Small Business Revitalization Blog

I woke up obsessed with taking a walk through Noosa National Park to Hells Gate.  When I got into the car it was raining (again!)  By the time I was halfway there the rain was coming down in sheets and visibility was pretty much zero.

I almost turned around, but I really, really, really wanted that walk! I could see the tiniest piece of blue sky to the south and I wasn’t allowing a bit of water to stop me.   Arriving at the National Park the rain stopped and midway to Hells Gate it was sunny again! I truly was one excited little bunny!

So what's a walk in the rain got to do with doing business consciously? 

Have you noticed how often we are tempted to give up when we are just a few moments from the thing we truly desire?  What is it you are almost about to give up on, that if you would keep going, would come to fruition faster and sooner than you can imagine?

It’s easy to give up in business.  Sometimes so much has to change beneath the surface before we can see our creations come to life…  That wait can be longer and harder than we desire if we are trying to force something into existence.  If, on the other hand, we go with the flow on the projects that are moving forward and we keep creating and generating lots of different possibilities, our choices expand exponentially.

If I had gone home this morning, I would have spent the whole day looking out the window, wishing I’d been for that walk.  Instead, my willingness to go with my instincts (despite gloomy surface appearances) gave my body some much needed creative impetus and I’m settling in to write for a while!  

And that’s the other part of moving forward to be conscious of… I’m once again working on my book The Mojo of Flow – which I thought would be out last year… but sometimes the flow just isn’t there… so I’ve done a few other projects in the meantime and the last pieces of information that I was ‘waiting’ for have shown up this week – how does it get better than that??

I could have beaten myself up for not finishing when I said I would… but really I always know there is a reason if something isn’t moving forward in the way I would like.  This last chapter will make it the book I knew it could be… that it wasn’t… until this topic came into my conscious awareness!! I am so grateful for consciously allowing the joy which made it all flow with ease (rather than going into the wrongness of me)!

So, let’s do something together…  Would you be willing to stop beating yourself up for anything that’s not working in your business right now… and start playing with whatever has some energy and some momentum? 

And would you put the 'stuck' or 'stopped' projects aside and keep contributing your energy to them, without a point of view as to what will happen next?  What if they could create and generate themselves with an ease you haven't experienced before?

As you do this, ask each project to let you know when it is time for you to play with it again… and know that everything happens with perfect timing.  

I see this ease of moving forward show up over and over with my business coaching clients.  We talk about a strategy, there’s no action, then all of a sudden everything falls magically into place, with an ease that is still astonishing each time it happens!  When we let go of our expectations and just keep moving forward, so much more becomes possible.

Are you willing to operate your business consciously?  Or would you rather do it by force?  How is that working for you?

Have you ever experienced how this flow creates such ease? Tell us about it below!  Or if you are wondering what the hell I am talking about... feel free to ask a question!! 

 Love your work! xox Lisa

Have you ever looked at business and thought "There must be an easier way than this"?  Together with Diva Diaz, I am hosting a free teleclass where we take business to places it has never been before!

    What is business beyond your limitations?
    Beyond money?
    Beyond success?
    Beyond everything you see right now?

Would you like to come play with us as we create some new possibilities for how business could be? If you could create business the way YOU would truly like to, what would it be? What are your limitations in business? What are you doing with them? Can you change them? And if so, how can you change them?

This is just one of the many ways in which we approach business differently. For us, business is something that is totally mutable and changeable and in this class we will show you exactly how you can change ANYTHING in business.

What contribution is your business asking for that would create a totally different possibility for you and your business?

This free 45 minute content rich class is on March 13th - via telephone, wherever you are!  You must sign-up to receive the call-in details! The call will be recorded and made available to those who are signed up.

Have you noticed how most people are obsessed with getting business ‘right’ – as if there is only one right answer and once they find it they will have the perfect business for the next hundred million years?

What if, instead of getting business right, we start looking at what is relevant and what random brilliance we could create which would contribute to creating something greater than we have ever generated before? Could that be more fun than having to be the control freak from hell to make it all perfect?

