The January 2004 Issue of the Gots To Have It, Newsletter contains:

I was introduced to this powerful duo by a simple e-mail. Natasha Haughton e-mailed me such a kind letter, thanking me for sending my newsletter and offering tips that helped inspire her. Since that e-mail, I' ve introduced Natasha to many of my clients and members of Gots To Have It and Give 'N Take. Natasha was one of the main reasons the Gots To Have It, Getaway was such a huge success last year and I brought her back to make it happen again! Natasha and her partner Shannon never cease to amaze me on how they touch people' s lives with their passion and drive for helping others achieve their fullest potential.

1. What motivated you to start your business?
Vision Manifest.com boasts a team that is equipped with a strong knowledge base and a burning zeal to help individuals harness the power of their potential, and transform it into activity that will yield growth and success. Simply put, we stand on a belief that each person is entitled to live a life that is rich and fulfilled, and that Vision Manifest.com can play a beneficial role in helping each person live the kind of life they deserve. Entrepreneurship is never a surprise. We were driven by a desire to make a difference; be an example and at the same time have a quality of life we deserve and desire. The awesome part about following our vision to have this type of business is that we do not focus on having a business to make millions. We focus on offering a quality product, next level service and viable marketing strategies. The natural result is financial freedom.

2. How do you manage the time constraints and stay organized?
Staying closest to our mission and vision statement keeps us on track. Not every opportunity that comes our way is for us to participate in. It is important to be discerning and continuously ask where our passions and talents lie in the work we are doing. This way we do not waste any time, and instead inspire one another to raise our energy and focus. Your gifts will make room for you, and as they do remember to ask for help when needed.

3. How do you balance the other aspects of your life?
We hold each other accountable to remind ourselves that we are the boss. We said we would never become a prisoner to our business. We keep our vision for our life and family at the forefront of our business. If not, all we did was replace one job for another. And, most importantly we model this so we can continue to be an example to our members and clients. In our upcoming book, Manifest your Vision … Now(is this part of the title? If so, ital it as well. If not, delete it.) we speak extensively about how to do that. We call it managing your energy versus just time management.

4. What's your best business advice for someone starting out?
A business begins where you are at right now in your life. People tend to want to have all the right things in place such as finances, education, etc. If you were a client working with us we would first find out where your passions in life lie and build your success strategy from there.

5. What tips do you have for getting ahead and staying ahead?
Very simply, we are the company we keep. Our immediate circle must reflect our shared goals and visions. Everyday you will come in contact with people or things that may bring about positive reinforcing energy, as well as, not so negative(did they mean positive?) energy or time wasters. How you interact in these situations directly impacts the necessary energy it takes to stay navigated towards your vision. Guarding your thoughts and evaluating these relationships are important steps to getting ahead and most important staying ahead.

6. When transitioning from steady job to starting your own business, how do you manage the stress of no longer having the security of paid vacations, sick days, etc.?
Always evaluate the risk reward ratio. Remember, always manage your energy if not having vacation, or paid sick days, etc. is a problem for you. It should be addressed before you leave by simply setting personal financial targets that you must meet before leaving your previous place of work. Everyone during these times needs a solid strategy coupled with support. Set reasonable expectations for yourself. Remember, you are navigating toward your vision for your life. Stretching can be uncomfortable, but at the edge of your comfort zone is where success truly begins.

If you'd like to reach Vision Manifest to set up a consultation, you can get three sessions for only $99 for just being a GTHI LIST MEMBER! ($300 value) Find out how by going here http://www.gotstohaveit.com/powercoaching.html OR better yet meet Natasha in person at the Gots To Have It, Getaway.

The Boss is DEAD!

by Simone Kelly-Brown

Some of us are born into families with "it," some of us are just driven over the edge to "it," and some of us crave "it" but just haven't figured out how to attain "it." That "it" is an Entrepreneurial Spirit that is a powerful force that can be the key to your success, and yes…sometimes even failure.

What I've discovered in my many encounters with entrepreneurs,including myself, is that many of us were just sick and tired of working for someone else. We were fed up with putting in all the hours and in many cases not feeling appreciated. We were frustrated with helping the next guy get richer, while we are still struggling to support our families. It's that frustration that is the driving force for many of us who yearn for freedom to spread our wings. We want to call the shots; we want to take pride in our very own creations and accomplishments. And, oh yeah, when you do it right, being an entrepreneur can be an ego booster too. It just makes you want to shout from the mountain tops, "I DID IT! I FINALLY DID IT!!!!!" No mountain tops near by? The roof top of a building will do as well. Just came down from my roof this morning. LOL! So, now the big question for 2004 is:Do you have what it takes? Yeah, we know you want the glory but do you have the guts? I just want you to be honest with yourself before you step into this world of blood, sweat, tears and of course… freedom, happiness, and your own money, money that YOU made. Yes, it' s hard work and lots of it, but at the end of the day it' s worth it.

The Power of Three
Are you ready to combine all of your skills that you have and build up ones that you' re lacking? Being a self-bosser, I' ve most recently discovered you have to take on three personalities.I think Michael E. Gerber, author of The E-Myth Revisited, best describes these three personalities as the entrepreneur, the technician and the manager.
So, who are these guys? And can they all just get along?

