Amazon Affiliate Program: Are You Leaving Money on The Table?

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A couple of months ago I heard about the Amazon Affiliate Program. I’m familiar with similar programs from back when I ran a CrossFit Gym and received monthly checks from protein powder sales (man, those days are gone). Essentially for every person who clicks a link through and purchases from the site, you receive a commission from a percentage of the sales. Also known as passive income from affiliate site referral.

If you’re wanting passive income, I wouldn’t expect to get rich from it. It takes effort in messaging, promotion and positioning to call people to purchase from your site. If they go direct, guess what, you don’t make the commission.

Back to Amazon. I was super interested as it seems like everyone has Prime and shops on the site pretty often from electronics to paper towels. So there was already an interest and comfort with the site.

I clicked on the “Become an Affiliate” link at the bottom of www.amazon.com and hit the “Join” button. The process was relatively easy. The ask about your website traffic and industry. The one catch is you must have a purchase from your link within 180 days to be an approved affiliate partner and purchases made by your account do not count.

On my site I’m referring inspirational books and equipment for DIY podcasting, video, and photography since that’s what most of my clients ask about.

There are awesome ways to shorten the code to include in emails without making it look like spam and you can just include an image without all of the Amazon branding and “Buy Me Now” feelings.

To date I have made a whopping… wait for it…. $13! And yes I’m super excited about it.

 

Feel free to check it out and let me know if you have any questions on how to best implement it.

Buzzwords, Phrases and Other Red Flags to Watch Out for in a Future Employer

This week I participate in Surge from Association Success. It was a virtual summit of association industry professionals who came together to address emerging issues. I was honored to sit on a panel with two of my peers and friends as we discussed the topic of creating change without holding a title of power.

As the sessions were pre-recorded, speakers were able to actively engage listeners in a chat feature. It was a lively conversation and one attendee asked me to address this topic in a blog:

“What are the questions we should ask, buzzwords we should look for to see if an employer is a good fit?”

Before we get started in that list, it starts with the jobseeker. Before you apply, have a call with HR or sit down for an in-person interview, you need to get honest with yourself. Chances are you’ve had a lot of baggage from past situations that you may be carrying around with you.

This is your opportunity to repack your bag to your next destination.

 

Step 1: Make a List of Everything You Hated in Your Last Position

Step 2: Next to Each Item, Write the Positive or Opposite Form without Using the Words “No” “Not” or “Never”

Step 3: What Residual Emotional Baggage Are You Holding on to from Your Last Position? What Do You Need to Release It?

 

Another suggestion would be to do a Value Exercise to indicate which values are in alignment or out of alignment with your last positions. (Contact Me If You’re Interested)

 

Now to the Buzzwords…

Keep in mind that words alone will not give you the full picture, so it’s imperative that you do more homework and investigating.

Here are some words I see overused in job descriptions that usually indicate fluff:

1)      Open

2)      Collaborative

3)      Collegiate

4)      Dynamic

5)      Flexible

As in ABC Association fosters an open, collaborative, collegiate and dynamic organization and has flexible programs for its employees. Without specifics, these are bold claims. If your point of contact avoids or generalizes their response, this is a solid indicator that things may not be what they appear.

 

Your next step is to check www.Glassdoor.com. If you’ve never heard of it, Glassdoor is a website and app that hosts millions of company reviews, CEO approval ratings, salary reports, interview reviews and questions, benefits reviews, office photos and more. Unlike other jobs sites, all of this information is entirely shared by those who know a company best — the employees.

Imagine Yelp for Employees. Keep in mind that along with employee reviews, a lot of organizations have put HR in charge of adding positive reviews to counter the not-so-nice reviews.

If you see a common theme appear within the last two months, ask about it. If something doesn’t feel right, trust your gut.

 

There are plenty of jobs out there and once you realize what you want and deserve, you will accept an offer in an organization that is in line with your talents, experience and values.

 

 

9 Ways Make Money Now

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1)      Stop Scrolling on Facebook – Unless you’re messaging people about your business, you’re in time out until you start making money

2)      Name 5 People You’ve Been Meaning To Reach Out To – Pick up the phone, call or email them about a win/win opportunity. If it’s a former client, ask them where they are in the progress and where they need assistance and support. If it’s not for you, refer to another likeminded business. The referral wave is best when initiated.

3)      Follow Up – If you haven’t heard from someone in over a week, follow up with a call or an email.

4)      Create an Interesting Package – You now have a reason to get in touch with someone for your new and exclusive offer. If they aren’t interested, ask what it would take to be appealing or who it might be a good fit for.

5)      Affiliate – I just wrote a post about Amazon Affiliate programs. Reach out to other businesses and see if they have a referral or affiliate program you can promote on your site and to your list.

