Discover the Innate “Success Secrets” of ADHD Entrepreneurs

Written by Laurie Dupar on 18 April 2013. Posted in Business, Career & Entrepreneurship, Issues

Did you know that adults with ADHD are 300% more likely to be entrepreneurs? With the current economy, more and more people are deciding to create their own success by venturing into entrepreneurial business. Although its popularity has recently increased, the term ‘entrepreneur’ was initially defined in the late 1600s by an Irish-French economist, Richard Cantillon. According to Cantillon, an entrepreneur refers to an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative. Risk and initiative….hmmm….sounds ADHD-like to me! I think it is fair to say that ADHD and entrepreneurs have many brain-style qualities in common. Some of the more famous entrepreneurs that have been diagnosed with ADHD include:

Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Airlines.
Ingvar Kamprad, Swedish founder and chairman of IKEA stores, states he adapted the inner workings of his business to compensate for his ADHD and dyslexia.
David Neeleman founder and CEO of Jet Blue Airways.
Charles Schwab the founder, chairperson, and CEO of the Charles Schwab Corporation, the largest brokerage firm in the U.S.

Although ADHD can create some undeniable obstacles, there are many positive qualities of ADHD that contribute to the success of countless entrepreneurial businesses: 1. Risk Taker Overall, people with ADHD often do not think about the overall consequences of their actions. Instead, they focus more on what’s happening right here in the moment. This is a benefit for the entrepreneur since it means they will act on an opportunity rather than miss it due to over analyzing their actions. 2. Creativity Successful entrepreneurs and people with ADHD invented the saying “thinking outside of the box”. With an abundance of thoughts and ideas that come with their over active mind, people with ADHD seem to be constantly creating new concepts for products or service and using this creativity to come up with solutions and strategies otherwise not considered. This creativity is also key to entrepreneurial success and allows these unique brain-styles to notice more possibilities, information and resources that others miss. 3. Ability to Hyperfocus Success as an entrepreneur means that you will spend hours, months or even years focusing on your business. This unique quality is similar to the “hyperfocus” people with ADHD experience. When people with ADHD are innately interested in something, they can literally concentrate on this one task while the rest of the world fades away. Gone is time…the outside world and they seem to enter an incredibly focused state of mind I call “the zone”. Some people with ADHD fondly refer to this as their “ADD coma”. 4. Multi-tasking Entrepreneurs are often jack-of-all-trades and are required to wear several hats consecutively. The ADHD brain is at its best when doing several tasks at the same time, especially when these tasks include areas of inherent interests, strengths and passions. An ADHD entrepreneur may struggle with the overwhelm of singularly paying the bills, but combine this otherwise mundane task with entrepreneurial activities such as web browsing, listening to music, talking on the phone and answering emails, and this task is more likely to be completed. 5. High Energy Level Being the owner of your own business requires a tremendous amount of brain and physical energy. People with ADHD can often tap into their own personal adrenaline source to put in those extra hours, pull those all-nighters, or meet those last minute deadlines. 6. Eats chaos for breakfast! Running your own business and being an entrepreneur requires the ability to manage chaos, unpredictability and inconsistency. People with ADHD, with their high interest and tolerance for the new and stimulating, are often at their best in what would be a crisis situation for someone else. In fact, these are the exact situations where they tend to be most focused and clear headed. As an ADHD entrepreneur myself I am often grateful for some of these unique qualities that have helped me to take risks, pursue possibilities others might not have noticed and fuel the determination that has helped my business grow.

How to Make Yourself “Unfireable”

Written by Thomas C Corley on 11 April 2013. Posted in Business, Career & Entrepreneurship, How To, Issues

