entrepreneurship

Being Organized Can Be Fun!

~ lisagangone ~ Leave a comment

A question for you. Are you organized or disorganized? As an entrepreneur or an average consumer we still have receipts, paperwork, warranties, and so much more. Even though we are in the age of digital technology we still seem to have piles of paperwork. Trying to stay organized can be quite stressful. Between work, family, pets, and social obligations we cannot even keep what is important to us organized so how can we even expect ourselves to keep our paperwork together?

Well this is where I come in. Part of taking care of ourselves is taking care of every part of our lives. Yes we have our obligations and those are important. Some of us like myself say having a tidy house is not important to us but in reality it is (it is a little difficult with my dog but I work on it). For myself if I cannot find something I am just creating undo stress in my life. Having that extra bedroom as an office may not be feasible for everyone. So pick an inconspicuous spot in your kitchen or living room and dedicate it to your paperwork. A great way to do this is decorate it with whatever theme or colors your room has so it blends in and is not an eyesore. You can pick up some inexpensive file folders or file boxes, label each section and voila you have your office. What do you think? Why don’t you give it a try and see how it works for you. I find that I am always reorganizing my office space in some form or another. Especially with my 2-½ year old dog Jack. Right now my bookcases are backwards so he cannot get into trouble and I won’t lose anything I need. If you are looking for office filing cabinets or accessories a great place to look is Habit for Humanity stores. You would be amazed at the great finds. Thrift shops or even Goodwill stores are other places you can find useful accessories. Now keep it simple because you do not need a lot of stuff to keep your stuff.

Add a little inspiration to your space. A vision board if you have room or just some positive affirmations will help. This is just not about carving space out of your home for ugh paperwork. Making it warm and inviting will give it energy where you will want to take care of it. Whatever you love add it to this area within reason of course. I have some of my vision boards in front of my desk so they can inspire me daily. A few affirmations added to this are so helpful for me. I would love to hear how you stay organized or if you need help. Peace of mind is what you will find once you make your space yours.

I am a bookkeeper with a twist. I get you organized and comfortable with your space so it is no longer an albatross on your back.

Until next time…

~Lisa

 

A Little Spin For You…

~ lisagangone ~ Leave a comment

Switching it up….

 

Hi all! Well when I started this blog I really had no idea where it would take me on my journey. It has inspired me to share my story in hopes of inspiring others. It has been a sounding board in regards to my business, my personal life, and my crazy dog Jack. I did not have any expectations and I am not pressuring myself to be perfect. I do my best to keep it real because that is important to me.

So, on that note, I am going to change things up a bit. I am still going to do my best to inspire and support all of you. I am going to begin to sprinkle in some business to educate, guide, and help you with your businesses. Because when it comes down to it entrepreneurs build up entrepreneurs. This is what my tribe does on a daily basis. We keep each other going, supporting, kicking each other in the butt when needed, and giving hugs, and most of all we refer each other.

Since I have really not written too much here is a little bit about my businesses: I love to help people. I do this financially and physically. On the financial side I am a bookkeeper specializing in working with entrepreneurs because I know how difficult it is to run a business and all of the ins and outs you have to keep track of. So I take your back office off of your hands. I get you organized and your books kept up on a monthly basis. It all depends on your needs. I can customize packages to fit each entrepreneurs needs. On the physical side I work with a health and wellness company who helps people physically suffering find some relief and help them live their lives once again. This company gave me my life back so I help others do the same. That is it plain and simple. Nothing fancy but I am fortunate and grateful that I have the ability to help others.

I am excited to announce I am working on some tips and tricks I can share with you at a later date. The best way to snag these little gems will be through my email list.

You can sign up here: http://eepurl.com/clTkNf

 

Thank you and until next time…

~Lisa

Words Matter…

~ lisagangone ~ Leave a comment

A good friend of mine insisted I by Robert listen to “Rich Man Poor Man,” by Robert Kiyosaki. She was adamant about this. Now that I have listened to the entire book I now understand why. It has been on my lists of things to do but I was always making excuses. There are quite a few books on my wish list that are now going to make it to my get it done list. This book has changed my entire outlook on life. I believe I was in the process of changing my outlook but this book has kicked it into high gear for me.

