5 Steps to Building a 6-Figure Consultancy

One of the strongest traits of the most successful entrepreneurs I know is the ability to boil down the complicated into something simple. It’s like having the ability to turn a 1,000-piece puzzle into just five pieces.

These entrepreneurs are be able to see the big picture and the three to five essential actions, that if taken daily, will get them the result they want. Here are the five things you need to focus on to get to a six-figure a year coaching or consulting business.

1. Create a high value offer for a specific niche.

Most of you are probably struggling to scale your businesses because you don’t serve a specific niche or solve a painful problem for them.

Generalists offer their services to anyone and do anything for a quick dollar. Specialists, on the other hand, solve specific, painful problems for one particular group of people, using a repeatable system that changes everything.

Your market will respond to your offer because the market will think “that’s me” when they hear the offer.

You can charge based on results instead of your time, which means you go from charging $100 per hour to charging $3,000 to $10,000 per customer.

2. Research your audience.

When you start to serve one particular group of people, it makes it much easier to reach that group. If you’re a digital marketing consultant, who helps small businesses with Google Adwords, you really have no idea where those people are hanging out.

If you are a digital marketing consultant who helps dentists grow their practice by 20 percent to 50 percent each month using digital marketing, then you’re going to have an easier time figuring out where these people hang out. You can hang out in (or start) Facebook groups that cater to dental marketing. You can look up dentist directories, and reach out to dental practices with your offer. You can search dentists on LinkedIn. Anywhere that dentists hang out, you can find potential customers.

3. Learn to sell transformation.

Most coaches and consultants making under $10,000 per month try to sell themselves, their methods or their process, when in actuality, all the client cares about is results. Consider the two following value propositions:

• I am a Google Adwords expert, focusing on dentists.
• I help dental practices grow revenues by 20 percent to 50 percent each month using digital marketing.

The dentist doesn't really care that you use Google Adwords. In fact, it makes his life, and the decision to work with you a lot easier if he doesn’t need to think about it. Talking about your methods will only confuse prospects. Talking about results will incite excitement.

When you make this switch, and you learn how to sell a new future instead of your method, you can raise your prices, and you’ll close a lot more deals. 

4. Provide a repeatable process to deliver results.

Many service providers I know secretly dread bringing on a new client. They know it’s going to mean a lot more work, stress and complexity for them. It’s another person to think about and another business that they are responsible for.

The best coaches and consultants offer one repeatable process to deliver results. That means they spend their time working on their process and producing systems instead of working on someone else’s business.

They are working on their business instead of in their business. For most of you, this often looks like a 12-week group coaching program with online content, a Facebook group and weekly group calls.

When you get this, you’ll actually get excited about sales calls. You will enjoy the process of selling, and you’ll be able to bring on as many new clients as you want. 5. Relax.

When you make these five shifts, it’s likely that you won’t know what to do with your time. Often you’ll hit your revenue goals much faster and have a lot less to do. You’ll wonder why you aren’t busy all day, everyday like you used to be, and sometimes you’ll feel like that means that something is wrong.

In reality, it just means that you have started to focus on the few things that produce the greatest result. Now, it’s up to you to learn how to relax.

12 Mind Tricks That Will Make People Like You and Help You Get Ahead

When you’re working hard and doing all you can to achieve your goals, anything that can give you an edge is powerful and will streamline your path to success.

Mind tricks won’t make you a Jedi, but using the brain’s natural quirks to your advantage can have a positive impact on everyone you encounter.

None of these tricks are deceitful or disingenuous, except for number six, and I trust that you’ll only use that one with good reason.

As soon as you become aware of these 12 tricks, they start popping up wherever you look. With minimal effort on your part, their unconscious influence on behavior can make a huge difference in your day-to-day life. 

1. When a group of people laughs, members makes eye contact with the person they feel closest to.

This trick can make you an astute observer of relationships of all types. It can tell you which members of your team are bonding and learning to trust one another, just as easily as it can tell you if you might have a shot at landing a date with a certain someone. Of course, you’ll learn a lot about how you feel about other people just by paying attention to whom you make eye contact with.

2. When someone does a favor for you, it actually makes them like you more.

When you convince someone to do you a favor, they unconsciously justify why they are willing to do so. Typical justifications include things such as “he’s my friend,” “I like him,” and “he seems like the kind of person who would return the favor.” These justifications serve you perfectly. Not only did you just get help with something, but the other party also likes you more than they did before.

3. Silence gets answers.

When you ask someone a question and they’re slow to respond, don’t feel pressure to move the conversation forward. Remaining silent plays to your advantage. Moments of silence make people feel as though they should speak, especially when the ball is in their court. This is a great tool to use in negotiations and other difficult conversations. Just make certain you resist the urge to move the conversation forward until you get your answer.

4. Open hands and palms create trust.

There’s an employee policy at LEGOLAND that says whenever someone asks where something is, the employee “presents” (open-palm gesture) their directions instead of “pointing” them. This is because the open-palmed gesture conveys trust, making people more likely to agree with what you’re saying and to find you friendly and likeable. Pointing, on the flip side, is generally seen as aggressive and rude.

5. Nodding your head during a conversation or when asking a question makes the other person more likely to agree with what you’re saying.

The next time you need to win someone over to your way of thinking, try nodding your head as you speak. People unconsciously mirror the body language of those around them in order to better understand what other people are feeling. When you nod your head as you speak, you convey that what you’re saying is true and desirable, and people are more inclined to agree with you.

6. If you have to tell a lie add embarrassing details to make it more believable.

The more detailed a lie is, the more likely people are to believe it. When you add detail, people begin to put a picture to your story. When you include embarrassing details, the picture becomes all the more vivid and believable. After all, if you were going to make up a story, you would be much more inclined to make yourself look good.

Related: 15 Habits of Mentally Tough People

7. People remember unfinished things better.

The natural tendency to remember unfinished things is called the Zeigarnik effect. Ever notice how some television commercials get cut off early? The company paying for the commercial cuts it off so that it sticks in your head longer than other commercials. The best way to forget unfinished things (commercials or songs) is to finish them in your head. If a song gets stuck in your head, try singing the last lines to yourself. You’ll be amazed how quickly it goes away.

8. Chew gum to relax and focus.

Chewing gum actually lowers your cortisol levels, the hormone responsible for stress. But chewing gum doesn’t just reduce stress, it also makes you more alert and improves your performance in memory-oriented tasks. It does so by increasing the blood flow to your brain and alerting your senses. When you experience a stressful situation while chewing gum, your body is less likely to go into the primal fight-or-flight mode (which results in poor decisions and inability to focus).

9. People’s feet reveal their interest.

When talking to someone, pay attention to their feet. If their feet are aimed at you, they’re interested and listening to what you’re saying, but if their feet point away from you, they’re most likely disinterested and mentally checked out.

10. When you meet someone new, work their name into the conversation.

The goal here is to repeat their name three times in the first five minutes. It works extremely well, but the trick is to do it naturally. When you rattle off their name unnecessarily, it sounds foolish and awkward. Try to use phrases like “Hello ____,” “Nice to meet you _____,” and “Where are you from _____.”

11. Showing excitement makes other people like you.

This one goes back to the idea that we mirror the behavior of those around us. If you show excitement when you see someone, they naturally mirror that excitement back at you. It’s an easy way to make a strong first impression and to get people to like you.

12. Maintain eye contact for 60 percent of a conversation.

The key to eye contact is balance. While it’s important to maintain eye contact, doing so 100% of the time is perceived as aggressive and creepy. At the same time, if you only maintain eye contact for a small portion of the conversation, you’ll come across as disinterested, shy, or embarrassed. Maintaining eye contact for roughly 60% of a conversation comes across as interested, friendly, and trustworthy.

10 Traits of Highly Desirable People

Most people today live only a small shadow of the dream of who they truly desire to be. There may be have been a time in their lives where they were passionate, ambitious and adventurous, but somehow and in some way, they lost that passion, gave up too easily, or expected things to come without the hard work necessary to bring their dream to fruition. Entitlement has largely replaced passionate in people today's society. The people out there who are the most fulfilled are those who do not give up on their dreams, who welcome hard work, trust failure will a part of the process and seek to improve upon themselves each day. These highly desirable people love challenge, do not complain and get up no matter how often they fall down. These people get the jobs, the relationships and the lives they want.

1. They are real.

Highly desirable people are real. They do not hide behind a superficial persona. They live authentically as who they really are; not wasting any time or energy on having to pretend they are someone they are not. For highly desirable people it is not about making an impression, it's about being impressive. They have no desire to manipulate a perfect image of themselves in the hopes that no one will see into their real internal conflicts or insecurities. Highly desirable people accept their humanity, their insecurities and don't live trying to mask them.

