A Village has YOU to thank...

I wanted to take a moment to wish you many abundant blessings as we usher in 2012!

As a token of my gratitude to all those in my life, I've taken a percentage of my revenue
and donated to something very special on YOUR behalf.

This year I purchased livestock so different villages would have continuous access to fresh milk, eggs
and the ability to plow their land.
I did it through an organization called www.heifer.org where you can choose water buffalo, goats, milking cows, etc.

(FYI: this is a SUSTAINABLE donation as the Village has ongoing use of this gift--they don't eat their "assets".)

I've also contributed to www.donorschoose.org , various local food banks and organizations that
empower others through education. My local charity of choice this year is www.WorkingWardrobes.com .

I enjoy giving back and especially enjoy doing so on someone else's behalf so THANK YOU!

I know we've all experienced many changes these past few years and it feels like 2012 will be
a year of miracles!

 Wishing you Peace, Love and Holiday Blessings! ~M

Shifting Overwhelm Into Opportunity

Feeling overwhelmed? So much to do you’re not even sure what’s next?

Breathe. Just stop for a moment.

What you consider overwhelm could merely be a series of OPTIONS the Universe has laid out before you.

It doesn’t need to get done all at once and it doesn’t all have to get done by you.

Slow down. Choose 1 or 2 priority items.

Let go a bit. Ask for help. Delegate.

There is no race and you won’t miss out on an opportunity.

That’s fear talking.

You’ll create opportunities over and over in your life.

The SOUNDS of my life near the beach as the 4th approaches...

Waves crashing and kids yelling out to their parents, Police and Coast Guard helicopters circling around periodically, lawn mowers out in full force, grills being scraped and cleaned, watermelons getting chopped up, golfers being announced overhead at the golf course, cars honking at surfers running across PCH rushing to catch their perfect wave, bicycle bells sound like a chorus as people give up driving for the weekend, music blaring from convertibles…. All music to my ears and I’m ready to go out and play too. Wishing you a fabulous Forth of July!

You Haven't Failed-- You Just Need A New Plan

Feeling stuck is not the time to give up…it’s not the time to judge yourself or label your efforts failed. It’s just time for a new plan. It means you’re ready for the next level of support. There’s something that needs to break through. Give yourself some breathing room, let go a bit. Build a new team. Tap into new sources of funding. Do something else. Just don’t give up. You haven’t failed…you just need a new plan.

Present in front of our investor panel...

The Enlightened Entrepreneur Summit can be summed up as an “experience” more than anything else!

Not only will you have the opportunity of immersing yourself for 3 days in getting dynamic business building support from a very enlightened group of thought leaders and pillars in the business community, but you’ll also have the complimentary opportunity to present your idea or existing business to a group of investors who will give you valuable feedback whether you’re raising capital or want accelerated growth strategies.

Are you clear about what you have to offer and who you’re serving? Do you understand how to move your products and services quickly into the hands of your customers? Are your values in true alignment with your business? Have you taken the time to surround yourself with people that have achieved similar goals? These are some of the answers you’ll discover by attending the summit.

http://EnlightenedEntrepreneurSummit.com

Moving into ease and flow

The more clear we become about what we want to accomplish, the people we want to attract, & the life we want to live, the easier it can become. It's the lack of choosing--- that living by default and dealing with whatever shows up-- that creates chaos and disappointment. Allow your heart and soul to share truth and see what shows up. Commit to the allowing and stop denying yourself the very things you want simply because they don’t seem logical or others are telling you there’s no way. There’s always a way.

We continue to send love

… and healing energy out from our hearts, allowing it to wrap around the planet and blanket those who are suffering such loss in Japan this day.

The most wonderful of all things in life...

"…I believe, is the discovery of another human being with whom one's relationship has a growing depth, beauty, and joy as the years increase. This inner progressiveness of love between two human beings is a most marvelous thing; it cannot be found by looking for it or by passionately wishing for it. It is a sort of divine accident, and the most wonderful of all things in life." ~Hugh Walpole

The only people for me are the mad ones

…the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes "Awww!"  ~Jack Kerouac

A Very Special Welcome Home

6 young soldiers were on my flight to Salt Lake City today. This was their final destination after serving 18 months in Afghanistan... They were tired and missing their families.
What was beautiful was the crowd of people waiting for them in the terminal. Family, well wishers, vets, cycling clubs. They were all there and It was quite beautiful to watch! Knowing how much they deserved it brought tears to my eyes!

Sent from my iPhone

Celebrating International Women's Day 2011...TODAY!

