The Realities of Burnout and Avoiding Fatigue

I am burned out. 

This often happens to me after the first quarter of each year when the health and wellness industry is booming. I hustle hard during that quarter and then crash just a little. 

Burnout can leave you feeling depleted, stressed and overwhelmed. Sherrie Bourg Carter says it perfectly: “Burnout is a cunning thief that robs the world of its best and its brightest by feeding on their energy, enthusiasm, and passion, transforming these positive qualities into exhaustion, frustration, and disillusionment. But the good news is that burnout is not a terminal condition.”

If you are feeling this way, my friend, you are not alone. We all go through this at some point or another on this entrepreneurial journey. So, when you find yourself at the intersection of burned out and giving up, here are a few tips to keep you moving forward. 

Revisit Your Why

When burnout starts to creep up on you, it’s so important you revisit your why. Going back to your purpose is critical to push through and find a better way.  Your why can help you re-prioritize, re-envision, and refocus when things get off track. So, be sure to keep your why in front of you and reference it often. 

Delegate

Delegation can be scary because in some ways you are giving up control…and let’s be honest, most of us entrepreneurial types don’t like to give up control. However, I have long said, “you can have control or you can have growth, but you can’t have both.” If you are holding on to the puppet strings too tightly, your hands will get tired. You’ve got to loosen your grip a little every now and then. 

A couple of tips for delegating:

• Make a list of everything you hate doing and figure out a way to have someone else do those things for you. Obviously, we can’t do this with everything, but it will give you a starting point!
• Focus on the essentials. We often get burned out because we are doing too many things that are truly not necessary. Cut out anything that isn’t essential. 
• Build a strong team. You will probably have to invest in a team to grow your business. Find the right people and then empower them to do their thing.

Take Daily Breaks

You need to give yourself a few mental breaks each day, even if it’s only for 10 minutes. Go outside and get some vitamin D. Take a quick walk around the office. Do a quick 10 minute yoga video. Spend 20 minutes reading a book…for fun. Turn on some music and dance with one of your kids. Relax and deep breathe for at least 10 minutes each day. This honestly will do wonders to keep you from burning out. 

Practice Daily Gratitude

Mindset is truly a game changer. When you are positive, focused and living out of an abundance mindset, you are able to accomplish so much more. Practicing gratitude is a simple way to get your mindset back on a positive track. It reminds you that nothing is truly as urgent as it seems and that there is so much good in your life. I try to come up with 2-3 things I am grateful for each day. Practice this for a couple of weeks and I guarantee you will see your mindset shift and the fog of burnout fade.

Start Something New and Challenge Yourself

Boredom can lead to burnout quickly. When you are running your own business, it is important to shake things up every now and then. It’s in our nature as entrepreneurs to thrive in challenging and innovative settings. So, when you feel the burnout coming on, it’s likely time to try something new. Create a new program, launch a new course, create a new product, get a new certification…disrupt the monotony and you’ll be able to avoid those overwhelming feelings of burnout. 

 Ask for Help

If you are an online entrepreneur, it’s easy to isolate yourself. When we believe we are in this thing all alone, burnout tends to hit harder. When you are feeling overwhelmed, ask for help. Get some advice from someone you trust. Go to someone older and wiser than you and ask for some encouragement and guidance. Hire a coach and ask them to lead you in the right direction. Don’t try to do this thing alone. The entrepreneurial life is best lived in community, with lots of support. When you are feeling burned out, get help!

Life isn’t easy. Building a business isn’t easy. Even the best of us get burned out. When you hustle hard, you fizzle out quickly. Do what you can to overcome burnout and take the time you need to reset. Your health and mental well being should be a top priority for you, so try implementing a few of these tips to either avoid burnout, or fight burnout when you start to feel it coming on!

I Almost Failed Algebra 2…Twice!

In high school I almost failed Algebra 2, twice. 

Seriously. 

I failed it once, took it again, worked super hard…and in April of my second year, had the exact same average I had the year before. So, I dropped the class so I wouldn’t fail it twice.

