Tag: Small businesses

What is Personal Branding?

Posted on by Odette Fernandez

Personal branding.

Brand photography is a powerful business tool. It helps you develop your personal brand.

But, what is personal branding?

Personal Brand
Odette Photo+Art Branding session with TrueDent Family Dentistry | www.truedentfamilydentistry.com

Personalbrand.Com defines it as “The intentional effort to create and influence public perception of an individual by positioning them as an authority in their industry, elevating their credibility, and differentiating themselves from the competition, to ultimately advance their career, increase their circle of influence, and have a larger impact.”

They add: “A personal brand is rooted in the minds of people in the market. Personal branding is the effort to communicate and present your value to the world.”

Personal branding is perfect for entrepreneurs, influencers, speakers, professionals, actors, and small business owners. But, building a personal brand isn’t exclusive to them. We all need a compelling personal brand to make an impact in this world.

Before people spend money or do business with you, they like to feel like they know you. Studies show 70-80% of people research a company before doing business. That’s why personal branding is so important. It highlights your unique set of skills, experience, and personality.

How to build a personal brand.

The aim is to create a powerful brand, online and offline. That’s how we build relationships and connections with people throughout the world.

Personal branding tips

1. Sell an experience, not just a product.

Discover what’s special about you and your brand: your unique selling proposition (USP). That’s the secret sauce that will make you stand out from the competition.

2. Show your authentic self.

Your personal brand allows you to show current and potential clients your skillset and strengths. That way, you build trust with the people that matter. This is key to developing a successful personal brand and becoming genuinely influential.

3. Be consistent.

Choose a niche and stick to it. Create the content your audience is interested in, not what you think they want. Then, get your content in front of the right people at the right time in their buyer’s journey.

Personal Branding
Branding session with TrueDent Family Dentistry | www.truedentfamilydentistry.com

Pro tip:

Your social media must be visually appealing on every platform.

Show the real you with professional branding images that will enhance your brand, do the selling for you, and make you money while you sleep.

Tell your story consistently, and more people will engage/follow/share your content.

headshot
Branding session with TrueDent Family Dentistry | www.truedentfamilydentistry.com

To build your personal brand, you can ask yourself these questions:

What’s your skillset?

What makes you different?

What’s your niche?

What are your core beliefs and values?

What problem do you solve?

What’s your message?

Who are your ideal clients?

What do you want to be known for?

 

Check these successful personal branding examples.

headshot
Branding session with TrueDent Family Dentistry | www.truedentfamilydentistry.com

Final words about personal branding

By serving and helping your audience, you will build a community of like-minded people that value your skills and sees you as an expert in your industry.

If you are asking yourself when you should start building your personal brand.

The answer is “Now”.

This article was first published in What’s Personal Branding by Odette Photo+Art

Spotlight: KVP Custom Orthotics

Posted on by Odette Fernandez

KVP Custom Orthotics

For this week’s Spotlight, we want to present you a company that leads the veterinary marketplace when it comes to custom orthotics: KVP Custom Orthotics

KVP Custom Orthotics
KVP Custom Orthotics

 

What can you tell us about KVP Custom Orthotics?

We founded KVP Custom Orthotics in 1964. KVP entered the veterinary marketplace with the introduction of its Saf-T-Shield™ Elizabethan Collar. Widely praised by veterinarians and their technicians as innovative, highly effective, and a great value, the Saf-T-Shield™ collar set the standard for every KVP product that would follow. More than 50 years later, KVP offers the world’s largest selection of recovery collars — from mice to mastiffs.

Our product line doesn’t stop there. We have the world’s largest selection of recovery collars, quality surgical supplies, and effective patient care products. KVP proudly carries the full KONG® catalog, including the veterinary-exclusive KONG® Blue™ as well as products from the well-loved brands FURminator® and Nature’s Miracle™.

What makes your offer unique?

We deliver the best quality braces, and I will write original good quality content for your website.

What are the advantages of online Orthopedic Braces for dogs?

