When I first launched my healthcare marketing firm I made a lot of mistakes. I’m grateful for what they taught me, but I’ve also had to choose not to let those mistakes keep me from reaching my maximum potential as an entrepreneur.

Because if I had listened to my mind, I’d never have made it this far.

They say a mind is a terrible thing to waste. I say it’s a terrible thing to listen to.

Here’s why: you are not your mind.

I’m not sure who said this first, but this popular mindset principle is drowning in truth. And it’s one you need to embrace.

But first, let’s identify your mind.  You know, that voice in your head asking you, “Where the heck is she going with this?” Or the voice that shouted, “Truth! Whose truth?” when you read the words “drowning in truth.” Or the voice that said, “I don’t have a voice in my head.”

That! That is your mind.

And just like the Geto Boys sang…your mind is playing tricks on you. Actually they sang, “My mind is playing tricks on me,” but it doesn’t read as well.

You get the point. You can’t totally trust your mind. It has to be renewed.

Mistakes and Missteps

Now, I’m going to share one of my most dreaded memories as a newbie entrepreneur. The memory of this incident literally makes me shudder. In fact, I think I’ve started to block out portions of the event and may not fully recount this as it was, but I’ll try.

It was my first “big” sales presentation. I was meeting with the CEO of a big dental chain. This meeting represented nearly $30K in business for me if I could close the deal. I was terrified.

So to compensate for my terror, I over-prepared.  I say “over-prepared” because I prepared so much that I went far beyond the scope of our intended meeting in terms of why he wanted to hire me. And being that I was so prepared to cover soooo much, I pretty much vomited everything (and the store) on this CEO in our meeting.

I spoke too much, didn’t listen enough, overstepped my boundaries, and miraculously managed to save  little face before it was over walking out with a contract for $5K. But, we never did business again.

It was a major #FAIL.

For weeks afterward, my lovely little mind would replay the horrific sequence of events as though I was stuck in an Edgar Allen Poe story. I walked around my parent’s house sighing with despair, and yelling at myself (out loud) for talking too much. I’d clench my teeth every time I thought about how I asked for the sale.

It was especially bad right before bed. That is when my mind would really kick it up, and keep me from falling asleep for at least an hour, while I was trapped in the confines of my thoughts.

My mind was running in high gear, just reinforcing that this was the beginning of the end for me, and that I better start looking for another legal job pronto. It wanted me to believe that I couldn’t cut it as an entrepreneur. That I didn’t have what it takes.

It was wrong.

But what if I had listened?

This is why you have to learn to identify the difference between you and your mind, and then you need to learn how to renew it.

Your Mind is Mean; It’s a Bully

I’ve rarely met or coached an entrepreneur who doesn’t have a mean mind. They may not be willing to admit it, but deep down they know their mind is asshat.

Cloaking itself with fear, doubt, self-loathing, self-defeat, and anxiety your mind just loves to push you around.

As an entrepreneur you can’t afford to let it.

If you are going to succeed in business you have to put your inner bully in place, or it’ll hold you back forever.

The Bible says we’ve been given sound minds. We have peace, self-control, and power. And to top it all off, it’s chock full of the fact that God loves you beyond measure.

This only bolsters the notion that you are not your mind, because the sound-minded, peaceful, powerful, and loved you would never believe, or talk to you, the way your mind does. This is why your mind must be renewed.

It requires awareness. It requires reprogramming. It requires practice. But, here is a good tip for starters.

The next time your mind tells you: you can’t, you shouldn’t, you won’t, you aren’t, you’ll never, or don’t.

Thank it for its opinion, focus your mind on the presence of God, and tell it: you are more than a conqueror, you will not be condemned, you are bold and confident, you have all you need to succeed, you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you, and you are beloved child of God.

And if it tries to talk back, just tell it again. Eventually, it will see things the way they really are.

Me and My “Spin” Doctor

This is my spin instructor, Israel.

And yes, that is me (a hot mess) not looking at the camera. I would have asked him to take another picture, but this was the third time I made him take one. I couldn’t keep punishing him for my photogenic lack.

I LOVE Israel’s spin class.

I’ve taken spin classes with every instructor at my gym, and in my opinion, Israel’s class is the best.

In fact, I LOVE Israel’s class so much, I rearrange my schedule to take it.

Most days Israel’s class is at 8:30 am, which is not a convenient work out time for me, but I’ve changed my workflow so I can make it.  On Wednesday’s he teaches at 9:30 am, which is way too late for me, so I make those days my weight training days to work around his teaching schedule.