Here’s a look at some of the world’s most inspiring women http://huff.to/f1dvQj

What is passion?

“It is surely the becoming of a person. Are we not, for most of our lives, marking time? Most of our being is at rest, unlived. In passion, the body and the spirit seek expression outside of self. Passion is all that is other from self. The more extreme and the more expressed that passion is, the more unbearable does life seems without it. It reminds us that if passion dies or is denied, we are partly dead and that soon, come what may, we will be wholly so.”  ~John Boorman

Jen Aniston Sex Video---Now THIS Is Marketing

How do you convey your message, connect with your market, be authentic AND go viral.

Hmmmm…I would check out this video for some pointers.

http://bit.ly/etC4fQ

Innovation with a feminine twist...

Looking forward to my coaching sessions today--- all with women putting together new business models, creating a “new way” of doing something. Feels great to be a part of all these new paradigms and blazing new trails.

5 Simple Strategies To Help You Achieve Your Goals

I’m all for having a milestone, a goal, or an “end game” on any project I’m working on. It gives me something to focus my intention on and ultimately moves me towards what I most desire with more ease and flow. It’s manifestation at its finest! So here are some ways to make your goals S.M.A.R.T so that you’ll actually FULFILL your New Year’s resolutions or take that dusty business plan off the shelf and put it to work!

1. S- SPECIFIC. Before you start out on your Yellow Brick Road, make sure you’ve addressed the 6 “W’s”—Who, What, Where, When, Which and Why. This will help you put things in perspective and understand up front the people and resources you’ll need to succeed. For example you might say “lose weight” but perhaps a more specific goal would be to “join Weight Watchers, follow their program and attend live meetings once each week until I lose 20 pounds.”

2. M – Measurable. You need to be able to track your progress—of lack thereof—with anything you’re working on. Make sure that’s built into any goal you’ve set out to achieve. If you can chart progress then you’re more likely to keep moving forward. If there is no progress based on what’s being measured, then you need to be able to make immediate corrections.

3. A- Attainable. I love dreaming big but when aiming for the stars, it’s a lot easier to take a series of smaller steps to get there then it is to keep trying to actually JUMP up to stars. So hold on to that big, hairy audacious dream of yours but plan a series of shorter, more attainable goals that are more likely to get you there AND you believe that you’ll achieve!

4. R- Realistic. Could be a great goal but if you don’t own it, you may never achieve it. Make sure it’s something you really want AND willing to do what it takes to get there. If not, it may not even be worth starting.

5. T- Time. Putting a TIMEFRAME on achieving your goals helps you achieve it faster since it’s now rooted in something specific. If not time, then choose something else that’s tangible and can be experienced such as one of the senses.

To schedule your complimentary “Passion to Prosperity Strategy Session” to discuss creating your own S.M.A.R.T goals, contact Maria Simone by sending an email to admin@passion2prosperity.com.

Let It Flow---Importance of Establishing Lines of Credit For Your Business

Having the access to the capital resources you need to start or grow your business is critical for business success. One of the funding strategies I recommend for every business is to establish your business credit platform so that you have ongoing access to business lines of credit. Your business is a separate entity and can (as well as should be) totally disassociated from your own personal credit. That means it’s not necessary to use your social security number to access business financing but people often do so, not understanding the alternative.

So, regardless of your personal credit situation, there is a specific process you can follow that will walk you into potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars in lines of credit that you may use to grow your business. I you want to start the process right now to access up to $100K, go to http://businesscreditspot.com and you’ll start seeing results within days.

Here are facts you should know and ways to get started in establishing your own business credit:

1. Regardless of what you’ve heard, “business credit” has not gone away for businesses. While the guidelines for individual financing may seem to be more stringent, there are still plenty of financial resources for businesses if you know where to look. The stimulus money authorized by Obama’s administration is still available using this process.

2. Best time to start is now. The more time you have to “germinate” the process, the more success you will have so start it as soon as you incorporate or when you don’t even need the money. It will always be there for you.

3. The process is easy to follow IF you know the process. Years ago I attempted to do this process on my own and unbeknownst to me, made several simple reporting errors that caused me to get denied a couple of times. Either spend a bit of time educating yourself on the entire process OR simply work with someone who knows the exact next steps.

4. Your business credit is built on a Paydex score, not a FICO score. In business credit we use a Tax ID number to apply for a DUNS number which starts the reporting process, NOT your Social Security number. It’s a totally different reporting system but if you haven’t started the process, there won’t be anything for the lending institutions to look at. A perfect Paydex score is 100.

