Hey Diva,

We had an amazing weekend at the “Ignite conference” last week, hosted by Damsels In Success founder Lucie Bradbury. I could probably write ten blog posts right now on all the cool stuff we learned but I will keep it stored safely and drip feed over the coming weeks so not as to overwhelm you!

One of the biggest business lessons we took away with us was very simple, yet so profound and it was actually shared with us by Dan Bradbury (Lucie’s hubby, in case you didn’t put two and two together LOL!)

So here goes!

In YOUR business, you need to be using this formula. It’s called EAD so lets break it down..

Eliminate

Do you find that you are working too hard IN your biz as opposed to ON your biz? If you have ever read any of the “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” books by Robert Kiwosaki, you will know how important it is to take you from employee/self employed to business owner and then finally investor level. The more you work IN your business, you are at that employed/self-employed level. Sarah and I did this a LOT in the beginning of our Social Media Management side of the biz, because we were working non-stop running campaigns.

To build a REAL business and move closer to leverage (working smarter not harder), you need to start eliminating the things you shouldn’t be doing, so that you can then focus on the things you should be doing. To do this, you need to figure out what is important right now and what can be done at a later date. Most people focus on building the structure – which is still very important, but if it’s not bringing in the dollar pretty much immediately, you need to think about which bits don’t matter right now (e.g. business cards) and focus on the things that will get you earning straight away.

Quick exercise:

To help you eliminate tasks you don’t need to be doing, answer the following questions:

#1: What parts of your business MUST you do to make it work?
#2: What one thing can you do right now to approach potential clients/customers?
#3: What one thing are you doing now in your biz that can be eliminated?

Automate

You’ve heard of money on autopilot right? I’m sure you’ve seen one of those clever marketing videos which shows you how you can make money at the click of a button and your bank balance fills up while you sleep? Nice thought hey? Although the marketers totally over-hype how it happens, the truth is you really can make money on autopilot IF you have the right system in place. Just like we have with Social Diva School. You need to start putting systems in place for YOUR biz so that you can begin to free up some of your time and work on other areas that you really care about.

Quick exercise:

To help you to automate your biz, answer the following questions:

#1: What is taking up most of your time in your biz?
#2: What element of your biz can be systematized?
#3: How can you leverage your products and services?

 Delegate

This is our favourite!  Forget the saying “if you want something done properly, do it yourself.” This is so 80s dahling! Lets change it to the Diva way “if you want a successful biz, get a great team around you and give them all the hard work!” Seriously, this is the most important thing you can learn and we get better at it each week, although since Dan highlighted it, it is something we will be doing a LOT more!  ALL successful business owners have mastered the skill of delegation. We are human and we don’t know everything. But even if you do have every skill under the sun, it doesn’t mean you have time to do it all yourself!

Quick exercise:

To help you start delegating in your biz, answer the following questions:

#1: What are you not so good at in your biz?
#2: What are you doing right now that someone else can do better?

We have already started eliminating and delegating more areas since the conference and have complete knowing that it will help the business to grow smoother and faster than ever before.

As always we love to get your feedback so please leave us a comment before and share with us how you are going to put this formula to work for you.

Have a beautiful day!

Lots of love,

Carly T & Sarah B x

Well hellooo there!

Got something sweeeet for you today!

We decided after a recommendation from a friend to try out Conversion Phoenix which is a cool little plugin for WordPress that does lovely little slide ads on your website. This is the first time we have actually bought a plugin and it is a great little purchase! The brilliant thing is, you can make as many as you like (get creative) and put them wherever you like on your site. We think they look pretty funky and have jazzed up our website nicely!

Watch this video tutorial on how to set it up for your own website and if you decide to get it, the banner (courtesy of Conversion Phoenix) will pop up below the post! Because that’s how we roll!

Carly T & Sarah B x

  We had the amazing opportunity of interviewing this years IoD Britains Best Connected  woman Carole Stone.  In this interview Carole talks very openly about her success, journey  and challenges.

How did you get where you are today?

By taking a real interest in other people all the time, not just when you need them.  At the end of every day I try to make sure I have delivered on any promises I’ve made – to send someone a telephone number or an article or put them in touch with someone they needed to meet.  I hope I have built a reputation for following-through.   And I’ve never been jealous of others, only curious to know the secret of their success.

What would you do differently if you started again?

 Prioritize.    Say ‘no’ more often.   Conserve my energy for the things I really care about and could do something about. You simply cannot do everything.

