Preparing for Shifts in Your Business
Business advice for women entrepreneurs and small business owners
Things are shifting,” said in a conversation over coffee. “It’s not so much that things are changing, they feel more like they are shifting.” I never thought of the difference between the two words until that dialogue. I see a lot of reasons women shift within their companies over time. They shift because they aren’t achieving specific goals, to bring in more revenue and they shift because the marketplace demands it.
One of the definitions of shift is to change in position, direction, makeup or circumstances. If you think about your own business experiences you can identify when you shifted your perspective because of a new experience, shifted the way you perceived someone after meeting them or shifted a feeling of priority from one major task to another one. A shift can be a budge, transfer, reallocation or alteration from one way to another.
Ihey shift because a competitor has a new edge, and they can shift because personal circumstances affect them. If you look back throughout the course of your life, priorities have shifted. The important priorities for us as teenagers were totally different than priorities as young adults, new parents or empty nesters. We had to slowly morph over time because our priorities shifted.
Our businesses are always shifting. The economy is always changing. We are always evolving personally. Whether we pay attention or not, the earth moves and so does our business. Neither stand still nor should we. To be successful personally or professionally, we need to recognize and embrace the shifts that are occurring, already occurred or are about to occur.
Today’s post is to inspire you to think about the shifts happening within your company, industry or surroundings that might cause you to make alterations to the way you think, act or conduct business. A shift can cause clarity helping to move from one perspective to another or from one place to another. Do you need to shift responsibility to a new employee? Should you shift how you look at a competitor from a negative perspective to a beneficial one? Could you shift how you think about asking for new sales or getting rid of unproductive services or products? Do you need to shift the way you lead your business?
For me, a shift is a gentler and slower moving feeling than a change. Change can feel difficult but a shift can be much less complex. Why not embrace the slow moving shifts in your perspective, priorities or outcomes this week and witness its positive effects.
Hot Business Tasks for a Slow Friday in Summer
The sun is shining, it is the middle of summer and it is Friday. How hard is it for you to work today on a scale of 1-10? As I glance out my beautiful big home office window onto a green lawn with a glistening blue pool of cool water in the distance and a cloudless sky above with a cool 78 degrees billowing outside, I give the day a perfect rating of 10 and my energy to stay inside and work a 3.
It’s 11 a.m. and I know there are a lot of women entrepreneurs taking today off to enjoy the weather, vacationing or just enjoying the beauty of today. I want to be like them and yet the discipline I have created the past 20 years as a woman entrepreneur keeps me glued to my seat until 4 p.m.
This blog post is to encourage other entrepreneurs struggling with working today on a beautiful summer Friday to work on some of the 10 business items I hope to tackle today. I hope it gives you extra motivation to work.
1. Pick up the phone and call 3 potential new customers. Leave a voice mail message about wanting to speak to them next week if you don’t get them on the phone today. Friday’s are my favorite day to make sales calls.
2. Write one blog post and share through social media marketing.
3. Grab thank you notes, and send out 5 to your top 5 customers thanking them for their business.
4. Review your sales figures for the month and make notes on how you would like to improve them next month
5. Book 2 luncheon appointments with business associates you haven’t spent time with in awhile. You might be surprised how it could generate new leads for your company.
6. Find a fall event to go to within your industry and make a reservation for it now.
7. Look at your desk and file away anything on it that was created from this week’s work so you are organized on Monday morning.
8. Create a work list of duties for your staff next week.
9. Make an appointment with someone on your B.A.I.L list of advisors (banker, attorney, insurance agent or lawyer) to update necessary documents.
10. Write down 5 successes from this week and place them on a note on your computer to view first thing Monday morning to fuel your entrepreneurial fire.
As soon as you finish your list, I hope you leave me a comment and then go outside to enjoy a relaxing weekend that will feel even more wonderful because you worked hard this Friday summer work day. Kudos to you and your entrepreneurial determination.
Business Advice for Women Entrepreneurs and Small Businesses
Yesterday’s newspaper headline read “Former Yankee Chamberlain takes hill against Chiefs.” It caught my attention because my father was a loyal Yankee fan who passed away 9 years ago on a beautiful July summer day. One year later Joba Chamberlain was introduced as a young Yankee pitcher. My siblings and I couldn’t believe we were watching a Yankee play with our family name of “Chamberlain” on the back of a jersey. We all got one. We thought it must be my father reaching out to us from beyond.
