Business Hub Consultant in Colorado Springs Posted on by

I found the prize pumpkin idea in a book called The Pumpkin Plan by Mike Michalowicz. And it seemed somehow appropriate to go over it during this cold weather with all the pumpkin flavored things around.

So, what in the world is a pumpkin plan. Right?

Well, in his book, Mike says to grow a prize pumpkin you gotta get rid of certain parts. Like the vines that take away resources from your “prize.”

Because if you try to take care of all the pumpkins, your prize pumpkin suffers.

Maybe you’re still thinking, “What’s that got to do with business?”

Well, let’s say the pumpkin farm is your business. And you probably started your farm (I mean business) with a more focused, good idea. In other words, I’ll assume (and I hope I’m right) you didn’t start out with the intention of being all things to all people.

And I bet you had a particular product or service or information offer. Right? And that’s best the way to get your business going. Because focused efforts, on your “prize,” produce better products, services, and information.

So, that’s what you do. Grow your prize pumpkin, get your efforts to pay off, and then consider “growing” another one.

That’s the pumpkin plan in a nutshell.

Just remember, it’s too hard to be everything to everyone. So, narrow your focus to your ideal clients.

But to focus on them, you gotta know who they are. And you can’t (and shouldn’t) keep them all straight in your brain. So, it’s crucial to set up a system to help you not only know who they are, but also how to stay in touch.

Hmm…where could you find such a system? Better yet, where could you find one you don’t have to set up from scratch? Oh yeah, my RondaReady System. It’s got the pumpkin plan built right in.

And you can even automate a lot of the processes.

But it’s for serious business owners and entrepreneurs who know how to get it without paying for it. If that’s not you, YET, then sign up for my free daily emails. Because I might be able to get you to that point. I can’t say for sure because I don’t know how serious you are. If you’re serious enough to start moving, your link is below.

Stay Ready,
Ronda

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Business Hub Consultant in Colorado Springs Posted on by

Three months. Just ninety days. And it equals twenty-five. But this is sort of an apples versus oranges analogy. Because, for the twenty-five, I’m talking about percentage. Not months.

And three months equals twenty-five percent of twelve months.

OK, stay with me now. Because I’m gonna dazzle you with some mind-blowing math. Twenty-five percent equals one-fourth (aka ¼). And one-fourth is also known as a quarter. And you know what that means. Right?

Yeah! The end of this month marks the first quarter of 2022. Can you believe it?!

If you’re a business owner on a regular calendar year, this affects you. And it’s a great time to analyze last year’s performance. And just in case you wonder why it’s important…

Here’s few reasons to check last year’s numbers in your first quarter…

  • You can make sure you have your current year projections in place.
  • And you can make sure your current year budget is in place.
  • You’ll be able to include line items for salary increases and incentive bonuses.

OK, here’s a pro tip I share with my one-on-one clients:

Set up a staff meeting so you can keep them in the loop. Because they need to know how your organization did last year, too. And they’ll better understand your expectations for this year. Want another pro tip? OK, how’s this? Don’t forget to prepare your employee Pay-for-Performance reviews and bonus structure. Especially if your company and individual employees met their goals.

I know it’s a bunch of extra work. But it’s all part of owning your own business.

And even if you don’t have employees, performance analyses and projections are still crucial. Because another three months will be coming up real soon. Of course, if what you do is more of a hobby, then never mind.

But if you want to turn your hobby into your business, or you wanna take your business up a notch or two this year, then let’s get crackin’. And, by the way, my RondaReady System can help you automate and delegate a lot of this work. Just tossin’ that out there to anyone who’d like to make it easier. There’s a link for you, below.

https://crm.rondaready.com/Form.aspx?Key=3147FF6FB2C3E598843A843E76118152

Stay Ready,
R.O.N.D.A.
Responsive Organized Nonstop Digital Axis

Business Hub Consultant in Colorado Springs Posted on by

“To be or not to be. That is the question. Whether ’tis nobler, in the mind, to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against a sea of troubles and, by opposing, end them.” And, of course, you probably recognize that as a quote from the bard himself, William Shakespeare.

And here’s why I shared the “to be or not to be” quote…

Mostly because I I love to connect business to just about anything. But also because I want you, as a business owner or entrepreneur to understand how much you control what is to be or not to be. Especially when it comes to your own peace of mind.

