Before becoming an entrepreneur

• What was your education and professional experience?

I hold a BA in Studio Art and Theatre Arts from Mount Holyoke College.
I hold an MA in Art Education from Columbia University Teachers College.
I am a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (Coaches Training Institute).

• When did you start your business?

I hung up my first artwork in July 1970. It marked the beginning of getting paid for my talent. I officially got into business-took out a sales and use license-in 1980. I incorporated as an S-Corp in 1991.

• Did you want to have partners or do it solo? Why?

I’ve always worked alone. I’ve hired subcontractors, done projects with other entrepreneurs, but have had my own solo business for the sake of ease and comfort.

Your business

• How did you spot the opportunity? How did it surface?

It wasn’t like that. I heard about the Pink Tent Festival (1973) and entered my work. I exhibited in several craft shows in CT over my first 10 years in business. I didn’t think of myself as a business, simply a free lance artist making money selling my work. Big mistake in self-perception, but a great learning experience.

• How did any outside advisors make a difference in your company?

Continuing education has been a cornerstone of my success. I attended lectures, joined the Entrepreneurial Woman’s Network (Fairfield County, CT) and attended all of their programs learning along the way. I enrolled in FIT’s (Fashion Institute of Technology) Women Business Owners Program, AWED’s Mind Your Own Business program and hired consultants and advisors on an as-needed basis.

Mostly I took their advice, took action and either succeeded or failed as a result. In either case, I was always growing and moving forward, dumping what didn’t work and keeping what did. Since I’m still in business, clearly more worked than didn’t.

• When did you decide to become a business coach and speaker? Tell us about the transition.

From quite early in my business development I was asked to speak on panels about marketing, getting press and setting goals, all things that colleagues noticed I did well. I LOVED speaking and being seen as an expert. It made me hungry for more, so I’ve continued the learning throughout my career.

I joined Toastmasters International in 1993, which was the beginning of my speaking career. I learned how to feel comfortable in front of an audience and how to develop my message.

Once I began speaking nationally it was only natural that audience members would look to me for advice. My phone began ringing regularly with requests to “pick my brain” and “have coffee to ask a few questions”. It dawned on me that a new service was developing for me-coaching. I sought out classes and ultimately went for certification training. It is what I was born to do. Although I needed to work for 30 years as an entrepreneur to realize that.

• How do you balance your time between your businesses?

What really thrills me about my company is that I get to design it exactly how I want. I made the decision that I would do all of my one-on-one coaching on Tuesdays. I run coaching/mastermind groups on other days of the week, but not every week. That allows flexibility in scheduling. When I book speaking engagements, I have wiggle room in my days to fit them in or schedule around them. I’m lucky and creative.

• Tell us a little bit about your business

My tag line is that I “lead remarkable women to uncommon success.” That sums it up. Women who are passionate about what they do seek out my services because they know that I accomplished something extraordinary with my egg business. They are willing to do what I did to get what I have. As a coach, I challenge them to dream huge and take them through the fire. Success does not come easily. There are daily challenges; most of them exist in our heads.

What I do is help my clients get down to the nitty-gritty detail that is stopping them in their tracks. Usually, they don’t even know that that’s the case. It’s defining what “more” money is, “more” clients, etc. I ask powerful questions and allow them to come to the answers that are true for them.

My speaking is sharing what I know, warts and all, with my audiences. I want them to identify with me and know that success is attainable. I break it down into stories that make a point about each area I discuss. I was never very good at learning straight facts. Tie a story to it and I’ll remember it forever.

In addition to coaching individual clients, I also run groups. Having 3-6 women business owners gather to share their successes, challenges and goals is a powerful model for growth. They inspire and support each other. My role is as coach, facilitator, mentor and fairy godmother. I hold my participants HUGE and they rise to that level. I get to see miracle after miracle of achievement. As I say to them, “This is the best show in town.”

• Could you tell us about your books?

Decorating Eggs: Exquisite Designs with Wax and Dye is a how-to and inspirational text on the art of pysanky. It’s beautifully illustrated with photos of my art as well as several others who have used the egg as a canvas.

Soul Proprietor: 101 Lessons from a Lifestyle Entrepreneur catalogs story after story of my transition from stay-at-home mom to successful entrepreneur in pithy, funny anecdotes with a punch.

• What were the most difficult gaps to fill and problems to solve as you began to grow?

