Pass the baton

Have you ever held onto something too long? Your favorite jeans from high school? An old junker car? Sneakers that are worn out? Better still....how's your basement looking? Your attic? Your garage? Your storage unit? Let's face the reality of letting things go. The job you hate could be someone else 's dream. Those old items can be recycled and/or repurposed to save the environment. Your business could fill the niche that people don't recognize they need. Timing is everything.  If you launch your business before you're ready,  you could ruin your reputation.  If you wait too late, that trend may pass you by. Life is a giant relay race. You must know how to pass the baton. There is a certain path you must follow. Some people will be on the same journey with you. Others will be there to support you. You may face distractions along the way. You must stay the course and keep your focus.  Consistent performance will yield winning results.  How is your business model working now? Are there new strategies or technology to push you forward? What is your succession plan? How is your team prepared to face the future? Being disciplined like the athlete with coaching and mentoring will take you to the next level. Are you ready? Leave your comments below and let me know where you are. My journey has just begun but I'm pressing for the mark of the high calling.  Thank you for stopping by.  Take Care and God Bless!!!

Redeem your rewards

How do you show your appreciation? Is it similar to your love language? I learned a valuable lesson about maintaining relationships and establishing rapport. My customer bought a program that she returned a few hours later. I met her needs but she didn't see it's full value. I found comfort from using a loyalty program and receiving free food for my birthday (yes I'm still celebrating; polar vortex my foot). Have you experienced the ebb and flow of your clients? How do you thank them? How do you treat yourself? Why should your customers buy from you when they can get comparable goods elsewhere? Oddly enough,  it's the customer experience that they've been sold on. Your product/service should fit a niche that your clients want, need, and must have. Tiny details like saying please or thank you go a long way in this computer click bait society. As time goes by, relationships deepen and referral business comes in. This concept also works in your personal life. You CAN get more with honey rather than vinegar. Being thankful and humble keeps you grounded and focused. Self centered actions always lead to poor results. Note how many cards, accounts and programs you're enrolled in? Why? And why are you not taking full advantage of them? These organizations are waiting to serve you and spend plenty of money to do so. Use them as your testing ground to see what or won't work for you. You'll find that you enlarge your territory,  strengthen your strategies, and enjoy that path to success. I hope this helped you as much as it did me. Thanks for stopping by.  Take Care and God Bless!!!

p.s. I'm a huge fan of birthdays. Please go to www.birthdayfreebies.com and sign up.

bonus tip: if you use gmail, they will stash your freebies and separate them from your regular email. Sweet!!!

Learn some new tricks

In sales, you deal with all types of people. Did you know that some folks still have rotary phones? No cable? Not even an email address? We all know someone who is "behind the times" and won't budge. And they know it too. Many businesses were stuck in similar ruts.....and have since shut down. You have to move with the trends to gain or maintain your customer base. Have you noticed any areas of your personal or professional life that are stagnant? If so, go out and learn something new.  Add some knowledge based tools to grow your work. Relax, take a deep breath, and plunge right in. More skills makes you more marketable. So what's hindering you? Fear of rejection? Loss of control? Delegating duties to someone else? Upgrading your clamshell flip phone to an Android or iPhone? Don't be basic and please don't become cliche. Take the bull by the horns and go learn something new.  Prove the naysayers wrong,  even if they're all in your head. Accept the past for what it was, but embrace your future and what will be. What part of your life are you working on? Please share your comments below.  Thanks for stopping by.  Take Care and God Bless!!!

Mixed signals

So today was a true Monday. My job is restructuring so they just had another wave of layoffs and firings. I'm in a new area and made my first sale. You definitely want growth in your career, but must face reality that things can change on a dime. So how do you navigate the choppy waters? Can you tell when the end is near? Actions speak louder than words. Watch the trends. Know your competition. Make a SWOT analysis of your transferable skills. Whatever you do, take the company speeches with a grain of salt. No one likes to admit failure. As such, firms will sometimes lock the doors when they close rather than inform their employees. This isn't my intention or my desire....hence the blog. I am transparent and willing to share my journey with you. I'd love for you to share with me the ups and downs that you're dealing with on your journey. Thanks for stopping by.  Take Care and God Bless!!!

Keep it moving

Stuck in a rut? Going in circles? Headed nowhere fast? It can feel like a complete failure when things don't go as planned. But do you throw the experience away? Or do you save what you can and learn the lesson? You'd be surprised how many people give up due to peer pressure or a failed support system. It's when the rubber hits the road that you find out what works and what doesn't. You wouldn't gain knowledge if you didn't try. Physics tells us every action has an opposite reaction. So what does that tell you? Keep it moving!!! Whether it's a full sprint or a steady crawl, keep pushing toward your goal. You'll never know what could be if you never try. Its important that you release what was and move towards what could be. Often, people revel in their "glory days" and reminisce about their memories. Its 2019 so act like it. Act like you have a plan even when you're creating it. Gather your money and invest in yourself. You'll never regret seeing what could be versus dreaming about what never was. Don't lose your new year's momentum because you're afraid to move. Don't get trapped in your head replaying worse case scenarios. Make strides and don't get paralyzed by the tasks ahead. You'll be better equipped for the road and the path you've chosen. Life is about the journey so let's support each other along the way. Share your comments below.  Thanks for stopping by.  Take Care and God Bless!!!

It's time for you to start over

We are officially into 2019. How are those resolutions coming along? Do you even remember what you pledged to do? Or have you been in survival mode with the extreme weather we've been having? I'm a January baby so I'm used to it. But this is also my personal new year, a time of reflection.  There are so many goals that I want to achieve hence the methodical planning. I've put some wheels in motion, and I'm waiting on some targeted responses. Where are you at with your goals? Your dreams? Your purpose in life? Recently, I had dinner with a very good friend of mine. The conversation was incredible as we spoke to each other's station in life and the future plans we have. You never know what people are going through but there's always a connection to your personal journey. As a church volunteer,  we had a Leadership meeting. What came across is our need to serve and our reasons behind it. What also came across was the effectiveness of the outreach. That meeting helped me to refocus my efforts and energy on impact and entrenchment. So what does this have to do with you? Maybe you feel it's too late. Perhaps the responsibility to your family have stifled your dreams and put your goals on the backburner. You put on a brave face, but you dying inside. You are unfulfilled and you may even be lashing out at your loved ones. I have good news for you. YOU CAN START OVER!!! Write the vision and make it plain. Do your research. Check the trends. Clear your path. God woke you up today!!! There's still a chance for you, your goals, your dreams. If no one else has told you, there's a whole new world that needs what you have to offer. Your gift will make room for you. Will you allow it to flourish? Or are you killing it softly.  Let's encourage and empower each other. Add your comments below and share your story. Thanks for stopping by. Take Care and God Bless!!!