Christine Parma @christineparma-blog - Tumblr Blog

How To Make the Right Decisions Even When You Feel Overwhelmed and Stuck

Have you ever been faced with making a tough choice and felt overwhelmed by the process of simply making a decision?

Or you're not clear on which path is the “right” one for you now?

One of the biggest blocks to making a decision is the fear of making the wrong one. We’re afraid a decision that we make is going to somehow turn into Armageddon for our lives and it’s going to be the worst decision we’ve ever made. Then we’d have to deal with not only the terrible consequences but feeling ashamed and embarrassed that we made the “wrong” choice.

And that’s exactly what held me back for a long time… until I decided not to let it anymore.

Here are the steps that help me to get unstuck and confidently move forward with the right decision for me.

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Step 1: List out the worst and best case scenarios that could happen as a result of your decision

When I was a financial planner many years ago, it was very clear to me that my job wasn’t right for me. But I felt stuck and afraid to leave the safety and income security that comes with a 9-to-5. For a long time I was too scared to make the leap to doing something else because I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I soon reached the point where I couldn’t stomach the thought of going into work and I couldn’t bear feeling so miserable any longer.

That’s when I developed this process. It starts with getting your fears out onto paper where you can see them in black and white and start to dispel them. I thought, “What’s the worst possible outcome here?” I started listing out all the terrible things I imagined could happen as a result of quitting my job.

These are some of the things that were on my list:

I won’t have any income and therefore I’m going to be homeless.

I won’t be able to feed myself.

I’ll feel so ashamed.

People would think I’m a loser.

I listed as many fears around quitting my job as I could think of. That gave me the opportunity to get some perspective and discern the truth about how likely it was that each fear would come to pass. For some people, quitting their job would actually cause them to become homeless. In my context, I felt like that wasn’t going to happen because I had enough friends and enough family that I could stay at someone’s house. Sure, it would be a bit embarrassing and it wouldn’t be the ideal solution, but I wouldn’t end up homeless. I went down my list, started addressing each fear and crossing them off.

And then I did the reverse. I asked myself, “What are the really awesome things that could happen?”

I could find work that I love.

I could feel fulfilled by my work every day.

I’d feel like my work is making a real difference in people’s lives.

My work would be in alignment with my values.

I’d be able to inspire people to go for their dreams, too.

Even though I didn’t know what the job was called, those are the feelings and the qualities I wanted whatever work I’d do to have.

What’s a decision that you’ve been afraid to make? Or something that you’re feeling overwhelmed by?

Start writing down your fears and hopes around that decision and start weighing the pros and cons of deciding one way or the other.

Step 2: Understand that not making a decision IS a decision - and a disempowering one.

The first blog post I ever wrote is called “Stuck on Stuck,” which is all about how I lost so much time, energy and joy being stuck with making a decision around creating my website and the process I used to get unstuck.

When you stay stuck, essentially you are making a default decision of “no choice”. Even when you’re not making a decision and proactively moving forward, you are still making a decision, but it’s a decision that gives up your power and the control that you have about creating your outcome versus living by default in that outcome.

What it comes down to is that you can either choose to proactively make a decision that maybe goes your way or you can reactively deal with the consequences of not deciding. Either way, you’re still responsible for the outcomes.

Step 3: Make a decision quickly and commit to it

One of the really big costs to staying stuck in indecision and overwhelm is not being able to move forward and reallocate the energy to something that’s more productive. If you’re a mama CEO, for example, you’ve got a lot of things vying for your time and attention. There are numerous decisions that have to be made every single day about how you spend your time and how you spend your energy.

One of the biggest complaints I hear from mama CEOs talk is that they don’t have enough time… They don’t have enough time for their businesses or their kids or they just can’t find the time to finally launch their businesses.

The first step to creating more time is to make decisions quickly so you can move into action and not get stuck in overwhelm. So, instead of looking at your long to-do list and thinking, “OMG, there are 25,000 things on my to-do list. How am I ever going to get this done?!”, ask yourself, “What is the next best thing I can do right now?”

You’ve got to make decisions quickly if you don’t want the process to turn into an energy drain. You’ll find that deciding quickly creates more time for you and you’ll get so much more done in your business. You may even be surprised that you find peace and fulfillment in your life even when your to-do list is a mile long.

That’s why the third step is to decide quickly and then commit to that decision by not changing your mind for at least 72 hours. Sit with that decision. See what it feels like when you’ve had a chance to exhale, finally make a decision and feel unstuck. What does it feel like? What’s the feedback you’re getting? Does it seem like the right decision for you after all?

A lot of decisions need more time to get the feedback that you need. For me, just simply making a decision moved me out of overwhelm, got me unstuck and allowed me to move forward. Let your fears settle down and give it some time so you don’t throw yourself back into feeling stuck by second-guessing yourself.

Step 4: Be compassionate with yourself.

Given the information that you had at the time, given the circumstances and given where you are in your life when you’re making that decision, you always make the decision that’s the best decision you are capable of. Always. I really don’t believe that anybody sits around thinking, “What is the worst decision I can make here? Let me do that so I can totally screw up my life.” We are all making the best decisions we can at any given moment, even if in hindsight some of them seem like bone-headed decisions.

So, be forgiving and compassionate with yourself if a decision turns out to be not the best decision. You have the opportunity every day at every moment to choose something new, make a new decision and be in the driver’s seat of your life.

Share your thoughts!

1. Have you ever felt stuck in indecision?

2. How did you get unstuck and move forward in your business or life?

Share in the comments below!

Hi, I’m Christine!

I help ambitious, heart-centered entrepreneurs build wildly successful businesses they love and lives they love even more by combining smart business strategies with powerful mindset and spiritual principles. Step by step I show you how to package up and authentically market your brilliance, confidently book loads of dream clients at higher fees and grow your business faster without the overwhelm.

You can earn earn fantastic income doing what you love and have the kind of life you dream about. I’m here to help you make it happen now. Learn more about what we can do together.

#success #entrepreneurship #entrepreneur #femaleentrepreneur #heart-centered business #mompreneur #smallbusiness #greatness

The 3 Big Offer Mistakes That Repel Your Dream Clients and Keep You Struggling to Get Booked

Getting clients. Making sales. It’s the cornerstone to making any business work.

Yet so many businesses are getting the key piece to doing this totally wrong. Or they’re doing it poorly but don’t recognize what’s causing them to struggle to bring in new clients.

What’s this key missing piece? A compelling offer (aka, your messaging) that grabs your dream clients by their eyeballs.

Whether you’re making your offer in person, over the phone or via your website, there are three big offer mistakes that cause dream clients to click away, say “no” or run screaming in the other direction (or all three). If you’re having problems booking clients or selling your products, the first thing you should look at is how you’re communicating your offer.

In this article, you will learn what to focus on in your sales conversation so that your clients will be encouraged to sign up to your program, how to connect with what your clients need from you, and finally, how to communicate with your clients so they’ll be more than willing to pay for your services, even at higher fees.

Watch the video below and let me know what you think.

Like it? Please share it!

If you got some nuggets of wisdom from watching this video, please share this video post with a few of your friends.

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#1: You’re focusing on the “how” instead of the transformation

The first big mistake that you might be making with your offer is that you’re focusing too much on the “how” of how you help people change or get results. This is the part of your sales process that talks about the number of sessions they get with you, how long those sessions are, how many modules they get in your program, how many DVDs or CDs, or how long the things are. That’s the process of how you help your clients and not the transformation you provide.

For example, if I’m your client and you’re going on and on about the number of sessions I get when I sign up with you, I may be sitting there thinking, “Oh my gosh 12 sessions, I don’t have time for 12 sessions.” Or I read your sales page and it touts how your program has over 40 modules in it, I’m certainly thinking, “Whaattt? How am I going to get through all that?!” (That’s a true story about a program from a marketing guru I was considering investing in and didn’t for exactly that reason.)

As the person who is providing the service or product, you may thinking that packing more in and highlighting how much stuff your clients get is a great strategy, but the “stuff” isn’t really what your potential clients care most about. What they care most about is the transformation that’s going to happen from working with you , i.e., the results they’ll get, like how their business is going to improve, how much happier they’ll feel, and how much easier something will be. Instead of focusing on how many sessions that somebody gets, how long they work with you, focus on the transformation you’re going to give them.

If you’re a health coach for example, focus on how much healthier is the person going to feel, how much more energy they’re going to have, how much weight they can lose, how they’re going to feel great about being a great mom because they’re feeding their kids healthy and nutritious that they can make in less than 10 or 30 minutes for example. That’s what your best clients really care about, not the process or how many sessions or how long the sessions are.

Do your sales conversations or online sales pages focus on the details of how you deliver the results instead of the results themselves? If so, make sure you change that right after you’ve finished reading the rest of this post.

#2: You’re not solving a big problem that your dream clients feel they have

Another huge messaging mistake that entrepreneurs make is focusing on solving a problem that your ideal clients don’t think they have and/or solving a problem that they don’t feel is really important to solve. When creating any offer or messaging, you must first and foremost think from your dream client’s perspective. What do they think are their really big problems? Which ones do they want fixed NOW? Which problems are so urgent or painful that they’ll do just about anything to solve them? These are the real problems your ideal clients feel they have… and they may be different than the ones you as the expert know need to be solved. That’s where many people get tripped up with creating their offers and messaging.

I’ll give you an example of focusing on the real problem of your clients. When I was working with T. Harv Eker, his introductory live program was called The Millionaire Mind Intensive. The hook - the motivator - that got people to travel from all over the world to attend his events was the dream of being a millionaire and having no more money problems. When people read the sales page for the Millionaire Mind Intensive or heard about it, they’d think, “I want to be a millionaire.” And, the message appealed to a primal internal desire everyone has: the need for safety and security (in this case, financial security). If Harv had called the event The 3-Day Personal Development Extravaganza, no one would have showed up!

But, the interesting part is that The Millionaire Mind Intensive wasn’t about the latest investment strategies or business methods. It was all about mindset and personal development. It was about the inner changes you have to make in order to become a millionaire. As the expert Harv knew that if you have belief systems that keep you from feeling good about being wealthy, they’ll stop you from consistently making or accumulating a lot of it. The “promise” of learning how to become a millionaire got people in the door so people could get the transformation they actually needed to do that.

Ask yourself: “Do my offers focus on a big problem my dream clients feel they have?” If not - or you’re not sure - you need to fix that, pronto!

#3: Your offers are drowning in jargon

One other mistake that I’m going to share with you today that people make when creating their offers and messaging is loading them up with industry jargon. For example, if you’ve been in the personal development world for awhile, or you’re a coach, healer or transformation expert, you’ve been steeped in the language of empowerment, inner balance, feeling peaceful and being inspired. But those words are all industry jargon and they’re not the words your ideal clients are most often using to describe their problems and desired solutions.

You may not think what you’re saying is foreign to your clients, but it is. Jargon can be really hard to spot because we’re all so used to using terms common in our niche or market (and why it’s so helpful to get an outside set of eyes on your offer).

In the coaching industry, for example, your ideal clients don’t walk around saying, “I wish I was more empowered and inspired to build a profitable business and get my life more balanced with kids and work.” They don’t say that. What they do say are things like “I wish I can just connect with my dream clients” or “I wish I could just get booked,” or “I wish I could make more money in my business,” or “I wish I could have a business and do the work that I really want to do and feel like a great mom, too, and not feel like I’m sucking at both of them.”

So you have to think, “What words are your dream clients using when they’re talking about their problems in their heads or when they’re talking to their friends about their problems?” That is how you start getting clear on the language you should be using in your offers and throughout your brand messaging.

If you’re struggling to attract and book loads of your dream clients, grab your offers and go back through this post to find out where your messaging may be off.

Share your thoughts!

After reading this article and/or watching the video, what changes do you need to make to your offers? What are you already doing right?

