Does Your Elevator Speech Pass the Goldfish Test?

Does Your Elevator Speech Pass the Goldfish Test?
Hello! How are you? So what do you do?

The clock has started. I've just met you and within those
first several seconds have formed an opinion of your
success, your income, your education, etc.

Studies show that the average American has a nine second
attention span (about the same as a goldfish) and, in
reality, doesn't care what you do or who you are. It's not
that we're horrible people, we just don't have the time.
We're too busy thinking about everything we need to do: our
jobs, the bills piling up on the kitchen table, our
parents' health, what's for dinner, who's picking the
children up after school, the holidays are coming, etc. But
since we're polite, we ask and we try to listen.

Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to get our
attention so that we are focused on you and your business.
You have between 20 and 30 seconds max. Can you do it?

A 20-30 second verbal message is also called an "elevator
speech". Studies show that you use your elevator speech 22
more times than you use your printed business card. Yet how
much time, effort and energy did you spend in preparing
your printed business card as opposed to your oral one?

People prefer to do business with people - not with
nameless, faceless entities. When you have a chance to be
face-to-face with your target audience, you want to have a
verbal message that grabs their attention and doesn't let
go. You want them asking questions about you and your
business because they HAVE to know more.

Take the following:

1. "Hi, I'm a business coach and I help small businesses
get bigger."

2. "Hi, I teach businessowners the seven secrets to
attracting wealth and skyrocketing their sales, so they can
spend more time doing what they love."

Which grabs your attention more?

The first is very matter-of-fact, more educational. The
second on the other hand hints of something more - a
secret, actually SEVEN secrets. Among the things we love
most are:

1. numbers 2. secrets

We are a numbers-oriented society. Everything is how much
or how many. "How old are you?" "What does she weigh?"
"What is your salary?" "The Top Ten" of this or that list.
Take a look at magazine covers the next time you're out
shopping and you'll realize how much we love numbers and
numbered lists.

And then there are the secrets. From childhood, we've all
heard the taunt "I have a secret, I have a secret and you
don't know it." It's ingrained in us. We not only want to
know the secret. . . we need to.

The first half of the message addresses a basic need -
wealth. Now take a look at the second half of the message
"so they can spend more time doing what they love."

The second half addresses "time" - everyone wants more time
to do what they WANT to do, not what they HAVE to do. The
first message spoke of helping "small businesses get
bigger" - that's great IF they want to get bigger, IF they
are ready to get bigger. If a businessowner is in
"overwhelm", as most unfortunately are, the last thing
he/she may want is to "get bigger" and you will have lost
them.

Always remember that people view everything through a
"WIIFM" filter - What's In It For Me? In crafting your
elevator speech, you want them to hear, understand and even
feel what you can do FOR THEM. Address their basic needs
right up front and they will be anxiously awaiting the
follow-up. Now it's your job to keep them interested. Go
get 'em!

----------------------------------------------------
For the past 5 years, Sandra Martini has been showing
self-employed business owners how to get more clients
consistently by implementing processes and systems to put
their marketing on autopilot. Visit Sandra at
http://www.SandraMartini.com for details, compelling client
testimonials and her free audio series "5 Simple and Easy
Steps to Put Your Marketing on Autopilot".

Keep your Spirit

Keep your Spirit
I'd like to talk to you about a local magazine article.
This article was written by a gentleman who is a business
coach in the area and he talked about the responsibility
that business owners and community leaders must take to
take care of their employees and others in society in
order that we can develop more caring communities that take
care of all of their members.

It sounds great and I agree with the concept of people
helping other people. I agree that there must be people in
charge who can help those who might be less fortunate. The
problem that I have with this whole line of thought is that
it leaves out the responsibility of the individual to
contribute to the development of their own lives which is
an important step in creating the life you want.

Isn't that the thing that we're really missing in this
country? Wouldn't it be better if we worked on a way for
everyone to at least make an attempt to be accountable and
responsible for their actions and their life in order that
individuals might be proud of who they are and what they
stand for?

We live in what has been called the greatest country in the
world yet it seems that there are forces at work everyday
that attempt to take away the need for personal
accountability and accomplishment and teach people to rely
on others or a government to get them through life.

It's important for us to help our neighbors. There will
always be those who can not fight for themselves. I
understand and agree. At the same time I feel it's equally
as important to help people to become self sufficient and
believe in their potential to create and survive throughout
their own hard work and resourcefulness.

Soon we will no longer be the world's greatest country if
we continue to take away our spirit to create, take away
our willingness to take chances and gain rewards, stop
rewarding those who have grown because of hard work and
determination, take away the individual's responsibility to
contribute and improve their own lot, and take away a need
to stand on our own two feet.

Let's remember to be good neighbors to others but let's
also ask that our neighbors return the favor and carry
their fare share whenever possible.

Believe in your power to create your own special life

Fred Nicklaus

----------------------------------------------------
For tips on raising Rock Solid Kids visit
http://www.ConfidentKidsCoach.com for free tips on raising
your child to be a leader, and for the fitness training
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Are You an Entrepreneur or a CEO?