For example, when your business takes off enough to hire someone (or multiple someones) to help. Hiring and firing can be total drudgery. Or not. And you (and your System) have a lot to do with that.

Yesterday (in the timeframe of this website) I talked to you about lists.

And here’s a list for you if you’re a business owner who hires people. Or if you think you’ll be hiring people in the future. This is a list for how to hire them. And how you’ll proceed once they’re onboard. Are you ready? Here goes…

For new hires:

  1. Determine position roles and responsibilities differently for each new hire. Because people are not all the same.
  2. Find out how your new hire works, and then determine how to let them know what you expect.
  3. You know your business better than anyone. So be sure your new hire can follow you around for the best training.
  4. You’re all adults. So use whatever language you prefer. After all, showing emotions is just keepin’ it real.
  5. If your new hire doesn’t cut it within 90 days, you gotta let ’em go and get someone else. You gave ’em every chance.

 

OK, there you go. Awesome. Right? And the list is yours to use as you see fit.

It’s your business. So, I’m trusting you to use the list wisely. Trust your knowledge and expertise to avoid mutiny. Because that could happen with this list.

OK, here’s the thing. I made up that list with a hint of tongue-in-cheek and large dose of sarcasm. And I’d say somewhere around 100% of the business owners, who’ve made that a to-do list, no longer own those businesses. And that assumption is based on working with scores of clients for a long, long time.

But if you choose to use that list, let me know how it goes.

Or if you’ve been using that approach to hiring and firing, let me know how it works for you. Because, if it DOES work, you’d be the first I’ve heard of with a success report using that method.

If you’d like a better way of knowing whether potential pitfalls of a list like that are “to be or not to be,” consider an investment in the RondaReady System. When you apply yourself, and plug your business into the System, you won’t end up paying for it. Your increased sales and profits will.

But don’t get the System if you’re not Ready to do the work. Instead, get my free emails and find out more about how much I wanna help you succeed. The link is below.

Stay Ready,
Ronda

Get better acquainted with me, and subscribe to my free daily emails today.

Business Hub Consultant in Colorado Springs Posted on by

I love lists. And I cannot lie. And I’ll even share a list of reasons why.

How’s that for some righteous rhyming?

A couple of years ago I shared what I heard a DeeJay say about her lists. She said she has a “lust for them.” Sounds pretty serious. Right? Yeah, she sets up a song playlist, every day, based on a certain theme, or topic, or current events. And I love how that connects her shows and helps make them more interesting.

And since I love lists, too, I started thinking about how they help.

When you have a goal, in your business or personal life, there’s just something about being able to check off items from a list. In fact, I’ve noticed how much more energized and motivated I get as I check off more from the list. And here are some of the other ways a list can help.

  • You can think of all of the steps you’ll need to take to achieve your main goal.
  • Then, you can write them down and get ’em out of your head.
  • After that, you can arrange them in order of importance.
  • Then, you can double check your written list to be sure you haven’t forgotten any steps.
  • Finally, you can start doing them in order so you can check them off.

 

See what I did there?

A simple list. And all I did was put the steps in order for making a list. And a list can be like a tiny motivator. Because it keeps you on track. And it gives you the immediate reward of the checkmark. Think of that as silent, but positive reinforcement. With every checkmark you’re getting closer to what you want.

And when you’re ready to leverage your list skills exponentially, then consider getting my RondaReady System. Because it has so many tools and strategies to help you go way beyond just checking off your to-do list.

The RondaReady System is only for serious business owners and entrepreneurs who want to stop flying by the seat of their pants. So, it’s a substantial investment. If you’re not quite ready for that, start with RondaReady UNversity. It’s a monthly how-to class on the very things I teach my one-on-one clients. For a fraction of the cost of the full System. This month’s class, on Automation, is today, and you’re too late to enroll. But you can click or tap that link below and be in time for next month’s class.

Stay Ready,
Ronda

 

Business Hub Consultant in Colorado Springs Posted on by

“If you want a happy life, tie it to a goal, not people or things.” That’s a quote from Albert Einstein. And I definitely agree. But I also know that disappointment is inevitable in life. Whether you tie it to a goal or people or whatever. Because we don’t live in a fairy tale. Right?

