Live Full Work Fun Podcast

Today's show is about tiny habits that end up making a big impact on our life.

You've set your goals for this year. The year is still fresh, and you have the enthusiasm and drive to achieve all your goals.

Then again, we're a week into the new year and maybe you haven't started yet.

Creating a strategy for the coming year goes hand in hand with setting your goals. The little details, the new habits you form will lead you forward in achieving your goals.

You set goals because you want to get to a different place in your life or get something that you don't currently have.

Whether it's a tangible thing...like buying a new car, or a new home, or earning a certain dollar amount. Or something not so tangible like more energy, better and more meaningful relationships with family and friends.

You can't reach any of those goals without making a change in your current situation. And it doesn't have to be big drastic changes either.

Read this book: Atomic Habits by James Clear.

He explains that little changes in a habit, over time, will make a huge impact on your life. If you find it hard to stick with a new habit, it isn't that something's wrong with you, it's a matter of a flaw in your systems.

You need to create and adjust your systems for good habits to form. He gives great ideas of creating strategies to implement tiny habits that will help achieve your goals.

In this podcast episode, I share a few of my atomic habits in my personal health journey. I even share something I hate doing, but come this spring, will implement a new atomic habit.

Learn how implementing little atomic habits in your business will lead to long-term growth. Your habits are your foundation. You'll want a good, strong foundation.

What's your new atomic habit that you are going to or have started?

Email me at [email protected] and share your little habit. Sharing with someone else makes the commitment more real and solid.

Additional Resources:

• Atomic Habits | James Clear
• MyFitnessPal

If you're anything like me, goal setting brings mixed feelings. There are a lot of good goal-setting frameworks out there, but they're also easy to get tired of.

One of the things I've done in recent years to set better goals is to write down my one-year goals and then rank them and concentrate on the top big three. I've made the mistake in the past trying to set too many goals and to be completed in unreasonable timeframes.

I believe we should have time parameters to help us move toward our target. However, we shouldn't beat ourselves up if the goal isn't achieved on our exact timeline.

Goals without a timeline are simply dreams.

Deadlines put fuel in the fire. When you work toward your dream by placing a bit of fuel to the flame with a deadline, then even if you miss the timeframe, you've grown and achieved more than what you would have without any fuel at all.

A missed timeline doesn't always mean (and I'd have to say, it shouldn't mean) to give up. It's a time of reevaluation and refocus.

Turning Dreams into Reality

To kick off the new year, I thought I'd share the 4 questions I ask myself about each goal I've set to keep motivated through the year.

1. Why do you want to accomplish this goal?
2. What is the pain you will feel if you don't accomplish this goal?
3. What is the pleasure you'll get from accomplishing this goal?
4. How will accomplishing this goal contribute to others?

Listen to the podcast as I share my own personal goals for the coming year. I share my top three BIG goals that will guide my decisions this year.

Will I achieve them by 12/31/2020? I'm not sure what the future holds exactly, because that's a blank canvas I haven't painted yet. I do know that I'm well on my way of mapping my way and setting deadlines for myself. I'm fueling my fire.

How about you? How are you fueling your fire?

Do you have any goals for the upcoming year, or a particular method to goal setting?

Share by sending me an email at [email protected].

Additional Resources:

• Rachael Hollis • Penzu • Email: [email protected]

This is not only a year-end, but it's the end of a decade.

Sometimes we're frustrated because we haven't progressed as quickly as we think we should. We seem always to be looking forward and trying to accomplish more. Then we beat ourselves up of all the things we haven't accomplished.

I believe that if we pause and reflect on past events and accomplishments, it gives us the momentum to leap ahead into the future. I don't believe in dwelling on the past, but the past shaped our present and we have a blank canvas for our future.

Here's my challenge to you. In the last days of this year...this decade, write down your 10 things in 10 years.

What are 10 accomplishments or events you've had in the last ten years that has shaped your present?

To get us kicked off, listen to today's episode as I share mine.

1) Married Robert 2) Living in an RV full-time 3) Left the only career I knew 4) Became an entrepreneur 5) Traveling to amazing places 6) My brother's passing 7) My daughter's marriage 8) Content marketing 9) Creating an amazing team 10) Sticking with publishing this podcast.

That's it, those are my 10 things in 10 years. Those 10 things have shaped my goals for the upcoming year and beyond.

Now it's your turn. What are your 10 things in 10 years?

I'd love to hear from you. Drop me a note at [email protected].

Sharing your accomplishments and life events, no matter how insignificant you think they are, creates positive momentum. That momentum keeps you going.

• Been There Doing That • Mike Kim • Scrivener Solutions | Team • Email: [email protected]

Interview with Alex Haimann, Business Development | Less Annoying CRM

When I first started my virtual assistant business, Scrivener Solutions, about seven years ago, I knew right out of the gate that I needed a good customer database.