Anyone with a growing family, which was where I was when I began my business, knows that time is the biggest challenge. I worked around my family’s schedule from Day 1 of my business. There were many times where I felt resentful and sad. I believed I would be much further “ahead” if I only had more time. Little did I know that working my business into those available spaces taught me far more about myself and living than any early cash return would.

• What do you find most rewarding as an entrepreneur?

I adore my life. I have enormous flexibility, control and power. I’ve designed a business that works with my life. All of my values are honored. I can’t imagine anything that could top that.

• What are your plans for the future?

I plan to continue what I’m doing for 10-15 years. I want to reach as many women business owners as I can through my speaking and coaching. I am approaching larger companies to form alliances so that I can coach and they can promote me to enhance their brand.

The 5^th anniversary special edition’s theme of WomenandBiz.com is Stay the Course.

• Could you suggest the three most important lessons you have learned that has helped you stay the course and in business for many years?

1. It is essential to find support for your business. I express daily gratitude to my Mastermind Group and colleagues who are always there for me as I walk through self-doubt and the challenges associated with having my own company.
2. I’m crystal clear that none of us achieves success alone. I’ve delegated, hired consultants and partnered my way to success. If you can’t let go of the detail work and turn it over to someone else, chances are real success will elude you. There isn’t enough time for perfectionism. Something’s got to give. You get to decide, but letting go is essential.
3. If you don’t love it, don’t do it. I’ve long been a believer in following your passion. I now believe that every opportunity is a test of that measure. Does it make you want to jump out of bed in the morning to do it? If a prospect or opportunity leaves you in doubt, move on. There’s a better opportunity. Trust that when you say “no” it is not the end, but an invitation to open the next better door.

• Are there any other questions you wished I had asked, from which you feel WomenandBiz.com’s readers could learn valuable lessons?

Yes. On a scale from 1-10, How happy are you? 11

My measure of success is not a dollar quantity; it’s the quality of my days. I feel totally blessed to do what I do, feel tremendous joy in my work and well-compensated to boot. I want your readers to know what rings their chimes and to go after that, not some mythological brass ring touted in ads or on television.

For more information, please visit www.janepollak.com.

Squelch Your Impulsivity

I’m impulsive by nature.  I sometimes speak before I think and I leap before I know the net will appear.  Sometimes, I end up with my foot in my mouth but I have to say that the net usually appears.  Here is when I could have benefited from slowing down a bit.  I registered as an S-Corp immediately upon starting my business.  Unlike an LLC, where you have to advertise for 6 weeks in a publication, the S-Corp did not require this.  I also initially liked that the S-Corp taxes were kept separate from my personal taxes.  In hindsight, I would have initially registered as a sole proprietorship.  Why?  It took me a couple years to get my business off the ground.  A sole proprietorship doesn’t offer personal protection and I wanted my home and personal assets protected.  In the first couple of years, sales were low and there really wasn’t much liability at all.  However, I still had to pay fees to continue having an S-Corp, etc.  You can always switch from a sole proprietorship to an S-Corp but it is much more difficult to move backwards from an S-Corp to a sole proprietorship.  I’m ok now but I would have taken the process a little slower if I had to do it again.

Put Your Agreements in Writing

I’m a trusting person by nature.  I consider myself trustworthy and I so when I first started out in business I made an assumption that all other people were honest, too.  Most of my contracts were word of mouth.  I still believe that people are inherently good. However, a few bad apples do ruin the whole darn bunch and so now I put contracts into place when I work.  Here’s why.  I conduct workshops on various topics related to my business like “The Business of Art” or “Getting Around Being Stuck” or “Creative Ways to Work Less & Play More”.  Sometimes, I hire outside contractors to teach my classes if they have an area of expertise I think might benefit my clients.  Basically, the deal was that I would obtain the clients, set up the space, buy the food, etc. and then after costs, the other instructor and I would split the fee from any profits made.  One day, I obtained a corporate account with a sizeable group of people.  I wanted to lock in a fee with the corporate client.  The client would provide the space and the food, so my costs were minimal other than the instructor’s fee.  So, I asked the instructor what she would charge for the workshop and she said $500.  Then, the instructor discovered it was a corporate client and not a group of various clients.  Her fee jumped from $500 to $5,000.  This left me scrambling to find another instructor at the last minute.  Needless to say, it was a lesson learned, and I always have an upfront contract now.  This goes for talent releases when I’m filming or taping or taking pictures.  It also goes for hold harmless agreements I put in place when my artists are showing in galleries or corporate offices.  I put everything in writing.  This also provides for a nice record of the event.

