For every innovative venture that thrives despite the economic rollercoaster, another business owner is stumped by the pursuit of new. They waste valuable company resources and frustrate their staff in the attempt by falling victim to common innovation mistakes. “Innovation in Turbulent Times,” a report from Harvard Business Review, reveals that the quest for innovation is not responsible for these failures. It is business owners’ belief in common innovation myths.

Common Innovation Mistakes

Perhaps the common mistake of many business owners is ignoring the successful formula of the “both-brain” company. Steve Jobs and Tim Cook, David Packard and Bill Hewlett, Pierre Wertheimer and Coco Chanel are iconic examples of companies with creative and analytic persons at the helm. One functions as the chief executive officer or the brand CEO, the other operates as a creative director, like Steve Jobs, who envisions the iPods for which people clamor.

According to the Harvard Business Review researchers, no industry has mastered this “both-brain” partnership with such consistent success as the fashion industry. Fashion partnerships market products to the masses in times of economic boom or bust. Season after season, the creative and analytic forces within fashion houses work to present clothes consumers never knew they wanted or needed. It works more often than not.

But the ability of a company to develop and promote new products and services is not merely a creative or analytical feat, which is another myth of innovation.

Not long after the iPod made its initial splash on the market, other portable musical players entered the field receiving a lukewarm response.  The imitators could not blame their research and development department. Toe to toe, many of them matched the iPod on the basis of product offerings. What they lacked is the total package—the overall user experience and brand for which Apple is known.

Companies attempting to harness innovation often make the elementary mistake of breaking up the task into components and doling it out to loosely conjoined departments. But a creative team should not run the innovation ship and be expected to produce a return on investment. Harvard Business Review researchers bluntly stated, “They’re likely to fall in love with an idea and never know when to quit.” Left brain leaders face their own innovation stalls in ill-fated brainstorming sessions, which is why both-brain companies pursue innovation partnerships that harness creative and analytic intelligence at every stage of the project.

Even when the magic of innovation occurs amongst the rank and file, products and services with the potential for profit can get stalled in the highest places.  Such is the cost of these common innovation mistakes.

The right of approval often rests with left-brained CEOs. Such oversight is necessary. CEOs are charged with ensuring the strategic direction and financial success of a company. They need to reign in the costs and time innovation-oriented projects can usurp.

Its All About the Balance

Without balancing from right brain leadership, left-brainers can also kill good ideas and create headaches by offering countless good and bad revisions, inflating their project budget. Before they know it, they are sinking the project they are supposed to oversee.

Citing “freedom within a framework,” researchers mention CEOs who then charge their team to execute an idea without drifting into left field with clear cut guidelines of objectives, budgets and methodologies, to which all ideas must adhere. Innovation occurs without the creative staff lingering in the myopia of a project or analytic brains consumed by 20,000-foot view.

Business owners will never stop wielding the tool of innovation. They can avoid unnecessary frustration by abandoning such counterproductive common innovation mistakes. When the force of creativity meets analytic prowess, companies can emerge from economic downtown stronger, leaner and more profitable. In this economy, that is an innovation trick all business owners can believe in.

Dawn S. Smith has garnered critical acclaim for her ability to integrate issues of politics and popular culture into unique hybrid narrative forms. With her company, maisol media, the freelance writer uses her expertise to contribute to communications campaigns for the corporate and non-profit sectors.

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Enter the social venture Better World Books, with their powerful blend of values-driven mission to increase literacy worldwide and their ingenious business model for obtaining and selling used books online.  This conscious business has shown some extraordinary growth and sales despite of the recession and is proving that success through the triple bottom line can easily be achieved.

Better World Books Social Venture: Success Through Values & Innovation

Better World Books is an exemplary model of triple bottom line innovation and accomplishment from beginning to end.  Their operations reflect a genuine regard for the welfare and advancement of people and our planet; a concern that has resulted in serious profit.

What is so pleasing to hear about this venerable social venture is how it didn’t begin with thoughts of markedly capitalizing on some bright idea.  Rather, it began simply with three college students whose need for some extra cash after graduation led to some profitable innovation.

When their college bookstore wouldn’t buy back their perfectly good used textbooks, they decided to sell them on ebay’s website, half.com.  Upon seeing how fast the books sold, the Notre Dame grads decided to lead book drives, one of which collected nearly 2,000 books that sold for $20,000.

