Category Archives: Entrepreneur

Work, Change & Higher Purpose

Change is good

Today more than ever, boundaries between work and higher purpose are merging. It’s where doing good really is good for business. I’m seeing this globally as well as personally. In this post, I’ll share some personal insights with you.

I’ve been conducting business since 1999. Throughout the years things have transformed, and certain themes remained constant, including health and wellness, making a difference while making money, and global living. Currently I’m shifting into a more refined way I can serve the world through teaching the joys of detox. I promise, it’s truly exciting!

Honesty and humble pie

It’s ownership and vulnerability all rolled into one. It’s humbling. At first I had decided I wouldn’t publicly address it- at all!

There’s no time for sympathy when pressing in for a victory.

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You see, I became “that” person in the health field who found herself wading through a healing crisis. Life can be such a teacher!

I’ve studied detoxification since my early twenties! In fact, I even wrote a short, light-hearted book about detox that many say has been helpful. Click here to download your free eBook.

I *know* how to stay healthy, yet somehow (I’ll spare you the details) the perfect storm hit taking me to my knees. I’ve learned that when we fall on our knees we’re in a prime position to look up and not give up. I prayed for perseverance.

Instead of feeling sorry for myself like I did some 15 years ago because doctors couldn’t agree on what autoimmune diseases I should be labeled with, I decided took the bull by the horns. Yes, I decided to ride it out in all it’s glory.

Something was different this time around. No self-pity. I have shifted so much that I can actually share this challenge with you freely. Deep down I know I am whole and I can walk through the fire. It’s the same way I deeply know I’m here to also help others walk through their fires.

We Aren’t Alone

We aren’t abandoned. We have magnificent tools to heal.

As the wellness entrepreneur who enjoyed incredible health and then all of a sudden was pounded with a tidal wave, I’ve learned that I’ve acquired skills. I rejoice in knowing how to overcome. “Knowing how” and “guiding myself and others” is a gift to the world.

One of my clients recently emailed me. She said her latest blood work was the best it’s ever been. Even her family was surprised with how well she was doing. This email brought immense satisfaction. It arrived on one of my darkest physical days and yet on my brightest day as a wellness entrepreneur. It was confirmation that I’m in the right work.

 Let’s shake up the fruit basket, shall we?

As an entrepreneur, I want lasting positive change. Often we want business and personal growth to show up as rainbows, unicorns and puppies. However an undesirable “shake up” can serve the world and ourselves the best. We can learn to trust the process, adapt and triumph.

Today, I can say I’m not exactly ready for an Ironman competition, but I am training for some long horse rides in South Dakota this September. This past weekend I rode in the mountains of Mexico three hours and later hiked up to a breath-taking view. It was worth having a sore butt and legs. Scouts honor.

Higher Purpose: Ain't no mountain high enough
Higher Purpose: Ain’t no mountain high enough

As I rode up the mountain, the pine trees reminded me that the Creator of the Universe loves me and nothing called Hashimoto’s or Addison’s disease will keep me down. Ever.

I know for certain, that if for some reason we aren’t instantaneously or supernaturally healed completely- We. Shall. Recover. And this my friends, is the hope and beauty of life.

Alert! I’ll be teaching more about detoxing, food and nutrition because it’s creating the biggest impact in those I serve. In our fast-paced world, there’s a place for taking care of our self whether we’re currently recovering or desire to stay well. Part of my mission is to help you live with more freedom and less toxins.

 Get your groove on

I’ve had an “old school” theme song playing through my mind this year. I believe it’s time to unleash it so we can get our groove on! While it’s meant to be a love song, may it motivate you to reach for better health, happiness, finances, relationships and more. Because when we’re truly intentional, “there ain’t no mountain high enough”.

Share with me in the comments below: do you have a theme song you’ve been jamming out to? Please post it! Or, tell me. Are you ready to clean up your body more with some friendly detoxing? I’d love to hear from you.