Are You an Entrepreneur or a CEO?
Many people really confuse being an entrepreneur and being
a CEO. They think they are the same thing, but over the
years I've learned that they are actually two VERY
different things.

An entrepreneur has a mind that is creative. Entrepreneurs
are full of ideas, they're eager beavers - and they are
often hard to "control." There are exceptions, of course.
But all entrepreneurs tend to have that "pioneering" streak
in them - and they never really lose it.

When an entrepreneur starts a business, he/she is the CEO
by default. But many entrepreneurs are not well suited to
remain the CEO over an extended period of time. (I'll
explain why in a minute.)

So after their company gets some success, many
entrepreneurs hire a "professional CEO." Then the
entrepreneur assumes a different and more targeted role,
doing what he or she does best. The role might be in
marketing, inventing, creating, innovating...or it could be
technical in nature.

Of course, there are also many entrepreneurs out there that
have proven to be great CEOs. Every day, I work hard to be
that entrepreneur-turned-great CEO (and I must say that
I've done a pretty good job at it so far). But it does
require a lot of concentration!

That's because a CEO is basically a manager. A CEO should
have a talent for building organizations, structuring,
overseeing the details, watching the financials, and in
general keeping the company in the black.

Also, a CEO's job is to keep the company moving forward.
The single biggest responsibility of a CEO is to build
"shareholder value."

And the fact is, most entrepreneurs don't want to think
about shareholder value. Often an entrepreneur just wants
to paint on the canvas - not worry about selling the
painting, advertising, and fulfillment. Often the last
thing an entrepreneur wants to do is figure out how much to
charge for his or her masterpiece so the company makes a
profit and doesn't go broke!

One of the biggest differences I have personally witnessed
between an entrepreneur and a CEO is this: the entrepreneur
is FULL of new ideas and is eager to implement them, while
new ideas are the stuff of nightmares for a CEO. New ideas
challenge structure and organization, and they can mean a
whole lot of extra and tedious work for a CEO.

Of course there are many entrepreneurs-turned-CEOs who can
do both. Sometimes a "start-up" kind of CEO can be creative
and full of ideas, but still have the very structured
mindset of a good business person.

So an entrepreneur-turned-successful CEO is still an artist
- but business is his art. Real artists never paint with
the selling price of the painting in mind. Real artists
paint to fulfill an inner need.

Business is the art that fills that inner need of a CEO.

----------------------------------------------------
The Mystery CEO is a young entrepreneur who started a
company now doing close to $2 Million a year right in his
DORM room!
Now he lets you watch over his shoulders as he learns more
about entrepreneurship. You can even listen-in when he
interviews CEOs who manage $100 Million+ companies!
Read his entrepreneurship blog right away for all the
entrepreneurship training you'll ever need!
http://www.MysteryCEO.com

To Do Lists - Where Do You Find the Time To Do Them?

To Do Lists - Where Do You Find the Time To Do Them?
If you're like me, many days are jam packed with more items
on your "To Do" list than any human could possibly handle
in one day. Why do we tend to put ourselves in this
situation, when we end up with little or no time to enjoy
life? Most of us work until 7-8pm, go to bed at 9-10pm,
then get up early the next morning and do it all over
again. Before you know it the week is gone, then a month
is gone, then you're celebrating New Years Eve wondering if
you enjoyed the year that just flew by...

While I'm not a big fan of most time management systems,
it's becoming obvious to me that I need to get a better
handle on my work days, not only to get done what I need to
do, but also to learn how to alleviate stress and overwhelm
- since they both pop their ugly heads up all too often.

So in the interest of keeping my sanity, and finding some
balance in 2008, here's the plan I'm using. You may want
to give it a try.

1. Begin documenting each task you do during work hours,
including the time you spend doing laundry, having lunch,
and going for a walk. This definitely sounds more
analytical than I consider myself to be. You will
hopefully be able to tolerate this extensive documentation
for about a week. This should be enough time to determine
where you may be losing time to tasks that are not helping
you reach the goals that are most important to you - in
other words the goals that keep you healthy, happy, and
that feed your bank account.

2. Decision Time! After a week, analyze where you're
spending unproductive time and make decisions based on your
priorities. This, of course, assumes you know what your
priorities are, which leads to number 3.

3. What do you want? Many people won't make it through the
first two steps, unless they are ready to live an authentic
life. An authentic life means that when you are drawing
your final breath you will have no regrets. You won't look
back and say, "I wish I had..." On the surface it may
appear that making money and having a successful business
is what will lead to happiness. In reality, however, it's
how making money and having a successful business makes
most of us feel that leads to happiness. What's important
is how we feel - more than what we have. For most people
that includes such things as spending more time with
family, friends, and having fun.

4. What can you give up to get what you want? Can you hire
someone else to do the things that are keeping you from
your priorities? Can you reorganize, refocus, reinvent a
new system, or just plain quit doing something that's not
really that important? There is a wonderful feeling of
spaciousness in your life when you decide to give up
events, situations, obligations, or even people that are
eating into the precious time you have to do what you
really want to do.

