Timelines
It seems the airwaves are full of people commenting on piles. Many are talking about the piles of snow along the East Coast. Some are discussing piles of gifts under their tree that need to be put away. Some are facing piles of holiday shopping receipts that need to be recorded. It doesn’t take much for one or two innocent inches of snow, presents or receipts to create havoc by growing in size. Although women entrepreneurs are talking about these subjects too, we are probably more focused on the piles of client folders, customer invoices, reading materials, correspondence and bills all stacked on our desks waiting for action.
With some luck on my side, the piles on my desk didn’t stop me this week from answering a request by Central New York Magazine to send them a summary of Women TIES success in 2010 for an upcoming edition. I didn’t have to look through piles of information on my desk to find the data I needed; instead on my computer with a summary of attendance records, management task lists and an extensive database which helped me assemble the information quickly. After compiling the data, I realized that Women TIES brought over 1,700 women together at 25 events across the state this year. The enomority of the figures amazed me. Wondering how I ever accomplished this feat working mainly by myself with some part time staff support, I quickly realized my saving grace had been my extreme attention to detail and my favorite organizational tool – timelines.
Timelines are in essence piles of information listed in order of task, importance and deadline dates. If I didn’t use timelines, the piles of information to accomplish all those multiple overlapping events or the detailed communication needed to plan and promote them would be a crippling mess on my desk and in my mind. By “compiling” the timelines, a sense of order and calm is what is needed to do everything well and to do it on time. So often when I am asked how I accomplish so much, I admit being extremely organized has been the key to achievement.
Today’s blog is meant to inspire you to consider creating a new way of organizing yourself, your materials, your responsibilities, your staff and your business by taking the piles of information and documents that have piled on your desk and in your mind into workable plans and timelines. I guarantee you the weight of stress that moves from your mind to the paper will lighten you up and give you a sense of peace as you face a new year full of promise and projects.
Remember today’s piles easily become nothing when taken apart, put away, and organized. Soon the snow will melt, the presents will be put away, the bills paid, and a new, organized, woman entrepreneur will arise from the heaviness of her duties. Embrace 2011 with a timeline in hand and I promise you, you’ll be more calm, effective and successful.
The Entrepreneurial Gift of the Season
I was reminded of the true gift of the season a couple days ago when I ran into a woman entrepreneur who has struggled with a severe medical problem for three months. An unforeseen incident took her away from her business and into hospitals and home confinement where she could not, and still cannot, operate her company. All she continues to do is rest, recuperate and let her business be “cared for” by volunteers. But being the dedicated and passionate woman she is, having to let go of running her company has been overwhelming. Feelings of guilt continue to accompany her thoughts.
As I looked at her showing such dedication for being out and buying gifts for her family in spite of her physical weakness, I said, “Let others do what you need to have done right now. The world is full of really good people no matter what the media or news reports want us to believe. It doesn’t take a lot of pain or suffering for people to come to each other’s side to offer support. We should never underestimate how good people really are.”
We ended our conversation with her acknowledging that with the grace of volunteers, her advisory board, and dear friends, her company has actually been surviving and thriving in her absence. I encouraged her to continue to let others help her for as long as they wanted to and as long as she needed. Their dedication to her and her company was evidence of their respect for her and her mission.
All year long I am amazed at the strength of women and also how women come to each other’s sides through our organization. Sometimes it is the act of buying from each other to show support for a new product or service. At times, it’s sharing painful entrepreneurial lessons and advice to help another woman entrepreneur with a problem. Sometimes it’s giving leads and referrals to help a woman grow her business. Most often it is encouragement in the form of simply stated words of inspiration.
With this reflective season upon us, I hope you’ll take time to pause and acknowledge your entrepreneurial blessings. It could be a supportive staff, valuable vendors, long time clients, or new entrepreneurial friends. Each of them are gifts to us. Sometimes it takes the warmth of this holiday to remember how valuable they are.
Today’s blog entry is to inspire you to count your entrepreneurial blessings. To take a few minutes to acknowledge special individuals who have supported you beyond expectation this year. To share how you feel with dedicated staff, vendors, clients and friends who have made 2010 extra special. To take a few minutes to remind yourself that every day you live the gift of entrepreneurship sharing your talents with the world.