Despite my Algebra 2 struggles, I’ve been able to build more than one incredibly successful business. And, clearly, it’s not because I am the smartest girl on the block. Instead, it is because I truly know the power of a team. 

It always surprises me when clients ask me how I do it all. The truth is, I don’t do it all. In fact, so much of what actually gets done for my business is heavily reliant on the incredible team I’ve been able to build. I may not be able to solve linear equations, but I do know how to build an incredible team. Here are a few tips to building a team that make you look like the smartest girl around!

When to Grow Your Team

About 2 years ago, I knew my business was at a tipping point. I could no longer grow as a solopreneur and had to begin to consider hiring some team members. I’ve long said you can either have control, or you can have growth. I had some huge goals I wanted to meet and I knew I had to give up some control in order to see some growth. In true Amanda fashion, I didn’t just hire one team member…I hired three. 

There was definitely some fear in bringing others on. I was confident that I could grow the business, but the extra pressure of 3 more salaries weighed on me. In addition, giving up control is always a bit scary, so growing my team was not done without fear. 

When you find yourself at a tipping point with the potential for huge growth, it’s time to start considering adding team members. You don’t have to hire three at a time like I did, and you will likely have some fear in bringing someone else on. That’s okay, do it anyway. Finding the right team members will help you focus on moving your business forward, which is key to successfully growing your business. 

How to Hire a Team

Hire people who are smarter than you.

We’ve already established that I am not the smartest person in the world. And, while I have some clear strengths, I obviously have some weaknesses, too. This is why I hire people who are smarter than me and who are better than me at doing the things I either hate doing, or am terrible at. 

It is important you avoid hiring out of insecurity. If you are not okay with someone being better than you at something, then it probably isn’t the right time to hire. Again, you can either have control or growth. If you want growth, you are going to have to give up some control to your team members, which is why you are going to want to hire the very best possible team. 

This is truly how I’ve been able to build such successful businesses. My team is incredible. They are all experts at what they do. We hustle harder than any team out there. We lead the way with authority. We speak the language of excellence and confidence. My team delivers in exceptional ways every single day. That doesn’t happen by hiring people who are just okay at what they do. Hire smarter, better, more passionate than you…then let your team do their thing!

Ease into a full-time hire.

I completely understand that bringing someone on full-time can be intimidating if you’ve always worked alone. Not to mention, you can only learn so much from an interview. This is why I highly recommend you hire someone as an independent contractor for a 3 month probationary period. A probationary period will give you time to see how that person works as a part of your team, and it will also help you focus on growth so you can sustain that team member full-time.   

Use your team wisely. 

Once you hire a team, you need to fire yourself from everything that another team member can do. Your main job once your team is in place is to focus solely on the things only you can do. Don’t hire a team and then sit around doing administrative work. Delegate everything you possibly can, so that you can focus on revenue producing activities. 

Take risks.

There is absolutely some risk involved with hiring a team. There are plenty of things that can go wrong, and plenty of ways it can end up costing you money. However, when you have the right team in place, your growth will be truly exponential. There is really no better way to accelerate the growth of your business than to hire an exceptional team. This means you may have to take a few risks every now and then: hiring before you feel completely ready, or moving someone from a part-time position to a full time position. 

The entrepreneurial life is a risky one, but entrepreneurs by nature are risk takers. So, while you absolutely need to be wise, you will also need to take a few steps of faith in regards to hiring a team. 

I do not do it all. 

I am not the sharpest tool in the shed. 

But, my team is incredible. 

We all operate in the areas where we are strongest. 

We all deliver. 

We all hustle. 

We are all responsible for the growth of my businesses. 

If you are at a tipping point, it is likely time for you to consider making a hire or two. Build your team wisely and then equip them to work in their strengths. If you do that, the sky truly is the limit for you and your business. 

Balancing Your Personal and Business Finances

One of the things clients often ask me to speak about is budgeting and finances for both business and personal funds. So, here’s a peek into how we manage our finances and some tips for you to help you manage yours!

