Woman on Fire by Fran Asaro

Because women need to do business differently than men

Woman on Fire As a business coach for women entrepreneurs, I know only too well the pitfalls that women encounter while launching or growing a business. Many jump into becoming a business owner without putting the appropriate thought into how it will look or feel, just on how to make money. Often when we embark on this new adventure we are nervous, insecure and awkward. So, we begin to reach for straws that don’t necessarily convey who we are. Then we become mechanical about our business, doing what needs to be done to earn money and not what brings us joy. That, however, will not work for most women and your prospective clients will not feel attracted to it either. For instance, It’s one thing to say you want to become a chef because you are amazing at it and another to become a chef where you set yourself apart from other chefs and are so fully self-expressed that your customers really get that you are passionate, engaged and unique. Setting yourself up to be perceived this way benefits all involved. Let’s face it, you’re going to have competition out there. But there is only ONE YOU! If you don’t let her out, then others won’t be able to differentiate between you and your competition. People need to fall in love with you, your personality, business ethics and philosophy or you aren’t building a strong enough foundation. This report is called Woman on Fire – 10 Steps to Ignite Yourself THEN your Business. I wrote it to stimulate you at a deep and personal level. Keep in mind, this is not your typical business report. While I teach the basics of entrepreneurship, from start-up to exit strategy, I find that creating the appropriate foundation for personal success is a priority. From there you can build the rest.

But, for now, here are my top 10 Steps to Igniting yourself THEN your business. 1. Take the time to choose what truly lights you up - Many women look for a business that will make them money, which of course is a great idea. However, since we identify ourselves with our choices, we need to feel connected to what we do. Choose a business or business model that has you jump out of bed in the morning or that makes it difficult to turn out the light at night. If you are new to entrepreneurship you can start fresh, if you are an existing business you may want to do a bit of a make-over that breathes new life into your business. 2. Choose a name that conveys your purpose – (or a tag line for existing businesses) If you have been through something huge and want to help others in the same situation, then choose a name that signifies that. I named my company Thrive Any Way because I was always waiting for obstacles in my life to disappear before I took action, like when I wanted to become a coach. Eventually, I took the leap of faith and it was amazing and the rest is my story. Thrive Any Way speaks to others who are stopped by their current limitations. If your name doesn’t say what you do, then at least make sure your tag line does. Years ago, I created an event called Soul Purpose Day – For those who live and teach peace. Some may not have gotten the full gist of what we were by our name but we magnetically attracted all the right vendors and speakers because of that tag line. 3. Bring every quality you love about yourself into your business – Women want to love their business. After all you will more than likely be spending a great amount of time working on it and in it. Why then, would you want to leave the best part of you in your personal life and not bring it into your work. You will end up resenting the time working because you are pretending to be just a professional instead of the well-rounded woman that you truly are. You will also attract a client who is a better fit for you if they know you. My clients know that I love to share my life experience with them to help them avoid those same mistakes. I also like to create a very fun experience for them. I couldn’t imagine being a serious coach all day.

4. Attract your Favorite Client – Do you know that you don’t have to work with people you don’t want to work with? Isn’t that amazing? We often hear about attracting your ideal client. I like to think of it this way. Your ideal client wants what you have. Your favorite client has what YOU want. If you want to work with a gentle, generous and stimulating client, this is your right. So look for the person who fits like a glove and do what it takes to market to that person only. 5. Create the business you want, not the one you think you should have – I can’t tell you how many people start their own business and then run it like the job they just came from. What? Didn’t you leave your job to have freedom and fun? If you want to work from 3pm – 11pm or 4 hours a day for 7 days a week then do it. Unless you have set hours for some reason, no one is monitoring you. You are free to create your business model ANY way you want. This is a really tough shift that my clients bump up against. If it feels unusual for me to even mention it to you, then you too may have an old habit to break. It’s almost like parenting. Do you want to parent like your mother or do you want to parent like YOU? You may start out with old systems or training just to get started but eventually, break those rules and create your own. 6. Plan your time off – Being an entrepreneur often means working more hours than you did in your job. At least in the beginning until it begins running itself. That’s no reason for you to ignore your needs as a woman, a mother and a partner. If you don’t book your time off, guess what? NO ONE will give you that time. You want to declare that tomorrow you take 2 hours to go to the park or next weekend you are going to go away. Plan it, do it and even if money is an issue, time off can be free but the most valuable thing you can do for yourself. If ever you feel frustrated, lost, afraid, stuck, overwhelmed, then you are overdue for time away from the desk, the computer and the business. Shut off the phone. Turn off your business mind. And take time for the 4 R’s – Replenish, Rejuvenate, Relax, Re-inspire. Don’t wait to have a successful business to build this practice into your model. Building into it now will support your success, not hinder it.

