James Wells of Circle Ways

Spirited Entrepreneur Spotlight: James Wells of Circle Ways
One of the concerns I hear most often, especially from my “metaphysical peeps” (Tarotists, astrologers, Reiki healers, etc) is, “But Elizabeth, I don’t know to make that work in my business!”

If you’re used to working mostly in short, 1-on-1 sessions, it can be a challenge to wrap your head around more leveraged ways of working, like group programs, information products and higher-end services, such as the VIP day idea that I mentioned in my last article.  (That goes for everyone – I just hear the concern from my metaphysical peeps most often.)

That’s why I was thrilled when my friend James Wells told me that after reading the VIP day article, he immediately implemented VIP days of his own. How did he do it?  He simply took one of the processes he was already doing with his clients and repackaged it. Simple, easy, elegant… and knowing James, I have no doubt that he’s either booked his first day, or will have one booked very soon.

The truth is, all businesses have opportunities to re-package and re-position their services to create leverage – and that includes yours. Maybe not every idea fits your business, and that’s fine!  But the opportunities are there.  The problem comes when you let your critical mind rule out an idea too soon.

Instead of dismissing an idea, ask yourself, “Well, if I could implement that, what could it look like?” It’s probably a lot less complicated than you think.

And if you really can’t see these opportunities, get support. Take a class, get a coach. We all have blind spots – don’t let yours keep you from missing out on the golden opportunities that are right in front of you!

Special PS: James is one of the best, most skilled and most insightful Tarot consultants I know. He read for me at an industry event a few years ago – just a short reading, mind – and it completely knocked me down.  He’s based in the Toronto area and also consults via telephone.  You can book a session or sign up for his newsletter at circleways@yahoo.ca, or learn more about him via his blog.

Unleash Your Brilliance with Carolyn Ellis (@carolynellis)

“If you were a 100 watt light bulb, how many watts are you shining in the world today?” This is a powerful question my friend Carolyn Ellis posed in her amazing Unleash Your Brilliance Summit. I’ll admit it this question got me thinking!  (That’s the two of us off to the right – yes, she’s a bit taller than I!)

If your answer isn’t a resounding “I shine 100 watts every day!” then I hope you’ll join me at the Unleash Your Brilliance Bootcamp, a 4-part teleseminar series that Carolyn is kicking off on November 3. Get the full scoop here.

For me, meeting Carolyn at Kendall SummerHawk’s Money, Marketing and Soul Coach Certification live training in Tucson back in June was like meeting an old friend.  As someone so passionate about inner growth and transformation, I was fascinated with what Carolyn has been up to (studying with Barbara de Angelis, for one), and simply floored at her coaching skills.  When she shared the ideas behind her Unleash Your Brilliance Bootcamp, I signed up immediately.

Pix From ERS

Got to meet lots of incredible entrepreneurs and change agents at David Neagle’s ERS last week.  Here are a few:

Baeth Davis of HandAnalyst.com.  I’ve admired Baeth’s work for years; it was an absolute treat to finally meet her!

Christine Kloser! Christine has helped put conscious entrepreneurship on the map with her book, The Freedom Formula, and her event of the same name.  Next one’s in 2010 – can’t wait!  (I highly recommend The Freedom Formula, by the way.)  Learn more about Christine at LoveYourLife.com.

Kevin Nations, mentor to million-dollar marketing coaches (including my own mentors)

Suzanne Evans of Helpingpreneur.com.  I don’t say “Um, can I be you?” very often, but dang! Suzanne is just so cool!  Meeting her and her partner Melonie (who are just a stone’s throw away in NJ, woo hoo!) was a huge highlight of ERS for me.

David Neagle! (I love this picture. )

I also met fellow NYCers coach Heather Dominick, publishing consultant Stephanie Gunning, and soooo many other cool peeps. Check out more pix on Facebook and my Flickr page.

How To Be A Somebody To Your Potential Clients

Okay, so rewind the clock a little with me here, back to mid-2006. I was just married, and yet… hating just about everything except my new husband (who is the bomb, by the way). I hadn’t yet decided to quit my job, but I was getting very, very close… and was searching online for SOME way to get my life back.

One of the places I spent a lot of time was Amazon.com. I couldn’t just jump ship without any preparation – I needed infos! So I was adding books to my cart left and right.

And then something caught my eye. A book review, by a woman named Cathy Goodwin.

It opened with a funny story about the author of the book kissing Sarah Jessica Parker on television. I thought, “This lady is awesome.”

Her review was – dare I say it – fair and balanced. And told me pretty much everything I needed to know to make my decision. I added the book to my cart, and I immediately Googled her. “What a cool person,” I thought.

Fast forward to 6 months later. I’ve quit my job and am working the marketing thing, writing copy for clients. I hooked up with Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero’s peeps for support and mentorship, and lo and behold… there was Cathy Goodwin! I immediately emailed her. “OMG!! I saw your book review! I can’t believe you’re here!!”

Thanks to that book review, I felt like I already knew her. What’s more, in my mind, she was Somebody.

Maybe that’s dorky, but that’s how it went down. (And I know I’m not the only one.) I was thrilled to connect with her. And I immediately bought her product on how to boost your business with Amazon.com book reviews. And devoured it. And loved it.

Now, straight up: I never did start writing book reviews like crazy, but it’s through no fault of Cathy’s. I happen to find book review writing to be really difficult. Always have. “Micro-writing” (as my WEIRD TALES editor likes to call it) takes a lot of time. For some, it’s easy. For me, it’s tuff. I have no idea why.

But I always thought that the idea of connecting with clients through book reviews to be simply brilliant. So when Cathy emailed me to ask if I wanted to be a part of her campaign for the revised, updated and expanded version of her Amazon.com reviews program, I jumped at the chance.

Cathy is giving a free class on her Amazon secrets. It’s going on right NOW (Feb 12 @ 1pm EST) but don’t let that stop you – you can download the recording later. Here’s where to sign up:

http://tinyurl.com/avbctn

Or you can just check out the program here:

http://tinyurl.com/bry8×5

The program is really affordable, and if you pick it up by February 18, you can claim all kinds of yummy valuable bonuses (including mine!). It’s downloadable, too, so you’ll get instant access.

I really love this product and am thrilled to help Cathy get it out there to a wider audience. If book reviews are already part of your thing, whether you already write them on Amazon, post them on your blog, or what, let Cathy show you a step-by-step system for using them to not just attract your potential clients, but stand out in their minds.

Enjoy! And, as always…

bright blessings & massive success,
Elizabeth