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Christy Wright Podcast Channel

Hey, I’m Christy Wright, and this is my podcast channel. I’m a best-selling author, keynote speaker and business coach. I’m also a mom to three kids, a dog, and a hamster that I regrettably agreed to get my oldest son for his birthday. Most of all, I’m a storyteller and teacher. I love using stories to give you practical advice to grow in every area of your life. Whether you need encouragement in your life, practical advice for your business, or hope for your faith, you’re in the right place. Every Monday, you can start your week with my faith-based show, Get Your Hopes Up, as I show you how to get to know God, get closer to Him and get your hopes up again. And every Tuesday, you can learn how to build, run and grow your business with my new show, Business Bootcamp, where I give you the practical steps you want and the tough love truth you need to succeed in business. Whether you’re a loyal subscriber that’s been with me since the Business Boutique days in 2015, or you aren’t even sure how you ended up on this channel, I’m glad you’re here. And I hope you find the hope and help you’re looking for. For more encouragement in life, faith and business, check out ChristyWright.com.
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Now displaying: Page 8
Apr 16, 2019
My team thinks I'm never in the office. And, if we're being honest, they have a point. Between travel, speaking engagements, video shoots and off-site writing days, I just don't spend a lot of time at my desk. I remember one particular week when I was with my team all day every day because we were launching a new product. They gave me so much flak those five days. They went on and on about how I was never in the office and how much more fun it was when I did come around. So I decided the following Monday, when I normally wouldn't be in the office, to surprise and delight my team with a box of warm donuts. I thought it was the greatest idea ever. I imagined myself bursting through the doors, while everyone cheered for this special treat. I mean, I really built this whole thing up in my head. As luck would have it, no one was there when I arrived. Not a single person. I was so disappointed. It turns out, I chose a time when every single person on my team was either in a meeting or working in another building. I had planned this surprise poorly. Even though the donuts were still great later on when everyone finally showed up, I was disappointed that my team hadn't been there for the grand entrance. The effect just wasn't the same. This story reminds me of what it often looks like when we launch something new like a product, service or business. We come up with a great idea and have high expectations for what will happen when we share it with the world. And then we launch and no one shows up. It flops and we don't understand why. Launches are important, so we have to get them right. Whether you're introducing a new product line, announcing an upcoming conference, or offering a new service, there are things you must do to have a successful launch-but there's also a lot of room to be creative. That's because launching is both a science and an art. If you want to create a better launch experience, one where people actually show up and buy, you'll want to incorporate three key elements. The Three Essentials of a Successful Launch 1. Relationships Sixty percent of sales occur after the fourth interaction with a potential customer.(1) It's because people buy from those they know, like and trust. That's why if you're going to launch anything, you need existing relationships to launch to. Otherwise, you'll be launching to no one. Don't get intimidated if you don't have any customers yet. Utilize your existing relationships to get started. Announce it to your Facebook friends, send an email to all your contacts, and ask your family, friends and church community if they would help you spread the word. 2. A Date A launch is an event. And just like every event, it must happen on a certain date. The last thing you want to do is drag out a launch over a long period of time because then there's no urgency for your customer to take action. Choose a date that people can put on their calendars, plan around, and get excited about. When you land on a date for your launch, consider what else is going on in your business and the world in that season. You want to make sure it's a good time for your customers to buy and you won't be competing with another event. 3. Anticipation Research shows that when we have time to anticipate something, we actually enjoy it more when it occurs. Makes sense, doesn't it? Half the fun of a vacation is counting down the days. This is why anticipation around your launch is critical to its success. Once you've picked a date, start creating buzz. Remember, it's not just a date. It's an event! People should be daydreaming about the release of your product or service like they fantasize about their upcoming vacation. At Business Boutique, we do this every year when we open enrollment for the Academy. We create new videos, write about the opening in our blog, and post about it on Instagram. We're likely talking about it everywhere...
Apr 2, 2019
Picture this: You're booked to speak on a college campus. The auditorium seats 1,000, but only three students show up. Yes, that's 997 empty seats. And the icing on the cake? The three students who bothered to show up only did so for the extra credit. Ouch. Or how about this: You're speaking at a conference for a bank, and even though there are enough seats for a few hundred people, only two show up. TWO! Are you cringing yet? To make matters worse, one of them talks-yes, talks, not texts-on her cell phone during your presentation. Oh, and that other attendee? He promptly falls asleep and snores the whole time. No, I'm not describing my worst nightmares. Unfortunately, both of those things actually happened to me. I mean, I can't make this stuff up! And, y'all, I have stories like these for days from the years I spent speaking in high school cafeterias, family reunions, libraries and strip malls. As an aspiring professional speaker like I was at the time, it would've been easy to get discouraged in those situations. And believe me, some days were harder than others. But really, it's natural to feel disappointed when reality doesn't measure up to your expectations-like when your business isn't as big, impressive or successful as you thought it would be today. Patience can be hard, right? I get it because I've been there. But you know what? Even in that season when nobody showed up for my speeches, when every audience was tiny, I always brought the same level of passion and energy. Related: Play to the Size of Your Heart Why? Because I believe there is something sacred in every season we go through. In other words, there is training in the trenches. It's during those hard seasons that something happens in you that can't happen any other way. It's like a rite of passage. So, instead of wishing away what you're going through right now or focusing on what's next, I encourage you to find contentment in the now. I know that can be challenging when you've got big dreams. But I promise, it's possible to be content with where you are today without giving up on your goals-it's a both/and situation. That could look like super-serving the 200 Instagram followers you have today while working to turn that into 200,000. Or giving a heartfelt speech to five people while working on the marketing plan to grow your following. It's both being content and striving for more. Related: Dream Bigger for Your Business I've told you this before, but it's worth repeating. If you're not faithful with what you have and where you are today, God can't trust you with more. That's exactly why-no matter if I'm speaking to two people or 2,000-I bring my all to every single speaking engagement. Don't despise your small beginnings, embrace them. Practicing contentment makes it much easier to hear what God is teaching you in each season. Here are three ways you can start doing that right now: Three Ways to Practice Contentment  1. Control Your Thoughts You have more power over your mind than you think. I know this is hard, especially when you're scrolling Instagram and see that one of your girlfriends has a brand-new kitchen or is on a fancy vacation. Do you know what you're doing in that moment? You're comparing someone else's highlight reel to your current reality. Stop doing that! Comparison is a recipe for discouragement and resentment. Related: The Benefits of Practicing Gratitude 2. Focus on What You Have When you look at what you already have, it is so much easier to have an attitude of gratitude. I love how 2 Corinthians 10:5 tells us to take every thought captive to Christ. When you feel comparison creep in, kick those thoughts to the curb and focus on what you're grateful for instead. The truth is, you and I have more than most people. We live in the greatest country in the world with more money, resources and technology than we know what to do with. So stop...
Mar 19, 2019
Some people think I help people find their calling. But I'll be the first to tell you that's not what I do. It's just not my thing. The idea that there is only one purpose I was put on this Earth to do is paralyzing. I actually believe there are many things I could do that would get me excited about going to work on a Monday morning. And I think the same is probably true for you. Related: Why You Shouldn't Worry About Finding Your Calling That's why I don't deal with callings. Instead, I help people discover something they're really good at and enjoy doing, so they can turn it into a business they love. I love this because when people know what they're passionate about, they begin to live intentionally in their purpose. They become more thoughtful and action-oriented because now they know exactly what to go after. Rather than just reacting to whatever life throws at them, they set goals and carefully evaluate the steps needed to get there. This is important because when you decide to live on purpose in your purpose, you'll experience more fulfillment and success. Why? Because nothing will push you to work harder than whatever it is that fires you up. So let me ask you: Is this the kind of life you're living today? I know it can be hard to feel sure, which is why I have three clues you can look for to figure this out. How Do You Know If You're Living an Intentional Life?  1. You're Living in Your Gifts and Strengths I believe God made you 100% unique. There's no one else on this Earth who has your combination of voice, style, perspective, experience and interests. Understanding and utilizing the gifts God has given you in your business is critical to your success. Like I said earlier: When you're not working in your strengths, you not only won't enjoy your work, but you'll also lack the motivation to push through the rough patches. And let me tell you, there are a lot of those in business. If you could use more encouragement around using your God-given gifts in business, download my free 7-Day Devotional in the Resources section below. 2. You're Passionate About What You're Pursuing Just like your strengths and your gifts, God also created you with unique interests, values and passions. I love dancing, but I hate details. I get really excited about adventure and being outside, but I'm not a fan of math, history or science. I'm passionate about people and relationships, but I'm not crazy about politics. But you know what's so fascinating? There are lots of people out there who do get excited about the things I don't like. So what gets you excited? What makes you light up and come alive? What gives you energy and joy? Take your time thinking and praying over these questions. It will help you identify whether you're actually passionate about what you're doing. Related: How to Find Your Passion and Grow a Business You Love 3. You're Making a Difference God didn't create any of us to be an island-off on our own unconcerned about the rest of the world. In fact, I believe He created us to live and work in community. It means He gave us our unique strengths, gifts and passions for the purpose of blessing other people. When you focus on the needs of the people you're helping and serving, you're making a difference. You're impacting someone's life, and that's a clear indicator that you're exactly where you need to be. This week, I want to challenge you to look for specific examples of each clue in your life. Are you living in your strengths? Are you passionate about what you're doing? Are you making a difference in some way? The list you compile should tell you one of two things: You're doing exactly what you should be doing right now. It's time to start making small changes that will lead you where you want to be in the future. Related: How to Push Past Your Comfort Zone and Try Something New How to Cultivate a Life of Purpose with Lara...
