I remember my father sitting me down one night after he came home from work.  The company had approached everyone who was 50 years of age or older, telling them to take early retirement or face being terminated in the next six months.  He was crushed, having given them many years of service, traveling 3-5 days every week and sacrificing time with his family so Mom and he would have a nice retirement and his family would not have to worry. I will never forget him telling me to take care of myself first, and not to have that level of loyalty for a company any longer because it would not be rewarded.  Dad was 49 years old, and because his birthday was close, they had asked him to leave too.

Looking back, I realize that his experience was a signal of very different changes happening in the American workplace.  That sense of loyalty between employers and employees was being destroyed by a drive for profits over people. It's been several years since that conversation, and I've carefully watched the shifts take place.

Today, most workers change jobs many times during their careers.  Many believe the best way to get a raise is to polish up their resume about every 2-3 years.  Because there is little security in the workforce, many now establish small businesses or profitable hobbies on the side, just in case.  We've even created a name for it - a "side hustle."

Diversifying one's income stream means a better chance of being able to survive market changes, being 'downsized' out of a job, and political upheavals that affect one's employment.  There is a skill set required to start and run a side hustle though, that many do not possess.  Unfortunately, it can take years to learn the process, which also continues to change.  

Partnering with someone who has that knowledge and experience will shorten your learning curve and increase your chances of success.  That's where I come in.

How can you work with a strategic business consultant?  The right one can take you from your initial concept through defining and refining it into something that's sexy, smart and will be successful, all the way to your grand opening and beyond.  Many specialize in a particular size of business, known as stages.  Stage One consultants work with brand new entrepreneurs up to about $1 million in revenue per year.  Stage Two consultants work with those who have reached that plateau and are usually looking to expand into different markets, countries, etc.  

You can hire a consultant to help you write your business plan, secure financing, set policies and procedures in place, market your business, get free publicity, and so much more.  You can hire one on an hourly or per project basis as well.  It's up to you and what you feel you need.

I'm that Stage One consultant.  I love the excitement, anticipation and hard work of setting a strong foundation.  I play with business models and concepts like holograms in my head, every day of the week.  I love the challenge of creating something from a small kernel, and giving birth to new fledglings and then watching them fly.  That's what feeds my desire to do what I do.

Where do your passions lie?  If you could provide an additional income stream by doing what you love, would you do it?  What would that look like?  Hmmm....

If you're looking for funds to start or boost your small business, now is the time to get moving!  May is a big month for budding entrepeneurs!  It's Small Business Month, which means that many agencies and organizations catering to start-ups and small businesses run contests offering thousands of dollars in grants to the winners.  Some require well-thought-out business plans while others require creative videos explaining what you do and why they should give you the money.  Do your research - who's offering how much and what do you need to do to qualify.  Also check into what strings may be attached to the winners.  Are there requests for advertising rights to use your name, your product's likeness, required ongoing coaching with their executives/investors, or even do they take a financial interest in your organization?  If you don't have time to research these potential funding sources, contact someone who can.  There IS money available for you to achieve your dreams; you just need to know where to go to find it.

What does it mean? Why am I talking about spirituality on a business website?  Because we are still spiritual beings in addition to being business owners, moms, dads, and all the other roles we play.  Because we as business owners are in a unique position to make a world of difference. The ability to make global impacts lie in our hands.
Imagine a business that combines your personal values with regard to how people or animals should be treated, or is actively minimizing your environmental footprint, for instance. Imagine a restaurant that serves a certain number of free meals to the homeless each day, or a professional grooming business that also grooms homeless people's pets for free. That's what I'm talking about - expressing your spirituality in an active way to benefit society as a whole.
Why would someone do that? Yes, it feels good to do it. But in addition, there are financial benefits to doing so, it's a great marketing strategy to set your business apart from your competitors, and the goodwill earned in the eyes of customers and employees is priceless. Just ask Caribou, Google, Microsoft, Ben & Jerry's, and Starbucks for starters.
Interested in doing something like this but not sure what it would look like? Or how to make it work? Perhaps ways to enlist others in your cause as well? I'm here to help.

Do you have dreams and goals you'd like to attain?  I'm sure you do; we all do.  One of the ways some folks assure they are able to achieve those goals, is to establish a clear vision of what that actually looks like, and then to use their mind and the Law of Attraction to make it happen.  Vision boards are great tools to reinforce the vision you have on a daily basis.
When someone creates a business plan, they create a very specific written description of the business.  A vision board is a visual plan for your mind's eye.  It's another way for you to subconsciously focus your mind, your energy, and to attract that goal to you with images of what you want to achieve, have, do, be.  There's a specific art and science to the process of creating one, and my friend Mary Ganong is coordinating a four hour workshop for January 6, 2018 for people who are interested in creating their own vision boards.  I will be there to help her, and you, determine what you want in life, how you want to get there, and then create a vision board to help you get there.
In addition, there are a few bonuses for those who sign up, including a complimentary follow-up session with me; 50% off Reiki and energy healing with Lisa Harris Gore; and business owners receive a complimentary session to design the perfect gift for Warm Welcome Home gift bags and 1 month free advertising.
The fee is $75.  Please contact me for more information and I can send you the registration form.  Attendees must register before December 31st. 

