Don’t miss my Extreme Women Entrepreneurs Event Preview Call happening this Wednesday the 15^th at 8pm EST. On this call I will be revealing what we plan to do over the course of 3 jammed packed days full of TOP speakers and ultra-successful people willing to share their success secrets with YOU.

Yes, the event is not until July, but getting a head start will provide you with opportunities to come that waiting later on will not, and there is nothing worse than missing the boat and regretting it later.

So join me and find out how YOU can meet and hang out with Oprah’s SPECIAL friend:

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER NOW

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My heart is heavy with the passing of the great Whitney Houston. It seems too many icons and people in the public eye have lives that end so tragically and way too early.

People often think money is the answer and key to all problems.  While money certainly helps alleviate many problems in life, at the end of the day we all as humans want the same thing…Love.  We want to have healthy and happy relationships with friends and family and we want to make a mark on the world and help other people.

Unfortunately too many people go through the motions of life “pretending” to be happy when they are not. Perhaps because they are not living the life they feel they were meant to live. Perhaps because they do not feel appreciated by others and taken for granted.

Whatever the reason, part of my mission in life is to help entrepreneurs realize the business of their dreams. So many turn to entrepreneurship because they feel they were called to do something bigger in life. I remember when I was working my 9-5, I had that burning desire every day. I found myself going through the motions every day and not feeling very fulfilled.  While I was certainly grateful to have a job, I thought my life could be better served doing something else.

Do you feel that way?  If so, what is holding you back from pursuing your REAL life purpose? Is it fear? Do you lack the self-confidence to step out there? Or is it because you just don’t know what to do or how to get started? Perhaps you have already started but what you are doing is not working.

Well welcome to world of entrepreneurship where things rarely go as planned and self-doubt is always creeping in. Where things don’t always go smoothly and sometimes you are scared.

Entrepreneurs don’t play it safe, they step out of their comfort zones and take risks. They go the extra mile and do things other people won’t do. They cherish self-investment and understand that they are their biggest asset and if they don’t invest in themselves, nobody will invest in them.

Entrepreneurs make the decision to live an extraordinary life and get their messages out to the world in a really BIG way.

The way we conquer the fear and self-doubt is to band together with each other and stay in the company of like-minded people because we need the motivation. Self-motivation is hard to maintain on its own, we need inspiration from others to keep the momentum going.

So if you are stuck in limbo dreaming of a bigger and better life for yourself and your family, I hope you too will make the decision to stop playing it safe and rise to the calling of your true life purpose.  We all have one.

Cheers to Business, Beauty & Balance,

Vicki

P.S. If you missed the Extreme Women Entrepreneurs Event, this could be YOUR year to shine and we would LOVE to have you!

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER NOW

I had an amazing weekend at the UFC fights in DC on Saturday! Both of my husband’s fighters won and we had a HUGE after party celebrating my husband Lloyd’s 15 year anniversary for his martial arts school. It was also my girl’s weekend with my best buddies from high school and they are now fight fans!

I’m gearing up for my small group tele- coaching program starting on October 11^th and so looking forward to reinventing businesses for entrepreneurs ready to start 2012 with a big bang! I hope you decided to join us, we are doing some amazing things this quarter!

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TO PARTNER OR NOT TO PARTNER

Is it me or does it seem like everyone is partnering up these days? Partnerships can be a good thing…or they can be a bad thing, depending on who you go into partnership with.

Speaking from direct experience, I can tell you some of the pitfalls to avoid when trying to decide who to partner with! I have had my own horror stories as well heard horror stories from my clients and coaching students that will make your skin crawl.

Can you believe I even had a partner one time who hid the fact he had a full-time government job for YEARS and pretended to be a full-time entrepreneur?  After I spoke to others who worked with him, the trail of lies was a mile long and this was a pattern of behavior. Crazy, right? You will be amazed the lengths dishonest people will go to in order to create an appearance about themself that is far from the truth!

You must always protect yourself and your business! Here are some key things to beware of and some things to think about when you are considering a partnership of any kind in your business:

Tip #1- I find that many people partner with others simply because they are afraid to go into business alone and want the security of someone else being “in it” with them. BAD IDEA, partnerships should never be made out of fear, this is NOT a good reason.

Tip#2- Only partner with people who bring something to the relationship.  For instance if one person has the money to fund the business, but the other has the marketing knowledge to make it work, that is a partnership where each person is bringing something extremely valuable to the business. This makes sense.

Tip #3- Never partner with someone who has nothing to bring to the business of value, for them it is a winning situation because they will benefit from you, but for you, it’s a lose/lose situation.