All I can say is words do matter especially the words we tell ourselves. Just a small change in a few words can make a difference. Now when I am looking to help build my business up I need to take a look at what and how I am saying things. Instead of I can’t afford it I will turn it around and say how can I afford it. Pull the negative words out and put in the possible words. As long as I believe I can do the work I will accomplish it. This has already started happening for me. Try it and see how it changes you.

I am going to work on two lists, what I do not want and what I want. I found it interesting what was on both of his lists. It is more about what we get stuck in and not about money but what we can do once we have money to do those things. That struck me hard. I do not need to limit my dreams and myself. One of my entrepreneur friends has been talking about how she has changed her relationship with money. I believe all of these factors into our relationship with money. When not if we change the words we use we will change the mindset we use. How about that! The power of choice is key. I have been on a journey of educating myself to get a degree. By doing this I am empowering myself to all sorts of opportunities. It has opened my world up to the exact journey I am on today. I will complete this journey next spring.

Listening to this book I have been enlightened to the choices I have made and my choices in the future. Time, learning, and money are choices we all make. I am changing the words I use around these choices. I have made an investment in myself with my schooling and I will continue to educate myself in business. Listening to other entrepreneurs and embracing new concepts and ideas but then implementing them to improve myself. Unconsciously I continue to learn daily. Turning this into a conscious decision will help me master something new continually and my world will expand exponentially. How exciting is that! I was at a networking group this morning. An entrepreneur said to me: be you, show your passion about what you do, and have fun doing it.

Until next time…

~Lisa

 

 

 

 

A Little Nourishment for Your Soul…

~ lisagangone ~ Leave a comment

Nourishing Our Souls…

How do we nourish our souls? In today’s world well at least in my opinion more people are open and honest about how they feed their souls or maybe it is just the people I choose to surround myself with today. I am passionate about feeding my body in a healthy way and helping others to do the same. I am also passionate about feeding my soul and love the journey it has given me.

In business I need to look at what I do and how it serves me in mind, body, and spirit. When I do this money will follow. In the past I only considered my job, what position I held, and how much my salary was. This thought process shifted for me when my circumstances changed. My entire outlook on the business world changed. Honestly for a long time I did not know how I felt. I thought without the status of having a job my outlook would be of shame and embarrassment. But it wasn’t. It was freeing. This was the first time I truly felt I was feeding my soul. It has taken time but today I can look at fellow entrepreneurs and truly understand where their passion comes from.

I share this with you because it is important to acknowledge one’s self worth away from what we do for a living to pay the bills. Once I acknowledged this I saw myself in a new light as a human being not a human doing. Today I have the ability to change my thoughts and beliefs to who I truly am not who the corporation I worked for expected me to be. This is feeding my soul. Opening up to new possibilities, learning new things, and making decisions for the health of my being is life changing. How have you been able to feed your soul? Looking at my visions boards this week the words, “From lost to found,” stand out to me. For years I was lost in the mire of hanging onto a job that did not fit me. Have you ever felt this way? How have your vision boards inspired you?

When I look at the benefits of nourishing my soul has given me it is astounding. I have found in my entrepreneurial journey that decisions are not permanent and it is okay to make mistakes because I can only develop more into the person I am meant to be. I have found surrounding myself with other entrepreneurs I boost myself up and am able to boost others up. One of the most amazing pieces is the people I have met and continue to meet. I would have never had this opportunity to expand my network in my past life. I have met some pretty amazing people who inspire me to keep moving forward in my journey.

Now I encourage you to continue in your journey and share your awesomeness with the world.

 

Until next time…

~Lisa

 

Finding Balance With Jack…

~ lisagangone ~ Leave a comment

Well it has been about four months since Jack has come into my life. I have had to make some changes to my schedule to ensure Jack is taken care of. This brings me to the topic of balance. I have many layers to my life and work as so many others do. I have a “job,” school, self-employment in multiple businesses, self-care, and care of others within my businesses. Jack has played an important part in those changes. I need to make sure I am home to feed him, exercise him, train him, and most of all to enjoy him. Because of that I need to schedule around him. This was a personal choice for me. I love having a dog in my home for me it completes my home. What completes your home?

