Rasheed Ogunlaru's Blog, page 31

Coping with Christmas: 5 Top Tips

Rasheed Ogunlaru coach- speaker – author Christmas Card

Yes the tinsel, relentless TV ads and packed high streets all signal that Christmas is hurtling in at full sleigh bell speed. The religious festival turned marketers dream draws equal measure of delight and dread depending on how you feel about it. Either way you may find yourself with family, finance and festive-overdrive pressures. So how can you cope and celebrate the season without amassing debt, pilling on the pounds or becoming stressed? The secret is preparation and mindset.

Rasheed’s 5 Step Christmas Guide

Step 1 ….Time: Decide right now who you want and need to spend time with and how many hours or days feels right to you. There’s no point anybody overstaying their welcome. If you have difficult family relationships, allotting a manageable amount of time now will help. It may involve tough decisions, but rather that than stress, conflict and unhappiness. Likewise don’t feel compelled to go to every Christmas social going. Follow your heart.

Step 2…. Money: Set a budget that you can afford and stick to it. You’re not farther Christmas – you don’t need to give gifts to everyone. If you’re a parent; sharing time and love with your children is important – spending lots of money is not. If cash is tight – or if you have a big family – agree spending limits with loved one, only buy gifts for children or make a pact not to buy gifts.  

 Step 3…. Communication  / Rich relationships: Once you’ve made your decisions tell everyone concerned so they have time to prepare, adjust or accept it. Do this with love and kindness. If there are some people that can’t fit then set a time now to arrange to catch up with them in the New Year. Sometimes it is this act of communication kindly that can draw you closer.

You may have a close-knit loving relationship with your family and dear ones. If so let them know that you care. Say it and show it. That’s what the season is all about. If you have more turbulent relationships then give each other time, space and respect. This in itself may help. If arguments start to brew then don’t get involved. If things get heated, then walk away or take a break.

 Step 4…. Food and festivities: Know your limits. There are 12 days of Christmas but your heart, health and waste line will take the strain for much longer. Only put as much on your plate as you can comfortably eat. If you can’t handle drink, then don’t. In the morning you’ll probably be pleased that you turned down that extra slice of turkey or glass of wine.

 Step 5 …Time out: Christmas can be taxing. It’s also the end of a year and you may well need time to recharge, relax and review. Put some time aside for you. Take time to spend with yourself, celebrate who you are and to re-connect to yourself. Give yourself credit for all your achieved and got through. This will mean that you’re ready and best placed for the coming year.    

Wishing you glad tidings of comfort and joy, seasons’ greetings Rasheed

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Rasheed Ogunlaru is a leading life coach, speaker and business / corporate coach.He is also author of The gift of Inner Success and Soul Trader – Putting the Heart Back into Your Business

Review your business year…

If you’re your own boss then this is the perfect time to reflect on what’s gone well, what’s been challenging and what needs addressing. The ability to step back, review is key to being an entrepreneur and is a key skill in making any journey successfully. 
 
What’s more as the captain of the ship it’s your job to set the goals, chart the course and ensure your on course. You’ll need to steer the ship through choppy waters, keep your eye on the conditions and change course as necessary. And the nature of business is that there are almost always areas that need to be tweaked, changed, enhanced and improved.

So grab a pen and paper and let’s do a 5-10 minute business review. 

1) What have been your successes and areas where you’ve made headway?  

2) How can you continue to build on those successes?

3) What have been the challenges, setbacks and problem areas?

4) What have you learned from those challenges and what needs to be addressed?

5) Mindful of your answers to the above what should be your 2-3 priorities for 2014?

6) What help and support do you need to achieve the above a) from yourself/within the business 2) from others outside?

7) What mindset, behaviour and actions do you need to adopt to achieve the above? 

Gently sit with these answers over the coming weeks and let them build the basis of your action plan for The New Year.  The chances are that it’s been a busy year so take time to relax, recharge and regroup over the Christmas holidays so that you’re focused and re-energised come January and ready to turn this information into a plan of action.

