I wanted thank everyone who joined me on last week’s call. On that call I offered a special opportunity. As I mentioned last week, when I started this business, I wanted to work with Black Women who have a passion deep in their soul for their businesses but who, even with all their hard work, just can’t seem to make it work financially.
I remember what it was like for me getting my start helping businesses with their systems 17 years ago. I didn’t have the experience, the resources or the know-how but someone took a chance and invested in me. That is how I got my start and since then, I have been able to go on to build two successful companies but I would never have gotten the chance if someone hadn’t believed in me.
I know I have been so blessed, this time it was my turn to pay it forward. It was my turn to give back an opportunity that was given to me so long ago.
I wanted to make a real difference
I wanted to offer something that would make a real difference. One that I’ve seen make the difference in so many businesses that have been struggling. I wanted to offer something that I’ve seen allow a business to get on the path to 6 figures in as little as two weeks.
I’ll be honest I had second thoughts though because nobody else is doing it and it goes against everything they tell you to do in this business but I felt called to do it and I’m glad I did. I offered a unique opportunity for 4 people. I offered to invest my time and resources to work with them one-on-one to create their Signature System.
If you don’t have a Signature System, I recommend you get one soon. As a business owner, it’s one of your biggest assets and is the cornerstone of your high end offerings where I’ve seen clients begin to charge from $700 anywhere to $10,000 per session and more. I talk about it more here.
In my years working with clients I have seen the transformation they have undergone once they have defined their system. They understand clearly how they provided their service and the value they bring to their clients. It’s key to being able to stand confidently behind your value and finally charge what you’re worth.
I know for these 4 women, my offer to create their Signature System will be a key part of their journey to financial success. All I asked was one thing in return … for the winners to pay it forward to one other person.
I know how it feels to think you don’t have the resources to grow your business. But what I do know is that you can’t focus on what you don’t have when you’re giving generously what you do have. So I know by paying it forward these women are changing their perspective from scarcity to affluence.
I’m glad I listened to my heart
I am so happy I listened to my heart and I went ahead with this unusual offer. I was so overwhelmed by the response. I have to say I was a little surprised but so gratified that so many others were inspired to pay it forward as well.
I’m so grateful for the words you spoke on the conference call it has truly propelled me. ~ L. Dalton
Later today, I am contacting the winners of this unique offer. Even if you did not have the opportunity to participate, I hope you will be inspired. I hope you will be inspired to reflect on the opportunities you have been given and be inspired pay them forward in a way that makes a difference in someone else’s journey.
With all my love,
Janali, your Business Mentor
Do you remember the big news of 2000. He’s back! This time Michael Jordan was returning to basketball for the third time as team president of the Washington Wizards. Under his leadership the team under-performed. Jordan, who of course was the greatest player of all time, decided to help out by getting back in the game. This move didn’t help. The team continued to struggle and by the end of the season, he was not only fired as team president but kicked off the team. His playing days were over and his reputation in as manager was in pieces. Definitely not a three-peat.
That same year, his former coach on the other hand went on to win his tenth championship with a brand new team. Unlike Jordan, Phil Jackson was able to repeat his success with the Bulls with an entirely new team. Why was Phil Jackson able to repeat his success and Michael Jordan not?
Phil Jackson had a system. Michael Jordan was a player with extraordinary skill that was so natural, he couldn’t explain it. He couldn’t teach it and he couldn’t repeat it.
What’s your system?
Does your work come so naturally easy to you that you can’t understand why other people can’t do what you do? Do you even ask yourself, why would anyone need to be told to do this? It’s so obvious.
Let me share a secret with you. It’s not obvious. You may need to develop your Signature System.
What is a Signature System and why do you need one?
Before we go any further, let me tell you what a signature system actually is. It’s simply a series of steps you take clients through in order to achieve a specific result. It’s that simple.
Have you ever heard of “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Steven Covey? That’s a signature system. It’s what empires are built on when done well.
Positions you as an expert
One thing I’ve learned by working with so many corporate clients over the years, there’s a difference between having the skills to do the job and being able to demonstrate you have those skills. Most people even if they had the chance to see you at work wouldn’t be able to identify all the intricacy and expertise that goes into the work you do. Especially if you’re so good, you make it look easy.