From the beginning the plan was to donate a portion of the proceeds of these drives right back to local libraries and the Notre Dame Community Learning Center.  The success of these drives led to more drives and greater creativity as to where to find unwanted used books.  Reaching out beyond universities and onto libraries, they soon discovered just how many thousands of perfectly good books were ending up in landfills every day, discarded by schools and libraries who didn’t have the shelf space for them.  And thus their multi-million dollar social venture was born.

Today this conscious business brings in 40,000 to 50,000 books, capitalizing on the value of those books through online sales.  And their triple bottom line business model is resulting in great profit for the founders, notable benefit for the planet and generous support for literacy initiatives worldwide.

A Better World One Book at a Time

So how exactly are the guys at BWB helping literacy?  Simply stated, the Better World system of collecting unwanted books and selling them inexpensively online for profit has resulted in about $7 million raised to date to help more people learn to read.

5 - 10% of their profits have been donated to over 80 literacy and education nonprofits worldwide. Their beneficiary organizations stem throughout the U.S., Africa, Asia and Latin America and do everything from construct books and libraries, support high-quality education for impoverished children and improve the quality of life in war-affected regions. They have also sent more than 1.3 million actual books to many of their beneficiaries including Books for Africa, the National Center for Family Literacy and Worldfund among others.

And all this while providing great books to the public at a fraction of the cost.  For example, it is not uncommon for a $100 textbook to be sold on BWB for $10.  Plus all national shipping of items bought is free.

A Guilt-Free Read for the Planet

The triple bottom line business model of this conscious business is also resulting in great benefit for the planet amidst an industry not known for such.  In total, they have stopped over 25 million pounds of books from being sent to landfills and have reclaimed more than 680,000 pounds of metal shelving from libraries across the United States.  Their sales have resulted in over 9000 tons of carbon offsets and all their items are shipped via carbon neutral shipping.  Lastly, if a book doesn’t sell and isn’t fit for donation, the company will ship it off for recycling.

One Man’s Trash is Another Man’s Treasure

Books inspire, make us think, encourage us to expand and improve our lives.  They are so much more than words on paper and this social venture has created an innovative vision that has resulted in great profit for all.  Better World Books has seen their revenues grow from $4 million a year in 2005 to a projected $31 million in 2009.

And while we can count the millions of dollars they have donated to literacy programs and the tons of books diverted from landfills, the benefit they are doing for the planet and the people of this planet is likely immeasurable.  This is truly the transformational power of the triple bottom line shown so eloquently by Better World Books.

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Innovation is what will set you apart from others. Innovation is not about copying what others or doing or creating a new version of something already out there. Innovation is about creativity, about new developments, about novel solutions and it is by bringing this value to your customers that you will and can create great wealth.

Creativity is the key in eliminating competition. And this is not because you will grow so huge as to wipe all others out of business but because you will stand on a realm of your own and generate a devoted customer base.

Creativity is about seeing the opportunity where others don’t, it is about coming up with fresh ideas and new solutions to common needs and problems. If you are able to do this, you can almost be guaranteed to succeed.

So where does this creativity come from and can everybody do it?

Creativity comes from one simple place, from within. It is accessible to anyone who dedicates the time and sets the intention for this. And creativity in the realm of service can be so easy and straightforward as the best kind of service you can do for another is to innovate by defining a problem and offering a solution.

In the end, we can probably say every single invention began as such a service of innovation; a need or a problem commonly faced by people was identified and the inventor took the time to look within and unearth a creative solution for it.

Service and The Value of Adding Value

Fortunes have been made on innovative solutions that were capitalized upon. So begin to look around, problems are everywhere and the greater the problem you find a solution for, the greater the wealth possible to be gained from it.

Now while this may somewhat sound like a self-indulgent ploy to generate massive wealth, taking a step back one can see that this is what the original intentions of capitalism have always been about; an honorable win/win relationship of providing value to the lives of others. You are providing value through your innovative problem solving and are simply being compensated for it.

Under the context of service, payment is an energetic exchange for your time and service and a show of gratitude from your customer.  As such, this article is about much more than motivating you to innovate to gain wealth. This is about helping you access the frame of mind that will make your path of innovation and service both enjoyable, gratifying and effective.

Looking at your role in the business world as one of a creative problem solver and assistant to countless people through the value you add to their lives is very different than being someone who is looking out for the next way to get rich.  This simple perspective change brings about a sense of purpose and drive that makes you jolt out of bed in the morning.  And this perspective change inspires the greater creativity, insight and motivation that results in breakthroughs and innovation.

