Failure Is Easy

January 8, 2015January 8, 2015 ~ 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

Is Your Potential Client With You in the Moment?

September 19, 2014 ~ Kay Robinson ~ Leave a comment

When 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

You’ve Gotta Feel It To Make It

September 13, 2014 ~ Kay Robinson ~ 1 Comment

For years, as a coach, I have worked to encourage everyone to take the time to stop and see clearly his or her vision of success. Some resist it. Others get it. Over time most of my coaching clients have settled in with the practice of making sure they have a clear vision – but that is not enough.

Now don’t get me wrong. A clear vision of what you are creating is essential for your success but truly it is only a mental image picture in your mind’s eye. Right? When we stop here then, we have a vision that we want to manifest, but it’s not happening. A vision must be energized to be real-ized.

There are many ways to add energy to a vision so that it shows up in your world. Taking actions or steps are obvious and essential but there is more.

We have to feel successful. We have to feel successful in the body. When we have a great vision, are taking all the right steps but don’t feel successful then we manifest failure.

Creating a clear vision is not easy for most but with time spent on reflecting, meditating and focusing, it can be created. As for actions, we are taught to create plans, define steps and take action. The key is to take action that will make a significant difference not just keep you busy.

More importantly is how we feel about our vision of success. How do we react emotionally to the idea of it? What are our thoughts about our vision? If how we feel or think about our vision are not aligned then the vision stays in the realm of something that we want versus something we can have.

So here are the steps:

See clearly in your mind’s eye your vision of success. Eyes closed. Imagine your success precisely as you would like it to be and see it happening now – not in the future.
- Write it down.
Notice your thoughts about this vision. Clear any thoughts that compete with it, for example, all the reasons why you can’t be successful.
- Clear your thinking.
Create thoughts that support your vision. Have you ever deliberately created thoughts? This is a time to do it. Think of ways to make it happen and steps you can take and reasons why it will work.
- Write down those steps.
Now notice how you feel about it. Does your energy level rise when you focus on your vision of success? Do you feel inspired, excited, creative, enthusiastic, etc.? These are high vibrations of energy when focused on a mental image picture are creative. On the other hand, if your energy drops or you entertain feelings at the lower energy levels, i.e. worry, fear, doubt, tension, stress then your vision will not manifest because that is how you feel about it.
- Raise your energy level to enthusiasm.

Take the time to align body, mind and spirit around your vision of success. You can change your thinking. You can change the energy level you are being. It takes focus to change old patterns and ways of being. See your vision of success, believe in it and feel inspired as you make it happen.

Best wishes on your success, Kay

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Change Will Happen – Gracefully or Not So Gracefully

August 12, 2014 ~ 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

Multi-tasking done right

May 31, 2014 ~ Kay Robinson ~ Leave a comment

Recent have said multitasking is bad, and I rejoiced. Researchers said that multi-taskers were less successful. This was shocking. I was raised to be a multi-tasker. Wasn’t multi-tasking was a virtue? Everyone valued someone who could get a lot done. Right? I was a lifelong multi-tasker and saw this as my chance to stop working so hard. After years of working fast, completing multiple projects at one time, this was my way of saying that I needed to make things simpler. I could relax. What I found was quite the opposite. I was not relaxed. I was not as productive nor did I feel as accomplished so I decided to learn more about this phenomenon called multi-tasking.

To begin, I observed myself multi-tasking and not multi-tasking and the results, accomplishments and how much I enjoyed what I was doing. I observed others in the same way. As a coach and consultant I had lots of opportunities to observe others. As a result I was to ask the researchers two questions. Did you measure the difference between men and women? Did you assess the value to the tasks they were doing?

In my observation and my experience, women are natural multi-taskers and men are not. Women have by our nature and physiology a higher energy level. Women have a higher energy level in our bodies to create life. We are wired at a high energy level, so multi-tasking is natural, can creative and rewarding when done correctly. Men, on the other hand, do better when singularly focused. This is not less of an ability just different, and the world is better for these two different ways of being. Multi-taskers and persons who are singularly focused are both needed for success.

Multi-tasking of itself does not create success, so I agree with the studies in this regard. Focused multi-tasking does work. Whether you are a multitasker or a single focus person, your success depends on what you spend your time doing. Just being busy doing whatever presents itself is of no value and has no long-term result. On the other hand, when multi-taskers or single focused persons chose high value tasks they create success. High value tasks are those that will make a difference in your efforts to achieve success versus other tasks that are just busy work or someone else’s need.

So men feel free to be singularly focused on high value tasks if that feels right to you. Women, I say go ahead and multi-task focused on high value tasks if that feels right for you as well.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this. For me, I have returned to multi-tasking, and I am much happier, getting more done and finding greater success.

Best wishes, Kay

Work fast. Work hard. Really?

May 26, 2014May 26, 2014 ~ Kay Robinson ~ Leave a comment

Working fast, hard and smart is one perspective on success. I recently read a blog on success and the author suggested that the most successful people work fast, fast thinkers, fast decision makers, and they move fast. He also suggested that they work hard, long hours and do the hard work. The third characteristic of a successful person was they carefully selected where they spent this fast, hardworking time. They worked on things that mattered.

This blog grabbed my attention because I have found similar characteristics in the successful people who I work with and others that I observe though I would describe them differently.

From an intuitive perspective working fast is not necessary though you may enjoy working fast. From my observations successful people have high energy. High vibrations are creative energies. High energies make it easy to be creative, create change, to see more clearly, to move through blocks or limits. So while I would not say working fast is a good approach working at a high energy level which is enthusiasm, creativity and may feel or appear fast is essential for success. When our energy is low, nothing is moving, nothing changes and energy blocks are too hard to unlock. So best practice, be in enthusiasm when you work.

Working hard is not necessary either though we might choose to do that, and it may happen. Working hard, of itself, is not a useful goal. From an intuitive perspective successful people are those who have a clear vision, focus on the vision and are not easily distracted. This might feel like hard work, but the key element is to focus. When we are focused and see the impact of that, we want to focus more, to create more. It is rewarding and so we may in the end work harder but that is not the goal.

The last characteristic is doing what matters. I completely agree. It is so easy to work hard and stay busy without accomplishing anything. We are successful when our time and attention stays focused on high value activities. By that, I mean tasks that will make a difference in achieving our vision of success. It is easy to keep busy doing whatever presents itself. Being disciplined enough to focus on actions that matter to our success makes all the difference.

My formula for success using the three traits mentioned in the beginning would be: With enthusiasm focus on high value tasks that will help you achieve your vision of success. Sounds simple? Spend this week working in this way and see if it is easy to do and notice the impact of this approach.

Best wishes, Kay

Never From NEED!

May 14, 2014 ~ Kay Robinson ~ Leave a comment

One of the biggest mistakes a business owner makes is when they have a desperate need then makes decisions from that energy.

The energy of need comes deep within us in fear. When we are in fear, all our energy leaves our upper chakras and our rational mind. Instead, our energy goes directly to the first chakra where we manage survival and fear. In some ways, this is helpful because it creates energies and physiological responses that can set us into strong action – fight or flight.
One area that commonly we may not have a clear perspective is the people we need to help us. When we hire from the energy of need, we forgo our intuition, hiring someone who can do the job without considering if they are a good fit for the company. Making decisions this way is always a disaster because we look from only one perspective – can they do the job. As we know, we need more than skill sets from our staff. The energy of need in the first chakra causes us to lose this perspective. “I need someone who can do the job and I need them NOW!” When we hear ourselves feeling this way we need to stop. We are in fear.

Operating from the energy of need happens also when we have a staff person who is negative, bored, unhappy with their job, not performing well, causing disruption, etc. but we NEED them. When we are in the energy of need, we believe that we need them to do the job as if there was no one else in the world who could. This is not true but when we are in need and fear we believe it. Our life depends on it. It is always true that letting go of an unhappy or unpleasant employee will improve your company no matter how much you believe you need them.

