I did a wee gasp on Monday when I looked at the date. My heartbeat quickened, my eyes opened wide, and a great big grin spread across my face. Why? Well, the first quarter of 2013 is over! All done! Finis! Isn’t that exciting? No, I am not nuts…I am an entrepreneur, and quarter-end is a time of great excitement for me. Let me tell you why.

Quarter-end is a time to reflect back on how things have truly gone in your business to date. While I recommend looking at your numbers and knowing your income and expenses on a weekly basis, reviewing your profit-loss statements and cash flow statements each quarter allows you to see a trend in terms of how things are unfolding. It’s an entire three months of data from which you can draw some pretty powerful conclusions, the most important of which is, are you making a profit?

I have found that many entrepreneurs like to focus on how much money they bring in (their gross income). This is a big number, so it’s exciting to look at – I like looking at mine, too! But it is negligent to focus solely on gross income. One must look at expenses, too, and determine your net income or profit. Who cares how much you bring into the business if your expenses are so high that you are incurring debt each month? It doesn’t matter if you bring in a million dollars a year. If it costs you a million dollars plus five cents to bring that million dollars in, you’re not profiting and thus you are working at a deficit. And that, my friends, is not the goal of the successful entrepreneur!

The second most important reason to look closely at your quarter-end statements is to determine if you are on track to meet your 2013 revenue or income goals. There are, after all, only 4 quarters in the year. If, after the first one, you are not on a clear trajectory towards your year-end goal, then you need to course-correct!

The great news is that a course-correct after the first quarter of the year is a very simple thing to do when you have the data upon which to base your decisions. Thus the necessity of reviewing those numbers! You can’t afford to stick your head in the sand when it comes to your money. Remember, what you track, you attract! So track your money and you will naturally attract more of it.

If this is all a bit of garbledy-goop to you, I highly recommend you enlist the services of a bookkeeper or accountant to help you get a handle on your money. And if you are lost and confused as to what you should do to course-correct and get on track for 2013, then I highly recommend you call me immediately! This is a 9-11 situation if ever there were one! Applying for a Profitability Planning Session with me may be just the thing to turn 2013 around for you…if you’re ready, that is, to rise up and make the changes so you can BE the change.

Those of you who know me knew it was only a matter of time before I managed to talk about passion in relationship to business. Somehow or another, I seem to be able to bring just about any topic back to the bedroom, and business is no exception!

You see I am a highly passionate kind of gal — always have been. It’s my nature. And I have come to understand that passion serves me very well in business. Without passion, well, I would have quit doing what I do long ago.

Passion is the fuel that feeds me, that keeps me going when I want to give up, that pushes me to excel and learn and grow. Passion is what keeps me on the move, inspires me to bust through all of my perceived limitations, and causes me to strive that wee bit harder thus making the difference between a mediocre life and an extraordinary one. Passion is the spark that lights me up from within so that I radiate with confidence and strength, warmth and compassion, and desire for all things divine.

But just what is my number one passion? Learning? Travel? Wine? Sex?

Well, my number one passion of all is…prosperity.

With prosperity comes the ability to travel, educate my children, eat delicious food, and experience the fullness of life that comes from giving to others. Prosperity, for me, means the ability to change the lives of others in big ways – food, clothing, shelter, health care, education, support, and love are but some of the things that I, as a prosperous business owner, can provide and “make happen.” And nothing, not even great sex, feels better than that.

So just what are the steamy secrets behind my passion for prosperity? (I did promise a steamy secret or two, didn’t I?)

1. It took me a long time to recognize what my number one passion really is. I uncovered it by getting in touch with myself on a very deep level. This was something that had to be done alone…no partner involved…because it really is all about me in this case!

2. I had to remove all barriers that might have stopped this passion from being conceived. I had to break down my fears of the opinions of others and I had to embrace my unique passion with open arms.

3. I had to fall into love with my passion completely and without reservation. I had to admire it and understand its pitfalls as well as its gifts. I had to accept my passion with unconditional love.

