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You want to live a life full of achievement to feel like you are getting ahead and progressing toward your goals. The experts in this book understand what it takes to achieve success and how to keep doing the work when all you want to do is quit. Each of us denes success in our own way, and even so-ciety judges success dierently than previous generations because there is access to unlimited people. When we are in the moment of living our lives, it can be hard to see what can qualify as an achievement. In a world where you are only as good as your last achievement, it can feel like you are on a hamster wheel of never-ending struggle to achieve what you want out of life and work. That is why stopping and taking stock of what you’ve achieved in life so far is vital. Throughout our lives, we have times of plenty, where everything we touch turns to gold, and we feel successful. We also have times of famine, where nothing works out no matter how hard we try. This is why having a record of your achievements is so important. It reminds us of what we are capable of.

Sharing our achievements with others opens doors and invites opportunities we never imagined possible. When you are excited about the problems you solve, others will start to see you as capable, responsible, and skilled. You be-come the go-to person to help them achieve their goals and support organi-zations to meet their targets. Yet, most of us are too humble to blow our own horn. We feel uncomfortable when put on the hot seat to share our achievements and successes with oth-ers. Sharing our accomplishments makes us vulnerable to attack from those who enjoy knocking people o their pedestals. In this book, you will learn how to make time to accomplish your personal and professional goals without burning out. You will hear inspiring stories to mo-tivate you to keep going and take one step towards your ultimate goal. The experts you will listen to on these pages will give you actionable ideas you can immediately undertake to improve your results. Full access pass holders can download workbooks, watch videos, and read full articles to go deeper and learn how to achieve the success they want in their life, career, or business. The sky is The limiT - The page is blank Where you go is 100% up to you are you ready to achieve more in your life?

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The Inconvenient Truthby Shannon Peel“I was so busy the rst part of 2020 I didn’t realize what was going on in the world. When I nally looked up from my computer screen, the world outside was empty, and I was no longer too busy to notice.” At the end of 2019, I had no idea what to do. After a long, demoralizing job search, which resulted in abject failure and a broken spirit, I’d moved into the world of self-employment. However, I was fooling myself. I basically went from trying to get employers to see my value to getting business owners to see my value, all while telling them, “I have no value.” I was not self-em-ployed; I was unemployed, playing at business, and I was out of time. I need-ed to look at the cold, hard, inconvenient truth. Then, on January 1st, 2020, a switch was ipped, and suddenly, I had to pay clients with more paying work waiting in the wings. Things were going to be OK. I wouldn’t have to move back in with my parents. Phew!In February, I was too busy to read the news, so I didn’t fully comprehend what was coming down the pipeline. I was too distracted by work to listen to the warnings. I was too focused to care. Things had nally turned around for me, and I didn’t want any doom and gloom raining on my parade, so I ignored it. Then the work waiting in the wings disappeared. For the rst two months of 2020, they had called me every day, excited to let me know where they were on the project, and now, I couldn’t get them to answer the phone. I was sud-denly o the team, and I had no idea why.

Moving back in with my parents was becoming a reality. The Problem Businesses need my services. However, most muddle their way through with a DIY approach or hire larger agencies with track records. The competition in my eld is overwhelming. The remote digital nature of the job means I have access to global markets. However, so do businesses, and they can hire a guy in India for a lot less than I charge. Hell, everyone is a marketer these days, and with the tools available, who needs me to do the work for them? I do good work. In fact, I know I deliver exceptional work within a short pe-riod of time. I am the kind of person who picks up the ball and runs with it to get the job done. I complete what I start. I take action. I push projects for-ward. I know I work harder than most people and I have a variety of skills to complete projects others cannot complete without a team of people. I know I am unique because of my vast skill set, my varied experience, my ability to understand complex problems and bring them to simplied solutions. I’m full of potential, but I’m too old to have potential – At my age, I need to have results and a reputation, not potential.If I was going to stay an independent adult, I had to take stock of my life, skills, talents, and opportunities. I had to make a change and fast. The good news is that during my long stint trying to nd a JOB, I had a list. I had all the information. All I had to do was remove what didn’t work, and what didn’t work was my own sense of value.

Most of the time, I didn’t charge people for my work because I wanted to help someone I knew and didn’t feel comfortable charging them for my help, even if it was a business relationship. When I did charge for my time, I didn’t invoice for everything I did. I did more than originally agreed upon at the agreed-upon rate.Doing more than is expected of me. Expanding my skill set. Providing extra value. Delivering a quality product. Helping others, giving to others, and sup-porting others is a huge part of who I am. I can’t change who I am at my core, so I have to gure out how to make money despite myself. I had to stop looking for work once and for all. I needed to gure out how to create a faceless transactional product and nd repeat customers willing to pay upfront for the deliverables I produced. Since what I do is highly customized and dependent on the brand I create, how could I create something generic enough to tell any business story? And would they pay for it? Or should I start packing to move in with my parents? The First Step The rst step began in September 2019, when I decided to take control of projects to ensure my work was seen and I could measure the results to show my value in the marketplace. I created the APeeling magazine to promote a book I’d helped someone write and added other people’s stories to it. Over the next few issues, I asked others to contribute articles in exchange for ex-posure through social media.

The magazine has grown from 250 readers a month to over 1500 readers a month in 5 issues, and businesses have started to ask me how much to ad-vertise in the magazine. My pivot from service-based to product-based had already started when the pandemic closed the city down.During the rst part of the shutdown, I doubled down on my own social me-dia by engaging with other people, nding those who had a story to tell, and oering them free promotion in APeeling. As a result, the May issue of APeeling became the largest issu, with 88 pages and ten contributors from around the world. Readership is also on track to grow. I had a project I could proudly point to and condently give a measurable result.As my library of content grew, so did the need to organize it to make it easi-er for people to nd what they were interested in and understand the bigger story. The next logical step was to organize the content into topics and start publishing interactive, multimedia, digital books full of information to help you create an appealling life, career, business. The Second Step In January, I started consistently working with two businesses on a long-term basis to develop their brands and tell their stories to their ideal audiences through social media. Since I always do more than is asked of me, I was able to show them what else I could do, and their reactions to my work have been positive, which helped me see my value. As I gain condence and produce results, I gain the reputation I needed to build my business.

I’ve met business people whom I have supported, and they have supported me. Their words of encouragement and praise for my work have helped me to believe I have value in the marketplace, which is reected in my work. My community is growing stronger and has taught me so much about business, life, and myself. I am fortunate to have so many cheerleaders rooting for me.I know our value must come from within. However, after years of rejection, cruel words, and unseen value, the positive armations from others is helping me see my value. The Third Step I took stock of what I had available: Two contract clients, contributors to AP-eeling, readers of APeeling, podcast guests, and an engaged social media community. How could I build a business on what I already had, based on what I know about myself, my skill set, and the marketplace?Soon after the epidemic, I shut down the agency and doubled down on my own expert brand and on publishing interactive multimedia digital books to help people navigate my content and nd answers to help them create an apeeling life, career, or business. Which lead to new opportunities as a speaker and pro-ducer of the APeeling series of events to bring other ‘experts’ into the books.By collaborating with others, I have been able to grow my brand’s reach and help others to get in front ot their ideal audiences. I can bring those who have a problem together with those who oer solutions.

