Posts Tagged ‘confident’

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?”

Read the rest of this entry »

By Denise Michaels, Author, “Testosterone-Free Marketing”

Last week I had an amazing workshop with a roomful of women dedicated to creating success in their business and in their lives. There’s been a terrific buzz all over town since. Attendees have called to say the information I shared is helping them increase their business income already. I’ve gotten offers for more speaking engagements and it just goes on and on.

Which is great but I keep thinking about the women who said “no.” It seems like some women declined out of fear. I wonder how far these women will ever grow with their home-based businesses?

Let’s be honest. A lot of women say they’re dedicated business owners but they really have an expensive hobby. So, when asked to consider a small investment to discover easy, testosterone-free ways to grow, they’re not interested because they don’t want to grow. They take mincing steps forward and question spending ten bucks on flyers. But they spend hundreds on a new outfit or purse. They drive a great car. It’s all about priorities.

I call it Cupcake Marketing Strategy.

You know how women used to always get asked to bake cupcakes for the bake sale for their kid’s school, the church, the library or whatever? They were asked to bake, so they did. Some women still do – every time. Many women always comply when asked – and never ask for anything in return. Then the organization sells their hard work and ingredients, the cupcakes, for a dollar each. Eventually, many get a little peeved that they’re always asked. But they wouldn’t dare say “no.” After all, they want to “be nice.” Nice is more important than their time or their money.

Pitching in and giving everything away is admirable when it comes to helping out in the community. However, it can spell disaster in business when we use that same penny-pinching thinking and don’t speak up for ourselves.

I’ve met women who seriously undercharge for their products and services because they lack the marketing skills and confidence to charge what they’re worth. They think they’re “being nice.” However, “niceness” results in a constant squeeze for money. To compound matters, they end up having a tough time getting new customers because people mistake “niceness” for incompetence. They think, “Gee, you don’t charging the going rate. Must be because you’re not be as good.”

Being “nice” is a totally different thing from being “pleasant” or “polite.”

Here’s the crazy part: instead of learning to politely decline, they keep doing it. Einstein said, “Insanity means doing things the way you’ve always done them and expecting a different result.”

Next these ladies try to figure out ways to get things free or discounted from other women – because they’re financially strapped. They wouldn’t DARE ask a man to discount his prices. This results in more women with financial challenges. They feel they can’t say “no” because they want to be nice. Maybe they’ll gripe to someone else – but never the person who asked them. After all, they don’t want the other person upset.

Oh, puh-leez… can we all just grow up a little?

The whole thing has spiraled out of control like an over-sized swirl of buttercream frosting on top of a Red Velvet cupcake. We are held to a totally different standard of “how to do business” from men. In so doing, we’ve created a pink collar ghetto of women entrepreneurs struggling to avoid getting a real job. Women who say, “everything is great” when they meet others. Most aren’t thinking about thriving – they’re too busy just surviving. In my experience these women believe someday:

* I’ll be able to charge full price
* I’ll gain the respect I should have
* People will see my true worth
* I’ll make enough money to end the struggle
* I’ll stop working like crazy with very little reward

It’s like believing someday your Prince will come. He’ll sweep you up in his strong, muscular arms and take you away from all the financial stress. If you’re really nice it’ll all work out and you’ll be rewarded for that. Well, yes karmically I believe that what goes around comes around – but if there isn’t a focus on financial gain – it won’t necessarily come back as financial good.

Someday is today. Nothing will sweep your stress away if you don’t figure out effective, testosterone-free ways to create more business income. There are three ways to build more business income:

* Get more customers (new and repeat business)
* Charge more for what you do
* Get customers to make larger purchases when they buy

Prince Charming in your business is about increasing your confidence, your marketing and your testosterone-free selling skills.

Stop waiting for people to notice your worth like you waited for the cute boy you passed in the hall in high school to notice you. That’s okay in dating – but will spell disaster in your business.

Shift your thinking, level of “deserving-ness” and marketing skills, chances are you’ll your business income will increase. No one taps you on the shoulder and says, “Okay, the coast is clear. You can now charge $XXX per hour instead of $XX per hour.” No one gives you a raise or permission. You must give yourself permission. Validate yourself. Take yourself seriously.