Having a Signature System removes that problem. It skyrockets your credibility for one simple reason because it demonstrates to your clients that you’re not just flying by the seat of your pants. You know what you’re doing. They can feel secure that they’re in good hands. This is especially crucial when you’re working with high end clients who are paying for your expertise.
Makes you more marketable
When you craft your Signature System properly, you need to be very clear about the results you deliver. What problem do you solve and what are the tangible results of working with you? Once you become clear, you can talk to your clients about the results you can be expected to deliver. The value of creating your Signature System is that it makes the conversation easier.
You recognize your own value
I have worked with dozens of clients where we’ve taken the time to break down what they do for their own clients into a step-by-step process. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen the light bulb light up over their heads when I show them their system. I have a client who said to me before we started, “I don’t know how I do it, I just do it!” Typically by the time we’re done, they realize they do have a system but they have become so good at it, it’s natural for them, it has remained invisible even to them.
What I find most satisfying is how it opens their eyes to the enormous value they are delivering often without even realizing it. I’ve seen my clients’ confidence skyrocket as they start to believe in their ability to deliver results. It’s a funny thing, you can’t expect others to recognize the value of what you’re offering unless you do first. Creating your Signature System is one of the most effective ways of doing that.
Do you want to create your own Signature System?
If you’d like help creating your own Signature System and want to work with me one-on-one drop me an email at janali@naturallyiconic.com.
You know, it would be a dream just to spend a day hanging out with Michael Jordan the greatest basketball player of all time. But if I had my choice, I’d rather spend that day with Phil Jackson. I’d spend the entire day, figuring out his winning system!
Last week, I got into my first Facebook fight. It started off with me making a point I genuinely believed in and ended with me reflecting on how I am showing up in my business.
On Facebook I usually tend to keep a low profile liking and making a positive comment here or there. But on this occasion I just couldn’t do it.
My First Facebook Fight
One woman, a business coach herself, was making the argument that if you have your own business and also choose to comment on Fox’s super popular and amazing soap opera “Empire” on your personal Facebook timeline, you’re off brand, you’re hurting your business and won’t reach your ideal customer.
My response? Give me a break!
As someone with over 15 years of working in a corporate environment and who also loves to indulge in the juicy drama of reality television once in a while, I believe it’s more than okay to comment on an episode of Empire and maintain your business credibility at the same time.
Why is it so hard to just be ourselves?
The tagline of our business is “Be Authentic, Be Effective, Be Iconic”. Be Authentic is number one for a reason. As a Black woman working for corporations and large organizations, I didn’t see many people like myself. As a result I became hyper-aware of how I was perceived never really feeling comfortable sharing my personal life or my true personality, never really sure how anything I did would be interpreted.
So it became my dream to have my own business so I could finally just be myself. I think that’s the hope of many Black women who start their own business. It’s one of the reasons why we are are the number one creators of new businesses in America. We want to create a space where we can do things our own way and be who we are without apologies.
But old habits die hard … unconsciously we have a picture of what success look like and it often doesn’t look like us. So we create a business that looks like how we think success should look. And what do we do? We end up recreating that same old environment we couldn’t wait to get away from. We end up putting the same constraints and limits on ourselves we were trying to get away from. We can never succeed that way.
So when I heard this lady giving business advice along these lines, all I wanted to do was roll my eyes. I commented on her post that her perspective was outdated and people want you to be you because it gives everyone permission to be themselves.
Girl you got read!
That’s when I proceeded to get read like a romance novel on a hot summer vacation. She went through my facebook posts on my business page and posted comment after comment on how I was showing up. I wasn’t sharing myself and my personality.
The fact of the matter? She was right. I admire people who feel comfortable sharing themselves so openly online but never felt fully comfortable myself. That’s what I love about business. It pushes you to come out of your comfort zone.
So I have my Facebook foe to thank. Watch out this spring. We have a lot of changes coming. You will definitely be seeing more from me and if you’re ready to rev up your business, you can catch me at a few speaking dates.
Join us at Spring to Life!
I will be joining the fabulous Marilyn Porter in the Spring to Life teleconference on April 19th at 6 p.m. ET. I will be talking about how to get more done in your business in less time. Register at bit.ly/spring2life.
Stay tuned for other dates coming up in May and June. I am so looking forward to sharing and hearing from you!
And one thing I’ve learned from Cookie is she is nobody but herself, love her or hate her. So if you’re watching Empire, have fun, comment on Facebook. You’ll get a like from me!
