Network Expansion Starts With Relationships

If your future were determined solely off the network of friends you have now, would you trade them in? If every job or college interview depended not off of your performance, but your friends, how would it turn out for you? Now that I have your attention, are you at least thinking about it? As a headstrong teen-ager who got into a L-O-T (!) of trouble with my friends, my Grandmother used to always tell me: “Show me your friends and I will show you your future.”  It made no sense to me at the time, however, the notion of being guilty by association has surrounded us for years. And although not a 100% accurate, the assumption is usually true. As an adult, I came to consider Granny's saying as golden wisdom. It has helped me establish a standard to measure if my own friendships were propelling me forward or keeping me at a stand still. Fortunately for me, I’m surrounded by a circle of individuals that challenge me to push myself everyday. Sadly, this is not everyone’s situation. While some have a great support system, many don’t. People that do not want to see others succeed or accomplish their dreams surround many. 

Most of us spend too much time holding on to bad or damaged relationships due to the fact that they are in our circle of influence. Superficial relationships cause more harm to you than being honest with yourself and ridding yourself of negative relationships. Of course, we all NEED to experience some negatives in order to learn that we have a choice. 

If I’m doing my job correctly you may be asking yourself the following two questions: What do I do? Do I find a new network of friends? My suggestion is that if you find yourself being loyal to people who are not loyal to you, you must move. If every time you share your dream and they kill it, you must move. If you are the smartest person in your circle, you must move. You must move in order to expand your network. 

This is not a piece to motivate you to end all friendships, however, I hope that it prompts you to ask yourself what your future will look like based on those you call friend. One thing I know for sure: You can’t change your friends, but you can change your network.

 ~Manifest your Business Solutions and build a better business. The original post is on Manifest Business Solutions © copyright, 2012. Share it freely, but you must link back to this source. Regards, Admin

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The Value of Proof Reading

Nothing hurts the image of a brand (mine, yours, and even "big" businesses!) like a misplaced apostrophe or glaring spelling error.   

Before launching articles, items for sale, or even a blog post on your website, be sure to do a thorough proofread of every page of web copy to check for errors yourself, or even pass the copy on to a friend or colleague who can double-check your work.  

If you’re not a confident writer, it may be worthwhile investing in the services of a professional editor who can re-frame your words in a more polished tone.   

Happy writing!

 ~Manifest your Business Solutions and build a better business. The original post is on Manifest Business Solutions © copyright, 2012. Share it freely, but you must link back to this source. Regards, Admin

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Online Marketing Errors You Can Avoid

While it's true that many entrepreneurs have used the Internet to build lucrative businesses and better lifestyles, for every successful marketer, there are hundreds who never even make enough money to break even.  We can all avoid being a part of this unfortunate majority by learning from the mistakes and strategies of successful marketers. This posting outlines a few of the worse online marketing mistakes that are considered the leading leading causes of failure in the online industry.........

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Business Breadcrumbs....

So....you're a solopreneur. You're the bookkeeper/accountant, CEO, secretary and janitor all rolled into one, right? Me, too! The only difference in us is that I'm very clear that the way I pay myself each month, which would probably NOT be endorsed by your bookkeeper or accountant. It IS unorthodox, but then again, the way most solopreneurs pay themselves is by seeing what is leftover after paying all of their expenses. What happens if there is nothing leftover?

Stress. Defeat. Struggle. Lack.

I used to be guilty of accepting the breadcrumbs of my business, too. I thought that everyone else should get the money before I did if I were being a "responsible" business owner. Now I know better. Paying yourself last is just a practice (sometimes hard to break) that will never grow your business.

If your intent is to see how much is leftover after expenses, there is no power in that. You get what you get. Some weeks and months may be fine, others----not so much. The best thing you can do to increase your income is to begin paying yourself off the top. You may feel a bit squeamish at first, but pick an amount that feels safe and decide that this month you are cutting yourself a check first, no matter what.

Once you do it a couple of times, you’ll notice that your income always covers that amount in addition to your expenses. Why? Because you’ve made a powerful decision that you are of value. Plus, isn’t it rewarding to see money coming into your account consistently?

Now, it’s time to bump it up. How much do you need to increase your paycheck to feel more ease and freedom with money?

You don't need a coach, nor a blueprint to begin your path to true abundance. Simply start paying yourself FIRST---whether it's $10, $100, or even $1,000 each pay period. Put the money in your "personal" savings bank account. If you see money in there it feels abundant and therefore you’ll feel more secure about money. The payoff is feeling secure, successful and raising your vibration to attract more. You’re tithing to yourself.

The first time I did this, it resonated with me in such a way that I decided to revamp my business plan and make it a business priority! I began adding more money into my savings each month. Not my retirement accounts, just a plain old savings account at my credit union. In just a few short months, I had saved more money than I ever had before! I was paying myself before my expenses, even when I knew I might not make all the payments on my expenses. But guess what? There was always enough money to do it all!

You change your wealth setpoint by paying yourself first. Being the realist that I am, I don't cut myself a check every month in the same amount. I just pull out whatever amount that I’m inspired to----but I always leave my "cushion" in the account.

Here’s another key point in paying yourself...give yourself enough to start taking action on the things you’ve been craving but have felt you don’t have enough money to pursue. For instance, I’m hot and heavy into renovating different rooms of our house. So, I’ll see how much the new light fixture, paint, bar stools, etc., will cost, and then decide that I’m going to pay myself enough to buy them. I have a list of all the items and services we need to complete our house in a very strategic order. And I follow my plan.

I’ll do the same with things I want to invest in for my business, like a website makeover or hiring a consultant. If you wait to make more money before you shift your expectations, you’ll be waiting a long time. This is where having a business plan comes into play--- you can tweek it as you build your business, while staying true to the reason(s) WHY you decided to start a business in the first place. Refer back to your business plan during the year so that you’re not randomly spending money.

Now, I’m not promoting spending ALL your money on stuff you want all at once. Balance is good. And, I AWLAYS have an intention that I will pay myself and everyone else in my accounts payable. I’m very clear that there is no other option. And so I prove myself right every time.

When you decide HOW you will spend your money, you’ll increase your overall vibe about profits. Start small until you can trust the process and you see positive evidence that you have more than enough money for all of it.

Then keep stretching your expectations about how much you want to see in your personal bank account.

No more breadcrumbs, no excuses,  and leftovers. Pay yourself first. You deserve it.


~Manifest your Business Solutions and build a better business. The original post is on Manifest Business Solutions © copyright, 2011. Share it freely, but you must link back to this source. Regards, Admin

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