Mike Michalowicz's Blog, page 95

Episode 21: Customer Service and Profit Growth with Angie Strader

Show Summary

Angie Strader, CEO of 360 Wraps, joins Episode 21 of the Profit First Podcast. Angie explains the profitable benefits of keeping you customers happy.

 

Our Guest

Angie Strader has a business degree from Texas A&M and has 20+ years of professional management and leadership experience. Her career began as a police officer and hostage negotiator for eight years in the United States Air Force, as well as time spent as an entrepreneur and in corporate America. Angie is now the CEO of 360 Wraps, Inc., which began in March 2007. Located in the heart of Dallas/Fort Worth, 360 Wraps is the single fastest growing vehicle wraps company in the DFW Metroplex. 360 Wraps is certified as an Economically Disadvantaged Woman-owned Small Business, Service-disabled Veteran-owned Small Business and Texas Historically Underutilized Woman-owned Business – The three top certifications a business can be awarded for federal and state contract eligibility.

 

Show Quotes

To grow your company, take it one customer at a time. Get out there – meet people and network.

Profitability is in the repeat ability. You can still service all customers, but focus on one specific client base.

The best form of Marketing is happy customers. Make it easy for customers to do business with you! Establish that you can talk the talk, make their lives easier, and that you have an outstanding product quality; when you make your current clients happy they will share that word of mouth and advocate for you.

Have a great project management system in place to create an easy and more efficient work flow.

If there is a mistake, and if it’s our fault we fix it – whatever it takes.

If a customer is belligerent, demeaning, or disrespectful towards our team members, it is not tolerated and we let the customer go.

Creating a budget and sticking to it is how we manage to continue to grow our company, drive sales, maintain costs, and increase our profits.

 

Show Links

Angie’s Website: http://www.360wraps.com/

Find Angie on Twitter: @AngieStrader

Angie Strader on Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angiestrader

Show Sponsors

Nextiva – VOIP phone providers for small businesses.

Fundera – Single source online funding for entrepreneurs. Also offers an adviser program for CPAs, bookkeepers and business coaches.

TSheets – The #1 customer rated time tracking solution!

7 Techniques To Help Permanently Remove Stress

The good news is that we are more productive than ever. Way more productive.  That bad news is we are more stressed than ever.  Everyone is.  It has become a global epidemic.

With all the amazing innovations in technology, you would think your productivity would be way up and your stress way down. For example, editing a high production video a mere twenty five years ago easily took one hundred hours.  Editing that same video today, can be done in about an hour with a higher quality standard.  That leaves ninety nine hours to sip Margaritas.  Theoretically.

The problem with the constant stream of technological innovations is that productivity has in fact increased.  Computers can do things perfectly.  And computers can do these perfect things faster and faster.  And when things go perfectly, you too get more things done faster.

But there is a curse.  Perfect, fast execution has resulted in perfectly high expectations.  As a result, we put more on our plate then ever before. We expect more from ourselves and others.  Since people aren’t computers. Faster doesn’t always happen. Perfect rarely happens. Expectations are not met. And we get stressed.

The key to permanently removing stress from your life, once and for all, is to learn the lessons of our less stressed forefathers.  As crazy as it sounds, those people from the colonial days did (or didn’t do) a few things that helped crush stress.  Don’t get me wrong, they worked really hard.  Every day was a fight to survive, let alone thrive.  But they did all the hard work with markedly less stress than us.  Here are the five ways they did it:

Stop Watching & Reading The News 

There is a old saying in the news industry – “If it bleeds, it leads.”  In other words the more shocking something is (e.g. violence, disease, misfortune), the more news coverage it gets.   This may attract viewers (and advertising money) for the news stations, but it also dramatically increases stress levels for viewers.  Our stress is invoked through the constant sense of danger.

The news is an artificial reality.  It is unlikely your normal daily life includes witnessing multiple murders and plane crashes and thefts and train wrecks.  But that is what the daily news drip shows us.  By refusing to watch or read the news, your stress will start to melt away.  Just like our colonial fathers couldn’t flip on the TV to “relax” in front of the evening news, turn off the TV and go out with some friends to talk (about anything but the news). And don’t worry about missing the “important” stuff.  When something truly important happens everyone will be talking about it and you won’t be able to avoid it if you tried.

