I am always amazed by Donna Messer, the Canadian Queen of Networking!  She is one of the most gifted, person-centered professionals you will ever have the pleasure of connecting with.  And that is exactly what a group of people did most recently.

With a passion for mentoring and coaching, Donna formed a NEW and powerful way to connect people to each other and to their business and career ambitions by designing .. 

a POWER TEAM.

In my exclusive interview with Donna, she not only talked about why a Power Team IS the new way of leveraging more business, more job opportunities, more connections - but I also had opportunity to hear success stories from some of the members.

If you’ve ever wondered how you can connect - contribute - in a more dynamic way, this is it!  Stop struggling to find the right work, job-fit or business-enterpise and think of forming or joining a POWER TEAM of your own.

Here are just 9 key things you will experience (trust me, there is much, much more!) … 

- Multiple levels of coaching within a solidified environment

- More connections, contacts, resources

- A mastermind (a third mind if you will) catapulting ambitions, giving them life

- Expertise of a trained and experienced guide and master coach

- Re-igniting your passion and drive, enabling you to be motivated and inspired

- Shared and diverse knowledge, experience and expertise forming together for the gain of every-one

- A brand that is you and is easily communicated outwardly

- Accountability to stay in action !

- More business, more work, more life 

Success members:

Ron Boulanger, “Father Goose” and IT Executive
Nick Franolic, President of Lean 6 Solutions
Mary-Jane Jarvis, Speaker, “Unleashing business intelligence”
Debbie Kassirer, Marketing and Business Consultant
Alwyn de Melo, Professional Engineer, specializing in the environment
Marg Pearson, Business Professional - and now with a great job !!

Whether a mastermind or power team - find your tribe and connect, collaborate and help each other gain momentum, stay in action, and achieve success !

©PeopleCoach, Inc., 2009

Wow!  In fact our radio show was so amazing, our energy together brought down the grid !  I’m not kidding, check out the ending …

I interviewed “chief change optimist” (don’t you love that?), founder, author, speaker, tv and radio personality … Ariane de Bonvoisin!

Regardless of the change you might find yourself going through - whether business, career, health, lifestyle or personal relationship - Ariane shares the 9 key principles that will help you.  Not only will you manage the change itself better, but you will develop the optimistic mind-set and attitude that will stick with you throughout your lifetime.

Her book, The First 30 Days Your Guide to Making Any Change Easier, is brimming with real-life stories, practical exercises and inspiring action points.  

In our time together Ariane shared the 9 principles that people who are really great at managing change embody.  No kidding:  Ariane traveled the world interviewing people to figure it all out …

Here are 5 of my favorites:

Be an optimist - life is your partner, learn to question antiquated belief systems that are no longer serving you and treat yourself how you would treat your best friend.

Change guarantee - the fact is, “from this situation, something good will always come”.  It’s guaranteed!

Change demons - learn how to recognize negative emotions, those nasty gremlins, and move past them.  Find a safe place to land.

Discern those things you can control - like what you say, think, and feel.  Watch your words and your stories.  Shift to empowering questions and words, think better thoughts and express your feelings in an optimistic way.

Meet your spiritual side - those who sucessfully navigate change know they are connected to something bigger than themselves.  Its comforting to know that when every-thing around you seems to be changing or spinning, there’s a part of you that never changes.  This part is calm, centered, and always there.  Know how to tap into it.
 
The other principles?

The Change Muscle, you’re stronger than you might think!
The Gift of Acceptance, resistance is not the answer!
Your Change Support Team, know your people and things that help!
Get Unstuck, it takes action to move you through any change! 

Learn more.  http://www.First30Days.com  There you will find a plenitude of amazing resources and tips designed to help you.

Face it.  Change is never going to go away … so you might as well know how to embrace it.

©PeopleCoach, Inc., 2009   

So - what IS your body telling you?  Do you hear the message?  Can you feel it? 

Do you know how “to make decisions with your heart and gut - instead of just your head? 

Today my special expert radio guest was Steve Sisgold.  Author of “What’s Your Body Telling You?”

He’s a body-centered therapist whose clients range from bestselling authors and Grammy Award winners to CEOs.  He has taught thousands (that’s a LOT of people!) how to use their own body intelligence to create better lives.  He was riveting!

One of our topics directly related to one of my favorite chapters from his book.  Chapter 8:  Boost Your Relationship Mojo.

