"With enough belief in yourself you can overcome any obstacle."- Ross Scutts Entrepreneur. According to Wikipedia an entrepreneur is 'a person who has possession of a new enterprise, venture or idea and is accountable for the inherent risks and the outcome'. In my teens I wanted to be one but I figured I wasn't smart enough so I let that dream fall by the wayside. Up until a couple of months ago I didn't even know how to spell entrepreneur but when you reignite a dream and you put it on your dream board you had better make sure you spell it right or you might turn out being an entrepanour! What ever that is. When you decide you want something certain things appear in your life that align with what you are asking for so it was perfect timing when I received an email from Ross Scutts saying he was going to hold a young entrepreneurs workshop! The people you surround yourself with contributes to your success so of course I was going to jump at the chance to be in a room with other young men and women who are aspiring to fulfill their potential! I wasn't 100% sure what to expect but I was excited for it none the less and after doing an interview with Ross, that you can read HERE, a few of the people who were attending the seminar emailed me which made it doubly exciting as they were certainly inspiring people.
"Never ever go into a situation thinking of what you can get out of it. Think of what you can give first."- Ross Scutts
The workshop was held at an ultimate entrepreneur's headquarters! Phillip Di Bella's 'Di Bella Coffee' headquarters in Brisbane. Phillip's story is so very inspiring and you can read it HERE. Philip was on the BRW fast 100 list in 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2010 while also being on BRW's Young Rich List for four years running. Phillip was also named Young Manager of the year in 2008, was the winner of Brisbane Business News’ Young Entrepreneur Award last year and only a few days ago it was released that Phillip has been honoured as an Adjunct Professor of Griffith Business School where he will teach entrepreneurship to postgraduate and undergraduate students. To sit in the board room of a young entrepreneur's company which was once just an idea and is now worth millions and millions of dollars was just amazing and awe inspiring.
"If you're reading these words then you will be in the small group of people in life that can actually make a significant difference in this world. Both in your life and in the lives of others around you."- Ross Scutts
When I first got there I was met by Ross and his gorgeous partner Ellie Gonsalves. They led me into the board room, gave me a Young Entrepreneurs Club Success Manual and told me to help myself to coffee (which I surely did!). Di Bella coffee is amazing! If you haven't tried it you must! Then more and more people arrived! A few familiar faces and a few new. The meeting was limited to 22 so the group was nice and intimate. After introducing ourselves and saying what we wanted to get out of the workshop Ross jumped straight into it. He said we had a lot to cover and he was not kidding! From 9.30am-4.30pm, with a quick break in between to grab some more coffee and quick bite to eat, we learnt about everything a young entrepreneur needs to know! From goals and dreams to conditioning and environment! We were encouraged to be honest in the group and go for our BIGGEST and BOLDEST dreams that we might be afraid to share outside of that room! Some times we have HUGE dreams but are afraid to go for them due to the fear of what people might think or say. So we all revealed our ultimate goals and Ross taught us the foundation on which they should be built and what mindset we need to adopt. We delved into our own values and beliefs and discovered things that we thought were gone or had no idea were even there in the first place! We discussed action steps and passion chants, language and physiology, habits and wealth attitudes. The whole workshop was a day of discovery and learning. To see Ross' knowledge and passion and to hear his stories was amazing. He is a confident and successful young man who is not afraid to go for his dreams and wants to encourage other people to do the same! He taught us the importance of role models and mentors and how action is cardinal to our success.
Ross is a true inspiration and has inspired me to go for my goals because if I want it... I can have it. If you are a budding entrepreneur then I highly suggest you do his workshop and then apply to join the Young Entrepreneurs Monthly Meeting. It is certainly one of the best moves you could ever make in ensuring you reach your goal. It certainly was one of mine!
BE x DO= HAVE
"We don’t have problems in life. We only have challenges that we can decide to overcome, let defeat us or redirect us in a more fulfilling direction." - Ross Scutts
The next YEC workshop will be on the 30th of April and will once again be held at Di Bella HQ with places limited to 23 people. It will be $197 and will include a copy of the work book and a little surprise for everyone at the end. To secure your place email Ross at ross@auzrun.com
Take control of your life, invest in your future and don't let "them" tell you it cant be done. You can be do and have anything you want... so GO FOR IT!
When I first started off in the fashion industry I was very wary. Lets face it, the fashion industry doesn't have the best reputation and when I told people what I was doing they said to me 'oh you must have a hard time with all the bitchiness and backstabbing'. The funny thing is that I have never ever encountered it! Everyone I meet is lovely and I have made some brilliant friends in the process!