Meet Outdoors

I stumbled across this little “aha” about a year ago, when I was struggling to find a time to meet with a colleague.  The only overlapping availability would force us to meet at a middle ground location, which was a state park. We both lamented about the fact that we wouldn’t have the availability of a conference room.  That is when my colleague had the great idea of meeting up for a hike and talking then.

Ends up, a conference room doesn’t offer much of a benefit, and nature has a powerful stress reducing ability.  Instead of being cooped up indoors under fluorescent lights, we were out walking and talking.  We in fact accomplished more than we expected.  And felt great in the process.

No surprise here, our forefathers wouldn’t go inside a small cramped hot room to meet (remember air conditioning was invented until the early 1900’s), they would go outside and find a nice shady spot to talk.   Do the same, schedule as many meetings as you can outdoors, and perhaps include some walking while talking. Getting sunlight and fresh air will reduce stress and may even increase productivity.

 Early To Bed, Early To Rise

On the topic of getting more sunlight, reduce your stress by getting more in sync with the hours of the sun.  For stress reduction, the more natural sunlight you have access to the better (disclaimer: I do not mean this in a sun tanning way, or direct sunlight – if you don’t already know that, too much direct sunlight is very bad for your skin).

Also, we typically have the most “mental willpower” in the mornings.  Start the morning with exercise – a good hour of walking, running, lifting weights, yoga, or your exercise of choice is the ultimate stress reducer.

Our colonial forefathers used the sun as a natural alarm clock and nightfall as the end of day work whistle.

Drink and Be Merry

The drinking part is totally up to you.  Being merry (spending time with others) though is a great stress reducer.  Time with others yields a few stress reducing benefits. First, it gets you away from the gadgets and second, it gets you talking.  No gadgets means tat the latest urgent demand can’t be thrust upon you and sharing stories, experiences, and problems is the ultimate way to vent stress.

Our forefathers surely got this right. They knew how to throw great parties, and even required the guys to wear wigs.

No Work On Sundays

Influenced by religion, many colonists would not work on Sundays.  They had more than enough work on their plates to keep going 7 days a week, but they were forced to take a break. In fact some colonies even made it punishable to talk about work on a Sunday.  Perhaps not the most appropriate way to force break time, but it worked and work related stress was reduced.

You also need to schedule an off day (or days) in your schedule.  These off days will not only recharge your energy, but will also recharge your ability to fight off stress.  Weekends are the obvious choice, since less people are expecting you to work then.  But that is changing hauntingly fast, so pick your off times and day(s) now and make it your hard fast rule now.

Do What Libraries Do

Technology has brought about unprecedented accessibility.  Believe it or not, there was a time when you couldn’t get a call while you were in your car, or out for a walk, or in the bathroom.  But now, that is no longer true.  We are connected via our PDA twenty-four seven and with that comes a relentless series of new demands and expectations.

Libraries prohibit talking and cell phone use in their facility and you can do the same, plus some.  Setup rooms in your office and house where PDA use is prohibited.  If simple rules with “PDA Use Prohibited” signs are not enough, you might even be able to get a cellular jamming device in those rooms.  But don’t stop there, setup “library hours” at your office.  This is a one or two hour block of time, each and every day, where you and your team are to only work on projects.  There is no email during this time, there is no phone calls, no interrupting colleagues and no PDAs.

Work actually gets done and stress goes down.

 Say Goodbye To The Joneses

The most common measure of success is money.  If the guy down the street has more money and stuff then you, he is “more successful” then you.  The “keep up with the Joneses” way of determining the quality of your life in relation to your peers is an unwinnable game.  Unless you are the wealthiest person on the planet (there can only be one), there will always be a “Jones” with more than you.  It is the ultimate stress trap.

Instead make a conscious decision to judge your success by the degree of stress you experience.  Less stress is more success.  This is not a magic, overnight cure, but by labeling success and progress by reducing your stress, you will overtime make changes to reduce stress.

The Journey Of Entrepreneurial Success

First, be “crazy” enough to pursue your passion.

