It takes time…

We live in an ever increasingly instant gratification society, over the last decade we have had an exponential amount of loans, credit cards, by now pay later and other such financial carrots dangled at us as part of the “you can have it now” ethos that has taken over our world. Recently we have seen that this mentality has come crashing down around our shoulders and is fashionably referred to as the “Credit Crunch”.

When I was a child, it took time, hard work, effort and patience to make a house a home and fill it with the mod cons most home buyers expect today as standard. It took grit to afford to go on holiday and come back without owing a penny. Business took time to bed in and build so that it could be profitable and appreciated by it’s customers and suppliers instead of the set it up overnight and make a million in a philosophy that often privales in the modern board room.

What I have learnt in recent years goes against the modern norm… it takes time. It’s taken time for David and I to build Milestone and we know that it will take much more for it to be the sustainable business we want it to be. It’s taken time for us to appreciate that it “little by little” is far more powerful than “all in one go”. It takes time to build a positive reputation and it builds time for others to recognise it.

I sat proudly observing my husband today as he beamed because he was featured in “The Voice” Newspaper as one of the movers and shakers to watch in 2009. He has worked tirelessly with young people to raise their confidence and attainment levels and has networked constantly at the sacrifice of family time to build contacts who could help him gain access to the more lucrative corporate work that buoys up the work he does in education.  To see him featured was a real priviledge but not something that has come over night, it has taken time and it will take more to really get where we want to go.

There is a phrase in the bible that says “Let patience have her perfect work” and every day I am learning that this is exactly what I need to do. That with patience, endeavour and a giving spirit over time all things are possible.

So go ahead… take your time.

What is it with women and shopping?

I’m really having to think about this question right now… what is it with women and shopping? It’s a rhetorical question that I am having to pose at myself right now as I find shopping just a little bit too irresistible. There’s nothing like a good bargain or purchasing something that truly fits you and is absolutely delicious like a great pair of shoes. It doesn’t quite matter that you have nothing at all to match with them, its just that they look great and more so they look great on you!!

Whether it’s for the children, my husband or shopping is a pleasure. I suppose it’s that sense of escapism, that you can feel strolling around the a worthwhile shopping centre. Sometimes for me its the sense of peace, time without the children constantly asking for my attention, time without my husband needing my assistance in some form or the other, away from the computer and even the phone, with out the duties of work, the house and even sometimes friendship.

I enjoy shopping alone, with maybe a stop off at the coffee shop to sit, enjoy and people watch, happy and comfortable with me…. and of course my purchases!!! LOL I think that shopping allows us to feel the power of our money, the satisfaction of being in the priviledged position of being able to purchase and the feeling that we can bring a smile to our loves ones faces when we bestow gifts upon them. Hmmm

It’s not just offline it’s online as well, with a wide range of online stores to choose from, the ever present and open, ebay or amazon we are completely spoilt for choice as to where we can purchase the delights of our hearts.

The Daily Mail reported just over a year ago that a survey that was completed with 3000 by GE Money discovered the average woman will shop for an astonishing 25,184 hours and 53 minutes (more than 8 years) over a period of 63 years. Wow we surely can shop!!

There can be downsides of course, such as over spending or using credit to purchase what we can’t afford. But if the bills are paid, the savings are in place and you have a sense of discipline it can be a wonderful experience. So Shop On!!

Northern Rock and the Knee Jerks

I know that I don’t have lots of money in a Northern Rock bank account by come on now… How knee jerk can you get?

A bank that is not in trouble decides, that the markets it usually trades with to raise funds is too volatile to use. So to protect itself it asks the Bank of England to give it an overdraft just in case.

The bank doesn’t use the overdraft and it’s business as usual

The media hypes the whole thing up

The Knee Jerks go and take there money out of the bank

The bank has never touched customers savings to loan money and therefore the savings are all in the bank

The Bank of England declares itself guarantor for the bank

The goverment of the UK declares itself guarantor for the bank.

The Knee Jerks queue for hours to take their money out of the bank

The Knee Jerks flood the website to take their money out of the bank and can’t understand why the website doesn’t work.

The website of the bank not build for mass hysteria can’t cope with the traffic and so doesn’t work properly.

What a palarva… somebody save us from the Knee Jerks

Get Serious in Business

I read a great book this morning, yep the whole thing this morning, GrowingYour Business! by Mark LeBlanc and it really made me think.
We often have a business idea and have some loose idea of how we are going to make it work and then we get cracking. We get a few customers and think that we have made it, but can’t understand why we can’t pay the bills and our business is so inconsistent. The truth is we didn’t plan, not seriously anyway. I truly believe that this is one of the main reasons why businesses fail. They have no idea where they are going or how they are going to get there. They get it their car and just drive, wondering how it happened when they get lost.

When we are without a framework; what we do, how we do it, who we do it for, how much we plan on making, what we want to achieve over determined periods of time, we find that success escapes us.

If we are only focused on paying this months bills, we then don’t prospect enough for future business and find ourselves in a constant rut, next thing we know we are closing down our business and looking for a full time job. Mark LeBlanc says “You can run your business, make money and have fun doing it!”. It’s true, but you have to work on your business within your framework.

Think about it, how often has a business opportunity come your way that was not aligned with your current business but you took it because it seemed like a good idea and gave you money? Later down the road you found yourself miserable and stressed because you were so far off your road and confused about which way to go. When you set a framework that is based on your goals, your business offering and business needs you are far more able to fit others into your business or not. If it doesn’t fall into your business model don’t do it. Stay on your path. This doesn’t mean that your framework is inflexible, it means that any changes honour you and your business goals.

Get serious about your business, if you don’t have a business plan then write one, know what you offer and who you offer it to, be confident about what you do. Market your business consistently, consistent effective marketing means consistent business. Follow your framework and don’t be wooed by opportunities that are not aligned with your business. Keep it silly simple KISS, the easier it is for others to understand your business the easier it is for potential clients to buy you.

Get Serious in Business…work on it!

Go get it!!

I had a fab weekend, I spent most of it with just my hubby, we went away for the day on Saturday and gained lots of confidence, energy and confirmation that we have all it takes to really get our businesses and lives off the ground. We have been in a rut for few years now, but it has been a great learning curve and we have gained much wealth in our relationship, our family and in who we are as people. It’s now time for the financial wealth, K-ching really strikes a cord right now. We’ve been given the tools “how” we now just need to take massive action

So today I say whatever it is you want to achieve right now take some massive action now and go get it!!

I must say I am happy, I am blessed and I’m going for it!!