Brandon and I worked together in high school while listening to Dave Ramsey on cassette tape. As you can imagine, that had a profound impact on how we learned to handle our finances. We then worked our butts off to pay for Brandon’s last two years at a private university, while living as lean as we possibly could. 

Post college we obviously began to earn more, as we were both able to focus on our careers. However, I realized pretty quickly that while more money does not actually cause more problems, but the mismanagement of money does. 

Things were totally fine for us when we were still living lean, even though we had more money to spend. We didn’t really feel any financial pressure until we started to try and keep up with the Jones’s. That’s when things got a little more stressful and we decided to re-evaluate and do things a bit differently. 

One thing that keeps us focused financially is that Brandon checks on our financials daily. He does this for both of our businesses. He tracks everything, including our personal finances, in one place. 

Our business finances are broken down into specific revenue streams. We track the income for each revenue stream, along with the expenses for each revenue stream. This gives us our net income on a daily basis for each revenue stream in our business. (Net income = gross income-expenses)

We then take our net income and break it down further to use as our personal finances, after setting money aside for taxes and giving (we give from both the business net revenue and personal net revenue). 

Each month the specific numbers for our personal finances are different, since our net income is different month to month. However, whatever we bring in for the month, we break into the following percentages:

10% for tithing

We believe in giving on a personal level, and also give 10% each month from our business finances. It is absolutely critical you begin this practice early on in your business. It will not be easier to give when you are making more money. So, start with 10% of whatever you are making, even if it is only $10!

10% for fun money

This helps alleviate any guilt that might come with spending. It also allows us to live within our means, while still enjoying our lives. 

10% for investment

We invest mainly in IRA’s but do have some other investments. 

10% long term savings for spending

This goes towards things like a down payment on a home, a new vehicle or some of the bigger purchases we know we will eventually want to make. 

3% education for kids

This does not necessarily mean college funds since we are not certain our children will go the traditional college route. However, we do make an investment into a regular investment account that will go towards our children’s future, whatever that may look like. 

10% necessities and discretionary spending

This is self-explanatory. This money goes towards the things we need to buy each month, and any discretionary purchases we want to make!

47% additional savings

The rest of the money we bring in each month goes towards savings. 

We’ve learned that living simply to make intentional purchases later on is a less stressful way to live, instead of doing everything in our power to keep up with the Jones’s. We want to see our bottom line increase each month, not level out or decrease. This means we communicate regularly about our finances, check the numbers daily, and make intentional plans with every penny we bring in. 

To check out the specific spreadsheet we use for our finances, hop on over to my Facebook page and watch the live video!

Is your money mindset holding you back?

Money can be a difficult topic to discuss. Depending on how you were raised, your views around earning and using your money can either propel you towards greater wealth, or drastically hold you back. I truly believe that women earning significant income so they can recirculate money back into family, church and community is the most effective way to bring about change in the world. So I am committed to helping as many women as possible earn big so they can give big!

Over the years, I have worked with various female entrepreneurs who are killing it in their business and earning a significant income, yet still struggling to make ends meet. I’ve seen a trend among these women and their thinking when it comes to money. They regularly sabotage themselves and don’t handle their money wisely. These women have several misconceptions when it comes to money and it is holding them back from building a thriving business and truly making change in the world.

Misconceptions about money that could be sabotaging you.

Money is the root of all evil.

This regularly misquoted Bible verse is thrown around like confetti! The actual verse says THE LOVE of money is the root of all evil. When money becomes an idol in your life, every evil thing flows from there. However, money itself is amoral, and when in the hands of wise people, can be used for incredible good.

Money isn’t important.

Money is a necessity. Without it, you can’t live. You can act as though money is not all that important in life, but when you consider the requirements of daily living, it is absolutely a crucial piece of the puzzle. Wealth opens doors for you to give generously and make change in bigger ways. It isn’t the most important thing, but it is an important thing.

Having more money than you need means you are greedy.

