by Beth | Sep 17, 2024 | Lifestyle
I attended a business meeting last week where several members talked about how scared they were with our economy and current state of affairs. One member said, “I just don’t know what is going to happen, and I am really scared about it.”
Here is the bottom line that I hope will help you: I have owned businesses for 25 years. I have seen 9/11, 2008, 2013, and COVID. Each time I really thought the world was going to end, and it didn’t. I suffered many a sleepless night only to end up here today…still in business and loving it.
Being in business for yourself or being in a stressful position is a mindset, and you have to constantly make sure that your mindset stays positive. Don’t ignore the facts and don’t ignore trends. Just don’t let it ruin your sleep.
Mark LeBlanc gave me the best piece of business advice that I have ever heard: Each day, Monday through Friday, make 2 calls per day to whoever comes to your mind with absolutely no agenda. Just pick up the phone and say, “I was just thinking about you! How are you doing?” And listen intently to their responses.
Then, look for miracles. Some examples of miracles: you pull up to a parking meter and it still has time on it. You find $20.00 on the street. Your taxes aren’t as much as you thought they were going to be. You find a sale on your favorite products.
These actions cost you no money, and it will totally turn your day around. Then, you can make business decisions from a more logical and stable place.
After all… life is supposed to be enjoyable, and so is your job.
POWER THOUGHT: As the singer/songwriter Pitbull says: “Scared money don’t make money”. And boy is he right about that.
by Beth | Aug 21, 2024 | Lifestyle
For the first 2 weeks of August, I went on vacation on the beautiful Anna Maria Island in Florida. As an entrepreneur, it is always a struggle to take a real vacation. I worry that I am going to miss out on a big deal. I worry that my current clients will be upset. I worry that my colleagues won’t support my being away. I am certain that I am not alone in my worries.
But the benefits of vacation are now proven by science. According to this article, vacations are good for your heart. People who vacationed every year were 30% less likely to die of heart disease. https://www.goodrx.com/health-topic/mental-health/benefits-of-travel-vacation-good-health We sleep more and move more. Remember when we used to prioritize not sleeping and how harmful that was? Well, now vacation is getting the same bad rap, when in essence it is vital for our health.
So, this year, I decided to take a REAL vacation. I made it my mission to totally unplug and work on my tan. The first week, I didn’t do so hot. I had some meetings scheduled on that first Monday. Due to Hurricane Debby, I didn’t have internet and had to re-schedule them to Wednesday. I didn’t really relax those days, because I was still in work mode. But after that Wednesday, I closed my laptop and didn’t open it again until the Sunday night before work on Monday. Not bad!
How did I do it you ask? Here are some tips:
1) Insert a disclaimer: Eight weeks before my vacation, I put a disclaimer on my email signature line. In case I forgot to tell someone or if I was nervous to tell someone, it was on my signature.
2) Email coverage: I had my assistant cover my email. To be fully transparent, I also kept an eye on it on my phone, but I relied on others to alert me to things that needed my attention… which happened exactly ZERO times.
3) Adjust your mindset: Get it in my head that people can go 2 weeks without talking to me. Seriously. I am important, but not THAT important.
4) Set a vacation goal: Mine was to get the killer-est tan of all. And did I succeed? You bet your sweet sunscreen I did!
POWER THOUGHT: Take a vacation. It’s good for your heart, mind and soul…. And you get a killer tan!
by Beth | May 22, 2024 | Lifestyle
In February, my beloved friends, Shelly and Jeff, came to visit me for the weekend. We had a BALL! We drove to the mountains one day, ate at my favorite restaurants, hung out and got caught up. It was a lovely, lovely weekend.
While we were making dinner one night, I dropped a jar of salsa. It spilled everywhere, shattering glass and tomato chunks all over the floor. I dutifully cleaned it up.
A few weeks later, I dropped a piece of lettuce on the floor, and I noticed that some chunks of salsa were stuck to the side of the refrigerator, but I was in a hurry and didn’t do anything about it. And, I continued to not do anything about it… for 3 months.
Sigh.
Every time I walked into my kitchen or sat at my dining room table, I would euphemistically slap my forehead and say, “Oh yeah! I need to clean that!”. Then, I was off doing the next thing.
I am horrified to report that last week (May 15th) I cleaned the dried salsa off my refrigerator. It took less than 5 seconds.
We all have that running to-do list that includes things like cleaning the salsa, and it can eat away at you if you aren’t careful. I saw this video that said to do ONE more thing each day before you knock off work. Just one. Food for thought!
