Catch The Wave Of Success

The exciting thing about life is that you never know what’s right around the corner. But… it can be hard to maintain a feeling of excitement and anticipation when you’re working hard to achieve something and it doesn’t seem like you’re getting results.

Working towards something significant is sort of like surfing. You have to paddle against the tide to reach the wave and if you stop paddling the tide will push you backwards. But if you just keep going you might finally hit the wave. When you do you might fall off your board. Or, what you thought was a big wave might turn out to be just a ripple.

You don’t stop because one day you might just catch the big wave. When you do, you’ll ride that wave and though it requires skill it will seem effortless. Because all the time you thought you weren’t getting anywhere you were actually acquiring the skills you needed to ride the wave. Every time you tried standing and fell off you learned. Every time you went for it you learned. With every wipeout your skills improved. And when you learned the skills you needed the wave was there and you caught it.

There are five stages you will experience as you search for your big wave:

1) You have to put your toe in the water. You have to get going, you have to get out there and it all starts with one small step. Waves don’t just fall in your lap, you have to go find them.

2) You’re going to fall down. Expect to fall down. There is a learning curve involved in everything new that we do. To think otherwise is to let your pride get in the way. Our pride doesn’t want us to make mistakes.

3) You’re going to get up. Experience is the best teacher. Every time you fall down you learn what not to do. Be grateful that you can get up. Your pride might be hurt but a little bruised pride never hurt anyone.

4) You’re going to fall down again. Think of it as another learning opportunity! Every stumble brings you closer to mastering the skill.

5) You’re going to get up again and this time you’ll catch the wave! Maybe you’ll have to repeat the fall down/get up cycle a few more times but every try increases the odds that you will catch that wave. When do you catch your wave you’ll be propelled along by the momentum and all that paddling and falling off will have been worth it.

One thing is certain, if you stop paddling you’ll never reach that wave. My encouragement for you is that you will take that first step and if you’ve already taken the first step, you’ll keep getting up until one day you’re riding the wave of success. That day could be right around the corner. Remember, you can achieve whatever you believe as long as you are willing to work for it!

Liz Uram is the owner of The Coach & Mentor Group, a great place for developing skills to succeed personally and professionally.

A Problem/Solution Ratio That Leads To Success

The inspiration for this week comes from an article I read titled 20 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do. This is #9…

“Sh*t happens. Life can be hard. People get hurt; others die. Life isn’t all roses and butterflies. You will fall off that horse again and again and again. The question is, are you strong enough to keep getting back on it?”

Sound harsh? I don’t think so. I’ve spent plenty of time feeling sorry myself. I can assure you that dwelling on the negativity never helped me move forward. Not once. Even worse was sharing the misery with others. It is true that misery loves company.

Talking about problems is fine but it’s only half the equation. The other half of the equation is usually missing – talking about a solution. I never used to be interested in finding solutions, at least not ones that were good for me. It was so much more satisfying to focus on the problem. Or so I thought. Over time I learned that talking about the problem only needs to be a small fraction of the problem/solution ratio.

I have found that 10:90 problem:solution ratio was better than my old ways of a 90:10.  I used to spend most of my time in the problem.  Things changed for me when I got tired enough of myself to want to change. These days I want solutions. I want to be around people who want solutions. I want to work with clients who want solutions. Sitting in the problem is not the solution. I can either accept things as they are or I can do something. Not accepting and not doing anything are no longer options.

If you want to start focusing more on solutions, here’s a little step by step formula to follow:

1)  Identify the problem in just a few words.  No more than one sentence.  Don’t get caught in the drama of it all.

2)  Come up with 5 things you can do about it.

3)  List the pros and cons of each option.

4)  Decide on the best course based on the information you have.

5)  Take action!

My encouragement for you is that you will identify one problem you’ve been complaining about (if you can’t think of any, ask someone close to you, I’m sure they can help you find something) and go through this process of getting to the solution.  You’ll be way better off.

