In honor of the upcoming Mother’s Day weekend let’s celebrate inspiring women. Who do you want to thank? I’m sure there are many women who have impacted your life for the good so grab a pen and piece of paper and get ready to make your list of incredible women to acknowledge!

As for me, I have had many inspiring women support, encourage and challenge me as a single Mompreneur for over 9+ years, which has been vital to my personal and professional success. I’ve been richly blessed by their willingness to invest in me by providing inspiration, wisdom and insight as I’ve evolved, changed and become more of my truest self.

In particular, I have worked with three phenomenal women as my life and business coaches and I want to honor them today. Cynthia Loy Darst, Teresia LaRocque and Kim Fulcher all have four important characteristics that have contributed to my success—they walk their talk, act as catalysts for change, live alive and on purpose and call forth greatness in others. These are the criteria I look for in those I choose to work with and I am grateful to each of you amazing women for sharing your brilliance and inspiring me to be all I can be as a Mompreneur.

What about you? What women have acted as coaches in your life? What criteria do you look for? And more importantly how will you thank them?

Someone else I want to celebrate is Laurie Hardie, Radio Host of Coffee with the Coaches who is also my friend, colleague and Compass sister. I met Laurie over a year ago and as a fellow single Mom, I am inspired by her life and story that will be published in her upcoming guide for single Mom’s called Did Not See that Coming.

This resource will offer hope and inspiration to single Mom’s and I had the joy of supporting her community with a recent interview. Be sure to listen to the many stories of thriving in spite of life’s challenges as you learn more about Laurie’s book which will help all women committed to overcoming challenges.

I want to honor my own Mom who has been a steadfast anchor of peace and strength in my life. She is a woman devoted to bringing her full self to our family, with a servant’s heart and wisdom that has guided me with grace and love. Thank you Mom for the woman you are and the legacy you are creating.

Today, I also celebrate you! Thank you for using your leadership influence for the good and for impacting others with your unique greatness. Take a moment to receive these truths as you acknowledge your role in changing the world, one woman at a time.

I’ve heard it said that women use over 10,000 words per day so it’s very clear that we women “chat”! In fact, I’ve started my quota early today as I literally just got off the phone for my weekly chat with a dear friend and colleague of mine; we meet over-the-phone weekly at 5:30a to connect on a deeper level and support one another with accountability and encouragement.

One of the reasons we “chat with women” is that we are very relational beings. The way we connect is through conversation. Some times our dialogue is uplifting and life giving but if you’re like me, I often wish I could take back what I’ve said because it hasn’t been helpful, edifying or inspiring.

How about you? If you think about your “chats” how would you rate your conversations? Enriching? Draining?

In my experience with clients, the primary reason for disheartening conversation is women often operate and talk from an empty tank. When the car runs on fumes, eventually it’s going to stop and be ineffective. It’s the same for you; the level of “gas” in your internal tank directly impacts the quality of your presence and how you show up in the world, including what you share in your conversations.

Tomorrow I have the exciting opportunity to be interviewed on the radio with co-hosts Pam Gray and Rachel Alhadeff of Chat with Women. This is my “first time” on the radio “live”; what a great chance to use part of my word quota in a positive way. I invite you to join me as your support will inspire me and this could also be your chance to “refuel” your tanks. I believe the show will positively impact you by improving your energy and uplifting your tone of voice and the words you use in your conversations.

“Chat With Women is a company that is passionate about helping, developing, and inspiring women and the men who love them.  We achieve this by waking up every day with a goal of using our experiences in business and life while following our core values of love, laughter and our life’s energy to maximize everyday both personally and professionally.”

So tune in tomorrow; if you’re in the Puget Sound region you can listen at KKNW 1150AM or online at Chat with Women. The show starts at 8:00a Pacific and my segment will be at 8:45a. You can also listen to the archived show after the fact.

And as you “chat with women” (and others today) remember your words can help or your words can hinder. Choose wisely!

Picture courtesy of Photoxpress ©Bruce Shippee

Do you ever feel like the lone ranger in your business or work? As an entrepreneur what would it be worth to find your “tribe” of like-minded people to collaborate with along the way?

You’ve probably heard the acronym for T.E.A.M. which tands for “Together, Everyone Achieves More”. I know that without my “team” or “tribe”, I would not be where I am today on both a personal or professional level.

So who is your Team or Tribe? What men and women do you turn to for inspiration, encouragement and calling forth to make your dreams real as you leave your lasting impact in the world?

My new business platform continues to evolve. As I drill it down to get crystal clear on the deep “why”, it’s about collaborative leadership. In fact, this is why I am partnering with a fellow “tribe” member to create The Leadership Collaborative which will launch soon.