Holding the attitude of service will have you constantly on the look out for what is needed and will expand your vision. This surge of creativity and motivation will be essential since finding solutions to problems is not always easy. However, from this state of mind your dedication will be greater and will take you far because this little extra creativity can go a long way and can make a huge difference in your business.

Innovative Problem Solvers: Genius or Simply Dedicated Minds

A quick look throughout history proves that some of the greatest inventions and solutions did not come from geniuses. Most likely you already have thoughts about how to improve something or create something new that doesn’t already exist. You simply have to polish that idea and give it a try.

The decisions is yours to make. Dedicate to innovate. Otherwise you’ll be like the thousands of others, working hard all their lives without much return because more than anything they are simply imitating what is already out there.

Sometimes the ideas will just flow out of you, at other times you’ll have to commit to thinking them through. But just remember, the harder the problem and the better the solution, the more value you are offering and the more compensation you’ll get in return.

So commit to being of service and to adding value through innovative problem solving. Your business, bank account and world will be glad you did.

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This is a new word for me to play with.  In writing this article, I had to think in new ways about what I think about Innovation – so just by engaging with the word, I got a taste of what it’s all about!

Innovation aligns with transformation.  Whether we’re looking at businesses or our individual selves, our innovations need to be for the sake of transformation towards wholeness.  That is the upward evolution that we are called to move towards. I also believe that we can’t find innovation if we’re not fully engaged in the present.

The Mindset for Effective Innovation

As humans, we can ask ourselves, what drives us to innovate?  Dissatisfaction with results, the desire to stretch and attain a new level of something — greater consciousness, more meaningful relationships, successful outcomes – all these are possible if we combine reflection on our current state with clarifying where we want to go and then take appropriate action to get there.

What do I mean by reflection on our current state?  Generally, I believe, if we check in with our inner selves, we find ourselves living out of a certain perspective.  This could be one of anticipation/excitement/curiosity or one of forceful pushing/trying too hard/burning out or one of peaceful acceptance/passive waiting/active resting.  Or a million others!  The mindset we live in is only limited by our imaginations to create it.  What’s important though is become conscious of what it is now.

Here’s an example from a recent client: Caroline (not her real name) was feeling tired and exhausted in her business.  She had had some success and was becoming well known for her work. When she began her business she had felt excited, challenged and full of vitality.  Years had passed.  She had used this energetic passion to create many wonderful offerings.  But now, when she looked inside herself, she felt a complete readiness to either run away or put the whole thing down.  She felt she had no new ideas.  She thought she ‘should’ keep doing what had worked, but felt none of the original passion or creativity that had been there before.  She was uncomfortable with this new place of ‘not knowing what to do’.  She expected herself to always have access to a wellspring of ideas.

Caroline felt a need to innovate her business with something new.  She felt called to change but didn’t know what that would look like.  Making unhealthy demands on herself to come up with ‘answers’ wasn’t working.  In looking at her mindset, she realized she had been in a perspective that only had room for one mode of being: creating and achieving success. In this mindset, she was always ‘on’, never allowing for any ‘off’ time, to rest and renew herself.  Energy was always traveling outward from her – to ideas, implementing them, taking feedback and tweaking them for further success.  However now she saw that she had to create another mindset to innovate her work and keep her authentic self truly present and in charge.

Once this was clear, I took Caroline through a beautiful spiritual process of asking her heart for guidance on what she truly needed to innovate her business.  By becoming quiet and looking within, she discovered a deep need to rest.  To accept where she actually was, and call forth trust that if she listened to her inner guidance and took some time off to just be for awhile, she would receive the renewed enthusiasm and creative juice she was seeking.

She asked for some of that trust, with a side order of patience, to let go of her old thinking.   As she did this, she received insight about how she could work with her day to day schedule in a new way – one that made time for just ‘being’ – stillness and listening in natural surroundings each day.  As Caroline implemented this guidance from within, she found that she was more relaxed.  In just a few weeks, she felt not just renewed from this wonderful new perspective, but also a surge of exciting ideas that she could develop to go forward in a fresh, new way.

Perspective Change Within Lets the Innovation Begin

Are you seeking innovation in your life?  Looking for change that will reinvigorate your spirit and lead to success?  Try taking a look at the perspective that you’re operating out of now – perhaps you’re due for a change from within.  It takes courage and a brave heart to step into the vast landscape of “I don’t know yet”, seeking a new vision.  And yet adjusting our mindset gives us a solid foundation to bring forth authentic innovation for the sake of unconditional success.

