Too Late? by Kirsty Dunphey - Some Excellent Thoughts

This weekend I attended the wedding of a lawyer turned video games producer and an organic chemist turned pastry chef turned food writer.

 

I’m married to a police officer who has just recently turned his attention to starting his own business and to full time architecture study.

 

My father in law was a forestry worker till his 30’s when he decided to become a doctor.

 

My newest business partner in our real estate agency started her working life in hairdressing.

 

Speaking of hairdressers, one of my closest friends now also owns her own commercial real estate agency and started in hairdressing.

 

And another close friend who I blogged about recently started as a hairdresser only to successfully open two salons, become a real estate investor and is now launching into a styling business.

 

“The difference between what you were yesterday and what you

will be tomorrow is what you do today.” - Stephen Pierce

 

I’m surrounded by examples of people that bucked their “every day” and shot for their dreams. I’m sure you are too if you just ask around.

 

What’s your dream?

And before I forget - congratulations to pharmacist turned travel writing Ben (http://www.redrucksack.com/) on his recent wedding (he met his wife while he was setting out achieving his dreams). 

 

Reposted from www.KirstyDunphey.com

The Matt Garcia Foundation Presets the 5th Annual Cinco De Mayo Fiesta!

 

5th Annual Cinco De Mayo Fiesta 

Dinner & Dancing 

Live music presented by 

DJ Khaos

 

Hilton Garden Inn Fairfield

2200 Gateway Ct.

Saturday, May 4th, 2013

6pm - 11pm

 

Tickets $65. Available online at  http://mgfcincodemayo.eventbrite.com

 

Proceeds to benefit The Matt Garcia PAL Youth Summer Jobs Program

 

To nominate someone for the Billy Yarbrough Spirit of Community Award, go to

http://tinyurl.com/BillyYarbroughAward

*Nominations must be received by April 22, 2013

The Biggest Business Challenge: Your Insecurity?

Real estate mogul Barbara Corcoran is known for helping other entrepreneurs get their start on the hit ABC show "Shark Tank," but that doesn't mean the multimillionaire is free of challenges. "The biggest challenge in business is not the competition, it's what goes on inside your own head," Corcoran says. In this video, Corcoran offers insight on dealing with her own insecurity -- and how it actually has helped her to achieve greater success.

Green Valley Floral Does Standing Orders... For Both Residential & Commercial

For Residential customers, consider sending your loved one a weekly, biweekly or monthly arrangement. Give Green Valley Floral the dates and we will do the remembering.

For Commercial customers, nothing says "welcome" like a beautiful and unique arrangement of flowers in your entry lobby. They will deliver your weekly arrangement and remove the old one in the same day. They also offer corporate event services.

A special discount is offered with these types of weekly arrangements per agreement of both Green Valley Floral and client.

Please call for more details 707-864-0822 or visit http://gvfloral.com/

Climbing The Ladder From Waiter To Executive, One Rung At A Time

Paul Bolles-Beaven knows a thing or two about climbing the corporate ladder. He started out as a waiter more than 27 years ago at Danny Meyer's Union Square Café. He's still with the company--as a senior partner.

Why Bret Hart is a Better Businessman Than You - Gary Vaynerchuk

Be more like Bret, or nobody will care about your awesome ideas.

How To Know It's The Right Time For A Career Leap

Ahalife founder Shauna Mei had a dream job at Goldman Sachs when entrepreneurial fever took hold--but she didn't immediately act on it. Here's how to recognize the right time.

Jim Rohn - SUCCESS is something you ATTRACT by the person you BECOME

Jim Rohn, the man many consider to be America's Foremost Business Philosopher, shared his success philosophies and principles for over 46 years, with more than 6,000 audiences and over five million people worldwide. Jim was the 1985 recipient of the coveted CPAE Award for excellence in speaking as well as the 2004 recipient of the Masters of Influence Award from the National Speakers Association.

You cannot run after success and catch it. You can't force it into existence. To become a successful person, you have to attract success. You have to become the person deserving of success, and in turn, success will come to you.

"Success is not to be pursued; it is to be attracted by the person you become." -- Jim Rohn

Negative Thoughts That are Killing Your Sales -- and How to Turn Them Around

Sales expert Grant Cardone shares insight on how business owners sabotage themselves.

Are you having a hard time digging out of a sales slump? The problem might not be your pitch, it could be the way you think about potential customers. If you're focusing too much on the problems and not enough on the solution your product or service offers, you could be unwittingly setting yourself up to fail. Sales expert Grant Cardone offers three quick tips to get clients to buy what you're selling -- and pay your price.

Why Everyone Wants a Piece of Ed Tech

Watch more videos at: http://www.entrepreneur.com/video/

The growing field of educational technology, or ed tech, is much more than putting tablets into classrooms. It's changing the very way that students learn and teachers teach and it's the hot investment of the moment. Venture capital in the industry is spiking and even the big players are launching their own incubators trying to get in on the action.

We take you inside Socratic Labs, an ed-tech accelerator in New York City for a lesson in what makes this industry so hot.

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Happy Easter!