I delayed in selecting a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system for two reasons.

First, when I started out, I didn't have very many contacts or customers to keep track of, so I used manual systems. During this time, I searched and tried out different systems.

Second, to be completely transparent, as a small business owner and, at the time a solopreneur, most decent systems were way out of my non-existent budget. The CRMs that I could afford were so clunky and poorly designed that I hated using them.

Then one day, while consulting with a client, I was introduced to Less Annoying CRM. As I looked around at his account to help him with a project, I immediately knew that I needed to create my own Less Annoying CRM account. I signed up for the free trial, moved into the system, and never looked back.

I've mentioned Less Annoying CRM in past episodes and it's no secret that I genuinely love the product. Their mission is simple. "Help small businesses succeed."

While the product is a simple, robust, and affordable solution for managing contacts, keeping up with follow-up task, and tracking leads, the best part of the system is the LACRM team.

Everyone behind the software genuinely cares and are there to help you with your success. That's why I asked Alex Haimann, Business Development Officer at Less Annoying CRM to join me on today's show.

In my conversation with Alex, you'll learn what a CRM is and what impact it has on growing a small business. More importantly, you'll also gain much insight and perspective as Alex shares his experience and knowledge in business building…one small business to another.

Alex reveals what resource that really impacted his way of thinking. He's giving away something extra special to the first 10 listeners of this week's episode. You'll have to listen to take him up on his free gift.

Enjoy!

Resources Mentioned:

• Less Annoying CRM | 60-day Free Trial Referral Link
• Alex Haimann, Business Development
  • Email
  • LinkedIn
• The Undoing Project: A Friendship That Changed Our Minds | Michael Lewis

Nowadays, it's inevitable that you'll be working with digital files. If you want to be able to work from anywhere, picking up your huge filing cabinets and hauling them everywhere you go is simply not feasible. Or, you may not have room in your house for all the files and cabinets you should keep for your business.

It's easy for you to feel scattered and out of control when it comes to digital files. After all, you're working with many devices (phone, laptop, tablet) and have a lot of pieces of data (documents, spreadsheets, images) that you must keep track of.

I find it extremely interesting to know how someone else organizes their files and how they use certain tools. Just hearing how others organize sparks ideas for me to improve my processes.

In today's podcast, I share my method of filing my digital files. By me sharing how my mind works in organizing and backing up my files, my hope is you get ideas to help in your digital file organization.

You most likely aren't working with as many files as I contend with. Starting a process for how you'll organize your digital files early in your business is a good idea. You'll not only be able to find your documents faster, when the time comes to build your team, you'll be able to share pertinent files more easily.

In the episode, I share examples of some of my file structure. The images below are a visual of what I was talking about.

Sample Team Folder

Sample Marketing Folder with Podcast Folder Expanded

Enjoy!

Resources Mentioned:

• #081 – Chunk it Down and Conquer Clutter with Theresa Volesky
• Dropbox

Many of my clients who I help with creating their content strategy are overwhelmed by the very thought of creating so much content.

You don't have to feel overwhelmed when it comes to content. As mentioned in my last post, start with choosing to either write articles, record podcasts, or produce videos. Choose one type.

Then select a publishing schedule. If you're just getting started and find a weekly schedule intimidating, start with monthly and work your way up.

You may not have experience in writing articles, recording podcasts, or uploading videos. In the beginning, no one really does. Over time, you gain experience, you will become comfortable and faster with the process, and you'll gain clarity in your messages.

The longer you publish, you'll build your library of content. You'll be able to repurpose your content in many ways in the future.

The cool thing is you can begin repurposing right away.

Today's episode is short and sweet. I share how you can systemize one message into creating several pieces of content and spread your message in different places.

Creating your content calendar doesn't have to be intimidating. Repurposing your main piece of content allows you to multiply your efforts.

Enjoy!

Resources Mentioned:

• #087 – Your Business Growth Depends on It
• Temi
• Rev
• Canva

As business owners, we help solve other people's problems. You use your knowledge and experience to help others.

Bottom line: The fundamental element in marketing your business is creating consistent content.

If you believe that creating content doesn't apply to you, you may very well be mistaken.

The word "content" can encompass many tiny elements. Basically, any piece of communication that you'll be sharing with others may be considered content.

For today's show, the kind of content I'm addressing is committing to publishing either a blog article, a video, or a podcast. Choose one to be your foundation content and commit to a consistent schedule.

Although sharing little snippets on social media is considered content in the bigger picture...you should be publishing something more substantial...like your article, video, or audio. Then SHARE your article, video, or audio on social with a link back to the original post.

The way I see it, you have a choice of what would be your foundation content. You may choose the written word and produce your very own online magazine. You could concentrate on audio in the form of a podcast where you build our own radio show. Or, you can record a video where you create your own tv station.

