The thing that I am thankful for this week is all the blogs that I have come to count on for giving me lots of distractions from the day to day routines. When I want a break I grab a coffee and start reading. My friend Jaime Lee Mann of Mann Made Time recently named her favourite five blogs and invited others to do the same, so here are the five blogs that I like to read the most:

1. Heather Jacobson’s personal blog
2. Cynthia Morse’s tips and tools for VAs
3. Virtual Assistant Revolution
4. Sally Kuhlman’s blog
5. The Savvy Entrepreneur

So what blogs do you like to visit each day?

It is surprising how many people don’t use the easiest and most effective tool for success … The Daily Task List. When I prepare my daily task list I actually prepare it the night before. This way I don’t think about it all the things I have to do the next day all night long. How many times have you been laying in bed thinking “Oh, I have to remember to do that tomorrow”. By preparing your task list the night before you alleviate the worries that come from mentally trying to think of everything you have to do the next day, while trying to sleep.

Here are some tips to preparing your daily list:

- Describe the task so that you will know what it is that needs to be done, but in as few words as possible (NOTE: add in whatever details will assist you in knowing that task. For example “Write letter” can seem very vague, but “Write letter to client re: new prices” is something that at a glance you don’t have to stop and think about what it is that needed to be done).

- Give the task a level of importance. Is this something that is urgent or is this a task that you would just like to have done.

- Estimate the time you might need to complete the task. This will better help you in planning your day.

- Prioritize your daily list so that you know what things need to be done first, second, etc. depending on time lines, deadlines and other factors

- Ensure that your list is flexible – leave room for additions or deletions as necessary.

Most importantly just start using one. You will be surprised how much more organized you will feel and how much more productive you will be. By planning for your day, you are more likely to use your time wisely in the day and you will accomplish so much more!!

Good luck and I would love to hear how you make out with your daily task lists.

Everyone always says that there are no guarantees in business, that you can never be sure of anything in the world of self-employment, but I beg to differ …

Here are 10 things that I have learned in the last (almost) 2 years that I have been in business:

• Being an entrepreneur is like a roller coaster ride
  Being in business for yourself is full of ups and downs and highs and lows, not very often will you find that your business will sail along on an even keel. You are bound to experience periods where things are better than great and periods where things are worse than horrible. This is the nature of business.
• No two clients are ever alike
  No matter how similar your clients are, every client is an individual with their own set of expectations, personality traits and characteristics. What works for one client may or may not work for the next. Just when you think you have it figured out how to handle a situation, the next time you are in a similar situation you will need to handle it differently to get the same results
• No two businesses, no matter how similar, are ever alike
  I have several friends that are also Virtual Assistants, yet I have yet to find two VAs that provide the same services in the exact same manner for the exact same target market. It is the same with any business (unless of course you are talking about a franchise). Each entrepreneur brings their own ideas, skills and personalities into their business which results in a totally unique business even when they might look the same in every other way
• It takes a thick skin to be an entrepreneur
  Many businesses have come and gone because the owner could not separate from their business. When someone is upset with your business or your services, it is hard not to take it personally. In order to survive in business and thrive, you need to be able to look at that situation and realize what it is that will allow you to learn from the situation and grow. More importantly, you need to learn how to disassociate from these situations and be able to take that “constructive criticism”. Without the ability to do this, your business will never survive.
• It takes a lot of hard work to make it work
  Gone are the days when you can cover your head with a pillow and forget about things. In business when things are tough, they need to be faced head on and dealt with. Some days will be extremely hard and will take all of your effort to get through. Then just as I suggested in the first point, the roller coaster ride starts and the next day reminds you why you are an entrepreneur.
• Those that forget to find a balance between family and business will never thrive in both areas
  There are those that spend all their waking moments immersed in business and then there are those that see their business as a hobby, something to work on when there are no family obligations. Although I am not saying that either of these don’t work, I am saying that without having that balance one or the other area will never grow and prosper. Finding a work/life balance is a key in business and something that many fail to master.
• You need a strong support system to survive
  I think this is pretty self explanatory except to say that it doesn’t matter who or what this support system is; just that you have one in place.
• Business can be very rewarding
  It is a very exhilarating feeling when things go well in your business. The satisfaction that all the efforts and work that you put in are rewarding yourself and are for the benefit of yourself and your business.
• You will find the best support system from other entrepreneurs
  Just attend any networking event and you will see just how true this statement is. It is so surprising how much an entrepreneur is willing to help another entrepreneur. It is like having a big extended family watching out for you and supporting you.
• It is usually the “sure things” that never work out and the “unsure” things that do
  Funny how this happens, but in business it is usually the clients that you think are going to be the easiest to work with and guarantee the sale that turn out to be your hardest sale and the ones that we think are going to be the easiest sale that take the most work. It can’t be explained, but it is just one of those funny things about business.

