Archive for the ‘Growth’ Category
What a week it’s been!!
You know that time, when you know something is coming up, yet you are not quite prepared for it? Well, I am sure we all feel like that when we know we will be exposed to the public at large. I really feel the hardest part is actually watching yourself.
It’s been a great week for Cork on the telly this week. I have the absolute pleasure of being closely involved with a fantastic group of business women in Cork, who meet to support each other and help out with business issues. We spend more time discussing social media, accounts, sales and services than passing business cards and delivering elevator pitches.
The real benefit for the business owners, is the support and information received at the meetings themselves, but more so with the buddy-up system. This allows two randomly picked members to meet 1-1 in between the monthly meetings, and really learn more about their actual businesses. This is the core of the referral and networking that is done secondary to the support and encouragement we can provide for each other.
Like the Bulmers advert on TV lately, when we have a problem what do we do? We fix it ourselves! And that is what Cork Women in Business Advice and Support is all about.
It began in Margaret Smith’s front room, and now we are moving to hotel premises and have regular great speakers every month, a fantastic website, facebook page, twitter account, a dedicated committee and up to Aug 2011, 35 paid up members. I am confident membership will increase rapidly as a consequence of the Nationwide Show this Wednesday.
Of course, no better time than to share air space with the wonderful charismatic James Whelton who has just completed his Leaving Certificate, is planning his graduation alongside running his successful business and FREE coding workshops for young people around the country.
Well done all, a great week for Cork, and a great boost for business owners, technology and innovation, all by the river Lee.
The programme is only live on the RTE Player until mid Sept, so make sure you watch it in time 
[Apologies for the adverts before the actual show]. There is a YouTube version of just Margaret’s story – click the PIC below to watch it.
Click the picture to see the show
Well done Margaret, you are now a star, an inspiration to many women in Ireland this week!!!
P.S. The neck piece I am wearing in the show is from the beautiful Kuta collection from Dink Design
W
hen I was in a 9-5 job in 1993, I distinctly remember arriving into work on Monday mornings and being subjected to complaints, grumbles, disdain, and other such negative gossip.
This was the only negative about my Monday mornings. In fact I never had Monday morning blues because I practiced a very simple alternative. Back then, in my early 20’s living and working in recession Ireland (yes, we had one then too) the general gist of good fun was to go out with colleagues and friends.
Traditionally this was done Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. Three late nights of overindulgence was bound to take it’s toll, and it did. Coming from a college background, I had become accustomed to going out on “College nights” (aka Thursday nights). I maintained this routine and did not go out late on Sunday nights.
Of course this meant that Friday mornings were tough, but one cannot have Friday blues if they are off for the weekend, and have an early finish to look forward to. So I was therefore able to camouflage my blues into a Friday, rather than a Monday.
However, I feel the negative sentiment has remained with many people, whether they are employed, self-employed, or between jobs.
Why should we dread Monday Mornings? Because we have done so traditionally. For some of us, it’s simply always been that way (similar to finding it difficult to get up in the mornings).
Here are a couple of measures you can take to beat the Monday Morning Blues: Read the rest of this entry »
There is a certain quietness out there, beyond the madness of the noise in our heads as we endeavour to jump-start our new business. That quietness is also full of noise and busy-ness. What only the experienced business owner will realise is that even though starting a business is daunting, there are people out there who are watching, minding, and wishing us well. They are throwing us tit-bits of information and help, enough for us to catch on to, but not obvious hand-outs.
“To background voices, calling from a distance,
Silent partners, listen to the hush Silent partners, you know they don’t say nothing at all”
~ Pat Benatar (The Silent Partners)
These silent partners read our blog-posts, read our tweets, provide clicks and unique visits to our websites, or in the case of back-links. They talk about our businesses to their friends and families, or indeed at networking events. Read the rest of this entry »
This month we are running with a great series of TOP 10 tips for your business survival for the traditional break, and on into the New Year.
TIP NO 4:
I ~ INSIGHT
IN PEACE, PREPARE FOR WAR
IN WAR, PREPARE FOR PEACE
SUN TZU
This very simple message was missed by many during the boom decade of 1996–2006. Those in business must realise the importance of vision, enthusiasm and planning.
Yet many of us fail to visualise where our business will be in 5 years, and allow external factors to guide us. The problem right there is if we allow economic, political or other external factors to guide our business, then we fall when those factors fall. Read the rest of this entry »
Hi there – Welcome to Seefin Coaching’s TOP 10 Christmas Tips for the survival of your business (and you!)