What is collaborative leadership you might ask? Here’s how I define it:

Collaborative Leadership—Working together with other like-minded leaders to create inspired lives and purposeful businesses for the greater purpose of positive and lasting change in the world.

As I’m doing my research around my new business platform, I notice there’s a continued shift happening in the entrepreneurial world. Business leaders are evolving to become “collaborative” rather than “competitive” and joining forces for noble causes to make a greater collective contribution. This energizes me because I want to be inspired by other people’s brilliance and have the ability to reach a larger audience with my message for the sake of the greater good that can happen.

In fact, the value of collaborative leadership is significant. Here are just some of the ways you can benefit when you find your tribe and conduct your work through a collaborative leadership model:

• You gain clarity about who you are and what you stand for.
• You have more fun and energy toward life and work.
• You experience the magic of referrals of work to you and others because of connecting people to great resources.
• You leverage the wisdom of the group to accomplish more and generate improved results for greater impact.

Last week, I held a virtual book talk and signing for my co-authored book “Direct Selling Power: Expert Advice to Accelerate your Direct Sales Business.” I shared insight on the topic “The 2% Shift: Becoming a Cutting Edge Leader in your Direct Sales or MLM Business.” As I prepared for the talk, I decided to leverage my collaborative leadership network and asked for support to reach more entrepreneurs with my message. And boy did they come through!

In addition to inspiring you to find your own collaborative leadership team, I want to personally thank my fellow friends and collaborative leadership tribe for their willingness to share my work with others!

I invite you to visit their websites to learn more about their work because they are top notch amazing leaders in their respective industries. So thank you to….

• Steve Taubman – www.stevetaubman.com
• Caterina Rando – www.thrivebooks.com
• Jennifer Fong – www.jennfongspeaks.com
• Krista Dunk – www.kbwomen.com
• Becky Spieth – www.beckyspieth.com
• Jennifer Peppers – www.vergecoaching.com

What’s been your experience with collaborative leadership? What will you do next to develop your own collaborative leadership tribe? Post your comments at the blog at www.shannonbruce.com. Also stay tuned for more as my new business platform launches; there will be many resources that will support you in this endeavor.

Remember, together everyone achieves more!

Photo Courtesy of Photo Express © jeancliclac

Do you ever feel “alone” in your business? Could you use practical support and wisdom to keep you moving toward the life and business you dream of? If so, it’s time to find your “tribe” because there is power in community!

Having a group of like-minded business women will make a huge difference in your life. You’ll receive practical ideas and insight, not to mention the accountability necessary for change.

One community that can offer you the support you need is the National Association of Entrepreneur Mom’s. To get a sense of what this organization is all about, I would like to invite you to join me on Wednesday, November 4th at 12:00PM Pacific for the FREE monthly Guest Expert Call. This call and community might be exactly what you need to propel you to the next level in your life and work.

Who do you consider your community of support? Where do you gain the practical tools and accountability you need to create a thriving life and prosperous business?

I’d love to read your thoughts about the impact and support you’ve experienced in community.  Post your comments below and at the blog.

Do you feel alone in your life as a Mompreneur? Perhaps you are struggling to keep your head above water as  you juggle the demands of life and work. If you can relate, read on because help is on its way!

An active support network is a “must-have” for all Mompreneurs. With a community of like-minded women walking alongside you, ideas, resources and practical tools become readily available to help you create a thriving life and prosperous business.

The National Association of Entrepreneur Moms is a just one example of a powerful network that empowers women like you to consciously create a balanced life.

This month, you’ll find a variety of added resources to support you as you head back to school, which means back to business.

Check out what’s available to you right now:

• If you’re on Facebook, you can join the NAOEM Facebook Group to meet and connect with other like-minded Entrepreneur Moms. When you join this group, you’ll also receive invitations to join the monthly FREE Calls that will provide you with information and inspiration to integrate your home and work life.
• You can meet, mingle and mastermind with other Mompreneurs when you join the NAOEM Membership Community.
• Take your business to the next level! Sign up for the NAOEM Success Summit and take advantage of a special discounted offer.  Visit this special link to learn more about the Two Days of Amazing Speakers Offering You the Tools to Integrate Your Business and Family Life!

There are many other groups out there to support you as a Mompreneur. What support networks are you currently using? What impact has a support network had on your life and business?

Post your comments below and let’s learn from one another!

There’s a silent addiction that’s wreaking havoc on the lives and businesses of women. It’s a new term I just learned from my accountability partner who calls it “addicted to done“.