Drop a comment below! And if you liked this article, I’d be honored if you shared it. <3

You decided long ago that life was too short to spend it working a typical J-O-B, so you made the leap into pursuing your passion. You’re committed to making a difference in the lives of your clients… and the world. You’ve even built a business around it.

But instead of having more freedom, income and fulfillment in your life, you're running 24/7 because you're just not bringing in enough clients at fees high enough to make your business work financially.

Let me assure you, raising your fees AND having a full client list IS possible... and it's possible for you! Book more clients today + get paid more while doing the work you love! Click here now!

Hi, I’m Christine!

You can earn earn fantastic income doing what you love and have the kind of life you dream about. I’m here to help you make it happen now. Learn more about what we can do together.

#success #entrepreneurship #entrepreneur #femaleentrepreneur #heart-centered business #mompreneur #smallbusiness #greatness

Why You're Not Selfish or Greedy for Charging More

“It’s better to give than to receive.”

“It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

“Rich people are greedy / bad / selfish.”

I bet you heard at least one of these common sayings growing up, and maybe you even believe it.

But that’s a BIG problem if you’re an entrepreneur or you simply want to attract more money and abundance into your life. Associating money with greed, selfishness or general “badness” puts you at odds with the inherent urge you have to be a “good” person. And where there’s inner conflict, there are muddled outcomes.

It’s my belief that it serves the world when you charge enough money for you to not only stay in business but also thrive.

Otherwise, your business won’t be around to help the people who want and need want you offer.

The truth is that you are not selfish or greedy for charging more in your business. In this article I cover why you deserve to be paid high rates, why it’s important to be charging more than less, and how to position yourself in the market so you can attract your dream clients, even at higher fees.

Let’s dive right in!

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You deserve to make a great living doing the work that you’re meant to do in the world

If you’re struggling to earn enough to keep up with your bills or live the kind of life you desire, the first thing you need to look at is how you feel about charging for the services that you provide to other people.

Do you feel bad asking for more money than your clients make per hour?

Do you feel guilty or greedy charging higher fees?

Do you sometimes feel like you really don’t deserve to earn more?

These beliefs and emotions really get to the heart of why a lot of people (and women, especially) think they can’t charge higher fees. The truth is that you can charge more… you’re simply making the choice not to because of this inner conflict.

You’re actually being of service to your clients by charging enough money for you to not only survive in business but to thrive.

When you’re stressed out and struggling in business, it negatively impacts every area of your life, including how you show up to serve your clients, your personal relationships and health. But when you charge enough to do more than just make ends meet, you’ll be able to show up as your best self and give your clients 100% of your attention and focus to help them get the results that they want from working with you.

People will be more committed to doing the work that they need to do to get results when you charge higher fees

Sometimes this really comes down to a life or death situation. Let’s say you’re a health coach and you’re working with people who are really overweight and they’re struggling with the associated health consequences like diabetes, high blood pressure and arteriosclerosis.

It can be really hard to change old habits, even in a life or death situation, because the prospect of doing so can feel overwhelming. Only a really strong motivator will move that person out of their “comfortable discomfort zone” and get them to do the things they need to do to get healthy again.

Money is a big motivator for most people. The more skin you have in the game, the more motivated you feel to see a return on your investment.

Looking at how much you charge clients to work with you from this perspective, you can easily see that when you charge lower fees, you actually reduce motivation and increase the odds of people failing to get results. When you charge less to your clients then they don’t have much skin in the game to get the change they need. You’re not helping people when you make it easy to let themselves off the hook.

Of course, I’m assuming that if you’re charging higher fees, you’re also delivering massive value. You must find the balance between pricing your services so that people feel committed and they show up and do the work and the level of service and value you bring to each client. Most of all, what you’re able to successfully charge and get paid has to do with your capacity to hold the energy for successfully receiving higher fees (as in, your inner confidence, belief systems and mindset).

The caveat to this is that in any audience of people, there are always people who are willing to pay more for more access, more attention, more help, and there are people who aren’t willing to pay quite as much. When you come across someone who’s not willing to pay what you’re asking, that’s your opportunity to stand firm in your value and/or offer your services in a different way and at a different price commensurate with the level of personal attention they’ll receive.

The prices you charge either support or take away from your brand

One of the best parts of being your own boss is that you get to choose how you position yourself in the market. In any given industry, throughout the entire world, there are people, products and companies that price themselves at the high end of a market and there are those that price themselves at the low end of the market. You have the freedom to choose how you want to show up and serve people and how you want to position yourself in the market: low price and high volume, high price and lower volume or somewhere inbetween.

I’ll give you an example. Let’s take a look at Walmart and Neiman Marcus. If you go to the beauty supplies counter at Walmart, you’ll find a ton of $7 make-up. But hop on over to Neiman Marcus and the prices rise dramatically. In truth, the make-up is probably similar stuff, but Neiman Marcus has positioned themselves as high-end and high-quality, so no matter what someone buys from them, they’re going to assume it’s better than what they can get at Walmart.

This is where the common saying, “You get what you pay for” comes in - people are conditioned to think that the more they pay for something, the better it must be. Of course, that’s not always the case, but it doesn’t really matter if it’s true that it’s better or not. Perception is reality for customers. By positioning yourself at the higher end by charging higher fees, you leverage people’s natural belief to your advantage, as well as providing more motivation to actually do the work they need to do to get the change they desire.

More reasons why you’re not selfish or greedy for charging more

You can give more to charity or your favorite causes when you have more money.

You can afford to hire team members to help you, which provides employment for others.

You’ll be able to do more self-care and invest in your own health and well-being so you can be around for your loved ones for a long time.

You are modeling for your clients (and everyone around you) that money and meaning are not exclusive, as in you can do meaningful, heart-centered work and be an amazing human being and make a lot of money, too.

Charging higher fees doesn’t make you greedy or selfish, but it does allow you to be of higher service to your clients and it serves the world for you to be out there doing the work that you’re meant to do. That’s how I see it. :-)

Share your thoughts!

1. What has been your experience with charging higher fees?

2. What are the things that hold you back from charging more?

Share in the comments below!

Hi, I’m Christine!

You can earn earn fantastic income doing what you love and have the kind of life you dream about. I’m here to help you make it happen now. Learn more about what we can do together.

#success #entrepreneurship #entrepreneur #femaleentrepreneur #heart-centered business #mompreneur #smallbusiness #greatness

Ever Feel Like You're Not Enough?

Do you ever feel like you’re not enough? As an entrepreneur, as a parent, as a person?

That used to be one of my biggest struggles.

What held me back from really putting myself out there as an entrepreneur and taking the steps to make myself visible was that I felt like I didn’t have enough to say. I struggled with feeling like my ideas weren’t good enough or original enough to share. And, I often second-guessed myself and wondered if people would actually find value in what I say and how I help them.

Then I called B.S. on myself. When I reached the point that my desire to help others was stronger than my fear of what others would think, I stepped into fully owning my value, no matter what.

I feel like this is so important to talk about because when you feel like you’re not good enough (in whatever way that is), then you beat yourself up all the time and you take away your own power… and you feeling disempowered benefits no one. Sometimes you may feel like other people are out there taking away your power....

But the truth is that we take away our own power when we feel like we’re not enough…

And some of us are doing that to ourselves A LOT.

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We may fear that we don’t have something that’s “good enough” to share with the world. In the context of the entrepreneurs I work with, the mental struggle that often goes on is: “Will people pay me to work with them?”or “I don’t think people will pay higher fees to work with me because I’m not a well-known expert. I’m not an expert at all!”

So much of what we see in the news media and in underlying societal beliefs is that if we’re not the superstar, then that means we’re not enough… and that puts us in the position to “compare and despair.” All the self-doubt is exhausting! We’re always on the losing end of what we imagine their perfect lives to be.

If you’re feeling like you’re not enough, or that the message that you have is not valuable enough, or that you’re not enough of an “expert”, or you don’t have enough letters after your name before you start sharing your work with the world, then stop. Stop beating yourself up that way. You are already enough.

Another layer of this “not enoughness” can show up if you’re also a parent. I’ve resolved to not fall into the “mom guilt” trap, and yet the little voice in the back of my mind sometimes chimes in and tells me that I’m being a bad mom because I’m working on my business instead of spending my time with my kids at that moment. It’s the mom guilt dilemma.

There can be a lot of judgement from others and yourself around wanting to pursue your dreams if you’re a mom, especially if it’s considered to be an irrational dream to those around you. Even your family, spouse, and friends might perceive it to be kind of weird and non-traditional to want to start your own business instead of having a corporate job. But I believe that if you’re feeling pulled to do something - if you’ve got a fire burning in your heart to serve the world in a particular way - it’s a sign that you’re meant to do it. Even if you feel like you only have a few followers in the beginning, you never know how important what you say and what you do may be for somebody. You don’t have to be a top expert to make a big impact in the world. You never know how important what you share may be to somebody. It might literally be life-saving and life-changing.

I’m working on really integrating this and living it each day and I encourage you to do the same.

Share your thoughts!

Do you struggle with not feeling good enough? When you do, what strategies do you use to move past it?

Share in the comments below!

Hi, I’m Christine!

You can earn earn fantastic income doing what you love and have the kind of life you dream about. I’m here to help you make it happen now. Learn more about what we can do together.

#success #entrepreneurship #entrepreneur #femaleentrepreneur #heart-centered business #mompreneur #smallbusiness #greatness

The Top Business Activities that Bring Cash in the Door that You're Probably Not Doing Enough Of

If you've been putting your all into your business and yet you're struggling to make it work, you might be making one of the biggest mistakes that entrepreneurs often make: not focusing on the core activities that really move the needle in your business.

There's so much information out there that you may not know exactly what you need to focus on, so I'm breaking it down for you step by step in this video. With all the hats most entrepreneurs wear - business owner, parent, carpooler, sports coach - it can be easy to lose track of what we really need to focus on in our business day in and day out. You may be so overwhelmed by the mountain of activities you think you need to do that you’re not even sure where to start.

How do you create the best business plan for your business?

What activities should you put in your to-do list?

How can you leverage your marketing efforts?

How do you implement marketing and promotion activities in the best possible way?

And finally, which parts of your business should you be focusing on to get the highest possible return on time, money and effort?

There's so much information out there that you may not know exactly what you need to focus on, so I'm breaking down the top business activities you should be doing to book more dream clients and make a fantastic income in your business, no matter what niche you’re in.

Prefer to Listen?

#1: Create a revenue-focused business plan

The thought of planning out my business used to make me feel a bit queasy. I had visions of spending days slaving away creating some stuffy old document that I’d never use. Yet I knew the right kind of plan would help me grow my business faster and better, so I figured out how to create a plan worth the time it takes to create.

A useful business plan should help you organize everything that you’re going to do in a way that works for you. It should reflect your overall vision for your business, what you want to achieve over a certain time period and how you’re going to make it happen. The most important piece of your plan revolves around how you’re going to make sales that bring money in the door.

And, what creates those sales? Your paid offers do, so it makes sense to plan your business activities around them, doesn’t it? When looking at what you’ll offer over the next six or twelve months, double-check that you put your offers in a logical sequence; one offer should logically lead to the next.

The beautiful thing is that once you have your offers scheduled into your calendar, you can more easily plan out all of the content you’ll create and your promotional efforts in a way that gets you far better results with less effort.

The bottom line: Intentionally plan out your business tasks to support sales.

#2: Ruthlessly prune and prioritize

One of the things that holds many ambitious entrepreneurs back is their ambitions themselves. You probably have big dreams and goals and a very long list of everything you want to do. Many entrepreneurs get in a hurry to build their six- or seven-figure businesses and end up creating overwhelming to-do lists, piling on more of everything and burn themselves out working more hours than they did in their old 9-to-5 job (and with few results to show for all their efforts).

