Kellie DAndrea's Personal Blog

5 Ways to Create A Successful Niche Business

2010-01-01T10:06:00.000-05:00

Too many business owners fish in the widest and deepest pools– trying to be all things to all people. Offering a broad range of products and services to a broad audience and never really create the waves that lead to tremendous profits. By positioning yourself at the top of a smaller, well defined pool (or niche) you will set your business apart from the competition and create a profitable business. Here are five proven ways to create a profitable niche business.

1. Define Your Market
Research the needs and challenges of your target audience and capitalize on those needs. Understand the community and develop solutions that appeal to a specific group. For example – Understanding Social media in Small Business is a need of the small business community, a niche market would be to develop a product or service that teach small business owners how to use social media in their business.

2. Create Your Product or Service
Based upon the needs of your target audience, you want to create a product or offer a service that addresses those needs. Many start with developing their products first without researching if there is a market for it. First define your audience and establish there is a demand for a new product and then develop it.

3. Create Your Brand Promise
The brand promise is a statement of what your customers can expect every time they engage with your company and is the center of your business. When a brand stands out with a strong promise that deliver value consistently, the value of your offering increases and customers will be willing to whip out their wallets and pay for your products.

4. Become the Expert
Position yourself as an expert in your niche and become the “go to guy” for this product of service. Showcase your knowledge and expertise by writing articles, participating in forums and providing tips, techniques and strategies in short, succinct messages via popular social networking sites.

5. Create specific messages direct to your niche
Business is conducted on an emotional level. Now that you have identified your market, built a community around your offering, you must communicate with your target market frequently. Develop specific messages targeted towards your niche market appealing to their emotions and demonstrating your benefits. It takes 7 times before somebody is comfortable enough with you and your expertise to buy from you so be specific, be credible and offer extraordinary value.

No matter if you are a retailer, service professional, internet marketer or mom and pop shop, you stand for something. There is a reason that you went into business and a reason why you want your business run a certain way. Building a brand starts with defining what is your core purpose and the inherent promise you are making to your customers and delivering value every time. Isolating your niche in your area of expertise and bringing solutions to a targeted group will keep the cash registers ringing every time.

©Kellie D’Andrea & Associates
Want to use this article in your newsletter or web site?You can, just include this complete blurb with it: Kellie D'Andrea is the creator of BLAST Marketing System and publishes "The Marketing Edge" a FREE award winning ezine for small business owners who want to gain the competitive edge with strategic marketing and branding techniques that actually work. Interesting in learning more, sign up for FREE Marketing Classes “Marketing Mondays” and learn how to position your business for success. www.kelliedandrea.com.

Wow. Where did the time go?

2010-01-01T09:49:00.003-05:00

It has been such a long time since my last post. I cannot believe it. I have been super busy in the pursuit of my dreams and taking the steps for long term growth. It has been a wild year so how can I sum up my accomplishments, events and challenges?

Here it goes:

1. Great year at the office - tremendous sales, profitable business and happy employees. In a time when companies are suffering and unemployment is at an all time high, the office had its best year in history!

2. Danielle got her first car - total her first car and learned a very valuable lesson about driving, insurance and adulthood.

3. Launched 4 products, published hundreds of articles and had wonderful results from offering free webinars, teleseminars and classes.

4. Danielle was challenging at times with all of her "teenage wisdom".. In hind sight, I should have written her stupid arguments down so I could show them to her later when she is an adult...

5. Joined many marketing groups, mastermind groups and hired my own Business Coach... I love learning!

6. Invested a lot in my education this year and have no regrets. Ton of wonderful ideas that I have applied to my business.

7. Made wonderful connections and grew my connects by thousands.

8. Started with twitter and actively marketing on LinkedIn with wonderful success.

9. Started my new book "BLAST Marketing for Retailers" - scheduled to be released in 2010!

10. Enjoyed life, friends & family.....

In spite of all things going on in the world, it has been a good year. I try to remain positive and always look for the opportunities even in the most adverse of situations and I encourage all of you to do the same.

Here is to a healthy, happy and year of prosperity and abundance. Here is to 2010!

The 94 Day Challenge Preview Call

2009-11-06T19:44:00.001-05:00

I am pumped up and roaring to go.

I am so excited about my newest program, I cannot keep quiet about it. The response is overwhelming and the result are unbelievable. If you haven’t yet listened in on a preview call, go right now and sign up here. You do not want to miss it! As business owners, marketing our business is one of the most important aspects that we have to focus on. We have to learn marketing strategies that attract people to our business so we can later convert them to customers.