Hiring and supporting staff that support you and your vision are critical to your success. The common phrase, hire slow and fire fast, is one of the best pieces of advice I have heard. To hire slow gives you the opportunity to decide not only the skills the applicant has, but also how he/she feels to you and what your intuition tells you about how they will represent your brand and fit into the culture of your business. That same intuition tells you that someone on your staff is disrupting the energy of your business as well as the culture and brand you have worked hard to create.

When we are in the energy of NEED, it disrupts our decision-making and distorts our perspective. This blog talks mostly about staff though the energy of NEED can affect any decision that we make. When making a decision take the time to notice the energy you are making it from. If you feel that urgency in your body or the energy of NEED, take some time to step back, calm down, clear your thinking, come out of fear (lower chakras) to find a more neutral perspective (upper chakras). It will change your perspective and you will make better decisions.

Best wishes on your success, Kay

What you don’t know is important

May 9, 2014 ~ Kay Robinson ~ Leave a comment

What 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

New Culture of Business

April 28, 2014 ~ Kay Robinson ~ 2 Comments

A new culture of business is emerging voicing a new set of values, increased self-awareness and businesses with a new definition of success. I am so relieved by the changes appearing in how businesses run, interact, view their staff, vendors and community. Some of the changes are subtle and others not so subtle. In the end, we are moving to a more moral, value based and healthy way to do business. Not everyone is on board with this, but more and more of us are. “Never underestimate the power of a small group of committed people to change the world. In fact, it is the only thing that ever has.” (Margaret Mead)

Here are some differences I see between the old business paradigm and the new.

Old: Be on top. Beat out the competition. Be better than everyone else. Take out the competition. Get the largest share of the market.

New: Be the best you can be. Do the best we can. Build our brand so that people know how we are different. Attract loyal customers who value our brand. Collaborate with other businesses. Share resources.

Old: Get more sales – at any cost. Over promise if necessary. Get the sale. Get more than the next guy.

New: Create customers. Under promise and over deliver. Not everyone is our customer. Don’t sell. Understand our customer and serve them with unbeatable quality.

Old: Money flows to the top. Hierarchy with command and control management.

New: Collaboration. Everyone valued. Share the success. Everyone seen as contributing to the success.

Old: Environmental concerns are ok, but not if it affects the bottom line. The community is important if it is a customer.

New: Prevent impacts on the environment and be profitable. Be part of the community. Give back. Join the sharing economy.

Old: How much money can we make?

New: Create a business that serves everyone’s life, that people enjoy working in, and that has value whether it sells widgets to solar power.

What changes can you add to this list? This is just the beginning. In what new ways do you or your company operate? Join the conversation.

Stuck on the Wrong Solution

April 19, 2014 ~ Kay Robinson ~ Leave a comment

Trust 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

Gut Feelings, Intuition & Decisions

April 12, 2014 ~ Kay Robinson ~ Leave a comment

Can you trust gut feelings? How is that different from intuition? These are questions that I often get asked. There is a big difference, which is important to note. Intuition and gut feelings are similar in that they are each one of the several intuitive abilities that all of us have. Some of us are more finely attuned to these abilities than others. It is helpful and important to develop these abilities and to use them consciously in our daily life. I know there are those of you who are not convinced though how many times have you said, “I knew that would happen!” Or “I should have listened to myself.”

Energy Centers

There are seven major chakras or energy centers in the body with many minor chakras. Each chakra or energy center has a particular function and ability. For example, the famous gut feeling comes from feeling something with our second chakra located just below the naval.

Gut Feelings

Gut feelings are the body’s way of saying how something feels to you. It might feel good or not so good. That does not mean that it is or is not good. It is just a feeling. I would never suggest that you make a decision purely from your gut feelings though in combination with other information it is a valuable barometer.

It Doesn’t Feel Right

One of the important ways to use your gut feelings is if something does NOT feel right. I would never go ahead with something that does not feel right. It is often best to stop, gather more information, look behind closed doors, check to see what is not yet visible or known or if not important then simply walk away. If it involves a decision then find out more before you decide on something that your gut feeling says does not feel right.

Knowing for Certain

While we are not going to discuss all seven energy centers in this blog I would like to mention a couple of others that are used most often.

There are times when we just KNOW. We don’t know how we know but we are certain. There is no doubt and we are at a loss to say how we know. This ability to know comes from the crown chakra at the top of the head. It is where our higher awareness is. It is not logical. It is an intuitive ability to know. Decisions are best made from this high knowingness.

Telling the Truth from a Lie

Finally, clear seeing is ability we experience all the time but may not recognize it as an intuitive ability. Unfortunately we also do not always act on what we see. Clear seeing comes from the sixth chakra in the middle of the forehead, the third eye. It is our ability to read someone or something. We pick up on people. No matter what they are saying we can see what they truly mean or where they are coming from. This is a very reliable form of intuition because it is not emotional. It is seeing clearly. It becomes challenging when we see something clearly but cannot explain logically how we know this information. As a kid I always wondered why so many people lied.

Open Intuition

The next step is to listen to our intuition. It can be loud. “Don’t go there!” or it can be subtle, “This does not feel right.” Intuition is your very first thought or first feeling. It can be fleeting. Within seconds of your intuition your brain kicks in full force to make sense of or be logical about or give an explanation of whatever situation you find yourself it. Far to often we follow our analyzer and ignore our intuition always with a less desirable outcome. “I wish I had listened to myself.” “I knew that would happen.”

Listen

If nothing else start to listen to your intuition – that very first thought or feeling. It lasts a second before it is replaced by logic. Once you start to listen then it is not replaced and you spend more time connected to your intuition, opening it and becoming more aware of your intuitive perspective. In the ideal world we would use both sides of our brain, using both our logical self and our intuitive self. Until that happens people most often use half their mind and it is unfortunately the logical one, which is not always right. We all know this from life experiences. What is logical is not always the right answer.

Start today and listen. Become aware of your intuition and how to use it.

Best wishes, Kay

Don’t Start Work Until

September 18, 2013 ~ Kay Robinson ~ Leave a comment

We get up. We go to work. We work hard and don’t always meet our goals and more importantly our vision of success. Getting things done. Completing our To Do List is not important. Are you surprised? One of my clients told me that she has a To Do List that for her is everything. If she does not get that list completed every day then she does not feel that she has accomplished anything. On the other hand when she does complete her to do list she is no closer to being successful.

So what does this all mean? It means we are not focused in the correct way. Sure there are things to do but they are not your purpose, vision or intention of why we do what we do. So often we become doers and lose sight of where we are going. The rest of the title of this blog is “Don’t Start Work Until You See and are Focused on Your Vision of Success”.

Don’t Leave This Blog

As an intuitive Business Coach I recommend all my clients to begin their day with meditation. I know half of you just left this blog because I mentioned meditation but there is no other sure way to promote your success. You won’t understand this until you experience it for yourself. Meditation is simply a way to quiet the body and clear your thinking so that you can regain perspective.

Busy But Not Successful

If you run off and start doing whatever you think you should do, the body will be energized and your mind buzzing on whatever is at hand and it may not be the best choice to achieve your vision. On the other hand if you start with meditation (quieting the body and clearing your thinking) how might things be different than starting our day from thoughts left in our head from the day before that have nothing to do with achieving success or an emotional reaction to something we experienced which also has nothing to do with our success.

Reacting & Stuck Thinking

So often we are reacting to what is on our mind or in our space instead of being clear about the actions can we take to move us further in our success. Don’t just be busy. Don’t be reactive. Don’t get lost in your thinking which can take you way off target. Stop. Clear your thinking. Let go of all the energy in your space then see clearly what is the next step and what can you do today to further your success. Ask that question when you are clear and quiet. That is the most important question you can ask and from the space of clarity.

Try This Meditation

Find a comfortable and quiet place. Allow yourself the time to do this well so don’t rush. That is not to say it will take a long time. It will take the time that it takes depending on how easily you are able to get grounded and quiet in present time.

