Stories

Story of Consultation: Determination

~ Kay Robinson ~ Leave a comment

A client created the most amazing miracle, and he was not the first to do so. This is a story about not letting perceived limits get in the way.

This client, Fred, has been in the film/commercial industry in one capacity then another for some time. In December, Fred attended a vendor meeting in NYC at one of the largest ad agencies. The Creative Director told the vendors about a goal for their upcoming ad campaigns. Fred listened and took notes. The Creative Director’s idea had never been done, and everyone knew it was a challenge.

In January, Fred called the Creative Director and found that no production company yet was willing to take on the challenge. Fred declared that he was ready to bid on the project. Fred was not concerned that he had no experience in this modality. Fred knew he could create a team of the best in the field to work with him on the project. The challenge was to convince this agency that he could do it and do it well.

Everyone in the industry told him it was not possible. He did not have experience, and no one had done this work before. The technology to pull it off had never been used in this way. They piled more and more energy and limits into Fred’s space. I could see the effect others’ thoughts, programming, and energy had on him. I worked with Fred to clear his space to see his vision, stay focused, and not be affected by others’ perceived limits.

With determination, Fred submitted the bid and went through many negotiations. He worried as he found others had submitted proposals as well. We worked to keep his vision, to clear the pictures and concepts that created doubt in his space.

Fred was awarded the project and created an outstanding team of experts who dared to work with someone new in this arena. In the end, their work made advertising history and opened doors to other opportunities. It was a miracle!

As an intuitive business consultant, I often see our thinking, fears, and others talk us out of achieving our goals. I see business owners decide not to take a risk even when an opportunity presents itself! The pathway to success means taking time to clear our thinking, release the fear, stay focused and determined.

When a boulder falls on the path you are walking, don’t stop! Find a way around it or climb over it, then continue toward your goal.

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Whatever You Imagine Is Being Created

~ Kay Robinson ~ Leave a comment

Intuitive - Clear seeing

As a kid, I was self-conscious, not wanting to fail especially when others could see. Fear of failure was particularly evident in sports. I wanted to go on a group ski trip but did not know how to ski. I wanted to go with friends ice-skating except I did not know how to ice skate. My family planned to go water skiing with another family, and I did not know how to water-ski. Now you are thinking everyone has to learn and that makes sense except I could not tolerate not knowing, and the fear of failing was immense.

From that early age, I learned to visualize. No one taught me. It just seemed the only way. In all these sports, I had at least one experience trying and, of course, failing but I knew how it felt, so I started to imagine myself performing the skill needed for the sport. For example, I did this over and over then I would dream about skiing. When I could feel myself skiing in my dreams, I found that I could ski! This same technique worked for roller-skating and other sports. From there, with experience and practice I got better.

As I grew up, I used this same technique in other situations where I was not certain. Over and again I found that if I could imagine it, I could do it. Visualizing worked in college, in social situations, car repairs and more. It worked so well that I teach all my clients to visualize. Visualizing is not a new concept. Hundreds of studies have proven its impact. Thousands of teachers and coaches use visualization to develop their students, clients, and athletes. Some in the medical profession use it with patients to imagine their desired outcome.

Visualizing works both ways. We can imagine the outcomes we desire. On the other hand, if we imagine and dwell on the negative, what we fear and what we don’t want that manifests as well. Whatever we imagine is created. We can imagine a negative outcome just as easily as something we want.

Notice what you dwell on. Do not dwell on, imagine or visualize what you do not want. Don’t be too curious about someone else’s mishap. Don’t imagine what that was life for them so that you do not create it for yourself.

The essence is to focus your mind’s eye. Focus on manifesting what you do want. Keep your mind clear and your attention off any negative thoughts. Create your vision of success, be certain and take steps in present time to move in that direction.

Best wishes on your success, Kay

Your Power to Create

~ Kay Robinson ~ Leave a comment

iStock_000040644216MediumIntuition is widely discussed these days though few know how to use this ability. Most references to intuition relate to our ability to pick up on things, to know, to read and to trust our gut. These describe the receiving side of intuition. Few know about or understand the other side, our power to create.

Creative intuition is not a logical discussion so you will have to open to your intuition. Our thoughts create. A short and simple statement that cannot be understood by the mind. Quantum Physics has provided the science behind this long known ability to have to create, manifest and change our reality simply by placing our attention on it. Quantum physics states that the observer has a direct impact on whatever they have their attention on.

A simpler way of saying this is, “Our thoughts are creative.” As a coach and consultant, this is in my awareness all the time. I pay attention to the words my clients use, the thoughts they express, the attitude they have. Those who are successful are optimistic, positive, have a strong vision, are problem solvers and are determined. You never hear a negative word or thought come from them.

Joyce is a new client and a business owner. At first she presents a friendly, positive perspective but my sense was behind that persona is a lot of negative energies. Joyce started coaching because her eight-year business is barely breaking even. She wants success. I know that success and failure are not coincidental. I could feel intuitively how tightly she held things, anger deep inside her. Her energy did not flow. That showed up in her business by money not flowing; relationships were not flowing, and difficulty getting clients to reorder.

