Archive for: business growth

Holiday Leadership Lessons: It's a Wonderful Life...

Posted by Business Success Coach, Donna Price on December 21, 2011

Special Leadership Lessons from Holiday Movies:

It’s a Wonderful Life:
Never Underestimate the Power of Tribes

One of the most memorable Christmas movies of all time is Frank Capra’s “It’s a Wonderful Life,” starring the incomparable Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed. It’s the ultimate feel-good movie, perfect for anyone who’s ever wondered if their life holds meaning.

Here’s the lowdown: George Bailey, played by Stewart, is on the verge of collapse. His small building and loan company is on the verge of bankruptcy, the mean rich man in town is poised to swoop in, and though he has a house full of adorable kids and a gorgeous wife (Reed), there’s never enough money to go around. George decides his family and business would be better off without him. On the brink of suicide, he’s saved by a fledgling angel, Clarence.

Clarence goes on to show George what his life would be like if he’d never existed, and the sight ain’t pretty. By seeing all the people he’s touched, George realizes that he has created a strong network of love and support – he’s created a tribe. And it’s this tribe that pulls together at the end of the movie to give back to George, helping him out of his current difficulties.

The lesson to you should be obvious: Your tribe can, quite literally, save your life. You should be building not only a viable business, but a community – one that supports and cares for each other. If you’re just out to make a buck, don’t be surprised if no one leaps to defend you or lend you a helping hand when things go bad. And they will go bad.

You can get “slapped” by Google. You can get your PayPal account frozen. You can get brought up on charges by the FTC. You can get hacked, robbed, or plagiarized. It happens.

But if you have friends like George’s, you’ll have a whole team of folks on your side. But one thing to remember: George had friends he’d created just by being a good guy, doing the right thing at the right time, not worrying about what was in it for him. He stood up for what was right and shook hand after hand, even when it cost him personally.

He didn’t build this community by selling junk or automating his Twitter feed or spamming everyone. He did it the old fashioned way: By caring.

Some business techniques never go out of style.

How have you incorporated building community into your leadership style and practice?  Building community is skill of talented leaders.

Join us for the Leadership Challenge Training in 2012.

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Categories Leadership, Leadership Lessons

Now is the TIME to Prepare for an ExtraOrdinary 2010: Are You Ready?

Posted by Business Success Coach, Donna Price on December 18, 2009

This is the time of year to begin preparing for even greater success next year.  Perhaps this year was good or perhaps it wasn’t.  Now, is the time to gear up for more greatness in the New Year.  If you have a business vision and strategic plan, pull them out and review them. Include your whole team.  If you don’t have a team, then review them with your coach or an accountability partner.

As you review the vision and the strategic plan, write down what you have accomplished this year.  What went really well?  Make your list; you can even check it twice!!  Once you have created your accomplishment list, take a moment to celebrate all that you did well.  Then move on and review where you fell short.  What didn’t go quite right or well?  Where did you fail?

Taking time to evaluate the past year is a great way to learn from what went well, and what didn’t go well.  In that learning there are valuable lessons that you can glean.  List a couple of lessons for moving forward.  Did you get off track, side-tracked by something?  Did you not follow up with prospects?  Each lesson gives you ideas for guidance into the New Year.

As you review the vision and the strategic plan, take some time to reflect on whether it is still on target.  Is that vision still your vision or has it changed?  Make the necessary updates to that vision.  Many companies write short vision statements that barely communicate the overall vision.  Put great detail in yours so that you can feel it as you read it.  If your vision is to buy a new building for your company and increase your staffing by 50% then write a vision statement that includes that and describes that.  You can always have the short and concise vision statement your business plan, but your use, make it a detailed story, that really motivates you and inspires you each time you read it.

What is the vision for the upcoming year?  Where do you see your company at the end of the year?  What type of growth, new products, new clients, or customers?  What does it all look like?

Once you have your vision story written you can then focus on the strategies to accomplish your vision.  Your strategies should always be based on the overall vision.  When strategies are written that stray from the vision and purpose of the organization then you are going down roads that lead you in the wrong direction.  Your vision and values becomes your guide for making your business decisions.  Stop yourself, when you are making a decision and pull out that vision statement, your values statement and review the decision or opportunity with them all in mind.