Finally and most importantly the biggest guarantee about business is that THERE ARE NO GUARANTEES!!

Wow!! That is about all I can say about my life right now. I feel like I am in a whirlwind and don’t know how to make it stop. What an appropriate day to be talking about taking the “manic” out of your business and your Monday when I feel like this is something I so, so, so need to get under control.

My husband and I, both self-employed have taken some time to really review our businesses, our lives and our lifestyle over the past few weeks. As you know being in business is like taking a very bumpy roller coaster ride … sometimes you are up … and sometimes you are down. As both of our businesses are still new, we are both working very hard to grow them and fulfill the dreams we have for our businesses. Some days are easier than others.

As of late I have been feeling like I am unable to focus and get a move on to making this happen – to fulfilling my “big dreams”. My mind has been feeling very “cluttered” and when I took some time to realize why it has been so hard to focus I realized that I was stressed over a number of things in my life.

As I stated in a previous post, my business recently took a downturn and now this downturn has become evident in other areas of our life and in particular our finances. This left me with three options …

Option #1 – Go out and get a part time job until my business gets over this downturn. The downside of this is that I am unable to devote all my time to growing my business, putting my plans into place and coming back bigger and stronger. This would perhaps help with the finances, but would it still allow me to devote the time I need to go forward with my business? It also might mean less time with my children, which is a sacrifice I am not willing to make …. this is the reason we are self-employed is to be there for our children when they need us!!

Option #2 – Ride it out and worry about “fixing” my finances later. This is not really my style since I have always been one that believes you do not “borrow from John to pay Peter”, but sometimes you have to do, what you have to do.

Option #3 – Take an inventory and see where you can cut corners until this ride smooths itself out.

So, all things considered, we decided together, my husband and I, that Option #3 was our best bet. In taking our inventory we decided that we were still living the lifestyle of a “double income” family (and a high double income because after all we had both left good paying jobs that had left us with little to no time for family!!) So we are in the process of “liquidating” some assets and making some changes that will allow us to reduce some of these worries and make it easier for us to ride out the “roller coaster” of self employment.

So … this weekend I began clearing away clutter and getting our home ready to sell. We have decided to use the equity we have built up in our home and move to a smaller home … one that will leave us relatively mortgage free. This will allow us to focus on making our business dreams come true without the financial worries we are having right now. It also means that we no longer have to worry about those ups and downs of business … we can now use the ups to save even more money towards another one of our dreams to retire early and enjoy life!!

BUT how does all this relate to you and to your business? What inventories are necessary for you to take in order to free your mind from the worries and clutter of these worries? Make a plan of action to make your day, your life and your business as “Clutter-Free” as you can. I can’t tell you how much better I feel now that I have a plan and will be able to concentrate on making my business everything it can be!!

Take some time and realize what is cluttering you from being able to move forward? What is keeping you from being everything you can be? Then take an inventory and clear that clutter!!

I found this quote on my friend Cristina Favreau’s blog, The Savvy Entrepreneur and I have not stopped thinking about it. It is going to be my mantra this year … let me know your thoughts.

“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing”. — Walt Disney

Today the thing I am thankful for is supportive friends.

Thank you to all my personal friends – Michelle, Kim, Jeff and Kathy, Darrell and Kristy, Valerie and Drew, Caroline and Rob … I could go on and on.