So what does the term mean? It’s an addiction to the adrenaline surge that comes when you experience the awesome thrill of crossing something off your to-do list! It’s energizing and feels great temporarily, yet it’s effects aren’t long lasting and often, it moves you away from the results you really want.

The seduction is that you need to keep it going, so you focus on those easy to-do administrative and logistic tasks so you can experience the thrill again and again. The problem is you’ve spent all of your time “doing” the busy work which is helpful, yet not always priority or moving you toward the bigger vision of your life personally and professionally. You might find “addicted to done” keeping you from engaging and connecting in your personal relationships, and working “in” your business instead of “on” it which can diminish your business’ sustainability and results.

Now I’m not saying don’t spend time on administrative tasks or logistics items. What I am saying is that to create a thriving life and prosperous business you need to consciously choose, again and again, where you invest your time so you get the ongoing intended impact and results you desire.

So here’s an assignment for you:

1. Pay attention to the types of activities you are doing. Are they task driven or relational? Are you looking for instant results or building a foundation that will support ongoing achievements? Instead of doing “either/or” identify how you might be able to do “both/and”. The goal is to create meaningful impact today, while focusing on quality of life and business sustainability over the longer period as well.
2. Find an accountability partner. Meet with or talk to this person at least twice a month to share your wins and struggles, and to brainstorm next steps.
3. Debrief. Spend a few minutes daily to answer these questions, “What’s working?”, “What’s not?”, “What change will I make tomorrow?”

As you move forward with this strategy, you’ll find the thrill of getting things done as you create a fulfilling life and prosperous business at the same time!

Would love to know what you’re thinking…Post your comments below!

As a woman of faith, I always pay attention to coincidences. I once heard from a fellow coach “coincidence is God’s way of remaining anonymous” and in my experience, I’ve found this to be so very true.

As I mentioned in my previous post, my daughter’s pediatrician told me it would take a village to raise a child with acid reflux. A couple of days later, I read this exact same statement on the back of a bookmark I’m reading called “Breakfast at Sally’s.” The quote reads, “You have heard that it takes a village to raise a child; well in this case it took a village to raise a book.”

Hmmm, that’s the exact same thought twice in less than a week. I wonder what God is trying to tell me? My sense is that it’s time to expand my support network to take my life and business to the next level.

What exactly does this mean for you? If you have an entrepreneurial vision that you want to launch or take to the next level, you can’t do it alone. If you are in business as a Mompreneur or Entrepreneur you might be living in the “Lone Range Syndrome” and trying to do it all on your own. It’s highly likely you are attempting to run a life and a business by taking on too many roles, many of which drain and overwhelm you. The end result is that you dilute your impact and end up sabotaging your efforts, leaving you feeling frustrated and unfulfilled.

So what’s the answer? Hire others to help!

As a single mom, I got tired of sacrificing time with my daughter to clean my house. So I hired a housecleaner. I have no desire to learn how to set up a blog so I hired a web designer. And even though I’m a former CPA, bookkeeping drains the life from me so I hired a bookkeeper, but only after my computer crashed and I lost 8-months worth of records. I admit it, I’m still learning myself!

I know exactly what you’re thinking right now. You’re saying, “I can’t afford to hire others to help. I don’t have the money.”

OK, in service to your heart and the big dream that lives inside of you, let me tell you how sabotaging this belief actually is! In my personal experience and in serving clients, it’s this very belief that is holding you back from experiencing the thriving life and profitable business you long for! Why? Because if you are spending the majority of time doing things that drain you, you don’t have enough energy to give to what really matters.

As you contemplate this new perspective of “Hiring others to Help” over the “Lone Ranger” perspective, here are some additional places for you to look:

1. For seven days, commit to creating a list of the activities that energize you and the activities that drain you. Redirect your time to spending 80% of your time on those things that energize you, which will give you fuel for the 20% of the activities that take from you.

2. Identify one or two of the draining activities you could delegate to someone else. Call several service providers to find out how much their services cost, with the intention to hire this person for one month so you can see the impact this has on your life and business.

3. For one month, redirect the time in your schedule that you spend on this draining activity to spend productive time on money making activities that will support you in growing your business. You could call a customer, develop a strategic partnership, or attend a networking event for some examples.

What’s amazing is that when you focus your attention to the things you love, you have more energy and are living from a naturally attractive place. This draws others to you which will give you the opportunity to serve them from a place of life and abundance. You’ll be a much better woman, wife, mom and business owner and you’ll get much better results.

So what do you think? What does “Hiring Others to Help” as a new perspective mean to you? I’d love to hear your thoughts and what your next steps are.

Here’s to your success!