Business Hub Consultant in Colorado Springs Posted on by

During a little bit of online research I came across an obituary clip about Geoffrey Holder. The first line said, he “died on Sunday from pneumonia at the age of 84.” And the short blurb after that talked about a couple of things he accomplished. That was it.

But that short blurb distracted me, and I looked him up.

Wikipedia says Mr. Holder “was a prolific painter (patrons of his art included Lena Horne and William F. Buckley, Jr.), ardent art collector, book author, and music composer. As a painter, he won a Guggenheim Fellowship in fine arts in 1956.”

And fans of James Bond might remember Geoffrey as the voodoo villain who was Bond’s enemy in “Live and Let Die.”

But what many, if not most, of you might not realize or remember is that Geoffrey Holder was a 7up spokesperson way back in the day. He portrayed a Caribbean planter who explained the difference between cola nuts and “uncola” nuts. Cola nuts are what they use to make cola drinks. And uncola nuts, which are actually lemons and limes, are used to make 7up, the unCola.

If you get a chance, look up one of his old commercials. You can find them on YouTube. Mr. Holder was an awesome choice. His voice and personality almost subliminally could make you crave a 7up.

And apparently the commercial really distinguished 7up from the pack.

They did bubbles like all the rest. But they didn’t look or taste like the rest. So, they were able to capture a market of people who wanted that refreshing, non-caffeinated, citrus flavor. They’re another example of how awesome it can be to do what others won’t.

And that’s another reason why I want you to enroll in UNversity. It’s the kind of how-to coaching normally reserved for my one-on-one clients.

Enroll today for a monthly tuition of $15. I haven’t raised the price in the whole two years since I started UNversity. But that’s likely to change in 2023. So, get in now. Be in time for the first lesson of 2023. I’ll be sharing a video that shows you how I use the RondaReady CRM (Customer/Contact Relationship Management) system to save a ton of time and money (more numbers solutions). And how you can, too.

There IS a deadline to enroll and still be in time for January’s lesson. And that deadline is December 31st when the clock strikes midnight. And that’s only a few days away.

Start off your new year with an investment in yourself. Each UNversity lesson is sort of like a short blurb of information you can learn and implement quickly. Get the first one next week. Link is below.

Stay Ready,
Ronda

Enroll in UNversity today – https://bit.ly/3sjscAd

Business Hub Consultant in Colorado Springs Posted on by

It’s the day after Christmas, as I share these thoughts. And we’re in that annual limbo week. The week that separates the last of this year from the first of next year. And so many business owners and entrepreneurs fall for the notion that you can’t get much done because their customers and clients need some recovery time. Of course, that’s true.

Well, the part about their customers’ and clients’ recovery time is true.

But the “notion that you can’t get much done” part is definitely NOT true.

Because, starting today, right at the beginning of “limbo week,” is a great time to work on your own recovery time. Right now there’s SOOO much you can do to make your coming year a lot more productive and profitable. And a BIG part of what you can do is work on the System that can literally change your life.

What if you could set up a System that helps you automate and delegate a bunch of the work you didn’t even realize was taking up so much of your valuable time. A System that also includes the intangible, invisible benefit of helping you plan ahead. And a system that can help you eagerly look forward to your day, week, month, and year.

Check out this excerpt, from an article about the power of anticipation.

It’s written by Steven Handle. And he said:

“We all need something to look forward to in life. In fact, a healthy sense of anticipation can often help energize our lives, and even help us get through tough times. While living in the present is a very beneficial thing – sometimes the present can feel a bit annoying, frustrating, tedious, or intolerable.

The key idea is that by creating new rewards in your life, or by actively looking for things to look forward to, you can build more discipline and motivation in any area of your life where you are lacking.”

And the right System can help you get that “healthy sense of anticipation” instead of longing for another week of recovery time. Because you can reduce a ton of those day-to-day headaches in business and in life.

I wanna help you make the most of your most precious resource.

Time. And that’s why I want you to enroll in UNversity. It’s the kind of how-to coaching normally reserved for my one-on-one clients.

