40 Days/40 Nights with the Magical Morelli’s

Wow!  This is a remarkable week – filled with all sorts of programs from some of my colleagues that I can’t wait to tell you about.  I usually don’t promote other people’s programs as much but I truly feel like you’d be missing out if I didn’t share this one!

I have discovered Kristin & David Morelli’s – I call them the Magical Morelli’s because they make me smile. The are all about energy and prosperity.  In fact they have an amazing radio show called Everything is Energy.  This week they are having a preview call about their Quantum Leap Wealth and Energy program. 

Now I’m not big on any ‘ole “wealth program” but this couple is all about the energy of money and wealth. It’s so in alignement with the message of Joyful Business that you’ll want to try to be on the call.

Click here to join the call on Wed, April 22 at 8pm est.  (I’ll be there! )  They will be previewing their energy program called 40 Days/40 Nights and I’ll tell you that I’ve already joined it!

Here is a video to get a feel of their style and personality. They are very fun, very real and love what they talk about.

Grab your spot by clicking here!

En-JOY!
Laura

Change Your Chi Speaker Series with Laura West & Stephanie McWilliams

I wanted to tell you about a really exciting speaker's series I'm participating in with my friend, Stephanie McWilliams, host of HGTV's "Fun Shui." She's brought together a fabulous lineup of gifted women speakers -- including me -- and I'd love it if you would join us! This is a wonderful opportunity to "meet" 10 transformational speakers for just $1 each. My teleclass will be Tuesday, April 28th at 8pm E/T. Can't make it on this date? Don't worry-- all calls will be recorded and available for download so you can listen to them any time you wish! For more information check it out here! 

As an added bonus, you'll be one of the first to experience the grand opening of Stephanie's Change Your Chi(TM) Network!

The fun begins Monday, April 20th at 8pm E/T and you won't want to miss any of these dynamic speakers, so I encourage you to click on the link below for more information and to register...
Change Your Chi Speaker Series 

En-JOY!

Laura

Joyful Business Podcast #25: Finding your Joy in Business

Don't miss another episode - subscribe today and be the first to know when a new podcast comes out  - Join our "Creating Your Joyful Business" newsletter - http://www.joyfulbusiness.com/subscribe.html

Here is the latest episode of the Joyful Business Podcast featuring interviews with some of the most talented and joyful entrepreneurs on the Internet. Each interview is full of nuggets of wisdom about how being joyful and mindful in your business brings you the success you deserve. You'll find tips, stories, and real life ideas for keeping the joy, passion and creativity alive.

Join us every two weeks in Cafe Entrepreneur for a new interview.

In episode #25, Suzanne Falter-Barns gives us great clarity on the connection with joy in business.  As a teacher to coaches, authors, speakers and infopreneurs she gives the ins and outs of how to build platform and attract major media and publishers.

After working with Suzanne, her clients have been called cold by CNN, Time, Sixty Minutes, PBS, Self, People and many other major media outlets. They’ve also been offered major publishing deals, and created successful six figure businesses. Suzanne has published two best selling self help books with the world’s biggest publisher, and has, herself, been featured in many major publications and in more than 100 radio and TV programs. She also has a 20-year history in marketing, promotion and journalism in New York City, including work with The New York Times Company, Hearst, and Conde Nast. She knows how major media and publishers think, and how to package your gifts most effectively to attract the biggest audience...Listen in to learn more!

Listen Now:

If you enjoy this Joyful Business Podcast then you'll love our bi-weekly newsletter, Creating Your Joyful Business, filled with resources and how-to's for creating a financially successful business while honoring your lifestyle, your relationships and your creative expression!  Subscribe at: www.JoyfulBusiness.com  and receive your Free Business Attraction Success Kit!

En-JOY!

Laura

Join Laura West & Kim DeYoung of MetroMoms for Business Changing Teleclass!

Wow – I’m noticing that there are several really great programs coming out lately from some of my favorite and respected colleagues around internet marketing, small business and managing your mindset & energy.  I like to tell you about some of them – here is the first one.

Two great things about this program – I’m a part of this Telesummit :) AND it’s F.R.EE!

I’m particularly excited about what Kim DeYoung of MetroMoms is up to for supporting busy women entrepreneurs (especially juggling mom-preneurs) who want to get more out of their internet marketing.  She has put together what I consider the “best of the best” for you to learn from and-yes I’m included! ;)

In fact, Kim was recently speaking in Atlanta and stayed with me.  We had a day of joyful and powerful masterminding together. I got so excited about her her upcoming TeleSummit that I agree to co-host a Preview Call with her tomorrow!