Now What? I know it won’t be easy to build something of value to the marketplace. In fact, it will be downright frustrating at times. However, I know I have the tal-ent, the skill, and the drive to move a brand from a start-up into a global pow-erhouse. I just need help. In the near future, I have to gure out how to nd the help I need to move my vision forward. I know my weaknesses. I know them very well. I’ve had long chats with them into the wee hours of the morning. My next goal is to nd peo-ple whose strengths are my weaknesses, and together, we can build an empire. Am I going to have to move in with my parents? Well, if I end up on my parent’s doorstep, it’s not the end of the world, and I am fortunate to have them as an option to fall back on. I can’t worry about things I have no control over, events that haven’t happened, or past mistakes I made. I must focus on doing my best to build a professional quality platform to tell real stories, by real people, with real solutions to life and work because I am driven to create, support others, and tell stories.

5 Steps to Boosting ProductivityBy Regina GarayFeeling overwhelmed and struggling with productivity as a small business owner? I cover this in-depth in my 1-on-1 Custom Time Management and Success for Project Goals courses, but in this blog post, I’ll walk you through 5 essential steps that will enhance your small business productivity.Step 1: Clarify Important GoalsTo boost productivity, start by clarifying your goals. Identify what you want to achieve and your top priorities. Break down big goals into smaller, managea-ble pieces and create a timeline for each task. This will help you stay focused and avoid getting overwhelmed.Step 2: Streamline Business OperationsStreamlining business operations is crucial for productivity. Automate tasks using tools or services, set up recurring tasks, and create templates. Addi-tionally, streamline processes like communication, task management, and standard operating procedures to improve eciency.

Step 3: Prioritize Tasks and DeadlinesPrioritize tasks and deadlines to focus on the most important items and meet deadlines. Create a list of everything that needs to be done, rank tasks by impor-tance, and consider associated deadlines. Start with the most important tasks and work your way down the list, completing tasks ahead of schedule if possible.Step 4: Develop Strategies for Eective CommunicationPromote eective communication within your small business by encouraging transparency and collaboration among employees or subcontractors. Provide resources like an internal messaging system and invest in training opportuni-ties to enhance skills. Open communication will boost productivity throughout your business.Step 5: Measure and Monitor ProgressTrack and monitor progress to ensure your productivity initiatives have the de-sired eect. Key metrics to focus on include the number of tasks completed per day/week/month, time spent on each task, and the quality of work. Use available tools and software programs to track these metrics eectively.Small businesses can work smarter and improve productivity by implement-ing these ve steps. Free up time for creative problem-solving and set your business up for healthy growth!

Morning Routinesby Shannon PeelWe all have a daily morning routine, the only question is whether or not it is a strategic routine. When you wake up and get on with your day, is your con-sciousness in control, or are you letting your subconscious move you from one step to the next to get you out the door? Are you always scrambling to get out the door on time, or do you have lots of time to get to work after you’ve dropped the kids o? Reader, if you want to dive deeper into morning routines to discover the best one for you, this is the article for you.The Daily Routines of GeniusesStudies (1) have shown common elements in the lives of highly productive literary geniuses like Hemmingway, Twain, Austen, and others. When they worked, their lives had routines and guidelines to ensure they would produce at their highest levels. They had: (1)• A workplace with few distractions• A daily walk• Accountability metrics• Separate real work from busy work• Stopping at regular time• A supportive partner• Limited social lives• Relative isolation

Setting yourself up for success in your day will help you to be more produc-tive, less stressed, and more creative. Understanding how you work will help you to move your day forward and help you to increase your output in shorter periods. The choice is yours - do you want to be highly productive, or do you want to look like you are busy? Morning or End of Day Reection Routine The world is lled with negativity. Demands for your attention. And constant pressure to excel. Break this mental hamster wheel of doubt, of never meas-uring up, and start or end your day by journalling a mental check-up. Take time to break your to-do list and daily must-dos into smaller chunks de-pending on their priority and importance. This will let you know what to focus on and which tasks to push out for later when the important stu is done. Gratitude can go a long way to helping you see the world dierently. Write down what you are grateful for that day or from the day before. I don’t mean, “I’m grateful for my kids.” That would become a boring and repetitive list re-ally quickly. Look for things that happened in the day to be grateful for; some days will be harder than others, and you’ll need to dig a little deeper to get past all the frustration and demands. For example, I am frustrated with myself because yesterday, I watched the TV Series Versailles all day and got nothing done. What can I be grateful for when all I did was binge on streaming TV? I’m grateful I was not forced to live in Versailles or live during the mid-1600s. I’m grateful for running water, elec-

itricity, women’s rights, and the Internet. I could go on. You don’t want to takeany bad feelings with you into the day or into your sleep. It would be best ifyou let go of the negative and nd the grace to forgive others and yourself.Write about what happened, why it upsets you, and what you want to hap-pen, and then let it go with forgiveness. You are remembering. You are justacknowledging that we are awed, that shit happens, and life continues. Youare choosing your battles and learning from the ones you lost.For example, Yes, I watched TV all day and evening. I learned a lot aboutVersailles and life in 17th century France, thanks to Google searches to divedeeper into the times and learn about the real people behind the story. I brokemy brain by switching into audience mode and not creating content. I restedmy mind so that I can be more creative and productive tomorrow. I forgivemyself for wasting the day by being unproductive and will do better tomorrow.Journalling each day to help us understand what happened and how we feelabout it helps us to learn about ourselves, understand our rolein our lives, and make better choices for tomorrow.

Using SMART is a MistakeBy Leslie FlowersDon’t do it!” I thought as I read a post. “Don’t tell people to use SMART goals!They’ll never reach their goals with any consistency.”And yet people do. They try to ‘squeeze’ their goal ‘into’ the SMART framemodel, thinking “now I’ve got this.” And they do not, other than perhaps nowand then.Who is interested in achievement, only occasionally?Sporadically or haphazardly?Not me. And yet we do that Einstein thing: “Doing the same thing expectingdierent results.”What I do know for sure is that SMART goals literally quash any dream to dosomething you’ve never done before. For years I shuddered when I heard theterm SMART because after thirteen years NOT using SMART goals, my cli-ents were all getting consistent results over long periods of time.One day I decided to really take a look at SMART goals. Once I did, I knewthe problem right away. And I searched the history of SMART goals. It allmade sense!They are not for Goals, but the tasks moving toward the goals! Okay! I can gowith that.

S for Specic. Yes, absolutely yes. The more specic the better! [mostly because specicity is inspiring and causes motivation.]M is for Measurable. Yes, absolutely yes. Condence grows when we can measure what we’ve done. [we’ve come a long way baby.]A is for Achievable. No, absolutely no. When you take on a goal you have not ever done before, you really don’t know IF you can achieve it!R is for Realistic. No, absolutely no. Like achievable, at the point of setting the goal we don’t know yet IF it is achievable.T is for Time bound. Yes, absolutely yes. We are inspired and in action when we get a vision of what it’s like once the goal is achieved.