Enroll today for a monthly tuition of $15. I haven’t raised the price in the whole two years since I started UNversity. But that’s likely to change in 2023. So, get in now. Be in time for the first lesson of 2023. I’ll be sharing a video that shows you how I use the RondaReady CRM (Customer/Contact Relationship Management) system to save a ton of time and money (more numbers solutions). And how you can, too.

There IS a deadline to enroll and still be in time for January’s lesson. And that deadline is December 31st when the clock strikes midnight. And that’s only a few days away.

Cheers to recovering your dreams in the new year. Link is below.

Stay Ready,
Ronda

Enroll in UNversity today – https://bit.ly/3sjscAd

Business Hub Consultant in Colorado Springs Posted on by

I’m not a professional baker. And I don’t play one on YouTube. So when someone who IS on YouTube or TV says they’re gonna show me how to bake something easy, I check it out. Easy works for me. How about you?

Do you wanna bake something easy for Christmas?

I found a recipe. And, just so you know, up front, I haven’t done this one yet. But it sounds yummy. And I hope to give it a try if other appointments and festivities don’t get in the way. So, check this out.

They had me at “ingredients for Cappuccino Biscotti”

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 85 grams room temperature unsalted butter
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
  • 3.5 ounces hazelnuts, skins removed
  • 3.5 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips
  • 8 ounces white chocolate chips, to melt and dip

Here are the baking directions:

  • Preheat oven to 325 and set rack in middle position.
  • Place hazelnuts on a sheet pan and toast until lightly golden in color and fragrant, about 8-10 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Once cool, give the nuts a rough chop and set aside.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
  • Set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, vanilla, and espresso powder together to dissolve powder.
  • Set aside.
  • In a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar at medium to high speed until light and fluffy.
  • Scrape down the bowl as needed. Mixture should be pale in color.
  • Add egg mixture and beat until incorporated.
  • Scrape down bowl as needed.
  • Add dry ingredients, at low speed, in two parts, until combined and no sign of flour remains.
  • Add hazelnuts and chocolate chips and mix on low until just combined.
  • Line a sheet pan with parchment and transfer the dough to the sheet pan.
  • Using your hands, shape the dough into one log, down the length of the sheet tray, each log about 3” wide.
  • The length should be almost to the edges of the pan.

 

Let me know how yours turned out. And feel free to send me samples. But if you want some ingredients to something even easier, enroll in RondaReady UNversity before midnight on December 31st. You can check out other posts and emails that tell you how great it is. Or take the shortcut and enroll at the link below.

Stay Ready,
Ronda

Enroll in UNversity today: https://bit.ly/3sjscAd

Business Hub Consultant in Colorado Springs Posted on by

I remember a story about a business owner newbie who got an earful of passion and purpose in a short amount of time. He went to two different seminars on two straight weekends. And, in the first one, the main speaker talked all about how to “pump up your passion.” Then, the second main speaker, the next weekend, bragged about the “power of purpose.”

So, apparently passion and purpose are both super important.

I believe you should start with your purpose. And when you know what that is, find your market and serve it passionately. See? No need to separate passion and purpose. They can both serve you well.

So, maybe you could decide to have a passionate purpose. I can see that.

But, keep in mind, it’s easy to be passionate about something nobody cares about. And when that happens, you might be surprised at how your passion flickers out. That’s why it’s important to find your purpose, develop a system, and build your business.

Steve Jobs is a good example of that. His purpose was to make sure computers could easily help people create and pursue their own passion and purpose. And there are plenty of people who say he was passionate about it, almost to a fault. But his results multiplied into one of the most financially successful companies in the world.

And I bet your passion multiplies when you pursue your purpose and serve others well. Especially when you set up a system to help you automate, delegate, and get more done in less time. Yeah, you can can shorten your path to success by years, when you find a proven system you can plug your business into.

The RondaReady System is the best one going.

Because it has something no other system has. Me. It’s the only CRM with a built in online business coach. And the only online business coach with a built in CRM.

Of course, I don’t guarantee you’ll pump up your passion or discover the power of purpose. But I DO guarantee you’ll be more organized and make much better use of your precious time.

And just so you know, it’s a significant investment. But if you’re not ready to invest that much in yourself and your business, I have another option. UNversity.