Sit in a chair in a comfortable and quiet place.
Close your eyes. Take a deep breath and as you exhale relax and release tension (energy). Repeat as needed until you feel relaxed in your chair.
Be grounded. Feel and see yourself connected deeply into the ground.
Be centered. Bring your attention behind your eyes into the center of your head. Notice what that feels like.
Stop thinking. Be aware of being centered.
Have your space. Imagine all of your energy in around you – within arms reach.
Don’t be scattered or distracted.
Be present in the moment. Notice yourself breathing.
Don’t let your mind wander. Be present.

(Repeat until you are grounded, centered, have your space and are present in the moment)

Now meditate (imagine) your vision of success (personally and professionally).
- See it clearly in your mind’s eye.

(If you cannot see your vision of success then do this often until you can because the things that manifest are those that you can see clearly. Think of them as the blueprint.)

Once you can see your vision of success begin to notice any thoughts you have that argue with your success. Clear and let go of these thoughts. They are just your thinking. They are not true unless you decide they are.
Now in your mind’s eye see the steps you can take today to move you further along. Don’t think. Use your intuition. Meditate and know your next step.
- It may be an uncomfortable step, one that you are avoiding, something you resist, etc. Decide to take it!
- Take a deep breath. Stretch. Come out of meditation.

Do this everyday. Each day you will become clearer. Each day you will see the benefit of taking this time to be clear. Also observe how each day goes when you begin this way.

Best wishes on your success, Kay

Please share your experiences with meditation and success.

Meditation

Don’t Get in The Way of Your Leadership

September 11, 2013September 16, 2013 ~ Kay Robinson ~ Leave a comment

Leader

This week was a look at how easy it is for business owners to get in the way of their success. Here is the story of one business owner getting in his own way. Jake has owned a large heating and air conditioning installation company for 18 yr. and suddenly it is about to go under.

Jake

Jake turned over the day-to-day operations of his company two years ago to two of his key staff. In general day-to-day operations is the function of managers and so that was a good strategy. On the other hand, Jake also stepped out, and unknowingly gave them the leadership of his company and this was his mistake.

Setting The Tone

For a business to succeed someone, typically the owner or CEO, sets the vision, values and the tone of the company. Staff, vendors and customers come to know this as the company’s brand which becomes how they feel about the company and what they expect in terms of customer service and product/service quality.

Abdicated Leadership

For two years, Jake trusted these employees, thought they were doing a good job and left them to run the business while he found new projects/customers to serve. This year Jake’s intuition told him he better come back as the leader of the company. He felt compelled by his intuition to ask for financial reports. With that both men quit leaving Jake with huge debt and little knowledge of the day-to-day operations, staff, vendors, customers and current operational procedures.

Admit Mistakes

Jake made several mistakes as a business owner but the one that harmed him the most was he gave up leadership of his company.

Jake had not been providing leadership from which all work would be done. One person has to define the vision for the company, the values they hold, the products and services provided and the way everyone will interact with each other, clients, vendors, investors, etc. When Jake gave up leadership, the two lead staff took over setting their own vision, imposing their own values and setting the tone for working with everyone. This change resulted in financial mismanagement, decreased quality and delivery of their products and services as well as relationships altered.

Now What?

When these two men left Jake had a crisis on his hands. He was in enormous debt, could not service his contracts, did not have qualified staff or systems in place, all the knowledge about the operations was held by the two that left and he had lost the faith of his bankers, staff, vendors and clients.

Jake’s Fears

How did Jake get into this mess? It was simple and could easily happen to any of us. Jake is educated and smart, but like all of us he does not know what he does not know as a business owner. Two years ago he felt like he did not know enough to keep his business going so rather than admit his uncertainty and finding a way to learn how to take his business to the next level he abdicated his business to others. Jake’s greatest weakness as a business owner is his fear of not knowing. His greatest strength is his knowledge of his industry and the high values that he brings to his business. His greatest fear, stated by him, is that he is not a leader. Jake is clearly a leader in his family of 14 children and his local community where he works to inspire youth to get an education and sees his role as helping others to be employed and productive. That sense of leadership is missing in his business.

Intuitive Perspective

Jake belongs to a very conservative religion that values humility and allowing others to be senior to them. This affects his ability to set his crown at a leadership vibration. Leadership from the crown chakra is different from the control and command form of leadership which comes from the third Chakra below the sternum.

From an intuitive perspective leadership vibrates in an energy center on the top of the head called the crown Chakra. When you hold your head high and straighten your spine, you experience an energy change. Try it. Suddenly you feel more certain. The crown Chakra sets the energy for our space. We can use this energy center to set the tone in any situation. Notice for yourself. Those who hold their head high show the energy of leadership, seniority and certainty. We notice, listen and pay attention to them. Those who hold their head low, bowed or below others give off the impression of not knowing, not being important, being weaker and certainly not a leader.

Be Willing to Learn and Change

Jake created a successful company for 16 years based on the information he had available to him then he hit his limit. He did not know how to manage or grow his $6 mil. company. In his fear of not knowing, he gave up leadership.

When Jake came back into the company and realized how desperate the situation was he called to discuss business coaching. He was willing to admit that he did not know what it would take to turn things around. After working with Jake for a month I realized it would not work. Jake’s greatest weakness he was his inability to plan and prepare both of which are essential qualities of a business owner and a leader. It is, in fact, the most important ability, to work on the business rather than doing the work of the business. He was simply unwilling to spend the time to create the vision of his company, define the brand he wanted to impart, to develop a financial or organizational plan and all the other foundational components of a successful business. He admitted he hates planning and preparing.

As an intuitive, I see Jake was stuck in an old energy pattern or routine that is familiar and comfortable even if it is not serving him. He was in resistance to changing his space, energy or focus. So if nothing changes within us then nothing changes in our lives or in our creations. In the end we stopped coaching as Jake admitted he could not take the time to plan. He would try to put band aids on his problems for now.

Being willing to lead, admit what we don’t know and to change ourselves first are essential components of success.

As always, your comments and experiences are appreciated.

Best wishes on your success, Kay

Business Coaching

Ego Is Not Leadership

July 31, 2013 ~ Kay Robinson ~ Leave a comment

Leadership seems to come naturally to some and for others it takes learning but one thing is clear, it is no place for the ego.

Ego

A strong ego is not of much use to a leader and, in fact, can get in the way. Ego is about the self. Ego is often confused with being strong. From an intuitive perspective ego is a set of pictures or concepts of our perfect self. We measure ourselves against those pictures. When we like what we see we have a strong ego and we are proud. When we do not feel that we measure up to our perfect self then we are invalidated. Either extreme of the ego does not work in the world of leadership. Leadership is not about self.

Leadership

Leadership is about the ability to lead in contrast to ego, which is about self. A leader who is ego driven may feel strong to himself/herself, likes the sound of their own voice, likes their thinking and their presence. This seems almost like a performer in a play. Leadership is about being strong of spirit, having a sense of purpose, wanting to hear the voice of others, encourages others thinking and has affinity for the people he/she leads. These are stark contrasts.

Jim, the “Leader”

I was speaking with “a leader” in a company. I do not know him well. I was seeking his counsel on a mutual client and colleague. The moment I posed the question for our discussion I saw his aura change with the energy of his ego coming strongly to the forefront. Immediately I sensed that this was not going to be a discussion, that he was going to tell me the right answer because he saw being right was his role as the leader. As you might imagine I could not hear or follow him in the conversation because his ego was so loud and occupied the entire space. In fact, there was no conversation. Jim was leading by pushing his ego into the conversation. Needless to say it did not go well. I let the conversation end quickly so that I could pursue a solution another way.

Hold Your Head High

Being a leader is a way of being on an energy level. A strong leader has a strong crown. Crown refers to an energy center or chakra on the top of the head. This energy center sets the tone for the group. How he/she sets their crown give others a sense of how it feels to work with this leader.

An ego focused person tries to lead from their third chakra, the power center at the base of the sternum. It often feels like control – not leadership – to those under him/her. To be an effective leader means knowing yourself. I love the term, “Know where you are coming from.” From an intuitive perspective this means knowing the energy center do you lead from. This makes all the difference in how people experience your leadership and their willingness to follow.

