21 Things The Unlimited Woman Does NOT Fear

We all know that women have amazing super powers that allow her to rear children, run businesses, give to her community, excel in her career and do it ALL while looking good! Women seem to naturally have skill sets that allow them to effortlessly be and do much for so many. Even though it seems she can do it all and is the superwoman in her world, there are areas in life where she sometimes feels inadequate or has fear that deter her from using her unlimited 'super powers'.

Fear impacts our drive and will to succeed. When our focus is directed towards "I Can" & "I Will", power is taken away from the fears we have.

The unlimited woman will face many emotions, including doubt and fear but she overcomes when she embraces all the reasons why she is FEARLESS & UNLIMITED!

Check out 21 reasons why the unlimited woman is a winner:

1) Investing in herself and her development.
2) Embracing her unique & authentic self.
3) She does not fear 'getting out of her comfort zone'.
4) Being completely comfortable in her skin.
5) She does not fear failure, she knows it is an opportunity for growth.
6) Being transparent and asking for help.
7) Redefining herself when necessary.
8) Trying something new.
9) Being unconventional and willing to think outside of the "box". She does not accept boxes that she or others try to put her in.
10) Receiving valuable feedback from trusted sources.
11) Change, she knows life happens but she has the power to shift the direction of her life.
12) Being vulnerable, yet wise.
13) Success. She doesn't fear success because it is a reflection of her tribe and her success benefits her community.
14) Managing relationships appropriately. (ie. Building, redefining, ending some, etc.)
15) Collaborating with and supporting other women.
16) She doesn't fear honoring the gifts in others.
17) The future. She doesn't fear the future, because she creates a plan.
18) Love, being loved, giving love.The unlimited woman does not fear love, but welcomes it.
19) She does not fear asking for help and does not fear creating what she needs.
20) Getting 'it' wrong from time to time. She knows that sometimes getting 'it' wrong grants the space to learn a in new or different way.
21) She doesn't fear diversity but she sees the value and beauty in it.

How do you face & overcome your fears and doubts as you lead an unlimited life? Use the hashtag #unlimited15

Join other unlimited women who are fearless, getting out of their comfort zones, and building lives they love at the 12th Annual Unlimited You Conference! Register TODAY.

About the Author: Cassandra N. Vincent is the creator of The Cassie Brown Project and loves to inspire women to live their most liberated lives. Connect with Cassie at Unlimited You Weekend April 10- 12, 2015 www.unlimitedactions.com for more.

10 Ways to Get Paid to Do What You Love

Over the last few years, I’ve met hundreds of women all over the country who want to finally stop talking and start doing what it takes to build a business doing what they love. And what I’ve noticed is that many women in our community aren’t even aware of all the opportunities that are out there for them to create multiple streams of income based on their passion, skills, expertise and experience. So I wanted to give you a dose of inspiration and motivation that will help you build your business with less stress and more confidence.

As my gift to you, I’ve put together a summary of the 10 different streams of income you can create based on your passion, skills, expertise and experience. Now, these are not just theories or random ideas. These are all areas that I’ve actually made money in through both of my businesses over the last six years. I hope you find them helpful as you brainstorm strategies to earn more money in your business this year!

1. Freelancing

You can earn income through offering contracted services in a specific area such as photography, web/graphic design, personal styling, copywriting, editing, social media management or personal training. You can offer your services by the hour or in a package, depending on what you offer. As a freelance writer, I was paid a monthly fee for producing several articles per week for a career website.

2. Consulting

You can get paid generous fees for advising businesses, nonprofits, churches and government agencies in your area of expertise. Consultants typically provide key deliverables as part of a time-bound contract, which typically runs for a few months to a year. As a nonprofit consultant, I maintained two long-term contracts with organizations that borrowed my brain and my time for 10 hours per week.

3. Speaking

You can build a lucrative stream of income as a keynote speaker or workshop leader for conferences all around the world. It’s a great way to make a difference with your message AND get paid to travel at the same time! I’ve been a professional speaker since 2008, with more than 100 clients from New York to Nebraska who have paid me to teach, inspire and motivate their audiences. I suggest you start by speaking for free at local events and attracting paid gigs from there. 