After surgery, your dog will heal quicker. When your dog undergoes surgery, the brace is a perfect way to help them heal faster. This knee brace enables routine healing and new scar tissue development, which dramatically decreases re-injury risk. Often, your dog will avoid surgery. An older dog is often not suitable for surgery, so you need to consider an alternative method. Likewise, many pet owners prefer to avoid surgery because it is costly and presents a risk of further severe complications.
Quality knee brace = No surgery
It is more likely that your dog won’t need surgery with the right knee brace because the knee will probably recover.
Your dog can lead a happy and safe life.
The greatest excuse to get your dog a knee brace is to be able to go back to being the fun-loving, happy puppet they used to be. Much like humans, dogs are not themselves when they are distressed. A knee brace makes them feel better, right away, and in the long term, and not every dog knee brace will offer you these benefits.

What braces are options available?

Here you have two options for orthopedic braces.

  • A knee brace that is ready to ship and can be at your home as early as tomorrow
  • Custom orthopedic braces for dogs (fitting knee brace) can better accommodate your dog but takes a few more days to deliver. Either way, your furry pal is going to be ecstatic again. A happy pet means a more joyful and satisfied You!

Have there been any changes in your business approach after Covid-19?

Yes, we have become more cautious and taking all the necessary precautions to help our clients. For us, clients are like our family members.

What challenges do you see ahead?

Challenges are never going to stop, and we, as a team, believe in overcoming each of them to make the best of the time we have at present.

What future projects does your business have?

Making better dog braces and try to make it affordable for everybody out there to help out the Dogs because we love pets.

What message would you send to your followers?

Please take care, be safe in such difficult times, stay with your family/friends, and support each other mentally and physically.

If you were to define your business in one word, how would you do it?

Care

Is there anything you would like to add?

All I want is to help out as many people as possible with the right knowledge and experience that I’ve gained.

Where can you find orthopedic braces for dogs?

Mainly, after some injury, your dog off-balanced sloppily sits on one side or tries keeping the leg up while it attempts to run. The reason behind this might be that your dog has torn the
cranial cruciate ligament (CCL).
It is the leading orthopedic condition in dogs. Many dogs appear to have trouble walking, either due to injury, old age, or chronic genetic disorders.
You can make their condition better using a knee brace, which can provide your dog with a comfortable and relaxed feeling. There are several ways to find orthopedic braces for dogs, but nowadays, the online option is the best, accessible, affordable, and effortless.

KVP Custom Orthotics’s Contact Info

https://kvportho.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kvportho

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Utility Avenue’s Spotlight focuses on promoting inspiring businesses every week. For a chance to be interviewed, contact us at support@utilityavenue.com with the subject Spotlight.

Spotlight: Soul Essentials Healing

Posted on by Odette Fernandez

Soul Essentials Healing.

For this week’s Utility Avenue’s Spotlight, we present you April Gaines: a Professional Mental Health and Substance Abuse Counselor. She is also a Certified Alcohol and Addictions Counselor through McBap. April has 18 different degrees and certificates in mental health, substance abuse, wellness, and spirituality fields. April is also two times over Reiki Energy Healing Master. An Ama Deus Energy Healer. A certified Hypnotherapist. A certified Auricular Acupuncturist.

What can you tell us about yourself?

I have spent over a decade in counseling, helping my clients heal from past traumas, low self-esteem, negative thinking, false beliefs, and anxiety. My passion is helping people develop permanent self-esteem and inner peace through awareness. Teaching them to have innate worth and value in this life.

As a mom of five girls, a bonus mom to her niece, and a grandmother of twelve grandkids, I value family, creating memories, teaching, and learning.
Recently, I have decided to move my career online by creating healing and spiritual courses, serving on spiritual panels as a speaker, and speaking on webinars, masterminds, and podcasts.
I want to help heal as many souls as I can in one lifetime.

What were the main challenges at the beginning?

Getting visible online. Getting out there and getting people to know about my business is the most difficult.