Strategies should point to the vision and be written in a way that they are measurable.  A strategy to build the business is too vague.  What does build the business mean, and how do you know if you have accomplished it?  But a strategy to provide coaching services to 50 new clients is measurable.  Or a strategy to increase product sales by 25% is measurable.

Limit the number of strategic goals that you are working on so that your strategic plan remains focused and effective.  A huge document becomes overwhelming and cumbersome and often just collects dust.  A strategic plan should be a living, breathing document that you are very familiar with and guides our day to day activities because it is your focus.

Creating a new plan for the year is a great first step towards creating the success that you want. Working the plan and making it happen is the real key to producing the results that you want.

Working your plan just means keeping it in front of you, developing the smaller goals that move you towards the big goals and really staying focused.  When something doesn’t work, it is not the time to abandon ship, but rather, the time to refocus, re-strategize and continue the work.

Take time before the New Year to: review and update your vision statement and story; review your accomplishments and failures for the year and glean the valuable lessons from them; review your strategic plan and update your goals for the upcoming year.  Gear up for a focused and planned New Year that will ring in the next level of success for you and your company.

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Categories Strategic Planning

Business Owner Commitment and Determination Create a Solid Foundation For Success

Posted by Business Success Coach, Donna Price on December 8, 2009

As a business owner, your commitment to the business and your determination to succeed build your solid foundation for success.  But there are challenging times when you might need an extra dose of determination and commitment, as your personal supply dwindles..

There are hundreds of stories that model this type of determination and success.  The “Chickn Soup for the Soul” book series was submitted to many, many publishers that turned it down. Each of those publishers later kicked themselves, I’m sure.  But it was the determination of the authors that kept them sending it out one more time. Or the actor, accidentally discovered while waiting tables or by a fluke ended up at a talent search.

Determination, commitment and belief are often at the core of these stories.  It is the passion and belief in your own abilities that moves you into continuous action, and then determination keeps you there.

Your positive attitude exceeds just a “we can do this” type of attitude. But rather it takes your belief and passion, or your love of what you do that helps you to see it through to the end, your success.  For many that means taking that leap to move into the realm of success and turn your business into one that thrives, using all of the resources at hand to get you there.

The technology of the Internet adds massive resources for all business owners.  The Internet is a resource for networking with your target market, building your expertise and market your services or products.  Using the Internet can be a low cost option if done correctly. You can use the Internet as your market place or as an additional market place for your business.  It gives you the ability to quickly do research on your business, your market and how to access them.

It is all there and it is easily accessible.

Despite What You Might Want, Marketing IS a Requirement

With business, it is rarely, “If you build it, they will come”.  Usually, they only come to your business when you market the business and tell people about it.  You have to build a reputation and rapport with your clients and prospects in order to build your business.  Marketing is a requirement, and a passion for marketing will help.  If you hate marketing, then you will struggle with effective marketing.  If you can find a way to become passionate about marketing, just like you are for your business you will do better. Whether you are an online business or an offline business, you HAVE to market.

The Internet offers many marketing resources, but there is also a learning curve that for some will be mountainous. But it is worth the effort in the payoff.

Personal Development Keeps You On The Cutting Edge

Your positive attitude most likely also gives you a passion for learning.  In the world of business it is important to be open to new technology, new ideas and new strategies.  By remaining open to learning about each of these you stay on the cutting edge of business. Increasing your knowledge gives you advantages over competitors. Your knowledge makes you valuable to the business, but also to your colleagues, clients and prospects.  People will seek you out.

When you learn new skills and tasks it gives you more information for outsourcing each of these eventually and the ability to be effective in working with specialists. It also enhances your confidence.

Profitable businesses take time.  Staying the course through this development timeline is the challenge.  As a business owner you can become weary.  But when you have a foundation of your passion and positive attitude you are stronger in the business environment. With determination you can see your business succeed.

Keeping a focus on your business vision gives you energy for continuing to do the work each day to build that success. With a clear and compelling vision that you are tied to makes you even more determined.