This week I released 21 of my top secret strategies for only $7 (a real bargain). If you didn’t obtain your copy, please go here. You don’t want to miss out on this! Order Now

One of the marketing strategies that I use is email marketing (you know they don’t call me the Ezine Mentor for nothing). A great and inexpensive way to market your business, but it is more than just sending out an email to your list….. you must understand your numbers and email metrics for this strategy to be truly effective.

Happy Halloween.

2009-10-31T14:34:00.003-04:00

Wow! What a wonderful month... were do I start. First, It was my birthday this month - yes the big 40. I can hardly believe it, but I will have to tell you that life does begin at 40. What a year I am expecting this one to be! I am so glad you are on the journey with me.

I also had the honor of signing up with Terri Levine, The Guru of Coaching and I am one of her VIP members. I cannot wait to have my one to one session with her and to really learn from a pro.

Last week, I launched my preview to The 94 Day Challenge and what an event it was. So many people want to change thier life and they signed on to learn the Top reasons goals fail. I am hosting another preview call on 11/12 and you can sign up at www.94daychallenge.com

Yippie...

A Big Thank You

2009-10-10T20:52:00.001-04:00

Hello! First let me say a big THANK YOU for all the birthdaywishes, cards, gifts, email and mentions. I am moved by your kind words and feel wonderful about my birthday. I had a wonderful time with family and friends and couldn’t have asked for anything better.

I also had four amazing days with two different coaches working on various aspects of my business. I had the privileged of working with Michael Port, NY Best Selling Author of Booked Solid and Terri Levine, the Guru of Coaching and WOW, what an experience both events were!

Although Terri and Michael had two very different focuses and styles, they did have a consistent message – Do Everything You Can to Retain Your Customers! Today’s article gives you 3 retention tactics that you should be doing in your own business that will help guard against the recession. I encourage you to evaluate your retention methods and do everything in your power to create the ultimate experience for your customers.

I have been so inspired by my coaches to bring additional value to each of you that I have decided to offer you a free half hour consultation to discuss your marketing efforts and solutions you may want to consider. This is my gift that I offer you with no strings attached. Please contact my admin at nancy@kelliedandrea.com to set up some time with me.

Enjoy your week and remember, “A day of action will create a lifetime of results.”

Happy Birthday To Me

2009-10-10T20:50:00.001-04:00

Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy Birthday to meeeeeee… happy birthday to me! I cannot believe I am 40 today! It seems like just yesterday I was working at my first job, or raising a small toddler, or purchasing my first home. My how time flies. The great thing is, I have absolutely no regrets! I wouldn’t change a moment in my life. I am a firm believer that things happen for a reason and that every experience I have had was meant to lead to a higher purpose!

This weekend, we celebrated my Aunt's 50 Year Jubilee as an IHM nun in the Catholic Church. All of her friends, family, and colleagues came together to participate in an honorary mass and to celebrate her success and devotion with a party afterwards. As I watched her come up the aisle, I was moved to tears by the joy and happiness on her face. Not only was she proud, but she seemed fulfilled. I have never seen her so elated and so happy. 50 years doing what you love and loving what you are doing – Can you say the same for your chosen career? Can you say that you have found your purpose and that you are truly happy?

2009-09-07T21:10:00.001-04:00

I started out this week wanting to write about Labor Day and the significance of the holiday but I find myself totally absorbed in the fact that I am turning 40 this year. On October 1st, I will hit that milestone and I just realized that is less than a month away.

When I take a look back on what I have accomplished, I am amazed with how blessed I have been. Starting at a very young age, I was extremely fortunate to find success in my career, my family and my businesses. I have been recognized in many forums for my contribution and accomplishments. I have found my greatest success in the accomplishments of my daughter and of my clients and I attribute that to having the time to spend with each of them.

I would not be able spend time with my family and my clients if I was tied down to my business, so this week’s article begins with the question, “Do you run a business or have a job?” If done correctly, your business can run on autopilot and provide you with the freedom to work on projects and spend time with your family as you choose to do so.

You Can Teach an Old Dog New Tricks!

2009-08-29T11:14:00.000-04:00

This week has been a crazy but wonderful week. I feel like a proud parent watching one of her children grow to become a wonderful adult. I have been working with a client for the past four years focusing our efforts on enhancing their internal processes and strategies to support a rebranding effort we launched a couple of years back. Over the last couple of years they have seen significant growth, but this week they were visited by the “goliath” of all clients in their industry and presented with an unbelievable opportunity.