If you currently feel overwhelmed or like you’re doing a hundred different things but not really getting anywhere, take a hard look at how you’re spending your time and energy. Do you have so many irons in the fire that you’re not really doing anything well? Which things could you simply stop doing? Which ones can you hand-off to someone else? Which things must have or are worth your personal time and attention?

When you’re clear on exactly what you’re offering and which marketing strategies align with your personality and available resources, it’s much easier to know exactly what to focus on every day.

Let’s say you’re excited about using video to market your programs or products. Before you take on any other marketing strategy, you need to be consistently producing video content that builds your customer base. Get that first marketing process nailed down and only then add another.

#3: Pick the low-hanging marketing fruit

If you’re out there doing good work, tell people about it! There are many one-time promotion activities or things you only need to update periodically that you can do quickly, but so often people overlook these “low hanging fruit” opportunities.

Examples include:

Changing your email signature to include what you do. It’s a one-time activity that lets people know what you’re doing, what you stand for and how to find you.

Create a lead magnet (aka, freebie) that you can use over and over to grow your email list.

Once people are on your email list, make them what I call a lead-generating offer, which is a lower-priced product or service that requires little to none of your personal time after you’ve created it. Even before you have an email funnel in place with an official tripwire offer, you can email your list with a lead-generating offer.

More important than getting everything “right” is getting the right things done.

#4: Implement ongoing marketing and promotion activities

Here’s where a lot of entrepreneurs trip themselves up, and I can say this because I did it to myself. It can be really easy to hide behind all of the administrative activities in your business and prioritize those things over the tasks that actually bring money in the door, which are primarily ongoing marketing and promotion activities. Especially if you’re starting off and you’re not totally confident in either your message, work or the value that you provide, administrative activities can be used as an excuse for not having enough time to do the things you really need to focus on.

In my 6-Figure Business Checklist I’ve included an extensive list of the top revenue-generating activities that you should be doing more of, like doing livestream videos, blogging, getting out there with regular promotional posts on social media and offering your own high-end signature programs. If you’re not sure which one is the right next step for you, which marketing activities do you feel excited about (even if you also feel a bit scared)? Which ones fit your personality best?

#5: Establish an effective online presence

Your website is your online business card and although you don’t have to have one to successfully market yourself online, it adds credibility. Your website doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does have to be effective and support your brand (otherwise it can do more harm than good). Include a well-written About Me section or page, compelling copy about your services or programs, an attractive photo (even if you simply take one with your iPhone) and how people can get in touch with you. That’s really all you need to get started.

You can quickly build a beautiful one-page website on Squarespace or Wix, even if you have no tech know-how. I went down the Wordpress website rabbit hole for way too long when I first started my business and realized I wasted far too much time on researching website platforms instead of simply making a decision and moving forward with it. I opted to use SquareSpace and have been very happy with it.

As your business grows, you can add things like a blog (as long as you’re able to do it consistently) and additional programs, products and services. The key is to make every section and every page supports your brand, bolsters your credibility, and, ultimately, helps you book more clients.

#6: Create higher-free programs, products and services

The last category that’s really important is sales of your higher-fee programs, products, and services. While you may feel you’re being helpful by putting out tons of free content and lower-priced offers, unless you’re selling a ton of them, you’re not going to be in business for long!

Just as important is that free information won’t solve people’s problems. If it did, then the world wouldn’t have any problems with the amount of free information out there. The truth is that your clients often don’t get results from low-priced products because they have very little skin in the game. It’s easy to purchase and then never use a $47 online course because it was “only” $47. But when people make a bigger investment in themselves through your higher-fee program, product or service, they feel a much stronger need to see a return on investment and are more likely to step up to the plate and do the work. They’ll also see more value in you and your work simply because it carries a higher price (otherwise known as “perceived value”).

I’ll give you an example of getting skin in the game. Every year there’s a charity auction for a private lunch with Warren Buffett, which has gone for as much as $2.6 million dollars. Now you may be thinking, “Well, he’s Warren Buffett. Of course someone is willing to pay $2.6 million.” Yet the only reason these people are willing to pay such an incredible amount of money for an hour or so of time is because they feel that the personal access and tips and insights he can give them are going to be worth ten times as much as they’re paying for that lunch. They feel the return on investment makes it worth the price.

The same goes with your clients. When you create higher-fee programs and effective offers that successfully position the rewards as more than worth the investment, you help your clients step up, say yes to themselves and getting the transformation they need.

Share your thoughts!

How do you best love to connect with your potential clients?

Which business activities create the highest return on your investments of time, money and energy for you?

Share in the comments below!

Hi, I’m Christine!

I help ambitious women entrepreneurs build wildly successful businesses they love and lives they love even more. Step by step I show you how to package up your brilliance, book more of your dream clients and implement leveraged systems that help you make a bigger income and impact with your work. When you combine smart business strategies with powerful mindset principles, you can do what you love, earn fantastic income and have the kind of life you dream about.

Ready to make your business work and support the kind of life you want to have? I’m here to help you make it happen. Learn more about what we can do together.

#success #entrepreneurship #entrepreneur #femaleentrepreneur #heart-centered business #mompreneur #smallbusiness #greatness

How to Discover the Gifts You’re Meant to Share and Why It’s So Important That You Do

Do feel stifled by your current job or feel like you’ve settled for less than you’re truly capable of?

You’re not the only one. Over 80% of employed people are currently unhappy with their jobs or careers to the point it’s practically an epidemic. But that doesn’t have to be you. I believe we all have certain gifts we’re meant to express during our lifetimes and it’s really important that you do!

Discovering what those gifts are and how to leverage them into a career or entrepreneurial business that not only feeds your soul but also rewards you financially can be a journey so confusing and frustrating that many give up trying to figure it all out.

When you’re stuck on a project that’s going nowhere fast… When you feel like you’ve hit a dead end… When you know there’s no room for growth in your current job or venture…

How do you discover the gifts you’re meant to share and start to fully express them in a way that’s right for you?

That’s what this post is all about helping you do.

Prefer to Listen?

From 2007 to 2009, I was working with T. Harv Eker, a best-selling author, personal development guru and super-successful businessman and author. I absolutely LOVED the work I was doing! But then I decided I wanted to become a mom and because that job involved so much travel, I decided to quit so I could stay home with my new son.

After a few months of being a stay-at-home mom, what I discovered was that quitting that job I loved left a big hole in my life. I asked myself, “Is motherhood enough? Is motherhood itself enough to fulfill me?”

When I got to the point that I started feeling like there was something more that I needed to do and I did what a lot of women do and latched onto whatever was around me, which led to full-time volunteering. That kept me busy enough for a couple of years that I could ignore the dissatisfaction I still felt inside. I was busy, but not fulfilled.

I felt this need to do something more. I felt I wasn’t fully expressing myself or my gifts and that there was a bigger step I needed to take to express my creativity. So, I actually took up a baby project: inventing a new baby bib! And, I worked on that project for several years while volunteering and being a stay-at-home mom. Again, though, I was just keeping myself busy and the baby bib project lingered without me really fully dedicating myself to it.

Then the turning point came: I went to a women’s business conference and when I’d talk about the work I’d done with Harv to create and launch new programs, I lit up and would babble on sharing tips and strategies for successfully launching live and online programs. More and more people kept telling me, “Forget the bib! You need to share these things that you know about creating and launching programs. People need that!” Eventually, enough people said the same thing that I started wondering why I wasn’t yet doing it and that was the beginning of the business that I now have.

Although it took me several years to discover the gifts I’m meant to share and start doing it, it doesn’t need to take you that long! Here are key steps for uncovering the skills you’re meant to share to the world. Listen to people when they tell you about the talents they see in you People telling you that you’re really good at something, especially when it’s not something that you’re doing right now, is one of the tell-tale signs you’re not doing what you’re meant to be doing. Maybe you’re discounting your unique gift as a “real” skill or thinking that it’s not something of value to the world because it comes easily to you. We often think that just because something is easy for us to do that it’s also easy for everyone else, it’s not a valuable skill or it’s not worth sharing. On the contrary, when something comes easily to you, that’s a huge sign that it IS a gift you’re meant to share!

Don’t listen to the doubts in your head

Too often we discount our gifts and diminish their value because of a cultural belief that we have to work hard for our money. The corollary is that if something comes easily to us, it must not be valuable or we shouldn’t charge much for it.

To continue with the story, after I decided to launch my business, my fears came up and I went into self-doubt. I thought, “Well, I’m not really an expert. Yes, I have experience and did all these great things, but I don’t have letters after my last name, I’m not a guru, I’m not a best-selling author.” But if you’re going to launch your own business and succeed at it, then you have to work through those doubts, just like I had to.

Believe you can be a superstar in your own right

When you work for someone else, you’re often the behind-the-scenes person like I was for T Harv Eker, or you’re a part of a team, or you’ve got the company’s name and reputation backing you up. But when you launch your own personal brand business as a coach, healer, author, speaker or practitioner, now the spotlight is on you… and that can be disconcerting or scary.

At the beginning I often asked myself, “Can I really be the person who is helping other people? Can I be the person standing in the spotlight?” The answer is yes - for me and YOU! Even if you’re just starting out, even if you’re not a superstar just yet or the top person in your field, what you know, your unique life experiences and your gifts can and will help a lot of people. If you can keep that in mind that there are people who want and need what you can provide, it will help you get over your fears and take action from a place of service and contribution to the world.

Discovering your gifts is a journey

Even now I’m discovering new layers of how I can help people through the process of working with them. Discovering your gifts is a journey that will continue to unfold as you do your work in the world. You’ll get clearer on what your gifts are, what fulfills you and brings you joy, and what benefits the world as you get into the act of doing your work.

Along this path of uncovering and discovering what your gifts are, there will be many iterations. There will be pivots. You will make adjustments.

Tap into your intuition to help guide you as you go. You may have a kind of a divine moment when your questions are answered in your head. Or the guidance you need will come through feedback from your friends and the world around you, just like when I was at the conference where people asked me why I was messing around with a baby bib business.

Questions to help you discover your gifts and what you’re meant to do: To help you get clearer on your gifts and what you’re meant to do, I’ve put together a series of questions. Set aside 10 - 15 minutes to write out the answers.

What gives you joy? What do you absolutely love doing?

What comes easily to you? What are some things you do really well but maybe you’ve discounted its value in the business world?

What have other people complimented you on or told you you’re really good at?

What do people often come to you for advice on or help with?

Where your passion, gifts and talents and other people’s wants and needs intersect is your business sweet spot. Start off by making a list of what people want or need that’s in some way related to your gifts and talents.

What problems or struggles do people have?

What kind of solution do they want or need?

Is someone else already providing a similar solution or service? (That’s a good sign! That means there’s a demand for what you want to do.)

Share your thoughts!

1. What gifts do you have that you feel are untapped?

2. What are some of the ways you could make money with your skills and abilities?

Share your answers in the comments below!

Hi, I’m Christine!

Ready to make your business work and support the kind of life you want to have? I’m here to help you make it happen. Learn more about what we can do together.

#success #entrepreneurship #entrepreneur #femaleentrepreneur #heart-centered business #mompreneur #smallbusiness #greatness

Push Back The Darkness By Shining Your Light More Brightly

With all the negative events happening in the world right now, it can be easy to feel like we can’t do anything about it, but nothing can be farther from the truth. We as entrepreneurs can do so much to make a change in the world.

Not only can you make an impact through the specific work you do, you can be a source of inspiration and empowerment. Frankly, right now, the world needs a lot more of that. The world needs a lot of light and as much light as possible.

How, specifically, can you make a positive influence on the world through your business? Here are some steps to get you started.

Prefer to listen?

Step #1: Realize your power to change the world

I want to start off with this truth: you have a unique light, a unique brilliance within you that the world needs.

You’ve probably heard other people say it and I still want to say it again because I feel like not enough people really realize their value and the power they have to create change in the world.

