Episode Introduction:

It’s been one year since we first started serving mentorship through storytelling, here are my top takeaways!

Episode Summary:

In today’s episode of Law Chat with Girija, we go through ten of my biggest takeaways as a business owner that have not only helped me build and grow a successful business but also continue to make me better at what I do every single day.

Main Takeaways: 

• Take the first step. The rest can always be figured out once you start.
• Doubt is inevitable. It’ll keep creeping into your life every now and then but you’ve got to remember to just take the next step and push the doubt away.
• Have systems set up in place and create Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for your business.
• Learn to get support from other people in your business. Doing everything alone is not productive or efficient.
• Build your business around your values. Don’t disintegrate your values to accommodate your business.
• Be abundant in what you think, do, and give. Think big! 
• Think about your anchor - the thing that holds you steady even when things aren’t going your way. Keep your anchor close to your heart.
• Remember to show yourself grace no matter what.
• Show up for your business. 
• Network as much as you can in order to create and nurture relationships with individuals in your industry.
• Invest in a business coach as soon as you can. Having someone give you a fresh perspective is truly invaluable for your business. 

Resources Mentioned:

Grab Your FREE Legal Audit: https://yourcontractbuddy.com/5-day-free-legal-audit-challenge/

How to Network as a Business Owner: https://youtu.be/1K4wK3n0Sck

Take Back Time: How to Productively Structure Your Week Using the M.O.M. Method with Lani Jackson: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/take-back-time-how-to-productively-structure-your-week/id1528580730?i=1000533189382

Get the visual experience, watch the videocast for this episode: https://youtu.be/sPH1NY3NhcE

Connect With Girija: 

Join Law Chat for Entrepreneurs Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/lawchat

Website: https://www.gbplaw.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gbplaw/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GBPLaw/

Get Ready To Use Contact Templates At: https://yourcontractbuddy.com/

Tags: How to Start a Business, Takeaways as an Entrepreneur, How to Create Standard Operating Procedures in Your Business, How to Run a Sustainable Business, How to be Productive in Your Business, How to Integrate Your Values in Your Business, How to Show Up for Your Business, How to Network in Your Business

Our guest today is about to make you feel “Oh, so good!” about your finances because the advice he’s got is not from your dad’s CPA. Tune in to find out more!

Episode Introduction: 

Our guest today is nothing like your traditional CPA. In fact, he’s here to change the narrative and tell you that your finances don’t have to be scary. Join us as Mark Tew walks us through some of his favorite tips to optimize your finances throughout the year to save the most during the tax season.

Episode Summary: 

Mark Tew walks us through his journey of being laid off from multiple jobs, moving every weekend along with his family to now having established a successful business as a CPA. Today’s episode also comes loaded with tips on how to play an active role in understanding your finances and being efficient with your tax process.

Main Takeaways:

• Sometimes, we fail to understand the small little signs that life shows us to take a leap, that’s when it intervenes and gives us the big push that we need.
• Making your business accessible for your clients is key for them to be able to think of you as their go-to person in your industry.
• When you face challenges in your path, let the results you want to achieve inspire you to continue.
• Everything works out and even when it doesn’t work out, it works out.
• Scheduling your week is a great way to stay efficient as an entrepreneur.
• Top tips to make sure your financials are in great health: 

1. Have a separate bank account for your business.
2. Have a bookkeeping system to keep track of your accounts.
3. Don’t stress about your finances, instead take the time to understand them.

Recommended Resources: 

Reseller Tax Academy: https://www.resellertaxacademy.com/

Fun Facts About Mark Tew:

• Some of his favorite books are The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America's Wealthy by Thomas J. Stanley and The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss.
• Some of his favorite business tools are Calendly, Kajabi, Instagram, and Camtasia.

Find Mark Tew:

Website: https://notyourdadscpa.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notyourdadscpa/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/notyourdadscpa/

Get the visual experience, watch the videocast for the episode here: https://youtu.be/tbQeWEGVVgw

Connect With Girija:

Website: https://www.gbplaw.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gbplaw/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GBPLaw/

Get Ready To Use Contact Templates At: https://yourcontractbuddy.com/

Our guest today is a former Disney Princess. Oh, and she’s a brilliant photographer, coach and she helps you find your strengths. 

Episode Introduction: 

Laura Foote is truly a multi-passionate entrepreneur who joins us today to talk about her journey of owning a business that’s wildly in demand & the tips and tricks she learned along the way.