Victoria FittsMilgrim, PCC directs True Life Coaching & Retreats in Durango, CO.  With over 25 years in the field of personal transformation she has been a Certified Coach/Retreat Leader since 2002. Her coaching and retreats offer a safe, loving and fun environment to come home to your True Self. Whether working with Victoria via 1:1 coaching, group coaching, taking one of her unique, nature-based retreats, or her Authentic Leadership programs, she is the real deal when it comes to sustainable and positive personal change.  Find our more at www.truelifecoach.net or contact Victoria@truelifecoach.net for a complimentary consult on what’s right for you.

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How do you articulate your value proposition such that you get paid handsomely for your service? If you follow this simple, quick, and methodical approach, you will have developed your pitch and be able to effectively sell your service.

Innovative Marketing is about Innovative Communication

First, name your service so that the name alone peeks a buyers’ interest and generates appeal for your company. What I mean by naming your service is that you define the value you provide in a unique way that goes beyond the performance of the activity.

In order to name it properly, define what it is you do that someone else would rather pay you to do. For example: The service I provide is to care-take animals for busy people who want the best for their pet. Are you a dog walker/sitter only or a pet caretaker? See the difference?

Second, highlight the special ways that you orchestrate or deliver your service and assign your service some descriptive terms. What is special about you and why do people like to work with you when they need this particular thing done? If you get stuck on this part, ask supportive family and friends for some ideas.

You might be really awe-struck at some of the answers you receive and when you hear wonderful qualities about yourself, own them and use them. For example: When people hire me to take care of their animals, I spend time nurturing the pets and creating a space in the home for the animals’ enrichment.  Clients tell me their pets are much more loving when they get home because of my special touch.

Third, think about your service and the unique aspects you provide. Ask yourself what value does this service offer to someone? Make a list of at least five benefits a customer would receive as a result of hiring you and/or using your service. Make sure to write down as many things as you can think of and ask a supportive friend to review it and add to the list.

For example: some benefits of using my service are: a) pets are much more healthy and get sick less, which saves a client money b) pets who have daily exercise and play time maintain their ideal weight c) pets who are loved during the day tend to be much more happy to see their owners d) pets being social animals, love the interaction and live longer, e) pet owners experience less daily stress since they know their animal was cared for.

Finally, by putting all three pieces of the above approach together you now have your unique message and story about what you offer. When asked what you do, you can answer succinctly and also be able to handle any objections that might arise because you know your special characteristics.

For example: A potential client calls me and wants to inquire about my service. This is what I might say;  “I am a pet care-taker and my goal is to nurture your pet so they are happy, healthy, and live longer. What I do that is different from pet sitters is to spend time playing with your animal and acknowledge them with loving touch. My hope is that you will experience a reduced stress level knowing your animal was well pampered while you attend to other matters.”

The value of your service is the unique way you deliver it and the ease that it offers your client. Taking the time to think about what is special about working with you will pay off now that you can articulate your differences from another service provider.  Innovative marketing is about communication in a way that automatically and clearly portrays you are  offering value. Selling is just the ability to articulate your offering well and educate clients enough so that they know choosing your service is the right decision.

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Conscious ventures are often in the business of breaking the myths of what is possible. In the case of scholastic performance, it has long been known that nutrition will either promote or impair it. Sadly, however, as academic administrators fell prey to the limiting belief that healthy meals were costly, it was the children who suffered.

This is where the social enterprise Revolution Foods stepped up to the challenge. And succeed they have in proving a healthy school lunch can be delicious, low cost and accessible to all. Moreover, they are yet another illustrious example of a conscious business skillfully achieving triple bottom line success.

A Healthy School Lunch Experience for All

Revolution Foods is changing the face of school lunches nationwide. With 125 employees and two commercial kitchens, they are currently delivering over 20,000 fresh, delicious meals to more than 100 schools in North and South California. They also have expansion efforts underway to move into Colorado and Washington DC.

Their innovation in operations and food sourcing have resulted in healthy meals that are just slightly more than the cost of a typical public school lunch (about $3.00). They serve schools in well-known affluent areas such as Marin County, however, their primary focus is serving low-income communities where nutrition is known to be poor. About 75% of their feeds go to schools that have qualified for the federal free or reduced price lunch program.