In my five-year study of the daily success habits of successful individuals, one important discovery I made was that successful individuals are fanatics when it comes to daily career-related, self-improvement. The reason? They are in constant pursuit of knowledge in order to help them identify opportunities. This makes them more valuable to their employer, customer, or clients and helps them to rise up the career ladder of success. I uncovered four ways that successful individuals engage in opportunity-seeking, self-improvement: Reading, Writing, Speaking and Doing. Each one gets you higher up the ladder of financial success. Strategy #1: Career-Related Reading Many of us get monthly industry periodicals. Typically, we set them aside and tell ourselves that we will get to that reading very soon. We may even pull out the periodicals, after a week or two, and browse through them, tearing out articles we are intent on reading. We set these articles aside and, again, tell ourselves we will get to that reading very soon. After a few months we throw these periodicals/articles out, rationalizing that they are outdated and of no use. Their time value has rendered them outdated. “Successful” individuals have a different tact. They set aside time every day for reading. They read every one of their periodicals. Why? Successful individuals understand the value of timely information. They are in pursuit of opportunities to make more money and advance their careers. Often these opportunities are found inside these industry periodicals. Successful individuals, on average*, set aside 30 to 45 minutes of every day for career-related reading. They do this day in and day out. Successful individuals understand that reading helps them remain current with industry technical information and industry trends, which often leads to the discovery of hidden opportunities. To successful individuals, reading gets them one rung higher on the career ladder of financial success. Strategy #2: Career-Related Writing Writing is a form of communication. Because you are writing on a topic, you must gain a more comprehensive understanding of that topic than reading alone can provide. Successful individuals engage in writing in a number of ways including: company newsletters, industry newsletters, newspaper articles, industry publication articles, Internet articles and customer/client letters. Writing helps lift successful individuals up another wrung on the career ladder of success. Strategy #3: Speaking Speaking requires a greater understanding of a subject matter than writing or reading will provide. There is a simple reason for this. In a speaking engagement you may be asked a question and this makes it a two-way communication process. When you are “the expert” on a topic for which you have been asked to speak you must fully know that topic, inside and out. This requires a more detailed study that reading and writing together cannot provide. Speaking forces you to dig deeper and expand your knowledge base. Speaking elevates you up another wrung on the career ladder of success. Strategy #4: Doing There is no better way to perfect your knowledge in an area than through repetition by doing. Repetition in a particular area gets you closer to perfection than reading, writing or speaking ever could. Each time you repeat a task in a particular area you become more efficient and more expert. Doing, over and over again, allows you to make and fix mistakes. It allows you to improve and perfect your skill-set. Through repetition by doing you will, in time, become a master in a particular task or subject matter. ‘Doing’ raises you to the highest wrung on the career ladder of success. Successful individuals employ the above strategies in an effort to become more expert in their field and make themselves indispensable to their employer, and their employer’s customers or clients. These strategies also open up your eyes to opportunities that were previously hidden. Finding Opportunities The most successful of individuals employ all four career-related self-improvement strategies in climbing the career ladder of success. But you can achieve a good measure of career success by simply dedicating yourself, every day, to just one of these four career-related, self-improvement strategies. Make no mistake about it; it’s not an easy discipline! Daily career-related, self-improvement is boring. It’s tedious. But the by-product is the discovery of otherwise hidden opportunities. Opportunities that were there all along, but could not be seen until you took that important step of expanding your knowledge base. I like to use the following metaphor to best explain how these strategies work: 1) Imagine for a moment that you find yourself surrounded by trees. These trees are a metaphor for opportunities. You see all of the trees that are in front of you. 2) Now imagine off to the side of these trees is a hill. This hill is a metaphor for career-related, self-improvement. 3) What happens when you climb that hill (what happens when you engage in daily career-related, self-improvement)? You begin to notice that there are more trees. As you climb higher and higher up the hill (as you engage in more and more career-related, self-improvement) you realize you were in a forest and what you now see are not just individual trees but a forest; a forest of opportunities. Climbing that hill, engaging in career-related, self-improvement, exposes you to more opportunities in life and in your career. Opportunity and Luck Many individuals who struggle in life believe they have bad luck. And these same unsuccessful people believe those who are successful are simply, well, lucky in life. What they don’t understand is that successful people create their own luck. They create, what I call, ‘opportunity luck’. This is the type of luck that successful people create through their good daily habits such as engaging in career-related, self-improvement. Utilizing one or more of the career-related, self-improvement strategies will make you indispensable to your employer. Increasing your knowledge base opens up the world of hidden opportunities. Opportunities which will help your employer increase revenues or reduce expenses and guarantee that you will be among the highest paid of employees and among the last to get fired.