 How do you create a good work life/balance?

 With some difficulty. I like what the economist John Kay says, that some of the best opportunities in life, the best chances of happiness, come at you sideways, from unexpected sources.    This encourages you to get involved in things outside your direct line of work. I think that much of what I have achieved at work has been because of my family and friends, not in spite of them.

I married late in life, and thought that marriage might get in the way of my career, but now I find time spent with my husband strengthens my ability both to relax and to have all sorts of new ideas about where I should be heading.

Can you name a person who has had a tremendous impact on you as a leader?  Maybe someone who has been a mentor to you?  Why and how did this person impact your life?

This one is easy: it’s my mother. Very unassuming, she nevertheless showed me the way, as a real leader does. She took life by the scruff of the neck, dealt with my father who was many years older than her and towards the end of his life drank rather too much whisky, and cared for a son who led a tormented life from an early age, and was later diagnosed as suffering from paranoid schizophrenia.  They both died before her.   She coped, and she encouraged me to know that whatever happened to me in life I would cope too.  My mother told me to stretch my potential, look around the corner for the next challenge in life and not be afraid of failure.  She had a huge effect on me through how she lived her life.

 How do you encourage creative thinking within your organization?

By encouraging my team to attend talks, debates and different events that could stimulate new ideas.   By creating an atmosphere where having a go with a promising idea is more important than failure along the way.

What is one characteristic that you believe every leader should possess?

Self-knowledge.

What is one mistake you witness leaders making more frequently than others?

 Getting out of touch with what matters to their workforce and their customers.

What advice would you give someone going into a leadership position for the first time?

 Stay focused on what you want to achieve, but be ready to change direction if necessary.  Don’t be obsessive: keep a sense of proportion.

What are you doing to ensure you continue to grow and develop as a leader?

Leaving time for the unexpected so that I can be ready for a new challenge.

Can you explain the impact, if any, that social networking and Web 2.0 has made on your organization and you personally?

 Social networking and Web 2.0 has been the lifeblood of my more recent professional life, allowing me and my team to keep in touch with thousands of people all over the world. We run a members’ group for TheStoneClub on LinkedIn and use Twitter as a platform for announcements and online promotion.

Specifically by adding web 2.0 developments to my social networking activity it has become easier to find connections and solutions that previously would have been much harder to achieve.  For me personally it has made it easier to do what I love most – bring people together to discuss issues of concern to us all.

 Congratulations on winning “Britain’s Best Connected Woman”  How do you feel about winning ?

Being chosen as Britain’s Best Connected Woman has been a huge boost to me. I’ve always believed that people are the real joy of life, and that putting them together to their mutual advantage is a really worthwhile thing to do. Winning this award tells me that many of you feel the same way.  I am thrilled and delighted!  Thank you.

Carole Stone

http://www.yougovstone.com/Who-We-Are/Carole-Stone/

We would like to say a huge thank you to Carole Stone for taking time out of her very busy schedule to take part in this interview. Congratulations once again for winning The IoD’s best connected woman award of 2011.

Carly T & Sarah B x

O2 the official sponsors are giving you the chance to win an exclusive lunch with the 6 finalists of Britain’s Best Connected Woman. Last month the IOD  announced their shortlist of the best-connected women in British business. After an incredible response from voters all over the world, they revealed the talented, respected and brilliantly connected women who made it to the final six. This is a great opportunity to get  to know them on a more personal level and pick their brains on how they became successful.

Click on the link below toy enter your details – Good Luck!!

WOMENSLEADERSCOMPETITION

Carly T & Sarah B x

 P.S :   This really is a very exciting opportunity so don’t forget click on the link !!! 

WOMENSLEADERSCOMPETITION

So yesterday I (Carly) had the pleasure of attending Britain’s Best Connected Woman event, hosted by the IOD (Institute Of Directors) as we are working closely with them. The event was packed full of inspirational women leaders and the speakers took to the stage to give keynote presentations.

What I noticed, is just how powerful women are becoming in this country and it really inspired us to take our business to the next level as soon as possible.

Because there was so much information and so many speakers, I am just going to give you my personal highlights and lessons of the day.

A big congratulations to Carole Stone of www.yougovstone.com who won the award for Britain’s Best Connected! We got an exlusive interview with her, which will be featured on the blog in the next few days, so don’t forget to come back and read her story!

