The awakening of a new 'business' world.

I was recently re-reading Ekhart Tolle's book, "A New Earth" and was prompted to think about the changing of human consciousness. - as it related to business.

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Tolle speaks of the ego and greed and the madness that is humanity - and how the world is awakening to a more enlightened state.  I think of how this has affected business.

One of the key principles we have a Roaring Women is that there is enough business for everyone.  In that spirit, despite my financial circumstances or the health of my business I have always maintained that each of us has the ability to attract the 'right' customers and that the transactions that occur for the service we provide will ALWAYS sustain us if not bring incredible abundance.  But this can only occur when we live (and function) with the understanding that 'there is always enough'.

However when we come from the understanding that we must 'compete' - it really reflects a scarcity mentality.  When there is competition there must always be a winner and a loser.  In the abundance mentality - there are no losers - we all are blessed with what we need.

So where does marketing and advertising fit into this picture?  Both of these activities really do support the abundance theory.  Marketing is a process of educating your market on the products and services and how they will benefit your potential clients and also of making them aware of the value that you offer.  Advertising is the posting of special offerings or the activities that will notify and make your target market aware that you exist.

Is marketing a competitive activity?  No.  Not if you believe that there is enough business for everyone and there are clients who will prefer you over other suppliers.

In an example I like to use - I buy my groceries at Safeway.  Do I read all the flyers from all the other grocery stores?  Yes - but my preference is to shop at Safeway.  I like their service, their corporate philosophy and the fact that they identify me by name - even if it is something they collect through a loyalty program.  There is nothing nicer than hearing "Thank you for shopping at Safeway, Mrs. Crawford".  (I'll have to remind them, many women prefer MS. to Mrs.)  But that is just my preference.  Some people I know prefer to shop at Sobey's. For them - this is their 'right' choice.

It does not matter what specials exist other places - I choose to follow and buy the specials at my favorite grocery store.

The same thing happens in your business - whether you understand it or not.  There are people who will use your services or products regardless of other similar services that may be easier to access or cheaper, simply because they prefer to.  Isn't that cool?

If there is one customer out there like that - then there are likely hundreds of others just like that.  So now instead of the frantic attitude around marketing and advertising, a business owner can now focus on finding, educating and notifying their customers of what they have to offer.

With the abundance principle at work it stands to reason that if you are not making enough money to make ends meet - then you have 'customers in waiting' ready to buy your product or service but may not yet be aware that your business exists.

Think about it.  Customers in waiting.  If you knew that there were customers waiting just for you - would this change how you ran your business?  Would you market with a different attitude?

I guarantee it would.  Practicing and thinking abundantly changes our businesses from competitors racing to beat 'the other guy' to a customer service based business - focusing instead on finding those clients in waiting and providing them with the services they need.

Wow.  A new business world.  I wonder what Eckhard Tolle would think of this?

Permissions - are you a super-user?

I have spent the last 2 years building web sites that allowed more than one person to edit it - when it was finally posted.  In the web world - it is often called 'permissions' or users.  For someone to be able to access all the levels of editing - they are often called a super user - and they have unlimited permission to edit pages within the site.

And so I talk about 'permissions' and 'allowing' - all the time.

When I think of the word permission - I think of it in a negative fashion.  We have 'permission slips' to allow us out of a class at school.  If you did not bring your 'permission slip' - you could not participate in an event.  

Rarely do I think of life as a 'carte blanche' scenario; we generally need permission or are denied permission for many activities in the world.  In fact depending on your level within a company or even society - we are granted permission according to our positions - and access to privileges or information is granted accordingly.

Permission.

Today I was meeting with my VP of operations with Roaring Women (Fiona Prince).  It was a 'working meeting' and at one point we got to the topic of calendars and time off.  As we were sharing our calendars - we were also sharing stories of what was going on for us in our lives with our families.  

