What would Trayvon Martin have said IF he could have defended himself?

Veteran Chicago producer pens global, youth anti-violence anthem, vows to support CEASE Fire with proceeds.

"18"

CHICAGO (April 2012) – The killing of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin remains at the forefront of national news headlines.  While most news reports center around what Martin’s shooter George Zimmerman may have been thinking when he pulled the trigger, a Chicago-based music producer and father of two teen boys is sparking a nationwide dialogue on what Martin may have been thinking during the final moments leading up to his tragic death.

Darryl Duncan is an award-winning producer and composer.  He recently penned the song “18” in tribute to Martin.  See the YouTube video of the song here: http://youtu.be/9YrV18apV-c

Duncan wrote “18” from the perspective of Martin who had recently celebrated his 17^th birthday at the time of his murder.  “I just began to write the words as if he were talking…what would Trayvon have said IF he could have defended himself?  What would Trayvon want the world to know about the last few minutes of his life?” Duncan said.

Duncan also wanted to create the song to give young people nationwide a voice.  “Every child deserves to make it to 18 without having to face the threat of senseless violence,” he said.  “My sons are 16.  They are Trayvon Martin.  This song is not only dedicated to them but to those whose lives have been cut short.”

Duncan tapped lead vocalist Isaiah Robinson, Emmy award-winning vocalist Joan Collaso and a local gospel choir to deliver the powerful vocals, creating a song that poignantly captures the emotion people across the country have felt in the wake of Martin’s death.  “18” is available on iTunes, Amazon mp3, Spotify and Google Play. A portion of the proceeds with be donated to CEASE Fire, an internationally acclaimed youth anti-violence organization.

To arrange an interview with Darryl Duncan, contact Monique Caradine @ Momentum Media Group: 708-720-4252 x. 156 or email Mo@momentum-media.tv

About Darryl Duncan: An award-winning songwriter and producer, Darryl has worked with music industry legends including Chaka Khan, R. Kelly, Earth, Wind and Fire and many more.  His company, The FLOW Corporate Audio Group, creates jingles, theme music and custom audio development services for businesses around the world.

Background on Trayvon Martin’s case: Viewed by George Zimmerman as “suspicious” and a “threat,” Zimmerman followed, confronted and ultimately fatally shot Trayvon Martin on February 26, 2012.  Zimmerman claims he shot in self-defense but it was later determined that Martin was unarmed, carrying only a cell phone and a bag of Skittles candy, as he walked through a gated community in Florida where his father’s fiancé lived.  Due to mounting public pressure, Zimmerman was finally arrested and charged with second degree murder on April 11, 2012.

On Friday March 16, 2012 I voluntarily ended “The Monique Caradine Show” which aired every Friday on WVON 1690 AM in Chicago.  It was a difficult but necessary decision for me.  I love talk radio and I adore WVON for providing me with a powerful platform for so many years.  

WVON is the place where I “cut my teeth” in the radio game.  It’s where I revolutionized the news department, integrated “email” as a new way to talk to our listeners, won awards as their youngest-ever midday host and realized the value of empowering my community.  

Since day one, WVON’s president and General Manager Melody Spann-Cooper (who has been like a big sister to me) has allowed me to explore and experiment with so many of my crazy ideas as I created my unique brand of talk radio.  She allowed me to discover my voice.  I will always grateful to her for that!

However, as I looked toward my future, I knew that I did not want to spend any more of my time on air, re-hashing some of the same old ideas I did when I first started there back in 1996.  

As I approached the end of my tenure with WVON, I had made a commitment to move the tone of my conversation in a different direction– toward new ideas on self-reliance and harnessing our personal power and away from what I felt was too much talk about victim-hood and endless blame of others for our problems, followed by too little action to change things.  Ultimately, however, I decided that the best decision for me was to focus on growing my business and on projects that were profitable, innovative and that generated a return on my investment.

Nevertheless, I will always hold the WVON family close to my heart!