And…whenever I have the chance to tell someone about Israel’s spin class, I do.

Israel makes working out fun, so I know people will enjoy the time they invest exercising with him.  I’ve even got my husband (who can’t stand long cardio classes) looking forward to 45 intense minutes on a spin bike, and that is just miraculous.

Now here’s the part where you really want to pay attention, because I’m about to explain what all this yammering about Israel (and his fat melting spin class) has to do with you.

What Israel Can Teach You about Getting and Keeping Clients

I don’t know what Israel’s training credentials are (although I’m sure they are great); it’s just never crossed my mind. Israel doesn’t make any extraordinary promises about training with him, he just shows up as his best self. Nor does Israel teach spin standing on his head. It’s just spin.

But the thing Israel offers, that the other trainers don’t, is a unique experience that resonates with the way I like to engage in exercise. It’s also the reason you can’t be late to his class, or you won’t find an open bike. And, it’s the reason you see the same people coming to his class day after day.

Israel has a solid and compelling USP, aka Unique Selling Proposition, which is marketing jargon for giving your ideal customers a distinct reason for buying from you.

Crafting a Compelling USP

Many o’ business owners have shed tears over trying to identify their unique selling proposition so they don’t get stuck in a sea of “same-ys”; fighting for business based on price.

But, as markets across industries expand, it’s harder to find ways to prove yourself different from (and more desirable than) your competition.  So, if what you offer is nearly identical to your competitors, you have to give your ideal clients a persuasive reason to do business with you.

This is why having a solid USP is essential to your success. Having a solid and persuasive USP is the key to getting clients and keeping them.

Your USP Doesn’t Have to Focus on Experience, Training, or Price

Did you know that experience, training, and price are the NOT the most motivating factors that drive buying behavior in your customers? (We buy based on our feelings.)

I’m not saying that these factors aren’t important. I’m saying that they aren’t most compelling.

Obviously your experience, training, and price are going to influence the way your ideal customers perceive you. Those factors will make you different from you competitors, but they don’t necessarily make you more desirable.

So, how do you become desirable?

Easy. You create an experience your ideal customers can’t get elsewhere.

Desire is in the Details

Okay, so remember Israel?

Well, the reason his USP is so solid isn’t because his core offer is different from the other instructors (they all offer spin), but it’s because he’s leveraged is own personal strengths and charisma to create a desire for his class.

By doing that (leveraging his personal strengths and charisma) he’s created an experience that makes his class different.

See how that works?

Here are some specific examples that demonstrate how he’s done this:

-          Israel leads his class with personality and a lovely Latin accent.  When he’s not riding with the class, he walks the room threatening to call you out for slacking through your ride, or he compliments you for riding well. Sometimes he’ll pick a person riding at a kick-butt pace and push the rest of the class to keep up.  And, my favorite nuance about Israel’s class is when it’s time to sprint, because he always counts down from three and then yells “Go- go! Go-go! Go-go” to get you moving. It’s entertaining and encouraging, and it keeps everyone coming back for more.

-          Israel delivers extremely consistent results. I know the moment I start class with Israel, I’m in for a killer workout. He doesn’t waste a single minute of my time, and there isn’t a cardio workout I’ve done that gets me the same results. If I want to burn 600 calories or more in 45 minutes, Israel’s spin class is the place to go.

-          Israel plays music I enjoy, he fosters community, and he’s fun. If you’ve never taken a spin class, let me tell you, the wrong music can make a tough class torture. I happen to love house music, especially when I work out. Apparently, Israel does too. This is great for me because 45 minutes goes by in a flash, and I’m always finding new songs to buy on iTunes from his playlists. He also gets to know students by name. He recognizes them throughout the class time, checking in and pushing them forward. Sometimes he teases the ones he knows best. It’s an overall good time.

These are the big reasons I move mountains to get to Israel’s spin class.

If I had to pay extra for access, I would. If he’s only been teaching spin for a month, I wouldn’t care. If he learned how to spin at ABC spin academy online, it wouldn’t matter to me. He delivers an experience I can’t get anywhere else.

The big lesson for you?

You need a solid USP to be profitable and build a sustainable business.

So, if you don’t have one, or you are struggling with creating one that brings you ideal clients who buy and buy again, just look at the details.

