Keystrokes By KimberlyMore money, more problems and money is not everything to me however to achieve my top ten goals at this point I have to change my mindset and become a millionaire. Yes, simply stated I have to shift my mindset if I want to become a thriving business and give back successfully. I will no longer maintain. Maintaining has and is costing me. I cannot be a “FOOL” any more. For years I have helped, assisted, developed and allow everyone their dream. I have made many a men and a few women “successful” and very relevant in their industry. Often for free, at cost or for very little. Well, not that I did not know my worth however I was being too kind and yes, taken advantage of and the bottom line is people only do what you allow them to do.
My client nightmare stories are endless due to my kindness. One client was taken from $5,000 a week to $15-$20,000 a week and that ended horribly in more ways than one with him owning me for services rendered for over a year. Another client was developed into a mini media mogul and still owes me on his unpaid invoices of less than $2K. Then another client and another client and yet another client. The common factor in all of these clients is they wanted my services for free or at a discounted rates and time has proven those clients are the worst clients to me and for me. That is the client who will work you the hardest and stiff you on the “deal”. That is a client I will no longer have or entertain. If I was able to collect from just these clients I would have at least have $102,657 not including late fees and interest. Yes, seriously…
Fast forward to my here and now. Starting today, April 1st {no this is not an April fool’s joke} I am putting my new mindset into motion. For starters I am implementing the following must as I journey:
• No free work, complimentary work, cost work or invoices beyond 45 days past due.
• My complimentary clients, which I have already approved, for this year are fine.
• All other clients from the past and present will receive the gift of an invoice today. I spent a few brutal hours generating fresh invoices and we will see what comes of their outstanding balances.
• New policy: If someone will not or cannot invest in their project/business then I wish them well.
• I will read a business/entrepreneurial book a week. In my quest to be my best I discovered all millionaires read a book a week from other entrepreneurs. (Thank you for this insight my Morehouse brother ~ Kevin Johnson of Johnson Media who I personal met at the Dare 2 Aspire conference in Atlanta.)
• My entrepreneurial read this week will be Who Owns The Ice House?:Eight Life Lessons From An Unlikely Entrepreneur by Gary Schoeniger & Clifton Taulbert. I am looking into the Ice House Entrepreneurial Program. Awesome program and having its first class here in Georgia right now.
• I will take quarterly relax and renew vacations. You always need to recharge on a regular basis to stay innovative and relevant. Ideally, I am going to try two family vacations, one friend vacation and one solo vacation.
• Attend conferences monthly which will help me stay focused on my dreams and goals. Dream list for 2014 is amazing as I intensively fast track my goals. Yes, I am an overachiever.
• Breathe breath back into my speaking career by fine tuning my speaking skills and being book at five major events for 2013. I currently have two engagements already book and looking forward to securing the remaining three. The beauty of this is they sought me out because of my journey and experience.
Of course there is more however I will not share everything at once. Talk to you soon Butterflies!
