Ladies Who Launch

How to Unleash your Inner Sexpot

Would you like to unleash your inner Sexpot?
Pole dancing is the latest trend in workouts it is true. It is Audacious. It is bold.

And fun.

It makes me feel juicy, bodacious and empowered. It trims my waistline and causes me to think differently about who I am being in the world. All that from 2 hours in a very intense and pleasurable workout?

Yes.

So consider this.
If all matter is energy and the Law of Attraction says that like
energy attracts like energy, then imagine the kind of gorgeous
energy you can create by giving the pole a whirl?

There is much to be said for my pole dancing classes and I have
noticed a change in how I approach everything in my life.

As Sheila Kelly, the founder of SFactor has said, "Soak in the
pure, unadulterated flow of your life. Breathe it in and exhale
everything in your mind until your entire being is just bliss. Let
your body float with soft, languid moves that are simply organic to
your being. When you step outside into your day you will notice
something has shifted."

I think I am (finally!) becoming the exquisite creature I was meant to be.
When you uncover your inner sexpot you also uncover your creative
center, which helps you to think of great new ideas for your
business and gives you the lift-off to actually complete what you
start!

Imagine that?

One of my coaches, Andrea J. Lee of Vancouver, British Columbia often speaks about doing activities that open you to your most sensual and creative self. For me it comes from movement and there is nothing like gathering the courage to dance with a pole...and do it gracefully. And also not be afraid to flop on the floor and try again.

If you are looking for a way to shape up your body, mind and spirit
then the Sfactor may just be the thing for you. They have intro
classes and studios are opening all over the place.

Even Oprah loves it.
You will too.
It's Pure Audacious power.

Go on check it out. You know you want to.

http://www.sfactor.com

Nancy Mindes, Chief Audaciousness Officer
Audacious Ladies Coaching Company
http://www.NancyMindes.com

Design/Tech Stuff :: Women: Listen to Your Visual Instinct

by Fashionmista aka That IT Girl and Katie James

Here is another reason to trust your gut: this article on gender based design discusses a study by Gloria Moss and others at the University of Glamorgan. My take-away was how a design by a woman tends to appeal to women, and a design by a man tends to appeal to men. Generally speaking. If you think about it, there are lots and lots of male designers, even at the big fashion magazines. The male design tends to be linear and list-like. The women design tends to be round and colorful.

Thanks to a friendly moderator a forum I follow, here are some examples of male geared design (linear, lines, list like):
Exxon/Mobil - exxonmobil.com
Ford Motor Company - ford.com
Citi - citigroup.com
IBM - ibm.com
General Motors - gm.com

And here are some examples of female geared design (round, colorful, boxed accross the screen):
Jessica McClintock - jessicamcclintock.com
Ann Taylor - anntaylor.com
Liz Claiborne - lizclaiborne.com
Nordstroms - nordstrom.com
Jones Apparel - jny.com

There are many sites out there that we look at to be "normal." But many of them were built by and designed by men. But if we don't think about it, we'll just think these sites are "normal." To be fair, rounded corners are pretty, but do involve more effort to build. The web works in corners with 90 degree angles. So the web can't make a rounded corner on its own. The designer has to create graphics to form the top and/or bottom of a box, which is design time ($) and can add to the load time if there are lots of them. But I digress.

My point is, when you are involved with designing your site, trust your instinct on what you see. If you like what you see, or elements of what you see, see if you can pinpoint it and work with it. If you wish for something more from the design elements, consider pursuing what you're wishing for. Espeically if your site is targeted toward women, and you are a woman (I'm assuming you are a woman if you are reading this Ladies Who Launch blog). Good luck with your designs!

Indulge in Life, Not Fear

From one of our members of the New York Incubator:

So last night was a hectic evening for anyone who works or lives or just happened to be in mid-town east.  My office is located across from Grand Central on 41st and Park.  Yesterday, I happened to be standing outside of our office chatting with a couple of co-workers.  It was a lovely evening and we were deeply engaged in our conversation about men and when you should break up with a boyfriend who was still active on Match.com. 

