Inner Samurai Business thought for the week:
Turn your wounds into wisdom.
- Oprah Winfrey
Which wound will you infuse with wisdom?
Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert
If you're a spiritually conscious woman entrepreneur who's turned her passion into profit, freed herself from the daily grind of working for someone else, and started up a business to be of greatest service and upliftment to others, then today is your day.
Rejoice!
For you are the lucky one who has created a business and life that is aligned with who you are and what you want to do in the world.
Happy Love Your Business Day to you!
Second - The "Turn Your Business Dreams Into Reality Video Toolkit" walks you through the practical steps of:
Best yet? It's absolutely fr*ee!
Our Turn
Your Business Dreams in Reality Toolkit combines both the
energetic alignment and practical know-how:
in language that is easy to comprehend and understand,
with videos that are fun and entertaining, and
worksheet templates that are a joy to complete.
Get your Turn Your Business Dreams in Reality Toolkit now!
Enjoy!
Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert
Inner Samurai Business thought for the week:
You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don't make money your goal. Instead, pursue the things you love doing, and then do them so well that people can't take their eyes off you.
- Maya Angelou
What do people see when they look at you?
Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert
Are you a spiritually conscious woman? A woman entrepreneur in business for yourself?
Have you ever wondered what it would be like for you to Discover Your Inner Samurai? About how powerfully vital you'd be in your life and business once you did?
Watch this short, 4 minute video and wonder no more!
Second - The "Turn Your Business Dreams Into Reality Video Toolkit" walks you through the practical steps of:
Best yet? It's absolutely fr*ee!
Our Turn
Your Business Dreams in Reality Toolkit combines both the
energetic alignment and practical know-how:
in language that is easy to comprehend and understand,
with videos that are fun and entertaining, and
worksheet templates that are a joy to complete.
Get your Turn Your Business Dreams in Reality Toolkit now!
Enjoy!
Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert
Many of you, I know, have read the Abraham-Hicks book, Money and the Law of Attraction. There are lots of great reminders and gems in this book. I'm re-reading it myself and think this quotation is particularly powerful for the spiritually conscious businesswoman to keep in mind.
When considered from an Inner Samurai perspective, the world is truly an amazing place with unlimited opportunities for alignment:
To see your world through the eyes of Source is truly the most spectacular view of life, for from that vibrational vantage point, you are in alignment with - and therefore in the process of attracting - only what you would consider to be the very best of your world.
What do you think? Great reminder, yes?
Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert
Inner Samurai Business thought for the week:
Don't limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go as far as your mind lets you. What you believe, remember, you can achieve.
- Mary Kay Ash
What do you believe?
Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert
How do you know if your niche is a good niche for you?
"Well that's easy," you say. "If you've found a niche market that is hungry for your product or service and is willing to pay for it, and is large enough to flow the kind of income you want to you, then you've found a good niche."
From a practical standpoint, that's true enough.
However, as a spiritually conscious businesswoman you're just not focused on the practical. You're focused on the energetic, too. So, how would you answer this questions from an energetic standpoint - from an Inner Samurai Business perspective.
How would you know if your niche is a good niche for you, energetically?
Here's how:
You Know Your Niche is Good if . . .
So, how's your niche? Good for you?
Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert
Second - The "Turn Your Business Dreams Into Reality Video Toolkit" walks you through the practical steps of:
Best yet? It's absolutely fr*ee!
Our Turn
Your Business Dreams in Reality Toolkit combines both the
energetic alignment and practical know-how:
in language that is easy to comprehend and understand,
with videos that are fun and entertaining, and
worksheet templates that are a joy to complete.
Get your Turn Your Business Dreams in Reality Toolkit now!
Enjoy!
Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert
What's wrong with the touchy-feely advice
that's so popular now-a-days telling people to stay positive, say
affirmations, and just think good thoughts?
Positive thoughts and affirmations have hit the business world by storm. It seems that every time I turn around, someone is asking me about an affirmation they can use to increase money, get more clients, or get along better with their colleague.
Here's the problem with affirmations: They only work if you know how to use them correctly.
