Don't Do It Solo

Photo by Timo A.: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-in-jean-jacket-sitting-on-cliff-4426933/

As a solopreneur, it can get lonely at the top. When you have a partner it is easy to call them up and discussed business ideas. When you are building your business alone then that option doesn’t exist or does it?

Mastermind Groups Are The Way To Grow Your Business!

Last year I wrote a blog post all about masterminds and where you can find one that is just right for you. Check out the post here and go find your tribe.

Keep IT Sunny!

Welcome To The Month Of February!

Photo by Monstera: https://www.pexels.com/photo/paper-hearts-of-different-size-pinned-on-pink-surface-5874612/

This month is all about Hallmark movies & love. 

If you are not into either of those things then let’s take another approach this month. Let’s make it about self-care and falling back in love with your business. We will take a look at different ways we can use apps to help us achieve a good balance of health and wellness. We will also take a look at why we started our business and how to set achievable goals. 

This is the month of self-love and entrepreneurship love. I hope you take action on some of the tips and resources that I will share with you.

Much Love & Keep IT Sunny~

How To Find A Business Mentor

Do you find yourself in a business rut at different times during your business journey?

Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to bounce ideas off someone you could trust that has already gone down a similar path?

If the answer is yes then you might want to check out Scores mentor program. According to their website, “ SCORE’s mission is to foster vibrant small business communities through mentoring and education. With the nation’s largest network of volunteer, expert business mentors, SCORE has helped more than 11 million entrepreneurs since 1964.” They have been around for a long time and have helped many entrepreneurs. Check out their site and give their mentor program a try. What do you have to lose?

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Small Steps Matter

“Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together - Vincent Van Gogh

The chosen road of entrepreneurship is not straight.

There are all kinds of twists and turns along the journey. The first step on the journey is making the decision to go on the journey. Initially, when I thought about the idea of becoming a small business owner I had MANY ideas that were written down but I didn’t take any real action at that time. When I finally decided to become a small business owner for real I took a small step. I was working at a less than desirable job in a stressful environment and I was at the point of “take this job and shove it.” But it was at that point that I made the decision to go on the entrepreneurial journey. The first step I took was to fill out the paperwork for my DBA and send it off. That action gave me the encouragement I needed to continue taking more small steps that have led me to be a small business owner with my sole income coming from my business endeavors.

What is the small step that you are taking right now to move you closer to reaching success along your entrepreneurial journey? Share in the comments below.

Keep IT Sunny!

Wrapping Up The Month of April

The month of April is over and we took a look at a variety of things to help us run our business better. The covid-19 virus has put many of us in precarious situations. The sudden order to shut down our business if it was not essential in accordance with our local government has put a strain on our business and personal finances. Although these are trying times there are many resources that came to light in an effort to help us survive these challenging times. We took a look at what financial capital resources were available to help us weather the storm until we can get back to business as usual. We learned that it was a good time to take a business financial and service offering pulse check to make sure we know where we stand in our business and how we can work differently to deliver new services to our customers.

Yes, this challenging world event has put us all in a tailspin BUT we also learned that we are tough and can come out on the other side of this event stronger than ever.

Keep IT Sunny!

February Monthly Recap

The month of love is finally winding down. I hope you took some time out to celebrate with your loved one.

This month we showed our businesses some love by taking a look at our business journey to see if we are on the right path. We took a deep dive into trying to determine if we really are in the right business. There were 4 tell-tale signs that signaled you might NOT be in the right business. Next, we took a look at how we can fall back in love with our business again. The tips shared were sure to help you get back on track and rediscover your reason for going on this crazy journey in the first place.

Keep IT Sunny!

4 Ways To Fall Back In Love With Your Business Again!

Are you in a rut and starting to wonder why you started your business in the first place? You might have “entrepreneurial burnout" according to an article in Entrepreur.com.

“The reality is also that entrepreneurship is an intense endeavor, and it’s hard to separate the self from the business. Sooner rather than later, and because of the rollercoaster nature of entrepreneurship, business setbacks start happening (a lot!), and some entrepreneurs can’t help but take them as personal setbacks, especially when they get so invested in their business. Depression follows, and so does burnout.”

