Extending your Value Line

Submitted by on May 27, 2010 - 9:57 am

I asked you to assess your value line. Were you honest with yourself? Now, I want to discuss how you can extend it. How you can offer MORE value to yourself, your life and your career.

What I’ll be sharing isn’t groundbreaking, but it will serve as a healthy reminder.

This topic isn’t going away any time soon, so I even encourage you to print out this article to keep nearby. You’re focusing on building your business, your career and your family and these are exactly the tools you need to uplevel and get there now!

1) Assess your Values

Just like my favorite example, Lululemon, assess your values and write them down. A mentor of mine calls them his Guiding Principles. Lululemon calls it their manifesto. Give it a name that resonates with you and keep it somewhere easily accessible. I guarantee you that you’ll be referencing this frequently. Any time you need to make a decision and you’re having trouble, refer back to these values and you will quickly know your answer.

Now, to be clear, this doesn’t have to be focused on your career or your business. This should absolutely be about your life. If you do have your own business, I recommend a separate set of values so that you can inspire and empower your team just as Lululemon does.

2) Focus on your Core Competencies

You know what your good at, but as a woman, you’re probably trying to do it all yourself. Stretching yourself among too many tasks/projects/etc. will only overextend yourself and ensure that you’re not doing any one thing particularly well.

Take a cue from some of the most successful (and unsuccessful) businesses and focus on your core competencies. Any business that has been GREAT has focused on their core competencies (think McDonald’s). Any company that has only been GOOD has tried to expand too fast outside of their core competencies and ultimately had to downsize and revert back to their core competencies for any chance of survival.

If you’re focusing on what you do best, you’ll not only be more successful, you’ll also be much more satisfied. And you better believe people will take notice of that!

3) Build your Team

You might be amazing, but you can’t do it alone. Ask for help when you need it, but also start building your support team that you trust.

If you’re having amazing career success, consider how great you’ll feel when you can hire someone to assist you and give them that priceless opportunity as a mentor. You’re not only focusing on your core competency, but you’re training people under you who can develop that competency as well.

And where you don’t have the core competency, simply outsource. You needn’t be bothered with all the laundry, the admin tasks, presentation prep, accounting, etc. Your time spent on those things is a waste. You could be training someone, marketing yourself or booking or working with a new client (or, spending time with family and friends).

4) Live by your Values

Lead by example. The most effective leaders are the ones that live by their values. You innately instill trust, a sense of team and motivation simply by living by these values.

Trust me when I tell you that people will take notice. Look at Lululemon’s insane growth over the last five years, regardless of a down economy. New stores keep opening, they’re now selling online and people are lined up to quit their corporate jobs and work in a store.

Do you see what this means? You can remotely inspire people to ACT if you live by your values. How cool is that?

What is Your Value Line?

Submitted by on May 20, 2010 - 9:42 am

One thing that kept coming up this weekend was VALUE. Offering value, perceiving value and most importantly, valuing yourself.

This is a huge question for all of us, but women most especially.

Time and again I’ll have women tell me they want to work with me and then get scared of the price. When they let that scare them away, that tells me they’re not ready for the value I can give them … and not just the value of my service, the realization that they’re worth it!

This might be a controversial and sensitive topic for you, but it’s one that needs to be addressed.

Quite frankly, I’m over it:

As a woman, you have so much to offer the world!!

Example A) Whether or not you have children, you’re a mother.

Women are natural nurturers. This translates to numerous hours fundraising for your booster club, supporting philanthropic causes, offering an ear for your girlfriends and mentoring other women. Unfortunately, this tends to translate to putting everyone’s needs in front of your own.

Example B) Women do better in school than men

More women graduate college, perform better on tests, are entering upper management, etc. Yet, you’re still earning less than your male counterparts. Even more so, you’re still doubting your abilities.

Example C) Women Start Businesses

With the recent economy, there has been a boom in women-owned businesses. Businesses that create jobs, stimulate the economy, add value to others lives and add income to their families’ bottom lines. However, you’re still taking on more than you can chew and not valuing your time enough to ask for help.

This subject means a lot to me because I get it, I’ve been there.

I’ve been the girlfriend who was always there no matter what – no matter how much drama, no matter if it was always the same drama and no matter if it ultimately actually hurt me. (Ironically, I have a very low ‘drama’ tolerance!)

I’ve been through those amazingly tough times where you can’t understand why someone would backstab you that way. I’ve been the one who was uncomfortable talking about money. I’ve been the one whose pride wouldn’t let her ask for help.

And I can tell you with absolute certainty that overcoming those limiting beliefs and recognizing my value line has had a direct and significant impact on the success of my business.

Basically, I took back the control. I decided what was best for me. I asked for help. I hired assistants. I’ve UPPED my VALUE!

So now, ask yourself, what do you most value about yourself?

Upcoming Sample Sales!

Submitted by on May 13, 2010 - 9:03 am

I love a good deal! I believe in good deals. After years in the Fashion Industry, I know to look for the deals. Sometimes, you can’t get it on sale, but a lot of the times … you definitely can! Some good deals coming up:

REBECCA MINKOFF!

I L-O-V-E her bags. Gorgeous leather, gorgeous colors, gorgeous shapes. L-O-V-E!

Montana Ave. Sidewalk Sale!

Reminds me of the sidewalk sales in my town growing up. There were some good deals to be had! However, Montana Ave. is a bit more stylish than Hinsdale, IL. ;)

Closet Essentials: Build a wardrobe you L-O-V-E

Submitted by on May 12, 2010 - 10:43 am

Recently I presented to the First Tuesday USA LA chapter as a part of their Spring into Fashion event. My presentation focused on the Closet Essentials you should have in your wardrobe for a great foundation and touched on adding Wardrobe Updates to create a wardrobe you LOVE.

There was such a response at the event that I had to upload the video (since YouTube didn’t like the length, it’s posted on Facebook) and I wrote my Single Minded Women article for the week on the Top 10 Closet Essentials.

The pic below takes you to the video:

Click here to read the article: Build a Wardrobe you LOVE

Ready to take the reigns and build a wardrobe you love? U*styled’s Closet 911 will walk you through it … literally step by step!