5. Make a commitment - to yourself - to take action towards
removing what's not important, what you dread doing, what
doesn't make you feel good about yourself and where your
life is going.

This is my plan for 2008. I know there are many different
ways to approach time prioritizing. This time next year,
with a whole year of thinking and testing to look back on,
I will most likely give you a new system to consider. In
the meantime, here is a quote by Alice Bloch to put time
into perspective, "We say we waste time, but that is
impossible. We waste ourselves".

----------------------------------------------------
Would you like to learn more about how building a
soul-based business can create a thriving business that
feeds your spirit and bank account? Visit my website at
http://www.soulpreneursuccessstrategies.com to check out my
free "Creating Money" ebook, free articles, and Soulpreneur
Coaching Services.
Sandy Reed, the Soulpreneur's Coach, is a business coach,
writer, ex-corporate manager, and co-owns her own
successful home-based business.

Tired of running your life on the pay-check-by-pay-check treadmill?

Tired of running your life on the pay-check-by-pay-check treadmill?
There's more to moving from an employee lifestyle to a
work-from-home entrepreneur lifestyle. The transition
process of leaving the corporate world and working from
home can have unanticipated effects on family relationships
and business life.

Home business owners roll out of bed in the morning and
head off for work--still wearing their pajamas. They work
from their dining room tables, move inventory in their
cupboards and arrange meetings in the lobbies of their
local hotels. They set their own schedules, jog on the
beach during their lunch breaks and some even give out
their house keys to employees across the city.

This is what life is like for Andrew Aussie, co-founder of
Honest Foods, a natural foods company; Stacey Roney,
founder of Beauty on Call, a staffing agency for the beauty
industry; and Meg McAllister and Darcie Rowan, co-founders
of McAllister Communications, a PR firm.

Using their homes as their corporate headquarters, these
entrepreneurs, along with more and more others, are running
successful businesses without have to walk out their front
doors.

A February 2004 study by the Independent Insurance Agents &
Brokers indicates that approximately one in 10 U.S.
households operate some type of full- or part-time home
based business. And these businesses are more than holding
their own.

A May 2006 study released by the SBA's Office of Advocacy
reveals that America's home based sole proprietors generate
$102 billion in annual revenue. As it grows in popularity
and profits, home based business is being perceived in a
much more favorable and acceptable light.

According to Beverley Williams, a home business advocate
for the past two decades, running a business from home was
once frowned upon or dismissed as a hobby for moms seeking
extra money.

Now, home based business is widely accepted and is
attracting both men and women. Aussie, Roney, McAllister
and Rowan learned from experience, learn operating
technique from those who have successful done what they're
trying to do and have mastered the discipline.

Here, these successful entrepreneurs open up about the ins
and outs of running a business from home, including how to
ward off loneliness, set up shop, deal with zoning laws and
insurance issues, bring employees into the home and project
a professional image.

How They Made the Transition

Deciding that the quality and taste of their product or
service was more important than the luxury of their
workspace, Aussie, 39, and Mark Oliver, 58, decided to
launch Honest Foods in April 2006 from Aussie's Del Mar,
California, home. This made it possible for him to invest
the majority of their startup capital into two years of
research and development.

This distinct work environment change, a major adjustment
for Aussie, was much different from the highly social
office environment to which he was accustomed. For 11
years, Aussie had worked in sales and marketing for Kashi
Co., where he managed a team of 12 people and was
surrounded by 60 to 70 coworkers.

During the transition, Aussie had to figure out how to
stimulation social interaction from his home office. He
relies more than ever on phone and e-mail to stay connected
with customers and industry mentors, regularly arranges
in-person meetings with vendors and suppliers at his home
or a local restaurant or coffeehouse, and has even thrown
parties for his previous coworkers. "I thrive on
camaraderie and social interaction, so it has been key to
realize that it's now my responsibility to set that up,"
says Aussie. "I set up a lot of lunches and gatherings that
maybe I wouldn't have set up before as a way to bring some
more social interaction to my daily experience."

Coping with loneliness is one of the top challenges facing
home based entrepreneurs, according to Williams and Paul
Edwards, author of numerous books on the topic, and
co-author of The Entrepreneurial Parent: How to Earn Your
Living and Still Enjoy Your Family, Your Work and Your
Life. Williams recommends seeking out the advice from the
local chamber of commerce or other small-business groups.
These can offer good support networks as well as serve as
invaluable resources of information.

Aussie also has learned that when working from a virtual
home office, over-communication is required to keep
everyone on the same page. Information, which is so
effortlessly transmitted in an office setting through
impromptu meetings or nonverbal communication, isn't always
transmitted as intended among Honest Foods' independent
contractors who work almost exclusively from their homes.

"It means following up in writing, following up with voice
mail, sending another e-mail, sending out reminders, doing
all those weekly meetings," says Aussie. "These may have
seemed superfluous in the office setting but are absolutely
critical in a home office."