I’ve been listening to the news and the darkness that people feel is kind of overtaking the world and rearing its ugly head in so many ways. I want to acknowledge that sometimes we heart-centered entrepreneurs may feel like we’re up against this unimaginable and unsurmountable darkness in the world. But together we represent a community of positive influencers that have the power to make a difference in people’s lives.

Making that difference begins with standing in your power, stepping up and choosing to share more of yourself and your goodness so that more people hear your message.

Step #2: Make the darkness your motivation to do good

I wanted to share my perspective on this and what you can do about it. I liken the current situation in the world to the night sky:

You can’t see the stars, how brightly they shine and the immense number of them until the sky is at its darkest.

All these things that are going on in the world that are frankly not in alignment with my values and not in alignment with the values of a lot of people I know are the backdrop of blackness. They’re the darkness in the night sky.

For those of us in the world who are about spreading love, goodness, generosity, kindness and shining our light into the world, the black backdrop gives us the contrast - and maybe even the incentive and motivation - we need to actually shine more brilliantly, commit ourselves to living more consciously and spreading our light in spite of whatever fears we may have around that.

Step #3: Put your money where your values are

Get creative with how you can be of service in the world, even as one person or as a movement of one. What can you do even through the work that you’re doing in your business to help spread love and initiate a positive change in the world that you wish to see?

There are a lot of times we can think that money is the only way we can really make a real impact. If you just have enough money to give to charities or throw at a cause or to spend, then you could make a big change in the world. And while, yes that’s true when you have money, you can do more things with it, simply by being you and stepping up to a new level of sharing your message and work, you can impact dozens of lives, which may eventually become millions.

Look at examples like Mother Teresa, the Dalai Lama, Gandhi. They started off as everyday people sharing from their hearts and ended up creating movements that changed the world in profound ways. We can all do the same.

Even if it’s not even a movement that you initiate, you might inspire one or two, or ten, or a hundred people to be a little different, to think a little differently because of your message and how you are shining your unique light brilliantly. The effects of changing just one person ripple out across the globe. When you change one person’s life, you change millions of them.

Step #4: Align your business with a bigger purpose

Ask for God or the Divine’s help to determine how you can be of service in your own way through your business.

One of the ways I want to be able to give more is through donating to charities that are doing amazing work in the world.

What came to me when I asked for inspiration was donating 100% of all the sales proceeds from one of my programs to a charitable organization that is near and dear to my heart, which I did for an entire month. When I look at why I’m in business, why I’m helping people, my number one is to be of service, and number two is being able to give more. By aligning my work with my bigger why, not only do I feel great, I have a strong motivation to move past my fears and do what I need to do to grow my business because the better my business does, the more I can give.

So when you’re feeling surrounded by darkness, be a star in the night sky… and be a big one! Be the agent of change who helps usher into this world the light, love, generosity and kindness that you want to see - and do it in all facets of your life. It will not only change many others’ lives profoundly, it will transform your own.

Share your thoughts!

I’d love to hear what your ideas are for helping to spread light in the world.

How do you, in your own personal way, push back against the darkness in the world?

What are some ways you help out your community and the world at large?

Share in the comments below!

Hi, I’m Christine!

Ready to make your business work and support the kind of life you want to have? I’m here to help you make it happen. Learn more about what we can do together.

#success #entrepreneurship #entrepreneur #femaleentrepreneur #heart-centered business #mompreneur #smallbusiness #greatness

Are you focusing on where you’re at or where you’re going?

What’s it really take to have what you want in life? To create the life you see others having that you wish you had?

When you’re in caught up in the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it can be easy to slip into a rut and let a big dream slowly fade into the past.

Or, you get so frustrated by your current circumstances and the distance between where you are right now and where you want to be that you miss the gifts you have right now.

The funny thing is that when you know where you’re going, but you’re at peace with where you are right now, turning the vision you have for your life into your real life becomes a lot easier.

Watch this video to get 3 simple steps that will help you have more of what you want RIGHT NOW... or keep reading.

If you want to manifest or create the kind of life that you’re dreaming of, sometimes it can feel really frustrating and disappointing when you think, “Oh, I want to have this kind of life and a successful business and do things that light me up,” but that’s not what you’ve got right now. It’s not showing up no matter how hard you try and and that can be really tough to deal with.

So, I want to give you some steps on how to more easily bridge the gap between where you are right now and where you want to be and to do it with more grace, ease and happiness.

Step 1: Work with what you’ve already got

So, the first strategy I want to share with you is you’ve got to work with what you got. Now, there are people who are out there struggling right now and living paycheck to paycheck, and you may feel like you may never get to the vision you hold for yourself. But if you are trying to build a business doing something you enjoy and around the work you love, but you’re feeling frustrated because you don’t have the resources or tools that you need, you’ve got to work with what you already have right now.

Instead of just focusing on, “I can’t do it because I don’t have the perfect backdrop for my video livestream” or “I can’t afford the fancy tools to launch my business or grow it” or “I only have a few hours a week to grow my business because I’m staying at home with the kids", you’ve got to work at what you got. And I promise you that when you start taking an inventory of the resources you already have around you, then you’ll be surprised at the number of things that you actually have access to.

For example, what kind of network do you already have? Your personal network, your friend network, your community network, and your online network.... How can they be a resource and an asset for you?

Another example: Your creativity. Nobody can take your creativity from you and it’s an infinite resource. Challenge yourself: how can you get creative about growing your business, launching your business or doing the things that you want to do in your life and managing your time so you can do them? What kind of options and solutions can you come up with?

So I ask you: What resources do you have access to that maybe you’re not using fully or at all? Maybe you’re in a job that you really don’t like and you want to change jobs or you want a promotion that you want but you think you’re not qualified for. Think about the ways in which you are qualified.

The reality is that YOU are the only person who’s keeping you from going after what you want. All you have to do is look at the people who’ve started big companies. Take a look at Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman when they started Nike. They didn’t have a lot of resources. They started Nike by making the shoe outsoles in a waffle iron! Literally. But that was what he had available at the time and look at how big a company Nike is now. There are countless examples of people who started with nothing. All they had was a vision for where they wanted to go and a burning desire, so they simply started with what they had.

Nowadays the internet gives you access to virtually unlimited free resources, including the business-building trainings I offer inside the Successful Women Entrepreneurs community, that the if you’re not yet where you want to be with your business or in your life, it’s rarely for a lack of access to information but rather a problem with implementing that information. Put your creative thinking cap and start coming up with ways you can use the resources you’ve already got, even if you feel like you don’t have a lot of resources.

Step 2: Hold a clear vision for what you desire

In order to focus - and take aligned action - to create the kind of business and life you want to have, you have to have a clear vision of what that looks like for you. As the famous Yogi Berra said, “If you don’t know where you’re going, then you’ll end someplace else.” And isn’t that so true? If you don’t have the vision for what you want to create - for the kind of business you want to have and what you want your life to look like as a result of that business or just in general - you’re just going to end up kind of wandering through life.

My question for you is, are you kind of wandering through life? Or have you sat down and actually given some thought what you want your life to be like?

When you hit 90 years old and you’re looking back at your life and the things you’ve done, what do you want to see? If you were to write a book about your life, what do you want to be in that book? What’s your vision for the life you want to have?

Now, some people will say, “Well, you never know what’s going to happen in life and there’s no point in setting goals because things happen and goals change.” Well, yeah, they change, but that doesn’t mean you don’t aim for something to begin with. You start with a vision for where you’re going, get into action that takes you in that direction and maybe somewhere along the way you learn something that changes your vision a little bit, so you simply adjust course. You change the things that you’re doing to get to that new vision.

Frankly, if you’re living life and you’re interested in expanding yourself and your soul’s experience here, then your vision will change. It will evolve - it’s supposed to. But that doesn’t mean you don’t have a vision for your life at all. Without a vision for the kind of life you want to lead, one day you’re likely have a moment when you think, “How did I get here? How did my life turn out this way?” and feel quite disappointed with what you’ve done with your life. With a clearly defined vision, even if life doesn’t go exactly according to plan, you’ll be headed in the same general direction and you just may create something even better than the original vision you had for yourself.

Step 3: Don’t be attached to the “how”

Have you ever heard the saying that goes, “If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans”? But I think people misinterpret this to mean “don’t make plans at all”. It doesn’t mean you don’t make plans… just don’t get super attached to those plans or how that vision that you’re holding is going to happen.

That’s what holds a lot of people back and what keeps a lot of people from investing the time to think about the vision they have for themselves. They get very attached to the “how”, like, “I have this vision for my business. It’s going to be a million-dollar business and it’s gotta happen this way and at this time.” When things don’t happen like they envisioned, then they toss the entire vision into the trash can, when a more supportive approach would be to hold the vision for where you’re going, but if something else happens that supports your overall desire, make room for it.

Your life may end up being taken in a completely different direction and one so amazing that you couldn’t conceive of it. That’s what happened to me. When I was working in corporate, I was totally miserable and I eventually quit my job. What happened after that and how I got to be doing the work I’m doing now, I literally never could’ve imagined if for no other reason than I didn’t know that people actually got paid to do the work I ended up doing and the work that I’m doing now. The “how” that showed up enabled me to turn a far better vision for my life into reality. So, allow your vision to evolve and be open to wonderful things coming into your life and changing that vision, but still start off with an initial vision, so at least you have something you’re aiming for.

If you don’t have a vision for yourself right now, spend some time writing down your vision for yourself. Just let it flow. Get it out of your head. What do you want your life to be like? What do you want your business to be like? How do you want to deliver your heart-work into the world and make your impact on the world? Write it down.

Step 4: Be at peace with where you are now

When you stuck in frustration or overwhelm, or you envy the life that you see other people having that you want, you become a magnet for more of what you don’t want. And the opposite also applies: when you’re at peace with where you are right now and you’re not in that space of pining or feeling frustrated by the distance between where you are and where you want to be, then getting to that vision you hold is a lot easier, happens faster and is a more enjoyable journey. Staying in high-vibration energy will help you manifest what you desire.

You can choose to come from the place of “this is where I am, and I know I want to be here” without attaching negative energy to it. Instead, focus on the excitement and happy anticipation of what you’re calling in and creating. That’s when things are really going to click for you.

Step 5: Consistently take aligned action

We’ve already established that you must hold the energy for that vision you want to bring in and create, but you also have to action and take action consistently towards creating that vision. I look at the process of manifestation whatever it is that you want as a partnership between us and the Divine / the Universe. Each of us must do our part. Yes, you need to be open to intuition and being guided in the direction to your soul’s journey in this lifetime, but you also have to actually act on that guidance by taking consistent action.

For example, if you’re launching or growing a business around doing work you love, there are certain things you should be doing to grow your business from a practical standpoint. You should be engaging in marketing activities that make you visible so that your potential clients can find you.

Don’t make it hard for them to find you. You have to make it easy. Do livestreams. Get on Facebook. Create posts. Go to meet-up groups and tell people about what you do. Share from a place of your passion and that’s how it feels good too, when you’re sharing from your excitement and your passion for what you’re doing. People love excitement and passion that’s authentic, but then you have to take the consistent action.

Even if your blog post doesn’t get any comments. Even if your livestream has only a handful of view. Even if you’re not seeing the kind of results you want to see after months of trying, taking consistent, aligned action pays off over time (assuming you’re taking the kind of action that supports success).

What is one step that you can take right now that you will commit to doing consistently? Is it going to be doing livestreams to help grow your business? Is it going to be blogging on a regular basis? Is it going after a job you really want by throwing your hat in the ring and applying for it?

What will you do that will put you a step closer towards that big vision that you hold for yourself?

Share your thoughts!

Do you find it difficult to stay focused on where you’re going instead of your current circumstances?

What’s one action you can take right now for creating the life and business you want to have?

Share in the comments below!

Hi, I’m Christine!

Ready to make your business work and support the kind of life you want to have? I’m here to help you make it happen. Learn more about what we can do together.

