soartosucessmagazine.com SOARTOSUCCESS January2023 Magazine WilYouBePart ofthe8%WhoHit YourGoalsThisYear? GrowYour Peoplewith Fedback TheScience BehindHabits helpcompanies savemoney andimprove employe productivity stelansongand LouBasinal
PAT ALTVATER Get Back To The Fun Elite Experts Network AFP Marketing PatAltvater.com Think back to when you were a kid - to the things that got you really jazzed and excited. For me, it was learning and playing new games, water fun like sailing, skiing and swimming, reading, and hiking in nature. What about you? During the year of 2022, how many times did you say, “I’d love to ___ BUT I can’t because I’m too busy.” I said that way too often. The truth is we’re really saying that we haven’t made that activity enough of a priority in our life. Or that we feel guilty about having fun. Could that be it? If you are like me and most other entrepreneurs, work is our default setting unless we have something else scheduled. I’ve realized that I have been settling for enjoying life only when I can squeeze it in between all my business busy-ness. All work and no fun, hasn’t energized me. So I’ve decided that for 2023 I am going to put fun activities and adventures to look forward to on my calendar and protect them like I would any other appointment. As JimLoehr andTonySchwartz say in their book ThePower of Full Engagement, “The richer and deeper the source of emotional recovery, the more we refill our reserves and the more resilient we become.” One important way emotional recovery comes is from having fun! So when you’re feeling burned out or when you’re trying to break free of the all work and no play syndrome, schedule some fun in your life. Let me know how it’s going for you. Wishing you a fabulous 2023. I hope that the articles in this month’s issue will inspire and motivate you. Don’t forget to take advantage of the links to connect further with our contributors.
Personal Growth Strategies SOAR to SUCCESS CONTENTS Magazine 04. 10. 14. 18. 16. 12. 36. 34. 32. 30. 21. 29. 22. 24. 26. 38. 40. Core Business Strategies Business Acceleration Strategies Will You Be Part of the 8% Who Hit Your Goals This Year? By Janet Kendall White The ROI of Employee Engagement By Lisa Ryan How Do You Know If Your Salespeople Are Using a Dated Value Proposition? By Mark Allen Roberts Grow Your Business: One Interest-Ection At a Time By Diane Helbig The One Page Plan: Crafting Your Vision By Megan Patton 7 Benefits of Hiring a Virtual Assistant By Holly Kile Are you a SMART MSP? By Jeanne DeWitt What’s Your January News? By Melanie Rembrandt Grow Your People with Feedback By Jack Klemeyer Book Recommendation Reinvention Uncensored The Science Behind Habits By Pat Bennett Empowering Language Leads to Successful Negotiation By Karen Cupp Naturally Lose Weight, Detox, and Function Better By Heather Wiegering Our Favorite Videos Our Contributors Cover Feature: Stella Nsong and Lou Basinal Work to Solve the Elder-Care Crisis in Corporate America
Stella Nsong and Lou Basinal Work to Solve the Elder-Care Crisis in Corporate America Lou Basinal
SOAR TO SUCCESS / Feature Article As ‘Baby Boomers’ reach their senior years and require more medical attention, the pressure on the elder-care industry in this country is reaching a critical impasse and rapidly approaching the ‘Elder Care Cliff.’ Stella Nsong, facilitator of the 100-nurse millionaire movement has created a program to improve the elder-care experience, and to lessen the financial impact on corporations whose work force is struggling to keep jobs while dealing with the challenges that face the elderly. Today, if Stella Nsong was to reproduce the “Silent Scream” public service campaign (AARP designed the silent scream campaign to raise awareness of the emotional toll of caregiving) it would go like this; it would show an employee who is a family caregiver turning off a loud alarm clock at 6am then hurriedly getting kids ready for school and then rushing to check on the mother inlaw who is suffering from dementia and the effects of a stroke and then getting on the phone highly stressed while driving and wondering how to keep the mother in law safe because the caregiver did not show up. After five phone calls, no one to provide the care and arriving to work late, there would be multiple interruptions trying to care over the phone while trying to do her job. According to the AARP public policy institute, 64% of caregiving employees arrive late/leave early, 68% experience at least one change in employment due to caring for a senior, 10% give up work entirely and 7% receive warnings about performance, while many are clinically depressed and go undiagnosed and untreated. Lou Basinal, a Registered Nurse and Senior Care Specialist in Sacramento, and owner of Age In Place Sacramento is working to solve the elder care crisis in Northern California. Lou also serves as the Area Director of the Northern California Care Planning Council. “I am part of the elder-care nursing program in California. We are working to prepare individuals to better handle senior citizens within their own families and advocate for the elder care system as it nears the ‘Elder Care Cliff.’ When a parent, or loved one needs care, it places a tremendous burden on the families. Yet, jobs are important, and we all have to work. Entrepreneurs must attend to their businesses to maintain their incomes. Employees of corporations try to juggle both family care giving, their jobs and their careers. Children’s ball games and school activities still need a parent to be in the stands. All the while, the caregiver needs to assure their aging mother, or father receive the right care. “Part of our advocacy is for family members, or children. It’s more difficult for them to play the dual roles of caregiver and family member. Difficulties arise when children try to do both.” “We see these professionals juggling their work requirements with caregiving. The same is true for middle management and employees of larger corporations which results in absenteeism, lower productivity and unacceptable performance, that
