Yearly Archives: 2019

Do you notice the small wins in your business? My goodness me, business owners are so hard on themselves... I have done a lot of coaching this week, from the mature business that needs a check on its procedures and perhaps a boost to their mojo and self-belief, through to the start up. The absolute common issue is how incredibly hard we all are on ourselves. If you were an employer, you would be in a tribunal with yourself! So, Friday, can I suggest you start a new habit from Monday. I have been doing this for two years now…

I am very aware that Founders and Entrepreneurs face a great deal of challenges around managing their mental health. I have, and I took too long to realise. So many Business Owners I support speak of feelings of - overwhelm, loss of control over their choices, exhaustion, low moods, feeling anxious, intolerant towards family as too exhausted with work, the list goes on and on. The impact of this on our business performance is measurable and profound, once we realise that it is 'me that is the problem' we move forwards so powerfully and positively. Of course, we like to…

I thought I would share my journey around how I became a speaker, many people are interested in either being one, or hiring one. Having a career as a speaker was not something I set our to do, but it is what I love doing the most. Aged 33, with 14 years of business (employed) experience, I ventured into the world of entrepreneurialism after noticing a gap in the market for business people to connect online as friends. 4 years prior to LinkedIn, I released my community, Ecademy, to the world in 1998. This business grew globally and at its…

When I heard the subject of Mental Health being highlighted on TV and in the wider media I listened sympathetically. I was thrilled I didn’t have a Mental Health Challenge.  What I failed to consider was my need to be mentally fit. My greatest learning last year was that my ability to respect my mental needs and vulnerabilities. As a result of my experience I am very thrilled that I will be on BBC World News during their Mental Heath Awareness Week this month. Our characters, personalities, values, experiences, memories and personal drive are complex. Overtime we build our strengths,…

I am am so inspired! When I started to write my book, my daughter Hannah Power said to me “Mum, it is always better to be amazing in one niche than mediocre in two”. She helped me define my client and who I loved helping the most. Now Hannah is coaching me (and in line with my beliefs that you ALWAYS pay people for their skills and never have a coffee to “pick their brains) I am her client and I pay her.  She is helping me to build a brand that serves me but critically serves the exact market…

I wanted to share some seriously powerful thoughts I have had during my mentoring of amazing business owners recently “There is nothing wrong with you. The absolute number one feeling I get is the lack of confidence in people who have taken the huge step to own their destiny and take charge of their future by being a business owner. Self worth and confidence in yourself is so critical. I write about this in my new book as it has been my own journey to my personal definition of success. So however you feel, whether business is tough and feels…

Easy - you must be kidding.... In the 1980’s many of us lived the dream of wealthy futures. The ‘Maggie Thatcher’ era, ‘anything is possible’ if you work hard, drive for personal success and put your blinkers on to the rest of the country and the sabotage that happened in our manufacturing and mining worlds. In the 90’s – well, that was the .com millionaire era! Just register a URL and walk around with your ego and business cards and you were holding a lottery ticket to the Millionaire future you so deserve! Then the 2000’s, the birth of the…

Do you notice the small wins in your business? My goodness me, business owners are so hard on themselves... I have done a lot of coaching this week, from the mature business that needs a check on its procedures and perhaps a boost to their mojo and self-belief, through to the start up. The absolute common issue is how incredibly hard we all are on ourselves. If you were an employer, you would be in a tribunal with yourself! So, Friday, can I suggest you start a new habit from Monday. I have been doing this for two years now…

  In 2018 I wrote 60 posts about my journey back to me – a journal on my personal discoveries and vulnerabilities that I shared inside The Business Café and reposted on our Website HERE  I was investing time and money in myself for the first time in my life and felt that so much of what I was learning was applicable to all small business owners and business people. Ambitious and determined, full of zest and the ability to work hard, but something was missing in my mental and emotional awareness and skills that I believed had to be…

Self worth and the way Masterminds can grow yours....   "self worth comes from giving worth".   This is my strong belief. In 2002 I wrote my first blogs and the biggest one, with the most traffic and engagement, was one was about "Emotional Wealth leads to Financial Wealth"   Over the past 20 years of supporting business people with their personal brands and reputation, the greatest need is self worth and confidence in themself. The rise in Imposter syndrome shows the stress caused by the shiny vision we have of everyone else online and the feeling that we lack.…

What I am learning while recruiting master-minds to join my Mastermind Group 3 weeks ago I launched my own Mastermind program. A 12-month, very intimate program with the desire to take 12 people on a journey with me where everyone could rise and shift and up their game in business. I thought I would share this experience for anyone thinking of joining one or indeed starting one, plus I am still searching for some members of my one. I know there are many Mastermind Groups, I have loved this concept for years since we used to run a version of…

Pace…. How we learn to manage our life, our way I want to share a huge learning for me that was highlighted to me when I was forced to pause last year. It is all about pace. As in my book, I am a torch- bearer on the subject of being in business and how to manage our emotional and mental health. I shine a light on this subject and if I trigger any thoughts, I ask you to spend time thinking about the things I share and seek support. This post is about how “Pace is Personal”. Learning this…

I have been thinking a lot about the importance of being acknowledged, a need we all have. Maybe we have differing sensitivities to the need, maybe we need it in differing situations. The deep need to be acknowledged starts as a young child, the motivation of the clap when you stand and take the first step, the joy of a teacher’s positive words. The pride from a parent when you pass an exam. Then we go into the workplace, we grow up, When we grow up we are among a huge community of influencers. Our peers, our bosses, our adult…

The Money Monster Few people, despite the shiny image online, have peace with money. Life is about survival for most of us and my personal journey has been the most terrifying roller-coaster of learning the ups and downs and risk of being a business owner. Owning your own business is amazing, so is being in control of your career and feeling the sense of growth in your personal development and bank balance. The term “Money can’t buy you happiness”, this is a great statement and mantra, however, the lack of it can seriously impact your mental wellbeing and at times…

"Escape the Rat Race"- a great phrase and adopted by the fabulous Christian Rodwell - Escape The Rat Race [ETRR] - Christian interviewed me for his podcast and I shared my thoughts on "Business is Personal" and the importance of understanding your 'what'. #businessispersonal So, is the grass greener when you 'escape the rat race' and become an entrepreneur? Do you have the profile as one, or does risk terrify you like it did me. Christian is such a powerful interviewer, I actually found myself enjoying listening to my own words! He helps people to decide if 'escaping' employment is right for…

Today has come, a very special day, 35 years of learning business and a year of writing, my book is now published and available on Amazon (and on my website!). Shining a light on emotional and mental health in business ownership. Being a business owner is the most exciting, creative, personally rewarding journey. We all see the joys of it online. However, is every day, every moment, every end of month as good as everyone likes to shout about? The shiny side of lives that we all share online and at networking events. For 8 months, throughout 2018, I was…

New Year 2019 “be the leader of the life you want” in 2019 5 years ago, a business colleague of mine noticed how some of the major investors I was working with were dominating my decisions and controlling me. He had watched a documentary of happiness and advised me that the results of a global study on happiness showed that 10% was down to the achievement of things we want, 50% was about your personal constitution “are you naturally a happy person” and 40% was about the feeling of being in control of your life and decisions that impact it.…