TEE 019: 2 Teenage Young Entrepreneurs Sound-Off

Posted on November 26, 2014 by Linda Yates

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How old do you have to be to start your own business? Episode 19 of The Executive Edge highlights not just one but two teenage young entrepreneurs along with Sonya Deros, the Program Manager for the Golden Bell and YEA program at the Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce.

Our future lies in the hands of some amazing youth! These two young entrepreneurs are a great example to us all how we can uncover, realize and accomplish our potential.

Sonya Deros joined the Boca Chamber team in May 2014. Her focus is to expand the success and awareness of the Golden Bell Education Foundation and the Young Entrepreneurs Academy. As a United States Coast Guard Veteran, Sonya felt the pull of the South Florida waters and left the snowy hills of New Hampshire to start her life in South Florida about two years ago. Her background was in hospitality. She was a successful Sales Manager/Event Planner at the Hanover Inn at Dartmouth College, and Membership and Marketing Manager for the New Hampshire Lodging and Restaurant Association.

Jordan Zietz is a student attending Pine Crest School. Jordan is currently enrolled in the Young Entrepreneurs Academy and is a member of the National Junior Beta Club. He currently lives in South Florida, and lives with his 2 sisters and his parents.

Rachel Zietz is a 9th grader at Pine Crest School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She is fourteen years old and lives in South Florida with her family. She is also a member of the National Beta Club at her school and plays on two competitive lacrosse teams. She competes at the national and regional levels. As a lacrosse player Rachel excels in the attack and midfield positions. Rachel Zietz is also running her own company that she began in the 7th grade – Gladiator Lacrosse, LLC.

What we learned from this episode:
– That your age doesn’t matter in order to be successful.
– The two ingredients to realize success.
– YEA program that teaches young entrepreneurs.
– How family fun can teach success skills.
– How vision is critical to reaching our potential.

I know you will enjoy this inspiring and fun interview. You can check out Rachel Zietz’s website at www.gladiatorlacrosse.com.

To connect with Sonya to learn more about the YEA program send her an email at: sderos@bocachamber.com.

Thank you for listening to The Executive Edge podcast! Please share your thoughts, comments and topics you would like covered in the comment section below.

TEE 018: George Horrigan – Creating a Thriving Business

Posted on November 19, 2014 by Linda Yates

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In episode 18 we learn that 80% of those polled want to own their own business. During the past 17 years our guest George Horrigan has shown over 1,200 people how to grow an existing business or start a new one. He is the author or four books with a new book titled,”Work Less, Make More and Have Fun in Your Business” due out in 2015.

He is a noted Innovation and Business Planning Expert, has started and operated 7 companies, and is Founder and CEO of Fountainhead Consulting Group, Inc.

When he is not showing people how to create the business of their dreams, you’ll find him playing with Isabelle, Jeremiah or Zechariah or hiking in the North Georgia Mountains.

Here are some of the highlights:
– Vision is the foundation to success.
– Systems are the roadmap to achieve the vision
– Innovation is the key to separate yourself from the competition
– How to create a vision
– The wisdom gained from past experiences
– How to turn failure into a framework
– Building blocks to a successful business
– Balancing work and life effectively

In order to create a thriving business the key is to build a economic factory through systems, innovation and vision.

To connect with George goto to his website: www.FountainheadConsultingGroup.com or george.horrigan@fountainheadconsultinggroup.com.

You can also find his book “Creating a Thriving Business” on Amazon.

Thank you for listening to The Executive Edge podcast! Please share your thoughts, comments and topics you would like covered in the comment section below.

Systems Magnify Productivity

Posted on November 13, 2014 by Linda Yates

There are lots of ways to do our tasks from day-to-day. The most efficient path is through systems. Systems have the power to magnify our productivity in every task we undertake. You may not think that you use systems throughout your day. If I were to follow you around all day, (not in a creepy kind of way), I bet we would find all sorts of systems you have implemented. You might not even realize it.

When I moved to Florida years ago I stayed with a friend and they had in their entryway a plate for keys to go. I thought what a great idea! We instituted this process. As we come in and out throughout the day we drop our keys on the plate. This has solved the problem of searching for keys when running out the door to an appointment.

Another system is to park your car in roughly the same place or area each day you go to work. That solves having to look for your car at the end of the day. This is a simple example of daily systems to create efficiency.

Having systems in your business is smart. Implementing checklists is even smarter. I read this great book called “The Checklist Manifesto” by Atul Gawande. In it he explores how checklists are important for every type of business. I have been utilizing checklists and the stress reduction has been awesome!

