Watch small businesses grow as corporate spending increases.

I recently attended Financial Planning Associates (FPA) 2010 Annual Symposium & Sponsor Expo in Charlotte, NC. I attend the FPA Symposium each year simply to keep up with my continuing education credits. Dr. Robert (Bob) Froehlich was one of the presenters in the Symposium. I am writing this to specifically document what Dr. Bob had to say in his presentation because 1) what he suggested holds true for the future, and 2) it makes sense for small businesses.

When general consumers think about the stock market, they use it as an indicator of how well the economy is doing. Yet many investors use the stock market as an indication of whether to buy or sell from their portfolio. According to Dr. Bob, what matters in investing are the EARNINGS of publicly-traded stocks. Earnings are the only indicators to drive the overall stock market volume. If earnings go up, expect to see the market volume go up.

“There is no correlation of the housing market with the stock market,” said Dr. Bob. “In 1999, the housing market reached a 25-year high, unemployment was at 4% – the best in 40 years in the U.S. – but the market crashed at 2000,” Dr. Bob continued. He concluded that housing and employment really do not drive how the stock market fluctuates.

I guess this is logical – if publicly-traded companies show earnings, that indicates they are profitable and performing as their shareholders expect. This potentially will lead to issuing dividends and greater return on investment for the investors. When publicly-traded companies issues dividends, traditionally it drives up the buying volume as well.

Dr. Bob believes that the combination of the earnings and cash inside these public trading companies will fuel the overall economy:

1.       Increase of on-going inventories rebuilding for the next 18 months. In January 2010 the recession recovered 10 months earlier than expected. Most corporations had cut back in inventory orders during the recession, but today the demand is high and they’re very busy refilling their inventories.

2.       Increase of capital spending. As of June 20, 2010, there were approximately $600B undistributed corporate profits or cash, the highest since 1950. Examples of this include: the buy back of company stock, increase in dividends, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in cash, investing in themselves to increase productivity and market share, and the hiring of employees.

3.       Growth of global economy. Traditionally, the global economy has trended to about 3% growth in the past 25 years. Today, the growth rate is about 5%, primarily due to huge growth in China (11.9%), India (double digit growth) and Singapore (19%). (No, the failure of the economy in Greece does not make whole lot of difference in the global economy.)

Dr. Bob suggests overweighting dividend-paying stocks in equity holding of a portfolio within the following three segments:

• Energy
• Financial
• Health Care

One reason for this recommendation is due to the amount of fixed income and the growth of boomers’ portfolios. Boomers not only need income, but also the growth of their portfolio to ensure that they don’t “outlive their money” (potentially for 30+ years).

What does all these mean for the small business? Consider the following:

• Gain Market Share FAST. If your marketing or sales teams are not already doing so, get on the program fast, because if you can’t fill the order for a hungry corporation, someone else will.
• Make sure your operating systems are solid. Ensure your processes and resources are in line to handle this upcoming boom.
• Get the right people on your team. You need a team of the right people to ride the economic tide. After all, they are the largest asset you have that can help grow your business.

You can have full access to the Federal Reserve monthly Economy snapshot – for example, I am part of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. What they do best is provide historical information. However, their snapshot will also will provide insight into how to forecast the economic future.

I don’t know if Dr. Bob is right or not, but his points certainly sound very logical, given all the facts from the economy snapshot. The bottom line is to pay close attention to what your clients are doing. Don’t miss your opportunity.

Chia-Li Chien, CFP®, CRPC, PMP; helps women entrepreneurs to convert their business into meaningful personal wealth.  She is the author of Show Me The Money and columnist for WomenEntrepreneur.com & Fox Business online.   She is available for consulting, speaking engagements and workshops.  She can be reached at http://www.chialichien.com or jolly@chialichien.com.

Chia-Li Chien | August 27, 2010

On Aug. 26, 1920, after a 72-year struggle, the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution was finally ratified, granting women the right to vote nationwide. This week, we celebrated the 90th anniversary of that struggle with Women’s Equality Day.

It’s fair to say much progress has been made since the days of the suffragettes.

If women-owned businesses based in the United States were part of their own country, they would have the fifth-largest gross domestic product in the world. They would trail closely the German economy, and be ahead of countries including France, the United Kingdom and Italy, according to the Center for Women’s Business Research.

Unconvinced about women’s role in our economy? Women-owned firms have an economic impact of $3 trillion annually, which creates or supports more than 23 million jobs. That’s 16% of all jobs in the United States, according to Center for Women’s Business Research.

This means that in the last 90 years, women have progressed from gaining voting rights to becoming an economic power.

These are great wins, but the annual celebration should observe more than accomplishments. Women’s Equality Day should serve to remind all people there’s more that needs to be done.

There are many opportunities for women in business to help build a better world, not just for themselves, but for all people.