Their other main priority of course lies around food quality. They are dedicated to using the freshest of ingredients that are organic and locally sourced whenever possible. They also understand that to provide lunches at such a large-scale, at times major food suppliers have to be considered as well. In these cases, they only partner with suppliers that meet their criteria of commitment to healthy, sustainable, environmentally friendly business practices.

The Revolution Food meals adhere to the stringent quality standards followed by Whole Foods Market. This extensive list of requirements prevents any of their food from containing questionable substances such as artificial colors and flavorings, artificial sweeteners, bleached flour, irradiated foods, nitrates, hydrogenated oils and preservatives.

All their animal products are hormone and antibiotic free. And none of their foods contain high fructose corn syrup or trans fats. These are the kinds of meals all children are worthy of.

A Revolution Foods healthy school lunch doesn’t stop at meal deliveries for schools and educational programs. The team at Revolution Foods has also devised a way to spruce up the nutritional content in lunch boxes with a line of organic lunchbox snacks.

Like their meals, the easy-to-pack snacks are free of corn syrup, trans fats and artificial ingredients. One look at the creative options available and one clearly sees the brains behind these snacks know how to pack a nutritional punch in a fun, wholesome way.

Conscious Mealtime Business Practices

Undoubtedly, the Revolution Food meals are the kinds that are a hit with parents, teachers and most importantly, kids. They are also the kinds of meals that are resulting in swift growth for the company. This fiscal year they are set to bring in over $10 million in revenue.

But these high yields aren’t just going into the bank. Not only are they fueling tremendous expansion efforts but they are being used to feed the community in many other ways. The first example of this is that 3% of the net revenues from the Revolution Food snacks goes to their School Lunch Program, helping them feed even more kids in underserved schools.

They have also teamed up with the philanthropic group Full Circle Fund to develop a Resource Guide to help teachers teach nutrition education, help parents become role models around healthy living and help administrators implement or improve school meal programs. These resources include meal tips, nutrition educational activities, school staff development resources, school demos and recipes.

Not surprisingly, their conscious business practices extend in-house as well. All employees receive full health benefits. They recycle and compost almost all kitchen waste and all their packaging, food storage units, educational materials, paper and inks are made with the most efficient, eco-friendly components whenever possible.

A Food Revolution that Benefits All

The team behind Revolution Foods clearly was driven by a desire to create successful businesses. However, they have shown us yet again that business can be put to the best of use while maintaining a profit. In this case, this conscious business ensures that every kid receive as simple of a thing as a healthy school lunch.

Ultimately though, to Revolution Foods this seems far more than about the simple right to have a delicious, nutritious meal. Their food revolution is perhaps their way of ensuring the optimal development and future productivity of our youth. Selfish? We think not.

To learn more about Revolution Foods, visit here.

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The American Heritage dictionary defines discipline as “training expected to produce a specific character or pattern of behavior, especially training that produces moral or mental improvement.”  Clearly there are many other definitions of the word discipline, but for our purposes this is the definition that is aligned with the way we’re using the term.

If we look at it honestly, we all have disciplines. And, we can learn a lot about ourselves from the disciplines we have, the disciplines we don’t have and where the disciplines we have come from.

An important question in assessing our discipline is: what are our disciplines a product of? In other words, what are they in service to? Are they in service to our egos? Our dysfunctions? Or, are they in service to the highest good of all, including ourselves?

I examined my own disciplines in this context, starting with the question: what are my disciplines? I found many: meditation, yoga, exercise, eating healthy foods, making sales calls, coaching and consulting clients, meeting with my consultant, participating in mutual support calls and many more. Then, I looked at these disciplines in light of the question posed above for each of these: what is my discipline in service to in this area?

Through this inquiry, I had a key insight. My discipline of eating healthy, exercising and maintaining my well being has primarily been a way for me to perpetuate the illusion that I am better than others – and to maintain a false sense of superiority. When I looked at it honestly, I could see that what has been driving this discipline is my desire to look good by making others look bad.” And, it was nasty. In my head, it sounded like, “they don’t have any willpower. I do.”

While I could have compassion for myself for doing this, I certainly didn’t want to continue it. I was ready to end the lie and the separation, because it didn’t feel good and it also blocked me from contributing to those who could use my support in this area. As we all know, it is very difficult to feel supported by someone who is judging you. When we drop the judgment, our colleagues and friends can feel and receive our support.

And, when I compared that to other disciplines, such as my meditation discipline, I could see a stark contrast. My meditation discipline was simply a way to connect to the Universe/The Source/God and I didn’t have an agenda to it. It felt a lot different. It felt clean.