Steve says, ”You’ve got to know who you are, to know somebody else.  You’ve got to feel what you feel, to feel somebody else.  That’s the knowledge of love”.  Its also from his album Know It, Show It.   Life in a body is a thrilling adventure!  sometimes it can feel a little like a roller coaster ride … 

I didn’t know the origins of “mojo” until Steve defined for me.  Although the word is often used as a type of magical charm, its origins can actually be traced to the African Congo, where mojo means “soul” or “life force”. 

Its that special spark of energy and often, intensity between two people.  Using your mojo can refresh the vitality in relationships (any relationships, unless one person doesn’t want to participate) and create that spark - that energy - joie de vive.

When relationships connect on a mojo level, people become connected in a distinctive way. They can speak what Steve calls their “self-evident truth”.  This type of sharing is foundational to intimacy - we can get close to others through being attuned to our own body, noticing what its saying and housing, and then voicing what we are experiencing. 

Next time your with your partner, children, friends, employees, boss, clients … ask yourself whether you are communicating soul-fully.  How deeply are you connecting with them?  If not, it just might be time to listen to your body intelligence.  What’s it telling you?  Or what’s it screaming at you? 

Once you know, turn ON your self-evident truth.  Turn on your mojo. 

I had such a great time last night!  I had dinner with a long-time colleague and friend Edgardo.  No agenda, just two people catching up and enjoying the ebb and flow of great connection.

To put things into perspective, Edgardo is one of those people who is highly attuned to his purpose, calling and intuition.  Astute.  Humble.  A great visionary.  He’s what my colleague and friend Barbara Moses would call a “Hearth Friend”.  You know the one. 

Last night we got talking about my spirit-rich business masteries, and how he and his professionals heal people through reconnecting people to their mindfulness - an enrichment of mind, body and spirit -  what’s needed for sustainable breakthroughs.  

It was so invigorating to combine and build on what we know, believe and feel.  Only the two of us but it became an all-inspiring mastermind.  

What resulted?  A cruise!   Figuratively - a plan on how we can further open up the “mind of the heart”.  Literally - we are in the early stages of planning a cruise for our VIPs that will take them to new destinations that will invigorate, elevate and inspire the mind, body and soul. 

Just an example of what two people can achieve when they dance in concert. 

It’s important to stay connected to those we admire and cherish.  Who’s your Edgardo?  Now give them a ring and plan dinner.  The connection will be as delightful as it is decadant.  Savour it.       

I was meeting with a trusted colleague earlier this week who was stuck and struggling with her business and finances.   We started speaking about the impacts of the new spiritual renaissance aligned with the calling of more she-energy in the workplace.  We engaged in discussion about the new Spirit-Rich Business MasteriesTM and the value of tapping into creative source.

She was surprised to learn - you might be too - that our creative energy comes from the same source as our sensual energy.  According to Baeth Davis, Hand Analyst, when this key source is blocked it is also what can often lead to a person’s financial block.  

My colleague was silent.  It resonated.   She quickly knew she needed to unlock her treasure box of creativity to re-engage her business.

What are some ways you can unlock your creative genius? 

Sing.  Sculpt.  Sketch.  Dance.  Learn an instrument.  Go for a walk.  Candle-light.  Play music.  Go to an art exhibit.  Paint …  the sky’s the limit.  What’s important is for you to find what works for you - own it - and tap into it at will.

If you want to get unstuck, open your personal creativity and yes, embrace your sensuality.  Be ready to engage - more business, more meaning, more life.             

I love forging bonds and deepening the intimacy of close relationships.  i can’t help it.  i think i came out of the womb that way.

As much as online networks have seeded some incredible connections, i still feel a need to make dates with Very Important Persons (my VIPs, those who not only fill my cup but allow me to fill their’s). 

I tend to find the celebrities in my life when i engage one-one-one time with them.  Usually we meet for coffee (him) and tea (me), or maybe we have lunch in the park or take our dogs for a walk.  I’ve entertained people at a spa.  Organized a coaching-retreat south of the border.  Sat by a private pool with margaritas in hand.  Whatever it is, i find by truly engaging each other in our respective lives, we draw on more meaningful, deeper conversations then if solely left in an online world with a computer screen.

I believe we were created and enriched as relational beings.  That means we need the human touch.  The eyes.  The heart to heart. 

My request of you is to decide who is in your innermost circle.  Then strive to get to know and nurture your personal and professional VIPs.  Be curious.  Stay attentive.  Share what is there.  Invest in these platinum dates and repeat regularly.

You will be amazed at how it beautifies your life.  Your business.  Your living.  

