because business success is more strategy than secret

I’m sorry.  That  headline was a bit sleazy, I guess.  There really aren’t five invisible secrets to success. (Sorry.)  The truth is, there aren’t ANY invisible secrets to success, because the “secrets” that lead to success are always visible — hidden in plain sight —  if you know what to look for. Of course, there will be some who PREFER to believe otherwise.  Dan Kennedy says, “Virtually all secrets are visible.  But people prefer belief in invisible secrets to the harsh reality of personal responsibility, to the visible explanation for success and for failure.” Essentially, we tend to warmly welcome all of the “it’s not your fault” condolences when we lose big time… in business, in life, in marriage.  They feel good for the moment… when the sting of failure is still raw.   But, they don’t... Read More →

First, let me give you my politically correct answer… the one you’ve no doubt heard me give if you’ve ever asked me to participate in a joint venture campaign. Wait — just in case you’re not exactly sure what a “joint venture” campaign (actually, BETTER defined as “affiliate marketing)  is — it’s essentially where biz owner 1 BORROWS biz owner 2′s list to sell a product or program. Biz owner 2 sends out an email to their list, promoting (with total fervor and flair) whatever biz owner 1 hopes to sell you, and biz owner 2 –the owner of the list (the one you trusted with your email address) — gets a portion of the sale — if you buy. This will explain why you’d get a form email from 3 different “gurus” promoting the same special deal…  So, back to my politically correct answer.  It... Read More →

 Two weeks ago, I was driving home from the office when I noticed some familiar and very welcome signs. The first was a large banner announcing the first RODEO of the year.   The next, announcing that weekend’s MUD BOG event. Now, keep in mind… I knew I wasn’t going to be attending either.  (It was also opening weekend for Little League baseball.)  But, this knowledge didn’t keep a smile from spreading across my face.  You see, these are familiar signs of HOME. I cross the state line, see those banners and know:  I am home. Your best clients — those you serve well, those who refer, those who cheerfully pay your fees — should feel the same way when they walk in your door, hear you speak, or click on your website.  For me — ironically, lol… —  some of my best and most successful clients are NOT from the south, have probably never... Read More →

I remember the first time I was asked what I’d have to do to double my income.  In my head, I had two thoughts: 1) I have no friggin’ clue… because if I did, I’d be doing it already; AND 2) Doubling my income would STILL leave me with “not enough.” Man, was I being shortsighted.  Just the CONCEPT of doubling your income is worthy, because it JOLTS us out of the typical “incremental thinking” that keeps so many of us so FIRMLY ROOTED in the status quo!  In the following three months, I added a ZERO to my income.  A 10X increase.  In three months.  GRANTED, my income wasn’t super great in the first place… =) BUT a ten-fold increase ain’t a half bad return for that short amount of time. Yesterday, I received word from a Rapid Results participant who wanted to share her success with me.  At this point — regarding these... Read More →

In today’s video (and I have NO idea how YouTube manages to catch me in these poses for EACH video still — YUCK!) we’ll look at the power of perception and how seemingly negative stats or facts can be turned into something positive.  I’ll also share a little known fact about ME:  As a pitcher in softball, I have one of the lowest Earned Run Averages among even the BEST pitchers of the major leagues.  Read More →

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RIPPED OFF!   That seems to be a recurring theme in my client (and potential client) conversations lately.  Not that they’ve been ripped off, but that they’re afraid they will be.  And listen, there’s good reason for this.  There ARE people who will ask your advice, peek in on what you’ve been doing, envy it, think they can do it better themselves, and — without a hint of shame or remorse — take your idea, your copy, your pricing, your concept, or whatever they want, often with a very deceiving smile. Yuck. Can you indulge me a quick story?  I was RIPPED OFF several years ago by a colleague.  I’m not even kidding.  The day I was alerted as to what was going on was not a good day. Everything was swiped.  My copy.  My concept.  My price point was undercut by — if I recall correctly — like 47 cents. Was I concerned?  No.  Doing... Read More →

Feeling like this at the end of every day or week? I wanna tell you the story of a friend… a former client… and — frankly — it’s a big one.  **Quick note:  Just because you’re not a “coach” or “guru,” doesn’t make this post obsolete.  There’s GOLD here, so stick around. ** 2nd quick note, I have permission to tell this story… as long as no names are used. So this woman was really successful as a small business owner.  Really, truly successful. No positioning here. She was fully self-supportive, had a savings, traveled…  and it was all based on what she earned through her business. No spouse, no family money, no credit debt.  Just a girl and her business.  (I love this, by the way.  It’s one of the most romantic American dream stories I know… just a girl and her business.) Okay, so one day... Read More →

Sometimes reality can be far more funny than scripted comedy, and the world of business offers plenty of it! Not long ago, I received an invitation to come to an “open group meeting” to get more information about vaginoplasty.  Keep in mind, I was on this doc’s list, but had never ever indicated interest in this procedure.  =) So, let’s break this down.  You’re holding an OPEN GROUP MEETING to discuss cosmetic surgery for, um… down there?  You mean I get to walk into the room, not sure who I’ll see, and ask questions like what?!  Will there be pictures?  Personal examinations?  SERIOUSLY… this is just a poorly thought out marketing campaign. People seriously considering this procedure will likely NOT want to discuss it in a group setting.  I mean, what’s next?  Marketing erectile dysfunction drugs by asking any men having “problems”... Read More →

Today, I went for my typical walk around the lake just behind my office. A common sign of spring here are these (pretty big) turtles sunning themselves on the fallen limbs all along the water’s edge. So, when I saw these guys, I moved in close trying to get a good picture. I was focusing my camera, zooming in and walking slowly toward the water… when about 18 inches away from me I heard  PLOP! PLOP! PLOP! PLOP! I thought for a minute I had kicked in some rocks with my feet. But, no.  Right under my nose, about 12 turtles were diving in from the side of the lake… no more than one foot from my toe. In my hurry to get a glimpse of those turtles who were “far away,” I’d missed the turtles right under my nose. Business owners do this all the time — chasing after what’s OUT THERE while OVERLOOKING what’s RIGHT HERE.  So, let’s take... Read More →

Not a day goes by that I don’t answer a question about time management.  How do I get it all done?  Because my clients, gym members and colleagues see “the details.” 3 kids. Home and schools and office spread across two states.  1 husband / best friend / lover. School projects. Sports schedules.  And a thriving business. Please NOTE:  REGARDLESS of your family structure, you have an equally hectic life. You don’t have to be a mom of small kids to be this busy.  We’re ALL too busy.  So, how do we get it done? One thing I’ve always kept in mind is the fact that Oprah, Trump and ME all have the same 24 hours per day.  How we CHOOSE to spend them, very different.  Still, the SAME 24 hours.  With regards to time, we can’t steal, borrow or make any more of it.  That’s what makes it precious… and that’s what makes it CRITICAL... Read More →

When advertising isn’t working, and your fancy new site design didn’t bring clients through your door in droves, and  when your online store selling trinkets didn’t “take off” like you thought…. When you fear that all of your hours on facebook or twitter aren’t paying off, and even your last tv appearance “didn’t work” to drive your business results… and all the advice you’ve been getting from current business gurus is leaving you broke and bummed…. Where do you go? Yesterday, I was approached about a potential client who’s a doctor.  A surgeon.  Operating the absolute MOST PROFITABLE center in her (very large) city.  Her clients love her.  They schedule surgeries months in advance.  She’s picky about whom she serves.  And her reputation precedes her. YET, she’s not yet on facebook or twitter,... Read More →