Meet Vicky Wu, Marketing Guru

In her own words, here's a bio of Vicky Wu...

My clients are like my family. In over 30 years spent working the marketing and advertising for businesses big and small, I've uncovered some golden themes and tactics that work wonders, no matter the size of the budget. Nothing puts a smile on my face more than enjoying my client's success as the result of their marketing plan. In my years of experience doing marketing with top level organizations like Nokia, Southwest Airlines, the Dallas Cowboys, CENTURY 21 Judge Fite, and a number of nonprofits, I've uncovered some tough strategies that are super powerful and can easily be applied to smaller business with minimal time and budget. I love teaching others, from simplifying complex marketing strategies, to teaching couples to ballroom dance for their wedding!

To learn more about her work, check out http://vickywu.us/ and Vicky Wu's Facebook page.

1. How did you first know that you wanted to pursue a career in marketing?

Looking back, with 20/20 hindsight which we all wish we could have before we begin, I was thinking with a marketing brain when I was still in elementary school. I remember designing things; one that comes to mind is this amusement park which had a theme of fruits and vegetables. I've been an artist since I was that age, drawing and painting, so I would sketch out the whole park on paper, drawing the rides. A tomato would be a spinning cup-type ride, with the seeds being the cups you ride in. But I would go beyond that and be designing all of the other little pieces that would go into it, the parking lot, the logo, totally branding the entire thing on paper. I would even draw out what the customers look like--I was doing customer "avatars" before it became a big thing or I had even heard of them--and what the TV commercial would look like.

I didn’t know any of this was "marketing." I just knew I was having fun.

Moving into middle school or junior high, I continued taking art classes, in addition to having personal lessons from family members who were professional artists, and while I wanted to be an artist, I didn't want to be a starving artist--a business acumen was emerging even then.

In high school, I began taking journalism classes and became editor of the school newspaper and the school yearbook. I knew I didn't want to become a journalist, but it's when I first became interested in advertising from working on the ones in the newspaper and yearbook. I remember going to meet with the counselor to talk about college, explaining how what I wanted to do wasn't offered at any of the local community colleges, which was all I felt there would be any hope of affording, and knowing my parents wouldn't be able to help with bigger colleges anywhere else. His suggestion was I needed to decide what I wanted to do with my life that wouldn't require college at all, or something I could take at the local college. Even as a teenager I didn't think that was much help and felt it was just trying to squash my dreams. So I knew I may have to blaze my own trail, and that's exactly what I started doing. I like to tell my clients I made the mistakes so that they don't have to!

I didn’t realize that the field of marketing was exactly where I wanted to be until my second full-time job (the first one was in advertising), but once it all clicked together, I forged ahead by learning as much as I could from the best in the industry, and continuing my education and earning my degree (from a four-year university, not our local junior college). Continuing to learn and seek and develop best practices is a big part of my professional life today.

2. I noticed a variety of both "DIY" and "done-for-you" solutions offered on your website. Could you tell us a little more about your business and what you do?

Our services are broken down into three levels:

Do it yourself – this is for the entrepreneurs who want to do the marketing, graphic, or social media work themselves, have the time and desire, but may not have all of the technical skill. Our training programs help them learn the skills they need to know without having to make all of the mistakes that we learned from over the years.

Our newest addition to this level is our Business Startup Marketing Mastermind training program, which is a convenient hands-on platform which takes a small business owner step-by-step through a proven system to begin and boost their business marketing. Each lesson has specific how-to instructions and helps the business owner tie everything together without needing any prior knowledge of marketing. It's fed out in small bite-size pieces so that the program is convenient and not overwhelming.

Do it with help – this is for businesses that have someone on staff, maybe the owner or another employee, who can do the work (either they already know some of the technical skills or they've gone through our training) but need help with strategy and direction to implement it in the manner most strategic for their business to realize the greatest return on investment. This includes our marketing coaching programs, Marketing Bootcamp, business coaching, and the "Hire a CMO" program.

Have it done for you – this is for the business that wants to outsource some of their graphic design, social media, and other marketing pieces. The problem with finding your own freelancers is that you often have to go to multiple places to have the differing pieces accomplished, and this can result in a lack of brand consistency, which is very bad for a business. We have a whole team of freelancers on call so that you can have all of your needs met in one place, and provide an account manager who acts as your Marketing Director or Art Director to oversee it all and make sure your brand messaging and design is consistent.

