groundlevelconsulting

In this episode of Ask Christina 1st we get into the topic of branding. In reality branding is the totality of who you are. How you handle each element of business is an overall result of you, which is your brand. In the elements of business, each aspect is a vital source for the functionality of your company. How do you treat your customers? How much time and attention do you give into marketing, networking and advertising? All of it boils down to who you are as a person and how much energy you put into each thing. From there you can decide if you are a luxury, high end or low end brand? For homework, write down next to each element of business, how you operate in this field. If you're a high end business, you should include things that help explain why this is so. If you are low end, luxury, etc… do the same. Everything that creates your company is your brand, from color to customer service to how you dress. All of these elements create the overall look and feel of your brand. So, what do you do that creates your brand? Is this what you want your brand to be and what are ways you can improve?

In this episode you will learn:

1. The elements of business and how they affect your brand.

2. How to understand the tone and overall feel of your company

3. Ways to help you improve your brand’s impact.

Again, branding is the totality of who you are and the energy you put into it. The way in which people find you, meet and are introduced to you, sets the tone for how they will react to your brand and business. The first steps into improving your brand, is to identify where you are now and where you want to go.

In this episode of Ask Christina 1st, we dig into how to differentiate yourself from your market. The three main suggestions are you are already doing it, your nature and your own bias and lastly company culture. All three of these embody the totality of who you are which create your business. When you first created your company and vision, what were the things that made you different? It’s important to understand that you are already what makes it different. A way to make this process make sense is to do your due diligence. Christina suggests you begin by first finding 10 businesses in your market and area that are similar to yours. Find out what their price points are, what type of company it is and find out the overall culture of the business. The culture of a business boils down to everything you've chosen to include in how your business looks and how it is operated. What is the culture of your company? This is what will set you apart and be the underlying atmosphere of your branding and marketing.

In this episode you will learn:

1. What is company culture and how it affects your branding?

2. Why it’s important to understand the competition in your area.

3. How to fine tune your business so clients will find you amongst others in your field.

Going back to understand your vision is a big part of understanding how to differentiate yourself from your market. Doing this can help you elevate to the next level by simply creating a platform that serves the unique qualities you bring to your market and expertise. Knowing you are already what makes your business different is key, use what makes you different to your advantage.

In this episode of Ask Christina 1st, we dive into the meaning of grass roots networking and why this is a major part in becoming a trusted expert in your field. Networking and marketing can be distributed in many forms like social media and advertising, however there are other ways to truly connect with your community that don’t require you to be in front of a computer. Investing in yourself so that you become a trusted and chosen expert in your field is the meat and bones of grass root networking. It's when you go out and introduce yourself to your community while also investing in becoming an expert in your field. One example Christina focuses on is going to in person meetings. She challenges you to find a meeting in your field of work and attend 4 meetings for a month. You can use sources like meetup.com, eventbrite.com, facebook.com and community calendar. In order for you to be chosen, you have to be an active member in your community. Finding out authentically what people need is another true aspect to grassroots networking. It’s not about selling something, it's about filling some of the holes in a person's life. Ask questions and inquire deeply into if someone could genuinely benefit from having you in their lives.

In this episode you will learn:

1. What is grass root networking and how you can benefit from it.

2. Ways in which you can become a trusted expert in your field and within your community.

3. Why it’s important to be authentic and caring when people are potentially looking for your services.

What do you do for marketing your business? What materials do you invest in that help you get the word out? In this episode of Ask Christina First, we again focus on marketing as marketing is a necessity if you want to continue running your business. There are different ways that you can market your business/product and that can depend on what you price your product at. Some lower priced products for example, can benefit tremendously from using a platform like yelp, while higher priced products can rely heavily on referrals. Either way, the marketing material you use is essential in being found. Some marketing tactics require you to physically be present. Christna believes that for her, networking is one of the best forms of marketing. This can be attending events, speaking on panels, etc… Becoming recognized as an expert in your field is another great way to market your business. This can be done by contributing your work to magazines, blogs and those of the like. Not being afraid to share with the world how you can help people is key.

