“Working On Your Business, Not In It”

“We are continually faced by great opportunities brilliantly disguised as insoluble problems.”   Lee Iococca

This is what I did, and what most small business owners have done.

We start a business because we want to be our own boss,  set our own schedule,  and go as we please.  We never want to answer to anyone, ever again. Unfortunately, it’s never as easy as we thought.

I think Michael Gerber said it best when he said…

“If you’re working in your business, and NOT on your business, you don’t have a business you have a job. And worst of all, you’re working for a lunatic.”

If you’ve never read E-Myth by Michael Gerber, I highly recommend it.

Why should you be working on your business and not in it?

So your business runs without you having to physically, and constantly be there, day in, and day out. Once you step back from working in your business, to working on it, you’ll have more time to boost your bottom line, attract more clients, and set up the proper systems that will eventually allow you more freedom.

Let me throw this scenario at you – let’s say for the purpose of this example you work five to six days a week in your salon, and you make one hundred thousand dollars per year (your personal gross income.)

Would it make sense to only work two to three days each week in your salon and only make seventy thousand?

I hope you said yes. But what I’ll reveal to you is how you can double your  income and still only work two to three days a week by working on three keys factors and setting goals.

1.    Marketing your salon consistently and cost effectively

2.    Getting your current clients spending more

3.    Setting up systems in your business so that anyone can run the day to day operations

Let’s take a closer look…

Let’s say we have two salon owners, one makes one hundred thousand dollars a year, and the other forty thousand dollars.

Who has the better lifestyle?

If you based your answer on income then obviously you would have chosen salon owner number one.

But, what if salon owner number one worked sixty hours a week. Rarely spent quality time with family or friends, and only took one week off each year for vacation.

On the other hand.  Salon owner number two worked twenty hours per week, spent weekends at the beach with family and friends, and was able to take four weeks of vacation per year.

Now who has the better lifestyle?

Need a closer look? Okay, if salon owner number one is earning $100,000.00 a year (salary) working 60 hours a week.  Their weekly gross income would be $1,923.07 AND their hourly rate would be $32.05

If salon owner number two is earning $40,000.00 a year (salary) and working 20 hours a week. Their weekly gross income would be $769.23 AND their hourly rate would be $38.47

So who has the better lifestyle? Hmmmm, need a minute?

If you’re styling hair all day, or doing nails, you’re NOT doing the most important task at hand.  Which is marketing to bring in new and existing clients, and setting up systems.

You may love to do the hair, nails, or facials, but that’s NOT where the money is. The money and your freedom are in your ability to attract and keep clients. The more clients you have the more money you’ll make.

It’s that simple!

Then, and only then, will you hold the power to design your business around your desired lifestyle. If you never come to this conclusion, unfortunately ten years from now you’ll still be working “in” your business.

When I first started my investment company I thought I needed to do everything. I wore all the hats. I was the secretary, the acquisition agent, the sales agent, the accountant, and the marketing rep. I did it all and I was literally killing myself and my business.

I had no time for family or myself.  I started to hate going to work.

The point I’m trying to make is that you can make twice as much as you’re currently making if you get out of your own way. If you focus on what really makes you money, and it’s not styling hair or doing nails . It’s all about client attraction, client retention, and sales systems. It’s about running a business, NOT working in it. Now I understand that when we first start a business we have to work in it.  However, that doesn’t mean you can’t be working in it, AND on it simultaneously.

Step back and take a look at where you’re going

Have you ever been so busy in your business that you forgot to take the time to “plan the business”?

As an entrepreneur we tend to get over-whelmed working in our business. Sometimes we forget to stop and think about, or plan how our businesses can actually support the lifestyle we desire.

Unfortunately for some, they end up being held captive in a business they once thought was their freedom.  Only because they failed to plan. When we’re not paying attention, life just gets away from us if we’re not careful. The days fly by, and the next thing you know, it’s December. We find ourselves exhausted, over worked, and quietly mumbling to ourselves… “Where did the year go”?

