Is Outsourcing the Best Option for Your Company?

IS OUTSOURCING THE BEST OPTION FOR YOUR COMPANY? 

Article by Marlo Wright
Photo Credit: Mariana Garcia
Magazine: Issue #25

Outsourcing for Your Company

Outsourcing for Your Company

With so many available outsourcing options for the busy entrepreneur at so many different price levels, the challenge is finding the right person for your team. 

An outsourced member of your team, is still a team member. It is YOUR responsibility to check behind, followup with and stay in constant contact with the team member, even if overseas. Just as any other employee in your office, people unfortunately have the tendency to skate around the corners and not do things quite exactly as you would. This is the challenging part. Too many cut corners can equal low quality in your produced outcome. This could mean bad business and your customers level of expectations are not being met. 

The saying is, trust, but verify. Trust what employees tell you they’re doing— Verify every step of the way. In the early stages, especially, this is critical to your public image and company foundation. Misleading, poor quality, or deficient customer service can hurt your business before it takes off, and damages could potentially be irreversible. 

There are several outsourcing sites/companies from music, to commercials, to personal assistants, varying in prices and features from which to choose. Remember, you get what you pay for, and though choosing the least expensive option seems to make sense as you count every penny, it may not yield the best return on your investment. Every dollar, even if it's five dollars is important and should be spent wisely! 

Do you need the help? Often times, we are told that we should get rid of the tasks that are “not worth your time”, but, if you’re having to redo those tasks, you've now wasted time, money and energy. Ultimately the frustration from the situation can spiral you into a negative space that in turn wastes more time. 

Patience. The right outsourcing opportunity will come at the right time. 

Here are 5 ways to make sure you’re making the best outsourcing decisions for your emerging company:

1| Is it necessary? Doing what we have to do vs what we want to do can impair our better judgement. As the owner of the company, it’s your job to know a little about each position before delegating. Therefore, spend some time actually doing the assignment before giving it to someone else. That way, you’ll have a working knowledge of how it should work.

The Club

2| What are my sourcing options? Do the research. Ask for referrals. Check references. 

3| How much help can I afford? Never give cart blanche assignments. Rather give in small hourly increments. Write it in your budget.

4| How long will I need help? Is this an unlimited time frame or a specific project you'll need help with?

5| What specific duties will they accomplish? Create a specific job description, though it can be tailored as your needs change. 

Ultimately outsourcing means your business is growing, or showing signs of growth. As stressful as it can be, you have to exercise patience and positive thinking to get you through. You won’t know it all, and you’ll learn a lot that will make your business grow all the more. 

ABOUT ANGEL

Angel Quintana

Angel Quintana is the founder of Holistic Fashionista, an alchemical herbalist and mystery school teacher based in Saint Petersburg, Florida. She's incredibly passionate about the alchemical process known as The Great Work and helping others evolve "the archetypes" found in their inner world, so they can confidently answer the questions: WHO AM I and WHY AM I HERE. Learn more about Angel's work at www.theoccultchateau.com


DISCLAIMER

The information on this website is presented for educational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for the diagnosis, treatment, or advice of a qualified, licensed medical professional. The facts presented are offered as information only, not medical advice, and in no way should anyone infer that we are practicing medicine. Seek the advice of a medical professional for proper application of this material to any specific situation.

Are you Dating, Loving or Just Flirting with Your Business?

ARE YOU DATING, LOVING OR JUST
FLIRTING WITH YOUR BUSINESS?

Are you Dating, Loving or Just Flirting with Your Business?

Are you Dating, Loving or Just Flirting with Your Business?

Article by Ellie Isacs
Photo Credit: Fabiola Zamora
Magazine: Issue #24

Damn right, you did it! You are officially self-employed, entrepreneur, your brand is top notch and you are diving into the marketing roaring ocean of possibilities. You are the next best thing……..stop, re-wind, are you actually successful, loving it and thriving? 