Episode Summary: 

Laura Foote walks us through her journey of working with Disney as a Disney princess, her diverse academic background, her extremely successful business, and everything in between. She also gives us an insight into the secret of a mind-blowing customer experience that she picked up during her time on the journey and talks about the importance of strength finding.

Main Takeaways:

• A lot of times as entrepreneurs, we tend to silo ourselves to one area and find it difficult to separate ourselves from it. What's important is to be able to keep multiple things on the table and take your pick.
• Investments in yourself and your business can often seem like a scary leap but they help you so much in the long run.
• The best thing that you can do for your business is to connect with people face-to-face.
• Attending a professional networking opportunity might seem like it takes time away from your personal life but actually, it saves you so much time that you would’ve otherwise spent marketing and generating new leads for your business.
• The simplest way to improve your customer experience is to make sure it’s not overwhelming to perform.

Fun Facts About Laura Foote:

• Laura’s favorite author is Jodi Picoult.

Find Laura Foote:

Website: https://laurafoote.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurafoote/

Email: [email protected]

Get the visual experience, watch the videocast for the episode here: https://youtu.be/Uf2izzYm974

Connect With Girija:

Website: https://www.gbplaw.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gbplaw/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GBPLaw/

Get Ready To Use Contact Templates At: https://yourcontractbuddy.com/

Have you ever wanted to be a guest speaker on a prestigious panel but held yourself back because you didn’t know how to go about it? Or you wanted to invite someone to speak for your podcast but weren’t sure where to start? Tune in to find out how.

Episode Introduction:

In today’s episode of Law Chat with Girija, we’re talking all about the step-by-step breakdown of pitching. Right from research to following up, we’ve got it all covered.

Episode Summary:

Join us as Girija Patel walks you through the different factors to be considered while crafting a pitch in order to increase its efficiency and land the deal. Whether you want to be an educator, speaker, podcast guest or invite someone for the same - this episode is the ultimate guide on what to do.

Main Takeaways:

• Make sure you research the person or business that you’re looking to associate yourself with.
• Ensure that what you include in your circle aligns with you.
• Don’t assume before you ask. Always make the pitch even if it seems unlikely to get accepted. 
• Have a clearly defined message when you reach out to someone.
• Make sure your pitch is intentional, customized, and personalized.
• Craft a subject line that instantly grabs attention.
• Always remember to follow up with an appropriate response.
• Maintain a record of the collaborations that are accepted, declined, and the ones that need to be revisited.

Get the visual experience, watch the videocast for this episode: https://youtu.be/pdAn1kdwKnY

Grab Your FREE Legal Audit: https://yourcontractbuddy.com/5-day-free-legal-audit-challenge/

Join Our Email List: https://www.gbplaw.com/

Connect With Girija: 

Join Law Chat for Entrepreneurs Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/lawchat

Website: https://www.gbplaw.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gbplaw/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GBPLaw/

Get Ready To Use Contact Templates At: https://yourcontractbuddy.com/

We have a returning audience favorite on the podcast today. Tune in as Lani Jackson talks about structuring your week productively using the M.O.M. Method. 

Episode Introduction: 

If you’re tired of the overwhelm that comes along with owning a business, it’s time to use the M.O.M. Method (Mindset, Operations & Moving Forward) to get productive in a healthy way. 

Episode Summary: 

Lani Jackson walks us through the importance of intentional scheduling and the M.O.M. Method in structuring a workweek that works for you. In today’s episode, we’re talking all things systems, scheduling, and getting back on track.

Main Takeaways:

• The first step to taking back time is acknowledging that things are not how you want them to be.
• Remember to not feel guilty about being tired of overwhelm.
• Start by determining how much you want to work every week. It could look like setting business hours for yourself.
• Figure out the high and low energy points in your day and schedule your tasks accordingly.
• Braindump all of the things that you think you need to do and then categorize them into Do Now, Do Later & Do Never.

Find Lani Jackson:

Book a Call: https://hello.dubsado.com/public/appointment-scheduler/60b7a998cbd4f19bb581ca51/schedule

Instagram: https://instagram.com/lanijacksoncoaching

Website: https://lanijackson.com/

Get the visual experience, watch the videocast for the episode here: https://youtu.be/ygdCHxsYGoI

Connect With Girija:

Website: https://www.gbplaw.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gbplaw/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GBPLaw/

Get Ready To Use Contact Templates At: https://yourcontractbuddy.com/

Join the Self Proclaimed Serial Optimist today to learn all about ditching the overwhelm EVEN during a launch and her favorite D.O.N.E. Method.