Linda Lola just happens to be one of those who I met in the industry and is now one of my closest friends. We met at the Blanc + Delta store launch in Brisbane and the rest is history! She is kind, beautiful and a stylist... a brilliant one at that! She has an amazing eye for style and I love going out to cover events with her there because she always ups the anti and keeps me guessing with the outfits she puts together! She is always immaculate and is certainly very talented when it comes to personal style. I am very happy that she is my first 'Stylist Profile'! Linda's story is quite incredible, she is an inspiration and she strives for the best!
Enjoy!
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Linda Lola
Name:
Linda Lola
Star Sign:
Taurus
Tell me a bit about yourself?
Born in Iraq into a large Chaldean/Assyrian family I am the 3rd child of nine kids. Growing up life was a challenge always living in fear for your life due to the on going wars in Iraq. At the age of 16 during the gulf invasion my parents had had enough and made the decision to flea Iraq to a Western Country via Turkey. To say the lest that journey was very difficult. We endured a long walking journey at night through the tough terrains of Iraq and Turkey. Upon arrival to Istanbul within 3 months my Father past away due to a brain hemorrhage. In a foreign middle eastern country with no money and no male figure to support or provide for a family of 9 we struggled to make ends meet. My sisters and I worked 15 hours a day sewing in a textile factory and this was not where I developed my love for fashion! Our journey to migrate to a western country had just began and we now had to endure it with out the support of a Father. After burying my Father during our stay in Istanbul our main aim was to submit an application to different countries. We submitted an application to the Australian embassy. After living 2 years in Istanbul eventually our application was approved for a permanent Visa.
We arrived in Queensland Australia in 1995 under the guidance and help of the Australian immigration department who provided us with all the help we needed . I studied the English Language for 18 months and after 3 years I traveled to Canada to visit my sister. I ended up getting married there and had my son Domanic. After 6 years my marriage ended so Dominic and I moved back to Australia inJanuary 2005 where I met my second husband Maroune. I remarried in 2006 and had 2 more beautiful boys Gabriel and Leonidas!
How did you first get into styling?
Fashion has been a part of my life for as long asI remember! I always wanted to be part of the industry but wasn't sure which part. I was always complemented by people every time I would go out and get so many questions about the outfits I put together then one day I heard about the Myer fashions on the feild competition and I knew i had to be part of that so I designed and made my own outfit for the day! The Australian Designer Wayne Cooper was one of the Judges. I ended up in the top ten finalist among many many other fashionistas. That gave me a little kick start so I just thought about it and started LINDALOLA STYLE. It has been a great and interesting journey so far.
Wayne Cooper and Linda Lola
What has been your favourite styling job so far?
I loved every project I have done so it is so hard to choose a favourite. I love big projects because I love to be challenged when it comes to fashion.
Who is your inspiration and why?
I have a few people I call a true inspiration. My sisters, they all beautiful and strong women. We have been through a lot together and no matter what is thrown at them they always come out on top. My true business inspiration is my husband, he is a true business man and my biggest supporter. My favourite fashion inspiration would be hands Down Jennifer Lopez. I have been a huge fan of her style since she came on the scene she always wows me, I just adore her. My favourite styling inspirations would be Trinny and Susannah!
Linda with Stylist icons Trinny & Susannah
If you could style anyone who would it be?
I would love to style Daniel Craig and Angelina Jolie.
If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go and why?
One day I would love to go to Paris France because of the fashion shows. It is one of my goals.
Favourite book?
Oh you mean besides Vouge and Instyle Magazines? hahaha! I don't get as much time now being a mother to 3 boys and a stylist, it takes most of my time but I read 'For the Sake of her Child' by Meg Hutchinson and 'The Secret' by Rhonda Byrne a couple of years ago and enjoyed them very much.
One of Linda's styling projects with Epic Concepts
Favourite movie?
The Devil Wears Prada.
Three wardrobe staples you cant live without?
My premium Skinny Guess Jeans, Chanel sunglasses and Boots yes I adore Boots.
What are three wardrobe staples every woman should have?
I know it is a cliche to say a little black dress but I am going to break the roll and say one of the most important items that you could invest in is a few pairs of Nude coloured briefs, they can't go wrong under any outfit. The second item I would have to say is a classic trench they never go out of style and the third one, also a classic item, would have to be hoops earings they just compliments every face and you can wear them during the day at the office or for a night out.
What is your biggest fashion indulgence?
Christian Louboutin Shoes.
More of Linda's styling work
Your favourite designer label?
There are so many that I love to mix and match to achieve my own style so they are all my favourites and as a stylist it all depends on the day and the occasion for me to choose.
Any styling advice for the women of the world?
Don't Copy what celebrities are wearing. You need to find your own personal signature style that fits with your life style.