After a couple of pleasant coaching sessions, Joyce let down her guard showing how negative she is, seeing everything as a problem, not keeping clients, not having money, etc. My efforts to encourage her to look at things from a different perspective fell on deaf ears. She was set in her ways, so our coaching ended.

Knowing that thoughts are creative I felt awful that Joyce was creating her business failure but could not see it. She felt her struggles were due to circumstances outside herself, the competition, the Internet, and so on.

On the other hand, I have clients who understand that they create. They guard what they say. When they have a crisis, they see it as something they can fix so that they can continue to focus on their vision of success. They are kind to those around them, seeing the best in them. My successful clients have a positive outlook and setbacks are just seen as part of life and move on. They keep their vision in mind all the time and work from their passion to get there. Failure is not in their mind.

Thoughts are creative. Notice what you think. Keep your highest vision in mind and see yourself there. Stay away from negative people, stories, conversations, thoughts, statements, and experiences. Take control of your space meaning keep your energy high so that energy is moving. Take control of your thinking so that every thought you entertain is one that builds your vision of success.

Notice how things are different for you when you see yourself creating your vision of success.  Knowing that your thoughts create, what are you creating now?

Notice how things are different for you when you see yourself creating your vision of success. Knowing that your thoughts create, what are you creating now?

Failure Is Easy

~ Kay Robinson ~ Leave a comment

????????????????????????????????????????When we have a great idea or something we are good at, it is easy to start a business but then what. So many business owners have a great service or a product, or are an expert at something. Running a business and being a business owner is a different skill set. That does not mean they cannot run a business though doing so takes self-awareness. What are my strengths, weaknesses, what don’t I know and what support do I need to make my good idea a successful business?

Over the years, I have seen many businesses succeed, and many businesses fail. I have learned from both. I am most impressed by those who fail unnecessarily.

Rosa

Rosa owned a restaurant in Detroit. She is a great cook, a smart women and good to her staff, but she was not making money. Rosa did not know how to run a business. She never determined the cost of meals she served so was unsure if she was charging enough. Marketing was a mystery, so she relied on word of mouth and returning customers. She wanted families from the town to frequent her business. In reality, it was the construction workers and laborers that came daily. Speaking with Rosa, she said she was going to figure it out herself. In the end, she could not and closed her business in 2014.

Sara

Sara owns a promotional products company. Sara realized she did not know how to make her business successful. She is smart, capable, and an expert in the creative and technical aspects of her industry. We started coaching with the basics: values, vision and brand. This work inspired Sara and grounded the work she was doing. It gave her a clear perspective to talk to market to potential customers. Her revenue doubled each month for three months then Sara decided she knew what she was doing and took off on her own thinking that the foundation was clearly all she needed. There is so much more to business. I spoke with Sara almost a year from our last coaching session. Her business is failing.  She found she did not know as much as she thought about running a business and was ready to learn more.

Frank

Frank has a wonderful new product that he is creating a business around. Everyone, who has tried his product, give it rave reviews. His market research and his passion for this new business are his strengths. He was on a roll, putting in place one aspect of the business then another until he hits a wall. Finances. Frank hates finances. He goes into fear and melts into a puddle of uncertainty. His business is ready to start production once he creates a real budget and determines how he is going to fund this start-up. Fear of finances is a major hurdle for many business owners. Frank’s business is on hold until he takes that step.

Dennis

Dennis owns a company that sells blinds and curtains. He has done this for ten years. Dennis has a great reputation, and his customers love him. He is not making money. Dennis has run his business without a budget, financial reports, and determination of cost of goods sold and more. Dennis is acting as an installer not a business owner though his gross revenue was $1 mil. in 2014. His profit margin is small and has been for years. Dennis fears finances, so he just does what he enjoys which is working with customers and avoids the finances of his business, and it is hurting him.

Each of these owners has created a business around their strengths, are smart and passionate, all of which are essential to being a business owner but a successful business needs all the aspects managed correctly. Business owners that struggle to succeed do the work of the business that they enjoy and are good at doing. They avoid or resist aspects of the business that does not fit their skill set, which they fear or feel uncertain about doing. These fears kill a business. Self-awareness is essential to owning a successful business. What am I good at doing? What do I resist? Admit that I don’t know what I don’t know. We all see through a small lens and can’t see anything that stimulates energy, a picture, a memory or emotion that make us uncomfortable. We put our head in the sand while our business suffers.

I tell these stories as we start the New Year to inspire business owners to take a deep breath, do a self and business assessment. Why do we persist running our business in a way that is not producing the results we want? What do you need to make your business successful this year?

Take the time to stop and meditate. Clear your thinking especially if it has not worked.
Quiet your body so that what you resist or fear does not cloud your awareness. From a space of quiet, go within and meditate on your business. What is working? What is not? What do you resist or fear?

Success is not a mystery. When we open our awareness of how we are getting in the way then we can make the changes needed to grow a successful business. If what you did last year did not produce the results, you want then find out what needs to change within you and in your business so that 2015 is different.