4. I had to be willing to bring this passion into the open, to reveal it to the world, and as such, be willing to bare my soul. Passion requires that of us. It is deeply moving to follow your passion, and our softest bits are vulnerable.

You see, passion is a very personal thing that can affect all aspects of our lives, even our businesses. I encourage you to explore your own passions. What are they? Where can you bring them forth to support you as you build your business? And believe me when I say that you can take your passion from the bedroom to the boardroom…and birth the business of your dreams!

I have never been afraid to say what I think or believe and while I try to temper it with kind words and soft eyes, there does come a time when the best approach is the bold approach. So for those of you who are easily offended, you might want to avert your eyes for a moment as I use some rather crude words: You cannot suck and blow at the same time.

(those of you who averted your eyes can come back now)

Many practitioners that I speak to are constantly trying to do those two things at once and it gets them nowhere, fast. How does this look in business? Here are some examples:

1. They say they want a full practice but when I suggest that they need to market their business, they say they don’t have time or don’t want to. There is discordance in thought and action here. They say they want one thing but their actions support another thing entirely. Make a decision! Either you want a full practice, or you don’t.

2. They say they want to make money but when I suggest they need to spend some money to do so, they say they don’t have enough money to spend. Again, discordance. If you want to make money, you must spend money wisely. Make a decision. Either you want to make money, or you don’t.

3. They say they want to take a vacation but when I tell them to book it, they say they “couldn’t possibly.” Again, discordance. If you want to take a vacation, take one. Make a decision. Either you want a vacation, or you don’t.

My point here is that you have to be mindful of what you say you want and then you actually have to follow up with the consistent actions required to make it happen. Otherwise you are sucking and blowing at the same time! Saying one thing and doing another is completely messing with the Universe and the energies that “be.” How can anyone – physical beings or sentient ones – help you to fulfill your desires if you yourself won’t move in the direction you say that you wish to go?

Business is not for “wafflers.” You must make decisions and follow through with the consistent actions that support them. It’s really quite simple.

So be brutally honest with yourself at each moment of your day. Ask yourself, “Do I REALLY want this?” And if the answer is yes, then assess each and every action you take to see if the action is in support of what you say you want. And if it is not, then repeat to yourself: “I cannot suck and blow at the same time.” And then make a decision. Either restate what it is that you want and follow with the actions that support that desire, or decide that you don’t really want it after all and go figure out what you do want. Just be sure that when you figure out what you really do want, that you follow that up with consistent action in support of your desire. It’s the only way to achieve your goals effectively, easily, and with joy.

Talk to a midwife, entertain a doula for lunch, or read any book ever written about child birth and you will find a great deal of information about something called “transition.” Now why on earth do I feel you need to know about this important stage of labour? Because you are birthing your business, my friends, and it is absolutely no different than birthing a baby.

Labour pains in business might be defined as the pain of looking at your calendar and seeing that you have no clients booked. It might be the time when you bounced a cheque, or had your credit card declined. It might be the time you agonized over your logo, your fonts, or your web design. It could even be the time you argued with your spouse about the money involved in growing the business, or had to stand up for yourself in a room full of “employed” people who thought you didn’t really “have” a job.

Labour pains are incredible…painful, yes, but also an indication that you are moving ahead, that business is rolling like the waves of a contraction. If you just keep breathing, you can make it through.

And then comes the stage of transition.

Sheila Kitzinger, in the Complete Book of Pregnancy and Childbirth, describes transition thus: “Toward the end of the first stage of labour…you are in transition. For most women the very end of the first stage is stormy and challenging. Contractions follow each other relentlessly with hardly a pause between…The build-up of energy with each may be so sudden and tumultuous that there is no time for slow breathing and you must adapt straight away…The very length of the contractions may demand every bit of concentration and determination you are able to summon, and you will need strong emotional support and unfailing encouragement. …you may even feel nauseous and actually vomit…you may shake uncontrollably…you may hold your breath…You may suddenly feel that it is all too much hard work and that you really cannot go on and would like to go home and forget all about having a baby.”

