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My business is going through lots of growing pains right now, which means that I’m going through lots of growing pains right now. Our businesses mirror our lives, and vice versa.

If your business isn’t where you want it to be, then you’ve got to take a hard look at who you’re being and how you’re showing up. The answer always lies within.

Last week, after some intense masterminding, I chose to give myself permission to do nothing. I needed to decompress and internally process all that I’d absorbed. That’s a real challenge for a Type A do-er like me. I don’t sit still well, meditating doesn’t come easily, and I don’t sleep enough. My brain and body are always on the go.

During my self-imposed down time, I re-read my favorite parable The Go-Giver, by Bob Burg. I turn to this book when I want to regain clarity and truly focus on why I’m really in business. Yes, I want to make an income to support my family. Yes, I want to share my gifts with the world. Yes, I want to make a difference.

But my core reason, and my life’s purpose, is I want to serve a lot of people, and provide them with a lot of value. For all entrepreneurs, that’s the key question we must continually answer: How can I serve?

Answering that question always gets me back on track again. (With that in mind please feel free to share with me how I can serve you better.)

People ask me how I’m able to accomplish what I do – raising three energetic children (who go in three different directions) and managing a growing business. One of my best work from home tips for getting the important things that really matter to me done is to be organized.

Did you know that we waste an incredible amount of time, energy, and money when we’re disorganized? The National Organization of Professional Organizers says that it is around 180 hours a year in a business (that’s more than a week). For a business mom, it’s probably triple that.

What are some work from home tips that will help you organize your life and office to accomplish everything – that matters to you personally and professionally – in the most profitable way? From personal experience, I know that it’s easier said than done.

My friend, Debbye Cannon, the Business Mom Mentor, helped me identify some big timewasters and also how to be more organized with each one and I’d like to share some of these work from home tips with you.

Timewaster #1 – Searching for lost items.

How many times, as business moms, have we had to stop what we’re doing and frantically search for lost items like keys or things that the kids need?

Get into the habit of labeling items and designating places where they belong. Think about what tools you need and where you often need them and then put them there – even if it means buying a number of them. For example label a pair of scissors for each room that you need them-"Kitchen Scissors", "Bathroom Scissors", "Bedroom Scissors", "Office Scissors".

Also, as a mom of smaller kids, I have a number of containers with band-aids, creams and those sorts of things. I keep one in my bag, one in the upstairs kids’ closet, and one in the car. I know eventually I’ll use it all up and it’s right there when I need it.

Timewaster #2 – Your paperwork is scattered.

Do you have piles of paper on your desk or on your kitchen counter?

Compile all the essential things you need to work on your business – papers, catalog, order forms, customer list, calendar – and put them in a three-ring binder or portable file . You’ll be able to take it with you and work on it while you wait for your appointments.

Timewaster #3- Reading unimportant emails.

Are you constantly checking your email throughout the day? Perhaps as a way to avoid doing something you don’t want to do but really need to do?

Handle emails before or after – not during – income-producing time, otherwise it’ll be a distraction from the work you need to do to move your business forward. You can also use a timer and set a limit to how much time you want to spend reviewing email and periodically unsubscribe from the ones that are not important.

Timewaster #4 – Failing to use a schedule productively.

Do you jump from one task to the next and end up feeling like you can’t finish anything?

Try to schedule a particular activity per day – Monday for writing, Tuesday for phone calls and interviews, Wednesday for personal days, etc. When an appointment comes up, you’ll know exactly what day to schedule it on. This sets the tone and allows you to get in the mindset of what you need to accomplish.

Your personal life and business life will ebb and flow. There will be busy times. There will be quiet times. Instead of doing it all in one day and being wiped out the next, try to be flexible enough to establish a consistent rhythm of moving forward.

If something comes up, like you need to take your children on a fieldtrip, enjoy the time with them and then get back on track with work on a different day.

Be mindful of the Law of Attraction – what you think about is what you bring about. Instead of listening to yourself and others say, "you ‘re so disorganized", give yourself the pass that it’s okay not to be perfect, and that you ‘re getting better at having it all together with the help of these work from home tips.

