Push Past The Pain

To develop a muscle, one must engage in resistance (e.g. weights) to cause blood to rush to those activated muscles; hence, causing the muscle to develop while simultaneously burning fat. To develop stamina, we must push our bodies WAY past its resting point in a frequent and routine fashion to build endurance. To burn calories, we must get our heart rates to a point where we are breathing harder than usual, pushing harder than usual, sweating more than usual and engaging our muscles more than usual.

Persevering over resistance promotes health. The best decisions in life are the ones that are the hardest to make. Those decisions that cause us to leave comfortable places even when they are toxic for us. Those decisions that lead us to feel lonely. Those decisions that cause us to feel that we are pressing the RESTART button on our lives. Those decisions that cause us to feel that those against us WON. Those decisions that cause us to sacrifice what we want and desire for what it is we NEED. 

Persevering over challenges promotes WEALTH.  Anything that surpasses our comfort level causes us pain. Pain begins when comfort is disrupted and this is a very important concept to understand and embrace.  Emotional intelligence begins at that point where we truly understand the importance of PUSHING PAST PAIN (e.g. P3). There is a purpose for us in every single challenge that we face. We cannot escape nor avoid the discomfort and expect to receive all that we are destined for in our personal and professional lives. WELLNESS REQUIRES YOU TO PUSH PAST PAIN. 

 So in this last half of 2019, let us all encourage each other to aggressively and boldly P3 our way to the top.  Let us make those uncomfortable but necessary decisions. Let us walk away from those relationships that pollute our space. Let us change our relationship with the food that we eat and modify how we honor our bodies. Let us have those uncomfortable conversations with others and be the first to honor our value to the world. We can all PUSH PAST PAIN and develop a tolerance and appreciation for being uncomfortable.

THIS IS OUR YEAR and we have every tool and weapon to see desired outcomes flow in our lives. Blessings! Blessings! Blessings! Amazing things fast on the heels of more amazing things; everywhere we look, BLESSINGS!  There is a place for your purpose. You don’t have to compete for it. You don’t have to out bid for it. You don’t have to back bite for it. But you have to P3 for it... PUSH PAST PAIN!

THERE IS A PLACE FOR YOUR PURPOSE so walk BOLDLY in the path that has been prepared for you. It is our P3 year CEO Chicks! Let’s DO IT!

CEO Chick Coach Schellie Fanfan
Counselor, LMHC, MS, EdS

5 Financial Tips for Women in Business

Women are an integral part of the workforce, but they have had to overcome many obstacles along the way.

Of course, challenges still remain, but women’s success in the working world is worth commemorating. And today more and more women are becoming business owners. Are you a woman considering “setting up shop” on your own?

If so, here are five tips to consider:

• Balance your goals. It’s possible – perhaps even likely – that your business goals will conflict with your personal financial goals. After all, if you’re purchasing new equipment or services for your business, you’ve got less money – at least for the time being – to put away for your own retirement or your children's education. Hopefully, your investment in your business will pay off in greater income, but, in any case, you will need to balance your personal and professional goals.

• Create a retirement plan. As mentioned above, your ability to contribute to a retirement plan may be affected by the amount you put into your business – but that certainly doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have a retirement plan. In fact, for your future financial security, it’s essential that you launch such a plan. Fortunately, small-business owners have a choice of plans, including an “owner-only” 401(k), SEP-IRA and SIMPLE IRA. Although the various plans have different requirements and contribution limits, they all offer tax-deferred earnings, which means your money has the opportunity to grow faster than if it were placed in a vehicle on which you paid taxes every year. (Taxes are due upon withdrawal, and withdrawals prior to age 59 ½ may be subject to a 10% IRS penalty.) Plus, your contributions to a retirement plan may be tax deductible.

• Arrange for “backup.” Virtually all working women are familiar with the conflict between their careers and their roles as caregivers. Women are still more likely than men to drop out of the workforce for an extended period of time to care for young children or elderly parents. And your caregiving responsibilities won’t end just because you are now a business owner. Consequently, you need to have someone you trust available to step in for you when your family obligations call you away from work.

• Design a succession plan. When you want to retire, would you like to keep the business in your family? If so, you’ll need to create a succession plan that works for you and whomever you’d like to take control. Such a plan can be complex, so you will need to work with your legal and tax advisors – and you’ll want to give yourself plenty of time to work out the details.

