Let's Get Uncomfortable, Embrace Change & Become a Business Trendsetter®

Let's Get Uncomfortable, Embrace Change & Become a Business Trendsetter®

Let's Get Uncomfortable, Embrace Change & Become a Business Trendsetter®

LET'S GET UNCOMFORTABLE,
EMBRACE CHANGE &
BECOME A BUSINESS TRENDSETTER®

Article by Tamisha Ford
Photo Credit: Fabiola Zamora
Magazine: Issue #24

I talk a lot about individuality because I love self-expression. I spent over a year mentoring, teaching, and interacting with just introverted people and clients before re-branding my business. 

One of the things I learned during that time was that our (yours and my) individualistic natures are extremely paradoxical. 

On one hand, we want to be seen. We want our work to be known by all that need it, we want to serve in our highest capacity, and we want visibility and confirmation that we’re actually helping someone. 

On the other hand, we want to retain our ideas and keep them close because we live in an age where it’s too easy for them to be stolen. Guarding our intellectual property as business artists has become a prime investment of time and mind share. 

How do we express our individualistic ideas and natures and simultaneously reserve our right to keep them close and original?

I’m here to bring clarity to this question for you as you express yourself through your business. 

1| Recognize the Spiritual Space You Create Within

There is an element of space you create within that no one else can. It’s a unique combination of discipline you’ve ascribed to, time it takes you to complete a task, creativity, experiences, and vision. 

That specified equation is not able to be duplicated in any sphere. Someone else may identify with it, but your energy of creativity belongs solely to you. When you really learn this, no one can do or say anything to compromise that space, and your individuality gets liberated in amazing ways. 

2| Embrace the Power of the Capacity for Change

Even if someone wants to copy every single thing you’re doing in your business, eventually they will tire of following the visionary instead of being the visionary. 

I always give people the benefit of the doubt that they really do likely want to be a leader in their niche, they just may not have figured out how to do it in their own expressive voice yet. 

So their best bet (in their mind) is to follow what someone else is doing to the letter because they think it will also work for them (see #1). 

What this means for you and I is that we have to always be leading and embracing change. Consistently looking for new ways to serve keeps your business fresh and on target to be a Business Trendsetter®, as Angel calls it (which I love). 

Embracing changes in your business and understanding your why behind those changes is the understanding that fuels your individualistic creative space and keeps you in a leadership role.

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.

What it Means to Be in the Business of Influence

WHAT IT MEANS TO BE IN THE BUSINESS OF INFLUENCE

Article by Tamisha Ford
Photo Credit: Rose Jane
Magazine: Issue #22

Be in the Business of Influence

Be in the Business of Influence

Pun intended. The business of influencing people in your life and the actual "business" of influence. 

Really, you can't have one without the other. 

If you're in business, entrepreneurship, startup culture, blogging, etc., you're in the business of influencing others - people are watching you whether you realize it or not or want them to or not. You're a person of influence. You might just feel you're only influencing your dog or your Aunt Candie, but trust me, there's more where that came from. 

I've noticed that the businesses and people who seem to really expand their influence faster and wider are those who have these specific aspects at play.

1| Consistency. The nature of business is change, right? So how do you maintain consistency? Does this mean you can never re-brand, change your color palette or even your ideal clientele? Not always. This form of consistency isn't necessarily always tangible or seen. It's the way you show up, how you respond to your customers, how often you stay in contact with them, and if your brand message is always on point (it always agrees with itself, no matter where it’s communicated). 

2| Energy and Focus. Influence seems to be a by-product of the energy felt from a business, blogger, founder, CEO, etc. People can feel more than we realize online (we are those people too, so just think about it). I've noticed that the more energy I put into my business, the more inertia both I and my peeps seem to feel, and the more involvement we collectively generate. Considering energy means also looking at what you're putting in front of that energy - focus. Tunnel vision, if you will. Not becoming-a-hermit-&-shutting-people-out type of tunnel vision, but the type where you're dedicated to your vision and the big picture in every single decision you make. 

“50

3| Service. This is a culture where people want to know a business is giving back somehow with its services and programs or that it's serving people directly and changing their life in some way through its services, programs, art, products, etc.  Like energy & focus, service is also felt and breeds influence.  If you really sit down to just bring focus to why you started, what is the reason beyond your own personal freedom?  I can share with you that my focus is on helping people be more comfortable in their own skin. I know FOR SURE this is a gift I have that is in direct service to the people who are drawn to me. What is that "thing" for you? What are you “in service” of? 

Influence wants to know.

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.

Luxury Brand Building: Altering the Myths & Meaning

LUXURY BRAND BUILDING: ALTERING THE MYTHS & MEANING

Luxury Brand Building

Luxury Brand Building

Article by Tamisha Ford
Photo Credit: Dasha & Mari
Magazine: Issue #22

Recently, when browsing Pinterest (one of my favorite things to do), I saw a pin that said something to the tune of "I'd rather have simplicity than luxury." 

To be honest, it bothered me. Why can't we have both?  I'm a paradox girl, so saying "either/or" to me is dangerous. I'll figure out a way to have both. 

Ever since I saw that pin, I've wanted to put my two cents out there about the statement, because I do think it's a misconception that luxury and simplicity are mutually exclusive. 

So what is the myth? The myth is that luxury = complicated. That luxury is somehow bad or that only difficult, high-maintenance people like luxury – that it’s only effective or influential if it’s overly diverse.

All myths.

To me, luxury is simplicity, so I don't understand the connotation. If we look at luxury brands, what do they and every one of their websites do best? They're clean, usually black and white, and have an extremely simple menu of options to navigate. What is more simple than two colors, 5-8 parent categories to navigate, and the most recent lookbooks or collections they have to offer?

Nada in my books. Luxurious branding is simple branding. Chandeliers are exquisite and intricate, yet hover gracefully in one spot.

So what does this myth mean for our businesses now that we know this? I put together a couple of things I've learned:

1 :: You can be extremely influential with a simple business model.

Anyone who knows Angel Quintana knows that she does things just a cut outside the mainstream. Signature System™ anyone? This was an attractive concept to me, because I had always been one of those entrepreneurs who bought into the 25-different-coaching-packages-and-services-model.  Maybe you can relate. It's utterly overwhelming when you're starting out to try to follow that business model. It's like we set ourselves up to fail before we even start! 

“The

I'm not saying this method doesn't still work for a whole lot of people - I believe it does. I'm just saying that, if we believe luxury doesn't equal complication, then we can be okay with being unconventional and not having to do 25 coaching packages and maybe even enjoy our work that much more. 

2 :: You can intensely influence the niche you’re creating by embracing the "both and" of paradox instead of the tyranny of "either/or". 

To clarify, I'm merely suggesting that I believe entrepreneurs should start honoring themselves and the way they work as much as their clients - to start asking "how do I want to work with my clients and this business" instead of leaving yourself out of the equation. What's more luxurious and simple than building sustainably

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.