Life By Design Magazine April 2018 by Life By Design Magazine

LIFE BY DESIGN ENTREPRENEUR LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE LBDmagazine.com APRIL 2018

COLE & SANJA HATTER Making Money Matter

Kids Are No Longer An Excuse page 15

Fool Or Foe Owning Failure to Create Success page 22

10 Financial Mistakes NEW Entrepreneurs SHOULD Avoid page 36

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Elite Mastermind & Coaching Program www.AttendSSM.com

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

WELCOME

I Quit, You Quit, We All Quit

Letter From The Editors The Stegela Success Mastery Team

BETTER Than Money

The Final Round

How Failure Leads to Success

Things That Will Elevate Your Brand

5 Affirmations for Overcoming Failure

Movie Business Lessons From “The Founder”

How To Avoid the Top 3 Mistakes in Event Planning

Go Ahead, Take a Break

Kids Are No Longer An Excuse

Self-Love Can Change Your Life & Business

How to SUCCEED at Your Next Pitch or Sales Meeting

Spring Cleaning our Social Media

Cutting Class to Get More Class

The World Is About to Change!

One of the Biggest Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make

Entrepreneur Of The Month - Cole & Sanja Hatter

Fool Or Foe Owning Failure to Create Success

a Mistake in the Making

5 Leadership Tips for Intro-prenuers

How To Predict Your Future

4 Keys to a Successful and Fruitful Volunteer Experience

Fail, Fail & Fail Some More

You Are Limitless

“Oops! I Did It Again.”

FOOLISH THOUGHTS AND MISTAKES IN MINIMALISM

Blessed Beyond Success

6 Ways to Avoid Acting Like a Fool

Do Mistakes Mean Failure?

“Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.” ~Chinese proverb Have you ever had a time in your life when you were fooled more than twice? I have. It stings, but it’s also a great time to learn valuable lessons. Sometimes, though, we don’t learn our lessons until we’ve been burned several times. We become ignorant and blind to the fact that there is a lesson to be learned and those lessons that we don’t learn along the way can be costly. We at Life By Design Magazine are excited to share this issue with you because there are some incredible tips and tricks that will save you time and money along your entrepreneurial journey. Dive in and take great notes because there are some very important lessons for you in this issue. A person is only a fool if he does not learn from the lessons thrown at him. As business owners, we can all listen to what Mark Twain so aptly said, “Let us be thankful for the fools; but for them the rest of us could not succeed.” - Lynda Sunshine West Copy Editor of Life By Design Magazine

OUR STAFF Stephen Dela Cruz Publisher

Angela Dela Cruz Publisher

Casey Nicole Fox

Lynda M. West

Jennifer Meim

Kristen Crooks

Founder & President Production Editor

Jeff Rollon

Sales Director

Copy Editor

Editorial Assistant

Book Review - “Lean In” by Sheryl Sandberg

10 FINANCIAL MISTAKES NEW ENTREPRENEURS SHOULD AVOID

LIFE BY DESIGN ENTREPRENEUR LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE LBDmagazine.com MARCH 2018

Mary Hang

Marketing Director

Dave Evans

Technical Director

DR. MARTY FALLOR Thriving in the Many Faces of Business

Surgeon | Investor | Influencer

Do You Feel Lucky?

Get access to all of our previous editions digitally, go to www.lbdmagazine. com!

page 04

Sharing Is The Key To Success page 07

Go Forth - Foster a Tribe Greater Than You page 28

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What Does The Fox Say Casey Nicole Fox is a partner in all of Stegela’s corporations and she is the “Bulldog,” the one to answer to if you mess up, our “Vice Principle.” Casey is a successful young entrepreneur. In addition to being a partner at Stegela, she owns multiple businesses, is starting a nonprofit, and is starting her career in the Real Estate industry. All of her businesses are for-purpose and she really emphasizes the need to give back as an entrepreneur. Casey is a prolific writer and an avid podcaster. She started her entrepreneurial journey only 4 years ago, having to radically change her mindset from employee (having 4 jobs) to entrepreneur (owning 4 companies).

Casey Nicole Fox

CaseyNicoleFox.com

I Quit, You Quit, We All Quit Quitting is for quitters. But what about quitting on quitting? Kinda confusing, huh? Think about it this way, you can say that you’re not a quitter, but maybe you are quitting on yourself in ways you don’t really quite see yet. This issue is all about failing and making mistakes. A lot of people have asked me, what is your biggest regret in life? My answer is always the same and always will be. Nothing. I regret nothing because without every up and down, without every hurt and love, without the abuse and the trials, without the success and the records, I wouldn’t be here today. If I hadn’t moved to California for a guy at 18 who ended up being a Satanist & the opposite of the person I thought, I wouldn’t have been homeless and met my mentors. If my parents/guardians/teachers had taught me money management, I wouldn’t have gotten 4 jobs, and the fourth saved my life. I regret nothing, because every stumble helped me create the foundation I stand on today. You see, the only REAL way to fail is to give up. How I see it is, if you learn from it, if you get back up, you didn’t fail. Failure is a mindset. Though, for the longest time I gave up on myself in every way I could. I quit on myself by hanging around negative people who kept me from growth. I quit on myself every time I smoked a cigarette. I quit on myself every time I got a new tattoo to feel better about myself. I quit on myself every time I got into a relationship and lost who I was. It took me a long time to even see that I was quitting on myself. Are there areas in your life you’re quitting on yourself? Hitting the snooze button instead of going to the gym? Choosing to ignore the issues at hand? Using drugs/alcohol to avoid feeling your problems? Spending money you know you need for rent or necessities because it makes you feel good?

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How do you begin to identify the ways you quit on yourself? Here are 3 ways I saw and overcame quitting on myself. 1. Self Reflection The brain does this funny thing when you ask it a question; it has to give you an answer. It’s actually called ‘instinctive elaboration.’ So ask yourself, ‘If there were something I am doing in my life that is affecting me negatively instead of positively, what would it be?’ and ‘If there were ways that I am giving up on myself, what would they be?’ Journal what comes to mind so you can revisit it later. 2. Forgiveness As silly as it may seem, you need to forgive yourself. Forgive yourself for your past, present, and future. Know that every step has led you to where you are today and you have the power to choose the next step forward and which direction you will go. 3. Eat Your Elephant Keep in mind that the choice to quit quitting on yourself is the kind of thing that is like eating an elephant - it takes one bite at a time. One step at a time. When things get tough, it will be harder to make the decision to keep going and do the things that make your life and those around you better - but the more you do it, the easier it gets. Like riding a bike! At first it’s hard, you may run into a few parked cars (I did - literally), but as time goes on it becomes muscle memory. I challenge you to quit. Quit on quitting on yourself. You are worthy and a miracle no matter how you look at life. You deserve more, so give it to yourself!

Ask me anything!

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Success Mastery Mastery Member Member Success Jeff Rollon is a serial entrepreneur, author, business coach, and philanthropist. He enjoys helping others while living with a positive attitude and a strong entrepreneurial spirit. His passion is helping budding entrepreneurs get started and profitable within their first year in business.

Jeff Rollon

JeffRollon.com

Legacy

BETTER Than Money

More important than cars, houses, and yachts? Three elements that I learned are more valuable when I crashed my Suzette. As you can probably relate, many of us truly adore and cherish our material possessions. Many times it signifies a moment in our life of celebration and achievement. We have nice cars, jewelry, big houses, fancy clothes, accessories, and much more. For me, personally, I have a love for fast cars. My most favorite car was my 2009 Nissan 370Z, which I decided to name Suzette. Suzette was a gift to myself for relocating back to San Diego and I spent a lot of money and time upgrading her. In October of 2015 I was a victim of a hit and run while driving on the interstate and Suzette was completely totaled. I left the vehicle unscratched, but I walked away from Suzette with a whole new perspective on what was really important in life. While there may be a never-ending list of items more important than materialistic items, including health, happiness, and more, in this article I will share my top three.

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Because this is an entrepreneur magazine, I am going to expect that you understand what legacy is and what it means to you. When I got into my accident, my life could’ve ended that day. So as I remember that day, I ask myself, “What am I leaving behind for the world to remember me by besides money?” With that, my friends, I encourage you to know and remember that beyond all materialistic possessions legacy is something that is left behind and more valuable than any worldly possessions. Cars, homes, and all that fancy jazz comes and goes; but your legacy truly has the potential to last forever.

Relationships

In life and business, I am sure many of us can agree about the importance of relationships. If you really want to know how genuine your relationships are, ask yourself, “If I were a fly on the wall, what would these people say about me?” I ask myself this question now and I realize that, as much as I don’t make my decisions off of others’ opinions, it’s amazing when friends, family, and business contacts can speak so highly about me that I can hold my head up high with pride that I have been a good and genuine person to others. You weren’t selfish; you were selfless. I challenge you, rather than being strict about material things, invest into others. Take time to learn about others and build relationships genuinely and selflessly. Remember, my friends, people aren’t going to remember how much money you had, how big your house was, or what type of car you drove. They will, however, remember how you made them feel.

Experiences

Experiences were actually the first thing that I realized was more important than material items. Rather than spending money on items that lose value over time, imagine investing your time and money into experiences. Remember that many times experiences are not just one-sided. Think about the experiences friends, kids, and your spouse, significant others have with YOU! I strongly encourage all of us to invest in experiences. Experiences lead to stories that can last forever. Many of us are about full-time focusing on business and money. ME, TOO!!! Trust me folks, I love business. I love entrepreneurship. I love the rewards and sometimes those rewards are shiny objects. However, rather than building my lifestyle around my business and missing experiences, I would rather remember the importance of experiences and build my businesses around my experience-filled lifestyle. All in all and at the end of the day, ladies and gentlemen, is it okay to enjoy the finer things in life? Absolutely! Is it okay that you reap the rewards of your hard work? Of course! I am not here to say to NOT enjoy the luxuries of life. What I am saying, though, is this; Money cannot buy true legacy, unless you’re giving back and making an impact. Money cannot buy relationships, unless you’re willing to accept ungenuine. Lastly, while money can buy some experiences, remember the quote, “The best things in life are free.”