One of my favourite tools is having everything be ‘out of control’… so that I can create from the random chaos of everything that is shifting and changing around me rather than the fixed and limited structures that people like to describe business as (you know... like the strategic plan, the business plan, the swot analysis, the competitive advantages, and all the other buzzwords…. yeah yeah yeah… is that just one big yawn for you??)

What if it could be more like shaking a kaleidoscope and creating a new pattern of possibilities every ten seconds…? ‘Oh this looks fun, what could that look like if I institute it into my business?’ rather than ‘Here is a structure that everyone uses and it has been proven to work for them so I know it will work for me…’  Which one of these makes you feel lighter? Which one makes you feel like you’d rather die??  What if business is truly fun and there can be a lightness with it that allows for infinite and playful creation?  

When I operate from the energy that I will put into place only what is relevant to the impact I desire to have on the world, it makes it easy to come up with randomly brilliant and adventurous ideas at astonishing speed... and the implementation is ease and joy too.  When I do it all by the MBA textbook (of which I have a few!!) there is a heaviness which soon translates into boredom and a lot of unfinished projects… oops!  Cute… not so bright!

Is any of this making sense to you?  What if your true state of being in business is a combination of relevance and randomness, rather than someone else’s idea of rightness?  

What if you were to Houdini yourself out of the definition and limitation of what business ‘should’ be? What could you create as your business?? And how much fun could you have?

(Image:  Pinterest)

So you want to start a business following your passion? Here’s the thing… passion is what happened when Christ got nailed to the cross… yes, passion is a killer. Passion has limitations! It’s all about what’s sitting on the outside, it’s noisy, its brash, it’s full of movement and doing… and it doesn’t always make you money - there's a lot of convincing others to follow your passion when your business is based on passion.  

I disagree with Gary Vaynerchuk (and a whole lot of other people who say ‘follow your passion and the money will come’)… that’s the field of dreams folks, not the way to business bliss. Joseph Campbell said ‘follow your bliss’… he didn’t say ‘follow your passion’. You might think I'm being picky with words here.  I am.  Words carry distinctive energies and I know which energy I'd rather play with!

That’s because passion has an energy that is about hustle, about pushing, about coming to a conclusion and then trying to make it come true. Passion burns out…it’s doing business the hard way. Is that the platform you want for your business?  So what else is possible?

 

Building a business that brings you joy has unlimited possibilities. Joy comes from that quiet space within. It’s not dependent on how much money you make. You can simply choose to BE joy… it’s not something you have to do.

When we create our businesses based on joy we create a platform which allows each aspect of joy we create in the business to keep expanding and building. Joy spreads everywhere with ease... because the people you want to work with choose joy... and they share it when they find it!

Joy allows us to reinvent business. To take the path less travelled. To create a business where we can do what we love, in ways that bring us bliss, with people we adore. Joy is a softer and stronger platform for building business bliss.

Joy still requires a business model, it still requires promotion… but take a look at this… Recently a friend introduced me to Sourced Grocer at Teneriffe. Truly, I am in love. These beautiful people have converted an old warehouse into a gourmet grocer flower shop café delight which whispers joy in every detail.

Beautiful produce, delicious snacks, quirky styling… business cards proclaiming ‘local is lovely’… steps and cushions for lounging in the sunshine… great reading material and my most favourite bit of all… a really joyful team – you can feel the vibe as soon as you arrive… people who really love what they are doing…and guess what all of that brings? A steady stream of customers who get the vibe and contribute to the joy… fantastic word of mouth advertising… and heaps of repeat business.

 

What are you choosing?  To follow your bliss or to follow your passion?? 

 

Today we have a guest post from the very amazing Annie Infinite - creator of Saucy Social Media and author of 'Go Fractal'

Social and digital media have changed the world and business forever! I can say this with absolute authority as this is where I play. No longer can business leaders and owners hide behind closed doors and have immunity from their decisions. Now through the social and digital media channels everyone has a vote, and they are voting whether you are there or not.

