Your ability to SCALE is an indicator of growth potential

One of the cornerstones of a business that experiences healthy growth is its ability to scale or increase its volume without impacting the contribution margin (Contribution margin= revenue - variable costs). The ability to do more with less. If you haven’t created scalability in your business, you’ll always struggle with growth and especially with breaking through revenue ceilings. If this becomes an issue then it doesn’t matter how much marketing or sales support you may have. If you’re business isn’t set up to scale, you’ll max out on the number of customers you can serve and cap out on revenue.

Even before you launch your business, you’d have a difficult time getting an investor or bank to bank you if your revenue potential was limited.

Here are some key areas you may want to avoid as a start-up or small business:

1. Trading time for dollars.

You may have started out getting paid for your individual services but at some point you’ll want to be compensated for VALUE, not time. If you want to put a price on your time, it would then become a premium item. This could include moving into group facilitation and away form one-to-one experiences. Perhaps turn a process or instruction into an online automated activity, a book, or audio/video experience. The opportunities to transform a talent into a scalable product or service are bountiful. People will then be able to compensate you for value, not time.

2. Intellectual Property that serves a finite purpose.

The technical word here is obsolescence which is when something loses values because the world around it (tastes) have changed. Streetlamps and streetlamp lighters became obsolete when electricity was invented. The pet rock became obsolete after it’s first wave. Whatever your “it” is, make sure it has the ability to expand, grow and evolve as time goes on. Rather than a title for one book, Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen created an anthology franchise of Chicken Soup books that are still breaking records. Over the years, how many variations of Windows have you had to purchase for your computer?

3. Lack of automation.

If your dream is to help as many people as possible, then you’ll want to serve your market without limitation and in a way that is most cost effective to the business. Virtually every area of your business can have some type of automation to increase efficiencies and output--- more people being served! Start with manufacturing then on to the delivery of your goods and services. Order processing, follow-up and marketing are key areas to look at as well. Also, is there any continuity with existing customers or does your relationship end after a sale? This is why even a follow up email Autoresponder system can make such a difference.

4. Lack of trained personnel.

That’s often a bottleneck in a business…especially if the CEO is wearing all the hats and hasn’t taken the time to train & delegate. Make sure there are people around you that you can offset responsibilities too. Outsource these functions initially if you’re a start-up but treat it as a priority, not a secondary thought.

5. Undefined business model.

It’s difficult to create scalability if you’re just trying make money from a variety of sources but haven’t tied it all together. What’s at the core of your business? Is it just you or is there a website or some other presence that’s independent of you?

You may reprint this article in its entirety with author's contact and bio information.

Use the Triple S formula to grow your business

I can usually tell very quickly what kind of revenue someone has and how sustaining their growth will be by using my Triple S formula:

* Systems

* Structure

* Scalability

Without it, you may feel that you own a job and work hard to stay ahead.
Without enough of the Triple S, you may not be able to break through revenue thresholds.

Want a million dollar business? Think Triple S!

We'll be discussing what it means and how you can have all this on our next Abundance Mastermind Group Call.

Tuesday, October 20th at 12pm pacific/ 3pm eastern.
You can join this call and next month's call for FR*EE when you purchase my ebook:

"Passion To Prosperity: Instant Ways To Profit From Your Skills and Talents".
http://passion2prosperitybook.com

During our call, I'll lay out key areas of your business where you want to create systems, structure and scalability to help you break through any revenue plateuas you may be experiencing.

I'll also take questions about how to integrate it in yours.
I'll help you shift your thinking about how to create that million dollar business AND you'll have specific action steps to take after the call.

Ways To Build Value In Your Business, part I

Many people think the majority of value in their business is tied to revenue only so they tend to undervalue their worth when it comes time to sell. Most of the valuation formulas deal strictly with revenue as well. However, I've spoken to many CEO's (including yours truly) who felt they left "too much on the table" when it was time to sell their business or negotiate a deal because they didn't take many other factors into consideration.
This is also an important issue when it's time to attract investors or put together strategic alliances. The more you learn to value every aspect of your business, the more bargaining power you have when it come time to negotiate. There are dozens of ways to build value in your business and we discuss many of these in our Protégé Program. Here are a few that will help you negotiate higher fees, attract investors, bigger deals, and ultimately sell for a premium price.

1. Intellectual property (IP)
Take inventory of not only your patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets but also brand identity, websites, domain names, blogs, and social network profiles. You can create as much IP as you want and the more you do with them, the more valuable it becomes.

2. Tangible assets
What else do you own that is attached to your business? Includes real estate, inventory, collectibles, and so forth. I remember years ago a friend sold his business including the building it came with. In the final purchase contract, his broker forgot to exclude the huge billboard that sat on top of the building and produced an extra $22,000 a month in revenue. Therefore it was automatically conveyed to the new owner and my friend literally gave up that revenue because of an oversight. Ouch!

