Women In Business Articles

Habit. Yikes. For most of us, this word is associated with nail biting or smoking. We all have bad habits. And once they are ingrained in our daily routines, it is so hard to break them. Do you struggle with a bad habit that may be keeping you from succeeding in your dream business? How about the habit of putting off calling your prospects? Do you have a habit of putting off writing blog posts or newsletters to your list on a regular basis? I know that I can struggle with those two challenges myself. Here are some wise words to inspire you:

“Most of the shadows of this life are caused by standing on one's own sunshine. “ ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson. I was talking the other day to a group of ladies who were kvetching about the economy and the problems they were having with their businesses. Times are tough, but, I left that meeting thinking about how many ways these ladies and even I get in the way of success. I was in a Beth Moore bible study last night and she was talking about spiritual learning disabilities and it made me think metaphorically about success disabilities. Do you have one or more of these success disabilities?

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”We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit” – Aristotle. People are watching you. You may not even be aware of how much people are paying attention to you. I got a call a while back from a man that had been “watching” me on Linkedin for about a month. He was reading my posts and looking at my website. He finally contacted me about an opportunity because he decided that he liked what I represented and it was consistent with the character of the person for which he was looking. It made my day that I had passed his test.

Nothing is more annoying to me than showing up to a networking event only to have people spend all of there time puffing themselves up and trying to sell you something on the spot. That kind of 'networking' doesn't work for me, and I bet it doesn't work for you. Are you ready for the first secret to effective networking? Secret #1: Stop networking for yourself and start networking for other people. Networking is a relationship building interaction.

I have a theory that we all can be a bit smarter about working our Pareto Principle. Remember that one? Vilfredo Pareto observed that 20% of the people in Italy in the 1904 had 80% of the wealth. Then, famed Total Quality Management Guru Joseph Juran took it one step further in the 1930’s began to observe the dynamic of the ‘vital few’ and the ‘trivial many’ and started making lots of generalized applications that basically mean that 20% of something is responsible for 80% of results. This became known as the 80/20 rule or the Pareto Principle.

<object width="480" height="270"><param name="movie" value="http://www.wingclips.com/embed/player.swf?config=http://www.wingclips.com/player/157/665/config.js" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><embed src="http://www.wingclips.com/embed/player.swf?config=http://www.wingclips.com/player/157/665/config.js" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="270"></embed></object> In the movie, Get Low, Quinn and Buddy approach the mysterious hermit Felix Bush's house to sell him a funeral, and Quinn makes Buddy go alone.

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Stranger in the House Emily Browne let out a tiny shriek when she spotted a stranger in her home. An adrenaline rush came to her rescue, initiating the flight or fight response. But wait a minute… There was something peculiar going on. Upon closer inspection, the trespasser’s clothing was familiar to Emily Browne. Suddenly, she recognized the intruder. It was her. She, had, in reality seen a glimpse of herself in the hallway mirror. “OMG, what has happened to my body?

I just read an article by Joel Spolsky on multi-tasking and computers. He really opened my eyes to the downside of the law of exponential growth. For years, yes years, I thought I was getting more done by doing multiple things at once. Seems efficient, right. WRONG! It really does take more time to do multiple tasks then to do one task at a time. Now, Joel is a computer guy—develops software. He has a great analogy that even a non-computer person can relate to, so I will paraphrase it here- “…You have two computations to perform, A and B.

"We must give more in order to get more. It is the generous giving of ourselves that produces the generous harvest." Orison Swett Marden. Giving of yourself not only benefits others, it benefits you. Not only do you feel good because you have helped others, but you have deposited something in the other person's emotional bank account. Giving is good for your self esteem, your health, your overall well being and it makes you more likable.

“Ideas are the beginning points of all fortunes.” ~ Napoleon Hill. Last year I was in a meeting with a bunch of business owners and leaders from different industries and backgrounds. One guy was celebrating that his new patented surgical device adapted for premature babies for heart and brain operations had just been picked up by 3 local hospitals. Not only would this save countless babies lives by making very serious operations for such small delicate babies much safer, it was going to be very lucrative for his company. That was one good idea right?

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"The most expensive piece of real estate is the six inches between your right and left ear. It’s what you create in that area that determines your wealth. We are only really limited by our mind." -Dolf de Roos. What will it take for you to acheive your dream? Will it take a few classes or a higher education? Maybe it will take thinking outside the box, or taking a huge risk. I like to partner with people who love to learn and challenge themselves all the time. There is creativity and excitement in learning.

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“I’m afraid that sometimes you’ll play lonely games too. Games you can’t win ’cause you’ll play against you.” — Dr. Seuss. Have you ever enthusiastically shared your dream with someone only to be met with rolling eyes, a discouraging comment, or even a laugh? It hurts when someone shoots down your dream. My parents were always supportive and encouraging about our dreams. I was lucky that way. But, I run into people all the time that have had so many years of people in their lives telling them they can’t do this, or shouldn’t try that.