4. Training

You can earn a good living as a trainer for the staff or members of businesses, associations, nonprofits, churches or government agencies. Training is usually done with a smaller group than you would speak for at a conference, which allows you go more in-depth with a 90-minute, half-day or full-day session on a specific learning goal. As a trainer, I’ve worked with staff to get them up to speed on social media, show them how to manage millennial employees and build their leadership skills in the workplace.

5. Coaching

You can help people all over the world through coaching in person, on the phone or via Skype. The five most popular areas are life, career, business, health and relationship coaching. Most coaches either charge by the hour or create packages of sessions to help clients reach their goals over a period of one month up to a year. As a life, career and business coach, I’ve helped clients change jobs, improve their lifestyle, switch careers and build businesses doing what they love.

6. Online classes, courses & programs

You can earn income by teaching what you know via teleseminars, webinars, homestudy programs and audio/video trainings. I’ve been teaching online classes since 2010 when I was still an adjunct professor in DC. What I found was that I could make a lot more money with my own courses than I ever would teaching part-time at a university! Once you establish yourself as an expert online, you can begin to offer opportunities for your tribe to learn from you. Setting up a blog and writing useful articles on a weekly basis would be a great way to start building your audience!

7. Physical products

You can add physical products to your business to earn additional income. Items like t-shirts, jewelry, mugs, purses, CDs and DVDs are becoming easier and easier to sell due to advanced online technology. You can post your items on Etsy or Ebay, then ship them out when you receive orders. I’ve sold branded Happy Black Woman t-shirts and mugs through Zazzle over the past year – people love giving them as gifts!

8. Books and ebooks

You can create another income stream by adding books to your business, in either paperback, PDF or Kindle format. I have self-published both a paperback and an ebook on PDF and Kindle. The process is relatively simple and the revenue potential is huge if you can build a following and a brand related to your book(s). The paperback book that I co-wrote back in 2010 is still producing passive income with sales on Amazon.com!

9. Blogging

You can earn money with your blog by participating in affiliate marketing or placing advertising on your site. I’ve been blogging since 2007 and I’ve seen several hundreds of dollars of advertising income come in on my best traffic months! The downside to this income opportunity is that you do have to post often and be getting a decent amount of traffic to your blog to really see some profit. So it’s not the best option for those just starting out, but the potential is huge for adding another income stream through your blog.

10. Live events

You can bring in additional income through hosting your own workshops, conferences and retreats. They can be local or national in scope from a three-hour workshop to a week-long retreat! I held my first paid event back in 2011 as a weekend career training intensive that brought 11 attendees from all over the country. If you have valuable knowledge, resources and tools to share, people will be  excited to come learn from you in person.

Last year, I brought in 30% more revenue than I did the year before, all because I had multiple streams of income coming into my business. I highly recommend that you implement at least one of these additional income streams so that you can grow your business and enjoy the freedom that comes along with being a successful entrepreneur!

About the Author:

Rosetta Thurman is a nationally-recognized author, speaker, mentor and coach dedicated to empowering women through personal development, leadership and entrepreneurship. She is the founder of Happy Black Woman, a supportive community that helps women create lives of happiness, success and freedom.

Rosetta teaches women, step-by-step, how to find their purpose, take action on their goals and build businesses doing what they love, all while becoming happier and more fulfilled. Rosetta’s clients and students value her “tough love” approach to helping them achieve powerful breakthroughs in their lives.

Rosetta is an avid traveler and currently resides in beautiful Honolulu, Hawaii. When she’s not writing or teaching, Rosetta enjoys good food, good music and a good mai tai. Preferably all at the same time!

Connect with Rosetta at the Unlimited You Weekend April 10-12, 2015. www.unlimited15.com

Why Repeat Business Is Not an Accident

**this post was originally featured on ConstantContact.com/blogs**

 

While a customer may find your business by accident, whether or not they return is a conscious decision.

 

These days, when there are so many options to get what we need online or around the corner, what can really inspire customers to come back is you. Or more specifically, it’s the experience customers have when they’re at your place of business.

It doesn’t matter if you’re selling exotic vacations or tax consulting services, if you can create a WOW! experience for the customer, you’ll make an indelible imprint on their memory.