Guidelines for Using Affirmations Correctly
1. Stop looking for the one thing that will make the difference.
Positive affirmations are like the chocolate chips in a delicious chocolate chip cookie. If someone asked you what made your chocolate chips cookies taste so good and you said, "Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips are the key," they might say, “ah-ha” and run right out and purchase those specific chips thinking those chocolate chips would be what they needed to make a delicious chocolate chip cookie.This is one of the things people are doing wrong with affirmations. They are looking for the one thing that will make the difference to their business success. And by doing so, they focus on the one to the exclusion of the all.
2. Don’t be so far out with your affirmations.
The mind does not value what it hasn’t invested in. Said another way, the mind does not invest in what it does not know. One of the common mistakes of saying positive affirmations is intending them too far ahead of your current business situation. Repeating, “I own a million-dollar business" isn't likely to create that business for you when you are barely making a profit. The difference between what the mind currently sees and the intended affirmation is just too great.Instead, focus your intentions no farther than your mind registers as attainable. Next, align your actions with the fulfillment of your vision and add positive affirmations in support of that direction. Then, your mind will register that as attainable and invest in it as known.
3. Be on the look out for hidden hope.
Hope is just a nice way of saying that you’re not sure something is going to happen, but you sure wish is would. Affirmations that hold the energy of hope are really negative affirmations in disguise. Hope is not the same as knowing, without a doubt, that what you intend is going to happen. Fervently repeating affirmations that hold the energy of hidden hope will not help bring what you intend any closer, any sooner.
What
has been your experience with saying positive affirmations. Have they
worked for you? If so, please share with us what you did to insure
their success!
Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert
Inner Samurai Business thought for the week:
The key to realizing a dream is to focus not on success but on significance - and then even the small steps and little victories along your path with take on greater meaning.
- Oprah Winfrey
Which significant step are you taking now?
Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert
Is virtual office space right for you?
It very well could be if you are:
Here are five compelling reasons to consider virtual office space for your business:
1. You want to expand your business without increasing your overhead.
Virtual office space is a low-risk alternative to renting a conventional office. Not only that, they come fully equipped with meeting rooms and private office time. You no longer have to worry about missed calls or missed opportunities. Your virtual office becomes a seamless extension of your home business with dedicated administrative support services.2. You want to protect the privacy of your home and personal phone numbers.
Having your home address and telephone number on your business cards when you were just starting up was okay. Now, your business is expanding and your home needs to be safeguarded. Your virtual offices comes with its own contact number and a high-profile business address that protects your personal privacy while making it easy for your clients to do business with you.3. You're tired of being distracted by calls and administrative tasks.
When you were just starting out, you needed to do it all. Now, you can't do it all. It's time to streamline your efficiency and increase productivity by turning over your administrative tasks to someone else.
Virtual offices come equipped with a professional, full-time receptionist, trained to answer calls, screen them, and forward them to you. In addition to phone reception, your virtual office assistant can do data entry, copying, printing, and faxing. He or she can also handle your scheduling, take reservations, order fulfillment, and collect your mail and forward it to you.4. It's important to you to project a professional image to your clients.
Virtual office space is a great option if you are a home-based business owner preferring to work at home while maintaining a business identity at a professional business address. A virtual office is an easy, cost-effective way to enhance your business image and make an impact at a fraction of the cost of renting office space.5. You want the to be able to live and work anywhere in the world, cost effectively.
Most virtual office providers are located in major cities around the world, giving you the maximum amount of freedom and flexibility to do business just about anywhere.
Services vary depending on which plan you choose. Costs range from between $100 and $350 per month for a standard package to $10 per hour for a la cart services. For the home-based business owner needing or wanting to have a global base of operation, look for yearly specials for as low as $350 for the year, in select major cities.
For more information, here are two virtual office spaces to check out: Intelligent Office and Office Suites Plus.
Are you ready for a virtual office space?
Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert
Second - The "Turn Your Business Dreams Into Reality Video Toolkit" walks you through the practical steps of:
Best yet? It's absolutely fr*ee!
Our Turn
Your Business Dreams in Reality Toolkit combines both the
energetic alignment and practical know-how:
in language that is easy to comprehend and understand,
with videos that are fun and entertaining, and
worksheet templates that are a joy to complete.
Get your Turn Your Business Dreams in Reality Toolkit now!
Enjoy!
Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert
Inner Samurai Business thought for the week:
It was so important for me to lose everything, because I found out what the most important thing is, which is to be true to yourself.
