My mentor Heather Dominick is a Brilliance-Based Businesswoman of incredible talent and vision. She’s achieved her Unique Definition of Success by creating a powerful system based on her own approach to life and business. I’m delighted to introduce her and her reflections to you.  

Briefly, what are the highlights of your career story? 

When I started my first business as a Nutrition and Wellness Coach I built my business to full capacity in 9 months. Wahoo! Life was good; I hired my first virtual assistant and was free of credit card debt.

AND -  I realized something important—my practice was filled with clients, I was working my butt off, and I still didn’t have very much money than I had as a New York City teacher. Then when client numbers dropped over the summer, I didn’t know what to do.

My credit card balances started creeping up. I felt desperate. Panicked. What was I doing wrong? I was caught between a rock and a hard place. I wasn’t willing to go back to teaching in the school system, so I made a commitment to learning everything about self-marketing and wealth building.

I took every course I could, read every book I could get my hands on, searched the Internet and went to see every speaker I could on the topic.

And I also upped my spiritual practice. Because I was terrified.

Trust me; I faced some major things about myself, and my relationship with money and the way I ran my business. More than once, I doubted myself and felt for sure I was falling. And that there wasn’t going to be anyone there to catch me.

So being a natural problem solver who believes in “K.I.S.S.” or “Keep It Simple, Sweetie” (it was my key to success as a high school drama teacher and still is), I made it my task to take everything I learned and put it into a system that worked for my business, my wealth, my spirituality, my wellness and my life. I wanted to create a process for myself that I could build up from, that was there to support me no matter what level of my business I was at and that I could replicate over and over again, so instead of feeling like I was riding a roller coaster, I could consistently feel calm and confident and as a result my business would be consistently profitable.

I wanted each step to be strong, supportable, structured, and adaptable when necessary and I wanted it to work FOR ME, EVERY TIME! I’m happy to say, I did it! Yippee!

I developed a system based on my philosophy of partnering an inner and outer approach to business – the same one I use today! Through this special coaching technique, which joins the energetical and practical, I re-filled my business, felt SO much better and was on my way.

As best as you currently understand it, what are you here to do?  Who are you here to serve?  What difference do you make for your clients?

The work we do at EnergyRICH® Coaching, Inc is deep transformational work – if you’ve tried everything else and have not succeeded, you will not fail here. 

If you haven’t yet started, you are beginning in the exact right place.

I see you and INTO you. I read your Soul and then support you in setting up systems to monetize your gifts once and for all in a way that is such a match to you that you don’t even feel like you are marketing or selling. You are simply sharing your gifts and being generously rewarded in return.

This is not cookie-cutter coaching.

How do you define “success” for yourself?

I have increased my income every year I’ve been in business, bringing my company right to the squeaky clean edge of the million dollar mark for 2011, all because I’ve gotten clear about who I am, continue to listen to my inner guidance and know how to partner my Inner Self with strong outer simple, easy-to-implement marketing systems. That’s it.

Most importantly, I have a ton of time off from work to spend with my husband.

What changes have you made or experienced in your life and business that have enabled you to experience more ease?

I start every day connecting with Spirit and setting my energy for the day and also close my office on time every day, work out 5-7 days a week (and many other types of self-care that I’ve found to be a crucial, magical part of the SYSTEMS I implement to work for me in my business, instead of ME doing all the work in my business!) and I follow my intuition with confidence and have surrounded myself with an amazing team who support my EnergyRICH® business systems.

What would you love your next breakthrough to be?

Along with embracing the amazing upleveling I experienced in 2011, seeing to it that both my team and I honor my personal time for rest and growth so I can continue to uplevel the support I offer my clients.  Then they, too, can step into being their Considerably Huge™ selves.

What brings you joy?

Spending quality time with my husband (including weekend get-a-ways and special nights out). Giving my entire family a house-on-the-beach vacation of their dreams. Consistently donating a portion of my income to contribute to the strengthening of entrepreneur women in third world countries.  Receiving consistent self-care with a personal trainer and working with high-level mentors, healers and mastermind colleagues.

Most importantly I feel alive and jazzed every day to be following my intuitive soul guidance so closely and BEing the life of my dreams. Sometimes I just openly weep with how blessed I feel to BE in my life.

What support do you have on the journey of your Brilliance-Based career?

From the moment I started my first business, I hired a coach, a mentor.  I knew that I had the passion and the drive but I didn’t know how I was going to build my business – and especially all on my own.  Since that very first day I decided to be an entrepreneur I’ve never been without a mentor or a mastermind team.

