I S S U E # 5 3 – APRIL – M AY – J U NE 2019
THE AGE OF Empowerment FOR TRADIES /Page 9
Starting Your Day
The Right Way /Page 20
25 Mistakes Successful People
Never Make Twice Page 16
JACKSON SCOTT & KIEREN O’BRIEN
Lexity Plumbing & Electrical - VIP Diamond Member Cool iPhone Apps for Tradies
No Sales Confidence? No Problem!
FROM THE DESK OF Hi Everyone, Another edition of Lifestyle Tradie Magazine, and can you believe we’re headed towards the middle of the year already?! And what a year it’s been so far! So many of you achieving awesome results in your businesses this year already. It was so great to see everyone at our R & R Event in March in beautiful Darling Harbour. Once again, some phenomenal, inspiring speakers, motivating us all to continually make progress within our trade businesses. And of course, some great social time. We just love being able to spend time as a group. This month’s magazine is jam packed!
This edition, we get a little personal… we look at relationships, and why it’s so important to get rid of the toxic relationships in your life. We also look at how your relationship with your partner is so important when it comes to goal setting, for your lives, and your business. Leadership is a really important topic that we also delve into in this edition, where we look at how empowering your staff can actually have an amazing impact on your productivity. Making mistakes as a leader is easy to do, we look at 25 Mistakes, you won’t make twice. Well, not after reading this anyway…. Technology, the everchanging beast… we look at how the way we use the internet is rapidly
changing, and how this will affect your trade business. The importance of automation within your trade business, as well as some cool new gadgets, and a great little App. Our Member of the Month is a great read, Jackson and Kieren from Lexity Plumbing & Electrical, share their story with us. PLUS…as always, there is so much more… so get reading!
To your success,
Andy Smith
WE’VE DONE IT! #1 Educational Service in Australia 2018 We are SUPER proud to have been crowned #1 Educational Service in Australia for 2018 at the Australian Small Business Champion Awards in Sydney in front of over 1200 other Australian small business owners. Helping tradies, just like you, is what we are most passionate about and it is a great privilege to be recognised on the national stage. We want to take this opportunity to say a massive THANK YOU to you…Thank you for your continued support and driving us to deliver more and more every year.
APRIL – M AY – JUNE 2019 53RD EDI T ION
CONTENTS 10
04 New Technology That Will Transform The Customer Experience
What Happens To Your Trade Business When You Eliminate Toxic Relationships
09 The Age Of Empowerment For Tradies
11 Goal Setting Shouldn’t Be A Lonely Road
14 ReIgnite & ReUnite
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March 2019
Lifestyle Tradie Member Profile Lexity Plumbing & Electrical
19 Next Level Tradie 2019 Events
20 Starting Your Day The Right Way
13 Why Workflow Automation Is Critical For Your Trade Business
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Reignite & Reunite July 2019
25 Mistakes Successful People Never Make Twice
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22 The Latest From My Mancave
23 Apps For Tradies – Hopper
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NE W IN T ERNE T T ECHNOL OGY T H AT W ILL T R ANSFORM T HE CUS T OMER E XPERIENCE
NEW INTERNET TECHNOLOGY THAT WILL TRANSFORM THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE Back in the 1990’s the internet transformed the world forever. And now new technology is set to change the way we work, live and play on the internet. It will make the way consumers get their information and buy their products easier, and even more integrated into their everyday lives.
‘The Conversational Web’, is doing just that. Until recently, most interaction online has been in the form or text, or text search at least. The conversational web is about changing the way we interact with the web. Chatbots and virtual assistants are now allowing us to access information with ‘conversational’ interfaces, that integrate with a range of applications.
Chatbots Chatbots make it easier and more convenient for customers to engage with brands by streamlining customer interactions. It works by simulating conversations with people or applications using artificial intelligence. It can help customers to trouble shoot problems, and provide them with relevant information, before having to send them to a ‘real life human’ in customer service.
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GOAL SE T T ING SHOULDN’T BE A L ONELY ROAD
Virtual Assistants The introduction of voiceactivated digital assistants such as Apple’s Siri, Amazon’s Alexa and Microsoft’s Cortana, enable us to use speech to search the web and get answers to everyday questions.
Amazon Echo
Reports state that by 2020, 30% of web browsing sessions will be done without using a screen but rather through voice. And it’s being promoted by companies like Amazon, as just something you need in your everyday life.
