Last month I had the great pleasure of speaking with Kim Duke, The Sales Diva. Her passion is helping women become more comfortable with selling, and in turn becoming wildly successful. She contends, “Selling doesn’t have to hurt!” This must-listen is filled with tips, ideas, and a few of the worst mistakes to avoid. Download the mp3 or stream it online.
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Bold Dreaming
Many people are waiting for the economy to come back; waiting for their situation to improve; waiting for life to get better. This waiting has a crippling effect. It stifles creativity and kills hope. It breeds lethargy and wishful thinking, and makes way for an easy slide into doubt, worry, and powerlessness.
Now more than ever is the time for Bold Dreaming; to dream new dreams, more daring dreams! And, it’s a time to set those dreams in motion and act upon them. I’m challenging you (and myself!) to a two-part Dream Scheme. Here’s how it works: Read more »
Filed under: Entrepreneurship, Inspiration | Tagged: Entrepreneurship, Inspiration | 1 Comment »
We say we want things all the time: “I want a new pair of sandals”, “I want more business”, or “I want to lose 10 pounds,” but deep down are these our true wants? Our heart’s desires? Gosh, I hope not. There must be something deeper – for me and for you. Many of the things we say we want just scratch the surface of what we really want — those deep down, heart’s desires. Yet, few of us know what we really want and many times, even if we know, we are afraid to acknowledge those wants for fear they won’t get met. I know I am guilty of toning down my true desires because of the possible disappointment of not getting that thing I most want. What if you allowed yourself to embrace your truest desires? What if we all did? I am in the midst of an experiment in asking myself the question “What do I REALLY want?” everyday. Want to join me ? Imagine the impact if we all started asking that question.
Filed under: Inspiration, Joy & Happiness | Tagged: Inspiration, Joy & Happiness | 3 Comments »
I used to practice law, and as everyone knows, law is a very left-brain career. Lots of analysis and linear thinking without a lot of room for the right brain skills of artistry, empathy, inventiveness, and big-picture thinking. Little did I know when I left the practice of law in order to become a coach that I was part of a migration into what Daniel Pink, author of A Whole New Mind calls the Conceptual Age. Pink says that we are moving away from a period in our history where left-brain thinking was most highly prized and into a new era in which right-brain thinking will rule.
Read more about Pink’s theory and about the six right-brain-associated aptitudes that he believes anyone can develop in his recent interview with Oprah Winfrey.
Filed under: General Business | Tagged: General Business | Leave a Comment »
Warrior Pose
Most of us need ways to regularly relieve the stresses and tensions of business and personal life. Aerobic exercise is usually my first choice. However, recently I have been thinking that something more focused and calming might suit me better. Something less frenetic. (That tells you something about how I approach exercise!) Having taken yoga classes in the past, I know how powerful it can be to breathe into a challenging pose and hold it, comfortably for my body, but beyond the comfort zone of my mind. My mind is addicted to fast, intense, frenzy, do, do, do, do, do. I’m gently and firmly breaking that addiction. Simple, elegant yoga poses are one way to slow down to build strength and power, inside and out. If you’d like to join me, check out the Best Yoga Poses for Women.
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Anne Taintor Magnet
Business Week had an article recently that chronicled some new research about happiness and midlife women. As a midlife woman, the results of this research did not make me happy. According to the studies, midlife women are sadder and sicker than ever before, regardless of whether they work or don’t work, are married or unmarried, have kids or don’t, etc. Apparently, as women have gotten more opportunity, influence, and money, we have also acquired more stress and anxiety. In fact, well-known author, Marcus Buckingham, has written his latest book about this phenomenon, Find Your Strongest Life: What the Most Successful and Resilient Women Do Differently, due out in September of this year.
I must admit that I know a lot of midlife women who are not terribly happy, many of whom are Read more »
Filed under: Joy & Happiness, Lifestyle | Tagged: Joy & Happiness, Lifestyle | 2 Comments »
Jim Collins, the author of the books Good to Great and Built to Last was recently interviewed in Inc. magazine. One of the questions Collins was asked is how he defines entrepreneurship. His answer was this:
“I see entrepreneurship as more of a life concept. … You can take a paint-by numbers approach or you can start with a blank canvas. … Starting with a blank canvas is the only way to get a masterpiece…”
This approach to entrepreneurship really resonated with me, and it is so different from the traditional, more narrow definition of starting an entity or series of entities in order to make money. I like Collins’ definition so much more. What if we all viewed our businesses and our lives as blank canvases? While this perspective means that we could fail miserably, it also means we have the opportunity to create a masterpiece. You can’t create a masterpiece by painting by numbers not can you be a true entrepreneur without creativity, vision and risk. That’s why Collins says that entrepreneurship is not a business concept, it’s a life concept.
What do you think?
Filed under: Entrepreneurship, General Business | Tagged: Entrepreneurship, General Business | Leave a Comment »
Sample Map
I’ve been using Concept Draw’s Mind Mapping software and love it. It works on both Mac & Windows platforms and has cross-platform capability. So I can create a map on my Mac and send it to my Window’s-owning business partner for updates, comments, etc. It’s very easy to use. Highly recommend trying the 30-day free trial.
Filed under: General Business, Productivity, Tools | Tagged: Tools | Leave a Comment »
Q. From what you observe, what is today’s top challenge for women business owners?
A. So much of human interaction has migrated to the web, so businesses must, too. Bottom line: women business owners have to have a web-based presence and must know how to use social media to their advantage.
Filed under: General Business, Strategy | Tagged: Business Strategy, General Business | Leave a Comment »
Image by Komra Moriko
There’s a question that many business leaders like to ask each other: “What keeps you up at night?” I seriously dislike that question. It implies that it’s a sign of great success to be insanely obsessed, lying awake and worrying about business. That question neither inspires nor brings out the best in me.
[Don't get me wrong: I love business, love my work and feel privileged to have wonderful clients. I just don't want to be awake at night. I want to be sleeping!]
There are different questions I’d like to see business owners ask each other. Here’s are some for starters:
- What inspires you?
- What stirs your passion?
- What are you eager to work on or explore?
- What possibilities await you?
We’d love to hear your answers as well as your questions.
Filed under: General Business, Inspiration | Tagged: General Business, Inspiration | 2 Comments »