I used to think this about several people we knew growing up. However, I’ve learned that significant wealth in the right hands can do incredible things for communities. Wealthy people can absolutely be greedy, but they can also be incredibly philanthropic. The heart is what is so important here. If you are someone who is able to detach yourself, your worth, and your happiness from money, then you will be able to live in wealth without falling into greed.

Money doesn’t grow on trees.

This scarcity type of mindset really communicates defeat. It resigns itself to thinking that there won’t be enough. While money doesn’t grow on trees, there are always new ways to earn money. Focusing on what is possible, and never feeling like there won’t be enough, or there won’t be a way, is critical to maintaining a healthy relationship with money.

If you’ve struggled with an unhealthy money mindset in the past, I recommend you work on reshaping that mindset so you can earn significant wealth to bless others. Money in the right hands can do immeasurable good. The women I am fortunate enough to work with are the types of women who will truly change the world by earning significant incomes. That is why I am so committed to helping them do just that!

If you would like to work with me through my business mentorship programs, the first step is setting up a FREE 20 minute consult. During our time together we will both be able to assess whether a working relationship will be a good fit, and then make a plan for moving forward. If you are a female entrepreneur who is serious about earning significant income and doing good, then I would love to work with you. Schedule your consult here!

The Power of Positivity

As a busy entrepreneur, you should be very strategic about who you surround yourself with, since those people will have a strong influence on your day-to-day life. One of the best decisions a female entrepreneur can make is to spend more time with positive people and less time with people who bring a lot of negativity. When asked what choices I’ve made that have made a huge impact on my career, choosing to surround myself with positive people is at the top of the list. I personally saw a huge turning point in my business and in my overall happiness and satisfaction in life when i intentionally decided to spend more time with positive, uplifting, empowering women and less time with negative women.

Sometimes you’ll hear these negative people referred to as “crabs,” referring to the fact that they keep pulling others down with their negativity. If you put a single crab in a barrel, it has the ability to climb out of the barrel and easily makes its way out. However, if you put many crabs in a barrel, when one starts to climb and escape, others will pull it back down into the barrel as they work to climb out, despite each crab being capable of escaping. The potential of the single crab is never realized because of the energy expended by the other crabs bringing each other back to the bottom of the barrel.

We female entrepreneurs should work to surround ourselves with positive people and to spend less time with friends, family, or colleagues who are crabs. Negative people often only see or focus on faults in others, while positive people will focus on strengths, helping you live up to your full potential, even if you can’t see that potential yourself. If you have negative people in your life, work to distance yourself from those people and their issues. Understand that it’s not about you and that stepping back from the relationship with this person will ultimately make your happier.

Take time to cultivate relationships with positive people who truly help you move forward in life. You need someone in your life who you can talk to about your business and your life, someone who shares your values. If you don’t have someone who you know you can go to to confide in, or learn from them, or be uplifted by them, you need to seek those people out. This person doesn’t have to be someone local; try video conferencing if you don’t live in close proximity. You can still have those close relationships and connections with people if they don’t live in your community.

It can be particularly difficult when the negative person in your life is a family member. When a family member isn’t supportive of you, it can be incredibly hurtful. Understand that you can’t change that family member, and that it doesn’t help to be constantly upset about their actions or words. Instead, work to accept the reality of who they are. It may help to have another family member to act as a buffer when you get together, someone who can balance the family dynamic and helps keep the mood more positive when you spend time together.

Letting go of negativity is incredibly important for your business, too. Your ability to stay optimistic is truly one of the biggest predictors of how successful your business will be. Negative entrepreneurs often like to focus on everything that’s going wrong in their life. These people often make themselves into the victim, complaining about everything that goes wrong in their lives on social media or other places.

Here’s the truth: your clients don’t want to work with someone who’s dramatic or negative. Your clients and prospects want to work with someone who is positive and uplifting. Just like you should minimize your interaction with negative people, potential clients can sense your negativity and may avoid working with you if you don’t have the right attitude. When you start to feel or think negative, do something that helps put you in a better mindset, like focusing on professional development, reading through thank yous from past clients, or simply thinking through all of the things that you’re thankful for. Focus on being positive yourself and you’ll start to see your business grow.