Google Home
Rise Of The Botnik There are even more ways to interact on the web, beyond chatbots and virtual assistants, and they’re just on the horizon. The term ‘Botnik’ is being proposed, to encompass all conversational interfaces such as voice, biometrics, augmented reality, virtual reality, and some other forms of reality yet to be defined — including, one day, perhaps, a direct interface to the human brain. Yep, you read that right, Elon Musk’s new company Neuralink is exploring the brain to computer interface. What the? Are there no limits you say…
Why Does This Matter For Tradies? It becomes all about the customer experience. All these new trends and technologies will inevitably change the customers buying journey. Fewer touchpoints during the decision and purchasing process, means less opportunity to engage with your brand. So, what do you need to do? • Build a brand that can be easily found online. Conversation keyword and phrases will become so important, as SEO and search will change due to ‘the conversational web’ • Online reviews will essentially become ‘virtual word of mouth’ and will become more important than ever to trade businesses, who will need to put an emphasis on building a loyal following that will happily share reviews and recommendations. • Build a trusted brand. When all other things are equal (even if your price is higher), people will buy from the brand they trust.
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Lifestyle Tradie
MEMBER PROFILE Jackson & Kieren Lexity Plumbing & Electrical VIP Diamond Member
1. Tell us a little about your business, life and family.
3. Tell us a little about your life before joining Lifestyle Tradie?
We (Jackson & Kieren) run a plumbing and electrical business in Melbourne focusing on helping domestic customers with the maintenance of their homes, especially 24/7 emergency maintenance!
The biggest thing holding us back before LT was not having the knowledge to run a business well! Coming out of our apprenticeships, business was a major interest of both of ours and we had the drive and passion, but not the tools or resources. Andy & Ange had done exactly what we wanted to do with life and business, so we seeked them out to be our mentors.
We are lucky to be best mates since early primary school years
2. What do you love most about what you do? Striving for something higher than what we ever could achieve on our own.
4. What specific results have you achieved since joining Lifestyle Tradie? In 1.5 years, we have gone from a 2-man team working out of Jackson’s parents shed, to having a great new facility with 6 employees. We have set up our systems and are able to run the business efficiently and have confidence in scaling. We have also managed to 4X our total sales!
5. Where do you see your business in 5 years? In 5 years, Lexity will be the brand Victoria will call when they have a plumbing or electrical emergency. In Victoria, we have 25 electricians and 35 plumbers. We are also be looking very closely at venturing into other states.
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LIFES T YLE T R ADIE MEMBER PROFILE
6. What are the top 3 things you have learnt about business that you would recommend to other tradies and WHY? Tip 1: Find mentors 5-10 years ahead of where you want to go. There are people out there who have done exactly what you want to do! They have already made the mistakes. It’s important to learn from mistakes, but those mistakes don’t have to be yours. Tip 2: Read/listen to books. You can download decades of experience from the most influential people the world has seen in just a few days. You may not be able to have a sit-down lunch with Michael Jordan or Martin Luther King, but you can read their books. Tip 3: Trust and enjoy the process. Tip 4: Age is only a number no one is too old or too young to start a business or seek help in how to run a business. Starting this business at 21 & 22 taught us so much about ourselves but learning to ask for help has been our biggest reason for our success so far.
7. Tell us something quirky about yourself that your buddies don’t know? At least once a week we get asked if we are a couple. Even Kieren’s partner is suspicious…..
8. If we were sitting here one year from now celebrating what a great year it’s been, what have you achieved? Sitting here in 1 year’s time we have 5 electricians, 6 plumbers, 1 office assistant plus Jackson and I. Jackson and I no longer work weekends and on call overnight! YAY! We have systemised and set up a projects teams and a sales team within our fleet.
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JULY
2019
Friday 26th July and Saturday 27th July 2019
QT Gold Coast
ENERGISE. EXPAND. EXPLORE SO WHAT DO YOU DO NEXT 1. Let us know if you will
be joining us or not.
TRUST ME WHEN I SAY… YOU HAVE TO BE THERE…
Get ready to expand your mind in ways you didn’t think were possible…This is a sure fire way to kick your business up a gear and gain a competitive edge. We have speakers locked, loaded and ready to go! Keep an eye out because they will be announced very soon! We are looking forward to seeing YOU at the ever-INSPIRING venue, The QT Hotel on the Gold Coast. PLUS Don’t forget about the Friday and Saturday night dinners… Friday night we are heading to dinner at Sandbar and Saturday night we are heading to The Island!
2. Book your flights and
accommodation (We can help with the accommodation if you would like it!) 3. Get excited!
