As you know, as a solopreneur, people need to know, like and trust you before they will do business with you.  But do they really care who you are? And how far are you willing to go to let people get to know the real you?

Let’s tackle both those questions.

First of all, yes, people really do care who you are.  They don’t necessarily need to know all the intimate details of your life but they want to get a good sense of who you are and what you’re all about.

You don’t need to tell them what you ate for lunch, because frankly, no one cares. Here’s a tip for you.  Draw from things in your every day life and use them as teaching points. For instance, when I’m writing or speaking I often bring in examples of things I learn from my kids. That allows me to add value and also share a more personal side with people.

And as a leader in your niche, don’t you want to create a small sense of “celebrity”?  Look at the fascination we have with reality TV. Although, as you know, there isn’t much “reality” in reality TV. Which brings me to my next point. Don’t be fake. People will see right through that.

It’s about building community around your message and gifts. Know what you stand for in your business and in your life. That’s what developing your Core Messages is all about. When you do that, and share honestly and from the heart, the right people will gather around you and be inspired by you. Don’t be afraid to step up. When you hold back your gifts and your message, you are doing people a disservice.

The second question is equally intriguing.Ask yourself honestly, how far are you willing to go to let people into your world? Are you willing to share your fears, dreams and vulnerabilities? Just how raw are you going to get?

The truth is that when you get real with people, they will connect with you emotionally. They will appreciate you trusting in them enough to be honest.

Will some people judge you? Absolutely. But you have to trust in yourself enough to ignore that. Heck, some people won’t like you just because of the way you look or talk. To be honest, I’ve come across some brilliant people and couldn’t get into them because of the pitch of their voice. Shallow maybe, but it’s true.

So stop worrying about what other people will think about you. The right people will be attracted to you – quirks and all.

Develop relationships with people out of sincerity and authenticity. Don’t worry about where the relationship will lead you. Just get to know people and let them get to know you.

Just do me one favor. Don’t pretend that you’re being real when you’re not. Don’t get so rehearsed in sharing your vulnerabilities that it becomes a game. Don’t do it because you think it will attract people to you, but because you genuinely want to help people by sharing your truth.

What have your experiences been in sharing the real you and in seeing other leaders do the same? Please share your comments and feedback below. Thanks!

I was working out at the gym this weekend and was watching an Oprah Winfrey program about spirituality. She had Deepak Chopra and Perez Hilton on stage together. Strange combination, right? Perez was talking about the spiritual transformation he recently underwent. I’ve included a short clip for you below.

What really struck me was at the end of the clip where he talks about realizing that his life purpose and gift is to inspire and help people. Oprah jokingly replies, you’ve taken my life purpose!

In that statement lies one of the biggest challenges for many coaches and other solopreneurs. You see, we each do have a gift that we’re here to share with others. But as entrepreneurs, we can’t be so general as to say that our gift is to inspire and help people. That is just too vague.

You need to understand what your gift is, who you’re here to help, how you help them and why you’re the perfect person to help them. Then you need to wrap that all up and clearly and concisely explain it so that you create a powerful impression that differentiates you in the eyes of your ideal clients.

I’m getting ready to release a free new report about how you can tap into your gifts and create your message so that you can standout in your niche and earn more leveraged income. Keep an eye out for that soon!

In the meantime, I would love for you to take a couple of minutes to watch this video and then leave your comments below. What is your gift and how are you using that to help your clients? Thanks – I appreciate you!

Joint Ventures are one of the fastest and best ways to build your list and your business. Before you move forward in pursuing JV’s, keep in mind the three quick tips shared in the audio recording below.

You CAN create successful JV’s, no matter where you are in your business. My wonderful client, Drifa Ulfarsdottir, is a fairly new coach and is being featured as a guest expert in a major book launch. Check it out here - yeah Drifa!

If you want to learn more about how to create successful JV’s, then you’re going to be really excited if you’re a TALI member. In April’s TALI training, we cover 6 types of JV’s you can create.  If you’re not yet a member of TALI, it’s not too late to join. Each month, TALI members get in-depth training, ongoing networking and support, a live Q&A call, and a Marketing Makeover. Check it out at www.TeamTALI.com.

What are your biggest questions about Joint Ventures? What has worked well and what hasn’t? Please share your comments and questions below. Thank you – I appreciate you!