6)      Get Over Yourself – If you need to make money, your ego needs to take a back seat. Even if you need to walk dogs, run errands or wait tables as you build your business, when you can take care of your basic needs, your grip will open up and so will your opportunities.

7)      Think About Your Ideal Customer – What problem do they need a solution for and what would they be willing to pay for? Is it a Webinar, an e-book, an in-person event or session with you? Build the solution and promote it out.

8)      Ask for Help – Reach out to your network and see if they know of any opportunities. Assuming your ego is on vacation, you won’t say no to something that you perceive as “beneath you.” Get out there and get moving and generate that abundance!

9)      Shift Your Mindset – Envision yourself in an abundant mindset. How are things different? How do you feel? Now bottle feeling up and take a swig of it anytime your inner critic starts chiming in.

How Has Your Self-Perception Changed Over the Years?

Answer these questions as soon as they pop into your head with one word or phrase. For any age bracket you are currently in or have yet to enter, change “was” to “am.”

 

When I was a baby, I was_______________________________.

When I was a toddler, I was _____________________________.

When I was a child, I was _______________________________.

When I was a pre-teen, I was____________________________.

When I was a teenager, I was ____________________________.

When I was in my early 20s, I was ________________________.

When I was in my late 20s, I was __________________________.

When I was in my 30s, I was _____________________________.

When I was in my 40s, I was _____________________________.

When I was in my 50s, I was _____________________________.

In my 60s and beyond, I am _____________________________.

On my last day on this planet, my legacy is:

 

Feel free to share you entries with me by email lauren@laurenlemunyan.com and I’ll send you mine.

Oh Shit! Overload

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In the last two months, I have taken on a lot. I convinced myself that staying busy was the best solution for beating my lethargic tendencies and feeling lazy around my business. Right after Labor Day, I started the 30-Day Blog Challenge and was immediately boosted by the creative charge it sparked inside. I was writing multiple blogs a day, creating artwork, and brimming over with ideas.

The first two weeks felt like a breeze, even with a 4-day intensive certification program for the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator program. I felt powerful and unstoppable. I started dabbling with video again and reorganized my website to reflect my new found confidence in working with creative business owners.

Clients signed up and I got even busier. This is awesome. Busy=Profit=Happiness.

So after the 30-Day Blog Challenge was ending, I decided to extend it to 100 days. More is better, right?

I decided to design and produce custom positivity-inspired journals: Awesome Shit List Journals.

I met with a friend to talk about outreach and we decided to create a pilot event for Emerging C-Suite Leaders. No problem, I thought, I’ve got time. We scheduled the event for November 8th.

Around day 50 of the Blog Challenge, I met with a friend about doing a podcast and added another tough deadline on myself: Have 10 episodes ready to launch by November 20th.

I started shooting more video and agreed to host a show for association professionals on YouTube for launch in November.

I have interviewed four guests, learned the ins and outs of podcasting, edited and produced my own shows, created the artwork and have six interviews scheduled.

I’ve been doing all of these projects while working with my clients.

See where I’m going?

More=Even More =Oh Shit! Overload

Today I’m on day #64 of the Blog Challenge and I could quit. I could say no to everything, but I don’t think that I’ll learn my lesson.

I’m doing what most business owners and emerging leaders do. They take on more in hopes that it will progress their business and their career. They spread themselves to thin until stress, illness or an internal wake-up call smacks them in the face.

I’ve been ignoring my oncoming burnout for weeks. My boyfriend warned me about it, knowing my past patterns and habits. I didn’t want to listen. I didn’t want him to be right and for me to have to change gears.

I’ve been doing everything I coach around not doing.  Wake up call.

So what am I doing differently now that I know what not to do?

Building a plan. By understanding my goals and objectives, I can better construct my day and week to work on projects in their appropriate time.

Sticking to the plan. No more squirrel diversions.

Asking for help. I’m here to admit that I suck at technology and refuse to ask for help. I keep trying to MacGyver my way through recording and lighting. The ironic piece is I have at least three friends who have offered to help who are in TV and Radio and do this for a living. Yes, it’s dumb. So if you’re out there listening friends, help please!

Moving after each project. Rather than going go back-to-back with sessions, my goal is to go for a short walk in between. I’ve had days where I don’t get up unless Rico barks at me to go out.

No new projects unless they’re a part of my goals. I’ve been agreeing to do a lot of free or low profit projects. One could argue it’s part of the process in building a brand, but let’s be real, I have bills to pay.

Mandatory rest days. No more waiting until my energy is zapped. One day a week is dedicated to rest, reflection and fun.

 

When I show up as my best self, my clients are better served and so is my bank account.

 

Where are you feeling overloaded? What can you put into practice to find more structure and support?

 

Is the Should Monster Sitting on Your Shoulder?