In the 2009 Women’s Advisory Board annual report (http://bit.ly/bQ5oEu) to the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners early this year, there are two recommendations to provide help for women in business:

•Hire women with pay equal to that of men. On average, women make 77 cents for every dollar earned by men (based on Census Bureau figures of median wages of full-time, year-round workers). The wage gap is generally more pronounced for women of color.

•Get your voice heard and get involved. Some 19% of Mecklenburg County boards and commissions have no women members, according to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Women’s Summit’s 2008 Action Book.

Here are some other steps to support this sector of our economy:

•Buy from women. Collectively we can create more jobs if we buy and support each other. Together, we’ll have substantial economic impact, not just in the United States, but also globally.

•Lend to women. Women-owned businesses also need access to private capital to fuel expansion and growth. Many women use their business credit cards, personal bank loans, SBA loans and commercial loans to grow. Yet many don’t know where to look for private capital.

The lack of investment in women-led ventures limits the opportunity for women to grow their businesses and create wealth, according to The Diana Project, which advocates for female entrepreneurs. This diminishes opportunities for women to build wealth and create assets for future generations.

•Invest in women. Nonprofit organizations such as Springboard Enterprises does this. It helps venture capitalists invest in women entrepreneurs’ business expansion, from startup to exit.

Little of this can be accomplished without putting more women in science, engineering and higher education. We can’t fix our education system overnight, but we can certainly start in our businesses.

•Mentor women. Twice as many men-owned firms have annual revenue of $1 million or more than women-owned firms (6% vs. 3%), according to Center for Women’s Business Research.

The best way to grow your business is learn from successful fellow women business owners. If you don’t have a mentor, get one. If you are not mentoring, find a woman business owner to mentor.

This is the most valuable form of informal education, and an effective way to make a difference in our world.

As we approach a century of Women’s Equality Day, we can take a leadership role in our homes, businesses, schools, neighborhoods, states, country and world. Women helping women is the best way to celebrate and perpetuate our success.

Chia-Li Chien of Chien Associates provides growth strategies for women entrepreneurs. She can be reached at jolly@chialichien.com or .

This article is published at Charlotte Business Journal URL:

http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/stories/2010/08/30/editorial1.html

By Rev. Diannia Baty

For a few weeks now I have been struggling with getting my thoughts on Thanksgiving so I could get it down and bring it to life. For some reason that has escaped me until now I have been blocked and could not write about it. I am blessed as a writer to write about anything at anytime but not with the subject of one of our major holiday celebrations.

Finally it came to me this morning that a block is something temporary and if I just delved into my emotions and thoughts that I would find the reason for the block. Once I exposed it to the light and stood toe to toe with it I would take the power of the block away.

While growing up in a large family a lot of my days were on survival mode. There was a lot of trauma and drama. Suffice it to say that I am amazed I made it out alive. Holidays are difficult for me because for all the rest of the days of the year, fear, pain and anxiety were prevalent. Then a holidays roll around and it is Picture Perfect for that one day and then back to the craziness. Don’t get me wrong I would enjoy these rare Norman Rockwell Days with a bittersweet taste because I knew it was short lived and that the next day all hell would break through once again.

So, in retrospect it has occurred to me that I didn’t trust the concept of Thanksgiving because it felt like some sort of sham. For a while after I left home I would make an effort to establish my own tradition but my heart was never in it. I was always quick to accept an invitation from someone to break bread with them on this day. I didn’t need to make an effort that way.

I do remember how my mother would cook a feast fit for royalty. The table would groan with the weight of the food. All the uncles, aunts, cousins, grandparents etc. would be crowding the house and gossiping about one another. It was a day like most families would have and for that one day we were like regular folks and were truly nice to one another but the next day I had to come back to the reality of our crazy dysfunctional

family and my life as it was. I resented that so much and wondered why we couldn’t be loving, thankful and kind the rest of the year?

Now I am going to honor this day in the spirit that it is and that is giving thanks and being grateful for absolutely everything and to do it everyday of the year not just this one day. Every day should be Thanksgiving Day! While I fill my stomach every day I should be grateful that I do not go hungry while others are dying of starvation. I should be grateful for friends and a roof over my head when there are so many who are homeless right now.

I should be grateful, grateful, and grateful. Gratitude and giving thanks should be the mantra we hear and live every day of our lives. Love should be out most powerful thought and action of every day. War, economic upheaval, global warming, oil spills and all manner of horrible stuff is going on right now. I will not sugar coat that and pretend it is not happening but imagine a global movement of love, acceptance, generosity and giving thanks spreading from land to land, across borders, country to country. Imagine billions jumping on board with that. Now, imagine a world of peace where no one goes hungry for a single day. There are 60 billion of us and by the sheer numbers of us we have immense power to bring about change. Be your own leader, teacher, student and love ambassador for the world. Stand up and show up for humanity and yourself in any way that you can every day.