Over the past year, you, the entrepreneur who wants to “get it done”, has joined me on my journey as I’ve shared the ups and downs and lessons learned. The last six months have been special because I’ve been doing a lot more coaching with visionary entrepreneurs with a special emphasis on how to get it done. So I’d like to share with you (and here’s Part 1 in case you missed it) some of the lessons learned from their perspective and mine.

 

 Entrepreneur, Get It Done Lessons for 2010 - Part 2 [Metromom Podcast] [6:03m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Every once in awhile a joint venture partner will just fall in your lap. But, that’s not the norm. More often it requires a little more effort if you’re looking to find the “right” partner.

My first suggestion is to get out there and connect. It’s extremely critical to become more visible. You need to grow your network among like-minded people. To create a successful joint venture, you want to connect with people who are moving in a similar direction, share a similar goal and common interests.

I’m really happy to say that quite a few joint venture partnerships have blossomed among Metromom members and from entrepreneurs that have participated in my interactive coaching programs. These partnerships work because not only do they have a lot in common, but they’re working towards similar goals.

The next step is building your credibility and trust. You can build credibility by following up with your promises. You build trust by having the intention of giving and serving others. Your intention is, “How can I help you?” rather than “What can I get from you?”

Building trust and credibility takes time and doesn’t happen overnight. My friend Gina Bell shared that, “If you’re trying to go straight to profitability, it’s like proposing marriage on the first date. It just doesn’t work.”

Next, your joint venture need to be a win-win-win, which means it’s good for you, your partner, AND your clients and prospects. Often the missing piece is knowing how it’s going to benefit the customers and new clients you want to serve. However, if you’re clear on the benefits for everyone involved, the odds are very high that you’re going to have a profitable outcome for your joint venture.

Finally, don’t be afraid to lead and motivate your partners. People are busy. So don’t be afraid to pick up the phone and make some reminders. This can be the difference between a joint venture being spectacular and failing. Don’t be afraid to give your joint venture partners a gentle nudge.

Bottom line? The key to being successful in a joint venture partnership is having faith, being of service to others, being of value to others in your network and finding ways for everybody to win.

I’d love to hear your experiences about positive or negative joint ventures you’ve created. Please share your comments.

Many entrepreneurs struggle with how to find the right prospects for the great products and services they have to offer. During the Metromom Online Success Telesummit, I spoke about this with Alicia Forest, founder of ClientAbundance.com.

With only one sign-up page Alicia has very effectively grown her business to six figures! She shared with me how she did it and some great tips that you can use to grow your list in a way that people will ultimately want to do business with you.

There are two foundational pieces that have to be in place to start building your list:

1. Develop a “free taste” to offer to anyone signing up. Alicia recommended a five-part written e-course (a series of emails sent over a short amount of time) on a topic that will benefit and interest the people in your particular target market.

2. Have an “invite site” they have to sign-up on in order to receive the information. This is a single, one-page website where they will put their name and email address. There are ways to approach this invite site:

· A squeeze page will require them to enter their information before they can see the rest of your website.

· A slide page gives them the option to click on a button to enter the site first (so they can check out if this is truly where they want to be) and when they do sign-up it will be because they really like what you have to say.

Here are 5  effective (and free) strategies Alicia Forest shared for inviting new subscribers:

· Utilize your email signature. Every email you send out should have your preset signature with your salutation, your name, business name with a link to your website, and a line that describes the free taste you’re offering.

· Find places, like Yahoo, Google, Ascend, LinkedIn and Rise, where groups gather to discuss your area of expertise and join in the conversation. Offer some information of value; remember you’re being of service, not selling.

· Utilize the power of Facebook and Twitter. Facebook allows you to create a profile that describes what you do and for who. You can also add an opt-in box on the front page. As people friend you and want to know more, the box is right there with your free taste so they can easily sign-up for your list.

A great way to use Twitter to build relationships is to ask a quick question like: “What’s your biggest challenge in…?” You’ll find out what is important to them and, as you share your wisdom with them, they’ll think, “I like what she says. I’m going to sign up for her list.”