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"I gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which I must stop and look fear in the face... I say to myself, I've lived through this and can take the next thing that comes along...We must do the things we think we cannot do." Eleanor Roosevelt. There is plenty to be fearful about in this world today; sickness, the economy, global realities. Facing your fears is not the same as succumbing to them. To face your fears is to acknowledge them, take stock of them, grieve and analyze them, but never let them beat you.

The decision is made! You're going to start your own business. Most likely you've put pencil to paper to see where you are financially, to know what you can afford and where you will get the necessary funds. You've spent hours upon hours thinking about what you want to do. You've thought about your passion and what you'll get out of the business. Hopefully you also thought about how you're going to begin. You have a choice of starting from the ground up or buying a start-up kit. Though more funds will be necessary, you might choose to purchase a turnkey business package.

Recently down-sized, company closing, early retirement, tired of making other people rich. Whatever the scenario, those with an entrepreneur mind-set eventually make the decision to start their own business. Some people are young, while others don’t make the transition until their late 50s or early 60s - or even later.

Creating a business plan for a small business is like laying a path to success, building it brick by brick. Starting from nothing but a planned destination is the hardest part. But once started, each brick, strategically placed, takes you one step further with great thought and determination.

There are promising signs that the economy is beginning to turn. There are also some indications that we have another tough year ahead. Either way, there is something you can do about your own economic situation. You can take control by owning your own business.

The next evolutionary shift for women is clear: we are being called to cultivate our own power. This is not the aggressive, dominating, competitive power of the masculine that has evolved our world up until now but the caring, creative, collaborative power of the feminine which is expressed through each and every one of us should we choose to acknowledge it. What does this look like? For women, it is about taking our places at the table, whether it is the kitchen table or the global decision-making table. We need to step up to positions of leadership in all areas of our lives.

The other day, I caught myself saying; “If I can do it, anybody can do it.” That may or may not be true… but that isn’t really the point… the point is, that all too often we become so familiar with our talents and skills that we overlook the true value we and our skills and talents have. In large part, those strengths, skills, talents, and abilities that make us unique, are the ones we tend to undervalue the most. They come easily to us.

Here's a common problem I see among my clients, and women in general. I don't want to be pushy. I don't want to toot my own horn. The clients who tell me this are so worried about it, that they have fled in entirely the opposite direction and have become invisible. Here's the problem invisibility poses for entrepreneurs: If no one knows what you offer or who you are or what you value, they can't become your clients (or your friends or trusted colleagues)!

Have you ever walked away from a person, event or situation and felt confused, and the experience made you feel uncomfortable and uncertain? You are not alone. Most likely, the subconscious cues—the nonverbals you saw—didn’t match what you heard. So what to believe, your eyes or your ears? If you are like most people, you believed your eyes. Words are only a small part of communication. The most influential part of communication is your nonverbals, so it is important to understand what messages your nonverbals are sending.

The unspoken secrets to direct sale success are understanding what messages our nonverbal communication is sending at our events. Nonverbal communication, which is often mis-referred to as body language, is the largest part of our communication. All of our nonverbal behaviors—the gestures we make, the fidgets and expressions we display, the way we speak, sit, stand, and interact send messages that are believed more than the words we use. These behaviors are most often “read and interpreted” unconsciously by the other person.

A few years ago, I was part of a mastermind group for coaches, lead by a highly successful coaching school. Many new coaches had questions about what to focus on as a newbie to get going and start earning money from their new passion. They wanted to learn how to recognize the priorities and the shinny objects.

So often the message your listener receives is not the message you sent…or meant to send. Why? Because we all have our own unique filters that delete, distort, and generalize what was said and heard. If the message you sent wasn’t received the way you intended, it’s time to take a look at your nonverbal signals, or gestures. Nonverbal signals reveal more than words can say. So it’s important to choose your signals... and not let them choose you. Avoid gestures that are random movements. * Make sure your gestures are intentional.r

Imagine this scenario: You are up on stage, being introduced, it’s your time, your moment to shine. And in a fleeting moment of panic, you realize, now what do I do with my hands as I stand here listening to this amazing introduction about me? All eyes are on you! Now, what?

A born leader. We hear that statement frequently, but what does it really mean? In the corporate world, is every boss a leader? And is every leader a boss? The short answer is “no” to both questions. Let’s look first at the definition (the noun) of the two words. According to Dictionary.com: BOSS – one who employs or superintends workersr LEADER – a person who guides or leads Now, let’s look at the verb. I find this insightful because one who is, normally does. A boss would boss and a leader would lead. So, according to Dictionary.com:

For most of the people that I know, the month of November is one that is filled with times of giving thanks, chances to acknowledge our blessings, and moments of reflection on the good things that have happened all throughout the last year. Sentiments of gratitude can be seen all around and are constantly reminding us to hug our family members, make time for our old friends, and let go of past regrets and grudges. While most will agree that these things are very important, the true concept of gratitude and thankfulness may seem to be overlooked.

There can be several reasons for headaches during pregnancy as it imbalances in the hormonal activity brings many changes in the body both physically and also internally. The first reason might be due to high blood pressure as this is quite common during pregnancy. Another reason might be withdrawal symptoms brought on because of decreased caffeine content in the body. Headaches during pregnancy may be caused due to low sugar levels or due to exhaustion. If the pregnant woman is under a great deal of stress, it could lead to stress headaches.