Another testimonial is a complement from another customer of my client that indicated that in the past, they would have never down business because of the poor reputation and service they have expeirenced in the past. They have recently signed a brand new deal with my client mentioning that they have seen significant changes to the positive over the last 4 years and attribute that to my involvement.

How wonderful is that!

As a business coach, I take great pride in my client’s successes and do feel like a proud parent and a part of the team. I was able to tap into a level of performance across the entire organization and provide feedback and recommendations for improvements that did yield significant results and put them on the path to creating the company they desire.

Behind the Webinar / Teleseminar Promotion....

2009-08-22T20:50:00.001-04:00

What a fantastic week. Only 1 day of promotion for my Free Webinar on Ezine publishing has secured over 250 seats. Wow! Truly a great marketing tool. On day 1, this is a great registration list compared to my last seminar "Worst Presentation Mistakes Made by Millions", where the registrants trickled in over time. The first day, we had only 50 and eventually getting up to over 600 people.

The promotion that goes into getting the word out is extensive.

First you have to craft the right series of messages to go into emails, direct mail and out to your affliates.

Second, you have to craft the right message in 140 characters or less and change it up so you can repost on Twitter and other social media sites.

Next, you need to make sure that your webpage has the course description, the benefits the attendees will recieve from attending (basically - what will they learn) and a bio on you as the speaker.

Lastly, you need a sign up box that your audience can "opt in".

Once you have begun all that prep, begin your promotion and start to develop your slide deck for the Webinar and rehearse, rehearse, rehearse. Rule #1 of all successful presenters.

I wonder where this topic will bring us! Is it that more people are interested in Ezine publishing over enhancing their presentation skills? Or is it that more people are becoming exposed to me?

One thing I know for sure, I really enjoy teaching people how to use marketing and business strategies to build their businesses and conducting these sessions are one of my favorite things to do. - I may dabble into public speaking one day, What do you think?

A Thank You Message

2009-08-22T20:49:00.001-04:00

I want to thank everybody for the warm wishes and concern over my daughter’s accident. The hundreds of emails I received last week with your kind words of encouragement were overwhelming (but in a good way). I didn’t realize how many parents of teenagers subscribed to my ezine and I am so thankful to have been able to connect with each of you on a personal level.

Danielle is healing nicely and we are focusing on our preparation for school. Senior year is a big deal and we have many plans to make for the upcoming year . In our household, the beginning of a new year doesn’t start Jan 1, it starts with the beginning of a new school year – Sept 3rd. We use this as an opportunity to re-focus our goals, create new plans for the New Year and execute the actions necessary to achieve all of our dreams. It is an exciting time in our lives, because we always make sure that our goals are connected to ensure we are all moving in the same direction and can offer each other support.

Now, I will be the first to tell you that goal setting has been a big part of my life for a long time and that I haven’t always been successful in achieving every goal that I have ever set, but thru trial and error, I have develop a process that ensures success each and every time and now I am asking for your help. I am looking for a few folks who would be willing to go through my program – “The 94 Day Challenge” to see if you achieve similar results. If you are interested in learning more or becoming part of my “beta” team, please send an email to me at info@kelliedandrea.com.

2009-08-16T22:20:00.002-04:00

To err is human and to forgive divine. Those famous words from the Alexander Pope poem “An Essay on Criticism” are ringing in my head. Do you think there is any truth to forgiveness in business? Recently I had an error in one of my sales messages that resulted in two very different and distinct responses. After a long couple of weeks tending to my daughter after her accident, being away with the family on vacation and rushing around to promote a scheduled Webinar training, I made a mistake and included a typo in one of my sales messages.

This one message when out to hundreds of thousands of people via my ezine, blog, Twitter and Linked In. Out of the thousands of people who may have viewed this message, two individuals had an emotional response and handled it very differently.

The message “Worse Presentation Mistakes Made by Millions” vs. “Worst Presentation Mistakes Made by Millions”

Response #1: John Doe decided to post a horrible public comment to my message that included a personal attack and his opinion about how unprofessional I was because it was apparent I couldn’t spell and so on and so on. When I received his message, I was shocked by the horrible nature of it. I literally had the message posted for about 4 hours before I caught and corrected the error, but John Doe felt it necessary to use harshness and personal attacks to respond to my message.