Enroll today for a monthly tuition of $15. I haven’t raised the price in the whole two years since I started UNversity. But that’s likely to change in 2023. So, get in now. Be in time for the first lesson of 2023. I’ll be sharing a video that shows you how I use the RondaReady CRM (Customer/Contact Relationship Management) system to save a ton of time and money (more numbers solutions). And how you can, too.

There IS a deadline to enroll and still be in time for January’s lesson. And that deadline is December 31st when the clock strikes midnight. Link is below.

Stay Ready,
Ronda

Enroll in UNversity today – https://bit.ly/3sjscAd

Business Hub Consultant in Colorado Springs Posted on by

8760. Seems like a fairly big number. Right? Now, check out this number. 1920. But what do the two numbers represent? Glad you asked (You did ask, right?). Well, the first number represents ALL the hours in a year of 365 days. And the second represents the hours of 50 work weeks. So, if business is a numbers game, then which one is the most important?

First, it’s a trick question. Because business isn’t just a numbers game.

There’s WAY more to it. At least if it’s important to you to build and maintain a successful business. And I hope it IS important. Otherwise, why even start it in the first place?

But let’s get back to that 1920 number. It’s based on averages. Average work weeks. And average number of hours many business owners put into their work. In fact, I’ll bet most people, especially in the last couple of years, don’t even wanna put in that many hours a week.

But my guess, based on years of working with business owners and entrepreneurs, is that YOU aren’t average. Because you’re reading this right now. And you hope you can find solutions that lead to your success. And I’m probably not the only place you’re looking for answers. Right? In fact, here’s another (educated) guess. You probably feel like there just aren’t enough hours in the day.

Why would I guess that?

Well, back when I had a home building business in California, there were definitely more than a few times I thought there just weren’t enough hours in the day. I mean, if you wanna feel the numbers game BIG TIME, then build, show, and sell houses in a highly competitive real estate market.

It was like packing 36 hours into every 24-hour day.

And without a system, your business, and your life, can get away from you.

When we first started our business(es) in California, it was WAY too easy to sweat the details. And spend too much time on the phone. And go to bed with too many thoughts about “tomorrow” to get a good night’s sleep.

But do you know what all that’s called?

Bad habits.

So, I had to break the bad habits of doubt and worry. And replace them with good habits. Like brain dumping. And schedule control. And those helped me start some healthy habits. I got more fresh air, sunshine, and better food. And guess what?

I started getting better sleep. And that helped me get up in a better mood. Ready to take on the world.

So…a free way to invest in yourself is to break your bad habits. And replace them with good ones.

Want another mostly free way to break bad habits and invest in yourself?

Read more.

Need some motivation? How about this?

An article I found said people, who regularly read at least 30 minutes a day, live an average of two more years than non readers. That’s 17,520 hours if you’d still like to play the numbers game. And it’s also an extra 3840 hours to have a productive business or life. And that’s if you just stay average.

But remember, YOU are NOT average. So, I wanna help you make the most of how ever many hours you have each day, week, month, and year. And that’s why I want you to enroll in UNversity. It’s the kind of how-to coaching normally reserved for my one-on-one clients.

Enroll today for a monthly tuition of $15. I haven’t raised the price in the whole two years since I started UNversity. But that’s likely to change in 2023. So, get in now. Be in time for the first lesson of 2023. I’ll be sharing a video showing you how I use the RondaReady CRM (Customer/Contact Relationship Management) system to save a ton of time and money (more numbers solutions). And how you can, too.

There IS a deadline to enroll and still be in time for January’s lesson. And that deadline is December 31st when the clock strikes midnight. Link is below.

Stay Ready,
Ronda

Enroll in UNversity today – https://bit.ly/3sjscAd

Business Hub Consultant in Colorado Springs Posted on by

How is staging homes like hanging out on the beach. OK, it’s a trick question. Because they’re not alike at all. But I CAN sort of connect them. And I’ll show you how.

Before I launched my RondaReady System, I enjoyed a successful stint in the home staging and home construction business. It’s true. I’m sure you can’t picture me at a table saw. And that’s OK. Because I didn’t actually do the craftsman part.