Transition in birth, as in life and as in business, is a stormy time…no time to breathe, hard to concentrate, feeling like you are being swept along some path you are not so sure you want to trod any longer.

It’s defined in business as the times you dream of punching the clock at the Ford plant, feeling it would be so much easier. It’s the moments when you envy people their regular pay cheque. It’s the seconds when you think that starting your own practice was the single worst decision you ever made, when you begin to understand why your family thinks you are nuts. It’s the times when you scream, “I can’t do this anymore! It’s too f^!*ing hard!”

And boy oh boy, have I ever been there! But what got me through it? As Kitzinger says, “…you will need strong emotional support and unfailing encouragement.”

It’s as simple as that…sort of. But where do you find such support and unfailing encouragement? Your family thinks your business venture is crazy, your husband sees dollar signs every time you try to talk to him, and the cat, well, the cat has other more pressing issues at hand such as where you hid the catnip.

Like a woman in labour needs her midwives and doulas, you need a team of support, too, to help you as you transition your business. You need a coach, a solid group of entrepreneurs who “get it,” and mentors who can cheer you on from the (objective) sidelines. You need to find “your people,” and get them in place NOW so that when the going gets tough (and it will…transition is inevitable) you can keep persevere and birth the business of your dreams!

You can’t really stop learning in life. Well, I guess you could but for me, and others like me, that would be akin to a slow, painful death. Learning and experiencing the teachings of others has always been a focal point of my own personal development as well as the development of my businesses. But so many times I hear business owners lament that they “couldn’t possibly” take time off work to travel and learn new strategies and techniques. Really? Is that true? Sounds like a load of BS to me.

First of all, you are your own boss. You don’t need “permission” to take time off. Book the damn time in your calendar and go. Period.

Secondly, you cannot grow your business without adding some fertilizer from time to time. And your business will stagnate, and die, if you don’t transplant it to another pot once in awhile. Get out of your office! Get a change of scene! Grow a bit!

Thirdly, meeting new people outside of our immediate circles allows for fresh perspectives and is, frankly, a rush. It is a wonderful thing to meet colleagues and share in their experiences, to learn what has worked for them, and take those ideas and apply them to your own business. Nothing like some fresh new faces and new ideas to perk you up!

Fourthly, if you have learned anything at all from me over these last years, you have learned the importance of systems. No doubt you already have in place a system for making sure your clients are cared for in your absence, and that phone calls and emails are returned in a timely fashion when you are away. So use the system! You developed it for a reason!

Fifth, and most importantly, you must stretch yourself and your comfort zone by learning new things. How can you expect your patients to stretch and grow if you don’t? I always tell my patients, “Don’t go to homeopath who doesn’t see one themselves.” And I always tell my coaching clients, “Don’t hire a coach who doesn’t have a coach themselves.” We must walk our talk, my friends, in life as in business. It’s the only way to grow…and the alternative to growth is not so pretty.

So take a few minutes this next week to google some options online. What courses can you take? Who can you learn from? Where can you find a group of people to share and learn with, who can inspire you to new heights? (Hint…visit www.makingyourpracticeprofitable.com!)

It’s time to experience the RUSH of growth that 2013 will demand of those of you who are ready!

Toronto is one of my favourite cities in the world. It is safe and comfortable and I can feel the “hum” in the air. I just love being there! But my most recent adventures in the Big City left me feeling extremely reflective and downright pensive. And yes, this really is going to be an article about business…just stay with me here!

