The Queen's Last Sale Ever!

This is The Queen's LAST SALE EVER!

What do I mean?

Alicia M Forest, a.k.a. "The Multiple Streams Queen", is in the midst of some creative destruction at Client Abundance, and in doing so, she's having a major sale until June 29 in order to make 'space' for bigger and better things, including a brand-new website.

You see, her network of sites has grown out of control, so she figured it would be less work to simply demolish the entire thing and start over. This is truly a great example of "creative destruction" in order to grow.

Anyway, in the process, she'll be DISCONTINUING 9 products that will NOT be sold on the new website. (They're fine programs, but she said she just wants to focus on bigger fish.)

Topics include writing succcessful sales copy, hosting teleseminars, launching products, hiring an assistant, managing email lists, designing a niche, and more.

So Alicia's having a special CLOSE-OUT EVENT right now, which is only good through Sunday, June 29, 2008.

That means you only have a few days left to grab these products at 50% OFF -- before they disappear forever!

I already picked up a few products myself, and I highly advise you do so as well. You can see the quick list at http://tinyurl.com/4g78xp.

Do you practice what you preach?

In the errand and concierge industry we are always telling our customers to give up their to-do lists to us so that they can have more free time for themselves, but do we do the same?

When I was younger, I remember a conversation that my mom, sister, and I had. We were talking about how a person who smokes can't tell their child not to smoke, because they are not following their own advice. The child is not going to listen because they are thinking to themselves, "Why shouldn't I smoke? My dad (or mom) smokes. It's really OK to smoke."

The same thing is true with your clients. You can’t try to sell them on giving up their to-do list and enjoy life when you aren’t following that same advice. We all need time everyday to replenish our minds and bodies, even if it is a 20 minute nap, a nice, long bath, or 15 minutes to meditate.

Of course when you are first starting out there is not a lot of money to hire someone to be your right hand man to delegate everything to, but there are a few things you can do.

1. Hire a student to help around your office. Visit local colleges about offering an internship to some of their students. If you need help with your accounting, look for a student studying to be a CPA. Looking for help with your logo? Look to one of the graphic design students.

2. Barter or trade for your services. If you have a stay at home mom who is good at marketing and sales, offer free service to her in exchange for a brochure or sales kit. She gets her errands taken care of and you get some nice marketing materials.

3. Budget in for help. When you are putting together your start up budget, put together a staff budget for a part time VA or personal assistant. You can hire them by the hour or a package deal to handle some of the administrative tasks so you can spend your time networking and building relationships with potential clients.

Remember that there are leaders and followers. Lead by example.

Blog Squad Free Preview Call

The Blog Squad is giving you a chance to learn from their mistakes so you can make twice as much money in 2008, in half the time.

I've been learning a few tricks from them myself recently and I know they always over-deliver in their classes - even on their free calls.

You don't want to miss this free session on June 24: 5 Internet Marketing Traps That Can Derail Your Business

Presented by The Blog Squad, Patsi Krakoff and Denise Wakeman, in partnership with Kathleen Gage, the Street Smarts Marketer

Tuesday, June 24 @ 6 p.m. ET

FREE!

Of course, you know there's a reason for the freebie: it's a preview call to introduce you to a 4-week, in-depth mentoring program starting July 1, 2008.

The best way to find out if they have something worthwhile to teach you is to attend the free class and sample their stuff...

Sort of like a pink spoon sample of good things to come.

Even if the course doesn't work for you, the free call will provide plenty of valuable information you can't afford not to know.

Find out what they are going to reveal on this free call and then register. You've got nothing to lose and everything to gain!

Click here to register

To your success!

What do you think?

I try to write a blog that is fun, witty, and informative. All I hear over here are crickets chirping. Either I am boring you or you just don't have an opinion. I would love to hear your comments to any of my blog posts. Just click on the "comment" link at the end of any post that you want to and start to get off your chest whatever you have to say. I know it will make you feel much better when you are done.

Better Business Blogging Report

Ever wonder if you're getting the best results you can from your business blog? Wonder if your design is optimized? ...if you could do better?

My friends, The Blog Squad (Patsi Krakoff, Psy.D. and Denise Wakeman), say most business blogging professionals don't know what they really need to know to get better results from their blogging efforts.

They say, "Most bloggers leave their blog parked in the garage and only take it out for a drive on Sundays!"

They've been studying what works for business blogging since 2004. Now, The Blog Squad is giving away their free report, "Better Business Blogging: 4 New Concepts for Getting Spectacular Results!"

What can you learn from this report? Click here.

* How to get faster at blog posting so it doesn't eat up all your time

* How to come up with great blog content that "wows" your readers

* How the design of your blog creates trust with readers...or not!

* How to vastly improve the number of subscribers and readers through a blog outreach program

* How to get readers to take action that turns them into fans and customers

Download the Blog Squad's free report and learn what you need to do to take your blog to the next level.

Click here to get your copy of the free Better Business Blogging Report.

Don't miss this opportunity to improve your business blogging efforts and start getting even more spectacular results from your blog.

To your success!
Angel Wilder

Delegating is not so easy!

I had almost given up on chores being done in my house. I was watching Supernanny the other night (OK, you caught me in a weak moment) and she put together a rotating chore list for the family's four kids to do. I thought that it might work with my family because I had been assigning specific chores to each of the kids. After a while, they gave up and always had an excuse why things could not get done. "He didn't do his chores so I am not doing mine." "I hate doing the kitchen because everyone just dumps their stuff everywhere." The pain and misery could go on and on.

I decided to create a chore list but switch off the chores so that each of the kids are doing a couple of different chores every day. For example, with vacuuming the living room, it rotates every other third day for the three kids and then I get Sundays to vacuum. I put together the chore list in Word and color coded everything and then printed out a copy for everyone that was to be taped to their bedroom doors. As I handed out the chore lists and explained the new system, I heard some grumblings at first. I was thinking to myself, "This is never going to work."

Guess what? It did. The kids were even helping each other out a bit. I almost fell over from a heart attack, but kept my composure. I will definitely have to keep you updated next week to let you know how the first full week went, but I have to say that I am hopeful that the new system will work out.

When I worked in Corporate America I was easily bored with my job because of the same menial tasks day in and day out. I always wanted to trade my job with someone else's just for a taste of something different. When it comes to your business, sometimes you just have to delegate the stuff you don't like to do or know how to do or just don't have time to do. If you have a group of tasks that can be delegated between a group of staff members, then set up your own rotating task list. Not only will it help keep your staff from that dreaded "I want to do something new" attitude, but it will help you to stay in balance should someone leave your business or get sick or go on vacation.

When there are no checks and balance, things can go wrong. In my college accounting class, my professor would relate stories all of the time about how someone embezzled money from the company because they were the only one doing the books. What if you were in a car accident and were taken to the hospital. Would you staff know how to complete a pet sit or put together invoices? If you are not training your staff how to run your business, you are setting yourself up for a disaster down the road.

Delegate for your own good!

Don't miss our show this Friday!!!!!!

Join us Friday, May 23, 2008, at 10:00 am PT/ 1:00 pm ET, with our special guest Julie Watson Smith as we discuss Aligning Family and Business for Effortless Success on our Errand Guru Talk Radio Show.

You can listen live over the Internet or call in over the phone to listen at (646) 478-4999. We also have a live chat during the segment, so if you want to ask a question off the air, we would be happy to answer it for you.

You can visit www.blogtalkradio.com/errandgurutalk to listen to any of our previous shows we have done.

Are you sitting on your laurels?

There is a lot that can be learned about people by observing their habits. For those people who complain about how they just can't seem to get ahead, most of the time they are not taking any action to get ahead. You will find them in front of a TV or in front of their computer, doing nothing but passing the time. For those that are ahead of the game, you will find them reading books, attending seminars, networking with others, and looking for opportunities to grow.

For myself, you will probably catch me watching the evening news about once or twice a month and even then it is for only about 10 or 15 minutes. Why? Because if I really want to know what is going on the world I can call my mom to find out or check it out on the web. I can scan the local newspaper online for what I want to read and then I move on with my day.

I want to spend my time with my family, learn new things, and grow my business. I can't do that glued to the television. Knowledge is power and you can't have the power if you give it away to the networks. Now I am not saying that TV is bad for you, but as with all things in life, moderation is key. I watch Jeopardy every day of the week, because it stimulates my mind. I also watch Women's Murder Club because that is how I like to unwind on a Friday night.