5 Reasons to Run From Being an Entrepreneur

Ever wondered if you’re headed down the right path? Should you embrace being an entrepreneur or completely run from the idea? Learn five reasons you may want to run (or not).

 

1- Approval from family and friends matters immensely.

Most of us live in a world where educational norms teach us to become employees. If we don’t descend from a line of successful entrepreneurs, we might hear something like this, “You’re aware that 95% of all businesses fail in the first five years, right?” Or “Honey, is this really what you’ve spent all those years in school for?”

 

Such words can leave anyone feeling unsupported and scratching their head. When we grasp that the world is made up of all kinds of gifted people we can choose to handle these challenges with greater finesse or devise an alternate route where we feel acceptance from our tight-knit circle.

 

Well-meaning people may not understand the entrepreneur’s quest tend to offer up opinions. So if you’re the type to plod on regardless of social approval, you have the makings of an entrepreneur. Carry on soldier! If not, keep your peace.

 

2- You want big results, like yesterday.

 

Big results require building a strong foundation in order to harvest long-term results. It can take time.

 

Less seasoned entrepreneurs have a learning curve in the game of business. The question is, when the cash isn’t overflowing in the first 3-6 months, will the effort continue? Will skills be mastered so that desired results can happen?

 

There’s a choice: are we willing to work for smaller rewards up front and postpone greater rewards for later? If so, you fit the bill for being an entrepreneur.

 

If waiting for something to come to fruition gnaws at your last nerve, ditch the idea of being an entrepreneur. Usually big results take time to generate. If you aren’t willing to put in the time and patience, you aren’t a terrible, no good person. You simply know your limits.

 

While entrepreneurship is open to anyone, it’s certainly not for everyone.

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3- You want to accomplish things ALL by yourself.

 

We all have things we like to do alone. It could be reading a good book, working out, or herding cats. How could I resist? I’m typing, alone and I self-entertain. 😉

 

When it comes to running a business entrepreneurs need to focus on doing what they do best. It’s downright crazy to build a business for the sake of maintaining control, saving money or “doing it right”.

 

Having control is an illusion. When growing a successful business it’s best to share the “control” with those who can save you time and sanity. I’m personally gushing with gratitude over my gifted CPA & Web Guru. By not doing it ALL by myself, more things get done! By actually spending money, I save more time. And, as an entrepreneur who relishes time freedom, this is a good thing!

 

Still hold fast to the thought of “if it’s going to be done right, then I’ll do it myself”? Then please, let go of the idea of being an entrepreneur. There’s a lot of good work that’s begging to be done in the world and it’s probably waiting for you.

 

4- You want others to do it ALL for you.

 

Being your own boss can sound glamorous or cool. And, it is most of the time. Just don’t be misled. Business is built on work. There’s no short cut. Successful entrepreneurs take inventory of where they want to go and design their work schedule around reaching this goal.

 

Naïve or wanna-be entrepreneurs often hold an entitlement attitude. They want results without really placing forth a diligent effort. Sometimes they blame others for their lack of results. In short, it’s victim mentality and it’s not pretty.

 

Successful entrepreneurs put their heads down and go to work. They don’t whine. They work. They bypass blame and take responsibility.

 

If you practice responsibility and take action, then being an entrepreneur suits you. If you’re quick to blame, not fond of work, or would rather play victim then run the other direction. Entrepreneurship will greatly disappoint you.

 

5- You think personal development is for sissies.

 

Being an entrepreneur can be likened to a salmon swimming upstream. Great entrepreneurs work to become personally resilient, and the strong survive. These entrepreneurs live in flux, flow and find their way by embracing personal development.

Being an entrepreneur is like salmon swimming upstream

In the past month I reached out to several entrepreneurs. I asked if they’d share about the kind of personal development they’re currently engaged in and how it’s contributing to their business game. Here’s a few responses.

 

“Dance lessons with my wife. It’s teaching me how to be a better leader. Often, my employees anticipate what’s next. I realize I’ve lacked clarity in how I lead. My wife keeps saying she’s willing to follow but the steps are confusing. Who knew having two left feet could provide such a business lesson while also entertaining her?”