So…here are the details…

This Tuesday Kim and I are hosting a Preview Call where we share with you “Take Charge of Your Economy - 5 Steps on How to Use the Internet to Prosper and Profit.”  Read on below about the call – I hope you can attend as it’s going to be powerfully packed and very authentic for busy women entrepreneurs who are working in their businesses and especially if you are using internet marketing strategies. .

Here are the details for tomorrow’s call:

Tuesday, April 21st at 2 PM Eastern.
"Take Charge of Your Economy - 5 Steps on How to Use the Internet to Prosper and Profit"
Click here to Register    

On this call you'll learn the five steps you MUST know in order to grow your business online AND maximize your time and energy:

-How to Create Effective Design & Motivating Content
-How to Increase Visibility, Buzz, and Revenue
-How to Streamline Your Digital Back Office
-How to Put It All Together With the Right Mindset
-How to Get the Support You Need to Keep Moving Forward

This is a FREE preview call for the Metromom Online Success Telesummit, taking place May 1st and 2nd.

All you need is a phone. Reserve your space here

The really cool thing about this call is it’s just a taste of what is to come…Kim is hosting a 2 day TeleSummit with some of the best internet marketing mavens! (yep – I’m included again!)  And…it’s F.R.EE – gotta love that!  

So, join us on this preview call – you’ll get great content and we’ll be letting you know about these amazing marketing mavens on The MetroMom TeleSummit.

I look forward to hearing you on the call!

En-JOY!
Laura

P.S. If you want to learn more about the Metromom Online Success Tele-summit you can check it out here.

Laura West on Thrive Connect Radio!

I had an incredible interview with Jordan Mercedes of Thrive in Balance. What a joy it was to connect with Jordan, she has this great enthusiasm about her. She is definitely a Joyful Business owner in action! Her show, Thrive Connect is right in line with the Joyful Business philosophy - showing entrepreneurs how to get organized and live your most exuberant passionate life. We had such fun talking about how you can create and experience a Joyful Business.

To listen in on this episode and find out more about Jordan click here:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Thrive-In-Balance/2009/04/14/Laura-Howard-West-Founder-of-the-Center-for-Joyful-Business

En-JOY

Laura

Tapping into Your Intuition for Greater Clarity, Confidence and Creativity in Your Business

Every day you are faced with making decisions in your business. You are looking over your year and planning the next program you want to offer your clients. Do I launch it in this month or that month? Do I support it with this marketing strategy or do I use that one? Which virtual assistant do I hire? We search for information, ideas and resources outside of us and then at some point you have to bring it inside and make your own decision. This is where a well developed sense of your intuition to support your decisions is critical to your success.

It's great to gather information, but to know what is right for you at this time is up to you. Consciously tapping into your intuition will build up your "muscle" of using your intuition for greater clarity and more confidence in your actions, and opens up a wealth of creative inspirations.

Intuition isn't something you turn off or on in your business - it's always available to you. It's about practicing to open up the connection with your higher self so that you have access to the nuances of intuition and how it shows up for you. For each person, the experience is different. For some the wisdom and inspiration shows up in signals in their body - tingling, openness, lightness - for others it's a visual flash or a dream.

Since it's such a unique experience it helps to know how to work with your intuition on a daily basis so you can develop a trust in this guidance. It will serve you in your business as you grow bigger and the growth starts to happen faster.

Here are 7 steps to help you hone your intuitive sense:

1. Stop

This simple one word is the place to start in understanding your unique intuitive guidance experience. You have to stop being on auto-pilot and looking "out there" for more information. Stop and decide to tap into your guidance.

2. Notice

By observing your body, your energy, and your nudges/godwinks/urges/ideas you'll start to attune to the way intuitive guidance comes to you. It is different for each of us so you'll want to practice this each day. Notice if you get information in your gut, your heart, throat, shoulders. Your body is very communicative and will send you signals for the direction that is in alignment for your highest good.

3. Shift Your Energy

I find that it can be hard to tap into my intuitive guidance when I'm sitting at my desk. Moving your body which moves your energy will get your guidance flowing. Sitting at your desk, staring at the computer and forcing the answer to your next step is a sure way to choke off your breath and therefore, your flow to guidance. Even doing simple things like going outside to get the mail, taking a nap or a shower or even just drinking a glass of water will loosen up the flow of inspiration.