Best wishes on your success, Kay

Lost in Anger or Any Other Emotion

~ Kay Robinson ~ 1 Comment

hHow can we stay on track, stay healthy, feel clear and focused on creating personally and professionally?  Meditation makes us stop and pay attention to how we are doing and how we are at that moment.   We are the effect of so much, hold experiences in our space and mostly we don’t realize what we are being and that we can change.

Claire

Claire and I went to a long walk, something we do periodically.  From the onset, I could feel Claire’s anger.  She had nothing good to say about anything, and we had walked only five minutes.  I knew Claire was the effect of some energy in her space, so I intuitively asked, “How is work?”  With that the tirade came out, a long story of frustration with a local hospital as she tried desperately to get services for her client.  I listened and watched the anger in her space.  She was running the anger but not releasing it, which is sometimes the case when people tell the story.

 Energy In Her Space

Finally, I said, “So that is all the anger in your space?” Claire stopped.  Looked at me surprised.  She did not realize that she was running so much anger. When was the last time she meditated?  Claire admitted she had gotten out of the habit of meditating.  I then asked her when this episode occurred with the hospital.  Six weeks ago was her reply.  She had held that anger all that time, affecting all her communications with everyone.  Claire had no idea.  I asked how her husband was, “Oh he is too grumpy these days!”  Was he too being the effect of the anger in her space?   Whatever energy we hold creates our experiences, impacts our reality.  This alone is a great reason to meditate daily, to clear our space of whatever is rubbing us the wrong way before it creates more of what we do not want.

 Holding On

I walked with Claire two days later.   She was still angry and complaining.  I laughed and asked her if she had meditated to clear her anger toward the hospital?  No, she had not.  Hm.  What is even more interesting is Claire was so stuck on her anger at the hospital that it distracted her from her original goal of getting services for her client.  She had lost her perspective.

Meditate

This happens to all of us.  An experience and the energy it stimulates in us can take over our space.  When this happens, we lose our perspective and have a narrow vision.  Everything after that is seen through the energy the experience stimulated in us.  Meditation is a way to get out of that energy, to see what we are being, to clear and get our space back.  Sound familiar?

Take the time to meditate. It makes all the difference.

Kay

 

 

Success is like baseball

~ Kay Robinson ~ Leave a comment

angels-baseballCreate a vision of success and watch it manifest. Hundreds of coaches, leaders, teachers, intuitive and others have been saying this forever. It is not a new concept so why has a vision not manifested?  We get in our way.

We are creating every day, all the time. We do it so often that we do not notice. I watched my husband do this today. Last night was the fifth game of the World Series. Madison Bumgarner was pitching and the team was playing well. It was an exciting game! At the seventh inning my husband, who was born wearing a Giant’s cap, had to leave to do some work. He figured he could watch the recording when he returned. No worries.

As it turned out the game did not record for some unexplained reason. He was devastated, stayed up late trying to piece together the last two innings from news reports. It clearly was not enough for his Giant’s heart.

At lunch today Michael said, “I just want to watch the last two innings of the game. Is that so much to ask?”   On a whim, he turned on the TV. The network was replaying the game and the the game was in the 7th inning! What are the chances? This was not a coincidence though that was Michael’s first reaction.

From an intuitive perspective, Michael was determined to see the last two innings of the game. He had a clear vision even though he had no idea how to make it happen. A miracle you say? No. Michael created a vision. He was determined and it manifested.

This happens to us all the time and we don’t notice, as it is so much the norm. We only notice when our vision IS NOT manifesting. Typically a vision does not manifest when we are in the way, thinking that it can’t happen for one reason or another. We generate energy, pictures, emotions and programming that get in the way.

If we were to take a lesson from this baseball story it would be to  see clearly what you want manifested, think positively about it, be excited to see it manifest and determined that it will even if you don’t exactly know how.

Baseball always gives us life lessons. Go Giants!

Missing Opportunities We Cannot See

~ Kay Robinson ~ Leave a comment

Moments of a lifeI cannot tell you the number of times I have seen people miss enormous opportunities. They just cannot see it. As a coach for business owners and professionals focused on success, this is frustrating.

Elaine

Elaine is a communications expert who has held many impressive positions, knows persons of influence. She has connections so why can she not achieve her one dream to have a TV show in which she features and interviews incredibly interesting people. Elaine loves people. She has an amazing ability to bring them out which why she knows so many.

My work with Elaine is to work with her to create her interview show. She seems so close to realizing this dream. At present, she is working as a consultant so she has ability to decide how to spend her time. Recently the owner of a small communications firm asked her to take over his company for three months while he took a break. Was she interested? Elaine agreed though running a business was not her skill set, so she wondered how this opportunity came her way. Elaine is a firm believer in creating a vision knowing that vision is always manifesting so how did this fit?

After she agreed Fred told her that, by the way, he also had a weekly TV show in which he interviews people so would she do that as well. Elaine became very uncertain, afraid, did not feel competent and wondered how she could bow out of this piece of the company.

Suddenly Elaine was unaware of her dream to do interviews on TV. It was as if part of her mind went blank!