Every business, every corporation, government and person is now under a microscope and held up to the light of integrity, globally conscious decision making, engagement with their market, quality control and more. Once more the world has a voice and it is just getting louder.  I for one welcome it with open arms, because it is through the true voice of each of us that change happens.
We welcome this change, the shift to a more aware and globally conscious world!

Here are some of the shifts in business and marketing consciousness that brand a business as a modern one:

1.    Your Company has a Grand Vision of the Future
Not only for the company itself but for the whole world, it stays on track with this vision through every decision it makes. You understand that for every choice made there are not only business consequences and reasons, but there are global ones. Every decision made reflects this mindset.

2.    Your Business is Done with Integrity Daily & Becomes Known for It
To do this a business needs a set of values it does business by.  Every person working in and on that business needs to know about the core values and also do business with and for you in line with those values. Your core values must be so ingrained in your company that you would hire and fire according to those values. Your first step is to figure out the core values of your company, by asking: what do you believe in and what do you stand for? Figure out what is important and do business accordingly.

3.    Your Company Does Business in the Here and Now
Businesses that incorporate this sign of happiness  are aware of trends and opportunities in the here and now. They do not worry  about what happened in the past other than to learn and move forward with new awareness. They do not repeat mistakes and are constantly evolving. Businesses that do business this way are also very aware of the effect of the day to day toil on their emplyees and make room for enjoyment in each and every day.

4.    Your Company Has an Appreciation Mindset
This is not about a grandstanding gesture for public viewing, it is about your company being grateful for its employees, grateful to the companies you do business with and even grateful for your competition and showing that in private and public ways. Does your business only contact an employee or a customer when something is wrong or only when you want to sell them something?

 Do you compliment your employees regularly for the work they do for you? Do you honor your loyal customers out of the blue with some small benefit or just a thank you card to let them know you are grateful for their return custom? Businesses who do this engender loyalty and word of mouth recommendations that help them to grow. "Everyone has an invisible sign hanging from their neck saying, 'make me feel important.' Never forget this message when working with people." – Mary Kay Ash

5.    You Are in a  Business You Love
Doing what you love and turning that into a business is the most satisfying thing you can do to earn a living. When you do business doing what you love you never have to worry about feeling motivated, or surviving the down times. Your excitement levels never lag because you love doing what you are doing so much, you would do it for free.  I believe that when you are in the right business, you will feel very much like you are in love, you will get that thrill in your veins when you work on your plans, you will get goose bumps of excitement as you see your vision coming to fruition...

“The more meaningfully we’re engaged and the more we believe that what we’re doing is meaningful, the more happy we are,” says David Mensink, a psychologist with the student counseling centre at Dalhousie University

6.    Your Business Embraces Change
Staying up to date is just good business, this means listening to what is happening in the market place and to what your customers and audience is saying about your business and your niche. John F. Kennedy said: “Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.”

7.     Your Business Makes Time to Celebrate
It only needs to be a small occasion, yet celebrating those small successes paves the way for larger ones, it allows everyone to know you are on track and it allows everyone to become involved with the growth of the company. Happiness is contagious and the happier everyone involved is the better. Great campaigns have been built on a celebration for a company's success and this can be a way for a company to give back to its customers too.

One company I know of has a weekly 'Awesomeness Report" that is collated from every employee at the end of each week, they are asked for a summary of their successes from their time in and out of work and this is published via email to every employee celebrating the small and large successes in the lives of everyone. (That has to be one of the best ideas I have ever heard of!) Think of the movie 'Legally Blonde 2' where Elle introduced the idea of the 'Snap Cup'..

8.  Businesses Actively Seek Ways to Add Value
Giving and sharing is great PR for any company, adding value is a requirement of any company that expects to achieve its goals. Remember giving always comes back to the giver ten-fold, whether you are a company known for giving back to the community, to your employees or to your customers or all three – giving and adding value can only increase the happiness of the company and the culture of your brand. Your business actively seeks ways to enrich the lives of others on the planet who are not as well off, through charity, giving and supporting those who do.