#mindset #success #entrepreneurship #entrepreneur #femaleentrepreneur #heart-centered business #mompreneur #smallbusiness #motivation #inspiration #greatness

The Steps to Manifesting More of What You Want

You seem to be doing everything right. You put in long hours, you work hard and you take action, but things aren’t happening like you want them to. If you’re an entrepreneur, maybe you’re just not booking enough clients or bringing in enough money, so you’re struggling to stay in business. Or maybe you’ve been begging the Universe to send you a different job opportunity because you can’t stand the one you currently have, but for the life of you, you can’t find anything that you’d actually be excited to do.

Or you desperately want to be in a loving relationship and have plastered your profile all over dating service websites, but all the guys you date are Mr. Wrong.

When you’re getting a bunch of what you don’t want, how can you turn it around and start manifesting more of what you want?

It all comes down to your energy, how you’re asking for what you desire and acting on your intuition.

Here’s what you need to do to start manifesting more of what you want in life right now.

Prefer to listen?

Start by aligning your energy with what you want in life

To manifest more of what you want, you have to get your energy level into alignment with that which you want to attract. Think of yourself like a big tuning fork. If you’re familiar with how tuning forks work, you know that when you strike one, it starts to vibrate and produces a certain pitch of sound. Just like a tuning fork, you’re constantly sending out an energetic vibration that seeks out similar vibrations. If your energetic vibration is high and positive (think love, joy, passion and hope), you’ll attract people, things and circumstances with a similarly high vibration.

The opposite is true, too. When your energy is vibrating at lower frequencies, the principle still applies and you’ll align with the other energies that are resonating at similar vibrations. Unfortunately, it’s most often what you’re trying to rid yourself of. That’s why it’s so important to shift your energy to higher vibrations quickly, or at least to a neutral frequency, to avoid attracting more of what you don’t want into your life.

A personal example of how profoundly shifting your energy vibration can affect your outer-world results is when I got the job opportunity to work with T. Harv Eker. I was coming out of a job that I was really was miserable in and one of the darkest times of my life. At that time, I couldn’t see how my life would ever get better. I didn’t know what the new job would be or how I’d make money, which is why I clung desperately to my job that I wasn’t happy in for too long. I was scared. I didn’t know what my next step was.

I didn’t know what my next “logical” steps was, so I started focusing on how I wanted to feel - happy, energized, excited, joyful. A lot of people get stuck in the mindset of feeling trapped by their circumstances and trying to figure out the next logical step. But when you’re feeling stuck or trapped, the first thing you have to do is to stop focusing on feeling stuck and instead focus on how you desire to feel instead.

Once I shifted my energy and made a specific request (the next step) for a new job that was in alignment with how I wanted to feel, things started shifting very quickly. I manifested a new job opportunity far more amazing than what I could’ve ever conceived and my life was taken in a totally new and wonderful direction.

What do you want more of? What do you want to attract into your life?

When you are clear on what is it that you want, then take a look around at your life, your business, your relationships, and every little facet in your life. Ask yourself, “Where am I out of alignment? Where am I energetically not a match in what I say I want in my relationships, my business and my health? Where am I energetically off? How am I not bringing that energy in that piece of my life?” Then take the steps to align your energy with that which you want to have more of, which I share below.

Make a crystal-clear, specific request

When manifesting more of what you want, you can’t just go out and get what you want if you aren’t clear on what it is that you want. You must be clear and specific about what you want… or you may manifest something different! And, honestly, too many people are completely clueless about what they want! They don’t actually sit and take the time to really think specifically what it is they want to create in their lives.

So if they say, “I want more freedom”, that’s quite general and open to a lot of interpretation. Freedom for me probably means something different from freedom to you. What does freedom look like to you specifically? How do you define freedom?

If you want to manifest more money and simply focus on having “more money” and you find a dollar in the street, you now have more money than you did before. Request granted! But I bet you were aiming for more than a buck, weren’t you? That’s why it’s so important to be really clear and specific about what you want to attract more of, yet always remain open to receiving that or something better.

Stay open to getting something even better

One of the things I’ve learned in my life is that sometimes we tend to think a little too small. What life has planned for you and me - what the universe has planned for you and me - is a whole lot bigger than what we can imagine for ourselves. When we have our heart set on manifesting something, whether it’s money, a relationship or a particular job, the Universe often has something much better in store for us if we stay patient, open to possibility and root ourselves in the faith that the Universe always has our backs.

When I finally quit the job I hated and opened myself up to receiving what I desired in a way I hadn’t imagined, was only about a month later that the amazing new job opportunity showed up while attending a personal development seminar. I never would’ve thought I’d hear about a job opening during that seminar, and it was the only time I’ve ever heard such an announcement such a conference out of the dozens of live events I’ve been to. The Divine’s plan for me was so much greater than the vision I held for myself at that time (thankfully!).

Act on your intuition

After you’ve set the conscious intention for what you want to create and have brought your energy into alignment with it, follow it up with action.

The Universe will do it’s part, and you need to do yours. Your part of the divine partnership includes acting on your intuition. If you don’t know what your next action step is, ask. Ask God, your Higher Self, your intuition. What is your gut telling you? What is your heart pulling you to do next? Be open to receiving the answer in any forms. It could show up as an email (that’s one I often request), as a casual remark in a conversation with a friend, as a book that you suddenly feel compelled to buy. And when the answer or opportunity you’ve been asking for shows up, be sure to act on it!

When I was sitting in that personal development seminar and I heard the job opportunity, I knew instantly it was what I’d been asking for, even though on paper I was in no way qualified for that job. I felt a rush of energy so great, I literally jumped out of my chair. My heart pounded, the voice in my head screamed, “That’s it! That’s what I’m meant to do next!”. In that moment I had the choice to act on my intuition to go after that job or talk myself out of it because I wasn’t “qualified”.

Don’t let fear and doubt talk you out of doing what your heart - your intuition - is telling you to do. You must constantly realign yourself with what you want to manifest, take aligned action and be steadfast in the belief that you can and will have what your heart desires.

Be persistent in going after what you desire

This might be the hardest part: being patient and persistent in spite of what is or isn’t showing up for you. It can be more than a little frustrating when you feel like you’re doing everything right, and yet what you desire just isn’t happening.

When that amazing job opportunity with Harv Eker manifested, I got into action fast. I was on it like white on rice. Harv was the one who’d make the hiring choice, so I was at every live event he was at. I stretched myself way outside of my comfort zone by doing things like auditioning to be a trainer for his live events, just because it meant he’d be watching me and getting to know me better. I drove up to Canada and met with his HR Director to convince him I was the one Harv should hire, just in case it helped my chances.

I kept at it for seven long months. At the very end, I started to wonder if I’d somehow gotten it all wrong… that maybe this job wasn’t meant for me after all because I hadn’t gotten the “you’re hired” yet. And that’s exactly when you should ask again for guidance from the Universe and not give up. It was when I’d almost given up all hope and asked for guidance that not 60 seconds later I saw an email in my inbox that said, “You’re hired!”

Refocus on staying aligned with what you desire to create and then be persistent in going after it. You never know if you’re only inches from the finish line.

Share your thoughts

I’d love to know what successes and frustrations you’ve had with manifesting more of what you want. When has it worked for you? When hasn’t it? And, what have you learned from those experiences?

Drop me a comment below!

If you liked this article, I’d be honored if you shared it. It might just be the message someone needs to hear today.

Hi, I’m Christine!

Ready to make your business work and support the kind of life you want to have? I’m here to help you make it happen. Learn more about what we can do together.

#entrepreneurship #business #entrepreneur #law of attraction #manifest more of what you want #lawofattraction #femaleentrepreneur #mompreneur #manifesting #mindset #women in business #heart-centered business #inspiration

Are You a Prisoner of Your Own Ambition?

Are you a prisoner of your own ambitions?

Now that question may seem a little odd to you because we’re always hearing how important it is to be ambitious and to go after your dreams, and to work hard and make it happen.

I say the same things, but here’s the trick: If you’re so ambitious in the pursuit of making your dreams that you lose sight of what’s truly important in your life, then what does that ambition amount to?

I am a Type-A personality by nature. When I was working in corporate many years ago, I constantly worked late to prove that I was good enough in an industry that was mostly dominated by men (financial services). I wanted to prove to myself and everyone else that I was just as good as the guys. So, I worked really, really hard. I was in the office early and worked until late at night. I pushed myself constantly to do more, like getting my Certified Financial Planner designation in 6 months when it normally takes about 2 years.

All those long hours and mountains of pressure I put on myself cost me a lot. I was in my early 30’s and for the first time in my life, I got hit with extremely painful, stress-induced episodes of shingles - something that’s pretty rare for someone that age. Not to mention the other ways my ambition was costing me, like in my relationships.

Trading one miserable job for another

Now leap forward in time to when I launched my own brand. The whole reason I started my own business was to continue to do work I loved, to share my experience and my expertise, and at the same time to make a fantastic income. I wanted to make a real contribution to the world in my own way, but I wanted to have the freedom and flexibility to do the things that are most important for me like being there for my family and playing with my kids when they get home from school, as well as going on vacations whenever I wanted to.

And yet what happened was I became a prisoner of my own ambitions. I essentially recreated that corporate environment I’d been so miserable in as I worked crazy long hours strapped to my desk in my home office. And, worst of all, I was missing those things that were truly important to me - not exactly the kind of life I’d been so excited to have being my own boss.

Can you relate? Do you feel like your entrepreneurial business is turning into a 9-5 job or 9-11 job because you’re working so hard getting your business off the ground?

One decision I deeply regret

One winter that we got snow where I live, which is really, really rare. I was so excited to go outside and play in it, but I had a project with a deadline I’d set for myself and I wanted it to be done. That project had become like a crushing weight on my shoulders because, frankly, I’d bitten off almost more than I could chew. I’d set this almost impossible timeframe for myself in which to complete the project - again, being super ambitious and wanting to rush to the end goal in record time. The intention was good, but the time frame wasn’t sufficient.

If you find that you’re setting yourself up to feel extra pressure and extra stress because you’re giving yourself not enough time to get something done without freaking out about it… that’s what I’d done.

And on that winter day, as I was looking out my office window watching my kids and husband playing in the pristine white snow, my ambition was robbing me of my happiness. Hearing their laughter was like a knife in the heart because I wanted to be out there playing in the snow, too, and I was faced with a tough decision: Do I go play in the snow and say screw it with work or do I finish my project?

The punchline is that I kept working... a decision I deeply regret.

Looking back, I should’ve made another choice, but I was in this trapped by my thinking: “I should finish this now because if I don’t I’m going to be a failure, my business will blow up and I’ll never get clients.” And, ultimately, I felt that if I failed in business, then * I * was a failure.

In hindsight, I’d never make the same decision again (that’s the beauty of having hindsight, isn’t it?). The truth of the situation was the my business wouldn’t have gone down the drain if I’d extended my deadline by another day or two. And, even if it had somehow, that certainly doesn’t make me a failure as a person (and the same goes for you).

Please don’t misunderstand. I’m not saying, “Yes, slack off in your business,” or “Don’t take action and go for your dreams.” What I’m advocating here is not losing sight of what’s really important in the heat of acting on your ambitions. Doing so comes at a huge sacrifice to our own happiness, health and well-being. When ambition usurps core values, your work will suck the joy out of your life and negate all the reasons you created your business for in the first place.

Freedom, happiness and doing what matters most

If you’ve already made the leap into being an entrepreneur, which in and of itself is a huge thing, and you’re taking action and you’re doing the things that you need to do to grow your business, that takes a lot of courage. Don’t rob yourself of the freedom and happiness that come from building a business that first and foremost supports the quality of life you want to have so you can do more of what matters most to you NOW.

You can be ambitious and not work 24/7.

You can go after your dreams and make them happen and still have heaven in your life by doing the things that light you up and fulfill your soul.

