tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26320128044520801102024-02-19T00:18:38.079-05:00Awaken Dreams Success CoachingAwaken Dreams Success Coaching & Consulting ~ Lifestyle Business Design, Solutions & Strategy for Success Rebels. Dream. Decide. Do. Success YOUR Way.Debihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05277238068811242245noreply@blogger.comBlogger61125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632012804452080110.post-58373206641416385472015-03-17T03:09:00.000-04:002015-04-07T15:36:50.824-04:00The Practice That Skyrocketed My Productivity and Made Me (Almost) a Morning Person<div align="left" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">by </span><a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+DebiAuger1?rel=author" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Debi Auger</a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">All my life I've been a night owl. I love being out at night. I'd think nothing of taking off and driving an hour away to the ocean with my friends... at midnight. I often volunteered to cover the night shift at the hospital. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I just love being up and about at night when the rest of the world is asleep (or seems to be). I love the calm, peaceful quiet. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I don't know if it has anything to do with being an introvert, and preferring quiet to crowds and chaos. But it's how I've always been.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Even now, my most productive work time is usually in the middle of the night. It's the best time for me to work on things that require concentration and focus. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Screw the Early Bird</span></h2>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;">I always, unapologetically, roll my eyes when people say things like, "The early bird gets the worm." I don't actually believe that. I think we each... whether early bird, night owl, or something else... are most productive and function best when we listen to our own natural internal rhythms. </span></span><span style="font-size: large;">And, if you really want to annoy me, try telling me exactly what to do to "become a morning person" like it's some kind of friggin crowning achievement. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Why exactly do people think that morning people are better or more successful anyway? I disagree completely.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Incidentally, according to surveys, entrepreneurs are pretty much split down the middle, with half being morning people and the other half night owls.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">You want me to get up how early?</span></h2>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-size: large;">As you know, I've been through a lot with my dog, Niko. Well, at 16 years old, I'm just not sure how much longer I'm going to be blessed to have him. So after one of his health crises last year, we started a new morning routine because he now needs medications in the morning... and getting those down is easier said than done. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">But I've found a toasted PB&J usually does the trick rather nicely. So every morning we share a half PB&J... toasted so the crunch hides the pills I've tucked inside his pieces. And Mommy has her much-needed coffee. Did I mention I'm not a morning person?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I hang out in the living room with him while I enjoy my first coffee of the day, often sitting on the couch and having some "thinking time" because he likes to take an after-breakfast nap. Once I got used to his M.O., I'd often bring paper and a pencil down with me to do some work (yup... I do still love actually writing on paper). </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Taking It Seriously</span></h2>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-size: large;">A while back I stumbled across a beautiful purple quote graphic in my Facebook feed that really spoke to me, because I was struggling with some decisions at the time. I've since found the quote should be attributed to Katrina Mayer:</span></span><br />
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM8u-zC3ln1tmJaFVyfkMs0Ynv_RnoODCDJzJQ4euqyGAcXAg9F3uIGKVop3dopFeogw1uDdKrZjGy_g35rwfjYgPzvhsqounpVXHmNqc2zDMUNPdOAnrGcUS8jbt_VIxeyqrnA0ex8lAV/s1600/adsc-best-gift-time-alone-ask-listen-wo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM8u-zC3ln1tmJaFVyfkMs0Ynv_RnoODCDJzJQ4euqyGAcXAg9F3uIGKVop3dopFeogw1uDdKrZjGy_g35rwfjYgPzvhsqounpVXHmNqc2zDMUNPdOAnrGcUS8jbt_VIxeyqrnA0ex8lAV/s1600/adsc-best-gift-time-alone-ask-listen-wo.jpg" height="400" width="340" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">"<i>Often the best gift you can give yourself is time alone, some time to ask your questions and listen quietly for answers.</i>"</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Sometimes you discover just the right thing, at just the right time, and it hits you. My mornings haven't been the same since.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So many people extol the benefits of meditation. Well, I suck at it. I just don't seem to be able to quiet the chaos in my mind to <span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">accomplish being 'still' and 'present' with simply your breath and your inner self (hat tip to Debra Rock-Evans for the perfect description of the goal)</span>. The thought of starting my day with a centering exercise like meditation sounds wonderful, but it never materializes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">That quote gave me an idea though. I started looking at that "thinking time" that I was getting every morning, from a different perspective. I started using it strategically... as writing time. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It's perfect. It's quiet. I have a cup of coffee, sit on the couch in front of the bay window with the sun shining in, and I write. And it's wonderful.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I think I started sometime in November and I've accomplished more in these last few months than I probably have in the last couple of years!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I'm writing a book so most of the writing is for that. But I also use that time to write program materials and blog posts. And sometimes do strategic planning and work with sales funnels and product funnels. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It's proven to be the perfect time to dedicate to working ON my business, instead of IN my business. And I LOVE it. I look forward to it everyday. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Morning Person?</span></h2>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-size: large;">Nah. I won't go so far as to say that this has turned me into a bona fide morning person. After all, I'm sitting here writing this at 2am. That's typical. I've always been more of a wee-hours-of-the-morning person. I work in blocks of time, the last block being from around midnight until between 3 and 5am. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">But I'm looking forward to my writing time in the morning when Niko wakes me up around 9am.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Imagine. Me. Looking forward to getting up early (yes, when you go to bed at 5am, 9am is early)! And actually being super-productive. In the morning! Whoa.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It may not be meditation. But it's still a great way to start the day, feeling like you've accomplished something big.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Over to You</span></h2>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-size: large;">How about you? Are you a morning person or a night owl? Do you have a favorite time to work? Tell me in the comments.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br />Much Success,</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">P.S. Do you have a dog who sniffs out even the tiniest pill? Here's my secret... I make a slice of toast, cut it in half, use <a href="http://www.buyteddieonline.com/shop.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">natural peanut butter</a> and <a href="http://www.polanerspreads.com/products/polaner-seedless-red-raspberry-all-fruit/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Polaner Seedless Raspberry All Fruit Spread</a>, act like it's mine and he's sharing my breakfast, sneak pills inside his pieces. Voila! Works every morning.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00952589112903386924noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632012804452080110.post-52700987751290783112015-02-24T04:25:00.000-05:002015-03-15T22:51:20.085-04:00Helping Creativepreneurs Answer the Question... To B-School or Not To B-School?<div align="left" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">by </span><a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+DebiAuger1?rel=author" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Debi Auger</a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">If you're an entrepreneur and you've been anywhere online lately... even your own inbox... you've probably been inundated with promotions for Marie Forleo's B-School. Honestly, even though I know it's coming every February, I still get tired of having B-School promos coming at me every which way. No offense to Marie Forleo. I think she's an amazing person and very savvy businesswoman. I mean, a large part of the reason B-School is everywhere every February can be attributed to marketing genius. I have a great deal of respect for her and all that she's accomplished. And I'm sure that B-School is an excellent program.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">But... full disclosure... <b>I'm not a B-Schooler.</b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This used to bother me in a way. I felt like I was the only one in the damn world who had NOT done B-School. I came close to signing up a few times. But something always stopped me. I know enough about Marie Forleo to know that she knows her stuff, so it wasn't that. But there was "something." And I've learned to trust my intuition implicitly, so that "something" always kept me from clicking the Buy button.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">One thing that bothers me is that it seems to produce an extraordinary number of Marie-wannabes, with similarly-styled websites, saying very similar things. I'm sure with all the hard work she's done to build her brand, that it's not her intention, but it happens nonetheless.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">YOUnique</span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I've always been a bit rebellious; definitely not one to blindly follow the rules; and oh so not a follow-the-pack, cookie-cutter kinda girl. I like to do things my way. I'm different... and stubborn... and assertive. I'm ME! And I'm ok with that. And I want my business to express my unique personality. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">More importantly, I don't believe in one-size-fits-all solutions. It's just a fact... whether we're talking about online programs, medication, make-up, t-shirts, or even your morning coffee... <b>one size just does not fit all</b>. Something that works wonders for you, may not work at all for your BFF. That's just the way it goes. We all have to find what works for us. That's why there are so many variations of products and services to choose from in every imaginable market... and plenty of room for everyone. Choice is great. And you definitely have a lot to choose from when it comes to business programs, coaching and mentoring.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Maybe you're not quite sure if B-School is the perfect fit for you. Maybe you're hesitating because knowing that affiliates make a lot of money when people buy through them, makes you wonder if you're really getting an honest opinion. I'll admit the same thing crossed my mind, too. Unfortunately, I can't help you with that either, because I've never done it. However, <a href="http://marieforleobschool.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">the B-School website</a> has tons of information to help you see if it's right for you and make an informed decision. (No, that's not an affiliate link.) Trust your instincts.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Is An Online Program Enough?</span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">You may even be be wondering if you need to go to traditional Business School (also referred to as B-School). I'm here to emphatically tell you <b>"No." You don't need to spend tens of thousands of dollars to go to a formal business school</b>... unless you want to. I absolutely, positively did not want to. And I didn't.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I didn't start my own business because of a lifelong passion to do so. Even though now I wouldn't trade it for the world; it was done more out of necessity than by choice at first. Possibly because of how it happened, I approached online business differently than most creatives. I came at it strictly from a business perspective. The very first thing I did was make sure I understood exactly how the internet works; what that would mean for me as a business owner; and what I had to do or have for people to find me, and to succeed with an online business.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgJe-gI2cjhezrfLFKjjjv38Ri6djeONgwDAPRRgBNryzsGvbPUFtrYB5y7us3WLc5QuoJ03uDUR46ST5xRqcQvQtBBOK8fsbQ6PIy-Uo1_i0Q9BDyKu8WWfdqAyAVlDz3Q8ZDoRLChooB/s1600/quote-she-believe-she-sould-so-she-did-wo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgJe-gI2cjhezrfLFKjjjv38Ri6djeONgwDAPRRgBNryzsGvbPUFtrYB5y7us3WLc5QuoJ03uDUR46ST5xRqcQvQtBBOK8fsbQ6PIy-Uo1_i0Q9BDyKu8WWfdqAyAVlDz3Q8ZDoRLChooB/s1600/quote-she-believe-she-sould-so-she-did-wo.jpg" height="400" width="297" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
My entire education and background was in medicine. <b>I had no business education at all. Zero. None.</b> The thought of starting my own business never even crossed my mind until it became a necessity. And I had a lot to learn!! Luckily I'm a real DIYer and good at figuring out how things are made and done. (I get that from my Dad.) And, thanks to my parents, I also got an excellent education. So, even though I had no idea what I was doing, I knew how to find out what I needed to know, and how to learn. And learn I did. I've basically gotten myself a customized MBA. </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">And so can you.</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Today you can customize your own business education to exactly what you need for what you want to build and accomplish. And you can start your business, and start making money from it, as you go along. Then add to your education over time, as needs arise.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">But you have to know what you need, where to find it, and who to trust. I've done that work for you. I did the trial and error... a lot of it! I got duped (rather expensively!!) when I started my journey. I got pissed off, got over it, moved forward, and found the right peeps... awesome peeps... to learn from.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I've invested considerable time, effort, and money to learn what I needed to learn. And, as my journey progresses, I continue to invest in my myself and my business to build the business and life I really want... for myself, for Niko, for my parents, and for my contractors and future employees.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">There's a Revolution Happening. Will you be a part of it?</span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I'm disgusted with how most companies are run, with all the corporate greed and lack of ethics and integrity. I run my company the old-fashioned way... back <b>when people and loyalty mattered, and it wasn't all about the bottom line.</b> And I think the economy... and the world... would be much better off if more people did the same.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I strongly believe in lifestyle business, life on your terms, living life by design and taking control of your future.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I believe creativepreneurs are going to change the world</b> and I want to work with those who are truly up to the challenge.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAjhbmN6Av0FA1VtldkByhBcq1FLND-KWA6LrI6XiGvh8pjUHBfxPx_6K9VD-jptjUUNF9GDL5IsYAN_qOXmblpFMFqoH7niN45iJLtvo3XY9aC0rbZ-BYQ90sPV6r3IxgQJSUbfftIO9d/s1600/mma-painted-picture-p15.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAjhbmN6Av0FA1VtldkByhBcq1FLND-KWA6LrI6XiGvh8pjUHBfxPx_6K9VD-jptjUUNF9GDL5IsYAN_qOXmblpFMFqoH7niN45iJLtvo3XY9aC0rbZ-BYQ90sPV6r3IxgQJSUbfftIO9d/s1600/mma-painted-picture-p15.PNG" height="492" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So I also have an option for you... or at least I will shortly... it will be revealed mid-March. So I think it's only fair to let you know that, in case it sounds like something more your style. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">You probably know that I've recently pivoted to focus on working with Creativepreneurs. I've also been hard at work for the last few months putting together amazing services to specifically meet your needs, and a new website that's worthy of you. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">One of those is the <a href="http://bit.ly/1Bjo9qS" target="_blank">Creativepreneur </Catalyst> Lab</a>. If you're a Creativepreneur building (or wanting to build) <b>a lifestyle business that's uniquely and authentically YOU, and is the very essence of what success means to you</b>, you're going to LOVE this!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And <b>if you're an introvert like me</b>, it might appeal to you a lot more than joining thousands of clients in the B-School program and FB groups. Ours will be a much smaller, more intimate group.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">You see, one commonality in everything I do... whether it's my handcrafted jewelry, coaching, consulting, or research... is customization. <b>I love to offer custom, personalized, unique solutions.</b> I enjoy getting to know my customers and clients, and being able to do truly special work with, or for, them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>My coaching is all focused on what success means to YOU specifically, and what YOUR perfect lifestyle business looks like. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Success means different things to everyone. Yachts and million-dollar mansions may be some people's idea of success. For others it may be the freedom to do... and be... wherever they want, whenever they want. For many, it means spending more time with family and having the time to actually enjoy life. For you, it may mean a totally different combination of things.<br /><br />
And that's OK. It's YOUR version of success that matters. It's about living life on YOUR terms.<br /><br />
Abraham Lincoln famously said, <b>"The best way to predict your future... is to create it."</b><br /><br />
I want to help you do that. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I want to help you...<br />
♥ Dream... BIG!<br />
♥ Believe that if you can dream it, you can do it.<br />
♥ Define what success means to YOU.<br />
♥ Achieve it by planning out your unique path and taking action to make it happen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">One of the problems is all the "noise" out there. There's a shitload of information coming at us from every direction all day long, and no shortage of shiny objects to distract us. I get drawn in by them, too. I'm obsessed with online business, love learning all about it, and I'm infinitely curious, so it doesn't take much to catch my attention! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It's no surprise that most entrepreneurs, especially creatives, get stuck on implementation. Between all that outside noise and the creative chaos that's constantly happening in our own heads, it's a miracle we get anything done! Yup, it's one of my biggest problems, too. In addition to being a multi-passionate creative, I suffer from short-term memory loss. So believe me when I say everything is a struggle. <b>I'm just like you... overloaded with ideas and have lots of great ones, but struggle when it comes to getting those ideas out of my head, productized and available for sale.</b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I built the <a href="http://bit.ly/1Bjo9qS" target="_blank">Creativepreneur </Catalyst> Lab</a> with that in mind.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Want the Inside Scoop?</span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I'll have all the details for you mid-March, but for now, here's a quick run-down of what I'm building, so you can get an idea how it compares to B-School and other options you may be considering.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The <a href="http://bit.ly/1Bjo9qS" target="_blank">Creativepreneur </Catalyst> Lab</a> requires an initial year-long commitment. It's not just about marketing. <b>It's an all-inclusive, business-building lab experience designed for ambitious Creativepreneurs.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Success is not automatic and it doesn't come from listening or reading... it comes from DOING. And doing takes time. We've already discussed our common struggle with implementation. I'm really trying to make sure that the program and other lab content gets put to use so <b>it can change your life.</b> You need time to learn, implement, test, evaluate, improve and iterate. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">After the first year, you'll have the option to switch to a month-to-month membership, or you can renew for a full year and get 2 months free.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">That said, here's how it's gonna roll...</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Although there will be a lot of resources, and they'll continue to build over time, you'll be starting out with my <b>Creativepreneur S.U.C.C.E.S.S. System™ program </b>so you'll have guidance from Day 1, not just flounder around overwhelmed with all that's available to you. You'll follow the program and make use of extra resources if, when, and where you need them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">You'll have some prep modules, including one on Time Management, available to you right away. Then we'll be starting at Point A with a self-discovery and going all the way to the Point Z of replicating success. The journey will include things like finding your WHY (I'm kinda big on that), mindset work, setting you up for success, brainstorming, planning, executing your plan and evaluating outcomes. We'll be dealing with it all... branding, websites, SEO, marketing, etc. and using some other systems I've created like DREAMFIRE Master Planning™ and Multi-Faceted Monetization Models™.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And here's what it will look like and how we'll do it. You'll have...</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> • Private Membership Site with your own personal coaching area</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">• Creativepreneur S.U.C.C.E.S.S. System™ 7-Module Program</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">• Monthly Masterclass </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">• 2 Coaching Calls every month</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> 1 specifically for the Creativepreneur S.U.C.C.E.S.S. System™ program content</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> 1 that will be open for any questions you have</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">• Monthly Implementation Days</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">• Weekly Accountability Module </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">• Private FB Group</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">• Members-Only Forum</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">• Mastermind and Accountability Opportunities </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">• Resources on any topic you could possibly need</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">There will be some pretty fantastic bonuses included as well to further aid your success, but I'm keeping those under wraps for now.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This first launch is a pilot program. In exchange for your commitment to complete the program, give me feedback (like helping me set the module release schedule by telling me how long you feel you need for each one), and a testimonial (if you feel I deserve it), you'll have the opportunity to get in for the lowest investment ever. The next time the Lab opens for enrollment, it will be considerably higher.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">My passion is working with ambitious Creativepreneurs who want to build a lifestyle business. And I like getting down in the trenches, exploring opportunities, supporting you, and helping you navigate your journey, so <b>this is hands-on help. You and I are co-creators in this process. That's what coaching is, really... a wonderful, collaborative effort that gives you the support, accountability and guidance to achieve the goals you set. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It's not the kind of program where you're given the course materials, attend "coaching calls" that just regurgitate the materials back at you live, then you're more or less on your own to figure out how to apply them to your business. <b>This is a Lab. It's a hands-on, interactive 12 months of working on your business. I'm not an absentee coach. I roll up my sleeves and get right in there with you.</b> I'll be actively participating in the FB group. I'll be answering your questions on the calls.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I don't run group programs to be less involved with my clients. I do it because it allows me to help more people.</b> And I have an awesome coaching portal. So, even when you're in a group program, you have a private coaching area that creates a safe environment for you to explore possibilities and work out problems with me, separate from the group and more secure than email. I think this plays an integral part in the success that can be achieved when working with a coach. </span></div>
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Wanna Change the World? I Do!</h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I truly believe Creativepreneurs have the ideas and the power to change the world… one business at a time.</b> I'm creating the environment, tools, and resources we need to do it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Please rest assured that my goal with the <a href="http://bit.ly/1Bjo9qS" target="_blank">Creativepreneur </Catalyst> Lab</a> is not to make you a coach. That's not the only, or the most important, way to change the world. <b>You change the world with whatever gifts, talents and passions you've been given and by doing what you know in your heart you were put on this earth to do.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I'm a coach because <b>I have over 30 years of teaching, coaching and mentoring experience... 32 to be exact.</b> <span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">I've done this across a number of industries and organizations</span>, and I'm damn good at it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">You need to choose what (or what combination of things) you want to do. And whether that's a service business, a product/retail business, or a combination of the two (which, as you can see, is what I do), I've gotcha covered.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">You may also decide that B-School, or another program, is the best option for you. If so, great! I totally support you. I want you to do what feels right to you. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I want you to be successful and blissfully happy. And you need to work with the coach you feel can help you accomplish that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Besides, you can still come visit. You're always welcome here.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Much Success,</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00952589112903386924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632012804452080110.post-62787459133049057842015-02-13T20:15:00.000-05:002015-03-15T22:51:43.022-04:00Business is NOT a 4-Letter Word<div align="left" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">by </span><a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+DebiAuger1?rel=author" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Debi Auger</a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">You're probably wondering just where the hell I've been. The last post I published was called <i><a href="http://awaehqndreams.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-danger-in-being-passionate-about.html">The Danger in Being Passionate About Your Work</a></i> and it was about burnout. I had a severe case of it and, when I wrote that, thought I was headed for recovery. I was wrong. Turned out to be one hell of a year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So I needed to take some time; to really look at that; evaluate the situation; and be real about why it happened. That involved a lot of hard truths. I had to have some really painful heart-to-hearts with myself. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I had to sit my ass down and, like it or not, admit that working with artisans, just was not working out. As a matter of fact, it was frustrating me to bits, completely draining my energy, and was the main contributing factor to the burnout.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">A whole lot of soul searching and difficult decisions were made. I want to share them with you because they affect you. You've probably already noticed some of them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">For starters, I had to accept defeat and let go of the artisan organization and plans for a 100% handmade marketplace that I mentioned in the Burnout post. Unfortunately, the overall plan didn't gain traction and was turning into a lot of wasted time and money on my part. I knew the plan was sound, so I needed to let go of the project. It was one of the hardest things I've ever done. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I still love artisans and their work. I still love coaching artisans... and work beautifully with some of you. Some of you are the perfect clients for me to work with. And I've enjoyed seeing your progress.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">But, unfortunately, that's not typically the case. I usually end up feeling like I'm banging my head up against the wall. It makes me CRAZY when I spend valuable time working with a client and getting results (it does take a bit of time!), just to have them turn around and go right back to doing exactly what we agreed WASN'T working before! Not only does that negate any progress we made, but it wastes a whole lot of time and effort. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Similarly, there's been a scramble since Facebook essentially killed organic reach (was announced last fall). However, I've been talking about this... and solutions for it... for FOUR years! But most didn't want to listen... or take proper action. Now businesses are being lost. It's frustrating to watch.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">But too many are content to whine and set up Facebook groups that end up being nothing more than a perpetual pity party. Fine if that's what you want to do. But it's not going to change anything. You're complaining to the wrong people... to people who can't do a damn thing to change it. YOU are the only one who can change things for yourself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Life isn't always fair unfortunately. But it IS about choices. You can either choose to stay where you are, or to change. Accept responsibility for where you're at. Forgive yourself for it. Stop complaining. Stop hanging out with complainers. And create the life you really want to have! It CAN be done. And I want to work with those who are ready to do it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So I've created the niche I want to work in... <b>creativepreneurs</b>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">You'll see soon that I have a pretty broad definition of what a creativepreneur is, and it includes many industries. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The important thing to note is that my focus is on the <i><b>-preneur</b></i> part. I want to work with creatives who have, or want to have, a business and are willing to learn and do the work required to succeed. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I want to focus my energy on those of you who are serious about your business; the implementers and action-takers; the real go-getters among you; <b>those of you who are ready to kick ass, take names and change the world</b>. So now I'm also much more selective about who I'll accept for one-on-one coaching.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I'm looking for creatives who are willing to get down and dirty and do the work, because I want to see you have major breakthroughs, reach your goals and be wildly successful.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Success means different things to everyone. I want to get to know you, my true Creativepreneur peeps, and learn what success means to YOU. So I can help you achieve it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>And you CAN.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Because you know business is not a 4-letter word.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">You know that you need to get your ass out of your workshop and do business-generating activities if you want to have a successful business... and you're brave enough to put yourself out there!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">You also know that sales and marketing don't have to make you feel icky. (And if you don't, let's talk about that.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Honestly, I enjoy business stuff. I truly am The Online Business Passionista. <b>I LOVE online business and the possibilities it holds for anyone willing to embrace it.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I don't require that you love it. But if you're not willing to learn business, you WILL NOT find the success you seek. Because even though <span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">you don't have to<i> like</i> business, you do have to <i>do</i> business.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-size: large;">Over to you. All of this is for you. So talk to me. I'm listening. What do you need? What does success look like to you? Tell me in the comments below.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-size: large;">Much Success,</span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00952589112903386924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632012804452080110.post-12253052921397409202014-05-13T16:28:00.002-04:002015-03-15T22:43:00.358-04:00The Danger in Being Passionate About Your Work<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">by <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+DebiAuger1?rel=author">Debi Auger</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I was driving home from an appointment the other day, listening to music, happily singing along to Kelly Clarkson's "<a href="http://youtu.be/Xn676-fLq7I">Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)</a>." (I love that song and I was alone so not torturing anyone, LOL.) It was inspirational and uplifting actually, as I was sitting there thinking 'God I hope she's right!'... because dammit I'm lucky 2013 didn't kill me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">You see, there's an inherent danger in being passionate about what you do. It's called burnout. And it will kick your ass worse than an MMA champ in a title fight. Trust me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">You know I'm a multi-passionate entrepreneur and, rather than choose between (among??) them, I indulge and manage them. I'm a total Type-A, obsessively organized person so it works... at least until something gets knocked wildly out of balance and then, well... not so much. And that's exactly what happened back in October.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I'm super-passionate about my <a href="http://awaehqndreams.blogspot.com/p/work-with-me.html">work with creative entrepreneurs</a> and there's a special place in my heart for artisans. I am one. I'm the owner and designer at Designs by Debi. As part of that work and my work here, I've spent the last 9 years or so watching online handmade venues with interest.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Someone Else's Mistake Can Be Your Opportunity</span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The fact that they all seem to follow the same path, venturing down the slippery slope of allowing non-handmade categories (vintage and supplies usually), is a pet peeve of mine. So, for many years now, I've wanted to start an organization and marketplace. But it never seemed feasible... until October when Etsy released their new guidelines and ignited a firestorm in the handmade community. (Not giving them the benefit of links from this blog. Sorry. If you haven't already seen/heard about it, just Google "new etsy guidelines".)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I had <a href="http://awaehqndreams.blogspot.com/2013/03/having-etsy-shop-does-not-equal-having.html">noticed the changes going on at Etsy</a>, but even I was shocked that they were now openly allowing... right in their guidelines... exactly what sellers have been complaining about for years! I actually thought it was a joke when I first saw it. And, once I saw it wasn't, I was livid that a company that made its name as "The place to buy and sell handmade" was now selling out the artisans who rely on them and built them into who they are! Wow.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Long story short (more will come in later posts, I promise), it was time. Now there was a legitimate need for what I had been wanting to do all these years. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Some people go into "holiday slow mode" and take it a bit easy at the end of the year. Then there are those who consider it a challenge to see just how much they can get done before year end. Two guesses what group I fall into.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And I'd have to add that to an already-full plate, topped off by the fact that we were heading into the holiday season. If you're an artisan, you know what chaos that brings... trying to balance wish lists, get-togethers with family and friends, and your own holiday shopping (yeah, right!) all during your business's craziest time of the year! It can exhaust even the strongest among us!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">But I was passionate about this.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I wanted to do this.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I've been waiting YEARS to do this.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So I did it. I took it on. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Don't get me wrong, I am blissfully excited about this. It's been a dream for a long time. However, it involves an incredible amount of time and work. But I was off and running... grabbed all the notes I'd been making over the years, put things in motion, got <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/493772490722058/">a focus group</a> going, decided to start <a href="http://www.sriahb.org/">the organization</a> first as a movement to run a marketplace from, designed the branding, built a website... and on... and on... and on...</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">And THAT is one of the ways being passionate about your work can kill you. </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">You love your work so much and you're so excited about the many (hundreds??) of projects you're working on, you don't even notice the symptoms. There are so many things you want to do. You think you're Wonder Woman. You think you can do it all. You work umpteen hours a day, burn the candle at both ends (maybe sometimes even in the middle!), you sacrifice self-care for more work hours and then...</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">you CRASH. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Hard.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And that's exactly what happened to me. Once the holidays were over, I was exhausted beyond words. So I decided to lighten the load by limiting the amount of input I was getting blasted with on a daily basis. I went on a "digital diet" from January 1st - 6th so I could focus on my work and plans for the year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It was too late.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It didn't help.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">As days went on, the exhaustion expanded and I completely crashed. Burnout came in a take-no-prisoners kinda way and steamrolled right over me. I got so sick, I spent most of the rest of January in bed. I probably should've been in the hospital. But then I wouldn't have been able to work (EEK!!). Yes, ignore the fact that that should've been the whole point.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I'm certainly not perfect. I push the boundaries of entrepreneurship... and myself... to the extreme sometimes. I should know better so it's embarrassing in a way. This time I let people down. I didn't show up for things. I didn't meet deadlines. Most of them were self-imposed, but it doesn't matter. It killed me inside. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And that made the problem worse.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Then I read <a href="http://www.chrisducker.com/burnout-round-two/">a post by Chris Ducker about his own recent battle with burnout</a>, and, admittedly it helped me to know that someone I look up to had just went through the same thing... it helped me stop beating myself up for "letting it happen." I was so impressed with his transparency and the fact that he cared enough about his readers to share this in hopes it would help us, that I wanted to do the same for you; to write about my experience. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">But I couldn't seem to get anything done. I'd sit at the computer, but nothing would get accomplished. I'd just stare at the screen, depleted of energy, completely lacking ambition, and totally worthless. Then I'd fall asleep... sitting up! </span><br />
