Getting Excited For 2011

I suggest you set a little time aside to go for a walk, journal, or curl up in your favorite thinking spot to answer these questions. Allow yourself to explore to your heart’s content. When you start feeling that excitement you know you are dialed in to your head, heart and gut!

Getting Excited for 2011 Questions:

1. 1.   What 1 thing do you most want to accomplish in 2011?
2. 2.   What 1 thing do you want to let go of in 2011?
3. Who do you want to be by the end of 2011?
4. How do you want to be living by the end of 2011?
5. Who would you most like to reconnect with in 2011?

Really allow yourself to answer these questions honestly with no judgment and only love and compassion.  Once you are done exploring those questions do the following exercise to turbo charge and allow for the real excitement to set in.

Getting Excited for 2011 Turbo Charge:

Now imagine yourself this time next year, having accomplished all you wrote. Notice what you look and sound like.  Step into her, the you of 1 year from now, and notice how you feel, how you move and how you think.  Linger there for as long as you’d like.  Journal about what it’s like to be in this space.  Even take a moment to write yourself a few bits of advice from this place of wisdom and growth. Give this space a symbol, color or a name. And when you are ready take a step back into your current self, bringing that symbol, color or name back with you. Consider what you just experienced.  Reread what you wrote and notice the excitement that ensues.

You are well on your way to accomplishing many amazing things in 2011!

Mourning My BlackBerry

I know it is sad, when a grown woman stares at her lifeless BlackBerry hoping that it will come back to life.  Pushing the power button in rhythm as if she was performing CPR to see if it could be revived, but alas my BlackBerry is dead.  Don’t know what happened, it just heated up and then poof … it was gone.

So today I went to the Verizon Store to find out what, if anything they could do and it turns out there were a “lot of phones that behaved this way”.  And apparently it happened a lot in the South Bay, because only SF has replacement phones. So now I wait, because my phone is being shipped to me and it may take a “few days”.

At first I thought it would be difficult to deal with not being connected 24/7, to not be able to check emails incessantly or text as a way to pass the time, but…what I have found is that I have time for other things, like writing a blog post or have a leisurely lunch with my husband. 

You see this is what I love about my life and what I do.  Even when something seemingly inconvenient happens (that by the way would have felt impossible to solve during my 9 to 5 days) I now have the absolute flexibility to go with the flow and take it all in stride. For these few BlackBerryless days, I will enjoy my freedom and perhaps even lose that phantom limb syndrome that tingles at the palm of my hand. I’ll let you know if I find freedom beyond the BlackBerry, though I fear I am a lost cause

Top 5 Business Lessons I’ve Learned From My Dogs

Designed like other “top”  lists, we start at the bottom with number 5.

#5 Take care of yourself. My dogs take many naps in between activity, they walk and run and do things to rejuvenate and reinvigorate. Self care is what will help you maintain the stamina and pace of an entrepreneur. It allows you clarity and focus which will help support you in achieving your goals.

#4 Commit to your goals regardless of how big or small. Whether they are chasing a ball or conquering the backyard, the focus and tenacity is ALWAYS there.  The singular focus also allows them to move forward in achieving their goals extremely quickly. Meaning, don’t fill your plate up with too many goals, it will drive you crazy and get you nowhere – no dog likes to chase multiple balls so why should you!

#3 No matter the size, there are fundamentals that keep them healthy. Like eating and drinking water, there are certain things all dogs do to maintain health. There in, whether you are a Solopreneur or business owner with employees, there are basics to ensuring business success and you must learn these critical elements – like understanding business financials or understanding your clients. These are critical elements that will help you keep your business healthy and thriving.

#2 Ask for what you want/need.  My dogs never fail to let me know when they want to be fed, drink or go for a walk.  They don’t shy away from asking when they know they can’t get it themselves or know it would be easier to have someone with opposable thumbs to get it for them. Yet we feel it speaks ill if we can’t do it all on our own.  The need to do it all “myself” is a mistake you cannot afford to make if you want to stay in business for the long haul. I’ve talked about leveraging other’s time or hiring a coach or expert in an area you need it.  The money you spend now for that help will save you thousands in the long run.

#1 Learn and move on.  Whenever my pups make a mistake, they learn from it quickly and move on.  Never do they dwell on it or beat themselves up incessantly.  They learn the lesson and let go of the negativity.  This allows them to be present to the ever changing environment and allows them to adapt much more quickly.  This feedback loop of learning and growing is an ever present one in the world at large and one we would do well integrating into our businesses.

A Lesson From Paris

I recently spent a week in an amazing apartment in Paris, France.  This special week was coordinated by my mentor, with the express objective to help a select group of women gain deeper insights into our business by first working on ourselves.  Now, I have always been a great proponent of self development and continuously improving oneself.  I learned early on that we are often the ones that get in our own way and that if we allow things to unfold without trying so hard, miracles can and do happen. 

Although I thought I had learned this lesson and thought that my inner growth could go no further, I surprised myself yet again. On this trip, I expanded my thinking AND my belief in my business and myself. I will spare you the details of the twists and turns that got me to where I am today, but I will tell you where I’ve landed. I am in a space where I am experiencing a profound “joie de vivre” and a deep understanding that in order to attain the next level of success I want in my business – it requires that I be gentle with myself.

