Friday, November 30, 2012

Entrepreneurs: Embrace the Power of Synergy with Min-e-book™ Success

Every one of us is a blessed being capable of an infinite amount of abundance and success. Generally speaking, though, we each tend to excel in a special area. It could be writing or composing music. It could be teaching. It could be auto mechanics or architecture. We all have that one thing in life we know we are supposed to do; it’s almost as though we were built to do it. We are happy when we do our “thing,” and this is because we know we are gosh darn good at it.
Those of us who become entrepreneurs usually choose to do so because we enjoy the freedom of working for ourselves, of allowing ourselves to pursue our passion however and whenever we want. But, we’re also making a business of it so it’s important for us to be innovating constantly, creating new avenues and outlets, and building onwards and upwards to our highest and greatest potential. That is our thing. It challenges us perpetually, and we love it.
Writing is certainly not everyone’s area of expertise, yet I wholeheartedly encourage entrepreneurs to consider writing and publishing a book. Here are a few reasons why:

·         Right now, only you understand the value you have to offer your world, but undoubtedly you are an expert, or a best source, on a certain subject. By publishing a book, you can offer that expertise to a much larger audience, opening yourself to even greater influence and abundance potential.

·         Being a published author will expand your media presence (new avenues and new outlets, remember!) which means more attention for your business.

·         Sharing your knowledge helps people genuinely interested in knowing what you know, and when you enter the process from a desire to help others, your book will improve the lives of those who read it. Improving the world is a chain reaction: you can start with one person and then create a bigger impact from there.

·         Embracing the challenge of doing something new will inspire personal growth and the pride of a new accomplishment. Go forth and chart new territory for yourself!

·         At the end of the process, you will have a brand new product: a book! You can use it to your marketing advantage by offering it as a complimentary item to orders through your website or by showcasing it at conferences and speaking engagements.
It’s important for entrepreneurs to understand that establishing yourself as an expert does not require publishing a book on the scale of “War and Peace.” I tell entrepreneurs who come to me for help the opposite, actually. I suggest starting with a favorite form of mine, which I’ve trademarked, the min-e-book™. A min-e-book™ is a shorter style e-book designed for a quick read, or a mini e-book. Around 10,000-15,000 words, a min-e-book™ can be read in about an hour. I like this form because its nature keeps the information succinct and allows readers to put the information to immediate use.
Still not sure you can do it successfully? This is where synergy comes in to play: writing, publishing, and marketing a book is not an undertaking that must be accomplished alone. In fact, there is much help available! For instance, what I’ve created as part of my company, Absolute Love Publishing, is an assisted self-publishing imprint, Spirited Press. We take on clients, many of whom do not necessarily consider themselves “writers,” and we help them with any or all areas needed to publish a book. We offer them the freedom to pick and choose from our list of author services. This includes coaching, editing, proofreading, book design, and marketing. Our clients and members of our team collaborate to create—a true act of synergy.
And, isn’t this the call of today’s entrepreneurs? To create the life you want, while empowering others to do the same? I encourage you to embrace the synergy all around, and create something new that will showcase your talents. Step into the wholeness of all you have to offer the world, and open up to expanded channels of abundance and synergy today!
Guest blogger: Caroline A Shearer - Founder of Absolute Love Publishing
P.S. From The Synergistic Entrepreneur: I met Caroline through her book "Women Will Save the World" which I was asked to be a part of and have an essay in the "trailblazing" section. I can't recommend this book enough as it is full of inspirational women, tips, tools, and transformation!
 

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Raising The Bar Of Authenticity

This morning my insecurity spoke to me. I received an email about the opportunity for my company to be showcased in front of thousands and then remembered another one about a week ago where massive organizations and a very well-known TV personality would be directing people to watch a video on Synergy TV and that voice showed up then too.  In both instances I froze.