On leaving FOX Chicago/my50 Chicago…

On Tuesday, March 20, 2012 I was abruptly (and very nonchalantly) released from my position as host of Perspective on my50 Chicago.  

Here’s a snapshot of how it played out:

- When FOX decided to launch Perspective in 2008 they brought me on as the host at the recommendation of Melody Spann-Cooper (again, my gratitude to her).  From the beginning, they apologized that “there wasn’t a big budget for the program” so my talent fee would be “small.”  Indeed it was, but I agreed to do the show anyway.

- After year one-and-a-half, budget cuts took effect due to the economy. Staff was cut and management changed but Perspective and  I  survived.

- I had always been hands on with the show, not just hosting but also helping to produce, book guests, write scripts and promote it through my social media outlets, my radio show and at speaking engagements.  Despite my repeated requests, FOX made no effort to promote Perspective.

- I made it my duty to check in with Mike Renda, the General Manager of FOX on a regular basis.  About every other month I’d meet with him to discuss Perspective, make sure we were moving in the right direction and run ideas past him.  He always had positive feedback and was consistently encouraging and optimistic about the show.  We seemed to have a good rapport.

- In December of 2011, as the economy started to turn around and the show’s ratings steadily improved, I began to talk to Mr. Renda about a talent fee increase.  I was given the impression that that was indeed possible come early 2012 (it was kind of a “let’s look at the numbers” situation), so Mr. Renda and I set a meeting date in February to have the “money” conversation.  I knew there were no guarantees, but I believed a talent fee increase was at least possible.

- The “money meeting” date arrived and I went to Mike Renda’s office as usual with a happy disposition, ready to discuss compensation that was fair and better suited for me as host, writer, booker, promoter and co-producer of Perspective for the past four years.

- Before I could put my money request on the table, I was abruptly told there would be no increases and that in fact, they might be moving the show “in a different direction.”  Mr. Renda said a decision would be made in two weeks.  I left the office surprised but I proceeded to the studio.  I had two shows to tape that day.  

- Three weeks later, I phoned Mr. Renda to get an update and was cavalierly told that indeed, there would be a new direction for Perspective  and that new direction did not include me.

And that was the end of it!

Was my release due to the fact that I had the audacity to ask to be paid what I was worth?  I’m not sure but it certainly seems that way.  However, I hold no negative feelings about it.  I did a lot and learned even more during my 4 years at FOX.  One of my biggest lessons learned is that you must know your value and command that others acknowledge it as well, from the outset!  Secondly, I learned that everything that glitters is not gold!

What’s next for me?

Since leaving WVON and being released from FOX, I have had more opportunities to do what I love. That includes doing voice overs, speaking, coaching and training others on marketing, branding, entrepreneurship and the power of  media.  Each and everyday, I wake up excited about working with people who are smart, creative and visionary!  Now, I only work on projects and with people that I choose to work with!

Sure I still love hosting and producing TV and radio shows and will continue to do so independently and if the right opportunity comes along.   Yet, I must say, it’s amazing what happens when you stop stepping over dollars to pick up pennies.  Now that I can focus on growing a profitable business, I’m actually growing a profitable business!  Momentum Media Group will be a “gamechanger” in the marketplace!

I have a new freedom and  a new sense of purpose but I still have the same passion for empowering people through media.  So even though you won’t hear or see me on the old media outlets, I’ll still be doing my thing and sharing my message because absolutely nothing can stop me.   

I started working at the age of 14.

I’ve been a tutor, a day camp counselor, a fast-food restaurant employee (McDonald’s & Subway) an administrative assistant, a producer and an on-air personality.

I have never done a job where I didn’t work my A$$ off and I have always loved making my own money!

But now that I am older, I realize that unfortunately hard work doesn’t always pay off the way it should.  

The fight continues!

Every since women were allowed to officially enter into the “workplace” we have ALWAYS made less than our male counterparts.  Even in situations where we have the same or more skill, education or experience we tend to only make about 77 cents to every dollar that a man makes.