After Fiona saw my calendar she strongly suggested that because what was going on for me right now - that I book 2 hours for lunch - and work my work around my life and family.  She continued that if I wanted to work in those times - because nothing demanded my attention - I could do so.

Fiona explained about a principle in her faith that she determined to be very important.

"Shalom HaBa'eet means peace in the house. It is one of the foundations of Judaism. Shalom HaBa'eet allows us to be who we need to be in the world. Take the time you need for peace in your house and schedule your work around it. Work will always be there."

One of the foundations of her world includes this principle.  By telling me this - she gave me permission to take care of the things in my household. 

As a business owner I have been very guilty of taking care of the problems or things that need to be done that are making the most noise - in my head or in events.  Unfortunately - the people we love do not often shout or make a lot of noise about their needs - until it is too late.  

However, according to the principle of "Shalom HaBa'eet", it is peace in the family that is most important and we should build our lives around a peaceful household.  Fiona's suggestion that I book 2 hours for lunch - considering the needs of my household right now - gave me permission to work different hours than perhaps the regular workforce might set.

I joking thanked her for giving me permission to take more time off.  But then I realized that I did not need her permission - I needed to grant myself permission to attend to my family before the needs of my business.

In my experience - many faiths have very wise principles on how we should be living our lives.  In this case - I cannot explain how grateful I was to whomever recorded that wisdom as a commandment or principle to live by.  

Implementing this principle however was much easier than I thought.

Sitting with my calendar - I began to plot in EVERYTHING that my family and I needed - to maintain peace in the household.  After this was done, I scheduled in all the work items.  This was in fact putting the principle into action exactly how it was intended.  And so I began to build my work around my life - something I thought I had done years ago.

What I had done was raised my level of permission on my life.  I had elevated myself to become a 'super-user' in my life instead of being a simple administrator of my calendar.  As a super user - I had permission at the highest level to organize or build my life as I knew was best.

In reality - I gave myself permission - to live first and work secondly!

Now - I can breathe - and so can my family.  They now see that living is so much more important than any loud or squeaky wheels in my business life!

Courage - a new perspective

Courage doesn't always ROAR.  Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day that says "I will try again tomorrow". - Mary Anne Radmacher

I love that quote.  Someone recently sent it to me when I was having 'one of those days'.  You know the kind.  The kind of day when you just want to pack it all in and walk away.

It takes courage to run a business.  And not everyone can 'keep the faith' when the going gets tough.

What kind of courage you ask.  Well I thought about it for a while and made a list of things that I think require courage - and it's these things that make us all better people and keep us on the road to success.

Courage is knowing when to say "I'm sorry" and maintain that attitude even when apologies are not accepted.

Courage is knowing when it is time to quit doing something that isn't working instead of maintaining blind determination to do something no matter what.

Courage is accepting responsibility for momentary misguided actions and knowing that those actions don't define us - but that accepting responsibility does define who we are.

Courage is knowing when to say 'no' to an opportunity, no matter how appealing, when it does not align with our values.

Courage is knowing that there is no defeat or failure - even if others call 'learning' by those names.

Courage is the ability to face adversity with peaceful determination.

And yes courage is recognizing that sometimes at the end of the day - not everything worked out as well as we had hoped - and that tomorrow is another day and another opportunity to make things right.

I used to have a saying I used to remind me not to sweat the small stuff... and it went like this:

"If you wake up in the morning and there is no chalk line around your body - it is a good day."  In other words - every day is a gift.  Waking up with a stretch and a yawn is more important than all our achievements or perceived failures. 

Courage is remembering and practicing thankfulness before all else.

This has been my lesson this summer.  I have made the tough decisions that needed to be made and regardless of how they made me 'feel'. 

I have taken time to rejuvenate and rest my spirit.  In my business I have not completed even 25% of what I had hoped to accomplish over the last few months.  But what I have learned is that those accomplishments are small compared to the contribution I make by taking time to heal and become a better person.  