Helping WOMEN Break Through Their Fears SCHEDULE A

30-MINUTE

FEAR BREAKING

SESSION

LIVINGLIVE.TV/30

Lynda West

Speaker, Author, Magazine Editor, Fearlessness Coach, Facebook Live Queen, Chick Bass Guitar Player

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Success Mastery Member

Yoichi Kato is an author, speaker, serial entrepreneur, and a Navy veteran. He is a master business networker who is always connecting people. He is also an amazing Chef who provides private chef services all over San Diego. Yoichi loves to help others and see them thrive.

Yoichi J. Kato

www.YoichiJKato.com

How Failure Leads to Success We are now in the second quarter of the year. How are your New Year’s Resolutions coming along? Most people tend not to succeed with their resolutions and frame the experience as a failure. That is a big problem when it comes to making positive change. People who are consistent winners in life seem to know how to keep a great attitude even when circumstances seem to be overwhelmingly against them. The question I have for you this month is, “What is your relationship with failure?” Just because you have failed once or twice doesn’t mean what you are doing is not needed or you are not on the right path. Did you know that some of the most successful people in the world failed numerous times before they succeeded? Michael Jordan, J.K. Rowling, and Steve Jobs, to name a few. Steve Jobs, founder of Apple, was fired from the company he started by his own Board of Directors. He was later asked back as CEO. Upon return, he led the business to become the most profitable company in the U.S. Michael Jordan, considered by many to be the greatest basketball player of all time, was devastated when he was cut from his high school varsity basketball team sophomore year. Good thing failure only inspired him to work harder.

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Here’s what he said about failure: “I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions, I have been entrusted to take the game-winning shot, and I missed. I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” J.K. Rowling was a jobless single mother living off unemployment benefits before becoming one of the bestselling authors of all time. She suffered from depression due to the death of her mother. After falling in, and then out of, love, she ended up with a failed marriage and a daughter she raised alone. When Rowling finally finished the first three chapters, she sent the manuscript off to a publisher -- they quickly passed on the project. She sent it to 12 more publishers and they all rejected it. She had almost given up, but she kept moving forward and sent it to one last publisher whose 8-yearold daughter and he read the manuscript. They fell in love with it and decided to publish it. Even at that point she was warned to get a day job because she wouldn’t make money writing children’s books. People often choose not to take action due to fear of failure. What many people don’t realize is that failure is a prerequisite for getting what you want, and often it puts you in the direction to get what you need. Failure is part of the journey to success, but you can shorten the process by hiring a coach or a mentor.

Success Mastery Member Things That Will Elevate Your Brand 1. Relevance In today’s day and age, relevance is crucial. You could offer the best and coolest service, but if it isn’t relevant, people will pass it by. We live in a time of rapid trend changes. We get a new meme every week, three new viral videos and a few new popular sound bites. If we look at YouTube, one of the first categorized set of videos are trending ones. To grow your business and brand you must constantly stay up to date with these things. The more people can relate to your brand the easier it will be for your brand to gain traction.

2. Convenience

My passion is in human development. I started with developing young minds. I’ve worked with people ages 2-22 in just about any setting, cultural background, financial class, mental and/or physical ability. Everyone has had one thing in common. That thing is the need to be heard and respected. I’m all about expression. I do it through music and sports. My journey is to help people unlearn of suppressing their inner self. Everyone’s feelings and thoughts deserve to see the light of day.

Najja Gandy

FB.com/najja.gandy

This is commonly overlooked in any business. Unfortunately, we don’t exist in an era when people will gladly stop for anything that’s longer than one minute to hear what you have to say. It doesn’t matter if what you have to offer is legitimately life changing. If it takes too long or is too complicated to get through, you’ve lost interest and a customer. In light of keeping things RELEVANT, we can observe this element through the means of the internet. As an entrepreneur with many friends that have tried or currently have online stores, the most common thing I see is a busy website. It takes approximately 7 seconds to gain or lose someone’s interest and only 2 seconds to completely overwhelm someone. Yes, that’s not a lot of time. First and foremost you never want to overwhelm a potential customer. How does one avoid this? Visual cues, catchy sounds, and genuinity. In a time when people are entirely fascinated by memes, I can’t stress enough how important this isn’t needed. Rule of thumb: IF YOU CAN MAKE A MILLENNIAL LOOK TWICE; THEY’LL BUY THRICE! In the world of the internet it is also important to have an easy to navigate website. No one likes feeling lost so always make navigation easy for your customers. On top of it all BE GENUINE IN YOUR APPROACH. Absolutely no one enjoys feeling like they are being sold to. Be confident that what you have is great and make sure to really highlight the value it could bring to their life!

3. Accept Yourself This concept may not sound “businessy,” but this may be the most important part of business. I’ve seen my fair share of entrepreneurs that just can’t seem to catch a break. It’s not because their service isn’t bad or that they lack convenience and relevance. It’s actually because they subconsciously stray from the big picture. This is due to focusing too much on the past and some aspects of the present. Clarity is important in any business, but it is equally, if not more, important outside of it as well. Why should anyone trust you to keep their house clean if you can’t keep yours clean? Being an entrepreneur doesn’t mean you put on your entrepreneur hat and then taking it off once it’s closing time. It means everyday is a journey to build a more solid you. It’s great to serve others, but serve yourself, too. It’s something we all forget until it’s too late. Any issues that you face, face them head on. Never put things on the backburner to handle later. Be honest with yourself and remove anything from your life that isn’t sustaining your well-being in one way or another. Keep your money, mindset, and morals in check at all times and success will be yours. If it were easy, everyone would be doing it and if you ever feel down on yourself because you feel like you’re not progressing, find my contact information on this page and let’s see what you’re truly made of! Be good to yourself and to those around you. Keep hustling! ENTREPRENEUR LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE 9

Success Mastery Member Dave Evans is a speaker, author, entrepreneur and a thinker. He is a master at systems who is always looking for new ways to solve problems and streamline processes. Dave lives by the belief that there is positive in everything and that “Everything Is Awesome”. Dave has a vision to create an entrepreneurial driven eduction system that is free for everyone.

Dave Evans

www.MyDailyAIM.com

5 Affirmations for Overcoming Failure The story of Thomas Edison failing thousands of times before “discovering” the light bulb is often cited when talking about failure. But did you know that the idea and even creation of an electric light existed almost 80 years before he made his breakthrough? In fact, there were actually multiple inventors before Edison who worked on developing light bulbs, so what made Edison special? Edison failed faster. Edison’s goal was to create a light bulb that would last long enough and be cheap enough to be commercially viable. He and his team tried and “failed” with over 3,000 designs in less than 2 years before they developed a light bulb that could last over 1,200 hours and was affordable to the masses. In just 2 years, he did what others hadn’t been able to do for almost 80 years and he did it through failure. Here are five affirmations you can practice each day to develop the ability to overcome failure faster. When saying these affirmations, follow these four easy steps to get the most out of each day:

1. Stand in front of a mirror, close your eyes, and take a deep cleansing breath. 2. Open your eyes and look deeply into your own eyes through the mirror.

3. While seeing yourself, let any negative self beliefs fall away, leaving behind only the feeling of unconditional love and appreciation. 4. Speak out loud each affirmation five times, using your own name each time, building in confidence each time you say it. (For example “Dave, you have and will continue to fail.”)

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You Have and Will Continue to Fail - Overcoming failure starts with acknowledging and accepting it. We have all failed in the past and will continue to fail in the future and that is OK. Failure is a good thing. You Respond Positively When You Fail - How you choose to respond to failure ultimately determines the effect that failure has on you. When you choose to respond positively to failure you open yourself up to the possibility of learning from it. You Learn From Your Failures - When you fail, always ask why with the intent to understand. When you learn from your failure, you can apply what you learned and change for the better. You Grow From Your Failures - Every failure gives you the opportunity to change and grow and become a better you. When you apply what you have learned you are taking an active step in improving who you are. You Always Try New Things - When you are always willing to try new things, then you will always be moving forward. Failure is always positive if you use it to push yourself to try again. Practice these affirmations daily and soon you will be failing faster and achieving greater things.

Success Mastery Member

Movie Business Lessons From “The Founder” (2016)

Born in San Jose, CA and raised in Sacramento, CA. Ron is a videographer and online content creator based in San Diego, CA. He worked on several freelance gigs for several companies such as Fox Sports West. He worked as a Production Assistant, Grip, Camera Operator and Video Editor while living in Los Angeles. It was Youtube and the growth of Online Video that, he switched from traditional media to online media. Currently he lives in San Diego as a Freelance Videographer and Vlogger.

Ron DeLeon

YouTube.com/TheRonDeLeon

Based on a True Story, The Founder is about the rise of Ray Kroc, played by Michael Keaton. He went from Milkshake Mixer Salesman to the multi-millionaire owner of the McDonald’s Corporation. In 1954, Ray joined the company and opened up his own McDonald’s restaurant in Des Plaines, Illinois. After successfully franchising McDonald’s nationwide, he eventually bought out the company founders, Richard and Maurice McDonald, turning the small hamburger stand into a Billion-Dollar Global Empire. Here are some lessons we learned from The Founder. 1. Persistence If you are selling a product or services based on your skills and people reject you, keep going no matter the odds. Eventually, people will hire you or buy your product.

3. Be Open to New Ideas and Innovation If you have an idea, put it out there. What is the worst thing that can happen? There are always new ideas and innovation that can improve or damage your business. It doesn’t hurt to try new things. 4. Maintain Quality Customer Service The customers are your biggest clients and your ultimate bosses. Your customers can either make or break your business. Make sure you get repeating customers by providing great customer service. 5. Think Big If you want to keep your business small and comfortable, your business won’t grow. If you run a successful business and if you want to expand, Always Think Big.

2. Find Ways to Improve Your Business If your first business model doesn’t work, find ways to improve it. Keep building and reinventing your business plans until your business improves.

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Success Mastery Member

Kristen Crooks is a personal assistant, and ghostwriter. When writing she works closely with her clients, to truly understand their vision, tone and ideas, making any article, book, or publication sounds, and feels like whom she is writing for. While working as a personal assistant Kristen strives for excellence no matter how small the task, with the goal of making her employers life as easy as possible. Kristen also Co-Founder of Inspire-Off, a show that aims to show people that inspiration can come from anywhere. Kristen’s main goal is to help others in any way she can.