eventually impacts the bottom line of the company.” Through her agency ‘Age In Place Sacramento,’ Lou provides nurse-managed care for the elderly and caregiving solutions for their busy adult children. Existing nursing homes and long-term medical care facilities have been overrun by COVID and the evergrowing number of aging Americans. When a chronically ill patient is released from hospital care, two questions must be asked, where will they go and who will take care of them? “Not only the elderly, but also seriously ill patients that can no longer stay in a hospital are seeking to skip the nursing home, but are experiencing service gaps in the care, due to the lack of time a caregiver, or family member can devote to their care every day.” Lou and Stella’s programs have a fourpronged goal; Help older adults to get home, stay home and thrive regardless of any life limiting condition. Help caregiving employees to access accredited and quality care, that delivers positive and measurable stress relieving results for the caregiving employee. Help corporations to educate and train managers on how to support and supervise caregiving employees inways that promotes productivity and employee engagement. Help corporations improve retention and reduce healthcare costs of having caregiving employees who suffer from stress related disorders associated with family caregiving.
SOAR TO SUCCESS / Feature Article With the labor shortage in our country right now, corporations are finding it exceedingly important to keep their employees. They are looking for ideas to offer flexible working situations for their employees that are caregivers for their family members The current Employee Assistance Program only provides a list of local nursing homes, or rehabilitation facilities, as well as transportation companies, but their help stops there. Human Resource departments aren’t equipped to help employees with caregiving responsibilities which places more pressure on the employee with attendance and productivity requirements. For this reason, Stella Nsong created the ‘Care Work Learn’ platform to provide a one-stop resource for caregivers, that are already loaded with responsibilities at work and at home. “There isn’t an APP, or easy way to deal with caregiving. There isn’t one number to call, or website to visit that will give caregivers answers to the questions they have about attending to their loved one. Care Work Learn identifies the care giving issues and provides the tools need to create an all-encompassing plan of care.” Satisfied that everything is in place, the caregiver can give more attention to his/her own family and job. The corporation benefits from a less harried employee, plus the resulting improved productivity. ‘Care Work Learn’ is providing an answer for American businesses to offer onestop caregiving service to their employees. “When you care for your employees, they will care for your business and your business will care for itself.” Care Work Learn is the only platform that helps a caregiving employee to create a complete caregiving program and plan for their loved one, plus corporate managers are given the tools, training and support to properly supervise their employees that are dealing with caregiving situations at home. One very big problem with caregiving is that many families do not have a plan. Research shows that when we plan, we save time, we save money, we reduce heart aches, and we achieve our desired outcome quicker and easier.
3 Keys to Soar to Success When Soar to Success asked Lou what three personality traits she found in most successful people, she said: 2 1 3 Having a Good Mentor “The right mentor does more than influence your life. They guide you through life’s issues and becomes a shortcut to Success.” High Performance Habits “There is a cause and effect associated with habits. Good habits will result in happiness, health and overall success.” Mindset and Clarity “You have to know, where you are, your values, your strengths, your weaknesses, and where you want to go. When we have clarity, we can discern what works or what doesn’t. If we don’t have clarity and our goals are vague, we may get close, but not achieve what we really want.” Benefits of CARE WORK LEARN -CareWorkLearn.com provides all the information needed in one location -- The employee can sign up for themselves, or their family member -- Training programs are available for caregivers and HR managers -- Productivity and Profitability for the business increases By the year 2030, when the oldest ‘Baby Boomer’ will reach 85, there will not be enough nurses and long-term medical facilities to adequately care for the aging population. There is a large gap now and it will only grow as it takes four to five years for nurses to graduate and gain the experience to properly attend to patients. There is more need than ever to address the ‘Elder-Care Crisis’ in this country. Corporations are experiencing the largest work force shortage, since World War II and to maintain productivity and profitability a corporation must keep their qualified employees. Losing an employee due to caregiving duties away from work can be avoided. Care Work Learn offers a method for businesses to help their employees and assure their corporate health in the future. To find out more and learn how Care Work Learn can help your business visit: https:// careworklearn.com/. Learn more about Age In Place Sacramento on their Facebook page here: https://www. facebook.com/ageinplacesacramento/ We enjoyed our conversation with Lou and Stella. You can listen on iTunes or watch on YouTube.
