Entrepreneurship Archives - Kathleen Deggelman

How to Use Doubts as ROCKET FUEL for Your Next Business Success

November 30, 2017/0 Comments/in Business, Entrepreneurship, Personal, Success /by Kathleen Deggelman

It is a fact of life – there are many people who will doubt you. I hate to say it, but it is true. This isn’t necessarily unfortunate though! I actually believe that people expressing doubt in your abilities could be a gift. Let me explain.

I came across this Taraji P. Henson quote the other day in an article I was reading: “If you…allow people to project their fears onto you, you won’t live.” Pretty strong statement. Pretty serious consequences.

There are countless entrepreneurial examples of people who have used the words of doubters as fuel to expand, grow, and accomplish bigger things. I think we can all learn from this, no matter the stage we are at in our businesses. When I first started my business 11 years ago, I had my share of doubters and some of them were immediate family and very close friends. I couldn’t let it stop me so instead I used that as pure motivation to succeed.

But who are YOUR doubters, and how can you deal with them successfully?

Friends and Family:

Sometimes your doubters come in the form of loving friends and family.

Who here has heard the following:

“You want to start your own business? Selling what?”

“That’s going to be a ton of work, Can you really afford to spend time on it, and still be a good mom to the kids?”

“Nobody makes any money in those things.”

“Shouldn’t you get a real job?”

“You’ll never really be able to make a full time living from this.”

“Working for yourself is so hard. What about dental?”

These questions often come from a well-meaning, but fearful place. Fear is not a place that we, as entrepreneurs, can afford to run our lives from. So, take these questions for what they are – loving, and yes misdirected statements from people who are used to playing it safe— or at best just don’t understand what you are about.

Instead of letting these doubts stop us in our tracks, how about we use them as evidence that we’re doing something really exciting and innovative with our time? We are choosing to take a risk, but we’re smart, driven, and itching to try something new in life.

One reply that I like to use is: “Yes, it’s scary, but I’m so much happier living up to my full potential than I ever could be playing it safe.”

Current Colleagues:

The people we work with and those who have spent their entire careers working for someone else, really are not the people we want to bring our entrepreneurial business plans to.

There is nothing wrong with working for someone else, but people without the entrepreneurial bug, are just that —people without the entrepreneurial bug. It will be hard for them to understand why you would want to take on the extra load of self-employment.

To combat these negative influences, write down your own very solid reasons for choosing to build your own business. Answer this question: Why is this path worth it for me? It was so clear to me why this was worth it – I wanted to create time freedom and financial freedom. I wanted to say when I worked, where I worked and with whom I worked. And believe me, it has been worth every step of the way!

Your answers might even inspire some of your colleagues to think outside the box and bring a little something new to their current positions!

Internet Noise:

There are so many wonderful resources online, but the internet can also be a fairly negative place. If you spend too much time reading online, or listen to the opinions of people who go online just to complain, then you are going to have a hard time finding the motivation to continue.

My advice is to find industry-specific experts and follow them. Don’t clutter your feed with too many differing opinions. Choose people who are really good at what they do, and who offer positive, constructive advice.

Also, remember that your path is unique, all the doubters in the world don’t have your combination of talents, abilities, and drive.

Pessimistic Business Owners:

Sometimes we go to entrepreneurial meetups or local small business groups, and find that the attitude is less than stellar. This is unfortunate, but don’t feel like you have to listen to a negative-nelly just because they’ve been in business for a long time.

People get stuck in unproductive patterns, and it’s not a trap you have to follow. A positive mind, set on success is something you can cultivate and keep. These “seasoned business owners” who have a negative spin on everything are people who have forgotten their own power over the years. Don’t ever let anyone take away your power or your dreams!

Instead, surround yourself with business owners who are real about their struggles, but always looking for a solution. Those are the people you can learn from.

Doubt and Fear go hand-in-hand. But the antidotes are clear and simple:

Positivity
Good company
Solution-oriented thinking
Solid personal reasons for your chosen path

I love this passage by Marianne Williamson:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

You are doing something great by moving ahead despite the fear, despite the doubters. It is worth it! It may be time to armor up. Next time a doubter comes knocking, flip it around as a powerful reason to continue building the business of your dreams. I am cheering for you!

P.S. I hope you found my article helpful on Using Doubt As Rocket Fuel For Your Next Success. If you liked this blog post, I think you will love my blog post on How To Cultivate a Millionaire Mindset.

Are You Cultivating Your Millionaire Mindset?

October 26, 2017/0 Comments/in Business, Entrepreneurship, Health & Nutrition, Personal /by Kathleen Deggelman

I watched a video from Eric Worre the other day, and there was one thing he said that really hit me… “Mowing the lawn myself means losing $100 or even $500.00 an hour.”

What does that mean?

Well, while he’s outside mowing the lawn, he is trading his time for a $15.00/hour task… time that could be spent nurturing high-value offerings, growing his business, and contributing to his long-term financial, personal, and professional success.