Kristen Crooks

FB.com/Kristen.Crooks

How To Avoid the Top 3 Mistakes in Event Planning Who doesn’t like going to events? They can be fun, educational, and create valuable connections, though we have all been to an event or two that could be better. We are going to explore three common mistakes people make when planning events that can lead to an uninspired event. 1. Pitchfests Can Be a Real B**chfest The number one mistake at networking events is when people pitch and repeat. This ends up creating an event where there is no real value and no point in attending. Once an event has a reputation for being somewhere that people go to pitch themselves, others who wish to provide value won’t see the point in attending. Although you can’t control what people say to each other, you can institute games and criteria throughout the night that foster an environment of people connecting. The best part of any event should be the people you have the opportunity to connect with, so encourage people to attend who want to make connections, those who want to raise up the community as well as themselves. Each entrepreneur has something special to offer the world; let’s help them realize their true potential and not just their tired pitch. Make your event unforgettable: institute games & foster an environment of people connecting. 2. Lack of Structure When planning an event, make sure you take into consideration that not everyone is tuned in to your schedule. Make sure you leave time for your guests to network with each other in the activities you have planned. When you don’t have this time added to the schedule, there is a good chance they will network during the value you have designed for them. This not only takes away from other guests, but it turns the event that you put so much work into preparing, into just another networking event. When you put work into planning an event, know what outcome you want to achieve and make your event stand out in your niche. Remember that your guests can go anywhere to network anytime they want, so you have to give them a reason to want to come to your event. Make your event stand out: Have time planned in for networking so guests can get the most out of it and will keep coming back! 3. Food or Drinks Onsite I know it may seem like a minor detail, but having food or drinks onsite can make or break an event. When people are hungry, they get distracted. There is a good chance your guests who are hungry or thirsty will take the first chance they have to leave your event. Don’t let that happen! Even though your value may be great, it’s hard to think of anything else when you are hungry! Having food and drinks at your event will make it easier for your guests to stay comfortable and focused while you have value planned for them! Pro tip - Food fosters focus! Keeping your guests full will help keep them happy! These tips may seem small, but implementing them will create a unique event your guests will enjoy time and time again!

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d n i m r e t s Ma Come hike and mastermind with like minded individuals! Find us on Facebook to RSVP!

14th April

Saturday April 14th @ 8am Pyles Peak Trail 7029-7055 Golfcrest Dr, San Diego, CA 92119

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Success Mastery Member

Go Ahead, Take a Break Denise Davis is a best-selling author, Co-Founder of Growing With Grace Family Daycare, and founder of That’s It! A Personal Touch. In her spare time, Denise loves to hang out with family and explore her creative side making all kinds of beautiful hand crafts. Denise lives in Spring Valley, CA with her husband, Richard, and they are students of Stegela Success Mastery.

Denise Davis GrowingWithGraceSD.com

Grind, grind, grind and more grind...the life of an entrepreneur. Are you in a service or product based business? If so, you know how much work is involved in marketing, “dating” the customer, to earn their business, providing just the right level of service, and then follow up. Customer satisfaction leads to referrals and referrals to new customers, and the cycle repeats. Unless you’re in a position to have an office assistant, you also have the dayto-day operations (paperwork) to tend to. And let’s not forget about balancing family, shopping, networking, and all of life’s other happenings. In all the hustle and grind, most entrepreneurs completely forget about their most important priority, themselves. Of course not in a product kind of way, but definitely with health and service, aka self-care. If we don’t take some time to refuel, our bodies will do it for us in the form of burnout, sickness, brain fog, stress, or even worse, death. It is so easy to become completely focused on a task or goal that you forget to pop your head up for a much needed breath of fresh air. That happened to me recently as I was running to reach a goal and I didn’t listen to my body screaming “warning, burnout approaching.” That felt like fatigue, scratchy throat, headache, and brain fog. But I ignored the symptoms and kept pushing forward ... then crankiness, body aches, and unplanned naps appeared. I was no longer productive and felt bad so I couldn’t work. Has that ever happened to you? I read that the symptoms/ warning signs can be unlimited and differ for each person. If you’re having symptoms, please pay attention. Burnout can cause severe strain in your business, in your relationships, and your health. When I realized what was happening, it was time to take a break. I went out with some friends I hadn’t seen in a while: great fun and lots of laughs took over. It was energizing. Here is a short list of activities I now schedule on purpose for self-care: mani-pedi, massage, spa day, family/ friend time, beach, movies, reading, and afternoon power naps. I highly recommend you make a list of your favorite activities and purposely put them on your calendar and have a self-care date. You will thank yourself for the love. If you’ve ever flown on a plane, the public service announcement tells us that “in case of emergency, put your mask on first.” Remember, you’re no good to anyone if you can’t breathe. I hope this inspires you to GO AHEAD, TAKE A BREAK.

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Success Mastery Member

KIDS ARE NO LONGER AN EXCUSE

How to integrate your kids into your entrepreneur life. Are you an entrepreneur with kids? If you’re like thousands of others out there, then you can agree that integrating business and kids can be challenging. Finding a common ground between work and family can seem downright impossible. Nevertheless, we know of another set of thousands of successful entrepreneurs who can accomplish what seems to be impossible. Ladies and gentlemen, it is possible and in this article you will learn three methods to successfully integrate kids into your entrepreneurial life. Trust and Delegation If you’re like me, delegation can be challenging. I mean, come on. My mentality has always been, “If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.” Can you relate? But when do you draw the line from sacrificing a soccer game versus going to a networking mixer? The answer is simply learning the skill to trust others on your team and delegate tasks that need to be accomplished. When you have enough trust and confidence to be able to delegate tasks, imagine what impact it will make on your children while you spend time with them at the park, theirs games, or helping them with their homework. You must have trust and the skill of delegation, my friend.

Mary Hang is a serial entrepreneur and philanthropist. Although she wears multiple hats as an entrepreneur, her biggest and most rewarding passion is impacting the youth through Young Entrepreneur Society.

“Auntie” Mary Hang www.MyYES.org

Work While Others Sleep There’s a quote I once heard; “Great achievement always requires great sacrifice.” Sorry to say it, but sometimes you gotta sacrifice sleep. I know, sleep is great, isn’t it? But isn’t spending time with your kids just as fulfilling? With 99% of kids having a pretty consistent schedule, I would like to encourage you to sacrifice sleep by working while they sleep in order to spend time with them while they’re awake. Family Award System I understand that entrepreneurship and family life can be challenging. Life isn’t perfect and there will be days, weeks, and months that are crunch time and you just must make that meeting, that conference, or that deadline. However, in business and in life, we must remember, “It’s not about you; it’s about what’s in it for them.” What is in it for your kids to be more understanding of the entrepreneur grind? I suggest you implement an award system. First, you must keep in mind that communication is paramount. For example, sit down with your kids and have a simple, “Mom and/or Dad are going to have a busy week so if we can all work hard together as a family and help each other get through this week, we can all do a family outing this weekend.” It can truly be that simple, my friend. Trust me. Conclusion/Action Step What it truly all comes down to is priorities and even sacrifices from time to time. Just because we are successful and ambitious entrepreneurs who took the road less traveled doesn’t mean that we have to sacrifice family. It doesn’t mean that you have to miss your kids’ biggest moments in life. No, you are an empowered entrepreneur who makes your own schedule and creates your own life by design. So I encourage you to test these methods above and give me feedback on what has worked and what you need more guidance and advice on.

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Success Mastery Member

Self-Love Can Change Your Life & Business

Ranee Siri is a wellness coach for corporate and busy professionals. She is also an author, speaker, yoga and meditation instructor, as well as a Reiki master. She loves helping people maintain a healthy mind and body so they can create success in any area of their life.

Ranee Siri

www.RaneeSiri.com

We are always caught up in making something happen and working towards the next big thing, but it is so important to have balance. Taking time to be with yourself is just as important as the time you take to be with your business. Practicing self-love is something that changed my life and career. The practices I share below have helped me gain the confidence to do big things. 1. Nurture a Supportive Community Everyone likes to be independent. We all want to be able to do everything we can for ourselves. As much as we try, we cannot do everything alone; we need to surround ourselves with like-minded people who support us and help us stay motivated. Positivity is a powerful tool, and surrounding yourself with positive people will help you grow. For entrepreneurs it is good to be part of a mastermind or networking group. I am thankful to be part of Stegela’s Mastermind. I feel very inspired and supported by everyone I have met in the group. 2. Make a List of Things That are Working for You You’ve probably heard that in order to love someone else you need to learn to love yourself. We all have bad days where we cannot see the love surrounding us. On these days, I like to make myself a list of things that are going right for me. It helps to have a concrete reminder of the wonderful things in

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your life on days when it does not seem like anything is wonderful. 3. Take Care of Your Body Taking care of your body is an important part of selflove, but will also help boost your energy. Be intentional with what you do with your body and what you put into it. You’ll not only look good, but you’ll feel good. Feeding and caring for your body correctly will have you feeling the love from your head to your toes. 4. Don’t Compare Yourself to Others Social media makes it easier than ever to compare yourself to others. The next time you start feeling down about yourself after browsing, know that everyone has bad days. You’re perfect just the way you are and don’t need to compare yourself to anyone. You have so much going for you! 5. Do Something You’re Good At Everyone has a hobby or skill that they’re good at. Practicing your hobbies is one of the ultimate ways to build your self-esteem. Self-esteem and self-love are intertwined on your path to happiness, and you can build both at the same time while boosting your endorphins.