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Will You Be Part of the 8%Who Hit Your Goals This Year? By Janet Kendall White It’s that time of year. Either prior to the start of the year or right about now, you are thinking about what you and your teams or organization’s goals are. Whether you are just thinking about them or already have them done, this is a good time to study them and make sure that they really are what you want to accomplish this year andyou won’t be like those from scientific studies that don’t complete them. Science shows that 92% of those that set goals for the year never complete them. That’s only 8% that do! The other crazy statistic is that a very small % of people even set goals. How do you avoid being part of that 92% statistic? Locke and Latham put forward the Goal-setting theory of motivation back in the 60’s. The theory states that goal setting is essentially linked to
SOAR TO SUCCESS / Business Acceleration Strategies team or organization. Is it something to achieve or a behavior, habit, or process that you need to change and develop? Once you have the goals, I think then pulling in Simon Sinek’s concept of StartwithWhy is a great litmus test. Why? Why are you saying that goal is important? Why do you want to accomplish it? Will it be ok if you don’t either hit the goal or make headway on it? If the why is big enough the facts really won’t count much because you will find a way to get past obstacles. If your why is not strong, then all the obstacles will look bigger and cause you to be part of that 92% that don’t hit yours. Regardless of what model or method you subscribe to, it is certain that if you don’t think about the goals and set them whether written or not (though I highly recommend writing them), you won’t achieve them. For years we have been facilitating organizations and individuals assisting them in their goalsetting. To learn more, reach out to janet@ berkshiregroupinc.com. task performance. It states that specific and challenging goals along with appropriate feedback contribute to higher and better task performance. The model suggests that the following are needed for us to maintain motivation around goals: • Clarity • Challenge • Commitment • Feedback • Task Complexity They encourage goal setting related to process, performance, and outcomes. Years later in 1981 Doran, Miller, and Cunningham developed the S.M.A.R.T way of developing goals and objectives. Suggesting that goals need to be: • Specific • Measurable • Achievable • Relevant • Time-Bound Michael Hyatt in his goal-setting system encourages setting Achievement and Habit goals. I am certain you can find numerous suggestions for how to set goals and all have some merit to them. My suggestions are first to be clear and honest about current state and then to envision yearend 2023. What do you see at the end of 2023? Think of categories that are most important to you and/or your organization. For personal goals, I find the following to be helpful categories: spiritual, financial, relationships, physical, and development, and to separate out achievement andhabitgoals. Just likethosepersonal categories you candevelop the onesmost important for your
As a business strategist, one of the first things I ask a company about is their business planning process. I usually ask if they have a plan, and if they do, I ask when they last took a look at it. See, here is the surprising thing! So many business owners and company managers do not have a business plan that they use for day to day roadmapping. Many companies have a plan that they developed in anoften intense and painful process, possiblyat anoffsite retreat, likely under pressure from bankers or investors. What happens to those plans once they are complete? Too often, these beautifully crafted, By Megan Patton several hundred page pieces of work sit untouched on the shelf after their publication. Let me ask you a question… how does a business plan sitting on a shelf help you run your business? Think about that for a second. It shouldn’t have to be that difficult! Imagine for a second – being able to get aworkable draft of your business plan complete in about an hour and a half! If that were the case, would you be able to find the time to write a business plan? And, if I told you that these plans really help guide the day to day running of your business…? Today, I am going to share with you how to do the first step of the One Page Business Plan: the Vision Statement. Depending The One Page Plan: Crafting Your Vision
on where you went to school and where you work now, everyone has a different version of what they believe a vision statement is. Let’s keep it super simple. The vision statement answers the question: What are we building? What will this company look like in 3 years? What capacity and capabilities are we building? Who are our customers, and what is our geographic reach? What other items are important to who we are fundamentally? New technologies? Cutting edge product or service? These important descriptors will go into the vision statement. It might sound something like this: By 2022, grow ABC Window Company into a $40 million national home products company specializing in manufacturing and distributing custom and replacement windows and skylights to baby boomers and home remodelers. We are building a $40 company. We manufacture and distribute custom and replacement windows and skylights, and our target customer is the baby boomer and home remodeler. It answers the key questions. Go ahead and brainstorm what your vision statement might look like by answering the question “What am I building?” For more information on the One Page Business Plan, check out my web site at www.odastrategy.com under Business Planning. I’d be happy to talk with you about getting YOUR business plan completed and ready to serve as your roadmap to focus and thrive! SOAR TO SUCCESS / Business Acceleration Strategies
The ROI of Employee Engagement By Lisa Ryan Having engaged employees is not only nice to have, but it also makes a difference in the financial success of an organization. While some managersbelievethat inorder tomakeemployees happy and reap the benefits, all they need to do is celebrate birthdays, put foosball tables and snacks in the break rooms, and make employees feel welcome on their first day; this superficial approach does not leave to long term success. Employees can tell when leadership is committed to creating aworkplace culturewhere employees like what they do, are loyal to the organization, and contribute their best efforts. Here are five statistics from the Gallup Organization that should make you a believer in the power of engaged employees. 1. Companies with an engaged workforce are 21% more profitable. Gallup’s findings about the link between employee engagement and concrete and practical behavior indicate that it’s been proven that employee engagement is expressed with concrete actions, not emotions. The most successful organizations make it a central element of their business strategy.
