It's time to turn Oprah off!
There’s no doubt that Oprah’s become the icon of women and influence. We can’t argue with that, can we? Riveting guests, great stories, attention drawn to phenomenal causes and a shining example of a woman who stands on her own, she’s paved a way in history for the influential woman. Want to know a secret, though?
I think I need to stop watching her show.
Working for myself offers me the blessing of flexibility and access to a television each day when “Oprah’s on!” It’s been a regular thing that I tune in for an hour and offer myself a reprieve from the day when Oprah’s on. It’s been my little break. I’m sharing with you today why that’s going to stop – and it’s got little to do with Oprah herself!
Reason #1 I’m Turning Oprah Off: Because I’ve been spending an hour tuning into to someone else’s thoughts other than my own. If I took that hour and went for a walk, meditated, called a friend…whatever I choose, that hour would better enrich my life because I’m tuning in to ME.
Reason #2 I’m Turning Oprah Off: Whatever she or her guests can do, I can do, too. And in many cases, I already do. I volunteer in the community, I’ve written a book and I have a career that helps people build a fulfilling life. The difference between Oprah and me? I have less press 
And that’s OK. I think I’d like to continue doing what I’m doing and with whom I’m doing it and skip the prime time coverage!
Reason # 3 I’m Turning Oprah Off: Mobility. If I’m stuck in front of the TV or within earshot, how can I really give myself the freedom to do what I want or need to do at any given time during the day? By untethering myself from the tube, I can go anywhere, talk to anyone, send emails, prepare presentations and (gasp) even run to the grocery store. Life is boundless if I unplug from the gleaming glass screen.
Reason #4 I’m Turning Oprah Off: My clients. They inspire me each and every day in more ways than any TV show could. Their stories, hopes, dreams and desires are fuel enough for me to know I’ve chosen the right path in life. While Oprah’s stories are great, yours are better.
So there you go! I hate to say farewell to Oprah and I’m sure I’ll catch her every now and then, but I’m happy with my decision. Women and influence – it begins with US. We don’t need to tune in to a TV show to see it and live it. I’m glad to live a life devoted to women and influence, and even happier that my electric bill might be a little lighter after taking out 20 hours a month! Now, I love being wrong, but I think I’m pretty spot-on about this one…
Fairy tales. As we get older and life shows us what it truly holds around each bend, we begin to lose our faith that somewhere, sometime, there’s a fairy tale waiting for us.
Princes and princesses disappear and we see the monsters in the moat, the fire-breathing dragons. Well, we see everything that keeps us from getting where we need to go.
You know what I love about fairy tales? Everything. The beginning, middle and end, every trial and tribulation in between! Aside from imagining myself all dressed-up in corseted gowns and waving to my prince from a tower’s window, I think fairy tales have quite a bit to teach us about business. If only we’d listen.
I want to share three things that I’ve learned about being a woman in business from all those fairy tales of my childhood. Now, this doesn’t mean that the guys can’t share in these thoughts, but I’m a girl and I’m talking to my fellow princesses today!
Hire a Contractor: Remember the Three Little Pigs? That nasty wolf kept huffing and puffing and blowing their house down. This goes to show that do-it-yourself isn’t necessarily the best defense against the things you want to keep at bay in your business. Whether competition or an afternoon rainstorm, team up with those who know how to build what you need – and it’s most likely not one of the other two little piggies under your roof! (Tip: search for woman-owned general contractors and businesses if you want to keep it with the sisterhood!)
Watch What You Eat: If you want to end up in an oven like Hansel and Gretel, go ahead an gobble-up anything that’s put in front of you just because it looks tasty. There are a lot of people in the business world that prey on your desire to grow and prosper and they’ll sell you a bill of goods because you’re hungry. Do your homework, read the fine print and get referrals for those business snacks you’re about to eat. It doesn’t all taste as good as it looks!
Dreams Can Come True: Your glass slipper, your happily ever after – it’s all possible as a woman in business. There’s no “man” keeping you down and to be quite honest, if you find a fire-breathing dragon keeping you from your goals, I want you to email me a picture. Whatever you aspire to can become your day to day. Grab a white horse and a killer dress and go get that new client, small business loan or fantastic new logo design. You deserve it and if you envision it, you can have it.
I just love doing things wrong!
I really do love being wrong. I relish it, I wait for it and embrace it every time it walks into my life. I greet Wrong with a smile and if it were possible, I’d buy it a mimosa at Sunday brunch. Now, I don’t go out of my way to BE wrong, mind you, but when Wrong shows up at my door, I don’t look through the peephole and pretend I’m not home.