Second, find purpose in what you do since it will see you through the tough times and give you more momentum during the strong times.

Third, keep asking your best customers how you can serve them better. Then do it.

Fourth, align what your best customers want with what you want. If you just cater to your customer’s wants, your business will succeed but you will resent it. If you just cater to your wants, you won’t have a business.

Fifth, systematize everything but not all at once. Start with the things that take you the most time and are repetitive. Endeavor to systematize those things so they are consistently completed by other people or other things.

Sixth, hire people with the right attitude, intelligence, energy and values to do what you systematized.

Seven, realize that regardless of your company’s size, financials or how much recognition it gets, you are a success. It’s all about the journey.

6 Ways To Make Your Business Look Bigger Than It Really Is

It was one of the first school yard tricks I learned.  Puff up my chest by holding in my breath, spread my spindly arms out super wide, and walk on my tippy toes without looking like I was walking on my tippy toes.  Three quick adjustments and I was able to make myself look (slightly) bigger then I really was.  When I pulled it off right I was able to avoid being picked on and when I was really lucky I would even get a wink from a cheerleader.

I wish I could take credit for the “look bigger then you really are” trick, but I can’t.  This method for protecting yourself from an attacker or wooing a suitor has been around since the first animals walked this planet.  Blow fish blow up by magnitudes. Peacocks spread their massive tails. Humans puff their resumes.  And you know what?  It often works.

Businesses can can look bigger then they really are, too. It doesn’t require lying (that will come back and burn you anyway).  It just requires “puffing the chest” and “tippy toe walking” in the right places, at the right time, in front of the right prospects.

Before I tell you how to do it, you need to know why you may want to do it.  As a general rule prospects have more confidence in bigger companies.  At a subconscious level, a larger company automatically indicates that it is a successful company. After all, anyone can start a business by themselves at a snap of their fingers. But growing a company to dozens of employees, or larger, must mean you are doing something right.  It creates a subconscious shortcut for your prospects.  Bigger translates to a safer choice.

Here’s how you make your business look bigger:

 Market To One Niche – A laser focus on one niche market affords you the time to appear at all the industry events, even if your entire corporate team is just you.  By concentrating all your efforts on one industry niche, you will frequently meet the same people.  The more often they see you, the more likely they are to conclude that “you are everywhere.”  To those select people, your business is bigger.

One Website, Multiple Physical Addresses – Instead of listing one mailing address on your site, considering listing multiple physical addresses.  I used this method with one of my companies and listed ten mailing addresses in major cities throughout the country. Each address was a corporate office where one of my friends worked.  While I never received mail at these locations, I did land a major client this way.  They told me that a company with so many locations clearly “knew what they were doing” and decided to call us without considering our “tiny” competitors.

An 800 Number With A Professional Voice System – No one cares about saving money by calling toll free numbers any more, but an 800, 888, or 877 number implies an established business.  Back your 800 number with a professional voice mail system (not an answering machine), where people can navigate the phone system to get hold of you.  Also, don’t use a single digit extension, instead use a system that allows 3 or 4 digit extensions.

No Titles On Business Cards - When your entire corporate team is just you, you have to wear multiple hats.  Walking into a client to do the service work with a card that says “President” may not convey the message of size or depth you want to.  Sometimes the title “President” is exactly what you want. Other times “Technician”, “Sale Rep”, “Controller”, or dozens of other titles will serve you better.  When you don’t have a title on your card, you can introduce yourself any way you like. Perfect for being bigger.

Professional Website - This should be a no brainer for any size company.  If you want to put on a good impression that conveys confidence it is mandatory that you have a professional, functional site.  This is particularly important if you are small.  A professional site will give your prospects more confidence, and by default make you look a little bigger (or at least more accomplished) than it would otherwise.

Corporate Mailing Address – A home address listed as your office address assures that customers will see you as small.  Even if you are managing hundreds of employees from your home office, a home address makes you look tiny.  Setup a corporate address through a office space sharing program, or through a friend who will allow you to use her corporate office for your mailing address.