3. Contracts and other agreements
You may have agreements that could be tied to current or future revenue, produce residual revenue or allow for something of value other then direct revenue. COuld be the use of an image, name, access to a resource, etc. During the time I sold my first business, we had an existing contract to provide services to a major hotel chain. The contract was new and we hadn't yet finished the rollout to all their locations but included the potential of it in the final purchase price. If you're doing business with people right now without a writen agreement, consider putting one in place ASAP. Go to http://manifestsuccessplanning.com and download Jian's Business Contracts (rigth side of page) for over a hundred templates.

4. Customer or Subscriber list
Your list is golden and would be coveted by many! It can be a tremendous bargaining chip in a sale or partnership negotiation. The people on your list may not all be customers but have the potential to be which translates into revenue. Go to http://intentionalincome.com and click on our ecommerce listbuilding tools.

5. Systems
You're adding value anytime you've created backend infrastructure in sales, marketing, operations or production. Same thing if you've systematized any process you do in your business or have brought offline services online. Creating automation and structure in business is a big aspect of the work I do with clients and is what paves the way for a multi-million dollar business. That's why I like to use Kickstart Cart (1ShoppingCart private label) as one of the automation solutions for my business.

Reserve a spot in Maria's 16-week Business Building Protégé Program and walk step-by-step into creating your dream business http://passion2prosperity.com/program

How To Stay ON The Road To Success!

We're so hard on ourselves! I've met so many entrepreneurs who regularly chastise themselves for "not knowing better" or taking longer to launch, or needing more money then originally thought. Pul-eeze! How are you supposed to know everything? The fact is, no one really taught us "success" in school and I don't know about you, but Business Ownership 101 was not offered as a class in grammar school or high school. In fact, it's only been in the past few years that they're actually offering more entrepreneurial classes in school. The road to success is not really a ROAD as far as I'm concerned. It's more like a LABYRINTH with lots of twisty turns---some seem to go nowhere and others take you one step closer to the prize. You can really learn to enjoy those twisty turns if you just start easing up on the self judgement, breath e, be more compassionate with yourself and know it's more about the journey. So while most entrepreneurs barely know what they're doing when they first start out in business (it's so true), here are things you can do to keep yourself moving forward successfully:

1. Don't wait until it's perfect
Don't hold back. Start bringing your dream to life by putting your product or service out there in one form or another and let it evolve from there. You may not have a product ready for instance, but you can easily start building your markets.

2. Surround yourself with people who model success in different areas
Don't operate in a void. Seek out those who really know their stuff and are willing to share their wisdom and open doors to new opportunities. Ask for help, ask lots of questions..always!

3. Focus on your passion, not the money
Let your desire to be part of something bigger than you be your driving force and you'll maintain the momentum you'll need to see it through. Money is not a long term motivator. Focusing on your PASSION will bring you more joy and inspiration.

4. It's none of your business what others think about you
Stay true to yourself, your passion, what you know is right, your plan, the desire to be a trailblazer who thinks outside the box---all of that---and don't let others bring you down or insist you can't do something. Always consider the source if you're ever going to react to what others may say about you.

5. Have a "no matter what" vision
You won't always know how to do something---you couldn't possibly know it all--- but you should have a clear image of what you really want. Stay focused and committed to THAT and you'll always be guided to the next step.

6. Every resource you need is within your grasp
If you really pay attention, you'll soon realize that every people or material resource you'll need to accomplish your goals, including money, is close by and well within your grasp. It's how God works with a great idea and a driven entrepreneur.

7. Keep immersing yourself in learning and growing as a human being
It's not just about doing your business--- you'll also want to regularly invest in your education--especially in the areas of finance, sales, marketing, spiritual and personal development--- so that you can become more strategic and intentional about your success and not so much "flying by the seat of your pants".

8. Be creative and solutions based
That's also a nice way to say never take no for answer. Be the MacGyver of your business. If you feel that you're lacking in resources, find a new way of acquiring them. Know there's a solution for every challenge!

Reserve a spot in Maria's 16-week Business Building Protégé Program and walk step-by-step into creating YOUR dream business http://passion2prosperity.com

Are you working with STRATEGIES?

I spoke to a new client today who'd like to transform her talents into a "real business."
She thought she had been working way too hard, fleeting revenue, & not getting the results she wanted.

Here are some of the priority items we're working on. See if you can relate:

* Using a strategic blueprint to form an organized marketing effort.
*Moving her business online as much as possible to take advantage of SEM.
*Integrating the most appropriate automation technology tools.
*Creating a scalable back end foundation to manage a hundred or a million clients.
*Creating ongoing followup email campaigns for customers and collaborators.
*Plan to create multiple, passive revenue streams that allows her to attract funding more easily.