5. Start with trade lines who report your DUNS number. Best way to ensure success is to start with a few small trade lines of credit that you know report your credit status thus naturally building your Paydex score. This takes just a few days to complete. At BusinessCreditSpot.com, we share no less than 10 resources for you to quickly establish credit trade lines.

6. Establish several unsecured lines of credit starting at $5000-$10,000. From trade lines you’ll quickly move into credit lines and now the money is flowing. It will be much easier to quickly step into larger lines of credit from there.

7. This is not “expensive” money. Business lines of credit generally have very low interest rates, generous terms and do not require you giving away equity in your company. Also, they are unsecured and uncollateralized for the most part which means you’re not required to put any of your tangible assets into the mix.

8. Having a solid business credit platform will help you attract more lucrative resources. Being able to show a positive credit status may help you attract SBA funding, private investors, larger contracts and strategic alliance partners.

Manifesting Made Easy In Your Business

For many, many years I had programmed that getting ahead was associated with hard work. Every success I had early on in my career---and I’ve had many--- were often as a result of long hours and personal sacrifice. Fast forward to 12 years ago when I started becoming more conscious to Universal Wisdom and the notion that we literally create our own reality. The more responsible and accepting you become with that knowledge, rather then blaming or relying on outside influences, the easier life becomes. Most of the world was introduced to Law of Attraction through The Secret movie but it goes so far beyond that.

My claim to fame is in applying Universal Wisdom with real-world business strategy for accelerated results. I’ve created my own formula for success over the years and is ingrained in the work I do with clients. My goal with people is to align thoughts, circumstances, and inspired actions in such a way that you literally feel like you’re floating on a moving sidewalk towards your desired results rather then climbing up a steep hill. Can you FEEL the distinctions in this analogy? That’s what the shift feels like in business. Does my formula involve physical work? Absolutely but the experience overall is more joyful, inspired and abundant on many levels. The choice is yours of course. Here are some of pearls that stand out from my manifestation formula:

1.Get clarity on what you want first. Very simple concept but many people have trouble actually articulating what they want because they’re so accustomed to living by default. Suspend “the how will it happen”, or what it’s going to cost, or how long you think it would take. Define, in a perfect world, what you’d like to create in your business

2.Never use money as an end result. Money is a resource, it’s an energy in your business. So focus on something that evokes more emotion. Get into the feeling of what success would be like. Could be what you would accomplish with the money, who will be served, and so forth.

3. Commit to having what you want. Make a no matter what decision to having the success you desire and expect it to happen. Decide up front what’s negotiable and what’s not and then commit.

4. Schedule time for meditation and processing. The key is to allow solutions, people and resources to show up in your life without you having to work too hard at finding them. In order to do that, you’ll want to slow down or better yet--STOP--each day to express gratitude for what you have and set your intention on what’s to come. Situations will progress more smoothly for you as a result of this.

5.Be more compassionate with yourself. Self-judgment will always slow down this process. Infuse more positive, kinder language into your vocabulary. Using language like failure, bad, or stupid to describe something you’ve done only reinforces the negative. Learn to be as tolerant with yourself as you would with a 3 year old.

6.Seek out a model of what success looks like for you. Some people create vision boards but I recommend finding a business, a person or a situation that most closely represents what you’d like to achieve and learn as much as you can about that business or person.

7.Take inspired action. Don’t try to do everything at once. Organize your "chaos" and learn to work on just a few priority items at a time and you’ll notice you’re actually having bigger results. Continuous multi-tasking does not necessarily produce positive outcomes!

8. Never go at it alone. Constantly reflect on “what talent would best serve me now” and expect the most perfect people to show up. Allow others into your world to help you pick up the slack or lend their expertise. Ask, receive, ask, receive. Practice it, become accustomed to it and watch your results skyrocket.

Get out of your way!

If you want to achieve extraordinary results, dare to make choices based on what it is you TRULY want, not what you think you can have. You’re limiting yourself by charging what you think people can pay, not what you’re worth, or compromising on what you want from a relationship based on what you think the other person can give you. It’s not about THEM---it’s all about YOU. Decide what it is you want to create in your life ---without even full knowing the HOW---and then learn to step aside and let it happen. Do you deserve it? Absolutely YES! Will people be there to support you? Absolutely YES! Will the “how” to do something be revealed? Absolutely YES!