3. For small business owners, how can they know when it might be a good time to work with a coach or consultant?

When an owner has the desire to grow their business to the next level, whatever that may be, yet is feeling the pain of already too much work and knowing they won't have time to invest to achieve that growth without something else dropping, it's a good indication that it's time to bring in some expertise.

In every business, and every area of every business, there's a tipping point where future growth is limited by current resources. Every small business owner understands exactly what I'm saying. A point at which, to take the business to the next level, it is either going to require more time than the owner can devote, or require more expertise than the owner currently has (or wants to have). Yet they haven't grown enough yet to justify additional salaries.

There are a lot of things a small business owner can do on their own in the vast realm that is marketing. There are SO many choices today in the area of marketing; it can be very hard to know which ones you need to pick and choose. If they have little experience in marketing, they may not be as easily able to determine which tactics could be most efficient for their business and provide the best return on investment – which can result in being inefficient with their finite time. No business owner has the luxury of things taking longer than they need to or not bringing the best results!

A coach or consultant can bring years of expertise with numerous business large and small, and help a business focus their marketing strategies and plans based upon what has been proven to work. It can allow the business the flexibility of not having to hire a permanent position before the business has grown large enough to justify that type of ongoing expense.

4. What are some of your favorite parts of your work?

There are so many stories I could share, but they really all boil down to developing people and businesses. I am proud when a business achieves a goal (and I'm a HUGE fan of a business envisioning and achieving a big, hairy, audacious goal--when it's right for the company--and even better when I'm the one helping achieve!).

I am proud when I coach an employee or company and they enhance their marketing efforts and achieve their goals. I am proud to see them proud of themselves.

Really for me it;s all about the win. The win for the company I'm working with. That's a win for me.

5. Is there anything in particular about marketing that you wish more people knew?

Not knowing what you don't know can make it harder on you. Yet it doesn't have to be hard at all; you need a simple plan and a simple strategy and to know how to tie it all together. The biggest concept that I share with all of my clients is don't keep switching up your strategy. Most strategies are longer-term and take time to fully develop; yet once they do, they quickly snowball and bring bigger results than you may have imagined. But you never may get to that point if you give up after a week to try something new.

Thanks, Vicky!

New Video Series Offers Secrets to Selling on Amazon.com

Have you ever thought about starting a business selling on Amazon.com? I've read about a lot of people who--with a bit of research and effort--have had their Amazon businesses take off. There's a new video series from well-known business coaches that offers tips on how to find Amazon success.

With the launch of the Amazing Selling Machine, Matt Clark and Jason Katzenback began offering a step-by-step program that's giving people across the globe financial freedom from selling products on Amazon.com. Now Clark and Katzenback are back with four videos that feature the secrets to building a multi-million dollar business from scratch.

In this new four-part video series, viewers learn how brands like GoPro, Fitbit, and Apple can solidify your financial future, and which Amazon.com categories are proven bestsellers. Plus, you get an up-close and personal look at the real-life stories of people that Matt and Jason have coached, and a peek at the brand-new and completely updated Amazon Selling Machine program.

Personally, it's these real-life stories that make business programs meaningful and relevant to me, and I'm intrigued to learn more. If you've been looking for an easy to follow, step-by-step blueprint to creating a successful business online retailing on Amazon, this new video series is available for a limited time, and here's where you can sign up today.

The information about this program was shared with me by the sellers of go2towel.com. You can also email info@go2products.com for more information.

Meet Lakeisha Hinnant, Life Coach, Author, and Entrepreneur

Lakeisha Hinnant lives to inspire. A successful business owner, life coach and author, Lakeisha loves helping wannapreneurs become entrepreneurs! Learn more at www.LakeishaHinnant.com.

1. What made you decide to complete your certification in life coaching?

I decided to complete my life coach certification to help women like me who knew what they wanted but had NO IDEA how to get there. We all need or needed help at one time to tap into our finest resources.

2. How does your personal experience as an entrepreneur help you to work with other people in achieving their own business goals?

My personal experience helps my client not make as many mistakes as I did when I finally started.

3. Would you tell us a little more about 2 Women and a Rig?

2 women & a Rig was birth April 16, 2014. We are a transportation company that deliver goods to all of the lower 48 states.

4. What do you think are some of the main obstacles that are holding wannapreneurs back from becoming entrepreneurs?

I think the main obstacle that hold wannapreuners back is FEAR! I think as being human, we can be our biggest hindrance. We think more than we act. No one really wants to fail, but you will never know if you don't try.