I declare that every day is Thanksgiving Day in my life. How about you? Is there someone or something you need to forgive, validate, express love to, volunteer for, give something to or let go of? Every day of our life choices are presented to us to do these things yet we wait for one day a year to do it and usually with a heavy heart so it never sticks. You know if this is you and if it is this may give you a different way to look at it.

I declare to live thanksgiving in my life.

I also want to add…”THANK YOU, GOD.”

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

www.makeachoicenow.com

There are so many ways to network and so many places to network. But the most common complaints I hear from people about networking are:

• You can’t possibly join that many associations – it’s too costly.
• I don’t get any business from that networking group, so I am dropping out.
• I don’t like that group.

I was very lucky to work with a marketing coach early on who advised me to do several things to avoid the above pitfalls. However, I do believe there is a lot of hard work involved, which can result in a lot of busy work if you don’t stay focused. Busy work does not produce revenue, business work does.

Here are my suggestions for purposeful networking:

1.       Identify your target clients. This sounds easy, but take some time to work with someone who can help you know your market. Be specific. For example, if you ran an in-home non-medical caregiver business, your ideal target client profile would be: A working mom in her 50s who has the responsibility for an aging parent. We’ll call that target client Kathy, and we’ll use Kathy as our example for the balance of this article. (Details matter when describing your target audience.)

2.       Where do your target clients hang out? Or to use another term, who are your market makers? Market makers are an entity or person who hangs out with your target clients. For example, Kathy likes to hang out in her professional associations and garden clubs. So join the places where Kathy hangs out. Here are some samples of market makers:

a.       Business trade associations. i.e. NAWBO, eWomen, WPO.

b.      Fortune 500 companies.  i.e. Bank of America, Duke energy, Mecklenburg County School system.

c.       Non-profit organizations. i.e. Goodwill, CharlotteSave (or AmericanSave), United way.

d.      Hobby clubs. Rose and garden clubs, poker clubs, bird watching clubs, running clubs.

e.      Strategic Alliances partners. Hospital, nursing homes, CPA’s, financial advisors.

f.        Religious groups. Church, Bible study group, Buddha study group.

g.       Form your own group. i.e. Heart Link network.

It really depends on who your target clients are. Choose your market makers wisely, because you’ll invest a lot of time, energy, and money into the group. Some may not turn out as well as expected.

3.       Examine why you are doing what you’re doing. People don’t care about WHAT you’re selling. They want to know you and why are you doing what you’re doing. I find this is most difficult for people to define, including myself; work with a coach to form your answer. If you can articulate a story, it’s an instant connection for people. For example, Roberta Franum, owner of the HomeInstead Franchise, provides non-medical in-home care. She tells people that her 92-year-old mother-in-law Eleanor lives with them. She started her business because they had an aging parent to care for and didn’t have a solution. Today, Eleanor has been cared for by HomeInstead for over 10 years.

4.       Clarify your 1-minute commercial with benefits first. Tell people the benefits of working with you. For example, benefits for Kathy; it will give Kathy more time to do what she wants and must do without the worry of taking care of her parent 24/7.

5.       Create connections to Kathy. You’re not going to meet Kathy in your networking meetings. But you’ll meet lots of people who know Kathy. Your job is to make connections.

6.       Get involved in active groups. And since you have to be there on regular basis for networking purposes, you might just get involved or even serve on the board or on a committee. Be your personal walking brand and showcase your capabilities through volunteering.

7.       Follow up within 48 hours after any networking event. People have a very short memory of whom they meet, so follow-up within 48 hours from your event. You can follow-up with a call or email – which ever works best for your business.

8.       Be consistent in showing up. Once you decide who your market makers are, be consistent and show up with intention. Your intention is not just to build awareness of your service, but also to form valuable connections. And don’t just show up at the meetings, but stay in front of the group with updates on your business and valuable tips that may help theirs.

After so many years of networking within my defined market markers, I’ve personally found the most effective way of networking is to be involved with a non-profit organization that I’m passionate about.  If you follow that passion, you may find yourself on a committee working on projects which showcase your capabilities and who you are. Everyone involved in a non-profit organization shares the same reason to be there – passion about what the non-profit is doing.

Be purposeful in your networking. Your time is priceless, so use it wisely.

Chia-Li Chien, CFP®, CRPC, PMP; helps women entrepreneurs to convert their business into meaningful personal wealth.  She is the author of Show Me The Money and columnist for WomenEntrepreneur.com & Fox Business online.   She is available for consulting, speaking engagements and workshops.  She can be reached at www.chialichien.com or jolly@chialichien.com.

默契: 情意暗合

I recently attended Project Management Institute (PMI), Metrolina’s Professional Development Day (PDD) in Charlotte, NC. I attend the PDD each year simply to keep up with my continuing education credits. This year was a treat for me, because we had two and a half hours of The Music Paradigm® featuring conductor Roger Nierenberg as the keynote presenter. I have to admit, I have not been to the symphony for many years and it really brought back the love I have for music, dance and art.