Why is this blatantly discriminatory practice still taking place?  Why do women still have to fight for fairness in 2012?  Here are some other troubling stats:

- The wage gap is even larger for women of color – African American women and Hispanic women. 

- Men of color also experience a significant wage gap. 

- This issue doesn’t just affect women, it affects entire families because more and more women are the principal wage earners in their household.

I have a serious problem with this!

That’s why I am excited to be involved in this year’s Equal Pay Day Rally being held in Chicago on Tuesday, April 17, 2012.  It’s sponsored by the YWCA and a host of other dynamic women’s advocacy organizations.

 Here are the deets:

DATE: April 17, 2012

TIME: 12 noon until 1:00 p.m.

PLACE: Daley Center Plaza – Clark and Washington in Chicago

Click this link to grab the flyer so you’ll have it handy: Equal_Pay_Day_Rally_Flyer_2012

At this awesome event, I’ll be introducing an impressive cadre of powerful women speakers including Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown.

All of them will sharing their personal stories and laying out a game plan to turn this backward practice or pay inequality around.  I hope you can attend!  If you do, make sure you stop by so we can meet personally!

More importantly, I hope you will bring a friend and commit to contacting your local elected officials so that women can finally get equal pay for equal work because we are worth it!

 To get more details about this event, contact Barb Yong at 312-696-2034 or email her at blyong@golanchristie.com

Here's a little media/publicity industry "insider" secret for you:

Summer is the absolute BEST time to get publicity–especially if you are a “publicity virgin.”

So, if you’ve been thinking lately about becoming more visible, building a brand and sharing your powerful

If you are not visible, your are invisible.

message with the world, NOW is the time to get in position.

When I did publicity for clients, Summer would be a busy time of year for us.  They would get MAJOR media opportunities this time of year that catapulted some of them to a whole new level.

Here are 3 reasons why Summer is such a great season for getting publicity:

1.) Many of the big-name power players and celebrities (who are typically the center of attention) go off to their fancy summer homes for extended vacays starting in June–therefore, they are often unavailable for interviews. This leaves the door open for YOU!

2.) Like anything, newsrooms have a natural “ebb and flow” that typically slows down in summer.  Producers and reporters tend to have a little extra time to talk through story ideas and test the waters with newer, lesser-known experts.  Again, this opens the door for YOU to leverage the media and get VISIBLE!

3.) Summer usually gives us all permission to deal with “lighter” topics like fashion, personal development, fitness and family life.

So if you’re a coach or expert in one of these fantastic areas, I highly encourage you to take advantage of Summer and get some publicity!

It’s time for a reality check when it comes to your marketing tactics.

There are a few questions you need to answer—seven to be exact—that will either make you feel really good about your marketing or they’ll confirm some harsh truths you may finally need to face.

Here are my questions.  Answer them honestly, then get ready for a breakthrough: 

1.) Have you ever had days, weeks or months go by in your business when there is no foot traffic, no new inquiries and no revenue coming in and you can’t understand why?

2.) Does a chunk of your customer base seem to be disappearing?

3.) Have you spent hours per month at networking events, handing out cards and following up with complete strangers to no avail?

4.) Do you advertise in the media but only get mediocre results?

5.) Are you putting in hours each week trying to market your business to your customers through email or direct mail marketing only to get a very small response?

6.) Are you the BEST at what you do but still it seems as though the people you market to just aren’t as excited about your service or expertise as you are?

7.) Are you frustrated by people constantly beating you down on price and always trying to talk you into discounts, deals, bartering or the “hook-up?”

If you answered yes to most of these questions, then something BIG is about to change in your business right now.  That’s because you may have just tapped into this reality:

Are you reaching the right market?

The market that you’re marketing to might be telling  you they’re really NOT your market.

Look at your product or service then take a very close look at the people you’re marketing to.  Have you effectively conveyed how you can make their lives easier or better?  Have you effectively shown them how you can solve their problems?  If so, and your audience is still not responding, THEY ARE NOT YOUR MARKET. 

