Joy Clark Dudis has expanded on her love for entertaining by teaching several unique classes offered at The Villages Life Long Learning College. Nestled in the heart of the Villages, affectionately called Florida’s friendliest retirement hometown, her classes are in demand. Imagine coming up with something so unique that you always have people clamoring to take your classes. I love it. My adorable mom, who has a penchant for entertaining, stumbled across these classes. After a little investigating, I decided to share this business model with you.
If your curiosity is getting the best of you, here are a few classes that Dudis teaches:
“Decorating On A Shoestring” : A three-week course with tours and analyses of three homes. The first house belongs to Dudis and was deliberately decorated as a teaching tool; the other two belong to her former clients.
“Thrift Store Shopping with Joy“: This is a guided shopping tour of Leesburg and Eustis thrift shops, with Dudis as your guide. She helps participants use the terrific bargains and points out things they might have overlooked on their own.
“Holiday Tables”: An informative class in setting outstanding holiday tables. Fourteen individual tables are set up throughout Dudis’ home, each decorated in a different theme, color and setting for the holidays. In addition, there are 10 more individual place settings, adding up to a grand total of 24 settings. Although most of the settings are Christmas-oriented, there are Hanukkah-, Thanksgiving- and even Halloween-themed settings.
“House to House”: An afternoon is spent visiting four or five beautiful Villages homes (all Dudis’ former clients or students). Each home features “the unexpected,” along with striking colors and techniques. And they won’t break the bank because they are all done on a budget.
Dudis has been teaching her popular classes for two years. Luckily The Villages Life Long Learning College does all the advertising and marketing, which allows Dudis more time and freedom to enjoy doing what she does best. The college produces two catalogs a year and uses the local newspaper and open houses to promote its classes. Dudis says, “There really isn’t any competition since it’s the first course of its kind to come to The Villages.”
Hope this gets your creative juices flowing. A class like this could unleash your dream of being like Martha Stewart. Taking a class can be the beginning of a whole new career or a rewarding hobby. On the other hand, teaching classes can create another stream of income for your business or hobby. Classes can be given at places including community centers, malls, your local library, the chamber of commerce, churches and adult ed locations. You can charge extra for things such as books, training manuals, workbooks, CDs and DVDs. You are only limited by your imagination.
Let me know what you’re up to and if you’ve heard of any good business ideas lately. It could be your business idea or colleague’s.
Cheers!
Michelle
P.S. Thanks, Mom, for sharing this idea :+)
Just when I thought a toned body was unattainable and that I would be inducted into the couch potato Hall of Fame, I discovered Sheri Simson’s groundbreaking fitness regimen. What I like is that she was a busy mom who wanted to lose weight and used herself as a guinea pig . She has the results to prove that her system works not just for her (check out her before and after photos) but for all ages, sizes and shapes. It doesn’t matter if you want to slim down, tone up or jump on the bandwagon as one of Simson’s certified instructors. This is a company I want you to know about because it’s a great example of what is possible when you have the right concept at the right time. Plus, it’s a cool business for stay-at-home moms and dads who want to make some extra cash.
Keenfit, the walking pole company, started out as a concept more than years ago, with Simson as the founder. It is now one of the fastest-growing walking pole companies in North America and has held the No. 1 position on Google for the past four years.
Shortly after launching, Simson was overwhelmed with calls and e-mails from excited, happy clients who wanted to know how they could be involved with spreading the secret of pole walking. Simson says, “I realized early on that to do this by myself would not be as effective as teaching others. Training and certifying instructors is an integral part of our success. Our mission is to inform, inspire, empower and support people to become accountable for themselves so they can find balance, live in peace and walk as their true selves.”
Here’s the back-story…
What sort of weight-loss results did you get and how did your experience compare with other fitness programs you had tried? Simson: For years I was overweight and out of shape, and with my schedule I had little time or energy to do anything about it. I had tried everything from aerobics to yoga to walking. Walking was the easiest thing to make the time for (I just had to walk out the door), but I found it so boring–not to mention just walking seemed to have little to no effect on how I looked and felt.
When I started using walking poles, it not only made walking more enjoyable and invigorating, but also a lot more beneficial. I started feeling muscles I hadn’t felt in years, and it didn’t take long for me to notice that walking with poles made a difference–my fat just seemed to just fall off! It was amazing. Within weeks I felt stronger and definitely tighter–I couldn’t get over what was happening to my entire body. . . . in 6 months I lost 30 pounds!
What got you excited about working out with walking poles? Simson: With Walking Poles it wasn’t like working out at all–it not only took less effort then regular walking, but it was so much more exhilarating and fun!
Can you give me a brief overview of the origin and health benefits of this groundbreaking workout? Simson: Pole walking, also known as Nordic walking, isn’t new–it’s only new to us here in North America. It started out over two decades ago as a cross-training exercise for cross-country ski athletes in the off-season and soon became a popular fitness activity for millions of northern Europeans.
* Pole walking not only makes walking more beneficial but it actually take less effort to do then regular walking and is easier on our bodies.
