Mastering Feedback
I had a conversation with a friend a few weeks back. It started out around Einstein’s quote, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result.”
She had heard it lots of times in the past but this time it really hit her. Her new job was …
The Art of Asking & Receiving
I had a conversation with a friend a few weeks back.
It started out around Einstein’s quote, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result.”
She had heard it lots of times in the past but this time it really hit her. Her new job was exactly the same as the previous one. The only difference she realized was that she was actually making less pay in the end.
“What makes it the same?” I asked.
“It’s the same thing. I work hard and do a really conscientious job but I never know how I’m doing in their eyes. No one ever tells me.” She lamented.
Her complaint was not new. It was the same complaint everywhere she worked as far back as I could remember.
“Looking back, how often did you ask for feedback instead of waiting for them to tell you?” I asked.
“Oh, I don’t think I should need to ask. It’s just common courtesy, isn’t it, to offer words of appreciation and encouragement to the people who work for you?” she replied.
I immediately thought of Gary Chapman’s book, The Five Love Languages. Gary condensed our needs for connection and love into five actions. Some are more important to us than others. He believes, and so do I, that once we know what matters to someone we can improve our relationships with them. It’s also vital for us voice what matters to us.
Here are the five love languages:
Words of Affirmation
Physical Touch
Receiving and Giving Gifts
Quality Time
Acts of Service
“It may be a common courtesy for you,” I offered, “but obviously not to them. It’s just not one of their love languages.”
I continued, “So if the definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results, what’s one thing YOU can change?”
She knew about the Five Love Languages. I had told her about it a year ago and she took the quiz. Her number one love language was Words of Affirmation by a large margin.
As she pondered what she could change, I offered up a suggestion.
“How about you just ask them how you’re doing instead of waiting for them to say something? Be proactive. It obviously bothers you so take control of the conversation. Just say, ‘Hey, I’m just checking in to see how I’m doing. Is there anything I could improve upon?’ Make is casual.”
I saw her freeze. “Oh, I don’t know.”
“What are you afraid of? The asking or the receiving?” I questioned her.
Feedback is vital to us humans, we are a social species. We need to know how we are doing to feel safe and valued in our tribes, both personally and in business.
When I ask clients to get testimonials from their customers to use in their marketing I often hear excuses like “I don’t want to bother them” or “They’re not the type of people who do that.” Even, “But what if they don’t want to or give me a bad review?”
You can’t improve what you don’t know. We are all a work in progress. Learning how to ask, but more importantly how to receive, keeps us moving forward, growing and progressing. It’s a simple action that can shift Einstein’s theory of insanity into insight. And with insight doors open and opportunities appear. Instead of wondering why, find out why.
What’s one bit of feedback can you ask for today?
Who will you ask?
How will it feel when you hear their answer?
What will you do with their answer?
Don’t forget to say ‘Thank You’ ;)
3 simply ways to start gathering feedback:
Ask your clients for testimonials (People love being asked for their opinion)
Send out a Survey (Mailchimp has a function for that - easy-peasey)
Allow comments and reviews on your website and social media channels (Yes, you will need to monitor them but you should be actively involved with your media anyway)
If you never taken the Five Love Languages quiz or it was a while ago, I highly recommend it. The insights you will gain can be applied to all of your relationships - personal and business . Here’s the link: https://5lovelanguages.com/learn
The most successful, fulfilling, and longest lasting businesses are laser focused on relationships and building community. Relationships require open and on-going communication. Gather feedback - it’s like money in the bank.
So how is your relationship with money?
I ask because how you do money is how you do everything. Do you know what your Money Language is?
You have one and it’s likely your Money Language is connected to your Love Language.
Are you a Maverick, a Nurturer, a Connector, a Celebrity, an Accumulator, Alchemist, a Romantic?
Find out. Take the Free Money Personality Quiz: https://www.buildingtobrilliance.com/masteryourmoney-quiz
Shine on Lovely Lady!! Keep growing, keep learning! Your brilliance is showing :)
Best,
Janet
“A lot of people are afraid to say what they want.
That’s why they don’t get what they want.”
- Madonna
A Woman’s #1 Self-Sabotage
When I first started out in business I made a classic mistake. One that would cost me dearly for over a decade in both money, time, and energy. And worst of all, I kept doing it!
It’s extremely common when you’re …
When I first started out in business I made a classic mistake. One that would cost me dearly for over a decade in both money, time, and energy. And worst of all, I kept doing it!
It’s extremely common when you’re starting out and it can creep back in even when you think you have it licked.
What was it?
Well, it was actually a combination of three common mistakes - each one leading and feeding into the other. Looking back, it was a bad loop I continued to allow to play out and all because I questioned my worth. The more I allowed it to continue the more I questioned my value and worth. It was a vicious cycle yet completely preventable.
I was speaking with a client this week who recently relocated and there it was - that nasty self-sabotage again. She was wondering if she should lower her pricing.
The #1 business self-sabotage for women is Pricing.
She had looked around and it seemed that people charged less than her. Not people doing the same thing as her, but people in general offering services.
We explored why she felt this way.
Was it because she was new to the area and wanted to fit in and please others?
Was she taking on others money blocks?
Was she questioning her worth and value?
Turns out it was a combination of all three.
I encouraged her to stick with her current pricing, get to know the people and area better before making assumptions about what they value.
“Stand proudly in your worth and value. You know how much you bring to your work and the benefit it brings others.”
Truth be told, you don’t want to work with anyone who doesn't see value in what you do. It’s not only a waste of your time, it’s waste of theirs too.
If people really want to work with you they will find a way, they always do.
Once I let go of that vicious cycle of self-sabotage and stepped confidently into my worth everything changed for the better. The right people showed up with the right mindset, focus, and dedication. Even more importantly, we’ve established long-lasting relationships.
So... what were the 3 common mistakes I was making?
#2, #3, and #5.
Check them out.
They’re in my ebook - The 5 Biggest Pricing Mistakes Women Make.
Enjoy!
Best,
Janet
“"Elevate Your Worth by Believing in Your Wisdom and
Watch your Wealth Rise
Magically!””
- Janet Hutchens
Your Ikigai & Your 3 Legged Stool
I know, I know… it sounds kinda ‘icky’ but really it isn’t. It’s frigging amazing!
Ikigia is a Japanese concept I use in my Discover Your Brilliance Course and when working with clients on everything from …
Iki… What??
I know, I know… it sounds kinda ‘icky’ but really it isn’t. It’s frigging amazing!
Ikigia is a Japanese concept I use in my Discover Your Brilliance Course and when working with clients on everything from branding to marketing. Even with money blocks and sabotages.
It’s about bringing together the 4 essential elements for success - your talents, your passion, your mission, and your worth.
And when I say success, I’m talking in business, in life, in love, in health, in community, in… everything!!
'Iki' in Japanese mean 'life' and ‘gai’ describes value or worth. Your Ikigai is your reason for being, your life purpose, your bliss, what lights you up. It's what brings you joy and inspires you to get out of bed everyday.
My mission is to inspire one million women leap out of bed each morning, excited and charged up to share their brilliance with the world.
Ikigai is what I’m talking about!
Your Ikigai is the convergence of four elements:
What you love - your passion
What you’re good at - your talents (BTW - your talents can be vastly different from your passion)
What the world needs - your mission
What you can be paid for - your value & worth
Those who have all four figured out and in balance will live and lead a joyful, meaningful, abundant and fulfilled life.
But wait! There’s more!
To gain and maintain a healthy Ikigai there are 10 daily actions to follow:
Stay active
Don't retire
Take it slow
Get in shape
Live in the moment
Reconnect with nature
Smile
Surround yourself with good friends
Give thanks
Follow your Ikigai
What’s a 3 Legged Stool got to do with it?
If you’re unsure about what your passion, talents, and mission are, that’s where my 3 Legged Stool tool comes in handy. By answering 3 essential questions you can keep your Ikigai in balance. Those answers are the legs of your 3 Legged Stool.
When your business feels out of balance, like a wobbly 3 Legged Stool, look to your answers and remind yourself why you do what you do. Then make the necessary adjustments to get back in balance. Business is not so much staying on track as it is staying in balance.