SOAR TO SUCCESS / Business Acceleration Strategies more customers, attract a wider range of stakeholders, and are more effective sources of insight and feedback. 5. 96% of employees agree that empathy is one of the top ways to increase worker retention. Communication and empathy are intrinsically connected, as they work together to understand and manage one’s own emotions and those of others. Employees seldom feel admired and empowered in a business that lacks empathy. Because it’s usually the C-Suite or leadership team who are most focused on the numbers, that’s alsowhere change begins – at the top. Look for ways to start implementing, measuring, and improving your engagement levels. After all, the better you make your employees feel, the more they’ll contribute to your company’s growth and success. Because of this, engaged teammembers look for ways to make and save their employer money. They also produce better quality products and have less waste. 2. Companies that are leaders in customer experience have 60% more highly engaged employees. It’s a virtuous cycle. Employees enjoy their workplace, so they take great care of their customers, who, in turn, buy more and tell their friends – and so on and so on. 3. When companies don’t focus on employee experience, it causes customers to go elsewhere. When companies have highly engaged employees, those organizations outperform their competitors by 147%. 4. Employees who feel their opinion is valued are 4.6 times more likely to give their all in the workplace. Employees look for communication between colleagues to be reciprocal. When it is, organizations will gain
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2020wasdefinitelyayearof changeandmarket disruption. Is the value proposition your team has been using for years still resonating with buyers today? In the audit we need to ask buyers questions like: • How is your business doing today? • Have you seen any significant changes that have impacted your business, how you are buying, or your role? • I understand you buy some products from our competitors? What do you find they do very well? • If youwere running _______(our company), what would you do to grow sales with your company? • If someone called you on the phone and asked:Whydoyoubuy from______________ what would you say? If you are calling target accounts or accounts you lost or have seen a sales decrease with I suggest asking this question as well. We would like to earn your business. If someone were to call you today and ask: Why don’t you buy from ___________ what would you say? In the December issue, I shared just how critical it is to ask great questions early in the sales process. A couple of quick rules when doing this kind of a value proposition audit: • Ask and listen, do not try to defend or sell through any issues identified. • Do not have your salespeople ask these questions. You need to hear the information firsthand or from a 3rd party research firm. (Besides, you need your team selling). • Do not do this process in a survey. Why? The most valuable part of this process is capturing the current market problems your buyers are having in their voice. A survey will not do this. By Mark Allen Roberts How Do You Know If Your Salespeople Are Using a Dated Value Proposition?
SOAR TO SUCCESS / Business Acceleration Strategies Once you have current market data you need to ask yourself one key question… Based on what we heard from our customers, customers we lost and prospects we want to be customers, does the value proposition and tools we give our sales team match what our buyers told us? In most cases what I have personally observed is the value proposition sales teams are using is dated and needs some tweaking to reconnect. Those seemingly little tweaks however will demonstrate you understand your markets and what is important to your What happens if you don’t do a value proposition audit? You will hope what your salespeople are saying is connecting with current and new customers and if it’s not, your salespeople will become disengaged and possibly develop call reluctance. If your team would like to have a value proposition audit and capture the unmet needs of your buyers let’s schedule a call. I just published an EBook on leveraging the power of customer voice research and your can download a free copy here https://otbsalessolutions. com/voc/ buyers today. It will make your sales team stand out in a sea of other sales reps saying…. We are the best at…. We have the most…. We have been in business X years and…. We have the best quality in the industry… You get the idea… Instead, your salespeople will lead with questions that came out of your “value proposition audit” and they will stand out positively in your buyer’s minds. They will share your value proposition strategically designed to serve your markets today.
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SOAR TO SUCCESS / Book Recommendation Soul Food Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life By Frank Sonnenberg This book contains over 60 powerful essays from FrankSonnenbergOnline — named among the “Best 21st Century Leadership Blogs”; among the “Top 100 Socially-Shared Leadership Blogs”; and one of the “Best Inspirational Blogs On the Planet.” What I love about this book is that, because it is a collection of essays, it’s one of those books that you can open up to any page when you feel like you need a special message and probably the essay that you randomly turn to has exactly what you need to read that day. One particularly pertinent essay for the times we are experiencing right now is called “Do You Have Victim Mentality?” In that chapter, you’ll find 11 ways to escape victim mentality such as be positive, believe in yourself, and count your blessings. One of my favorite Frank Sonnenberg quotes is found in the introduction: “Practicedoesn’tmakeperfect if you’re doing it wrong.” That’s so true, isn’t it? Pick up a copy of this book to have on hand when you need some inspiration. By Pat Altvater About the Author FrankSonnenbergisanaward-winningauthorandawell-knownadvocate for moral character, personal values, and personal responsibility. He has written seven books and was recently named one of “America’s Top 100 Thought Leaders” and one of “America’s Most Influential Small Business Experts.” Frank has served on several boards and has consulted to some of the largest and most respected companies in the world. Additionally, his blog -- FrankSonnenbergOnline -- has attracted millions of readers on the Internet. Other books by Sonnenberg include It’s the Thought That Counts, Booksmart, Follow Your Conscience, Managing with a Conscience, and Marketing to Win.
