Woman Entrepreneur - October 2018 Edition 2 - Michele Modellas

Empowering Women In Business

October 2018 | Edition 2

Michele MODELLAS

T H E W AY O F T H E C H A M P I O N

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SUCCESS STORIES

real women share their journeys

DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS and how to handle them

5 MUST HAVE APPS all businesses need

ON OUR COVER: Michele Modellas inspires and encourages audiences internationally. She inspires hope to the hopeless, determination and dedication to those who need to refocus on their commitment. She lends a helping hand and a supportive stance to those who have experienced emotional and physical trauma.

Unlike others speakers who speak on motivation and inspiration, her personal challenges and champion mindset give her the authority of a coach, one who has walked the walk before, creating the conditions for success.

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OUR COVER STORY

MICHELE MODELLAS Images by RAB

I grew up in Sacramento, CA, and was raised by a single mother for most of my childhood, except for several years in early elementary school when she was married to a man who was not a good role model and was abusive to her. I witnessed things children shouldn’t. She was strong and brave enough to leave, and she did what she was able to do to provide for my brother and me. In early years, we lived in quite a few different apartments in areas that were not great. I was exposed to a diverse group of people, and I didn’t know anything different. Some say I could have ended up using those situations as an excuse to not amount to anything or to have goals for a different life. What I knew was that I needed to work if I wanted more than the basics that my mother worked to provide. I remember being the babysitter that would take the low paying jobs; I figured little money was better than no money and I wanted cute school clothes. I remember having to walk miles with my sack of newspapers over my shoulder to deliver papers to my customers at 5 am when my bike was broken. I also had a couple of fast food summer jobs and department store gigs. Even back then I was determined to do what was necessary to be able to have the things that were important to me and to experience what I knew was out there. I have always had an entrepreneurial drive.

High school years were fun. They were not struggle-free, but I had a lot of great experiences. I was in student government, and I was a cheerleader. I got married less than two weeks after graduation, and we started a family immediately. I always held a job but wasn’t satisfied just doing the “9-5 J.O.B.” so I had side jobs and work-from-home ventures selling products. I taught parent education for the hospitals and educated new families. There is a job for everything, and as a certified consultant for 18 years, I had a business where I taught, consulted, and sold products for breastfeeding mothers.

I rented out breast pumps. I was on boards of directors for philanthropic organisations. I became a licensed real estate agent. I knew there was more to life than to go to an office and make someone else’s vision a reality.

In 2005 I resigned from my job, which was a wonderful place to work with great people. I took a risk, and I started a meeting, planning, and association management company. I began to find more associations who were looking for contracted companies to create meetings, conferences, and manage their associations. I had always wanted to own my own business, and that was a great opportunity.

In the first year of starting my own company, my world came to a crashing halt. In life, there are five most stressful events one can go through; I was facing most of those simultaneously. Within days of my mother passing, my primary client and I parted ways. Shortly after, I decided to make a long-awaited courageous decision to leave a 23+ year marriage. And then things got worse; I faced the most challenging times of my existence. During a 4-year divorce process and losing just about everything, I questioned everything about my life and my purpose. Without going into the ugly details, I finally came to that point where I had to make a decision. I chose to live

well, to embrace the challenges and to change myself. I literally transformed my physical, mental, and emotional life. I jumped at opportunities for growth, stepping into my discomfort zone, meeting new people, trying new things, travelling the world, and living life on purpose. It didn’t happen overnight, but with determination, I decided not to let life’s challenges stop me from being authentic or true to my convictions. I would not live a contented life.

I began to inspire others to do the same. I started speaking to groups and organisations about overcoming challenges, becoming a champion in your life, discovering your purpose, and how confidence opens opportunities.

Also, how to thrive in business and achieve results, and how having a 3-D formula for life and business sets you apart, to name a few.

I took experiences, skills, and talents from my life and my corporate career to further develop my event planning company. In addition to coaching and corporate consulting, I started the Global Association for Women in Transformation. As an entrepreneur, I am continuously tapping into opportunities for wealth creation and wealth building. I’m passionate about working with clients, meeting them where they are, and empowering them to do the same; they can take their vision and achieve results.

What are the five most significant life and business lessons that you have learned?

the good times. There will always be ebbs and flows and keeping budgets a little leaner will maintain a stable flow in the slower times of business.

As entrepreneurs, we are not immune to setbacks and interruptions that could derail us from achieving results. TD Jakes says, “A setback is just a setup for a comeback”. I love this as it embodies the mindset of a champion.

We take a challenge, and instead of going into victim mode or asking why things are happening the way they are, we seek solutions to make things better, discover something entirely new, and we make things happen.

On a personal note, I had kidney cancer back in 2003. It was a fast find (although it grew, undetected, for a couple of years) and it was a quick process to remove my kidney where, thankfully, the mass was contained.

That was one of the firsts in life where I heard my mom’s words: “life is short” and “not to take all of life so seriously.” I also knew that if I began to think too deeply about all the “what ifs” that could have happened I would not end up in a good place; mentally, physically, or emotionally. I chose to go back to work three weeks after surgery. It may have been a little too soon, but I immersed myself in the clients I was managing and my family responsibilities and decided not to dwell on what had just happened. I took care of myself and made some changes for my health since I didn’t know how I could have gotten cancer in the first place. I didn’t fit any of the criteria for the specs of those who usually get that type. My one kidney is as healthy as a champion! I’m grateful for fifteen years being cancer free and even more determined and motivated to make a difference. I’m still here for a very distinct purpose!

A big lesson that can be applied to business and life is to be aware at all times and not keep your head in the sand. If we don’t take care of things, they will definitely compound, usually in an unfavourable way. When we ignore important issues, they will make themselves known in a bigger and most likely more “painful” way. I’m referring to a monetary way. I once ignored a situation thinking I would get to it later. Later didn’t come and the situation turned out to be quite huge. I learned that there are tools, solutions, and practices I can implement to avoid anything like this in the future. I also learned that having correct coaches could help me to be proactive about which practices to avoid, thus saving me energy, time, and money. When we maintain a proactive approach to anything to do with finances, we build wealth.

2007 and 2008 was a rough time in our economy. Many of my clients were non-profit organisations. Their budgets were stricken, and most of them ran out of funds to pay for external contracts. This ultimately affected one of my income sources. I had just purchased a new home, and I needed to look for ways to create financial security. I moved to a new field of clients and discovered that corporate clients had money to spend on external contracts.

I was glad for the turn of events because it allowed me to find more clients and new opportunities. Being able to diversify services to different income sources is vital. I have also learned to be a little lean with expenses, even in 2 | OCTOBER 2018 | ISSUE 2

Going through challenges in business and life has taught me to trust my instincts. These challenges have shown me to do things even when I’m afraid, or don’t have the knowledge or experience, or if something seems so out there. Each challenge showed me that I’m more capable than I thought I was. Each challenge strengthened my determination, and I know that nothing can stop me. I’m all about confidence and I want to surround myself with like-minded people. This makes me a better person - for my clients and me. There are people, even family members, who won’t always agree.

Mostly due to them not having facts, knowing the truth or not being open to listening. Each of us is on our own journey.

Woman Entrepreneur | Global

Tell us about some of your amazing achievements.

In my personal life I have thrived in the midst of some pretty life-altering and devastating circumstances, and I have chosen to adopt a mantra: I won’t let nothing or no one take me out – I’ve got one life, and the rest is still waiting to be written – Michele Modellas.