The next time they’re thinking about the products and services you offer, or a friend mentions that they need something you sell, the memory is triggered. This is how first-time customers become repeat customers and your own personal word-of-mouth marketers.

Creating a WOW! Customer Experience

How do you create that wow experience?

It’s easier than you think. It doesn’t need to be a grand gesture and it doesn’t need to cut into your profits. You can create a memorable experience for customers in lots of different ways. Here are some of my favorite examples.

Allegria Spa in Beaver Creek, Colorado is dedicated to providing customers with a personal touch every time they receive a spa service or an email. By focusing on delivering a personalized experience both in person and online, Allegria has a keen understanding of the needs and interests of its customers on an individual basis. This knowledge continues to grow through face-to-face customer interactions and by analyzing email marketing results.

Allegria applies this knowledge to improve the customer’s onsite spa experience and create even more targeted messages and offers that clients look forward to receiving. Not only are Allegria’s response rates double the industry average for salons and spas, their personalized touch and high customer satisfaction ratings have landed them in the pages of Forbes, CNN Travel and Travel & Leisure magazines.

Another great example is the law firm Rains Lucia Stern, PC. The firm’s approach to marketing is all about building strong client relationships. They do this with an integrated marketing approach that includes email, events, and surveys.

The firm’s emails provide helpful information to clients in the form of snippets of articles written by attorneys that link back to the firm’s website. As part of a full engagement marketing cycle that’s designed to continuously improve the client experience, the firm regularly checks in to make sure its content is covering the topics that are of most interest to clients.

Through regular communications and a dedicated feedback loop, the firm is able to attract upwards of 200 attendees at its monthly educational events. Also, by providing clients with an opportunity to share their insight and opinions, Rains Lucia Stern, PC is able to strengthen client relationships and foster positive word-of-mouth while ensuring every event and email that clients receive is engaging and valuable.

There are many other tried-and-true practices that sway customers to choose you over the competition.

 

These include gift-wrapping, complementary wine tastings, or free product assembly. Some smart entrepreneurs even thank their customers by presenting them with an offer that has absolutely nothing to do with their business. For example, customers that spend a certain amount at Urban Elements furniture are presented with a gift certificate for a free massage offered by another local small business.

Getting to Know Your Customers

The key to creating wow experiences is getting to know your customers on a personal level.

Now you may be thinking that you couldn’t possibly get to know every single customer individually. For many small businesses, that’s true. What you can do, however, is focus on engaging your most active customers. It’s the old 80/20 rule where 80 percent of your business comes from 20 percent of your customers.

When you engage your most active customers, they’ll buy more and they’ll buy more often. Not to mention that they’re also more likely to refer business to you.

There are several ways to learn more about your customers without coming across as intrusive.

You can start by recognizing the different types of customers your business most often attracts and creating experiences that reflect their particular needs. For example, an urban kitchen supply store may attract a lot of first-time apartment dwellers. The business owner can engage this audience by making recommendations on products, offering cooking classes, or putting together a “kitchen starter-kit” that includes all of the essentials.

 

Other ways to learn about your customers are to analyze your newsletter content to see which articles and offers are most clicked on, shared and forwarded. You can also take a poll on your Facebook Business page or simply engage in good old-fashioned face-to-face conversation.

Engagement + Wow Experiences = Your Secret Weapon

Small business owners that engage their customers have a huge advantage over chains and big box stores. This is because they’re able to get to know customers on a personal level, which results in better service.

Take advantage of this distinct differentiator and bring it to the next level by creating a wow experience and then personalize it whenever possible. The more personalized the wow experience is, the more memorable it becomes, therefore fueling your repeat and referral engine.

Author:

Christopher Litster

I'm the Senior Vice President, Sales & Marketing. Been around Constant Contact for 9 years and have had an amazing time as we have... 

See the full original article:  http://blogs.constantcontact.com/repeat-business/

Connect with Constant Contact experts at the Unlimited You Weekend April 10- 12, 2015. www.unlimitedactions.com We're thrilled to have Constant Contact as a sponsor. 

