OK… so I did it. I’ve started writing my book. I wrote the first pages last weekend and umm… gulp.

While I’ve been sitting with the desire to write another book for some time – it’s been a recent series of nudges that pushed me into action. That and the inner voice saying… it’s time Jane, it’s time!

So I’ll be using my occasional blog posts as a place to share the evolution of what I’m anticipating will be some pretty cool and innovative thoughts around helping solo entrepreneurs experience more joy, more fun and oh yes… higher revenues along the way.

So in an effort to keep the Inner Critic at bay I’ll begin with WHY. Why embark upon this journey of putting my thoughts about growing a successful business in a book?

First – not only are entrepreneurs my favorite people on the planet, I am also one of you. Having founded four successful businesses over the last 24 years, I know the feelings of excitement when you reach a milestone, close a deal or make a difference while making a profit. It’s sweet.

Second – I believe that there is a deeper conversation that needs to be had around this journey of building a business. Through my own experience and now my work with clients I see the light side as well as the dark side of entrepreneurship.  I know how it feels when it gets lonely, uncomfortable and downright scary. I get it.

So let’s start to have an honest conversation about how you can step into your role as an entrepreneur with more joy, greater commitment and better results.

A few things I want you to know about your journey as an entrepreneur.

• I want you to know you are not alone on your journey as an entrepreneur. You are accompanied by a band of courageous brother and sister entrepreneurs who are also striving to make a difference in the world. They share your desire for the journey to building a business to be more profitable and peaceful.
• I want you to know there are new enlightened answers to the challenges you face in growing your business. New ways of seeing your business, new ways of being in business and perhaps more important –new methods for expanding your business that are in alignment with your values and the way you are uniquely wired.
• I want you to know you’re off the hook. No longer do you have to force yourself to take steps to grow your business that are so out of alignment with your character that it causes unrest.  This is not to say that you won’t have to take steps beyond your comfort zone, sorry, that’s still part of the process. What it does mean is that in building your business you never have to compromise your integrity or do something that goes against the person you are meant to be.
• I want you to know that when you attempt to grow your business using methods that are out of alignment with your values and personality, not only will you fail, you will also repel the very results you are seeking because the vibration you are moving in is out of alignment with who you want to be.
• I want you to know that only when your business is built on a foundation of your personal values and the principles of service and contribution will you remain connected to your higher self and thereby be empowered to attract the people and opportunities that will bring your business into your reality.

So that’s what I want you to know today. Let me know how this lands – let’s have a dialogue about how these thoughts resonate with what you are feeling about your journey of growing your business. It will be fun.

Maintaining Mindset, Personal Growth inspiration, productivity, progress

OK, it’s time for some true confessions. How many emails are in your Inbox right now? I don’t mean just the bolded emails that have not been looked at. I’m referring to all of them – opened and unopened. Over the years, I’ve heard it all, from a few dozen to over ten thousand! Yikes. Here are a few questions to see if you are suffering from inbox overwhelm.

• Are you keeping any emails in your inbox as a reminder of an action step you need to take?
• Do you have emails in your inbox simply because you don’t want to lose the information or forget a point?
• When you open your email do you have a “not-so-good” feeling when you see the mass of emails screaming for your attention?
• Have you ever felt like blocking the entire slew of emails and sending them off to the recycle bin?

If you answered YES to any of these questions, you are not alone. Inbox Overwhelm seems to afflict even the most successful entrepreneurs. How about you?

At the risk of tooting my own horn, I’ll share that thankfully organization and time management are two skills I have gotten a handle over my 24 years in business. In fact, I’d say personal management and an ability to manage my mindset are the two things that support me in getting so much done in so little time.  And while technology allows me to streamline communication and leverage my work it can also be a bone of contention, with information – and emails – coming at me at breakneck speed.  So I set out to find ways to conquer my inbox overwhelm. It took me about three months to create the system and form the habits that now support me in keeping my inbox under control. On a daily basis I average no more than 5 to 8 emails in my inbox and on a good day when I power down, I’m free and clear of emails all together.