“Why Your Wallet Is Like Your Vagina”

Written by Fiona Fine on 14 March 2013. Posted in Business, Career & Entrepreneurship, Issues

(contributed by Jenn Stokes)

We bet you haven’t heard this one before!

Jenn Stokes, bestselling author, motivational speaker and media personality told me all about why you need to think of your wallet just like you do your most prized possession – your vagina. (Seriously, I don’t make this stuff up!)

1. Knowledge is power: Just like with your body, you need to know as much as you possibly can about your money in order to use it and take proper care of it. Read all of the books by authors who tell it like it is. Google money tips. Ask your banker for advice. Speak to your girlfriends. Make sure you ask as many questions as you can and be proactive. Remember that the government and the banks make more money from you if you are ignorant.

2. Know your weaknesses: Think about your ‘money personality’… Does your romantic decision-making fly out the window after a few glasses of wine? Can’t be totally trusted in the mall with a credit card? That’s equally important to know. Malls and stores love successful women and they want us to spend our money with them. Be aware of your money personality when you are making spending decisions. Get support to break bad habits!

3. Be smart about what goes in and out: The comparison on this one is pretty straightforward. The less activity the better and the more you know about what goes in and out, the better!

4. Protect yourself and make sure everything is in good working order: This goes back to the whole ‘knowledge is power’ motto. Your vagina should be your prized possession, and you need to think of your wallet the same way. You only have the one and you need to make sure you protect it. Be informed, be proactive. Ask questions and don’t open it up for just anybody!

Remember that you are a smart, successful woman and even if your career and your money-making is at an all-time high, without careful consideration and awareness, things can come crashing down quickly. If it can happen to your love life, it can happen to your finances. Take care of your wallet. Treat it with respect and thoughtfulness and it will reward you in some pretty amazing ways, just like… well, we’re sure you get the point by now!

TIPS FROM TOP WOMEN CEOs ON TRYING TO BALANCE WORK AND FAMILY

Written by Fiona Fine on 7 February 2013. Posted in Business, Career & Entrepreneurship, Issues

Balance is something that we, as women, are constantly struggling to achieve, and the truth is that few of us ever do. Personally, I don’t even use the word ‘balance’ anymore, because it is just too time-consuming a struggle, and I seek ‘harmony’ instead. In today’s world, where the majority of women are now working outside of the home, and climbing higher in the corporate world than ever before, it is important for women to share how they manage to strive for it all, to reveal what works and what doesn’t so that we can all benefit and learn from each other’s struggles and triumphs Here are some tips from some top women execs in North America (1):

Don’t give up that precious time you have with your young child(ren). Go to the swimming lessons and music groups because you will never get that time back. Focusing on your business or career will be easier once your children are slightly older.
Accept that there will be days when you will not be a great mom – and other days when you will not be a great boss.
Keep life simple: shorten your commute, live close to work, schools, and daycare.
Don’t say ‘no’ to help – ever! Hire a nanny, recruit grandparents, and accept carpool offers for your kids. Outsource household jobs that do not have an impact on your kids, like laundry and housecleaning.
Put away your phone, turn off your computer, and refuse emails when you are home with your family. If you must, there will always be time to sneak a peek after they have gone to bed or gone to their rooms.
Be clear at work that you need to leave at a reasonable time but while you are at work, stay focused on the task at hand.
Make sure your children know what you do for a living and that you love your job. They are less likely to see your work as a threat to their time with you.
Never be afraid to let your employers or clients see that you are a real person with a life outside of work. They will be more understanding of the times you need flexibility in your schedule.

I left this one for last:

Ideally, be present with your family for the important stuff, like homework time, or school drop-off or sporting events. Try not to miss recitals or other school and recreational events that help to define your children and their relationship with you. My vote though – just do your best! Guilt is a wasted emotion – let it go as quickly as possible. Society doesn’t owe you anything and you make your own rules. My own personal rule: I am constantly striving for harmony as balance is too tippy for me.

“On The Women to Watch List”:

Jessica Herrin: CEO and Founder – Stella & Dot

had two kids while founding the company
still took time to do swim lesson and infant classes with her kids
didn’t focus on how quickly the company was growing, focused on her kids
has no regrets

Padmasree Warrior: Chief Technology and Strategy Officer – Cisco

was running a factory when her child was a newborn
felt constant guilt about not being with clients enough and then guilt about taking work home
felt guilt over not working out and looking like a supermodel
“There are days when I’m an awesome CTO but perhaps I’m not the best mom that day and other days I would leave work early to be at my sons graduation or recital… because that’s important.”