1. Entrepreneur: The entrepreneur seeks opportunities in almost everything. He is the visionary, the dreamer, the creative one and that relentless go-getter. He is the risk taker that dwells within us. He knows how to promote the heck out of his product and service and get people to rally behind his vision!
2. Manager: The manager keeps everything in order. He dots the I' s and crosses the T' s. Without him, there would be no planning quite frankly there would be no order whatsoever.
3. Technician: They develop the product or service. The technician loves to roll up his sleeves and get the job done. No time for dreaming or planning. They just want to get to work and crank out the finished product!
When you look at these three roles you may notice very different principles they all live by -- which is why being a 'multiple personality' self-bosser can present a problem for many of us.

Do you notice which of these three stand out in you? The majority of us usually all start off as a technician, working and developing something --whether it' s writing computer programs or being the head chef at a restaurant. Most likely it' s something we are doing for someone else, a boss.

The first step to building up your self-bossing muscles is to work on beefing up the areas in where you lack. If not, all of these traits will conflict with each other, even if they all want the same end result of success. Creating a balance is key.

Michael Gerber says, "It' s the work you' re not doing, the strategic work, the entrepreneurial work, that will lead your business forward, which will give you the life you' ve not yet known…Can you see that as long as you view your business from the technician' s perspective, you are doomed…"
"Don' t you see, if your business depends on you "the technician" you don' t own a business...you own a job and it' s the worst job in the world because you are working like a lunatic!"

Wow,that Michael is deep, huh? He hit it right on the nose! I mean, after reading this book, I too realized that I was doing things wrong. Even though I was working for myself, I had a job, I became that "evil boss" that works you to the bone. My inner entrepreneur and manager selves became stifled, because the technician in me wanted to work, work, work…live in the present and not plan or have a bigger vision. I was working in the NOW and not thinking about TOMORROW enough.

I challenge you all to take a look at what skills you possess out of this powerful group of THREE. It' s very rare that you can have them all work together at the same capacity, but you can work on creating a balance --without having an internal war amongst the three! You can also work on building a team of others who possess the skills that you don't have.

Key Strengths of an Entrepreneur:
Figure out what qualities you already know are working for you and what you need to focus on developing.
-Face your fears: Stepping out of your comfort zone is one of the hardest things to do. Tackling something new can be challenging but only if you let your fear take control.Learn how to face your fears by taking baby steps.
- Self starter: Now that the boss is dead, it' s up to you to develop projects, organize your tim, and follow through on details.
- Decision making: You will be required to make decisions constantly. Often times your decisions will require you to be quick while under pressure and without the time to research and/or ask others their opinions.
- Organization and planning: Research shows that many businesses fail because of poor planning. Good organization of your financials, inventory, schedules, team and production can help you to avoid many pitfalls. Time management is also a trait often neglected but it can help to make you or break you.
-Motivation: Running your own company can wear anyone down. You can easily get burned out, because of the heavy burden you hold on your shoulders. You' ll need strong motivation to make the business succeed and survive through the tough times.
- Dealing with different personalities: Working relationships are going to be one of the foundations to your growth. You' ll have to be able to deal with customers, vendors, staff, bankers, accountants, lawyers and a number of other consultants. And let me tell you, not all of these experiences are going to be pleasant! Patience is going to be the major strength you' ll need to deal with others who are difficult.
-Creating…Dreaming …Doing: Having a strong vision in what you want is so important. Taking time to fantasize about your company' s future is something I encourage you all to do. Don' t just dream it,write it down and look at it every day. Take the steps to make that dream come true by breaking it up into smaller steps. Always work with the end in mind! It' s a new year and time to discover that power of three.

And yes, the boss can finally be buried! Other resources to help you on your journey:
Face Your Fears (GTHI newsletter):http://www.gotstohaveit.com/january03_newsletter.html
Building a Team (GTHI newsletter):http://www.gotstohaveit.com/february03_newsletter.html

Dig a little deeper and understand what drives you by adding Jack of All Trades, Master of None? to your personal library. Also SIGN UP for the special one-on-one 8 week course based on the book. Get affordable personalized coaching from Simone Kelly-Brown to help you streamline your business and get focused! Go here for more: www.gotstohaveit.com/8weekcourse.html BECOME A GTHI AFFILIATE AND EARN CASH! Get paid by spreading the word about Simone Kelly-Brown's New Book, Jack of All Trades, Master of None? Become an Affiliate: http://www.gotstohaveit.com/affiliate.html

Give ‘N Take Network for WOMEN

Go here for DETAILS and to RSVP online: www.giventakenetwork.org/events.html

ABOUT US:

Simone Kelly-Brown is the President and CEO of Gots To Have It Marketing, Inc.. For over 10 years, she has been working with small business owners who are just starting out and want to get their businesses off the ground with innovative marketing.

GTHI is a firm that specializes in marketing and empowering entrepreneurs with a series of workshops and networking events.

For further information view:www.gotstohaveit.com

For Women's Networking view: www.giventakenetwork.org

Until Next Month!

Own your power and have continued success,
Simone Kelly-Brown
CEO/PRESIDENT, Gots To Have It Marketing, Inc.www.gotstohaveit.com
If you want it, you Gots To Have It!


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