Every entrepreneur and small business owner should be asking the question, “What do my customers want?”

How you answer the question provides a great indicator into how successful your business is.   Actually its not rocket science.  If you give your clients what they want, they’ll not only buy from you, they’ll stick with you.

Recently I read the results of a customer survey, by Kevin Stirtz, also author of, More Loyal Customers.   He surveyed over 2,000 people and just asked them, “When you are a customer, what do you want?”

Here are the top 12 results reported in ranked order:

1.   Listen to me.

2.   Know more than I do (about your product or service).

3.   Be easy to work with.

4.   Give me what I came for.

5.   Smile.

6.   Tell me your name.

7.   Acknowledge my presence.

8.   Don’t treat me like I’m an interruption.

9.   Show me your care.

10.  Don’t waste my time.

11.  Be honest.

12.  Offer alternatives if you don’t have what I want.

Do you do these top things for your customers?  I know one person who definitely does!  This past Saturday I stopped by a fashion jewellery boutique, Vivah.  I was looking for a watch that would look equally as fashionable with casual, semi and business attire.

I was quickly reminded of what Customer Service Excellence is all about!  Melodie eloquently modeled every one of the 12 things we want to experience.  With a few questions, she was quickly able to show me those pieces that expressed what I was looking for.   When I found the piece that was per-fect, it was too big (small wrists).  Rather than focus on the problem, she immediately started thinking of alternative ideas that could make things work.  

With undivided attention, Melodie guided the process with her expertise and sincerity.  The experience is etched in my mind.  Do you think I’ll go back to Vivah to make another purchase?  Absolutely.  Without a shadow of a doubt.  Not only will I make more purchases - I will be referring others to the same boutique.

Utlimately, that’s what we want as entrepreneurs and business owners.  Customers who stick with us - and tell our friends and colleagues about us. 

That’s customer service!                        

What are the biggest problems facing entrepreneurs and small business owners today?  Is it the economy or …

Doing a little research, the following kept rising to the surface:

- Cash Flow (top concern)

- Overwhelm

- Working Solo / Needing a Team

- Loss of Energy and Momentum

What do you see as the biggest problem entrepreneurs and small business owners are facing?  

You can also participate in my 20-second poll here: http://polls.linkedin.com/p/40259/kpafa

Its important to know what’s going well in your business and raising the voltage.  Its also important to know where your stuck so you can break through to new and welcomed higher ground.   

I’m often being asked how to get people to buy a service or product in an economy when purse strings are closed tight.  

Right now it’s easy to blame the economy for poor business performance.  But what is more likely is that people are floundering and failing because they are stuck employing old marketing and sales strategies with outdated tactics.  Frankly they just aren’t working any more.  

As we drive deeply into the new entrepreneurial renaissance, there is a new light that is burning brightly.  It is one that has redefined marketing and sales.  One that relies on core life purpose at the hub of business.  It is outward centered and lasers on outcomes.  If you want to be successful in the new business sandbox, you need to get clear on:

1. Your life purpose and pursuit.

2. Your unique abilities.

3. How to express 1 + 2 in your business.

4. Stop.  Look.  And Listen to your clients - what they want, need and willing to invest in.  

5. Exercise relationship-based strategies that elevate your clients.

6. Surround yourself with a tribe of talent that shares and fuels your vision and ambitions.

Why does every-body love Zappos (the billion-dollar online shoe store)?  Because it’s all about innovate, customer service and the pursuit of happiness.  (reference Inc., May 2009). 

The rules have changed.

So if you’re a struggling small business owner, think less about today’s economic constraints - and more about creating your own business renaissance.

We’re back on the ball diamonds!  Between our two sons schedules, I can be found at some surrounding baseball diamond almost every night of the week. 

One of the things about baseball is that it takes a team to win.  There can be individual star pitchers, catchers, hitters … but without everyone applying their personal best - through their own desire, ambition and skill - its tough to win.  Small business is the same!  As an owner, you are a star of your business.  But without recruiting a team of players, it’s tough or impossible to win.    

I love when the boys rally.  Once they’re ON game, it’s like they are unbeatable.  The confidence becomes contagious and they build on the momentum of the team’s belief.  They get what they expect and dominate the game.

As a small business owner, you also need a team to create a rally.  Having personal confidence is one thing - but once you experience the power of a team’s confidence, it’s unstoppable.  

Reflect on the successful entrepreneurs and small business owners you know.  Chances are there is a committed and confident team of people surrounding them.  Together they create the juice to win.

It’s exponential.  You squared.