Theresia Gouw Ranzetta: Managing Partner – Accel Partners

planned her life so there is an 8 block radius between her daughter’s school, her home, and her work
achieves balance by having great nanny and grandparents nearby

Selina Tobaccowala: Senior Vice President Product & Engineering – SurveyMonkey

puts her phone and computer away when she gets home except in case of emergencies
when she is at work, her focus is on work
enjoys every minute with her daughter

Susan Wojcicki: Senior Vice President of Product – Google

tells her team there are no emails between 6 and 9pm
leaves work at a reasonable time
outsources what your kids won’t notice, like laundry.
is there to walk them to school and help with homework

Carolyn Everson: Vice President Global Marketing Solutions -Facebook

rolls the kids into work and work into the kids
makes sure her kids understood what she did from an early age
takes kids on work trips and lets them meet clients and see the world with her
her kids see her work as an amazing opportunity and benefit and not as something that pulls their mom away
lets her clients know she is a real person who has a life and family outside work so that they will understand that sometimes she has to leave

(1) Source: Bloomberg TV

THE REAL CAUSE OF POVERTY

Written by Thomas C Corley on 31 January 2013. Posted in Business, Career & Entrepreneurship, Issues

Before I begin on my quest to transform a life from one of poverty to one of unlimited financial wealth, let me set out some important facts about poverty and wealth in America:

46.2 million Americans live below the poverty line (http://e.wikipedia.org/wiki/Povery_in_the_United_States)
50% of American Households make less than $34,000 a year. (Tax Foundation.org)
Average student loan debt now exceeds $25,000 (http://money.cnn.com/2011/11/03/pf/student_loan_debt/index.htm)
309 million people currently reside in America. (http://quickfacts.census.gov/gfd/states/00000.html)
138 million make enough money to warrant filing an income tax return (Tax Foundation.org)
6.9 million, or 5%, make $155,000 or more a year. (Tax Foundation.org)

This 5% puts money away for retirement, education for their children, savings, to go on fun vacations, live in nice homes, and retire without any financial worries. So, what is this 5% doing right? What is it that financially successful individuals do that sets them apart from everyone else? In a five-year research study on the daily habits of wealthy and poor individuals the answer is: it’s your daily habits! (www.richhabits.net) Wealthy individuals have many good daily habits and few bad daily habits. Conversely, poor individuals have many bad daily habits and few good daily habits. The simple reason for this has to do with how you were raised. In wealthy households parents go to great lengths to instill good daily success habits in their children. This creates what I refer to as, “the generational cycle of wealth” and is a materially contributory factor to the wealth gap. It is also the underlying reason why the rich get richer. In poor households children learn bad daily habits from their parents and this creates what I refer to as, “the generational cycle of poverty”. In poor households the poor get poorer and this pattern repeats itself from one generation to the next. So how do you break the generational cycle of poverty? You need to eliminate your bad daily habits and replace them with good daily habits. STEP 1: Figure out which bad habits are making you poor

You watch too much T.V. and waste too much time on social media.
You eat too much and drink too much of the wrong things.
You don’t exercise enough aerobically.
Your relationships are on an “as needed” basis. You only reach out to your friends to socialize or when you have problems and need their help. You don’t call them just to say hello, happy birthday or to congratulate them or console them when something happens in their lives. In other words, you ignore them unless you need them for something.
Procrastination is the rule rather than the exception. You don’t maintain or stick to a daily “to do” list.
You devote very little time to your career beyond working. You do not attempt to become an expert in your field. To you, work is a necessary evil that one must endure in life in order to survive. Therefore, you do the bare minimum. You have “it’s not in my job description” syndrome.
You talk too much and don’t listen enough. Oftentimes, you are putting your foot in your mouth and saying inappropriate things.
You are not generous with your time or money with respect to your relationships.
You are a spender and not a saver. You don’t save 10% of your income every month. You spend more than you earn and your debt is overwhelming you.
You don’t control your thoughts and emotions on a daily basis. You lose your temper too often and belittle others too much.
You don’t network enough or at all with respect to your career or field.
You don’t set goals or don’t understand what goals really are.

