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Alright, today I’m sharing the third of three heartwarming stories as we get close to Christmas. As I post this, tomorrow is Christmas 2021. And this story comes from way back in the 1950’s, too. It’s about a couple of new army recruits who wanted to go home for Christmas. So, I call this story…

Hitchhiking Home In A Way That Won’t Bug You

— I joined the Army on Dec. 15, 1959, when I was 17. Five days later, I had the choice of going home for Christmas or staying at Fort Carson, Colorado, and pulling KP duty for 15 days.

A fellow recruit and I wanted to go home, but we didn’t have enough money for bus fare. So we decided to hitchhike some 1,100 miles to San Antonio, Texas. From there, we could get bus tickets home. He was going to Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, and I was going to Aransas Pass, Texas.

That first day, we got as far as Trinidad, Colorado, where we spent the night drinking coffee in a small cafe. The next day and night, we went all the way to Amarillo, Texas, in a semi-tractor rig. From there, we had to walk across town to where we could hitchhike.

It was late afternoon, and we were getting hungrier and colder.

On top of that, it had started to snow. Our chances of getting a ride out of town were getting mighty slim.

Then our saving angel came by in a VW Bug, offering us a ride all the way to San Antonio.

In the Bug were the young driver, his wife, an infant, a toddler and a big shaggy dog. The backseat had been removed to accommodate a sort of bed. With the dad and two tired, cold, hungry young soldiers in the front seat, we were going home for Christmas.

This family went out of its way to help us, buying us dinner and breakfast. They not only took us to the bus station, they even paid for our tickets. I will forever remember these people and their kindness. May God still bless them. —Rafael Villalobos, Fulton, Mississippi —

I’m glad I never had a personal story of hitchhiking home. But it’s nice to hear a story that turned out so well. Especially for a couple of young guys who were serving our country.

OK, that does it for the three heartwarming stories before Christmas. I hope you and yours are able to be together this evening and all through tomorrow and the weekend. And I wish you nothing but the best. Be sure to put out the milk and cookies. Because you never know who might stop by. So…

Stay Ready,
Ronda

Come back to my blog and connect with me anytime. Or get on my email list and I’ll send good stuff your way.

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Hope you enjoyed that heartwarming story I shared, yesterday, about the postal worker who helped out a father down on his luck. If not, click or tap HERE and read it. Have a tissue ready. And I said I’d be sharing 3 stories on these last 3 days leading up to Christmas. Here’s the second story from the 1950’s. I call it…

Mechanic Repairs Much More Than An Engine

— In 1958, I was a first-year high school teacher in Beatty, Nevada. On Dec. 22, I headed home to Idaho in my 1951 Hudson to spend Christmas with my parents.

Just south of Fillmore, Utah, a radiator hose broke and the car started to overheat. I hitchhiked into Fillmore and got a ride to a Chevron station. I explained my plight to the owner, Dan Brinkerhoff, who sent a tow truck to bring in my car.

Dan discovered that the engine had become so hot it had warped the head, so he called a nearby wrecking yard and found the needed part. I boarded a Greyhound bus, bought the part and then caught a return bus to Fillmore.

By that time it was dark, and Dan had closed the station.

He immediately went to work on my car, laboring for several hours while I slept curled up in the backseat. Finally, he woke me and announced I was ready to go. When I went to settle up, he would not take a dime for anything he had done.

I got to spend the holidays with my parents, and I shall forever remember Dan for the wonderful thing he did for me. —Glen Gillette, Las Vegas, Nevada

Isn’t that a great story? When was the last time you got a zero dollars invoice for mechanic repairs? Yeah, it’s rare. And that’s why this kind of story is so heartwarming. Especially at this gift-giving time of year.

Be sure to be back here tomorrow for the third (of three) story. It’s about a soldier going home. And you don’t wanna miss it, so…

Stay Ready,
Ronda

Come back to my blog tomorrow for the other story. Or Get on my email list and I’ll send it right to you.