* We use less than 50 percent of our major muscles when we walk without poles. When we use poles, we use over 90 percent. In doing so we spread our weight out, helping to lessen the load with which we hit the ground by 26 percent–making a big difference for those people who have back, hip, knee, ankle or feet problems. Not to mention using poles while we walk naturally aligns our spine and strengthens our core with each step–helping use to stand and sit taller.
* We also don’t have to go as far or work as hard; when we are using walking poles, we increase our cardio by 20 percent and our calorie burn by up to 48 percent without any more effort. What more could you want? Oh! And you can do it in less time, too–30 minutes of pole walking is equal to 50 minutes of regular walking.
It’s one of the most beneficial and rewarding activities you’ll ever do.
Are most of your coaches working full-time or part-time, and what sort of income can they expect? Simson: Some of our instructors work full-time, but most of them teach pole walking clinics on a part-time basis. We send out commission checks that range anywhere from $250 to more than $5,000 a month.
It just depends on how seriously they want to take the Keenfit business, how many clinics a week they want to teach and how consistent they are. To help ensure the success of our Keenfit affiliates, we include business training and ongoing support along with our certification program.
What is the time commitment and investment to become a coach for the Keenfit walking program? Simson: We have affiliate packages starting around $500, and people can look at investing anywhere from three to 18 hours a week, again all depending on what you want to do.
What is unique and different about your company? Simson: Our Unique and Simple Walking System is designed to maximize results for everyone, from the casual, average walker to the more serious, athletic walker. We teach Nordic walking “Plus”–making us the only company to teach more than just Nordic walking, which helps us to attract a wider range of diversified walkers.
Our focus is on making pole walking more mainstream and on helping people turn a simple walk around the block into an efficient, effective, aerobic and total body workout. If you haven’t heard of pole walking, you should get a pair of Keenfit walking poles and give it a try. A Keenfit certified instructor’s job isn’t just to sell walking poles but to inspire, inform and support you to use them. And it’s a lot easier to do that if you love and do pole walking yourself.
You can see Sheri Simson in action on her website www.keenfit.com. Her videos are high-energy and informative. Also, if you decide you want to get some poles, she is offering a $20 discount off the regular price of $89.98 – just call toll-free to 1-877-KEENFIT (533-6348) and tell them you saw it on this blog.
I’m going pole walking with my best friend today, and I’m inspired because my weight loss is noticeable. See ya later!
Cheers,
Michelle
P.S. Your thoughts, questions, feedback and suggestions for people I should profile are always appreciated. Feel free to drop me a line.
Entrepreneurs use a skillful combination of business savvy and marketing know-how to make their businesses successful.
Artists and creative types don’t necessarily see themselves as entrepreneurs, because sometimes it’s so hard to know exactly how art, business and marketing mix. But they do . . . and when done successfully, the result is a killer combo you can take all the way to the bank.
If you are interested in the same profit-generating, cost-effective business skills and strategies that every successful entrepreneur must have to compete (and win) in this hyper-competitive, fluid marketplace . . . you won’t want to miss our seminar.
One of the most valuable marketing tools for the entertainment industry is navigating the media and creating outstanding messaging that “sticks” and gets the word out about who you are, what you do and what’s next.
This one-time only media seminar is targeted exclusively to professionals like you.
MASTER THE ART OF MEETING THE MEDIA
Here’s what you’ll learn:
* The four questions you will be asked every time you take a meeting.
* Money-making soundbites and pitches and why they’re so important, especially when the clock is ticking.
* How to translate your story into the language of “the media” so that it’s STICKY and MOVES FORWARD on it’s own.
* The art of successfully working with TV, radio, print and online press.
* How understanding “the X Factor” can help you win more clients and jobs.
* What makes all the difference in the world when it comes to marketing yourself, your product or service.
* Why old school communication doesn’t work and what you need to know to get decision-makers listening to you now!
* The five-simple must-have elements of an awesome elevator pitch (in person and when using social networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitter)
* The seven personal qualities leaders are automatically attracted to.
* The Law of Importance and how mastering it can further your career exponentially.
ABOUT YOUR SHOW-BIZ MEDIA EXPERTS: GAYL MURPHY is an award-winning veteran Hollywood correspondent, media coach and consultant, speaker and the author of Interview Tactics: How to Survive the Media without Getting Clobbered!The Insider’s Guide to Giving a Killer Interview!
As a frequent correspondent and contributor to The BBC, SKY News and ABC News among others, Murphy has interviewed more than 14,000 celebrities and newsmakers–and she knows that working with the media is give-and-take . . . and that . . . you’ve got to pitch it to promote it, so you can tell it to sell it!
My bio can bee seen here on my blog (see About the Author on the upper right side of this page).
Once upon a time, in Australia back in the ’70s, Keith Lamb was a successful rock singer. However, with the breakup of his band, life was unrecognizable. Gone were the days of packed concert halls, standing ovations and autograph hounds at his feet. He was accustomed to being interviewed and spoken to by fans, so having a regular conversation was painful for him. Lamb found it difficult to reconnect with “ordinary,” everyday life. His business partner Louise Howland said, “He came in one day and said, ‘It’s called TAOC, The Art of Conversation. It’s a game to help people.’ “ And then he told her to get on with it.