Here are the 3 questions:
What’s your All About You Why?
What’s your Emotional Why?
What’s your All About Them Why?
Ponder these. Canoodle on them. Even meditate on them. They are essential to staying in balance and in abundance - both in business and in life.
As women entrepreneurs we spend so much time on our business - doing, thinking, dreaming. It should be completely enjoyable, fulfilling, fun, exciting, inspiring and profitable. It should light us up!
Best, Janet
“Get your Ikigai in shape!
Change Your World to Change The World!”
- Janet Hutchens
What’s a Mastermind?
I get this question enough that it's really worth discussing... and you should care... you should always care :)
A mastermind group is a small group of like-minded achievers who understand the value of sharing and …
No time to read right now? Click below to listen to this blog.
And Why Should I Care?
I get this question enough that it's really worth discussing... and you should care... you should always care :)
A mastermind group is a small group of like-minded achievers who understand the value of sharing and crowdsourcing ideas, wins and challenges.
It’s different from having a mentor or a coach because there is no one person looked to for solutions. The facilitator does not coach the individuals but rather moderates the discussion. Members challenge each other to set strong goals, and more importantly, to accomplish them. The members act as catalysts for growth, devil’s advocates and supportive colleagues.
Mastermind Groups are Nothing New
Andrew Carnegie, the billionaire steel tycoon, credited his entire fortune to his mastermind group. Napoleon Hill introduced the concept of the “master mind alliance” in his 1920’s book The Law of Success, and expanded on it in his 1930s book, Think And Grow Rich. - both worth a read! Thomas Edison, Henry Ford and Harvey Firestone had their own small mastermind group and one of the most famous mastermind groups of all time was The Inklings, an authors’ group with members like C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and Owen Barfield.
What are the Benefits of a Mastermind Group?
While Masterminds offer a combination of brainstorming, education, peer accountability, validation, empowerment, and support the true value of being in a Mastermind ultimately depends on you.
Are you willing to:
Be completely honest, humble and realistic about where you are and what you could be doing better?
Set solid goals and actively reach for them?
Be accountable?
Accept constructive ideas and feedback?
Should competitors be in my Mastermind?
Should I join an industry-focused Mastermind?
I am a big believer and doer in thinking abundantly not from a sense of lack, therefore it doesn’t concern me to have what some may view as competitors. Everyone is different, and everyone has their own talents and brilliance. Some choose an industry-focused Mastermind, like finance, real estate, travel, etc. however that too can have it’s advantages and disadvantages. It can be very valuable to have an outsider/customer viewpoint when looking for solutions.
I started the Lady-Preneur Mastermeals because I was missing thoughtful, deep, caring and insightful conversations with like-minded women achievers. I wanted to get the hard conversations going and flowing to benefit all of us.
Then after the MasterMeal dinners women were asking “What’s next?” So I started Brilliance Builders Alliance - an online platform where we can continue the conversations weekly and in real-time chats as well as lots of other cool features!
If you’re interested in either or both let me know OR check out the info on my website about them. Ladies, let keep the conversations flowing!
Best, Janet
“My husband is great and listens well but I needed a different kind of support.
Women just communicate differently and have different problems than men.”
- a Lady-Preneur MasterMeal attendee
Introverts & Marketing
This may surprise some of you but generally I’m very shy. Oh, I put on a good front but it has taken me (and still does) a fair amount of courage to enter a room with a group of people. I suppose to some I may come off as aloof but it’s not you, it's just …
No time to read right now? Click below to listen to this blog.
This may surprise some of you but generally I’m very shy. Oh, I put on a good front but it has taken me (and still does) a fair amount of courage to enter a room with a group of people. I suppose to some I may come off as aloof but it’s not you, it's just me feeling uncomfortable.
Although I was born into a crowd (the youngest of six) I prefer to be by myself. That doesn’t always work well when you’re building and maintaining your business. All those Business-After-Hours events, presentations, and hob-nobbing with fellow entrepreneurs - Ahhh!
I remember the first time I had to stand up in front of a crowd and give a speech. It was for my first BNI 10-minute presentation. I had practiced it so much it was on autopilot - Thank God!
I got up, spoke the 10 minutes of material, sat down, and turned to the person beside me.
“How was it?” I asked.
“Great!”, she said enthusiastically.
"Oh good”, I replied, “I don’t remember a thing. Once I stood up everything went black.“
After that I really pushed myself to get out of my comfort zone and get more comfortable. It worked to a degree but I still prefer to hang out in the office creating stuff.
One technique I use is called my 'Doorway Trigger'. As I enter a new space, I actually pause for a moment or two and consciously decide how I want to show up going into that room. What’s my energy going to be? How do I want to show up?
Doing so sets the stage (pun intended) for not only my level of comfort but also how people will approach and react to me.
Visibility is a major and critical element of marketing, especially as an entrepreneur. Being visible doesn’t have to be painful though. There are ways to be seen, have your Me-Time, and Prosper!
In my ebook - Marketing for Introverts I define 7 marketing techniques.
Check it out!
Best, Janet
“I am thankful for my struggle because without it
I wouldn’t have stumbled on my strength.”
- Alex Elle
Emotional Intelligence, Five Fears, & Love
What an amazing night last night! I hosted one of my Lady-Preneur MasterMeals. I’m never sure what to expect, how the conversation will go, and what will come up but a common thread always presents itself and last night was …
No time to read right now? Click below to listen to this blog.
What an amazing night last night! I hosted one of my Lady-Preneur MasterMeals. I’m never sure what to expect, how the conversation will go, and what will come up but a common thread always presents itself and last night was no exception.
Right off the bat, the tone of the conversation was set. Although everyone was new to each other except for two, as they introduced themselves each brought up the concept of Emotional Intelligence and how embracing it had not only changed their personal and business worlds but how extending it to others in their lives - husbands, partners, employees, co-workers, and clients - had made all the difference in their overall happiness, joy and love quotient.
• Kelly’s entire business is centered around Emotional Intelligence and teaching others how to use it.
• Mundy, as CEO, established an EOS system (Entrepreneurial Operating System) in her company which helps people clarify their vision, gain traction, and increase team health with simple, proven and practical tools.
• Katharine teaches her patients to break through their literal birth pain by tapping into their innate ‘Ability to Go Further’ mindset.
• Kelli introduced it to her husband and his co-workers by hiring a therapist to do group sessions with them once a month to help them learn and deal with stress on and off the job.
What is Emotional Intelligence? It is defined as the ability to understand and manage your own emotions, as well as recognize and influence the emotions of those around you.
The four skills of emotional intelligence are: Self-awareness, Self-Management, Social Awareness, and Relationship Management.
The process can be applied to overcoming money blocks, self-sabotage habits, and any other self-imposed limiting beliefs that are holding you back from achieving everything you’ve every wanted and living a joyful, loving, and satisfying life.
Here are the steps:
Practice observing how you feel
Pay attention to how you behave
Question your own opinions
Take responsibility for your feelings
Take time to celebrate the positive
Don't ignore the negative
Don't forget to breathe
Review and repeat the process
We all have Emotional Intelligence. It’s simply how much we want to 'Use it & Improve it’ by choosing to embrace it as a vital tool for our lives.
Here’s another step - I have a free quiz called “What’s Holding You Back” on my website that addresses the Five Fears - Fear of Abandonment, Fear of Success (or Failure), Fear of Out-shining, Fear of Being Fundamentally Flawed, and Fear of Losing Control.
See what fear may be holding you back and practice the Emotional Intelligence steps to begin breaking through that fear to find greater joy, love and peace in your life. CHECK IT OUT!
As we wrapped up our over 3 hours together, I asked the women what was one word that would want to focus on in the next week based on our conversations. The top two were Love and Connection! :)
And what does this have to do with business, marketing, branding? - EVERYTHING!
Best, Janet
“Stop shrinking to fit places you’ve outgrown.”
- Furana Joyce
Want to join in the conversation?
Let me know if you’re interested in the Brilliance Builders Alliance.
It’s a Mastermind Group of abundant thinking achievers! - just like you!
