Canadian Small Business Women

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3 Ways Clarity Improves Your Cash Flow

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Are you generating the cash flow you want in your business? If you are not generating the revenue you want, consider these words from Steve Maraboli, “A lack of clarity could put the brakes on any journey to success.” Is your clarity helping or hindering your business? Imagine sitting in a room with the best coaches and consultants to focus on your business’ social media, team, operations and customer experience. When they ask you what they need to do more or less of to generate cash flow, are you clear on what you would want to do next? Clarity contributes more to cash flow than any strategy, process or operation ever can. Why? Without clarity we become unclear on what we want to achieve, who to target and what strategies, processes or operations to use to help us achieve our goal. Did a lightbulb just go off for you? I hope so. Here are three ways that clarity can increase your cash flow.

⦁ Clarity Lies in Being Specific

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Have you been wondering why customer acquisition is so hard? Why your social media and your copious amounts of business books, magazines and articles and networking sessions have not yielded much success? Truth is you are probably unclear of three things:
⦁ Who you are as a person and business – what makes you different, unique and attractive?
⦁ Who you serve – who are your ideal clients and why?
⦁ What results your clients experience – what results or solutions do your clients walk away with or experience?
When we become specific on who you are as a company, who you serve and the results your clients experience, you will be better equipped to communicate, connect and close. When we close, we make money. In a market place where products and service can be ‘vanilla’ or lack differentiation, let your company, product, service and solutions stand out by being clear about how you are unique, who needs your services or products and the results you consistently deliver to your clients.

⦁ Clarity Enhances Focus

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As a business owner your schedule can become your master. Everything is important. Everything requires your immediate or scheduled attention. But if you step back, take a look at all your activities – in a day, in a week, in a month, how many of them can you easily draw a line to our bottom line? How many of your daily, weekly and monthly activities are revenue-generating activities? 50%? 25%? 10%? Perhaps none? When you are focused on your business’ values and purpose, it helps you categorize, schedule and complete tasks that advance your business’ purpose. If your business is not generating revenue and you are not concerned about generating money, perhaps you should rethink if you are really running a business or an expensive hobby. Being honest about what your business needs to grow is half the battle. Staying focused and committed to doing the required revenue-generating activities to creating and sustaining cash flow.

⦁ Investment and ROI

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What does clarity have to do with investment and ROI? Let’s take a look. We have covered being clear and specific in who you are, who you serve and the results your clients get. Then we talked about your clarity of focus to ensure that you are doing revenue generating activities that keeps your businesses fed. Investment and Return on Investment (ROI) is your clarity on the value of your solutions to your client’s problems so their investment (price) to acquire your products and services generates a ROI.

How many times have you heard people question the price of a product or service? How many times have you wondered are you charging enough? Or perhaps if you are charging too much? When you have clarity on your client’s challenges and the results your solutions realize, they are clearer on how an investment in your business realizes an ROI. When they are clear on that, you are able to move from a conversation on price, to a conversation on value. Your clarity on the benefits to your client results in more cash flow for you.

We are told, taught and convinced that cash is king. Without being specific, focused and a clear on the investment and ROI for your clients, it can be very difficult to generate cash and maintain cash flow. Clarity on all three can help you identify, create and maintain cash flow. How can greater clarity create an immediate positive impact on your cash flow? What non-revenue-generating activities will you start removing from your schedule to give way for activities that directly impact your cash flow?

 

Aldeen Simmonds-Thorpe
Chief HR Transformation Officer and Coach at Aldeen Simmonds-Thorpe Consulting

Aldeen Simmonds-Thorpe is a HR Transformation Strategist, Speaker and Coach helping professionals and businesses to navigate and solve complex business and people problems enabling them to adapt, compete and thrive. She is a trusted Advisor and Coach to entrepreneurs and business owners helping them build sustainable businesses through community.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aldeen-simmonds-thorpe/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/aldeen_sim
Website: https://www.aldeenst.com/

Planning for success in 2017

sandra

We’re just a couple weeks shy of the end of 2016. Even if the year wasn’t everything you imagined it would be; the New Year brings with it the opportunity for a fresh start. The question is: what are you going to do with yours?