Lori

Lori runs a growing company opening her third office this year. We have been working on growing her business so that it can run without her. Not that she intends to step out at this time, but strong systems are important for any growing company. The company relies too much on her and with the growth of staff things are getting a bit out of control. Lori was determined to fix this. One of her strategies was to create a practice management system that everyone could use to manage their time, their work, improve billing and more. Lori and her COO spend hours researching the options, bought one that turned out not to work for them so then purchased another system at signification cost. She and her staff invested hundreds of hours in setting, customizing and training. When they launched the system the expected period of transition from the old way of doing things to the new created some set backs.

I observed Lori placing her attention elsewhere as did her COO. It was as if the PMS did not exist. It was as if that part of her mind forgot about her vision, the investment and value to her business. She went back to her old ways.

Why Do We Miss Opportunities?

I could give many other examples of situations when we created a vision of what we want to happen; it begins to manifest, and we don’t see it. Why is that? From an intuitive perspective, there are many aspects. For one, we don’t have enough space to see clearly. When we have a lot of energies, people and concepts in our space demanding one thing or another we cannot see more than six inches in front of ourselves.

Secondly, when we create a vision we are creating something new, and it will require a change. Change is most often uncomfortable. It is in our nature to seek comfort so we back away. As we back away from discomfort in the process, we are also backing away from our vision. We cannot see that happening because we do not have enough space. We have lost our awareness.

What Can We Do?

So how do we not miss opportunities? It begins with being conscious, aware and clear. Taking the time each day to meditate, clear our space and refocus on what we intend to create is foremost. Without clarity, we lose our way, our direction and just work hard.

Next, notice how determined you are to achieve your vision. Some aspects of our vision require more determination (energy commitment) than others. How determined are you?

Finally, be in present time. Being present is the only way you can see in the moment what is before you. When we are not present, we are on automatic pilot doing what we always do.

Our vision and its opportunities are always right in front of us. Always. The goal is to be able to see them and take the opportunities.

Best wishes on your success, Kay

Is Your Potential Client With You in the Moment?

~ Kay Robinson ~ Leave a comment

WorkgroupWhen meeting with a potential client having their full attention makes all the difference. If they are distracted or have their attention else where you are losing your opportunity to pitch your capabilities. If they are not fully focused on the moment with you, they will not hear you.  To pitch your capabilities your audience has to be present and focused.

I attended a meeting with my client, Fred, and his potential client. Fred is a producer and works to develop relationships with national ad agencies. One of those agencies asked Fred and his creative partners to meet and discuss one of their projects. They wanted to know how the technologies Fred used on other projects might help their ad campaign to go viral.

Fred met with his creative partners for a half-hour before the meeting to set the energy for the meeting, to be grounded in their agreement, define roles in the presentation and to have a clear vision of the outcome they wanted.

The agency producer, Paul, came to the meeting along with an art director, Sam. I noticed right off that the Paul was not present. His attention was elsewhere. We had to find a way to bring his attention fully in this meeting. Introductions did not do the trick, so I asked Paul about his role at the agency and the clients they work with. That did not do the trick either. Paul answered my question, but his attention was still distracted. His gaze was not on us but out there somewhere.

It was important that Fred and his team have a grounded and clear communication with the ad team if they wanted any chance of securing this contract. Fred turned his attention to Sam, the art director, and noticed that Sam was completely present and enthusiastic.

The creative discussion went well. I noticed that Paul’s attention slowly came into the room. He clearly had a lot of energy in his space that made it hard for him to be focused in the moment. By the end of the discussion with Sam, Paul’s attention was more with us but part of his attention was still distracted.

We knew it was important for Paul to be present and aware of what was going on, and so the challenge was how to make that happen. I suggested that we move out to the creative floor and see examples of the technologies Fred’s team had developed. Getting Paul moving and focusing his attention in this way did the trick. We got his attention. He is clearly a guy who was at his best doing the creative work rather talking about it, so he was intrigued.

In the end, Paul and Sam got a clear understanding of what was possible from Fred’s team and invited a proposal to bid on the project.

Every business owner knows the importance of making a good first impression. That impression depends not only on what the business owner or staff present but also on the space of the potential client and their ability to hear and receive the presentation.

Taking the time to make sure that you and your team are grounded and have a clear vision before the presentation is the first step. Being aware of your potential client and the space they are in is also important. Finding a way to bring their attention fully with you in the moment will determine their ability to hear what you present.

By the way, Fred was awarded the contract.

Best wishes on your success,

Kay

Change Will Happen – Gracefully or Not So Gracefully

~ Kay Robinson ~ Leave a comment

????????????????????????????????????????David started his business ten years ago. Today his gross revenue is close to half-million. David and his wife, Carmen, run this plumbing company with no staff. David does the work – plumbing. Carmen manages the office. David is exhausted, does not charge enough and works on jobs on an average of one-hour from their very rural home. Last year David injured himself, and he can not continue to do all the work himself.

David wants a change. His wife, Carmen, wants change, but they have very different and opposing ideas of how to move forward. Carmen wants out of the business. David wants to stop doing the work of the business, hire staff and grow the business so that it serves his life. In EMyth terms, he wants to stop being the technician and become an entrepreneur.