Another transition you'll have to make is equipping your
home office, rather than depending on your IT guy to make
all the network office solutions. Scrimping and saving is
good, but even a home office needs a minimum investment in
terms of equipment. As tempting as it may be, Edwards
believes you should resist the urge to go all-cellular or
depending just on Skype and instead recommends equipping
the home with at least one landline.

Aussie began his home office by recycling his father's
office equipment and furnishing his office with
hand-me-down furniture. Yet he made sure his copier was
high speed, his phone had a speaker on it and his computer
was top quality. Says Aussie, "People may underestimate the
need to make that kind of investment in your home office."

Setting Up

Honest Foods is flourishing with year-end sales projected
to reach $1 million and product already on the shelves of
major natural food retailers, including Whole Foods Market
and Wild Oats Markets.

This success may be due in part to the physical setup of
Aussie's office. He runs the business from a separate room
in the house dedicated as his office space to keep his work
life separate from his family life. It may seem
insignificant, but separating family life both spatially
and time-wise is crucial, according to Edwards, who
recommends using a screen or a divider if a separate room
can't be spared.

Other key questions you should consider before choosing
where to set up office: Does it interfere with the family
foot traffic, and does it offer the solitude needed to
work? A little planning beforehand could greatly increase
the productivity of the business. Aussie has learned he
works best by shutting everything down and closing the door
to his office at a set time each day.

Work schedules will differ according to the preferences of
the entrepreneur, but no matter what your preferences are,
Edwards strongly recommends setting goals for each day, so
the business continues to move forward despite the hundreds
of daily distractions.

----------------------------------------------------
Paul McBride is a business consultant who specializes in
helping entrepreneurs start and operate part or full-time
online businesses from home. He focuses on financial
education, not currently taught in public schools, so his
clients not just receive increased business cash flow, but
also a knowledge of how to invest wisely and make
profitable long-term financial decisions.
Learn more at http://www.jpwealthintelligence.com/?t=ar7

Seek the Benefits of Coaching or Teaching Children

Seek the Benefits of Coaching or Teaching Children
Simulations (especially playful ones) are great ways to
develop a lot of experience with irresistible forces. What
could be better than to have fun, meaningful places to test
your mettle? Coaching and teaching children provide
excellent opportunities of this sort.

Prior to having a paid job, most people learn very little
about the realities of working for and with others. On the
job, most initially assume that the problem they should
focus on is simply how to get power.

They often think that with power you can order others to do
the right thing, and great results will occur. Many people
never outgrow this mistaken perspective, and so they are
doomed to having rebellious people around them (whether
children, spouses, or coworkers), who resent their attempt
to dominate situations.

To avoid this perspective's pitfall, you can quickly learn
that progress stems from thoughtful examples, cooperation,
and mutual assistance when you work with children. You will
find this experience works particularly well with those who
are not your own so that you have some emotional distance.

Children who are on a sports team, for example (whether
they are girls or boys), usually come out for the fun of
it. If you don't believe it, ask each child at the start of
the season.

But the adults are usually slow to catch on. Adults think
about skills and winning. It is true that winning can be
more fun than losing. But how can you make the entire
experience fun for everyone even when you are not winning?

You'll soon find that letting the children play in ways
they want to is a lot more fun for them than anything else.
For example, let them play the positions they like in team
sports.

You simply have to find lots of ways for them to play that
both can be fun and develop their effectiveness. That
solution means they will have a better chance of enjoying
the experience of increased competence as well.

But be sure not to sacrifice the fun. That's the core. Even
when they don't learn very much, give them as much play
time as you can. You will then have served them well.

The lessons of this experience can carry over easily into
being a parent. Children don't usually just decide to have
a bad relationship with their parents. The children
usually degrade the relationship as a way to get the
parents' attention.

The children know what the parents' hot buttons are, and
how to push them. If supportive attention is not
forthcoming from the parents, then worse behavior will
follow.

Being children, they would also like to have fun at home as
well as on the sports field. Play with them. When you are
in the car, be silent until they speak. That's a great way
to find out what's on their minds.

You'll be glad you did. Everyone can have fun!

Now move on to thinking about the workplace. Believe it or
not, adults have many of the same perspectives as children
do. They want to have fun, too.

They want to have a supportive relationship with the others
in the organization. And they want to have meaning in their
lives, as you do in yours.

To be an effective leader in this environment, you need
only remember the words of retired general Norman
Schwartzkopf, "Be the leader you would like to have."
Follow that advice and you can be more successful in your
role as an organizational person, as well as a parent,
coach, or a volunteer.

Copyright 2008 Donald W. Mitchell, All Rights Reserved

----------------------------------------------------
Donald Mitchell is chairman of Mitchell and Company, a
strategy and financial consulting firm in Weston, MA. He is
coauthor of seven books including Adventures of an
Optimist, The Irresistible Growth Enterprise, and The
Ultimate Competitive Advantage. You can find free tips for
accomplishing 20 times more by registering at:
====> http://www.2000percentsolution.com .

What Are You Reading, and How Can It Help Your Resume and Job Search?

