Denise Duffield-Thomas's Blog, page 20
June 12, 2023
When is the right time to upgrade?
How often do you upgrade?
Is there a simple upgrade you can make at home that would make your life easier?
You can ask yourself what is causing you stress at the moment, what’s annoying you? Or flip that on its head and ask yourself what would create more pleasure or joy in your life?
Then you can look at ways to incrementally upgrade and then see what feels good. You can start with small symbolic, often low cost upgrades and then always be upgrading.
Play with it!
There are always more ways to make your life more pleasurable and stress-free.
What do you want permission to upgrade right now?
Check out this video for more on my philosophy of upgrading and some upgrades I have at home that support my business.
June 7, 2023
Ask Me Anything: When is it time to make a change?
Ask Me Anything: When is it time to make a change?
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Hey friend!
One of my favorite messages to get is from listeners who tune in to my podcast with their kids in the car.
I'll hear, "Denise? Oh, it's the Chill Lady. We're listening to the Chill Lady again."
So today, I want to extend a special hello to all of my little listeners.
This episode of the Chill & Prosper podcast is all about timing.
For this Ask Me Anything episode, I'm answering a bunch of questions on the theme of knowing when it's the right time to make a change in your business, topics like:
Should you take on a part-time job when your business is slow or growing
How to say no to less-than-ideal clients when you need the money
How and when to transition out of a corporate job
How to overcome a setback and know if it's a sign to pivot or tweak
When it's time to declutter profitable but distracting parts of your business and go all-in
When to delegate and outsource tasks in your business
Remember, there's no perfect time or way to do anything in business.
Your business, your rules.
Most people are making it up as they go along, so it's okay to try, change, or stop things in your business at any time. Be kind to yourself.
xx Denise
P.S. We're fast approaching the mid-point of the year, so it's the perfect time to pause and RESET your goals and money mindset.
Click here to download my free mid-year workbook.
This guide will help you review and set your money goals and supercharge your next six months.
This is especially important if, like me, you're approaching the end of the financial year and you've got some blocks coming up about your goals or paying taxes.
May 31, 2023
Which profession has the biggest money blocks?
Which profession has the biggest money blocks?
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Is there a salary that’s deemed “appropriate” in your industry?
Or common beliefs about what you “should” be charging?
Does your industry have money blocks that are creating barriers for everyone?
In today’s podcast episode, we look at which professions have the biggest money blocks and explore the common blocks that could affect your industry.
Everyone has money blocks, and making money doesn’t cure money blocks; I still have to work on my blocks every day despite making a lot of money.
But some industries and careers seem to have more mindset challenges than others.
In my experience, three core money blocks affect most industries, but each profession has nuances and beliefs that can affect what you earn, how you run your business, and what you charge.
Listen to today’s podcast to learn how the most common money blocks may manifest in your industry and affect your business.
Plus, we’ll look closer at specific money blocks for a whole range of industries, including:
Health and wellness
Finance and Accounting
Coaches
Spiritual businesses
Artists and creatives
And even the construction industry
And I share how to recognize these blocks and suggest some affirmations to help you move past them.
I’d love to hear what blocks you’ve seen in your industry and which ones I mention resonate.
And remember, here’s some Denise truth talk; no matter your industry, you must work on your inner money stuff. Otherwise, you’ll find it hard to charge, set boundaries, and have money conversations.
If everyone in your industry is broke, maybe you’re the one who can change things and be an example.
When you charge appropriately, it frees up time for you to help more people in more ways.
It’s your time, and you’re ready for the next step.
xx Denise
P.S. If your industry peers share common money blocks and the money mindset of your profession is holding you back, you’ll need another community to support your growth and year you on.
We have people from every profession in Money Bootcamp supporting each other to make money and change the world.
May 25, 2023
5 Life-Changing Money Books
Let’s talk life-changing money books.
I have always been an avid reader, and I absolutely love books about money.
So I’m sharing a few of the favorites from my shelf that I refer to when I need a bit of a money pick-me-up. These are classics!
1. Nice Girls Don’t Get Rich, Lois P. Frankel
This amazing book talks about the sabotages that people like us make around
money. The book is very, very practical and looks at a lot of the little decisions we make that can stop us from earning more money.
I also highly recommend the author’s other book, Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office, for any Lucky Bee in a corporate job or wanting to release blocks or frustrations you have about being in the corporate world. This book really helped me spot and stop a lot of mistakes I was making in my early career.