The lesson? To uplevel and truly cultivate a millionaire mindset, we must weed out non-essential tasks, and make sure we’re spending the majority of our time where it counts. For many of us, this means we can hire someone to do the things we don’t like to do anyway! I just treated us to our first housekeeper at our BC home. It felt great!

Let me be clear about one thing – the millionaire mindset applies to financial goals, of course, but it encompasses far more than that. It means defining what wealth is in all areas of our lives – personal, professional, and spiritual. How do I want to spend my days now and in the future? I love to cook so I will never hire someone to do that for me, but lots of people don’t love to cook and there are services that deliver almost prepared meals to your door now. My niece loves that!

You should KNOW what your time is worth, and be focused on high-level activities that truly move your life and business forward. Don’t be worried about life becoming all work and no play – when you’re tapped into your true power there is a certain sweetness and enjoyment to life that is worth the sacrifice! When we are lucky, work doesn’t actually feel like work. That is the goal for me!

What kinds of activities help us to cultivate a millionaire mindset?

Here are 4 categories you should be aware of…

What You Read:

Reading should be #1 on your list if you plan to develop a millionaire mindset. When we read, we expand what is possible – literally allowing ourselves to picture futures we didn’t even know were available. That’s a gift we don’t want to waste. I keep a basket of books in my living room that inspire me and any given day, I can pick one of them up and even spending 10 minutes reading makes a difference. I feel calmer, balanced and inspired all at the same time.

So, when was the last time you picked up a book and finished it? If you feel strapped for time, commit to reading 1 book a month. This can be accomplished in just 10 minutes a day!

Here are some of my personal favorites to get you started:

Money – Master The Game – By Tony Robbins

Start With Why – Simon Sinek

The Four Hour Workweek – Tim Ferris

Big Magic – Elizabeth Gilbert

Go Pro – Seven Steps To Becoming a Network Marketing Professional – Eric Worre

The War of Art – Steven Pressfield

Who We Spend Time With:

We are the sum total of the 5 people we spend our time with – who are your 5?

I encourage you to actually write this down. Consciously acknowledge who you allow to have the most influence over your life. Sometimes we need to think more about who we are spending all our time with. Are they inspiring and going somewhere in their life? If not, it doesn’t mean you don’t still love them but maybe you need to add someone that is. Our friends are the family we choose.

We need positive, growth-oriented, loving, and constantly-evolving relationships in our lives, and we need people who will challenge us to be our best. That doesn’t mean you cut good friends and family out, it just may mean it’s time to widen your circle of influence.

Choose Daily Affirmations:

Our thoughts can be our biggest influencer. Using daily affirmations will help to align your heart and mind with your most important goals. It will give you laser-sharp focus. I say mine out loud in the shower. (multi-tasker that I am…)

What affirmations would you like to use on a daily basis? Write them down now.
If you can’t think of any, just spend a few minutes searching “affirmations” on Pinterest or Google. You’ll find plenty of gold. You can also purchase affirmation decks, and simply consider a positive thought every morning during breakfast.

Click here for a page of my favorite affirmations.

Invest In Ongoing Education:

Growth is challenging, and we all need good teachers. I recommend making educational goals for your year, just like you do for your financial goals. Set aside time and money to invest into yourself. Plan to attend conferences, speaking events, author events… anything that is high-value and aligned with your ultimate financial, spiritual and life goal.

The more you learn, the more effective you will be at capturing dreams in the real world.

For instance, there is still time to get a ticket to the Go Pro event next month. If you want the chance to learn from the likes of Tony Robbins and Eric Worre, and many, many more, there’s still time. Click here for more info.

Remember, your mindset is like a muscle – if you develop it, it expands. If you don’t, it weakens. Affirmations, reading and listening, learning, who we spend time with – all these things help us develop an authentic millionaire mindset.

When our mindset is aligned with our goals, and our goals are aligned with high-impact activities, then MASSIVE achievement is RIGHT around the corner. That’s a promise ;). I know from first-hand experience. Never EVER underestimate the power of your mind.

P.S. I hope you found my article helpful on Cultivating Your Millionaire Mindset. If you liked this blog post, I think you will love my blog post on Avoiding 4th Quarter Overwhelm.

How To Avoid 4th Quarter Overwhelm And Finish Your Year Strong

September 27, 2017/0 Comments/in Business, Entrepreneurship, Health & Nutrition, Personal /by Kathleen Deggelman

The calendar year is coming to a close in less than 4 short months (September is almost done!), and with that, so is the final quarter of 2017 for our businesses. I don’t know about you, but with the launch of Jeunesse in India, my final quarter for 2017 is adventurous and packed FULL of travel. In other words, crazy busy. Despite that, I really believe that a last-minute wrapping job on an otherwise fantastic gift of year can ruin your outlook on your achievements and leave you scrambling to get it all done before the holidays.

That’s not how I want to feel, and that’s not how I want anyone else to feel either!

I’ve found that 4 simple, yet powerful steps help me walk through my last quarter in a positive state of mind, full of gratitude for what’s happened, and excitement for what’s next. Forget empty new year’s resolutions – let’s get a concrete hold on our future successes.