Business Hub Consultant in Colorado Springs Posted on by

I love a heartwarming story. Especially around Christmas. Who doesn’t? Right? So, I’m gonna veer off my usual topics for these next three days leading up to Christmas. Because I have three heartwarming stories, from way back in the 1950’s, that show the spirit of Christmas. They’re not my own personal stories. And they’re from people I don’t know and never met. Just some true stories I think you’ll enjoy. I call this first one…

Postage Paid

— My parents, at the height of the Depression, were forced to go on home relief, which is known as welfare today. It was 1935, when I was 10 years old, and we lived on the first floor of a walk-up apartment on 43rd Street, in Brooklyn, New York.

A few days before Christmas, I looked out a kitchen window to see my father sitting on the stoop, dejected and depressed, with tears in his eyes. The mailman was approaching our building and asked my father what was wrong.

I heard my father say that he had used up his food vouchers and that the rent was past due. He had tried to work as a laborer through the Works Progress Administration, but he wasn’t a very strong man, and the work had been too hard for him. I was scared, having seen newspaper pictures of people being put out on the street with all their belongings.

“Ike, how much do you need?” the mailman asked. My dad said he needed $33 for the rent, and without hesitation, the mailman took $50 from his wallet and handed it to my father.

My dad said, “I don’t know when I’ll be able to pay you back.”

The mailman put an arm around my father and said it would be okay if he paid him back or he didn’t pay him back. Then, the mailman noticed me looking through the window and said, “Isaac, things will not be this way forever. If you or your son will remember this day, there will be times in the future when someone needs your help. Help them within your means and tell them what happened this day. This will be my payback. Merry Christmas and Happy Chanukah.”

As long as he lived, my father helped others when he could, and I’ve done my best to do my part in paying his generosity back. —Martin Klapper, Longmont, Colorado —

Isn’t that a great story? Now you can see why I called it postage paid. And it inspired me to keep my eyes open for opportunities to be a good neighbor, too.

OK, that’s the first story. And there will be two more in the next two days. So…

Stay Ready,
Ronda

Come back to my blog and read the other stories. Or get on my email list and I’ll send them right to you.

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The sun rose at 7:14 from 120 degrees Southeast this morning here in the Colorado Springs area. And it’s supposed to set at 4:40 p.m. 240 degrees Southwest. So, you know what that means. Right? Yeah, it’s the shortest day of the year for 2021. At least shortest amount of daylight hours.

And, of course, that means you gotta get more done in less time.

Well, it doesn’t actually mean that. But it feels like it. I bet you know what I mean. Like when you go into a store or an appointment at 4 p.m. and you come back out to your car and it’s dark. No matter how many times I’ve experienced this, it still feels weird to see it so dark so early.

So, it feels like I need to get more done in less time.

But the shortest day of the year still has 24 hours.

Yeah, that’s the reality. And reality doesn’t depend on how you or I feel about it. Thank goodness. Because that means it depends on…well…itself. What’s real is real.

And what’s real about your 24 hour day is, you can more done in shorter time without the sunset’s help. All you need is some snazzy automation, a little delegation, and a System to manage it all.

Wait a second! That sounds a little (translate that to “a lot”) like the RondaReady System.

Yeah, business owners and entrepreneurs can plug into the RondaReady System and set up automation for all kinds of daily work. And if you’re one of those business owners or entrepreneurs, and you employ or hire people, you can delegate THEM to set up the automation tools in your RondaReady System.

And once you get your System set up, you won’t care if it’s the shortest day or the longest day of the years. Because you’ll make the best of each 24 hour day no matter what.

But I suggest you wait till after Christmas. Because the RondaReady System is a little too expensive to buy while you’re out there shopping for Christmas gifts. Just wait till January. And then gift your business with the best System for your business in the whole world. The gift that pays for itself. And the only System with ME.

Stay Ready,
Ronda

Watch for links later. For now, just enjoy a Merry Christmas week.

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When I talk about planning with clients, or even potential clients, basically everyone agrees you need a plan. But what I’ve noticed is how often the actual planning time isn’t part of the plan. Kinda weird, right?

