Setting Goals

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Permalink Reply by Tammie Givens on December 30, 2008 at 12:19pm

Thanks so much for posting this. I will follow suit as I am re-evaluating, setting priorities and now setting achievable goals. It's time I get the ball rolling and get on the serious road to success! It's all up to me. And I am up for the challenge!

Thanks
Tammie Givens
Owner/ Silk Floral Designer
Gabby's Look Floral Creations

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Permalink Reply by Yvonne A Jones on December 30, 2008 at 9:46pm

I'm glad my post helped, Tammie. We help each other along the way by sharing our thoughts...don't you just love that? :)

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Permalink Reply by Yvonne A Jones on January 1, 2009 at 11:24pm

You're welcome, Stephanie. I just got home from an approx. 115 mile roundtrip to attend a Mary Kay Goal Setting Session. Even though I've set my personal goals for this and for another of my businesses (SOC) for the next 3 months, I felt it was beneficial to be in a group setting. The steps to setting goals can be applied to almost any type of business and I wish you well with your personal goal-setting. If I can offer any suggestions, please do not hesitate to let me know.

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Permalink Reply by Connie on January 4, 2009 at 9:24pm

I really like what your saying. I'm not even sure where to begin with goals. Other than remember to breath often and regularly and keep putting one foot in front of the other. To add to this there are rules, regulations and laws coming into play that may just shut the business down. If you can't tell I'm really new to business.

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Permalink Reply by Yvonne A Jones on January 4, 2009 at 10:05pm

Connie, I'm sorry to hear about your business. What do you do and what type of laws and regulations will affect your business adversely? Please share that with us and if there is anything we can do to assist you, I'm confident that I speak for many in this forum that we would be willing to assist you where possible. I would personally be happy to help you with goal setting. My first suggestion would be to set a short-term goal and that differs for everyone, but a 90-day goal is a place to start. It's doable, reachable and because the time goes by so quickly, you're more likely to stay motivated. Please feel free to e-mail me. Yvonne

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Permalink Reply by Connie on January 5, 2009 at 11:23am

Yvonne,
I crochet afghans, lap afghans (small afghans a little bigger than a baby blanket used more by those in a wheelchair), walker bags, string type shopping bags, water bottle carriers, and a few other things. My niece also does some crocheting, but is more into making beaded jewelry as that seems to be here unique ability. My great niece also does some crocheting and she does some sewing of simple items.

All of our items require some input from the customer ex. color: polar fleece (then solid or patterned), yarn (solid or variegated yarn), beads (gold, silver, copper, pearls, two tone beads, matte finish, AB finish, stone or gemstone, bone, wood, solid colors, variegated, rainbow,) size, material ( jewelry: nickle free, 14K gold, Sterling Silver, yarn: wool, cotton, man made, cloth: polar fleece, cotton, denim, quilted panel, etc) where appropriate. We do have a few items already made up in the various categories.

The new lead regulations that are going into effect in Feb. 2009 as they are written could shut us down. All items that could be considered useable for children 13 and under fall under these guidelines. There is no set standard of who will determine if the items are for children or not. Take our afghans for example. While we don't set out to make them for children. A child could still use it for warmth as a covering or as the perfect canvas for their imaginary circus tent; thus it would need to be tested for lead. Same could be said for the jewelry and other items. While these items are not something for children per say, they may be perceived that way.

We make small amounts of items. Each item could easily be from a different batch of main product (yarn lot within manufacture or different manufactures, bolt of cloth or remnants, bead lot, etc). We always buy from reputable sources (Hobby Lobby, Michael, JoAnne, Wal*Mart, etc.). Yet we buy in small amounts normally just enough to do the project the customer wants. These would all have to be tested for lead.