So here you go…. I’m including six of my 20 simple strategies for Conquering Inbox Overwhelm.

While it’s not my entire system, I think you’ll find them to be some great first steps to nailing this sometimes overwhelming aspect of the entrepreneurial experience.

1. Decide to be the victor not the victim. Commit to establish an email management system that allows you to control how much time and energy your emails take.
2. Have more than one email account for campaigns and subscriptions. Only use your personal email account for private and high level business dealings.
3. Even if you are a one person show, have two email accounts; one personal and another Service@yourURL.com. Then, as soon as you are able, enlist the support of a virtual assistant to whom you will hand over this account.
4. Don’t be afraid to unsubscribe to email subscriptions you no longer find helpful or interesting. Taking just 30 seconds now will save many minutes over time.
5. Create a “swipe” folder in your email program where you save samples of competitor’s email campaigns.
6. Create an education folder where you save interesting emails that will take some time to review. Often it’s tempting to dive in and check out an email, watch a video or listen to a recording that promises to teach us something we simply must know. I find it better to schedule “Research and Review” time each week when I go to that folder and explore some of the emails that piqued my interest. In short, you are in control of when you “explore” so schedule that time and stick to it.

There is plenty more where that came from. So start with these first six step and then let me know about you progress toward Conquering Inbox Overwhelm. Happy deleting!

Business Vision, Maintaining Mindset, Personal Growth, Uncategorized productivity, progress, strategies

If this is your first visit with me I’ll begin with a nudge to begin not with this entry, but with my last entry – Journey to Wholeness.  Starting there will add depth to what I’m about to share – a background if you will to why Making Choices is a personal celebration of what happens when you take a stance to live the wholeness of your life.

It’s been two weeks since my re-commitment to design my “Work Life” first to serve my personal and spiritual evolution and secondly to meet my financial needs. I’ve spent the better part of those two weeks stepping back and looking at the options before me. Imagine standing on a country road in the middle of nowhere with three possible roads calling out.

There’s the road I’ve recently traveled. That one holds big adventures, personal affirmation and oh yes… lots of doing. I can already feel the adrenalin kick in as I contemplate this road. I feel my heart race and my stomach tighten as I think of big goals, long to-do lists and… the absence of ME. Been there, done that. While this road holds many rewards it also requires a pace so fast that I miss out on the scenery, the simple moments and a connection to myself. No thanks.

This second road beckons to me from a world I’ve moved in for 24 years yet recently stepped away from. It’s a world filled with positive people – each one on a quest to achieve their deepest desires. Curious about what this world still holds for me, I stepped back in just last week.  While certain elements felt familiar and fun, it provided a mirror for me to see just how much I’ve changed in just one year. I may venture down this path now and then for the right client or project, but this road is not the path that honors my promise to do the work that deeply supports my personal and spiritual evolution.

The funny thing I notice about this third road is that I’ve been on it since the first of the year when the profile of my ideal client or project moved into alignment with who I was attracting. The people I am serving are playing a significant role in bringing the planet back to its natural state of contribution, collaboration and abundance. It’s my client Jennifer Hoffman whose book, 30 Days to Everyday Miracles, is changing lives all over the world. It’s Pat Pearson, who has been bringing her psychologically based, life-management strategies to direct selling women for more than 30 years. It’s Carolyn Cooper, a gifted energy intuitive whose heart is as expansive as the impact of her work. It’s Peggy O’Neill, a professional speaker  who has the heart of an angle, the courage of Goliath and stands tall at 3’ 8”. These clients are perfect for me.  As I help them grow their business, my life is changed – nudging me further down my personal path of transformation. Cool… Fun… I love it!

So my nudge to you dear reader is to simply TRUST. To step toward what you want by saying NO more often – no to the project, the job, the client or the request.  Because in the place of letting go of what doesn’t serve you, you are simultaneously moving toward your heart’s desire.

Maintaining Mindset, Personal Growth inspiration

It’s May 28, 2010. If I could, I would put one of those five pointed gold stars on this day – the kind we used to get in school when we finally got it right.