Starting and running a business is a journey of learning, growing and excelling. But have you stopped for a second to examine your relationship with your business? Is it fulfilling, easy and flowing? Or is it a struggle, a worry and most important becoming an avalanche of pain?

The way your business is treating you is the exact mirror image of how you are treating yourself. If you are living with low self-esteem, nagging negativity and flat out bashing yourself daily, then the chances are this is how you are treating your business and how it is treating you back.

Examine the relationship you have with your SELF. 

Define your terms – This might sound easy and no brainer but so many fail here. Learning and growing from your mentors is invaluable, but it gotta work for you. Define the terms– who are you hanging out with, are you pleasing people at all cost, are you spending time on yourself, are making your body, mind and spirit a priority? Define what is important to you and make sure you do it. Know yourself, dare yourself and love yourself……….rinse and repeat. Establishing daily practices of self-love and appreciation will allow you to define the terms on which you live life and do business

Decline their demands – Over-achieving can work for you, as long as it is not directed at pleasing others. Whoever they might be! Whenever you feel you are living someone else’s script, stop and rewrite it. You are worth the effort to decline outside demands, when they do not resonate with your true personality and soul. It is tough love but one needed for you to thrive. When you live in your truth, your business will reflect the respect, appreciation and care you grant to the most important person – you.

HF Radio

Design your life – After knowing your terms and excluding those who suck your energy dry, it’s time to design the pieces. Defining what you want is key, we are not taught to want in life, we are taught to give. Well now combine the two – give yourself what you want most! You will find the ways and means to achieve your success but you have to know how you want it to be. Find out how you envision each area and work on it. Your design is uniquely yours.

Love yourself and start creating a relationship your business filled with love, care, authenticity and spice. The results will follow.

ABOUT ANGEL

Angel Quintana

Angel Quintana is the founder of Holistic Fashionista, an alchemical herbalist and mystery school teacher based in Saint Petersburg, Florida. She's incredibly passionate about the alchemical process known as The Great Work and helping others evolve "the archetypes" found in their inner world, so they can confidently answer the questions: WHO AM I and WHY AM I HERE. Learn more about Angel's work at www.theoccultchateau.com


DISCLAIMER

The information on this website is presented for educational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for the diagnosis, treatment, or advice of a qualified, licensed medical professional. The facts presented are offered as information only, not medical advice, and in no way should anyone infer that we are practicing medicine. Seek the advice of a medical professional for proper application of this material to any specific situation.

6 Key Steps to Being Efficient in Business

Efficient in Business

Efficient in Business

6 KEY STEPS TO BEING EFFICIENT IN BUSINESS

Article by Ling Wong
Photo Credit: Angel Quintana
Magazine: Issue #24

The core of being efficient and effective in your business starts with YOU. The best way to make your business run efficiently is to tap into your strength, and design structures and systems to maximize the income-producing potential of your strong suits.

It is easy to talk a good game about tapping into our strength and being in the flow. But putting it into practice can take some mindset muscle.

Growing up, many of us were conditioned to be “humble” or not to show off our strengths (especially for women.) A lot of times, we discount ourselves thinking the things that come so naturally to us is not valuable, is “just how things are done.” As a result, we are not deploying our genius in a way that will make our lives so much easier, at the same time generate more income.

Here is how to make your business more efficient and effective by tapping into your strength:

1| Find It

Of course, the first step is to identify your strengths. To acknowledge the abilities that you take for granted probably don’t come naturally to other people.

There are many tests and assessments to help you take this first step. The key is to translate your results into a business model and some smart strategies to support it.

2| Claim It

“Claiming the hell out of it” is way more than a marketing tactic just to toot your own horn. The process also strengthens your mindset so you can step up and be confident in selling what you offer. 

For most of us, we were raised to be “humble” and this preconditioning is sabotaging our success because we are afraid to talk about (let alone sell) our strengths.

3| Articulate It

We are talking about business and to make a venture a business it has to make money, which means you need sell something.