Convinced that the idea had merit, Howland helped create a fun way to get people to warm up and start chitchatting. The Art of Conversation is an innovative card game with 300 intriguing conversation starters. The cards have impressed their toughest critics, trade show buyers. The game won Best New Sidelines Showcase at the Washington, DC, book fair.
“I am a very shy person who has chosen work that requires me to be extroverted,” Howland says. ”I even felt at a loss and shy at family get-togethers or parties with close friends. So TAOC is a marvelous aid for me. To the point where I’d say it has been life-changing.
“I think that I could have achieved and completed a lot more things if TAOC had been in my life years ago. The social thing whereby people stick to their usual roles can be frustrating and the reason socializing can seem like a waste of time.”
I couldn’t resist asking Louise Howland a few more questions because her honesty and willingness to share her story were heartwarming. In fact, I told her that I’m going to visit Australia and have lunch with her one day. Talking to her was like reconnecting with a long-lost friend. The distinction she shares here about conversations has made me look in a different way at how I/we connect.
Which questions are your favorites from TAOC (The Art of Conversation)? Howland: Sometimes it’s the very simple questions that lead to interesting stories . . . e.g., who taught you to drive and were you happy with their approach? And the follow-up to those questions tells a lot about someone’s life at that age. Worst imaginable marriage partner is usually fun, too! I like to hear someone’s idea of a perfect day, or how they would like to be spoiled, or if they had an enormous amount of money what chore would they no longer do. There is just so much there.”
How can your game help business people connect?
Howland:The Art of Conversation will help businesspeople develop genuine relationships. The relationships become based on mutual understanding and respect for each other’s perspective and knowledge of the person you are working with, as opposed to what you want the other person to be or what [his or her] title or corporate image suggests.
Messaging, cell phone calls, BlackBerries and e-mailing are fantastically useful, but I do not believe they create a genuine relationship. When time is short, a proper conversation is often the first commodity to be cut from our to-do lists. Yet it is necessary to understand each other and build our relationships. The stronger a relationship, the better it works and the more satisfying it is. I think that real connections can be the winning factor in business.
TAOC is about feeling valued, about understanding each other, ourselves and having compassion and empathy. As well as helping people learn how to talk, it places equal emphasis on learning how to listen. One of my favorite parts of the guidelines is the work on listening. Listening is more than being quiet while someone else speaks.
It is also important in business to be able to disagree without becoming disagreeable.
The better your interpersonal skills, the greater the rapport built between people and the stronger the bond. Of course, once you have an understanding of another person and know what is important to them and how they like to be treated, you will be in a better situation to perceive what they may want and the manner in which they would prefer business to be done. As well as having a strong basis and relationship that will withstand whatever conflict or differences may come into play.
How can TAOC break the ice?
Howland: It breaks the ice by creating conversations about the realities of a person’s life. Their day-to-day life, the life they wish for or the life they may have left behind.
To break the ice means that people feel comfortable, not intimidated. And when people feel at ease, the real person–the essence and the best of a person–can emerge. And awkward or false encounters are not enjoyable for most people.
So much conversation is formal, general in nature, and topics tend to be related to knowledge of current affairs, the arts, sports or whatever. That is all great but it can be generic and passé. I am not speaking of ignoring etiquette, culture or manners, quite the opposite. We do not believe in making people uncomfortable or trying to force any sort of self-revelation. Nor do we attempt through TAOC to discuss the social no-go areas of sex, religion and politics. Although there’s room to explore these areas if playing advanced stages of the game. We have some 11 variations on play, so it can be used in a number of ways.
TAOC was first played in Australia. How did it find its way to the United States?
Howland: Americans are so wonderful, friendly, outgoing and confident that it surprised me to receive so many inquiries about The Art Of Conversation from Americans. After numerous copies had found their way across the ocean, we decided that as Americans were embracing TAOC so wholeheartedly that the least we could was create an America version. Americans have found some extended uses for TAOC that have been exciting for us to learn of, e.g. in prisons, in rehabilitation, sports training, an ice breaker for dating services, language teaching, marriage counseling as well as in training of sales consultants. Having said that, TAOC is really just a game that most people would have fun with.
What’s next for TAOC?
Howland: I am incredibly excited about our children’s edition that has just been launched in Australia and will shortly be launched in the U.S. I believe in this with every little cell of my being. It is exciting and it is important. Experts have found some common denominators among high achievers. The most important of these were family dinners where thoughts, ideas and feelings were expressed and heard. The sad evidence is that many children, including bright children from educated homes, are starting school with speech delays. This is believed to be from less time speaking with and listening to others and more time in front of screens. If children learn to be good communicators and to speak clearly and listen, I believe that there is less likelihood of isolation, depression, anxiety and bullying.
Last but not least, TAOC is now translated into French and German, with more translations under way. The translations are not only language-based but have been adapted to each country’s cultural as well.
The game is so much fun to play. And it is small enough to fit in my purse. On my next trip, I’ll be playing it with my friends and associates. Visit them at www.taoc.com.au.