GET THIS FOR YOURSELF: Join us for part 3 of my FR*EE "Passionate Business Telesummit" on Thursday 8/13/09.
http://passionatebiz.com/ <-- click here for details

Secrets To Being A Customer Magnet In Your Business

Do you have people in your life who are on the fence about doing business with you, or potential investors that haven't quite committed to writing that check? Do you know where to even find these people? Here are some simple strategies that help people take action. The process starts even before this person comes into your life!

1. Have your prospect's best interest at heart
People connect with authenticity and someone who is passionate and enthusiastic about what they're offering. Is that you? Are you genuinely interested in providing the right solution or just interested in making a sale. The more aligned you are with this process, the safer your prospective customer will feel.

2. Know who your ideal customer is
Many people try to serve too broad a demographic and therefore don't come across powerfully to anyone in particular. Narrow it down so that you can show up as a "specialist" to a certain group. They'll take action much faster. You may also be communicating to the wrong group altogether. Success here is not necessarily dependant on the number of people you're speaking to but the quality of those contacts.

3. Get crystal clear about the needs of your prospective customer
Ask questions that allow them to share what's true for them --- what are their priority needs? what is an ideal situation for them? This info can be conveyed in a conversation OR become proactive and address their needs in all written communication. Don't just keep pushing your agenda on them without understanding what they truly need.

4. Become useful or indispensible to them, regardless
Some time ago I had a desire to create a Joint Venture with another organization. Before they had decided to do business with me, I took the initiative to make some additional contacts for them and supported them in other ways because I was very clear what their overall needs were. Getting them to say "yes" to my agenda was a much easier process afterwards. You can even create this same situation when serving the masses online...what can you give first?

5. Communicate your value
You want to be crystal clear about what you're offering your prospects and the VALUE of that offer expressed in dollars, time, potential, peace of mind, etc. A confused mind will take no action. Don't make assumptions they have all pertinent information. There should be a very direct and clear connection between your solution and their pain.

6. Go where they go, know who they know
If you truly understand who your ideal customer is, then you'll know exactly where they "hang out" so you can join them and not waste time and resources trying to find customers in places where they aren't. If you're a restaurant, you'll want to connect with people who are hungry or planning to eat out. You'll also want to connect with people THEY look up to who can help boost your credibility with endorsements and testimonials. People in pain would be referred by medical practitioners, pharmacies, etc.

Join Maria for the "Passionate Business TeleSummit" to learn more about attracting the right customers and increasing your revenues http://passionatebiz.com

Resistance is futile!

If you don't have something you really want, is your first inclination to work harder for it? That's happened to me in the past. If you're familiar with the Law of Attraction, you know that having a clear vision of exactly what it is you want will help to manifest it in the physical a lot faster. Holding a vision and then taking inspired action is a much more efficient way to work. With that said--are you experiencing today all it is that you desire? Is there a gap between the two? If it feels like there is some distance between the two points, consider this: The moment you express a desire to have something in your life, the Universe/God/Divine Source instantly surrounds you with all that is necessary to make that a reality. How exciting is that! Knowing in my heart that to be true, if I'm not experiencing what I desire, then I look to inward to see what I'm resi sting. I need only acknowledge that I'm resisting and instead of having a need to explain or justify myself, I'll just begin letting go so that I can receive the support I need to help me achieve my goals.
Here are some "resistance points" that I've experienced over the years. I have hundreds I could share but these are just a few:

1. Is what you're asking for your deepest desire?
If you're not steadily moving towards your desire, it may not be what your heart wants. Have you compromised and asked for something that's not exactly what you want but may seem easier to attain? We want to learn to trust, regardless of the magnitude of the request, that if it's something our heart desires then it is most certainly within our grasp.

2. Regularly lowering your standards
Instead of focusing on achieving your dream, have you lowered your standards to accommodate your current situation? It's easy to live with the "discomfort" rather than going full out and pursuing your dreams, especially if you have any doubts about whether you may even deserve it or not. Keep aiming higher and know the place where you're currently at is a passing phase, a springboard to another level---enjoy the journey but don't get too comfortable there!

3. Not following up with people who are offering support
Support from someone with perhaps more experience than you can make all the difference in the world. There are times, however, when I've offered support to someone who never followed up. If help is a phone call away, why not make the phone call? Are you judging your "worthiness"? Are you attached to the pain and not as interested in moving forward? Start saying YES and allow others to help you.

4. Making MONEY an issue
This is a mantra of many people --- "I can't afford to have that" or "I can't move forward because I don't have money". Money is energy and it follows the opportunities--- opportunities don't necessarily follow money. So a more abundant stance would be to make decisions based on what it is you want to have or create in your life--- truly commit to having it regardless--- and then allow the resources to start showing up for you.

5. Making time an issue
Time is irrelevant when you're doing your dream. You'll find you're able to actually create more if it when you're doing things you love. It may also be better not to use time as a milestone--imposing too many deadlines in your life induces stress and you'll start sabotaging yourself at different points.