Rasheed Ogunlaru is a leading life coach, motivational speaker and author of Soul Trader – Putting the Heart Back into Your Business

Nelson Mandela … from life to eternal light

As one by one each soul one this planet hears the news of the passing of one of life’s great souls, Nelson Mandela there will be a movement from sadness, through reflection… to the realisation that only by truly adopting peace and compassion can all hope to find it on the planet.

Beyond even the long walk to freedom Nelson walked the long walk from conflict to compassion and it is that road that is where lasting peace, liberation and oneness will be found. I am not a politician or a historian but I am more than aware of the impact of a man who walked a path that through struggles and steadfastness, prison, purpose and ultimate peace unlocked hearts and minds across the world.

As a world leader – and he remained a world leader long after he stepped down from the South African Presidency – he stood virtually alone as one whose humanity, humility and heart transcended political convention, concerns and posturing. Somehow it struck me many years ago that in those years in prison what must have become so clear to him was the understanding of the entire human condition. Only by understanding all causes can you ever hope to really achieve any specific causes. Only by understanding every spirit can you truly seek to win hearts and minds. Only when you have embraced life can you really hope to bring about the best in life. Only when you truly love the world can you hope to bring more love to it and from it.

Tonight many world leaders and leaders of all types may not sleep easy – and for many weeks to come. Because many of their hearts will be heavy. Are they willing to truly move from head to heart and to truly lead from the heart. ‘Am I really being true to what I am about?’ ‘Am I really enabling and empowering those I serve?’ Do I really know – or remember who I am and what I am about? These will be some of the questions that will run through their minds and bodies. 

But these are not just questions for all sorts of leaders. They are questions for every one. For we are all responsible for our own and our collective destinies. We all have the potential to fulfil our possibilities by truly embracing ourselves and each other as we are. 

Personally I suspect Nelson’s spirit has influenced me far more than I probably know. The work I do around living life from the heart and compassion has been greatly enthused by all those great souls who have sung that song…who all discovered that that is only path to walk, tread and create for it is the only path that leads anywhere worth heading and the only in which we truly find ourselves.

Thank you Nelson. 

 

Business Start Up Funding

One of the biggest challenges for many people who are start-up in business is the finance to get going. Most people who I meet and coach manage to achieve this – initially at least – through their own resources and through the support of friends, family and contacts. It can be a very shrewd way to start and shows your own commitment to your business and usually bears no additional costs. It also shows potential investors – should you need them – that you are really serious: they’ll usually want to see that you have a venture that is up and running, tried and tested and shows promise and is going somewhere. That said there are some pots of money out there that are some small pots of funding that is available – if you do your homework. Here in the UK one of the schemes that has been around is the Start Up Loans Scheme. Initially aimed at those aged I believe 18-24 the scheme has now been extended to people of all ages. 

So earlier this week I caught up with James Pattison of Start UP Direct to find out more about the scheme (see video above). Start Up Direct is the direct delivery partner for the government backed Start up Loans scheme. Providing; funding, mentoring and support to businesses based in England, Start up Direct has already provided £1.5M in funding to over 250 start up businesses.Every business that receives a loan also receives access to:

* 12 months worth of mentoring,

* workshops, networking events,

*a help line and the promotion of their products/services on our social media and newsletters.

If you are interested in applying or would simply like to find out more, please visit: http://startupdirect.org/apply/ 

Crowd Funding

One of the other new ways in which people are exploring and using to help start and grow a business is Crowd Funding. And mindful of that a while ago I asked funding expert Paul Grant of The Funding Game to explain what Crowd Funding is and some key tips and dos and don’ts. Paul, like myself is one of the expert partners of the British Library’s Business & IP Centre that helps those thinking about, starting and growing a business. Paul’s workshops are well worth attending if you are looking for funding to start or grow your business – and he helps you explore all the main options that are available including Business Angels and Crowd Funding. 

Rasheed Ogunlaru is a leading life coach, business coach and author of Soul Trader – Putting the Heart Back into Your Business.

 

Taking charge of your career is your job!

Taking charge of your career is your job. Nobody else can do it. Nobody else may be as aptly placed to do it as you. Nobody else is you. Nobody else may be taking the lead. Nobody else may be bothered. You cannot leave it to someone else. Hopefully others will be there to help, support, encourage and empower you…but at the start and the end of the day it’s down to you.