Feel free to share your thoughts, tips or questions about conversation here. I would love to hear from you. Really I would. Michelle
If you’ve been dreaming about working part-time, full-time or any time but can’t find a decent-paying job, here’s a wonderful new option. And I’m not talking about stuffing envelopes. Mompreneur Ilyse Shapiro is sharing the love. Her company connects educated and accomplished job seekers with employers who hire flexible, professional-level staff. What a concept!
Shapiro, a Philadelphia mom with an MBA, developed MyPartTimePRO.com when she got frustrated looking for a job that met both her professional and personal needs. She came up with the idea after talking with other parents who craved more time with their families. If you’re an employer or in search of a job, check out MyPartTimePRO.com. But before you do, here’s the scoop:
I spoke at the luncheon for An Empowered Woman on Sunday, July 13, and I met several women who left a lasting impression on me. Besides yours truly, there were two other speakers: Jodi Spindel of Spindel Farms and Marsh Engle, founder of Amazing Woman’s Day. If you aren’t doing anything this Saturday, July 19, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., I suggest you get your ticket for Amazing Woman’s Day 2008 in Palm Springs, California.
Marsh Engle’s riches to rags to riches story is one you won’t want to miss. Honestly, I wasn’t the least bit surprised when I overheard her tell someone that 1,000 women would be attending her event this weekend. I am going to ask Marsh to add a comment at the end of my blog because I know she can tell you the highlights of the event far better than I can.
I would be remiss if I didn’t tell you about Jodi Spindel, the first speaker of the day at An Empowered Woman. One thing I can tell you is that she didn’t try to glamorize her plight as a wife, mother and serial entrepreneur. Her up-close and personal story revealed not only stumbling blocks along the way but how her latest product, Simply Outrageous Pomegranate Vinegar, recently landed on the shelves of a couple of dozen Whole Foods stores in Southern California.
Marsh and Jodi are two of the most down-to-earth women I’ve met (in person) in a long time. They are both authentic and magnetic. When they spoke, everyone listened. I found myself either on the edge of my chair, giving the affirmative nod, or with goose bumps up and down my arms as I listened to them.
So here are three choices: You can hang out with Marsh in Palm Springs at her Amazing Woman’s Day 2008 this Saturday, you can buy a bottle of Jodi Spindle’s Simply Outrageous Pomegranate Vinegar at Whole Foods (or on her website), or you can do both.
For Las Vegas entrepreneur Richelle Shaw, dating three men in three cities didn’t add up to a winning proposition at first. No, this isn’t a Sex and the City rerun; it really happened and, after a few major bumps in the road, there is a happy ending.
Forty-year-old Richelle Shaw has a green thumb when it comes to turning a company into a mega-success. And it doesn’t matter if it’s a business she owns or someone else’s. For starters, finding out that more than 300,000 Americans lose their phone service each month because of missed payments was the premise for Shaw’s company.
As fate would have it, she built a multimillion-dollar company, and nowadays many fledgling entrepreneurs have her to thank for turning their businesses around. How-to advice can be found in her book, “How to Build A Million Dollar Business in Las Vegas Without the Casinos,” or you can check out Shaw’s coaching program. To read a free chapter of her book click here: FREE CHAPTER
No, this isn’t a sneaky sales pitch because Shaw isn’t your run-of-the-mill entrepreneur who turned to coaching to make a living. Quite the opposite, this single mom is incredibly successful in her own right and has a passion for helping others attain fame and fortune.
If you read the answer to the first question I asked her, you might be as curious as I was. And it takes a lot to get my attention. Bottom line, I just had to know. How can I be like Richelle?
Your six-employee firm reached $2.37 million in sales last year, what inspired you to start your company?
SHAW: I am the only female African-American public utility in the nation. I own FreshStart Telephone. I was dating three men in three different states and had a high telephone bill. I was selling advertising, and the vice president of a local telephone company asked me to come and work for them. I did–was promoted six times in five years and grew the company from $300,000 to $36 million. I ended up buying the company from my boss. Lost it all after the 9/11, World Trade Center tragedy and rebuilt it back to $1 million in about six months.
What is unique or special about your business that gives it an edge over your competitors?
SHAW: I understand how to market. The customers drive my business. Actually, the results from marketing campaigns drive my business. Not what I think, not what my friends or staff think.
Recent breakthrough?
SHAW: I understand that what I did was unique, and it was actually a template for business building. People kept asking me how did I do it, and I started coaching and consulting entrepreneurs to do the same things. The best thing is that now I have consulted with entrepreneurs in more than 47 different businesses and determined that no business is different. My strategies and techniques work for any kind of business.
Were there any challenges that you experienced along the way that appeared to be more difficult because you are a woman?
SHAW: When I first decided to buy the business, I went to SBA. I was approved based on my credit and experience; however, they did not like the business. SBA told me that I would never be able to compete with AT&T. Eight years and almost $100 million in sales between the two companies, I think I learned how to compete. Also, I found a venture capital group [that] was going to give me $5 million; they asked for an engagement fee of $75,000. I wired the money and never heard from them again. Just dumb! So when I bought the company I had to start with no money in reserves. I created a deal with my boss to finance the company with receivables, but I had to get new business fast. We sold off the less profitable divisions and laid off staff to make it work. Then, after 9/11, I was forced to start over. This time, with no customer base that I could leverage, no cash and no credit because I had to file bankruptcy; so I had to use my creative sales and marketing skills to rebuild. The best thing to ever happen, because when things turned around, I did not owe any loans or half of my company to any other investors. Were these challenges because I was a woman, I am not sure, but they were difficult.