We were seated amongst the orchestra, surrounded by the symphony musicians. Nierenberg raised his baton for a beautiful short “A” note to open the session. The musicians that Nierenberg conducted were all local from Charlotte, but none of them had ever played together before. Nierenberg and his ad hoc local ensemble of musicians had only practiced together for the seventy minutes right before the keynote presentation. Each individual musician possessed high technical competency and the discipline to know what to do when in this situation. Nierenberg used the orchestra concept to relate to organizational leadership, collaboration, and communication by using various different styles of conducting. Each style resembled many issues we face in everyday business organizations.

Nierenberg effectively demonstrated how to understand a key business strategy, with clarity of performance objective and unity around company mission through teamwork.  I can only summarize that with the right leader (in this case Nierenberg), the musical team had synchronicity or 默契 that made it seem as if they had been together for a long time. Let’s take a look at the definition of synchronicity and 默契 (Chinese phrase).

Definition of SYNCHRONICITY (from www.merriam-webster.com)

1: the quality or fact of being synchronous

2: the coincidental occurrence of events and especially psychic events (as similar thoughts in widely separated persons or a mental image of an unexpected event before it happens) that seem related but are not explained by conventional mechanisms of causality —used especially in the psychology of C. G. Jung.

默契 (pronounced mò qì): 情意暗合

Tacit understanding between parties, governments  (from www.chinese-tools.com)

When the synchronicity or 默契 reached its high point, the music came ALIVE! It was touching, it flowed through my heart, and most importantly, I enjoyed it immensely. I enjoyed it so much that I could envision ballet dancers performing right in front of me. But none of this can be accomplished in our companies unless we build up some basics in our own business. Consider the following:

• Your business culture. Your business culture is based on, as the owner, your passion and purpose. Without that deep down culture that is uniquely yours, the attitude of your team can make or break certain projects within your business. You may not know what it is, but clarify your business vision and communicate it within your team.
• Hold your team accountable. When Nierenberg was off-stage and not conducting, somehow the orchestra knew whom to look to as a leader with cues from Nierenberg. Nierenberg held every player accountable by simply asking him or her to perform like this other group, and follow this other group.
• Make a connection with the team. Make an effort to connect to people by inspiring them with common goals that fit the culture – but not to micro manage them.
• Attitude you bring to work. Through individual performances, or through you, you can expect great results by projecting an optimism and certainty that you can do it.
• You’re the leader. Your team is expecting you to be the leader of your business. Be one! Your physical communication says it all.
• Speak their language. Find out how to talk to your team, but communicate at a level and with language they can understand and relate to.
• Bond with the team. Using effective role-playing to bond with the team, demonstrate the model to emulate. Play together and play together well.
• Believe in your team. Encourage your team.

Nierenberg’s love of music and passing the value of classical music to the attendees of the PDD not only gave insight to his passion, but also to opened up their minds to receive music. Music is a universal language for the world. Perhaps, it would not be easy to use Nierenberg’s method in your business. But you can certainly consider using some of the basic concepts mentioned above for your business – the community you create with your team.

Chia-Li Chien, CFP®, CRPC, PMP; helps women entrepreneurs to convert their business into meaningful personal wealth.  She is the author of Show Me The Money and columnist for WomenEntrepreneur.com & Fox Business online.   She is available for consulting, speaking engagements and workshops.  She can be reached at http://www.chialichien.com or jolly@chialichien.com.

When I was working for an $8 billion publicly traded company as a Director of Information Systems (IS) years ago, I reported to a Vice President of the IS. He was a great guy to work for, but I felt like I wasn’t learning much from him. In addition to that, there was a very slim chance be promoted to the next higher level, let alone to CIO (Chief Information Officer). I knew there must be something I could do and learn regardless of my next corporate career move.

So, I did the unthinkable. I called my boss’s boss, Barbara, the CIO. We met and I expressed that I needed some help. Although, I did not know what I needed help with, I asked Barbara point blank, “Would you be my mentor?” Barbara said, “YES.”

She opened up many doors for me, but not from a promotion stand point. She helped me connect with outside industry mentors and nominated me to be a member of the Society of Information Management (SIM). She also enrolled me in the Regional Leadership Forum (RLF), a 9-month long leadership forum with industry peers. During that 9-month RLF program, I read 35 books and presented as well as facilitated many discussions. Most importantly, I gained peer support as well as great mentors nationwide. The entire experience helped me clarify my goals, and shortly after my graduation from the RLF, I restarted my business.

“Surround yourself with helpful people” is my motto. We can’t do things alone. We need plenty of helpful people to help us along the journey.