To sell something means you have to be able to tell your potential clients why your products or services are valuable to them – why YOUR unique blend of strengths and superpowers is relevant to helping them solve their burning issues.

The process of articulating your strengths can also help you gain more clarity. When you have to “find your voice” to tell your story – you need to get clear on who you want to BE in your business, and who you want to be for your peeps. This clarity can become the guiding light for your long-term success.

“Holistic

4| Build Around It

After defining your strengths, it’s time to make sure your business is structured to highlight and utilize every ounce of it.

You can also create systems so the business and marketing activities that play to your strengths are put on autopilot as much as possible.

5| Sell It

A product or service sitting on the shelf won’t do you any good, and you can’t really call your business “efficient and effective” if it’s not making money! That means you have to get comfortable with SELLING. For most coaches, consultants and service professionals, that means having sales conversations with potential clients.

You can take all the world’s sales trainings and have a dozen “scripts” collecting dust on your hard drive, but if you don’t have the right mindset behind your conversation, your results are going to be patchy as best.

Having the right mindset means you are empowered in your conversation, and you have healthy boundaries around money so you are not undercharging, over-delivering, constantly discounting or (god forbid!) giving services away for free.

All clients have their money stories, but ultimately, it’s OUR own money stories and projection that are holding us back. Imagine you can state the price of your high-end package with no charge, just like you are saying “give me 10 carrots so I can make you a stew!”

The confidence and ease you have in stating your price is proportional to how well you can sell.

6| Chuck It

As in, your weakness. Stop beating yourself up for “not measuring up” in those areas. Stop fearing that you are “not good enough” because you are not “well-rounded”. Stop feeling you have to do everything everyone tells you, and excel in every single one.

Stop spending time, energy and money to make your weakness “better.” It will be mediocre at best and mediocre is not where the big bucks lie. If something is not your natural strength, you can outsource it. You can find a partner with complimentary talents. You can structure your business so you spend minimal time in those areas.

But it doesn’t mean you look the other way. Knowing your challenges can help you set up systems and routine to mitigate those weak points.

ABOUT ANGEL

Angel Quintana

Angel Quintana is the founder of Holistic Fashionista, an alchemical herbalist and mystery school teacher based in Saint Petersburg, Florida. She's incredibly passionate about the alchemical process known as The Great Work and helping others evolve "the archetypes" found in their inner world, so they can confidently answer the questions: WHO AM I and WHY AM I HERE. Learn more about Angel's work at www.theoccultchateau.com


DISCLAIMER

The information on this website is presented for educational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for the diagnosis, treatment, or advice of a qualified, licensed medical professional. The facts presented are offered as information only, not medical advice, and in no way should anyone infer that we are practicing medicine. Seek the advice of a medical professional for proper application of this material to any specific situation.

How to Obtain the 'Right' Resources for Your Business

HOW TO OBTAIN THE 'RIGHT' RESOURCES
FOR YOUR BUSINESS

Article by Darlene Dunn
Photo Credit: Jana Cruder
Magazine: Issue #23

How to Obtain the 'Right' Resources

How to Obtain the 'Right' Resources

There is a skill that is often overlooked but that has served me well in both my professional life and in my entrepreneurial life. What is that skill you may ask? It is the skill of knowing how to find an answer and the ability to discern its validity. In most industries, and the holistic industry is no exception, the amount of information that someone needs to know in order to be effective is insane. 

Early on I learned to gather ‘resources’ that I trusted- whether they were books, websites, phone numbers, people. To this day I have an extensive network that I can tap into in order to obtain whatever answer is needed. This ability to ‘obtain’ an answer has helped me establish a reputation as ‘the person to go to for answers’.  

Why is mastery of this skill vital for any entrepreneur?  Mastery of this skill allows the entrepreneur to ‘be the expert’.  Clients look to you for help in solving their problem or meeting their need.  You have the base knowledge but realistically, can you know everything there is to know about your area of expertise?  The answer is no; however, you CAN know how to obtain all the answers so your client believes that you are amazing!