Lead from Upper Chakras

An effective leader leads from the upper chakras (energy centers). Leading from the crown makes people feel comfortable that someone is in charge and has the certainty to lead. A strong leader also uses the sixth chakra (center of head) to have perspective and experience the ability to see clearly the truth in any situation. The fifth chakra allows the leader to give and receive communication and encourages creativity. Finally the fourth energy center (in the heart) is the ability of the leader to feel affinity for the people he/she leads.

Control/React from Lower Chakras

Leaders who are not effective are those who lead from their lower energy centers (chakras). They lead through control, have their ego in the way, are in competition with others and engage in power struggles through the third chakra (below the sternum). It is not effective to use the emotions of the second chakra (the gut) or to be in fear and survival when operating from the first chakra (base of the spine).

Leadership – A Journey in Self-Awareness

Upper chakra leadership allows the leader to have neutrality and a clear perspective. Operating from the lower chakras causes a leader to be reactive to whatever he/she encounters with little awareness of what is really going on. None of this is logical but it is very intuitive. Notice the energy center from which you or the leader in your business leads. Being aware allows you to grow in your understanding of leadership. Are you a leader? Would you like to be a leader? Begin by noticing what energy center you lead from. Shift your energy to your upper chakras and experience a whole new way of being as a leader and others will allow you to lead.

Best wishes on your success,

Kay

Have Gratitude for Success

June 18, 2013 ~ Kay Robinson ~ Leave a comment

This past week we invited Lynne Twist, the author of “The Soul of Money”, to speak. I read her book years ago and am still reflecting on her perspective that every decision we make is based on “Will this make me money?” or “Will this cost me money?” We are so programmed by money that in the back of our mind we are always weighing these two thoughts. Yikes! Is that really what we want?

Stop Striving

On Thursday Lynne focused on other aspects of money that I want to share with you. She suggested that we let go of trying to get more to free up our creative energy so that we can simply create more. She suggested that we pay attention to what we have, be grateful, make a difference with it and see our world change. This is not at all logical but it is very intuitive.

Have Gratitude

Lynne’s primary message was one of gratitude and gratefulness. These are two energy levels that create a different outcome than being focused on the energy of scarcity and lack. We can focus on having what we need and want or we can focus on our fear of not having. It is our choice, our free will.

What do you choose?

I was working with a business owner yesterday who realizes that her company goes up and down based on where she is in her focus and her thinking. Since we started our coaching relationship a month ago her business is up 12% so now she feels empowered. Even with evidence of her ability to create a successful business she has in the back of her mind fears that it will fail. I pointed out the choice she was presenting herself. She can place her attention on gratitude for what she is creating and see herself continuing to create OR she can place her attention on her fears. Which would you choose?

Thoughts About Money

What would happen if we changed our thinking about money? Try these steps and see what happens to your reality?

Let go of striving and trying so hard to have money
Clear your thinking about money, i.e. lack, not enough
Have a clear vision of what you are creating
Be grateful for what you have already created
Have gratitude for what you have now
Have gratitude for what you are creating

Please share your thoughts about money. There is so much to say about this.

Best wishes on your success, Kay

Be Irresistible!

June 16, 2013September 10, 2014 ~ Kay Robinson ~ Leave a comment

One thing is for sure. You cannot be successful alone. I have seen so many people try. Even those who promote their success as an individual are not alone. They are part of something bigger.

I learned this at a very early age. My dad was successful, and I observed that he spent time being connected and building relationships in a very genuine way. When his connections needed logistics services of one kind, or another they called Bob Robinson, Robinson & Ogilvy. He was irresistible. What does that mean?

This morning I read a blog by Deepak Chopra about how to be irresistible. As I read, his blog I thought of my dad and it is Father’s Day. The characteristics mentioned were: be present, be centered in who you are and what you value; and care. These are my words not Deepak’s, but the concepts are the same.

When you were with my dad, he made you feel like you were the center of his world at that moment. You had his full attention. Everyone who spent time with him felt aware of themselves because he was so focused on them. My dad was very confident. He was an attractive man, who loved to have fun, made connections easily, saw himself as being successful and enjoyed being successful.

Most importantly he cared about others. He made friends with everyone he felt was sincere regardless of their role in his life. His friends were people he felt were honest and genuine from truck drivers to heads of corporations. He was a generous man. He gave to those who in need on the streets, donated to organizations that served a cause that moved him and gave endlessly to his church including an anonymous donation of the altar in a church he helped to build after meeting in a fire station because we did not have a church building.

So what did I learn about being successful?

Be present so that you know who you are being in the moment.
Build real, genuine connections.
Be centered in yourself. Know who you want to be and be that.
Care about others, be sincere, give, have compassion and be part of something bigger than yourself.
In the end, I saw my dad as bigger than his business and his success. His business served his life, and he made his life have value. He was not boastful and never saw himself above, important or better. He simply enjoyed being.

Was he perfect? Not at all. He had faults and had tough times like us all. I am grateful on this Father’s Day for what I learned about success, being and caring.

Best wishes on your success, Kay

Business Outside the Box

June 12, 2013 ~ Kay Robinson ~ Leave a comment

What do you do when you cannot define what you do? Sounds confusing and for those in this dilemma it is. I have noticed an interesting trend among many small business owners. They cannot decide what they do and from my perspective that is the wrong question. The question is who am I and what do I bring forward?

Yesterday I visited a business owner at her office and noticed that she had three different businesses named on her door. Have you met a business owner who hands you two or three different business cards for what they do? I experience this quite often and have done it myself.

When I first met Dave I asked him what he did. He was hard pressed to tell me specifically. My impression was he helped with marketing your business but I was not sure how. His company did website design, made videos, took photos, helped with mobile marketing, social media, etc. I had another client who needed marketing support so I wanted to know so I could put them together.

Another client, Marcia, is struggling to define her niche. She is an artist (sells her art), an interior designer for high-end clients, web designer, stager for fund-raising house tours, develops landscape designs, etc. Her question is how to market herself. Stacy is the business owner with three business signs on her door and a long list of coaching certifications to define her business.

I work with business owners to define the business they are creating when it is not so much a brick and mortar business like my other clients, i.e., a very successful heating and air conditioning installation business. Even my client, Kim, who owns a CPA firm, which seems pretty specific, is struggling to define her services and target market. She sees herself as more than a CPA.

This same dilemma can happen with professionals. Nicole has been a CFO for years and is looking for a change. She spoke about her passion for motorcycles and teaching. To her these are all different parts of her life. Working with her I suggested that she not see them as separate but all that she is. In the end she took a job as a CFO for a company that sells motorcycles and a job description that involved teaching and mentoring financial staff in each division.

From an intuitive perspective there is a new brand of businesses and professionals emerging that cannot be placed in a box. All of these business owners have one thing in common. They are all very intuitive whether they would define it that way or not. They each have an intuitive sense about their area of focus. For example, Dave is very good at “reading” a business and a business owner to decide the best way to set up communication between the company and possible customers. Dave knows about online & mobile communications but his real talent is an intuitive sense of how to create communication. What box does that fit in? So if you ask Dave what he does, he is not a web designer, a video producers, a photographer, an apps developer, etc. though he does all those things. Dave establishes communication.

Marcia helps you make your world more beautiful in any way that you that you want. Stacy helps you know who you are and what is important in your life. Kim helps her clients get out of fear of money. This is the truth of what they do. This is not your typical business elevator pitch nor does it fit the traditional perspective that says you must fit into a box. I am sure they wish that they could and want to but that box does not fit for them.

So the first question is not “What do I do?” The trend toward out of the box businesses comes from the business owner knowing who they are, what is important to them and what they want to bring into the world then creating their business. Taking all that we are and seeing it as a whole and not apart brings us to a new place. We can get a job, do work or create a business OR we can express who we are through what we do in our work or in our business. It is a journey in self-awareness. It is a new way of thinking about what we do. It is more than the skills that we have. It is who we are.