Are You Prone to Pre-Failing?
Did the tide go out? Is something in retrograde? I don't know about you but it seems everyone has pressed the pause button and/or gone doggone silent. Perhaps everyone is just …
No time to read right now? Click below to listen to this blog.
Did the tide go out? Is something in retrograde? I don't know about you but it seems everyone has pressed the pause button and/or gone doggone silent. Perhaps everyone is just on vacation (that's me trying to stay positive :)
My first instincts after announcing something new and not seeing instant results is to slip into worry, then nobody-loves-me, then toss up my hands and prepare for defeat. But then I snap to and remember that gets me nowhere. Time to shift Pre-Failing into Pre-Winning.
"Dammit Janet, You either Win or Learn. So if at first you don’t win, learn and then win!"
The Question of the Week is about Pre-Failing. Pre-failing is self-sabotage and an abundance blocker. It can be pretty sneaky, slipping in along side the excuses and blaming we default to while convincing ourselves it's out of our control (like the economy or the weather or people on vacation).
Pre-failing is not about pivoting or putting something on hold - it’s about fear. When we go into Pre-fail mode we are putting all of our focus on defeat which only succeeds in keeping us small and safe. Remember... what you focus on expands.
The Question(s):
When did you last have thoughts of Pre-failing?
What were the emotions that came up around it?
What did you tell yourself to change your thoughts and shift from Pre-failing to Pre-Winning?
Does this resonate with you? Shoot me an email and let me know.
Best, Janet
“Stop shrinking to fit places you’ve outgrown.”
- Furana Joyce
Did you know… How You Do Money is How You Do Everything?
Discover your Money DNA and let the transformations begin!
The Three C’s and One E
WARNING: Pay no attention to the man behind that confusing and overwhelming schematic above!
Girlfriend, stop being afraid of marketing. It’s just Communicating. That’s all!
And if you love what you do, you love talking about it!
Hmmm.. seems simple enough - just talk about what you do.
But why is it that so…
For Expert Marketing
No time to read right now? Click below to listen to this blog.
WARNING: Pay no attention to the man behind that confusing
and overwhelming schematic above!
Girlfriend, stop being afraid of marketing. It’s just Communicating. That’s all!
And if you love what you do, you love talking about it!
“Hmmm.. seems simple enough - just talk about what you do.”
But why is it that so many us don’t talk about what we do or are afraid to?
Women, in particular, hold back from shining their light brightly for fear of the “Shame Gremlins”, as Brene Brown describes them.
"Who does she think she is?"
"She's awfully full of herself?"
"Why does she think she's so special?"
What do your Shame Gremlins tell you?
Do you silence them or let them silence you?
For me it’s, “Who does she think she is? She’s not that smart.”
That shame speak used to cripple me and send me back to the corner, staying small and silent.
I’ve had to work on it but now I proudly respond, “Hey, I am smarter than the average bear and your bullets can not harm me for my wings are like a shield of steel!”
Yes, I have found my strength in cartoon characters but heck, whatever helps get the job done :)
All kidding aside, I am smarter than the average bear and my wings do lift me up when I need them because I now believe in my wisdom, gifts, and talents.
Back to marketing.
If marketing is just communicating what is Excellent Marketing?
And can it be the trick to silence your Shame Gremlins and release your voice?
YES! It can!
Here are my three C's and one E for Excellent Marketing.
(I tried to find another word that began with C for the last one but nothing did the job.)
The 3 C's and one 1 E of Excellent Marketing:
Clarity
Consistency
Confidence
Enthusiasm
1) Clarity - get clear on your message. Purpose, Path, Product.
What’s the purpose of your message?
What’s the path to the result?
What’s the result/solution or end product?
2) Consistency - repeat after me “Consistency is the Key to Success!”
I can not stress this enough. We all fall short on occasion of consistent action in our marketing but you must not falter, you must persist! Consistency is key and so many people do not do it! Consistency gets noticed. Consistency gets results. Get your message out there on a regular and timely basis.
3) Confidence - lead with your best self and best foot forward and opportunities appear like magic!
Even if you suffer (and we all do) from imposter syndrome, kick it to the side and march forward with confidence. You got this Girl! Everyone wants to work with confident people.
4) Enthusiasm - There is absolutely no substitute for pure, unadulterated enthusiasm.
I get giddy just thinking about it! It lights me up! But more importantly it lights others up! I have hired many a person for this one attribute alone, because I knew they would learn and do whatever needed to be accomplished with joy, interest, and curiosity.
Don’t make the assumption you can only do one or two. That would be like trying to bake a cake without flour and cornstarch. It won’t turn out well. All four are required for excellent marketing.
Make it a practice to ask yourself every time you communicate about your business - in a Instagram post, a networking event, or an email to a client…
Am I clear on my message?
Am I saying my message consistently and often?
Am I saying it with confidence?
Am I saying it with enthusiasm?
The world needs your brilliance and wisdom!
Ladies, Live Your Light and start talking proudly about it!
Best, Janet
“Women who invest in themselves go further”
- Janet Hutchens
Don’t call it a dream. Call it a PLAN!
Women’s #1 Most Common Pricing Mistake
Life requires change! Life is change! Heck, the very definition of life is change!
Merriam-Website: life; noun; the ability to grow, change, etc., that separates plants and animals from things like water or rocks.
Ladies, you are not a rock so stop hiding behind yourself.
Life requires change! Life is change! Heck, the very definition of life is change!
Merriam-Website: life; noun; the ability to grow, change, etc., that separates plants and animals from things like water or rocks.
Ladies, you are not a rock so stop hiding behind yourself.
Pricing Mistake #1: Afraid to Raise your Prices.
It’s just a fear not based in reality. And you know in your gut where that fear comes from… plain and simple, it comes from a fear of rejection.
And I get it! I feel your fear! Big time!
My number one fear is a Fear of Abandonment. With all of the soul searching I’ve done, Fear of Abandonment pops up over and over as a major theme in my life. I both consciously and unconsciously focused and feared and worried about it so much throughout my life that it kept showing up! Until I changed my perspective and shifted my thoughts.
“You are what you eat but more importantly… you are what you think.”
Whenever I have a resistance to anything…
I Stop, Drop, and Roll.
Stop: I stop those crazy, fear-filled, non-productive, ridiculous thoughts spinning around in my head.
Drop: I drop back into reality–my real and true situation and reality of my life.
Roll: I roll up my sleeves and look at the situation rationally, with purpose and productivity as the goal i.e. “What do I really want?”
“What outcome am I looking for?”
“What do I want to produce from this situation or change?”
“What’s my purpose behind making this change?”
Let’s look at 3 rational reasons to increase your prices. Women often overlook these because their fear of rejection descends so deeply, like a big dark cloud cascading over them, that all clarity is lost in the fog.
1) Your business and personal expenses have gone up.
Look around, prices have gone up - everywhere! Heck, I noticed just yesterday that my favorite brand of pesto is now $5.49. I swear it was $4.99 just a month ago. That’s a big increase. That’s a 10% increase.
However, I don’t get mad about it. I just figure they’re costs must have gone up so naturally they’re passing it on to me. I still bought it because it’s so good!
Guess, what… your costs just went up too! Your groceries are more expensive, the price of gas went up, your internet and cable services went up, and so on and so forth.
Ladies, you must keep in step with inflation and the cost of your living. Make that at least an annual commitment, quarterly even better. Look at your cost of living expenses and raise your prices accordingly to stay in step with them.
2) You have no problem getting work.
If you have no trouble convincing people to work with you or buy your services and/or products, you’re charging too little and undervaluing your worth. It’s time to raise your prices. Ideally, you want your close rate to be 75%-80%, meaning those 25% are not your ideal client and will balk and walk at your prices. But, Girl, they are either not ready to work with you or they’re just looking for a deal. Keep your heels and your standards high!
3) You feel resentful or taken advantage of.
This happened to me sooo many times I’m embarrassed to admit it but it is an excellent teaching moment. When I started out in business I would say “Yes, Yes, Yes” to everything. I had a major “People-Pleasing” problem-not uncommon for new entrepreneurs starting out and wanting to prove their worth. But “proving your worth” and “claiming your worth” are two drastically different things. Claim your worth by not taking on projects that undervalue your wisdom, talents, gifts, and time.