You see, today’s blog entry is a leap of faith for me. It’s not a marketing ploy or a part of some grand scheme to overtly move you into one of my training programs or have you click on a link and take me up on a coaching offer. Nope, I’ve let go of all that and am stepping into TRUST.

Today I am celebrating that I am one year into a personal journey that has changed me at my very core. I’m celebrating that I now see and experience my life and work as one big beautiful journey.  I’m honoring my lean and healthy body at the age of 50. I’m appreciating the depth of connection I have with the people in my life, and I’m acknowledging that while I’ve come so far in these past 12 months, I’ve only just begun.

Today I’m also publically committing to follow through on a promise I made to myself in August of 2009, to take only those projects and clients that serve my personal evolution and help usher me into the work I am supposed to do and the person I am meant to be.

Today I’m stepping into my belief that we all get to have a business that is wildly successful and beautifully fulfilling – all at the same time. I’m calling myself to a higher level – not just for my own evolution but because I sense I’m supposed to figure some things out for all of us who want it all.

Today I am inviting you to join the journey which is actually pretty scary for me because when we extend an invitation, there is always a chance we will be rejected. But that’s OK. This journey is first for me and secondly for those of you who feel discontentment in your experience as an entrepreneur and want some new ways to find joy, peace and success on the way to building your business.

What’s ahead? I have no idea.

But what I can promise you is this…

1. I will write often. No promises of how often but you can count on me to show up and share numerous times a week no matter what’s happening in my life and business.
2. I will write honestly. I’m taking off the mask and putting aside my very real need to look like I’ve got it all together. Been there done that. And while my game face serves me at times, it’s not honoring the fact that who I am today is all I need to be to make a difference in this world.
3. I will look for new solutions. This is where it gets fun for me. You see, I’ve got two big beautiful needs… to create and to contribute. In writing this blog I get to do both. My hope is that the insights and solutions I find for myself will in turn, serve you.
4. I will be authentic. I promise to be me. That means some days I will show up powerfully and full of confidence and other days I will show up wobbly and unsure. I’ll do this because I want you to find comfort in knowing I fight the same demons of doubt and fear on the way to my dreams.
5. I will make it fun. This is a growing edge for me and so I’m calling myself to bring levity and fun to the process. It’s a nudge from my dear friend John Dulworth who has opened my eyes to how much more meaningful the journey is when we don’t take ourselves so seriously.

So how about it?

Will you check in now and then to watch the journey unfold? Will you comment when you are moved or share an insight you’ve gained? I hope so because I’m sensing what will unfold over these next 6 months will be something pretty cool and I’d be honored to have you on the journey with me.

Maintaining Mindset, Personal Growth inspiration, progress, prosperity

Usually when I pose this question I am using it to help a client more clearly define their ideal customer.  But that’s not the intent of my question today.  My question “Who does your business serve” is a check in for you regarding who you want your business to ultimately benefit.  Is it your customer, your employees, your creditors, or perhaps YOU?

Certainly… your business needs to serve your customers. I’m a huge proponent of making sure every coaching client has a crystal clear picture of their ideal customer and a game plan on how they will serve them. Without knowing who we serve and how we’ll do that we can’t possibly have a profitable, thriving business.

My invitation to you is to go deeper with the question, “Who does your business serve?” What is your life as an entrepreneur really like? Is it a never ending marathon moving from one item on your to do list to the next? How do you feel on the inside? Is there tightness in your chest or an uneasy feeling in your belly? How about your schedule? Is there time woven into each day for you – time to eat well, to exercise your body, to connect with your inner world and be with your loved ones or are you moving so fast that you miss the moments that make up an extraordinary life?

I ask this because I have had a business that served everyone BUT me. That business had all the signs of success – healthy revenues, national notoriety, successful teams and paychecks that afforded me a beautiful lifestyle. But behind the scenes I was in pain – working too much and sleeping too little. I spent too much time in front of my computer and not enough in nature or at the gym. I put client calls before talks with my loved ones and began my mornings answering emails rather than connecting with my higher power. The business clearly did not serve ME.

