Overwhelmed?

Join the crowd!

Or don’t.

Even though there’s lots to learn, do and keep up with as a business owner, you don’t have to do it all yourself.

Today it’s easier than ever to find talented people at reasonable rates to do things you could never do all on your own.

Instead of spending your time and energy learning the 10,000 things that everyone’s telling you you have to do, why not master this one skill of hiring out for projects. As you get more familiar with the process it’ll become much easier, you’ll start to develop relationships with some folks you like and trust to do good work for you, and your business will move faster because you won’t be bogged down with a to do list on steroids.

It’s easier than you think!

And in the long run, a lot more cost-effective than waiting and not getting things done.

Here are 5 places to start:

Fiverr.com

This is one of my favorites – a site where people offer all kinds of crazy – and necessary – things for $5. A quick browsing today shows thousands of offerings ranging from the broad (“I will help you develop a sales strategy for $5) to the specific (“I will convert your document into ebook format for $5), the mundane (“I will complete any kind of data entry work, 3 hours for $5″) to the wonderful (“I will record a personal video using a silly monster puppet for $5″). A great site to visit when you have a specific task you need help with, or when you have some time (and maybe a few bucks – in multiples of $5) to kill.

oDesk.com

I use oDesk for bigger and more technical jobs. For example, I used this site to find a student who created some custom music for me for a home study course, then he inserted it and mixed the sound on my recordings. (Or did he level the sound? I don’t even know – and the good thing is I don’t have to know! I just get someone else to take care of it.)  oDesk has great behind-the-scenes tools, like time tracking and project management programs, and I love that you can see work history and reviews by previous hirers of each of the candidates you’re considering.

Elance.com

Very similar to oDesk. I’d say pick one or the other and stick with it for a while.

TaskRabbit.com

If you’re in a major US city and need some hands-on help, see if TaskRabbit is set up in your town. They send out trained folks – even on short notice – to help you with with all those more physical tasks on your to do list. Especially great for errands and projects around the house.

Good ol’ Craigslist

Still a great place to find whatever you’re looking for. If you post a job there, though, be sure to add a little task (“When you reply, put the words ‘Raspberry Lemonade’ in the subject line.”) to weed out people who don’t even bother to follow instructions.

So there you have it! There are thousands of ways to find help online. Don’t let yourself get overwhelmed… just get started! This one thing could be the key to helping you get some real traction in your business so you can finally make the kind of money and impact you want to make.

What have YOU tried?
What kinds of projects have you hired out for?
Where have you found those people?
How did it go?
And whether you’ve ever hired out online before or not, what are you going to do to get things going?
We want to know! Share with us in the comments section below…

There’s a certain mistake I see a lot of entrepreneurs make when they set out to create a new offering – whether it’s a program or information product or something else. And it kills me!  Probably because I did it when I was first starting out, too. I don’t want to see them have to learn the hard way like I did. The mistake is…

They pick a topic that is SO interesting to them – but not to the people who really count… the ones who will buy it.

In order to create something that’s really going to give you some traction in building your business – and not just be a cool thing you’ve done – it has to  solve a particular problem for a particular group of people.

Here are 5 steps that will help you pick a hot topic so your information product is set up for success!

1. Understand what information products are and how they can help you build your business in multiple ways.

Did you know that in addition to making you money directly, you can strategically leverage your info product as a tool to help you establish partnerships with powerful people, build your list, get speaking engagements, upsell folks into higher lever investments with you, and so much more?

2. Determine the niche you are targeting in your business and find out what their biggest challenges are.

Don’t take too much time here or you’ll never get anything done. It’s ok if you’re not 100% sure. Decide on a group/problem that’s at least heading you in the right direction, and decide that it’s “good enough” for now. Know that it’ll change down the road, and choose to just commit for now.

3. Find the sweet spot…

…between what people in your niche need help with and what you are passionate about doing or helping people with. Notice I’m not saying you should take yourself out of the equation! But you should know that the key to connecting with people and ultimately selling a good number of products is speaking to people in your niche where they are by helping them solve a  specific problem that’s important to them to fix.

4. Make a decision:

What problem will you help your people solve?

5. Choose your irresistible topic.

(Hint: once you know what problem you’ll help people solve, this step is verrrry easy.)

Viola!

Picking an irresistible topic for your information product is just the first of 5 Steps To Creating Your Lucrative Information Product. Want to know what’s next and how to do it?

Join me for a valuable, no-cost training, “

5 Simple Steps to Making Money While You Sleep by
Turning Your Passion Into Ebooks, CDs or Videos

When created right, an information product will be a powerful tool for you to make great money, position yourself as an expert in your field, and help lots of people.

