Author Archives: Barbara Eldridge

Are You Productive or Just Busy?

| January 27, 2015

Are you off to a fast start pursuing the high priority, high pay off areas of your business? Or are you still bogged down in last year’s stuff? As business owners managing your time and the productive work is the game you play daily. In order to move forward you need to understand what keeps you productive.

Productivity takes being engaged in actions that are leading you towards your goals and results so you can daily focus on the work to get there,
The “trick” then is deciding what you’re going to work on at some point other than in … Read More

Hard Won Lessons!

| December 3, 2014

By Barbara Eldridge

The year has moved in warp speed, I’ve heard many say they are grateful it’s almost over. Weekly as we share challenges and ideas in our Mind Masters groups there are several things that have proven to be big lessons learned.

Getting paid: Several people spent valuable time chasing money, sometimes because they did not have the wording to come across professionally when asking for payment. Sometimes because they waited too long to even send the invoice. The lesson here is asking for what you are worth, but also putting the policies in place (be they contracts, … Read More

Cut Out the Risk

| October 28, 2014

Keeping up to date on legal matters is usually the last thing on the to-do list of most small business owners; unless of course we need a lawyer fast. As small business owners risk management sounds too corporate, so I am often asked, how risk management affects us?

Generally, Risk Management is the process of measuring, or assessing risk and then developing strategies to manage the risk, that business owners need to stay on top of.  Look at the structure of the business, which in some cases will dictate what kind and amount of insurance is needed to protect us … Read More

Build Your Business from the Inside #2

| September 29, 2014

sept 14 graphicLast time I wrote about organization, delegation and planning which are the internal structures that help you get the work done consistently. But there is a deeper internal component that helps you stand out in the market place. Simon Sinek in his book Start with Why, How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action addresses how to stay inspired by the work you do. He equates understanding your WHY, not to the want to make money why, (which is a result), but why you get out of bed every day. Your purpose, the cause or belief for the existence of … Read More

Build Your Business from the Inside

| August 29, 2014

Mind Masters Means BusinessThe first business I helped get off the ground was a temporary employment agency. It was a great learning experience especially when it came to all the information that flowed in. The temps were all “great” administrative assistants. I was good at getting systems set up but the flow of paper and files became daunting, since I was not schooled in handling clutter. What a wake up call when I couldn’t put my hands on a very important document.

Our success in business comes down to the difference between managing our work or letting our work manage us. We have … Read More

Choose Success!

| July 30, 2014

Boost Your Sales and ProfitsOwning a business presents us with a constant barrage of decisions. What to do first? Who do I market to? What does the business need in order to expand? How much can I charge? Having struggled with these things myself as well as working with members in our Mind Masters groups on the same issues, it still comes down to the fact that the decisions still have to be made. But what always shows up is that there seems to be too many choices, which leads to indecisiveness.

Many years ago I read a little book that changed my life … Read More

The Right Stuff

| June 26, 2014

The Right Stuff from Mind MastersWhat is it inside of people that makes them willing to risk everything they have to be in business? Is it to join the league of greats like Ford, Carnegie, Hearst, Jobs, Gates or just to have the freedom of being in a business of their own?

Perhaps it is the spirit passed down by parents or grandparents who ran the butcher shops, bakeries and small service businesses from the beginning of time. Some say it is a burning desire that hits like a flash of lightening or an idea that begs to be developed.

At the height of it … Read More

Networking: What Does That Mean to You?

| May 28, 2014

Mind Masters NetworkingHaving spent a good part of my early life shy and introverted, the idea of marketing myself was the biggest challenge I had to overcome. It meant I would have to overcome the fear of talking to people or risk not accomplishing my goals. Putting myself into first a monthly networking group and then a weekly executive group got me out of those uncomfortable feelings (small steps).

Networking helped me focus on helping other people with their problems. So I built my Success Motivation business and Mind Masters program by Networking, which provided me with the lessons along the way … Read More

Wisdom from a Pro

| April 29, 2014

head_with_gear_treeLast week I interviewed a PR specialist for a BLOG Talk Radio show and thought you might appreciate some of her wisdom.

  1. You need to believe in yourself.  When the company she was working with shut their doors all she could think of was “I need to get a job”.  However the people she had worked with helped her see that she had the talent to go out on her own. Seeing herself through them, she developed the confidence and made it happen. Surround yourself with people who see you with positive expectations.
  2. You need to know your core strengths.
… Read More

Do You Have a Niche Market: Refocus How You Show Up

| March 31, 2014

Common solution ConceptOne of the biggest mistakes business owners make when developing their business plan is not understanding who the ideal client is. You simply can’t be everything to everyone. This is especially true when you start to brand yourself.

When building your personal brand strategy, the quality of your clients is more than the quantity. Your goal is to fill the pipeline with profitable and appreciative clients. You want to design your marketing strategy to attract the kinds of clients who you want to work with, that in turn will increase your income while reducing your work hours.

To get those … Read More