Thankfully, this time around I’ve gotten smarter. I now have a business that serves me as well as my customers, team and the bottom line. I start my days with a morning practice that keeps me clear and centered throughout the day. I get my butt to the gym or run to the beach at least five times a week. I schedule in time for myself, my loved ones and time for play. In essence – I have a business that leaves space for all of me.

What’s exciting is that the more my business serves ME, the more I show up in both my business and my personal life. I am productive, creative, focused and incredibly happy.

How about you? Do you need to make some adjustments in your business model so there is more room for you?  If yes, begin with a good hard look at the past two weeks of your life. If you found yourself crowded out by your never-ending list of emails, phone calls and obligations – it’s time for change and I would be honored to help.

Jane Deuber is an internationally known business strategist, best-selling author and highly sought speaker.  Jane has also served as a leader in the virtual training movement. Over the past four years Jane has helped over 3000 entrepreneurs experience higher profits and greater fulfillment. Let Jane show you how to create a business that serves YOU as well as the bottom line. Take Jane’s Business Innovation Quiz and find out if you are on the path to having a business that serves you. Email us at: support@janedeuber.com or call 831-375-6856.

Business Growth, Maintaining Mindset inspiration, prosperity

I want to talk to you about a dance I do every morning. I’m not talking about the kind of dance you might be thinking of – the one that clearly embarrasses my twelve year old son even when nobody is around. No, I’m talking about a different dance – the dance I do each morning with the myriad of thoughts and emotions that run rampant in my head. Each morning, as I make my way from my bedroom to my small corner of the world where I feel comfortable and safe, I am often amazed by what’s bubbling up inside me.

Sometimes my thoughts linger to what didn’t get done the day before… good morning Guilt. Sometimes I think about a pending project or an upcoming campaign… hello Worry. And more mornings than not, my thoughts drift to the never ending list of things I want to get done that day… greetings Overwhelm! They all want to dance with me – arms outstretched, beckoning me to take them on as a partner for the day. But thankfully, I’ve learned a thing or two about dancing in the morning… I get to choose my partners.

Each day we have a choice. We can dance with the thoughts and emotions that feel crappy and painful, or we can turn toward what fills us up with joy, peace and a sense that anything is possible. Which will you choose? Tomorrow when your feet hit the floor and you are asked to dance with feelings of guilt, fear or overwhelm, will you chose something better?

For me, it’s my morning practice that allows me to choose wisely. Some days it’s a quick fifteen minutes, other days I give myself the gift of an hour. But no matter how long I take for this sacred dive, I am always changed. I breathe deeper, think more clearly, and can handle more of what life throw’s me. At the simple lighting of a candle and the centering of my soul, I turn mayhem to magic.

You see, the entrepreneurial mind is something that I find fascinating. So much so, I dedicated my opening Module of my newest course, The Inner Game of Direct Selling, to the topic. And after seeing the impact of the insights I revealed, I’ve decided to take these discoveries to a broader audience through the Mindset Makeover training. It’s a 55-minute exploration of the insights and personal strategies I’ve used to create extraordinary success both in my business and personal life.

If I’ve sparked an interest, I hope you will check out the Mindset Makeover training. Together we’ll help you take the steps to once and for all – manage the thoughts and emotions that literally determine the quality of your life.

Available soon!

Maintaining Mindset inspiration, progress

I’m on my soap box today and the object of my obsession is ACTION.  It’s a particularly poignant topic because I’ve seen both sides of it in this beautiful 8-hour day. Stay with me, there’s a message here that I’m hoping will reach those who are seeking the trick to “moving at the speed of Jane”.