Location, Location, Location, Location “Location, location, location" is a common phrase that’s used when referring to real estate. It’s repeated three times to emphasize how important location is to the resale value of a home. The fact that we repeat it four times when talking about communicating bad news tells you how extremely important it is in using nonverbal gestures to deliver bad news or present a controversial topic. If you want to be the messenger who DOESN’T get shot, remember…location, location, location, location. There are four gestures of location:

The personal property inventory service industry is growing at an amazing rate. In 2004, there were only about 20 service providers in the United States. There are now over 500 ! I believe the main reason for this growth is due to the increasing number of disasters. This has created more common knowledge of the need to have an inventory of the contents in homes and businesses.

There seems to be more stress, pressure and conflict in the workplace then ever before. As budgets tighten, layoffs happen, and higher productivity is expected, tempers inevitably flare. Show your leadership skills by mastering these tips to maintaining a calm presence in the face of conflict and crisis. Breathe

Do you feel lost and insignificant in the corporate world? Do you have an independence that screams, “I want to do my own thing!”? Then possibly owning your own business is the answer. But where do you start? Can you do it all on your own, do you need constant assistance, or are you somewhere in between? There are 4 main options: starting on your own, buying a startup kit, purchasing a turnkey package, or investing in a franchise. There are wide variances, but during my research before starting my own business, I found some major differences. STARTUPr

You are at the start of your coaching experience, you know that to serve your clients you need to have a “coaching package” but you have no idea where to start. Let me show you exactly how… Here we go... In the early stages of your coaching career, you're still exploring what you want to offer, which problem(s) you can help your clients solve... and it may be the first time you're in business. After 500 hours of coaching, it's easier to identify a pattern, a niche.. even an avatar.

Most coaches are torn in two. Here’s their dilemma, it maybe also be yours: You have a passion to transform people’s lives and your experience says that 1:1 coaching gets the best results. However, you know that you can’t scale and grow your business when you are trading time for money. The solution is simple. We have over 200 clients, they get world class results. This is how we do it…

Do you want to build a bigger business? This is actually a profound question. I meet a lot of people who repeatedly say they want a different business (or boyfriend, or body shape) but they never take any action toward that new thing. Remember the Rubik's cube from the 80s? You've probably either tried solving it yourself or had a friend who was obsessed with it.

People often remark that they have trouble with time management. They don’t have enough time in the day. They are always running behind. They rarely meet deadlines. If only they could manage their time better. Saying one short little word – no - can be the most important time management skill you can develop. So why is it so hard to say? Possibly because when growing up we were told that it’s not nice to tell people no. And now, after all these years, we still feel guilty when we don’t comply with someone else’s wishes.

Dependent on your education and work experience there may be many opportunities to be had for you to start up your brand new place business, it straightforward boils down to putting prior job responsibilities and duties to work for you. Many times people find themselves all of a sudden jobless due to fusions, downsizing or the company closing down and occasionally even retired folks wish to do something to get out of the house and earn some more cash but are hesitant to have

Sleep is something that all of us have to get in order to survive, along with air, food and water. Not getting adequate restful sleep can cause you to have serious mental and physical health conditions. There are many people who have problems with insomnia but it can be found often in demographic groups like the aged, alcoholics, sick people and menopausal women. If for some reason you aren't getting adequate sleep it can be a very frustrating as well as depressing situation. There are 2 major types of insomnia, chronic insomnia that lasts a very long time and transient insomnia.

Even if you often let others carry on the conversation, there's likely another conversation simultaneously going on inside your head. As the other person speaks, your mind may be racing on with its own thoughts, drowning out all words but its own. Often the loudest, most notable sensation in our awareness is the sound of our own voice.

The bags of skin as well as the wrinkles that often appear with them, are the natural outcome of the body aging. As your body ages, it slows down the production of certain skin proteins within the body. Two of these proteins are collagen and elastins, that are needed to keep skin firm and full looking. Deficiency of the proteins creates eye bags and wrinkle formation.

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If you think the gender gap is on a slow and steady path toward closing in the next 25 years, think again. If your guess is closer to 100 years, that’s warmer — but the snail’s pace of progress is still slower than you think.

Think positively! Think good thoughts! Be “The Little Engine That Could” and think you can! We hear people make these types of remarks on a continuing basis. Why? What does thinking positive thoughts have to do with anything? Why is it so important to rid yourself of negative thinking? Your entire being is affected by your thoughts, which means every single component of your life is a result of your thoughts. However, there are three main segments of your life that are severely affected by negative thoughts – health, finances and relationships.

You are well into another meeting and suddenly the solution strikes you. Youre ready. Now is your time to shine! Youve just got a brilliant idea! Finally, a solution to the problem the team‚ has been struggling with. You present your idea, but no one seems to pay much attention, they just keep on going kicking around ideas. Out of the blue, that guy sitting across the table (you know the one) actually interrupts and paraphrases what you just said no more than five minutes ago. And suddenly, its his idea. Hes the genius‚ not you.