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Posts Tagged ‘small business owner’

Your Business: It Doesn’t Matter How Small You Start…Just START

Posted on: September 5th, 2011 by Beth Heilman

Lots of times when those entrepreneurial feelings start. We're not quite sure what to do about it.

You know you want to have a business of your own, but there's SO much to do…and there's SO many things you think you have to get in place first.

What about a website? I have to have a website…and business cards.

Must design the perfect business card and Oh, I'll need a logo because the experts say I must "brand" myself.

To all this I say…STOP!!

You're gonna make yourself nuts and you haven't even sold the first thing yet.

Here's what you really need to get started in business…Ready?

The basic ingredients to a successful business consist of these things: 

A need in the market that needs filled or a problem that needs solved People that have those needs or problems (and can pay for the solutions)

You…and your ability to be the go-to person for taking care of those needs and problems.

Your mouth (or someone elses mouth) to get the word out about you and what you do.

Too simple?

Why make it more complicated?

Everyday on the internet you'll find the latest guru-du-jour who'll tell you that their system or training is the answer to building the business of your dreams, and they may be right…partly.

But, if you get all caught up in the getting-ready-to-get-ready syndrome ; buying every tool and training and waiting until everything's perfect

to launch your business, you're doomed before you even start.

And you'll go broke in the process.

It's not about the "stuff", folks.

It's about the people you serve and the product or service you provide to them.

Start small. Talk to five people today about what you do. Heck…just talk to one if that's all you can do, but do it.

Once you start it just gets easier and easier. And if you mess up, so what?

You just figured out how NOT to do something. Congratulations!! You just had a learning experience.

Your marching orders for today…decide what needs to be done in your business today and…DO IT!!

If you're feeling stuck and need some advice or want to share a celebration of how you "just did it", leave a comment below for some
help or a happy dance. Talk with you soon.

To Your Success,
Sonrisas (smiles),

Beth

 

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You Can Profit From Your Passions

Posted on: August 15th, 2011 by Beth Heilman

Being of the Real Estate Agent persuasion for the last 20 years, you might say that home sales and all things related is in my DNA.

That’s why when I chose to become a coach, help folks become entrepreneurs and show them how to figure out
“what they want to do when they grow up”, I naturally gravitated toward Real Estate Agents as clients.

Changing Course

After all, they’re “my people”. We speak the same language. And we’ve been through the roller coaster that’s been the economy of the last few years.

That’s why I’m so excited to announce that I’m guest speaking at a teleclass Monday, August 15 at 8PM EST. The teleclass series is the work of Valerie Young of ChangingCourse.com. Valerie is the “dreamer in residence” at Changing Course and the creator of the “Profiting From Your Passions Career Coach” course that I became involved with a few months ago.

I’ll be speaking about the “7 Ways Real Estate Agents Can Make Money In This Economy…Without Selling A House”.

What I’ll be covering isn’t strictly for those in the Real Estate industry, but for anyone who’s been kicked in the tail by the economy and never wants to have to depend on someone else for their paycheck again.

You have talents, gifts and passions that you could easily make money with. ( Come on now…you know you do). Why settle for a job (and life) that’s “just OK”? You can have the life of your dreams and that includes working at what you love.

Here’s the link to sign up for Valerie’s newsletter, to find out more about the Changing Course Club where you’ll have access to the call series. Hope to see you there.

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Ooooops…They Did It Again

Posted on: August 9th, 2011 by Beth Heilman

Well folks, just when you thought it was safe to go back in the economic water…Wall Street (and Congress) laid another goose egg (and this one ain’t golden).

Unless you’ve been stranded on a desert island somewhere, since the beginning of August the stock market has been going backwards the likes of which we haven’t seen since the Recession started. The reasons behind it according to all the political pundits don’t amount to a hill of beans.

The reason I’m writing this today is for you.

The purpose of this post today is not to rant, (well, maybe a little) but to impress upon you that change, whether economic or otherwise, is inevitable.