If you have the intention and you’re willing to do what it takes to make it happen – then you’re dedicated. If this describes you send me an email at mentoringwithDenise@gmail.com and I’ll put you on my list of people interested in possibly attending my next workshop. It’ll be held in Las Vegas sometime in February or March of 2010 and it’ll probably be a two day event. Worth traveling to if you don’t live here already.

The point is I’ve watched enough victims of cupcake marketing who don’t even realize they’ve fallen prey to it’s perils. If you’re ready to stop struggling and live an abundant, financially prosperous and deeply satisfying life say, “ENOUGH!!!”

Denise Michaels is author of the business bestseller, “Testosterone-Free Marketing.” You can get your copy by clicking here. And you can get Denise’s weekly empowerment and marketing tips by clicking here. Come join Denise Michaels in a movement to empower women business owners to be all that they can be and to have more joy, more fun and more success in your life.

by Denise Michaels

The most fun part of putting on a workshop is seeing the lights go on in the eyes of the participants. My job is to not just educate them – but also to entertain them and keep them wanting to listen for a full day. These are women who are dedicated to enjoy success. The kind of women who are willing to acknowledge maybe there’s something I can learn. I know they need more confidence. Maybe there are things I need to learn and do differently if I want to get a different result. I also know they need that cause and effect link between our personal selves and our business selves that results in a better outcome.

I woke up in the morning feeling both excited and calm and I think I stayed that way all day long. I had so much fun sharing “Testosterone-Free Marketing” with the attendees and my strategies to help customers happily say “yes.” The great thing about this workshop is that the attendees walk away not just with an attitude adjustment in terms of their self esteem – they also get hand on tools they can go out and use immediately.

People buy based on emotion – and then the back it up with logic.

One of the parts I love is when I ask people to share their insights, ah-has and light bulb moments. A woman who was asking all the right questions of her sales prospects – except she wasn’t asking for the sale. A woman realized how easy it was to sell when she was working for a big corporations – but once she was out on her own – everything changed. Another woman who realized as a life coach that she was doing everything wrong – because she was following the recommendations of the coaching institution where she got her training. There were major a-has for every person in the room.

I get so enthusiastic when I do an event like this.

The testimonials are already starting to come in:

“I do a lot of one-on-one meetings with prospective clients for my business so the most powerful tool I got from your workshop was how to use your Five Magic Questions to close more sales with ease. It became crystal clear to me how much money I’ve been leaving on the table. I also needed a way to tell my story so it’s succinct and emotionally compelling. You shared a perfect way to do that, too. I helped by handing out flyers about the workshop because I loved your book. Now that I’ve actually attended your workshop, I’m going to insist more women take it. I was amazed how some women felt they weren’t “ready” yet. Every woman business owner needs ‘How to Make Customers Happily say YES!’”

Liz Nitta
The Nitta Way

“Before attending Denise’s workshop I thought I had to discount my prices. I was undercharging and hurting myself. Also, I was marketing what I thought clients might want – I wasn’t marketing my passion for empowering women with their personal fashion. I discovered the more my fees are in alignment, the more value I create. I don’t have to be the “nice girl” giving stuff away hoping to get business with freebies. I also learned how to attract more ideal clients who will want to pay for my passion and knowledge. In just one day after attending your workshop I know who my ideal client is – people who will happily pay me what I’m worth. Now more than ever, if you think you have to discount, if you don’t have as many ideal clients you want, get to Denise’s next “How to Make Customers Happily say YES!” workshop. The price of NOT attending is way too high.”

Stephanie Ann Vehon
Image Empowering

“My marketing challenge before experiencing Denise Michaels’ workshop is that I love what I do and I’m good at it, but, I wasn’t happy with the number of people enrolled at my workshops. At her “How to Make Customers Happily say YES!” workshop, I discovered it was time to get out of my own way and stop talking about my workshop. Instead, focus on the needs, emotions and concerns of prospective attendees. Duh! It wasn’t rocket science but with Denise’s help I finally understood how I can help attendees and clients on a deeper level than ever.

Using Denise’s Five Magic Questions, I now stay on track. I’m focused on their concerns and how my workshop can help them get more of what they want. It’s simple and powerful. Any woman business owner who wants more people happily saying yes – don’t miss out. Reserve your space for Denise’s next workshop NOW! She uses life experience, humor, a shoot-from-the-hip style and her amazing marketing skills to empower and inform.”