5. For someone who wants to go out on their own in business but isn't sure how to get started, what's your advice?

Trust your instinct, and do your research before you start anything. Most importantly, take massive action. You can do it--don't give up.

Thanks, Lakeisha!

Where to Learn about Personal Development and Self Improvement

Is there anything you want to change in your life? Do you ever feel like you might make more progress on projects important to your work and/or personal life if you could maintain a stronger sense of positivity?

If you've been thinking about these types of questions, you might really enjoy www.PersonalDevelopmentInsights.com, the website of Carmen Wyld, a personal development coach, author, and speaker who also teaches a course called Personal Development--Ultimate SECRETS to an Amazing Life! on udemy.

Speaking of Carmen's udemy course, she is offering it at a significant discount if you use this coupon code. With the code, the course is only $15. It includes lots of valuable, insightful resources including video lectures and lots of downloadable content.

What are the benefits of personal development for all of us? As Carmen says, some people "don't bother" with such topics because they think that only people who are already rich and successful have a good life. But really, we can all have a better life if we look inside ourselves rather than focusing on other people and what we don't have.

As Carmen also says, another problem that many people run into is that they try to follow what seems to have worked for other people rather than gaining personal, individual insight and figuring out what might work for them. We're all unique, so there are unique solutions to the difficulties we face. There's not a one-size-fits-all solution to making improvements in your life; to use Carmen's phrase, we have to fine-tune what's in our "personal toolbox" so that it helps us reach what we have in mind for ourselves.

Another interesting aspect of Carmen's work is that she begins with self-examination and self-exploration, but she expands outward into how our personal choices help us create change in the world at large. She considers each of us to be a co-creator when it comes to affecting change in ways that have social, environmental, and cultural implications.

I've enjoyed checking out Carmen's website and her udemy classes, and I think she's got a lot of interesting content that she's sharing that could be a catalyst for positive change.

Meet Teri Johnson, Executive Coach

Clients appreciate Teri Johnson's capacity to help them create clarity and expand possibilities while honoring their deepest truths. They value having a greater understanding of their strengths and how to apply them in creative ways, while reframing weakness as a point of entry for collaboration. Clients frequently report a significant positive shift in relationships.

Learn more about Teri by visiting her LinkedIn profile and the website for her business, Personal Best Partners.

1. What are the benefits of focusing on your clients' strengths when it comes to coaching?

One of the things we all seem to have in common is a great awareness of our not-so-strong areas. As a culture, we obsess over our shortcomings. By giving clients a focus on what they naturally do well and excel at, I give them a powerful shift in focus which energizes, inspires, and creates curiosity and a sense that, "maybe I am doing better than I thought I was." When we focus on using our strengths well, we move away from deficit thinking, which is draining. Someone could spend hours on correcting their weaker areas and still never master it. If they invest that time on what they already do well, the payoff is amazing.

2. When is the right moment in someone's career to spend time working with an executive coach?

Although people can benefit from coaching anytime in their career in terms of clarity and expansion, there are some points when it is most beneficial. One is when a person has been promoted to management because of their level of competence in other skills, like technical savvy, for example. If they have never managed people before, they would benefit from working through the transition with a coach asking powerful, clarifying questions and helping them structure the transition in bite-size pieces. Coaching can be helpful during any transition point, or when a person is unsure of what they want next and feel stuck. We have tools to help them zero in on what is most important and meaningful to them, and how to take the first step toward that.

3. What are some successes people have experienced in working with you?

Some people have doubled or tripled their income as a result of really looking at the value they bring and asking for what that represents in terms of dollars. Many have reported improved relationships in the workplace and in their personal lives. Some have recreated the way they work--going in a direction that allows them to use their natural strengths and working for individuals or organizations that truly value their contribution and leaving behind or delegating those tasks that drain them. Some have become more inspiring leaders, or finished a book or important project that had been stalled.

4. How is working with teams as a coach different than working with individuals--and how is it similar?

It is different in that we are honoring more than one person's opinion or experience, and there are multiple personalities and multiple strengths in the space, as well as many different agendas. However, that can be true of an individual as well, when they have inner conflict about the direction they want to take. The similarity between teams and individuals is that they have priorities and values they want to honor, and that becomes the starting point for both. There is more energy when we have more people in the space, whether it is a room or a virtual space. The energy can be calmer when it is one individual, and people are usually more willing to be perfectly candid one on one, where they might be reluctant to name something specifically in front of their peers. In each instance, we establish an agreement of non judgement and acceptance to make the exchange feel more safe. Everyone agrees to confidentiality.