How to SUCCEED at Your Next Pitch or Sales Meeting ‘Moving the Needle’ is a monthly column where sales expert Chris Stock shares tips, tools, and strategies focused on increasing profitability for business professionals. I want you to be successful. In fact, it’s my job. I teach business owners and entrepreneurs how to reach success, and ultimately that means increasing revenue and making more money. So how do we make more? We sell. “Why do I need to learn how to sell? My product/business/service is awesome, so it will sell itself.” After teaching sales training to tens of thousands of people across the world, I’ve heard this more times than I can count. But sadly, this isn’t true! In business we’re always selling. Selling ourselves, our company, our ideas, our products and services. At the end of the day, it’s all sales. BIG-MOUNTAIN SELLING I started my career as a ski instructor in the French Alps, and soon after getting into sales I started to see a similarity between the two. At a certain level, learning sales is like learning big-mountain skiing. Mistakes hurt. Sure we have to make mistakes to learn, but just like we prepare with an instructor before we hit the slopes, we can prepare before a pitch or meeting to set ourselves up for success. Today I’m going to teach you some tools you can put into action to be successful and sell more effectively. These are the same tools and techniques I’ve garnered after three decades in the sales industry working with clients like Google, BMW, and Sony Pictures. Though simple, they’re proven effective.

SALES TIPS FOR TODAY 1) Start a dialogue, NOT an interview: Sales works best in conversation, and how we achieve this is simple. Ask questions that require more than yes or no to answer. You want the other person speaking. You want them engaged mentally and emotionally. Save the yes or no for when you’re ready for commitment. 2) Practice active listening: Asking great questions gives you access to everything you need to know. The key then is to listen. It can be challenging if we feel like we’ve heard this before. We may want to fill in the blanks. Don’t! Here’s an active listening checklist: 1) Be present, 2) Listen to every word, 3) Read body language. Got it? Good! Now practice with everyone. Your mom, the mailman, the bus driver. A good rule of thumb is to treat everyone like they have something to teach you. Listen just to listen. You’ll be amazed what you pick up. 3) When you’re out of questions… ask more: This is very simple and yet tremendously effective. You’ve asked a number of questions. You think you understand the client’s needs. You’ve gained a lot of information and insight. Good! I always say at this stage, ask one more question. Often, this is where the magic lies. CONCLUSION The beauty with these tips is you don’t have to wait until your next sales or pitch meeting to put them into action. Start practicing today and by the time you’re ready for your next big deal you won’t be afraid to fail (just don’t be afraid to succeed either). by Chris Stock iamchrisstock.com/blog

Spring Cleaning our Social Media Spring is upon us and so is spring cleaning, that time of year we get inspired to clean up our office and home. But what entrepreneurs often overlook is cleaning their social media pages (the most important cleaning needed). Long before TMZ started digging up virtual dirty laundry on celebrities, consumers, business owners, and contractors started Googling people they wanted to work with. Google yourself to see what comes up. It is one of the very first things I do with new clients because I want to see what the average person sees when looking up their name and business. After you Google yourself, it’s time to clean up your Facebook. If you want Facebook freedom, it is an absolute must that you create a separate personal account and make it private. Even an alias is a good idea. Two years ago fitness guru Jillian Michaels had a private account on Facebook for her friends and family until her wife posted a photo meant for her pro account and accidentally tagged the private account that was under Jill Mike. Within minutes she had thousands of friend requests and people checking out the photos only meant for her friends. I’m guessing Heidi had to do burpees for a week. Speaking of tagging, dedicate some time to removing tags on your personal and professional pages from photos or posts that you wouldn’t want clients to see. I’m sure Mardi Gras was a blast,

but the last thing you might want your clients to see is photos of you reliving the movie Girls Trip. I recommend utilizing Facebook’s photo tag settings so you can approve or decline the tag before it is posted. You don’t want to shut down tagging altogether because it is a very important visibility element for your business. Next, stay off of public forums. There are way too many haters with nothing but time on their hands and will make it their life mission to find you online and tag you as well as the company you own or work for. My rule of thumb for my clients is if you wouldn’t stand on a box in front of your business and share your viewpoint, stay off your social media soapbox as well. Synchronize all of your profile photos. Just like the sign out front of all the different Starbucks is the same, the “sign” on your different online locations should be the same as well. Update your profile and keywords in your bios for the same reasons that storefronts change their window displays; give followers a new reason to come in. Follow and unfollow accounts; new vibes bring new business. Also, make it a point to give your vendors a shout out when appropriate. It’s a great way to network and let your competitors’ followers know they have options. You need to remember how important social media is for your business. It is time-consuming, but well worth it if done correctly. This is often the first impression shoppers have of you, so if you don’t have the time, it’s a profitable investment to hire a professional who does, and I just happen to know someone. by Jody Taylor sixty5media.com

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Young Entrepreneurs Society Member

Cutting Class to Get More Class Darian Chem is an author, speaker, podcaster, and vice president of Y.E.S at Crawford High School. He is a very outgoing leader who leads by example by always taking action on his goals while helping others achieve theirs.

Darian Chem

StegelaSuccess.com

As a 17-year-old man, I realized I wanted to be different than other teenagers and wanted to change my life, NOW! So I took these three steps to attain success as a teen. Try it. It will work for you.

mentors have guided me with my e-commerce business, expanded my mindset, helped me write my very own book and taught me how to network with amazing entrepreneurs.

READING As it is said, the best investment is investing in yourself. Here’s why and how reading can help you develop mentally and physically.

The more I learn, the more value I earn. I would recommend that all teens have a mentor because it will change your life. I can’t stress it enough. You will be ahead of the game in no time. The mentors I have are all involved in the same mastermind group known as Stegela, which I am part of. I can’t thank them enough because they helped me with everything and allowed my mind to see things the average teen can’t see. So if you don’t have a mentor, get out there and go find one!

Although you may think reading is boring, it allows your mind to grow and develop new skills as a person. For me, reading was something I hated. But I wanted to rewire my mindset, so I picked up the book Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. What that book has done for me personally is to help me find mentors. But what really struck me was I wasn’t even done with the book before finding mentors. While reading it, I figured I would implement each chapter into my daily life and the results were amazing. Another book that helped me grow socially was reading the book How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. After reading the book and implementing each chapter, I have built many relationships in and out of school and even for myself. These are just a few books I have read to help me grow. It’s remarkable what books can do, so I encourage you to read because books can and will change your life entirely. Books are great mentors that will pour precious thoughts into your soul. So take some time and invest in yourself! MENTORS Just as books, physical mentors are a tremendous impact on your life. For one, mentorship is important because of the knowledge and skills they provide. Mentors are people who have been there, done that, and have seen it all. Your chances of succeeding with a mentor are 10x higher than succeeding alone. A mentor is someone who is part of your life, guiding and sharing their advice to help you. My mentors push me beyond my limits. My

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FRIENDS You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. The meaning of this is who you surround yourself with, you act and think the same way. For example, if you are positive, you will attract and be surrounded by positive people. The same goes for negativity. This is known as the law of averages. I encourage you to choose the right friends because your success will be determined by the people you invest your time with. For me, although I’m acquainted with a lot of people, I socialize with mentors. Personally, mentors are like friends. As I continue to build my relationships with my mentors, I think and act just like them. However, be careful who your friends are because they will impact you and your career. When you see and feel negative energy around you, make sure you moonwalk all over it! In conclusion, these are the three steps to teen success. As a teenager, understand this: success is not taught, but it is caught. If you want to be successful in life, you have to be great because greatness is determined by service.

The World Is About to Change! It’s in the air. Women are feeling it around the globe. It is a need to release what they are calling their feminine power. But what is feminine power? Don’t get this confused with the ‘60s and ‘70s movement which was more about freedom. This new movement is a realization, finally, that most women aren’t happy working in the linear world of men. Women have a deep seated desire to make a major difference in the world. This isn’t going to be accomplished by building, aligning or deducing through logical conclusions the world around us. It will be accomplished when women take hold of, identify with, and begin to listen to their inner voice, their intuition. It is not to say women are the only ones with intuition. It is, however, a fact that women are the majority holders when it comes to listening to right brain activity. It is also true many of us women are losing our natural instinct to listen to the “intuition” our “gut” instinct” as we have worked our way up the male dominated ladder to the top of corporations. This is affecting women in significant ways. We are losing who we are meant to be. With all that said, this really isn’t a women against men movement. It is a Right Brain/Left Brain movement. Brain World December 31, 2017 The left brain is in charge of rational thought — logic, thinking things through, making decisions, and calculating.

The right brain is the location of your intuition. Emotions, senses, music, art, and creative thought are right-brain experiences. Steve Jobs, 2005 --”Have the courage to follow your heart and your intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become.” How did women get so lost and pulled away from our “knowing” when Steve Jobs capitalized on it. It was the reason for his success. As this movement begins to take center stage, we need the women and men who are in tune to their intuition to lead the way. I met one such woman recently, Ali Matthews. She is the President and Creative Director of Ali and Ariel, custom design apparel for collegiate sorority women. Her passion developed while in college in a sorority and ten years later has a nationwide company reaching into Canada. Ali says “I’ve learned to listen to my intuition; the inner wisdom that lives inside of all of us. If you listen to it, you will come to see it as your superpower, the place where the magic lives. Learning to discern your intuition from the chaos around you takes time and patience. After you have hit one of those inevitable times that are difficult at best, look back and see if you listened, learned from each moment. My bleakest moments have come when I did not listen.” We are stepping into a new frontier that is exciting! A frontier that is powered by the mind of everyone who uses their right brain to understand problems. As we design our lives listening to our intuition with a focus on making a difference in the world, it is not only possible that this world will be forever changed for the better, but probable. Entrepreneur: Ali Matthews Written by Betsy Dyson AliandAriel.com