- Ellen DeGeneres
How much do you need to lose?
Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert
Today . . . I am thinking about this question that came in from one
of our readers wondering about what products and services are in demand now.
If you have a small business question that you'd like for me to answer, let me know.
Q: What product or service is currently in demand?
A: When I work with clients who are interested in starting up businesses, sometimes they don't know what kind of business to start up. When this happens, I take them through the Niche Clarity Program to help them connect their inner knowing and passion with profit. I've found this to be the best way for the spiritually conscious woman to start up her business.
Your question, on the other hand, comes at the start-up process from an outer perspective. From this perspective, the attitude is, "Let's see what's in demand first, and then I'll decide if it interests me." Because you want to start up a business that is both interesting to you as well as in continuous demand in the market, there is value in combining the inner and outer approaches.
As I have been watching start-up trends over the past five years, these ten areas have seen consistent growth and shown up repeatedly on many of the small business trends blogs. They are general in scope and offered as a starting point for further exploration before making a definitive decision about the direction of your start-up.
1. Software and Computer Systems Products and Services
2. IT Services
3. Financial Advisory Services
4. Employment Services
5. Science and Technology Consulting
6. Day Care Services
7. At-Home Services
8. Green Services
9. Health Services
10. Digital Products
Three Key Resources
Do you have any other suggestions? If so, leave a comment and let us know. And, if you have a small business question that you'd like for me to answer, let me know.
Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert
Second - The "Turn Your Business Dreams Into Reality Video Toolkit" walks you through the practical steps of:
Best yet? It's absolutely fr*ee!
Our Turn
Your Business Dreams in Reality Toolkit combines both the
energetic alignment and practical know-how:
in language that is easy to comprehend and understand,
with videos that are fun and entertaining, and
worksheet templates that are a joy to complete.
Get your Turn Your Business Dreams in Reality Toolkit now!
Enjoy!
Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert
This is an oldie but goodie video that we all need to keep in mind as women entrepreneurs.
212 Degrees - The Extra Degree by Simple Truths is a little over 3 minutes long. It is packed with some great photography and powerful information that drives home how just one extra degree can make all the difference to our personal and business success.
Inner Samurai Business thought for the week:
If you have entrepreneurial dreams, you have to live it and breathe it. You have to treat the idea like a baby, like your child. You don't sleep when you have a new baby. I didn't sleep. I didn't have weekends. I worked nonstop.
- Tyra Banks
How's your baby?
Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert
Today . . . I am thinking about this question that came in from one
of our readers.
If you have a small business question that you'd like for me to answer, let me know.
Q: I so desperately need a vacation but am afraid to take one. Help!
A: Taking a vacation can do wonders for you and your business. After all, I'm currently on one!
Entrepreneurial women often get so caught up in the day-to-day responsibilities of maintaining and building a successful small business that they forget to take the much-needed opportunity to relax, recharge, and regroup.
Taking regularly scheduled vacations can help you to avoid burn-out and reduce stress, get reconnected with your family and friends, and put you back in touch with your inner strength and source — what I call your Inner Samurai.
Five Tips:
1. Repeat after me: "Taking a vacation is necessary for my personal wellbeing and success of my business."
2. Schedule your vacation in advance, and stick to those dates.
3. If it is an extended vacation (as mine is to China), begin your vacation while still at home by allotting several front-end days for packing, tying up lose home and business ends, and relaxing before you get on the plane, train, or in your automobile.
4. Factor into the back end of your vacation several re-entry days to get yourself back into the swing of things at home and business. Longer, if you'll be dealing with jet lag.
5. Plan to limit (or disconnect completely from) work-related communication (i.e., phone calls and e-mails), so that you can spend your vacation focusing exclusively on whom you're with, where you are, and what you're doing.
P.S. - Refrain from scheduling any important commitments for the first few days after you return.
That's my answer and I'm sticking to it!
Do you have any other suggestions? If so, leave a comment and let us know. And, if you have a small business question that you'd like for me to answer, let me know.
Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business ExpertAward-winning author of Discovering Your Inner Samurai: The Entrepreneurial Woman's Journey to Business Success
Second - The "Turn Your Business Dreams Into Reality Video Toolkit" walks you through the practical steps of:
Best yet? It's absolutely fr*ee!
