Can you relate to The Fable of the Porcupine
It was the coldest winter ever.  Many animals died because of the cold. The porcupines, realizing the situation, decided to group together to keep warm. This way they covered and protected themselves; but the quills of each one wounded their closest companions.

After awhile, they decided to distance themselves one from the other and they began to die, alone and frozen. So they had to make a choice: either accept the quills of their companions or disappear from the Earth.

Wisely, they decided to go back to being together. They learned to live with the little wounds caused by the close relationship with their companions in order to receive the heat that came from the others. This way they were able to survive.

The best relationship is not the one that brings together perfect people, but when each individual learns to live with the imperfections of others and can admire the other person’s good qualities.

The moral of the story is:

Just learn to live with the Pricks in your life!

What do you think? Can you make the changes in your life that gets rid of the pricks and leaves you the RICHES in life?

Or what ways have you just learned to live with the pricks?

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Amber Clark (Managing Editor), Entrepreneurial-America.com

This week’s featured entrepreneur is Bernadette Boas, CEO and founder of Ball of Fire, Inc., a media, communications, and publishing company located in Atlanta, Georgia. Bernadette is the author of Shedding the Corporate Bitch: Shifting Your Bitches to Riches in Life and in Business, and is the creator of Shedding the Bitch™, a new mega-brand focused on helping women and men shed the angst, attitudes, and negative mindset from their heart and soul, so they can pursue the riches in life they desire.

Entrepreneurial America: Tell us a little about your business. What do you do, how long have you been in operation, and are you a solopreneur or an entrepreneur?

Bernadette: My name is Bernadette Boas, and I am the Chief Ball of Fire of my 1-year-old company, Ball of Fire, Inc. – named appropriately after my fiery spirit. Being one of two businesses I own, Ball of Fire, Inc. is a full-scale media and publishing company consisting of a Board of Advisors, Operational Team, and a Capital Raising Team. My other business, The Boas Group, is a 3-year-old solopreneur consultancy practice based on my twenty-five years of corporate and entrepreneurial coaching, consulting, and leadership management.

Entrepreneurial America: What inspired you to start your own business? Why did you want to become an entrepreneur and how did the idea for your business come about?

Bernadette: A pink slip handed to me on November 27, 2007 provided me the freedom and inspired me to go and start The Boas Group consultancy practice, as it was directly aligned to my years of corporate consulting with Fortune 100 retail organizations such as Walmart, Target Corporation, Sears, Office Depot, and many more.

Ball of Fire, Inc. was created out of my first book, Shedding the Corporate Bitch, which is my own personal story of dealing with a lot of angst, attitude, insecurity, and negative mindset (what I call Bitches), that caused me to take on a persona of a Bitch in order to succeed. As I began marketing that book, long before its August 1st publication date, hundreds of women and men, afflicted with their own ‘bitches’ that they needed to shed, created a demand for me to franchise and license the brand, Shedding the Bitch™. Because it isn’t just corporate bitches that people need to shed, but also divorce, cancer, menopause, addiction, and weight-related bitches as well.

As a result, we are creating books, coaching programs, events, Bitch Parties™ training, etc. to support those issues. And from that, Ball of Fire, Inc. was created, and now I am living my passion—period. I find great satisfaction from helping others to discover, confront, and shed, so they can create and accelerate their dreams. It is so much fun.

Entrepreneurial America: Can you talk a little about what it was like to launch The Boas Group in the midst of a recession? Was it scary no longer having a steady income? How did you land that first client?

Bernadette: As a result of being laid off and the determination not to continue in corporate, I was so focused on starting my own consultancy practice that I chose not to pay attention to the chaos of 2008. My belief that great opportunities are created from challenging times was my only thought. Family and friends thought I was nuts to leave a lucrative salary behind, but I had no choice—I wasn’t going back to doing the same old thing for other people and their rules.

My first objective wasn’t even to obtain clients and make money. I first set out to form strategic alliances with other experts who could bring my future clients the skills and expertise I lacked, and that complimented my own capabilities. That way, I could bring an end-to-end solution to my clients and their businesses—something that worked over and over again in corporate. That approach alone helped me to land my first of close to a dozen clients within six months. While so many other coaches and consultants were suffering, I was establishing a nice portfolio of businesses that I helped, and strategic alliances that I still leverage today. From day one, I never had to say I was a one-woman shop.

