Dress for success: Do's for women

"It is much more important to wear things that fit versus the brand name,” said Eric Barron, president of Eric Barron Live. “Baggy is great for a sweatshirt on the weekend, but not for professional attire. "

--Entry Level Examiner

Click the link above to see the full article.

"Barron, a well-known sales coach, took the stage at the Gotham Comedy Club to teach brokers how to be effective communicators by first understanding their own communication style and then adapting this when dealing with clients and co-workers."

--Broker's Weekly October 2008

Click the link above to see the full article.

You're never stuck!

Our lives have become chaotic. Most of us wish we got more sleep and had more time to spend with family. Stress related illness is through the roof as is the need for anti depressant and anxiety drugs. The financial markets are crashing. Why bother getting out of bed in the morning?

In times like these, it's critical that you find time to reconnect with yourself and prioritize what's really important to you. You have to find a way to do something you love. You have more options then you think!!!

A friend thought she was "stuck". She was miserable at her job but it paid well. She couldn't afford to take a pay cut nor did she have the savings or risk tolerance to follow her dream of opening a coffee shop. I urged her to find some other way that would allow her to slowly move in this direction, and we did.

She would set out to become an expert in this field. She spoke to dozens of owners, suppliers, and hundreds of customers. The information she compiled was incredible. Albeit, it took almost a year, as she still had a full-time gig.

The results? She opened up a marketing and consulting firm that strictly worked with small businness owners, with an obvious specialty in independently owned coffee houses. After 2 years, her self-employed income has surpassed her salaried income and she now has complete freedom to follow her dream if she chooses.

You're never stuck!

Staying Focused

It's never about how you start, but how you finish. If you've had a great year so far, I highly recommend not coasting into the holidays, content with your success for 2008.

You may be thinking....geez Eric, when is enough? Frankly, I am more concerned with keeping the momentum you've already built - keeping you sharp. Look at the many sports teams that have "coasted" into the playoffs, resting their best players. Most of these teams have made early exits!!!

Consistency and Momentum are king. Don't let complacency sabatoge the business you've worked so hard to build!!!

Handling Adversity

If I had to pick the single most important aspect to overall success it would be how someone rebounds from adversity.

Everyone faces small and large doses of it throughout their lives. Few realize how much their professional and personal success is determined by the growth opportunities that arise from these situations.

Angry, upset, frustrated or distraught? Professional roadblock or personal tragedy? Speed bump or giant hurdle?

Tip...Take the time you need to evaluate what just transpired. Reflect!!! This means you should not bury yourself in another project immediately. Share your thoughts and feelings with someone else. Take some mental notes and most importantly...move forward stronger then you were before!!!

Creating Structure

For some, a little structure is all that's needed to increase productivity. Some tips:

• Write down everything you would like to get done for the week.
• Seperate the "must get done" from the "would be nice to get done".
• Time-block the "must get done" into your calendar.
• Prioritize the "would be nice" in order of importance, and time-block as many as you can.

Be flexible and leave enough free time in your schedule. Things typically take longer than you plan, and unexpected tasks will arise.

Make sure you leave time to think, plan, and review. Yes, this should be time-blocked as well. You cannot run a business being "reactionary" all day long.

This is a good first step to creating some structure in your work week. More to come.

Eric Barron Live Featured in Broker's Weekly

"...Networking is a lifestyle; it's a commitment to build a relationship with others. You have to present your brand as a value to benefit people...."

--Broker's Weekly August 2008

Click the link above to see the full article.