2. Treat people with respect.

First and foremost, highly desirable people deeply respect themselves. They have standards of treatment they expect from others and apply those same standards in their treatment of others. Be kind to your neighbor is an important concept for them, where they are open and willing to always give people the benefit of the doubt. Highly desirable people understand how much easier life is when they treat people respectfully. Because of this quality, they attract love instead of hate, success not failure and sustaining careers in lieu of temporary jobs.

3. They love people.

Highly desirable people do not see other people as the enemy, even when those people are their competition. In a highly desirable person's mindset, competition is friendly and inspiring. Conflict is sure to happen in life and between people, but highly desirable people are able to operate with a sense of firmness backed by grace in the large majority of high stress situations. They are able to do this because, on the whole, they love people and value relationships. It is this character trait which attracts healthier relationships into their lives, making them all that much more successful. 

4. They work to make a difference.

Highly desirable people do not stay in careers they dislike or in companies where no one cares about what they offer or what they contribute. Highly desirable people have a burning desire to build, establish and grow their work into something significant in the world. They do what they love and love what they do. Their work gives them a sense of purpose. Highly desirable people are compelled in wanting to leave their mark on the world; knowing they have made a measurable and significantly positive impact. Highly desirable people feel empty without this effect in their lives. It is impossible for them to settle for the meaningless.

5. They value their support system.

Highly desirable people know that the quality of their lives resides in the supportive network of love, comradery and friendships they hold close. A life without love and support would be no life at all to these types of people. For them, love and connection come first. This thought is the foundation from which all of their hard work and success stems from. Highly desirable people embrace commitment, unconditional positive regard, supporting others and being supported by others. They hold a great appreciation for the time spent in their relationships and are never too busy to give time to those they love.

6. They are leaders.

Highly desirable people choose their own trajectory in life and career. They ignore the quick-fix-get-rich distractions and commit to their own unique journey and vision. It is not that they do not listen to the advice of others, because they do see this as useful and extremely valuable, but at the end of the day they follow their own hearts, listen to their gut instincts, knowing they will eventually reach what they have been driving towards. 

7. They are risk takers.

For the highly desirable person it is a core belief that if there is no risk, there can be very little reward. To achieve the levels of success that are in their aspirations they know it will take great risk, and they expect to experience hardship along the way. Highly desirable people take the time to analyze their failures in order to transform them into their greatest successes. People are attracted to highly desirable people, not because of the money they make or status they acquire, but because they are good people.

8. They have a life strategy.

Highly desirable people have a life plan. They think deeply about what they want out of life and do not live haphazardly. They hold clear visions for where they want to be in ten years. They are clear, while remaining open to new ideas which can enhance and maybe even change the direction of their plan, but regardless, highly desirable people have direction. Because they know where their journey is going to take them, people will want to follow.

9. They are resilient.

Highly desirable people don't get off track when things don't go as planned. They are resilient and expect things to bring a certain amount of stress, lack of predictability and challenge. They get up and suit up, rather than getting down when they have a failure. Highly desirable people increase their levels of resiliency by analyzing why things didn't work out as they had expected. They are committed to learning and to changing what they need to change to get to where they need to go. Giving up doesn't exist in their vocabulary, but moving forward does. Highly desirable people are attractive to others because they are survivors. 

10. They live to have an impact.

Highly desirable people have a deep desire to have a positive impact on the world at large. These types of people are not self-centered, only thinking about "having" or "wanting" for themselves, alone. Highly desirable people want to be a part of changing the lives of others for the better. Many work in careers which support causes or philanthropies, where they can share their wealth, resources and knowledge. Others become professional coaches or therapists and others give more privately. No matter what path is chosen, highly desirable people see their ability to help others as their greatest gift.

Highly desirable people are successful because they build their lives from the inside out. They start with their passions, grit for hard work and the patience to hang in there when things are tough. They work from the desire to have an impact and to make a difference. They are not your superficial, narcissistic billboard of a person who works only as a shallow advertisement of a success. For this reason, the highly desirable person has longevity, a supportive network of people and sustaining success, rather than short lived bursts of success built upon only upon a shallow image.

8 Ways Customer Service Affects Your Business's Bottom Line

1. It’s how you’re remembered.

When your product or service has reached the end of its lifespan, your reputation and customer interaction live on -- whether you like it or not. If your reputation is positive, that’s great, but customers tend to remember their poor customer service experiences more than their positive ones, meaning a bad image is harder to shift. Ruby Newell-Legner, author of Understanding Customers, asserts that 12 positive experiences are necessary to make up for just one unresolved negative one. Therefore, you need to get it right (and often).

2. It’s a statement about your business.

Back to the Virtuous Circle. Your customer service reflects on your entire business. Rightly or wrongly, people assume that if your customer service is good or bad then your product or service is too. As a business owner, you should adopt the same attitude, devoting time and money to your support team just as you would your product or sales.

3. People like to feel cared for.

Your customers are living, breathing, emotive beings, not automatons, so play to their emotions. If you treat customers with genuine courtesy and respect, they’re far more likely to invest their faith in your business. And since customers put the food on the table, it shouldn’t be hard to drum up some genuine appreciation for them.

4. It makes everyone’s lives easier.

If you reduce the effort it takes for customers to get in touch with you, you’re simultaneously making it easier for them to purchase from you. Add contact forms on your site and customer service tools in your app. Whip up an FAQ page. Don’t make your phone number impossible to find. Place interaction opportunity directly into their hands and you’ll ultimately guide them from interaction to purchase.

5. It’s a profitable marketing strategy.

Word-of-mouth is the holy grail of marketing. When your customers speak favorably and widely about your business, they do more than most A+ marketing teams can. Advertising your company’s customer satisfaction standards is an excellent way to start the trend. Use customer testimonials and happiness ratings to show leads just how much you do for your client base -- this carries weight that unbacked assertions cannot. Plus, if you can get your customers singing your praises of their own accord, you’re closing in on the gold mine.

6. There are always alternatives.

Undervaluing customer service is a risky strategy because there’s always a competitor who’s doing the opposite. An American Express survey found that a staggering 78% of consumers have backed out of a transaction or failed to make an intended purchase because of sub-par customer service. It’s a global marketplace, and if you don’t have the tools in place to make doing business with your business easy then “so long” for now.

7. It directly affects retention.

Keeping hold of current customers costs considerably less than attracting new ones. Retention matters -- big time. On average, loyal customers are worth up to ten times as much as their first purchase, but that worth won’t pan out unless you prioritize customer success. If you’re a service-based operation, consider the costs -- money, time and more -- of onboarding new clients. An experienced client who sticks with you means reduced efforts for you in the long run.

8. It impacts conversion rates.

Driving traffic is all good and well, but if you can’t turn traffic into leads and ultimately sales then it’s not much use. Converting someone from consideration to commitment is a careful balancing act that’s eased along with good customer service.

7 Insanely Powerful Lessons My Mentor Taught Me (Which I Didn't Realize Until Later)

1. There is always a "third way."

One of my first days working at Idea Booth, Ron asked me to research how to get something posted for a brand within Flipboard. I poked around on Google for about 10 minutes and then came back to tell him, "I looked, and it's impossible. You can either do this, or this, but what you're asking for can't be done." He smiled and said, "There is always a third way. Go find it." He was right. Twenty minutes later I figured it out. And to this day, whenever I fall into the trap of saying "I can't figure it out," all he says is "Flipboard," and I am reminded there is always another answer--a third way.

2. If someone likes your idea the first time you explain it, your idea isn't risky enough.

I've come to learn that the ideas most quickly praised are actually some of my weakest ideas. People praise them because they "make sense" and don't push boundaries--they don't "threaten" anyone. This was something I didn't understand until I really started sharing my own ideas with the world. The valuable ideas are the ones people question, because where there is a question there is room to explore. The ideas that people immediately validate, that make them say "Sure! Love it!" are the safe ones, and tend to lack the risk needed to be truly influential and groundbreaking.

3. Titles are meaningless.

This is a lesson I thought I had learned earlier in life, but it needed to be learned again. When I first started working at Idea Booth, I fell into the trap of wanting "more." I was a kid fresh out of college, and looked around at some of my peers who were in high-paying positions and had fancy titles next to their names, and I wanted that. I wanted that feeling of validation. I wanted people to know I was "successful." But whenever I would spend time with Ron, practically asking him how I could have my own title, his only response was, "Titles don't matter. Focus on doing great work instead." It took me a long time to understand how valuable that lesson is--and even more so, how many people use a title as a way to cover up how little they actually know. They let their title speak for them, instead of their skills and working knowledge. And they expect people to listen to them because of their title, not because of what they actively bring to the table.

