Archive for April, 2009

Leveraging Banking Relationships For Your Growing Business – Strategies For Success

By Cathleen Pratt

Why is this so important?

Building and maintaining adequate cash flow is obviously essential to keeping your business running, enabling you to meet your financial obligations, meet your payroll, accounts payable and loan payments. You may decide that in order to do this, you need to obtain a business loan in order to insure that you are able to maintain a steady stream of cash flow. The Relationship Manager can be the key to helping unlock your access to many of the banking products that you are seeking to help grow your business, such as:

· Most efficiently obtaining loans, mortgages, and lines of credit to help you purchase equipment, expand facilities, finance space, and more.

· Helping you to establish “lines of credit” which can enable you to finance your short-term business needs, giving you access to cash for one time expenditures (acquiring new business assets or receivables, for example) or long-term finances (like permanent working capital or cash flow management).

· Guiding you in obtaining Small Business Administration (SBA) loans, which can offer you the credit you need with lower than average down payments, longer repayment terms, and lower monthly payments.

· Helping to guide you through the bank’s offerings for obtaining Business Credit Cards, free Business Checking, fee-free transactions, reduced maintenance fees as well as special equipment leasing offers.

· Providing you with a set of cash management tools designed to make managing your business finances easier and more convenient.

The benefits of having one individual coordinate your business’ entire financial portfolio can prove to be invaluable in opening the possibility for obtaining better pricing, whether it’s through loans or deposits, because of the totality of your relationship. They can work on your behalf to internally persuade loan officers and mortgage lending professionals look at your total banking relationship, pricing your relationship with the bank as a whole, rather than simply by isolated transactions. This can translate into a great deal more leverage and open the door to preferential pricing on loan rates and mortgages, preferential CD rates, based upon the cumulative dollars you have invested within the institution.

However, beyond the obvious lie many other benefits that you may be overlooking, which can also prove beneficial as you build and expand your business empire:

· The Relationship Manager can provide you with valuable advice; knowledge of your total financial picture will enable your professional to give you guidance regarding financial planning, as well as improving your business structure.

· They have a strong working knowledge of the local marketplace and have internal and external contacts for both expansion and/or eventual sale of your business.

· They can help you to consolidate all of your business accounts, making it easier for you to review your business finances and facilitate wrapping things up during tax season.

Adding your bank’s Relationship Manager and their colleagues to your team can instrumentally aid you in building a successful business, leveraging your relationship and profitability, thus ensuring your solid financial future!

© 2008 Cathleen R. Pratt. All Rights Reserved.

Cathleen R. Pratt is President & CEO of The Revenue Generators, a South Florida firm specializing in coaching, marketing, communication and negotiation. She is the author of the soon to be released book “The Achievement Factor: Seven Strategies for Success in Weathering the Current Economic Storm”, which draws from her many years as a sales and marketing executive with ABC, CBS and The Discovery Networks International. Cate can be reached at http://www.TheRevenueGenerators.com

The Seven Speaking Sins and How to Gain Redemption

By Terri Sinclair

Speakers beware of the following seven sins.

1. Passively Pathetic Apologies that Deliver Disappointment

“Unfortunately”, “we regret to inform you”, and “sorry” (when you’re not) are inauthentic and delay acceptance.

Instead: State possible negative news neutrally.

2.  Informing that You’ll be Informing

I’d like to tell you; I’d like to ask you; I’d like to discuss with you; I’d like to remind you, etc.

Instead: Tell, discuss, ask, remind, etc.

3. Making the Point that You Already Made a Point

An audience that pays attention 100% of the time is unlikely. “Like I said before…” or, “For the second time…” may be true, and it doesn’t answer the question.

Instead: Your job is to answer again or devote more time off-line.

4. Generally Generalizing with Absolutes

“Always”, “never”, and “everyone” aren’t specific enough to give you credibility.

Instead: You’ll be viewed as more of an expert when you use specifics, facts, or averages.

5. Canceling the Comment with the incorrect Conjunction: “But” or “However”

Using the words but or however have the effect of canceling out whatever comes before each.

Instead: Use the win-win conjunction “and.”

6. Wimpy Words Weaken Your Wow Factor

We all know ums and ahs are weak, so are: just, might, maybe, rather, hope, and try.

Instead: When you aren’t sure, say: That’s still being researched, looked at, tested, evaluated, etc. Then, give a follow-up time or an estimate of a follow-up time.