• Build an emergency fund. Maintaining an adequate cash flow will always be a key task – one that involves your sales, billing cycles, inventory and other elements of your business. One way you can help yourself avoid troubles is to maintain an emergency fund consisting of a few months’ worth of your business expenses. You’ll want to keep this fund in a liquid, low-risk account. Running your own business can be extremely rewarding, but it’s never going to be an easy road. However, with perseverance and careful planning, you can smooth out some of the bumps along the way.

I hope you enjoyed this article, take a moment to let us know your feedback. You can do this by posting on Facebook or Instagram, just make sure to hashtag #CEOChicks or tag us and share in the group. Looking forward to seeing you at our next networking event!

Kristina Buhl, CEO Chick Coach, Edward Jones Financial Advisor

Coach Hack: It may sound cliche but true! If you fail to plan then plan to fail. My family and I take big trips and you can too! Budgeting is not a bad word. I want you to price out the cost of your next family trip and create a payment plan for it. - Coach Kristina

She Needed A Therapist, Not A Coach...

Do you know the difference between a coach, therapist, and mentor?

If you speak to any successful entrepreneur you will quickly realize none of them lack an accountability partner(s). Whether it is someone in their career field, a family relative they admire, or someone they hired to provide them with insight in a particular area. In order to succeed we need to be a Master Student! We need to have wise council, someone that will continually keep us accountable.

There are times in coaching someone, on business, we hit some barriers that are self imposed. When faced with those circumstances, I find myself reaching out for a therapist within my network to assist. There is a major difference between a Coach, Therapist, and Mentor. I personally have all three present in my life! So I decided to share what my experience has taught me about each of these roles. It is so important to understand the difference between them to know what to expect and how to properly engage when in these relationships. Here is my break down of the three:

A COACH is action oriented, they will provide tips and strategies to help you move forward in your business and life. Coaches don’t just inspire you, they educate you, they provide the tools necessary for you to move into your future. The task they often provide applies both mental and physical pressure and discomfort to bring about change and growth. A great coach tailors his/her advice based on the needs of their clients. Coaches are typically hired at an hourly rate, their focus is to see you hit specific goals agreed upon based on their assessment of your overall abilities and commitment to the regimen they set for you.

A MENTOR will shed light on how you can grow and improve professionally and personally. A mentor differs from a coach because they tend to be in the same field as you, they represent the “future version” of yourself. Mentors will provide you with wisdom, connections, resources, and more because they see your potential. They tend to give their time when deemed valuable, and while mentors are not paid, they should be honored and respected.

A THERAPIST whether physical or psychological, sits in the role of a healer. They rehabilitate, they help restore, they will travel with you through past hurts and pain all to help you work out the kinks. Massage Therapists do this physically and Mental Therapists do it psychologically. In this relationship you will probably do the most talking. Therapist have a way of walking and talking you thru the solutions to the barriers and problems you feel you have. They help move you from victim to victor through self awareness and the power of decision making. Owning your life, your outcomes, and enjoying the journey! Like a coach the role of a therapist is also paid by the hour, and like all the others their assessments should be taken serious.

Now that you have a better understanding of each of these roles you can determine which one you need. Understanding helps to remove any false expectations some may have for any of these professional relationships. My Coach, Mentor and Therapists are just that, while they are friendly they are not my best friends. I safe guard these relationships in my life by not allowing myself to grow familiar with them. There is a respect level required to maintain the value in these relationships.

Far too often I see people hiring a coach and expecting them to be their “bestie”, it is some what strange. I don’t hire my doctor and then expect him to be at all my functions and family affairs. I don’t text him in the late night hours or constantly dm him because I can! I blame social media. While we may encounter some of these relationships through Instagram, Face Book or LinkedIN, it should not cause us to devalue them. The reverse is also true, the person in the role of the professional should respect healthy boundaries also. It is necessary for both parties in the relationship.

I’ve seen it all, women with big dreams and little work ethic, as well as women with small dreams and great work ethic. I’ve sat with wounded women, they were offended at everyone, and everything, constantly the victim. Blinded by past hurts they could not move forward in business, because they would quit at every sign of adversity, confrontation and/or hardship. They needed therapy not a coach. For this cause, I added a Licensed Mental Therapist to our staff.

