Over the last few months, I’ve been making some changes to the structure of my business (behind the scenes stuff) and planning for an expansion. As a result of my business becoming a little more complex, I decided to simplify my life. I’m starting with my email inbox.
Why start there? Why start with email? Because every morning when I look at all the messages that showed up overnight, sometimes hundreds of them, I feel a sense of overwhelm, stress, urgency. And as I read those messages, I notice that occasionally, I feel pressure to buy, pressure to catch a sale or a good deal, pressure to make sure I’m not missing some crucial new marketing strategy…yuck!
I decided that it had to stop! I deserve “inbox peacefulness!” So, every morning for the last week, I’ve analyzed each and every mass e-mail I’ve received, considered what else I’ve learned from the sender since subscribing, determined if it’s worth receiving again, and unsubscribed to anything I’ve deemed unworthy. I’ve also unsubscribed to marketing lists for companies I’ve ordered from (I’m such an online ordering fiend that the Citibank Fraud Early Warning Unit has me on speed-dial).
What a difference it’s made. Just taking that extra 15 minutes each day to unsubscribe to anything that isn’t really informing me of something I need has improved the average quality of my inbox. And, I’ve noticed that my stress level has dropped, my productivity has increased, and I just feel better.
Amazing, how big the results of something so simple can be!
P.S. If you start cleaning out your own inbox, don’t unsubscribe from the Business in Blue Jeans e-zine, for heaven’s sake!
I’d planned a really fun series for you guys called the Wednesday Wine & Business Series, in which I planned to interview some of my favorite experts and mentors…I’d thought it would be fun to talk a bit about our favorite wines and then discuss business.
Then something BIG happened. I happened to be wishing my Facebook buddy, Bob Burg, a happy birthday, when I just decided to invite Bob to come and talk to you guys about his new book, called Go-Givers Sell More. Well, knock me over with a feather, Bob said yes!
So I took another leap and e-mailed my buddy Larry Winget, author of You’re Broke Because You Want to Be, and asked him if he’d like to come and talk to you, and…he said, “Sure…glad to do it.”
Then I started thinking…”I can’t have Bob Burg and Larry Winget come and talk to a Wine and Business Series. I can’t be sipping wine while I’m interviewing dudes of this caliber!”
And that’s when a new idea, a bigger and better idea, started forming in my head. What if this was something much bigger? What if this series became a lot more substantial and meaningful?
So I started contacting more of my favorite authors and mentors, and…guys, this is big. It’s bigger than big. Now, I’ve still got a few folks reporting back in, so I don’t have the full lineup yet, but…here’s what I can tell you:
Bob Burg, author of Endless Referrals and The Go-Giver
Larry Winget, author of You’re Broke Because You Want to Be and It’s Called Work For A Reason
Jay Conrad Levinson, author of Guerilla Marketing and Guerrilla Marketing Goes Green
John Rowley, author of Climb Your Ladder of Success Without Running Out of Gas
David Meerman Scott,author of The New Rules of Marketing & PR and World Wide Rave
I’ve got several more on the list but I can’t mention their names until we get the dates solidified. Suffice to say, though, it’s going to be absolute freaking extraordinary.
You will want to be there. Period. And, you will definitely want to tell your friends.
Welcome to 2010, a brand new year and a brand new decade! In the last part of 2009, I made some plans for 2010, and I’d like to tell you more about what those plans are. The most important thing you should know is that I’ve made 2010 My Year of Making It ALL Work.
What does that mean? It means I’m taking it all down to the bare bones — everything in my life, from my business to my health and everything else, and I’m looking at everything, analyzing what works and throwing out what doesn’t. I’m focusing on getting back to basics and taking a good hard look at where Business in Blue Jeans is going and how we’re going to get there.
As such, I’ve planned out the entire year, with a theme for each month. I’ll focus on that theme in my No Suits Allowed! e-zine and in my Wednesday Wine & Business Chats Teleseminar Series, and bring in experts when needed so I can interview them and get the lowdown. I don’t want to show all my cards just yet, but so far, here’s how the first part of the year looks:
January: Getting Organized and Planning Ahead
February: Finding Your Purpose
March: Branding and Positioning
The first call in the Wednesday Wine & Business Chats will be in February and we’ll be rolling from there. I’m pulling in some big names for bonus calls, too, and you really won’t want to miss this.