Anything you want to add?
Don't let anyone tell you you are no good at anything or you are not worthy of anything! Just remember you are brought to this earth for a reason, believe me you are no mistake! Life is a wish given to us so use it wisely to your advantage.
Linda is also offering 20% off her personal styling consultation service for A Case of Beauty readers! Just mention this blog when you make an appointment! Contact Linda via her Facebook or drop her an email at lindalola.1@live.com
Swimwear, swimwear and more swimwear! Who knew that there were so many different brands and designers! I certainly didn't! I have covered quite a few different swimwear events in my time as a fashion blogger. Being on the Gold Coast there are so many but this was my first trade show! I never really understood the swimwear industry but now I do and I have admiration for anyone who is willing to try and break into it. You have so little material to work with that it takes a lot of lateral thinking to make your swimwear stand out from the crowd. Still, somehow designers are going from strength to strength in doing so! New technology is giving designers a little bit more leeway but I really am in awe of how they manage to invent new cuts, prints and ways to combine colours every season! This is such a competitive industry that you really need to keep up or you will be left behind!
There were so many designers that I have decided to talk about my top three. These are in no particular order and even though there were so many great brands these were the three that stood out to me....
***DHUFISH***
Dhufish designs were gorgeous. Their colours were stunning, the prints were eye catching and the cuts were classic but revamped. What especially stood out to me was their UV Protector Jacket. I absolutely love it and have every intention of getting one for myself!
I love Jets and have done for years. Their swimwear is classy, elegant and down right fabulous! They know which colours work well together and their prints and cuts are gorgeous. They have swimwear for every shape and size and I love almost every single piece!
There is nothing not to love about Zafiro. Their swimwear is totally unique and bold! The mix of colours and prints put together in contrasting ways creates magic on these pieces and I love it! Check out their website as 1. it is a brilliant website (I love the shop for your shape option) and 2. because Zafiro has an interesting story behind it!
I have to say straight up that I love my blog. It is a simple little thing that I work on for fun but the doors that it opens for me is incredible. The things I get to learn and then to (even better) share with you just blows my mind. I get to meet amazing people that I would not otherwise meet and see incredible sights that I might not otherwise see! Monday night was one of those mind blowing experiences which had me fighting back tears of happiness and gratitude. Standing in a room full of people who were there for the same purpose, raising their level of awareness, and feeling the energy and seeing the gratitude was one of those sights that I most likely would not have seen if I didn't make the decision to interview Jamie McIntyre for my blog.
Jamie McIntyre is the CEO and Co Founder of the 21st Century Academy which offers you an education to empower your personal and financial life. Jamie became a self made millionaire in his twenties and started from a place where he was $150,000 in debt and sleeping on a friends couch. I first came across Jamie's work when my younger brother, Alex, gave me a DVD of Jamie's and said he had watched it ten times so I really should watch it too. It took me a while but I eventually watched the DVD and then I read Jamie's book 'What I Didn't Learn At School But Wish I Had', which is brilliant and I highly suggest you read it, and I was so inspired by Jamie and what he teaches that I put him on my 'wish list' of people to interview. After having this wish list for a few weeks I thought I had better do something about it and email or call the offices of these people and action my plan because they were not just going to appear in my study because I put them on my wish list! And before I knew it I was sitting opposite Jamie at a conference center in Brisbane and interviewing him! Jamie was in Brisbane for a few days doing one of his 4 Day Education For Life seminars and not only did I get the chance to meet and interview Jamie but I was also invited to sit in on the seminar for the rest of the night!
It was the fourth and final night and there were approximately 150 people all of whom were on a complete life high from the four days that they had experienced. That night I was able to see what made them so excited! I was fortunate enough to hear the following speakers:
Peter Bland- the first Australian to reach the North Magnetic Pole in 1998 and the first to venture both to the north and south magnetic poles as well as a number of other amazing achievements.
Eric Bailey- speaker on the subject of motivation and vision who has had successful careers in professional sport, executive management, writing and sales.
Lou Harty- entrepreneur and Internet marketing whiz.
Lovely John Thompson- a 78 year old man who has implemented the 21st Century Education and now earns over $40,000 a month.
Every speaker was amazing and had their own story, expertise and information to share which not only captivated you but broadened your awareness. The four day seminar gives you ways to start on your journey to financial independence but it also gave the students the foundation which is imperative to any one's success- understanding the importance of your level of awareness and educating yourself to expand it and understand what makes you work.