7. Ditch the “Don’t” and Deliver the “Do”

“I don’t know” even when followed by “I’ll find out” emphasizes the don’t.

Instead: Find out who in the room wants to know and defer to an expert who is present in the room.  Or, you can follow up after the talk.

Copyright 2009, develup

Other articles are available at http://www.develup.biz

4 Reasons Speakers Hate Webinars and Why You Need to Get Over It

By Wayne Turmel

When most of us think about speaking professionally, we imagine being on stage in front of cheering people, looking up at us with tears of gratitude as we dispense our wisdom, motivation or sage advice. Then we wake up.

These days, you’re as likely to be invited to speak to groups over the web (usually for free) as you are to be asked to speak to the local Chamber of Commerce or Rotary club. There are two ways to look at this: either from a position of scarcity (“they aren’t paying for travel any more”, “they are too cheap to bring me in”)  or you can look at it as an opportunity to expand your brand and your business. One of these is infinitely more  constructive.

According to our research, there are 4 reasons speakers hate webinars:

1)    We don’t have a great relationship with technology

2)    The logistics of setting up a webinar by ourselves can be daunting

3)    We aren’t confident we can market them effectively

4)    Here’s the dirty little secret behind a lot of the griping- they aren’t nearly as much fun as being in front of an adoring throng of live human beings

The fact is that “webinars” are a great way to increase awareness of your expertise and your brand, expand your database and  create free content for your website.  The fact that they save a ton of money in time, travel and hotel room rental make them hardly the worst compromise you can make.

Technology

Most speakers have a love-hate (to be charitable) relationship with technology.  The idea of having to present while also staring at a screen and trying to remember which button to push, and what happens if it all comes crashing down, and I can’t see them and what kind of voodoo is this anyway… there’s no shortage of internal dialogue around the topic.

The fact is, that the technology component is not as big a deal as you’d think. The platforms are becoming more and more stable and intuitive all the time. Like most tools, it is a matter of using them until you become comfortable. Practice is critical- the first time you present your webinar should NOT be when you have live prospects on the line.

Logistics

The logistics of putting on any presentation are daunting, and when you add the unfamiliar technology component, it can seem like more trouble than it’s worth. Take the time to plan out your webinar from concept to follow-up. Give yourself plenty of time (we recommend 6 weeks for all the planning and other activities, but that’s just a suggestion). Remember there are 4 essential components to ensure you are moving your speaking business forward:

1.    The webinar is designed to move the right people to purchase your service.

2.    You integrate the plan with your overall website and marketing strategy

3.    When you deliver your presentation it supports your brand and makes you look like the professional you are

4.    Your follow-up is fast and professional and you SELL

Marketing Your Webinar

As with all marketing, you want to invite as many qualified prospects as you can. The nice thing about webinars is they lend themselves to electronic (mostly email and newsletter) marketing, which is time intensive but mostly free.

If you don’t want to rely on your own email list or database, a great technique is to partner with associations or organizations that regularly provide webinars to their members and are always looking for compelling, interesting (low-maintenance) speakers. Yes, they don’t pay but you do a lot of free speeches now to less qualified groups and you can do these without leaving home or even taking off your bunny slippers.

Finally, there is a lot of free marketing for these events available through social network tools like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and many others.

They’re Not as Much Fun As Face to Face Presentations

Nothing beats the energy of a live crowd. Applause is addictive. If you think of webinar presenting as sitting alone with a phone or headset talking to your laptop, you’re right. How much fun can it be?

If you look on this as a “necessary evil” or a bad compromise, you won’t have any fun with it. If, on the other hand you see it as just one more way to get your message in front of an audience your perspective will shift. The possibilities are actually many.

Hey, it won’t be the same as that conference keynote, but there are things you can do increase the interactivity of your presentation and make it closer to a face to face event. Some of these include:

a.    Use webcams

b.    Opening the audio lines to let people speak, comment and ask questions by voice

c.    Use interactive features like chat, written questions, polling and other tools (depending on your platform).

You’ll be amazed how willing people are to be part of the presentation and not simply passive observers.By increasing the interactivity you’ll find yourself enjoying the process more. Many presenters are surprised at how much fun they have presenting online.

At the very least, it won’t suck as badly as you think it will. I promise.

Whether it’s as lead generation, establishing your expertise, or driving people to your books, seminars or other products webinars are an important new tool in any speaker’s business plan.

You can hold your nose and do them reluctantly or you can see the possibilities, lower your stress level and have fun while building your business brand.

