Your theme for 2010 should be “I am FEARLESS!”

Many of us spent the past year struggling to hold our businesses together, trying new marketing strategies to generate sales. In addition, we may have experienced personal turmoil as well. It was a year of exposure. A year of getting down to the nitty and gritty of things. A year of opening our eyes to things we refused to see, things we avoided and things we took for granted.

We let our fears get the best of us with news stories about the economy, the war, healthcare, H1N1, etc. We worried about the state of our country, the state of our cities and the state of our homes.

2009 is over. It’s done. Never to be relived, rehashed or revisited. You simply can’t stop time. Time is one of the few things we can never replace. However, we can honor it. We can honor time with our actions. We can actively work on making our dreams reality, we can speak kindly of others now and not when they are gone and we remember to have a little fun and not take ourselves too seriously.

Let 2010 be your year to be FEARLESS. You survived one of the worst years since the depression. Acknowledge what that is worth, value it, and embrace it. Use the same tenacity you used to get through the 2009 to lay the foundation for a new beginning. Take stock of last year and believe nothing is impossible… negatively OR positively.

Don’t drown yourself in lofty resolutions. Simply make a commitment to be and do better today than you did yesterday. Strive to make each day more worthy of the last. Be FEARLESS. Do the very things you think you can’t. Before you know it, not only will your dreams and goals be realized, but you will become the person you always thought and sought out to be.

Claim 2010 as your year of FEARLESSNESS!

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A.Michelle Blakeley is the Founder and CEO of Simplicity, Inc.; a progressive small business development firm. She manages her clients’ business expectations and prevents information overload via Micro Business Therapy™ and Micro Business Action Plans. She is featured in Forbes.com as one of 30 Women Entrepreneurs to Follow on Twitter and the host of Simple Truths: Intelligent. Insightful. Informed. on BlogTalkRadio.com.

Are you a statistic?

When is the last time you really thought about just how much time you are wasting with menial work, misguided business practices, misdirected energy and money? Are you a statistic?

• 43% of Americans categorize themselves as disorganized, and 21% have missed vital work deadlines. Nearly half say disorganization causes them to work late at least 2 or times each week.
Jane Von Bergen, “So many reasons to neaten up…”, Boston Globe Esselte survey, David Lewis
• Most people actually use 60% or less of available work time. When more than 38,000 people in 200 countries were queried about individual productivity, it showed that even though they were physically at work five days a week, they were only productively using three days. 
Microsoft Survey
• Unnecessary meetings cost U.S. businesses approximately $37 billion each year. 
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2005
• 48% of us feel our lives have become more stressful in the past five years. 
American Psychological Association (APA), 2007
• 71% of white-collar workers feel stressed about the amount of information they must process and act on while doing business; 60% feel overwhelmed. 
Institute of the Future, Menlo Park, CA
• Spending 15 minutes every weekday morning mapping out your day can save you an average of six hours of wasted time during your workweek. That’s a 480% return on your investment of time.

The end of the year is fast approaching. Are you going to continue to do what you’ve been doing? How’s that working for you so far? If it’s not and you are tired of spinning your wheels or are bogged down in disorganization and frustration, STOP. Stop with the poor business practices. Stop with the poor planning. Stop with the lack of accountability.

START the New Year in a better and stronger position than ever! Now is the opportune time to analyze your business operations, identify areas for improvement, cut the fat, hone your niche and drive your business forward. When it comes to proper planning, what gets measured gets done.

With the end of the year fast approaching, you would be wise to plan well for the new one. If you are still trying to figure out how to adapt to the changes in the economy, as the old adage states, “Out with the old and in with the new.” New perspectives, new ideas and a new agenda.

Before you make your long list of New Year’s resolutions (or NOT), start with a clear understanding of where you’ve been, what you’ve been doing, what’s working, what’s not working and where you ultimately want to be and where you want to go. Get help and a fresh set of eyes. More often than not, small business owners are too close to their business to be objective. You need someone from the outside to look deep within your business and ask you the right questions. Don’t be a statistic. Be progressive. Be pro-active. Be prepared. Be purposeful. Take complete control of your business.

You simply cannot move forward until you know where you have been and what needs to change. Change can be small. Change can be big. Change can be empowering.

Submitted by A.Michelle Blakeley

Simplicity, Inc. |Because you don’t have time to waste.™ |866.927.5888 x1

Ask about our PROVEN Coaching and Mentoring Services.

Copyright Notice: Visitors to the Simplicity Mastered™ website may not reproduce, republish or redistribute material found on the website in any form without the express written consent of Simplicity, Inc.. For all requests for use of copyrighted material from the Simplicity Mastered™ website, please contact amichelleblakeley@yahoo.com

When are you going to get out of your way?

When are you going to get out of your way? You only hurt yourself and your business when you cease to apply and practice sound and successful business habits.

There is always plenty of blame and excuses to go around. Not enough time in the day. Can’t get organized.  Lack of money.  Lack of resources. Too much of this; too little of that. Enough with the excuses already.

To overstate the obvious, successful small business owners practice successful small business behaviors and habits. Our habits are what shape us. They always have. What we practice, good or bad, is what we receive, good or bad. Good eating habits = generally good health. Bad eating habits = generally bad health (it will certainly catch up with you). Yes, this is oversimplifying it, but the fact remains the same. Take a moment and reflect over your own business habits. Are they good, bad or perhaps in between? Now reflect on the “results” of those business habits. What have you achieved lately? Are your poor business habits getting in the way of your business success?