Just because disappointment is inevitable doesn’t mean it has to be constant.

I know (from personal experience, unfortunately) how people and things can let you down. Several times, in my life I’ve had, what many would call, success. And all the trimmings that go with it. But, underneath it all was disappointment. Because something was missing.

Once I stopped putting my eggs into somebody else’s basket, my attitude started changing for good. And once I stopped focusing on things, and started to focus on serving other entrepreneurs, I found my purpose.

What a relief! And what an awesome difference it made in my whole life.

I discovered that getting things more organized in my business life also helped me organize my family life. And that helped me reach my goal of working from home so I could better serve my family. Because I know that’s my most important job.

And I developed a System to help me stay on track.

It’s called the RondaReady System. And one of the best tools I share in the System is Automation. Because, when you start out as a solopreneur or solo proprietor or one-man-band, the whole business relies on you. But with Automation, you can leverage your time. And there’s nothing better to help you be in more places at one time.

I’m sharing a more in-depth how-to lesson about Automation in this month’s UNversity class. That’s my monthly class I offer on the first Thursday of each month. Which happens to be tomorrow March 3. But if you haven’t already enrolled (deadline is the last day of each previous month), you won’t be able to attend. But you can be early for next month’s class if you click the link, below, and enroll today.

$15 a month to dig a little deeper into strategies and tools to help you build and fortify your business. And maybe avoid more disappointments in life. It would sure make me feel good to know I helped you do that. Enroll today.

Stay Ready,
Ronda

 

Business Hub Consultant in Colorado Springs Posted on by

When it comes to money and time, which would you say is more valuable? Money, of course. Just kidding. Because you can get more money if you produce value. But no matter how much value you can produce, you’ll never get or make even one more second.

There was an old movie, from way before my time, that portrayed the political life of Huey P. Long. And don’t worry if you don’t know who that is. I didn’t know either till I saw a quote.

Mr. Long was evidently a kingpin of sorts in Louisiana. And after he became a United States Senator from that state, he worked on some questionable legislation. And it made one man angry enough to shoot Mr. Long. The bullet hit him in the torso. But he survived long enough to catch a ride to the hospital.

At the hospital, they did their best to sew up his intestines. But they couldn’t stop the internal bleeding. And, according to some sources, his last words were, “God, don’t let me die. I have so much to do.”

So, as you can see, money and time are both valuable but not equal.

That’s part of what I share in this month’s UNversity lesson. It’s coming up day after tomorrow, on March 3. But you can’t sign up. Because the deadline to sign up for the $15 monthly classes is always midnight of the last day of the preceding month. And that was yesterday.

But you can sign up right now, and be way ahead of the curve for April’s lesson. And these monthly lessons are how-to lessons. Not just what I called “yammering on” about the what with no how.

So, be the early bird this month. Jump on that link below. And enroll in RondaReady UNversity. Here’s how this month’s lesson, Automation, helped one of my clients…

 

Stay Ready,
Ronda

 

Business Hub Consultant in Colorado Springs Posted on by

Almost all dog trainers have a good supply on hand. Because they’re packed with nutrients. And dogs love ’em. And even though there might have only been one dog who ever heard of James Spratt, they all have him to thank for dog biscuits. Because he’s apparently the American, from back in the 1800’s, who created ’em.

You might be wondering why I’m talking about dog biscuits.

Because today is International Dog Biscuits day, silly. Don’t tell me you forgot! If so, I hope your dog (or your neighbor’s dog, or somebody’s dog) can forgive you.

I know how much my dog, Gary, loves his biscuits. And most other treats, too, for that matter. But dog biscuits are such a convenient way to train your canine companions. For the most part, they’re easy to handle. And for most dogs, they’re not messy because they’ll chew ’em up and chug ’em down in one or two crunches.

These days you can spend a lot on the premium brands. Yeah, who knew our furry, little buddies could be such gourmets? Ha! That’s funny when you consider what a dog will eat when he finds something on a walk. Yuck!

But I didn’t actually share all this with you because of this sacred international “holiday.”

If you’ve followed me for a while, you know how I can read something, like an event set aside on a calendar, and get a business perspective right away. And that’s what happened when I saw this event on today’s date. February 23.