One of the Biggest Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make One of the biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make is failing to follow up. Some people don’t want to bother their family, friends, customers, or prospects. They call once, don’t get a response, and give up, or they post once on social media, get no likes or comments and never post again. They figure this line of work isn’t for them if they aren’t successful overnight. A follow-up system is crucial to a successful business. The follow-up format can be as simple as using pencil and paper to keep track of your customers, or you can use an automated system that reminds you with whom to follow up and when. If you work in sales, it’s important to follow up to make sure your customers are satisfied with their order. It is imperative to continue following up to build the relationship so they remember you when it’s time to reorder. You have probably heard that the fortune is in the follow up. Follow ups can be in the form of handwritten or electronic made cards, text messages, emails, phone calls, private messages, or post interactions on social media. Make 2-3 personal contacts for every 1 sales contact you make with customers and prospects. According to the National Sales Executive Association, “80% of sales are made on the fifth to twelfth contact.” People buy from those they like, know, trust, and remember. If people don’t remember you, they won’t continue buying from you. In network marketing, following up with prospects is just as important as with customers. People join people, not companies. Prospects will not sign with someone who isn’t genuine and consistent in their business. Some people may say no to an opportunity for numerous reasons: timing, company knowledge, quietly observing before making a commitment, or researching the best company for them. The fifth follow up could be a yes; that person could be your next rockstar, the one who plays a huge part in pushing you to your next promotion or bonus you have been working towards. What if the next contact you make could be your next big customer or next motivated prospect? What if the customer or prospect you thought was ignoring you was just too busy that day to respond to your message? Remember, the fortune is in the follow up. Don’t stop following up with people unless they request that you do. By having an organized follow-up system, you will save time, build genuine relationships, and be remembered. by Lauren B. Aven, M.A. LaurenAven.com

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ENTREPRENEUR OF THE MONTH

COLE & SANJA HATTER

make, no matter “No matter how much money you tter how big your how many cars you drive, no ma e. At our funerals home is, no one is going to car talking about our no one is going to stand around are going to talk cars, homes or vacations. They the world.” about the impact we made on This quote is from the inspired couple that started Thrive, a speaker conference that is centered around teaching entrepreneurs how to start a “for purpose business.” Cole Hatter has always had the entrepreneurial fire lit inside of him. From a young age he would take mistletoe off Christmas trees and sell it to his neighbors. As he grew older his businesses grew, too. In high school, Cole started his own clothing company and found his entrepreneurial spirit. From a young age Cole dreamed of becoming a firefighter. He realized his dream but, sadly, a car accident put him in a wheelchair, which put his career on hold. At that moment, he didn’t know if his body would physically recover enough to be a firefighter again. That is when his entrepreneurial journey began. His body did fully recover, but he never went back to firefighting. Instead, he found a real passion for entrepreneurship. Although Cole and Sanja knew each other in high school, their relationship didn’t start until Cole sat down to have a drink one day and Sanja was his bartender. Initially Sanja didn’t want to venture into entrepreneurship. Having obtained her bachelors of science in criminal justice with a minor in psychology, Sanja craved the stability of a job. It did not take long, however, for her to change her tune. Sanja says that she would come home and see Cole working from home. He had the opportunity to go out and work from where he wanted and truly enjoy his life. Now Cole and Sanja run a digital marketing agency and are deeply involved in real estate, run a mastermind group, and are even starting a champagne company! Now each of their businesses is for-purpose and they believe the model of helping people is the best way to model your business.

business had such a positive impact on so many lives that people named themselves the Thrive Tribe. From the first event, Sanja and Cole realized how impactful this conference would be. Even though it is an immense amount of work, Sanja says it is worth it with all the emails and calls they get saying how many lives Thrive has changed. With all the success they have experienced, it comes with hardship and failures, creating amazing advice! Cole reminds us that often as entrepreneurs we get so excited about our ideas that we forget how much time it is going to take to get there. “It is going to cost more, take more time, and make less money.” Cole tells us that the payoff is so much more than they could have imagined. Sanja’s first piece of advice comes from her believing in the stability and comfort of a job. She would have told herself to dream bigger because you can only go as far as you dream. This piece of advice is tried and true! The more you dream, and the more you believe in yourself, so many more doors will open! Sanja knows that if she would have dreamed bigger from the start, she could have created a massive impact in the world earlier. The advice doesn’t stop there, though! This power couple tells us not to chase the wealth, but to instead chase the impact that wealth can create by creating a business that impacts others around you, lifts up not only you and your network, but also strangers, families, and those who need it the most. Moving forward, Cole and Sanja hope that more people will adopt this way of running a business and work towards creating a better world. This fantastic power couple has impacted so many lives around the world and continues to live a life of inspiration for others. Creating massive success for themselves and those around them through good intentions and hard work is what they specialize in. We at Life By Design can’t wait to see what they do next! Interviewed by Stephen Dela Cruz Written by Kristen Crooks www.LBDMagazine.com

The idea of a purposeful business started after Cole had misfortune in business. He ended up losing a lot of money, so he moved to Mexico. While in Mexico he devoted his life to others. Cole lived as a full-time philanthropist; he helped take care of homeless families, and even helped start an orphanage. While he was there, he realized how far his money was going, and how many more lives he could impact if he made more. From there on out Cole and Sanja’s businesses were built around positively impacting the world. This is how the Thrive conference started. They initially thought it was going to be a one-off event, something that happened only once. However, teaching others how to start a for-purpose

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Thought Leaders Zone

Fool Or Foe Owning Failure to Create Success In the summer of 2009, I moved to the Arctic, by choice. I was on a mission for a fresh start. What I discovered was a shocking truth that would forever change the way I approached life and business. Arriving in a new environment can be exhilarating - just like starting a new project or even a new relationship. For us entrepreneurs, the risk and challenge involved with starting over is addictive. I was up for the challenge, and my first days were filled with long, sunny days and an UNstoppable spirit. On day four, everything changed. I liken it to the rush of going on a third date, after the first two have been spectacular, and all of a sudden it’s like someone has put on the reality glasses and you have the proverbial, ‘I think I’ve made a mistake’ moment.

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The next morning, I greeted Toby with a big smile and I continued to speak and demonstrate kindness and love all day long, no matter what. Toby responded with love. By 3:30pm he was curled up in my lap, even giving me doggy kisses. And in that moment I learned my biggest life lesson to date. It hit me like an iceberg! I was the problem! The problem in my entire life was me...and I began to celebrate because I realized that if I was the problem, I could also be the solution. As I looked back on my life, all the successes and failures, I identified countless moments where I could have transformed outcomes by simply changing my perspective and approach.

I felt like a fool. And yet, I journeyed on. I had made my choice, and I was going to make it right, even in the face of things going from bad to worse. (Entrepreneurship 101, right?)

Immediately, I got on the phone and started to mend relationships. Life was no longer happening to me I was creating it.

I was, for all intents and purposes, homeless while I would house-sit for absentee homeowners that I’d find on the local grocery store’s announcement board.

I arrived a blind fool, met my foe, and I left the Arctic with a deep understanding that is so beautifully expressed in these two quotes from Paulo Coehlo’s The Alchemist,

That’s when I met Toby the Pomeranian. He was left in my care for 10 days, had an ulcer and would nearly give me an ulcer!

“Remember that wherever your heart is, there you will find your treasure...Because when we love, we always strive to become better than we are.”

We did not get along. Day after day, Toby played tricks on me, locked me out, even bit me!

You are only a fool when you choose to be your own biggest foe.

I decided to have a come to Jesus talk with my k-9 nemesis. “Toby, this can’t continue - something’s got to change! Tomorrow, I’m going to wake up and love you like you’ve never been loved!’’

by Davide Di Giorgio DeliverVision.com

The biggest mistake I think many of us have made at some point in our lives is believing the only way to become successful is to take the same worn out beaten path. A popular misconception is, “If you want to pursue a career as a marketer, you’ll need a degree in marketing.” Or, if you dream of becoming the CEO of your own company, “You’ll need to get a degree in business.” So far, from interacting with multiple successful business owners and rising entrepreneurs, this assumption couldn’t be any further from the truth. The purpose of attaining those degrees is indeed to add value to your knowledge, but during this time you are only digging a deeper hole that you’ll have to crawl out of eventually. Whether it’s financially or emotionally. Everything I Want Is Out There Everyone makes mistakes, but possibly the most common of them all is not believing in your abilities and following someones else’s lead straight into a dead-end lifestyle. Hence, ignoring that sensation in your stomach that is screaming “What is stopping me? Everything I want is out there.” I say, go

out and retrieve that success which is rightfully yours. You don’t have to wait for anyone’s approval to demand results and take action. Despite living in a “Sink or swim” culture, entrepreneurs have the chance to learn as they go along. Of course some mistakes are inevitable, but none will be more disastrous than trusting in other people’s limitations and transfixing them as your own. You will never see just how much you can accomplish if you continuously hesitate to take that first step toward a new and previously unexplored route. Disbelieving in your vision or your dream will only ensure negative outcomes. If you understand your goal and what it takes to get there, you’ll begin to realize that you are forging your road, therefore enabling yourself to inspire countless others on the way to do the same. This road has different lanes, but they each lead to massive success. by Steven Ramirez instagram.com/theguywiththeshades

WWW.CRUZINSOCIALMEDIA.COM Contact dominic@cruzinsocialmedia.com to schedule a 7 day trial in the CruzIN Experience!

SOCIAL MEDIA IS THE ULTIMATE EQUALIZER. IT GIVES A VOICE & A PLATFORM TO SPREAD THEIR MESSAGE.

a Mistake in the Making

COMING MAY 25th STAY TUNED

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Success Mastery Member Hi my name is Alan, I’m an experienced iPhone technician. I have been selling and repairing iPhones, laptops and all forms of electronics for five years. I started Mobilezilla with the intention of helping as many people and animals as I can, so ten percent of all proceeds going toward red cross and different animal shelters.

Alan Leung

www.Mobilezilla.biz

5 Leadership Tips for Intro-prenuers Many times we entrepreneurs are the leader for our team or project. This can sometimes be challenging if you’re an introvert, as that is not usually a natural trait. At least that’s how the public may perceive it. As introverts, we have natural leadership abilities that others may not possess. Below are 5 quick tips on how we can use introversion to benefit our team.

Lead by Example

Introverts typically don’t speak loudly in front of everyone. However, there are still other ways to communicate effectively. One of the biggest things we can do is to lead by example. As we have all heard and seen, do not tell me what to do, show me what to do. It’s much more powerful if you do what you are asking of those around you and doing it at a high level. People are more likely to follow a leader as opposed to a dictator that just tells them what to do while they sit there twiddling their thumbs.

Good Listener

Introverts tend to be natural listeners. Listening is a great quality in leaders as it shows you care and that others matter to you. We don’t just spout off advice or answers to sound intelligent, but we speak from the heart after we’ve listened to your concerns. The most important part is that we first listen intently, ask questions to clarify and understand the meaning, then respond based on the input that we received.

