Get Clear BEFORE the New Year!

Let’s face it – 2009 has been quite a year and many of us are more than happy to put it to bed. Now here’s a question…are you ready for 2010? I know…I know…mentioning “New Year” in November feels like getting the winter catalogue in June!

But NOW is the time to be thinking ahead to what you want to accomplish in 2010. Markets shift…goals change…but they need to be SET first. A clear vision and written, measurable goals are the KEY to your success, regardless of market conditions.

Ready2Grow is gearing up for our annual Goal-Setting Marathon on SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5. Join the party! We’ll be taking a whole day to consider where we’ve been – but more importantly, where we want to go from here. Get organized NOW to feel serene and confident on January 1!

WORKSHOP DETAILS:

Imagine what can happen for you and your business in 2010 when you:

● Know EXACTLY what you want to accomplish in your life and business over the next year.

● Can identify the 20% of your activities that produce 80% of your business results.

● Create a map for achieving your goals on a quarterly basis.

● Arrange your time around your strengths, priorities, and deeply-held values.

● Domesticate inner “gremlins” that have held you back in the past.

● Expand your network to include other progressive colleagues who are just as eager as you to learn and grow their business.

● Are FULLY PREPARED to take advantage of every opportunity that presents itself next year

ANTICIPATE 2010! will give you the tools you need to get a jump start on the New Year!

SUMMARY
Who: Join up to 25 small business owners, managers, and professionals
Date: Saturday December 5, 2009
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Delicious lunch and light snacks provided.
Where: Holiday Inn, Cambridge
Facilitator: Lois Raats, Business Coach and Founder, Ready2Grow Associates
Cost: $157+GST until Nov. 20, then the price goes up to $197 +GST

NB: PRE-REGISTRATION is REQUIRED at www.ready2grow.com/courses-events

Other similar workshops sell for hundreds of dollars. But you can have all this and more for the…Early Bird price of $157 – until November 20!

Go ahead…sign up today and get growing!

Yours in growth & learning,

Lois

Lois Raats MEd CCC BCC
Certified Coach and Counsellor
t: 519.883-8838 | lois@ready2grow.com | www.ready2grow.com

Interested in learning and networking with your business peers?

Wish you could kick-start your business or career? Effective networking skills are the key to success in today’s marketplace.

Our next Business Q&A Lunch & Learn will help you improve and expand your networking skills. Here are some common questions that we will be answering during the presentation, along with tools, tips, and success stories. Please feel free to bring your own questions and info as well…

How can I use networking as a strategy to grow my business?
How do I decide where to network, or evaluate the networks I already have?
What should I say to people?
How can I feel more at ease while networking?
How can I actually turn business cards into business?
How can I use social media to network online?

At this event, you’ll have an excellent opportunity to network with other talented business owners who, like you, are keen to grow their business! We welcome door-prizes and display materials as well to help get the word out about your business. BTW…did you know that Nov. 13 is Random Act of Kindness Day? Help us figure out how to work that into our session : )

Business Q&A sessions are held from 11:30 am – 1:30 pm, at the Mosaic Counselling Centre, Sehl Meeting Room, 400 Queen Street South, Kitchener ON.

November 13 – focus on Networking Skills
December 11 – focus on Sales Strategies and Tactics
Watch for more helpful topics coming up in the New Year!

It’s easy to sign up at http://ready2grow.com/courses-events. Go to the link for Business Q&A sessions.

The most amazing part? Cost for each high-value Business Q&A Lunch & Learn is only $5 and/or a Food Bank donation (register online, pay at the door). We’re keeping the price a no-brainer because we love small business owners and want to ensure EVERYONE’S success!

So bring your lunch – and LEARN – from experience coaches and your peers! Your business will love you for it!

Yours in growth & learning,

Lois

Lois Raats MEd CCC BCC
Certified Coach and Counsellor
t: 519.883-8838 | lois@ready2grow.com | www.ready2grow.com

Self Employment a Challenge?

Complete our Group Coaching Survey…and get a chance to win free coaching! http://tinyurl.com/kmyf8q

Owning your own business can be a rollercoaster ride at the best of times!
Can you identify…?
-You finally get your business tuned just right…then the market shifts…
-You were busy with projects…and now all of a sudden you don’t have enough new business…
-You set goals…but have trouble sticking to your most important priorities…
-You’re highly successful, but are struggling to handle all the business that comes your way!
-Maybe you just wish you were accountable and had a regular sounding board…

It’s simply true that in order to succeed, most small business owners need a ton of support. Sure, motivational “guru”-type seminars are great…but…why pay somebody else what you need to learn yourself?