Who was the most supportive of your idea?

My daughters, other close friends, past clients, and even current clients are the most supportive of my business ideas.

What is the main target audience of your business?

My main audience is people who are tired of feeling depressed, anxious and who want to change. Who wants to be free from negative thinking and want to have inner peace and self-esteem that is permanent.

What makes your offer unique?

I have a unique way of explaining the ideas and concepts I teach in a way that is easy to apply and creates permanent change in the lives of the people I work with.

Do you have any other passions?

I have spent over 20 years on a life journey gaining as much knowledge and wisdom about the human mind, self-esteem, and spirituality. A psychic-medium, a hypnotherapist, an energy healer, and an auricular acupuncturist, I also have special certificates and training in addiction, and am really good at helping people learn to understand addiction and stay sober.

If you could go back in time, what would you do differently?

I’m not sure that I would do much differently in my life as I believe everything that has happened in my life was part of the divine plan and needed to happen to become the person I am today.

What future projects does your business have?

I have developed two courses at this time. One on permanent self-esteem. One on tarot card mastery. I plan on making a course on changing your core beliefs. Then, one on what is the psychic ability and maybe one on talking to people on the other side. I intend to write a few books as well in my time. My ultimate goal is to have these courses on Udemy and Teachable. Then, to take my story and teachings and begin speaking for a living so that I may help to heal as many people as I can in one lifetime.

What challenges do you see ahead of you?

My challenges right now are to get out there and to get noticed.

What message would you send to your followers?

I want everyone to know that you do not have to live with depression, anxiety, negative thoughts, low self-esteem. You have permanent worth just because. You can have inner peace and be free.

Define your business in one sentence.

My business: Soul Essentials Healing – The Self-Improvement Journey. Learn how to heal your soul and have permanent self-esteem and inner peace.

 

Contact Info

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Utility Avenue’s Spotlight focuses on promoting inspiring businesses every week. For a chance to be interviewed, contact us at support@utilityavenue.com with the subject Spotlight.

Never Split the Difference, by Chris Voss

Posted on by Odette Fernandez

This week, I finished reading Never Split the Difference, Negotiating As If Your Life Depended on it. Written by former FBI lead international kidnapping negotiator, Chris Voss, it was a fascinating read on how to add emotional intelligence and empathy into the negotiation process.

I totally recommend it.

You can use the techniques outlined in the book for negotiations and everyday life: in business, at home, or when you ask for a raise or a new position.

 

Chris Voss, Never Split the Difference
Chris Voss, Never Split the Difference

Important Takeaways From the Book

Become a Mirror

Mirroring is magical. 

“Repeat the last three words (or the critical one to three words) of what someone has just said because we fear what is different and find comfort in similarity. “

The five steps of mirroring are:

  1. Use the late-night FM DJ voice– keep it calm and slow. Use this selectively to make a point. When done correctly, the late-night FM DJ voice creates an aura of authority and trust without making the other party defensive.
  2. Start with phrases like, “I’m sorry…”
  3. Mirror
  4. Use silence effectively
  5. Repeat.

Don’t Feel Their Pain, Label It.

Tactical empathy is understanding the other party’s feelings and mindset and hearing what is behind those feelings to increase your influence. 

Labeling is validating someone’s emotion by acknowledging it. First, you need to detect the other party’s emotional state and then highlight the feeling by labeling it. You can phrase a label as statements or questions. 

  • “It seems/looks/sounds like…”

People’s emotions have a “presenting” behavior (what we can see and hear) and the “underlying” feeling (the motivation behind the behavior).

Address those underlying emotions by labeling them. If you are labeling a negative emotion, you diffuse it. If it’s positive, you reinforce it. 

Beware “Yes”—Master “No”

A “No” can be an excellent opportunity to clarify what you want by eliminating what you don’t want.