Through this inquiry, I came to the conclusion that any discipline that keeps me separate from others needs to be transformed. I can keep doing the practice, but I need to change the context that it exists inside of by asking: Is this in service to the highest good of all, including me? Or, is it in service to my ego? If it’s the latter, it needs to go. I need to change my consciousness about it.

In light of what I discovered about myself, I can now see why we have very little trust of discipline. We don’t trust the source of that discipline. We are not trained in the discipline for what is for our highest good. We follow the discipline of our egos and our wants and our addictions.

We’ve been disciplined by our need to look good. Instead, let’s make a commitment to be disciplined by what is for our highest good and the highest good of all. Each time we act consistent with that commitment we’ll be living our definition of “training expected to produce a specific character or pattern of behavior, especially training that produces moral or mental improvement.”

Todd Benton is a consultant and coach who helps business owners, executives, managers and individual contributors fulfill their potential in business without compromising their well-being, personal goals and aspirations. Todd is also the Executive Director of The Stream, a non-profit spiritual community and teaching and learning organization. Todd’s business can be found on the web at www.bentoncg.com.

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As the results of the old limited approach to business, leadership and finance become glaringly obvious, a new level of thinking, leading and conducting business is being summoned.  And as we move forward in developing our new, sustainable approach to business, it is becoming clear to many that the sustainability of a company as a whole goes hand in hand with individual sustainability.

The Conscious Business Institute (CBI) is one of the pioneering businesses that has emerged out of this call to move into a new way of being and thinking around business, finance and our selves.  Recognizing the current dissatisfaction amongst much of our labor force and the longing for inspiring, engaging work, CBI is helping businesses and leaders embrace conscious business practices that will ignite greater power, commitment and long-term sustainability inside and out and transform our business climate worldwide.

The Conscious Business Institute:  Creating Successful Companies in a Meaningful Way

Business leaders today are meeting never before confronted challenges and opportunities; emerging international competition, global financial and environmental crises and a prolific sense of insecurity amongst employees, customers and partners.  These novel dilemmas are a result of old leadership models that are proving to be obsolete.

The Conscious Business Institute is showing to be a guiding force for leaders that have discovered that inspiring greater integrity, responsibility, communication and peak performance all the way through the business chain – from executives and shareholders to employees and partner organizations – is key not only in the survival of the business but for its triumph.

Founded and developed by Peter Matthies, a long-time highly successful venture capitalist, CBI supports professionals, entrepreneurs, and business leaders in building such inspiring, sustainable and effective companies. Based on his decades of experience in finance, turnaround management and leadership development, CBI aims to help companies combine financial success with a high level of personal engagement, fulfillment and well-being.

As stated enthusiastically on the CBI website, “Quite simply [we do this because] we want to enjoy our work. We have become bored by the traditional ways of conducting business. We decided to play with people who have the courage to pursue what really matters to them. We engage with organizations and individuals that are at a point of insight in their life to conduct business in a more honest, courageous, authentic and inspiring way – in a way that is not based on the old model of dominance and subservience, but on a model that engages people on a deeper level.”

Through his extensive real-world business experience and profound understanding of human nature, Peter has developed innovative conscious business methodologies and frameworks for building organizations that engage all stakeholders on a deeper level and provide greater meaning for all. CBI’s programs aim to provide tangible, systematic practices, strategies, mentoring and coaching to vitalize businesses and enhance personal and professional success.

Their extensive list of programs reflect their intention to transform business from the inside out.  They offer individual programs for entrepreneurs and executives as well as group programs for small to mid-sized businesses, HR managers, organizations and trainers.  Programs offered include management consulting, leadership development, executive briefings & coaching and personal mentoring, all of which address the personal, team and business levels.

As Matthies says, “We find that close to 90% of our workforce is disengaged. They are yearning for a way to work and live where they can not only engage their body and mind, but also their emotions, their spirit and their authentic personality. The challenge for today’s leaders is to provide an environment that allows for such a deep engagement.”

Matthies and his partners are experts in the field of financial, organizational and personal development.  Pragmatic visionaries, they are clear in that they are not about “feel-good exercises” or offering quick-fix solutions.  They go to the core of organizational issues to resolve them from the inside out.  They assist in clarifying and achieving desired results, provide leaders and businesses with novel ways to live and conduct business that are value and vision driven, improve the personal performance of executives and employees and assist in developing authentic communication, trust and engagement amongst all.