My 4 days in Toronto earlier this month afforded me the opportunity to walk down memory lane in a way that was at times overwhelming and at times exhilarating. The workshop I held was at U of T in one of the gorgeous old buildings just steps from where I took my own classes in Homeopathic Medicine from 1999-2002. We passed the locations of my favourite restaurants on our way for lunch, and that evening we walked past the B&B where my classmate and friend, Tammy, and I would stay on school weekends. I had a chai latte at the Starbucks where we used to go on break, and I walked the streets that I once knew so well with 10 years more “wisdom” and experience in my step.

And throughout my journey down memory lane, a few recurring thoughts presided in my mind.

First of all, I simply could not believe the number of businesses that had closed in the 10 years since my graduation. The massive spiritual book store was closed, the woman who made the “best brownies in Toronto” was no more, and even the sex shop was out of business! As a business owner, this struck me deeply. What happened to those businesses? Where did they go? How did they fail? Those closures allowed me to ponder my own success and achievements in business, and to give thanks to my self for my hard work and tenacity, to my clients who allow me to share my gifts with them, and to the team I have to support me. Being in business is not “easy.” I am proud of my accomplishments and grateful for those whom I serve and those who help me to serve others in the best way that I can.

Secondly, as I stood in line at Starbucks, I reflected that 13 years ago when I first started school, I had no idea what Starbucks was, or how to order from that crazy menu, nor did I have a clue how I was going to actually afford the $4 beverage I just ordered! In 13 short years I am quite familiar with Starbucks and paying for my drink is not a concern. I still may be baffled by that menu (!) but times have indeed changed. Again, I gave thanks.

Finally, and most profoundly, when I stopped and sat on the bench outside of the college that had been my home away from home for three years, I realized that if you had taken me aside on my graduation day and whispered in my ear about all that would occur in the next 10 years, I would not have believed a word you had said. I would not have believed that I would divorce my husbands (yes, plural), survive a car crash, give birth to two babies (miscarry one), take a business from zero to over six figures, and live to not only tell the tale, but to help others to do the same. I cried as I sat there, and again I gave thanks.

When I returned from Toronto and my coach called and said, “How did it go? How was Toronto?” I am quite certain she did not expect the long pause and the big sigh with which I replied. The opportunity to reflect, to remember, and to give thanks was powerful and profound and I know that, without doing these things regularly, without acknowledging where we have been, we cannot continue to move forward. I encourage you all to reach back and remember, with all of your might, such that you will move ahead with grace and joy, Starbucks in hand.

At last week’s phenomenal one-day event, the Four Pillars of a Profitable Practice, I am pleased to say that I ruffled a few feathers! And not just with my numerous swear words! No, there was some serious eye-brow raising in the crowd and I could not have been happier. It is imperative to shake things up, to challenge our core beliefs, and one of those core beliefs is something that I want to address today: the idea that our entire existence as health professionals is to serve others.

So let me start easy here. As a health care professional, it is indeed true that you are here to serve. You have a gift to share with the world. Your skills are imperative for the movement of our planet, for the shift that is occurring as I type. Without you, the world truly would go to hell in a handcart as they say!

Serving others is your destiny. And serving others does not mean you should not also serve your self.

Service and selfishness are not mutually exclusive. And being “selfish” has been looked down upon for so many moons that we are programmed to believe that it is “wrong.” But it isn’t. Being selfish is what allows you to serve well.

Let’s break this down with a simple example:

You are tired. You are not feeling well. You see clients. You don’t serve them well.

OR

You are tired. You are not feeling well. You cancel your clients. You rest. Tomorrow you serve them well.

Simple, right?

You must put yourself FIRST in life and in business. You cannot serve others unless you serve yourself.

Here’s another one:

You are having trouble paying your bills. Your client says she forgot her cheque book and cannot pay you today. You say that it is fine and she leav es. You have no money to pay for groceries. You are hungry. Your husband says, “get a real job.” You quit your practice to work at the 7-11.

OR

You are having trouble paying your bills. Your client says she forgot her cheque book and cannot pay you today. You give her directions to the nearest cash machine and ask her to return with cash by lunch. You can now buy groceries. Your belly is full. Your husband does not complain. You keep working in your practice and you heal the world!