There are so many stories I could tell of where I mishandled relationships and where I have been mishandled, not maliciously but simply due to a lack of understanding. It’s all a part of my learning curve and preparation for my life’s assignment, which is to train and coach women in business. CEO Chicks is designed to build female entrepreneurs, to equip them with the tools needed to be successful. Regardless of your path, select your team of coaches, mentors, and therapist wisely. Do your due diligence, research, look for receipts of their work and remember to be patient with your process.

If you enjoyed this blog, share it with your followers. Let us know about your journey with professionals in either of these fields. We look forward to hearing from you!

XOXO,

CEO CHICK COLEEN

COLLABORATE. CREATE. DOMINATE

Get Funding!

According to research by All Raise, only 15% of venture capital funding is allocated to female founders. If you have been around the network long enough you know we are always seeking ways to better improve the way we do business. I have met so many women that use their personal funds all the time to finance their business. Some are new to the term ‘VC’, aka Venture Capitalist which in short, is another route to getting funds for your business. My team and I gathered a short list of tips you should know when it comes to getting funding…

1. Have a Business Plan and Financial Forecast - Bootstrap financing is when you use existing finances to fund your company. But you HAVE to budget and know how to get the best use of your dollar. It is best to place the focus on the areas that yield the highest return.

2. Research Grants- Grants have a timeline to earn free money from the state when you meet a certain set of requirements and these are funds you do not have to pay it back. (https://www.grants.gov/)

3. Follow Female Led Venture Capitalists - Female VC’s will sometimes enable you to have more leverage when it comes to receiving funding.

   • Here are links to female-led venture capitalist firms:

     • https://femalefoundersfund.com/

     • https://www.womensvcfund.com/about/

     • https://www.bbgventures.com/

     • https://chloecapital.com/about/

     • https://goldenseeds.com/

     • https://www.allraise.org/

4. Build Out An Indie Gogo Account - Create a new funding initiative that will attract people to you and your brand.

5. Start A Non Profit - Emphasize the social mission of your startup. If you do not desire to start a non profit you can partner with one.

6. Proper Coaching - Don’t be afraid to HIRE help! We all had to start from the ground up! Finding the right mentors and coach that can point you in the direction and hold you accountable to your goals!

If this blog has been beneficial to you let us know, share it, leave a comment below!

XOXO,

CEO CHICK COLEEN

COLLABORATE. CREATE. DOMINATE

The 10 Commandments of Social Media

Social Media has a lot of Do’s and Don’ts.  When you know better, you will do better. I want to share with you 10 Social Media commandments that you can apply to/for your accounts. Do an analysis to see where your platform stands.

Brand Ambassador & Social Media Strategist Donna Moody

1.     Thou shalt have Patience.  Social Media can be a bit overwhelming, we all know. You have to give yourself time to learn and grow. Study your audience and see what is capturing their attention. Stop comparing yourself or your business with others. What is meant for you will be for you and no one else. Take risks and learn from your mistakes. It is a part of the journey and your platform will increase by one post at a time. Nothing happens overnight so stop getting uptight if you do not see things happen quickly.  Remain consistent and time will bring about a change for your platform.

2.     Thou shalt remain Classy.  Remember that the world watches what you post. Once it is posted, you cannot remove it. There is a thing call screenshot, email to self, video, and blog. News travel fast so before you use your platform to post any and everything that you may not be proud of later, stop and evaluate your decision.

3.     Thou shalt Upload Consistently. Don’t allow days go by and you do not post any content. You have to remember that to stay in the popular feeds, you have to keep content going. Consistency causes your page to be viewed more. Stop procrastinating, trying to find the right thing to post and post. You learn along the way what to do for your account.

4.     Thou shalt Network. Stop being afraid of putting yourself out there. Connect with other like-minded, CEO Chicks and get a collaboration going. What are you afraid of? One tip I want to add is that, no one wants to network if you do not do #4 commandment. Post with purpose. It will work out for you in the long run.

5.     Thou shalt Keep The Same Name On Every Platform. There is nothing more frustrating than trying to find out who a person is with several different names. Most people will not take the time to write down several names. Keep it simple across the board. Choose one name for all social media handles and stick to it. It also makes it easier for others to find you.