Focus on You Not the Competition

I used to worry that people would steal my ideas and take the money and run.  Not anymore.  I now know that the partnerships and alliances we form are much stronger than worrying about the competition.

I form partnerships with other artists.  I help them get gigs in venues I’ve already appeared in.  I work collaboratively with other artists on projects and learn something each and every time that enhances my work.  I teach collaboratively with other artists.  It really is a win win situation.

Let me give you another example.  I started out working four days a week at our local Chamber of Commerce teaching entrepreneurs about how to start a business through the Entrepreneurial Assistance Program. I like being on the fringes.  If you are an entrepreneurial type, I highly recommend reading the book “Orbiting the Giant Hairball”.  It’s one of my favorite books about people who are necessary to an organization but not necessarily the rule followers.  Recently, our Chamber adopted that model and decided to go to a four-day workweek, mainly to ‘go green’ and save energy on Fridays and Mondays.  We’re still staffed because half the team works Mondays and the other half works Fridays.  However, we all have three-day weekends now.  Instead of being bitter that everyone was now on a four-day workweek, I embraced the deal.  I’m now working on a three-day work week!

Take Care of Yourself Physically, Spiritually, Mentally, Emotionally and Financially

In his book, Harmonic Wealth, author James Arthur Ray talks about the five pillars of attracting the life you want.  I truly believe in this model for success in all areas of your life.  They don’t necessarily need to be in balance all at once.  However, you must pay attention to each one.  When I’m paying attention to my health by eating right, exercising, scheduling a shiatsu session, taking time to meditate or go to a yoga class, feeling my emotions and expressing them through my art, money ends up showing up in my mailbox just like that.  When one of these areas is out of whack, just the opposite happens.

Be Grateful

I wake up every day grateful for the lessons I’ve learned and the mistakes I’ve made.  They make me who I am today.  I also got to bed at night grateful for whatever experiences the day brought.  This one exercise has changed my life.  If I sell a piece of artwork or take on a new client, I am extra grateful.  If someone flips a finger at me in a road rage incident, I am grateful for that because it reminds me that I don’t want to be like that and how grateful I am when I let go of stress and a bad attitude.  I believe that if more people were grateful, we could change the world.  It would give us a deeper appreciation for all of life and each other.  My business has grown exponentially by being grateful each day for the opportunities given to me.  I’m writing more, creating more art and meeting some extraordinary people along the way.  So, thank you for being a part of my journey by reading my article.  I am truly grateful to Elisa and to you.

Overall, there are four key lessons I learned over the past seven years that helped me go from despondent corporate employee to fulfilled and happy business owner.

1. You don’t have to be a born entrepreneur to succeed.  I certainly was not one.  If I was, things might have been easier but that didn’t stop me from thriving eventually.  What you absolutely must have is a strong desire to grow a successful business, a willingness to stretch past your comfort zone and a commitment to do whatever it takes to make that happen.  That’s what I had then and continue to have now.  Desire, willingness, and commitment are the necessary ingredients when your entrepreneurial spirit appears to be a no-show.

2. Market, market, market and then market some more.  Do whatever you need to do in order to come up with a marketing plan.  Hire an expert, take seminars, and read read read.  When you are first starting out, you should put more energy into marketing the business than anything else.  I didn’t know this when I started.  Put a system in place so that you are actively engaged in marketing activities (i.e. doing something that will lead to income!) each and every single day you are working.

3. Act as though your business is a solid going concern before it is.  I used this technique from the beginning.  Even when I had only one client, I made sure to provide a welcome packet complete with a set of policies and procedures which I required my clients to sign.  I would keep asking myself, “If I already had the client base and cash flow I desired, what would I do next?”  Without fail, the answer was a step that stretched me and my business in the right direction.

4. It helps to have a business support network.  If you’re working for a company you have a built in community-the people that you sit and work with day in and day out.  When you work for yourself, you often don’t have this and it can be isolating.  You can create it by getting to know some of the people you’ve connected with at various business events.  Get to know other business owners, meet regularly, help them out when you can, and build a community that you can relate to and rely on.  This was essential for me especially during those times when I wondered whether running my own business was the right choice.  It helped to be able to talk to others who experienced similar ups and downs on the road to financial independence.