So now you know that this type of burnout is a real thing let’s start focusing on how to fall back in love with your business again:

1. Take Time Off - It is important to designate time to take a breather from work. It can be a challenge if you are like most entrepreneurs who are type A but the consequences of not taking regularly scheduled breaks in your workweek to reflect and rest can start to hinder you and your business. The article also states, “ When we spend more time with ourselves (not working), we are able to have better mental clarity, more abundant creativity, and improved ability for sound business decisions.”

2. Get Social - If you have been glued to your computer and nothing else then going to a lunch or breakfast networking session could prove to be beneficial. It will give you real face to face time to be in a community of other entrepreneurs who are excited to be in business and this could help to reignite the passion you once felt for your own business.

3. Go back to your “Why” - Simon Sinek’s book and Ted talk on “Start With Your Why” is something that is worth listening to on audible or watching the Ted Talk. He really does inspire you to remember why you started your business in the first place and to take action.

4. Go learn - There is nothing more invigorating and fun than going to a conference that includes your peers and those leaders that you aspire to become. There is no shortage of conferences to attend in your industry and it makes a great write off according to my tax professional. Check out this one called Entreleadership to get you energized.

   There you have it! Four ways to fall back in love with your business again. The life of an entrepreneur can be a rollercoaster ride like no other but it is worth it. Get your fire back and try some of these ideas.

Keep IT Sunny!

Are You In The Right Business?

You are a new entrepreneur and you have been diligently working in your business wearing every hat imaginable. You started off with a real passion in your belly and you were full of energy.

Then something changed!

Are you just in a business rut? Or are you in the wrong business? Here are 4 ways to tell:

1. You feel sick - You start having that nauseous feeling on Sunday night just like you did when you were working for a company. If you feel dread come upon you and start having a case of the Monday’s this could be a bad sign that you are in the wrong business.

2. You are struggling to sell your services - Looking for your raving fan clients can take a while to find but you should still have a decent client base to sell your services to that will keep your doors open and at least get you to “ramen profitability.”

   “According to Smallbusiness.chron.com, Beginning entrepreneurs should distinguish between what is called "ramen profitability" and actual corporate profitability. Ramen profitability is enough cash flow that the founders of a company can sustain a minimal lifestyle as quickly as possible without the need to resort to outside jobs or income. "Shoestring" start-ups that need very little capital to launch can reach ramen profitability in a very short time, but it may take far longer for the founders to draw a decent salary and also leave enough cash on hand for the business to show a profit.”

3. You are out of gas - You are not as passionate as you used to be when you first started. This could be a simple case of burnout or it could be that you don’t like the services that you are trying to sell to clients. it is time to do some deep thinking.

4. You followed popular Googled business ideas - If you went online and researched something like the top ten small businesses to start fast instead of going with your own interest and passions then this could be the fatal flaw.

Entrepreneurship is a fun journey but if you identify with any of these 4 signs then it might be time to change course, do some soul searching, reach out to a business coach and get back on track.

Keep IT Sunny!

January Monthly Recap

It is 2020 and most of the “newness” of Happy New Year wishing is starting to fade. I will say once again Happy New Year to you!

I think it is still okay to say that one month into the new year. :)

This month we focused squarely on different pain points within the startup entrepreneurial journey like 5 tips to building a solid business foundation and how to deal with the taxman. If you have a chance to take a look at these posts I believe it will provide valuable information to help you toward success on your entrepreneurial journey.

The decision to become a business owner and go through the ups and downs as you pursue your goal is not for the faint of heart. It does come with many rewards and for most of us that make this decision, the entrepreneurial path chose us and not the other way around. As we wrap up the month of January I wanted to share a great article that I read on Forbes.com about “How To Launch A Profitable Startup in 2020.” It provides an easy to follow roadmap that will help you as you pursue your entrepreneurial dreams.

Keep It Sunny!

The Start Up Journey - 5 Tips To Building A Solid Business Foundation

Starting a new business from your own ideas is exhilarating! Just like the rocket ship above you can feel like your blasting into a new journey filled with excitement and freedom. As fun as the journey can be it’s important to make sure that you are building your future business on solid ground. According to the SBA, “there are over 28 million small businesses in the United States and only about 50% of them survive."

That is sobering news!

