Author Archives: Barbara Eldridge

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

What’s the Real Power of Your Brand?

| February 28, 2014

For small business owners it might be scary to realize that You are the “power” of your brand. Power is not often looked on as a way of describing yourself. You might even hesitate using power words to describe what you do on your business cards.

So how do you develop the expertise necessary for your power to show up? Make a significant contribution in your area of expertise by becoming known as a leader, with the articles you write, presentations you make and how you serve.

Recently one of my clients has been curating articles on Business storytelling. As … Read More

Are You a Tortoise or a Hare Entrepreneur?

| January 28, 2014

It is not always easy to tell the difference between the winners and the losers just by a casual look. When you consider the tortoise and the hare story there are valuable things you can learn.  They both gave their best effort but that is not the only thing that produced results. The strengths of the hare were speed, fun and a positive attitude that he could win.  The tortoise on the other hand was focused, had a positive attitude and had an expectation of success.

As we step into this New Year, what characteristics do you need to build … Read More

It’s Time to Celebrate

| December 26, 2013

As the year winds down are you excited for what is ahead in 2014?  Research has proven over and over that the more you consciously acknowledge your achievements, accomplishments, victories and completions the more of a foundation you have for ongoing success. Too often we go straight from the finish line to the starting line without pausing to acknowledge what actually happened and what we learned from it.

Yes it is a busy time, working to finish the year on top of the goals you set, while enjoying all the holiday celebrations.  This is your time to stop and reflect … Read More

Is the Roof Falling In?

| October 30, 2013

As an entrepreneur going it alone during some of the tough times can knock you flat.  What was the toughest situation you’ve encountered in your business?  Did you make it through?  Did you step back, learn from it and use the learning to move on? How often do you let yourself go down that dark road and beat yourself up when things don’t turn out according to “plan?”  As you entered this Quarter have you checked your plan?  Success comes from doing the simple things consistently.

As entrepreneurs we have a unique makeup that keeps us going.

John Gartner, a … Read More

What Do You Tell Yourself?

| August 27, 2013

For years, I’ve ended meetings with the comment, “Have a Million Dollar Day.” It’s a little different than “Have a nice day,” in that it infers the power to make it great is yours–that outside circumstances don’t determine how good a day it is or isn’t.

But what MAKES it a Million Dollar Day? Everything in life starts with thought! As you think about the day ahead, how will you measure it? Most of us plan what we will do, but how many of us think about what will make it a truly successful day.

So what would it take … Read More

Got Systems?

| April 30, 2013

When small business owners really begin to grow, it has been my experience that systems have not been put in place to handle the overload. All this makes it harder to really understand what needs to be done and who should be doing it.

At Michael Gerber’s E Myth, they say: “Most small businesses are dependent on the expertise of whoever is on payroll at a given time. As a consequence, how tasks are performed changes as people come and go. The danger is that customers will have unpredictable experiences with your business, and might not come back.”

The franchise … Read More