Did you need to have a certain mindset to achieve success?
SHAW: I have had every obstacle I think there is, including being diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism. I tell entrepreneurs when I speak that I was young (27), black, female and a little chubby. What did I have to lose? I just kept my head down and kept working. Even after I lost it all. Was it hard? Yes. Did I cry? Yes. Did I stay in the bed for a week? Yes. But then my mind started working again, and I went back out there to put another deal together. I also became a true student of marketing. Not the kind they teach in college. . . . Funny story:
Went to UCLA and graduated with a history degree. So after my business failed, I thought maybe it was because I did not have an MBA. So I enrolled at UNLV for classes. Because I had no business classes, I had to take basic business classes. At the time I owned workz.com that I purchased out of bankruptcy court, and it contained [more than] 4,000 articles about small business and how to grow online. Back to UNLV, I opened the textbook and went to the internet section and it said–a great place to find resources and information about starting a business online is workz.com. What? The same website I owned, in the textbook? I decided that as an entrepreneur I could now focus on what works, allow the results to rule (not the textbook) and keep doing what I had been doing.
Has the media picked up on your story and what have you done to attract them?
SHAW: Yes, I have been featured in USA Today, Wells Fargo Online, Black Enterprise, Entrepreneur and Smart Money. Then, after USA Today and Smart Money, I began to write my book, “How to Build A Million Dollar Business in Las Vegas–Without the Casinos.” It is about my successes and failures building my business, and a step-by-step guide to build a business from scratch without money, without a big client and the essential fundamental skills to make it work every time.
Can other individuals reproduce your business model?
SHAW: Yes, absolutely. They can reproduce the business model even if they are not in the telecom industry. I have helped entrepreneurs including a performing arts school, a gynecologist, urologist, music store, CPA, solar screen provider–even a psychic!
What resources were most helpful to you when you were starting your business?
SHAW: Lots of books! I read daily. Lots of marketing books–anything by Dan Kennedy. The Ultimate Marketing Plan is my favorite.
What ways have you found to be most effective in marketing your product or service to get sales?
SHAW: I practice what I call the 5 Star System. It starts with the three R’s. Reactivation, Retention and Referral. Each one of these has a system to bring in business daily. The fourth piece of the star system is new-client acquisition through lead generation, and the fifth piece is a multi-media marketing funnel.
I don’t just do one thing. I don’t know one way to bring in 84 customers but 84 ways to bring in one. Currently in the telephone business I have 84 ways to bring in a new customer. From joint ventures with bankruptcy attorneys to charity events. It all works. What took my business from ordinary to extraordinary was when I implemented them all at the same time each month. This is what I teach business owners to do now.
What tips can you give others who want to embrace their dream but don’t have the confidence or who feel they don’t have what it takes to succeed?
SHAW: You have nothing to lose! If you are waiting for the perfect time, perfect never comes. I was waiting for the perfect time to have a child and it never came–but I was blessed when I least expected it, and everything is just fine. The same with the business. Just start! Every day you wait, you are losing money.
As you know I love getting feedback, so let me know how Weekend Entrepreneur can continue supporting your goals and aspirations with the best content around.
Don’t ask me what happened because I don’t know. But today, June 26, 2008, I was planning to watch Suze Orman on The Oprah Winfrey Show, and I missed it. In case you missed her, too, I heard it was “must see TV” at its best.
Besides the fact that the show was great, there is a freebie–yes, that’s right, a free gift you can get if you go to Oprah’s website. However, you’ve got to go there before the free book giveaway expires. My dear friend Nita, who called me, says the deadline to get your free book in English or Spanish is Friday, June 27 at 5 p.m. Pacific Time (8 p.m. Eastern and 7 p.m. Central).
Now before you get all excited, this is a downloadable book. So you don’t have to worry about peeking out of your window to see if the cute UPS guy is delivering a copy of Women & Money to you. LOL. Although if you like instant gratification, you can have it if you are reading this before the deadline. I already got my free copy and what I loved is that you don’t have to give your e-mail address to get your copy, just click and voila! It’s on your desktop.
By the way, I just happened to notice a little note on Oprah’s website that says:
“This book is copyrighted. You may view and download the file, but you may not copy the file or share or forward it to any other person.”
Have fun reading Women & Money: Owning the Power to Control Your Destiny by Suze Orman. You’ll see why this is one of The New York Times bestseller favorites. Click here to visit Orman’s website.
In case you got here too late, my friend Chellie has a freebie… check out http://www.chellie.com/30-day-signup.html. Several of my friends missed the deadline and I felt bad so Chellie’s book will be our plan B.
Cheers!
Michelle
“Take care of the minutes, for the hours will take care of themselves.”