I’ve used many coaches, consultants, advisors and mentors throughout my career in corporate America and in my business. Some people who identify themselves as mentors when they are actually a coach, or a consultant who claims to be a coach do often confuse me. I’ve created this “helpful people locator” to help me decide who will be of most help to me at any particular time and place along in my journey.

You’ll see the “Technical skills or Knowledge” on the vertical axis and “Leadership skills or Knowledge” on the horizontal axis.

• Consultant: Someone who has high technical skills or knowledge with low leadership skills or knowledge. They are so technical that you can expect the work they do for you to be delivered in a tactical nature. For example, I have an I.S. consultant working for me today, Akhilesh knows exactly what to do when it comes to our website programming. But he gets direction from me, and provides consulting in a tactical nature.
• Advisor: Someone who has high technical skills or knowledge with high leadership skills or knowledge. They can do work for you as well as provide strategic thinking. For example, I have a CPA firm as an advisor who advises me on any company finance decision. Ed doesn’t get into my detailed accounting, but certainly has provided me great strategic advice over the years in matters such as licensing, pricing structure, etc.

• Coach: Someone who has low technical skills or knowledge and low leadership skills or knowledge. (This is from my personal experience with no reflection regarding how or if the coach has been certified.) A Coach is someone who helps YOU get the answer out of YOU, often tactical in nature. They believe you already have the answers and strive to get them out of you and put them in application. For example, I worked with my marketing coach Ravel for two years. He helped me create a solid branding message, taught me how networking plays a part and showed me how to put together my 1-minute commercial. All the answers are from me, but he was so good at getting them out of me. Today, I work with entirely different marketing coach, who focuses on external communication with proper tension.
• Mentor: Someone who has low technical skills or knowledge and high leadership skills or knowledge. A mentor has “been there and done that” and knows what the path is. Barbara, my CIO example, is a mentor. Today, I have two business owner mentors who have been successful not only in their field, but also successful in the sale of many of their businesses.  Our conversation is on a strategic level. Most importantly, my mentors are great connections to other industry top guns.

No matter who you decide to surround yourself with, take some time to determine what you actually need before you decide who to work with. You might want to consider the following:

1.       Have one or two mentors any time during your career. They’re your sounding board and your connectors.

2.       Mentor one or two people and pay it forward. The more you teach, the more you learn.

3.       Work with a coach to help obtain your vision and clarify your goals, but remember they are not your therapists. I agree with a coach’s approach in that you do have all the answers within you. You need a coach to help you sort that through. They’re great for personal development.

Surround yourself with helpful people! Why do it alone?

Chia-Li Chien, CFP®, CRPC, PMP; helps women entrepreneurs to convert their business into meaningful personal wealth.  She is the author of Show Me The Money and columnist for WomenEntrepreneur.com & Fox Business online.   She is available for consulting, speaking engagements and workshops.  She can be reached at http://www.chialichien.com or jolly@chialichien.com.

Financial independence means different things to everyone

by Chia-Li Chien

During my 2^nd quarter SRI Business Retreat meeting recently, I talked with forty-six business owners about history. I used as an example the fine economists who also play the role of historian by reporting our economic situation on a monthly basis. They do a great job of telling us what is going on in the economy. For example, the Federal Reserve System provides a great deal of historical data about our overall economy. You can even download local data from your Federal Reserve branch. My branch is the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, which covers North Carolina.

Why do you need to know about economic reports? Because these economic reports typically talk about the unemployment rates, interest rates and consumer spending that will have an impact on your business both now and in the future. Your response to the data in the reports means you play an intricate part in the overall economy. According to a recent article, 6 Things Missing From the Recovery from U.S. News & World Report, L.P., small businesses account for 65% of new jobs created in our economy. So yes, we all play a key role in the overall economy. But yet, the U.S. unemployment rate was 9.9 % in April 2010. The Wall Street Journal Economic Forecasting Survey of May 2010 predicts that unemployment will be down to 9.7% in June 2010.

Our world is changing, and changing fast. Perhaps your big business (Fortune 500 or Global 1000) is not creating new domestic jobs up to pace compared to the past. You may see outsourcing come and go without being really certain which direction your business is going. But there is one thing for certain –not all of us will live forever. And not all of you will work in the corporate world forever, either.

Financial independence means different things to different people. But answer this question for me, ”What’s next for you?” As a mother, daughter, wife, daughter-in-law, business owner, boss, vendor, advisor, etc., my life reflects how we all have different roles to play. I did not find my true passion until I got very sick while working in a Fortune 500 company as Director of IT, with a $5 million overhead budget plus an average $10 million project budget annually. It was a wakeup call for me of sorts, when I became so sick that I slept seven days straight. I also thought I was paralyzed from my right shoulder up to my head. I awakened to realize that I had really never listened to my own voice. I knew something had to change, but I wasn’t sure what that was.