Joy Huntsman
Joy & Associates

“I thought I was on top of it when it comes to marketing. However, I realized I knew what I liked but was clueless when it comes to understanding what my customers liked. Denise Michaels’ “How to Make Customers Happily say YES!” workshop forced me to question my beliefs about marketing. It was an intense experience because I was riveted learning how our belief systems impact our buying decisions. And her Five Magic Questions truly are magical to get better results closing the sale. It’s amazing when you finally get what we think is going on and what’s really going on. The workshop shook my foundation – in a good way. Now my business will be more successful than ever before.”

Talette Deitrick
Connections 2 Cruise

By Denise Michaels

On Monday, I got a wonderful email from a client. He was so excited because after putting it off, after going through a lot of financial hardship this last year with real estate and stocks, etc. After losing a beloved brother who always encouraged him and made him believe he could do anything. After going through a serious car accident with broken ribs and more – he finally took a massive step toward starting a new life for himself.

My client, I’ll call him Ned, mentored with me on a regular basis last year and was making great progress. He is sort of a massage therapist to the stars. People like actors Ted Danson and Ben Affleck are his clients. He wanted to take his secrets of how to have a very successful, profitable massage therapy practise out to other massage therapists. He wants to eventually stop doing massage and focus much more attention on workshops, trainings and other info-products. He’s already taught at a massage school.

His vision is all about finding a way to take his expertise to others and make that a business model. So we worked with that. I sensed he had a lot of fear around doing this without his brother there for him. His parents are deceased as well. There were even moments when he felt a little hopeless – I’d encourage him and he’d pull himself back up and get going again.

We put a lot of time into figuring out the agenda for his workshop. Years ago a woman with a Ph.D. in Instructional Design helped me put together my first workshop – so I shared that knowledge with him and together we came up with a wonderful program for him. It felt true and authentic to who he is and his experience and he knew it would help other massage therapists while also being fresh and new. We also talked about getting the word out and how to fill the room with the right people. People who were willing to learn AND willing to pay.

Then September 15, 2008 happened. The stock market was in an upheaval and he lost money. You remember. He owned two rental homes and both his tenants lost their jobs and couldn’t pay rent. So he was struggling to keep up the mortgages. The number of people booking massages with him dropped – so his income from that source dropped, too. Consequently, he wasn’t able to keep up marketing mentoring with me. But once in awhile he’d pay me for one session at a time. And he’d keep me posted by email.

I’m not 100 percent sure when my last mentoring session was with him. I’d have to look through my calendar. I think it was August. In between – except for connecting with me on Facebook – I didn’t really know if he was still working at it or not.

He was.

Monday when I got his email telling me what a triumph his workshop was the weekend before, I was jumping up and down excited for him. It’s just a start but his information was very well received and he also made a profit. Whoooo-hooo! He did it with a healing rib from his car accident – but he kept breathing through it (I’ve heard healing ribs are painful) and he was successful. In the last paragraph he said, “Denise, I put payment for another mentoring session with you in your paypal account – just let me know when you can meet.”

You might already know I have a workshop coming up this Monday November 2nd here in Las Vegas. I have three seats remaining so if you’d like to find out more and attend click on the link at the top of this page that says “Denise’s Events.” But the reason I’m digressing like this is because I’m very recently aware of all the work it takes to put together a successful event even if your health is just fine.

Ned is turning his life around in the direction he’s wanted to go for years now. He’s inching closer and closer to living his dream. And I couldn’t be more happy for him – and thrilled to know that I had a little something to do with his new success. What’s you’re dream and are you getting help and guidance in making those positive changes to your business income and your life.

By Denise Michaels, Author, “Testosterone-Free Marketing”

A lot of women, home-based business owners tell me they don’t “get” marketing and how it works. After all marketing is a universe most of us are totally unfamiliar with. We want to get everything right, and, we’re less likely to shoot from the hip compared to men. Well, I can’t clear up all the differences in one brief article, but I can help you become more clear about how and when you talk about your business with others.

One of my friends was working with a male colleague who was going to help her develop a marketing plan. Suddenly the marketing plan he promised slipped through the cracks. He told her he didn’t have time to do it after all. He was starting a new business and anticipated hiring 20 new employees by the end of the year.