6. Being resistant to learning something new
If you're not experiencing all that you desire, chances are you don't know what you don't know. If you can embrace the fact that we're beings in a perpetual state of learning and growing, your next "teacher" will quickly appear. Do you resist immersing yourself in learning new strategies or building new support systems?

7. Feeling judged by those who may be trying to support you
Well wishers may step in to give you guidance, or point out areas that need to be corrected. Do you have a tendency to dismiss their support as judgement? Take any of it personally and feel slightly victimized? If you're taking support or feedback as an attack, it may be just your own feelings of inadequacy coming up and you're just reflecting it back to them. Allow others to share and resist the need to take any of it personally.

Join Maria's "Passionate Business Telesummit" to learn more strategies that will help you keep moving forward in business. Register for FR^EE at http://passionatebiz.com

Let's support each other!

Hope all is well with you this summer!

I'm always at my best--and have way more fun-- when I'm collaborating with othersas I help people create spiritually rewarding and financially abundant businesses.I wanted to share some win-win opportunities I think you'll enjoy.

*Affiliate openings
*Joint Venture alliances
*Be a guest on my radio show
*The Women's Information Network

1. Become a Passion To Prosperity Affiliate
Be part of my expansion efforts AND create "now money" for yourself!

I'll be announcing a new program next week and we're looking for quality people who'll help to share it with others.If you have a calling to empower others with resources they need to succeed...then you'll love this lucrative opportunity!
As an Affiliate, you'll be compensated for promoting your unique link to your mailing list and to talk aboutus on the social networks.

Simply sign in as an Affiliate at http://mariasimone.com/ and you'll immediately receive 2 emails.Hold on to those--this weekend you'll receive more specific details about language & compensation and a chance to get on a training call with yours truly.
For now, that's all there is to do!
***No need to register again if you're an Affiliate already***

2. Would you like to partner with me for a Joint Venture Alliance?
I'm looking for like minded individuals who have products and services that support entrepreneurs.Please send an email to simone@passion2prosperity.com so we can explore the possibility of promoting each other business.

3. Would you like to be a guest on my RADIO SHOW?
I'm excited to share that I'll be launching a new radio program and will begin booking guests soon.If you have a message to share with enlightened entrepreneurs, please send us a short emailwith your website link and brief description of what you offer to admin@passion2prosperity.com for consideration.
No attachments please!

4. Would you like to be a SHOW HOST yourself?
I'm currently helping to launch an exciting new venture, The Women's Information Network, and we're interviewing quality content providers.
Check out http://thewinonline.com/ (beta) and then send an email to simone@passion2prosperity.com for further details.
Your message could potentially reach millions of subscribers....this is a great promotional opportunity!

Hope to connect with you soon---have a fantastic weekend!
Maria Simone
http://passion2prosperity.com/
http://passion2prosperitybook.com/
http://the15minutementor.com/
http://twitter.com/mariasimone

7 Steps to eCommerce Success

I work with a lot of start-up business owners and during the initial entrepreneurial stages, the emphasis is usually on planning, product development, establishing markets, gathering resources and attracting the right people. When it actually comes time to hang out the OPEN FOR BUSINESS sign, it's not uncommon to see some very key elements missing ---such as the actual operational infrastructure of the business, for instance. The following are necessary tools you'll want to have in place to not only be taken seriously as a business owner who conducts business online but to also be able to systematize and scale your online operations for growth.

1. Protect your IP--Register all corresponding domain names.
Secure any domain name related to you, your company and your products at Snagadomain.com . You may have a vanity site with all your Company info and links but it could be more profitable to also put your main products on their own mini-sites or landing pages. Spreading your name around the internet helps to create a bigger footprint.

2. Establish an online presence conducive to selling
Most people put up a website that does everything but inspire people to buy. Wherever your product is being sold should have a strong, clear call to action without other distractions. It should also establish your credibility within seconds AND have an opt-in area with a compelling free offer in exchange for your visitor's contact info.

3. Use a shopping cart with autoresponder.
Your product catalog should be loaded onto an online shopping cart so people can browse then click to buy in 1-2 easy steps. Even more importantly, you want to be able to follow up with automated (autoresponder) marketing messages to your customers and prospects to inspire them to buy more frequently and to refer. The #1 Shopping Cart with autoresponder I recommend to get you started is Kickstart Cart(1ShoppingCart) . I've had multiple accounts for years and it's served me well! Digital orders are processed and shipped to the customer automtaically. Services can be performed without have to worry about collecting fees. Physical product orders can go directly to whomever is doing your fullfillment and shipping.

4. Sign up for a professional merchant account.
You can use PayPal to process money transactions online but I recommend signing up for a bank backed merchant account to establish a more professional presence. It also happens to be more cost effective in the long term. My husband, Michael Murdock, offers wholesale merchant accounts with discount fees starting at 1.59% (PayPal fees average 3.5%). Contact him at murdock@docmurdock.com for details. Your merchant account will then be connected to your shopping cart for complete automation. Orders are processed and money appears quickly in your bank account.