Response #2: Mark Doe decided to send me a personal email alerting me of the error. An act of kindness with one private message.

So how can one message cause two very different responses? Why do you think John Doe needed to “put me in my place” when he doesn’t even know me?

My belief is that some people need to put others down to feel good about themselves. Even in business, you will find those people who cannot forgive a minor mistake in hopes that they can use your misfortune to advance their own agenda.

Even though my first reaction was to respond back with bitterness, I decided to treat both men the same, I sent them both a personal email thanking them for bringing the error to my attention with a slight attempt to make light of the situation.

So the morale of the story is….. when somebody tries to knock you down for a mistake, kill them with kindness and move forward!

Whatever You Do, Don't Freak Out!

2009-08-16T22:16:00.001-04:00

What a crazy couple of weeks! So much has happened.A couple of weeks ago, my daughter (17 and a new driver) was in a horrible car accident while I was traveling. I am sitting on the
airplane waiting to get off the plane and I get a text “don’t freak out –but you need to call me when you land”

Okay, now let me ask you, what do you think I did when I received that message? You guess it – I freaked out! When I was able to get on the phone, I learned that my baby girl was in an accident and she was currently in the emergency room. I was traveling so I was hundreds of miles away and there were over 200 people in my way to get off the plane and my brain was racing. Dan kept assuring me that she was fine and the tests were precautionary and that I should not return home and that he had it under control. I sat in the airport for hours wondering what I should do – stay or go home.

At times like this, faith is so important. Sometimes in both our personal lives and in our business lives, we need to have faith in others and faith in ourselves. As it turned out, I did stay in Texas and trusted that everything was okay and it turns out everything was.

Place Good Energy Into the Universe and See The Universe Return the Favor

2009-08-14T17:13:00.000-04:00

Place good energy into the universe and see the universe return the favor. So many great things are happening and it is all a result of positive thinking and taking action! In these tough times, it is very easy to find the reasons to give up and not forge ahead but if you hang in there, keep your head up and move forward, good things will come.

Each and every day more and more prosperity is moving into my life. My clients are reaping so many rewards right now, each closing more business than ever before, my own business is taken off and my family is healthy, happy and wise.

So my advice, is to place positive energy into the universe and watch the universe send it back to you 10 times....

2009-08-12T17:43:00.000-04:00

Greetings! The theory of positive thinking has enveloped my world these last few weeks. At the office there is often discussions around "laws of attraction", on twitter there are many inspirational quotes and at recent attended conferences, there was a focus on motivation.

So I have been thinking about the Power of YES. In Jim Carey's recent movie "The Yes Man", he was challenged to say yes to everything, to embrace life and to welcome new experiences. Think of the challenges that his character must have overcome in order to stay true to his pledge, but staying true, he was able to experience some of the best events of his life. Is this just something that Hollywood cooked up or is there any truth to opening up yourself and really living?

My focus for the rest of the week is to give into the power of yes and to open myself up to new opportunities and see where "yes" can lead me. I am committed to remaining positive and to report back my experience along the way. So in closing, "Give in to the Power of Yes" and let life begin! Enjoy life!

Wow! Webinars are Fun!!

2009-08-12T17:41:00.001-04:00

Wow! What a fantastic Webinar we hosted yesterday. We had over 600 people registered for “The Top Presentation Mistakes Made by Millions and How to Avoid Them” and it was
such an exciting call.

I was in the middle of discussing how to put together the most compelling message and I let it slip that I am working on a 5 part virtual training class called “The Profitable Pitch” scheduled to launch in September. I have already received many inquiries about the program and I cannot wait to share more with you as we get closer to the launch. One of the strategies I teach within “The Profitable Pitch” is the important of positioning – yourself, your company, your product, your offer, your solution. It is critical to closing any deal.

Happy 4th of July!

2009-07-03T17:17:00.000-04:00

Hello! I am excited about the upcoming holiday weekend – The 4th of July.
Many will be celebrating our independence and some will be celebrating a short work week and an opportunity to hang out with family and friends. As a “social butterfly”, I use holidays as a way to host parties and bring my family, friends, partners, and work friends together for some fun! But in order to earn the status of social butterfly, I had to master the skill of networking and building relationships with people the old fashion way – meeting at a live event, exchanging business cards and following up of potential opportunities. Over time, relationships have formed and those relationships have developed into great friendships over time. Some of my best business deals were made with a connection I made with an individual that turned into a strong friendship.