Naturally she was disappointed but she was even more turned off by his posturing that he was “so important” and going to create a pretty significant business in such a short time. She thought it sounded like a typical male full of bravado, big promises and hot air. She told me she’d never say such overly-confident things until she was actually hiring people.

I told her when men do this they’re project outward. It’s natural for them but it doesn’t come as naturally for women. Very often men tend to make things up based on what they want to happen – not necessarily what has happened. Sure, they may do the math first. However, they might assume they’ll get the capital to hire those people before they have it in hand. They assume big clients will come through or getting capital will be a slam dunk. They have positive expectations and talk about ‘em – because it attracts more people with positive expectations. They may have sat down and thought it out just like you. Creating a business and a marketing strategy takes a lot of educated guesses, talking and sharing with others. But no one really knows for certain. They’re flying by the seat of their pants. It’s like jumping off a cliff and building a parachute on the way down.

Women on the other hand tend to not say a word until their plan and resources are totally nailed down and in place. We hold things closer to the vest. We tend to wait and hold back taking a more reluctant stance toward risk-taking. It’s not as natural for us to project outward. We don’t move as much energy out beyond us.

There’s nothing wrong with a little well-placed bravado. Certainly not if our intentions are to create a dynamic, profitable business. The wrong people might be turned off. However, the right people are likely to attracted to others who are passionate about their vision. When business owners project outward and share what they want with others – they’re actually more likely to attract it to them by saying it over and over. Moving energy. In some ways business and marketing are a make it up as you go along proposition.

In contrast, I’ve discovered many women feel they must have all their ducks in a row and everything done and in perfect order before saying anything or getting started. They are afraid someone might shoot them down immediately. My former husband used to say, “It’s better to be quiet and be thought a fool than to speak up and remove all doubt.” He was not a business owner.

Some women feel incorporating ideas and suggestions from others doesn’t “count” unless they dig up the information themselves. Don’t be so hard on yourself. You don’t have to discover everything yourself without help. Men use good ideas where they find them. Networking is about more than meeting potential customers. It’s about meeting people who might help you solve problems and refer you to others.

On the surface it may sound like a good idea to be 110% sure before speaking up about what you want to create in your business. In reality when you stay silent you’re not moving energy, building momentum or attracting people, ideas and resources to you. Start talking excitedly and passionately with people about your vision for your business. Share with them your intention. Tell others what you need in the way of support and resources. When you share it, you’ll be amazed and happy how many great ideas, resources, solutions and people will come back to you.

Denise Michaels is a marketing mentor, trainer and author of the business bestseller, “Testosterone-Free Marketing.” Find out more about her at her websites below:

Marketing with Denise
Empower U Academy – Get marketing and empowerment tips here!
Get Testosterone-Free Marketing
My Copywriting Ebook

By Denise Michaels, Author “Testosterone-Free Marketing”

Does the thought of marketing your business drive you to chocolate? If “getting the word out” makes you feel overwhelmed, you’re not alone. After coaching over 1,400 men and women the last eight years I’ve discovered big differences between the genders and how we handle marketing challenges.

Women Owned Businesses: An Emerging Economic Powerhouse

Did you know women are starting businesses at 2-4 times the rate of men? Women-owned businesses employ more people than the Fortune 500 combined.

My book, “Testosterone-Free Marketing” is about why marketing and sales make many women uneasy and what they can do about it to enjoy more success and put more profits in your purse.

Many women can’t relate to pushy sales and marketing tactics found in most marketing books, tapes and seminars. It just doesn’t feel like us – so we avoid it. We hate being pushy. It’s testosterone-heavy. We’re about relationship building and letting others come to us rather than pushing ourselves upon them. So you tend to wait for others to initiate a purchase. This is especially true for women raised to not “toot their own horn.” You may have tried to sell by just being friendly and being interested in others – and that’s a good thing. But it doesn’t quite work either.

Talented Women at the Crossroads of Success

Susan had a delightful personality and was a distributor for a network marketing company that made some amazing products to improve and maintain good health. She had a terrific experience with the products herself. And, she was comfortable signing up people who she believed would benefit. But to create a business that would generate full-time income she knew she must recruit business builders. Those are the big-time MLM heavy weights that have incredible abilities to build an organization. She asked, “Why would they possibly be interested in me?”

She stayed inside her comfort zone by only approaching people that she could secretly feel a little better than. She wasn’t threatened or intimidated. However, in this instance these people would use the products but there wasn’t a chance they were going to build their own organizations – and that didn’t help Susan’s monthly check very much.