Tip #4- Never be persuaded by someone who talks the talk, only partner with people who can PROVE their business savvy, success, experience etc. Someone’s word is just not good enough, we all know that talk is very cheap!

Tip #5 -Be sure your visions and missions are in alignment and the expected outcomes of the partnership are laid out on paper. There is nothing worse than partners in business being on the same page, it causes confusion, dissention and ultimately will lead to a nasty split.

People begin partnerships with good intentions, but so many of them go bad if you don’t do your research. Bad partnerships have landed plenty of people in court spending big money and wasting valuable time.

So if you are considering a partnership, be sure to follow these guidelines. And if you are in a partnership that you know isn’t working due to some of these reasons, then it is time to GET OUT before things get too messy!

Cheers to Business, Beauty & Balance,

Vicki

People need a kick in butt to implement with speed and see results in their business by using a PROVEN system. It wasn’t until I got kicked in my butt and put my business on a system that I began to enjoy 6 and even 7 figure pay days!

Click Here For Details

There is still time!

You can join the hundreds of people who have signed up for one of my most popular tele-classes ever, “5 Simple Secrets to 10k in 30Days-“How to Leap From Concept to Implementation and Profit” on Tuesday, August 16th, at 8pm EST.

Click Here To Register

Are You Speaking for a Fee or Fun?

I work with a lot of different people, from all industries and niches, one of them being speakers.  I find that many people are passionate about sharing their story with the world in hopes it will inspire and motivate people to take action and better their lives.

What I have also found is that there are two categories of speakers.  Those that are speaking and not getting paid for it, and those that command high fees to speak.

Whenever I work with any of my personal clients that are speakers, one of the first things I ask them is if they are getting paid a fee to speak.  Alarmingly, I am finding that so many people are not getting paid at all! They are hopping on airplanes, spending money for hotels and jumping on stages without a thing to show for it!

This bothers me for a few reasons. One because I am all about you running your business like a business and NOT like a hobby.  If you are agreeing to speak for people and not charging, then you are doing yourself a huge disservice.

Are there ever exceptions? Of course there are. Sometimes you will speak for a benefit or charity event and that is both amazing and commendable.  And sometimes you will speak because you are able to sell your product or service from the stage in front of your TARGET market, and that too is a win/win situation because you can make money from your back of the room sales.

But if organizations that are profiting from their event are asking you to speak without paying you and you are not selling from the stage, then you are once again treating your business like a hobby and allowing others to do the same.

The speakers who are REALLY speakers are getting paid amazing fees to show up. They spend their time traveling and getting booked all over the country and they are making a handsome living from it. They are providing real value to these organizations and the people paying them respect what they do.

That is the type of speaker that you want to be.  Remember that your time is valuable and you are in business to make money, not lose it.

Getting booked to speak is cool, but getting paid to speak is way cooler, don’t you agree?

Cheers To Business, Beauty & Balance,

Vicki

Let me be straight with you…

If you are struggling to make sales and profit in your business then you need to be on my POPULAR FREE teleclass “5 Simple Secrets to 10k in 30Days-“How to Leap From Concept to Implementation and Profit” on Tuesday, August 16th, at 8pm EST.

Click Here For Details

If you have been wondering why you aren’t reaching your profit potential, it’s usually due to a lack of a proven marketing and implementation system.  Your products and services are great, you just need a process for getting them out to the world that actually works.

Stop leaving money on the table and join me as I peel back the curtain and show you my EXACT blueprint that can have you profiting in 30 days or less.

Click Here To Register

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If You Can’t Afford the Jimmy Choos, You Just Can’t Afford Them!

One of the challenges faced by many of my clients and entrepreneurs in general is deciding how to price their products and services. People seem to be torn between charging what they are worth, but not wanting to “spook” people by appearing too highly priced.

Before you can even set prices for your product or service, you must first take a look at your competitors and see what they have going on.  Looking at what other people in your industry or niche are doing helps to give you a starting point for making this big decision.

What you will find is that your competitors will fall into three basic categories. Highest, medium and lowest.

Let me start by saying you NEVER want to be the lowest priced.  It sends a message to people that you don’t value what you do and perhaps you don’t think you are worth it. Additionally, it is very difficult to see a substantial return on investment when you set your prices low, in some cases you may be going in the red. Time is money, and your time is valuable.

Being placed in the medium category is better, as long as you are able to turn a profit and you are not working with little to show for it.

But being in the highest place or close to it is ideal. It conveys that you are a leading authority in your area and that you deeply value the transformation you are able to bring to your client or customers.

