Why Did You Start Your Business?

Hello everyone. I hope the month of March was productive and profitable for you. If it was then that is awesome and of course, you should do more of the same for the month of April. If you didn't reach your goals for March then maybe it's time to;

STOP

REFLECT

AND ASK YOURSELF THE QUESTION BELOW

Why Did I Decide To Go Into Business For Myself?

The answer to that question is different for everyone. But it is the foundational fuel that will push you to be a better entrepreneur.

It will give you purpose, energy, and motivation to redirect your efforts toward making your business a success.

This month we discussed how to solve some the biggest problems with running your holistic practice successfully. We took a look at how you can have more peace in your business and using online tools in your business to make it run better. Finally, we took a look at a few ideas on how to be more productive and make more money in your business.

The bottom-line is it is YOUR business. Your heart and soul should be in it 100%. If you feel you are off track then take a little time now before the next month starts to reflect and redirect your efforts.

I will leave you with some words of encouragement that I shared at the beginning of the month.

You can do this. Your destiny is to use your gifts to help people to change their lives for the better! Now get moving!

Keep It Sunny!

Would You Like To Be More Productive and Make More Money?

As a solopreneur I understand first hand how not having things organized in your business can quickly leave you broke and frazzled. The answer for me is always going to be using technology to help me keep my business systems in order and my business humming along. If you would like some ideas on how you can keep your business running smoothly check out this article. The freedom that comes with being an entrepreneur is awesome BUT it can quickly run off the rails and make your life difficult if processes aren't put into place to keep everything in tip top shape.

What are some areas in your business that are making you pull your hair out? Share in the comments below.

Keep It Sunny!

Online Tools To Help You Run Your Business Better

Are you still running your business like it's 1985?

Writing down ideas on little pieces of paper?

Taking calls on your own personal cell phone?

Missing out on potential clients because no one is there to handle incoming messages?

STOP THE MADNESS!

:)

Check out this article about how to use online tools to help you run your business better. If your looking for ideas on cool receptionist services check out this post I wrote about some of the leading services available.

If you could wave your magic wand and make one area in your business run smoother what area would that be?

Keep It Sunny!

Do You Have Peace In Your Business?

It is the 3rd month of the new year.

Are you still on track to reach your goals?

Or have you fallen off the rails?

If you are feeling stressed and unorganized it's time to STOP and take a different approach.

Check out this previous post I wrote to help you get back on track towards reaching business zen.

Keep It Sunny!

How To Solve The Biggest Problems With Running A Successful Holistic Practice

 

You are ready to change the world one person at a time by helping people with their health and wellness challenges. You completed your training. You have watched countless webinars and attended in person conferences about how to be a successful entrepreneur. 

But you are still not bringing in enough client revenue to do more than break even. 

And now your own personal health is starting to suffer. What is my next step you might be thinking?

Take a step back and learn from others who have reached great success in their health and wellness businesses. Read this post on what The Top Health & Wellness Entrepreneurs wish they would have known before starting their own business. Sometimes it just takes learning what not to do from others to propel us on our way towards success. 

What are some of your biggest problems with running your business? I know that social media and creating consistent content was always a challenge for me but not anymore. What about you?

Stay inspired by checking out this cool motivational quote.  You can do this. Your destiny is to use your gifts to help people to change their lives for the better!

Keep the positive vibes flowing and keep it sunny!

Do you feel rundown? If so it will affect your business operations.

Being an entrepreneur is tough. You are responsible for the final outcomes in your business. It is important that your business operations are running smoothly and that can't happen if you are out of gas. I get it. As a fellow entrepreneur, I am always looking for ways to fine-tune the process of running my business in a more holistic way. Check out this article to learn how to improve your mental state and feel more in control of your life which will trickle down to help you run your business better.

Happy Reading!

Keep it Sunny!

The Tax Time Clock Is Ticking and Making A Mistake Will Cost You Big Time!

We are here my fellow entrepreneurs. And just like you I hate tax time and don't want to pay any unnecessary money to good ole uncle sam. Read this article to learn how to avoid givin your money away. Also, now is a good time to put a process in place to get your business receipts in order. If you want to use your expenses as a write off then you need actual receipts because bank statements will not substitute. I hope you gain some useful tips to help you navigate the sharky waters of tax time.

Keep It Sunny. 

Are You Building Your Business Foundation on Solid Ground?

Does your business foundation resemble a sandy desert instead of solid concrete? If you are seeking to have a lasting meaniful business it is extremely important to create a solid foundation. As we start this month off with taking a look at how to run your business more efficiently it's important to make sure all of your ducks are in a row. Check out this previous post I wrote on how to make sure all your t's are crossed and your i's are dotted.

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Are You On Track For Success In Your Business?