They key to a successful family and business life is to take advantage of all that is around you. Set aside time to attend the concert series at your local park this summer or join a book club at your local library. By opening up your mind to new things you are also opening up new doors of opportunities for you.

How are you handling your receipts?

Paper, paper everywhere. Everyone has a pile of papers in their home somewhere. I know mine keeps growing and growing, even though my intentions to rid myself of it are good. What about all of the receipts that people hoard. You know you don't want to lose your receipt so that you can easily return an item that is broken, doesn't fit, or that you just didn't like, but what if you can never find the receipt because it is lost in a pile of paper somewhere?

For those of us in the errand and concierge service industry, we handle receipts on a daily basis. Whether it is picking up groceries for a client or taking a car in for service or paying for dry cleaning, the receipts stack up. Instead of the clutter growing in your office or your client's home, why not use a service that will help you with the receipts. Someone sent me an email about a great service that I think many people are going to jump on the bandwagon for. It is called Shoeboxed and you can visit their website at www.shoeboxed.com. Many people are calling it the "Netflix for Receipts."

Think about it. If you charge, for example, $30 per hour and you waste 1/2 an hour of your time trying to dig up a receipt to send a copy to your client or because your accountant asked for it for a tax return, that's like flushing $15 down the toilet. Why? I would rather pay someone to take care of my receipts for me especially if the cost to pay them is cheaper than what I charge per hour and I can use that time to bill a client for running errands and still make money.

We are telling others to delegate their errands to us to make their lives easier and we should be doing the same. Outsourcing and delegate are two words that should definitely be in your vocabulary and used regularly. Instead of continually working in our business, we should be spending more time working on our business to help it grow.

Better Business Blog Writing Class

Ever struggle with what to write on your blog? How do you to find the time?

My friends, The Blog Squad (Patsi Krakoff and Denise Wakeman), say writing consistently good blog posts is the #1 challenge of most business people.

They say, "It's also the #1 way to use a blog to successfully grow your business, build your online reputation and brand, get new leads, new clients and make money: you must write consistently good blog posts."

They've been studying what works for business blogging since 2004. Now, The Blog Squad is offering a comprehensive teleseminar, Better Business Blog Writing next week on May 19 and 21.

Without being Hemingway or Huffington, you can vastly improve the quality of your blog writing for better business results.

In this class, you will learn:

=> How to find time for writing, and how to get faster at blog posting so it doesn’t eat up all your time

=> How to come up with blog posts that "wow"your readers

=> How blog writing differs from other forms of writing, and how to leverage this skill into other products and services

=> How to improve the quality of your blog posts so that they have a profound effect on readers

=> How your blog content works to actually make money for your business

Better Business Blog Writing is presented in two 70-minute teleclasses by The Blog Squad to help professionals get more bang out of business blogging.

Won’t you join them?

What: Better Business Blog Writing

When: Monday, May 19 and Wednesday, May 21,2008 at 5 p.m. ET

Where: In your office

How: On your phone! (it doesn’t get more convenient than this)

Click here to register.

Handouts including a blog writing checklist, class notes, lists of resources and blog writing articles that include the psychology of learning styles and influence.

Network with other members in a private group on Facebook where you can get feedback on your blog posts, find your next joint venture and share resources.

Plus to augment your learning, they're including four FREE audio programs with expert bloggers($40 value): Click here for complete details.

Don't miss this opportunity to improve your business blogging efforts and start getting even more spectacular results from your blog.

Wishing you success!

P.S. The program starts on Monday, May 19 so grab your spot now!

Marketing To Women

I am thrilled to tell you about an amazing teleclass Karyn Greenstreet is offering that begins May 15.

In order to grow your business, you must understand women's lifestyles and what are their specific wants, needs and desires.

Women have power in the marketplace like never before. Nearly 80% of the consumer purchases are made or influenced by women. 89% of bank accounts are owned by women.

Join Karyn for this two-hour teleclass where you will learn to re-define your marketing strategy and re-design your marketing copy to speak directly to women.

By modifying your marketing to encompass women you make your marketing better for all your customers. I am certainly not the only one who can attest to the powerful workshops Karyn presents. Here is what other students are saying:

"Since we began this process in early February I've jumped from 8 clients to 23 paying clients -- with 8 prospective client inquiries this past week! I believe the combination of the new web sites we designed together and the marketing planning work you had me do is what made the difference. Thanks!" --J. Val Hastings

"I wanted to thank you for an awesome class! Your passion for your business is apparent in the energy you exude in your presentation. Who would have thought that a day spent learning about marketing could be fun? I enjoyed the day and came away feeling motivated to implement the ideas you taught us. Your thorough step-by-step explanation of the marketing planning process is so helpful. Thank you again for a fun, educational day." --Patricia Carr

If you would like to learn the most important things you can do to improve your search rankings. I invite you to take a look here.

Only one week left!

You have just one week left to register for my Errand Guru One Day Retreat that takes place at the end of the month. If you haven't had a chance to register yet, then contact me at angel@angelatyourservice.com or call me at 1-866-413-7886. Where else can you get five full meals, two nights accommodations, and a full day of intensive training for $375?

Register now!

We have a special guest today!

Today, May 9, on Blog Talk Radio I am having a guest speaker, Syndee Brill discuss "Are your protecting your business?" at 10 am PT/1 pm ET.

In the errand and concierge service industry we provide many services to our clients that require us to enter their homes, handle their animals, handle their money or personal paperwork, and so on. Contracts are definitely needed to cover you and your business. There are also other areas of your business that need to be protected as well. We will be covering a range of areas during this segment.

You can listen online at Errand Guru Talk Radio or call in at (646) 478-4999 to listen in on the phone.Don't worry if you can't be there live, you can listen in later to the archived segment on the website. We will have an online chat available during the segment so you can ask your questions off air or you can ask your questions live on the air if you call in!

Visit Marty Marsh's Blog!

I have had the pleasure of having Marty on several of my industry chats as well as being a part of his class on designing brochures. I could go on and on about how wonderful he is and how much information he has to share, but there are only so many days in a year. If you would like to hear some of his musings and learn some great new things, then visit his blog at http://soulproprietorblog.com/.

Angel

Has the R word gotten you down?

If you were to pick up a newspaper or watch the news or listen to the radio, it seems that most people have this tone of "I'm just throwing in the towel" about the situation around them. Yes houses are going into foreclosure and grocery prices are rising and more autos are being repossessed and the world as we know it just seems to be crumbling at our feet, but if we take that attitude, we go down with the sinking ship. I don't know about you, but when I watched Titanic, I wanted to be like Rose and Jack and do what I had to do to survive.

You can survive too. Sure those in the service sector are feeling the pinch, but when I am at a mall, grocery store, or just driving around the streets, there are still cars filling up the parking stalls. That means people are still spending money. You just have to convince them to spend their money on you. Create a compelling message of why they need you just as much as you need them. (Just don't sound desperate on your part!) Talk with your current customers. If they are talking with friends, employees, co-workers, and clients, they have an idea of who has money to spend and who doesn't. Referrals will be the key during this time.

You will still need to attract new clients as well. If I was standing at a kiosk in a mall and I was down to my last $20, but you were able to explain to me what this product will do for me and how I could save money or time or save something else or be able to do more of something else all because I purchased your product, I can bet you with 98% probability that I would part with my $20. Your message has to compelling and you have to demonstrate why your product or service should be regarded like it is the Hope Diamond and you just have to get your hands on it.

So grab a lifesaver and swim to shore.

Errand Guru One Day Intensive Retreat

If you want to get started in the right direction or you have started your business and need some additional support, then join me for this one day intensive retreat. You will have my undivided attention from Friday afternoon until Sunday morning. You can ask any and all questions you have during this time. For someone who has been in the industry for 10 years, I will be providing a wealth of information for you during this time.

DATE: May 30-June 1, 2008
TIME: 9 AM - 5 PM Saturday, May 31, 2008 for seminar
LOCATION:
Pali Mountain
30778 Highway 18 Running Springs, CA 92382

The facilities feature a refreshing swimming pool, challenging hiking and jogging trails, numerous sporting fields and basketball courts, and a plethora of exciting adventures.