I did my first short distance triathlon in 2010 and fell in love with it. A few weeks after the triathlon, I was in a head-on collision where the “jaws of life” had to cut my car apart before I could be transported to the hospital. They discovered a concussion, brain bleed, brain trauma to my frontal lobes, a bulging disc that encroached on my spinal column, and a bulging disc in my neck. None of these, except for the concussion, were discovered until months later because I advocated for my health to get answers. In the meantime, I was doing everything in my ability to deliver excellence to my clients, my brand new, well-known corporate client, and my other entrepreneurial streams of income. When I was finally cleared by the doctors to return to my physical activities, 18 months post-accident, I decided to sign up for an Ironman 70.3 triathlon. I created a “take my life back program”. I didn’t want to allow someone else’s actions dictate what was going to happen in my life. Since then, I have accomplished 5 Ironman 70.3 Triathlons, 2 Marathons (26.2 miles each) 2 Century distance bike rides (100 miles each) and about a dozen half-marathons/5ks/fun runs.

I’m thrilled to be an International Speaker and have spoken at the University of London.

As an author, I have collaborated with a group of women and our book, Smart Women Live Their Why, made it to #1 Best Seller in Business Consulting, which is a spot generally held by men. I’ve also collaborated in two other books – Inspired Women Succeed and Smart Women Embrace Transition.

I was also recognised and awarded as Meeting Planner of the Year by one of the organisations I consult with.

You are a specialist in transforming lives. Did you always know you would be helping other people or did your vision change throughout your journey?

I share with people that I thought my nice, orderly life was all there was.

I experienced several major life transitions close together that caused me to make massive, brave decisions and courageous changes. My life transformed because of it. During that time, I noticed new passions and abilities within myself. I discovered a burning desire to share with others my experiences, my background, my skills, and talents. Informally, I began to “coach” people without really knowing what coaching was. Because I was continuously growing and overcoming business and personal challenges, people saw me as a resource for them to refer others to. My confidence allowed me to show people how to apply strategies and gain results.

I was an entrepreneur for years prior and I had an event planning company.

But, I discovered that seeing others’ lives transform was something I could not avoid. I love when I “get it” with something new that creates a positive change in my business or personal life. So, when I see that same effect with my clients, it is such a reward and a confirmation that I’m doing exactly what I’m supposed to be doing with my life.

You are an Ironman athlete. How do you balance your work life and keep up with such a high-demand training program?

Preparation is key. There is no way around that. I remember my first Ironman 70.3 when my “tri sisters” and I got to the point of having our “5hour Fridays”. This meant we trained 5 hours to get our bodies used to that much endurance at one time. But, for me, it was about an 8-hour day because I lived in a different area than where we trained, and it was a 50-minute drive each way. There was also the gathering, preparing and packing my car with my gear and nutrition/hydration that I would use during the 5 hours of training.

The strategy of making sure you have everything you need for a 26.2-mile marathon is intense. You have long run days and short run days. Scheduling all of this and reverse-engineering the plan so you can remain injury free on the run is vital. Balancing a training schedule and a work schedule can be very challenging. Making sure there is some flexibility in the schedule helps this. A good night’s sleep is essential to have a good training day.

But, sometimes you can’t avoid having to train on less rest than is ideal.

Especially when you have training buddies that depend on you to be there, and you keep each other accountable. It is a given that you will have good training days and bad training days.

Being creative with your time and calendar helps keep balance. Starting your day earlier is needed for sure – whether you start the workday earlier to get things accomplished and then train, or vice versa. Either way, maximising every day is critical. You have to utilise every minute to be able to achieve goals with work and training. Drive time to/from training can be spent making client calls. You also must schedule your rest time, so your body can recover from training. www.womanentrepreneur.co | 3

Delegation also helps keep balance. If there are tasks that someone else can do, plan that ahead of time on your daily and weekly schedule.

Mental toughness is critical to balance since it helps keep you from feeling overwhelmed.

Using time during training to multi-task can be done with some things. For instance, if I’m out on a run, I can listen to podcasts or webinars. I have even taken conference calls before while running. Not ideal, but it can be done.

I have recorded audio messages for blog posts, content for book chapters and action items for the week. Creativity is at a peak for me when I run.

I will admit it can feel a little lonely when you have to get to sleep early for a long training day the following morning. When family or friends invite you to an event, and you have to decline because you “have a long run in the morning” can feel like you are missing out. Having training buddies helps and keeps a social aspect to why I enjoy endurance training. There are sacrifices for sure, but the reward is great! Crossing the finish line and receiving that medal is more than just completing the race. Reflecting on all the mental and physical strength gained during that training time, the creativity that occurred during that time, and the metaphors that can be used to increase business results and personal life results are amazing.

The medal is a symbol of how you can push yourself beyond your limits to achieve greatness and to accomplish something that may have felt beyond your reach. It gives you the confidence to do all of that in your business and personal life. Trust me; it is worth the blood, sweat, and tears. Yes, you will encounter all of that.

Endurance racing and being an entrepreneur are quite similar.

What does the word champion mean to you?

Champion means you choose excellence as your driving force. It means you are up for a challenge and ready to overcome it, no matter how tough.

Champions have the ability to focus their vision to make it a reality, in spite of challenges or obstacles that come. A champion will push themselves because they are determined not to be held down. Champion means one is brave, courageous, confident, and not afraid to pursue the uncertain. A champion is actually living life full out with passion and on purpose. They are ready to defend themselves, defend what is right, and push through any circumstance.

What do you think is more important, motivation or execution? Why? That’s a tricky one. Both are essential to achieving results. I think motivation is more important as that is the foundation. Motivation to get up each and every day to accomplish your goals is critical. Without motivation, there would be no purpose to execute anything. Our “why” motivates us to move forward, press through circumstances, and have the confidence to go after the things we are passionate about. Execution can be done by us, by delegating to others, and by finding resources to assist. Motivation comes only from within.

What inspires and motivates you?

I am all about confidence, determination, and focusing on solutions to achieve results. I’m motivated to equip and empower individuals to transform their personal and professional lives. I never want to live a complacent life – performing roles just because society says things need to be a certain way.

I have several mentors, coaches, and friends who I turn to that will call me on “my stuff” and encourage me and teach me. My faith in God is a driving force behind all I do and keeps me grounded so I can live an abundant life, in spite of challenges and areas of my life that are not exactly as I would love them to be. Some days I think to myself: why keep doing so much, why not just relax and take an easier road? The next immediate thought goes to why I do what I do. It is a sincere belief in my soul that I have not experienced and overcome the challenges in my life, to only have gotten through them. I need to be of service to others, so they know and have tools and solutions to achieve results, success, and the ability to thrive (not just survive).

Being a successful speaker and coach, you reflect significant confidence. What advice do you have for women who lack confidence?  Trust Yourself: You are more capable, stronger, and more brilliant than you know. It’s time for your voice to be heard.  Sisterhood/Accountable People/Coaches in your life will catapult you forward and move you to another level of success.  Do It Afraid: doing something new or uncertain, especially if it makes you afraid, will build your confidence. Try a ropes course, and a new sport, a new activity, a new discipline on the job or in your business.  Vision Casting/Goal Setting/Creating a Soul Statement: You decide on the look and design of your life. Create the plan to achieve results. Results breed confidence!  Be open to grow and get in the discomfort zone. Remember, greatness happens in the discomfort zone.

What quote do you live by and why?

I have many quotes that inspire, motivate and empower me. But, there are two that have impacted me to be determined and confident to live my life full out.

One is by Marianne Williamson: “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves: Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? Your playing small does not serve the world. We are all meant to shine. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we’re liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

This quote continually reminds me to be authentic in all I do and never be afraid to tap into all of my genius, my confidence, my gifts and talents. When I do this, others will be positively affected and be able to do the same and achieve the results in their own lives.