If you have any questions or need assistance, send an email to us at info@lifestyletradie.com.au
We cannot wait to see you there :)
T HE AGE OF EMP OW ERMEN T FOR T R ADIES
THE AGE OF EMPOWERMENT FOR TRADIES A productive workforce of tradies will carry your business into the future. If you want higher productivity in your trade business, you need to surround yourself with tradies and employees who want to be the leaders of the future.
It’s about showing and teaching your employees that to look beyond tomorrow. It seems that workforce is empowered, but restless, and don’t want to be dictated to. However, if you empower them to create their own job they will deliver way beyond what you might think possible. If you are a savvy trade business owner, you will recognise this and can easily use it to your advantage.
There are three key elements to being a great leader and empowering your staff to create a productive workforce of the future: 1. Ask Questions Being a great leader is not about having all the answers, it’s about asking all the right questions. Questions that will allow everyone and everything grow. By cultivating a workplace based on questions, you encourage your staff to delve more into what they already know, in order to create beyond that. 2. Never Wait, Always Create As a leader, you want to empower your staff not to wait, but to make their own choices. Don’t fall into the trap of many trade business who have a slow decision-making process, with approval needed from multiple parties before anything happens – this is not conducive to a productive workplace.
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Allowing your tradies and staff members to make decisions, creates a greater awareness. Although not every decision will be the right one, or the one you would’ve chosen, it will allow your staff to make mistakes, but learn from them, and make better, smarter decisions on their own in the future, and make a greater contribution to your trade business moving forward. 3. Listen Your staff have all the information about what is working or not working in your trade business. Remember that your employees are the people who know your business intimately, and have vital and valuable information that can help your business grow. Listen to the people you work with, and seek the information they need to make positive change. Effective, modern leadership is all about empowerment. Empower your employees to speak up. Empower them to contribute ideas. And, most importantly empower them to be honest about what it is they want and what they would like their life and their career to look like. Then allow them to choose it.
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2. More Energy To Spend On Your Business Mark Zuckerberg wears the same clothes every day… purely to save the mental energy of choosing what to wear every morning. These business gurus know that their energy is limited, so they’ll do whatever it takes to protect that energy for what really matters: their business.
WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR TRADE BUSINESS WHEN YOU ELIMINATE Cutting out someone from your life, especially if you’ve known them for years, isn’t a nice feeling. But unfortunately, sometimes it’s necessary. When someone is constantly bringing you down, it can bring your business down, too. Running a trade business is hard enough, and that’s why it’s crucial to surround yourself with positive people.
Here’s what can happen to your trade business when you wave goodbye to those toxic relationships. 1. The Future Looks Bright When you surround yourself with negative people, who can never seem to catch a break and who complain about their circumstances without doing anything about it, it will start to rub off on you, and you’re not setting yourself up to succeed. Cue the old proverb: “Show me your friends, and I’ll show you your future.” People who spend lots of time together end up speaking, thinking, and even dressing alike. Eliminating those kind of negative people or relationships means you’re choosing to surround yourself with people who are doers, not complainers.
It’s all about saving mental energy. You can’t afford to spend precious time and energy on toxic relationships in your life. Some people thrive on drama and negativity. But, with people in your life like that, you’re starting each day with less energy and ability to make good decisions for your business, and for your life in general. Once you’ve parted ways with those people, you can devote your full energy to pursue your vision, accomplish your goals, and fulfil your life’s purpose. 3. Strength To Make Difficult But Important Decisions The hard decisions you make now to end toxic relationships will strengthen your decision-making skills and allow you to make stronger and better business decisions in the future. It’s not easy to say goodbye to an old friend, romantic relationship, or colleague, especially when it doesn’t end well. The decision to end a toxic friendship is a hard but necessary one, just like the many decisions you’ll face over the course of building your business. You may have to let go of a poorly-performing employee, or you may have to end a semisuccessful endeavour in order to focus all your energy into something more profitable. Each of these decisions requires grit and sacrifice.
So say goodbye to those that hold you back. It sure is tough, but definitely crucial to your success in business and life.
So instead of holding you back, these people encourage you push the limits of what’s possible, have a positive attitude, and take responsibility for your successes and failures.