“No” can often mean:

  • I am not yet ready to agree;
  • I don’t understand;
  • You make me feel uncomfortable;
  • I’d prefer to talk to someone else.
  • I can’t afford it;
  • I need more information;

A “No” can allow real issues to emerge. It protects you from making poor decisions and gives you time. It helps you feel safe and moves the negotiation process forward. That’s why “Is now a bad time to talk?” is better than “Do you have a few minutes to talk?”

And there are three kinds of “Yes”:

  • Counterfeit:  the other party plans on saying “No” but feels that a “Yes” is an easier escape route.
  • Confirmation: generally innocent, reflexive response to a black or white question. 
  • Commitment: most often leads to a definite outcome, such as signing a contract.

Also, “That’s right” is better than “yes.” You can make a summary by combining a label combined with paraphrasing.

Bend Their Reality

“Starting with a very low or high offer, using offers with specific and odd numbers or other such arbitrary factors will influence parties to compromise or accept an offer during a negotiation.”

Here’s how you can do that:

  • Anchor their emotions.
  • Let the other side anchor monetary terms first. 
  • Establish a range: instead of saying, “I’m worth $110,000,” say, “At top places like Acme Corp., people in this job get between $130,000 and $170,000.” 
  • Pivot to non-monetary terms.
  • When you talk numbers, use odd ones: ex, $87,563.
  • Surprise them with a present.

Note: People will take more risks to avoid a loss than to realize a gain. Make sure the other party sees that there is something to lose by inaction.

Create the Illusion of Control

Use calibrated questions to educate the other party on the problem rather than cause conflict by telling them what the problem is.

Here are some calibrated questions you can use:

  • What about this is essential to you?
  • How can I help make this better for us?
  • How would you like me to proceed?
  • What is it that brought us into this situation?
  • How can we solve this problem?
  • What are we trying to accomplish here?
  • How am I supposed to do that? 

Guarantee Execution

Because most communication is nonverbal, you should develop the ability to interpret body language and tone of voice.

The 7-38-55 Percent Rule

The 7-38-55 Percent Rule states that

  • 7% of a message is based on the words
  • 38% comes from the tone of voice
  • 55% from body language and face.

The Rule of Three: get the other party to agree to the same thing three times in the same conversation. 

The Pinocchio Effect: a Harvard Business School study found that, on average, liars use more words than those telling the truth. They also tend to use more third-person pronouns.

The Chris Discount: use your name to create a sense of “forced empathy” and make the other party see you as human.

Bargain Hard

If you’re trying to close a deal, you can choose an encouraging tone of voice, and ask “Let’s put price off to the side for a moment and talk about what would make this a good deal?” Or “What else would you be able to offer to make that a good price for me?”

If you’re trying to win a deal from your competitors, pitch statements like “Why would you ever do business with me? Your existing service provider seems great!” The “why” can coax the other party into working with you. 

The Ackerman Model

The Ackerman Model is an offer-counteroffer method you should prepare before the negotiation takes place.

  1. Set your target (goal) price.
  2. Set your first offer at 65 percent of your target price.
  3. Calculate three raises of decreasing increments (to 85, 95, and 100 percent).
  4. Use lots of empathy and different ways of saying “No” to get the other side to counter before you increase your offer.
  5. When calculating the final amount, use precise, non-round numbers like, say, $37,893 rather than $38,000. It gives the number credibility and weight.
  6. On your final number, throw in a non-monetary item (that they probably don’t want) to show you’re at your limit.

Find the Black Swan

“Black Swans are hidden elements that can totally change the negotiation if uncovered and used.”

Black Swans are leverage multipliers. To discover Black Swans ask about the other party’s beliefs and actively listen so you can mirror what they say. People feel safe in similarity and shared beliefs. 

Final Words

Humans want to be accepted and understood. Choose to be an active listener, demonstrate empathy, and show a sincere desire to understand the other side better.

This book is handy to handle everyday conflicts at work and home. A negotiation is an act of discovery. Listen to the other party, validate their concerns and emotions, build trust, and create a safety net for real conversations, and you will never split the difference.