Wayne “The Cranky Middle Manager” Turmel is a speaker, writer and expert on web presentations and training through his company, http://www.greatwebmeetings.com. His book, “6 Weeks to a Great Webinar”, is the industry’s leading guidebook to putting on powerful marketing webinars. He’s also the host of The Cranky Middle Manager Show podcast, one of the world’s most popular management programs and can be found at http://www.crankymiddlemanager.com.

The Art of the Business Debt Deal

By Ken Thomson

I have attended a lot of seminars on “how to get paid.” It’s always important to figure out the mindset and methodologies of collectors and attorneys and to keep up with developments.

It’s a mantra with attorneys at these events that, before they file suit in a debt action, they always do their “due diligence”. Most of them will say this up front. By this, they mean that they find out beforehand if it is going to be worth their client’s money to go after the defendant firm. After all, if the assets are all tied up and the defendant company is on its last legs, there’s not much point in filing suit.

Collection attorneys have a different take on this than other legal professionals. Some of them run high volume operations and can live on the income from doing so, but the real money is in the percentage of the cash collected. They deserve this, because they absorb some of the risk of collection, unlike your general legal practitioner, who gets paid on an hourly basis no matter what, and may be satisfied with a judgment. I know this because I’ve frequently taken on clients with exposed, collectible assets, but where uncollected judgments are shown on their D&B credit file. Collecting money – post-judgment – can be challenging and general legal counsel are not always very effective in this endeavor.

In their drive to collect a commission, collection attorneys can sometimes overlook the fact that a judgment will push the firm into bankruptcy. I question the fact that they always do the “due diligence” that they claim they do. As a recent example of this, a business owner called us in for emergency help. The firm was at the end of its tether and owed a substantial sum to a supplier, which had resulted in a lawsuit. The plaintiff and its attorney were unwilling to accept anything other than the full balance claimed. No cents-on-the-dollar deal and no payment schedule, despite a full account of the debtor firm’s true situation.

The defendant firm was heavily indebted and on a knife edge with its bank loans. We informed the supplier’s attorney that a judgment would put it over the edge. But our settlement proposal was turned down. The disheartened business owner did not want to prolong the agony by retaining counsel to delay the inevitable. A judgment was sustained and, as sadly predicted, the big SBA loan was called. The firm was forced out of business and the bank claimed all the assets, leaving the plaintiff with zero.

The supplier cried loudly that his attorney should have advised him to accept our deal, the inference being that he had not adequately done his “due diligence”.

The key to resolving disputes, especially in crucial game-over situations like this, is to communicate with the plaintiff’s counsel the true facts of the case. He or she has to know – if they have not done their much ballyhooed due diligence – why your firm does not have the ability to pay the sum claimed in full.

Ken Thomson
Biz911, Inc.

Ken Thomson is the CEO and founder of Biz911, Inc., a business debt management and turnaround firm based in Wilmington, Delaware. He is the author of “The Battle Scarred Guide to Small Business Debt Relief and Recovery”, available at http://www.amazon.com. To find out more about how to protect and grow your business, check out http://www.biz911.com.

Is Your Accent Holding You Back?

By Nancy Daniels

In today’s multicultural world, many people are looking to eliminate their accent and I have a better suggestion. Instead of trying to get rid of your dialect or accent, why not clean it up?

You may believe that your accent is keeping you from getting the job you want or moving ahead in your career. In truth, it is more likely that it is not your accent that is holding you back, but your diction: the only problem with an accent is when others are unable to understand you. The question you must ask of yourself is whether you are being understood. Are your words intelligible? Do others often ask you to repeat yourself?

I have worked with many people who honestly do not recognize that they are not speaking clearly; hence, they are not being understood. You may be well understood by those in your own family or community, but on a larger scale, your dialect or accent may not be clear in a different locale, a different country or on a different continent.

I worked with a gentleman from South Africa who was temporarily living and working in Uganda. While his English was beautiful to hear, his co-workers in Uganda, who also spoke English, had difficulty understanding him. Many people are speaking English, but depending on where you were raised, your English may sound quite different than someone else’s English. And, over the phone, where much of your business may be transacted, your diction may be even more difficult to recognize because there is no visual picture to aid in the process or understanding.

The secret is learning how to control your speed and becoming more aware of how you sound and how you enunciate your words. If you work on those aspects of your speech, it will make a tremendous difference in your ability to be understood.