But the good news is that it is avoidable if you build your business on a solid foundation. Here are 5 tips to help you do that:

Tip 1 - Create a plan for your business

We all know the famous saying failing to plan is planning to fail. It’s important to create short-term and long -term goals for your business. Check out these business planning tools to help you get a jump start on this important task.

Tip 2 - Obtain capital to run your business

The first few years of running a business can be pretty meager and if you don’t have the startup capital to help you survive those lean times then things will start to tank fast. In my opinion, the best way to cash flow your business is with good ole fashion cash that comes from you saving BEFORE, DURING & AFTER your business has legs. I am a fan of Dave Ramsey and his debt-free school of thought. If you can put your mind to cash flowing your expenses for your business and stay away from debt you will be a much happier camper. Yes, it is challenging but in the words of Dave “Live like no one else so later you can live and give like no one else.” Check out these creative ways to bootstrap your business and the Entreleadership website on tips for running a successful business.

Tip 3 - Don’t Scale Too Fast

There are many horror stories of startups that were hot and on their way up and then quickly crashed. You don’t want to add your name to that list. Check out this article for helpful tips.

Tip 4 - Put a system in place to manage your accounting

The key to financial health for your business is the ability to know your numbers at all times. If you use professional software like Quickbooks Online or another cloud-based system then you will always have those numbers at your fingertips. Additionally, it’s important to get the experience of an accounting professional to help you get everything set up and either manage it for you or train you how to do it for yourself.

Tip 5 - Work with a business coach

First let’s start with defining what exactly is a business coach. According to Brian Tracy who is recognized “as the top sales training and personal success authority in the world today business coaches are typically experienced entrepreneurs and business owners themselves who decide to use their talents for building and growing a business to help other business owners reach their goals.” Now that we know what a business coach is here is why you should work with one:

“Statistics on business coaching have proved that using a business coach can increase your profit margin by an average of 46 percent, according to a practice development company. However, further statistics reveals that 42 percent of businesses of don't use a business coach.” source streetdirectory.com

So there you have it. 5 tips to help you get off to the right start on your startup journey!

Best of luck and Keep IT Sunny!

Tis The Season To Start A Side Hustle!

WGN Morning News. We're not drunk, we swear. Weekdays 4-10a.

The life of an entrepreneur is not for the faint of heart!

As a fellow entrepreneur in startup mode, I can understand the wild rollercoaster ride that comes along as you are trying to build your business. Things can get dicey fast and the holiday season brings no relief as you juggle all your obligations along with playing Santa to your family and friends.

So what is the answer?

It’s time for a side hustle gig.

There are so many opportunities that are available and Jeremy Harrison at hustlelife.net wrote a great article that offers some great ideas to help you to start bringing in extra income. The life of an entrepreneur is fun, exciting and exhilarating. It can also be stressful as it relates to income. There are many opportunities to create extra cash that will alleviate the pressure and have you dancing like the people above well into the new year.

Do you have some fun side hustle ideas? Share in the comments below!

&

Keep IT Sunny!

Hey You Desk Potato! Yeah That Means YOU!

I don’t know about you but working from home as a business owner sometimes leaves me feeling like the picture above. I get into a good groove working on a specific project and when I look up an hour has easily passed me by without me getting up for a good stretch break. I have an exercise schedule that I usually follow but lately, I have been so enmeshed in projects that I have been skipping some of my activities. That is one of the reasons I started my own health & wellness Meetup for women (sorry guys:) so that I would be forced to get out in the world and be active.

As the increase of remote working moves forward, it does bring with it some health concerns to be aware of. According to an article on Time.com, “Income instability and poor access to affordable health care have both been linked to reduced physical and mental health. There’s also evidence that people tend to“overcommitment” to work and find it difficult to disconnect or relax, which they say negatively affects their mental health.” There are ways to stay healthy and achieve success as a remote entrepreneur. Check out these tips from Entrepreneur.com. I hope they help you to get moving throughout your day and stay fit.

Keep It Sunny!

Are You Still Out of GAS?

Recently, I joined about 1,000 women as a participant in the Mudgirl Run here in Las Vegas.