You see, I believe that going into business for yourself is a sacred road. One that will be chalk full of lessons and growth opportunities and if you, like I, have a deep desire to make an impact via your business AND have a flexible lifestyle, you will be faced with your own demons and challenges often and with full force.  This is why we must be gentle with ourselves.  To be gentle means to allow for the lessons, to allow for the learning and to stay attuned with our own “Flow”.  It is when we master the ability to stay attuned to this part of ourselves, or what some call God, Source or Universe that we are able to create and move forward in leaps and bounds.

Absolutely there is a place for the “how to” and basic principles of business building, however the more you listen and do from that space of flow and forgive yourself for the mistakes made along the way, the more you and your business will flourish… I guarantee it!

Attention Women Entrepreneurs

“How I went from being a struggling entrepreneur to having a thriving 6 figure business working only 3 days a week!”

August, 25, 2010
To: Women Entrepreneurs
From: Silvia Johnson
Re: Invitation to “5 Secrets to Make 6-Figures Working 3 Days a Week” Call

My Dearest Friend-

I am on an amazing journey and I want to give you the opportunity to join me.  For several years now I have been learning, growing and transforming myself and my business.  I’ve been stretched and continue to be stretched in what’s possible for me and those around me.  I have been working with individuals from all walks of life who have wanted to create a thriving business or reach the next level of business success and have seen amazing results.  And I am here to offer you the same opportunity on Full Scholarship.

I am calling on you, my fellow female entrepreneurs who,

Learn More @: http://OutsideTheCubicle.com/welcome/

I don’t have enough time!

First of all, this is not just another time management article. As we all know the moment you try to manage anything it seems to slip away more easily than if you had left it alone. Therefore when it comes to looking at fitting in more into your day, you need to take a different approach.  I believe that time passes us by as entrepreneurs due to the pervasive myth, “I need to work hard for my money”.  As if the only way we deserve the prosperity is via our blood, sweat and tears.  Further, this myth continues to be propagated and passed from business owner to business owner until it is just a “Myth” in “Truth’s” clothing.

How do I know this is just a myth?  Because I spend 3-4 days a week working no more than 8 hours a day and manage to bring in six figures. I also have many other friends and clients who are also living in this truth, where they are super productive, but don’t ever worry about burning themselves out. You may be asking, how do I change this perception for myself?  There are many components to pealing this myth back, but one key tool is distinguishing between the concepts of efficiency versus effectiveness.

In The 4 Hour Work Week, Tim Ferriss states that:

• Effectiveness is that which you do that gets you closer to the goals you want to achieve
• Efficiency is how quickly you can get things done, whether it is important or not

The distinction being that we will fill up space and time that will keep us busy all day because that is what we believe we need to be doing. In fact, when I left the corporate world and started my own business, I used to spend hours filling up the work day.   I didn’t have clearly defined goals and had a lot of empty space left behind from not having to commute.  With this added time, no goal other than launching a business and an extreme guilt that I wasn’t working hard enough, I spent a lot of time at the computer, researching, learning, and emailing everyone and no one in particular at the same time. 

Once I worked with a coach, set goals and then assessed how I spent my time against them, I was able to cut out a full day of “working” and I ended up bringing in more money into the business.  All because I was tracking what I did in a day against my goals! To this day my coach keeps me on track. Making sure that each goal I have tracks directly back to the financial goals of my business.  This sometimes is uncomfortable, but it’s the only way to move a business forward.

Your challenge, should you choose to take it is:

Look at your business goals and make sure they are tied to financial goals. Assess how your spending your time against the concept of efficiency versus effectiveness. Take a hard look at things that are “efficient” and find ways to stop, automate or delegate.

The Magic Two

There are two numbers you need to be crystal clear about in order to pursue your dreams in a way that is strategic and fun. In my business, I find that most women shy away from figuring these two numbers out. I often hear them say, “I am not good with numbers” or “I have all I need in my paycheck” or “My husband says we need around…”

Since they do not own their finances, they are never clear about where to start, where they are trying to get to and often never fully embark on their journey to pursue their dreams.

Now that you know it is time to look at your own finances and learn about your two numbers, let me share them with you:

1. Available Liquid Cash: How much money in cash do you need to have in order to feel comfortable? I want you to really consider this. Not how much do you have in your retirement accounts or long term investment accounts, but how much do you need in the bank that you could tap into in case of an emergency? Do you really know what that is?  Then set your target.
2. Monthly Income: How much money do you need to be bringing in on a monthly basis to feel comfortable? Here’s where you don’t want to look just at your paycheck.  You want to make an itemized list of how much money you spend, how much you need in excess for savings.  Then as you start to research things such as health insurance, business loans or other business expenses then those get added to this number.

There are a few other numbers I also have my clients look at, but with these two numbers complete you can set a target for a comfortable transition.  Also, make sure you have a conversation with your CPA or Tax Attorney as there are many write offs and credits that you could qualify for that may impact those numbers for you.