Business Owner Commitment and Determination Create a Solid Foundation For Success

As a business owner, your commitment to the business and your determination to succeed build your solid foundation for success. But there are challenging times when you might need an extra dose of determination and commitment, as your personal supply dwindles..

There are hundreds of stories that model this type of determination and success. The “Chickn Soup for the Soul” book series was submitted to many, many publishers that turned it down. Each of those publishers later kicked themselves, I’m sure. But it was the determination of the authors that kept them sending it out one more time. Or the actor, accidentally discovered while waiting tables or by a fluke ended up at a talent search.

Determination, commitment and belief are often at the core of these stories. It is the passion and belief in your own abilities that moves you into continuous action, and then determination keeps you there.

Your positive attitude exceeds just a “we can do this” type of attitude. But rather it takes your belief and passion, or your love of what you do that helps you to see it through to the end, your success. For many that means taking that leap to move into the realm of success and turn your business into one that thrives, using all of the resources at hand to get you there.

The technology of the Internet adds massive resources for all business owners. The Internet is a resource for networking with your target market, building your expertise and market your services or products. Using the Internet can be a low cost option if done correctly. You can use the Internet as your market place or as an additional market place for your business. It gives you the ability to quickly do research on your business, your market and how to access them.

It is all there and it is easily accessible.

Despite What You Might Want, Marketing IS a Requirement

With business, it is rarely, “If you build it, they will come”. Usually, they only come to your business when you market the business and tell people about it. You have to build a reputation and rapport with your clients and prospects in order to build your business. Marketing is a requirement, and a passion for marketing will help. If you hate marketing, then you will struggle with effective marketing. If you can find a way to become passionate about marketing, just like you are for your business you will do better. Whether you are an online business or an offline business, you HAVE to market.

The Internet offers many marketing resources, but there is also a learning curve that for some will be mountainous. But it is worth the effort in the payoff.

Personal Development Keeps You On The Cutting Edge

Your positive attitude most likely also gives you a passion for learning. In the world of business it is important to be open to new technology, new ideas and new strategies. By remaining open to learning about each of these you stay on the cutting edge of business. Increasing your knowledge gives you advantages over competitors. Your knowledge makes you valuable to the business, but also to your colleagues, clients and prospects. People will seek you out.

When you learn new skills and tasks it gives you more information for outsourcing each of these eventually and the ability to be effective in working with specialists. It also enhances your confidence.

Profitable businesses take time. Staying the course through this development timeline is the challenge. As a business owner you can become weary. But when you have a foundation of your passion and positive attitude you are stronger in the business environment. With determination you can see your business succeed.

Keeping a focus on your business vision gives you energy for continuing to do the work each day to build that success. With a clear and compelling vision that you are tied to makes you even more determined.

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Categories Business Coaching

Mistakes Can Be Magic

Posted by Business Success Coach, Donna Price on December 4, 2009

If you are like me, then you are human, and you make mistakes. Mistakes, however, are an opportunity if you seize that opportunity; and by doing just that you can become a master at overcoming your mistakes:

• Take the time to evaluate the mistake and then learn from it. A great way to evaluate is to look at what went right and what didn’t.
• Take ownership of what you did that was incorrect or wrong.
• By taking ownership of your responsibility you are able to accept that you made the mistake.
• And finally, you can use your evaluation and learning to better yourself.

When you truly acknowledge and accept your responsibility and role in mistakes can you access the magic or treasure of the mistake.

As an entrepreneur, I am sure, you are more than familiar with mistakes. You probably have made both small mistakes and BIG mistakes along the way. Mistakes may, for some, put them right out of business or scare them out of business.

When you are in business, it is like walking through the jungle. You have to be prepared to be in the jungle and survive. You have to have thick skin, courage, perseverance and more. I bet you have had some customers that were close to totally impossible. Or a competitor that always seemed to be 3 steps ahead of you. If you do any marketing – well, then you have made many mistakes. Because marketing success is all about learning from what didn’t work.