 

References

A 12-Minute Summary of “Never Split the Difference” by …. https://www.freshworks.com/freshsales-crm/sdr-sales-development-reps/summary-of-never-split-the-difference-blog/

More about Chriss Voss: https://www.blackswanltd.com

 

WHERE TO BUY THE BOOK.

Buy Never Split the Difference, Negotiating As If Your Life Depended on it

Poems of Recovery, by Ananda de Jager

Posted on by Odette Fernandez

Poems of Recovery, by Ananda de Jager

Ananda de Jager (1993) was born in Goes, the Netherlands. In 2020, she published her first poetry book: Poems of Recovery. After getting amenorrhea in 2018, she went on a spiritual healing journey, facing her inner demons and having a strong calling to inspire others.

Ananda now lives in Brussels, Belgium, where she wrote her first book. For this week’s Utility Avenue’s Spotlight, we bring you her inspiring story of self-discovery.

 

Poems of Recovery, by Ananda de Jager
Photo Credit: Nicholas Fotiadis

  • Who is Ananda de Jager?

Hello! Ananda is a 26-year-old girl living in Brussels, heading from the Netherlands. I’m a sister, a daughter, a friend, a colleague, a volunteer, and now also a poet/writer. 😊

  • How did it all begin?

For as long as I can remember, I’ve struggled with food and my emotions. For me, this was always present, but I never saw it as an issue. However, when I lost my period, I realized that this was a clear sign of my body that something was wrong. Further, I had many other symptoms of an eating disorder. Looking back, losing my period was the best thing that could have happened. Otherwise, I would not have worked on my underlying issues. Hence, I decided I wanted it back and began looking at my patterns, my motives. While doing so, I shared many poems and quotes on Instagram (made by other people) and got a lot of positive replies. Then, in the summer of 2019, I decided to start writing poems myself.

  • What helped you the most to become an author?

My problems (laughs). No, what helped me the most was that it was very healing in itself. Writing down your thoughts makes you go through them, and reading them back helps you to see how far you’ve come. Also, the work of other poets inspired me a lot. My goal is also to help other people so that I had in the back of my mind when writing.

  • What were the main challenges while writing the book?

The writing process was honestly quite smooth. It felt very natural to me, and I put my full heart into it. The biggest challenges came actually when it was published – sharing my story, doing interviews, shoots. Really being out there when I was not fully at ease with my body yet, despite having written a book about recovery.

  • Who was the most supportive of your journey?

For sure, my parents. I cannot imagine how hard it must be for parents to have a kid that struggles and does not allow you to help them. They were always there, did nothing wrong, and supported me in every way possible. I love them with all my heart.

  • Who is your book for?

Initially, it was for anyone struggling with an eating disorder, but I learned that even people who did not struggle with it greatly enjoyed it. For example, one reader came to me saying he had never faced eating issues himself or known anyone with such issues, but reading the poems gave him some insights on what it is like. That was really touching.

  • How have readers reacted to your book?

The responses have been better than I could have imagined. Everyone has been extremely kind, asking questions, saying how it helped them or which poems they liked. It was especially interesting to hear from people close to me how they experienced the period.

  • Do you have any other passions?

Yes! I love meeting new people, traveling, volunteering, and riding my motorbike. Next to that, I do pole dancing and weight training. I love being busy and challenging myself. I also really love trying new things and self-development. 

  • If you could go back in time, what would you do differently?

I believe everything I did brought me exactly to where I am now. I don’t think I would have done anything differently. It’s easy to say I would have solved my issues sooner or I would have been kinder to myself sooner, but in the end, all the steps were needed to be where I am today. I do wish that I did not hurt certain people in the process of me hurting myself through my behavior. No one deserves to be hurt, but I have also been the villain in some people’s stories. 

  • What future projects do you have?

For the moment, I am focusing fully on this book and helping others. I am writing for a project about Brussels’ lockdown, which is a really nice collaboration. Perhaps I will write a second book. I also collaborate more with different artists, which is a nice way of expressing myself.