It is funny that when everything was said and done and everyone was drinking champagne to celebrate whilst chatting excitedly on their high from the empowering four days, even though it was a seminar to help inform people and show people how to create great amounts of money, what everyone predominately said to me the most important piece of information that they were taking away from this is - 'I can do it and all I have to do is take action'. They didn't say it was this piece of investment advice or that piece of tax or asset information, they said that that was the easy part. It is developing the mindset to be able to believe in yourself and the world enough to take action to get the money you want! Brilliant! I hope you enjoy the interview... I know I did!
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JAMIE MCINTYRE
Where did you grow up?
I grew up on a farm in Northern NSW in a town called Glen Innes which is a small town of about 6000 people. What did you want to be when you grew up?
I was never really sure. But I did know that I wanted to do well financially, for what ever reason that was. I definitely knew what I didn't want to be... I didn't want to be a farmer so I never learned to sheer the sheep, make fences or anything to do with farming, so that way I could rule out being a farmer.
In your book, What I Didn't Learn At School But Wish I Had, you talk a lot about mastering your emotions. Why is it important to master your emotions and what to you think is an important first step in doing this?
A lot of people are attracted to wanting to be financially successful. Everyone would like to win a million dollars or have a million dollar life style and be financially successful. But in order to master ones finances one must master their emotions first because what holds most people back is that they often already know what they need to do but they simply don't do it. That's because they are not in control of their emotions. They let fear, doubt, procrastination, frustration, anger, all these emotions that will hold them back take over. So if they take control of these emotions then they are able to get themselves into a peak emotional state. A state where they are more likely to make a decision, follow through or most importantly to take action. Because ultimately success comes down to the Nike ad which is 'Just do it'. Most people talk about it but don't do it. People talk the talk but very few people walk the walk. Emotional intelligence is critical to get people to act and the first step to that is getting people to change their physiology. When people are in an unresourceful state its usually because of the way they hold their body. If someone is fearful they will stand in a fearful way, if someone is wishy washy and doubting themselves then they need to change that so they have a strong physiology. Its a bit like professional sportsmen. If you are a football player and you walk out into the stadium you're not going to be slumped over and looking like you are going to be beaten. You walk out pumped up and you get psyched and ready for the game before you go out. So if people want to do better in life they need to get themselves psyched up and then they can make a better decision in that state as opposed to a cant be bothered, wishy washy, doubtful and unresourceful state.
What are some money myths or misconceptions that we need to dispel to have the correct mindset when it comes to money?
There are quite a few actually. It is quite ironic that in a rich country like Australia most people have what we call 'limiting beliefs' when it comes to money, so they don't have a healthy relationship with money. Most of their relationship with money has been passed on by their parents or grandparents or school environment or church, so we have what we call cultural conditioning or social hypnosis. So some examples of why people have misconceptions around money are 'if something sounds too good to be true it probably is'. That is a belief system that many people hold so if they come across something that seems too good to be true they wont pursue it because of their limiting belief that if something sounds too good to be true it probably is. But when sophisticated investors or more financially intelligent people come across something that may seem too good to be true they will say 'it possibly is but I am going to take the time to check out the facts so I don't miss a good opportunity'. Another example is 'high return = high risk'. This is not necessarily true. I show many people everyday that there are strategies that the average person can do which will give you much higher returns while actually lowering your risk. Another misconception is that if you are wealthy you have to take lots of risks. Once again that is not accurate. I became a multimillionaire in my 20's by taking less financial risk than the average person takes and never achieves financial success. Another BIG one is that 'you need money to make money' which is not true. Also to become financially successful 'it is a lot of hard work' which also is not true. Working hard and making money in the 21st Century have nothing to do with each other. There is nothing wrong with working hard but work hard because you are passionate about something. Don't work hard while fooling yourself that its going to make you wealthy. There are many people who work hard who are not rich.
Is it important to seek mentors?
If you think like an average person, act like an average person, you will produce the results of an average person. This really is common sense. If you want to become above average in life to say... be a self made millionaire or you just want to be comfortable or what ever endeavor that you choose, be it a sporting career or being the best Mum you can be, what ever aspect you want to be above average in, you certainly need to think above average and do things differently. Mentors are great because the short cut to success is to find someone who is a success at doing what you want to do and model them. At school we are told not to copy. I suggest to people in the 21st Century that we should copy, but I use a different word and that is modeling. In other words instead of using trial and error or hoping to achieve something when you're not sure it will work... any business, any idea, any business strategy or anything you want to be successful at, someone has probably already done it. So with Google these days its not hard to research and find out the people that have produced the result you want in your area. Even if you never meet that mentor... people always say that 'if I had a mentor that could help me one on one it would be so much easier'. But some of my mentors, for instance Richard Branson, in business has been a mentor to me but I learned many things from Richard about business that I applied to my business' that made me millions of dollars just from reading his books many years before I actually got to meet him and learn things from him in person. So most mentors you don't actually have to even meet in person. I've had other mentors such as Anthony Robins who once again I originally met through reading his books and attending his seminars before I actually got to learn things from him personally. I also had my millionaire mentor who was a gentleman in Sydney and how I got access to him was I went and initially offered to work at his company for free. Because I was more focused on wanting to learn. I always say to people that you should work to learn not to earn. Don't focus on working purely for money because that is the greatest recipe for failure. I was focused on wow here's a guy that I could learn off about finances, real estate and being an entrepreneur. I was willing to go and serve my apprenticeship and to work for free in the beginning so I could get access to a mentor.