I’ll be sharing my insights as I get down to the bare bones with my business. There are quite a few lessons I’ve learned in the past year that I want to share with you — things I’ve discovered about the folks I thought were my mentors and things I’ve discovered about myself. So stay tuned. Things are about to get lively and interesting around here.
My husband just shared a joke with me and it seemed particularly poignant. Now, I’ll warn you that this is kind of a religious joke, but regardless of your particular stance on religion and/or spirituality, the point will still be the same. Here goes:
This man was out to sea when his boat capsized. The boat was destroyed and his crew lost. As the man treaded water, with nothing around him but ocean, he wondered how he would be saved. As a man of faith, he called out to God, “God, please help me! Don’t let me drown!”
Suddenly, his first mate appeared beside him, holding on to a large board. “Grab on to the board, Captain,” the first mate said. “No! God will save me!” the man replied. Unable to convince his captain, the first mate shrugged and swam off, clinging to his board.
The man called out again, “God, please help me! Don’t let me drown!” And suddenly, behind him appeared a boat. “Get in, man!” the crew called out, “We’ll throw you a line!” And the man said, “No! God will save me!” Unable to convince the man to grab the line, the boat eventually sailed away.
The man called out again, “God, please help me! Don’t let me drown!” And suddenly, a helicopter appeared in the sky. “Climb up the ladder!” the crew called down to him. And the man said, “No! God will save me!” Unable to convince the man to climb up on the ladder, the helicopter eventually flew away.
The man became very tired, could no longer tread water, and finally, he drowned.
The man had lived a good life, so he went to Heaven. When he arrived in Heaven, he found God and said, “God, why did you forsake me? Why didn’t you save me when I was treading water and about to drown?”
God looked at the man, shook his head with pity and said, “Who do you think sent your first mate, the boat and a helicopter for you?”
In this economy, I know so many people are on their knees saying, “God, please don’t let me drown!” I’m all for prayer and meditation and The Secret. But the real question you need to be asking is, “Are you letting yourself drown?”
Whether you believe in God, Spirit, The Universe, some other deity or no deity at all, the principle remains the same: What opportunities are you ignoring? Are there opportunities that you haven’t taken advantage of? Are there ideas or opportunities that keep cropping up and keep appearing?
If you’re letting opportunities pass you by and you’re not doing absolutely everything that you can do to keep your business afloat, you’re letting yourself drown. Make a list today of opportunities you’ve passed by and find a way to get them back!
Another big company is in trouble. Warner Brothers is cutting 800 jobs, over 10% of its global workforce. Disney is expected to follow suit in the very near future. People, Warner Brothers is ranked first in the domestic movie industry.
So why am I telling you this? To scare you? No. I’m telling you because I really want you to think. Think about your future. Think about your destiny. Are you really, truly safer working for a big corporation? Do you know where you stand?
I’ve heard from a few folks who read my recent “Now really IS the time” post and have said they know people who have decided to put their entrepreneurial plans on hiatus. I’ve heard from others who are those people.
I know this is a scary time. I know it’s stressful, I know you’re afraid, I know the risk seems greater right now.
And I’m not telling you that you should start just any business. I wouldn’t recommend certain kinds of high-investment, high-overhead or high-risk ventures right now.
But I am recommending that you consider a style of business you may not have considered before- a business with low overhead, low risk, and frankly, low fear. In this economy, it’s not about halting your plans- it’s about adjusting them so they make sense and aren’t so intimidating.
I know, I know, you’re asking, “But what kind of business is that?!” It’s a Business in Blue Jeans. And if I told you everything in my blog, I’d be out of business. But what I will tell you is that there are ways to take your business idea and your business model and transition it into a Business in Blue Jeans. There’s nothing saying you can’t still pursue the rest of your idea down the road when the economy improves and things are a little safer to take the leap. In fact, I encourage many of my clients to start a low-risk venture first, to provide the funding for the higher-rise, higher-investment ventures they dream of. I call this a “leapfrogging business plan” and I’ve seen it work for several people (myself included, actually).
So if you’re thinking that now is not the time to start a business, that it’s too risky, too scary, or too expensive, think again. Shift your perspective, shift your business model, and ultimately, start funding your bank account for a time when you feel safe enough to start that bigger venture.