If you are going to work in a job or create a business why not chose to create one that reflects who you are even if it is out of the box. The culture of business is changing and this is one of those ways.

Best wishes on your success, Kay

Staff Supporting Your Vision

April 30, 2013 ~ Kay Robinson ~ Leave a comment

Karen owns an interior design company and when I first met her she was working out of a large one-room office in Berkeley with another designer in a one-room office in Concord. She had an office manager and two part-time designers. She rented space to another designer to help pay the bills.

Karen’s work was well respected and her clients liked working with her but she was not making enough money to create the kind of company she wanted. We worked on her vision. She was able to dream big and was not afraid to face her demons, the pictures and energy that were in her way.

The first step was to use meditation as a tool to clear her thinking, to clarify her vision and to get out of fear. Karen wanted to approach her business from an intuitive perspective so meditation was an easy fit for her.

One of Karen’s big obstacles was her staff. They did not share her vision. Something had to change so the next step was to bring staff into alignment with her vision or let them go. It was a rocky time as Karen is a healer meaning she wants to help people. This hurt her business. Her rates were low and she gave more to her staff than they gave to her business. Her Berkeley staff decided to leave and subsequent hires did not go well as Karen hired people she felt compassion for. They call came and went.

In meditation Karen released her need to heal the people that she hired. Finally she was able to find enough neutrality to hire highly qualified staff that supported her vision and who she did not have to heal. This changed everything.

With this new staff Karen felt comfortable changing her rates to the level that supported her value and the value of her company. To make this work Karen had her lead staff receive coaching as well with the goal that each of them would own their department, set goals, clear their thinking and have a strong vision of success in their area of responsibility.

Did I mention “departments”? Yes, her company in its new design has departments, home design, office design and sales. Her staff is in agreement with her vision; see their role in creating success and use meditation as a way to stay clear and focused.

This year Karen opened her third office in Marin and expanded her offices in Berkeley and Concord. She was able to do this because she was willing to get out of her own way, to see where she was stuck, release energy and create a clear vision. Inviting her staff to share in her vision and her practice of using intuition and meditation strengthened this. Karen’s greatest challenge is to not let fear stop her and to watch when she is healing everyone. She is eager to be self-aware and how she is creating her success. This year with strong staff in place her focus is on her personal life so that her business serves her life.

Having a vision is powerful. Having your staff share your vision is more powerful.

Best wishes on your success, Kay

Can’t fool your customers

April 21, 2013 ~ Kay Robinson ~ Leave a comment

Your brand is everything. Your customers and potential customers experience it everywhere they interact with you, your staff, your website, etc. Knowing how you want everyone to experience and think about your business is the basis for your brand.

We all know this and most businesses work hard to have their staff represent their brand as well as having others experience it at all other possible touch points with your business, i.e website, print materials, ads and more. This is important for your customers to feel good about working with you and to come back again and again because they like your brand and how it feels to them.

Researching a business insurance option recently I was attracted to a company because of their products, pricing and the brand image they promoted including friendly, efficient and personalized service. They said they were fun to work with. I experienced this from the account representative and was pleased with their brand promise as he described it.

The last step was to exchange documents. I took the opportunity to go into the company’s local office. When I walked in I could feel the tension in the air. The receptionist smiled, acted friendly and pleasant but the feeling in the space was completely different. I could see and feel the conflict in this office. I felt as though I was interrupting something. I could not wait to leave. I have not yet finalized my contract with them. Their brand promise and how it felt in their office were not the same.

Everyone is intuitive. Our gut reaction makes a difference. For this reason I work with my clients to not only express their brand in all the usual ways but to also in their office, store, warehouse, etc. and to be aware of the energy of their staff. Acting friendly and smiling does not hide the energy in someone or in the space. The brand experience has to be genuine. Everyone is intuitive meaning they can feel, see and know what is real.

Being aware of the energy experience in your office or your staff is important to your success. If it does not feel right to you it will not feel right to your customers. Take the time to notice the energy of your business, your staff, your offices, etc. Take steps to change the energy if it is not consistent with the brand of your business. This is not something you do once. Monitoring the energy of your business is something to be done every day.

I don’t recommend that decisions are made from the gut or gut reaction but in reality people do this all the time. Take the time to set the energy of your business to your customers gut reaction is consistent with your brand promise.

Best wishes on your success, Kay

Contact me if you would like a consultation on the energy experience of your business.

The World You Desire

December 28, 2012 ~ Kay Robinson ~ Leave a comment

Welcome to the new year. Every change in cycles is an opportunity to create. In our culture we tend to say the new year is a time to fix something, make resolutions we won’t keep, to change ourselves in someway, etc. Another perspective might be to simply be more of who we are, to focus more on what is important to us and what we value. It could be a time to create something new, to see everything as an opportunity and to take back our world. It is a matter of perspective. How do you tend to see things? Do you see opportunities or do you become discouraged by what is? This is free will and we all have it. Your Choice.

Your Choice

What do you choose for the new year? How do you choose to be in this moment and each moment? It is so clear to me that it is time for a change in every level of our culture and our country. Things have gotten off track, out of sync, etc. We are watching people being discouraged by lack of shared values. From an intuitive perspective it is the ending of a cycle.

The Old and a New Cycle

A new cycle is beginning. The old cycle that controlled, based on competition, self-serving, me first, money at all cost, logic only, success above all else, hierarchy,war, etc.is ending which is why we are seeing turmoil in old structures (political and corporate). It is not because they were bad it is simply a change in cycles. The new cycle is about collaboration, cooperation, support, values, self-awareness, intuition,circles, peace, success, greater good, green, social responsibility, etc.

Where Are You

The ending of the old cycle and the start of the new begins with each of us acting in each moment from what is important to us and what we value, being conscious and aware of how we are being. This influences our family which influences our community and so on. As we build a new group agreement based on values we have always had within us then everything will change. If we stay in the old accepted point of view we will be out of sync with the new cycle that has already begun. Where are you? In the old or in the new? If you don’t embrace where you want to be you will be pushed by the energy around you.

Ending Violence

I have been very affected by the energy of conflict which has been part of the old cycle. We can not simply accept a broken political system, countries at war, violence in our streets, being in conflict with each other. It is a time for new perspective personally and professionally. Voices of the old cycle cannot continue to control our world. Voices of the new cycle do not control either. They are simply authentic and clear.

Forget Resolutions – Make Changes

Rather than make new years resolutions try coming into present time with the new cycle. Mediate and imagine in your mind’s eye the world you desire. Be aware of what is important to you and what you value then be that in every action you take, every communication you have and decision you make. In this way you become part of a new year and a new age – personally and professionally. Happy New Year.

Best wishes on your success in the new year, Kay

Setting the Energy for Success

October 30, 2012October 30, 2012 ~ Kay Robinson ~ Leave a comment

During October we focused on setting the energy for success. What does it mean to set energy? Quantum physics demonstrates what we have known for a long time that we have an effect on everything by where we place our attention. But it is more than placing our attention. We can create change through our attention. In doing so we can make things better or worse so being conscious and aware of where we place our attention is an important ability to develop.

Whatever thought we dwell on becomes our reality. Scary thought if we are not paying attention. For example, it is not a coincidence that something happens to you right after spending some time dwelling on it. Dwelling on it is the same as focusing on it. We have a thought and we begin to imagine what it would be like, adding our energy to the thought. Poof! It manifests. I was working with a client and she worried that she would be laid off. There was no evidence to that effect but she got stuck on that thought, worried about it (adding energy), imagined what she would do if she was laid off (expanded the picture in her mind) then became anxious (adding more energy). As imagined she was laid off and to this day I know her supervisor is wondering why they laid off someone so capable.

My efforts to have her take her attention off her fear of being laid off fell on deaf ears. She could have just as easily dwelled on and imagined being successful in her job, being enthusiastic about that (adding energy to that concept) then that thought would have manifested. We have free will to create whatever we choose so be careful what you dwell on.