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-size: large;">And, just when I thought things couldn't get any worse, all this was compounded by the deaths of two close family friends, and a medical emergency with my dog during which I almost lost him, too! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Honestly, by the end of March I was wiped out. I could barely see the light at the top of the chasm I had fallen into. It's like I've been on a non-stop, 6-month roller-coaster ride and I'm only now... finally... starting to feel noticeably better. And we're in MAY. I've lost almost 5 months of the year for God's sake! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So, as embarrassing... and humbling... as it may be to publish this post, I'm doing it because:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">• I'm hoping you can learn from my mistakes</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">• If it has happened... or is happening... to you, I don't want you to be embarrassed or feel alone, </span><span style="font-size: medium; text-align: -webkit-auto;">and</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">• If it happens to you in the future, you'll know where you can find someone who understands.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">An Ounce of Prevention...</span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I sincerely hope it never happens to you so let's look at some ways to prevent it and to recover from it (just in case... better safe than sorry). And I'll share some mistakes I've made, lessons learned and things I'm trying.</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/goog_235408075"><span style="font-size: large;"><span id="goog_235408076"></span><br /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here's a great infographic by <span id="goog_235408077"></span><a href="http://thesimpledollar.com/">TheSimpleDollar.com</a> with ways to avoid burnout:</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.thesimpledollar.com/burnout/"><img alt="Six Ways to Avoid Burnout" border="0" src="http://www.thesimpledollar.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/120501Burnout.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Let's Set Some Goals</span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I'm a work in progress and I make a lot of mistakes. But that's all part of learning and figuring it out, right? Here are some things I know I need to work on to prevent this from happening again.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>1. Take time off <i>and</i> time to take care of myself</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCFYFlwGH6M9eL1_rgFFmONYHJCM6X0GVq1TlURqaR1Q1zADAEWXMSCrQ-_Y3r3RUI4g0YGwg7az_cPwf6d_-1C2TGwiO28tUQawbfZmlRryQFAztPqbMUqchGEftf1qILbX2iv4fd9Ikn/s1600/quote-refill-your-own-cup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCFYFlwGH6M9eL1_rgFFmONYHJCM6X0GVq1TlURqaR1Q1zADAEWXMSCrQ-_Y3r3RUI4g0YGwg7az_cPwf6d_-1C2TGwiO28tUQawbfZmlRryQFAztPqbMUqchGEftf1qILbX2iv4fd9Ikn/s1600/quote-refill-your-own-cup.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">I had started taking Sundays off, a "free day" to do fun stuff. Of course, that was the first thing to go when I took on all these projects. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 22.399999618530273px; orphans: auto; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;">✔</span></span> <span style="font-size: medium; text-align: -webkit-auto;">I've started getting back to that.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCFYFlwGH6M9eL1_rgFFmONYHJCM6X0GVq1TlURqaR1Q1zADAEWXMSCrQ-_Y3r3RUI4g0YGwg7az_cPwf6d_-1C2TGwiO28tUQawbfZmlRryQFAztPqbMUqchGEftf1qILbX2iv4fd9Ikn/s1600/quote-refill-your-own-cup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></a><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Self-care also suffered a lot... I wasn't getting anywhere near enough sleep. Health concerns went ignored. Exercise stopped.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: medium; line-height: 22.399999618530273px; orphans: auto; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: auto;">✔ </span><span style="font-size: large;">Three long-overdue doctors appointments taken care of last week. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 22.399999618530273px; orphans: auto; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;">✔</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"> Weather is getting nicer so Niko and I can start walking again.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 22.399999618530273px; orphans: auto; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;">✔</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"> DIY'd my Incline Trainer into a treadmill desk (more likely to walk longer if I can work at the same time).</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Pretty much anything that took time away from work suffered (except for Niko bless his heart and thank goodness I have him).</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We all need to take time to show ourselves some love and refill our cup. Learning that, by doing this, I can show up even better for my clients gives me the incentive I need.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>2. Say NO more often... and don't feel guilty.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This is waaaaaaaay tricky for me, especially when things are being asked by people I like, or I'm really passionate about the issue/need in question. So I need A LOT of help with this. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: medium; line-height: 22.399999618530273px; orphans: auto; widows: auto;">✔ </span><span style="font-size: medium; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Have my goals and plans for the year, and help to say 'no' to the things that don't align with them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here are some great articles that I found useful in case you have the same problem:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">• <a href="https://medium.com/1000-stories/4f100a9d8099">Say “NO” more: Life hacks for people pleasers who want to get shit done</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">• <a href="http://lifehacker.com/5875337/how-to-say-no-without-being-an-asshole">How to Say No (Without Being an Asshole)</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">• <a href="http://zenhabits.net/say-no/">7 Simple Ways To Say “No”</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>3. Stop trying to do everything myself</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I did everything myself (except for having an accountant) for way too long. I realized I just couldn't anymore. Not only is my health at risk if I continue this way, but I have goals for a 7-figure business and I just cannot grow my business any more without bringing more help on board. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">Since the fall, I've added 2 people to my team... </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: medium; line-height: 22.399999618530273px; orphans: auto; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: auto;">✔ </span><span style="font-size: large;">a bookkeeper </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: medium; line-height: 22.399999618530273px; orphans: auto; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: auto;">✔ </span><span style="font-size: large;">and a Virtual Assistant. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">And I'll be adding more soon. (Better late than never.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I want to give a shout out and big thank you to Chris Ducker for essentially creating a step-by-step guide for outsourcing with his book "<a href="http://www.virtualfreedombook.com/">Virtual Freedom</a>" that came out in April. It's getting put to good use.</span></div>
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<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Business Review</span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In light of those 3 new priorities, I've also been making changes in my business. I've had to accept the fact that I can't do every single thing I want to do... at least not right now; especially since I have a bad habit of trying to do them all at once. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">So I've been re-evaluating everything; deciding which things will move forward now; which things will wait; and which ones just won't be getting done at all. It's not easy, there have been some tough choices to make. But thankfully I'm still here to make them ;-)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">More Help...</span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">To help us in our endeavor to keep burnout at bay, I started <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/debilee01/burnout-~-avoiding-and-bouncing-back-from-it/">a Pinterest board with resources to avoid and recover from burnout</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The book "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/High-Octane-Women-Superachievers-Avoid-Burnout/dp/1616142200/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1399934460&sr=8-1&keywords=high+octane+women">High-Octane Women: How Superachievers Can Avoid Burnout</a>" by Sherrie Bourg Carter has been put at the top of my read-ASAP list.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">...and a Bit of Serendipity</span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">And I have one more for you!! I hopped onto Facebook to quickly share a resource with one of my groups this morning before publishing this post and I was met with this beautiful image from my friend Carey at the top of my newsfeed:</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="http://www.joycleanse.com/"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp8Qof2DE-tJqYuy-Y4P8OIxrPk5GgnNa_AVhGR0N9vDoP4ZBVNL0UP2_N4Jrr8NAXLUDBITcUr-o00ftHTxl0Ir0uisK6MRgyS5pyfb7900N9OgYEXJth8HZHEX5B1xRd2AxRcn1Ek7Ys/s1600/joycleanse2014.png" height="144" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.joycleanse.com/">© Carey Kingsbury - used with permission</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Some of you may recognize Carey's name because she's one of the health referrals I give to my clients when we discuss self-care for entrepreneurs (because as you can see <i>that</i> is not my specialty).</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Have you ever read the book "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/When-God-Winks-You-Coincidence/dp/0785218920/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1400000726&sr=8-1&keywords=when+god+speaks+to+you">When God Winks at You: How God Speaks Directly to You By the Power of Coincidence</a>" by Squire Rushnell? Personally, I'm in agreement with <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0364845/faq#.2.1.2">Gibbs' Rule #39: There's no such thing as coincidence</a>. But I'm extremely intuitive and I trust that implicitly. And I've learned to watch out for these "coincidences" even more so after reading that book.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">In light of that, I'm taking part in Carey's <a href="http://www.joycleanse.com/">Joy Cleanse</a> because it sounds like just what I need to reset myself after this ordeal. I'm sharing it with you because maybe you</span><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-size: large;">'re exhausted, frustrated and mucked up with pain and lack of energy, too.</span></span><br />
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-size: large;">It appealed to me because it's not just a cleanse of the body like you normally hear about; it also targets your mindset and helps you get your mind, body and soul back into alignment. Quoted from Carey's site: "It's a fifteen day guided cleanse (5 days eating + juicing, 5 days juicing, 5 days eating + juicing) designed to raise your alkalinity, give your body the nutrition it craves, and clear out the gunk in your body and mind so that your soul can come out to play!"</span></span><br />
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-size: large;">I LOVE that... "</span></span><span style="font-size: medium; text-align: -webkit-auto;">so that your soul can come out to play!" I think it sounds perfect for me right now and a great way to start fresh and prepare to deliver all the greatness I have planned for you this year. Wanna join us? <a href="http://www.joycleanse.com/">Have a look</a> and see if it's right for you. (and no, that's not an affiliate link... just sharing what I'm trying to get myself back on track in hopes it could help you, too ;-) )</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">How About You?</span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Have you ever experienced burnout? What do you do to prevent it or to recover from it? Share in the comments below and we can help each other.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Much Success,</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/blog-challenge-day29/" target="_blank">Day 29 Challenge</a>: </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>"</i></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><span style="orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;">What does your blueprint for living the dream look like to you?</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/blog-challenge-day30/" target="_blank">Day 30 Challenge</a>: </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>"</i></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><span style="orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;">Tell me how the 30 Day Blog Challenge has helped you to create freedom in business and adventure in life<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">."</span></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Have You Been Doing the Challenge?</span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">If so, here are some additional questions Natalie asked on Day 29 that will probably be helpful for you to answer as well:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> • So what does living the dream REALLY look like to you?<br /> • What do you want in your life beyond all certainty?<br /> • What’s a non-negotiable you are not prepared to give up for anything else?<br /> • What don’t you mind forsaking in return for having more of something else?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">How Did It Help Me?</span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I've not had time to put together a proper, snazzy Painted Picture slide show to share with you because of Niko's surgery. Customers and clients need to come first in my limited time right now. But I do have it in my head, jotted down and sketched out on papers and documented in Evernote. I'm very excited about it and working on it every spare moment.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Doing this 30 Day Blog Challenge really did help me clarify it even more.</b> And the fact that I've been doing a re-brand at the same time, though a bit overwhelming, actually proved to be quite <b>helpful and synergistic</b> - which was my hope when I signed on to take part in the challenge knowing what was already on my plate.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I made <b>a commitment to really embrace this challenge</b> because, having already read <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Suitcase-Entrepreneur-freedom-business-adventure/dp/0473251248/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1379139012&sr=1-1&keywords=the+suitcase+entrepreneur" target="_blank">Natalie's book</a>, I knew it would really help me stay focused and work things out. I'll admit that blogging every day (which I ultimately didn't do... I combined many into longer posts) wasn't easy. It's way more than I usually blog. But <b>this journey has been enlightening, exciting and quite enjoyable.</b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I took advantage of the challenges to do some real <b>soul-searching, dig deep, and be honest with myself.</b> I <b>looked at my "why" and the big picture for my business, worked through my re-brand, planned out my offerings and came up with amazing ideas for Awaken Dreams</b> which have gone into planning mode and are well on their way.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I was able to <b>envision and describe <a href="http://awaehqndreams.blogspot.com/2013/08/you-cant-get-where-youre-going-if-you.html#.UjP-mMb_lD4" target="_blank">my Perfect Day</a> in much more detail than ever before.</b> It's so inspirational that I've printed it and put it on the magnetic white board in my office where I'll see it daily.</span></div>
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<span style="orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">What's Your Take on This?</span></span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">There's a <a href="http://ispot.tv/a/7bxi" target="_blank">TV commercial from Prudential</a> airing in the US right now that's making me crazy! Here's why. Here are the 3 questions posed in this commercial (which you can watch below):</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> • "If you could get paid to do something you really love, what would you do?"</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> • "What if I told you someone could pay you and what if that person were you?"</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> • "When you think about it, isn't that what retirement should be... pay ourselves to do what we love?"</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">First, let me ask you...</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">What are your answers to these questions? </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And how do you feel about them... <b>especially that last one?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">What You Won't Catch Me Doing</span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I'm all for re-inventing yourself, even if it is only when you retire. But I say... <b>why wait?!?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I'm NOT waiting.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I'm planning my retirement now. Let me re-phrase that... <b>I'm planning <i>on living</i> my retirement now. While I can. While I'm young enough to enjoy it. While I'm still living.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">I Will Not Be a Statistic</span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">How many times have you heard of someone who retired then died shortly thereafter? Or just before they were due to retire?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I've heard it so many times! Again just the other day. Then I saw the above commercial. And it pissed me off.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>There's no reason, especially with all the tools at our fingertips today, why we should have to wait until retirement to do something we love and enjoy ourselves.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So I don't care if you do want to be a writer, a baker or an architect... or a jewelry designer or a watercolor artist... or a suitcase entrepreneur like Natalie. <b>Do it NOW.</b> <b>Harness the power of the internet, take control of the steering wheel and plot the course to your dream... whatever it may be.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">That's what I'm doing. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I LOVE what I do</b>... ok, correction <i>all the things I do</i>. I'm one of those multi-passionate entrepreneurs, ya know. (I bet deep down you are, too.) And <b>the final pieces of the puzzle to be put in place are my relocation to Hawaii and the marked expansion of my business and charitable foundation that will happen once I'm there.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>That IS my retirement.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I don't sit here dreading the "daily grind" and dreaming about the day I can finally quit working. <b>I'll probably <i>never</i> quit working... because my work doesn't even feel like work! I can't wait to get out of bed and get started every day.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">What Is A Lifestyle Business?</span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I've decided that <b>the traditional, delayed gratification model of retirement doesn't work for me</b>. I prefer the idea of a Lifestyle Business. <b>My definition of Lifestyle Business and Success</b> (as you'll see in my new header up top soon if it's not there already) <b>is the same... having a business doing what you love give you the lifestyle that you want.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">As I said earlier, I'll probably never fully retire. I love what I'm doing so <b>I've decided the Lifestyle Business model works better for me.</b> My business is <b>location-independent</b> enough for my needs. (It would be 100% if it wasn't for the inventory necessary for Designs by Debi.) I have a <b>flexible schedule</b>. I get to <b>enjoy my environment 24/7</b> and <b>can even work outdoors</b> if I want. And, <b>as I grow my business and my team, I'll be able to have even more free time and flexibility</b> in my schedule if I want it. That <b>will most likely translate to being available to do more volunteer work for my charitable foundation. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The more my plans come together, the more excited I get and the happier I am.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Does This Sound Interesting To You? </span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Are you a creative person with a new entrepreneurial creative career just waiting to burst out of you?</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Does your heart sink when you think you might have to wait until you retire to really indulge your creative side?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Well, pick your heart up off the floor so the two of you can have a little dance because <b>there's no reason for you to wait! </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>You can start right now. Right here. Today. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">You see, <b>all it takes is a choice.</b> Yup, that's right. All you need to do is <b>make a conscious decision to give it a shot.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">You don't have to run out and quit your day job. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">You don't have to spend every non-job-working, waking hour on it to make it happen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And you don't have to commit to a life of poverty either. (FYI --> We're going to blow that "starving artist" myth straight to hell.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">You do have to want it... <i><b>really</b></i> want it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">You do have to carve out time to work on it. Even a couple hours each week of forward progress is forward progress!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">You do have to work hard during those hours.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">You do have to learn business stuff... and, yes, DO business stuff. At least for now.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">But <b>if you want it, you CAN do it.</b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Help Is On The Way</span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Very soon, I'll have some <b>great tools to help you.</b> There's a lot going on behind the scenes here and <b>there will be an explosion of activity with amazing stuff for you this fall.</b> So be on the lookout and <b><i>get on my list</i>,</b> too <b>so you'll be the first to know and take advantage of special deals!</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I hope you enjoyed following this challenge, that I was able to give you some teachable a-ha moments and that it was helpful. I'd love to hear your thoughts about it AND what you came up with for yourself if you did the challenge. So let me know in the comments below or shoot me an email if you prefer to do it privately.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Much Success,</span><br />
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<a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="30 day challenge" src="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/wp-content/uploads/blogchallenge/30daychallenge300x125.jpg" /></a>I'm writing this post as part of Natalie Sisson's <a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/" target="_blank">30 Day Blog Challenge</a> during which I'll follow the path she's laying with inspiration and challenges for daily blog posts. I hope you'll enjoy coming along on this journey and share your own in the comments every day. If you'd like to participate in the challenge on your own blog, just click one of the links <a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/" target="_blank">here</a> and you'll be taken to the page with all the details. </div>
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Debihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05277238068811242245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632012804452080110.post-80736685155933531112013-09-05T20:28:00.000-04:002014-03-14T14:50:52.039-04:00Minimalist? Uh... No. Moving 5,000 Miles Away to the Most Isolated Land Mass in the World?... Hell, Yeah! - 30 Day Blog Challenge - Days 25, 26, 27 and 28<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">by </span><a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+DebiAuger1?rel=author" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Debi Auger</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/blog-challenge-day25/?inf_contact_key=577c43c1320fadb87e661b57a894c3c995f9487a31ae46c2de56a5cfc760c117" target="_blank">Day 25 Challenge</a>: </span><i><span style="font-size: x-large;">"</span></i></span><i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="line-height: 22px; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;">What skills do you need to build or refine to be a happy Suitcase Entrepreneur?</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"</span></span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/blog-challenge-day26/?inf_contact_key=b5eb540e2de2be6b9bf6097d1033e3886a12aa5b4c9f9319704eb1eb0a2bbb44" target="_blank">Day 26 Challenge</a>: </span><i><span style="font-size: x-large;">"</span></i></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><span style="orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;">Could you live a minimalist lifestyle? Why or why not? OR What does minimalism mean to you in the context of your ideal lifestyle?</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/blog-challenge-day27/?inf_contact_key=255fb1a4157cf63519cf9322936e4c46018dff584b783145df7f5f3d73cd347b" target="_blank">Day 27 Challenge</a>: </span><i><span style="font-size: x-large;">"</span></i></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><span style="orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;">What’s your best travel hacking story to date (where you scored a free upgrade, used miles or just got a bonus perk) OR Name 2 ways in which you’re going to become a savvy travel hacker in the next 6 months.</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/blog-challenge-day28/" target="_blank">Day 28 Challenge</a>: </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>"</i></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><span style="orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;">What travel tools and services are most important to you when taking your business abroad?</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Yes, that's right </span><b style="font-size: x-large;">I'm preparing to pack up myself, my dog Niko and our belongings and move 5,000 miles away</b><span style="font-size: large;"> from where I've lived all my life </span><b><span style="font-size: large;">to the most isolated inhabited islands on earth... the beautiful islands of Hawaii. And </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">I. Can't. Wait.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ0MoFgViicT7-4ntB8Am5j1PT3mMIk72PqYF45HKKh91EYXGjDHHGomiYxj8IJ1CmN2w5MtqNJ9t2fNT3-gF2P6OAgnCpTRBiSq44XACy5qb4nbcbgpnJl8jNKKxoHUerQzHQMcVYT3w/s1600/debi-n-niko-brenton-point-quote-girls-best-friend.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ0MoFgViicT7-4ntB8Am5j1PT3mMIk72PqYF45HKKh91EYXGjDHHGomiYxj8IJ1CmN2w5MtqNJ9t2fNT3-gF2P6OAgnCpTRBiSq44XACy5qb4nbcbgpnJl8jNKKxoHUerQzHQMcVYT3w/s400/debi-n-niko-brenton-point-quote-girls-best-friend.jpg" height="400" width="357" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">As much as <b>I enjoy following Natalie's travels</b> and watching her videos and photos from all over the world, <b>I don't plan to follow exactly in her footsteps</b> of Suitcase Entrepreneurship. <b>I rather like having a home base</b> and, for the most part, I'm also quite the homebody. <b>My favorite "job" is Eskie Mom to Niko and I'd much rather live in one place with him than travel extensively without him.</b> He brings an <b>endless amount of joy</b> into my life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And I do work at home now. The days of leaving him for 12+ hour tours of duty at the hospital are over. <b>I have my own business, work from home and get to spend all day with the little guy.</b> Quite a nice change actually.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And that's why <b>it makes perfect sense for me to relocate now.</b> I've <b>wanted to live in Hawaii since the first time I visited in 1987. </b>It's been a long time coming. Moving to Hawaii is <b>my version of Suitcase Entrepreneurship, location independence and having a lifestyle business. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Because of the freedom I've built into my business, I get to enjoy my environment 24/7.</b> So although it's quite expensive, being able to enjoy it all day every day makes it <b>well worth the cost</b> in my opinion. <b>It's my "retirement" plan... and, in true lifestyle business fashion, I'm taking it while I can enjoy it.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Right now I'm in Rhode Island. I hate it here. It snows here. I hate snow. The only reason I'm here is because I was born here; my family is still here (I love them with all my heart - leaving will not be easy); and I didn't have the freedom (school, job, career, ex-husband...) to live where I wanted. Now I do. We have summer-ish weather for (if we're lucky) 6 months out of the year... that's about 6 months too little! <b>I want 12 months of sunshine and flip-flops! So let the packing begin!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Mastering Some Necessities</span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Luckily for me <b>I'm quite good at most of the skills and attributes needed to be location independent as far as the working part.</b> I'm very dedicated and extremely self-motivated. <b>Working is not a problem... <i>knowing when to stop working</i> is. </b>Having no partner or children to squawk about me working, <b>I tend to put in a ridiculous amount of hours.</b> Right now I look at that I am, as Jerry Rice said, "<i><b>doing what others won't so tomorrow I can do what others can't.</b></i>" In other words I am on a delayed gratification plan, as far as my relocation goes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I LOVE what I do so it really doesn't feel like work.</b> That <b>makes it very easy to do way too much of it.</b> I anticipate decreasing to a normal amount of work hours once I move and have a larger team assisting me. But I know that as I reach goals, I make bigger ones so I will need to keep an eye on this.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I'll have to get used to not having friends and family around and that won't be easy.</b> I'm quite close to my parents and have never lived more than 30 minutes away. I'm an only child also so that makes leaving much harder. But another reason for now being a good time is because <b>they're at retirement age now. Dad is already retired and, once Mom is, the plan is for them to come live with me</b> in a second house on the property so I can be there when they need me. <b>As far as friends, I'm looking forward to making a whole lot of new ones!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Keeping in touch with family and friends here will be trickier because of the 6 hour time difference</b>, but working for myself will make that a lot easier because I can make myself available when it's logical and convenient for them to talk.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Unlike a true Suitcase Entrepreneur who is always going new places, I'll be living in Hawaii so, although there's plenty to see and do, I can take my time. </b>So it will be easier for me to work than it is for someone trying to take in all the place they're in has to offer because they'll only be there for a limited time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I have a schedule and a routine and I anticipate they'll stay more or less the same</b> once I'm there. If it works, it doesn't need to be messed with.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>It will be nice to be able to get exercise outdoors with Niko year round.</b> I'm really looking forward to that. And <b>very happy to no longer need bulky winter clothes! </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I love summer clothing... <b>sun dresses and matching flip flops are office attire for me.</b> And <b>I'll be able to fit more of them in my closet now</b> that there will only be summer clothes... <b>yay!!</b> Speaking of which...</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Minimalist? Uh... No.</span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I'm likely the <b>furthest thing from a minimalist.</b> Maybe I'm nowhere near being featured on an episode of Hoarders, but trust me I'm reeeeeeeeally nowhere near fitting my life in a suitcase either! <b>A 40-foot shipping container is more likely what's going to do the job.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Luckily for me I'm not an aspiring minimalist because I'd be failing miserably. <b>I'm very sentimental. I love my stuff.</b> And I have lots of it. I also <b>love books</b>... you know the old-fashioned paper kind? Yeah. Those. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I will admit that I am <b>looking forward to packing</b> for this move and one of the reasons is because it will be the <b>perfect opportunity to go through all my stuff and get rid of anything I don't need.</b> I'm excited about having a house with less "stuff." I guess that's what minimalism means to me in the context of my ideal lifestyle. I'm looking forward to living in Hawaii and I want my house to be nice, open, airy and not filled wall to wall with stuff... just <b>my favorite special things. </b>Clutter makes me crazy. And I'm dealing with a whole lot of it preparing for this move!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So that's my goal... to<b> sift through all my belongings as I pack to be sure only the best stuff comes.</b> Getting my stuff from here to there will be expensive enough without moving anything unnecessary! I'm very much <b>into "island style"</b> so, other than a few pieces and my office furniture, I'll be buying the perfect furniture for my island life once I get there... and I'm soooooo looking forward to that! (<b>I love interior design type stuff!</b>)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Now that I think of it, <b>I guess preparing for this move has kinda put me on the road toward minimalism in a bit of a way.</b> For the last couple years anytime I was contemplating buying something and how badly I wanted it, the litmus test has been <b>"Is it worth paying to move it?"</b> And I can tell you I've <b>saved A LOT of money</b>... and probably accumulated less stuff than ever before in a 2 year span! Yay me. It's a start.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Travel Hacker... Not Yet</span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I don't have a travel hacking story either. I actually <b>haven't done any traveling to speak of in quite some time</b>. But I'm sure that I'll be using all the tips from <a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/business-travel/a-travel-hacker%E2%80%99s-guide-to-finding-bargains-and-keeping-your-money/" target="_blank">Natalie</a>, <a href="http://chrisguillebeau.com/3x5/travel-hacking-in-2013/" target="_blank">Chris Guillebeau</a>, <a href="http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2010/12/09/how-to-fly-35000-miles-visit-4-continents-9-countries-and-15-cities-for-418/" target="_blank">Steve Kamb</a> and the rest of the challenge bloggers' posts today to help me as I set out <b>hunting for hacking deals to bring friends and family out to visit</b> once I move! The <a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/blog-challenge-day28/" target="_blank">resources Natalie shared on Day 28</a> will definitely come in handy, too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And I guess <b>I may need them even sooner</b> than that. <b>Our relocation will include a road trip cross-country with Niko</b>... from Rhode Island to California... then dropping my truck off to be shipped and getting us from there to the airport for our flight to Hawaii. With <b>a million details</b> and all the hoops I'm jumping through to get Niko there safely and direct-released to me at the airport, I'm sure there will be <b>lots of research and travel hacking to be done</b> between now and then. So <b>thank you in advance guys and gals :)</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Much Success,</span><br />
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<a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="30 day challenge" src="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/wp-content/uploads/blogchallenge/30daychallenge300x125.jpg" /></a>I'm writing this post as part of Natalie Sisson's <a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/" target="_blank">30 Day Blog Challenge</a> during which I'll follow the path she's laying with inspiration and challenges for daily blog posts. I hope you'll enjoy coming along on this journey and share your own in the comments every day. If you'd like to participate in the challenge on your own blog, just click one of the links <a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/" target="_blank">here</a> and you'll be taken to the page with all the details. </div>
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Debihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05277238068811242245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632012804452080110.post-43718698824975242382013-09-05T16:35:00.000-04:002015-03-15T22:44:06.797-04:00Where Is Your Favorite Place in the World? - 30 Day Blog Challenge - Days 21, 22, 23 and 24<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">by </span><a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+DebiAuger1?rel=author" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Debi Auger</a><br />
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<b style="font-size: xx-large;">Day 21 Challenge</b><span style="font-size: x-large;">:<i> </i></span><span style="orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>For those of you keeping track, I don't want to throw you off... Day 21 was a day off; a break before starting the 3rd part of our journey...</i></span></span><br />
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<b style="font-size: xx-large;"><a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/blog-challenge22/?inf_contact_key=b4a114db927d707ae6ebbcb48275a2467c30edae0415569f177541433d3921e5" target="_blank">Day 22 Challenge</a></b><span style="font-size: x-large;">: <i>"</i><span style="orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;">If you chose to live anywhere in the world, where would that be and why?</span><i>"</i></span><br />
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<b style="font-size: xx-large;"><a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/blog-challenge23/" target="_blank">Day 23 Challenge</a></b><span style="font-size: x-large;">: <i>"<span style="orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;">What’s your level of location independence and your nomadic quotient?</span>"</i></span><br />
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<b style="font-size: xx-large;"><a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/blog-challenge24/?inf_contact_key=e3eeb28bded487e0a383c9fd83096707dd10a28645e8344d6bf2afd712a162b1" target="_blank">Day 24 Challenge</a></b><span style="font-size: x-large;">: <i>"<span style="orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;">What are your travel essentials for your chosen destination(s) or the essential elements you’d want it to have (like history, sunshine, etc.)?</span>"</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">A Long Time Coming</span></h2>
<span style="orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>From the very first time I visited Hawaii back in 1987, I've had a deep heartfelt connection with the Islands.</b> I'm drawn to them in a very profound way and <b>feel more at home when I'm there</b> than I do here in Rhode Island where I've lived all my life! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I love the people, the culture and customs and, of course, the beauty of the Islands.</b> I love <b>the nice weather</b> and the fact that it's nice year round. I love <b>the calmer, laid back lifestyle</b> and <b>how friendly people are</b>. I love <b>the island style of living</b>. I love <b>to walk on the beach</b>. I love to <b>be near the ocean</b> and <b>listen to the sound of the waves</b>... I can do that for hours. I love to <b>watch ocean sunsets</b>. <b>I love living Aloha.</b></span></div>
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So <b>I've decided to relocate to Hawaii.</b> It's been quite a long time coming and I'm really looking forward to <b>finally living in the place my heart calls home!</b> It's going to be an enormous undertaking moving my whole life and my company 5,000 miles... all the way across the country into the middle of the Pacific Ocean. But I'm so excited about it!
