27: Managing Your Finances and How to Get the Most out of Your Hard Work

On today’s show, Elise highlights how to sleep better and live longer, according to Karen Weeks.

Elise just happened to find a blog in which Karen discussed the importance of getting enough sleep in order to face the day, improve health, and live longer. If you are having trouble sleeping or if you’re interested in the positive benefits of getting enough sleep, tune in to today’s episode.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• See your doctor.
• Fix your diet.
• Stay active.
• Be mindful.
• Develop a sleep routine.
• Invest in a mattress.
• No quick fixes

If you feel that you need further assistance with your business, you may consider hiring a business coach. Game Change Business of Massage Therapy offers these services for optimizing your business. Check out our website for amazing resources.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Karen Weeks

As women entrepreneurs, whether working inside or outside the home, it is important to feel positive and to dress and feel good about ourselves at various functions.

Joining Elise on the show today is International Fashion Stylist, Hilde Fossen. Hilde is the go-to stylist for women entrepreneurs. Hilde Fossen is a fashion designer and design teacher turned online stylist. She now teaches international businesswomen how to nail their style, so they can wow their clients and sell more. Her mission is to get every single woman to fall head over heels in love with her own body, by learning how to dress for her body type. She formally trained at École Superieure de la Mode and has over 20 years of experience as a fashion designer in Europe, designing clothes that retailed to millions. She has styled top entrepreneurs, Fashion Week models, and rock stars on national TV.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• Hilde’s program, Get Style and Confidence
• Communicating what your business can do for others by the ways you dress
• Hilde shares why she began a career as a fashion stylist
• Get Style Confidence program name origin
• Properly fitting clothing helps boost confidence
• Growing as a person when starting a business
• Challenges of pursuing a career in the fashion industry
• Hilde shares how she promotes her business
• Advantages of creating an email list
• Using Facebook as a marketing channel
• Creating social media posts to evoke responses from readers
• Hilde shares the best advice she’s been given
• Mixing professional and casual clothing

If you feel that you need further assistance with your business, you may consider hiring a business coach. Game Change Business of Massage Therapy offers these services for optimizing your business. Check out our website for amazing resources.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Get Style Confidence Website

Get Style Confidence - Baby

Get Style Confidence - Tummy

Get Style Confidence on Facebook

The Persuasion Revolution Website mentioned by Hilde

What separates successful people from those who are struggling to become successful? Are you ready to move forward toward a successful career, but don’t know what you could do differently to improve? On today’s episode, I will discuss some of the things successful people commit to do.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• Step 1: Be persistent!
• Step 2: Set goals. Once you set your goal, do the work.
• Step 3: Surround yourself with the right people.
• Step 4: Self-awareness
• Step 5: Never quit learning!

If you feel that you need  further assistance, you may consider hiring a business coach. Game Change Business of Massage Therapy offers these services for optimizing your business. Check out our website for amazing resources.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Game Change Your Biz Facebook Group

Game Change Your Biz Website

Do you know how to prepare for your career in massage therapy after completing school? In this episode, Elise shares steps and resources to help you prepare for beginning your business in massage therapy.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• Step 1: Pass licensing. I advise you to take the exam as soon as possible after completing school.
• Step 2: Do an online profile with a locator service like AMTA or ABMP Association in order to get leads for new clients.
• Step 3: Hone your soft skills.
• Step 4: Continue your education in order to further develop your skills and technique.
• Step 5: Take care of your mind and body.
• Step 6: Start building your Massage Therapy resume.
• Step 7: Build a website for your business. 

If you feel that you need further assistance, you may consider hiring a business coach. Game Change Business of Massage Therapy offers these services for optimizing your business. Check out our website for amazing resources.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Game Change Your Biz

AMTA - American Massage Therapy Association

ABMP - Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals

Do you find yourself caught up in your daily grind and feeling like you aren’t taking care of yourself as you should? Learn how you can reduce stress and recharge yourself while maintaining relationships and a successful career.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• Learn how to reduce stress and avoid burnout.
• Prioritize self-care amidst the daily grind. 
• Block out a little time each day to recharge.
• 5 important steps to reduce stress
• Step 1 - Exercise
• Step 2 - Spend time with family and friends.
• Step 3 - Obtain virtual help with your business.
• Step 4 - Give back to your community.
• Step 5 - Connect with other entrepreneurs.
• Balance areas of your life to find peace and fulfillment.

Do you create a good first impression? Do you appear to others as a strong leader? This is important for any business owner---not to be rude, intimidating, or overbearing, but to make your presence known and lead with authenticity. Let’s discuss this topic further.