Take Time to Reflect

You don’t always have to make quick, impulsive decisions. When the stakes are high and the outcome affects all those around you, take time to weigh the pros and cons of each decision. Make an informed decision, not one based on your emotion in the spur of the moment.

Let the Team Know What the Expectations Are

It doesn’t matter if you’re a private company or a Fortune 500 company. The only way to measure progress and see growth is to first define what the outcome is. You as the leader must define the expectations for those around you. Once goals are established, you must also inspect what you expect. Check in to make sure progress is being made in accordance to expectations.

Open Communication

In order for any team to achieve its goals, it is imperative that the line of communication is open. Give your team different channels to communicate and express concern or questions. Some may choose to email, others to meet privately and some through a group meeting. This will show your team you care, and if you care they are more likely to care. There you have it, 5 simple tips on being an effective leader as an introvert!

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My name is Dominic Cruz and I am a Social Media Marketer, exprofessional hip-hop dancer, & a college graduate from SDSU. I was born in New Orleans, but raised in Boston, MA. I have a strong passion for serving others and their business. I was introduced to social media marketing back in 2013 and what was amazing about the experience in the beginning was I made 20 sales in one week with 1 Facebook advertisement. That experience is what led me to serving tons of business owners. I found it very rewarding to help others more than myself because others people are just as important and helping them achieve their goal is a blessing.

Dominic Cruz

CruzinSocialMedia.com

Success Mastery Member

How To Predict Your Future The future is uncertain, but what if it wasn’t? What if I told you there is a way you could predict your future? What is your current mindset? Have you ever thought about PREDICTING your mindset? Do you think it’s possible?

tions were more about the people I spoke with rather than myself, and I smiled more. That breakup experience was by far the best thing for me because it helped me predict what my next steps would be.

What is mindset? According to the dictionary, it’s an established set of attitudes by someone. It’s very interesting how the mind works because if you believe in negativity, guess what? Your behavior becomes negative. It dictates what you will do and that’s the beauty of your mindset. But, wouldn’t YOU like to know how you can predict your future with your mindset?

Surroundings As my behavior changed, my surroundings were changing. As my surroundings were changing, I was attracting people that were like me. I was attracting people who wanted to succeed as an entrepreneur. My experiences led me to thinking about being around people who wanted the same thing. Freedom! You are who you surround yourself with, so who do you surround yourself with daily?

Here are three keys to predicting your future: Life Experiences How have you adapted to life after your experiences? It doesn’t matter what kind of experience it is, but what matters is your adjustment. So many people throughout my life would rather stick with being comfortable and negative because they don’t feel like changing for the better. Or they couldn’t see the results quickly. Since they couldn’t see the results, their mindset would shift back to negativity and negative behavior. I was once like that as well. I was in a relationship that ended and I didn’t want to accept the change. I didn’t want to grow without that person and I didn’t want to move on without them. Though things shifted, so did my mindset. I changed my thinking to a more positive mindset. I began to behave in a way where my posture was up, my conversa-

Daily Rituals At last, this is one of the most important keys to predicting your future. Your daily rituals! Every morning I wake up, reflect, pray, and play a quick video game. I feel that if I want to succeed I want to do things that I enjoy and that get me moving in my business. What you do routinely is crucial and if you don’t have daily rituals that feed your spirit in a positive way, then you want to create 3 rituals to help you move forward to success. When you find yourself in a messy situation, don’t focus on the past. You have the power to predict your future and get yourself out of the mess and into success. Your mess can be your message. You have the power - it’s all in your mindset.

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Success Mastery Member

Being a woman who grew up in an abusive environment and having been previously married to an abusive man, I know the feeling to not have a voice. As I began my journey to find my voice, I realized I always had one. Through the discovery of my voice, I noticed how much of an impact I made. Utilizing all of my personal development experiences, I want to help people become influencers and leaders in their field to make an even greater impact on those they serve. Living Live helps you find YOUR voice. Our course of empowerment can enhance your skills to help reach your fullest potential in a short period of time. Living Live offers oneon-one engagement and provides exercises to help you achieve your mission in life. You will receive additional support through our Facebook Group community and together we will make an even greater impact on the world.

Lynda M. West www.LivingLive.tv

4 KEYS to a Successful and FRUITFUL Volunteer Experience Horace Mann said, “Doing nothing for others is the undoing of ourselves.” I love giving back and my favorite way of doing so is by volunteering. This morning I sat down and actually counted the number of times I have volunteered for both charitable organizations and for-profit events during the last 18 years (boy, was that a big task). I tell you this not to impress you, but to impress upon you (my favorite Les Brown quote) that I was amazed when I came up with the grand total: 117 volunteer experiences. With that many volunteer experiences under my belt, I have a tip or two to help you make the most of your volunteer experiences and serve your way to the top. Before you go any further, ask yourself this question: “What is the ‘top’ for me?” By answering that question, you will more easily figure out the service path to take. SERVE WITHOUT EXPECTATION I recently spent 11 days volunteering at several events that got me into direct contact with movie stars, millionaires and billionaires who are fast becoming my friends. I am building real relationships with them by serving them without expectation of anything in return. My intention is simply to be in their sphere of influence so I can become a better person by learning from them. I don’t want anything more than that. WHY ARE YOU VOLUNTEERING? When volunteering at an event, think about why you are volunteering and what you hope to gain from your experience. I love volunteering, so the vast majority of my volunteer experience has been simply to serve others. When I serve, I feel like I get more out of the experience than I am giving.

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WHAT IS YOUR DESIRED OUTCOME? Volunteering is a great way to get your foot in the door to that certain person you want to meet, that person who can help you get ahead in life, that person who can give you that one golden nugget that will change your life. But you need to know what your desired outcome is before you can receive it. My primary mission when volunteering is to serve; however, sometimes my desire is to gain a little from the event. It might be learning from the speakers, making a direct connection with the organizer, meeting the talent, interviewing people for my show. The list goes on. What is YOUR desired outcome? Only you can make it happen. BE INTENTIONAL, BUT DON’T TAKE ADVANTAGE I have heard volunteers say things like, “I didn’t get anything from volunteering at this event,” “I don’t feel appreciated,” “I didn’t meet who I wanted to meet.” Here’s the deal. It is up to you to know what you want and then to be intentional about getting it. I can honestly say that every time I have volunteered I have taken away something of value, be it a good feeling of knowing I did something great or making that connection that I wanted. But my intention from the outset is what gave me my desired result, then I took the action to make it happen. If you find yourself not getting your desired result, talk to the organizer. They are grateful that you are there and will assume everything is great unless you talk to them. If you want to meet a specific person, ask them to make an introduction. Remember, your life path is directed by you and your actions, not anyone else’s. If you aren’t getting what you want out of the experience, you have not taken the proper steps to make it happen. I heard this saying recently and it certainly applies to this situation: “If you aren’t willing to lose, then you don’t deserve to gain.” If you are too scared to approach someone to get what you want, then you don’t deserve to have the gains from it. Go into every volunteer opportunity with an objective so you are not disappointed at the end of the event. It’s up to you to make the most of your volunteer experience.

ALL THINGSÂ WOMEN April edition launch handlery hotel 950 Hotel Cir N, San Diego, CA 92108

05.07.2018 | 6:30 pm ENTREPRENEUR LIFESTYLEMAGAZINE MAGAZINE27 27 ENTREPRENEUR LIFESTYLE

Success Mastery Member Hey there! My name is Tiffany and I’m a half Korean and half Mexican recent transplant to San Diego with big hopes and dreams. I’ve been a nomad for the past 7 years learning and gaining experience from the world and am now applying those lessons to my businesses in real estate and as a Spanish interpreter. I hope to help others in their pursuit of their dreams through my services and life experiences.

Tiffany Yi

letusbridgethegap.com

Fail, Fail & Fail Some More I am a HUGE failure. I’ve failed in bowling, baseball, soccer, tennis, math, history, science, the spelling bee, every job I’ve worked, taekwondo, powerlifting, gymnastics, ballet, hip-hop dancing, guitar, piano, magic, just to name a few. I failed because I chose to walk away from each one of those endeavors. I didn’t have the patience and persistence to stick to one of those things to succeed in becoming a master in any. And many people around me will tell you I’ve failed them, too, for not sticking around. I’ve failed in sports, instruments, jobs, along with failing friends, family, co-workers, and old bosses. But guess what… I’m that much closer to success because I’ve eliminated what didn’t work, and I’m one step closer to what truly matters to ME. If I stayed in any of those areas, I would be wasting my time! It took enough time and experience for me to realize that each one wasn’t for me or what I’m meant to pursue in this lifetime. And as for the people I’ve failed? I succeeded in not living out their expectations they had of me; their dreams, not my own. So I urge you to experiment. Try different endeavors that you’ve considered at one point in your life. Pick up the guitar. A soccer ball. Learn coding. Try acting. Become a bartender. After a while, if you’re not into it, walk away and try something new. You’ll never know if you don’t try, and you won’t want to die on your deathbed thinking, “I wonder what it would’ve been like to be a magician.” Make mistakes, make beautiful mistakes! Don’t overthink, don’t worry if it isn’t perfect or if you’re good enough. Try it. And if you fail? GOOD! Now you know that wasn’t for you and you can continue on your journey with more tools and lessons gained from that experience. I’ll leave you with this quote by the great C.S. Lewis, “Failures, repeated failures, are finger posts on the road to achievement. One fails forward toward success.”