Create An Accomplishments List. This is something that spills over from the professional realm and into the personal. You probably already know that I love the physical act of writing down my wins from the year in all areas of life.

This is something that you can include the entire family in too! Everyone can add to the “Wins List”. Keep it on the refrigerator for the remainder of the year, and add to it as you think of additional awesome things you and your loved ones were able to conquer together.

It keeps spirits so HIGH throughout the year-end bustle.

Organize Your Physical Environment. This doesn’t have to be a chore. This can be a joy. Especially when I consider all the hours that I spend in my workspace. A clean, inspiring, and functional home office is a gift that just keeps on giving. When I’m able to work un-interrupted with water and snacks nearby, it changes everything! Maybe organizing your space includes a fresh coat of paint on the walls? Investing in that standing desk? The possibilities are endless.

Set Up New Systems & Replace Outdated Organizational Tactics. There are lots of things in our lives that sit around, neglected and under-utilized. But it really doesn’t take much to clear the deck, and create systems that work for you, not against you.

Is your bookkeeping software still working for you?

Do you have an inbox that makes you slightly nauseous?

How long has it been since you had a look at your finances?

Do you still have a filing cabinet (physically or virtually) full of who-knows-what?

These tasks probably fall under the “swallowing a frog” category, but if you block off time to accomplish them before beginning the new year, the mental and emotional burden is lifted, and your self-confidence will be too.

Define Your Forward Momentum. Defining your unique vision is the key to all accomplishment, in my opinion. And by define – I don’t mean loosely color in – I want you to set SMART goals for 2018, and spend the time to chunk those goals down and divvy them up over the next 4 quarters of the year. Doing this early, (and then reviewing quarterly) is the absolute best way I know of to keep my productivity soaring, and to avoid busy-work.

This is also where you can ask and answer some FUN and CRUCIAL questions. Things like…Is it time to uplevel? Can I afford to hire some help come the new year? Am I at the point in my business where a virtual assistant makes sense? What new money goal do I want to set for myself? If you’re clear that these things are apart of your vision for 2018, you can wrap up your last quarter proactively.

This grab bag of practical end-of-year tips ensures that I have the help/systems/headspace needed to lead myself, my team, and my family into the new year happily, and highly motivated. I hope it does the same for you!

P.S. I hope you found my article helpful on Avoiding 4th Quarter Overwhelm. If you liked this blog post, I think you will love my blog post on Getting Back Into a Routine After Vacation.

How To Get Back Into A Routine After A Vacation

August 23, 2017/0 Comments/in Business, Entrepreneurship, Health & Nutrition, Personal /by Kathleen Deggelman

Given how long it has taken me post our vacation to get this blog article out, I know first hand it isn’t easy to get back to work after an amazing vacation. The summer months are the most popular time for vacations – especially with our kids out of school. A trip out of town, or even a “staycation” is well-deserved for everyone and it’s truly essential for us to maintain, not only our sanity, but also our productive time! I think we all know that not taking any time off can be just as bad for our health as it can be for our careers. Research shows that by being able to take a vacation or time off makes all of us a better worker. So don’t feel guilty about taking that vacation. It’s for your own good. 🙂 Our Tahiti trip early this summer certainly was great for us. I was just talking about some of the life long memories with our oldest daughter.

Getting back to work after that incredible trip can be rough for anyone whether you’ve taken a trip to Disneyland or spent time on your couch enjoying a Netflix binge. If you’re like me, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to spring right back into action on that first day back to the grind. Mentally, you’re likely still in vacation mode and forcing it may only make things harder on yourself. Take these gradual steps toward becoming a productive member of your office again:

Take an Extra Day: Getting back into the thick of it can seem like quite the task so it’s best to give yourself some time, perhaps a day or two, to get you mentally back into work mode. Some of us just may not be quite ready to get back to work, especially if we’ve been out of town. Take that extra day off when you’re back home to reset your clock. When you do get back to work, start to ease into your tasks. If possible, cross off some of the easy things during that first day or two so you don’t get burnt out or feel overwhelmed with work when you’ve just returned. If you’re anxious and excited to get right back to it after a few days out, all the better but you will benefit by easing back into it the first day or two.

Resist the Urge to Multitask: Multitasking is a necessary evil. It’s something we all have to do. But multitasking can put additional stress on the brain, and this can quickly unwind all the relaxing you just did on vacation. When you’re back in the office after vacation, you will have hundreds of unread e-mails to reply to, piles of paper to sort, and tasks and phone calls to return. Your instincts may kick in and you may start to attack everything at once. However, this will set you back and make you wishing and thinking about your next vacation. Check off one item at a time to help you regain focus and set priorities. That first week back, looks at your tasks and set up a weekly schedule to spread your work throughout the week. Having one massive to-do list can seem like an uphill battle; however, a day-by-day schedule of achievable tasks seems less daunting and can provide a more cheery outlook. One thing I have discovered is that the pile of emails isn’t that bad. A lot of it has gotten worked out by the time you get back and some of it just wasn’t that important anyway. Prioritize your most important tasks and get those done first.