A big problem …SMART goals are all we’ve had! No one I’ve met in thirteen years has ever had a proper course in setting Goals! Not in high school or university!And SMART goals don’t work. In thirteen years of distinguishing what are the actual things we can do to tip the scale in our favor with consistency, achiev-able and realistic are never part of that list.As there is no comprehensive, proven checklist or list of rules for goal setting, anywhere ...In 2013, I created them for my clients and since that time, over almost 36 business quarters, almost every client has achieved every goal.When we learned to play tic-tac-to, someone showed us the rules. Chess was no fun for me until I learned the moves and rules for each piece. When I rst learned word problems in elementary school, they were a mys-tery. I made it through school never having a handle on how to solve them. Right or wrong was a crap shoot.In a college algebra class, the professor said one day, “there are six simple al-gebraic equations to solve all word problems.” I was oored. That was miss-ing for me. On the exam, yes, I got all the word problems solved correctly. You gave me the rules!The reality is … we now have the rules! I spent years looking for them in one place, to no avail. Many of them are deeply embedded in the principles of success in Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. A few quick reads do not uncover these babies! For me it’s been 80+ studies of the manuscript.

And with these “12 golden rules of results,” (what I call them) each and every goal you set has the best chance of manifesting … the more of the rules you use, the better the chance. With that comes the condence along with suc-cess and momentum.Inside the golden rules are the polar opposite lessons for Achievable and Realistic in SMART goals. Adhering to those two SMART elements will likely have you walk away again, disappointed and not motivated.The purpose of a goal is to “motivate you into action.” If you are not motivat-ed, simply pick another goal, one that does.1. Achievable: If you can map out all the steps to reach your goal, pick an-other goal! If you know the steps, you would have done it. And it is not moti-vating.2. Realistic: Don’t start where you are; start where you want to go or be. You’ve never been there so it’s not yet realistic.The 12 golden rules of results are deeply embedded into my signature pro-gram “the 8 Essentials mavenZmind.” They are the ‘keel’ that keeps us mov-ing forward and upward, into the light, always.The nal “piece to the puzzle” on precisely How to craft a 90 day Goal you will Always achieve (save catastrophes of course). You will learn things you’ve never seen before and know they make perfect sense.

Tips & Tricks for the Overwhelmedby Shannon PeelI have been connecting with lots of people on social media, listening to pod-casts, participating in virtual events, and creating content for clients. I feel like I’m always behind, having to up my game, and it’s exhausting. I’m a one-woman show. I have a number of platforms and projects going at any one time, which means I’m always working, and I do get overwhelmed by it all. Not because there is too much work. I love the work. It’s the little things, the details, which take so much time and I am prone to avoid, which isn’t a good habit. It would be nice to have someone I could count on to take some of the workload and nish the details, which take too much time to complete. One day, I’ll have cash ow and enough to add a kickass detail person to the team. I needed some ideas to help me beat this feeling, so I asked people, “What do you do when you feel overwhelmed?” They shared so many great ideas. I know I’m not the only entrepreneur to bite o more than she could chew and end up overwhelmed by all the work. Here are some of their tips, and I encourage you to click their names to dis-cover more about these amazing businesswomen in Vancouver and how they can help you.

Wendy S. Human of Let’s Make The Dierence Overwhelm has been described as simply not choosing to prioritize. Step back, take a breath, and start identifying the deadlines, order, and importance of each task and who you can delegate items to or get assistance from to make it happen. I am mindful that people run countries and billion-dollar busi-nesses; anything is possible with structure and support!Stephen Pasiciel of Gryphon Leadership Typically, the reason we get overwhelmed is because we’ve taken on too much. Learn to say no. Make it a bi-weekly habit to say no to multiple oppor-tunities that you’re currently involved in or that come your way.Bobby Garris of Garris Real Estate powered by eXp Realty, LLC Step away for about an hour or longer, perhaps a whole day. Spend time with family and go golng, singing, or just to a late-night movie. Don’t lose all focus on the job, but understand balance is mostly what we all need to get perfected. Both are important, and both can be lost, so balancing the two will help you/everyone achieve the greatness they desire.Cindy Cheta of INKredible Business Solutions Breathe, sit still, meditate, listen to your body rest, and fuel up. I nd sched-uled time is successful, including scheduling your breaks, and prevents poor practices for being productive.

Want to read more ideas to help you reduce feelingsof being overwhelmed and stressed? Click the buttonBy utilizing targeted support services for their businesses, owners can focuson what they love to do and are good at. This increases productivity and mo-rale, and collaborating brings new ideas and perspectives. Virtual assistantscan help in so many ways, from handling daily operations to specic, special-ized project work (both long and short-term).There are lots of great ideas in here for overwhelmed business owners. Myproblem is I want everything yesterday, especially when I think about how oldI am and how many years I have left. I wish I’d created MarketAPeel 20 yearsago when I started blogging or even 15 years ago when I started writing nov-els. Maybe even 10 years ago, when I started writing my second novel andactively building on my digital personal brand to nd a job.The thing is, I can’t change the past, I can’t roll back time, and I did what Idid. All I can do is work hard today and get as much done as possible to growthe readership of APeeling, consistently reach out to people, and continue to grow the MarketAPeel digital platform.

What is Your Life’s Purpose? by Shannon PeelYou know those people who knew what they wanted to be when they were 10? The ones who were hyper-focused on their purpose in life and made it all look so easy? If you are anything like me, that is NOT what happened on your life’s journey. Most people live the life that found them instead of the one that lled them with a sense of purpose.Now, there is nothing wrong with working for the sake of a paycheque so you can pay the mortgage and pay for your kid’s hockey or dance class. Your purpose isn’t always in your paying work. However, for those of you, like me, who want one purposeful life instead of a work/life balance, nding a way to make money while fullling your purpose is the holy grail.What is Purpose? The dictionary says purpose is the reason something exists. According to the University of Minnesota, purpose can guide life decisions, inuence behavior, shape goals, oer a sense of direction, and create meaning. Other denitions are a goal or intention, a plan to do something, the things we strive for, and determination. My favourite denition is that purpose is the reason we do something. Simon Sinek wrote a whole book on nding our “Why,” He says, “WHY is the purpose, cause or belief that drives every one of us.” He helps people under-stand why they get up, go to work, and nd passion in their daily lives to help

organizations move forward. His popularity is a sign that people are seeking a reason for living by knowing what they do matters. How can you know what your purpose is?You feel Jealous Have you ever cringed with discomfort and envy when someone told you what they did for a living or how they were changing the world? Do you wish you were? Whenever I met someone who was a writer, I’d have a gut-wrench-ing physical reaction. Yet, I would push the idea away and continue to live the life I had, not the one I needed.Is it a Hobby?Do you spend your free time on the fringes of your purpose? For years, I would put my toe in the waters of storytelling through photography, scrap-booking, and working in sales. My interests and jobs helped me develop sto-rytelling skills, so when I was nally willing to embrace my purpose, I had the talent and skills to succeed. Do You Feel Joy? When we feel joy, we are living within our purpose. For eighteen years, my purpose was to be a mother, and I loved every minute with my kids. I felt joy

every day. Then, they grew up, became independent, and moved out of the house. Suddenly, I needed a new purpose to ll those long weeks between visits. Finding my reason for living was not easy. I had to reect back to my younger years to remember what else in life brought me joy.Do you Lose time?When you are engaged in doing something, do you lose track of time and be-come so focused on what you are doing you forget to eat and push until you fall asleep? When I’m writing, I lose time, and I forget everything around me because I am getting the thoughts out of my head and onto paper. There has been more than one meal missed and a pile of toothpicks keeping my eyes open.What did you do as a Kid?Think back to when you were a kid, spending time alone. What did you do? I spent a lot of time alone as a kid because of where we lived and my person-ality. When I remember how I entertained myself, the ribbon woven through-out my childhood is a story. I was always telling myself stories to keep my mind busy. I loved reading and would imagine the stories playing out dier-ently than the author had written. I wrote stories and made little books us-ing the binding techniques I’d learned in school. When I was in University, I played around with the idea of writing the story of my generation, like Hem-ingway did for the lost generation. Then I graduated, and the realities of life got in the way. You know, things like bills and needing to eat.