What it takes is getting the resources you need and putting processes and the systems in place in your business so that you can set ambitious goals for yourself but not have to do all of the work yourself. Delegating, outsourcing and getting help is one of the best moves you could ever make to grow your business while having more freedom to do the important personal stuff, like play with your kids in the snow.

Share your thoughts

I would love to know what you think about ambition.

Do you think you have to sacrifice a lot in life in order to fulfill your ambitions?

Or should you have a balance between your ambitions and doing what lights you up? Is that really even possible?

Leave your comments below!

Hi, I’m Christine!

I help ambitious women entrepreneurs build wildly successful businesses they love and lives they love even more.

Step by step I show you how to package up your brilliance, book more of your dream clients and implement leveraged systems that help you make a bigger income and impact with your work. When you combine smart business strategies with powerful mindset principles, you can do what you love, earn fantastic income and have the kind of life you dream about.

Ready to make your business work and support the kind of life you want to have? I’m here to help you make it happen. Learn more about what we can do together.

#entreprenership #mindset #startup #mompreneur #femaleentrepreneur #growth #success

The Ultimate Online Shopping Cart Comparison Smackdown: SamCart vs. ClickFunnels vs. Shopify vs. PayPal

When you enter the online business world for the first time, you may feel overwhelmed by the number of tools, apps, and digital services available for selling your products online. I’ve been there, drowning in a sea of information trying to decide which one was right for me. Entrepreneurship is hard enough… getting started with selling your services, programs and products online shouldn’t be, which is why I’ve cut through the fluff and put together everything you need to know to choose the right online shopping cart for you right here.

I’m saving you tons of time with this in-depth feature comparison of the top shopping cart contenders for entrepreneurs selling digital products, online courses and physical products shopping cart platforms: SamCart, ClickFunnels, Shopify and PayPal. No matter where you are in your business - from newbie to seasoned online entrepreneur - you can find the solutions you need with one of these sales platforms.

SamCart: The powerful yet affordable solution for newbies to mega-sellers

Let’s start off with the relatively new kid on the block, SamCart. Originally created to provide an elegant alternative to the ugly PayPal checkout page, SamCart has continued to evolve and further its mission of helping you cut-down on your abandoned shopping cart rate, close more sales and increase the amount you sell to each customer.

The great thing about SamCart, especially for those who consider themselves “non-techy” (like me) is that they’ve made it really easy to get your account up and running quickly. Their platform is simple to use and has full library of tutorials and helpful instructions to assist you. Because of its simple interface, comprehensive support features and stellar customer service, SamCart is the best platform for beginners in the digital product industry.

With SamCart it’s easy to get your checkout pages created. Simply click “New Product”, enter your product’s name, choose a payment price and frequency, select your checkout page template, insert the appropriate description and set up integration with your Stripe and/or PayPal accounts you’re ready to go. If you have other tools, like an email service provider or membership platform, you can set those up in less than 60 seconds and your buyers' information will be sent over. (Note: you have to also set up the integration on your email service provider's end, too.) Once you hit save, you can start sharing your checkout page URL, which will take your customers directly to your beautiful new shopping cart page.

But even though SamCart is easy enough for complete online selling newbies to use, it still offers a full suite of options that seasoned professionals doing millions of dollars in sales every year may need… all without becoming overly complicated. For example, you probably know by now that if you’re selling online, one of the fastest ways to grow your sales and business is with an affiliate program, but maybe you’ve shied away from complicated and cumbersome stand-alone affiliate tracking tools so far. SamCart makes things easy for you with its fully integrated affiliate platform that allows you to control who joins and even set up special “VIP affiliate” commission structures. You can also allow your affiliates to promote all or only some of your products and customize the commission pay-out for each.

SamCart’s full suite of features, ease of use and reasonable price tag even at the Premium level is a big reason so many online marketers, like Ryan Deiss, Amy Porterfield and Jeff Walker have already switched over to them.

SamCart Features Low-Down

Let’s now take a look at some of the stand-out features and many things you can do with SamCart:

Deliver digital files your customers purchase with a link that automatically expires after they’ve downloaded the product, eliminating the need for having a website, complicated plug-in or membership site. SamCart hosts the uploaded product directly so you don’t have to do it somewhere else.

Use their revolutionary 1-Page Funnel checkout page that takes all of the best elements of a complicated sales funnel puts it on one simple page which makes it easier for you to launch products and for customers to say yes

One-click order bumps that can instantly 2 x or 3 x your total sale

Easily create multiple payment options, free trials, expiring trials and subscription payments for every product you have.

Choose from 18 checkout page templates proven not only to make your brand look great but to also help you increase your conversion rates.

Don’t like the checkout page templates like they are? You can customize them to reflect your own brand using HTML and CSS or use the built-in fields to change font, background and button colors, for example.

Insert custom content on your checkout pages with images, tables, special symbols and more.

Add design elements proven to increase sales, like testimonials (with images) and guarantees.

Sell in major currencies and automatically support sales in different languages.

Easily split test different designs to see what works best.

Customize your checkout page URL to make it easier for your customers to find and remember you.

Test your checkout process in “sandbox mode” to make sure everything is working correctly before going live. This eliminates the need to spend your own money purchasing your products and lose money on the credit card transaction fees (something I’ve done a lot of in the past) in order to make sure everything is ready to go for your customers.

Quickly add more products and services to your customers’ orders without requiring them to fill out a long checkout page again with the “Add to Order” feature. Your customers will receive an updated receipt and it works with PayPal, too!

The great thing about SamCart is you can continue to use your favorite business tools with dozens of built in integrations, plus virtually unlimited integration possibilities using Zapier. Some of the most popular purchase-related integrations include:

Send purchaser information to email services like Drip, ConvertKit, Aweber, InfusionSoft, ActiveCampaign and MailChimp.

Landing page platforms like Leadpages and OptimizePress.

Create automatic membership access in tools like WishList Member, MemberMouse, Kajabi, Teachable, Zippy Courses and more.

Inside your account you can look at your company performance from a bird’s eye view with SamCart’s Profit Center dashboard. Here you can find live information on:

Total sales, orders, profit, refunds, page views, conversion rates and more

Custom reports to find the information you need

SamCart also has the following features:

Unlimited product set-up and sales

Digital product sales and delivery

Physical product sales

Subscription product sales

Multiple language support

Customizable shipping charges for physical product sales

Sell in any currency

Built-in affiliate center

Detailed sales reports supported by snapshot visuals

One-click upsells and upsell funnels

A/B Testing

VAT tax tracking via integration with Taxamo

No additional sales fees above what Stripe and PayPal charge with the Pro and Premium Plans

Integrations with programs like ActiveCampaign, AWeber, ConvertKit, Drip, GetResponse, HubSpot, Infusionsoft, Kajabi, MailChimp, MemberMouse, OptimizePress, Paypal, Stripe, Zapier and more.

Try it with a 30-day free trial and 45-day no-questions-asked, money-back guarantee. Then it’s just $19 per month for Basic, $99 per month for Pro or $199 per month for Premium

Why get started with SamCart?

Many SamCart users have attributed their uptick in sales and profit per customer to the platform’s ease of use and elegant design. Because each customer’s buying experience vastly improves when you have a highly-effective sales process in place that also supports the value of your brand, you can sell more to each customer that lands on your page. Whether you’re selling a $297 online course, a $12 e-book, or a $5,000 coaching program, SamCart is a fantastic platform with which to sell your products and services.

SamCart also developed a profit-boosting checkout page template called the 1-Page Funnel that eliminates the need for developing complicated sales funnels with many different pages. The #1 reason people don’t put sales funnels in place is because it takes a lot of work… but the 1-Page Funnel model cuts out all of that. And, with the bonus trainings that SamCart gives you to create your own 1-Page Funnel in record time and drive sales of your product or service, it’s hard to see why you’d ever need a complicated sales funnel ever again.

But one of the most compelling reasons to sign up for SamCart beyond its amazing features, in-depth training library and stellar customer service is their new Basic Plan. With a free 30-day trial and at only $19 per month, the new Basic plan makes it super-affordable for any entrepreneur to get started selling online, close more sales and make more money at the end of every month. And to solidify the case for SamCart being the undisputed ecommerce choice for online entrepreneurs, they offer a 45 day, no-questions-asked, money-back guarantee. That’s a tough combo to beat!

ClickFunnels: The all-in-one tool for marketing funnel fanatics

ClickFunnels is an all-in-one online marketing tool that you can use to create marketing funnels, landing pages, track affiliates and set up simple membership sites.

If you’re not familiar with exactly what a marketing funnel is, here’s a simple explanation: It’s a series of pages your client goes through before landing on your checkout page. The funnel starts with marketing campaigns, then moves down to client engagement, targeted content, email blasts and culminates in a sales transaction (at least, that’s the goal!).

ClickFunnels is all about funnels and has a variety of pre-built ones for you to choose from. If you’re an author, ClickFunnels has a Bestseller Book funnel. If you’re a local business owner, use the Fishbowl Funnel, which is a page where people put their contact information on your page to win a prize.

They also have the pre-built…

Product Launch Funnel if you have a product you want to get out there.

Perfect Webinar Funnel for launching and monetizing your webinars.

And If you’re selling on Amazon, you can subscribe to their “real stuff” funnel to market your physical products.

In ClickFunnels, you can create:

Optin or lead capture funnels that are used to get the email addresses of your potential customers

Sales page funnels that leads your visitor to an upsell or downsell page depending on whether or not he or she chooses to purchase your product

Membership sites to create your very own community of subscribers

ClickFunnels Features Low-Down

Custom domain names

A/B testing

Email integration

Optin funnels

Advanced funnels

Sales funnels

Membership funnels

Webinar funnels

Automated Webinar funnels

Order Pages

One-click upsell pages

Downsell Pages

Mobile responsive

Professional themes

Clone, drag and drop, and advanced website editors

Major payment integrations like PayPal, Stripe, and Infusionsoft

14-day free trial and then $97 per month for the Standard features or $297 per month for the full Etison Suite

Why get started with ClickFunnels?

In the past, you’d need a team, a lot of time and several different tools to put together your own sales funnel. You’d have to think about website hosting, landing page software, an email autoresponder, split testing software, automated webinar software, affiliate software, membership site software and design. But with ClickFunnels, you can find all that on one platform, although it also comes with a higher monthly price tag to get access to the full suite of options.

If you have no idea what a marketing funnel is or haven’t yet got one in place, ClickFunnels is the perfect place to learn all about it. Because its interface is so easy to navigate, you can easily build your landing page and optin forms to grow your email list. You only have to drag and drop widgets in order to create your pages.

They also have proven templates you can choose from or you can customize your own with HTML. You can make your sales page look exactly like you want by dragging and dropping information, logos, images, testimonials, and guarantees.

One advantage ClickFunnels has over other ecommerce platforms is their integrated membership site and course delivery capabilities. Whether you’re selling tea leaves, dog food, weight-loss powders, fitness programs, or parenting advice, ClickFunnels will show you how to create a monthly membership site where you can generate income from your members. Although I personally find the design of ClickFunnels-hosted membership sites and courses to be more basic and less user-friendly than than well-known stand-alone membership and course platforms, like Teachable, Kajabi or Thinkific, it’s enough to get you started if you don’t want to add on separate tools for those.

ClickFunnels vs. SamCart

Both platforms have their strong points.The number one difference between SamCart and ClickFunnels is that they focus on different parts of the sales process. Unlike ClickFunnels, SamCart focuses on the checkout and post-checkout process of your transactions. While ClickFunnels is better at funnel creation, SamCart has more compelling checkout pages.

SamCart is an ecommerce platform that’s specifically designed to help you make more money from each customer that lands on your checkout page. ClickFunnels is a marketing funnel platform and email marketing tool to nurture customer interest when they’re not yet convinced enough to buy your product or service, and once they do buy, ClickFunnels helps you maximize the amount you earn from each sale with upsells and downsells (much like SamCart does).

