Where you are vs Where you want to be

The Gap

Written by LaTasha West

I had to step in smack in the middle of The Dream Catchers Series and speak to you all. For those of you who know me, you know that I am an optimist and a glass half full type of girl. If you don’t know me already, then now you know. Lately I have been running across some things that have troubled my spirit and I must address them.

If you are not where you want to be in life, what is stopping you from getting there?  Could it be your outlook on the situation? Do you not believe, I mean really believe that you deserve what you want? Are you afraid to chase your dreams or desires for fear of failure, or worse fear of success? Do you discount yourself and play small?

I want to tell you that you can exceed the limits that you are putting on yourself. You must open your mind and believe that you can. I am a great motivator and inspiration but I cannot make you believe in you. You must do that.

Why do you not believe in yourself? Have you let someone else’s opinion of you tarnish your view of YOU? Something I’ve learned, usually haters are behind you, they are mad because they are not moving forward. Don’t let their lack of self-esteem tear you down. If these people are in your circle, YOU NEED A NEW CIRCLE NOW! Leaders, greatness and successful people, want to see and create other leaders, greatness and successful people. Get around some people who want to go up in life just like you do!

Are you scared? Fear. Now tell me what is fear doing for you except holding you hostage? You are letting fear keep you on the ground when you want to fly? Fear is keeping you in an apartment when you want a house? Fear is keeping you in a bad relationship, when you want to be happy. Fear is keeping you as an employee when you want to be a BOSS. Now tell me who is winning, you or fear?

Maybe you don’t even know what you want. If this is you, then you need to spend some time with your thoughts. You need to learn you. Think about what made you happy before you got to the place where you are now. Think about when you were 5 or 10 or even 16 years old, what did you want your future to hold then? How did you see yourself happy?

For a few minutes, stopping worrying about everything and everyone else, stop worrying about external circumstances and focus on you.

“You cannot be what you cannot see”- get clear on what you want.

My question for you is, what is in the gap between where you are and where you want to be, and what are you going to do about it?

LaTasha West is the CEO of He Business Consulting, The Founder of The Next 100 project, a Success Strategist and a Certified Business Development Coach.

To learn more visit, www.herbusinessmag.com or www.livethedreamtour.com

The Dream Catcher Series- Featuring Brandi Davis

By LaTasha West

            

 

The Dream Catcher series seeks to provide information and real world advice. Over the next few weeks I will share interviews that I have done with ladies who are successfully chasing, following and living their dreams.  These women are wives, mothers and business owners who are willing to share a small piece of their journey with you.

I hope this series encourages, motivates and inspires you to believe.

This week I chat with Brandi Davis, CEO Livery of Love LTD

Here is what Brandi has to say:

LaTasha: Tell me about the pressures and stresses that you have endured as an entrepreneur.


Brandi: As an entrepreneur there is constant pressure for time management. Stay abreast of the latest social media trends. Looking good, and being in several different places at one time.

Right now I’m dealing with hiring decent employees and working to branch into other money making projects.

LaTasha: How did you learn to deal with the stresses, what strategies do you use?


Brandi: I am still learning everyday. I pray often and make a lot of lists. I set daily goals and stay focused on the list for the day and work hard not to stray from those goals to stay on task.

LaTasha: How long have you been in business?

Brandi: 3 years.

LaTasha: What changes have you made since you started this particular business and why did you make that change?


Brandi: Changes as far as??? Personally, I take less crap from people. I am more compassionate for company’s big box and small business.

Professionally, I listen more to everyone and anyone whether they have a business or are respected or not. I can learn from anyone and everyone. Chew the meat and spit out the bone. Some people are great examples of what not to do as well as what to do.


LaTasha: What would you say was the toughest call that you have been asked to make on your entrepreneurship journey?

Brandi: Staying an entrepreneur. The longer you’re in the bigger the difficulties. More people to manage, more clients to handle, more liabilities. Somedays you just want to do a specific job and go home like normal people. Then you remember that you’re not normal. I wasn’t called to be average I was called to be awesome. I pray and keep pushing.



For more information on Brandi or Livery of Love visit http://www.liveryoflove.com



Brandi is just one of the many amazing women who are living and catching their dreams! The Dream Catcher blog series is just one component of our mission to inspire YOU to chase and live YOUR dream.