PRICE: $375.00

WHAT IS INCLUDED:
Five meals (Friday dinner through Sunday breakfast)
Accommodations for two nights (Check in is Friday at 4 PM)
One day of intensive training
Errand Guru Workbook

AGENDA:
The Basics
Day to Day Operations
Pricing
Customer Service
Marketing and Advertising
Proposals and Contracts
Websites and Software
Staffing Your Company
Niche Services

Minimum of 25 people and maximum of 40 people

Angel Wilder reserves the right to cancel the Errand Guru One Day Intensive Retreat if there are fewer than 25 participants registered as of May 16, 2008. Angel Wilder will accept responsibility only for the reimbursement of the Retreat registration fee and does not reimburse for purchased travel tickets or other expenses in the event of cancellation. If you will need to purchase travel tickets to attend the Retreat, it is recommended that you purchase travel insurance in case of cancellation. Your early registration is appreciated and helps to avoid cancellations. Refunds will not be made for cancellations received after May 16, 2008.

Click here to pay: http://tinyurl.com/47d63f.

Special Teleseminar Wednesday!

Join Danette and I for a special teleseminar on Wednesday, May 7, 2008 at 10 am PT/1 pm ET. We will be discussing ways to help you grow your business.

-Pricing have you stumped?
-Unsure how to get attention for your business?
-Undecided what to put in a proposal?
-Wonder whether it is better to have IC's or employees?

We will be covering all of these questions and more!

You can listen online at Errand Guru Talk Radio or call in at (646) 478-4999 to listen in on the phone.

Don't worry if you can't be there live, you can listen in later to the archived segment on the website. If you have a question that you want answered, just email me at info@ecsuniversitytraining.com.

We will have an online chat available during the segment so you can ask your questions off air or you can ask your questions live on the air if you call in!

Newsletter overload!

I have enjoyed receiving different newsletters over the years from various business people regarding different topics. During the last six months, the number of newsletters has steadily increased, as in I receive over 10 a day, as people have sent me referral after referral for a new and exciting newsletter they think I should read.

While I have enjoyed some tremendously (I sit next to my computer waiting for them to come in. OK, not really sitting there waiting, but will open them immediately when they do come in), there are others that I have read through and tried to enjoy, but they just were doing nothing for me. Some cover topics I really want to know about and some of the others cover topics that just don't interest me now or anymore. Most of the time I have just been forwarding the newsletters I like and hoping that I can read them at some point in the future.

Today was my breaking point! Instead of just deleting the newsletters I don't want to read anymore as usual, I decided to take a stand. I started to unsubscribe myself from the newsletters. As of last count, I unsubscribed from six of them. The list will continue to dwindle as I continue to decide which ones are helpful and which ones are a waste of my time.

For the ones that I like, I have been taking the main points and compiling them into a document for future reading. For those newsletter where the article is a long one, but one that I enjoy, I am holding on to those. I have a Yahoo account and folders set up within the account where the newsletters go. This has helped me to cut down on the ones I save and the ones I hit the delete button on.

While it is always good to educate yourself and learn from others, there comes a time when too much information will put your brain into overload and then nothing makes sense. You need to figure out which newsletters work for you and focus on the material contained inside each one specifically when it comes in. If it is something you enjoyed and may come in handy at a future date, then you can save it.

From this point forward, I am going to be spending the next few weeks weeding through hundreds of newsletters that I have not had the chance to read yet. I will be opening all of the newsletters I want to read each time they come in and read them on the spot. I will either put the information in my document or forward it for future reference. I refuse to be a victim of newsletters anymore!

Grocery Shopping 101

Danette Moss, owner of LAD Concierge Group and Live Life Outsource The Rest, has a new e-book out for $19.95! It is called Grocery Shopping 101. Visit http://www.ladconciergegroup.com/ for more information.

Here is what her introduction has to say:

Everyone needs groceries in their house. Last year U.S. households spent $3,240, on average, for groceries according to the American Express Everyday Spending index. The study also found consumers' consumption of fast food increased by 43% over the past year, bringing the average amount spent up to $720 per household. Food expenses represent a substantial percentage of household budgets.

This book was created to show you a way to provide a solution to consumers by providing this wonderful niche service to them. Since everyone has to eat, grocery shopping has become one of the top 5 niche markets in the Errand and Concierge Industry.

Not only will you “give your customers back time” or “make their life easier”, but you will show them that the benefits go deeper than time and an easier life. You can help them keep food expenses from going through the roof, save them from impulse shopping, dragging children in the grocery store (which can sometimes be a nightmare), and shopping after a long day at work by incorporating new ways of smart shopping into their regular routine by putting them on a weekly or bi-weekly schedule that will change their life forever.

In this book Stocking Break Rooms and Kitchens, I will discuss everything you’ve always wanted to know about from how to set up your services to pricing. So take a leap into this wonderful Niche Mark et where you will not only provide wonderful services to your clients, but you will benefit monetarily (Chi-Ch’ing).

Errand Guru One Day Intensive Retreat

If you want to get started in the right direction or you have started your business and need some additional support, then join me for this one day intensive retreat. You will have my undivided attention from Friday afternoon until Sunday morning. You can ask any and all questions you have during this time. For someone who has been in the industry for 10 years, I will be providing a wealth of information for you during this time.

DATE: May 30-June 1, 2008
TIME: 9 AM - 5 PM Saturday, May 31, 2008 for seminar
LOCATION:
Pali Mountain
30778 Highway 18
Running Springs, CA 92382

The facilities feature a refreshing swimming pool, challenging hiking and jogging trails, numerous sporting fields and basketball courts, and a plethora of exciting adventures.

PRICE: $375.00

WHAT IS INCLUDED:
Five meals (Friday dinner through Sunday breakfast)
Accommodations for two nights (Check in is Friday at 4 PM)
One day of intensive training
Errand Guru Workbook

AGENDA:
The Basics
Day to Day Operations
Pricing
Customer Service
Marketing and Advertising
Proposals and Contracts
Websites and Software
Staffing Your Company
Niche Services

Minimum of 25 people and maximum of 40 people

Angel Wilder reserves the right to cancel the Errand Guru One Day Intensive Retreat if there are fewer than 25 participants registered as of May 16, 2008. Angel Wilder will accept responsibility only for the reimbursement of the Retreat registration fee and does not reimburse for purchased travel tickets or other expenses in the event of cancellation. If you will need to purchase travel tickets to attend the Retreat, it is recommended that you purchase travel insurance in case of cancellation. Your early registration is appreciated and helps to avoid cancellations. Refunds will not be made for cancellations received after May 16, 2008.

Contact me at angel@angelatyourservice.com for more information.

Insider Secrets of Using Web 2.0 and Social Networking

If you're not using social networking sites for your business, you could be missing out on a lot of valuable traffic. You can learn how to use Web 2.0 tools and social networking sites to do just that. And you know you need traffic in order to have the opportunity to ask visitors to subscribe to your newsletter, get your white paper or buy your products and services.

Hot on the heels of their successful teleseminar on how to use Facebook for Business, my colleagues, The Blog Squad, are hosting a brand new class on how to use Web 2.0 and social networking sites to drive more traffic to your business. It is the "Insider Secrets of Using Web 2.0 and Social Networking to Get Thousands of Warm, Hungry Visitors to Your Web Site".

The Blog Squad grills Michele PW, Your $Ka-Ching! Marketing Strategist, and Mary Pat Kavanagh, Queen of Connections, on Wednesday, April 23, 2008 at 5 p.m. Eastern Time.

Registration: $20 includes live event and mp3 audio file
Register here >>> http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?Clk=2372929

During this teleseminar you'll learn:
* The psychological reasons why people are using Web 2.0 and social networking in the first place (understand this and you are LIGHT YEARS ahead of what most marketers are doing with it so you'll be FAR more successful)
* How you can use those psychological triggers to position yourself above your competition (and reap more traffic and sales in the process)
* What are the different social media and Web 2.0 sites and which ones are right for YOUR business
* The best way to position yourself so you will continue to get high quality traffic REGARDLESS of what's happening in the social media landscape
* Time-saving tips so you CAN get the most of your social networking without it sucking all your time.
* And much more!

Register today.

Find out what you'll learn about using social networking sites for your business and secure your spot now: http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?Clk=2372929

To your continuing success online,
Angel Wilder

David Neagle's Just Believe event

I had so much fun at David's event yesterday. I met lots of new people and came away with some valuable information and a new prospective on things I have been doing in my life and business. It was an all day event and I was tired at the end, but it was well worth the push I gave myself to go. I wanted to share a few photos of myself and some people that I was excited to finally meet. If you recognize some of them, it is because I am either affiliated with them, mention them in my seminars and radio show, or use some of their guest articles in my newsletters.