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">My Wish List</span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I talked about <a href="http://awaehqndreams.blogspot.com/2013/08/you-cant-get-where-youre-going-if-you.html#.UijlqBv_lD4" target="_blank">my perfect day back on Day 5</a> of the challenge.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Covered outdoor space </b>is super important. I want a huge covered lanai and that's where Niko and I will likely spend the better part of every day. The <b>beautiful weather</b> is another reason for the move. <b>I'm able to enjoy my environment every day and I'm tired of wasting half of every year dealing with cold and snow.</b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Is It a Go?
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<span style="font-size: large;">There are a whole lot of things to take care of and I was hoping 2013 would be the year. <b>But unfortunately Niko has had a rough year and now he needs to have surgery again so alas my perfect days will have to wait.</b> His surgery is on September 6th and I need to give him time to recover. So, since I'm limited by weather and safety concerns, we'll need to wait until 2014.</span></div>
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And <b>it's all up to this cute little guy.</b> Meet my fur baby, Niko. Isn't he precious? (Asks the proud and very blessed Eskie Mom!) <b>He's my most important consideration.</b> I need to be sure I can relocate him safely because he means the world to me. He'll be 15 years old in November so there's <b>a lot to think about with such a big move</b>; especially because of the quarantine regulations in Hawaii. But, he had his first round of necessary testing and he passed! So, we're <b>taking it one day at a time</b>, deciding carefully and, although I would leave right this minute if there was only me to consider, <b>the timing of this move is all in Niko's cute, white fuzzy paws.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I've never been able to bring Niko to visit Hawaii because of the quarantine laws so I'm really looking forward to sharing this special place with him where he'll be able to enjoy the outdoors 365 days a year. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">My Perfect Level of Location Independence</span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">For me, <b>the ability to work from home and on any schedule I please is a blissful amount of freedom. </b>And <b>my perfect level of location independence is to take advantage of those freedoms and relocate to a better place now that I've created the freedom to enjoy my environment 24/7.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Today Natalie gave us <b>four Suitcase Entrepreneur qualities that must be possessed to live that lifestyle:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> 1. A vision for your business and a life that you'll fight for </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> 2. The ability to spend time alone and enjoy your own company</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> 3. An independent nature and strength of character to deal with daily challenges</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> 4. An open mind and sense of compassion for others</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I can say an enthusiastic "Yes!" to all four</b> of them so, within my own personal nomadic quotient, I would say I'm in good shape!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Not Everyone's Idea of Perfect</span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Of course <b>even Hawaii is not everyone's idea of perfect</b>. I know, huh? But it's true and, <b>just as Natalie has met with resistance for bucking the status quo</b> with her Suitcase Entrepreneur lifestyle, <b>I've had some judgmental comments slung at me for my choices as well:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>"Are you serious?!?!?!"</b> (Why yes, as a matter of fact I am!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>"It's expensive to live there ya know!"</b> (No duh, really??) </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>"How can you just move away from your friends and family?"</b> (Well, I never said it would be easy.")</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>"Why do you want to move there? You don't know anyone."</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>"You're going to be alone!?!"</b> (Sometimes this is a statement and other times a shocked question.) </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And <b>when all else fails to change my mind, there's always the one guaranteed to get to me... "You're going to kill Niko trying to move him there!"</b> Ignore the fact that <b>every single teeny tiny decision made about this move has been arranged with his best interests in mind, no matter the cost (when we go, how we go, if we go...)</b>, this one still gets to me every time. Of course I'm nervous! If it didn't matter, we'd be gone already. So <b>I hate having it thrown in my face as if I don't care or haven't considered it.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The <b>questions and comments can be painful, depending on the tone and who they're coming from.</b> But that <b>doesn't mean I'm going to change my mind.</b> I've never really cared much for being told what to do and I'm much less concerned with pleasing people than I used to be when I was younger (clients not included, don't worry). And besides, I think <b>there's actually much more at play here if you look beyond the surface.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">What's Really Going On Here?</span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Natalie made a great point in her Day 23 post and, although <b>she specifically referred to the effects of world travel, I think it's a more widely felt problem.</b> Here's what she had to say...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Travel can really change people. It can expand their mind, open their eyes and broaden their horizons beyond belief. This means when you head home after a period of travel, things can feel very different to you and childhood friends may suddenly seem very different, and potentially boring or small-minded.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In return, you might seem like some changed person that they just don’t get and can’t relate to. Trust me, this happens a lot and it’s hard to deal with on both ends if you’re not aware of it."</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I wholeheartedly agree that<b> it's extremely hard to deal with</b>. But <b>I think that, though it may be more subtle, it affects all online entrepreneurs, whether they travel or not.</b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I've noticed it in my own life. <b>I have much more of an open mind and infinitely broader horizons than most people I know offline;</b> indeed even more than I myself had before starting an online business. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>They are very geographically narrow-minded, "local-focused" and closed off to most of the world with absolutely no idea how accessible it is to them.</b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">As someone who deals with them all the time, <b>I can't believe how many people do not understand time zones</b>, other than the familiar ones in the US of course. They don't understand the concept, how they work and certainly not how to figure them out. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I'm met with <b>a look of shock and disbelief </b>if I mention doing a <b>group coaching call with clients from around the world</b>; or <b>being on a Skype video chat with a coaching client from Australia</b> or <b>a friend in New Zealand</b>. <b>The mere fact that I know and interact with people from all around the world downright boggles peoples' minds.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>They just don't get it.</b> And they <b>don't get me.</b> And that is very hard to deal with. <b>It's put a strain on quite a few friend and family relationships.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">There's a part of me that wonders if (in addition to the fact that they've never experienced it) <b>maybe part of the problem is that it's invisible and intangible</b> because they kind of "get" my jewelry business. But they decidedly do not get any of the rest of it. AT. ALL.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>They don't have so much as an inkling of the possibilities that exist for them.</b> And many of them don't want to. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Fear is another reason for these responses</b>... their own fear. Maybe you're doing something <b>they would be afraid</b> to do themselves. Or maybe what you're doing affects their world and <b>they don't like change</b>. They may even be so averse to it that <b>they want to hold you back</b>... and may try. These issues can be the toughest and, <b>for me, they've meant a whole lot of letting go.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>But I'm glad that I allowed my world to open up. And I'm glad that you're in it.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Share Your Thoughts</span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Feel free to share your thoughts about where you would choose to live and your nomadic quotient in the comments below...</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Much Success,</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1sYZXW_UCSLudpoRwe-RcAS2K1TEOLHsbcI_V0uJPEFOkjZv7aDrvrqzlXot8Y_krxIaoLJIZlLEsfy-yS5v60U9Ivxu-1wbUu6Km-hH6W8gixrERHqVHzI3jW9JCD_UWuUyCMVrpKts/s1600/heart-debi-sig.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1sYZXW_UCSLudpoRwe-RcAS2K1TEOLHsbcI_V0uJPEFOkjZv7aDrvrqzlXot8Y_krxIaoLJIZlLEsfy-yS5v60U9Ivxu-1wbUu6Km-hH6W8gixrERHqVHzI3jW9JCD_UWuUyCMVrpKts/s1600/heart-debi-sig.gif" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1sYZXW_UCSLudpoRwe-RcAS2K1TEOLHsbcI_V0uJPEFOkjZv7aDrvrqzlXot8Y_krxIaoLJIZlLEsfy-yS5v60U9Ivxu-1wbUu6Km-hH6W8gixrERHqVHzI3jW9JCD_UWuUyCMVrpKts/s1600/heart-debi-sig.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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<a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="30 day challenge" src="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/wp-content/uploads/blogchallenge/30daychallenge300x125.jpg" /></a>I'm writing this post as part of Natalie Sisson's <a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/" target="_blank">30 Day Blog Challenge</a> during which I'll follow the path she's laying with inspiration and challenges for daily blog posts. I hope you'll enjoy coming along on this journey and share your own in the comments every day. If you'd like to participate in the challenge on your own blog, just click one of the links <a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/" target="_blank">here</a> and you'll be taken to the page with all the details. </div>
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Debihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05277238068811242245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632012804452080110.post-23419720744362053072013-09-05T15:30:00.002-04:002015-03-15T22:44:35.811-04:00Online Tools Can Make You a Business Ninja - 30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 20<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">by </span><a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+DebiAuger1?rel=author" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Debi Auger</a><br />
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<b style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: xx-large;"><a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/blog-challenge-day20/" target="_blank">Day 20 Challenge</a>: <i>"</i></b><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">State your top three tools that you will use (or already use) to save time and money and make your online world more seamless."</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Online Tools</span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">My Absolute #1 Favorite Is an Easy Choice</span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">That would be <b><a href="http://evernote.com/" target="_blank">Evernote</a>. It's the one tool I absolutely, positively never ever want to run my business without</b> (or my life for that matter!). They're slogan is "<b>Remember Everything</b>" and with the ability to create typed, written, audio and webcam notes and a smorgasbord of other apps developed to work with it, you can literally use it for everything.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I've only <b>been using it for about 14 months or so, but it didn't take long for it to totally transform the way I work and, more importantly, how much I can accomplish.</b> So I love, love, love Evernote. I cannot recommend this tool highly enough. It can be a tremendous help for anyone in any business, and for personal use as well.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">They have a very generous free version, a Premium Personal version for $5 per month and a Business version for $10 per month per person that's great if you have a team. It<b> has apps and desktop versions and syncs across all devices</b>. I can access it on my laptops, my tablet and my phone at anytime and it's all in sync. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Don't underestimate how useful this is, even if you do all your work in one location. </b>I run my business from home, but I have 2 laptops (1 powerful, oversized, desktop replacement and 1 business class), a tablet and a smartphone. These tools allow me to work ANYwhere inside or outside the house and, with the convenience of having Evernote synced on all my devices, <b>I can be productive no matter where I'm working or what device I'm on.</b> Admittedly I wouldn't do any heavy use on my smartphone, but in a pinch - or when I find myself wasting an hour in a doctor's waiting area - it's nice to know I can.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Evernote has developed <b>a suite of tools that work with it and expand its functionality.</b> And other developers also create apps that work with it. As a matter of fact, they host the annual <b>Evernote Devcup</b>, a competition for designers and software developers after which the Evernote community gets to vote on the best products that integrate with the Evernote API.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I'm developing an online program for those looking to leverage the power of Evernote and it will be launching in the new year.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Social Media Mayhem</span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The number two tool on my list is a Social Media Management tool.</b> I've <b>been using <a href="https://hootsuite.com/" target="_blank">Hootsuite</a> for a couple of years</b> to manage social media, (although I generally post and interact in person on Facebook). But I've been on the lookout for something more comprehensive. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I hate signing in all over the place so I like to find tools that can serve multiple accounts and multiple purposes, especially if they do it well.</b> It's an <b>important time saver</b> for me because I keep separate social media accounts for each of my businesses and often free/limited plans don't give me the ability to handle them all in one place/account.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I've looked into about 80 or so of these services over the last couple years</b>; using the free version of Hootsuite primarily while tinkering with the others. It's been a long, ongoing project. I'm thankfully <b>down to testing the final two.</b> I'm comparing <b><a href="http://zfer.us/FrT0T" target="_blank">Sendible</a> and HootSuite/Hootsuite Pro</b>. So far I think Sendible is a more comprehensive service. The user interface is different so <b>the key thing will be which one I actually USE more; because it doesn't matter how much a tool is capable of if you don't use it.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">That's a really important point to understand. People ask all the time "What's the best tool for ______ ?" <b>There are millions of online tools and apps available to accomplish things.</b> They may run on different platforms or multiple platforms. They may do one specific thing or they may encompass a whole suite of capability. <b>The bottom line is that the best tool to accomplish the job is whichever one you will actually USE.</b> They all have their own user interfaces, styles, capabilities and quirks. So it really just <b>comes down to you being comfortable enough and liking it enough to use it.</b> There may be tools I love that you would absolutely hate and vice versa. It <b>depends on you, your workflow, how you work best and what exactly you're trying to accomplish.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">The Third Critical Element</span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Third on my list is finding an excellent Project Management tool. </b>This is huge for me and maybe it should have been higher on the list. It's <b>another area where I'm looking for a really comprehensive tool</b> and I have some strict requirements. I've looked into many of these, but it hasn't been as long a process as the social media tools because many of them got eliminated very quickly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I suffer from short term memory loss so, although everyone can benefit from this type of tool, it's even more important for me.</b> I used to have a ridiculously excellent memory so I struggle a great deal with this somewhat new reality that I've been living with for the last few years. Evernote has helped a great deal with this in a lot of ways so <b>integration with Evernote is high on my list of priorities for my Project Management tool</b> so it works nicely with Evernote and fills in the functions that Evernote is not robust enough (or meant) to handle. This gets most tools eliminated right off the bat. <b>And for the ones that don't have a direct integration, there has to be something really fabulous about them for me to consider a workaround method of integrating Evernote.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Right now I'm testing out <a href="http://www.nozbe.com/" target="_blank">Nozbe</a>, <a href="http://iqtell.com/" target="_blank">IQTell</a>, <a href="http://getitdoneapp.com/" target="_blank">Get It Done App</a>, <a href="https://trello.com/" target="_blank">Trello</a> and <a href="https://asana.com/" target="_blank">Asana</a>.</b> They each have their strong points and limitations. The other big thing that comes into play in this decision is the fact that <b>I have multiple businesses and manage about 60 projects on average at a time so the winner has to be able to handle all of it and do it intuitively.</b> The final requirement is that it <b>be easy to implement with virtual staff and employees.</b> It's a tall order and these 5 are the front runners.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Bonus</span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In my defense, I did admit that it wasn't going to be easy to choose my favorites so here's a bonus... ok, a few of them ;-) ...that I think may be helpful to you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Do you work using the <a href="http://pomodorotechnique.com/" target="_blank">Pomodoro</a> or another timed work system?</b> Try <a href="http://timer.onlineclock.net/" target="_blank">these clocks and stopwatches</a> and you'll always have one handy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Do you hoard articles and tutorials and need to organize them? </b>You could use Evernote for that. But you might find a <b>knowledge management app like <a href="http://www.diigo.com/" target="_blank">diigo</a></b> works better for you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Do you always run across things while you're online, but don't always have time to stop and read them?</b> Get <b><a href="http://getpocket.com/" target="_blank">Pocket</a> and you can save them until you do have time</b>; batch your reading into blocks of times and all those interesting articles will be ready and waiting for you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Need secure cloud storage?</b> Check out <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/" target="_blank"><b>Dropbox</b></a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Want to get your email signature working hard for you?</b> Go to <b><a href="http://www.wisestamp.com/" target="_blank">Wisestamp</a> and get one that will help you spread your awesomeness with every email you send!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Your Turn...</span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">How about you? <b>Are there any tools, apps or other things you use in your business that you couldn't imagine being without? </b>Tell me in the comments...</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Much Success,</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1sYZXW_UCSLudpoRwe-RcAS2K1TEOLHsbcI_V0uJPEFOkjZv7aDrvrqzlXot8Y_krxIaoLJIZlLEsfy-yS5v60U9Ivxu-1wbUu6Km-hH6W8gixrERHqVHzI3jW9JCD_UWuUyCMVrpKts/s1600/heart-debi-sig.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1sYZXW_UCSLudpoRwe-RcAS2K1TEOLHsbcI_V0uJPEFOkjZv7aDrvrqzlXot8Y_krxIaoLJIZlLEsfy-yS5v60U9Ivxu-1wbUu6Km-hH6W8gixrERHqVHzI3jW9JCD_UWuUyCMVrpKts/s1600/heart-debi-sig.gif" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1sYZXW_UCSLudpoRwe-RcAS2K1TEOLHsbcI_V0uJPEFOkjZv7aDrvrqzlXot8Y_krxIaoLJIZlLEsfy-yS5v60U9Ivxu-1wbUu6Km-hH6W8gixrERHqVHzI3jW9JCD_UWuUyCMVrpKts/s1600/heart-debi-sig.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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<a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="30 day challenge" src="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/wp-content/uploads/blogchallenge/30daychallenge300x125.jpg" /></a>I'm writing this post as part of Natalie Sisson's <a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/" target="_blank">30 Day Blog Challenge</a> during which I'll follow the path she's laying with inspiration and challenges for daily blog posts. I hope you'll enjoy coming along on this journey and share your own in the comments every day. If you'd like to participate in the challenge on your own blog, just click one of the links <a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/" target="_blank">here</a> and you'll be taken to the page with all the details. </div>
Debihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05277238068811242245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632012804452080110.post-83885022520996807072013-09-03T04:02:00.001-04:002014-03-14T14:51:32.828-04:00Helping From the Heart and Looking for a Dream Team - 30 Day Blog Challenge - Days 17, 18 and 19<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">by </span><a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+DebiAuger1?rel=author" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Debi Auger</a><br />
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<b style="font-size: xx-large;"><a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/blog-challenge-day17/" target="_blank">Day 17 Challenge</a></b><span style="font-size: x-large;">: </span><i style="font-size: xx-large;">"</i><span style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>What three steps can you take to build trust and credibility online for you, your brand and your business?</i></span></span><i style="font-size: xx-large;">"</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/blog-challenge-day19/" target="_blank">Day 19 Challenge</a>: <i>"</i></b><i>Which methods do you want to use to build your platform and increase your influence?"</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">Day 17: My Three Steps to Build Trust and Credibility Online</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">As I've mentioned before, this coaching business was a <b>happy accident.</b> I started it because I was helping artisans with their businesses and truly enjoyed it. <b><a href="http://awaehqndreams.blogspot.com/p/about-me-and-how-awaehqn-dreams-came-to.html#.UiWHGzbXTX0" target="_blank">I've been teaching, coaching and mentoring for almost 30 years</a> and, at this point, it's second nature to me.</b> As it began to take up more and more of my time, I couldn't continue to do it for free. I had to decide whether to drastically reduce the time I spent on it or turn it into a business.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I knew I wasn't going to stop... probably wouldn't have cut down either. So, <b>I decided on a business and Awaken Dreams Success Coaching was born</b> (although originally aWAEHQn dreams Success Coaching and currently being re-branded). <b>I determined that, if set up properly, I could make it financially viable while still giving <a href="http://awaehqndreams.blogspot.com/p/content-index.html#.UiWHgjbXTX0" target="_blank">loads of help for free</a>. So that's what I've done.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I focus on <b>3 main areas to build trust and credibility</b> for myself and my brand online:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"> <b>1. My personality and ethics</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b> 2. My content</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b> 3. My social media presence</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">My Personality and Ethics</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>I love having my own business</b> and the fact that <b>I get to decide how it's run.</b> I take great pride in <b>personally taking care of my customers and clients.</b> I am the face of my brand. So <b>I allow my personality to shine through, let people get to know me and I enjoy getting to know them.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">It's <b>important for me to be honest and professional</b>, but also to be <b>approachable and make business fun!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">It's such a <b>blessing to be able to follow my code of ethics</b> and <b>treat my customers and clients the way I feel they deserve to be treated.</b> I don't have anyone with more authority in my business than I have, so it's a "my way or the highway" situation and I'm happy with that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">No matter what division of my business I'm working in at any given time, <b>I make it a point to do incredible work and over-deliver for my clients.</b> <b>I'm happy when my clients are happy</b> and I do my best to <b>make every single one of them truly happy with their product, experience service and results.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">In my coaching business, I really <b>"champion my peeps"</b> as they like to say. <b>I'm passionate about what I'm doing.</b> I <b>believe in what I'm doing.</b> I'm <b>doing it because it's what most fulfills me</b> and because <b>I want my clients to make a living doing the work that most fulfills them.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">My Content</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Setting up an actual coaching business meant having something to sell in order to make it work. So <b>I have <a href="http://awaehqndreams.blogspot.com/p/products-and-services.html#.UiWHtDbXTX0" target="_blank">products and programs</a> as well as <a href="http://awaehqndreams.blogspot.com/p/work-with-me.html#.UiWHxDbXTX0" target="_blank">one-on-one coaching packages</a></b> (and many more of them in the works!).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">But, <b>by setting up a <a href="http://awaehqndreams.blogspot.com/2013/08/how-do-you-monetize-your-business-blog.html#.UiWH6TbXTX1" target="_blank">Multi-Faceted Monetization Plan</a>™ for my coaching business, I'm still able to deliver tons of content for free.</b> I do most of that here on the blog with <b><a href="http://awaehqndreams.blogspot.com/p/content-index.html#.UiWIADbXTX0" target="_blank">articles and tutorials</a>.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I aim to <b>always provide valuable information</b>, so <b>I watch what's being discussed and asked about</b> in groups, forums and while I'm out and about on social media. I also <b>do surveys</b> and <b>have a <a href="http://awaehqndreams.blogspot.com/p/what-do-you-need.html#.UiWLJjbXTX0" target="_blank">standing invitation </a>for my community to let me know what they need.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I've done a bit of <b>guest blogging</b>. I was <b>honored to write a <a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/inspiration/starting-a-new-business-journey-from-zero-to-ebook-launch/" target="_blank">feature article </a>on The Suitcase Entrepreneur</b>, be <b>featured on the <a href="http://www.jigsawbox.com/blog/how-was-it-for-you/" target="_blank">JigsawBox Blog</a></b>, and <b>interviewed about <i><a href="http://www.sidekickpm.com/top-branding-tips-for-solopreneurs/" target="_blank">Branding Tips for Solopreneurs</a></i> by Sandy Sidhu at SidekickPM.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I'm <b>looking for good places to do more guest posting</b> once my re-brand is finished (don't want to confuse new visitors) so I can <b>widen my reach and help more creatives who want to own their own business.</b> This will become an area of focus as I prepare for <b>upcoming launches... 1 program later this month and an ambitious THREE for the new year!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I also <b>spend a considerable amount of time amongst my community on social media.</b> I <b>love the interaction</b> and it's a <b>great way to be helpful and find out how I can best be of service.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I do <b>surveys and polls</b>. I <b>answer questions on my blog, on Facebook and via email.</b> I <b>actively seek out questions I can answer in groups on LinkedIn</b> by scanning through my alerts every day or so.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I <b>comment on blog posts</b> I read and enjoy, and then <b>share them with people I think would also enjoy and benefit from them.</b> I <b>share industry news with my community </b>to make sure they know about important happenings that impact their businesses... whether positively or negatively.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>I love to promote handcraft artisans and the amazing work they do.</b> I <b>encourage people to let me know about their businesses.</b> I <b>do shout-outs to community members on Twitter and on Facebook</b> (on my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/EskieMom" target="_blank">personal profile</a> and on my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/aWAEHQndreams" target="_blank">Awaken Dreams</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DesignsByDebi" target="_blank">Designs by Debi</a> business pages). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">In 2011, I held a fabulous 13-day <a href="http://blog.designs-by-debi.com/2011/11/exploring-handmade-holiday-shopping.html#.UiUKITbXTX0" target="_blank"><b>"Exploring Handmade" Online Holiday Shopping Event </b>on my Designs by Debi blog</a> featuring over 50 talented artisans.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">And <b>I'm about to start a new feature here at Awaken Dreams to celebrate creative entrepreneurs on a regular basis</b>. Exciting news to come so watch your email (and if you're not on my newsletter list, get on it!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">Day 18: My Dream Sales Team</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>My dream sales team</b> would include <b>clients who are so happy with the progress they've made and transformations they've experienced that they shout it from the rooftops, tell everyone they know, give me great testimonials and recommend me to their fellow artisans and creatives.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">It would also include <b>respected colleagues whose communities include my target market and whose readers, clients or customers could benefit from the information and services I provide.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The first thing I need to do to enlist their help, is to <b>ASK for it.</b> (Yes I know, <b>I really do need to work on this</b>.) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I'm also putting an <b>affiliate system in place to reward them for their efforts.</b> And, when it comes to product launches, I'll have all the materials possible to <b>make it super easy for them to promote my work and launch, and earn commissions.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Do you have a sales team? Think you can't have one? If so, you're 100% WRONG.</b> I have one for Designs by Debi. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">First and foremost, <b>I always make the effort to not only deliver on my promises, but to OVERdeliver and make every customer's experience with me memorable. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>My customers are a special gift</b> to me and <b>I let that show in how I work with them.</b> I believe this is why <b>most of my business is custom design work that comes to me via referrals</b> from past clients and even friends of past clients who "heard how pleased their friend 'Suzi' was with my work."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>I also have a <a href="http://www.designs-by-debi.com/referral-program.html" target="_blank">Referral Program</a></b> and I tell my customers about it in the email I send with their shipping and tracking info. The funny thing is, they never seem to want to use it! They tell me, "Oh no I'm happy to recommend you because (insert joyous revelation here). You don't need to pay me for it!" </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I'm extremely blessed. <b>I have amazing customers and clients, and I get to do some really awesome, meaningful work because of it.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Think about ways you can get yourself a sales team by incorporating ideas like this into your own business</b> and share your ideas or questions with me in the comments below.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">Day 19: My Methods To Build My Platform and Expand My Influence</span></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix_atnTkP6OYxJULORGUlY3hPVXq_jqJagtCaSj3ylNpHOmsneRlFgkC1t_3y51JenkI_59sAkQdm1a4VIX0ATub1Z0TlJBJQDLLqd2qLdKryiXSneyMvkJQMit-1vyr1soQPdPW5KiiE/s1600/quote-comparing-your-inside-to-their-outside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix_atnTkP6OYxJULORGUlY3hPVXq_jqJagtCaSj3ylNpHOmsneRlFgkC1t_3y51JenkI_59sAkQdm1a4VIX0ATub1Z0TlJBJQDLLqd2qLdKryiXSneyMvkJQMit-1vyr1soQPdPW5KiiE/s320/quote-comparing-your-inside-to-their-outside.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><b>We have an overwhelming tendency to compare ourselves to others</b> and, I think because it's so easy to do, we do way too much of it. This can be <b>so detrimental to your business. </b>It can literally <b>get you stuck and bring your progress to a grinding... and likely emotionally painful... halt.</b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; text-align: -webkit-auto;">I know because <b>I've been there.