Here’s a Temperature Test:
If you have fear around increasing your prices, now is the perfect time to increase them!
That fear, your fear of rejection, has most likely held you back, not just in raising your prices, but in other areas of your life and business as well.
Now’s the time to face it head on, say ”Heck Ya! I’m Worth It” and take a big step up your golden staircase of self-worth!
Wow! we made it through all 5 of the Most Common Pricing Mistakes Women Make. Here’s the list:
#5 - Working for Free for Too Long
#4 - Undercharging & Over Delivering
#3 - Pricing By Committee
#2 - Taking It Personally When Someone Says You’re Too Expensive
#1 - Fear of Increasing Your Prices
I have a handy-dandy Ebook/Checklist of them which you can reference anytime you feel yourself sliding backwards or doubting yourself.
And… There’s a TST Challenge for you about each mistake to really help you level up! TST means “Thinking Small Thought”. Start thinking Big(ger)!
Download Your Free Ebook Here.
And of course, you can always reread the longer versions of each Mistake on My Blog.
Remember, Mindset is the Magic and the seed from which all greatness grows.
Best, Janet
“Raise your worth by believing in your wisdom and watch your wealth rise!”
- Janet Hutchens
“Working with Janet is like working with your best friend.
She gets to know you, listens to your goals and makes great suggestions on how you can elevate your marketing to the next level.
She has a way of making you feel comfortable while being bold and enjoying the process of getting out of your comfort zone.
Janet asks the right questions and never “sells” you on her services.
I cannot wait for my next project with her.”
- Lovelynn Ivey
Ready to hit the road and get going? Learn more about our Marketing Program.
What the heck is “Too Expensive” anyway?
Pricing Mistake #2.
Too expensive is completely subjective. What’s a good value to you could be too high for someone else and vice versa. And that makes the world go ‘round, Girl!
Pricing Mistake #2
TRUE STORIES:
[TEXT] “FYI - your new course email has a typo in it. There’s an extra zero in the price.”
[CONVERSATION] “Oh yes. I’ve heard about you. I hear you’re very expensive.”
[EMAIL] “Your quote was too expensive. We believe in helping people out so we don’t charge very much. People usually volunteer their work to us. ”
Full Disclosure: When I received these message, I have made ALL the classic, and not so classic, mistakes.
ME: [TEXT] “No, it isn't a typo, but maybe I should rethink my price.” - MISTAKE #3 - Pricing by Committee
ME: [CONVERSATION] “I’m not sure where you would have heard that. I’m happy to work with someone on price and I’ll work until you’re completely satisfied.” - Mistake #4 - Undercharging & Overdelivering
ME: [EMAIL] “Of course I can help. I can whip something up really quickly.” - Mistake #5 - Working for Free
Holy Cannoli! In all three of those cases, I let old patterns of self-sabotage kick in and did a complete about face on my sense of worth and value. With every step up my golden staircase of self worth, I took 2, no - 3 or 4 steps back. Ughhh!
Guess what the end result was for all three of these? HINT: Same result for all 3.
Cheeseball money for too much work and too much time… and also feeling resentful and depressed in letting myself down.
Pricing Mistake #2: Taking it personally when someone says you’re too expensive.
If you’re hearing that you are too expensive first of all give yourself a BIG HUG & HIGH FIVE because…
You have clearly and boldly… gone where you’ve never gone before!
Ok, new territory is always a little scary… but also EXCITING!
“I've been absolutely terrified every moment of my life and
I've never let it keep me from doing a single thing that I wanted to do.”
Georgia O’Keefe
And Girlfriend, you have also clearly and boldly…
Taken a fearless step up your golden ladder of worth!
Decided you won’t compromise your talents!
Chosen to value your time with a renewed respect!
“But what if…
I gave them a deal… just this time?”
they’re just testing me? Shouldn’t I compromise?”
they really don’t have any money? Shouldn’t I still help out?”
Before you slide backwards making concessions and deals, please ask yourself…
What exactly is “too expensive”?
Here’s the deal:
Too expensive is completely subjective. What’s a good value to you could be too high for someone else and vice versa. And that makes the world go ‘round, Girl!
Everyone has different ideas of value
Stick to YOUR sense of value, not someone else’s
Don’t take on their conscious and subconscious money blocks
I once dated a guy who would have crab legs flown in overnight from Alaska for dinner but would exhaustedly spend, and I mean endless hours over endless weeks, seeking out every deal know-to-mankind so he (we) could ski on the cheap. I would have happily given up the crab legs and use that money for regular lift tickets, just to be able to spend more time with him. Quality time was valuable to me. Food & deals to him.
The Project Constraint Triangle - Cost - Time - Quality
Every project has 3 over-arching variables: Cost - Time - Quality. One usually needs to be flexible for the successful completion of the project.
Heads Up - this is important!
That flexibility in cost, time, or quality comes from the client - NOT YOU!
The client needs to be flexible - NOT YOU!
If they need it faster - the price goes up
If they need it cheaper - send them somewhere else
If they don’t care about your quality - send them somewhere else
If they need additions to the quality ie bigger scope - the time increases and in turn the cost
Girl, If you really want that new car, you gotta get that old one out of the garage!
Only when you open up space in your life will there be room for new opportunities. Don’t weigh yourself down with clients that don’t value you and don’t want to pay your worth. Open up space for new opportunities and new valuable clients.
“Raise your worth by believing in your wisdom and watch your wealth rise!”
- Janet Hutchens
"Imagine setting out in a new frontier with no map! Even Lewis and Clark knew that was not wise which is why they enlisted Sacajawea as their guide.
After three brainstorm sessions, Janet presented a comprehensive marketing strategy and implementation plan to guide me in this new territory. As we reviewed the plan I felt myself shift from overwhelmed and confused to confident and courageous.”
Janet is my Sacajawea in this new frontier.
She brilliantly helps me build to my brilliance!"
- Susan Cowan Morse
Ready to hit the road and get going? Learn more about our Marketing Program.
What Exactly is Branding?
“All I need is a logo and I’ll be golden.”
If I had a dime for every time I heard that I’d own the bank. And I don’t … at least not yet ;)
Ask a bunch of people what branding is and you’ll likely get a bunch of different answers.
Branding, I know, it’s your…
Which comes first… the logo or the…
“All I need is a logo and I’ll be golden.”
If I had a dime for every time I heard that I’d own the bank. And I don’t … at least not yet ;)
Ask a bunch of people what branding is and you’ll likely get a bunch of different answers.
Branding, I know, it’s your…
Logo
Tagline
Social media
Specific Colors (“Aren’t you supposed to wear your branding?”)
How you present yourself
Website style
Elevator Speech
Authentic Voice
Hmmm… those are all correct … sort of.
Branding is not a noun, it’s a verb. It’s not a thing but a process.
Branding is a process.
It’s the process of researching, developing, designing, and applying distinctive features and elements to your business so your ideal client intuitively connects your brand with your products and services.
The “things” you get out of branding are “Your Brand” - the name of the business, logo, mark, color palette, tagline, etc.
“A picture’s worth a thousand words.” … Right?
Let me ask you…
What do you immediately think of when you see the font and red below?
If you didn’t say Coca Cola, you’re a recently landed alien… even though that’s not what’s written above.
Oh, those folks at Coke…. A++
A brand is only the result of the branding process. The process must come first in order to produce a great result.
“Perfection has to do with the end product, but excellence has to do with the process.”
So where to begin in a branding process?
“No, really, all I need is a logo! Once I have that, I can just start giving out business cards.”
“Hmmm… Yes you could, but what will you tell them?”
While a picture is worth a thousand words and can be the WOW that gets their attention and you in the door, what will you say once you’re in the room?
You must have the words - the foundation, the promise - to back up the WOW.
Your brand is your promise to your customers.
It’s the overall experience your customer undergoes and as such, it requires… No, demands… getting in touch with your heart and the heart of your customers.
I start with your “Why’s”.