Scared to FailIs there something you wish you could do or want to do, but you don’t be-cause, let’s face it, if you fail, that’s the end of a dream? Sometimes, having the dream keeps us safe from ever having to do it because we can always say, “I could have been a <insert your purpose> if I’d wanted to.” The saddest story is the one we never experience. By doing nothing, we can blame others and circumstances for never embrac-ing our purpose instead of trying and nding out we never had what it took to be a <insert your purpose>. For years, I hid from my purpose because I was scared others were right and I wasn’t good enough to be a writer. Yes, people told me I wasn’t good enough, and I believed them. I allowed knee-jerk comments and uninformed assump-tions of others to hold me back from living my purpose. I admit it. Can you?If you aren’t living your purpose because you are scared you will fail, be em-barrassed, or lose something – you’ve already lost. I know I’m a writer be-cause I keep writing and putting it out there in the most judgemental and cruel places - the Internet. I can’t stop. I am compelled to keep trying. This is how I know I am doing what I was meant to do. What Happens when you Hit a Wall? Everything we do has problems that need to be xed and sacrices that need to be made. If the sacrices and problems you face are draining you and

leaving you rolled up in a ball, hiding in the closet from them, then it isn’t your purpose. When you do what you are meant to, problems and obstacles will challenge you to dig deeper, not drag you down.Make an ImpactYou are on this earth for a short time, yet your choices will have a big impact on future generations. Is there something you are passionate about and want to change in the world? Is there something you want to leave for your children or grandchildren? I have always loved history and the story of humanity. When I was in London, UK, I saw a wall built a thousand years ago, and whoever built it impacted this world. They built something that I could touch a millennium later. The wall is proof of their existence, though I don’t know their names or their stories -- They mattered. They did something to move humanity forward and to remind us they lived.A purpose can impact one person, a small group of people, or the whole world. Whatever your purpose is, it is evidence that your life matters.When in Doubt, Try. You don’t know until you try. Go out and do dierent things until you nd the thing you like to do. Today, you have the Internet to nd groups, classes, and ideas.

If you always wanted to be a dancer, but you never took a dance class, how do you know that is truly what you want to do? Take some classes and see what happens. You may not become a Prima Ballerina. That takes dedication, youth, natural talent, and super-human focus. However, there are other ways to fulll a purpose as a dancer. I applied for writing jobs. I tried to get the gatekeepers, agents, and hiring managers to see my purpose. They didn’t. Many said I wasn’t good enough, but I kept going, and then one idea led to another one, which led to someone who believed in me. Now, I’m publishing APeeling and creating magazines for professionals who have a brand story to tell the world. Sure, I didn’t become my generation’s version of Hemingway, but I still can say I’m a writer and have a purpose. When I RetireWhat are you waiting for retirement to try? There is no guarantee you’ll make it to retirement, and the way the world is going, many of us will never be able to retire unless we want to live in abject poverty. So, why wait?Remember, you don’t have to make a living from your purpose. Lots of people work to earn a living so they can live their purpose on weekends.

When We don’t Live our PurposeWhen things fall apart or you continue to come up against brick wall after brick wall, no matter what you do, life might be telling you something. When my life was in transition, and I didn’t know my purpose, I felt like the ball in a pinball machine being thrown from one thing to the other and never getting anywhere.I was meant to be a writer. I am supposed to be telling stories. Even though others were not willing to hire me as a writer, I am still doing it. I found a way where I did not need the approval of gatekeepers or hiring managers. We all need a reason for living, a purpose, a why. The thing that gives our lives meaning and makes an impact on the world. Figuring out what will bring meaning to your life is a process. It can take time for the stars to align and life to open the door of opportunity. Until then, know your existence matters, and you have a purpose for being here.

When Opportunity Happensby Anthony GruppoAn excerpt from Pushers of the Possible book, published by MarketAPeel.When I was in my early twenties, I was working in the construction indus-try. I knew I could do more, but I grew up in a blue-collar environment, so I thought, if a labor job was okay for my parents, it’ll be okay for me.Then one day, I was on the job, building the Berkheimer building in Pennsyl-vania when I started talking to members of the Berkheimer family who were on-site overseeing construction. At one point they said, “You know, you don’t strike us as someone who is going to be in construction all his life.” I told them why I didn’t envision a career as a laborer either. Next thing you know, because I was local, they introduced me to a leader of one of the local banks. Each person they introduced me to said, “This guy’s not just a construction worker.” However, I was a construction worker. I wore work boots, a hard hat, gloves, jeans and a T-shirt. I had no badge, no title, not even a corporate business card. Yet, I spoke with energy, passion, drive, and focus, which is what set me apart from others.The next thing I knew, I was being asked if I wanted to learn the banking busi-ness or the insurance, real estate, or nance industries. I chose nance and became a bill collector, which was the launching pad to the adventure of a lifetime. We might ask ourselves, was it luck?

I don’t think so. I engaged with business owners when no one else I worked with on the construction crew did. They believed it wasn’t their place to speak to the owners. I was the only one who took the time to talk to the guys in suits. No one else was willing to step outside of their comfort zone and make the leap into a dierent life.I think it was positioning. I think it was energy. I think it was courage and drive. I was willing to put myself into uncomfortable situations. It wasn’t nat-ural for me to walk up to business leaders and ask them questions, as I was not sure if it was the proper thing to do, but I wanted to know what it took to wear a business suit and to be the one making the decisions. I wanted to Push the Possible in my life and see how far I could go.When I was trying to learn multi-disciplines in business insurance, other peo-ple in the oce tried to keep me in a box by being unhelpful and blocking my eorts to grow. I knew I had to teach myself things about nance, business insurance, operations, employee health and benets, retirement services, and personal lines of insurance. I expected it was going to be tough because I was new to those disciplines in the industry. When I asked questions, people tried to block me by telling me, “You don’t need to know, just be good at what you do and stay over on your side of the fence.”It was not easy to nd the information at that time because the internet was not what it is today. I had to rely on others to help me nd the sources of information I needed, and most people were not willing to help. I did not let it stop me, I pushed on by learning as much as I could about the various disci-plines in the insurance industry and after a while, the more senior insurance agents started to come to me for answers.