</b> And it required a whole lot of work on my <a href="http://awaehqndreams.blogspot.com/p/dreaming-of-success-in-2013-read-this.html#.UiWKYDbXTX0" target="_blank">mindset</a> to get me past it. I'm not saying I never do it; I'm not perfect. But <b>I acknowledge that doing it puts me in my own way</b> so I'm careful not to let that happen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">You need to remember that when you do this, <b>you're comparing your INSIDE to their OUTSIDE. You don't know what's going on behind the scenes of their life and business. You just see the polished, seemingly perfect outside that's projected to the world.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">As Natalie says, <b>comparing yourself to others is "like comparing apples with pumpkins</b> – two entirely different types of food that have come through completely different growth phases to turn out how they have!" </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>We are all unique and have our own overflowing supply of awesomeness to unleash on the world.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">But <b>it's so hard not to compare yourself to others</b>. I often look at others online and <b>dream of the day that my message will reach that many people around the globe.</b> And try to quickly <b>snap out of it and remind myself that I need to keep moving forward if I want to get there!</b> No more comparing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>I'm so passionate about my niche of artisans and creatives</b> though, and <b>want so much to help each one of you create a lifestyle business... a business doing what you love that gives you the lifestyle that you want.</b> And it seems to take so long when you want it so badly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I'm doing my best to accept that baby steps are fine, knowing my <b>incremental progress and increasing interaction with my community is helping me build a solid foundation.</b> I work hard to increase my value and reach more people every day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">Elevating the Status of Handmade</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Building my platform and increasing my influence is a high priority for me. I'm not only interested in doing this for my benefit. <b>I'm on a mission for my clients.</b> In addition to having a positive influence on artisans, <b>I want to influence the world. I want to...</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"> <b>• bring unique creative artisan work to the forefront of people's minds</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b> • elevate the perception of handmade</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b> • increase the value society places on handcrafted goods</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b> • and acknowledge the talented people who put their heart and soul into what they do</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I have so <b>many plans in motion to help artisans and creatives create </b>what I call <b>"Boutique Brands" to help accomplish these objectives.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Our economy is still a mess and <b>I believe that it is small businesses like ours that are going to pull us out of it.</b> There's <b>never been a time with more possibilities to chart our own course than what we have right now.</b> I'm passionate about helping people do that; about <b>making a difference.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">Learn More, Help More</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>I love to read and learn.</b> I usually <b>read at least 24 business books each year, sometimes as many as 6 in a month</b>; as well as <b>countless numbers of blogs, articles and other materials every week. </b>It helps me stay on top of things, gain new perspective, inspires me and <b>allows me to increase my value to my community.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I've come to terms with the fact that I'm technically an infopreneur and online marketer (Psst... like it or not, you're an internet marketer, too!) and <b>I'm working to get better at it.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I still <b>wish I could wave a magic wand and help every single one of my peeps achieve their dreams right now</b>. But alas, I have no magic wand.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I do, however, have <b>a whole lot of determination</b> so I'll get there. <b>We'll get there... together!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Much Success,</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1sYZXW_UCSLudpoRwe-RcAS2K1TEOLHsbcI_V0uJPEFOkjZv7aDrvrqzlXot8Y_krxIaoLJIZlLEsfy-yS5v60U9Ivxu-1wbUu6Km-hH6W8gixrERHqVHzI3jW9JCD_UWuUyCMVrpKts/s1600/heart-debi-sig.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1sYZXW_UCSLudpoRwe-RcAS2K1TEOLHsbcI_V0uJPEFOkjZv7aDrvrqzlXot8Y_krxIaoLJIZlLEsfy-yS5v60U9Ivxu-1wbUu6Km-hH6W8gixrERHqVHzI3jW9JCD_UWuUyCMVrpKts/s1600/heart-debi-sig.gif" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1sYZXW_UCSLudpoRwe-RcAS2K1TEOLHsbcI_V0uJPEFOkjZv7aDrvrqzlXot8Y_krxIaoLJIZlLEsfy-yS5v60U9Ivxu-1wbUu6Km-hH6W8gixrERHqVHzI3jW9JCD_UWuUyCMVrpKts/s1600/heart-debi-sig.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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<a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="30 day challenge" src="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/wp-content/uploads/blogchallenge/30daychallenge300x125.jpg" /></a>I'm writing this post as part of Natalie Sisson's <a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/" target="_blank">30 Day Blog Challenge</a> during which I'll follow the path she's laying with inspiration and challenges for daily blog posts. I hope you'll enjoy coming along on this journey and share your own in the comments every day. If you'd like to participate in the challenge on your own blog, just click one of the links <a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/" target="_blank">here</a> and you'll be taken to the page with all the details. </div>
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Debihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05277238068811242245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632012804452080110.post-46899727857216321742013-08-28T22:52:00.001-04:002015-03-15T22:45:32.230-04:00You Need An Inspired Team to Change the World - Blog Challenge Day 16<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">by </span><a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+DebiAuger1?rel=author" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Debi Auger</a><br />
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<b style="font-size: xx-large;"><a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/blog-challenge-day16/?Edit&inf_contact_key=820d78779afd91ec3d0566bdde6714334ac63a9d783637c4d0c5800ca0fa0a9d" target="_blank">Day 16 Challenge</a></b><span style="font-size: x-large;">: </span><i style="font-size: xx-large;">"How will you build a team around your vision and work smart instead of hard</i><i style="font-size: xx-large;">?"</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">My vision is for <b>a better world of happy people doing work that truly fulfills them and being paid what they deserve for it.</b> I want to start <b>a movement of women entrepreneurs (artisans and creatives are my personal peeps) taking over the world and fixing the world economy all while living the fulfilled life of their dreams</b>... whatever those dreams may be.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I want to <b><a href="http://awaehqndreams.blogspot.com/p/work-with-me.html#.Uh60GhvXTX0" target="_blank">help you build a lifestyle business</a> that gives you everything you need and makes you happy to the bottom of your soul.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">My World-Changing Team</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I plan to get a whole <b>team of people on board who also believe in my vision. </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfNj2mBcH_oyJ9d5lSsdNH_7gxER2ZBrf_kI0DuQm8yzJlRJtH0czL49mh649jFxvnIak-fqwlti6MiFLiTYN-WGW3x7ZwD3VU7Ja7JNWimBnXNBr61KqSoSpEpXxPJW_IEprmNbPoX6U/s1600/adsc-graphic-wake-up-kick-ass-repeat.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfNj2mBcH_oyJ9d5lSsdNH_7gxER2ZBrf_kI0DuQm8yzJlRJtH0czL49mh649jFxvnIak-fqwlti6MiFLiTYN-WGW3x7ZwD3VU7Ja7JNWimBnXNBr61KqSoSpEpXxPJW_IEprmNbPoX6U/s400/adsc-graphic-wake-up-kick-ass-repeat.png" height="400" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">See, I own a <a href="http://makana-mai-akua-inc.com/" target="_blank">corporation</a>, but <b>I want to break the old corporate mold. </b>I want to <b>prove to the world that you can run a wildly successful company and still put your employees and customers first</b> AND that <b>by putting them first, you actually have a stronger, more sustainable company</b> in the long run. And <b>you can use the profits from that company to do great things.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I think <b>it's going to take a woman to do it.</b> Not a woman who's trying to keep up with all the corporate males in their expensive suits; or all the egotistical, bullshit-spouting online marketers who want you to believe you can buy a magic formula to make millions without doing real work. But <b>a woman who isn't afraid to be herself, buck the status quo and do things her way... even if that means flip-flops are office attire. I'm that kind of woman. And THAT is my mission.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>I have the <a href="http://makana-mai-akua-inc.com/" target="_blank">corporation</a></b> and <b>I'm working on the <a href="http://thephaneuffoundation.org/" target="_blank">charitable foundation</a></b>, but <b>I can't succeed in this endeavor alone.</b> I need to be smart... which means <b>I need a team</b>... great visions of this magnitude cannot be achieved by one person. I need <b>an inspired team that believes in what I want to accomplish.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I think <b>it's up to me to inspire and lead my team.</b> Uninspired employees just working for a paycheck will do as little as possible. <b>Inspired team members, passionate about their mission, included in the process and encouraged to step up and be involved will give you blood, sweat and tears.</b> That's the kind of team I want to build. <b>And, for their efforts, I want to reward them by giving them the pay and benefits they deserve, and plenty of time with their families. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>I plan to run a very different company.</b> A company <b>on my terms.</b> A company that <b>will not go public, have an IPO and flush its values down the toilet in the process.</b> Nope. My company's only debt is owed to me... and I intend it to stay that way. I <b>don't need investors and shareholders thinking they have the right to place expectations on me or make me compromise my mission and values.</b> It <b>will remain privately owned</b> and the only shareholders will be the carefully selected members of the board. </span></div>
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How I Plan To Do This</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">So far, <b>I have one of those members selected... my Mom.</b> She's getting ready to retire and has started doing my bookkeeping. That's <b>my way of helping her retire.</b> She'll work part-time doing my bookkeeping and be company Treasurer. That gives me the ability <b>to fund the retirement my parents deserve, </b>pay their health insurance and let them travel the world or anything else they want to do.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I could really use someone here in person with me full-time, but have not been able to do that. I don't have the space and, since I'll be relocating 5,000 miles away, that person would then be without a job. So that has to wait. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>A virtual team is next on my agenda</b> because I'm in serious need of help even if I don't yet have the space. So I'll build my virtual team now and then build my 'boots on the ground' team once I'm in Hawaii.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">My Other Ways to Work Smart, Not Hard</span></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTcKf3Wf1cZR7V5t9fw9TRfNAAiAC3nIL75O4ozuDgH1b4exMX-KqBlZn9fmVE-M8a1f6FTVXYBrOZE3OuJcuZV3eom06Lm2XmsiCRdBu_o0UPH954YYvzoaatwyUB524F0zoFeBsCt-M/s1600/adsc-graphic-good-things-come-to-those.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTcKf3Wf1cZR7V5t9fw9TRfNAAiAC3nIL75O4ozuDgH1b4exMX-KqBlZn9fmVE-M8a1f6FTVXYBrOZE3OuJcuZV3eom06Lm2XmsiCRdBu_o0UPH954YYvzoaatwyUB524F0zoFeBsCt-M/s400/adsc-graphic-good-things-come-to-those.png" height="400" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">In order to even attempt to accomplish all the things I need to do every day, I need the help of my <b>systems and tools.</b> I'm slightly <b>obsessed with online tools.</b> Ok, really obsessed with them. I have to be because, <b>without an on-site team, it's the only way I can do all the things I do. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Since I'm behind in this blog challenge, I know <b>we're going to talk about tools on Day 20. So I'll gather up some goodies for you!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">How You Can Put the Power of Outsourcing to Work for You in Your Business</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">One thing that <b>I hear across the board from artisans and creatives is that you don't like the business part of business.</b> You <b>don't understand it.</b> You <b>don't want to do it.</b> You <b>don't have time for it. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>A very common statement I hear is "I don't have time for marketing."</b> It's so prevalent as a matter of fact that I have another blog post about this almost finished. So I'll put my soap box on the shelf until then.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Suffice to say that <b>marketing is a must do. Non-negotiable. Will not sell your thing into oblivion without doing it. Period.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">However, I want to give you some <b>food for thought here that will give you some incentive...</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>If you really want your business to succeed, you MUST get out of the workshop and make time for marketing. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Then, <b>once you're making enough money (which you will NOT do without marketing), you can hire people to do all the things you don't like/want to do in your business. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">But <b>for now, someone has to do it.</b> And <b>if you are your business, you are the marketer</b> (and the maker, and the bookkeeper, and the order processor, and the cleaning crew... I get it). Delayed gratification is a bitch. I know. But those are the facts.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">More on this later.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">For now, <b>tell me how you will work smart, not hard in your business in the comments below...</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Much Success,</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1sYZXW_UCSLudpoRwe-RcAS2K1TEOLHsbcI_V0uJPEFOkjZv7aDrvrqzlXot8Y_krxIaoLJIZlLEsfy-yS5v60U9Ivxu-1wbUu6Km-hH6W8gixrERHqVHzI3jW9JCD_UWuUyCMVrpKts/s1600/heart-debi-sig.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1sYZXW_UCSLudpoRwe-RcAS2K1TEOLHsbcI_V0uJPEFOkjZv7aDrvrqzlXot8Y_krxIaoLJIZlLEsfy-yS5v60U9Ivxu-1wbUu6Km-hH6W8gixrERHqVHzI3jW9JCD_UWuUyCMVrpKts/s1600/heart-debi-sig.gif" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1sYZXW_UCSLudpoRwe-RcAS2K1TEOLHsbcI_V0uJPEFOkjZv7aDrvrqzlXot8Y_krxIaoLJIZlLEsfy-yS5v60U9Ivxu-1wbUu6Km-hH6W8gixrERHqVHzI3jW9JCD_UWuUyCMVrpKts/s1600/heart-debi-sig.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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<a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="30 day challenge" src="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/wp-content/uploads/blogchallenge/30daychallenge300x125.jpg" /></a>I'm writing this post as part of Natalie Sisson's <a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/" target="_blank">30 Day Blog Challenge</a> during which I'll follow the path she's laying with inspiration and challenges for daily blog posts. I hope you'll enjoy coming along on this journey and share your own in the comments every day. If you'd like to participate in the challenge on your own blog, just click one of the links <a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/" target="_blank">here</a> and you'll be taken to the page with all the details. </div>
Debihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05277238068811242245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632012804452080110.post-36404323975754086222013-08-22T16:16:00.001-04:002015-03-15T22:48:27.876-04:00The Money Is In Your List... IF You Understand Why and Use It Right<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">by </span><a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+DebiAuger1?rel=author" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Debi Auger</a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/blog-challenge-day15/?inf_contact_key=3edc100e562463b5af185880f906fc2e6a12aa5b4c9f9319704eb1eb0a2bbb44" target="_blank">Blog Challenge Day 15</a></b>: <i>"How are you building your email list</i><i>?"</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Your "List"</span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Your list technically includes ALL your lists of fans and followers</b>... those who follow you via email, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn and any other of the exploding number of social networks. (Social networks are like the <a href="http://youtu.be/rQ6LC-olw9Q">Tribbles from Star Trek</a>, but that's an issue for another time.) For the sake of this article, in answering Natalie's Blog Challenge Question for today, we're going to focus on your email list.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">How I'm Building My Email List</span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I started building an email list as soon as I set up my coaching business. </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I have <b>opt-in boxes on every page of my site</b> (over there on the right --> Yes, as a matter of fact, <b>if you like what I do here, I'd <i>love</i> for you to sign up!</b>), on <b>Facebook</b>, and on <b>landing pages</b>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I direct people to my list and encourage them to sign up. </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I have an opt-in offer</b>, otherwise known as the freebie you get for signing up, which I'm always looking to improve. (Don't worry whether you should wait for the next improvement...<b> one of the benefits of being on my list is always getting my new opt-in bonuses before anyone else!</b>)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I occasionally hold <b>contests </b>and almost always do this during launches.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Most of all, <b>I aim to deliver valuable content that benefits you with tangible results.</b> My goal is<b> to get the creative entrepreneurs I'm trying to connect with (yup, I'm talking to you!) clambering to gain access to the content and special offers I only share with my engaged community of peeps. </b>(By all means if I'm not succeeding, hop on over to the <a href="http://awaehqndreams.blogspot.com/p/what-do-you-need.html#.U0rpIvldVFU">What Do You Need?</a> page or email me and let me know what I can do better!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Publishing My Email Newsletter</span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">I use <b>AWeber</b> for my newsletters and campaigns.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I'll admit at first I wasn't on a consistent schedule for sending my newsletters though and had a teeny tiny list (Yes, we all start from zero.), but I've improved a great deal on both fronts. I have a larger list and<b> I've implemented an editorial calendar</b>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I email my list <b>twice a month and for special occasions. </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I'm a graphic designer and one of the things I like to play with is creating graphics of <b>inspirational quotes</b>. I <b>use them around my office.</b> I <b>send clients relevant ones that support their current goals and/or struggles. </b>And I <b><a href="http://awaehqndreams.blogspot.com/p/quotes-to-inspire-and-share.html#.UhaChpL_ln4" target="_blank">post them online for others to share</a> and use for their own personal inspiration.</b> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I recently added them to my newsletter routine</b> - I send an <b>Inspirational Newsletter on the 1st of every month</b> with one of these quote graphics and my well wishes for the month ahead.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>My regular issue then goes out on the 13th of the month </b>with all its <b>juicy goodness... usually accompanied by a link to a rather epic blog post.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Are You Making Business Harder Than It Has to Be?</span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Do you have an email list? </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Do you send a newsletter?</b> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">If you're like most artisans and creatives, you probably don't. You may not have given it much thought. You may not want to "bother" people. </span><span style="font-size: large;">(You're not. Remember --> </span><b style="font-size: x-large;">It takes an average of 7 "touches" with that amazingly innovative business of yours for someone to be comfortable enough to buy from you.</b><span style="font-size: large;"> This will assist you in getting them.)</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfcqMEJqCaknAbsUHTAmIK4xa3bUtafY3z2CBx8SnCa1abT1G0_BXyDbO9xCUC5769vJpeBgsqELCzrz2-1hTd9BeEm9Hh6VuLmCqk6GcEJ3Rvhq_AGxGDO_1MI8OLgoIbGIlGPwvUhgg/s1600/adsc-graphic-list-asset-relationships-community.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfcqMEJqCaknAbsUHTAmIK4xa3bUtafY3z2CBx8SnCa1abT1G0_BXyDbO9xCUC5769vJpeBgsqELCzrz2-1hTd9BeEm9Hh6VuLmCqk6GcEJ3Rvhq_AGxGDO_1MI8OLgoIbGIlGPwvUhgg/s400/adsc-graphic-list-asset-relationships-community.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">But this is<b> one of the most common mistakes creative entrepreneurs make - not building an email list.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">You often hear it said that <b>"the money is in the list."</b> Well, <b>they lied. It's not.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">You see, <b>like most other things that lead to money, your list requires <i>action</i>.</b> Your list is <b>a collection of action-takers</b> who have signed up and said,<b> "Yes, I like what you do and I want to hear more from you!"</b> That's golden! But now <b>the ball is in <i>your</i> court.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>That precious list of email addresses <i>is</i> the most valuable asset you have in your business... IF you understand why and use it properly.</b> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">You need to understand that <b>the value in your list is not the list itself, but the <i>people</i> on the list and the <i>relationship</i> you have with them. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">And you need to <b>make sure you use it in the best way.</b> (key word being <i>use</i>... action word) So grab your smelly tennis shoes and the racquet gathering dust in the back of your closet, steal the ball back from your dog and <b>get ready to channel your inner Serena Williams, because it's time for you to rock this email marketing thing and serve up some major value. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">That's what it's all about... <b>realizing that those human beings are the value and building your relationship with them by sharing valuable information that improves their life, business, relationships, or whatever your business is supposed to help them do.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>(If you haven't initiated this process, we <i>need</i> to talk </b>and get you squared away. This is<b> an absolutely <i>non-negotiable necessity</i> for your soon-to-be-wildly-successful empire!)</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Want Some Proof?</span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In March of this year, <b>SeeWhy <a href="http://seewhy.com/blog/2013/03/21/shopping-cart-abandonment-part3-what/" target="_blank">completed an extensive study of online shopper behavior</a></b>. The purpose was to study shopping cart abandonment. However, there are <b>2 important points</b> I want to make <b>concerning email</b> from their research: </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>1. Email was the #1 source of traffic at 58.8% - a full 40.9% more than from any other source!</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>2. Email was, even more importantly, the #1 source of traffic that converted into sales at 67.7% - 44.1% more than any other source!</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSAGBQkfMFcxrsiORt9NE8XySJZqPv5ikoxogF3FFnwbLqDlJr1ly6LZFUeqtpVF3Z4YBg4vCEFyvTtonJLu2MyQJAy8wkbF10pyknR5Ao8kfZ7beLeNfAO6oaL1w3x88Uz1uw6bjbXjY/s1600/email-conversions-graphic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSAGBQkfMFcxrsiORt9NE8XySJZqPv5ikoxogF3FFnwbLqDlJr1ly6LZFUeqtpVF3Z4YBg4vCEFyvTtonJLu2MyQJAy8wkbF10pyknR5Ao8kfZ7beLeNfAO6oaL1w3x88Uz1uw6bjbXjY/s640/email-conversions-graphic.jpg" height="373" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Still Holding Out? Well, Here's Some Incentive</span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">For all of you stubborn hold-outs (Yes, I did just call you stubborn. You'll thank me later.), <b>I'm going to share some powerful insight to give you some incentive.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>1) Getting prospective customers to make a small commitment</b> (like saying yes to subscribing to your list) <a href="http://www.communicationcache.com/uploads/1/0/8/8/10887248/using_commitments_to_drive_consistency-_enhancing_the_effectiveness_of_causerelated_marketing_communications.pdf"><b>increases the likelihood of getting them to say yes to larger commitments</b></a> (like buying something from you). Yeses lead to more yeses.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>2) The easiest (and least expensive) kind of business to get is <i>repeat</i> business. <a href="http://www.pbsmartessentials.com/get-customers/referral-customer-second-easiest-customer-to-acquire/">The second easiest (and least expensive) kind of business to get is <i>referral</i> business.</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Your list helps with both of those. It </span><b style="font-size: x-large;">costs 6 - 7 times less to sell to a current customer than to acquire a new one</b><span style="font-size: large;"> AND </span><b style="font-size: x-large;">they're 40% more likely to buy from you again</b><span style="font-size: large;">. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />Also, <b>people are more likely to buy from you if they'r</b><b>e referred to you by someone they know</b><b>.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br />Ongoing correspondence with your customers is the best way to increase word-of-mouth referrals.</b> It keeps you in touch with your community, keeping you top-of-mind when they need what you offer... and when people they know need what you offer.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />So do you see how, <b>by not having and nurturing an email list, you're actually making business harder than it has to be</b>? Good. Then read on for some tips.</span><br />
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<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Some Do's and Don'ts</span></h2>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">DO use your list to <b>engage and further your relationship with those following your work</b>.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">DO <b>make absolutely sure the peeps on your list know it's a 2-WAY communication mechanism</b> and that they can <b>respond (and that you enjoy when they do!).</b></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">DO <b>email your list on a regular basis</b> - one that's appropriate for your business. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">DO <b>provide value</b> when you email your tribe.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">DO <b>make being part of your community a VIP Experience</b>. (You know... subscriber-only sales and offers, early bird pricing, that kind of thing.)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">DO <b>let those on your list always be the first to get the deets on the unique goodies you offer.</b></span></li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">DON'T make your list all about the numbers (how many followers you have or how much money you can get out of them).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">DON'T look at your list as as a "push my agenda" one-way street.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">DON'T overstay your welcome by emailing your list too often.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">DON'T use your list solely for marketing your stuff.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">DON'T let your list linger uncared for.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">DON'T treat those on your list the same as you treat every other Joe Schmo who happens on by. (They're special!)</span></li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">NEVER share your list with others.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">NEVER spam your list.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">NEVER abuse the privilege of being welcomed into their inbox.</span></li>
</ul>
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<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Inspiration</span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">You're probably on a number of email lists and have an ever-expanding inbox full of samples for your perusal. <b>Stop being intimidated by the sheer enormity of it, and use it to your advantage.</b> Evaluate them to <b>guide your process as you create your own.</b></span><br />
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Which ones do you like best?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">What exactly is it you like?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">What don't you like?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">What makes you want to open someone's email?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">What makes you want to direct it straight to the trash?</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-size: large;">You can make a lot of your <b>decisions about format, design, content, frequency and services</b> by looking at the ones you receive.</span><br />
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<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Your Turn...</span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Do you have a list </b>and<b> send a newsletter?</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">If not, <b>what are you going to do about it?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Tell me in the comments</b> below... and <b>then get to work on it!</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">That's <i>my</i> challenge to <i>you</i> :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Much Success,</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1sYZXW_UCSLudpoRwe-RcAS2K1TEOLHsbcI_V0uJPEFOkjZv7aDrvrqzlXot8Y_krxIaoLJIZlLEsfy-yS5v60U9Ivxu-1wbUu6Km-hH6W8gixrERHqVHzI3jW9JCD_UWuUyCMVrpKts/s1600/heart-debi-sig.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1sYZXW_UCSLudpoRwe-RcAS2K1TEOLHsbcI_V0uJPEFOkjZv7aDrvrqzlXot8Y_krxIaoLJIZlLEsfy-yS5v60U9Ivxu-1wbUu6Km-hH6W8gixrERHqVHzI3jW9JCD_UWuUyCMVrpKts/s1600/heart-debi-sig.gif" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1sYZXW_UCSLudpoRwe-RcAS2K1TEOLHsbcI_V0uJPEFOkjZv7aDrvrqzlXot8Y_krxIaoLJIZlLEsfy-yS5v60U9Ivxu-1wbUu6Km-hH6W8gixrERHqVHzI3jW9JCD_UWuUyCMVrpKts/s1600/heart-debi-sig.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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<div>
<a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="30 day challenge" src="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/wp-content/uploads/blogchallenge/30daychallenge300x125.jpg" /></a>I'm writing this post as part of Natalie Sisson's <a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/" target="_blank">30 Day Blog Challenge</a> during which I'll follow the path she's laying with inspiration and challenges for daily blog posts. I hope you'll enjoy coming along on this journey and share your own in the comments every day. If you'd like to participate in the challenge on your own blog, just click one of the links <a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/" target="_blank">here</a> and you'll be taken to the page with all the details. </div>
Debihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05277238068811242245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632012804452080110.post-3156780644591301412013-08-22T03:16:00.001-04:002014-03-14T14:53:09.294-04:00My Website and Millionaire Business Steps - Blog Challenge Days 13 and 14<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">by </span><a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+DebiAuger1?rel=author" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Debi Auger</a><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/blog-challenge-day13/" target="_blank">Day 13 Challenge</a></b>: <i>"What 3 things would you most like your website to have and how will you go about getting them</i><i>?"</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/live/day-14-how-to-build-a-blog-that-matters-and-monetize-it-with-jaime-tardy-podcast/" target="_blank">Day 14 Challenge</a></b>: <i>"What are 2 key ways you could use the habits of a millionaire to monetize your blog in the next month</i><i>?</i><i>"</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">The Three Things I Most Want My Website to Have</span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">Well, as you can probably tell by a look around,<b> I'm in the midst of re-branding my business.</b> Lots of work involved in that and it's one of my main projects for the next few weeks.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I plan to have <b>a website with this as the blog component</b>. I have a <b>pretty big wish list</b> for it, and <b>I can have everything I want because I'm designing and building it myself </b>;-) Here are a few things:</span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"> I want <b>a unique site that's very "me" and speaks to the artisans and creatives... yes YOU!... that it's for.</b></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"> I want <b>a store component</b> where I can gather all the books and programs I have available (free and paid) in one place, easy to find, because I've got quite a few of them in the pipeline (17 at last count!)!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"> I want <b>an improved and more effective layout that's easier to navigate</b> than this temporary site.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"> I want <b>a more prominent call to action front and center on the home page of the site.</b></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"> I want <b>a Reference Center</b> so materials can be easily found.</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Two Millionaire Habits I'll Be Using in the Next Month</span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The next 4 weeks are about taking many steps forward</b>... a whole lot of continuous forward motion will be happening! (Keep your eyes on this space!)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Here are <b>some of the things I'll be doing here between now and the end of September:</b></span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"> <b>finishing my re-brand</b></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"> <b>publishing a brand new ebook</b> free for those on my email list which will also now become my <b>opt-in freebie</b></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"> <b>re-launching my business AND an improved version of my <a href="http://createyourartisanbusinesssuccessplan.com/" target="_blank">Create Your Artisan Business Success Plan</a> Program</b> in a big launch -- free video series, webinar, affiliates, promotional giveaways, the whole nine yards</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"> <b>updating my branding ebook </b><i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.lulu.com/shop/debi-auger/creating-your-brand-packaging-your-gift-to-the-world/ebook/product-20872884.html" target="_blank">Creating Your Brand ~ Packaging Your Gift to the World</a> </i><b>and getting it for sale here </b>(thanks to one of Lulu's updates, I lost all my reviews!)</span></li>