Couple of things to be aware of:

You can’t place yourself in the highest category without providing social proof of people you have provided value to. Social proof and having rave reviews from people you have worked with helps to establish your expertise and solidify your place in your field.  What other people have to say about you is ten times more powerful than anything you can ever say about yourself.

Additionally you can’t place yourself in the highest level unless you too are investing in YOURSELF at a high level. It’s incongruent and something that people will notice right away.

Regardless of where you decide to set your prices, one thing is certain. If you lack the confidence to state your prices without wavering, people will see that and will choose not to work with you. You must feel good about your worth and confident marketing your business to the world.

If you entertain conversations of bartering services or reducing your prices to accommodate everyone who wants to work with you, you are single-handedly killing your credibility and your business.

If you are finding that you are CONSISTENTLY being asked to reduce your prices, the problem is very clear. You are talking to and marketing to the WRONG people. Your ideal is client is one who can afford to pay you, not the ones who can’t.

When we go to the store and can’t afford the Jimmy Choo shoes, we can’t pick up the phone and ask Mr. Choo to reduce the price or give us a hook up, now can we? And you should run your business the same way!

It’s a simple fix when you learn how to find the RIGHT people, and how to attract them to you. Once again it all goes back to your ability to effectively market using a proven system that works for you on autopilot.

Don’t waste anymore time bartering with people or reducing your prices, jump on my complimentary tele-class August 16^th and learn how to FIX this glaring problem that  is preventing you from making the money you deserve!

If you don’t value yourself, how can you expect someone else to?

Click To Register Here

Cheers To Business, Beauty & Balance,

Vicki

Women at the Extreme Women Entrepreneurs Event last weekend snatched up the new Superwoman Lifestyle apparel I launched! We thought it would be fun to further promote our amazing movement for women in business by designing nice tank tops, boy shorts and thongs.

We currently have a few items left for sale and for a limited time you get F*R*E*E* shipping when you order now.

Click Here To Check Out The Boutique

I read an amazing article from my friend MaryEllen today! She went in pretty hard on people who only have negative comments when it comes to the success of other people. Yup, it’s jealousy rearing its ugly head again!

It bothers me when I hear women tearing other women down. First of all, rarely is anyone an overnight success. There are blood, sweat and tears involved in attaining any level of success, just because you don’t see them doesn’t mean they don’t exist. That’s the stuff behind the curtain.

A successful person is working to make it happen. They are investing in themselves to get the tools they need to move forward and surviving the bumps in the road we all have to take.

Instead of tearing that down, it is to be celebrated. Instead of focusing on their success in a negative way, it’s much better to see what they did and pick up some tips and strategies that you too can use.

I personally LUV meeting successful women and admire so many of them. I am always reaching out and offering my assistance to help others.  I connect people all the time in hopes they can do business together and help serve with their gifts and expertise.

I sat down for lunch with my friend MaryEllen Tribby who has built THREE multi-million dollar companies and she offered to help me in any way she can. I wasn’t jealous of her success, I was amazed and excited to be able to learn from her and very grateful for the opportunity, as she is FIERCE!

You never know what path someone had to take to get where they are.  It’s ok to envy what someone else has, I do it all the time. Envy means you want it for yourself, but you are also happy for the person who has it. That is a source of motivation to work harder and it’s a good thing.

But for the people who bombard you with the negativity just because they can’t be happy for someone else, it’s time to step away and find a more positive circle.

Cheers to Business, Beauty & Balance,

Vicki

http://www.vickiirvin.com

I am calling on my Superwoman Powers this week! I am super busy trying to get as much work done as possible before I head out to Vegas for my wedding anniversary and my husband’s big UFC fight. We are the MAIN event at the MGM GRAND and we have invited all of our internet marketing buddies to come hang out, mastermind and celebrate with us.  If you are a UFC fan let me know, we bring people with us to Vegas all the time to hang out!

On another note, if you are one of the people who has supported my book, “The Superwoman Lifestyle Blueprint” then I want to thank you! The books are flying off the shelves and capturing the attention of the media! If you live in the DC, MD, or VA area I will be on WHUR 96.3 live today to talk about the book and what I have going on at 7:10 pm and taking listeners questions.

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My Extreme Women Entrepreneurs Event is right around the corner and we are busy plugging away to make this THE event for serious women in business.  It’s no secret that I am all about the marketing is it? I can’t help it, I am on a mission to teach women the REAL “how to make money skills” and get them focused on what generates income like the big boys do it!