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GOAL SE T T ING SHOULDN’T BE A L ONELY ROAD
GOAL SETTING SHOULDN’T BE
A LONELY ROAD So you’ve probably done your goal setting for the year by now. Get onto it if you haven’t… or you may just be about to plan for the next financial year too. When you set your goals, you dream big, list what you want to accomplish, and visualise where you want to be. Awesome. But, did you take a few moments (at least) to reflect on the year that just ended? It can be a cathartic experience, and one that will help you to start the new planning year with a clean slate and with a heightened perspective. Ideally, grab your partner, business partner or spouse, and do it together. It really gives you a chance to support each other, and say all the things you wouldn’t normally say in your daily lives. It’s also a great way to get validation and support from someone you care about for your goals, and for the things you’ve already accomplished, and also to be able to give that validation and support right back.
So, pin that person down… and use these questions as a guide: 1. What Did You Accomplish Last Year That You Feel Really Proud Of? This doesn’t have to be completely work related. Your accomplishments could be health related, community focused, career, friends, finances, whatever. Pick the top 3, and then both of you give praise to each other for what you have achieved. 2. Where Did You Fall Short Last Year? Once again only pick 3, don’t give into the temptation to create a long list. You don’t want to get caught up focusing on what you ‘didn’t do’. This is where discussing with a partner is great, as we tend to be very hard on ourselves, and your partner will probably have a much more positive view of your failings than you do. It will put things in a much clearer perspective. 3. What Opportunities Do You See For This Year? The answers to the first two questions should give you a better idea of what your goals should be for the current year. Something you felt disappointed about and want to try to do better, or something you’re really passionate about and see an opportunity for. Talk it out with your partner, and start setting up goals for the coming year. 4. What Might Get In Your Way This Year? Now that you’ve looked at the opportunities you want to pursue, it’s also important to look at the things that could potentially set you back from fulfilling those goals. Reaching goals is never easy, but, making plans for how you might get around those things that will get in your way will definitely give you a better chance of getting there.
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NO S ALES C ONFIDENCE? NO PROBLEM!
NO SALES CONFIDENCE?
NO PROBLEM! We’ve all heard the phrase ‘Born Salesman’. But the truth is, not even the most successful sales people are actually born that way, or even at the very least great at sales without any kind of training. So, if you lack confidence with selling, you’re not alone. And it certainly doesn’t mean that you can’t become a very successful seller. Being a great salesperson, like most skills, takes time, and a lot of practice.
These five tactics will give you an instant head start: 1. Get Comfortable With Human Interaction Successful salespeople are confident, outgoing, charming, knowledgeable, and patient. These are as much learnt skills as they are personality traits, and if they don’t come easy to you, they can certainly can be practiced anywhere and on anyone. Introduce yourself to a stranger, look them in the eye and shake their hand. If you feel a little stuck and lost for words, remember that asking people questions about themselves will hold their attention. You can practice at a party, a chance encounter at a grocery store, while watching your kids at sport or school. The beauty of these casual situations is that there is no pressure, you can stumble or stammer and it wont matter one bit. It’s great practice. 2. Be A Problem Solver Remember that you’re selling a solution to someone’s problem. Your ultimate goal is improving
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the lives of others. Your customers are actually lucky to have you. Just realising this fact will boost your confidence, and encourage that persistency you need to be great at sales. 3. Learn To Really Listen Treat your customer with the courtesy you would show any other person you care about. Don’t be too over eager to prove yourself and shove all your knowledge down their throats. Resist the temptation to talk, and talk and talk. An exchange with a customer should be like an exchange with a friend. Give and take. Your customer wants to sense that you’re interested in them above all else, and that you’re free of ulterior motives. 4. Share Stories, Not Just The Boring Facts Data by itself might impress your customers on a superficial level, but ultimately it’s easily forgotten. Instead of the hard facts, use a real story about a real person, and you’ll speak to the heart as well as the mind of your customer. A winning combination. 5. Be Authentic Be yourself. Being a great salesperson has no wizardry about it, other than the magic of genuine communication. So just be yourself. Its far easier than trying to emulate someone else. Dress how you dress, talk how you talk, and be genuine. If the thought of selling scares you, rest assured that you’re not alone. That smooth, articulate salesperson who you admire, wasn’t always that way either. They practiced too. Practice makes perfect, and before you know it you’ll have everyone believing that you were a ‘born salesman’ too.
