Entrepreneur’s Secret for Accomplishing Goals

“Be like a postage stamp –
stick to one thing till you get there.
Sheila Graham

Do you wake-up in the morning with the idea you are going to accomplish certain tasks?  Then as the day proceeds you never take action towards any of these projects.

Welcome to the world of the entrepreneur!

This morning getting out of bed, I started thinking about my to-do list.  My day started walking with my neighbor, straightening the house, answering emails, coaching clients and all of a sudden I looked at the clock and it was noon.  To my utter surprise I did not start any of the projects that were on my to-do list.  This pattern happens a lot.

What is a person to do?

Thinking about this challenge, all of a sudden the “Smart Goal” Model popped into my head.  Below is the model:

S = Be very specific
Example: My goals were write an article, research different writing groups, coach clients, food shop, take time to just relax and the list goes on and on. 
M = Measure your progress
Example: My measurement would be completion of the different projects. 
A = Achievable
Example: This plan was not achievable, no way could I accomplish everything in one day.
R = Reasonable
Example: Since all the items were not easily accomplished in one day, I would create a realistic
plan. This plan would be produced by reviewing my goals and choosing which items could be accomplished in a reasonable amount of time.
T = Time Table
Example: Today’s Schedule:
1:00pm – Write Article
3:00pm – Food Shop
4:00pm – Spent time with Jeffrey, my grandson relaxing
6:00pm – Coach last client for the day.

Tomorrow:
8:00am – Research writing groups
10:00am – Create a new plan

 This arrangement sounded realistic.    

Please share with the Love Yourself – It Matters! Community your challenges about creating a reasonable daily plan.  I am looking forward to hearing from you.

 Helen

Simplify Social Media for your Business

A Social Media Webinar Series for Professional Coaches
Presented by Helen Burton and Joanna Carides

Learn More Here: http://ow.ly/1bOkV

In this webinar, you will quickly understand how to use Facebook,

LinkedIn and Twitter specifically for growing your coaching practice.

We will be revealing:

• How easy it is to set up your profile and be a leader in your industry.
• What not to do, when building your following.
• Decide which media site is best to develop your business.
• Remove your overwhelm about Social Media, once-and-for-all!
• The perfect formula for posting your status updates.
• The secrets to drive more traffic to your website and blogs.

Click Here and Register here now!

Dates:

Facebook on March 17 & 24

LinkedIn on April 14 & 21
Twitter on May 5 & 12.

Participate in the webinar from the comfort of your home or office! All you need are a phone, computer and Internet access.

Cost:

$65 per topic (two one-hour sessions)
10% discount for registering for your choice of 2 topics: $117
20% discount for registering for all 3 topics: $156

Register here now!

Please forward flyer to your Business Colleagues!

Thinking Kindly About Your Business

“One kind word can warm three winter months.”
Japanese Proverb

Do you think and say kind words about your business?  Unfortunately, most of us think about what is not going right.

When we have successes our feelings turn towards excitement and joy.  Why is it so hard focusing on those times instead of finding things to worry about?

 Simply, we are human beings and wired to think that way.

When you start thinking about your business in a negative way.  Stop, take a deep breath and say in a powerful voice, kind words about your business.  An example would be, “My business is achieving its goal by helping business people.”

 Even though this little exercise sounds simple it is very hard to do.  It takes practice, practice, and more practice before it becomes a new habit.  Remember…a habit takes about 21 days to become natural.

Constantly think, “ I will say kind words about my business.”

 Please share your experiences with the Love Yourself – It Matters! Community.  Sharing our experiences and thoughts with each other enables us to create successful businesses in a loving way.

Business Owners Social Media Tips

I would like to introduce you to my new social media partner Joanna Carides, Brand New Day Media, LLC.

Below is an article written by Joanna.

Become More Social in 2010!

You may be thinking, “What is she talking about? I have enough on my plate and really can’t add anything else.” You’ve got a lot going on. Everyone does these days.

Still, you can make your customer/client relationships that much stronger by using social media in a smart, efficient way.