The Science Behind Habits By Pat Bennett Have you made New Year’s resolutions? The estimate is that less than 10% of New Year’s resolutions are achieved according to University of Scranton Psychology Professor JohnC.Norcross,Ph.D.). Notsurprisingly, ifyour resolutions include eating better, exercising, recycling more, stopping smoking, reading books, spending more time “unplugged” or any number of other “automatic” behaviors then we are talking about changing existing habits or making new habits. Habits are automatic, “conditioned” responses. You get up in the
SOAR TO SUCCESS / Personal Growth Strategies morning and stop at Dunkin’ for coffee and a donut. You go home (or shut off your computer) at the end of the workday and channel surf in front of the TV until bedtime. You’ve created a habit. Psychology Today shares what you need to know about the science of changing existing habits or making new ones: • Contrary to popular opinion, it’s not hard to change habits IF you do so based on science. • To change a new habit, you essentially must create a new one, so whether you are changing an existing habit or creating a new one, the “scientific” method for doing so is the same. • We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit. – Aristotle Here’s an example of how I changed my habitual ice cream habit which packed on a few unwanted pounds during the pandemic. My ice cream cravings came from a feeling of daily anxiety; eating; ice cream became the reward which released dopamine (feel-good hormone) and a slight rush from the sugar. To let go of that bad (but tasty habit), I replaced it with a healthier one. When I felt anxious, I replaced the ice cream with a bowl of blueberries, a piece of dark chocolate or a handful of plain popcorn. I felt rewarded, but without the unwanted calories. I intentionally started small with ONE habit to change. Remember, the brain likes being comfortable, and if it’s pushed too far out of its comfort zone, it will just make your life miserable until you revert to your old ways. Changing your habits, one small step at a time can go a long way. “When it comes to forming positive habits, it comes down to being very consistent for the first 66 days,” says James Garrett, a scientist who has dedicated nearly two decades to unpacking the brain science behind what makes human beings thrive. “Picking up new good habits or letting go of old bad ones is a skill you can master,” Garrett says. “When you set out to master habits and you crush it every single day, even when it’s hard, you still do it relentlessly, and you’re consistent, that’s what instills that sense of what psychologists call self-efficacy, this confidence that you can do this again. And what it gives you is a sense of personal mastery. It teaches you that whatever you set your mind to, you can master, you can get good at.” Do these things when you want to let go of a bad habit and you will be successful. Changing your habits, one small step at a time can go a long way.
Empowering Language Leads to Successful Negotiation Women investors who seek to move ahead in the real estate investing world believe that it is all about growing their knowledge of finding and negotiating deals, working with contractors and measuring up in what appears to be a male dominated industry. Little time is spent on building and demonstrating their confidence in themselves through empowering language. The female mind, By Karen Cupp hardwired to pick up the nuances in spoken languageandnon-verbal’s like facial expressions, tone voice and body language, make us masters at creating powerful working relationships. The challenge is that we continue to hold on to speech patterns that no longer serve us. The good news is that with awareness we can reprogramour language patterns to better serve us in our interaction with others. Awareness
to your doubt of your value or the value of your ideas. As Yoda says “do or do not. There is no try.” Take ownership of your ideas. To grow past this, listen to your communication and every time you begin to state something as a question, pause and reframe it as a statement. Using thephrase “I amsorry, or Imadeamistake” is a holdover from the little girl in trouble with her dad. We often do this to minimize anger or judgement fromothers. Taking ownership of our actions and outcomes is a powerful confidence builder. Women who know their value say what they mean and mean what they say, and they do it with grace. Become aware and make an intentional effort to practice and refine your communication. Find an accountability buddy or join a Toastmasters group to help you refine your communication skills. You will be surprised at how these polished skills will help you win more deals and achieve the outcomes you desire. SOAR TO SUCCESS / Personal Growth Strategies alone will not be enough. It is awareness as well as exchanging old speech patterns with new ones. It is not just what you say, it is how you say it that will demonstrate your confidence and help you win more deals and achieve more success. Let us look at 3 words and phrases you should ban from your vocabulary starting now. This takes practice by crafting through your communication. The word “just” is an often-used word that minimizes the power of your statement and makes you appear defensive or apologetic. We use this subconsciously to shield ourselves from rejection. To grow past the use of this phrase listen to your communication and stop yourself and drop it out of your vocabulary. Using the words “I am trying to” or “what if we tried” are phrases that minimize your position. It is away of “polling” which subconsciously speaks