So to all, Have a Happy, Healthy and Fun filled 4th of July Weekend!

Another Dance Recital Complete!

2009-06-03T21:02:00.004-04:00

The 2009 Touch of Class Dance Recital is finally over. After months of working on a fabulous number, we finally got to perform it. The show's theme was "Don't Stop Believing" focused on 30 years in the business. My group, is the "seasoned" group (as Dan calls it - meaning demonstrating more expertise), of adults that get together just to have a great old time. Having the privilege of forming great friendships and what I remember most about this weekend is the endless stories we told to each other and the laughter.

Dress Rehersal was comical, we were given an opportunity to run thru the number once and there is one part where I run off stage and run back on...well you guessed it, I didn't have enough time to run back on stage....... I remember just dancing on stage out of my lines with the rest of the girls looking at me wondering what is up. It reminded me of a Saturday Night Live skit.....it was totally funny.

Oh and yes, my foot is healing nicely. I am able to walk and flex my foot. Pointing my toe was difficult and I couldn't roll over on the top of my foot but the dance director gave me a special section so I wouldn't have to hurt my foot over again.... now, now, now don't get excited, it wasn't a solo as much as it was me standing waving my arms around while everyone else was dancing on the floor.

Overall, it was a successful night.

My Favorite "Mom-isms"

2009-05-18T18:23:00.007-04:00

"A job worth doing is a job worth doing well", How often have you heard that old saying? I am a big believer of this philosophy. Anything I set my mind too, I set out to do it well. You will never find me cutting corners or doing a project "half a**" because I was raised to finish what I started and to make sure that I do the best that I can.

"When I win the lottery" This saying will be written on my mothers' gravestone. We grew up with this saying almost everyday of my life. Ironically enough, we were poor but we never knew it and it never bothered my siblings and I. We had enough and my mother went out of her way to make sure we didn't want for much, but when we did want those brand new $100 sneakers or those new "jordache jeans" (hey they were a status back then), she would end the conversation with "when I win the lottery"

"Because I said so" This is a classic mom saying and not isolated to only my mother, but she pulled this saying out often. The classic no where to go defense when an unruly teen challenges authority. As a mom myself, I too use "because I said so"

Where did the time go?

2009-05-06T10:23:00.005-04:00

I have been so focused on finalizing my latest marketing system, I just realized it has been over month since I updated my personal blog. "Time, the final frontier"... lol. I know James Kirk is rolling over screaming, "That's not Right", but for me the statement is perfect.

Where does all the time go? Can you believe that it is already May? Mothers' Day is around the corner, and before we know it, we will be in our swimsuits on the beach! It is as though I want to sleep in the winter and woke up and realized I missed 4 months... Where did the time go?

Since my last post, I had the famous right of passage with my 17 year old daughter - Danielle is now driving and we just celebrated her Junior Prom. - She was a toddler only yesterday.... Where did the time go?

They say that we spend 96% of our day on autopilot, going about our daily routines the same way and in the same manner without effort or recognition that we are doing so. Perhaps that is the time stealer.... I have focused much of my life on building a lifestyle that my family and I now enjoy and I am committed to "rebooting" my brain to not live on autopilot, but in the moment.

I am just finishing up my membership site http://www.94daychallange.com/ which is focused on setting the foundation to "kickstart" you into a program. I can't wait to start and to surround myself with the other members and to take the next 94 days and recondition my habits to live in the moment!

If you are interested in learning more, contact me at info@kelliedandrea.com.

The Power of " Yes"

2009-05-02T08:01:00.003-04:00

The theory of positive thinking has enveloped my world these last few weeks. At the office there is often discussions around "laws of attraction", on twitter there are many inspirational quotes and at recent attended conferences, there was a focus on motivation. So I have been thinking about the Power of YES.

In Jim Carey's recent movie "The Yes Man", he was challenged to say yes to everything, to embrace life and to welcome new experiences. Think of the challenges that his character must have overcome in order to stay true to his pledge, but staying true, he was able to experience some of the best events of his life. Is this just something that Hollywood cooked up or is there any truth to opening up yourself and really living?

My focus for the rest of the week is to give into the power of yes and to open myself up to new opportunities and see where "yes" can lead me. I am committed to remaining positive and to report back my experience along the way.

So in closing, "Give in to the Power of Yes" and let life begin!

See more at http://www.kelliedandrea.com/

How Outsourcing Saved My Life!