Episode Introduction: 

TaJuanna Taylor joins us today to talk about her impeccable experience in helping build and grow businesses to ditch the overwhelm and elevate the profit. She talks about some mind-blowing action steps to help you in your business and also tells us about her signature D.O.N.E. Method.

Episode Summary: 

TaJuanna Taylor walks us through her life’s journey, growing up as a daughter of the U.S. Army, she tells us about the challenges she faced in different stages of her life and how they redirected her to find her true purpose through a series of enriching professional experiences. She now helps other CEOs by managing their business visions and keeping them accountable throughout the process.

Main Takeaways:

• You can’t make your clients feel a certain way unless you feel it yourself.
• When you see a problem, take a moment to acknowledge that it makes you upset but then move on and find a fix for it.
• Even though they help shape who you are as an individual, your life experiences still don’t define you.
• You can have a big audience with no one taking action or you can choose to be intentional and build a small community where everyone is involved. 
• Doing something yourself doesn’t have to mean that you do it alone.
• Define the 5 Ws of your business goals:

1. Who
2. What
3. Where
4. When
5. Why

• The acronym D.O.N.E. stands for:

• Define 
• Own 
• Nurture 
• Execute

• Your customers are everywhere but not everyone is your customer.
• The worst that could happen when you ask for someone’s help is that they say “No,” think of it as another acronym - NO: Next Opportunity.
• Good leaders will always make data-driven decisions.
• As entrepreneurs, you shouldn’t be Booked, Busy & Broke.

Recommended Resources: 

• Roadmap to Profit: https://www.bootstrapdreams.com/roadmaptoprofit

Fun Facts About TaJuanna Taylor:

• Her favorite book is The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni.
• Her favorite podcasts are Screw The Naysayers by Tim Alison & Blessed & Bossed Up by Tatum Harrison. 

Find TaJuanna Taylor:

Website: https://www.bootstrapdreams.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bootstrapdreams/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bootstrapdreams/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tajuannamtaylor/

Get the visual experience, watch the videocast for the episode here: https://youtu.be/0CcOygfspLQ

Connect With Girija:

Website: https://www.gbplaw.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gbplaw/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GBPLaw/

Get Ready To Use Contact Templates At: https://yourcontractbuddy.com/

If you’re a business owner, chances are you want your brand to represent your values - tune in to find out how to create a brand that’s unique to you and yet a representation of your ideal client. 

Episode Introduction: 

In today’s episode of Law Chat with Girija, we’re joined by Kelsea Buddo, a brand design expert who talks to us about all things branding and how to make sure you’re getting it done right for your business.

Episode Summary: 

Kelsea Buddo walks us through her journey of graduating as a journalism major, working with multinational companies, taking the leap of faith by quitting her job, and having built the business of her dreams. With fun anecdotes from her professional career and action-based steps for yours, this episode is jam-packed with value.

Main Takeaways:

• You don’t necessarily always need experience in order to experiment with a new field.
• With things getting back to normal, in-person networking is a great way to acquire new clients for your business.
• Social media is another great way to grow your network in order to get more business.
• It’s okay to tell your clients when you’re unsure about something and ask for time to get back to them about it.
• It’s important to understand what your ideal client is looking for beyond the surface-level questions.
• Tips to evaluate your brand:

1. Do a business audit before you reach out to a designer.
2. Determine if your brand has hovered in trends.
3. Look at your brand suite as a whole.

Fun Facts About Kelsea Buddo:

• Her favorite business tools are Honeybook, Asana, Adobe Suite, Creative Market & the What Font Extension.

Resources Mentioned:

Kindly Kit: https://kindlybykelsea.com/kindly-kit

Find Kelsea Buddo:

Website: https://kindlybykelsea.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kindlybykelsea/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KindlybyKelsea/

Get the visual experience, watch the videocast for the episode here: https://youtu.be/JyZeZVdxAn8

Connect With Girija:

Website: https://www.gbplaw.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gbplaw/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GBPLaw/

Get Ready To Use Contact Templates At: https://yourcontractbuddy.com/

Grab Your FREE Legal Audit: https://yourcontractbuddy.com/5-day-free-legal-audit-challenge/

It’s time to have some hard conversations today - tune in to find out how to prevent your business from collapsing. 

Episode Introduction:

If you're ready to build a business that thrives on auto-pilot, it's really important for you to integrate a few basic yet super significant systems into your business models, join us as we walk you through each of them.

Episode Summary:

In today’s episode of Law Chat with Girija, we’re talking about all things legal and corporate. If you have a business of two members or two hundred, all of these systems will help ensure you’re maintaining a healthy corporate environment that’ll benefit your business.