Lesson #1: Sharon Pickford “Head of SMB Marketing at O2 asked the question: Do you feel future technology will liberate or enslave you? Which I felt was a very thought provoking question, which is why I decided to pick this as a highlight.

I think in many ways, technology is liberating as it allows us to connect more widely, to a global audience and therefore creates massive opportunities for anyone who has a connection to the internet. Sarah and I would not be in business were it not for the power of Social Media and technology, so it is extremely important for us. But it is just as important to create a good balance. Being in front of a computer all day is draining at times, so breaks are important. It is also important to remember that we, as people, thrive on physical contact and some of the best business we have won, has been through networking in a face to face situation. The further technology develops and makes it easier to not have that “real” contact, the harder it may be when we  find yourselves in social situations, if so much of what we do is virtual. Again it is about balance. What are your thoughts on this?

Lesson #2: Rachel Clacher Founder of Moneypenny UK asked the question: “Trust can be the hardest thing to do in business. How well do you trust those you work with?”  Which is a great question and something both Sarah and I have had to deal with when starting out with Social Diva.

I think trust plays a huge role in the success of running any business. but how do we know who to trust? Truthfully – I believe it is impossible to know, but the important thing to remember is that we have gut instincts for a reason. If you work with someone who is aligned with your values and is passionate about your company, then the trust factor should not be an issue. So when choosing people for your team, natural instinct should kick in and you will know whether they have the right ethos for your company. What do you think?

Lesson #3: Ruby McGregor-Smith – founder of MITIE Group said: “If you don’t love what you do, I’m not sure why you would do it.” Which is something very close to our hearts (as you know!)

People have all the excuses and reasons in the world as to why they are not living out their dream career/business. We are well aware of the difficulties of starting a business and the roller-coaster journey of being entrepreneurs. We also know what it is like to struggle as single parents and find the balance between Mum and business owner.  the difference is, we are working towards our big vision and have set clear paths for ourselves AND we love what we do, so all the of “waves” as we like to call them, are all part of the fun of the journey.  You only get one life on this earth (as far as we know!) so why not make it as fulfilling as possible? If you would like more help with discovering your true purpose, make sure you download our 4 free videos here to guide you. Would love to get your views on this.

Lesson #4: Was taken from the “break-out sessions” that happen in-between keynote presentations. Andrew Griffiths (the speaker) said: “Men need to change from the outside in, women need to change from the inside out.” This really hit home with me, because a few days before, I was talking to a male friend who said he was great at creating the structure of a business, but had no idea how to really “let go” with people and develop those all important relationships.

We women are so great at communication and connection. Which is why predominantly male companies hire us for social media because we “get” how to talk to people. We work closely from our hearts and find it easy to lay our emotions bare (usually), but find it harder to express ourselves on a business level, like public speaking etc. (This is not all women by the way, just my personal view!) Men tend to be great at the logical stuff, but struggle with the personal connection side of things. Do you agree with the statement?

Lesson #5: Another lesson from the “breakout sessions.” Andrew said: Top attributes in peak performer? 20% skills 80% attitude. This one resonated, because attitude can make or break a business.

Have you ever brought a product or paid for a service that had everything you needed but just completely failed on the customer service? A great example of this is when we attended the Women Millionaire Bootcamp and got talking to someone we knew from Facebook and she had bought into an elite coaching package from one of the (highly skilled) speakers. This was not a cheap package either. When she returned home and prepared to get started, she contacted the speaker in question and never got a response back. Not even a thank you for buying into the coaching. she waited a week until finally, she was so fed up with the lack of contact, she politely asked for a refund and went to someone else who actually gave a damn. Unbelievable! So having the right attitude and genuinely caring about your clients and customers is KEY to making it a success. People buy people, that is a fact.

We would love to hear your thoughts on the lessons above, so make sure to leave us a comment below and don’t forget to subscribe to stay in the loop.

To your success,

Carly T & Sarah B x

In the 21st century connecting with each other is more & more online rather than face to face. Although face to face meetings will never be replaced as the best way of connecting, it is crucial to build long term sustainable relationships in as many ways as possible in order to have maximum engagement with our audience. The common mistake many make however is they collect peoples business cards or make extensive lists of potential prospects then think their work is done. Wrong! Building long term relationships takes time & effort on your part & is all about interaction not name collecting.