~Lord Chesterfield
Hello, Michelle Anton here. This Friday, April 18, is BiGIDEA Day in Austin, Texas, and yours truly will be there. If you attend, you’ll be a part of my 90-minute interactive workshop, “Your Million Dollar Message.” It is designed to help you define your unique message. You’ll learn the secrets to effortlessly create advocates, believers, supporters and followers. Doors open at 8:20 a.m. for breakfast, and my workshop begins at 8:40 a.m.
Next on the agenda at 11 a.m. is the BiGIDEA Day luncheon. I am the keynote speaker and emcee, so I hope you’ll join me and the BiGAUSTIN family for an entertaining and exciting experience. This is where we borrow a page from American Idol in selecting a winner for the business plan contest. Three companies will be judged, and $5,000 will be awarded for the best business plan.
Finalists will be voted on by the audience, and the winner will be announced during the BiGIDEA Day luncheon, where more than 500 community supporters, corporate leaders, entrepreneurs and government officials will be in attendance. We’re going to have a wonderful time, and I wouldn’t want you to miss this for anything in the world.
For more details, call the Big Austin office at (512) 928-8010 or visit the BiGAUSTIN website.
About BiGAUSTIN:
BiGAUSTIN was founded in 1992 by Jeannette Peten as a city-funded organization designed to help break down the barriers for people to start their own small business, particularly low- to moderate-income minorities. In 1995, BiGAUSTIN obtained its 501(c)(3) nonprofit status and, by 1996, had begun independent operations. Today, BiG obtains its funding from a variety of public and private sources and is governed by a fully independent board of directors.
Vision BiGAUSTIN fosters economic development as the resource for small businesses to stimulate prosperity.
Mission BiGAUSTIN assists small businesses to successfully grow by providing comprehensive education, tailored business counseling and flexible loans.
Although you must be a resident of the Central Texas region for this competition, it’s an awesome opportunity to win $5,000 for your business. Online entrees are being sought for the 2008 BiGAUSTIN (Business Investment Growth) BiG idea Day’s Business Plan Competition.
Here are seven things you need to know before entering this exciting competition sponsored by BiGAUSTIN:
1. All business plans for the BiG idea Day Luncheon competition must be submitted by 5 p.m. on Friday, March 21, 2008;
2. To register for the business plan competition, call 512.928.8010 or visit the website at bigaustin.org;
3. Participants must be entrepreneurs of at least six months and generate less than $500,000 revenue;
4. Each contestant will present his or her business plan in a live competition on April 18, 2008, for selection as the best for 2008;
5. The judges will be the audience of corporate, entrepreneur and community leaders. The winner receives a $5,000 cash prize, which he or she can use to further business goals
6. BiGAUSTIN is offering free business plan counseling services and workshops to aid contest participants in preparation. Participation in these classes will not be used to influence judges, but to help the contestants prepare to present their very best business plan; and
7. The Business Plan Lab Session is optional. It allows participants to work on their specific plan with a professional. It will be held Wednesday, March 12, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
For more information on the preparation classes and to register for the business plan competition, call 512.928.8010 or visit the website at bigaustin.org.
BiGAUSTIN is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) founded in 1995. BiGAUSTIN is the leading self-sustainable small business development organization that provides innovative growth strategies to underserved entrepreneurs in Central Texas. BiGAUSTIN offers entrepreneurial education, tailored business counseling and flexible loans for small business owners.
Come on, dust off that business plan and get in the game! It’s time to start living the life of your dreams. And if you don’t reside in Austin, Texas, then maybe you have a friend, relative or an associate who could benefit by knowing about this competiton. So please, spread the word.
Check back later this month for more details about the 8th Annual BIG idea Day Luncheon on April 18, 2008, at the Austin Hilton Hotel. More than 500 community and corporate leaders, entrepreneurs and government officials will be in attendance. This will be a wonderful opportunity for networking. I’ll be the keynote speaker for the luncheon, and I’ll be conducting a workshop that morning.
While some employees simply dream of starting their own business, others actually put a plan into place and get into action, even if only on the weekends or in their spare time.
Melanie Benson-Strick is our Weekend Entrepreneur poster child this week, and we congratulate her for not only making the escape from cubicle nation, but for persisting until she got it right, and then creating a template and system for other motivated, would-be entrepreneurs to follow her footsteps.
Benson-Strick: We help busy, overwhelmed entrepreneurs discover simple strategies to exponentially grow their business while creating more time and money freedom.
One of the key secret weapons we teach is leverage.
Through learning how to leverage our time, money and resources, we can discover how easy it is to delegate more, create passive revenue and make money without lifting a finger. Sounds good, huh? Who wouldn’t want to do that?
When did you start your business?
Benson-Strick: I started my business in 2001. I officially left my corporate job two weeks before 9/11. It was the worst time and, in many ways, the best time to have left.
Did you go straight from corporate employee to full-time entrepreneur or did you transition from part-time to full-time entrepreneur?
Benson-Strick: I was the quintessential “weekend entrepreneur.” I filled every night and weekend with starting my business for one year. I was literally consumed with my goal to leave as I knew that inside I was dying. It wasn’t that I didn’t have a great job, I just didn’t feel like I fit and I had to do something I was passionate about.