Becoming a published expert is within your reach! If you’ve ever felt called to do this, you can, and this is a great opportunity to learn how.

Click here to get started…

Wherever you are on your entrepreneurial journey, one thing’s for sure…

You ain’t standing still!

You are always in motion, always moving forward in some way or another.

Here are 7 tidbits to keep you moving in the right direction… UP! To the next level!

1. Focus on what’s going to bring in the money.

As a business owner, there are a million and one things we need to pay attention to every single day. The thing is… we don’t actually need to be paying attention to all of them. Focus your time, energy and other resources on what will bring in money, and the rest will fall into place.

2. Surround yourself with people who are ahead of you on the journey.

I know you’ve heard the adage that every person is the composite of the five people they spend the most time with. Who are you hanging around with? To uplevel yourself in business or life, put yourself around people you admire and want to be more like.

3. Get out of your familiar environment. Stir things up.

The human brain is an amazing creation, so attuned to tiny shifts in our environment. To be able to operate at such a high capacity, we filter out the things we’re familiar with – which is most of the information coming at us at any time! This actually makes it possible to function, but we end up missing a sense of freshness and possibility. Move your body to somewhere it’s not used to being – to Tahiti or France, or even just from your desk to the dining room table – and see what happens to your creativity.

4. What got you here isn’t going to get you there.

You are amazing! Your existence alone is a miracle. You have crossed over literally millions of hurdles. You know a thing or two about success! AND… if you already knew (and I’m talking “know” as an experiential, every-part-of-you knowing, not “book knowing”) how to get where you want to go, you’d be there already.

5. Pick who you trust. Then jump.

No one does it alone.  Ask any successful person who helped them get where they are, and I’ll bet 99 times out of 100 you’re gonna hear that they invested significantly (with money, time, etc.) in working with a mentor. Is it scary for smart people like us to trust someone else? Sure is. Does it work? Why don’t you try it out and see.

6. Remember you’re in it for the long haul.

Of course you take your business seriously, as you should. But sometimes it’s important to let go of the perfectionism. Remember, whatever you’re working on is just practice for the next big thing.

7. Let go and FLY!

Taking on big things in life can be a lot like being a trapeze artist. You gotta let go of one bar to be able to grab onto the other one… which means you’re hurtling through the air, untethered, for a while. Is it scary? Hell yes! But when you get to that next place it’s utterly exhilarating to know YOU DID IT!

What is YOUR next big leap? And what are you going to do TODAY to make it happen? Share in the comments below…

No script. No agenda. Nothing to sell. Just me responding to you.

== > Find out more here or sign up below. < ==

To focus things, this time (which might end up being the ONLY time) we’re going to talk specifically about how to create a lucrative business and joyful lifestyle with multiple streams of income.  If you’re tired of trading dollars for hours and are ready to finally cash in on your efforts, offering “multiple streams” is the way to go.

Whatever questions you’ve ever had about getting out of the rut you’re in with your business offerings, bring ‘em on!

I’ll be taking questions live, and also invite you to send in your questions ahead of time. Here are some of the questions people have sent in so far:

Curious? Sign up to join us on Wednesday, March 27 at 11am Pacific Time (2pm EST).

At one point the host asked me about how I generated important breakthroughs in my business when I was just getting started.

Of course I laughed because besides becoming really good at what I did, there were actually very few “business breakthroughs” the first few years.

Until I was in enough pain, until I had banged my head against the wall enough times, until I was thoroughly embarrassed for having left my well-paying job for the “independence” of not even being able to pay for health insurance let alone show an income on my tax return, I wasn’t willing to face up to one very important fact…

That being a business owner means I’m running a BUSINESS!

Oh, how I resisted that. The worst thing I could have imagined was that someone would call me “salesy” (“Oh, my integrity!”). I told myself that what I was doing was different, and that since I really cared I was going to magically attract clients and customers.

I went into business for myself so I could have the “freedom” to do things on my own terms, so the last thing I wanted was for my business to dictate that I do things outside of my comfort zone.

The truth, of course, is that being a successful business owner is the most powerful path of personal growth around. Yes, OF COURSE it’s going to push your buttons! Yes, it’s going to take you to your edge and demand that you jump off that cliff!

Every day I see business owners who are exactly where I was. My heart opens to them because I can feel how much they care, how badly they want to get their message and gift out into the world, and enjoy the fruits of their hard work – and I know how much the world needs them!