May this holiday be extra meaningful to you. May the accomplishments of the year and hope for the future fill your heart with gratitude, peace and joy. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Assertiveness in Business
It happened again, like it had the past three years, and I knew without a doubt the discussion would be difficult. An annual event I’ve managed for nine years had increased in attendance, for the third year in a row, forcing my client to move the venue to another facility. With the event less than four weeks away, every logistical detail had to be revisited and vendors brought in to re-evaluate the site and their contracts as they added more services, equipment and staff. In the height of trouble shooting an event, I don’t find it necessary to remind my clients of a clause in my contract that states extra work beyond the original contract will be tallied and billed. In the middle of a crisis, I only want to support my clients, making it easier for them to handle the problem, and do what needs to be done.
Within days of the event’s completion, I contacted my client to tell her an additional invoice for extra service hours was being compiled. Like the past two years, I was questioned for the additional billing. I pointed out the contract clause and the fact we didn’t question other event vendor’s extra bills. The conversation was stressful as I defended added service hours for the third year in a row. In the end, a detailed account of my hours and a well written letter to my client helped solve the situation. But the situation was unpleasant.
As women entrepreneurs, especially for those in service businesses when our time is money, it can be difficult to predict and plan the perfect service contract. We might not bill for all the hours we know we’ll perform or we might not want to bill our clients when extra work is requested. We may lack the confidence or nerve to ask for what we deserve. There isn’t a perfect science to projecting hours for a lengthy project; often times as great customer service providers we lose.
But sometimes we have to be assertive, watching out for ourselves and our bottom line. It can be uncomfortable to have a tense conversation with a favorite client or to ask for what is fair, but we need to do it and we have to be confident in the discussion.
Today’s blog is to remind you that being an entrepreneur requires a self-assured approach to handling difficult situations or complicated billing issues with clients. If we know we performed our duties as promised, have a record of the time spent, and a contract that outlines the situation, we must solicit for compensation no matter what.
If today’s the day you have been waiting to collect on past bills, now is the time to secure them. If you realize you need a stronger contract for 2011, add it to your must do list for January. Seek counsel or advice from other women entrepreneurs who have similar businesses and see what content is in their contracts. Only by being confident and assertive can we get what is just.
Clearing the View
Every once in a while we need to lift our eyes from the work on our desk to look at the horizon to ensure we are heading in the right direction. Sometimes looking up and out to see where we are going is difficult, especially 0n a snowy Central New York morning like today. In order to catch a glimpse of the horizon this morning, you might just have to stand up and glance past the 36″ of fluffy lake effect snow that has accumulated outside your office window.
But the snow is a good reminder that sometimes our view gets blocked; either by something physical or something mental. Often the hectic pace of a woman entrepreneur’s business cycles can block the view as she focuses on immediate work and issues. Other times relationships or circumstances have clouded the crystal clear view of ourselves, our work and our future and only by terminating those relationships can we regain clarity. Many times we simply forget that although today or maybe next week’s work demands the most attention, we need to focus on the future to lead us forward.
Cold snowy days like today, when you might not be able to travel too far due to hazardous road conditions gives you the perfect opportunity to think about what blocks your view and needs to be removed. It might require ending unproductive business relationships, hiring a business consultant to help fix corporate problems, restructuring your pricing, or focusing on additional education to make you more knowledgeable.
The view may have also gotten cluttered if you haven’t paid attention to your business plan, financial situation, or the marketplace in awhile. Often times we really don’t want to see what is standing in our way, we want to just keep trudging through.
Today’s inspirational blog entry is to make you realize that 36″ of snow sitting outside your front door, in your driveway or on the roadways, can be a reminder that your business view may be barricaded and you must take time to remove it. You know what’s been impeding you. It’s been there for awhile.
Remember life’s limitations are the ones we make. Grab your business snow shovel and clear the path right now. Look beyond the shroud of white and make concrete plans to get to where you want to go in 2011. If you can’t see the horizon from where you are seated, stand up, seek support, motivate yourself and do what you know you have to do. I promise a crisp, clean exhilaration and sense of direction will guide you to the horizon.