5. Optimize your website so your customers can find you
Once you've set up your eCommerce site, make sure you've physically submitted it to the search engines like Yahoo and Google. More specifically, if you've researched and are using the most appropriate keywords for your product, people can more easily find you when searching online for your product category. You may have a great product but it won't really matter if no one can find you. Michael is an SEO expert and offers FREE info about this at Docmurdock.com .

6. Follow-up with ongoing email communication
Your prospective customers may not buy on their first visit so frequency is important to establish a connection until they ultimately make a purchase or at least tell others about you. The easiest way to do this is with a pre-planned email or video campaign. It should start the moment they make a purchase or give you their contact info and continue for as long as they're on your list. You can dramatically change your conversions with the proper follow-up.

7. Use measurement tools to track your results
There are many strategies you'll want to employ for traffic generation, sales conversions, and copywriting. You'll find that even the smallest change to your website or marketing strategy can produce big results. Google Analytics is a great first step and one of the many tools you can use for monitoring website visitors, page views, conversions, etc.

Join Maria's Abundance Mastermind Group call on 7/21 @ 12pm pacific and learn specific steps to creating a successful eCommerce presence. Get 2 months FR^EE when you purchase her eBook at http://www.passion2prosperitybook.com

Marketing Strategies I Learned Studying Epidemics

During my years training to be become a pharmacist, I studied epidemiology ---the study of disease origin & spread--- and subsequently did a rotation at the New York City Poison Control Center & Bellevue Hospital. Not exactly cocktail party conversation! Studying the history of epidemics taught me a lot about marketing although I didn’t realize it until years later. Most of us have seen the media hype about the swine flu but what you don’t see is the behind the scenes activities of the CDC (Centers for Disease Control), WHO (World Health Organization) and other agencies involved. There are very controlled, predictable, scientific and highly measurable methods being applied to quickly isolate the origin of the illness, know ideal conditions for infection, ID the organism markers to create a vaccine, and ultimately prevent the spread of it. So while the media was questioning whether or not this would prove to be a devastating pandemic, I had 100% confidence that it would be contained sooner than later (with prayers going out to those who have been affected).

The nature of an epidemic is predictable once you understand what to look for and while the world is working on activities to PREVENT the spread of the illness, some of these same activities can be applied BACKWARDS in marketing to achieve “epidemic” results (or “viral” results as it’s more commonly called). I apply these strategies when marketing for new customers, meeting ideal investor candidates, or attracting perfect Joint Venture candidates.


1. Identify the point of origin.
Every epidemic has a first encounter--- the first infected--- and it’s important to know who that person is to better understand the inherent characteristics that activated the spread of the disease. In marketing, those would be your IDEAL clients. What conditions must be present for them to not only have a sense of urgency working with you or buying from you but also cause them to TALK about you? Who benefits the most from what you do? Who has the most to gain? Experiencing the biggest results? It’s not necessarily a demographic but a physical person --- especially if you want to recreate the same conditions in others!


2. How is it specifically transmitted?
As it relates to the Swine Flu epidemic, the method is close airborne transmission. Therefore people are encouraged to wear masks, avoid contact with eyes and wash their hands frequently. When you understand who your ideal client is, then it’s important to understand how to enable them to quickly spread the word about you. Word of mouth, video, some type of collateral material? You’ll want to do what it takes to make it very easy for your client to carry out this activity. Study their patterns and then completely enable and simplify the process. Don’t make it complicated!

3. Follow the formation of clusters.
You’ll inevitably have isolated clusters of individuals being infected. From a marketing perspective you want to study and recreate those conditions to increase the frequency of clusters until all the clusters are ultimately connecting. You could start out simply by following in the footsteps of your ideal client by going where they go, know who they know, etc., until you connect with others with the same characteristics.

4. Focus your efforts on those most “susceptible”.
The entire population could be at risk for infection but realistically there’s always a smaller subset that is most susceptible and that’s usually where resources are allocated. If the risks are dramatically reduced with that smaller group, then the larger population will most likely be safe. So in marketing, it’s wise to allocate your resources on a subset of the population—your niche. You’ll be able to penetrate that market quickly with laser focus and then will be able to spill over to the rest of the population.

5. Watch for mutation and respond according.
It is expected that the infecting agent will change and mutate as time goes on--- that’s precisely why a new flu vaccine is released once each year in August and then destroyed after May. Accepting that “change is constant” in your market will help you stay on top of your game and prepare accordingly. Stay in touch with your ideal clients, make sure you’re regularly meeting their needs.

6. Gather all your data and formulate a vaccine.
Ideally there will be enough initial epidemiology data to immediately start working on a cure (if none is available) and a vaccine for prevention. As part of your marketing campaign, you’ll want to carefully study what’s working and package that into a process that can easily be duplicated over and over. That’s a key to automation and quickly getting your message out to the masses.