Remember, you achieve whatever you believe as long as you are willing to work for it!

Care to listen to this article?  Check out Monday Morning Movation on BlogTalkRadio.

Liz Uram is the owner of The Coach & Mentor Group, the best choice for business development.  Download your free eBook ‘5 Ways To Boost Your Business Now!‘

Growing In Confidence

I thought I’d share a few thoughts on confidence to start the week off.  I choose this topic, as I choose most of my topics, based on conversations I’ve had during the last week.  It isn’t uncommon at all for people to question their abilities or the path they’re on.  In fact, it’s probably more the rule than the exception.  It’s funny how easy it is for us to look around and think that everyone else knows what’s going on.  That everyone has the answers.  The truth is, people are looking at you thinking the same thing.

Confidence comes from knowing deep down that we are doing exactly what we are meant to be doing.  The problem many of us run into is that we aren’t always sure if we are on the right path.  We wish for a bright neon sign to light the way but often find ourselves fumbling around in the dark doing the best we can.  In my experience, that isn’t always a bad thing.  Think about it.  What would be the reward if everything came easy?  Searching for answers builds character.  I know that’s probably not what you want to hear.  It’s a better option than staying in the dark though.

One way to get validation of your purpose is to take an inventory of your assets.  Can’t find any?  Then you are being way too hard on yourself and you need some help.  Go online and get the book StrengthsFinder 2.0.  It will be one of the best $20 you’ll ever spend.  Follow the directions to take the quiz and you’ll get a report of your top 5 strengths.  It’s a start and you’ll have something to work from.  Read the meanings behind each strength and really look at how each one makes you unique.  Then OWN them!

One of my top strengths is ‘significance’.  When I first saw it, I wasn’t exactly thrilled with the connotation.  I misunderstood what it meant.  I thought it meant arrogance.  As someone who has been all too familiar with arrogance, I couldn’t see how that could be a strength.  It only seemed to have caused trouble for me in the past.  I found out later that ‘significance’ simply means wanting to make a difference, to have a positive impact on others.  That helped put a lot of pieces of my puzzle together.  Now I understand what makes me want to coach, to speak, to train.  It fits me.

I have been fortunate to have been exposed to all kinds of personal and professional development over the years.   My strengths drive me to always search for continuous understanding and improvement of myself so that I can be the best at whatever I’m supposed to be the best at.  Each of us has our own thing we are meant to be the best at.  Finding that out and owning it allows our confidence to grow.  Overcoming the sure trials and tribulations that come along are part of the process and only serve to make you stronger.

My friends, my encouragement for you this week is that you will spend time focusing on your strengths and challenging yourself to become the best you can be using the gifts you have been given!

Liz Uram is the owner of The Coach & Mentor Group, the best choice for business development planning and implementation.  Get your free eBook ‘5 Ways To Boost Your Business Now!’.

While You’re Waiting…

Planning is a very important part of my philosophy and something I am passionate about teaching to others. I firmly believe that to get anywhere in life you have to have an idea of where you want to go and take steps to get there. It’s part of my Vision, Goals, Focus, Action philosophy. I also believe that as we make the best decisions we can, with the information we have, our plans have a way of working out (or not working out as the case may be) in a way that is best.

Plan as we might, there are times when we have to wait. Things don’t move as quickly as we’d like or they appear to be moving in the wrong direction. Despite what you might hear from some people, waiting is the norm not the exception.

Waiting can be hard. We might question ourselves, our abilities, and our decisions. When these concerns pop up, as they are prone to do, it can be easy to slip into fear or panic. I’ve found a better way… I have learned to turn the waiting time into opportunity time. I have the opportunity to be open to new ideas, learning new skills, or working on building a certain character trait. This is time for Focus.