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W H Y WORK FL OW AU T OM AT ION IS CRI T IC AL FOR YOUR T R ADE BUSINES S
WHY WORKFLOW AUTOMATION IS CRITICAL FOR YOUR TRADE BUSINESS It’s the digital age, and most trade businesses are turning their paper-based processes into a digitalised workflow. There are many benefits to automating your workflows, including saving time and reducing the potential for errors. Enabling trade businesses to work more productively, freeing up time for innovation, and allow you to compete more effectively. Automating workflows frees up employees from manual, repetitive tasks. It reduces the risk of human error and lets people focus on contributing to the success of the business. It also means important tasks can’t be forgotten or left incomplete. There are many ways workflow automation can be applied in your trade business to streamline processes and deliver better efficiencies. For example, accounts payable automation includes capturing and extracting key data from invoices, matching purchase orders with invoices, managing approvals, integrating all details, and finalising payments.
There are 5 key ways that workflow automation contributes to competitive advantage: 1. Save Time When your staff are focused on core activities and innovation instead administrative tasks, your trade business benefits from their combined effort and brainpower. 2. Reduce Errors When people have to key in information, there is a risk of typos and other errors. Smart software and automated workflows reduce the risk of these errors creeping in. 3. Leverage Discounts Most suppliers offer discounts for on-time payments. Automating workflows for processes, such as accounts payable, means businesses will never miss a payment or pay late, so they can take advantage of on-time discounts. 4. Track Information Automated workflows include reporting functionality and version control that lets businesses see important data such as bottlenecks in the
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process, potential for further savings, and key performance metrics. 5. Work Efficiently Automated workflows mean people are automatically notified when they need to step into a process, such as to provide approvals. Automated reminders mean people know what’s required, which mitigates the risk they’ll forget or overlook the action. Research has shown that highly automated companies are six times more likely to see revenue growth of more than 15 per cent compared to companies with low automation. Trade Businesses that haven’t yet started to automate processes can start small, and see the results before rolling out automation across the whole business. Workflow automation should be considered a high priority for any trade business looking to compete more effectively now and into the future.
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ABSORB. ADVANCE. ACHIEVE. 29th & 30th March 2018 This R&R event was held in the beautiful Darling Harbour and was bigger and better than ever! More members, more fun, and more guest speakers! Justin Herald, Clinton Cowin and Salena Kulkarni all took to the stage to share their knowledge with us. PLUS we had two incredible Member Hot Seats from Dan & Jodie Murray from Green Planet Plumbing and Mick Rogers Can’t wait to from Purple Patch Doors! see you all again on the Gold Coast Thanks for a great in July for the weekend everybody! next R&R!
Successful People Never Make Twice Everybody makes mistakes, it’s part of life. In fact, it’s through our mistakes and failures that we acquire the experiences and insight to allow us to succeed. Sometimes it’s hard to admit when you make a mistake. But here’s the thing that successful people do… they recognise when they’ve stuffed up. They learn from it, grow from it, and move right along.
Let’s look at the 25 biggest mistakes successful people may make once, but never dare to make twice: 1. Ignoring Your Gut Instinct Everybody makes mistakes, it’s part of life. In fact, it’s through our mistakes and failures that we acquire the experiences and insight to allow us to succeed.
4. Believing In Perfection If something seems too good to be true, it probably is. No one is perfect. Successful people may be duped once, but they will be sure to remain sceptical and objective in the future.
5. Blaming Others
Successful people are accountable, and this earns them the respect of Sometimes it’s hard to admit when you make a mistake. But others. They take responsibility for here’s the thing that successful people do… they recognise when they’ve stuffed up. They learn from it, grow from it, and their mistakes and subsequently grow beyond them. move right along.
2. Not Asking Tough Questions Sometimes it can be awkward, but you have to ask the tough questions. You may fail to do it once, but once you get burned, you won’t care about the awkwardness and you’ll make sure you have all the information you need.
3. Avoiding Mistakes This is one of the biggest mistakes of all. If you play it safe in life, you’re obviously hoping to avoid making mistakes. Successful people may initially allow themselves to fall into this trap, but something in them propels them to take risks. They would rather try something new and fail than take a safe bet and lead a boring life.
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6. Letting Emotions Get The Better Of You Emotions sometimes have a way of taking over, even if in the back of your mind you realise it, negative emotions like jealousy, doubt and anger can plague even the most logical people, clouding their judgment and leading to poor decision making. Successful people don’t allow themselves to fall into this trap more than once. W W W.LIFES T YLE T R ADIE.C OM.AU
25 MIS TAK ES SUC CES SFUL PEOPLE NE V ER M AK E T W ICE
7. Burning Out No one achieves their dreams and becomes successful without a lot of hard work and persistence. But successful people quickly learn they need to find balance in life. Becoming a workaholic will only lead to long-term stress and ultimately burnout.