2. The Four Spiritual Laws of Prosperity, Edwene Gaines
This is a short read but one of the most powerful books that I have ever read about money.
It’s a simple but beautiful book about how you can really invite and receive more money into your life, and this is especially important if you sometimes have that feeling that money is icky, or that you're evil or greedy for wanting to make more money.
3. Women and Money, Suze Orman
Now, I love Suze Orman! Oh my God, I love her.
This is one of the great books that Suzy has written, and she has written many, many great books. Suze is the big sister that I wish I had around money.
I remember watching her on Oprah and just thinking “Oh man, this woman kicks butt around money.”
I also saw her speak at a conference, and to open up her speech, she stood in the middle of the stage and said…
“I stand before you a very, very, very, very wealthy woman.”
And it was the first time I’d ever heard a woman say that or own that, so I instantly wanted to learn from her.
So pick up all of her books, they are very practical and take on some of the more boring things around money, like your pension and getting out of debt.
4. How to be Wildly Wealthy Fast, Sandy Forster
Sandy was one of my first mentors and her book is an amazing role model for women and money. She is a very down-to-earth, funny, lovely woman and she is a multimillionaire.
This book is different from the other ones I recommend because I personally know Sandy. She’s real and has a very good story called “Welfare to Millionaire,” and she talks about how changing your thoughts around money can make a huge difference.
5. Get Rich, Lucky B*tch, Denise Duffield-Thomas
So the last book I’m going to recommend is of course, my own!
My money book, Get Rich Lucky B*tch is a practical take on the law of attraction and how we can use it to manifest money.
I talk all things money mindset, how to release your blocks to receiving money, and how you can create a First Class life for yourself.
Thank you to the thousands of you who have supported this book and if that’s you, I’d love for you to please jump over to Amazon and leave a review.
So, there are just a few of the best money books that I recommend. There are so many great money books out there that I love, but these are on my personal go-to list.
It’s a few years since I’ve read some of these so I’m excited to revisit them as I work on my next vision and money goal!
What are you reading right now? I would love to hear from you. Message me on socials @denisedt to let me know what books are completely rocking your world around money?
xx Denise
Disclaimer: This article includes Amazon affiliate links to the books mentioned.
May 24, 2023
How to juggle business, family and kids
How to juggle business, family and kids
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On today's podcast, we're talking about juggling business and family.
Variations on this theme are the most common questions I've been getting recently;
How to juggle business with having kids?
How to prepare your business for having kids?
What changes in your business when you have kids?
How to balance being a CEO and a Mom?
But even if you don't have kids, you'll get a lot out of this episode. The strategies I share will help you be a better CEO regardless of your family situation.
Because as you know, I'm all about making more money with less stress and changing the world, so I've got six tips to help you do that.
Running a multi-million dollar company and having a family is not easy for me.
My business is extremely important to me. I love my business, and I love my family. I firmly believe you can have both and find ways to juggle and flex your role during the different seasons of life.
Listen to today's podcast to learn my six tips for juggling business and family.
Here's a snapshot of what I cover:
Simplify everything at work and home
Automate revenue-making activities
Improve your boundaries
Streamline and batch content
Automate your marketing
Get as much help as you can
Juggling work and family commitments is challenging, so self-care is essential.
Be honest about what you can do and try to outsource everything else.
Simplify, eliminate, automate, and delegate whatever takes bandwidth away from your mental health, family, and making money.
And, of course, working on your money mindset is vital at this time so you can avoid getting tripped up by your money blocks and past experiences.
Our mothers and grandmothers didn't have the opportunities we have to build a flexible business and have children.
I’m grateful we live in a time when our children get to grow up with a role model showing them what a wealthy, legacy-building, cycle-breaking entrepreneur can look like.
Big hugs,
xx Denise
May 22, 2023
When will my money blocks go away?
Let's answer a question I get asked all the time; "Will my money blocks ever truly go away?"
Well, I got some good news for you, and I've got some bad news.
I get where this question is coming from because we often think that the goal of this kind of work and personal development is to have a complete absence of blocks.
And really, that is not the case, and that's not even realistic.
You don't need a complete absence of money blocks to succeed in life and business. And I am a perfect example of this. I always talk about the fact that I'm constantly working on my money blocks even though I teach this stuff.
Now, let me give you a little secret here. I talk about clearing money blocks all the time, but the truth is, I don't know how to help people completely clear their blocks.