I told her we all have something of value to offer others even if it’s not as easy to see on the surface as being beautiful or being rich. Your uniqueness is the reason people will want to do business with you. If you feel inadequate when you compare yourself with others, it’s not a business problem – it’s a self-confidence challenge.

Nurturing Women Can Have Abundant Cash Flow, Too

Women often bring to home-based businesses the same nesting, nurturing characteristics as at home. They also bring expertise about their products and services. Marketing and sales is out of their comfort zone. But “product knowledge” will not help most women sell more and create cash flow. Marketing and selling skills are necessary even if we do it far differently from the men.

Marketing is about drawing people in toward what you do. Selling is asking for what you want. You can’t wait for customers to approach you like you waited for the cute boy in high school History class to call for a date. Yet countless women business owners do. “Testosterone-Free Marketing” is about helping you discover woman –friendly ways to market and sell so you have more fun, feel more confident and make a lot more money.

Business will come to you, when you let the world know you are here, you are competent and you are ready for business. When you discover these keys, your cash flow will soar and your self-confidence will grow.

Denise Michaels is a marketing mentor, trainer and author of the business bestseller, “Testosterone-Free Marketing.” Find out more about her at her websites below:

Marketing with Denise
Empower U Academy – Get marketing and empowerment tips here!
Get Testosterone-Free Marketing
My Copywriting Ebook

By Denise Michaels, Author, “Testosterone-Free Marketing”

Sure, pundits and experts are starting to cautiously say “the recession is over.” However, if you’re like millions of women business owners you put on a happy face to the rest of the world that says, “Everything’s great!” but on the inside you may still be concerned.

How do you stimulate your personal economy so you get results rather than get caught up in the lack mass consciousness that’s become so pervasive the last year. This article provides seven stimulating secrets to get you back on track. Successful women in business depend on these principles to keep their cashflow humming so when someone asks them about business they can honestly and enthusiastically say, “We must be doing something right. My business hasn’t been impacted.”

• Stay away from the nattering nabobs of negativity. Whether its cable news almost predicting Armageddon daily, or, just the people you meet at a networking mixer who have fear all over their face. Stay away from anything less than optimistic. It’s impossible to be confident when you feel afraid. About 15 minutes of news daily is all you need to keep up to speed with what’s happening. Turn off the news and focus on the 99 percent of the world that’s doing well.

• Make progress every day and give yourself credit. Focus on doing what gives you the greatest results. Creating a successful business is about moving energy and building momentum. Consider all the thrust it takes to get a jet off the ground. Except the most important work you do may not be about running around. The most important work can be about consciously shifting your mindset. Then, when you take action amazing things happen.

• Speak with enthusiasm and passion. Wealthy people attract others to their dreams by speaking with passion, enthusiasm and confidence. They give the impression they just know their product or service is amazing and their business will be a winner. Once you launch your business stop looking for validation. Get over feeling like you need “permission.” If you offer good value and products or services that help others you don’t need permission or validation from anyone.

• Be bold. One bold stroke to get the word out can do much more than dozens of hesitant, little moves. This means expanding your comfort zone because your business growth doesn’t happen any faster than your personal growth. This mean when you decide you’re going to get on a radio talk show or do some other promotion that’ll make a big splash you do it with your head up, with boldness and confidence.

• Understand the importance of marketing. Marketing is about building relationships – but it’s more than smiling and chatting with other business owners at a networking mixer. Your marketing message goes out ahead of you. It precedes you. It should filter out people not likely to do business with you and filter in people who are likely to do business with you. Filtering means when you actually talk with a prospective customer chances are they already know about you and are partially pre-sold making sales much easier.

• Be emotionally compelling. People still have wants and needs. What’s lacking right now is trust and confidence. When people feel you understand, empathize and have a solution for their problem they will do business with you. Too many business owners try to play it safe because they think customers will buy based only on features and benefits. They must see how your features and benefits help them solve their problems.

• Ask for the sale. Some business owners enjoy building the relationship however they’re afraid they might mess it up by asking for the sale. Don’t be pushy but do be willing to confidently guide and direct a conversation. After I’ve explained everything about what I offer, me fees and answered all their questions and gotten strong signals they are interested my closing question is, “When would you like to get started?”