Planning Essentials
From a consumer standpoint December is as a month to buy holiday gifts for family, friends and clients from companies like OhGoodyGoody.com. From an entrepreneur’s viewpoint December is a month to start planning for the new year. Although many large corporations prepare their annual budgets at the end of September instead of December, most women entrepreneurs I know spend the last month of the year planning for the new year.
Since 1995 I have used December as a review, planning and budget month for my business. Planning in December became a habit when I worked professionally at Le Moyne College and was responsible for scheduling 35 events across the country and two large on-campus events annually. December was always our budget and event planning month. So along with making sure to send out holiday cards and gifts to major clients, I have always used the last month of the year to prepare and plan. Many women entrepreneurs I have spoken with do the same, unless they are a retail business busy with holiday commerce.
The last month of the year can also be the perfect time for not only preparation but reflection. A dreary day in December can inspire us to look beyond the rain on the windows and settle into a day of reviewing our year of successes and challenges. Sometimes only by looking back can we see a clear path for the future. So if you survived this year’s slower economic pace, perhaps today, or this month, is the perfect time to analyze the year and set realistic, and hopeful goals, for the next year.
Remember business plans are really decision-making tools. There is no set way to create the perfect one. The content of the plan is your vision, strategy, and statistics for accomplishing goals. By declaring a personal vision and plan you’ll be guided in the right direction.
Today I encourage you to make the month of December a strategic planning month for your business. Set aside time on your calendar now to review this year’s statistics, successes and problems and to start planning for 2011.
The gift of planning is the advantage it gives you to be focused and organized. We can’t be successful women entrepreneurs without analyzing the past and planning strategically for our future.
Thanksgiving Entrepreneurial Message
As I drove to Boston yesterday to pick up my son from College, I had time to think about the entrepreneurial inventions of today that have helped to make this wonderful Thanksgiving holiday easier for hard working women entrepreneurs.
Although armed with a multitude of traditional cookbooks, Monday I found myself searching the Internet for a creative alternative to apple pie that would be extra special for our meal. Soon I found a “Medieval Apple Tart” recipe that sounded perfect – a recipe from a woman who displays her recipes on the web.
As I contemplated how to make the most succulent turkey for my family, I knew from past cooking experiences nothing makes my favorite Balsamic Marinated Turkey better than a Reynolds Cooking Bag.
Adorning the meal would have to be a Finger Lakes Riesling wine. The days of my Italian grandfather’s dandelion wine bottled in an old sauce jar have been replaced (thank God) by entrepreneurial vineyards and someone keen enough to figure out how to bottle the wine more effectively.
As I whizzed past cars sitting in long lines at the interstate toll booths with my EZ Pass, I was reminded of how modern inventions make life easier. I’m not sure who sat in lines long enough to create the invention but I know it’s one of the best inventions for families trying to get to their loved ones quicker.
This week’s blog entry is to remind you as you rise this beautiful morning in either your home or a loved one’s house to celebrate this American holiday, that you’re mindful of the entrepreneurs from the past and today, who have made the day simpler for us by their creative inventions. Like them, we work extra hard to make an impactful difference as entrepreneurs. Like them, we are appreciated by a multitude of grateful clients all year long for our “inventions” – whether they are services we provide or products we create.
We might not be the person who changes the world with the next best new invention that makes a generation to follow thankful for eternity for their creative brilliance, but we do have the ability every day to be thankful for a truly good life that allows us to be all that we want to be, to make money every year doing what we love, and sharing our gifts and intelligence with the world. I am thankful to you for all you do to make this world a better place by your time, energy and contribution. Thank you for being a woman entrepreneur.
A Global Perspective
It was two years ago as I sat at a SUNY Oswego School of Business Advisory Board meeting when I experienced Skype for the first time. We were connected via Skype to a study abroad student in Spain. Skype was just becoming familiar in the United States even though it was founded in 2003 by two Swedish entrepreneurs. Appearing on the screen was a young man telling the board about his international business experience. It was fascinating to be communicating live with a student so far away. Although impressed with the technology, it wasn’t something I thought of integrating into my business or life.