8. Taking Shortcuts There are no fast passes in business or in life. Trying to cut the line or jump ahead will likely result in failure, or at the very least less-than-optimal results. Successful people may try to take a shortcut once, but when that blows up, they’ll learn the hard way that you can’t skip the line.
9. Trying To Please Everyone We all seek approval from others, and we all want to be well liked. But successful people learn early on that it’s impossible to make everyone happy. Everyone has an opinion and some people will never be pleased, no matter how hard you try.
12. Doing Something You’re Not Passionate About It’s true that even successful people may not love every part of their job, but they’re certainly deeply committed and passionate about their ultimate goals and dreams. Successful people may have once found themselves stuck in a dead-end job or doing something they hated, but they would never go back.
13. Not Telling The Truth We all know that honesty is the best policy, but sometimes even good people make bad choices. Sometimes successful people slip, but they won’t do it again because they value their reputation and understand that no price is worth destroying their respectability and trustworthiness.
14. No Boundaries Setting boundaries with others is all about asserting your ability to say no and pushing back when need be. Without healthy boundaries, you’re at the mercy of others and you’ll be spending time and energy doing things you really don’t want to do. Successful people know what their limits are.
15. Trying To Be Someone You Aren’t 10. Refusing To See The Other Side There can be a fine line between being determined and having a hard-nosed, unyielding outlook. Persistence will help you reach your goals, but refusing to change your mind or see the reality of a situation will cause you to fail. Successful people would never have become successful if they kept making this mistake.
It’s tempting to want to mould yourself in an image you believe others will like. But successful people quickly learn that when you try to come off as someone you aren’t, it’s not going to end well. Trying to be someone other than who you are will never work.
11. Choosing Instant Gratification Delaying gratification is hard for a lot of people. We currently live in a world where waiting for something we want seems absurd and unnecessary. But achieving any major goal in life takes hard work and persistence. Successful people learn the value of delayed gratification early on, and their determination to succeed is greater than any instant pleasure they could have.
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25 M IS TAK ES SUC CES SFUL PEOPLE NE V ER M AK E T W ICE
16. Playing The Victim
23. Putting Others First
Successful people may fall into the trap of playing the victim and allow themselves to wallow in self-pity once. Successful people aren’t going to wallow in perceived wrongs or helplessness. They’re going to overcome and prevail against the odds.
It’s one thing to be helpful and support those around you when they need it. It’s another to constantly put everyone else’s priorities ahead of your own. Successful people understand they have to invest in themselves and make sure they aren’t constantly coming in second. It’s important to stand up for yourself and your priorities.
17. Over-Promise & Under-Deliver This major blunder will come back to bite you, and successful people make sure to never do it again. Your word is your bond. If you’ve made a commitment, make sure you can meet that expectation.
18. Not Asking For Help No one becomes successful without the help of others, but so often we try to do it all on our own. Initially, successful people may be stubborn to the point of not allowing anyone to help them. However, they soon learn the lesson that we all need a helping hand, and we all need to be willing to help others as well.
19. Losing Sight Of The Big Picture It’s easy to get lost in the daily hustle and bustle of life and to lose sight of the big picture and your main goals. But successful people understand they have to keep their primary goals at the forefront of their minds at all times. They set daily priorities and ensure they are making headway toward those overarching goals.
20. Competitors Are Your Enemies One of the most common mistakes we make in business and in life is focusing our energy on the competition. Successful people know that the real key to winning is to focus on making your customers happy. Yes, you need to pay attention to industry trends, but when you stop seeing your competitors as enemies, you can start focusing on better understanding and improving your weaknesses.
21. Trying To Fix What Can’t Be Fixed You’ve invested a lot of time, energy and money into something, and you’re determined to see it through. The only problem is that the thing, whatever it is, is irreparably broken. Successful people learn to let go when the writing is on the wall, no matter how painful it might be. The sooner you can move on, the less you will continue to waste resources on something that’s not going anywhere.
24. Not Being Honest With Yourself It seems like knowing yourself should be the easiest thing in the world. But sometimes we just don’t want to see the harsh reality in front of us. Successful people know that self-deception will lead to patterns of self-sabotage. Being truly successful hinges on your ability to know and accept yourself.
25. Getting Hung Up On The Small Stuff Life is too short to spend obsessing over trivial matters or worrying about all the small stuff. You’re wasting precious time and energy if all you’re doing is focusing on the little things and failing to see the major issues right in front of you. Successful people focus on what their business does best, and they work to grow those habits.
