Flight of the Woman Entrepreneur

Hello, for those who follow my blog, please know that I have moved to a new site. I will post duplicates for a time so others can find me. This is a blog from my new location

Narrated Video Version

Dedicated to daring women entrepreneurs everywhere

Silently, from within, she notices it

She observes her surroundings at home, socially, professionally ~ in life

No one thinks like her, no one fantasizes as she does

She’s different

Everyone around her seems content with the status quo

This is the way it IS and the way it always HAS been

Follow in the footsteps of those who walked before you, they say

Even if it’s not you. Even if it hurts. Even if you feel something else with every fiber of your being

No one can support her. They live in fear of her failure – or maybe their own

~

She feels alone

She vacillates from not wanting to settle to avoid disrupting the norm

The pull is way too great to ignore

The road ahead is vague but palpable

There is an obvious path waiting for her

It requires tapping into every ounce of blind faith

She chooses the path

~

Constant unfolding

Change

Sacrifice

Resistance – theirs

Fears and challenges

Resistance – hers

She must continue to trust that place

The place that inspired her

~

She begins to receive direction

Opportunities start to arise

She can feel the rightness of her decision

She fully embraces the obstacles

Because she knows from the deepest place within

That she was given a gift

She wears the badge of honor

She knows … even with every wave she conquers … she knows this path is hers

~

She commits to mastery

Listening and defining

Listening and growing

Seeking and listening

Learning and listening

Touching highs – Touching lows

Trusting, trusting, trusting

~

Suddenly the sun rises

It was inevitable

She chose well

She followed her inner guidance

She trusted

And received the wise woman reward

She takes flight

She and the world will never be the same

~

Flight of the Woman Entrepreneur

Written and Narrated by Fran Asaro

Follow Fran on Facebook – Thrive Anyway with Fran Asaro

Face it, I’m Older and I Have More Insurance! TAWANDA!!

A love letter to the Boomers

If you’ve ever seen and related to this iconic moment in the movie Fried Green Tomatoes you will want to keep reading.

This scene is where Kathy Bates’ character gathers up every ounce of her power and refuses to be taken advantage of any more! The declaration TAWANDA that she yells out has been in my vocabulary ever since, whenever I connect to my inner strength or WANT to.

So why am I sharing this with you? Because as we get older, we often feel a little ‘less than’ our younger counterparts. We may feel as though we can’t keep up or that we are having trouble coming to terms with our age at some level. Some of us feel less attractive than the young’uns (and this goes for men as well as women), while others long for the good old days when they were unstoppable. I’m here to declare that we Boomers still have it. We are still millions strong and we still carry a lot of weight (don’t say it ).

I want to take a few moments to acknowledge those of us who are older and wiser. We are a community and I would like to keep it that way. We don’t even know each other and yet… we KNOW each other. No matter where we are from, chances are that we’ve watched the same TV shows, seen the same movies and had a similar upbringing. Our history is different than anyone else’s and only we can relate to it.

We know what it’s like to be older than a lot of todays technology and yet, if you are reading this or writing your own blog, you are probably doing OK in that area.

We have become so much younger than our parents were at this age. Young enough to stay active, start businesses and be incredible role models for other generations. Even the movie industry is catering to our age group because we STILL have buying power. We still OWN this country. Our music is timeless. We had the Beatles and Woodstock for goodness sake. What can ever compare to that?

I’ve always loved being a boomer, we were ‘it’. I am proud to be a part of a community that is so diverse yet so connected. You are my family at some level. You are my people and I’m so happy to grow older with you.

I want to take this moment to appreciate us and to honor us. We are seasoned individuals, thirsty for the future while still basking in and appreciating our past. If you are feeling the same way, if you love being a boomer and proud to be in a world of people who survived much, thrived even more and continue to live until there’s no life left in us, then I want to hear from you. Share with me how you feel connected to other boomers. What makes you proud to be one? And if you are not a Boomer, what about us makes a difference in your life. Thank you for being my ‘tribe’

 

Fran Asaro is a Virtual Partner for 50 and over entrepreneurs. What’s a Virtual Partner you ask? Not a coach… find out more

 

Avoiding the Social Soup

Returning to One-On-One Connections

Are you tired of being invited to everyone’s soup? You know, the social soup, where everyone gets together as a group for everything and no one does a one on one anymore? [click to tweet] Maybe they do this in order to leverage time; thinking they will make more money covering more territory.  Is it true? Or is it at the expense of having a relationship with substance and purpose?