Bigger businesses naturally attract prospects more easily.  Bigger businesses naturally scare away the competition a little more easily.  Nature has proved it works over and over again. Now you can do it to.

Guess what?  Size does matter.

 

The Lessons My Dog Taught Me About Entrepreneurship

I’m a bit of a business lit junkie: I love reading stories and advice from fellow authors and entrepreneurs. I dig tales of overcoming adversity, and I enjoy getting fresh insights on the challenges we all face as small business owners.

The other afternoon, I thought I was taking a little break from the biz world, though, as I took advantage of a sunny day (one of the rare ones this winter) to throw the tennis ball for my dog, Daisy. She never tires of the game, chasing every ball down and faithfully dropping it at my feet. It occurred to me that a surprising amount of the good business advice I’ve read is actually played out in the way my dog interacts with the world. You don’t necessarily need an MBA to figure out what’s important in the business world. Maybe you just need a little lesson in canine values.

Here’s what I observed:

1. Basics matter.

My dog doesn’t care if she wears a diamond studded collar from the latest doggy designer. She doesn’t prefer bottled water from some exclusive spring in the Swiss Alps, and she couldn’t care less if the dog next door doesn’t care for her. My dog wants food, shelter, and companionship, and everything else … well, doesn’t really matter to her much. If her basic needs are satisfied, she’s satisfied. The next time I’m fretting over what kind of paper I want my business cards printed on, I’m going to remind myself that much of what we worry about isn’t important at the end of the day. We need to take care of the basics.

2. Training matters.

When we first got Daisy as an adult rescue, she was a bit of a terror (there was a reason she was returned to the shelter 5 times, and we were her “last chance.”). She chewed on things she shouldn’t, jumped on people, howled constantly, and she didn’t always “go” where we wanted her to (ahem… outside). She wasn’t inherently bad, though. She was an angel inside, she just needed training. She needed consistent structure. Just like our pooch, employees need to be trained, and they need to have crystal clear, consistent expectations. You can’t constantly change the rules and expect your staff to pull it off. Instead, you need to lay down rules, establish the consequences if the rules aren’t followed, and you reward good behavior. Taking the time to properly train your dog (and your staff) always pays dividends.

3. Play matters.

At the end of the day, my dog passes out, exhausted from a full day of activity. If there’s a day when she doesn’t get as much exercise as she needs, she’s out of sorts. She’s grouchy, doesn’t sleep well, and she’s – quite frankly – a pain in the ass. When we spend the time to take her for a walk or a run, though, she’s a dream. If she gets enough tennis ball time, she’s not only happier, but everyone else around her is happier, too. She and I have a lot in common. When I’m slammed at work, I used to have trouble finding time to exercise, until I realized that getting in a workout made my outlook much sunnier. Physical exertion is essential for my mental health, and makes me better at everything I do. Take the time for physical activity. And if you are ever passing through Boonton, New Jersey, join me for a hike, run or a session in the weight room. Daisy has the most fun playing with others, and us humans do too.

4. Trust matters.

My dog is super friendly, but she’s wary of people she doesn’t know. She’ll nose around, checking out that new person smell, and she’ll observe for a while before she’ll let her guard down. She’s rarely picky, but there are some people she never really warms to. She’s smart. Waiting for folks to demonstrate that they’re trustworthy is just good business. Whether it’s hiring an employee for a trial period or using split testing for a new ad concept, it’s wise to start slow – take baby steps until you’re certain that a person or a plan is sound.

So I’m not going to abandon my entrepreneurial endeavors in favor of throwing tennis balls with my dog. But I am going to remind myself of the simple values that should guide the way I approach my business. What matters? What values should I keep front and center? The basics, training, play, and trust: that’s what really matters, and I learned about it from my dog, Daisy.

Episode 20: Profitability and Leadership Darryl Lyons

Show Summary

Author and business owner, Darryl Lyons joins Episode 20 of the Profit First Podcast. Darryl shares how authenticity and good leadership skills can help your business benefit profitably.