4. Rewards are fleeting (and do not bring fulfillment).

Another thing I would do (as an ambitious young creative) was ogle the sports cars, nice clothes, and gorgeous women who frequented the Chicago hot spots Ron would take me to. I would look around and say, "I want that. I want that. I want that," to which Ron would say, "If you judge your success off the things you have, you will never be fulfilled." Being a 23-year-old staring at a jet-black Ferrari parked outside of a fancy restaurant, those words are not easy to encode. But I see now how much those words have stuck with me. Because once you get one reward, you want the next one, and the next one, and ultimately they lead nowhere. Real fulfillment comes from being in love with what you do, and always pushing yourself to create your next best piece of work.

5. Great ideas don't happen sitting behind a desk.

The interesting thing about our dynamic is that Ron and I are both very similar and very different. I am obsessive about my repetitive daily routines, and he is fearless in his willingness to try new things. In many ways, this is something we taught each other. For me, this meant stepping outside of my comfort zone and being willing to ride the waves of life. What I learned from Ron was that as much as daily discipline is required for long-term, sustainable progress and growth, moments of inspiration and creative freedom rarely happen in a closed room. They happen when you're out in the world being exposed to new things. They happen over dinner at some crazy concept restaurant, or while watching live music in a grungy blues bar. They happen at an art museum, or while walking through a park. They happen on a roller coaster, or in a yoga class. They happen when you step outside what is familiar to you, and your senses are exposed to something different.

These days, I try hard to do something I have never done before at least a few times a week--because I see the value.

6. Say yes, then figure out how to do it later.

One of the fundamental changes I have witnessed in myself over the past few years has been my willingness to say yes to what is 100 percent unknown--and I attribute that to having spent so much time watching and learning from a seasoned entrepreneur. Very rarely do you walk into a situation knowing all the answers, and this ambiguity used to keep me from saying yes to a lot of opportunities. Unless I knew exactly how I was going to do something, I would avoid it. What I have since learned is that the unknown is nothing to fear, and the only question you need to ask yourself is, "Do I believe enough in myself to be able to figure it out?" That's it. If the opportunity intrigues you, say yes. Figure out how you're going to pull it off later. But get yourself in the trenches. Get your hands dirty. And know, deep down, that you have what it takes to get it done.

7. True creatives are unapologetic in their work.

This is, hands down, the biggest lesson I learned from Ron, as well as the hardest.

Every creative person's fear is rooted in judgment. "What will people think of me? What if no one likes what I create? What if I'm wrong?" These fears are what keep many people from ever creating anything of value--and simultaneously, force them to lean on the title "creative." They call themselves creative more than they perform the act of creating, while the truly creative are the ones who are too busy working on their craft to care one way or another how people refer to them.

For me, the manifestation of this lesson came through the publishing of my first book, Confessions of a Teenage Gamer. I had just started writing when I began working at Idea Booth, and it took me almost five years to complete and publish. The reason it took me so long was because I cared a lot about what people thought. I feared how people would take it and worried it wouldn't be "good enough." I wondered if people would understand or appreciate it.

Publishing this book showed me I had finally learned the lesson Ron had explained to me time and time again. "You create for yourself," he would say. "Your work is an expression of you. And you can't live your life in fear."

This wasn't a lesson Ron sat down and "taught" me. It wasn't explained once or twice, and then I "got it." This was a slow progression over several years, the result of my being in his presence and feeding off the energy of someone who was 100 percent confident in his ideas and willing to face the criticism of others.

That is the value of a mentor, and what a true mentorship is. It's the opportunity to learn firsthand. It is not a class. It is not "I teach you and then you're done." It is an experience. And the greatest lessons come from simple being in the presence of someone who possesses the qualities you hope to one day embody yourself.

06 Ways To Triple Your Income In Next 6 Months

1. Learn to say “no”

Every opportunity is not good; so learn to say “no”. No doubt you are trying to make money but it does not mean that you should get excited when anyone is offering you the money. Before getting excited about the money you will get, examine thoroughly that what the person is expecting from you for that money. In the case you find his expectations outrageous, you should not be afraid to reject the offer. Also, you should be clear that when your answer would be “no” for an opportunity.

2. Don't rely on fundraising

Every entrepreneur will be well aware of the role that fundraising plays in a business. But, when trying to triple your income fast, you should not rely totally on the fundraising. It is because of the reason that it consumes a lot of time. You need to decide your target audience from whom you will take the money and also need to make a proper plan for that. Thus, in that time you would not be able to focus on other tasks. Undoubtedly, fundraising is crucial but it should be done up to a limit.

3. Engage with your audience

Online marketing is much prevalent nowadays and getting more followers on each of the social media networks is the main aim of every business. No doubt that a large number of audience results in the brand's popularity, but your main focus should be on retaining the existing followers rather than attracting the new ones when income is your main focus. So, what you need to do is engaging with your followers individually and ensuring satisfactory services to them.

4. Work in collaboration

When you start a new business then you don't get the chance to engage with the big brands. At this time, you need to know about the upcoming brands who are just starting out as your business. Then you should work to make money in collaboration. But, the main question is how to attract these brands to collaborate with you. Don't worry! Here are some simple steps:

- Work hard and be impressive. Put all your efforts to stand out.

- Know your strengths.

- Now, examine what the brands are looking for and tailor your pitch accordingly.

5. Keep an eye on your expenses

You will only be able to triple your income when you will start making profits and profits will only be made when you will evaluate and control your expenses. So, you need to keep an eye on your business expenses and cut out the unnecessary ones. The best way to control your expenses is setting up a budget.

6. Make smart hires

Most of the entrepreneurs look for the experts who have in-depth knowledge of the field. But, we would like you to think about hiring the newcomers who want to grow. Such employees will be happy to work in the way you want and will not deny working extra hours. When an employee will understand your needs and will work accordingly, then you will also feel comfortable in giving him the responsibilities. This will free up your time to focus on the other money strategies.

Though there are a number of ways that would let you increase your income, but you cannot focus on all of them at the same time. So, it would be better to choose the bests of those ways and keep your focus on them. And the above-given ways are the ones you can rely on for realizing your dream of tripling the income in just six months.

All those who are having a real estate business must watch this video if they are interested in making fast money.  Also, the entrepreneurs from other industries would find it helpful.

9 Things Highly Effective People Do After They've Been Away on Vacation

1. Come back on a Wednesday or Thursday.

The No. 1 tip I heard from people was not to go back to work on the first day after vacation. However, Dr. Chris Allen, a psychologist and executive coach with Insight Business Works, takes it a step further.

"If possible, return to work on Wednesday or Thursday," Allen says. "Then you only have to get through work for two or three days and you have the weekend off. It's a good way to ease back into work. Airline travel is cheaper mid week too."

2. Start the day before.

Caveat: Not going to work the day after vacation doesn't mean you don't have to do any work before you return.

Jim Whitehurst is CEO of Red Hat, the world's largest open source software company, and author of The Open Organization. He suggests using the Sunday before you return to work to "lay out what you want to accomplish that first week back."

"Actually, I'd recommend doing this every Sunday," Whitehurst says. "It only takes 15 or 20 minutes, but I find that a little bit of pre-planning drives much of how I spend my time during the week."

3. Get up early. And maybe meditate.

OK, you're back. You go to bed and you set the alarm. What, if anything, should you do differently when you wake up, compared to what you do on regular workdays?

Get up early, suggests Nik Ingersoll, co-founder and CMO of Barnana, and start the day out with between 30 and 60 minutes of meditation. "Set your intention for the day/week/month at the end of the meditation. Then go out and kill it," Ingersoll says.

4. Get your diet right.

Next up: food, and getting your meals on track right away--after whatever kind of dietary damage you did to yourself while you were away. (It happens to most of us!)

"Hit the grocery store either the day you get home or the very next, and cook up a batch of healthy, whole foods (without added sugar!) for your first few days," suggests Diane Sanfilippo, author of the New York Times bestselling book, Practical Paleo. "This will ensure that your focus is on-point and keep your productivity from tanking."

5. Take a few minutes to find out what happened.

Now we get to the office--or at least to Monday morning. Maybe you've been in touch with your colleagues the whole time; maybe you're better at vacations than most of us and have actually unplugged.

Regardless, you're probably a little bit out of the loop. How do you get up to speed quickly? Leon Rbibo, president of The Pearl Source, suggests doing so with a stopwatch.