Take a moment and set time aside for this activity whether or not you are already in business, this will give you clear goals to shoot for!

Don’t Crush Your Dreams

We all have dreams, dreams of running our own business, taking an extended vacation or doing something different with our life.  As we build our dream, the more allure it begins to have. The greater the allure, the bigger the dream becomes. Then one day the dream gets disrupted by a niggling voice. It is the voice that seems to come out of nowhere yet is always with us. We call the voice by many names, “realist” “inner critic” “gremlin” or even “mom”. However this voice, though only a voice holds great power over us.

The critic, as I call it, tells us that our dreams are impossible. It tells us that we can’t, we are incapable, or that it will never be. Often when the critic speaks we side with it, referring to the voice as being right and rational. When I work with clients who want to create a lifestyle business they often have many critics, both internal and extrenal that tell them it is impossible, yet deep down they still have hope. They see the countless numbers of people who are living the life they dream.

So, how can you know if your critic is keeping you from something that is possible versus warning you about something that is foolish to pursue? First you need to take a moment to assess the truth. Ask yourself, “What is this thought or voice really about?” Knowing what it really wants will help you assess if it is real or not. Know the critic is not intentionally trying to make you miserable. In fact, the critic has good intent, typically wanting to protect you in some way.

Once you realize that the voice is just that, a voice, how do you combat the critic? The secret is you don’t! In working with your critic you want to find ways of integrating it so that it is in alignment with the rest of you. It is like Jujitsu, where you use the energy of your opponent to move towards the end goal. And although there are many ways of letting go or integrating the critic, I have provided the one I use the most with myself and my clients.

First, acknowledge that the critic exists and thank it for speaking up.  Second, find out what the critic wants. What is the underlying message it is trying to get to you. Finally, find a way to integrate the underlying message in a way that helps you move forward towards your goals.

Example: A client wants to create more time and money by starting their own business. The critic has said it is impossible, will be too hard and end up failing.  After acknowledging and asking what it’s really concerned about she realizes that the critic is worried that building a buisness will take too much time away from her family. Knowing this, she can create a plan that designates certain times and days as “business time”. This allows her to pursue her dream and maintain ample space to be with her family.

Take a moment and use this process with one of your critics and be liberated from the heaviness that they can create!

Marketing Essentials for Any Business Owner

Whether you are just starting out or have a successful business, marketing is the key to ensuring you have a steady stream of happy customers interested in your products or services. However, for many small business owners, marketing seems to elude them and thus becomes their Achilles heel.  In this article, I strive to give you a few quick tips that will get you moving in the right direction for your business.

In marketing there are many different areas and keys you can focus on.  The most important is that you spend time to clearly identify your niche and your target market.  The key questions to ask yourself are:

1. What problem or need am I addressing with my product/service?
2. Who specifically has this problem or need?

When you answer those two questions as completely as possible, it will enable you to design your marketing plan, communication and brand to get customers in the door and keep them.  This does not mean that you stop there.  Market research and defining these two questions must continue as you and your business continue to grow and evolve over time.

When I first began my business, I was focused on multi-billion dollar companies. The problem that I was solving was similar to the one I solve now; however WHO I was solving it for (aka Target Market) was very different.  Effectiveness of organizations, business structure, process for scalability, etc were all needs I was solving and although my techniques were similar to those I use today with small businesses, my language, approach and marketing were very different.  Fast forward to present day.  I’m once again asking myself these two questions to inform the next evolution of my business.  Based on the answers I’m coming up with now, I am narrowing my business focus, as well as the point of entry for the type of customers I want to continue to work with.

Each time I ask myself these questions and do the research, they inform my decisions about the following areas:

1. Updates/changes to my brand
2. Article content
3. Tone of marketing and email campaigns
4. Products and Services
5. Social Media
6. PR and Networking
7. Joint Venture Partners

and the list goes on.  Each entrepreneur I work with in my private practice gets the following homework: “Find at least 10 ideal clients to ask the following questions to”:

1. How do they identify themselves?
2. Where do they “hang out” or get information?
3. How do they make the decision to buy products/services just like your?
4. What are their biggest pain points?
5. What is their biggest wish?

In answering these questions, you will be able to see the patterns of language they use, desired products or services, buying strategies, etc.  This information becomes the basis of a marketing plan that will speak to your ideal customer and will help create that draw to you quickly and effortlessly.

Join me at S.T.A.R.

Hello All,

The Sustainable Tactics for Achievable Results (S.T.A.R.) Network provides access to information and resources to raise financial awareness and literacy among families, individuals, and professionals. Through a network of intelligent and accomplished women entrepreneurs The S.T.A.R. Network is committed to disseminating information to guide communities onto a path of financial independence and abundance.

Please join us in our Kick Off Event, lecture series, “Laying the Foundation to Financial Freedom” March 25th, 2010 at 7:00 PM with featured speaker Silvia Johnson. The event will take place at the elegant Milano Restaurant located at 3425 Grand Ave. Oakland, Ca. The cost is $5.00 in advance and $10.00 at the door. Contact me for ticketing information at (415) 271-5085. We hope to see you there.

Elena Flores
on behalf of the STAR Network

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