6.     Thou shalt Respond to Comments. You are never too busy to comment to those who keep coins in your pocket. Everyone likes to feel special so make sure you take the time to acknowledge him or her. Remember to build that foundation with your following. They are the persons who work for you for FREE. FREE? Yes. They keep your page active every time they share, comment, subscribe, follow, mentioned, tagged, repost, and suggest to someone by word of mouth.

7.     Thou shalt Post Great Content. Rather you know it or not, people pay close attention to your page. It is like running a business. They want to find pages that have meat. Meat means to have content substance. Can they learn anything, is the information valuable, can they relate, is it worth sharing, can it change lives etc.… Remember to post with purpose because social media is powerful and you never know which way an opportunity may approach you. Stay ready.

8.     Thou shalt Develop Thick Skin. You have trolls that lurk and their main objective is to make people feel bad. They will write hurtful comments, spam your page, interrupt your LIVE, or create fake pages about you. You cannot get distracted by others. The enemy’s assignment is to keep you distracted so you cannot walk into your purpose. Develop thick skin and only address things that concern you. If those hurtful things are not you, don’t respond. Because you have built a community, those persons will jump in and take care of the comment without you having to worry about it. Stay focus and do what you are called to do.

9.     Thou shalt be Honest.  Money is not everything. In fact, FAVOR is much better. Opportunities can come in all directions on social media. Do not build a foundation of lies to add a couple of dollars to your bank accounts. Remember your “why” and do not get caught up how much money you can get from people. You will reap what you sow.

10.  Thou shalt Create Goals. If you have social media down pack, AWESOME! Guess what? There are so many ways to improve your platforms. Set weekly goals to make sure you follow through. Even if you have a large following, you can still get out of the loop easily by taking too many breaks. You can set goals of how you will post, how often you will post, how to enhance your picture quality, how many LIVES you will do a week, how many people you will connect with, how many days will you respond back to your followers, or how many videos will your create and edit. There are so many things you can add to your goal lists to make it easier every time you post.

These are the 10 Commandments that you can use when it comes to social media. You cannot do everything overnight but you can change the world one post at a time.  You’ve got this CEO Chick!

10 Common Mistakes That Can Kill Your Brand

There are some things that many businesses unintentionally do which then lead them to failure in marketing. Such things can result to death of their brand. You might be doing these things with your business as well. Here, you’ve got a list of common mistakes that can kill your brand:

CEO Chick Founder, Coleen Otero

1. Inconsistent company identity – A company should use the same business logo, name and tag line in each contact in and out of the business. The way phone calls are answered is very important and customers should hear the same things from you and that you have to be consistent when it comes to giving information to them. Consistent means to go wide together with your efforts. Branding cannot be achieved when you prefer to use just one or two advertising avenues in order to get the message out.

2. Poor and weak visuals – When you like the name of your company to pop in the mind of people, you should pay more attention to having more photos instead of words. There must be a consistent visual image and logo representing your business. Come up with a powerful and influential visual image of your company and make it popular.

3. Not training employees – Think about your employees as potentially talking and walking billboards. Pump up them about the company’s name, the logo and its tag line. Train them all to become community ambassadors for your advertising campaign. Do not hesitate to give them a reward when you see them doing fine.

4. Failure to track the branding efforts – Each time that somebody calls your business, the person on the other line must gently explain how they came to call the company. Record the responses and then have a master list. The data you have gathered must direct future marketing.

5. Not using current clients and consumers for branding – The greatest advertising tool within your arsenal is the word of mouth advertising. You should ask your current clients and customers whether they would join you when it comes to getting the word out and conveying the right message. You can ask for their points of views regarding your ads and seminars. You can also ask them what they think is the greatest strength of your company and ask them when you could quote them in an ad or brochure.

6. Letting advertising materials get out-of-date – A lot of businesses make this mistake yet this is specifically true in the case of small businesses. The problem starts when they choose to have a brochure for the company and pay for the design. After that, they order thousands of copies that it takes years and years for them to use up. They feel sorry for the expenses they have made previously so they were not willing to get another brochure until such time that all copies of the old brochure were used.

7. Failure to focus their branding on their core service – To make branding successful, you have to identify the core service or product of your company and have the marketing effort focused on it.