This is when I discovered the reason people did not want to help was because they didn’t know the answers, not because they did not want me to succeed. This realization helped me to gain condence. I wanted to be valuable to those with whom I worked; constantly learning, growing, and pushing up.If you want to be valuable to the company you work for, be valuable to your-self. Put on the correct uniform, be it a suit or work boots and a hard hat. Leave your problems at home, focus on your tasks, and be helpful to your colleagues. Do not see them as just people sitting in a cubicle next to you. Do not see them as competition. When you help them, they will help you be-cause they will start talking about you and then opportunities will appear. This is how you will advance from one position to the next, through good work, goodwill, good humor, and a caring attitude. Leaders and managers are look-ing to advance and team up with the people who have the skills and talents they may not have.My podcast producer, Caryn Ojeda, is always positive and always has a good attitude. She never has a bad day, ever. There are days I would complain to her, but she has never complained to me. I see in her what I want in myself.This is the type of person leaders want on their team.

Achievements Fuel Men’s Pride by Shannon PeelIn his book, “The Male Ego,” psychiatrist Willard Gaylin wrote, “Nothing is more important to a man’s pride, self-respect, status, and manhood than work. Nothing. Sexual impotence, like sudden loss of ambulation or physical strength, may shatter his self-condence. But… pride is built on work and achievement and the success that accrues from that work. Yet today, men of-ten seem confused and contradictory in their attitudes about work.” The idea that the man with the best toys wins… is the bumper sticker joke of the 90s. In the 80s and 90s, men worked hard to provide for their families, only to die of heart attack or watch their family leave them to their mistress - the oce. The kids from these broken families and absent fathers are now parents, and they want a dierent result for their own kids. They want more than the cor-ner oce to dene them as ‘good’ men because they didn’t feel pride in their fathers because of their title at work.More men are getting o that fast-track ladder to nd a way to be a provider while still having the time to show up at home. They want more time for them-selves, their interests, and their kids. Those men who strive to be at the top of the corporate hierarchy and the best at their work may feel successful due to their role. Then, this corporate workaholic nally retires, he suddenly feels he’s lost all value. “He becomes a nonperson,” in Gaylin’s words, shocked and overwhelmed by the fact that “he never was someone to be cherished for his own sake but only as an instru-

ment of power and a conduit of goods.” This a harsh reality for many top ex-ecutives who nally feel they can reward themselves with time o in the name of retirement only to discover they are alone, in the way, unwanted, or bored. Many men don’t aspire to be dened by their work because they value other things to boost their self-esteem. They want to be seen as a good dad, hus-band, and dependable friend while still being a provider. As long as they are achieving their goals, they feel successful. What makes a man feel proud and accomplished? We hear many reasons men should be ashamed, repentant, and silent. However, men have reasons to be proud and self-assured in today’s changing socio-political environment. Joshua Host, the founder of Thrivelab said, “As a male founder, I’m proud to bring a sense of vulnerability into my organization. For so long, the status quo around startup culture has been centered around being a ‘guys club.’ Many of us in the industry are working to change this narrative by integrating open communication, transparency, healthy boundaries, and check-ins into our management styles.” Do you agree with Joshua, or do you think it best to keep the status quo and ‘guys club’?An exercise for you: Explore your opinion about having women on an equal footing as you in the workplace or having a woman as a boss. Write your thoughts in your journal.There is no right or wrong answer.

The Workplace has Changed for Men The world and workplace has changed and continues to change. There is nothing you can do about it, but you can choose to work somewhere you feel comfortable, valued, and appreciated, regardless of your gender. Asker Ahmed, the director of iProcess Global Research, said, “It’s my per-sonal accomplishments and overcoming challenges to get where I am to-day. I have worked to found a company to connect sponsors from the Unit-ed States, Canada, and Europe to the best research sites and investigators around the world. This journey was possible through the relationships and connections I have built as well as the strong support of family and friends. Reaching this point allows me to give back to so many others that have helped me along the way. Seeing what I have been able to accomplish as well as what I hope still to accomplish gives me an immense sense of pride.” Men Build Stu to Feel Accomplished and ProudMen need to build something, whether it’s a business, a career, a team, a house, a car, or a hobby, to see their eorts become something bigger than themselves. Once they have accomplished something, they can start giving back and nd pride in being a supportive member of society. Shawn Stack, Business Owner Hallmark Timmins arms, “The experience of being a male is incredibly distinctive and particular. Unique successes, important relation-ships, or a positive impact on the world can give rise to pride. Others could nd ful-llment in creating connections, displaying compassion, or embracing vulnerability.

Some men could feel proud of themselves when they display strength, resil-iency, or leadership qualities.”An exercise for you: Take a moment to make a list of all your accomplish-ments, both personal and professional. Talk it with your spouse to nd out why they are proud of you and add it to your list. The list is a living document to be added to, amended, and edited as time allows. Whenever you feel like giving up, defeated, and depressed, read the list and remember everything you have accomplished. When life hits hard and things go wrong, it can become challenging to recognize your past accomplish-ments and what you are capable of doing. Find something to build, create, or support outside of yourself to nd happi-ness and pride in yourself. Men Need a Purpose to Accomplish and feel prideFew things make a man feel prouder than following their ambitions and leading purposefully. A successful man strives to consciously live up to their most treas-ured values while living a fullling life and inspiring the people around them. Their insatiable desire to oer value to the world drives them in their relentless pursuit of fulllment. They’re fuelled by the challenge of learning, creating, and engaging others with passion on a daily basis, both on a personal and professional level. This is an everlasting and fruitful process forged by curiosi-ty and an insatiable desire to live a meaningful life—this is what it means to be

a successful man in the 21st century: forging ahead with discipline and leav-ing your mark on society as a leader and man of substance.” - Sasha Ramani, Associate Director of Corporate Strategy at MPOWER Financing Your purpose might change throughout your life as your kids grow, you get promoted, or you need to change careers. If you nd yourself slipping into the darkness of depression or the boredom of living in a rut, reassessing your purpose in life and work will give you a new outlook. It’s not easy to know our purpose, and when you aren’t living your purpose, you can end up unhappy. How can Men nd their Purpose? Tushar Thakur, Co-Founder of TechRT submitted the following on what makes a man proud about the life he led. “When a man looks back on his personal achievements and the obstacles he has conquered, he may feel proud to be a man. These accomplishments could include excelling in his profession, attaining academic excellence, or making progress in his personal life, all of which can instill a sense of pride in his abilities and perseverance. Furthermore, his pride can be enhanced by the positive contributions he makes to society and others. By performing acts of kindness, assisting those who require assistance, or actively participating in his community, a man can experience a profound sense of satisfaction and pride in the knowledge that he is making a positive dierence.”

Upholding integrity and living by his values also contribute to a man’s pride. Acting ethically, treating others with respect, and staying true to his principles reinforce a sense of honor and dignity. Moreover, nurturing and maintaining healthy relationships, particularly with family members, can generate a pro-found sense of pride. Being a loving partner, a supportive father, or a loyal friend enables a man to feel proud of his ability to connect with and positively inuence others. Embracing his identity and celebrating his unique qualities as a man can also contribute to a sense of pride. By acknowledging the positive aspects of masculinity while rejecting harmful stereotypes and toxic behaviors, a man can cultivate a healthy and authentic pride in his gender identity. Be proud to be a man in today’s world of changing attitudes.