Therein you’ll find the secret sauce the makes your business different and oh so desirable.

Let me ask you something. Do you really want your business to succeed?

I’m serious.

Are you really willing to do what it takes to reach the people you’re meant to serve with your gifts, experience, and expertise?

You might think you are, but do your actions reflect your desires?

Are you avoiding networking because you “just don’t have time”? Are you ignoring SEO because that is “techy stuff” you can’t be bothered with? Are you substituting social media marketing for all other marketing tactics because it’s easy?

If you find yourself doing those things, you need to ask yourself, “Do you really want your business to succeed?”

Making excuses for the hard work, for the sacrifice, and for not wanting to step outside of your comfort zone will keep you stuck where you are indefinitely.

If you want your business to be a success, marketing must be a priority. Period.

In today’s video, I want to encourage you to do that. I’ve even created a little goodie to help you make it happen.

Click play to watch now.

Look, there is no denying that running your own business is challenging.

If you’re a coach, author, speaker or professional service provider, you’re typically a one-person show. You have to manage all the moving parts of your business, and at times it can seem impossible. I mean, you want to have a life too, right?

I get it. I’ve been there. But the only way you get out of being in that place is by marketing your way into a more profitable and leveraged one.

I think you deserve that, don’t you?

Right-Click Here to Get Your Goodie: The Make Marketing Happen Calendar

I get bored easily. I’m all for consistency, reliability, stability, and focus, but sometimes I just need to shake things up.

Sometimes I need to look at my life, my business, and the world around me from a bird’s eye view and take inventory of what I see. I think it’s dangerous to live life on autopilot, racing through routines. So, I make time to stop and just think…about everything. Oftentimes, those times of reflection serve as catalysts for shaking things up.

So, I’m making a few other changes around the office, not my actual office, my virtual one (this website). And…I am moving away from a personal brand. Stay tuned for more on why, and why I think the proliferation of personal brands on the web is about to implode.

But, I digress.

What I really want to do is give you something valuable, and help you build your business.

So here goes.

If you don’t know this yet this is something you better grab hold of tightly if you’re ever going to reach your income potential in your business.

Ready?

The amount of money you make is directly tied to your ability to successfully market and sell your products and services. Period.

You can have the cheapest product on the market. You can have the best service in your industry. You can even have the only solution to a specific market’s problem. But if they don’t know about you, if they don’t like you, and if they don’t trust you, they will never buy from you (unless your Walmart, and you’re not), which means you won’t make the money you could and should.

And do you know what’s worse?

It’s noisy out there. Everyone and everything is clamoring for your time and attention, and your ideal customers are facing the same thing. Everyone and everything wants their attention.

So, how do you get it?

By creating resonant marketing messages that tell them exactly what they want to hear. You capture your ideal customer’s attention by creating a marketing message that is magnetic.

Not only does having a magnetic message make attracting clients a whole lot easier, it makes selling to them simple too.

You know what’s even better?

Creating that kind of message is easier to do than you think. And, here’s the best part…this Thursday I’m talking with the brilliant Gina Carr of Social Buzz University about how to do it.

Would you like to listen in?

I would be thrilled if you’d join me. It’s free and you can sign up for your slot by clicking here. I know “seating” is limited so go register now, even if you think you can’t attend live, because I’m sure there will be a replay.

Here are the specifics:

Topic: 3 Keys to Creating a Magnetic Marketing Message

Date & Time: Thursday April 25, 2013 – 11AM Pacific, 1PM Eastern

And here is exactly what you’ll learn:

• How to Unlock the Magnetic Elements of Your Message
• Why Your Customers are Your Best Source of Magnetic Copy
• How Your Own Story Acts as The Glue that Makes Your Message Sticky

So make sure you go sign up by clicking here now. You should invite your friends who could use help in this area too. Just forward this email to them.

I’ll remind you about this again Thursday, because I’d hate for you to miss out.

Oh, and if you haven’t taken time to just slow down and think lately, you should. Get quite. Get critical. Ask questions. You may be delightfully surprised by what you find.

“See” you Thursday.

-M

Have you ever considered taking a stab at networking marketing to make extra money or start your own business? Have you ever had a friend or family member who has? In all likelihood your answer is yes.

Network marketing is a popular and growing industry in today’s economy that offers every day individuals the opportunity to start a business or earn extra income selling products they use and love. It’s sounds fun and it looks easy, but as most of us know most people who take a shot a network marketing never do much with it.