STEP 2: Find good daily habits that will end your poverty The Ten Good Daily Success Habits of Wealthy Individuals (1):

Wealthy individuals have eliminated their bad daily habits and replaced them with good daily habits.
They set daily, monthly, annual and long-term goals. They understand the difference between a wish and a goal.
They engage in daily self-improvement. They engage in four core career-related, self-improvement activities.
They take good care of their health. They exercise aerobically 20-30 minutes each time, four days a week. They monitor what they eat and how much they eat.
They manage their relationships every day. Strong relationships are the currency of the wealthy. They employ certain strategies to grow their relationships such as: “The Hello Call”, “The Happy Birthday Call” and “The Life Event Call”.
Wealthy individuals live each day in moderation.
They complete at least 70% of the tasks on their daily “to do” list.
Wealthy individuals engage in “Rich Thinking”. They are upbeat, positive and focused on achievement.
Wealthy individuals save a minimum of 10% of their income every year.
Wealthy individuals control their thoughts and emotions, every day.

STEP 3: Re-program yourself with your new good daily success habits

Take out a piece of paper and form two columns. In the first column list every one of your bad daily habits. Call this column your “Bad Habits” column.
After listing all of your bad daily habits invert them and include them under column two, your “Good Habits” column. For example: “I watch too much TV” becomes “I watch 1 hour of TV per day”. “I eat too much” becomes “I eat 2,000 calories per day”. Fill your Good Habits column with these inverted Bad Habits. Keep your ‘good habits’ list with you and refer to it every day.
Live your new good daily habits for 30 days. By the end of this 30 day period you will be unshackled from those bad daily habits that have been dragging you down and creating failure in your life.

So many want what has been called the “American Dream”. Yet, dreaming will only get you so far. The rubber meets the road to financial success only when you begin doing. You need to do certain things every day that will make you successful in life. You need to eliminate your bad habits and re-program yourself by living new good daily success habits. Success is a process. It’s not about random luck, education or superior genealogy. It’s about what you do every day. It’s about your daily habits!

The Company HO HO HOliday Party: How to Stay Off the Naughty List

Written by Fiona Fine on 20 December 2012. Posted in Business, Career & Entrepreneurship, Issues

Ah yes, the holiday party. For some, its one of the perks of the job, for others, about as painful as a root canal. No matter what your feelings about this once-a-year shindig schedule, we have the scoop to help you navigate these holiday minefields with grace, poise, and dignity; you may even come out of them one step ahead up the career ladder! Here are some of the essential Dos and Don’ts of the annual office Christmas Party that will determine whether you come out of it all on Santa’s naughty or nice list: THE NICE LIST (ie. the ‘DOs’)

If there is a scheduled office party… go! Respect that your employer has invested time, money, and energy in hosting this gathering. It can provide you with good exposure, networking opportunities, and visibility if you attend.
Arrive on time or, better yet, 10 minutes early. The least stressful time to make yourself known to your senior staff is before festivities get in full swing. Remember these folks make the key decisions about your future. Be smart and don’t monopolize them. Maturity is the watchword. Also, early on is when the big brass make some decisions on whom they will potentially socialize with later on during the party.
Remember that everyone is a subordinate to someone at an office gathering. The reality is that this is a business gathering. Someone is always watching you and noticing your behaviour.
Do go out of your way to meet new people but don’t talk straight business. This is a chance for you to grow your network, to meet people you may not always work with, and to find out about peoples lives and interests outside of work.
Keep a level-headed approach. Look at the party as an opportunity to develop and increase socio-office networks to further streamline and improve workplace relations across all levels of the organization.
Consider the company newsletter. Be totally aware of ALL pictures being taken. We cannot emphasize this point enough: you don’t want to be captured in a compromised position, be munching on a chicken wings, doing the lowest of the limbos, or have two cocktail glasses in your hand. Be aware, because those pics WILL live long after the company newsletter meets the web. Keep your head up and prepare for a calm and collected pose.
Remember that the holiday party event can often be a toss-up of who will prove to be the biggest jackass this year. Don’t let it be you!

