THE DIGITAL STORY OF THE NATIVITY

Victoria Snee to Speak At Cleaning For A Reason Conference

Are you registered for the CLEANING FOR A REASON Edu-Sational Event? Every maid service is invited! Author of "The Beauty Buzz", Victoria Snee will be one of our speakers on day two of the event (January 21, 22 2011):

Radio/TV broadcaster Victoria Snee has done countless interviews with celebrities and their make-up artists, and now she's sharing their secrets to becoming camera ready (along with personal stories about the stars themselves, including Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Lopez) with you.
She's just finished a tell-all book that will help us all go from drab to fab and be ready for Prime Time!

If you own a residential cleaning business you won't want to miss this best practices business-building conference and banquet! http://cleaningforareason.org/conference

Julie Ziglar Speaks to Cleaning For A Reason

I am thrilled to announce that Julie Ziglar will be our keynote speaker at the Cleaning For A Reason Edu-Sational Event in January! Every maid service is invited, whether you are a Cleaning For A Reason Partner or not, to participate in our first every Best Practices conference. It's January 21, 22 2011 all day Friday, all day Saturday, and a special Appreciation banquet Saturday night to honor and recognize the special people that make up our organization. We have top notch speakers lined up for both days. You'll be inspired and instructed and leave with a greater advantage to go home and grow and promote your business. Don't miss out on this spectacular event, come to Dallas, Texas and learn how to take your business to another level. Early registration means you save money and have a chance to win a free Hoover vacuum!
http://cleaningforareason.org/conference

Entrepreneurship And Mentoring

Someone recently sent me an email request, and I thought I'd share it here and my response. He wrote:

"Debbie, Weekends are good for reflection and this weekend made me realize something that I have known, but I can now put into words better. I enjoy starting and growing businesses. I wouldn't say I am a serial entrepreneur, but that would be okay to be there some day. We do have plans to start a 2nd biz in the Twin Cities soon. Plans are still in the works.

So, the reason for my email is this... You are the best and closet serial entrepreneur I know. One of the best things that I know in growing in life, period, is having a mentor, or a coach. I am not asking for a commitment on your part and I would bog you down with emails or phone calls.

I am just asking for a solid place to turn to or advice about how to answer all of these questions and "feelings" about wanting to start another business.

Here's the 1st one...

What books or courses or do you recommend specificity on serial entrepreneurship?
What podcasts/ speakers do you recommend specificity on serial entrepreneurship?
What websites you recommend specificity on serial entrepreneurship?
Obviously, I have more questions than answers and I don't want to take all your time. Thank you for all you do and being a great friend."

AND MY ANSWER:

wow, it's good to see you are realizing that we all need a mentor, at each and every stage of business. I have two that I tap into regularly. Those who go it alone and do not have someone who is more successful than they are at business to bounce off ideas and rein in thinking, usually end up wasting time, money, shooting in the dark. So, I am glad you are thinking in this direction.

It's hard to answer your specific questions, so I'll do my best. Most of the books I read do not provide NEW information that I can honestly say "wow, I never thought of that before, I am so glad I learned that". A few books that have provided that type of info was:

1. "The E-Myth" (I read several years ago, learned a new way to approach my business and set out to make changes in my business)
2. Some of the Leadership books by John Maxwell have taught me new insights I didn't have
3. The 4-Hour Work Week had some new ideas I didn't have

but, for the most part, most of the business books we read tend to reinforce what we already know, or inspire us to put into action things we intended to do but never have done. I still read them, and love them. I pull out my Brian Tracy books often and refer to them about Time Management, especially when I'm feeling overwhelmed and not keeping up. Do I learn something new? Rarely. But I need the guideance, reminders.

One of my favorite books about entrepreneurialism is the biography of Benjamin Franklin. I love that book. There are so many examples of businesses he started (first fire department, library, printing press, business networking group, etc.). I get so encouraged because he launched these successful businesses and made a fortune during some of the most economically depressed times ever!

As far as mentoring and getting specific, technical answers to business delimmas and ideas, I think that is best done live and not so much with books. I think you find someone who knows more than you do on that topic, and you discuss the business regularly. I have a non-profit coach that can answer every quesiton I have about building and operating a non-profit. He's on the Board of Lance Armstrong foundation, and he's just smart! The problem-solving calls are an enormous benefit to me, that no book could substitute for.