Your business plan needs planning time.

If you’ve followed me or worked with me for any time at all, you know I’m big on planning. But it’s important to DO, too. In other words, stop planning on planning. And start doing. Here’s a quote from William Clement Stone (a self-help author) that says it very well:  “If you employed study, thinking, and planning time daily, you could develop and use the power that can change the course of your destiny.”

And here’s a short, one minute video I shared about it…

So, I guess it boils down to…stop planning to do.

And that might be the only time I’ll advise against planning.

My clients know how I repeat myself about time management. And they know how (and why) I prefer to call it schedule control. So, they know how important it is to trade non-productive, time-sucking habits for habits that’ll save more time, more money, and provide more freedom.

It’s not just a clever catchphrase. It’s vital to the health of your business. And to your personal health. And one of the key habits you can work on is Planning. You’ve probably heard the old saying that goes something like: “Plan your work and work your plan.” Right?

It doesn’t matter what business you run or hope to run. You gotta make time to sit down, clear your head, and figure out where to start, what to focus on, and how when to move forward.

And that’s the bones of a plan.

There are over 75 sections in my RondaReady System. And in one way or another, they’re all connected to planning. That’s how important it is. And the best part of that is…you don’t have to figure out how to change all your habits and plan out your business by yourself.

But I just wanna plant that seed in your mind for now. I don’t want you to even think about how or when you can  get started in my System. Because Christmas is coming up this week. You’ve got plenty to think about. And plenty of other places your money has to go right now. So, I don’t even have a purchase link for you this time.

Just think about giving yourself a gift that’ll pay you back again and again. And consider starting off 2022 with that special gift. Because it could make a world of difference between this Christmas and next Christmas.

Stay Ready,

Ronda

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I remember a conversation I had with a financial planner client. And a lot of the conversation was about saving money. And, at one point, he shared his simple top 3 reasons for saving money. An emergency fund. For purchases. And as either a supplemental income or to give it away. He said he keeps it that simple for his customers so they can be sure to focus on what’s important to them.

Sounds simple. But saving money to give it away?

Wow. If you’re gonna do that…or be able to do that…you gotta focus.

Because focus is how you achieve anything. Even saving money to give away. And that got me thinking about how I can help you focus. So, I want to share some reasons to build your business better and faster.

If you follow any business social media, then you’ve probably seen business consultants mention your “why”. And that just means you have a clear idea of why you wanna own or run a business.

And right now I want you to think hard and serious about your top three reasons for building a foundationally secure business. A business that can sustain you. Day in and day out. And if you only have one or two, that’s OK. But think about them right now.

I’ll help you out and share my top three reasons. My family. Financial security. And working on my own terms. See? My financial planner client’s reasons included saving money so he could give more away. It doesn’t have to be any more complicated than that.

So, are you thinking hard and serious?

Can you see your reasons in your mind’s eye? Great! Because when you keep them in focus, they’ll be your your guiding light to help you get to the finish line.

Your reasons might not be the same as mine. But, whatever they are, never let them out of your head.

If you can’t quickly and easily say what they are right this very minute, stop reading this. And put everything else down, too. Grab a pen or pencil and paper. And don’t do anything else until you write down your reasons and read ’em out loud to yourself.

My guess is…you already know what they are.

But you might be letting frustration or daily challenges blur your vision. I’ve been there. We all have. But keep your eyes on the prize.

Owning and running your own business is hard work.

But keep your WHY in your mind’s eye. And they’ll be your driving force. And that driving force will turn into the work you love.

Oh, by the way, my RondaReady course, YOUniversity, can help young people just starting out in the work force to figure out their WHY. I’ll be launching it out to the public in just a little while. To be one of the first to get it (either for yourself OR for a teen you know), click that link to get my daily emails. You can opt out any time.

Stay Ready,
Ronda

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If you can remember your English grammar lessons from your school days, maybe you remember past tense, present tense, and future tense. Yes? Oh yeah, those were the fun days in life. Can I get a fist bump?