Think about what goes into making sellable treats for dogs.

Mr. Spratt probably experimented with ingredients. And he probably had some trial and error days when it came time to figuring out how long to bake the mix. And at what temperature. Then, he (or somebody) had to figure out how to keep them fresh long enough to deliver them to stores and sell them to customers.

Seems like small details, on the surface. But those are crucial details to know. At least if you wanna be successful at selling what you make. And evidently somebody was successful at it. Because dog food and dog treats are huge now.

So, my guess is, Mr. Spratt (or somebody) figured out a system for baking, cooling, packing, and shipping dog biscuits. And then he tweaked his system until it was as efficient as he could make it. Because he wanted to be sure he could increase his sales and profits.

Like I said…that’s my guess.

And another guess I’d make is that you’d like to increase your sales and profits and be as successful as possible, too. Am I right? If I am, and if you’re not there yet, I’d like to recommend my RondaReady System.

The biggest advantage of my System is that you don’t have to start from scratch. You can plug your business into it. And you can start, the very day you get it, to build your business better and faster. And lots and lots of my successful clients attest to that.

If that sounds interesting enough to get you Ready to invest in yourself and your business, your link is below.

Stay Ready,
Ronda

https://coaching.rondaready.com/collections

Business Hub Consultant in Colorado Springs Posted on by

This is just too, too, too, too, too good to pass up. Because TOday is quite a TWOday. OK, enough of the bad puns. I’m sure you know that today’s date is 2-22-22. But do you know almost no one alive now will ever see that date again? Because it won’t happen for another hundred years. So, if you have to make some business decisions based on this date, you better get busy. It doesn’t last long.

And that’s how business decisions need to be made.

Deliberately and timely. And definitely not haphazardly.

I’ve shared the story, before, about how my parents gave me some great decision making advice. And they showed me how to cultivate the best kinds of friends. And weed out the unsavory types. “We don’t drink, smoke, or chew nor go with people who do,” they said. I think actress, Jane Russell, might have said it first. But that doesn’t matter. I heard it from my parents first. And that leads me to the point I wanna make.

Some business decisions need more thought and research. But there are some you should be able to make faster. Especially if you’re a business owner. Here’s a little bit of a conversation I had with a client who wasn’t sure if a new potential employee would be a good fit.

I asked, “Why aren’t you sure?”

“Because I’m not sure if they’ll be able to bring in enough business to justify me paying them,” she answered.

“Well, how much would that need to be?” I followed up.

“Uh, I don’t have those actual numbers. And I guess that’s why I’m still riding the fence,” she replied with a sheepish grin.

“Well, there you go,” I said. “And don’t I always say you gotta know your numbers?”

And as it turned out, her numbers showed her she couldn’t afford to hire someone, yet. Imagine what a disaster it would have been to hire someone only to have to fire them shortly after. Not a good thing.

Wanna make better and faster business decisions? Then, know your numbers.

Plus, you gotta know your core values. And what kind of people you’ll sell to and who you’ll hire to help.

And I mean “KNOW.”

Not “think” or “guess.”

When you know your numbers, your business runs much better. And decisions are so much simpler. And SO much more profitable.

That’s why I created the RondaReady System. Because I love to help risk takers and go-getters KNOW their businesses inside and out.

So, if you’re Ready to take your business up a notch, or two two two, decide NOW to click or tap that link below.

Stay Ready,
Ronda

https://coaching.rondaready.com/collections

Business Hub Consultant in Colorado Springs Posted on by

This morning I remembered how a client of mine told me she didn’t “have a clue” what customers want from her next. So, I suggested she take a survey.

If you wanna know what customers want, maybe you should ask.

Imagine if you could figure out ways to improve your products and services and information. Because there’s potential for business disaster if you start getting a lot of bad reviews. So, asking your customers for suggestions about how you could improve might help you understand what they want.

And a survey, with questions like that, could help you have a much deeper understanding of who’s spending money with you. And that understanding could help you create processes to help them feel confident about doing even more business with you.

Then, when they’re spending more with you, it helps you identify buying trends. Guess what that does? Well, I won’t make you guess. It helps you develop and sell more of what they obviously want. Score!