"I sit down with each one of my key managers and put 60 seconds on the clock," Rbibo says. "They provide me with the must-know highlights of what happened while I was out. If it can't be said in 60 seconds, it wasn't important enough in the first place."

6. Delete a bunch of emails.

Chances are, you're swamped with messages. When I came home Friday, I had more than 2,700 unread emails--and this despite the fact that I'd checked email at least a couple of times a day while I was gone.

How are you supposed to get through all of those?

Short answer: You're not supposed to. Maybe you can just delete them.

Last vacation, Gene Caballero, co-founder of GreenPal, said he had 2,000 unread emails, but "instead of sorting through them all, I deleted everything that didn't have an attachment and moved on. If it was really important, they emailed me again."

7. If you must read emails, read them in last-to-first order.

Sometimes the best recipe for solving a problem is a reverse take on a famous saying: "Don't just do something; stand there."

That's why Kate Gulliver, head of talent management at Wayfair, suggests that if you're not just going to delete your emails like Caballero suggests, at the least review them using the "LIFO {last in, first out] method: the most recent emails first."

"I find that many issues have already been resolved by the time I return to the office," she says, "so checking the newest emails first is the most efficient way for me to get caught up."

8. Focus on big projects.

I heard from a lot of business people who suggested easing back into work. But I have to admit I like the related advice I heard from two people better: Think big or swing for the fences. They had slightly different takes on the idea.

First, Spencer X. Smith, a consultant and former vice-president of sales at a Fortune 100 company, who also teaches at the University of Wisconsin, suggests having "at least two high-priority business development opportunities scheduled for right when you get back."

"Why? Instead of returning to work with a whimper, these meetings will both get you excited AND force you to step up your game immediately. That momentum will carry through the rest of the week," he says.

And Jesse Gassis, who founded an electronic cigarette company in Brooklyn called Bedford Slims, suggests encouraging people on your team to get out of their comfort zone and work on "forward thinking projects, sometimes outside of their expertise" when they come back to the office.

"It could be a new product design, or a Santa-themed photo shoot, setting up our CMJ Fest party in October, etc.," he says. "Truthfully, we will still be working on these projects all the way up to the deadline, so it doesn't get us ahead, but it does make our concepts stronger. By doing so, I get people's brain out of Summer 2016 and thinking about Winter 2016."

9. Actually, maybe don't stop working.

Finally, some truly American advice: Don't take a real vacation in the first place.

As bad as this sounds, it's what many of us are doing anyway. (And it's the key to why I think we can paradoxically be on vacation every day, as I describe in this article.)

But Michael Massari, senior vice president of national meetings and events for Caesars Entertainment, came out and said what I think a lot of us are thinking.

"Don't be afraid to blend in work during your vacation. Take advantage of the technology we have available today, such as Zoom, Skype, and mobile email, to stay productive," he says. "This also allows you to go on more vacations for longer amounts of time while not jeopardizing your productivity."

8 Ways Intelligent People Use Failure to Their Advantage

One of the biggest roadblocks to success is the fear of failure. Fear of failure is worse than failure itself because it condemns you to a life of unrealized potential.

A successful response to failure is all in your approach. In a study recently published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, researchers found that success in the face of failure comes from focusing on results (what you hope to achieve), rather than trying not to fail. While it’s tempting to try and avoid failure, people who do this fail far more often than those who optimistically focus on their goals.

This sounds rather easy and intuitive, but it’s very hard to do when the consequences of failure are severe. The researchers also found that positive feedback increased people’s chances of success because it fueled the same optimism you experience when focusing solely on your goals.

The people who make history—true innovators—take things a step further and see failure as a mere stepping stone to success. Thomas Edison is a great example. It took him 1,000 tries to develop a light bulb that actually worked. When someone asked him how it felt to fail 1,000 times, he said, “I didn’t fail 1,000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps.” 

That attitude is what separates the successes from the failures. Thomas Edison isn’t the only one. J. K. Rowling’s manuscript for Harry Potter was only accepted after twelve publishers denied it, and even then she was only paid a nominal advance. Oprah Winfrey lost her job as a Baltimore news anchor for becoming too emotionally involved in her stories, a quality that became her trademark. Henry Ford lost his financial backers twice before he was able to produce a workable prototype of an automobile. The list goes on and on.

So, what separates the people who let their failures derail them from those who use failure to their advantage? Some of it comes down to what you do, and the rest comes down to what you think.

The actions you take in the face of failure are critical to your ability to recover from it, and they have huge implications for how others view you and your mistakes. There are five actions you must take when you fail that will enable you to succeed in the future and allow others to see you positively in spite of your failure.

1. Break the bad news yourself

If you’ve made a mistake, don’t cross your fingers and hope that no one will notice, because someone is going to—it’s inevitable. When someone else points out your failure, that one failure turns into two. If you stay quiet, people are going to wonder why you didn’t say something, and they’re likely to attribute this to either cowardice or ignorance.

2. Offer an explanation, but don’t make excuses

Owning your mistakes can actually enhance your image. It shows confidence, accountability, and integrity. Just be sure to stick to the facts. “We lost the account because I missed the deadline” is a reason. “We lost the account because my dog was sick all weekend and that made me miss the deadline” is an excuse.

3. Have a plan for fixing things 

Owning up to a mistake is one thing, but you can’t end it there. What you do next is critical. Instead of standing there, waiting for someone else to clean up your mess, offer your own solutions. It’s even better if you can tell your boss (or whomever) the specific steps that you’ve already taken to get things back on track. 

4. Have a plan for prevention

In addition to having a plan for fixing things, you should also have a plan for how you’ll avoid making the same mistake in the future. That’s the best way to reassure people that good things will come out of your failure.

5. Get back on the horse

It’s important that you don’t let failure make you timid. That’s a mindset that sucks you in and handicaps you every time you slip up. Take enough time to absorb the lessons of your failure, and as soon as you’ve done that, get right back out there and try again. Waiting only prolongs bad feelings and increases the chance that you’ll lose your nerve.

Your attitude when facing failure is just as important as the actions you take. Using failure to your advantage requires resilience and mental strength, both hallmarks of emotional intelligence. When you fail, there are three attitudes you want to maintain.

6. Perspective 

This is the most important factor in handling failure. People who are skilled at rebounding after failure are more likely to blame the failure on something that they did—the wrong course of action or a specific oversight—rather than something that they are. People who are bad at handling failure tend to blame failure on their laziness, lack of intelligence, or some other personal quality, which implies that they had no control over the situation. That makes them more likely to avoid future risk-taking.

7. Optimism 

This is another characteristic of people who bounce back from failure. One British study of 576 serial entrepreneurs found that they were much more likely to expect success than entrepreneurs who gave up after their first failure. That sense of optimism is what keeps people from feeling like failure is a permanent condition. Instead, they tend to see each failure as a building block to their ultimate success because of the learning it provides.

8. Persistence

Optimism is a feeling of positivity; persistence is what you do with it. It’s optimism in action. When everybody else says, “Enough is enough” and decides to quit and go home, persistent people shake off those failures and keep going. Persistent people are special because their optimism never dies. This makes them great at rising from failure.

10 Harsh Lessons That Will Make You More Successful

Everyone fails in life, and failure can be a crushing experience. The only thing that separates successful people from the rest is how they respond after they fail.

When facing obstacles, you have to decide if you’re going to let them be the excuse for your failure or if you’re going to make them the story behind your success.

“There is no failure. Only feedback.”   -- Robert Allen

When you adopt the right attitude, failure is a great teacher. Failure interrupts your routine and gives you an opportunity to explore new solutions, but only if you have the right attitude. 

Psychologist Albert Bandura conducted a study that showed just how great a role our attitudes play in the face of failure. In the study, two groups of people were asked to complete an identical management task. The first group was told that the purpose of the task was to measure their management abilities. The other group was told that the skills required to complete the task were improvable and that the task was merely an opportunity to practice and improve. The trick was that the researchers made the task so difficult that all participants were bound to fail, and fail they did. The first group -- feeling like failures because their skills weren’t up to snuff -- made little or no improvement when they were given opportunities to repeat the task. The second group, however, saw each failure as a learning opportunity, and they performed at progressively higher levels each time they attempted the task. The second group even rated themselves as more confident than the first group.

Just like the participants in Bandura’s study, we can either view our failures as reflections of our abilities or as opportunities for growth. The next time you catch yourself wallowing in the self-pity that often accompanies failure, focus on what you can control: your attitude.

Some of the best lessons in life are also the toughest to accept and to adopt the right attitude toward. These are the lessons that challenge your flexibility and willingness to learn. When we don’t embrace them soon enough, the lessons we learn turn out to be harsh ones. 