Because that is what fear does to us, it paralyzes.  Here is what “Miss Insecurity” said: “I’m not ready, I’m not perfect, people are going to judge me.” Have any of you ever felt this way about yourself or your company? Well she is partly right but her intent is also SOOO wrong. See this part of us wants to keep us small and has done a great job in the past. And I love her for this because her core mission has been to protect me and make sure I’m safe and secure. She needs a new story!
Here is what you can tell this small voice.  Honey, I love you but you have shrunk the kids! ;)  And this is what I mean: this voice shrinks our true, authentic, playful, live-out-loud, shining light which was FULL on (like the full moon) when most of us were care-free kids.
Authenticity and being who we are, with where we are at in our stage of evolution is beautiful. It’s priceless and it’s something to be proud of and to expose. It’s not to be hidden until we get more "ready". Now is the time to show the world who we are. Tomorrow we’ll be different because we grow every day so why not come out of any “closet” you have been hiding in today?
For me there has been something nerve-wracking about coming out of what I call the “spiritual closet” and it’s probably because I didn’t talk about my deep passion for self-help books, personal growth worth, and spiritual psychology when I was at work because it seemed so outside the norm. I felt I would be laughed at. And now that IS my business and I have to own it. Yet it feels a bit foreign at times and I have to remember that's okay. I’m still in the process of trailblazing the new paradigm and it takes time to build a new road but I am 100% certain that faith, transparency and authenticity are part of it.
It is also time for us to rise up and meet the challenge of the self-doubt, insecure, fear-based voice that wants us to stay small. Our egos need our acceptance and they require a new job. The one I’m giving to myself today is to raise the bar of authenticity. How truly ME can I be today?  No false advertising in any way!!!  This means wearing, saying, doing, and being in full alignment with the shiny light inside. And letting the truer, wiser, calmer, and more loving voice speak the reality of who I am.
We are either a slave to our ego or a server to our soul. I am full-on choosing my soul. It’s just a choice.  It’s really that simple, always that profound, and not usually easy. I encourage you today to be as REAL, GENUINE, and AUTHENTIC as you can be. You will find it’s a breath of fresh air to everyone around, including yourself. Go ahead and raise the bar. Hold the hand of the child inside when you do it and let him or her know it’s safe and its time again to play full out and live out loud. Send me a story of how you shared your gifts today. I can’t wait to learn who you truly are!
The Synergistic Entrepreneur,
Katie Neligan
P.S.  I once watched a documentary about Oprah and I wrote down every word people used to describe her and guess which one was the winner? The word "real" won and the word "genuine" was the close second. People love authenticity because its attractive, refreshing, sexy and needed! If you want even one tenth of what Oprah has - go be YOU!


Just saw Gregg Braden post this and its so true and related!

Photo
 

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

May The Road Rise Up To Meet You

Ever had those days when everything just worked and fit together like a beautiful puzzle? Those are days of high synergy. Today I had the blessing of one of those experiences.

So often synergy is just like synchronicity, flow and magic. Things just work!  I've also found this to be true about anything that is related to our calling or mission. I believe Spirit meets us as the point of action. 

I was working with my tech-team-extraordinaire and we filmed some video for an upcoming app I'm launching for Synergy TV. First we re-designed the color scheme on the app and then I realized the outfit I brought wouldn't work so well on camera with this new color scheme. Well my colleague and friend, Phoenix, just happened to have the perfect shirt to lend me. Then I forgot earrings and she had the perfect ones that matched my necklace. There was an area in her house that worked perfectly for the shoot. I had the idea to have her dog Honey in the video and even she knew just what to do on camera. There was beautiful synergy between us ALL!

Then we had to fix our logo and Joe, who I call the Wizard of Oz because he really is a magician behind the computer screen, fixed my logo in a matter of minutes and made it even better than I could imagine.

It was just one of those experiences where everything worked, it was easy, there was so much grace and I felt so held and supported by the Universal force called L-I-F-E.

I was reflecting on this on the drive home and just smiling. Of course anchoring it all with gratitude is my powerful tool to continue to create more synergy. And yet, I also know a deeper truth. This is the way life works when we say YES to our dreams. When we show up and say YES to ourselves. When we surround ourselves by good, caring, smart people like the folks at DotStudioz.

There is such a huge difference both inside and outside when we push against the river of life, force something to happen, and try to control the outcome. When we show up in joy and surrender to the co-creative process then all the magic happens and things just click and work.

Every time I have an experience of synergy, I feel so excited because I know I am walking my talk. I am living my brand and I am being a synergistic entrepreneur.

If you are reading this and feel any sort of push inside or resistance just walk away. Let the magic come back in, say YES to one of your dreams.  Mine was this app and I have no clue if it will work but I know its got a ton of heart behind it and if  this prep meeting is any indication of its potential success then we are going to rock it!

Life/Spirit/God/Love - whatever you want to call it - WANTS us to say YES to our dreams, to step up and take action, to dive in deeper, to move forward on the journey of our calling and mission.  As they say in one of my favorite Irish prayers - "may the road rise up to meet you."  It will when you are living a life of synergy.  ENJOY the ride! :)





Kate Neligan
The Synergistic Entrepreneur