Mar 5, 2019
It's hard to believe that nearly five years ago, Business Boutique was just a dream in my heart. Wow. That's hard to grasp on so many levels, but especially because Business Boutique is such a huge part of my life now. But, y'all, talk about humble beginnings. All we really knew is that we wanted to create a place where women could get the support and training they need to make money doing what they love. That's it. So we went straight to the source: women who knew they were made for more. We talked to a lot of them and asked what felt like millions of questions. And we noticed something interesting. All of these women seemed to describe their pursuit of "more" in different ways. Some called it a side business. Others referred to it as a side hustle. Some even called themselves mompreneurs. Suddenly, we knew coming up with a name for our project that perfectly encompasses what all of these women do-and one that clearly communicates exactly how we can help them-was absolutely crucial to our success. No pressure, right? In all our meetings and brainstorming sessions, my leader Dave Ramsey kept referring to a small side business as a boutique business. But that name didn't feel quite right. Would people immediately think we only help people start boutiques? I mean, we were going to help them grow a lot of different things. We continued to run into this wall until I decided to pray about it. I know, it should have been the first thing I did. But unfortunately, it was my last resort. My prayer that day was this: Lord, what are we going to call this? We can't call it Boutique Business because we're not helping people start boutiques. We're helping them grow a lot of different things. How do we describe this market when these women describe themselves in so many different ways? He answered me that very day. I heard God say: Flip it. It's not Boutique Business. It's the Business Boutique. And you're not describing what all of them do. You're describing what YOU do. You are the place where women come to get help with their business-any type of business. Y'all, I knew in the moment that Business Boutique was it. I immediately sent a text to the team telling them we were supposed to flip the name. It was like this lightbulb had finally come on. And everyone agreed. Of course they did! Because it was God's idea. And you know what? God is full of really good ideas. That's why I invite my faith into my business every single day. Seeing God's fingerprints all over Business Boutique takes the pressure off me and reminds me of who's really in control. Have you invited God into your business yet? I'm here to tell you it's never too late. Seeking God in Your Business  Too often, we keep our personal lives and our business lives separate. We are so faith-filled in our personal lives but, for some reason, we get all practical and non-spiritual in our business. It's as if we believe God doesn't have any part to play-as if He can't provide for our business, doesn't understand the industry, or can't help us scale it. The truth is faith and business go hand in hand. Guess who gave you the gifts and skills you use in your business? Guess who gave you the finances needed to start your business? Guess who gave you the courage to finally do it even though you were scared? That's all God. The business you own is actually God's business. Do you see a pattern here? God is already in your business because God is in you-and you are in your business. I want to challenge you to start thinking about your business as a place where you can invite God to partner with you. Our business problems are not outside of God's control. He wants to be immersed in every aspect of our lives, so don't leave Him out of this part. I created this 7-Day Devotional to help you do just that. I pray this devotional will help remind you that God cares not only about you, but He also cares...
Feb 19, 2019
A few months ago, I read a very interesting article in The Washington Post about a researcher who studied 400,000 knitters. She was learning about my favorite topic: how these women turned their hobby of knitting into a business. She discovered an interesting phenomenon that I've actually witnessed for years now through Business Boutique. Before I launched Business Boutique, I conducted my own research on women with businesses. I noticed an interesting theme: When it comes to turning your hobby into a business, a sense of community plays a key role in women doing it scared. When we have camaraderie and support, when we can lock arms with other women and do it together, we're more likely to launch the business we've been dreaming about. Related: How to Face Your Fears and Do It Scared This woman's research reiterated that reality. From the 403,168 individual knitters she studied from 2007 to 2014, the ones who joined a group to craft socially were 25% more likely to start a business.(1) When asked what it was that transformed these women from pattern makers to pattern sellers, the most common answer was that someone they knew had encouraged them to sell their work: Many had already been modifying patterns and designing their own yarn gnomes and cat costumes, but until they heard from others, they lacked the confidence to step out on their own.(2) I was blown away by this. Not because I had never heard of this phenomenon before (my own research proved it), but because this principle of needing community is still true in a specific industry like knitting and on a massive scale like a study of 400,000 people. There's no doubt that entrepreneurship can be intimidating and lonely. But that's where the power of building community comes in. I see this every single year at our Business Boutique events. When you bring 3,000 women together from all over the country who work in all types of industries and are in different stages of business, there is a special bond created. Here's what happens: These women walk into the room with all kinds of feelings, fears and questions about their businesses, and they think they're the only ones who feel that way. But once they hear the speakers on stage and connect with other women struggling with the same things, they realize, I'm not so crazy after all. Community opens our eyes to the truth, gives us the confidence and support we need to take the next step, and cultivates a place to belong. It's everything we need to stop letting fear hold us back from making our dreams a reality. Related: How to Push Past Your Comfort Zone and Try Something New The Three Types of Community You Need  No matter what stage of business you're in, if you don't have a community around you, I want you to make building one or getting into one a top priority this month. You should be a part of three different types of communities: 1. People in Your Shoes This means people walking in the same shoes as you are or those in the same type of industry or business you're in. When you come together, you feel a unique connection that you wouldn't feel with someone in a completely different business. This will be your network of people who understand exactly what it's like to do what you do. When you get together to knowledge-share with this group, you exchange very specific advice on things like: handling difficult customers best practices, policies to protect yourself and vendor recommendations marketing strategies specific to your target market managing the seasonality of your business 2. People in Other Shoes This is a group of people who have different perspectives from you because they work in different industries. It is so beneficial to have this community, because oftentimes, we get too close to our business. We can get so deep in the weeds that we truly can't see the forest for the trees. But when you seek support from those...
Feb 5, 2019
When I was pregnant with my first child, we were so excited to find out the gender. When we learned we were having a boy, we immediately started brainstorming cute boy names and colors and themes for his nursery. We even bought outfits­. There were so many things we could plan, build and create because of that one piece of information. Believe it or not, this same scenario is true for business too. There is one piece of information that can and does dictate every other decision you make: the problem you solve. Related: The One Thing All Businesses Must Have While knowing the problem you solve is crucial to success, too many companies operate for years before they ever figure it out. Many of you started your business from a hobby. It's a great strategy. But when it's a hobby, it only serves you. Once you turn your hobby into a business, it needs to solve a problem for someone else. Before I go any further, please don't get intimidated by the word problem. Just because you create hair bows or paint canvases doesn't mean you're not solving a real issue. Too many people think that because they're not doing something people need, they're not solving an actual problem. Here's the truth: No matter what you do, your product does solve an issue. You might just have to dig a little deeper to find the problem your business can solve. Related: How Jessica Turned Her Problem Into $70K For example, if you make hair bows, you're solving a problem for parents who want their daughter's hair accessories to match their outfits. You're also solving a problem for the countless little girls who don't grow hair until they're toddlers. Their parents no longer need to clarify whether their baby is a boy or a girl because she's wearing an adorable bow on her head. I know my mother was grateful for hair bows when I was a bald baby! That's a real problem you solve! Or, in the other example, you create custom paintings. You're solving a problem for people who don't want to purchase art for their home from a big-box store. There are those who want a one-of-a-kind piece of art with a personal story behind it. And guess what? That's what you offer. When you identify the problem you solve in your business, you learn so many other important pieces of information as well. 3 Things You Learn When You Identify the Problem Your Business Solves  1. Your Target Market Your target market is the group of people who have the problem you solve. You can't identify that group if you don't know their pain points, what they struggle with, and what they're looking for. When you identify the problem you solve, you know exactly who to market your product or service to. You no longer waste time and money trying to sell to people who aren't interested in what you have to offer! 2. Your Value Proposition Identifying the problem also gives you your basis for figuring out how much your product or service is worth. This is the foundation and justification for how much to charge. Why does your product or service cost that specific amount? Well, it's because you solve this specific problem. Oh, and by the way, the problem you solve is the only thing your market cares about. The only reason they will pay you is because you solve a problem for them. 3. Your Marketing Language Your customers' pain points should be exactly what you talk about in all of your messaging. Whether you're writing marketing copy for your website, creating brochures for a trade show, or making connections at a networking event, the problem you solve should be the main thing you talk about because that's all your customers care about. Related: The Basics of Building Your First Website If you've been running your business for a while, don't think this exercise doesn't apply to you. No matter how long you've been in business, I want you to take all of your marketing messaging and run it through this filter: Does this...