  • What message would you send to your readers?

Be kinder to yourself. You only have one life in this body and have to be with yourself for the rest of your life. You might as well make it worthwhile! 

  • Can you tell me the essential idea of the book in one sentence?

To help other people in their healing process by sharing my experience with recovering from amenorrhea (the absence of your period) and my eating disorder.

  • Is there anything you would like to add?

If anyone wants to know more, see more work or order the book, they can check out my website anandadejager.com. Find me on Instagram @anandaaaa or @poemsofrecovery. I try to answer messages as fast as kind. And don’t forget to add joy to your life, dance! 😊 

 

Poems of Recovery, by Ananda de Jager Poems of Recovery cover

 

Ananda de Jager’s Contact Info

Instagram: @anandaaaa

Poems of Recovery, by Ananda de Jager
Where to Buy the Book

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Utility Avenue’s Spotlight focuses on promoting inspiring businesses every week. For a chance to be interviewed, contact us at support@utilityavenue.com with the subject Spotlight.

How to Make More Extra Money Before Christmas

Posted on by Odette Fernandez

Make more extra money before Christmas.

The most wonderful time of the year is just around the corner.

But you might already be looking for moneymaker ideas so you can get more cash for those Christmas presents for family and friends.

Look no further. We have made a list of some ideas to make more extra money before December 25th!

make money for Christmas

1. Work from Home

Working from home might be your holy grail if you want to work from the comfort of your own home. There are countless companies hiring customer representatives, and there are other attractive options. Check this article to find out about the 10 best work-from-home jobs to make money now. And if you are new to the world of working in your pajamas, check this Remote Newbie Guide to work from home that we created for you.

10 Best Work-From-Home Jobs to Make Money Now

The Remote Newbie Guide to Work-From-Home

2. Make Money with Your Car

You can start driving for Uber or Lyft. But newsflash, if you offer your riding services with Utility Avenue, you can transport people, but you can also deliver groceries, parcels, lunch. The sky is the limit.

3. Declutter and get rid of pre-loved items.

Our houses are full of items we don’t use anymore. This might be an excellent opportunity to declutter and Mary Kondo your home and make extra cash in the process.

4. Become a Website Tester

For this, we would recommend UserTesting. Most testing tasks last 15-20 minutes, and you earn 10 dollars per review. Definitely handy.

5. Become a Pet Sitter

We have mentioned it in several blog entries. If you love pets, you can make extra money when you pet sit, especially for the holidays when there will be traveling involved.

6. Sell your crafts 

The sky is the limit when you are creative. You can make and sell your crafts: jewelry, personalized ornaments, Christmas wreaths, gift baskets, watercolors, printables, candles. Anything that can be personalized is a great Christmas present. You can open a store on Amazon, Etsy, or Shopify to reach more clients.

7. Turn your hustle into a business.

Check this blog post to find out if you can turn your hobby into a moneymaker. And, if you are already monetizing your hobby, read this article to find out if it’s an excellent time to turn your side hustle into a business. To start, or not start, a business. THAT’s the question.

12 Hobbies that can be Moneymakers

To Start or Not To Start a Business: That is the Question

8. Become a Virtual Assistant

You can help small businesses with anything from project management to social media marketing.

9. Become a Copywriter or a Proofreader.

Most businesses need to create sales pages, whitepapers, articles. It can be a good niche for you to specialize if you can provide copywriting or proofreading services, and you can do that from home.

10. Find Work On Side Gig Apps

You can find several side gig apps to offer any service, from photography to proofreading, for example, Thumbtack, Fiverr, and TaskRabbit. You can also check Utility Avenue and find out if it’s a fit for you. Our platform only charges a flat fee of 0.50 cents per service sold, so you can make more money when you provide a service. Read this article if you want to know more details about our platform.

10 Reasons to Make Money with Utility Avenue

11. Reduce Your Bills.

A good option would be to save money. Find where you are spending money unnecessarily. For example, eliminate those subscriptions you always forget to use and call your service providers to find out if there are current deals so you can reduce your bill payments.