I just got back from a little family trip to Universal Studio in Hollywood and was blown away by how much of what we see in movies and TV is pure illusion. It really struck me how those same illusions carry over into some internet marketing businesses. Don’t let yourself get sucked into those illusions. Watch the 4 minute video below to hear how to find your own voice and carve your own path.

Please share your comments below. I really value your opinions and perspective. Thank you!

What can a 7 year old skier  teach us as solopreneurs? Watch this quick (and embarrassing video) about how you can karate chop your way to success!

I’m sharing my embarrassing face with you here publicly because this message is very important. Please take a moment to leave your thoughts below. Thanks!

What does Glinda the Good Witch from the Wizard of Oz have to teach us as solopreneurs?

Before I answer this question, let me tell you a little story.

My 7 year old son has been doing Junior Theater and is performing in The Wizard of Oz for his school play. He’s a flying monkey and a munchkin and has all of one line, but he doesn’t care.

He asked if we could watch the movie on tv, so we rented it and snuggled up to watch it together. I loved having the memories of that movie come back to life and was amazed at how many of the songs and lines I remembered.

One part I didn’t remember was at the very end when Dorothy discovers that she had the power to get back home the whole time, just by clicking her sparkly red shoes together. She asks Glinda – why didn’t you tell me what to do in the first place?

To which Glinda responds…because sometimes you need to figure things out for yourself if they are to be meaningful. Watch the video clip below to hear what she says.

As soon as I heard these words I realized how meaningful they are for us as entrepreneurs. I posted the question on my Facebook Page – what does Glinda the Good Witch have to teach us as entrepreneurs, and there were some great answers. One of the top responses was “we have the power to choose our own destiny”.  I couldn’t agree more.

Let’s take that a little further and think about this. When you invest in a program to help you build your business, or you listen to a free teleseminar with a leading mentor, what do you do with the information you learn? Do you take it at face value and figure out how to apply the “formula”? Or do you dig deep to understand the strategic principles behind what they share and figure out how to apply it to your own business?

We all want shortcuts, and we love templates and formulas that help us get faster results. I’m all for that! But sometimes you can’t just take the information handed to you. You need to figure out for yourself what it means for your business. How will you apply what you learn? What do you need to tweak to make it work for your target market, for your business model, for your personal style and strengths?

I urge you to get strategic, get creative, and dig deep to see how you can best apply all that you learn in a way that is meaningful for you.  You might get there faster by just clicking your heels and listening to the shining stars, but the journey will be much more rewarding when you follow your own yellow brick road.

This tip from Glinda is just one of the strategic insights I share in my new program, “Targeted Action, Leveraged Income” (TALI). Check it out and see how you can get training and personal support for literally pennies a day.

By Nancy Marmolejo, Guest Blogger 

By nature, entrepreneurs are highly creative thinkers. Every aspect of a business- from filling a need, to solving a problem, to marketing, to selling, to serving customers - is an expression of creativity.

But for every great idea that gets launched, millions more go the wayside because entrepreneurs simply don’t know how to take action, how to decide if something’s worth pursuing, or if the time is right.

Wild ideas are GREAT for business…  and now more than ever is the time to take action. Why? Because so many people are playing it safe, the playing field is wide open for wild ideas.

This is the time to be bold and brave, to lean out instead of leaning in, to move into the unknown rather than stay in the familiar.

But how do you do that without losing your shirt? Follow these tips, inspired by real-life success stories, and see your wild ideas pay off!

1. Don’t wait until you know everything

The time it takes to become perfect at something is a surefire way to miss an opportunity. Never stop learning, but at some point you must take action before- even before you know all the details. Entrepreneurs are fast learners- never underestimate your ability to learn on your feet while you’re taking action. As Michael Port shares in “The Wild Idea That Paid Off” virtual chat series, “Be a blank piece of paper with a beginner’s mind.” Let the knowledge fill you as you go along.

2. Turn past failures into future successes

Thomas Edison took over 1000 tries to invent the lightbulb. You might fail at something too… but that failure could be the path to your next big success. Branding expert Kim Castle turned a disastrous financial situation into multi-million dollar business by simply plucking out the lessons and spinning them into gold. Where there’s failure, there’s opportunity!

3. Step out of the safe and familiar

Trailblazer coach Shawn Driscoll hung out mostly in the background until one day she decided to break out and fully express her talents through her business. It frightened people around her, but the bold steps have paid off. Productive Flourishing’s Charlie Gilkey walked away from an established career and doctoral program to begin a business that served the needs of creative entrepreneurs.  Social media pioneer Jack Humphrey gave away an extremely valuable product for free at the risk of losing $100,000 in sales. Marketing expert Ellen Britt chose to brand her business with an unconventional, regional twist. They each were told not to take the risk but they did… and it paid off. Get out of the safe and familiar and take bold steps into the unknown.

4. Live a creative life

Creative people don’t just summon up their creative juices when needed. They show curiosity, try new things, and embark on new adventures. Business coach Andrea Lee views life as a creative adventure and puts what she learns into her business and live events. Author and coach Pamela Slim is drawn to great ideas in all aspects of her business and life. The creative life is a way of seeing possibilities and taking action on them.

5. Make a plan

Taking risks and being spontaneous can still follow a plan, which is what 9 innovative thinkers all agreed was the key to success in these conversations on creativity and innovation.  Being able to put your creative ideas into action is what separates wild ideas that go nowhere from wild ideas that pay off. Look at the big picture. Chunk it down into action steps. Map out the details and set deadlines. Stay accountable to yourself and someone else so things get done. This is where the rubber hits the road and where the success stories are born.

There’s a big difference between a wild idea that pays off  and a distracting bright shiny object. Follow these tips to turn your wild ideas into profitable paths to happiness, prosperity, and innovation.

About the Author:

Nancy Marmolejo is an award winning business owner who teaches entrepreneurs how to stand out as experts in their fields. The founder of the highly successful Viva Visibility, Nancy recently launched a free virtual chat series “The Wild Idea That Paid Off” to encourage entrepreneurs to think broadly and to encourage curiosity. With 8 forward thinkers joining her, this series is designed to give concrete steps to turning your wild ideas into profitable, lucrative payoffs. Sign up here.

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We don’t operate our businesses in a vacuum and it’s so important to know who your competitors are and what they’re doing.

At the same time you don’t want to allow yourself to get overwhelmed by your competition. In fact, if you shift your perspective, you’ll find that your competitors can become valuable strategic alliance partners.

Why do you want to know your competitors?  When choosing your niche, you want to evaluate the competitive landscape so you can ensure that there is sufficient competition already successfully working in this niche. If there isn’t, it’s a sign that it’s not a viable niche.

You also want to see how you can differentiate yourself. Do you have a unique approach or perspective? How is your competition marketing itself – what can you learn from what they’re doing?

Sign up for their lists and keep on top of what they’re doing. Learn from them. Comment on their blogs. Connect with them on social media. As I said, you’ll be amazed how your competitors can become joint venture partners if you have the right perspective.

One great tool I came across to help you learn about your competitors is  http://www.statmyweb.com/. This free tool provides a wealth of information about any website, including:

•  when it was created
• where is it hosted
• how much is it worth
• where it ranks on the web
• estimated visits
• alexa traffic rankings
• keywords ranking
• links analysis
• and more

If you found this helpful and want to learn how to research not only your competition, but also your target market so you can solve the Niche Puzzle, then check out my newly released Home Study Program, “Niche Breakthrough Secrets – Discover Your Niche and Unique Personal Brand”

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There is a very easy way to get more people over to your Facebook Page that many people overlook. Watch this 3 minute video and make this easy fix!

If you haven’t done so already, come visit me on my Facebook Page and say hi.

One of the questions I get asked a lot, including on my recent survey, is “When should I choose a coaching niche?”

You may resist choosing a niche because you want to help different people with different things, and you know that your coaching skills can be applied to virtually any type of person or situation.

But there will come a time when you decide that you are really serious about building a successful coaching business. At that time, I think it will become clear that choosing a coaching niche is a powerful thing to do. Not only will it lead to more referrals, ideal clients and valuable strategic alliances, it will actually lead to more clients!

If you found this helpful and want to learn how to choose your niche, then check out my newly released Home Study Program, “Niche Breakthrough Secrets – Discover Your Niche and Unique Personal Brand”

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