Can There Be Any Other Business Like Your Own Business?

Whatever you persistently allow to occupy your thoughts will magnify in your life.

-Dennis Kimbro, PhD., Author, Small Business Consultant, and Lecturer for the Napoleon Hill Foundation

Your reason for becoming an entrepreneur or having a business of your own is the first spark that motivates you to do so. A successful business is determined by how often you are motivated and in balancing the various stages of your life. Planning every step that is well thought out is the key to having continuous success in your business.

In order to start a business, it only takes one thought. In order to grow any enterprise, business, or entrepreneurship it requires a series of steps that must be actively and consistently developed. To keep your business successful, it must be given constant thought and attention. Your thoughts can empower you, give you energy, or make you act on your desire. Only you can decide which thoughts you must focus on to guide you toward your success.

When your thoughts are expressed to others, they become a reflection of who you are. They can project themselves onto others. So, take charge of your thoughts. Think about how you feel, and how those emotions affect you and carry you through life. These emotions when joined with your motivations determine your end result.

The manner in which your thoughts are displayed, not only in your business but, in your daily life serve a useful purpose. Therefore, its important to understand where you direct your thoughts. Focus on good thoughts and keep negative thoughts and feelings under control. Unpleasant thoughts can turn your customers - and friends, away.

What is that special purpose that you find fulfilling? When you know this, you know what motivates you. Your purpose becomes a special commitment, a determination that youre born with, a deep desire that gives you energy, a spark of fire, or a charge that is necessary to produce your ultimate goal. Putting your energy, concentration, and action behind those thoughts will motivate you to accomplish your goals in life.

Once you find what motivates you, then take the next step. Focusing your thoughts and your attention on one step at a time makes it easier to reach your goals. Stay open to all possibilities and ideas. Divine intervention will guide you, making opportunities available where none may have existed before. You may even see new ideas that you never thought were possible. Do not doubt. New ideas will come your way. Be thankful for them. Look at them with a beginners mind with alertness and enthusiasm. Then move on to the next step.

Thoughts are the first forms of communication. When you voice your thoughts, you are sending and receiving messages. Your thoughts must be a continuous flow of positive energy. Find some way to communicate this positive energy (enthusiasm) to your customers. This is the lifeline of all businesses. Then figure out a creative way to let consumers know about your business products or services. Effective communication makes a big difference in your success.

First, make sure you are offering the right product or service. When you can say, I use it myself, and its great, means youve found the right product or service to offer to consumers. Whenever your business has a new product or service to offer, it must have the power to stick around. Positive, ongoing communication with your customers provides this satisfaction.

Listening and paying attention to your customers is another step to growing your business. Be a forward thinker. Its a business tool that is often overlooked. Be open and willing to accept changes and new ideas. Focusing on quality and not on profits is another way to encourage business growth. Find a way to communicate the benefits of your product or service. Does your merchandise or work reflect the high standard that is expected by the public? If not, be willing to make it the best.

Motivation is the driving force behind your business. Find what motivates you and keep the emotion going. Let it lead you to being unique. After all, theres no business like your own business.

Copyright 2004

Gerri D Smith

Gerri D Smith combines apparel fashion design and creative writing into a successful and growing mini-business known as Distinctive Impressions. For more then ten years, Gerri seeks to inspire thousands of others to realize their goals, to look and feel ?distinctive? in the way they dress, and to improve their professional image.

With a deep passion for creating women's fashions and accessories for day and evening wear, her clients include professionals whom she has named "VIW's" (Very Important Women), as well as other small, medium, and large sized women . Her other interests include organizing, producing, and participating in promotional fashion shows, fashion contests, art and craft sales, as well as coordinating and participating in fund-raising events that show off both her fashion and small business/entrepreneur skills.

Gerri?s apparel and accessory designs are promoted and marketed both online and offline around the Bay Area, and are sold to private clients. As a free-lance designer, many of her designs are one-of-a-kind and by special-order.

Her love of writing is portrayed in her ongoing self-improvement and motivational articles, an inspirational non-fiction book, and a modern contemporary, and inspirational romance novel. Gerri?s published books are marketed nationwide through the world wide web and offline to business women and romance novel readers.

Gerri is host and publisher of an inspirational newsletter that encourages, motivates, and supports individuals, small business owners, and women entrepreneurs to go for their dreams. The newsletter is an internet resource creating multiple ways for subscribers to unlock the doors to success and improvement. And it is Free. Now, being able to share two of her deepest passions - creative fashion designing and creative inspirational writing with others is her greatest pleasure.

In addition to producing her fashions, accessories, and her creative writing to inspire and encourage others, in her spare time Gerri also finds great pleasure in researching, studying and learning new skills. She hopes to broaden her expertise with public speaking on business leadership and personal improvement. Her two self-published books, one a full length contemporary romance fiction novel, titled ?A Challenge of Love,? and an inspirational non-fiction book titled, ?31 Cups of Inspiration,? are modern classics and will inspire others for a long, long time.