9. Business Can Be Fun!
This is where corporations can take a leaf out of some of the most innovative companies in the world. Innovation and inspiration come from making life fun and fun and happiness can help put things in perspective. Make sure your company is filled with laughter daily. Go take a look at Google's offices and you will get the idea that they value creativity and innovation.

Steve Jobs from Apple said, "Here's to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes… the ones who see things differently — they're not fond of rules… You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can't do is ignore them because they change things… they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do."

About Annie:



Annie Infinite helps people find their authentic voice and project it out into the world with integrity, passion and authenticity. Annie Infinite is the owner of Saucy Social Media a social media management, consulting and training company, specialising in the strategic use of social media to get you the results you need: social media auditing, creating social media strategic plans, social media management and education (workshops) and training (in-house) in social media for businesses.

WARNING:  I'm having a rant today... that's what happens when I put on my 'customer' cap instead of my coaching cap... luckily dear readers, it doesn't happen too often!  There's some valuable lessons in here for us all :)

In conversation with a real estate agent he mentioned they charge $990 + GST to upload a property for sale to 14 websites and put a sign out the front.  This was their cheapest advertising package for selling a home.  

I have an extensive marketing background and a pretty good working knowledge of marketing on the internet.  When I expressed my astonishment at the lack of value, all the fellow could say in response was “I’m the principal, this is our cheapest advertising package”.  It seems his job title was supposed to make this lack of value acceptable?    

He then proceeded to stutter and stammer that writing the copy takes him 2 – 3 hours… I know amazing copywriters who could get it sorted in less than an hour for a grand investment of around $80.  So what exactly are his clients paying for?  Someone to sell their home, or an incredibly expensive copywriter??

Big hint to business owners – you should never be doing work that you could outsource for way less than what you could be earning. You need to spend your time doing what you are best at!  If this guy spent those 2 – 3 hours getting new listings or selling properties his business would be infinitely more profitable.  

 Then there is the question of the 14 websites – at roughly 10 minutes each for uploading pictures and copy that’s just over 2 hours for an admin person – say $40/hr.  Of course, this also assumes it is of value to use those 14 sites.  Most real estate traffic goes through just a couple of main sites – those 14 sites are really awesome for his search engine optimization though!  And how wonderful that his clients pay for him to be “#1 on realestate.com.au” as he proudly informed me.  Sounds very impressive… unless you understand what it really means!

Unfortunately, your brand being #1 won’t sell my house.  Most people search by suburb not agent.  Do you not understand your business or do you think your customers are stupid?  Either way that’s not a great value proposition for building a strong business in an industry that is facing tough times.

And lastly there’s the sign for about $150… In total, even my best estimates for marketing costs don’t get much past $350 if the agent is operating efficiently!  So at $990+ that is some profit margin.  Given the extortionate price of housing in our fair country, real estate agents also receive a very generous commission on sales as well.  I know a lot of business owners who would love margins like that!

Now at this point some of you are going ‘what’s wrong with that?’  Isn’t the point of business to make money?  Yes!  Absolutely!  But not in a way that offers no value to your customers or pretty much assumes they are stupid.  The playing field is levelling AND becoming more transparent.  Your business practices need to evolve!

When both you and the customer are satisfied with the deal you will build relationships that will create referrals, repeat business and ultimately business growth – you’ll be irresistible and desirable and you won’t need to charge for something that should be included in the service!  Imagine if that agent had said “we have a basic marketing package that is included free if we sell your house.”  That would have been much more attractive to a prospective seller than what he actually said: “If the client doesn’t pay for marketing up front the price for this service goes up to $1290 + GST.” WOW!  Knock me out… not even banks are getting interest rates like that!  I’m surprised he’s not receiving daily takeover bids!

The reality is if you are not delivering genuine value which is valued by your customers, you’re going to find you are facing more and more resistance.  The era of greed is good is over.  People are saving and considering their purchases much more carefully than ever before.