Just starting out, choose ONE. Just ONE. Create a content creation habit…a mindset.

Growing your business online, you should have the mindset that creating content is now what you do. That is a part of your business.

If you're already consistently posting the little snippets here and there, don't stop! Just add the new habit of creating either your article, video, or audio content.

Commit to a publishing schedule and stick to it. Will it be once a month if you're just starting out? Or are you "all in" and committing to weekly?

Today's show is for you if you're a beginner in this whole online space or if you've been doing it a while.

I cover these obstacles that are stopping most from creating consistent content:

1) You think you don't have time for content,

2) You think creating content is too hard, or

3) You think you're already creating content and you already know that you need to keep it up…but frustrated that you aren't seeing immediate results.

Enjoy!

Resources:

• #086 – Building Your Personal Brand to Grow Your Business
• Steven Larsen
• Michael Hyatt | Platform, Get Noticed in a Noisy World
• Click Funnels*
• venture4wd
• Dirt Sunrise

*Note: If you click through the link above link for Click Funnels and purchase, I will earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Today's show is focused on the importance of starting and building your personal brand to grow your business.

As the owner of a virtual assistant business, I have a unique perspective and hands-on knowledge of what strategies are working for one may work for another. Perspective on being exposed to different programs, tools, services, and resources. This perspective is very useful to my clients.

With this knowledge, I've known for a long time how building your personal brand makes a huge difference in building your business, yet for some strange reason, I didn't think it applied to me…to my business.

I was wrong.

The real reason I waited five years to step out behind the safety of my company name was…

I was apprehensive to stick my neck out and be in the foreground of my business.

If you're a coach, consultant, speaker, solopreneur, service provider, sell products through a MLM company, or consider yourself a small business owner, cultivating your personal branding process most definitely applies to you.

From today's show, I hope to spark one of three motivations in you.

1) You are motivated to start your personal brand today. You aren't quite sure what direction you want to go, but you want a change in career. You want to make a bigger impact. You want to scale your business. Starting your personal brand by purchasing your own dotcom address is your first step.

2) You already have a personal brand but haven't been doing much with it. Now you're motivated to start blogging consistently to grow your following.

3) You already have your personal brand and are blogging consistently. This episode helped you to know that you are definitely going in the right direction and you're motivated to step things up and grow your personal brand even bigger.

Enjoy!

Resources:

• 20 Work from Anywhere Job Ideas | Free Download
• Expert Secrets* | Russell Brunson

*Note: If you click through and purchase the book with the link above, I will earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

They say if you're doing what you love, you'll never work a day in your life. Sometimes it can be hard to find what you're truly passionate about.

That's why I invited Mary Howard to this week's show. Mary is a registered nurse who is passionate in helping you keep your body healthy so that you live your life to its fullest.

In this episode, Mary and I get into discussing our thoughts when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle. After all, being and staying healthy has a lot to do with our success in business and in life.

We also tap into Nurse Mary's business growing experience as she shares what things worked and what tactics didn't when it comes to marketing her health and wellness business.

We scratch the surface of talking about how to nurture communication with your contacts using email. Unexpectedly, we started discussing Russell Brunson's Expert Secrets book, which we both highly recommend.

Enjoy!

Resources:

• Mary Howard
  • AskNurseMary.com
  • Powerline Health
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
• Eric Berg, DC
• Jerry Peterman
• Building a Story Brand* | Donald Miller
• Building a Story Brand with Donald Miller Podcast
• Expert Secrets* | Russell Brunson
• DotCom Secrets* | Russell Brunson

*Note: If you click through and purchase the book with the link above, I will earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

In today's show, you're in for a special treat.

I've invited Eric and Melissa Summerville, owners of Squeegee Squad of the Springfield, Missouri region. I first met Eric in 2014 as we belonged to the same local networking group.

We began working together and soon Eric, Melissa and I become good friends. Over the years, things have evolved with our businesses and although we no longer work together, we stay in touch as we genuinely love our friendship.

Squeegee Squad is a window-washing business. As you'll find out from our conversation, they do more than windows.

I wanted you to meet Eric and Melissa because even though they don't have an online business, they have discovered online tools and resources that have shaped how they do business and how they lead their team.

Learn why they decided to buy into a franchise and what keeps them motivated in growing their business even when things get tough.

Enjoy the episode as you get to know Eric and Melissa Summerville of Squeegee Squad of Southwest Missouri.

Resources:

• Squeegee Squad of Southwest Missouri
  • Website
  • Email: [email protected]
  • Phone: 417-522-9220
  • Employment Application
  • Facebook
• Ideal Team Player | Patrick Lencioni
• Jill's Office | US Based Virtual Answering Service