Just knowing that this is a time for focus and growth doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy so this is a time for grabbing on to positive quotes, affirmations, or verses. Two of my favorites are ‘Everything is in perfect order’ and another good one is ‘Everything is exactly as it is supposed to be right now’.

Both of those sayings are filled with hope. They are a reminder that in spite of what I want and when I want it, I don’t know the whole picture and when the time is best. Those sayings keep me grounded and keep me focused on what is in my control. The things that are in your control are: your attitude, your actions, and your decisions.

• Choose a positive attitude. Choose to believe the best is yet to come. Choose to believe that when one door closes another one opens. Choose to keep an open mind.
• Choose to continue to take action even when you aren’t sure where you are going. Sometimes the best way to find out which path to take is to take a few steps on the wrong one.
• Choose to make decisions. Decisions, like action, even if they aren’t exactly right often lead us to where we need to be. The inability to make decisions can be debilitating.

My encouragement for you is that if you are not yet where you want to be, you will take stock of where you are and find opportunities to improve, to grow, and to learn while you are waiting. Make the most of your waiting time. Stay sharp, improve, and be ready to go when the time is right. Remember, you can achieve whatever you believe as long as you are willing to work for it!

Liz Uram is the owner of The Coach & Mentor Group, the best choice for business planning.  Get your free eBook 5 Ways to Boost Your Business Now!

How’s Your Business Esteem?

Everyone’s heard of self-esteem, but what about business esteem?  Do you struggle with knowing your worth, do you believe in your products and services, do you feel confident with your skills?  If you are just getting established you might find yourself struggling with some of these things.  It even happens with people who are not new to business.   

One way to help alleviate these feelings is to maintain a separate business identity therefore allowing you to cultivate a healthy business esteem.  Like self-esteem, business esteem can be built up.  You can start by taking an inventory of your strengths.  The Strengthfinders 2.0 by Tom Rath is an excellent tool you can use to confirm your strengths.  Confirming that your strengths are aligned with your purpose lays a solid foundation.  In the unlikely event that you chose a line of work that doesn’t align with your strengths you can adjust as needed.

Next, review your products and services.  I’m a believer in constant improvement so don’t get caught up in the fear that your stuff isn’t good enough.  Is it good enough for now?  As you continue to grow you will find better ways to provide service and better products to offer but is what you have now solid for where you’re starting from?  Ask for some unbiased feedback if you’re not sure.  I’ll throw in a quick plug for coaching here – a session or two to review what you’ve got can pay off big.  Most people are reluctant to give honest feedback but that’s a coach’s job.

Lastly, how are your skills?  Again, are they good enough for now?  Can you improve?  Of course you can, and you should.  We should always be honing our skills to continue to get better at what we do.  Getting better is how you bring in more money.  Take a class, read a book, do whatever needs to be done to continually improve on your skill.  If you ever get big enough to hire employees, or even contractors, make sure they have the same willingness to learn.

A final thought – do not let other people determine your business esteem.  Unfortunately, there are people who will try to knock you down.  They’ll try to undermine you by saying just the right thing to get you questioning whether you’re good enough.  Instead of losing esteem over thoughtless comments, let these manipulative tactics boost your esteem by realizing that you must have something pretty good if someone is going out of their way to knock you down.  Above all, recognize that the problem is with them, not you.

Liz Uram is the owner of The Coach & Mentor Group, the best choice for business development planning and execution.  Get your free eBook 5 Ways To Boost Your Business Now!

Your Value Is An Inside Job

Knowing your value is an inside job.  Your value is something you have to believe in no matter what anyone else says or does.  You can get a lot of advice about what you should or shouldn’t do when it comes to pricing your services.  The problem is that everyone is coming from a place of their own limiting beliefs.

One of the questions I ask in the Business Builder’s Success System coaching program is ‘How did you determine your prices?”.  A common response is “I looked at the going rate of what other people in my industry charge and went with the average”.