I had to take a moment on reflect on how grateful I am to be able to expose women to some of the top entrepreneurs in the business today. Our speakers and guests are self-made people like you and I who left their jobs to realize their dreams and impact the world with their gifts.  Not only that, but the willingness to give back to others and give them the blueprints to how they did it, step by step.

If you are coming to the Extreme Women Entrepreneurs event , I must warn you. As my mentor James Malinchak says, “the information, blueprints and strategies you will be handed only work when YOU put them to action.” Implementation is hard for a lot of people, and 10 times harder when you don’t run your business on a system or know how to bring in new prospects and convert them to customers.

Waking up everyday wondering what to do next in your business is no fun. Not knowing where your next client or sale will come from is even worse. That is not a business…that is a hobby. Nothing makes me happier than to see someone move from what I call “the hobby phase” to operating and growing a real sustainable business.  It’s a brand new world!!!

I could go on and on about this subject, but I have something even better. I am holding a webinar today, June 28^th at 2pm and 8pm EST on my “Entrepreneurial Success Blueprint.”

If you can invest 90 minutes of your time into this webinar, I guarantee you will be forever happy you do.  Hope you join the rest of us, we are on FIRE!!

CLICK TO JOIN WEBINAR TODAY

Vicki

P.S. If you already registered for the webinar…AWESOME! Be sure to set aside some uninterrupted “ME” time and take great notes. And of course you KNOW I am ALWAYS full of surprises! *wink wink*

I’m super excited about my annual Networking & Super seat Extravaganza this Saturday, June 11^th.  We filled to capacity in days and people are even coming in from the West coast!  I have surprises, great content and an amazing day planned for women in business. Hope you are one of the people who was able to grab a ticket to this event!

Heads up! My new book The Superwoman Lifestyle Blueprint is being released in June 2011 and I am having an official book signing party by invitation only at a nice swanky place. Stay tuned for the details, of the event to be released, it will once again be a first come first served event and I am inviting people on my list FIRST before the general public, so be sure to grab your ticket when I launch. The book is dedicated to all the Superwomen of the world, so I hope I get your SUPER support!

Speaking of networking….Did you know that most people do not know the proper way to network? Networking is not just attending random events and passing out business cards. It’s about establishing relationships and attending the RIGHT events.

Here is what most people do. They attend networking events with the sole purpose of landing a new client and passing out as many business cards as possible in hopes people will buy whatever their product or service is.  NOT GOOD!

The first thing to be mindful of is the actual event you are attending. Are the people who will be coming out even your target market, or are you just hoping? Are the people coming out established with a proven track record in business? Are they movers and shakers?  These questions are important because networking takes time, and you want to be sure the event you are attending will be worth your time.

Second, never go out with the intentions of it being all about you. Self-serving tactics are easily picked up on by others.  The better thing to do is to come from a place of service and see how YOU can benefit or help someone else. Sounds simple, right? But most don’t do it.

Hopefully when you meet people you don’t make it all strictly about business, people connect with each other by finding out they have mutual personal interests.  That is why so many deals are made on the golf course, I can’t tell you how many major deals have been made simply by each person loving the game!

The savvy networker is looking to get to know people and build long lasting relationships that are mutually beneficial. Showing your value and worth is important, but showing your integrity and desire to help others is even more important.

And you definitely don’t want to be one of those people who invites someone out for a meeting and you don’t even pick up the check! So not good and a major deal killer.

Always remember that people do business with people they get to know, like and trust and if you have not yet mastered the game of proper networking, it’s time to step up your game!

Cheers to Business, Beauty & Balance,

Vicki

www.VickiIrvin.com

Put The Spotlight Back On YOU!

Are you able to distinguish yourself from your competitors? In a crowded market, what do you do that is so different from everyone else? What is totally unique about your product or service that makes it a no-brainer for a person to choose you over everyone else?

If you are unable to answer any of these questions because you just don’t know, then chances are you either do not have a brand for your business, or your brand is not built or based on anything strategic.

Click to learn more here

Let me paint a scenario for you.  I often hear entrepreneurs complain that the economy has totally killed their business.  They say that they can no longer make money because customers just don’t have any money right now, and therefore their business is barely hanging on.  Well, I say that is not entirely true.

I say that because I know people in every niche and industry imaginable who are having their best years in business ever.  While their competitors may be struggling or having to close their doors, they are thriving because they learned how to position themselves differently in the marketplace. That means they have a “hook” and something that is causing people to gravitate towards them over everyone else.

Learning how to strategically do that is a skill in itself and one that could very well be the difference between your business thriving…or dying.

People still have money, they just put more thought into where to spend it, and who to spend it with. So don’t be fooled by all the economy doom and gloom, chances are your business could be thriving too, if you had just the right branding and positioning!