Get Back to Your Routine: Vacation mode is a real thing and after a week or two away from work, all the things you knew off the top of your head will be pushed under the newly created memories of your time away. But don’t fret, all of your login passwords and client’s names will come back. Prior to taking vacation, you had your existing routine. It was that specific way that you did things to make your day easier. Maybe you went for a run in the morning and on Friday went out with your team. Whatever it was that you regularly did, whether it was at work, at home, or just around town, find that comfort again and it will go a long ways towards helping you feel more receptive to being back.

Appreciate the Time Away: Keep in mind that just because you’re back to being productive and taking orders doesn’t mean you aren’t allowed to appreciate the experiences you had on vacation. It’s important to take the time to be appreciative to take time off. If you took pictures, feel free to share them with your teammates. Tell stories about the experiences you had or any interesting people you may have met in your travels. Do some more reading about the places you traveled. There are a number of ways that enable you to extend your vacation mentally. There are always things that I do on vacation that I think I am going to bring some of this back with me. Even if it is just sitting outside for 10 minutes with that chai latte, it all helps. The point of life is to create a life that we don’t need to run away from. I am building a life that I love every day. Just these little reminders of being able to travel or take time off can truly make you more appreciative of your business, which, in the end, makes it all possible.

P.S. I hope you found my article helpful on Returning To Your Routine After A Vacation. If you liked this blog post, I think you will love my blog post on Taking Better Care Of Yourself.

How To Achieve A Summer Time Work-Life Balance

July 7, 2017/0 Comments/in Business, Entrepreneurship, Health & Nutrition, Personal, Success, Training /by Kathleen Deggelman

For many of us, the summer months can be the busiest (and most fun) time of the year. It is certainly my favorite season! As the demand for work and personal time increases, you may be finding yourself struggling to maintain a good balance between managing your business and having time to enjoy those summer nights. (It doesn’t get dark till 10 pm where I spend most of my summer….) While being busy with work can possibly mean committing upwards of 40+ hours a week, the dedication you show to your business still warrants a few July and August weekends for yourself.

As summer has arrived with it’s long days, it’s important for all of us to find ways to manage our workload so that our work days don’t fill up all that extra sunshine. Here are a few ways that have helped me to achieve a healthier work-life balance during the summer months:

Manage Your Time

Easy to say right! Although organization is essential to time management, and I’ll touch on that later, being able to delegate responsibilities is also key to managing a healthy work-life balance. Administrative tasks, such as answering calls and emails, can typically carve out a large portion of your day. It’s important to set aside time for those administrative duties so you can focus on other aspects of your business. Set aside a 60 minute slot per day and dedicate it solely to messages and emails instead of trying to stay on top of them throughout the day. If you do it all day, guess what you have gotten done at the end of the day – email and messages and probably not the big rocks or the really important projects. If you devote 60 minutes only each day you work to email and messages, you will find yourself saving time that could be better used doing other tasks, be more productive and get to the actually more important parts of running your business. I worked at IBM years ago and I can remember management talking about how email was going to save us time. Not so much…If you still find that you need assistance in managing communications, consider hiring a seasonal employee to help you get through the summer season and give yourself a much needed break. A family friend or neighbor could be ideal. Maybe they aren’t helping you with emails, but they are helping you get to some of the other projects on your place. Sometimes we just have to get those things (like cleaning out the garage, my husband’s personal favorite) off our plate and off our list!

Plan & Prep

Being able to prepare ahead of time for the expected ebbs and flows of summer will help you settle into a better work-life balance. Review your business’s past performances so you can plan ahead and set strategies for a smoother transition and one that will free up some time for you! The ability to forecast expected performance can help your business transition from off-seasons to peak seasons. Taking into account possible contingencies like a slow season or surge in business can help you achieve that healthy work-life balance. My company is launching India right now so you can imagine how fun and exciting that is. We are taking advantage of this during the summer AND finding time to enjoy family and sun and beach too.

Organize

One of the easiest methods to free up your time and enjoy summer is by being organized. While this may seem to be the most obvious, many of us find it a struggle to manage the workload as peak seasons demand increases. To maintain a seamless operation and, even better, maximize your valuable time, be sure to update your calendar, schedule every meeting, and keep all of your paperwork in order. You may not be able to plan everything and there will be unexpected meetings or issues that will surface and demand your immediate attention; however, creating a detailed day-to-day schedule can help you remain on track and get you out of the office and out by the pool! Focus on the 3 to 5 most important things every day. I love lists but I am learning to use lists less and focus more on the big stuff. Life is too short to be tied to a list of 100 things to do everyday. Many of those things don’t really need to be done and sometimes we use those lists to get the simple stuff done and not the most important. I use a priority list: What are the 5 most important things to get done this week? And then I schedule them out during the week.