That is not the case for this month’s interviewee, Sara Hoyer Russell. Sara is a Executive Area Manager with Arbonne a beauty and health products manufacturer, and Sara is CRUSHING IT!

In today’s interview you will learn:

• One spiritual issue you must overcome to welcome financial abundance into your life
• One practice for keeping your mindset strong and confident in your ability to succeed
• The secret to approaching friends and family with your network marketing business
• The one thing you HAVE to do if you ever want to succeed in ANY industry when it comes to selling
• How to build a team from day one
• AND MUCH MORE!

To learn more about Sara and how she might help you launch a successful career with Arbonne visit: http://www.hoyerrussell.myarbonne.com/

Are You Due for A Break From Your Business

If you truly love what you do it is easy to “forget” that you’re working. And even if you’re not crazy about your work (in which case we really should talk), exterior motivators can cause us to overwork ourselves.

But here’s the deal, failing to take a proper break from your business leads to burnout. In fact, failing to take a break from your business actually hinders your ability to think creatively, be more efficient, and innovate when you need to most.

But the funny thing about taking breaks from your business is that you can trick yourself into thinking you’re taking break when you really aren’t.

For example, do you ever take your phone to bed at night so you can check your tweet stream, or do think about projects you have to complete while you shower, or do try to catch up on e-mail at the gym?

This kind of behavior makes you think you’re taking down time, but in reality you’re not taking any time to truly disconnect from your work and fully engage in the present moment. When you do this, you never get the recharge your mind, body, and spirit needs.

If you could use a burst of creativity, a renewed sense of passion, and a rededication to your vision, here are five foolproof ways to do it.

1. De-Screen
That’s right, no screens whatsoever. This means no television, no video games, no smartphones, and no electronic devices that provide visual stimulation. This is my favorite way to take a bona fide break from my business, but it requires very, very high levels of discipline. One of the reasons de-screening is so difficult is because we may enjoy relaxing by watching television, but the reality is that our brain is not getting an adequate break. Your brain is still processing information. Being that we spend so much time in front of all sorts of screens, stepping away from those technologies can do wonders for your mental clarity and overall well being.

2. Take a 72 Hour Sabbatical
For some business owners this may be difficult, but if you can get away from your working environment (including your home office if that’s how you operate) for at least a three day period you will be amazed by the results. The key to squeezing out the healing power in this business break is to not do any work-related activities while away and refrain from high stress activities. Instead, opt for visiting museums, art galleries, beaches, parks, and other cultural happenings to truly disconnect from the hustle and bustle of day to day life. And for bonus points leave your smartphone at home!

3. Attend a Spiritual or Fitness Retreat
For those of us with more active minds, and frequent mind chatter, engaging in a retreat can be the perfect tool for shifting your focus. Retreats are effect because they are typically led by an instructor who helps direct your focus. I love taking spiritual and fitness based retreats. Anytime I participate in something of that nature I always come back to work refreshed and full of new ideas.

4. Go Camping
I’m an undercover tree-hugger. There is no place I feel more at peace than in the wilderness. I don’t think it’s a coincidence either. As our lifestyles have evolved we have become less and less connected to nature and our environment. Before modern civilization our relationship and reliance on nature was much more significant. As it turns out, the human body craves exposure to sun, oxygen, trees, and other forms of nature. Find your inner hippie; break out your hiking boots, and pitch a tent (or rent a luxury cabin ) with a loved one. You’ll be so glad that you did!

5. Spend 2 Days Cleaning & Organizing Your Home
Cleaning and organizing my home? That’s no break you scoff! Sorry Suzy, I hate to break it to you, but mundane and rote activities like cleaning and organizing are some of the best methods for give the brain time to recharge and distress. Tackling your closet or clearing out your garage may not sound like much of a “break”, but your brain will thank you for it. Try to make the experience fun by getting your family to pitch in and rocking out to your favorite Pandora station. When you’re done, not only will feel refreshed, but you’ll feel so good about what you’ve accomplished.

Timeout = Total Recharge

When you take time away from your work you become more productive. Science shows that the further the brain is (both mentally & physically) from a problem the more quickly and creatively it can generate solutions. If you’re feeling stuck or frustrated with your business take time away.

If your passion for our business is waning it’s likely that you’re operating on overdrive. Take time to recharge your batteries and renew your sense of enthusiasm for your work.