Here’s how the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines present tense:

“the tense of a verb that expresses action or state in the present time and is used of what occurs or is true at the time of speaking and of what is habitual or characteristic or is always or necessarily true, that is sometimes used to refer to action in the past, and that is sometimes used for future events”

Wow, that’s a mouthful.

But present tense just boils down to what’s going on right now. So, I think it’s a good idea to leave out all that other definition jargon and focus on what’s going on right now. But before I leave the definitions behind, I’m sure you know the word “tense” has other meanings and connotations.

I found a list of synonyms for “tense.” And you might get an urge to cut down on your caffeine when you read this list…

  • aflutter,
  • antsy,
  • anxious,
  • atwitter,
  • edgy,
  • hung up,
  • ill at ease,
  • insecure,
  • jittery,
  • jumpy,
  • nervous,
  • perturbed,
  • queazy,
  • troubled,
  • uneasy,
  • unquiet,
  • upset,
  • uptight,
  • worried

Sounds like a fun time all around. Right?

If you live in the present, tense (see what I did there?), maybe you’ve moved away from your vision. It happens. Life is full of distractions. And no one’s immune. But the difference between you and those who fail is…you’re not gonna give up just because the going got tough.

You know the awesome feeling of accomplished goals. So, don’t let those little doubt demons talk you out of your confidence. And it’s truly a choice. You can choose to be your own worst enemy or your own best friend.

Going the friend route is much easier on your body, mind, and soul.

And you can work on it a couple of ways.

  1. Remember your original vision for you and your business.
  2. Put together an organized plan to help you get there.

 

Because being tense now doesn’t determine your future destiny.

And there’s no one who that relates to more than the young person who’s about to leave the warm, safe confines of Mom and Dad’s house. You and I have been there. So, we know how tense you can get as you try to figure out your next move.

And that’s why I developed RondaReady YOUniversity. It’s based on what I call System Thinking.

System Thinking is how you develop your vision, your mission, and your plan. A System to help you prepare to own and operate a business, if that’s your dream. Or be able to move through the ranks of cutting edge businesses, if that’s what you prefer.

Without a vision, and a system to see it through, it’s so easy to stress out. But that present tense doesn’t have to go on your whole life.

I’ll be launching RondaReady YOUniversity shortly. And if you’d like to be notified when it’s available, jump on my RondaReady email list. I’ll send you more info and links. Your link is below. And you can easily unsubscribe any time. But in order to be one of the first to know, click or tap that link now.

Stay Ready,
Ronda

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OK, I wanna give you something I call the “look back rule.” And it’s a rule I think will help you move forward, better and faster, in 2022.

Here’s the short version of the Look Back Rule.

Look back at the previous year (or month, or week) and use that information to move ahead.

And here’s the longer version of this rule.

I read an article about a toy company that reverse engineered a butterfly in order to make a toy butterfly. It’s so interesting to see how much is involved. Here’s a snippet of that article.

“The toy has many curved lines to show its free flowing nature, showing that the real butterfly has a lot of freedom. The blue and red wings contrast with the yellow body and attracts a lot of attention. Its shape balances out very well because of its symmetry. Although the head is much smaller than the body I feel like it evens out because of the antennae and the eyes. There is also a regular pattern shown on the wing shape and the design of the wing. The texture is smooth throughout much of the toy, except for the crank and wheels.”

So, what’s the first thing you notice about those notes?

Attention to details. Right? Because that’s the key to successful reverse engineering. If you wanna make your own version of something that works well, you gotta pay attention to details.

And that’s just as true for your business as it is for toys. And if you wanna be successful, you gotta be able to look back at what else is successful and figure out how to put that in place. For your business, that’s what I call performance tracking.

So, first…how do you track your performance? Do you have a system in place to track your different marketing units? And do you know what your three different business marketing units are? Because that data can give you laser like focus for next year.

Plus, it’s so important to understand how much effort and time it’ll take to reach your revenue goals.