January is in the record books and February is here.

How is your business doing?

Do you have your goals written down and created a system to reach them?

Are your financial records in order so you can take care of your tax obligations on time?

If not don't worry. There is still time to take a step back and put a plan in place. This month we will focus on business operations and making sure everything is set up to run smoothly. In the meantime check out this post I wrote about how to create more peace in your business. This will get you in the right frame of mind to be the amazing entrepreneur that you are meant to be.

Keep It Sunny!

3 Easy Ways To Create Unlimited Peace In Your Business

Are you one of those people that has a to-do list for your to-do list and nothing ever gets completed?

Or are you constantly telling yourself I will finally finish (fill in the blank) project next week but next week comes and your project is still not done?

Do you feel like your that little hamster in the wheel that keeps moving fast but never goes anywhere? Cute little fella:)

BUT doesn’t this leave you feeling stressed out?

Well it’s time for the madness to STOP!

It’s a New Year. And it is time to take action to create unlimited peace in your business. Here are 3 easy ways to do just that!

1. SCHEDULE EVERYTHING

I know this sounds crazy but successful entrepreneurs like Pat Flynn from Smart Passive Income swears by it.  On a recent podcast episode of Christy's Wright's Business Boutique, He stated that "everything get's scheduled". This includes time with his family. He says that if it doesn't get scheduled then it doesn't get done.

Pat also suggests, creating a list and putting things in order of priority and listing out all the things you need to do. This will help you to see what things are really important to tackle or what is just keeping you "busy" but not producing real results in your business.  A great tool to use for scheduling items is Google Calendar which is included in Google's G Suite platform.  Trello is a project management tool that can be used to brainstorm your list of priorities. 

2. USE TIME BLOCKING

You know how this goes: Your knee deep in your zone of genius and the phone rings or an email notification goes off and your focused is gone. In the book The 12 Week Year, They suggest using a system called time blocking. It is categorized into 3 buckets of time:

• 3 Hour Strategic Blocks which is where you eliminate all distractions to focus on the one pre-planned project that you must complete for the day.

• Buffer Blocks - These are smaller timeframes (30 minutes to an hour) to deal with low-value tasks such as email responding or responding to a phone message.

• Breakout Blocks - This is pre-planned time scheduled for leisure activity. This block is about 3 hours during your normal business hours during the week where you can get OUT of the office and go do something fun and relaxing like yoga or going for a walk in nature. This will help you to feel re-energized and ready to tackle your business goals.

3. STOP MULTITASKING

According to an article in Time Magazine, Dr. Kubu a neuropsychologist at the Cleveland Clinic stated that "We are wired to be mono-taskers. One study found that just 2.5% of people are able to multitask effectively. And when the rest of us attempt to do two complex activities simultaneously, it is simply an illusion."

The research is clear: multitasking isn't an efficient use of your time.

Check out this article that list some ideas about how you can stop multitasking. I especially liked idea #1. 

It is time to take action. You can use these 3 ideas to create unlimited peace in your business. I will leave you with this quote from my favorite new book The 12 Week Year:

"A year from now you will wish you would have started today."

Do you have some easy ideas that you use to create peace throughout your day? I would love to hear them.

Keep It Sunny!

Do You Need Someone To Answer Your Phones?

Growing your business is a full-time job.

There are clients that need your attention and new ideas to bring to life.

If you are a solopreneur there is only so much you can do by yourself. If you are missing important phone calls because you are too busy to respond to customers in a timely manner then check out a previous article I wrote about virtual receptionist solutions. Yes, it is another expense BUT you must ask yourself how much is your time worth? The opportunity cost you are losing by trying to wear one more hat in your business could be costing you more than you realize. 

Check out these resources and breathe a sigh of relief.

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Are You Ready To File Your Taxes?

The new year is in full swing and with the chance of a fresh beginning means getting rid of some old things like:  paying taxes.

I know it isn't what you want to hear but it can be relatively painless if you get your ducks in order.

Check out this previous post I wrote about doing just that.

Also, check out the show notes from a recent podcast on Entrepreneur on Fire.  CPA Josh Baurele discussed the implications of the new tax laws and how it could affect small business entrepreneurs.

Don't procrastinate.

Start the new year off strong and get your books in shape. 

Keep it Sunny!

DO YOU HAVE A NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION TO THINK MORE POSITIVE?

Happy New Year!

2018 is finally here and I don't know about you but I am excited about the possibility of a new fresh beginning.

What about you?

Did 2017 do a whammy on you? Well, that year is history and it is time to move on. Are you ready to grow your business and help more people than ever before? Well, it all starts with positive thoughts. If your thinking stinks then you will not be effective to help your clients achieve success. Check out the video below from Wayne Dyer to kick off your new year in a positive way.