In this episode you will learn:

Various types of marketing materials that can help you get the word out.
How to transform one form of marketing into another.
Understand the significance of in person marketing.

As Christina continues to focus on marketing, you will see the importance of making what you do known to the public. If you are someone that doesn't agree with one form of marketing, it’s okay to try another. What will work for someone else may not work for you. The key is to find what is right for you so that replacing your clients and maintaining cash flow has a positive impact on your business.

Are you a small business owner that shies away from marketing? Do you feel like marketing to any capacity is salesy? This mindset can actually negatively affect your business. Of the 4 cornerstones to running a business, marketing is one of the most important. The term marketing gets a bad rap because it was easily associated with a salesman whose primary job is to sell you something you probably didn't need. Now as an existing small business owner, this concept can leave a bad taste in your mouth, making marketing one of the more difficult parts of running a business. In this episode, Christina breaks down why good hearted business marketing is key to keeping your business successful. Once you take away the old concept of forcing people to buy things, you will soon realize how important it is to market your business in a way that suits you and your needs as an entrepreneur. Christina helps us understand what true marketing is and ways in which you can do this without the worry and judgement you may feel when it comes to marketing. You can do this kind of marketing by going to events, signing up to your local chamber of commerce, or even creating meaningful products to pass out to people. There are tons of ways to do marketing that don’t require you to feel ashamed or embarrassed.

In this episode you will learn:

Ways to market that aren't salesy?
Why marketing is a crucial aspect to any business.
How to let go of the negative concept that marketing is bad.

Christina gives some amazing advice on how to change the way we think about marketing. The goal for starting a business is for it to be successful, but without marketing your chances of that happening are slim. Marketing can be a fun and positive way to keep you heading in the right direction.

In this episode of Ask Christina 1st, Christina focuses on being the good hearted business owner and how it affects your customer service. Sometimes in being a good hearted business owner, pricing your product properly to include time spent on customer service may be overlooked. Determining if you’re a high or low priced product should be the first step. This will help you figure out how much customer service is necessary for each product you offer. Christina shares an example about a time where she was on a phone call with a client at 8:30 at night while her family just arrived at their hotel room while traveling. Christina’s husband asked her why, and she replied that it's because that particular client pays for a higher priced product which gains them more access to her customer service. Differently priced products provide different levels of customer service.

In this episode you will learn:

1. How to determine where you should price your product?

2. The level of customer service that should be included in each of those products.

3. How much does it cost you to service this product?

A product is also a service. If you can spend the time determining all the points made above, you will have a better understanding of where your customer service should go. It doesn't mean that a lower priced product deserves less customer service, however it does play a role in how much of your time and money you are spending.

In this episode of Ask Christina First, we learn how to deal with customer emergencies and why adding time into your daily schedule is necessary in order to handle these emergencies as they come in. A major first step is understanding and accepting that emergencies happen and will happen on a daily basis. Preparing for these emergencies using your existing systems will create a space where you can handle the urgency and move forward. How much time you allocate for emergencies depends on the level of customer service you’ve promised your customers. For example, if you are a luxury business, your high level of customer service is going to have to be incorporated into your current system. Being a high level luxury business requires a high level of attention to your customers and their needs. The space needed to handle emergencies needs to be prioritized in your time management system. Another way to add in emergencies is during your daily dump. Here you can add slots of times where an urgency can be handled or where it will make sense to allow allocated time to handle this particular problem. This creates a space where your customer urgencies aren't hijacking your time. How you handle these emergencies plays a major role in the atmosphere of your business which includes your overall values. Are you a business that runs off of fight or flight or does your business hold values that require and allow you to focus on what's important and getting it done?

In this episode you will learn:

1. Why adding customer urgencies to your daily schedule will save you time and headaches.

2. Discover what level of customer service you’ve promised your customers in the beginning.

3. How to determine if your business is ran on fear or instincts.

Customer emergencies are a big part of running a business, but if you do not make space for these emergencies to be handled your business could begin to feel the pressures of it. Making time for emergencies is a great way to keep you, your employee’s and your customers happy.