Are you ready for it?

What happens if businesses start laying off again? Is your job secure?

Are you sure?

If you’re reading this, it’s probably because you’ve at least toyed with the idea on becoming an entrepreneur…of creating a business of your own.

You want to do the work you love and not have to worry about the boss calling you into his office to tell you that “due to the economy they have to eliminate several positions” and yours is one of them.

I heard those words nearly four years ago. It happened to me. I don’t want the same thing to happen to you.

Sadly, at the time I wasn’t very well prepared. You don’t have to go through the heartache that I did.

The time to do something is now. It’s time to really do some soul searching to rediscover your passions. You may have been so caught up in day-to-day responsibilities that you put those dreams, those passions on the back burner.

You told yourself you’d get back to them “some day”.

My friend, someday is here. Take control of your future and your family’s future.

Write your own paycheck by creating your own business (and your own economy) instead of waiting for your boss to hand you the check HE thinks you deserve. You CAN do it. Believe it.

If not now…when? If not you…who?

Believe in you. I do.

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Your Ideal Client: Narrow Your Focus For A Broader Reach- Part 2

Posted on: August 2nd, 2011 by Beth Heilman

In the last post we talked about narrowing down your focus when you’re looking for your ideal client.

We talked about how what’s called the “shotgun approach” to marketing never works. You can’t be all things to all people.

But how do you identify your ideal client? Who are they really and how do you find them?

Find Your Ideal Client

Find Your Ideal Client

For starters, look at all the customers you have now. Who is it you enjoy working with the most?

Are they in a certain age group? Are they men or women? What does your product do for them? Are they business owners or do they work for some one else? Are they single parents?

Demographics like age, gender. and family status and are just one part of the equation.

The other part and (probably the biggest part) of that same equation is:

What problem does your product solve?

If you have a great weight loss solution, do you work with people who have 5-10 pounds to lose and want to look fabulous for an upcoming class reunion or do they have 50, 100, 150 pounds or more to lose and if they don’t, they might not be here in 5 years.

How you talk to, market to and where you find those people who have a true obesity problem will be
light years different than the class reunion crowd.

Another example I can give you is my ideal client…you.

You’re more than likely here because you want to have your own business. You’re just starting out or most likely haven’t even started one yet. You probably aren’t sure yet what you want to do when you grow up, you just know that what you’re doing now isn’t it 🙂

You may have gotten the rug pulled out from under you when the housing market crashed like I did, but the thought of taking just any old job earning way less than you’re used to makes you want to cry.

You’re smart, you’re ambitious, you have tons of great ideas and things you love to do, but you’re not sure how to turn that into a business, a successful business, that not only earns you a great living, it allows you a great life. You’re who I love working with. 🙂

How can you find the clients you’ll love working with? You go where they are. We’re so lucky that with the internet, we have the whole world at our fingertips. There are online forums on nearly every conceivable topic, there are groups on social media like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

For those of you who prefer face-to-face interaction there’s are meet-up groups all over the country. Go online and search for the problem your product solves then add forum or blog (for a virtual online meeting) or meeting after it and then add your city.

Ex: weight loss + forum OR dog lovers + meet up + san diego

Easy peasy, right?

Here’s another example for you. Some of my ideal clients happen to be Realtors. They were really hit hard in the housing crunch and many are just barely making it, but they’re not sure what else to do. I also
happen to be a Realtor so I definitely speak the language.

(Hint: always speak to your ideal client in the language they understand(no, I’m not saying learn a foreign language). If you deal with folks primarily in one profession ie; doctors, mortgage folks,
attorneys, truck drivers, chefs; learn some of the “industry speak” that they use.

Bottom line…meet them where they are. They’ll appreciate the effort and will feel more comfortable talking with you.