And guess what happens when you give them more of what they want? Again, I won’t make you guess. When you can provide more of what customers want, you can build better and longer-lasting relationships. You can become the brand they think of first. Ask Apple if that works.

Yeah, there’s nothing like brand loyalty (and never forget you ARE a brand) to reduce and eliminate bad reviews or word of mouth information. And you can be sure bad reviews and bad word of mouth (aka social media) can slow down your profits.

So, all that, and quite a bit more, is why I suggested customer surveys to my client.

“Take a survey? That sounds complicated” she said.

But I showed her how it doesn’t have to be. And you can do this, too. It’s especially easy if you’re set up in the RondaReady System. Because a lot of the work is already set up for you there.

And I’ve included tools to help you set it up and track your progress once you do. I hope you realize how progress means way more than perfection. Because perfection is impossible anyway. It’s just a disguise for hesitation and procrastination.

The progress I’m talking about is a simple process. But it’s not easy. And that’s fine. Because if it was easy, everyone would be doing it. Right?

And you know, probably as well as I do, everybody is NOT doing this. That makes you the exception. So, be proud of yourself. And keep this in mind, too…

People like to help other people. So, all you have to do is ask to find out what customers want. Speaking of asking, there’s a link to the RondaReady System below. You don’t even have to ask. Just click or tap.

Stay Ready,
Ronda

https://coaching.rondaready.com/collections

Business Hub Consultant in Colorado Springs Posted on by

Grab yourself a hot beverage (unless it’s hot where you are, then you can grab a cool one) and sit back. Because I’m gonna share the story of the Elves and the Shoemaker.

“There was once a shoemaker, who worked very hard and was very honest: but still he could not earn enough to live upon; and at last all he had in the world was gone, save just leather enough to make one pair of shoes.

Then he cut his leather out, all ready to make up the next day, meaning to rise early in the morning to his work. His conscience was clear and his heart light amidst all his troubles; so he went peaceably to bed, left all his cares to Heaven, and soon fell asleep. In the morning after he had said his prayers, he sat himself down to his work; when, to his great wonder, there stood the shoes all ready made, upon the table. The good man knew not what to say or think at such an odd thing happening. He looked at the workmanship; there was not one false stitch in the whole job; all was so neat and true, that it was quite a masterpiece.”

OK, you’ve probably heard the Elves and the Shoemaker story. Right?

If so, you might remember the “moral of the story.”

But let’s skip that for now.

Imagine you have some tiny elves working for you. And they work all day and all night. Every day and every night. And here’s the best part. They work for no moolah.

Yeah! They don’t picket for more pay. And they don’t lobby for longer lunch breaks. They just keep on workin’. And never complainin’.

Before you start to worry about someone reporting you to the authorities, here’s what I mean.

The tiny elves I’m talkin’ about are actually your CRM System.

It’s like the command center for your business. Have you seen those camera shots of Tony Stark checking out all those digital readouts from inside his IronMan suit? Yeah, your System is like that.

And it’s a System you set up and personalize for YOUR business and the way YOU work. Then, you tell it to remind you of things. You know, like send out emails, track progress, followup, and a lot more. You get to delegate so you can focus on those creative ideas you love to come up with.

I can hear you thinking right now (well, I can’t actually hear you thinking because that would be creepy). Anyway, I can imagine you’re asking, “But how and where do I start, Ronda?”

Well, I’m glad you asked.

Because that’s where I come in. I’ve already done a lot of the heavy lifting for you. I set up my RondaReady System based on what’s worked amazingly well for so many of my clients. And I’ve seen them plug their businesses into the System and become highly organized CEO’s. AND even make a lot more money.

Yes. I’ve seen that.

And what sets my RondaReady System apart from every other one out there is ME. Because, when you plug your business into the System, you’ll have me there every step of the way. I’ll show you how to work your System so your System works for you. Because I believe in you. You’re a business building dreamer and doer.

But if you’re still more on the dreamer side of it, don’t dive into my System yet. Because you probably can’t afford it. And if that’s the case, click or tap the link below to get on my email subscriber list. And then I’ll deliver lots of helpful business-building nuggets, morsels, and tidbits directly to your inbox. Your link is waiting for you below. Don’t wait for the elves and the shoemaker to click or tap it for you.

Stay Ready,
Ronda

https://coaching.rondaready.com/collections