By following these seven secrets you’ll crack the code on stimulating your own economy. You’ll discover more people are receptive and open to what you offer. They will come to trust you and have confidence in you and as a result your cash flow will increase. You will be in your own flow of wealth and abundance so when people ask you about your business you can sincerely smile and say, “My business is great!!”

By Denise Michaels, Author, “Testosterone-Free Marketing”

I’m leaving for the gym in a few minutes. It’s out of my comfort zone and not where I feel confident by any stretch of the imagination. As a woman business owner I have so much more to do that’s the highest and best use of my time. If I’m not marketing or selling, I’m talking with a mentoring client, creating alliances, planning for my next workshop or maybe throwing a load of clothes into the washer. But I’m going to the gym in a few minutes anyway. My husband Ernie’s bugging me to get moving.

When I get there I’ll probably groan through the first few laps around the track before picking up steam. I’ll probably do some upper body exercises with weights. Some of those machines I actually get a weird pleasure from Then I’ll walk and it’ll feel effortless to total three miles. I’d still rather be working on my business.

I feel like a fish out of water at the gym. I don’t look like the impossibly fit bodies there. I go with the eternal hope someday this 50-plus body will be whipped into shape.

I’m thinking about two marketing mentoring clients I talked with yesterday. During our session they exclaimed, “But Denise, I don’t do THAT! I’ve NEVER done that before.” They were arguing for their limitations. These were tasks that were new but not necessarily difficult or requiring a high degree of skill.

Isn’t that the point? Your business growth cannot happen any faster than your personal growth.

Before agreeing to work with a new client I ask a few questions. One of them is, How many hours a week do you put into your business?” Some clients still have full time jobs – however I’m not the right person to work with anyone putting in less than 15 hours a week. I also ask, “Are you willing to get out of your comfort zone?” Because the things you’ll need to do to reach your goals will naturally be different than the things you’ve already done. This takes many people out of their comfort zone.

We all have the tasks and activities we feel confident about. They come so naturally to us its like falling off a log. Everything else tends to make us a little uncomfortable. If you don’t take a chance and try something new you’ll never know exactly what your business and your life could’ve been otherwise.

Get my marketing and empowerment tips in your Inbox at http://www.EmpowerUAcademy.com

Discover more about how marketing mentoring with Denise can help you reach the levels of success you’re striving for at http://www.MentoringwithDenise.com

By Denise Michaels, Author, “Testosterone-Free Marketing”

After years of mentoring clients and leading teleclasses and workshops I’ve encountered many personalities among women business owners. Frequently I meet people excited, optimistic and confident about the possibilities to market and grow their business. But every time I talk with them they don’t seem like they’re moving forward. They smile and say all right things – but something holds them back from getting the good they say they want.

So it’s with apologies that you see above in the headline I’ve butchered Ghandi’s famous quote, “Be the change you want to see in the world.”

If I had a nickel for every aspiring business owner who said, “Denise, I’ve read books, listened to audios and spent thousands on seminars. I should be a millionaire by now.” The missing link between buying knowledge and achieving confidence, abundance, health and anything else is taking action.

If you start an exercise program and go for a fifteen minute walk four times a week, you will get one result. Let’s say you start a different fitness program. You start eating healthier and gradually work up to running thirty minutes every day. And, you train with weights. The second fitness program will give you a different result. It’s about “cause and effect” again.

Let’s say you apply your energy to solving a specific problem. How you implement solutions impacts your results. One choice is to do nothing, toss up your hands and say, “I don’t know where to start,” Doing is key. Another choice is to say, “I can’t wait to see what good will come of this” and take proactive steps forward. You’ll get a different result. It’s all about cause and effect.

Yes, sometimes taking action is a little scary. I understand. It’s easier to spend time wandering aimlessly – considering different possibilities and ideas. After all, you never have to face rejection or failure that way. I say these people are spinning in the world of ideas. The ideas all look enticing – but you never enjoy the benefits until you pick a direction and take decisive action.

Most people who become wealthy do so because they take the same ideas (cause) and move energy, creating an effect. Some are motivated and go for it on their own. Others are smart enough to realize they needed help and mentorship to help them develop their strategy and ideas, support them when blocks come up and hold them accountable.

