Photo Credit: Shutterstock
“This article was first published in LinkedIn”
Entrepreneurs are an optimistic lot. Naysayers might say “naïve.” But they have to be. Odds are against their success, but those who do succeed will provide for their families, solve customers’ problems, and possibly change the world in a big way.The best entrepreneur, therefore, has a healthy confidence that “I’ll be the one person in a thousand who makes it big.”
Still, even the most optimistic of entrepreneurs can have a bad day. Maybe the customers aren’t coming fast enough, or investors remain uninterested. Or maybe you’ve just been working for 24 hours straight and need to sleep. Whatever the reason, it’s important for entrepreneurs to get back on the positive side quickly, especially if they have employees looking to them to set the tone.
With that in mind, it’s helpful to have an arsenal of optimistic thoughts handy for those pessimistic moments.
1. Go for it. Having something half done is worse than not having it all. Commit to doing everything you can to make it work.
2. There’s always a lag between doing something new and seeing results. Don’t be discouraged if things don’t look up right away.
3. If Plan A doesn’t work, there are 25 more letters in the alphabet.
4. Ambition is good, but don’t always live for the ending. Enjoy the process of building something from nothing, meeting customers’ needs, and providing jobs for your employees.
5. Do you need to look at the situation from a new perspective to find the solution? A coach, a friend, or a walk in the park can sometimes help you see new options.
6. When you fail, you’re one step closer to success.
7. If you’re not failing, you’re not trying hard enough or pushing yourself enough. What would you do if you had no fear? Go do that.
8. Believe in yourself and your vision. Some days, that will be all you have.
9. Related to that, trust your gut. Your instinct can be more instructive than a million books on entrepreneurship. Don’t ignore the small, nagging voice when it wants your attention.
10. Don’t rely only on yourself, though. You can’t do everything. Find a great team and do whatever is necessary to keep them close. The road to success — or failure — is more fun with people who believe and trust one another.
11. Listen to the naysayers just long enough to hear what you need to refine your business. Then, tune them out. It can be helpful to hear criticism, but you should surround yourself with people who want to help fulfill your vision.
12. Be in love with the problem more than you are with the solution. In other words, care more about solving the problem than solving it the way you think it should work. Sometimes, your first hypothesis is simply wrong, and you need to be open to trying new things.
It’s a challenge to start and run your own business. You won’t even imagine most of the obstacles you’ll face until you see them. But, success is 50 percent attitude, and if you give yourself a little pep talk when you’re struggling, you can keep your attitude in check.
Truly creating change requires a lot of work — and just the right amount of optimism.
What reminders have helped you get through the tough times as an entrepreneur? Share them in the comments. I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Until next time,
Kelli Richards, CEO of The All Access Group.
PS: Subscribe to my FREE All Access Group Newsletter https://bit.ly/AAGNewletter
The right mentor will also have the right CONNECTIONS to move any effort forward. Be sure to ask who they think they can bring to the table around advisorship, possible collaboration and even funding.
“This article was originally posted in the Huff Post Business”
Between Google and social media, it’s become simultaneously easier and more difficult than ever to maintain your brand image. With a few keystrokes, anyone can learn just about anything about you. On the other hand, if you can cultivate what your audience will find, you can influence your brand image and how others perceive you.
Whether you’re seeking a career change, a promotion, or new clients, this is a powerful tool, and perhaps no one knows this better than A-list celebrities.
Control Your Image Like a Pro
The most successful celebrities know that getting their name out there is about more than just being seen. It’s about imparting a personalized concept of who they are.
If you want to brand yourself like the stars, focus on these four tactics:
Build Your Team
As a business professional, you have a lot on your plate, so how do you find the time and focus to accomplish all this? The trick is building a support system. Depending on your goals, include any (or all) of the following people on your team:
With the right support team and tactics, you’ll be equipped with everything you need to blur the lines between business professional and business celebrity. Consider Richard Branson. Between his commitment to espousing pro-employee ethics, his authenticity, and his carefully crafted brand image, he’s known and lauded as much more than a successful businessman. He’s someone we admire as a thought leader and values-driven global ambassador who lives his passion and gives back to others.
In a world where brand, image, and reputation are key professional attributes, it’s critical for any professional to manage how she appears — whether that’s online or off. So get to work building your image and sharing your ideas. A whole new level of success awaits.
A highly sought-after consultant, super connector, trusted advisor, celebrity wrangler, and thought leader, Kelli Richards is the CEO of The All Access Group. She facilitates strategic business opportunities in digital distribution among innovative technology companies, talent and media companies, and brands to foster new revenue streams and deliver compelling consumer experiences. As a trusted advisor, she transforms the quality of people’s lives. Kelli is also the author of the bestselling e-book “The Magic and Moxie of Apple: An Insider’s View.”
Until next time,
Kelli Richards, CEO of The All Access Group.
The right mentor will also have the right CONNECTIONS to move any effort forward. Be sure to ask who they think they can bring to the table around advisorship, possible collaboration and even funding.
LinkedIn Articles
Entrepreneurs are an optimistic lot. Naysayers might say “naïve.” But they have to be.
