Archive for November, 2007

Tagged Again!

• November 30th, 2007
• 4 Comments »

I’ve been tagged twice and now I’ve been tagged yet again! Pynk Myst has tagged me and so has Angie! Here are the rules of this particular meme: Link to the person that tagged you, and post the rules on your blog.  Share 7 facts about yourself.  Tag 7 random people at the end of your post, and include links to their blogs.   Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog. I don’t think there’s anyone left for me to tag, but I have 7 new random things I can post:

1. My favorite musical is RENT. People tell me my husband resembles the lead. I’m not so sure.
2. I love sushi!
3. I hate cold weather.
4. One day I would like to travel to Maine and Boston in the U.S. and I would like to travel overseas to Ireland.
5. Insomniac here.
6. Favorite TV series is Law & Order: CI.
7. I might be addicted to chocolate.

I Survived NaBloPoMo

• November 30th, 2007
• 2 Comments »

This will be my final post tagged “NaBloPoMo.” I have proven that I can write a post a day for 30 days. I’m not quit sure what kind of accomplishment that is exactly; but it’s been fun. Thank you for all who were reading in suspense to see if I would actually pull through and post every day of November. I have done the unthinkable!

Enjoy December!

It’s Not About You, Really, It Isn’t (Part 2)

• November 30th, 2007
• No Comments »

This pertains less to networking and more to team building, but the same concept applies. We have to take ourselves out of the picture. In my opinion, the focus should be on how can she benefit from signing a Mary Kay agreement; it should NOT be about the check the company will send and how big it will be. I find that those who are reluctant to build a team often feel some guilt like they are looking for walking paychecks, if my analogy makes any sense. I’ll admit, I felt weird about the whole recruiting thing at first. I joined MK for friendship, activity, and a little extra money. I didn’t even realize that signing up created income for someone else. I had no clue, really. My recruiter is an old friend, so it wasn’t bothersome to me at all and ultimately, I’m glad I did sign under her. (more…)

Great Article on People Management

• November 29th, 2007
• 5 Comments »

Thought this was really good advice for people management from Unit Coach: (more…)

Reflection Part 2: Is This Business For Me?

• November 28th, 2007
• 3 Comments »

This is Part 2 of the article I posted recently from the Barefoot Executive Newsletter: (more…)

This Tagging Thing!

• November 28th, 2007
• 6 Comments »

I’m very popular apparently and Accountable and Mercedes tagged me recently.  Here are the rules of this particular meme: Link to the person that tagged you, and post the rules on your blog.  Share 7 facts about yourself.  Tag 7 random people at the end of your post, and include links to their blogs.   Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog. I’ll be up front that I am breaking the rules as most of my taggees are already tagged!

1. I have no clue what a meme is. I think I’ll live in suspense.
2. I was nameless for one week. My parents figured since all my dad’s siblings had  boys first, they would, too. They had no girl names chosen. I was “Baby Girl” for a week — no joke!
3. I studied with the Joffrey Ballet.
4. If I could live anywhere of my choosing I’d live in South Carolina near Myrtle Beach; my favorite vacation spot.
5. My first pet that wasn’t a goldfish was a box turtle. [picture coming soon]
6. My first dog was a mini schnauzer and he lived almost 16 years!
7. Sometimes, I miss living in NYC.

Tags:

1. The Ringleader
2. MK Rules! 

That’s all I got.

Just Silly

• November 27th, 2007
• 10 Comments »

Today I was checking my “Blog Stats” and in there it shows me what keywords people used to find my site. Today’s winner takes the cake for strange:

“cocaine books pink”

Yup, someone found my blog by typing in the word cocaine. That is just bizarre, but it made me laugh.

Reflection: Is This Right For Me?

• November 27th, 2007
• 1 Comment »

This article came to me in my Barefoot Executive Newsletter:

Bare “Footnotes” :: Are You in the RIGHT Business? (Part 1)

This may be a little controversial today, and that’s okay. My purpose is to get you to REALLY think about what you’re doing as your life’s work and what your satisfaction level is.

• Do you love getting up in the morning, ready to dive into your workday?
• Are you excited by new ideas and challenges that pose themselves in your business?
• Are you passionate about your product or service or opportunity?
• Does your business fit your current lifestyle?
• Does your business fit the lifestyle that you want to design for yourself?
• Do you like your associates? Your clients? The corporation you represent?
• Are you able to work within your strengths and gifts? (your “sweet spot”)
• Is your paycheck (now or potentially) consistent with your needs & dreams?
• Can you see yourself doing this long-term?