Big day today- the Inauguration of Hope. I feel so fortunate to have built a business with some genuine flexibility so I could stay home, curled up on the sofa with a roaring fire and a cup of tea, watching the proceedings, without thinking, “I really need to get back to work,” or “if I keep watching this, my boss is going to start getting upset.”
That’s really what a Business in Blue Jeans is all about: flexibility so you can take those much-needed breaks and pay attention to what’s happening around you. It’s about loving what you do and making enough income that you can also do all the other stuff you love.
And today, working hard and working smart to set up my business in the right way so it continues to run while I’m doing other things meant that I took the morning off and enjoyed the experience of a historic American moment.
Oooooh, I am so excited! Today marks a really important development in Business in Blue Jeans history! Today, I’m launching my affiliate program!
This is a fantastic program- totally win-win. You sign up and refer people to the Business in Blue Jeans web site, you earn commissions on anything they purchase- products and services. That’s the win part for you. And for me, the big win is that I get to share Business in Blue Jeans with more people (and yeah, I get to earn some money, too). But what makes it fantastic is that you can earn 15% commission on anything you sell. That includes my Relaxed Fit 90-Day Startup Program.
I’m so excited that I’m about to have help sharing Business in Blue Jeans with the world!
I know, you think you can’t afford it, right? Having an assistant is something you find in larger enterprises, something celebrities have. But guess what? Having an assistant IS affordable and you can’t beat having someone at your beck and call to help you manage your business. Let’s take a look at five reasons having an assistant will save you money in your business:
Reason #1: An assistant will free up your time so you can spend it on income-generating activities. Your assistant will take care of all those silly and unpleasant tasks you just don’t want to do. For example, I recently needed a list made that required some searching on the internet. It was easy enough work, but a trained monkey could do it and I have better things to do with my time that actually generate revenue. So I had my assistant do it and I was able to finish several projects in the meantime, projects that will earn income in the long run, and having my assistant handle these tasks cost me less than $100, a far cry from what I earned on the activities I spent my time on.
Reason #2: An assistant will make you shine. I once had a client who needed a compelling PowerPoint presentation completed. Now, I have no trouble admitting is that I am terrible at graphic design. Once I was done with editorial work and amping up the text in the presentation, I called my assistant and he handled it with grace and finesse and had the presentation on my desk within 48 hours. It made me look really good and the client was thrilled.
Reason #3: The right assistant can manage your business as it grows. I used to have a lot more time than I do now. Handling e-mails and replying to clients was easy because I had the time to put into it. These days, I really need more help and as my business grows, it’s only going to keep getting more complicated. Currently, my assistant helps with the easy e-mail responses and order processing. He can answer questions, provide technical support, and handle almost anything that doesn’t require my personal expertise. I’m free to do what I do best and he’s taking care of things that he’s become an expert on.
Reason #4: An assistant can make your personal life more manageable. I know, I know. How, right? This is one of my favorite stories about my assistant. Last year, I visited Montevideo, Uruguay and was there for my fiance’s aunt’s birthday. Before I left, I decided that I wanted to give my fiance’s aunt a watch for her birthday- nothing expensive or extravagant, just a nice little watch that would make her smile (she is the sweetest little lady you could ever meet and I completely adore her). I had some very clear ideas about what I wanted but when I searched online, I couldn’t find anything that met my needs. So I sent the specs to my assistant, and 24 hours later, had a Word document with 12 options, complete with pictures, pricing and the web address where I could get each option. And don’t even get me started about how my assistant called 37 shoe stores looking for a pair of shoes I was obsessed with! Do you think I would’ve had the time to do that? Nope- and instead, while he was hunting down a pair in my size, I was earning the money to pay for those shoes!
Reason #5: Your assistant can earn money for your business. While you’re out doing what you do best, who’s marketing your business? Who’s out there finding out where you should market, who your competition is, and what other services or products you might want to offer to better serve your clientele? Your assistant can make a huge difference to your business by either engaging in awareness-building activities or doing market research to help you figure out where your efforts will be best spent. This alone will save you money AND make you money at the same time!.
So after all this, how can you get an assistant of your own?
It’s called virtual assisting and it’s incredibly affordable. Virtual assisting is where you have an assistant who doesn’t live in your area and doesn’t come to your office. 90% of my work with my virtual assistant takes place via e-mail. I e-mail a request and the request gets handled and sent back to me. I have spoken on the phone to my assistant a couple of times, but more often than not, it’s just as simple to shoot him an e-mail and know he’ll be back with me in 48 hours.