In other words, measure your conversion data. When you reverse engineer your conversion data, you can project future revenue results so much better.

It’s as important to your business as metamorphosis is to a butterfly.

Since we’re almost to the end of 2021, maybe somebody needs to hear this. If that’s not you, then carry on.

Stay Ready,
Ronda

P.S. If this DID strike a nerve, get my System and make 2022 the year you reverse engineer your future.

Use this link: https://coaching.rondaready.com/collections

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Lorrie got a bad case of anxiety frustration and suddenly quit her job. Because enough was enough. And it wasn’t really so sudden, when you get right down to it. Because she had definitely given it “the ol’ college try”.

But after multiple weeks of anxiety frustration at her new job, she threw in the towel.

And it wasn’t because the job was too much for her. Her case of anxiety frustration was due to the disorganized lack of training. And she was a victim of the old “shadow me” method of job training.

So, that went over like the proverbial lead balloon. But why?

Good workers are willing to be led. In fact, you probably remember, as a new worker in a new job, you need guidance. Problem is, people wanna work with people (and follow people) who make them feel confident. And you don’t feel confident when you’re just a shadow. Especially when the person you follow “puts out fires” all day. Right?

And I’ve heard this more times than I can count when I get to the hiring and training section of my RondaReady System with a client:  “I’ll just have them shadow me.”

Hmm…OK, on your bright and shiny business days, shadow time might be fine. But what about all those overcast business days? Those times when new and unforeseen issues pop up. And you’ve got to come up with solutions. Those are times when it’s so much fun to have someone shadow you. Right? Not!

That’s what I call a double dose of anxiety frustration.

And it’ll probably cost you money. Because now you have a new employee who doesn’t have enough (or anything productive) to do. And without a backup plan in place, ahead of time, you’ve just added fuel to those fires you’re trying to put out.

I’m gonna be talking more about this in my January UNversity class. It’s on the subject of hiring the right person. And that’s just a little over three weeks away. UNversity classes are the first Thursday of each month. And in January of 2022 (Can you believe we’ll be saying that soon?) that’s the 6th.

But the deadline to enroll for UNversity classes, and be in time for the next one, is always the last day of the previous month. So, don’t put it off. December 31st is moving in fast. And you don’t wanna have to think about this while you’re ringing out the old year and ringing in the new. Right?

Your link to enroll is below.

Stay Ready,
Ronda

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I hope December is going gangbusters for you. It’s definitely a hustle-bustle time of year. And I know it can get tricky to balance all the extra activities as you run your business. Believe me I get it. But as the end of the year approaches, be sure to catch your breath. And remember what’s important to you. It’s a mental exercise that’ll help you leap into next year with anticipation and optimism.

Maybe I can help you with your mental exercise.

Because I remember how a one-on-one client told me about her problem with BSO syndrome. You know, Bright Shiny Objects. Yeah, she had a hard time staying focused on one thing at a time in her business. And new methods for marketing popped up all the time. So did business gurus. And cool techy tools. The BSO Syndrome would kick in, and she heard the questions in her head…

Should she invest in this app? Or that one? Does this guy know how to take me to the next level? Or does this nice lady with the huge list of followers.

And literally every day was a focus challenge for her. She wanted AND needed help…fast.

If you’re like her, you want those tough times to pass as quickly as possible, right? Life is hard enough. And building a great business can make it even harder. So, how did I help her. And how can I help you?

Well, I have a short section in the RondaReady System to help you get back in control.

Because you’ve gotta be in control of what’s important. If you’re not, somebody OR something else will be. But, good news is, when you do the simple mental exercise I help you with, you’ll definitely get your groove back.

And you’ll enjoy the massive benefits of living life on your own terms.

This year, for Christmas, give your business a present that’ll pay for itself over and over. Not just this year, but every year. Sure, it’s not cheap. But aren’t you and your business worth it? Click or tap that link below.

Stay Ready,
Ronda

https://coaching.rondaready.com/collections