Does this sound like you?
Elevating Your Business works with big-thinking, results oriented, CEOs, presidents, independent professionals, practitioners, executives and agents who run companies, independent businesses or departments. They are in industries they're passionate about. A majority have been in business 3 to 15 years. Our clients are all in the very competitive service industry and want results quickly - increased profitability, straight forward focused and to work smarter, not harder.
They're USA-based B2B companies or B2B departments within a large company with sales between $1M and 30M, or have dreams of owning a 6 or 7-figure business. Those in a sector of the services industry who can create additional streams of income, want to do just that. So some of our clients don't have products including information-products yet or their products might not be selling as much as they'd like. Others may speak or create alliances as a way to gain new clients. Still others have employees or consultants -- or both - working for them. If a clients doesn't have an internet presence, they may want one. If they do have one they want it to use it to attract more clients and keep in touch with their clients.
Our clients are all experts at what they do although they may have lost some of their passion. HOWEVER, they will admit, behind doors of course, that they prefer doing their expertise vs managing or running it. And when it comes to the busi-ness parts of business, they know what needs doing; and are too busy putting out fires to even figure out how to get it done.
These of course are the important parts of their business that continually come back to bite them in the ass. What are those parts? Well, they're the parts that Elevating Your Business happen to be experts in and have been doing for more than 35 years -- creating simple processes that help streamline and automate the parts of business that don't have to do with "to doing" -- the planning, operations, administration and marketing!
They're looking for a silent partner, not in the legal sense of course, but a partner who will help them get results. They they bring their vast industry knowledge and vision they've had for their business to the table; and we bring our 35-years + worth of high-quality business experience to the mix. Together we're a strong and committed partnership working to increase your sales, help you work smarter and have more quality time away from the office.
You might be experiencing these problems, if you're similar to my typical clients:
The systems you created have stopped working. Ineffective planning, lack of innovative resources or support is hurting your bottom line. There are many reasons why this may be happening. See how many of the problems below resonate with you:
- You're tired of putting out fires all the time. You're exhausted or overwhelmed by all you're doing daily because your company is in growth mode. When you went into business you never realized all the busi-ness you'd have to do or number of hats you'd be wearing. Your interests and passions are going to the wind because you're doing the HR, accounting, or answering the phone all day.
- Your profits or production numbers have flat-lined, declined or just aren't growing as much as you know they can. After increasing almost every year, you've run out of ideas and you're not sure how to change things. The planning process you've had is no longer working and you want something simple and new. Or possibly you don't have a plan?
- You're loosing good employees or consultants -- left and right. Maybe you're having hiring problems. Maybe not. Possibly you're not sure how to implement a new employee or retention solutions in your organization. But you know that hiring and training new people is costing you money that you don't want to spend.
- You have no time and work/life balance has been thrown to the wind. It's also possible that every time you take time off, either there is no money coming in or you come back to a really big mess. There are things you know you should be doing to grow your company or department but may not have the time to even look at them.
- You may be frustrated with the challenges of attracting bigger clients. Or clients who who don't pay on time or always seem to want discounts. Worse of all, you're not valuing your own knowledge and are giving people discounts or deals!
- You say: Who has time for planning? Maybe you know that you need to be out and about doing more marketing and promoting. Business Plan? Marketing Plan? Financial Plan? They just don't exist.
- You're loosing your passion for running your company Or maybe you're getting older and realized that you won't own it or run it forever. You're ready to create your legacy. However, you haven't yet set your business up to sell or haven't created a succession plan. It's even possible that your company isn't worth a hill of beans to a buyer because it's not turn-key.
If you answered yes to any of those scenarios, you're not alone. Maria's worked with 100's of clients who are in your shoes.