Strategies For Becoming a Customer Magnet

You’ve gone to great lengths to produce your products and services so how come they’re not flying out the door? The saying “if you build it they will come” may apply to dreamy baseball fields but you may want to take a different approach when it comes to being a customer magnet otherwise you’ll spend way too much time selling your product. Yes, it’s possible to become a “Master Manifestor” when it comes to customers AND it also helps to position yourself with proper marketing strategies in place. You’re have a more enjoyable experience if the focus is not just to sell products but to engage your prospects. Here are some action steps you can take that will help attract your most perfect customers.

1. Know who your customers are. You want to be crystal clear when it comes to the knowing the demographic and psychographic profile or your ideal customer otherwise it will always fell like hit or miss with your sales and marketing efforts. You not only want to know their age, sex and ethnic makeup but it helps to know their goals, aspirations and what their lives are like in general. If you sense your market is too broad, then focus on a smaller segment for awhile. The more you know about them and can authentically relate, the more they’ll flock to you because –guess what – you “get them”.

2.Go where your customers go. Get as close to your ideal customer as possible by being online if they’re online, attending the same events or participating in the same community activities they do. In a NON-STALKING WAY of course, become interested in whatever is near and dear to their heart so you can relate to them on many different levels. This strategy can be applied individually OR it can be scaled to reach the masses.

3. Create a memorable experience for your customers. Several years ago I had the opportunity to be mentored by Nick Graham whom most know as “Joe Boxer”. Nick built the wildly successful Joe Boxer brand before selling it to KMart for many millions of dollars back in 1997. His company became a household name not because of a lot of paid advertising (he would proudly tell me) but because of memorable marketing strategies that were remembered. His mantra was “your brand is the amusement park and your product is the souvenir.” What can you do that will create a memorable experience for your prospects and customers? More importantly, how do you make them feel?

4. Engage your customers in ways that will inspire them to come back to you. What is the “glue” that will keep your customers inspired and stay connected to you. A membership, a rewards program, interacting in a community, loyalty, gifts, bonuses, etc.

Conducting Simple Market Research Saves Time And Money

Stepping into product creation and production is the goal of many entrepreneurs. When you have an idea, the next natural impulse is to turn the idea into form but there are several other stages of the process you may want to go through first before you invest too much time and resources into actually producing the product. Without some testing and market research, you may find yourself continually going back to the drawing board to make a product that will actually sell. You may not have the resources available to conduct more thorough research but here are a few testing strategies you can use to get market validation for your product or service whether you’ve invented a widget or you’re a consultant with a process to offer. When you’ve gotten a YES in these areas, then you’ll know it’s time to proceed to the next step.

1. Talk to your customers AND end users. These two groups are not the same and usually represent the retail buyer and their customer or your distributor and the person who buys from them. For instance, you may interview Home Depot customers who would buy your product if it was available but if the store’s buyer doesn’t get it, he won’t place an order from you. This also applies to online marketing when you’re working with affiliates. You want buy-in from BOTH groups.

2. Know where your product will sell first. Your product may look different on a store shelf, selling online, selling in Costco or bundled with another product. Discover which distribution channel will be most lucrative for you first and then make a product that will suit that channel. I knew someone that invested his first round of capital developing a product for Lowe’s Home Improvement only to find that the packaging was totally inappropriate and the buyers weren’t interested in carrying the product but he hadn’t taken the time to discuss it with them. It would have been better suited as a direct response product and sold via infomercial to start.


3. Test your price points. Karen Neuberger makes a famous line of loungewear for women. Her primary market is high-end Nordstrom’s but her outfits also sell in lower-end Marshalls stores. Even though the products may look very similar, there are very distinct quality differences between the two. The quality of the product made is a reflection of the price point that is most suitable for that particular market.


4. Pre-sell whenever possible. There is nothing that provides validation as much as early traction—knowing there are people willing to pay for your product. You can pre-sell by selling small orders or pre-sell the idea and then make the product later.

5. Be sure you can fulfill orders in a reasonable time and with minimum cost . You may have a great idea but the costs related to getting the product to the customer are greater then any demand would be so it may not make sense to even produce or promise the product. This is also true of a service when your time is involved. Regardless, make sure you know you can deliver on your promise before you commit to producing your product. For instance, think of the logistics and resources involved for FedEx or Super Shuttle Transportation to deliver on their brand promises of rapid transportation. A dentist who promises rapid response for walk-ins and then is faced with 500 new patients walking through the door will need to rethink his/her fulfillment and distribution model.

To schedule your complimentary “Passion To Prosperity Strategy Session”, contact Maria Simone by sending an email to admin@passion2prosperity.com. You may reprint this article in its entirety with author's contact and bio information.