David started coaching because he was unsure how to make such a big leap. He started with great enthusiasm. David was determined to proceed to define the changes needed to grow this business with him as a leader.

We started with finances and soon found that while they were keeping books the information was not entered correctly and was not available to guide them in their business. First change was to contract with a great bookkeeper. Seemed like a simple solution though David found he could not change his involvement in managing the books.

Next step was to create a budget for the changes planned. David was used to keeping his “budget” in his head and resisted writing it down and planning on paper.

David needed to hire a plumber to take his place as the only technician. He worried that no one could do the work the way he did, as good as he did it and with the care he showed his clients. David found it hard to give up being the plumber.

It became clear that as much as David wanted things to be different he was unable to change. He thought the changes would be in his business but discovered that the changes needed were within him, and he just couldn’t do it.

David’s story is a great example of wanting and desiring something different, but not being able to make the needed changes. David was getting in his way. When we want something to change it always starts within us. Getting out of our routines, being willing to be uncomfortable, letting go of what is familiar and, in David’s case, letting go of the need to control.

From an intuitive perspective when we decide we want change, the change will happen one way or another. We can be the leader of change, and it will happen more gracefully or if we resist it will still happen but in a less comfortable and forced way. I imagine David’s desired changes will happen by his knee giving out. There are easier ways to create change.

Notice the changes you desire then find what has to happen within you so that it can.

Best wishes on your success, Kay

How I Spend My Day

~ Kay Robinson ~ 1 Comment

Cloud SmileysRealizing that I have two ways I can spend my day, I decided to pay attention to the result of each. How did I feel? What was my mood? What did I accomplish? What did I gain?

One day goes something like this. I get up early. Jump out of bed and begin my morning routine, get dressed without much thought, have my usual bowl of cereal while reading only the headlines on my iPad then I have a cup of coffee as I walk to my home office. I check my email and spend a lot of time responding to what I find there. Organizing my desk and taking care of the obvious To Dos on the top of my desk takes a bit of time as well.

Now I think about the most pressing, urgent, etc. issues. By the way, something being urgent or pressing does not mean that it was important. Typically it is urgent and important to someone else or something I must get done by the due date.

By now, my head is swimming with information from everything I already placed a moment of my attention. I look at my very long to do list that adds more thoughts to my mind. Then other things come to mind. I start doing things I don’t mind doing one after another.

The phone rings and my attention shifts again to that request and so my day goes. I am very busy, doing a lot of work, feeling tired, growing less and less focused. At the end of this day, I can say I was busy, did a lot and accomplished nothing!  I can say that I do not feel good about the results of my day.

Another Kind of Day

Another way that I spend my day, I wake up and lay in bed for a moment to gain my focus and perspective. How am I doing? What must I do today? What would I like to do?  What would help me to take a step to accomplish my vision of success? How would I like to feel today? With that intention, I get up and make sure that I am approaching each step mindfully. My cereal, headlines and coffee are still in the routine but I am more conscious about each step.

Look around my home, I put things away, clean up so that my living space is clear. Now is my time to meditate in a quiet, comfortable space. When I feel calm in my body, have cleared my thinking from the day before and set my space to enthusiasm then I am ready to create my plan for the day. I meditate on my vision and my goals. Where am I now and what can I do today that will have the greatest impact on achieving them? What am I resisting? What steps am I not taking? Who is on my side and can I engage in helping with my goals? With this clarity and feeling grounded I move into my office.

Clearing and organizing my workspace does not take much of my time. I do a quick and cursory scan of my emails, addressing only those that support my goals for this day. The others I will look at later. Now is the time to take on what I call high value tasks and make some magic. I know from experience that focusing on a single high value task to completion moves the dial that much closer to the result I want to achieve. The challenge is not to avoid the task just because it is difficult, pushes my limits or makes me feel uncertain. I take a deep breath, ground, center, focus and begin. It is amazing to me how a very difficult task taken one step at a time unfolds, opens up so that I can see the next step, then the next. None of the steps is as daunting as I expect.

At the end of this day, I am smiling, inspired, assured and energized. I can see the distance I have come. Now I am ready to close the door for the day. Collect up my energy from the days work.  It is time to play.

The first day I described I am justing going through a routine with barely a second thought, doing a lot and accomplishing nothing. The second day describes my way to taking ownership of what I intend to create and making it happen.

If you have ways that you spend your day that support, your vision of success, please share your thoughts.

Best wishes on your success, Kay

What you don’t know is important

~ Kay Robinson ~ Leave a comment

Adobe ID 164ASP19151002What we are not good at matters most. That may sound counterintuitive, but it is not. In our journey to success, we know what we are good at and the skills we use to push forward enthusiastically. While this is important, it is not the answer.

Doing what we are good at alone will not make us successful. Many business owners and professionals forge ahead disregarding what they do not know, where they are inexperienced or simply don’t have the skills needed as the owner. Others do not know what they do not know. This disregard for our weaknesses gets in the way of our success.

