by Ann Evanston | Aug 2, 2015 | Business Strategy
I am constantly thinking about how to improve the work I do for my clients. I want them to be full. Well okay, maybe that’s the Italian in me, LOL. But really, I want them satisfied, inspired, challenged. More importantly, and I think it’s my psychology background, I am constantly digging deeper into what makes some people fail, struggle and other soar and succeed.
I am constantly looking at how to train the mind to change your life.
I use many concepts from Napoleon Hill’s book: “Think and Grow Rich” in my work. One thing he repeats continuously is the word desire. I guess it isn’t the word desire, it is the concept of desire. He says in order to achieve the riches we want through our “power” (i.e. “organized knowledge” is power) we MUST have strong desire.
I am sure you are similar to my clients in that when I ask: “Do you have desire?” The answer is ALWAYS yes.
But what is the concept of desire? Do you really have it? Or do you hear the word and just think you have it?
Reality is this: to achieve the success you deserve, DESIRE, strong desire is necessary and required. Napoleon Hill says: “The starting point of all achievement is desire. Keep this constantly in mind. Weak desire brings weak results, just as a small fire makes a small amount of heat.”
I had an epiphany in a small networking MasterMind group I run called “Women, Wine and Wisdom.” It was about desire and what traits it takes to REALLY have it. To have the kind of strong desire Napoleon Hill talks about. The kind that turns your power to riches. Who would think that for $25 and with a glass of wine you could learn so much about yourself and your business, LOL! MasterMind is that process…oh wait, I digress, that’s for another time.
Desire. Strong desire. We NEED it to have the success. Not just the feeling of desire, but embracing the concept of desire through your actions and mindset. I believe there are 5 core concepts you need to develop that desire.
And I am going to share them with you in next week’s blog! Until then, grab a copy of Napoleon Hills book. Reflect on how desire shows up for you every day (or not) and come back to read more about it!
by Ann Evanston | Jun 25, 2015 | Business Strategy
June 8 I made a commitment to getting back in shape. My severe back injury and chronic pain has not gone away by not exercising. So we are back at the gym, 3 times a week, 30 minutes high intensity. I believe when you decide…you DO. So, Biggest Loser style, I am at it (and honestly the last 3 years, I have had little if no real exercise.) On the 5th day in this process we did 15 minute rounds of 50 jump rope, 20 squats, and 50 punches. Then two 6 minute rounds of back and biceps. (Days one through four were not that different!) No excuses no whining, no quitting.
Is it hard? HELL YES.
Was I in pain? (not back pain, exercise pain)HELL YES.
Did I feel light headed? HELL YES.
Did I do what I said I would do? HELL YES.
[Tweet “This mindset is critical for business success. I guess we could call it the HELL YES mindset.”]
LOL! It is really about committing to your plan, even when it is HARD. Trust me, being in business isn’t just about putting out to the world what you love. There is so much more to it. And there will be times when you will think it’s just too hard, it’s painful, maybe even a little light headed!
With my clients, we work on the 5 Fundamentals of a Bad-Assery Business, one of them being “Vision of Self”. Mindset is a big part of this fundamental. Above I talk about training my body. Guess what though, you have to train your mind to change your life. That is why the biggest battle is within. (hell yes!)
by Ann Evanston | Jun 18, 2015 | Business Strategy
If you garden, there’s nothing quite like the first ripe tomato of the summer. Okay, if you don’t garden you probably know how fabulous summer tomatoes are fresh from the garden! That first tomato though, for a gardener, is a symbol of accomplishment. There’s nothing more powerful than picking it, realizing that you nurtured and cultivated something to grow, that now you get the pleasure of enjoying!
Then you get to make a decision about how you’re going to eat that first tomato! Right from the vine still warm from the sun, in a salad, with some mozzarella, or just a little salt!
[Tweet “Interestingly, I think that first tomato is just like getting your first customer in your business!”]
You nurtured and cultivated something powerful and they bought it! You can’t wait to show the customer everything you have to offer. You’re excited about what you will do with them. You’re available, ready, and willing! It’s a beautiful relationship.
Then, just like my tomatoes, you will have lots of them, sometimes it’s even overwhelming (in a good way of course!) deciding just what to do with them! As is your plan in your successful business, clients will grow, more come! Guess what? Thinking about how you will WOW multiple customers without having to individually manage each one of them is part of the growth struggle you will have. How will you excite and delight each customer as they come on?
How will you make sure they feel just as special as the first one?
This is why when I work with clients we talk about the “5 Fundamentals of a Bad-Assery Business”. Customer WOW is one of those five fundamentals. If you start to put pieces in place now as you’re growing your business to have greater success, later when more customers come on you’ll be ready. How do you want to WOW them and make them feel like the first? What steps are you taking to be organized and ready, without delay?
by Ann Evanston | Jun 11, 2015 | Business Strategy, MasterMind
It’s always interesting to become an entrepreneur and then to really think about the business side of success. What you love to do, your passion, it’s typically not the business! That is why in my MasterMind, COMPEL, Speak, Sell, we spend time on looking how you leverage what you’re doing and get it organized into systems so that you can have long term success.
