Make Your Mark    

I am dedicating this song, “May I Suggest,” to you. I hope you enjoy listening to it in this video.

I think you’ll find it inspiring whether you are in the midst of new hope or the grips of fear. The message points you to the treasure that is already waiting for you.

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Tags: heart-centered, inspiration

Are you like me with trying to read more than one book at a time?

I get so excited about certain books and it’s hard to be loyal to just one at a time… so they start piling up. You’d feel the same way if you had these fantastic books in front of you, as I do now:

1. The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women: Why Capable People Suffer from the Imposter Syndrome and How to Thrive in Spite of It (2011)
   ~by Valerie Young, Ed.D.
2. Career Renegade: How to Make a Great Living Doing What You Love (2009)
   ~by Jonathan Fields
3. Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us (2009)
   ~by Daniel Pink
4. The Tao of Entrepreneurship (2009)
   ~by Marcia Bench

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Tags: great business books, great career books, inspiration, small business

To my beloved blog readers,

During this time of year-end reflection, I notice myself thinking about what matters. Gratitude for you comes to mind.

Thank you for your support of my work by reading my blog and possibly showing interest in more ways (attending events, referring clients to me, etc.). Since my work is an expression of my life’s purpose, your support and interest mean the world to me.

I’m including a photo of me enjoying that Whoosh of trust and flow as I rapidly sled downhill. On that day, it reminded me of my option to choose trust on the ride of self-employment. I’m glad that I often remember to go with the flow. I hope you’re experiencing that flow feeling too.

Year in Review

As I look back on my year, I’m especially excited to share these milestones with you: Continue Reading »

In a previous post, I described the reasons you should choose a narrow niche for your business.

Now we’re getting down to how to choose the right niche for you.

Your niche doesn’t have to be an age or gender demographic such as “50-something women.” That’s a simplistic example that might not be narrow enough.

A better niche idea is to describe people with a particular challenge. For example, your ideal audience could be parents with children at home while having aging parents to care for.

In picking a niche…You find a place where your passions, experience, and strengths meet an aching need in the marketplace.” ~Steve Mitten, Business Coach

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Tags: ideal audience, niche

Having a narrow niche for your business is so important that I’m determined to prove it to you. If this post isn’t enough, please leave a comment below.

Does your basic pitch say something like “I help people get things done.”? If so, that could be interfering with your marketing.

It’s hard for listeners to picture the generic words “people” or “things,” so they will ignore you. Vagueness puts them to sleep.

It doesn’t matter if you actually can help everyone. No one will listen.

But they will pay attention if you say “I help older adults who want to find a fun exercise plan that helps them feel great.”

Your audience will listen even if it’s not describing them. They’ll say “OH, my mom could use that!” Or “Oh, I need that too, do you work with people in their 30s?”

The concrete nature of what you say keeps their attention.

This post will define niches and why you need a narrow niche. The next post will explain how to choose your niche. Continue Reading »

Tags: ideal audience, niche