1. The first step is always the hardest. When you want to achieve something important, that first step is inevitably going to be daunting, even frightening. When you dare to make that first move, anxiety and fear dissipate in the name of action. People that dive headfirst into taking that brutal first step aren’t any stronger than the rest of us; they’ve simply learned that it yields great results. They know that the pain of getting started is inevitable and that procrastination only prolongs their suffering.

2. Good things take time. Success, above all, requires time and effort. Author Malcolm Gladwell suggested that mastery of anything requires 10,000 hours of tireless focus. Many successful people would agree. Consider Henry Ford, whose first two automobile businesses failed before he started Ford at the age of 45, or author Harry Bernstein, who dedicated his entire life to writing before he finally landed a best-seller at the age of 96. When you finally do succeed, you realize that the journey was the best part of it.

3. Being busy does not equal being productive. Look at everyone around you. They all seem so busy, running from meeting to meeting and firing off e-mails. Yet how many of them are really producing, really succeeding at a high level? Success doesn’t come from movement and activity; it comes from focus -- from ensuring that your time is used efficiently and productively. You get the same number of hours in the day as everyone else, so use yours wisely. After all, you’re the product of your output not your effort. Make certain your efforts are dedicated to tasks that get results.

4. You will always have less control than you want. There are too many extenuating circumstances in life to control every outcome. You can, however, control how you react to things that are out of your control. Your reaction is what transforms a mistake into a learning experience and ensures that a victory doesn’t send your ego through the roof. You can’t win every battle, but with the right attitude, you can win the war.

5. You're only as good as those you associate with. You should strive to surround yourself with people who inspire you, people who make you want to be better. And you probably do. But what about the people who drag you down? Why do you allow them to be part of your life? Anyone who makes you feel worthless, anxious or uninspired is wasting your time and, quite possibly, making you more like them. Life is too short to associate with people like this. Cut them loose.

6. Your biggest problems are mental. Almost all our problems occur because we time travel: we go to the past and regret things we’ve done, or we go to the future and feel anxious about events that haven’t even happened. It’s all too easy to slip into the past or jet into the future. When you do, you lose sight of the one thing that you can actually control -- the present.

7. Your self-worth must come from within. When your sense of pleasure and satisfaction are derived from comparing yourself with others, you are no longer the master of your own destiny. When you feel good about something that you’ve done, don’t allow anyone’s opinions or accomplishments to take that away from you. While it’s impossible to turn off your reactions to what others think of you, you don’t have to compare yourself with others and you can always take people’s opinions with a grain of salt. That way, no matter what other people are thinking or doing, your self-worth comes from within. Regardless of what people think of you at any particular moment, one thing is certain -- you’re never as good or bad as they say you are.

8. Not everyone will support you. In fact, most people won’t. Some people will inundate you with negativity, passive aggression, anger or jealousy, but none of this matters, because, as Dr. Seuss said, “Those that matter don’t mind, and those that mind don’t matter.” We can’t possibly get support from everyone, and we definitely can’t spend our time and energy trying to win over the people who don’t support us. Letting go of the opinions of people who don’t matter frees up time and energy for the people and things that do. 

9. Perfection doesn’t exist. Don’t seek perfection as your target. It doesn’t exist. Human beings, by our very nature, are fallible. When perfection is your goal, you’re always left with a nagging sense of failure that makes you want to give up or reduce your effort. You end up spending your time lamenting what you failed to accomplish and what you should have done differently, instead of moving forward, excited about what you've achieved and what you’ll accomplish in the future.

10. Fear is the number one source of regret. When all is said and done, you will lament the chances you didn’t take far more than you will your failures. Don’t be afraid to take risks. I often hear people say, “What’s the worst thing that can happen to you? Will it kill you?” Yet, death isn’t the worst thing that can happen to you -- the worst thing that can happen to you is allowing yourself to die inside while you’re still alive.

07 Tips to Keep Business Travel From Driving You Crazy

Traveling for business is unlike any other type of trip. Although it’s similar to pleasure trips in the sense that there is a purpose for the trip, budget is important and planning is essential, there also has to be some type of result from the business trip that leads to new business, enhanced brand recognition, or additional sales. The return on investment in the business trip has to be there for more of this kind of travel in the future, so there is some pressure due to the expectations connected.

Here are seven tips for traveling for business that can keep costs low and results high:

1. Manage expenses with a corporate travel account.

New virtual payment cards enable more effective management over all travel costs, including the ability to pre-book and pay for the majority of travel expenditures. This means that your business can control what is spent prior to the trip even starting, which effectively keeps the costs down and provides a more convenient experience for the traveler who doesn’t have to deal with or make decisions about specific aspects of the business trip like the hotel, flight, and transportation. Your business also then has a breakdown of the travel costs to apply towards the overall trip budget. 

2. Use online invoicing for freelancer reimbursements.

Since many companies now use freelancers and outsource talent, there may be times where they are required to travel to a trade show or headquarters meeting. An efficient way to get travel expenses reimbursed is to receive online invoices from these team members for quick and easy payment, including using digital payment options. This ensures that costs can be accounted for while the team members get paid fast for less out-of-pocket expense time.

3. Pack only the bare essentials.

Wherever possible, try to just get buy with carryon baggage to limit the amount you have to lug around from the plane to the Uber to the hotel and beyond. This will make it much more convenient and enjoyable for you while speeding up various points along the way. With the extra time saved by not bringing everything from home, you can use it for personal time or extra work time.

4. Keep a similar routine to when not traveling.

While time zones can make it more complicated, you can still adhere to a similar routine to a certain degree to keep your body clock ticking away. By doing so, you can work more productively on the road and when you return home. Schedule flights around the time changes to help you adjust after arrival since you won’t have the luxury of a few days of recovery like a pleasure trip. Eat meals, exercise, and sleep as closely to your home time zone as possible as well to keep you focused and alert. 

5. Remain healthy while on the road.

It’s easy to just choose unhealthy options while on the road out of convenience, but it doesn’t take much more effort to stay healthy on a business trip. More hotels and restaurants are helping to make it easier to focus on your health and wellness with healthier menu options as well as on-site gyms with 24/7 access. Since it’s common for business travelers to get sick because of changing time zones and constant activity, be sure to bring some medicinal remedies that you use because they may be difficult or expensive to find while on the road. Stay hydrated with plenty of water and avoid alcohol and caffeine as much as possible. Plan ahead for potential exercise spots for walking or jogging that allow you to take in the local flavor at the same time.

6. Put technology to work for you.

From using apps like SeatGuru to get your preferred airline seat to OpenTable.com for selecting the perfect dining spot for a business meeting to communication and collaboration tools like Slack that keep work flowing while you are away, you can put technology to work for you to get more things done and keep the business trip running smoothly.

7. Keep a positive attitude throughout the trip.

You never know when an opportunity presents itself to market your personal or company brand to those around you. After all, anyone is a potential customer, an investor, or even future employee. With that in mind, it’s best to keep a positive attitude throughout the trip to win over those who come in contact with you. Even when a plane is delayed, reservations are mixed up, or other plans did not go like expected, it’s best to remain calm and continue practice kindness. It will keep you calm and make a great impression on those around you. 

Put these travel tips to work on your next business trip and see just how much time, money and hassles you will save to create a more productive, enjoyable and successful travel experience. The results can increase the likelihood of a greater return on such an investment to build more business and enhance your brand.

6 Important Values Entrepreneurial Parents Can Teach Their Children

Being a parent, like running a business, is challenging. But being an entrepreneur can actually give you a leg up. Entrepreneurs are resourceful, creative and intellectually curious by nature, and sharing entrepreneurship's unique set of principles with your children can help them succeed in the new economy.

Many successful entrepreneurs start quite young, launching their first businesses before they turn 21. With entrepreneurship growing and the cost of starting a business decreasing, it’s reasonable to assume the next generation will start even earlier. So, instilling your entrepreneurial values in them now will give your kids a real head start. 

Creating an entrepreneurial legacy

Because you are an entrepreneur, the tone of your conversations will naturally be different from those of other parents. As with any values, your kids will organically absorb your entrepreneurial ethos just by seeing how you live and work.

However, if you want to drive home lessons you’ve learned along your entrepreneurial journey, incorporate these six attributes into your children’s daily lives.

1. An action orientation. Most entrepreneurs don’t write business plans. Instead, they take action on an idea, preferring to see where it leads and adjust in real time. Parents who lack an entrepreneurial mindset might overanalyze, unknowingly teaching their children to avoid risk-taking, which is fundamental to entrepreneurship.

