Review Assess Revise

Happy New Year!!! Better late than never, right?  WRONG!  With this mindset, your business will not move in the right direction and any existing or potential clients will certainly move on.  Life happens to all of us, however, the "rise and grind" entrepreneur keeps it moving, no matter what. They work every day to keep the business on track whether it's for 30 minutes or an hour.  Sometimes those "quick brainstorming sessions" are the most productive (even better with a great cup of coffee - my favorite!) So let's set some "jump start" goals right now that are realistic and achievable for this New Year, this New Decade, this New Beginning! Feel free to use and customize the following list. Change what may not work for you at this time but let's agree on the following time frames:

1.    3-month goals (Review / Assess / Revise) - Do This One Right Now!
2.    6-month goals (Review Profits  / Test New Products & Services / Assess / Revise)
3.    9-month goals (Review Profits / Assess / Streamline / Redirect / Assess / Revise)
4.  12-month goals (Review Profits / Review Some More / Revise / Relax)

[Your Company Name]:  Strategy for Growth in 2020

• Review rates
• Create custom rates
• Add educational videos
• Add or increase social media presence
• Bloggers!  Do you need a revamp?
• BUILD A TEAM OF VISIONARIES!!!
• Market, Market, Market and Market some more!
• Consistency is the key to success!

I hope this inspires you to work on your business goals a little bit every day.  Check e-mails, voice mails, and U.S. mail.  Be on the lookout for ways to add more value for your clients and your team.  Comment below with updates on how you are doing and visit My 24-Hour Office if you need assistance.  Thanks for stopping by.

Stop Dreaming and Take the Risk

Each day we are breathing brings new opportunities to change direction in life.  We have the option to leave a mundane job, start a new business, choose a healthy lifestyle or read a life-changing book. Whatever you have been dreaming of, whatever has been keeping you up at night, whatever has you reaching for coffee at 2:00 a.m. to write down thoughts until the ink runs out or the pencil breaks, and each time the light bulb goes off -- ACT ON IT!  TODAY!  RIGHT NOW!  Stop overthinking and reach for that dream that is exclusively yours. It's waiting. We're waiting. 

On The Move!

Today is August 8, 2019.  Today is the day I decided I am going to be “all in” in terms of my businesses and my dream of financial freedom.  I follow Patrice Washington on You Tube, one of my “You Tube Mentors” and for those who have not heard of her, she is the “Money Maven” and the host of a life-changing podcast entitled “The RedefiningWealth Podcast with Patrice Washington”.  In Episode 97 entitled, “How All In AreYou Really?  -- she hosted Lisa Bilyeu, co-founder of Quest Nutrition and founder/host of the podcast, “Women of Impact”.  This episode opened my eyes, not only in terms of what I was “not” doing to promote my gifts and my businesses but also how I was in my own way.  I enjoyed writing, teaching, and creating everything from on-line courses to refinishing a flea market find.  How could I marry this myriad of interests to build a profitable and sustainable business where the profits would quickly replace the income from my traditional J-O-B?  These have been constant questions for the past several years.  Only now, they keep me up day and night (i.e., I am writing this post at 8:30 a.m. sans sleep or caffeine).  I feel like Matthew McConaughey in the movie “Failure to Launch”.  Why do I have issues with execution?  Where is the courage to step out in faith?  After all, I have a fantastic group of mentors on You Tube!  “Not sure” is the only answer I have right now.  But in true Oprah fashion, “one thing I know for sure” -- starting today (after some sleep), every day, I will take steps “on the road less travelled” as I search for answers.  No more barriers, no more roadblocks or stop signs, no more fear – I’m on the move!

Brainfreeze Be Gone

Hello!  I hope you have "weathered" the wild arctic blasts that have been sweeping across the globe.  If you're like me, you've hibernated, binge watched a few good movies, ordered stuff from Amazon and drank lots and lots (did I say lots) of coffee.  My brain cells are still thawing out but the point is -- they are thawing.  I know it's well past the New Year and many of us have made resolutions to focus on getting "that business up and running".  Well, it's time out for resolutions.  It's time for roll-up-your-sleeves action.  No more dreaming and idle chit chat.  No more "I'll do it tomorrow".  No more "it'll keep 'til next week".  Let's get those ideas out of our heads and into the universe.  What is the "one thing" you can do to elevate your business to the next level?  Whether that one thing is a traditional idea, (sprucing up your website) or something a bit more innovative (partnering with a virtual assistant) -- try it -- no matter how small or scary.  Jot down an idea, write an ebook, design new packaging, create a podcast, or put a free course on You Tube -- pick one and do it.  Looking forward to hearing from you and much success!!!

Just Do It!