As a successful Brilliance-Based Businesswoman, what’s your best advice for other aspiring and active Brilliance-Based Businesswomen? 

Gather supportive energy. Surround yourself with people (or at least one person) who truly want success for you, who are not threatened by your desire AND ability to be, as I like to call it – Considerably Huge™. You want people around you who push you to stretch, and to reach rather then to hold back.  Choose to be surrounded by those who recognize that the bigger you are, the better the world is. They can support your dreams, and your energy, with confidence, care and belief.

What’s the best way for others to learn more about what you do?

Visit www.Energyrichcoach.com

Is there anything special you’d like to share with our community?

Join Heather Dominick, EnergyRICH(R) Master Coach for 12 weeks and she’ll give you the exact core energetical and practical systems that will allow you to BE securely confident in yourself as an entrepreneur so you can generate income anytime, anywhere.  If you are a coach, healer or heart-centered entrepreneur who …

• Is seeking a clear compelling way to speak about your business to potential clients that has them saying, “Yes! I’m ready to work with you!”
• Wants a soul-filled system that puts the marketing puzzle pieces together in a way that has you feeling like, “Hey! I can do that!”
• Is ready to receive soul-aligned tools and systems that support you in being in consistent action and receiving consistent results.

… then you will love this Brand New Training opportunity Heather created:  http://www.energyrichsuccessintensive.com

As 2011 winds down, thoughts begin turning to 2012.  Go with it!  Now is a perfect time to express your vision for next year.  This way you’ll be ready to step into it by New Year’s Day! Here are 5 simple steps, especially for Brilliance-Based Businesswomen.

1.            Review your Unique Definition of Success

Take some time with your journal to review and reflect on your Unique Definition of Success (UDS).  Recall that your UDS means living in a way that your Needs feel met, you express your Values, your spend your time in alignment with your Priorities and you make a difference for others with your Brilliance. 

How long ago did you create your UDS?  Does it continue to hold true for you?  Does it need any sprucing up given recent developments?  Note any updates in your journal.

2.            Assess your current perception of your success

Our senses of happiness, satisfaction and success fluctuate, sometimes on a moment-to-moment basis.  What news did you just get?  How does your body feel now?  So many factors influence how successful we feel.  So as you assess your perceived success, it’s imperative that you measure against your objective, well-considered UDS criteria.

Take a look at each aspect of your updated UDS. How is the reality of your life and career measuring up to it?  How are your life and work fitting with your Brilliance, the Needs you have to have met, the Values that you want to express, and the Priorities with which you want to be aligning your time? 

Take a look at your Skills, Interests & Qualities.  Are you living and working according to your Brilliance right now? 

For each of your top Needs and each of your top Values, how full is that bucket right now?  Is it overflowing with your Need getting met and then some?  Or is your bucket almost dry, a Value longing to be expressed?  Or is it somewhere in between? 

Take a look at your Priorities.  Are you being and doing what you’ve decided is absolutely most important in your work and in your life? 

3.            Identify the gap between your current perception of your success and how successful you’d like to be

List in your journal the areas where you feel a gap between your desired success and your current experience. 

If you find you have no such gaps, wow!  You are experiencing the rare and special gift of living your Unique Definition of Success. Congratulations!

If you have such gaps, don’t let your Business Mind beat you up!  In my observation, we Brilliance-Based Businesswomen almost never consider ourselves 100% successful.  We tend to be harsh on ourselves, believing we’re never as good as we could be or as others are.  And we tend to give others way more credit than we are willing to give ourselves.  Remember that having created a UDS, you are living intentionally, and that in itself deserves to be celebrated! 

4.            Identify your theme for closing the gaps in the New Year

Once you’ve thoroughly reflected, you’re ready to look ahead.  A fun way to clarify your vision is to create a theme for the coming year. 

To begin with an example, my theme for 2011 was Expanding My Power.  In late 2010, I declared the next year would be mine to increase my reach and influence.  Throughout this year, as I’ve made decisions about where to put my energy, I’ve have asked myself: “Would doing this expand my power?  Would doing this get me closer to achieving my Unique Definition of Success?”  This year I taught three Brilliance-Based Businesswomen’s Salons and added the Advanced Brilliant Learning Community to the connect2 offerings.  Now affordable, community-based teaching, mentoring and coaching are available to everyone who wants it.  I also created the Brilliance-Based Business Success System^TM Independent Study Program, which will soon be available for anyone who wants to follow the Success System on her own.  I’ve taken these steps and others toward expanding my power. 