I don’t know about you, but I don’t know any salon owners who started their business because they wanted a place to work. For the most part we all start a business because of what we thought the business would do for us.

•    Higher income
•    More freedom
•    More Time with family and friends
•    Help our community
•    Longer vacations
•    Nicer home
•    Better educations for our kids – and so on

Here’s a quote I came up with one night after finishing a book, and reflecting on my journey.

“If you don’t take the time to work on your business instead of in it, the business you once thought was the key to your freedom, could easily become your captor.”

Think about that for a moment. If you don’t start to plan your business around your wants, needs, and expectations. When you finally wake up you’ll realize that the business hasn’t provided the freedom which you had hoped, but the imprisonment you tried so hard to avoid.

Talk soon,

How to Attract More Clients, Make More Money, And Work Less For Just a $1.30 a Day

Dear Salon Owner,

If you’re exhausted trying to figure out how to attract clients and set up systems in your business so you can have more clients, money, and freedom. I have your perfect solution.

I’m going to spoon feed you 2 video trainings each month jammed pack with an in depth look at how to market and set up systems in your beauty, hair, or day spa. You get everything you need to know about marketing online and offline in the convenience of your home or office.

We’ll cover every aspect of client attraction and creating business systems. WITHOUT marketing and systems you’ll work year in and year out with no hope of early retirement.

•    How to use direct mail effectively (postcards, flyers, letters, ads, yellow page, etc)
•    How to boost sales through Facebook and Twitter.
•    How to sell more in-store products to your clients
•    How to advertise your salon in your local market using the internet
•    How to set up the proper systems so you can work less
•    How to search engine optimize your site with ease
•    How to set up a killer referral strategy
•    How to market and sell a membership program
•    How to implement a newsletter that makes you money
•    How to use vale added promotions to boost sales and gain clients quickly

And the list goes on and on

Each video will contain not just the “know how” but the “how to” so that you can implement each strategy quickly. That’s another reason why I’m only doing 2 videos per month. Anymore than 2 would be like drinking from a fire hose. After each video you’ll have the necessary time to implement each strategy.

Let’s face it, you’re going to have to know how to market and set up systems if you’re ever going to retire on your terms.

My coaching clients pay $15,000.00 a year for the same information. However, the video training allows you to get spoon fed doses at an affordable cost. I can only do it at this low cost because I only have to do them once. And it doesn’t matter when you come into this program. You start right from the beginning of building a solid foundation, all the way up to crafting the perfect message, and building business systems.

I also want your feedback!

Tell me what will help you have your breakthrough year, and we’ll put together training material as needed. You’ll also have access to a secret email address where you can get answers to all your questions.

This will be your way to get all the knowledge you need to grow your salon right from the convenience of your home for less than a $1.30 a day.

I’m even willing to let you try it for 30 days FREE just so you can see how powerful the videos are, and what an impact it will have on your life, and success.

Go ahead and test drive the video training for 30 days at no cost, every month after that it’s only $39.00 and you can cancel at anytime with a simple email.

Click on the image below to get started now!

Once you sign up you’ll receive your first video training within 24 hours.

Hi Everyone,

The absolute hands down easiest way to increase sales and attract new clients  is by adding testimonials to your website, and to all your promotions.

Have you ever watched “The Shopping Network” or QVC on television? If so, you’ve obviously heard them using testimonials from their happy customers. They don’t sell a product without having testimonials to share with potential prospects. WHY? Because they know that people believe more of what their peers say about a product or service then they will from anything they say.

People are very skeptical these days that’s why Amazon.com offers away for a potential buyer to see what others have said (reviews) about a book or product.

You’re going to see more and more retailers and online businesses begin to use testimonials, and reviews to increase sales, and boost their credibility.