What Are You Reading, and How Can It Help Your Resume and Job Search?
If you're about to prepare a resume, or you're considering
a revision to a resume, of course you're bound to be diving
in to books about writing resumes.

But you're not just a resume writer, are you? You're a
well-rounded business person. As a manager, executive, or
solo business professional, your reading shouldn't (and
probably doesn't) center simply around task-based books.
And interestingly, reading some of the higher level
business books can actually help you with the task of
completing your resume - and other job-search-related tasks.

Before we get into that, though, here are three great
resources for finding out which business books should be on
the top of your reading list.

*Bestseller lists. From major media outlets like the New
York Times, to major retailers like Amazon, you'll find a
bounty of bestseller lists with a quick Google search.

*Top books of the year lists. The lists differ, since
everyone's opinion is different, and lists like these are
more about fostering discussion than anything else. Major
media and retailers put out these lists, too, and so do
more job-search-relevant places. Monster.com, for example,
offers an Best Business Books of the Year list.

*Business summaries. You've seen them advertised in the
airline magazines, flooding your mailbox with direct
response offers, and blinking in banner ads on the sides of
your favorite business websites. The truth is, these
summaries are a great deal for the time-crunched
professional. Absorb the main concepts in a short reading
session, and take a stroll over to your local library if
you want to dive deeper.

So, what do these business books have to do with resume
writing and distribution? On the face of it, not much. But
step back for a moment and ask yourself these questions:

* What are hiring managers in your target industries
reading right now?

* What are recruiters and headhunters reading right now?

* What's on the executive office bookshelves in venture
captial firms right now?

I'd be willing to bet the answers include a few of the
books on those lists. And if these are the books they're
reading, shouldn't these be the books you're reading, too?

Make sure your resume, your interviews, and your networking
encounters demonstrate (in a nicely understated way) you're
up to date with some of the hottest business books out
there. Even (and especially) if you don't agree with what
you read in them. Polite disagreement makes for some great
conversation.

----------------------------------------------------
Allen Voivod is the Chief Blogger for ResumeMachine.com,
the leading resume distribution resource for managers,
executives, and professionals looking to accelerate their
job search results. Get the attention of thousands of
hiring agents with the largest and most frequently updated
recruiter database on the web, and dive into a wealth of
immediately useful career articles and blog posts - all at
http://www.ResumeMachine.com !

Business Plan - 7 Easy Steps To Create Your 2008 Business Plan

Business Plan - 7 Easy Steps To Create Your 2008 Business Plan
Did you take some time this past week to think about your
resolutions for 2008? (I bet you have!)

Resolutions create energy and promise. However, if we just
have a list of goals and "things" we would like to
accomplish with no "action plan", those under- achieved
resolutions can end up making us downright depressed!

This year, are you willing to try something different when
setting your business goals for 2008? You can create what I
call Your Simple Business Plan by following through the 7
easy steps I will outline for you.

Your Simple Business Plan will include just 4 goals that
you want to achieve in your business within the next year.
4 goals may not seem like a lot, but, believe me; it's
probably more than enough with everything else you have
going on in your life! (Your Simple Business Plan is a
1-year plan that is actually part of a much larger
strategic plan you have for your business.)

Oh, one more thought, resolutions aren't only about your
business and career; I'm sure you'll be thinking about
goals for your personal life, as well. Before you develop
Your Simple Business Plan, take a few minutes to think
about how well your overall life is balanced, and set
personal goals, as well as business goals.

Following are the 7 steps you can take to measure your life
balance, and create Your Simple Business Plan:

1. Measure Your Life Balance

Before you develop a vision for your business over the next
year, consider this:

Your business should support and help you achieve your life
vision, and goals. If you set only business- related goals,
you decrease your odds of having a well-balanced, happy
life, and achieving those business goals!

Before you move on to Step 2, I first encourage you to
measure your life balance. The life areas to measure are
your; financial situation and career; social and cultural
situations; spirituality and ethics; family and home;
mental and educational levels; and physical well-being and
health.

Use The Wheel of Life to measure your degree of
satisfaction in the different areas of your life. On a
scale of 1 to 10 (where 1 is low and 10 is high), ask
yourself how satisfied you are with the different life
areas on the wheel. You may find some other goals you want
to work on besides your business goals, to help you create
the life vision you desire.

You see, this is why having 4 business goals is more than
enough to work on achieving, because it's not ALL you are
going to do in 2008 to have a happy, well- balanced life!

2. Create Your 1-Year Business Vision.

Great job completing The Wheel of Life! You're now ready to
create your 1-Year Business Vision.

One of my favorite exercises is creating an exciting and
vivid vision of what I want my business to look like over
the next year. Let your imagination run wild and type away,
making sure you record EVERY thought, dream, and direction
you want your business to take. Dare yourself to dream and
"think big".

3. Review Last Year's Business Goals.

Before establishing your 2008 goals, review your 2007
business goals. Did you achieve what you set out to do? If
so, congratulations! If not, are those goals still
relevant? Acknowledge the progress you've made, but, don't
lament over the goals you didn't reach. Move forward with
your new or revised goals for the future.

