It’s IAWBO’s birthday and YOU get the gifts! In addition to all of the valuable goodies inside the FREE Virtual Birthday Gift Bag we’re giving away during the month of September (did you get yours yet?) you will enjoy 30 days of How Does She Do It? Interviews on the blog like this one:

Today’s How Does She Do It? Mentor is Laura West of the Center for Joyful Business

Facebook:  http://tinyurl.com/JoyfulBizFB

Facebook Fan Page: http://www.fbook.me/BusinessGoddess

Twitter: http://Twitter.com/JoyfulBiz

How long have you been in business online? 10 years

Tell us about your business: The Center for Joyful Business is a business development company designed for solo women entrepreneurs who are in a professional service and are marketing “themselves”.  We provide teleseminars, workshops, retreats, products and private coaching programs for women who are ready to step into their Business Goddess self and grow their business with more purpose, passion and prosperity.

What’s the #1 benefit you’ll get from working with me?  A fiercely loving champion who will believe in your and your dream (even in those moments when it seems no one else does – including you). Working together to bring that connection to your higher wisdom along with simplifying smart marketing strategies will help you create a financially successful, meaningful business!

What does being a woman in business online mean to you and what is your favorite thing about it? Freedom, Flexibility, Fun, Friendship & Financial Success! All those “f” words!  Marketing your business online, reaching clients and colleagues all around the world – gives you freedom to create programs and products easily, connect with amazing women with all sorts of creative businesses and the ability to grow your business financially while still having time for your relationships at home and your lifestyle commitments.  The accessibility and relative ease of being online makes it fun to create new ideas and see them get out into the world and change people’s lives.

Who has been your greatest mentor and how have they impacted your success? There have been so many mentors – informally (mom, dad, my boys, friends) and formally (bosses, coaches, teachers) who each have shared a piece of their gifts with me that has helped me grow on my own journey. I have to share that right now, I have a sign up in my office with my invisible fun mentors: SARK, Sting, Sade, Thomas McKnight and Audrey Hepburn.  I’m having fun creating some new programs and asking each of them for their wisdom.  hmmmm…What would Audrey say about this blog posting? lol

What is the one achievement are you most proud of so far and why? There are many personal “moments” I hold dearly where I realized that I grew into someone bigger than who I was:  my first information product being published, first breaking six figures and then multi-six figures, being in my first published book, etc.  But day in and day out, my proudest moments are those emails I receive from clients in my programs and customers who have bought my products and they take the time to send me a note about how they were able to accomplish something in their business and life that they are proud of…and that I helped them get there.  I tear up every time.  To know that I have impacted a woman’s confidence, joy, and belief in herself and she has a “proud moment” – that’s the best reward of all!

What does “authentic in business” mean to you and why is it important? Being authentic with yourself and in the brand of your business is top of the list of values for me.  I know that no matter how excited you are about an idea, if you don’t work with your Authentic Marketing Style then it won’t happen or it will lose energy quickly. Being authentic with yourself – what really works for who you are – is key to creating a sustainable thriving business that will be successful today and every day.

And for your brand…that’s what people are demanding today.  Be authentic. Share who you are, what you are a stand for.  Be real.  That’s the best marketing strategy around!  It’s like honey to bees (and then you add the practical stuff!).

What is your favorite & most effective marketing strategy that you use to grow your business? Well, I only do marketing that I love so they are all my favorites.  I don’t do anything (or recommend) that isn’t in alignement with my energy and authenticity. One of my favorite marketing strategies is teleclasses.  I love the intimacy and sense of sacred space that can easily be created with women all around the world on the phone.  Whenever I complete a teleclass I always say I feel like I have been “swimming the back stroke in melted chocolate”! It’s that fun and connective.  And…very effective.  Overtime I have built up a following of women entrepreneurs who join a teleclass, join my list and then start coming to my events, buying products…all because they first had an experience of me on a teleclass!

How do you stay off (or minimize the extremes) of the proverbial “cashflow rollercoaster”? At first, I didn’t.  I rode the cashflow rollercoaster with my hands up in the air yelling “woohoo” and “aww…*@#!”. LOL.  Then I became aware that it was causing me stress.  Awareness is the first step, always. Then I decided it would feel better to create a business with more consistency and I committed to creating products and programs and payment systems which brought in streams of revenue on a regular basis. You have to be willing to face your money, get real, be aware of your decisions, and choose to create consistent revenue streams.

How do you achieve work-life balance? You have to be clear about what you really want.  Say YES more fully and NO more frequently.  Pay attention to decisions and commitments you are making and make sure they are aligned with what you really, truly want – not what you think you should want.

And it’s a moment by moment practice. Be aware, breathe, get clear about what you really want, commit and take the guided action. And remember that everything changes: schedules, health issues, relationships, time, your body, so what works today might need to change tomorrow.  Did I mention that a sense of lightness and humor works wonders??

What is your favorite technology that supports your online business and why? I like technology that easily does what it says it will do. I don’t want to spend lots of time getting things up and running.  I also love my team who supports all my technology!  That’s a beautiful thing.

1. Hire someone to help you with all the online backend routines so that you can focus on your creative brilliance:  out there doing your work, marketing, speaking, writing or coming up with creative ideas!

2. Spending some time every day outside your office.  I lovingly call this Creative Bagel Time.  Go to a cafe, even for 30 minutes, read something inspiring, take some downtime, journal, mindmap ideas, write a gratitude list, let yourself play with ideas and possibilities or just spend time lining up priorities for the day.  You’ll feel more grounded and you’ll get more of the important work done – those things that will bring you closer to your vision (instead of a lot of running around being busy!).

What has been your biggest breakthrough, mindset shift or top lesson learned so far? The first time a client paid me $20,000 to work with me for a year.  There was this shift in my DNA….I felt changed.  I had this deep knowing that no matter what happens in the world around me, I can make money with my gifts. It’s happened at every level (even getting my 1st client 10 years ago) but there was something about this situation where I felt it in my cells….owning my power, my strengths, my gifts.

When you do that…own your brilliance…no one can take that from you.  It transforms you and you truly can do anything!

Remember to claim your Birthday Gift Bag!

It’s bursting with 30 EXCLUSIVE GIFTS (not available free anywhere else) hand selected by our team of experts for success-driven women like you!

As a matter of fact, Laura has contributed her Business Goddess Audio Marketing Tip Series: Marketing From the Inside Out (A $37 value and remember this is just 1 of the 30 gifts you get in this gift bag valued over $1300)
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Pssst… Once you have registered for your gift bag you’ll be directed to a SECRET PAGE where you’ll discover a MEGA secret we’ve been keeping. You’re really got to see it to believe it!