I also realize the importance of practicing kindness - opening a door for someone, or offering encouragement when someone needs it.  It has taken courage to acknowledge that success is not so much about what I do but about who I am.

And what a gift that lesson has been.

It's true courage does not always ROAR.  Yes, sometimes it is that quiet voice telling us that tomorrow will bring us another opportunity to try again.  We get to decide if we will take that opportunity or not. 

For me - all it takes is a good night's sleep and the knowledge that I am courageous.  I have chosen courage. You can choose it too.

I'd rather be a whale!

As much as I love the colour pink, (oh yes all who know me know I love pink), I have decided I would never want to be a salmon - pink or otherwise!  In fact I would rather be a whale!  ( I can just hear Simon and Garfunkel singing - "Not a salmon but a whale")

Let me explain.  I have spent my entire life acting like a salmon.  Swimming upstream.  Working myself to death - just like salmon do.  Swimming against the current, fighting the rush of water over the falls and jumping uphill to reach my destination.  All along the banks people are pointing - "look at her go!"  "Wow she has so much energy!"  What they did not realize is that I was headed (with much energy and exertion) in the wrong direction!

It has taken me 50 years to realize that swimming with the current is much easier - and will get me to my destination before I am worn out.  As they say - go with the flow.  (for once 'THEY' are right).

I was reading a great article by Dr. Robert Anthony about swimming upstream.  This is not a great idea - especially when your destination is really downstream!  The problem is that we have been taught all our lives that 'life is hard'.  "Nothing good comes easy".  "You have to work hard to get ahead".  Recognize any of these?

Reflecting back on my life - everything that I have received or achieved came very easily to me!  In fact, I felt like I was cheating.  I too thought life should be hard.  When I won awards - I thought "Wow , they must have made a mistake - I never worked hard for that!"

How silly.

Yes, I have given up being a salmon.  I am gonna be a whale.  Whales swim to warmer waters in the winter and cooler waters in the summer.  (how smart!)

This does not mean we should look for the easy way out of things - but means that when we go with the 'flow' - the universe will support us and speed us on our journey.

So you might say I have decided to have a 'whale' of a time in life.  My only job is to know the direction - and then go with the flow!  How easy is that?

Ready, set..... stuck?

There I stood - not budging.  I pushed harder and harder.   Leaning forward on a 20 degree slope downhill, two boards strapped to my boots and the most awesome powdery conditions - and I was stuck.  

Other skiers breezed by me, screaming "yahooooo" - and rejoicing in the abundance of powder below and the huge flakes falling from above.  But I just stood still.

I lifted my one foot then the other and began walking down the hill.  Every once in a while I stopped, banged the skis on the ground and attempted to push one foot forward in a sliding motion. No go.

A a ski instructor I was baffled.  OK - I am on a hill, leaning forward what was going on?  My understanding of physics told me I should be moving forward and down the hill.

It took me 10 minutes to walk down to the bottom of the hill from the chalet - and when I was on more solid snow, I took off my skis. (actually, it was my ski partner who thought he knew what the problem might be)

I had already decided of course that my skis needed a tune up - or waxing.  He knew differently.  Turning the skis over he showed me the problem. There was a four inch section on each ski bottom covered in bumpy, snowy ice, right under where I would have centered my balance.  I scraped the ice off - and was away sliding easily to the chair lift and then riding up up to the top of the mountain to begin my skiing day.

On the chair lift I began to think about how skiing could be much like business.  Once you push off, downhill momentum could make the skiing very enjoyable.  But when you all of a sudden become 'stuck' or stopped for no apparent reason - things can become very frustrating.

In fact when I looked at the surface of the problem with my skis - nothing appeared to be wrong.  I was on a slope, I had skis on and the snow conditions were perfect.  Had I taken off my skis earlier - I could have identified the problem, scraped off the ice and skied down to the chairlift.  But instead I pushed on in the most inefficient way possible - determined to get to the bottom of the hill - even if I had to walk!  (I wonder what would have happened had I asked for help?)