Prioritize spending time with positive people. Focusing on cultivating relationships with people who lift you up doesn’t mean that you don’t love a negative person. It simply means that you intentionally spend less time with that person and more time with those who challenge you to become a better person. Deciding to surround yourself with positive people will help you lead a happier life, and that optimism will help you be more positive in return, attracting more people to you and your business.

The 4 Levels of Legal Protection You Need for your Fitness Business

I am thrilled to share this guest blog post from my good friend and mentorship program client, Matt Dearden. I work with thousands of women who are ramping up fitness businesses, and I find this information to be extremely valuable. Read his post below regarding the 4 levels of legal protection you need for your fitness business I’ve been working with several great fitness businesses recently through my law firm, and there is one question that clients always ask without fail: how can I best shield myself from liability if one of my clients gets injured during a workout?  While it’s impossible to fully insulate yourself from all liability, you can definitely take steps to protect yourself.  Whether you train clients virtually, in person, or via DVD, there are four levels of protection that every fitness business owner should have in place:

1. Form an LLC.

It is important that you shield your personal assets from the debts and liabilities of your business, and forming a limited liability company (LLC) is a great way to do that.  In the eyes of the law, an LLC is a separate entity from you personally.  Therefore, if your LLC is sued in the future, only the assets of the LLC—and not your personal assets—are at risk.  Additional benefits of LLC’s include pass-through taxation (they are treated like sole-proprietorships), heightened credibility and minimal state compliance regulations.  In Ohio, an LLC is created by filing Articles of Organization with the Secretary of State.  The cost is only $125.

1. Utilize a great release.

As much as possible, require your clients to sign liability releases before participating in your programs.  In Ohio, a clear and unambiguous release that relieves your business from liability for its own negligence will generally be upheld by courts.  Moreover, a release of a cause of action for damages is ordinarily an absolute bar to a later lawsuit on any claim encompassed within the release.  To be enforceable, a good release should (1) clear and unequivocal in every way, (2) state exactly which person/entity is being released from liability (you should include both your business and you personally) and (3) clearly outline the claims that are barred in the future.  Courts in most jurisdictions tend to look favorably upon well-written releases, so do it right the first time!

1. Buy general liability insurance.

Every fitness business should buy general liability insurance.  These traditionally broad policies insure against the risk that the insured may cause injury to clients or other third parties.  You will need to check with a broker for quotes, but insurance for personal trainers and non-traditional fitness businesses is usually quite affordable.

1. Be nice.

This is the number one piece of advice I give my fitness business clients (and all my business clients).  The best protection you can give yourself is to be friendly and accommodating.  Even if you occasionally err, clients who like you will almost never sue you.

Please feel free to reach out to me at mdearden@deardenlawoffices.com if you want to discuss how to best manage risk in your fitness business.

**The above blog post is not legal advice and should not be construed as such.  Every business is different, so business owners should consult an attorney to determine which solutions might work best for them.

Million Dollars Per Quarter Goal and VIP Days

Every summer, Brandon and I sit down to create our goals for the fiscal year. I wanted to share one of my goals with all of you and communicate why it's so important to me. You'll hear my heart and purpose for my business this year, and learn about my million dollars per quarter goal.

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In the video, you'll hear why I believe it's important to develop a "Why" and goals that go beyond yourself, and how passionate I am about helping women channel significant wealth to their businesses to recirculate money to their family, church, and community.

Before you can set your goals for the year, you have to find your personal purpose.  I love teaching other women to give back which is an often missed step and so crucial to the success of any business. You can have material success but lack purpose. If you lack purpose you will not be happy. Financial goals are good and necessary, but they will not fulfill you. Success is far more about living your purpose and serving others.

So, how do you set up your fiscal year business goals while also focusing on others and a purpose that goes outside yourself?

Ask yourself the following questions:

What is your life's work? What do you stand for? What are you passionate about? What fires you up? What do you wake up in the morning to accomplish, and who do you truly want to help?