This time we are going to count down (up) to Christmas with our great series of TOP 10 tips for getting your business ready for the 2010 wind-down.
We are running with the theme of C.H.R.I.S.T.M.A.S for this year.
So here we go – going to kick off first with:
TIP NO 1:
C ~ CHARITY begins at home, and with your business. It’s so important at this time of year to look after yourself, your health, and your business. Ensure to plan “gaps” into your weekly/daily diary instead of the opposite “cramming as much as you can into year-end”.
It’s also a good time to think about transferring certain tasks to earlier in the year when planning for 2011, to ensure you do not end up with a jam-packed December with no chance to “wrap-up” successfully. Especially if you are traditionally busy in the winter months leading up to year-end. Often, summer can be very quiet for certain types of businesses, and this is a great time to get the business “chores” out of the way.
Be kind to yourself, and come back in a couple of days to read our next set of CHRISTMAS tips for your Business.
Meanwhile, check us out on Twitter
Nutrition is often top of the list for a healthy mind and body. Don’t forget that if you run a business, it is also organic, growing, and in need of nutrition. Check to see if your business is getting its “5-a-Day”:
Authenticity – Be yourself
If you are anybody else as you are pitching for contracts, selling your wares, communicating a message, or asking to be paid, then you are not yourself! The only person that has control over how you portray yourself and your business is you. Originality, authenticity, individuality is the one thing that can separate you from your competitors, so why try and BE like someone else, or another business? The business world doesn’t need a clone of companies to choose from, they need that something special that only the business owner can provide.
It’s difficult to decide who you are and what you Read the rest of this entry »
I was watching a Song Thrush recently collecting twigs and grass for its nest. I was thinking it was quite late for her to start, but I am sure she will catch up lost time, and speed up the process of having and raising a family before the summer is over. In fact, she could have 2-4 clutches of eggs.
Why was this song bird so picky about her pickings? It’s all to do with foundations. If we do not built a strong foundation, then the structure on which it stands, will not stand the test of time.
We have seen this in Ireland over the past two years. The structure that was our economy and public services was all built on a promise, not exactly a sound foundation on which to survive.
We know now that it would never last. We seemed to think that it would. So as I manage my business, I think of the initial work I put into the foundations laid down. It takes time to set up a business, that time varying depending on the type, size, shape and location – just like a nest!
So what needs to be in place, for the business to stand the test of time? Read the rest of this entry »
I was recently introduced to a great band called Mumford & Sons. They sing an interesting song called ‘The Cave’. The scenes of the video that accompanies the song uses themes and content from two famous bands of old: The Beatles (Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band) and The WHO (Quadrophenia). The video continues with a connection between the new band and the old favourites.
I am also reading a book called ‘Made to Stick’ by Chip & Dan Heath. The books discusses how to make ideas stick, and how some ideas stick more than others.
The fascinating thing about both the song and the book, is that a great idea does not need to be an absolute original. The Heath brothers discuss the meaning of experience, Read the rest of this entry »
So we have had a tough 2009 all round. Some more than others, and those of you who have been concentrating on your health will know how difficult it can be to keep the momentum going.
Someone said to me recently: “I saw a new car the other day and it had “Zero Ten” on the registration plate” She then realised her mistake (one zero) and claimed it was difficult to pinpoint a name for the year.
So what do we need to consider when we embark on the New Year ahead? Firstly, we need to decide what we are going to call the year:- Two thousand and Ten? Or Twenty Ten? It’s important to have this clear in your mind, so you can plan ahead and the name of the year remains consistent. The problem with not deciding on a definitive name for yourself, is it conjures up uncertainty, and that is the last thing we need coming into a new year with a new routine and new ideas. Consistency!
The first thing we can do to get us on the right track is Read the rest of this entry »
How does it work again? Oh yes, you begin with a subconscious dream, it then moves into the consciousness (light bulb! time) and we suddenly realise a great idea. What happens then? We imagine the idea, then imagine no one else will think it’s a good idea. Or worse: they will laugh at, begrudge or reject the idea. So we keep it to ourselves and it never sees the light of day.
Now imagine how many excellent ideas are locked up inside people’s heads, never to see the light of day, never to be shared and realised. It begins to sound very sad. It makes me sad just writing those words.
So what is the answer? Read the rest of this entry »