The NAUGHTY LIST (or the absolutely, positively DO-NOTs!)

DO NOT OVERINDULGE! This may seem like a no-brainer, and yet there are enough pictures floating around the internet the prove that every year, people do not heed this warning. Overdoing it with the alcohol can make you the subject of office gossip, the target or ridicule, and, yes, can even lead to your termination from your job. Alcohol loosens sexual inhibitions and can lead to inappropriate sexual interactions that can get you in A LOT of trouble.
PLEASE leave the kooky reindeer sweater with the blinking nose or the Santa Baby outfit at home. It will be remembered, but most likely not in a good way.
Don’t avoid other holiday parties. Your spouse, significant other, or friend may need an escort. Use that opportunity to network as well (just remember that your behavior reflects on your date!)
This is not the place for flirting! Never troll for affection at the company event—it erodes reputation, can damage your work relationships, and hurt your career. If you need two words to cool your jets, consider these: sexual harassment.
Holiday party hook-ups are NEVER a good idea. Too much fun, too much booze, too much skin, and too many loose tongues can leave you the next day with a hangover, a tarnished reputation, and possibly even a job on the line. You don’t want to become fodder for office gossip (made worse if you’ve temporarily forgotten you’re married), so if you’re crushing on somebody, don’t use the holiday party as your excuse to make a move. The function is, at its core, a business gathering. Hook up with your desired hottie another time.

WHAT SANTA DOESN’T KNOW CAN’T HURT YOU If you just can’t resist the urge to make merry with your office-mates, it is often suggested that the best alternative is a Happy Hour. It should be organized by someone in the office, with an offering of inclusion to all, thus making it fully optional and non-obligatory. This kind of dutch treat, buy-your-own-booze event means that you are self liable. But remember, you are still with your co-workers, so know what is still at stake. From flirting to fornication, you could still end up on Santa’s Naughty List. The holiday office party IS your chance to remind your boss and co-workers why you were hired, not what jobs you’re suited for after hours…and after a few drinks. You want to leave with your dignity and attire in tact, not with people recommending you for AA. Always remember this piece of HR wisdom courtesy of Claire Knowles of Lights On! A Reflective Journey: “The special person you are going home with after the office party…should probably be ONLY your cab driver!”

Inspiration for Women: Desk to Dinner – The Art of a 16 Hour Wardrobe

Written by Fiona Fine on 12 December 2012. Posted in Business, Career & Entrepreneurship, Issues

In the ‘80s, I was in full-time ‘corporate mode’. I didn’t even consider wearing clothes that would let me transition easily from work to evening. I didn’t think once about including more “feminine” pieces in my wardrobe. It was suit, pantyhose, belt, high heels, briefcase. IBM set the dress code: that’s what we wore. Period. It took me over 8 years to even try to wear a camisole that might show through my blouse. The thing is, you’re not a man and your clothes are one of your most powerful attributes in creating the juice, the power, the sassiness, and yes, the success you desire! Men’s fashions are much more constrained than those for us women. Our clothes really can help define us. You don’t have to wear the “uniform” that society created. You’re a force to be reckoned with—a woman who’s smart as a whip, focused, and successful. You’re used to super-achieving in almost anything and everything you want to do. You are someone who KNOWS how to make things happen. And you wouldn’t be here today if you didn’t know how to make it in a man’s world. So …. Be authentic! Show up! Be all the woman you are! There is ALWAYS a way to create a great wardrobe that allows you to shine. I am going to show you how to add some sass and sensuality and confidence to your wardrobe and allow you to maximize the advantage of being a woman. I am going to help you take your wardrobe from the desk to dinner. The truth: Most of us in our late 30’s through 50’s are in pretty much the same shape. Our bodies are not as quite as tight and perfect and 22 anymore. There are saggy bits, wrinkly bits, and even sunspots sprouting up. Our kind of bodies won’t fit in tight revealing clothes made for a size 0 with less than 15% body fat. But that doesn’t mean you have to hide your body in a ‘burlap sack’ or ‘dumpy duds’. If the whole wardrobe makeover is a bit overwhelming, here’s what you want to do: 1. Get a personal shopper Get your butt out of the computer chair and into a clothing store; the right, higher end clothes store, like a Nordstrom, Macy, or Holt Renfrew, to name a few. Start asking about personal shoppers and start talking to them. These people have the information that you need! Ask for a quick consultation before you decide to actually engage a Personal Shopper. Bring some of your staple pieces with you, walk into a store, and get an opinion. That helps you decide who you want as a personal shopper and if they can work with you. You want to look and feel great in the outfits that they select. Tell her (or him):