Take some time this afternoon and really pinpoint your purpose. We are on the earth to live out a purpose. What is your purpose as a woman and as an entrepreneur? What kind of leader do you want to be in the world and community and for your children? Your business is a vehicle to achieve your purpose. When you go through hardships what keeps you going?

If you're 100% clear on your purpose, you'll get out of your own way and you'll be energized to service your clients even when you hit up against challenges.

If you're having a hard time pinpointing the unique purpose that drives your business, I'm here to help. Feel free to contact me and I can help you articulate your passion to service others and the unique purpose that drives your business.

This year, I will be introducing a very exciting aspect to my business coaching and mentorship programs: VIP days. You will have the opportunity to spend the day at my home while we accelerate your business.

VIP days will include the following:

• Intensive branding and marketing training
• Business plan creation
• Professional branding photo shoot
• Website development
• Residual wealth strategy and creation
• Accounting and tax advice, and much more.

This is going to be a phenomenal way to take your business to the next level and I can't wait to work with several women through VIP days this year. If you would like information about VIP days, please fill out the form below:

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Can Money Buy Happiness?

Can money buy happiness?

We've all heard the saying, "money can't buy happiness." But do you really believe that to be true? Or do you think that once you hit a certain salary level, receive a promotion, or reach "millionaire" status, you will be happy? As a young professional still in my 20s, my career and financial situation has rapidly changed and grown. Since our first year of marriage (he was 20, and I was 22 when we got hitched), the hubs and I have set and achieved specific financial goals, and we've been extremely blessed through our short careers with raises, promotions, and the ability to pursue some fun projects via my self-employment. But has an increase in money correlated with an increase in our happiness?

Six years ago, Brandon and I lived in a 500 square foot apartment, had significant student loan debt, and made minimum wage working 70 hours per week. We had very little money in the bank.

And we were happy.

Our first year of marriage was full of adventures, new friendships, some fun employment opportunities, and contentment.

Due to the blessings of God, hard work, and some good decision-making, both of our salaries have tripled in 6 years. We've been able to pay off our school loans, build our dream home, install a pool, purchase nice cars, go on several vacations, and much more.

And we are happy.

However - I can say without a shadow of a doubt, that money and "things" is not what makes us happy.

Watch my most recent video with my honest perspective. FYI: I did have some technology issues while filming this video - bear with me. The message is one I want you to hear, so you may consider simply listening to the video versus watching since the audio doesn't match up the whole way through. XO

I love this quote from Billionaire, Mark Cuban, when the question was posed, "Can money buy you happiness."

“It’s creating a goal for yourself and accomplishing a goal and setting a dream, and living that dream through your effort that can make you feel a whole lot better about yourself [and happy],” he says. “It worked for me..."

I would add to Marc Cuban's quote and say the following about what truly makes me happy. "Inspiring and empowering other women to set and accomplish goals and fulfill their dreams, in addition to setting and accomplishing my personal goals while staying balanced with family and career is what truly makes me happy."

Through the years, I've discovered that what makes me "happy' is inspiring women to do what inspires them. As a business coach, nothing gives me more joy, satisfaction, and happiness in my life than watching a fellow mom ramp up a successful fitness business.

This past month I hit a financial milestone for business. However - was I any happier the day after I hit the goal versus the day before? No, not really. In fact, my lack of personal enthusiasm about hitting the financial milestone is what prompted me to re-post this blog from my fitness site. I consider myself to be extremely fortunate to have learned this valuable life lesson so early in my life and career - money truly cannot buy happiness.

You want to know what truly made me happy last week? Hearing that one of the women in my fitness business mentorship program was able to give in her 2 week notice and quit her job to pursue her passion for fitness full-time. Wow - nothing inspires me more than to help women pursue what inspires them.

Want to know what else makes me happy? A sense of balance.

For example, being able to go on a spontaneous play date with a business mentorship client to the park for a couple of hours this morning, sitting outside by the pool right now listening to professional development and writing this blog post for you, and having a feeling that my life is balanced versus jam-packed makes me happy.