No matter what, there are certain things that need to be put into place in order to earn what you desire. And I don’t care if that’s $3000 a month or $300,000 a month!
That is why I have been working on the 5 Essential Elements of a Bad-Assery Business™ for you. Each of these essential elements are important as the foundation of your success to be able to grow the level you want. Many people, actually (even I did) grow financially, THEN struggle because these are not in place, as they need to be to fully leverage what you do. Our focus in the MasterMind are assuring that you are leveraging your business in order to grow.
These five elements are RARELY talked about, especially in a cohesive and seamless system. That’s why I share them here, so you can see each, and understand what it takes to build your Bad-Assery business!
[Tweet “We think if we take what we so passionately love, and “put a shingle up” people will pay! HAHAHA!”]
The joke is on us!
The five essential elements are:
1-Vision of Self: You are, in many ways, your business. How you build your esteem, deal with your limiting beliefs, have strong boundaries for life balance, and step into the visibility of being known is important. This also has to do with how strongly you believe in yourself and your abilities. Are you ready mentally and emotionally to achieve what you desire? Are you ready to do what it takes? Ready to be big, bold and VISIBLE.
2-Marketing: Let’s face it, it doesn’t matter how great you think you are if nobody knows how great you are! Marketing is the strategy that allows you to be visible, and to be known, liked and trusted. What is your marketing plan and how is it being leveraged to help you grow? The ability to have a plan that helps you know and find your tribe, how they find you when out and looking, and most importantly, how you create a “prospect, into lead, into customer” plan.
3- Sales: Ok, this is the ultimate litmus test a business…revenue. Yes, I said revenue. Oh, so you just need a steady income now? Well, what do you charge? Do you own it? Do you have a sales and special offer strategy? Can you close in person, online and on the stage? Do you have a plan for the ONLY TWO KINDS of money you can make?
4-Customer WOW: You have to build the plan of how you will execute what you say you will do and make sure your clients are truly delighted with how you handle that. This also needs to be placed into a system so it eases your time. Once they buy, it isn’t over! Now it’s time to make them go “ohhh-ahhh!!! What is the strategy to keep, repeat, delight?
5-LEVERAGE: If you really want to earn more with ease you must leverage. This is all about the plan to “duplicate yourself” and “be TOP OF MIND”. Automation, scalability, and making money while you sleep! At least three of the pillars above require technology in this day and age! It is not going away! Technology absolutely helps you in systematizing what you do so that you can earn more with ease! It is a necessary part of growing a healthy business
Which of these do you need to work on?
by Ann Evanston | Jun 3, 2015 | Business Strategy, MasterMind
Self-worth is so important for running a successful business. It’s crucial to be able to have confidence in what you think and feel, even if somebody else differs in their opinion or mindset.
I recently had an experience that really hit home about how critical this is. In a conversation with a friend’s girlfriend we had a clear difference of opinion. She so wanted me to agree with her. When I didn’t agree, she tried to convince me. When I still didn’t, she started to cry.
At that point I put my hand on her arm and decided to end the conversation. She could not stop crying and told me she thought I was mean for disagreeing.
To be successful in a business, you must know your mind, and have confidence in it, even when others disagree. If you constantly think others are mean when they disagree, it will be al long hard road.
[Tweet ” One of the things I work with clients in building their self-worth is
understanding the concept of stepping into “educo”.”]
This is about really taking what you have learned, and tapping into your self-worth and knowledge, and making it yours. It means that you can confidently move forward knowing that what you have to offer the world is special. You don’t need somebody else to agree to know that’s true.
Are you able to surround yourself with others that think differently than you, to allow them to have their own viewpoint, and still have confidence in yourself? Are you able to own how you think and feel without everybody agreeing?
This is why “Vision of Self” is the first and most important frame of a Bad-Assery business, and so critical that I work with clients to have the strength to step up and out.
by Ann Evanston | May 28, 2015 | Business Strategy, Opinion
Watch out for the opinions of others if you want to be successful in business! I learned this first and truly by absorbing Napoleon Hill’s book: “Think and Grow Rich.” He says:
“Opinions are the cheapest commodities on earth. Everyone has a flock of opinions ready to be wished upon anyone who will accept them. If you are influenced by “opinions” when you reach DECISIONS, you will not succeed in any undertaking.”
Believe me, I love when people asked my opinion, heck who doesn’t?! When you decide on the system, a plan for success, it is critical that you stick to it and don’t get caught up in the opinions of others.
When you are developing a system for your business outside opinions will only confuse and frustrate you.
[Tweet ” I have learned that I have to be extremely careful even when clients want my opinion.”]
I understand they trust me, and having my opinion matters to them. I am honored that they feel that way. Reality is, though, that I have a system I teach them, and when I give opinions of thin
gs outside that system I only confuse the scope of work that we do together and it doesn’t add value. When my opinion disagrees with that of another thought leader they admire… Oh! Now they’re even more frustrated!
So beware of giving and receiving opinions when it comes to your business. Especially be aware of opinions of people who have no risk in your business, financially or otherwise! You have all the risk, choose a system that you’re implementing, and don’t be so concerned about everyone’s opinions!
