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Thanks For Allowing Me to Serve you at Next Level Vision

October 6, 2011 by Leave a Comment
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Thanks For Allowing Me to Serve you at Next Level Vision

by Frederika Angus

I am so honored that you have come to the site. I am Frederika Angus, your Get It Done With Fun coach and founder of NextLevelVision.com.

If you're here you're probably

– A business owner with radical profits looking to do even bigger things in business.

– An entrepreneur at heart but no idea where to start or how to wear all the hats of being a business owner with ease so you've avoided taking the next step.

– A CEO of a small business complete with business cards and a website wanting to expand your business and income.

– An employed-preneur that can't find enough hours in the day to work full-time and keep up with the demands of running a business.

– A mom-preneur that loves her business and her family and wants to be number one at both.

– A work at home business professional that needs a little motivation and a lot of accountability to put the right structure around your time.

If any of these describe you, well, you're in luck! I am just like you and was each of these at some point during my journey through the maize that is entrepreneurship.

I remember being at my wits end, frantically searching the web and bookstores for information that could help take the great idea I had for my business and make it my reality. After reading many books (some worthless), and finding massive amounts of information (some bogus), I found myself weighed down with knowledge and information but unable to move forward with any of it. What good is knowing something must be done and have a semi-good idea of where to start if the sheer magnitude of it all keeps you from doing anything?!

Frustrated yet persistent, I finally set out on my on path determined to not only make entrepreneurship work but for it to fit MY lifestyle. I just was no longer willing to let my business run my life and wear myself down while doing it. It was time for me to RUN my business. Besides entrepreneurs don't start businesses to have LESS time. We do it to have more time to do what we absolutely love with the people we love!

Now that's not to say I didn't bump my head and trip over my own feet multiple times because I have the scars to prove it. But as my mother always told me, "time heals all wounds." And after time of being battle-tested in business and finding no nonsense tools and tips that work (not gimicks and over-priced shiny gadgets), I am here to help you avoid my mistakes and bandage the wounds you may have already incurred.

Learning from your own experiences has value, however it's also time consuming and let's be honest, it just doesn't feel all that good when you fail. And when it's your vision, your purpose, your life on the line, time is of the essence. I found that what I really needed to grow my business successfully was a mentor, someone who could coach me into turning my dream into a living reality.

Take for instance the professional athlete. Professional atheletes have a powerful support team around them of coaches – to provide a playbook and in game instruction, physical trainers – to monitor their exercise and fitness, nutritionists and chefs – to prepare a plan for optimal health from the inside out, athletic trainers – to recognize, treat and prevent injuries in addition to the agents, publicists, accountants and lawyers to care for business aspects.

YOU ARE NO DIFFERENT from the professional athlete! You also need a support team around you so that you can do what you do best AND make money doing it!

I've created Next Level Vision to provide a place for you to learn and grow while together we build businesses, attract the right clients and increase profits WITH INTENTIONAL ACTION! I am here to be apart of your powerful support team.

 

On a fun note, we'll be launching the site in full on October 10, 2011 with a CONTEST and GIVEAWAY! Yes, money and prizes! While I am very serious about serving you as you build the business AND life you desire, we have to keep it lively while Getting It Done! 

As a matter of fact, let's not wait until the launch. You should connect with me on Facebook HERE and introduce yourself!

Stay tuned to the site and Facebook for the big announcement!

Talk to you soon!

Frederika

Filed Under: Entrepreneurship Tagged With: , , ,

Is Your Business an Outlier?

September 29, 2011 by Leave a Comment
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I have always been a voracious reader. There were summers where my mother and I were in the library three to four times a week filling up bags with books to keep me entertained. And I could not tell you the number of batteries I went through from staying up late, hiding under my covers with a flashlight and a book I just could not put down until it was finished!

As a business owner, reading has become a vital necessity in being able to learn new techniques, build better businesses for myself and my clients, and improve my own skillsets. I truly believe that readers are leaders. As I read, I look forward to sharing books that will add value to you as a business leader.

I just recently read Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell, a book that truly challenged what I really believed about why some people are successful and seem to have all the good luck and why other’s don’t seem to make a dent in reaching their potential. Before I go too much further, let’s define exactly what an outlier is.