Carol

Lunches is a daytime café that is wildly successful according to the owner. Carol says her café is popular and full every lunchtime so it must be successful. This concept of success is not working for her. She feels that she does everything right. In reality, she does a great deal that is right. She has a great location, great food, repeating customers, happy staff, etc. but she is not making enough money. Carol’s area of weakness as a business owner is finances. As long as she is bringing in lots of money every day she thought it would all work out then she realized that was not the case. Carol’s avoidance of financial planning, reporting, and management was killing her business.

Sara

Sara has an accounting firm, three offices, twelve staff and hundreds of clients eager to use the services of her company. She and other CPAs in her firm have a good reputation. Sara says her problem is she cannot service her customers because she is unable to keep competent, reliable, office staff. As we explored this Sara grew to admit that her weakness is hiring, training and mentoring staff. This is something she did not consider before. She was focused on the reputation of her accounting staff primarily. This was killing her business.

Max

Max has a financial planning firm that he bought from a retiring planner. He has a strong group of clients. He is a skilled financial planner but after two years he is ready to throw in the towel. He feels like he does not have a life. He complained that his staff is not competent, and he is not making enough money to make it worth his while. When we looked at the business, he was very confident and initially unwilling to look at his weaknesses. When we finally opened that door, there was an obvious solution. Max is a doer. His company had no systems or procedures for staff to follow. He simply tells each person each day what they need to do. This was inefficient and resulted in poor customer service. He was loosing business. Max had to admit that he was a good financial planner and a terrible manager.

There is a fear behind not knowing which makes us feel vulnerable. That fear is there whether we admit to our weaknesses or not. When we are willing to be clear about both our skills and our weaknesses, ask for help then we can create success. The fear no longer controls us. When we are overly confident, in denial or only focused on our strengths then we will be frustrated, and our business suffers. It is not easy to step back and look from this perspective and yet it is essential to success. Some do this easily, for others it is a struggle.

While, in this blog, I spoke about businesses, the concepts apply to professionals, as well. Finding out what we do not know is important. Asking for help is next. Making changes is the answer to moving your business or career forward and enjoying it more.

Best wishes on your success,

Kay

Business and Professional Coaching

Manifesting the hard way

~ Kay Robinson ~ Leave a comment

200469161-001Mandy asked me to work with her to make a career change.  She had a good job that paid well.  She is seen as a leader in her industry but it is not what she wants to be doing.  Mandy was finding it hard to stay focused on her work.  She was distracted thinking about what she would rather to be doing.

When we begin to create a plan to transition to a new career or an old career revisited she got cold feet and worried that she needed the job she had.  Though she wanted a career change she could not imagine making it happen.  Mandy made some attempts to change her career then turned around and tried to find ways to connect with her current job. One step forward and two steps back.

From an intuitive perspective we are always getting our goals.  Mandy never gave up her goal to change careers so I knew it was manifesting.  I also know that goals manifest gracefully when we actively create them. Goals manifest less gracefully when we don’t.  So Mandy wanted out of her job and onto a new career but she could not take the steps to make it happen.  The only way for that change to happen was for her to lose her job. That is exactly what happened.  She was laid off so now she had to create the change she desired in the first place.   She was going to get her goal though not very gracefully.

Mary

This same scenario played out for Mary.  She was top executive in a large organization, was paid well and had a lot of visibility but it was not the job she wanted.  Over and over again she decided to quit and each time she thought about leaving she would get a raise.  As a single mom she could not imagine quitting a good paying job so she stayed all the while visualizing her next step.  Her vision manifested when one day suddenly she was laid off.  At first she was angry then she realized that she had visualized a job change for a long time.  Being laid off was the only way her vision could manifest and so it did.

My best counsel is to take charge of the change you desire.  It is going to happen one way or another.  Remember the saying, “Be careful what you pray for.”   Take a moment to notice the changes you have imagined.  Are you actively working to make it happen?  If not,  be intuitive and notice what would have to happen to move your vision forward.  How do you want to manifest your vision?  Be proactive or have it happen a bit less gracefully.  You decide.

Best wishes,  Kay

 

Stuck on the Wrong Solution

~ Kay Robinson ~ Leave a comment

HugTrust your vision. It is always manifesting – even when we get in the way. Just because our vision does not manifest in the way we expect does not mean it is not going to happen.   It is so easy for us to get in our way, lose sight of our vision and decide that we are not going to get our goal because of once circumstance or another. That decision is powerful and wrong.  Here is a story of one business owner who thought her vision was not going to manifest.

Sara

A business owner, Sara, called last year at her wit’s end saying she was going to close her business but wanted to check in with me before she did so. After speaking with her it was clear that she did not want to close her business. She just wanted and needed to change her role in the business. Sara’s next step was to move more into a leadership role and not be responsible for the day-to-day operations any longer. This is normal and needed step for the owner and the growth of any business.

Leadership Solution

When Sara called she was vibrating at the energy that her business was a big problem. Not so. Sara just needed to stop being CEO, CFO, COO, CBO and every other c-suite title you could think of. Her real goal was not to close her business but to position her business for sale and to find someone she trusted to buy the business she started. Sara wanted someone to carry on its strong reputation and tradition.

