Women in Business: What's Your Money Speedometer Set At?

If you're a woman in business you need to know what your money speedometer is set at. For example, are you stuck at a certain income level and don't know why? Usually it's because of stuck places within our emotional relationship with money we're completely unaware of.  Bob Burg, author of The Go Giver says: “Our relationship with money is like an iceburg: only the very tip is in plain sight.”  How do you find out what's under the surface of your money obstacles? One way is by figuring out where your $$ speedometer is set and re-setting it.  Here's how to do so:

First: Where's Your Money Speedometer Currently Set:* Most self-employed women's monthly income is up and down so take the 5 highest grossing months over the last 12 months and add them together and then divide by 5.

For Example:  Feb 2,000 March 2,200  July 5,000 Sept 3,500 Dec 1,200 = TOTAL 13, 900 divided by 5 = 2,780

This woman’s Speedometer is set on: $2,780 That means when she starts earning more than this a month she probably gets uncomfortable. That's ok, but she needs to understand why (This is where Money Coaching's 4 step system pulls back the covers and connects the dots between childhood messages and current adult money behavior - http://coachingmodesto.squarespace.com/money-coaching/)

Re-set your current money speedometer by creating a BOLD Financial Goal for 2012. This number needs to be uncomfortable enough that it makes you STRETCH, yet not so distant that it seems unreachable. 

For example my BOLD goal for 2012 is $84,000 gross sales. That’s not a number I pulled out of the air, but by looking at what I earned last year, and planning activities I would need to do to earn $50,000 net income minus estimated expenses.

Write your Bold Goal _________.  Then create a plan of action steps and strategies for how you’ll reach your Bold Goal by working backwards.  I’ll show you how to do that in an upcoming blog. By taking ahold of our money goals and knowing how to chart our financial future we create financial peace.

(* adapted from Kendall Summerhawks Money Speedometer work)

Massage Therapists & Healers - Set a Bold Financial Goal for 2012

  “Are you living your values, but not earning enough to live your dreams”, asks Lois Frankel, of Nice Girls Don’t Get Rich. As a therapist and “healer” I was stuck in that “I’m a healer so I can’t charge what I’m worth” illusion for years. This is a common problem for women in business who are in the helping professions. We have a black and white way of thinking about money and helping people.  If we are helpers then we believe we shouldn’t be focused on earning money. What nonsense. I’ve figured out there is a middle ground and we can have both – be happy healers with a bountiful paycheck.

Unfortunately, most of the therapists/healers I’ve known over the last twenty + years are crappy business women. Meaning, they don’t market their practices or treat their practice like a business. For example, as a massage therapist, family therapist, energy healer – do you have a business plan, a marketing plan, attend networking functions, join The Chamber of Commerce, pay attention to cash in and out flow, regularly do a balance sheet and a profit and loss at least quarterly? That used to be me, but I’ve found my inner business savy and it is blooming!!

One important step to break out of the old “I’m a healer, it’s not spiritual for me to make money” rut is to set a BOLD Financial Goal for 2012. Do that today and in the next blog learn where your money speedometer is set and how to reset it to match your Bold Money Goal. When we take charge of our money we create financial peace.

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Lynn Telford-Sahl, M.A. Psychology, "Certified Money Coach":http://www.lynntelfordsahl.com, helps women in business achieve their dreams by getting their money house in order. Lynn has been coaching, speaking & conducting workshops for 8 years and has a 20+ year background in counseling. Lynn is also the author of two books: Intentional JOY: How to Turn Stress, Fear & Addiction into Freedom & The Greatest Change of All. Both books are available online at www.coachingmodesto.com. As an experienced "money coach for women in business":http://www.lynntelfordsahl.com, Lynn offers a FREE 15 Minute phone consult for any Money Challenge you are experiencing. (209) 492-8745 orlynntelfordsahl@gmail.com

Women in Business Don’t Take Enough Financial Risks

Is it true that women in business don’t take the financial risks necessary to get ahead? We know that women still earn only 78 cents on the dollar compared to men and though there are plenty of women middle managers, there are dismally few at the CEO level. According to Lois P Frankel, author of Nice Girls Don’t Get Rich, these are symptoms that reflect the social training girls and young women receive about “doing good and being nice” over getting ahead. Making money and being the good girl, wife, or employee can be in direct opposition to a path of power and women will often pick the path of least resistance. Though understandable, this is not a great strategy for your bottom line, (and I don’t mean the bottom you sit on). This is especially true as women move into their retirement years.

What are the risks women should be taking?  To name a very few: 1) starting a new business or 2) investing in real estate or the market or 3) NOT giving their adult children money to bail them out of self-induced situations. This last one is a huge money mistake for women and pops up all the time with my Money Coaching clients.

Women in Business: Here are a couple questions to think about to give you Financial Peace:  1) Where do I sit on the risk continuum? Am I fairly conservative, risk aversive and so need to work for someone and get a steady paycheck? Or am I ready to leap tall “start my own company” buildings, and get sound business help to do so? 

2) What risk am I willing to take in 2012? It could be as simple writing down all your purchases for thirty days. As Ellen the talk show host says in her new book: Seriously, I’m Kidding, (paraphrasing) “Stretching is more than doing yoga, it’s taking risks.”