Who Said “Nevertheless, She Persisted”?Mitch McConnell, the longest-serving Senate Republican Leader in Ameri-can history, has been unanimously elected to lead the conference eight times since 2006. He was talking about Democrat Elizabeth Warren.The Origins of the She Persisted Quote “Nevertheless, she persisted” is a motto adopted by the modern-day feminist movement in 2017 after an incident in the US Senate. US Senator Elizabeth Warren was persistent in her determination to read a letter while voicing her opinion against Je Sessions’s conrmation as US At-torney General. Men in the Senate kept trying to silence her, and she did not let that stop her. She read the letter. When the media asked Mitch McConnell about his attempts to silence her, he said, “Nevertheless, She Persisted.” During the conrmation of Je Sessions as Attorney General, Elizabeth War-ren protested his appointment. She read a letter written by Coretta Scott King, widow of Martin Luther King, about her opinion of Mr. Sessions’ lack of suita-bility as a federal judge. As Senator Warren read the letter, she was interrupted by Republican Senator Chair Seve Daines. Soon after, Senator Mitch McConnel asked for a vote to silence Senator Warren, forcing her to take her seat. At this point, Democrat Senator Je Merkley continued to read the letter with-out disruption or a vote to silence him. Afterward, a reporter asked Mitch McConnel for his thoughts on the Senate silencing Senator Warren, to which he replied, “Senator Warren was giving a

lengthy speech. She had appeared to violate the rule. She was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted.” [10]As women, we have had our voices silenced by men too often, and to see it in our government was upsetting for those who have been silenced by the men in their lives too often. So, in 2018, women adopted the quote as the rallying cry for women’s rights on International Women’s Month. I still experience this and have in many ways. Not getting the job because “They went with the man, though I was the better candidate.” Came the re-cruiter’s voice through the phone. She was less than impressed and vowed to never work with them again. I’ve had men tell me that I didn’t know what I was talking about or they weren’t interested, only to have a man tell them the same thing and they think it was the best idea since sliced bread. You will experience set backs, biases, and prejudices in life. Whether you suc-ceed and achieve your goals will depend on your ability to persist. To keep going in the face of opposition and judgements. Those who have achieved greatness take responsibility for the solutions and keep tryig until the problem is solved and they are able to deliver on their promises. What Journalists had to sayDaniel Victor of The New York Times said, “A broader theme—that women are too commonly shushed or ignored—emerged on social media.” [5] Victor also noted that “a man silencing a woman struck some as all too common” and “rang familiar with many women who had their own stories of being silenced.”

[5] Think about a time when your voice was ignored. What did you do? Did you give up or did you get louder? Those who persist and keep telling their stories are the ones whose stories are remembered.The Atlantic’s Megan Garber wrote, “American culture tells women to be qui-et—many ways they are reminded that they would really be so much more pleasing if they would just smile a little more, or talk a little less, or work a little harder to be pliant and agreeable.” [4] Further, she wrote, when Senator Warren was silenced, “many women, regardless of their politics or place ... felt that silencing, viscerally ... Because, regardless of their politics or place, those women have heard the same thing, or a version of it, many times be-fore.” [4] We live in a time of transition and change. It is up to us to stand rm and insist our voices are heard so the next generation will learn to respect all voices, regardless of gender, culture, religion, or sexual orientation. Heidi Stevens of the Chicago Tribune commented, “Three little words that women can draw on for decades to come, when something needs to be said and, darn it, we plan to say it. When we’re being talked over in meetings, when we’re ghting to be heard in male-dominated elds. When we’re stand-ing up for our values, when we’re doing valuable work, and people reduce us to our appearance.” [27] Don’t let your voice be silenced. Dig deep to nd your strength to stand up and say, “No, what I said was...” or “I can speak for myself thank you.” Remember those who talk over us do not know what they are doing, they are only trying to be heard themselves. Valerie Schultz wrote in America: The Jesuit Review of Faith & Culture, “It is a phrase we women embrace because persistence is what we do.” [28] After describing stories of persistent women from the Gospels, she concluded:[28]

We women persist. Isn’t that our job? Throughout history, we have persisted in our quest for respect, justice, equal rights, surage, education, enfran-chisement, recognition, and making our voices heard. In the face of violence, opposition, ridicule, belittlement, and even jail time, we have persisted.” Think about a time when you persisted. Write the story down and shelve it in your mental bookshelf to be pulled from that shelf when you need the strength to dig in your heels in the face of opposition. According to Daniel Victor of The New York Times, “A broader theme—that women are too commonly shushed or ignored—emerged on social media.” [5] Victor also noted that “a man silencing a woman struck some as all too common”, and “rang familiar with many women who had their own stories of being silenced.” [5] Are you scared of putting your voice out there into the world for others to judge? Does the idea of being interviewed, speaking on stages, or writing articles, make your knees knock? As long as women remain timid, polite, and subservient to the men in power, we will continue to be talk-ing about this topic for generations to come. Is that what you want? Can you persist by pushing through your own fears and insecurities?Women have been ghting for their right to have a voice. The story of the ght for Women’s rights tells a story about what the women were ghting for at the time. Today, our lives are dierent because the women who came before us wouldn’t stay silent. They wanted a better world for their daughters, so they went out and fought for it. I wonder if today’s world is what they envisioned.

Make Rational, not Emotional, DecisionsWhen we make certain decisions, we feel emotional, and those emotions can get in the way of making a good decision. Unless a bear wants to eat you, the decision can wait until you are in a more rational frame of mind. Now, if the bear looks hungry - RUN... or Google what you are supposed to do when facing down a hungry bear.Get Your Emotions Under ControlEasier said than done. Trust me, I know I’ve got a PhD in triggering emotional responses in both myself and others. I booked some traditional media news coverage for a client, and the jour-nalist removed some Words from the title and went with … The First Store… instead of The rst Locally Owned Store. The result? Their competitor got on social media, lost his mind, AND stormed into my client’s store to scream at employees. The journalist contacted me to clarify the story and didn’t change the title. They updated the story with a clarication at the bottom of the story. If this had happened in a small town, the story of his decision to freak out wouldn’t have much reach. But it happened in a small town and he wasn’t a lo-cal. Great reach for my client - a negative story for their competitor. Had he said nothing and realized the people in the town are smart enough to know his store exists, the story wouldn’t have had nearly as much reach. How can we get our emotions under control so we can be more rational in our decision-making?

When I get upset, going for a walk won’t help. It only makes me more agitated as I feel like I need to be doing something to x the issue. I need to write it out so I can switch out of my emotional brain into my rational one. This is key. Fig-ure out which activity will move you into a more rational and logical mindset. Other Ways to Get Emotions Under ControlVenting is a great way to get rid of all that emotional negativity and put it on to someone else who is listening to you empty out all the pain, anger, and frustration. Remember, you have just dumped all your negative emotions onto them, which will aect them. So, let the person know you are good, and they need not worry about you because you need to vent. Communicate that you aren’t looking for them to ‘x-it’ for you, just a supportive ear. Go for a run, the gym, or a boxing ring. For those of you who are physical and enjoy a good sweat, moving is the perfect way to burn o that emotional en-ergy and sweat out the toxins. By the time you’ve showered and toweled o, you’ll be in a better frame of mind to make a decision about the situation. Cook, paint, and grab an instrument. Use your creativity to work through the emotional mess inside you. It will get your mind o the situation, and you can create something out of the negativity you are feeling, which may tell you what is bothering you. Watch a comedy, read a funny book, and turn up the happy tunes on Spotify. Get your mind o the situation by doing something that will make you laugh and smile.