So, where and how do you gain this skill? 

  • First, network- network-network!!  Build a network of individuals that can be a resource for you and you for them.  You can cross-refer clients and so much more. 

  • Second, look at websites/books and validate the information - in other words, look up things you already know and see how they address things, once you have validated a site/book/author, you are more confident when you need to use it for ‘true’ research. 

  • Third, develop your critical thinking skills - this will help you to discern whether the information you have located is really what you need.

Start building your ‘answer’ portfolio today!!

ABOUT ANGEL

Angel Quintana

Angel Quintana is the founder of Holistic Fashionista, an alchemical herbalist and mystery school teacher based in Saint Petersburg, Florida. She's incredibly passionate about the alchemical process known as The Great Work and helping others evolve "the archetypes" found in their inner world, so they can confidently answer the questions: WHO AM I and WHY AM I HERE. Learn more about Angel's work at www.theoccultchateau.com


DISCLAIMER

The information on this website is presented for educational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for the diagnosis, treatment, or advice of a qualified, licensed medical professional. The facts presented are offered as information only, not medical advice, and in no way should anyone infer that we are practicing medicine. Seek the advice of a medical professional for proper application of this material to any specific situation.

Taking Control of Your Own Success

Taking Control of Your Own Success

Taking Control of Your Own Success

TAKING CONTROL OF YOUR OWN SUCCESS

Article by Cinthia Singleton
Photo Credit: Angel Quintana
Magazine: Issue #23

To be an expert in a specific area of study or field. To gain the utmost respect and receive oodles of recognition. We all want it. Well, let’s do it!

1 :: Don’t wait but DO. Actually get that paint, brush, canvas… the still life… and paint. You want to have your own business? What are you good at and what are the steps to take to actually start it. If you’re not doing, research those in the know.

2 :: Expect to try, don’t except to be perfect. The City Ballet dancers didn’t just roll out of bed to amaze us. They struggled, each and every day, to perfect. It’s a verb not an adjective; so much of mastery is.

3 :: Attendance is 90% of the struggle. If you find yourself saying, “I would love to write,” you’re not. 30 minutes of fully engaged writing is far more ‘present’ than 2 hours of talking about it. Outline that novel or short story. Push the words out of your head and onto the page or screen. Be the verb.

4 :: Assume no one but you can really help YOU, i.e. “attend” as in 3. But rest assured that their are others who’ve either 1. been where you are, 2. can inspire you to find your way. Meet those people. Read their books. Listen to their Ted Talks. So much inspiration comes from those who’ve been there and pushed through it. 

5 :: The more you learn, the more you learn but the more you combine and blend, the more you learn how creative you truly are. THAT is a master, one who can craft the present gifts and be fluid as new ones evolve. Start out making soaps, discover a product that would be amazing for a body scrub… and a new line is added to your products.

“Join

6 :: The element of fluidity IS when we truly become masters of our, well, mastery of whatever it is we work so hard to achieve.  

So enjoy the chase. Would you do what you’re doing for free? If yes, you are on the right track. True, money is a vital energy we need to survive, but it’s not the best motivator. See, the energy of MONEY best translates as a tool. We work hard, we get paid.  We get paid, we can pay for [rent, clothes, car, food, trips, etc]. If not used as the tool that it is, money creates things that lack soul and are inauthentic to you.

“Success is liking yourself, liking what you do and liking how you do it.”  Maya Angelou

You and the gifts you master are the footprint of YOU. Be true. Be brave. Savor it.