The bottom line is no matter how much you like to think you can do it all, you need to give your body, mind, and spirit the time it needs to properly recover so you can work at your peak performance.

And, you want to work at your peak performance, right?

When is the last time you took a break from your business? What did you do on your break? How did it make you feel about your business? Do you experience a sense of renewal? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below!

With Love from MEXICO!

Winning At SEO is Easier Than You Think!

I’m a BIG believer in the power of content marketing.

Content marketing has helped me generate consistent leads for my business, land interviews with major industry publications, and establish myself as an expert in specific areas of marketing.

But there is a lot that goes into leveraging the power of content marketing. Success in content marketing doesn’t happen overnight.

In fact, reaping the benefits of content marketing takes time and the more competitive your industry the more time it will take.

This is because content marketing is all about getting your content in front of your target market, and a good chunk of achieving that requires you understand how to leverage the power of SEO (search engine optimization).

SEO and the Small Business Owner (Plus, a cheet sheet)

If you’re like most small business owner’s SEO is an acronym you’d rather ignore. But if you’re the person responsible for creating content for your website…you can’t afford to do that.

By now you should understand that SEO matters. The good news is you don’t have to work for SEOmoz to understand how to make SEO work for your business.

Today, I’m going to give you a cheat sheet for making sure you’re executing the most important aspects of SEO for your site.

1. Use WordPress and a premium theme like Thesis 1.85 (avoid 2.0 unless you are a developer) or use Genesis. If you are running on anything else all the rest of the advice may prove less effective.

2. Target the right keywords. Use Google’s free Keyword Tool to identify low competition, high search volume, and long tail phrases to include in your content.

3. Include keywords in your Page Title and Page URL. These are two of the most heavily weighted factors of on-page SEO that you can control.

4. Include keywords in your subheads for your posts throughout your site (these are your H1 headings). Make sure that you place keywords in appropriate places. Putting keywords everywhere you possibly can is called keyword stuffing and you will be penalized for that. Write for your readers not for Google bots.

5. Place keywords in the “alt” tags of your images. Only do this when appropriate. If the image you’re using doesn’t lend itself to including a keyword, don’t. Again, write for readers not for bots.

6. Try to include your primary keyword in the first paragraph of your page content. Again, don’t force the issue, but if you can weave your primary keyword into the very first paragraph of your post it helps.

7. Link appropriate keywords to other articles that expound on that keyword on your site. This is called linking anchor text. This is another on-page SEO principle you can use to improve your search engine ranking. I used this tactic in this article with the word content marketing.

SEO is much more involved than what I’ve share here, but implementing these basics will go a long way towards helping your ideal customers find you over the long term. The beauty about SEO is that it works for your website while you’re working on other things. So, if you do these simple things all of the time, they will prove as an effective strategy for marketing your content online.

Resources for Heavy-Lifting

If you want some more insight on SEO or need tools to help you make sure you are actually using these best practices, check out these resources:

The Beginners Guide to SEO by SEOmoz – a free easy-to-understand guide for those of us who want more insight on how to make the most of SEO.  Covers everything from keyword research to link building – it’s a must read.

Scribe SEO WordPress Plugin by Copyblogger – this is my affiliate link to Scribe SEO which is a WordPress plugin that analyzes your content and provides suggestions on how to tweak it for maximum results in search engines. Totally rocks!

Your business is only as effective as you are, and if there is anything I know us entrepreneurs would love to have more of, it’s energy.

Today, I made you a video to share one of my secret ingredients for boundless energy. Green juicing has had an incredible impact on my life, and the lives of countless others, so I hope you’ll check out the video and give green juicing a try.

Click here to get your copy of The Healthy Juicer’s Bible now!

Leslie Samuel

Not all Internet Marketers are created equal. Especially when it comes to Mr. Leslie Samuel. Leslie is a musician, professor, biology expert, blogging teacher and much more.

Leslie also has an enormous passion for the power of blogging. He believes in the power of building a business by leveraging a blog and changing the world in the process. Leslie is doing this himself and showing others how to do it too.

A great teacher, entertainer, and rockin’ one of the best Caribbean accents EVER, Leslie’s interview will leave you enlightened, inspired, and…in a better mood. Plus, you’ll learn:

• The one book that help transform Leslie’s faith walk
• How to stay connected to your calling as it evolves
• The scariest prayer you can pray to stay in God’s will for your business and life
• How your faith can shine through just by being who you are in Christ
• The truth about internet marketing courses and the mainstream message they promote
• How blogging can lead to even bigger opportunities for your life
• Why your personality is one of the strongest assets you have in growing your blog

To learn more about Become A Blogger and snag Leslie’s amazing free training visit: http://www.becomeablogger.com/

Where can you work in beta?