Me Time

Taking time for yourself, both physically and mentally, is important to enjoying the summer and it helps you to be happier, and more focused at work when you do work. It’s quite possible that you’re faced with new responsibilities daily. Managing your business may guarantee a certain level of stress, and it’s always important to take steps to help ease workplace stress so that you remain focused on your business. Being able to create a space away from your business is also important because reclaiming those weekends or at least part of the day, lets you recharge, reconnect with loved ones and friends, and remember your “why” for working as hard as you do. If you feel the need to check emails on a Saturday or Sunday, limit it to one or two times a day. We aren’t meant to be attached to technology and our to do’s 24/7. That isn’t how I want to live my life. Your passion for work shouldn’t come at the expense of having a personal life. Work should be used as a way to bring new vibrancy to your life and to help you grow as an individual AND allow you to create the life and lifestyle you wish with the family and friends that you adore.

Operating your own business does, however, mean that there will be some personal sacrifices. If summer is your favorite time of year, make sure you are enjoying the sunshine too. I am going kayaking later today…Growing any kind of business needs time and dedication but it’s also important to find those ways that can help you manage a healthier work-life balance. It will never be perfect and it will always be something to work on – but it is definitely worth it!

P.S. I hope you found my article helpful on How To Achieve A Work-Life Balance. If you liked this blog post, I think you will love my blog post on 5 Ways To Stay Focused During The Summer.

The Keys To Cold Market Success

June 15, 2017/0 Comments/in Business, Entrepreneurship /by Kathleen Deggelman

After exhausting your warm market, there comes a time when you will need to dip your toe into the waters of the less than warm or even your cold market. This can be scary for us when we are new to network marketing or just haven’t done it before. It’s a skill that is needed, especially so you feel comfortable reaching out to people you don’t know online. The ability to prospect someone in your cold market can open many opportunities for you and put you on a path to be very successful.

Where To Prospect?: If you put your mind to it, you can essentially cold market prospect anywhere. Coffee shops, malls, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, restaurants, grocery stores, and did I mention Facebook? These are places where you are already going to be at through your day-to-day activities so why not reach out and prospect while you’re there? If you’re actively searching for prospects, be sure to choose places where your target prospects are most likely to be. To determine where that may be, you need to know the people that would be most interested in either the product or the business. If you’re part of a health and beauty company, you may consider cold market prospecting at gyms, spas or make up booths. Be sure to include business minded people as they will already possess the mindset and skillset required for MLM success. Think of places where people work on commission or are already having to generate their own leads. I came from the real estate and investor world. Many of the skills I used in those professions translated to helping me become successful with Network Marketing. You want to work with people who will understand being a business owner fast!

Why Pursue Your Cold Market?: Cold markets shouldn’t be feared. There are advantages to cold market prospecting that should definitely be considered before you decide not to pursue them. The first, unlike your warm market, the people you are speaking with are not familiar with your history. If you’ve failed at past MLMs or have a lack of success at your current MLM, the cold market is unaware of any of this. You are starting from square one with them and that gives you a chance to convince them without your past being held against you. Secondly, your warm market is limited. Your cold market is basically never ending. There will always be someone new you can approach. I often say that Facebook means we can never ever again say we have run out of people to talk to. The other great thing about your cold markets is as you get better and better, you will convert your prospects faster.

Conversation Starters: Finding people to cold market prospect may not be a hurdle for most people. The obstacle many do face is how do they approach the people they’ve found and start up that initial conversation. There can be many practical ways to do this but the two simplest ways are:

Make an Observation: Making observations may be the easier of the two. If you’re waiting in line at the grocery store, you may turn to the person next in line and comment on a headline in one of the magazines or a quick blurb about the weather. Maybe you’re waiting for a table at a restaurant and could make a simple comment about the decor. It is a great way to start a conversation.

Give a Compliment: Any time you attempt to give someone a compliment, make sure that it’s genuine. People know the difference between a genuine compliment and one that isn’t. If you’re going to compliment someone on a pair of pants and they’re ripped or dirty, it may not come off so well. Some examples of compliments to try are:

“That’s a beautiful necklace. Where did you get it?”
“I really like your car. I’m considering getting one. How do you like it?”
“I like that (sports team) as well. Did you catch the last game?”
“You have a great smile.”

When you’re starting conversations, it’s key to pay attention to how they respond, verbally and physically. If they seem open to continuing the conversation, ask a follow up question. If the opposite, you know to move on. Being able to pursue a cold market is a skill that can last a lifetime. And when it comes to MLM, it can be seen as a pillar for success. I hope you are well on your way to successful cold market prospecting!

P.S. I hope you found my article insightful on The Keys to Cold Market Success. If you liked this blog post, I think you will love my blog post on 2 Great Ways to Handle Objections.

4 Simple Warm Market Prospecting Strategies

May 31, 2017/1 Comment/in Business, Entrepreneurship, Prospecting, Recruiting /by Kathleen Deggelman

After your first couple of days in your MLM business, you may be very optimistic that the next step you take will take you to the moon. That you will be able to obtain the financial stability to afford cars, vacations and the home you have always wanted. It is that optimism that you want to keep during the ups and downs that will invariably come your way. One of the first steps is your upline will advise you to make a list of the people you know, regardless of their current situation, and this will act as the basis for your “warm market”. This can be a great foundation to start with. Your next step is you will call them, reach out to them, even text them to get the introduction of your new business started with them.

