Keep Your Head Down and DO THE WORK!

On a side note, when I feel overwhelmed I watch tv…right now I am watching Project Runway, a show for designer hopefuls to have a chance to realize their dreams of becoming the next fashion designer. I love this show, it is inspires me.

Sometimes I get so caught up on checking on social media and what the outside world is doing that I miss time and energy that needs to be devoted to my business. I need to be able to take this scrolling time and focus on The Business Liaisons. 

Scrolling time – time spent looking through social media for insights, updates on things happening in the world, checking in on friends and family, looking for my next client, just scrolling and looking throught  FB, TWITTER, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Snapchat, Tumblr…etc.

Do you ever find yourself in that predicament? I mean on one hand you are worried that if you don’t check in then you might miss something vital and then on the other hand you can’t get any real work done because you are so busy trying to “keep in touch”. What if you miss an important event or miss a networking opportunity?  It is insane and that is what is so hard to do. You want to be there to work your business but you want to be relevant, you want to be informed and on top of what is current and happening now. There is such a thing as a balance and it is so hard to know where to draw the line.

FOR ME, I don’t know about you.  I don’t have much time. I have set the bar very high with that I need to do whatever possible and impossible with regards to getting my business out there and generating income. They say businesses fail in the first two years and I can definitely see that as there are so many components to just getting off the ground. Let’s be honest,  there have been many times I have wanted to just chuck it.  But right now I’m too close to getting there that I can’t stop.  And so I will not.  And so neither can you.

So let’s just hanker down and identify what are our strong points and what do we need to do to keep focus and to keep moment, right?  This last quarter ask yourself what am I doing to go out with a bang? 

THE FINAL QUESTIONS!!!

• What will put a memorable stamp on your business that will generate that necessary buzz?  Keep thinking outside of the box!  
• What have you set for the entire year and where are you with that.  Are you on track, off track, how much?  What do you do you need to  push the end. 
• Is there one project you have been struggling with completing and you realize time is upon you and you need to wrap this up once and for all?   

Four months may be left but that in no way means you are not able to hit those milestones by the end of year. 

I am sitting here watching Project Runway and I am watching these designers push to the end.  They are exhausted and overwhelmed but they are determined.  They are right there.  They are right at the end and now is not the time so turn back.  The FINALE that is what I am watching. I feel like that coming to the end of this year. I feel like I have come SO far but I have so far to go and I just have to push push!!! If you push I will push with you.  We are all in this together. 
PUSH beyond your boundaries and follow your gut.  Sure check in every now and then to see what folks are doing but then keep your head down.  Do the work, FOCUS and ask yourself what can you do to make those beginning year set goals and what you can do to end the year with a bang.

TIPS

• ·         Hone in on your VISUALS…Where is that vision board…time to stare at it and bring to mind the energy and thoughts that brought you to making it.
• ·         YOUR MANIFESTO..did you do one this year!  Are you still trying to figure out who you are and your customer…if not then you need to get on that and post IT!  Read my BLOG on Manifestos.
• ·         FAMILY PHOTOS – Are they your goals and what are your dreams and wishes for them.  Look at them and if you need pics to do so then post them!!
• ·         Create stair step for your goals.  It is so daunting to multitask but if you draw a set of steps and map out what you need to do next it gives you a sense of accomplishment. 
• ·         Meditate, pray, workout….do what you need to refresh and get back in the game.

Keep your head down and do the work, this is TIME TO MAKE IT WORK as they say in Project Runway and this is time to show YOU how tenacious you can be.  Set the bar high and reach it!!!

Leslie Crudup writes for The Business Liaisons, LLC – Business Consulting

www.thebusinessliaisons.com

 

A Mani...what? A Manifesto!!!

Oh no, not another term? A manicure...no!  A MANIFESTO?  Okay what is this?

A manifesto for you or your business is NOT anything new.  That I can tell you.  When I heard the term I immediately researched this only to find that manifestos are old hat to thriving businesses and brands. It is a commonly used term actually and it plays a major role in a company or business’s brand.

By definition….a manifesto is a written statement that declares or states a person’s or a business’s core values.  There are personal manifestos and there are those for a business.  For both it relates to that persons’ intentions, opinions and values.  It is a statement or series of statements or images even that define who you or your business is, what you stand for in belief and what your vision is for your business.