I started off great with a ton of energy as I ran with the group toward our first obstacle course. As we progressed through the 3K course I noticed that after each activity my energy started to wane a bit. When I hit the final obstacle course I started climbing through the roped holes and realized that I was just out of gas and had to come back down. That is how we are sometimes as we navigate through our entrepreneurial journey. We start off excited and full of enthusiasm and then as we face challenges in our business and we start to lose energy.

This is something that every business owner goes through and most often it serves as a pinnacle turning point in their business journey.

It is at this crossroad that they decide if they will choose to move forward despite the challenges they are facing and run across the finish line or if they will end their entrepreneurial journey.

No one becomes a success in a silo. It takes a team to help you win.

In the business world, this could take on the form of a business coach, mastermind group or a networking group. We all need someone to stretch out their hand to us and give us a tug to make it through the inevitable challenges that arise as a business owner. As I climbed down the ropes on the last obstacle course and instead walked around to the other side, my friend was there waiting for me with a smile and a pat on the back. She grabbed my hand and we hoisted our arms in the air and ran across the finish line with pride.

I finished the race and you can too.

Keep It Sunny!

July Bright Spot Round Up - Be Inspired!

Wow! It seems like July blew past us so fast that you have to sit down and take a breathier. :) I hope you took time out to enjoy the 4th of July holiday with your friends & family while giving thanks to the men and women who bravely serve our country.

This month we took a look at the reason’s why we started our businesses in the first place. We used Simon' Sinek’s Ted talk on “It All Starts With Your Why” to help reenergize us and get us refocused. We also took a second look at the post I wrote about easy goal setting to help achieve our important business goals.

America is the land of opportunity. It’s a place where you can start with zero dollars and an idea and make magic happen. As July comes to a close check out these amazing entrepreneur stories below. Most of them started with nothing and rose to the top of their game to offer new and exciting products and services to the marketplace.

Shireen Yates - Co-founder & CEO of NIMA, “Nima Sensor is the first portable device that allows you to test if there is gluten or peanuts in the food that you’re eating. Their goal is to empower consumers with another tool to help make safe food choices.”

Elizabeth Rider - Founder of “The Elizabeth Rider Blog & Host of the TV show Elizabeth Eats, certified health coach, online influencer, international blogger, and wellness expert built a seven-figure online business from scratch using an iPhone and a laptop.”

Payal Kadakia - ClassPass Founder, built a multi-million dollar business based on her passion for dancing. “In its Series C funding round earlier this year, ClassPass was valued at a staggering $470 million.”

Alberto Perez - C0-Founder of Zumba, (my favorite way to workout:) Alberto and his partner “launched the brand in 2001 and began, for a fee, teaching instructors moves they could then relay to their students. In the following years the idea took off and now The workout is taught in 200,000 locations, including hospitals, schools, and community centers. Instructors--there are more than 100,000 of them, by some estimates--pay a fee to get licensed, then a $30 monthly subscription to receive videos with new music and choreography. The company also has an apparel line that's been reported to sell 3.5 million units per year.”

I hope you got a boost of energy to help propel you toward your business goals. July is pretty much in the record books but there is still a tiny bit of time to push those goals across the finish line.

Get an extra boost of inspiration by reading the stories of these entrepreneurs who went for their dreams after the age of 50.

Keep IT Sunny!

March Bright Spot Round Up

Can you believe that the end of the month is here?

It feels like March just got here and now it is pretty much over. I hope you had a productive month and got some of your goals crossed off your list. I have been working on professional development training and using Trello to help me stay on track with my goals. If you were busy going after those goals and missed some of the blog posts I wrote for you take a peek below. The theme for March was how we can share what we do more with others by providing value first. The posts included topics like providing amazing value to your clients, giving away your services for free and the arrival of spring.

When your day has slowed down and you’re in the middle of sipping on some delicious calming tea binge read some valuable tips to help you move towards your goals.

Keep It Sunny!

How To Create More Peace In Your Business

Being an entrepreneur is an exhilarating ride.

There are ups & downs.

When things are going great it's like living in the roaring 20's.

BUT when things are not going so great....well...it is like a black cloud follows you around. Is there a way to create some ying & yang within your business?

I believe there is a way. Over the next few weeks, we will take a look at a few different areas within your business and how you can create more peace and balance in those areas. 