 A New Organizational Strategy

We created a new organizational strategy to grow her business.  We changed her role to CEO/President, made her accountant functionally the CFO. One staff person was promoted to CBO as marketing chief. Another staff person, Carol, was promoted to COO in charge of the day-to-day operations. Carol was also interested in eventually taking over the business. As an intuitive I did not see that Carol as strong nor committed enough to take over the business in the long run but Sara was convinced this would work.

Sara stepped back and let the Carol take over. It did not turn out as well as Sara had hoped and Carol quit within a year throwing the business back into Sara’s lap. Sara was devastated. Her disappointment was overwhelming. She felt like a failure and was unhappy that she was back in the role of CEO and COO once again.

Vision Still Manifesting

Sara called in tears. I had to remind her that she was still getting her goal of finding someone she liked and trusted to take over her business. That goal had not changed.  It was so clear to me intuitively that Sara was still getting her goal. It simply was not manifesting in the way she expected. She had pushed for the Carol to be that person. That was not meant to be. Intuitively I saw that Carol was not the person who could carry on the reputation and tradition of the business so it was inevitable that she would leave. It is not a mistake nor a coincidence.   That does not mean that Sara is not getting her goal. Quite the contrary. She just has not found the person who she trusts and who could run her business with the same quality of service the community had come to know.  Sara could not see this at first because she had too much energy in Carol being the solution.

Not A Coincidence

Not coincidentally the next day Sara ran into a Gail who operated an agency that was her largest competitor. Gail asked how Sara was doing and said she had heard that Carol, Sara’s heir apparent, had quit. Gail asked if Sara was interested in selling her business. Sara was blown over by this.

Vision

Even with this miracle appearing out of no where Sara was still stuck in the energy of disappointment about Carol quitting. She was so much in that energy that she could not see the miracle being presented.  Sara’s focus on the solution rather than the goal is something that we all do. By doing do so we get in our own way. We are unable to have a clear perspective and lose sight of the goal. Sara was so focused on losing Carol who she always believed was the solution that Sara had lost her perspective. Sara’s goal was to sell her business and to someone she trusted and who could continue the business in much the same way.  She liked Gail and respected her. This could be her dream come true. Perhaps this is the right plan for achieving her vision.

Notice for Yourself

Notice for yourself. Have you ever fixated on what you believe is the right and only way your vision can manifest? In your daily meditation take the time to pull your energy out of solutions, strategies, etc. to order to focus on your vision and where you want to be. Your vision is always manifesting. How you get there may surprise you.  Always take steps toward your vision and allowed it to manifest in unexpected ways.

Best wishes on your success, Kay

Thoughts manifest – literally

~ Kay Robinson ~ Leave a comment

Waiting AloneI just wanted to remind you that what you imagine for yourself manifests exactly as you image it.

One of my clients told me that he wanted two projects before he went on vacation but could not imagine that happening. He had called the morning before he was to leave on vacation complaining that his goal had not manifested, and he was leaving on vacation the next day (Saturday). He seemed to be blaming me.

As it turned out, later that day he got two calls for new projects that would probably start when he returned. His intention was to get two jobs done before his vacation, but that is not what he declared. He had declared two jobs before he went on vacation. That is exactly what he got.

Notice what you imagine. Your universe is manifesting exactly as you imagine it. Literally. If you do not like what you are experiencing then change your thoughts about your business, your goals or what you want. We do not get our goals if we are not clear about what they are.

Best wishes on your success,
Kay

www.insightintuitiveconsulting.com

Be careful what you pray for….

~ Kay Robinson ~ Leave a comment

kay00340kYou will get what you pray for. This may happen gracefully or not so gracefully. I see this happen all the time. It has happened to me. Years ago I was the Director of Services for the largest non-profit. I wanted out. The political energy of my job was so intense I could not relax. The needs of our clients far surpassed our ability to serve them and that was hard, but I could not quit. I was a single mom at that time, and my sense of responsibility kept me in a good paying job. I found myself writing in my journal. I wanted to change jobs. I wanted to start my business. I wrote this every day but I could not take the steps to make it happen. I felt that I needed the regular paycheck. I had a child to take care of. Then I was laid off! How could that happen? I was the best at my job! How could this happen? Then I realized I had prayed and imaged leaving this job. The universe was manifesting around my dream, my desire. I could not or wouldn’t quit so what another option was there? The only way my dream could manifest was not very graceful. I am grateful that I was laid off! I could finally create the business that I wanted.

So be careful what you pray for. I have a client who knows she has to leave her corporate job. No, she wants to leave her corporate job. She is paid well so she cannot just quit. She has not decided exactly what she wants to do next. She feels strongly about leaving and so her whole universe is manifesting around that vision. Good new. Bad news. The bad news is she feels like she is being pushed out of her job. Didn’t she pray for this? She does not have a plan for where she is going next. The universe manifests what we want, but we have to know what that is.

So the message is, notice what you are “praying for” or imaging because it is manifesting.

Best wishes on your success, Kay
http://www.insightintuitiveconsulting.com

Success is 100% Attitude!