· Do a signature talk via teleclass. There are a lot of free places online where you can post a free teleclass. Take your free taste and expand it so that it’s an overview of what you’re offering. Invite people to come to your class. When they register for it, they’ll be adding their name to your list, with their permission of course.

· Be a guest speaker. Whether it’s on a telesummit or in person, speaking is the fastest way of building relationships. They’ll sense your credibility and trust you. When you invite them to your website, they’ll want to sign-up for your list.

No matter what stage of your business you are in, put yourself out there, and grow from there. And remember to do it in an honest, authentic voice because that is what draws the right people to you.

You won’t want to miss out on learning about another great way of building your list. Sign up now for my Get It Done Action call, “Quick & Easy Guide for Entrepreneurs: How to Use a Blog to Build an Effective Internet Presence.” It’s as EASY 3-Part System that I used to create a high-traffic blog AND increase my list by 600% in just one year.

As entrepreneurs, most of us are doing businesses on our own. Many of us, however, long for the support that a joint venture partnership provides. Women especially need and want to collaborate with others (however men really benefit as well).

I believe there is so much more that can be done when we work and bring our strengths together in a joint venture. The question is – how do you create a partnership that works for both of you, as well as the communities you’re serving?

I interviewed Gina Bell, a friend of mine and the founder of GinaBellInc.com, for some tips on how to collaborate effectively and profitably. I want to share with you a few gems from that call.

So what is a joint venture?

A joint venture is an agreement or alliance between two or more people. Most of time these partnerships make sense when you share a target market. For example, Gina and I discovered that we share a target market of entrepreneurial women. The key is that the joint venture must benefit everybody involved.

Here are a few different ways to collaborate in a joint venture:

1. Share intellectual property
2. Combine methods to create a product or service
3. Share assets
4. Share the expense hiring a virtual assistant
5. Have an agreement to share knowledge
6. Share profits

How do you find someone you would enjoy working with and who has similar goals as you do? In my next blog, I’ll share with you 4 steps on how to get a joint venture started and how to keep it working well for everyone concerned.

Are you ready to learn the nuts and bolts of joint venture partnerships? Check out the upcoming Get It Done Challenge starting on January 21st. You’ll receive the support and wisdom you need to create your own joint venture. And quite possibly you’ll meet that fellow entrepreneur who is the “right” match for your business.

I love the change, fluidity and flexibility of entrepreneurship. There’s nothing quite like starting your own business to help you learn who you are and what’s important to you. The last six months have been special because I’ve been doing a lot more coaching with visionary entrepreneurs with a special emphasis on getting things done. So I’d like to share with you some of the lessons learned from their perspective and mine.  (also check out Part 2)

 

 Entrepreneur - Get It Done - Lessons - Part 1 [Metromom Podcast] [4:48m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Maybe you shouldn’t get it done. Maybe there’s a good reason why you’re procrastinating… Shocking words I know coming from me, the “Get It Done Girl”.

There will be times when you have to listen to your inner voice when everyone around you is telling you something completely different. At times like these it’s very tempting to forego your intuition in favor of “proven” strategies and techniques from “experts.”

Don’t get me wrong, I advocate listening and learning from business and marketing experts and I work hard to apply what I’ve learned. However, there are times when I’m reading a marketing book, or at a class, or speaking with my coach and I’ll hear great advice but it’s not the best advice for me. It doesn’t feel right, so guess what? I end up procrastinating about the project.

When this happens, I force myself to slow down and tune into my intuition. I listen for my Kim-wisdom (which is always there when I’m quiet). Then I choose to create a new path for how I do things. I take in a lot of information from various sources (people, information products, books etc.) digest it, and synthesize it in a “Kim” way so that all I do has my personal stamp on it.

Women entrepreneurs have an advantage in that we’re usually fairly comfortable relying on our intuition. But when it comes to BUSINESS sometimes we let doubts creep in. My advice – always trust your instincts, even if you’re new to business. If you don’t feel authentic about a business decision, don’t dismiss the feeling. Take the time to make sure you’re truly aligned with your values, beliefs and goals before moving forward.