When you listen actively do you consider:

• How can I take this idea and use it to work for me?
• What would happen if I just went ahead and did it?
• How can I take this idea and push it even further to the next level?
• How can I customize this idea to my business and my needs?
• What obstacles are in my way? How can I remove them?
• How can I create a system that doesn’t require hands-on involvement?
• Will this idea help me create more of what I want?

What effects are you creating? Do you communicate clearly? Are you building positive relationships in business so you get the results you want and the cash flow, too? Are you looking for ways to put knowledge into action?

One of my favorite quotes by Albert Einstein is, “Insanity means doing things the way you’ve always done them and expecting a different result.” Your willingness to put cause and effect into action will help you take action and get the results you deserve.

Get my free mentoring and empowerment tips at http://www.EmpowerUAcademy.com Great information, very helpful right at your fingertips.

By Denise Michaels, Author, “Testosterone-Free Marketing”

It’s easy to get disconnected from your passion. Owning a business takes a lot of hard work. Especially as a woman when you have so many other things competing for your time and energy. Let’s be honest, how many women among us enjoys learning QuickBooks, asking for the sale, writing a marketing plan or handling someone who says “no.”

Success in life, however you define it, goes to those who stick with it. It’s constantly touching back with what makes your heart sing. Be willing to touch back AND confidently take a risk with your business. Show up. Actor and Director Woody Allen is famous for saying, “Eighty percent of life is just showing up.”

Are you willing to stand out a little so people can notice you and you get what you want?

Kevin Skinner was exceedingly ready. The 35 year old, humble, family man and self-described chicken catcher from hardscrabble Mayfield Kentucky who tears up easily when people compliment his singing was more than ready to take his big leap. Watch his audition on America’s Got Talent by clicking here.

I was mesmerized by Skinner’s performance. My intuition told me he’d go all the way and win it all. I watched his YouTube’s as he progressed in the competition repeatedly. And I’m not a country music fan. At all. He sings with such heart, compassion and emotion. You want to give him a hug, a cookie and hear it over and over again.

Was he the best singer in the competition? Not by a long shot. But Skinner’s talent isn’t about having a perfect voice – it’s about by making each and every member of his audience FEEL and believe in his sincerity and innate kindness. That’s his gift. He took them on a 90 second emotional journey with each performance. That’s entertainment. That’s talent. Audiences agreed.

Now the whole world knows Skinner went on to win America’s Got Talent on Wednesday September 16th. See his winning moment by clicking here. Suddenly he’s a million dollars richer and has a contract for a headline show in Las Vegas at Planet Hollywood.

I’ll bet Kevin knows he’s not a perfect singer. But he wasn’t willing to wait until he was perfect. Instead he got out there and saw how far he could go on the talent he does possess. The answer came back loud and clear: pretty far.

What about you? Have you hidden your talent or great business idea in the shadows for years hoping someday it’ll be perfect and someone will discover it magically? Life doesn’t usually happen that way. The people who win are the ones who move energy even if it isn’t perfect. In fact your talents and gifts will become more perfect when you get them out on a larger stage whether it’s in business or in life. Our true “lesson” in life is about growing up and authentically becoming who we really are. And, knowing how to market yourself and feeling good about it can help you get there – just ask me.

By Denise Michaels, Author, “Testosterone-Free Marketing”

I’m really excited. This has all just started coming together in the last few days – but I’m thrilled to share with you that I’m going to be conducting a really great workshop on Monday November 2nd, her in Las Vegas.

I’m 100 percent confident when you walk away you’ll see your business and your role in it in a totally different way. You’ll get insights and ahas – that will blow you away and you’ll finally say, “Wow! I can really DO this!!”

It’s not just because I give you step-by-step instructions. It’s also because my aim is to open you up to understand why marketing must be a testosterone-free endeavor for most women. And chances are so far you’ve only been bombarded by testosterone-heavy marketing. It was designed by and for men.

Let’s be honest – marketing and selling is all about:
* Good communication skills
* Good relationship building skills
* Good problem-solving skills

… and men and women do these things in totally different ways.

You never have to put up with feeling like you’re pushy, manipulative or too forward to be successful anymore. Yes, you absolutely can do it – starting now…

Go to http://denisemichaels.com/events/ or click on the little, tiny link at the top of this page that says “Events” for more information, the workshop fee and how to register.

I’d love to have you there so you benefit from what I know.