With ClickFunnels you have to customize your checkout page yourself, but with SamCart, it offers you beautifully designed checkout pages that have already been proven to garner sales from your clients.

When choosing which ecommerce platform is right for you, also consider what other tools you already have in place. For example, if you’ve already set up dozens of landing pages with LeadPages and have email automations already established with a service like Drip, simply adding on SamCart might be the way to go versus ClickFunnels, especially given ClickFunnels’ higher starting price. But if you’re just starting out or looking for a true all-in-one platform, then ClickFunnels may be your better option.

Shopify: Eye-catching virtual storefront for physical products

If you sell physical products - and a large variety of them - then Shopify is your go-to ecommerce platform. With over 100 professionally-designed. Mobile-friendly and fully-customizable storefront themes to choose from, you can make your brand pop and catch your customer’s eye. Although you can sell services and digital products on Shopify, they excel in serving sellers of physical goods, offering extensive inventory and purchase-tracking capabilities using their Liquid short-codes.

Shopify Features Low Down

Unlimited number of products you can sell in your store

Fraud analysis

Discount codes

Staff accounts

24/7 live and email chat support

Unlimited bandwidth and online storage so you won’t be charged based on how many online visitors you have or how many files or photos you upload on your store

Shopify POS that allows you to sell in a physical store or pop-up setting. It comes in the form of an app that lets you process orders in person, take payments, swipe credit cards, and control it all from your iPad or smartphone.

Online sales channels where you can set up an online store that is linked to Amazon, Facebook and Pinterest, with shopping buttons to make purchasing easy. Each sales channel connects to your sales page, so you can keep track of your orders and customers on various platforms.

Manual order creation that lets you create orders that you took over the phone or in person and then just email your customer the receipt with his or her order details.

Finances report to see an overview of your sales, payments, and pending sales data. You can also view your full finance report.

14-day free trial, then $9 - $299 per month, depending on the features you want

Shopify vs. SamCart, ClickFunnels and PayPal

Shopify is a great platform if you need an online store to showcase many different physical products where people can just click on it to add to their cart. Even though you can sell physical products via SamCart and ClickFunnel, there’s no elegant online storefront like with Shopify, making Shopify the go-to choice when buying decisions hinge on easily browsing through stunning visuals of your inventory.

Certainly setting up Shopify, SamCart or ClickFunnels is a huge step up from using only PayPal to sell your digital products or services. Why? Because when customers see that you only use PayPal as the checkout page for your business, they tend to regard you as only a small-time business, even if you’re an established expert in your field… and especially when it comes to selling online courses, coaching programs and consulting services costing hundreds to thousands of dollars.

In addition to the lack of aesthetics, sellers using only PayPal force would-be buyers to either already have a PayPal account set up or register for a new one in order to make the purchase. This adds an additional step to your sales process, leads to higher abandoned cart rates and in the end hurts your sales and conversion rates. Offering PayPal as a payment option is important, though, as studies have shown that you’ll miss out on a significant number of sales if you don’t, but you don’t want PayPal to be the only payment option. SamCart, ClickFunnels and Shopify all integrate with PayPal.

Using either SamCart, ClickFunnels or Shopify will give you more credibility as an online seller. It gives you a professional image that can increase your sales and allow you to charge more for your products and services, benefiting your bottom line in both the short- and long-term.

Side-by-side features comparison

To make choosing your ecommerce platform easier, I’ve summed up the main features and pricing tiers below:

Which online shopping cart platform is right for you?

If you want to succeed in the online product and services business, SamCart, ClickFunnels and Shopify are just the right time- and effort-saving ecommerce tools you need. Remember that a good investment used right more than pays for itself. It’s all in the way you make the most out of them.

Here’s how I see it:

Both SamCart and ClickFunnels are great ecommerce platform choices for selling online courses, coaching and membership programs, downloadable digital products and individual services and still offer enough features to sell a limited variety of physical products.

SamCart is the #1 ecommerce platform for new entrepreneurs just getting started and also already-successful businesses looking for an easy way to sell more with one-click upsells and simplified funnel options but without the complication of a complex funnel system. Get started with a 30-day free trial with bonuses sales training and then continue for as little as $19 per month for the Basic plan, you can have a high-converting checkout page up and running in minutes. You get to keep your favorite tools, like your landing page and email service providers, without paying again for those features already built into ClickFunnels but which you’re not likely to use. And, it's 100% risk-free to try SamCart with their no-questions-asked 45-day money-back guarantee.

However, if you’re looking for an all-in-one solution, don’t have a website, or want to create and automate a lot of different sales funnels, then ClickFunnels is your best bet. With ClickFunnels, you can get started with a 14-day free trial. After that, their monthly fee is either $97 for the Standard subscription or $297 per month for the Etison Suite (full suite) of features, making it a bit more of a stretch for online entrepreneurs getting started.

Shopify is the clear winner for online physical goods retailers, with their beautiful storefronts and robust inventory tracking capabilities. You can also get started with a 14-day free trial and then upgrade to Shopify Basic for $29 per month, Shopify for $79 per month or Advanced Shopify for $299 per month. You can even get started with Shopify for as little as $9 per month with their Shopify Lite plan if you’re selling on Facebook, an existing website or selling your goods in-person.

No matter which ecommerce platform you choose, the key is to get started, take advantage of the training each company provides and start selling more so you can have the kind of freedom and income you started your online business for in the first place. So, what are you waiting for? Get going!

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Hi, I'm Christine!

I help ambitious entrepreneurs who are deeply committed to creating profitable businesses they love and lives they love even more.

Step by step I show you how to finally get paid what you’re worth by packaging up your brilliance into premium signature programs and courses, creating client-booking offers and implementing systems that grow your business without you working 24/7, missing out on precious time with your loved ones or sacrificing what matters most to you. With the right strategies and systems in place, you can do what you love, earn fantastic income and have the kind of life you dream about.

Ready for your business to support the kind of life you want to have? Learn more about what we can do together (click here).

#online marketing #digital marketing #shopping cart #ecommerce #samcart #paypal #clickfunnels #shopify #coaching #retail #digital product #online sellers #stu mclaren #abandoned cart

Struggling with making sales online? Use this tool.

If you’re an online entrepreneur and you’re struggling to make sales, I feel your pain.

You’re in the same boat I was when I started my online business not so long ago.

Figuring out the all complicated tools that people say you HAVE to have is close to impossible if you're not a techie. I’ve spent countless hours pouring over tutorial videos, how-to instructions and pulling my hair out for a lot of it.

Even though I’ve managed to figure out a lot of it, I wondered, “Why can’t selling your stuff online be simple?”

Yeah, there’s PayPal, but selling your programs, services and products with just PayPal looks, well… more than a little amateur and cheap.

In the online space, how you present and position yourself greatly affects how much you’re able to charge, so going the “PayPal only” route just wasn’t an option.

The problem was that all the fancy tech can cost a pretty penny and when I started out, I didn’t want to spend outrageous amounts of money just to get a sale (and I still don’t).

Can you relate?

It turns out that a guy named Brian Moran was having the same frustrations that a lot of us online entrepreneurs have when starting out: ugly and clunky PayPal checkout pages were killing his sales, so he decided to do something about it.

All that frustration, exhaustion and at times, downright despair was what drove Brian to develop an amazing new way to sell stuff online.

One that was totally intuitive.

One that’s simple and completely non-techie...

And quite frankly, one that helped him — and a whole lot of entrepreneurs just like you and me — make a LOT more sales than the folks who actually know how to use all that complicated software.

Want to know what it is — and why I’m over the moon that my checkout woes are in the past? Then take a minute to watch this video now >>>>

If you’re selling ANYTHING online, you want to know about this sales-boosting tool!

You owe it to yourself - and your success - to watch this video.

And, while you’re there, check out the videos showing how online entrepreneurs just like you and me have started crushing it online.

Here’s to YOU crushing your business and income goals!

One more thing....

If the high cost of e-commerce to technology is the biggest thing standing between you and launching your online business, this video is really something you should see.

Watch it now. It could literally change your life.

Hi, I'm Christine!

I help ambitious entrepreneurs who are deeply committed to creating profitable businesses they love and lives they love even more.

Ready for your business to support the kind of life you want to have? Learn more about what we can do together (click here).

#business #entrepreneur #entrepreneurship #mompreneur #sales #selling #productivity #online marketing #marketing #digital marketing #women in business

How to Quickly Turn Defeat into Success

Defeat, setbacks, losing… they’re all inevitable parts of business and life, but how do you turn defeat into a success?

On the days when you’ve worked your butt off and no one buys from you…

Or no one watches your the video you spent weeks making…

Or you have a great conversation with a potential client and you think the sale is in the bag… and then she says no...

How do you get back in the saddle when you’ve taken a huge blow? That’s exactly what this post (and the accompanying video) is all about.

First, I want to acknowledge a reality: It sucks when you get rejected, when people don’t appreciate your hard work, and when you pour your heart and soul into something only to have it metaphorically stomped on. I’m not going to pretend like they don’t or that it doesn’t hurt when they do.

But letting defeat get the best of you isn’t the answer… and, if you’re in business for yourself, it’s even more critical that you turn your mindset around quickly so you don’t give up on yourself or your dreams.

So HOW do you do that exactly? How do you bounce back from defeat and turn it into fuel for future success?

Step #1: Review and evaluate

When something doesn’t go the way you’d hoped it would, the first step is to take a look back at what happened and evaluate what happened.

What’s the truth about what happened?

Where did things go wrong?

Was there something in particular that seemed to throw a wrench in the whole process?

Is there something that obviously sticks out that could have been done better that would’ve made a big difference in your outcome?

For example, if you had a sales call with a potential client and they didn’t end up signing up with you, could it be that you didn’t actually ask for the sale? Sometimes people kind of chicken out at the end and don’t make the ask for someone to sign up for their program or coaching services. They just hope that the other person will be the one to ask, “How do I get started working with you?”... and that rarely happens without making a specific invitation.

Or perhaps you didn’t strongly position the value of what you do with an offer that really speaks to their urgent problems and dream solutions. This is a very common mistake that a lot of amazing, heart-centered entrepreneurs make: their offers talk about how they deliver their services far more than the offer conveys the benefits to the client.

Also be sure to look at what went right.

What worked?

At what points did things go smoothly?

Was there a particular time when you felt lit up and excited about what you were doing?

Making a list of what went right and what could have been done better will make the next step much easier and more effective.

Step #2: Look for the Hidden Lessons

I am a huge believer in constant learning and suffering a defeat is no different. In every setback lies a treasure trove of hidden lessons for you to uncover if you spend a little time looking for them. Not only will you find valuable information you can use, it’s a lot easier to mentally move past disappointment when you’re able to glean something of value from a bad situation. Instead of beating yourself up, quickly move into learning mode.

To discover the hidden lessons, ask yourself these 3 questions:

What did I learn about myself?

What did I learn about my audience or the people involved?

What can I do about it right now?

That will help recharge you energetically and move you into the next step.

Step #3: Take positive action

Although you can’t control what other people do, you can control how you react to a defeat and the effect it has on your life going forward. By moving into quick action, you’ll create positive forward momentum again. Ideally, you should do this the same day you suffered the setback because the longer you stay stuck in a negative feedback loop around it, the greater the negative impact the defeat has on you will be. It’s critical you quickly shift your mindset and move forward.

What actions can you take right now that will help move you in a positive direction again?

Maybe your action is to send out a follow-up email to the potential client who said “no” and ask if she’d be willing to give you feedback about why she decided not to sign up. Or perhaps you need to adjust your marketing plan or the offers you’re making.

If you can’t think of anything, what’s something you can do to simply shift your mindset and start feeling better? It could even be as easy as taking 15 minutes to meditate, taking a walk or doing something you enjoy to shift your negative energy to positive. Simply taking some kind of positive action will help create forward momentum again.

Step #4: Refocus on being of service

Go back to your Big Why for your business and serving others and reconnect with those.