For some people, turning o the emotions is easy. My daughter is blessed with a strong, logical mind, which helps her rationalise when things don’t go her way. She gets it from my dad. Both of them shrug o disappointment and life’s frustrations. I’m not saying they are robots who don’t feel anything. I’m saying they are skilled at understanding situations for what they are and not sweating the small stu. For other people, turning o emotions is hard, if not impossible. For those of us who feel on a deeper level and are aected by the emotions of others, situations can be traumatic and consume us as we try to process them. The emotional storms that rage within us can blind us from the truth of the situation or the actual intent of other people. For us, we need the time to decompress, move through the pain, and nd a way into our rational brains before we make a decision. The good news is that once the storm has passed, we can make a rational decision for a better outcome -- We just need to breathe rst.How to make a Rational DecisionTo make a rational, objective decision, you need to put on your analytic hat and dive into the variables of each option. Say you are trying to choose which home to buy, The variables are those things that you will evaluate each home on, like location, size, price, or yard.When buying a home, it is easy to make an emotional decision instead of a rational one when you walk in and see how nice it looks. If you have a deci-sion-making process in place, you will be able to assess each house based on specic criteria to make a rational decision in the end.

Being aware of how you feel when you are in a house is an important piece of the decision-making process. However, you can quantify the emotion and note it when you sit down and reassess your choices to choose the right home. Here are some ideas to help you make a more rational decision. Comparing Your OptionsList all the variables you want to compare — price, location, and other amen-ities—then put them in order of importance to you, with the most important at the top of the list and the least at the bottom. From here you can compare the variables of each option to help you decide. Creating a points systemTake the same list and turn it into a scorecard for each option. Give each variable a multiplier to weigh each variable according to preference and each option. Variable 1 x 10, Variable 2 x 7, Variable 3 x 5 etc. Then, score each home’s variable between 1-and 10. In the end, you can do the math to deter-mine which is the best option. Identifying Pros and ConsEvaluate each option by writing a list of pros and cons to review and compare after each list is created. As you review the list, note how you feel about each pro and each con to help you quantify the options.

Thinking about the consequencesImagine each possible outcome of each option to gain perspective on the decision. Notice how you feel as you imagine yourself making that choice and what your life will look like after you choose. Write down the emotions you experience and rate them when it comes time to make the nal decision. You will have a record of how you felt as you imagined yourself in each situation. This is a good exercise when you take breaks between each dream to clean the emotional pallet. Remove VariablesPair down the number of variables and focus on those things that really mat-ter to you. Does having an attached garage matter? What about a view? Knowing your top 5 variables will help you to narrow down the choices and remove those homes where you liked the carpet or extra bedroom, but didn’t have any of your top 5 variables. Remove a choiceWhen deciding between two options, ip a coin. If the result leaves you with a negative feeling, you’ll know which option you want. Gut reactions work best when we take away the option we truly want to choose.

You will still need to feel emotions when you make a rational decision, and they will be a good gauge as to which decision is the better one. However, in the process, you can rationally assess your emotions and better understand why you feel a certain way. Then, you can come at the problem from a dier-ent angle to see the full picture. In the end, how you feel about choosing the option is what counts, so be honest with yourself. Rationally, the home at the top of the list may not be the one you get excited about. If that is the case, you need to re-evaluate the im-portance of the variables. For example, you may think the location is the most important thing and the age of the home is the least, but you feel more excit-ed about that brand-new house further away from your ideal location. If this is the case, reassess the order of the variables and see what choice comes out on top. When you rationally assess your choices, you can then verify why you are making the choice and feel good about it.You need to utilize your emotions to make rational decisions, and when you make rational decisions, you can control your emotional responses.

Sales - Shoot me Nowby Shannon PeelThere is only one reason small businesses fail — NO SALES. Without sales, there is no cash ow; without cash ow, there is no business. Most small business owners and entrepreneurs are not professional salespeople; they are better at doing what they are selling, not selling what they do.Since contractors need to work on their projects, they cannot always be in ‘sales’ mode, which results in a feast and famine existence. Creating connec-tions with people who are amazing at sales, connecting people, and referring businesses is vital to their long-term success.Smile n DialMy wonky career path has included professional sales, the smile, and dial numbers game sales. I was kicking butt, good at smiling and dialing, nding the decision maker, and getting in the door to meet. I had no problem making 40-60 dials a day, regardless if the product was Advertising, Online Review Platform, Financial Planning products, or Chinese Pump Jacks and Oil Pipe. I built qualied lists, found businesses, and even closed sales. When selling pipe & pump jacks, I entered an industry where I had no connec-tions, little knowledge, and no support system. Still, in six months, I had brought three multi-million dollar opportunities to the company and completed a sale to an International Oil Company, which I found out later was a rare accomplishment.

Today, I am standing on the cli edge, knowing that my business will succeed only if I get on the phone and make appointments. I know what my ideal au-dience looks like, I know where to nd them, and I know how to build a CRM database to manage these cold leads, and guess what —I’m frozen.It’s not the sub-zero temperatures that have gripped the Vancouver area that have me covered in ice… It’s fear. OMG – I’m scared to pick up the phone and ask someone to meet me.How did I go from a kick-butt cold-calling appointment setter to frozen solid on a cli’s edge? What’s dierent?Well, the product I am now selling is – me – and I’m not condent enough. My condence took a hit from rejection, broken promises, disappointment, and the other crap life heaped on me in four short years. It started with not being able to nd a job and spiraled as my life fell apart in the aftermath. Selling MyselfSelling myself sounds so dirty like I should have a 1-900 number or be working some corner in the DT Eastside of Vancouver. I know I’m not the only woman to have an issue with self-condence and selling her services in a crowded market-place. It’s one of those things we were taught not to do as young girls – “Don’t be too loud.” “Don’t toot your own horn.” “Don’t be so full of yourself.” Little boys were to cultivate condence. We were to cultivate coyness and virtue.

I know I’m good at what I do. I know I’m smart enough. I know I’m qualied. I know I have the credentials. I know that I work hard to ensure my clients suc-ceed. I know I have a service Independent Professionals need at a price they can aord - I know all of this and more – Yet, I don’t want to hear “NO” when selling myself because I hear, “You aren’t good enough.” Sales takes trust in others. You have to trust that others will hear you, will want to see you, and will choose to walk with you. When your product is you, the rejection becomes personal. The Big Thaw.It’s time to get over myself and stop coming up with excuses about why I can’t get on the phone and start calling my target market. It’s the only way small businesses can start - by making calls and by making connections with others.The rst step is identifying who I want to meet, briey researching them to de-termine why I want to meet them, nding their contact information, and then entering it into a CRM. The key to getting an appointment is to not sell myself or my services on the phone. The only thing I want to sell is the appointment. Researching to nd out why I want to meet someone is easy. Figuring out what benet they would get from meeting me can be tricker. I don’t want to insult them by saying I can do a better job of their branding because they

might have done it themselves. I also don’t want to come across as arrogant by saying they should know me because I’m great. It’s all about them and their problem, not what I do. This is where social media and research come in. What are they posting on social media? What do their reviews say about them? What problems are they talking about?Too often, sales professionals and business owners hide behind research and dive too deep to avoid picking up the phone. As soon as you nd common ground, a reason for them to talk to you - pick up the phone. If you are still looking for something within 5 minutes, pick up the phone and ask if they have time to connect.Cold Calling TipsTo be successful at smiling and dialing, the best thing you can do is warm up the lead.Leave a voicemail with your name and say you’ll call them back. You don’t want them to call you back because they will always call when you’re doing something else, and if you’re making a lot of calls, you won’t remember who they are when they call, not a good rst impression. Tell them you’d like to talk to them about something you know their company is doing or a point you read in a press release or blog post.