Yikes!   Stop assuming that you are the only who didn’t get the owner’s manual and that everyone else knows exactly what they are doing.  When you price your services based on what your competitor is doing, you’re really pricing your services on their limitations!

Does that make sense?  The truth is, most people share the same fears about their value and abilities.  However, you do not have to stay in that fear.  You can move beyond it by the simple act of believing in yourself and the value you bring.

The cool thing about knowing your value is that it isn’t about a specific dollar amount.  It’s much more about the position you want to take in your market.  You don’t really aspire to be average do you?  Why not go for the top?  What does the top mean to you?

I never tell my clients how much they should charge for their services.  I do however, help them see their value and from there they can determine the price tag they want to put on their services.  It’s a much better pricing strategy than monkey see, monkey do.

My encouragement for you is that you will forget what everyone else is doing and decide what your services are worth based on your value.  Make a list of your value by writing down all of your experience, your credentials, and benefits you bring to your clients.  Then come up with the hourly rate that you want to make and compare that to your value list.  Can you live with it?  Does it seem true and honest?  You will know whether or not you came up with the right price based on how you feel about it.  If you feel empowered, you are pricing your services based on your value.  That isn’t to say you won’t feel somewhat nervous.  You probably will, but it will be a different kind of nervous than the fear you feel from not having a foundation.

You can’t build a solid business on a shaky foundation.  This is one example of the true value in taking the time to do a business development plan.  Confidence, clarity, and focus.

Liz Uram is the owner of The Coach & Mentor Group, the best choice for business development planning and execution.  Get your free eBook 5 Ways To Boost Your Business Now!

Change Your Thoughts, Change Your World

Too often solo-entrepreneurs can get caught up in negative thinking that sends them on downward spiral of self-sabotage.  Solo-entrepreneur’s are particularly vulnerable because they are always trying to figure everything out on their own.  The problem with that is that we tend to be limited in what we can come up with for a solution.  There’s another way.

If you are business owner, particularly a self-employed business owner who works alone, you cannot afford to focus on what’s wrong.  I’m not saying you should bury your head in the sand and pretend everything is okay if it’s not, you do need to know what’s going on in your business, but the way we look a problem can have a huge impact on our future success.

If you are looking at yourself negatively do you think you can present the image that you are the go-to expert in your field?  Probably not.  Being perceived as a qualified expert is as much about confidence as anything else.

If your business isn’t going as well as you’d like, maybe you’re in a slump, you may be experiencing doubt about your abilities, your likability, and all kinds of nasty, negative thoughts might be crowding in.  You might be ready to throw in the towel and go get a job.  But is it possible that it doesn’t represent a sign from the Heavens that you shouldn’t be in business at all, or that you’re a terrible business person who doesn’t know what they’re doing?  What if you changed your thoughts and thought of a slump as a temporary cash-flow problem and not a sign of your capabilities?

What would that do to your world?   Would it change the way you felt about yourself to know that a slump in business is only a temporary cash-flow problem and not a reflection on your abilities?  Wouldn’t your confidence improve and couldn’t you easily find a way to bring in more money?   Maybe that does mean you have to get a job to bring in some cash but it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be in business or that you aren’t qualified.

What would it do to your world if you could change your thoughts to believe that you are the best at what you do?  That no one can do exactly what you do in the way that you do it?  What if you could you be #1 in your category?  Wouldn’t that change your world? Wouldn’t that change the way you presented yourself to your potential clients?

What would happen if you started thinking differently?  Is it possible that you would find out that you are good enough, competent enough, experienced enough, fill-in-the-blank enough, or just enough period?

If you want to establish your position as the go-to expert in your field then you absolutely must change your thoughts.  You must believe that you have what it takes to be the best.  If you don’t believe it then no one else will.

Worrying never solves any problems.  Letting go of worry and being open to different ideas, different ways of looking at situations, and different opportunities does.   The true antidote to worry is prayer so I ask you to try it, regardless of where you are in faith.  If you don’t know where to start, just start with a simple request for an open heart and an open mind.  You’ll be amazed at the power that can spring from such simple words.