Let’s face it…it’s what’s inside your head that counts. Learning and actually applying sound business principles consistently, on a daily basis, is what produces results.

What better place to learn and grow than with a group of committed, high-achieving peers? Ready2Grow has run group coaching programs in the past with great success…and we will be starting our next groups in October. We are seeking your input to make our groups as relevant to your learning needs as possible.

Please take a couple of minutes to complete the survey. One lucky person will win their coaching series at no charge to them! The winner will be announced in our next newsletter. Here’s the link again…
http://tinyurl.com/kmyf8q

Thanks for your time and interest!
Yours in growth & learning,
Lois

Lois Raats MEd CCC BCC
Business Coach and Founder
Ready2Grow Associates
…your growth is our business

“Now is the time to fix the next ten years.”
–Jim Rohn

On Networking with Twitter

Let me tell you how I get to do an advance book review for a really cool guy who teaches at the London Business School…

Okay, I’m supposed to be on vacation, but I have to admit I’m kind of addicted to surfing the net.
My latest learning curve is Twitter, and yesterday when I glanced at my Twitter site, I realized that I have 4 followers. Okay, okay… 4 followers is a little pathetic, but hey…we all have to start somewhere!

Anyway, I was intrigued that 2 of these followers were people I’d never heard of. So I went to their profiles and started reading their tweets. (In case you’re not familiar with Twitter, a “tweet” is a 140-character blurb about whatever is on your mind).

It turns out Twitter person #2, “revoluted”, recommended a book by a guy named John Mullins. Never heard of John, so of course I looked him up. Turns out he is a professor of Management Practice and head of Entrepreneurship at the London Business School. It also turns out he’s just finishing a helpful new book called “Getting to Plan B: Breaking Through to a Better Business Model”, to be released in September, 2009.

I liked the sounds of the book, so I wrote John an email asking if I could do an advance review. Here’s what he said.
“That would be great, Lois. I will put you in touch here with Mark Fortier, our publicist for North America. Mark, see below. Can you contact Lois? Best, John”

It was that simple.

Needless to say, I’m totally hooked on the power of social media to build my network.
I’ll keep you posted about my upcoming book review : )

BTW, you can follow me on Twitter…”lois_ready2grow”.

*******
Are you interested in learning about business growth alongside other small business owners? Coaching groups will be starting in October. Please indicate your interest by filling out our survey at: http://tinyurl.com/kmyf8q …and forward to your friends.

Check out Jim Estill’s excellent new article 12 Tips on Developing Self-Discipline at:
http://ezinearticles.com/?id=2636464
For those of you who don’t yet know Jim, he’s a wonderful person who also happens to be a highly successful CEO and time leadership expert.

Yours in growth & learning,

Lois

Lois Raats
Business Coach & Founder
Ready2Grow Associates
www.ready2grow.com
lois@ready2grow.com
519-883-8838

Learn Business Skills With Your Peers!

READY SET GROW BUSINESS COACHING GROUP

Are you an owner who is eager to grow your business?

● You know there’s more business out there, but you’re not sure how to attract it.
● You attend networking events… but you’re not sure your efforts are getting you where you want to go.
● And even if you could acquire more customers, you’re not really certain your business could handle them.
● You wish you could serve your clients better and retain them longer.
● You’d delegate tasks to other people if you could find the cash flow – and the right people.
● You’d get better organized – if only you could find the time to sit down and figure things out!

Guess what? Help is available!

● You can learn a systematic method for growing your business that gives you more time and more money at the end of the day.
● Learn alongside other business owners who are just as eager to absorb new ideas and strategies for growing their business.
● Accountability is built right in…so it’s easy to stay on track and achieve your goals.
● Convenient format…on the phone for just an hour and a half every other week.
● Best of all…a great low price per session…and even less if you bring a friend!

Imagine how great it would feel to finally see REAL, MEASUREABLE PROGRESS in your business! With friendly, helpful support along the way!

Yours in growth & learning,

Lois

Lois Raats
Business Coach & Founder
Ready2Grow Associates

Read more and sign up today at: http://www.ready2grow.com/readysetgrow/

Brought to you by:
Ready2Grow Associates
www.ready2grow.com
info@ready2grow.com
519-883-8838