The other headline that caught my attention in the paper was, “Arizona Cardinals hire Jen Welter as first female coach in the NFL.” I love when women start sharing the news spotlight in traditionally male arenas. Jen, a Boston College graduate, will be the first woman to hold a coaching position of any kind in the NFL. Kudos to the Cardinals for recognizing talent is found in any race, sex or age. The Cardinals may become my new favorite NFL team just for that move alone.
The point in sharing these headlines is not to update you the latest sporting news but rather to remind you that every news source needs content to fill their papers and online sites. Both of these articles were printed in the Syracuse Post Standard newspaper and online at Syracuse.com. The online articles can be shared through Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Pinterest and Reddit. An opportunity to have a story created about yourself or your business in the print media today means an online story to accompany it and the ability for sharing the article via social media. My question for you is, “Are you sending your news to the media to benefit from this kind of exposure?”
The only way I have received hundreds of press stories over the past 2 decades as an entrepreneur is because I took time to learn how to write and send press releases. My first press release was sent via fax, not email. I had to drive to newsstands to see if I could find different papers with my story in it. Today’s online marketing system makes sharing our stories so much easier. In fact, a story I wrote about my son’s lacrosse community service project ended up on ESPN.com because I easily submitted the article and they picked it up.
Today’s blog post is to encourage you to start learning how to use press releases to give your company some exposure. It is also to inspire you to focus on promoting news worthy information about your own accomplishments, new corporate developments, milestones or national interest stories to the media. If there is anything I believe can help you and your business this summer, it is learning how to market your company with more press.
I’m hoping the next headline I read in the media will have your name on it.
The Perfect Summer Business Day
Business advice and inspiration for women entrepreneurs and small business owners
The muggy warm summer morning greeted my entrepreneurial spirit with a big soft hug. The sun was sparkling over the horizon in hues of yellow orange. The birds were chirping, the pool water glistening, the dew on the grass glimmering and my head telling me to stop soaking it in and get into work. I muttered to myself, “Why can’t I just linger out here for an hour before starting my business day?” The answer was simple I am very dedicated to my business no matter what the weather or season.
I know I am similar to thousands of women entrepreneurs who have to greet beautiful summer mornings, pool invitations, children’s activities, family visits and special solstice celebrations with the heart of a lion so we can run our companies in the hot summer sun when others are basking in it. We don’t have the luxury of taking off too much time unless we have staff picking up the pace in our absence. So what is an entrepreneur to do when graced with the beauty of a summer work day?
I have found getting up before the sun rises, taking a run, and having a coffee in the morning light is the perfect way to start a summer work day. The grace of those moments should be followed up with a well planned timeline of duties scheduled for the day to help the entrepreneur work more diligently and focused with “play time” slated for the end of a shorter work day. Summer work success is all in the planning of the day.
My hope for you this week, as the middle of summer arrives, you get up early, face the morning with a slow cup of coffee or a fast run and take that energy to your desk with a detailed to-do-list that allows you to work hard and leave your office early. Then end your day with a big old cannon ball into a fresh lake or pool rejoicing in the fact you worked hard this beautiful summer day as a dedicated and fun loving entrepreneur.
Business Advice for women entrepreneurs and small businesses
The setup for the educational luncheon was proceeding well until I noticed the venue’s music wasn’t playing. Music is an essential element at any event because it helps reduce the awkwardness of silence as guests arrive and mingle. I have always wanted my guests to feel comfortable the moment they arrive.
After asking the venue to turn the tunes on, there was a 30 minute lapse in the response time to tell me they forgot there was a crew on the top of the building working on the sound system – something a staff member should have known earlier. As I started my welcoming presentation, the music came on interrupting my speech and then it stayed on without the venue able to turn it off. 25 minutes later the music finally stopped but not before my analytical self felt the event was ruined.
The message to this story doesn’t lie in understanding things will happen beyond your control when you are planning events or the unpreparedness by a management team to find a solution or communicate an unpleasant situation in a timely matter, it was about the response of my audience. I assumed because I was exasperated by the music situation that my guests were too. Only after reading through the event surveys did I discover it didn’t bother anyone else but me.