Lastly, being so determined to go out on my own, I was open to risking all of my savings to make it work. And fortunately, I had a nice nest egg socked away that allowed me to do that. The road has definitely been rocky, and many clients came and went. More so when I started my second company, because I stopped prospecting for new clients, thereby losing income. Talk about determination and risk. I truly believe that commitment to your dream, in this case my dream, will allow me to overcome any obstacle. Check back in a year or so!

Entrepreneurial America: What is the biggest obstacle you’ve faced so far in launching your latest venture, Ball of Fire, Inc.?

Bernadette: That is a loaded question, so I may have to give you couple of answers (though I could give you a bunch).

Of course, I mentioned the risk of lack of cash flow and new income. Draining the savings is definitely scary—but enough on that.

The biggest obstacle would have to be finding good people to work with, not just employees but vendors and service providers as well. I was raised in corporate—both at home (I am one of twelve; my parents managed us like a company) and at work—where there are processes, procedures, formality, and polish. As a result, I expect strong business acumen, attention to detail, collaboration, and follow through; from not only myself but anyone I work with. It has been a big adjustment to entrepreneurship where entrepreneurs aren’t as formal, detailed, or procedural. For example, I would receive one-line proposals that simply summarized the service and boldly stated the price I would have to pay. There were no details, deliverables, or metrics of success, and when I would challenge them or ask for additional detail, they disappeared off of the face of the earth. Truly, and this happened not once or even twice but several times.

I have not changed expectations of myself or those who work for me; however, I have adapted to the idea that entrepreneurs are creative and innovative types, and it is up to me to educate them and hope that the ones that would be really good for my business can adapt as well.

The second issue is one that causes many businesses to close shortly after opening—incorrectly projecting the appropriate amount of money needed to launch. Shedding the Bitch is a brand with great application to media, entertainment, communications, and more… but it is a brand, which requires extensive marketing, public relations, social networking, and more. Unlike a widget that can be sold off of a shelf or website, building a brand is expensive. My advice: get product and brand development expertise upfront to define your marketing plan and budget, so you know when and where to spend your money, or it will be gone before you get started.

You are always going to make mistakes, I certainly have, but you can recover and prosper from those mistakes. You just need to surround yourself with good people who can help you see the forest through the trees.

Entrepreneurial America: You mentioned that you have a Capital Raising Team. What does the team do and how are you financing your venture—through venture capital, angel investments, crowdfunding? Any tips you can share with our readers on how to raise capital for their own businesses?

Bernadette: I first need to explain that Ball of Fire, Inc. was created as a result of my first book, Shedding the Corporate Bitch, which was just released. Immediately upon committing to writing the book, I began to market it through my social networks. At that point, women and men alike started asking if there were other topics (Shedding the Divorce, or Cancer, or Relationship, etc.) with associated programs, training, and coaching services as a result of the book’s concepts; think Chicken Soup for the Soul®. The next thing I knew, Shedding the Bitch™, the series and mega-brand movement, was born—and the interest level went viral. The need to create, build, and market a brand, along with a new corporate business entity, was born. The demand made it clear that capital was going to be required in order to build such a movement.

Fortunately, so many people were interested in helping me with this new business venture that they formed my capital raising team themselves. It is made up of various people who like to network, socialize, and promote my business, and who keep an eye out for potential investors. I update them on the activities of the business and they simply identify people I may want to meet. I should note, you want to talk to your lawyer about the dos and don’ts of raising capital—there are things that people can and cannot do for you, since capital is securities-related (SEC stuff).

To date I have funded the business myself, which is going on two years old. Though the brand is provocative, and the three-year business plan attractive, selling investors on a brand is much more difficult than selling them on a widget. They wanted to see a product launched, which was the book, Shedding the Corporate Bitch. Since the launch, we are now attracting investors from family to angel investors, and in various industries. It is exciting! We are not pursuing venture capital at this time as our plan is to be able to fund our own growth long term.