Your needs come before your clients forgetfulness. Period. Again, you must put yourself first so that you can continue to do Your Work.

So my friends, remember: Being selfish allows you to serve well. Put your needs first, and the rest will fall brilliantly into place!

People ask me all the time: what’s the number one thing you believe every entrepreneur must do to achieve the success they dream of? Well, you’ve heard it before but let me say it again: “Physician, heal thyself.” (Luke 4:23)

It’s simple really. Most of us get in our own way, we sabotage our own success, and if we just took the time and made the effort to clean up our own “garbage” we would set ourselves up for success.

The truth is that as an entrepreneur, you your “self” cannot be separated from your business. The two go hand-in-hand. Want a healthy business? Get a healthy life! Want to make more money? Find happiness! It’s been proven that happy people make more money.

And given that many of you work in the health industry, then you simply have no excuses to find the help you need to work through your mental blocks. Whether it is fear of success, money issues, lack of self-worth, inability to focus, fatigue, lack of concentration, or hormonal changes that are affecting your life and your level of health and happiness, great care is not hard to find.

In my practice, the clients that I coach that achieve the greatest success are those that I am also treating homeopathically or those that are seeking care from other great practitioners. So I know that what I say is true. And if the examples I see around me were not enough to prove it to you, then I can also tell you from my own experience that the healthier I am and the happier I have become has truly impacted my level of success. I thank my health care team Donna Costa www.bowenworksinlondon.com and Lisa Dennys www.lisadennys.com for all of their support in helping me to become the healthiest, happiest, and most successful version of ME that I can be!

So take care of you…and success in your business will follow! It’s just that simple!

The winds of change blow through our lives and our businesses at will. These last few weeks, my own office has born quite the high-velocity winds, let me tell you! And it occurred to me that, in order to see myself through these challenging moments, I relied very heavily on my Inner Warrior. The Way of the Warrior applies to business as it does to life. Allow me to explain…

 The Way of the Warrior, in my opinion, is the way of strength, stealth, resilience, persistence, courage, determination, and following one’s gut instincts at all times. It’s not about being cut-throat, it is about careful consideration of options from all aspects of self – mental, emotional, and spiritual. Warriors in the traditional sense were deeply spiritual, performing ceremonies and painting their bodies, horses, and armor to call upon the strength of the animals and their ancestors who had gone before t hem. I employ similar tactics in my own decision making, performing the ceremonies I have been taught by my elders, and consulting with my own intuition and my intuitive advisor, Lisa Dennys.

True Warriors also rely heavily on those around them, but in the end, recognize that it is up to them as individuals to make the choices and decisions that best fit the situation at hand. In Warrior fashion, I consulted with my team of lawyers, bookkeepers, accountants, and marketing “gurus” to help make some of the biggest decisions in my business. I confer regularly with my assistant, web team, colleagues, coaches, and trusted friends in times of change, and yet I know that in the end, the decisions are mine and mine alone to make. (And that’s just one reason I love being an entrepreneur! Freedom of choice!)

True Warriors also practice what Susan Jeffers wrote about in her similarly-titled book. They “Feel the fear, and do it anyways.&rd quo; Was I afraid at times in these last several weeks? You bet I was! Did I lose sleep? Did I worry? Yup! But I know that everything I truly want, all that I desire, is just the other side of my fear. So I walked through the fire of fear and I did it anyways.

Yes, I did. I did it. I did several things recently that have shaken me to my core, and just wait until I can actually tell you all about it! But until then, please consider this: when it comes to your business, do you trust and rely on your Inner Warrior or your Inner Wimp? One will get you where you want to go, every single time. The other one, well, she’ll still be sitting at that same networking meeting 6 years from now, seeing the same one or two clients every few months or so, struggling with the same issues day in and day out. Who would you rather listen to?

Yeah…I knew you’d say that! Come on…let’s ride the winds of change together, Warriors one and all.