In this episode of Ask Christina first, we explore both the pros and cons of being a good hearted business owner and how that can affect your systemic systems. The past few episodes have been on systems, but Christina focuses more on why as a good hearted business owner, those systems are overextended. A trend Christina recognizes with good hearted business owners, is the tendency to deliver high grade customer service for a product or service that doesn't equate in compensation or time. Christina’s goal is for people to see the true value beyond just delivering exceptional service and products. You have to take into consideration the many systems that need tending that must be factored in. Delivering exceptional service and not being paid the same for its value, can over time cause your business to fail. The goal is to run and grow a successful business and good hearted business owners seem to take the short end of the stick on this matter in particular. Over delivering.

In this episode you will learn:

1. How to decipher if you are one of these good hearted business owners.

2. Understand how your systemic systems create the ton for your business and how it all matters.

3. Why systemic systems will help support the success of your business now and in the future.

The reason Christina is so passionate about the good hearted business owner, is because she is aware that your purpose lies very deep in why you started the business in the first place. Helping the world become a better place probably holds significant impact in your business and your life. However that doesn't mean that your services and products shouldn’t include all that is necessary for the overall functionality of your business and the success of your business.

In this episode, Christina continues with Systemic Systems giving us the background on Peter Senege who was responsible for bringing the concept of systemic systems to the forefront in his book “The 5th Discipline” published in 1990. The core design of systemic systems boils down to culture and the culture related to how you run your business. When you walk into a store, let’s say a pet store or a gym, it’s the feeling that creates the culture which is a derivative of the systems that are in place. Christina takes us from the history of where the concept came from to how this affects your employee’s and how they function within the system you’ve created whether you know it or not. If you’ve developed your business on survival learning, that will eventually create the culture in which you and your employee’s move forward. Culturally, people who become employee’s aren't taught to create their own projects within the business. Employees are usually trained to rely on their boss or manager for direction and if you, the owner or manager developed the business on survival learning, this is what your employees will follow.

In this episode you will learn:

1. Who Peter Senge is and his influence on systemic systems.

2. How culture plays a huge role in systemic systems.

3. Why your systems create the foundation for your employees and why that can be a good or bad thing.

As you can tell Christina is a huge believer in systems and their benefit to your business. The culture you imply will be what your customers and employees feel. It’s your overall presence as a whole and this will be determined by how well you implement and manage your systems.

Are you a good hearted business owner that shys away from time management? In this episode Christina directs her attention to the good hearted business owner and talks about why a time management system is better suited for you. Time management can be daunting to start if you feel as though the natural flow of operation best suites you. Christina on the other hand challenges why this may not be true. As a good hearted business owner, your main goal should always be responsibility and accountability especially for those who are your employees or independent contractors working for you. Your overall time management will reflect how those you work with treat you and handle your assigned task to them. If you are too care free with your time, that will reflect in your responsiveness and overall management, which can in turn produce team mates who are careless. If this sounds something like you, it can all be changed by simply adding a time management system to your life. This will also help you in your personal care routine, which we all know is extremely crucial in our health and well being. The more organized and caring you are towards your time, the more it will be reflected in how others work with and for you.

In this episode you will learn:

1. Tactics to help the good hearted business owner create a time management system.

2. Discover why time management aids in personal care.

3. How your teammates actions reflect your overall structure and time management plan.

Christina helps us by taking us back to time management and engaging on how important it is for a small business. Sometimes the authentic, natural way of doing things can cause hiccups. Those hiccups can be fixed and altered by simply adding a time management system to your business and life.

https://www.christinasuter.com/

In this episode of Ask Christina 1st, we talk about client emergencies and how they affect how you run your business. Can you ever remember a time where your client made you feel frantic and out of control? Well that happens when we fall into the trap of allowing our clients emergencies to become ours. The goal is to remain in peace while you are bombarded with these issues. A key to doing this is by responding at a time that is suitable for you even if that means not right away. A clients emergency can surface at any given time and it doesn't make sense for you to disturb your business in order to immediately attend to this matter. The question you have to ask yourself is “is this okay for my business?” Determine whether or not the situation truly affects your business while also considering your feelings towards the matter. A great way for finding out how many times you’re disrupted a day is by creating a time log. For five days keep a log of how often you were hijacked. This will help you figure out how much time you need to set aside a day, week, or month to help you with emergencies and interruptions.