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You Are Limitless Can you recall a time in your life when your dreams were as big as the world - to a time when you didn’t know the word impossible? Just like me, I’m sure you had some pretty amazing dreams. But somehow as we grew up and became adults, our lives designed us instead of us designing our lives. And we don’t usually realize this has happened until we are completely burdened and overwhelmed with commitments and responsibilities and screaming, “How did I end up here!” But you know what? You are limitless. You do not have to live burdened and overwhelmed. You are capable of being and doing anything you decide to be and do. You were created to thrive. You were created to be pliable. You can implement changes in your own life. You were, after all, created to not only have life, but have life abundantly. To accept this life of abundance – this life of limitlessness simply plant these three seeds in your life. PLANT SEEDS OF GOOD CHEER Everything that happens in life happens because of a thought. Our thoughts become our actions and our actions become our destiny. Plant seeds of change by changing your thoughts and speech. Forgive those that have hurt you, let go of others’ viewpoints, end friendships that do not help you prosper, leave a job that makes you miserable, and reprogram cultural programs you have been fed. Think on things that are good. Think on things that serve you well. Speak words from a kind and loving heart. Be gracious and merciful and show gratefulness in everything. The more you focus on being grateful, the more changes you’ll see in your perception of the world and your life. The more work you do to lighten your heart, the more joy you will begin to feel in your soul. PLANT SEEDS OF SERVICE When you start serving others without expecting anything in return, you receive complete, genuine satisfaction in your soul. You can serve others by teaching, sharing your knowledge, providing resources, mentoring, or motivating and inspiring others. Once you start looking at how you can make a bigger impact in others’ lives, you’ll feel more joy and happiness in your own life and then things that stop you from pushing yourself further will fall away. PLANT SEEDS OF ABUNDANCE Life as you know it does not have to continue as life as you know it. You are full of untapped potential. You are full of untapped awesomeness. You were created to not only have life, but have life abundantly. It’s yours for the taking; you just have to choose to take it. And you choose it by the thoughts and actions you have. Decide what you want your life to be and go design it. Don’t listen to others who are not where you want to be. Believe in your worth and believe in who you were created to be. by Janine L. Holman FB.com/janine.l.holman

“Oops! I Did It Again.” As entrepreneurs, failure is something that will be brought up a lot… especially inside your own head.

He, too, looking at those stats, should have put the basketball down and quit the NBA all together!!

There will be days when you feel like your confidence will give Bill Gates a run for his money and there will be other days (we all know these other days) where you feel like you’re the biggest dummy in the world, you have no clue what you got yourself into, and a mannequin has more brains than you. You feel that you should just give it all up!!

But we find out that he also held the record at that time for one of the most shots made in NBA history.

I want to share with you a few examples that will help keep your mind from playing tricks on you.

They should have given up and cut their losses!! So many years and time went into birthing these machines that didn’t even work.

1) In 1923, George Herman Ruth, Jr., notoriously known as “The Sultan of Swat,” “The King of Crash,” “The Colossus of Clout,” “Babe Ruth,” and “The Great Bambino!!” broke the record that season for STRIKING OUT more than any other player in Major League Baseball. What a total mess of a failure!! But what you find out is that he also broke the record for the most HOME RUNS in a season that same year. 2) Kobe Bryant holds the record for the highest missed shots in all of NBA history. He missed 14,481* shots! What a complete failure!!

4) The Wright Brothers from Dayton, Ohio, had many massive failures trying to build a “powered flying machine.” In fact, they almost died several times trying to make one.

But we find out later they finally made a successful powered flight in 1903 and as a result from their work we have airplanes today that fly all over the world. You see a theme here in all of this… the biggest “failures” of all time also are the same people we know as the ones with the biggest “success” track records. These are people who, according to the books, were complete failures. So next time you are feeling like a failure… remember… the best success stories usually are massive failure stories, too. by Marc Beatty FB.com/MarcOnPurpose

But what we find out is that he also holds the record for one of the most shots made in all of NBA history. He has a total of 11,719* shots made and 26,200* attempted!

*Stats from https://www.basketballreference.com/

3) Michael Jordan during his career, much like Kobe Bryant, had one of the records for the most missed shots in NBA history at the time.

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FOOLISH THOUGHTS AND MISTAKES IN MINIMALISM Perhaps the hardest part of onboarding minimalism into your life is when you are starting out. If it’s something you rush into expecting an ultimate goal at the end, there can be many pitfalls and lessons to be learned. Instead of rushing into it all at once, I suggest taking things step by step. With a pre-thought plan you can avoid some of the mistakes others have committed. Here are three common mistakes to avoid when becoming a minimalist. I NEED TO GET RID OF EVERYTHING. No, certainly not, and I hope you run away from anyone who thinks this is what minimalism leads to. You do want to reduce the amount of stuff you have, and at the same time be considerate of what you are passing on, but you don’t want to wind up with an empty living room with nowhere to sit. Don’t throw away anything. Consider repurposing or donating instead of wasting. MINIMALISM WILL SOLVE MY PROBLEMS. If you are a hoarder, compulsive buyer, or have any ailment in life and think that minimalism is the end-all-be-all solution, you might be in for a hard transition. Any underlying issues you have aren’t going to go away when you throw out your stuff. You must take time to understand and explore your predicament first. Minimalism can help you as a tool to a stress-free life, but only with the right mindset and attitude. I MUST FOLLOW EVERY RULE. If this is the case, whose rules are you following? Any minimalist manifesto or guide should be taken with a grain of salt. Minimalism should be a personal and evolving journey where you move forward at your pace and comfort level. Guidelines are a great start, but they should be just that, a guide and not a strict set of hard-to-live-by norms. Regardless of how well you plan your minimalism journey, you will eventually face a situation where you will question an emotional possession or regret letting go of another item. And that’s ok. Just like work, sports, math and everything else in life, there will be mistakes made. What you learn from them is what you gain. by Juan David Ortiz-Romero lendit.io

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Success Mastery Member “Become The Woman God Has Designed You To Be” As a Business Consultant, Speaker & Realtor, Gisela Sanchez has helped women see their potential not only as business women but also as the woman God has designed them to be.

Gisela N. Sanchez www.AFGLiving.com

Blessed Beyond Success I’m sure you have heard the phrase, “Walk by Faith,”... but what does that truly mean and how does that look? I can only share with you based on my experience.

talking to him through prayer and mediation. As you do so, God will reveal Himself to you. He will direct the crooked and rocky path that you’re walking on and make it straight.

I have been a licensed realtor for over 12 years and recently have grown a family overnight, as it might seem. Two babies that are 14 months apart that are always asking for momma, especially when I’m getting into the groove of my business. And yes, I do have a husband that is always there to help, but he works away from home while I run the home during the day and build my business as an entrepreneur who helps women “Become the Woman God Has Designed You To Be.”

Although it might not always be easy, you will find great JOY in it! In the bible it says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers(/sister), when you encounter trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything…” James 1:2-4. This is true wisdom that has been shared to millions of people over time and yet it’s a simple instruction from the #1 top selling book ever written.

Because it might seem as if I have little time for myself, I know that the time that I do have must be well spent and I need to trust God that I am going the right direction and that I am actually taking the steps forward to make things happen even if I don’t know exactly what the outcome will be. A lot of times we hold ourselves back from pursuing our calling in life. We think that we either can’t do it, there's not enough money, no time, I’m not an expert, who would listen to me… but the truth is that God created everyone for a purpose. Everyone has a specific role in life and once you figure out who He created you to be, then everything will soon fall into place and you start to notice Divine Appointments and Opportunities coming your way!!

Now remember, the only way to truly walk by faith is to live out your calling with God allowing Him to direct each step you take, so that the creator of this amazing universe can show you the Divine Appointments and Opportunities He has waiting for you. “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7. It’s called a relationship with Jesus. I hope this helps you just as it has helped me and many out there! God is the only way to true success in life and He will direct any crooked path and make it straight, but we must walk by faith, trusting that He will guide us. May this be a blessing on your life and your future generations! God Bless and thank you, Gisela N Sanchez

So how do you know if you are walking in your calling? The easy answer to this in my opinion is that you are walking with Jesus. You spend time with Him reading His scripture in the Bible and

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6 Ways to Avoid Acting Like a Fool When it comes to being a successful entrepreneur, nobody wants to look like a fool. We all want to be seen as the authority in our field.

6. Fear of looking like a fool: that would be the silliest thing to do, allowing yourself to make mistakes, to be wrong is the only way to success.

Sometimes we try so hard to look good that we forget who we are, why we do what we do, and who are we serving.

“So whatever you want to do, just do it... Making a damn fool of yourself is absolutely essential.” ~ Gloria Steinem

Let me show you many ways to avoid acting like a fool:

The world needs your unique gift, whatever you feel passionate about, that awesome service that you, and only you can provide.

1. Reaction instead of action: set your actions to achieve your vision and goals; instead of responding to an external situation or experience you had, usually impacted by a negative feedback from someone else.

Do whatever you want, follow your heart, be authentic, BE YOU! It does not matter what other people might think, it only matters how you make them feel when you show your authentic self and you inspire them to be who they really are.

2. Act like a Know it all: you won’t fool anybody but yourself. Nobody likes an arrogant person…. not even you.

After all, this world belongs to the ones who dare to look like a fool to transform the world around them.

3. Fade in to Fit in: never lose your true colors trying to be somebody else. You are perfect just the way you are.

by Sylvia Chavez SylviaChavez.com

4. Allowing someone else’s expectations rule your actions: this will guarantee you to lead a miserable and unhappy life. Your purpose is not to fulfill somebody else’s dreams but your own, and your own only. As Dr. Seuss said: “Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” 5. Copycats: you are an original, your own imprint, you can’t walk on somebody’s else shoes, they would never fit you and you’ll get a hell of a blisters.

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Success Mastery Mentor

Stephen Dela Cruz is a best selling author, speaker and serial entrepreneur who specializes in helping budding entrepreneurs double their income in their first year. He’s built several 7 figure businesses and in his online school, The Mastermind Experience, he shares strategies around time and money management to help beginning entrepreneurs soar. You can see more about Stephen on his website.