12. Get Cashback with Rakuten.

Earn cashback when shopping at your favorite online stores. For example, with this Rakuten affiliate link, you’ll get a $30 bonus when you sign up and make a qualifying purchase.

13. Save Your Change.

We live in a pretty much cashless society, but sometimes, you receive some cashback. You could save that money. At the end of the year, you might save a fair amount.

Final words about how to make extra money before Christmas.

As a last piece of advice, I would also suggest thinking about what makes a great Christmas present. This has been a challenging year for most of us. Maybe material things are not what your family and friends need. Perhaps, they need the gift of experiences or help with a bill—just food for thoughts.

Spotlight: Wandalyn Tan

Posted on by Odette Fernandez

Caltan Training and Consultancy with Wandalyn Tan

Without clarity of  purpose, passion & career direction, you may be feeling lost, unfulfilled & unhappy with your life and career. For this week’s Utility Avenue’s Spotlight, we bring you Wandalyn Tan, who can help you build a life & career that you love that is meaningful & rewarding. Her life mission is to help others live happier lives.

If you want to know more about her, feel free to read her Spotlight, and contact her.

Caltan Training and Consultancy
Caltan Training and Consultancy with Wandalyn Tan

What can you tell us about yourself? 

After suffering from burnout in 2014, I reinvented my career. I am an Audit Manager turned International Speaker, Amazon Author, Executive Career & Burnout Coach, and CEO of my company, Caltan Training and Consultancy.

What were the origins of your business?

Training and coaching positively transformed my life. I want to pay it forward by helping others by sharing simple and powerful tools that work for me.

What were the main challenges at the beginning?

Challenge is doing everything on my own from website management, business registrations, marketing, content creation, and everything in between.

Who was the most supportive of your idea?

My kids were very supportive of my idea because they saw how training and coaching makes me happy.

What is the main target audience of your business? 

My target is helping managers and women professionals, especially working mothers break through from burnout & build a purpose-driven career & living aligned with their passion, purpose, experience, and expertise.

What makes your offer unique?

I used my mind expertise (as an NLP master practitioner) and audit expertise of 20+ years to find the gaps and offer simple solutions that help clients fast track results. My clients land their ideal job in less than 6 months even during the pandemic. 

Do you have any other passions?

I am passionate about learning. I am listening to podcasts and webinars almost every day.

If you could go back in time, what would you do differently?

I would be more loving and accepting of myself and stop suppressing my emotions. I will express myself more without fear.

What future projects does your business have?

I am building a training company, specific to helping working moms build a purpose-driven career and living through training and strong community support of other working moms who have been on the same path.

What challenges do you see ahead of you?

Knowing which one to do first of the many dreams in my list and finding the right partners to work with.

What message would you send to your followers?

Keep on asking because help is always available, ask yourself, ask God and ask others to move forward and fast.

Define your business in one sentence.

I am in the business of positively changing lives through training and coaching.

Is there anything you would like to add?

Connect with me on LinkedIn to get a daily dose of inspiration.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachwanda/

Wandalyn Tan’s Contact Info

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Utility Avenue’s Spotlight focuses on promoting inspiring businesses every week. For a chance to be interviewed, contact us at support@utilityavenue.com with the subject Spotlight.

Profit First: Transform your Business into a Money-Making Machine

Posted on by Odette Fernandez

Profit First: Transform your Business from a Cash-Eating Monster to a Money-Making Machine

Managing finances is a challenge. Often, being a successful and profitable business owner takes a lot more than being great at making your product or providing your service. You need to be good at the business side of things.

The most crucial step for any business owner is education.

For a healthy financial future, you need to learn and understand the necessary skills needed to run a small business. 

I just finished reading Profit First, by Mike Michalowicz. It was everything the reviews said and more. If you are a small business owner or want to manage your finances more healthily, you want to learn about this system.

