I had interviewed, transformational coach and regular guest expert on Kansas City Live on NBC, Vasavi Kumar because of her strong belief about the fact that even with the best business or marketing tactics, if we didn't have the right mindset, it would be quite difficult to succeed in business.
It's not a new concept, but what made me stop in my tracks was the passion that fuelled Vasavi. This was far more than rhetoric for her... it was a crusade.
When you're in business, especially when you run a small business or if you're a solopreneur, you're passionate about your purpose and you're passionate about being the solution to your client's problems but if you're not "real" with yourself and aware of your internal dialogue or limiting beliefs -- that's going to show up when you're talking to a potential client and you might not be able to land that client.
One of the many ways we might not be "real" with ourselves is by getting on a prospective call with a client and having an internal conversation that might go like "I'm pretty sure he/she's going to put me off again and tell me they're not ready to make a decision."
Worst, if you're on a prospective call with a client and firmly believe you're not capable of raising your fees and asking for more money for your consultancy services -- that will transpire in the conversation you have with your client.
According to Vasavi, that kind of mental chatter can become a real roadblock in building the kind of success we deserve in our business. In her experience, the way we communicate, the way we converse with other people is a direct projection of how we feel about ourselves.
When I challenged Vasavi to the fact that when you're in business and clients aren't showing up, the last thing you want to hear from a coach is that "you need to check your belief system".
When bills are piling up and you have few prospects and fewer cheques showing up, you tend to become worried about your survival.
Her answer was spot on: "I heard a quote yesterday. It was actually from Lisa Nichols and she said, "Your bank account is a reflection of your mind," right? I mean, when she said that I was like boom! Yes, your bank account is a reflection of your mind. So if in your mind you're thinking there's not enough, I don't have enough money, I am worried, I'm anxious, you're putting that out there. There's no way -- and money is just energy, right? Money is not just green paper. It's a tool of trade but it's also a flow of energy. So I look at it this way -- I have something to offer, you want it, we connect, you then pay me. But if I'm showing up with "Oh, my God, I'm desperate. I'm anxious. I don't know what I'm going to do." That's going to show up and we don't even realize it on our conscious level what subconsciously and unconsciously that's how we're showing up. And so that's the kind of things that I really delve into with my clients who aren't able to get enough clients to grow their own business".
Vasavi constantly challenges her clients to understand their relationship with money.
Thanks to the recent explosion of the self-help industry and the deeper understanding of metaphysics and movies like The Secret more and more of us are aware that the conversation we have internally permeates in every aspect of our lives and our business.
The reality is that if you're thinking there's not enough money, money is really hard to make or getting clients is nearly impossible, that's most likely what you're going to attract and you'll find yourself struggling in business.
One of the most powerful aspects of having a striving business is being able to give from a place of total abundance. You know when you can write a cheque to your favourite charity without feeling like you're robbing Paul to donate to John.
That's when you know that you've been successful at managing the negative mind chatter that might have been preventing you from moving forward in your business.
That's when you have an incredible relationship with money and where money serves you as opposed to it being your master and ruler.
Vasavi derives her views about money and business success from her father who taught her that money is not a good or bad thing.
Money is the result of hard work, generosity, commitment, the hunger to succeed and to ability to help others who have less.
Her father is the one who always taught her, "Don't be attached to the money. Just be committed to giving. You commit to giving and being your best and the money will flow to you!"
Vasavi feels that her ability to have created a successful life, business, the fact that she has such a healthy relationship with money and her ability to help her business clients get pass their roadblocks about success and money is thanks to her father's philosophy and inspiration.
From my own personal experience, speaking to transformational coaches like Vasavi or working with my own personal coaches, I know that tactics such as social media, email marketing, speaking engagements, Twitter are a real part of a successful business, but if we have issues around success, money and worthiness, then it's like being a hamster on a wheel -- we work hard, sacrifice and feel like we're going nowhere.
The conversation about mindset in an ongoing one if you're a business owner because it's the most determining factor of success!