Then there was that moment when you sense that something about your environment has changed but you aren't sure what.  In this case, it was a loud roar and plumes of smoke which stretched toward the sky and rolled toward us.  The rumble was deafening and threatening and the smoke continued to billow up the street.  We turned and ran.  Not sure from what and definitely no idea as to where.  I tripped and fell and a man I didn't know reached down to grab me up.  We all were screaming and running west - away from the explosion.  A rainfall of mud-drops pelted us as we vainly sought a place of safety away from the unknown source of danger.  There were rumors that a building had come down on 41st and Lex. 

Later, as a co-worker and I wandered, rather lost, down 6th Ave, we found a cafe where a news report informed us that a man-hole had exploded - right before cutting to a commercial break.  It was a dizzying and frightening experience of the unknown, combined with freshly primed fears of Al Queda from recent news stories and memories of 9/11.  Even though I am grateful and thankful that terrorism was not involved, I am still in awe of the power and force of the explosion that occurred.  And somewhat shakey as I recall how near my friends and I were to the event.  But mostly I am appreciative.  Out of this experience of intense fear, I am so thankful for the opportunities that I have each day to indulge in life and to live my best life.  (A little cheesy, I know, but true!).  And so even though I was covered in mud, I wanted to celebrate something wonderful instead of giving into the evening's fearfulness.  So after cleaning up in a deli and getting some fresh clothes from H&M, I headed to Nancy's jewelry event at the Chelsea Hotel.  It was so delightful to see Nancy and the fruits of her talent.  And I even found a lovely pair of pearlized earrings for myself! 

I just encourage each of you to indulge in life, take time to be good to yourself and to not give in to the fears which plague us, be they internal or external.

 

 

Links You Can Use

A community for divorced women: First Wives World

A network of blog/websites for fashion lovers: Glam.com

A magazine with  so many contests that you can win cool stuff: Quick and Simple

In a Service Business? Ten thing to do NOW

Recently I received a note from a new coach wanting to know how to get off to a good start...when I looked at what I shared I realized this would be good information for any person in a service business where the emphasis in on YOU! IF you are the business YOU are in trouble....here's why

In a service business, you cannot make money unless you are available. I have been coaching since end of 1999  and I quit due to burnout...it's all about you and you cannot make money with out you. YIKES.... You MUST change this to generating other streams of passive income or you will be exhausted, frustrated and will give up eventually. I can teach you about this and I highly recommend you do this.  Read the Secrets of the millionaire Mind and attend  a Millionaire Mind Intensive.  This has literally changed my LIFE.

2. Get yourself help as soon as possible whether you think you can afford/deserve it or not. I did NOT and started to DROWN. Now I know better. Hire yourself a Virtual assistant and or live- in-person assistant so that you can work on only that which you love and focus energies on marketing not paper pushing.  As you grow get a bookkeeper, a lawyer and a business manager.

For peace of mind resign NOW as the general manager of the universe. Some places to shop for a VA check out AssistU.com for Virtual Assistants also the IVVA Get creative, hire college students, interns, your neighbors' kid or a friend who needs a job right now while she looks for a new one.

Rule: Hire slowly. Interview carefully. Make sure it's a good fit. check out: www.collegehelpers.com, elance.com or guru.com

3. Network, network, network. Make yourself well-known. Join Ladies Who Launch and other organizations where your ideal clients are. Get out and meet people. Ask questions find out what they need and want. Build relationships. See how you can contribute to others. Get a simple website if you are not online, do that NOW. As you grow update and change. A website never stays static anyway (or shouldn't) so just get one up there for starters if you haven't. If you like to write a shortcut would be to get a blog. Oh and start building your email database.

4. Rule about what to be doing: If it's a Hell YES do it, if it's not it's  a Hell NO...so pass it, delegate it or dump it.