7. Honor your breakdowns and breakthroughs – Expect to swing to the extreme when you are in business. You are going to have days that take you to your knees. You will lose a client, bounce a check, fire an employee or some other major crisis will occur. If you learn to ride the ups and downs of business, like a rollercoaster, you will brace yourself and stay in the solution. If you react to every incident that you bump up against, then you will stay in a constant state of ‘reacting’ because things always happen. The same goes for the breakthroughs. You are going to have days of euphoria where you get the ideal client, you reach your financial goal, something goes incredibly ‘right’ and life is good! Learn to enjoy this time. It may be a feeling that stays for a long time or not, but enjoy it and treasure it. There should be many of these moments as well. This is the wave of business. Everything has a wave. Weather, life, so why not your business. We have a choice whether to ride it with a sense of leadership or like a victim. Which do you choose? 8. Stay creative and Juicy – I used to love the actress Ruth Gordon. Even in her 80’s she was so full of life and enthusiasm. She inspired me to stay fresh and alive as often as I can. We can be soured by what troubles us or we can rise above it. I usually say, ‘we get to decide what we want to wear on our sleeve today’ I have as many problems as the next person, but I don’t plan to walk around with them in the forefront of my life. Instead, I do my best to stay creative and juicy - where I think new and fun thoughts. I dance with my life and I do what it takes to keep an attitude that is charismatic and magnetic. It’s great for your spirit as well as it’s great for your clients to see this in you. It will surely rub off on them.

9. Manage negativity and reality – I used to live in a bubble. One where I wouldn’t watch the news or anything negative. I surrounded myself with positive people and did my best to create a Utopian World. Eventually, I realized that I couldn’t shut myself off from the world forever and still stay on top of the goings on around me. I would have to learn to manage negativity and reality. Let’s face it, we have people in our lives and events all around us that can take us down in a moment with sadness, anger and heaviness. It is our responsibility to do self-care. For me, I retreat to my own loving space as often as I can. One that includes beautiful thoughts, silence, meditation and music. If I do this as a foundational practice I recover quickly and maintain the energy that suits me and the life I want to live. 10. Get support – Oh, if I could only emphasize this one enough. Some of us think we have support because we have a significant other, a friend or family member who we share with. Sharing is NOT support. It’s so important that when you share with someone that you feel inspired to move forward. If you are getting a lot of opposing thoughts or fear coming from someone else, then stop confiding in them. I’m serious. It’s so detrimental to your success. Don’t let someone tell you to do something that doesn’t feel ‘right’ for you. Find a person who shares your vision or at the very least allows you to have yours without thwarting it in any way. If they haven’t taken chances, launched a business or gone off the beaten path in any way, then they can’t support the dynamo in you. If you don’t have anyone like that, then hire a coach. Coaches are the least expensive business partner you can have. For the cost of one session per week, you get experience, resources, ultimate support and you still stay a 100% shareholder of your business. If you haven’t tried hiring a coach, you’re in for a wonderful surprise. Contact me for a complimentary session to see if it feels right for you.

I do hope this report helped you see a few ways to tighten up the foundation of you. These tools will last a lifetime if you allow them to and they will most likely reshape not just your business but other aspects of your life. Entrepreneurship is not easy, but it is awesomely rewarding. If you come from the right mindset it will truly get into your cells. I certainly wouldn’t have it any other way. Please contact me if you need support. If not, fly like the wind and enjoy every moment! Enthusiastically,

Fran Fran Asaro is a life-long entrepreneur and a business coach to women entrepreneurs. She helps women create businesses that suit their pace and lifestyles. Follow Fran on her: Thrive Any Way Facebook page Website Blog Have you taken your survey yet? Inside the Woman Entrepreneur – What works and what doesn’t – Help support women entrepreneurs. Take the survey