If you know your prices are competitive yet you have to constantly explain why you “charge so much,” THEY ARE NOT YOUR MARKET!

Sure they may NEED you but they don’t want or value you…THEY ARE NOT YOUR MARKET!

How I came to this reality in my business

A few years ago, I started using the internet to expand my market and grow my brand.  Being rooted in Chicago my whole life, it was kind of scary to spread my wings.  Yet, almost immediately I noticed that my message of “publicity power” was resonating with people all over the world.  I was attracting clients from as far away as Australia and the UK. 

They didn’t haggle with me on pricing.  It wasn’t difficult to do business with them.  They valued and wanted what I had and I gave it to them.  Win-win situation.

This experience opened up a whole new world for me.  It told me that while I may have been comfortable marketing to a certain group (because they look like me or have things in common with me), that doesn’t necessarily mean that they are truly my market.

Let me give you a perfect example: 

My VISIBILITY Bootcamp is one of the most powerful and practical business development events in Chicago.  I give participants resources, tools, scripts, templates and a whole new understanding of the unlimited potential of their business during a 1-day collaborative mastermind workshop.

Super early-bird pricing was $199.  Then early-bird pricing went up to $399.  Now the event is at $599.  Now, past participants have valued this event at $2,000 because it provides you with an immediate and dramatic shortcut to success.

Yet, I get feedback like this posted to my blog:

Tony said:  $399?  I got bills to pay!

Selenia said: Let me know when you have something cheaper…

Cheaper?!?  Their statements made two things clear:

 1.) They’re not my market

 2.) They will be right where they are now, come this time next year because they don’t see value in investing in themselves and their businesses.

I know you may feel like rescuing these people from themselves–I’ve spent countless years doing this– but you can’t. Stop trying to be their hero.  If you keep trying to save a market that doesn’t value your brilliance, you will go broke.  

The only way you can help them is if they have a mindset shift.  Once they have that, they’ll come and find you.

So if you know your product or service is phenomenal and you know you’re positioning yourself well but your business has yet to breakthrough, it may be time to get honest with yourself and re-examine your market.

So how do your solve this problem?

Take a real close look at your strategy.  If you’re doing the right things to position yourself in the marketplace and you’re not getting great results, you need to re-assess who you’re marketing to.  This is also an opportunity to tighten up YOUR game.  Invest in some expert insight from a marketing strategist.  Get some recommendations on what you can do differently or better.  

You should also consider upgrading your product, service (and overall vision) and start targeting new potential markets with:

1.)    higher incomes

2.)    different zipcodes – in different communities, cities, states, countries

3.)    within a certain age range exclusively

4.)    within a specific gender

5.)    a certain lifestyle

6.)    certain aspirations

 In other words, find the people who are looking for you.  Don’t keep beating your head against the wall with a market that doesn’t appreciate what you have to offer.

The definition of insanity is doing the same things over and over while expecting different results.  That saying applies to your business.  If you keep marketing to a deadbeat market your current situation will NOT change.

So today, what are you willing to do differently to get a dramatically different result?  Could it be time to change your market?

I have been putting in some serious overtime getting the word out about the VISIBLITY Bootcamp.  Back and forth

The value of VISIBILITY

across town at events, radio commercials and of course email and social media marketing.

The reaction I get from most people when they hear about the event is great interest.  However a few have responded by saying, “well, what if I’m not really interested in being visible?” 

In fact, just the other day, an entrepreneur said, “the word ‘visibility’ doesn’t really resonate with me…”

When entrepreneurs call the value of VISIBILITY into question, it baffles me because my thinking is this:

“If you’re in business and your survival and growth depends on customers knowing who you are, where to find you and how you solve their most pressing problems…why wouldn’t you want to be visible?”

So here’s today’s paradigm shift:  If you think you don’t need VISIBILITY, think again. 

This powerful concept of getting visibility can start with the simple act of making a bold statement about something you know or believe in and sharing that statement with the media or with your personal network.  Say the right thing and it could lead to you becoming more well known within your market or being quoted on a popular blog.  The ripple effects this could have for your business and brand are endless.