22. Going Over Budget Financial blunders are common, and even successful people make money mistakes. But anyone destined to succeed will also quickly learn the value of having a budget and sticking to it.
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We’ve been asked ‘how did you win the title of #1 Trade Business In Australia 2015’ for your trade business? We’re going to share with you EXACTLY what we have done to streamline our business and transform our life. No secrets. For the last 9 years we’ve been working with a select group of trade business owners across many different trades, taking them from Chaos to Control.
The Next Level Tradie event was created after thousands of conversations with trade business owners who are struggling with the same challenges…
We’re going to share the very best of what is working for them at the Next Level Tradie Live Event.
At the Future Tradie Event, You Will Learn To… 1. Master Your Money and Maximise Profit 2. Transform Your Team To Save Time & Money
• Too many tradies hit an income ceiling and never make the kind of money that they are capable of. It’s time to earn what you are worth. • Most tradies think that working harder and longer will reap rewards – But the reality is, this is not the case. It’s time to work smarter. • So many tradies say they are ‘stuck in a rut’ but aren’t sure what to do to get out of it. It’s the BUSINESS MODEL that needs to change.
3. Attract A Grade Customers and Keep Them For Life 4. Automate, Systemise and Streamline your Trade Business
So Who Should Come To The Next Level Tradie Live Event? It’s simple really…any trade business owner who • Has ever wanted ‘more’ • Doesn’t believe they should settle for average results • Are winners, with a ‘can-do’ attitude and the determination to match. If you’re serious about transforming your trade business to take it to another level then THIS is your moment of truth. This is your life, your decision. Make the right one.
Event Dates
21 MAY
22 MAY
28 MAY
29 MAY
5 JUNE
PERTH
ADELAIDE
BRISBANE
MELBOURNE
SYDNEY
Mercure Perth 10 Irwin Street, Perth
The Playford Adelaide MGallery 120 North Terrace
Novotel Brisbane 200 Creek Street Brisbane City
Mantra Bell City 215 Bell Street, Preston
Novotel Sydney Parramatta 350 Church Street
Go Go to to www.nextleveltradie.com.au/mag www.nextleveltradie.com.au/mag now now to to claim claim your your FREE FREE spot! spot!
APRIL – M AY – JUNE 2019 – IS SUE #53
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STARTING YOUR DAY THE THE RIGHT WAY Starting your day right will set you up for maximum efficiency and effectiveness throughout the day ahead. Not only that but it will increase your positivity and help you to form good habits.
How you prep your mind and body during the first few minutes of the day is the key to putting yourself in the right mindset to take on challenges and possibilities during the day. If you can lock in a good morning routine, you’ll naturally begin doing it every day.
Why not try this 10-minute routine as your morning ritual, and you’ll begin every day with your best foot forward. Step 1: Get Hydrated (1 minute) Good old water is all you need. It does wonders for your health and wellness. Even if your brain seems to be screaming for coffee as soon as you open your eyes, stop that thought ( just for a minute, don’t worry you can still have it). Your body wakes up dehydrated, and can leave you feeling drained and sluggish. Guzzling some water when you wake does the following: • Replenishes the fluids you lost during sleep • Flushes toxins that have built up in your system overnight • Gives your metabolism a little boost • Helps reduce stomach acidity and reduces symptoms of heartburn Starting your day by hydrating is a great way to clear your mind and prep yourself for what comes next.
Step 2. Deep Breathing (1-2 minutes) You probably haven’t given much thought to breathing, as its just something our bodies do naturally. Focusing on our breathing, and changing our breathing patterns for a few minutes has the following benefits: • Restores balance to our stress response system • Reduces anxiety and depression • Increases energy • Strengthens our immune system • Improves mental concentration Seems too good to be true right? If you’re constantly waking up feeling out of sorts and groggy, taking a few minutes to practice deep breathing can help you feel refreshed and energized. Here is a simple breathing exercise you can try. Start with one to two minutes and work up to longer practices. • Lie on your back on a flat surface or in bed, with your knees bent and your head supported. You can use a pillow under your knees if you like. Place one hand on your chest and the other just below your rib cage, so you can feel your diaphragm move as you breathe. • Slowly inhale through your nose, drawing the air into the bottom of your lungs. You should feel your abdomen rise. • Tighten your stomach muscles and pause for a moment, then exhale through pursed lips. • Gently blow all of the air out of your lungs. Drawing your belly button toward your spine, push any residual air out of the bottom of your lungs. • Take about six deep breaths per minute
Step 4. Be Grateful (3 minutes) There are countless things in our lives that we take for granted. Taking a few minutes every morning to remind yourself of how awesome your life is, even during the crappiest of times, doing this will instantly flick the positivity switch in your brain. Taking a few minutes every morning to write down at least one thing you’re grateful for in your life will help to: • Make you happier and more content • Boosts your feelings of joy
Step 3. Stretching (2-3 minutes)
• Lowers stress and anxiety
Stretching after sleep instantly makes you feel better and helps your muscles wake up and begin to function more efficiently. It’s a really simple form of exercise that has the following benefits:
• Improve your relationships • Clear your mind and get focused
• Help with muscle tightness and joint stiffness
So take a few minutes and just jot some things down. They can be as simple as getting a good nights sleep, or as profound as having good health.
