I can tell you that I saw big leaps in my income when I hired someone to assist with what drains my energy at home AND in my business. I now employ an assistant to drive my kids, grocery shop (love this one!), do laundry, pay bills, and wash our cars. For my business, I employ an experienced virtual assistant, web assistant, audio assistant, and bookkeeper.

You can only focus on what YOU love and do best if you delegate the smaller pieces to others. Lots of entrepreneurs get stuck with trying to do it all and it’s a shame because nobody can “do it all” and remain happy and energized.

If you are thinking that you can’t hire more help- you are stuck in the wrong mindset. Once you step up and delegate the smaller stuff, and the activities you dislike, you ENERGIZE yourself to focus on “the big stuff”. And, it’s “the big stuff” that pulls you forward!

So, rather than set yourself up for failure- hire MORE than you think you need and use that extra time to GROW your business and take great care of yourself.

Remember, business growth, self-care and balance are inter-related if you want to run a profitable, soul-inspired business and be happy. Get more help with energy drains at home. Focus your attention on the BIG parts of your business that you enjoy, delegate the rest, and watch your business, money flow, and happiness expand.

At the retreat, we created their “signature systems” to help them stand out from the crowd, their multiple streams of income, their list-building strategies and their 12 month launch calendar and marketing plan.

Whew! It was a lot to cover in three days but we did it, and, we managed to laugh a LOT as well. (Mark and I are firm believers that work is a lot more fulfilling when you have fun along the way).

Check out what some of them have to say here on the blog.

Some of my favorite comments were “If I’d known about your retreats earlier in my business, I would have been much better off!” and “You not only cover the “what” to do in your business, but the “how” and the “when”’ as well” and “I really appreciate all the personal attention”.

And, I absolutely loved the connections we created. I purposely select “highly capable” entrepreneurs, those with the desire to accelerate their business with straight-talk tactics and laser-focused coaching.

I only have 3 more spots in my upcoming SMALL high-level platinum group. If you’d like to talk with me about applying, please contact Kimm at info [at] BriaSimpson [dot] com to set up an interview with me.

And to my current group- thank you for really stepping up. I love participating in YOUR business transformation.

And thankfully, once you identify what is keeping you stuck and learn HOW to breakthrough them, your old limiting habits can be replaced with new, effective ones.

Read on to determine if any of these pesty habits are holding you back- and learn how YOU can ditch them.

#1- Perfectionism and Inflexibility.  You believe that everything must be “perfect” before you get yourself out there.  You want things to go “exactly as planned” or you are in a twit about it.  The problem is, perfection is impossible to achieve and in the entrepreneurial world, things rarely go “exactly as planned”.   If this is a habit of yours, you are setting yourself up for constant frustration.

Breakthrough: Stop being so hard on yourself.  Know that successful entrepreneurs zigzag their way to the top.  (Trust me on this one, my business is booming and I have taken routes I never would have envisioned even one year ago).  Be prepared to make mistakes, learn from them, and keep on going!  Be flexible and aim for progress over perfection.

#2- Who am I to Shine? Deep down, you question whether being in the spotlight or standing out from the crowd is really for you.  This core belief that you aren’t “good enough” usually stems from your past.  Listen to me on this, it is not real and it’s not an accurate assessment of your talents and abilities.

Breakthrough: We are all brilliant in some ways- including YOU!  You don’t serve others by playing small.  You serve others by connecting with your brilliance and shining it on the world.  Hire a mentor coach who can teach you the tools to really step up and earn a healthy income serving others with your innate talents.  As you take baby steps in that direction, you will learn through experience that radiating your brilliance is a natural extension of being yourself.

#3- Avoiding FOCUS. You are constantly enrolling in new workshops, signing up for different programs or buying the latest business or self-improvement book.  You love to learn and you constantly jump from workshop to workshop, mentor to mentor, method to method.  However, unless you are running a business with the level of success you want, you may be hiding in “information overload” as way to avoid real success.  This is an expensive and ineffective habit.

Breakthrough: Use workshops and events to learn specific techniques that you don’t already know and to network.  Know that they supplement your learning, but do not give you everything you need.  For real business success, invest in ONE mentor who is where you want to be, and whose values you respect, and follow his/her methods and plans for success.

Incorporate these tips to ditch those habits that are holding you back and breakthrough to healthier, more effective habits and watch as your success soars!

One of my favorite quotes is by beloved author Dr. Suess.  He said, “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter an those who matter don’t mind.”  That is the wisest advice I can think of when you are faced with someone who doubts what you can accomplish.