Consider them your intentions, which ultimately is your promise to your customers and, equally as important, yourself.
Your “All About Me” Why: My business give me the freedom to…
Your “Emotional” Why: My business allows me to feel…
Your “All About Them” Why: My business exists to…
Lean in and listen carefully, Girlfriend!
Those Why’s are the foundation of your business.
I call it the “3 Legged Stool” Foundation. If one of those Why’s gets out of whack, which, I assure you, will happen, you can go back to your original Why and intention, correct it, and get your business back in balance.
Once that’s done…
We can start creating all those shiny and delicious jewels of your brand, which you’ll present to the world making your business memorable and impactful!
Girl, I’m talking tiara, here, which you will wear proudly!
Benefits of Well-Balanced Branding:
Identity: Branding gives your business an identity beyond its product or service. It gives consumers something to connect and relate to.
Memorable: Branding makes your business memorable. It’s the face of your company and helps consumers distinguish your business across every marketing outlet.
Marketing & Advertising: Branding supports your marketing and advertising efforts. It helps your promotion pack that extra punch with added recognition and impact.
Pride: Branding brings you and your employees pride and a sense of comfort. You’re creating a reputable, well-regarded work environment. Strong branding brings in strong employees.
Consistency: Branding assures your message can be clearly conveyed to the world, not just by you, but by everyone in your organization.
Trust: Branding implies trust. You took the time and effort to build a brand and understand your customers needs. Blend that with consistent marketing and it an absolute win-win.
Sales: Branding can be a strong deciding factor for consumers making a purchase decision. Almost 60% of shoppers said they actively buy from brands they know, and 21% said they bought a product because they liked the brand.
It’s really just a simple 2-step process.
Your 3 Why’s
Then on to the Glitter.
Let’s get your glitter on, Girl, and start building your crown!
Best, Janet
“Your smile is your logo.
Your personality is your business card.
How you leave others feeling becomes your trademark.”
Now that you have an understanding of the branding process
check out my newly added Branding Package to get you started!
Pricing Mistake #3
“What is the value of my life?” a young girl asked her father.
OK… Hold on!
It’s a good story and worth getting back to, but first let’s talk a little about human nature.
You know what’s deeply human?….
What is the value of my life?” a young girl asked her father.
Instead of answering the question, the father told his daughter, “Take this rock and go sell it in the street market. If anybody asks about the price, just raise two fingers and don’t say anything.”
OK… Hold on!
It’s a good story and worth getting back to, but first let’s talk a little about human nature.
You know what’s deeply human?
Canvasing the audience. We all want to be loved, accepted, welcomed, and yes, valued, so we tend to feel out the audience before moving forward rather than relying on our innate and inner wisdom.
The Dangers of Sourcing Your Value.
[WARNING] Everyone has an opinion. EVERYONE!
All those opinions, comments, and reactions can be confusing and deafening, but far more dangerous, they can be paralyzing.
When it comes to pricing, product sellers have it a little easier since there’s overhead to consider, physical elements like ingredients and packaging, but for those of us with a services gig it can be much more difficult and scary, especially starting out.
MY JOURNEY:
When I started out in business I charged $25 an hour for my graphic design services. I even did barter work. Didn’t work. Never does, but that’s another subject for another day.
I also took on a client for $12/hr on the “hope” it would lead to more exposure in “hopes” of more clients. It didn’t. The exposure didn’t happen because I was their well-kept secret and their work consumed so much of my time, I didn’t have time for higher paying clients when they did come along.
I’m convinced that one of the main reasons, often unconscious, some are fearful to niche down and get specific about who they really want to work with is because they fear their self-confident, well-valued price will result in less sales.
They resign to playing small and stay in the low-confident numbers game… Volume versus Value.
“If I offer work at a low price point, I’ll always have work.”
Lean in and listen carefully, Girlfriend!
A lower price point may assure you of more work, but it will never assure you of a healthy bank balance. There is only so much time in a day and, right now, probably only one of you.
Time to level up to the high-confident numbers game.
Pricing Mistake #3: Pricing By Committee
Did you know that corporations, do in fact, have Pricing Committees? Makes sense at their level but not at ours because our services are still wrapped snuggly around our passions and personal self-worth. That’s OK and exactly how it should be.
Don’t you dare make the mistake of disconnecting your passion and self-worth with price and value. They are and should be completely intertwined and connected. In fact, when one does disconnect them that’s when everything goes to shit.
Let’s review how people often canvas their audience to feel validated about their prices:
They look at their competitors
They look at those in their target market
They look at those who are in the market for what they do
That makes sense, right? Seemed reasonable to me too at first, however, let’s look deeper at the real danger in it.
First and foremost, everyone has different perspectives on worth, value, and money. Everyone has inner money blocks, just like you, that are reflected in what they do and how they act.
How you do money is how you do everything.
Here’s the biggest danger in asking someone what you should charge.
Whatever they tell you - good and bad - will stay with you.
TRUE STORY:
At a business networking event, I bounced the price of my new course off a business friend, who I thought may even take it. The first words out of her mouth were, “Geez, that’s sounds like a lot.”
Ugh… I immediately shrunk and then carried the weight of her comment around with me like a sack of rocks for months. Not only was it a direct shot to the heart of my self-worth, the worst part was that it paralyzed my progress.
I paced back and forth on that justification trail for months:
“Maybe she just wants a deal.”
“Maybe she doesn't understand everything she’ll get.”
“Maybe I didn’t explain it well enough.”
“Maybe she thinks I don’t know what I’m talking about.”
“Maybe she doesn’t value my work.”
“Maybe she just doesn’t like me.”
Oh yeah! I dove straight down that rabbit hole head first! Ouch! All that inner talk paralyzed me from getting that course going for an entire year!
I eventually gathered the strength to ask her about her comment.
“Really, I said that? I’m so sorry. I guess it must have been because I was going through my divorce then and all I could think about was how I was going to pay my bills.”
Hmmm, nothing to do with me.. again! I’m so good at beating myself up.
I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that you know exactly what your number is. It’s the same as when I work with someone on their branding, logo, or website. They know exactly what it should be and look like but often they just can’t express it… yet.
It’s in your heart, head, and soul. Trust yourself. Believe in your value.
If you don’t believe in your value how can you expect others to?
But if you’re going to ask anyone, ask your personal business coach. Don't even ask the business group you’re in even if they are in your industry. Everyone has variables, biases, and money blocks. Don’t add those to your load of worries. They belong to them, not you.
“Don’t base your net-worth on someone else's self-worth.“
Your personal business coach knows you, your services, and your comfort level. When working with a client on pricing, I gently guide her to the edge of her comfort zone and then ask her to take step forward-just one step. Could be a big step or a small step, it’s up to her, but nevertheless, a step. And that’s where we begin.
Remember... nothing is cast in stone. You can change your pricing any time of any day. And there are countless ways to incentivize people to use your services without offering them at rock bottom prices.
Everything you’ve ever wanted is right outside your comfort zone.”
You know in your gut what your time, experience, education, gifts and talents are worth. You’ve just been afraid to say it, to voice it. Time to speak up, Lovely Lady!!
Best, Janet
Need a little guidance to move forward?
Ask Janet anything.
Schedule a FREE Brainstorm Session with Janet.
What is the value of my life?
“What is the value of my life?” a young girl asked her father.
Instead of answering, the father told his daughter, “Take this rock and go sell it in the street market. If anybody asks about the price, just raise two fingers and don’t say anything.”
The Rock Story
“What is the value of my life?” a young girl asked her father.
Instead of answering, the father told his daughter, “Take this rock and go sell it in the street market. If anybody asks about the price, just raise two fingers and don’t say anything.”
The girl went to the market and a woman asked, “How much is this rock? It would look so beautiful in my garden.” The girl didn’t say anything but raised up two fingers, and the woman said: “Two dollars? I’ll take it.”
The girl rushed home and told her father about the woman wanting to buy the rock for two dollars. “Now, I want you to take this rock to a museum and if anybody wants to buy it don’t say a word and just raise two fingers”, the father told her.
The girl went to the museum and a man asked her about the rock and how much it was. The girl just put up her two fingers. “Two hundred dollars? I’ll take it”, the man said.