So there are vision boards, vision statements, mission statements and a few common avenues by which one is encouraged to clearly develop a goal or mission for yourself, be it personally or for your business.  A manifesto falls in line with this concept with the following exceptions.

A manifesto is BOLD and has energy!  Images of them as seen here carry appeal to the eye.  They evoke emotion and as a business the intention is that it speaks to the customer.
It does not have to be just words but can be images, statements or even video.  Unlike a vision board, it define more of who or what your company is in the present.  It is nice to address what we envision for the future but what are we standing for now…today.

We are in the age of defining ourselves.  We are in and alone as one person are our own brand.   We are now comparing our own personal convictions with how we conduct ourselves personally or business wise.  A manifesto helps us channel this into our business.  After all, we are our brand, right?

Having an attractive brand is important, but even more crucial is putting out a cohesive message. The company manifesto is not new, but it is trendy and serves as almost a new type of mission statement https://contently.com/strategist/2012/08/15/why-your-company-needs-a-manifesto/

So where do you even start with regard to a manifesto?  I suggest you take a piece of paper and start with yourself.  If you are building a business and you are trying to define your brand, what are your core values?  What do you believe in?  What makes your tick?  If you were your own customer, what type of person would you be?  Anything and everything about you that would attract YOU as a customer you need to put down on paper.  And to start I mean everything.  I did!  I put down what I want for my family?  What I struggle with as a parent, a citizen, a business owner...etc.  I wrote out my personal convictions about the state of the world and economics. I just about wrote a diary of my feelings on a number of topics and issues.  I then used this to identify my customer.  I used it to then tailor my business to this person.  This LESLIE that I have put down on paper. 

I will tell you it is not easy and it has taken me time. I am still in the process of completing my manifesto as we speak.

And you should take your time as well.  It is not something completed overnight and after it has completed you will need to revisit it often.

Some very notable companies with manifestos are below…. Check them out and I hope they give you insight as they did me.

Lululemon is a fitness brand specializing in yoga attire and boasts what is perhaps the most recognizable manifesto, printed on red and white bags. “Breathe deeply” is one phrase easily spotted in the design, directly referencing an important facet of yoga.

 “Unity is strength. Knowledge is power. Attitude is everything.”

Livestrong’s manifesto clearly identifies who their brand is talking to and what tone they present to that audience.

There is a ton of information out there however this article is one of particular interest in reading and can also help you with identifying next steps.

17 Inspiring Brand Manifestos.

http://disenthrall.co/12-inspiring-brand-manifestos/

With that said it is time to get to MANIFESTING YOUR DESTINY!  Enjoy and be empowered!!

Leslie Crudup writes for The Business Liaisons, LLC – Business Consulting

www.thebusinessliaisons.com

A Mani...what? A Manifesto!!!

Oh no, not another term? A manicure...no!  A MANIFESTO?  Okay what is this?

A manifesto for you or your business is NOT anything new.  That I can tell you.  When I heard the term I immediately researched this only to find that manifestos are old hat to thriving businesses and brands. It is a commonly used term actually and it plays a major role in a company or business’s brand.

By definition….a manifesto is a written statement that declares or states a person’s or a business’s core values.  There are personal manifestos and there are those for a business.  For both it relates to that persons’ intentions, opinions and values.  It is a statement or series of statements or images even that define who you or your business is, what you stand for in belief and what your vision is for your business.

So there are vision boards, vision statements, mission statements and a few common avenues by which one is encouraged to clearly develop a goal or mission for yourself, be it personally or for your business.  A manifesto falls in line with this concept with the following exceptions.

A manifesto is BOLD and has energy!  Images of them as seen here carry appeal to the eye.  They evoke emotion and as a business the intention is that it speaks to the customer.
It does not have to be just words but can be images, statements or even video.  Unlike a vision board, it define more of who or what your company is in the present.  It is nice to address what we envision for the future but what are we standing for now…today.

We are in the age of defining ourselves.  We are in and alone as one person are our own brand.   We are now comparing our own personal convictions with how we conduct ourselves personally or business wise.  A manifesto helps us channel this into our business.  After all, we are our brand, right?