But let’s be clear.  I don’t believe in getting visibility or publicity just for the fun of it.  I promote what I call “Purpose-driven Publicity.”  This is where the motive behind ALL of your visibility and publicity efforts is a desire to help, empower, inspire, educate and enlighten more people around the world with your unique message. 

Should you benefit from this financially?  Yes and I love teaching people how to do that. However, the main goal is always to leverage various media platforms so that you transform the lives of others, first. 

I’ll have more on Purpose-driven Publicity in an upcoming blog.  For now, here are 3 ways getting visibility can fire up your business and grow your brand:

1.)    VISIBILITY helps you attract global clientele.  I’ve done business with clients internationally thanks to articles I’ve written that raised my visibility.  My clients saw that I was an expert so they signed up to work with me, sight unseen.

2.)    VISIBILITY helps you establish credibility.  When people see that you’re visible in the media marketplace and you’ve been quoted in magazines or featured on news segments, your “respect quotient” goes up exponentially.  A former client of mine generated $75,000 in new businesses shortly after he appeared on local news station.  How’s that for a return on his investment in my expertise?

3.)    Lastly, in the spirit of my “ Purpose-driven Publicity” philosophy, VISIBILITY gives you a broader platform allowing you to empower and inspire more people.

I could go on for days about the value of VISIBILITY but here’s the bottomline: if you’re not VISIBLE, then you’re invisible and that is never a good thing.

To join my group of 10 brilliant, visionary entrepreneurs, executives and experts for the upcoming VISIBILITY Bootcamp, just click here.

The vast majority of small businesses that I come into contact with do not have a solid marketing strategy or publicity plan.

About 90%  of those I meet use what I call the “hope and pray” marketing strategy.  Actually, If I’m honest, that number may be significantly higher.

For those who do have some kind of strategy in place, I often find that it is one or more of the following:

 □        Hap-hazzard.  I don’t get the unsystematic method some small business owners use to promote and market their stuff.  They’ll send a generic eblast out now and then and hope for a miracle.  Well, in today’s crowded marketplace–where choices are many–to those folks I say, keep hoping.

 □        Outdated.  Why are people still advertising in the yellow pages (or any other “pages”) thinking that’s going to get them tons of business?  This is not 1974!

 □        Untargeted.  I long for the day when entrepreneurs stop trying to market to EVERYBODY and start marketing to the people they can best serve. Everybody does NOT need to like you.  The only people who need to like you are the specific ones whose problems you solve.  Period.  Focus on them and you’ll uncover a goldmine.

□        Unprofessional.  If one more person hands me a business card they made at home with computer paper from the local office store I swear I’m going to scream!  If I get one more eBlast from someone I don’t know blatantly saying buy this, that and the other thing, I promise you, the West Englewood girl in me will come out!!  

□        Unleveraged. There’s a ton of free publicity opportunities in local media that go untapped because entrepreneurs don’t know how easy it is to leverage the media.  Why not try to get a slot on ABC7’s midday newscast if it means thousands of your potential clients will see you?  Is there no value in that?

So here are 3 easy ways to turn this dismal situation around.  They all have to do with positioning yourself for media visibility.  With these simple media VISIBILITY strategies, you can catapult your business to a new level within 30 – 60 days.

1.) Start showing yourself wise by writing simple how-to articles.  If you’re not a writer, don’t flee in panic.  How-to articles are not the research papers you dreaded in high school.  All they require is that you share what you know in simple steps.  If you downloaded my Publicity Virgins e-book, you’ll see how I take my media and publicity knowledge and just break it down into steps to help you apply the strategies.  BENEFIT: Articles position you as an expert.  As you do more articles, your audience will come to like and trust you and potentially even hire you.  Because of an article I wrote and posted on EzineArticles.com a few years ago, a client hired me for a small $3,000 contract.  It wasn’t much but it certainly helps the bottomline. Also, as you put yourself out there, the media will come to respect you and eventually seek you out for your expertise.