If you didn’t accomplish everything you wanted to this year, it may be about more than just poor planning. Just like a house built on an unstable foundation won’t stay standing, we need to make sure that we have a solid mindset before pursuing our goals. If you pursue 2017 goals with 2016’s mindset, don’t be surprised when you get similar results!

Consider the beliefs or thoughts that held you back from doing things you knew were going to help your business. What would you need to do to shift them so that you can take those leaps of faith in the upcoming year? Whether it’s hiring a coach, attending a workshop or reading a book, there are many ways to work on your limiting beliefs.

Sometimes we’re not conscious of the beliefs that are holding us back because we’ve believed them for a very long time. Many of the limiting beliefs that we have were passed on to us by well-meaning family and friends. They too are unconscious of the fact that what they’ve shared with us causes limitations. It’s only when we start to question whether or not our beliefs truly serve us that we can identify the ones that need shifting.

If we don’t work on our mindset, we will struggle with the plan. If you are limited in your belief about what’s possible, it will undoubtedly affect the plans you put in place. Maybe you’re playing small when it comes to your goals because you don’t think you’re capable of achieving the amazing things you really want for your life. Whatever’s holding you back, know that it doesn’t have to be your reality. I truly believe that where there’s a will, there is always a way!

What are you going to do differently in 2017? What beliefs do you need to shift in order to make those changes happen? Who or where can you go to for the help you need so that you don’t sabotage your success and you can really make the New Year your best year yet? Whatever it is you need to do, write it down, give yourself a deadline and take action to make it happen!

If you’d like help with identifying your limiting beliefs so that you can pursue your 2017 goals with a mindset for success, book a complimentary, no-obligation 30 minute Clarity Session with me today!

Sandra Dawes is a certified life coach specializing in helping women who feel unfulfilled with their 9-5 follow their dreams and pursue their passions. She holds an Honours BA, an MBA as well as a certificate in Dispute Resolution. She has completed her first book,Embrace Your Destiny: 12 Steps to Living the Life You Deserve!

Connect:

www.embraceyourdestiny.ca

www.facebook.com/embraceyourdestiny

www.facebook.com/embraceyourdestinythebook

www.twitter.com/sandradawes

Want to plan your 2017? Enhance your planning with a Leonie Dawson Workbook

2017-workbook

Perfectly Precise

Sheralyn

Precision.  It is such an important word and embodies a world of meaning. Depending on your industry, precision could be a technical term that relates to accuracy or, for your business purposes, might simply mean choosing the best words possible for your website content or next marketing campaign. Typically, we associate precision with the accounting industry more so than we might when thinking of those whose primary “tools” are words. Today however, I take this opportunity to remind you that being precise when it comes to words is not only nice, it’s necessary.

Our friends at Merriam-Webster define precision as this: “the quality or state of being precise: exactness or accuracy.” For my husband, as a Tool and Die Maker, exactness means working to tolerances that represent less than the width of a human hair, on molds that are worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. If he makes a mistake, it could have huge and expensive ramifications. Given that one little piece of metal he once worked on is now actually orbiting in outer space, you can imagine how important precision is to his business. Any firm who has undergone an accounting audit will also be able to describe the importance of precise, accurate records.

Words, and the precision with which you choose them, may not make space exploration history but they are still critically important to your mission – that of making your business a success. When you go to a paint store, you don’t ask for “green” paint, you state the specific shade of green you seek. You ensure accuracy by being precise.  There is a world of difference between “forest” green and “lime” green and being precise will help ensure you only have to paint the room once!