I help people dance with their money blocks.
I help people become successful despite the fact that they have money blocks.
But obviously, it sounds a lot sexier to say clearing money blocks.
So the good and the bad news is there's always going to be something for you to be scared about in business and something for you to be blocked around.
But the good news is that things that scare you today in business won't be the things that scare you tomorrow.
So your money blocks still stay with you, but they have different forms and shapes.
Here's a perfect example of one of mine.
You might have heard me talk about this, but I really want you to get this at a deeper level.
One of my recurring money blocks is that I have to work hard to make money.
That showed up right at the start of my business when I felt like making money from doing something I loved was icky.
I felt guilty asking people for the sale because it was easy for me and so much fun.
Who am I to get paid to do this?
And that was true when I was charging $45 or $75 a session.
That money block will continue on your journey if that's your primary money block.
So for me, that working hard to make money block, when I started getting to the six-figure mark in business, I started resisting delegating because I felt that if someone else does it for me or someone else helps me, that's cheating, then I won't be earning that money. I won't be working hard for it. So it meant that I was pulling all-nighters because I refused to get help. I was burning myself out because I refused to delegate.
So I was trying to make that self-fulfilling prophecy happen, right? Well, as long as I'm working hard, I'll be able to justify what I'm earning.
So your money blocks will stay with you; they will shift and change over time.
Plus, you will notice these money blocks come up at very crucial points in your life and business.
For example, if you have a significant personal goal that you're really excited about, maybe buying a new house.
That's when those old money blocks will resurface and try and sabotage you.
You may be launching something in your business, or you may be creating a new program.
But, unfortunately, your money blocks will try and sabotage you in sneaky little ways.
Or maybe you feel a real calling to step up bigger in your life and business. Perhaps you've got a calling to be a little bit more visible.
You may want to step up and create some global change. That kind of stuff is going to make you feel very vulnerable.
And that's when your pesky money blocks are gonna come up again.
But here's what people like us do. They start to see those money blocks as a sign from the Universe that they shouldn't progress any further.
It's like, oh my God, this just happened. Maybe the Universe doesn't want me to do this.
Maybe it's a sign I should not launch this month.
Maybe I shouldn't do that thing that I want to do.
Instead of seeing that as a sign from the Universe, why don't you see that as a little test?
Do you want to do this?
Okay, all you have to do is step forward, and those money blocks will likely dissolve.
They'll step aside for you to step into your next level of life and business.
But you have to see them for what they are.
Where are your money blocks coming up right now?
What do you need to move through this little test from the Universe and on to the next level?
xx Denise
May 18, 2023
How to make better hiring decisions
How to make better hiring decisions
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In my recent survey, our community told me that hiring was one of the top challenges you face in your businesses.
Hiring is such a big pain point for many, and I know you've got a lot of questions about it - how to hire your first assistant, who to hire next, and who's on my team.
Who to hire and when is a big decision, so in this podcast episode, I'm explaining how the Money Archetype framework can help you build the dream team you deserve.
The upside of hiring the right people is huge, and the downside of bad hires can derail your income and make you hate your business.
You are not alone if you're feeling overwhelmed and frustrated by constantly making poor hiring decisions!
Despite investing time and money into recruitment, many entrepreneurs may still struggle with high turnover rates and a lack of productivity from new hires, which hinders business growth.
There's no one-size-fits-all when it comes to hiring - it depends on your personality.
I've made so many hiring mistakes, whether it’s hiring people like me or hiring people of a similar Money Archetype or just hiring without clear job descriptions.
Understanding your Money Archetype and those of your team can help you spot gaps and identify the type of person you're looking for, giving you a far deeper insight into how to bring the best out of your employees.
In this podcast episode, you'll learn:
The essential role Sacred Money Archetypes play in making informed hiring decisions.
Where you could be resisting and sabotaging your hiring decisions.
How to hire talent with unique strengths to compensate for your weaknesses.
How to make your first hire while avoiding unnecessary stress and complications.
More about my team and my past hiring mistakes (so you can avoid them and fast track your progress).
I know that you understand the logic of getting help. You've heard it before; having a team and outsourcing some tasks makes sense. But thanks to our Archetype, we all sabotage it in our own unique way.
Let's face it, this is a timely discussion, especially when we're all looking at the dollars in our business. A lot of people are cutting costs right now, stressed about the global economy, stressed about their local and country economies, and stressed about money.