5. What are some of your favorite things about your job?

I love helping people see themselves in a more powerful light, and own their talents. It is a privilege to be in such deep, personal communication with brilliant minds, and it teaches me that we are all much more alike than different, no matter how many zeroes are on our pay stub. I think the very best part of my job is celebrating when clients reach a personal victory and are on top of the world. It is amazing to be a part of that kind of journey, and I am grateful every day to get to do this work.

Thanks, Teri!

Meet Betty, Photographer and Mentor

Betty is a retro pin up and modern boudoir photographer based in the Tampa, FL area since 2009. She is the owner of Bodacious Betty Pin Up Photography, which specializes in glamor portrait photography from the 1940-50s era. Betty believes any woman can be made to both look and feel gorgeous. Her mission is to bring out the pin up starlet in every gal!

Publication credits include the cover of Pin Up America magazine, Retro Lovely Kat Club Holiday edition 2014, Latina Pinups, Delicious Dolls, Surreal Beauty magazine, Cat's Pajama magazine, and the 2014 and 2015 calendar for Strickland Vintage Watches.

Recently, Betty had the pleasure of being interviewed by Marie Grace Berg for Today's Leading Women, as well as P.K. Spearman for Living Large.

1. How did you first become interested in pursuing photography as a career?

I became interested in pursuing photography as a career after I had my own pin-up photos done. I was felt so empowered and confident that I wanted other women to experience the same feelings.

2. What inspired you to specialize in retro pin-up work?

I've always loved the look of women in the 1940s and 50s. They were so feminine and seemed so glamorous and polished.

Also, the pin ups of that time period were sexy, without being salacious. There was a playfulness in them.

3. What are some of the things that you do to create a unique and comfortable experience for a woman who hires you to shoot a series of pin-up photos?

I like to consult with my clients before the session, either in-person or over the phone, to get an idea of what they envision for themselves. We talk about themes, wardrobe ideas, and what she may be insecure about body-wise.

When she comes in for her session, she is able to relax while getting hair and make-up done and then I am able to guide her into poses that are the most flattering to her.

4. Would you tell us a little bit more about your coaching program for photographers?

Over the years, I've developed friendships with quite a few other photographers, and many of them either struggle to make a living, or have a day job to pay the bills because they don't how to adapt to an industry that has been radically changed by the introduction of the affordable DSLR camera.

I developed a comprehensive plan to help struggling photographers work less for more money, and help them educate their clients about photography. All photographers know that good photography requires more than just a good camera, but they don't know how to attract clients that understand that as well.

I do offer a free consultation in addition to a free report with ideas to give photographers a jump-start on making changes that will start bringing in more income without adding to their workload. It can be found here: http://www.bodaciousbettyfl.com/makemoremoney.

5. I think that it's always a challenge to pursue a career in the arts in our society! What is some of your advice for other artists who want to develop a career that reflects their artistic interests and abilities?

This probably applies to anyone looking to start their own business, but I'd say, above all, be persistent. If something isn't working, brainstorm and try other methods.

And second, make a list of the skills you are good at and think of ways you can utilize your talents and skills to bring in money in multiple ways. For example, a photographer is not just a photographer, but also a photo editor. A photographer looking to bring in additional income during downtime can edit photos as a service to other photographers looking to outsource that part of their job.

Thanks, Betty!

Meet Brenda Moore, Wife Coach and Author of WifeCheck

Brenda Moore is a wife coach, who works with her clients according to biblical truths and sound advice. She has written a book called WifeCheck which developed out of a group she started on Facebook. Brenda's book is on sale now and be purchased through her website at www.TheWifeCoachBrendaMoore.com.

Find Brenda on Instagram and Facebook.

1. Could you tell us how you would define your role as a wife coach?

I assist wives and single women in finding purpose and clarity in their marriages or while they are in waiting. My book is for single women, too. There in a section in the book titled "wives in preparation." I also give my readers tools to overcome hurt, betrayal, and infidelity. We explore the hidden areas in the heart.

2. When it comes to facing the ups and downs in a marriage (and in life!), what do you find helpful in terms of shifting perspective?

I find it helpful when we accept responsibility to how we've contributed to the issues in our lives. The first step is recognizing how your behavior and actions contributed to the problems you're experiencing. We take a look inside the heart to see what motivates a person and then address those hidden areas to start the healing process.