What’s the big, important reason for your business or for doing what you’re doing?

What excites you and energizes you about it?

How does your business or that activity feed your soul?

Reminding yourself of your purpose will help you quickly shift into a positive and productive mindset.

Then use that energy to decide how can you be of service to your ideal clients right now. What’s one thing you could do today? Two examples of simple acts of being of service to your audience are commenting on someone’s Facebook post and offer helpful advice or getting on a discovery call and really giving from your heart. When you’re coming from a place of true service and feeling good, it takes a lot of the sting out of a temporary defeat and realigns your energy with that which you want to create in your business and life.

Lastly, remember that getting a “no” today doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a “no” forever. Life and business are about trial and error. The most important thing is to make sure you don’t let the defeats don’t keep you down because the contribution you’re meant to make during your lifetime is far too important.

Hi, I'm Christine!

I help ambitious women entrepreneurs who are deeply committed to creating profitable businesses they love and lives they love even more.

Ready for your business to support the kind of life you want to have? Learn more about what we can do together (click here).

#mindset #business #motivation #entrepreneurship #entrepreneur #empowerment #inspiration #mompreneur #women in business #bossmom #worklifebalance

Make your Marketing Plan Pay-Off!

Want the 5 Simple Steps to Creating Your Profitable Marketing Plan? Today I'm doubling up to help you create a plan for connecting with your target audience faster, serving them more deeply and which helps you book more clients. (And who doesn't want to do that?)

In this video, you'll learn how to come up with a list of topics that will deeply connect with your audience and how to sequence them to increase your sales.

After you watch this video, I'd love to hear what you think!

Like it? Please share it!

If you got some nuggets of wisdom from watching this video, please share this video post with a few of your friends and help them to make their marketing profitable... and a lot easier!

Hi! I'm Christine.

I help ambitious mama entrepreneurs build profitable businesses without working 24/7, missing out on precious family time or sacrificing what matters most to them. Step by step I show them how to create the time and systems they need so they can do what they love, get paid what they're worth and be amazing moms, too... because you shouldn't have to choose between spending time with the ones you love and making your dreams happen.

Ready to make your life and business work for you, Mama? Learn more about what we can do together.

#content marketing #marketing #business #entrepreneur #entrepreneurship #mompreneur #success #profit

Stop Wasting Your Time with Marketing that Doesn't Make You Money

Do you ever get stuck trying to figure out what kind of content to post? Wonder how to make your content marketing efforts pay-off in sales and cash in the bank? I'm breaking down the simple 5-step formula that solves both issues during this multi-part video series.

In Part 5, I show you the easy way to create a profitable content marketing plan.

After you watch this video, I'd love to hear what you think!

Like it? Please share it!

If you got some nuggets of wisdom from watching this video, please share this video post with a few of your friends and help them to make their marketing profitable... and a lot easier!

Hi! I'm Christine.

Ready to make your life and business work for you, Mama? Learn more about what we can do together.

#marketing #business #entrepreneur #entreprenership #contentmarketing #solopreneur #mompreneur

Got a Business to Do List a Mile Long? Use This Process to Make It Manageable Fast!

There’s a sneaky trap that keeps a lot of solopreneurs struggling…

And it’s the feeling that they simply need to do MORE.

More blog posts, more marketing, more being on social media.

Does this sound familiar?

But instead of actually making real progress, you end up simply feeling OVERWHELMED, PARALYZED or like you’re just SPINNING YOUR WHEELS.

Your to-do list is a mile long and simply looking at it can throw you into a panic or a hopeless depression that you’ll never get it all done.

You deserve better! And it’s actually pretty simple to make real progress in your business when you know the right steps.

(Want to end the overwhelm FAST and with support from me and an amazing community of mompreneurs? Join the 7-day Summer Bliss Business Challenge now -> http://ChristineParma.com/join )

Here’s the thing…

All of that “more” ends up scattering your energy and diluting the effects of your efforts… especially if you don’t have an implementation plan that gives you the structure you need to get results.

In order to actually see a return on your investment of precious time and energy, you need to follow the PPDS system. (Watch the video below or scroll down to read more.)

Step 1: Prune

You’ve got to prune away all of those things that don’t make you happy, you’re not good at doing or suck up your time without helping you to really make progress in your business.

By pruning, you not only shorten your to-do list, you create more time to focus on the things that really make a difference to your business’ bottom line (and your happiness!).

What doesn't really deserve your time or attention anymore?

Where have you made commitments that aren't really a fit for you?

What things could someone else do for you - and maybe do it better - to free you up to do what YOU do best?

Step 2: Prioritize

I know you’ve heard about setting priorities before… but are you doing it? And, are you applying prioritization correctly in your business so that the activities that result in bringing in new clients, generating more cash and growing your business are actually the FIRST things you do each day?

If not, you’re not prioritizing in a way that will grow your business and give you the freedom you started your business to have.

In the Summer Bliss Business Challenge for Mompreneurs, I’m going to show you how to prioritize the right way. Get all the details and sign up here -> http//ChristineParma.com/join .

Step 3: Delegate

I know, I know. You’re thinking, “Delegate?! But, Christine, it’s just me. I don’t have a team.”

And, when you’re starting your business, that’s true.

AND you’ll eventually reach a point where you really NEED to delegate some tasks or you’ll be a burned-out mess and can’t grow your business.

Here’s one thing you CAN do now, no matter where you are in your business journey:

Starting thinking in terms of Return on Investment (ROI).

Let’s say you’re a life coach and your time is worth $100 because that’s what someone pays for a 1-hour session with you.

Look at all of the things crowding up your to-do list.

Which are the activities that would cost you LESS than $100 per hour to outsource?

If you’re a work-from-home mama, it could even be the childcare or housecleaning that you normally do. If you can arrange a sitter at $10 an hour for 3 hours a week, that will cost you $30, but you’ve freed up $300 dollars of your time. If you fill that time with clients and/or high-priority activities that truly grow your business, then you come out ahead… by a lot!

Take a look at your to-do list. What opportunities do you see that could give you a high ROI?

Step 4: Systemize

Creating systems in your business frees you from having to reinvent the wheel every time you do something… and that saves a lot of time and brainpower. Plus, having systems and processes in place makes it super-easy for you to delegate some of those tasks that really don’t deserve your time or attention.

So, how do you start adding in systems?

Begin with the things that you do repeatedly in your business, like writing and publishing blog posts, creating a podcast or posting on social media.

What are the steps you take each and every time? Start creating your systems around each one and automate where possible.

We’ll be exploring how to start systemizing your business in the Summer Bliss Business Challenge for Mompreneurs (going on June 12th - 18th). You can join any time by going here -> http://ChristineParma.com/join

I’d love to know…

What are you going to prune now?

What are you going to prioritize?

What opportunities do you have to delegate and systemize in your business so you can do more of the RIGHT THINGS… and in a lot less time?

Please comment below!

And, of course, join me in the free 7-day Summer Bliss Business Challenge for Mompreneurs. Sign up now -> http://ChristieneParma.com/join

Take the Next Step

I've put together a free 7-day online challenge specifically designed to help Mompreneurs grow their businesses this summer... while taking time off to have family fun.

It's called the Summer Bliss Business Challenge for Mompreneurs. I’ve designed the challenge to walk you through the step-by-step process of creating your very own 60-day Summer Bliss Plan.

You’ll know exactly where you need to focus your time and energy to create rapid growth, how to create the time in your calendar to work on your business and how to balance it all with spending with your family...

… because you shouldn’t have to choose between having a profitable business and doing what matters most to you.

Simply click here to sign up for the Summer Bliss Business Challenge now.

I look forward to seeing you there!

Hi! I'm Christine.

Ready to make your life and business work for you, Mama? Learn more about what we can do together.

#mompreneur #business #entrepreneur #entreprenership #ladyboss

How to Grow your Mompreneur Business this Summer in 3 Easy Steps

Summer can be a chaotic and overwhelming time for Mompreneurs like you and me. You’re juggling an irregular schedule filled with family vacations, visitors and summer camps.

So if you’re both a mom and an entrepreneur, how can you actually grow your business this summer without missing out on all the summer fun?

I’m going to tell you exactly how to do it in 3 easy steps.

Step 1: Choose one main project or big goal for summer.

Having goals is important, but your big ambitions can cause you to scatter your energy too much if you’re trying everything under the sun to make your business grow quickly. Too many goals and too many things vying for your attention quickly leads to massive overwhelm, frustration and, often, unnecessary failure.

In order to create quick forward momentum and growth – especially with shortened summer work hours – you need to focus your time, energy and efforts on making ONE main project or goal happen this summer.

I call it your One Big Goal.

But how do you know which goal is the right one?

Follow this process to simple find the goal you should set your sights on achieving this summer:

Make a short list of the goals you’d like to make happen this summer.

Then determine the pay-off for each one by answering these questions: (a) How specifically will that goal help grow your business? and (b) What’s the big benefit or result you get when you achieve the goal?

Next assess what skills or resources do you need to make it happen - and how easy or difficult will it be to obtain the ones you don’t yet have. Don't choose a goal that requires you to master a difficult skill first... because you probably won't have the time to do that and grow your business this summer.

Now, pick the winner. Choose the goal or project which benefits you and your business the most without requiring a long learning curve.

Step 2: Identify the actions that support making your One Big Goal happen

Once you’ve picked your one big goal for your business this summer, you need to identify the actions you need to take or activities you need to do in order to reach your goal, plus any associated deliverables.

Keep in mind that when you’re listing everything out, you may start to feel a little overwhelmed. Your list may end up being really long.

Take a deep breath and relax.

I'm going to share the secret to taming an unruly to-do list.

It's called prune, prioritize and systemize.

You need to prune away the tasks that are “nice-to-have’s” and stick with the ones that are truly critical steps.

Then, decide which ones are need to happen first. Which activities will make the biggest difference in your business in the least amount of time?

Last, you’ll systemize as many of the activities as possible. For example, if Facebook livestreaming is one of the activities you identified that needs to happen to help grow your email list and get clients, you’ll want to create systems and processes around what you need to do before, during and after each broadcast to maximize each video’s reach and impact. That way you'll always know what to do and it makes delegating the task to someone else a breeze!

Even after you’ve pruned, prioritized and systemized the activities to reach your One Big Goal, things may still feel a bit chaotic and haphazard when it comes to implementation.

That’s where step number 3 comes in...

Step 3: Create a plan that helps you focus on taking the right actions this summer.

You need to create a plan that helps you focus on consistently taking the right actions this summer. Your plan is the roadmap for you to get from where you are to where you want to be.

A strategic plan also helps you invest your precious time and energy into the things where you’ll see the highest returns.

To create your plan, take the activities that remain on your list, put them in logical order and them schedule them in your calendar.

You’ll include the activities that you need to do each week to grow your business, plus the special one-off actions.

And, here’s a special tip for both growing your business and having a ton of fun this summer...

Your plan should include not only the business activities that will help you reach your One Big Goal, but it should also include your personal non-negotiables…

You know, those things that feed your soul and make you happy, like playing with your kids, going to yoga class or taking a family vacation.

Take the Next Step

I've put together a free 7-day online challenge specifically designed to help Mompreneurs grow their businesses this summer... while taking time off to have family fun.

It's called the Summer Bliss Business Challenge for Mompreneurs. I’ve designed the challenge to walk you through the step-by-step process of creating your very own 60-day Summer Bliss Plan.

… because you shouldn’t have to choose between having a profitable business and doing what matters most to you.

Simply click here to sign up for the Summer Bliss Business Challenge now.

I look forward to seeing you there!

Hi! I'm Christine.

Ready to make your life and business work for you, Mama? Learn more about what we can do together.

#mompreneur #business #entrepreneur #entreprenership #ladyboss #Mompreneur entrepreneur summer family familylife productivity success smallbusiness momboss bossmom creativeentrepreneur busines

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