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December 26, 2018
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7 Keys for Succession or Sale

A lot of self-employed individuals never give a thought to succession or sale of their business. Often sacrificing resources, personal relationships and health to grow a successful consultancy or practice, the end of the business arrives with little fan fare and, unfortunately, often without their families by their side.  It doesn’t have to be this way! I’m using a parent – child analogy to illustrate the 7 keys.  Even if you are not a parent, at one time in your life, you had parents or caregivers who looked after you and raised you until you become 18. The “coming of age” is a similar process to starting up a business and growing it to the point of “18” – with grown up responsibilities. 7 Keys for Succession or Sale: Prepare for the experience from day 1. Keeping in mind that one day you will not be around, you have a vested…

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December 26, 2018
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December 4, 2018
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Going Solo

You feel lied to, deceived, betrayed. They said it would be easy and fast. But making money from consulting or coaching has been anything but easy. Instead, you’re exhausted, discouraged, disillusioned.  You feel like you’ve failed yourself and your family. You’ve poured your heart and soul into creating your programs and courses. Your friends and family said it was a great idea.  Your awards and accolades attested to your expertise in this field. But when you opened your online shopping cart, they didn’t buy. Everyone keeps saying, “Facebook is the place to sell. It’s like printing money.” And so you created your ads. You gave it 3 months and a modest ad budget… only to get just a handful of clients. That was nice. But not enough. Not nearly enough. You’re not quitting your day job yet. Are you ready to start your consulting or coaching business?  Are you ready…

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December 4, 2018
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Family holding hands against a sunset
May 29, 2017
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Yes, you ARE in a Family + Business!

What’s a family business? A family business is a commercial organization in which decision-making is influenced by multiple generations of a family—related by blood or marriage. They are closely identified with the firm through leadership or ownership. Owner-manager entrepreneurial firms are not considered to be family businesses because they lack the multi-generational dimension and family influence that create the unique dynamics and relationships of family businesses. … Wikipedia Other definitions are more general, describing a family business as one that is owned OR operated by one’s family.   Business families and family businesses fit into the 3 circle model shown below. Note:  We introduced the 3 circle model in a previous article FAMILY CIRCLE Family / Owner Intersection (4) – these members own shares of the business and are members of the family but are not involved in operating or working in the business.  They may have inherited shares, own shares…

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May 29, 2017
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gold medal with top 100 business coach blog
May 23, 2017
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ProVision Coaching Makes Top 100 List

Good news hit our in-box today!   ProVision Coaching Network’s blog has made the top 1oo list of business coaching blogs throughout the world.  With only 9 Canadian mentions, we think we’re in pretty good company.   Read the entire list here Here are the ways we can most quickly support your family + business: Book a Call with Laura Follow us on LinkedIn Join our FaceBook Community Subscribe to our e-news letter below!  

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May 23, 2017
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Graphic of mother holding up a young child
May 14, 2017
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Celebrating Mom

Today, I’m celebrating entrepreneurial Moms. Generally, I think of women in business when I use that term, but today, I’m talking about Moms and the entrepreneurial traits they show in their family leadership roles.  In a previous entry, I explored Family Leadership in more detail. Passion Gosh, we know what that is!  As a Mom of 4, the overwhelming emotion called passion has spurred me on.  As a family leader, my conviction to support our children to be as independent as possible helped me muddle through times when they were learning to make good decisions by allowing them to enjoy the consequences of “iffy” decisions as they grew up.  For one of our children with some developmental challenges, the “expert” advice of what she would “never” do spurred me on to try many more ways to help her flourish.  And flourish she did. Passion:  intense, driving, or overmastering feeling or…

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May 14, 2017
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February 27, 2017
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Improve your Relationship with a Weekly Conversation

I hear a lot of family analogies used in business. This time, I’m challenging you to incorporate a business productivity practice into your family: the weekly review. Think Productive’s Ninja habits include developing habits around the “second brain”. The Weekly Review with checklists is one of the tools in exercising this habit. One of the challenges that comes with combining business with family is to ensure that both elements get focus. Incorporating a family weekly review into your practice helps facilitate communication, prepare for the week ahead and reflect on the week that was: what to celebrate (yay), what to correct (oops) and what to reign in (whoa)! Suggested Weekly Review Process 1. Gather loose ends – Collect important mail, statements, permission slips from school, newsletters from activity groups, etc. and dump them into some kind of inbox. It’s a good idea to set up a basket or tray where…

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February 27, 2017
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No Time like the Present Avoid Procrastination
January 4, 2017
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Using the The 10 Minute Tidy Strategy to Get Results

