Superhero Shama Kabani has done it again with an new updated edition of The Zen of Social Media Marketing: An Easier Way to Build Credibility, Generate Buzz, and Increase Revenue. Shama has a way to get to the essentials we need to know about with SM, including various platforms—Linked In, Google+, Facebook and Twitter—and what the easiest and best strategies are. She also includes very relatable case studies and profiles. In this book, you will learn Social Media Marketing does not have to be a struggle. Highly Recommended!
Read MoreAre you missing the obvious?
Is there a low-hanging fruit opportunity right in front of your eyes but you just haven’t seen it yet?
Allow me to share with you a shocking and true story that I hope inspires you to see what you have been missing in your own life and business.
The Ritz Paris Hotel, famous for its bar, pool and Coco Channel’s long term residence, made a magical discovery recently. A beautiful painting by Le Brun, former painter to the King Louis XIV” ( also known as one of the greatest French painters of all time) , has been on display, un-named and unnoticed in one of the hotel’s rooms…. for decades.
How can this be so? For decades, no one had a clue about the significance and value of this famous french artist’s painting.
There it was. No one noticed it.
Something so obvious…And no one paid the least bit of attention…
Sometimes in our careers and personal lives, we might be overlooking what is right in front of us. Opportunities right there for the taking.
Here are some clues to what you may be overlooking:
#1. What do people ask you for? And do more of that!
My friend Meredith was constantly being asked for tips on branding. She quickly realized this is her sweet spot—where her skills, gifts and talents intersect with a strong need in the marketplace.
#2. What comes naturally to you?
Often, we overlook the very thing that is easy and effortless. What you may deem as no big deal or anyone can do it, is not true! It may just be the thing people are willing to pay you for. Make a list of what you do really well. How might you combine some of your offerings together to create a “super-offer”?
#3. What is “right” in front of you?
One of my business start up clients was undecided about which of 2 different niches to to focus on. In our coaching conversation she revealed that the several new opportunities had been offered to her in the past week AND there was a common denominator. The opportunities were all related specifically to one of her niches. Ta-Da! Problem solved. Her niche has been calling her. She took action immediately and is seeing the fruits of this opportunity.
#4. What steady money opportunities do you have?
Is there an income stream lying in a stack of folders by your desk? Sometimes “less sexy” work projects can give us the income boost we want. Another one of my clients had this going on in her world. After uncovering this money opportunity in our coaching conversation, she decided to devote a 3 hours every week to this project. This regular work project paid her a nice sum each month. With the stability of this additional income, she reduced her stress levels, boosted her confidence and got super-focused on increasing profitability streams in other parts of her business. Win-Win.
So which of these “low-hanging” fruit strategies speaks to you? I challenge you to sharpen your perspective. What “masterpiece” is hanging right …
Read MoreWednesday, March 13th, 2013 Category: Creativity No Comments 
With a brand new year suddenly upon us, many of us will be looking ahead, perhaps setting New Year’s Resolutions or jotting down a few goals we’d like to accomplish. The million dollar question is will we really achieve our goals or not? According to the ancient Mayans, we’ve just ended a 26,500 year cycle in time. Talk about new beginnings…2013 really is the year for a fresh start.
One of the reasons that we don’t achieve our goals is that our target goals simply aren’t exciting enough to capture our attention and motivate us take action over the long haul. Our goals just are not potent enough. They lack energy, pizazz and the thrill of an “impossible” challenge.
Instead of relying on the habit of rehashing your lukewarm ,lackluster worn out goals and resolutions from past years and declaring these tired “should” goals as what you will aim for in 2013, why not do it differently this year?
Do any of these goals sound familiar?
I’m going to get fit this year.
I am going to lose weight this year.
I want to make more money this year.
I want to find my soul mate.
Let’s be truthful, none of these goals has any “juice”. I dare you to drop the boring, stand-by goals that you’ve been adding to your list of to-do’s every year and step out and set some goals that are powerful. Why not set some goals that scare you a little bit ( or a lot!) Choose to declare goals that are audacious, exciting and important to you. This is your life. What are you waiting for?