So even if you weren’t born an entrepreneur you can still have the business of your dreams.  You simply need to let your passion fuel you as you learn what you need to do to make your business take off.

When we first interviewed you back in 2003 for WomenandBiz.com’s first issue, Zinc Bar was about to celebrate its 10^th year anniversary and you had just opened Flatiron Lounge with your brother Alex. A few years later you opened Pegu Club.

How have your ventures changed, if in anyway, since you’ve established the first business?

Not too much, I am still creating, designing and opening clubs. Alex and I have been improving upon the formula that has worked for us for 15 years at Zinc Bar. This coming October, we are very excited to be moving to our new bigger space on West 3^rd street.

What are the most difficult challenges you faced as your businesses were growing?

Spending time at each one, I’m at Zinc Bar most of the time, but I am fortunate enough to have great partners that are at Flatiron Lounge and Pegu Club.

How do you balance your personal life and motherhood with running and growing your businesses?

Because I’m a business owner, I can arrange my schedule, but it requires a lot of discipline. Firstly, and always important to me is that the kids are happy, and I’ve spent enough time with them, and then, spending time with friends or taking a class or two, for myself.

What do you find most rewarding as an entrepreneur?

I love being a part of the creation and the design of the different clubs. As well, putting my heart and soul into a place like Zinc Bar and hearing customers leaving say, “I really love this place, I had such a good time”.

Our special edition’s theme is Stay the Course – What are the most important lessons you learned to help you stay the course and continue to grow?

To stay the course! When you have something with potential, you have to stick with it, there have been many times that I wanted to do something else, like paint or dance, but I’ve learned that sticking to something that is great, even though it can be difficult or a lot of work, often pays out in the long run, it takes a lot of patience.

What are your plans for the future?

Right now, building the new Zinc Bar, and, then taking some time off.  And, I always say, this is the last place, but then some great idea comes along and…

How can our readers find out more information about you and your businesses?

Come by the club! You can also get information about the businesses on our websites: Zincbar.com, Flatironlounge.com and Peguclub.com.

I didn’t realize that I had really created a system of keeping in touch with people whom I felt would be influential for my career or business.

Here’s how I do it:

• I keep a running list of my Core Influencers (CI’s). This list is comprised of 7-10 people who are currently in my close circle of colleagues. These are people who are usually one or two steps ahead of me in the business game and who have the potential to – or who already have – make qualified referrals. In other words, they are people whom I have specifically sought out and developed relationships with to help my business/career move forward. I view these relationships *very much* as a two-way street. These chosen few can call me anytime, anywhere and ask me for anything and I’m there to help.
• I have another list of people whom I call my Extended Influencers (EI’s). Everyone on this list is someone whom I think has CI potential but either hasn’t figured out how to step their game up to CI level or I haven’t figured out how to step my game up to engage them in the right way. This list varies in length but is usually hovers somewhere around 25-50 people. This group can usually get an email response from me but, I won’t pick up the phone and call them. I review this list quarterly. Relationships that go no where get relegated to…
• The Extended Network (EN) list. These people do not exert any influence over my business/career and many are EI’s who have just not graduated – for one reason or another – to the CI level. They are also people whom I’ve met at conferences or networking events (of the few that I actually attend), that pass the ‘gut test’ (which means my gut tells me they’re not full of you-know-what and they’re worth a spot in my database). I parse this list once a year. This group can get a response from me, but depending on the subject matter, I respond when/if I have time and…
• Then I have a list of people/companies that I don’t know at all, but I want to get to know better – my PIC list (Potential Influencers/Clients). Many of the members of this list are potential clients as well, although sometimes they are not. At any given point, there are about 10 companies on this list. I’m a huge believer in manifestation and most of the time when I write a company name on my PIC list, I meet — and develop a good relationship with — someone from that company.

I should also mention that individual contact records are appropriately tagged in my contact management software so when it’s time to review my lists, I can let technology do the heavy lifting for me.

Call it social climbing or being ruthless; the fact is I’m always booked for paid speaking, consulting and writing opportunities at least 6 months out. This year is my company’s best year ever – and the year is not over.  I must be doing something right.