Having an attractive brand is important, but even more crucial is putting out a cohesive message. The company manifesto is not new, but it is trendy and serves as almost a new type of mission statement https://contently.com/strategist/2012/08/15/why-your-company-needs-a-manifesto/

So where do you even start with regard to a manifesto?  I suggest you take a piece of paper and start with yourself.  If you are building a business and you are trying to define your brand, what are your core values?  What do you believe in?  What makes your tick?  If you were your own customer, what type of person would you be?  Anything and everything about you that would attract YOU as a customer you need to put down on paper.  And to start I mean everything.  I did!  I put down what I want for my family?  What I struggle with as a parent, a citizen, a business owner...etc.  I wrote out my personal convictions about the state of the world and economics. I just about wrote a diary of my feelings on a number of topics and issues.  I then used this to identify my customer.  I used it to then tailor my business to this person.  This LESLIE that I have put down on paper. 

I will tell you it is not easy and it has taken me time. I am still in the process of completing my manifesto as we speak.

And you should take your time as well.  It is not something completed overnight and after it has completed you will need to revisit it often.

Some very notable companies with manifestos are below…. Check them out and I hope they give you insight as they did me.

Lululemon is a fitness brand specializing in yoga attire and boasts what is perhaps the most recognizable manifesto, printed on red and white bags. “Breathe deeply” is one phrase easily spotted in the design, directly referencing an important facet of yoga.

 “Unity is strength. Knowledge is power. Attitude is everything.”

Livestrong’s manifesto clearly identifies who their brand is talking to and what tone they present to that audience.

There is a ton of information out there however this article is one of particular interest in reading and can also help you with identifying next steps.

17 Inspiring Brand Manifestos.

http://disenthrall.co/12-inspiring-brand-manifestos/

With that said it is time to get to MANIFESTING YOUR DESTINY!  Enjoy and be empowered!!

Leslie Crudup writes for The Business Liaisons, LLC – Business Consulting

www.thebusinessliaisons.com

BORING ALERT!!!!

If you are wondering if you are doing the right thing. Here’s a question….

ARE YOU BORING???

I will tell you what….if you don’t have something interesting to say then who cares?   Time is short and valuable and folks do not have time to waste.  In the fast paced world we live in, you need to be relevant and interesting…or else keep it moving!

Why are people that don’t even follow Beyoncé asking about her?  Why are people so interested in the secret life of Prince?  Why are people asking what is Trump going to say next?

Sure they are celebrities but guess what…. they are not boring!  People want to be entertained and they want to dive into something that is intriguing and inviting.   And so if you are not selling your business as something interesting then why would anyone want to talk to you?  Why would you expect them to be interested in your product or your service?

The key to being successful is being INTERESTING. I do not care what you are selling it has to grab someone’s attention.  I have watched folks with some very interesting ideas and very interesting products but no one knows about them because they are not introducing it as something interesting.

Marketing is REALLY NOT that complicated.  Sure you need to know your analytics in regards to costs and you CERTAINLY need to know your customer, but if you are coming off as something boring….it means nothing….it means no sale.

FOR EXAMPLE...

Maybe your business is to teach spanish to adults.   We can agree this is a business that given today is a sought after service.   So you set up shop and a website and you post your billboard,  " WE TEACH SPANISH HERE".   

Wonderful…but what is so interesting about that?  Here is where you introduce your niche!  Maybe your niche is that you teach Spanish while cooking ethnic dishes!   And so now you are a little interesting, folks like food.  Or maybe your idea is to teach through reading an interesting novel, capturing the interest of reading enthusiasts at the same time.  Here is another thought, you could provide Spanish classes from children, let the children teach the class.   I know some of this sounds crazy but it is interesting and engaging and that is the key to making a sale!!

I know my example is a stretch but can I tell you how many people I run into that have very interesting businesses but no one knows about it because they fail to present it with some pizzazz!  If you provide a service, it is not enough that you have all of the experience in the world in the subject…be interesting! 

The moral is….you can’t just put up a sign and say come and buy.  You have to create an interest. Make it fun. Make it something worth looking into and something relevant that would of course still answers your customers’ needs.

If you have a product. Talk about it!  What makes it better than anything your customer may have ever experienced?  What do YOU like about it?  

I cannot stress how important it is in business to BE INTERESTING… MARKETING is a vehicle and being INTERESTING is the primary goal! 

