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

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

It started off as a typical strategy call with me and the client quickly diving into the nuts and bolts of their business. Our goal was to uncover the missing links that were blocking this client from getting the sales they wanted from their marketing efforts. Like Sherlock Holmes, I got out my magnifying glass to see what I could see.

Eureka! What we found was actually quite typical of businesses who now find themselves struggling in this oh-so-interesting economy. What we discovered is that this business didn’t need an entire overhaul or a five-figure marketing budget. What they needed was a few small but significant shifts in their Four Pillars of Marketing. Read on…

The Four Pillars of Marketing™ is a tool I developed that serves as a starting point for my work with any small business. By looking here to make sure the foundation is strong, we can then start to build a formidable empire. The problem is most business owners never really took the time to lay this foundation. They were too busy “taking action”, never realizing they were building a house of cards.

So what are the Four Pillars of Marketing?

The MARKET: This is your ideal client that you are best equipped to serve. They want, need and are willing to pay for what you offer and are totally pleased when they invest in it.

The MESSAGE: These are the words and sound bites you use to describe the impact of your product or service in a way that speaks to your prospects’ pain and inspires them to take action and BUY.

The MODEL: This answers the question, “How will you bring in the cash?” It must be trend supported, manageable and diversified so that all your eggs are never in one basket.

The METHODS: This describes the three to four marketing avenues you will use to move through the three stages of marketing – visibility, credibility and profitability.

What my client really needed was a “Four Pillars Makeover” so we…

• Redefined her target market so she was reaching out to those most likely to act on her offer.
• Tweaked her marketing message so she connected with the pain her prospects were feeling.
• We diversified her revenue streams so she had more ways to bring in the cash.
• And… we had her focus on only three marketing avenues that fit her budget and expanded her network.

What’s the moral of the story? The Fundamentals NEVER fail! The challenge is that as entrepreneurs we can’t see the forest through the trees. We can’t see our own business objectively because we are knee deep in it every day! We can’t see when we are going for the wrong market or that our message isn’t inspiring action. We can’t see opportunities for revenues or creative ways to expand our market because frankly… we don’t know what we don’t know!

This is why I have always had a business coach of my own. How about you? Could you benefit from an informed third party’s take on your business? Find out where you can sheer up your Four Pillars of Marketing by taking the Business Innovation Quiz here: http://www.janedeuber.com/free-assessment. Then take advantage of this limited time offer for a Kick-Start Strategy Session with me! We’ll have a blast pinpointing what you can do to strengthen your Four Pillars of Marketing.

Business Growth, Business Vision productivity, progress, strategies

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

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

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

Today I’m feeling lucky. Lucky to be in business for myself. Lucky to have awesome, brilliant clients who are committed to positive change. And lucky to be a woman entrepreneur in a time when all evidence points to the fact that NOW is the time for us to apply our unique gifts not just to building our businesses, but to also healing the economy and yes… even the planet.

Check out these stats and celebrate the unstoppable you!

• 10.1 million firms are owned by women (50% or more), employing more than 13 million people, and generating $1.9 trillion in sales as of 2008.
• Women-owned firms (50% or more) account for 40% of all privately held firms.
• Women business owners are as likely as men business owners to be willing to adopt new technology and more likely (24% vs. 18%) than women in general.
• One in five firms with revenue of $1 million or more is woman-owned.
• Women business owners are prepared to face risk: most (66%) are willing to take above average or substantial risks for business investments.
• Between 1997 and 2006, the percent growth in the number of majority women-owned firms was nearly twice that of all U.S firms (42.3% vs. 23.3%).
• Women are entering the global marketplace at a rate equal to that of all US businesses. In 2005, about 13% of women-owned firms are involved in international trade, and the number is constantly growing.

(Statistics from the Center for Business Women’s Research and the National Women’s Business Council)

Business Growth, Maintaining Mindset inspiration, progress, prosperity

In a season of fresh starts and new beginnings, it’s worth noting a few helpful hints that can ease us past our initial fears of starting something new. Here’s three simple things I do to muster the courage to embrace a new beginning.

Begin with the end in mind. These timeless words by Steven Covey are a life mantra for me! Get super clear about what it will look like when you have “arrived” at your goal. How will it feel? How will it look? How will you and your family be impacted? As I work to launch The 90 Minute Marketer’s Club (launching in June) I could easily become paralyzed by all I need to do. But by staying focused on the prize at the end of the journey I remain motivated to do what needs to be done.

Take the leap with friends. Whether they are jumping in with you or simply serving as a cheering session, when we start something new it helps to have a network of support. I’m blessed to have a variety of support: a women’s wealth group of friends I’ve met with regularly for nearly three years, a brilliant mastermind partner with whom I meet weekly and an extensive network of positive, like-minded and supportive friends.

Shake it off! When embarking on anything new, disappointment, frustration and rejection are simply a part of the journey. Let it go. Whether it’s a phone call that didn’t go as planned, an invitation that was not accepted or a goal missed, the sooner we put it behind us, the faster we can make the dream a reality.

Maintaining Mindset inspiration, progress, strategies

The following entry was written after reading an incredible book, Focus On The Good Stuff, by my friend, Mike Robbins.

There I was, waiting on yet another flight that was delayed by more than an hour. “Use this time wisely,” I thought, as I situated myself on the floor near an outlet where I could “charge up” for the next leg of my flight. “Road Warrior” was the label I was wearing that night, feeling rather proud that I managed to turn an entire day of travel into a series of phone calls with business associates and loved ones and answering nearly three quarters of my emails. (Yeah!)  I had every right to be frustrated. Read more…

Business Growth, Business Vision inspiration, progress, prosperity