Setting energy is a way to consciously focus your attention and your energy on precisely what you would like to see happen and experience. Being intentional is a far better practice than dwelling on what we fear or resist.

During this month we focused on some specific areas we can set energy. You can do this as well. Try understanding your ability to set energy in the following areas.

Your Space & Your Success: How do you want to be? How are you being in your work? Everyone is intuitive so how do others experience you? How would you like them to experience you? Set your space in a way that supports your success.
Your Office or Workspace: How do you feel when you are in your office or workspace? Are you inspired or do you feel irritated? Identify what irritates you. It could be someone, something, the energy level, etc. Make changes to raise the energy level of your workspace so that you feel inspired. Clear the clutter, rearrange the space, fix what is broken, move away from someone negative, etc.
Communication: Communication is more than words. It is an intuitive experience. Take the time to notice how you want to be when in communication with someone. Remember that everyone is intuitive so what are they picking up from you? What is the goal of your communication? What is on your mind? Clear your thinking. What energy is in your space? You can’t hide it so change it to the vibration you want others to experience from you.
Achieve A Goal: Setting energy to meet a particular goal. You have a goal. Can you see it in your mind’s eye? Notice how you react to your goal. What are your thoughts about it? How do you feel (your energy level) when you put your attention on this goal? Now clear your thinking and change your energy so that your goal can manifest in the way you desire.

There are recorded meditations on each of these areas if interested in learning more about how to set energy for success. Series is “Setting Energy for Success” To buy.

Best wishes on your success,

Kay

If you can imagine it …

October 6, 2012October 6, 2012 ~ Kay Robinson ~ 1 Comment

A photographer told me a great story of a surprising step she took in her business. Kathy has a cute, quaint 400 sq. ft. photography studio. She loves the look and feel of it but it has become clear that it no longer fits her needs. It is simply too small. She needs a much bigger space but feared she could not afford this. Though she did not proactively look for new space she did none the less keep the idea of new space in her mind. She thought of it often and imagined the kind of space she wanted, where it would be located, how much she would pay and all the details that described her ideal new studio.

Last Thursday she was walking in the area of her current studio and saw a For Rent sign on a store front. She felt energy move through her. Feeling excited and inspired she called the landlord and saw the property on Friday. It was perfect, 1000 sq. feet, high ceilings, open space on a cute street with other small businesses. She knew immediately this was what she had imagined. It gave her chills to realize her vision manifested. At this moment her concerns about paying more in rent were gone. She could see her business growing in this larger space. Monday she completed the rent application and by Tuesday had signed a new lease.

Kathy is still aglow realizing that her vision manifested. Her plan is to pay rent on both spaces in the short run to create a grounded move into her new studio. Her fears about money are gone.

Kathy’s story about her vision manifesting is exactly how we create. The more aware we become of this ability the more we can manifest our vision of success.

Best wishes on your success,

Kay

If you would like to learn to create your vision of success just email me.

If it does not feel right…

August 22, 2012August 22, 2012 ~ Kay Robinson ~ Leave a comment

One of my client’s is making a serious effort to double her revenue. Claire was inspired by how easily she increased her revenue by 30% this year. (She did use the word easy in hindsight.) With this new goal in mind Claire developed a marketing strategy that takes advantage of all the new ways of marketing. Most of this plan is out of her comfort zone so she looked for experts in a variety of areas to carry out her plan.

Claire is clear about her new marketing strategy. She has done her homework. Her task is to find the right people. At first she was drawn to professionals she has used in the past and who are loyal to her and her company. She thinks they could do some of it including her sister who is a professional writer. Recently a PR expert at a networking event approached Claire. She agreed to hear what she had to offer. Finally she received recommendations from myself and other trusted advisors of professionals she may want to interview.

Before she began the process of finding a team she took the time to meditate on her vision of success, which for this upcoming year meant doubling her revenue. She felt if she could not see this clearly then how could she navigate a team toward this goal. Claire meditated until she cleared her thinking and could see clearly doubling her revenue. She then meditated and imagined a team of experts who would help bring in new clients with specific demographics, a team that would work together, enthusiastically and collaborate to achieve her vision of success.

My task was to watch intuitively to see what was driving Claire’s choices so that loyalty did not trump skill and strong salesmanship did not talk her into something that was not a good fit.

As Claire sorted through her options, she used both a logical and intuitive approach. She checked credentials, looked at samples of everyone’s work, interviewed writers, social media experts, PR professionals, graphic designers, etc. Her most difficult decision came when her intuition told her not to use the writer and marketing person she used in the past. This was not a logical decision. She just felt intuitively that they were not the right fit for the level of growth she envisioned. Claire did stay with her graphics team who are young, inspired and push her to think in new ways. They stayed on the team!

The PR person had a strong presence and was very interested in helping Claire increase the visibility of her business but in the end something just did not feel right. Claire found herself finding fault with the proposal, their communication, etc. then she realized that she did not need to find fault. The PR company just did not feel right. It was not logical. She stopped trying to find fault (logic) and simply decided not pursue this strategy at this time. It was intuitive.

Finally, she needed a social media expert. This is a new and growing field in which an expert is not well-defined. She decided in the end to interview three of the five people on her list of possible experts. Her choice of the three was intuitive and she was correct. In those interviews she found someone who described an approach that fit for Claire and how she saw her brand.

Coincidentally, immediately after Claire and I met to finalize her marketing plan and the team she would be hiring, her phones were ringing off the hook. Three new-targeted clients called and scheduled appointments. Claire felt that was a miracle! From my perspective is was Claire’s vision of success beginning to manifest.

Best wishes on your success, Kay

Let me know if you would like an review of your marketing strategy from an intuitive perspective. kay@insightintuitiveconsulting.com

Fear of Loss – It’s Just a Story

July 27, 2012 ~ Kay Robinson ~ Leave a comment

Most of what I know about success I learned from my clients, those that succeeded and those that have not. This story is about how thoughts are creative especially when they stimulate our fears. We have control – when we pay attention and clear our thinking.

Kathy is a consultant. She has one very big contract that keeps her busy most of the time though she has other clients as well. Every now and then she goes into fear that if she looses this primary client it will devastate her. As with any business we know not to rely on one or two contracts though many successful businesses have done just that for years. The intuitive point in this story is Kathy has a fear (picture) in her mind (space) that is at her core. She has expressed several times that she wants to get of fear of not having the money she needs and wants.

As an intuitive I have observed that we are always getting our goals. Kathy has declared that one of her goals is to get out of fear. Once we have a goal our world changes in ways that help us achieve that goal. Often that means experiencing what we fear so that we can get out of it. Watching Kathy intuitively I saw her creating ways to re-stimulate her fear of losing a client not because she wanted this to happen but so that she could use the opportunity to get out of fear.

Intuitively I watched this fear picture move to the surface (of her space) and experiences begin to happen. The first was Mandy, who taught her and mentored her for years to become a consultant, called to say that she lost her biggest client and now was in serious financial straits. This was big for Kathy. If it could happen to Mandy then it could happen to her. The person who was the expert just created what Kathy feared the most. I cautioned Kathy to pay close attention to her reaction and not to go into sympathy because in doing do she brings her mentors problem into her space where is could easily manifest for her as well. I suggested that she consider Mandy as her teacher in a new way. Learn by looking intuitively and seeing what caused Mandy to create this and see if Kathy has a similar concept so that she could clear this thought.

The next experience was with one of executives who works for her largest client. He told her the new CFO wanted to cut Kathy’s contract in half. Panic! She immediately believed it was true. I warned Kathy not to place her attention on that thought knowing that whatever thought you place your attention on will manifest. It does not matter whether it is something that you want or something that you fear. Kathy did not have to take that communication as her reality.

Finally, her best friend called to say that her husband’s pay was cut 60% and they were doomed. When Kathy told me these three scenarios one after another I began to laugh and asked Kathy if she could see that there was no coincidence here. She has a choice. She could match the pictures and see all of this happening to her – her greatest fear – and it would or she could use this opportunity to get her goal to get out of fear by clearing her thinking. Again I cautioned against dwelling on these stories or going into sympathy.

