Successful entrepreneurs. They're inspiring.
Real You Incorporated: 8 Essentials for Women Entrepreneurs is about to launch, and one of the most exciting parts of the book is my ability to introduce you to just some of the amazing entrepreneurs I've been priveledged to meet, interview, laugh with, and share with over the course of my last two decades in business.
Earlier in my career, while working for different advertising agencies, I could spot the entrepreneurial clients the moment the meeting began. It's a special spark, a flame of creativity. A passion. As a marketing executive for several large service companies, I had the privelege of packaging that spark into break-through brands. And at the helm of my own writing business, each time I interview an entrepreneur I smile. It's fun and inspiring.
That's why I've featured 24 real stories in the book, with more being added all the time to my website . Real women with real stories of success. Perhaps you'll find a story there to inspire you, or if you're already an entrepreneur, you'll find yourself reflected in the pages.
What else do all of these entrepreneurs have in common? Hard work, of course. Businesses don't just happen. But they do when entrepreneurs find it within themselves to create a unique brand and bring it to the world. Authentically. With purpose.
Every 60 seconds a woman starts a business. Maybe this is your spark's time?
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Are you worried? Turn off the news...
Here's the thing: when you have 24-hour news slots to fill, you have to fill them. And what has proven to draw viewers, more than anything else, is negative, sensationalized news. We all know that - and yet - we all play into it by watching.
Ick. So, yes, the economy is not what we hope. But how many different news segments do we need to hear/watch filled with doom and gloom to get the picture? Housing - whether your area had a bubble or not - has faced record trouble, but in many parts of the country, things are starting to stabilize. At my company, Real Living, we are based in the heart of the heartland - Ohio. And here, like other areas of the country without the extreme highs, buyers are coming back into the market.
You don't really hear about that though. It's doubtful the 24-hour news cycle could sustain interest in stability. That just doesn't sell. So, you'll continue to hear that you better save, that America and Americans are living on borrowed time, that the sky is falling.
So tune out. Tune back into you.
As I write in my book Real You Incorporated, www.RealYouIncorporated.com, the key is to make sure you - and your passions - are in alignment. Is the business you created, want to create or where you work a good fit for the real you? Take some time for introspection and reflection. A time not filled with worry, but with possibility and excitement. Take action if you have financial challenges, but don't stew. That won't change anything.
Make 2008 great for you, no matter the latest news. It all starts with you.
Ick. So, yes, the economy is not what we hope. But how many different news segments do we need to hear/watch filled with doom and gloom to get the picture? Housing - whether your area had a bubble or not - has faced record trouble, but in many parts of the country, things are starting to stabilize. At my company, Real Living, we are based in the heart of the heartland - Ohio. And here, like other areas of the country without the extreme highs, buyers are coming back into the market.
You don't really hear about that though. It's doubtful the 24-hour news cycle could sustain interest in stability. That just doesn't sell. So, you'll continue to hear that you better save, that America and Americans are living on borrowed time, that the sky is falling.
So tune out. Tune back into you.
As I write in my book Real You Incorporated, www.RealYouIncorporated.com, the key is to make sure you - and your passions - are in alignment. Is the business you created, want to create or where you work a good fit for the real you? Take some time for introspection and reflection. A time not filled with worry, but with possibility and excitement. Take action if you have financial challenges, but don't stew. That won't change anything.
Make 2008 great for you, no matter the latest news. It all starts with you.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Laugh a little, why don’t you?
Let’s face it, business can be tough, but don’t let that get your spirits down. When your enthusiasm falls, your team starts to feel it, too. So learn to laugh a little.
Did you know that pre-school children laugh up to 400 times a day? But by adulthood, we laugh a measly 17 times a day, on average. Let’s take a lesson from our children.
Think of the funniest thing that’s happened in a long time. Did you smile? That always works for me. Now, make it habit and go out there and have some fun!