Alexandria "The Ezine Queen" Brown

Lorrie "Red Hot Copy" Morgan-Ferrero

David Neagle

Have you taken advantage of my sale yet?

There are only 13 days left until my sale ends!

I currently have my best selling book, Starting Your Own Errand or Concierge Service, on sale for $25.95. That is a savings of $14! I probably won't have book on sale again for a long time. Purchase it now!

Spring 2008 Book Sale

I also am giving those that are interested in my Ultimate Package a chance to pay for it in 4 payments. The cost of the package is $1100, with four payments of $275 each. I am also offering FREE SHIPPING to those that take advantage of this special!

Ultimate Package Payment Plan

Visit http://www.angelatyourservice.com/ for more information.

The gas pumps are guzzling my money!

OK, I was born and raised in Southern California. Why I choose to stay here is a mystery. I was at the gas station today and saw that the most expensive gas is now at $4 a gallon. It is now $4.25 per gallon for diesel. Pretty soon I am going to have to buy a bus pass or get a scooter to take care of errands for my clients. I think I might just stand at the side of the road with a sign that says "Will work for gas money!" As an industry that requires us to drive, drive, drive, there has got to be a way to not gouge our clients, but still make a profit. Here are a few tips to help you out:

1. I work in a square. I use my office as my starting point and work my way in a square. Because my service area is split into four quadrants, I can have four people take care of my entire service area at once. This way no one is going back and forth and wasting gas or time. You can also split your service area into several zones. Each zone would have a specific radius.

2. Schedule as many clients as possible in the same area for the same day. For example, I have one staff member who completes five dog walks in the same neighborhood on the same day. She drives out to the first house, parks, takes care of all of the dogs, walks back to her car, and then drives home. One drive to and from. This same method can include taking care of several employees at once at a particular office to provide a similar type of service. For example, I took three cars to a local car wash in one afternoon.

3. Charge a temporary fuel surcharge. I received a newsletter from my travel agency I am associated with and several cruise lines are increasing their fuel supplements. All of the courier companies, including FedEx and UPS have a fuel surcharge in effect. FedEx is charging a 20% increase for the month of April for their Express service and UPS is charging a 20% increase for their international services.

Whatever you choose to do to help you out in your business, make sure that it is right for your customers and your business. After all, we all go in to business to make a profit.

Concierge Service guides editorial

As the owner of an errand and concierge service, and as an expert in the industry, from time to time I will purchase other guides out there to see how well written or poorly written they are. I recently purchased four e-guides and would like to provide my opinions on them.

1. The FabJob Guide to Become a Personal Concierge Business Owner

I was truly impressed with this guide. To begin with, the layout of the guide was user friendly and helpful. There were instructions to direct you to each part of the guide. After giving it a read over I found that it was full of helpful information and I felt someone could learn useful things about the industry reading this guide. Well worth the money.

2. Style Career.com’s Breaking Into and Succeeding in Concierge Service

I was not impressed with this guide at all and requested a refund, which I promptly received. The information, in my opinion, seemed like it was gathered from various places on the web along with a few interviews and then put together. The information contained in it was very basic and did not have as much meat as I thought it would have for the price.

3. 125aday.com Publishing’s Start Your Own Concierge Service!

This guide is a total scam. It did not mention once how to start your own concierge service. It was basically a how to start a (you insert whatever industry you want) business guide because the information contained in it was about starting a business in general and not the how to’s in regards to any particular industry. I was appalled that they would try to sell this information as a step by step guide. Because they have strict return policies, I could not get my money back, as I downloaded it as an e-book, but I did write two scathing emails that were never answered. Stay far, far away from this guide. It is so not worth the money.

4. Concierge and Errand Service Business Startup Guide from www.doit-4-u.com

RIP OFF!!!!!!!!! I had to contact Paypal after my claim was denied and found a nice gentleman who heard my story and gave me a refund on this guide. I sent numerous emails to the owner of the website over a several day period and did not receive one response. He states that he has been in business for 15 years, but I don’t see any of it in this guide. His “forms” are taken from Microsoft Office. While he has gone in and cleaned up the look of the website, my dog could have written a better guide. Do not waste a penny on this guide.

These are just my opinions, but for someone who has been in business for a decade and continues to run a successful business, I think I have an idea of what makes for helpful information and what doesn’t. The final decision is up to you, but I wanted to give you a heads up on what is available for those in the industry.

What's blooming in your garden?

April is just around the corner. With that comes National Gardening Month. Have you ever just spent an afternoon taking out weeds in your garden and planting seeds or small plants in some fresh, rich soil? Watering every day to make sure that whatever it was bloomed, whether it was vegetables or a flower bush? Weren't you bursting with pride at your accomplishments?

What about your family or your clients? Do you take the time to care and nurture them the same way you would your garden? I have a teenage son who drives me nuts. I know his hormones are raging out of control and he acts up from time to time, kind of like weeds that start to grow in your garden, but when I nip the problems in the bud, I continue to cultivate a fine flower, or in this case, son. If I wasn't taking care of my son the way I would my garden, the garden would become overgrown with weeds and the flower would start to wither away. Not taking care of my son could cause his problems to escalate to the point where they become out of control, which can lead to other problems in the future.

The same thing is true with your clients. If you don't take the time to build that relationship with them and take care of their needs, they can shrivel up and die. Just as flowers and plants need different types of food, different amounts of water, and different amounts of sunlight, your clients need different amounts of attention. Some may need more handholding than others. Some may have certain quirks or peculiarities that you will need to deal with. Others may be very wishy washy and you may have to remove them from your garden of clients because they are not fitting in well. How you treat your clients will be reflected in how your garden looks to others. Take care of them well and you receive a blue ribbon. Take care of them not so well and your garden becomes an eyesore.

Look at your own gardens and find out how you can take care of them properly so that they can fully bloom all year long.

My apologies!

I realized this morning that I have been neglecting my words of wisdom. Not because I don't have any, but because life came along and took me on a wild ride for the last few weeks. For this I apologize.

While I understand that you can only truly connect with others if you interact on a regular basis, I hope that those of you who have been waiting with bated breaths will continue to look forward to my future words of wisdom as I learn everyday about what can happen in life in general.

My mom collects Mary Engelbreit items. She loves to purchase different Mary items and share them with others. She also loves handwriting notes of wisdom and love to those in the family, as well as share her $1 words with everyone else, even those she is writing a complaint letter to.

Our words share emotions with those we are communicating with, whether it is happiness, excitement, anger, or fear. While a person can be much more pronounced with their feelings when they are visually in front of you, the written word, whether it is a poem or book or newsletter article, can evoke people to stand up and petition for what is right or wrong or get them to look at a situation in a different light or even bring joy to their life.

Use your words wisely when speaking with someone. You never know when you may spew your own words of wisdom.

Valentine's Day....

As I sit here pondering Valentine's Day tomorrow it has me wondering why we have to have just one day a year to say how much we love each other. Do you take your love and bottle it up somewhere only to open it up one day a year? Guys stress out each year knowing that they have to raise the bar for gifts as the years go on and women get heartbroken if a guy forgets or does not perform to her expectations.

Let's face it, most guys are not into the mushy displays of affection in order to prove their love to you. Most women demand proof of a guy's love in a tangible form. Why don't the little displays of affection, such as breakfast in bed or a single rose just because, count? Why do people have to pour billions of dollars, over $15 billion to be exact, into one day of the year? I would rather have 365 days of little displays of affection than just one big one.

And why is it that guys are somehow obligated to spend more than women? Do women feel that when you were born that you have a price sheet that comes with you for gifts and that you are not allowed to go over that quota? I can't count the number of times that I was out on a date and paid for it or purchased gifts just because with no expectations for something in return because I don't want to keep track of what I have or have not done for the opposite sex.

When someone feels an obligation to do something, somehow it seems to me that it then cheapens the thought and feeling behind the gift. When someone offers a gift to someone else, it should be because they felt compelled to want to show the recipient how they really felt, whether it is excitement over a new baby or proud of someone's graduation or their love for someone.

What does Valentine's Day mean to you?

Are you reading the fine print?

