I have written a lot of articles about systems and about marketing and just not enough about the heart and soul of your business. The platinum clients I resonate most with are not only living their life’s purpose, but also constantly doing check-ins and reevaluating if they are still on their path.

Here are 3 ways to check in to make sure you are still connected to the soul of your business:

1. Emotional Check-in: Where are you with your emotions. Intuitively does anything feel off the radar in the choices you have made whether to do with clients or marketing etc… EG. Perhaps you have a client you may not want to work with? End that now or you will waste a lot more time and energy later.
2. Acceptance Check-in: This is a huge one, especially for the artists and the perfectionist out there. Accept that not being perfect all the time is ok. Getting it done and not perfect is creating a flow of energy in your business. Accept where you are at.
3. Gratitude Check-in: What can you be grateful for today in your life and your business. There are unlimited things to be grateful for everyday. Do a check-in, re-center yourself and connect to the successes, the kindness and people you have experienced in your day.

Checking-in allows you to be in the moment and trust in your energy. The energy and mindset in your business is just as important as the leverage models, marketing and systems.

With Love, Gratitude and Abundance,

Shauna Harper – Your Abundance Business Coach
Certified Money, Marketing and Soul Business Coach
“Sparking Contagious Energy and Action in Your Business”

I wrote an article yesterday about being gentle with ourselves and allowing the humanness of who we are to catch up to the soul of what we are meant to do in our lives (and our business). We are often hard on ourselves because “we aren’t there yet”.

When you catch yourself in that self doubt or the self talk that questions the speed of your success in your business, you need to just observe and let go.

For example, you are about to launch a major campaign whether online or in person or through direct mail. There is often self-talk (whether conscious or not) that may bring up feelings of “can I do this?”, “what if no one shows up or signs up“, “what if the bridgeline knocks everyone off (that’s from personal experience )”.

So in that moment, we need to observe and let go.

In that moment, we need to tell the universe: “Thanks for sharing, now I am off to do my soul’s work”.. I am off to present what I know is my purpose and passion to transform the lives of others and the right people will step forward and hear it at the moment they are meant to hear it.

We do what we were meant to do in the universe and we take the outcomes (good or bad) as lessons and ways to tweak the way we deliver our message the next time. Perhaps we need to seek guidance or mentorship in areas we want to improve, perhaps we need to switch gears and put together another way of being of service and delivering our gift.

Observing and letting go of the chatter that doesn’t serve you,  allows you to stay connected and grounded to your soul’s purpose while building our business.

You might be asking.. but where is the money in that? Money is the exchange we are rewarded and paid when we create more energy through our soul’s purpose.

With Love, Gratitude and Abundance,

Shauna Harper – Your Abundance Business Coach
Certified Money, Marketing and Soul Business Coach
“Sparking Contagious Energy and Action in Your Business”

When you are a solopreneur there are often days that everything seems like it just isn’t working! Days when things are spinning out of control and you begin to question whether or not you were meant to do your business and live your life’s purpose.  So what should we do when that happens? How do we reconnect with our purpose and passion?

First off, I want to say that this happens to every solopreneur. If you find someone that says they have never “gone off the deep end”, they are either a superhero (mind you, from what I remember, even Superman had bad days!) or they are not challenging themselves to step up in their business and life.

Here are 4 steps to reconnect to the heart and SOUL of your business when things seem like they are spinning out of control.

1. Do something just for you. Taking a “time-out” to nurture and be gentle with yourself. Often times we try to work harder, faster or longer and it makes the mess a whole lot more emotionally draining, keeps us in that negative space we don’t want to be in longer and more often than not, you begin to repel the clients you are working so hard to attract.
2. Come back to nature and what you love. Take a look at what you love either in your business or your life and do something active where there is no winner, loser, or goal at the end. For some people, it could be meditation or yoga. For me, it is kayaking. Kayaking is the one activity that I do that I don’t compete, don’t “try”, I just am. Be present in the moment and grateful to be alive.
3. Rediscover the passion for your calling, not for the money. Often times we are so connected to “making the business work” or focused on bringing in the “money for our passion” that we forget about the connection to the passion. Take the time to go back to your soul. Your soul is and has always been ready to live your purpose. Our “humanness” (all the drama, the stories etc..) is just catching up to our soul.
4. Clear the clutter/take out the trash! From a movie I saw recently called the Peaceful Warrior, the teacher “Socrates” instructs his student to take out the trash in his head. There is so much self-talk (both good and bad) that is attached to the ego and the outcome of our lives. We need to de-clutter our minds from what we think we “should” do, and replace it with what we are meant and called to do.

I know these steps work because I am here to teach what I most need to learn. It is amazing how when we are in the heart of our “stuff” (questioning if we should be doing what we are doing and it that self doubt mode) how quickly we can forget these steps. So, keep them close by.