At the end of her session Kathy spent time meditating on seeing clearly her vision of success, releasing her fear and clearing her thinking. Kathy knows that her vision of success does not depend on this client. That it can manifest in a number of ways. However, Kathy did not want to lose her client so we meditated on her having a conversation with the new CFO and visualized how she would like that conversation to go.

Kathy reported back that despite all her fears the conversation with the CFO went very well. She continues to check herself when she goes into fear before her thinking distorts her reality.

Be aware of your thinking. It’s just your story.

Best wishes on your success, Kay

Schedule a consultation

Taking Control of Our Thinking

July 5, 2012 ~ Kay Robinson ~ Leave a comment

Watching very capable business owners and professionals for the past 20+ years has brought me to the same conclusion many have said before. Thoughts are creative.

Those who see clearly what they are creating, stay focused and determined succeed. Some do not have a clear vision and so nothing is manifesting. This is not difficult to understand. Imagine that you are the creator. If you do not have a clear idea of what you want to create then nothing manifests. Still others have a clear vision followed by a great many thoughts that tell them why what they envision cannot happen and so it does not.

This brought me to a very clear understanding of how we manifest. It sounds easy but it is not. The most difficult task before us is to control our thinking. When we stay focused on our vision, align our thinking and our feelings to support our vision it will manifest. On the other hand if we let our thinking drift to argue against our success then what we are creating comes to a stop because we thought so.

As an intuitive I can see this clearly. We always have either a vision or a thought. Something is on our mind. It can be something we want or something we do not want. It is all the same. Our energy begins to form around that picture (vision or thought) and once enough energy gathers it becomes a physical reality.

With this in mind, I work with people who focus on success (personal or professional) to clear their thinking, notice what they are thinking and stay focused on a very clear vision.

I find that some of us are set in our ways, have a certain way of thinking and believe what we think. If we are not accustomed to change then nothing changes. Dwelling in negative thoughts, unable to imagine a new reality, don’t believe their vision can manifest are some of the more common forms of thinking that get in the way of success.

Success comes from a clear vision, focusing all our thoughts, feelings and actions to that end. Do not be deterred. Don’t see problems but only solutions. Keep moving forward even if you do not know precisely how to get there.

When we can become conscious and aware of our thinking, take control of it so that we don’t dwell on thoughts that negate our vision and work hard to change our thinking about things success comes easily. We read stories all the time of people who tells the story of how they imagined success in a very particular way then it manifested. Kate Winslett tells about standing in front of a mirror practicing her Academy Award acceptance speech while she was in college.

I recommend meditation though that is not the only way to clear our thinking and open our awareness. I work with business owners and professionals every day to clear their thinking and create a strong vision they can manifest as success.

Best wishes on your success, Kay

www.insightintuitiveconsulting.com

Business from the Ashes

June 16, 2012 ~ Kay Robinson ~ Leave a comment

Tracy is not my client though she shows up at every free event that I have. I do not mind that but it does make we wonder. Her story is one of giving up, stepping out of the energy of success then trying to get back in.

Twenty years ago Tracy and her friend, Kathy, started a business together. They created a wonderful model for searching for the ideal staff person but even more than that they prepared people for those jobs. Their model is proprietary. It worked and brought them instant success. Their business model allowed them to work together or with their own clients. All was well and money was flowing in. Their combined female creative energy was a fireball that inspired everyone they worked with.

Because Tracy is not my client as I only met her when giving a talk at a group of business owners I cannot tell what went wrong and it really does not matter. Something I said and the growth period Tracy was in caused her to look to me for an answer.

It is now 20 years later. She is turning 50 and her business is dead. Tracy was desperate to know why and how to get it going again. Frankly she needed the money more than she wanted to have a business. My intuitive read was she had taken her attention off creating her business sometime ago thinking it would continue on its own steam letting her staff run the day-to-day work of the business. She was wrong.

Vision of Success

A business is a vision (a picture) when energized by the owner becomes a reality. Conversely when the owner of that vision (picture, business) takes their attention (their energy) off their vision it begins to dissipate. I know you all are thinking this out logically but I am describing something that I see energetically. This is why the a strong vision by an owner is so critical to the success of any business.

The only other way her plan would have worked is if there was a particular staff person who had a strong vision and ownership of that vision such that he/she would use their life force energy to manifest it. This is rare though it does happen. That was not the case here. Her business died from lack of vision and energy.

Tracy needed to get her vision back or create a new one then focus (energize) that vision.

Success in Past Time

When I offered to Tracy that she needed to get out of her house and back into the world and into her business, the pain in her space was too great. She had pulled her energy out so much that she no longer has a vision of success. When I suggested that she create a new vision of her company in present time she declared that was not possible. She believed her success was in the model she created originally.

Tracy’s vision and energy are stuck in a past time success and she is unwilling or unable to create a new vision in present time. When we have our energy of success in the past we are not able to create success in present time. This is not logical but it is intuitive. I saw clearly that Tracy has the ability to create success.

Creative Energy

For sometime Tracy let the energy in her body drop very low. When you looked at her you could see the spark that was Tracy but her creative energy and life force energy were low. There is no way to create from a low vibration so her next step was to get dressed, get out of her house and into the business world. She knew this was going to be hard.

Havingness

Successful people vibrate at an energy level I call havingness. It means simply that they expect to have what they want. They imagine it happening. They expect it to happen. Their vision is strong and they are certain. Tracy had that when she created her business so I know she has that ability within her. She is not at that vibration at this moment. I suggested that she meditate to clear her thinking, see her vision of success in present time and get the creative energy moving.

Support

When Tracy realized she could not get out of the low vibration, create a new vision, let go of the past and get back into the world she looked for support. Tracy partnered with another company that does her work globally hoping that by aligning herself with a bigger company she would get the energy moving in her business. Logically it sounds like a good plan. Intuitively we have to have energy moving in our space to have energy moving in our creations so she still has to do this for herself.

Tracy’s next steps as I see them from an intuitive perspective are:

Get energy moving in her space. Raise the energy in her body.
Get back into her business.
Create a new vision in present time. Stop thinking and create a vision.
Pull energy out of her past success.
Create in present time even if that means a new business model.
Clear her thinking.
See herself as successful in present time – raise her havingness

Tracy is a really good example of how we can lose our business then take steps to create it again in present time. I do not now if she will decide to do this that is yet to be seen though I see her taking steps to see if she can make it happen.

Your story may not be the same as Tracy’s but if you are looking to re-energize your business or career these same principles apply.

Nothing is impossible and determination (focused energy) can change everything.

Best wishes on your success, Kay

Inspired Success

Remember What You Prayed For

April 29, 2012April 29, 2012 ~ Kay Robinson ~ Leave a comment

When I began working with Sara a year ago she had one very large corporate contract that was her primary work along with a few private clients. Everything was going well but she worried that if her large contract for some reason was cut she would experience too large a loss. Sara wanted to create another large corporate contract with the idea of adding staff to her business.

We identified the type of corporations she wanted to approach and began to develop a plan to secure those contracts. This list included what Sara would call her “fantasy” company, a large famous company that she always wanted to work with but with a laugh wondered if it was possible.

As part of the plan to secure another contract I asked Sara how she would make room for this additional work, as her schedule was already fully booked. This question always seemed to end the conversation and the planning but time and time again Sara would bring up the need to secure new contracts though she did not take actions to make it happen.

As an intuitive I know a few principals always in play.

We are always getting our goals.
Whatever we resist will manifest.
A strong vision manifests.

These may not be logical but they are very intuitive so I worried that Sara was not aware of what she was creating. She was resisting loosing or reducing her current contract. She had a strong vision of bringing on a new contract but was not making creating a plan or space for it.