2009-04-07T17:58:00.005-04:00

I have been working on the launch of my new website which includes working with the web designers on the creative aspects and writing the content that needs to go into the site. It has taken over my world!

So much goes into launching a website:

Selecting and registering a domain name and hosting company
Developing the creative and creating the brand
Writing the content, welcome messages, sales pages and free reports
Set up the autoresponder system to automate the process
Create the service and products you are offering
Creating and setting up an ezine and managing lists
Writing articles and submitting to directories
Setting up merchant accounts, gateways and shopping carts
Creating and setting up mini product sites to support new product launches

In addition, I am creating a membership community of small business owners to collaborate and share ideas for future business success and creating various levels of membership. To bring value to my members I am in search of free materials, whitepapers and special reports to offer members for download, I am in search of mentors to coach new professionals and joint venture partners to conduct teleseminars to my members.

Lastly, I am creating a personal brand using social media and interacting on sites such as Linked In, Twitter and Facebook.

Needless to say, there is not enough hours in the day. I sell outsourcing for a living and it never occurred to me to outsource parts of my life and it was the best decision I have ever made. I hired a virtual assistant - Nancy.

Nancy handles most of the administrative tasks for my business and in the two weeks we have been working together and I feel like a big weight has been lifted off of my shoulders. By hiring Nancy, I am able to focus on finishing my products while she focuses on setting up the business.

How wonderful! If you need someone to help organize your business or your life, I would recommend hiring a virtual assistant.

25 Random Things About Me

2009-03-31T23:14:00.004-04:00

1. I still live in Delaware County,

2. I have a beautiful 17 year old daughter

3. I am in marketing – launched my own consulting business

4. I still love the music of the 80's - and I don't care what anyone says. Flock of Seagulls, Simple Minds and all the rock bands of the 80's - still love them!

5. I am an avid real estate investor and entrepreneur.

6. I went on to Neumann College and graduated with a degree in accounting and continued on to Temple for my MBA

7. In 3rd grade, I had a big crush on Eric Hall, but so did 1/2 the grade

8. Every 5 weeks, I still get together with “the girls” for hair night at Krissy Murray (Rosato) – I will give a shout out to Kim, Jeanie and Sandy.

9. I still dance at the Touch of Class – no more competitions or dance company, but still get together with a bunch of great gals to have fun

10. I am writing a book in my spare time

11. I have two dogs, Bailey and Max – two great loves of my life.. okay I’ll throw Dan (my significant other) in there and make that three.

12. I am forever grateful to my mother who supported me in everyway and is why I was able to achieve all that I have achieved.

13. My mother named all of us Sudall kids with a “K”, My brother is Kevin, my sister is “Kim”, I am Kellie and my dad’s name is Ken….

14. My dad remarried and I have an extended family in Michigan – a step brother Eric and a half brother Patrick.

15. Venice, Italy is one of my favorite places in the world

16. I love to read – am a big fan of the “Twilight” series (yes, I joined all the teenie boppers to go
see the movie)

17. I love to laugh and hang out with my friends and my family

18. I am a very compassionate person

19. I would love to learn photography

20. I love the beach and spend my summers in Ocean City, NJ

21. I hate sports, I can think of a million other things to do on Sunday than watch Football

22. I am a golfer and play often (usually with clients)

23. I love girly things: facials, pedicures, manicures

24. I wish I could have fresh flowers delivered every day

25. I am happy

We Can Make A Difference

2009-03-30T10:19:00.003-04:00

There is no doubt things are difficult for most Americans these days, there isn't one of us that doesn't know of a family member or friend that is out of work, on the verge of losing their house or cutting back out of fear of what is next. I was recently at an industry trade show where folks were grousing about the economy and sluggish sales. Overall energy in the room was low as people were on autopilot or "just getting by".

I had the privilege of engaging in conversation with a complete stranger and when the conversation turned to him, his response was intriguing "Me and my family are focusing on performing one random act of kindness each day" He continued on to say "with all the negativity and fear that we are being exposed to everyday, me, my wife and two children have decided to take a stand and each day practice random acts of kindness with strangers in an effort to help make a difference and brighten up a person's day". Needless to say, I was humbled.

It reminded me of a story I heard some time ago:

One day a man was walking down the beach when he noticed a figure in the distance. As he got closer, he realized the figure was that of a boy picking up something and gently tossing it into the ocean. Approaching the boy asked, "what are you doing?"