Our Turn
Your Business Dreams in Reality Toolkit combines both the
energetic alignment and practical know-how:
in language that is easy to comprehend and understand,
with videos that are fun and entertaining, and
worksheet templates that are a joy to complete.
Get your Turn Your Business Dreams in Reality Toolkit now!
Enjoy!
Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert
Today . . . I am thinking about this question that came in from one
of our readers about how to grow from a small at home business, to a larger at home business.
If you have a small business question that you'd like for me to answer, let me know.
Q: "How do you make the jump from a boutique business to a larger business?"
A. If you've been in business for 5 years are more, you're company is doing well, are getting more orders than you can handle, and can check off everything on this list, then yes!
Pre-expansion Checklist for the Home-Based Business OwnerThat's my answer and I'm sticking to it!
Do you have any other suggestions? If so, leave a comment and let us know. And, if you have a small business question that you'd like for me to answer, let me know.
Inner Samurai Business ExpertAward-winning author of Discovering Your Inner Samurai: The Entrepreneurial Woman's Journey to Business Success
Inner Samurai Business thought for the week:
We plan our joys and sorrows long before we experience them.
- Kahlil Gabran
What plans are you making now?
Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert
Becoming a home-based business owner is more popular now than every before, and it's very attractive to many women entrepreneurs.
That's because people associate working from home with flexibility and freedom. And with so many mom entrepreneurs opting to stay at home while raising their families, running a business from home makes sense.
Here are some of the Pros and Cons to consider if you're thinking of becoming a home-based business owner.
Pros
- You'll save on start-up costs.
- Lower operating costs.
- No more commuting.
- You can live and travel almost anywhere in the world and still conduct business.
- Time with family.
- Work anytime you want.
- Family members can easily get involved with the business.
- It's convenient.
- Everything is in a central location - work, play, sleep, eat.
- Can wear anything to work.
Cons
- Vulnerability to interruptions.
- Temptations and distractions - TV, laundry, fridge, sleeping in.
- Need for space when your business expands.
- Cooped-up at home.
- Work bleeding over into family time.
- Privacy.
- Outside employees may not like coming to your home to work.
- Hard to get motivated sometimes.
- Isolation without other professionals around.
- Running a business and taking care of your family at the same time.
There's my list of pros and cons. What have I missed? Anything you'd like to add to the list? Please do!
Let us know!
Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert
Inc. Magazine just put out The Business Owner's Bookshelf. This is their list of the top 30 business books they recommend you read this summer.
Here are a few on the list to wet your appetite:
Of course, your salespeople and managers should read this self-improvement classic. But Friends is also about leadership. "There is only one way under high heaven to get anybody to do anything," writes Carnegie, "and that is by making the other person want to do it."
If you're like me, some of the books you've read and some you have not. Check out Inc's list and see which ones you will be adding to your reading list this summer.
Oh, hey . . . add mine to your summer reading list too!
Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert
. . . because you don't have a business degree and feel inadequate?
As women, it often seems as if we have a corner on the market for feeling inadequate or unable to do something because we don't have a degree telling us we can.
While it's true that a business degree goes a long way to empowering women with the tools and confidence to start up a business, it isn't, ultimately, what will make you succeed.
3 Simple Ways to Stop Shooting Yourself in the Entrepreneurial Foot.
1. Nip inadequate thoughts in the bud.
You know the one: “Who do you think you are starting up a business without a business degree?”
Calm that voice by realizing that no one starts up a business, even someone with a business degree, all by herself. Skills can be learned, books read, coaches found, and support people hired.
2. Is it fear or resistance?
Figure out whether you are experiencing fear or resistance. Here's how to tell:
- Fear makes you run.
- Resistance makes you question.
Many confuse fear with resistance, believing that if you feel resistant toward something, that that’s an indicator that you shouldn’t do it. Not so.
Before you conclude that “maybe this wasn’t such a good idea,” hold the phone! Take some time to figure out what resistance is telling you. Do you need to do some more research? Take things a little slower? Go in another direction?
Answer the questions that resistance asks, instead of collapsing into fear.3. Don't make a decision in the heat of the moment.
Instead, project yourself into the future and ask yourself questions from that vantage point.