My clients speak more distinctly irregardless of their mother tongue because they learn how to control their voice, their articulation and their speed. While their voices definitely sound deeper, richer, and resonant, one of the many benefits of good voice training is that their diction becomes cleaner and they speak more distinctly.

Your accent or dialect is part of what makes you, you. It is part of your own individuality, part of that which makes you unique. Instead of trying to get rid of it or eliminate it, why not use it to your advantage?

There have been many famous actors whose accent only further enhanced their careers including Marlene Dietrich, Ricardo Montalban, Desi Arnaz, Ingrid Bergman, Charles Boyer, Arnold Schwarzeneggar, and Omar Shariff. In each of these cases, their accents added to their charm, to their attractiveness, to their abilities. In each of these cases, however, their diction was clear.

Remember, your accent is not holding you back – what is holding you back is your ability to be understood. Speak more distinctly and I guarantee your life will move forward in a much more positive direction!

The Voice Lady Nancy Daniels offers private, corporate and group workshops in voice and presentation skills as well as Voicing It!, the only video training program on voice improvement. Visit Voice Dynamic and watch Nancy as she describes Your Least Developed Tool!

Stop the Run-On Sentence in Public Speaking

By Nancy Daniels

While the spoken language is certainly less formal than the written language, the value of using good grammar when delivering your speech or presentation can be the difference between a successful performance and one that is less than stellar.

One of the most common mistakes I hear with younger speakers (and writers as well) is the use of the run-on sentence. What this means is that your sentences are connected to each other by the use of a conjunction, most notably the word and.

Example: The man was walking to the general store and he found the shivering dog limping by the side of the road and so he decided to take the dog with him and he trudged along carrying the emaciated mutt and then he finally reached the corner and he tied the dog to the post outside the store with a piece of rope he had found lying in the street and then he told him that he would be right back. [Don't laugh. I have heard something very similar from some of my students!]

The problems with the above sentence are several. By connecting all of your sentences with conjunctions, you have one incredibly long run-on sentence. A good English teacher would be quick to mark your sentence wrong; however, many of those younger than the baby boomers have had more attention placed on their science and math skills in school and less on their English abilities. This is a problem I have found primarily in American education.

Good speaking, as well as good writing, involves diversity in your sentence structure. While there is nothing wrong in using the word and to connect a sentence, connecting all of your sentences together is boring. Another problem with the above example is that all of the sentences begin with the subject and are followed by the verb. Certainly, not a problem if you are in the 3rd grade – a big problem, however, if you are hoping to become a successful public speaker or writer.

In the example below, notice the difference when you change the structure of the sentence and eliminate the excessive use of the conjunction and.

Example: On his walk to the general store, the old man found the shivering dog limping by the side of the road. He decided to take the poor animal with him. Trudging along, carrying the emaciated mutt, the man found a piece of rope lying in the street when he finally reached the corner. After tying the dog to the lamppost, he told him he would be right back.

While there is one and in the above paragraph, there are no longer 6. The use of conjunctions is part of good English. The use of excessive conjunctions is not.

Certainly, many of your sentences will open with your subject; however, both good speaking and writing skills involve variety. By beginning some of your sentences with prepositional phrases, subordinate clauses, participial phrases, and the like, your words will be much more interesting for your audience, especially important when you are using anecdotes in your material.

Variety is definitely the spice of life. Variety in public speaking can help make your delivery exciting. Stop the run-ons; improve your sentence structure; and, your audience will be most appreciative.

The Voice Lady Nancy Daniels offers private, corporate and group workshops in voice and presentation skills as well as Voicing It!, the only video training program on voice improvement. Visit Voice Dynamic and watch Nancy as she describes Your Least Developed Tool!

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Do You Know the Difference Between the Informative and Persuasive Presentation?

By Nancy Daniels

Whatever your reason for standing in front of an audience, it is important to identify your objective before you even outline your material. What is your primary goal? Are you being requested by your boss to give a report on your latest sales presentation? Are you taking a course in public speaking and it is your turn to deliver a speech? Maybe you are interested in pursuing public speaking as a career.

Some professional speakers will tell you that there are four reasons for public speaking: to inform, to persuade, to inspire, or to entertain. On the other hand, most college texts on public speaking will tell you there are only three reasons. They do not include speaking to inspire because that category will fall into either the informative or the persuasive category. [Public speaking as a means to entertain is not covered in this article because it is a topic unto itself.]

With the informative presentation, you may be teaching your audience about something, you may be talking about a death-defying experience, or you could be describing your business to your leads group. Whatever your subject is, your primary goal with the informative is to deliver a speech or presentation that is descriptive. Your objective is not to sell anything or persuade anyone, it is merely to teach or inform.