For me schoolwork is structured and I know when I need to accomplish tasks. I know Jack’s schedule and what I need to do. I have set schedules with some clients and others I work around my schedule. When it comes to building my businesses I have no set schedule. As an entrepreneur scheduling time is on me. Sometimes this goes well for me and other times not so much. What about you, how do you manage your time? This can be a blessing and a curse for the self-employed. Time freedom needs balance, as does life itself. I need to build my business around Jack and myself.

Right now I am looking at and assessing the common threads of all of what I do. Synergism is very important to me in all aspects of my life. I find when I have continuity I have momentum and this is a great feeling. When I do not have continuity I can get in my own way. Does this happen to you? I would love your feedback on this. I love that each part of my life has a common thread. Jack has helped me see this. I have been given lessons and continue to have lessons with Jack. I love to learn even if frustration comes through. Once I am through it I appreciate it so much more.

Balance can mean different things to each person. It is what drives us although sometimes what drives us takes us completely out of balance. Some people are laser focused, others middle of the road, and others not so much. Where do you stand on balance? A little pun on words there! As I sit here writing I am looking at my vision boards. I am noticing a common thread of simplicity. My balance is within simplicity. Gardening, meditation, music, animals, yet finding balance when adding work is where I am at right now. It is daily work to keep balance in all areas of my life. As I have been told many times and truly believe it is in the journey that we find our balance. The road may be bumpy at times but it will lead to the place of balance we all need and want.

 

Until next time…

~Lisa

What is Next for Jack?

~ lisagangone ~ Leave a comment

Well I can tell you it will not be any more encounters with the groundhog! OMG that was an experience I do not want to repeat. As I have mentioned I have a groundhog living underneath my garage. Come to find out he has made a few homes in the neighborhood. This past Sunday evening Jack was out in his area while I was having dinner. I had cleaned up and he was ready to come in when he spots Mr. Groundhog and goes after him. Well the groundhog does not go through his escape hatch and they are nose to nose. Without thinking I run into the pen. Then the groundhog comes running my way! Needless to say what came out of my mouth was not pleasant! I got out and Jack corners it. Well my screaming gets some of my neighbors out to see what’s happening. They kept me somewhat calm. I honestly did not know what to do. I have dealt with rabbits, birds, and skunks but never a groundhog. I threw treats, his ball at Jack but no luck. I called the police to try to get animal control but it would take an hour. The officer on the phone probably thought I was crazy for calling. He asked me if I could get the leash around him and I told him I was calling because I had no idea what to do. While on the phone with him I had a light bulb go off. I grabbed Jack by his big fluffy tail and dragged him out. Mind you he did not react well but I got him out. Phew what a workout that was. Adrenalin pumping and relief all at once, luckily Jack had no bites and no blood on him.

Have you ever done something that put you in a corner or panicked and made a decision you regretted? Then of course fear kept you nose to nose and pride kept you from pulling back. I think this is where Jack and the groundhog were. Defensive and reactive all at once; this is quite draining. What lessons have you learned from past situations that help you in the present? I am so appreciative of my experiences whether it is a lesson learned or a successful event. But in the thick of things I do not always see it that way. Today I have gratitude around my mistakes and the growth I gain from them. It is helpful in business to have this attitude. I know that even though many have said no to me I will have those who say yes. It can be frustrating at times and I work on not taking it personally. Most times it is what is going on with the other person and not me is what it comes down to. I need to remind myself of this and keep moving forward. Tenacity is a powerful tool to stay focused on my goals. How about you? How do you use tenacity to keep you focused?

I had someone come this morning to set a trap for the groundhog. I will keep you posted on how it goes. For now Jack’s area is off limits until the groundhog is caught. Hopefully soon as this is putting a damper on daily life for us; I am a little ticked off but will get over it.

Until next time…

~Lisa

How Do You Keep Moving Forward?

~ lisagangone ~ Leave a comment

How do you keep moving forward? It does not matter whether it is for work or home. There are 24 hours in a day, seven days in a week but there never seems to be enough time to keep up with life. It can get overwhelming and sometimes I think the heck with it. That is when I need to take a step back and see what is really happening underneath the chaos of my life. I ask you what do you do when this happens to you?