Perspective is everything when it comes to making a decision. Decisions made in the heat of the moment, when your heart’s pounding and thoughts racing are usually not the decisions that are in your best interest. So wait until things have cooled down.
Then, project yourself into the future. From the perspective of one year from now, write out your thoughts to these three questions:
- Last year was an amazing year for me. I accomplished so much. What were some of these accomplishments?
- What am I so glad I did?
- What do I wish I would have done?
This perspective will help you get in touch with what’s important to you.
Certainly food for thought -- especially that first one. What do you think?
Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert
Inner Samurai Business thought for the week:
The incessant mental noise of thinking prevents you from finding that realm of inner stillness that is inseparable from Being.
- Eckhart Tolle
Can you hear it? No? Ah . . . stillness has found you.
Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert
I'm finally doing something I've wanted to do for a long, long time.
I’m putting together a combination of Inner Samurai Business teleseminars, workshops, and retreats that will support you in taking your business to the next level.
But first, I need some feedback and direction from you.
Rather than trying to guess what would help you the most, I am going to let you tell me exactly what you need to energize your business to the next level.
To do that, I've developed a four-minute Inner Samurai Business Survey.
And, as a delicious bribe to entice you to complete the survey, I
will be giving away three Starbucks gift cards (valued at $10 each) in
three separate drawings held between now and July 20, 2009.
Anyone who completes the Inner Samurai Business Survey eligible to win!
Thank you!
Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert
I'm finally doing something I've wanted to do for a long, long time.
I’m putting together a combination of Inner Samurai Business teleseminars, workshops, and retreats that will support you in taking your business to the next level.
But first, I need some feedback and direction from you.
Rather than trying to guess what would help you the most, I am going to let you tell me exactly what you need to energize your business to the next level.
To do that, I've developed a four-minute Inner Samurai Business Survey.
And, as a delicious bribe to entice you to complete the survey, I
will be giving away three Starbucks gift cards (valued at $10 each) in
three separate drawings held between now and July 20, 2009.
Anyone who completes the Inner Samurai Business Survey eligible to win!
Thank you!
Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert
I'm finally doing something I've wanted to do for a long, long time.
I’m putting together a combination of Inner Samurai Business teleseminars, workshops, and retreats that will support you in taking your business to the next level.
But first, I need some feedback and direction from you.
Rather than trying to guess what would help you the most, I am going to let you tell me exactly what you need to energize your business to the next level.
To do that, I've developed a four-minute Inner Samurai Business Survey.
And, as a delicious bribe to entice you to complete the survey, I
will be giving away three Starbucks gift cards (valued at $10 each) in
three separate drawings held between now and July 20, 2009.
Anyone who completes the Inner Samurai Business Survey eligible to win!
Thank you!
Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert
Inner Samurai Business thought for the week:
What constitutes success? She who has achieved success has lived well; laughed often and loved much; has gained the respect of little children; has filled her niche and accomplished her task; has left the world better than she found it; has always looked for the best in others and given the best she had.
- Bessie Anderson Stanley
What's your definition of success?
Thank you, Sandy Aaron for sending this to me.
Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert
Just want to state up front that this in not an original thought.
My friend Carolyn stayed at The Maverick Inn a couple of weeks ago and sent me their manifesto. I loved it so much, I adapted it for the woman entrepreneur.
See what you think:
Don't you just love it?
Adapted from The Maverick Inn. Check 'em out if you're ever in Alpine, TX.
Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert
Second - The "Turn Your Business Dreams Into Reality Video Toolkit" walks you through the practical steps of:
Best yet? It's absolutely fr*ee!
Our Turn
Your Business Dreams in Reality Toolkit combines both the
energetic alignment and practical know-how:
in language that is easy to comprehend and understand,
with videos that are fun and entertaining, and
worksheet templates that are a joy to complete.
Get your Turn Your Business Dreams in Reality Toolkit now!
Enjoy!
Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert
I'm finally doing something I've wanted to do for a long, long time.
I’m putting together a combination of Inner Samurai Business teleseminars, workshops, and retreats that will support you in taking your business to the next level.
But first, I need some feedback and direction from you.
Rather than trying to guess what would help you the most, I am going to let you tell me exactly what you need to energize your business to the next level.
To do that, I've developed a four-minute Inner Samurai Business Survey.