</ul>
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<img alt="Create Your Artisan Business Success Plan Program" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNyW0jY9Ioqq81K_3DUdY-J8Mv82V0ITA8UIj71JWiNhTp6v23DOhEE0-w1q6vcgzx5nsOGSG7yhQbaBBiWOKLMCFlk_HssDnsOoiVQ9Oc-DswDJthbI-ewTHD7rnlaBD46zbuSxKoJRU/s640/create-your-artisan-business-success-plan-banner-700wo.jpg" height="224" title="" width="640" /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">And You?</span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>What are you up to in your business? </b><b>What are your plans for continuous forward motion over the next month?</b> Tell me in the comments below...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Much Success,</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1sYZXW_UCSLudpoRwe-RcAS2K1TEOLHsbcI_V0uJPEFOkjZv7aDrvrqzlXot8Y_krxIaoLJIZlLEsfy-yS5v60U9Ivxu-1wbUu6Km-hH6W8gixrERHqVHzI3jW9JCD_UWuUyCMVrpKts/s1600/heart-debi-sig.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1sYZXW_UCSLudpoRwe-RcAS2K1TEOLHsbcI_V0uJPEFOkjZv7aDrvrqzlXot8Y_krxIaoLJIZlLEsfy-yS5v60U9Ivxu-1wbUu6Km-hH6W8gixrERHqVHzI3jW9JCD_UWuUyCMVrpKts/s1600/heart-debi-sig.gif" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1sYZXW_UCSLudpoRwe-RcAS2K1TEOLHsbcI_V0uJPEFOkjZv7aDrvrqzlXot8Y_krxIaoLJIZlLEsfy-yS5v60U9Ivxu-1wbUu6Km-hH6W8gixrERHqVHzI3jW9JCD_UWuUyCMVrpKts/s1600/heart-debi-sig.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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<div>
<a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="30 day challenge" src="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/wp-content/uploads/blogchallenge/30daychallenge300x125.jpg" /></a>I'm writing this post as part of Natalie Sisson's <a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/" target="_blank">30 Day Blog Challenge</a> during which I'll follow the path she's laying with inspiration and challenges for daily blog posts. I hope you'll enjoy coming along on this journey and share your own in the comments every day. If you'd like to participate in the challenge on your own blog, just click one of the links <a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/" target="_blank">here</a> and you'll be taken to the page with all the details. Cheers!</div>
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Debihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05277238068811242245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632012804452080110.post-16017586374541458662013-08-22T01:43:00.000-04:002015-03-15T22:49:15.412-04:00My USP Is A Perfect Storm of Ideal Coach Characteristics - Blog Challenge Day 12<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">by </span><a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+DebiAuger1?rel=author" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Debi Auger</a><br />
<br />
<b style="font-size: xx-large;"><a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/blog-challenge-day12/?inf_contact_key=dc35c0eeb938e814340ae6bfc82deae16a12aa5b4c9f9319704eb1eb0a2bbb44" target="_blank">Day 12 Challenge</a></b><span style="font-size: x-large;">: </span><i style="font-size: xx-large;">"</i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>What is your USP Unique Special Proposition that sets you apart from the crowd</i></span><i style="font-size: xx-large;">?"</i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIy4RWariFoKUama3zuH7tiYnCAulDIWCbHvmpc9lLllcFs3VNjEiBEhiQXH-hm2inHqIXe6qetkHWl6Y67JuqjcMDm3CgniTFNBhLbZQmmR4Lt5GkA2K49HAOYIcpAlA6b36BeiyNVj4/s1600/quote-natalie-sisson-be-yourself.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIy4RWariFoKUama3zuH7tiYnCAulDIWCbHvmpc9lLllcFs3VNjEiBEhiQXH-hm2inHqIXe6qetkHWl6Y67JuqjcMDm3CgniTFNBhLbZQmmR4Lt5GkA2K49HAOYIcpAlA6b36BeiyNVj4/s320/quote-natalie-sisson-be-yourself.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<i style="font-size: xx-large;"><br /></i>
<span style="font-size: large;">Well, without a doubt, I'm the best me there is ;-) And there's a whole lot to that, but <b>what is it exactly about me that I feel benefits YOU the most?</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> <b>1. I've been teaching, coaching and mentoring in one form or another for almost 30 years</b>... from teaching CCD to gradeschool kids... to coaching Special Olympians with intellectual and developmental disabilities... to teaching Intraoperative Interventional Radiology to technologists and other medical staff... <b>and now, getting artisans and creatives comfortable with the business part of business.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> <b>2. INFJ is my Myers-Briggs Personality Type.</b> Huh? What does <i>that</i> have to do with anything? (Don't worry... that's what my first thought was, too!) You can read more about this on my <a href="http://awaehqndreams.blogspot.com/p/about-me-and-how-awaehqn-dreams-came-to.html#.UhWglZLVCkY" target="_blank">About page</a>, but <b>here are a few traits of INFJ's that might make you more curious</b>. Let me preface this list by saying that <b>INFJ's are the rarest of all personality types, making up only 1% of the population; most people can go a lifetime without ever meeting one.</b> Ok, that puts the following statements in perspective. INFJ personalities:</span><br />
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<li><b><span style="font-size: large;">focus on the needs of other people to support them in realizing their potential</span></b></li>
<li><b><span style="font-size: large;">excel at recognizing the possibilities for personal development in others, and often have a plan for how others can achieve their goals</span></b></li>
<li><b><span style="font-size: large;">creative and dedicated; with a talent for helping others with a original solutions to their personal challenges</span></b></li>
<li><b><span style="font-size: large;">gain the most satisfaction from their work when they can turn their ideas into reality, creating constructive change for other people</span></b></li>
<li><b><span style="font-size: large;">have a unique ability to understand the emotions of those around them and enjoy using this emotional sensitivity to create warm and supportive environments for growth</span></b></li>
<li><b><span style="font-size: large;">are creative problem-solvers who actually enjoy problem solving</span></b></li>
<li><b><span style="font-size: large;">are excited about the future and possibilities and enjoy using their organizational skills and imagination to create plans to achieve grand visions</span></b></li>
<li><a href="http://awaehqndreams.blogspot.com/p/about-me-and-how-awaehqn-dreams-came-to.html#.UhWglZLVCkY" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">see About page for more...</span></a></li>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> <b>3. Oddly, for an extremely intuitive, creative person, I'm actually left-brain dominant.</b> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Creatives are considered "right-brain thinkers" and tend to hate technical, detailed, numbers, research kind of work. Which actually <b>explains why most creatives hate the business part of running a creative business</b>... and maybe you're one of them. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I'm almost equally left- and right-brained, but there is a bit of a bent toward the left-brained side. So <b>I actually love the business stuff. </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">That's probably why I did so much research and analysis before starting my business... and still do! And it's <b>all that research, learning and applying that helps me shorten the learning curve for you.</b> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> <b>4. I'm a very creative problem solver.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> <b>5. I excel at big-picture thinking, creative brainstorming and strategic planning. </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> <b>6. I have a real knack for seeing opportunities for multiple income streams in other people's businesses</b> (and I believe they're a necessity for online success), which is why my <a href="http://awaehqndreams.blogspot.com/2013/08/how-do-you-monetize-your-business-blog.html#.UhWhUZLVCkY" target="_blank"><b>Multi-Faceted Monetization Model™</b> (mentioned in yesterday's post)</a> is such an important part of my coaching.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> <b>7. I'm multi-passionate and I think that a lot of creative people are also, so I totally "get" you.</b> I know what it's like to be <b>relentlessly curious</b>; to <b>want to do/try so many things</b>; and to <b>have so many interests and not know which to choose</b>... and really <b>not want to choose </b>between them. (And I'm not going to suggest that you "choose one" if that makes you feel any better.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> <b>8. I'm building a lifestyle business and I want to help you do the same. </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I'm building a lifestyle business around my biggest interests that is the <b>poster child for a multi-passionate entrepreneur business... with strong philanthropic components and my own charitable foundation, too.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">To me a "<b>Lifestyle Business</b>" means <b>having a business doing what you love that gives you the lifestyle you want. </b>That's my definition of "<b>successful</b>" too. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Success, and therefore lifestyle businesses, <b>look different to each person</b>. Part of what I do is <b>help you determine what it looks like to YOU and put a plan in place so you can achieve it</b>. As we discussed on <a href="http://awaehqndreams.blogspot.com/2013/08/you-cant-get-where-youre-going-if-you.html#.UhWiGpLVCkY" target="_blank">Day 4</a>, you can't get where you're going if you don't know where that is. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I want you to <b>create a lifestyle business that celebrates your talents, values and priorities and is the very essence of what success means to you. </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">And You?</span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>What's <i>your</i> USP?</b> Tell me in the comments below...</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Much Success,</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1sYZXW_UCSLudpoRwe-RcAS2K1TEOLHsbcI_V0uJPEFOkjZv7aDrvrqzlXot8Y_krxIaoLJIZlLEsfy-yS5v60U9Ivxu-1wbUu6Km-hH6W8gixrERHqVHzI3jW9JCD_UWuUyCMVrpKts/s1600/heart-debi-sig.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1sYZXW_UCSLudpoRwe-RcAS2K1TEOLHsbcI_V0uJPEFOkjZv7aDrvrqzlXot8Y_krxIaoLJIZlLEsfy-yS5v60U9Ivxu-1wbUu6Km-hH6W8gixrERHqVHzI3jW9JCD_UWuUyCMVrpKts/s1600/heart-debi-sig.gif" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1sYZXW_UCSLudpoRwe-RcAS2K1TEOLHsbcI_V0uJPEFOkjZv7aDrvrqzlXot8Y_krxIaoLJIZlLEsfy-yS5v60U9Ivxu-1wbUu6Km-hH6W8gixrERHqVHzI3jW9JCD_UWuUyCMVrpKts/s1600/heart-debi-sig.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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<a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="30 day challenge" src="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/wp-content/uploads/blogchallenge/30daychallenge300x125.jpg" /></a>I'm writing this post as part of Natalie Sisson's <a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/" target="_blank">30 Day Blog Challenge</a> during which I'll follow the path she's laying with inspiration and challenges for daily blog posts. I hope you'll enjoy coming along on this journey and share your own in the comments every day. If you'd like to participate in the challenge on your own blog, just click one of the links <a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/" target="_blank">here</a> and you'll be taken to the page with all the details. Cheers!</div>
Debihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05277238068811242245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632012804452080110.post-69989876184193027222013-08-17T18:27:00.000-04:002014-03-14T14:53:54.251-04:00How Do You Monetize Your Business? - Blog Challenge Days 10 and 11<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">by </span><a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+DebiAuger1?rel=author" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Debi Auger</a><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/blog-challenge-day10/" target="_blank">Day 10 Challenge</a></b>: <i>"What are the key ways in which you want to make money online in your chosen business OR Which are the key online revenue streams you want to focus on in your existing business</i><i>?"</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/blog-challenge-day11/?inf_contact_key=95dda5d1a108bf3dcde49750efe6a799171a7db3aa57de09fd135cd8af6ca114" target="_blank">Day 11 Challenge</a></b>: <i>"</i><i>Which business model is best for you and what one revenue stream is most feasible?</i><i>"</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">This is an <b>exciting topic for me</b>! <b>One of my favorites</b> because I believe it is <b>THE secret to having a successful lifestyle business and making a living from your passion.</b> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>My creative nature blossoms here because I'm creative both in and about business.</b> I <b>do creative things</b> like jewelry and graphic design. But <b>I'm also creative when it comes to business ideas and running a business</b> which serves me and my clients very well, especially when it comes to <b>designing income streams!</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">As a matter of fact, my <b>Multi-Faceted Monetization Model™</b> is <b>one of the core concepts that I work with clients on</b>.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFf_R5QRl8xQvjXz1O9oeBf4gxs_kY8EK0hVLVLKExeTo8yoJDAKYJxbuMLMlMGnoUsTN03K_SkjCyH-lexnMZ1Gmva1BLCgHmhDVIPVYrrFfZdpf6d20SmQSOjUidfFroh5XrMsYXzyE/s1600/adsc-graphic-multifaceted-monetization-model-for-print.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFf_R5QRl8xQvjXz1O9oeBf4gxs_kY8EK0hVLVLKExeTo8yoJDAKYJxbuMLMlMGnoUsTN03K_SkjCyH-lexnMZ1Gmva1BLCgHmhDVIPVYrrFfZdpf6d20SmQSOjUidfFroh5XrMsYXzyE/s400/adsc-graphic-multifaceted-monetization-model-for-print.jpg" height="209" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It's one of the main parts of the <a href="http://createyourartisanbusinesssuccessplan.com/" target="_blank"><i><b>Create Your Artisan Business Success Plan Program</b></i></a> that will be launching again soon [Hint --> click that link and get on my list for a chance at early-bird pricing ;-) ]</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">My Income Streams</span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I have <b>a multi-passionate life and business</b>... and a <b>Multi-Faceted Monetization Plan™ to match!</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiexj4mjTTkMRoacT-7vqecwykF6pJfYgMuN_dP9CsH3-Z-mU-UAyF-76fSv2mL00iMWDZCm-1wH7V71mt4wamQRJEUkEas_pWW6VITHUF_cva9Lfo1pvahQMD0TCSKiZ94Io_wBfsLUAc/s1600/adsc-graphic-multifaceted-monetization-plan-for-print.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiexj4mjTTkMRoacT-7vqecwykF6pJfYgMuN_dP9CsH3-Z-mU-UAyF-76fSv2mL00iMWDZCm-1wH7V71mt4wamQRJEUkEas_pWW6VITHUF_cva9Lfo1pvahQMD0TCSKiZ94Io_wBfsLUAc/s400/adsc-graphic-multifaceted-monetization-plan-for-print.jpg" height="207" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">My plan is <b>a mix of active, leveraged, residual and passive income from a variety of sources.</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcdD_UBYFYHub0x5JzWcIMHzX7_U2bhKHsyURBo1-peZqbJ9Ozfl7fPZGdv29NNfm85lnQYW_t5UGlRYJObw1sfCosStXUpNVTxqzplwaAwZJSTAStjnil4pL9LYYsFhLRXPrsFwrvcFI/s1600/designs_by_debi_logo_final_rgb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcdD_UBYFYHub0x5JzWcIMHzX7_U2bhKHsyURBo1-peZqbJ9Ozfl7fPZGdv29NNfm85lnQYW_t5UGlRYJObw1sfCosStXUpNVTxqzplwaAwZJSTAStjnil4pL9LYYsFhLRXPrsFwrvcFI/s200/designs_by_debi_logo_final_rgb.jpg" height="68" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcdD_UBYFYHub0x5JzWcIMHzX7_U2bhKHsyURBo1-peZqbJ9Ozfl7fPZGdv29NNfm85lnQYW_t5UGlRYJObw1sfCosStXUpNVTxqzplwaAwZJSTAStjnil4pL9LYYsFhLRXPrsFwrvcFI/s1600/designs_by_debi_logo_final_rgb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcdD_UBYFYHub0x5JzWcIMHzX7_U2bhKHsyURBo1-peZqbJ9Ozfl7fPZGdv29NNfm85lnQYW_t5UGlRYJObw1sfCosStXUpNVTxqzplwaAwZJSTAStjnil4pL9LYYsFhLRXPrsFwrvcFI/s1600/designs_by_debi_logo_final_rgb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcdD_UBYFYHub0x5JzWcIMHzX7_U2bhKHsyURBo1-peZqbJ9Ozfl7fPZGdv29NNfm85lnQYW_t5UGlRYJObw1sfCosStXUpNVTxqzplwaAwZJSTAStjnil4pL9LYYsFhLRXPrsFwrvcFI/s1600/designs_by_debi_logo_final_rgb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcdD_UBYFYHub0x5JzWcIMHzX7_U2bhKHsyURBo1-peZqbJ9Ozfl7fPZGdv29NNfm85lnQYW_t5UGlRYJObw1sfCosStXUpNVTxqzplwaAwZJSTAStjnil4pL9LYYsFhLRXPrsFwrvcFI/s1600/designs_by_debi_logo_final_rgb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.designs-by-debi.com/" target="_blank">Designs by Debi</a> </span><span style="font-size: large;">is my <b>handcrafted jewelry</b> business. It's a <b>product-based</b> business. I specialize in <a href="http://www.designs-by-debi.com/personalized-keepsake-bracelets-boutique.html" target="_blank">Personalized Jewelry</a>, <a href="http://www.designs-by-debi.com/memorial-bracelets.html" target="_blank">Memorial Jewelry</a>, <a href="http://www.designs-by-debi.com/awareness-bracelets.html" target="_blank">Awareness Jewelry</a>, One-of-a-Kind Pieces, <a href="http://www.designs-by-debi.com/custom-orders.html" target="_blank">Custom Designs</a> and the gorgeous island-and-ocean themed <a href="http://www.designs-by-debi.com/aloha-collection-boutique.html" target="_blank">Aloha Collection</a>™. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Awaken Dreams Success Coaching </span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This is my <b>Lifestyle Business Design Coaching for Artisans and Creatives.</b> I have a mix of <b><a href="http://awaehqndreams.blogspot.com/p/products-and-services.html#.Ug_4KpLVCkY" target="_blank">products and programs</a></b>. They <b>range in price from free all the way to (eventually) $5,000+ Retreats.</b> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">This business <b>incorporates all 4 types of income</b> with offerings that include <b>ebooks, books, group coaching and 1-on-1 coaching</b>. I have some <b>self-study offerings and other physical and digital products in the works</b> with many, many more on the way. Eventually, once I get my relocation settled, I'll start offering retreats.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Awaken Dreams Graphic Design</span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This is <b>another creative endeavor for me.</b> I've done all my own graphic and web design and really enjoy it so I'm going to start offering this service shortly. I'm currently building it into the new Awaken Dreams website that's under construction. It will <b>incorporate both active and residual income streams.</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBzNwkd0PPM9uXCs3KNdH2qPotbuJEZx_PeydBegjnS9UeA_ej0q5Cj9QEmH3iIhqdsSvciLBbrXCgFWThAERp8S0YbHfz7DV9Hr1PK-06xtnE-CITfhxS24Yte5ILeSJCmYLlAYy9p58/s1600/quote-suzanne-evans-money.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBzNwkd0PPM9uXCs3KNdH2qPotbuJEZx_PeydBegjnS9UeA_ej0q5Cj9QEmH3iIhqdsSvciLBbrXCgFWThAERp8S0YbHfz7DV9Hr1PK-06xtnE-CITfhxS24Yte5ILeSJCmYLlAYy9p58/s400/quote-suzanne-evans-money.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Right now this is more of a labor of love. I'm building </span><b style="font-size: x-large;">a website to celebrate and share my love of Hawaii</b><span style="font-size: large;">, but I haven't published it yet (just </span><a href="http://hawaii-escape-to-paradise.blogspot.com/" style="font-size: x-large;" target="_blank">blog</a><span style="font-size: large;">, </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/HawaiiETP" style="font-size: x-large;" target="_blank">facebook</a><span style="font-size: large;"> and </span><a href="https://twitter.com/HawaiiETP" style="font-size: x-large;" target="_blank">twitter</a><span style="font-size: large;">). It's something I work on in my spare time, during my time off. It </span><b style="font-size: x-large;">will mostly consist of passive income with finder/referrer relationships and ad income.</b><span style="font-size: large;"> But I come up with more ideas for this site all the time, so who knows what sort of amazing it will turn out to be.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo-aw2bUc85ZkuuT6THhTYwWaXcKARbWd20JOGgAAdn_Cw7TLetEvv12fS7eH8LvJkMNdVVf8Zx6aWNG4Vs2zUjHQZUIeeo61yZRgCQbSdpQ-Ed9nHcFwUokqoWUlQEbnBm4GDV4HUUqs/s1600/da-internet-research-specialist-logo.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo-aw2bUc85ZkuuT6THhTYwWaXcKARbWd20JOGgAAdn_Cw7TLetEvv12fS7eH8LvJkMNdVVf8Zx6aWNG4Vs2zUjHQZUIeeo61yZRgCQbSdpQ-Ed9nHcFwUokqoWUlQEbnBm4GDV4HUUqs/s320/da-internet-research-specialist-logo.gif" height="78" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I also do </span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>freelance internet research</b> for a select few clients, mostly marketing strategists. And I have a <b>product in development.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">How About You?</span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>How do you monetize your business?</b> How many income streams do you have? <b>It's important so let's chat about it in the comments below!</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">Much Success,</span><br />
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<a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="30 day challenge" src="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/wp-content/uploads/blogchallenge/30daychallenge300x125.jpg" /></a>I'm writing this post as part of Natalie Sisson's <a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/" target="_blank">30 Day Blog Challenge</a> during which I'll follow the path she's laying with inspiration and challenges for daily blog posts. I hope you'll enjoy coming along on this journey and share your own in the comments every day. If you'd like to participate in the challenge on your own blog, just click one of the links <a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/" target="_blank">here</a> and you'll be taken to the page with all the details. Cheers!</div>
Debihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05277238068811242245noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632012804452080110.post-70994515533064427592013-08-17T16:48:00.001-04:002014-03-14T14:54:31.677-04:00Inspiration From Around the World - Blog Challenge Days 8 and 9<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">by </span><a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+DebiAuger1?rel=author" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Debi Auger</a><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Day 8 Challenge: A Day of Rest! </b>(and, yes, for me this <i>is</i> a challenge)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/blog-challenge-day9/?inf_contact_key=6fa3e334ff30c428963cfbc1eb299dfbae3c7c9e8c014bb28352d5b155541902" target="_blank">Day 9 Challenge</a></b>: <i>"Whose online business do you admire most and why</i></span><i style="font-size: xx-large;">?"</i><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Day 8</span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">Today was <b>a day of rest</b>. Thought I'd better acknowledge that so you don't go crazy looking for Day 8 ;-) Whew! A much needed bonus for me. I'm not used to blogging daily... hence why I am not keeping up here (so this was really just one less day to catch up on... ssssh!). But considering the fact that I don't usually do anywhere near this many blog posts, I'd say I'm doing pretty damn well and I'm proud of that.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Day 9</span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Whose online business do I admire most?</b> Wow. There are so many people that I could mention here and no possible way I can choose just one. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Natalie Sisson </span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">Yup, <b>Natalie herself is right at the top of my list</b> for sure. And no, I'm not kissing ass. I seriously don't think anyone else ever could get me to blog every single day. See, that's <b>the inspirational effect she has on her audience</b>. It's awesome to see. She <b>delivers top notch information and coaching</b>, of course. But <b>the way she engages and inspires her tribe is truly something to strive for</b>. And <b>the avid support and response she gets in return is fantastic</b>.<b> I hope to have that kind of relationship with my Awaken Dreams community someday!</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Sir Richard Branson</span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">I also greatly admire <b>Sir Richard Branson</b>. I'm a multi-passionate entrepreneur and I see him as <b>the <i>ultimate</i> multi-passionate entrepreneur</b> so I find him <b>incredibly inspiring</b>. I love his philosophy of <b>business as a force for good</b>; that <b>the purpose of business is to make people's lives better.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">There are <b>3 other people that I absolutely adore.</b> I've been <b>blessed to work with them, love to follow them, devour their stuff and have learned an enormous amount from them.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Natalie MacNeil</span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">Natalie is the Founder of <b><a href="http://shetakesontheworld.com/" target="_blank">She Takes on the World</a></b>. She is <b>the Mindset Queen</b> and, <b>along with Natalie Sisson in WE Mastermind, helped me get my mindset on track for greatness</b>. I love her go get 'em style and I'm deeply inspired by her work. I enjoy watching her <i><b>She Takes on the World TV</b></i> shows.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Bernadette Doyle</span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">Bernadette is the Founder of <b><a href="http://www.clientmagnets.com/" target="_blank">Client Magnets</a></b>. She's someone who has, in many ways, <b>done what I'm trying to do, both personally and professionally</b>. She's <b>genuine and down-to-earth, while at the same time not afraid to give you the tough love and tell you to put your big girl panties on because she truly cares about your success.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Matthew Kimberley</span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.matthewkimberley.com/" target="_blank">Matthew</a> is the <b>Head of the Book Yourself Solid School of Coach Training </b>and<b> Author of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/How-Get-Grip-Matthew-Kimberley/dp/1843583283/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1376771900&sr=1-1&keywords=how+to+get+a+grip" target="_blank"><i>How To Get a Grip</i></a></b> (great book!). I love the combination of <b>laughing and learning</b> and have not seen anyone more <b>the master of having you laughing your ass off while learning critical sales and marketing information</b> than Matthew. He's also <b>a productivity ninja</b> (and we've already discussed here what a productivity nut I am) so, of course, I thoroughly enjoyed <b>his ebook </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">How To Be Really F**king Productive</i>, too. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">So Many Awesome Entrepreneurs</span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">I've been <b>blessed to meet, work with and mastermind with so many wonderful people</b> along my journey in business online. I've <b>engaged with people around the globe, expanded my horizons worlds beyond what they were before</b> and I think <b>that is my favorite part of this.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">And You?</span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Who do you most admire and why? </b>Tell us in the comments below.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">Much Success,</span><br />
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<a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="30 day challenge" src="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/wp-content/uploads/blogchallenge/30daychallenge300x125.jpg" /></a>I'm writing this post as part of Natalie Sisson's <a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/" target="_blank">30 Day Blog Challenge</a> during which I'll follow the path she's laying with inspiration and challenges for daily blog posts. I hope you'll enjoy coming along on this journey and share your own in the comments every day. If you'd like to participate in the challenge on your own blog, just click one of the links <a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/" target="_blank">here</a> and you'll be taken to the page with all the details. Cheers!</div>
Debihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05277238068811242245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632012804452080110.post-35468220491440408362013-08-17T03:25:00.001-04:002014-03-14T14:54:48.224-04:00Master Your Mindset<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">by </span><a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+DebiAuger1?rel=author" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Debi Auger</a><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/blog-challenge-day7/?inf_contact_key=38a619b3d9c1130ef63c6de4ff2899014ac63a9d783637c4d0c5800ca0fa0a9d" target="_blank">Day 7 Challenge</a></b>: <i>"Which key tools will you turn to regularly </i><i>to </i><i>maintain your mindset and how will you use them effectively?"</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I cannot emphasize enough the <b>importance of mindset</b> and the <b>critical role it will play in your success</b>. <b>Before you can master your business or your life, you MUST first master your MINDSET.</b> Sure you can try to do it without it (isn't that what you've been doing?), but every day will be a relentless uphill battle and you'll never quite get to where you're headed. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It's tough though, this mindset stuff... especially now with the world's economy in turmoil and wreaking havoc on our own personal economies. It's not easy to believe in or be positive about anything right now. So that leaves you in a real catch-22 now doesn't it?<br /><br />
I understand... been there, done that. But <b>once I worked on MY mindset, things drastically improved for me.</b> I feel so strongly about it that I put together a program to help you get your mindset work under way. It's called <a href="http://awaehqndreams.blogspot.com/p/dreaming-of-success-in-2013-read-this.html#.Ug8UX5L_ln4" target="_blank"><i>Mindset and Masterminds ~ Your Secret Weapons</i></a>. In it I guide you through an inspirational process so that you can<b> get yourself into the proper frame of mind to welcome success into your life.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Now don't go thinking that I'm getting all "woo-woo" on you because I brought up mindset. I assure you I'm not. These are all tried, tested, researched and well-used methods and concepts. And I'm not just talking about thinking positive... that's not enough. Mindset is more than that. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It also <b>requires constant work because, as an entrepreneur, you'll always face challenges and bumps in the road.</b> Many people "poo-poo" all the mindset talk and work. Don't be one of them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Some of My Favorite Tools for Mindset are My Journals</span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I like to<b> journal by hand</b>. I find it <b>much more calming and effective</b>. And I have 3 journals that I use. Yes, three. They each have a specific purpose.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">My favorite one is my <b>Gratitude Journal</b>. Every night before I go to sleep, I <b>write down all the things from that day that I'm thankful for.</b> I've been doing this for quite a while now and it <b>single-handedly made a huge difference and improvement in my mindset</b>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I also have a <b>Business Journal</b> and that's for writing all kinds of business-related <b>ideas, evaluations, results, iterations</b> and things like that. I keep it separate because it's a tool that I use and I <b>often refer back to it.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And I have a <b>Personal Journal</b>. It's a gorgeous handcrafted leather journal with white, deckled edged pages. So special. I don't write in it every day, but when I do have personal things to journal about, that's where they go.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I make <b>graphics with inspirational quotes on them</b> that I use. I also <b>post them <a href="http://awaehqndreams.blogspot.com/p/quotes-to-inspire-and-share.html#.Ug8UV5L_ln4" target="_blank">here on the blog</a> and on <a href="http://pinterest.com/awaehqndreams/inspirational-quotes/" target="_blank">a Pinterest board</a> to be used and enjoyed by others.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I also have a mini-poster... an 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper... that I design every year with my <b>main goals for the year</b> on it, a <b>couple of inspirational quote graphics</b> and <b>a picture or two related to those goals</b>. I print enough copies to <b>keep them in the areas where I work, as the cover of my yearly strategic plan, and with my gratitude journal so they are the last thing I see before I go to bed.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I get very inspired by <b>videos</b>. So when my mindset needs a boost I can go find one of <b>Natalie Sisson's Suitcase Entrepreneur Podcasts</b> (especially the ones shot on location around the world) or an episode of <b>Natalie MacNeil's She Takes on the World TV</b> or listen to a <b>TED Talks</b> video. <b>My favorite is <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qp0HIF3SfI4" target="_blank">Simon Sinek's How Great Leaders Inspire Action</a></b> that I referred to the other day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Ok so this is probably not a tool you would associate with mindset, so let me explain. <b>I'm an Evernote junkie. I use it for everything</b>. I have Evernote on both of my laptops, my tablet and my phone. I have almost 2,000 notes and 100 notebooks all nicely organized into stacks. <b>I can find anything quickly and easily and I don't have to worry about forgetting things</b> (very helpful for me because I have short-term memory loss). This has <b>alleviated a great deal of stress for me.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Because <b>your mind can only truly focus on one thing at a time</b>, having all kinds of mental notes and to-do's floating around in your head makes it impossible to get anything done. I'm a productivity nut, too. I can never get things done fast enough... or do enough of them... and my plate is always beyond full (Note to self: work on that!). So, <b>by giving me a place to quickly and easily capture all my ideas (and work them through to fruition) it keeps me calmer... and that helps my mindset. </b>And, since I started using it my productivity has increased even more. Bonus!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I try to use <b>exercise and meditation</b> to help with mindset also, but those tools are very much <b>a work in progress.</b> I need to get into a better routine for exercise and meditation just doesn't come easily to me. Slowly and steadily they're being added to the mix.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>What kinds of things do you do to keep your mindset in check? </b>Let me know in the comments below.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Much Success,</span><br />