As I continue to grow and evolve these systems will be a critical piece of my business to grow. As new vendors and employees come to work with me the learning curve shortened. Systems give you clarity so that you can spend your time in more creative ways.

I challenge you to put in place systems. You can also change or drop them but having them will free you up to do more of what you want to do.

Breaking Through Barriers

Posted on November 11, 2014 by Linda Yates

What barriers do you need to break through? What is holding you back from achieving the goals you seek? Linda H. Yates The Image Energizer shares how breaking through barriers is the path to success.

As an adult I started on a journey to improve my smile. I got braces at age 47! Little did I know at that time what challenge it would be to correct my smile. Confidence is the underlying principle to reaching all of our goals. These past two years has been a hit on my self-image. I realized that I was letting my self-conscious thoughts of the braces I’m wearing impact my stepping out and achieving my goals. This has been a self imposed mental barrier.

One of the best ways to experience a breakthrough is to list how holding back from reaching to achieve your goals is affecting you. Keeping your mindset in a possibility framework will aid you in uncovering, realizing and accomplishing your potential.

If you desire more executive presence then breaking through your self-imposed mental barriers is the answer.

Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel in order to get all the latest tips to energize your image so that you can uncover, realize and accomplish your potential.
Thank you for watching this tip! Sign up for more image and success tips here @ www.LindaHYates.com – Have a wonderful day!

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Linda H. Yates – The Image Energizer is a highly-sought Keynote Speaker, Executive Coach and Corporate Trainer. She has produced over 250 educational seminars on helping individuals and businesses uncover, realize and accomplish their goals. Author of Beyond the Clothes and the audio course and workbook 6 Steps to ENERGIZE Your Personal Brand, Linda Yates believes that NOTHING is Impossible!

Strategies For Sleeping Like A Baby

Posted on August 28, 2014 by Linda Yates

The power of a good night’s rest will assist you in achieving your goals and dreams. I find that when I don’t get a good night’s rest my day and even week goes amuck. As I have gotten older I have come to learn the rhythm of my body and what can help or hurt my ability to sleep well.

For several years I averaged roughly 4-5 hours of sleep each night. Day after day, week after week I noticed a few things started to happen. I noticed my mind wasn’t as sharp, I saw weight gain, and became more irritable and lost a lot of energy.

Once I took a step back and began changing my lifestyle and habits these symptoms began to change. When you have young children and they keep you up at night you begin to covet a good night’s rest. Here are some of the strategies I use to promote the best sleep possible:

1. Disconnect from email and electronic devices at least 30 minutes before going to bed.
2. Eating dinner by 7:00 pm
3. Evening bedtime routine
4. Retiring to bed about the same time every night
5. After a stressful day, filling the tub with hot water and essential lavender oil.

If you want to have the best health possible, you should strive to get 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night. If you are a night owl, then start by retiring 15 minutes early and you will notice a difference in the way you feel the next morning.

Keeping balanced will be the avenue to reach your goals and objectives. Having a good night’s rest is a foundational principle in achieving balance. Happy dreams my friends.

Daylight

Posted on August 21, 2014 by Linda Yates

If you have been following my blog you probably realized that I have a fascination with light. Light in all forms empowers and energizes me. Today I would like to share my insight about daylight.

Being raised on a farm and ranch taught me that daylight is the opportunity to work and accomplish your goals. Seasons come and go. Light increases and decreases each day throughout the year. Taking advantage of the daylight and using its power to achieve your dreams is a life skill to master.

As my children have grown up it has been interesting for me to watch them give up staying up late at night. Now I see them taking advantage of the morning to get a jump-start on the day.

Setting the habit of getting up early is one of the most common habits of highly successful individuals. Try it for the next week and watch your productivity increase higher than you can imagine.

Just as a new day dawns the possibilities are endless. Each day as we embrace the light and the power it provides, our harvest over time will be fruitful and lush. The evening will be a time to relax, reflect, and celebrate a day full of accomplishment.

Family First

Posted on August 15, 2014 by Linda Yates

Being raised in a large family has been a wonderful blessing in my life. I had the opportunity to live a mile from one set of Grandparents and four miles from the other set while growing up. It was engrained in my life early on how important family is.

Fast forward 25 years later. While working for a technology company, my boss promoted the phrase “Family First.” His values impresses me still to this day.

A family may not be your blood relations. It may consist of friends, colleagues or associates. Family units have one thing in common – a bond that ties each member together. What type of family bonds do you have? I would love hearing about them in the comments below.

One of the most treasured blessings I have experienced, while living the life I have been blessed to live, is that of my family. I am married to the man of my dreams. We married six months after my eighteenth birthday. We have been blessed with 3 children. It has been an amazing experience watching them grow, mature and build their lives.