One of the things I teach in my program, the Get It Done Challenge, is that there are multiple paths to the same destination. Keep focused on your long-term vision and if one path isn’t working, try another one that feels right. By doing business on your own terms, you’ll be amazed at how the right people, places and opportunities appear – sometimes out of nowhere.

Here we are 10 days into the New Year and I keep hearing that many are already stuck on what they’re going to get done. This morning I was interviewed by Chris Velardi at WTNH (New Channel 8 – CT) speaking about 3 different roadblocks that many confront as they start the new year.

As I put programs together for 2010, I want to make sure I’m providing you with the content that’ll make the most different to you. Please let me know what’s getting in your way to get the things done that you want to get done.

Over the past year, you, the entrepreneur who wants to “get it done”, has joined me on my journey as I’ve shared the ups and downs and lessons learned. The last six months have been special because I’ve been doing a lot more coaching with visionary entrepreneurs with a special emphasis on how to get it done. So I’d like to share with you (and here’s Part 1 in case you missed it) some of the lessons learned from their perspective and mine.

Let Go of the Outcome and Enjoy the Journey

So much of what you do as an entrepreneur is to make it up as you go along. Most of us don’t have a degree in entrepreneurship! It’s very easy when you are in that place of starting out your business to think, “Because I’ve not done it, I can’t do it.”

But if you have a passion for what you do, you keep trying until you figure out a way to get it done. A fear of failure can get in your way. If you’re overly concerned about the outcome, you don’t enjoy the journey. Just remind yourself that it’s part of the process – that there will be things that will go awry when you are an entrepreneur, and you will learn along the way to get it done. That really is okay.

You Don’t Need to be Experienced, Just Resourceful

I wholeheartedly believe that if you know what needs to get done, you can always get help on how to “get it done”. I’ve seen it time and time again. It’s because of that that I’m such a believer in being a connector. This is where connecting and reaching out to other people can be so invaluable.

Just because you haven’t done it before, has nothing to do with the fact of whether you can or can’t do it. It just means that you need to reach out to others who have that experience. It is okay to be the one entrepreneur with the questions and not the answers because there are other people around us we can get those answers from.

Develop Good Boundaries

As a mom entrepreneur who works from home, the temptation is to work all the time. You finally have the kids to bed so you naturally want to get some work done. That’s fine sometimes but boundaries are critical.

Schedule a few nights each week when work is truly turned off (this means turning off your Blackberry or iPhone) so you can connect as a couple or have some quiet time for yourself. Because you can’t “get it done” if you burned out and exhausted!

Don’t Let Go of Your Purpose

Maybe you’re business isn’t where you want it and some mornings you wake up worrying about bills. I wanted to share with you the truth – not the glossy version either. I deal with these same worries.

Funny thing is my business is on track and doing better than ever before! BUT, my husband just went back to work after a year off and we’re still digging out. I’ve got lots of “business investment” on my credit cards and I’ve utilized my home equity line to keep my business going. That’s a scary place to be. The stress is palpable.

I share this because I’m not a quitter and I will continue to do what it takes to do what I’m meant to do. (I always describe myself as a Weeble – they wobble but they don’t fall down.) You have to keep moving forward. You have to keep focused on your purpose – what your were meant to do – and then you have to keep reaching for it and “get it done”.

Sometimes You’ve Just Got to Take a Pass

I’m a big believer in teaching my kids to take responsibility for their actions. But I also know the importance of being able to bend the rules. I recently decided to give my 10 year old son a pass when he forgot his backpack. Normally I would have sent him to school without it but I felt like he deserved a break so I helped him out. (Checkout the whole story here.)

When I reflected on the importance of my giving my children a pass now and then, the message I’m giving is that I believe in them and it’s okay not to be perfect. I then thought about that same message for myself. I need to give myself a pass sometimes. I’m a far cry from the perfect mom. I do my best to connect meaningfully with my kids and instill the values I believe in but sometimes we eat crappy food, stay up too late and forget our backpacks, and it’s okay. We need permission to give ourselves a pass.

I hoped you enjoyed these lessons. I think there is a lot of value to sharing with each other our triumphs and our fallbacks. Are you an entrepreneur trying to “get it done”? I’d love to hear about your lessons learned.