I’ve been prodding salon owner’s to collect and incorporate testimonials into their promotions, AND on their websites. AND over the last few weeks I’ve had dozens of emails asking how to go about getting video testimonials, and what to ask the client in order to get a good testimonial.  So I put together a 6 minute video from a successful salon owner who’s done a great job at getting positive feedback from their clients.

Take a look Now! And tell me if you’re using testimonials? Have they helped your salon?

Does Your Life Feel Overwhelmed or Chaotic?

You’ll never find me roaming the grocery isles in July for a Thanksgiving dinner. In fact, you won’t find me in the grocery isle in November either. I’m lost every time I walk into a grocery store.

I hate rummaging through all the isles, shelves, and choices trying to find a certain item. (Can you relate?)

But last week I had a different experience. It comes down to one delightful word.

In fact, this one word is the single biggest reason my business either runs with the speed and grace of a cheetah, or plods along slow and methodical like a turtle.

It’s the key to running successful marketing promotions, your staff, and your business.

Let me explain…

Last week Carolyn and I were invited to her brother’s house for a turkey celebration in July. Yes, turkey in July! I know it’s a little strange but hear me out…

My wife had to go to work because she was running a tournament, so she asked me to go to the grocery store and pick up several items. Here’s the kicker… Carolyn never wrote down the items needed. When I spoke to her she said…”Just get Thanksgiving food, and a desert.”

Hmmmmmmmm, can anyone see a problem brewing? Me in a grocery store for one, is a problem, but letting me loose without a list is a huge mistake.

Here’s what unfolded…

I decided before I go trudging off to the store that I’d take 15 minutes to write down a list of a few items so when I entered the store this would be as painless as possible.

Guess what????

I was in and out in 30 minutes, and I never felt like screaming. SWEEEEEET!

Thanksgiving in July

So I was driving back home I thought to myself… “what the hell just happened?” It normally takes me 30 minutes to find the coffee isle, never mind in and out in 30 minutes with a dozen different items.

Then it hit me – what made this trip different from all the others is that I knew precisely what I wanted, and a list I could check off as I went along.

The BIGGEST most powerful word in business had just unfolded before my very eyes

Wanna know what it is? You do? Okay – it’s… CLARITY!

1.    When you’re trying hard to accomplish a task (marketing promotions, hiring staff, or scheduling appointments, etc.) Clarity gives you the ability to accomplish the task at hand with amazing confidence, speed, and effectiveness.

Think about it… once you write down what you’re trying to accomplish the stress and craziness goes away. It’s like driving through heavy fog into clear bright sunshine.

(Ya just have to make sure you’re paying attention)

When you have clarity on what you plan to accomplish and why, you are sooooo much more likely to enjoy the process of creation and keep your business chaos to a minimum. 20 minutes of clarity work prior to any work session will do wonders.

2.    Make sure you know before hand who your best prospects are, and who you’ll be targeting before you begin the promotion. Know your desired out come before you begin the task at hand.

When I designed the complete marketing done for you kit for salons and spas I was very clear on what I wanted to accomplish. I knew you couldn’t start a marketing promotion without knowing your revenue goals, so I made sure that went into the kit.

I knew you couldn’t sustain consistent growth without collecting vital information from your clients, so I put that in. I knew you couldn’t attract a consistent flow of clients cost effectively using any other marketing method than direct response, so we put that in, and you can’t keep clients without building strong lasting relationships, so of course we made sure that was covered.

By the way if you want more information on our marketing kit Go Here

I was crystal clear on what I needed to provide clients in order for them to succeed at a high level.

Guess what? I had CLARITY before I began that project which made it more enjoyable, and effortless.

When you know exactly what you’re trying to accomplish you can see the end results before you’re finished. That’s the power of CLARITY!

I know there are more ways clarity helps cut through the BS in your business and life.

But I’d love to hear your thoughts on this subject

Do you have any cool stories about clarity and how it has or hasn’t helped you?

Leave me a comment below.

Talk soon,