeks earlier?
Committing to several new, and often dramatic, lifestlye changes is not easy. It is a shock to your normal routine, it's a shock to your body and mind as well.
Each year, instead of picking a resolution, I pick a keyword. I don't expect myself to be perfect, but I do expect myself to commit and improve. I decide which keyword will be my focus for improvement, and I remind myself of it daily.
Last year, my focus was "balance." I wanted to learn how to be not only a business owner and coach (which is how I had previously been defined for 6 years) but also a mother. Instead of telling myself on Jan 1st, "I am going to lose ALL the baby weight, I am going to be the best mother on Earth, and I am going to run a kick-ass company this year" I said, "This year I want to find a balance between the two most important things in my life. My family, and my business."
And you know what? I did. It took 8 months, but I did it.
It wasn't another rule I put on myself that I would later have to rebel against. It wasn't mandated. It was merely a choice I made to be present at home, and present at work. It was something I had to practice daily, I had to revise my schedule and do my best to be there for everyone. But I also had to learn to say NO sometimes, and not overcommit if I couldn't deliver.
When you are setting goals this year, I would encourage you to pick a keyword or a theme, and give yourself time and space to improve little by little. Progress motivates, and it is easier to stick with something if you have room to breathe.
This year, my keyword is "boundaries." I will practice setting clear boundaries with my clients, business partners, employees, friends and family. And, while it's a work in progress, I can bet I won't have given up on it by February!
Monday, December 12, 2011
How Marketing & Sales Teaches You Life Lessons!
When I applied for my first sales & marketing job, I had no idea it would teach me to be a better person, leader, coach, girlfriend, mother etc... But here are 10 ways it did!
1. Communication - Effective communication is the staple to success in any relationship, business or otherwise. Sales & Marketing results give you a brutally honest look at how well you communicate, and demand you improve if you want better results.
2. Conversation - If sales is just the result of having an intelligent conversation, then everyone is in the sales business. You are selling an idea, yourself, a plan for the weekend, a vacation to your loved one, a raise to your boss etc.. And the only way to get great sales results is to be able to have an effective converstaion. This really comes in handy in personal realationships and with children as well!
3. Listening - Your customers will tell you what they can be sold on. This teaches you to become a great listener. We have 2 ears and 1 mouth for a reason. Who doesn't like being around a great listener?!
4. Leading - If you are not excited about being a leader, you probably won't be in sales for long. It's competitive, exciting, and in most cases your results are based on YOU and your effort. Leaders (well, respected ones, anyway...) can't make excuses. Sales and Marketing teach you to eliminate excuses and get results, which, in turn, typically will propel you past the people who still make excuses. Afterall, a leader without followers is just a person who is walking.
5. Self-Belief - Tebow said it best - BELIEVE. In Sales & Marketing, people tell you no. Maybe people even tell you to "get a real job" or do something easier. If you believe in what you are doing, then you constantly have to re-commit to it while others may try to discourage you. Just because someone else can't do something doesn't mean YOU can't. You must believe in yourself to make sales a career.
6. Helping Others - As soon as you stop worrying about your numbers and your bank account, the sales just start pouring in. Money is just the applause for taking a genuine interest in helping others. It could be helping them with the product you are selling or helping them learn. Either way, sales teaches you to be SELFLESS if you want to succeed long term.
7. Reasoning - You have to be able to make things make sense to other people. If you can't get your point accross effectively, no deal. Everyone wants to know, "What's in it for me?" Reasoning skills help you to communicate why what you are selling is a good idea for the buyer.
8. Competition - Healthy competition keeps us from dying inside. We want to be the best mother, friend, daughter, closer, coach or whatever. Sales teaches you to look at yourself, your stats, your communication skills, your attitude toward life, and get better!
9. Hearing NO - Let's face it. No one likes hearing no. But we've been told no our entire lives! No more candy, no staying up past your bedtime, no you can't play outside, no you can't get into this college. The more we hear no, the more immune to it we become. And if you study ANY successful person, they were told no much more often than yes in their early business years. The difference between them and the next guy was they just kept at it. "No" can't ruin you. It should only encourage you to improve your strategy!
10. Integrity/Honesty - I've said this in my blogs before, but it is my MISSION to prove that you can operate a clean, honest, upfront business and still be incredibly successful. Omission is the same as lying according to my mother. We are dead a lot longer than we're alive, and I'd much rather make my living with clean money than have to look over my shoulder all the time. A lot of my sales I have made because I was upfront. The buyer was testing me to see if I would be honest with them in the eyes of temptation. Each time I made a sale becasue I was honest, I was more motivated to prove it could be done!
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Clothing / Food Drive was a success!
Thanks so much to everyone who donated men's, women's, and children's clothing to our drive to benefit both Sox Place and Safe House Denver. We have so much to be thankful for, not only in our careers, but in one another - and giving to these organizations feels great!
We have our entire kitchen FULL of boxes and bags of warm winter clothes, business suits, kids clothing, dipaers, toys and blankets. Not to mention all the food our employees so generously brought in.
I am thankful to work with people who are so selfless and who care so much about this community.
Happy Thanksgiving!
We have our entire kitchen FULL of boxes and bags of warm winter clothes, business suits, kids clothing, dipaers, toys and blankets. Not to mention all the food our employees so generously brought in.
I am thankful to work with people who are so selfless and who care so much about this community.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Friday, November 18, 2011
Courage to Change
I have this calendar on my desk where you rip off a page each day, and it has a saying on it. Well, I'm not the best at following through on this. But today I did, and here's what was waiting for me to share with you.
"Sometimes, when we don't have the courage to change, everything changes around us to direct us to a new path. You cannot stop yourself from growing - evolution requires it."
This is especially moving to me because I was thinking back on the times my life has had a big shift, and it was usually not my doing...but it was absolutely for the better!
So - when life tells you you are getting stagnant, appreciate rather than fight it. It's only for the better!
Have a great weekend everyone!
"Sometimes, when we don't have the courage to change, everything changes around us to direct us to a new path. You cannot stop yourself from growing - evolution requires it."
This is especially moving to me because I was thinking back on the times my life has had a big shift, and it was usually not my doing...but it was absolutely for the better!
So - when life tells you you are getting stagnant, appreciate rather than fight it. It's only for the better!
Have a great weekend everyone!
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Part of the solution...
I was thinking about how blessed I am to have the ability to create jobs, especially in what some feel is a tough economic time.
I was thinking how when we open our two new locations early 2012 I will be able to create 60 MORE jobs.
Sure it won't save the American economy, but it will save 60 amazing people from having to worry about their career path or what they will do next, or if they will be valued each day when they walk through my doors. It will mean 60 additional people will have a new sense of self-worth, clear and attainable goals, and they will become better at business than they knew they could be.
I just have a small operation in comparison to some companies, but my operation is HUGE in my world. It means everything to me.
It means I get to be part of the solution instead of part of the problem. And that's big stuff.
I was thinking how when we open our two new locations early 2012 I will be able to create 60 MORE jobs.
Sure it won't save the American economy, but it will save 60 amazing people from having to worry about their career path or what they will do next, or if they will be valued each day when they walk through my doors. It will mean 60 additional people will have a new sense of self-worth, clear and attainable goals, and they will become better at business than they knew they could be.
I just have a small operation in comparison to some companies, but my operation is HUGE in my world. It means everything to me.
It means I get to be part of the solution instead of part of the problem. And that's big stuff.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Validation
Everyone needs a little validation sometimes...and you never know when it will come back to you! Do good even if it is for the reason that it feels good! You never know the battle a stranger may be fighting.
Validation Video
Validation Video
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