Seven Core Practices
Seven Steps every Consultant must Master to Market Successfully

Seth Kahan & Marshall Brown
working together to build a vital
community of entrepreneurs in
Washington, DC

Wednesday March 17
8:30-10:30am

By attending this FREE program, you will…

• Learn 7 powerful practices to help you move your business forward

• Gain Tips and Techniques on how to grow your business

• Network with other entrepreneurs

• Create an action plan that will help you thrive!

Special thanks to Marketing General for hosting this event
Marketing General
209 Madison St.
Suite 300
Alexandria, VA
on street parking

Click here to open the pdf to read more or to register email Tya Bolton at tya@mbrownassociates.com

Studies have shown that successful entrepreneurs possess these characteristics:

1. Self-confidence

This is that magical power of having confidence in oneself and in one’s powers and abilities.

2. Achievement Oriented

Results are gained by focused and sustained effort. They concentrate on achieving a specific goal, not just accomplishing a string of unrelated tasks.

3. Risk Taker

They realize that there is a chance of loss inherent in achieving their goals, yet they have the confidence necessary to take calculated risks to achieve their goals.

So which of these three main characteristics is the most important? Believe it or not, it has to be self-confidence. Without self-confidence, nothing else is possible. If you don’t believe in your abilities, then the first challenge that arises may knock you off the path to achieving your goals. Here are a few things to keep in mind for maintaining a higher level of self-confidence.

Positive Thinking

Well, it all starts with a positive attitude, doesn’t it? Believing that something good will happen is the first step. Negative thinking simply is not allowed. You must truly believe that there are no circumstances strong enough to deter you from reaching your goals. Remember too, that positive thinking can be contagious. When positive thinking spreads, it can open doors to new ideas, customers, friends, etc.

Persistent Action

Now all of the positive thinking and believing in the world is useless if it is not applied towards a goal. You have to take action, no excuses are allowed. This action must also be persistent. Trying once and then giving up is not going to be enough. Keep at it one step at a time. If you can’t get by a certain step, then find a creative way to try again or just go around it.

At the beginning of this article I identified a few traits that are common among successful entrepreneurs. You should be able to look ahead and see yourself where you want to be. Now just maintain a strong belief in yourself and your skills, stick with it, and don’t give up. If you can do that, you’re already half way there!

If you are interested in learning more about how I can help you build your business and profits, visit:

 http://www.mbrownassociates.com/success-program.html

Join us this Thursday for the January Alexandria Brown Bag networking
group lunch.  Everyone is welcome and we have an exciting program
planned which should be beneficial to everyone at different stages in
their careers.  For questions and more information, contact our
facilitator, Talisa Thomas-Hall at brightideas@theceo.net.

DATE:  Thurs, January 21, 2010
TIME:  12:00 to  1:30PM (begin networking at 11:30 AM)
SITE:  Marketing General Inc., 209 Madison Street, Third Floor,
Alexandria VA (corner of North Fairfax and Madison).  On street parking
or use paid parking at rear of building.

TITLE:  Transition Strategies for Uncertain Times

DESCRIPTION:  Are you currently in transition, looking for a new
position, or just thinking about a career change?  If so, you’ve
probably got lots of questions:

  ·  Where do I look to find the best jobs?
  ·  How do I network and meet people (I’m shy)?
  ·  What makes an effective resume?
  ·  What are my other career options – the private sector, AMC vs.
association, consulting?
  ·  Is it ok to take a “lower” position in a larger organization and
still be on an upward track?
  ·  What are the best ways to get noticed in the association
community?

We’ve got answers.  Join industry professionals Marshall Brown, Vinay
Kumar and Wayne Carley for this practical, tactical, highly interactive
session on how to optimize your job search and career development in
these tough economic times.

1. Take time, slow down. Be present in your life and mindful of the present.
2. Care for your body, eat well, exercise, treat yourself to loving, nurturing self-care.
3. Spend quality time with family and friends. Communicate, keep in touch. Say I love you. Tell people you appreciate them.
4. Take time throughout the day to renew yourself. Take a walk, read a poem or a good book, listen to music (really listen); bring beauty into your life. On a monthly basis, take a whole day for yourself — play, treat yourself to something you want to do; retreat from your daily life. Mark these special days on your calendar (in ink) so you’ll be certain to take them.
5. Clean up what needs to be cleaned up. Make amends, fix what’s broken, clear away clutter, forgive what needs to be forgiven and let go.
6. Commit to a project you really want to do or to learning something new or attaining something you want. Commitment is the first step. Then set achievable goals and work toward them on a daily basis.
7. Give yourself to a cause, volunteer at a nonprofit organization, a community group, your church or lend a hand to an individual or family who could use your help.
8. Practice your spirituality in whatever form you express it, on a daily basis.
9. Laugh every day.
10. Take time to dream.