After two years in various different treatments, I finally went through comprehensive financial planning and happily came to the conclusion that I could afford to take a different journey. So I did. I resumed, or restarted, my consulting business in late 2003 and today, I love what I do! I am passionate about enabling women business owners to increase their business in value so they can enjoy financial independence. I am on a mission to innovate, to reposition and to capture value growth for women in business.

Take a look at other examples of those who followed their passions:

• Judge Shirley Fulton, is a recently retired Superior Court Judge from Mecklenburg County, NC.  She is the owner of The Wadsworth House, a meeting place for corporate, civic and social events, and she co-founded Charlotte Law School (the first for-profit law school in Charlotte).
• Cathy Maday, was in a corporate role as a Project Manager. Today, she is the owner of Wingspan Coaching, which provides management and executive coaching services for Fortune 500 firms. She and her team were recently featured on The Learning Channel (TLC).
• Patricia Golden, was a Marketing Executive. Today, she is the owner of a ten-year-old company called My Team of Experts, Inc., a premier public relations company that helps small businesses.

Perhaps your path is different when it comes to financial independence. But no matter what you choose to do, whether owning/running a business or a civic/non-profit organization, or something else entirely, what you do will depend on what your passion/purpose is calling you to fulfill.

Consider the following:

• Find your passion/purpose and listen to the universe. No one can tell you what to do; only you can. The answer is already here if you listen carefully. Most importantly, you already hold the key to success in whatever you desire to do.
• Seek a career coach for advice. Reference my previously published article, Secrets of a Successful Exit, in which I identify ten variables to consider. The first six variables can help you decide if you want to start a business.
• Carefully analyze your situation and seek financial planning advice. But remember, your goal is not to get an approval from your CFP for retirement. The goal is to test the waters to see if you are financially ready take on a huge investment and risk such as owning a business.

The truth is that no one can predict what will happen in the future – especially in the uncertain economic environment of today. But wouldn’t you prefer to be part of the statistical history that shows an upswing, or making history brighter now for a brighter future? Begin now to visualize your future, and you’ll be the one writing your own history.

Chia-Li Chien, CFP®, CRPC, PMP; helps women entrepreneurs to convert their business into meaningful personal wealth. She is the author of Show Me The Money and columnist for WomenEntrepreneur.com & Fox Business online. She is available for consulting, speaking engagements and workshops. She can be reached at www.chialichien.com or jolly@chialichien.com.

You know about the Law of Attraction. It’s simple. What we think about, we bring about. It’s simple, almost deceptively so. In the first place, it’s not as easy as it seems to focus on what we want (over what we don’t want). In the second place, thinking alone doesn’t always make it so.

That is where the Law of Action comes in. It’s also simple. It says, if you want it, you have to take an action to get it and then once you have taken action, you have to follow-through.

Attraction + Action = Transformation

Like many people, I read and watched The Secret. I was excited by the prospect of using my mind to create my reality. Since I am a computer girl, I created my vision board in PowerPoint. I had slides for everything that I wanted for myself: my house (got it), my car (got it), my husband (still waiting on that one) and money, lots of money.

I made the PowerPoint into my screen saver and set it up so that it came on often. I also printed it out and placed all of the slides on my bathroom door and in my kitchen. About a month after I had completed the vision board, I was rushing home from work. I had a lot of little things I needed to do (return emails, write blogs, work on my newsletter). Not wanting to be distracted, I decided to do it without the television in the background. Yet, something told me to turn it one.

I followed my intuition and tuned into Who Wants to be a Millionaire. It was midway through the episode, during a commercial break, they announced they were coming to my town to conduct auditions. Immediately, I went to the site and got the details. The next day at work, I told my boss I’d be late that day because I was going to audition for the show.

A friend of mine said she would audition to. I was excited! The day before the auditions, my friend backed out. She just had too much work to do to take the time off. I understood but I was still up super early so I could get a good spot in line. I was #47, part of the first group. We completed our questionnaires and then were tested. We used SAT-like answer cards so they were graded quickly. Once we passed, they took our photos and we each spent a few minutes talking to a producer. I was back at work by 10:30 a.m.

A month later, I got the call to be on the show. To make this long story short, I won $100,00.

I tell you this story not to brag or boast (half of the money went to taxes and $50,000 doesn’t go as far as you think it would. I tell this story to show you how the Laws of Attraction and Action work.

I believe that the Law of Attraction brought the opportunity to audition to me. However, if it weren’t for the Law of Action, that opportunity would have passed me by. I had to act. I had to get the information. I had to take off of work. I had to get up and show up at the audition. Later, I had to figure out the cheapest way to get to New York for the taping.

As a result of that action, I got the house and furnished it; I got the car; and, I got my core coaching certification.

Attraction may start the process but it’s action that finishes it.

Karyn Beach is a corporate trainer and success coach who publishes the Lose the Excuses blog and newsletter.