What can be frustrating about the English language is that occasionally there are several appropriate words to choose from. How do you choose the best one?  For newcomers in particular this can be challenging. Simply deciphering the “their,” “there” and “they’re” conundrum can be frustrating. However, the very fact that there might be two or even three great words to select from simply highlights that you both CAN and SHOULD choose the best word possible. Clarity is the goal. Consider using a dictionary or a thesaurus when writing, ask a friend to review your content or poll your customers to ask what about your website attracted them and whether any particular word, logo, slogan or marketing material grabbed their attention. Ask a professional to create or edit content for you because statistics consistently show that you only have between 10 – 30 seconds to make a favourable impression on your website.  That’s not much time. If you want your message to resonate, attract customers and turn a website search into an actual sale, it’s imperative you make every word count.

As Owner and Principal partner of “Writing Right For You” Sheralyn is a Communications Strategist – working together with entrepreneurs to maximize profit through effective use of the written word. Looking for web content that works, blog articles that engage or communications strategies that help you get noticed?  Contact Sheralyn today. Sheralyn is also the mother of two children now entering the “terrible and terrific teens” and spends her free time volunteering for several non-profit organizations.

Sheralyn Roman B.A., B.Ed.

Writing Right For You

Communications Strategies that help you GET TO THE POINT!

416-420-9415 Cell/Business

writingrightforyou@gmail.com

Be Fearless

Sheralyn

Typically in this space I touch upon issues of concern relative to communications in general or communications strategies for small business. Today however, I want to challenge you to face 2016 not just with improved communications skills but also with confidence, clarity of vision, a renewed focus and, this is the big one – fearlessly!

No doubt, at more than one point in your life you have been afraid. Maybe of the future, of failure at school, work or sports, afraid of giving birth (that’s a big one!) or of embarking on a new career.  What was it that helped you overcome that fear? OK, in the case of giving birth you kind of had no choice but in the absence of the onset of labour pains – what helped you to take the leap of faith necessary to move past your fears?

Perhaps your answer is “courage” or maybe “resolve.” Still others might say it was  “opportunity” or that the timing was “right.” Perhaps you were given the gift of money whether through a packaged buy – out or an inheritance. Whatever your answer, being fearless had to have been a part of the process.  This doesn’t necessarily mean to suggest you were without fear but rather, that you embraced your fear and forged ahead regardless.  So how can you encourage being fearless?

Becoming fearless involves strategy.  Yes certain elements like timing and opportunity are important but having a strategy in place that you can act upon for when the timing is right will help create potential success.  Have you, for example, made a list of the pros and cons for your potential action? Have you done research? Have you anticipated all the possible outcomes and planned for them accordingly? Have you considered getting some coaching to help you bridge the gap between your fear and your determination and resolve?  If you have a plan in place with clearly defined, specific and measurable goals this alone will help reduce your fears.  Proactive planning tools will help you to achieve your dreams and while they may not eliminate your fears entirely, they certainly help you anticipate and plan for them, reducing fear to something much more manageable.

So GET PLANNING! Be specific. Always remember however that a little bit of healthy fear is a good thing. It’s natures built in “fight or flight” response. It keeps you alert and aware to potential pitfalls but by planning for them, you can face your fears – fearlessly!

As Owner and Principal partner of “Writing Right For You” Sheralyn is a Communications Strategist – working together with entrepreneurs to maximize profit through effective use of the written word. Looking for web content that works, blog articles that engage or communications strategies that help you get noticed?  Contact Sheralyn today. Sheralyn is also the mother of two children now entering the “terrible and terrific teens” and spends her free time volunteering for several non-profit organizations.

Sheralyn Roman B.A., B.Ed.

Writing Right For You

Communications Strategies that help you GET TO THE POINT!

416-420-9415 Cell/Business

writingrightforyou@gmail.com

The Art of Finding Clarity

yvonne

Have you had trouble finding the track that makes you unique? Not knowing what direction to take to fulfill your dreams and goals of being an entrepreneur? Perhaps you are thinking you are at a stage in life where doing a 9-5 job is frustrating? Or not knowing what direction to take to grow your business?

When it comes to achieving your goals and seeing great results, it is not enough to set the goals such as ‘Start a business this year’ or ‘Get more clients and grow my business’. We need to have clear and quantifiable goals.