"There is a very big gap between knowing something, or reading something and implementing it!" -- Maria Marsala
You Work With Other Business Owners
Below is a sample list of the services our clients provide to other business owners:
- Primary fields (in alpha order)
Finance: Accountants, Bookkeepers, Brokers, Branch Managers, CPAs, Financial Advisors, Financial Planners, Insurance Brokers, Mortgage Agents, Tax Preparers
B2B: Computer Repair, Copywriters, Database Designers, Graphic Artists, Internet Marketers, Networking, Programmers, Software Developers, Virtual Assistants, Web Designers
B2B Consultants: Benefits, Communications, Employment, Fitness Trainers, Human Resources, Health, Image, Management, Marketing, Meeting Planner, Organizers, Productivity, Secretarial Services, Speakers/Trainers, Word Processors
- We've also worked with these business owners
Practitioners: Architects, Attorneys, Chiropractors, Naturopathic Doctors, Massage Therapists, Reiki Practitioners.
More: Career Coaches, Counselors, Manufacturers of Environmentally Friendly Products and a few MLMs.
Do You Sound Like Our Ideal Clients?
Over the past 9 years, we've noticed that our best clients typically share many characteristics. If these characteristics fit you, chances are that we can help you be more productive, work smarter and increase your bottom line. Clients will be most successful in working with us if:
- You are ready to make the time to do the work. As much as you may be prepared to make changes in your life, you are ready to carve out the time in your current schedule to make it work.
- You have high standards. Good enough isn't enough. In your pursuit of excellence, you enjoy being challenged and are ready to work in partnership; collaboratively. You're a life-long learning, at work and personally, and "your word is your bond, " period.
- You are not the norm. You're used to throwing the status quo out the window because you want more than those around you. The phrase "rebel" WITH a cause resonates with you and makes you smile. And you're committed to long-term solutions although you might put a quick-fix patch on it first.
- You've been making an investment. Healthy profits are important and so are people and the community. You're committed to making a positive difference in people's lives personally and professionally. In fact, you've been doing it for years.
- You are building a an investment. The book Rich Dad, Poor Dad is no stranger to you. However, you're stuck in self-employment mode; having to work all the time. You're ready to set your business up to sell some day, work when you want to work, do what you want to do or leave it to your heirs.
- You understand there are no quick fixes. In order to work smarter, increase productivity and earn more, you know that it will take significant effort on your part to plan, perform, and see the profit or productivity increase.
- You HATE the "busi-ness of business." Being passionate about the work you do, you tell me privately of course, that you suck at or just don't enjoy a majority of the business part of business. Things like administration, planning, systems development, marketing, Internet marketing, and finances turn you off. However, those are just the parts of business that I LOVE and that comes so naturally to me! You just want to do your thing but right now you aren't able to.
- You are very knowledgeable; an expert in your field. You want to move to even higher levels of fulfillment with your vision and knowledge. You know that you don't stay on the top by sitting still for very long. And you're always looking for ways to improve productivity and profitability.
Results We've Helped Our Clients Achieve...
We just don't work with our clients; we consider ourselves their partners and they consider us their trusted advisor.
Creative Designer
A client introduced me to a graphic designer who had moved from another state after graduating from school and had started her business. Six months into her business nothing much had happened, nothing was added to her bank account. She was wondering if she'd made the right move in starting a business.
At our first meeting she showed me her portfolio and told me what she was charging. I mentioned that her rates were way too low and she was spending way too much time and providing the education and information they needed to "shop around"! She was puzzled, after all she was thinking her rates might be too high!
Using our Business Checkup Assessment she explored all aspects of her business. Completing our Client Intake Profile she assesses all that she'd done, what things she knew might be stopping her, and where she wanted the business and her life to go.
The first thing I recommended that she change were her rates, but not ready for that she used our templates to create a one-sentence vision and mission statement for her company. (We used software from the One Page Business Plan® system.) Getting ready for the next step, a marketing plan, she used our ideal client profile toolkit to take a non-emotional look at the clients she wanted to work with who really valued what she did and would also pay her the most amount of money in the least amount of time.