So they were just some of my mentors. I have had numerous over the years in different areas of my life. So mentors are important but it doesn't mean that you have to know your mentors personally to start getting a lot of gain from them.
Jamie with Richard Branson
What is one thing that you regret or wish you did differently in business and one thing you were most proud of?
As far as regrets go I tend not to focus on regrets. Sometimes in life you make decisions and if you are being accountable and responsible you accept that decision may not have worked out the way you wanted it to. So there is never really anything you can regret because you came to a fork in the road and you took one way and you have to accept that and you can always learn from that.
But in business as far as hindsight is concerned I could have put a board in place earlier in my business career. Have an independent board of people who could be advisers. Even if you are just starting a business and don't have a lot of money just having a voluntary board of people with grey hair so to speak, that you want on your board... people who have age and experience because when you are a young entrepreneur you are going to make some not so good decisions. Part of being an entrepreneur is what leads to starting a company but I often say these days that you should not let entrepreneurs run companies because they are not good at managing companies but they are great at starting them. So that is probably a mistake, not having a board earlier.
Also maybe not taking on capitol to some degree in the early stages but then again I have learnt to become a better entrepreneur by making my company self funded.
As far as my proudest things go, I measure my success by the difference I make to peoples lives so even though I have over a dozen companies the area I am most passionate about is education so I spend most of my time in education because that is my passion. Even though I have other entrepreneurial interests I spend my time with education. I am proud of all the different people I have had an impact on. There are a lot of people out there who have transformed their lives and are very grateful for the work I have done over the last 12 years. So that would definitely be my greatest achievement today.
Tell us about your 2 minute rule...
I teach this at my events because as you know I teach people emotional intelligence and the psychology behind success to help them with developing a millionaire mindset. So this is just a little tool that you can add to your tool box where emotions are concerned that you can use on a day to day basis. The 2 minute rule is pretty much accepting the fact that in life sometimes we are going to get out of state. We are going to get upset, we are going to get angry, we might get frustrated or something might peeve us off. Basically I have the 2 minute rule so when something annoys me I have 2 minutes to get over it. Spit the dummy if you are going to but at least get over it and then get back into state and focus on what you want to accomplish. A lot of people will get themselves into a negative state and they may stay that way for hours or days or weeks or months, some people years or even decades and then they waste their life being caught up in a grumpy state or unresourceful state. Life is too precious for that. To even waste a day being really annoyed about something is simply not worth it. The rule stops you after 2 minutes so you cant keep on carrying on like a spoilt child spitting the dummy. You just have to get on with it.
Jamie with Tony and Sage Robbins
If people don't learn to master money now, what will it cost them in the future?
A lot of people say 'Jamie I am not materialistic', 'I'm not into money', 'money isn't important'. I agree that there are things in life that are much more valuable to us than money like time with your family and friends, your health, having a career because you love it not because you have to do it for money. All these aspects are far more important than money but if people do not master money, money becomes the top priority in their life regardless of whether they like it or not. They will spend less time with their family and friends because of financial constraints and then they are working all the time. A lot of people sacrifice their health due to the stress of money. A lot of people work a career purely for money not because its really what their heart is into. If people who do live in a materialistic society don't master money then the consequences are pretty obvious. They are going to limit themselves financially and what they and their family can experience. They are probably going to have a lot more stress in their life. It takes a lot more effort to be poor than it does to be rich. That's what people have got to understand. It might take some effort in the beginning to become wealthy but if you don't master your finances its a long time, a lot of effort, hard work and struggle so the consequences are pretty immense. Life is too short to be simply working for money. There are things that are a lot more important than that so I say to people who say they are not really into money, write down 'money is important'. Come out of denial about it. It is important whether you like it or not so I really believe that it is important for people to accept that. I also say that if you are not into money go down to Woolworths and fill up your shopping trolley to the brim of everything you want and push it up to the check out and say 'you know what? I'm not into money... I am not materialistic. Money is not important'. Then continue to push the trolley out the door. The fact is that you may not be into money but the rest of the world is. So its obvious that you have to master it whether you like it or not and if you don't... in our society there is a price to pay for that. Why is setting goals so important?