3. What inspired you to write your book, WifeCheck?

My marriage and journey inspired me. The first years of my marriage were tumultuous because I was a broken woman. I started the WifeCheck group on Facebook to help other women and to help support wives who are in need of answers on how to be successful in marriage.

4. Did you always have a strong spiritual practice in your own life, or was this something that grew over time?

I started to seek God after I married, and it was only then that I was able to see myself more clearly and to recognize how my behavior contributed to the issues. My faith grew stronger because I needed more of God to be happy and have peace in my life.

5. What do you see as your overall goal in your work as an author and coach?

I want to see wives succeed and win in marriage, and to understand their roles and their purpose according to God. In the end I want to see them have a pure heart, a heart healed from all of the things that are hidden and that caused them to become a woman that is motivated by hurt and manipulation.

Thanks, Brenda!

Meet Rafi Chowdhury, Entrepreneur, Marketer, and Chess Coach

Rafi Chowdhury is the founder & CEO of Chowdhury's, co-founder of myCampusHacks, and an experienced digital marketer and chess coach based in Memphis, Tennessee. He helps companies in Memphis grow their revenue by directing targeted visitors to their websites. A graduate of the University of Memphis, Rafi Chowdhury holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology. He is the owner of numerous awards and accomplishments including Shelby County Chess Co-Champion and winner of the Mid-South Psychology Conference, and he has been ranked among the Top 100 best young chess players in the nation. He has appeared on Commercial Appeal, ABC News, and United States Chess Federation, and has recently been featured on The University of Memphis Magazine, Startup Dhaka, and numerous other blogs and magazines. Rafi is currently working as a Digital Marketing Specialist at Total Concept Graphics in Memphis and consults with other local businesses about their marketing campaigns.

Connect with Rafi on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google +, and YouTube, and at www.rafichowdhury.com.

1. How did you first become interested in digital marketing?

I got into it when I was marketing my chess projects via Facebook. Then, I was interested in trying to increase my social following, so I learned more about social media marketing in the process. But it was not until I launched my personal blog, www.rafichowdhury.com, that I really began to understand what digital marketing is all about. I began experimenting on that site and learned a ton of stuff in the process about how to get traffic.

2. Does your academic background in psychology come in handy in your work with helping people get more traffic for their websites?

Most definitely. I use psychology all the time to figure out exactly what will appeal to a user. I begin by figuring out who the customer is. Then from there, I try to learn as much about the customer as possible and their behaviors online. Only then, I go about figuring out things such as the best platform to advertise to them, what sort of content to create, how to design the proper sales funnel, etc. Creative marketing is really nothing more than applied psychology, if you think about it.

3. What's the importance of getting local when it comes to building an online presence, and what are some specific ways that you help local businesses in the Memphis area?

You want to start local simply because it's usually low-hanging fruit for most businesses. If you are a local business and you can effectively dominate search engines for local searches better than your competitors, you can seriously grow your business. Google is taking local searches into account a lot more these days. In fact, Google is putting heavy efforts to get Google + to become even larger, so Google is now giving some special ranking privileges to those companies who have a large Google + circle and are sharing good content on their Google + and Google Local business pages.

When you do on-page optimization, focus on local keywords and focus on local on-page optimization. Try to rank for long-tail local keywords while taking into account commercial intent keywords. So, for example, the keyword "carpet cleaning facts" may be something a user is searching for when they are looking for more information about how they can clean their own carpet. On the other hand, the keyword "cheap carpet cleaners" is a commercial intent keyword since this user is probably later on the in the sales cycle and has already done his or her research and now is ready to hire or find an affordable carpet-cleaning company in his area. So, a small business owner (carpet-cleaning company, let's say) who wants to rank for local searches, may want to invest in the keyword "cheap carpet cleaner Memphis, TN," for example, if he wants to get business in the city of Memphis.

This is the kind of research I do to find out exactly the kind of keywords a business may want to target. I use Google Webmaster Tools, Google Adwords, Google Keyword Research tools, MOZ, and other analytics platforms to gather this kind of data. Once I have done keyword research and found the proper keywords to target, I then find out where the customers are and create unique content to market to these customers. It's really a lot more complex than this, but I don't want to bore everyone with all this technical stuff!