The informative presentation can have a number of main points, although most books will suggest that you should limit your main points to five. (Tell that one to Stephen Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People!)

With the persuasive presentation, on the other hand, your reason for speaking is to persuade your audience to agree with you. While this category may deal with an idea, a theory, or a product, your objective is to have your audience understand and agree with your point of view. You could be a lawyer giving the closing statement for your client. You could be a politician running for office. You might be an insurance broker explaining the value of life insurance. Or, possibly, you are a motivational speaker with an inspirational message designed to help improve the lives of your listeners.

In a nutshell, the persuasive presentation has the objective of selling something. As a persuasive speaker, you want your audience to agree with because you need their support. You may be trying to convince your audience of global warming or trying to explain to them that global warming does not exist.

Whereas the informative presentation can have a number of main points, the persuasive will only have two. The first point should deal with the problem that needs to be resolved, answered, or changed. The second will be what you believe is the answer to the problem.

Whatever your motivation with the persuasive presentation, it is of utmost importance that you are convincing. Your success will be determined by how effectively you can sway your audience to see the story your way. In addition, you may have books, CDs, workshops, or other products at the back of the room that you intend to sell.

You will be much more successful in public speaking if you know your objective and accomplish your goals the next time you stand in front of an audience.

Nancy Daniels is a voice specialist and president of Voice Dynamic. Working privately and corporately, she launched Voicing It! in April of 2006, the only video training course on voice improvement and presentation skills. You can watch clips from her DVD on her website, before & after takes of her clients as well as download more information on the speaking voice and the control of nervousness in public speaking. To see what voice training can do for you, visit http://www.voicedynamic.com

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3 Powerful Strategies For Growing the Creative & Conscious Business With Ease

By Kathy Esper

Welcome! I’m delighted you made your way to this report, which was created to provide the Creative & Conscious Entrepreneur with 3 Powerful Strategies to Grow Your Business with Ease.

These 3 strategies were created through witnessing what was not present for struggling clients, and when we developed these 3 areas, they were empowered to make different choices, take different actions, and experience growth in their Creative & Conscious business. This is what I want for you.

I will also share with you that I traveled this same path myself. So I can tell you from personal experience that developing these strategies will absolutely make a difference for you. You must be committed, and remember that when we bring something new into our lives, something else must go.

Be Conscious about piling more “to do” items onto your list. Getting caught up in the “knowledge” and “doing” is an unconscious habit from the old paradigm, and where many people get stuck making the shift. Remember, you now know that success in the new paradigm comes from exercising the nontraditional skills of Creativity while remaining Conscious.

Please note that these strategies are circular, not linear, and each strategy serves as a foundation for the one that follows. Because the Creative & Conscious business owner is always learning and growing, the cycle consistently restarts itself.

Powerful Strategy #1 Clarity and Confidence

One of the biggest culprits for keeping you stuck, in a rut, or feeling like you have much more potential than you’re expressing, is a lack of clarity and confidence. It’s one of the most common experiences of Creative & Conscious business owners making the shift, and it’s also one of the most hidden ones.

Many of us carry the fierce need to succeed into our business and relationships. This is really residue from the old paradigm, and those unconscious choices and actions impede business growth in the new paradigm. It is in this place that we find ourselves connected to the doing, without understanding the “Why”. Wisdom uncovered through disciplined skills development is what liberates you from this prison of the old paradigm.

It is only when you become completely clear about what your gifts and talents are, how they contribute to your clients, who the best clients are for you and why, that you develop the confidence to step forward into an increasingly stronger and healthier business experience, at a faster and faster rate. This is also the place where your clients step into better and better experiences faster and faster simply because of your positive impact on them.

This first Powerful Strategy is all about skill, and taking baby steps at first. Getting clear and confident also calls us to strengthen our patience. Obviously a quality that was not called for very often in the Information Age! Practicing patience can be tough, but hang in there, because while this doesn’t ever end, it does get exponentially easier as you develop your Creative & Conscious faculties.

Two of the tools that yield the greatest results for my private clients, and that I personally transfer into my own business, are Your True Values (originally developed by Coach University), and Discover Your Spine” (my own tool). I use them with my Platinum clients during retreats and the results are infectious! When you take your time and have some fun with these tools, they yield foundational clues that you’ll carry with you as you continue on your adventure of developing your Creative & Conscious faculties!