4. Ask for the Answer

As you get in movement and shift your energy, ask a question. If I'm sitting at my desk trying to force the theme of the next article I find it helps to ask for what wants to be written. I'm amazed at how I get inspired answers on the way to checking out the mail! Just the power of walking helps - and you need to be clear in your question so your higher self knows what you want to focus on.

5. Let Go

After you ask - then you let go. This step may seem counter-intuitive but actually it's about not forcing it. Sometimes when writing I just need to let go of the "perfect article" and just start typing...just let go and let it flow. Often I find I will write a question in my journal before I go to sleep and then let it go. My subconscious has a way of working the answer out to the forefront and I usually get it while in the shower. We've all heard about those powerful "shower thoughts"!

6. Choose Your Endorsement

You get to choose which thought you are going to endorse or support. If you are like me, you ask - well, is this the RIGHT answer? Here's where you get to develop your sense of trust. You get to choose what feels right in this moment and take the next step. There are many paths to get to where you want to go in your business and there truly isn't one magical way. So, asking for guidance, letting go and choosing to endorse the answer that comes is very freeing. Let go of finding the one final right answer and go with what feels right in this moment. It will lead you somewhere and you can take action from that new place.

7. Trust It

Many times my clients will wonder if this is their intuition at work. Only you can decide that it is your intuition. Just trust it is and it makes it so. Believing is powerful energy and draws to you opportunities and people just from your conviction. Wavering or scattered energy gets mixed and confusing results. Trust your guidance and watch the impact and power.

Bonus: My bonus recommendation is to remember to "practice." Intuition is powerful but it's not something you can just turn on. It takes practice to develop your attunement to your guidance and practice to trust it and put it into practice.

By developing your sense of your intuitive guidance system and trusting the inspired actions which result, you will soon feel a deep sense of clarity and confidence and will be able to tap into the creative flow that is always available to you. This inner skill is what successful business owners have relied on for years - in spite of all the information in the world.

Laura Howard West is a certified professional coach, writer, speaker and the President and Chief Creative Officer of The Center for Joyful Business. She is the creator of The Joyful Business Guide™, a business attraction system blending law of attraction principles with smart business designed for solo-entrepreneurs and business owners.

Laura is also a contributing author to the book, Spirit of Women Entrepreneurs and has been a contributing writer for Motto magazine, Inside Gwinnett newspaper, and Connections, a publication for image consultants. Laura also publishes an award winning blog, Café Entrepreneur and a bi-monthly ezine, Joyful Business. Visit our website for your free Business Attraction Success Kit at www.JoyfulBusiness.com.

Are You Growing Your Business From Scarcity or Abundance?

As a solo entrepreneur, your mindset and energy are the most important resources in growing and running your business. If you are thinking small, feeling doubtful or you don't have energy behind your programs and services, then your growth will be small -if you grow at all. In fact, creating programs and new services when you are thinking small or are mired in limiting beliefs is a sure way to create the very thing you are worried about - failure!

It's vital to your success that you create from abundance.

Here's an example of what I mean. One of the big programs I am launching this year is a 3 day workshop. It is my first workshop where I will be the host and leader and I'll invite a select few other speakers to present who are in alignment with my joyful business message. Part of my purpose is to step more in the spotlight with my visionary message of lifestyle entrepreneurs having a business that is "holistically joyful" in every way. This is a big leap for me in being seen and inviting people into my community beyond the virtual gatherings of teleclasses and into real life events.

I know to be successful I need to partner with other successful people who can support my efforts. I met on the phone with a person who was potentially going to help me with the event. The vulnerable part of this conversation (and what I know to be true for many of you) is this... in the conversation, I noticed my energy was tentative and I was more worried about NOT filling the event than filling it. I kept thinking that I need to hold the event in my hometown of Atlanta because it was easy access even though none of the hotel locations were inspiring me. Needless to say I didn't get very far in my event planning.

Fast forward to the next week. I realized that I was trying to create from scarcity. My workshop felt huge and my creativity, inspiration and confidence felt small. In creating from a fear place I was feeling very little personal power to enroll people to come to an in-person workshop.

I knew I needed to shift my "come from" place. What if I was coming from abundance? What would THAT look like? For a few minutes I let go of any limiting concerns that were having me think small. I stepped into my "audaciously savvy business women" embodiment. I made a list of the type of launch and event partners I desired, the amazing speakers I wanted to partner with and what a beautiful transformative experience and environment I would be sharing with my attendees - without a care of money, time, effort, or availability. Talk about an energy shift!