2.) Start studying the media outlets you want to be in so you can “fit in.”  I can’t tell you how many people claim they want to be on my shows but have never heard or watched me in their life.  WTH?  If you want to be featured in MONEY magazine, you better know what the writers in MONEY are talking, writing and blogging about.  In fact, as you get to know their angle, start communicating with them.  Start building a relationship with them.  Compliment their brilliant work.  Then offer your own expert angle.  Pick your outlet and start doing that today.  Do it well and it could lead to a regular feature = free publicity = more valuable visibility for you.

3.) Get to the point! Crystalize your message with a call to action.  Whether on your blog, facebook, twitter, YouTube or on successfully leveraging traditional media, your message should always be crystal clear and always have a specific call to action. I show people how to do this in a manner that is gracious without being salesy, slimy or overly promotional.

I once heard marketing genius Dan Kennedy say “people are like sheep and need to be herded.”  Once I got over being slightly offended by that statement, I said, “you know, he’s right.”  Most people need clear, specific direction.  Give them one specific thing to do to connect to you.  Invite them into your world elegantly and in the spirit of giving and the long-term benefits of that relationship will be mutual. 

Eventually, your audience will become as eager to invest in your products and services as you are to invest in them by sharing high-quality knowledge and solutions to their problems.

I’ll be teaching these strategies AND handing you my signature 5-step VISIBILITY Blueprint at the upcoming 2-day VISIBILITY Bootcamp.  10 spaces are available only for the most visionary, action-oriented entrepreneurs.  Grab your space at http://VisibilityBootcamp.com

I  recently met a dynamic woman named Lynne Klippel.  She helps authors turn their books into 6-figure businesses and we also happen to be in a high-level coaching group together.

I had the pleasure of interviewing her recently for my signature RICH Author’s Coaching Club and she spilled the beans how to turn your book into a money machine.  The conversation was brilliant.  I love her passionate for helping authors.  That passion led her to develop a homestudy course that actually helps them use the same highly successful strategies that the TOP authors use.  Her course is called “Six Figure Author Secrets.”

So the other day, I was checking out her blog and saw a post I just had to share.  Especially since I am working on 2 book projects myself and I always run into people who SAY they “want to write a book,” but because of their busy lifestyles, carving out the time to do it is tough.

In her blog post, Lynne shows you how to coach yourself through the REAL thing that’s stopping you from getting your book done.  Here’s the post in it’s entirety.  It will help you if you’re an aspiring author.

LYNNE’S POST STARTS HERE:

Self Coaching Questions for Powerful Authors

Lynne Klippel

To be an author requires that you give deeply of yourself: your wisdom, your knowledge, and your passion for your topic.

So today, in celebration of you, take 20 minutes and use these questions to explore yourself more deeply.  The insights you uncover will aid you in achieving your goals as an author and business owner.

Write your answers down.  You’ll find more information flowing to you as  you move your hand across the page.

Click here for the self coaching questions featured on the blog.

1. What do you want your book to do for you personally?
2. What do you want your book to do for your readers?
3. What do you want your book to do for the world?
4. What frightens you about becoming an author?
5. Does that fear stop you or spur you onward?  Why?
6. What thrills you about becoming an author?
7. How will you know if your book is a success?  Describe what success means to you personally.
8. How supported do you feel in your quest to become a successful author?
9. How are you celebrating your progress along the way?
10. What action step you can take in the next 24 hours to move forward?

Lynne Klippel is a best-selling author, publisher, and book coach who specializes in helping non-fiction authors write books that build their business and transform the world. For a f.r.e.e. assessment that will help you see your author strengths and opportunities, visit: http://www.6figurebooksecrets.com

The dreaded networking scenario

Today I’ll be attending a networking lunch hosted by a professional women’s association here in Chicago.  I’ve been to one of their events before and indeed, they are the crème de la crème! 