You can use that same scarcity model when promoting your products and services.  Words and phrases like “limited time offer”, “while supplies last”, “only a few spots remaining” are very effective calls to actions that get clients to make a purchase.  Always be honest when using this approach.

My parents and my 2 sisters and their families will be there so 2 little nieces and 1 nephew running around (and one yet to be determined in my youngest sister’s belly).   Mark, the kids and I should get 5-6 good ski days on the mountain.   Skiing is something that we really enjoy as a family.

I am looking forward to getting a chance to unwind, relax and reflect on what a wonderful year it has been.  I hope you will make the time to do the same.

I wish you all the best this holiday and into the new year!

For solo entrepreneurs in particular, you are often your brand and that brand needs to have a face.  People make a connection when they see who they are working with.  Your face should be prominent on your website, on your business cards, blogs, and anytime you are reaching out to a new audience.

And not just your face- your voice too.  Videos are a powerful way to have people really see you in action.  Get a video up on your website or get your own YouTube site and record a video on something that you are promoting, launching or on a important topic that you want to discuss.  Not only do people enjoying watching what you have to say, but search engines love video material, so it is great for organic ranking.   Don’t obsess over the quality of the footage and the subtlety of the lighting.  Get the video shot, post it on your site and get it done.  Progress…not Perfection.

If you are not comfortable promoting yourself, than who will?  Tell people what you do, get your face associated with your business and unleash your inner superstar.

If you are feeling stuck, odds are your self-care is low.  Take a break.  Focus on self-care until your energy is back and then dive in again- you’ll have a new perspective that will serve you well.

Blessings!

Mark’s knowledge with Internet marketing and sales is an invaluable resource for our clients.

And yet, I’m even happier to report his greatest strength of all is his creative ability to brainstorm NEW ideas and help redesign businesses to grow and prosper.

He’s an enormous asset to our business AND to our platinum clients.  They will get the opportunity to watch Mark work his magic at our platinum retreat in Coconut Grove, Miami, in January.

And, well- I think he’s pretty cute too.   Please join me in welcoming Mark to my business, now called “our” business.

The truth is, the economy IS struggling and we can’t ignore that many individuals and families don’t have the same income to invest that they did a few years ago.  And yet, 6-figure and multi-6-figures solo entrepreneurial businesses are still entirely possible- with the right strategies. Read on for 6 Key Strategies on how to successfully redesign your business to prosper even in these tough times.

#1 Focus on list-building FIRST. You need to implement ingenious ways to powerfully grow your list- such as an enticing F*R*E*E offer on your website homepage, preview teleseminars or low-cost workshops, high-value articles sent to pertinent directories, low-cost talks or live presentations, and affiliate relationships with those who complement your business.  These are just a few strategies- we showcase many more in our new 6-Figure Coaching Club because we’ve learned that ongoing list-building is ESSENTIAL to 6-figure and multi-6-figure success.

#2  Think outside the box to reach people. If you are a solo entrepreneur, you are creative!  Harness that creativity and discover NEW ways of reaching your market. I am working with one platinum client now, an extraordinarily talented personal stylist in London, to add low-cost live demonstrations at boutique stores, group events AND virtual ways of styling clients worldwide.  She is in the process of adding these pieces to her business and you can check her out here, http://www.babetstyle.co.uk.

#3 Offer a variety of ways clients can work with you. Think about live or virtual one or two-day events, private and group programs, workshops, membership clubs- just to name a few.   You are not only appealing to more people by providing variety, you are adding multiple streams of income for your business.

#4 Create a desire for more at each level. Your free offer needs to create desire for MORE of your expertise.  Your lower level services need to increase the demand for offerings in your higher level programs.  Your lower levels need to create a desire for more of your services in the higher levels.

#5 Showcase Your Uniqueness. You do NOT want to be like everyone else.  Even in the smallest niche, you will inevitably face competition.   What are your unique strengths and talents that set you apart?  How are you communicating those to potential clients in your marketing?  Excavate your uniqueness and shout it out!

#6 Invest in a business coach. Find someone who is where you want to be, offers personal AND mastermind coaching, and who teaches the Internet marketing and business concepts you need to develop and showcase your expertise.  Although it’s tempting to bypass this step out of fear of the financial investment, it’s not the right step to skip. Every 6-figure and millionaire entrepreneur out there has a masterful business coach to pull them forward.  I have one, my coach has one, her coach has one.  If you want 6-figure success and beyond- you need one too.