There is one quality which one must possess to win, and that is definiteness of purpose, the knowledge of what one wants, and a burning desire to possess it. – Napoleon Hill

One of the reasons we can easily struggle to achieve our goals is when they are not clear. When they are not clearly defined, it stops us from being laser-focused in the manner that is needed to see results. I love the above quote from Napoleon Hill, we must be definite in our purpose and clearly know what it is we want!

Being clear on your goals starts with ensuring it is strongly tied to our vision, personal mission statement or a strong ‘why’. The next step is to ensure our goals are SMART:

  • Specific: It should be less general, and clearly state what you intend to achieve.
  • Measurable:It should be quantifiable to enable you measure completion; how long, how much, how many etc.
  • Achievable:It should be attainable, and not so ‘pie in the sky’ that it is impossible to meet.
  • Relevant:It should align with your vision and ‘why’ it truly matters to you.
  • Time framed:It should have target dates for completion, and not be open ended

Determine what you want, why you want it, when you want it by, and how you are going to get it. By being more intentional, you become focused and more likely to see greater results. When you become clear on your “Why” and “What ” it become easier to work on your “How“.

Take these easy steps, and you are assured to be ready and all set to start seeing the results you want.

To Do: Revisit your goals, and apply the SMART rule. Be clear on what you want; and turn your dreams to goals, and goals to reality. Here are some tools to help you gain clarity and set SMART goals: Online Mission Statement Builder and Setting SMART Goals.

To learn about Yvonne’s latest book on Changing your Mindset for greater results, visit http://www.oliveblue.com/changeyourmindset/

Yvonne is an Author, Speaker, Change Consultant & John Maxwell Leadership Coach who is passionate about working with Individuals, Entrepreneurs and Organisations to help implement change they want and achieve their goals.   

She can be reached at: www.oliveblue.com . www.facebook.com/oliveblueinc . www.twitter.com/oliveblueinc.www.youtube.com/ChangeYouWantTV

Multi-tasking: Are you an Addict?

Sheralyn

Hi, My name is Sheralyn and I’m a recovering addict.  They say the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem. Yes, I am a former multitasking addict and I struggle daily with the constant urge to do more, more, more.  While I certainly don’t wish to make light of addiction, the reality is multitasking is a 21st Century affliction both epidemic in proportion and idealized as virtue. It’s time for a reality check.

When we multitask, we labour (literally) under the illusion that we are doing more, making better use of our time, increasing our efficiency and possibly even that we are saving ourselves or our companies, time, money or both. It has become a much prized value and “ability to multitask” a staple skill set to include on our résumé. Recent research suggests however that such a staple should perhaps not be so prized after all.

Multitasking, studies show, “doesn’t make us any more efficient………we actually perform tasks more slowly because brains need extra time to toggle between tasks.”  Additionally, there is an increasing body of evidence that concludes it is actually bad for us.  “How is it bad? It impedes short-term memory, decreases overall mental performance, and causes stress, hormonally triggering “a vicious cycle where we multi-task, take longer to get things done, then feel harried and compelled to multi-task more,” says journalist John Naish. And the brain-toggling that comes with ongoing multi-tasking shortens our attention, eventually addicting us through spurts of adrenaline continually being released. In the absence of multi-tasking, one study reported in The New York Times concluded, “people feel bored.” (1) That’s right – we’ve become so addicted to all this action and in the process so acclimatized to the “value” of multitasking that the new social norm involves conversations that are vehemently competitive as we seek to establish who is the busiest and can get the most done in the least amount of time. Gone are the Downton Abbey days of one staff to light the fires while another polishes the silver and a third helped dress the Dowager Countess – these days we are each of us individually expected to keep the homes fires lit, burn the candle at both ends at work, set out the silver for dinner while simultaneously cooking it and keep track of it all using our various social media devices. Plus dress the kids and drive them to school, sports or piano practice! (My kingdom for a Governess!)