Jan 22, 2019
Passion is so important in everything you do. When you're passionate about something, you perform a million times better. This is true whether you're working at your day job, cooking dinner for your family, or launching a side hustle. That's why, today, we're talking about how to find your passion. There's no better time of year to discover this. A new year means a new you! You know that I'm passionate about helping women step into their God-given gifts and make money doing what they love. But before you start making money doing what you love, you have to discover what you love. So how do you do that? Three Strategies to Find Your Passion It's not as scary as it seems. I actually have three different strategies you can walk through to help you find your passion. Here's what's great about a strategy: It isn't a formula or a fancy equation to make a passion magically appear. It's none of that. It's simply an approach-and it's a flexible one. Maybe one strategy works for you or maybe you'll use a combination of all three. Dig deep into these strategies, and I bet you'll discover something amazing. Related: How to Find Your Business Idea The Self-Focused Strategy This strategy takes a look inside-you guessed it-you! Now, this isn't about self-centeredness. But it is about taking a good inventory of your past to discover what you've been uniquely created to contribute to the world. That inventory is usually a combination of your past, education and experiences. This is actually how Business Boutique was born. Before Business Boutique, I was a speaker at Ramsey Solutions. The company wanted to transition me into an official Ramsey Personality role, but before we could do that, we had to figure out what my focus should be. So, I sat in a boardroom with Dave Ramsey, my husband, and a ton of other leaders in the company. We spent hours going over my background to see how I could best serve the marketplace. In other words, what should my focus, market and message be? We looked in a few different places. First, we looked at my story growing up with a mother who was scrappy and built a successful business from scratch (a unique experience). Then we looked at my education: I studied business and marketing, and I'm a Certified Business Coach. We also looked at some of my other unique experiences, like how I started a couple of side businesses to help make ends meet. Finally, we looked at my strengths: My natural strengths are in speaking, teaching, writing and coaching people as they step into their God-given dreams. Can you spot the patterns? Business was all over my background, and when we looked at the marketplace at the time, we saw businesses launching at a crazy rate. The problem was that so many entrepreneurs didn't actually know how to run a business. They just had great ideas. When we put that all together, here's what we came up with: There's a lot of people who need help with business. I am a really good teacher, and I have a background in business. So Business Boutique was born. Related: Recognizing Your Gifts Now we have a podcast, a book and an online business training academy. We've even created an amazing goal planner, a sold-out event and two courses. But it all started with an idea on what I uniquely brought to the table. If you take a deep look at your past, experiences and education, I have no doubt you can find something you're passionate about. Here are some questions you can ask yourself to get started: What is your story? People are often passionate about something in their history because they've lived it. What are your strengths? What comes effortlessly to you? We are naturally more passionate about things we're good at. What do you get really excited about? What do you get really mad about? When you pay attention to your emotions around an issue, it's a good indicator you're passionate about that one thing. Look...
Jan 8, 2019
Here's the truth about money: The more you have, the more impact you can make. So why wouldn't you want to make a million dollars in your business? Well, for many of you, it boils down to what you believe. So much of what I teach you is to believe. Believe in yourself, believe that you can do the thing, and believe that God put that dream in your heart for a reason. Remember when you were a kid and you believed? Maybe you believed in Santa, the tooth fairy, the Easter Bunny, even flying reindeer. You believed you could be anything you wanted to be. You believed anything was possible. Maybe you even believed you would be a millionaire when you grew up. But something has changed since then. Something happened as we grew up and became more reasonable and more logical-we stopped believing. At some point in your journey, whether you realized it or not, you stopped believing and you settled. You probably thought, Well, I'm not going to dream too big because I don't want to end up disappointed. If you don't believe something is possible, you're never going to try. When you set goals for your business, you also create a plan to achieve them. It's the same with being a millionaire. If you set a goal of becoming a millionaire, you have to create a plan to make it happen. It's as easy as that. You have to be careful of the words you tell yourself. When you hear those negative thoughts in your head saying, I'm not enough, you just need to have a positive thought prepared to tell yourself, I am enough. I got this. Related: Ep. 58 - Perseverance in Your Business: How to Keep Going When You Want to Give Up Working Through All the Feelings About Wealth We all have perceptions of what we think it takes to be wealthy. We even have perceptions of what we think it means to be wealthy. Should I feel guilty for having money? No! Is it even okay to have wealth? Yes! Yes, it is okay to have wealth! Listen, when God blesses you with His resources, it is up to you to steward these resources well, and He will bless you with more. Imagine the impact you could make if you had an abundance of resources. The bottom line is that you need to be a good and faithful servant of God's resources. Imagine being able to give like never before and change your family tree. Now that right there is what it's all about. Building wealth in a smart way, slow and steady, for the right reasons is the way to go, and you can do this. Don't get me wrong: It's okay to enjoy nice things. There is nothing wrong with that. But the true joy in building your wealth comes from being able to give generously and leave a legacy for your family. Related: How to Set Prices How to Make a Million Dollars in Your Business with Chris Hogan Chris Hogan is the national best-selling author of Retire Inspired, host of The Chris Hogan Show, fellow team member here at Ramsey Solutions and last but not least, my good friend. So, before we get started, let me tell you a little about Chris. You know those people that walk in the room and just own it? The people that have everyone's attention because you just feel their presence? That's Chris Hogan. It's more than his booming voice that commands attention. It's his contagious passion to help people understand how to build wealth and live the life they've always wanted. To say he gets people fired up is a huge understatement. So, in this episode, Chris Hogan and I are going to get you to believe again. Because you may not realize it, but you already have exactly what you need to make a million dollars in your business. The Largest Study Ever Done on How to Make a Million Dollars Steve Jobs once said, "I'm convinced that about half of what separates the successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful ones is pure perseverance."(1) But don't just take Steve Jobs' word for it-the research backs it up. In the largest study ever done on millionaires, Chris Hogan...
Dec 26, 2018
It's exciting to plan for the future, set fun goals, and dream big for your business, but you also need to figure out how you'll reach those goals. If you don't know where you are, it's hard to know how to get to where you want to be. Today, I want to talk about how you can assess and evaluate where your business is right now so you can see the path to where you want to be in 2019. Make sense? Great! Let's get started. End of the Year Business Review Organizing and evaluating the major projects you did in 2018 is a great first step toward planning for 2019. Start by creating four columns and sorting projects into these four categories: right, wrong, missing and confused. RIGHTWhat worked well? What was a huge success or helped you gain momentum? These are things that you want to maximize, amplify, and do more of next year. WRONGWhat didn't work? Did you have a setback or a challenge? Did some of your results disappoint you? If so, it's okay! Making mistakes shows you are taking risks and pushing the limits. The important thing is that you learn from your experiences and stop spending time on these things. MISSINGWhat opportunities were overlooked? Was there something you should have done, but didn't? Maybe it was something you didn't know you should do at the time, but you know now. These are things you are going to add. CONFUSEDWhat needs a little more explanation or better processes? Was there something you had to help customers or your team understand multiple times? These are the things you should clarify. This is a great exercise for your business as a whole, but I'd also recommend you do this for the main areas of your business: sales, marketing, operations, money, team and time management. Evaluating your business's strengths and weaknesses will help you finish the year strong and start the new year even better that last year. Related: Ep 61: Learning From Failure: How to Dust Yourself Off and Move Forward How to Wrap Up the Year and Finish Strong with John Felkins John Felkins is one of our very own Entreleadership Executive Coaches here at Ramsey Solutions. John is on a mission to help business leaders reach their maximum potential. He guides leaders and small-business owners to cut through white noise and helps them make real progress on their journey to becoming the best, most accomplished version of themselves. John Felkins started his professional life as a project management engineer and realized his passion was actually coaching and consulting. After creating a consulting firm, he went to an Entreleadership event, fell in love with the principles, then quickly joined the Entreleadership team to help launch the highly successful Entreleadership coaching program. In this episode, John Felkins and I discuss how to work in your sweet spot and how to wrap up the year and finish strong. We talk about: Why it's important to use your gifts with your work and not force yourself to do a job that doesn't come naturally The main things you need to identify and assess in your business before the year ends Practical questions to ask yourself to end the year strong The metrics to know now in order to improve your business next year Knowing your business vitals and why that's important for your profit and loss Identifying the actual cost of doing business, so you can make adjustments to improve in the future Why putting your phone down will help you avoid distractions and serve your customers better Related: How to Stay Focused and Eliminate Distractions in Your Business Get a Running Start on Your Year We all know the holidays are a crazy busy time of year. Before you know it, it's January, and you aren't sure how to start tackling all those New Year's goals you set for your business. You still have a few days to get your plans in place, so figure out where you want to be and break down what you need to do to reach that goal....