As soon as our son went to college this September, the appeal of Skype became real. Knowing we could “see” our son at Boston College was an exciting thought and being able to communicate with him in this medium made the distance disappear. Then when my younger brother left a month later to attend the University of London, once again we knew we could stay connected via Skype making the long distance from America to England much shorter.
One of the key messages of yesterday’s presentation by Maria Filice, publisher of Telos Press, was how important Skype has been to opening up her global business connections. As a Canadian born woman, living in the United States but traveling frequently to Italy and Canada for media appearances, she is use to international travel and business. What was eye-opening about her presentation was her acknowledgement that through blogging and Skype she has dramatically opened up new global business connections which have been instrumental in increasing her outreach and book sales.
I am always encouraging women to expand their local, state and regional marketplace in New York, but the concept of expanding globally for our company and most of the women entrepreneurs we know isn’t on the radar screen yet. It might be because we aren’t ready to expand internationally. It could be we are busy enough with local or regional business. We might not have the staff structure or management plan to expand internationally. But what I was reminded about yesterday is the world is expansive, communicating globally is not difficult or expensive, and there are excellent business opportunities beyond our own horizon when we are ready.
Today’s blog is to inspire you to think about how and when you might begin dabbling in global business. It could be as simple as getting Skype and experimenting with it. It could be searching the web for international companies like yours and connecting with them to share ideas. It might be finding bloggers in your industry where you can begin to make new global connections. It could be attending an educational seminar on how to do business internationally.
As you’ve heard before, the world is in the palm of our hands. It’s up to us to realize, seek and discover what having a new global perspective can mean for our personal and corporate growth today and in the future.
Glass Half Full
The vision of the glass half empty, glass half full has always been an interesting perspective. Whether you view a half glass of water as half full or half empty is suppose to demonstrate your perspective on life. Viewing the glass half full means you have a more optimistic outlook. Viewing the glass half empty means you have a more pessimistic outlook.
As I listened to Tracy Black, last week’s speaker at our Mohawk Valley luncheon, I remembered the half full/half empty glass perspective because Tracy altered our perception of the word “no” by demonstrating how to embrace it as a healthy sales tool. Instead of setting goals to achieve a specific number of “yes” responses to sales inquiries, she challenged us to set goals on the number of “no” responses. According to statistics, entrepreneurs give up after they hit their sales quotas in other words when they receive enough yes responses. But entrepreneurs who set and go for a larger quantity of “no” responses, end up landing many more new clients simply by calling more people. Turning your attention to wanting to hear more rejections will eventually lead to more acceptance of your offer.
It’s the change in perspective we need as saleswomen. We are timid when it comes to making sales calls. We are afraid to hear the response. Even on the brave days when we set aside time to make cold calls, the first “no” can make us stop and start something else. If you set yourself up to receive 20 rejections, think how many more people you’d talk to, how many more opportunities you’d have for success, and how familiar you’d become at making calls. It comes down to numbers really. The word “no” allows us to become more confident in the sales process.
As Oprah says “Ah ha” moments hit us when we least expect them. I had one of those “Ah ha” moments listening to this presentation. The concept of embracing and loving the word no can be freeing. It allows us to open ourselves up to do things we aren’t comfortable doing knowing that enough rejections will lead to more successes. It’s that way in life too. We’ve all heard the story of how many times Abraham Lincoln ran for office before he became President or how Thomas Edison had hundreds of unsuccessful inventions before his successful ones. It really comes down to our resilience in hearing no. Our stamina in sticking with what we believe in. Our confidence in moving forward when we are given every reason to quit. Our tenacity eventually determines our success.
Today’s blog is to challenge you to embrace the word “no” today and in the future. Just like switching your view of a glass being half empty to half full, we must switch our view on how successful we can become with the more “no’s” we hear.
As my father the successful salesman always said, that next sales call can be either a yes or a no. Are you going to give up on getting the yes because you are too afraid of the no? It is just a word. It has meaning. It shouldn’t stop you from asking and getting what you need to be successful. Go for no today and enjoy a half full glass of water when you’re done!