The other that I am always reminded of as I encounter professional and personal challenges, is one of the things my mother said to me in the days leading up to when she passed away (in 2006 at the young age of 63). She told me, “Michele, I know you are smart and can do anything you set your mind to. I know you have the capability to figure things out on your own. But, I also know that if there is anything you don’t know how to do, you will be able to find the resources to get things done.” I hear her words constantly in my life as I navigate challenges, setbacks and uncertainties in business and in my personal life. I can hold fast to her belief in me, which enables me to press through.

Travel is a big part of Michele’s life. Here she is in Hawaii where she recently spent a week recharging.

What four tips can you give other women who want to achieve results in their businesses and lives?  Always operate in authenticity and integrity. This is your foundation and driving force to all you do. People are attracted to genuineness, and most can spot when someone is inauthentic.  Identify who your competition is and determine how you are/can be unique to what they do or offer. Create and execute the wow factor.  Stay true to your personal brand.  Work with coaches to get you to the next level. You may have heard that to get a different result we need to do something different. Coaches are like the iron that sharpens iron and can get you where you want to go.

4 | OCTOBER 2018 | ISSUE 2

Woman Entrepreneur | Global

A champion will push themselves because they are determined not to be held down.

Success Journal for Women in Transformation: Your daily companion to living NOW, abundantly, and transformed in ways beyond what you can even imagine.

Download Michele’s free journal that allows you a consolidated space for dreams, goals, significance and gratitude. www.transformwomen.com/successjournal

What are your five key principles of success?

What can we expect from you in the next 12 months?

 Have a Champion Mindset.

A couple of new programs to launch – Transform You and Achieve Results Program, and a financial fitness program. I’m working on a book about stepping out of complacency in your business and personal life. Next fall will be a Women’s Expo and Conference in northern California that I will be co-producing and speaking at. We are making plans to add this expo and conference to more cities in the US and have goals to take it globally. I’m also planning to produce an event to educate, equip, and encourage women to embrace their brilliance and confidence. It will include several exciting elements and be a high energy evening event. I will add a retreat to my menu of services as well as a new mastermind program for entrepreneurs.

There will be monthly connections to empower women to discover, live and thrive in their purpose, even in life interruptions. I’ll be increasing my speaking to corporations as well. I’m here to equip individuals to be determined to Break Barriers, Take Action, Thrive, Transform and become Unstoppable in every area of life. I will be speaking at the Mega Success event in Anaheim, CA in November 2018. This is the Super Bowl of business events. It is the “brainchild” of JT Foxx and attracts the best of the best. With guest celebrity speakers, elite-level attendees from over 71 countries, it is the best place to network, learn and meet new people to do business with.

 Always Be Open to Grow: Face the uncomfortable and move right through it to make changes. This causes transformation in the way you think and act, and you are able to be working on the best version of yourself.  Embrace the 3D Formula for Success: Dedication, Determination, Domination. Dedication is being wholly committed and devoted.

Determination (my personal favourite and what is in the core of my being) is having a fixed intention, being solid on your purpose, not giving up! Domination is having mastery over something. It’s having a guiding influence and control over yourself and your actions.  Get in the Discomfort Zone: Improvements, creativity, transformation, change, and your greatness occurs when you step into your discomfort zone – that time and space where you may think or feel you can go no more, is where you meet your greatest self.  Confidence is Crucial: Having self-assurance of your abilities and trusting yourself. It’s about having that certitude in your thoughts, and more importantly, your behaviours and actions. Physical and mental confidence go hand in hand.

How do you differentiate yourself from your competitors? What makes you unique?

When I work with clients, either individuals or with corporations and their teams, they achieve results! This is because I’m determined to make it about them. It’s never about me, but rather working alongside them and giving them practical and progressive tools and solutions to put in place right away.

It’s not about giving them a list of things to do to be different. I have a unique ability to confidently empower others to lean into their own genius. They are able to tap into the vitality in their own lives and create their excellence in everything they do. Not perfection necessarily, but excellence. Community and relationships are built, and together we create a team that can take them to the next level. They are inspired and motivated to have the mindset and way of the champion.

What is the hardest thing about entrepreneurship?

Your success depends on you; your actions, your connections, and always putting yourself out there to seek the next opportunity. It’s about always staying ahead of things - It’s not for the faint at heart. But, I believe that entrepreneurs are born with that certain something that sets them apart from the average person. We are designed to seek the thrill of new challenges and desire to continually evolve into our best versions. This too constantly changes.

GET IN TOUC H WITH M IC H ELE M ODELLAS transform@MicheleModellas.com www.MicheleModellas.com | www.TransformWomen.com Michele Modellas Michele Modellas Michele Modellas The Way of the Champion Global Association for Women in Transformation www.womanentrepreneur.co | 5

We are two months away from Christmas!

Where has this year gone? Is it just me or does it seem that, when we hit mid-year, the last half of the year just fly past? October is one of my favourite months of the year (not because it is my birthday, or perhaps it is) but because it is the start to the final quarter for the year.

As we are fast approaching Christmas a lot of people are getting more relaxed, working slower and already saying “we will look into it next year�. This is a great time of the year to get new clients for 2019, to work on your 2019 goals and strategies, and ultimately, set you up for significant success in 2019.

Make these last three months count!

Kindest Regards,

Erna Basson is an award-winning entrepreneur, world-class business coach and international keynote speaker. She is well known for starting, growing and selling companies fast and her passion is to help people become entrepreneurs so that they too can achieve and live their dream.

Erna Basson Founder and CEO | Woman Entrepreneur

She is the Founder and CEO of Erabella Beauty , the fastest growing hair extensions brand in the world. She is the CEO and Founder of Woman Entrepreneur, a global platform to Empower Women in Business

editor@womanentrepreneur.co www.womanentrepreneur.co

SUCCESS STORY

Erin Williamson is a thriving real estate consultant who works alongside her husband, Danny Williamson and business partner, Christina Loomis. Together they have closed more than 1200 property deals and have done over a billion dollars in transactions. She takes pride in her wellestablished business built from referrals and returning clients. Erin is currently focusing on coaching individuals who want to enter the Luxury Home Market and Realtors who want to know how to create the “WOW� factor for their clients. She is determined to transform the real estate industry one Realtor at a time!

Give us a bit of background about yourself and when/how your entrepreneur journey started?

I’ve successfully overcome many obstacles in my career and life and feel I can be of inspiration to individuals to live their lives to the fullest and to know that nothing is impossible. In 1997 when I first decided to choose real estate as my full-time career, I was told by many people that I would never succeed because I was too shy and not willing to do what it takes to become a success. Their definition of doing “what it takes” and mine were different. To them, it meant cold calling hundreds of people and knocking on hundreds of doors each week to try and get a single listing appointment. To me, this did not define success. In my opinion, doing this would not make me an asset to potential clients; it would only make me a nuisance. I was determined to find another way to succeed in the realty industry. You see, I do not consider myself much of a salesperson. Being successful meant having clients that raved about their experience and trusted me exclusively to represent them and their friends and family members, again and again. It is now my goal to be able to mentor and coach other Realtors into believing they too can have it all.

I currently work with my amazing team at First Team Real Estate with Christie’s International Real Estate as our luxury brand. We have been able to create some of the most incredible client relationships. We developed an amazing referral based business and we continue to create the WOW factor for our clients offering them better communication and customer service than our competitors. My team and I have closed over 1200 residential property deals and have done more than a billion dollars in transactions.

We managed to do this with hundreds of 5-star reviews and the confidence to back it all up. But most of all, we have built some of the best relationships with our clients that have become friends for life. Christina and I now have the opportunity to teach others to do the same thing.

What life and business lessons have you learned on your journey so far?