8. Not having a believable tag line – Your tag line should match the fact for your consumers so they will believe in it.

9. Failure to grab the public with your tag line – A great tag line is typically made of 3 to 6 believable words which match the core service and with such great appeal.

10. Unaware where effective branding begins – You should keep in mind that successful and effective branding begins within your company. Start with in! Create a culture, the experience and allow your brand to take shape from there!

To obtain success with your branding efforts, you should avoid these things and start making moves in the right direction! When I sit with my clients we walk thru all the areas pertaining to building their brand... As I always say building your brand should be your mission and not a mistake! If you are ready to take your brand to the next level book your consultation today at www.coleenotero.com

Wellness DO's For A Fresh Season of Domination

The two most common presenting conditions high achieving women present within therapy is depression and anxiety.  Unfortunately, in most cases, by the time therapy is initiated a significant amount of damage in a person’s business, relationship, finances and overall peace has already occurred. As we prepare to complete the first quarter of this year where FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION, it is very important that we pursue MAJOR LIFE CHANGES by making HUGE LIFE CHANGES in our daily behaviors to make the potential for change and BREAK THROUGH even an option in our spaces. While we set out to break unhealthy cycles that many of us have learned to cope and function through, let us take the time to focus on three behaviors that SUCCESSFUL WELL ADJUSTED HIGH ACHIEVING WOMEN do to stay well.

Licensed Mental Health Therapist & CEO Chick Coach, Schellie Fanfan

THEY EXERCISE
I know we hear this all of the time to the point where most of our ears have learned to tune out the importance of exercise.  Unfortunately, many of us in spite of the knowledge we have of how CRUCIAL consistent exercise is for our mental wellness; still choose not to make this change in our daily lives.

“I am too busy?”  Well you make your schedule and even if you don’t, you must take the control you DO have over your schedule and ensure you take care of the vehicle that you are riding in on this road to success.

“I don’t have the money?”  A physical trainer or gym membership is not required to establish a healthy exercise routine.   There are so many great clips free on you tube that will help you and an accountability partner with breaking a good sweat at least three times a week to create a physical state that promotes mental wellness.

High achieving women who exercise report higher levels of happiness, increased satisfaction in their relationships, higher levels of success, greater satisfaction levels in their sex lives and more.  They report increased ability to make decisions and a greater ability to access the creative centers in their brains to keep them relevant in their industries. 

Exercise IS NOT ONLY for weight loss.  It is essential for mental wellness evidenced by many women coming off medication for depression and anxiety after establishing and maintaining a healthy exercise and eating regime.  Are you going to wait for the negative doctor’s report?   Are you going to continue to drag through your depression and anxiety?  MAKE THE CHOICE and

•   Find an accountability partner that is motivated in the area of exercise.

• Establish a schedule you can commit to at least three times a week for no less than one hour.

• EXECUTE your plan NOW and expect discomfort.  That is the only way to know you are doing something right.  CHANGE IS UNCOMFORTABLE and that discomfort is REQUIRED for where we as high achieving women are and/or are heading.

THEY HAVE A WELLNESS DAY

In my over 20 years of experience, I have consistently found that the most powerful well- adjusted women have a NON-NEGOTIABLE “ME DAY” that they stick to NO MATTER THE SITUATION.  In almost all cases, it is a set day where these women have standing appointments with themselves.  We often mistake “ME TIME” as time we spend with family and friends.  Truth be told, most of the time that family time includes throwing a few loads in the laundry, cooking and enjoying our loved ones.  While there is nothing wrong with this, WE NEED A TIME OUT for our brains to do what we need them to do daily to keep us thriving.  Alone time full of relaxation, meditation, reflection, deep breathing, stretching, massaging, hydrating, reciting positive affirmations, mind stimulations with relaxing tunes and smells is required to keep us well.  We must be this intentional to minimize risk of emotional issues such as depression and anxiety not to mention heart disease and other physical ailments that often arise as a result of neglect.  In this context, doing NOTHING is a HUGE SOMETHING.  Just one true “ME DAY” one time a week or one time bi-weekly can lead you to feel like you are returning from a two week vacation abroad.  When is your “ME DAY?”  What do you do in your nothingness to keep you well?  I love taking the time to actually lotion every inch of my body in slow long strokes, sipping on a glass of fermented grapes while listening to an hour long prayer instrumental that takes me to a very deep level of relaxation and processing.  BE INTENTIONAL.  It is REQUIRED for where we as high achieving women are and/or are heading.