How many of us do the same in business?  We may be experts. (after all I was a ski instructor)  We may have a lot of knowledge about business, but when we become stuck instead of stopping for a moment to investigate the reason for the slowdown or 'stuckedness', we push harder and harder, determined to not let ANYTHING stand in our way.  

Interestingly enough I wonder how often a quick 'check in and check up' on our business would afford us the information we need to get over the 'hump' and regain momentum.  Further to that - I wonder how much more easily we might grow our businesses if we stopped every once in a while to ask for help in assessing what is really going on.

This is one of the reasons we have a business assessment available on the Roaring Women web site.  (yes it is available and free to everyone.)

So the next time all things seem to be in order - and you appear to be doing everything right but you just can't budge - take a minute to examine what is really going on.  And if it isn't readily apparent - ask for help.  Sometimes just a small tweak can get you moving forward again with little effort at all.

We have many great resources available for members of Roaring Women.  We are North America's largest business resource!  Why not try us out for free here - and get some valuable gifts!

A roaring woman - coming clean...

Ok so as I near fifty - maybe the time has arrived to come clean.  I always thought I said it like it was - but there were some things I just did not dare talk about - for fear of unleashing the tiger - or shall I say lioness within.

Until yesterday - I always believed in the kinder gentler way.  In fact in a recent conversation with my husband I remarked that perhaps he did not know me well - and that I believed in moving forward in life that I had an attitude of 'no harm to anyone' - and that love was the motivating factor for all that I did. Deep inside however is also the fierce protector - the advocate for those who dare not speak.

Interestingly enough - these values and beliefs were outwardly expressed for others - but never inwardly expressed on my own behalf.  I have spent many years in relationships peppered with abuse of all kinds.  Outwardly fighting for the rights and safety of other - inwardly - denying my own situations and needs.

How very sad.  The woman who needed to be loved and protected the most - curled up in a fetal and protective position - praying for a hero.  So yesterday - on behalf of that woman - the kinder gentler way got tossed out the window.   The time has come to speak up on behalf of women all over the world - who fight for others and neglect their own needs.

It all started with a conversation of personal responsibility with someone I love dearly.  I was accused of "chasing money" - running after the almighty dollar.  In this conversation I was indicating I was going to apply for a prestigious position with a large paycheck.  I was dreaming - and thinking of what life might be like - the benefits of the position - and also the love for the duties the position provided.

I was astounded by the accusation.  I immediately went inside myself to test out if the accusation rang true.  Immediately my higher self reminded me of all I had contributed to the world - without regard to pay or personal consequences.  I knew that my motivation in the world was not to only 'make money'.  I knew however I have financial responsibilities that require me to step up to the plate and make some changes.

Upset by the conversation I called his mother - just for some wisdom from another strong woman.  Her words cut me to the core.  "Maybe it's time you just found your real place in the world and stop trying so hard.  Just be normal like the rest of us.  Maybe it's time to live more within your means - you are thinking too big for your britches young lady.  You are just too smart and ambitious - it's time to just let those silly ambitions go and get a regular job - stop chasing the brass ring so to speak".

OMG.  Between the tears and disbelief I could feel a fire rising inside.  I wonder if anyone ever uttered words like that to Martin Luther King who had  'a dream'. What would happen if every one who had a dream in this world was told "oh just sit down and shut up -  will you?". 

So I called my mother.  

Despite our disagreements and misunderstandings over the years - she has given me many, many gifts.  And yesterday - she gave me the greatest gift of all.  