The boy replied, "Throwing starfish back into the ocean. The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them back, they will die"

"Son", the man said scanning the beach, "don't you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish? You can't possibly make a difference"

After listening politely, the boy bend down and picked up another starfish and threw it into the surf. Then smiling, the boy said "I made a difference for that one!"

Most likely after reading this story, you remember hearing it before or perhaps a similar story. Sometimes we need to hear these stories over and over again to remind us that we can make a difference and change the world, one act of kindness at a time!.

Hectic Week Back to Work

2009-03-26T17:42:00.006-04:00

First week back after my fall. For some strange reason, I was unable to find the focus that would allow me to get a lot of work completed while I was home unable to walk. Each time I grabbed my laptop with the intention of working, I became bored, unmotivated and eventually unproductive.

Funny thing is that the work doesn't disappear.. I have twice as much to get done this week, so it has been extremely hectic. In addition to writing articles, participating in meetings and trying to launch my consulting business..... it has been crazy.

Great news - I just hired a virtual assistant to organize my life. Hopefully my scattered-brain approach won't scare her.

Until next time...

A Sprained Ankle

2009-03-18T19:12:00.002-04:00

Home recovering with a sprained ankle. How wonderful is that? Still going to dance class, we are working on our number and came down from a jump and rolled my ankle. Ouch. I fell straight to the floor and couldn't get up....

The girls in my class were wonderful. They rallied around me and took such good care of me and I want to shout out to all of the girls in the 7:30 class at TOC...... Thank You!

I am home miserable, cranky and helpless. My dogs keep attacking my crutches because they think it is a monster or something and I have to move around on my but or crawl to get around.

Urrg.... Recovery. Let the healing begin!

May Luck be with you on this St. Patrick's Day!

2009-03-17T08:54:00.003-04:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

The luck of the Irish is with all of us today! I want to wish everyone a Happy St. Patty's Day and encourage you to enjoy this holiday and the luck that this day brings.

P90X - Day 2 - Plyometrics Review

2009-03-17T08:52:00.001-04:00

Last night was plyometrics – Day 2 in my P90x program. Plyometrics exercises use explosive movements to develop power in your muscles to increase an athletes’ output. Plyometric training involves movements where you load your muscle and then contract it in a rapid sequence. This type of training is designed to condition your muscles so you can jump higher, run faster, throw faster, or whatever training you require to build endurance, speed and strength. Let me tell you -this type of exercise is not for the faint of heart!

I am in no way an athlete on any level but I have danced ballet, Jazz and Modern dance my entire life, and I had a tough time with these exercises. The movements were awkward and it didn’t help that I was trying to jump and land on the plush carpet in my living room! But, my observation is this, it is all about changing up your routine and causing what P90x trainer, Tony Horton says “Muscle Confusion” and what better way to achieve that than to do exercises that you normally would not do.

In the P90x program, we are given the option to continue with Plyometrics or move to the lower cardio program of Cardio X and I am torn between the decision of which on to chose, but I am leaning towards continuing with Plyometrics because it is so challenging and different. As my good friend Steve says,” do work it real hard and do what you can until you can’t do anymore and strive to beat it the next time”.
So there you go… Plyometrics are in!

P90X Day 1 Review

2009-03-14T22:09:00.002-04:00

Wow! Today Dan and I decided to jump into the P90x Revolution and what a day it was! I was extremely nervous to begin because everyone I know who has started or completed this program has been extremely descriptive about the difficulty of the program or were super athletes and well... Dan and I aren't!

We prepared the family room, dusted off all of our old equipment and jumped into Day 1: Chest and Back. With the exception of a few exercises, I was surprised at how familiar I was with most of the exercises and completed Day 1 successfully. Although, I did have to stop here and there, I was able to get thru both sets on the disc... Hooray for Kellie!

I want to continue to be motivated and look forward to day 2. As we close the night, we are a little tired and a little soar but are geared up for Plyometrics tomorrow.

BRING IT!

Getting Excited!

2009-03-11T17:26:00.002-04:00

I have been working on my new marketing System Build a Better Ezine - Your Guide to Setting up Your Own E-Newletter and I am almost done. I can't wait to announce it once it is released. Dan has been laughing because I normally can't stay up past 10 pm, but I am so excited about finishing, I find I am most creative after midnight....funny.

Stay tuned.

Let me introduce you to my other two children!