That doesn't mean you have to do everything in your business. It means that you have to be smarter about who you hire to make sure that every dollar counts and that you're not making costly mistakes that you have made in the past or that you're afraid to make.
Let's dive into how to use Money Archetypes to hire and grow your team so you can make more money and stress less.
xx Denise
P.S. There's a complete Hiring module in my SMA business course to help you identify gaps, hire the right people and nurture your team. It's just one of the practical applications of the SMA framework I teach in the SMA course.
New classes for SMA Live start soon, and enrollment closes on Thursday, 18 May.
Come join us, and let's set up your business for more profit and ease - not only will you love the lifetime access to the business training, but for the next six weeks, you'll also get live weekly coaching with me and mentorship in our inspiring community.
Click here to find out more join today.
May 14, 2023
Finding more ideal clients using Money Archetypes
Finding your ideal clients using Money Archetypes
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I've got a juicy bonus podcast episode today all about how to use the Money Archetypes to understand and identify your ideal client.
This is always a big pain point for people in all the business courses and coaching I've done.
It's normal to stress about doing this wrong, picking the wrong niche, or worry about excluding people (I see you Nurturers wanting to help everyone 😘).
So I'm excited to dive in, get practical, and give you a taster of what the Ideal Clients module is like inside the SMA business course.
Enrollment for this year's Sacred Money Archetypes® Live closes this week, and I hope you're considering joining us.
For the next six weeks, we'll review your entire business from the top down - business model, systems, brand, marketing, hiring, and passive income - to identify leaks, gaps, and misalignment.
Then together, we'll redesign and tweak what's not working and double down on what is, so you can make more and stress less.
It's really practical. It has helped hundreds of people like you around the world, and it's actually FUN.
You'll get my support to design a business that flows perfectly with your personality and makes you magnetic to your ideal clients (even if you don't have a business yet).
You can check out the course and register here.
If the question "Who's your target audience?" stresses you out or fills you with dread, then today's episode will help.
I'll share some simple tips on how to get clearer on your niche and what you need to do next to attract more of your dream clients.
This is about creating a win-win in your business where you're leveraging your time by helping the people that you can serve best.
You can work with anyone, but by learning the nuances of your Archetype and your client's Archetypes, you'll leverage all of your efforts, meaning you'll have more longevity and energy for your work.
I hope to see you on the inside!
xx Denise
P.S. The Ideal Client module and Client Archetype Matrix are some of the most popular resources inside SMA and are just one example of how this course can help you simplify your business for more money and less stress.
New classes for SMA Live start soon, and enrollment closes on Thursday, 18 May.
Come join us, and let's set up your business for more profit and ease - not only will you love the lifetime access to the business training, but for the next six weeks, you'll also get live weekly coaching with me and mentorship in our inspiring community.
Click here to find out more join today.
May 10, 2023
How to find your ideal business model using Money Archetypes
How to find your ideal business model using Money Archetypes
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How did you pick your business model?
Why do you run your business the way you do?
When you're driving along the road of entrepreneurship and making money, it can be hard to take your foot off the gas for just a second and ask, is this the right road?
Too often, we're not even thinking about the destination; we just focus on getting to the next gas station. I've been there too.
The current state of your products, services, and systems is probably a result of hundreds of decisions made on the fly over a couple of years.
And the result is a business that is generally sound - it helps some clients and makes some money.
But under the hood, things might feel cobbled together.
Is your business model optimal for YOU?
Were you told to do things a certain way? By a coach or mentor?
Are you doing things in business because everyone else does, or that's what your industry expects?
Perhaps you learned to do business a certain way in a job, so when you went solo and needed to make money, you just kept doing things that way?
A better way is to start with your strengths and your personality's unique gifts and design a business model aligned with who you are and how you want to run your business.
In today's podcast, we're discussing what business model and ways of working would best suit your Money Archetype.
Because when there's a mismatch, I can see the clashes coming a mile off!
You're allowed to design your business in any way you want.
It's allowed to be easy, but it won't happen on its own.
Listen to today's episode to;
Investigate the connection between your Money Archetype and your business model choices.
Understand why it's essential to customize your marketing approach, pricing structure, and team dynamics to fit your strengths.
Embark on an entrepreneurial journey with a simplified approach that streamlines your growth.
By taking the time to understand your own Money Archetype and its implications, you can make more intentional, informed decisions about your marketing approach and grow your business in a way that feels true to who you are.