Here’s wishing you the happiest holiday season and make it a great ’10!

Click here to read more articles like this.

1. Take good care of your self. Eat healthfully, get plenty of rest, exercise.

2. Make lists and set aside specific times to accomplish certain tasks. Prioritize. Consider scratching a few items off your list.

3. Ask for help. It’s more fun to do things together — from decorating the house to wrapping presents.

4. Make a budget and stick to it. No matter what. If you use your credit cards during the holidays then spend the rest of the year paying them off, try not charging anything this year.

5. Shop by catalogue. Give gift certificates.

6. Look for ways to share day care arrangements if the kids are out of school. Maybe this is the year the older ones get a job, or perform volunteer work.

7. Remember to play. Have fun. Share special time with the children or other family members.

8. Make houseguests as self-sufficient as possible. Let them help. Don’t give up your own bed unless you must.

9. If family gatherings cause tension and anxiety, consider alternatives that can lessen the effects. Plan well in advance; avoid last minute surprises.

10. Take a walk; breathe in the fresh air. Find a place where you can be quiet and restful. Go there often.

There’s no quick fix to finding fulfilling work—the kind of work that gets you out of bed in the morning before the alarm clock rings. Some people give up on the pursuit of job satisfaction altogether, buying into the belief that work is a means to end, a necessary evil, something to pay the bills.

Others believe that job satisfaction is linked to finding a new job. They believe lack of fulfillment is rooted in the job itself, or in the organization they are working for. They stay at one job until the honeymoon is over and then move on to another.

But moving on is becoming increasingly difficult. Our economy is in a major slump and new jobs are hard to come by. Not to mention that moving from job to job is an exhausting endeavor in itself, especially when you never really find what you’re looking for.

In today’s highly competitive workplace, it’s not good enough to merely survive; you must be able to thrive.

You need to know what your personal brand is, what separates you from your competition and what is your unique promise of value. And once you have identified your strengths, attributes and accomplishments, let your employer know. Show that you are the best person to help solve problems and illustrate the value that you bring to the organization.

Forget the economy, forget everything you’ve been told about job satisfaction and focus on these two facts:

• You don’t have to accept the slump you are in.
• It’s possible for you to find satisfaction … in the job you have right now.

There are no quick fixes. You’ll have to take responsibility for your own situation and you’ll have to make a serious commitment to your job and career growth. But your efforts will be rewarded.

Try these 10 strategies to improve your current situation:

1. Get in touch with your passions. Your passions never really go away. While they may be a little rusty, what feeds your soul and stirs your heart is still within you.

2. Engage. The cure for exhaustion is not rest. It’s involvement.When you are truly absorbed, you feel energized. The connections you feel from participation create the drive you need to perform your absolute best.

3. Manage your manager. Be one step ahead. Always have a good strategy in place to address resistance from above. Build a mutually beneficial relationship.

4. Challenge yourself. Don’t wait for your employer to engage your interests, skills and education.What skills and experience do you need for your dream job and how could you improve them? Take a class, ask someone to act as your mentor or educate yourself through books, CDs, podcasts and seminars.

5. Tweak your job to your natural preferences. Understand how your natural preferences match the structure of your job. Identifying what’s working for you, as well as what isn’t working, will allow you to move toward making changes in your job’s structure that better suit you.

6. Clarify job requirements. One of the keys to feeling good about your job is knowing what is expected. Request clear expectations, advocate for needed education and training and ask for frequent reviews.

7. Connect with people. When you think about it, much of the reason why we do our jobs is to serve other people. Understanding how you impact the lives of people around you—both inside and outside the workplace—can increase your satisfaction.

8. Invest in improvement. By allocating a specific amount of time toward education and self-improvement, you can significantly increase your specific job skills, as well as knowledge about the industry in which you work. As you gain the education and knowledge necessary to excel in your job, your fulfillment and enjoyment will increase.

9. Make time for life beyond work. Paying attention to both your work life and your home life is integral to increasing job satisfaction. If you are working more and playing less, chances are you’ll also notice your enthusiasm and motivation—and eventually your performance—decrease.

10. Choose your mood. Reframing a “bad” situation—finding the silver lining in something negative—can completely change your outlook and increase your satisfaction at work.

Click here to read more articles like this.