How do you create that ideal balance within your business and in your life?

Keep It Sunny!

Is It Worth It To Go To Networking Events?

It was once said that it takes a village to raise a child.

I believe that it also takes a business village to grow a business. We can only do so much on our own that's why it's important to get out of our comfort zone and go meet other entrepreneurs. The best way to do that is by attending conferences.  According to Crunch.co, "54% of those who had attended a networking event agreed that networking “is very important for their professional development”.

I know what your thinking: I don't have time to attend conferences!!

It is easier than you think.

Introducing: Meetup

For those of you not familiar with Meetup it is a great online networking tool. You go on the site look for groups that have similar interests and join.

It's that simple.

I did just that and it led me to attending a conference in my own backyard called Amplify Live Experience which was amazing and led by a terrific guy by the name of Keith Yackey. I got a chance to hear nationally recognized speakers on all things entrepreneurship and I met some really cool like minded business people.

I even met one of my favorite podcasters Lewis Howes which I wrote about in a previous post. And got a chance to talk to a lot of people about my business and gain new insights and possible new clients. All this came from joining a local Meetup.

So do you think it is worth it to go to networking events? I would say absolutely YES!!

What do you think? Are you going to sit in a silo or go out and make new business friends and start telling people about how you serve others?

 

Keep It Sunny!

STAY PRODUCTIVE IN YOUR BUSINESS WITH THIS CHEAT SHEET

How to Stay Motivated When Building Your Business

Do you sometimes feel like a hamster on a wheel that never stops? Like you are working towards your goals for getting your business off the ground but your not getting anywhere? I can sure relate to both of these feelings. And when I feel like I am hitting a brick wall I go back to square one to regroup: My "Why".

Simon Sinek describes your why as, "The purpose, cause, or belief that inspires you to do what you do".

It sounds simple but in the rush of everyday life, this idea can get lost. I would encourage you to write down a one-sentence statement that describes why you are interested in being a health & wellness entrepreneur.

Make it bold and personal.

On the days when you feel like you are spinning your wheels take it out and meditate on it. Or put your statement on a piece of paper and tape it to your bathroom mirror. The point is to stay motivated and energized toward making your business a success. Take a listen to the TED Talk Simon did describing this "why" idea in greater detail.

What is your "why"? Tell me in the comments below.

Keep It Sunny!

5 unorthodox ways to avoid burnout syndrome in your business and number 3 was my favorite

As an online business owner solopreneur, I can relate to information overload and being mentally fatigued. I don’t have a lot of time to get things done so my time is very important.

Plainly put: Getting stuck in the details of doing a project is like hearing nails scratched across the chalkboard. It can overwhelmingly lead to burnout.

In one of Pat Flynn’s podcast, he talks about how we should stop being super-heroes because it is killing our business. You can check that out here. Don’t let this happen to you. Try my 5 unorthodox ways to avoid burnout syndrome in your business. Don’t fizzle out,

1. Get an accountability partner or join a mastermind group

2. Go Have Fun: You know sometimes I can take being in business so seriously and forget to look at it from a childlike wonder perspective. When I was a kid I loved to play monopoly or “business lady” and pretend to be a singer and a teacher the list goes on. The point is I had a lot of fun playing out different roles and being creative. Do whatever is fun for you. A hint- it should make you laugh and give you a relaxed mindset.

3. Go help someone else: I recently took the time to go help a family build their dream home via Habitat for humanity. Volunteering and giving back to me is the best feeling in the world. You get to be a positive part of people’s journey, be productive  and take a step away & your mind off your own stuff. This not only helps to fuel the creative spirit in your business but it helps to give you a sense of connection and purpose to God and your community. I Love it!

4. Take a nap or a walk or go sleep walking:) Look the bottom line to this tip is that if you're an entrepreneur you are probably a type A person. That is great but not so great when you start to feel stressed and frazzled so go be a kid again and just take a nap. I promise you things will be much clearer when you return to your workspace

5. Go hit something: Ha! Now this does not mean to hit another person but instead go to the gym and hit a punching bag or the air. I love doing Zumba and working up a nice calorie burn while I run around and pretend I know how to do the meringue.

There you go. 5 ways you can avoid burn out and fall back in love with your business.

Keep It Sunny!