7. Be bold, communicate big, make a lot of noise!
The agencies involved with any epidemic have a very defined emergency response program in place to reach the general population with warnings and instructions. They depend on the coordinated support of others to help them in this regard. Includes reverse 911, daily reports to the media outlets (newspapers, TV and radio), schools texting students, and much more. Your marketing (in the form of education, instruction, relationship building, etc) should also include big and bold communication with the help of others so people will listen to YOUR message and take action.

You can actually watch these events being played out during the current Swine Flu epidemic. ~~ Maria Simone helps those who want to transform their talents to create 6 and 7 figure businesses. Learn more at http://www.passion2prosperity.com/

9 Ways to Keep Yourself Motivated and Moving Forward in Business

Part of the excitement of being an entrepreneur is often in the creation mode of having a brilliant idea, getting the thumbs up from those you admire, and seeing your concept take on a life of its own. Right? A benchmark of "success" could be in seeing that idea fully expressed with products and services being sold at a profit. However, it's how and if you make the journey from CONCEPT to FULL EXPRESSION which really makes all the difference of whether you succeed or not. It's not necessarily about how great your idea is. With that said it's no wonder that many great ideas never make it out there in a big way. Looking back it's often because the entrepreneur just gave up.

So if you have a great idea and you're passionate about what you're doing, here are some strategies you can use to maintain a high vibration around your project and help keep you motivated and moving forward:

1. Celebrate after each milestone is achieved.
Don't think you have to wait for the end of the journey to celebrate as success will occur at many points along the way. So take the time to acknowledge and celebrate these milestones and you'll stay motivated for longer periods of time. Could be that you've finished building your team, prototype being ready, first investor check has arrived, first order, etc.

2. Stay focused on what's driving you.
Keep constant reminders around of why you're doing what you're doing to help you stay motivated. It's easy to lose site of why you're in business during the rough patches. Also, it helps to have a vision that is much bigger than just making money such as helping the community or healing the planet.

3. Surround yourself with incredible people---ditch the downers!
Gracefully let go of relationships with people who do not know how to support you on your journey. Replace them with people who know how to lift you up, have traveled a similar path and can alleviate your fears, will open doors for you and generally make your life easier.

4. Create a routine that fosters creativity, accomplishments, & manageable tasks.
I find my productivity is maximized and I can keep my vibration high if I break my day down into 2 hour activity increments as well as create a priority list that is reasonable. Part of my time is spent in creative activities with no interruptions, specific revenue generating activities as well as operational tasks. I also include daily breaks and quiet time in the mix. Keeps me engaged and motivated throughout the day!

5. Give yourself permission to do the tasks that you love and delegate what you don't.
Entrepreneurs think they have to wear ALL the hats in their business and work on everything all at once. If you're consistently doing activities you don't enjoy, you'll quickly lose your passion and motivation to see it all the way through. Give yourself permission to focus on those activities you enjoy and are good at and commit to attracting the right people who can do the rest.

6. Respect the learning curve.
Chances are you're traveling down a path you haven't traveled before so in addition to having to make the best decisions for your business, you'll also need to set aside some time to learn about the resources so you can make the best informed decision. It's important to add your learning curve into the equation otherwise you'll always feel you're lagging behind and this could be very de-motivating. Another way to overcome this is to make sure you have people around you who possess the very skills you may be lacking.

7. Take time out for self-care no matter what.
No, you won't necessarily get there any faster if you work nonstop. You'll probably burn out first. Even just taking 15 minutes a day to be still, meditate or just process your day can make a world of difference. This is also a good time to maintain a daily exercise regimen and healthy diet. It's also important to have some down time once a week, no less than once a month. Stepping away will keep you fresh, rested, motivated and more productive.

8. Stay connected, avoid isolation.
It's important to immerse yourself in your industry and to network with peers and mentors. This can be accomplished by "showing up" at various events for direct contact to these people and other prospective resources. Besides the relationships, the exposure to people in similar situations will help you stay connected and motivated. This can also be accomplished with the use of social networking tools. I love Twitter for this reason!

9. Take time to acquire the resources you need.
Struggling for long periods at a time on a "shoe-string" can be tiring and will quickly lead to lack of motivation. Take the time to acquire the proper funding, equipment, etc., before you put yourself too far out there on a limb.

Application of these strategies will help you stay motivated and experience more joy as you're ramping up your business! Maria Simone helps those who are in various stages of planning, packaging, and launching their businesses acquire the resources they need AND STAY MOTIVATED at http://www.passion2prosperity.com

7 Strategies To Help You Quickly ATTRACT Investors

This week's article is about positioning yourself to become more attractive to capital. If you're not raising capital however, just substitute any comparable resource you desire to have. It still works since the emphasis is on attracting what you need next!