We invite you to join us on this life changing journey! For more information on the Live the Dream Symposium Tour or Radio Show visit www.livethedreamtour.com

The Dream Catcher Series- Featuring Priscilla Williams

By LaTasha West

                

The Dream Catcher series seeks to provide information and real world advice. Over the next few weeks I will share interviews that I have done with ladies who are successfully chasing, following and living their dreams.  These women are wives, mothers and business owners who are willing to share a small piece of their journey with you.

I hope this series encourages, motivates and inspires you to believe.

This week I chat with Priscilla Williams R N, of  PriscillaQWilliams.com

Here is what Priscilla has to say:

1      LaTasha: Tell me how you came up with your business idea? Was this something that you have always dreamed of doing? 

        Priscilla: When I first started my first business, it was a nonprofit to provide resources and educate cancer patient of color particularly. I was working at the cancer center in downtown Chicago giving chemotherapy and I saw a need for individuals who didn’t have the knowledge of cancer or how to take care of themselves or family. I joined forces with Mrs. Mary Mitchell, of the Chicago Sun times and we held breast cancer awareness programs to educate the community.  After a few years, I took a job with a major nationwide pharmacy and I decided to take my business in a different direction and that’s when I started Priscilla Q. Williams, Inc. This allowed me to speak and educate about different health issues and to educate on a broader level including cancer, diabetes, heart disease and many other health issues. Shortly, after, I started an internet base radio show and I focused on health, wellness, and women’s empowerment. I have a heart for women and I not only wanted to educate about their health, but I wanted to empower them to live their dreams and to go after their goals. This is when people began to reach out to me for info about entrepreneurship and inquire how I started my business. This is when I began to have women’s conferences, networking events and speak about women empowerment.  I always had dreams of having a business when I was a child.

LaTasha: How long did it take you to actually launch your business after you got hit with the concept?

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        Priscilla: It took a few months after the idea hit me, I started reaching out to similar business that provided resources. I would check out books at the library to learn about nonprofits and I it took a few days for me to incorporate my business. Once my business was incorporated, I began to make business cards, I purchased a website, and I began to meet with key people who would help me get started. This was all done in less in 6 month time frame.

2       LaTasha: Did you earn a profit right away? If not how long did it take you?

·        Priscilla: No, I did not earn a profit right away. I actually did a lot for free for a long time. I started to make a profit after about 1 year. I did a lot of consulting through my business. I landed a contract with a company for 2 years through the health department to educate about diabetes and this is when I really started to bring in a consistent revenue.

3      LaTasha: What would you say was the best piece of advice that you were given in business?

·         Priscilla: The best advice I was given as an entrepreneur, is to remain consistent. If you want to be successful in any business you must stay committed to your business and not give up. Everything might not go as planned, but you have to be willing to keep working and making connections.

4     LaTasha:  As entrepreneurs, we have millions of business ideas, what was the craziest one that you had? Did you try to launch it? How did it turn out?

Priscilla: I must say I have a lot of business ideas, but they all made sense. I have a heart for people and so my business mind always deal with helping others. I think that it is very important to run your ideas by a coach or a mentor so you can make sure you’re heading in the right direction.

To learn more about Priscilla visit

Website: www.priscillaqwilliams.com
www.blogtalkradio/priscillaqwilliams
www.facebook.com/pwillia1
www.twitter.com/p_williams1

Priscilla is just one of the many amazing women who are living and catching their dreams! The Dream Catcher blog series is just one component of our mission to inspire you to chase and live YOUR dream.  We invite you to join us on this life changing journey! For more information on the Live the Dream Symposium Tour, Radio show or The Next 100 project visit www.idefinemysuccess.com

                                                                                  

The Dream Catcher Series- Featuring Summer Alexander

By LaTasha West

                The Dream Catcher series seeks to provide information and real world advice. Over the next few weeks I will share interviews that I have done with ladies who are successfully chasing, following and living their dreams.  These women are wives, mothers, business owners and DREAM CATCHERS who are willing to share a small piece of their journey with you.

I hope this series encourages, motivates and inspires you to believe.

This week I chat with Summer Alexander, CEO of Summer Alexander Research, Inc.

Here is what Summer has to say:

LaTasha: Summer, how long have you been in business now?

Summer: 3 years!!

LaTasha: What, if anything would you change about your journey in business?

