Author Archives: Barbara Eldridge

Do You Know What Drives Your Business?

| July 27, 2021

In setting a challenge for members of Mind Masters this month, I asked them to commit to a specific financial number that will propel them forward for the balance of this year and into next. Some have faced downturns due to the pandemic, others have forged ahead due to grants, loans or just good markets.  But what number or numbers really need attention that would change the outomes?

Let me ask YOU, what number do you look at when trying to determine if your business is successful and growing or not? Most small business owners focus on Revenue (sales) or … Read More

How Do You Stay Sharp?

| May 25, 2021

During a Padres game last week the interviewer asked one of the players what he liked about his coach. He said the coach got in every day earlier than anyone else, practiced batting and reviewed the previous night’s game plays. “WOW what an example he sets for all of us”, he said.

Yes athletes do it, but so do musicians, mechanics, and writers do it, they practice, do you, the business owner, do it?  The idea that we can become proficient (well advanced in an art, occupation, or branch of knowledge) in our chosen field is often overlooked in small … Read More

How Are You at Setting Priorities?

| April 27, 2021

Why am I hearing time management and over whelm issues from many members? As a business owners, it’s easy to get caught up in the bustle of day-to-day business. As things begin to open up the drive to reach out and catch up on financial goals can be tempting to allow oneself spending a significant portion of time fighting the myriad fires that crop up every day. Instead, it is getting more important to take the time to step back and set “laser-sharp” priorities that focus on what’s really important – and keep from spending time on what’s not.

 … Read More

In the Beginning was the Dream…

| March 30, 2021

I love telling the story of an entrepreneur in Des Moines, Iowa who had a dream.  He had a successful welding business and he liked to tinker.  In 1903 to be able to carry supplies and deliver machine parts to his customers, George built an engine for a buckboard to make it easier to carry those parts.  He later built another engine for a carriage to take his family out in.  Today George’s “truck” sits in the back field of an Iowa farm, rusted and rotted.  Maybe his dream was to sell his idea, maybe it was only to create … Read More

Does your Brand stand out?

| February 23, 2021

Is It Time for a Branding Makeover? 

“The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.” Vince Lombardi

Do you remember the real Colonel Sanders? Not the fake characters that have been popping up on all the KFC TV ads lately. Having had the opportunity of meeting the original Colonel Sanders, it really frustrates me to see these imitators. The Colonel was focused, dedicated to the quality of his products and determined that all the franchises show up “giving the best”.

Having spent the last few weeks

… Read More

What’s Keeping You Afloat?

| October 27, 2020

As an entrepreneur going it alone during some of these tough times can knock you flat.  What have you encountered in your business this year?  Are staying ahead? Have you stepped back? What have you learned and are you using the learning to move? How often have you let yourself go down that dark road and beat yourself up when things didn’t turn out according to “plan”?  As you entered this Quarter did you adjust your plan?  This is the time to step up and step “out”!

My members know I enjoy watching “Shark Tank”, a group of successful entrepreneurs … Read More

Pursue Your Goals with More Meaning

| September 29, 2020

During an interview last week on a topic of “finding my purpose” that I contributed to a collaborative book Life Wisdom Word Search: Yoga for the Brain, I was asked if I thought that small business owners know their purpose? My answer was no.

Let’s talk about this. You see I think most business owners either have a skill, see a market that will make them money or have worked for someone and know they can do it better. There is also misunderstanding at times between Purpose and Vision.

Your Vision is the big picture of what the future … Read More

Your Greatest Business Asset besides You

| August 25, 2020

With so many businesses struggling during this time, the marketing Holy Grail is your email list. We have been told that if you have a big list you have tremendous marketing leverage.

Is this true? Most likely yes, as we have been locked down and seen businesses changing.

If I look at my e-mail list, which I have added to over the too many years to count, I see a lot of changes.  People opt out without any need to explain, some emails just get kicked back because they no longer exist.  Some of the people I know, some I … Read More

Survive This Riptide

| July 28, 2020

Rip Current Icon - Free Download, PNG and VectorRiptides or rip currents are powerful currents that flow away from shore. Swimmers caught in riptides can quickly be pulled out to sea, and often drown struggling against the current. Knowing rip current behavior and having a survival plan can make the difference between life and death.

Right now, as things have slowed down, businesses are likewise caught in a riptide of economic turbulence. Fear can set in, some have stopped investing in the things that keep the business visible; networking, advertising, asking for testimonials.  Your Success is built on a variety of choices you make, review the following to … Read More

Your Success is a Full Time Job, Keep it Going!

| June 30, 2020

Since the beginning of the Pandemic lock down I have been challenging Mind Masters members to continue moving forward by posing questions like, are you keeping up with the pace of change?  The pace of technology? The pace of your marketplace? The pace of your competition?  The dilemma of these questions struck me as well.  I fully admit that there are a couple of things on my plate that are challenging and I have put on the back burner, but by not dealing with what will move a person or business owner forward only creates stress. How much do I … Read More