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small business

Horse Course follow up:

by Biz Diva on June 22, 2010

in Inspiration

Last weekend was Alyssa Aubrey and my first “Redefining Our Limiting Beliefs—Women, Horses & Leadership” course and I have to say that we amazed even ourselves. The combination of the leadership intelligence instruction and working with the horses to experience the critical connection between the mind and the body had so much impact that every student had a transformative adventure. They were good enough to share it, and I’d like to let their words speak for themselves:

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This class far exceeded my expectations in so many ways- the setting was outstanding, the collaboration was perfect, the exercises (written) were right on and working with the horses was icing on the cake.

Cynthia and Alyssa took me on an adventure that provided a major personal and professional breakthrough.  I am forever grateful to you both.

KJ

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I was able to realize something about myself that I have kept buried for 25 + years. Not only did it come to the surface but also I am willing to deal with working through the issues.

DA

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What a unique experience! Cynthia and Alyssa provide a great opportunity for opening up to new thinking and intense understanding.

Both women are very powerful leaders and are excellent at holding space for each individual as well as being quite insightful.

BC

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lemon-treeAnd by that I mean: suck your time, suck your energy, and suck the joy out of your work.

When I decided to return to school, reality—in the form of needing large blocks of time—came flooding in. In trying to figure out where to get those blocks of time, I realized I had a client I spent a lot of time with every week—but that client didn’t pay my regular rate. I had spent 8 hours a week with this client for the past four years, making about the same as I did working 3 hours for my other clients.

That’s five hours! I can’t afford to give away five hours! My mind-set shifted and I recognized it was impossible for me to continue.

But wait. I count on that income. What if I don’t replace it?

That’s the fear, of course. What happened when I opened up that space was that something else—better clients—filled it. The proof is that I just had my best financial quarter since I started this business.

Here’s the lesson: When you realize the value of your time, your time becomes more valuable to everyone. Let go of the things and people that hold you back—they aren’t serving your best interests.

It’s really hard for us to let go of that which is known and comfortable, whether or not it’s a good fit. We tend to be resistant to making changes in our client base. Even if someone is not a good match, if we can count on a certain amount of money, we tend to be committed to that relationship.

How do you know if your client is not a good fit? One common scenario is that your business is shifting: bigger clients, higher rates, and yet you have a client who isn’t moving forward with you. You’re still giving them a discounted rate.

Can you differentiate between your ideal client and the client who isn’t right for you? The best way to do this is to define your ideal client. You can do that with this worksheet.

And then look at your list with honesty and commitment. Divide your list up into (1) perfect clients, (2) okay clients, and (3) clients to resign.

You know the next step. If you find yourself unable to take that step, give me a call at (707) 665-5410 or e-mail me at cynthia@bizdiva.biz.

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Leadership is not a 10 letter word. What does that statement mean to you?

March 25, 2010

I have had my eyes opened. I’m at Sonoma State, pursuing my MBA, and I have already learned a thing or two.
Such as: There is no single perfect or right leadership style. Being able to flex between many leadership techniques—picking the ones most appropriate for each situation—makes the best leader.
The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership®

Model [...]

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What do you do when you find yourself in a new and uncomfortable situation?

February 10, 2010

I’m facing the reality that at the age of 53 I made the somewhat spontaneous decision to go back to school and get my master’s degree. When I made this decision, all I was thinking was that the program sounded like my kind of program, it’s something I always wanted to do, and I thought [...]

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Referral Madness

July 16, 2009

Many of the Biz Diva’s clients and workshop attendees are consulting firms, marketing companies, professional partnerships, etc. One of the things these all have in common? They get their best clients from referrals. This is because they are industries where trust is the largest factor in generating a lead, and if someone you trust refers [...]

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Obama to recharge the SBA

January 12, 2009

Over the past eight years, the budget of the U.S. Small Business Association has been cut in half, most of that in the backing of small business loans. But we think Obama plans to change all that—especially as evidenced by his appointment of Karen Gordon Mills as chief of the SBA.
As president of MMP Group, [...]

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