That means we would need to find some place to have our items tested. We would then have to make an item up to be tested and possibly destroyed in the process, then remake the item once we have a green light. This would get very expensive for us both because of the cost of testing being high and testors being overwhelmed by sudden surge in demand. It will also be costly because the increase need of turn around time. We would have to tell people, instead of 14 days to make your item, it could be up to 6 weeks. That's surely going to turn a lot of people off. Especially since 14 days is too long for many to wait for their custom created item now.

It also means that all the items in stock now and materials we received over Christmas holiday can't be sold/used after Feb. 2009. We have a good many friends and acquaintances that are going out of business because of this law. Simply because they are small enough that they can't afford the testing.

Hope this makes sense.
Connie

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Permalink Reply by Yvonne A Jones on January 6, 2009 at 8:54pm

Connie,

After reading your response, all I could say was "WOW!" I can see the extent to which you and others like yourself will be affected by these new laws. This is outside of my scope, but since so many people in the United States will be affected, aren't there likely to be groups that would be appealing the laws? Is it possible to do some search on the Internet and connect with them to make sure more voices are added? Are there exceptions or exclusions that would reduce the impact on small businesses? At a time when small businesses are being encouraged, it would seem that every effort would be made to attract rather than discourage small business owners. I'm a member of another forum that is exclusively for women (mothers) who are entrepreneurs. I'll do some research there and see if anything pops up that I could share with you. Don't give up, Connie. Something will work out! Yvonne

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Permalink Reply by Connie on January 7, 2009 at 4:42pm

Thanks, yes we are in the process of doing research and finding out what to do in regards to the new law. We also rep for several small WAHM companies and at least 2 of them are getting out of it.

One of the WAHM companies we are affiliated with deals in a lot of great products that are of the paper nature ex. Organizational items, File Totes - File Folders - Stationery-Journals - Note Cards - Note Pads-Personalized Stamps - Gifts - And More!

They carry a fabulous children line of products: Mini cube puzzles, Ring Flashcard set, Magnetic character sets, etc. There are also journals, diary items, etc. There getting rid of the majority of items simply because of these new laws. simply because it involves paper products too.

This also effects thrift stores and consignment shops as well. There are 4 consignment shops that deal with kids cloths and products. They are getting hit with a lot of negative responses and down right nasty people because they have stopped taking consignments of clothing and children products because of the new law. They are all calling people to come in and get there stuff out. They are trying to clear out of what surplus they do have. These places are also going to shut their doors because the majority of their trade is in gently used to brand new undamaged children's clothing. Goodwill is totally confused as to if they are or aren't going to handle children's clothing.

Heres some of the confusing articles that are out there regarding this with thrift stores.

http://news.google.com/news?q=lead%20testing%20for%20items%20sold%2...

I know that I saw an article yesterday that had to do with the impact of this law on thrift stores. The one thing that was stressed is how many people don't have a clue about this law. There are many people who are either totally unaware. We have only been aware of it for 2 to 3 weeks.

I appreciate your kind response.
Connie

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Permalink Reply by Yvonne A Jones on January 14, 2009 at 11:33am

Connie,

I read a comment recently about the points you raised and you may or may not be familiar with this website, but according to the comment this is where you need to register or vote to make your voice heard: http://www.change.org/ideas/view/save_handmade_toys_from_the_cpsia

Have a good day!
Yvonne

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Permalink Reply by Yamilette Rodriguez-Berg on January 8, 2009 at 8:33pm

Wow this really reminds me of something that we do weekly, but I haven't really implemented this to my Scentsy business!

Its funny how I exactly teach this to my kids...and they are just 2nd graders! We call it the P.D.S.A. Plan which means:
Plan, Do, Study, Act! Every week when I introduce a new skill in Science or Math we as a class come up with a plan and state what is it that we will accomplish and set a goal: Like this week we will learn________, and all students will obtain an 80% or more. Then as a class we will state the steps to obtain that goal(this is the Do)! We keep this Goal for several weeks and throughout the weeks we assess how we are doing with weekly assessments, then we graph out the results (this the Study)...we look at our data as a class and find out what is not working, and make necessary changes(this is the Act)!
Besides our class goals & plans, each student carries in a binder their own personal goals for Science and Math...some students even have higher goals: Like this week I want to obtain a 100%!!! And since its written, and they are monitoring their own goal, the know how off they are off or how they have met their goal...its very exciting; and a powerful tool!