To be honest, I am not a fan of networking events.  In fact, I loathe them. As a closet introvert, there’s nothing worse than shaking hands with total strangers and having to act like I’m interested in their boring, over-rehearsed elevator speech.  Not my cup of tea.

However today, I’m going into this with a different attitude.  That’s because I made a decision earlier this year to step out of my comfort zones and connect with people who are bold thinkers, decision makers and who know that they have unique gifts to share with the world. 

I said in December that 2012 would be the game changer.  So far so good.

So how will I maximize every opportunity, relationship and even the dreaded networking events to make this a game-changing year?  Here’s a strategy.  You can use it too:

1.)    Go with a goal.  Everything I do is being done with purpose and intention.  I DO NOT go to networking events just to be seen.  I’d rather be at home making tacos and playing Scrabble with my son.  So if I leave the comfort of my home or office for anything, I go with a specific goal in mind.  For instance, today, my goal is to meet and establish mutually beneficial relationships with at least 3 successful business women (ideally at the 6-figure level) who want to get more visibility in the media.  That’s the goal.  I’m not there to collect a zillion business cards and then have to send a bunch of corny, pre-written emails to say “just following up….”  That’s creepy and a waste of time.  Sure I’ll meet lots of people, hand out plenty of cards and be cordial but my main goal is my main goal.

2.)    Share the resources and make an impact.  Whenever I meet someone, my first objective is always to give.  It may mean giving my full attention when they’re talking or giving them tips on how to get in the media (if they ask) or giving them the name of someone I know who can help them.  Whatever the case, I always give first.  So today, I’ll have my handy 5 x 7 postcards with me.  In case I need to write down the name or phone number of a resource to share with my fellow networkers, I can write it down on one of these nice little cards (and yes, they’re branded of course) along with some encouraging words.  This will add a nice personal touch and help them remember me as well.

3.)    Own the room.  Because of my laid back nature, this is something that took me a long time to learn.  Whenever you walk into a room where you could potentially meet your next big client or where you will be talking business, you need to walk in there looking like you mean business.  So for me, that means: yesterday I took time to get a manicure, today Landis is doing my make up and I am wearing a business savvy Barbara Bates design.  Even though I probably wont know a soul, I am going to walk into that room like I am First Lady Michelle Obama!  No, I’m not conceited; I just know what it takes to achieve the goal that I set out to acheive.  The people I’m going to meet are high level professionals.  So am I!  Today, I will attract opportunities to work with brilliant women business leaders because I have the right mindset, I’m intentional and because I look the part.  So if you’re going to be a game changer, don’t just show up…SHOW UP!  Be the one that makes people wonder, “Who is that?”  That’s what game changers do.

I’ll let you know how things turn out.  I expect to report back 3 new potential clients and some outstanding business opportunities.  How are you changing the game this year?

MVP Sneak Peek Outline

Later today, I’ll be in a 1:1 MVP Strategy Session with a brilliant young author.

After releasing her book recently, she was disappointed when the initial buzz quickly fizzled out. 

She knows her story is important.  She just didn’t know how to construct an easy-to-execute, comprehensive strategy that would keep her message out there and position her as an expert.  

So, she reached out to me.

Listen to this 3 minute audio for a sneak peek at our session today:

What I love about this author is how quickly she decided this was right for her.  She immediately saw the value in having a shortcut to success.  Now THAT’s a visionary.

Here’s what happened in our initial conversation, which I call the “discovery session:”

She expressed her challenges and I listened.  She asked great questions and I answered.  After about 15 minutes she made the decision to invest — not in me, in HERSELF.

This author said “yes” to herself and now she’ll be walking away with a detailed media and marketing road map — all laid out in a handy binder that she can refer to again and again — plus, support from me, her VISIBILITY coach.

How cool is that?

These sessions provide lots of breakthroughs, easy to use tools, clarity and a way to shortcut your success.   Let’s talk about how an MVP 1:1 Session might look for you.  Schedule a “discovery” session with me and we’ll talk it through confidentially.  Go to http://JustAskMonique.com and get on my calendar!