 

Profit First Author
Michael Michalowicz is an American author, entrepreneur, and lecturer. He is the author of seven business books including Fix This Next, Clockwork, Profit First, Surge, Profit First, The Pumpkin Plan and The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur.

Why Profit First?

At least 50% of businesses fail in the first five years due to a lack of profitability. Many continue struggling, burning cash, and accumulating debt before collapsing. Entrepreneurs start a company to do what they love and gain financial freedom. They work hard, invest their life savings, but, in the end, they still don’t make money.

Most businesses use the traditional formula (Sales – Expenses = Profit).

Profit First is a cash-management system and it proposes this new accounting formula: Sales – Profit = Expenses. 

The solution is so profoundly simple and so genius: Take your profit first!

Make profit your focus, not an afterthought.

James Clear summarized the book for us. If you don’t have time to read more, read this.

“Before you pay your expenses, take your profit first. Run your business based on what you can afford to do today, not what you hope to be able to afford someday. When profit comes first, it is the focus, and it is never forgotten.”

Summary

Here, some core ideas from the book, according to James Clear.

  • Profit First Author“Revenue is vanity, profit is sanity, and cash is king.”
  • Money is the foundation. Without enough money, we cannot take our message, our products, or our services worldwide. Without enough money, we are slaves to the businesses we launched.
  • Growth is only half the equation. It is an important half, but still only half.
  • Remember, your business is supposed to serve you; you are not in service to your business!
  • Profit is not an event. It is not something that happens at year-end or at the end of your five-year plan or someday. It isn’t even something that waits until tomorrow. Profit must happen now and always. It must be baked into your business. Every day, every transaction, every moment. 
  • Profitability isn’t an event. Profit is a habit.
  • Take profit first. You can’t grow out of your profit problem. You need to fix profit first, then expand.
  • You must figure out the things that make a profit and dump the things that don’t.
  • Sustained profitability depends on efficiency.

The System

Use small plates

 When you put all your money in one account, you feel wealthier and spend more. Reduce the amount of available cash, so you’re forced to be smarter and more innovative with how you use each cent.

Change your meal sequence.

Never pay bills first. Allocate your business income into sub-accounts in this sequence: Income => Profit => Owners’ Pay => Tax => Operating Expenses (Opex). 

  • If you get a $1,000 deposit, starting today, transfer $10 into your PROFIT account. If you could run your business off $1,000, you can indeed run it off $990. If you get $20,000 in deposits, you transfer $200 into your PROFIT account. If you can run your business off $20,000, you absolutely can run it off $19,800. You’ll never miss that 1 percent. It is a low bar. But something magical will happen. You will start proving the system to yourself. You won’t get rich overnight this way, but you will get a wealth of confidence.
  • When less money is available to run your business, you will find ways to get the same or better results with less. By taking your profit first, you will be forced to think smarter and innovate more.
  • Also, eliminate unnecessary expenses. It will bring more health to your business than you ever imagined.

Remove temptations

It’s human nature to seek convenience. Once you’ve taken your profit, remove temptation so you won’t use it for your business or yourself.

Mike suggests opening two bank accounts at a different bank.

Enforce a Rythm

Do your allocations and payables twice a month. Mike suggests doing this task, specifically, on the tenth and the twenty-fifth.

A few extra tips to stay on top of your finances.

  • Pay yourself first.
  • Have a good billing strategy.
  • Spread out tax payments.
  • Monitor your books.
  • Focus on expenditures, but also ROI.

Final words

If you apply this approach to a new business, you can make profits from day one. Set up good financial habits from the beginning and establish internal financial systems to protect your business’s financial health. 

If you’ve been losing money for years and can’t even pay yourself a salary, then it’s time to transform your business.

It is also a lifestyle. 10/10 I would recommend it for a healthy financial life.

Seriously. Buy This Book. Read this book. Implement this book. You will thank us later.

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Utility Avenue’s Spotlight focuses on promoting inspiring businesses every week. For a chance to be interviewed, contact us at support@utilityavenue.com with the subject Spotlight