Keep it Sunny!

Are You Thinking Big Enough To Make Your Goals Happen?

2018 is almost here!

This could mean a lot of things to many people.

You may be excited about the new possibilities on the horizon OR you might just be happy that this year is finally over.

Whatever the beginning of a new year means to you it does bring hope for fresh beginnings in your business and personal life. But it all starts with your thoughts.

Are you thinking yourself into bigger possibilities or thinking yourself into defeat?

I am a huge Wayne Dyer fan and will be listening to his motivational teachings to keep my mind energized to win.

What about you? What do you do to stay positive and what does 2018 mean to you?

Keep It Sunny!

Do You Know What Things You Should Post On Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Pinterest?

Social Media is here to stay. We all know that BUT do you know what types of content works best on the different types of social media platforms? I did some research and the results are below in this handy infographic. Check it out and get those creative juices flowing!

Keep It Sunny!

Are You To Busy To Cook? Check Out These Healthy Meals Delivered To Your Door.

Does this sound familiar, you finish coaching a client and it is now time to shut down for the day but you have your children to pick up or errands to run and dinner is still on your to-do list. Or you have been working so hard you forgot to each lunch.

What are your options as a busy entrepreneur?

You'r Busy and Stressed!

Are you going to just starve to death?

Of course not BUT stopping at Whole Foods to pick up ingredients to prepare a fresh healthy meal from scratch when your already tired is probably not going to happen.

Thank goodness there are some enterprising healthy meal delivery services that make the meals for you and all you have to do is warm them up or just put it on a plate to eat. Let's take a look at a few below.

Factor 75 

Factor 75 delivers fresh meals weekly to your door at home, your office and even at a hotel. They have options that range from Grass-fed Burger with Tomato Bacon Chutney to Butternut Squash Lasagna. All their menu items are always "Grass-fed, pasture-raised, preservative-free, antibiotic & hormone-free, soy-free, gluten-free, non-GMO and organically grown". Weekly plans start as low as $60 per week. 

Clean Eats

Clean Eats is a made for you meal delivery service that has a tagline of "Healthy Meals Delivered". Their menu offerings include; Vegetarian, Gluten-Free & No Carb. If you wish to go with one of their meal plans they have the option to based it around a certain goal such as weight-loss, healthy weight maintenance, building muscle or create a custom goal. Plans start as low as $8 per. day. They offer 10% off the first order to get started. 

Original Meal Prep Vegas

Original Meal Prep Vegas is right in my backyard and I didn't even know it. They are a healthy meal prep delivery service that specializes in "Healthy prepared fresh and delivered meals, that are affordable and delivered to your door ". Their meal choices include chicken fajitas with sweet potato, turkey meatballs marinara with quinoa and pot roast angus with mashed cauliflower. Plans start as low as $8.88 per meal.

I had a hard time writing this blog post because it made me hungry! :)

It's great to see there are a number of options available to suit any lifestyle and meal preference. As a busy entrepreneur, it is important that you take care of yourself so that you can deliver the best service to your clients. Check out the options above to get a jump start on treating your belly better. 

What about you? Do you know of some healthy meal delivery services that you want to share? Let's us know in the comments below.

Keep It (HEALTHY) and Sunny!

How To Start A Home-Based Business With No Money In 4 Easy Ways

You are always coming up with new ideas to the point it is driving you bonkers. Maybe it's time to do something with all those great ideas and start a home-based business. 

1. Decide on if you will offer a service or a product.

It can be tricky putting together the pieces of this puzzle. According to Elle and Company Design, offering a product first can be costly if you don't have a wide audience. In contrast, offering a service can be less risky and "you only need a handful or two of interested clients to generate a significant profit". 

2. Figure out if your idea is viable or not.

It's important to do market research to see if people will pay money to buy your services and products. Is there an unmet need for what you want to sell? This is where many of us freeze up and dreams die off. But it doesn't have to be that way. In an article on Entreprenuer.com, they state that "You can gather information from industry associations, Web searches, periodicals, federal and state agencies, and so forth. A trip to the library or a few hours online can set you on your way to really understanding your market. Your aim is to gain a general sense of the type of customer your product or service will serve-or at least to being willing to find out through the research process".

3. LeverageTechnology.

We live in the greatest technological time. It has never been easy to get up and running with sharing your gifts and talents. Just look at all the Youtube stars. You can use the internet to test the market and sell your service and products with minimal barriers to entry. This is a game changer.

4. Sell, Sell, Sell! When many people think of selling to others the image of a slick talking used car salesman usually comes into focus.

