Don’t miss this free teleclass!

In case you haven’t registered yet, join me for a free 60-minute teleclass on Tuesday, February 7th at

7:30 – 8:30 pm (Eastern)
6:30 – 7:30 pm (Central)
5:30 – 6:30 pm (Mountain)
4:30 – 5:30 pm (Pacific)

Join me as I share how to Stop Stepping Over the Elephant in the Room: 10 Ways to Boost Productivity in 2012. I will be sharing great content with you, as well as giving you a sneak preview of my 6-week teleclass series, the DECIDE to be Organized Group Coaching Program, which starts February 21st. (NOTE: We have extended the early bird registration rate until February 13th!).

Join me for this preview call that will also deliver mindset-shifting content!

Register for the free call here: http://bit.ly/boostproductivity

(P.S. – The call will be recorded, but try to be on the call live because I have some exciting and time-sensitive information to share with you at the end of the call!)

Listen to Lisa’s interview with Career Coach Caroline this Tuesday, January 31st at 5pm EST on CBS Radio – part of the Coach Me Radio Series.

Lisa will be discussing her career change from attorney to Productivity Consultant, Success Coach, Speaker and Author, as well as her best advice for others considering a career transition. Listen in as Lisa will also share her top 3 take-aways for getting organized this New Year… and more..

Broadcast LIVE on CBS, New Sky Radio, Career Coach Caroline can be heard on KJAQ HD3 Seattle, WBMX HD3 Boston, WOMC HD3 Detroit, WDSY and WZPT HD3 Pittsburgh. The show also streams on NewSkyRadio.com http://sky.radio.com/shows/coach-me/, the CBS Radio AOL stream, and on Yahoo radio, Blackberry, iPhone and iTunes.

Anyone that knows me (or even just meets me) can tell that I love my business and work really hard. But I’m not only a passionate entrepreneur, I am a multi-passionate person! One of the worst mistakes I’ve ever made when I first became an entrepreneur was to “compartmentalize” my life. It dawned on me a few years ago that I don’t have a “personal life” and a “professional life,” but simply A LIFE. Consequently, I do things when they feel right, which might include writing an article or taking care of client work on a Saturday or Sunday morning, and going on a bike ride, taking a yoga class or heading out with my dogs on a hike on a Wednesday afternoon. In fact, flexibility and freedom are part of what makes being self-employed so glorious. And yet, so many entrepreneurs continue to separate their personal and professional lives in ways that actually work to avoid an y semblance of balance.

If a strict bifurcation of personal and professional is working for you, great. But ask yourself if it is truly working for you. Are you too regimented in your scheduling of work versus personal endeavors? Does your personal life always get short shifted at the expense of your professional life? Examine whether you really feel balanced. If not, something has got to change. Mix things up and see how it feels. Try to tap into your natural energy flow and rhythm so that you can do tasks when you are in top form, and not when you are “supposed” to. I realize this is easier said than done, and it is a constant battle to have the freedom and flexibility so many entrepreneurs crave. We still have to function within the 9-5 world we live in, and be able to serve our clients at a time when it is convenient for them. But at least try to move awa y from the compartmentalization that can cause you to overwork and resent your business. If you are starting to feel burned out, perhaps you need to work in more time to cultivate your hobbies and passions. Not only will you feel rejuvenated, but you may actually be a better and more well-rounded entrepreneur because of your non-work related activities.

For example, I love to travel and explore new cultures. This could be viewed as only a personal activity. And yet, my travel and exploration of other cultures infiltrates my work in surprising and refreshing ways. I sometimes find myself “studying” the ways of other cultures and comparing them to Americans in terms of productivity, work-life balance, attitudes on business, goal setting, etc. This makes me a better productivity consultant, success coach, business strategist, speaker and writer for sure! Even a simple personal activity like taking a hike or bike ride can fill me with wonderful new ideas to write or s peak about, help me work through a client issue that I am helping him or her with, or clear my mind to make space to create new programs and products.

The bottom line is that we all have to find that unique balance that makes the most sense for us. But I am proposing less of a balance in terms of this versus that, and more of a free flow of ideas, activities and use of time that feels authentic and allows you to be the best entrepreneur you can be. Because in the end, isn’t that what we all want?

Lisa will be serving as Moderator of the Golden Circle Ask the Organizer Panel at the 2012 NAPO Conference in Baltimore, MD on March 22-24, 2012. She will also be presenting “Don’t Be Afraid of the Big Bad Law: Using the Law as a Protective Shield for Your Organizing Business.”