Prospective investors are all around you ---there is no shortage of money. The key is, the more prepared you are, the more compelling your investment opportunity becomes. Raising capital from investors or acquiring the proper resources you need is a right of any entrepreneur and one of the best ways a growing business can assure its success. Learn how to compel others to invest rather than you "chasing" the money. Here are the top 7 things you can do right from the beginning to build value in your business and help you become more ATTRACTIVE to the money. This list is only a guideline and it should not be implied that all these are absolutely necessary to be successful in this process...it just helps to accelerate your efforts.

1. Develop a healthy relationship with money and know that you deserve to have it.
Money is just energy and capital is just one of the many resources necessary to grow your business. If you become too attached to this process or have a sense that your self-worth is tied to how much money you have, you may actually repel investors.

2. People invest in PEOPLE.
Make sure you've taken the time to attract the right mentors and advisors to support you during this process to help you attract the resources you need. There are others who have made this journey successfully before you so find out who they are and attach them to your project somehow. Investors and sponsors are more inclined to put their money into a project with a management and advisory team that has a proven track record. If they've done it once, they are more likely to re-create their success.

3. Do what you can to prove out or VALIDATE your concept.
Includes developing your markets, monetizing some aspect of your business, building a database of prospective customers, forming strategic Alliances and Joint Ventures, and/or obtaining purchase orders and letters of interest whenever possible. Bottom line, investors and sponsors are more inclined to take notice if you can show that there really is interest in your products and services.

4. Develop a Business Plan.
One that illustrates the market you're serving, describes your products and services and details how you plan to get them in the hands of your customers. A plan is also a great visual representation of what you desire to have and that alone will help you begin manifesting whatever you need to make it happen.

5. Obtain as much protection for your Intellectual Property (IP) as possible.
Having a patent, or the opportunity to patent your IP, is generally the most attractive IP opportunity to an investor. If not a patent, make sure you have the opportunity to create future IP such as trademarks and copyrights to show that your products and services will not become obsolete. Protect what you can up front to assure interest from investors but if that's not possible now, make sure you have a plan to do so in the near future.

6. Get connected!
Investors will have a higher degree of confidence and interest in an entrepreneur who knows how to network and easily connect to the resources he or she needs. Join groups that support your agenda, connect with your community, show up at industry related events, tap into the power of social networking.

7. Make sure you are passionate and invested in this process yourself and be able to clearly articulate that to investors. Investors want to know how much time and money YOU'VE invested, how passionate YOU are, how far YOU'RE willing to go with it and how stable YOU are emotionally and financially so that they know you'll have staying power. The more committed you are to making the "journey", the more attractive you will become to investors.

Application of these items will help you become super-attractive to money and other resources! Maria Simone helps those who are in various stages of planning, packaging, and launching their businesses acquire the resources they need at http://www.passion2prosperity.com

Abundance Strategies for Business Building-- Thursday Teleclass

If you haven't noticed, the rules of business are shifting.
* Technology has ushered in new opportunities, closed the door on others.
* Consumer buying criteria has shifted, as have the tried and true marketing techniques.
* Competition is being replaced by more conscious biz building strategies.
* Opportunities to create early traction and revenue with limited investment are ABUNDANT.

JOIN ME for a 2-part teleclass as I discuss what's hot, what's not for business.
Learn where to make adjustments so you can THRIVE doing what you love.
http://passion2prosperity.com/passionatebiz.htm < ---- details here

This series is PERFECT if you're a service professional, solopreneur, speaker or entrepreneur
trying to jumpstart new revenue OR desiring to take your current business to another level.

You'll learn with us
* Key elements to help you get into revenue sooner than later.
* Learn to have breakthroughs, not breakdowns as you're moving forward with your dream.
* The power of creating multiple revenue streams to exponentially grow your revenue.
* Reaching the masses without compromising the integrity of your products and services.

http://passion2prosperity.com/passionatebiz.htm < ---- details here
Join me April 2nd --- the series is FREE.
Register today...Only those registered will get the playback recording from the series afterwards.

Ready for step-by-step support? Doors open at http://passion2prosperity.com

Leno, Fallon, Ellen & Me: Marveling The Twitter Phenomenon

Unless you've been living under a rock, you can't help but hear everyone talking about TWITTER! It's been the topic of all the daytime & late night talk shows and every mainstream media outlet out there.

For entrepreneurs, Twitter has become an amazingly efficient & fun way to quickly build your network and your business.
It's like instant manifestation and I'm going to prove it to you on our next Abundance Mastermind Group call on Tuesday 3/17 at 12pm pst.

Are you Twittering yet? If not, go to http://twitter.com/ to create your own account.
Start following me at http://twitter.com/mariasimone and you'll see what I mean.

Here's what's amazing:
Over the past few months I've used it to quickly build strategic alliances, attract new business ($$), media opportunities, contacts with investors and make very powerful connections to influencers. All of this coming from a place of connecting and supporting of others.