The girl, shocked and excited, rushed home to tell her father. “A man at the museum wants to buy my rock for two hundred dollars!!” she exclaimed. “Excellent!”, said the father. “Now take the rock to a precious stones store and show it to the owner but again, don’t say a word, and if asked about the price just put up two fingers.”
The girl went to a precious stones store and showed the rock to the owner. “Oh, my goodness!”, said the store owner. “Where did you find this stone? It is an extremely rare stone. I must have it! How much would you sell it for?” The girl simply raised two fingers. “Twenty thousand dollars? I’ll take it!” said the store owner.
Running excitedly into her house, the girl shouted, “Father, the precious stones store owner wants to buy my rock for twenty thousand dollars!”
“My dear daughter, do you know the value of your life now? You see, it doesn’t matter where you come from, where you are born, the color of your skin, or how much money you were born into. It only matters where you decide to place yourself, the people you surround yourself with, and how you choose to carry yourself.”
“When surrounding yourself by people that see your worth for only two dollars, you may spend your whole life thinking that you are a two dollar stone.”
“But everybody has a diamond inside them, and we can choose to surround ourselves with people that see our value and see the diamond inside of us. We can choose to put ourselves in a street market or in a precious stones store. We also can choose to see the value of others and help them to see the diamond inside of them.”
Choose the people you surround yourself with wisely.
That will make all the difference in your life.
Need a little guidance to move forward?
Ask Janet anything.
Schedule a FREE Brainstorm Session with Janet.
The Nurturer in Me
I remember it like it was yesterday.
Dar said “Whatever you do Janet, don’t get on that roller coaster with them. Just give them a hug and a kiss, wish them well, and remind them you’ll always be here when they get off.”
Ahhh… teenagers! Best advice I …
(& Us as Women)
I remember it like it was yesterday.
Dar said “Whatever you do Janet, don’t get on that roller coaster with them. Just give them a hug and a kiss, wish them well, and remind them you’ll always be here when they get off.”
Ahhh… teenagers! Best advice I ever received. Of course, I didn’t completely follow her advice and Oh Boy, those roller coasters!
I would venture to say that not only are most mothers Nurturers but so are women in general. Quite literally, it’s in our very fiber. Over centuries, we’ve been the caretakers, the nurses, the cultivators, the nourishers.
Having been a mom since the age of 25, I have proudly worn that crown for over 37 years now, Mimi for over 12 years, and I wouldn’t trade that distinction for anything in the world.
I love being a mom and a Nurturer. For the longest time, being a mom and a Nurturer was my complete identity. Even after I started my business, when people asked me what I did I would lead with being a Mom. It took me a good three years before I started leading with Marketing. It’s still a strong part of my being - in the way I think, the way I care, the way I interact with people.
If you’ve taken the Money Quiz and Nurturer popped up as your primary or even in your top three you know exactly what I’m talking about.
Nurturers have the BIGGEST HEARTS! They’re naturally generous, driven to protect, shelter, and nurture others. They’re excellent friends and employees - devoted, reliable, loyal. They’re the first to run to someone’s aid - be it family, friend, client, or community.
TRUE STORY: I actually made a “So Sorry” casserole for the husband of the woman my husband had run off with because I felt so badly for him! Not sure why I didn’t make a casserole, or better yet a cake, for myself! That was beyond the call of duty!
You know what I used to hear all the time?
“Janet, you’re too nice?”
I would beam at the sound of it and wear it like a badge of honor wondering how could anyone possibly be TOO NICE?
I’d also hear…
“Janet, you’re the most patient person I’ve ever known.”
Yeeesss! Another badge for my sash of apparent self-worth.
“Too Nice. So Patient.”
I peacock-proudly wore my sash of “Too Nice, So Patient”, unconsciously attracting needy and entitled people into my orbit. Eventually, I would feel taken advantage of and resentful, only to find martyrdom sprawled on the couch in his sweatpants sucking down a beer living rent free.
As Nurturer’s, moving ourselves to the top of our To-Do list can be a serious struggle. Yet it’s critical… not only for our sense of worth but also for our bank balance.
ACTION STEP:
I use a concentric approach - beginning with the outermost circle and moving inward.
Imagine a bullseye target with 4 colors of circles (you pick the colors).
Color 1: The inner circles are your family - kids, spouses, significant others, mom, dad, siblings, cousins, etc.
Color 2: The next color group outside of family are your friends.
Color 3: Next color group are your business circles - partners, employees, clients, colleagues.
Color 4: The last color group of outer circles include your community - committees, boards, etc.
Get as specific as you like with your circles, identifying real people.
Identify the people in these circles and then ask yourself questions about your relationship with them that brings out the Nurturer in you. These questions will change as you go into your inner circles and the relationships become more personal.
Do you over deliver to them?
Do you allow them to not pay you in a timely manner?
Do you secretly expect something in return from them?
Do you internally feeling resentful of them?
Do you feel they’re taking advantage of you?
Do you lend them money?
Now that you’ve identified the feelings, you can begin to change your actions.
The absolute best help for me in voicing and delivering new boundaries is with scripts.
As a Nurturer, you’ve been too nice and so patient, so coming up with words, let alone saying them, can be completely foreign and downright terrifying.
Scripts are an important aspect in the Master Your Money Course to help you find the words and the courage to deliver them.
I promise you, Sweet Woman with the Biggest Heart Ever, once you actually say, or write, those words of loving boundaries, you will feel lighter, stronger, freer, and your heart will actually grow three sizes that day.
Sweetie, you are no Grinch and the farthest from it, but you have allowed him to sit on your couch for way too long. His name is likely Martyrdom or Resentful. It’s time he moves out.
And time for you to redefine your loving role as Nurturer with healthy boundaries…
Allowing you to stay as nurtured as the ones you nurture.
“Clear love is the kindest and strongest love.” - Janet Hutchens
“As women, we are the natural nurturers, yet we need to be nurtured to.
Begin by nurturing your mind with great thoughts about yourself.”
-Janet Hutchens
Pricing Mistake #4
You know what I hate? Surprises.
Actually that’s completely and absolutely not true. I love surprises!!
Heck, I get giddy just thinking about a surprise party, a wrapped present, or even someone holding …
Women’s Most Common Pricing Mistakes
You know what I hate? Surprises.
Actually that’s completely and absolutely not true. I love surprises!!
Heck, I get giddy just thinking about a surprise party, a wrapped present, or even someone holding something behind their back - like flowers! Who doesn’t like those surprises? And everything’s better with a bow on it!
But no one likes surprises around money, unless of course it’s a lottery win or a rich Aunt’s bequest. Still waiting Auntie - wink, wink :)
You’ve worked through Mistake #5 - Working for Free for Too Long and taken a conscious step up your golden staircase of self-worth.
Congratulations Girl! High Five!
Pricing Mistake #4 is the typical next hurdle after conquering #5.
You’re charging now for your sparkling talents but it’s not enough.
And how do you know it’s not enough?
No… not because you did a competitive comparison.
You, my dear lovely Lady, know it in your gut–because you are inherently intuitive as a woman–and your gut doesn’t feel good at the completion of the job. Neither does your bank account.
You feel taken advantage of and maybe a tab resentful but you know you did it to yourself. Hmmm… self-sabotage again.
Compound that with the very bad advice you’ve heard to “under promise and over deliver", and Alice, that’s one nasty bottomless rabbit hole you keep jumping into!
Mistake #4: Under Charging and Over Delivering
I realize that over the past decade everyone seemed to be giving away stuff in order to draw people in but have you noticed how that’s beginning to change?
Over the past 2-3 years even the big guys, who appear to be able to “lose money”, have put on the breaks of Under Charging and Over Delivering. Netflix, Google, Warby Parker, Purple Mattress, Hootsuite, and on and on.
They still offer discounts and deals but even trial subscriptions are for less time and less benefits. Hey, everyone has bills to pay and no one wants to feel taken advantage of, even the big guys.