Main Takeaways: 

• Your business practices should be representative of your values in life and your company as a whole.
• Know your business structure and the industry in and out to be sure you’re covering all the bases.
• Your business model should be inclusive of every individual that is associated with your organization.
• Integrate periodic performance evaluations with your employees in your business’ systems. 
• Create an employee handbook to set clear expectations.
• Get rid of the bad liability apples, i.e., people or objects that are affecting your business negatively.
• Get feedback from your employees and audit it periodically.
• Incorporate employee appreciation activities in your business.
• Have employee contracts in place.

Get the visual experience, watch the videocast for this episode: https://youtu.be/2gbIQFtV2Do

Connect With Girija: 

Join Law Chat for Entrepreneurs Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/lawchat

Website: https://www.gbplaw.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gbplaw/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GBPLaw/

Get Ready To Use Contact Templates At: https://yourcontractbuddy.com/

If you’re ready to feel natural, more confident, and comfortable with engaging the room, tune in to today’s episode and find out how.

Episode Introduction: 

Stacey Shipman is the founder of Engaging the Room and helps individuals feel more confident and natural to create genuine personal connections while shedding the formalities set by those before them.

Episode Summary: 

Stacey Shipman talks about the verbal forms of communication that are often anxiety invoking for individuals and how her approach helps eliminate the overwhelm as well as bridge the gap between where you are and where you want to be in order to engage the room. She teaches us how to command the conversation and build genuine connections while speaking at an event, making a sale, or even while having a day-to-day interaction with someone.

Main Takeaways:

• Thinking about a great business idea is just the first step, you need to actively build connections and market that idea in order to monetize it.
• If you really want to achieve something, you need to actively put in the effort to get it instead of being passive.
• Stacey’s framework to achieve a goal: 

1. Get curious: Have a clear vision in your mind.
2. Get support: Build relationships before you need them.
3. Do the work: Take imperfect action.

• Every time we take a step forward, we learn, we grow and we evolve.
• If something doesn’t feel right for us, we can’t do a good job on it for other people.
• It is important to give yourself permission to shed the formality and do something differently.
• We can create for the sake of its enjoyment, it doesn’t always have to be related to our business.

Fun Facts About Stacey Shipman:

• She is pursuing singing as a hobby.

Find Stacey Shipman:

Website: https://engagetheroom.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/engagetheroom/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/engage-the-room/

Podcast: https://engagetheroom.com/podcast/

Get the visual experience, watch the videocast for the episode here: https://youtu.be/FTjd3exm_G4

Connect With Girija:

Website: https://www.gbplaw.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gbplaw/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GBPLaw/

Get Ready To Use Contact Templates At: https://yourcontractbuddy.com/

If you’re ready to get financially strategic in your business, tune in to find out some insider hacks from a seasoned professional.

Episode Introduction: 

Our guest today talks about her journey from being an accountant for a big firm to now owning her own consulting firm that specializes in business strategy for event professionals. 

Episode Summary: 

Michelle Loretta walks us through her professional pathway sharing fun anecdotes at every stop on the way. Having tried multiple positions at various big and small businesses, Michelle joins us today to share her wisdom about the importance of business strategy and a financial strategy. Like she says in the episode - “the numbers don’t lie”.

Main Takeaways:

• It is important to remember that your degree is not going anywhere, you don’t have to stay married to your job if it isn’t inspiring you.
• Most businesses start facing challenges when they’re two-three years in, as the business matures, it starts to tackle professional challenges.
• As a business owner, pick one to two platforms to run your business on. Do not try to be active on every platform as that’ll result in burnout.
• Make a list of twenty people who wholeheartedly support your business and constantly be in touch with them. Word of mouth is a great way to get new clients.
• The four elements of a business plan are:

1. Vision 
2. Marketing
3. Operations 
4. Finances

• Putting a business plan in place helps your vision get clarity.
• Your numbers speak a lot about your business’ profitability.
• Contracts made any business relationship a lot more functional, efficient, and systemized.

Fun Facts About Michelle Loretta:

• Her favorite books are Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh, Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear, and Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

Find Michelle Loretta:

Website: https://besageconsulting.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/besagealways/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeSageConsulting/

Get the visual experience, watch the videocast for the episode here: https://youtu.be/crM46qNSAZI

Connect With Girija:

Website: https://www.gbplaw.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gbplaw/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GBPLaw/

Get Ready To Use Contact Templates At: https://yourcontractbuddy.com/