Here are my tips in regards to raising capital:

First and foremost—and do not do anything else until you have mastered this—fully believe in your idea, business, and YOU, and commit that you will do whatever it takes to make it happen. This sounds easy, but it isn’t, especially when you are faced with obstacles—which you will be, guaranteed. You need to believe in yourself, while at the same time potential investors need to believe in you as well!!!! They can’t and won’t, unless you do first. Then go and

* Engage a lawyer so you know the do’s and don’ts of raising capital.
* Engage experts (strategist, marketers, etc.) to help you formulate your business plan and strategic plan to ensure you have realistic expectations and the details required. Then these plans can be turned into the tools you need to raise capital—one page profile, executive summary, video overview, financial statements, etc.
* Identify people that believe in what you are doing and formulate a Board of Advisors who can advise and support you throughout the process, keep you in check, and hold you accountable to your plans.
* Identify individuals that believe in you and your project to help you with the capital raising process (but consult your lawyer as to what they can and cannot do for you).
* Pitch, pitch, and pitch, then revise, pitch, revise, pitch, and pitch. It takes practice, practice, and more practice to tailor your presentation to what the investors need to know about ‘how they will make money, period.’ The first version is not the last, so take the feedback and adjust.

Keep going and pitching, even when you think all sources are tapped. It is a numbers game, just like any sales job. You will get a lot of ‘No’s’ before you get the ‘Yes’ you want. I am still pitching today!!!!!

Entrepreneurial America: What methods do you use to market your businesses? What has been your most successful form of marketing?

Bernadette: You name the marketing tactic and I have tried it—everything from public speaking to direct mail. But I have learned that you have to know your target market—and know it well, because they like and dislike certain marketing strategies. No one will sell everyone, so define your niche and get to know them very well. For instance, being that Shedding the Bitch™ is an educational, motivational, and entertaining type of brand, all of the high visibility marketing tactics work—public speaking, social media, networking, media (TV, radio, newspaper), training programs, article/blog writing, etc. I even have my own radio show, Shedding the Bitch Radio, in order to build my brand. But if you are a service provider such as a dentist, business coach, accountant, or even a retail store or restaurant, you could be successful with direct mail pieces, advertising, or social media. It all depends on your target market.

My most successful tactic is public speaking or training. If I get in front of large or small groups, I can attract and convert customers to any of my products—books, training programs, coaching services, etc. However, I do believe you need a mix of nine to ten marketing tactics, both high and low visibility. Yes, I said ten. Lay them out and you will find it adds up fast.

Entrepreneurial America: In what ways has the reality of running your own business been different from what you imagined?

Bernadette: I am very much an optimist, so my rose-colored glasses had me making revenue much faster, gaining market share easier, and growing my business with people, products, and revenue much sooner. Reality is, it takes a lot of blood, sweat, tears, and time….but it comes with joy, pride, and self respect. I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

Entrepreneurial America: What one piece of advice would you give to others who are considering becoming an entrepreneur or solopreneur?

Bernadette: I have to steal Nike’s motto—“Just Do It.” Just like getting married or having a child, it is never the right time, the right place, or financially viable to start your own company. Believe in yourself and just take the leap. The belief you have in your business and in YOU will keep you determined and dedicated to achieving it.

But I will say…. whether you decide to be a solopreneur or a small business owner, you need to engage experts such as virtual assistants, contractors, coaches, consultants, and others who can help you start, manage, and grow your business. You cannot do it alone—it is outright impossible. There really is no such thing as a solopreneur except in the eyes of W2’s.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share, as I love inspiring and educating individuals, especially business people, how to love what they are doing and make it prosperous at the same time.

Entrepreneurial America: Thank you for the fantastic interview! You’ve inspired us, and we highly recommend that our readers check out Shedding the Corporate Bitch: Shifting Your Bitches to Riches in Life and in Business, which is available now in bookstores and on Amazon.com.

Author Bio: Bernadette Boas is the CEO and founder of Ball of Fire, Inc., creator of the megabrand movement – Shedding the Bitch™, author of Shedding the Corporate Bitch, and host of Shedding the Bitch Radio. She can be contacted at:

Email: bernadetteboas@sheddingthebitch.com
Phone: 404.997.8074
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ShiftToRich and http://www.facebook.com/BBoasAuthorSpeaker
Twitter: http://twitter.com/shedthebitch
Linked In: http://www.linkedin.com/in/bernadetteboas
Blog Talk Radio:http://www.blogtalkradio.com/sheddingthebitch

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YOU are the Key to Customer Satisfaction

1. Spend Time Each Day to Work on YOU!!!!!

Focus time on you, whether it is 5 minutes or an hour, each and every day! If you are confident, your customers will see that!