Some people love setting goals and they are really successful at it and other people who don't set goals say they don't believe in them. I set goals. I set goals to this day. I have monthly goals. I have yearly targets and I make sure I write them down. Some people go 'oh I have my goals in my head', well that's just b.s. What people don't understand is that we are not physical beings we are spiritual beings having a human experience, we are on the physical plane. So the idea of writing goals and putting things down on paper is incredibly powerful. It is taking something from the spirit world and effectively putting it into the physical world. There is a great power and manifestation in that. If people fail to do that then they are limiting their power. So there is massive power in writing down goals. You may not achieve every goal you write but it will give you a focus. It gives you something to work towards. A lot of people find that things start showing up in their life from the power of writing down goals. When you start getting good at manifesting it can be quite fun to play with as you can ask for some amazing stuff and it will show up in your life. There are so many people who are a testament to that. Some people are better at manifesting than others and the difference is that some people put their focus on what they don't want or on their fears so they manifest more of that. If you put your focus on what you do want you will manifest more of that. So its important what you focus on and what intention you put out there. If you are afraid bad things will happen to you you will draw those things into your life. I am glad that we don't manifest everything we want instantly because some people would just make a complete mess of their lives because they will manifest the things they are most afraid of. Writing goals is one way to manifest what you want. It is important to get clear about what you want. If you don't know what you want then you cant get it and you wont recognise possibilities when they show up.
Jamie with Kristin Davis
Anything advice you would like to add?
First of all if you want to be successful in any endeavor you have to have an open mind. The majority of people in Australia or most western societies do not achieve a fraction of the financial success they can. Most people think that you need academic degrees and be academically intelligent and have a high IQ but that is just a load of baloney. A high IQ means nothing. Albert Einstein said the definition of intelligence is 'the ability to entertain an idea', as simple as that. Most people are narrow minded or closed minded and will never achieve a fraction of their dreams. So to be successful you have to be open minded. What I want to add to Einsteins definition is its not only the ability to entertain an idea but also the ability to action an idea. So entertain the ideas in your mind, be open minded and then develop the ability to action the ideas. By actioning your ideas you are going to perform and achieve so much more. Actioning ideas is overcoming procrastination, getting yourself into state and following through. The short cut to all this is find a role model! And you don't have to meet them in person! Google. Anyone can Google. If you want to start a business go and Google it because someone has probably already done it and has a website... model it! What ever you want to do has been done before so modeling is the shortcut to success and it is very important to entertain a new idea and take action with it!
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For more information or to download the free E-Book 'What I Didn't Learn At School But Wish I Had' go to
http://jamiemcintyre.com/
Thank you Jamie and the team at 21st Century, especially Adriana, Joel and Kirby! You are all incredibly inspiring and wonderful people!
It has come up. It was bound to come up. I do realise that and I am hoping that I am writing this not to justify my actions to you but to maybe get you thinking or even to set an example. But as usual I am getting ahead of myself!
I posted an article on my facebook wall about size zero models and how I actually disagree with it which prompted someone to mention that it was "Hard to read that and see Alex Perry in your profile pic. He's the poster boy for size zero.” Which, don't get me wrong, is a fair statement! You can read all about my thoughts in regards to the fashion industry being blamed for poor body image in Australia HERE. I have also been asked recently as to how I can be a Life Coach through the week and then cover fashion events on the weekend as a fashion blogger?
My answer to both of those is: PERCEPTION. Everything in our lives and whether it is good or bad is about our perception. The most simple and overused but underrated example of this being: is your glass half full or half empty? To me the fashion industry is not a big money fuelled, soul sucking, humanity destroying industry. It is an industry of self expression, innocence, beauty, fun and glamour which gives us new ways every season to express ourselves! Now before you jump up and down and say 'but Casey it promotes bad body image and new clothes come out every season just to make money'. That statement is fine and if you want that to be your perception then that is completely your choice. If you would like another point of view on the body image debate I suggest you go HERE and in regards to clothes coming out every season just to make money (I have heard this so many times!) you are implying 1. That it is wrong to make money (which it is not, if you provide a service you are entitled to make money from it) and 2. That everyone goes out every season and buys every piece straight from the runway. I don't know anyone who does that, all people do is buy a few new pieces every season to add to their collection of unique style. The fashion industry is also known for their drug culture and putting pressure on models to be skinny but what industry isn't known for a certain degree of drug culture and the perceived pressure to have the 'ideal image'.