What then is the alternative?  Drawing media attention (and in fact building momentum of late) is the discussion around the benefits of solo tasking.  It doesn’t require much research to know that having a single – minded focus will help you achieve a level of attention to detail that you simply can’t have while multi-tasking.  Solo tasking requires you to schedule appropriately, ensuring adequate amounts of both your time and resources are allocated to the task. In the scheduling, you will clearly think ahead to what your project entails and properly anticipate all requirements. You increase the odds significantly that you will complete the task during that time-frame because it is the only thing required of you. Distractions and time wasters are substantially reduced because you are not transitioning between various computer screens, running from office to office or scrolling through multiple search engines and then getting sidetracked by social media. (Face it you DO get sidetracked by social media.) In short, if you are polishing the silver you are doing a VERY god job of polishing the silver.  The fires can then be lit when darkness descends – a time more suited for that particular job.

There is such a value placed on the commodity of time now that we have become accustomed to making calls while we drive or sending emails from our laptops while eating lunch.  Hopefully you are using Bluetooth but what happens when the caller requests you to make a note of something? Do you pull over to write it down? Swerve madly all over the road as you attempt to talk, drive and write? And what of your laptop? How many times have you spilled (or come perilously close to spilling) your lunch or coffee all over the keyboard.  The “benefits” of multitasking are rapidly lost when you have an accident in either scenario.  Better for your physical and mental state to solo task.  If you’re driving a car, for Pete’s sake just drive and couldn’t we all use even 15 minutes break to eat and recharge our batteries? Your efficiencies will gain exponentially when you return, refocused and re-energized.

If you work in a creative field sometimes “ideas happen.”  They don’t always conform to a schedule, heck I’m sure you’ve even woken up in the night with a brilliant idea. Solo tasking doesn’t have to put an end to that  – keep a notepad handy and if an idea for another project does makes its way into your head don’t shut down the whole works – just jot the idea down in point form so you don’t lose your train of thought and then immediately return to what you were doing.  Make organizing your time (not juggling it) the virtue and valued skill set. A properly organized and prioritized workday, with single – minded focus and clarity of objectives, will ultimately make you more productive than trying to juggle a three – ring circus. Because unless you spent years of practicing to become a juggler – something is bound to get dropped!

 

(1)www.todayschristianwoman – march april 2013

 

As Owner and Principal partner of “Writing Right For You” Sheralyn is a Communications Strategist – working together with entrepreneurs to maximize profit through effective use of the written word. Looking for web content that works, blog articles that engage or communications strategies that help you get noticed?  Contact Sheralyn today. Sheralyn is also the mother of two children now entering the “terrible and terrific teens” and spends her free time volunteering for several non-profit organizations.

Sheralyn Roman B.A., B.Ed.

Writing Right For You

Communications Strategies that help you GET TO THE POINT!

416-420-9415 Cell/Business

writingrightforyou@gmail.com

LinkedIn / Facebook / www.writingrightforyou.weebly.com

Are we there yet?

sandra

We all have goals.  Some are more concrete than others.  Do you track your progress?  Do you set benchmarks that help you to know when the finish line is approaching?  Or are you just stumbling through, hoping that you will be guided somehow towards the path to accomplishing your goals?

I know that I get more done when I have concrete targets established for any goal I’m pursuing.  When I was writing my book, the goal was a minimum of 4 pages a day.  The target wasn’t always met, sometimes I fell short, other times I surpassed the daily goal.  Not only did I have daily targets, but I had also set a deadline for when I wanted to have the first draft of my book complete.  The daily targets and checking in to see where I was at the end of each week, kept me motivated and focused.

We hear so much about success factors to making our goals a reality.  Accountability partners, writing them down, and setting targets are all things we are told will help us to make our dreams come true.  But what happens when we put all these things in place and then never review the plan to make sure it still makes sense?  What if we get so caught up in being “busy” that we forget to measure if our business is translating into productivity?