Today I showed up at Office Depot about 10 minutes before it opened in order to purchase a new printer. There were several people there to purchase a laptop that was supposed to be on sale for $299. Once the store opened, there were about 20 people there for the laptop. Turns out that the price is over $400, you receive a $100 instant rebate and then a $75 mail in rebate. In addition, you cannot pick up the computer in the store, you have to order it and then wait about 10 days to receive it. In addition, you need to tack on an additional $100 to cover tax and shipping. Boy were people pissed to say the least. Office Depot is going to catch some heavy backlash on this one. I picked up the ad and started to read it while my husband was picking up a few items. Most of the information was in fine print.

The problem with fine print is that most people do not read it. Even when it comes to agreeing to terms and conditions on the web, people don't take the time to read them, they just click on the "I Agree" button. I admit that I have been guilty of this before. I just want to finish what I am installing or doing and hit that button without even glancing at the words. I guess for small purchases most people don't care, but when it comes to big purchases, I hope that you do read the fine print. Even when it comes to electronics or even cell phone plans, there are many loopholes that the companies create for themselves so that they can get out of any sort of binding contract if it doesn't suit them.

Do you do this with your clients? I don't have any fine print on my contracts or other places. I try and make everything noticeable and when I go on consultations, I will go over all of the paperwork so that everything is understood. This way a client can't come to me afterwards and say that they don't want to pay something because they didn't understand or they don't want to pay because they think I am nickel and diming them. If they have to follow my rules, I need to follow them as well. I don't try to create loopholes, but people always look for one.

Make sure that whenever you are dealing with your prospective and current clients that all of the terms and conditions are laid out for all to see. Once they start dealing with you, they don't want to break out their magnifying glass to see what the real deal is and you don't want to deal with backlash like Office Depot is going to, even if on a small scale. People talk and I know because my husband went into Petco and saw a couple we had just seen at Office Depot who had been trying to purchase that laptop. Needless to say, they had nothing but negative things to say about Office Depot and stated that they will not be shopping there any time soon.

What will your customers say about your fine print?

Are you very social?

Social networking is the buzz word for 2008. Yes, we know all about the old fashioned networking events we have subjected ourselves to in the past. The ones where we show up with our pile of business cards and hope to find new leads. While those types of networking events are still good, if you know the right way to work a networking event, there are others ways to network with others outside of the small confines of a room.

Myspace and Facebook are two of the big ones, but there are so many other social networks out there. There are ones specific to gender or age, ones specific to hobbies, musical tastes, careers, and so on. I am a part of LinkedIn and Plaxo. Once you join these networks, take the time to add contacts, post thoughts on a subject, comment on someone else's posts, or even drop notes of encouragement or just to say "Hi".

With the internet allowing us to move our boundaries outside of our city limits, networking with others online allows us new opportunities to meet new clients or build relationships with vendors or even to visit new places and do new things.

Take the time to jump on the social networking bandwagon as you never know what opportunities may pass you by if you don't. If you don't at least give it a try, you will be like that little kid who always watches the other kids outside having fun from their bedroom window because they are afraid to join in.

Does pricing scare you?

No one likes to talk about money. Whether it is how much money you earn each year or what you charge per hour. For many people they are uncomfortable or fearful when asked information about their pricing. In turn, the people asking can sense your fear and uncomfortableness with the situation. Some will take advantage of you while there are others who won't, but they also may not give you a chance either.

So what are some of these fears that you may have? Do you feel you lack the experience to match your asking price? Do you think you are charging too much? Do you think that if you charge the price that you do that your prospective clients will move on to someone else who is cheaper? Are you unsure how to overcome objections?

I have people tell me all of the time how pricing is one issue that they have when it comes to running their business. They are unsure how much to charge or what to tell people who inquire about their prices. If they tell someone a price and that person objects to the price, they don't know how to tell them that they are worth it. When I started my business, I didn't want to price myself out of the market, yet at the same time I wanted clients. I was not very confident with my pricing and it showed in the type of clients I had at the beginning.

There are several things you can do to help you overcome your fear or uncomfortableness when it comes to discussing pricing.

1. Post your pricing. This is a topic for debate with many on one side saying that they post their prices on their website and in their materials, while others only reveal their pricing during their conversations with a prospective client. There are pros and cons to both sides. If you reveal your pricing you scare away those that can't afford you in the first place, but at the same time if you reveal your prices, you might miss out on an opportunity to share with a prospective client how you can take care of their particular needs. Also, once pricing is revealed, that is what a prospective client will focus on. Your other words will go in one ear and out the other.

2. Act confident. I have a take it or leave it stance when it comes to my pricing. When you make excuses for your pricing or discount your pricing immediately, your prospective client then can use this to their advantage to negotiate with you. I have had people state their price and then in the next breath lower it when they hear hesitation. I was guilty of it when I began my business. Be proud of your pricing structure. If you are on the phone or communication via email, be firm with your pricing in the tone of your voice. When talking face to face with someone, look the person in the eye when you state your price.

3. Get training. If you are unsure what pricing is like for the industry, get information from those in the industry who are considered experts or who have years of experience. They will know what it is like to have not been confident with their pricing at some point when they started and they can share with you some tips and hints about what you can do with your pricing.

Once you have decided on your pricing structure, practice over and over out loud talking about your pricing so that you can overcome your fears and have a new found confidence when speaking with prospective customers or even your current customers. Remember, if you don't have confidence in yourself, how do you expect others to?

Why are you in business?

There are many reasons that people give for going into business. They want to be their own boss, they want more time with the family, they want to earn some money to help with the family, they want to create their own schedule, and the list goes on and on.

These are all wonderful reasons, but I also find many are in business sort of as a hobby. They want to experiment with it like some people do marriages. They have the mindset, "If it doesn't work out, I will just walk away." They don't take it as seriously as others who want this to be their career or they want to put as little effort and money into it as possible, but still expect great results.

When the results they want don't happen, they get frustrated. I had a person ask me if they would be able to make what they did in their old job within the first year of their opening up their business. By the way they were earning $250,000 per year. I tried not to laugh out loud, but some of the misconceptions people out there have only hinders them.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it takes work, determination, patience, as well as money to turn your business from a hobby into a successful running company. You have probably heard this saying at least once in your life, "You get out if it what you put into it." This saying goes for a lot of things in life, personal or business.

If, for example, you want to be a tennis player, it will never work if you don't put out the money to buy the right equipment or put in the time to practice your serve or your swing. Going to the courts a couple of times a week isn't going to do it. You have to be willing to put in several hours a day, every day. There are parents who would rather drive around an older car then buy a new one just so they can purchase a top of the line racket or tennis lessons for their child. The passion and willingness to sacrifice has to be there.

I know someone in the concierge industry who had a great job making money, but left it to start her own business. She isn't rolling in the dough, but she is working hard to make her business a success. From some of the stories she has told me, I don't think some of her clients could function without her help.

I get emails and phone calls from new mothers on an almost daily basis who want a job where they can make money, yet be there for their new baby. Deep down, their main focus is that new baby and the business will not work if that is where their focus is. A baby takes a lot of your time. After all of the feedings and diaper changings and caring for their other needs, how much time is really left for a business?

If you are ready to jump into entrepreneurship, don't stand at the shoreline dipping your toes in the water. You'll never get far. You need to dive right in and see how far the tide takes you.

Where have all the names gone?

I have a HUGE pet peeve. Maybe I shouldn't care about these people, but I do. I am part of an industry association. I check in on a weekly basis to see who is still a member and who isn't. One trend I am noticing, is that many of the members do not put their name and/or their location in their profile. Some of them don't even list their phone number.

I try to look at their listing from the viewpoint of a potential client or media person. If I have to struggle through your profile to find out who you are, I will walk away and move on to someone else. If as a media person I am doing a story on several companies in the Dallas area, but I can't find anywhere on your profile or even your website where you are located, I won't contact you. There are so many missed opportunities because someone does not want to reveal who they are in some fashion. I can't understand why they would hide, unless they are in the witness protection program.

If I have a referral for Florida, for example, and I plug Florida in the search box and your name does not come up because you either left out your location or abbreviated your state name, then I will turn the referral over to someone who I can find during my search. If I do a search for California to pass on a referral, but I have no way of contacting you, outside of filling in some page where I have to hit the submit button, I will move on and hand that referral to someone else. I may even find someone who is not a member to pass that referral off to.

I have also noticed when I visit websites that many are vague on their About Us pages. I don't care to know how ABC Errand Service will use their experience to help me with my life. I want to know how Jane Doe or John Smith, who have a background as a hotel concierge or who used to manage 200 people, will be able to handle my needs. I want to know if you won an award or volunteer your time. I want to know why you have the ability you do to help me. This helps establish credibility. Whether the target is individual clients, corporate clients, or a combination of both, the About Us page does not have to be so sterile. Loosen up and share something about you.