Naturally Lose Weight, Detox and Function Better By Heather McKinney Wiegering, PhD Ready to make changes in the new year? Is weight one of them? This is for you. A very important part of weight loss and gentle detoxing is learning how and why the body functions the way it does. It functions as a whole system. Crash or fad diets maywork in the short termbut may cause long term frustration and even damage to the body. Losing weight is a personal journey and requires support for the body, mind, emotions and spirit. Did you know the thyroid is an important gland that plays a key role in weight management, plus many other functions of the body? Before you even set weight loss goals, get your thyroid checked. The thyroid is located in the front of the neck and can be balanced, over active or under active. When out of balance, not only are hormones impacted, but also weight gain or loss. It is important to have annual thyroid checkupswith your healthcare professional. Here are 3 of my favorite essential oils from DoTerra to naturally support weight loss, gentle detoxing and overall healthier, better functioning bodies: Zendocrine, Lemon and Lemongrass. 1. Zendocrine- Helps cleanse the body of toxins and free radicals that can slow the body’s systems down, leaving a heavy, weighted feeling. • Supports the body’s natural ability to rid itself of unwanted substances • Supports healthy liver function • Purifying and detoxifying to the body’s systems again unhealthy substances Possible Uses: • Take one drop daily for one week as part of an internal cleansing regimen or to kick-start a New Year’s weight loss or healthy body resolution. • Apply 1-2 diluted drops to abdomen or bottoms of feet to support the body’s QDWXUDO GHWR[LĆFDWLRQ V\VWHP 2. Lemon – This top-selling doTERRA essential oil is a non-toxic FOHDQHU WKDW SXULĆHV WKH ERG\ the air and surfaces. • Gently cleanses the body and aids in digestion SOAR TO SUCCESS / January 2019 / Personal Growth Strategies
• Supports healthy respiratory function • Aroma promotes a positive mood, uplifting and is energizing Possible Uses: • Add drops to a spray bottle of water to clean tables, countertops, and other surfaces. • Lemon oil is a great remedy for the early stages of tarnish on silver and other metals. • Diffuse to create an uplifting environment. 3. Lemongrass - Lemongrass essential oil acts as an overall tonic to the body. It is aromatically energizing, purifying and toning to the skin and is frequently used in beauty products for WKHVH EHQHĆWV • Supports healthy digestion • Combine with a carrier oil for soothing muscles • Apply diluted after a long run for a refreshing feeling • Heighten awareness • Promote a positive outlook Possible Uses: • Combine equal parts Fractionated Coconut Oil and Lemongrass oil to muscles after a hard workout. • Diffuses well with Basil, Cardamom, or Spearmint. • Dilute oil, then rub or spritz on skin before going outside. • Lemongrass essential oil naturally repels insects. Live healthier and lighter…one drop at a time. Go to http://SpreadOils.com and start to receive essential oils at wholesale discounts, right to your door. PLUS!!! As an added BONUS, gain access to my personal, holistic wellness support. Essential Oil Safety & Cautions: This content is for information purposes. Possible skin sensitivity with any oil. Please always dilute with 1 Tbsp or more of doTERRA Fractionated Coconut Oil to minimize skin sensitivity. Keep out of reach of children. Statements not evaluated by FDA, nor intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease. If pregnant or under a doctor’s care, consult your physician. Keep out of eyes, inner ears, and sensitive areas. Avoid sunlight or UV rays for up to 12 hours after applying product. SOAR TO SUCCESS / January 2019 / Personal Growth Strategies
SOAR TO SUCCESS / Reinvention Uncensored Pat’s Profiles: Jim and Chris Mack Owners, Hair Chiasso Connect with them at: https://hairchiasso.com https://www.facebook. com/hairchiasso/ In this episode of my Reinvention Uncensored series, I interview Jim and Chris Mack about Jim’s reinvention from a Jeep plant supervisor to the owner of Hair Chiasso. His wife, Chris Mack, was very much a part of Jim’s reinvention so it was great to speak with her as well. Watch our interview, where we talk about what makes Hair Chiasso the phenomenal success it is and how a supervisor of hard-core union employees has transferred his skills to managing a thriving hair salon. There are several things you can learn by watching this video: 1. When you start something from the ground up, it’s helpful to have “bags of money” 2. Set up your systems and use coaches to guide you 3. Having a partner with a different skill set from yours is beneficial One comment that Chris made, that so many of us, the small business owners of the world, have heard before but need to remember is: “never, never, never quit.” So when launching a new businessorevenanew product line, keep in mind the advice from Jim and Chris Mack. Reinvention Uncensored
In the bestseller, Good to Great, Jim Collins discovered that, “the good-to-great companies continually refined the path to greatness with the brutal facts of reality.” That said, giving feedback doesn’t necessarily have to be harsh, negative or berating. What it has to be to be effective is specific, relevant and frequent. In Jack Welch’s autobiography it is reported that Welch said he spent about half of his time on people: recruiting new talent, picking the right people for particular positions, grooming young stars, developing managers, dealing with under performers, and reviewing the entire talent pool and giving feedback. Says Welch, “Having the most talented people in each of our businesses is the most important thing. If we don’t, we lose.” Why is it that many of us put off giving feedback to our employees even though we intuitively know that giving and getting honest feedback is essential to grow and develop and to build successful organizations? Maybe it is because there are so many ways to screw it up. All too Grow Your People with Feedback By Jack Klemeyer