If you believe surveys are not useful, vital instruments of truth for your business, events or programs, than think again. Analytical evaluations, like simple surveys, take the guess work out of knowing whether clients are satisfied. Surveys lend an essential eye into your customer’s mind that you can’t read from a stage with or without the music playing. Positive surveys might be music to your ears. Consider incorporating surveys more often to assist evaluation of a program realistically, not emotionally, through the people whose opinion matters most – your customer.
Live Fearless Today Entrepreneurs
Business advice and inspiration for entrepreneurs
Around my wrist dangles a new black bracelet with a silver charm that says “Marathon Woman” on one side and “Fearless” on the other. It was a gift I bought for myself after finding one of the most fearless women who has crossed my path this year.
As I was finalizing the speakers for our 7th annual conference for women entrepreneurs, I typed in the word “fearless” in Google. The first article that came up was about Kathrine Switzer, a Syracuse University graduate, who broke the gender barrier as the first woman to enter the Boston Marathon in 1967. Coincidentally the article was written by my friend Jill Tietjen, the new CEO of the National Women’s Hall of Fame who spoke at Women TIES 10th Anniversary Celebration in March. I immediately emailed Jill to see if she could connect me to Kathrine to see if I could land her for this year’s Retreat keynote speaker. I had no idea how successful Kathrine was when I asked Jill to connect us.
Five exciting emails went back and forth between me and Kathrine as we shared our similar interests in supporting women and women in sports. Although she was already booked for October 1st, I had opened a door to a wonderful new relationship with an amazing woman who asked me to join her list of “Influential Women Who Can Help 261” which is her new non-profit organization called 261 Fearless, Inc. #261 was Kathrine’s bib number that was almost ripped off her by a man in the 1967 marathon.
I was so excited about the connection that I bought Kathrine’s book, which she offered to personally autograph, and a set of “fearless” bracelets to inspire me to be less fearful about running my business every day and continuing to be a runner.
I have always believed that fate provides us with unique opportunities when we aren’t looking. I believe being fearless in business means reaching out to other women who have accomplished great feats even when their resume surpasses our own.
Today I am inspiring you to reach farther, run harder, and be less fearless in what you are pursuing. Contact someone who impresses you, strive for connections with someone who is beyond your reach, and use your personal resources to make the connection. My fearless bracelet has helped me make more sales calls, let go of worrying about my sons, and embarked me on a new energetic approach to life. What could finding someone who inspires you do for your life?
Live fearless today because it is more comfortable living that way than in fear. Believe fateful situations that will benefit you are sometimes only a moment away.
Business advice for women entrepreneurs and small businesses
As I watched the final round of The British Open yesterday in between work projects, I could not peel my eyes away from the unfolding drama as contenders moved up and down the leader board. Each person knew exactly where they stood compared to their competitors and what it would take personally to win part of the 10 million dollar prize pot and Claret jug.
Sporting events always trigger entrepreneurial insight within me. Professional golfers are no different from entrepreneurs in the sense they work hard to position themselves to earn money in their trade. The ones who excel are often the ones who spend more time honing their trade, hiring excellent coaches to improve their game, invest in top line equipment, and continue competing even if they experience defeat.
What seems to be a key to success for The British Open golfers who won is keeping a strong mental outlook on the small failures along their tournament journey. As the ESPN commentators kept stating, “The player with the most mental fortitude will win on this course in these conditions.” Shouldn’t entrepreneurs at times use the same mental fortitude when faced with difficulties like falling revenue, customer departures, and competitors entering the marketplace?
If entrepreneurs watched the golfers who performed on the “old course” in Scotland, they will remember the ones who remained calm, recollected themselves after missed holes, hovered above their own criticism and relaxed through difficult situations. They were the ones who rose to the top of the leader board. Shouldn’t all business owners do the same for themselves to witness more positive results for our own companies?
My wisdom today is to encourage you to operate your business with a strong mental attitude and confident calm. Keep your eyes on your competitors but play your own game to win.
Running a Tighter Financial Ship for Your Business
Business advice for women entrepreneurs and small businesses
Three pieces of financial advice surfaced this morning after talking to women entrepreneurs the past few days about ways to make their companies more profitable.