I know Nike is using a new slogan these days but "Just Do It" still gets me moving.  I had a number of unexpected interruptions last quarter but now I'm ready to begin again.  I've rested, taken notes, taken more notes, tossed around ideas and decided that it's best to "just do it."  So no more notes for now, grab that cup of coffee, get those ideas out there, sell something, build that website, fail forward, dust yourself off, and begin again.  If you keep at it (like I plan to), something amazing is bound to happen.  Keep me posted of your progress and much success in the New Year!!! ☕

Building a Team of Mentors

As an entrepreneur, one of the best pieces of advice I hear constantly is to "get a mentor".  When I look back on my time as a W-2 earner, I thought having a mentor was important when moving through the ranks of a company.  So, why would I need a mentor as an entrepreneur?  After all, I am my own boss, right?  I have my own company and that means I am doing something right.  Right?  Maybe, maybe not. I asked myself the following questions before building my team of mentors:

 

▪  Is my phone ringing with new business?
▪  Am I attracting serious clients?
▪  Is my revenue steady and constant?
▪  Am I trying out new ideas?
▪ Is my business growing?

 

Well you guessed it.  The answer is "No" to all of the above.   I simply did not have "personal mentors" so I did the next best thing.  I developed an amazing team of "on-line" mentors, many of whom I will be sharing with you here in my blog space from time to time.  There will not be an elaborate intro but a title accompanied by a one-liner giving you some insight into what will be discussed.  I hope you benefit as much as I have.  Until next time...

 

Review, Revise and Re-Start

I'm sure many of my fellow entrepreneurs can relate to the title of this month's post.  We get a hold a new idea, we plug away at taking notes, trying new strategies, failing forward, maybe launching and we wait.  And we wait.  And we wait some more for that next big project.  And we know it's on the way!  As entrepreneurs, we know that the real reward comes in creating, testing, updating and testing some more and eventually getting a "win".  Whether the income is $200.00 or $2,000.00, we are excited because not only have we created something that our global audience needs but we have increased our income as a "non-jobber".  And sometimes all it takes is doing things a bit differently and that's exactly what I am doing with My 24-Hour Office.  I tweaked some items on the website, made room for others to comment on our blog and I take every opportunity to learn from entrepreneurs just like you.  I want to thank Barbara J. Winter for writing a little yellow book that still inspires me today – “Making a Living without a Job”.  This little book truly opened my eyes to the joys of working on my terms.  Are you passionate about the products and services you provide for your clients?  Share your thoughts in this post and Happy July!

 

 

[Disclaimer: If a purchase is made through the above link, the owner of this blog will receive compensation.]

Waiting for My Piece of the Pie

Good Morning Entrepreneurs!

It's a little before 6:00 a.m. CST and I thought about how many of us waiting are still waiting on our own little "piece of the pie."  Are you waiting for something -- anything -- to happen before jump starting your new business or breathing life into that "in-your-head" venture that has taken up residence on Stagnant Lane?  Are you still tweaking "just one more thing" before you launch?  Or better yet -- are you waiting to find the time and/or money?  Well guess what? The right time is right now!  The following quote was an eye-opener for me and hopefully, it will get you moving too.

Don't wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. So what! Get started now! With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful.

~ Mark Victor Hansen - co-author, Chicken Soup for the Soul

Begin Again!

Happy November!  Today was a dreary day on my side of town.  It was complete with gray skies, falling leaves and consistent rain.  All the makings of a blustery Fall day but nevertheless, my kind of weather.  I stayed in, ventured into my warm and cozy home office, and found a few minutes of solitude to focus on "beginning again."  As you can see from today's date, it's been a while since I posted.  I am back with a brand a new direction.  Is there a business idea or project you need to revisit?  Are you looking for a new direction?  If so, let's talk.

A Day in the Life of a Freelancer

This entry is two-fold; it's informational and insightful and for those reasons, it will run through the month of September. First, it will give you a peek into the world of freelancers (such as yours truly) and two, it will pose the question many freelancers have – do I have what it takes to turn freelancing into a full-time income generator?

Let's start by answering a few other questions. “What is freelancing?” Basically, freelancing is “working independently" and is considered a form of “self-employment.” You do not report to a traditional job or put in the traditional 9-to-5 workday; you are not paid a traditional salary or benefits. You pick and choose work based on your personal interests and skill-sets and you are paid once the project is complete. Simply put, you are working on your terms, and your “office” is either the local coffee shop (love that aroma) or a sandy beach with a breath-taking view of the ocean (or in my case, the lake).