10 Actions Needed for Financial Freedom

The terms financial freedom and financial independence generally refer to the same concept or ideal. However, individuals consider them to mean different things. For some they mean debt free, having the ability to live without working to earn income, or being financially secure and not stressing about money. Whatever your definition of financial freedom, there are some key actions that you should take to get you on the right path to achieving it. 

1) Calculate your net worth
Your net worth is a snapshot of your financial health at a specific point in time, your wealth status if you will. Understanding where you currently stand financially will help you in defining realistic goals. Use the formula net worth = assets - liabilities. You need a baseline to work from as you move toward financial freedom. Calculating your net worth at the start will provide that for you.

2) Define and write down your goals
You need to know the goal in order to achieve it. In other words you can't hit the target if you don't know where it is. Take some time to reflect on where you are currently with money and where you would like to go. Define your goals so you can accurately determine the steps needed to reach them. Some common goals are saving an emergency fund, saving for retirement, saving for a yearly vacation, adding to an investment portfolio.

3) Design a money strategy
A money strategy is a comprehensive plan to detail what you plan to do with your money. This is the action plan to achieve your goals. For each goal detail the steps needed to achieve it, resources you'll use and how much money is involved in each step.

4) Create a monthly and annual spending plan
You need to create a spending plan to determine where your money is going. You should have a clear view of how much you will spend in what categories and how much you will save. This allows you to see where you can cut costs and free up money aka keeping more money in your pocket. Creating an annual spending plan will allow you to also see big picture and determine how much of your money is truly going to certain items. You may decide to skip that Starbucks latte or forgo certain subscriptions after all. The money you free up and save can then be put towards a few luxuries and income generating assets!

5) Create a specific debt reduction strategy
If you still have debt, you need to pay it off to be able to use the full potential of your income. You can't reach financial freedom if you have debt holding you back. Work on paying your debt down, "good" and "bad" debt must go. Debt is debt and you'll save yourself thousands of dollars by getting rid of it. Make a specific plan of what order you'll target the debt accounts. Aggressively pay down one at a time to make the most impact and not spread the money too thin.

6) Freeze your credit cards
Now that you have a plan to eliminate your debt, dont rack up anymore. Put the credit cards away and make them very difficult to use. Literally putting the cards in the freezer is a great way. Take the cards out of your wallet and leave them at home. Spending within your means is a must for financial freedom.

7) Open a separate savings account
You need one savings account for your emergency fund. As indicated by the name you don't touch this money unless it's a true emergency. Did you know you should also have another savings account? This is a small account to house money for non-emergency expenses that are in your spending plan, but may not be used every month. If you leave the money in your checking account it's likely to be spent.

8) Cut costs not quality
When you create your spending plan, you'll see places where you can cut back. However, cutting back to lower expenses doesn't mean sacrificing quality. Think of ways to get equivalent products or services for less e.g. shift providers, eliminate things you don't use, find coupons and deals etc. You don't want to feel deprived, but you want to plug money leaks and free up as much money as possible that can be used for saving and investing.

9) Create side income as needed
You've streamlined your expenses, but may still need a little more money. Whether you just want more money to invest or enjoy luxuries or you need more money to make ends meet, having side income is beneficial. This is income outside of your main income source. Some examples are part-time jobs, freelance work, etc. (check out 23 Ways to Make Money).

10) Open a 401(k) and traditional IRA
We know saving is only part of the journey to wealth. Putting your money to work for you is also necessary to reach your goals. At bare minimum open these two accounts. If you work for an employer, make sure to speak with HR (human services) about reanalyzing or starting a retirement account. In most cases this will be a 401(k) or 403(b). If you started one a while ago make sure you check how much money is going towards it and how you can increase the amount. You should also open a second retirement account, an IRA. You can only add so much to your 401(k) so when you hit that maximum you want to still be able to save. The IRA will allow you to do so.

About the author: Maria James has a compassion for people that makes her involvement in Heal a Woman to Heal a Nation a sure fit. She is a biomedical scientist who is public health conscience and has always worked for the betterment of others. Maria is the founder of Pocket of Money, LLC which provides tools and tips to help you take control of your money and live your best life. Dr. James is our resident Money Scientist.