Face to Face

"Good things come to those who wait, but it’s only what’s left from those that hustle"

There’s no short cut to success, it's built on hard work and dedication. If you think sending a few emails and making a few phone calls are all you need to be successful, you're going to have a short career. There's tons of information at your fingertips, view their profile on LinkedIn and find out all the information you can before calling. Try to set a meeting or meet for coffee because Face to Face wins every time.

First Things First

"Effective Leadership is putting first things first. Effective management is discipline, carrying it out"

You have recognize that every out-front maneuver you make is going to be uncomfortable. If you hire people just because they can do the job, they’ll work for your money, but if you hire who believes, they’ll work for you with blood, sweat and tears. You aren't going to save the world on your own, but you might inspire a group of leaders that help.

Talk the Talk

"The more technology advanced our society becomes, the more we need to go back to the basic fundamentals of human contact"

Avoid bad people and the tempting IN-Box Zero. Skip email on occasion, pick up the phone and have a conversation from time to time. You'll learn more in a 10 minute conversation than entire days email exchange. The connection you make by talking to someone is priceless. Never forget that people buy from people, so losing the human touch could cost you business.

Busy Beavers

"Don’t confuse activity with progress"

In today’s world we are over inundated with emails, texts, phone calls and personal issues. Just because you're busy it doesn't mean you're productive. Slow down, focus and prioritize on what's important, because working smarter is more efficient than working harder. Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

"What you do speaks so loudly that I can’t hear what you’re saying"

Your actions will tell people what you believe, sometimes you don't have a chance to explain them. Act the way you want to become until become the way you act. You never get a second chance to make a first impression

Pay The Price

"Happy are those who dream dreams and are ready to pay the price to make them come true."

Follow your dreams and maybe one day your dreams become reality. Don’t let what you can’t do interfere with what you can do. Hard work doesn't always pay off, but slacking or doing the minimum off always does.

Determination

"Act with a determination not to be turned aside by thoughts of the past and fears of the future"

Everyone makes mistakes but it's the fear of making mistakes that hold you back. Learn from the past, prepare for the future, perform in the present. Mistakes are the proof that you are trying.

Never Give Up

"Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up"

When someone tells you that it's impossible to do something, what do you do? Once you've determine what you want, you've made the most important decision. The most certain way to succeed is to try one more time and remember you have to know what you want in order to attain it. Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. 

Change Favors the Prepared Mind

"Progress is impossible without change, those who can’t change their mind can’t change anything"

To be successful you must adapt, change favors the prepared mind. Even if you make a mistake, it's still progress if you learn from it. Don't stand in the way of your own success.

Thoughts Become Your Destiny

“Remember to keep your thoughts positive, for your thoughts become your words; remember to keep your words positive, for your words become your actions; remember to keep your actions positive, for your actions become your habits; and remember to keep your habits positive because you habits become your destiny”

Keep It Simple

"In business you’re always selling to prospects, investors and employees"

To be the best salesman put yourself in the shoes of the person your selling to. Listen to their needs and solve their problems. Don't complicated the process, keep it simple and get to the point.

TPOH

"Never let things you want make you forget the things you have"

You've worked hard for your accomplishments and never lose sight of what's in front of you. Happiness is enjoying what you have, while you pursue what you want. Life is simple, try not to complicate it. As Bobby McFerrin sang "Don't Worry, Be Happy"

Deliver Solutions

"People don’t measure you on how hard you tried, they measure you on what you deliver"

Everyone is busy and works hard, but set yourself above the rest by working SMART. Don't try and sell your client something he doesn't need, know what he wants and deliver a solution. Selling is simple, don't make it difficult.

Get To The Point

"The key to a good sales call is have a great beginning and a great ending, and to have the two as close together as possible"

Brevity is one of the keys to a great sales call. Know what your client wants and get to the point, don't waste his time.

Wonderful World of Working from Home

I’ve been lucky enough to work out of home for approximately 14 years and I wouldn’t change a thing. A lot of things I learned through trial and error, but once I figured them out I became extremely efficient. I would like to share a few things I’ve learned over this time.

How to Work Smart

This phrase should be used more often in the work world. I can get the same amount of work done in half the amount of time. I’m not saying there aren’t distractions at home but they’re different distractions that you can control. It’s so much easier when you’re in control.

Get Comfortable

The main benefit to working out of your house is you don’t need to wear dress clothes. Not only will you save money by not updating your wardrobe as often, but working in shorts and a T-Shirt is very refreshing. If you have a webinar call, I highly recommend putting on a dress shirt and make sure your background is appropriate.

Never Work at a Coffee Shop

They joy of working from home is to avoid outside distractions while working. If you need noise in the background watch BNN on TV or listen to music. Don’t put on a TV show that will distract you from working, make sure it’s something that’s just noise. If your tired of working at your desk, work somewhere else in the house. Sitting in your den, bonus room or kitchen table for a few hours is a great change of pace.

Be Organized

It’s very is easy to have a cluttered work area and keeping it organized improves your efficiency. It’s refreshing when you know exactly where it is, this also applies to your cloud storage. Having your files labeled allows you to not waste time searching and makes life a less stressful.