When I was employed full time I didn’t really think about this. It was not on my radar. It was only when I was made redundant 10 years into my first job that I really realised this. I kind of understood  it, but like many I kept my head down, worked hard and hoped that that would be enough for others to help ensure that I got promoted and developed. It worked for a while and to an extent, but in an ever-changing, challenging and uncertain economy and environment sitting back is a risky strategy. 

My point here isn’t that you should try and do it all alone; in fact quite the opposite -my recommendation is that you start or step up building a network, support, professional contacts/colleagues etc. It may be that you seek out a mentor, coach or other types of support and guidance. But whatever you do you must take the lead.

I’m also not saying that -if you’re employed – that others may not be there and very much part of the picture. There are some fantastic bosses, learning and development staff, managers, Human Resources teams and so on out there. But it’s not always the case and even if it is the case, without your leadership, aspiration, passion, drive, vision and engagement it will be difficult for these people to really help you to achieve your best. 

I spend a lot of my time delivering staff development talks and workshops. In fact Im just putting together a programme for lawyers and have just started delivering a 3 workshop programme for staff within the NHS. A large part of the programmes for both audiences is the importance of being proactive, positive and seeking/creating opportunities. I have a saying that it is not those who have the most talent who usually tend to fair the best, but actually those who have the focus, drive, vision, desire and who apply themselves.  

The video above highlights three essential parts of taking charge of your career

1) Awareness:

You need to be aware of who you are, where you are at, what’s important to you, what your skills and talents are. But that’s not enough you’ve got to be or become aware of the environment you’re in, the world you are in, the sector you are in or seek to get into. You need to understand – or find out – the issues, drivers, demands, needs and aspirations or the organisation that you are / seek to work for and their customers. You need to be aware of the gap between where you are and where you wish to get to. 

2) Attitude:

This is a very, very important aspect of success. Even though it is discussed a fair amount I think it is under-artciulated in its degree of importance. Let’s just assume for a moment that you are quite or very talented. And lets imagine for a moment that those in your sector or seeking to get into it are also. The it is your personability, professionalism, personality, liveability and your approach and proactivity that are going to be the key to whether you are seen or overlooked. I’m very aware that some of these factors may well be out of your hands. When you are employed (and even when you are not) much of it is down to whether others feel you fit. There will be all sorts of factors at play as to how you are seen and perceived and even despite the best intention and legislation there well be times when personalities, prejudices, politics and power-players may bar your way. All the more important it is that you keep your eye on your goal and that you know your magic. All the more important that you ensure that people judge you on your talent, application and can-do attitude. All the more important that you are seen as a team player, someone who is liked and respected. All the more important that you are compassionate, considered and conscientious. Others will act as they will. 

 

3) Action / application

The third step – and sadly its a step that may fall down on – is action and application. You need to be proactive. You need to take a lead. you need to put yourself forward. If others aren’t doing it – you must do it. I recently gave an address to a room full of civil servants and yesterday had a follow-up meeting with a bright young civil servant who I am sure is going places. He made it his business to follow up with me. He told me that he’d put himself forward for programmes to develop his career and that even when he’d been turned down he was looking at other ways to develop himself. He had gained himself a mentor. He was approaching me as a coach. He also has put two or three other initiatives in place – of his own initiative – that will mean that he continues to develop his personal, professional and leadership skills outside the workplace. I told him that he was far more proactive than I was at his age. My job is to help him boost his awareness, boost his confidence and -above all – to help him see the magic he already has. It is his job too…and that is where we started. But he has begun by bringing his awareness to where he is at, exploring what he wants and taking the first steps to make it happen.

…One last foot note. Whether you succeed in the things you set out to do is another thing. It is the same in all areas: sport, entertainment. there are many factors, many other players, many external factors, many variables. And it is good to be mindful of them. But the mere act of taking responsibility for oneself, ones life, ones career, ones future is magical. the moment that you do things feel different energetically. When you combine this with taking an interest in others and being kind and compassionate and collaborative, then magic can happen. Because then you step into the space between me, we and all that the wise often speak about. As you step into this space you become at one with life itself.

Take care and best wishes, Rasheed

 

 

 

 

Got what it takes to be your boss?