With Love, Gratitude and Abundanc

Shauna Harper – Your Abundance Business Coach
Money and Marketing Business Coaching
“Sparking Contagious Energy and Action in Your Business”

Whether you are new in business or someone that has been around the block a few times, you have probably been at this stage before: “The gatherer” . As solopreneurs we are thirsty for the latest thing that can help us with our business. The problem is that we become “gatherers” of information instead of action takers in our business. The world wide web is an amazing resource, but if you are not careful, it can also paralyze you stop you from taking action.Here are 3 steps to overcome information overload:

1. Give yourself time to focus or refocus your most recent goal. So figure out what you are doing online and what you are searching for. Once you have a focus, eg. “How can I  get more leads via social media” or “how do I improve my sales copy”. These are both very specific focuses. You then have a purpose to your wandering when you are online.

2. Develop a plan. Having a plan of attack is the best way to make sure you are not trying to absorb everything.  Perhaps it is to find a few or even just one guru to follow on the specific focus is a great way to start. When you have someone that you resonate with, you are more easily able to iron out a “plan of attack or a roadmap” of how you are going to reach your goals.

When I first decided to get into coaching, I knew I wanted to master the “business of coach” as well as the “art of coaching”… I searched on the internet and connected to Kendall Summerhawk who is a master at not just transforming women coaches’ lives, but she also knows how to create massive wealth doing so. So, develop a plan so that you aren’t wasting your time dancing around.

3.Get into Action. Quit being a collector of great information. It is time to now leave the nest and start trying out what you have learned. Some of it will work and some of it won’t, but you won’t know this until you try. Holding yourself accountable to at least follow through on what you are learned is the key to make sure it isn’t just information overload that paralyze you. You can continue to do what is working or tweak what isn’t when you are on the ground testing out the knowledge.

I often hear from business owners that they would just “do this” in their business if life didn’t get in the way… or they would have accomplished so much, but they just got too overwhelmed by the unpredictability of a young family or aging parents… or just life.

But the richness of life and all the obligations it comes with is just a part of the deal. The deal that also allows you to be the proud parent of the child at their 1st school play or the daughter or son of loving parents that took care of you for so many years so that you could become the person you are now.

So how can we as solopreneurs do it all plus have time for ourselves, support those that need us and change the world while we are at it? There is no secret formula, but I do have some steps you can take in your business to create a lifestyle and business that allows the richness of life and all of its obligations to “get in the way”.

1. Simplify, simplify, simplify- Instead of taking on more, schedule less.
   It wasn’t until this past year that I realized that I didn’t have to do more to make more as an entrepreneur. Prior to this past year, I would take on new companies, new projects and be constantly building. I wore the serial entrepreneur badge with pride. But I was overworked and tired.But since moving to a smaller town with no family support, I realized I needed to make sure I had more flexibility in my schedule and more availability to my young family (They are REALLY cute kids!)

   
   The huge transition happened when I simplified. With the help of an amazing coach, I planned out a simpler marketing calendar. Planning of my calendar and knowing which way my business was going meant that every program I wanted in place rolled out one after another with much more ease.

   The simplicity of focusing on one campaign at a time actually increased my income because I was able to do one thing very well versus too many things mediocre.

   When we actually have many things we are trying to sell instead of focusing on one campaign at a time, we end up confusing our clients, overworking ourselves and not giving ourselves enough room for the rest of life to “get in the way”.  This is why designing a marketing calendar is a key piece to VIP days with my clients and the mastermind group I am running the end of July.

2. Value what you do and charge what you are truly worth. A part of simplifying was also to figure out my true value. Remember, value is based on the results you provide for your clients. Like many of you, as a big giver, I wasn’t valuing what I was giving my clients. Once I figured out the true value of what I delivered, I was able to charge what I was worth.

   
   The amazing part is that I ended up attracting only premium clients that were ready to take action in their business. When you value what you do by placing the proper investment to your services, you end up attracting your ideal clients. Discovering your true value is a key part of every coaching program as many solopreneurs don’t even realize how much they are doing for free.

3. Invest in those that champion the lifestyle you desire. I have said this quote before, the 5 people closest to you become the average income and life style that you end up having in your own life. This is why I invest in myself by finding mentors that mirror a lifestyle and business model that I love and want.

   
   From one on one coaching to mastermind programs that I am a part of, I make sure that the caliber of people I am in contact with holds me at a level that is much higher than where I am at in the moment.

   It is always a stretch for me initially, but what I love is the way they pull me into their world of possibility and hold a space for me to step up into. So always invest in where you want to be NOT where you are currently in your business.

4. Don’t beat yourself up if it doesn’t get done – Go with your heart. This is a huge one I finally let go of this past year. As a perfectionist in many areas of my life, I would often beat myself up on getting tasks done.But when it came time to actually sit down and do these tasks, I was uninspired to create or do them.  The old me would have tried to push through it and really force myself to get it done.