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<a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="30 day challenge" src="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/wp-content/uploads/blogchallenge/30daychallenge300x125.jpg" /></a>I'm writing this post as part of Natalie Sisson's <a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/" target="_blank">30 Day Blog Challenge</a> during which I'll follow the path she's laying with inspiration and challenges for daily blog posts. I hope you'll enjoy coming along on this journey and share your own in the comments every day. If you'd like to participate in the challenge on your own blog, just click one of the links <a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/" target="_blank">here</a> and you'll be taken to the page with all the details. Cheers!</div>
Debihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05277238068811242245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632012804452080110.post-14338475988977576392013-08-15T02:40:00.000-04:002014-03-14T14:55:01.311-04:00You Can't Get Where You're Going If You Don't Know Where That Is! - 30 Day Blog Challenge - Days 4, 5, and 6<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">by </span><a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+DebiAuger1?rel=author" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Debi Auger</a><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/blog-challenge-day4/?inf_contact_key=254b27531e87a6a20616863a6fe1320d018dff584b783145df7f5f3d73cd347b" target="_blank">Day 4 Challenge</a>: "<i>What is your definition of location independence?</i>"</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/blog-challenge-day5/?inf_contact_key=905bc1b2eacaa0cbdf9cd41599a74e1695f9487a31ae46c2de56a5cfc760c117" target="_blank">Day 5 Challenge</a>: "<i>What does your perfect day look like?</i>"</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/blog-challenge-day6/?inf_contact_key=30e82325613c8997353dd566a35b94a04ac63a9d783637c4d0c5800ca0fa0a9d" target="_blank">Day 6 Challenge</a>: "<i>What are your 3 priorities for the next 30 days that will move you closer towards living life on your own terms?</i>"</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">Location Independence</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>I've already achieved a great deal of location independence.</b> I happily work from home and get to spend every day with my dog Niko. I have 2 laptops and a tablet and <b>can work from anywhere</b> inside... or outside... the house.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>I plan to take location independence to my perfect level and relocate to Hawaii.</b> I need to deal with a surgery for Niko first and make sure he's ok to go. Once he recovers, I want to give him the opportunity to <b>explore my favorite place and have an island life!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">The Value of Knowing Where You're Going</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">One of the fundamental steps in my coaching is to <b>help you determine what success looks like to you</b>... what you really want, where you want to be, what your perfect life looks like... <b>because we can't get you where you want to go unless you know where that is!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">This exercise is fabulous for clarity so, in addition to doing the exercise, I want to share Natalie's video with you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Yesterday was an absolutely <b>perfect day</b>... one I plan to duplicate many times now that <b>I'm finally here in Hawaii!</b> I woke to the sound of the <b>waves crashing on the shore</b> and <b>energizing rays of sunlight</b> coming in the full-length sliders in our bedroom. Niko was all bright-eyed and smiling because Mommy waking up means a <b>walk on the beach</b>. While we had the beach to ourselves and before the sand got too hot for him, we went for <b>our morning walk up and down the beach, played fetch and enjoyed the fresh air</b>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Then it was <b>back home for breakfast</b>... another one of his favorite things. Eggs, toast, fresh pineapple and guava juice for me, a breakfast bone for Niko and we're off to the lanai. After taking him for business, it was <b>time to make coffee... one of my favorite things!</b> <b>A huge cup of chocolate macadamia nut coffee and I was ready to work.</b> I grabbed my laptop and we were off to the lanai again. <b>I LOVE sitting out there working while listening to the waves and watching Niko sleep peacefully.</b> Those are the kind of mornings dreams are made of.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I went through my <b>clients' accountability modules and questions</b>, prepared for today's <b>coaching call</b> then <b>did some writing for my my blog and a new program I'm working on</b>. It was such a productive morning! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">After a quick lunch, I jumped in the shower and got dressed. Niko took his afternoon nap in his crate while I went to teach my class. <b>I've managed to secure a classroom at University here for 2 hours every Tuesday afternoon where I teach online business to local artisans so they can get established online and bring their amazing art to the world, giving them reach well beyond the Islands.</b> So far it's been an amazing experience and they love it.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKGlEKwAKJvmYTWkzUyBsZjSxO0BIH6NWges6ujkhzl_mTNG9fDBa_IKcLF67iRskrM6ZsfQhvrtRzbQG2ZiIaG-W-soOITIHiavjxAfQdRbj9qLjpu0FHh0MXFd7yfvYPg67EvAMHMtw/s1600/niko-with-hibiscus-400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKGlEKwAKJvmYTWkzUyBsZjSxO0BIH6NWges6ujkhzl_mTNG9fDBa_IKcLF67iRskrM6ZsfQhvrtRzbQG2ZiIaG-W-soOITIHiavjxAfQdRbj9qLjpu0FHh0MXFd7yfvYPg67EvAMHMtw/s320/niko-with-hibiscus-400.jpg" height="226" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">After a <b>beautiful drive along the ocean</b>, a stop at the local store and nice chat with Mr. Makai (the store owner), I was <b>back home and back out on the lanai with Niko</b>. I checked in with my friends on <b>social media</b>. Then it was time to make dinner. Fish, brown rice and green beans... that always gets Niko's attention. He loves fish and green beans! We had a <b>nice quiet, relaxing dinner on the lanai. I'm so glad I chose a house with an enormous covered outdoor space and ocean views because we certainly spend a lot of time out here.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Niko jumped up on the chaise for <b>our new nightly routine... watching the sunset over the ocean</b>. God, I could've stayed out </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">there all night. <b>He's 15 years old so it means the world to me to have my own business and freedom because I have more time to spend with him every day.</b> </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">We did stay for a bit, then went in to watch </span><b style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Hawaii Five-0</b><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"> reruns on DVR (my favorite show). </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">He didn't forget our </span><b style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">nightly routine of snuggles on the couch before bedtime</b><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"> when we moved here so we still have those too. And </span><b style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">that time is precious to me.</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">He's been so calm and happy since we've been here. And he seems to like <b>falling asleep to the sound of the waves</b> as much as I do. <b>It's such a blessing to be here and have days like that!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">And <b>I've decided I want more of them</b>. So... over the next 30 days, while also preparing for Niko's surgery (prayers appreciated ~ thank you!)...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"> • I'm <b>re-branding and re-launching my new coaching business website</b> that <b>will now include a graphic design section and more opportunities to help my clients take ownership and control of their online businesses. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"> • I'm <b>launching my new and improved <a href="http://createyourartisanbusinesssuccessplan.com/" target="_blank">Create Your Artisan Business Success Plan Program</a></b> [ Psssst... big hint... follow that link and get on the early bird list for special pricing ;-) ] </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"> • And I'm <b>finishing 2 new ebooks</b>... <i>3 Critical Mistakes Artisans Make When Starting An Online Business</i> and a 'haven't-found-the-perfect-name-yet' marketing one... and <b>there will be a shop on the new website</b> so they can be purchased directly from there!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Today I'm going out with some new friends I've made and they're going to show me some of the best places to take advantage of now that I live here. <b>Aloha!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Much Success,</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1sYZXW_UCSLudpoRwe-RcAS2K1TEOLHsbcI_V0uJPEFOkjZv7aDrvrqzlXot8Y_krxIaoLJIZlLEsfy-yS5v60U9Ivxu-1wbUu6Km-hH6W8gixrERHqVHzI3jW9JCD_UWuUyCMVrpKts/s1600/heart-debi-sig.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1sYZXW_UCSLudpoRwe-RcAS2K1TEOLHsbcI_V0uJPEFOkjZv7aDrvrqzlXot8Y_krxIaoLJIZlLEsfy-yS5v60U9Ivxu-1wbUu6Km-hH6W8gixrERHqVHzI3jW9JCD_UWuUyCMVrpKts/s1600/heart-debi-sig.gif" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1sYZXW_UCSLudpoRwe-RcAS2K1TEOLHsbcI_V0uJPEFOkjZv7aDrvrqzlXot8Y_krxIaoLJIZlLEsfy-yS5v60U9Ivxu-1wbUu6Km-hH6W8gixrERHqVHzI3jW9JCD_UWuUyCMVrpKts/s1600/heart-debi-sig.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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<a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="30 day challenge" src="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/wp-content/uploads/blogchallenge/30daychallenge300x125.jpg" /></a>I'm writing this post as part of Natalie Sisson's <a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/" target="_blank">30 Day Blog Challenge</a> during which I'll follow the path she's laying with inspiration and challenges for daily blog posts. I hope you'll enjoy coming along on this journey and share your own in the comments every day. If you'd like to participate in the challenge on your own blog, just click one of the links <a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/" target="_blank">here</a> and you'll be taken to the page with all the details. Cheers!</div>
Debihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05277238068811242245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632012804452080110.post-57118129668089586822013-08-13T04:41:00.000-04:002014-03-14T14:55:21.430-04:0030 Day Blog Challenge - Day 3: Freedom in Business and Adventure in Life<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">by </span><a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+DebiAuger1?rel=author" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Debi Auger</a><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/lifestyle-show/blog-challenge-day3/" target="_blank">Day 3 Challenge</a></b>: <i>"What's your definition of freedom in business and adventure in life?</i></span><i style="font-size: xx-large;">"</i><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Freedom in Business</span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Freedom is like success... <b>each person has their own unique definition and vision of what it is, what it looks like and what it feels like</b>. Having experienced both sides of the equation... in a structured job with a hierarchy of other bosses above me, and being the Founder and President of my own company, <b>I truly appreciate the </b></span><span style="font-size: medium; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><b>freedom and opportunities available to us in business today.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I love that I am <b>no longer rudely awakened by an alarm clock at 5am... or a pager at 3am</b> demanding a rush drive to the hospital for that matter! I do often work until the wee hours of the morning (case in point... it is 4am), but it's <b>in the comfort of my home</b>, and <b>by choice</b> because it's perfect, quiet time to concentrate and because <b>I'm a night owl</b>. I also have trouble sleeping, but that's another matter and I figure if I'm gonna be up, I might as well be productive!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I've discovered talents I didn't even know I had</b> until I had the time to explore them and just be creative.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I work on my own schedule</b>, whether that's from 10am - 6pm or from 11am - 5pm then again from 12am - 4am. I get to work <b>when I can be most effective and productive... and my hours can be different every day.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I can work wherever I want</b>... in my office, in the living room or on the back deck... or somewhere else entirely. As a matter of fact, when I relocate I'll be working from hotels while I make my way clear across the country from Rhode Island (on the east coast of the US) to California (on the west coast) because it's safer for Niko to travel in my truck than by plane.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Oh yes... another wonderful freedom... <b>Every day is take your dog to work day!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I've custom-designed my business around my passions... that's priceless!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I got to choose my niche and I decide who I work with</b>... or don't. No more working with people who drain my energy, complain all the time or drive me crazy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I have the freedom to honor my code of ethics and treat my clients and customers properly.</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioLAI4exx6X8DOur0cO5XXM7rZOZzfXLr2ITbuOYZUtJvGyWO5Yj0k0FPzNWrj5xy1ngTyZsBjcDByAv5GNyfb_k2WS7CVpySrRGfokpeCzvYwyMt3ZgAOAo0XVJGdLC_fg1imiW9IP6c/s1600/quote-donald-trump-think-big.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioLAI4exx6X8DOur0cO5XXM7rZOZzfXLr2ITbuOYZUtJvGyWO5Yj0k0FPzNWrj5xy1ngTyZsBjcDByAv5GNyfb_k2WS7CVpySrRGfokpeCzvYwyMt3ZgAOAo0XVJGdLC_fg1imiW9IP6c/s320/quote-donald-trump-think-big.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><b>I decide what the priorities are</b> and choose <b>what gets done next</b>, as well as <b>the path the business is forging.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I've <b>erased the words "glass ceiling"</b> from my vocabulary and <b>taken charge of my destiny.</b> I have <b>the freedom of unlimited potential... in earnings, in accomplishments and in the difference I can make in people's lives and in the world, both through my work and my philanthropy.</b> <i>THAT</i> is empowering and <i>THAT</i> is freedom in business.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Adventure in Life</span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: medium; text-align: -webkit-auto;">I'm just like most other entrepreneurs... <b>my life and my business are inextricably intertwined, especially because I work from home</b>. And, as with any business or job, for better or worse they do affect your life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The company I'm building is what's making life adventures possible... adventures I never could have even dreamed of before! The <b>possibilities are literally endless</b>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I love challenges, learning and open-minded thinking so, although some of these things may seem odd to consider adventures, to me they're quite <b>meaningful and exciting</b>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Deciding to <b>create a Legacy Lifestyle Business</b> means I get to <b>challenge the status quo</b>. I get to <b>say an emphatic "NO" to the delayed gratification idea of retirement and help others do the same.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I get to live anywhere I want to live.</b> For me that happens to involve a logistically challenging 5,000 mile move with my dog to <b>Hawaii</b>. But it means that I'll get to <b>explore my favorite place</b> every day, <b>learn more about it</b>, and <b>adopt a whole new lifestyle and culture</b>; one that feels much more natural to me!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In the process of building my online business, <b>I've been networking and making friends with people all around the world</b>. I dare say that's actually my favorite part of it! </span></div>
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I can also travel anywhere I want to travel</b>. I have a list of places I'd like to see... and <b>a bunch of those friends I'd like very much to meet in person</b>. But truth be told I haven't traveled much of anywhere for a few years. My hat's off to Natalie because traveling around the world alone is not something I could do. I love following her adventures, but I don't think I'd make it as a Suitcase Entrepreneur! <b>I'll stick to being to an Island Entrepreneur ;-)</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The bottom line is, <b><a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/inspiration/starting-a-new-business-journey-from-zero-to-ebook-launch/" target="_blank">I'm creating my future</a></b>... and <b>I <i>LOVE</i> that!!</b> My life is a blank canvas and <b>the freedom to design my business and my life makes my whole life an adventure... one I am thoroughly enjoying!</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwE7mKkXAm6ovjWcRfIaYF_xi4cA7mH27OxFvs8GyQtplYnyApgPG9izyGZrM37qrRZ3pHucV7jpuIzPp6cSJk0YcMAi7Jkr936k7rQnLI4yTdUF6Eq2XUk8Q09oyRn7j3aQfEN7Tc658/s1600/quote-abraham-lincoln-predict-your-future.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwE7mKkXAm6ovjWcRfIaYF_xi4cA7mH27OxFvs8GyQtplYnyApgPG9izyGZrM37qrRZ3pHucV7jpuIzPp6cSJk0YcMAi7Jkr936k7rQnLI4yTdUF6Eq2XUk8Q09oyRn7j3aQfEN7Tc658/s320/quote-abraham-lincoln-predict-your-future.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">What Are You Creating?</span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It's your turn. <b>Tell me what freedom in business and adventure in life means to you.</b> What are you creating for yourself with all the opportunities you have in front of you today? Tell me in the comments below.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Much Success,</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1sYZXW_UCSLudpoRwe-RcAS2K1TEOLHsbcI_V0uJPEFOkjZv7aDrvrqzlXot8Y_krxIaoLJIZlLEsfy-yS5v60U9Ivxu-1wbUu6Km-hH6W8gixrERHqVHzI3jW9JCD_UWuUyCMVrpKts/s1600/heart-debi-sig.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1sYZXW_UCSLudpoRwe-RcAS2K1TEOLHsbcI_V0uJPEFOkjZv7aDrvrqzlXot8Y_krxIaoLJIZlLEsfy-yS5v60U9Ivxu-1wbUu6Km-hH6W8gixrERHqVHzI3jW9JCD_UWuUyCMVrpKts/s1600/heart-debi-sig.gif" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1sYZXW_UCSLudpoRwe-RcAS2K1TEOLHsbcI_V0uJPEFOkjZv7aDrvrqzlXot8Y_krxIaoLJIZlLEsfy-yS5v60U9Ivxu-1wbUu6Km-hH6W8gixrERHqVHzI3jW9JCD_UWuUyCMVrpKts/s1600/heart-debi-sig.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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<a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="30 day challenge" src="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/wp-content/uploads/blogchallenge/30daychallenge300x125.jpg" /></a>I'm writing this post as part of Natalie Sisson's <a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/" target="_blank">30 Day Blog Challenge</a> during which I'll follow the path she's laying with inspiration and challenges for daily blog posts. I hope you'll enjoy coming along on this journey and share your own in the comments every day. If you'd like to participate in the challenge on your own blog, just click one of the links <a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/" target="_blank">here</a> and you'll be taken to the page with all the details. Cheers!</div>
Debihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05277238068811242245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632012804452080110.post-14860166478788102442013-08-13T00:04:00.000-04:002014-03-14T14:55:37.654-04:0030 Day Blog Challenge - Day 2: What Would You Do and Who Would You Be?<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">by </span><a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+DebiAuger1?rel=author" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Debi Auger</a><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/blog-challenge-day2/" target="_blank">Day 2 Challenge</a></b>: <i>"If you woke up tomorrow and were free to do anything you wanted with your life, what would you do and who would you be?"</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">What Would I Do?</span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">That's an easy one to answer because <b>if I could do anything I wanted to do, I would do exactly what I'm doing now</b>. It's true. <a href="http://awaehqndreams.blogspot.com/2013/08/a-30-day-blog-challenge-30.html#.UgmRa5LVCkY" target="_blank">When I told you yesterday that "<b>coaching is deeply personally fulfilling for me</b>"</a> I totally meant it. <b>I Love It! </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I'm a <b>wildly multi-passionate entrepreneur</b> who absolutely cannot choose just one thing... and <b>I'm ok with that</b>. No, actually... <b>I'm more than ok with it, I'm EXCITED beyond measure about it</b> because <b>I get to do *awesome* stuff</b>... and lots of it! There's no feeling like it in the world and I wouldn't change it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I get to flourish in an oasis of creativity every day... </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> • I get to <b>coach amazing entrepreneurs</b> and help them realize their dreams! ...I'm a whiz with creative business solutions.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> • I get to <b>indulge my creativity with jewelry design</b> and help others by doing it. I have <a href="http://www.designs-by-debi.com/" target="_blank">handmade jewelry</a> that helps people celebrate, <a href="http://www.designs-by-debi.com/memorial-bracelets.html" target="_blank">memorialize loved ones</a> (including <a href="http://www.designs-by-debi.com/rainbow-bridge-pet-memorial-bracelet.html" target="_blank">pets</a>!) and <a href="http://www.designs-by-debi.com/awareness-bracelets.html" target="_blank">champion causes</a>. There's also a big <a href="http://www.designs-by-debi.com/philanthropy.html" target="_blank">philanthropic</a> component to my jewelry business.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> • I get to <b>creatively express my love of Hawaii</b> with a website I'm building in my (not enough of it) spare time.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR9aIHdMb48Pf0IVUFHt9yPS3hBqb4jga9y6tQJc-qlfdLEWC0O4KA2TCxpxq_2yooLIKULNR1I2KjuGDsmFe146QgenAZVVLzk7YnDL9oMqBRBVp8IJftzWufOLzES3USM2E7AvDg5mM/s1600/528371_372988402767208_799469634_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR9aIHdMb48Pf0IVUFHt9yPS3hBqb4jga9y6tQJc-qlfdLEWC0O4KA2TCxpxq_2yooLIKULNR1I2KjuGDsmFe146QgenAZVVLzk7YnDL9oMqBRBVp8IJftzWufOLzES3USM2E7AvDg5mM/s320/528371_372988402767208_799469634_n.jpg" height="276" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"> • And I get to <b>be digitally creative while helping others fully and authentically express themselves and their businesses online</b> with my new endeavor, Awaken Dreams Graphic Design.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I also get to be <b>a work-at-home Eskie Mom</b>... and Niko loves that! I do, too. It certainly beats all the years I had to leave him for 12+ hours a day when I was at the hospital and on-call! Besides, <b>what business couldn't use a cute, white, fluffy apprentice?</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Maybe I'd Like A Little More of Some Things</span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">Ok so <b>I suppose there are some things I would like to have more of...</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> • Like everyone else, I'd love to have <b>more hours in a day</b> because I want to <b>do even more awesome stuff</b>.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> • I'd like to have <b>the resources to help more clients</b> because <b>I want <i>every</i> artisan in the world to have the successful lifestyle they dream of</b>.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> • I want <b>more help</b>... that's <b>my <i>real</i> plan to get myself more hours in a day and help more people</b>... to have <b>a whole team of amazing people</b> helping me fulfill that dream <b>so I can help you fulfill yours!</b> See... bet you thought when you read the first 2 things that I was hoping for the impossible, didn't ya? Remember: Creative. Business. Solutions.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> • I'd like <b>more money for <a href="http://thephaneuffoundation.org/" target="_blank">my charitable foundation</a></b> so I can <b>help more soldiers, veterans and military families.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">...And A Little Less of Others</span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I suppose there are things I would like less of, too... </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> • </span><span style="font-size: large;">less debt (goal = $0)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> • </span><span style="font-size: large;">less health problems - for me and especially my precious Niko</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> • less medication for both of us</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> • </span><span style="font-size: large;">less weight for both of us, too (a 'lovely' side-effect of those medications)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> • less winter/snow (remedy = Hawaii)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">So Yes, I Would Change Where I Do What I Do</span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">I love what I do. I'm just <b>working on changing <i>where</i> I do it</b>. Because...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">• I don't like winter.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> • I </span><span style="font-size: large;">don't like snow. (That's putting it mildly!)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> • And I don't like Rhode Island... I especially don't like running a business in Rhode Island (trust me... we're not ranked at the bottom of the list of best states to do business in for nothing!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">But, <b>more importantly, I <i>love</i> Hawaii</b>. I feel more at home there than I do here... and I've lived here my whole life. I'm drawn there. I love it there. And, <b>since I now work from home and have much more freedom and time to enjoy my environment</b> than when I was on-duty 80 hours a week, <b>I'm relocating</b>. Well... as soon as Niko's health will allow it. It's all in his fuzzy little paws.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">But I Wouldn't Change Who I Am</span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">I'm an <b>Eskie Mom</b> and that's joyfully rewarding! (Eskies are like love covered in fur.)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I'm </span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>multi-passionate</b> and that's exciting and challenging.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://awaehqndreams.blogspot.com/p/about-me-and-how-awaehqn-dreams-came-to.html#.Ugmo65LVCkY" target="_blank"><b>I'm an INFJ</b></a> and that (along with a list of other things) makes me <b>a very effective coach.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I'm <b>honest, compassionate, thoughtful and live by the Golden Rule</b> and that makes me a good person.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I'm also <b>passionate, self-motivated and determined</b> enough to be a <b>successful entrepreneur</b> and that's what I was born to be.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">So Have I Got What It Takes To Be A Suitcase Entrepreneur?</span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">Yes, Natalie I </span><span style="font-size: large;">absolutely</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">do! My goal is not to travel the world quite like you, but I'm definitely <b>building a more location-independent business</b> and <b>packing my suitcase (and a whole lot more!) for Hawaii.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">In addition to the aforementioned passion and motivation, I have a gift that goes beyond determination. It's one that has served me very well. I actually had to name it in order to talk to my clients about it so I call it "<b>Inevitability Thinking</b>." </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Inevitability Thinking describes <b>my failure-is-not-an-option, success-is-expected way of approaching things in my life</b>. Success is expected for me by me. I <b>don't much worry about other people's opinions</b>. I <b>don't concern myself with what <i>they</i> think is or isn't possible</b>. Henry Ford once wisely said, "<i><b>Whether you think you can, or think you can't... you're right</b></i>" and I wholeheartedly believe that.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">So I am <b>continuing my journey toward my perfect lifestyle business</b> while <b>helping </b><b>my clients define what success means to them and build their own lifestyle businesses that are the essence of that vision of success.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">And You?</span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">What would you do? Who would you be? Tell me in the comments below. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Much Success,</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1sYZXW_UCSLudpoRwe-RcAS2K1TEOLHsbcI_V0uJPEFOkjZv7aDrvrqzlXot8Y_krxIaoLJIZlLEsfy-yS5v60U9Ivxu-1wbUu6Km-hH6W8gixrERHqVHzI3jW9JCD_UWuUyCMVrpKts/s1600/heart-debi-sig.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1sYZXW_UCSLudpoRwe-RcAS2K1TEOLHsbcI_V0uJPEFOkjZv7aDrvrqzlXot8Y_krxIaoLJIZlLEsfy-yS5v60U9Ivxu-1wbUu6Km-hH6W8gixrERHqVHzI3jW9JCD_UWuUyCMVrpKts/s1600/heart-debi-sig.gif" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1sYZXW_UCSLudpoRwe-RcAS2K1TEOLHsbcI_V0uJPEFOkjZv7aDrvrqzlXot8Y_krxIaoLJIZlLEsfy-yS5v60U9Ivxu-1wbUu6Km-hH6W8gixrERHqVHzI3jW9JCD_UWuUyCMVrpKts/s1600/heart-debi-sig.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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<a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="30 day challenge" src="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/wp-content/uploads/blogchallenge/30daychallenge300x125.jpg" /></a>I'm writing this post as part of Natalie Sisson's <a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/" target="_blank">30 Day Blog Challenge</a> during which I'll follow the path she's laying with inspiration and challenges for daily blog posts. I hope you'll enjoy coming along on this journey and share your own in the comments every day. If you'd like to participate in the challenge on your own blog, just click one of the links <a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/" target="_blank">here</a> and you'll be taken to the page with all the details. Cheers!</div>
Debihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05277238068811242245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632012804452080110.post-82813102170586041252013-08-12T19:33:00.000-04:002014-03-14T14:55:58.903-04:00A 30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 1: 30 Opportunities for Sharing, Learning and Growth<div style="orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; orphans: auto; widows: auto;">by </span><a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+DebiAuger1?rel=author" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; orphans: auto; widows: auto;">Debi Auger</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I joined <a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/" target="_blank">Natalie Sisson's Blog Challenge</a> that she's holding this month to celebrate the launch of her book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Suitcase-Entrepreneur-freedom-business-adventure/dp/0473251248/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1376347902&sr=1-1&keywords=suitcase+entrepreneur" target="_blank"><i>The Suitcase Entrepreneur</i></a> that's getting rave reviews. It really is an AWESOME book - I was lucky to have an advanced copy to read and LOVED it!! So... this is 30 Days of Challenges and I hope you'll enjoy the journey with me here :) If you have a blog and want to participate in the challenge yourself, click <a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/" target="_blank">here</a> or on the link in the sidebar on the right and you can read all about it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">Here We Go...</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Without further ado, because I'm already a bit behind, we're off on the challenge! Yay... I love challenges! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/blog-challenge-day1/" target="_blank">Day 1 Challenge</a>:</b> <i>"Write a post on why you started your blog, who you wanted to reach, what you wanted it to be all about. Then state why you joined this blog challenge and what you wanted to get out of it."</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">Why Did I Start This Blog?</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>I started this blog to <a href="http://awaehqndreams.blogspot.com/2013/07/getting-serious-artisans-comfortable.html#.Ugltw5LVCkZ" target="_blank">get women artisans comfortable with the business part of business</a>.</b> In all honesty aWAEHQn dreams was a happy accident... a really <b>over-the-top, awesome, happy accident. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Artisans were coming to me with business questions and I enjoyed helping them. </b>What I didn't think about initially was how often I was doing it... until my work on my other businesses wasn't getting done! That's because more and more people came... unbeknownst to me I was becoming "The Artisan's Business Coach." I was just <b>happy when helping others with their businesses so I kept doing it.</b> But of course free is not a business model so I eventually determined I either needed to cut waaaaaaay back on the time I spent coaching or make another business out of it. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBFm-lUik1PBrAm4zwAiEYOKcLr-EUzSYXj3L2AN81kfupoPek7REShD9qQOfRyDX2RS2rFqBj0s0OrN9nsLf0STZWed8D4M5Yfgiy21AK-w9-9v3oOQrBgj5b8SCZQEnPniCk33tEebs/s1600/quote-steve-jobs-follow-your-heart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBFm-lUik1PBrAm4zwAiEYOKcLr-EUzSYXj3L2AN81kfupoPek7REShD9qQOfRyDX2RS2rFqBj0s0OrN9nsLf0STZWed8D4M5Yfgiy21AK-w9-9v3oOQrBgj5b8SCZQEnPniCk33tEebs/s320/quote-steve-jobs-follow-your-heart.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Around the same time, I suffered 2 extremely painful losses and was doing a lot of <b>evaluating and soul-searching.</b> During that process I <b>watched a TED Talks video by Simon Sinek called "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qp0HIF3SfI4" target="_blank">How Great Leaders Inspire Action</a>" and it led me to my WHY.</b> It was a powerful revelation when I saw <b>the common thread connecting the past 30 YEARS of my life... that's how long I've been teaching, mentoring and coaching.</b> So actually it <b>was very logical that I was drawn to this and got so much satisfaction from it.</b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Tears of absolute joy flowed</b> and the <b>decision was made</b> then and there... <b><a href="http://awaehqndreams.blogspot.com/p/work-with-me.html#.Uglu_5LVCkY" target="_blank">another business</a></b> it is... because <b>coaching is deeply personally fulfilling for me.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">Who Am I Trying to Reach?</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I want to <b><a href="http://awaehqndreams.blogspot.com/p/work-with-me.html#.Uglu_5LVCkY" target="_blank">shorten the learning curve for women artisans</a> who are ready to <a href="http://awaehqndreams.blogspot.com/2012/09/6-weeks-to-your-artisan-business.html#.UgltqZLVCkZ" target="_blank">embrace entrepreneurship</a>.</b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I<b> deal with life and business together</b> because, when you're an entrepreneur, <b>the two are inextricably intertwined</b>. And, especially if you work from home, they <b>collide daily.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I believe <b>the world deserves to enjoy the amazing and beautiful creations of your talented mind and hands</b> AND that <b>you should be properly compensated for your skills and work.</b><br /><br />
I absolutely <b>light up with joy when I'm able to <a href="http://awaehqndreams.blogspot.com/p/clients-say.html#.UglvPpLVCkY" target="_blank">help artisan business owners make breakthroughs and see results</a></b> in their business and life!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>I want you to create a lifestyle business that celebrates your talents, values and priorities and is the very <a href="http://awaehqndreams.blogspot.com/2012/09/are-you-doing-what-you-love.html#.UgltwJLVCkY" target="_blank">essence of what success means to you</a>... and yes, helping you figure that out is part of what I do!</b></span></div>
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I'm here <b>to challenge you</b>, <b>show you options you don't even know you have</b>, and <b><a href="http://awaehqndreams.blogspot.com/2013/03/show-me-your-calendar-and-your-checkbook.html#.Uglt-pLVCkZ" target="_blank">show you how to play a MUCH bigger game</a> than you think you can play</b>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I want to <b>impact lives</b>. I've <b>changed my life</b>. I <b>want to change your life</b>. <b>Hell, I want to change the world</b>!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">Why Do the Challenge?</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I joined this blog challenge because, well, I love a challenge... and I do want to change the world! I also <b>joined so that I can write more often</b>. I'm hoping through that writing, <b>we can get to know each other better</b> and I can <b><a href="http://awaehqndreams.blogspot.com/p/quotes-to-inspire-and-share.html#.Uglu5pLVCkY" target="_blank">inspire you</a> to share and join in the conversations</b> here... and to <b>get lots of teachable moments</b> in over the next 29 days <b>so we can get on with all that life-changing stuff and get you where you deserve to be!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">And, Over to You...</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Whatd'ya think? Tell me.... <b>what's YOUR why? Why do you do what you do? What's your inspiration?</b> Comment below. I truly want to know :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Much Success,</span></div>
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<a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="30 day challenge" src="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/wp-content/uploads/blogchallenge/30daychallenge300x125.jpg" style="cursor: move;" /></a>I'm writing this post as part of Natalie Sisson's <a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/" target="_blank">30 Day Blog Challenge</a> during which I'll follow the path she's laying with inspiration and challenges for daily blog posts. I hope you'll enjoy coming along on this journey and share your own in the comments every day. If you'd like to participate in the challenge on your own blog, just click one of the links <a href="http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/" target="_blank">here</a> and you'll be taken to the page with all the details. Cheers!</div>
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Debihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05277238068811242245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632012804452080110.post-47380379014887054052013-07-13T22:31:00.000-04:002014-03-14T14:56:21.140-04:00Getting Serious Artisans Comfortable With the Business Part of Business Part 1: Marketing<div style="orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; orphans: auto; widows: auto;">by </span><a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+DebiAuger1?rel=author" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; orphans: auto; widows: auto;">Debi Auger</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">So you love what you do and you think <b>maybe you want to turn this hobby of yours into a business</b>. You're <a href="http://awaehqndreams.blogspot.com/2013/03/having-etsy-shop-does-not-equal-having.html#.UcCjVfmsiSo" target="_blank">not getting the results you had hoped for with Etsy</a>. You're tempted to dip your toe in with <b>a website all your own.</b> You're excited. You're scared. You're hesitating. <b>You're letting yourself get intimidated by terms like "content marketing" or maybe just the thought of marketing itself has you all up in arms.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">It's ok. <b>That's what happens when you're about to take a big step and there's a world of uncertainty ahead.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">But, if it's ok with you, <b>I'd like to remind you that there's a world of POSSIBILITIES ahead, too!</b> You see it's all a matter of perspective... and your perspective matters. Henry Ford once wisely said, <b>"Whether you think you can, or think you can't... you're right."</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Soooooooooo... do you think you can? You're taking the time to read this article so that's a step in the right direction; in the I-think-maybe-I-CAN direction. Good for you! <b>I think you can</b>, too :)</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Some Truth About Marketing</span></b></h2>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Marketing doesn't have to be all icky, sleazy, used-car-salesman-like, ya know. Now, don't get me wrong, <b>marketing is not an option; it's an absolute necessity. You MUST be able to ask for the sale. You won't make sales otherwise. But there are plenty of ways to market your business that are well within your comfort zone.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">You've more than likely got a craft show or two under your belt so let's start there.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Translating Craft Show Success to Your Online Business</span></b></h2>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Some of the things that help you at craft shows can be translated to your online business.</b> There's obviously no way to make up for people being able to touch, hold or try on your work at shows. The closest remedy for that is <b>excellent quality images of your product. That alone will make or break sales for you.</b> So, if your images aren't all that great, you should work on that first. No matter what you do or where you sell online, if your images suck, you will not be successful.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Two other major factors in show success can also be taken advantage of online. </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Nice To Meet You</span></b></h3>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>People love to meet the artisan whose work they're buying.</b> And although it's certainly not as good as meeting you in person, <b>an About page that really shows your personality</b> goes a long way. And yes, <b>you must have a photo of yourself on it</b>. There's no way for buyers to make any kind of <b>personal connection</b> with you online without it.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Tell Me a Story</span></b></h3>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>The other thing that often helps sales at shows, especially on higher-priced pieces, is their story.</b> Do you find yourself telling stories about your work at shows? about <b>what inspired you to make the piece? the meaning behind it? what it represents to you?</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM4P2P8I73D961mLY6_Ak1XyhoRKDhzO1wa4sMc0Z_GQWWJFLp02kubXcV3FVNsLZJEyjegOBSWJLNFOA4VoQagOLjiEyRNYwj6ZMiVxZh0jPcBGlqlcr-PXR7OnXOCOaLWjM-wnjxBt8/s1600/quote-suzanne-evans-sales-is-transference-of-inspiration.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM4P2P8I73D961mLY6_Ak1XyhoRKDhzO1wa4sMc0Z_GQWWJFLp02kubXcV3FVNsLZJEyjegOBSWJLNFOA4VoQagOLjiEyRNYwj6ZMiVxZh0jPcBGlqlcr-PXR7OnXOCOaLWjM-wnjxBt8/s320/quote-suzanne-evans-sales-is-transference-of-inspiration.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>This can be done <i>very</i> effectively online!</b> You can tell the story of your work <b>on your About page... or even make a page about your craft.</b> I have both an <a href="http://www.designs-by-debi.com/about-the-designer.html" target="_blank">About the Designer</a> and an <a href="http://www.designs-by-debi.com/about-the-jewelry.html" target="_blank">About the Jewelry</a> page on my <a href="http://www.designs-by-debi.com/" target="_blank">Designs by Debi website</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">You should also<b> take advantage of your product descriptions to tell each piece's story. The story makes an emotional connection with a buyer </b>because it resonates with them in some way.<b> It's those emotional connections that are going to make the sale.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Think about yourself. Why do you buy things that aren't a necessity? Why do you need to have that painting or necklace? Because it speaks to you in some way, touches you in some way, makes you feel a certain way. Right? Make that happen for your customers.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">So Let's Talk About This Marketing Stuff</span></b></h2>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Yup, we're gonna poke the bear. And you're going to see that that big ole marketing bear just isn't that scary. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's the problem: </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>The most critical thing for any small business is consistent marketing and it's the one thing small businesses, <i>especially</i> artisan businesses, neglect more than anything else!</b> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Yikes! We need to fix that!</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Traditional Marketing</span></b></h2>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Traditional marketing is "transactional marketing."</b> It's <b>focused solely on making the sale and the exchange of money.</b> This is probably the kind that makes you feel all squirmy just thinking about it right? Well, that's ok. I don't like it either. <b>I'm not much of a hard sell kinda person. I never hovered over people in my booth at shows. At first I couldn't even believe I was starting a business that was going to require selling stuff! </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">But I realized some things after I did. So read on and that icky feeling will go away. Promise.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">One of the biggest things that will help you is to know that <b>there are many types and components of marketing. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Of course, the sale and money is ultimately what you want if you're selling things, whether it's handcrafts or anything else. But as an artisan you're going to find Relationship Marketing much more appealing.</b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Relationship Marketing</span></b></h2>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Relationship Marketing includes everything you do from making a prospect aware of your work to turning them into raving fans.</b> It <b>takes into account the long-term value of a customer</b> and <b>puts the focus on customer satisfaction and retention</b>, rather than on a one-time transfer of money.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">The introduction of computers and especially social media have made this type of marketing <b>much easier, more widespread and much more effective</b> than it could be before. You have many more ways and opportunities to have personal contact with customers. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">This is also <b>another opportunity you have to differentiate yourself from your competitors.</b> It's a chance to <b>personalize things for your customers, co-create with them and really make emotional connections with them.</b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Visual Marketing</span></b></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Visual marketing involves, well, visuals. And since you're an artisan and us artsy, right-brain types are very visual, this should start you off in a comfortable place. </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/danschawbel/2011/10/06/leverage-visual-marketing-to-grow-your-business/" target="_blank">Visual Marketing</a> is <b>creative marketing campaigns and anything you do to grab attention for your business or brand.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">It includes all kinds of <b>online and offline solutions that you can use very easily to promote your artisan business.</b> Here are some visual marketing ideas:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> • websites and blogs</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> • HTML newsletters</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> • graphics and infographics</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> • videos</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> • podcasts</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> • brochures, flyers and post cards</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> • banners and posters</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">And, of course, any kind of swag with your logo, business name or art on it would be a form of visual marketing also.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Personality Marketing</span></b></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIy4RWariFoKUama3zuH7tiYnCAulDIWCbHvmpc9lLllcFs3VNjEiBEhiQXH-hm2inHqIXe6qetkHWl6Y67JuqjcMDm3CgniTFNBhLbZQmmR4Lt5GkA2K49HAOYIcpAlA6b36BeiyNVj4/s1600/quote-natalie-sisson-be-yourself.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIy4RWariFoKUama3zuH7tiYnCAulDIWCbHvmpc9lLllcFs3VNjEiBEhiQXH-hm2inHqIXe6qetkHWl6Y67JuqjcMDm3CgniTFNBhLbZQmmR4Lt5GkA2K49HAOYIcpAlA6b36BeiyNVj4/s320/quote-natalie-sisson-be-yourself.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Personality marketing is something I also hope will come natural and easily to you because it's probably <b>the best way to differentiate yourself from your competition.</b> This is <b>all about being yourself.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Let your <a href="http://pushingsocial.com/how-to-find-and-unleash-your-blogs-voice/" target="_blank">personality shine through on your website and in your writing</a>. You'll stand out as unique... there is only one you after all. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">You'll <b>resonate with people, attract the right people to you, inspire them and make sales.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Bottom line: Be <b>genuine</b> and <b>honest</b>. Be<b> likeable</b> and <b>approachable</b>. Be <b>real</b>. Don't try to be all things to all people and don't get crazy about being all "PC" and not offending anyone. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Just be YOU! </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">You're passionate about your work and you care about your customers. So let it show!</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Content Marketing</span></b></h2>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Content marketing is basically the creation and sharing of media and includes written, audio and video content.</b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">It's not overt selling, but rather <b>a means of communicating and engaging as a mechanism for building awareness and trust with your target audience.</b> You use various means to <b>be helpful, provide value, tell a good story, inspire them and let them get to know you and your business. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">It's not only about sharing your work. There are tons of ways you can add value and interact with your customers...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> • share your work</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> • share the inspiration for your work</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> • show them your process</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> • let them see your work area where all the magic happens</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> • write helpful articles related to what you create and sell</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> • give them ideas of how to use what you create</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> • give them instructions to care for what they purchase from you</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> • teach others how to do what you do</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.copyblogger.com/content-and-branding/" target="_blank">This post on copyblogger.com</a> is excellent and it includes an infographic guide called the <b>Content Marketing Media Matrix for Small Business that showcases all the various types of content that you can incorporate in your artisan business marketing</b> all the way from the easiest (social media) to the most complex (interactive gaming).</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Social Media Marketing</span></b></h2>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Social Media Marketing should be somewhat comfortable for you, too. I'm sure you have a social media presence somewhere and <b>I'm willing to bet that you're already engaging in this to some extent.</b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">One important thing to remember in this age of social sites sprouting like weeds is that <b>you DO NOT have to be on every social media site.</b> It's most important for you to <b>be where your customers are.</b> Don't spread yourself too thin. <a href="http://blog.viralheat.com/2013/07/02/five-tips-to-prevent-social-media-fatigue/" target="_blank">It's very easy to get overwhelmed with social media</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">But it's also <b>a superb marketing tool for your business.</b> It <b>works all the way from building awareness to making the sale.</b> And you can engage with people for <b>free!</b> Of course I don't suggest getting carried away... <b>it does cost you time!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">The biggest platforms right now are <b>Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google Plus, YouTube, Pinterest and Instagram.</b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>LinkedIn is really a business site, but as a business owner, you should have a presence there whether or not your customers are there. </b>It gives you a place to interact with other artisans and entrepreneurs and, if you fill out your profile and keep it up-to-date, it's a great online resume that can help people find you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Pinterest is a fabulous platform for artisans. </b>It's <b>very visual so it lends itself well to showcasing your work</b> (another reason to make sure you have great images!). If you pin an image with a price, it also shows up in the gift area. And, studies have shown that </span><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.digiday.com/brands/15-stats-retailers-should-know-about-pinterest/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Pinterest shoppers are spending significantly more per checkout </span>averaging between $140-$180 per order compared with consistent $80 and $60 orders for Facebook and Twitter shoppers<span style="font-family: inherit;">, respectively.</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Facebook can be a great place for engaging with fans, customers and other artisans and businesspeople.</b> You have your personal profile to interact with people. <b>If you want a business presence on Facebook you should also have a business page.</b> And there is a <b>huge variety of Facebook groups</b> that could be useful to you as well.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">And there are many, many other social media sites that could make sense for your business. It depends how useful they are to your bottom line. You'll have to try them and test your results.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Email Marketing</span></b></h2>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Email marketing is essentially another form of content marketing. <b>By including engaging content in your newsletters, you can drive readers to your website, interested to see what else you have to offer.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Email marketing <b>will usually have one of two basic purposes:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> • advertisement or other offer</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> • keeping in touch</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">You can put a graphic ad or other advertisement into a mailing to your list if you've created something new, have a whole new product line or if you're having some kind of sale or special event.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Email is <b>the perfect way to stay in touch with your list and encourage repeat business by helping you be "top of mind" when they need what you offer.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Not starting an email list is one of the biggest mistakes artisans make, but it's a critical piece of your business plan. It gives you an audience to sell to and is an asset to your business. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">One great way you can use email and newsletters is to <b>make it a VIP experience for your customers. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> • Let your readers be the first to see your new work and have a chance to buy it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> • Offer them special bonuses.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> • Hold subscriber-only sales and events.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> • Share special content with them that you only send to your list.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Use it to enhance relationships and build loyalty with your business.</b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Promotional Marketing</span></b></h2>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">I saw that. No eye-rolling! I know, seeing the words Promotional Marketing probably brought that pit in your stomach feeling, but it really shouldn't. It does include advertisements of course.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But it also <b>includes some FUN stuff like special events, </b></span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><b><a href="http://sbinformation.about.com/cs/advertising/a/promos.htm" target="_blank">contests, coupons and free samples</a>! </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">All <b>your visual marketing tools are also promotional in nature</b> and those are pretty painless.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">And, <b>since the easiest business to get is repeat business and the second easiest is referral business, great opportunities lie in loyalty and referral programs.</b> They give you an opportunity to reward customers and I know that's something I always enjoy doing!</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Have I Changed Your Mind?</span></b></h2>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">I hope that I've convinced you that <b>marketing doesn't have to be a dirty word</b>. On the contrary, <b>it can be an interesting and fun way to engage with your peeps!</b> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">And I think you'll find that <b>the most genuine and helpful interactions will not only be the easiest for you, but also the most beneficial to your artisan business.</b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Intrigued? Want to learn more? </span></b></h2>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Be on the lookout for my <a href="http://createyourartisanbusinesssuccessplan.com/" target="_blank">Create Your Artisan Business Success Plan Program</a> launching soon where you can figure out your what, why and how and plan the path to your dreams. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">One of the things I teach in the program is my Relationship Marketing Hourglass™ so you'll learn about even more kinds of marketing you can put to use. Not only that... <b>you'll finish the program with a business plan, monetization plan <i>and</i> a marketing plan for your business. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://createyourartisanbusinesssuccessplan.com/" target="_blank">Click here</a> to get on the list so you'll be first to know when sign-ups open and take advantage of early-bird pricing ;-) </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">(You see what I did there?)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">So <b>what's your biggest marketing challenge? And what are you going to implement in your business after reading this post? Tell me in the comments below.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">And if there's something you'd like to see in other parts of this blog series, let me know that, too!</span></div>
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Debihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05277238068811242245noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632012804452080110.post-83838946607632335322013-06-11T20:50:00.001-04:002013-06-15T17:06:38.674-04:006 No-Brainer Ways to Get Healthier Even If You’re Stuck In Overwhelm<span style="color: #666666; font-size: x-small;">Guest Post by Claire Kerslake</span><br />
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Life is busy. You know you need to turn over a new leaf with your health.<br />
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It just seems so HARD.<br />
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It doesn’t have to be.<br />
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Let’s look at some quick and easy ways to make a real difference to your health without feeling like you’re drowning in overwhelm.<br />
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1. Mindfulness</h2>
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It’s really about being in the moment. Fully experiencing the present, instead of worrying about the future or perhaps rehashing the past. <br />
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Eating mindfully is a fabulous skill that can change your life if you let it. You can reacquaint yourself with the sensations of hunger and fullness. It allows you to really enjoy that special treat instead of scoffing it down while doing something else such as checking your email or Facebook.<br />
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Being mindful is asking yourself the question ‘<i>what is it I really need?</i>’ The answer often surprises me. Instead of a high fat, high sugar treat, it is sometimes a nap, or a sit down for ten minutes with my favorite magazine.<br />
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Being mindful is literally about smelling the roses. It reduces stress while allowing you to make better choices.<br />
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2. Be Creative With Your Time</h2>
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Time? What time! I don’t have time to be healthy!<br />
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I know where you’re coming from. I used to think if only I got up a bit earlier. Or went to bed a bit later. Or somehow found whatever magical trick everyone else had up their sleeve to be so much more productive than me.<br />
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Long term that is a one-way trip to burnout and ill-health.<br />
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We need to look at things a bit differently.<br />
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The two magic words are <b>drop</b> and <b>delegate</b>.<br />
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Any activity that doesn’t align with your values needs to be reviewed with the question ‘<i>Can I drop or delegate this?</i>’<br />
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Can you ask for help? As a recovering perfectionist with a tendency to want to control everything, this was a biggie for me.<br />
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It does get easier! <br />
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Does it have to be perfect? (I know, how could I ask such a thing!) There is no point having a floor you can eat your lunch off if you are struggling to find the time to take the actions that will keep you healthy.<br />
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Sometimes it is just looking at things differently. For instance, exercising in three ten-minute blocks through the day is an efficient and effective way of fitting in regular exercise. Can you manage ten minutes in your lunch break? Or while you’re cooking tea?<br />
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3. Sharpen the Saw</h2>
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It is SO tempting to forget this with everything we have on our plate. I’ve certainly done it in the past. <br />
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Stephen R. Covey had it right when he said in <i>The 7 habits of Highly Effective People</i> that ‘<i>It’s preserving and enhancing the greatest asset that you have – you</i>’.<br />
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This is all about doing more of the things that nurture your body and your soul. Getting enough sleep. Perhaps learning to meditate or enrolling for a yoga class.<br />
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Our bodies are amazing machines that keep soldiering on in the face of incredible neglect. Until they don’t and it all comes crashing down.<br />
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The upside of sharpening the saw is that you’ll be so much more productive. And healthier. <br />
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A true win-win.<br />
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4. Make It Fun</h2>
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I used to be a passionate non-exerciser.<br />
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One of the keys for me in embracing exercise has been to make it fun. It is my time to listen to podcasts and audios from my mentors. <br />
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How could you make exercise fun if you’re a couch potato like I used to be? Can you exercise with friends? Or do something active with the kids? Once again, be creative and experiment.<br />
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You might just surprise yourself!<br />
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5. Adjust Your Attitude</h2>
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Too often when we think about getting healthier we think about depriving ourselves. Having to go without or do things that will hurt.<br />
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Let’s turn that around to view the small changes that we are making as ways to nurture and support our beautiful bodies.<br />
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If we look at food as nourishment, can we add in some extra vegetables? Is that high sugary soda going to nourish our bodies or can we make a better choice?<br />
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Our bodies were meant to move. It doesn’t have to hurt. We just have to start.<br />
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6. Start Small</h2>
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I’ve left the best til last. I used to think that the advice to make small changes at first was for everyone else. I was motivated and enthusiastic so of course I could do more!<br />
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And I failed. Again and again.<br />
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Start small. It really is the secret.<br />
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The changes you are making need to be almost insultingly tiny. <br />
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A five minute walk. Adding in an extra vegetable at tea time. You get the drift.<br />
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The key is in getting those habits established so that down the track they become a part of your life.<br />