Global Entrepreneurship Week (18-23 Nov 2013)

More and more of us are becoming self-employed or starting our own businesses. Sometimes by desire of taking charge of your destiny. Sometimes through the necessity of job uncertainty, redundancy. But what does it take to succeed?

1)    Passion: without the desire / drive to start something you love/care about it won’t happen
2)    Product: You need to develop a good, quality product/ service that customers want / need
3)    Plan: research, knowledge, data – and a clear, flexible strategy and plan of action to follow
4)    Professionalism: the skills, expertise, credibility and quality (you/your product) to deliver
5)    Pricing, promotion, placement, pitching: the visibility and strategy to show and sell
6)    People: from expert support to help you provide through to customers willing to buy
7)    Perseverance: along a road that often long, challenging, uncertain and ever-changing

Here’s a video with some tips (read on below video)

Making a start

As I mention in the video above, if your are making a start then research and planning is a good place to start and there is lots of help out there. There are great business books, websites, organisations and research available. Depending on where you live in the world checking out the relevant government and public websites on the practicalities, rules, regulations about being self employed/running a business can be a great place to start – as is looking out trade organisations in your chosen sector who can give you lots of information / support and many run all sorts of services from legal and marketing advice through to networking events.  

Free online talk: check out my special live online seminar here on Evolved Heart Starting & Marketing Your Own Venture (live/archived) to help you on your way. 

 

 

Join me at the British Library

One of the places that can help you start and grow is the British Library’s Business & IP Centre. The centre is packed full of books, databases, research reports and resources that can help you – worth millions of pounds – yours to access free of charge. On top of that there’s a huge suite of low cost/ no cost workshops, and one to one sessions to help you with advice. www.bl.uk/bipc  – also that plus space for you to meet and network too. 

One of the workshops is my Soul Trader: your life, your business workshop. Based on my book Soul Trader – Putting the Heart Back into your business, the workshop (and the book) help you to follow your passions and talents and to gain/build the clarity, customers, courage, co-operation, conversations, creativity, compassion needed to survive and thrive and also to adapt to change.  

 

Take a tour of the British Library’s Business & IP Centre

I recently caught up with Neil Infield centre Manager to take a tour of the centre to give you a flavour of how it can help you.

I think the key message that I’d like to leave you with is to give yourself the time and space to really consider where you’re at, what you’re good at/passionate about and to research the area that you want to to into. Once you’ve done that – or whilst you’re doing it see if you can dip your toe in the water. Get out and about networking and look into and consider joining an apt industry organisation for your sector and perhaps one of the organisations such as the Chamber of Commerce of Federation of Small Businesses that are there to help. Some of the things that you’re going to do / need to do will cost, some resources are free of charge. Start to also build a network of skilled talented people with differing skills and styles to you but who you appreciate their values and vice-versa and who are supportive. 

You may also find that Soul Trader – my book may be very useful to you. You can check it out via the links above.I wrote it especially for those of you who are walking this path. 

Wishing you every success on your journey. 

 

 

Starting & marketing your own venture (free live online talk 20 Nov 7pm)

Global Entrepreneurship Week  is run each year to educate, encourage and enable people to set up their own business and promote entrepreneurship as an option. So to help play our part among the events that are going on across the globe this year (18-23 Nov) our latest Live Chat over on Evolved Heart at 7pm on Wed 20 Oct is on ‘Starting & Marketing Your Own Venture’.  

So bookmark this page, join us then and meanwhile read on…

* So are you thinking about, starting out or already your own boss / running a business?

* What does it take to actually start and sustain a business?

* How can you be visible and market yourself in an increasingly noisy and competitive marketplace?

We’re very much looking forward to this special live chat in which we’ll be  sharing tips and insights on how to start and progress and we’ll be joined by a special guest who made a decision in his teens to set up a school thousands of miles away – a dream he made come true….

Our guests / contributors

 

Ed Forrest:  is co-founder of Educate for Life. Ed and his business partner Akshay Patel were two teenagers who had the rather unusual idea of building a school and had both ended up in the same halls-of-residence when we joined University College London in 2003. After realising our shared ambition we agreed that one day we would raise some money and build a school together – which is exactly what they did.