   
   But over the years I learned to go with my heart and the energy that is contagiously creative when it wants to be.  It means that when things get done, they get done quickly (when they are supposed to be); and when they don’t, they were never meant to be done in the first place (at least not by me!).

   It is a matter of asking yourself, “Why is it so important that it gets done? Can someone else do it for me?” Often times, as solopreneurs, the answer might be  “So I can make money…” Well, the new me now asks, “How can I make money in a different way that inspires me to want to do it?” Go with your heart every time.

5. Schedule down time.
   This is a huge one for me. Besides having a fairly light schedule so that life can “get in the way”, I also make sure I schedule down time. It may be having an evening to myself on the way back from a conference, or carving out 3-week vacations with my family like the one I am on.

   
   Scheduling time to rejuvenate and connect back to you is important. When you run on half empty you are not serving your clients, your family or yourself. It goes back to the “put the mask on yourself before your child” philosophy on the airplane… You can’t be of service when you can’t breathe.

So instead of using life “getting in the way” as your excuse for not reaching your goals, plan on life “getting in the way”. Come from a place of gratitude for the richness of life and the people that you love and figure a way to design your business around the life you desire.

With Love, Gratitude and Abundance,

Shauna Harper – Your Abundance Business Coach
Money and Marketing Business Coaching
“Sparking Contagious Energy and Action in Your Business”

PS. If designing a business around the life you desire is something you are searching for…OR you want to be masterminding with other solopreneurs and a coach that will show you how to expedite this process, then please check out my “Leverage You” Mastermind Coaching Program.

Just shot a video about how you can want it all but not do it all. As women entrepreneurs we often get trapped in the “wanting it all but not sure how we are going to do it all” phase in our business. Instead, it sends us into a place of overwhelm. Hope you enjoy the first real V-LOG!

So click on my face caught…in that awkward position video blogging seems to always catch so beautifully… to hear more of what I have to say!

Click here to view the embedded video.

With Love, Gratitude and Abundance,

Shauna Harper
Your Abundance Business Coach

I am back into the swing of things and inspired as ever. As I mentioned last week, figuring out your WHY is paramount to your business success. My kids and family are definitely my BIG WHY! (Read here if you didn’t get a chance)

However, giving back to my community has always been a HUGE mandate in my life and business as well.  Color the Universe Inc (the umbrella company that owns ShaunaHarper.com) has donated in excess of $25,000 in the last 10 years to charities, foundations and community programs.

I am a big believer that you can change the world with money.  Even if you want to volunteer and connect with your cause, you need money to provide you with the financial and time freedom to do so.

I love working with entrepreneurs that have a vision greater than freedom, security and financial independence… yes, those things are important…but they are almost just the foundation. What happens when you achieve that, what next?

The more women entrepreneurs I talk to, the more I hear that you want to be able to “do more”. Each of you has a dream of helping, giving back and being in a relationship to your causes.  I love that and I want to support you.

A leveraged business means you can have more time freedom and can make more money. My expertise is showing you how to leverage your time, money and talents so that you have an abundance of time and money to “Pay it Forward”.

When you invest in yourself through coaching with me, I in turn contribute a portion of the proceeds to microloans to entrepreneurs all around the world.  I am excited to share with you the “Your Abundance Business Pay it Forward Program”.

Check out what YOUR investment in your business has allowed us to do so far: Supporting 14 Entrepreneurs.

Thank you!

With Love, Gratitude and Abundance,

Shauna Harper
Your Abundance Business Coach

What is a leveraged business? It is a business that utilizes your time, money and talent in an exponential way.  My passion for finding a way to run a leveraged business began when I wanted to start my days kayaking versus sitting across from my boss. Those were my single days…

Fast Forward 10 years and add a family with kids, it meant I was able to be there with my son this past week without having to worry or to choose between paying the bills or being there when he needed his mommy. What is your reason you want to work less, make more, but also reach as many people with your talents?

Finding your big WHY is one of the most important pieces of being a heart centered solopreneur. As a heart centered business, what is your big WHY? Is it your family, is it your love for animals, or is it to change the lives of others? This is more than just about money… or even freedom or security… what would you do, once you had freedom, money and security?

Well, on Friday, we got to experience another entrepreneur’s big WHY.

A local man made a commitment to donate $100 for every car he sold on his lot to the Prince George Pediatric Ward. To date, over the last 4.5 years, he has now donated $1million dollars to our local hospital.

What did that mean to me and other families? It meant there were rooms with a bed for parents to stay overnight. It meant that when my son was scared and had to lie down to get tests, the ceiling has rainbow twinkle lights for him to look at. It meant that there were 3 different playrooms to entertain him between the battery of tests he had to go through.