 

“Toastmasters to polish up on my speaking skills and gain more contacts and confidence.”

 

“I mastermind with 4 others in my field. It’s amazing how quickly we’re growing business via a private online group and weekly call. My sales have doubled in the last quarter. There’s lots of giving and receiving.”

 

Do you spot the theme connecting all these responses? I see interaction, relationship, self-reflection and application.

 

Some people still don’t fathom how personal development applies to improving business. I’ve been told “it’s too uncomfortable, too vulnerable or a waste of time.” If this is you, being an entrepreneur probably isn’t your life calling and that’s okay. If you resonate with the concepts of life-long learning, moving through the poo, or continual improvement, then most likely you’ve been bitten by the entrepreneurial bug. There is no vaccination. 😉

 

I’d love to hear from you, where do you think you fit in? Will you be running from or embracing being an entrepreneur? Tell me about it in the comments below.

How to Lower Stress & Maintain Sanity

I have a challenge for you.

I want you think about all the places you can sit and do nothing. That’s right; do nothing, and just enjoy peace and quiet. Yes, I am “double-dog” daring you. Please, don’t get caught up in the position of doing nothing. You can sit or be lying down, kneeling, etc.. The point is you are doing nothing; you’re just being.

Where are you? Are you “chillaxing” in the grass?

 

Are you soaking in the bathtub?

 

Perhaps you visualize yourself curled up on a nice big sofa?

 

Go ahead! Make your list. It’ll be good for your mental health. Pinky promise! Come up with a list of at least five different restorative happy places. If you make it to ten and beyond, you’ll receive extra credit!

How to Lower Stress and Maintain Sanity

 

Here’s the purpose behind my prodding.

When life gets challenging, or you feel overwhelmed or are searching for answers, BE STILL!

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 Do nothing.

 

Let’s bring back the art of being still, shall we? Honor yourself and those around you by taking a small sabbatical. Soak up some silence; be still with God. Soak up silence in sunshine, in a dark room, in water. Simply soak up some sanity!

 

Treat this challenge much like the “emergency preparedness plans” we know schools generate to lower stress levels and control challenging circumstances as much as possible. Before the storms come (and they will), we need to prepare ourselves. Let’s pretend you have kids who keep you on your toes. How do you refuel? You wish you had hours but that’s not the current reality. Sometimes five minutes of breathing and soaking up one of these pre-planned special “time out” places can rejuvenate you or prevent a straight jacket. 😉

 

One of the greatest gifts we can give our self is a daily dosage of silence.

Indeed, it is golden. Sadly, silence isn’t appreciated, as it should be.

 

We can hardly leave our homes and find a restaurant without televisions mounted to walls blaring out bad news or adrenal pumping, action-packed entertainment. We can’t make a quiet trip to the Supermarket. Instead we are getting conditioned by upbeat music spurring us to buy more. The noise is everywhere.

 

We are suffering from overstimulation. What we need is a break from the noise pollution. Our minds and bodies need to enjoy the silence and regain our centeredness. We need to hear ourselves feel emotions and think and process about life.

 

It’s time to breathe deeply. We need to soak and be still.

To be reminded that life is fleeting, yet, at the same time, it’s can also be very long. We need to pace ourselves. It’s time to check in, lower our stress levels and embrace a little kindness through the silent humming airwaves of warmth.

 

It’s my deep desire that you would love yourself and others enough to identify your very own five or more quiet places of refuge. Places you know you can quickly retreat when life seems a bit awry or you need to recalibrate so you can stay in the game by being still in silence. I want to hear from you! Please tell me some of your favorite places are in the comments below.

 

Here’s to a little more sanity and less stress!

Are you a “road worthy” entrepreneur?

As an entrepreneur, I’ve had great opportunities to live in places that are completely opposite from the way I was brought up. This has led to some fascinating discoveries.