I remember way back when I was in Real Estate. We had a very tight community. We were ‘family’ and did a lot together. We had yearly customer appreciation dinners, we did Easter egg hunts, we went to dinner and the theater together as well as attending awards ceremonies, intensive training programs and even Anthony Robbins Weekends. We had fun, we created memories and I am grateful for it all.  But when is enough enough?

There came a time when I felt a lack of intimacy with my colleagues. We were always together as a group. I loved them, I wanted to be with them, but something was missing for me. One of the tipping points occurred when we would all go to lunch for each other’s birthdays. It’s a wonderful celebration and a fun time. However, I would leave these luncheons feeling empty. Did we share anything meaningful? Did the birthday person feel connected?

 

That’s when I decided to do something different. I decided to ask each person out for an intimate birthday lunch. Just the two of us. I was pleasantly surprised at how well received this idea was. They genuinely appreciated that someone would prefer to have a quiet and purposeful conversation with them opposed to a somewhat superficial yet fun group dynamic. Confidentially, they weren’t the only ones who appreciated that time. I felt more attentive to them and able to make the day just about them. We talked about what they wanted to talk about and looked each other in the eye instead of being distracted by everything around us. It was a great decision to honor this person and to create a new tradition and different kind of memory.

 

 

Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoy a group meal once in a while. But I do like to make sure those in my life get just me and I get just them. And if we can’t get together, we can do a video call.

Fast forward to current times. I work independently from home. For a long time, while becoming a coach, I constantly found myself in group dynamics, from networking to clubs and meet up groups to major events and parties. One day I realized that I wasn’t enjoying them as much as I ‘should’ have. I felt more obligated than interested. Yet, people get offended when you don’t attend their events or accept their invitations.

How does one handle this situation? Well, it starts out with a conversation with them as well as myself. I had to do some introspective work to make sure I was honoring the part of me that needed space. I became clear that I didn’t want that busy lifestyle anymore. Then as invitations came up, I had to share with them that it’s not them, it’s the new me. The me that would rather have an intimate conversation with them than attending a chaotic event with a lot of distraction from what I call meaningful.

It turns out, it’s becoming the new way to do business. The philosophy of building friendships is leaving the ‘numbers game’ in the dust. People love doing business with a friend they trust and no one wants to be sold anymore. So not only does it feel better for some of us, but it seems to be the way to building a more fruitful business.

It’s been a long road making this transition. Coming from a heavy ‘sales’ background as well as a very extroverted upbringing, I was the initiator of MANY get-togethers over the years. I had to really dig deep and stay true to what was right for me TODAY and not who I’ve always been or who people have known me to be. There is so much opposition when you break the norm – Do it anyway. There is resistance to change – Change anyway. There will be attempts to make you feel guilty – Stay strong and feel proud that you are breaking the mold, being true to yourself and being loving towards others in a way they don’t even know yet. You don’t have to be a part of their soup, just make them the main course and see how much better you both feel on many levels.

Fran Asaro is a Life and Business Coach, specializing in online business building. Her Virtual Project Partner Program provides individual online leadership support for entrepreneurs

From Dinosaur to Dynamo – 7 Tips to avoid Business Extinction

Are you a dinosaur?

A dinosaur is a term used for those who are behind the times in technology and business. Maybe there was a time when you were ON YOUR GAME and well paid for it. Or maybe there was a time you were a whiz at something but that something has become ‘nothing’ and you don’t know what the NEW thing is all about. What happened? Well, life happens, and just like when you purchase electronics and they become outdated the moment you walk out the door with them, the same goes for any of us who may have ‘left’ our industry. Did we become extinct?

Well, what happened is that things really changed and all of a sudden you don’t know how to use Microsoft office anymore and what the heck happened to just mailing out your marketing pieces? When did life start going so fast and how did I miss it?

Whether you stepped out to be a stay at home parent, decided to do something different or maybe you just re-entered the work world after a long time away for personal reasons, things change and if you didn’t stay on top of them, I’m sorry to say, you are now considered a dinosaur.

So what do you do? Do you have to go back to school? Start all over? Give up? They are all options of course, but as a life and business coach who works with many baby boomers who are starting over for many reasons including transitioning from corporate America to Entrepreneurship or living out a life’s passion to make a difference in the world, I know only too well how challenging it can be to delve into the world of the new and different.

