Focus, Focus, Focus

Here's the real low-down on what's going on in my world right now and maybe yours too.  My Dad is on hospice care which means six months or less and he's been on hospice care for two months.  It's excruciating to visit him now...my vibrant, hard charger of a Dad is fading away.  My heart breaks every time I leave wondering if this is the last time I'll see him.  As with many families in times of stress, some family members are becoming more prickly, more isolated, and more edgy...and this might be me too.

My decision to talk about this came as I heard from more and more friends and fellow business owners they were facing the same thing and struggling to keep their business afloat at the same time.  I'm sure it's no coincidence that it was women sharing their stories of balancing their parents, children, grandchildren and their business.

During the first month or so I found myself having a glass of wine every night or reaching for the bag of chips or taking a Tylenol PM and going to bed at 8:00.  Well, that's only helpful for so long and not very practical but I was still struggling emotionally on so many levels...how do I maintain my emotional equibrium and how do I nuture my business at the same time?

At networking events, on teleseminars, any business book or blog there's lots of chatter about focusing on our business and we do except when we don't.   Our personal world collides with our business world on a daily basis and mostly we smoothly transition from one to the other but when a game changing incident rocks our world it's disorienting.  What is our priority.....what's a need...what's a must...and what's a should...and what's a nevermind?

When we take diving into a bottle of wine or a package of Oreos off the table what's left?  Rational, thoughtful choices, that's what.  Sit still with the swirling emotions and find the quietness.  I write a list of what I can change and what I can't and remind myself that really I'm in charge of very little in this big, wide universe.  So I take long walks whenever I feel out of control or head down tohe beach and watc the tide...a bit of calmness in nature.

What's your story?  Where do you find calmness?  Please share so we can all support each other through these life altering times.

What's your Attitude?

Money drives your business.  Can you afford to hire employees?  What's your budget for marketing?    What's your total sales for the day....the week....the month?

If you're just starting out or perhaps your business is gone stagnant while you weren't looking you might be thinking YIKES, now what do I do?

Well, don't panic.  Take a moment to breathe, jot down some notes of what you're really good at and what lights you up.  If you can't up come up with anything call a friend or two or even three and ask them what your good points are.  It's important to ask people who will tell you the truth rather than those that will just shine you on.

Ok, next is the money part.  When sales are down, creditors are calling, and the rents due it's hard to stay positive and easy to blame the economy, the neighborhood, your bad customers.   Really, though...is that why your broke? 

The world is full of millionaires and even billionaires.  While some businesses are floundering others are thriving....ever wonder why?   It's all about Attitude...scarcity versus abundance.....fear versus confidence....uninformed versus curious.

As a business owner we must have an attitude of Abundance, Confidence, and Curiosity. And when doubts creep in, as they do for all of us, keep moving towards your goal...just do it.

Read Set Start

A long time friend, I'll call her Jane,  recently phoned to tell me about the adventure she had in getting her business licenses, permits, and registrations.  Oh, let me back up...she's buying an existing business and first thought she would just take it over.  She called the WA State Department of Revenue and Department of Licensing to see how to get the business in her name.

Whoa....the business which had been operating for over 5 years was never properly set up and the State of WA didn't have records of any business being conducted.  Smartly, Jane, applied for new licenses and permits along with forming an S. Corp with the Secretary of State.

It really surprised when Jane mentioned the previous owner had used a very well known online business website to initially setup the business and had paid quite a bit of money.  Hmmm, this really got me thinking...how many other businesses think they're legit but aren't.

To navigate the State, County, and City laws you have to really be on your toes...in fact, Jane was given incorrect info from the State Help line.  And it's not the State's fault if you use the bad info and you're not in compliance with their regulations.  What's a small business owner to do...how are we to keep it all straight while you're missing sales, setting up websites, negotiating a lease, etc etc.

Flaunt! is now offering Business Packages to entrepreneurs who need to work in their business and let an expert do the paperwork.