If your children want to take an entrepreneurial toe-dip by setting up a lemonade stand, for example, encourage and support them as an investor would. Offer a revenue share deal, or have them reimburse you for supplies. Letting them take action on ideas while concurrently teaching them the importance of the investor relationship will give them confidence.

As your child becomes more of a self-starter and develops intrinsic motivation, that can carry him or her through rough patches at school or in the social world.

2. A sense of autonomy. Entrepreneurs know they can’t be micromanaged and still expected to be accountable for their own outcomes; that’s why they value independence. And there’s no more concrete example of micromanaging than helicopter parenting.

Helicopter parents succeed only in setting their kids up for failure by making them less confident, more risk-averse and more dependent on authority as they get older. So, once you’ve handed over the investment in the lemonade stand, back off. Let your kids figure out how to make it work -- if they don't, you’re there to answer questions, not tell them what to do.

What’s in it for you? They’ll learn to solve their own problems and be less dependent on Mom and Dad.

3. Financial literacy. Don’t hide the tough reality of starting and running a business from your kids. They need to understand that it takes responsibility and sacrifice; nothing happens magically.

Even a simple lawn-mowing business teaches important concepts like margin, revenue, expenses, profit and saving. And kids can comprehend advanced concepts such as these if you start explaining the basics early on in fun ways, moving steadily into more complex ideas.

The benefits of growing a financially literate child? Self-explanatory. 

4. Sales acumen. Entrepreneurs keenly understand the importance of pursuing and building meaningful relationships: You can’t wait for opportunities to come to you; you have to grab them. I learned this myself at an early age, when I discovered the resale value of Now and Later candy at my school. I made a nice profit, until my grandmother put the kibosh on the whole operation.

In my lemonade stand example, you can encourage your kids to leave the table and approach people to let them know they can quench their thirst nearby. They’ll learn how to speak up and come to understand the unique power of offering up a desirable solution.

By putting themselves out there, your children will find more opportunities in life.

5. A growth mindset. Kids learn in school that failing is bad, but successful entrepreneurs understand that failure is an essential part of success. In the words of late businessman and former U.S. Rep. Robert Allen, “There is no failure, only feedback.”

Use failure to teach your kids to foster continuous improvement. Turning failures into learning opportunities is not just about saying, “Your lemonade stand didn’t do well today, but that’s okay.” Instead, encourage them to innovate by embracing a growth mindset: “Okay, so you failed today -- but what did you learn from it? What would you change tomorrow?”

If they learn it’s not all right to fail or that failure is permanent, they’ll be scared to take chances and to think outside the box and try new things. Essentially, their ability to make their lives better will become increasingly limited. Conversely, if they value failures as chances to devise new strategies, they’ll become more confident and well-rounded.

6. A love of lifelong learning. Successful entrepreneurs are always striving to improve themselves and their businesses. They know that the only constant is change and that what works today may not tomorrow. Excellence does not mean perfection; it means creating healthy, productive habits through practice and discipline.

Many nights, my daughter and I chat about work before bedtime. I tell her about my clients or about marketing, and she asks questions about business practices. Just through these casual conversations, she already understands more about wholesale and retail pricing, revenue, profit and margin than do most college students.

By cultivating continuous improvement, you’ll give your children the confidence to push outside their comfort zones, as well as the self-awareness to recognize their own limitations and where they can leverage partnerships. 

Passing on your entrepreneurial values to your kids will give them advantages in life, but you’ll find that that exercise enriches your life, too. Instead of hovering over a timid, needy child, you’ll be able to develop your own business and focus on your own relationships. And the independence both of you foster will ensure a lasting parent-child relationship that’s more meaningful, fun and rewarding.

6 Things Managers Should Never Ask Their Employees to Do

Judge or evaluate colleagues.

If peer evaluation is an approach you're considering to evaluate performance, consider how this could negatively impact morale.

"In my experience, peer evaluations seem to bring toxicity to most working environments, no matter how carefully they're done," says Adam Steele, owner and operator of link-building company Loganix. "You can't really act on anything without giving away who said what, and even protecting anonymity leads to people feeling paranoid."

Steele recommends you stay close to your people instead so you don't feel the need to ask them to provide details on one another.

Send emails outside of office hours.

Sending (and responding to) emails outside of office hours sets the precedent that employees should do the same as well.

Brett Farmiloe, founder of digital marketing agency Markitors, uses a different approach: "I will write the email, save it as a draft, and then send during work hours. By not sending emails outside of office hours, I hope that employees stop checking their email and enjoy their life outside of the office."

Ask them to terminate another employee when they don't agree with that decision.

Firing an employee is a difficult task, and it can only be made more complicated if you and that employee's manager have a difference of opinion on whether to let them go.

Charlie Gilkey, principal of strategic planning business Productive Flourishing, advises you leave that decision up to that person's direct manager.

"Owners and managers sometimes disagree that a person needs to be let go, and in the case where there is a disagreement, it's better to hold the manager accountable for her decisions than require her to let go of someone when she disagrees that it's time," he says.

Take your word without explanation.

When discussing strategy shifts or other major changes, how transparent are you with your team regarding the decision-making behind those changes?

"I try to manage by democracy, but in cases where I have to make a unilateral decision, I make sure to explain the big picture to my people so they understand why we're proceeding in a particular direction," says Alexandra Levit, founder and president of career-oriented business Inspiration at Work. "There is no 'because I said so' in my world."

Let you take credit for their work.

If your team has put long hours into a project, the last thing they want to see is you taking credit for all their hard work.

"I won't ever think that it's okay to take credit for work that they have done and then ask them to stand quietly by while I do," says Cynthia Johnson, director of brand development at recovery treatment business American Addiction Centers. "They deserve the praise, not me."

Instead, Johnson likes to call them out and commend their in put in front of the rest of the team. "It's important to give recognition where it's due," she says. "It only serves to motivate them rather than demoralize them."

Ask them to do work you wouldn't do yourself.

Bryanne Lawless, owner of PR agency BLND Public Relations, believes that managers should never scoff at work they don't think is in their purview.

"Because things are constantly changing in PR, there are times I ask my employees to stay extra hours or work through lunch if there is a deadline we need to meet," she says. "Great leaders lead by example and earn the respect of their employees by showing them that they aren't above doing the grunt work."

5 Productivity Tips You Haven't Heard a Million Times Before

1. Change The Way You Sync Up With Your Team

A reported 59% of Americans say that meetings are the biggest time-sucks of their days. We all spend countless hours circled up around the conference room table, only to walk out without any progress being made.

"There's been a lot of talk about removing meetings altogether, but that's not the answer," explains Staples.

Instead, you need to change the way you approach meetings. First, ensure whether or not a sit-down is really needed -- or if the matter could easily be resolved using a less time-consuming method.

If you determine a formal meeting is necessary, maintain focus on results and resolution, rather than simply rehashing tasks and responsibilities. Another effective trick? Cut your normal meeting time in half to keep everybody on track.

2. Get Real on Your Productivity Successes and Failures

All too often, we scrounge for different hacks and tips we can use to increase our productivity -- without ever turning a keen eye on what's working and what's failing in our current workflows.

It's important that you take some time to get real about your productivity successes and failures and determine how much you can feasibly get done during a 40-hour work week.

Are there obvious holes in your processes or too many interruptions? Evaluate your average day-to-day to figure out what changes need to be made. This self-reflection might seem unnecessary, but this awareness can make a huge difference in your daily productivity.

3. Focus on Your Primary Duties

Are you ready for a rude awakening? In 2016, American office workers are spending only 39% of their time on the primary job duties they were hired for.

Where does the rest of their time go? To assorted tasks and projects that don't actually fall within the scope of their position. "So, it comes as no surprise that they then face challenges meeting their actual job goals," Staples says.

Yes, being helpful and adaptable is key in the office. But, if you feel as if your productivity and your professional goals are suffering, it's time to have an honest conversation with your boss or your team in order to bring the focus back to the central purpose of your role.

Needless to say, clearing those unrelated duties off your plate will free up plenty of time to actually accomplish the important, relevant things you need to get done.

4. Bring Lunch Hour Back From the Dead

57% of American workers take 30 minutes or less for a lunch break. But -- as counterintuitive as it might seem -- numerous studies have shown that taking breaks throughout your workday can actually have a positive impact on your productivity.

So, stop subsisting on four cups of coffee and the office candy jar and instead leave yourself some adequate time to fuel up on some healthy foods over the lunch hour.

Yes, it seems odd that stepping away from your desk will result in getting more done. But, give it a try and you'll likely be surprised.