But one year to the day I set my goal, I handed over my car keys and my business accounts and said, “I’m starting my own business.” I had landed just enough clients to cover my necessities, and I was off and running.
If you transitioned, how long did it take you to go full-time and what were some of the challenges you had?
Benson-Strick: Right off the bat, some of my biggest challenges were trying to get everything done myself. I had a website and marketing materials to create, tons of networking events to attend, and I was still completing not one but two trainings to help me be the best coach I could be.
Secondly, I was not clear about what I wanted to do and what target audience I would serve. I was basically willing to take on any kind of client, which made it very hard to market. I faced huge obstacles in trying to promote to corporate coaching clients and private clients simultaneously. I basically tripled my work requirements by not understanding the power of focusing on a smaller niche.
Tell us about your first two years as a corporate employee turned entrepreneur. What did you learn from those early years that helped you to move your business forward?
Benson-Strick:One of my most important lessons was putting leverage into action. I did this in three ways:
I hired a team of virtual assistants to delegate to so I was always focused on my high payoff activities.
I focused on offering generating income without having to lift a finger.
I created ways to mentor my target audience so I could do something once and have it continue to work over and over again.
Leverage was so important to me, it is now one of the core principles we teach in all of our programs. One gentleman, who was full-time employed and building his business on the side, found that he was moving forward an inch at a time. By the time he got home from work, he was already exhausted. I encouraged him to learn and apply the principles of leverage and put a team in place to get things done while he was at work. By just adding one person to his team, he was able to get 10 times as much done each month and now has his business up and running.
I also discovered how essential it is to have a strong inner game. I know now that my inner game dictates my outer game. I literally sat around waiting for someone to deliver leads to me. When I was willing to be someone who did whatever it takes, I became someone who accomplished massive results. I stopped waiting to align with a joint venture or salesperson to deliver coaching clients.
I created a way for people to discover what problems I help them solve. This one mindset shift was worth thousands in my bank account.
What do you know now that you wish you had known then?
Benson-Strick:One hindsight lesson is the power of having a financial plan. I didn’t. I was flying by the seat of my pants. If I had had a clear picture of my startup costs, I would have secured a line of credit before I left so that I could leverage other people’s money to get going.
I also would not have waited so long to build my team. It literally dawned on me one day, about two years into it, that I was not using one of the strategies I had mastered when I worked for Motorola. I am much more of a collaborator than an isolator, yet I was isolated every day. Within 90 days I hired my first assistant and never looked back.
Looking back, I wish I had had access to more information on how to hire and manage virtual assistants. I made tons of mistakes, hired a few of the “wrong” team members and, honestly, I had no idea what I was doing. I was just winging it. After investing over $40,000 in mentors, systems, resources and making those mistakes, I now have a system that works very well and allows me to seamlessly manage a great team of contractors.
Approximately how much money did you have to invest before your business became profitable?
Benson-Strick: This is a hard question to answer because I did everything wrong the first time.
I invested a lot of money in things that didn’t matter, like a pretty website versus an effective website and coaching that wasn’t the most effective. This is probably why I created my Fast Track to a 6 & 7 Figure Lifestyle Coaching Program, because there just wasn’t anything out there that pointed me in the right direction.
That being said, I probably invested over $75,000 before I started getting profitable. Knowing what I know now, I could have invested less than $25,000.
I also want to address the time investment. It took me over three years to really get the right focus and the right opportunities aligned so I was generating a good income. Again, if I knew then what I know now…well, I guess it wouldn’t be such a good story then, would it?
What resources were most helpful to you when you were starting your business?
Benson-Strick:One of the most invaluable resources I had was my mentor coach. When you are first starting out, there are so many things to figure out and it was very helpful to have someone who had “been there and done that” to guide me through making choices.
I waited to hire the right mentor because I was concerned about my costs at first. But what I realized once I invested in my business coach was that the advice and guidance were an easily justified investment.
I also found that building my virtual team, starting with a virtual bookkeeper/general administrative support was essential. My sanity increased tremendously as well as my results because I could outsource the more tedious tasks that I procrastinated, that sapped my energy or that I made mistakes on. I freed up a tremendous amount of energy to focus on my highest-payoff activities.
One thing I always tell people is to get what’s at stake by hiring others to support you. For instance, I broke six figures with my first two assistants (a virtual bookkeeper and virtual assistant.) Then I added two more people to focus on marketing and web support, and I generated another $150,000 in revenue. Do you think you could find about $2,500 a month when you are making that much more in revenue? Of course!
Who should read your ebook, The Power of the Virtual Team?
Benson-Strick:This ebook is invaluable for any entrepreneur, service professional or small business owner who is ready to accomplish 10 to 100 times more without having to work harder. Even if you think hiring employees is the route for you, this online resource will help you discover insider secrets to hiring the right team members the first time and eliminating costly mistakes along the way.
What is the single most important piece of advice you would give to a current corporate employee who wants to become a “weekend entrepreneur” first, then grow a business?