Dec 11, 2018
Alright y'all. Let's face it: Distractions are a fact of life. You're going to face them in every area of your life and your business, and the honest truth is that if we don't face them, they're going to keep us from getting things done. I want you to reach your goals and achieve everything you want in the coming year. So let's talk about how to stay focused and eliminate distractions. All human beings are wired to be curious. We naturally gravitate toward the new, even if that keeps us from doing the things we need to do. But not all distractions are created equal. Three Categories of Distractions Let's think of distractions in the form of a stop light. STOP.Red Distractions: The distractions that you should ignore. STOP. Proceed with caution.Yellow Distractions: The distractions that cause you to slow down and think about. GO!Green Distractions: The distractions that demand your attention. Red Distractions Squirrels These types of distractions, like a squirrel zooming in front of you on a walk, divert you from your main task at hand. They might be new ideas, shiny objects, something more fun, or simply something that is going to help you procrastinate. For me, this is a normal occurrence. They steal my attention away from what I'm really supposed to be doing. I am working on one idea or objective, something new pops up, and I focus on that instead. It's easy to get derailed by these types of distractions. But honestly, they are just squirrels. These go in the Red Distractions category because they are the types of distractions that you need to stop letting steal your focus. Technology You knew I was going to go here. I can't talk about distractions without calling out the main culprit and source of distraction for so many of us. Technology notifications distract us all day long. It's a text when you're in the middle of a project or a quick browse on Facebook when you really should be writing marketing copy. Most types of technology distractions are examples of those that you can and should ignore. Those notifications come in 24/7, and they're still going to be there when you get done with your task at hand. How Do You Handle Red Distractions? Red Distractions are the easiest distractions to avoid. You shut it out, put on blinders, and force yourself to focus. This is a matter of will and discipline. If you want to get anything done, set yourself up for success. You need to eliminate any possible chance for these distractions to come at you.  Put on noise-canceling headphones, go to a room or coffee shop by yourself, close all the tabs on your computer, hide your phone, and get to work. Force yourself to focus, and you'll finally start finishing. Yellow Distractions There are no hard and fast rules for ignoring these distractions. Proceed with caution, like you would at a stoplight. Stop and think before you let them steal your focus. People Around You You're going to encounter all kinds of people who have the potential to distract you-customers, team members, vendors, friends or family. When you have people in your life distracting you, you must stop and think before allowing them to steal your focus. Do their needs demand your attention, or can you set up a boundary until you have the space and time to address them? Related: How to Say No And Stand Your Ground Kids in Your Home Yes, kids are people, but we all know they present a different level of distraction than the other people in your life. Nothing can derail your plans like your kids. (Can I get an "Amen!"?) Let's be honest. When your kids need you, it's because they need one of two things: They want to play or they need help. Again, think about what is most important in that moment. Are you up against a deadline and you need to tell your kid you'll play with them later? Or are you in a place where you can be present and seize a moment with them? Related: Look For Distractions...
Nov 27, 2018
It's time to talk about learning from failure. I know. Learning from failure is no one's favorite subject. No one gets excited about failure, but y'all, failure is a reality in life and business! We might as well just learn from it! I have had a lot of failures in my life . . . and in Business Boutique . . . and in speaking. So I've gotten a lot of practice. And today, I'm going to help you answer the question, "How do I learn from my failure?" Three Ways to Learn From Failure 1. Adjust on the Fly When it's possible, adjust on the fly. A few years ago I was booked to speak at Catalyst, talking to women about life balance. Everything I wrote was directed at women and what we struggle with when it comes to life balance. I used stories that were relatable to women and I even pulled stories from the Bible, citing Scripture about women. On the day of the event, I stood at the back of the room and watched the room fill up with people, who were all men. Do you see the problem? I could have gone ahead and given the talk as if I were presenting to women. That would have been the safe route. Or I knew I could adjust on the fly to the failure. That's what I did. I had notes from a previous talk and just scrapped the slides! It was exactly the talk I was supposed to give, and they only heard it because I was willing to think on my feet. The lesson? Don't be afraid to think on your feet and make it up on the fly to save a misstep from becoming a complete failure! Related: How to Be More Confident 2. Deal With It If you make a mistake, drop the ball, or just fall flat on your face, deal with it. Back when I worked as the aquatic director at the YMCA, in the middle of a chaotic day, I made a big mistake. On the day of our mandatory annual aquatics safety training, my director called me to ask why my lifeguards were not in attendance. Luckily there were two options for sessions: 9 a.m. or 2 p.m. But I'd not only forgotten, I also hadn't told a single person they needed to be there. You know what I did? I dealt with it. I went speed walking down the hall to the executive director's office and opened the door. I looked her in the face and said, "I am sorry to bother you, but I need you to know that I have dropped a huge ball. I am taking care of it, but I just want you to know that I am aware of it and I am really sorry." I explained what I'd forgotten and gave her my plan to fix it. Thankfully, I got almost 100% of my staff to the 2 p.m. training. I failed but I did three things to face my failure head on. Own it. It's in our nature to hide, cover up, make excuses, and place blame. By owning it, you are doing the opposite of what most people choose, while demonstrating maturity, integrity and self-awareness. In the process, you're also building trust. Apologize for it. Apologizing shows you're coachable. It demonstrates humility instead of defensiveness, which makes others want to work with you more. Fix it. Doing your best to fix a mistake is proactive. People will respect your ability to try to repair a mishap when one happens. 3. Dust Yourself Off There's no magic lesson with this one. But here's the truth: You're going to have experiences you would never want to relive. There are going to be times you fail so badly it stays with you for a while. Many years ago I had a speaking engagement that I try to forget, and it haunts me to the this day. But you know what? It hasn't kept me from doing the thing I'm meant to do. I kept going. And you can too. Y'all, it's totally possible to learn from failure with these three strategies. If you can adjust on the fly, you might avoid it all together. If you can't avoid it, then deal with it. If you can't deal with it, just dust yourself off and keep going. How to Learn From Failure with Kristen Hadeed Kristen Hadeed is the CEO and founder of Student Maid, a cleaning company that has employed thousands...
Nov 13, 2018
If you've been in business for any amount of time-heck, if you've been living for any amount of time-you've encountered fear. We always think of fear as a bad sign. But in truth, fear is not a sign that we're doing something bad; it's a sign we're doing something bold. So many times in life fear can hold us back from doing the thing we're really meant to do. Just because you're good at something doesn't mean you don't get scared. When Fear Makes You Doubt Your Ability I was 10 years old the first time I realized I was a good runner-at the skate center of all places. It gave me incredible confidence as a 10-year-old to discover something I was naturally good at. It was this realization that led me to join the track team in middle and high school. Despite my natural running ability and the fact that I loved running, the strangest thing happened before every race. I got scared. I'm not talking about the normal "prerace butterflies." I mean, I was terrified. Being scared made me doubt my ability and made me want to quit. I would beg my coach to take me out of the race, and every time he made me go to the starting line. I love that about him. He made me do it anyway. You'd think that after running multiple events for multiple track meets over multiple years, I wouldn't have gotten scared anymore. But I always did. Then my coach did something that helped me change my focus and interrupt my thought pattern. At one of the track meets, I was begging him to take me out of the race, he looked me in the eyes, exasperated, and said, "Christy, will you just tell me one thing you like about yourself?" Confused, I answered him: "My blue eyes." "Great," he said. "Focus on that. I don't want you to think about the race, the other runners, or your time. Just focus on your blue eyes." Changing my focus from what I was scared about to what I was confident in was just enough to distract the fear out of me. Related: The Fear or Wisdom Filter Changing Your Focus to Overcome Fear Whether you choose to think about what you're scared of or what you're proud of, what you focus on will become magnified in your life. Focusing on what you're good at and what you're proud of will encourage you to get better. Focusing on fear causes you to stay back, give up, or play small. I was a good runner, but fear made me doubt my training, my track record and my natural ability. It doesn't matter how many accomplishments you've earned. The fear can get so loud in your head that it makes you doubt yourself. But here's the good news: You get to choose what you focus on. The thoughts you allow to enter your mind will change your entire experience. My friend Melissa says, "Your mind is multimillion dollar real estate. Be very selective about what you allow to reside there." Related: Ep. 31 - Is It Fear or Wisdom? Three Questions That Will Help You Face Your Fears Walking to any starting line is scary, and it makes you vulnerable. But before you let fear steal your opportunities and rob you of your potential, ask yourself a few questions. What's something you like about yourself? What are you proud of? What's going right in your life or business? And then, focus on those answers instead. It may just be enough to distract the fear right out of you and make you want to go for it. Overcoming Your Fears with Jessica Honegger Jessica Honegger is the founder and co-CEO of the socially conscious fashion brand, the Noonday Collection; author of the book, Imperfect Courage; and host of The Going Scared Podcast. As if that's not impressive enough, she's also the mom of three little ones. Jessica is passionate about encouraging others to leave their comfort zone, move forward even when you're scared, and step into a life of impact. The path to success doesn't always seem clear, but when you focus on what you are confident in-instead of what you are fearful of-moving forward doesn't...