One of the best lessons I have learned is that every single day is a gift. You must be grateful for what you have. I truly believe that everything happens “for you” and not “to you.” When you start perceiving life this way, your whole perspective changes. No matter how challenging life becomes, even the worst-case scenarios are life lessons. It’s not always easy to see the gift when it only feels like the world is crashing down, but it’s there. We lost our home in a wildfire in 2017, and everything we owned was destroyed.

However, we didn’t lose anything that really mattered because we were all okay. Nobody got hurt, the rest of it, well, It’s Just Stuff.

What are your core business values you adhere to?

My core values stem from the belief that everyone matters. Every single person matters, and there is a reason for them to come into my life. It’s up to me to find and appreciate the cause. I believe that every person in my life offers a gift; even when that gift is a life lesson. I also believe that you never do what is easy, you do what is right. Always, always act on behalf of your client’s best interest, not your own. Do what is right, not what is easy. It’s a straightforward philosophy that I want to share with others.

From your many achievements, what is your most significant and why?

I believe my greatest achievement is the ability to successfully juggle work, family, kids, friends while having fun doing it. It’s all perspective. I’ve been dealt some very tough hands in life, but it’s up to me how I respond to them.

I can choose to be defeated, or I can choose to be happy. Perspective and a positive attitude keep me going. Happiness is a choice.

What has been your biggest fail to date? How did you overcome it and what did you learn?

My biggest fail to date is not realising my potential earlier in life. I was painfully shy and self-conscious from a very young age and into my late twenties. I completely lacked confidence in myself to understand that I had the ability to live my dreams from a much younger age. I watched life go by from the side-line, wishing I knew how I could participate. Self-belief is a powerful thing. Once you learn how to get out of your own way, anything is possible.

What inspires and motivates you? Basically, why do you wake up every morning, get the work done and do it all over again the next day?

Since you have become so successful, how do you handle haters or people that don’t support you? What advice do you have for fellow female entrepreneurs?

I’ve always been self-motivated. There is nobody harder on myself than me.

I am my own worst critic, but I know deep down that nobody is going to build my dream for me. Nobody is going to achieve my goals for me, and if I want to do it, it’s up to me to get it done. The last thing I want in life is to live with the regret of “what if?” There is no greater fear than living with regrets of not fulfilling my dreams and not living my best life while I am young and healthy enough to do it.

I learned that haters are going to hate. But why? Is it that you are doing something wrong? No. It’s because they are feeling their own insecurities by watching you succeed. The easiest way for them to feel better about themselves is for to try to tear you down. The easiest way to give them power is for them to get you to stop being you. Success is the best revenge. Let the haters hate; it’s what they are good at. Love them anyway. They don’t know how to handle it, and it’s fun to watch them squirm.

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Woman Entrepreneur | Global

What quote do you live by and why?

When I wrote my book, “It’s Just Stuff � I included many of my favourite quotes throughout the book. One of my favourite quotes is by Henry Ford: “If you think you can do a thing, or can’t do a thing, you’re right.�

It’s Just Stuff isn’t a book about the fire that consumed our home, it is a book about life lessons and experiences. I hope to inspire others to be able to overcome obstacles in their own lives by understanding that it’s all just stuff. Everything is stuff ; don’t let it destroy you. Use it as a weapon to make you stronger from the inside out. Let your light shine brightly on others and inspire them also to make a positive difference and help others.

What advice can you give fellow female entrepreneurs on the same journey as you who want to achieve the same success?

I

am

offering

“Empowerment

Weekends� for those who want

Once you learn how to get out of your own way, anything is possible.�

to learn how to do what I do. I am giving them the opportunity to meet me in person, and I present workshops

to

show

Realtors

around the world how to create the “wow� experience for their clients. I am enthusiastic about sharing all of my secrets and encourage people to visit my website: www.GetClientsForLife. com to learn more. You can also download a copy of my book, It’s Just Stuff, to learn more about me and my journey. My advice is to follow your passion. Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do something. If someone says you can’t do something, it’s because they can’t do it and they don’t want you to prove them wrong.

What is the hardest thing about entrepreneurship no one told you?

Being an entrepreneur isn’t for everyone. Most people do not understand what I do, nor do they grasp how I do it. I wake up every day with the fear of losing everything and knowing I must make a difference every day. The thing is, entrepreneurs do what others won’t so they can live the life that others can’t. I am a living proof that you really can have it all. You can be and do anything you set your mind to. If I can do it, anyone can do it. I had no self-confidence and was most likely to fail because of that. I am not oblivious to the fact that there will always be people better and more successful than me, but it doesn’t matter. The only person I am competing against is me. To be better than the person I was yesterday and to continue to touch others’ lives for the better. If I continue to reach that one goal, day after day, I have already won.

What can we expect from you in the next 12 months?

In the next 12 months, I would like to take my real estate coaching business to the next level. I am passionate about helping fellow Realtors nationally and internationally and showing them how to achieve their dreams. I plan to host 2-3 day events where I will teach Realtors from across the world how to live their best lives. I intend to create talk of the town client events that won’t cost a dime for individuals to break into the luxury real estate market. I want to teach them how to step up their game and impress their clients so much that they can’t help but refer their businesses. I can show them how to “wow� their clients at every turn, raise

GE T IN TOUCH WITH ERIN WILLIAMSON ErinWRealtor@gmail.com GetClientsForLife www.GetClientsForLife.com | BRE# 01168509

millions of dollars for charities and create raving fans for life. A fundamental of my teachings is not to lower your standards to compete with discount brokerages, and by sticking to my core business values, get repeating customers and become a referral business forever. I want to be a game changer in the real estate field and show agents how to step up their game and have fun while living their dreams! www.womanentrepreneur.co | 9

OCTOBER MEETING

We are not your usual networking group for women. We are a club with a difference; a club that is genuinely focused, passionate and dedicated to supporting women to succeed both personally and professionally in an empowering, inspiring, and supportive environment. Most importantly, a club for women who want be part of a sisterhood. Every month we deliver valuable content and tips and tricks from our success manual we will work through together. There is even HOMEWORK! We are your accountability partner to ensure you implement the strategies and keep moving forward on your journey.

WEDNESDAY, 24 OCT AT 18:15 UTC+10 Bayview On The Park | 52 Queens Road | Melbourne

Caterina Dornbrach Club Director

Erna Basson CEO & Founder

how to build a 7 FIGURE BUSINESS MODEL FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Are there any age restrictions?

Yes, you must be 18 years or older How much does it cost?

Your first event attendance is FREE! Be our guest so you can experience the vibe and culture of the club and decide if it is the right fit for you. If the club resonates with you and you would like to attend future events, you can either pay general admission for the main event or invest in an annual membership which gives you access to the Monthly Online Woman Entrepreneur Magazine, VIP Online Membership, Private Facebook Group and more!

Can you bring a guest?

Yes, of course you can! You can bring as many guests as you like, we love meeting new female entrepreneurs. Simply register your guest(s) with the following information: name and surname, email address and phone number. You can’t use your email address when registering your guest(s). A repeated email address will cancel the registration. Street parking and parking at the venue is available. Please contact the venue for parking fees.

What should I bring to the event?

Business cards, notepad, pen and the best version of yourself.

What is the dress code?

Business attire or smart casual. Remember, for many of us we feel how we dress. Also, first impressions matter, so put your best foot forward!

How can I contact the organiser with any questions?

Email : wecmelbourne@gmail.com | Mobile: 0423 005 297

WomanEntrepreneurClubMelbourne

Join The Woman Entrepreneur Club We believe that all women can become the future CEO’s of their life & business, but we know that you cannot do it alone. That is why we have created The Woman Entrepreneur Membership Program that will give you the support and accountability to build a life & business that you will love & deserve.