When you are aligned with your big WHY, the universe answers back to support you in every way possible. This entrepreneur’s donation of $1 million dollars leveraged another $17 million dollars from the provincial government to build a whole new pediatric ward.

My passion to help heart centered businesses make money was reinforced tenfold this week! Money matters… Every little bit matters and every little bit counts. Find out your WHY, the world awaits.

With Love, Gratitude and Abundance,

Shauna Harper – Your Abundance Business Coach
Money and Marketing Business Coaching

In the last article, I wrote about 3 filters you should be putting all your “to do lists” through to make sure you are doing only work that you are passionate about, good at and make good money doing.  But how can you do all of that and still grow a business without hiring someone full time? Through a Virtual Assistant.

For those of you that think a Virtual Assistant is an online secretary, you  will be pleasantly surprised at the VAs that are out there.

Every business needs to market online and have an online presence. Even if you don’t necessarily get your customers from the world wide wide, you customers or potential clients that you meet through networking and referrals will most likely Google you. In this techno world, not having a profile online or any expert articles to show customers how you think or operate is just as bad as having a bad one.

If you are building a business in today’s market, you need a way to stay in touch with your clients through newsletters, blogs, and figuring out how you can best serve your clients with the gifts that you have. As you transform your business and grow, your customers can stay in touch with and get to know, like and trust you through the power of newsletters and blogs.

Unfortunately, many business owners, even when they know they need to have a presence, get stumped when it comes to being online. It can get very overwhelming and it will definitely draw you away from what your true brilliance is if you don’t love the tech side of running a business. But that is not a reason to not have it a part of your business model.

In steps a Virtual Assistant.! Virtual Assistants can help you do the parts of your business you don’t like. OR the parts that you aren’t that great at doing or take up too much time.

Virtual Assistants can put up posts, write articles, submit them into websites so that you have an online presence. They can handle social media or set up shopping carts. They can figure out ways to capture email addresses, they can do keyword searches, they can do capture or sales pages, design cd covers… essentially different VAs have different strengths… you may need to hire a few of them to handle the different aspects of your business.

If you haven’t taken a seriously look at a VA, it is time to take your business to the next level and start doing only work that you love and have the rest of it be taken care of by your team of virtual assistants.

With Love, Gratitude and Abundance,

Shauna Harper- Your Abundance Business Coach
Money and Marketing Business Coaching
“Sparking Contagious Energy and Action in Your Business

Do you have a filter on what you choose to put onto your to do list? Do you find yourself bogged down by tasks that suck your energy? You need these 3 Secrets on how to make sure you are only doing what you love and making money doing it.

As promised, in order to be more aligned with the Law of Least Effort, we need to be doing more tasks that don’t feel like work to us.

Often Entrepreneurs feel like they are the only ones that can do a certain task perfectly.Or you don’t think you can afford to hire someone else to do the work for you. Perhaps it is because we like to control every aspect of our business and life.

Does this sound like you? Believe me, this was me not too long ago too. But, by doing that, you end up wasting your time…. firstly on stuff you aren’t passionate about and secondly you are taking away from growing your business to make more money.

3 secrets on how to make sure you are only doing what you love is to have 3 filters. Every task that you have, from your home to your business should go through these 3 filters. If you answer yes to all 3 then you should put it on your to do list…

1.Do you love doing it?
2.Are you good at doing it?
3.Do your clients love you doing this to, with, or for them and they show you this by paying you HANDSOMELY for it!

By going through this filter, you will be amazed at how many things you clear off your plate and to do lists. It might be easier for you to see it in numbers:

Say you pay someone to do 5 hours of work you don’t like to do… you pay them $25/hour to do this work for you.  For this scenario to make the numbers easy, say you bill $125/hour (don’t like the hourly business model…but for this post we will use it)

The way you can grow your business doing what you love, is to make sure you trade the 5 hours of work you don’t like doing for doing 5 hours of income producing work.  (Income Producing is the key!)

1 hour for working on your business that will provide you income(doing stuff you like)
2 hours on Marketing your business to get more business to attract another 2 more hours of income
1 hour of work you attracted from the 2 hours of marketing that you did(that you get paid $125/hour) to pay for your 5 hours to hire the person to do the work you don’t like.
1 hour doing the work from the 2hours of marketing that you did.
5 hours total doing only work you love and attracting another hour of work into your business.

Read the numbers again if you didn’t get it the first time. Entrepreneurs that are able to let go of tasks that are not a part of their passion and true brilliance will make more money doing what they love.

With Love, Gratitude and Abundance,

Shauna Harper- Your Abundanace Business Coach
Money and Marketing Business Coaching
“Sparking Contagious Energy and Action in Your Business

PS. Next Article I am going to be writing about is how a VA is not a secretary and why everyone needs one… or two of them!