4. Choose a Theme.

Usually from the 1-year vision exercise, a theme (or
themes) will emerge about what seems right to focus on over
the next year. It may be relationship building, product
development, or implementing a new marketing plan to grow
your business.

Choose a theme (or themes) that you will focus your goals
on achieving. (Choose no more than two themes!)

5. Choose 4 Goals to Focus on Within Your Theme (s).

Choose one goal that follows the overarching theme (s) to
work on each quarter. For example, if your theme is
'increase market awareness', your first quarter goal may be
to 'add 25 new business referral contacts to your business
referral list'. Your second quarter goal may be to 'publish
12 articles online' or do a Podcast. Develop additional
goals for quarters three and four.

6. Break Down each Quarterly Goal into Monthly, Weekly, and
Daily Tasks

Now that you know what you want to focus on each quarter,
figure out what you need to do each month, week, and day of
that quarter to reach your goal. This is your action plan!

A good idea is to treat each goal as a project. Make a list
of all the tasks you must accomplish to reach your goal.
Buy a notebook with inside pockets or a clear front cover.
Put your task list inside the front cover pocket. Keep all
your working papers, articles, and resources you need to
accomplish your goal in this ONE notebook. As you complete
tasks, check them off your list so you can see and gauge
your progress.

WARNING: Most people skip this step after they develop
their goals. If you break your elephant goal into baby
steps, I can guarantee reaching your goals will be easier!

7. Get support

Buddy up with a colleague or hire a coach to keep you on
track and moving forward. Check in at least once a week
with each other to ensure forward progress, and celebrate
your victories!

If you follow the 7 steps, I have outlined for you, by this
time next year, you will be astounded, and elated at the
goals you've accomplished with Your Simple Business Plan!

Copyright 2007 Bonita L. Richter and Profit Strategies.

----------------------------------------------------
Bonita L. Richter, MBA, founder of Profit Strategies,
teaches entrepreneurs and business owners how to start and
grow businesses, attract more clients, and market their
businesses to increase sales, business success, and
generate wealth. Find out more about how to market your
business and boost sales with her popular FREE eBooks at
http://www.Profit-Strategies.biz

Do You See Failure or Success?

Do You See Failure or Success?
I remember attending a meditation workshop with Mark
Epstein, a well-known 'Buddhist psychologist.' He told a
story about a meeting he had with Ram Dass, spiritual
teacher and author, where Ram Dass had asked Mark Epstein
about his work with his patients. As Mark talked about his
work, Ram Dass interrupted him and asked, "Do you see them
as already healed?"

I was so struck by this story. As a coach and healer of
businesses, I saw the clarity in this question. So often as
solo-service professionals it is easy to focus on our
success by looking at ourselves (what we are doing,
creating, visualizing, etc.), but the results are
incredible when we turn the focus on those that we serve.

What do you see when you look at your clients or customers?
Do you see failure or success?

When I worked as a high school teacher--in moments when my
students were working on their own--I would say to myself,
"The light in me sees the light in you." I really felt
that. I could see my students succeeding long before they
could see it or could even venture to believe it. However,
I knew as their teacher it was my duty to hold that vision
and energy for them and then guide them through the action
steps of getting there. It always worked. I have countless
high school teaching success stories.

I see that same (if not more--I've learned a lot in the
past few years) success for the private and Boot Camp
clients I work with now. I literally see them as a
successful magazine owner, professional organizer, coach,
meditation expert, Feng Shui practitioner...and the list
goes on. It continues to work.

I ask you to begin to apply this to your own business. Here
are 3 steps to begin SEEING success in those that you serve.

1)Change the way you look at things and the things you look
at change.

In Dr. Wayne Dyer's book, The Power of Intention, he sites
that, "It turns out that at the tiniest subatomic level,
the actual act of observing a particle changes the
particle." This is a clear example of energy affecting
energy. If I look at you and see your success, then you
begin to create more of and be success! How great is that?

So when speaking to a prospect, customer, or client,
instead of questioning your abilities (wondering if you'll
get the sale or joining them in their woes), the most
powerful action you can take is to change the way you are
looking at the situation. See them as happy, joyful,
peaceful, well, successful...and more. You will be
effecting a change that will result in more success and
abundance for the both of you. (It feels so much better
than worry and doubt!)

2)Be constantly giving.

The energy of success is constantly giving and the supply
is limitless. When you can come from this place in your own
business, you begin to attract more into your life.

I know when I first heard this, it was hard for me to
grasp. Mostly, because I used to come from a place of
giving, but have one eye immediately on making sure that I
was compensated and at the same time convinced that I
wouldn't be. Guess what? I wasn't and I felt a whole lot of
resentment at the same time.

When I shifted my attention to giving for the sake of the
success of those that I was serving and simultaneously
confidently took care of what I needed for myself and my
business (instead of waiting for someone else to do just do
it), there was more success ALL around.

3)Detach from the outcome.