Summer:  Honestly there isn’t anything I would change – even the months with no clients, the days I felt like giving up and the many, many tears I shed. I’ve come to understand that every little thing I’ve experienced has been a necessary step on the path to get me to exactly where I am today.

LaTasha: What was the biggest misconception that you had about working for yourself?

Summer: That I would have more time! While I do have flexibility with my time, I am always in CEO mode. When I worked a job, at the end of the work day once I walked out the door I didn’t think about it again. With my business there always seems to be more to do, another idea to implement, one more email to send, etc…

LaTasha: Were you born an entrepreneur or did you become one? Explain.

Summer: I was definitely born to be an entrepreneur but didn’t always know it. I had a “good job” working with people I loved and making “good money” but I found myself unhappy – restless even. I didn’t know why. After 7 years I was downsized and found myself unemployed for the first time since I started working at 16 years old. Initially I loved the freedom of not punching a clock but there was always this inner nudge pushing me to do more. Turns out that nudge was trying to tell me I had so much more work to do in the world but not for someone else.

LaTasha: If you taught a class on entrepreneurship what would you name the class and why?

Summer: I’ve learned that no matter what business you are in, you are in the business of marketing which is why I teach entrepreneurs how to market their businesses effectively in my Effortless Marketing Bootcamp. What I love about this training is that I have a chance to not only work with the group as a whole but to talk monthly with each entrepreneur individually over the course of 6 months. So often we sign up for programs and trainings but never take the action necessary to actually achieve the results. I named my program the Effortless Marketing Bootcamp because I’ve taken the effort of taking action away by holding you personally accountable.

Summer’s Business

Summer Alexander is an award winning Market Research professional with a passion for making data and analytics understandable for business owners. 

After working 7 years as a Network Engineer for AT&T, Summer took the knowledge and skills she learned in the corporate workspace and paired them with a formal education in marketing to partner with small business owners and help them grow strategically.

Summer learned first-hand what it takes to grow a company while working for the owner of a multi-million dollar small business. She helped fund the production, marketing and distribution of products by researching and presenting key market information to private investors which helped to raise over $300,000 in capital for the company. As the marketing manager Summer was also responsible for plan development and execution of all marketing and advertising activities for the company. 

Now the driving force behind her own company Summer has been featured in Black Enterprise and has had the pleasure of working with clients such as Pace Suburban Bus Company, IL Department of Veterans Affairs, and was hired as the Marketing Director for the 20th anniversary of the Black Women's Expo and directly contributed to attracting more than 30,000 attendees over the 3 day weekend. 

In addition to developing strategic marketing plans for companies throughout the US, Summer is also a professional speaker and an Amazon #1 Best Selling Author of The Little Book of BIG Marketing Ideas and the September 2014 release Effortless Success: How to grow your business without hard work, struggle and sacrifice. As professional speaker and trainer, she has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs through her practical yet motivational marketing bootcamps and workshops.

With a personal motto of “Doing what I say I will do, when I say I will do it,” Summer is recognized by clients as providing prompt, accurate and reliable market insights to help increase client attraction and profits for small businesses. 

Learn more about Summer when you download her free recording Break the 7 Mindset Blocks Keeping Your From Earning More In Your Business:

Website www.MarketingMoneyMindset.com

https://www.facebook.com/SummerAlexanderResearch

Twitter handle https:// twitter.com/SummersResearch

Summer is just one of the many amazing women who are catching and living their dreams! 

The Dream Catcher blog series is just one component of our mission to inspire you to chase and live YOUR dream.  We invite you to join us on this life changing journey! For more information on the Live the Dream Symposium Tour, Radio show or The Next 100 project visit www.idefinemysuccess.com

Stop wishing and make it happen!

Maybe you made a wish.........

Setting goals incorrectly can be similar to riding a stationary bike. You are pedaling and pedaling, moving and moving yet you are getting nowhere.  This can be frustrating, discouraging and even somewhat intimidating.  Studies show that people fail to achieve the goals that they have set for themselves because they are going about it all wrong.

Did you know that there is a correct and an incorrect way to set your goals? If you are like the vast majority of people you probably thought something like this: “I’ll say what I want and then I work to make it happen”. Sounds easy enough right? Wrong! Setting goals requires some thought. Not only should you be specific in what you are trying to do, you also need to have a plan to get there.

Some people think that they are setting goals when in fact they are actually making wishes. Do you know the difference?