Here are a few tips to help you out:

• For 20 minutes, before you start your workday
  • Draft an email to 1 or 2 contacts you’d like to (re)connect with via your facebook fan page. Be sure to include your facebook fan page URL. Tell them why you want them to join you on facebook (info, tips, strategy, events). Save the email drafts.
  • Review your Twitter followers and decide whom you want to follow back. Remember, you don’t have to follow everyone that follows you.
  • Post a morning Tweet. Greet your followers with a positive quote or share what inspires you today.
• For 15 minutes, at the end of your workday
  • Review, tweak, and send out those 1 or 2 emails (see above) inviting key contacts to join you on facebook. Note: personalize each email to the individual recipient.
  • Post a closing Tweet. Share with your followers something special that happened today. Or pose a question to your group. The number of people who respond by the next morning will surprise you. This is a great way to organize your Twitter topics and keep people on point.

By the way, another benefit of using my tips is gaining free time for you to actually get out and meet some of the terrific people with whom you’ve been electronically communicating. Now, wouldn’t that be nice for a change?

Social Media Basic Training – How to use Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter for your Coaching Business

You can learn more about how to efficiently use social media for your business by registering for Social Media Basic Training – How to use Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter for your Coaching Business. This is a social media webinar series for professional coaches, coming in March, April and May 2010. I’m honored and thrilled to be partnering with Helen Burton to bring you this educational, hands-on workshop. More details to follow shortly. Stay tuned.

Client Marketing 101

Have you ever found yourself sitting in front of a potential client, trying to keep the person engaged about what you do and how coaching can assist them?

And before you know it, you throw the ‘the-coach-who-listens’ out the window, and proceed to talk non-stop, for the next 20 minutes. Ugh!!

We have all been there!

So how do you overcome your infatuation with coaching and still effectively sell to a prospective client?

Here are a few steps that work successfully for me:

1. Prepare an agenda before your meeting.
2. Listen, listen, listen and let the person know you are truly interested in what they have to say.
3. Answer any questions sticking to the point and keep it short.
4. Invite them to be a client when the ‘aha moment’ happens.
5. Keep the meeting short.
6. Remember your prospective client, cares more about themselves than your passion for coaching.

Need support in getting your business launched? Send me an email at helen@loveyourselfcoaching.net and together, we can brainstorm easy ideas to get you started.

Successful Business Owner

We haven’t failed.
We now know a thousand things
that won’t work,
so we’re that much closer
to finding what will.

~ Thomas Edison 

Running your business sometimes feels like you are always climbing a mountain and never reaching the top.  Then all of a sudden you are taking the right steps and getting closer to the peak of the mountain. 

Like Thomas Edison said, we are not failing when are new advertising program is not working we are discovering what techniques to change.  

I decided my new niche would be working with the Unemployed to find work.  Created a website, ordered business cards and started advertising this new service.  As time went on I realized that the unemployed were afraid to spend money and hire Love Yourself Coaching.  My saving grace was that the clients I did work with each one of them found a job.  

At first I kept trying with very little success to find new clients.  It finally hit me that I needed to change my focus.  Reading Thomas Edison’s quote, realized I did not fail and was closer to finding what will work. 

Please share your experiences as a business owner so we can all work together in finding what will work instead of just climbing that mountain with little success.  

I look forward to hearing from you.

Helen

Be a successful coach!

Helen Burton, CEC, ACC, founder of Love Yourself Coaching, has been leading coaching circles and mastermind groups for seven years. As an expert group leader, Helen has helped many coaches gain the confidence needed to build their communication skills and coaching style to be a successful and effective coach.

Learn more about Helen by visiting her online at, LoveYourselfCoaching.com.

Benefits of the Coaches’ Circle:

• Begin coaching a real client now.
• Immediately apply feedback received from an experienced coach.
• Earn income and coaching hours for your ICF Credentialing.

• A new coach and experienced coach are carefully matched to work together.
• Each coach alternates being the client.
• Following each session, the experienced coach shares valuable learning tools and feedback with the new coach.