Granted, you won’t have someone at your beck and call in person, and they won’t walk your dog or pick up your dry cleaning. But they’ll free up your time in ways you never expected and you’ll be free to do what you love and what you do best.
Choosing a virtual assistant isn’t always easy- you don’t have the same kinds of interviews as you’d have in person. You’re better off with a team than an individual- if your assistant gets sick, there’s always someone to take over and make sure your tasks are still completed.
READY TO WORK WITH A VIRTUAL ASSISTANT OF YOUR OWN?
I’m so excited to tell you that my virtual assisting company, Kaya, has put together something really special for me to introduce them to you.
We’re offering you a 10 hour FREE TRIAL on all of their Virtual Assisting monthly service plans. There are monthly plans starting at 20 hours/month going all the way up to 160 hours/month, but you can also work with them on a pay-as-you-go plan or on a single project. The trial is available to you within the first week after you inquire about their services. If you decide to continue the service after the trial period you will be charged for the 10 hours; if not, then there is no charge. Depending on how many hours you use your assistant, your rate could be anywhere from $7-12/hour.
If you’d like to get started today, visit the partner page Kaya, my virtual assisting company set up for this offer at BlueJeansVA.com and fill out the form. You’ll work directly with my friend Bokhari. He’ll take great care of you and find the best assistant for your needs.
I love my virtual assistant team and I give this company my absolute highest recommendation. They’re always prompt and have wonderful attention to detail. They’ve come in on weekends to finish up a last-minute project and have always come through for me on anything I’ve needed. I can’t say it strongly enough: the team at Kaya seriously rocks!
A friend recently asked me, “When you have a Business in Blue Jeans, what do you do all day? Do you work?”
At first this made me giggle. Of course I work! Any business, requires work, at least in the initial stages, and most businesses, especially the ones we love, need our presence some of the time. Anybody who tells you otherwise is just lying to you.
When I first start a company, my days are pretty full. I spend most of the day working on developing the concept, building the idea, the brand. And once the concept is established, then there’s a corporate identity to build and a list of products and services to create. There are marketing plans and set up and tax IDs and web sites and financing and e-zines and future planning…so much goes into the initial stages of a business, and skimping on this time is a critical error that a lot of people make.
That said, a lot of the work done in these stages can be (and is) outsourced to trusted professionals. I have a team of people I’ve worked with for years and I trust each of them to know what I need them to do and to do it well.
When the company is launched, the kind of work you do changes. Now you’re spending more time doing what you love, combined with getting your name out there. Here again, creative outsourcing can free up a lot of your time. As your company grows, you’ll spend more and more time doing what you’re truly passionate about, and you’ll have more and more free time as well, if you’ve structured your systems properly.
So what does my life look like? I put in two hours at the gym, five days a week. I work most, but not every, day. Some days I may work for 1 hour, responding to e-mails and emergencies from my outsourced professionals. There are occasional 12-hour days when I have a Relaxed Fit client who’s launching his/her business. But those long workdays are few and far between. My days are typically more like today, when I’ve worked off and on for about four or five hours, while simultaneously baking an herb-olive ciabatta.
For me, a Business in Blue Jeans is all about flexibility. I can take my business anywhere in the world, and I have. I’ve worked from cafes in Paris, Edinburgh, London, and Montevideo. I’ve worked in Chicago, L.A., Orlando, Hilton Head, Houston, Dallas, and San Francisco. I can work from home, the library, the art museum, coffee shops, and wherever else I feel like working that day. Point is, if I’m in a fantastic place like Paris, I can work for an hour and then go enjoy myself. And I’ve set up my systems so I can pretty much leave for a couple of weeks when I want to see the world and everything continues to run perfectly.
During regular times when I’m not traveling, I have a lot of free time. I’ve structured my business that way. I have a team I can call on, so whether I’m baking fresh pitas, playing with my cats, or traveling the world, they’re making sure everything continues to run smoothly. And if I had children and wanted the freedom and flexibility to spend more time with them, it would work the exact same way.
That’s what I do. I design businesses to suit your lifestyle and what you want that lifestyle to look like. I work with you to create a business that fits the needs of your life and your family and that provides you with the time you want- whether it’s to travel the world or stay right at home.
That’s what I do with my Business in Blue Jeans. What could you do with yours?