I’d like to add some bold/eye catching pieces to my wardrobe
I’d like some ‘swishy’, soft and/or textured pieces
I’d like some great accent pieces (eg. shoes, purse/bag)
I’d like some tops or blouses that I can wear after work so that if I wear a daytime jacket and take it off, then I have a different look – one that accentuates some womanly attributes.
I’d like accessories (scarves, gloves, a hat, etc.)

Remember to take some of your own clothes to the store. Let the Personal Shopper (or a great retail person) offer suggestions so you don’t need to purchase a completely new wardrobe. In fact, you may make several visits. Take some photos of other items with your mobile phone so that you have reference for later. If you are less inclined to get an in-person consultation, go online and search for a fashion consultants for women. The digital age makes it incredibly easy. Google “Image Consultant” or “Image Stylist”. Some will work remotely with you. You can take photographs of some of your wardrobe as well as you in some clothes and post them for advice. If all else fails – let a girlfriend who has impeccable taste go through your wardrobe and then out shopping with you. Lunch is on you! 2. Wear flattering make-up I advocate that every woman who wears makeup needs either a red statement lipstick or a great pink statement lipstick – something that isn’t just neutral. A colour that says: “Here I am!” Go to a MAC counter or to a specialty counter and get a pro to help you pick the shade. Trust me, they see you in a different light than you do (and tell them in which type of light you will mostly be wearing it). If you aren’t going high end, another tip is get a tester/sample and ask a friend to judge the tone on you. Also, purchase an “under color” that will soften it during the day. Keep them in your purse. When you wear your softer color during the day (presuming you’ve got time to put your lipstick on at all), then you can add the darker lipstick at night. 3. Get a great pair of dark washed flattering jeans and a pair of statement shoes Lots of times and in many situations, you may be able to wear a great pair of slimming jeans. Dark wash is really the only pair to consider for the ultimate slimming and “desk wear to dinner” option. Team your new jeans with a great pair of shoes! I am going to call these your “CFM” shoes (if you have to ask what CFM stands for then ask me on our facebook page:). These shoes are really tall yet still comfortable. They make a statement out of your legs and silhouette. With the new platforms that are in vogue, you can get quite comfortable platform shoes. Buy a pair – and no, not just in black! You can keep them at the office and slip them on as you head out the door. You can even provocatively dangle them off your foot if you are so inclined when you are at a bar … men love a high heel and this move especially seems to be a show-stopper! It’s not wrong to play up your feminine sensuality! 4. The underworld Spanx has taken over the world – and for good reason. (Thank you Sara Blakely!) She has allowed us to to show off our current gorgeous curvy shape by helping us appear slightly tighter and more supported. This bodywear holds us together and we still get to show that we’re women. Get the proper support you need – spend the money and get different pieces. It makes the world of difference to your figure and the clothes you can now choose from. 5. Layers, layers, layers Wearing layers is going to create flexibility in your look and help create an easier transition from day to night. Take off your suit jacket to show a fabulous blouse and skirt and replace the blazer with a pashmina or wrap that can drape seductively over your bare arms. Switch up your accessories, adding more sparkle to your nighttime choices and change up your shoes for your fabulous heels. Remember that you are trying to command attention and that is not going to happen if you look like you just stepped out of the boardroom. So to recap, here are your daytime to nighttime essentials:

Wear colour(s)
Wear skirts and dresses ideally not pants
Wear soft, feminine fabrics that accentuate your assets
Wear heels (or a great pair of heeled boots)
Invest in some statement pieces like fabulous heels or a sparkly blouse
Incorporate ONE sparkly, bold, textured, or bright detail into your outfit.
Accessorize!
Layer your clothing.

Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day. Neither is a fabulous wardrobe. Get help or shop online. Once you have the essentials, you will never be wondering what to wear when you are meeting that special someone for cocktails (or looking for the next special someone) or romancing your honey on ‘date night’. It’s both fun and easy to turn from daytime power player to nighttime diva.