In this episode you will learn:

1. Why your clients emergencies are not yours.

2. Proper ways to handle the situation so that you remain calm and in peace.

3. How to create a time log to help figure out the time you need to set aside for emergencies.

When people are in a state of urgency they typically tend to release that energy onto everyone else. As a business owner it's your job to handle all situations in a friendly and professional way even when someone is in an emergency.

www.christinasuter.com

In this episode of Systemic Systems Why Do I Care Part 2, Christina takes us even further with pointing out how to determine if your current systems are effective in regards to your business and overall performance. Every morsel of what you handle in and with your business is a system. From how and when you send out emails, when you market your business whether through social media or newsletters, down to when you make phone calls. All of these actions whether you think of it that way or not, has some kind of system attached to it. Set aside some time to go through each of these systems and find out your cycle and how you in particular handle each one. Sometimes an ineffective system just needs a little improvement and you may find it to be completely unnecessary, eliminating it all together could be best. A big hindrance in many businesses is not allowing others to step in to help and this can occur when you have not taken the time to write out each of your systems. Having too much pride in running a business can slow you down tremendously. A good way to begin this process is setting aside some time to track your systems.

In this episode you will learn:

1. How to determine if your current system is effective or not

2. Ways in which tracking your systems and creating a timeline can help

3. Why having too much pride can slow you down

We all have systems regardless of how well we’ve tracked and operated in these systems. Having systems is crucial, but it can also be a drawback if you create systems that only you know how to handle. This episode is designed to bring in new light to old habits that someines need a new perspective.

https://www.christinasuter.com/

In this episode of Ask Christina 1st, she takes us on a journey through the system of the manufacturer and the distributor and how that process and relationship is a prime example of a systemic system. Successful systems require successful habits that allow for proper tracking and monitoring. A great system to monitor to determine this is your cash flow management. Your ability to manage your cash can create a space that is positive and abundant or negative and straining. In her example of explaining the relationship between manufacturer and distributor, Christina points out how the system begins to deteriorate or become what we know as distribution or the process of it. Systems engage with more systems in order to create flow. Why Christina cares is because a lack of systems implements a lack in organization, follow through, and overall management. Christina knows that systems guide your business to the next step, which we assume all businesses have as a goal.

In this episode you will learn:

1. How systems make or break your business.

2. Why the distributor and manufacturer example is extremely useful.

3. Tips on how to implement good system protocols and configuration.

Although systems can sound redundant, its a very crucial aspect to business and life and functionality Sometimes systems aren't necessary, but when running a business and serving, systems will bring you peace and insight.

In this episode of Ask Christina First, we explore how to delegate and the steps you can take to make that transition. When your small business grows, there are tasks and projects that will require outside input regardless if you are capable of doing them yourself. This can be a difficult changeover for those who have been doing everything on their own. Deciding what you want to handle and what others can do can be a daunting task for those who are attached to their business. A great way to get this moving is by creating 3 lists. The first is what are your strengths. The second is, what is your nature. And the third is what do you like to do/expert at and does it make you money. These 3 lists will help you organize the tasks that require your hand and those that can be delegated to outside sources. A good example is bookkeeping and accounting work. Sending that off for another to handle is simple and may not require too much input aside from organization and communication. Once you’ve made it to this point, create an appropriate protocol that will allow the delegation process a smooth transition. That protocol will include delegating in detail. The main focus when communicating to this new person is, what is the end result and can you do it? At the end of the day that is the main component in delegation. All you need to know is can the job be done and when.

In this episode you will learn:

1. Why delegation is crucial to a growing company.
2. The 3 list that will help you make that transition.
3. What are the tasks that require your attention and what can be done by others.