I do not remember the words she spoke - but I did note the fire in my chest that began to burn brightly.  She told me through a series of stories about my strength.  She reminded me of all the women that have gone before me - who sacrificed so that I could speak out.  And for me - at this time in my life - the 'kinder gentler way' went right out the freakin window.  My idea of a kinder gentler way to do things had brought me to a point where I was now a 'kinder gentler doormat', almost willing to accept the advice of a woman trying to put me in my place.  (too big for your britches young lady)

Then I talked to my dear friend and fabulous counselor Heidi Cowie.  She reminded me that the advice I had been given to 'slow down and not think so big' was not advice for special girls like us.  Yes Heidi - we are special women. We are amazing - and I thank God for the community of Roaring Women who like my mother and the other women in my family understand.

I do have dreams. I do have something I want to give the world.  And I do deserve to have a partner who will support me in that - or I will do it alone.  I deserve to be paid well and acknowledged for my contributions - if not for me - for all the women who have gone before and fought the fight for equality and appreciation.

Am I angry - yes.  But it is a righteous and positive anger, by George.  And God help the man (or misguided woman) who will stand in my way to get the job done. 

What is the job?  To help women understand their value, worth and potential. To raise them to their rightful place in the universe.  To support them in following their dreams - wherever it takes them. To honour the community of women that has gone before. To let every woman know that not only has she a right to her dreams - she has the right to live without fear of violence - or death - that no one has the right to abuse her verbally or degrade her or cut down her ideas and dreams.

My job is to help her steer in the right direction and channel all that wonderful courage and ambition in the direction she really wants to go.

And I am starting right here - in my own back yard.  Care to join me?

Mandie Crawford
Calgary Business Woman of the Year 2010

The lottery of limiting beliefs

The scene was of a woman woman waking up to a brilliant sunshine.  She rolls out of bed and wanders up a set of stairs with a brass hand rail - and steps out onto the deck of a beautiful sailboat.   You know how the scene plays out after that.  And of course the commercial is a promotion for a lottery. She was living her dream after winning a lottery!

At first I was intrigued at the scene - wondering what the commercial was about.  Then, when I realized it was for a lottery,  I shook my head and involuntarily the thought popped into my head "I don't want to win a lottery".

How interesting I muttered, as I realized that it was likely a message that had surfaced from my subconscious.

I thought about this interesting turn of events for me.  If I had decided or had buried in my subconscious that I did not want to win a lottery - why then had I bought a lottery ticket for the Friday draw?  Surely if this is what I believed deep down inside - I was likely sending energy out letting the universe know that I did not want to win.

The great creator was likely chuckling at my actions - even questioning the wisdom of the purchase.  Me, I began thinking about why I would even think that way.

Then I remembered an experience I had in the past - where I was given a large sum of money as a result my father's death.  Not only was I sad that my father had died - there was a lot of family fighting about the money that caused me great pain.  Not surprisingly,  my brain wanting to keep me safe from more emotional pain,  planted the thought deep in my subconscious that I did not want to win or receive large sums of money.

Luckily for me - lottery tickets had never been on my 'must buy' list and I had only purchased 3 in the last 10 years - but it made me wonder what energy I was sending out all the way around.  

So I decided it was time to deal with my limiting belief - because that is what it really was - a limiting belief.

PSYCH-K is a great tool to use to not only identify but to change our limiting beliefs we carry in the subconscious.  It is a tool I had recently added to my coaching tool chest - to help me assist clients in eliminating their limiting beliefs.  Now was the time to test how well it worked.

I took some time to go through the process I needed to connect subconscious to conscious brain and made sure the message that I replaced the limiting belief with was "It s safe to win, acquire and make large sums of money".  The process seemed easy enough - and I felt a shift inside that I could not describe.

Monday, I brought the lottery ticket I had purchased several days earlier into the kitchen - and looked up the winning numbers. It was a $20 winning ticket!  Now I realize that may not be a large sum of money - but for me it was an interesting turn of events.

We do create everything that happens to us by what we think and how we feel.  Our job is to find out the stories that are buried deep within us and change them to fit the videos, pictures and vision boards we create consciously.  When there is a match - we can begin taking an active roll in our future!

If you would like more information on defeating your own limiting beliefs - please contact Mandie for a free 20 minute session!