SOAR TO SUCCESS / Core Business Strategies result from neglected communication. Meeting with employees on a monthly or quarterly basis instead of annually, for example, conveys, “Your success is important tome, so I want to be accessible to you.” 2. Be specific. It’s never easy to provide negative feedback regarding someone’s work, but as a leader you can’t avoid it. Be as clear as possible when providing feedback (both positive and negative). Give specific examples that illustrate your points. For example: Instead of saying, “Your attitude is bad” or “That didn’t work,” you might say something like, “When you miss deadlines, then cross your arms and look away when I discuss it with you, it gives me the impression that you don’t care about the quality of your work. I’d like to believe this isn’t true. Can you help me explain this better?” 3. Develop a progress plan. Be clear about the specific changes in behavior that you expect in a specific period of time and follow up as scheduled. 4. Link employees’ performance to organizational goals. Reinforce the value of your employees’ contributions by giving specific examples of how their work and positive behaviors serve the organization and its customers. If you are not doing these things, be the first in your organization to begin to give feedback and develop your people to be even better. Everyone deserves to be lead well and giving specific, relevant, timely and frequent feedback will lead them to accomplish their (and your) goals! often managers wait until it’s review time to give important feedback and that strategy just doesn’t work. Here are ten common feedback mistakes to avoid: 1. Speaking out only when things are wrong. “Praise to a human being represents what sunlight, water and soil are to a plant - the climate in which one grows best.” - Earl Nightingale 2. “Drive-by” praise without specifics or an honest underpinning. - “Great job!” 3. Waiting until performance or behavior is substantially below expectations before acting on it. 4. Giving positive or negative feedback long after the event has occurred. 5. Not taking responsibility for your thoughts, feelings and reactions. “This comes straight from the boss.” 6. Giving feedback through e-mail messages, notes, or over the telephone. 7. Giving negative feedback in public. 8. Criticizing performance without giving suggestions for improvement. 9. No follow up afterwards. 10. Not having regularly scheduled performance reviewmeetings. Giving and receiving clear and constructive feedback requires courage and skill and is essential to building good relationships with and motivating peak performance from your team. Here are four tips for how to do right: 1. Be proactive. Nip issues in the bud and avoid themessy interpersonal tangles that Everyone deserves to be lead well.
Drat! The holidays are over, and you may feel a little sad that this special time has come to an end. Well, how would you like to start smiling again with some free publicity for your business? In fact… Media Members Want Unique Stories Now! There is only so much that reporters can share this month regarding New Year’s resolutions, losing weight, getting healthy, dealing with holiday debt, and the usual (yawn!) stories that come out every January. This means that there is a golden opportunity waiting for you! What’s Your January News? Stand out and get some free press! With a little research and an interesting and unique story about your business, you can jumpstart January awareness and sales… without spending money! Start by asking yourself a few questions… • Who are you going to call? Where is your audience? Look online, check customer reviews and discover which television programs, podcasts, blogs, radio shows, newspapers, and other media they are paying attention to right now. Then, check to see which reporters, bloggers, podcasters, producers, and other media By Melanie Rembrandt
members are publishing stories about your products and services at these venues. Once you know these answers, you can move onto the next question… • What will they want to share? Read what these media members post on a regular basis. Now, create a story that will be exciting for them to cover. Do you have a unique contest going on for employees? Does your business offer a new product or service with an interesting benefit people can use right now? Are you doing something special for your community to help get rid of the “winter doldrums” after the holidays? What’s that? You don’t have anything going on that’s newsworthy? Talk to your team and create it! Then, prepare your press release and/or talking points and contact each media member with your news. Opportunity is Knocking! Answer the Door! Most entrepreneurs are diving into new initiatives for 2023 and focusing on project details. While this is important, you also need to move publicity to the top of your priority list to take advantage of this media opportunity. SOAR TO SUCCESS / Core Business Strategies Figure out which media members you want to cover your business, and create a unique and interesting event, activity or benefit that they will find newsworthy for their audience. Then, contact themwith your update. Since January can be a slow time in the media for unique and exciting news, you may just get a feature story in the local press, an interview on the evening news or appear across social media. Now, wouldn’t that be a nice way to start the new year?! Since January can be a slow time in the media for unique and exciting news, you may just get a feature story in the local press, an interview on the evening news or appear across social media.