 

Our Guest

​Darryl Lyons: Author of Small Business Big Pressure. Endorsed by 2 NY Times bestselling authors (Dave Ramsey & Dan Miller), an NBA Hall of Famer, and 16 successful business owners. His business is considered one of the best places to work in San Antonio and one of the fastest growing companies in the city (SA Business Journal). He has been a contributor for the Good Men Project and the San Antonio Express News. Darryl was recognized as one of the top 40 business people under 40 and the mayor of San Antonio named a park, the Darryl W Lyons Park, after his work helping to redevelop part of the city.

 

Show Quotes

When you are authentic in who you are and what you believe in, people of all religions and faiths genuinely appreciate it.

As a leadership we set aside about 41 principles when we first started our business that we abide by, which has become the framework of the company. “No gossip” and “Robust conversation surfaces reality” are just two examples.

It’s the job of a leader to constantly remind your employees of your principles.

I take pay not as an owner, but as an executive of the company. The reward for my risk as an owner is from the profit. We take profit quarterly as long as our emergency reserves is adequate (we want to make sure we always have 3 times our monthly operating expenses).

We have a target profit margin of 15%-25%; if we reach 30%-35%, I take a good look at our expenses and say “is there a place here where I am not investing in our people?” and reinvest accordingly.

 

Show Links

Find Darryl on Twitter: @darrylwlyons

Website: www.smallbusinessbigpressure.com

 

Show Sponsors

Nextiva – VOIP phone providers for small businesses.

Fundera – Single source online funding for entrepreneurs. Also offers an adviser program for CPAs, bookkeepers and business coaches.

TSheets – The #1 customer rated time tracking solution!

How To Get Things Better And Cheaper

In a few rare moments of downtime, I was flipping through TV channels when I happened on Suze Orman. I paused to watch a bit, and her words were profound. She said that financial freedom today achieved by getting more pleasure out of what you save rather than what you spend. While Suze was talking about personal finances, I immediately thought that the same principle holds true for businesses as well.

Set your goal to find reward in the money and resources you save, rather than what we spend. Here are seven ways to get it done:

1. Barter. You need business cards printed, and you’re willing to trade your web development expertise. While bartering used to be limited by your ability to find someone who needs exactly what you have to trade, websites like Tradeaway, OurGoods, and InstantBarter have simplified the process and broadened your scope. Dollar values are applied to your products or skills, and you can trade for credits within the site. It’s important to remember, though that time is money, and it’s important to get fair value for your time.

2. Buy used. Anything that you purchase new begins to lose value as soon as it belongs to you. Do your homework and find lightly used products whose history you can learn. Whether you research a used car’s VIN or whether you call a manufacturer to see if they’ll honor or even extend an original warranty, a little homework can make your used purchase better than new in terms of value.

3. Buy generic. We’re not just talking about antibiotics. Brand names confer confidence, but not necessarily better quality. You may find that you’re better off paying for an inexpensive, highly rated printer, rather than a printer with a fancy brand name whose biggest claim to fame may be its reputation for excessive maintenance costs.

4. Borrowing. If you carefully assess all the equipment your business owns, you will discover that much of it is used infrequently. Do you really need to buy expensive camera equipment, or can you borrow it for the three occasions each year when you really need it? Particularly for big ticket items, finding a friend or even a staff member who’ll let you borrow a box truck or a 200 person tent once or twice a year lets you spend your money on the things you use every day.

5. Leasing. Formalized borrowing. Short term leases make perfect sense for items used occasionally or items you intend to replace in the short term. If it’s important to you and your clients that you have a late model car (and you put limited miles on that car) then a lease is perfect. You always look current, and your expenditure over the term of the lease will be lower than if you’d bought the car. Expensive copiers and phone systems, too, may be cheaper to lease – particularly if you can negotiate to have maintenance included.

6. Sharing. It’s not just for kindergarten anymore! When you think about how the 80/20 rule applies to office space, for example, you realize that if you share common spaces – conference rooms, restrooms, kitchen space – you can share out the expense for those important, but infrequently used, spaces. Find businesses with similar needs, and find ways to share common resources. Spend your money where you spend your time.