Remember, success is not only about financial gains but also about creating a business that brings you joy, fulfillment, and freedom.
What changes could you make to bring more joy and ease to your business?
Show Links
Take or share the Money Archetypes Quiz at denisedt.com/quiz
Watch the Leverage Your Strengths and Make More Money workshop for your Archetype at denisedt.com/leverage
Find out more and join Sacred Money Archetypes Live at denisedt.com/sma (Fast Action Bonus available now but ending soon)
P.S. If you want my help to redesign and simplify your business, then join us for my Sacred Money Archetypes® Live business course.
Enrollment is open now, and new classes start soon.
You'll get advanced training and coaching from me to review every aspect of your business model, systems, and marketing using the SMA framework and my best advice to set up your business for more profit and ease.
Click here to find out more, and join now to claim your fast action bonus.
"I’m a rebel in my industry; I’ve always done things a little bit differently. I’ve always marched to the beat of my own drum. For me, SMA was like a deep permission - I've literally been this way forever. And now it's really up to me to embrace it and bring it into every part of my business." Kierra Jones,. Visibility & Sales Messaging and Mindset Coach, USA (Maverick)
"It was eye opening to understand where my self-sabotage is coming from and that there are gifts that can be brought to light from those parts of my personality as a Romantic, Celebrity, Maverick. SMA has helped me understand my business blocks. I'm thinking about how I can emphasize my primary archetypes and sprinkle in the others. I believe it's my time and I'm ready for the next step." Michelle Stevens, Body Compassion & Movement Mentor, US (Romantic)
How to hiring your dream team using Money Archetypes
Just because you CAN do everything in your business yourself doesn't mean you should, especially if it keeps you from growing and expanding sustainably.
As the saying goes;
"If you want to go fast, go alone.
If you want to go far, go together."
Let me reassure you that there is no "perfect" way to build a team but there are some important considerations based on your Archetypes.
In a traditional corporate sense, a team usually means employees, which might scare you. But being successful in your business doesn't necessarily require a big team.
When you're building your ideal business, a dream team can be anyone who helps your dreams come true.
For me, that includes everyone who helps me with my house, my dogs, my kids, my body, my health, and my business.
Building a Dream Team is another way to earn more while working less.
There are no rules on how you do this.
We're creating more ease and abundance for you, not creating more stress or a big team for the sake of it.
Using SMA will help you hire the right people for the job, so you don't have to do everything yourself!
Let me tell you about my hiring sabotages
I'm sure you understand the logic of getting help, but we all sabotage it in our own unique way, including me!
When I started my business, a friend said, "You can't get to six figures without hiring a team."
My response? "Watch me!"
Which is perfectly representative of my Ruler / Maverick hiring sabotages. I was willing to work harder than anyone else to prove I could, which was silly.
Yes, I could do most things in my business, but it wasn't always my zone of genius (shout out to Gay Hendricks).
My next hiring challenge was hiring mini-mes!
I didn't even realize I was doing it. I just wrote a job description that sounded fun (to me), short-listed people who sounded fun and then hired people who gave a great interview.
Guess what happened? Those fun Rulers / Mavericks would quit immediately after our onboarding session because I sparked their imagination and desire to have their own business.
Why was I surprised? I was not a good employee myself!
I had a lot of other big challenges:
Expecting people to read my mind
Being unrealistic about deadlines
Not being clear enough on my expectations
Hiring nice people because I felt sorry for them
Getting bored with training people after hiring them
Jumping into hiring without clear tasks to give people
Not giving feedback when people did the wrong thing
Being an introvert and not wanting to speak to people
Hiring a particular role because others thought I should
Spending money in the wrong places and the wrong order
Keeping the wrong people for too long because I felt terrible about firing them
But I kept trying.
I got to 7-figures with just me and an assistant and almost $5m annually with a small handful of people. Of course, adding more people is not always the answer, but whatever the size, it's essential to have the right people doing the right roles.
Personally, I HATE managing people. It's not in my zone of genius (Connector and Nurturer are some of my lowest Archetypes.) Even in my corporate career, I was always the "lone wolf" who sought out projects where I didn't have to work with anyone.
But I've built a team on my terms.
So remember - It's okay just to do the things in your business that you LOVE and make money - and outsource the rest.
Maybe you can relate to some of these challenges?
If you want my help to hire a dream team that fits with your Archetypes, come and join our Live SMA course starting next week.
xx Denise