Your habits are directly related to your knowledge, thoughts and feelings. You will always be responsible for what you know. And if you know better, you should do better. Deep down, you can identify at least 2 or 3 things that you have been continuously doing that you know are hindering you from really achieving the success you would like to see in your horizon. You have made excuse after excuse for not changing or making the necessary adjustments. In the end, as a small business “owner,” you have to take ownership of the success AND failure of your business.

So, you already know what hasn’t and does not work. Now it is time to start looking at what will and does work. If it’s not broke, don’t fix it. But if it creaks, be sure to tweak it. If you keep doing what you’ve been doing, you’ll keep getting what you’ve got. The clichés can go on and on. You get the point.

• Recognize and acknowledge that which needs to change. It’s your first step; awareness. Believe in the fact that you CAN change. You have the ability to change; however, change requires ACTION. Belief and action are the basis of the foundation for renewing your mind and your business.

• Carefully examine what has worked and is working. Begin to look at ways to expand and enhance those habits. Replace one bad habit with one new habit. Be sure to include the “lack of habits” too. The habits of not doing the things that you should. You’ve spent more time doing less. Now spend more time doing more. Productivity doesn’t have to be painful or time consuming, but it does have to be.

• Commitment and consistency will complete the process. Commit to yourself and the success of your business by consistently taking action on necessary improvements. Practice, practice and practice some more until it becomes a routine.

There is no such thing as “trying” to be a successful business owner. Either you do what is necessary or you don’t.

Submitted by A.Michelle Blakeley

Simplicity, Inc. |Because you don’t have time to waste.™ |866.927.5888 x1

Ask about our PROVEN Coaching and Mentoring Services.

Copyright Notice: Visitors to the Simplicity Mastered™ website may not reproduce, republish or redistribute material found on the website in any form without the express written consent of Simplicity, Inc.. For all requests for use of copyrighted material from the Simplicity Mastered™ website, please contact amichelleblakeley@yahoo.com

You are not IN business. You DO business.

It is one thing to be IN business and another to DO business. It is sometimes considered glamorous to be in business. It makes us feel important and independent, but business is more than that. To be able to say, “I’m in business for myself” or “I have my own business,” is a real accomplishment for some. However, that accomplishment is short-lived at best if there is no foundation for it to stand upon.

Most people go into business for one of a few reasons: you got fired; you feel you can do it better or you want more control over your destiny. With the economy and employment rate in the condition it is in, it is no surprise there has been an influx of new small business owners and increase in professionals moonlighting as part-time business owners.

Purse strings are in knots and business cards are being exchanged at record speed. It is certainly survival of the fittest. So, how fit is your business? Are you IN business or are you DOING business. There is a real difference. If you are IN business, you:

• Have no plan of action or direction in achieving your goals
• Market your products and services to the everyone and anybody
• Are always in “autopilot” or spend your days “putting out fires”
• Have no idea who your real competition is
• Don’t have a way or system to measure your marketing efforts
• Constantly focused on generating new clients
• Have no established or functional system in which you conduct your business; therefore, waste valuable time being unorganized

If you are DOING business, you:

• Have a clear set of goals and objectives. You have taken the time to chart your course in a written plan of action.
• Have a consistent marketing message that includes responding to a real need. You have determined your target market and know your client profile.
• Focus your time and resources on the marketing efforts and venues that produce results and put you in direct contact with potential clients
• Collaborate with complimentary businesses to increase your value to your clients
• Provide an exceptional client experience to generate referrals without having to ask
• Have a solid infrastructure and functional way of operating their business
• Continue to educate yourself on market and industry changes, how to improve products and processes, enhance client service and develop your professional skills.

Having your own business means more than ordering a box of business cards and sticking the “open” sign in the window. There is an opportunity for real personal and financial freedom; an opportunity that you do not want to miss or not be prepared for. Whether you were laid-off, fired or simply have always wanted to go it on your own, how you conduct your business will determine your survival and longevity. Actively participate in the planning, development and growth of your business. The reality is that there is work to be done. The glamour of owning your own business will wear thin and wear off quick when you are ill prepared. You will be stuck with a box of business cards, unnecessary bills and labeled “fly by night.” Take your business seriously and let it reflect in your efforts. You are not IN business. You DO business.

Submitted by A.Michelle Blakeley

Simplicity, Inc. |Because you don’t have time to waste.™ |866.927.5888 x1

Ask about our PROVEN Coaching and Mentoring Services.

Copyright Notice: Visitors to the Simplicity Mastered™ website may not reproduce, republish or redistribute material found on the website in any form without the express written consent of Simplicity, Inc.. For all requests for use of copyrighted material from the Simplicity Mastered™ website, please contact amichelleblakeley@yahoo.com

3 Ways to Ensure Your Business Thrives

1. Quality – Quality products and service are priceless.

2. Value – All businesses must be able to provide value to their clients. Value creates repeat  clients and keeps your clients from going to your competition.

3. Pricing – Ensure your pricing is appropriate for your products and services and relative to your niche market, the economy and your business finances.

Plan for your success and create the business you want.

    * Does your organization have a written mission statement?

    * Does your organization have a written plan?

    * Do your goals list observable, quantified, measurable targets (e.g., volume, growth rate, profitability)?

    * Are your goals realistic yet challenging, based upon experience and/or research?

If you answered “no” to any of the above questions, your business is at risk of being inefficient and ineffective and losing revenue.