Stand Strong
If you are reading this blog entry, it means you survived another year of political frenzy filled with negative commercials and propaganda. The ads depicted politicians angry with their competition. Voters were irritated at the smear ads. The public was annoyed there wasn’t a single politician who could rise above it all and focus on anything positive. I’m not sure that amount of negative advertising would ever work for business owners. Can you imagine how popular Billy Fuccillo would be if all he talked about was how “small” everyone else was! Somehow it’s more bearable (and that’s stretching it) hearing positive words like the word “huge” all the time.
I’ve been asked a number of times in my career if I’d ever consider being a politician since I have such a feministic voice. My answer has always been no. In my mind, to be a politician means giving up your hard core beliefs to appeal to the public in order to be popular and gain votes. In my opinion, there are very few politicians who consistently stand up for what they believe in, have the populous follow them and then live out their promises. Somehow power, money, majority votes move the decisions. I could never compromise my staunch support for women for any of those reasons.
As an entrepreneur we have the ability to live out our beliefs every single day. We don’t have to compromise on policy, customer service or product quality. Whether we are moved by creating the most unique marketing materials for a client, offering interpreting services for the hearing impaired, or empowering women through coaching or financial planning, we live every day doing what’s right for us. To be the best we can be in this life, we need to know, acknowledge and own what makes us different, what makes us better, what makes us unique. We need to offer all we have. We need to be honest. We need to follow through on promises. We must push until we make the difference we want to make.
Today’s blog entry is to have you take a look at yourself today. What is your most powerful belief on why you are in business? What are your core principles? What won’t you ever compromise on? Take some of these beliefs and incorporate them into a statement that represents what you want your customers and the public to know about how you conduct business.
There have been many times since 1996 when I was pressured to have male speakers or accept male members in the organizations I was managing. I didn’t do it then, and I won’t do it in the future no matter what the price. I am extremely confident in knowing that I am 100% dedicated to the financial success of women entrepreneurs and I’ll do whatever it takes to help them expand their local, state and regional marketplace with each other. If the world of politics ever changes to truly allow candidates to stand their ground and honestly speak their mind to change the world for the better, I’ll be the first one in line wearing pink!
Going for No
We probably don’t remember the first time we heard the word “no” because we were too young to remember. But in order to keep us safe or teach us right from wrong, our parents had to set boundaries for our curiosity. We probably first heard the word by the time we were six months old. But it didn’t stop us from trying new things like eating mud, jumping in puddles, and drawing on the walls. No…No…No….the word didn’t stop us.As we became teenagers we might have heard the word more often. “No you can’t hang out with friends at midnight;” “No you can’t drive the car during a snow storm; and “No you can’t let your dirty clothes ferment on the floor until they eat a hole in it.” No, No, No…the word became annoying, unnerving and more familiar.
Then as we became entrepreneurs we might have heard the word again, “No, we can’t fund your company, we’re a big bank, you’re a woman and the company is too young;” or “No, you shouldn’t start a business now the economy is horrible;” or “No way are you ever going to make that crazy dream a reality.” No, No, No….the word didn’t stop us then either.
So why is it when it comes to sales we let the possibility of hearing the word “no” stop us in our tracks or paralyze us before we begin? Is it because we don’t believe enough in ourselves, in what we are selling, or in the benefits of our services or products? Could it be we have become so conditioned to associate “no” with negativity that we are too tired to try?
If you’ve been in business long enough you know you can’t take “no” as the answer if you are going to survive or grow. Just like when we were toddlers or teenagers, we can’t learn what is good, what is harmful, what is worth trying for, if we don’t experiment and go for it.
Today’s blog is to encourage you to “go for no” today. What do you have to lose? What will happen if you get a “no?” The more intriguing question is “What could you lose if you don’t try?” It’s probably a much bigger price than you’re willing to lose.
If you need some help with the word, join us next week at the Women TIES Mohawk Valley Luncheon as Tracy Black an Advanced Director a national franchise tells us how she maximizes sales by going for no. She loves the word and she’ll inspire you to love it too!
Remember No, No, No…should never stop you from trying. It’s always exactly what we need to make the advances we must to grow our companies and ourselves as entrepreneurs.
Women TIES 