If any of the answers above are “no” — and especially if several of them are “no” — then you need to revisit the question, “Is this the right business for me?”

Yes, we need to pay the bills. Yes, sometimes we have to sacrifice short term to benefit long term. But all-in-all…if your business model is conflicting with your desires, values, lifestyle and goals…then it will not be something you are satisfied with and your success will be limited in many ways.

Ask yourself these questions:

• What are your strengths on the job? With your family? In social settings?
• What are some natural talents and gifts you have?
• What do you LOVE in your business (or your job)?
• What do you tend to postpone, neglect or procrastinate about?
• When you feel the most confident, most successful?

Now … these are just to make you think! If you can focus for a MOMENT on the things you neglect, postpone or procrastinate on…that doesn’t mean you are in the wrong business…just that there are PARTS of your business you do not enjoy!

So … can you delegate some of those? Can you assign those to your children? Your spouse? A parent? (yes, your parents have skills too

You will be surprised at how you learn to love your business again if you free yourself up from some of the “handcuffs” you’ve placed on yourself!

Let me give you an example … in a previous business I owned, I tried to do it all. The marketing, the appointments, the inventory, the books, the bills, all of it. I was not as successful as I could have been. My books were a disaster. I got myself into a huge financial crisis. And because I wasn’t paying attention … I eventually despaired, threw in the towel and declared myself a failure as a business owner.

I then realized that perhaps I was trying to do too many things (duh) and I went at it from a different angle.

In my next business, I was very frank with my husband (who has an accounting degree and an MBA). I told him that I hated doing the books. I disliked dealing with budgets, money, keeping up with receipts, bills, etc. and that if he would do that…I would not pay him…but the benefits would be a happy wife with a thriving business! He was thrilled to help. (he wanted to help before, but I was too proud and wanted to do it myself.) As a result…my books are in order. My bills are paid. He can tell me where I’m spending too much and where I’m making the most. It is a huge relief to me to know that these details are handled and it makes business fun again!

I have assembled a “team” in my businesses based on their strengths and mine. They are, quite honestly, glad not to have to do what I do…and I’m thrilled to delegate to them as well!

Virtual Assistants are a real life-saver for this! They are not underfoot or on your equipment and they are a money-saver too! Whew! I’m not sure how I’d function without my “VA’s!”

So … take a few minutes for you — think about your business. What drew you to it? (NEWSFLASH: the money is often not a big enough reason for us to love something.) Perhaps you’re still in love with your business, but just disenchanted with a few parts of it. GREAT!!! SO FIX IT!

Perhaps you cannot find anything about your business right now that you like anymore.

Next week, we’ll talk about some ways to figure out EXACTLY what you should be doing and some ways to increase your satisfaction in what you already ARE doing!

Have an amazing week! I appreciate you!

Carrie Wilkerson, The Barefoot Executive ™

© 2007 — you are welcome to reprint any of our articles if you include author credit and reference our website www.Barefoot-Executive.com

It’s Not About You (Part 1)

• November 26th, 2007
• 1 Comment »

An important concept that I think hinders many of us in our attempts to talk to new potential customers (and team members) is that it’s not about us. It’s all about them. We tend to let ourselves get in the way. When we worry about how someone will react to us, we are really thinking about how that will affect us. I have changed my train of thought and projected it onto how she will benefit from trying MK, the fun to be had at an appointment, etc. If she says no, fine. And then I will ask, no not now, or no never? I want to be clear. No doesn’t always mean never. Sometimes it means not right now. If we ask, they will tell us. What we need to do is take ourselves out of the equation. (more…)

Networking 101: How Far Will You Go?

• November 25th, 2007
• 5 Comments »

This weekend I’m traveling about an hour or so away from home in order to find new leads. Why? Why would I do this? It’s because I like to “think nationally.” You may have heard me say that before on my blog. It’s like thinking globally, but in MK-speak, that is nationally because one day, I would love to be an NSD. That is going to take me years. I’m not naive to that fact. But, when we make big goals, we have to be realistic when we are creating them and determining how much work it will take. (more…)