There was a time when I was not so busy and having that idle time can be dangerous for my mind. Idle time can mean getting into my head and not into my w. My head tells me one thing and my heart another. It is usually my heart that has the right answer. How does this work for you? The big difference for me now is that I need be even more specific with my priorities and sometimes the insanity of life skews my sense of what is important. I can feel a shift in me when this happens. My goals take a back seat and that is not healthy for my business or me. This is a little spin off of my blog juggling acts. Everyone is juggling, the difference is some people are just so organized and others well not so much.

It is when I step into the chaos that what I have for organization crumbles. I was on a business coaching call last week and we talked about how some of us are piling and others of us are filing. Which one are you? This is when I bring my toolbox out and use the tools I have learned to get me back on track. What are some of the tools in your toolbox?

The thing is it is okay to get off track once in awhile as long as it is not on a daily basis. We are all human beings and cannot be on our “game” all of the time. That would be quite tedious and draining don’t you think? Taking down time to regroup, refresh, recharge, or whatever you name it makes us so much stronger to continue our journey of discovery and success. I think for me one of my recharging tools is writing this blog. I am finding it brings out the creative side of me, gets me thinking on the right track, focuses me, and inspires me to keep moving forward. My intention is to reach as many people as possible and help as many people as I possibly can. Walt Disney wrote, “Around here we don’t look backwards for very long… We keep moving forward, opening new doors and doing new things because we’re curious… And curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” This is what I want for myself. To keep moving forward, opening myself up for new experiences, and keeping myself curious because being curious means to me that I am alive, growing, and learning. So, I ask you how are you staying curious?

 

Until next time…

~Lisa

Finding Your Tribe

~ lisagangone ~ Leave a comment

How does one go about finding their tribe? That is other than your family. I have a few different tribes depending upon what part of my life I am focused on. I have my long time friends from growing up. This tribe is the one that no matter what happens to me no matter the circumstances; this tribe sticks by me through thick and thin. We may live thousands of miles apart but when you need them they are there for you.

Then there are those friends I have developed through different work I have done. I have one tribe that gets together a few times a year to catch up and to just enjoy each other’s company. Others getting together is rare but always a good time. Others I have met networking and have developed friendships because we connected in another aspect of our lives. These connections are real, authentic, and can help bring me to new awareness’s that I would have never imagined.

One particular tribe that has dramatically changed my life is through one of my businesses. One that happened per chance-I talked about this in my last blog regarding my health. The people I have met and work with on a weekly basis continue to challenge me, support me, and inspire me to grow beyond my wildest dreams. I do not believe our paths would have not crossed had it not been for me taking a leap of faith. This tribe has helped me in so many different ways I am eternally grateful for each and every one of them. From this tribe I have come to grow and expand my mind, body, soul, and spirit.

This tribe has allowed me to bring amazing people into my life. One’s whose support of me continues to help me grow and expand. These are people who I can relate to and bring added value to my life personally and professionally. I wish this for anyone who is open to expand their ways of looking at life and what amazing gifts can come from adding to your tribe.

 

 

What is even better is finding like-minded people-they don’t even need to be in business with you but you have an amazing connection and you recommend one another’s businesses. I find the connections I have made do just that. We support each other in business. In fact one of these connections posted links to my website within her blog. I find that when I meet people I can truly connect with and their business is one I can support then respectfully I can support them in business by sharing my knowledge of what they do and how they can be of service to others. When I recommend people who I know practice what they preach I know from there my world will expand exponentially.

So I ask you, do you have a special tribe who supports you and helps nurture you to be a better person? What does this tribe mean to you and how did you find them? I would love to hear from you on how this manifests for you. Take a leap of faith, find your tribe, and hang on for an amazing journey that will raise your vibrations to a higher level of consciousness.

 

Until next time…

~Lisa

 

 

 

 

 

 

Selling: Is it a Four-Letter Word?