Share who you are with the world, or at least your potential clients. You never know what opportunities may come your way.

What are your instincts telling you?

Good instincts usually tell you what to do long before your head has figured it out.
— Michael Burke

Animals are great creatures. They can sense when things are going to happen and act on them. For us humans, we don't always get it right. I have had times that I have been around a client or talked with them on the phone or have communicated with them via email, and the red flags were flying high all around me. Something told me that the situation wasn't right or that something in the future may happen. I have had other times where the flags were showing, but I didn't pay attention to them. About eight times out of ten I am right about my instincts.

For example, Thanksgiving week I had a woman call me from out of state for a last minute errand that needed to be completed that day. When I asked for certain pieces of information, she had an excuse why she couldn't send the information to me. Her scanner was not working. When she asked that the information be faxed over, I told her I refused to send it unless I had her credit card authorization on file. It was amazing how fast she got her scanner working.

I had a gut feeling that she would file a chargeback or something in the future, as I had issues getting the money from her in the first place, so I created her own file and included all of the information she faxed me and her invoice, as well as all of the correspondence we had. Almost two weeks ago I received an inquiry regarding this transaction from the credit card company. She was stating that the charge was unauthorized. Fortunately for me, I was able to fax over almost 20 pages worth of information I had to support my decision not to refund her, which was because she owed me the money.

Regardless of what the situation is, when your instincts rear their head, it is usually a good time to listen to them because you never know how they will help you.

Happy New Year!

I hope all of you had a wonderful 2007 and that 2008 treats you right. I have enjoyed sharing my words of wisdom with you and look forward to sharing more with you this next year and many more after that. Even though today is the start of a new year and the slate has been wiped clean, I have not created my list of goals for the new year yet. Why? Because I am off to watch the Rose Parade and then watch the USC Trojans kick butt in the Rose Bowl. Look for more words of wisdom later this week.

Angel

How far are you willing to run?

There is not telling how many miles you will have to run while chasing a dream. — Anonymous

We all dream about things we want, places we want to go, things we want to experience, people we want to meet. For me, my business became my dream. When I first decided to open my doors for business, it was to earn some extra spending money and feel like I was contributing, since I was a stay at home mom.

My husband basically laughed at me and told me that it wasn't going to work. Many times when I first opened my doors for business, he told me to go get a real job. While it got me down, I wanted to prove him wrong. I was going to show him that I could be a success no matter what it took. I put in plenty of long hours surfing the web for information, putting my paperwork together, pounding the pavement, and the list of things I did was endless.

Having three kids and trying to run a household and business kept me tired many nights of the week, but I was bound and determined. I got my first client, who only needed me for a couple of hours, but it was still my first client. Then I had another client come on and then another. Over the years my business has taken off and I am able to enjoy many things, including my dream of a successful business. My husband doesn't laugh at me anymore or tell me my business is stupid or that it sucks. I get to be there for my children, while many other moms are out there working.

The miles I have run chasing my dream have been long and exhausting, but well worth it to finally catch my dream and hold it in my hands.

Are you right or wrong?

It takes less time to do a thing right, than it does to explain why you did it wrong.
— Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

I have seen it before in the work environment. People are in such a rush to produce more work and get their their list of things to do done, that they make mistakes and have to sit there and explain what happened and re-do their work. Of course we are not perfect and mistakes will be made, but if you take the time to go over your work carefully and follow the procedures set up, you will have more time to get things done and not spend the majority of it fixing your errors.

In life I have seen the explanations flow from my husband's mouth as well as my children's mouths. They are in such a hurry to get something done so that they have more time to do something else, that they have to go back and do it all over again after explaining to me why it was done wrong in the first place. I always tell them, "If you would just slow down and take the time to do it right, you would end up with more time in the end."

My mom's friend owns rental property. In the past she has hired the cheapest person to do the fastest job and in the end has had to go back and spend more money to get the job done right instead of just doing it right in the first place. Not only did she lose more money, but she lost more time. I always would tell my mom, "You get what you pay for." If she would have just put out the money in the first place, it would have been done the first time around. Doing it her way ended up costing her more in the end.

The next time you feel yourself rushing through something, take a moment to ask yourself if you are doing it right or will you have to do some explaining later.

Do you force time or yield to it?

Who forces time is pushed back by time; who yields to time finds time on his side.
— The Talmud

In the Little House on the Prairie days, families would do all of their chores without the help of technology and yet they were able to have gatherings, visit with family and friends, and enjoy life. Later on, fathers worked all day outside of the home and mothers worked all day inside the home and yet they were able to have gatherings, visit with family and friends, and enjoy life. Nowadays, we have so much technology that it is overwhelming and yet we don't have time to get together or visit with family and friends or enjoy life.

When we try to force more than 24 hours in a day, we are pushed into a corner with all of our obligations hovering around us. When we use our 24 hours a day wisely, by saying "No" and outsourcing or delegating and using technology for good, and understand that those are the boundaries, we will find more time. Even buying time, by using errand and concierge services, can help you yield to time's boundaries.

We all want to sit down and relax, but never seem to find that time. We push ourselves and push ourselves. I love the Rascal Flatts song "Mayberry" because the lyrics below are so true.

Sometimes it feels like this world is spinning faster
Than it did in the old days
So naturally, we have more natural disasters
From the strain of a fast pace
Sunday was a day of rest
Now, it’s one more day for progress
And we can’t slow down
‘cause more is best
It’s all an endless process

If you are looking for time, it may be best to yield to it and not force it.

What do you overlook?

The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook. — William James

When we wake up every morning, it is a new day of people we see, places we go, and things we do. Sometimes we are okay with it and sometimes we are not. It is up to us to decide what to look at and what to overlook.

My husband and I have had this discussion over and over when it comes to our teenage son. I have told him that sometimes he needs to overlook things our son does and pick his battles wisely. His dad was very strict and overbearing with him and he tends to have those same issues. I didn't have the same strictness when I was growing up. My mom is still a pushover to this day.

I did not have brothers growing up so I am learning firsthand what it is like to have a house full of boys. Some things I overlook and chalk up to boys being boys. There are other situations that I will step up and deal with because I have to in order to raise my son right. I can't stand my son having his pants hang down past his butt and neither can my husband. I choose to overlook it as a trend he is going through, as he has gone through many during his 15 years of life. I do get on him about it when we are in public, but I do it in a kind way. My husband chooses to be irritable about it and is always yelling at my son about picking up his pants.

My daughter and I were at the grocery store the other evening. As we were heading down the soda aisle, I noticed a woman in a store wheelchair/shopping cart struggling to put some boxes of soda in her cart. I tapped my daughter on the arm and asked her to help the lady out. We ended up putting several boxes in her cart and she was grateful. My husband on the other hand, although he probably would have helped, would have overlooked it because he is not as observant as me when it comes to little things like that.

Some people tend to go through life looking out for themselves and do not notice what is going on around them. I see it everyday when I am driving and people cut other drivers off or turn in front of others suddenly or grab a spot in the parking lot without looking to see if anyone else was there. I see it when I am out in the stores and people don't watch where they are going or just grab things off of the shelf or cut in line. They aren't paying attention to the world around them.

I tend to overlook most of these things as I don't want to have health problems at the expense of these other people's rudeness. Why stress out over something so insignificant? What you need to not overlook are the things that can harm you or your family. It takes a really wise person to decide which situations are the ones worth overlooking. Maybe that is why I have so much gray hair!

Do you set things straight?

A smile is a curve that sets everything straight. — Phyllis Diller

How many times have you been in a foul mood and someone smiled at you and everything got better? I know that it has happened to me many times. I could be upset one moment and then feel much better the next, all because of a smile.

In October my daughter and I headed over to Disneyland. On the way there we had stopped at McDonald's for her to get something to eat. I was sitting in the drive thru lane and one of the employees walked by. He said, "Come on, smile. You're at the yummiest place on earth." My daughter and I started laughing and smiling. He was in a good mood and that transferred over to us.

I was at the grocery store the other day and noticed that every employee who passed by me smiled and asked if they could help me with anything. I must of had about six people pass by me and do this. I brought my oldest son with me and he was acting hyper. I sent him on a scavenger hunt to find items to keep him out of my hair. One of the clerks kept overhearing me tell him different items to find. He started getting in on the scavenger hunt. I think I was keeping both of them busy as it was late in the evening and there were not that many customers at the store.

