Archive for January, 2010

     You know who you are: that out of the box thinker who constantly has a million ideas going around in your head and ready to jump on each one. “If only there were enough hours in the day” is your mantra. Though I can relate to the too many ideas epidemic of the entrepreneur, I am going to ask you to put the brakes on. My first word of advice, take one project at a time. Pick the one that speaks to you loudest. Then, and this is the important part for the quick start entrepreneurs out there, do your research! In other words, before moving ahead with functions of the business you need to research the viability of the business. Is there a need for the service? Is there an established market for the service?

     A quick way to get an idea of the consumer demand for your business is to google the service or related terms. If numerous links are displayed from the search, it means there is definitely a market. However, you will have to distinguish your services from competitors. If there are very few or no listings, there is probably not an established market. This could make you a pioneer in that particular area, but could also mean you have to spend a lot of time building your market. Another good way to get a feeling for what the consumer needs is to survey people about the area in which you want to create a business. It’s a quick way to identify market trends and come up with product/service ideas. You can do a casual survey by interacting with people in your community or set up an e-mail survey that can be sent to your contacts. There are several companies online that offer this type of service. 

      It is also important to do a cost analysis. You can start by researching the advantages and costs of different venues: retail store, online sales, or sales by appointment. From this information you can start to formulate a budget. You can determine venue costs, inventory costs, employee expenses and marketing costs. From these numbers you can identify what kind of loans or investor funding you may need to start the business. This step will also enable you to see if the business’ future profits will be lucrative enough to cover the start up costs.

      If all of this seems very overwhelming, don’t give up! There are many resources on a local and national level that can help you start up a new business. Many communities have SCORE. SCORE is a free online and face-to-face business counseling, mentoring, and training service.

    And for those of you who know themselves very well and admit that details are not their forte, partner up. Find a business partner or someone you can barter services that can help you with the pesky details that leave you burnt out or frustrated. When it comes to starting a business it is crucial to take the time to create a clear business, marketing, and customer service plan. Whether you do it alone or with a partner, taking time to plan at the beginning will save lots of frustration in the future.

Laura Tirello is a Career and Life Coach. Her company, Core Life Design, works with people who are looking to find their highest potential both in their careers and personal lives. Are you looking for ways to turn your ideas into goals for 2010? I am offering a free teleclass on “The Idea Web: Choosing the Right Ideas for Your Success”.

Email Laura at Laura@corelifedesign.com to sign up or visit corelifedesign.com  for more information

     There’s a lot of stress brewing in the job market. Are you just out of college and looking for a career? Have you recently lost your job and are thinking of what to do next? Instead of feeding into the fear that surrounds the current job market, create actions that will help you find jobs and develop a career plan.                   

     “Where do I start?” is the most common question I get from my clients? If you are just out of college or have been laid off from a field in which there may be no immediate opportunities, now is the time to explore your ideas. I know the feeling of “need to get a job now” seems most rational, but if you are jumping towards jobs in desperation they may be harder to get. Why? Because you haven’t taken time to explore the ideas you have about what you want to do with your life. All of the ideas may not be perfect or realistic for this present moment, but they are a guide to what jobs you tend towards, which will make the job selection process easier. Remember, just because you are good at something doesn’t mean you should be doing it for a living. In order to be successful you need combine your skills (what you’re good at) with something you actually have a passion for. Personally I am really good at advising, teaching, and helping people bridge the gap between what they want to achieve and what they perceive to be an obstacle. Fresh out of college I felt the need to get a job immediately and went into education. What did I learn after 11 years?  I was truly an excellent teacher, but I wasn’t using my abilities in a way that worked for me and what I felt passionate about. Take the time now to find what you are passionate about. How do you explore? Make lists of things you are interested in. Find people in those fields and see what they can tell you about the position. Volunteer or join social groups to interact with people and see what careers exist in your area.

     If you don’t have a lot of exploring time begin networking in your community and join business groups to see what opportunities exist. There are also many virtual resources like careerbuilder.com and monster.com. Post a profile on LinkedIn and make connections with people in your career field. If you are not finding job leads, offer any services you may have to people within your community. I recently heard about community groups forming where people are offering services to one another and thereby creating freelance work by connecting with one another’s needs.

     Start looking at skills that you used in the past. Are there skills you have that can turn into temporary income? There are many things you can do on a freelance basis that can generate income such as website design, carpentry or construction skills, even organizational services. Keep your mind open and explore every option. This will keep your mind focused and help you get through the transition between employment.

 Laura Tirello is a Career and Life Coach. Her company, Core Life Design, works with people who are looking to find their highest potential both in their careers and personal lives. Are you looking for ways to turn your ideas into goals for 2010? I am offering a free teleclass on “The Idea Web: Choosing the Right Ideas for Your Success”. Email Laura at Laura@corelifedesign.com  to sign up or visit corelifedesign.com  for more information

     As Entrepreneurs, we are known for being idea people. That’s the most exciting part, the ideas. But this can be a hindrance when starting a new business. In order to be a smart entrepreneur, you need to be aware of what is the best idea that will fit into your overall vision for your company. Without this knowledge you are wasting your business’s productivity, time, and money.