Educate for Life’s vision consists of a world where universally accessible schools are hubs of sustainable development and where learning is an empowering child-centred process, co-created by teachers, students and community members. In order to work towards this vision, we have the following 7 mission statements. Check out their website to learn more about our current and planned activities for that mission.

Ed will be sharing Educate for Life’s story and talking about how they started, what have been the highlights and challenges and how they actually built a school in India from scratch and built a charitable business venture based on a real passion and values. (See video below at the end of this page).

 

Tum Kazunga

Tum is Co-Founder of Evolved Heart, and an marketing and online expert. Over the years he has helped many businesses, charities, sole traders and organisations to grow their businesses and raise their profile.

Tum is of course our Host for the Live Chats and on this special he will be sharing tips on marketing yourself effectively and raising your visibility online and offline.He’ll also be exploring the things that you could and should be doing and how to stand out in todays ever more crowded business environment.

 

Rasheed Ogunlaru

Last but by no means least is Evolved Heart Co-Founder and our in house life / business coach specialist, Rasheed Ogunlaru.Rasheed is a leading life and business coach and motivational speaker and author of Soul Trader; Putting the Heart Back into Your Business.

 

Rasheed is also the business coach partner to the British Library’s Business & IP Centre where he runs the Soul Trader workshop to help those starting and growing a business.

He is also coach to TiE UK’s mentoring programme which is run in partnership with the Business & IP Centre; which is where he met our special guest Ed, one of the gifted entrepreneurs on the programme.

Rasheed will be sharing tips on the strategy, planning, clarity, confidence, life balance and organisational skills needed to start and grow and will be sharing tips and insights from his book, workshop and experience with entrepreneurs.

 

To watch / take part:

1. Book mark this page on EvolvedHeart.com – and you can also post comments and questions on this page on or for the day

2.  Tune in here at 7pm UK time (2pm EST) on Tuesday 22 Oct 2013

3. Email any advance questions or points to admin @ evolved heart.com mark your questions ‘Internet; here for good’.

Can’t make it?

Don’t worry the video will be here live from when broadcast and will remain archived here so just bookmark and when you’re free.

Educate for Life video

Check out this film made by the BBC’s Inside Out Programme on the Education for Life which will give you a flavour of the journey of our guest.

Rasheed Interviews: Jackee Holder

Rasheed Ogunlaru coach – speaker -author of Soul Trader – Putting the Heart Back into Your Business  interviews, author, Inter Faith Minister and Executive Coach, Jackee Holder…

Part 1: How did it all start?

Part 2: Faith, coach & authorship

Your success stories: John Reed, publishing my book

I love hearing your success stories. I find them touching and inspiring. Here’s one from John Reed which I think is very special:

***

Rasheed’s Advice

I was in a position that I expect many others will recognise. I had researched my family history and produced it in book form just for my immediate family. I had also written a book on my childhood during and after the last war for my grandchildren.

This had been put on the ‘back burner’ after I started my big project – a novel based on the very interesting life of one of my ancestors who I had discovered during my family research.

 The novel was reaching gigantic proportions (180000 words) and I had no idea when it was going to end so I urgently needed some independent advice.

 My daughter put me in touch with Rasheed and after discussing things for an hour or so on the phone, we had decided on some targets.

 The main objectives we agreed were

* Split the novel into two books if at all possible

* Find, and ruthlessly use knowledgeable contacts

 * Get something into print to show publishers what I could do

* Set up a website to publish my achievements.

How I approached It

After reading it through my novel again and after a bit of editing the obvious point turned out to be at around 120,000 words.           

Regarding getting something into print I decided to rewrite my childhood memories, get it into a good shape, and then self-publish.

About a year after I had spoken to Rasheed, I was ready to send my book to the printers. Apart from the book cover, I had got it print ready by myself.

In early August I was delighted when my very first order of fifty books arrived. There looked to be a lot of books and I had to decide how I was going to get rid of them.

I rang every publication I thought might do a review and to my delight not one refused. From local newspapers, free magazines and quality monthly magazines, they all positively reviewed the book. I also got the book in the catalogue of an online bookshop and this has produced good results.