It is easy for me to get swallowed up in work and the different projects I have. The grounding principle in my life that keeps me balanced is valuing family and taking the time I need to build those relationships.

Goal Setting

Posted on August 1, 2014 by Linda Yates

What do you really want? What passions drive your actions? Where do you want to be in 5 years? In 10 years? What steps have you taken to get there?

There is a lot of information out there about goal setting. If you haven’t read a book on goal setting I would encourage you to do so. Some individuals in the world have never set a goal in their life. The magic of goal setting is that it gives you a purpose. By having that purpose, you are able to craft the life and business you desire.

The following are five practices I have implemented in my life to accomplish my own goals. I would encourage you to read them and begin applying them to your own aspirations.

1. Write goals down
2. Look at them every day
3. Write the goal in a positive, personal, and present tense.
4. Assign a date to have the goal completed
5. Have an accountability partner

Having goals that inspire you will create a passion and fire to accomplish them. Sometimes it can be easy to fall into the trap of achieving others’ goals instead of your own. Being clear about what you really want to accomplish will open the doorway to achieving more than you ever thought possible.

This has happened to me on numerous occasions. One of the most inspirational goals for me to achieve was to cross every state’s border in the United States and complete a run. Why this was such an amazing goal for me to achieve was it utilized deep strategic planning skills. Being creative financially in order to make that goal happen was challenging and fun at the same time. Pushing myself further and harder than I thought I could was also a great blessing. Lastly the feeling of accomplishment after running in my 50th state. It was exhilarating knowing that I did something hard and achieved a milestone in my life.

One of the ways I kept myself motivated was by tracking my progress on a map. After I ran in each state I would put a pin on the map to mark it off. I ran 40 of those states in 2 ½ years. It was an amazing experience.

What do you really want? Setting goals for what you desire is the next step to achieving success and realizing the potential you hold in your hand.

Mastering Body Language

Posted on July 25, 2014 by Linda Yates

Body Language is a fascinating topic. Have you ever noticed that it is fun to watch others, imitate and may I dare say make fun of them? However, when it comes to our own individual body language, we have blinders on what our non-verbals are saying to others. By mastering our own individual body language we are able to uncover our potential.

Little things such as fidgeting, playing with your hair, or slouching are all indicators of how we view our self and what we are communicating to the outside world. The more confident you are the more your body will communicate that feeling to yourself and others. By changing how we hold our bodies we can change how productive and successful we are.

Take the next 15 minutes and observe the following:

1. What are you doing with your legs?
2. Are you slumping in a chair or sitting with your back straight?
3. Look at others around you – notice their posture
4. Notice those whose hands are clasped or touching their neck
5. What about your facial expressions? Do you look pleasant or stern a majority of the time?

Being aware of our body and how we are holding it as we work throughout the day, network at events, or present in a boardroom, will provide a framework on how we can improve our ability to communicate more effectively. Oftentimes our non-verbal language is killing our ability to persuade and influence. Influence is not just for the outside world. Scientists have found that what you do with your body influences your inside mental and emotional world.

By being clear about what your body language is saying to others you will be more equipped to make the changes you need to increase your confidence, obtain higher productivity and achieve a more positive mental framework. Your body language is key to reaching your goals!

74% Fear Public Speaking

Posted on June 19, 2014 by Linda Yates

Glossophobia is the fear of public speaking. The National Institute of Mental Health found that 74% of the population fear public speaking. That statistic is huge! I would love to hear if you share this fear. If you do, what techniques do you use to manage that fear?

A few months ago, I was hired to consult with a client who suffers from extreme stage fright. I told them that the secret to managing this fear is to work with it rather than fight it.

Here are some tips that I have found useful as I speak:

1. Take the anxiety and turn it into energy. This has been referred to as taking the butterflies and making them fly in formation. They are still there but directing their energy gives you power.

2. Deliver your speech as if it were a gift that you are giving. Visualizing your performance as if it were a present that you have been excited to share turns the focus from your nerves to being excited to share.

3. Practice. Being prepared is critical to managing your fear. The more you practice the more comfortable and conversational your speech will become. Practice giving your speech to your dog or kids.

4. Exercising. Getting your blood flowing is a great way to manage the fear.

5. Visualization. See yourself receiving applause. See your audience smiling at you. See yourself smiling back. Great performances start off in the mind.

It doesn’t matter if this is your first speech or your 50th. These tips will empower you to deliver an engaging presentation. I know that you are more powerful than you can imagine.

If I can assist you in tapping into that power please contact me via our contact form. Glossophobia doesn’t have to hold you back in achieving your dreams!

Image: Big Heart on Fire

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