Walk & Talk

I love walking around the house while I’m on a phone or conference call. It keeps me more engaged and less distracted. I keep my notepad in a central location and if I need to take notes. I also stand at our island in the kitchen during calls. Moving around is more comfortable than sitting in a chair for an hour.

Get Out

If I don’t have any meetings I leave the house for an hour. I require human contact and to have a chinwag about something other than work. Playing a game of squash or working out over the lunch hour is extremely refreshing. It’s a great way to break up your day and set a positive tone for the second half of the day.

Watch What You Eat

This is a tricky one as your access to snacks and food is only 10 steps away. If you’re going to snack, try and make it healthy. I know it’s tough but you can get into a bad junk food rut. The only time I eat out at lunch is with a client or if I’m meeting a buddy. I try to make all my lunches at home, omelets, Denver’s and soup are a mainstay for me.

Take A Break

This doesn’t mean moving to the couch and watching a movie but put in a load of laundry, go shovel the driveway, mow your lawn or vacuum. This doesn’t take a lot of time but getting away from your computer for 10-15 minutes sometimes provides needed relief.

Routine

Having a routine is the key to your success in working from home. In the mornings we get the kids ready for school and then walk them over. While there eating breakfast I turn on the computer and take care of any urgent issues or phone calls, but once this is done my attention turns back to the girls. Your family time is priceless and nothing should get in the way. The same goes for when I pick them up around 5pm. We all have cell phones and can deal with urgent issues quickly, and if it’s not urgent return the email after supper or after the kids go to bed. Once the kids are in bed I spend some time working because I without any distractions I can get a ton done. Sometimes I send out the emails but most of the time I send them out in the morning. I do this because I don’t want to bother people during their personal time. Just because I’m working doesn’t mean they are or want to.

Most importantly make sure you tell no one you talk to your cat, I’m just happy Bubbles can’t repeat any of the information I share with him. LOL

I hope you enjoyed some of my tips that make me successful in working from home.

Learn From Your Mistakes

"It’s not about money or connections, it’s the willingness to outwork and outlearn everyone when it comes to your business. If it fails you learn from what happened and do a better job next time"

No need to explain this quote

What Does Your Conscience Say?

"Reason often makes mistakes, but conscience never does"

Everything happens for a reason and if you have to think twice before convincing yourself it's a good decision, it's probably not. Put yourself in the other person's shoes and see how you would react. A guilty conscience needs no accuser. Think right, do right and listen to your conscience

Discover Ability

"It’s a fine thing to have ability, but the ability to discover ability in others is the true test"

This is what makes a leader, boss or coach great. Everyone is driven by something different and finding what this is can be the difference between a happy employee or one that's looking to leave. Leadership is the ability to make greatness operate in others.

Helping Hand

"The first to help you are the ones who know how it feels to fall down"

You should never kick someone when they're down. Be a good friend or co-worker and listen to what's bothering them, that might be all they need. There's not a better feeling than helping someone out. You never need a reason to help someone out.

Afraid of Criticism?

"To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing"

Have you sat in a meeting had a great suggestion but said nothing? Have you ever wanted to ask a question but didn't because you were afraid? One of our fears is looking or saying something stupid, but in reality the only person that looks this way is the one who criticizes you. If someone does criticize you DON'T TAKE IT PERSONALLY. Your suggestion might not be exactly what they're looking for, but could be a starting point.

Have Your Dreams Changed?

"You are never too old to set another goal or dream a new dream"

Age is just a number. You should always be evaluating your life, health, goals and dreams. Adjusting these is a reflection of our ability to adapt to the world around us. Change is not a bad thing, as things rarely stay the same throughout our lives. Live your life to the fullest.

Tone Deaf

"Sometimes it’s not what you say, but how you say it"

Your intentions might be in the right place, but if your tone isn't people will be put off. Wait for the person to finish talking and then respond. Don't respond in a "know it all" or "smart-ass" tone, be sincere. Be sincere when giving advice and humble when receiving it.

Less is More

"The less you say the more likely you’ll be heard"

The biggest make people make during sales call is talking to much. Make your long stories shot. You have 5 minutes to make a impression, after this you start to lose them. Don't talk about what they already know, get to the point. It's time to stop talking when you start enjoying what your saying.

Exercise and Feel Great

"You can’t out exercise a bad diet"

I love this quote and it's something I personally struggle with. I believe have to feel great to be great and this has nothing to do with your clothes. No one is saying cut out all the bad food, just eat less of it. So many unnecessary calories come from things we drink that can be replaced by water. Instead of reaching for that bag of chips, grab a banana or apple. Most important is try to stop the late night snacks, they're killers.

What Obstacles?

"Obstacles are what you see when you take your eyes off your goal"

Your career, relationships and life will encounter obstacles, but how you deal with them defines your success. When you come across obstacles eliminate the negative posture and keep moving forward. Your mindset should be that nothing will stop you from achieving your goal. Sometimes this means getting out of your own way.