The 5 ‘Secret Sales’ That Power Up Your Presentations

Written by Kristin Thompson on 12 November 2012. Posted in Business, Career & Entrepreneurship, Issues

Have you ever wondered what’s going on inside the head of your prospective clients? Ever wondered why some people sit on the fence, seemingly unmoved by your presentation or pitch while others pop their hands up on their own and say “Thank God you’re here! I NEED you!” What helps to tip the scale in your favor? And what could be sabotaging your results?

There are 5 ‘secret sales’ that hide within every single presentation you give.

Knowing them can give you greater control over how people connect, respond, and react to your talk. These secret sales will help in those situations and more! You’ll want to know these secret sales and even more importantly you’ll want to IMPLEMENT THEM into four critical areas of your business which I’ll share with you in a moment. 1. You’re the Expert! Its your job as an expert to assure people that you know your business, and you’re credible. Do this early on in your introduction and your story to build trust. 2. You’re still one of them: Next, balance your expertise with a nice dose of humility! Be sure your audience still identifies with you and relates to you, or you’ll lose the crowd. 3.They can do it: No one is going to grab your hand and embark on a long, hard, scary, mission doomed for failure. Your prospects need to feel that success is possible for them in order to say “yes!”. Consider how you can make your product or services feel simple or “done-for-you”. 4. Show them that others have done it: No one will embark on a journey doomed for failure ALONE IN THE DARK, BY THEMSELVES. So not only do your prospects need hope, they also want social proof that others have survived this journey with you, and been successful! 5. Stand behind it: If you don’t believe in what you’re offering no one else will either. So when you make an offer, do it with 100% confidence and belief. Sometimes you stand behind what you do with your attitude and other times you might do it also with an actual guarantee. KNOWING this is great, USING IT IS BETTER! Don’t forget, review the 5 ‘secret sales’ as you review your:

Live presentations to individuals and groups
Website copy
Print materials
Phone conversations, teleseminars, webinars

When you cover each of the 5 secret sales in your presentation you’ll watch walls dissolve, connection deepen, and action happen at the end of your talk!

The One Strategy That Doesn’t Get Said

Written by Suzanne Evans on 8 November 2012. Posted in Business, Career & Entrepreneurship, Issues

There are many skills it takes to grow, sustain, and build a business. Everything from marketing, mindset, and math has to be in play to make real money and a real difference. All of the education, time, and money you have put into growing your business won’t much matter if you don’t embody this – tenacity! Never give up. Never quit. People always want to know how I did it and what the one big shift was that happened. It’s simple. I didn’t stop. I didn’t stop when: * People said No. * I ran out of money. * I got tired. * I went dry creatively. * Someone hurt my feelings. * Someone no-showed. * People discouraged me. * I felt I wasn’t enough. * I was told I wasn’t enough. * The clients I did have left. * No one new came. * The car broke down. * A family member died. * I was confused. * I was scared. I didn’t stop. The greatest business skill set you need is tenacity. All the other stuff just make this path easier. Tenacity makes the path possible. Now, here’s what you do: * When the money runs out … Get a job! (I like to call it a business loan). Fund your dream…if you believe in it enough, find the income stream to support it. * When people leave … Find new people! Clients leave for a reason. They are often afraid of success and some leave because they are complete. Let them go, take a breath, and ASK – find new people to share your message. Don’t stop. * When you are scared… Go through it! The only way out is through. There is no magic pill. There is no step-by-step system for fear. When you do it it gets easier… when you build that muscle you get braver. Courage is a learned skill. * When you get tired… Ask for help! No man is an island. I didn’t build this alone and neither can you. You need to only work in your brilliance and delegate the rest. * When someone hurts your feelings… Remember who you are! I didn’t get in this business to make friends. I do this to make a difference. Not everyone will like me, my style, or my methods. There are other coaches for them. I know who I am. * When you feel you aren’t enough… Know the truth. You are a child of ‘God’. You are here to let your light shine and you are enough. If you are reading this email it means you believe in possibility. Share that possibility for it is love. Tenacity… The only business skill you ever need to know!

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