Oct 30, 2018
It's time to talk about working smarter, not harder in order to increase your productivity. How to Be More Productive With Simple Changes Have you ever wondered how you can be more productive? The solution may be staring you in the face and easier than you think. Here's an example straight from my closet. Every morning I woke up, walked into my closet, flipped on the light, and picked out clothes. And every morning I spent a ton of time just staring at my clothes-well, squinting at my clothes. After months and months, I realized I had a problem. My problem? My energy-saving light bulb. It took time to warm up and actually illuminate my clothes. And every morning I had to either wait for the lightbulb to heat up or squint. You know what I finally did? I put in a normal light bulb! Angels shone down from heaven and I could actually see my clothes when I picked them out. It's funny to think about, but we do this in other areas of our lives, don't we? We live with problems instead of actually fixing them. We've all been there. The sink has been leaking for years. And instead of fixing it, you clean up the puddle every time you use it. We just live with the problem and take extra time every day dealing with the consequences, not the source. You have one sad phone charger with a wire sticking out, and it's on its last leg. Instead of getting multiple phone chargers and leaving them several places around the house, you just carry the one with you everywhere. You lose it or risk electrocution multiple times a day. We live with the broken phone charger instead of taking the time to find a solution. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results. Our problems are not going to change until we bring solutions. I get it. We are tired, and solving the root of the problem requires thinking and energy and time. I want to challenge you to use some time and energy to get to the root of some of the problems holding you back. If you want a different result, you have to do something differently. If we're going to work smarter, not harder, we've got to get rid of some of these problems. Three Ways to Work Smarter, Not Harder 1. Stop Press pause on your crazy life for a second. Your brain is CONSTANLY in overdrive. It's going 100 miles an hour all day, every day. If we're going to think outside our problems, we have to stop. You can't identify the root of your problems if there's no margin in your brain. Stop and create some space to think. 2. Think Thinking . . . what's that like? HA! Once you've stopped long enough to create space to think, you might be surprised what you can identify. Think through your day from start to finish, and ask yourself this question: What barriers or annoyances do you deal with? Identify areas that drive you crazy and keep you from getting things done. Things that steal your time but don't have to. Problems that you accept but don't have to. Annoyances you live with but don't have to. It could be a small thing that is a drain on your mental or physical energy. Make a list. 3. Solution Take your list and write out to the side a solution for each of the problems you live with. Most of the "problems" in our lives have a very easy and obvious solution. We just haven't come up with the solution, because we've never taken time to come up with it. You might need to get on Amazon and order several phone chargers, get a new light bulb, set out your clothes the night before, or buy yourself a jewelry case. The Difference Between Problems You Can Solve and Problems You Can't Solve There are problems you can live with and problems you don't have to live with. You probably have some problems that you might have to live with, but I'd be willing to bet that you also have a lot that you don't. Stop. Think. Solution. Stop going 100 miles per hour. Think about what's holding you back....
Oct 16, 2018
Let's talk about perseverance. Perseverance is a quality that will have a huge effect not only on your business, but on your whole life. What Is Perseverance? Perseverance is persistence. It's pursuing something with passion. It's pushing through when things are hard. I'll be honest: Perseverance isn't something I personally struggle with. In fact, I'm so persistent that it's almost a flaw. Sometimes I just don't know when to quit! But that's why I can tell you that being persistent and persevering in my life has been the number one quality that's enabled me to achieve everything that I have. Even when it's hard, even when it's inconvenient, and even when I have tons of obstacles, I still push through.  Why It's So Important to Keep Going When You Want to Give Up Steve Jobs once said, "I'm convinced that about half of what separates the successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful ones is pure perseverance."1 Half! He believed half of what makes an entrepreneur successful is not money, not fame or a family name, not a business degree or even knowledge. It's perseverance! I couldn't agree more. And you know, there are so many success stories of women who got their million-dollar business idea right after pushing past the point of wanting to give up. People may have thought they were crazy, but they pushed through anyway. Look at Kendra Scott, who started her first business at age 19.2 That business was called The Hat Box, but none of us know Kendra Scott as a hat designer, do we? That's because Kendra didn't find her successful business idea until almost a decade later. She designed her first jewelry collection with just $500 cash, and today, women all over the world (including me!) can't get enough of her fun, girly jewelry and accessories. Related: Ep. 40-Top Traits of Highly Successful Women Then there's J.K. Rowling, who wrote Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone as a broke, single mom, fresh off the heels of her mother's death and a divorce. Her book was rejected by 12 publishers before it was finally picked up by one. She was given an advance of less than $2,000 for her work.3 Of course, we now know her as one of the wealthiest women in the world. But maybe you don't want to make a million dollars. Maybe you just want to pay for a trip to Disney World, or be able to quit your day job. On some days, I bet that seems like an impossible dream. Or maybe your business is stalling and you're thinking about scrapping the whole thing. Let me encourage you to keep going. In this episode, I want to help you. I want to help you persevere, and together, we'll tackle your doubts, like: How can I develop perseverance if I'm not a naturally persistent person? How do I keep going even when I don't reach my goal? What should I do when I want to give up? How can I get over the critics and the complainers? Slow and Steady Perseverance with Dave Barnes I am so excited to introduce you to one of the most talented guys I know, Dave Barnes! Dave is a singer, a musician and a Grammy-nominated songwriter. Have you heard the song, "God Gave Me You" by Blake Shelton? It's a huge country hit, and Dave wrote it. I'm a fan and friend of Dave's-and by the way, he's hilarious. In this episode, Dave and I talk about: How God used very humble beginnings to launch Dave's career in ways he could have never predicted Why he felt under-qualified for the first five years in his career but just kept going How to enjoy the small successes along your journey without stressing over "what's next" Leaving margin in your schedule for God to surprise you Why you should listen to your inclinations and let your values dictate your business plan Pep Talk Time! And of course, one of my favorite parts of this podcast is hearing directly from you. So this week, I'm answering your business questions about scaling, passive income and quitting your full-time job. Don't...
Oct 2, 2018
One of my favorite things about business is marketing, and I'm so excited because this week we're diving into a marketing concept known as the unique selling proposition. What is a Unique Selling Proposition? It is one feature or benefit you want to highlight about your product or service. This concept dates back to the 1940s and was used to get people to switch from one brand to another. For examples of this, just Google "1940s soap advertisements," and you'll see some brands touting "lovelier skin" and others promising to "stop BO!" Don't most soaps do both? Yes, but each brand chose to highlight a different feature of its soap. I've taught y'all about this before in many places, including my Business Boutique book, where I call it your unique position. It's the angle you want to take in all of your marketing that lets your customers know why they need to buy from you. In Reality in Advertising, author Rosser Reeves explains the purpose of your unique selling proposition so well. He says, "Each advertisement must say to each reader: 'Buy this product, for this specific benefit.'" He also says, "The proposition must be strong enough to move the masses." Related: Ep. 52-Market Research: How to Know What Your Customers Want So focus on just one feature or benefit of your product-something you want to be known for that is strong enough to move the masses-and highlight that in all your marketing, even if that thing seems obvious. In fact, in this episode, I'll tell you how my college professor taught our class how to sell a toaster by highlighting a feature as basic as its electric cord. But here's another example. FedEx has an advertising campaign right now that grabs my attention every time I see the commercial. In the ad, you see a woman standing in her art studio waiting on a delivery. In another scene, a package is hand-delivered to an elderly man sitting in a nursing home cafeteria. Then there's a little boy peering with wonder at a FedEx box in his living room. A voice-over asks, "What's inside?" Then you see the artist, the senior and the little boy light up as they open their boxes-and the answer comes: "Possibilities." Here FedEx reminds us that receiving a package in the mail is exciting! And if they've done their job right, maybe they've even convinced you that when you send or receive a parcel via FedEx, anything is possible. Doesn't UPS offer a very similar service? Yep. If you use UPS for your shipping and handling, can you send and receive the same things and have it done in the same amount of time? Probably. But FedEx hooked me with their commercial because they chose to highlight the excitement that comes with anticipating a package. What result can you highlight about your business that will make your potential customers feel something? In this episode, I'll challenge you to answer these questions about your business: What makes your product unique? What makes your services unique? Why should someone buy from you instead of your competition? If you don't know the answers to these questions, you're missing out on sales. You're missing sales because if you don't answer these questions in your marketing, your customers sure won't know the answers, either! Claiming Your Unique Value Proposition Now, your unique selling proposition doesn't have to be something unique to only you-in fact, it probably won't be. My guest this week understands that and has marketed her business brilliantly. Megan Tamte is the co-founder and co-CEO of Evereve, a retail fashion and styling company and one of my favorite stores. Evereve's tagline is "Dress like a mom." Just think about that for a minute. How many stores and boutiques and online clothing companies sell clothes for women? How many sell for moms, specifically? There are probably thousands or even millions, right? But Megan chose to claim it. Her marketing lets people know that...
Sep 18, 2018
This week we're going to talk about being intentional. Y'all, it's easier said than done. So many people just go through life without doing things on purpose. What Happened When I Got Intentional I need to tell you about a time that I was not so intentional. When I graduated from high school, I very excitedly got out of the state of Tennessee where I had grown up and attended the University of Central Florida. I went for the great business school and the beautiful campus, but I didn't really participate with the school side of things. Let's just say, I loved the beach more than I did class. And my grades showed it. I wasn't intentional with my time or my studying, and at the end of my first semester of my sophomore year, I had a 1.4 GPA. YIKES! Y'all, it wasn't that I wasn't smart and willing to work hard-I just didn't focus. But here comes the good news. When I decided to transfer to the University of Tennessee-to spare my mother the out of state tuition and because I realized I wanted to return to Tennessee after college-something amazing happened! They accepted my credits but didn't carry my GPA over from UCF. I got a clean slate. And I ran with it! I got really serious. I stayed late, I did extra credit, and I went the extra mile. At the end of my sophomore year, my first semester at UT, I got a 4.0. All because I was intentional. It's so easy to just get by. It's so easy to let life happen and just spend our time reacting instead of acting. I want us to do something different. I want us to be intentional and do things on purpose. Things will not happen for you in life; you have to make things happen. 5 Areas of Your Life to Be Intentional 1. Be Intentional With Your Marriage I read this a few weeks ago on Twitter: "If you want what you used to have, you have to do what you used to do." What did you used to do in your marriage? It is so easy for our marriages to become businesses. You and your spouse did not fall in love over the cable bill, or kid's schedules, or determining who was going to pick up the dry cleaning. Before the busyness of kids and errands and all the to-do lists, you and your spouse probably just had fun together. In my life, there are things that Matt and I used to love to do. We still do those things, because we schedule time to do them. We put it on the calendar. If you wait for those things to happen, they will never happen, because life will get in the way. What do you and your spouse love to do together? Those things don't have to slip away. Life gets busy, but don't let your marriage become an afterthought. Be intentional with your marriage and see how it changes things for you, your spouse and even your kids! Related: Ep. 49 - How to Get Your Husband on Board With Your Business 2. Be Intentional With Your Parenting In any area of our lives, it's easy to be reactive instead of proactive, but this seems particularly tempting with kids. Admittedly, I have two kids and they are fairly young, and I'm learning with many of you. But I've noticed that we, as moms, spend a lot of time reacting. We react to school and sport schedules. We react to what other parents are doing. We react to handling their behavior. We react to dealing with tough situations. Trust me, I know parenting is hard. But we're going to spend the energy regardless, so we might as well spend it on the front end, shaping our kids proactively, rather than always reacting to whatever life throws at us. Being intentional with what you want your kids to know, feel, do and experience doesn't have to look like holding yourself to an impossible standard of perfection. Just do things on purpose; it's amazing how our kids will get it. Related: Ep. 8 - How to Deal with Mom Guilt 3. Be Intentional With Your Business You can't float by in your business and wonder why you didn't reach your goals. Success won't happen if you don't do things on purpose....