2009-03-06T12:12:00.006-05:00

This is Baily, my oldest... Isn't he cute. When we bought him he was so tiny and so precious. His papers stated that he was a pure breed - 100% Pappion. Meaning, he should be a small dog around 10lbs and grown hair around his ears in the shape of butterfly wings.....Well as you can see, he is most definitely not 10lbs and tiny isn't an adjective I would use. In fact, we call him "fatman".

He is definitely a part of our family and no matter how many dogs you have in your lifetime, you always remember the precious ones and Bailey definitely holds a place in my heart - just like a child. He loves his family and is the "protector". Bailey showers most of his affection on his daddy, but we all know he loves us just the same.

This is Max. Bailey's younger brother.... an awesome Yorkshire Terrier and definitely a spitfire. Max loves his family so much, that he is no happy until everyone is home. This is a picture of Max waiting for his Mom to come home from a business trip and fell asleep looking out the window waiting for her to come home. Is your heart breaking? Mine was, when I was sent this picture on the road. Max is the organizer of the house. We all have to bend to his will and play when he wants to, feed him when he wants to be fed and even are told when to go to bed because he is tired. Max favors his Mom and is absolutely a "mama's" boy.

We have a great relationship with our dogs. They are extremely important to us - some call us "one of those annoying dog people" and you know what, I am okay with that. We like to bring our dogs with us and miss them terribly when we are apart. Dogs are our friends and we love them all dearly....

Is the Mother's Curse Real?

2009-03-05T09:50:00.002-05:00

As a mother of teenage daughter and often struggling with the "traditional" teenage behavior – talking back, illogical thinking, lying and horrible decisions on clothing, I have to ask “Is the Mother’s Curse Real?”

Now, I know I wasn’t an angel, but I can’t believe I was as difficult as my daughter is now but I am compelled to ask the question since every once in awhile, I occasionally catch a coy smile on my mother’s face as she listens to my ranting about the latest and greatest battle I am having with my daughter. Although never truly confirmed since my mother always claims that she is sympathetic and “understands”, I can’t help but to feel that she has cast this proverbial mother’s curse on me and is silently enjoying her payback 20 years later.

The irony of it, is I am hoping she teaches me how to cast this curse on my own daughter, 17, who just this morning, proclaimed that she “can’t live with me anymore and she is moving out.” Yes, all of you other mothers are secretly stating the obvious…good, have fun and give me a call in a few years, we’ll do lunch or my mother’s favorite, shall I pack your bags”, this is the natural response we all keep to ourselves but are thinking. As mature parents, we appeal to their outrageous claim with logic and reason – two traits wasted on teenagers.

The mother’s curse, fact or fiction? If you are a daughter, you are very familiar with the mother’s curse. It usually starts with “I hope you have a child that acts just like you someday”! At the time the curse is casted, your feeble teenage mind can’t possibly understand the magnitude so as teenagers do, you rolled your eyes and dismissed the words as the useless banter and information that parents give to their kids. Years later, you remember that moment and wonder, Did she or didn’t she?

The truth is, my daughter doesn’t act just like me, she is 10 times worse so I can only assume that over time the curse gains power or accumulates with each time you made your own mother angry. At a minimum, I am assuming it is intended to provide you with a challenge or to teach you a lesson that you were expected to learn back when you were a young teenage girl.

So the moral of my story for all those teenage girls out there who dismiss their mother’s advice and wisdom is remember the Mother’s Curse and know that your mothers have a power bestowed upon them by a greater power and eventually will make their points known. The curse is intended to have you treated in the manner of which you treat your mother now or ten times worse, so treat your mother with kindness, compassion and calmness.

Back From SPECS

2009-03-04T18:03:00.002-05:00

Well I just returned from FL where I attended the SPECs conference and what an event!. Our keynote speaker was Keith Harrell the motivational speaker and creator of Attitude is Everything. He inspired all of us to follow his basic principles:

My attitude is superfantastic
I will not let anyone steal my joy
I will overcome, overpower and overturn all obstacles.
I will not let anyone or anything impact my positive attitude
I will look further than my vision, because I walk by faith not sight
I will dream big dreams
I will move with a sense of urgency and stay committed to my goals
I will check and recheck, balance and counter balance, measure and be measure to the highest standard of excellence
I will not give up , give in or give place to the fear of defeat
I will never forget who I am, why I am here, and where I am going
I realize this day, this moment, I control my destiny.
I choose to have a positive attitude
I will remember my attitude is everything.