CLIENT EXAMPLE:
I was recently helping a client clean up their contacts and audiences in Mailchimp. which, by the way, I love! We deleted an audience in order to make another one only to find out too late that since she was on the “Legacy” Free Plan which originally allowed 3 audiences she could only have one now and the rules around her 2000 contacts changed too.
While Under Charging and Over Delivering may appear as two separate hurdles, they go hand in hand. When you Over Deliver you are automatically Under Charging because, let’s face it, you’re once again working for free.
Let’s tackle Over Delivering and in doing so the Under Charging should take care of itself.
Over Delivering. I know, I know, I know … ME TOO!
I just can’t help but want to help. It’s the Nurturer in me. I see the path and the solutions so clearly, and being a GSD Girl (Get Shit Done Girl), I just want to do it, say “DONE”, and check it off my list.
But Over Delivering is exactly the same as working for free.
Sure, they’ll like you but so does your goldfish. We’re seeking respect and value.
Time is money, Honey! By working too long on something, you’re giving away your time for free. Free does not, and will not, ever equal Value.
“A girl says her worth, a woman acts her worth.”
Imagine this Scenario:
You’re redoing your kitchen. Your builder shows you some amazing laminate countertop samples. You love them and the price too. Then you go visit your BFF and see her new granite counters! OMG, I want that granite!
What do you think your builder will do? Give you the granite at the same price as the laminate? Not a chance. He’ll make a change order detailing the additional cost, the new time frame, and probably some other changes needed as well to accommodate the granite. He doesn’t even think twice about it. It’s not just a change in product price, it’s also a change in time, labor, and expertise.
Time is money and your time is very, very valuable. We all only have 24 hours in a day… at least the last time I checked.
ACTION STEPS:
Step 1: Set an hourly rate for yourself. Determine what your time is worth. Even if you work by the project, you should have an hourly rate in your head. And by golly, only have one amount! Your brilliance is your brilliance! It doesn’t get discounted because you think you’re doing something menial. Menial is relative.
Step 2: Notice your triggers.
Notice when and why you want to work above and beyond.
Thank your triggers for their alarms. They exist to warn you. It’s up to you how you choose to react.
Take a nice deep breath - breathing in the future and exhaling the past.
Step 3: Set Change Orders in motion before you jump down that rabbit hole again Alice!
By being clear on expectations and next steps you are not only valuing yourself but you’re also valuing your client and the work they have entrusted you with.
A little communication always goes a long way!
Repeat after me…
“Today, I will take a well-deserved and solid step up my glittering golden staircase of worth!”
“People say that money is not the key to happiness, but I always figured if you have enough money you can have a key made.”
-Joan Rivers
My Money Personalities
I’m a Celebrity, a Maverick, and a complete and utter cock-eyed optimist. Actually, that last one isn’t one of the “official” money personalities. It’d probably be a combo of Romantic and Celebrity.
My official third one, and not necessarily as third, is …
I’m a Celebrity, a Maverick, and a complete and utter cock-eyed optimist. Actually, that last one isn’t one of the “official” money personalities. It’d probably be a combo of Romantic and Celebrity.
My official third one, and not necessarily as third, is Nurturer. No real surprise there as a mom of four and a Mimi of four. In fact, I consider myself a mom of eight by adding in my kids significant others. They’re my kids too. Why not? The more the merrier :)
I must admit I was both excited and worried that Celebrity had shone so brightly as my top money personality. I’ve taken the quiz five times to date and Celebrity always comes up as my number one or two.
Do I resonate with it?
Ahhh…. YEAH! Who doesn’t want to be a Celebrity!!!
This girl loves to go shopping and if it’s blingy - all the better. I love a party. I love a celebration. I love to dance. I found out I love the stage although most of my early years were spent being painfully shy. I’ve secretly always wanted to act and sing in public (nothing’s impossible - right?).
So all of that part of my money personality made perfect sense.
Then I looked deeper.
I saw:
How the Celebrity had a tendency to go shopping when feeling stressed.
How she may be using glitter and glam to overcompensate for not receiving approval or feeling enough in her earlier years.
How showing wealth makes her feel like she’s protecting herself from negative opinions or the judgment of others.
That was a hard pill to swallow, but swallow it I did, because all of it was absolutely spot on and true.
It’s been 3 years now since I swallowed that pill of truth and it has made all the difference not only in my back account but in my career, my relationships, my happiness, and mostly my love for myself.
You see, prior to this, allowing others to see my vulnerabilities would be equal to sticking needles in my eyes.
Allowing myself to be loved for who I am, imperfections and all, has been a completely terrifying concept for me–something I’ve resisted all my life. Perhaps adding in that I’m a Virgo aka Perfectionist compounded it–like a 7 layer carrot cake–very heavy!
But now I joyfully celebrate both parts of me–my strengths and my challenges–with no shame and eyes and heart wide open.
I can physically feel my triggers when they happen and am awake enough now to pause, breathe, and decide the right course of action versus reaction. I now deal with the cause of the stress before it blossoms into a full-fledged mess.
Do I still go shopping?
You know it!!
I love shopping and I still love glam, glitter, and bling. But I don’t shop under duress or stress anymore. I do it consciously. My bank and retirement accounts are sustainably healthy as a result.
Another upside to this discovery? I’ve lost 25 pounds without even blinking. Turns out I did my share of stress eating too!
And another upside… I understand my clients better. By knowing their money personalities, I am better able to guide them based on what their innate strengths and challenges are. I can speak their language rather than expecting them to understand mine.
But the absolute best upside… I love me as a Celebrity and I’m not afraid to say it or show it anymore! It’s who I am :)
Combine that with Nurturer and Maverick and well … stayed tuned :)
Girl, celebrate the real you and step into your brilliance!
We’ve been waiting for you. We want you! We need you!
Pricing Mistake #5
I did an interview today for my friend, Thom Stimpel’s Entrepreneurs’ Guild podcast. He began by asking me what my biggest mistake was starting out as an entrepreneur. Without much hesitation, I told him not asking for help as a result of feeling unworthy.
It wasn’t about not feeling worthy of …
Women’s Most Common Pricing Mistakes
I did an interview today for my friend, Thom Stimpel’s Entrepreneurs’ Guild podcast. He began by asking me what my biggest mistake was starting out as an entrepreneur. Without much hesitation, I told him not asking for help as a result of feeling unworthy.
It wasn’t about not feeling worthy of getting help but fearful that I would be exposed and revealed as not knowing enough, not smart enough, not being worthy of being in business, a fraud.
I had always felt, albeit unconsciously, that to have a business I needed to know everything there was about my field. To ask for help would be an omission of my holes, my gaps, my lack, my flaws.
Ugh. I still get a sick feeling in my gut just thinking about that time.
As a result, again unconsciously, my most common pricing mistake back then was #5 which is very common for many entrepreneurs starting out, particularly women.
I remember my son’s second grade teacher, Mrs. French, at the time telling me,
“Dear, don’t give your talents away.”
She clearly saw something in me I didn’t.
Boy, those 2nd grade teachers… they are gems! Such vision and insight into both kids and parents! Teachers Rock!!
It took me years though before I was able to stop giving my work away for free and it was all attached to my sense of worth (or lack thereof), my need to be liked, and definitely a people pleasing thing (ahhh… my Nurturer personality).
The dreaded Disease to Please festers into Common Mistake #5 - Working for Free for Too Long.
However, it’s never enough to simply say you are no longer going to work for free. You need to set a new intention. A very conscious and deliberate one.
An example:
Oprah did an interview in which she talks about her Disease to Please.
She didn’t understand why she would give and give and give and people would keep coming back for more. She thought she had given enough. However it wasn’t until she realized the real reason behind her actions of giving was to be liked, not necessarily to be respected or valued, that things changed.
“People kept coming back for more because that was the unconscious intention I had set - to be liked. Once I changed my intention for giving the result changed.”
When we become conscious and clear in our intentions we’re able to set boundaries and clearly communicate them without guilt, fear, or resentment - with our heads held high radiating respect for ourselves and our work.
Be prepared that some people may be disappointed when you change your intentions. They won’t understand why you “have changed” and may not like the new you. However, those are the Naysayers and they will always have their own agenda.