5. Don't Get Tool Happy

There's always some sort of new tool, app, or platform coming out that promises to skyrocket your productivity. And, some of those really can be helpful in keeping you focused and organized.

However, if you load up on too many -- particularly ones that don't integrate or work together -- you'll only end up slowing yourself down.

Do your best to identify what works best for you and then keep things lean by using only multi-purpose tools that meet your needs.

Everybody wants to be more productive. And, the classic pieces of advice you've heard time and time again can undoubtedly be helpful.

But, if you're looking for some fresh tips, give these five a try and start ticking off that to-do list!

09 Ways to Increase Landing-Page Conversions

1. Write killer headlines.

On average, 8 out of 10 people will read headline copy, but only 2 out of 10 will read the rest. You need a main headline that grabs the reader's attention and sums up your proposition. It should be as concise as possible.

Then, craft a subhead to expand on the headline's promise. Remember: People scan and skim. You must ensure they'll get the gist of your pitch within a matter of seconds. These great examples of headlines and subheads do just that. 

2. Include images and videos.

You usually want a good "hero image" or video above the fold. That's old-school newspaper lingo, but it applies to virtual pages, too. Images help draw in readers, and compelling images will entice them to scroll down through your content.

Your hero image should connect directly to what you're selling. If you're pitching a product, it should be in the photo or graphic. If you're selling something less tangible, such as a service, select a visual that shows someone enjoying the benefits of what you provide.
Tie your headline to your image, and you'll have a winning combo.

3. List the benefits.

People love benefits, and they also love bulleted lists. Cater to both of those by listing your benefits with bullets. Or check out how Dropbox.com uses clean visuals to sum up the pros of storing your files on its cloud.

4. Keep the most important elements above the fold.

People spend 80 percent of their time above the fold. You'll need to strike a balance: You want as much content as possible above that imaginary screen border, but you don't want to clutter up the visual field. 

There are an infinite number of ways to accomplish this. Check out this article from Hubspot (and this one) to get some inspiration.

5. Issue an unmistakable call to action.

Your buttons should be your landing page's most prominent element. You don't want visitors to wonder where or how they should take action. Try backing away from your screen and squinting at the page until it's blurry. Does your call to action still stand out? If it merges with the rest of the page, you need to make adjustments.  

6. Add social proof.

Studies show that 70 percent of consumers say they look at product reviews before making a purchase, and consumer-generated product reviews are 12 times more trusted than product descriptions from manufacturers. If you want to sell anything at all, you need credibility. Consider adding customer testimonials, client logos or both to your landing page. 

7. Minimize distractions.

Removing links (such as your site's navigation) increases conversion rates. Obviously, you'll still include your logo to build your brand's recognition and link that element to your home page. But make no mistake: The goal is to strip your landing pages down to the bare minimum. That means giving up the sidebar, too. The more options you give viewers, the more competition you give your call-to-action button.

8. Address pain points.

Above all else, make sure your landing page does two things:

• Identifies a pain
• Links that pain to your solution

No matter your industry or market space, there's always a pain. It's just a matter of degree. Without pain (or at least annoyance), consumers wouldn't have searched online to find you or clicked the link in the e-mail you sent. Visitors are looking for something when they come to your landing page. Make sure nearly everything they see there serves one of the two purposes listed above. 

If your target market detests dull light bulbs or chafes at having to replace bulbs so often, your solution might be a brighter and longer-lasting bulb. If you're in the luxury-car business, you could be dealing with a lack of pleasure and not an actual pain point. Drivers might want to achieve a certain level of social status, or maybe they want a reliable and comfortable car that looks great. 

9. Learn from others.

There's no shame in basing your landing page on a style you've seen somewhere else. If you're drawing inspiration from a company that's significantly larger than yours, its marketing department almost certainly has invested time and money to develop and test the strategies you see.  

07 Ways to Maximize Downtime

1. Rise and G.R.I.N.D. (Get Ready It’s a New Day)

Wake up an hour earlier than everyone else in your house. Hitting snooze is not an option. This provides you with a quiet, distraction-free environment to enhance your focus.

Grab your coffee and instead of checking your email or watching the news, invest that time in reviewing your vision board and writing down your goals and plan for the day, which will move you closer to your vision. Particularly focus on that one mission-critical goal you have to achieve to make today a win.

2. Shower time

Ever notice you do some of your best thinking in the shower? There’s a good reason why. It’s a relaxing and monotonous task. When you’re relaxed your body produces more dopamine and your brain more alpha waves. Both stimulate your creative juices and ideas.

Use that time to think about ideas that can help accomplish the goals you wrote down. To prevent your good ideas from escaping down the drain keep a dry erase marker in the shower, make notes on the wall and as soon as you get out take a photo of it with your camera phone. Store it in Evernote and act on the information later. Alternately, you can invest in Aqua Notes, a waterproof note pad.

3. Commuting time 

Americans waste the equivalent of a work week sitting in traffic. Transform your morning and evening commutes from stressful time or wasted time into "Windshield University."

The average daily commute time in the U.S. is 50 minutes round trip. If you invested your 50-minute commute each work day in audiobooks and podcasts, that equates to four hours a week and adds up to 216 hours in professional development annually. You can get the equivalent of an MBA’s worth of professional development in what was previously down time. 

4. Lunch time

Stop eating at your desk, or worse, taking extended social lunches. Schedule business-lunch meetings (at least one every single week) that can help you: achieve one of your goals, make a sale or advance your career. Use a few minutes of your lunch break to recalibrate your schedule and review your "Win the Day" goal.

According to Atlassian, we spend 31 hours a month in unproductive meetings. That doesn’t even count productive meeting time or the time you waste waiting for meetings or appointments to begin.

5. Pre-meeting or appointment time

Typically, when we arrive a few minutes early or when a meeting starts late, we’re left sitting around with idle time. Bring your planner, a book or article and invest that idle time in getting better and more productive. A great app to use is ReadTime. It will scan an article and tell you the amount of time it will take you to read it.

6. Meeting time

How often do you get stuck in a useless or boring meeting that leaves you wishing you had that hour of your life back? Instead of suffering in silence, invest that time in planning the next day or week, jotting down some ideas and creating your action items to finish the day strong. Look up every so often, smile and nod. People will be convinced you’re taking notes about the meeting.

7. Post-meeting or appointment time

Instead of killing time on Facebook while waiting for the next meeting, invest that time with either an immediate follow up on the action items from the last meeting, preparation for the upcoming meeting or reviewing your daily game plan to find slices of time you can win back. For example, turning that 30-minute meeting into a 15-minute one or canceling it all together.

View this process of recovering time in your daily schedule as an experiment. Be sure to give each strategy enough time to accurately measure how well it is working for you, then tweak it or refine it to maximize its usefulness.

7 Brave Things You Need To Do When You Feel Overwhelmed

1. Admit to yourself that you can't do it alone.

I know this sounds simple. But you're type A. You fix things. You get it done. You win the award, launch the company and raise a family.

It's what you've done your whole life. You pulled the all-nighters, and people copied from you. Not the other way around.

So it's painful to admit it, but you have to. You can't do it alone.

Get it? Good. Let's keep going ...

2. Change your pattern.

The old way of doing things needs to stop. You can't tell the boss "I got this" anymore. Your responsibilities have grown. Or you're the boss now. So you can't just take on the project. You have a team to look after. So break the pattern.

Best way to do this is to track yourself for a week. Don't do it during the week -- because who the hell has time for that?

At the end of the week, look back. Ask yourself how you spent your time. Now ask yourself what you can do better? Where can you find efficiencies?

I recently moved my entire agency to a remote work force. That meant that I had to switch gyms. It saved me 30-40 minutes driving. That doesn't seem like a lot of time to many people.

But to me, it means my sanity. Sanity wins.

3. Say you're sorry.

This one may be more about me than you. But hear me out.

When I'm overwhelmed, I tend to destroy everything and everyone in my path. The first step to recovery of my relationships (at home an in the office) is to ask for forgiveness.

Maybe it's not just me?

4. Step back and examine why you're doing what you're doing.

Sometimes our behavior makes perfect sense. Other times, we're raving lunatics. I understand that pressure gets to you, but let's examine whey we're doing the things we're doing that are making us crazed. Is this project that important?

Will taking a break destroy our company; make you lose your job etc. Grade the urgency of the project from 1 to 10 (bear with me). I know you're saying that all projects you touch are a 10. But that's not the case. Sometimes, yes, mostly, not.

If you get anything lower than a 10, deescalate, and then read number 5 ...