So here goes… I rose at 5:30 and enjoyed a pared down version of my morning practice – just enough to fuel me for what lay ahead. While I religiously head to the gym each morning, I opted out knowing that the guilt of not working out today would be totally eclipsed by a day of glorious accomplishment. I also know I will return to the ritual tomorrow as it’s become a positive habit. Here’s what the day held for me…

1. Wrote two keynote speeches with accompanying Power Points
2. Designed the outline for a leadership call being conducted by a client this evening
3. Conducted a great call with my buddy John Dulworth for the Revenue Revolution Course
4. Held four, one hour, one-on-one coaching calls with my amazing private clients
5. Got my son up, fed and out the door to an all day birthday party
6. Finished up at 5:00 for an evening with my family
7. Oh yeah… fired off this blog

What I DID do…

• Moved through my day with focus, clarity and a sense of humor – noticing that my propensity to procrastinate is what created my jam-packed day.
• Reached out to my team when I needed help or encouragement.
• Made a request to move a call when I sensed it would be OK to ask for that space.
• Committed to an extra 10 min on the treadmill tomorrow to balance my day of no exercise.
• Trusted that my time on the leadership call would strengthen my connection to the client by stepping up in the final hour.
• Asked to take a walk with my husband and dog Boomer after dinner as if to say “thanks for giving me space.”
• Opted for “rotisserie chicken” rather than a homemade gourmet dinner. No guilt here!

What I did NOT do…

• Lament or beat myself up about waiting until the last minute to design my speeches.
• Feel guilty about not going to the gym or shortening my morning practice.
• Feel imposed upon for the work I did on the leadership call, despite the fact that compensation for my time on it has not yet been decided.
• Give any less of me to each client who has invested in coaching. Rather, I stayed focused on them and their needs alone.
• Take a shower, which is rare for me. Rather than feeling frumpy, I referred to this as my natural look. J
• I did not sing the “victim’s song” wondering where my day went and why I had so much to do.
• I did not make myself wrong, crazy, less than or feel guilty because one day of my week was a little out of balance.

So there you have it – a look inside a day with enough “to dos” to send even the most action-oriented woman into overwhelm and yet I stayed focused, positive and joyful.

Here’s what I want you to think about…
What is your inaction costing you? Could it be that the feelings of guilt or frustration from NOT being in action far outweigh any discomfort you will feel as you do move into action?  If I have to choose between the feelings of discomfort and guilt – I will take discomfort because I know that, with time, my discomfort is actually expanding my comfort zone and building my action muscle. On the other hand, with time, guilt simply becomes… well, more guilt.

In the place of discomfort I can make a difference – perhaps even change my world and the world of others. Which will you chose?

Maintaining Mindset inspiration

Here’s the truth… there is probably a line item missing from the expense column of your P&L that is arguably the most important investment you should be making during these times.

Yes, everyone is watching the bottom line closely these days. Today’s economic climate dictates that we carefully monitor what’s flowing in and what’s flowing out. But as you and I are called upon to up our game in all aspects of growing our businesses there is one investment we can’t afford to cut – the investment in ourselves via coaching.

“But coaching is a luxury” you may be saying. “What I need is strategy!”

Is that really true? How many strategies do you already know of and have not implemented? How many books and audio programs have you invested in and still not woven the suggestions they contain into your day to day business model?

The truth is, to take your business to the next level you need to focus on your ability to IMPLEMENT the strategies you already have on your plate! The money is in implementing the strategies you already know of to the best of your ability – PUT THEM ON STERIODS if you will. Because success in business is in ACTING on what you know, not just knowing.

Here’s my story… While I’m a business strategist who helps business owners select, implement and profit from utilizing the right strategies, what I was missing was a life coach that could guide and support me in my personal world. Since coaching with my coach, John Dulworth, my life and my business has been completely transformed. From losing 12 pounds and getting my body in better shape than when I was in college, to exploding my revenues by redefining my business model to be in alignment with my purpose, these shifts came from having a skilled life coach on my team.

You need two types of coaching: personal and business.

Business Coaching with a seasoned strategist is essential because they shorten the learning curve and enable you to make better decisions. Imagine having a wise sounding board with whom you can brainstorm strategies for reaching new markets, harnessing technology, building your team and optimizing your marketing dollars. These are all areas in which a business coach can make a positive and profitable difference.

Personal Coaching with a certified life coach is essential because, in the end, the success of your business is dependent upon YOU. Are you in the right place emotionally and mentally to take on all that comes from growing a business? Are you able to handle set backs or navigate a challenge with ease and confidence? Are you able to see things clearly so you can correct your course when you get off track? And more importantly, can you maintain your momentum and enthusiasm to do what needs to be done? This is what a life coach offers.

