Today I have the honor to host a blog by a wonderful lady named Dawna Kreis. She is a sweet soul, kind and helpful. I first met her through a list building challenge called List-a-Palooza and we have gotten to know each other over the past couple of months. She is a heart-centered Virtual Assistant and I recommend checking her out more after you read her blog.
So, without any further adieu, I introduce to you, the wonderful, Dawna Kreis!
For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to be an entrepreneur. The idea of being “my own boss” has always appealed to me, and over the years, I’ve actually given it a go on several occasions.
I tried Mary Kay, Scentsy, and even Avon.
I mean… all the tough work had already been done, right? I just had to find people who were willing to buy the products from me. Not too difficult. After all, they’re popular products with already established reputations, and those I signed up under seemed to do really well with them. If they could do it, I could do it too!
That was – at least – the perception going into it. The reality of it was… Despite what I perceived to be my best efforts, I never quite made it work.
To hear my Ego tell the tale, I “failed”, and “why should it come as any real surprise?” After all, I hadn’t “done too terribly well selling shoes.” Never could “make quota.”
To tell the truth? Sales have always made me feel more than a little icky inside.
Pressure sales have never been my thing.
Why on Earth would I try to convince someone they needed something more or different from what they were looking for? That just didn’t seem ethical to me.
So, here I am… Seemingly right back where I started, trying to convince as many people as possible that they need my help, right?
Not exactly.
You see, I’ve changed over the years. (Heck! I’ve changed a lot even in the past few months!) In that time, I’ve learned a thing or two.
- One does not need to separate her values and ideals – her Heart – from her entrepreneurial self. All the spiritual principals I’ve been learning and putting into practice in my personal life over the years can actually be applied to my professional life as well.
- One need not approach marketing from a place of “selling”. Rather, perspective and energy are shifted merely by approaching a potential client from the desire to be of service and to assist in solving an existing problem or challenge in one’s life.
- The numbers are not “all that and a bag of chips.” While one must remain conscious of the numbers affecting her business, she need not get hung up on them. Every digit represents a living, breathing person with whom a deeper connection can be established. Conscious connection is a mutual gift an entrepreneur gives to herself and her prospects and clients.
- Humility goes a LONG way. Especially in the service industry. We cannot presume to know what a client ultimately needs or desires with regard to her life or her business. Only she can fully envision the entirety of the Bigger Picture.
- It’s OKAY to want to make money from your services and products. This is a big one, I believe, for a lot of Heart Centered entrepreneurs. For so long we’ve been taught that money is “the root of all that is evil”, which just isn’t true. Like any other bit of energy, it’s neutral. It’s only the end result that determines its alignment, and we deserve to be happy and comfortable just as much as the next girl/guy, right?
So, as you can see, my entry back into the world of business was littered with more than a few preconceived notions. It’s okay, though. I’ve learned better, so now I do better.
What preconceived notions did you start out with in your business? How have they changed, if at all, over time? I would love for your to share YOUR story in the comments below!
This is a guest post by Dawna Kreis; a remote personal assistant, who offers administrative, personal and web support to heart centered entrepreneurs.
If you are seeking a skilled, reliable assistant, who is passionate about the work she does, contact her to learn more about her and the services she offers. You can also follow her on Twitter or Facebook.