 Six weeks after my initial purchase I had to have another hundred books printed. One of the reviews had resulted in a local charity bookshop offering me a book signing which resulted in the sale of sixty five books, and they will continue to stock the book.I was at a birthday lunch and chatting to the lady sitting opposite I told her about my novel and she told me that she had once been a proof reader for McMillan Books and she would be very happy to proof read my first novel. A classic use of unexpected contacts.

My website took a bit longer to get up and running as my son was doing it for me in his spare time. However it is online now and I have already sold a few books through it.  

 I can now concentrate on my novels the second one is nearly finished and then I will have to decide whether it is going to be two or one!

- By John Reed   www.ruskington-memories.co.uk

A most remarkable week…

I must say that I really love my ‘job’ as a coach  / speaker (and author); helping people to be authentically themselves in all that they do in their lives and their work is a remarkable privilage and a joy. Every week is rewarding – by virtue of doing what I’ve been crafted to be do by life through nature and nurture – but this last week or so has been very special. And week ago today last Thursday 24 was particularly interesting day to pick out; I was in the rare situation of delivering three talks back to back. First, giving a motivational address to staff from across the Civil Service at a Black History Month event, then delivering a leadership masterclass for small business members of Intellect / Tech UK, and finally co-Hosting the Precious Awards. Here’s some of what made it significant.

Creating opportunities

The day started with an afternoon engagement delivering  a motivational talk and Q&A session for staff across the Civil Service during a special Black History Month event on ‘Developing Talent’ arranged by the new Sharing Information Working Group. I shared tips and advice of taking charge of your career, being proactive and being yourself. One of the wonderful moments was when one of the delegates too the opportunity of asking a senior Civil Servant who had delivered a talk – to be her mentor; he agreed. That’s what can happen when you are proactive. It was a wonderful event and there were some amazingly talented people in the room – and I very much hope to see more staff of all backgrounds and diverse backgrounds to advance in their career. 

Inspiring Leadership

Next up I darted across town to deliver an Inspiring Leadership Business Clinic talk / seminar / Q&A for Tech UK  (formerly known as Intellect). The session was for small business owners. We often forget that it’s these small businesses that in time become big businesses -especially in the technology sector. It was great working with the attendees to help them explore their leadership style, their environment and how they can move themselves, their business – and hopefully their industry forward. Leadership  is a topic that’s become increasingly dear to my heart – here’s a little clip of a video we produced ahead of the evening. …At the end of the post event networking it was time to move on again. 

…And that final engagement was once again Co-Hosting the Precious Awards at the Wardoff Hotel. It was an apt close to the day celebrating remarkable women of colour in business and in leadership – many doing remarkable things not just for themselves and their customers but for the wider community. With events like these what you don’t often see is the hard work and determination of often just one individual and or a small team. It’s very true in this case; Precious founder Foluke Akinlose deserves and rightly gained considerable praise during the evening for her tireless work which a couple of years ago won her an MBE for her services to business, the community and diverse women in business. 

Life’s magical little reminders

It was quite a day and a day that very much reminded me of why I do the work I do. Today I got three similar reminders: 1) a wonderful text from a new client thanking me for helping her start believing in herself again. 2) A call from a entrepreneurial client about to make a big life changing move overseas and with a Patent pending on her work. I reminded her of all she’s already achieved and that she should be proud of (we often forget how far we’ve travelled as we get lost, caught up or overwhelmed by where we want to go). 3) A wonderful email from a follow author and trainer from across the world who just bout my book Soul Trader – Putting the Heart Back into Your Business and who felt inspired to buy it and to get in touch. It’s this kind of feedback that makes the work so special. It’s quite remarkable how something you do on one side of the world can have a ripple effect on the other. It is very humbling.

For me the work is not really about being a coach, a speaker or an author. It is not really about all the wonderful things that people may go on to see or achieve in their lives and career. It is something far simpler and profound; it is about inviting you to embrace yourself and embrace life itself. It is this that is the mission, the call, the win, the reward, the calling. It is this – that in my experience – leads us to embrace true fulfilment within and to fulfil our possibilities in the world.

Wishing you every joy and happiness during every remarkable week and moment that we have. Rasheed