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With the Holiday Season right around the corner, you may be feeling pulled in a number of directions. You’ve got your job, your family, your friends and your extended family, not to mention the events and shopping and eating. Thinking about it is enough to make you dizzy and stressed.

If you’re like a lot of my clients before they came on board, you may be dealing with a Should Monster on your shoulder. A friend of mine said his resembled the Cookie Monster, but instead of chomping on cookies, he was eating up his time. 

The Should Monster is an elusive creature. It plays the role of time keeper and task master, but under the surface it does everything to stop you from doing what you need to do. Say you decided to sit down and work on an important project. You fire up your computer and are ready to go and then The Should Monster Appears.

“Shouldn’t you be checking Facebook or doing laundry? You know you should really call your mother. Shouldn’t you pay that bill. Shouldn’t you check your email. Shouldn’t you go to your friend’s event.”

Before you know it, your energy is sucked up and so is your time – it’s 30 minutes later.

You may get frustrated and discouraged and give into The Should Monster’s requests. Ultimately that project that was so important to you is now a distant memory. You bank this experience into the “I can never get things done” or “I’m a procrastinator” or “I’m lazy” message bank for you to judge and blame yourself next time.

 

So what do you do with a Should Monster on your shoulder?

1)      Start with Your Values – What’s important to you and why? This is the first step in my coaching process. By understanding the core values, we have a foundation to make decision based on what’s important to us.

2)      Write Down Your Priorities – Next to each item write down the value it associates to. By giving the task an assigned value, it increases the worth and priority of getting it done.

3)      Acknowledge the Should Monster – “Hey buddy I know you want to distract me because I’m doing some big stuff and that scares you. How about I write down what you want me to do and get back to you?”

4)      Say No. Saying “No” to some things means saying “Yes” to you and your values. If something isn’t in alignment, it’s more than okay to let it go.

 

I’d love to hear about your Should Monster experiences and how you interact with it over the Holidays. Feel free to post about it in the comments below or send me an email about it. If you’d like to dig into your Foundation Values, feel free to book an intensive session.

Have questions, feel free to book a complimentary consultation.

 

Should I Stay or Should I Go: The 4-Phase Model to Address Toxic Situations

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I was an association executive. I started right out of college and within six months I became an executive director. I was in over my head, but worked 10-14 hour days to cover my lack of knowledge. I didn’t sleep and when I did it was from exhaustion after a complete emotional breakdown. I drank 5-6 nights a week. My digestive system was a mess.

“I just need to get through this dues renewal cycle.” “In a couple of months, the event will be over and then I’ll get sleep.”

This was my life for eleven years and became my normal. I thought this was how life was supposed to be – work hard, play hard, sleep when you have to. I tacked on a marriage, a house and a fitness business and my days started at 5am and ended at 11pm.

“The business just needs to be profitable.” “It’ll be better when I get promoted.”

The business became profitable and I was on track to be promoted, but it didn’t get better. I was done and in a way I knew I couldn’t come back from. I asked for help and hired a coach. Within the year I was divorced, my house was sold, my business was transferred, I moved back to Washington, DC and I walked away from my career.

You may be thinking I’m crazy or brave or a little bit of both. But what if I told you, I woke up and saw the truth behind burnout. Here are the lessons learned and a snapshot of the phases I experienced.

Situation – I no longer found my work to be rewarding. Each event was faced with the same challenges and expectations – revenue, attendance, expectations, room pick up. What I loved was creating new projects and events, creating efficiencies and motivating others. My environment did not foster those opportunities. My values and goals were in daily conflict of my situation both personally and professionally. I knew I had to make a change.

Once I realized my situation I moved onto the first phase of the The Clash Stay/Go Model (Should I Stay or Should I Go).

Phase I: Stay Hope and Cope

 

In this phase you rationalize the situation. You may think you can suck it up. What’s one more event? You make a good living. This isn’t so bad. You’ve been here for this long, what’s another year?

You can make it work on a temporary basis, but those feelings come creeping back in and then you move into Phase II.

Phase II: I Got a New Attitude

 

In this phase, you acknowledge your role in the problem. You haven’t been the easiest person to work with, so you move the blame and responsibility into your corner. You ask for help. Sometimes you get it and things are great, but when you don’t get what you need, Phase III comes steaming at you head on.

Phase III: Get the Hell Out of Dodge

 

You don’t care what anyone says, you have to leave. You may take off for a month or you may quit on the spot. Your baggage goes with you and the bridges are ablaze around you. In this phase, you get immediate relief, but you may end up in a worse situation or without a job. Why? Because you’re still you as a victim of the situation. They did this to you and you had no other choice. You may regret how you did it, but not that you did it, which leads us to Phase IV.

Phase IV: Reflect, Reconcile, Reach Out, and Rebuild

 

Yes, this is a lot in one phase, but it’s meant to make you think about your decision and its impact on every aspect of your life. What do you need to learn to step into a better situation? How can you maintain your boundaries? How can you practice better self-care or ask for help when you need it?

I have experienced every phase and each one is uncomfortable. Every decision you make or don’t make is a choice. Once I realized my power of choice, I was able to build a plan with the help of a coach and transition into my new career and value-centric life.

Full disclosure, I don’t have kids or large financial obligations so I was able to make bold and quick changes. This is not a recommendation to uproot your life, but burnout is not an isolated condition.

Once you can realize the full impacts and options, you are back in the driver seat of your life, which is the first step to relieving burnout.

Reclaiming My Brand: The SpitFire Coach

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Two years ago I awoke from a meditation with an intense amount of clarity about my coaching brand – The SpitFire Coach. Everything felt right about it from the imagery to the powerful message. I wanted to help clients find their inner passion and fire and learn how to effectively express it to the world.

The tagline came quickly soon after – Uncovering Your Truth and Fire One Conversation at a Time.

Then came the logo – A blue and orange figure filled with confidence, freedom and fun.

I set up the website and started creating content and felt that I was on my way.

Then I had two critical conversations – critical in the direction and critical about the name.  “It’s too aggressive.” “What if someone has been impacted by a fire?” “I don’t think you’d be able to work in corporate with that name.” “It feels to sweat lodge/fire walker.”

I was in a place in my business where I wasn't bringing in the number of clients that I could say that it was working, but I also hadn't given it enough time. I was unsure and allowed those words to impact me.

Then I did what I never thought I would do. I abandoned the brand and convinced myself that I needed to more general, accessible and corporate friendly. I created Lauren LeMunyan Coaching, LLC to become all things to all people. As a result, I felt my message get watered down and less potent for who I wanted to work with. I love my logo and my website now and think it works for the business coaching world.

But, what I’ve found in coaching business owners and emerging leaders, is they all want to find their fire and feel confident expressing it in business development, message creation, and discovering new opportunities.

In the process of uncovering their values, mission, purpose, and goals in marketing, website, social media, etc, I’ve observed the same pattern emerge. When my clients know who they are and trust their intuition and gut, nothing gets in their way. They make clear cut decisions, can see big picture vision, attract in new business and opportunities, say no to relationships and situations that don’t work for them, and so much more. When they get to their core fire, they start spitting out ideas and can’t be stopped.

Essentially through coaching, they embraced their inner SpitFire.

I just recently connected the dots after being challenged to create a podcast. I needed a name and then of course it hit me – The SpitFire Podcast. Where people can talk about their process and journey to their passion and the challenges they face along the way.

I want to leverage this system to help individuals and groups tap into their internal power and own the space they want. I want people to live without fear or judgment and put themselves out there as their true SpitFire self.

So this is my proclamation. The SpitFire Coach is back and more fired up than ever!

Feeling Insecure About Self-Promotion? Get Yourself a Hype (Wo)Man

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It may be hard to believe, but selling my events, products and services can sometimes be unnerving. I am confident in what I do, but the ask and selling points can get muddied by internal judgment and fear of rejection.

If this is the case for you, I may have a promotion hack for you.

A Hype (Wo)Man

On two separate occasions this week I had two different friends step up in this space.

First, my friend Stephanie, who is an amazing connector and supporter of women pursuing their passion. A few weeks ago I reached out to her for input on a new event I wanted to test out. She immediately jumped in and offered to send inclusive and exclusive invitations on my behalf. The event is next week and sold out yesterday with amazing women in attendance!

Second is my friend LJ Samuel, who is a Criminologist by day, and violence deterrence educator. We met to talk about what we were up to. She is now writing her second book. (Her first is Dear Diary you should read it).  I showed her my new Awesome Shit List Journal in her favorite color, purple. After chatting about strategy and brainstorming ideas, we dipped into the new bookstore in our neighborhood. After a brief browse, she suggested the journal for the store. That little boost gave me the confidence to ask and to my surprise I got an email for the buyer.

What Makes the Hype So Effective?

When other people vouch for you, it creates a line of trust with an endorsement. Their stamp of approval to their circle or even a brief mention, opens people out of thinking their being sold to. In my situation, it made me get out of my head and internal dialog. If others believed in me, I better believe in me too.

How Can You Get a Hyper (Wo)Man?

Start observing your circle. Is there a person or two who sings your praises or loves to promote people? Tap them and ask for help. Trust me, they love to feel needed and want to contribute to your success. Chances are you may be one of these people who already do it for other people.

Guess what? It’s your turn now to ask for help.

If you don’t have natural hypers around you, I would suggest joining a meet up group with similar interests and connecting with new social groups. You may be in a stuck social circle who is a little fear based.

If you are an artist, musician, or solo act, a manager may be really effective to speak on your behalf.

Whatever it is that you want to do, it’s time to stop playing small and start stretch your horizons and potential!

#Reboot #Restore

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This week has been challenging. Not in an emotional way, but technically. I’ve been learning new skills in video, podcasts, web design, digital marketing and branding. Some has been easy, but most has been taxing on my energy and creativity.

In addition to coaching 9 clients, I’m also writing this blog, working on a podcast and new website, developing content for a YouTube show, promoting my Awesome Shit List Journals, and managing my life and supporting my loved ones in their endeavors.

Last night technology and me crashed. It started with my new WordPress site. The embedded code wouldn’t hold (aka look pretty). I read article after article and watched countless YouTube Videos, but they kept saying the same thing.

I walked away and recorded and awesome podcast - this time using an external mic on my phone and USB mic on my computer. I saved both.

I took a break to help my boyfriend out and drive his car off a pier (seriously, but in another direction). That’s when my phone decided it wanted to join the technology revolt. The screen froze and Siri decided to tell me everything she saw on my screen. I couldn’t reboot or turn off the phone. I thought “Maybe she just need a nap.” So I spent the next four hours draining down the battery

During this time, I worked with a Happiness Engineer (yes that’s a real title!) at WordPress and pinpointed the issue. After an account upgrade, I was on my way.

I thought my luck was turning around and then my phone decided to have a full on tantrum. After powering down and restarting, I got completely locked out and my phone became disabled.

I read another blog that indicated I needed to fully restore the phone. Panic filled my veins. “I’m going to lose everything.” I’m that person who hasn’t backed up her phone to the cloud in 142 days. Feel free to say I told you so.

After accepting my new cleared out existence, I downloaded iTunes and after a 75-minute install process, I plugged the phone in. Well because I couldn’t unlock the phone, I couldn’t sync and restore the phone.

This is the point the tears started. The mountain of stress and frustration came pouring out from the week. My dog sensed it and tried to comfort me, but I resigned myself to be a puddle of pity on my floor.

After 7.3 minutes, I was back in resolution mode and I looked up Apple Support. I sent tweets, direct messages and then found the live chat option. Marvin was super helpful until my chat window crashed. I logged back on after another two hours I was making progress. (Turns out on the iPhone 7 the right side button and volume down button are your friends).

I let the phone do its thing and messaged my boyfriend from Facebook messenger letting him know we were going back to 1992 communication. His car was in my garage and I needed to get it back to the pier. No sweat... except at 10:15 at the newly opened Wharf everyone and their mom was out on the street making it impossible for me to turn down the necessary street. I asked a policeman directing traffic and he said absolutely not and that’s when I lost my shit.

Tears flooded out and my body shook. I had no plan b, no phone. What do I do now. With tears still flowing out, I merged back into traffic and circled around 10 city blocks. I wished for a parking spot on the street, but that was unlikely, so my only next best option was the $35 garage.

I pulled down and pleaded with the attendant. He tried to help but his hands were tied and without a walkie talkie we were stuck. He offered me his phone, but because we’re all used to auto saved data, I didn’t remember his number.

I parked the car and took the elevator up where I ran into an old neighbor. “Are you ok?” She asked after a brief hug. “Not right now, but I hope to be soon.”

I took off to the street I was supposed to be on for the equipment pick up. After a 3 minute jog I saw him and lost it again. I replayed my night in between sobs. (Yes this is a total first world problem meltdown).

Then the hero of the story arrived Diane Groomes, Assistant DC Police Chief and Director of Wharf Security. As soon as I saw her, all of my stress from the night lifted. She walked us to the car in the garage and escorted us through crowds of people as we drove on the pier. She just has that silent confidence that lets everyone know she’s got it taken care of. Compared to my I-Just-Lost-My-Shit appearance, I couldn’t help but laugh at the contrast.

After packing up and driving off, my night continued to improve with a treat of a half price sushi and a Tito's and soda at The Hamilton and a fully rebooted and restored phone at home.

 

So if you’ve read this far, let’s keep going. Here are the lessons I learned:

  1. Technology like humans isn’t perfect. When it works it’s awesome, but when there’s a glitch it can create so stress.
  2. Back up your data.
  3. Do your research before self diagnosing. If I had read the blogs about my phone before powering it down, I could’ve saved 3 hours and an emotional meltdown (maybe)
  4. Ask for help. Apple Support and the Happiness Engineer at Word Press solved my issues in a fraction of the time it took to search and read.
  5. If it’s not working, take a break. When you’re stressed, you’re options get even more limited.
  6. Be kind. I’m happy to say I didn’t yell at anyone last night. Although most couldn’t help me, they were compassionate and understood my situation.
  7. Two copies are better than one. I ended up losing the voice recording after restoring my phone, but I do have the computer recording.

 

Lessons learned!

How To Craft an Impactful Tagline in 10 Minutes or Less

I see so many business owners stuck when it comes to their tagline. “It has to be just right.” “It must be the perfect compilation of words to express my essence.”

Last week I met with a prospective client, who couldn’t move forward on her business because she couldn’t select a name. If this sounds like you, I have a new trick for you to try out. She was turning money down because she was too indecisive on her business name.

I wanted to share with you a tactic I used with her that will hopefully help some of you. This can be used for your tagline, marketing copy, and CVP (Customer Value Proposition). You can also use it if you need to make quick and clear decisions in any aspect of your life.

1)      Find a quiet space that makes you feel come and centered. Bring a notepad and pen. If you have a noisy house, this may be your car or even your closet (seriously, I’ve done it before).

2)      Take a few deep breaths allowing the pressure of your decision and life to roll off your back. Keep breathing until you feel tension release.

3)      Set your phone to DND (Do Not Disturb)

4)      Set your timer for 5 minutes and hit “Start”.

5)      In those five minutes I want you to envision a regular customer of yours is bragging about your business to a friend. What are they saying? Think about why the customer is bragging, what product or service are they highlighting, what problem is your business solving? Copy down everything you hear and see.

6)      After the 5 minutes is up, circle the words of impact.

7)      Plug it into the following equation options:

(Action) (Customer) to (Solution)

(Solution)

(Action) (Customer)

 

Here is my new tagline: With Permission, Kicking Stuck Businesses Into Awesomeness

This is an example of the first option.

 

If I were using the Solution Option, it would look something like:

Kick Butt Business Results

 

If I were using the Action – Customer Option, it would look like:

Awesome-Evoking Small Business Coaching

 

If you're still feeling stuck, schedule a complimentary consultation with me to see if there are deeper blocks keeping you from tapping into your creative genius.

How to Get Off The Hustle Hamster Wheel

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We live in a culture that rewards action.

Hustle. Grind. Go-Getter. Beast Mode. Hard Core.

The hashtags are all over Instagram as a symbol of being a hard worker. Go-Go-Go. Do-Do-Do. Make it happen. Keep moving. Get ‘er done.

We are well-oiled machines cranking out ideas, making connections, building deals and executing awesomeness.

But, what I’m seeing is the backlash of The Hustle – exhaustion and burnout. The focus gets set on accomplishing goals. “I’ll feel better when I get this done.” “I’ll be able to relax when this event is over.” “Just one more project before I can wrap it up.”

Our goal-accomplishment, or lack there of, is directly tied into our self-worth. “I’m good enough because I worked out.” “I’m worthy of respect because I spent 12 hours in the office.” This then translates into self-judgment, self-criticism and self-hatred when our goals aren’t met. What also happens is the goal chase. It becomes an endorphin high that stress our minds and bodies to achieve the impossible, only to feel the drop off when our expected reward is never as large or long-term as we hoped.

It becomes a Hustle Hamster Wheel.

When I work with clients who are clearly in this cycle, I ask them how much time they spend in silence. They usually look at me like I’m nuts and start shaking their head. “Never.” My first homework assignment for them is to spend 5 minutes in silence a day and capture what came up. There is no music or activity distraction allowed.

The first week is the hardest. Their internal judgment sparks. “You’re wasting time.” “What else could you be doing?” “Where should you be?” “Who do you need to talk to?” The internal to do list mounts.

After the 5 minutes are up, clients capture everything that comes up including how they feel at the end. Each client has reported the challenge of silence, but also the amazing benefits including feeling clear, organized, calm, less stressed, and happier.

Each week I add a minute to their silence time frame.

 

When you can give yourself time, focus, and attention to recharge, you are better positioned to serve those around you more composed, effective, and creatively.

 

Try it out and let me know how it goes!

Trying Something New Again: Pumpkin Carving

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As a kid, I remember carving pumpkins, but the memory wasn’t the nostalgic sense of joy one gets from completing a project. I remember stress and anxiety. My dad would always do the cutting and it was my job to scoop the guts out. I hated that job.

Why couldn’t I carve the pumpkin?

“You’re not strong enough.” “You’ll cut yourself.” “You’ll mess it up.”

At this point in my life I’m not sure if those were internal or external words, but the message remained. I never a carved a pumpkin as an adult because I didn’t think I could. Even after being a CrossFit Coach for two years and lifting more than my body weight over my head, I didn’t think I was strong enough. “It’s too messy, no thanks” was my go to response.

This year was different. I’ve been pushing myself to do things I used to avoid. The activities that made me uncomfortable for fear of failure are now back on the table.

Last night we went to Safeway and picked up a pretty sizeable pumpkin. I scanned the gourd and internally proclaimed “I’m gonna carve that son of a bitch!”

We brought him home and after binging on three episodes of Stranger Things Season 2 I was ready to dive in. I cleared off a space on my kitchen island and broke out the Sharpie. I started sketching when my boyfriend stopped me. “I thought we were going to do this together” he questioned. I paused. “I want to do this one on my own to see if I can do it.” Sensing a need for self-empowerment he nodded and continued with what he was doing.

I sketched out a basic design, but made sure my pumpkin had a friendly expression as shown in his eye brows. I then drew an outline on the top being careful to avoid his curly stem that reminded me of an Elvis bang.

I gripped my bright yellow serrated Cusinart knife and made my first incision. The questions filled my head “can I actually do this?” “I don’t want to go to the ER.” Then I took a deep breath and reminded myself to go slow and no one was winning a speed carving contest.

I took a second and third stab staying on the line at an angle. Before I knew it I made the full loop and was ready to uncover the guts. It worked! I took a deep breath and new I had this bad boy in the bag.

Little did I know before Halloween that my boyfriend loves pumpkin seeds. He actually wanted to carve the pumpkin just to get to the seeds, so he was more than happy to dig out the guts. Watching his excitement inspired me to get a spoon and start helping. Within 5 minutes we were done and on our way to roasting seasoned pumpkin seeds.

I moved on to the face and decided to start with the most complicated part – the mouth. I created two layers of teeth which somehow turned into an overbite making him even cuter. Using a smaller knife, I slowly punctured the orange flesh directly on the line.  Meticulously I repeated this action until the full piece started to jiggle. I did it! I grabbed the mouth piece like it was a trophy and waved it in the air. “You’re really good at this!” my boyfriend said. “Yes I am!” I responded.

I finished the other teeth section, mouth, nose, eyes and eye brows and there he was – “Clarence” my victory!

It took me 25 years, but I’m so glad I pushed myself to do it. I know if I slow down and take deep breaths, I can figure anything out or ask for help to someone who does. I may not have been strong enough as an 7-year-old, but 34-year-old me can do anything!

 

Before Investing a Dime In Your Business: You Need to Answer These 12 Questions

I attended a government run workshop on Women-Owned Businesses (who will remain nameless) and was horrified  when the facilitator jumped into getting financing for your business. I raised my hand and asked, shouldn't we first dig into whether or not we should start a business? She dodged the question by assuming we were all ready to get going and take out a loan.

I've created the below questions not to scare you out of business, but to think thoughtfully about the risk and what's really needed to make your business successful. These are not targeted to any one industry and may seem general, but their purpose is to start a deeper conversation. I'd love to hear your answers and feedback in the comment section.

6 Things That Don’t Matter on Your Resume

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If your resume is feeling a little excessive (aka on more than one page) take a look at the below items and trim it back.

 

Your Apartment Number or Street Address – I recently read a LinkedIn post that putting your exact address leads people to judge you unnecessarily. Recruiters and hiring managers want to know if you are local, but they don’t need to know your apartment number or neighborhood.

Your Email Address You Created at 16Smuffywuffy92@hotmail.com needs to be retired (PS – I apologize if someone actually owns that email). If you don’t have a Gmail account, get one, it’s free. Make sure it’s related to your name. No one needs to know your hobbies based on your email address.

Where and When You Went to High School – Unless your High School diploma is the highest education level reached, keep it off your resume. Even if you’ve only completed a couple of semesters in a Community College or University, only include the information relevant after the age of 18.

When You Graduated – Remove the years you graduated. Why? Hiring managers are trying to figure out how old you are without illegally asking. Don’t let them write your story before you tell them your experience.

That You Were the President of the Drama Club – Unless it’s relevant to what you’re doing or want to do, your extracurricular activities from high school and college are not important on your resume.

How You Collated Documents – Focus on what was awesome about your past jobs and experiences. If you’ve only held administrative positions, you don’t need to have 20 bullet points about your daily tasks. Keep it simple and clear. Recruiters want to know that you’re capable, enthusiastic and professional, so show your best self on that piece of paper.

Instagram Users: Do You Know About Linktr.ee?

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Last week a friend of mine told me about an awesome website to promote multiple links through Instagram. As it currently stands, your profile can only host one hyperlink. If you’re like me you’ve got a blog, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube Channel and website. Which one should I choose? It’s like picking a favorite child!

Now you don’t have to pick! All you have to do is go to www.linktr.ee and connect your Instagram profile. After entering in your specific web links and titles, you’ll get a custom hyperlink for people to find all of the amazing things you’re up to!

You can check mine out at www.linktr.ee/laurenlemunyan

I have a link to my website, Awesome Shit List Journals, YouTube channel and blog. The best part – it’s free! You can pay for a more customized look with their premium service if you so desire.

Happy Linking!

While You Were Sleeping: How to Navigate a Partner with an Opposite Sleep Schedule

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I am an early bird who is dating a night owl. I used to lose sleep over this, but recently I figured out how to make it work.

My boyfriend is a full-time musician which requires a lot of late night shows until 2am with breakdown and commute to follow. He has to be awake and alert while a lot of us are in full REM sleep. Before I met him I was in the corporate world and had a very different schedule that required early rise times.

While I don’t have to wake up before the sun now, I find that the early hours of the day are my most productive and sleeping until 10 or 11am makes me feel like a slug.

What it comes down to are priorities and boundaries.

My Health Comes First – In order to operate at my best I need to get at least seven hours. If that means going to sleep before a movie or show is over, so be it. I used to operate with five and made it about 3 days, before I crashed. I used to think that more time with someone meant that it was better, but it’s the quality of the time that really matters. If I’m cranky or tired, it’s not quality time.

My Clients and Business Come Second – My schedule fluctuates with sessions on a daily basis, so it’s super important that I know what’s coming up. If he’s still sleeping, I’ll work on my phone or grab my laptop and write from bed. Thankfully my dog and boyfriend sleep through the key strokes.

It’s Ok to Say No -  If I’m feeling tired or worn out, it’s okay to stay home. Yes, I have flare ups of FOMO, but those feelings pass after a good night of sleep.

Schedule Snuggle Time – Weekend mornings are best for this when there isn’t anything on the schedule until 6pm. You can totally bank your snuggle time, so stay in bed as long as possible.

Arrive Back to Bed with Coffee – If you’ve been up and working, your partner will appreciate a snack or warm beverage upon wake up. (That sounds so 1950s, but it’s true). Even if you’re on your third cup, share the caffeine and gratitude for the quiet time.

 

Do you have a partner with an opposite sleep schedule? How do you manage?

What I Learned Making My First Training Video

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A few weeks ago, I was contacted by Skillshare to create an online training series. I have dabbled in video with the 20-episode weekly series “Water Cooler Wednesdays.” After some consideration, I thought “why not?” if anything this will be a great learning lesson.

I’m happy to say I’ve published my first class which you can check out at the following link:

Here’s what I learned in the process:

1.     Shooting an interesting video is hard.

2.     This Takes a Long Time! 8.5 hours for 29 minutes

3.     “Winging It” is not a good strategy.

4.     Use a script.

5.     Create a presentation and outline.

6.     Shoot on a cloudy day during the day. Natural light is best.

7.     Make your space something you’d want to look at for an extended time.

8.     Breath.

9.     Smile.

10.   Take Breaks.

11.   Ask for Help!

 

Feel free to check out my first video here: Ideal Leader Action Plan

 

Business Crush Wednesday: Acuity Scheduling

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I am obsessed with Acuity Scheduling! This web-based platform has changed the way I do business. With a quick set up and connection to by Google calendar, my clients can make and pay for sessions, get email confirmations and change their scheduled time up to 24 hours in advance. All without me being involved!

Sure I love my clients and live to serve them, but how much time is wasted going back and forth to find a time and then hope that the other person puts it in their calendar. For $10 a month, it’s like having a personal assistant managing my client and taking care of my clients.

Here’s how it works, I signed up at www.acuityscheduling.com and selected the 15-day trial to test it out. I set up my available time for sessions (10:00am – 8:00pm Monday – Friday) and synced my Google calendar. I set up session types, fees, and added a time pad for each session. After uploading my logo and custom intro link, I embedded the link directly on my site (you can check it out here: www.laurenlemunyan.com/take-action)

When a client schedules a session, I receive an email and my calendar is automatically populated. It’s like Christmas!

 

That’s how it works and I love it so, but that’s only part of the reason why I love this company. I recently listened to a podcast where Founder Gavin Zuchlinski spoke about the culture of Acuity. Customer Service reps, who all telework, follow a 6-hour work day where they’re given a flexible schedule to take an extended break to recharge. By putting the customer experience first, each employee’s energy is critical throughout the day. Zuchlinski realized that most people are only productive six out of eight hours a day and made modifications to get the most of out the best times.

How many times have we been on the receiving end of a customer service rep who had a bad day and provides anything but service? Or worse someone who takes out their frustration on us?

By giving reps the flexibility and trust for self-care, they can show up fully with customers. Each team builds their own schedule to provide appropriate coverage to their global customers. GENIUS!

I love companies who treat their employees as the assets they are and take care of them so they can take care of their business. I hope what I’ve heard is true and if it is, I hope more companies look at their core values as a business and shift their processes and policies to support their employees in doing their best work to serve clients and customers.

Go Acuity Scheduling!