While I always encourage my clients to get educated in some way about what’s new in business, I want to speak to those who are repulsed by the thought of learning something they don’t care about or can’t comprehend.

I’m here to tell you that being successful even though you are a dinosaur is very doable. Many people are doing it right now. You may not even recognize a fellow dinosaur because they are implementing some of the following tips and to be honest, they look like they know what they are doing!

Take a look below and before you throw in the towel on your vision, give your new adventure another try. Even if the items below still scare the daylights out of you, keep reading and do those things that you are willing. Who knows, the rest may fall into place. Dinosaurs typically move slowly…. But they move just the same.

Here are my top 7 Tips to go from Dinosaur to Dynamo. You can do this!!!

1. List of your strengths and weaknesses – Right now you may feel like a dinosaur in ALL areas of business. Chances are you are only falling short in a few. Make a list of those things you feel confident in. Then make a list of the areas where you need support or training. Now that you have more clarity, you will be able to fill in the gaps more easily.  Example: You many be excellent in your trade or with Networking but you are computer challenged and don’t even know what Social Media is and why it’s important.
2. Subscribe to your industry related magazine – Most industries have a magazine that will keep you up to date on the changes being made and how to keep up. Find yours and read it religiously. Even if the wording is foreign, absorb what you can. Read the rest of these tips to help with the vague areas.
3. Research industry related software programs – I have had 3 separate industry related software programs in my career and I will tell you that it was a life saver and a business creator. When you invest in a program specifically for your business, the creators of the software KNOW your world and usually provide what you need to look like a pro instantly. These features often include a contact management system, a ready built website, a blog, a predesigned autoresponder program, invoicing and so much more. They often offer a free trial for 30 days. Try it by adding a few sample clients to it and test it out. Warning, once again, if you are a true dinosaur, this will be very confronting – your job is NOT to learn it completely, but to know your options for future action.
4. Seek out Freelancers – If you are really great at what you do and yet you aren’t great with marketing or social media, I hope you realize that your talents mean something. I always say, ‘you don’t have to do everything; you just need to get it done’. Learn who is out there serving people just like you – those who need help in marketing and technology. There are many sites where you can hire a freelancer, two of my favorites are fiverr.com (where most items are only $5) and Upwork.com (where you can hire a professional from all over the world at very affordable prices) You are NOT alone as a dinosaur and there are people who cater to you… REALLY
5. Build your Team – Invest in outsourcing – You may be thinking, “I don’t have the funds to build a team”. I certainly understand that. I too have been in that predicament. I have been known to hire someone for just 2 hours a week until I could do more. Most of my trial people moved on to full time employees or outsourced professionals. Once you choose your team of desired business vendors, start outsourcing slowly. Choose a budget and find the largest need. Start with one freelancer at first and build as you get steadier.
6. Join an existing team – As a former Realtor, I am often approached to coach new Realtors. Many of them are full-fledged self-starters and I am able to help them be autonomous in the business. However, there are those who are neither able to nor interested in doing all the facets of their industry. Or maybe they are not willing to put in all the hours that are necessary to build themselves. To those people I suggest they join a team of people who strategically work together where each provides a piece of the business puzzle. One may get leads, one may do leg work or review contracts and others may do administrative work. If you don’t want to build your own team, then join one. If you are a coach, join a coaching group. Chances are there is a co-op or group in your industry either locally or on-line.
7. Hire a Coach – Speaking of Coach – Hiring a coach who can help you with resources, structure and motivation is always to your advantage. Look at how many successful people out there have their own coach. Why shouldn’t you? I will strongly suggest this however, many coaches go at their own pace and if you join a program of theirs and you are a dinosaur, chances are you will fall behind. Find a coach who will give you personal service and go at YOUR pace, not theirs.

These are just a few of the ways a ‘dinosaur’ can thrive in business. It’s possible and it’s done all the time. What you want to do is trust yourself if you feel inclined to build a business and trust that there is a way to get there in spite of your limitations. Just so you know; we ALL have limitations. A good business person typically does not do it ALL anyway. We don’t call them a dinosaur, we call them SMART!  So get smart and let someone else help you shine.

 

Fran Asaro is the founder of Thrive Any Way Personal and Business Coaching. Helping entrepreneurs thrive in all areas of their lives. Contact Fran at Fran@thriveanyway.com or go to www.thriveanyway.com

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save