You may or may not now know that Linda- The Master Fixer- has taken on two (lovely) interns in recent months. Here at MF HQ, this month is all about scaling up your business as efficiently and effectively as possible and Linda thought this might be a good opportunity for Lalaine and I (Rosie) to come together to write a blog about how we think successful businesses become just that- a successful business.
Networking can seem daunting at first, especially if you have the tendency to be shy and introverted. Fobbing it off may seem like you’re dodging an night of awkward interactions and embarrassment but in reality you’re missing out on an opportunity that could catapult your business into the stratosphere. So, If you’re new to networking or you just want to make sure that you have a great and productive time, we have some tips to make the most of your interactions.
As a business coach, I am constantly seeing people through their hardships; some handle it excellently, and others not so well. However, some of the strongest people I know have had days where they completely crumble under the pressure. But if resilience is a fixed quality – you either are resilient, or you aren’t- then how can this be? I spoke to Jane Evans, a Stress Intelligence Transformer, to get some clarity.
There is no one-size fits all approach to starting a business. What works for some, most definitely will not work for others. When we think about start-up companies, traditionally we think of the likes of Facebook, Google or maybe even Innocent, but despite media speculation about the entrepreneurial spirit of the younger generation, the average age of an entrepreneur in the UK 47. So, can we really view ourselves as being ‘over the hill’?
Self-esteem is an amazing but fragile entity. In short, self-esteem is your opinion of yourself and your abilities. It can be high, low or somewhere in between; when it’s high we feel more resilient, we’re less vulnerable to anxiety, rejection and stress. But when it’s low, oh boy it’s low. While everyone occasionally has doubts about themselves, low self-esteem can leave you feeling insecure and unmotivated, it will leave you uninspired and doubting every choice you make – not good especially when you’ve got a business to run!
Meditation. For me, the idea of meditating took some warming up to. I saw it as a new age hoo-ha, and I don’t think you can blame me! But after years of rave reviews from friends, colleagues and clients, I decided to give it a go. Surprisingly, the area in my life that has reaped the most reward has been my business!
The Gender Pay Gap fiasco. It’s almost reaching Brexit level- we can’t avoid the topic! We turn on the news, it’s there. We walk down the street, it’s there. Just like Brexit, people see the headlines in the news and make up their minds with no further thought.
September is almost here! Hurray! Time to get the stationary shopping done, the new uniforms purchased and the kids back to school! So much excitement to be had! Although I’m sure if I were to ask the kids they wouldn’t be that excited, and actually I’m not sure you are either.
An Elevator Pitch. Have 30 seconds ever sounded so daunting?! It really doesn’t need to be this way, and if you know what you’re doing you should find coming up with the perfect pitch as easy as ever.
We all know that every now and again we all need a break. But when you’re running your own business it’s hard to feel like you can take a step back without your world having crumbled in on you when you get back. Going on holiday and spending time with family and friends never used to be such a daunting task, so here are my top tips for getting back those guilt-free days off: