Last night I had a profound dream.

When I woke up I thought the dream was so important I had to share.

The Dream

There was this woman who was showing signs of physical distress. I quickly realized she was showing signs of a heart attack.

My panicked mind raced with what I should do. I decided I needed to dash off to a cardiology office. Right when I entered I started shouting, “Help, she’s having a heart attack!”

After questioning me about the patient a nurse started to scold me. I came to the wrong place! I realized my mistake and that she needed to go to the Emergency Room.

So I raced over the hospital. I entered the ER room and started shouting “Help, she’s having a heart attack!”

The ER staff just stared at me blankly. Finally someone asked “Where is the patient?”

That’s when I realized I should have called 911. By the time I ran all over town trying to get her help it was possibly too late.

My mistake in this dream was that I felt in order to help her I needed to go to the cardiologist FIRST in order to save her life. I expended a lot of energy looking for the right people to help her when all I needed to do was pick up a phone. 

Of course this dream is an analogy of what was going on in my life professionally. I was so busy envisioning all the great possibilities for my clients I was failing to pay attention to the one thing they needed help with . . .

Their First Steps

In my dream the ailing woman’s first step was getting immediate medical help to save her life and get on the road to recovery.

Are you guilty of doing this in your business? In your desire to help your clients do you skip over the needed first steps to get your clients accomplish their goals faster?

An example would be a health and fitness coach who has a client that wants to lose weight. The coach could find out why the client is overweight first before they personalize a program they think the client needs. Weight gain is a very complex formula depending on the individual and the old model of calories in and calories out is outdated. Emotional, physical, and mental aspects of the clients could be addressed first for successful weight loss.

The problem with starting with the possible end results is that the person is suffering today and needs immediate steps to take before they can “recover and move forward.”

How about you? Have you noticed a disconnect between what your clients want and what they really need? Are you their best solution?

I realized I needed to make a choice. Focus what I offer on what my clients really need and not on what they think they want or refer them to someone else who better can help them.

Possible Solutions

Here are a few options that may help solve this issue.

1. Create a group of coaches or consultants that focus on a different stage of development and create a referral system for each step.
2. Create a series of programs that a client can follow, step by step.
3. Focus on one step and be known as the expert in that step.

Sherrie Koretke, Niche Clarity Coach. Certified Professional Career Coach, Law of Attraction Specialist, Small Business Coach and Consultant. Visit her at sherriekoretke.com

Photo Credit: Free Digital Photos

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On my Facebook newsfeed and in the many Internet marketing newsletters I receive, I see coaching programs that may be guilting people into believing they are doing something wrong if they aren’t earning tons of money.

The problem I see with these programs is not the programs themselves but that people tend to get sucked into the allure of a high income without knowing why they went into business in the first place. How about you? Have you been thinking that there is something wrong with you because you haven’t earned six or seven figures in your business yet?

Since we all have different skill sets, experience, and values it’s ill advised to follow coaching advice until you gain an intimate knowledge of exactly why you went into business. So, before you start suffering from self-esteem issues because you can’t figure out why you aren’t achieving certain money goals, realize that each of us aren’t in business for the same reasons.

I’ve identified three different types of people and the reason they would have for starting a business. It’s important to know which one you are when building a business model and base your income goals on a life you want to create. You will see that only one has an inherent value that requires a really large income stream.

The Empire Builders
These people are the ones who love business. They usually desire to build something big to leave a legacy when they are gone or to sell the business and start something new. They don’t mind working long hours and see business as a game or something to master.

The Freedom Lovers
These people create businesses because they desire a lifestyle that is flexible, mobile and fun. They want to travel, meet new people, and work when and where they want to work. Work blends in with their personal life and they consider owning a business a way to enjoy life to the maximum without the nine to five grind.

The Altruistic Visionaries
These people create businesses to make a difference. Whether it’s people, pets, the environment or health they either have a cause or have a passion to help someone or something. They may start a non-profit business, an association, or for profit business to further their cause.

Only the Business Builders have a true, innate drive to build a large business. If you don’t love the idea of working lots of hours, investing heavily into your business, and managing lots of people this style is probably not for you. The Freedom Lovers and Altruistic Visionaries would be happiest if they built a business that would cover their business and household expenses and allow them to invest for the future. Occasionally altruistic visionaries create large organizations but they usually believe that their business has to operate on a larger scale to further their cause and reach.

Knowing what you value in life is an important part of creating a business and a desired lifestyle. Before going a step further in your business look at the above styles and figure out which style best fits you. Then you can create realistic income goals that fit the way you want to work and the lifestyle you want to live. When it’s time to hire a coach you’ll know if they can get you where you want to go and you won’t waste time and money building something you don’t desire.

Sherrie Koretke, Niche Clarity Coach. Certified Professional Career Coach, Law of Attraction Specialist, Small Business Coach and Consultant. Visit her at sherriekoretke.com

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I’m a hoarder of sorts. An Information “PDF” hoarder. They sit on my hard drive just waiting for me to read. The only problem is that I don’t like reading PDF’s on my computer. Laptops are great for a lot of things but curling up and reading isn’t one of them.

The further behind I grew on my reading and researching the more guilty I began to feel. So after making sure that the Kindle did support PDF reading I decided it was time to buy one.

I can happily report that I am beginning to catch up on my ebook reading. 

The PDFs are not perfectly formatted as a Kindle formatted book. But you can ignore that fact as it’s far better than lugging your laptop around when all you want to do is read. 

If you haven’t tried reading your PDF’s on your Kindle yet here are some tips on getting them onto your Kindle. 

In order to send PDFs to your Kindle you need your Kindle email address.

To find your email address:

• Log on to Amazon.com
• Find Your Digital Items at the top right side of the screen and click on it.

• Click on Manage Your Kindle under Kindle on the Your Digital Items page.
• On the left side of the screen you will find a column that says Your Kindle Library and Your Kindle Account.
• Click on Your Personal Documents Settings.
• Once there you will find your Kindle email address under Send to Kindle Email Settings.
• Copy the email address and add it your email contact list.

To send the ebook to your Kindle:

• Compose an email.
• Enter your Kindle Email Address as the send to address.
• In the subject line be sure to add the word convert. This formats the PDF for your Kindle so you can adjust the settings, font sizes etc.
• Upload your PDF.
• Wait.

I’ve had it take 5 minutes to reach my Kindle and I’ve also had it take 12 hours. I have no idea why there is such a difference. So if you need to read something right away I wouldn’t rely on it. Don’t let that stop you. It is a great way to finally get those PDF’s read.

I have found the best way to manage all your PDFs on your Kindle is to create a folder and store all them under a title such as study. If you haven’t started sorting your Kindle library here is a great tutorial by Amazon to get you started. Click here.

These instructions should also work with devices such as IPads, Tablets, and IPods. The only difference is there is a separate email address for the Kindle app. You should be able to find the address in the same place as the Kindle email address. Most likely you will need to have downloaded the Kindle app and have registered your device with Amazon before you get your email address. Be sure to double check and see if your device is supported.

Have I motivated you yet to catch up on your PDF reading? You never know where your next great big idea will come from. It could be buried in one of those giveaways and/or training materials. 

Sherrie Koretke, Niche Clarity Coach. Certified Professional Career Coach, Law of Attraction Specialist, Small Business Coach and Consultant. Visit her at sherriekoretke.com

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I admit it. I was resistant to Pinterest. I kept hearing how addicting it was and I certainly didn’t want anything that created an addiction. Plus what would I use it for? That was the biggest mystery to me until . . .

One day I was looking over my written goals and dreams and saw that I had achieved a few of them but not enough. My list was fun but I wasn’t emotionally connected to it. I think the visual connection is why traditional vision boards have been successful for many people. 

The problem is I’m one a neat freak and I’m easily distracted by visual clutter. To me a vision board is highly messy. This lead me to ask on Facebook what I could use if I didn’t like to create vision boards. So when I heard a suggestion to use Pinterest I was intrigued. What was this mysterious site called Pinterest?

Pinterest allows you to create and name your own boards. (Think cork boards). You can then start surfing the internet for your favorite things and start “pinning” the photos to your boards. 

If you don’t know much about Pinterest, a social bookmarking site, here’s a great video that walks you through how to use it: Pinterest Tutorial

What happens after you start pinning is magic. All of a sudden the individual “things” you love come to life in an organized and structured way. And the best part is you can see all your pins at one time. When I first did that I was amazed and in love. What I saw was a life filled with beauty. Isn’t that what a vision board is supposed to do? To help you see the big picture of how you want your life to become.

What was the amazing part was the SPEED in which I created my dream vision. Within minutes I started to see what I’ve been dreaming about for years. There was no hunting down magazines, no clipping pictures and no gluing them on  a board. The visual connection was definitely what I needed.

The most interesting part of creating your vision board on Pinterest is when people start repining your photos onto their boards. It’s amazing to see who shares your same loves and dreams. And it’s so fun when other people get excited about the same things you do. 

So, you’re probably wondering . . . How does this all relate to your entrepreneurial dreams? Everything! You are the catalyst behind your enterprise and you’re working for a reason. What that reason is personal to you. Creating your vision for your future is so important and can even give you that extra energy you need when the daily grind is not so exciting. Give Pinterest a try and see how your vision takes shape.

So, are you on Pinterest? Have you thought about creating some boards with your entrepreneurial visions and rewards? 

Want to learn how to use Pinterest for your business? Here are a few articles to get started:

• How and Why to Use Pinterest for Business 
• Using Pinterest for Business Marketing
• 9 Tips: Boost Your Business With Pinterest
• Should You Use Pinterest in Your B2B Social Media Strategy?

 If you would like a Pinterest invite leave a comment below.

Sherrie Koretke, Niche Clarity Coach. Certified Professional Career Coach, Law of Attraction Specialist, Small Business Coach and Consultant. Visit her at sherriekoretke.com

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Here is a great guest post by my friend and colleague Steven Rice about the Law of Attraction and how it really applies to your business.

If you are an entrepreneur seeking to create an enlightened business, good luck! You are facing a whole set of challenges beyond the typical business struggles that all business owners face. In addition to bottom lines, profit and loss statements and marketing strategies, you may be struggling with obstacles created by the current culture and business “norm.”

The Culture of ‘Lack’ and Business

Over the last 100 years, western civilization has created a culture of lack in business. In marketing, we have learned to identify the need of the customer (“lack”) and highlight that. We drive all focus to it, and then provide our product as the best solution for what appears to be missing in the customer’s life.

We “fight” for the sale, and competition–not cooperation–is the trait most highly valued by the modern business paradigm. All of these viewpoints are based on a belief that there is a limited number (of sales, dollars, customers) to go around and that to “win” at business, it means putting your competitors out of business. Or at least, marginalizing their influence in the market place.

A Bit of Context…

Over the past few years, there has been a lot of focus on the Law of Attraction with the popularity of films like the Secret. Many people, newly introduced to the LOA, have become disenchanted with the idea that what we think about draws our circumstances to us because they have experienced perceived inconsistencies in results produced by applying the “law” of attraction.

Searching for consistency and understanding, many of us have been seeking more and more information to try to explain this seeming disconnect. All the things we took at face value are being challenged. We’re a little afraid, but more excited about what this means for the future.

As our consciousness expands, we look for ways to assimilate all the stimulus of how we perceive our “new world”. As we open ourselves to abundance and ideas of enough, our old ideas of how to run a “proper” business are challenged.

How the heck are we supposed to hold the belief that the world is abundant and there is more than enough when business practice tells us that we have to go out there, hunt it (the leads, prospects, sales, etc.) down and drag it home?!?

Ugh…I wanna pull my hair out sometimes!

We want to run an abundant business, but we act from hunter/gatherer instincts. How, then, can we engage in a profitable but enlightened business? Here are my thoughts…see what you think.

Leveraging the Law of Generosity

The LOA is great, but let’s take a few minutes to talk about the Law of Generosity. You’ve probably never heard of it referred to in this manner…or maybe you have. I don’t know, but let me explain what I mean.

The natural ebb and flow of creation is giving and receiving. As you create, there is a natural expansion that occurs, which requires giving. If not, your life and business will stagnate in every way.

Generosity is not only about giving, but it is also learning to receive (which is really generosity shown toward one’s self).

Face it, Sweetheart…You gotta be willing to receive before you can truly give to others without reservation, or you simply become an opportunistic SOB (and we’ve all worked with or for one of those). Don’t be that person!

When you believe that there is not enough, you think that the only way to receive is to “get” something from someone else. The truth is that you can never get anything from anyone else that you have not given to yourself first.

You can get trinkets and toys, but the true gifts that those things represent will be withheld. It is not the stuff you’re really seeking, anyway, but the underlying values that they represent. Abundance comes from within and is born of the belief that we fundamentally deserve it.

The Main Point

Business is about expressing yourself in a physical and tangible way. As entrepreneurs, we sometimes–or a lot of the time–allow our business to become the primary focus of our lives (professional and personal–or both).

Your business is the method by which you expand in the physical world. It is the tool and platform by which you share your gift with others. Business is the mechanism by which your creativity is shared with the world around you.

When I say business, I am using it very generally to describe the commerce of our lives. Business is the exchange of one thing–money, time, energy–for something else.

Therefore, this broader definition is comprised not only of the narrower idea of business as exchange of money for goods and services, but it also encompasses all exchange that occurs in our lives. Business is the manner in which we interact with life.

Back to the main point, thought. Business is not the end. It is the means. The end is the journey. The end is the creation. The end is the expression of your gifts.

Don’t get so wrapped up in the commerce of business that you forget the business of living!

Generosity and Commerce

So let’s wrap up this article by bringing it all down to the bottom line. Let’s talk business–real, profit and loss business!

How does an understanding of an abundant universe and a generous spirit blend with a business that must make a profit in order to stay afloat?

Let me start by asking you to think about a couple of assumptions we tend to make.

ASSUMPTION 1: Money must be earned.
We think that our money is a result of our efforts…and it is. However, what if we chose to look at it a little bit differently.

What if we chose to recognize that money represents energy flow? What if we then recognized that energy is always flowing? What would that mean about the flow of money?

What if we chose to simply look at our businesses as a bucket? What if all we had to do was hold up the bucket in the rain storm in order to fill it? How would that change things?

ASSUMPTION 2: Generosity means I don’t get paid.
We think that generosity means that we must give up something to (or for) someone else at the expense of ourselves. We think that if we give that means that we have less.

In business, we think generosity means giving away products or services. We think that if we are running a spiritually generous business then we cannot (or should not) get paid.

What if we truly began to believe the universe is abundant?!? What if we chose to believe that generosity means expansion? What if we finally realized that it is impossible to truly give without gaining? What if we realized that receiving money is absolutely necessary to a truly thriving, enlightened and generous business?

What would that mean? How would that change things?

Your Turn!
What do you think? Share your comments below and please tell me about your experience creating an abundant, enlightened business.

What practical steps have been successful in helping you to be truly generous in your business? What has that looked like for you?

Steve Rice is the owner of True Spiritual Awakening. He is an author and entrepreneur committed to creating a well-lived life and helping others to do the same. You can follow him on Twitter or connect on Facebook.

Photo Credit: renjith krishnan

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I’m so glad I made the switch. I started this blog as “The Niche Clarity Coach” and ended up renaming it. My coaching website is now up and running. 

Am I splitting my time? Nope. I have a grand passion for small business but not all the topics I LOVE to discuss fit my coaching practice. So I moved my practice information over here. 

My blogging activity did give me some focus on workshops to offer and books to write. I received some great feedback from my readers, which I’m very grateful for, thank you! 

What are you up in 2012? I would love to hear about. Leave a comment below. I want to start featuring your interesting projects right here on this blog!

Happy New Year and may 2012 be prosperous and fulfilling for you!

Sherrie Koretke, Certified Intuitive Coach, Business Consultant.

Ahhh . . .  The annual Christmas Party. If you ever worked for a business or organization chances are you’ve attended a company Christmas Party. They aren’t known to be the best parties to attend (Long winded speeches by the boss, drunk co-workers, etc.) but at least it was a reason to dress up. 

I admit, I got a little nostalgic about this holiday tradition. Now that I work at home there are no co-workers to go to a party with, which got me thinking . . . 

 Why don’t I host my own virtual holiday party?

So I am. It’s on Facebook. The date is on December 15, 2011 all day long! 

There will be giveaways and crazy fun shared on that day. All you need to do is Like the Entrepreneurial Good Life Facebook Page to attend. Dress is casual but if you want to wear a party hat that would be cool.