THEY HAVE A MENTOR

High achieving women, who are well adjusted and thriving in a state of wellness, often do so because they allow themselves an opportunity to be vulnerable before another person who is in the position to provide wisdom filled and objective feedback to build the person.  After the suit comes off, girdle comes off, wig comes off, eye lashes are off, make up is all off, kids are asleep, partner is not by your side and all you have left is YOU….  This is when the importance of having that one person you see at least weekly is needed to keep you grounded.  Please remember that this person may not be your cheerleader all the time, but the feedback, counsel, guidance and education you receive is REQUIRED where we as high achieving women are and/or are heading.

As we enter quarter two of the year where the gates of FAVOR are wide open over us all, be sure to be intentional about you and the things that make you well.  Do not let any education provided in a book, article, conference call or webinar fall on deaf ears.  CHOOSE TO BE THE HEAD in all that you do, especially in the process of meeting your own emotional needs.

Building Profitable Business Relationships

Check Out Coach Jenn’s recent feature in VoyageChicago Magazine!

As we kick off 2019, I’m reminded how important learning how to build strong relationships has been to my success over my career but especially in 2018.  I have seen doors opened and deals closed that hinged purely on whom I knew and how well I knew them.  I wanted to take a moment today to share with you 5 important keys to building quality client relationships that will help make 2019 your best year yet.

1. Partnership. The first key is finding clients who can be true partners. Recently I had to let go of a very high profile client because we were no longer a fit for each other. When the relationship is draining you, when you are providing high value and your client doesn’t want to pay the high price or you no longer see it being mutually beneficial then the relationship becomes more of a drain than a dream! In 2019 you want to let go of the dead end relationships in business! Those who don’t want to recognize real partnership… the win win…. then then kindly close out that contract/relationship and become available for the right clients!

2. Patience.  In the microwave society that we live in, we like to see everything done fast.   We prefer to communicate via “technology” for quick and concise answers with our clients but this isn’t always the best way to build real lasting relationships. Remember as our founder Coleen says, “relationships are currency”.  Your best relationship with a client has the ability to build profitability for your business through repeat buy and can also turn into great referrals.   This takes time.   Real authentic human relationships grow through trust and this doesn’t happen over weeks or even months sometimes.  Be committed to growing and learning your client over time.

3. Provide Value. Be prepared to show your client how your business is prospering them on a monthly basis.   Come prepared to challenge their thinking, teach them something new and help them change to grow and prosper through your product or service.  The sales landscape is changing and clients are looking for someone who doesn’t just hand them what they want but helps them improve and that takes a “Challenger Saleswoman”. Check out the book The Challenger Sale by Dixon & Adamson for a great read on how to differentiate yourself in the market and provide value!

4. Persistent Communication.  I’ll circle back here because communication is key and as I mentioned earlier we love technology these days but here it is a huge help!   Whether you’re sending weekly emails, text follow-ups to questions or even video conferencing monthly for check ins, USE WHAT YOU HAVE!  The sale you miss most often is the one you didn’t even know needed to occur....   Your lack of follow up and follow through to your prospects and clients keeps you out of the loop.   Don’t be the fly by night service provider or vendor.  Stay top of mind and in 2018 build in some very specific RULES OF ENGAGEMENT to know just how you should be following up with each client.  Be present, face forward and following through.  Your persistence will pay dividends.

5. Perform. That’s it, bottom line.  You have to perform each and every time you are interacting with your clients.  In fact, don’t just perform but OVER perform.   Do what you do, better than anyone else in your market.   Exceed expectations and make it happen.  Especially in the case of cleaning up a mess or solving a problem; do what it takes to go the extra mile.   When it comes to referring your company, or renewing your contract, relationships are key but poor performance cannot be argued against.  Ensure you make no room for our client to bring their needs to competitors because they can’t live without YOU!

   Ladies 2019 is going to be the year to build through the currency of relationships.   Share this blog with fellow CEO’s and let us know what tactics you use to build great relationships in your business! Also if you missed Coach Jenn’s recent feature in Voyage Chicago Magazine you want to see her story for yourself… her story of overcoming obstacles and building multiple six figure successes is a MUST READ! CLICK HERE!