Do you have a funny story? What makes you laugh? Leave me a comment! For more fun stuff, visit my site.
Did you know that pre-school children laugh up to 400 times a day? But by adulthood, we laugh a measly 17 times a day, on average. Let’s take a lesson from our children.
Think of the funniest thing that’s happened in a long time. Did you smile? That always works for me. Now, make it habit and go out there and have some fun!
Do you have a funny story? What makes you laugh? Leave me a comment! For more fun stuff, visit my site.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
What is important when times are tough
I just returned from the Real Estate Connect conference in New York and there were some very depressing economists there. As you no doubt have surmised, the housing market is in a recession. There is a wave of sadness, despair and fear crashing down on those directly involved in the industry: real estate agents, brokers, lenders and the like.
And for good reason. There are 10 month plus inventories in markets across the country. Everyone seems to have stopped buying and selling homes. So, that was the gist of the conference and then I was on a technology panel. My message? Not so much about the next technology killer app - sure there are exciting things appearing daily. But mostly, my message was about getting real.
When times are tough it's more important than ever to make sure you still have passion for the business you're in. If it's real estate, it's especially tough right now. Agents are entrepreneurs. They make the dream of home ownership come to life everyday. So what do they do if they are still passionate about real estate, but times are this tough. They reach out to their customers, who also are afraid of the housing market and the repercussions, and provide them with information and support. They check in, to make sure they're doing OK. In my book, Real You Incorporated, I write about real connections with your customers. And this is a perfect time to do just that.
All of us are in this together as the economy slows down. When you focus on putting the real you in your business - take action and reach out to your clients from your heart, sharing your knowledge and your passions - you'll find a deeper, more authentic connection with your customers when the economy picks back up.
And it will. For more, visit my website: http://RealYouIncorporated.com
And for good reason. There are 10 month plus inventories in markets across the country. Everyone seems to have stopped buying and selling homes. So, that was the gist of the conference and then I was on a technology panel. My message? Not so much about the next technology killer app - sure there are exciting things appearing daily. But mostly, my message was about getting real.
When times are tough it's more important than ever to make sure you still have passion for the business you're in. If it's real estate, it's especially tough right now. Agents are entrepreneurs. They make the dream of home ownership come to life everyday. So what do they do if they are still passionate about real estate, but times are this tough. They reach out to their customers, who also are afraid of the housing market and the repercussions, and provide them with information and support. They check in, to make sure they're doing OK. In my book, Real You Incorporated, I write about real connections with your customers. And this is a perfect time to do just that.
All of us are in this together as the economy slows down. When you focus on putting the real you in your business - take action and reach out to your clients from your heart, sharing your knowledge and your passions - you'll find a deeper, more authentic connection with your customers when the economy picks back up.
And it will. For more, visit my website: http://RealYouIncorporated.com
Friday, January 4, 2008
New year, new you? Or new year, REAL you?
While all the self-help gurus on the morning television shows and such are touting new year resolutions and fixes, will that make a new you, really?
Get organized! Get working out! Get on a diet. Get a new wardrobe. A haircut. Get out of debt. All of these are great resolutions, but as most folks will tell you, change happens when your heart is happy. When a choice is genuine. When a choice or New Year's Resolution fits the Real You.
So don't panic, don't despair, don't feel guilty when you read or watch something about a new you. You're looking for the Real You to put in your life and business. Visit http://RealYouIncorporated.com for more, or better yet, pre-order the book today for a great kick-start for your new, real year.
Get organized! Get working out! Get on a diet. Get a new wardrobe. A haircut. Get out of debt. All of these are great resolutions, but as most folks will tell you, change happens when your heart is happy. When a choice is genuine. When a choice or New Year's Resolution fits the Real You.
So don't panic, don't despair, don't feel guilty when you read or watch something about a new you. You're looking for the Real You to put in your life and business. Visit http://RealYouIncorporated.com for more, or better yet, pre-order the book today for a great kick-start for your new, real year.
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