And I get so MAD because no matter what I say, most of them are just going to keep banging their heads against the wall, not understanding that they can do their thing til the cows come home, but that if they can’t spread the message in a way that other people buy into it, not only is the world missing out, but they just simply do not have a chance to make a living.

Actually, unless and until you start to seriously take on doing “your thing” as a business, there IS a chance you will succeed. But it’s about a .0008% chance.

You are not doing anything bad by being successful! It’s a GOOD thing to have a great life and make money. Imagine if most of the wealth in the world were in the hands of people like you. Halleluyah!

And that transformation that you help people make – whether it’s helping people have bodies they feel great in, or truly fulfilling relationships, or whatever it is – it is something very valuable to your clients, right?

By asking them to work with you, you are giving them an OPPORTUNITY to invest in themselves, in their own growth. You’re not taking something away from them!

When you take your business seriously, the people who are ready for the transformation you offer will hear your call and step up.

I’m inviting you to step up right now.

If you’re among the few who hear this call, I want to make sure you have that transformation in your business. I want you to stop playing small NOW, step into your power NOW, and finally REALLY be able to do your life on your own terms.

I want to help you. I have openings right now to mentor 3 people.

If you’re ready, go to http://bit.ly/strategysessionwithalison now and let’s talk.

By Alison Marks

Are you tired of spinning your wheels, working really hard and barely getting by? Don’t you want to enjoy vacations, pay for your kids’ school, finally buy that house you want, or pay down your debt?

It’s time to get strategic!

(And if you’re already strategic, keep reading… there’s gold here for you, too!)

There are many different ways to make money in your business. But in the big picture, there are only so many things in the world people will give you money for. For a coach or other internet-savvy entrepreneur, the list might look like this:

1. Services – Including one-on-one coaching or consulting (public speaking for a fee would go under this category)
2. Group Programs – Can be low-end or high-end, include your personal time or not, and be for a limited time or ongoing (i.e. membership or “continuity” program)
3. Products – Yours or other peoples’, virtual or physical products
4. Events
5. Affiliate income
6. Royalties

There may be a few I’m missing here, but you get the idea: though it seems like a big world out there with endless possibilities to choose from, when you break it down this way, it’s just not. You can easily look at your business and see what you’re not doing that you could to bring in more revenue and diversify your offerings so you’re not so dependent on a single stream that you’d be devastated if something brought it down.

And when you create passive income streams, like information products that you “set and forget,” you can continue to hear “ka-ching” for years after you put in the work to create it.

Join me on March 27, 2013 for a no-cost Q&A Video Chat on Multiple Streams of Income. I’m not selling anything. It’s just an opportunity for you to learn some more and get your questions answered (and a no-pressure opportunity for ME to try out some of the new video technology I’ve been itching to start using). Get the details here.

In the meantime: what income stream could you add next to your business? Why this one? Answer in the comments section below. I want to hear from you!

Last weekend I attended the Wisdom 2.0 Conference, where I had the opportunity to witness some of the world’s spiritual, social and tech giants share about what it really takes them on a day-to-day basis to stay mindful and grounded in the midst of storms.

I was prepared to be inspired and uplifted to hear the likes of Marianne Williamson, Arianna Huffington, Jack Kornfield and so many others share about their experiences of being mindful, awake, aware leaders.

What I was not expecting was to have so many insights about leadership itself. Leadership is something I mentor my students and clients on regularly (under various names), and it’s always my intention to help open up the way for the people I work with to step into their greatness. I was very moved by the presence of the people on stage, and reflected, too, on my own journey as a leader in my business and my life.

Whether you lead a multinational corporation, a small at-home biz, or “just” [in quotation marks because there's no "just" about it!] manage your own life, here are…

5 traits you can develop to help you step more fully into powerful, inspiring leadership

1. Inspiring leaders “step into it”

Think of the someone you’ve heard speak, or whose presence in a difficult situation, moved you to your core. Do you think they were born being able to do that? Sure, some people face such extraordinary circumstances in their lives that they give themselves over to an important cause and move everyone around them, too.

But most leaders become leaders through a series of decisions to say YES. They progressively step OUT OF their comfort zone and INTO being bigger than they have known themselves to be. In this way, leadership is cultivated so that a leader is able to hold more and more responsibility and possibility.

Where have you stepped out of your comfort zone to get where you are today? Can you see your progression from who you were to who you are now? And what opportunities are facing you in your business right now that you aren’t saying yes to?