 

Happy Easter

from Upward Trend

7 Paradoxical Sales Principles by Jill Konrath

Recognizing and acting on these 7 paradoxical sales principles is critical to your long-term success.                                                     

1. To win more sales, stop selling.

When people feel like they're being sold, they react negatively and put up barriers. Focus on helping your prospects achieve their business, professional and personal objectives – not making a sale.

2. To speed up your sales cycle, slow down.

The more quickly you push to a close, the higher resistance you encounter. Go one step at a time. When your prospects know you want to help them make the right decision, not a rash one, the process moves faster.

3. To make decisions easier, offer fewer options.

When you increase the complexity of the decision, you decrease the likelihood of winning the sale. To help your prospects move forward, give them less to choose from. Keep it simple – always.

4. To be more natural, prepare like crazy.

Today's customers suffer no fools. If you're not ready with the right message, questions or presentation, you'll stumble or be stilted in your meeting. When you do prepare, you can be your best self.

5. To get bigger contracts, start smaller.

When you pursue the "whole shebang", decisions are more complex and costly, making it much tougher to get approval. Reduce the risk by starting small and proving your capabilities. Then, it's easy to grow.

6. To speed up your learning curve, fail fast.

It's inevitable that you'll make mistakes. So don't wait till you've figured out the "perfect pitch" before moving forward. In sales, there is no failure - just lots of opportunities for experimentation, learning and growth.

7. To differentiate your offering, become the differentiator.

That's the biggest reality in today's market. Your products, services or solution are secondary to your knowledge, expertise and the difference you make for your customers. Invest time in yourself.

Jill Konrath is an internationally-recognized sales expert, in-demand speaker and bestselling author. For more savvy sales advice and to download Jill's free sales tools, visitwww.jillkonrath.com 

Courtesy of www.SalesDog.com               

The Hidden Power of Smiling by Ron Gutman

Ron Gutman reviews a raft of studies about smiling, and reveals some surprising results. Did you know your smile can be a predictor of how long you'll live -- and that a simple smile has a measurable effect on your overall well-being? Prepare to flex a few facial muscles as you learn more about this evolutionarily contagious behavior. Talk by Ron Gutman.

Choosing Among The Many Types Of Hardwood Floors Available

There are so many different types of wood flooring available and it can be confusing to say the least. Monte Hoover of Gillespie's Abbey Carpet and Floor, demonstrates some of the different hardwood floor types to help guide you to make the best choice. See more about Gillespie's at http://fairfield.abbeycarpet.com/.

Gillespie's Abbey Carpet is part of the Northbay Contractors Alliance. See more about this group of contractors at www.northbaycontractorsalliance.com

Jonah Berger, Author of Contagious

Jonah Berger has made a career discovering how and why things go viral. In his new book, Contagious, Berger shares his wisdom and explains why he says that, "Everything [Malcolm] Gladwell said is wrong!"

Your elusive creative genius - Elizabeth Gilbert

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/your-elusiv...

Elizabeth Gilbert muses on the impossible things we expect from artists and geniuses -- and shares the radical idea that, instead of the rare person "being" a genius, all of us "have" a genius. It's a funny, personal and surprisingly moving talk.

Why Things Catch On

If you have watched and shared PSY's "Gangnam Style" video or gone into an unknown restaurant simply because it was full of people and appeared to be popular, you have the basis for understanding what makes things go viral. Wharton marketing professor Jonah Berger's new book, Contagious: Why Things Catch On, distills six principles that cause people to talk about and share an idea or product.

Upward Trend Welcomes Vaca Valley Chiropractic As Latest Trend Setter Package Client

 

 

Upward Trend is pleased to announce that Dr Sean Moffett and Dr David Lamb of Vaca Valley Chiropractic, in business in Vacaville since 1989 has become our latest Trend Setter Package client. We will be building a new website, adding a new blog, helping with their social media including facebook, twitter and linked-in. The package also contains an monthly email newsletter, a YouTube channel and video, along with other services.

 

Vaca Valley Chiropractic is located at 97 Dobbins Street, Suite A in downtown Vacaville CA. Their phone number is 707-447-9885. Their current website is at www.vvchiro.com.

Upward Trend Welcomes The Matt Garcia Foundation As A Trend Setter Package Client

In the last few weeks, The Matt Garcia Foundation has become a new Trend Setter Package client with Upward Trend. We are building a new website, and have added a brand new blog, will be adding and managing some social media outlets including facebook, twitter and linked-in. The package also includes a monthly email newsletter, a YouTube channel and video, along with other features.

The current website for The Matt Garcia Foundation is www.mattgarciadreamteam.org. Look for more updated content about the foundation very soon.

Upward Trend Welcomes Top Talent In Logistics As New Trend Setter Package Client

Michael Monson and his team at Top Talent in Logistics have recently become a Trend Setter Package client with Upward Trend.

Top Talent in Logistics provides search and recruitment services to the Logistics Industry and are headquartered just outside of Indianapolis, Indiana in Carmel, IN. Their current website is www.TopTalentInLogistics.com.

Upward Trend will be building a new blog, making use of social media including facebook, twitter and Linked-in, as well as a monthly e-newsletter, and video with a YouTube channel. Look for more about this great company very soon.