But I did get hands-on when it came to staging homes for sale.

And there’s actually a lot to it.

But if you’ve never hired someone to stage a home, you might wonder why you’d ever need one. Well, it’s because they can help you make your house stand out from other real estate listings. And you definitely need to stand out. Because too many of them have pictures that look like the owner just got up from the sofa to go get another beer during the commercial. Yikes.

And when I staged a home, I made an extensive to do list. And I made sure to control my schedule for the best way to prioritize the list. Because when you stage a home, you get the best results (a faster sell) when you can make it look like nobody even lives there.

So, we removed the clutter, took out family photos and other personal items, got rid of pet evidence, and deep cleaned the whole place. And, trust me, there’s nothing like a clean house to show those potential buyers you took care of the home.

And there are so many other details most homeowners don’t think about when it comes to getting a house ready to show. That’s why I had my system down to a science. Because, especially in the world of real estate, time is money. And sometimes WAY more money.

So, my team added ample lighting everywhere. And we rearranged furniture to give it a more stylish appeal. Plus, we paid close attention to details like neutral paint and wall treatments, clean grout, and good-working hardware throughout the house.

And there’s tons more to staging homes. Like…

  • pillows on furniture,
  • setting the table for dinner,
  • making sure the exterior’s painted and the lawn mowed,
  • fresh towels in the bathrooms,
  • pictures in key places on the walls,
  • making sure there are no empty rooms, and
  • everything dusted before every showing.

 

And all that basically just scratches the surface. But the main point is how much work is involved. That’s something a lot of home sellers neglect or overlook. So, naturally, being the stickler for a system that I am, I certainly had one then, too. Because I valued my time. And I do even more, now.

If you’re a business owner or wannabe, I’ll bet you value your time, too.

If so, you should enroll in my monthly RondaReady UNversity classes. The next one is in just a couple of weeks on the first Thursday of January. But the deadline to enroll, and be in time for January’s lesson, will be December 31st. After that, you’ll be too late for January. You could still enroll, but you’d have to wait for the next class in February.

I’ll be sharing how to set up some things in your CRM (customer/contact relationship management). And you’ll see how much time (and money) you could be losing by not doing these things. So, enroll right now while you’re thinking about it. And get in on the $15 monthly rate before it goes up next year. The link is below.

Stay Ready,
Ronda

Enroll in UNversity here: 

Business Hub Consultant in Colorado Springs Posted on by

Here’s a story I shared a couple of years ago. And it mainly applies to women. But I believe guys can get some value out of it, too. Because it’s a story about mechanical engineering. And that sounds a lot like a guy thing.

But imagine yourself as an eleven year old girl.

Yes, there IS a connection between this girl and mechanical engineering.

Anyway, you’re a young girl, in the last quarter of the 19th century. And your first job is working for your dad in his machine tool company. Do you think you’d resent it? Or do you think you’d develop a strong interest in mechanical engineering and mechanical arts? Well, a young girl, named Kate Gleason, went the mechanical direction. And she created some concrete solutions (that’s a hint) to get in gear.

Now, check out some of Kate’s amazing accomplishments.

After working with her father, she went to Cornell University and Sibley College of Engraving and Mechanics Institute and took her mechanical skills to a whole ‘nother level. In fact, she developed her abilities so much that she and her dad designed a machine that produced beveled gears faster and better and for less money. But so what, right? Who cares about beveled gears?

Well, as it turned out, the one and only Henry Ford was interested. Yeah, THAT Henry Ford. And he was so impressed with the machine that he said it was “the most remarkable machine work ever done by a woman.”

But Kate (aka: Catherine Gleason) wasn’t through. Not by a long shot.

She also headed up the sales and finance divisions of her dad’s company. And during that time, they expanded into international markets.

But she was only getting warmed up.

Evidently the president of First National Bank of Rochester stepped down from his position to join the military during World War I. And Ms Gleason became the first female president of the bank. At least for a while.

After that (and after the war) she conquered concrete and the construction industry. Well, actually she invented a new method of pouring concrete. And then, she even sold low-cost concrete box (or blocks) houses in East Rochester. So, she pioneered the building process for lots of other future suburban developments.