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I’d encourage you to pick one or two things off the list and just start.<br />
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Down the track you’ll be amazed at the difference in your life and your health.<br />
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Have you found any other tips helpful in creating those healthy habits? We’d love for you to let us know in the comments below!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZVuLe_SuHkPFlJtXS5a-y0AQl63hPCrR3y5JLgBYE_m9_M3Mep6uDk87lIDU956DrMssyeNuSl2wmW-bqsMg-ohyB0nuDb_MmnpsU6kbXasWYo5-O3MkjU4CY-bQJxFfAuBVLufx6u88/s1600/claire-150px-for-blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZVuLe_SuHkPFlJtXS5a-y0AQl63hPCrR3y5JLgBYE_m9_M3Mep6uDk87lIDU956DrMssyeNuSl2wmW-bqsMg-ohyB0nuDb_MmnpsU6kbXasWYo5-O3MkjU4CY-bQJxFfAuBVLufx6u88/s1600/claire-150px-for-blog.jpg" /></a><span style="background-color: #ead1dc;"><b>Claire Kerslake</b> is a health coach, registered nurse and credentialed diabetes educator who is the founder of <a href="http://lovinglifewithdiabetes.com/" target="_blank"><b>Loving Life With Diabetes</b></a>, a website and blog where you’ll find the motivation, inspiration and support to help you create healthy habits in your life. The free video series to celebrate the launch of her upcoming online program <b><a href="http://bit.ly/10GzLzy" target="_blank">Renew</a></b> starts TODAY! Click <a href="http://bit.ly/10GzLzy" target="_blank">here</a> to get on the early bird list if you’re not already. (You’ll also receive the fabulous Zest newsletter, chock full of juicy goodness around twice a month).</span>Debihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05277238068811242245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632012804452080110.post-34575068677635471832013-05-11T15:22:00.000-04:002014-03-14T14:56:44.930-04:00How Liking Ladders Will Decimate Your Facebook EdgeRank and Hurt Your Bottom Line<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: -webkit-auto;">by </span><a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+DebiAuger1?rel=author" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Debi Auger</a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Have you ever had something happen on Facebook that made your jaw drop and really rubbed you the wrong way? It happened to me recently. I witnessed an event that really irritated me. It's not the first incident of its kind; as a matter of fact far from it. Something similar happened to me a while ago and it irked me then, too.</span></div>
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So why am I telling you about it? And why the outburst on my (personal) Facebook page... the kind you've never seen from me before? Because <b>it's as relevant to your business as any other one with a business page on Facebook</b>. Because <b>they're exactly the types of things that happen when people go about willly nilly liking pages just to get reciprocal likes and increase their fan count.</b></span></div>
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A friend of mine, and fellow artisan, was holding an event and received a really rude comment from a "fan" of her business page. And, yes, I did feel the need to step in and have my say about it... I'm opinionated ya know ;-)</span></div>
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Essentially besides telling her she was rude, I pointed out the fact that the wonderful thing about Facebook is <a href="http://awaehqndreams.blogspot.com/2012/05/how-to-set-up-interest-lists-and-take.html#.UY6BFrWsiSo">you control what you see</a> and that, if she wasn't a fan of her work, she shouldn't have liked her page in the first place. I feel that was a fair assessment because her comment was extremely rude, insensitive, insulting... just plain nasty.<br /></span><br />
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Why Would Someone Like a Page They Don't Like?</span></h2>
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When people are focused on getting as many fans as possible, they often participate in <b>"liking ladders"</b> (also called tagging sessions and a number of other names). And this is the kind of thing that can result from them. People go around liking pages that they couldn't care less about, then later, when things are posted, there's <b>backlash</b>.</span></div>
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In addition to the negative situation that occurs between people in these instances, there are <b>Facebook repercussions</b> as well. That person will at the very least now unlike the page. Obviously they <i>should</i> unlike the page. However, <b>the act of unliking is one of Facebook's negative engagement triggers</b> so now a hard-working small business owner's page has been negatively impacted when in reality the person probably never should have liked it in the first place.<br /></span><br />
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Asking For Trouble</span></h2>
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There are two things that I'm really tired of seeing because, <b>by participating in them, you're just asking for trouble.</b> And I see them over and over (at least 5 times just today!) so I think they need to be discussed. There are two scenarios I repeatedly see:</span></div>
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<b>1) "Liking Ladders"</b></span></div>
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<b>2) The suggestion of "hey let's all like each other's Facebook pages and get more likes"</b> that I keep seeing on Facebook, LinkedIn and in forums and groups all over the place.</span></div>
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<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWZgETti5YZXEWtKTu0dTffNlkinGNdXThkRVgV-hvkNHh3eLCt43DgjJnqp9WuutJfHSARvO_-mTxshGix83T4Du5VWcRCBJuVrcAi4lUnlzKOkuuZFcXC_oKGCP5_5dZWS8R9-d26iY/s1600/no-68481_640-pixabay-pubdomcc0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWZgETti5YZXEWtKTu0dTffNlkinGNdXThkRVgV-hvkNHh3eLCt43DgjJnqp9WuutJfHSARvO_-mTxshGix83T4Du5VWcRCBJuVrcAi4lUnlzKOkuuZFcXC_oKGCP5_5dZWS8R9-d26iY/s320/no-68481_640-pixabay-pubdomcc0.jpg" height="225" width="320" /></a></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">No, no, no, let's NOT!</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
Why?</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
EdgeRank. That's why.</span></b><br />
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<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
EdgeRank and What It Means for You</span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">
I've <a href="http://awaehqndreams.blogspot.com/2012/05/facebook-business-page-traffic-woes-and.html#.UY6BFbWsiSo">discussed EdgeRank here before</a> and how it affects business pages; as well as the new changes to it that take into account <a href="http://socialmediatoday.com/nate-mendenhall/1255651/edgerank-s-newest-factor-negative-feedback?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Social+Media+Today+%28all+posts%29" target="_blank">negative engagement.</a><br /><br /><b>
If you look at Facebook (or any other social media site for that matter) as a numbers game; all about how many likes you have, you're completely missing the point of having a Facebook page in the first place.</b> Gathering likes from people who have no interest in you is absolutely worthless. And not only that, because of EdgeRank, it will come back and bite you in the ass.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /><b>
You want passionate, engaged and loyal fans on your page.</b> Not people who end up asking you why you're showing up in their feed!<br /></span><br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
How Liking Ladders Will Decimate Your EdgeRank</span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTuPpcaQsjIX8d_o_5-f60AaY7cuW9cF9_4fFSlVQ9Qgiir8saWNwp-S3HqBo2GsNo7-vhk-z4vKS1LRPbGMoUwhBYWM28ME7bPUHHfZbxpBr4FoEUEGDUdzVzlxb5SC0r4FoH4XJhMsw/s1600/ladder-artwork-797-pixabay-pubdomcc0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTuPpcaQsjIX8d_o_5-f60AaY7cuW9cF9_4fFSlVQ9Qgiir8saWNwp-S3HqBo2GsNo7-vhk-z4vKS1LRPbGMoUwhBYWM28ME7bPUHHfZbxpBr4FoEUEGDUdzVzlxb5SC0r4FoH4XJhMsw/s200/ladder-artwork-797-pixabay-pubdomcc0.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></span></div>
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Unfortunately many people consider liking ladders to be networking. They're not. I admit I participated in a few of them when I first started on Facebook, before I knew better. </span></div>
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In case you've never heard of this, they're basically an event, usually involving a pretty large group (I've seen these things last hours!), going around liking pages and leaving their own page info to get a reciprocal like, most of the time <b>with no further exploration of the page being liked... at that time or in the future.</b> </span></div>
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You're <b>usually required to like every page</b> in order to participate and <b>therein lies one of the biggest problems.</b> This <b>causes people to, in the moment at least, like pages they have no interest in.</b> They don't care about you, <b>will most likely remove you the next day and if not, they'll hide you from their feed.</b> Either way <b>Facebook's negativity radar has been alerted</b> and it will hurt you. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJKBgmQCaUaL7vP29Pi_cOT98R8S3Q4Z0UzbStzO8s0-hbWFTm4UMO61G6pvw3_d0y4_PKIGyEpGJUTeR3F8jK7EhOvRFRn9YZQvTcSlUHk90Uq66RqY2sMgTBlVxPSqMtxWrIbSpnTAU/s1600/ladder-artwork-797-pixabay-pubdomcc0-flipped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJKBgmQCaUaL7vP29Pi_cOT98R8S3Q4Z0UzbStzO8s0-hbWFTm4UMO61G6pvw3_d0y4_PKIGyEpGJUTeR3F8jK7EhOvRFRn9YZQvTcSlUHk90Uq66RqY2sMgTBlVxPSqMtxWrIbSpnTAU/s200/ladder-artwork-797-pixabay-pubdomcc0-flipped.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
Imagine a ladder of 100 people all come and like your page tonight during one of these events. A few of them actually like you and stay. But the other 80 unlike your page... all within a short time frame. Whoa... EdgeRank is going to hammer you!<br /></span><br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
Another Risk of Participating</span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">
There's another risk you face as a participant. <b>If you like and comment on too many pages in quick succession, Facebook sees it as spam</b> and you'll <b>end up in hidden posts or worse... Facebook will block you</b> (put you in a time-out). I've seen people put in time-out for 30 days! Not a good place to be if you're trying to run a business!<br /></span><br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
Another No-No While We're At It</span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">
And, since we're looking at engagement and ways to stay out of trouble, <b>another thing I've stopped completely is giveaways on my Facebook page.</b> And I don't just mean the kind we used to all run before Facebook "ruined our fun" a few years ago. <b>I don't do them using the Facebook-approved apps anymore either. Because they cause the same effect that liking ladders do. </b></span></div>
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People find your giveaway via the app and all of a sudden you get a large number of likes from people who want to win whatever it is you're giving away. The problem is <b>they're often just looking for anything they can get for free</b>, then you never hear from them again, or worse... they stick around for the wrong reasons and start causing drama on your page. Either way, they're not very likely to become a paying customer. So your EdgeRank suffers for no good reason.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /><b>
TIP </b>→ When I want to hold a giveaway, <b>I do it for my newsletter subscribers and fans of my page and I hold it on my blog</b>. Yes, that's my way of making sure the proper people are rewarded with a giveaway and that Facebook isn't telling me how to do it.<br /></span><br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
To Do or Not To Do</span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">
Sometimes you can find great pages, items and people by participating in these things. I met some awesome people this way. But I don't think it's worth the risk. <b>There are better ways to accomplish the same thing.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
I seriously caution against joining ones that require you to like every page you visit on your "trip around Facebook" for the reasons I mentioned.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
Also, <b>these events waste precious time that you could spend networking in ways that are actually beneficial to your business and will produce results, not just likes.</b><br /></span><br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
Grow Your Likes Organically</span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">
You're much better off to <b>grow your likes naturally.</b> It will be slower but <b>you'll end up with fans who have a genuine interest in you and your product/service and be more likely to engage with you on your page.</b></span></div>
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<br />
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">
It's the engagement that's important. Likes don't help your page as much as lack of engagement will hurt it.</span></b><br />
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<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Protect Your Bottom Line</span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">If you have a business, <b>Facebook can be a huge opportunity for you to attract leads and even make sales.</b> So <b>don't be careless by participating in activities that can have a negative effect on your presence there.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>If you play with finicky Facebook's fire, you're going to get burned. </b>And ultimately<b> it's your bottom line that will suffer.</b> Possibilities:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> • EdgeRank... and therefore page views and interaction... decreases which causes a complete negative snowball effect.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> • You could get put in Facebook time-out... for a long time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> • You could have your page shut down all together.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And remember... there's really no way to contact Facebook. I've watched this happen to people and there's no way to argue your case. You're at their mercy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So let's agree...</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> • NO<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"> liking ladders</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"> • NO mass liking campaigns of any kind</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"> • NO unapproved giveaways that violate Facebook's policies (even better... reward your true fans by doing them elsewhere)</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"> • GROW LIKES NATURALLY</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">So How Do I Do That?</span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>1. Give people every opportunity to connect with you and invite them to!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b>
• buttons on your website, blog and any third party selling site that allows you to share them (like ArtFire)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
• a written invitation on relevant pages of your site (I.e. Home page, About page, FAQs page, Contact Me page, etc.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
• a standing invitation, using buttons or other means, in your newsletter (You are publishing a newsletter right?!? If not, we need to talk!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
• an invitation every time someone buys from you (I send it in my shipping confirmation/thank you email.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
• cross-promote your social media accounts on other social media accounts whenever possible (I.e. put all your links to your website, blog, ArtFire, Etsy, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, etc on your Facebook About page)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br /><b>
2. Network with people and make friends which will normally result in the mutually supportive act of liking each other's pages. The key here is "mutually supportive!"</b><br /><br /></span><br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
Networking the Right Way</span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>
Networking is something you should be doing and it can be very beneficial to both you and your business in many, many ways</b> if you do it correctly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCZqw4OKYNBI_VzDtMNN4NDxV2YfjAWyc6icSKEoHtuqUTFhFudcabVAzFkk2ASzfUSNXjf6immOpd-YP399COIX7Ryuz43_55bPV7xFix5F4PBlm6ZcJVAyw0zF4jThjcjVdzEu0FJbs/s1600/rainbow-84829_1920--640px-pixabay-pubdomcc0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCZqw4OKYNBI_VzDtMNN4NDxV2YfjAWyc6icSKEoHtuqUTFhFudcabVAzFkk2ASzfUSNXjf6immOpd-YP399COIX7Ryuz43_55bPV7xFix5F4PBlm6ZcJVAyw0zF4jThjcjVdzEu0FJbs/s400/rainbow-84829_1920--640px-pixabay-pubdomcc0.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
<br /><b>
Find groups of people with similar interests</b>, ask to join and get to know the people in them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Do your own "Liking Expedition"</b>... use Facebook's new graph search to type in things you're genuinely interested in and see what comes up. Go explore those things... people, pages, groups, etc... like those that you're truly interested in. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Join groups that interest you.</b> Introduce yourself. Make friends. Network with those people.<br /><br />
I run and belong to several <b>Facebook Groups and you can find them for just about anything under the sun. </b>For example, I run a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/colorcombochallenge/" target="_blank">Color Combo Challenge Group</a> where we vote on a color palette each week and come up with a design in our medium including at least 3 of the colors in the palette, then reveal them in the group the following week. The purpose is to challenge artisans to work with colors they don't normally use and combine colors they wouldn't normally think to combine so they can grow in their work.<br /><br />
I also belong to several <b>Mastermind Groups</b>. And <b>I started the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/aWAEHQndreams/app_191924250914374" target="_blank">aWAEHQn dreams Mastermind Group</a> so you could reap the benefits of a Mastermind Group specifically geared toward artisan entrepreneurs.</b> Mastermind Groups are a great way to network with like-minded people who will support you and your work.<br /></span><br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
My Solution and Recommendation</span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">
My solution... <b>I don't like pages of people I don't know unless I genuinely like what they sell or what they're about.</b> Period.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
You need to <b>follow best practices and <a href="http://www.simplyzesty.com/facebook/13-ways-to-boost-your-facebook-edgerank-status/" target="_blank">look for ways to BOOST your EdgeRank</a> if you want to be successful on Facebook.</b> So be careful out there ;-)<br /><br />
And yes, absolutely, <b>if you like me, and my mission and message resonate with you, by all means like <a href="https://www.facebook.com/aWAEHQndreams" target="_blank">my page</a>. I'd LOVE to hear from you!</b><br /><br />
There are all kinds of fun and unique things going on on Facebook and all around the world wide web. Join in!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Much Success,</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPeegMHMAtqTPaOqNUtzHB69Z2X8HZX3-8aNsZKUyZ6Do-15P5uMxG5oyS49r9lWclKVdDzIVvBKS99d5Z1h3dYMeFhHI2Ub9SCopnJUAVvHrnjPpKEuArCcq5fiJ9pcUWRZQAvD-pxYw/s1600/heart-debi-sig.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPeegMHMAtqTPaOqNUtzHB69Z2X8HZX3-8aNsZKUyZ6Do-15P5uMxG5oyS49r9lWclKVdDzIVvBKS99d5Z1h3dYMeFhHI2Ub9SCopnJUAVvHrnjPpKEuArCcq5fiJ9pcUWRZQAvD-pxYw/s1600/heart-debi-sig.gif" /></a></div>
Debihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05277238068811242245noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632012804452080110.post-5813061736453520432013-05-06T08:00:00.000-04:002014-03-14T14:57:22.493-04:00Are You Ready to Play a Bigger Game in Business?<a href="https://kk125.infusionsoft.com/go/WEM13/Debi" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://dl.dropbox.com/u/5596952/WE%20Mastermind/2013/250x250_v3.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><b></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">by </span><a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+DebiAuger1?rel=author" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal;">Debi Auger</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>There's more opportunity now than ever</b> before to tap into the new way of working and <b>to build a profitable online business.</b> Yet too many women are still struggling with `how’ to do this. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Have you always wanted to launch a product or service based around what you already know, and are good at, but have no idea how?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Then you’ll love <b>Natalie Sisson</b> and <b>Natalie MacNeil</b>’s brand new <b><a href="https://kk125.infusionsoft.com/go/WEM13/Debi/">FREE video training series</a></b> where they'll show you the <b>step by step</b> process. </span><span style="font-size: large;">It’s LIVE right now</span><span style="font-size: large;"> and, when you watch the second video, <b>you'll even get to download their gorgeous PDF Launch Blueprint</b> so you can print the guide they're discussing in the video!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">They realize there’s so much information out there on what you should be doing that, not only <b>can it get overwhelming</b>, but it doesn’t actually tell you how to launch a product or service or the <b>necessary steps you need to take to make money online.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://kk125.infusionsoft.com/go/WEM13/Debi" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://dl.dropbox.com/u/5596952/WE%20Mastermind/2013/125x300_v3.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">So they decided to put an end to that, by <b>breaking down exactly how to tap into the new way of working with online tools, social media and online platforms, to build an online business and brand you love.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Natalies, as we affectionately call them, </span>have <b>figured out what it really takes to be successful.</b> They <b>have both built 6-figure businesses</b> they love while traveling the world.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>And they want to teach you the art of making 6 & 7 figures online.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">You see <b>they’re passionate about ensuring entrepreneurs play a bigger game</b> and they want you to <b>tap into the myriad of opportunities that online platforms, social media and technology have given us.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">They’re <b>pulling back the curtains on what it really takes to launch a product online and build a following</b>, so you can learn and <b>apply their strategies to your own unique situation.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">You've got to check out their <b><a href="https://kk125.infusionsoft.com/go/WEM13/Debi/">FREE business training series</a>!</b> There are 4 videos in all and they're definitely <b>well worth your time!</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>After you watch them, stop back by and let me know what you think.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Much Success,</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPeegMHMAtqTPaOqNUtzHB69Z2X8HZX3-8aNsZKUyZ6Do-15P5uMxG5oyS49r9lWclKVdDzIVvBKS99d5Z1h3dYMeFhHI2Ub9SCopnJUAVvHrnjPpKEuArCcq5fiJ9pcUWRZQAvD-pxYw/s1600/heart-debi-sig.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPeegMHMAtqTPaOqNUtzHB69Z2X8HZX3-8aNsZKUyZ6Do-15P5uMxG5oyS49r9lWclKVdDzIVvBKS99d5Z1h3dYMeFhHI2Ub9SCopnJUAVvHrnjPpKEuArCcq5fiJ9pcUWRZQAvD-pxYw/s1600/heart-debi-sig.gif" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">P.S. You can also learn more about the Natalies and my experiences with them on the <a href="http://awaehqndreams.blogspot.com/p/want-more-dream-big.html#.UYYKNbWsiSo">Want More? Dream BIG?</a> page.</span>Debihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05277238068811242245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632012804452080110.post-90749453864334146842013-03-18T14:18:00.001-04:002015-03-15T22:50:14.845-04:00Having an Etsy Shop Does Not Equal Having a Business<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">by </span><a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+DebiAuger1?rel=author" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Debi Auger</a><br />
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<b>Just because you have an Etsy Shop does not mean you have a business.</b> As a matter of fact to prove my point, since I've probably ruffled at least a few feathers with that statement, let's do a quick assessment...<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">If Etsy shut down (or shut down your shop) tomorrow, what would you have? Where would your next sale come from?</span></b></div>
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<b>Exactly. You don't have a business. Etsy does.</b></div>
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And I'm not here to show you how to succeed on Etsy. There are a million places, including Etsy, with plenty of tips for you.</div>
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<b>I'm here to show you how to have a successful online business owned by YOU.</b> No, having an Etsy Shop is NOT the same thing!</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Quick and Easy for Beginners</span></b></div>
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There are many people who will tell you that you can easily start an online business by opening an Etsy shop. </div>
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<li><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Is setting up an Etsy shop easy? Yes, it is. I won't dispute that. </span></li>
<li><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Is it a bad idea? No, not at all. I'm not telling you to shut down your shop and run for the hills.</span></li>
<li><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Is it a bad idea to</span><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"> </span><i style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">only</i><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"> </span><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">have an Etsy Shop? YES!! YES!! YES!!</span></li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR3oInLwQ1q85D0wop9pQZtKa2FHubj_x7n1h_WCKQv7VQv4LrpBMu-bPFu1Iepsn_feIKhgxqKh7PMFGKAPDvGpxpb24nBoj8YJLtBiGLtY_NeS9XpKQt1_ltljoCAQx561zLzkNcUUc/s1600/adsc-own-your-traffic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR3oInLwQ1q85D0wop9pQZtKa2FHubj_x7n1h_WCKQv7VQv4LrpBMu-bPFu1Iepsn_feIKhgxqKh7PMFGKAPDvGpxpb24nBoj8YJLtBiGLtY_NeS9XpKQt1_ltljoCAQx561zLzkNcUUc/s320/adsc-own-your-traffic.jpg" height="283" width="320" /></a>I'm here to tell you that an Etsy shop, in and of itself, does not a business make. </div>
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<b>If you're serious about having an online business, the most important thing you need to do is own your traffic. </b>If you don't own your traffic, you're <b>risking your entire "business" on another company's every change and whim. </b></div>
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With an Etsy shop, essentially <b>you're working for Etsy while your own "business" fails to build up any equity.</b> You're <b>dependent on them.</b> </div>
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Etsy opened it's virtual doors in 2005. If you've been with them since around that time, you've seen and quite likely felt, the results of Etsy's evolution into what it is today. <b>As it becomes flooded with resellers, actual handcraft artisans like yourself are having a much harder time getting their items seen.</b> It's almost impossible to stay on the first page of results for more than a few seconds. And sellers' sales volumes are decreasing... rapidly.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Spend Your Time and Effort Building YOUR Business, Not Theirs</span></b></div>
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Whether you have your own website or an Etsy Shop, <b>you still need to promote and market your business and drive traffic to it YOURSELF.</b> So, since you still need to do all the work to drive business, <b>shouldn't you drive it to a website whose traffic YOU own?</b></div>
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<b>There are many successful shops on Etsy, but every single one of them drives their own traffic.</b> They bring people to their shop. <b>Anyone with a shop who doesn't do anything to promote their business and drive people to it is not going to be successful on Etsy or anywhere else.</b></div>
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<b>With all the options available to you today, there's no reason for you to rely on Etsy alone</b> (or at all). <b>You can get a hosted e-commerce site for a very reasonable monthly fee.</b> You <b>don't need to pay to renew items</b> and you <b>don't need to pay a percentage of each sale</b> to them. You make the rules.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Distractions</span></b></div>
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Another problem with Etsy... <b>when you do drive traffic to Etsy, you're also giving your customer the opportunity to get distracted by other sellers' products!</b> You're driving traffic to the site as a whole. There's nothing you can do to prevent others from catching the attention of the customer you just worked so hard to get into your shop.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">No Longer Dedicated to Handmade, But Dedicated to Their Investors</span></b></div>
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"<a href="http://governmentgrantforsmallbusiness.com/watch-video/KPOFwfWdA58/Bloomberg/can-etsy-outgrow-amazon-while-staying-local.html" target="_blank">Etsy sees eBay and Amazon as it's two biggest competitors</a>" and <b>neither of those sites are dedicated to handmade.</b> That should tell you something right there.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Chad Dickerson, Etsy CEO, wants tens of millions of sellers using the site (compared to the current 800,000). What's that going to mean for YOU... for YOUR traffic??</span></b></div>
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Investors have poured $92 million into Etsy and <b>they need to satisfy those investors.</b> So <b>they're looking to grow, in part, by opening Etsy to sellers whose goods are NOT handmade.</b> </div>
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<b>So much for "Your place to buy and sell all things handmade." </b>Oh yeah, i<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">n case you haven't noticed, <b>that's gone</b>...</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Etsy Home Page 2 May 2006<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Etsy Home Page 2 November 2008</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Etsy Home Page 14 July 2012</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Etsy Home Page 3 March 2013 (just so you know it's not a fluke ;)</td></tr>
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<b>But they are selling Etsy ads to help those who are willing to pay to keep their products in the top spot of search results.</b> How nice of them to help you out like that. Sound familiar? <b>That's the kind of things that happen when a company has investors to please</b> (hello Facebook).</div>
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Don't believe me, <b>watch this video and you can hear it all straight from the CEO's mouth...</b></div>
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Wow, huh? <b>Feeling sold out yet?</b></div>
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It's ok, scoop your jaw up off your keyboard and continue reading. You'll feel the panic subside. And let me give you a nice virtual (((hug)))</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Want a Better Solution?</span></b></div>
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Look, honestly, <b>Etsy is a nice, cheap way to get started in business and it has done great things for many people.</b> It's also <b>a great tool to have in your toolbox</b>, but if you're serious about having a business, it <b>shouldn't be anything more than that.</b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Are you ready to have more than just an Etsy shop? Are you ready to have a real business? </span></b></div>
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<b>Registration is now open for my Create Your Artisan Business Success Plan. </b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNyW0jY9Ioqq81K_3DUdY-J8Mv82V0ITA8UIj71JWiNhTp6v23DOhEE0-w1q6vcgzx5nsOGSG7yhQbaBBiWOKLMCFlk_HssDnsOoiVQ9Oc-DswDJthbI-ewTHD7rnlaBD46zbuSxKoJRU/s1600/create-your-artisan-business-success-plan-banner-700wo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNyW0jY9Ioqq81K_3DUdY-J8Mv82V0ITA8UIj71JWiNhTp6v23DOhEE0-w1q6vcgzx5nsOGSG7yhQbaBBiWOKLMCFlk_HssDnsOoiVQ9Oc-DswDJthbI-ewTHD7rnlaBD46zbuSxKoJRU/s640/create-your-artisan-business-success-plan-banner-700wo.jpg" height="224" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>It's a 7 week, 6 module, information packed online program designed to get you confidence and clarity about your online business as you work through putting all the plans in place that you need to succeed.</b></span></div>
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You can find out more at <a href="http://createyourartisanbusinesssuccessplan.com/" target="_blank">http:// www.CreateYourArtisanBusinessSuccessPlan.com</a></div>
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I'd also like to <span style="font-size: large;"><b>invite you to a webinar </b>I'm hosting via Livestream<b> this Wednesday, March 20th at 8pm EDT </b>called<b> "7 Critical Mistakes Artisans Make When Starting an Online Business"</b></span> during which <b>I'll talk to you about those mistakes and how to avoid them</b>; while also <b>giving you an idea what results you'll get from the program</b>. </div>
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<b>Watch the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/aWAEHQndreams" target="_blank">aWAEHQn dreams Facebook page</a> for the invitation link.</b> Make sure you <b>like the page</b> and <b>add it to your newsfeed so you don't miss it!</b>)</div>
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Hope to see you there!</div>
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Much Success,</div>
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Debihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05277238068811242245noreply@blogger.com1