Over the years, I’ve discovered a certain power in being wrong. Remember when we were kids – teenagers, even. We couldn’t imagine not being 100% right all of the time! If anyone told us we were wrong, well, they were just…WRONG. I don’t know about you, but as I traveled through Life’s School of Hard Knocks, I came to realize something:
Wrong is Right.
When you open the door to being wrong, you find new ways to be right. That’s reason number one I love being wrong.
Reason number two is this: when you’re wrong, you can try again. Being wrong is life’s little mulligan. A do-over. And half the time, the work is already done for you when you’re wrong (because someone’s done it right and all you have to do is catch-up). Now, I’m not advocating you don’t look both ways before crossing the street, but there aren’t many types of wrong that aren’t recoverable. I love the do-over.
The third reason I love being wrong? That’s easy: I love learning. If I could be wrong about something every day and have a new Right presented to me, I’m living right. Whether it’s business, a conversation with a friend or a quandary at the grocery store, being wrong gives me the chance to emerge better on the other side. And I can learn how to not make the same mistake again.
Now that you know why I love being wrong, why do YOU love being wrong? What does it bring to your life and what do you learn? Go out and hug a Wrong today – you need them (and they need you)!
Who do you lean on in business?
I’m not talking about left or right, conservative or liberal. I’m asking you: do you lean? More importantly, do you know HOW to lean?
Business is never a solo endeavor. On Tuesday, we spoke about things to consider when scaling your business. Today, we’re taking that idea one step further: who do you lean on in business? Leaning isn’t about not being able to support you and the weight of your day to day yourself. It’s about having a trusted business mind at your side at all times.
When you find someone in your business life that can not only lend an ear but their business savvy, it’s an incredibly empowering feeling. Business can be a lonely path to follow, what with worrying about competitors, bills, food on the table and keeping clients happy all at once. It’s key that you find a trusted colleague who has a soft shoulder to land on.
Sometimes it just helps us to know that we’re not crazy for thinking what we do about our business situation. Other times, it helps to have someone who will flat-out tell us we’re being crazy about our business situation! We get so wrapped up in our own day-to-day that we can’t see the forest for the trees sometimes. I don’t know about you, but I sure do value a little reality check every now and then!
Learn while you lean.
The other benefit of having a trusted business colleague is learning while you lean. When you share things about your business experience with someone, they’ll undeniably share things about their experience with you. If I made a list of how much I’d learned from other people’s business experiences – oh, honey – that would be a blog and website in and of themselves! Why would you deny yourself the gold mine that comes with learning from someone else’s mistakes and successes? It means you don’t have to make the same missteps and can take better, more purpose-driven steps toward you own goals.
So, my friends: LEAN! Find that shoulder, that ear. It feels great to take the load off every now and then.
If you have an experience to share about how you’ve found the hidden gold in a trusted ally, let me know and let’s start our own little “leaning” community right here.
Business finance strategies shouldn't make your balance sheet match your lipstick...
We’ve talked about ways to grow your money, but let’s face it – it’s EASY to spend money! Whether online or in the store, there are things peeking out from around every corner saying, “You neeeeeeeed me!” I’d venture to guess that half the time, the expenditures are necessary. The other half of the time, we’re doing more harm to our balance sheet than good. If you find your balance sheet in the red month after month, it’s time to stop matching it to your lipstick and begin matching it to that favorite pair of black go-anywhere shoes.
Business finance doesn’t have to be a headache. Here are five simple ideas for getting your finances in-line quickly and with as little spending as possible!
- Establish a filing system – When you need receipts or answers, wouldn’t it be great to know where to find them? Not only find them, but actually have a system for filing them. That means a personal deadline for scanning or recording receipts following the date of purchase or payment. One simple idea is to establish an “inbox” on your desk and every Friday morning, begin your day by recording the week’s receipts and filing them. Nothing like starting the weekend with a clean desk (Mondays will be MUCH more pleasant!).
- Hire a CPA – Pay someone to manage your money and think about your money for you. You’d be surprised what $500 per year can do for your bottom line. Just like the guy we call to deal with a plumbing problem or to repair the brakes on the car, financial expertise has its place. A good CPA is more than just a “tax man.” He or she is a business strategist who will help you structure your finances and expenditures in the most favorable means possible.
- Make a purchase delay – If you feel compelled to purchase something for your business (or simply for yourself), establish a self-imposed purchase delay. This isn’t about depriving yourself – it’s about giving you the time to think. Say your self-imposed purchase delay is 24 hours and a day later, you decide to go through with the purchase. Then do it! This is a good way to minimize those impulse buys that look great at the time but do nothing but detract from your bottom line.
