It's all about me...I mean you... I mean us!!!

How many times have you heard the phrase, "it's all about them"? ... Meaning the client or the customer.  While I do believe that what you "sell" needs to provide outstanding value to your client and your message has to be totally about how your products or services benefit them, that is secondary to what works for you.  In order to build a successful business for the long haul it's essential that when designing your business model it works for you first, and your client second.

If you haven't figured out what works for you yet, take the time to do it now.  It's never to late to start living the life you want. Here are some questions to ask yourself - and answer!... to get you started down your own path.

1. What do you want your life to look like?  Where do you live?  What do your days look like?  What do you want to spend your time doing?  How much free time do you want?... and what will you do with that time?  Think of family, friends, love, health, financial, spirituality, personal development, fun, giving back.  What jazzes you just thinking of it?

Only when you know what you want your life to look like do you get started on your business.  Now whatever business model you design needs to fit into your ideal life - NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND!

2. What do you do?  Why do you do it? Who do you do that with?  Where do you do that? How much money do you want to make?  How many hours do you want to work?  What does your team look like?  What does your product or service look like?

When you design your business to fit your life you will be so much happier!!!  You work with clients that you like, hang out with colleagues that inspire you and are doing things that you feel passionate about.  You will put an end to the 'busy work" and will spend your time with activity that is in line with your overall business and life goals.  When you know what you want your business to look like, you'll say no to those things that don't move you towards your goals, which frees up the time to do what you want to say yes to!

Decide who you want to work with and proactively seek them out.  Decide what hours you want to work and protect your free time like a mama bear.  Being committed to a life and business of your design is the key to your success.

Yes, you'll lose some customers, but you'll gain the right ones!  And what could be better than that?

Have you designed your business, or have you just sort of fell into it by default?  Letting your clients' or other people's agendas decide for you?  I'd love to hear from you.

PS... Stay tuned for details of  my January 2017 Design Your "Lifestyle Business" Bootcamp.

Are you dizzy and seeing white spots?

There was a man who wasn't feeling well so he went to his Doctor.  The Doctor asked "what's wrong?"

He said, "Well Doc, lately I've been dizzy and I'm seeing white spots".

After a thorough examination and tests, several days later the man found out that he was dying from a rare disease and only had 6 months to live.

The man quit his job, started traveling the world and doing all the other things that he wanted to do but never found the time for.  He spent more time with his family and bought a new sports car.  One day he was driving by this famous clothing shop and decided to buy a tailor-made suite and shirt.

The tailor measured his arm length: "Thirty-three inches."  Then he measured his waist: "Thirty-two."  Next was his pant length: "Thirty-four."  And finally the tailor measure his neck and said "I'm going to make you a size sixteen-and-a-half shirt."

The man said, "No, I wear a fifteen-inch shirt."

The tailor measured again very carefully.
"No, sir," he said.  "Look, you wear a sixteen-and-a-half shirt."

The man was very adamant.  "No, sir.  I wear a fifteen-inch shirt," he told the tailor.  "I've worn that size my whole adult life.  I want you to make me a fifteen-inch shirt:

The tailor said, "Well, fine.  I'll make you a fifteen-inch shirt, but it will be so tight it will make you dizzy and you'll see white spots."

So often we so called intelligent human beings become so set in our ways and personal beliefs that we don't see the forest for the trees.  One of the best books I ever read is "Is It Too Late to Run Away and Join the Circus?".  One of the lessons that I learned from that book is that we often don't make a change until the pain of staying where we are is worse than the pain of the change or the unknown.    

We need to recognize the real source of the problem... if it's you, make a change.  If it's someone else, don't give away your power to them.  You ALWAYS have a choice of how you choose to respond to anything that happens to you.  

If you are willing to change, make adjustments, or change your perception, your dizzy spells and white spots might just disappear.

(my version of a story from "Every Day a Friday" by Joel Osteen)

The Old Man, the Boy and the Donkey

An old man, a boy and a donkey were going to town:  The boy rode on the donkey and the old man walked beside him.  As they went along they passed some people who remarked it was a shame the old man was walking and the boy was riding.  The man and boy thought maybe the critics were right, so they changed positions.

Later, they passed some people who remarked, "What a shame! He makes that little boy walk."  They then decided they both would walk.

Soon they passed some more people who thought they were stupid to walk when they had a decent donkey to ride.  So they both rode the donkey.  

Later, they passed some people who shamed them by saying how awful to put such a load on a poor donkey.  They boy and man said they were probably right, so they decided to carry the donkey.  As they crossed the bridge, they lost their grip on the animal, and he fell into the river and drowned.

The moral of the story?  If you try to please everyone, you might as well kiss your ass goodbye.

(An excerpt from "Book Yourself Solid", by Michael Port.)

It is IMPOSSIBLE to make 100% of people happy 100% of the time so stop trying already!!!  Below are just a few benefits of taking the time to figure out who your ideal client is.

• When you identify who your ideal client is you provide the best value possible because they are the right fit for you and your services.  
• Because you know exactly who they are it's easier to reach them, focusing and maximizing your marketing dollars.
• They value you and become raving fans.
• They refer potential clients like them...other ideal clients!
• The more focused your ideal client criteria is, the higher your sales conversion is. That means more business without increasing the number of prospects.

Simply put, you'll enjoy working with your "ideal clients" more because they're the right fit and they'll get more value from you.  A win-win, which is what it's all about!