Happy New Year! Another year has passed and I’m now in my 37th year in business. WOW, hard to believe! I’ve learned a few things about how to be successful over the years, and one of those things is setting goals. I love to follow the SMART goals method as a formula for success. If you’ve ever heard of it, you know it’s great! I always sit down and work through this method at the beginning of the year, and I would love to share it with you. By Jeanne DeWitt Are you a SMART MSP? SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-bound. Here is a little more detail on how this method works: 1. Be specific. Get crystal clear about what you want to achieve. Vague goals like “sell more” or “increase revenue” will not cut it. You need to be more specific with wording such as, “Increase monthly recurring revenue by $25,000.” 2. Measurable. Your goal must be quantifiable, and you need to get specific here as well. Let’s say you want to increase your monthly recurring revenue by $25,000. In that case, your
SOAR TO SUCCESS / Core Business Strategies be yes, but if not, you should focus your efforts elsewhere. 5. Time-bound. The final step is to decide on a time frame in which to achieve your goal. Don’t set a deadline too far in the future for a simple task, or too short for a larger goal. Be realistic: you and your team members will only grow more stressed out with unrealistic deadline expectations. Once you have your SMART goals defined, the next step is for you and your team to commit. Have a launch party to discuss your goals, and don’t forget to make it fun and exciting! You’ll see a big difference. If you are interested in learning more about increasing your recurring revenue, check out how we grew our MSP to over 7 figures with Cloud at www.CloudServicesForMSPs.com or give me a call. measurable goal might be something like this: “Run two Marketing Campaigns per month, one for current customers and one for prospects”. You can easily see if you reached this goal or not at the end of the month, making it effectively measurable. 3. Attainable. Your goal has to be achievable and realistic. If it is too far out of reach, you will become frustrated; if it is too easy, you will not grow. Let’s say you want to increase your monthly recurring revenue by $25,000 and you are at $0: that is probably not attainable. Setting your goal to $10,000 is lofty, but certainly still attainable if you work at it correctly. 4. Relevant. Your goals need to align with your company’s aims and industry trends. For example, if your goal is to increase recurring revenue, ask yourself if running two marketing campaigns per month will increase sales? The answer will usually
Benefits of Hiring a Virtual Assistant 7 By Holly Kile If you’ve already reached the point where you’ve decided that you need help in your business, then you’ve likely already researched a variety of alternatives. As the business owner, you have lots of options. Here are 7 benefits to hiring a VA to help you grow: 1. Hiring an assistant will save you time. If you’re flying solo, then you are not only spending time with clients but also in all the other activities required for running a business. You are likely managing lots of activities such as your email and other communications, your social media, your client intake and scheduling, and much more. Once you hire an assistant, you can delegate many of these tasks completely to an assistant to free you up to do more of what you love.
2. Hiring an assistant will save youmoney. Time is money so this is somewhat a repeat of #1 above. Here’s the truth: you are not an expert at everything. Let go of doing the things that you’re not great at and focus on what you are. An assistant who is familiar with doing newsletters, for example, can probably knock out that weekly email newsletter in short order rather than spending an afternoon in frustration trying to get the font right. Saving time is saving money. Want more than just time=money? When you have an assistant as an independent contractor, you don’t pay benefits or employer taxes for them. This can be a HUGE savings over a year’s time. 3. Hiring an assistant will give you peace of mind. When you have an assistant, you can stop worrying about whether they got their paperwork or their appointment reminder or their invoice. You then can focus on the work you do for them. This is just one example of how delegating can free up your mind and offer you a peace you may not even know is possible. 4. Source from a global talent pool. When you hire a virtual assistant, you are not limited to the talent that is only available in your local geographic area. Instead, you can expand your search to literally anywhere on Earth which means that you can get the best of the best. If you require someone with specific skills or knowledge, you are more likely to get the perfect fit when you can expand your search beyond your backyard. SOAR TO SUCCESS / Core Business Strategies 5. No extra space required. Whether they work 1 hour or 40 hours a week, hiring someone local requires a space for them to work. If your office won’t support any more bodies, you’ll have to investigate renting space which can be costly. 6. No extra equipment required. If you’re going virtual, you don’t have to buy an extra computer, an extra desk, an extra chair, etc. Virtual assistants already have those items as part of their own business. 7. Time billed is time worked. When you have an assistant, who works with you locally, they are ‘on the clock’ from the time they walk into the door until they leave that day apart from a lunch break. A virtual assistant works a bit differently. They start the timer when they are doing a task for you and end the timer when that task is complete. You don’t pay for bathroom breaks or personal calls. You simply pay for work being done. You’d be surprised at how much can be done in only 5-10 hours a month by a virtual assistant! Please reach out to me if you have any questions about hiring a VA. Hiring an assistant will save you time and money.
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