——————–

Lena West is the Chief Social Media Strategist at xynoMedia, a New York-based firm that helps companies develop social media marketing plans as well as build blogs, podcasts and online communities. You can read her Entrepreneur Magazine blog here: http://techforward.entrepreneur.com/

Like vacations, business partnerships can spoil for many reasons.  But the grounds often circle around one important (and overlooked) principle:  that a business partnership is about two things — partnership and business.  Women entrepreneurs tend to look to partnerships for the relationship benefits, not the monetary benefits.  As a result, they don’t focus sufficiently on the business (money) considerations.  In the spirit of reflection, here are some hard lessons learned (names changed or omitted to protect the embarrassed) about money and partnerships:

1.  If you’re not earning enough, get out.  If your start-up phase exceeds the gestational period for an African elephant, you may have to face that what you’re doing, how you’re doing it, or those with whom you’re doing it isn’t working.  You must meet your personal expenses.  Just as you wouldn’t dream of taking a salaried job that underpays you, so your business should not underpay you.

2.   Corollary to #1:  Know your needs as they grow and change.  When Laila started her business, she was single.  By the time it ended, she was married and actively trying to get pregnant.  These lifestyle changes gave Laila a totally new perspective on work, the time she wanted (and could) spend, and the amounts of money she needed to generate to support her family.  Your purpose in life is not just that you work for your business – your business needs to work for you.

3.   Become financially literate.  If you’re reading this, literacy isn’t an issue.  You may not even remember a time when you couldn’t read.  But few of us are taught to read numbers and financial statements.  As unpleasant as the task may seem, it’s crucial to pay close attention to P&L reports and balance sheets – and seek outside guidance to fully understand what they tell you.  Not looking carefully at the numbers is the equivalent of sticking your fingers in your ears and singing “la-la-la” as loudly as possible to avoid facing whether your business makes sound financial sense.

4.   Don’t let friendship obscure business.  This was my client, Hannah’s, Achilles heel.  Years ago, she went into business with a dear friend.  When business was tight, Hannah’s partner often needed more than his fair share.  As Hannah had more personal financial resources and in the spirit of friendship, she let him have what he needed – after all (as she later complained bitterly to me), how could she say, “no, you may not have the money you need to make your mortgage/car/insurance payment this month”?  “What kind of person would I be if I let a friend lose his house in foreclosure?” she cried.  But the end result of her largesse was that to keep the business afloat, she either had to forego her draw (that is, rely upon her own savings), or dip into the credit lines she had acquired for the business (which potentially affected her own credit).  By the time Hannah’s partner was willing to agree to a “money gatekeeper” (such as a bookkeeper), it was too late.

5.  Understand – and don’t sugar-coat — your partners’ “money mindsets.”  How do your partners handle their personal finances?  Are they in debt?  Have they ever filed for bankruptcy protection?  Do they pay their creditors timely?  Do they balance their checkbooks?  These are clues to how they will handle financial dealings with you.  How do your partners talk about money?  Are they optimistic and prosperity-conscious?  Or is there an undercurrent of “I’ll never make it”?  Daniel once had a business partner who often quipped “I’m so broke, I can’t pay attention.”  It took Daniel quite a few years to realize how deeply that mindset (negatively) influenced everything the partner did.

As you tootle down the proverbial highway of business, be sure that you and your partners have a clear understanding of both your business and personal financial goals.  A business partnership must be about business to be profitable.  If not, you risk having your joy ride morph into the trip to Hell.

Dear Entrepreneur,

As we celebrate our 5^th year anniversary – bringing you articles to help you succeed and featuring many women in business to inspire you, we would like to thank you and all our guest writers!

The theme of this issue is Stay the Course – How can you keep going and growing your business in the midst of your personal life’s challenges and the external forces – political, social, environmental and economical environments?

When you first start your business, there is all the excitement and expectations to succeed, but as your production and staff grows, and the competition catches up, it becomes harder to stay afloat. Like a boat in troubled waters, a business owner needs to stay the course while adapting to the waves of life and the business world.

We are featuring two entrepreneurs that have mastered the skills they needed to stay the course, and thrived by starting and growing more than one business, sometimes even three or four…

Kristina Kossi, co-founder of Zinc Bar, Flatiron Lounge and Pegu Club in New York City, is back with an update on her business ventures. You will learn from Jane Pollak, who prior to becoming a business coach and speaker, ran a successful egg decorating business for many years. We are also featuring Lynda Weinman as her experiences and journey will inspire you to stay the course as well.

We hope you will celebrate our 5^th year anniversary, by applying the tips in our Special Edition, by growing your business and by sharing your successes with us.

The 5^th Year Anniversary Special Edition Logo was created by Santos Morales.