“It has been a pleasure to be in the Coaches’ Coaching Circle for new coaches. Been very helpful to get a different perspective, which allows the learning to continue. Helen is genuine, caring, authentic and a great one to have riding with you on a portion of your life journey. She is most encouraging and meets you where you are which is a gift. Thanks Helen for working with a new coach.” Judy Meade

Coaches’ Guidelines for Business Success

“24 Things to Always Remember…
And One Thing to Never Forget

~ Collin McCarty

Your presence is a present to the world.
You’re unique and one of a kind.
Your life can be what you want it to be.
Take the days just one at a time.

Count your blessings, not your troubles.
You’ll make it through whatever comes along.
Within you are so many answers.
Understand, have courage, be strong.

Don’t put limits on yourself.
So many dreams are waiting to be realized.
Decisions are too important to leave to chance.
Reach for your peak, your goal, your prize.

Nothing wastes more energy than worrying.
The longer one carries a problem,
the heaver it gets.
Don’t take things too seriously.
Live a life of serenity, not a life of regrets.

Remember that a little love goes a long way.
Remember that a lot…goes forever.
Remember that friendship is a wise investment.
Life’s treasures are people…together.

Realize that it’s never too late.
Do ordinary things in an extraordinary way.
Have health and hope and happiness.
Take the time to wish upon a star.

And don’t ever forget…
for even a day…
how very special you are.”

Reading Collin McCarty’s quote I was reminded if we focus on the many gifts we are receiving and not what we think should be happening our lives become easier.

Today is a new day and with this golden opportunity we can start thinking about our coaching business in whatever way we want. You can continue worrying about not attracting clients or keep telling yourself to “Trust the Process.”

Sorry folks, thinking does not make things happen you have to take action. Below are some small steps you can take to change your thinking and make things happen.

• Read Collin Mc Carty’s quote daily.
• Remind yourself constantly during the day to “Trust the Process.”
• Each day pick a new small step you will take to market your business. Example: Research networking events scheduled for the current month and register for an event.

Share your new action steps you will be taking in January to promote your coaching business. Together we can move mountains!

I look forward to hearing from you.

Helen

Successful Business Strategies for Coaches

“A dream is in the mind of the believer,
and in the hands of the doer.
You are not given a dream,
without being given the power
to make it come true.”

~ Anonymous

We all have a dream our business will take off as soon as we make the decision to become business owners. What happened??

Sometimes thinking if only I knew what a long road it took to become a successful business owner would I have taken that leap. The answer is a loud, “YES.”

I had a dream and driving force in me to make it happen. To be honest I sometimes struggled and wanted to give up. Then within a very short period of time my thinking changed and I was back on the road marketing the Love Yourself programs.

We are at the end of 2009 and looking forward to 2010. Before we turn the page let’s think about all the great strides we made this year.

Below is a little exercise that will help you uncover the strides you made and new techniques to implement.
• List all the new marketing techniques you implemented in 2009. Example: When first meeting someone I ask about them instead of telling them I am a coach. It is amazing during the conversation they always ask, “What type of business do you have?” At that point I simply mention I am a business coach and have them ask me questions.
• Review the list of techniques deciding what worked and you need to change. Example: I was working with the Unemployed and found it was not a profitable income stream. Made a decision not to focus on the Unemployed Niche.
• Brainstorm and list new ideas. Example: This year I will offer to write an article for a gym or Spa’s Newsletter.
• Create a marketing plan including new and old techniques with accountable dates.
• Become active in the Love Yourself – It Matters Community by leaving comments and asking questions.

Be creative this is your pilot program and it will give you the opportunity to be more pro-active in your business. Working together we can support each other in growing successful businesses.

Remember…Rome was not built in a day and by taking small steps your dream will come true.

Enjoy the holiday season and continue creating happy memories.