Everyone’s talking about how busy they are, but shouldn’t we be talking about how productive we are?  I don’t know about you, but I can be busy all day and not have anything meaningful to show for it!  If you’re busyness isn’t get you closer to achieving your goals, then you might as well be spending your time sleeping or watching television.  If the journey to achieving your goals was a road trip, you may be stuck always taking the scenic route, stopping at every fruit stand and antique shop along the way rather than taking the quick bathroom break and getting back in the car.  If you’re not in any hurry to achieve your goals, there’s nothing wrong with the scenic route.  If the achievement of your goals is just a means to something bigger, then enjoy the ride, but remember to stay focused on the destination.

You may be thinking that it’s too late to get your goals back on track and make them happen this year, but it isn’t!  You just have to get clear on what you want to get done by the end of the year and break it down into monthly, weekly and even daily targets!  Once you know your numbers, you’ll have a clearer idea of what you need to do to make it happen!  If you’re not clear on where to start, I can help!

Clarity on the checkpoints makes the journey more enjoyable.  Regardless of how ineffective you may feel like you’re being at times, you have tangible evidence that illustrates just how far you’ve come!  Sometimes, that is just the motivation we need to keep the momentum going, even when it feels like we’re running on fumes.  The good news is, at least you’ll know when you’re next service stop is coming so you can refuel 🙂

Sandra Dawes is a certified life coach specializing in helping women who feel unfulfilled with their 9-5 follow their dreams and pursue their passions. She holds an Honours BA, an MBA as well as a certificate in Dispute Resolution.She has completed her first book,Embrace Your Destiny: 12 Steps to Living the Life You Deserve!

Connect: 
www.embraceyourdestiny.ca
www.facebook.com/embraceyourdestiny

www.facebook.com/embraceyourdestinythebook
www.twitter.com/sandradawes

Getting clear and focused

sandra

Clarity is an amazing thing.  Once you are clear on what you want to achieve and why you want to achieve it, it can almost seem as if magic is starting to happen.  Opportunities present themselves in ways you never would have imagined.  You’re able to focus on exactly what you need to do to make realize your objectives.  Achieving clarity can feel like the heavens have opened up and the seas have parted, but getting there is the challenge.

We all have goals that we want to achieve.  Most of us can agree on some basic goals that we’d like to achieve: more freedom, financial security, continued great health and happiness.  How each of us achieves these broad reaching goals is totally up to us as individuals.  The way I define freedom, may not be the same as yours.  What’s going to make me happy may not resonate with you at all!

It’s sometimes easy to get caught up in what we think we should do or what we believe we ought to be focusing our energy on.  If we want success in achieving our goals and getting a feeling of accomplishment, we have to do some soul searching.  Consider what your ideal life looks like, not what you think others expect of you.  Think about what’s going to get you out of bed no matter what.  Dig deep and figure out why your goals are important to you, what they mean to you and what their achievement is going to bring to your life.

Once you start to figure those questions out, the picture of the life you want to create will start to become clearer.  You’ll have a vision of the goal you’re working towards and then you can start to map out what you need to do, with that final destination in mind.  It’s like planning your route on a map.  Once you know where you want to go, you can look at the various paths that will get you there.  After that is figured out, you can focus on what you need to get you there.

What do you need to bring along on your journey?  Do you have all the right people and things in place, or do you need to recruit help and get the right tools and materials to help you get to where you want to go?  When you achieve clarity, feelings of overwhelm diminish, you’re able to focus on what needs to be done, and obstacles and challenges don’t deter you from getting the job done.

Take the time to contemplate where you want to be a year from now.  Don’t limit yourself; think in terms of “best case scenario”.  Listen to your heart, and not the naysayers.  Once you have a picture in your mind of what you want your life to look like twelve months from now, start to put together the plan to make that vision a reality.  Get clear, get focused and get it done!

Sandra Dawes is a certified life coach specializing in helping women who feel unfulfilled with their 9-5 follow their dreams and pursue their passions. She holds an Honours BA, an MBA as well as a certificate in Dispute Resolution.She has completed her first book,Embrace Your Destiny: 12 Steps to Living the Life You Deserve!

Connect: 
www.embraceyourdestiny.ca
www.facebook.com/embraceyourdestiny

www.facebook.com/embraceyourdestinythebook
www.twitter.com/sandradawes

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