“Outlier” is a scientific term to describe things or phenomena that lie outside normal experience. According to the SBA, over 50% of small businesses fail withing 5 years. As business owner, knowing the importance of being an outlier when it comes to the success of your business is a game changer. It also requires that you shift your mindset to learn what will aid in your success. Having a great idea, providing an outstanding service, or working harder than everyone else, while all great and important qualities, they don’t guarantee that you’ll be victorious in overcoming those odds.

Gladwell, gives example after example as to why most of the success stories, such as your Bill Gates, or Steve Jobs, are not simply because they are self-made. In these cases, the year they were born, where they lived, their culture and opportunities presented and taken advantage of all play an integral part in moving them from not only just successful, but also significant. He also shares how having the highest IQ or being from affluent families aren’t necessarily the catalysts that determine who falls short or soars high.

That’s great news for you and your small business! You can become an outlier regardless of IQ or your family, or even your age! This book will help you erase all the excuses on why you can’t be everything you dream of.

The antedotes in this book are entertaining and will likely cause you to say “huh, that’s interesting” several times as you read of those who have achieved amazing things with their lives. Mr. Gladwell states,

“Success is function of persistence doggedness and the willingness to work hard for twenty-two minutes to make sense of something that most people would give up on after thirty seconds.”

So, how persistent and willing are you? How do you plan on separating yourself from the other business owners to become an outlier? Have you developed a strategy for your business success?

Everyday each of us has a choice whether we’ll wait for opportunities to knock on our doors or if we’ll prepare ourselves with a solid plan and the fortitude to knock down doors if we must to succeed. Which will you choose?

Share a comment below with your thoughts. If you are looking for more support in building the business of your dreams and living the life you envisioned, be sure to join me on Facebook now and follow me on Twitter.

Talk to you soon!

   Frederika

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Important vs Urgent: Time Management Tips To Keep You Effective and Efficient

September 26, 2011 by Leave a Comment
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Important vs Urgent: Time Management Tips To Keep You Effective and Efficient

by Frederika Angus

 

Raise your hand if 1440 minutes doesn't seem to be enough time in a day to get all your tasks accomplished. Do you have friends, spouses or colleagues that seem to be more productive and produce bigger results? After years of business management consulting and project management, I've been able to develop surefire methods that consistently allow me to work effectively and efficiently. I'll let you in on the secret. Lean in close….

Effective people utilize the bulk of their time focused on the important over the urgent.

We have all had days were we have been busy with presentations, going to the gym, meetings, phone calls, errands, doctors appointments, social events and chores. Feeling exhausted from all the activity of the day, we fall into bed and marvel at how much work is still left to been done and how little has actually been crossed off the to-do list. Our bodies are weary and we look over at the alarm clock, wishing for more time in the day to get it all done, knowing 5:30 am will be soon approaching for us to start the grueling process again.

Tip #1 – By learning the difference between which tasks are important over what is urgent, you can be more effective and efficient while alleviating stress and anxiety over the things you have yet to accomplish.

  •  Important  activities produce an outcome that leads you and your business to the achievement of goals.
  • Urgent activities are usually reactive over being proactive and demand immediate attention.

In other words, important things are valuable; urgent things simply have a looming deadline. Urgent things are not necessarily important, nor do important tasks have to be urgent.

Tip #2 – Maintain a master to-do list and prioritize each task based on it's level of importance and urgency. Having a written list is a business strategy people have used for years. Adding a column to mark priority will keep the most critical items to be accomplished from becoming lost.

Tip #3 – Review your task list each evening and select 3 important activities for the following day. We often set ourselves up to fail by producing daily agenda's that are jam packed. By primarily focusing on the 3 must-dos, we leave room for any urgent needs that may arise and space for flexibility.

Tip #4 – Deal with important things before they become urgent. This can reduce the number of urgent items added to your to-do list. This strategy will reduce unnecessary, last minute stressors.

Tip #5 – Check and respond to email in between the transition of completing one task and starting another. Constant immediate response to emails as they arrive slows progress. Instant access to emails via our smartphones has become a gift and a curse. Don't allow instant communication to steal your productivity.