2. Define YOUR Daily, Weekly and Monthly Goals and Take Action!

Knowing where you’re going and why gives you confidence, control and empowerment, which everyone, especially customers, sees!

3. Know, understand and believe in your Value and Worth, and do not sacrifice it.

When you cut your rates and sacrifice your value, you are telling your customer you do not VALUE YOU.

Tip – Read “Pricing with Confidence” by Reed K. Holden and Mark Burton

4. Understand what your CUSTOMER’S goals, dreams and needs are!

Whether online, in a store / restaurant, or in your office, your customers have goals or needs that cause them to need your product or service…..

· Ask questions, take polls, initiate surveys

· Do research (on target markets, industries, trends, age groups, etc.)

Tip – Read “The Client Nation” by Atlanta Author, Rico Pena

5. Do everything possible to EXCEED your customer’s goals and create loyalty!

It is not enough to just ‘create products and they will come’. You need to be different than others, exceed their expectations, and be there for them.

TIP – Read “Blue Ocean Strategy” by W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne

6. Acknowledge and Reward THEM…. individually or as a whole!

Your customers are loyal; acknowledge that loyalty in any way possible.

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Published August 1, by Morgan James Publishing, Bernadette Boas, CEO of both The Boas Group and Ball of Fire, Inc., pens her first book, Shedding the Corporate Bitch, Shifting Your Bitches to Riches in Life and Business.The book is an apology to the road kill she left in her life, and provides great lessons learned, tips, and advice as to how you can be successful in the office or at home, being YOU!

WATCH THE BOOK TRAILER:

READ the praises for Shedding the Corporate Bitch

About the author –

Bernadette Boas is a ‘ball of fire’ who inspires, motivates and equips individuals and professionals with the mindset, skills and talents they need to obtain success and prosperity in life.

Leveraging her twenty-five years in corporate America in various consulting, management and leadership roles, Bernadette is a celebrated motivational speaker, educator, coach, and author of her first book, Shedding the Corporate Bitch.

Bernadette is the founder and CEO of two aspiring Atlanta, Georgia based companies, The Boas Group, a business management consulting practice, and Ball of Fire, Inc., a media, communications and publishing firm, both companies are focused on the health, wealth and prosperity of individuals and organizations through her various programs.

An Atlanta, Georgia resident for sixteen years, Bernadette is an avid cyclist, runner and dog park visitor, where you will often see her with her four-legged best friend Charlie.

You can buy it on Amazon.com and where ever fine books are sold!

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“Success has more to do with goal choices than abilities.”- Gary Ryan Blair

So, when you consider your 2011 goals make sure you are making the appropriate goal….for example…if you are capable of achieving $10K a year, 100 pushups/day, 25 cold calls per day, etc… because you have before, then that isn’t the right goal, as it is not challenging you. You have already accomplished that objective before, so you will land up just doing what you have always done…. and you know what they say about that – do the same thing and you get the same results.

What you want to do is define a goal that is new, challenges, allows you to use the abilities you have, but requires new ones…

One simple way to revise that goal…. add a -0- on your goal. Instead of $10, 000, go for $100,000. Instead of 50 pushups, push to get to 500… 25 calls pushes to 250……. You don’t have to believe you can, you have to have the determination to do so. That determination will turn into belief.

Give it a shot……. then join me on Tuesday, January 18th at Noon eastern for a FREE webinar regarding Goal Setting…

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/491342841

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Social Media Revolution 2 (Refresh) from Erik Qualman on Vimeo.

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I have to admit until the last few years I really didn’t. Sure I know about the little voice in your head, like the devil on your one shoulder, that can down talk something, anything, that you are attempting to accomplish. But I basically always ignored it as if it was just something I have to deal with, something I have to live with.

It wasn’t until I really started paying attention and observing what others around me, especially clients, were allowing their little devil to do to them; physically, emotionally, spiritually. As more and more business clients were coming to me to help solve their business issues did I realize that the majority of the help they wanted was not for me to fix the lack of processes they had, or the marketing programs they had in place, or the operations of their company. They needed help in managing and squashing the devil in their head that was preventing them from taking the risks they needed to take, going after the deals they really wanted, making the changes they needed to make; that they knew they had to make – in order to be successful.

They also brought me the outside personal influences that were severely impacting their business life – the family, the bills, the honey do list and more.