You can perceive any industry as good or bad it is your choice but if you choose the optimistic out look you will gain so much more freedom and you will contribute to the positivity of that industry. The bad side of any industry is not due to the industry itself, it is due to the lack of faith and self worth people have in our culture and in many cultures all over the world. The negative paradigms that have wormed their way into our heads and have taken up residence saying we are no good and worth nothing so we give into peer pressure or commit crimes looking for acceptance instead of looking to the only person we need acceptance from and that is... ourselves.
We judge other people, situations and circumstances every single minute of every single day. We are never going to stop doing it and nor should we. We are observant beings who take part in this magnificent world! When we make a judgement it is extremely important to recognise whether this judgement is coming from a place of pessimistic insecurity or optimistic knowledge. There really never is any real reason to say a harsh word against or to anyone. As Napoleon Hill points out "If you believe someone is good you will find good qualities. If you don't, you wont.". If you are a positive person who has even a small amount of control over your thoughts because you have worked to understand why you have certain thoughts or say certain things, you will look for the good in people, situations and circumstances.
If you find something or someone that doesn't feel right to you then instead of feeling the need to label them bad and bring that label you have bestowed on them to their attention which just placates hurt and negativity, you have the choice to remove it from your attention. It is as simple as that. If we could all learn to take our attention away from the things that distress us and turn it to the things that make us happy then we would all feel so much more safe in our skin. If we respected ourselves we would not have 'tall poppy syndrome' or gossip magazines because our attention would be focused on ourselves and when we did hear or read someone else's story we would feel happy for their success or empathy for their loss and in no way feel the need to point out a 'perceived negative'.
My picture of Alex Perry and I in my profile picture is not merely there as a 'look at me I am with Alex Perry' picture. I have it there because I not only love his designs, it also marks a very special milestone for me in my career. The shy, reserved girl I was when I first started in the industry was put aside that night and I made a conscious effort to put myself in the shoes of the confident, professional and intelligent woman I wanted to be. To go up to Alex Perry, an icon in the industry I was trying to make my mark on, and ask him for the photograph was a huge feat for me at that time. I got home on a huge high, proud as punch at the fact that I had the confidence to go up to him and ask! Even if he had said no I still would have been exceptionally proud of the fact that I pushed my limits! If the event was a month earlier there is no way I would have asked and I would have gone home disappointed I didn't have the confidence to 'put myself out there', so to speak.
I, like many people, am working hard on my goals, dreams and especially on myself. To try and reverse the years of negative self talk takes time and effort. It takes effort to remember to do it and time to educate myself on how to reverse it in the first place. It requires constant attention to your thoughts and actions. I make sure I catch myself when judging someone from that place of insecurity and ask myself why am I doing it? The answer is always there! And because of these conscious efforts I am happy to say that I am proud to be the woman I am today and will wake up as tomorrow which gives me the confidence to live more and shy away less!
So before you judge someone in any industry, be it a football player, politician or a fashion blogger, ask yourself... is my glass half empty?
Last week when explaining to a PR manager what my blog entailed, I was so happy to say that my blog is one of motivation and inspiration, not one of gossip and slander. When the words came out of my mouth I was shocked and proud all at once! That is something I had worked really hard on, keeping my blog motivational and inspirational, and to be able to say that and the blog be tangle proof of that made me so proud! Recently I made the decision to write more motivational and inspirational pieces as I want to contribute as much as I can to our magnificent world and I am lucky enough that I can write a blog from my little corner and have a couple of people read it and hopefully motivate them to go for their dreams!
One of the best ways to help motivate people is to show you that there are people, just like you and I, who are striving for their goals and dreams and are successful at doing so! Success stories are mind food and motivate us to go for our dreams... because if they can do it... so can you!
Ross Scutts is a perfect example of what I am talking about. Ross, a Brisbane man in his early twenties, not only understands the importance of setting goals, but for taking action! Which in turn has created the success he is after! On the 26th of March I will be attending a workshop which Ross has put together for young entrepreneurs to arm them with the best artillery you will ever have in your inventory- KNOWLEDGE. You can never ever stop learning and if you want to be, do and have what YOU want then I suggest you constantly seek out such events, books and CD's to help you on your journey! I am so excited to be attending this work shop and I will be blogging all about it for you so keep an eye out!
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ROSS SCUTTS
Ross Scutts
When did you decide you wanted to become entrepreneurial?
To be honest, I don’t believe I ever made the conscious decision to become an entrepreneur but I do recall the time that I decided that I wouldn’t settle for less than what I want and what I know I can become which was when I was 18 and I opened my first personal development book (also the first book I was to read cover to cover, including books from school) Awaken the Giant Within By Anthony Robbins.
What have you done so far to realise your dream of becoming an entrepreneur?