My encouragement for you is that if you have been stressing out about your business you try changing your thoughts to look at whatever situation you’re in as a temporary problem, not a permanent answer.  Remember, you can achieve whatever you believe as long as you are willing to work for it.

Liz Uram is a Business Development and Marketing Strategy Expert.  Visit The Coach & Mentor Group to grab your free eBook ‘5 Ways To Boost Your Business Now!’

Are You Asking The Question?

Recently I’ve had the opportunity to listen to talks from many successful business owners. In listening to their stories there were a few common themes evident no matter what type of business they had. One theme was… ASK! Over and over again they shared stories of amazing things that happened to propel their business forward just because they asked.

Are you asking? Are you asking enough? If you aren’t asking, why aren’t you asking? I don’t think any of us ask enough, me included, so I want to throw out a challenge to everyone: Ask for one specific thing each week.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to asking:

Know what you want. This seems obvious but if you’re not clear on what you want then you are going to have a hard time asking for it. This goes back to having a plan and a strategy for what you want for your business and where it’s going. Writing your business plan will help clarify this for you. A company that now makes $38 million annually started out by wanting season football tickets to the local NFL team. That led to the ask which led to a deal to be the official supplier of that product for the team which led to even bigger deals. I’m pretty sure that season tickets weren’t part of their business plan but creating a great product was and that’s how it worked out.

Know who to ask. You may not know right away but you have to start with someone. One of the speakers I heard recently wanted to get her product into Pottery Barn Kids. She didn’t have the contact information for the person she needed to talk to so she started dialing and kept dialing until she was able to get in touch with the person in charge of purchasing. I want to get my business plan workbook in the hands of community banks to give to their small business customers who come in without a business plan. I don’t know exactly who makes that decision or who to talk to but I’m asking and that is leading to the right conversations.

Gather information. Didn’t get the response you wanted? Don’t let it devastate you. Review the situation and learn from it. What information do you now have that you can use for the next time? One of my clients has a wedding planning product. She approached a large national retailer about carrying it in their bridal salon. It may not be the right fit right now but she gathered a lot of valuable information about the process that she didn’t have before.

My encouragement for you is that you will just start asking. Ask often and ask many. Don’t let a ‘no’ get you down. Gather information as you go along and pay attention to what you are finding out. Remember you can achieve whatever you believe as long as you are willing to work for it!

Liz Uram is a business strategist and marketing plan expert, working with entrepeneurs to sort out their big ideas and get results.  Get your free eBook Boost Your Business Now!

What elements would you use to describe your business?

In case you missed it, last week’s topic was ‘Can you describe your business in one word?’ (Check out last week’s blog).   Well, this little question is creating a lot of unexpected conversation on LinkedIn and in my networking circles. It’s a lot harder than it seems to really pin down the one word that encompasses the whole purpose of your business.  In fact, some people say it can’t be done.  I disagree, and that’s okay.  There is no shortage of words in the English language (or any other language for that matter) but it really takes some thinking.  It’s been fun to  see what words people are coming up with to describe their business and I’ve seen very little overlap in the words used.

But, there’s more to this exercise.  Remember, the purpose of this exercise was to find that one word that one word that can carry through and clearly convey your brand.  For solo entrepreneurs it is critical that your marketing materials work for you and the more you can convey the message of your offer through your marketing the less work it is for you. In order to be really effective that one word needs to be translated into elements that convey the message so people can ‘see’ what you do.

By elements I mean color, texture, and visual graphics. So, the topic for this week is what elements will you use to convey the one word you selected to describe your business?

Colors – what colors represent your business and your image?  Here is a sampling of the words people used to describe their businesses – dynamic, calming, fun, eclectic, exploration, explosive.  What colors come to mind when you hear these words?  Think of your own word and write down the colors that come to mind.  The word I use to describe my business is uplifting.  My logo includes bold accent colors in blue, red, green, and yellow.  To me these colors are uplifting.