4. How would you define the role of chess in your life?

It has helped me in networking and learning self discipline, but most importantly, it has taught me how to do long-term planning and decision making. Almost every decision I make now, I think about how it might affect me in the future. I really do think this is one of the most essential qualities to have in order to stay focused. You have to always be able to see the forest through the trees no matter how complex the present situation gets. Chess has taught me that, along with like a million other things. If nothing else, it paid all my bills starting from early high school until now! Although no longer active in national tournaments, I still sometimes play in an occasional tournament casually or hop online for some speed chess games.

5. If you could give just three pieces of advice to anyone who is wanting to grow their business, what would you say?

1. If you do not have an online presence, you need to. Build a mobile-responsive website for your business.

2. Focus on creative marketing for growth hacking purposes. Be as transparent with your target market as possible. Remember, people buy why you sell them, not what, so be sure to sell them the vision first.

3. Content is King. This is the information age. Those companies who give out the best pieces of information for free will establish themselves as the top dogs within their particular niche. Target your niche and just give away as much free content as you can. Then, focus on how you can turn these visitors into paying customers. You have to be willing to experiment and learn (and be creative!).

Thanks, Rafi!

Introducing Pursuit of Purpose, a Directory of Life Coaches

Have you wanted to learn more about life coaches? Or are you a coach who is looking for a unique way to connect with potential clients? If so, check out Pursuit of Purpose, a website which offers life coach directory where life coaches share information about their services and products. The site also provides a platform for coaches and prospective customers to interact.

In other words, the idea of the site is to create a place where people who want to work with a coach to help them meet their goals will be able to learn about coaches who might be a good fit for them. As the site says, "It's like matchmaking for your goals."

It's free to create a personal profile to look at the information about different coaches and to interact with them on the site's Q and A page. There's also a paid level of membership for life and/or business coaches.

The intention behind the site is to offer clients an alternative to just looking at advertisements when it comes to finding a coach. Rather than doing extensive online searches, people can simply visit Pursuit of Purpose to find information about many different coaches in one place.

The site is growing, and I think that more and more people will be attracted to it because of its usefulness as a centralized resource, and because of its interactive features. The tone of the site is informative, not ad-based. I'll be interested to watch this site continue to develop over time.

Meet Christopher Berg, Career Coach and Consultant

Christopher Berg is a career coach and motivational speaker based in New York City. He runs a business called Go Berg or Go Home. He started the business with a particular goal of helping young professionals become more prepared and marketable in a tough job market.

1. What are some of the specific ways you help clients through your work offering career services?



The strength of our company is that we do a large amount of research on an ongoing basis. Go Berg has over 30 relationships with hiring managers, recruiters, staffing agencies, and HR directors throughout the Northeast region. Through these relationships, we are able to stay up to date on various industries, specifically what they are looking for in resumes, interviews, and skill set. Next, I have "secretly shopped" over a dozen colleges throughout the Northeast. I know what expectations college career centers are setting and what their limitations are. I have along extensive experience in HR, recruitment, hiring, interviewing while also achieving the highest certifications in resume writing and interview/career coaching. I offer young professionals the best services to make you stand out on paper, a chance to learn the best interviewing techniques, and the opportunity to network with my contacts to get one foot in the door. Thanks to the reputation we have built, my contacts know when they reach out to me they are getting top talent to fill their staffing needs. We help young professionals spread their wings in the marketplace by unleashing their confidence.

2. How would you define the servant leadership model, and how do you put it into action in your own business?



I am an avid servant leader. I learned about servant leadership in my master's program at Albertus Magnus College. Servant leadership is basically "serving others' needs first." I built my business with the vision of serving young professionals' needs first. When I graduated college, I was lost! I was taking little jobs here and there and living with my mom, with no clear guidance. Then a little lady named Sallie Mae came looking for money for something called student loans. I was deferring every chance I could because I simply could not afford it.

Fast-forward almost a decade later and what has changed? College grads are feeling the pressures of getting a job more than ever. Then one day it hit me. After attending a college career fair, I was in charge of hiring recent graduates for a leadership development program. After numerous interviews, I was shocked at how many students were unprepared for the interview, what was recorded on resumes, and the lack of confidence in their presentation of skills. I knew the market needed someone like me to help. The essence of servant leadership is having a passion to help others, and that is what I love to do!

3. Would you tell us about some common issues that you see coming up for young professionals and recent grads in today's job market?


Great question. I do have to break it up into two sections because there is a clear difference between young professionals and recent grads.