Thank you to all my on-line friends – Sally, Heather, Becki, Dale, Patty, Yamisi, Jaime, Connie, Angela, Julie, Crystal, Terry, Jen, Tawnya, Barb, Michelle, Lauren, Frances … where do I stop?

Without supportive friends, who would I bounce ideas off of, share good times with, laugh, cry, etc.?

This is for you:

Friends

A friend is someone we turn to
when our spirits need a lift.
A friend is someone we treasure
for our friendship is a gift.
A friend is someone who fills our lives
with beauty, joy, and grace.
And makes the whole world we live in
a better and happier place.

- Jean Kyler McManus -

Could you pick your ideal client out in a crowded room? Many times the answer to this question is no. The first step to finding your ideal client in that crowded room is to narrow down the search, but where do we start? Let’s start with the obvious choice: appearance.

Create an image of your ideal client in your mind. It’s your client so go ahead and create them in any way possible as this is for your own benefit. All the stereotypes go out the window. No one has to know that you have personal prejudices that are weighing on your decision. This is your ideal client and you can mold them however you want. Now that you have that image, it is time to describe them in detail.

What do they look like?
Are they male or female? Young or old? Thin or fat? Short or tall? What race are they?

How do they dress?
Are they a business person, blue collar, or white collar? What is their socio-economic status and is that noticeable in the way they dress?

What characteristics or personality traits do they have?
How do they act in public? Are they outgoing, laid back, or reserved?

That’s just a start; keep on going until you have the exact picture of your ideal client. Describe them by gender, age, stature, and race to first get a picture of what they really look like.

Now take that one step further … look for ways to determine education, residence and career. There are physical traits that can assist you in making this determination … you just have to look for them.

If you are looking for a well educated, upper class, business person, are you not likely to look for a different person than if you were looking for a high school educated, middle class, working person? Of course, the stereotypes are not always going to be accurate, but you will be able to find your ideal client if you look far enough.

This is not the only determination to use, but it is a start. You now have a way to pick those people you want to talk with first in that crowded room. The key to remember is that like associates with like. For example, when your ideal client is a upper class, well educated, business person and you walk past that person in the blue jeans to the person in the designer suit, if the person in blue jeans is actually upper class, well educated business person, that person in the designer suit is likely to know that they are just hiding in jeans!

So now that you have your first step in narrowing down your choices in that crowded room, I want you to spend the next two weeks honing in on that skill. Take the time to start approaching those people and see how well you read people. My bet is that you won’t always be able to pick your ideal client by image alone. In two weeks, I will give you the second key to narrowing the search even further.

Take a moment to close your eyes and focus on your vision, your dream … imagine yourself one year, two years or even five years down the road. What does the picture look like? Really take some time to develop the picture. How does it feel? How does it taste? How does it look? How does it sound? How does it smell? Use every one of your senses to make your dream as real as you can. Now open your eyes and start writing. Using these senses, write out your dream in detail so that anyone can be brought into your vision and feel, see, taste, hear and smell it with clarity.

Without dreams and visions, why bother? Without something to work towards or strive for, who cares? Giving yourself something to work towards is the key to creating any success in our lives. If you fail to dream, you fail to have goals. Without goals you fail to have purpose. Without purpose ….

So start dreaming and you will be amazed at where you will go … and even better, believe that your dreams are possible.

DARE TO DREAM !!!!!!!!!!!!!

A Solopreneur is any business that is being maintained and operated by one person. This person is not only the owner but the operator and administrative person as well. As a solopreneur, it is easy to find yourself overwhelmed, overworked and stressed. It is for these very reasons that a Virtual Assistant (VA) is a great partner in business. Here are some great reasons to truly consider this partnership:

1. Don’t Have to Provide Space
Most solopreneurs are running their business from the comfort of their home. Many might even have their office set up in a corner of their living space and not in a designated room. When bringing in administrative support, this would mean having someone “invading” your space each day. Something not all solopreneurs and/or their families are willing to do.