As I mentioned we are always getting our goals so here is how it is turning out for Sara. She raised her fees for her current contract and they agreed. Not coincidentally, a few of the executives she was working with left the company thus reducing the work she was doing with them. Her first reaction was fear at loosing this contract. This is not logical but could manifest if she believes that it will. In reality the contract reduced a little, enough to give her room to bring on another contract or client.

Also not coincidentally an executive from her fantasy company called to discuss her services and contracted with her to work with one executive as a beginning step to a larger contract! She was beyond thrilled. And finally one of her private clients referred her company to Sara. She just submitted a proposal to secure a new contract with them.

Now with all of Sara’s vision beginning to manifest my question still is how is she going to provide services to all the clients she has created. This will make her take the next step in her vision of success, adding staff to her business.

I love this story as I watched it unfold. I watched Sara’s vision created so my message is remember what you pray for because it is manifesting.

Best wishes on your success,

Kay

Free Q&A each Monday 5 – 5:30 PM Pacific. Call to ask a question. 1 (218) 862-7200 Access 299398 or SKYPE mkayrobinson

The definition of insanity or success

April 25, 2012 ~ Kay Robinson ~ Leave a comment

You have heard the definition of insanity. That same concept applies to business and success. From an intuitive perspective the way that you think now, your routine, actions, perspective, attitude, approach and energy level all create what you are experiencing, have and are creating in this moment. If nothing changes in these areas then nothing will change in your life or your work. You may reach a goal or two but your vision of success personally and professionally remains beyond your reach.

On other hand if you allow and create change then everything else changes. Some of those changes might include:
• Change your thinking
• Get out of your routine
• Develop a new perspective
• Take different actions
• Adopt a new attitude
• Approach everything in a new way
• Change your energy level

These sound simple but it’s not that easy. We are creatures of habit. We have automatic defaults for the above and when we are not paying attention we automatically revert to our default. You might say we are set in our ways.

There are other levels of change you can create within you as well changes outside yourself, i.e. the people around you, where you spend your time, your physical environment. This is why vacations are so helpful. We get out of an old pattern into an entirely different space. It’s why changing offices, redecorating, etc. can raise the energy. Letting go of staff that are no longer in agreement or bringing in new staff at a higher vibration creates a sudden success.

While changes external to you can give an energy boost this is temporary. The real change has to come from within. Success in many ways is a state of mind and being at a high energy level. Each day is an opportunity to reflect or meditate on your space. The answers may not always be logical so don’t look for that. Allow your intuition as you meditate, clear your space and reset your energy. Ask:
• How are you doing?
• What is on your mind?
• Who is on your mind?
• What are your thoughts about your vision of success?
• How am I in my way?
• And more

I have clients who embrace change, are eager to know themselves and what they can change to reach their vision of success. Other clients want to reach their vision of success but are not good at allowing or creating change. They persist in old patterns that do not serve them so nothing changes.

Being aware of what is behind you or inside of you gives you the chance to create your vision of success. Once you have decided the change you want to be and create then be conscious of doing so. If nothing else be conscious of creating a single change within you each day, see how things are different then create another change until you reach your vision of success. If nothing changes within you then nothing changes in what you are manifesting.

Best wishes on your success,

Kay

Free Q&A: Your Question about Success. Each Monday from 5 – 5:30 PM Pacific you can call in to ask a question or listen to others. 1 (218) 862-7200 Access 299398 or SKYPE mkayrobinson

Consultation

Responsible until it all explodes!

April 10, 2012 ~ Kay Robinson ~ Leave a comment

It was a great week as an intuitive business consultant. The business owners and professionals I worked with showed great insights that apply to everyone. Here is one example.

Sara called me when her front office person suddenly quit. Her business was in the middle of completing several very large projects and she could not afford to have Gwen walk out. How did this happened? Why did she quit? Sara was trying to analyze what was going on with Gwen. I suggested to Sara that it was not about Gwen. Her front office position has exploded at least four times that I was aware of.

This made her changed her focus and look at the front office to see what was causing people to up and leave. She saw intuitively that her front office looked like an energy dump. Everything landed there. Unconsciously it had become the place where every communication, problem or task not owned by another staff person landed. Everyone assumed the front would pick up the slack, be there when others were not, field all the calls, respond to client problems for everyone, keep a watchful eye on everything, etc.

When the energy built up it exploded and the person in the front walked out. In the end, Sara called Gwen to come back with a plan to protect the front office as it was important part of the business.

This story is not unusual. For Sara’s company it was the front office. In your company it may be another but in general it is the person or place where all the energy lands and responsibilities pile up. No matter how capable someone is and willing to take it on, everyone is sensitive to energy. When the energy level is too great it is a natural instinct to get away from it. We all do this all the time. Paying attention to the place where most of the energy lands in your business is critical to your success because when it explodes it affects everything.

It is easy not notice the energy building up because the person handling it is typically very capable, responsible, willing to handling more and more. Because this is what we want from this person we don’t see what is happening. When it explodes, it does not have to do with them. It has to do with the amount of energy, attention and responsibility put into one place. Energy is real.

Take the time to sit quietly and notice where the energy falls in your business. Who is catching the most energy even if they are trying to be responsible and handle it all? Decide what you can do to de-energize that place or position because it is a valuable part of your success. You will be glad you did.

Best wishes on your success,

Kay

Business Consultation

Do you have your clients attention?

April 1, 2012 ~ Kay Robinson ~ Leave a comment

When meeting with a potential client notice if you have their full attention or is it elsewhere? I attended a meeting with one of my clients to read the energy and keep the meeting grounded. Fred is a producer. He works to develop relationships with national and international ad agencies. One of those agencies asked to meet with Fred and his creative partners to discuss a project. They wanted to know how the technologies Fred used on other projects might make theirs go viral.

Taking Time to Be Present

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

What happens when your potential client is spaced out?

The ad agency producer, Paul, came to the meeting with an art director, Sam. I noticed right off that the producer was not present. His attention was elsewhere. The task was to find a way to bring Paul’s attention and awareness fully into this meeting. No one had met Paul or Same before so this gave the opportunity for introductions with hopes this would bring his attention to the meeting. This did not do the trick. I kept saying hello to him asking about his role at the agency and his clients. That did not do the trick either. He answered my question but his attention was still distracted. His gaze was not at us but “out there” somewhere.

Staying present when others are “spaced out” or not focused in the moment is hard but important to keeping the conversation grounded. So Fred paid attention to staying present.

The Importance of Being Present

It was important that Fred and his team have a grounded and clear communication with this potential client if he wanted any chance of securing this contract. Fred turned his attention to Sam, the art director, and noticed that he was focused and enthusiastic to have the conversation. It was clear that Sam would be the client at this meeting.

The creative discussion went well. I noticed that Paul’s attention slowly came into the room. I could see that he 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 Paul’s attention was more with us but part of his attention was still outside on something else.

Getting Present

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

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

Every business owner knows the importance of making an impression on that very first contact. That impression depends not only on what the business owner or staff present but also on the space of the potential client 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 and awareness into the moment will determine their ability to hear what you present.

I hope this insight will be of use to you in your next presentation.

Best wishes on your success,

Kay

Intuition in Life & Success

Whatever you imagine is being created!

Business

Failure Is Easy

Is Your Potential Client With You in the Moment?

You’ve Gotta Feel It To Make It

Change Will Happen – Gracefully or Not So Gracefully

Multi-tasking done right

Work fast. Work hard. Really?

Never From NEED!

What you don’t know is important

New Culture of Business

Stuck on the Wrong Solution

Gut Feelings, Intuition & Decisions

Don’t Start Work Until

Don’t Get in The Way of Your Leadership

Ego Is Not Leadership

Have Gratitude for Success

Be Irresistible!

Business Outside the Box

Staff Supporting Your Vision

Can’t fool your customers

The World You Desire

Setting the Energy for Success

If you can imagine it …

If it does not feel right…

Fear of Loss – It’s Just a Story

Taking Control of Our Thinking

Business from the Ashes

Remember What You Prayed For

The definition of insanity or success

Responsible until it all explodes!

Do you have your clients attention?

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