• Enhance your circulation and increase overall body flexibility
5. Visualisation (1-2 minutes)
• Help ease muscle tension from the previous day.
• Wake up your central nervous system
Here are some examples of some morning stretches for you to try: Lower-back stretch • Sit on the edge of your bed with your feet on the floor. • Slowly bend over, reaching your hands toward your feet. • Arch your back.
This final step can be done quickly, but it’s the key to moving confidently into your day. Take one or two minutes to imagine the day ahead and all the big and little things you have to accomplish. By simply spending a few minutes visualizing what you want to achieve today and over the long term, you will give yourself a plan to follow in seeing these goals accomplished in real life. Imagine the work you’ll need to do:
• Hold for a count of 10
• The meetings or important phone calls you’ll have
Neck-mobility stretch
• How you see yourself handling any difficult situations
• Remain seated, with your feet on the floor. • Slowly rotate your neck in a circle, touching your ears to your shoulders. • Rotate clockwise and counter clockwise several times each way Shoulder stretches • Stand next to your bed. • Lace your fingers together. • Raise your hands above your head, palms upward. • Lift up, stretching your rib cage. • Hold for a count of 10
• Imagine how you’ll move through your projects efficiently and competently. • Imagine yourself staying on task and being productive Things may not always go as you imagined, but at least you’ll have a roadmap of where you’re going for the day and how you plan to handle different situations.
THE LATEST FROM MY MANCAVE
Let’s be honest, us tradies make a mess! Plumbers can drop greasy tools and glue onto benchtops and tiles. Sparkies strip their wires and drop the copper cut offs onto the carpet. Chippies, you’re just as bad with your sawdust and glue… The thing is, most people are pretty house proud right? And the last thing people want, on top of having to get something fixed or replaced in their house, is having to clean up a mess afterwards too. They also want to feel that others that enter their home, show it the same respect that they would. This is why these awesome products from Tidy Tradie are always our go to. Not only does it make it easier for us to clean up, make us look more professional, it also shows our customers the respect that they deserve whilst we’re in their homes. Check out www.tidytradie.com.au and if you use the code ‘MANCAVE’ when you order, you will get FREE DELIVERY, that’s a saving of AT LEAST $15!
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The Tidy Tradie work mats are compact, heat resistant, durable, and proven to protect all work areas.
W W W.LIFES T YLE T R ADIE.C OM.AU
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NEXT ISSUE Using Human Behaviour To Boost Your Bottom Line
Why Marketing Automation Matters For Your Trade
We look at some insights into human behaviour that can help you boost your sales, and the effectiveness of your marketing. Common human tendencies, and how you can use them to your advantage.
We look at how your growing trade business can benefit from automating your marketing processes. We look at how you can save time, nurture new leads and improve your customer retention.
PLUS SO MUCH MORE
CAN’T WAIT TO SEE YOU ALL AT THE UPCOMING R&R ON THE GOLD COAST
IN JULY!
- ANDY & ANGE SMITH
Lifestyle Tradie Magazine is published by and Š copyright by Andrew & Angela Smith, Lifestyle Tradie Group Pty Ltd 2012. All Rights Reserved. This newsletter and any accompanying material are f or general information purposes only. It is the responsibility of the reader to comply with any local, state or federal laws. The Publisher has taken all reasonable measures to ensure that the material contained within this newsletter is correct. The Publisher provides no representation and gives no warranty as to the accuracy of the information and does not accept any responsibility for errors or inaccuracies in the information contained herein and shall not be liable for any loss or damage arising as a result of any person acting in reliance on information contained herein.
For more information contact: Phone: 1800 704 822 Email: info@lifestyletradie.com.au Web: www.lifestyletradie.com.au