And I’d bet, by now, you wouldn’t be surprised to learn how Catherine became the first female member at the American Concrete Institute. Oh yeah, AND the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

Ms Gleason only lived to be 67. But in those 67 years she built an impressive list of accomplishments. And I’m sure her mechanical skills played a big part in her ability to stay organized and on schedule.

Because you don’t do all that by accident.

And her life is another example of why I talk so much about systems and schedule control and your vision. And in next month’s UNversity lesson, I’m gonna show my students how to set some of that up in your CRM.

The deadline to enroll in the first monthly UNversity class of 2023 is December 31st. Yep, after the ball hits the bottom on New Year’s Eve, it’ll be too late to enroll and be in time for January’s class. You could still enroll, but you’d have to wait for the next class in February.

In January’s class I’m gonna take you inside the CRM (customer/contact relationship management) tool and show you how to save a ton of time and money. Enroll now and don’t be late. You can’t afford to miss this. Plus, when you enroll now, you’ll avoid the price increase coming up in 2023. So, there’s some more incentive for you. $15 a month when you enroll now. More per month if you put it off till later.

Get Ready, Be Ready, and Stay Ready,
Ronda

Enroll in UNversity: https://bit.ly/3sjscAd

Business Hub Consultant in Colorado Springs Posted on by

I know Christmas is just a few days away. And I know you’ve got presents to buy, cookies to make (or better yet, to eat), and to-do lists a mile long. (Me too!) But that crazy little guy, who showed up at my door last year, just showed up again. He’s only about 4 feet tall. And he’s got pointy ears. And bells on his shoes.

At least this time I didn’t have to ask the crazy little guy who he was.

Because he told me, last year, he’s a messenger from Santa! Yeah, that’s believable. Right? Even though this was his second visit, I’m still skeptical. Because, well, I’m an adult. Santa and elves are fairy tale characters.

But there he was. And he launched right into his pitch again.

He reminded me of how Santa’s always been able to keep everybody’s Christmas wishes in his head. But now everybody’s so spread out, on social media, and making lists of their own on their smartphones. And apparently Santa and all his helpers still haven’t set up a system to keep track of it all.

So, Santa’s still feeling the numbers crunch. Without a way to keep up with all that extra digital data. The little guy at my door said there needs to be more elves. But Santa doesn’t have an efficient way of bringing more on board. And not enough elves are training to be Santa’s helpers anymore. They just don’t know where to start.

So the little guy said Santa would like my advice again.

Can you believe that? He wanted a quick refresher course that he could take back to his boss. I hated to tell him how I doubt they could change things that fast. But who am I to say Santa couldn’t git ‘er done? Typically I don’t do impromptu “lessons” for anyone. Because I value my time and expertise. But I decided to make an exception, in this case. Because, well, I’m not a Grinch.

So, being the system savant I am, I did more than tell the little guy some tips he could pass on to Santa. I gave him a copy of my business building book.

And I reminded him, if he needs more advice and help, he should book a call with me. Wouldn’t that be something? Instead of me telling Santa what I want for Christmas, he’d be asking me out how to automate and delegate more of his workload. How cool would that be?

Uh…I mean, if he were a real person and all.

I also told the little guy how the elves should enroll in RondaReady YOUnversity. And I told him how it’s already done all the “heavy lifting.” I figured, them being so small they’d relate to that. Anyway, I wanted him to let them know they have alternatives to their typical elf colleges.

Because even elves need to be wise with their money.

Just in case you might like to know more about the alternative I shared with the crazy little guy, book a free call with me. We can talk about YOUniversity. And you might find yourself on a whole different sleigh ride through life. Faster than you can say, “Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer.”

Time slots for this year are almost all gone. Don’t delay. Book today.

Stay Ready,
Ronda

Business Hub Consultant in Colorado Springs Posted on by

I don’t get paid to be an event planner. And I don’t play one on TV. But I believe plans are essential. And you should plan your future. Because the future’s coming whether you plan or not. I like this quote: “If you employed study, thinking, and planning time daily, you could develop and use the power that can change the course of your destiny.” ~William Clement Stone: businessman & self-help book author.