So let's take a look at how this can become a reality for you. An employer (oops! -- I mean a business owner – who does not necessarily need a full time staff person but needs a project completed, posts the job on a freelance website. The project in this case will be 2 hours of transcription that will probably take about 4-5 hours to complete. You (aka “freelancer”) apply for and are awarded the assignment. Two hours or two day later, the project is complete and you submit your invoice for payment. The business owner is very happy with the project and promptly pays the invoice. Once any administrative fees are subtracted, you are also happy because you have received payment for a job well done! Keep in mind that many projects do not pay well in the beginning and you will be tempted to skip over these.  However, I would suggest getting your feet wet as soon as possible to get your name and skill-sets out there in the “freelance community”. Even if your first few projects are less than imagined, you will be excited to see the deposits made to your account.

Finally, there are many ways to build a freelance career but where do you start? What resources are available?  What types of projects will you work on and is freelancing for you? Trust me, you will ask yourself these questions and many more. I could list some of the answers here but if you are like me, you might want to explore on your own.  There are a host of resources available but here are my suggestions for getting started.  Visit Crowdsource.com, Upwork.com (formerly O-Desk), and Guru.com. These sites offer projects that are available once you set up your “free” account. For higher paying projects (the projects that require specific skill-sets and expertise), you may be required to take a few tests or in the case with Guru – increase your membership which includes additional fees. If all of this sounds intriguing still, you must then answer the following questions:

Are you willing to sit for hours, reviewing and applying for potential jobs?
Are you willing to work on assignments for small amounts of money versus a 9-to-5 and benefits?
Are you curious and excited enough about freelancing to give it a try?

If you answered Yes to any of these, I say go for it! -- but don't quit your day job just yet. Rome wasn't built in a day and most likely your earnings won't be either. So what's the plus side? While I can't speak for others, for me it's the thrill of running my own business, earning extra income no matter how small, and the potential to make a living, working on my terms.

How to Become "Unstuck"

Hello Entrepreneurs! I am recovering from a severe case of writer’s block which has held me hostage for the past several weeks. Truth is, I have been literally “stuck” in neutral for the past month or so. But of course, we’ve all been there -- nothing new in the idea department, business is down or non-existent, the phone is not ringing and the mounds of crumpled paper representing frustration, have taken up residence in the corner of your office. So what’s an entrepreneur to do?

I could you tell you that I sat down and made a “to-do” list and tackled everything on it right away – but I did not, because I knew it would end up in the pile with my other lists. I could tell you I met with some fellow entrepreneurs in my favorite coffee shop for an “idea session” and came up with some wonderful and innovative ways to increase business – but I did not, because just like me, they were also “stuck”. So what did I finally do to get things moving? I began cleaning up approximately 22,000 e-mails. These were not business e-mails but those “potentially interesting reads” I vowed to peruse before the end of the century. Trust me – I will not. Sooooo, I created a folder for each month of the “current year”, deleting anything outside of the "current year" and ended up with a group of folders, pared down to a more manageable state. The end result – albeit 4 ½ hours and 1,940 e-mails remaining in my In-Box is the post you are now reading. Share with us how you shift out of neutral and get back on track. In the meantime, a coffee run is definitely in order. Enjoy!

SIMPLE ADVICE FOR TWEAKING YOUR BUSINESS WEBSITE

I am “launching” my business website again.  As business owners, we all do it -- revamping, re-inventing, re-thinking, re-designing, re-launching -- because we (the business owners) are convinced that we have not made the world aware of our on-line presence. Let’s just stop right now.

Take a look at your website, as a consumer, and try to be very, very objective.  You are now the “customer” here.  Is your site functional?  Does it take you, the customer, to where you need to be and does it offer products and services you can use and easily purchase?  If you answered “Yes” to both of these, then you are on your way; get some sleep.  If you answered “No” to either one or both, you still have a little work to do, but still – get some sleep. Start fresh the next day with a clear mind and a great cup of coffee.  Signing off at 4:55 a.m.  (Not good).

The Business Benefits of Working With A Virtual Assistant

If you are an aspiring entrepreneur or currently run a home-based business, are you in a position to hire support staff?  One person, maybe two?  If you're like most small business owners starting out, the answer is probably "No"!  That's OK because there are solutions.  Virtual Assistants to the rescue!!!

How to Control Start-Up Business Expenses

When I began writing this entry, my first thought was to focus on small business owners only.  However, it occurred to me that these tools and tips could apply to not only home-based business owners but individuals as well.  Anytime an idea is transformed into a business concept and eventually into a real live business, one of the most important elements often overlooked in  the start-up phase are the expenses involved in bringing it to fruition.

Watering the Seeds of the Small Business

For most of us, “April Showers Bring May Flowers” -- or maybe not.  We know that in most parts of the country, it usually rains quite a bit during the month of April.  If we have planned carefully – planted seeds or bulbs, early or late last year, and if our green thumbs serve us correctly – we know we most likely will see flowers bloom in May and early June.  Now -- let’s take that same concept and apply it to our home-based business.