If you want to learn more about Branding and how to monetize it, then make sure you register for my complimentary tele-class, “Brand Building Blueprint-How To Create And Monetize An Authentic and Unique Brand That Attracts Clients Like A Magnet in 3 Simple Steps.”

This is one of my most popular tele-classes to date and It’s back by ULTRA popular demand!

Click for details here

Talk soon!

Vicki

I am coming off of a live 4 day event with my husband Lloyd. He had over 270 business owners fly from all over the world including China and Australia to come and learn effective marketing strategies.  I presented for them on Branding and marketing messages to make you stand out and attract more clients and opportunity.  It was an amazing crowd and more came out of it than I expected!

Speaking of live events, I wanted to give you a heads up! My annual Extreme Women Entrepreneurs Event is being held this year July 15-17^th.  This year our entire focus will be on Purpose, Profit and Prosper. The event is being held for entrepreneurs of ALL levels as well as those who are still trying to figure out what their true purpose and passion is.  Sometimes you know you want to do something else, but you just aren’t quite sure what! Well after attending my event, you can best believe you will know exactly what it is you were meant to do. After the success of my event last year, this year I will be taking things to a whole new level!

Join my list to receive my awesome gifts and new releases on my upcoming event!

http://www.VickiIrvin.com

Just how are you profiting in your business? Are you making money from more than one aspect of your business? Are you doing live events? Are you speaking? Are you conducting tele-seminars? Do you have a coaching program?  From my experience, most entrepreneurs could and should be profiting from all of the above. You never want to stay so narrowly-focused in your business to the point you are stepping over thousands and thousands of dollars by not expanding the scope of what you are doing. The worst number in business in “1” because if  that “1” income stream ever goes away, so will your business.  That is why you must proactively create multiple profit centers within your core business, to arm you against that. Bullet-proof your business!

If you have never considered expanding the scope of your business, then today, I want you to seriously think about it. Yes, there is a proper way of doing live events, creating talks, and creating profitable coaching programs. As with anything, you have to invest in learning how to get the knowledge to do so. Those who come to the Extreme Women Entrepreneurs Event will be exposed to all of the above!

Will YOU be there this year?

Join my list to receive my awesome gifts and new releases on my upcoming event!

http://www.VickiIrvin.com

Vicki

My Branding sessions are SOLD OUT! I have literally spent the last two weeks working with entrepreneurs on tweaking and recreating their business brands and business models!  I normally reserve branding sessions for my coaching clients, but I am happy to have opened up my door to work with many entrepreneurs for the very first time. The results were amazing and the face of many businesses have been changed for the better.  2011 Is all about monetizing your business in EVERY aspect and I look forward to the success of the people I was lucky enough to work with!

Speaking of Branding, I am leaving to go film my segment for the Lifetime TV show “The Balancing Act” on January 25^th.  I am pretty excited since I am such a huge Lifetime TV fan.  Stay tuned for more updates and follow my journey to Lifetime!

http://www.VickiIrvin.com

What does your business look like today?  If you had a snapshot of your business one year ago and then compared it to a snapshot of your business today….what has REALLY changed?

Did you increase your business profits?

Do you have more clients and customers?

Does your business have a system?

Do you have a profitable brand?

Are you attracting great opportunity?

Are you able to work in your business full-time and support yourself

Have you experienced growth?

If you are unable to answer these questions with an emphatic YES, then something has gone terribly wrong.  No. it’s not the economy, that excuse doesn’t fly.  While this is indeed a very different market…many, many entrepreneurs have experienced their best years ever.  Why? Because people are still investing and buying whatever they choose to.  But, if your business marketing message hasn’t struck a chord with them, then they just took their money to someone else who did.  In plain English, you are being out-marketed by your competition.

Let’s take two businesses who do the exact same thing, equally as well.  One is complaining the market has killed their business, while the other one has tripled their income and has no shortage of clients. When comparing the attributes and traits of the two entrepreneurs, most likely here are the BIG differences that stand out…

The one with the booming business has consistently invested in themselves and their education to learn how to effectively market, rather than trying to figure out things on their own (never going to happen). One looks at what other knowledgeable and successful people are doing and follows suit, the other doesn’t. One is truly committed to working ON their business rather than IN it. One is consistent, and the other is sporadic.

So I ask you…What does YOUR business look like today compared to one year ago?  If you are not happy, then don’t let another year go by without doing something different, because THAT is not working.

Wishing you a prosperous 2011!

Join the entire Superwoman Lifestyle Movement:

http://www.VickiIrvin.com

Vicki