2. Inspiring leaders ground themselves with contemplative practice

Now, I can’t say that this is true across the board, of course, but I was shocked at how spiritually oriented and “high vibration” many of the tech leaders are. So many of them talked about the importance of regular daily meditation, moments of silence, contemplation. And of course, they do it in ways that work for them. For example, Padmasree Warrior, Chief Technology and Strategy Officer at Cisco said that there’s too much going on in her mornings, so she meditates at night. And so many echoed the words of Jon Kabat-Zinn, who said,

“Meditation is how you live your life moment to moment.

Do the doing out of the being.”

What do you do on a regular basis to touch into the bigger truth of who you really are? What is one thing you will do today? What is something you will commit to doing daily for the next 7 days? Something as simple as sitting a paying attention to your breath for 7 minutes can have a profound impact.

3. Inspiring leaders take the time and space to be present with the people they are with

It’s sort of a trap… you go in business to help lots of people, but the busier you get, you may find that the less time and attention you have for the people who you interact with. The inspiring leaders at Wisdom 2.0 underscored over and over again how vitally important it is to their work and their lives to be completely present when they are with people and working on projects – and to not be checking the iPhone or facebook, or thinking about the million and one other things coming up later that day. Jeff Weiner, CEO of LinkedIn, shared that he considers it a spiritual practice to take the time to “walk a mile in [his team members'] shoes to be able to really understand and coach them.”

Bill Ford, Executive Chairman of Ford Motor Company, said that he sets a daily intention that whatever he faces in the day, he faces it with kindness and compassion. “Every business is always about people and human connection,” he said.

When have you said NO to the worries in your head and YES to what’s right in front of you? What specific thing can you do to be more present with people? Will you commit to doing that three times today? And tomorrow?

4. Inspiring leaders take care of themselves

Healthy food, moving the body, fresh air, a good night’s sleep… we all know these are important. Inspiring leaders consider them the basis of life and – though some of these habits may go by the wayside during a busy time – they form the basis of their days. Not much to say here… they just do it.

What do you do to take care of yourself regularly? What’s one small – or large – action you can integrate into your daily or weekly routine that will support your physical and energetic bodies with food, exercise, nature or sleep? Will you do that thing today?

5. Inspiring leaders know they can’t do it alone

I have never heard a successful leader boasting that they did it all alone. It just doesn’t happen that way! In fact, what I heard from the leaders at Wisdom 2.0 was that they are more dependent upon and appreciative of their teams and their mentors than the average person. They understand that connectedness and mutual support aren’t just nice ideas, but that they are the way of the world. There were no delusional “lone heroes” on that stage. No! Inspiring leaders know that they are conduits that help organize other people into their greatness, and that there is always room for improvement by looking to mentors for wisdom, guidance and support.

How are the relationships in your business and your life organized to support your greatness? And how are you supporting the greatness of others? What one thing can reach out for more support with today? Will you do that?

Whether or not you are a big personality out in the world, you have an inspiring leader in you! Let us know in the comments below how you intend to use these guidelines to bring that leader in you more alive, so you can bring your gifts to the world in a bigger way.

People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve got to focus on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully. I’m actually as proud of the things we haven’t done as the things we have done. Innovation is saying ‘no’ to 1,000 things.

~ Steve Jobs

Did you catch that?

Even if you don’t have the brilliant techie/design brain of Steve Jobs, you DO have important gifts that are waiting to be shared.

And they can’t be shared if you’re trying to do 1,000 things!

Here’s a quick little exercise to help you get clear so you can STOP spinning your wheels and start bringing your gifts and your vision alive.

What is is you really want?

Write this down. Seriously. (Yes, I know you’ve done it 1,000 times before. Just bear with me and grab a pen, ok?)

Focus just on your business, or on all the important areas of your life – relationships, money, home, spiritual growth and connection, health,  etc.

Once you’re done, close your eyes and sit quietly with each item on your list for a minute or so and ask, “What do I need to say no to in order for this commitment or idea to live a rich, full life?” Write down your answers.

Now write THAT list and post it in front of you on your desk, on your wall, in your day-timer… somewhere you will see it regularly when you’re tempted to do those things. Remember what you want instead and put your attention THERE!

What’s on your list? Share with us in the comments below…

You know, there’s this myth that once someone finds her niche, it’s like she’s died and gone to heaven. Everything falls into place and the world becomes a stable place.

Yeah, maybe.

For 10 minutes.

Because our businesses are living, breathing organisms, niche, like so many of the other structures we build our businesses around, is actually a moving target.

We have to step away from our regular flow occasionally and look again (and again) at the bigger pictur

The end of the year is a perfect time to do this.

In this second of three “year-end task” articles, I want to share with you a quick review you can make of your business structures to see if there are any adjustments you need to make in the new year.