Now, if I only could apply what I teach at school to my business....lol!

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Permalink Reply by Yamilette Rodriguez-Berg on January 8, 2009 at 8:35pm

Reply by Yamilette Rodriguez, Ind. Scentsy Consultant 1 minute ago
Delete Wow this really reminds me of something that we do weekly, but I haven't really implemented this to my Scentsy business!

Its funny how I exactly teach this to my kids...and they are just 2nd graders! We call it the P.D.S.A. Plan which means:
Plan, Do, Study, Act! Every week when I introduce a new skill in Science or Math we as a class come up with a plan and state what is it that we will accomplish and set a goal: Like this week we will learn________, and all students will obtain an 80% or more. Then as a class we will state the steps to obtain that goal(this is the Do)! We keep this Goal for several weeks and throughout the weeks we assess how we are doing with weekly assessments, then we graph out the results (this the Study)...we look at our data as a class and find out what is not working, and make necessary changes(this is the Act)!
Besides our class goals & plans, each student carries in a binder their own personal goals for Science and Math...some students even have higher goals: Like this week I want to obtain a 100%!!! And since its written, and they are monitoring their own goal, the know how off they are off or how they have met their goal...its very exciting; and a powerful tool!

Now, if I only could apply what I teach at school to my business....lol!


**I had to repost, since I posted in the wrong place..ooops!

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Permalink Reply by Dawn L. Billings on January 11, 2009 at 2:06pm

Sometimes we write down goals without really connecting to them passionately. All research tells us that emotion has to be connected with goal setting in order for it to register is the nonconscious brain. So I recommend a couple of stragegies. First, before you write down your goals, imagine a time in your life that was so amazing, every time you think of it, it makes you want to jump around with excitement and joy. Take that same feeling with you as you write down your goals. Second, separate your goals into 3 lists.

1. The first goals are more like a "to do" list. You already believe you can accomplish them but need to focus and direct yourself. This list is about disciplining yourself to NOT procrastinate and do the thing you know you know you CAN do. Things on this list are losing weight, exercising, eating right, cleaning your garage, getting more organized, creating a new contact system, etc., the kinds of things we should do to keep our selves healthy in business, relationships, emotionally and spiritually.

2. The second list of goals should be where you list those things that you hope you can achieve. This is the list where you put that new car you want, the new clients you hope to close, the sales records for the year you want to achieve, etc. This is a list that requires you to discipline your focus and keep your mind on where you want to go. This list is more challenging than the first list, but still feels possible. These are the things you NEED to do in order to move forward in your life.

3. The third list is your GREATEST DREAMS list - on this list you must force yourself to go WAY outside your comfort zone. Did I say WAY OUTSIDE your comfort zone? This is a list, that if you could have the things on this list you would be jumping on yellow couches on the Oprah show like Tom Cruise. This list is your place to challenge yourself to be, what to date, you have considered 'unrealistic' or "impossible' You see if you separate the word impossible just a little, like you were texting God it would read
I M Possible! Anything you want, you can have if you can allow yourself to believe this one little sentence "I M Possible!"

Thanks Yvonne for inviting us to set goals, I invite you to set 3 lists of them.
Here are two of mine from the third list -

The Heart Alliance and the new web portal TheHeartOfaWoman.com is the largest women's web portal in the world, serving and blessing women around the world in every area of their lives.

The Heart Link Network is the fastest growing and most effective women's networking organization in the world.

Sweet Blessings, and DREAM on,
Dawn Billings
CEO & Founder of The Heart Link Network

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