I promise. No drunk, leacherous co-workers or long boring speeches by any boss is on the agenda.  Can I count you in?  :)

So to continue this topic I would love to know:

• Do you miss this office tradition or was it a waste of time and money for the company? 
• Do you have any funny office party stories to share?

Leave a comment below! I’d love to hear your stories and opinions. 

Sherrie Koretke, Niche Clarity Coach. Certified Professional Career Coach, Law of Attraction Specialist, Small Business Coach and Consultant. Visit her at sherriekoretke.com

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Are you suffering from stuckitis when it comes to your business? Stuckitis is a term for the failure to move forward. When it comes to your business it’s affect can create financial, mental and emotional harm.

A few explanations for this condition happening when running a business are:

• Lack of Focus
• Poor or No Goals
• No Marketing Plan

But those aren’t the cause, they’re conditions created by the real cause. The real problem is those pesky little hidden personal wounds that you haven’t healed. They block you from making progress in all parts of your life, not just your business.

Let’s say you were . . .

• Criticized a lot for being a poor writer or speaker when you were younger.
• You never felt accepted and loved by your parents.
• Your creativity was never recognized or developed.
• You felt powerless and defenseless as a child.
• You were abused in some way.
• You grew up poor and felt a sense of lack.

I could go on and on listing potential hidden wounds. Most of us have them but don’t make the connection to what’s going on in our business lives. What these wounds are doing is sabotaging your progress because somewhere inside you don’t feel worthy in some way or another.

So for now, forget about time management strategies, planning sessions, and goal setting. Let’s get down to the nitty gritty first. What is your hidden pain? To learn what it is try this exercise:

When you have a chance to be alone, turn off everything electronic and get comfortable. Close your eyess and ask yourself “What hidden wound from my childhood or early adult life is holding me back?” Just sit there and wait. The answer may pop into your mind as a word or imagines. Don’t judge what you feel. You will know you have the answer when you feel a sense of pain or loss.

If you need a little more help discovering your Hidden Business Blocks I’m here to help. 

Sherrie Koretke, Niche Clarity Coach. Certified Professional Career Coach, Law of Attraction Specialist, Small Business Coach and Consultant. Visit her at sherriekoretke.com

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A while back I wrote a blog post about how your career evolves, not invents itself. I wrote this post from the perspective of research, observation, and personal experience.    

Well, I’m experiencing that now. Again. Let’s just say I’m being pushed to move forward with my future career plans a lot earlier than I imagined.

Here’s what is going on . . .

At the end of this month this blog will be renamed to “The Entrepreneurial Good Life”. I’m making this change because I realize that is what I am really writing about. I’m super excited to bring even more insights, stories, and how to’s on this blog about living a great life as an entrepreneur/business owner. Being a trailblazing entrepreneur is a mindset that involves a healthy mindset, body, and spiritual life. 

The Niche Clarity Coach name isn’t going anywhere. It’s only moving it to a new web page that will feature only my coaching services. Expect all these changes to be completed by November 30.

So look forward to more posts under this new path. Oh! And do me a favor:

1. Go on over and like my new Facebook page. They’ll be some surprises coming soon.
2. I’m looking to start a new series featuring entrepreneurs and their lifestyles. If you would like to be featured contact me and set up a time for an interview. 
3. Tell me what you would like to learn more about or see featured on this blog. I’m open to ideas!        
4. I’m looking for guest bloggers to write about their experiences on being an entrepreneur. Crazy start ups stories, things you’ve learned a long the way, tips and hints to make working easier, etc. Contact me with your ideas.

Sherrie Koretke, Niche Clarity Coach. Certified Professional Career Coach, Law of Attraction Specialist, Small Business Coach and Consultant. Visit her at sherriekoretke.com

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Last week I had the honor of speaking with Annemarie Cross on her podcast Ambitious Entrepreneur. Annemarie Cross is a coach specializing in both personal branding and social media strategies and money mindset breakthroughs.

The subject we talked about was the three motivations behind starting a business. These motivations are behind the “style” of business they create.

These styles are . . . 

• Empire Builders
• Freedom Lovers
• Altruistic Visionaries

Sherrie Koretke, Niche Clarity Coach. Certified Professional Career Coach, Law of Attraction Specialist, Small Business Coach and Consultant. Visit her at sherriekoretke.com

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