To date I have started 4 businesses and sold them, sold over 35 franchises either for my own business or for other companies, I have started and currently own Australias first and only Luxury supercar rally (Auzrun) held every year and have also secured a deal with a long term mentor to purchase 50% of the soon to be American arm of Auzrun.
How have you educated yourself?
From books, to Seminar’s to DVD’s to CD’s to even cassette and VHS tapes and most importantly surrounding myself with mentors and role models. I find out of all of the learning I have done, the best is from the group of people that I surround myself with as they are the living and breathing evidence that you can be, do, see or feel whatever you desire, you just need to DO.
What do you think the most important steps to becoming an entrepreneur are?
That’s a challenging one and I am not 100% sure if this is the most important step but it’s the one that I have recently learnt (in the past year) that I believe is at least one of the most important steps, and that is Delivery. What I mean by delivery is simply delivering on your promise, your product, your service or even your own personal goals and dreams to the level that you originally set out to do. I have found that a lot of people who fail in life simply don’t deliver and those who are role models, leaders and a success in their chosen fields are those who simply deliver. Another major step that I can honestly say has helped me achieve the majority of my business success is (provided the first is being done and can be done) selling your story and make it inspiring so that you make people want to be a part of it.
Ross Scutts
Who are your inspirations and why?
I have a number of inspirations in my life, some I am close friends with, some I haven’t met and some are even fictional characters. Some of the people that I am fortunate to call my friends, mentors and roll models are Phillip Di Bella from Di Bella Coffee, this guy started Di Bella Coffee 8 years ago and was last year awarded QLD young Entrepreneur of the year, he has built his company up from $5,000 to a $65 million empire and is now expanding internationally. He is a true inspiration that I get to have regular contact with and am truly fortunate for it as the guy is a true example of what it means to be an entrepreneur!
Another mentor and role model of mine is Bradley J Sugars. He started the company Action COACH (formally Action International), the worlds largest business coaching company. They have 1,200+ Business Coaches world wide and are regularly rated in the 100 best Franchise systems in the world as well as a number of times cracking the 50 top fastest growing franchises world wide. A great inspiration to have around and be able to give a call and ask a questions.
Ross Scutts with Mentor Bradely J Sugars and partner Ellie Gonsalves.
Others who I have only been able to connect with through their books and seminars are Sir Richard Branson and Donald Trump. Both of whom have been on the verge of bankruptcy and have bounced back impressively to have net worths in excess of $2.5 billion. They both do business differently to one another which just goes to show, there ARE many ways to succeed in business, it all comes down to how YOU want to succeed in business and the type of person you want to be.
Some of the fictional characters would include Bruce Wayne and of course Tony Stark (Iron Man), probably not so much from an entrepreneurial or educational point of view, clearly, but from an enjoyment and fun point of view. Knowing how to reward yourself for your hard work is just as important as working hard and succeeding, you need to enjoy life and embrace your acheivements
What are your plans for the future?
In the short term, my partner Ellie and I are moving to the US to set up the American arm of Auzrun and for us to pursue our goals and dreams which should see me hit the BRW Young Rich list by the time I am 30 (6 years). As well as the constant development and running of the Young Entrepreneurs Club and expanding that internationally. Business wise I plan on constantly learning, growing and educating myself from those who have done it bigger and better than what I have so that I can become all that I can enabling me to share even more with people who also want to learn.
Where do you see yourself in ten years?
In 10 years time I see myself living in the US, retired (or be in the position to be able to retire) and starting a family with my incredible partner Ellie. In reality this is the number one driving force for me in all my business endeavours, to be in a position to provide for my family, that I do not need to work and don’t ever need to work, I like to make work a choice and not just a necessity. Like anything in life that you invest a lot of your time in, you should be doing it all for worthwhile and predetermined reasons that are set by you (meaning you are the driving force behind what you are doing, not what others have told you or are making you do and you know why you are doing it) and this is one of my major goals. Realisticlly, I personally don’t think I will ever be able to fully ‘retire’ as keeping your mind active is like going to the gym for your mind.
Ross Scutts and Ellie Gonsalves.
Any advice for aspiring entrepreneurs?
Surround yourself with other like-minded people who want similar things to you and then also surround yourself with people who are further up the ladder than you are. This is one of the reasons why I have put together The Young Entrepreneurs Club. It is the first club specifically aimed at under 30 year old aspiring entrepreneurs and current entrepreneurs who want to surround themselves on a monthly basis with other like minded, passionate and driven entrepreneurs meeting monthly in groups of 10 and having the confidence of sharing everything that is going on in their life’s knowing that it never leaves the room. I think these are the two most important things for aspiring entrepreneurs to follow.