Powerful Strategy #2 Embodiment

If you choose to do just one thing differently as a result of reading this report, let it be to embody what you learn and what you are ready to create.

I CANNOT ENCOURAGE YOU ENOUGH TO IMPLEMENT EMBODYING INTO YOUR CREATIVE & CONSCIOUS BUSINESS.

The old paradigm, which is heavily weighted in knowledge and doing, prods you to get us much in as fast as you can! There’s often a sense of urgency and scarcity within this paradigm, and Creativity and Consciousness cannot live here.

The new paradigm is about embodying what you’re consciously creating. There is a huge difference between “knowing” the trend or concept, and really getting how it uniquely affects you and your business, and “feeling” it in your body, experiencing it. Embodiment is the way to move through obstacles you are guaranteed to encounter.

One of the reasons artists are able to create so consistently and expansively is that they understand and practice embodiment. Experiential learning is the only way I know to truly embody anything. Horses are our most powerful teachers of embodiment, because being in relationship with them requires this from us, and this is why Equine-Facilitated Learning Experiences are by far the best thing you can do to enrich your life and Grow your Business with Ease.

Horses are the most powerful models, mirrors and inspirations we have for embodiment. For many reasons, which scientific research has proven, these special creatures naturally bring out the best and the worst in us, powerfully showing us the energy we are expressing and infusing into our business. Just like your business, a horse will very clearly either connect or disconnect with the energy you embody.

A few reasons why embodying through experiential learning creates and sustains true shifts include:

* Like your brain, your body has memory too. When you embody what you are creating, you are able to rewire neural pathways

* When you are in relationship with sentient beings you feel what you are creating, which makes unconscious blocks conscious for you

* Embodiment requires present moment awareness, and challenges you to not miss a beat. This is the transformational place from business is Creatively and Consciously grown

* Embodying what you are creating allows you to choose differently, based on what you are Creating

* Embodiment makes clear the current relationship between the Authentic Self and the External Self, and how they are currently working together (or not) to impact the quality of results you create in your business

By nature, the tools and skills of experiential learning must be practiced. The only way to strengthen these skills is to by doing them (Hint: this is the Creative piece!). This is why I strongly encourage you to explore my experiential learning programs.

Learn more about regularly offered Equine Facilitated Experiential Learning and Coaching experiences. Private programs are customized, so we can both embody “outside of the box!”

* Experiential Learning Workshops without horses are also available

* Transformational Wisdom from Artists and Horses, my free weekly newsletter provides stories, tips & ways to embody your Creative & Conscious faculties

As you explore what’s available for you to embody more of your Creative & Conscious faculties, notice what resonates for you. And honor the value of this Action step (Hint: this is the Creative piece). While the old paradigm might dismiss the value of this Action, this subtle step is packed with tremendous power in the new paradigm.

Taking the smallest action is the challenge of staying in the present moment. It is through being present that you Grow your Business with Ease!

Powerful Strategy #3 Making Different Choices, Creating Different Results

I like to call this Powerful Strategy the dynamic intersection between Clarity/Confidence and Embodiment. My clients understand that the quality of the results you create is directly related to the quality of your experience. Another way to say this is that quality results are created when your Choices are made Creatively and Consciously, informed by your Clarity, impacting your Confidence positively, and propelling you into Embodying Right Action at any given point in time.

What I know is that this is an ongoing process that requires practice and patience. I also know that we do not make different choices and cannot create different results until we embody our purpose, priorities, standards and values. This applies to Growing Your Business with Ease, and you must be Creative & Conscious in order to do this authentically and effectively.

In order to thrive in the new paradigm, your Creative & Conscious faculties must be honed. In this paradigm, we operate from the present moment, which challenges us to be exceptionally aware of what is happening within us and within our environment. This can change in a second, and we are called to stay on top of it.

There is no way that someone can do this for you, or give it to you. The greatest tools you have for living Powerful Strategy #3 are instilling the discipline to regularly practice the tools in Powerful Strategy #1. Through direct coaching and learning experiences, what you are saying and doing at a deeper level is uncovered, liberating you to Create from a keener level of Consciousness.

I stand behind the Conscious Creative and I am committed to helping more of you Grow Your Business with Ease. And have fun in the process!