When you are able to SEE success, you don't need to be
attached to the outcome because you KNOW that it's going to
be successful. Whenever you are caught up in accumulating
(I have to get this client; I have to sell to this
customer), then you lose sight of what your main goal
is--to see the success of those that you serve.

Find out exactly what's going on for the person that you're
speaking to. Ask them and ask yourself, what do they need?
The answer to this question is usually multi-layered. (For
example, prospects that come to me may need more income
from their businesses, but they also need to move through
the blocks they've unconsciously set up for themselves
that's keeping them from getting more money). So, you then
SEE them as getting their needs fully met and begin the
process of working with that person, so you can help make
it happen.

Call To Action:

1)Ask yourself, how do I see my prospects, clients, or
customers? Be honest. Just let the answer come. No
judgment. It will give you a lot of information.

2)With whatever answer you get now, ask yourself, "How can
I improve?" How can I see this situation differently?

3)For one day focus only on those you serve and their
success. Write down the difference in how you feel, the
results that your clients get, and anything else that pops
up.

----------------------------------------------------
Ready to move through your own business barriers and blocks
while being held in the highest energy or support and
success by a powerful group of like-minded entrepreneurs?
Yes? Then join the EnergyRICH® Business Boot Camp.
Here's where we cover every piece of the inner (the
energetical) and the outer (practical) approach to building
a successful business. http://www.energyrichbootcamp.com

Make Concrete Blocks And Garden Ornaments--A Business Opportunity

Make Concrete Blocks And Garden Ornaments--A Business Opportunity
Manufacturing concrete blocks and garden ornaments is an
excellent business opportunity.You can start this business
part time in your garage at very low cost. Using hand made
molds,and simple production methods,you can make a wide
variety of concrete products.The concrete block,used in so
many different types of building projects,is a basic
commodity of the building trade.You can turn out 100 cement
blocks per day easily with hand made molds.

Concrete bird baths are,by far,the best selling garden
ornament.Demand is huge and they sell on sight.You can make
a variety of these easily with hand made molds and you can
sell them to local building supply or garden stores.
Transporting these heavy items from a distant supplier is
expensive.They will be happy to have a local supplier who
has low costs,and therefore a very competitive price.With
no transportation costs you can make an excellent profit
from your work.

You can also make many other types of concrete garden
ornaments and garden furniture from available
plans.Vases,large and small,including 'Ali Baba' style
vases,are easy to make without molds.You can learn the
simple production methods quickly and make a wide variety
of these.They are very popular decorative items for patios
and gardens.Your basic business of concrete block making
can be supplemented by these items.They are easy to produce
and very profitable.

You can make many other types of garden ornaments from
either hand made or commercial molds and you will find a
ready sale for your products. By starting part time,in your
garage,you eliminate all risk.Your starting cost is only
the price of some plywood and sheet metal to make your
cement block molds.The appropriate concrete mix is made
from Portland cement,gravel,sand and water in the correct
proportions.As your business builds you can decide to go
full time when you are ready.

For volume production of concrete blocks you will need a
concrete block making machine.Commercial models are
available.They are quite expensive however. The other
option is to build your own machine.Plans are available for
an excellent machine made from sheet metal,used auto parts
and a few odds and ends. You can build one of these at very
low costand it can turn out all the blocks you will need
very easily.

As business grows you will probably need to rent premises
large enough for the racks needed to store your cement
blocks for drying.You will also need a helper to move the
blocks from the machine to the racks.At this stage however
your business will make enough profits to more than justify
the extra costs. You can start your own concrete product
business on the proverbial shoestring. With hard work it
will rapidly grow into a full time very profitable
business.You will give up your job and be an
entrepreneur.The sky is the limit in this business. Demand
never dies for concrete products and you can have an income
you could only dream about while working at a job.

----------------------------------------------------
John Mowatt is retired from the family concrete products
business.He is a free lance writer and writes on
manufacturing concrete products.He also writes about health
and fitness issues.For more information and resources on
the manufacture of concrete products see
http://www.concreteblockmaker.com

Ethical business or just a 'green wash'

Ethical business or just a 'green wash'
Coming off the sea at the end of Brighton Pier, and
blasting its way through the air conditioning system of the
Horatio Bar, a gale was blowing down the back of my neck.

Despite this, sitting wrapped in my coat as if about to
leave, I listened with great interest to the 'ethical'
businesses who bravely gave their websites up for scrutiny
at the 'Striding Out - Ethical marketing and branding
event' held in Brighton, UK, at the end of February.

It was a great event, but I do have a general gripe about
these kind of sessions. As an entrepreneur, I am frustrated
by the lack of goody bags at these kind of events. Yes, we
get the information and inspiration, but what exactly am I
supposed to DO now? What can I take away that allows me to
put this new found knowledge straight into action?

I believe one thing is to create an ethical sustainability
policy for my business, but what I really want is to walk
away from these kind of events with a template for creating
my own, with links to appropriate help if I need it (even
if that means paying for that help). I was inspired by Sam
Wilson of EcoEvents who has done so much homework in
creating ways for events to be more ethically run, but also
(and just as importantly) defined systems and mechanisms
for measuring the successes and failures, and making the
organisers of the events accountable.