~ lisagangone ~ Leave a comment

Let’s face it no one likes to be sold to. But most jobs whether working for a corporation or an individual business owner you are selling to someone. It may not even feel like selling to you but it is. Convincing your boss your project should take priority, asking for for that promotion or raise, or interviewing for that perfect job. But here is the thing when you share information, educate people about what you do, why you do it and this resonates within you, then would you not consider changing how you view selling?

We grew up selling. We worked our parents convincing them to buy us the latest trend or take us to wherever we wanted to go. Children watch adults and learn from them. Wouldn’t it be great if we could take what we learned as a child, bring it into adulthood, and not feel guilty about it? Wouldn’t be amazing if learning this skill was considered positive instead of negative? I see people excelling at their jobs; their businesses and I wonder what were they taught as a child? Were they given the tools for success or were they deprived as a child? People are driven by different circumstances. I have learned not to judge anyone based on any characteristic, circumstance, financial status, religion, etc. I cannot list everything but you get the idea.

All of my adult life I have been in some type of sales but never really thought about it up until a few years ago when I became dependent upon myself and the commissions I make. It is very different when you receive a paycheck from a corporation. I am not making any judgments here because I do supplement my income in different ways. My supervisor at my “job” observes how other people act and recognizes how people sell themselves in different ways. So why not look at this in a different light and really think about how we sell. I look at selling as educating. This is new for me and it would have been amazing to have this knowledge years ago but I probably was not ready for it until now.

Observing and learning from others is important to me in order to grow my business. I believe today that I am not selling but educating people on a different way of life; a way that not everyone is open to but another way of looking at life and what our purpose is here on this earth.

Surround yourself with successful people. This success comes in different forms. It all depends on what your definition of success is. That is the really cool part of this. Everyone has their own path whether or not they choose to look at it and go in that direction. It takes some longer than others (like me) and others get it straight out of the gate. All along we are selling whether we realize it or not. So go out there, have fun and sell!

 

Until next time…

~Lisa

The Gift of Helping Others

~ lisagangone ~ 1 Comment

How do you feel when you help other people? What is your idea around helping people? There are many ways we help people on a daily basis and sometimes we do not even know we are helping. There are simple things we can do to help without knowing it-saying thank you to the person who waited on you, telling someone to have a nice day, a smile, opening or holding a door open, picking up something they dropped so they do not have to bend down, giving up a seat for someone else, and so much more.

Then there is knowing and purposely helping someone whether it is friends, family, or in business. All of these can integrate at any given moment. I know when I have the ability to help someone I feel better as a person, a human being, and that I have the capacity to make my small part of the universe a better place to live in. What I have learned is that you can feel good helping people in business that benefits them and you all at once. I do not need to feel guilty for earning a living when the end result is positive. Since entering the world of entrepreneurship I have come to understand that when you help someone you help yourself in many different ways. It is an overwhelming experience, it is humbling, yet empowering all at once.

What I mean by empowering is the knowledge that I can make a difference. This experience is nothing I ever felt in the corporate world.

Today I can be that person that helps and have gratitude that I was blessed with this ability. It is a simple concept yet complex all at once. Has this happened to you in your business? How does this make you feel? For me it keeps me in a forward motion knowing I can continue on this path.

I have been blessed with helping people change their lives for the better, becoming pain free, giving them the ability to gain their lives back. I have given this to myself and this is how I have been able to give it to others. I can be a support system to others and they to me. It is synergistic and healing mentally, physically, and emotionally. Finding peace of mind in health allows everything else to follow. When people feel good they can do so much more in their lives and others see the changes in them. Who would not want to feel good? When I see someone smiling and laughing that has not done so in a long time and knowing I played a small part in helping them achieve this all I can say is yes I am on the right path.

I have met many people in my journey who’s mission is to help others because they truly believe by helping others they help themselves. Some are health coaches, business coaches, marketing coaches, others sell make-up, are holistic practitioners, domestic diva’s, preachers, and so much more. They have helped inspire me and kept me going just by knowing we all have the same purpose. Everyone has a different message but yet it is the same. The synergy is humbling.

What is your path? How are you helping others? Are you looking for a way to make a difference or have you found your way? It warms my heart knowing I have helped someone on his or her path of healing. Tell me have you found your path? When you do it will be amazing.

Until the next time…

~Lisa