Copyright (c) 2009 Kathy Esper

For more information, please visit http://www.KathyEsper.com

Growing the Creative & Conscious Business With Ease

By Kathy Esper

Owning your own business is a challenge in its own right, and growing one that thrives in our current environment is even trickier. Those who are sowing the growth of their business in the traditional sense are getting stuck and creating not-so-desirable results. The practices that worked yesterday are not standing up in this new paradigm we find ourselves in. We see evidence of this in the breakdown of our society’s major systems, including, but not limited to traditional business.

From the systemic perspective, we consider the current breakdown to be an indication of what needs to happen next, pointing us in a new direction. Many thought leaders, including myself, feel very optimistic about this time we are in. The question is, will your business be able to create the breakthrough, to make lemonade out of lemons?

My work is very non-traditional, emergent and pioneering. For you to find your way here says a lot about who you are and your inherent potential. Simply because you found your way to this report, I believe YOU CAN CREATE THE BREAKTHROUGH necessary to Grow your Creative & Conscious Business with Ease. You can if your commitment is authentic.

In order to do so, you need a couple of things:

* (Conscious) Context – some background information, to help you understand what’s happening in the big picture

* (Creative) Authentic Commitment – to develop new skills – leverage uncommon tools – ignite internal and external inspiration – infuse true growth in your business.

Providing the Conscious Creative with this all-important information compelled me to write this report for you.

Reading this information, and transferring it into your business will open new eyes through which to see your world (invoking deeper Consciousness), and inspire new actions (igniting fierce Creativity) through which to experience that world. Are you ready, because here we go!

The All-Important Context You Need to Know

To put things into context, the bigger picture you need to be Conscious of is that our world is experiencing a paradigm shift. The way we conduct business and relationships is literally changing, as is evidenced in the breakdown of major systems (including business, political, marriage and social) in our society. What worked yesterday, is no longer working today. The bigger picture is that our Creative faculties, which have been suppressed, minimized, or ignored, now are being called forth in order to experience success in the new paradigm.

Global thought leader Michael Beckwith has called this a “birth” quake, because we’re giving birth to a new way of life, and a new way of conducting business. Those who are developing their Creative & Conscious faculties are leading the way in this paradigm shift, and they’re experiencing healthy growth in business that is not only sustainable, it continues to get better and better.

What is Really Happening This paradigm shift taking place is significant. Creative & Conscious business owners are experiencing explosive growth, indicating our movement out of the Information Age into what I am calling Creative & Conscious Age.

Think of this name as a working title, expressing this exciting and challenging time, where individual and collective inner and outer paradigms are shifting. It’s a bumpy ride, much like what people experienced in the transition from the Industrial Age into the Information Age. It is the people who are attending to and exercising their Creative & Conscious faculties who are leading the way and thriving through this transition, which is why I am here to help you develop those faculties.

The purpose for sharing this context with you is not to have you unconsciously jump on the bandwagon–which wouldn’t be creative by the way–but rather to help you get clear on YOUR Creative & Conscious role in the emergence of this new paradigm.

The Subtler Shift During the shift into the new paradigm, if you’re not growing your business effectively, you are most likely getting caught up in the “knowledge” and the “doing,” choosing and acting unconsciously, and suppressing the power of your Creative faculties.

Because the focus has for too long been solely on the bottom line, what’s happening now is we are in the process of moving o back to mutually beneficial value, and trusted relationships in business. As we do this, we need to be financially responsible, however, profit is not the only intention we have for our businesses, and it is not accomplished unconsciously.

As we move out of the old paradigm, where the meaning of relationship has been diluted, I believe that much of the systems breakdowns happening are a direct result of the breakdown of relationships, both personally and professionally. You see, relationship is intertwined with every aspect of our life, including our business. It is the essence of creating consciously, and the quality of our professional results is a direct reflection of the quality of our relationships.

When you are making choices creatively and consciously, you are more aware than ever of your power to create quality experiences for yourself and those around you.

Identifying the Creative & Conscious Business For years, I have boldly stated my fierce belief that Conscious Creatives fill the most significant role for our society and where we’re headed. They are truly the leaders in the new paradigm, and we are seeing that leadership expressed through the tremendous growth of the Creative & Conscious business.

So how do you know that you have a Creative & Conscious business? Do you want one? How do you build one?

Now that you understand the context of what is happening in the environment and your place in it, let’s look at some of the qualities that characterize the Creative & Conscious business.

You need to have both the Creative and the Conscious present in your business to succeed in this new paradigm. First, you want to be Conscious about what’s happening in and around you and your business.