For the past four months I’ve been living in Guadalajara; Mexico’s second largest city with roughly 5 million people. And then there was the little town of Bulverde where I first began my driving days when the population was 2700 and has now soared to 7500.

Let me be clear, this is my second time living in the Guadalajara area. My first opportunity came in 2004-2005, so as we say in Texas, “this ain’t my first rodeo”. What’s different this time is now I can (sort of) navigate my way around without getting too lost, overwhelmed, or stressed by the crazy congestion and “unique” driving

Yesterday I chose to have a big lemonade on the balcony of a restaurant to survey the activity below. Then it hit me.  The hustle and bustle, the horns honking, the cars weaving in and out of the slower trucks and buses, all the wheels and break squeals, the whirling and whistling…the epiphany was clear.

Big city driving is so much like being a capable entrepreneur.

You see, usually when I venture out of my Mexican cocoon, my capable, locally-grown husband doubles as a ninja-like chofer. I seized an opportunity this past weekend before he flew back to our ranch home to check in with the critters, caretakers, and other important business. I asked for guidance. I had an important appointment I didn’t want to miss so I asked my favorite local Mexican if he’d drive me through the process of navigating my way through new construction to avoid getting lost and pulling my hair out.  Why am I sharing this? Well, we all know the maps or GPS don’t always include the newest streets, best detours or shortcuts. First lesson.

Entrepreneurs, like drivers prefer to learn from the successful experiences of mentors and experts, rather than rely on less dynamic tools like maps or a GPS.

As I sat there drinking my lemonade I was grateful. This particular day was exceptionally satisfying.

The mission of driving there and back was safely accomplished! All the while I’d single-handedly avoided 2 near collisions and no! I’m not kidding you. Ironically, the use of signal lights aren’t part of the national way of driving, nor is allowing plenty of space for lane changes. And somehow, I was able to keep my happy and avoid road rage. Yes! And this friends, leads me to the second a-ha.

Focus. During the business process entrepreneurs reach milestones by focusing on what needs to be achieved and avoid what will take them “off road.”

In times past, I was a nervous ball of energy driving through maddening traffic. I’d try deep breathing while wanting to run over a pedestrian. To say the least, it’s definitely been a process of developing a skill set. Quite frankly, it’s opened up all sorts of personal development opportunities for this country girl. I’m learning to laugh at myself as I reflect on how far I’ve come. I’m doing it for the love of business, my husband and need I say, adventure? I’ve chosen to dare greatly this time around and it’s paying off because the enjoyment level is skyrocketing. What was once petrifying is now electrifying. Well, okay not really, but it’s vastly improved which leads me to lesson three.

Developing skills can be challenging. The better we become, the more we enjoy the results, and of course, life.

I’m not going to lie to you. I still prefer driving in the countryside. In fact, I get really stoked when I see sheep in a field grazing. It speaks to me. That day I sat in the “winner’s circle” sipping my celebratory lemonade, reveling in how I took to the road like a champ. Chaotic traffic and all, there’s a lesson in ev-er-ything. And now when I take to the road I can reframe how it can bring me more lessons as an entrepreneur. I may not be ready for the Indy 500 or the Baja 1000 but I can tell you I’m becoming a bit more road worthy.

So here’s my question for you. Are you a “road worthy” entrepreneur?

Now, don’t use me as the perfect example to live by because I’m still a work in progress. But do yourself a favor, dig around a little. Sharpen your entrepreneurial saw by asking yourself the following questions.

  • Who helps guide my business in the right direction? Do I really listen and apply it toward the long-term benefit of myself and others?
  • Do I stay focused under pressure avoiding unnecessary incidents that can keep me from reaching desired results?
  • How do I go about improving my skills to make life more enjoyable?

That’s my challenge for you my friends. I’d love to hear from you. What one action step are you willing to take to make you more “road worthy”?

Enter your answer in the comments below, or click to tweet it.

What action step are you willing to take to make you more road worthy?

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Happy driving!