Here’s where to start:
1. Self-reflection- Carve out quiet time for you in the next week so you can let yourself dream again. With pen and paper handy, write down the different areas of your life to help you to identify some of the goals you have. Most of us create goals in these main areas of life: health, money, work,relationships, community, fun and adventure + spirituality. Jot down ideas that come to you. Don’t edit yourself or try talk yourself out of a goal.
2. Brainstorm- Here’s even more fun… be playful and bold with the ideas that you are generating for each of the areas in your life. Tell the truth. The real truth. What do you really want to experience? To do? To be. To have in 2013?
3.Decide- Now it’s time to craft your blueprint for 2013. What are the goals that get your blood flowing, your heart racing and uplift your energy?
If you previous wishy-washy goal was to get fit… this year’s version might be: I will compete in a tango contest and do whatever it takes to make this happen!
Want to give back to your community and make a difference? Maybe this year’s goal is to spearhead a cause that is near and dear to your heart because of a loved one’s personal challenge. Maybe you decide to establish your own foundation?
If you want to make more money in your business- why not decide …
Read MoreSunday, December 30th, 2012 Category: Overcoming Obstacles, Visioning No Comments
We all have competing selves and competing commitments. Psychologists call it“cognitive dissonance”; a state of discomfort that we experience when we say we want one thing but do another.
It’s also called “resistance”.
A slim little book that I highly recommend to clients and friends alike is The War of Art- How to Breakhrough the Blocks and Win your Inner Creative Battles” by Steven Pressfield, well known writer of The Legend of Bagger Vance among many others. The focus of this book is how to break loose of the grip that resistance has on our lives.
Resistance wears many disguises. We unconsciously choose from elaborate systems of distractions, denial, addictions, shopping, watching tv, gossiping, chasing yet another “shiny object” and other behaviors that keep us occupied and not feeling our feelings.
What feelings, you may ask?
We go to great lengths to avoid feeling uncomfortable feelings. Truth is that if you are going to make a big change in your life, it’s going to provoke some of your “stuff”. Your “stuff” ( not a clinical term 
) are those feelings of “not enough”- I’m not smart enough, I”m not good enough, I’m not deserving”, I’m overwhelmed etc etc.
Here’s how it happens. You set your goal: ask for more money, launch a new product, increase your company sales, lose weight or stick to an exercise program. You’re excited and motivated to achieve this particular goal. You make an action plan and start taking action. Then a day,or week or two pass and you stop following through with said action steps. You are too busy, tired, pre-occupied, etc etc. Your inner dialogue is beating you up. You give up and the goal gets put on the back burner.
This pattern of starting and not finishing is downright painful. Most people deal with living in inconsistencies, denial, and constantly battling with inner selves.
Though it doesn’t have to be this way.
The first step is to identify your strongest desires and goals AND identify your competing drives. ( You may need to dig a little to understand why you are self-sabotaging)
For example, if your goal is to lose weight, you’ll want to look at why you are where you are right now. How has extra weight served you? Maybe if you are heavier, you stay home more and don’t socialize, keeping you “safe” Perhaps eating is a way for you to calm down your stress. Maybe you associate delicious meals with friendship and connection. There are actually good reasons why we keep doing what we say we want to change. Payoffs can be forms of protection and comfort.
Another good question to ask yourself: What will it cost me if I don’t make this change?
Most of us have goals that we have resistance to. When we name it, we can address it.
By …
Read MoreWednesday, April 25th, 2012 Tags: achieve your goals, blocks, Breaking through the blocks and winner your inner creative battles, Business Advice, business coach, how to achieve my goals, inner conflicts, life coach, overcoming obstcales, overcoming resistance, overcoming self sabotoge, productivity, Steven Pressfield, The War of Art
Category: Overcoming Obstacles No Comments