All the best staying the course,

Elisa

When I started my writing business three years ago, I was certain that I knew exactly what I wanted. After all, I’d been a writer for most of my life. Leaving the corporate world to become a freelance writer seemed like a natural extension. What I didn’t anticipate was that though I’d read business books, joined business organizations and went to business meetings, I had no idea how it would feel to be in business. I didn’t realize that my multitasking skills (honed in the world of corporate IT) would be stretched to the limit. I didn’t know that I’d become bored with being alone as I worked long hours from my home office.

Three years after going into freelance writing, I found a reason to get excited again when I started a coaching practice. Inspired by the prospect of being able to support and motivate others, I signed up for coach training. The unexpected benefit of the training has been that I’ve connected more with my real desires. The clarity I’ve gained has shown me that there are no limits to what I can do or how far I can go.

One thing I’ve finally accepted is that I am an entrepreneur. Yes, I know that’s something that should have been obvious since I’ve started two businesses. I’d just never known that being an entrepreneur was deep within me all along. Through all those years in corporate life, I hadn’t understood why I’d been so restless. Now I know, and I am embracing it fully for the first time.

Have you ever found yourself at a crossroads? If you’re wondering if you should go in a new direction, consider this:

1. Has your dream become a disappointment? Write down the things you love about your business. Then write down the things you don’t like. Consider both lists and make an honest assessment in order to find out if you’re just in a slump, or if it’s time to make some major changes.
2. Do you want to start a new business or add a new service, but you’re afraid of making a change? Listen to that “small voice” within. It may lead you to new opportunities if you trust it.
3. Entrepreneurs dislike being bogged down in details. If you can delegate or outsource some of the work that you dislike (for instance, administrative or bookkeeping work) you may find yourself with more time to focus on your business – and reignite your passion.

Recently I bought a camera, and I’ve been rediscovering my love for photography. Perhaps I can find a way to put all of my interests together into yet another business.

At first I was reluctant to release the past, or to change direction. I had to remind myself that I left the corporate world because I didn’t want to stay confined within a box – or a cubicle. The best advice I can give is to dream big and to continue to walk through those open doors.

Whatever we do, we need to pay the bills. Money does come into play and can become a major consideration as to whether we continue or not. There are several sectors that are already being hit by the recession and many of my clients are not in the same financial position that they were in a year ago. But this should not become the focus of staying the course. Helping others should still remain the top priority. You will be rewarded for the good that you do. In the meantime, put together a new business plan and start cutting back wherever you need to.  Notice I didn’t say ‘want to’. Get rid of the credit card debt. You can still have a quality of life without spending piles of money. Change is always good and we can learn new lessons and perspectives that we wouldn’t have otherwise considered. Yes, it can be scary, but let go of the steering wheel and let the universe drive. Trust yourself. We can’t control other people’s actions or decisions.We can only influence them. You’ve already come this far and the journey’s hardly begun!

Are you getting ready to get ready? Most people run on the belief that they can only go on that dream vacation, buy a home or have children when the time is financially or emotionally right. Well, if you wait for that you’ll never have anything! If you do what you love, the money will most certainly come. Living a full life is about taking big risks, like you did when you went off on your own. The time is now. You are perfect now. Your life is good now. Not in 5 years or 10. NOW!  Make a list of all the reasons why you became self-employed to begin with. Remember how many times you wanted to quit your full time job? How stifling it was?  Financially limiting? You may not realize how successful you truly are particularly if you are trying to measure up to some antiquated and inaccurate yard stick that you’ve been carrying around for years. Throw it away and stop beating yourself up with it!

It’s time to reinvent your attitude and take action. Time to infuse some new energy and enthusiasm into what you’re doing. If the same old marketing isn’t working anymore, if the same old networking groups or advertising venues aren’t cutting it, it’s time to branch out. There is a huge, untapped demographic just waiting out there at little, or no cost, to you.  And how can you do that?