7. Just wait. Time can be your best negotiator because buying is frequently tied to emotions. Think about the bright red sports car as a personal example, and think about its business corollary: the newest, shiniest office equipment. You’re thinking about how good that new espresso maker could be for office morale; you’re imagining your staff’s delight at a round of Herman Miller Aeron chairs for everyone. Stop. Give yourself a few days to think the purchase over, and that excitement will wane and let you make business decisions with a clear head. If you wait, you will get things more cheaply.

Buying is drenched in emotions, and Suze Orman rightly identifies this emotion as one of the factors that can keep us from making the very best fiscal decisions. We need to change our thinking. We need to learn to see the value in money and time saved, rather than in money and time spent.

Integrated Counsel

Integrate Counsel. You probably have never heard that term before. And I suspect, to some degree, you are now curious what it means. They are professionals who will work from your offices so they can integrate into your company’s culture. Then when you hire them to do your legal work (like writing employment agreements, etc.) the documents are both legally sound and speak to your corporate culture.

Lawyer. I suspect you are already familiar with that term. And I suspect you are not curious enough for me to explain what they do, since you already know.

Integrated Counselors and Lawyers are barely different. In fact either one could do the other ones job just as well. But Integrate Counsel has your attention and interest (even if it’s just momentary) because they use a different name than you are familiar with.

Different gets noticed. Different dictates interest. Different wins.

Be different. Even if it is just the professional title of what you do.

Kindle Unlimited Teaches Us 5 Critical Lessons

My most recent book, Profit First, launched on July 8 of last year.  Ten days later, on July 18, Amazon launched its new subscription service, Kindle Unlimited.  Publishing a book is always a roller coaster.  It’s constant checking of sales and reviews, hoping that readers find value in all the hard work you’ve done.  Now sales of hard copy books are updated daily or weekly, but Kindle sales are updated hourly, giving me the opportunity to watch selling trends, and a prime opportunity to see the effect of Kindle Unlimited.

My launch went very well, and after about the first week, the Kindle sales of my book had leveled off to about fifty per day.  The day that Kindle Unlimited began, my sales dropped to twenty-five a day.  At first, I panicked.  But then I looked more closely.  Though sales have continued to fluctuate some, if you add the “free” downloads for Unlimited members to my sales, the number of my books being read is actually up slightly, compared to the sales before the Unlimited program began.

The subject of payment for books that are part of the Kindle Unlimited program is an interesting one.  Typically, when you list a Kindle book for sale, you get a percentage of the selling price, and Amazon keeps the rest.  The way that payment goes to authors in the Unlimited program is different, though.  Amazon establishes a pool of money and distributes it based on the percentage of the free downloads that your book experienced, as long as readers read at least ten percent of your book.  It’s hard to tell how profitable the Unlimited program will be, since it’s new.

My first book, The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur, was self published.  Because I didn’t have a publisher to consult, I immediately put TPE into the Unlimited program, and since the launch of the program, downloads of TPE have increased dramatically.  While I don’t know exactly how much money I’ll bring in from the decision, what I do know is that more people are reading my book as a result of Kindle Unlimited.

So I know that Unlimited is increasing my exposure, but here’s the really interesting thing – the big publishers – Simon & Schuster, Hachette, HarperCollins, MacMillan, and Penguin – have opted out of the program.  They’re waiting to see if the program will serve their interests.  While some self-published authors may see the big houses’ reluctance as a cautionary tale, I see it as a huge opportunity.  As the number of Kindle Unlimited users grows (and it will,) my chance for exposure is that much greater.  The longer the big publishers steer clear, the more readers I have access to.

I understand publishers wanting to hold off and see if the financial gain is worth it, but here’s why I know it’s been worth participating in Unlimited for me:  since the launch of my most recent book, I’ve seen a dramatic increase in the number of requests for me to speak at a variety of events.  I have speaking engagements booked all over the world, and that increase must be due to the greater number of people who’ve been reached by my book.

Self-published authors – a rapidly growing category – would do well to realize that there’s more to the bottom line than just book sales.  If you can distribute a  boatload of free downloads, you’re building your brand, and there are a host of other ways to turn that exposure into dollars.  Whether you collect fees for speaking engagements, or whether you use the popularity of your free downloads to generate interest in your next book, readers are readers, and favorable impressions build your brand.