Benson-Strick:One of the insights I had was that I wasted a lot of time and energy on what I call the “J-O-B mindset.” I literally spent the first two years in this mental trap of waiting for others to deliver clients and make me successful. On some level I was unwilling to do marketing and sales properly because I was uncomfortable with it.
It wasn’t until I had that insight that I realized I was the CEO of a company and I had to start making decisions like one. I couldn’t sit around waiting for things to happen. I had to take action every day to move me toward my desired outcome, or else I was going to have to go get a job again.
There is one sure strategy for success as a full-time entrepreneur: action.
So if you are working in a job and starting your own business, your job is to figure out how to take action, even while you are working. One of my clients, a VP for a large health insurance company, struggled with finding time to work on his business on the weekends so he could make enough money to quit. So we devised a plan for him to hire two virtual assistants to implement the marketing tactics we devised so he could accomplish five to 10 times more while he was working.
That’s how you have to think. “How can I get more done with less effort?”
What’s next?
Benson-Strick:There are always about five to 10 “what’s nexts?” around Success Connections. The big focus for this year is to finally write my own book. I’ve contributed to two books: Visionary Women Inspiring the World and Entrepreneur.com’s Start Up Guide to Information Marketing Businesses (due out this summer.) Writing my own book has been on my mind for years, but for me I had to get the other, higher payoff projects in motion first.
We are also taking the virtualteambuilding program into new markets this year. We love opportunities to collaborate with other entrepreneurs, so taking a proven system and bringing it into other coaching and consulting programs is a no-brainer.
I’ve learned that when you stick to your strengths, have a lot of passion and stay open to new ideas, all kinds of opportunities come your way. I never imagined I’d have a business teaching entrepreneurs to leverage their time and build virtual teams, but based on my corporate experience, it’s perfect. And I love it.
This is a first, and you’re invited to be a part of what Oprah hopes will be the world’s biggest classroom. “Being able to share this material with you is a gift and a part of the fulfillment of my life’s purpose,” Oprah Winfrey said on Wednesday, January 30, as she revealed the 61st Oprah’s Book Club selection, A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose, by Eckhart Tolle. She added, “It was an awakening for me that I want for you, too.”
I watched the show, and when I heard Oprah mention this event, I kept pressing the replay button in disbelief. The one thing that came to mind was: Just because she has done things one way all these years, there is always room for change. Even if you’re the queen of daytime talk. After all, Oprah’s net worth is approximately $2.5 billion, and Oprah has dominated the airwaves as the number one talk show for 21 consecutive seasons, since its debut in 1986.
So, if you missed the show, here’s the scoop. Oprah invited her TV viewers to join her upcoming 10-week, webcast series of classes that will be seen on Oprah.com. I don’t recall any other nonfiction books selected for her Book Club. And the classes are free. Of course, I registered right away, followed by a call to my local bookstore to hold a copy of A New Earth.
The 10-part interactive worldwide web event is a pioneering venture that will have the potential to reach an unprecedented number of readers. With key market positions in the United States, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Australia, Canada, India, China, New Zealand and Ireland, Penguin Group (the book’s publisher) will be able to share this Oprah’s Book Club selection with a worldwide audience.
You will be able to participate in this free, live interactive classroom discussion, led by Winfrey and Tolle. Each week’s class will correspond to a chapter from A New Earth, with the discussion focusing on the chapter’s themes. The 10 weekly sessions will be webcast every Monday night from March 3 through May 5, at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.
I wanted to write about Oprah’s show immediately after watching it. But my day was too hectic. Instead I jotted a few notes on a piece of paper and promised myself I would finish it later. What I didn’t mention is that I started baking this morning at 8 and had a long list of errands and things to do for my daughter’s birthday tomorrow. It’s 2 a.m., and I am finally getting around to writing. Actually, I wouldn’t have it any other way.
If you’ve read A New Earth, let us know what you think of it. I enjoyed Eckhart Tolle’s book, The Power of NOW: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment. I have no doubt that A New Earth is a very special book, too. Also, we would love to know if you are planning on participating and what you would like to get out of the 10 week class.
"Thousands of people have found a way to live the lifestyle of your dreams – and now you can, too. Over a hundred weekend entrepreneurs share their secrets. It’s all the information you need..."
Keenfit, the walking pole company, started out as a concept more than years ago, with Simson as the founder. It is now one of the fastest-growing walking pole companies in North America and has held the No. 1 position on Google for the past four years.
What sort of weight-loss results did you get and how did your experience compare with other fitness programs you had tried?
The cards have impressed their toughest critics, trade show buyers. The game won Best New Sidelines Showcase at the Washington, DC, book fair.
will shortly be launched in the U.S. I believe in this with every little cell of my being. It is exciting and it is important. Experts have found some common denominators among high achievers. The most important of these were family dinners where thoughts, ideas and feelings were expressed and heard. The sad evidence is that many children, including bright children from educated homes, are starting school with speech delays. This is believed to be from less time speaking with and listening to others and more time in front of screens. If children learn to be good communicators and to speak clearly and listen, I believe that there is less likelihood of isolation, depression, anxiety and bullying.