I grew up with scarcity. My family struggled to get by and many times I was unaware of it until I wanted something and my parents could not afford it. My father gave us a real sense of the value of money when he told us if we wanted the extras we had to find a way to earn it. Babysitting, housecleaning, mowing yards and doing any and all odd jobs was the only way to do it if you are a kid. Whatever we bought with our hard earned money was cherished and taken care of because we knew the value of a dollar.

Mom used to refer to us as the poor relations as if we had some kind of disease that was contagious. I do know that when we were with families that were better off they treated us differently. It made me feel as if my very presence was tainted somehow. I always felt shame and was not certain why. Was God punishing us for something? I wanted to know God so much but felt like a sinner because we were poor.

What does it mean to be a Spiritual Achiever? Is it truly possible to be both spiritual and be a high achiever? So many of the teachings many of us have learned growing up (and continue to learn today) are that to be spiritual, you need to put God above all else. In fact, many suggest that you should forsake all other pursuits and focus only on your relationship with God.

I was taught, that “you can’t serve two masters,” and that “money is the root of all evil.” I learned that it was “easier for a camel to enter the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.” If taken literally, it would seem that pursuing a life of financial abundance would prevent you from being spiritual. And to be spiritual, you need to be, at most, in the financial middle class.

But is it possible that despite these teachings that almost every one has heard, that it is not only possible to be rich and spiritual, but that being wealthy is an avenue towards even greater spirituality? Despite my many years of hearing about the dangers and evils of money, I firmly believe that the road to true spirituality is the same road to financial abundance.

Let me begin with my Six Tenants of my belief before going into details about why I am certain that money is not the root of any evil, let alone being the root of all evil.

God Exists.

1. We have access to God, for we were made in the image of God. Meaning, our true source, is God.
2. Our thoughts are sources of energy and have extraordinary creative powers when in alignment with our Core Beliefs.
3. All change occurs outside of our comfort zone. To grow, we must expand our knowledge and our lives.
4. The Law of Attraction does not just bring you what you think about, but it brings to you what you think you are.
5. We can all accomplish anything, for we are connected to God. And with God, all things are possible.

Holding these beliefs is critical for succeeding spiritually. Without adhering to any one of these will create conflicts of belief and derail your progress. I feel it is also important to list the commonly held beliefs that are taught to many of us and explain briefly why they only serve to hold us back.

God exists and is the judge of our lives - If we accept this belief, then God is someone to be feared and cautious of, instead of a powerful loving force to whom we should strive to have a relationship with. God loves all, and wants all to fully experience their lives to the fullest. With the gift of life does come responsibility, but living in fear and in guilt is not a responsible way to appreciate the gift.

Money, and the quest for worldly success, will steal away your soul and will lead to evil- I have spent time in a third world country and have seen first hand what poverty looks like. The crime, the violence, and desperation and the absence of hope are everywhere. Though I never advocate making the accumulation of wealth the only or even the top priority in anyone’s life, I know that money is not the root of anything evil, but that poverty is! I have seen poverty and I have been there. It is a lonely sad place to be. Survival is the only thing you think about.

We are limited, human, mortal beings and deserve nothing because we are sinners. It is only through God that we can receive and only receive those things that He/She feels we are worthy of - We are not just physical beings but are spiritual beings having a physical experience. We are sinners only if we label ourselves as such, and do so out of guilt and past conditioning. You and I deserve a fully abundant life; filled with empowering relationships, excellent health, abundant financial resources, and a truly fulfilled life. Anything less than a magnificent life is a waste of the precious gift of life.

If there is sin (and I am certain that there is) it is in not fully enjoying life and living it, instead, chained by guilt and not developing your highest and best potential. When you are the highest and best you that you can be you are adding to and not subtracting from the world.

Our lives are predestined- Though God lives only in the now, without a past or present, we experience the passage of time. And through this experience, we make choices and decisions. Our free will to design our lives allows us to decide our own destiny. God created us out of love and through His/Her unlimited and perfect intelligence.

Why would a creator create life whose only intention was to play out a scripted series of events? This would mean you have no choice and therefore no free will! That would mean that we are just pieces on a chess board waiting for destiny to move us around and we have no say in the matter at all.

I do not to pretend to understand God, for God is so far beyond my limited ability to think. What I do know, however, is that the humanized God of most religions places limitations of that which cannot be limited or contained. It is only by making direct contact with God that we can begin to grasp what God is in our lives. And it is by having a direct relationship with God that our lives can truly be fulfilled through guidance and in the co-creation process that we are a part of. God delights in us when we are pro-active in our life.

All things are made up of energy. The energy that is the base of a piece of ice in one of Saturn’s rings is the same energy that makes our bodies, minds, and thoughts.