By the end of the conversation the real estate agent was half-heartedly suggesting he could negotiate on the marketing costs.  Unfortunately, from a client perspective, the preceding conversation had already cost him the listing. He failed to see that selling is no longer about money – it is all about value.  I am unclear as to whether this agent just doesn't get it or his BS sales pitch works on enough people to get by.  What you need to understand is that if you come across customers who see through your BS sales pitch, you look stupid and you are damaging the reputation of your business.

Most of us are no longer interested in working with people who either don’t know what they are doing or think its fine to overcharge.  We, as customers, have choice.  More and more business owners are creating true value for their clients.  Those businesses are building a solid platform for growth.  And therein lie the lessons for us all.

The New Energies of Business are here.  It is just not good business to overcharge your customers.  It’s time to start thinking about where you are not providing value in your business?  Where you are not efficient and need to find more effective approaches?  Where you are not valuing your customers? And where is what you are offering not even relevant to the value they are looking for?  

What can you change? Where there is a lack of value there is always a way to take advantage of that in the market. Look at where customers are pushing back about price and develop value propositions that create new paradigms and standards in your industry.  When you take a leadership position in creating and providing value, your competition becomes irrelevant!  (And if you don’t know what your customers are saying about your pricing, it’s time to get amongst it and talk to them!)

If you are going to have a successful business as we move forward into the new energies, now is the time to put your new platforms in place. 

Would you like to join us at our regular New Energies of Business events?  On August 29 at Peregian Beach we'll be discussing how to create value, how the energy of contribution plays out in business and how loving your work creates profits... if you can't be there you can order the videos.  Our presenters and facilitators are experienced business people who are already living the new energies and know what it takes to transform business.  How does it get better than that? 

What are you seeing with your business and the value it offers?  What value have you experienced in other businesses lately?  Comment below!!

Would you like to listen to my recent interview with Suzi Dafnis from the Australian Business Women's Network? We are talking all things Mojo of Flow!

In this herBusiness podcast, I share :

•  how we sometimes sabotage the flow in our own lives
•  how we can superpower the way that life flows for ourselves
•  and tips on how to get others to willingly support us to reach our goals.

Download your 20 minute podcast and Mojo of Flow tips here!

And if you would love some more free tips, please sign up for free book chapters and more here!

Love your work!
xox
Lisa

Once, at a mentoring event, I was placed in a team with another business coach and a person who was previously my boss (a very long time before, under oddly competitive circumstances).  The target was to take an issue in our business and have the other team members make suggestions.  

When the reality sunk in, it is fair to say in those first few seconds I was not overjoyed by the team I was in – it felt confronting, competitive and constraining.  What was I going to talk about without feeling compromised in some way? 

By the time the session was finished, I was beyond grateful.  Here’s why… this situation gave me the experience of putting aside all my normal feelings about ‘competition’ and actually living the energy of contribution instead.  

I had the opportunity to look at all the old ‘stuff’ I had subconsciously held onto about my ex-boss and let it go.  I had the opportunity to see that the other business coach has skills and interests in different areas to me… and so could be a worthy collaborator at some point… and I had the opportunity to experience the total abundance of the universe.  There is more than enough for all of us.

More than enough ideas, more than enough clients, more than enough joy in discovering new possibilities through different points of view…

I actually received a lot of bliss out of being able to be the contribution to those people.  How often do we operate from the paradigm of where we fit, win, lose or benefit, rather than operating from the space of where and what can we contribute?

If each of us contributed to allowing others to be the best they can be, whether they are our ‘competitor’ or not, imagine how amazing the world could be?  So the next time you are holding back or holding out through fear of loss or fear of missing out, would you ask yourself where you could be more of you?  Where you could shine your light brighter in the world?  Where you could speak up and shine?

There is no-one like you.  There is no competition unless you create it.  No-one can serve your clients like you do.  No-one can create products like you do.  No-one can BE YOU except YOU!  So where could you show up and be the contribution like you never have before?

(And yes, of course I know all the business BS about everyone is your competition… please!! What would it take for business to start operating from collaboration and contribution instead of separation and segregation?  I would like to make the world a better place through more conscious business practices… starting with being the contribution!)

What would it take for you to be the contribution in your workplace, rather than the competition?

(Image: Pinterest)