Texture – what textures represent your brand?  This can get a little trickier.  If you have an eco-friendly business you probably incorporate textures from nature – grasses, burlap, or stones.  If you describe your business as classic, you might use linens, silks, or smooth gold.  I use textures that are smooth, crisp, and clean.  This carries through into my line of workbooks that have smooth, laminated colors.

Visual graphics – how do you visually represent your brand?  If you help people with technology, what images help people to understand what you do?  My logo includes a graphic, in the four colors, that implies inclusiveness, support, and is uplifting.  Between my company name and the graphic in my logo it is pretty easy to figure out what I do.

This exercise builds upon your word.  As many people pointed out, one word is not enough to convey your entire message.  But that one word is a starting point from which to build your brand.  Without the word, your colors, textures, and visual graphics can become disjointed and send a mixed message.

My encouragement for you this week is to take your word and start building out the colors, textures, and graphics that support your message.  Do this from a fresh perspective, without looking at what you already have in place.  Ask for input from other people and be open to what they see.  After all, it doesn’t really matter what you see if the customer’s you’re trying to attract can’t see it.  Remember, you achieve whatever you believe as long as you are willing to work for it!  Get your free eBook ‘Boost Your Business Now’ at The Coach & Mentor Group.

Can you describe your business in one word?

In working with a new client on her business plan recently and brainstorming about how she would describe her business, we discovered that ‘charming’ was a perfect description.  As simple as a word as that is, it was not easy to nail down.  By listening to the client, asking lots of question, and deep digging, it became clear that it was the perfect word.

In retrospect it was kind of obvious but seldom do we, as entrepreneurs, take the time to get that focused on how we describe our business.  This story is important for a few reasons:

1)    This one-word description will be the basis for creating consistent marketing materials that convey the personality of the company and what the company offers.  Think of Apple, what word would you use to describe them?  Many people would say innovative.  It’s a fitting word and it comes across in their marketing.  Disney is described as imagination and it shows.  Maybe you think it doesn’t matter because your company is just you.  I would argue that having a strong brand matter even more to the solo entrepreneur.  Your marketing materials should work for you and the more you can convey the message of your offer through your marketing the less work it is for you.

2)    This example illustrates the benefit of having an objective outside opinion from someone who can ask questions that get to the root of the matter.  It is very difficult to be objective when you are dealing with your business because you are just too close to it.  Someone who is trained in the art of asking the right questions can make all the difference in the world.  Consider the money you spend on getting this clarity should be considered an investment in your business rather than a cost.  Remember, investments have the potential of gaining a return whereas costs are just money out of the account.

3)    This exercise demonstrates the value of creating a business plan.  This exercise comes out of the very first pages of plan and it will play a critical role in the success of the company as it unfolds.  Too many people skip over the first section of their plan covering the general company overview.  Questions like ‘why are you in business’ and ‘describe your business’ just seem too obvious and are glossed over.  That is a big mistake.  You will be surprised at the information you will uncover by digging into these questions.

This is a surprisingly difficult exercise but the payoff is huge.  It may not be apparent immediately, but it will make future decisions easier because now there is a reference point.  For instance, my ‘charming’ client has a product that will sell well at an expo so she is thinking about what her booth should look like.  Don’t you think it will be important that she choose materials that support her brand and image?  If you were to describe your business as cutting-edge, what type of marketing materials would best support that claim?  Do you think cardboard display boards with signs printed from your home computer are going to convey that image?  No way.  The brand and image you present matter.  And it all starts with one little word.  My encouragement for you is that you put some thought into what you want to represent and then review your marketing materials to see if that is what you’re doing.  Remember, you can achieve whatever you believe as long as you are willing to work for it!

Request your free eBook ‘Boost Your Business Now’!