Have you been trying to lose weight for an extended period of time now?

You want to earn more money in your career yet it hasn’t happened for you?

Can’t seem to find the love that you are looking for?

Having trouble building your savings account?

Business not growing like you thought it would?

If you can answer yes to either of those or have a similar situation, it’s probably because you made a wish for those things to happen and you have not made them a goal.

I highly suggest that you take part in the Vision Seeker Series! I'll help you stop wishing and make it happen!

Join me for a complimentary strategy call June 26th where we will discuss proper techniques and strategies to set goals correctly and achieve them! Click here to register for the 6/26 FREE session!

Watch out, this could kill you!

Are you a procrastinator?

I was in Mc Donald's, I'm sure that you are familiar with their menu: burgers, fries, chicken sandwich, filet o fish. That pretty much sums up the options. The menu has remained consistent for about the last 20 or so years, but for some reason the person ahead of me just could not decide what to order.


Is that you?  Does it take you an extended period of time to make a seemingly simple decision?
Are you the person who needs to weigh the pros and cons and then weigh the pros and cons of the pros and cons?


This process is somewhat acceptable when making a life altering decision, however if you are doing this before you decide on something as simple as what to wear for dinner, chances are you are a procrastinator.


Procrastination is a form or fear and lack of confidence which will quickly kill your dreams and plans.


Normally people think procrastination is putting off doing something until a later time, which is true, however procrastination can take on many different forms.


Here are some the most common ways people procrastinate:
-Always busy but getting nothing accomplished. You have 4 open projects, yet it's been 3 months and have not launched one. You are self sabotaging. Focus & complete a task.


-You have to look at all of the possible outcomes, every one that you can think of, before you decide. News flash, nothing is foolproof, you might still get it wrong. Stop thinking & move. If you make a mistake learn from it and start again.


-You need more research. How long do you need to study the market? By  the time you decide to jump in the trend will have moved on without you. Trust yourself. If you are wrong, see above.


-It's just not the right time. Well tell me this, when is the right time? I'll wait for an answer. Exactly! There is no perfect time. Never has been. Never will be. Stop waiting & move before you miss your moment.


The state of indecision will not only drive you crazy it will stifle your growth.To be successful you will have to take some risk. You are intelligent enough to make a decision. Trust yourself. Move from your gut and go! 

What to consider before you Fire Your Boss

What you better know before you quit your job

By LaTasha West

The day I fired my boss I felt like King of the jungle, all banging on my chest, head up high and proud! The last time I left my job, actually left my last job for the last time it was surprisingly emotional. I felt nervous yet empowered and ready to take on the world!  It was my time, time for me to run the show! Yes!!! Finally I was out on my own.

After the euphoria wore off then I was like a deer in headlights thinking ut oh what do I do now?  I hit a few bumps in the road, made some mistakes, cried some tears, and cursed myself and possibly a few clients. I searched under a few rocks to find some PAYING clients, wondered what happened to all those people that I thought would buy from me and even wait for it thought about giving up and getting another job (but only for a few minutes). Am I in your backyard yet?

Yep we’ve all been there; the key to it is not to stay there. Most start up companies take time to get off the ground. You will bump your head more times than you thought, but that is okay remember it’s just like when you first learned to walk. You fell a few times but eventually you were able to walk and then run.  Don’t get discouraged.

Firing your Boss can be the most amazing and life changing thing you'l ever do. However, you need to make sure that you are clear on what you are doing. Why in the world are you giving up a steady paycheck? make sure you can answer that question.

If you are convinced and set on jumping off of this cliff and building your plane on the way down, 

Here a few things to make your journey less painless

1. Know your WHY. - What is the driving force behind this adventure? Why are you branching out on your own?

2. Know your WHAT- What are you looking to do long term? Prepare your business for the future from day 1, so you don’t end up getting stuck in a position that you hate.

3. Know your HOW- How will you take this idea all the way through completion? How will you deliver your products or service? How will your support yourself in the slow times?

4. Know your WHO- Who is your client? Be specific. Who is your product or service designed for?

Knowing your why, what, how and who will provide a solid foundation on which to build the business of your dreams. Before you fire your boss, get clear of those things and you’ll be off to a great start. If you have already fired your boss and are feeling stuck try revisiting the points above to clarify your strategy and re-find your umph!