Sandra Martini
Ever since I was a young girl growing up in a small town in Massachusetts, I've loved helping people succeed. My sisters used to call me "The General" as I constantly told them how to do this, that or the other. Friends would refer to me as "Counselor" as I was always asked for my advice and recommendations on how to handle various situations.
I left that small town for Washington, DC where I attended college and spent the next 11 years working within the Federal Government. While with the Peace Corps, ACTION, and AmeriCorps federal agencies, I honed my skills in the areas of marketing, project management, and finance.
It was my life, I loved it all -- from planning the most minute details of Presidential events to estimating the needs within the intricacies of a Federal agency's budget! I had a natural talent for getting things done and making things happen and often got the projects no one else wanted. I realized at that point, that there was an opportunity. While discussing this with a colleague, I was encouraged to start my own business helping other small businesses with their difficult tasks -- the entrepreneur in me was unleashed!
After I returned to Massachusetts, I spent the next 7 years within "Corporate America." In New England, the perception is that success comes from prestigious positions with large corporations. I followed this path as Director of Operations for a nationwide satellite television company. It was a great job and I learned a lot, but corporate life wasn't for me -- I didn't want the commuting, corporate politics, and the thought that someone else was benefiting from my hard work. I wanted MORE for ME, I wanted FREEDOM, INDEPENDENCE, and PERSONAL SUCCESSES and began dedicating nights and weekends to rebuilding my business.
As a result, I've been a very successful solopreneur for several years now and wouldn't trade it for anything. I love the feeling of helping other entrepreneurs and service professionals realize their dreams!
Author Links:
View all articles by Sandra Martini
The book "Who Moved My Cheese" by Spencer Johnson and Kenneth Blanchard is a 98-page look at the various ways that we react to change. In the book, there are two mice and two mice-size humans and we see how each reacts when their cheese has been moved -- not just moved, but no longer in sight.
We all react differently to change:
Some readily adapt
Some ignore it and hope that life will return to the status quo
Others actively seek it out
As a person, your success, or failure, depends in part on how well you adapt to change. Do you run screaming like a banshee towards it, ready to conquer? Or do you go sit in a closet, close your eyes and wait for it to go away, hoping that everything will return to “normal”?
The most successful entrepreneurs not only embrace change, they actively seek it out knowing that greater fulfillment, greater success and greater profits come with constant adaptation to the market.
My personal experience has led me to reengineer my business three times so far (and I’m in the process of doing it again) with fabulous results; as I start down one path, things have happened that open my eyes to another path -- one I may not have been ready or able to see previously.
My business is ever-evolving and I wouldn't have it any other way. Stagnant 9-to-5, do the same thing every day work, stay in the same company for 20 years work is not for me...I'd rather have a root canal without Novocain.
How about you? Are you a:
Dynamic Dan
Dan actively searches for things to change in order to engineer his perfect life. He runs about shaking trees to see what will fall out and how he can use that information to his advantage.
Opportunistic Oliver
Oliver doesn’t particularly love change, but knows to look for the opportunities that abound whenever it occurs. In the corporate world, Oliver is the guy who rises to manager almost overnight and no one knows how or why this happened (he saw an opportunity and JUMPED on it). In the entrepreneurial world, Oliver sells dry wood and hot meals from a cart he pulls through the campground on an unexpected rainy day. He looks at any change and finds the opportunity that lies within.
Scared Susie
Every time change roars its head, Susie can be found hiding and wishing that everything would stay as it was and that she doesn’t need to learn new skills or improve old ones. Susie is usually blaming someone, anyone, else for the change in order to justify her hiding. In her world, change is something to be feared. Susie can often be found working in the same job, in the same company until she is forced out.
Most of us tend to fall into either the “Oliver” or “Susie” personality mode with the occasional “Dynamic Dan” appearance. Change is not going away – if anything, the rate at which it happens is exponentially increasing – especially with the internet. In order to succeed, you must be able to anticipate, deal with and adapt to change and the sooner, the better.
One of the most important things is to look at the situation objectively and understand that you have control over your thoughts and how you react to the change. How you think about the change will determine whether you are an “Opportunistic Oliver” or a “Scared Susie”. It’s your life – take control!
| Online Business Manager & Entrepreneur, Sandra Martini, publishes the 'Effective Entrepreneur' weekly e-zine. She also coaches small business owners to more efficiently manage their businesses while increasing profits and having fun. Sandra's coaching programs are available via teleconferencing, emails and telephone calls. For more information or to sign-up for ‘Effective Entrepreneur’, visit http://www.online-biz-coach.com today. Want to grow your business? Sign up for the FREE e-course "How to Write a Dynamic Marketing Plan" by sending a blank email to smartini-187175@autocontactor.com today. |