The first was from a highly respected female business owner running a multi-million dollar business who shared something small she implemented which produced big financial results, she said, “Discover two or three small repetitive expenses within your business and eradicate or reduce them.” Entrepreneurs tend to focus on revenue generation more than eliminating insignificant expenditures which is part of the corporate financial equation.
The second comment came from a 10 year entrepreneur who decided to eliminate small customer accounts in order to spend more time on larger client projects. The multitude of interactions with customers with smaller accounts was eliminating her profitability. In order to correct the situation, she decided to only sell to and secure a select group of higher paying clients.
The final piece of financial wisdom was from a small business owner who decided she was not interested in adding staff to her company but wanted to make more money. Her solution was to contract herself out as an expert to work on specific projects for other national businesses in her industry.
Today be inspired to recognize when you need to make monetary changes as an entrepreneur to become more financially successful. As we lead passionate lives with joy and purpose to help the marketplace and our customers, we can forget to focus on our financials. As evident by the examples above, sometimes it takes a renewed financial focus like decreasing expenses, working on larger accounts or outsourcing your expertise to become more financially sound. There are multitudes of ways to achieve monetary successes in your business so focus on them this week.
Running a tighter entrepreneurial ship doesn’t mean you will lose the joy out of conducting business, instead you will feel proud of the necessary adjustments to become more profitable.
Monday Morning Inspiration for Women Entrepreneurs
Business inspiration and wisdom for women entrepreneurs
I began this Monday morning listening to another inspirational meditation series produced by Deepak Chopra and Oprah Winfrey. I have some history with Oprah which inspired this start to my day.
In 1999, after watching one of the Oprah Winfrey shows on daily morning meditations, I started using them as a way to calm my mind as my two young sons still slept and before I tried to juggle the demands of a stay-at-home working mother and entrepreneur. I found the best way to focus on the priorities of the day was meditation. It has worked for me ever since and even landed me on Oprah’s show via taped video in October 1999 (my big claim to fame).
My sons now rumble off to corporate jobs and graduate school instead of playing trucks at my feet as I manage events or public relations for clients. My days are more open and quiet now allowing me abundant free time to create, plan and manage my 20 year business. The one component that has stayed the same even as my sons and businesses have grown is starting my day listing business priorities and then listening to meditations to quiet my mind as I embark on another wondrous entrepreneurial day.
If you are like every other hard working woman entrepreneur I know who struggles to balance quiet personal time with an overwhelming amount of duties, I suggest you stop right now and take only 15 minutes for yourself to reflect. You can turn on beautiful meditation music on YouTube, say a rosary, sit outside in nature just taking in your surroundings or take a 15 minute walk up the street.
Whatever peaceful, centering activity you decide to do will give you more abundant free space in your mind and spirit, and help you set the agenda for the rest of your day. In order to be our most productive business self means turning off the deluge of thoughts for a small amount of time for solitude and peaceful thinking.
I hope you find this Monday Motivation something useful on this beautiful summer day filled with an abundance of business duties.
Summer Business Brain Storming Sessions
Business advice for women entrepreneurs and small businesses
As I sat around a table with five other women entrepreneurs yesterday sharing our current business struggles or new goals, the rain was pouring so hard outside it almost interrupted our conversation. But the intense two hour sharing session was too heightened with innovation and interest in each other’s business to pause the conversation.
The women participating in the conversation were entrepreneurs with 5 to 23 years of business experience running small companies. As each person described their most pressing issue, recent challenge or future idea, they were greeted with perspective and suggestions from the other women.
As I recounted last night’s meeting, I had four nuggets of wisdom I wanted to share with my readers today hoping they inspire you as you look at your business today:
* Excellent personal service is coming back as something that makes entrepreneurs stand out from others because technology has taken away the “personal touches” that made businesses unique and successful in the past.
* In order to grow your business or your revenue, you must hire someone to take on your routine duties so you can sell and expand the company. You absolutely can’t grow alone.
* Collaborative relationships with other industry leaders, vendors or competitors could bring unique business revenue into your company. Keep your eyes and ears open to distinctive opportunities that connect you with others in your field and take a calculated risk.
* When your company is going through growing pains, make sure you update your legal documents to indicate changes or to add necessary new protection for yourself and your entity.
I hope the next time you have an opportunity to meet with a small group of women entrepreneurs, consider doing it. I guarantee you the ideas will be flowing as hard as an occasional summer rain storm.
Women TIES 