Then I ran out of room in my cart and needed another cart. My son decided he didn't want to push his cart anymore so he sat on the end of my cart and had me pushing my cart with him on it and his cart around. We got to the meat section and there were different signs in the middle of the floor so we started doing figure eights around the sign. We were smiling and laughing and having fun. We took a boring task and made it fun.

We all know that it takes more muscles to make a frown than it does to make a smile. Use those muscles to make someone's day, as it may be the only smile they see all day, and you will feel the effects even more.

Is the moment right for you?

Generosity lies less in giving much than in giving at the right moment.
— Jean de La Bruyere

With Thanksgiving and Christmas around the corner, many people dig into their pockets and give. With the fires in California, people have dug into their pockets to give to help those who lost their homes and possessions rebuild. There are still others who have given of their time and efforts to help in other ways. We can all think back to Hurricane Katrina and the tsunamis a few years ago. I still remember the Whittier earthquake back in 1987.

We have always had world events come up, whether they are natural disasters or not, and people give of themselves. It is not about the amount we give, but about giving at that moment. It doesn't have to even be when something is spotlighted in the news. To the person on the receiving end, it is just the fact that you made the effort to be generous to them that counts.

I will always remember the parable told to me about the people who had wealth that gave of their extra overflow in money and the widow who gave her last two coins. She didn't have much to give, but she gave at the right moment. No one would have noticed her and what she gave because to them the amount wasn't significant, but to one person it was.

I looked up some new versions of this parable on the web and Will Shetterly compared it this way: A woman gave a great fortune to charity. Everyone applauded. Then she went home to her mansion and her servants brought her a wonderful meal. Another woman gave five dollars to charity. No one noticed. Then she went home to her little apartment and made a meal of canned soup and crackers.

What you give does not necessarily have to be of monetary value. It is what you give of yourself that makes the moment right.

Are your shirt sleeves rolled up?

The person who is waiting for something to turn up might start with their shirt sleeves.
— Garth Henrichs

I have been frustrated lately with the amount of people I have come across who want everything done for them. It doesn't matter what it is. Many people want to put as little effort into getting things done as possible, but have high expectations on what their return should be.

My oldest son, who is a high school sophomore, decided this first semester to not put in as much effort into his homework and tests as he should have. His school progress report came in and it sucked. I don’t want to reward him for his efforts, or lack thereof. He has three months of not going anywhere to roll his shirt sleeves up and get in and do the work I know he can to raise his grades. He has already started with making the effort to get a weekly progress report from his teacher and he actually started on his community service hours that he needs to complete to graduate from high school.

He had the football coach come up to him at lunch, after he had seen my son play some football at lunch, and ask why he wasn’t on the football team this year. My son had stated to him that because we had just moved here a couple of months ago and he hadn’t trained with the team he was told he couldn’t be on it. The teacher wants him on the team next year badly. I told him that no matter how talented the coach thinks he is, that he won’t be able to play if he does not maintain a certain GPA. I hope that this is the motivation he needs to get going, but the work is up to him. He can’t skate by in life.

When we moved into our house in August, the grass was dead. The tenants before us had not watered the grass for several months. My husband wanted the grass to grow back again. After a lot of elbow grease each week raking out the dead grass after each watering and pulling out of weeds and getting a gardener to come in once the grass started to grow back in, the results are nice. We have a bright green front lawn. Because he had rolled up his shirt sleeves and made the effort, the results have paid off. He could have become frustrated because of the waiting process, but he knew that his work would eventually pay off.

Sometimes the effort we put into a project seems like it is too much for us or like it would just be easier to get someone else to do it all for you, but if we just persevere and accomplish our goal, the reward tastes so much sweeter.

Where's your favorite veggie hiding?

Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread and pumpkin pie.
— Jim Davis

I love vegetables, even if they are not part of a cake, bread, or pie. I am lucky enough to have kids who like vegetables, and I don't even have to find creative ways to cover them up or hide them in their meals. I do have to admit though that I enjoy a good cake, bread, and pie. I was never one of those who was watching my carb intake during the big "Cut Out The Carbs" craze. I love my carbs too much to give them up.

If everyone could incorporate their favorite vegetable into their favorite dessert, I am sure this world would be a much better place. We would all get our suggested amount of daily servings and and enjoy them while we are eating them. There would be peace and harmony....Well, maybe not. I was just imaging people running around trying to get some pumpkin pie saying, "This is a veggie jacking. Just hand over the pie and no one gets hurt."

As they say, "It's the thought that counts." I'm off to enjoy some delicious cornbread and no one better lay a hand on it.

I'm laughing. Are you?

Every survival kit should include a sense of humor. — Author Unknown

Have you ever set back and had a good laugh for no good reason other than something was just really funny? My youngest son makes me laugh everyday. He doesn't always do it intentionally, but the things that come out of his mouth can set me off. They say it takes more muscles to frown that it does to smile. They also say that those that laugh live longer than those who don't.

Now I don't go out of my way to be funny, but I try when I can. Other times, I am just speaking my mind, but it comes across as hilarious. When I was at the ICEA conference recently, two people came to mind immediately who made me laugh a lot. Indra Books and Jackie Farley. Their wit and sense of humor will take them far. I enjoy and try to surround myself with people who make me laugh.

Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that everyone I hang around with has a great sense of humor, but you have to admit that when you are around friends, colleagues, family, or whomever, you do have a better time when you are laughing. Whether it is a joke being told, a funny story being shared, or just your observations of life, why not enjoy yourself?

If I was stuck on an island today, I would want to find a sense of humor in my survival kit. Have you packed yours yet?

What were you today?

You become what you think about all day long. – Earl Nightingale

This is so true. If you have a bad attitude, then you notice that bad things come to you. When you think positively, you have good things come to you. I have had days where one thing has gone wrong, I dwelled on it, and it seemed that anything else that could go wrong did. On the other hand, I have had other times where something has not gone how I liked, but I didn’t think about the negative part of it. I put on my positive attitude and everything else seemed to go OK.

People can hear it in your voice and see it in your body language. If I am having a rough day, I stop and take a deep breath before answering my phone so that no one can hear it in my voice. I also think about the other person if I am out in public or on the phone. I shouldn’t take out my feelings on innocent parties and I try my darndest not to let them become a part of my bad day.
Sure we all get frustrated from time to time, but you just can’t dwell on it. Many people have been known to get ulcers or have other health issues because they allow themselves to be so overcome with their feelings of anger or frustration that their body can’t handle it.

They say “You are what you eat” and that can be a scary thought sometimes, considering some of the things I take in during the day. Why would I want to become what I have thought about all day long?

Have you been counting the years?

It’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.
— Abraham Lincoln

When I was attending the ICEA Conference a couple of weeks ago, someone said in their session, "We shouldn't live to work, we should work to live." In the end, you can't take your house or your car or your other worldly possessions with you. All you can take with you are your memories. Why would you want to look back on your life and think about all of the hours you put in at work to just pay for a house that you never had time to enjoy or think about all of the "What if's" that you never got to fulfill because you had your nose to the grindstone?

Sure a person can live to be 100, but what good is it if you never enjoyed those 100 years? I would rather live to be 40 and have enjoyed my life than live to be 80 with nothing to look back on. I enjoy the Tim McGraw song "Live like you were dying". The words in it are so true. For most of us, if you were to ask the question "What would you do if you only had a week to live?" the list of things would be long. People would talk about the trips they would take, the food they would try, the things they would buy, the people they would see, and so on.

Why would it take someone knowing they only had a short amount of time to live for them to put aside the everyday things and finally live like they want to? Another great song I like is Garth Brooks' "If tomorrow never comes". He says in the song "So I made a promise to myself to say each day how much she means to me and avoid that circumstance where there’s no second chance to tell her how I feel." How many people do you know are given second chances? I bet that list is very, very short.

You still have time to live like you were dying. What are you waiting for?

Are you in love yet?

A love affair with knowledge will never end in heartbreak.
— Michael Garrett Marino

I love to read. I don't care if it is a newspaper, cereal box, or book. I thirst for knowledge and enjoy playing Jeopardy every evening. One thing I am trying to get across to my children is that knowledge doesn't hurt you, but helps you out. My youngest son, who loves to watch The Discovery Channel as well as many other channels, gives off all kinds of facts and trivia about all kinds of subjects. (Even though he has been complaining lately that he wants to become an elementary school dropout.) I always brag to everyone because of his knowledge and love for new things he has learned. On the other hand, my oldest son hates to read with a passion. I have tried to get him to read Agatha Christie novels, with some success, but he does not want to sit around taking in knowledge. He wants to be hands on with his learning.