Three Key Principles to Multiply Your Entrepreneurial Value

Could you use an extra $500 every month? Go ahead. Answer that. I know we can all find a way to employ an extra $500. My hope is that you’ll read this post and take action by providing or doing something spectacular adding increase to your life.

Here’s three key principles to multiply your entrepreneurial value

Principle one: Understand that integrity is an asset

Integrity is one of the most challenging characteristics to find in today’s marketplace. Therefore, I suggest we look at integrity as a valuable asset. Customers desire to conduct business with those who have a heart to serve as well as earn profits.

The world begs for entrepreneurs who deliver honesty, thoughtfulness, genuine help, and quality. When the public senses a business operating in integrity, there comes a tipping point where trust and confidence converge into expectancy and anticipation. As such upcoming services or products are welcomed with open arms.

Integrity leads to more profits. Integrity and profits are meant to go together like chips & salsa, wine & cheese or Fiona & Shrek. Okay, you get the point. It’s clear that the message businesses communicate today must be holistic in nature and resonate with the heart of their public. When integrity is perceived, our entrepreneurial value quickly rises.

Integrity and profits go together like chips and salsa, wine and cheese, Fiona and Shrek

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Principle two: Let wisdom be your guide

Forget a little mouse in your pocket! What we all need is a Yoda or two, or three. While I’m all for mentoring and coaching, what I’m referring now is wise *professional* counsel. I have my favorites as a businessperson. And, because it’s tax season, I’ll focus on the importance of having a bang-up, insightful CPA.

Early on in my business I was making decisions on a shoestring budget. One of the best decisions was hiring a great CPA. It provided me with a peace of mind. Simply knowing someone was in my corner to make sure I had crossed the “t’s” and dotted the “i’’s” when filing was a huge relief. I also found great value in the professional advice when taking maximum business deductions. I learned that starting out in business wasn’t always about how much money I could make, but rather, how much I could keep.

When paying for the services of a CPA, think of it this way. You’re paying for their years of study, experience ad expertise. You’re paying them to stay on top of the changing laws and regulations that apply to you.

When you work with an astute CPA, you’ll maximize your money while minimizing your time trying to learn what they know. You’ll minimize your chances of making big mistakes. Working with a helpful CPA, you’ll have someone really walk you through the financial statements so you can see how your business is performing and what tweaks you can make to increase its value.

Principle Three: Practice Realistic Expectations & Core Competencies

Aspiring entrepreneurs often have incredible yet lofty ideas. It’s the entrepreneurial season I most love. It’s the stage where anything is possible, creativity is high and hopes are soar. It’s the turning point where dream incubation can coincide with action. And when the entrepreneurially-minded push pass the spark it up phase and muscles for core competencies are flexed and strengthened…well…watch out world!

Not so fast Speed Racer! Yes, we were all born to be an overnight success! Realistically speaking that overnight success may happen anywhere from 365 nights to 537 nights. When our expectations around entrepreneurship are realistic, we waste little time dreaming and head off into doing so the dream comes to pass. The most realistic expectation can be taken from the “farmer’s formula” of seed, time and harvest. Often we want to plant the seeds, skip over time and harvest the next day. However there’s an incubation and growth period. And during time part of the formula is where the core competencies come in handy.

What are these core competencies?

Goal Setting. Consistency. Demand for efficiency and quality. It’s seeking information and daring greatly. It’s systematic planning and tweaking. It’s confidence to act boldly. As entrepreneurs manage their expectations for creating success and dominate these core competencies big waves of value are created. Now how’s that for happy?

Entrepreneurs are the thought leaders of today. They bring much to the table. It’s passion, it’s purpose and when done right brings about sustainable profits.

May our key pursuits include integrity and wisdom so we increase our value in the world. And may our realistic expectations and core competencies bring about that extra $500, $5000 or $5 million every month.

Join the discussion and share with me. What key principle can you focus on to multiply your entrepreneurial value in the world? Please and thank you!

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