      It’s easy to get excited about a new product or marketing tool that has the potential to take you to the “sweet spot” in your business plan. It seems so right at first that you stop everything else you are working on to focus on it. But does it have the staying power you need to incorporate it as a foundation of your business? Before you scrap your old idea/plan for a new one, take a deep breath and wait. Yes wait. 

     Look at your original plans and ask yourself the following questions:

• How long have you been implementing them?
• What kind of results are you getting?
• Will the goals you set happen in the long or short term?
• Are the hours you are putting in to it yielding good results?
• Could you increase your revenue by sticking with this plan?

       See what kind of thoughts and new ideas come from reviewing your current plan. You might be surprised to find that there are ways you can improve your current plan without losing hours to developing a whole new strategy.

      Is that new idea still looking sparkly and bright to you? Maybe you realized your old plan wasn’t working well and a new one is in order. Avoid the “anything new” plan and really focus on something specific. Break it down into really small parts so you can get a true sense of the time and work involved in this new idea.

• Does this plan make sense for the short and long term?
• Does it address what I want to accomplish with your business?
• Will I have the time to put in to new project? (look at your current projects)
• Is it something my current customers will appreciate and pay me for?

      It may feel like in order to move ahead and be successful you have to take your ideas and run with them. That may be true, but running with the wrong ideas creates a mess that will waste more of your time in the long term. Slow it down and think it out. You’ll know a good idea when you examine all of its parts.

Laura Tirello is a Career and Life Coach. Her company, Core Life Design, works with people who are looking to find their highest potential both in their careers and personal lives. Are you looking for ways to turn your ideas into goals for 2010? I am offering a free teleclass on “The Idea Web: Choosing the Right Ideas for Your Success”. Email Laura at Laura@corelifedesign.com to sign up or visit corelifedesign.com   for more information

  It’s the beginning of another New Year. Some people may find themselves looking forward to meeting the challenges of the New Year and celebrating success in new ventures or careers. However, chances are many people who are reading this article are being impacted by the many changes that are affecting our economy. If you are out of work or worried about your job stability, 2010 is the year to really look within and examine some of the career ideas you have toyed with over the years. 

     If you are like me, you may have tons of ideas going through your mind constantly about new projects or endeavors. Part of your challenge for this year will be to learn how to calm the clutter of ideas in your mind and learn to focus on the ideas that are truly the best fit for your individual life plan. If your problem has been a lack of ideas, I have some great ways to spark your mind with ideas that will move you forward. 

     For the idea people, here are some ways to examine what idea or ideas out of the hundreds that are constantly percolating in your mind are the best to pursue.

• GET QUIET In order to hear your best idea most clearly, you have to calm your mind. Try sitting quietly for a few moments a day and see if you can become aware of all the thoughts and ideas running through your head. Don’t attach to any of them; just listen to them wandering aimlessly around in your mind. If you practice this a few times a day, you will notice your mind getting quieter and more clarity in the ideas that do appear.
• GET ACTIVE It sounds counterintuitive at first, but stepping away from a crowded desk with tons of ideas screaming at you is the best way you can sort out your ideas. Take a walk, jog or ride your bike. When the body is in motion you may find some of your best ideas are forming in your mind. Have a recorder with you to record any ideas that arise. The i-phone has a voice memo program that is perfect for this.
• GET AQUAINTED WITH INSTINCT Many of my clients are not sure what ideas are right for them and it causes a lot of stress. I tell them to look at each idea and then go inside themselves. What feelings emerge? If feelings of exhilaration and joy emerge you’re on to a great idea. If the feelings brings up potential joy in the future, but feels like a boiling pot of stress and a list of all the things you hate doing to accomplish it, it probably isn’t for you. You may feel a little fear even if it is a good idea. Always trust your gut, it knows the good ideas.

     For the people who would like to make career changes but don’t know what to do, here are some ways to get in touch with your ideas.

• GET A NEW PERSPECTIVE Start going into the world with the intention of noticing everything around you. Visit new parks and museums. Join clubs that you have never been a part of before. Notice the things that inspire you or just getting you thinking about things in a different way.
• GET ACQUATINED WITH YOUR YOUNG SELF Go back in time and look at the interests you had as a child. Do you still explore any of those things? Do you have hobbies that you have done for years that could possibly turn into a job? For example if you are good at wood working and are currently jobless, is there anything you can offer a service using those skills?
• Use the GET ACQUIANTED WITH INSTINCT section to determine if your present activities inspire or drain you

      Before jumping in on making New Year Resolution’s to solve your current career dilemma, take time to explore the ideas that are present with in you. The best way to achieve a goal is to be clear on what you are trying to achieve.

Laura Tirello is a Career and Life Coach. Her company, Core Life Design, works with people who are looking to find their highest potential both in their careers and personal lives. Are you looking for ways to turn your ideas into goals for 2010? I am offering a free teleclass on “The Idea Web: Choosing the Right Ideas for Your Success”. Email Laura at Laura@corelifedesign.com  to sign up or visit corelifedesign.com  for more information