Connect with them on social media by commenting on their posts. Liking is not enough to get noticed. Connect with people who might know them. You never know who will be able to introduce you to your next ideal client.Send an email to their business, but don’t spam the hell out of them. Find a reason to email them, like asking a question. I found your email address at -- and I was wondering if you could help me nd the person in your company who is responsible for --. or provide them information to help support their business. If they don’t open a certain number of your emails - remove them from your list.SMILE. Stand up, walk around, and smile. Be happy. People want to talk to people who make them feel good, don’t overdo it, and be authentic and friendly.What problems have you encountered cold calling? Post them in the forum, and I’ll see if I can nd you an answer to help you.The Time is Now, and Now is the Time.

CEO & Personal Board of DirectorsBy Anthony GruppoAre You a CEO?Everyone is a CEO. I don’t think about it in terms of just business. I think about it in terms of life. You can coach yourself and others to be entrepre-neurial if you’re thinking and acting like an owner of your position within a company.How do you walk through life? Are you like the CEO of a major company, the person everyone looks to for support and guidance, full of condence and positive energy? Or are you moping around your oce with a dark cloud over your head because someone cut you o on your way into the oce this morning? Do your problems and negative emotions radiate from you? Or do you inspire condence in others because you know you’ve got life by reins and are in control?Imagine Being a CEOI’d like you to envision yourself in the future. You are the CEO of a major com-pany. The thing is, everyone has problems, everyone struggles, and everyone needs help, even the CEOs of major companies.Where do CEOs of major companies go when they’re struggling with con-dence, issues, and questions? They can’t call the board’s chairman and

say, “I just don’t know what I’m doing right now. I’m having a condence crack.” That’s not the best career move. It’s not a good idea for them to walk amongst their colleagues with their heads down, shoulders drooped, and an-nounce to everyone in the building, “I have a condence crack. I don’t know what to do today.” CEOs should handle everything thrown at them with condence and profes-sionalism. However, CEOs and entrepreneurs need their Personal Board of Di-rectors to help them make decisions and remain condent in their action plans.How to form a Personal Board of DirectorsImagine you are the CEO and have total ownership of your company. Who would you recruit to discuss your life and your business plan? You might re-cruit family members to be your support people and the managers inside the company.But be careful. Don’t surround yourself with people who are too emotionally invested in the outcome. It’s going to be very hard for them to take themselves out of the agenda to look at the pure risk-reward for a successful outcome.You don’t want to surround yourself with a bunch of ‘YES’ people who will only tell you what you want to hear, are poor listeners and are not successful themselves. You don’t want to surround yourself with people so invested in your success that their fears of failure will hold you back.

Think about how often you’ve surrounded yourself with the wrong people, the ‘YES’ men, the nay-sayers, the worry warts, the selsh, the unsuccessful. You’ve talked to them repeatedly, and suddenly, Tao happens, negative thinking starts to occur, and you doubt yourself even more because these people are not positive when you need them to be. It’s not their fault because you chose to listen to them. Everyone is limited by their fears, belief systems, and outlook. Who you choose to sit on your board of directors is vital to your success.The great problem solvers can listen, think about the solutions, and facilitate the discussion because it isn’t about them. It’s about you, and they are only there to help you. You need to choose people whom you trust because you need to share your life and business plan with these individuals without wor-rying that they will do something to harm you. They must also trust your abil-ities to run the company and believe you can succeed. If they don’t believe in you, their ability to help their own false assumptions will limit you. They must be willing to listen to you, ask questions, and provide feedback that will help you make better decisions.When I was in my early twenties, I was working in the construction industry. I knew I could do more, but I grew up in a blue-collar environment, so I thought it would be okay for my parents if a labor job were okay for me.Then, one day, I was on the job, building the Berkheimer building in Pennsyl-vania, when I started talking to members of the Berkheimer family who were on-site overseeing construction. At one point, they said, “You know, you don’t strike us as someone who will be in construction all his life.” I told them why I didn’t envision a career as a laborer either. Next thing you know, because I was local, they introduced me to a leader of one of the local banks. Each per-

son they introduced me to said, “This guy’s not just a construction worker.” However, I was a construction worker. I wore work boots, a hard hat, gloves, jeans and a T-shirt. I had no badge, title, or corporate business card. Yet, I spoke with energy, passion, drive, and focus, setting me apart.The next thing I knew, I was being asked if I wanted to learn the banking busi-ness or the insurance, real estate, or nance industries. I chose nance and became a bill collector, the launching pad to the adventure of a lifetime. We might ask ourselves, was it luck?I don’t think so. I engaged with business owners when no one else I worked with on the construction crew did. They believed it wasn’t their place to speak to the owners. I was the only one who took the time to talk to the guys in suits. No one else was willing to step outside their comfort zone and leap into a dierent life.I think it was positioning. I believe it was energy. I think it was courage and drive. I was willing to put myself into uncomfortable situations. It wasn’t nat-ural for me to walk up to business leaders and ask them questions, as I was unsure if it was the proper thing to do, but I wanted to know what it took to wear a business suit and make the decisions. I wanted to Push the Possible in my life and see how far I could go.When I was trying to learn multi-disciplines in business insurance, other peo-ple in the oce tried to keep me in a box by being unhelpful and blocking my eorts to grow. I knew I had to teach myself about nance, business in-surance, operations, employee health and benets, retirement services, and personal lines of insurance. I expected it would be tough because I was new to those disciplines in the industry. People tried to block me when I asked

questions by saying, “You don’t need to know. Just be good at what you do and stay over on your side of the fence.”It was challenging to nd the information then because the internet was not what it is today. I had to rely on others to help me nd the sources of infor-mation I needed, and most people were unwilling to help. I did not let it stop me; I pushed on by learning as much as I could about the various disciplines in the insurance industry, and after a while, the more senior insurance agents started to come to me for answers.This is when I discovered people did not want to help because they didn’t know the answers, not because they did not want me to succeed. This re-alization helped me to gain condence. I wanted to be valuable to those I worked with, constantly learning, growing, and pushing up.If you want to be valuable to the company you work for:• Be valuable to yourself.• Put on the correct uniform, be it a suit, work boots, or a hard hat.• Leave your problems at home, focus on your tasks, and be helpful to your colleagues.• Do not see them as people sitting in a cubicle beside you.• Do not see them as competition. When you help them, they will help you because they will start talking about you, and opportunities will appear.You will advance from one position to the next through good work, goodwill, good humor, and a caring attitude. Leaders and managers are looking to ad-vance and team up with people with the skills and talents they may not have.