Author Archive

When I work with my  marketing mentoring clients one of the first things I do is help them really understand at a deep level who their ideal clients are for their home-based business.  In doing this I ask them a series of questions to help ‘em gain more clarity.  The second bunch of questions fall under the category of, “What makes your ideal customer tick?”

Under that category I ask five specific questions including:

• *  Why does your customer get out of bed in the morning?
• *  Who is the most important person to him/her in the world?
• *  What is most important to him/her in the world?
• *  What do they want to accomplish before leaving this world?
• *  What does he/she really love about their life?

As a result of that – I keep asking these questions of myself over and over again.

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This weekend I read a blog post by a woman who said she’s  enjoyed wonderful travels over her lifetime to amazing, exotic places.  However age has taken it’s toll. She wrote chances are her travels are pretty much over.  She described creaky joints and how walking up curbs is like climbing mountains. Money’s tight, too.  She said she’s 54.

I was stunned. Only 54? Are you kidding me?

As I’m typing this I got a hip joint that’s achy. I need to lose weight. (My weight’s always fluctuated – more ups than downs.)  I have a slow metabolism that’s getting slower. My health is reasonably good – but I’m not likely to climb Katmandu any time soon.

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Friends are fascinating.  We see in them who we are – and sometimes we see who we don’t want to be. It’s natural to want to help people who are struggling but very often what’s most screwed up is their mindset.  For whatever reason each person must experience their own journey just like a butterfly must release itself from it’s cocoon or a baby chick must break free of the egg on it’s own.

This post is about three people I know and care about.  All have fallen on tough times economically.  All have been pushed into massive mid-life change and are doing their best to deal with the adjustments.  Each has handled it differently.

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I want to make positive  changes to simplify my life.  So, when the time is right, Ernie and I can take off for the great beyond around the world.  It’s about paring back on the amount of stuff I live with daily so when it’s time to live for a month or two out of a carry on bag I can do it without getting out of my comfort zone, struggling or freaking out.

Okay, maybe not just a carry-on.  A carry-on and one checked bag.  I think I can do that.

Recently, I’ve pitched four pairs of shoes.  Still have dozens more to go.  I have four pairs of pink shoes.  I have a pair of sandals with kitten heels in lime green. Yes, Ernie calls me, “Imelda.”  And, so many clothes I can’t neatly fit ‘em in my walk-in closet and massive, antique bird’s eye maple bureau.

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It takes money to go on an Excellent Adventure. Even if you’re budgeting by couch-surfing, you’ll need money for planes, trains, meals and other things so you’re never caught short of cash. If you’re going to make money online as you travel it’s still a good idea to have a reserve to fall back on as you travel.

For decades Americans have been awful when it comes to saving. We were the largest debtor nation ever and our savings rate was in the negative numbers. Most Americans had an average of six credit cards with $10,000 to $20,000 in debt.

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An Excellent Adventure can be all about simple but amazing things that alter our lives in amazing ways. Consider the:

• Simple elegance of Italian olive oil drizzled on asparagus
• Quiet beauty of people meditating at an Indian ashram
• Riotous colors and tropical heat of Bali

As Julia Roberts, in the role of writer Elizabeth Gilbert, experiences a year of personal growth in the movie “Eat Pray Love” away from the hustle-bustle of New York City a few thoughts kept rambling around in my mind.

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My husband Ernie and I rented the DVD of the Michael Jackson documentary “This is It” a couple nights ago. We watched in awe his amazing talent. His passing a year ago was like the passing of an era.

I was inspired by what Jackson was creating – by thinking it up and moving energy. You can argue Whacko Jacko was un-balanced. Watching this film you see his brilliance. He was in control of everything. He was energetic, engaged and happy.

I thought, “Who told Michael Jackson he could do this? Who gave him permission to become King of Pop?”

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Enjoying an excellent adventure that involves extended travel will probably include finding ways to create cash flow on the road. Since you don’t want to work 40+ hours a week as you travel, it’s crucial to find ways to create more income in less hours.

One great thing about my life is for 18 years I’ve found ways to make money doing what I’m passionate about. Y’know, the “Do What You Love and the Money Will Follow” idea from Marsha Sinetar’s book.

Fine, but at age 52 I’m aware I never stop DOing. I’m ready to be a human BEing rather than a human DOing. Ready to DO different things.

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What do you think of YOUR hair today?

Every 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month at 8:30 am I go to a wonderful breakfast meeting of women business owners who are part of a group called Defining Women Network.

This morning we had a lighter than usual crowd, since a lot of people are on vacation. So I had a little fun with the ladies and asked ‘em about their hair. From a woman who usually has ringlets and went straight today to Kathlyn, our fearless leader, and 1940s pin-up girl wannabe – everyone had a point of view – and that made it an excellent meeting.

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A few weeks ago on “Housewives of New York” on the Bravo TV network, one of the “housewives” held up a purse her husband apparently bought her as a birthday gift. It still had the price tag on it. $14,000.!!

$14,000 for a purse?!? As if we’re supposed to aspire to that. As if we’re supposed to feel “not good enough” if we can’t afford that extravagance.

Geez, for $14,000 a lot of people could have an amazing excellent adventure and tramp halfway around the world. Or, pay to go back to school. Or, a lot of things.

I was reading the New York Times and discovered an article with the headline, “But Will it Make You Happy?”

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It started like a whisper. Change.

Change means releasing the old and embracing the new. Crazy thing is, we don’t always know what to embrace.

For a few years I’ve felt change bubbling inside. The last decade I’ve helped over 1,500 mostly home-based business owners enjoy greater success. I’m a marketing mentor – and I’m good at what I do. When clients act on what I teach – and most do – I’m thrilled for them.

When “Testosterone-Free Marketing” was released I left the Robert Allen organization. Yep, author of mega-bestsellers like “Nothing Down,” “Multiple Streams of Income,” and “The Enlightened Millionaire.” I was his Executive Assistant for 18 months. Then I became the top Marketing Trainer and mentor for his Enlightened Millionaire program for six years.

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