And, as a delicious bribe to entice you to complete the survey, I
will be giving away three Starbucks gift cards (valued at $10 each) in
three separate drawings held between now and July 20, 2009.
Anyone who completes the Inner Samurai Business Survey eligible to win!
Thank you!
Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert
Inner Samurai Business thought for the week:
We must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us.
- Joseph Campbell
What new life is awaiting you?
Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert
Today . . . I am thinking about this question that came in from one
of our readers. She is a spiritually conscious businesswoman who wants to make sure she is focusing her energy in the best direction for success.
If you have a small business question that you'd like for me to answer, let me know.
Q: “How do I ensure that I am focusing my energy in the best direction for success?”
A: Entrepreneurial women begin imagining their future the moment they start thinking about striking out on their own and starting their own business.
They think about what the business will become, the lives they will touch, the people they will help, the flexibility they will have, and the money they will make. They imagine building a business around their value system, their passion, and what’s important to them. They envision a business that fits beautifully into their life. In short, they dream about building a business from the inside out.
How many times have you known what was right for you yet made another choice… one that was wrong for you? How many times have you gone against your inner knowing? How many times have you heard yourself say, “I knew I should have gone that way, done that thing, or spoken my truth?” It happens to all of us.
That's why getting in touch with and trusting your Inner Samurai is so important.
Success Tips From Your Inner Samurai
• Create only two priorities per month. What are the two things you are most passionate about doing? This will help you prioritize and focus by aligning you with your "Inner Samurai Priority System."
• Check in with yourself often. If you hear a lot of chatter, explanation and justifications, that's the voice of doubt inside your head. Learn to recognize and ignore it. If you check in and feel a one-word pulse, pay attention! That's your Inner Samurai.
Three qualities that will always lead you down the right path:
1. Know who you are.
2. Accept yourself as you are.
3. Dare to be who you are.
Do
you have any other suggestions? If so, leave a
comment and let us know. And, if you have a small business question
that you'd like for me to answer, let me know.
Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert
I'm finally doing something I've wanted to do for a long, long time.
I’m putting together a combination of Inner Samurai Business teleseminars, workshops, and retreats that will support you in taking your business to the next level.
But first, I need some feedback and direction from you.
Rather than trying to guess what would help you the most, I am going to let you tell me exactly what you need to energize your business to the next level.
To do that, I've developed a four-minute Inner Samurai Business Survey.
And, as a delicious bribe to entice you to complete the survey, I will be giving away three Starbucks gift cards (valued at $10 each) in three separate drawings held between now and July 20, 2009.
Anyone who completes the Inner Samurai Business Survey eligible to win!
Inc. Magazine just put out The Business Owner's Bookshelf. This is their list of the top 30 business books they recommend you read this summer.
Here are a few on the list to wet your appetite:
Of course, your salespeople and managers should read this self-improvement classic. But Friends is also about leadership. "There is only one way under high heaven to get anybody to do anything," writes Carnegie, "and that is by making the other person want to do it."
If you're like me, some of the books you've read and some you have not. Check out Inc's list and see which ones you will be adding to your reading list this summer.
Oh, hey . . . add mine to your summer reading list too!
Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert
Here's this week's hot business strategy you can use now!
The other day I was talking with my friend and colleague - Samantha Hartley of Enlightened Marketing fame - about needing to make some phone calls to China for my upcoming trip in August. I was wondering how much it cost to call China and the best way to go about calling.
Immediately Samantha said, "Do you know about oHello?"
oHello? What's oHello?
oHello is a leading provider of low-cost global prepaid long distance phone services based out of California. oHello provides smart alternatives for land-line and wireless users to place domestic and international call.
There are no connection fees, monthly fees, or taxes.
Calling to China was only 3.4 cents - and that low rate was to a cell phone!
So, I signed up - very easy and straight forward. And got a bonus $5 added to my account just for signing up!
The next day I called China. The process was easy, the connection crystal clear, and after 30 minutes of talking I had spent less than $2!
Check this hot business strategy idea out for yourself! Then let us know what you think of oHello.
Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert
Inner Samurai Business thought for the week:
In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.
- Albert Einstein
What opportunity is just waiting to be seen?
Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert
Just want to state up front that this in not an original thought.