Here’s a sneak peek:

As a productivity consultant whose business is founded on the idea of making people’s lives easier and more manageable, I spend nearly every day thinking about control in some sense. Control is strange when you stop to really think about it. Is it a concept? An idea? Or a goal? And is it inherently good or bad? My answer is… it depends.

To me, control is a dichotomy. When you think of physical organizing, control translates into having a place for everything and being able to maintain organizing systems. To one person, there is nothing more satisfying than an impeccably organized environment. Yet to others, the phrase “control freak” comes to mind when they see a person maintaining such orderly surroundings. Some people take great pride in practicing successful time or project management. While others view this strict enforcement of time and project management as “controlling”. Therefore, I like to look at control as a coin, with the positive aspects on one si de and the negative aspects on the other. This is quite common really. Many things, when flipped on their head, can become negative, even if the initial intention is indeed positive. If we take almost anything to the extreme, it takes on an ugly quality.

You also hear people use the phrases, “out of control” or “losing control”. No doubt many of us feel that way at times: capable individuals who are just having an off day or get behind in our tasks or responsibilities. We all have days like this when it feels like we shouldn’t have gotten out of bed and the world is spiraling out of control. The key is to accept, and sometimes even embrace, this loss of control. This is easier said than done, of course. But it is sometimes when we hold on too tightly that we, in fact, lose control.

You can control some things for sure — the messy desk , the pile of papers, the clothes piling up on the treadmill — and there is great satisfaction in the process and the result. I see it every time I assist a client in getting better organized and becoming more productive. It is gratifying to take control in this manner. But we can’t control everything, and we will make ourselves crazy if we try!

I am not advocating for a complete surrender of control, just a relaxing of it. For example, it is still a worthwhile and reachable goal to get organized and become more productive — to take control of your surroundings and your life in a way that helps you function better within this out-of-control world. But I am recommending that you identify the difference between “good” control and “bad” control, so that you don’t set unrealistic expectations for yourself, or worse, go to the extreme in either direction. When it comes to control, somewhere in the middle seems to be the best compromise for living a productive — and healthy and realistic — life.

Make your own slide show at Animoto.

This is something I don’t want you to miss…

If you’ve ever asked yourself if you can actually make your business work, if all the effort is worth it… if you’ve ever wondered if it’s even possible to grow your business without it completely taking over your life, pay attention to this…

Solopreneur Survival Summit. January 16-20.

9 Experts. 5 Days. All Women. Real-life. No Nonsense.

Register at: Solopreneur Survival Summit

I partnered with Nadine Nicholson and eight other entrepreneurial experts in this special telesummit event to help you drive your business forward AND still have a life!

I’m a big believer in Nadine’s work and jumped at the chance to partner in this event. She’s on a mission to help solo-entrepreneurs drive business, make more money and get more energy without working more hours.

This is a must-attend, free virtual event for every woman solo-entrepreneur in business. Learn from our successes and our mistakes, from our highs and our lows.

This inspiring team of entrepreneurial experts will help you:

• Identify and get past the biggest obstacle you’ll ever face as an entrepreneur.
• Step into the driver’s seat of your own future without being distracted by what doesn’t fit.
• Figure out what you’re best at so your ideal clients are inspired to hire you.
• Get your unique messages to really stand out from the pack.
• Discover what’s in the way of your vision and deal with it for good.
• Get and keep a healthy, positive mindset as an entrepreneur.
• Discover the must-have systems, tools and virtual roles for your business.
• Know the exact right moment for you to take your business a whole other level.
• And much more!

So join me! Register at: Solopreneur Survival Summit

All you have to do is register (FREE) to secure your spot. We’ll be right there with you to help you succeed.

Remember the event starts on Monday, January 16th!

P.S. Use the social media buttons on the event registration page to share it with your entrepreneurial colleagues.

P.P.S. Once you register for this virtual summit PAY CLOSE ATTENTION to the thank you page where you’ll discover an outrageous, time-sensitive offer from Nadine Nicholson (quarterback for the summit) to help you drive your business and still have a life. You’ve got to see it to believe it.

Lisa was recently interviewed by Kristi Meyer of www.TheHouseThatClutterBuilt.com. They discussed the relationship between indecisiveness and disorganization – Lisa’s DECIDE methodology that her programs and trainings are built on. They talked about significant client triumphs and challenges, and how small steps can lead to big changes in breaking through the clutter.

Watch for a link coming soon to listen to the interview on February 6th on Webtalkradio.com.

Now that 2012 is in full swing, it’s time to get going on those New Year’s resoultions! If “getting organized” was on your list, I’ve got the perfect answer for you! Join the DECIDE to be Organize Group Coaching Program and make your vision become reality.