5. Rule about cash flow: Do not give up your day job until you have your cash flow in place or get another day job that is less demanding but gives you fuel to pay for all the pieces of parts of ensuring your success as a business. A service business such as coaching or massage is not just a calling it is also a Business with a capital B.  I kept my job as special event director at the Fashion Group during my 4 years of training at Coach U and beyond.

6. Make sure you have a coach to keep you in action and accountable. My coach Margit, is TOUGH and I love her for it.

7. Never-ever undersell yourself. Do not be afraid to name your price and get it. If you put yourself "on sale" or bargain with people you will attract people who you may not want to work with and kick yourself later for agreeing to accept less. Watch for this.  People who serve others have a tendency to undervalue themselves.  Avoid it. You have much to offer the world.

And another thing: I learned this from Kendall Summerhawk...Raise your prices from time to time, especially if it makes you uncomfortable. If you have spent years training, as I did,  for what you do and you have life or business experience that is of value, monetize it. Believe it or not your clients do expect to pay you. If you want, have a scholarship for a few clients who are deserving and cannot afford to pay you at the  moment when they get successful guess what happens?, I do this and it's great.

7. Ask for referrals and refer to others. This is an important revenue stream and way of creating your business community.

8. Ask for the business when someone calls you. Service people often leave this step out and wonder why they have no clients. ASK, "so when would you like to get started?"

9. Enjoy yourself and if you are not, STOP and regroup. I left coaching for 18 months to go work on the 2004 Democratic presidential camapign which really gave me a new perspective on life along the way I used my coaching skills for enrolling people.  After a stunning defeat, I joined the Ladies Who Launch Incubator in 2005 and began my coaching business again.
LWL gave me the uplifting and the  liftoff I needed in a very big way.

10. Here's my business plan: Simplify my life. Connect with others. Have more fun.
Have an audaciously fabulous day!

The Secrets of the Millionaire Mind and the Millionaire Mind Intensive changed my life. It will change yours especially if you are in a service business or a solo practitioner of any kind...

Secrets of the Millionaire Mind Book>>>get this!
http://www.secretsofthemillionairemind.com/a/joyful_deliciousness

The single most important step you take no matter WHAT service you offer is to keep learning about the business of business along with deeply understanding who you are from the inside out and who do you get to be when you are doing the work you love.
Come and see who I am at my website
http://www.NancyMindes.com/

The home for Audacious Ladies and the men they love

Jackie Collins Speaks to NYC Ladies Who Launchers

by Fashionmista aka That IT Girl and Katie James

A couple of weeks ago, before my life went totally mobile and my laptop and I were globe trotting from cafe to cafe, I attended a special Barnes and Noble speaker series featuring Jackie Collins at Lincoln Center that Ladies Who Launch hosted, with Beth as the moderator.

Ms. Collins covered many topics, dropping Hollywood gossip whenever she could (keen listeners could have heard her confirm Nicole WhatsherName's pregnancy before the newsstands did this week). I had a few take-aways, which were easy to listen to through her soothing English accent that really is quite good for story telling.

• Getting to the desk. She doesn't get writers block. She has trouble getting to the desk. I thought that was brilliant, as I suffer from the same problem but didn't have an explanation for it. I thought that laundry and dishes were just more important that developing a company's newsletter. As a person based at home, I grapple with these decisions.
• The Double Standard. She's obsessed with the double standard between men and women, and likes to flip it around in her books. Like, who makes more money or has sexual power trips. My girlfriends and I were sort of discussing this over brunch one morning, when we decided that instead of me waiting around for my boyfriend to propose (which causes great anxiety, as you might imagine), I am going to propose to him. Why not. We're both adults with our own incomes. He can still be the hunter in the relationship. I can still gather. Like, he can hunt for our future house, and I'll research how we can finance it. And decorate it.
• Write what you know. My first dream was to be a romance novelist. But I couldn't think of a plot. Tales of Fitzgerald (though not really a romance novelist) pinning up plot points and notes all over his office as he methodically wrote intimidated me. I couldn't think of anything to put on post-its and stick all over the walls. The good writers do all say that you've got to live to write. Take chances, that sort of thing. So, now I've developed a little library of material, and I get little blips that I could put on post-its and maybe develop a story around. Bottom line: I must just write if I want to write. And write what I know.
• Everyone has their own method. The writing method of Ms. Collins is to just write, basically. She tries to block time, but implied that her schedule gets very busy. She does not stick post-its anywhere, but somehow sees the story in her head and composes it. Whatever works. Personally, I forget things, so I write them down and stick them somewhere.
• Buys herself jewelry when she finishes a book. I'm not finishing books, but I am finishing little milestones. I bought myself some Pink Jasmine from Fresh after I launched katie-james.com, albeit 2 years after the fact because I got cheap about it. Now, when I finish things for other people, I reward myself with a little pedi/10 minute massage.