Delegating can be a hard task for many, especially for those who have handled most if not all of their business matters alone. Delegation is inevitable for growth, which is a great sign that you are moving forward.

In this episode of Ask Christina First, we explore how to delegate and the steps you can take to make that transition. When your small business grows, there are tasks and projects that will require outside input regardless if you are capable of doing them yourself. This can be a difficult changeover for those who have been doing everything on their own. Deciding what you want to handle and what others can do can be a daunting task for those who are attached to their business. A great way to get this moving is by creating 3 lists. The first is what are your strengths. The second is, what is your nature. And the third is what do you like to do/expert at and does it make you money. These 3 lists will help you organize the tasks that require your hand and those that can be delegated to outside sources. A good example is bookkeeping and accounting work. Sending that off for another to handle is simple and may not require too much input aside from organization and communication. Once you’ve made it to this point, create an appropriate protocol that will allow the delegation process a smooth transition. That protocol will include delegating in detail. The main focus when communicating to this new person is, what is the end result and can you do it? At the end of the day that is the main component in delegation. All you need to know is can the job be done and when.

In this episode you will learn:

1. Why delegation is crucial to a growing company.
2. The 3 list that will help you make that transition.
3. What are the tasks that require your attention and what can be done by others.

Delegating can be a hard task for many, especially for those who have handled most if not all of their business matters alone. Delegation is inevitable for growth, which is a great sign that you are moving forward.

During our last leg of Christina’s Time Management series, we end with understanding the importance of shared systems and project delegation. When running a business, one of your greatest assets will be how well you communicate with your employees. As the owner of the company, it is your responsibility to deliver follow up and feedback so that your employees feel a sense of appreciation and inclusion. Creating shared systems will be the governing factor for proper communication, take management and project delegation. All too often, we tend to demand project completion without fully understanding or following up with what our employees are already working on. Proper project delegation requires 3 parts that will help alleviate tension and lack of empathy. Before a project is distributed, it is your job to make sure you have a clear understanding of what the outcome is. Handing over a well thought out project saves you time and minimizes unnecessary back and forth. This allows you and the person you're sharing a project with much needed clarity and well thought out to do’s. It’s also important you create an agreed upon system so that all communication and tasks are easily accessible to all parties. The greatest takeaway from Christina’s time management series is understanding that it all boils down to your sense of overload. Time management itself is useless if you are not able to focus and maintain that focus until project completion. It is designed as a guide to help you organize your workload and be mindful of what’s most important. Each person is allocated the same amount of time each day. What you do with that time will determine how well you know yourself and how well you are committed to being focused.

In this episode you will learn:

1. Why proper project delegation is so important and how shared systems play a role.
2. Why feedback and follow up is crucial in project management.
3. Why creating a desired outcome will create flow and clarity for the project, you and your employee’s.
4. Why time management is useless unless you are focused and able to visualize the outcome.

Christina’s time management series is truly for those who are ready to take their business and life to the next level. It is about growth and being able to show up and get things done. Time management is necessary for the development of projects, but also the development of self which is the primary culprit in discovering who and what we want to be. Allow this series to be a how to for discovering the importance of shared systems, employee appreciation and personal development.

In this episode of Implementing a Time Management System Pt. 1B, Christina finally gets us to a point where we understand the concept of time management. In this show each system is broken down even further with an emphasis on action and what that means for either a task or project. Each project should have at least 1 actionable task to begin with. After that task has been completed you then move on to the next action step, which should not be dwelled upon until the first action step has been completed. Maintaining clarity throughout the time management system is crucial and a major focus in this series. Another big factor in this show is making sure you have a daily schedule that will allow you to get through your tasks and projects with more efficiency and precision. Your daily schedule should include first clearing out your messages and inboxes before your actionable items and project task arise. This will help declutter your work space and your mind before the real work begins. The most helpful way to begin a project list is by creating a pile of everything including papers, objects that need fixing, a shoe that needs repair, tickets to next week's game, receipts, etc… This pile will be the starting point on creating that much needed project list.