In addition to calling your friends and family, you will also want to start posting on Facebook or Twitter about your business and the exciting opportunity you have discovered. You will be out there excited and getting your business going and sooner or later, you may receive a message, or a call, telling you that what you’re doing is a scam or even illegal or that you shouldn’t bother others. Please note: This has happened to all of us in the MLM world. If you’ve been around network marketing for any amount of time, these scenarios will probably sound familiar to you. Don’t be discouraged as your warm market will still be the most cost effective and quickest business connections that you can make. There are just a few things when approaching your warm market that you need to keep in mind.

Approach Your Warm Market As A Customer: This approach can bring you a lot of success. If you’ve done MLMs prior, than you know what I’m talking about, especially if you’ve contacted your warm market on those earlier opportunities. You’re more susceptible to rejection if you start with the business aspect first but you can show greater success if you start with “I know this business may not be for you, but I believe you could enjoy the product. I am just asking you to be a customer. I am looking for 10 customer testimonials. May I count on you to be one of them?” This approach allows them to try the product and evolve into a customer and may be even more! The chances are even greater as you build your business of them wanting to be a part of it.

Remember How You Know Your Invite: Remember, the people you talk to in your warm market already know who you are. Be relatable to them and personal. Bring forward how you know them in the first place. Make the context make sense. Your history is already known to them and unless you have a track record for success in business, it may be challenging for you to communicate your opportunity. This is where how they know you will play a factor in your approach. They already like you! I would suggest your warm market should consist of people who like you and know you. As you initially engage with people, be sure to approach them in a way that not only makes sense but also sounds familiar to them. Sometimes we are so excited in the beginning, we talk too much or we don’t even sound like ourselves. Try not to have a conversation where they think they’re speaking someone they don’t recognize. Be yourself. Take a moment and be professional and have fun when you are presenting to your warm market.

Know You Will Be Turned Down: The chances of everyone in your warm market joining your new business instantly is very unlikely. For those that say no or not right now, the support of your upline will help you change your warm market’s opinion of MLM over time and some are likely to join you – but it will take time for them to see it. Don’t be in a hurry. Don’t be discouraged. This is all very normal. And remember you want to work with people who want to work with you. If you have to beg them in, you will have to beg them to stay in.

Always Ask for Referrals: This is just a great approach because it can sound natural and something you can quickly feel comfortable doing. A terrific way to bring this topic up is by transitioning from the initial offer to dialogue similar to “I know this business may not be a fit for you, but if you know of any motivated people like yourself that want to make some extra money and are looking for more…” Once you get some referrals, refrain from texting or emailing a link with more information unless they have shown an interest already. It’s best that you speak voice to voice with the person they are referring you too. This will give you a chance to see if they will be a good fit for your team.

I was told by a mentor early on: if it is to be, it is up to me! It’s up to you to make the decisions that come with building your own business and it is up to you to decide to utilize your warm market and how you will do that. There are lots of approaches. Just some work better than others. Remember that you’re a professional and professionals will continue to seek out additional ways to present their business. Keep reaching for your goals and never ever let someone take your dreams away just because they don’t see. You do. And that is all that matters!

P.S. I hope you found my article useful on Warm Market Prospecting Secrets. If you liked this blog post, I think you will love my blog post on 6 Secrets from MLM Pros.

Simple Steps to Getting the Life You Want

May 4, 2017/0 Comments/in Books, Business, Entrepreneurship /by Kathleen Deggelman

Every January, we all go through the motion of setting New Year’s resolutions. They usually range from eating healthier, a gym membership, learning a language and perhaps skydiving, being more forgiving of others or cutting back on television. The central point to most resolutions is changes to ourselves and helping us be the person we want to be. We have the best intentions. This year. This time… Unfortunately, by February, most of those good intentions that we set for ourselves seem to fade away and eleven months later we find ourselves setting the same resolutions for the next year. Here are a few pointers to keep it all in perspective and keep you on track all the way until December.

Change Can Be Difficult

It couldn’t be said any clearer. Change can be difficult. I don’t like change either….It can be scary as well but I have found regret can be a lot scarier. As you begin to make changes in your life, it may seem like too much so you take a step back and then two, and then we no longer pursue what we set out to do. We have to find that inspiration in ourselves to continue and realize that change, as difficult as it may seem, will be so worth it in the end. I love to have the really big dream “out there” and creating a dream board specifically for that dream has always helped me manage the difficulties that are bound to come up when we make big changes.

Step By Step

Changes don’t have to be done in one giant leap. When we try to take it all on all at once, that is when it is easy to just give up. Chunk it down into doable steps. Keep it simple and manageable. Small steps are better than no steps and will help you reach your goal without experiencing the feeling of being overwhelmed. Figure out your goal -what it is you really want and determine where you currently are and set those increments and you’ll have achieved it before you know it. Losing weight is one of the most common goals we set and then get frustrated by. I have found that no matter what the goal, what we can measure and track, we can change. Writing down what I eat and weighing myself every week at the same time and same day has definitely helped me.