When you join the prestigious VIP membership, you will get access to $10 000.00 worth of content and counting. Masterclasses, the business & life accelerator tips, tricks & business secrets awaits you. Don’t forget the global membership portal where you can network locally or globally. Who knows, your next business partner could be a member on this platform!

Membership

B e n e f i ts

FREE MEMBERSHIP

VIP 19.97 $ 197.00 $

Free

VIP Club /mo. /yr.

save $43.00

69.00 $ 647.00 $

/mo. /yr.

save $181.00

Access to Monthly Digital Magazine Access to WE FB Group View Members profiles & connect Access to website content Monthly Business Insider Tips Business, Wealth & Life Accelerator program Millionaire blueprints Online Masterclass access Discounts from Online Affiliates Discounts to Woman Entrepreneur Signature Events Pre launch ticket access to Woman Entrepreneur Signature Events Network locally & globally with 1000's of other like-minded business women Discounts on all online listing options Access to exclusive content Access to club meetings (only available in Melbourne, Johannesburg & Auckland)

Together we can help you grow & Succeed in your life and your business Connect with local & global like-minded female entrepreneurs

visit www.womanentrepreneur.co for more information www.womanentrepreneur.co | 11

difficult conversations

Difficult conversations: A saying that tends to make people cringe. For some, it creates anxiety or sadness.

People lose sleep when they know they need to have a conversation with someone, and others approach the task just like any other. Having a difficult conversation is part of our duty as leaders, as partners and even with our family and friends. It is something we all have in common, no matter what type of leader or person we are. Most importantly, I can confidently share that no person I have ever met can say they “like� having difficult conversations.

Do not worry. I have good news; there is hope â˜ş It does become easier with time and practise. If you are still hesitant and or sceptical, I invite you to try these tips and tricks to ease your own anxiety and also make it easier for the recipient.

#1: DO IT NOW! This is a motto I try to stick to in the majority of my goals and my personal life. The longer we delay, the more we come up with excuses for why we cannot or will not do something. When it comes to having difficult conversations, the more you delay, the more you torture yourself. Why in the world are you torturing yourself? You probably do not even realise you are doing it to yourself! I have surveyed groups of leaders for years in every leadership development session I facilitate, and by a simple show of hands, at least 70% of the leaders in the room ALWAYS postpone difficult conversations to the end of the week.

Why? They are nervous, anxious, do not know what to say, play it over in their head, think of all different kind of scenarios, bounce it off other people to hear their thoughts. They look for affirmation that they are doing the right thing. What eventually happens is that they internalise the conversation and make it about themselves by allowing their emotions to control their thoughts. There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with this; it is a very common circumstance. At least 70% of the professionals and individuals I have worked with during my 18 years in HR do this.

Let’s think about this: If the leader is nervous about delivering the message, imagine the poor employee who has known for a week she/he will be meeting their leader for an awkward conversation! And this is how we all get grey hair. đ&#x;˜„ Your first task is to schedule your difficult conversations NOW. Do not delay, ensure you have completed your due diligence, have all your facts and sit down with your employee and another leader who will serve as your silent witness. Remember, it is preferable if this other leader is the opposite gender and should always be of higher status than the employee you are speaking to.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: JosĂŠe Larocque-Patton assists organizations to develop their people and train their leaders. She guides leaders when their employees are not following procedures and policies and act as a consultant when organizations experience legislative infractions.

JosĂŠe Larocque-Patton | Founder and CEO of The HR ICU www.thehricu.com | email josee@thehricu.com 12 | OCTOBER 2018 | ISSUE 2

#2 CHOOSE YOUR WORDS

One of the other surveys I do with leaders by a show of hands is the sandwich method. It is one of the most popular “difficult conversation” techniques around the world, yet I believe it is the worst technique any leader could ever use. My apologies to the creator of this technique.

• Positive: You are an excellent employee.

• The Real Message: You need to improve on X. • Positive: We are so grateful for having you as part of the team.

Really now! This is a shit sandwich wrapped up in a pretty little bow. I understand we all believe our employees or partners will be more receptive when we tell them things we like about them before unleashing the truth. And, to a certain extent, this is true. However, wrapping your message in a pretty little bow is just that, a pretty little bow. The actual message you wanted to share is now bundled up, and it is lost and hidden because it’s wrapped up. Be straightforward and honest. We appreciate X, and you can improve on Y. That’s it. Do not add more, do not turn this into a one-hour conversation. Be factual and respectful and move on. It is simple.

• Positive: I appreciate X. • The Real Message: You could be more effective if Y.

#3 CHANGE YOUR MINDSET

Society has trained all of us to believe these conversations are meant to be difficult. The actual saying is called “Difficult Conversations”. The word difficult in itself sets the tone which affects our reaction to the action we need to perform. If we changed the word Difficult to Feedback, how would this make you feel?

It is better than the word difficult, even just a little better. If this word feedback is only 1% better than the word difficult, then it proves my point that we allow words to affect our mindset.

Any “Feedback” conversations you have with your employees, family or friends does not and should not be seen as negative. Feedback is essential in any relationship. Without feedback, we would not learn and improve. Let’s change our mindsets about feedback and understand that its sole purpose is to help people. Especially when you are a leader, your ULTIMATE role is to support, develop, coach and mentor.

To do this, we all need to share timely and honest feedback.

Happy Feedback Sharing!

www.womanentrepreneur.co | 13

CamCard My favourites apps are CamCard and Infusionsoft. This is a great example of what I would call a bolt-on system, instead of an integral system. CamCard is great for scanning business cards, only occasionally getting the text on the card incorrect (mostly when it’s some fancy font). However, as impressive as it is standing in a conference scanning someone’s card and then handing it back to them, it’s useless if you don’t use that information to follow up with that person, be it a phone call or an automated email. This is where Infusionsoft comes into its own. Not only can you scan the card, you can also add them to an automated email follow up sequence, fixing a big issue around follow up failure.

Zoom My next favourite mobile app is also my least favourite. It’s a typical blessing and curse scenario. Zoom allows you to have online meetings on your mobile. It’s great for when you are out of the office, running late and need to get started or if you actually schedule to have a meeting while driving back from holiday. Just remember, mobile networks are not the same as the connection in your office. The curse part comes in where we now change the saying of ‘work from anywhere’ to ‘work from everywhere’. I once was out for a ride in the morning and in my excitement forgot to check my schedule. Next thing, a notification comes up on my Apple watch (yes, I know) “Meeting in 10 minutes’. I had to stop and make the call which was with a client in Australia. Curse because it had left me with no excuse, blessing because it kept my business going.

Uber Yes, you heard right. The amount of work and relaxation that can be achieved while sitting in an Uber getting from one point to another, in my mind, can’t be replaced. I typically only do something in an Uber if it’s absolutely urgent. Otherwise, it’s a great time to catch up with the team or clients in a very relaxed environment or, most times, to simply gather my thoughts for the meeting ahead.

Google Docs Google has simply revolutionised our business.

I’m writing this on a Google Doc (Microsoft Word equivalent) which gets shared with the Editor and the rest of the team to fix my poor spelling and grammar. If Google Docs works as it should or, should I say, if the people working with it work as planned, then this article should come out as planned. The beauty behind the mobile app is that I can store, share and edit on the move - making my office truly mobile. I have found this great when managing projects to make sure people have access to the documents they need, when they need it. And, if things need my input, I can ensure that I can push it to them as needed.

Infusionsoft One ring to rule them all, which really has become true for us. Like I said, a system is only as good as the ecosystem it lives in.

Having the mobile version of the world’s best small business CRM is like a magic wand in my pocket. Let’s say you need me to add you to our mailing list or send you the latest e-book, there’s a Tag for that (it’s what Infusionsoft uses to trigger automation). Do you need access to our latest e-learning course, let me give you access quickly. Oh, the deal was won, let me update my sales pipeline. You need a quote for that, just one sec….