This is the joy of an entrepreneur: the excitement of learning, the control to make mistakes and the willingness to be courageous and take risks. You persevere and you learn, continuously. Your positive attitude is essential in building a thriving businesses and enduring the lessons that you have to learn along the way.

Mistakes Can Be Spun, Magically Into New Income, New Revenue

One way to do this “spinning into money”, is to share your experience with others. Other people can benefit from your learning and their tension eases as they realize that they are not alone. You can also create your own coaching program to provide coaching, based on your experience to other businesses. An entrepreneur that is courageous can share their own personal mistakes, pointing out the challenges that they faced and how they overcame them, creates a synergy with other business owners. Suddenly, you are a speaker and coach, and people are following you, because you have risen to the level of expert.

Connect, Connect, Connect
As an entrepreneur, you have to connect with other people. Your contacts and connections are vital when you see your sales slowing or if you decide to start a new business venture. Networking is just part of business. It gives you additional venues for sharing your expertise and sharing your advice.

WOW, The Customer
It is critical throughout your business to WOW your customers. WoW is all about service delivery, quality and customer service. Maybe you have had a challenging staff person that wasn’t especially good at customer service. You know that that is essential for your long-term success. You have to take action with the employee to improve their performance, or change their responsibilities.

It becomes an opportunity to update your customer service policy and to re-train staff. You can also evaluate what can be automated: answering services, Q & A page on your website, automated messages.

Mistakes and challenges make it impossible for you to not look at your business. By taking on the opportunity you are able find the magic of the mistakes. What can you improve? Systems? Process? Policy? Operating a business with a constant process for improving your services, your products and your business, creates a thriving business. Use each mistake to review the process or policy and make the changes you need to, to improve it.

Your Magical Mistakes can set you apart from the competition. Customers will appreciate that you are constantly making your business work better. Using excuses instead of making magic will stall your business. You won’t stand out as a mover and shaker. Of course, we would all like that perfect business model and business operation – but the real way to get there is just what we have discussed here. Take mistakes, evaluate them, take out the lessons and improve yourself, your business, your operations, and a s result you will thrive!

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Categories Business Coaching

Is Your Mind Still Getting In Your Way?

Posted by Business Success Coach, Donna Price on September 8, 2009
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We’ve all heard the talk about positive thinking and how our own thoughts can create our reality.  And, it is hard to argue that positive thinking is in any way a bad thing.  But could your negative thoughts really be a bad thing?  Could your own mind be part of your stumbling block?

The reality is that positive thinking is an extremely powerful force. I am not talking about the law of attraction or the power of attraction. Rather, your personal power to navigate change and challenges effectively, and maintain your personal power. If you are or plan to be a business owner then you have to acknowledge that your success is dependent upon your ability to think and stay positive and embrace the challenges that come your way and learn the valuable lessons hey have to offer.  If you choose to be taken over by challenges and sink into negativity, questioning your vision and your abilities you will sink.

Keeping focused on your vision and staying open to the possibilities; are two of the keys to staying positive. Some businesses die from lack of creativity and willingness to change when necessary.  Keeping your positive outlook and evaluating the possibilities as they arise will keep your business on a positive swing. Open your mind to the possibilities that can keep your business successful and not add you to the heap of the dead and dying.

Stay Focused On Your Plan:

Look back at that original vision and plan.  Evaluate where you are right now and where you need to refocus.  Often business owners get distracted from the plan by the day to day business.  It is a perfect time to look back and see if you are still on track.  It is also an opportunity to decide if your plan needs to be revised or changed.  Staying open to the possibilities also leaves the door open to add new products or services to your offerings.  It is important to evaluate each of these in alignment with your overall business plan.  Do they fit well?

Keeping your mind out of your way is easier when you are focused on your plan and each decision you are making fits well into your business and marketing plan.

You may have decided on one course of action to get the business started. Now could be the perfect time to niche into a more defined product. Here are the advantages:

  • More targeted marketing strategies
  • Higher sales

Success has its own rewards, but only if you are willing to pursue it. When you allow yourself to dream big, the sky is the limit. You won’t grow without the attitude and vision to see beyond where you are now.

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Categories Business Coaching