And if businesses want to not just be part of the `Green
Wash', they should be accountable, at least to themselves.
What is the point of me creating a sustainability policy if
my vision is not balanced by my commitment to achieving
deadlines? And buffeted by the realities of every day life,
will I not need to make constant revisions for my ethical
goals to still be attainable?

I spoke recently with Vania Phitidis, an elected member of
the Green Party, who is working with Wealden District
Council on awards for `green' businesses. Vania is keen to
give advice and encouragement. Businesses should not be shy
to make use of their local green MPs to get feedback and
advice.

Getting expert guidance would be even better, but that
costs money, and sometimes I think it is good to make the
first steps on your own, since it is your own passion and
commitment that will lie at the heart of any 'policy', and
that may need some uninhibited development first.

One of the companies at the Brighton event were Green
Rocket (who also trade as Blue Rocket, but their principles
don't change with the colour). Their genuine ethical agenda
is refreshing to see in the marketing industry. They have
created a succession of articles on how to be an ethical
business , and try to set an example for the values they
hold dear. Kim Stoddart, Managing Director and Founder of
Hove based ethical media relations consultancy and social
enterprise, Green Rocket, was concerned about the
environmental impact of her business from day one.

As a community interest company with an authentic
environmental purpose(75% of the company's profits are
reinvested in green initiatives), Kim felt that the company
really had to be green to the core and that meant the first
place to start had to be the office. Prior to launch, an
environmental charter was put in place which was designed
to reduce the environmental impact of the business'
everyday operations. This looked at every area of the
business and just some of the broad range of initiatives
put in place included: recycling everything recyclable,
including paper, cardboard and plastic waste as well as old
computer equipment, mobile phones and furniture. Choosing
suppliers for their green and ethical credentials; such as
Good Energy for electricity, Magpie for recycling, the
Co-Op for banking and Green Your Office for office supplies
and office cleaning. Offices were chosen in a central
location, to make it easier for staff to walk, or get
public transport to work and to travel to client meetings.

Being an 'ethical' business is about more than leaving a
reduced carbon footprint. Green Rocket is a social
enterprise, but what exactly IS a social enterprise, and
how can my business take on some of the same values and
practices?

I asked this question of Martin Murphy, who along with Tom
Howat runs Network 2012, a website dedicated to promoting
the values of social enterprises.

Martin's explanation was as follows: "In a small way we are
working towards a more inclusive society and a fairer
distribution of wealth and that is the driving force behind
Network 2012. Working towards a social goal as well as a
business goal is in my view what makes a social enterprise.
In essence we want a fairer world and see business as the
method of providing that fairer world. In our case an
online networking business.

"At the moment we have people who we describe as social
entrepreneurs out there running social enterprises and
working towards a better world. They are not people who
take the attitude that we'll never make a fairer world it's
too big a job they are people with a can do attitude who
believe we have to start somewhere.

"I admire every single one of them. They are tired of
living in an unfair and out of balance world where we see
daily worldwide inequality, extreme poverty alongside
fantastic wealth and children dying for lack of food, clean
water or medicine and are doing something about it.

"It is the doing something about it through business that
makes a social enterprise and if current trends are
anything to go by in the future we will be much more of a
force to be reckoned with. By all accounts the social
economy is growing 10 times faster than the normal economy.
Being aware of this fact could be the make or break of any
business!"

I agreed wholeheartedly with Martin, but had to admit:
"Martin, I want to develop a more `ethical' business, but
don't know what I can do to `make a difference' right now,
whilst struggling to run my small business. I know that
with making good `profits' will come the opportunity to
reinvest it and do good, but what can I do now while my
business is still growing?"

"I take your point completely. I appreciate that starting
and running a small business is difficult I think there are
definitely things small businesses can do.

"Check out their suppliers for example. Can they use a
business that is a social enterprise/fair trade? Hopefully
one that is competitive. Can they employ someone with
disabilities, a single parent or long term unemployed?

"The overall advantage and this is something that shouldn't
be lost is that in the long run this kind of thinking may
give that company a competitive edge.

"I attended a round table discussion last week with some
representatives from large corporations all talking about
Corporate Social Responsibility and whereas before the job
of leading CSR was one given to someone an employer didn't
really know what to do with now they all have experience in
the marketing arms of their respective companies.

"A lot of it is about brand recognition and appealing to a
consumer who is becoming more conscious about what products
they buy. I also think that in future perhaps the rate of
corporation tax may be lower for companies that do
something for their communities.

"As I've said earlier though Suzy I do think it may be hard
to convince someone struggling to get their business off
the ground that they can do anything but I'm sure with a
bit of thought that they can."

----------------------------------------------------
Useful blogs and articles on ethical business practice are
available at:
http://www.certainshops.com/supportnetwork/index.php/categor
y/supportnetwork/ethical-sustainable-business-practice/
Suzy Miller currently owns her own company
http://www.certainshops.com , an interactive online
directory of vetted professional service providers Suzy
has also created http://www.bloggingforblondes.com