If you got into action based on the recommendations in the first article of this series, you’re probably feeling pretty good about having a money system in place that will support you in the new year.

Here are 6 vital year-end business structure tasks you can take on now:

1. Ask yourself: Is this the kind of business I want to be in? Are you spending your time delivering the kinds of services and products you really want to? Maybe you’ve grown to offer group programs, but your love is really 1-on-1 coaching. Or you’re spending too much time working with clients when what you really want is to be writing a chunk of each day. What percentage of your business do you want to come from different kinds of activities? Adjust your 2013 plan accordingly.

2. Hone your niche. With what you’ve learned over the last year, get more precise in how you describe your ideal clients to yourself (and maybe even to the world). This will help you make better decisions and have more success in 2013.

3. Review your brand. How’s it working for you? Even if you’re not ready for a branding overhaul, there may be some tweaks you can make to help you be more true to you and what you’re offering, and more relevant to your market.

4. Take a fine-tooth comb through your website. Is everything still accurate? What needs to come down? Do the links still work?

5. Do the same thing with your social media profiles and marketing materials.

6. What is your growing edge? What do you need to learn and who do you need to meet in 2013 to stay on top of your game? Find the resources, gather the money, and schedule the time to make it happen.

Sound like a lot? Set yourself with a day-long or even half-day retreat before the end of the year to review these areas, and you’ll enter 2013 riding high!

Stay tuned for the next post on support structures. (Oh, yeah!)

Which of these actions is most exciting for you? Scary for you? Share in the comments section below.

Want to head into the new year with a running start?

I invite you to take some time as you’re rounding up 2012 to step back and look at some building blocks in your business that need to be reviewed from time to time.

In this 3-part series, I’m going to be sharing with you 18 vital areas that need to be reviewed annually, and some concrete actions you can take right now to clear the decks and get ready for a prosperous 2013!

In this first article, I’ll share 6 tasks to help you be powerful with your MONEY.

In the second article, we’ll hone your BUSINESS STRUCTURE, and in the final, we’ll see what adjustments you need to make to have the SUPPORT you need in your business.

I’m sharing with you about money first because if you don’t have some of the systems I’m about to talk about set up already, you’ll have some time before the year end to consider which ones are most important for you, and how you want to implement them.

Here are 6 vital annual money tasks you can take on now:

1. Collect or get a payment agreement for any money owed to you. Or forgive it. Don’t take unfinished business into the new year.

2. Likewise, get clear about your plan to pay off any debt you owe. Sometimes there’s a tendency to want to be vague here because it can be difficult to deal with, but believe me… getting out of denial and dealing with the numbers squarely is a powerful act of claiming authority with your money.

3. Review your regular monthly payments and eliminate one of them. As a business owner, you’ve probably signed up for ongoing services and programs you don’t use. Now’s a great time to stop bleeding money here.

4. Review your financial accounts. Do you have separate business checking and savings accounts yet? Is your credit card situation working for you? Now – before the new year starts – is a great time to make changes in this area.

5. Pay yourself. If you don’t pay yourself a “salary” from your business, consider standardizing this. Even if you’re not making much yet – hey, even if you’re paying more to run your business than you’re getting out of it at this point – a small or even token regular payment to yourself from your business tells your subconscious how things are supposed to flow. You’ll be ready for more. If you already pay yourself from your business, review the amount… does it need to be adjusted?

6. Clarify your priorities and plan accordingly. Even if you don’t use a budget, you can plan to track your expenses according to what you value. For example, is it important to you to contribute to causes that you believe in, or to a spiritual community? Do you want to save for getting support in your business? What amount or percentage? Does is need to be changed up from what it was last year?

Which of these actions is most exciting for you? Scary for you? Share in the comments section below.

Taking some time now to complete these tasks to get your money in order will help you clear the decks and set the stage for a wonderful 2013!

Stay tuned for more end-of-year actions in the next two articles. Don’t miss them! Sign up here for the bi-weekly 6 Figure Home Office TIPS, where these upcoming articles will be published.

If you’d like to go deeper to get your money in order, talk to me!

A Money Breakthrough Strategy Session is a no-fee 1-on-1 meeting for us to explore together what is really going on with your money, and how I can help you reach your goals. As a Certified Money, Marketing and Soul Coach and a Certified Money Breakthrough Method Coach, I have access to powerful tools that have helped thousands of women. Together we will craft your powerful money transformation. SCHEDULE HERE. Be sure that when you get to the scheduling page to make a note in the comments that the appointment is for a Money Breakthrough Strategy Session.