If you’re an entrepreneur (or one it the making), you probably have a vision for your business that seems far beyond your reach.

It’s both the beauty and the beast of entrepreneurship.

The beauty is that God uses your calling to grow your faith, increase your trust in Him, and draw you closer to Him and your purpose. The beast is that you may believe that you have to make huge leaps or take enormous risk to achieve your entrepreneurial goals.

Life as an entrepreneur requires huge leaps of faith, but it doesn’t have to require enormous levels of risk. In fact, taking enormous levels of risk can be avoided by “working in beta.”

One of the biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make in launching and growing their business is twofold. The first is that they over-plan, wasting too much time, thinking about what they don’t know. The second is that they think too big, and try to achieve too much from the beginning.

Both of these mindsets can kill a business quickly.

The “Working in Beta Mindset” 

The phrase “working in beta” came from the process in software development where developers release a completed version of their software that is working, but still being tested. Typically, developers offer their software to a small group of customers during a beta release period so they can perfect their software and use real-life customer feedback to improve their product.

I coined phrase and applied it to entrepreneurship, because this concept is the fastest way to build and grow a business.

Rather than over-thinking, planning, and preparing for the big dreams of your business, working in beta requires that you take one product or service idea and bring it to the marketplace as quickly as possible.

For example, let’s say you want to start a pre-school. Once you’ve created a simple and clear business plan, don’t start looking for property to lease or teachers to hire. That would not be working in beta.

Instead, launch a small 8 week summer school program from your home (or other suitable location). Invite 8 -10 parents or students to participate, and use these first clients as test subjects for your service.

When you “work in beta” several things will happen.

First, you’ll discover things you never could have anticipated. When it comes to business, you can expect the unexpected to occur. Second, you will find the holes in the product or service you’re offering and ways to improve them. I know your product/service is perfect in your mind, but I promise, it’s not. Third, you will see whether or not you really want to execute on your business idea, if it’s really leading you towards your purpose, and if it will really be profitable.

Working in beta will teach you all of this, and much more, without risking the shirt on your back.

Don’t Despise the Days of Small Beginnings

When you have a vision and dream for your business that is much bigger than you can achieve at the moment, it’s easy to get frustrated and dissatisfied with your present circumstance.

It’s easy to feel pressured into taking enormous risks in hopes of big rewards. Resist that.

Shift your perspective and recognize that you have a golden opportunity to “work in beta.” You can make mistakes and fix them quickly. You can improve upon your idea and vision without collateral damage. You can scrap and rebuild your entire business model and be better for it.

Whether you are offering a new product or service through your existing business, or you’re looking to launch something new, start by working in beta.

That is where you will find little steps of faith leading to life-changing results. Besides, when you do what you can do from where you stand, He will help you do what you cannot.

Around here we talk a lot about how to leverage the Internet to grow your business. I’ve built my entire business doing that, so I’m a huge fan of online marketing.

But the Internet alone isn’t enough. You need more than fans, followers, and connections.

You need relationships.

And no matter how “transparent” or “authentic” you are online, nothing replaces the power of human interaction and personal connection.

When you focus on building a business online, it’s easy to get trapped behind your computer. It’s easy to focus on metrics, and analytics, and forget what it’s like to “press the flesh.”

But, that is where the magic happens.

It’s when you submerge yourself with like-minded individuals who can encourage, inspire, and educate you that you start to see new ways to take your business to a whole new level.

More importantly, that’s when you start to form REAL relationships.

The Not so Secret “Secret” about Success in Business

If you look at industry leaders across the web, you’ll find a common thread. They are all connected.

It’s like one HUGE game of 6 degrees of separation.

By taking their relationships beyond their computer screens they’ve built trust and friendships with each other. As a result, they support each other too.

It’s that support, it’s that trust that serves as a tremendous growth catalyst for their businesses.

I make the biggest strides in my business after I attend a great conference. It’s an investment that always pays for itself, and the experiences are usually phenomenal.

In a few weeks, I’ll be attending, and speaking at, one of these great conferences. I’d love it if you joined me.