As all this was taking place, her confidence increased along with her rates and portfolio. She continued to do the exercises in the our proprietary program -- Corporate Secrets: Business Advisor in a Box. In fact, within the year she had an hourly rate, a few project rates, contract templates, a system for meeting with new clients, client questionnaires and intake forms, and so much more. And she created a few products and additional services. Like a consulting rate; for when all a client wanted was a review and critique of their materials or an education in graphics or printing. And products to put into her marketing funnel like general thank you cards, and design templates for those clients on a limited budget.
The year as flown by and she's done very well for herself. This year she's working on her marketing campaign - article marketing, speaking, creating strategic alliances and the like. You can be next!
Accountant
I met her at a speaking engagement and she hired me for an initial hour consultation. At the consultation, she told me that her company had over 250K in sales before a family emergency and now she was a few months away from going back to work -- something she really didn't want to do.
We worked together for a year, she created a plan and ideal client profile, updated her pricing and systems, created a marketing funnel, created a hiring process, hired staff and consultants so she could manage the bookkeeping which she didn't enjoy doing. Instead she worked primarily on fixing companies accounting process, doing taxes, getting clients online with software, and the marketing and networking areas of the business.
At the years end, she had quadrupled her sales and was only doing the parts of her business she enjoyed doing. Everything else was being handled efficiently by her staff.
Entertainment Boutique Owner
A potential client, making 8M with 19 employees, found their way to our website. He had previously doubled his companies income but was now stuck because he knew it could at least double again. And he wanted to go from working long hours to 1 day a month!
At our first meeting (which I thought would be our last) he asked us what we thought was wrong with his business and why he wasn't able to do more. I told the truth; that he was not running a business, that instead his hobby has grown into a company that had no organization. I recommended that he read a business book my clients read. I thought I'd never hear from him.
Two weeks later, he called and stated that he was ready to turn his hobby into a business. He wanted to double his income in the next year or so and of course, work 1 day a month so he could spend his time pursuing philanthropic opportunities.
Being very creative, this client did not want to complete most of the assessments which he felt would limit his progress and options. So I worked around this (something I no longer do) and eventually "I - we" created a company business and marketing plan. But instead of him using our software to create a draft of a plan -- the plan was created at our sessions -- over the phone. I asked questions, clarified everything that was said, questioned each answer, and after each session I emailed him what I'd created for his review, additions, and a review of the appropriate staff. He was more than satisfied with the results -- so much so that he asked me to create additional plans for his staff.
Fast forward 9 months. He was communicating better with his staff and with the new Business Development Manager. The employees, many who were located all over the USA, had improved communication, cross-selling was taking place, and each had a job description with objectives to reach. The business plans that were created were shared among the employees, too. This company had increased their hourly and project rates, added new services and products, and their sales were now at 14M and on their way to doubling. And the boss was working 1 day a month and was taking training needed to take another hobby and this time turn it into a the non-profit he wanted to start. Mission accomplished.
Business Associates
A group of 7 associates, all members of a networking organization, all making 1M+ hired me to conduct a day long interactive one-page business and marketing plan program on a retreat in Las Vegas.
The group was comprised of companies who sold services and others sold products from a variety of industries with incomes up to 25M. Members attended to support their peers, because they were tired of putting out fires all the time, wanted to open two more offices, wanted to open another business, or wanted to expand their business and sell more on the Internet, etc.
By the end of the day one owner called their office to request something be changed, another wanted something looked into. We talked about a system they could use to determine when the company needed it's own marketing or sales employee vs. hiring a consultant part time. Together we worked on some major challenges, including a few that were personal, but getting in the way of the business expanding.
Today, two of the testimonials on my Recommendations page come from those owners. And because of another's recommendation I qualify to have my speaking information on the main organizations Speaking Bureau.
Next Step...
Now you have a good idea of the kind of great clients we work with, the issues we help them resolve, and what they have to do to be successful. If you have a lot in common with our ideal clients learn more about how Elevating Your Business works to help you get all you desire and reach your goals -- faster! Or simply contact us to discuss your specific challenges.
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