I recently read an article in which someone asked Richard Branson how he overcomes feelings of inferiority when faced with someone else's credentials.  You see, Richard Branson has dyslexia.  In fact, he never completed secondary school.  His response was classic.

""It’s a shame that people shut down ideas because they’re worried about being crushed by people who are supposedly better educated than them. This is all about fear of failure. In my opinion, entrepreneurial drive beats a fancy degree anytime... Following my passion gave me drive and purpose. My mind opened up and so my world." - Richard Branson.  

What Richard Branson DOES have, is the passion that drove him to succeed against the odds.  I believe in it.  One of the very first things I measure when I meet a budding entrepreneur or one that's struggling is their passion for their idea.  Whether we succeed together depends on it.

I admit I'm afraid of failing too, but I believe it's a beautiful thing.  That, coupled with my passion for what I do, drives me harder toward my purpose and goals.  It doesn't have to cripple you!  You can take that energy and put it in a place that propels you forward.  Admitting you have it takes a bite out of the power it has to hold you back.  What you choose to do with it afterward will determine your success.

We all hate spam. Even spammers hate receiving spam. That's why the Federal Trade Commission established the CAN-SPAM Act. Do you know what's required of you before you hit the send button on your latest newsletter/email blast?
https://www.ftc.gov/…/can-spam-act-compliance-guide-business

Strategic business consultants can and often debate this until the cows come home.  When does it make sense to create a business plan, and when does it make sense to create a business map instead?  Whether one chooses a business plan or a business map, there is no question that one of them is a necessity for every successful business.  It is undeniable that businesses that fail to plan, plan to fail.

I would suggest that a plan and a map are not exclusive.  When creating a new company, it's important to take the time to create the foundation that will guide all future decisions.  A full-blown business plan acts as the lighthouse that will guide your ship through the calmest and most turbulent of waters, offering light to avoid all the pitfalls along your journey.  Yes, its a daunting document requiring a lot of hard work, effort, research, and input, but doing so upfront pays dividends in the long run.  It gives the entrepreneur the opportunity to create a paper hologram of the organization before investing precious resources, perhaps in endeavors that do not pan out or become too costly to be affordable.

Folks like Tony Robbins are all a-twitter over the use of a business map now, instead of a business plan. A business map asks a series of shorter questions that lead an entrepreneur to draw a diagram or create a document that looks more like mind-mapping.  It doesn't necessarily require the depth of research to answer the questions that a plan requires.  For someone who's already running a business that doesn't have a plan in place, I believe this may be a workable alternative.

Why would I suggest the need for both?  The plan is definitely necessary if one is going to seek external funding from banks, venture capitalists, angels, etc.  They want to see that you've completely planned your success and how you're going to achieve it.  This helps them establish trust in the entrepreneur's passion, skills and ability to follow through.

A business map tells others how you plan to achieve that success in a succinct fashion.  It doesn't necessarily require in-depth supporting financials, and hard data from focus groups or market studies that might be included in the plan.

If you're an entrepreneur, there are things you need to consider in planning for your success.  If you're unsure what they are, contact me.  If you don't have a written plan or map, contact me.  If you're off-course from your initial plan, contact me.  Let's get you on the road to success quickly.

From great tragedy can come great success.  My heart and soul goes out to all those who are suffering as a result of Mother Nature rearing her powerful head.  Much like the image of a phoenix rising from the ashes, each of us can make the choice to rise out of tragedy in our own lives, whenever it strikes.

When one loses a corporate job, it can seem devastating, and that the world will crash down around us.  But nothing feels quite the same as when our homes are destroyed, our families separated, and mementos of our happiest moments are lost forever.  That's what  happens in a flood - I know it personally.

But open our eyes, and we will see the angels who arrive in our lives to help lift us up; the news headlines may talk about the devastation, but turn the page and you'll see on page 2 and 3 the stories of those whose hearts open; of those that take action and start coming to offer help from all around the globe.

If the loss of a corporate job has occurred as a result of a natural disaster, our government sometimes reaches into its pockets and finds money to help.  In this instance, that's to the tune of $15.25 billion in emergency funding, including $450 million for the Small Business Administration.  That usually funnels down in the way of low- or no-interest loans for start-ups and those rebuilding.  So if you have thought about starting up a business, now may be the time to do that.  Please see the Hurricane Harvey tab here on my website.

But one doesn't have to wait until Mother Nature takes everything from you.  Smaller changes in one's life can also thrust you forward - perhaps it's retirement.  Perhaps it's time to start generating an additional source of income, or replacing one that's diminished in some way.  Maybe it's just that gnawing feeling that you want to take control of your own life, generate "mailbox money," have something to do now that the kids are back in school, or whatever driving force has brought you to this moment.

Having spent some time in the south, I can remember hearing "There is always a good time to make lemonade."  Perhaps now is your time.  What does that look like?