The people who will never be disappointed are your True Believers and they will cheer you on as you rise to your brilliance.
“Working for free tells a lie about what you are worth.”
If you’ve been working for free for too long it’s time to correct it - otherwise you’re just a Volunteer.
Step 1: Explore your unconscious intentions of why you’re working for free.
Step 2: Define 3 clear intentions of why you would give or do something for free.
Step 3: Tell someone in your business circle what those intentions are. (That’s helps to make it feel real and actionable.)
Get your worthy up Girl and live your light!
Gate? What gate?
Ever feel like there’s a barrier in front of you every time you try to move ahead in business and particularly in your money situation?
“Why the heck can’t I break through my usual monthly income?”
“How does Bethenny keep making more money with no …
Ever feel like there’s a barrier in front of you every time you try to move ahead in business and particularly in your money situation?
“Why the heck can’t I break through my usual monthly income?”
“How does Bethenny keep making more money with no apparent effort?”
“Maybe if I just meditated every single day on manifesting the perfect love and endless money it would happen.”
“Maybe I just don’t deserve more money or a job I love.”
OR THE CLASSIC….
“Well… we all know what happened to that girl who got everything she ever wanted!”
Yeah, she lived happily every after and I’m the first to admit that I want to be like Barbie. That bitch has everything and in unapologetic pink! (Kidding. Ahhh, not kidding :)
Seriously though, why can’t you earn more money? What’s stopping you?
SPOILER ALERT:
How you do MONEY is how you do EVERYTHING!
The shortest path to breaking through your glass ceilings of money, love, health, career, everything … is to look at how you do money.
“There is no real security except for whatever you build inside yourself.’
- Gilda Radner
Once you understand your strengths and challenges surrounding money, and make conscious, deliberate, and consistent actions, not only will your money situation improve, but so will your relationships, your career, your physical health, your mental health, your happiness, your sense of freedom, your creativity, and on and on and on.
This bears repeating…
How you do MONEY is how you do EVERYTHING!
"Gaining clarity was like having a lighthouse on my head. Now I’m never in the dark and can make adjustments before any storm hits.” - Susan, Austin, TX
Self-awareness opens the gate to possibility
Possibility extends hands of opportunities
Opportunities lead to paths of freedom
Freedom gives rise to happiness
“What gate? Do you see a gate? I don’t see a gate. All I see is a glistening gilded path of possibility directing me to a warm light of freedom.”
That’s my Maverick money personality talking. I’m also a Celebrity and a Nurturer. No surprise there.
What are you money personalities saying and doing?
And how are they guiding and affecting your life?
Failure in the Fog
One thing I know for sure… if you’re trying to serve everyone, eventually everyone will become unhappy… including yourself.
Learning from history.
President Lincoln is said to have modified this …
One thing I know for sure… if you’re trying to serve everyone, eventually everyone will become unhappy… including yourself.
Learning from history.
President Lincoln is said to have modified it for his 1856 speech using “fool” instead of “please”. The original is credited to John Lydgate.
“You can please some of the people all of the time or all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time.”
The value of niching down was obvious even then - 165 years ago!
As a women and a nurturer at heart, trying to serve everyone actually has you acting as a big fog machine around your business - just blowing smoke and uncertainty about your purpose, your passion, your services, and who your ideal clients are.
Yet you wonder why prospects won’t follow you into the fog. Why should they? How can they develop trust in vagueness? They want specifics solutions for their very specific problems.
Ladies, you MUST get specific!
Specificity leads to Clarity
Clarity allows you to Create a System
That System provides the Path to Solutions
And solutions are what prospects and clients are looking for
Here’s an analogy:
You just bought a house with 6 bedrooms as an investment property. Every bit of it needs upgrading - renovations, new paint, decorating. Your goal is to get it up and running as a rental property in one year.
Do you do a little bit in every room each day? OR Do you start and finish one room at a time?
As women, we are champions at multi-tasking but it’s never the right approach in business, or ever really. Doing a little in every room may seem the right path and potentially satisfying as you see a “wider” view of progress. My initial thinking as a perfectionist Virgo may be, ”Heck, I could paint all the rooms at the same time and have only one set of clothes destroyed with paint.”
The right approach is to do one room at a time.
The narrow and focused path always gets you to your destination clearer and faster. “Clearer” and “Faster” are the operative words here!
Did you know that “sunny” is a synonym for “clear”? Love that!! So, you’ll get there with more sunshine in your heart too!
Consider these immediate benefits:
If you finish one room at a time you could start renting out those as you complete the others, bringing in revenue earlier than by doing it bit-by-bit.
You’ll garner valuable intel on what your renters want and need and make modifications to the other rooms as you finish them.
Your niche is that first room you work on.
What’s the style? Who do you want to stay there? What will you provide to them? What’s the experience you want them to receive?
Here’s an example of how you could apply it to your business:
The house (broad niche): Consulting & Coaching for Women Family-Owned Businesses
Room #1: Business Consulting - One-on-One
Room #2: Transition Consulting - One-on-One
Room #3: Leadership Coaching - One-on-One
Now get even more specific:
Room #4: Business Coaching - Online Course
Room #5: Transition Coaching - Online Course
Room #6: Leadership Coaching - Online Course
Notice how I start with a small core group with one-on-one consulting and then expand out to a larger audience with online courses. Get even more specific with other demographics: income, age, geography, types of businesses (products or services), etc. The more specific, the more people understand exactly what you do and who you work with.
Ladies, stop blowing fog around your business and get into clear blue skies.
Get specific and stay on a focused path… your clients and you will reap the benefits from it!
Niche down to profit up. It ALWAYS, ALWAYS works!
Need a little guidance on niching down?
Schedule a Free 20-minute Brainstorm Session with me and let’s see if I can get you started. Easy-peasey :)
Are you worthy of higher prices?
Are you really worthy of higher prices?
SPOILER ALERT: Your bank balance is often in direct line with your sense of worth. If it’s low so is your sense of worth.
But to answer the question…
SPOILER ALERT: Your bank balance is often in direct line with your sense of worth. If it’s low so is your sense of worth.
But to answer the question in the title … YES, YOU ARE! You are completely worthy!
So how do you raise your worth (and your prices)?
Look to your wisdom.
Are you really asking for your true worth based on your true wisdom OR does this happen?
Gripped with guilt when thinking about increasing your prices?
Stressed about losing clients if you raise your fees?
Worried about those who may not be able to afford your services?
Back down when getting push back on your prices?
Those who strictly offer services fall victim far more easily to the worth trap than those who offer products simply because products have overhead that need to be incorporated into the price, however even product price structure has an evolution too.
Here’s the deal. Nothing is cast in stone and you’re not alone. Everyone starts out in business not feeling entirely worthy of their true worth and their prices usually reflect it.
Doing a price comparison of similar businesses is good to do but what’s far more important is to do an evaluation of your wisdom.
What’s your level of wisdom?
How many years of education do you have?
How many years of experience do you have?
How many people have you helped?
Now let’s look at your other wisdoms!
The wisdoms that people all your life, even when you were little, have relied on you for. Your innate wisdom, your natural wisdom, your god given gifts and talents.
YOUR …
Patience, Courage, Reliability, Humor, Calmness, Flexibility, Structure, Fearlessness, and of course more!
All of those innate gifts and natural talents combined with your life experience and education make up your true wisdom.
Take a deep inventory. I guarantee the breadth and culmination of your wisdoms are quite impressive. Now give yourself a huge pat on the back, review your pricing, and assure it reflects the complete sum of your wisdom.
Girl, you’re an entrepreneur so you have to set your own bar. What you provide is uniquely and intrinsically YOU! I review my prices at least every six months and make necessary adjustments.
Remember, nothing is cast in stone. As your wisdom, talents, confidence, and sense of worth grow so should everything in your business, especially your pricing.
“You are completely and totally worthy of every dream and wish you have.
Dream on!
By so, you are creating light that shines a path for others.”
Need to reaffirm or discover your innate talents? Take my Free Money Personality Quiz. Yes, it’ll reveal your money personalities which also reveal your innate strengths and challenges.
Soooo worthy of 8 minutes for sure!