Sep 4, 2018
It's time to talk about building a social media strategy that works. No matter the type or size of your business, having a strong social media strategy is important. You don't have to be an expert to find success on social media. Getting People to the Party With an Effective Social Media Strategy I want you to think of your social media profiles like a party! And people can't come to your party and have a great time if they don't know about it or show up. I'm going to break this down into seven ways for you to step up your social media strategy to attract more followers. Seven Ways to Step Up Your Social Media Strategy 1. Be Visual If your social media page is a party, think about how you signify to real-life guests where to find your party. You put out balloons and maybe a sign. You want to make it really clear: THIS IS THE PLACE TO BE! Do the same thing when you post content on your social media page: make it visual whenever possible. This will instantly set your content and posts apart. Can you add a photo or video? Is there a graphic you can create? There are tons of apps and tools to help you create visual content in less than a minute. I've got a list of a few of my favorites on my Social Media Cheat Sheet. 2. Be Interesting The human brain is designed to ignore anything that is familiar. It's constantly scanning its environment and labeling, categorizing and discarding anything that isn't necessary for survival. It's crazy. It's the reason that I can say, "If at first you don't succeed . . . " and you instantly know how to finish that sentence. Your brain finishes it for you and moves on. But if I say, "If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving probably isn't for you," then that stands out because it's interesting. Related: Ep 31: Branding the Look and Tone of Your Busines 3. Be Varied When you add variety to your content on your social media strategy, it keeps people coming back for more because you've added an element of surprise and delight. It's the same reason that I could go into T.J. Maxx twice a week but I won't go into a department store more than twice a year. Department stores don't have as much variety as T.J. Maxx! The variety is addicting and it draws you in again and again. Mix up the types of post you're putting out into the world to keep your follower's attention. Related: Get the Most Out of Your Content 4. Be Engaging If you want to grow your impact on social media, you need to increase your engagement. Engagement indicates how many people acted on your post-they didn't just view it or scroll past it; they responded in some way. They liked it, shared it, retweeted it, left a comment, etc.  Any of these are great things because the more people that engage with your posts, the more "successful" the platform views that post and the more likely they are to show it to even more people. When it comes to your social media strategy, pay attention to what types of your posts get people to do something. 5. Be Responsive In life and on social media, one-way conversations are not fun. That's why you should set aside a few minutes each day to respond to comments and feedback you receive. Your customers are more likely to respond to your content (remember: engage!) when you respond to them and engage. Treat others how you want to be treated, right? So if you want more responses, be more responsive. Related: 3 Ways to Connect With Your Tribe Using Social Media Content 6. Be Consistent If your social media followers see you four times a day for months, and then you choose to go off the grid, they'll be confused. You have to show up when you say you're going to and be consistent! You get to choose what your consistency is, but then stick to it! Your content should have variety, but your frequency should have consistency. Teach people what to expect from you and then follow through. Consistency is so key in building...
Aug 21, 2018
This week's podcast episode is going to help you simply your life and business. The stress of chaotic schedules and spaces keeps us from living effectively. I know for me a few practical tips can make all the difference. Our guest this week has personally helped me simplify my own life through simple, easy-to-do daily changes. One small change got me thinking beyond my personal life to business. I can't wait to share a few tips to simplify your business today! Five Ways to Simplify Your Business 1. Simplify Your Paperwork In addition to a laundry mountain, I have mail mountain. It piles up high for weeks or months until I finally address it and sort it into neat stacks. What if we had permanent stacks? What if there were permanent places where those things go? What if we created, like my friend April Perry calls it, a Command Center? You probably already know the main categories of paperwork you encounter throughout the month in your business. Just start there. Do a little bit of work on the front end, and create spaces to sort your paperwork as it comes in! Whether it's your email inbox, your computer desktop, or a few literal spaces, this strategy is going to help reduce stress in the long run. 2. Simplify Your Workspace When my husband Matt and I were planning our wedding and had a larger invitation list than our budget would allow, our wedding planner provided us with a challenge: cut 10%. We eliminated 10% of our list by eliminating from each category. The same challenge can be applied to your workspace. What if you cut a percentage of what was there? Let's say 30%. Go into your work space and choose 30% of the items taking up space to sort, store, or throw away. Junk, clutter, and the seventeen pieces of artwork from your children are overwhelming your space. It's time to approach your workspace with an elimination mindset. Imagine creating a workspace you actually want to work in. You'll enjoy your work more when you've created a space that you love. Related: How to Have More Time 3. Simplify Your Product or Service Offerings When it comes to your customers, less is more. In products, design, and content, it's important to create clarity. If it's complicated to you, it's even more complicated to your customers. You want to make sure you have a clear path for your customers. A million options with a million varieties is not clear for your customers. It's overwhelming. Research shows the more options you give people, the less likely they are to buy. People do better with limited options. Get rid of anything in your product offerings that wastes space, doesn't sell, you don't enjoy making, or has a horrible profit margin. You'll leave more space and fewer options for your customers to actually buy what they want. 4. Simplify Your Website Just like with your product offerings, your website needs to be simple and clear for your customers. My friend Donald Miller says, "People don't buy the best products and services; they buy those they understand the quickest." People understand the fastest when you give them a few simple words. Everything needs to have a purpose and a point-every tab, landing page, and product description. If it doesn't, it doesn't need to be there. When I'm writing a talk, I challenge myself to write the "one sentence." What's the one thing I want people to know? Then everything I say points back to that one thing. Your website should be just like that! Your website is a source of communication with your customers. Make it as clear as possible. What landing page, words, or images are not the most important things you want your customer to know? What words are confusing? What words are a distraction? 5. Simplify Your Schedule Similar to your workspace, you can approach your schedule with an elimination mindset. Set a goal and take a percentage right off the top. It's time to find some margin, and the best way...
Aug 7, 2018
Getting Outside Your Comfort Zone If you want to go anywhere in business or life, you're going to need to get outside your comfort zone and try something new. How I Got Outside My Comfort Zone and Started the Business Boutique Podcast In 2016, when Business Boutique was just starting, my team and I decided to try something new. We knew we wanted another format outside of our event to share the message of Business Boutique. We decided to start a podcast. And to be honest, it wasn't my first choice. I would have much rather focused my attention and efforts on creating more video content. There were a few things that factored into our decision to pursue an audio format over video format, but one large factor was that I was pregnant with my second son, Conley. We knew that it would be difficult to record videos and maintain a consistent production schedule through my pregnancy and my maternity leave. So we decided to try something new with this whole podcast thing. Luckily it's worked. But when we first started recording the podcast, the format was hard for me. It was recorded. It wasn't live. There was no audience for me to interact with. It was just me. With a giant microphone in my face. Alone in a room with my podcast producer, Chris. To put it plainly, it was outside my comfort zone. I'm comfortable speaking to a live audience or on video. I felt limited with the audio format. I didn't know how to translate my emotions and my facial features over an audio podcast. I was afraid that my energy and excitement wouldn't translate. It was something I'd never done before. The Results of Trying Something New Despite my hesitation, I trusted my team. And I'm so glad I did. We tried something new and we've seen an incredible impact. We've reached over 2 million downloads and recorded 54 episodes. We've heard so many stories from listeners who have taken what they've learned and started businesses, grown beyond their wildest dreams, and made money doing what they love. Think of all the people who have been inspired because we chose to communicate information in a way that could be listened to in the car, on a run or while doing the dishes. It was all possible because we tried something outside my comfort zone. What does that look like for you? Related: Ep. 46-Use Your Gifts to Make a Difference Rethinking Your Comfort Zone We think of our comfort zone as something scary. But it's not just that. Pursing something outside your comfort zone doesn't mean that you always have to do something scary. It doesn't have to always be bigger or involve more risk; it might just be something that you've never done before-something that you're not comfortable with. That's why we call it a comfort zone. The Limits Your Comfort Zone Puts On You When we choose to live inside our comfort zones, we make statements about ourselves. I'm not a writer. I'm not business minded. I can't do it. I don't have enough time. We put limitations and labels on ourselves and then we live within them. But what if God doesn't agree with your labels? What if God wants to do something new in you-something outside your comfort zone? What if He doesn't have those same limitations for you? Related: Don't Let Fear Stop You From Starting What Happens Outside Your Comfort Zone When you choose to step outside your comfort zone, the thing that used to scare you actually becomes a part of your comfort zone. One day you look up and think, I can't believe I'm doing this. It all happens one baby step at a time as you learn, grow and become your new self. But it only happens outside your comfort zone. As you become more you can do more, and as you do more you can go after more things! In this episode I'm going to teach you: The three best things that happen when you step outside your comfort zone. How to embrace growth, learning and change. The importance of pushing past the limitations you...