Come Join Me at the Killer Tribes Conference in Atlanta

The Killer Tribes Conference is a 1-day experience for bloggers, entrepreneurs, and small business leaders who want to know the ins and outs of what it takes to build and maintain a healthy tribe of dedicated fans and followers.

By the end of this event you’ll have more connections, more clarity, and more confidence for building your own Killer Tribe.

Plus, The Killer Tribes Conference will also feature:

Bryan Allain – The Host

John Saddington – 8BIT · WP Daily · Team Science · Tentblogger

Crystal Paine – MoneySavingMom.com

Brad Lomenick – Exec. Director of Catalyst Conference

Kristen Howerton – RageAgainstTheMinivan.com

Ben Arment – Executive Director at STORY

Matthew Paul Turner – Matthew Paul Turner

Tripp & Tyler – Killer Tribes Emcees (Straight up HILARIOUS guys go watch one of their YouTube videos)

Shawn Smucker – Shawn Smucker

Jessica Turner – The Mom Creative

Craig Jarrow – TimeManagement Ninja.com

Jason Boyett – Jason Boyett

Tripp Crosby – TrippandTyler.tv

Scott McClellan – Director of ECHO Conference

Ken Coleman –The Ken Coleman Show

Amy Lynn Andrews – BloggingWithAmy.com (She’s a blogging GENIUS!)

You can see all their pretty faces here: http://killertribes.com/conference/

Here’s the conference schedule:

FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2013 7pm-9:30pm | Conference Pre-Party (details to be announced)

SATURDAY, MARCH 23, 2013 8:30am-5pm | The Conference (details to be announced)

The Best Part: Drop my name and save $20!

If you decide you want to come (and you should) you can save $20 using the following code when you buy online: MARLEE20. But…it’s only good for 24 hours, so if you think you might want to come, even a little, go buy your tickets right now!

For Tickets, visit the Killer Tribes Conference EventBrite Page.

Whether or not you come join me at The Killer Tribes Conference this year I want you to decide, right now, that you will attend a conference before the year is up. Find one this week, put it on your calendar, and commit to it.

You won’t regret it. I promise.

Diane Cunningham

Have you ever felt the desire to connect with people or be part of a community that can support a desire of your heart? Have you ever struggled to find one?

This week’s Entrepreneur of Faith, Dianne Cunningham, knew that feeling all to well, and out of it she founded one of the best online communities for Christian woman entrepreneurs.

The National Association of Christian Women Entrepreneurs is home to women entrepreneurs from all over the world connected to each other through faith. At NACWE, women entrepreneurs will find a community where other women with hearts for God are connecting to grow their businesses and support one another.

Starting NACWE was a total act of faith, and Diane will share what it was like to walk through it.

In this week’s interview, you’ll learn:

• What it looks like to trust God with the vision for your business
• How creating a business based on your own needs can be the source of your sweet spot in business
• The benefit of acting quickly on the inspiration you get to execute something in your business
• Where to connect with other Christian women entrepreneurs to be supported in business and faith
• And more!

To learn more about Diane and NACWE.org visit: http://nacwe.org/

People often ask me why the name of my company is Radical Entrepreneurship, LLC.

Actually, they usually ask, “What is Radical Entrepreneurship?”

So, I tell them:

“I believe entrepreneurship is one of the most powerful vehicles for personal development, practical impact, and lasting legacy. But, I don’t believe those things show up just by pursuing success as an entrepreneur.

I believe those things show up when you decide to become a Radical Entrepreneur.

My vision is to empower a breed of Radical Entrepreneurs who can do more than just profit in business. But, with their money, time, and resources improve the world around them.

That is Radical Entrepreneurship.”

You may be thinking, “I’m just starting out, I don’t have money, time or resources to give.”

Or maybe you’re saying, “I’m barely making it, how could I possibly live this out from where I stand?”

Let me encourage you. Don’t shrink back from this vision.

Don’t fall trap to the idea that Radical Entrepreneurship is not for you, but for some other more successful entrepreneur.

If you don’t have money, give your time.
If you don’t have time, give your resources.
If you don’t have resources, give what you can, but give.

I came across this story that I thought was a shining example of what it means to be a Radical Entrepreneur. It’s a story that, in the background, points to what it means to do more than just profit in business. You might not spot it right away, but it’s there. In the end, I hope you’ll see why your success as a business owner can be, and should be, for so much more than a big bank balance.

Please watch it, and enjoy!

I Like Car from ILikeGiving.com on Vimeo.