So yes, all these things are possible and the reality that I want to share with you is that no quick-fix app will make it come together for you. You need to marry great technology with even greater people and rather rapidly you can truly take your business to the next level from your smartphone.

14 | OCTOBER 2018 | ISSUE 2

With so many apps out there and everyone promising a revolution to your day - from managing your schedule to your task list - it’s all very promising. We all go through the dance.

Think of a problem which, at that moment, seems like it would really end your business. Like forgetting to send off that email at the end of the day or missing a meeting. It all seems too much to bear, so we turn to technology and the creators of apps that may have had similar issues and decided to solve it in their way.

A perfect example of this is an app I downloaded after seeing it on the hit show “Planet of the Apps”. A designer and entrepreneur had come together to solve the problem that has been affecting mankind and yes, to a lesser extent, women-kind. The problem of having to deal with a calendar layout which seems not to be up to their standard. (The app will remain nameless to stop you from going off and wasting 3 minutes to download it and 8 minutes to play with it, only to find out that the original Gregorian layout had nothing wrong with it.)

And this, my friend, seems to be the trend developers are following: developing what they hope will be the next big thing and then letting you do the testing by seeing if you adopt it or not. That decision is simply based on whether it has made life simpler and if it has made your business more profitable. With that in mind, I’ve developed a skill over the years: I simply wait until it has reached a critical mass - that phase where it’s moving out of the early adopter phase into the mainstream phase - and then jumping in wholeheartedly. This means that I get proven technology to implement and improve in my business.

Too many business owners get stuck in ‘shiny object syndrome’ and too many think they will get their big break from being the first to buy a $2 app, thinking this is the app that is going to revolutionise their business. The truth is, the success is dedicated to implementation of the systems into the entire business, where everyone is trained on what they need to do in order for the system to work as a whole. Only when everyone and everything do their part, do you really start to move the needle.

About the Author: Wesley Longueira | Chief Catalyst at Virtual Edge I am key to the success of our working relationship with our clients, my role is the implementation and client training specialist. My background is training, coaching and mentoring having professionally specialised in this field after I graduated as a Bachelor of Education with Honours from Wits University. I am the ‘go to’ member of our team when we set-up your CRM campaign; decide on how to best use social media; working on the best strategy to get maximum impact out of your activities in inbound digital marketing. www.thevirtualedge.com www.womanentrepreneur.co | 15

1

BUILD A SOLID FOUNDATION

Select a domain that reflects your brand and services. It shouldn’t be too long or too short. Then select a content management system (CMS) that makes it easy or at least relatively easy for you to add new content to your site.

I recommend a self-hosted WordPress site for most of my clients.

There will be some costs associated with setting it up and adding functionality, but it is remarkably easy to scale. Some of the biggest brands in the world rely on WordPress sites. There are so many tools and plugins for the platform, and there are some user-friendly drag and drop builders that eliminate the need to learn to code. Also, there are so many support forums and groups. Some people will suggest other platforms but, in this case, going off the beaten path can mean that you end up stranded on your own. Also building your own site on your own hosting vs another platform, puts you in the driver’s seat. You’ll have complete control over your site.

TIP:

Build your new site on a robust platform that has lots of support.

2

ADD CONTENT OFTEN Budget some time or money to add content. If you’re doing it yourself, set aside a few hours every month to write and

schedule some updated content for your site. Having to create and add new content regularly keeps you and the site fresh. It makes you focus on news and trends and it makes you keep an eye on your site. You’ll know sooner rather than later if there are any problems with the site or security.

Get your web designer to create couple of templates for you so that you can create new pages of content pretty easily without having to sculpt something new from scratch. Or make sure that your blog posts follow a similar layout. This will save you time when it comes time to add another article.

TIP:

Set aside four hours a month to write and schedule at

least one new article per week. The article should be engaging, educational or entertaining and targeted to your ideal client.

If you follow these steps, you’ll have a solid foundation for your new business and website. It will give you a sense of success as your site gains readers and it will open your eyes to the basics of proper SEO. Niquelle Wright has over 20 years of experience in marketing, internet marketing and consulting. She has consulted to Fortune 500 companies in Hi-Tech Manufacturing, Energy and Financial Sectors. She has always been focused on delivering the best results for every client. Moving Up SEO is fully equipped to optimized your search engine terms locally, regionally and nationally.

16 | OCTOBER 2018 | ISSUE 2

Woman Entrepreneur | Global

4 DIY TIPS for performing SEO on your new website Niquelle Wright

Whether you’ve just decided to venture out on your own or whether you have been building a business for several years, the most significant roadblock is how to keep a steady stream of new customers coming into your sales funnel every month.

Are you struggling to get out of your business so that you can work on your business? Do you have a problem in your business that wouldn’t be solved by more customers and sales, directly or indirectly?

Maybe you need to move the business out of the garage and into proper office space, but you lack the resources to commit to the ongoing overhead expenses. If you were almost certain to get a certain number of new calls every month, could you commit?

Maybe you need to hire extra staff so that you can have more time to develop more products or services but you lack the cash flow and customers to scale up. If you could predict a certain amount of business each month, could you make the change? Maybe you need to expand the products and services that you offer, but you can’t break away from servicing current customers to create the vision for the company.

Would a growing flow of customers for your existing products help generate enough cash for you to hire the professionals that you know you need to expand your team?

While SEO is not the only thing that can deliver these types of results, it’s a proven, predictable and growing method of gaining visibility for your business and services. You’re not the only one who is considering spending part of their marketing budget on SEO. According to a recent study by Borrell Associates, is predicting that the SEO industry will grow to an estimated $72 billion by 2018 and $79 billion by 2020.

Effective SEO takes businesses from obscurity to visibility. It’s like being on the first page of the newspaper or the cover of the magazine. As long as you’re positioned for the right searches, and you’re delivering the right content, you are giving yourself a big chance at snagging real business.

So what are basics that you can do for yourself? And what can you hire out if you have the budget for a professional marketing company?

3

CONNECT THE SITE TO BRANDED SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS

Plan to incorporate key social media platforms into your SEO. Effectively using social media to attract readers to you, your business and ultimately your website is a great way to jumpstart your SEO. If you’ve been in business for a while and have serviced many customers, get them to like your Facebook page and follow you on Twitter and Instagram. Post often and create your content to engage with them, relate to them, offer them support and tips and to lure them back to your website. You might use a helpful hint and post more detailed instructions on the site or offer a special for current customers and link to your site.

One of the most important considerations for converting these visitors into repeat customers is to make sure that the landing page (the page they land on after clicking the link) is “congruent.” Same headlines, same images, same messaging. Make them feel like they’re walking into a perfect warm bath not doing the ice bucket challenge. It should be almost seamless to transition from what attracted them to your social media post to what they see on your landing page on your site.

If you are just starting your business, then plan some time to post relevant content to your account. Share your blog posts, success stories, holiday greetings consistently so that your profile becomes a library of engaging goodness. As you add customers, make sure that every new customer is invited to connect with you through social media. Once they connect, it should feel like welcoming and warm not cold and empty.

TIP: Link your site to your social media properties and vice versa.

Post your new articles on your social media accounts and encourage your followers to share, comment and like.

4

PLAN TO NETWORKING ONLINE

Every new business owner has been advised to get out and network. Make connections and create relationships with potential clients and referral sources. The same is true of your website. It needs to get out and socialize. It especially needs to hang out with the cool kids in your town, niche or industry.

And by hanging out with, I mean to be connected to…

We all love referrals. Someone introduces us to a potential client, and things are so much smoother. Websites work the same way.