DECIDE is an empowering process that leads to change. It will assist you in achieving results at home, in business, and in life in general. While the process guides a person in making decisions that lead to a more productive state, it is itself a decision; a decision to take control. How do you do that?

If you are ready to change and need help with any of your organizing or time management projects, then join me for the DECIDE to be Organized Online Group Coaching Program, a 6-week teleclass series that allows participants to be guided through the entire DECIDE process in a group coaching environment.

• Dates: Tuesday evenings from February 21st to March 27th, 2012
• Time: 7:30 – 9:00 pm EST
• Investment: Early Bird Special – $397 if register by February 1st ($497 thereafter)
• 5 Bonuses! Includes MP3 recordings of all classes, the DECIDE to be Organized 58-page e-book, the Organize Your Paperwork: Record Retention 101 audio program and pdf guide, e-mail access to me and the group members, private 15-minute laser coaching call with Lisa and more!
• Click here for details and to register

During these teleclasses, I will offer guidance, support, and expertise as you embark on this empowering process for change. Through DECIDE, you will learn the tools needed to get better organized, take control, and make positive changes.

Listen to my message about this exciting program AND a free 10 minute audio about the DECIDE process.

What the DECIDE to be Organized Group Coaching Program Includes:

• Time, motivation and inspiration to work on your organizing projects.
• A fun, supportive environment made up of individuals that also want to get better organized. You don’t have to go it alone!
• Lasting tools to help you learn your organizing style, change your mindset, and maintain your organizing systems long after the program is over.
• Decluttered physical space and clarity of mind so that you can focus on the things you really want, love, and need in your home, work, and life!

If you are interested in having your very own organizing coach, but aren’t able to invest the money to work on a one-on-one basis with an organizing expert, this affordable program is the answer! Take a look at the  program details and “decide” for yourself. 

In this “new economy,” many business owners are stressing about securing enough business to make a profit. In the extreme, this often leads to saying yes to any and all prospects, projects and types of work. Unfortunately, this may not be the best business strategy! Indeed, saying no to business is sometimes the smartest thing to do. Not convinced? Let me demonstrate.

Prospect is not a good “fit” – Let’s face it, not all clients are the right “fit” for you and your business. In some instances, there is even a such thing, dare I say, as a bad client. If your antenna goes up during the initial meeting, phone call or consultation alerting you to the fact that this client will not respect you, tests your boundaries, needs more assistance than you can provide, or in any other meaningful way is just not a good fit, listen to that instinct and say no! There are ways to turn away business that are polite, tactful, useful, and firm, and sometimes we just have to learn when it is right to say no to a prospect or client. Turning away business can be a painful process for those unfamiliar with the concept, but it can save you and your business in the long run.

Saying yes to every prospect may unfortunately mean saying no to your Ideal Client – Every business has a Target Market and within that market lies the Ideal Client. You know who they are — the people or organizations that really need your assistance, are fully ready for the transformative services or products that you provide, respect and value you and your business, and can afford to make the investment to work with you. They are the ones that you keep in mind when developing programs and products to ensure they fit your client base. We all know there is only so much time and energy to work with clients. Any time you take on a new client, there is a loss of potential opportunities elsewhere that could slip by because you are too busy. That is referred to as Opportunity Cost — the cost of opportunities that you will miss by taking on each client. Therefore, be very clear when you say yes that the prospect fits into your Ideal Client profile (or at least gets close to it!). If not, you may actually be saying no to your Ideal Client when he/she comes knocking.

Quantity of work may make quality suffer – If you say yes to every prospect, project and type of work, you may wind up spreading yourself too thin, causing the quality of your work to suffer. In an effort to overcome the economic downturn and make more money, many business owners are saying yes, yes, yes. This can lead to burn out, decrease in quality of work, and damage to your overall business reputation. Resist the urge to say yes to all work, unless you have the infrastructure in place to handle it.

Focus on Value and Results – The best business owners realize that what they are truly selling is value and results. When you view yourself in this light and not as merely providing products or services, you very quickly realize that you need to say yes only to the clients that you can bring your best value and results to. You also set yourself apart from the “competition” because value and results are not easily measurable, the way tangible products and services are. The value is in the client’s mind and will almost always far outweigh the price they paid.

Saying no to work may seem like an ill-advised business strategy, but in the long run, you will come to see that it is a meaningful and profitable way of doing business. You leave yourself open for the Ideal Clients that you should be serving, and you don’t drain yourself and the business by trying to serve everyone. Resist the urge to be all things to all people, and focus on what you do best for the target market that wants, needs and can afford it. Saying no will be difficult as you turn away the ill-matched prospect with money to burn and a desire to buy, but the flip side is saying yes and then resenting it for not being true to yourself and the business that you have created.