• ·        KNOW YOUR CUSTOMER
• ·       NICHE or a Trend
• ·         Watch your competition
• ·         Be INNOVATIVE
• ·         Connect with our audience

I talk about CONTENT MARKETING in my 1^st webinar and I invite you to join in live or view the podcast.   It focuses on Marketing more so but there are clear examples of how being engaging are key to success.

So go ahead and just brain storm how you want to showcase your business.  Research what others in your same industry are doing. Then ask yourself…what I can do to put the same spin on it but make it exclusively all mine. 

Sisterhood (Period)

 I know this may sound strange but I am not making this up.  When I get my issue of Essence in the mail I am so elated.  It is one of the most fulfilling parts of getting mail. Isn’t it nice to get instead of bills?   I gaze at the beautiful cover and I smile at the feature stories as they speak to my heart in so many ways. I turn the pages and glance at how not only how beautiful we are as sisters but how diverse.  NO TWO women are even REMOTELY alike.   But then too as I read the articles I find so much of myself in them. I only have to read the titles or the small captions and immediately I am drawn in.

So this is not a blog about my love of Essence.  It is a blog about my love for self and finding myself in others…other women who are so different in many ways and yet the same.  And that is what amazes me about being in business with sisters.

We embody the epitome of just being different.  We are so diverse in our thinking and our love and our passion and yet we all want the same.  We to succeed.  We all want to be able to build our dreams.  And what is even more beautiful is that we want to see EACH other succeed. 

We want for our sisters what we want for ourselves”   That is a CAFÉ quote. 

That is a quote from a business whose primary mission is to celebrate the differences and similarities in being sisters in business.  I think that is why I find so much love for CAFÉ.  

But then this isn’t about a blog about Nicole Newman and Tara Colquitt. It is about a blog about love for self and finding myself in others.

I have so many wonderful ideas of what I want for my business…what I want for my daughter.  There are times I feel winded, and I mean literally can’t breathe because there is so much for me to do and to be done. And frankly I am scared. 

I wrote a post on FB a few days ago about validation and finding it in others.  And then what should happen, a young lady directs me to her post about the very same thing and how she has managed or continues to manage it.  Here I find a courageous and beautiful woman that has transformed her life for love of herself.   I felt honored to have her direct me to her blog.  And here again, a woman that wants for her sister as she wants for herself.  She is a brand worth reckoning and as she models her life for daughter to see as she continues to empower those around her. She helped me realize this is what I am doing every day…being a champion for my daughter.  She reminded me of that…just  BEING TYEMA.

But this is not a blog about Tyema Sanchez Salaam.  Yes, this is a blog about love of self and myself in others.

And then there is this woman that EVERY SINGLE TIME I SEE HER. She has the HUGEST smile on her face.  She is continuously positive and her NETWORK embraces her as a strong and ambitious business owner and coach.  She is open to anyone for conversation and she is always asking how she can help you, your business or how her business can collaborate with yours.  She is humble and yet a pillar.  She wants for you what she wants for herself.  She is BEING Michelle!  She has her own goals and ambitions but they mean nothing if she cannot help you grow.  

#Growtogether..That is her hashtag and her smile just draws you in!!! . 

But this is not a blog about Michelle Snow.   It is a blog about love of self and finding myself in others.

And so I am just surrounded by empowering and remarkable women.  Each one is different and beautiful in their own right and yet we all share the same goals…the need to uplift and at the end of the day they want for others what they want for themselves.

And here I am in business, building my dreams and looking to build something for my daughter. I read through my Essence magazine and I lose my breath, overwhelmed. I look at the beautiful women that are so diverse and so rare and different each in her own right.  And I read through the articles and find the similarity, how they speak to my own cause and how I find myself in them.   I look around me and I find that in my own circle I am surrounded by strong and beautiful women that have each in their own way have shown me, Leslie,  that I should continue to believe in myself because they believe in me.  They want for me what I want for myself.  We want for each other what we want for ourselves.  We Grow Together.  You Go We go. We are BEING (you fill in the blank). WE ARE LOVE.

But this isn’t a blog about Tara Colquitt, Nicole Newman, Tyema Sanchez Salaam or Michelle Snow. It is a blog about Leslie Crudup.  And I want for my sisters what I want for myself.

Dedication and devotion is part of business growth…have you really embraced it?