Helen

Take a good look at yourself… and grow your business

OK, so why the picture you ask or maybe it is more like why and what the…? The picture was taken at an event called the Avon Breast Cancer 3-Day. In this event over 3000 people walked 67 miles from Leominster MA to Boston. You heard it, 67 miles in 3 days on 2 feet.

My wife and I had walked it the first year and for the next two years we joined the crew of 500 or so volunteers that supported the walkers. Our crew team ran a pit stop; our goal was to provide treats, fluids and moral support for the walkers. As you might have guessed our team theme was tooth fairies (yes that is a toothbrush in my mouth). Sometimes you have to step outside of the comfort zone and adopt a less serious approach. At the end of those three days, despite the benefit of a megaphone (the one in my right hand, not the pretty plastic one) I had no voice left. Let me tell you, it is some challenge to keep people charged when they are physically and emotionally worn. Let’s face it, these people walked for a lot of reasons. Some of them are breast cancer survivors themselves; others are walking in honor of loved ones lost to or still battling this devastating disease. For me, it was in memory of my Mom who had breast cancer yet died of other causes and a dear friend who battled the disease for many years, ultimately to succumb.

But this is not a sad story; in fact this experience was the most life-changing of my time on this earth. Each of my three years participating in this event, I was fortunate to be amongst amazingly selfless people. To say I was humbled does not come close to describing the feelings that surged through me. The tears flowed freely as did the joy, the cheers and the hope. There is no place I would rather have been, no experience that would have satisfied me more profoundly. I discovered strength and passion in me I had no idea existed, not to mention what I learned of so many others.

OK, so what does this have to do with business anyway? Well, here are my thoughts. A business is first, about people; employees, clients, the public at large, and so on. The common denominator in business is people. Yet, when we get caught up in running a business (or for that matter being in business) it’s easy to lose our appreciation for those people upon whom our business depends. That is not something we can afford to do. My 3-Day experience taught me a lot about how I look at myself and at others. You have heard the old adage ‘walk a mile in my shoes’. How about walking a mile alongside yourself? What would that be like? Take a close look at your day to day. How does it feel? What would it be like to be your own employee, a client or even your boss? Do you know yourself this well? If you do I congratulate you as I suspect you are in the minority. If you do not, my challenge to you is that you start the journey. When you do, you will be enriched in ways you cannot imagine.

I know; it took me three days and 67 miles. Start walking…

Ed Drozda, MBA is an Organizational Advisor and Business/Executive Coach with E & D Associates, a firm designed to provide companies with the support and guidance needed to maintain their business and facilitate growth. Whether an organization is struggling to set goals or find ways to achieve them, E & D’s talents and expertise successfully help companies and individuals explore new and creative ways to increase customer and employee satisfaction; decrease staff turnover; and boost overall revenues.

“Many businesses approach me because they think they are having trouble finding the right team,” says Drozda. “In most cases, they have the right team, but they are lacking a solid plan of communication and teamwork. That type of problem can impact everything from office morale and employee productivity to overall revenues. That’s where our services can help.”

To arrange a no obligation exploratory session, visit http://www.4eandd.com or call Ed at 508-695-2146.

Using Food to Make Yourself Feel Better

Do you eat whenever you feel stressed or happy? I did a little survey and found that most people eat whenever they are experiencing an emotion such as sadness, fear, stress or happiness. Eating is a response that we usually think will make us feel better.

Then after eating, we sometimes feel horrible and even hating ourselves for what we did. How can we make ourselves feel better without the food? One small step you can take, is ask yourself the question, “Am I hungry or just want to eat something to make me feel better?” If you answer the question saying, “I just want to make myself feel better” taking some of the following steps may help:
1. Put some music on and dance around the house.
2. Call a friend and enjoy their company.
3. Tell yourself, “I can eat something after taking a walk (or anything else you like to do.)

Please let me know what small steps you take to distract yourself from eating. Remember as a team we can change anything especially our addiction for using food to make us feel better.

Please leave your ideas and thoughts on my blog using the comment button below. I can also be reached at helen@loveyourselfcoaching.net.