The most common issue I see in young professionals is how they are playing the organizational game and not knowing how to get promoted in their current career. I hear it all the time from frustrated young professionals. "I don't make enough money," "I don't get the recognition for my work," or my favorite, "Someone else got the position and I have no idea why!" I can absolutely help with these young professionals understand how the system works! How do I know how it works? In my current studies in my doctorate program, I'm focused on researching this matter and I have personally used it in my own career and have received countless promotions by following a PIE model. Want to know what PIE is? Just give me a call!

For recent graduates, it is just helping them debunk some of the myths about what a resume should look like, what some college career centers are teaching, and setting realistic expectations. I have tons of clients who become discouraged because they keep getting declined and passed over on jobs because they are simply not qualified for the position. Coaching to realistic expectations is my strength and unleashing the confidence is key when working with recent grads. Lastly, exposure!!!! It is all about exposure and understandably many college grads do not have the connections. I can help them gain the exposure so their likelihood of getting more interviews and the probability of landing a job increases.

4. Why did you decide to start your own consulting business, and what has your experience been so far when it comes to going out on your own?



Honestly, I feel I can help people. I know the in and outs of the job market game and my experience, story, and expertise can help others. I wish there had been something like Go Berg when I graduated. For most of my clients, they just need a kick in the "you know what!" I know I did at that time in my life! I want to help, spread my message, and use my gifts to help others.

Going out on my own is scary. I still work full time, pursuing a doctorate, while running a business. Time management is key in my life and my experience thus far has been amazing. The feedback, the follow-up letters, the pictures of my clients' working in their new positions makes my heart smile. There is no better feeling then knowing we helped someone start the next journey in his or her life. It is very powerful!

5. If you could give just three pieces of advice to someone who feels that he/she is struggling to find a good job, what would you say?


First, look at the jobs you are applying for. I guarantee half are out of your experience realm. When I pass up on candidates and send the "no thank you letter," I am really just saying, "You do not meet the qualifications of this specific position."

Second, take your current resume and read it aloud or record yourself reading it. It sounds crazy, but I use this technique with my clients all the time. If you are stumbling over your words, have a lost facial expression, or find confusing descriptions, you can imagine what the hiring manager is going to think.

Lastly, avoid online resume writing companies. If you can't meet and have a connection with the person writing about YOU on paper and shaping what is arguably the most important document in a career that helps open doors, AVOID! I recently paid four online companies and sent in a purposely-incorrect resume, and I was shocked on what was edited, not edited, overlooked, and changed. These services are overpriced and misleading. When you are seeking career help, just ask, "What makes you an expert?" because you can tell a lot from that answer--trust me!

Thanks, Christopher!

365 Wisdom Seeds from Coach, Author, and Artist, Annachiara Simonetti

Annachiara Simonetti is a certified coach as well as an artist with many years of experience in yoga, meditation, energy healing, spirituality, and personal development. She brings her personal and professional experience to her first e-book, Ignite Your Personal Transformation: 365 Wisdom Seeds to Turn Your Challenges into Opportunities. Annachiara has just launched her book in Kindle format, and you can learn more about it on Amazon.

The book is a collection of highly empowering quotes and questions to ask yourself to stay joyful and peaceful and find the gifts in our life challenges. The material in the book is meant to be uplifting and solution-focused. Sounds good to me, I have to say!

Readers can use the book in different ways: the seeds can be starting points for a daily meditation practice, or they can be sprinkled throughout your day whenever you need some affirmation. I think they would be useful for prompts for journaling or other creative practices.

In the author's own words, "There is beauty inside every single person. I believe that each person should be what they truly are meant to be and find their happiness and fulfillment. I know through my personal experience and working with many clients that we all are resourceful beyond our wildest dreams."

This would be a great book to download to your smartphone, to keep words of wisdom in your pocket so that you might draw on their inspiration any time.

Meet Mickey Mikeworth, CFO and Business Consultant

Mickey Mikeworth is a Chief Financial Officer based in Minneapolis/St. Paul who consults with small business owners. I previously interviewed her for this blog back in December 2012, when she discussed the connections between prosperity and philanthropy. Today she tells us more about success for businesses of all sizes. Learn more about her on LinkedIn, and follow her on Facebook.

1. How did you become interested in focusing your work on small business owners?

My favorite part of working with business owners is their courage to be active in their own thoughts. They are willing to express ideas and will take the risk of moving those ideas forward.