There have been times of unrest and unhappiness in my life over the past 6 years. But what I've found is that most of those times are directly related to work stress and excessive work hours. I've had a tendency to say "yes" to far too many things. Last year at this time, life without balance cost me my health, family time, and my happiness.

Working excessive hours is an expense I can no longer afford. This year I decided to focus on residual/passive income and stop simply trading hours for dollars. It has made a world of difference for me, and I am able to be far more intentional about how I spend my time.

So, what makes you truly happy? I encourage you to think beyond the things that money can buy - and consider what makes you happy outside of "things." Do more of what makes you happy, seek to serve and inspire others, and find balance.

The Value of An Early Morning Routine

Are you an entrepreneur who seeks to be highly productive and manage time well? Perhaps you're a mom who works from home. There are unique challenges that accompany a work-from-home scenario and I am thrilled to share my best practices with you. I believe that it's valuable to have a very specific early morning routine. Watch my video about the value of an early morning routine.

After you watch the video, feel free to share your tips for "getting things done."

A Focus On Mentoring, Empowering, and Uplifting Women in 2015

Welcome to amandatress.com - a brand new site for my business coaching and mentoring programs and services. This year, my focus is on mentoring, empowering, and uplifting women. My passion is to help women earn a significant income working from home in a career that is both flexible and fulfilling.

At this time, I have two main coaching programs:

• Instagram Academy: for ladies who are hoping to grow their Instagram platforms and increase conversions (sales).
• Fitness Business Mentorship Program: specifically aimed at women who want to start a fitness business or take their current business to the next level online.

I've been privileged to mentor close to 200 women already this year.

I am purpose-driven in my selection of clients this year, and the majority of my new clients are motivated, young, professional moms who want to create significant income for their families via a work-from-home scenario in the wellness industry.

While I will maintain an equal opportunity approach and continue to service a small number of male clients, my niche market is young, motivated moms. Why my shift in focus? I recently heard a statistic that helps verbalize my reasoning and passion to help other women. "A woman will spend 90 percent of her income on family and community. Conversely, men will only spend an average of 30%-40% of his salary on his family and community. By investing in women, it's not simply a heart issue, it's an understanding that leaders will say that if you want to be serious about solving problems in the world, you need to invest in women (Entreleadership podcast, Barret Ward)." If my passion is to influence our world and economy for the better, my focus will be to empower women to generate significant income.

Since Miss Emma was born, I have worked in a variety of job scenarios. I've worked part-time out of the home and part-time at home, full-time out of the home, and full-time at home. I believe that the best scenario for my family is a full-or-part-time-work-from-home scenario. Most of the ladies who enroll in my mentorship program are also hoping to scale back from a full-time working scenario out of the home. One of my biggest accomplishments this past year has been to empower women to start-up a successful in-home fitness business and quit their full-time jobs.

My mentorees are not afraid to dream big. In the very first consult, I usually ask the ladies how much they would like to make per month. I LOVE working with women who come back with answers in the 6,000-10,000 per month (or more) range. I am happy to match their pace and give them the essential marketing tools to be successful.

I've spoken with countless entrepreneurs this year who cannot understand why I am training other women in how to compete with me in the fitness industry. I am literally sharing and handing them every single strategy that works well for me in my own business. I am taking the guess-work out for fellow-moms, and helping them to spend time on activities that bring the greatest ROI versus spinning their wheels via sound marketing strategies. Why am I doing this? I truly believe that someone does not need to fail for me to succeed. No other woman needs to lose for me to win. We are all on the same team and this should be a win-win scenario. Unified women GET STUFF DONE. Her success is my success.

2015 is panning out to be a phenomenal year. I've had the privilege of working with some amazing young professionals via my mentorship/business coaching program.

What will your business focus be for 2015? Are you purpose-driven in how you select clients? Have you taken the time recently to thank your mother, wife, friend, or other motivated women who have influenced and invested in you?