1. Write articles for newsletters on areas of your expertise. Start your own newletter with regular contributors. Attract a new audience. Create a website.
2. Referrals are where it’s at. If you are tired of getting little or no results from your current collection, start a whole new one. I’m personally starting a referral network in NYC this September and have begun listing clients on the resource page of my website. I also designed and printed separate business cards to hand out and drive traffic to the site. Vista print online has great options for marketing materials, along with websites, at low-cost and high quality with no hassles.
3. Sponsor events. Back a charity. Speak in front of groups and company meetings on a monthly basis. People really want to hear about the value of your services first and foremost. Stay in front of them.
4. If you have employees, get them involved in the process. I often bonus top producers every month and offer little tokens like Starbucks & Metro cards along with continual training to help them be successful in every area of their lives. They can be your best advocates and the return in loyalty and revenue is worth the investment.
5. Have  a tough-love coach. A friend, colleague, mentor, or spouse that won’t take any self-pity, but will allow you to vent. Bitching up is always preferable to revealing negativity in the workplace. It’s poison and needs to be placated or removed asap.
6. Join associations and groups that are strong on referrals or at least have the potential to be such. Networking takes time and effort. One-on-one meetings over cofee are much more productive, and powerful, than drinks after a hard day.
7. Remember that ‘no’ usually means ‘maybe’. Situations do change over time. And timing is everything.
8. Keep in touch with prospects on a regular basis even if they don’t need your services. It’s the relationship that counts and that will get you referrals. Strategic alliances are like free advertising.
9. Don’t keep yourself a secret! Get in front of people. Tell everyone what you do and have business cards handy at all times. You are a walking infomercial.
10. You must have purpose and belief to be successful at anything.
11. Success is not about money.

In closing, enjoy your journey and don’t stress over the destination. Reward yourself. It’s who you are and how you feel about yourself, not what you do, that ultimately counts. It’s the power of attraction and without negative influences blocking your way, you’ll attract whatever you want. Here’s to a fabulous Fall and many wonderful new places and people to discover.

Reading List: Perennial Favorites of Very Successful People.

• Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. Get the revised and updated version.
• The Power of Now & Practicing the Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle

The main reason why people don’t attract the right target at networking events is because they are so vague in describing their business or services that nobody can remember them.

Here are two specific examples of “NO-NO” that I recently met in a networking event.

First example – One attendee was recently laid off, and therefore looking for a new job. I guess this person wanted to use this opportunity to explore new areas of business, but when I asked her, “What kind of job are you looking for”, her answer was, “Oh, I can do everything. I speak four languages, and I am ready to try anything.  Do you know who I could talk to?”

So I asked her to be more specific, because when she says “everything”, I don’t know what kind of job that is. I tried to get her specialty or area of expertise but always got the same answer “No, I don’t really know what to do, I can just do everything”.

So how can anyone be able to help this person, or refer her to any of their contacts. If she doesn’t know what she is looking for, how can they know?

Second example – Then I spoke with a person from an insurance company. When I asked “who is your target market”, her answer was, “everyone”.  Once again I tried to get a more specific answer, but this person said “I can work with everybody, individuals, professionals, corporations anyone who needs insurance.”

So how do I help her?  I can’t think of each of the 3,000 people in my network, but if I had a specific target, that would have helped me. For example, I know a financial advisor who specializes in people in entertainment.  Since he has a niche, each time I meet somebody in this area, I think about him and can refer his name.

This is a common error I heard in the last five years organizing events. I also got this answer, very often from women selling cosmetics: “I can sell to everyone who has skin and hair”.  This is not a specific answer – it is too vague. So even if we (women) all need daily cream, anti-aging cream or make up, we will not become their clients just like that and just because they sell XYZ brand.

So did you notice that when you say to people that your target market is “everybody”, you usually leave without any referrals?

For me “everybody” means “nobody”, and that tells me a lot about the person in front of me, because people who try to sell to everybody are usually the same people who struggle in their business. This for one reason, and one reason only; you just can’t sell to everybody. When you know your niche or target market, it becomes much easier to communicate with your prospects and clients. Now you know how to approach them, you know their main problems and how to solve them. You know where to find them and can network in targeted organizations. You know where to advertise, because you know what they read and what their interests are. You know who they are and where to find them.

This doesn’t mean that if somebody out of your target market contacts you, you will answer, “No, sorry.  You are not part of my target market. I can’t work with you.”  Of course you will take him or her as a client, but when you concentrate on your target market, you attract a lot of more clients in less time.
Instead of going to every event in the city, expecting that one person might be the right fit for you, join events related to your industry and your target market.

Stop pitching everybody and nobody and start selling to your target market.

Fish where the fish are.

So if you want people to remember you and give you referrals, be clear and very specific about what you do. Make it easy for people to help you – in other words, help them to help you. Be clear on what you do and what you want, so others will be clear on what you need. Don’t make this mistake again, then watch the numbers of clients and referrals you will get.