Next Generation Leadership Today

CBI believes that conscious business today requires authentic leaders who are of service to the business, its people and the community; Leaders, who inspire an environment for personal and organizational growth by modeling authenticity and strength.  Leaders who are aware of the impact their actions have on their employees, partners, community and environment.  Leaders who are honest, open to learning in service of the greater good and desire to conduct business in a conscious business way.

Such are the leaders of the future so needed today to transform our global climate.  And the Conscious Business Institute is one of the many innovative companies that is clearly helping facilitate the way.

To learn more about the Conscious Business Institute, visit their website here.

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So, know yourself (very old wisdom, indeed) and act accordingly.  While so easy to say, this can be very challenging to live.  Our culture is very powerful and has many agendas for us that don’t connect to our authentic self.  How do you remain clear in the face of this non-stop bombardment of values and direction that aren’t your own?

A Natural Approach to Being an Authentic Leader

For me the best way to stay connected and honor who I am comes from spending time in the natural world.  It is here that I remember that I am not alone.  I am a part of something much, much bigger than myself.  I hold a sacred spot in the community of life.  We all do.

Each one of us brings our unique offering to the world.  Without it, there is loss; something missing from this puzzle called Life.  Here in the Mystery, the great unknown of a world that goes so far beyond our 5 senses, we are meant to be who we truly are.  Not a watered down version… not a copy of everyone else… not the holding back, safe, afraid to step out self.

When I step into the natural world to deepen my relationship to my authentic leader within, I am met by the magic of all that is.   I take a journey - no matter if it’s an hour or a week - to listen and engage with the wisdom of everything.  Flowers, burned out tree stumps, turtles, mud - they all speak to me when I am open and willing to listen.  They too hold their place in the circle of life and share a piece of my truth with me, mirroring my Soul.

This is my Quest then - to go solo into the beauty and awesome power of Nature.  To take a magical journey and seek the inner truth that is mine alone.  To find the learning that I know is ready to come forth - even if it’s scary and will mean changes ahead - I can see that it has come to me because it’s time to grow my Authentic Leader.  To stretch and become even more of who I am.

We all live busy lives and carving out personal time is a challenge for many.  When I take on a Big Picture perspective though, I can see the value and importance of unhooking from all my commitments and allowing myself to just Be. When I make my own development important, I can say, “I am choosing to pay attention to grow my awareness and become a better Me.”  I get restored and refreshed – leaving behind guilt and resentment – and can return to my world as the True Authentic Leader I am!

Will you become a seeker of your truth? What would compel you to do this?  What next step of growth is calling you onto your path?  What scares you about it?  How can you make your True Self a priority?

Victoria FittsMilgrim, PCC directs True Life Coaching & Retreats in Durango, CO.  With over 25 years in the field of personal transformation she has been a Certified Coach/Retreat Leader since 2002.  Her retreats offer a safe, loving and fun environment to come home to your True Self.  Whether working with Victoria via 1:1 coaching, group coaching or taking one of her unique, nature-based retreats, she is the real deal when it comes to sustainable and positive personal change.

Find out more about Victoria and her retreat offerings for 2009 at www.truelifecoach.net or email her at Victoria@truelifecoach.net.

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Marketing Yourself is a Public Service

Marketing means letting people know how you can be of service to them. Your internet presence allows people looking for someone to help them solve whatever pain they are in. If you have no internet presence, many people will not find you and determine if you may be of service to them.

Google your name and business zip code. Do you find yourself on the first page of the results? You may already be listed in sites of which you are unaware. Next, Google your specialties (one at a time) and your business zip code. If you have a number of listings, especially for your specialties, Congratulations. Even if you already have a steady stream of referrals, an internet presence will only strengthen your position and can be started (or expanded) for free, using these methods.

Getting yourself on free listing sites

Many sites have both free and paid listings. Generally, start with the free listing. I found my free www.getfaves.com lisitng showing on the first page of Google search within one week. Begin with getting your practice listed with APA, if you aren’t already listed.

Next check with other mental health groups you belong to and see if they have listings, ex. Anxiety Disorders of America Association. Some are free. Some have additional charges. You may consider joining one or several of them, partly so you can get a listing on their site.

Go to link so that your business, website, etc. is indexed on Google.  This will also get you listed on Google maps, which show at the top of the page of Google searches. Next, do the same thing for Yahoo here.