I'm going to walk my Members through the strategies I use to build my business using Twitter. This is not just a "how to use it" session ---There are many wonderful people who share THAT information. Instead, I'll be revealing specific business building strategies.

Want this powerful session for FR^EE? You'll get the next TWO months of Membership FR^EE when you acquire my program at http://passion2prosperitybook.com/

Current Abundance Mastermind Members in good standing: you'll be receiving call-in details shortly.
Join us TUESDAY and you'll notice a difference in your business by WEDNESDAY.
Anyone tell you they "don't get Twitter"? ...send them to this post!

To your success!
Maria Simone
http://passion2prosperity.com/

10 Ways To Grow Your Business With Twitter

I wasn't a very early adopter of social networking but I did finally join in a few years ago and began building my network. I've always been intentional about it but probably not as avid with it as some people I know. Last year I discovered Twitter and everything changed. If you’re not already doing so, please follow me at http://twitter.com/mariasimone . I found it cumbersome at first but since Michael swore by it, I decided to stick with it and it quickly began paying off once I got the hang of it all. Fast forward to today: I've developed incredible relationships and amazing business opportunities have come to fruition at lightening speed. I find it a much more efficient way to connect to the resources I need which would typically require more of a time investment on some of the other sites.

Twitter is a cross for me between Facebook, micro-blogging, text messaging and a chat room. It's fast and easy to connect and you're limited to putting out only 140 characters of info at a time so it forces you to speak in "soundbites" which is how most of us think anyway. It's easy to get into the flow once you start following people and people are following you. Spend some time learning the basics of how to reply to others, DM (direct message) for private chats, and how to search using http://search.twitter.com/ . Here are a few of the strategies I've used that have helped me create powerful connections, attract new customers, promotional and media opportunities:

1. Develop relationships with your industry influencers
Search for and then follow people who represent your industry, report trends, make trends, have large numbers of followers, demonstrated success, etc. You'll be updated regularly about what's happening in your industry and if you "speak" to them regularly (not sell), others will begin taking notice of you which IS A VERY GOOD THING as this may open doors to (fill in the blank) opportunities for you.

2. Connect with your perfect target market
Who is your perfect customer? Connect with them online and let them get to know you. Give things away, share yourself, and answer their questions. They, and who they know, will regularly follow what you have to say if you're being genuine. Your followers could ultimately become new customers for you.

3. Connect with those who have complimentary products and services
I'm always looking for additional resources to introduce to you, my subscriber--- anything I know would help you grow your business. Others are doing the same so it makes sense to connect to these people with the intent of developing win-win cross promotional opportunities. Twitter is one of the fastest ways I've found to do that.

4. Connect with those who represent the media
You want those who work within the print, TV or radio markets to know about you as well as those who are popular bloggers or freelance writers. The quickest way for that to happen is to connect with them first and let them get to know you by your posts. They'll eventually start talking to you and about you. I've manifested a number of media interviews this way. One of my posts---and my name--- recently appeared live on CNN during a news report.

5. Connect with potential Mentors (and investors if applicable).
There are always going to be resources or expert advice that you'll regularly need to help you get to the next level. Connect with these people right from the beginning so you can immediately defer to when you need the support the most...and fast.

6. Lift-up, validate, congratulate, and regularly acknowledge others.
This goes much further in solidifying your relationships (not to mention the Good Karma involved) than any other activity you could engage in. People naturally want to do business with those who make others shine. Don't use this platform to correct, admonish or try to be "right" about anything.

7. Consistently put out relevant useful information.
Let others see what you're all about by putting out tips, resources, links to current events in your industry, or other relevant info (90%+) more often than a promotion (less than 10%). However, make it very easy for others to find out more about when they're ready. If you really have nothing to say, try forwarding useful info from others.

8.Craft a profile that speaks benefits to the reader and has clear contact info.
You want to instantly establish your credibility in a line or two but don't lean too heavily towards what you've done. Make it more about what you can do for others. Next, where do you really want to direct people after that and why?

9. Check out the tools and resources that others are continually offering.
People are VERY giving on Twitter and tend to offer lots of value for FR*EE. Soak it all up to improve your situation, and save yourself lots of time and money knowing that your learning curve in your business will be reduced once you're properly connected.

10 Establish a regular routine of connecting on Twitter.
Networking should not be an afterthought and should be included as a scheduled component of your business development. People connect with those who are regular visitors, not those who periodically pop in. If you find you're currently having sporadic results, it's probably because you're not regularly connecting.

Once you start implementing these strategies and work to build your list of followers (as well as following others) you'll begin experiencing accelerated results with your business agenda---all while having fun and developing meaningful connections.

Maria Simone is a conscious business "architect" and marketing expert who will show you "NEXT STEPS" for transforming ideas into products, effortlessly attracting investors and sponsors, and manifesting customers with ease. http://www.passion2prosperity.com/