Jul 24, 2018
How to Know What Your Customers Want by Doing Market Research Today we're talking all about how to know what your customers want. When it comes to determining what our customers really want, we have the temptation to return to our middle school days of fortune telling. Stay with me here. Do you remember the origami cootie catchers that told us where we would live and who we would marry? Did you ever pick the pedals off flowers, "He loves me, he loves me not, he loves me!" Raise your hand if you've ever asked a Magic 8-Ball a question. Y'all, we love to predict the future. We all want to know how things will turn out, and if we're honest, we'd all love to read our customer's minds. Related: Communicating Clearly with Your Customers Using Market Research to Determine What Our Customer Wants Wouldn't it be incredible to figure out exactly what our customers want? To determine exactly what they need? To know the words they use, so we can use those words and reach them directly? We can. We can know those things-what they think, how they feel, and what they need. We can learn all that and a whole lot more. And here's the good news: You don't need a Magic 8-Ball to tell you. How do you find out?  You just ask. The simplest things are the things that are most often overlooked. Instead of doing the most logical and effective thing, we tend to just guess what our customers want. We overlook asking them what they feel, want, need, think. We can demystify the whole thing by simply asking our customers directly. We're all great at asking questions, but many of us have just never thought to apply it to our business. There's a fancy term for asking your customers what they want: Market Research. Related: The Two Things You Need to Know About People Two Methods of Market Research There are two methods of research you can use to ask your customers what they want: quantitative research and qualitative research. Both methods are going to help you understand your market, learn, and grow. By asking your customers the right questions, you can gain a better understanding of their thoughts, feelings, and needs surrounding your product. A helpful hint to understand the difference between quantitative research and qualitative research is to remember the root of the word. Quantitative research is all about quantity. Qualitative research is all about quality. Understanding Quantitative Market Research In quantitative research, you ask questions that can be quantified and produce a metric for you to measure. You might do this through yes or no questions, multiple choice, ratings, or another method. Quantitative research is helpful in your business to not only understand your market, but to supplement your marketing, branding and promotions. Have you seen those commercials that say 9 out of 10 dentists recommend this toothpaste? They did a quantitative market research study to find that number. Understanding Qualitative Market Research Qualitative research can't be quantified. This type of research takes exponentially more time to sort through results, analyze and identify themes. But that doesn't mean you should avoid it! Qualitative research provides open-ended, non-leading questions that will allow your customers to provide answers in their own words. That's the reason it's so valuable! You really can understand your customer, their motivation, their mindset, and their language. Qualitative research can also be used in marketing in the form of marketing copy, testimonials, endorsements, and quotes. Lots of the words that we use in Business Boutique are things you've told us. We love to hear what sticks out to you so that we can improve, grow and get better. I love market research! It is such a simple and direct way to get feedback from your customers. Related: Ep 20: How to Create Engaging Content for Your Business In this episode I'll talk about: The different...
Jul 10, 2018
The Importance of Social Media Followers  I recently read that over 50 million businesses use Facebook Pages to connect with their customers.(1) 50 million?! These business are tapping into something powerful. They understand the value of connecting with their customers directly and using social media followers to build and expand their brand. In essence, they understand the importance of a building a tribe-a group of people who love you, are loyal to your brand, and who trust you. Your tribe is made up of the people who buy your product when you launch a pre-sale. They are the first people to mention your name (or better yet, give someone your business card) to refer your service. Your tribe is bought into your business because they're bought into you and what you stand for. One of the best ways to build a tribe is to provide a place for them to connect and engage with you and your brand. Social media provides you with the space to build a relationship with your customers, make a personal impact, and ultimately make money. This isn't strictly a numbers game. My friend Rachel Hollis once said, "5,000 dedicated social media followers are way better than having millions and millions." It doesn't matter how many social media followers you have-if they don't trust you, they aren't going to buy from you. Successful Brands Build Trust People buy from those they know, like and trust. So, it's pretty important to build trust with your tribe of social media followers. Related : How to Sell Without Feeling Slimy But how do we get people to trust our brand or business? One of my favorite examples of a brand that has built trust is our company, Ramsey Solutions. Dave Ramsey grew this business and brand over decades through personal connection. About six years ago, he realized he needed to start thinking about the future and the succession of his company. From the very beginning, it had been just him. But he realized that if he wanted to take it to the next level and scale beyond himself, he needed to make a few changes. He knew that the best brands build trust. And the best way to build trust is through people. Brands don't change people, people change people. He realized we needed more people who could take more messages into more markets. That's how the Ramsey Personalities were born! For more than 25 years, Dave Ramsey has been building trust with his tribe-one person at a time. The same can be true for you and me. If you want to make an impact, and if you want to make money, you need to build trust. Building a Social Media Following That Trusts You  I personally feel so connected to all of my social media followers. We may have never met, but I pride myself on the fact that I know you trust me. I have read so many comments on my social media posts and met so many people in grocery stores, airports, and book signings who say, "I feel like we're best friends." Y'all, that's important to me. I want you to feel like you know me. That you relate with me. That I get you. (Because I do!) Business Boutique has grown as I've expanded the number of people in our tribe who genuinely know, like and trust me. In this episode, I want to help you connect and engage with your social media followers in a way that builds trust. We're going to discuss: How to inspire people with your success and connect through your struggles. When to tell people what they need to hear, not what they want to hear. Why being consistent is one of the most crucial things you can do in your business. How to stop being a doormat and still be generous with what you have to offer. The ultimate way to lean into your gifts and be YOU! Building trust with your social media followers is no different than building trust with any other person in your life. That's why I'm going to give you five tips to help you build trust that will impact your social media followers and, ultimately,...
Jun 26, 2018
I heard a statistic recently that absolutely shocked me: seven out of every ten Americans say they don't like their jobs. Um, what? I don't know about you, but that number floored me. I mean, let's think about it. Seventy percent of us show up day in and day out-like for at least eight hours at a time-to a job that we don't even enjoy? That's a whole lot of unhappy people, working a whole lot of hours, doing something they hate. Ya'll, I don't get it. That makes no sense to me. None. But maybe you're in that place right now. Or maybe you're wanting to make some extra money. Or maybe you just need a creative outlet. Regardless of your motivation, I've got a great solution. Have you ever considered starting a side hustle? Related: 27 Ways to Make Extra Money from Home Is It Possible to Grow a Side Hustle If I Work a Full-Time Job? What you probably don't realize is that what you know today as Business Boutique actually started as a side hustle-while I was working a full-time job! Let's just say, necessity is truly the mother of invention. When I was first pursing my passion as a coach, in order to get my coaching credential, I had to fulfill a certain number of hours, well, coaching. I wasn't a Ramsey Personality yet. In fact, I was only speaking on a part-time basis for our company. So I thought, why not start a little business on the side coaching others? That way, I could earn my business coach certification and earn some extra income. A win-win, right? Fast forward a few years and that side business has now evolved into Business Boutique. So no matter your schedule, obligations, and commitments, it's possible to start a side hustle and also work full-time. And with enough passion and determination, I know you can do it too. Related: How to Take Your Side Hustle Full Time How Do I Start a Side Hustle When I'm Already So Busy With My Full-time Job? I'm going to be completely honest. Working two jobs at the same time is not easy. You will be doing a lot of juggling. But side businesses are a great way to help you reach your goals. And finding work you're passionate about-work that is fulfilling and challenging and exhilarating-is worth every sacrifice along the way. Work can be fun, y'all! You can do something you love and get paid for it! Don't forget that. In this episode, we'll talk about: How to define the objectives of your side hustle The importance of setting goals Creative ways to find time When to ask for help Why to celebrate milestones When to turn a side hustle into a full-time gig Related: How to Have More Time My Guest This Week Is Jake Vehyl! My guest this week is Jake Vehyl, founder of Nashville-based cookie company Jake's Bakes! Five years ago, Jake had a full-time job-and a big dream of starting his own business. But like many of you, he didn't know how to do it or have a lot of money to sink into a new venture. That's when Jake made a very smart decision: to start small. Instead of going into crazy debt purchasing expensive commercial grade baking equipment, he found a restaurant to lease space from during off hours. That decision not only saved a ton of cash, but it allowed Jake to work his day job and then head to the restaurant afterwards to bake until midnight. Yes, the hours were insanely long-and his social life definitely took a backseat-but Jake is the first to tell you that all of that hard work paid off. In less than two years, Jake's Bakes expanded from a delivery-only business to their first retail storefront. And you won't believe how this story ends! Even Jake didn't see this coming. In this episode, Jake and I will talk about: How to figure out what kind of side hustle to start What to do when faced with initial obstacles How to manage inevitable risks Why a "perfect" plan does not exist How to know when to quit your full-time job Related: Ep. 44 How to Know If Your Business Idea Will Work  Success...