Online podcasts? Well, I've only used those for sermons in the past. I have not tapped into great business podcasts. I have taken advantage of some online internet marketing courses, since my coaching business is an online business. Those have been FABULOUS for my consulting business and I've learned a lot! Those sources come from:

Yanik Silver, Mike Filsaime, Armand Moran, David Newman, etc. I have subscribed to Mike Filsaime's internet marketing monthly magazine, and a few courses online. All vaulable if you have an internet business. Not all applicable for a maid service.

Here's what I believe when it comes to "serial entrepreneurs". They're a dime a dozen. We all know people who keep starting businesses. The reality is, they keep QUITTING businesses. So, don't fall into the trap of becoming a "Jack of all trades and master of none", make your businesses sound and profitable and then start another one. I still own all four of my businesses and ALL of them make money without my daily involvement (including my consulting business). I have good friends who have sold successful, profitable businesses for a good profit. A good mentor is WHERE you want to be or HAS been where you want to be.

P.S. Here are some of my favorite books (in no particular order):

The E-Myth Revisted
Pour Your Heart Into It
See You At The Top
Good To Great
4-Hour Work Week
The Tipping Point
Blue Ocean Strategies
Selling The Invisible
Raving Fans
10 Clowns Don't Make A Circus
Eat That Frog
Guerrilla Marketing Excellence
Why She Buys
Pain Killer Marketing
The Magic of Thinking Big
Profits Aren't Everything, They're The Only Thing
The Sales Advantage
Benjamin Franklin: An American Life
Rich Dad, Poor Dad
The Tipping Point
Developing The Leader Within You

These are just a few I've read in the last 3 years! Hope this helps!

Cleaning For A Reason Milestones & ISSA

The cleaning conference was a huge success. I've been wanting to update everyone about Cleaning For A Reason and the success of the ISSA Convention. We reached some very exciting milestones this year and passed some tipping points. First, the MOST exciting news all year, is Cleaning For A Reason tipped the scales on over 1 million dollars in donated house cleanings to women with cancer! So far, our generous Cleaning Partners have helped over 4,000 women with cancer get their homes cleaned for free. I salute our giving Partners that are helping women everywhere. They deserve your support, so please only consider using a maid service that is Cleaning For A Reason! We grant a free cleaning every 90 minutes to a women battling cancer. This is only possible because of the generous maid services that are a part of this great program.

The next milestone, or tipping point was the ISSA show this year in Orlando, Florida. We hosted a Cleaning For A Reason Appreciation Reception at the Double Tree Hotel for nearly 100 Partners and guests. The evening was spectacular. We heard heart-warming stories from 5 prominent C4R Partners: Teresa Ward, Shirley Perlinsky, Lanette Richmond, Liz Trotter, and JoAnn Dipierro. Several sponsors donated great prizes and folks left with free vacuums, books, business training materials and products! Our GENEROUS sponsors made the entire evening spectacular and free to all attendees. Thank you to Jean Hanson of MyHousecleaningbiz.com, Debbie Richter of RF Monolithics, and Mike Julo of DirectMopSales.com. Direct Mops also provided a $25 Gift Certificate to every guest!

Lastly, and this is really exciting, the ISSA show was a tipping point on the tradeshow floor. Out-going ISSA President, Bob Stahurski accepted our offer to join the Cleaning For A Reason Board of Directors. He will be added to our Board in December. Bob was so impressed with Cleaning For A Reason, that he brought incoming ISSA President, David Holzman over to meet us. David was immediately enthusiastic and wore the "Ask Me" pin on his lapel all day. He also had it on the next day while introducing the keynote speaker, Prime Minister Tony Blair. David shared the Cleaning For A Reason story with Tony Blair at the executive breakfast that morning and presented him with the "Ask Me About Cleaning For A Reason" pin as well as a black C4R logo shirt! David Holzman and Bob Stahurski are two powerful, well-respected men in our industry and they are very excited about Cleaning For A Reason!

We made great contacts at the ISSA Show this year, and now we are working feverishly on our upcoming MAID SERVICE Best Practices Conference, which is January 21, 22, 2011. If you haven’t registered for this amazing event, you don’t want to be left out. We think it will be largest event of this kind in the history of the residential cleaning industry. We’ve lined up top speakers, maid service specific topics, lots of surprises, and tons of value and benefit! Don’t miss out, the early registration is extremely low cost: http://ping.fm/5Nmie

I finally made the time to link my Twitter, Facebook, and Blogger accounts together. Now I just need to remember to use it!