I started thinking about the people who have and who have not attended my ECSU™ seminars and although I know some of the main reasons why they don't attend, such as money and traveling, those that have attended are so appreciative of the knowledge that they have taken in while at my seminars. I love learning and I also love to share and am surprised that so many more people do not want to invest in themselves, whether it is a book, joining a chat, coming to a seminar, or watching informative television shows.

Knowledge is all around us and I'll be the first one to admit that I am having a love affair with it. When are you going to start your affair?

Who's cutting into your leisure time?

The real problem of leisure time is how to keep others from using yours.
— Arthur Lacey

I was in a session at the ICEA conference where the topic was work/life balance. I realized as I was there that I give away too much of my leisure time for others. Some knowingly take it and others just happen to cut into it. I wrote down ideas of things I want to implement so I can get back more of my leisure time. The amount of "me" time left after all of the obligations is very little. Why would you want to give it up?

Many people today are overworked or put too much pressure on themselves to get everything done, which leads to very little leisure time. It seems that everyone gets a piece of the pie called "Leisure Time" except for the person who owns that pie. Take that pie and decide what slices you want to keep and which slices you want to give away to others. I know some weeks I look at my pie and all that's left is crumbs and other times I get to taste some of the whipped cream and filling.

Take a few moments of your time to jot down what you want from your leisure time and ways that you can cut others from dipping into it. I know I have a few new systems that I plan on implementing in the next few weeks to get back more of my leisure time. After all, don't you want your pie and to eat it too?

What do you believe?

I always prefer to believe the best of everybody, it saves so much trouble.
— Rudyard Kipling

I have to admit that I can be very naive at times. When first meeting someone, I try to give them the benefit of the doubt until I get to know them and can make a judgement call then. People in general are good, but sometimes the choices we make lead us down the wrong path. OK, there are some real psychos out there who do not have a good bone in their body, but I don't try and mingle with them. First impressions are usually right, but sometimes circumstances cause the first impression you receive from someone to not always be the right impression.

I have met many people over the years and I am pretty good at picking out who has a good heart and who does not always have good intentions. I recently got to spend time with someone whose first impression I had of them was totally different than how they came across this time. I am so glad that I took the time to get to know them better as I really enjoyed my time with them and I definitely appreciate who they are as a person now.

I remember in school getting to know all sorts of groups and cliques. I wanted to know what the person was really like, not what their public persona was. If I like a person, I will hang out with them, and if I don't like a person, I will have as little contact with them as possible. I made lots of great friends who may not have always fit in, but they were the best friends to have. You got to see the real them.

Don't be so quick to judge someone because you may be letting someone good get away.

What do you regret?

As you grow older, you'll find the only things you regret are the things you didn't do. — Zachary Scott

As we go through the road of life there are always bound to be detours due to circumstances that may or may not be out of our control. If we never re-visit those areas, there are bound to be regrets of views we never saw or places we didn't stop at. Sometimes it is fear that keeps us from returning.

I had gone to college right out of high school, didn't like what I was studying, and then ended up getting married and having children and not returning. I had always had in the back of my heart that regret of not being able to be like many of my friends and get a college degree. Guess what? I graduated from college recently with a degree in Entrepreneurship. It took a lot of hard work and time, but I was able to go back and accomplish something I thought had been a closed road for a long time.

I love to cross stitch, but after having kids, things just got hectic and I never found the time to go back to it. I have now found time again to go back to it because a friend just recently had a baby and I wanted to give them a gift that came straight from my heart and hands. Cross stitching also allows me to relax when I am stressed out as I have to concentrate on what I am doing and the repetitive motion lets me calm down.

I don't want to be one of those persons sitting in their rocking chair when they get older reminiscing about all of the things I would have loved to have done. Instead, I want to be the one reflecting back on all of the things I did get to do during my life. With the kids getting older, I still have a life to live. I want to be able to go to Hawaii and take a cruise around the world. I want to see my kids graduate from college and start their own families.

I am going to do what I can to make sure that I don't have too many regrets in life. What about you?

How much personal space do you have?

I was at Target the other day and I was at a counter that was set up as a register. There wasn't much room. As I was conducting my transaction and getting ready to pay, I noticed that the people behind me were basically breathing down my neck. I leaned over to cover the machine where you slide your card and pay, as a hint to them to back up, and they kept right on talking. Then I leaned over again to punch in a few numbers. They were still up in my space. I said something to my daughter, who has no shame in embarrassing people in public or calling it like it is, and she started saying how people needed to back up and give space. They never did so we walked out of the store bashing them.

Have you ever been in a public place where people invade your personal space? I know that what is acceptable in one country may not be acceptable in another, but come on. Learn the rules. There is no need for you to be practically on my back while it is my turn at the cash register. I would never get up in anyone's space. My sister is very defensive when people invade her space. She likes to give the evil eye. I'll admit that I walked backwards into someone before and never said sorry. When they started to say something, I told them, "If you weren't all up in my business then we wouldn't have this problem, now would we?" She backed up real quick.

I know I may sound harsh, but I get testy when people are hovering on you like flies on you know what. I know that people are building houses on top of each other because there is not much space left, but we are not at a point where we need to be standing on someone else's shoulders for more space. If you see someone is in the middle of a business transaction or looking at a jar of food in the aisle, you don't need to be their right hand man.

Right now everyone is sleeping, so I have all the space I need to write this post. Oh wait, I have to go elbow the dog, she is in my personal space.

What are your limits?

Once we accept our limits, we go beyond them — Brendan Francis

OK, I admit that I can't fix a car. Never took auto shop in school and did not care to. So what do I do if my car breaks? I take it to a auto repair person. I accept the fact that I am limited in my knowledge and I moved on.

Many people don't know or accept what their limits are and then they can't move beyond them. When it comes to you, your personal life, your business, your hobbies, your family, or anything else in life, you need to learn what your limits are, accept them for what they are, and move yourself beyond them.

I have been on a treadmill before and was told by a trainer what my limits where supposed to be. I accepted the limits he gave me, but was not happy with them. I was at the gym several times a week and pushing myself each time so that I could go beyond those limits. I was so proud of myself when I got off the treadmill that I was walking around like a peacock strutting my stuff.

That is the kind of attitude you need in life. There are some things that you will never get past your limits, but there are many other things where you can move beyond those limits placed on you. I figured I was pretty much washed up in the college arena. I was older, had a lot more on my plate, and wasn't sure that I would get good enough grades. I would have be OK, not happy but OK, with getting C's in my classes. Once I knew those limits and accepted them, I realized that I had to push beyond those limits. I wanted straight A's. That was my goal. I didn't meet my goal, I got mostly A's with a handful of B's thrown into the mix, but I was happy with that. I pushed myself, even though I was doggone tired many nights, and I was able to move past those limits.

Have you figured out your limits yet? If you know what they are, figure out the steps you need to take to move past them.

Is that bacon I smell?

Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon. — Doug Larson

My children eat LOTS of vegetables. My husband will order a salad in a restaurant before he would ever order dessert. My mother raised me to eat vegetables, including one green one that HAD to be included on my plate. I have to admit that I like to eat bacon too, but you will find me near the veggies at a party.

Imagine my surprise and horror when my high school age son told me that he knows people who don't even know what a vegetable is or what one looks like. I asked my other kids if they knew people like that and they said "Yes". I can't believe that a parent would not introduce veggies to their child. Not only are they good for you, but they are yummy. Well, except for Brussel sprouts. I have never eaten them and don't think I would ever try. They look gross.

I watched the Shaq TV series about him helping a group of kids lose weight. I was floored by what goes on in our schools when it comes to their lunches and lack of exercise. Poor Tyler Florence was doing his best to get the kids in the school to eat broccoli and they just kept throwing it away.

I think someone should invent a bacon smelling spray. The lunch ladies and parents can then spray veggies to smell like bacon and then kids, and parents alike, would eat more veggies and we wouldn't have a generation that is going to die faster and earlier than the generation before it.

Hmmm....I think it's salad night tonight in my house. I am going to have bacon bits as a topping choice. Eat up!