Don’t Give Up

This is where self-help can run into it’s biggest obstacle. That moment when you feel your goal is too big to accomplish and you start to lose the drive to achieve it. I urge you not to give up. The goals we set for ourselves for self-improvement are things we recognize need changing. Stay with it because if it is something that important to you, you can do it. Keep in mind why you started so you can remain motivated. You may think that your goal is tough but remember, so are you. It is when I look back at what I have accomplished over the years that I realize that the times were the toughest also created the most powerful changes in me.

Take Time for Yourself

With all the references to embracing changes, taking time and not giving up, be sure to take regular moments for yourself and reflect on the progress you have made. Celebrate the wins! This time will give you a chance to re-evaluate your plan and make any changes that may be necessary. These checkpoints can build up your self-confidence as you ask how you’re doing and the goal you set becomes closer to achieving. I can’t tell you how much it helps me to have a quarterly check in with my goals for the year. It keeps them top of mind and always reminds me what I have accomplished and what I need to spend time on.
Here is another great resource for you for self-help. I came across this blog by Susie Moore that I encourage you to read called The Top 5 Lessons I’ve Learned After Reading 500+ Self-Help Books. I loved this article! It also provides great book recommendations for you to explore the world of self-help further.

P.S. I hope you found my article insightful on Simple Steps to Self-Improvement. If you liked this blog post, I think you will love my blog post on Is Your Kindness Your Weakness?.

How Journaling Keeps You Moving Forward

April 20, 2017/0 Comments/in Business, Entrepreneurship, Training /by Kathleen Deggelman

As the first quarter of the year has ended, now is a great time to reflect on all that has occurred, both personally and professionally, in your life. Are there any changes you wish you had made earlier? Have you made progress on the goals that you set for yourself? How are you keeping track of the goals and your progress? A great way to keep it all contained is by journaling your efforts.

By keeping a journal, you can track your growth and it gives you little moments each day for self-reflection. There can be a lot of events throughout the day and it can be a challenge to keep everything in your head and journaling provides a great method to capture those events and process them on a daily basis. Some of the items you write down may just be random thoughts, they could be your perspective on events or they can be a way to check on your progression and challenges you may need to overcome. I have been journaling for years! Too many to count and I can say it has been therapeutic, meditative AND empowering all at the same time. I journal several times a week and it always helps me with perspective and positivity.

If you haven’t started a journal before, it can be tough to get started and to find a cadence in which to write entries. Here are a few tips I found that helped me and still do that will help you to get started on the right foot:

Select A Medium: Where you choose to write your journal won’t have an effect on the content of it. Every medium will have pros and cons so be sure that you pick something that works best for you. I love using a beautiful notebook. It doesn’t have to be anything elaborate. By using a notebook, it gives you time to disconnect from the online world and from any other distractions that can arise by using a computer. It is also fun to see the journals from previous years begin to stack up on the bookshelf. Your own personal history. 🙂

Set Limitations: There are going to be times where your journal entries will come very naturally and it may be hard to keep up with all your thoughts and goals. Other days may prove to be a struggle to get anything written down. You can try to either limit the amount of words or pages that you write per entry or you can set a timer for how much time per day you dedicate. In the beginning, I think it is important to write your thoughts and ideas every day or almost every day. I now write several times a week but not every day. It is a time I definitely look forward to!

Dedicate Time: The ability to keep a journal can be an impactful activity for yourself so it’s important that you make it a part of your daily routine. I usually sit down with my journal first thing in the morning. It helps me start a great day. Set the same time each day to take a break from the world and write in your journal. It can be about your thoughts or your goals but the important thing is to make the time to do it. Mornings can allow you to start with a clear head and evenings can be good to utilize the entry about the events of the day. Pick a suitable time and follow through with it. Believe me, this process helps with gratitude too!

Keep Focused on Goals: If you haven’t considered it, I suggest that you keep your goals for the year at the back of your journal so you can refer to them easily. Journaling is a wonderful way to keep track and remind yourself of any goals you have set. This will help you stay on track in your pursuit to achieve them and any progress you have made towards them. Focus on what you have accomplished too. This isn’t the place to moan about what you haven’t gotten to but to gently remind yourself that these are things you really set out to do this year.

Be Open & Honest: One of the best aspects about keeping a journal is that you have the ability to be open and honest with yourself with each and every entry you write. All those thoughts and ideas that you may have been hesitant to share with others can be contained in your journal so utilize it as the outlet it is. If you’re concerned that unintended parties may see it, this may hinder your ability to truly be open. (Maybe you remember your childhood diary being found?) Keep your journal in a private place just for you.

The process of keeping a journal is one of the easiest ways to keep us engaged on our goals and how we spend our time. By taking just 10-15 minutes a day to write down the events, your thoughts and your progress can provide you with a creative outlet! I really do look forward to writing in my journal and it is also the place where I keep my travel dream boards. I travel so much that I created 5 x 7 dream boards that I can enjoy and ponder too while I journal. One stop shopping so to speak!