Action may not always bring happiness,
but there is no happiness
without action.
Benjamin Disraeli,
British Prime Minister and writer

Miracles Happen

Are you ready to watch a miracle in action? I have received from friends, a link (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7glOGq82xQ) to a video on You Tube that is absolutely incredible. To me, this clip is what miracles are all about and being brave enough to take a risk. I just had to share it with you (if you’ve already seen it, trust me, it’s worth watching again).

Give yourself a gift and do yourself a favor, sit back, relax and experience this miracle in action. It’s my gift to you today…

Once you have watched this short video please let me know what feelings and ideas formed. I am looking forward to hearing from you. You can reach me by leaving a comment on this blog or sending an email to helen@loveyourselfcoaching.net.

Remember you also have special gifts which can be shared with the world. I am here to support you in uncovering your unforgotten dream and make it a reality.

Warmly,
Helen

Is Happiness Just an Idea

At 3:00am in the morning, I woke up and I could not fall back to sleep. I kept thinking about everything I had to do today and how a special person in my life was struggling. Being a coach and in recovery from my food and codependency, I started using some of the tools from the 12 Step Program. Thanking my Higher Power, saying the Serenity Prayer, thinking about all the things I am grateful for and giving myself a big hug. Nothing helped!!

Then I asked myself the question, “What am I happy about right now?” My husband was home from a business trip and sleeping peacefully right next to me. Also, Alice and Alfie my cats were lying next to me purring. That is happiness!!!

Happiness can be watching the birds, taking a walk and experiencing nature, putting your favorite music on and dancing through the house, or just relaxing for a few minutes. It has been proven over and over again that our thinking creates our reality. Taking a few minutes to ask ourselves the question, “What are we happy about right now?” changes our thoughts and reduces stress.

I invite you to take a few minutes today and ask yourself the question, “What makes me happy right now?” Remember starting a new thinking pattern may take time and as my mother use to say, “Rome was not built in a day.” Have fun with the experience and let me know what makes you happy today.

“Happiness is free and ours for the taking.” Helen Burton, The Recovery Coach

New Coaches Coaching Circle Begins

New Coaching Program Provides Coaches with Clients and Personal Coaching
Coaches Coaching Circle provides an inexpensive way of being coached, receiving payment and coaching hours towards your ICF credential

Certified Coach Helen Burton has created a new program dedicated solely to helping coaches expand their coaching practices and achieve financial success. The Coaches Coaching Circle will deliver access to coaches to help them achieve success on their own terms, as well as provide income as coaches.

“Working as a coach is exciting, but getting a coaching practice up and running – and profitable – is a formidable task,” says Helen Burton. “There are many myths and misconceptions about how to build a financially successful coaching practice. Coaching schools are wonderful to help you learn to be a great coach, but you need access to people to build your business as well. With the help of this program – and the coaches involved with it, one can achieve business mastery.”

Burton is a certified recovery coach who helps both addicts and their loved ones work through the pain and develop a plan for a purposeful future. She founded Love Yourself Coaching (www.loveyourselfcoaching.net) in 2001, to meet the ongoing need creating healing and better lives by empowering others.

A study by Public Personnel Management Magazine showed that training alone increased productivity by 22%, but when paired with coaching the figure soared to 88%. “Adding a coaching circle creates a coaching team that’s geared to help coaches increase productivity,” says Burton.

Open to coaches who have graduated from a coaching school and have coached for at least one year, Coaches Coaching Circle gives each participant the opportunity to coach another participant each month, as well as receive coaching services by another participant.

Details about the new program can be found by contacting Burton at Helen@LoveYourselfCoaching.net.

“The Coaches Coaching Circle offers an inexpensive way of being coached, receiving payment and coaching hours towards International Coaching Federation credential,” says Burton. “It’s a win-win situation for those who want to get more clients and still receive the benefits of having several coaches with different areas of expertise to work with. Coaches also get the opportunity to learn different styles and methodologies to getting the work done.”

For more information, contact Helen Burton at Helen@LoveYourselfCoaching.net or 609.448.8828.