2. VAs Take Care of Their Expenses
Unlike employees, VAs are subcontractors to your business and responsible for all their own expenses. They take care of wage-related expenses, office equipment, office space, vacations, holidays, training, etc. No longer are you obligated to or governed by labour-related laws and requirements.

3. Expertise
Luckily you can hire a VA with the specific skill(s) you require. In fact, can hire more than one, each with their own skillset to perform different tasks for your business. Many VAs are now moving towards operating multi-VA businesses which allow you the opportunity to have many skillsets available to you through one VA business.

4. Flexibility
VAs offer the flexibility to use them when you want and when it is convenient for your company. For many VAs, there is no obligation as to the number of hours you use them in any given period. You are also not governed to specific hours each day, nor to a minimum number of hours in each shift that your employee would work.

5. Time Savings
You can focus on what it is that you do best, while your VA takes care of the rest. You can focus on the stuff that makes you money rather than the stuff that doesn’t. Not only that, but by freeing up the time you normally spend on these tasks, you now have additional time to get back to your family, your hobbies and your interests instead of being consumed by your business day in and day out.

6. Money Savings
Over and above the ways we have already talked about that will be sure to save you money, you will only be paying for your VA when they are on task. You will not be obligated to pay them when they are going to the washroom, on a break, surfing the internet or speaking with their mother on the phone (because most employees have admitted to doing this during working hours).

7. Zero Obligation
With a Virtual Assistant, when the work is not there, there is no obligation to come up with a “make work” project to secure your relationship with the VA. The VA is available for you when you need them and during times when you cannot or do not want to perform the administrative tasks.

8. VAs are Business Owners
Unlike an employee, VAs are business owners and understand what it takes to run a business. This understanding means that your VA is more likely to provide you with ideas and suggestions to take your business to the next level.

9. No Geographical Boundaries
Not limited to the talent pool in your geographical area. Employees would be required to commute to their work place so you are limited to those that can commute within a reasonable distance. Similarly, if you are on vacation, you can work with your VA as if you were still at home. This frees you up to spend more time away from the office … one of the biggest perks of owning your own business.

10. Stress Reduction
When we spend all day and all night consumed by our business, soon we learn that our business is running us and not the other way around. By utilizing a VA, it will give you the opportunity to work less and your stress will in turn be reduced.

As a solopreneur, perhaps the biggest hurdle is to give up the “reins” as we are consumed with the feelings that we can do it all; that the business is our “baby” and no one will ever do it as well as we can. However, remember that sometimes the best thing you can do for your business is to take a step back and realize that you can’t do it all, nor do you want to. Start today by outsourcing those tasks you dislike doing most and, in most cases, these tasks can easily be handled by the right Virtual Assistant.

When we start our own businesses, many of us come from the “Corporate world” as I like to refer to it. When we worked in the Corporate world, we had set days and hours that we were expected to work. This meant that the freedoms to do what we wanted was limited to the times when we were not obligated to be at work. Well, guess what ………..

As business owners, we no longer have to work within that time frame. We are no longer obligated to working Monday to Friday, 9-5, for example. We have the freedom to allow life to be lived, however and whenever we want. Work no longer comes first…our family does. This is one of the greatest advantages to running your own business. The ability to do what you want, when you want. No longer must we schedule our family time around our work schedules.

When you prepare your daily schedule, take the time to look at your family’s needs and schedule that time in first. Then work backwards and determine the best times to focus on the work that needs to be done for your business. For example, if your children are young and at home, schedule in the times they will need you first. Work around their schedule (i.e., focus on work while they nap, while they sleep, while they are at a play date or during their favorite TV show).

When your school age child is going on a field trip … if this can work in your schedule, plan for it. Go with them and have fun. Schedule work around it. Perhaps it might mean picking up some extra hours in the evening after your children are in bed to catch up, but this is the biggest freedom you have as an entrepreneur.

Enjoy your family …. I remember a friend of mine once said that she always seems to reflect when people are dying they often say “I want to spend more time with my family”, but never, ever do they say “Gee, I think I will put in some more time at work”. At the end of life, who says “I wish I worked more?” Take the time now, while you can, to enjoy your life. Your family, your children and loved ones will thank you for it.