When our children were small and coming up with excuse after excuse for why they didn’t have time to clean their rooms, the 10 minute tidy strategy helped us move through procrastination, resistance and get results. Thinking about all the tasks that need to go into accomplishing a significant goal can be daunting.  Just like helping our children engage in the room cleaning project, strategies that help me “just start” on a new project help me get results sooner.  What we discovered was that the 10 minute commitment often stretched into more time invested in tidying the room.  The kitchen timer was always set for 10 minutes with a choice to continue or not past the buzzer. What’s the 10 Minute Tidy Strategy? Rather than asking for a commitment to complete the entire project, we just ask for a 10 minute commitment to START the project.  Because the commitment is small…

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January 4, 2017
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word cloud with roles a man plays in life including father, husband, brother, worker, uncle, volunteer, friend, neighbour, husband and son
November 21, 2016
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It’s “Just Business”— NOT

I’m often asked, “Laura, how did you manage to build a professional career, raise 4 successful children, volunteer in your community and contribute to a successful family business?” I think they are looking for that silver bullet that they can copy! The silver bullet is grit, perseverance, and focusing on what matters. Accept that there are many different ways to achieve the personal, family and career goals. In a family, talking about your family’s purpose helps all family members align personal, family, career and business activities. We wear many hats and perform many roles in our lives. What I find useful is to focus on the few roles I am performing in the moment rather than trying to keep all the hats on at once – or feeling guilty if I am not performing one or more roles all the time.Focus on what matters to you, your family, your career, your…

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November 21, 2016
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toy bride and groom characters
November 3, 2016
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“In Sickness and Financial Health…”

    If you’re an entrepreneur or thinking about marrying one, this is no joking matter. Sure, lots of engaged couples participate in “marriage prep” courses or programs, but none of them are designed for you to really vet the partner for “fit” if you’re an entrepreneur.Even if your “head” knows you should be having these conversations, your “heart” gets in the way and they rarely, if ever happen prior to tying the knot. Ensure you’re not getting into a relationship without fulling understanding the financial health and circumstances of your future partner. My mother-in-law gave me this sound piece of advice, “Have you checked his wallet?” No one needs the surprises that come along with undisclosed credit card or student debt. Tip: Respect the JOINT finances. Treat your marriage like a business project – dedicate time to it, get on the same page, shared vision and values. Treat your…

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November 3, 2016
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Hallowe'en scene business fears
October 30, 2016
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When You’re Scared Sh*tless

  Hallowe’en is just around the corner and a time when zombies roam the streets along side Pokemon, princesses and favourite characters. Entrepreneurs encounter scary situations – and not just when the calendar shows October 31st! Own It! Ignoring your fears don’t make them go away. Remember when you used to hide under the bed or in the closet, thinking that if you couldn’t “see” the bogey man, then you wouldn’t be scared of it either. “Out of sight, out of mind” is a human response to fear. How many of us still hide our eyes when a scary scene arrives on the movie screen? Embrace being Human When we are scared, our brain goes into fight or flight mode. This happens automatically – our nervous system is programmed to protect us from perceived danger. The brain reacts the same way when we are afraid of taking actions, being visible,…

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October 30, 2016
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Family around a computer with a piggy bank
October 20, 2016
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Chicken & Egg… Family & Business

  We’ve all heard the adage, which comes first, the chicken or the egg? In our family business, our adage is, “Which comes first – the family or the business?”If you’re involved in a family business, you can likely identify with that statement. I know there are many times when I’ve felt the business came first and the family second. I also know that are just as many times when the family came first and the business came second. I don’t know about you, but it seems easier to remember the times the family played “second fiddle” than the times it was the star. My heart remembers those times, but my head remembers both. Jay Hughes has been working in the field of family wealth and family enterprise for many years. I recently watched a video interview series conducted with Jay. His explanation of family wealth was enlightening. His definition…

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October 20, 2016
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October 17, 2016
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Are you a One Trick Pony?

The urban dictionary describes a “one trick pony” as someone who has few talents or skills. As a business owner, I’ve fallen into the same trap many of you fall into: thinking I am skilled in all aspects of the operation and in the business. I am not a ONE trick pony, but I’m not an ALL trick pony either.  So now what do I do about it? I am now AWARE of the need to change SOMETHING to grow my business, reduce my stress or save me time. If you’re like me, you mull this idea around in your noggin for a few weeks, months, perhaps years until something spurs your DESIRE to make the change. This catalyst might come from within or from outside yourself. AWARENESS and DESIRE are critical elements that need to be in place before I am motivated to do the work to realize the…

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October 17, 2016
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Leveraging Your Success