5. Pivot.

Maybe the feelings of overwhelm is your body and mind finally syncing up to scream - "get out!". Sometime you're in the wrong situation. You may be at a job that's not playing into your skill set.

Or worse, you may have started a business that you're just not that into.

I did this once. Every day I had a stomachache. I thought it's what entrepreneurs all feel like. I was wrong. When I finally left, the joy I felt at my next company shocked me.

Sometimes you need to blow it all up and just start over.

6. Do something different.

Anything really. What you shouldn't do it lay in bed all day. Get out of the house, run some errands. Call an old friend. Reconnect yourself to the real world.

Not only does it help you feel as if you're moving forward, it will help you gain a firm sense of perspective. The world still moves forward. Life still continues on. You may feel stuck, but getting out into the moving world will help you break the inertia of overwhelm.

I tend to listen to business audiobooks only. Once, when I was feeling overwhelmed and a bit stuck, I took a friends advice and listened to the audiobook "Ready Player One."

My brain loved me for it. I would look forward to my car and train rides every day. The escape, and break from my normal pattern, was energizing.

Try it.

7. Stay aware of what got you there the first time, so you never go back.

Find your triggers. Did you say "yes" too many times? Were you trying to impress a boss? Did you look at the wrong problems to solve as an entrepreneur? Are there people you can hire to help? Can you focus on other things to get that well deserved promotion?

If you can identify the first steps that started you on your slipper slope into overwhelming despair. Good.

If not, try to pay attention next time.

7 Tools to Increase Productivity and Efficiency

Today’s businesses are driven by productivity and collaboration. But how do you achieve both in a way that benefits everyone on your team? How do you avoid the inevitable obstacles: priority management, strategy alignment, and transparency?

Luckily, the small business community has noticed a recent uptick in productivity and collaboration. Why? Many newer online tools have made it easier for teams to communicate clearly, prioritize tasks, delegate responsibilities, and hold themselves (and each other) accountable. From there, it’s just a matter of finding out which tool is right for your business. Check out these seven tools for increasing productivity and efficiency to see which ones meet your needs.

1. Connecteam

There’s an app for that -- and your business! With Connecteam, you create your own branded employee app with which to communicate, clock in, and more. This tool is valuable for businesses with large numbers of remote workers who may not enjoy the same in-office privileges that other employees have. Via your customized app, those remote employees can view and create project checklists, upload files, view work schedules, create informational libraries, and even train for new positions. The app can be created in just over an hour. However, for employees who aren’t used to company apps, there may be a bit of a learning curve. 

2. WorkflowMax

Want 626 hours of time back? On average, that’s how much time WorkflowMax saves its clients -- along with $22,000 a year. This tool is perfect for businesses and freelancers who provide a service and bill based on time. Without much effort at all, employees can track time spent on various tasks and remain accountable for their work. WorkflowMax allows users to create professional, instant quotes for potential clients, then invoice them later on with equally professional-looking forms. Users can even build timelines for special projects and view productivity analytics within the program. For a low monthly price, it’s never been easier for service-based businesses to stay organized.

3. Pocket

No matter how good you are at avoiding procrastination, you’re bound to come across irresistible articles and videos somewhere on the Internet while you’re working. But wait—not clicking on it now doesn’t mean you’ll never be able to see it. Pocket lets you save distracting links and useful articles for later with a simple button, which is installed via extension onto your web browser. Whether it’s the link to a client’s website, a PDF that needs to be edited, or an infographic you’d like to someday share on social media, you can put it in your Pocket. Too many items saved already? You can tag your links and docs for organizational purposes, so nothing will get lost. 

4. Cyfe

Cyfe lets you organize what would otherwise be indecipherable data. The program acts as your business’s data dashboard, where site visitors, adwords metrics, keyword rankings, and social media success can be accessed altogether. Pre-built widgets from MailChimp, Shopify, and many more let you customize your dashboard to view the information you want to see. With all your data in one place, it’s easy for the whole team to keep track of the big picture.

5. Trello

Some people use Trello for grocery lists, and some people use it for their high-growth businesses. Some people use it for both—it’s that intuitive. You set up boards, which can be assigned different tasks. Those tasks are easily moved around, tagged with other users’ names for delegation purposes, and checked off once completed. It’s an ultra-fluid to-do list, and it’s perfect for those who prefer to keep track of tasks the easy way. 6. 1Password

Stop using your mother’s maiden name or your childhood nickname as your password. It’s understandable—you’re worried you’ll forget your password, so you make it super simple—but you’re practically inviting scammers and hackers to your virtual doorstep. Instead, go ahead and generate an uber-complex password and save it with 1Password. This little tool lends you peace of mind and extra time at once by storing your passwords securely and auto-entering them for you on selected sites and programs. With 1Password Teams, administrators can grant and revoke access to shared vaults, as well as save time solving company phishing scams. No matter the size of your business, it can probably benefit from 1Password.

7. Office 365

Most of the above products are developed and managed by startups or small to mid-size businesses. Of course, Office 365 is the product of Microsoft: one of the biggest companies on the planet. This means it has an incredible array of powerful features surrounding email management, file sharing, and online meetings. OneDrive provides an excellent cloud storage solution for businesses, while Skype for Business makes web communication a breeze. Start small with Office 365’s Business Essentials package, or shoot straight to Premium for added amenities, like the Microsoft Office suite and HD video conferencing.

In the end, it’s all about what exactly your organization needs, but odds are it can benefit from a bit of added productivity and efficiency. These tools will help you get your teams on the same track, prioritize major projects, and delegate tasks until you’ve achieved just that.

18 Tools That Saved Time and Grew My Business

We're getting closer to the end of the year. It's been a very exciting year for me achieving most of the goals that I've set so far. And of course, it wouldn't have been possible without the help of some tools that have provided great shortcuts.

The tools shared in this post fall under three categories:

1. Tools that helped me apply a simple productivity system.
2. Tools that saved me time by paying less money.
3. Tools that had an impact on my business growth. 

Are you ready? Let's tackle these:

Tools for my productivity system.

There is a system that I've been following for more than a year now that has had a great impact on my business. It's composed of three simple steps:

1. Plan the right way.
2. Start the day right.
3. Take action with focus.

You could check my previous post here to learn more about it, How This 20-Year-Old Built His Business While Studying Dentistry. And if you plan to implement it, check out this checklist.

Here are the tools:

1. Google Docs: A great tool I use to do all the planning for the tasks I want to accomplish.
2. Wunderlist: Helps me create to-do lists on the go and great for doing tomorrow's to-do list.
3. Accomplish: It helps me easily create my schedule for the day. This is my best calendar app that suits all my needs.
4. Clear focus: Taking action with focus hasn't been easier with the help of this great tool.
5. 7 Min Workout app: Not only does this app have the normal seven minute exercise, but also it have many different variants with different durations
6. Headspace: A gem tool that changed my focus throughout the day.
7. Freedom Journal: One of the best journals. I like their app which reminds me to write in the journal in the morning and at the evening.

Tools that saved me time.

Usually, these are resources where I pay a few dollars to save me time or resources where I could save a few minutes by grouping tasks together.

1. Upwork (formerly known as Odesk): This is not a tool but it is a great way to get low-value tasks done leaving me time to focus on higher value tasks.
2. 99designs: I'm sure you know how time-consuming design work can be. When redesigning my logo, I spent a ton of time trying to communicate my vision to designers only to receive concepts I wasn't happy with, which ate into other projects. Using 99designs, I was able to save a lot of time because of the great amount of designs I get. I pick the one I like, ask for reiterations till I like it and then pay.
3. Thrive content builder: Having a great design that attracts the attention of new readers is very hard. I used to outsource this job, but with this tool, I don't need to.
4. Auto Text Expander chrome expansion: Great tool to share common sentences without typing them out completely.
5. Buffer extension: Publish on all my social networks without entering them one by one.
6. Pocket: Save important posts that come your way to read them on the weekends. Tools that helped my business grow.

There are a few tools which help you increase your business growth without much work on your end. These are the tools that helped me do just that this year:

1. Thrive Leads: This tools helped collect more emails from my website without spending time messing with the code.
2. SumoMe: It provides you with a great set of tools. I like to use the share, content analytics and heatmap tools. Did I mention it's free? I'm doing just fine with the free version.
3. Active Campaign: Creating automation with ease to convert new subscribers and customers has never been easier. Forget infusionsoft with its complexity and the hefty price you pay initially and monthly. You pay a fraction of that with Active Campaign.
4. Optimizepress: Started using it lately after all the buzz I heard. It deserves every penny of the $97 I paid for it.
5. Buzzsumo: Great tool to help me identify popular topics and posts in my "industry +" who are sharing it.