~ Kay Robinson ~ Leave a comment

angels-baseballThe title of this blog is more than a catchy title. It is the secret to success. Remember the adage “Hold your head high.” As an intuitive, I read the energy of my clients. The most common characteristic of those who are successful is their attitude about success. I have worked with business owners and professionals for over 27 years so I have seen many grow from start-ups to success enterprises. I can tell by looking intuitively at someone whether they will be successful. They set the energy in their space at the vibration of success.

People who are successful don’t take no for an answer. They have certainty. If they are moving down their path and a boulder falls in their way, they do not stop. They climb over it and enjoy the climb. They walk around it and are amused at how simple the solution was.

When we are on the path to success things will happen to encourage us. Simple coincidences are inspiring. On the other hand, we may have experiences that seem to destroy the very thing we are creating. Whether this is, in fact, what is happening depends on our attitude about it. We can decide that our creation is being destroyed, and it will be. We can decide that our creation will not be destroyed, and it will not be. It all depends on how our perspective.

Let’s talk baseball! What does baseball have to do with business? That is another blog but let me tell you a story about attitude and a strong vision. It is a baseball story, but it applies to business.

Tim was playing with a senior men’s baseball league. His team came together during the season and made it to the last game of the playoffs. Everyone was thrilled by the challenge of playing another good team. Tim had a wedding to go to the very weekend of the last game. The team was disappointed because Tim was a good player and an important part of the team. I am a firm believer in the power of our personal vision but when it comes to weddings, there is no way around it. Tim wanted to play the game and he wanted to go to the wedding. The fact that they were scheduled for the same time and the same weekend did not deter him. He stayed focused on his goals. Much to everyone’s surprise the wedding was suddenly moved to another weekend. Tim got his vision. He got to play in the playoffs, and he will be able to attend the wedding.

Tim knew what he wanted. He was certain about his vision. He just didn’t know how to make it happen. That did not matter. He got what he wanted, and it was almost unbelievable except that I know the power of having a clear vision and not believing any thoughts that seem to deter you from your goals. This was not a coincidence.

Not all my clients are success stories. I have a client I like a great deal, but she is easily distracted from her goals. She can have a strong vision but when something comes along that gets in the way she loses her focus. Suddenly her attention is off her goals and on whatever distracted her. She never seems to move forward because of this.

Back to this baseball story. The ability to create the impossible exists in business. Those who are determined get their goals. Stay focused and don’t give up. Allow a miracle.

Best wishes on your success, Kay

http://www.insightintuitiveconsulting.com

Retailer Display Pushes Customers Away!

~ Kay Robinson ~ Leave a comment

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I was at a street fair yesterday where business owners setup booths, sold their wares, promoted their business or cause. As an intuitive, I watched with great interest booths that were full and those where no one could or would approach.

My observations from this street fair are going to be helpful to any retail business and perhaps others. Retail is about communication, and this is often ignored. Your customers are intuitive. They may not realize that but first and foremost they react unconsciously and sometimes consciously to your display and your demeanor. They pick up on the energy of your booth and your business. Let me give you examples of what I saw.

The booths that were packed were “open” on an energy level, appealing visually, presented an aura of something customers would want for themselves and the staff in the booth was approachable. Their goal seemed to be communication more than sales.

Mistakes I saw. One booth was beautiful; the jewelry was beautiful, the couple behind the table was beautiful and very much in the energy of their relationship more than showing their jewelry. It looked like a photo shoot for a magazine. They grabbed everyone’s attention as we walked by but no one walked in. My husband, who is a Casting Director, noticed them as well but since he is casting project that requires beautiful people, he gave them his card. They may get a photo shoot from the day, but I’ll bet they sold no jewelry. Your customers have to feel that you and your business are there for them.

Another booth had beautiful ceramics. An older couple sat in the back on high chairs looking bored and invalidated. This is the intuitive impression as people walked by. It made them uncomfortable. The couple’s energy made it uninviting, and we did not want to disturb them, as they seemed so disengaged from their display. No one went into that booth.

A woman was selling the most beautiful shawls was also empty of customers. Her mistake was simple. In order to show off the rich colors of her shawls, she laid them against a black display. Most of the folks at the festival were in a cheerful place on this beautiful sunny day. They did not want to go into the darkness, so they did not go into her black booth.

Customers steered clear of booths with staff that were pushy, loud or intruding as you walked by. Booths where the staff was invisible or disengaged also kept folks out. The busy booths were those where the staff were friendly, said hello without expecting anything other than a hello back. The staff was in the energy of customer service versus I NEED you to buy my product.

In the end retailers who were intuitive about their displays were most successful. What does the customer see, feel and hear? How do you want them to experience you, your products and services? Sometimes we have been doing our business so long that we lose our perspective so step back. Get out of your routine. Change your display completely. Notice if you are getting customers or not. Don’t think. Change the energy until you have all the customers you would like.

If you or your staff are not in the “mood” to sell your wares then you might as well go fishing instead OR change your energy. Decide to enjoy promoting or selling your wares. Passer-bys can read your energy. We are all intuitive. There is no faking it. Your vision of your day goes exactly as you see it. If you have no vision then, nothing happens. As always take the time to visualize your success.

Best wishes on your success, Kay

www.insightintuitiveconsulting.com