Tip #6 – Learn to say NO to demands on your time that don't benefit you or your goals or align with your core mission statement. Too often we find ourselves saying 'Yes' to help out other people when in reality we don't have the capacity to take on more. If the activity is not important to your development, kindly decline.

If you'd like more strategies on how you can be effective at prioritizing your activities, be sure to follow me now on Facebook and Twitter.

Filed Under: Mindset, Time Management Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

5 Lessons I Learned About Business In Second Grade

September 19, 2011 by Leave a Comment
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5 Lessons I Learned About Business In Second Grade


by FREDERIKA ANGUS



Most people believe that only children are spoiled and live a lifestyle where all their desires are met with a yes. Only children seem to have everything at an arm’s reach and don’t work for anything. I’ll admit, that generally, all of this is true. Unless, of course, you’re my parents’ daughter. My mother and father grew up working for everything they had as children were adamant that I learn the value of work from an early age.

When I asked for extra lunch money to be able to buy a dessert at lunch in the second grade, after having a good laugh at my expense, my dad sat me down. “My job as your parent is to provide for your needs not your wants. Last I checked you have a roof over your head, food to eat and a bed to sleep in. If you want to purchase extras like desserts, I suggest you find a way to make some extra money,” he explained.

“But DAAAD!” *insert cute 7 year old puppy dog face*

“No. You’re smart enough to figure out how to get what you want. Go figure out what you need to do, then do it.”

Now typically I would I have complained about how mean he was and how unfair life was because of this great injustice I’d suffered. Well maybe I did do that just a tiny bit, yet the challenge of the task my dad had placed before me immediately intrigued me. Surely he understood that I couldn’t go out and get a job. I could barely reach the counter to place an order at McDonald’s and was pretty sure they weren’t looking for a fry cook that hadn’t even completed elementary school. Besides if I couldn’t convince my own parents to ante up for their sweet child surely no one else would. But the question still lingered in my mind, what on earth could a 7 year old do to make money?

That’s when I learned my first lesson about business.

#1 – Anytime is a good time to start a business. There seems to be a common misconception surrounding the timing in which one should begin their journey as an entrepreneur. I’ve heard all the excuses before. You’ve probably even said them yourself. Do any of these sound familiar :

“I’m too old”

“I’m too young”

“I don’t have enough experience”

“I don’t have enough money”

Starting a business is as simple. The stars don’t need to be perfectly aligned for you to have an idea, create a product, or provide a service. It simply requires the faith to step out and try and the dedication to keep going.

As I pondered what I could do that would quickly generate income, I was reminded of all the kids that had a good old lemonade stand. While in general, it’s a great repeatable endeavor, I knew sitting in the sun, shooing flies away from my product, while cars sped by and the neighborhood kids begged for a cup on “credit” didn’t excite me. No amount of money could have convinced me otherwise.

#2 – Choose a business you’re passionate about. Your chances of being successful in business are much greater if you love what you do. Following the crowd, instead of your heart, typically leaves you with regrets and disappointments. You’ll know what you’re passionate about because your heart beats a little faster when you think about it. It’s the thing you can’t get out of your mind, the thing that you’d do for free if it weren’t for those pesky bills. When I started my first business, my thing, along with every other kid was candy. And so a business was born.

Selling candy to kids who were also candy fiends should be an easy task. With an idea in my head of becoming rich by selling treats, I went back to my dad to ask for some start-up money.

#3 – Investors may like your idea but they put their money where your plan is. “I’m glad you put some thought into how you could reach your goal,” my dad said, “but before I invest any money into this, I need to know exactly how you plan to sell your candy. Who are your ideal customers? How much will you charge? What candy will you sell and where will you get it from? And the most important question of all, how and when you will pay me back.” It wasn’t until I had a detailed, written plan that I received financing (and a ride to Sam’s to purchase the candy). Having a roadmap to my business success kept me accountable not only to my sole investor, but also to myself.