My focus has always been on prosperity in action, and business is a natural fit for those ideas. I built a business model that supports the rapid and sustainable growth of business, and it can be applied to all businesses. The Prosperity Based Business Model is the business model that all of my clients use. We focus on three parts of the business: efficiency, economy, and environment.

2. What does it mean to you for a business to invest in its customers?

Investing in the customer is about taking the experience of customer as your primary and foundational investment and reason for being in business.

Companies can invest in things that may not "look like" they create revenue, but they actually do. I did a walk-through with a restaurant the other day, and the sidewalks were dirty, the sign was bent, and the food looked like it was tossed on a plate. We reviewed what the customer would like to see in their establishment, and it made the entire business planning efforts change. The business owner invested in better care of their customers. They power-washed the sidewalk and every part of the establishment, upgraded the bathrooms, added lighting and swag, chose bright-colored fresh foods, created options for smaller portions, and added a huge happy hour. Now the customer can feel great about stopping by for a clean experience and healthy food at a low price. This is a very different approach than the outdated fried menu they had been serving.

3. How can a business invest in creativity?

Pick a creativity budget. Investing in new ideas costs money and time. Budgets give financial direction and help everyone tune into the opportunities that are possible to invest in. I have seen budgets build a monthly breakfast meeting with a mountain of art supplies and a topic, annual business tour parties that brought the staff to new places for inspiration, and budgets used for group improvisational lessons.

Give permission to look at the WOW of services that are being delivered and received. Taking a real look at how to improve everyday situations to be spectacular will really pay off. I have seen a retail store add giftwrapping to every purchase, house cleaners leave behind hand-wrapped caramels that they made on an antique dish, and staff office meeting transform by adding floral bouquets for each staff member to take home.

Turn in the open sign: Open yourself and your team to accepting ideas that may not match the rest of your business. Adding in ideas that stretch thinking will also stretch the perception of how your business will fit into new market areas. Google was once a new invention.

4. Tell us about some of the unique partnerships you have seen clients forge with unconventional businesses.

These are by far my favorite part of opening your thinking. I have seen a coffee shop partner with an urban farmer to grow crops ON the coffee shop and create an additional revenue stream through a market opportunity to sell produce real time out of the existing coffee space. They try to have something fresh every day in either vegetables or flowers. The shop smells wonderful.

I have seen simple and effective geographical pairings, like a tax office that specialized in artists which chose a location right next to an artist boutique shop.

My last project paired a luxury hand-crafted ice cream company with a remodeling company, and they added an ice-cream party to clients after they finished remodeling their kitchens or decks. They had the common investment in handcrafted quality. I am still waiting for an opportunity to pair knitters and sewers with the exotic pet industry. I see so much creative energy that could be generated into real innovative products to appeal to an already artistic crowd.

5. If you could give just three pieces of advice to a person wanting to grow their business what would you say?

Invest in your own ideas. Ideas need attention through research and development. Commit to doing the work of the necessary financially planning for those ideas to come to fruit. Planning creative time is a prerequisite to growth because it is so hard to draw five or ten hours out of already packed schedules.

Integrate new capital resources. Not all capital is cash. There are actually ten different types of capital that we invest. Sometimes the reason a product becomes popular is about emotional or social capital.

Step out and invite in new energy. Getting top-notch advice will allow profit margins to grow faster. Just the action of exploring with someone new will give life to the business. There is so much great talent out there, and consultants are waiting to serve. Don't let your attachment to the cost of hiring a consultant constrain your thinking. Coaching as an investment usually pays out at a rate of $4 to every $1 invested.

Thanks, Mickey!

A Great Blog about Kids and Communication by Nigel Lane

Nigel Lane is a speaker and coach who works with schools and parents on a variety of issues related to communication, motivation, professional development for teachers, and negotiating contemporary issues as parents. I enjoyed visiting Nigel's blog recently and reading his thoughts on a variety of topics, especially topics related to how to talk with kids about their use of online technologies.

Should your kids have smartphones? What are some ways to initiate thoughtful conversations with kids? These are just a couple of the questions that Nigel's posts bring up.

Nigel has a wealth of personal and professional experience. He's a dad and a grandfather, and he has worked with children and teenagers in several contexts, from schools to correctional facilities. He was a chaplain in a young offenders institution for a number of years, and he has worked in schools in many different capacities.

In addition to his speaking, coaching, and consulting work, Nigel is the author of 101 Practical Ways to Motivate Your Child, an ebook filled with practical tips.

For more about Nigel and his work, check out http://nigellane.com.au/.