Image courtesy of somkiat2023 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

According to Springboard Biz Development, this is known as transactional selling and is based on " short-term solutions which are primarily concerned with the promotion and selling of the product with little or no emphasis on customer needs".  This definition of selling according to Dictionary.com is to persuade or induce someone to buy (something)". Eww! I don't know about you but I don't want anyone "inducing me to buy anything". But I would be interested in someone getting to know my needs and pain points and sharing a service or product that would alleviate my problem. This version of selling is relationship based. Relationship-based selling is focused on "building long-term relationships where the sales rep gets to know his/her customer, their needs, and their wants. Then and only then does the salesperson even think about trying to make a sale".

When you have zero dollars to start a business starting a home-based business could be the answer. It's important to:

• Decide if you will offer a service or product

• Figure out if your product is something people need or want

• Use technology to test the waters

• Build relationships with your customers so that you can share services or products that they want

Are you pumped and ready to hit the ground running with your new home-based business? Do you have other ideas to share to help others who are looking to build their business with no money? Share in the comments below.

KEEP IT SUNNY!

It's Tax Time - Are You Prepared?

As the year winds down and we all start to get into the holiday season there is one thing to start thinking about as a business owner: TAXES

I know I just ruined your breakfast this morning but it is something we cannot ignore. Here are 3 quick tips to help you as you prepare for this all-important task:

1. Make sure you have updated contact information and W-9's for all vendors who you have paid $600 or more to this year. If they are a corporation then they will not need a 1099 to be issued to them but if they are a sole-proprietor or LLC then you will need to issue them a 1099. If your not sure then get a W-9 from any vendor who you have paid more than $600 to this year. It's better to be safe than sorry.

2. Start gathering all your business related receipts you used for expenses this year and capture them on an Excel spreadsheet for easy retrieval for your tax preparer. For next year think about using Expensify to manage all of your expense recordkeeping.

3. Make sure your bookkeeping is up to date and is working for you. Do you use a specific accounting software or are you only using Excel spreadsheets? If it is the later it may be time to review if that system is still working for your business.

If you need more specific information related to tax planning and how to work with the IRS should you find yourself owing them check out Josh Bauerle's site CPA On Fire to learn some cool tips and tricks.

It is the season to be jolly but you won't have much to be happy about if you have the tax monster nipping at your toes. Be proactive and check out the tips above. Do you have a good system for keeping track of your tax-related information? Or do you just hate the word taxes? Share with us in the comments below.

Keep it Sunny!

3 Reasons To Feel Thankful As You Build Your Business and The Lifestyle of Your Dreams

Well, it's that time of year when we get together with our family and friends to celebrate Thanksgiving. For some of us, it will mean going shopping for Black Friday doorbusters. And for others, it will mean watching football and grazing on all the Thanksgiving Day goodies. No matter what your family traditions are it is usually a signal to start taking stock of the year to see what you have accomplished. What if you haven't reached your business or personal goals?

Take a deep breath and read below to stay encouraged.

Reason Number One:

You are taking intentional steps toward realizing your dream work/lifestyle. You might feel discouraged because you haven't arrived at your destination but at least you are on the right path.   

Reason Number Two:

You are using your gifts to change another person's life. This is HUGE! Your business is unique to your specific "gifting". And instead of continuing on the road that is much traveled you decided to be a maverick and use the gifts God gave specifically to you to be an agent of change. 

Reason Number Three:

You are changing your family tree. Dave Ramsey from The Dave Ramsey Show a personal finance podcast, often mentions how going on the journey to live debt free will change your family tree for the better. The same analogy can be said when you go out on your own and start your own business. You are setting a trend in your family (maybe for the first time) to create financial security by starting and running a successful business. And if you are a women entrepreneur you are really changing your family-tree by starting your own business according to an article on Fortune.com. "Researchers found that almost 90% of women entrepreneurs expected their companies’ gross profits to increase or remain stable in the next year. More specifically, 61% expected profits to rise, compared to an average of 58% among all entrepreneurs".

It is easy to get down on yourself if you're not exactly where you want to be in your business or living the dream lifestyle you desire. The holidays can bring out the "comparison gremlins" to make you feel lousy. Don't buy into that trap. Take stock of your goals and keep taking one small step forward towards your destiny. I am here to help you reach those goals. If you need to delegate some items off of your to-do list take some time to jot down what things you are doing that are keeping you from focusing on your gifts and email me.

Happy Thanksgiving & As Always Keep It Sunny!

Are You Still Living Healthy?

2017 is almost over.

Did you keep your goal to live more healthy this year?

Don't feel bad if you went off track. As a busy entrepreneur, it can get really challenging to make healthy choices. Next week we will take a look at companies that offer healthy prepared meals delivered straight to your door. This might come in handy after eating all that Thanksgiving turkey. 

:)

Until then take a look at a previous post I wrote on fun options for staying healthy.

Keep It Sunny!