And always, always, (did I say always?) come from a place of service, sincerity and authenticity. People are savvy and will spot a phony (or someone who only wants to make a quick sale) a mile away. I know that’s not you 🙂

Finding your ideal client is a breeze when you really narrow down who you want to work with and the problem you can help them solve.

Let me know any ideas or any questions you have about where you can look for your ideal client.

Then again how would you like it if your ideal client found you?…

I’ll show you how in some upcoming posts. Until then…

Make it a wondermous day!

Sonrisas (smiles),
Beth

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Laid-off, Downsized and Unemployed-Reinventing Yourself in Today’s Crazy Economy

Posted on: November 8th, 2010 by Beth Heilman

Time To Reinvent YourselfThese days you can’t turn on the news, open a newspaper or surf the internet without getting bombarded with headlines warning of impending doom for the economy. Now, don’t get me wrong, as a country we’re in a mess financially. Just the housing crisis alone is enough to make you want to stay in bed and pull the covers over your head. Unfortunately, that won’t keep the power on or a roof over your head.

If you’re fortunate enough to still be gainfully employed, count your blessings. For those of you (and I’m talking about myself here, too) that have been on the other side of the bosses desk when those dreaded words came..”Your position is being eliminated”, there is life after a J-O-B.

Let me tell you briefly what happened to me. I was in the real estate industry for nearly 17 years as a New Home Sales Agent. Worked for a builder, had great insurance, paid my dues by studying the industry and working my way up through the ranks. It was pretty darned comfortable. Life was good during the boom a few years ago. We had people waiting on lists to get houses. Talk about having a captive audience.

Then as things started to cool off and all the crazy loans started to go bad, those of us on the front lines could see what was coming. Unfortunately some of the major mortgage companies and builders were too busy counting their profits to notice and refused to scale back. The result is what you see on the news today, foreclosures, businesses closing and a lot of hard-working people out of work. I was one of those people.

What’s a person to do when the rug gets pulled out from under you in this goofy economy? There’s several things actually, but short of doing anything illegal or immoral(I’m smiling as I write that), take a good hard look at your strengths, talents and passions and reinvent yourself.

What do I mean by that? You know you have things you’re good at and enjoy doing that would translate very well into another line of work, possibly even your own business. The only limits are your imagination. And these days, the internet makes it possible to reach people you never would have met otherwise. It’s a home based business persons dream come true.

Here are just a few ideas:

Are you good at administrative and organizational stuff? How about being a Virtual Assistant? A V.A. is someone who works from home, but who sets appointments, sends emails, and does all the tasks of an assistant who works in an office, but you do it from home (and save on gas and dry cleaning bills)

Are you an animal person? How about making a video (or writing an e-book) on how to train that stubborn puppy dog? THen, make it available online.

A coffee or tea lover? How about producing a video on making the perfect cup of tea and then include it with every purchase from the wonderful tea company you represent? All that can be done online.

Into Health and Nutrition? Start a blog on all the tips and tricks you’ve learned over the years. There are some wonderful network marketing companies in the Health and Nutrition field you could represent. Find a product you can really be passionate about. You can help folks stay healthy and build your own business in what’s projected to be a $1 trillion industry.

Those are just a fraction of what can be done. Let your mind wander. Allow yourself to dream and before you know it, your perfect opportunity will present itself. You’ve heard the saying that when life gives you lemons, make lemonade? Your lemonade will be when you realize that the one security you have in these crazy times is you. There’s an unlimited number of possibilities available to you when you do a little soul-searching and start to think “outside the box”. Forgive the cliche, but it’s true.

Don’t let Wall Street, the evening news or your old boss have control over you or your finances anymore. That lay-off may have been a blessing in disguise when you use it as an opportunity to find your passion, live your dreams and earn a living that you never thought possible. Then, unless you want to, you’ll never have to work a J-O-B again.

Have you or anyone you know had the proverbial job rug pulled out from under them? Leave a comment and let me know how you’re doing and what you’ve done to overcome “pink slip shock”.

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