In this episode you will learn to:

1. Each project should have at least 1 implementable task.

2. The importance of creating a daily schedule and how it affects your work environment.

3. Learn WHAT IS IT?

4. The filing system that filters and eventually creates your project and task list.

5. Electronics vs paper.

Implementing a Time Management System Pt. 1B is a thorough follow to Christina’s previous shows. Understanding the importance of time management is crucial and will be a significant guiding point to your success in business and in daily life.

Implementing Time Management Systems Pt. 1A brings us to a place of understanding time management and how each category requires a system. In Time Management Now, Christina talks about the importance of time management and the different sectors associated with it. In this show we go even further into each system and why time management is more of a mind management system and its relationship towards the things we want to accomplish. Although it may seem like 24 hours of our day goes into our work, the 16 hours we spend awake can be allocated to many different things. Managing your time in those hours can have a huge and significant impact on how your tasks and projects are completed. Now we dig into the details of each system, which are the calendar system, the task system and the filing system. The most important aspect of a good system is that as things come in things must go out. This can get in our way mentally by not having the ability to fully get things out and done. When tasks, projects or to do’s are stuck in our brain, it boggles us down making it almost impossible to move on to the next step. An effective time management system is being able to bring everything in and move it back out again to its proper place, leaving you with freedom, clarity and accomplishment.

In this episode you will learn how to:

1. Effectively decipher what should go on a calendar and what shouldn't

2. How to properly allocate time between your daily activities that will create a stress free environment and lead way time before and after each activity.

3. The difference between a task and a project and which categories to put them in.

Christina’s time management series is extensive and provides in depth knowledge and examples on how managing time can create the freedom you desire.

In this episode of Ask Christina 1st, we get a big lesson on time management, which is more than a vital part of everyone's life regardless if you're an entrepreneur, agent, parent, coach, runner, etc… Time Management Now takes us to the part where immediate results directly reflect our organization and how well we are filing. Christina first talks about the David Allen system, which suggests we go over our to do list once a week. Christina, however, suggests that this part take place either every two weeks or once a month. Consistency with time management is crucial as your to do list can begin to get out of hand, which will make it difficult for you to catch up. Next, she goes into depth about the filing system she uses to organize her paperwork and her office space. Have a system organized by months so that your paperwork is easy to find. It creates a system that is effective, easy and can be traced back if necessary. This can pertain to both business and personal and Christina gives a great example of how she would plan a trip to the aquarium a month or so before the actual trip. She helps us find ways to stay clutter free while also incorporating tactics that create ease, organization and easy access to reflect. Another important time management tactic is the calendar system. Christina explains the importance of getting it all out during this phase. Making sure you fill your calendar with what needs to be done immediately as opposed to focusing on things that are far in the future.

In this episode you will learn more about:

1. The David Allen System.
2. What each system is and it’s basics.
3. The importance of time management and how it pertains to everyday life and overall productivity.

Time Management Now is a part of a larger series by Christina, which truly brings us closer to clarity and overall life management. This episode is an introduction to the series and lays an important foundation for all this series has to offer.

In this episode of Ask Christina 1st, Christina helps us clean up our inventory to find out what we have, what we need to get rid of and how. For small business owners that have inventory, a great place to start is finding out what it is you're selling the most of and what you're selling the fastest. Inventory can be both an asset and a liability depending on how well it's selling. If you deal with perishable items of course there is a system in place because those items are on a time limit. However, for products that don’t physically expire, there still is a time stamp on them and this will fall on branding and the market. For example, let’s say you wrote a book and the content of the book is talking about the crash of 2008? It’s clearly decade old information, but with the right marketing and rebranding tactic you can sell that item so that it is no longer collecting dust on your inventory shelf. In this episode you will learn how to:

1. Discover new ways to rebrand your old inventory.
2. Organize, label and catalog your inventory so that you can plan ahead.
3. Learn ways to market an old product.

Inventory is a vital component to almost every business. It is also extremely crucial to make sure you are handling your inventory properly. This show will give you some much needed advice and insight on where to go next with your inventory.