Think about what your theme might be for 2012.  What are the areas of your life and work standing between you and feeling 100% successful?  Are they Needs or Values or Priorities?  Do they have to do with using your Brilliance fully?  What has to be different for you to close that gap?   What’s one overarching message for the areas you’d like to expand or improve upon for 2012?

Here are some examples of my clients’ themes for 2012:

• Increasing the Peace
• Connecting to My Brilliance
• Feeling Free to Live According to My Priorities

5.            Add a daily, weekly, or monthly ritual to your 2012 calendar to support you living your theme

Now that you’ve expressed your vision for 2012, accelerate your success by adding regular  time to your calendar for living your vision by expressing your theme. 

For example, if your theme is learning to appreciate your Brilliance, consider slotting time into your weekly schedule for celebrating your gifts.  Create a ritual, one you do by yourself or with other people, so that you’re consistently taking time to recognize your tremendous value. 

In an early January blog post, we’ll feature the 2012 visions of the connect2 Collaborative Blog Panel.  Let us know below what yours is, so we can support each other in it coming to fruition!

Would you like personal consultation to help you clarify your Unique Definition of Success or your vision for 2012?  Email connecting@connecttwo.com to arrange a time for us to talk about your best next steps!

Meredith Liepelt is a Brilliance-Based Businesswoman who found her calling helping her clients to market and “live” their brands. She and I were “Facebook friends” at first, and then we had the pleasure of connecting live at October’s Diva Toolbox Conference. From hearing her speak and meeting with her personally, I witnessed her deep commitment to making a difference for her clients.  Right away I wanted to get to know her better and to introduce her to you, too. 

Briefly, what are the highlights of your career story? 

I worked in corporate for 10 years before listening to my strong urge to flee.  I consulted for a while, tapping into my background in theatre performance and marrying it with my corporate management skills and for arts organizations in Washington, D.C.  During that time I also started and sold another business that led me to understand that my interests and talents are in the areas of branding and marketing. 

So I started a marketing company called Rich Life Marketing.  My husband has recently joined the company as President and we are having a ball working together and helping businesses to become Stand Out Brands™. 

As best as you currently understand it, what are you here to do?  Who are you here to serve?  What difference do you make for your clients? 

I serve people who want to spread their message in a way that makes others take notice.  I call it “Living Your Stand Out Brand” because while our company does amazing web development, design, marketing strategy and implementation, when the business owner truly lives their brand, they feel so much more on purpose and intentional.  Amazing things unfold from this knowing.

How do you define “success” for yourself? 

I would be lying if I didn’t say that part of it is financial.  But it is more than that.  Tom Brokaw said, “It’s easy to make money.  It’s harder to make a difference.”   When clients reach goals and go beyond where they thought they’d go, that feels like success.   Raising my kids to be happy, healthy and whole – that to me is the ultimate in success. 

What changes have you made or experienced in your life and business that have enabled you to experience more ease? 

I have a house cleaner who also does some of our laundry. We also have someone cut the grass in the summer.  These things are just better handled by someone else so we can spend more time with our kids and focus on the business.  We also have an assistant who is taking on more responsibility and right now we’re looking a possibly hiring our first employee.  My mom is an absolute life-saver because she helps with our kids when we need an extra hand.

What would you love your next breakthrough to be? 

Hiring and delegating more to others as I move into more of a leadership role in the company.  We are drastically scaling the business right now and we have a lot of moving parts and really fun clients.  It’s exciting.

What brings you joy?

Certainly my family.  Knowing that my work and talents are helpful to others.  Taking on projects or other things that stretch me in new ways.  Broadway musicals.  Chocolate.  Merlot.  Friends.  Laughing.  And the biggest surprise from me, a “cat” person:  our new puppy!

As a successful Brilliance-Based Businesswoman, what’s the best piece of advice you have for other aspiring and active Brilliance-Based Businesswomen out there?

Whenever I don’t follow my intuition, I end up regretting it, so following your instincts is really important.  I also invest in myself regularly through attending events, joining a coaching program, training, vacations, chiropractic, etc…  Invest in yourself intentionally and wisely.  You are your best asset.  Bank on yourself.

Is there anything special you’d like to share with our community?  

Sure!  I give away lots of great free things.  Get started with my free report called 101 Ways to Attract New Clients, Build Your List and Raise Your Profile. It’s on my website at http://www.RichLifeMarketing.com.