And, I feel so much better about my clean fridge that I am using it for blog material. 😊
POWER THOUGHT: Clean the salsa. Then you have time to LEARN the salsa.
by Beth | Jun 14, 2023 | Lifestyle
My daughter, Katy, was in a wedding last weekend in Philadelphia. She was a stunning bridesmaid, and as she walked down the aisle, I boo-hooed like a baby! The couple said their lovely “I do’s”, the weather was perfect, the flowers lovely, and we set off confetti bombs as they walked back up the aisle. For that moment, life was just perfect.
I almost didn’t go.
I told myself that I couldn’t take the time off, because of blah, blah, and more blah. I said that I could take a longer vacation later. I pontificated that I needed to get my book manuscript finished. I tried to even bribe myself that if I waited, I could take a beach vacation somewhere exotic.
But several weeks before the wedding, the bride told Katy, “I can’t wait to walk down the aisle, look out into the crowd, and see your mom’s curls.”
So, of course I went, and looking back, I am SO glad that I didn’t miss that moment!
Also every year, I worry about leaving on vacation. I worry that my clients will be mad that I am gone. I worry that something big is going to happen while I am not there. I worry that putting off the recruiting process will drag out longer than I want it to… worry, worry and more worry.
Here is the truth: none of those worries ever come to fruition. As a matter of fact, the opposite is usually true. My clients are able to get more work done, because I am not there. They are relieved that they get to take a break, and typically, the hiring process goes faster upon my return.
In addition, I am happier and more relaxed, and I have time to think about the hiring process from the 30,000 foot view, not just from the ground level.
Vacations have always been important: whether you go somewhere exotic or have a “stay-cation” and spend the week at the pool working on your tan lines. But especially this year, vacation is more important than EVER.
Not only are people burnt out, a huge amount of people are leaving their jobs. If you want to keep your best employees, my advice is always to let them go on vacation. And when they are gone, make sure that you are covering their work so that they can completely unplug.
We know that innovation comes from experiences outside the office. So, if you are worried that no work will get done, some of the BEST work happens when you and your team unplug.
When we return, we all have killer tans, and you get solutions to big problems.
And the bride got to see my curls as she walked down the aisle. Sniff!
by Beth | Jul 13, 2022 | Lifestyle
My daughter Katy has 3 high school friends that I take on vacation every year. I absolutely love going on vacation with them, and this year, we went to Key West Florida to dig through the sand for seashells.
Also every year, I worry about leaving on vacation. I worry that my clients will be mad that I am gone. I worry that something big is gong to happen while I am not there. I worry that putting off the recruiting process will drag out longer than I want it to… worry, worry and more worry.
Here is the truth: none of those worries ever come to fruition. As a matter of fact, the opposite is usually true. My clients are able to get more work done, because I am not there. They are relieved that they get to take a break, and typically, the hiring process goes faster upon my return.
In addition, I am happier and more relaxed, and I have time to think about the hiring process from the 30,000 foot view, not just from the ground level.
Vacations have always been important: whether you go somewhere exotic or have a “stay-cation” and spend the week at the pool working on your tan lines. But especially this year, vacation is more important than EVER.
Not only are people burnt out, a huge amount of people are leaving their jobs. If you want to keep your best employees, my advice is always to let them go on vacation. And when they are gone, make sure that you are covering their work so that they can completely unplug.
We know that innovation comes from experiences outside the office. So, if you are worried that no work will get done, some of the BEST work happens when you and your team unplug.
When we return, we all have killer tans, and you get solutions to big problems.
Win/win.
by Beth | Apr 28, 2021 | Employee Retention, Lifestyle
Last week, I Interviewed a woman for a Senior level position, and immediately her child began to scream. Obviously flustered, the woman apologized profusely and said something to me that I will never forget:
She said, “You know, I don’t know how people do this. I can’t even ask my neighbor to come watch my child for 15 minutes while I have an interview. As matter of fact, I can’t even ask my own mother to come over to spend time with her grandchild!”
Then I asked her how she managed her childcare versus working at her current position, and she said, “Luckily, I have a very flexible boss who lets me work the hours that I need to in order to get the job done. I work from 8 PM to 2 AM and then when my child takes a nap.”
Wow.
Even as a parent, I don’t think the full impact of how hard it is to have small children and a job in the middle of a pandemic with absolutely ZERO childcare help until I spoke to this candidate. 4.3 million parents may have to leave the workforce due to the pandemic, according to this article:
If you have great employees who are parents, I strongly encourage you to reach out to them often. Ask them how things are going, then ask them how you can help. We know that employees who feel seen, heard and valued, stay at jobs longer, and my hunch is these people need to feel this now more than ever.
The bottom line:
turnover hurts the bottom line. If your employee is a good one, reaching out is the best way to keep them afloat. You need them as your employee, they need you as their employer, and it is also the right thing to do as a human being.