Google “free business listing sites,” for other free business listing sites. Then Google “free mental health listing sites.” Begin getting yourself listed on these sites. This does not need to be done at one setting.

Create a free website

A website is probably The single most important thing that you can do to expand your marketing efforts. It will greatly increase your presence and legitimacy beyond having your profile listed in different places. One can quickly create a simple site. You will want to present information that will speak to the pain of those clients you would most like to see. This will attract your “Ideal client” much more than if you describe yourself as a “caring person who provides a safe place,” etc. Conventional wisdom is that your content is 80% about the client and 20% about yourself.

Don’t wait until you have a perfect site planned. Better to get a functional site up, asap. Websites are dynamic entities. You will want to refine, probably add, and sometimes delete what you began with. How you write gives others a sense of who and what you are. Be sure to include a head shot photo of yourself with a big smile.

Begin with your DSL provider and see what they offer. Google “free websites.” Look for templates that you like, flexibility, expandability, etc. Many of the free sites will also let you expand your site, more, for a monthly fee. Most options will cost between $5 and $10 a month.

Consider creating a free blog

Some will start a blog, rather than a website. Generally, a website is more versatile and should be your first priority. A blog will probably serve you best, the more specific it is, i.e., focuses on a niche, such as ADHD, OCD, etc. Two popular free sites to start a blog are www.blogspot.com and www.wordpress.com. If you do a blog, aim to write at least twice a month.

Social media

The use of social media is exploding and will continue to grow. It is a way of connecting with friends and colleagues, as well as others finding us. Therapists and others are increasingly finding ways to market via social media.

One of the most popular websites is YouTube. While it is primarily used for entertainment, more and more it is used for education and marketing. An example of the former is a two-part ‘video’ I did, “16 Steps to Stop Panic Attacks.” These videos can also be put on your website(s), as I did. I think video has largely been underutilized by therapists.

Facebook has become another of the most popular websites. Some use it to keep in touch with friends and others use it for marketing. Use it for on or the other. If you want to use it for both purposes, use a personal email account for a Profile and a business email for a business Page.

Biznik is a business site, primarily for entrepreneurs. It is a way to network, especially with non-therapists.

Twitter is a source that you can announce publishing a paper, changes to your website, good books and articles, workshops that you might offer, etc. Many offer free things like recordings, articles, etc. It is another way to network with other professionals. It’s popularity is exploding.

LinksforShrinks is a site for therapists. Part of the impetus was to have another legitimate site where you could have a link to your website (the more links to your site, the better Google will find your site). It also has professional forums to discuss professional and marketing issues. There isn’t nearly as much information as in the forums for those who use the Psychology Today listing service, although that costs almost $30/mo, which has been a great resource and referral source for me.

Like most things, the more you invest in being involved with social media, the more you will benefit. If you are active, you can minimally expect some increase in website/blog traffic. This may or may not equate to client referrals.

Writing articles

Another way to develop a presence is to write self-help and other articles. A popular site to submit articles is www.ezinearticles.com. You can also submit to some of the listing and social media sites. When you write, distribute your writings in as many ways as you can. Post them on your website and blog. Have copies in your office. Fax copies, as is relevant with other fax communications. I routinely do this when I fax treatment updates to physicians. Offer copies to physicians, schools, clergy, etc.

Outside of the content, writings give others at least a glimpse of yourself. This is an opportunity to get to know, like, and trust you. The more that happens, the more people will come to you to help them achieve solutions.
Put your website address on everything

Make sure your web address is on your business cards, stationary, fax sheets, etc. Just the fact that you have a website adds to your credibility, regardless if the receiver has the interest in checking it out. Create a “signature file” at the bottom of your email accounts. Minimally, include your web address, blog, etc. under your name, business address, business phone. Consider putting other information there, such as free offers, signing up for your news letter, etc. If you are going to start a group, give a talk, etc., consider including that information, while it is relevant, i.e., remove that information after it occurred.

Make Yourself Known One Step at a Time

You can’t do All of these things in a single day, however, you can complete Some of these things Today. Keep reasonable expectations. When you do these things, it isn’t likely that you will have 10 people call you a week and want to self-pay. You will find that new clients will increasingly say, “I found you on the internet.” Marketing is a dynamic process. Generally, our efforts are cumulative.

This is not the end of marketing. You will probably want to expand into other low cost strategies, including purchasing a domain name for your website, using one or several paid listing services, etc. Continue to educate yourself about marketing and new avenues. Good luck and good marketing.

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