#4 – Word of mouth is a great marketing tool. It’s not enough just have products and services at a price customers are willing to pay. Customers need to know that you are providing a product or service that they are interested in. With internet and the usage of social media today, there are many avenues to drive people to your business both online and offline. I enlisted my neighbor to be my spokesperson by telling her for every 5 paying customers that she sent to me, I’d give her a choice of one piece of candy free. Before I knew it, I was the most popular kid businesswoman in school.

#5 – Listen, listen, listen to what your customers want, then deliver. One of the most critical qualities of an entrepreneur is not in your sales ability but in your listening skills. Once you have a base of customers, they will tell you where to expand, what to focus your research and development on, and how to reach more clientele. Well, they won’t say it in those words, but they will share what they do and don’t like or what they wish you offered. I began my business by only selling the candy that I liked. I learned to take note of what other treats were being asked for and as the time arose to restock, I’d be sure to purchase the most popular ones. I built a reputation on providing results by obtaining what my customers’ sweet tooth desired.

The skills I learned at 7 helped me develop and sustain a successful business several years until I went to high school.

Share a comment below with your thoughts. If you are looking for more support in building the business of your dreams and living the life you envisioned, be sure to join me on Facebook now and follow me on Twitter.

Talk to you soon!

Frederika

Filed Under: Entrepreneurship Tagged With: , , , ,

A Primetime Strategy from Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders

September 12, 2011 by Leave a Comment
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A Primetime Strategy from Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders

by Frederika Angus

 

Are you ready for some football?

I personally cannot wait until the season gets underway! I have enjoyed watching football as a young girl and even moreso as the mother to 3 players. Although I’ve never played it, watching my little ones practice, study and play the game over the years has helped me see it as more than just a game. There are life lessons behind every pass, penalty, tackle and touchdown.

Last night after coming home from watching our local NFL team practice, we settled in and watched the football Hall of Fame inductees stand before all the world and pour out their heart, share their gratitude to those who believed in them during the journey and accept the most prestigious football honor available.

Each man stood before family, friends, coaches and colleagues and told their story as they transitioned from having success in their chosen career with the NFL to being significant for the generations to come. Every man was moving and there were times were I could feel the rawness of their emotions leap from the screen. And yes, I cried in joy along with them.

One recipient in particular stood out for me from the rest. Maybe it’s simply because he played for the San Francisco 49ers, my number 1 favorite football team, but Deion Sanders’ words ignited me. As he talked of his football persona, Primetime, he shared that prime was really an acronym that pushed him into his great success in league. (His stood for promise, responsibility, intellect, manage and expect.)

As business owners, sometimes we feel isolated and alone as we put our heart, talents and finances into our dreams. It easy some days to focus so much on delievering a great product or service that other details become neglected. Today I want to encourage you whether you are just starting out or you’ve been in business for years with PRIME strategies to push you into great business success.

Prepare and plan – When you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Your ability to move forward in an effective manner is dependent on knowing you have exactly what you need and the directions to take you there. When going on vacation you don’t show up to the airport without preparing a bag or having a plane ticket. Treat your business the very same. Having business, marketing and financial plans are a must.

Revisit and revise – If you already have a plan, revisit and review it regularly. I make it a priority to read my own once a quarter at minimum to ensure I am staying true to my mission and operating according to plan. When necessary, at least once a year, I revise the plan to account for what I’ve learned from training and trial and error.

 I nvestigate and innovate – Most small businesses don’t have a research and development division. Along with the many hats you’ll wear as an entrepreneur, this one is important. Investigating and analyzing market trends as well as what your customers want will give you insight into how and where to grow your business. Thinking out side of the box and being willing to innovate will also put you ahead of your competition.

Manage and motivate – As a leader, you are called to manage people, your brand and your time. This isn’t to be taken lightly. People are constantly watching you and your actions and how you represent yourself. Be able to motivate yourself and inspire others. It will take you further than you can imagine.

Execute, expect greatness, eliminate excuses – All the planning and talking in the world means nothing if you there is no action. As I’m leading different projects for clients, I like to remind the teams to plan the work then WORK the plan. When working through that plan, expect that it will work out even better than you expected. Above all, eliminate the excuses. You can and will succeed!

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