Tamara Lowe at Christ Fellowship

Worth Watching

No Excuses

Precision and Practice

Get good at what you do, practice!

Hoover Vacuums Sponsors Cleaning For A Reason

Big announcement! Exciting times! Hoover Sponsors Cleaning For A Reason.

in reference to: cleaning for a reason hoover - Google Search (view on Google Sidewiki)

In Honor of Black History Month

In honor of "Black History Month" I would like to present some of my favorite entrepreneurs and icons. These people have inspired and moved me with their talents, abilities, and achievments. Enjoy:

Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey is living proof that the American dream is alive and well. The illegitimate daughter of a Mississippi sharecropper, she overcame poverty, parental neglect, sexual abuse and racism to become one of the richest and most powerful women in the entertainment industry. Through sheer force of her personality and by simply being herself, she reinvented the talk show and still reigns as the undisputed champ of daytime television. (from entrepreneur.com)

Martin Luther King, Jr.

And being in the service industry I can't help but get inspired by this MLK Jr. speech:

J.C. Watts

Congressman JC Watts was born the fifth of six children to Buddy and Helen Watts on November 18, 1957 in Eufaula, Oklahoma . He attended the University of Oklahoma and earned a B.A. in journalism in 1981. He was first elected to represent the fourth district of Oklahoma in the U.S. House of Representatives in November 1994 and won re-election in 1996, 1988 and 2000. Fellow congressmen quickly recognized his leadership qualities and elected him chairman of the House Republican Conference, the fourth-highest position in the House, in 1998 and again in 2000. Watts earned a solid reputation in Oklahoma and throughout the nation as a perceptive and passionate spokesman for redeveloping communities, exercising fiscal discipline, strengthening education, restoring values, and bolstering national defense.

Sinbad! And on a lighter note, my favorite male comedian of all time!

I've Committed the Cardnial Social Media Sin

Well, thanks to my friend Ron Holt of Two Maids & A Mop, I've removed a video link that became a dead link while I was not paying attention! Sadly, it was about social media--and if you know anything about social media you know the cardinal rule is not to let your blogs, twitters, and facebook pages grow cold! Thanks Ron for snapping me back to responsibility. If I'm going to have a blog I have to use it. Ron sure is good at that, I guess I need to take a few ques from him! Anywho, I tend to be an all-or-nothing perfectionist sometimes, so when I don't have the time to "give it my all" I end up doing nothing. That's just plain stupid, and I know better.......

So, here's some catching up and I'll do better! I'm reading a book right now that I find very interesting. I don't agree with everything he says, but I wholeheartedly agree with his emphasis on profits. Most of the cleaning businesses I consult with put profits last, behind employee payroll, customer needs, and operational non-essentials. Then, they're miserable because they work so hard for so little. If you fall into that category you need to read this book:

Profits Aren't Everything, They're The Only Thing! By George Cloutier

Now, I modify his philosophy to fit my spiritual convictions, but I do believe there is a time and a place to put your business, it's viability, growth, or crises FIRST--above everything until you fix what's broke or stop the bleeding! That's not an excuse for a long-term pattern of neglecting "quality of life" (i.e. family, god, health....), it's a short-term solution that can reap the necessary results. If you need to grow your business quickly or if your sales and operations are in trouble, or you've been doing without a decent profit margin, there is a time and a place for remembering that PROFIT is why you got into the business in the first place, and a lack of focus on PROFIT might be why things are such a mess today!

It's a good book, I highly recommend it.

Also, have you registered for my Coffee Talks on Thursday mornings? They are completely free! 30 minute power bursts of business instruction perfect for anyone in the cleaning business, but especially women-owned operations. You can register here, for free: REGISTER NOW

If you are a women in the residential cleaning business, or any cleaning related business, I'd like to invite you to join Renee O'Brien and me for the very first ever Smart Women Maid Rich Business Conference Cruise. We have an amazing line up of women-centric topics that are perfect for the CEO or upper management of any cleaning business. The guys will be glad to endorse this trip because the ladies will get serious business training along side mega-fun opportunities. And, they guys can come too. Spouses or even kids can hang by the pool and await our dismissal from the conference workshops. My husband Steve will be there as well as several others. So, check it out, Thursday is the last day to sign up and make payments. The last payment is in June, and the total for the cruise and conference is only $799!

If you have questions give me a call: 404-585-0461