There was no avoiding the fact that the little devil on business owners, executives and entrepreneurs shoulders had to be squashed, or at least shrunk, in order for them to get the results they wanted from all of the hard work that they were putting in.

Fully understanding myself that squashing that little voice or devil would not be easy and it does take time, I would always have them consider a few tricks and tips that would at least mute the voice:

1. Set the morning alarm 5-10 minutes early than when you MUST be up
2. Use that time to quietly lay there and assess your physical and mental state
3. Whether you pray, meditate, or simply sit quietly, clear your mind of all thoughts (good or bad)
4. Affirm for yourself (over and over) that “You deserve greatness is your world”, “This is going to be a great day!” “I am ready to conquer my day!” “The world is going to step aside for me because I know where I am going” – or any other affirmation or prayer that you may use to focus
5. Resist getting up until your mind is clear and your body is calm of any negative, stressful, or self-damaging beliefs

As you go through the day, anytime that little voice starts to rant or the devil appears, stop / breathe / affirm and then keep moving. Because as you know – you can let those little voices and devils hold you down, keep you from succeeding, and prevent action OR you can acknowledge it, squash it, and keep moving forward and up. THAT is something you can control!

Don’t let the devil win…… pay attention to what is going on between your ears and you will be able to control anything that YOU are manifesting in your mind!

Have a healthy, productive and prosperous day!

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“The world stands aside for the man who knows where he’s going” Tom Peters

This is one of my favorite quotes as it clearly states the result you achieve when you have a plan and road map for your success…….. the world will stand aside for you!!  How awesome is that.

Having the happen isn’t as hard as it seems.

We are not even half way through January of this new year, so you have plenty of time to get your Plan and Road map laid out, so you can achieve what you want from all of your hard work this year. Here are some tips:

First learn from 2010:

• Review your 2010 actual expenses and planned budget and make adjustments to your 2011 plan- REMEMBER, most businesses fail due to lack of money. You need to know what you are spending so you know 1) is it working for you    2) where can I cut back    3) what do I need to spend more on in order to earn the revenue planned
  
• Analyze 2010 actual and planned revenues, then create or adjust 2011 projections and forecasts
  • This should include looking at the products, services and programs that you sold in 2010 and determining new ones for 2011.
    
• Review your Plans and Goals:
  • Evaluate your product and service mix along with your pricing and profitability model
  • Assess your target customer and market, adjust if needed
  • Refine or create your marketing and sales strategies based on 2010 and incorporate them into your 2011 plans
  • Has your overall vision or mission changed based on your results in 2010?
    
• Outline your major Goals, Objectives and Projects for the year with assigned resources and deadlines
  • CRITICAL: If there is 1 Must Have Tip of any of the one’s listed here, it is this one………you need to have your Goals in place and ready to execute.
• Communicate your Vision, Mission and Goals to all employees, partners, vendors and customers so they are clear as to what you will be working hard to achieve, and where you need their support.
  • Bring together your entire team and engage them in discussing 2011 plans.
  • Consider a Vendor/Partner and even Customer Appreciation Day and provide them insight to your 2011 plans
  • Keep in mind, the more everyone is aware of what you are trying to accomplish in your business, the more they will be on board to support you.

Lastly, you work to hard to not have it reap the prosperity and value you want it to. Be sure to measure your success or your missteps throughout the year….. and know, they are just plans, and plans will change. Be accountable along with flexible, and you will have a RICH new year.

Check in here and let us know how you are doing!!!!!   Here’s to a great 2011!

Bernadette

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I am not paid to coddle people and friends don’t come to me because I am a softy…… they come to me because they know I have their best interest at heart, and when I hear excuses, I have to call them out on it.

Life’s challenges, tragedies, hardships, and even little annoyances can certainly derail us. But it is how we respond and act on them that makes the difference. Many of us crawl up in a ball and rock ourselves to avoidance bliss. Others look at the situation dead on, and refuse to let it get the better of them.

You just need to determine which one you are and want to be…..  because the greatest achievements and successes are made during the toughest of times; personally, economically, worldly.

When you feel yourself spiraling out of control, reach out to someone to help you get back on track. It just takes a few words – “I need your help!”…………and folks will come running.

So, the next time the little annoyances or big challenges are at your doorstep, answer the door, and face them head on.

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