Another bonus is that by acknowledging every goal we have achieved, we begin to build confidence in ourselves. Journaling just makes us feel good. There really is a therapeutic and meditative component to it. Every entry you write is a snapshot of that day and, years from now, as you look back on the entries you’ve written, it will be interesting to see how much progress you’ve really made. Even if you never look at the entries again, it is comforting to know they are there. Have a great day and hope you start or love journaling as much as I do.

P.S. I hope you found my article insightful on How Journaling Keeps You Moving Forward. If you liked this blog post, I think you will love my blog post on Productivity and Happiness Tips for Network Marketers.

Morning Rituals To Win The Day

March 16, 2017/1 Comment/in Business, Entrepreneurship /by Kathleen Deggelman

Everyone is looking for ways to increase their productivity, feel more confident and just feel a greater sense of happiness on an everyday basis. One of the real secrets and one of my favorites to making this all happen for you is by establishing a morning ritual. The saying is by winning the morning, you will win the day.

The first moments after you wake up can determine how your whole day will go. If you tend to wake up with feelings of stress, negativity or just plain tired, then chances are you won’t be enjoying the rest of your day. If you believe this to be how you start most of your days, you’re not alone. It is hard to believe but most people tend to start their day feeling negative. They will start their day trying to react to everything they feel they haven’t accomplished. Or that to do list is running through your head first thing! Or your first thoughts might be what you forgot to do the day before. You can feel sluggish until you get that caffeine boost from one or two (or more) cups of coffee. In order to feel a change, you need to make a decision. It is good to take a few moments when you first wake up and think positive thoughts like – What do I get to do today for the sheer joy of it? What do I have to be truly grateful for? Or what is the best thing that happened yesterday? I thought I would share with you seven simple rituals that we all can do and will help give you that energy you need for every day.

Make Time for Gratitude: I recently blogged about showing gratitude and asking yourself on a regular basis “what are you grateful for?” This one question can leave a great impression on your entire day and the earlier you ask the question, the better your day will be. Taking the time to write down and think about the things that you are grateful for can provide you with that positive attitude to help you tackle your day. How we choose to view things sets the tone. You could keep a gratitude journal on your nightstand and whether you take a moment at the end of the night or first thing in the morning to write down what you are grateful for – either way, you will feel lighter for it!

Drink Water: Keeping yourself hydrated goes a long way to taking care of your body. When you wake up, your body is dehydrated and needs water. During that first hour of waking up, try to drink good old fashioned water! Drinking water will help your body wake up and you will feel more invigorated. Who knows? You may not even need to rely on coffee anymore or not as much.

Get Up, Get Moving: Nothing will start to get the blood flowing like physical activity. Emotions are connected to how we use our bodies which makes it even more important that we use it to prepare for the day every morning. Do some stretching or yoga or go for a walk first thing in the morning to wake your body up and provide you with the energy for a more productive day. All of those types of exercise have the added benefit of being meditative too.

Feed Your Mind: What do most people read in the morning? The newspaper. Unfortunately, most of the news that we read or watch on television is negative and this can affect your mood. I often take news fast. It is embarrassing sometimes because I may not know to the minute the biggest and latest news, but I feel more grounded and happier for it. Instead of the news or the newspaper, try to read something full of positivity or encouraging. Read pages from a book you enjoy, watch videos that can help give you the inspiration you need. This positivity that you can do in just a few minutes can carry on throughout your day.

Feed Your Body: Feeding your mind is part of it, but you can’t forget about feeding your body. Make sure to give your body what it needs. Everyday, we are shown ads with messages about healthy breakfasts but most of us are opting to choose “healthy” versions of foods that are bad for us instead of selecting healthy options that are actually good for us. What we put into our bodies helps determine what we get out of them. Instead of a doughnut or frozen waffles, why not go for a vegetarian omelet or a vitamin packed protein shake?

Plan Your Day: The majority of us will start each day without a plan or even a sense of direction that our day will take so we spend it reacting to things that come up. Instead, plan and write out, what you’re looking to accomplish for the day. Not a laundry list of to-do’s but the top 3 or 4 things you want to get done that day. Writing it down will help your brain focus on the tasks for the day and increase the chance that you’ll be able to cross them all off your list. If you will just take a few minutes to plan out your day, you will see an increase in productivity – which makes us more content too.

Smile: Last, but certainly not least, this is just as simple it sounds. Smiling every morning can have a great impact on your mood because smiling will help send signals to your brain and release chemicals that will give you the feeling of happiness. Smiling helps you appreciate each day and helps get your day off on the right foot. My husband knows the value of this – he smiles all the time! He has serious smile lines that he says he has worked hard to get. Just about everyone loves to be greeted with a smile.

Hope you start to use even just a few of these. Or maybe you already do most of these but there is one or two you want to add. The benefits to your day are tremendous. By using just a few, you will notice an increase in your energy, your productivity and just feel happier! People around you will also notice a change. You’ll start to feel less stressed and more relaxed. Here’s to better mornings and more fun throughout the day because of a great start to the day!

P.S. I hope you found my article insightful on Morning Rituals to Win the Day. If you liked this blog post, I think you will love my blog post on Productivity and Happiness Tips for Network Marketers.