My friend Carolyn stayed at The Maverick Inn a couple of weeks ago and sent me their manifesto. I loved it so much, I adapted it for the woman entrepreneur.
See what you think:
Don't you just love it?
Adapted from The Maverick Inn. Check 'em out if you're ever in Alpine, TX.
Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert
Are you a small business owner, party-of-one, thinking about taking your business to the next level? The next step is easier than you think.
Here's our latest 4-minute "how-to" video to show you how!
Here's the difference in a nutshell:
Women like to buy in before they buy. Men do too. Men, however, will more likely buy into the value of the product before they buy. Women are more likely to buy into the seller. This is a key difference between marketing to men and marketing to women.
Here's the story:
The other day at Lowe’s, I was pricing out sliding glass doors for the four-season room on the back of my house. One of the door panels had become damaged during a recent hailstorm when a limb broke and crashed into the window. When I arrived in the door department, the sales person was helping a couple with some questions they had. This gave me plenty of time to observe different buying styles in action.
The sales associate was doing a great job answering their questions. Together, he and the husband were talking about the energy efficiency of high-performance glazing. Was it better to go with dual glazing or double-paned glass with low emissivity coating? The husband ran his hands over the vinyl cladding around the outside of the door and asked about the practicality of top-mounted insect screens. There was a lot of verbal interaction as the husband sized up the product and relative value of the product in relation to the price listed.
The wife stood quietly nearby. She was not disinterested, mind you. She was just sizing up the product in a different way. She was watching the sales associate. She was deciding whether to buy into him and what he was saying. So, she asked another type of question, “What do you think about the sliding glass doors that have the curable vinyl cladding on the outside and the warmth of wood on the inside?” Note that she asked, “What do you think?” Asking a specific question about the product was just the vehicle for her to find out more about the sales associate’s ideas, thoughts, and information. In short, about him.
When she spoke, she looked him straight in his eyes. While he referenced the sliding glass door by looking at it when he answered her, she barely gave the door a glance. She had already evaluated the product. Plus, she could tell from her husband’s questions and responses that he was already considering the purchase. She wanted to know if she could trust the sales associate. Her body language and type of question was indicative of someone who is considering buying into a person. Pam’s statement of people buy us, and then they buy what we have to offer rang true. This was so obvious in the buying styles of this husband and wife. The husband was considering the value of the product. The wife was considering the trustability of the salesperson.
They also did my work for me. When the salesperson asked if he could help me, I said, “No thanks. I just need a couple of prices so I can comparison shop.” Then I turned to the couple and said, “Thank you! You guys were great!” They looked at each other, puzzled. They had no way of knowing that they’d just given me the perfect example of the difference in marketing to men and women.
What do you think? What's been your experience? Do you think women buy in more then men?
Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert
Several years ago, I began keeping a "tips for success" list. Not the usual kind of list from famous people who have been successful. Rather, a list of success tips from ordinary, every day people who have worked hard and become successful in their life and business.
Who are these people? My former clients.
I thought you might enjoy reading some of the gems from my client's success tips list:
So what do you think about these tips?
If you were going to add a tip or two of you own, what would you say?
Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert
Your Inner Samurai Business thought for the week:
Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert
How long will it take my start up to make a profit?
As a small business start-up expert, that's the question I most frequently get asked.
How long does it take once you've launched your business to the world for you to see a profit? Even a little profit?
The traditional answer is: you probably won't see sustainable profit for five years.
The optimistic answer is: it takes between 2-3 years to see sustained growth profit.
For most women entrepreneurs starting up a business, the answer lies somewhere in between. And the following three points are important to keep in mind:
Several years ago, Entrepreneur Magazine put forth their business
start up timeline and wrote an informative five-part series that is well
worth the read. Charting Your Business Timeline offers women entrepreneurs both a general overview of the the life of a
new business and helpful tools to ensure its success.
Entrepreneur Magazine's Guide to Business Timeline
Where are you in your business timeline? Did it take you longer or shorter to create a sustainable profit than you originally thought? What were some of your keys to making that happen? Leave a comment and let us know!
Award-winning author of Discovering Your Inner Samurai: The Entrepreneurial Woman's Journey to Business Success
Are you a small business owner, party-of-one, thinking about taking your business to the next level? The next step is easier than you think.
Here's our latest 4-minute "how-to" video to show you how!
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