To be able to take my children down to school on the sledge and pick them up at the end of the day to go onto the snowy hill is definitely a benefit of a home based business. We also miss out on the long delays and traffic jams.

It is important to get the balance right when combining your day job with your part time business. Consistency is key to your success. Try to do something on the business and work towards your goals each day. Goals are great. Short term, medium and long term goals help you to remain focused on the business when things get busy. However it is also so important to live in the 'now' and have fun! Children grow up fast and these are special times with them. If your too busy planning for the future, however important that is, they will grow up and be gone before you realise it!

Give us a call to discuss any issues about starting a part time business and we will give you impartial advice on how to be successful and 'get the balance right'!

Enjoy the SNOW!

Mahalo

Jon and B'

Keeping solutions, simple.

Quite often you can get so busy checking that everything is in place with your systems and that you have made regular contact with your new team members etc. when suddenly you get an email or phone call from someone you have not heard from for a while and it can take you by surprise.

Get out there, connect with people and surprises will happen, just make sure that you are ready for when they do.

The unexpected can bring other pleasant surprises too. As we are more regularly finding out, some things start to progress in the business without our direct input! These suprises may be the result of our efforts from months or even years ago. Either way, it's nice when it happens.

Here's to the unexpected!

Mahalo

Jon and B'

Keeping solutions, simple.

I set myself a goal and told everyone about it.

I'd decided to run the race on the August Bank Holiday and train for it throughout the summer. As usual life got in the way and with one month to go I started training!

With the goal to complete the race in a respectable time firmly set, I trained each week and consistently built up the miles and effort. I remained focused and when the green suit arrived I barely had time to try it on before race day. Did I complete the course? - click the link at the bottom of post to find out!

It is vitally important that you set goals within your business. These can be both personal (what do I want to be able to achieve from my business etc.) and business (what level do I want to reach before Christmas etc.) goals. They can be short, medium and long term goals. The key is that you spend time writing them down, focusing on them and then telling people about them! This makes them real and you make yourself accountable.

Goals are dreams with a deadline!

Re-visit yours today and plan the next 90 days. Stay consistent, do a little activity every day and you too will reach the finish line!

Did Jon complete the course? - Click here to find out  http://tinyurl.com/2wme6dt

Mahalo

Jon and B'

Keeping solutions, simple.

When do these fears develop? Lets take the snake as an example. Last Sunday we had a stand at the 'Summer Declutter' event raising funds for the local children's hospice.

The stall opposite had a number of reptiles that the children could handle. Both Katie (see picture) and Lottie picked up and held the snakes without fear! They had no preconceived fear of the snakes and enjoyed watching them crawl over their hands and arms. Then it was the turn of the parents!

Belinda has a bit of a fear of snakes (unlike me of course) and put on a brave face in front of the children. Even though these snakes were only the babies of adult 7 foot snakes, they were still snakes. Having to hold the snakes in front of the children helped Belinda overcome her fear and by doing so instilled confidence into our children.

Where do these fears come from? Many people, especially when they are new to the business, have a fear of contacting people or talking on the phone. We often get feedback from our team saying that quite often the thought of doing the 'fear' is usually a lot worse than actually doing it. Once you have picked up the phone and started your conversation or introduced yourself at a networking meeting the fear subsides. If you are listening and asking questions that give you the opportunity to get to know more about the person you are talking to the conversation flows.

With practice you will develop confidence and learn to face your fears. That could also include holding a snake!

Mahalo

Jon and B'

Keeping solutions, simple.

Lottie wanted to try Zorbing, so we put her into a big plastic bubble. When we asked how it was afterwards she said it was fun and that although she could see out and see everything it was quiet in there and she could not really hear us.

How many times is your business like living in a bubble?

Sitting behind your computer screen waiting for your business to grow and happen. On-line skills are really important to establish yourself and provide a platform for people to know, like and trust you. But sometimes it is like living in a bubble.

It is also really important to get out and network and meet people face to face. Even when you do go out there might be lots of activity going on around you, just like when Lottie was in the Zorb, but can you hear what they are saying. What are their wants and needs? Are you listening to the people you are networking wth or just telling your own story.

One way of connecting face to face with active, positive people is via networking groups.

The newest kid on the block in the UK is 4networking.They have over 200 venues throughout the country and each fortnightly meeting is full of people looking to share ideas and connect.

For more details and to find your nearest venue visit - www.4networking.biz

Go on 'burst your bubble' and get out there talking to people!

Keeping solutions, simple

Mahalo

Two year old Katie on the other hand, jumped straight onto the Shetland pony, Duke, and independently trotted off around the park full of confidence. Katie believes in Lottie and trusts her, copying anything her 'big sister' does.

When starting out in your new business it sometimes hard to have trust or belief in your own ability, the business or the products. Quite often we require proof that the 'system' works or the products will do what they claim to do. This is why it is important that you have leaders in your business that you trust and know will support you at all times. Without this support you can quite quickly become disillusioned with your business and even in your own ability to make a success of your new venture.

A good leader in your business will probably have been in similar situations and will be full of advice and suggestions. Look carefully into the support structure of any new business, as well as the products and compensation plan,  to ensure that you will be supported and quickly gain confidence.

Like Katie jumping straight onto her pony, having a good leader, such as Lottie, and a strong belief in yourself will ensure that your business will get off to the best possible start. By using your up-line for advice and getting good information and feedback about your products, you will soon start to see the real potential in your business and have the belief to move forward with confidence.

Have a great week

Mahalo

Jon and B'

Keeping solutions, simple.

As the summer holidays progress it is more challenging each day to keep Lottie and Katie entertained. Quick visits to the beach and picnics in the park have all been done and I decided the other day to take the children to the garden centre to buy some pots and plants that they would choose themseleves. Once home with some compost and green fingers we set about 'potting the plants'.

Many of the plants had heads that were yet to flower, the girls could see that by planting their flowers carefully and watering them each day the new heads would also grow and flower.

It is often hard sometimes to think of new ways to keep your business fresh and full of new ideas. Sometimes you need to think of a different take on what you are currently doing to keep you business fun. Doing the same technique over and over can be boring. So why not this week try something different that you have not done for a while to connect with people. Try ringing instead of emailing or add a comment to the next 10 blog posts that you read.

Back to the flowers. As you plant a new seed (team member) into your business ensure that they are potted correctly with a good foundation /compost. In this way if you water them and look after them they will grow and florish and also create new flower heads by themselves!

The girls loved the task and to help you 'pot your plants' correctly, Lottie made the short video below.

Have a great week,

Mahalo 

We’d watched Point Break and Patrick Swayze can do it!  so could we.

So off we went to Cornwall…. Hired a big foamy board and a wet sandy wet suit.

Ran off down the beach and we were ready.

We swam out and boff, boff swim splutter, salty water for every wave we swam through we got dragged back by two more! It was hopeless we were getting nowhere fast. By lunch time we were spent.

The next day we were up and out by 9 to catch the waves. Ran out over the sand, sun glistening on the water… Perfect.