So stop being penny-wise and pound foolish and put this single most important line item onto your P&L. The result will be a happier YOU and a stronger BOTTOM LINE!

To get the support you need from a business strategist and a life coach all wrapped into one incredible 8 week business building program, click here: http://www.revenuerevolutioncourse.com. Join the Revenue Revolution!

Business Growth, Business Vision, Maintaining Mindset, Masterminding profit, progress, prosperity, strategies

I remember my “dog days” like they were yesterday… working long hours, achieving the goals, and bringing in revenue BUT leaving no time at all for ME.  This has been a recurring theme for business owners since the beginning of time. We love our businesses, our clients, the challenge, the excitement . . . but, at the end of the day, we are losing a piece of ourselves on the way to our dreams. This has got to stop!!!!

As I continue my personal evolution, as I described in an earlier blog post, I am delighted to discover that as I reconnect with ME, take care of my body, enhance my relationships and spend time doing the things I love, my worst nightmare is NOT coming true.  You see, somewhere in the back of my mind I carried a disempowering belief that if I took time for me the rest of my life – specifically my business – would suffer. But instead I’m attracting more clients, opportunities and revenue than ever before.

Think about that! As I create new daily habits, including waking to a practice that puts me “in the moment” and daily workouts that have allowed me to release unwanted pounds effortlessly – I am taking a stance for ME – feeling happier and healthier than ever before.

I love this because my experience personal fulfillment and business success these past months counters the prevailing belief in the world today that it isn’t possible to have both a profitable business and a fulfilling personal life. I’m LIVING PROOF that you can!

Not only CAN you have both – simultaneously – it is becoming my life’s mission to show other business owners how to make it happen! Toward that end, I held a tele-class Tuesday night, called the “Revenue Revolution”. The response has been truly overwhelming and gratifying. Clearly I have tapped into one of the biggest pain points of today’s entrepreneurs.

Along with two of my team members, who are expert coaches, I am launching the Revenue Revolution Program on July 14, 2009, to show other business builders how they too can have it all. I’m so excited to share this with the world! If you’d like to get instant access to the replay of the call, click here. My intent is that it offers insights and inspiration you can take into your day.

Business Growth, Business Vision, Maintaining Mindset inspiration, profit, strategies

Thankfully…. organization and time management are two skills I have truly mastered over my 22 years in business. In fact, I feel it’s these skills, combined with my ability to manage my mindset, that enable me to get so much done in so little time.
One aspect of organization and time management that has served me well in this age of technology is my personal strategy for eliminating what I call “Inbox Overwhelm.”
In short, too many business owners’ lives are being run by their inbox and I am on a mission to change that!
So here you go…. My personal system for managing email overwhelm so I maintain an inbox that is either empty or under 6 emails on a regular basis.

• Be the victor not the victim. Establish an email management system that allows you to control how much time and energy your emails take.
• Have more than one email account for campaigns and subscriptions
• Unsubscribe to what’s not necessary
• Create a swipe file where you keep samples of competitor’s email campaigns
• Schedule time for Research and Review (Don’t click and get lost on line. YOU decide when you review your inbox!)
• File strategies – Set up sub folders in Outlook where you store past emails
• When you receive an email that requires a response be brief yet thorough
• Emails that require action – place the “to do” on a master list (or your calendar) and file the email in the appropriate folder.
• Delete what’s taken care of that you don’t need a history of
• Consider a catch-all archive folder where border line stuff is placed for a month or two. Empty the archive box every 3 months.
• If a request comes in and the timing isn’t right, tell them you are not able to handle their request at this time and ask if they would be so kind to re-email you a month from now. (Only the people who have something important follow up.)
• Be decisive! Either Do it, Delegate it, Delay it or Dump it
• Most importantly… YOU decide which emails you respond to and when you respond. Don’t let your workday be designed by other people’s requests.

Business Growth, Maintaining Mindset productivity, progress, strategies