Plan your future right now.

Because 2023 is your future. The end of this month is your future. The end of this week is your future. And even later today is your future. Are you pickin’ up what I’m layin’ down?

My clients know I go on and on about schedule control. And they hear me go on and on about how important it is to trade non-productive, time-sucking habits for habits that can save you more time, more money, and give you more freedom.

And one of the worst habits anyone can have is procrastination.

Sure, when you’re young, you think you’ve got all the time you need. And it’s easy to put off the drudgery of planning. But that’s limited thinking. It keeps you where you are. Not where you see yourself when you picture your ideal future.

And if you don’t plan your future, your fumbling circumstances will plan it for you.

Or AGAINST you.

In one way or another, all the lessons at RondaReady YOUniversity are connected to planning. That’s how important it is. And here’s the best part. You don’t have to figure out how to change all your habits and plan your future all by yourself.

I could share tons of client success stories with you.

And I could talk about how they got back so much of their time. And I could show you evidence of how they increased revenue by tens of thousands of dollars. Plus, I could share testimonials of how they feel more in control. In fact, I’ve done all that.

But you’re not them. You are uniquely YOU. But that’s exactly why I developed YOUniversity. Because I wanna help you focus on who YOU are and where YOU wanna go. Let’s talk about it some more. Find a time on my calendar, below. FYI: there aren’t many slots left this year.

Stay Ready,
Ronda

Book a free call ASAP

Business Hub Consultant in Colorado Springs Posted on by

Well, it’s only 10 days till Christmas Eve. So, I know you’re probably getting psyched about all the fun plans you’ve made. Right? Hopefully you don’t have a Scrooge (before ghosts) attitude. So, what DO you like best about Christmas? The food? The family? All the presents and glitter and sparkle? And the food?

One of my friends told me about his Christmas Eve tradition.

He and his wife love to watch Christmas themed movies every year. They have their favorite four or five. And he said they always end up with “It’s A Wonderful Life.”

If you haven’t seen that one, where’ve you been? The North Pole? Because George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart’s character) is one of the most famous Christmas stories here in America. And his story is so great. Because it shows how your investment in people can pay you back in dividends.

George Bailey spent a lot of his life trying to get away from his little hometown of Bedford Falls. But circumstances always pulled him back in. And it wasn’t just because he had no other choices. It was because George cared about people. His friends. And neighbors. And, of course, all his Building and Loan customers.

There’s one scene, in that movie, I particularly like.

It’s the scene where he lashes out at mean ol’ Mr. Potter. And it shows how much George cared about people. It was when the Building and Loan board of directors met, after his father’s death, to decide the fate of the company. Mr. Potter was in a hurry to dissolve the Building and Loan, and George said…

“Just a minute, just a minute. Now, hold on, Mr. Potter. Just a minute. Now, you’re right when you say my father was no business man. I know that. Why he ever started this cheap, penny-ante Building and Loan, I’ll never know. But neither you nor anybody else can say anything against his character, because his whole life was — Why, in the twenty-five years since he and Uncle Billy started this thing, he never once thought of himself. Isn’t that right, Uncle Billy? And he didn’t save enough money to send Harry to school, let alone me. But he did help a few people get outta your slums, Mr. Potter. And what’s wrong with that? Why…here, you’re all businessmen here. Doesn’t it make them better citizens? Doesn’t it make them better customers?”

Yeah, George didn’t realize how much he had already invested in his own life.

Because he had invested into the lives of others. Without even understanding how it helped him, too. It was almost like he couldn’t keep himself from helping others. But that helped him so much.

And he had to find out the hard way. But he DID find out on that special Christmas Eve night. George had served others well. And they stepped up to help him when he was almost at the breaking point.

Of course, I think George could have saved himself a lot of heartache if he’d just followed a System like my RondaReady YOUniversity. But that was back in the 1940’s. So they didn’t have systems like this. But YOU do. At least if you’re willing to invest in yourself so you can serve others well and benefit like George did. If you are, let’s talk about it. Book a free call with me as soon as possible. My handy dandy calendar is below.

Stay Ready,
Ronda