The next person I spoke with about the workshop tapped into my abundance, the beauty of the experience I wanted to provide and the possibilities. She helped bring the workshop alive! In fact, at the end of our conversation I had totally shifted from "I want to host this workshop in a safe place so I won't fail" to "I can't wait to tell everyone about this amazing experience I am creating for their success!"

Which intention sounds more engaging and enrolling? Nothing shifted in my resources as far as time, money or ability. What shifted was creating FROM abundance! It allowed me to step into my honest full-hearted desire and from there...anything was possible!

You can bet I'm on fire about this workshop and that my excitement and enthusiasm is engaging and enrolling! Suddenly filling the workshop seems easy! Of course, I know I'm partnering with the right mentors and support team but the real key to success was starting first with "creating from abundance."

What is your next project, program or information product you want to create and launch? Imagine you have a magic wand and you could create and launch your project any way you wanted. Let yourself dream...What would be different? What would happen that would have you giggle with delight? What would be included in your project that would make it fantastic? Whose help would you enroll that would make it easy and joyful?

Feel your energy surge and your inspiration ramp up! Now what is your first bite-sized step? Take it this week!

The real secret to success in your business–it’s not what you think!

The secret to success for entrepreneurs and small business owners is not another brilliant marketing idea. There’s a better place to start first. The real secret to success is tapping into and using your intuition in your business on a consistent basis.

You might be wondering… Can this really be true? Yes. When you hone your ability to tap into your intuition then you’ll thrive in any economy because you have a strategy that is more powerful than a marketing flash. Marketing ideas are a dime a dozen. Great marketing ideas are rarer, but your intuition will tell you which ones are right for you and your business in this moment. Without your intuition you are just flailing like a flag being whipped around by the wind.

This was the case in a recent Intuitive Business Consultation with a client who wanted clarity on her niche. She is a life coach who works with women in mid-life. That narrows it down to about 40 million women. She knew it wasn’t focused enough as she wasn’t really gaining any momentum in her business. It’s not a focused enough niche so she can use her marketing resources wisely and effectively. She came to the call frustrated. She said she had been in business for years and had studied a lot of marketing strategies. She felt she should know this stuff.

She was looking outside for marketing solutions first instead of looking on the inside for the clarity and alignment of her gifts and her passions.

In the process of getting clear we tapped into her energy flow and patterns. Where was she on fire and excited? What is her passion for these women about? What was she so passionate about that it flipped on her and caused her to shut down the possibilities? Where did she get angry and hold back? What is so unique and magical about my client’s way of offering life coaching that she doesn’t even see it? Much like a fish doesn’t notice the water they swim in, it’s often hard to see for yourself without practice. These are energetic clues to my client’s path to growth and success in her business. These are not the typical marketing questions you ask yourself in a business planning class and yet they are the key to sustainable success. Start inside for alignment and then the inspired actions, i.e.: marketing strategies, packaging ideas and products, will come easily.

Everyone has the ability to tap into their innate wisdom, knowledge, ideas and inspiration drawn from intuition. It’s not reserved for a select few. However, it does take practice to hone the skill so you can depend on it and use it on a consistent basis. Chances are you already using your intuition occasionally without being consciously aware of it.

What are your signs that you are in tune with your intuition? The experience is different for everyone. Here are some common experiences from my clients about when they know they are tapped in:

My inner voice sounds different than the usual chatter

• I feel a quiet sense of calm
• I feel an alignment of energy inside
• I had a dream
• It feels right
• I feel a surge of energy and elation
• I feel a tingling in my arms and shoulders
• I see a picture in my mind

I find many of my clients are naturally intuitive but something happens when it comes to their business and especially marketing. They shift from their inner wisdom to frantically chasing more marketing knowledge and ideas outside of themselves. Knowledge is good and we need information for the “how to’s” of successful marketing but most entrepreneurs I know get stuck in collecting information.

The real goldmine is in listening to what you need to do next. This might be scary, in fact, it usually requires you to claim your brilliance in a new way and step into the spotlight. Even stepping in to the spotlight graciously and with integrity requires you to own your personal power. This is where getting support from a coach or mentor will help you shift your mindset, trust your intuition and take the actions aligned with your vision.
In this rapidly changing world you need to have skills that go beyond “great marketing.” The economy changes, demographics change, lifestyle desires change and then your marketing needs to change. Relying on your intuition to tell you what your business is wanting from you next, what your clients want and which decisions to make is where the power to your success is in any economy.

This week: Thank about one area of your business you want more clarity on or a decision that it’s time to make. When you think about this area, notice the signals your body sends to you. Pay attention to the ideas that pop up to inspire you to take action. Notice what resources are right in front of you waiting to help.