Jun 12, 2018
Over the past three years, one of my most favorite things has been meeting women at Business Boutique events all across the country who are there for one reason: Their husbands bought them a ticket. Y'all, let's take a second. How amazing is that? This crazy, wonderful, exhilarating journey of chasing their dream started because someone-an incredibly supportive husband, in this case-believed in them. That right there is a dream in and of itself. And believe me, I know. I have one of those rock star husbands too. Is Your Husband on Board With Your Business? My husband is my confidant, my teammate, my number one fan-but even he can get overwhelmed by yet another one of my big ideas. Any dreamers out there? Y'all know exactly what I'm talking about. But you know what I've discovered? Usually when that happens, it's because I simply didn't give him enough information or enough time to process it all. Or, let's be honest, maybe in my excitement, I jumped all the way from A to Z and just plain scared him! The good news is it's possible to get even the most hesitant husband interested and on board with your business. (Really!) The best place to start? Take a look at the way you talk to him about your business. What Is the Best Way to Talk to My Husband About My Business? Here's the deal: A big dream calls for one heck of a powerful communication strategy, whether you're talking to your customers or your very own spouse. If you want to get your husband on board with your business, you have to first help him understand the meaning behind your work. And I've got three tips to help you do just that. In this episode, I'll talk about the importance of: Explaining your why Asking your husband what he needs Showing him the ways your business brings you joy Related: Ep. 7-How to Build Your Business and Still Have a Life at the Same Time My Guest This Week Is My Husband, Matt Wright! My guest this week is my very own husband, Matt Wright-also known as my biggest cheerleader. There's nothing I can't accomplish with that man by my side. I'm so proud of him, and I'm so proud he's mine. I am so excited for you all to get to know him a little better-and I'm excited for Matt to tell you what it's like being married to a woman who is chasing a big business dream. So, Matt and I have been married for six years now, and in all that time, he's never left me speechless-until a few weeks ago. Now, anyone who knows me or has ever listened to this podcast knows that I'm a talker. I am not what you'd call quiet. Or shy-at all. One could say that I have a lot to say, a lot of the time. Shocking, I know! I recently asked Matt what he thinks is the best way for a woman to get her husband on board with her business. Y'all, his answer blew me away. Without hesitation, he explained, "I think husbands should support our wives because that's our responsibility. If you're married, it's your responsibility to support one another." What?! He totally called out men to do the right thing. And I love him for it. I also love that he offered a completely different perspective that had never occurred to me. That's invaluable. But let's be honest: Actions speak louder than words. And sometimes competing responsibilities, other commitments, kids, and everyday life just get in the way. That's why I wanted Matt to share his thoughts on specific ways for your spouse to become more interested-more personally invested-in your business. In this podcast, Matt and I will talk about: Looking for common threads in both your businesses so you can help one another Respecting your husband's feelings as they relate to your business The best ways to manage expectations and become a true team How to make your husband still feel like a priority in your life Thinking about your business from your husband's perspective What Do I Do If My Husband Doesn't Support My Dream? In a perfect world, every...
May 29, 2018
I've been coaching business leaders for about a decade now, and over the years I've noticed an unfortunate theme pop up again and again. It's something that holds people back in both business and in life: People want something to change, but they don't want to make a change. You know what I'm talking about! You've probably been there yourself. Maybe you've wanted to lose weight, get out of debt, or make new friends, but you don't want to eat healthier, spend less money, or leave your house! You want to see different results without actually doing anything differently. Maybe this applies to your business right now. Maybe your sales have been stalled or your profits have plummeted, and you just feel stuck. Friend, this episode is for you-because I'm going to give you five ways to grow your business. Related: Assume You Can But-spoiler alert!-it's going to take trying some new things. Because if you keep doing what you've been doing, you'll keep getting what you've been getting. But not this summer. This is going to be the summer you tried something different to get different results! Everything you want is on the other side of your comfort zone. So if you want to grow your business, it might mean being uncomfortable and doing things that scare you. But that's okay, because if you know that going in, you can do it anyway. Overcoming the Lies That Hold You and Your Business Back With Rachel Hollis Rachel Hollis is an author, speaker, and the founder and CEO of Chic Media. She and I are kindred spirits because we are both absolutely on fire for women who want to grow their businesses. Her new book, Girl, Wash Your Face, addresses the lies Rachel found herself believing throughout her life. You've probably heard some of them playing on a loop in your head, too: "I'm not enough." "I'm defined by my weight." "I'm not a good mom." Wherever these lies stem from-whether it's society, your mother-in-law, or the devil himself-Rachel realized they define so much about how we live our lives, and she's made it her goal to confront them head on. In this episode, Rachel Hollis and I talk about: Why women sometimes make ourselves seem small to make others feel more comfortable-and how we're hurting our potential in the process How she gained traction with a blog and grew that into a content and marketing business Making your followers, fans and customers feel known, seen and loved Getting the nerve to raise your rates and charge at the high end of whatever industry you're in Dealing with mom guilt and the very real insecurities we feel as working moms Rachel Cruze on Growing Your Business Dream This is the episode with my favorite Rachels! Rachel Cruze is a #1 New York Times best-selling author and host of The Rachel Cruze Show. She's also one of my best friends and I love watching her shine in her gifts-which, in her case, looks like helping women all over the country live their best life on a budget! Related: Ep. 3-How to Stop Feeling Guilty for Making Money In this episode, Rachel Cruze and I talk about: The secret to getting your spouse on board with your business and your budget How our upbringing shapes the way we view money and business The benefits of positive thinking and dreaming and how that can affect and grow your business Plus, I'll answer some of the questions you asked using our brand-new Business Boutique call-in line: 844.944.1074. 1:19 5 Ways to Grow Your Business This Summer 14:55 Interview with Rachel Hollis 39:40 #ASKCHRISTYWRIGHT 48:58 Interview with Rachel Cruze 65:24 Homework Get Christy's Goal Setting Tool by filling out the form here! To save $10 on any Business Boutique Nashville ticket, use the code BBWRIGHT. Sign up for the Business Idea Bootcamp at BusinessBoutique.com/Bootcamp. Use the code BOOTCAMP to receive the Business Boutique audiobook for free! If you have a success story you would like to share with...
May 15, 2018
Today we're celebrating mom entrepreneurs! Some call us mompreneurs, but basically, we're talking about moms who run their own businesses. What is a mom entrepreneur, or "mompreneur"? According to a quick Google search, a mompreneur is: "a woman who sets up and runs her own business in addition to caring for her young child or children." Well that's the basic, glossed-over version, isn't it? As moms, we're responsible for all kinds of things-all the time. There's grocery shopping, laundry, doctor's appointments, laundry, after school activities, laundry . . . it's a full-time job (and a half). And adding a business into the mix makes it feel like we're working several full-time jobs. As a business owner, you're the CEO-but you're also the bookkeeper, chief marketing officer, receptionist, saleswoman, creative director and the janitor. It's no wonder that being both a mom and an entrepreneur can feel a tad overwhelming at times. Being Successful in Both Business and Motherhood Back when I was a little girl with a front-row seat to watching my mom chasing her dream and running her business, they hadn't coined a trendy catchphrase for what she was doing. And what she was doing was hard. I remember arriving at the cake shop one dark morning at 3 a.m. to shattered glass everywhere. Mom's shop had been broken into, and we were standing there in fear, wondering if the person who did it was still inside. I remember getting stuck with Mom in the rain with a flat tire and getting locked out of the house without any money. All of this happened before the age of cell phones, by the way. And as a working mom myself, when I think back on all that, I don't know how Mom did it. She didn't have even half of the help that I have! She raised me and made a way for us-all while running a business. So whether you're a single mom like mine or just a tired mom, this episode is for you. Related: How to Deal With Mom Guilt Now, before you think I'm going to give you life hacks, methods, efficiencies, and ways to get more done, stop right there. That's not what this episode is about. There are just two things I want you to remember when it comes to your journey in business and in motherhood: You cannot do it all. You are enough. The women who do well in both business and in life know and practice these two things. In this episode, I'll give you very practical examples from my own life about how I live this day to day. I'll teach you how to master these mind-sets like a boss-a mom boss! After all, God gave you your family and your business-and He doesn't make mistakes. My Guest This Week Is My Mom: Entrepreneur Darlene Therber! You may already feel like you know my mom from all my stories about the bakery I was practically raised in, but today, it's time for you to hear from her directly! She's the woman I have watched persevere with an absurd level of persistence. I've watched her do the right thing, even when it cost her. I've seen her go above and beyond for her customers time and time again. I've watched how she always paused and talked to homeless people-even in the middle of the night when we were downtown unloading bags of powdered sugar and flour. In honor of Mother's Day weekend, it's my honor to have her as our podcast guest this week. In this episode, Mom and I talk about: How she came up with her business idea and actually made it happen Unique ways she set herself apart from the competition (before anyone was teaching this stuff!) How she convinced a candy store to give her the space in their front window to put her product on display Life-balance and how to integrate the different areas of your life in a way that works for your family Lessons she's learned from over 30 years in business as a female entrepreneur Entrepreneurs Need Self-Care, Too Like I said before, being both a mom and a business owner is hard work. And as a result, we...
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