This years finalists in the “Who is Britain’s Best Connected Woman?” organised by the IoD in conjunction with the O2  have been whittled down to the final 6.

When Director the IoD magazine and O2 launched the search for the best-connected woman in British business, our list of potential winners was immense. Last month they proudly announced their shortlist of the best-connected women in British business. After an incredible response from voters all over the world, they can now reveal the talented, respected and brilliantly connected women who have made it to the final six.  Here they reveal how they network and why it’s so important…..

http://www.director.co.uk/MAGAZINE/2011/9_October/best-connected-woman_65_02.html

We would love to know your thoughts on the finalists as well as your own networking hints & tips?

Have a fabulous Friday

Lots of love,

Carly T & Sarah B x

Hey Diva!

We have something VERY SPECIAL for you today that you’re going to lurve!

We’ve been pouring our hearts into this for the last few months now… And it’s finally LIVE! (YAY!)

Click here to watch now

And come check out our free video series about how YOU can become a Diva on the internet.

Social Media, online marketing and personal branding is where it’s at and there are thousands of emerging female entrepreneurs
livin’ the dream from having a successful online biz.

We’ll show you how to create a true, long-term, reliable income online while also doing what you love and sharing your passions with
the world!

Social Diva School will save you so much time, energy, and money in the long-term… And really put you in the fast lane to
creating the business and the life that you truly want and being THE Diva of your industry.

If you are looking to start an online biz but don’t know where to start or how to begin, we will show you EVERYTHING you need to know, to get you up and running fast!

Check out  our first video now:

Watch now

And please let us know what you think
by leaving us a comment on the page!

Enjoy!

Lots of love,

Carly T & Sarah B x

Hey Diva!

We are really excited!

Last year I (Carly) attended The Millionaire Bootcamp for Women and learned soooooo much cool stuff which has helped to grow our biz over the past year. I also met with some of the best women entrepreneurs in the UK and got to hang out with Rachel Elnaugh (Dragon’s Den) and pick her brains on what it really takes to get to millionaire status. Amazing stuff.

Well, it’s back, bigger and better than last year, with a stunning lineup of savvy female entrepreneurs. Sarah and I will be there, mingling, and no doubt interviewing the speakers (one is our lovely friend Dawn Mendonca) and getting all the “insiders” juice for you ladies.

For our UK Divas, we would LOVE to meet you in person and get to know more about you and your biz. So….We have grabbed hold of some discounted tickets for you!

Your Ticket

Join us in London and we can learn some amazing stuff together and P.A.R.T.A.Y inbetween

Networking is vital for the growth of your biz and if you’re serious about taking things to the next level, you need to be there. Not only will you learn fantastic info, but you get to network with like-minded women who are on the same journey as you. Which is what it’s all about right?

Here is just some of the cool stuff you will learn:

* How to make an extra £250K in the next year.

* How to create your own million dollar business in 3 years or less.

* How to use Facebook and Twitter the RIGHT way to promote yourself.

* How to accelerate your business using simple YouTube videos.

* How to make money from your laptop from anywhere in the world… and even while you sleep.

* And much, much more.

So grab your discounted seat now Diva and come hang out with us! Your ticket

Lots of love,

Carly T & Sarah B x

P.S you do NOT want to miss this! Grab your ticket diva discounted ticket here

RIP – Steve Jobs

I was so sad to hear that Steve Jobs passed away yesterday, what an incredible man.   He will be sorely missed all over the world.  A statement  was realised earlier saying “Steve died peacefully today surrounded by his family”  In his public life, Steve was known as a visionary; in his private life, he cherished his family.

Steve Job’s brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless amazing innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives.

“Here’s to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes…” -Steve Jobs

You must watch his speech, I know most of you may have seen it, but watch it again.    Steve Jobs was a very lovable Genius  !!

“Your time is limited so don’t wast it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma which is living with the results of others thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s thinking drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” – Steve Jobs

Rest In Peace Steve Jobs.

Lots of Love

Sarah & Carly

Hi All !!

As you are probably aware, Facebook had its F8 conference yesterday and has announced some HUGE changes. One of them being a New profile called Time Line. I have made a little video for you explaining all and how you can get your own Time line Profile before it is released to the public!!

Lots of love,
Carly T & Sarah B x

PS : Don’t forget to enter the competition to WIN life time membership to Social Diva school

Step 1  Click HERE

Step 2: Answer the post “Why I should Win Lifetime Access To Social Diva School”