We are all connected by this energy of intelligence and intention, and, when our thoughts vibrate at the same energy level as this energy, we are one with God. I am one with God and I know this but I do slip into a negative thinking mode every now and then. When this happens everything around me seems to fall apart until I remember that all I have to do is change my thoughts to change my world. After all it is me that created the negative thoughts and emotions and it is me that can change it in an instant.

All things being equal…abundance and prosperity is different for everyone. I don’t have to be wealthy in terms of millions of dollars in the bank.

What I consider wealth is true friends, bills paid, good food on the table that I can share with others and health. You might ask yourself what you consider wealth and if what you have chosen to believe is making you happy, fulfilled and closer with God.

This is just something to think about!

Website: www.makeachoicenow.com
Email: ladydiannia@carolina.rr.com

Can you imagine trying to paint a new picture on an old used canvas? Often we do that when we make New Year’s resolutions. The resolutions from 2008 are still lingering – incomplete and unfulfilled yet we try to start new ones as though they will magically manifest.

Every three years I do a deep introspective. I’ve been in the space of determining my next steps since the first of October. I usually give myself three months to bring closure to all that has happened good or bad. All occurrences have emotions attached to them whether we choose to process them at the time they happen or push them back to process later. To go forward effectively and embrace the future, we have to completely process them all.

I use these three sets of very pointed questions to navigate through my closure process:

What do I really want?
Where am I unbalanced?
What are my happiest moments in life?
Where is my heart pulling me?
In what direction do I know within my soul am I being led or pulled?
Where am I agitated in life?
Where am I fulfilled?
Where am I unfulfilled?

I follow those with the big questions:

Why am I unfulfilled?
Why am I agitated?
What elements make up the happiest moments in my life?

And lastly, three important and paramount questions come to mind:

What responsibility do I play in it?
What, if anything, am I willing or going to do about it?
How can I make my life line up with what I want it to be?
How do I put myself in the driver’s seat of my own life?

Most of us make New Year’s resolutions without first bringing closure to what has happened. Often we decide we want a different result without first identifying old habits and cycles that continue to lead to our demise. The demise of our great ideas and thoughts that prevent them from coming into fruition. When we fail to produce, we can easily become cynical and resigned to simply settling for whatever we can get.

I think it’s critical to honor and acknowledge the following:

What have and have I not accomplished.
What is my honest assessment of my accomplishment pro and con.
How do I make improvements and adjustments for the future.

As you answer these questions please be cautioned that guilt may arise. Make sure you are in a place to embrace the answers and to become empowered by them. Feelings of guilt or chastisement do not bring closure but rather deepening incompletion. It is also critical to acknowledge in authentic truth what you will change and what you are not yet in a position to not change. Also, what you can and cannot commit to and own the whole enchilada.

Keep the process going until you feel whole inside and a sense of completion. When you feel a sense of completion you are settled and at peace in your state of mind and being.

This process cleanses out all of the impurities of your life. It brings about the truest most authentic you and creates a clean slate to work from. When you finally make a decision to have something in your life for the new year, you actually do it with integrity and power attached to it rather than adding it to a pile of words that never manifest. Cleansing actually starts to wipe away all of the old paint and gives rise to a new canvas ready for a new creation.

The new creation can now begin!

You can now create something new for yourself and in this case for 2009.

When you finally bring the integrity of closure to your life, you must have clarity of your vision.

Here are the next steps:
Access your vision and make it as vivid and clear as possible.

Without clear vision, you will lack the fortitude to continue on your path to success. You MUST know clearly what you want and should reinforce your clear vision with visual displays.

You must have passion and purpose.

Clearly and boldly state your personal “why.” Why do you want this vision to be fulfilled? Answer your why with boldness and authority!

You must believe.

With unwavering faith you must stand in your vision. This means address your emotions, thoughts and feelings that fall short of belief in your vision

You must act.

With all that you are, take action with fire and passion. Action produces the results. No action, no results. You must ACT!

Each of these elements are a process to living a life of power, passion and dreams come true. I’d love to share more on these subjects because it is a process and you must be rigorous with yourself to fully bring closure and create a new.

This Wednesday, January 21 at 10am on the P3 Power Boost Radio show we will discuss “The Power of Closure” so tune in http://www.TheP3Group.com/P3Radio. On February 3rd, I will lead a powerful teleseminar on the Six Keys to Living the Golden Life which will include an in depth look into vision.

We will also conduct more teleconferences in our P3 Lifeline on these subjects to aid in your quest to achieve your goals. So be sure to join as soon as possible – http://www.TheP3Group.com/lifeline

We’re in your corner and we know the power lives within you. We want to help you tap into it.

Stay tuned as we too embark on an incredible 2009. Call us and join us in the many things to come.

Your P3 President and Visionary,
Lisa H. Thomas
www.TheP3Group.com
704 909 7663 Headquarters
336 988 2383 High Point
336 790 8640 Fax