Stephen Dela Cruz StephenDelaCruz.com

DO MISTAKES MEAN FAILURE? What is a mistake? And how as entrepreneurs do we move past each mistake we make in our business? How do we avoid mistakes, mishaps, and inevitably failure? The dictionary definition of a mistake is an action or judgment that is misguided or wrong. Is it possible to build a business without making mistakes? Well, to be honest, it isn’t likely you will build a successful business without hitting roadblocks, mishandling situations, or making the decision that ends up harming your business, but there is only one mistake that you cannot come back from. Do you know what that mistake is? Giving up! Not trying! Not pushing through the small mistakes and misunderstandings that occur every day in business. From a very young age, we are told not to give up, to push through, and work to the end, but no one shows us how. When a mistake happens and the initial pain and shock set in we know we are supposed to keep moving, but how? There are three secrets to pushing past the mistakes that happen as you navigate through the world of business. Number one: Be Sold On Yourself Do you genuinely believe in yourself? I’m not talking about trust fall belief; I am talking about going all in, jumping off a bridge because you know you can make it belief. If you are one hundred and ten percent sold on yourself, the mistakes look like nothing to you. That is all mistakes are, too, small speed bumps in the road that may slow you down, but if you believe in yourself no speed bump can stop you for a second. Before you try to sell others on your product or service, make sure you have sold yourself, and you believe in what you are doing. Number two: Emotions are for the birds When you are making a decision, it is easy to let emotions cloud your judgment. Decisions made when you are happy or feeling down can alter the choice that you make. While most people believe the best time to make a decision is when you are always winning, the best time to make a decision is when you are coming out of a slump. This point of decision making comes right after a “win” after a time you felt like you were down. The reasoning is you are still cautious, but you also have confidence given from that win. If you feel like you have made a mistake, the best thing to do is to calm down, wait for the initial shock to pass, and make your decision based on where you want your business to go from where it is in that moment. Number three: follow the footsteps The easiest way to overcome mistakes is not to make as many! I know that sounds odd, but seeking counsel from someone who has already done what you are trying to do will allow you to hear the mistakes that they already made. That is why asking for council; not opinion, is so important! Going to people who haven’t been where you want to go will only give you their advice; this comes from fear, excitement, or societal expectation. Council comes from experience and knowledge from making the mistakes that you are trying to avoid. Finding someone who can guide you and give you the experiences and skills you need to gain success is the best way to move away from the mistakes you can make.

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“Lean In” by Sheryl Sandberg

BOOK REVIEW

I realized these past few months I’ve only read books written by men (no offense, simply an observation), so this month I was inspired to read a book, “Lean In,” authored by Sheryl Sandberg, the COO of Facebook. Sheryl talks about her challenges and victories as a woman during her college years and into her early professional careers. It’s fascinating to me that I can relate to the issues she talked about. It is evidenced in the book that as entrepreneurs we go through very similar challenges and she shares how she overcame hers. Reading a woman’s perspective was refreshing. Ms. Sandberg talks about the new norm - life & business are together! She shares that new challenges need new solutions. This is especially important for female entrepreneurs who wear many hats, both in family life and business life. She talks about how she and her husband made practical and conscious efforts to make things work. It’s great to know that a career woman doesn’t have to choose family or career; we can have both! Women in leadership roles are lacking. I am so thankful everyday to be surrounded by confident, courageous, and compassionate women. Their presence in my life has helped and is still helping me become a better version of myself.

DY NA MIC DUO TRAI N I NG

Sheryl shared her passion for more women to accept the invitation that we naturally possess; leadership! Reading this book inspired me even more to “sit at the table,” take part and lead so that others like me can have the opportunity to grow and change lives one woman at a time! If you are an entrepreneur and a family person, this is a great read to see from the outside how we can be successful in life and business. We deserve to be thriving in our life and business - we can have both! by Jennifer Meim JenniferMeim.com ENTREPRENEUR LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE 35

10 FINANCIAL MISTAKES

NEW ENTREPRENEURS SHOULD AVOID Are you ready to become an entrepreneur? This has been your life’s dream, leaving your 9-5 and becoming a business owner or entrepreneur. You know that the journey, the endless hours and sacrifices will be worth your time because, in the end, it is all about financial freedom. But with entrepreneurship comes risk. Most businesses don’t reach the 5-year mark. Why? Because of mistakes that have caused them to fail. Today I am going to show you the 10 biggest mistakes new entrepreneurs and business owners make and how to avoid them.

NOT DOING RESEARCH

Before going into business, you have to research. Is your product needed in your current market? Do you know who your ideal audience or client is? Who is your competition? You do have one. Make sure to research prior to spending a cent on anything else. What is the point in starting a business if no one needs your product? Create momentum for your product with your potential clients even prior to spending anything.

NOT HAVING A BUSINESS PLAN

If you don’t create a business plan with early projections and yearly projections, no bank is going to open doors. A goal without a plan is only a dream.

NOT HAVING A BUDGET

Do you have money set aside in case something comes up? It always happens and you will spend more than you anticipated. Therefore, always have at least 10% extra allocated in your budget. How about marketing? “If you build it, they will come”...yes, but only if they know about it. Therefore, make sure to create a marketing budget, too.

PUTTING EVERYTHING ON CREDIT

It can be very tempting to put everything on credit. But that can take you into a downward spiral failure. Because instead of cash flow, you will have debt. Remember, not everything has to be perfect. Start small and grow big. NOT CALCULATING COSTS AND TAXES When you open a business and start generating revenue, don’t forget that Uncle Sam is going to ask for his fair share. Make sure to take taxes into consideration when pricing your products and services.

NOT PAYING YOURSELF FIRST

Do you reinvest everything back into the business? Make sure to pay yourself first or you will burn out! Even if it is something small at the beginning, you always should pay yourself first. In the end, the purpose of having a business is so you can enjoy freedom.

NOT HAVING INSURANCE

When I’m talking about insurance, I am talking about two types of insurance. The first one is Liability insurance. Make sure you are protected in the case of property damage or even bodily damage. Do you work from home and clients come to see you? Your current homeowners or renters insurance will not cover your business activities. If you have a brick and mortar, protect your equipment. The other type of insurance is Life Insurance with Long Term Care in case something happens to you and you cannot work for a period of time. I know, I know, what could happen? Well, people don’t think they need it until they do. Then it is too late. NOT HAVING A FINANCIAL ADVISOR OR COACH This applies to everyone, but especially to new entrepreneurs. If you don’t have anyone guiding you, keeping you accountable or on track of your spending and expenses, this could cause a big business failure. Hire a Financial Expert who will save you time and money.

Commingling Personal and Business Expenses

Business is business and personal is personal. I see this mistake with a lot of my clients. They don’t know how to separate their business expenses from their personal expenses. This is a huge mistake, especially when tax time comes around. If you mix business with “pleasure” you can devalue your business because you are showing too many expenses reducing your profit margin.

NOT TRACKING YOUR SPENDING

If you don’t know where your money is going and on what, you will not know if you are making a profit or not. The IRS doesn’t care if you don’t know how to do this; they assume it is your responsibility to know everything as a business owner. I hope these tips help you to start your entrepreneurship journey on the right foot. And remember, financial education is the path to freedom. by Sara Chevere TheFinanciallyFitWomen.com

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JAMES MALINCHAK

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BEHIND THE SCENES OF

STEGELA

Monthly Networking Mixer The Life By Design March magazine launch party was a huge success. We started the night with the usual networking tic-tac-toe and networking with amazing entrepreneurs. Next we heard from Marty Fallor, our featured cover story. These monthly launch parties are a great place to meet new people and create long lasting connections with awesome San Diego entrepreneurs.

All Women’s Mixer Held in honor of National Women’s Day, this mixer was created specifically so women could connect with other women. It fostered an accepting and exciting environment where women could enjoy the presence of other women entrepreneurs! We also heard from some wonderful speakers who spoke about personality types and spiritual healing.

Entrepreneur Hike Life By Design’s entrepreneur hike is geared toward helping entrepreneurs get into nature and mastermind with like-minded individuals! This was the fist hike and it was a massive success. We hiked to the top of Cowles Mountain in Santee, California, while masterminding our businesses and making lasting connections with fellow entrepreneurs!

Warriors to Business Stegela Success Mastery’s founder, Stephen Dela Cruz, spoke at the Warriors to Business event, which is focused on connecting veteran business owners and military personnel who want to venture into entrepreneurship.

Speakers Open Mic Stegela Success Mastery sponsors Living Live’s Speakers Open Mic every month where those looking to become a public speaker practice their speech and hear valuable feedback from speaker trainers. This event is focused around uplifting the speaker community so your speech can always improve. Created and run by Lynda West, the Speakers Open Mic focuses on encouraging people who are new to speaking to share their story so they can make a greater impact on the world.

Success Saturday The Young Entrepreneur Society puts on a monthly Success Saturday. Success Saturday gives high school students much needed time to learn new lessons, create connections with other high schools, and spend more time on their businesses. The Young Entrepreneur Society focuses on creating a positive environment where students can follow their dreams and gives them the skill set to do so!

by Kristen Crooks LBDmagazine.com

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WHAT IS YES? YES stands for Young Entrepreneur Society. We are a California Nonprofit 501(c)(3) that serves high schools on a weekly basis. Every week our team of volunteers hosts school clubs during their lunch breaks to bring them FREE lunch & activities, speakers, and videos around the spirit of entrepreneurship.

WHY YES? Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death in teens between 13 and 18. Depression and anxiety are the number 1 and 2 mental illnesses suffered among students in high school. 1 out of 6 teens have seriously considered suicide. 1 out of 12 have attempted suicide. 78% of students have started drinking alcohol. 42.5% of students have used drugs. Of that, 25% have used hard drugs such as cocaine, LSD, and Ecstasy. 50% of students have been bullied online. Every 26 seconds a student drops out of high school. We believe this is due to lack of purpose and lack of vision. Our team comes in every week to bring the spirit of entrepreneurship to give hope and vision for their future! We focus on goal setting, personal development, budgeting, serving, team building, etc.

GET INVOLVED! We are looking entrepreneurs, business professionals and companies who will become financial parters with YES on a monthly basis to impact the students of San Diego! By being a financial partner, we invite you to speak to our students, have your logo placed in our monthly magazine articles (10,000 print distribution monthly) and invite you to our yearly gala & networking mixer.

Text the word MENTOR to 766-26 to donate and get involved!

WWW.MYYES.ORG ENTREPRENEUR LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE 39

MILLIONAIRE MASTERMIND DINNERS

BE MENTORED BY & MASTERMIND WITH MILLIONAIRES & BILLIONAIRES

TEXT THE WORD 'MASTERMIND' TO 766-26 40 LIFE BY DESIGN APRIL 2018