Profit First has done so well for me that I’m considering stepping up the schedule for my next book in order to capitalize on the opportunity to reach readers before the 600,000 volume Kindle Unlimited library becomes more crowded by the entry of a major publisher.

Authors would do well to think about the example of the music industry.  Artists and labels who at one point opted out of participating in services like Pandora and Spotify are changing their tunes (pardon the pun.)  Exposure is everything, and as the way that people interact with music continues to evolve, artists who choose to stay stagnant will have a dwindling market share to show for their decision.  Savvy writers will get out in the forefront of this new trend and will cash in big time.

How To Increase Your Confidence Instantly

Confidence isn’t about other people.  Confidence is really about the stories we tell ourselves in our heads.  It’s revealed in our body language, our word choices, and the image we project.  In general, we find confidence an appealing, attractive trait in others, which means that if we can boost our own confidence, then the image we convey is perceived as stronger, more dependable, and more charismatic.

Want to boost your confidence?  Here are 8 proven techniques:

Physiology.  

The next time that you’re sad about something, try to smile convincingly.  You’ll find that it’s very difficult, and that’s because there’s a connection between our bodies and our minds.  If you want to project confidence, then change what your body’s doing.  Stand or sit up straight, put your shoulders back, put your chest out, and you are getting both your body and your mind into a more confident state.  When you know you have a difficult call or conversation, get yourself physically prepared.

Mind talk.  

We all talk to ourselves, even if it’s an internal monologue.  Change those words.  Choose a powerful mantra for yourself, and repeat it until you believe it (so that you can make it true.)  Tell yourself, “I am the best accountant, and I am going to show the world.”  Focusing on the process of showing the world that you are successful and valuable lets you create a narrative – a story – that doesn’t have to be complete to be useful.  You don’t have to be acknowledged as the best in your field … yet.  You just have to be working on it!

Exercise.

It’s absolutely critical that you get regular exercise.  Study after study has proven that exercise boosts creativity, focus, stamina, and productivity – all of which makes you better in your chosen field.  An often overlooked benefit of exercise, though, is its profound effect on your confidence.  Knowing that you’re taking care of your body will help you stand up straighter and feel better able to handle business challenges.

Sleep.  

Like exercise, sleep is mission critical!  Sufficient sleep is an essential component of health, so I often wonder why so many people boast about surviving on very little sleep.  The tendency to emphasize how busy (and important) we are by claiming that we simply don’t have time to get enough sleep is doing us a great disservice.  If we get the sleep we need, we’re sharper, more efficient, and much more confident.  Sleep gives us the energy and the willpower we need to achieve our goals.

Hang out with confident people.  

There’s a saying that resonates with me:  You are your five closest friends.  Choosing confident people for your inner circle will help you create and maintain a confident demeanor in your business dealings.  Now remember – confidence and arrogance aren’t at all the same thing.  I’m not suggesting you surround yourself with a bunch of blowhard windbags.  Pick people who are genuinely (which sometimes means quietly) confident.

Humility.  

Humble is not the opposite of confident.  Humility is the recognition that we’re human, and therefore fallible.  Confidence is what brings us through our failures, mistakes, and difficulties to emerge as successful people.  Humility is what helps us prevent our egos from getting in the way of our success.

Live your passion.  

When you’re deriving joy and energy from your work, rather than letting work consume your soul, increased confidence will naturally follow.  When your work becomes something more than an obligation, then you’re on your way to becoming more confident.

Exercise your confidence.  

Confidence is like a muscle.  If you build it and push it, it will fail from time to time, but it will also heal and grow stronger than it was before.  Pushing yourself to let your confidence carry you past your comfort zone can be the key to achieving great things … with even greater things in the future.

Confidence comes with achievement, for sure, but it can also derive from the certainty that you’re on the path to success – even if you haven’t yet achieved that success.  Confidence doesn’t mean that you never have doubts, but it does meant that you believe in yourself – and your vision – enough to keep moving forward working toward achieving your goals.  One last thing that I love about confidence: it’s self-perpetuating.  If you believe, then you’re more likely to succeed, and that success, in turn, gives you confidence!