It takes great courage to be aware and Conscious when you’re looking at your situation straight on, and challenge the assumptions and limiting beliefs that have up until now, held such a tight grip on you. It is often said that the radio is playing, whether you’re tuned in or not. When you have the discipline to develop the faculty of “tuning” in, you are rewarded big.

The Creative piece is the active piece, and it is the Creative instinct that unlocks your potential. Many Conscious business owners will go very deep into the reflective states, and do not take the proportionate or right action necessary to create new results. Consider for a moment the essence of creating. It is doing. If you are not in action, you’re not really creating.

It’s important to be connected to “why” you are doing what you are doing though. Creative business owners can make the mistake of “doing” unconsciously, and this does not work either.

The key is to develop both your Creative and Conscious faculties, and to have them work in partnership. It’s very much like the breath in and the breath out. One does not work without the other.

You are now more Conscious than you were when you started reading this report, because you have the context of what’s happening in the bigger picture, and you’re ready to Creatively discover how your business uniquely fits into that context.

Copyright (c) 2009 Kathy Esper

Kathy Esper is the CEO and Creative Director of Kathy Esper Enterprises. For more information, please visit http://www.KathyEsper.com

Conscious Business – Top 3 Signs of Positive Change

By Christine M. Kloser

Nothing endures but change. -Heraclitus

Yesterday, I had the honor of participating in two of my spiritual masterminds. One was with a group of fellow spiritually-oriented women entrepreneurs and the other was a one-on-on visioning session with a long-time friend.

The theme through both of these calls was change; deep, profound change. We listened to each other speak and could sense the emergence of someone new… someone who has evolved, grown and transformed. It was a glorious experience to be conscious of the change that had occurred in others, as well as ourselves.

These conversations, caused me to contemplate what change really looks like. If you’re like me, you may sometimes find yourself going through a personal transformation (also known as an AFGO – Another Faithful Growth Opportunity) without being fully aware of what exactly is evolving. Change without consciousness leads to fear. And, fear leads to a whole slew of other negative experiences.

The purpose of sharing these top 3 signs of positive change is to raise your awareness of what’s occurring within you. So as you transform (and grow) you’re conscious of what’s evolving… and have the ability to navigate through fear and welcome change with grace and ease.

1. Heightened Frustration – Who ever thought frustration would be a good thing?! Well, in this case it is. Because, if you’re frustrated with something in your life or your business, you’re experiencing it because something that used to work isn’t working anymore, or something that never worked is becoming totally intolerable. Bless your frustration and ask it to show you what’s changing? Frustration is a fantastic teacher to help you notice where your change is occurring and what you can do to move through it more easily. Adjust your relationship to that which is frustrating you, and you’ll see the gift of change waiting inside.

2. Highs and Lows – Change brings out a range of emotions that can be felt practically simultaneously. For example, you may find yourself being ecstatically happy one moment, and crying the next. This is a tell-tale sign of great change because as you come closer and closer to experiencing an inner shift, everything gets compressed. Emotions become stronger, they swing from lows to highs more quickly than usual, and you may be wondering what in the world is going on! And the answer is… change is going on! So, if you find yourself experiencing opposing emotions relatively close together in time, embrace them and let them remind you that you are going through a great change… and all is unfolding exactly as it’s meant to.

3. Seeking Solitude – Change requires a certain level of energy. Whether or not you are aware of the change you’re going through, your BEING knows what’s going on. And, as you expend energy in evolving and growing, a very natural response is to seek solitude. Just like the butterfly that goes through it’s most profound change in a cocoon of solitude, you may find your soul craving solitude as well. Keep in mind that solitude is not the same as isolation… if you’re isolating it’s because you don’t want to deal with anything, whereas if you’re seeking solitude it’s because you’re want to BE with yourself, in silence, in quiet, in peace. Solitude is a gift any time, but especially when you’re experiencing change the urge for solitude shows up to remind you to pay attention and nurture yourself as you grow.

Now that you’re aware of these three signs, I encourage you to notice them when they show up in your life, and acknowledge them for what they are. Give thanks for the change you are experiencing and allow yourself space to surrender, trust and embrace your next evolution. It is all good…

Christine Kloser, author of The Freedom Formula, helps small businesses put soul in their business and money in the bank. If you want to enjoy a purpose-driven business and a soulful life, send for my free Conscious Business Success Kit, which includes my report, How to Avoid the 3 Massive Mistakes Made by Conscious Entrepreneurs and audio, 7 Strategies Entrepreneurial Authors Need to Know Before Writing a Word, at LoveYourLife.com.