If your perfect client is reading an article on a site that they trust and that site refers them to your site via an “anchor text link” the reader is more likely to trust your site and content as well. The same is true for your new website. A connection or “link” from the right types of sites communicates to your potential customers and to the search engines that your site is relevant to the topic at hand and that it can be trusted. These two factors are as critical to search engine optimization just as they are to acquiring a new customer.

TIP: Find two local news organizations, two local business organizations and two local bloggers who own and manage websites and find out what it takes to get them to link to your site. You may have to write a great article for them, you may be able to trade services or products, or you may have to join the organization. Do what it takes to get them to link to your website. www.womanentrepreneur.co | 17

LESSON 1

Going in with a negative mindset automatically sets you on the path to failure, networking included.

If you have already told yourself that the venture is going to be a waste of your time, then you are 100% correct. Not only that, but you are now wasting the valuable time of every other person in the room who spends their energy attempting to network with you.

An Abundant Mindset is what will set you on the path to building long-lasting business relationships, not just referrals.

My property coach and mentor, Mark Rolton, taught me to go into every negotiation with an abundant mindset – meaning treat the negotiation as though whatever comes of it is a bonus, not a necessity. If you enter the negotiation with a sense of desperation and need, then your “opponent” will sense that straight away, and you have already lost the deal.

LESSON 2

The same principle applies to networking. You should enter the room with the intention to build lasting business relationships, not look for the quick sale or to spam as many people as possible with your card. Spend your time making quality conversation, not quantity of conversations and use your abundant mindset to decipher whether you will be able to help the person you are talking to achieve their goals, rather than thinking “will this person buy from me?”

Do this and people will naturally want to find out more about you, in turn asking what they can do for your business. Before you know it, the room will be gravitating towards you and networking will be as easy as drinks with mates.

Always look the part.

I was recently told a story by my wealth coach and business partner, JT Foxx. He described a large property deal that a colleague of his lost. His colleague was highly credentialed and had a fantastic track record with this type of transaction, but he lost the deal to someone of inferior experience. He was baffled as to how he lost the deal, so after several days he called the vendor and asked.

The answer was blunt, “Your shoes weren’t polished and the other guy’s were.”

Dr. Albert Mehrabian, Professor Emeritus of Psychology at UCLA and author of several publications on non-verbal communication, found that 55% of your message is received through visual means (body language, facial expressions and physical appearance). These numbers suggest that how you look in the eyes of your fellow networkers holds more weight than what you actually say to them! That means if you dress the part, carry yourself with confidence, smile, and greet people with an open posture (not arms crossed) then you are already over 50% of the way there.

Wether you like it or not, assumptions are made based on the way you are dressed. Now sometimes those assumptions hold merit, and other times they don’t. I say why leave it up to chance?

Now, in the case of the neglected shoe story I mentioned before, the assumption was made that if he was unable to look after a pair of shoes, how could he look after his business?

Again, some assumptions hold merit, while others don’t, but I feel if over half of my message is portrayed visually, I want to make sure that picture is sending the right message.

Be careful not to judge too harshly if the unpolished shoe is on the other foot. Often, if you assume, it only makes an “ass” out of “u” and “me”. I’m not saying if someone is in the room in boardshorts and singlet you don’t talk to them, I’m saying that if assumptions are going to be made of you, why not make them good ones?

These are just 2 of the many lessons I have learnt on my networking journey to millions, but they are 2 of the most important. Keep them in mind at your next networking event and always remember: “It takes just one connection to change your business and life forever.”

18 | OCTOBER 2018 | ISSUE 2

Woman Entrepreneur | Global

Jeremy K. Streeter

So, whose first thought when they read the headline was “Not more network marketing propaganda”? Well, you are forgiven if it was, because had it not been for my last 12 months, I would have been thinking the same thing.

Hi, my name is Jeremy K. Streeter, and a few short years ago I was asked to attend a business networking breakfast to drum up more sales and build my client base. The idea mortified me, not because I was afraid of talking to strangers or the possibility of some form of public speaking, but because I felt it was going to be a complete waste of my time. Here are some things I’ve learned.

www.womanentrepreneur.co | 19

Many people think of social media as this unnecessary and expensive waste of time. Truth be told, NOT being on social media is expensive and a waste of time. No business in this day and age can afford to NOT be on social platforms. Good social media presence is not just merely an option, it is necessary for brands nowadays. In the past couple of years, marketing in social media channels has grown rapidly and is expected to more than double in the next 5 years. In case you have not yet gotten your business online, may my 3 reasons of why you can’t afford to NOT be on social media encourage you to get on it asap.

CHEAPER AND MORE ADVANCED APPROACH TO MARKETING - Versus traditional types of marketing like radio, billboard, and TV, social media is targeted specifically towards your desired audience. This is a new generation of marketing, no more “spray & pray,” no more hoping your “bait” will hook someone. To prove social media saves businesses money, let’s discuss one of my clients, we’ll call him “Max” for the sake of this article. Max was spending thousands in marketing on channels like radio, newspaper, TV, and even billboards. He eventually had enough of not receiving an ROI and decided to give social media a try.

I began marketing for him on Facebook and Instagram, with HALF the budget he was spending before, and INCREASED his leads by 50%. This is not to “brag” about results, I am simply proving the power of social media and what it can do for you.

LEAD GENERATION Lead generation is all about bringing the right people through the right process of a sales funnel. This is not the same as selling, think of this as gathering intelligence on your customers. You get to know what your targeted audience is interested in, which products they’d be interested in buying from you, and what their pain points are. Before, “lead generation” consisted of sending surveys out in the mail or filling out a form on the back of magazines. Today, lead generation is all about the content, the video marketing, the email opt ins, the paid ad campaigns, these are all aimed at getting potential customers into your funnel. The power of the internet allows lead generation to be done faster, quicker, and it’s easy to track. 40% of people socialize on social media more than they do face to face, the data social media collects on people has made it the perfect place to find your targeted audience and turn them into sales leads.

BUILD TRUST, EXPOSURE AND BRAND AWARENESS Being on social media and simply “popping up on someone’s news feed” isn’t just merely posting a picture of your restaurant’s food or your store’s new collection.

It’s the fact that you are building trust and awareness about your brand. You are developing an online presence and getting people familiar with your product or service, your name, your logo, your branding/vibe, so that once you DO go in for the sale, it is a more smooth transition and they are actually WILLING to buy. They are asking WHERE, HOW, WHEN?! This is because you have developed an online presence with fans that have gotten comfortable and have developed trust with your brand.

It is easier than you think to begin to reap the rewards and benefits of social media for your brand. Like mentioned before, in this day and age, social media will sooner or later not merely be a choice, it will be crucial for businesses to thrive. The bottom line is this - if your business is not on social media while your competitors are busy developing a social media presence and strategy to gain new fans and ultimately sales, who do you think will be more relevant in the consumers’ mind?

In the end, the debate over whether it should be used at all or not, is a closed case in my books!

I encourage you to connect with me on LinkedIn, ask me anything!

Christina McMasters: CEO of Black Paw Marketing | www.linkedin.com/in/christinamcmasters/ 20 | OCTOBER 2018 | ISSUE 2

Woman Entrepreneur | Global

www.womanentrepreneur.co | 21

1|

CRM, lead generation, marketing and automated follow up: Infusionsoft: Leads, Profits, Time How do you capture leads? Are you putting it into an excel spreadsheet or do you have a drawer full of business cards? Are you using some sort of CRM? The next question is: how are you following up on those leads? Are you trying to get to them and run your business? Do you have sales people making phone calls or are they just not being followed up on?