ABOUT ANGEL

Angel Quintana

Angel Quintana is the founder of Holistic Fashionista, an alchemical herbalist and mystery school teacher based in Saint Petersburg, Florida. She's incredibly passionate about the alchemical process known as The Great Work and helping others evolve "the archetypes" found in their inner world, so they can confidently answer the questions: WHO AM I and WHY AM I HERE. Learn more about Angel's work at www.theoccultchateau.com


DISCLAIMER

The information on this website is presented for educational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for the diagnosis, treatment, or advice of a qualified, licensed medical professional. The facts presented are offered as information only, not medical advice, and in no way should anyone infer that we are practicing medicine. Seek the advice of a medical professional for proper application of this material to any specific situation.

Own Your Niche by Mastering Your Expertise

In order to become a master of your unique gifts, you must first indulge patience, commitment and practice. We were all given a unique set of skills when we came to this earth.

Read More

ABOUT ANGEL

Angel Quintana

Angel Quintana is the founder of Holistic Fashionista, an alchemical herbalist and mystery school teacher based in Saint Petersburg, Florida. She's incredibly passionate about the alchemical process known as The Great Work and helping others evolve "the archetypes" found in their inner world, so they can confidently answer the questions: WHO AM I and WHY AM I HERE. Learn more about Angel's work at www.theoccultchateau.com


DISCLAIMER

The information on this website is presented for educational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for the diagnosis, treatment, or advice of a qualified, licensed medical professional. The facts presented are offered as information only, not medical advice, and in no way should anyone infer that we are practicing medicine. Seek the advice of a medical professional for proper application of this material to any specific situation.

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How to Advertise Your Holistic Business

HOW TO ADVERTISE YOUR HOLISTIC BUSINESS

Article: Angel Quintana   Photo: Michelle Kim   Issue#18

 How to Advertise Your Holistic Business

 How to Advertise Your Holistic Business

If you're ready to advertise, you're ready for success! When building a holistic business one of the best marketing strategies is to use online advertising to attract new customers. However, to assure your money brings you a return on investment (ROI), you're going to need a strategy.

Before you even begin designing your advertisements, take into consideration a few pre-advertising to-do's, which will help to assure your advertising dollars work towards the primary goal: the increase sales.

Create an Introductory Product or Free Goodie

First step is to make sure you have a low-cost product or free product ready. Remember, new potential customers may not know you yet, therefore, they might not trust you yet. So having a low-cost introductory program or an SEO-friendly Free Goodie is paramount. When I say low-cost I mean under $100.


Create a Landing Page that Converts

Once you have created your low-cost or free goodie product, you'll need a well-written landing page to showcase all the benefits of that product. If you don't know what should be on a landing page, not to worry, we have a course on how to create a landing page that converts designed specifically for this.

Create an Advertising Plan

After the landing page is completed, you are almost ready to start an advertising campaign. The next thing you need is an advertising plan, which includes where you will advertise (all over the web with display ads, Facebook, etc...) a set budget, and a strategy. This strategy includes know where you want your ads to show up, what major websites share your ideal customers, your keywords, a conversion or tracking pixel, and more. If you're not how to set-up your advertising campaign click here.

Design Your Advertisements

Next you'll need professionally designed and branded advertisements. If you know how to design your own ads, good for you. If not, you'll need to have someone design them for you. (This is a service we offer to Club Members).

Once you've completed the four steps, you are officially ready to advertise your holistic business and start attract new customers while you sleep! Isn't the internet a beautiful place to grow your holistic business? I'll say it is!

ABOUT ANGEL

Angel Quintana

Angel Quintana is the founder of Holistic Fashionista, an alchemical herbalist and mystery school teacher based in Saint Petersburg, Florida. She's incredibly passionate about the alchemical process known as The Great Work and helping others evolve "the archetypes" found in their inner world, so they can confidently answer the questions: WHO AM I and WHY AM I HERE. Learn more about Angel's work at www.theoccultchateau.com


DISCLAIMER

The information on this website is presented for educational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for the diagnosis, treatment, or advice of a qualified, licensed medical professional. The facts presented are offered as information only, not medical advice, and in no way should anyone infer that we are practicing medicine. Seek the advice of a medical professional for proper application of this material to any specific situation.