Tips for leading with authenticity:

• Build trust through developing, improving, and communicating success
  • Give a warm greeting and smile
  • Make eye contact
  • Give a firm handshake
• Be genuine in what you say
  • Show that you care
  • Radiate your enthusiasm and passion to your team
• Set the tone for your work culture in your demeanor and attire
  • Have a clear dress code
  • Convey trustworthiness in your tone and appearance
  • Improve morale and communication with your team
• Be patient and wait
  • Silence can establish a strong presence
  • A smile can express appreciation
  • Pauses can accentuate important points
• Network with other entrepreneurs about improving your business
  • Go to events or meet with others online
  • Set a networking goal for yourself

How are your “money habits”? Are there moves you’ve been meaning to make to ensure your financial future? No matter where you are in your business, whether you are brand new or have been at this for years, there are money habits you need to cultivate.

We all have differing opinions on what to do with our money, but today’s show offers advice that anyone can take and implement right away. Jim Rohn wrote an article for Success magazine titled “3 Money Habits that Separate the Rich from the Poor,” which offers specific advice on saving money. Let’s discuss the highlights from Rohn’s article.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• You need a wealth plan vs. the “broke mentality”
• Follow the 70/30 rule
  • Pay your taxes first
  • Live on 70% of your remaining income
  • Allocate the remaining 30% to charity, investments, and savings (10% to each)
• How you allocate that 30% portion depends on your ultimate goals, so consult a financial planner for more help
• Savings will give you peace of mind for the inevitable “rainy day,” so save more if you can!
• Following Rohn’s “Give, Invest, and Save” advice will help guarantee your financial success for the future
• It takes discipline to follow good money habits, so start slowly and build these habits that will yield long-lasting benefits for the future. Good money habits are a big piece to game-changing your business!

Can you keep moving forward in the face of a challenge? As entrepreneurs, sometimes things can be going well, but we still feel lackluster. What is the remedy? How can we keep moving forward? Join me as we discuss today’s topic.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• We need to take a step back before moving forward
• Keep the momentum moving forward to meet your goal
• Action is important to launch your business and also to move forward
• Some common challenges can be state regulations, technology, or the economy
• A successful entrepreneur knows that moving through challenges is important, even if you can’t keep moving forward
• Guard against paralysis and over-analysis
• Realize when you can’t handle specific challenges and get someone who can, like a mentor or expert
• A successful entrepreneur knows that movement can resemble an obstacle course--to the right, left, forward, etc.
• “Don’t stand still. Just keep moving. Those who can’t take a step back or change direction are destined for failure.”
• Steps to keep moving forward:
  • Set goals
  • Don’t fear failure
  • Take a risk
  • Don’t settle
  • Don’t be afraid to seek a mentor

• “Failure is just an opportunity to see what you need to do.” Keep moving forward and improve your odds for success. It’s another piece to game-changing your business!

How do you handle life’s obstacles? We all know that encountering difficulties is a normal part of daily life, but why do some people bounce back stronger than ever and some let a difficulty be “the end of the road”? How are those who get ahead so much more resilient than others? Let’s talk about how to become resilient.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• What is resiliency? The ability to return to the original form of your being after you’ve been challenged by life’s obstacles
• The obstacles can be illness, depression, or adversity
• Everyone handles challenges differently, some much better than others
• As an entrepreneur, how do you bounce back with resilience and have the discipline to balance the good and the bad? (Some key factors from The Resilient Self)
  • Have the insight to ask tough questions and be honest with answers
  • Be accountable and responsible for your actions
  • Develop independence
  • Figure out the best way out of difficult situations
• Being responsible for others gives you more motivation and creativity
• Resilience helps you develop morals
• “The more you struggle and conquer, the more resilience you develop.”
• Resilience leads to increased confidence in yourself

Having resilience is important in life and business. It’s another piece to game-changing your business.

Resources:

The Resilient Self by Steven J. Wolin, M.D. and Sybil Wolin, Ph.D.

Feedback--it’s a word that can have scary implications--would you agree? Today’s show is about how to use feedback and honesty to build a thriving business. Often we forget that feedback can have a very positive connotation, and not just the sense of dread when we hear the word.

One of the many ways to build and grow a thriving business is to cultivate honest feedback from co-workers, colleagues, and clients. Keeping the lines of communication open is key, even when constructive criticism is necessary, and keep in mind that even constructive criticism can foster a growth environment if done properly.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• On your team, give people time to air grievances with no repercussions if you ask for honest feedback
• Feedback allows honesty without mean-spiritedness
• Feedback can create a safety net and even be productive (A Columbia University study gives some further info)
• Feedback can create opportunities to build confidence and skills, thus empowering “your people”
• One key is to give immediate and frequent feedback--don’t wait!
• Be positive and specific in feedback, giving more positive than negative
• In giving negative feedback, follow up with a suggested solution
• Don’t be mean with feedback, but be firm--and be curious about the WHY?
• How to be objective and specific in order to more forward with feedback:
• • Be clear about expectations
  • Be specific about guiding them toward improvement
  • Follow up with them in the near future

There you have it--ways to create a growth environment based on feedback . It’s another piece to game-changing your business!