With the amount of companies marketing nowadays, it takes an average of 7 to 14 touch points before an interested lead becomes a paying client. Here are some numbers to put things into perspective for you: 44% give up after 1 follow up 10% make more than 3 contacts 80% of sales close between 5-12 contacts If this is you, you are missing out on your biggest revenue generator – the 80% of people who you don’t follow up with regularly.

In order to effectively capture and follow up, there are a few pieces to this puzzle: A landing page to drive traffic to and capture leads A CRM to capture customer information An autoresponder to automatically educate and nurture your prospects to get them to become customers In the past you would have needed a few different systems to achieve this, but Infusionsoft has made it all available to you in 1 platform that is easy to use. It includes a landing page builder, CRM, automated follow up and much more. Imagine capturing and following up with thousands of leads simultaniously without having to do the work yourself and only talking to your leads when they are ready to buy or they can buy online, automatically.

Infusionsoft is for growth-minded businesses that need a multi-functional CRM platform.

This platform organizes all of your customer interactions in one place. Infusionsoft has empowered 145 000 businesses worldwide to deliver more personalized services and close more business deals.

If you are looking to do any one of the following, Infusionsoft will be a good fit for you: Capture more leads Turn more leads into customers Turn more customers into repeating customers Know what to do next with each customer Follow up with timely communication Schedule calls/meetings What can you expect to pay for Infusionsoft?

You can get an Infusionsoft license from $99 - $397 per month depending on how many contacts you require in your database and how many users you need. The system grows with your business and you can upgrade at any time.

You need to purchase a kickstart package so you can get help from a professional to get you going.

These can range from $249 for basic, get started services up to $30k plus for more specialized needs. You can watch a demo of Infusionsoft at www.thevirtualedge.com or contact me directly for more information.

22 | OCTOBER 2018 | ISSUE 2

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This is the best scheduling software that I have come across. It is easy to set up, simple for your customers to use and understand and it integrates with many other platforms - like your calendars and CRM’s (including Infusionsoft).

ScheduleOnce can also trigger automation.

LastPass is online password management software storing passwords and logins and organizing them in folders for easy access. It allows you to share access to your sites with team members, freelancers and colleagues without actually sharing your password – you control the access they have. LastPass automatically populates your logins, so you never have to remember all the crazy passwords you come up with. You’ll never have to click the “Forgot My Password” button ever again!

Scheduling Appointments: ScheduleOnce

With ScheduleOnce, you can set up your available times and segment it in order to have times set up to talk to new leads or do sales calls. You can also set up times to talk to existing clients through a different link. One of the most appealing features is the ability to set up a form so that, when people book appointments, you are able to get the required information before the meeting. I use this extensively in my own sales process and it is incredibly effective.

Here are some of the awesome features that this great tool boasts: Payment collection for consultations - You can have a payment link in the booking form (must be an integrated payment gateway) when you do paid consultations or calls and Book group sessions and team sessions Integrate it into your website for direct booking Fully customizable with your company’s branding Automated reminders and follow ups with sms notification Full reporting on all historical appointments What can you expect to pay for this amazing tool?

Between $5 and $49 per month depending on how many booking forms and users you need.

The most popular option is $19 per month, which is a steal for how much it allows you to do and how much more productive you are able to be. Here is a link to get this amazing software - https://www.scheduleonce.com/ pricing?refcode=yjkCgV

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Organizing shared documents: Google Drive

Trying to find documents and have all your files easily accessible can be ‘fun’ if you are not an organized admin person. I travel a lot and don’t always like to carry my laptop with me. It’s important for me to have access to my files and documents and to share it with my clients and my team while getting real-time updates.

One of the most exciting features is the ability to work on documents live with clients or your team. You can have a document open in Word, Excel or PowerPoint while multiple people are working om it at the same time - no more back and forth and trying to figure out which is the correct version. You don’t need any servers or any hard costs for equipment.

This tool has been one of the biggest game changers for my business, as well as for many of my clients.

I use Google Drive for 3 main purposes: Storing internal files so my team works from one central place.

To back up my hard drive. Google’s apps make access to those files seamless anywhere in the world.

Storing client projects and files granting them access to certain folders, which makes the transfer of files painless.

What does it cost?

Free to $5 per month per user. If you want your business emails to be integrated with Google Drive and if you need more storage you can upgrade at any time. You can get google drive here: https://www.google.com/drive/

Saving passwords and access to sites: LastPass

How much does it cost?

This is why I love it so much – its FREE! There is a paid version which will give you access to the mobile app, but the free version is pretty awesome.

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Online Meetings ZOOM

This is one of my favourites! It is similar to Skype, but provides a more stable and versatile platform. The free version can record calls and has a simple link to click to launch the app so you don’t have to look for the other meeting attendees before they join. This means you can have a call set up and going within 30 seconds anywhere in the world. They also have a mobile app.

The one limitation on the free version is that you can only run group calls for up to 45 minutes before it cuts out, but the paid version is only $20 a month, so it’s well worth the upgrade.

Some other features of the paid version: Breakout rooms Video webinars Connect to existing systems This tool also connects to other platforms like your CRM which makes it an incredibly powerful tool to be more productive in your business by not having to travel so much.

How much does it cost?

The price of this amazing tool starts with the FREE version, which suits most businesses. If you’re looking to do more, it ranges between $20 and $69 per month. Enterprise users can expect to pay a couple hundred dollars.

You can get it by going to their site – www.zoom. us or you can use my referral link http://bit. ly/2D3XhxQ

A

ll these systems have helped me to increase revenue and profits by 300% year on year. It allowed me to scale without adding big overheads and more staff. We have helped hundreds of businesses worldwide how to become more productive by using these tools and have seen incredible growth from the ones that have implemented.

If you are able to free up more time and create more revenue and profit without adding extra overheads, your business will grow fast. Maybe your goal isn’t to grow, but to create more time and freedom.

Whichever it is, these tools will help you achieve them in a simple way and with little cost.

Woman Entrepreneur | Global

S YYour S T EWealth MIZE The everyday systems you need to increase profitability in your company.

The 2 biggest challenges every growing business faces, are cash flow and time. Most businesses are stuck in a cycle of feast or famine. You are either marketing and selling or delivering, which means your cashflow is not consistent and you’re on a constant roller coaster chasing time. Imagine for a second what it would be like to know your business is growing, based on what you put in. Isn’t that an exciting thought? It certainly was for me.

There are many ways to grow your business; profit being the most important. If we are not turning a profit that increases year on year, our business dies… or we die (metaphorically) trying to keep it alive. I have other intentions for you. I want you to be able to have the time, the money, the fun, the love for your business AND absolutely love the journey along the way. You can do this by implementing systems so you can focus on what you love and are good at, while your business

can grow and scale without everything relying on you. You can’t always automate everything, but we can try…

There are a lot of systems, tools and strategies to choose from and it’s easy to get caught up in what I call “The shiny object syndrome”. This is when you get excited and caught up in the hype of all these technologies and end up buying a whole bunch of tech you don’t need, because the people selling it had really great copywriters and awesome videos.

You end up wasting money on solutions that don’t deliver results.

I am going to simplify it for you and share 5 tools with you that range from free to paid. If implemented properly, it can skyrocket your revenue AND profits while creating the most precious commodity - TIME.

Matt Clark is a sales funnel expert and the creator of The Automated Income System. He has built his own multi-million-dollar companies both online and offline (door to door sales). He works with businesses all over the world helping them to automate, grow revenues, profits and free up more time. His clients have been able to entirely automate their businesses and create more revenue in one month than in an entire year - growing their business x5 by just doing things differently. His mission is to elevate the level of business worldwide by making tools and strategies available to business owners.

Email: matt@thevirtualedge.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattclarksa Website: www.thevirtualedge.com

www.womanentrepreneur.co | 23

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