Jackie Collins' new book is out: Drop Dead Beautiful. The cover is tre cool starring a wonderful swish of a fashion figure with a little glitter on it. She always has great covers. I always loved her almost neon colors, like on Bungalow 2. It's making for a great beach read this summer!

Financial Tips For Women

Recently I heard about this great list of tips for women and personal finance.  I posted a few below, and you can read the rest at Ask The Advisor.

17 Important Financial Tips for Women

Unfair as it may be, the reality is that women are often at a disadvantage  when it comes to finances. Though the gap has closed considerably in the past   fifty years, women still only make about 77   cents on the dollar compared to men. Also factor in that women are often out of the workforce for an average of seven years due to maternity leave and time spent raising and caring for children. This latter activity reduces contributions to pensions and social security. But the situation isn't hopeless. There are many things women can do to help secure their financial future. Here are a few tips to help you gain control and confidence when dealing with your finances.

1. Set a financial goal — Setting a goal for yourself can be one of the most important steps in financial success. Without financial goals and plans for meeting them there is a tendency to simply go with the flow and leave the future to chance. Knowing where you want to end up is the first step in getting there. So, sit down and figure out what your big financial goals are and how you plan to reach them. Often it helps to create smaller short-term goals to help you feel more successful along the way. Make sure to evaluate your progress over time to see if you are on track to meeting your goals, and before you know it you'll be on your way to feeling more financially     secure.
2. Don't go it alone — If you're having trouble getting a handle on your finances you don't have to  go it alone. If you're deep in debt and you feel helpless, it can often be helpful to join a support group like Debtors Anonymous. Sharing your financial burdens with others and learning from their experiences can be a great help. If you're just unsure how to get started, a class on financial management can be a great place to begin. Many places offer classes that are free or at a low cost. Women are often intimidated by investments, and being unsure about options causes much of this intimidation.     When you learn more about your finances, you'll feel more confident.
3. Get professional help — Aside from classes, if you're in need of financial guidance sometimes it's best to just find a professional who can help you along. A financial planner or a CPA can help you to allocate     your assets into good investments and to create a plan for retirement. Though     they do charge a fee, the benefit of their experience and knowledge can be worth the money. Make sure you find someone you can trust, as sad as it is, not everyone has your best interests in mind. Get a recommendation from a friend or relative when  possible.
4. Take control of your finances — While most women participate in the day-to-day finances, there are still some women who leave these decisions  to a boyfriend or spouse. Do not let someone else have complete control over your financial future. Relationships should be equal partnerships and finances should be no exception. Know where your money is located and make sure that it's being invested in a way that you see fit. It may not be a nice thought, but relationships do often end,     so you should ensure that you will be equipped to handle your own separate financial future if the circumstance should arise.

Unfair as it may be, the reality is that women are often at a disadvantage  when it comes to finances. Though the gap has closed considerably in the past   fifty years, women still only make about 77   cents on the dollar compared to men. Also factor in that women are often out of the workforce for an average of seven years due to maternity leave and time spent raising and caring for children. This latter activity reduces contributions to pensions and social security. But the situation isn't hopeless. There are many things women can do to help secure their financial future. Here are a few tips to help you gain control and confidence when dealing with your finances.