“This article was originally published on LinkedIn”
“Super connector” and “celebrity wrangler” may sound like fictitious superhero names, but you don’t have to wear your underwear over your pants to have your own cool identity. These crazy names have become part of my unique job description, and I wear them with endless pride because they represent the twists and turns of my career path.
By leveraging my core strengths and skills and combining my backgrounds in entertainment and tech, I’ve molded my own brand and carved a unique career path for myself. Having been a talent producer for award shows, cause concerts, and celebrity fundraising events for three decades, I’ve developed a very large network, connecting musicians, actors, comedians, and tech innovators with the corporate world to create performances and campaigns.
This is just one facet of my identity as a celebrity wrangler and a super connector, but there’s a thread that ties everything I do together: my skill for connecting people to create value for both parties, forming catalysts for collaboration and creating networks where amazing work can flourish. The reason I’m so in love with my work is because it all comes from my unique skill set and my own personal passions — and you can create that perfect match for yourself as well.
Here are five ways you can leverage your strengths and skills to define your unique niche:
For me, my key strength is my network of connections. Knowing I had a passion and a talent for connecting people, I’ve been able to create a successful career that I love. Your new identity could be anything — your own version of the super connector or the celebrity wrangler. But above all, it has to reflect you because whether you’re a “collaborator genie” or a “green-energy explorer,” you’ve got all the makings of becoming your own unique brand of superhero.
Until next time,
Kelli Richards
CEO of The All Access Group, LLC
PS: The right mentor should also have the right CONNECTIONS to move you forward. Be sure to ask who they think they can bring to the table around advisorship, possible collaboration and even funding. Visit: https://allaccessgroup.com
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Inc.
“This article was originally published on Inc.com”
Fifty years ago, a fourth-grade teacher in rural Mississippi noticed something special in a little girl in her class. The teacher knew the little girl could achieve great things, but something was holding her back.
So the teacher asked her to read aloud in class to help her overcome her nerves. She spent time with the little girl after school and allowed her to choose books and help grade papers. Her influence helped the little girl see past poverty. Today, that girl has become one of the most influential women in the world: Oprah Winfrey.
Mentorship has obvious benefits for both the mentee and the mentor. You’ve probably read articles that talk about the knowledge, connections, and personal growth that mentorship can provide.
But one day, someone might reach out and ask to be mentored. Or, like Mary Duncan, you will come across someone who has potential she hasn’t yet reached.
What will you do in this situation? If you’re struggling to see the value in becoming a mentor, consider these additional advantages that mentorship can help you realize.
1. Achieve personal career gains. Mentors are people who will go the extra mile to help others and exert a positive influence on their lives. And that can lead to huge career opportunities.
Don’t believe me? Sun Microsystems did a study on the career progress of more than 1,000 employees over a five-year period. It discovered that both mentors and mentees were 20 percent more likely to get a raise than people who did not participate in mentoring. Mentors were also six times more likely to be promoted than employees who didn’t mentor. To that end, you can ask your mentees for testimonials–videotaped or written–to validate your experience when applying for positions in the future.
2. Enhance your leadership skills. When you teach someone, you truly become a master on that subject. You not only reinforce valuable leadership lessons, but you also question and refine your own thinking and approaches.
You’ll find yourself working harder to live up to the expectations of your mentee. After all, you can’t advise her to work hard and do things you aren’t willing to do yourself. With the mentee’s spotlight on you, you’ll push yourself to grow.
3. Help shape the leaders of tomorrow. Mentees will often (but not always) be younger than you. It’s easy to think the next generation needs more education while you have it all figured out.
But the truth is that Millennials are the ones creating the workplace of tomorrow. They understand trends and technology that may escape you. If you watch your mentee closely, you’ll almost certainly pick up some information or habits that are new and beneficial to you.
4. Gain the intrinsic rewards of helping others. This is the reason you hear most often, but it’s a powerful one.
I was recently working with a client who was struggling with her self-perception. Her negative thoughts were holding her back in many areas. When we peeled back the layers together, we found the root of the problem, which helped her begin to heal. That aha moment completely changed her trajectory, and she’s now taken her business to new heights.
She might not be the next Oprah Winfrey, but just knowing I had an impact on her life is a great feeling that makes the time and effort completely worth it.
Mary Duncan didn’t know the little girl in her fourth-grade class would go on to become one of the most famous and successful women in history. But Oprah credits much of her success to those afternoons with her teacher.
When you decide to mentor someone, you really have no way of knowing how far she’ll go. Whether you shape the next great entrepreneur of our time or help someone achieve her dreams, you’ll make a difference–and that’s all that matters.
Until next time,
Kelli Richards
CEO of The All Access Group, LLC
PS: The right mentor should also have the right CONNECTIONS to move you forward. Be sure to ask who they think they can bring to the table around advisorship, possible collaboration and even funding. Visit: https://allaccessgroup.com
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
The Huffington Post
Confidence is essential to your success and that of your business — in fact, it’s vital to everything you do in life.
The Huffington Post
Between Google and social media, it’s become simultaneously easier and more difficult than ever to maintain your brand image.
Inc.
As an entrepreneur, attending to your work is essential for building your business. But creating a balanced life is the key to sustained success in the office and at home.
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Kelli Richards
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Email: info@kellirichards.com
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