Sitting Next to Donald Trump

Doreen & Carolyn While I haven't had the pleasure of sitting next to the Trumpster and getting business tips (yet), I did have the honor of the next best thing. I got some great business strategies and life advice from the woman who did sit next to Donald Trump - Caroyln Kepcher. Carolyn is the former COO for The Trump Organization and she is also the woman who sat at his side for 5 seasons on The Apprentice.  I met Carolyn at theNorthern Virginia Women's Business Conference.  There, she shared insightful tips on what it takes to succeed while being true to yourself and being there for your family. Her book, Carolyn 101: Business Lessons from The Apprentice Straight Shooter, also offers some valuable lessons on how to get ahead in the business world. I wanted to share some of my take-a-ways from her with you. You're the one in charge of your learning curve. In this day and age, we don't always have the luxury of having someone walk us through something step by step - holding our hand every step of the way.  You may get the basics, but the rest is up to you.  Take responsibility for your own education, training, and learning.  Be proactive within your organization, in your industry, and with your career. When someone hands you an opportunity, don't be afraid to take it. At 25, Carolyn had never run a golf club - or even knew much about golf, but when the opportunity presented itself, she jumped on it and suggested to Trump that he give her the job of General Manager for the Blair Hall Country Club. He said yes. Balancing work and home life is not a moral issue.  No one but you has any right to say whether what you are doing is good or bad.  You have got to decide what will work best for you and your family. And always talk with your boss about what that is.  Don't expect people to read your mind about what you need to live a "balanced" life.   More of Carolyn's insights, as well as how she managed to rise through the ranks of the Trump Organization at such a young age, can be found in her book.

Branding. Confidence. Networking. Reflection.

When it comes to success in the boardroom (or in life):

• What does your personal brand say about you?
• How would you rate your confidence level?
• Are you maximizing the power of networking?
• Do you understand the impact of reflection?

These are the questions Marshawn Evans, author of SKIRTS in the Boardroom, addressed when I interviewed her for her upcoming appearance at the Get RADICAL Women's Conference.

Check out the 10 minute  interview I did with Marshawn as she shares a little about herself, strategies to consider when you are ready to grow your career or your business. And the one thing you should continually do to keep you on the path to success.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Doreen Rainey is a Life Coach and Speaker who helps her clients Get RADICAL! For a FREE 30 day membership to the RADICAL Lifestyle Women's Network or to subscribe to her bi-weekly newsletter, visit her website. Join Doreen in the Washington, DC area for the 2010 Get RADICAL Women's Conference featuring Jillian Michaels, Fitness Trainer from The Biggest Loser and Rhonda Britten, Emmy Winner Life Coach from Starting Over and Celebrity Fit Club.

Becoming a Champion

At some point in our lives, we've all witnessed it. For some of us, we have experienced it. It is the thrill of being a champion. Being THE winner. Being #1. Hearing the applause of those around you as they celebrate your accomplishment.

It's in those moments that we look back on all the hard work, blood, sweat, and tears it took to get there and admit that it was worth it.

But if you haven't had those moments lately, it could be because you have strayed away from doing the hard work. To me, being a champion is the easy part. It's BECOMING a champion where the road gets tough.

Becoming a champion means that you're in training...and training requires two things: Commitment and Discipline. If you've been lacking in one, or both, of these areas lately, I would venture to guess that you haven't stood in the winner's circle in quite a while.

What championship are you working towards? Is it a college degree? Getting in shape? Eliminating your credit card debt? Starting your own business? Perhaps it's getting a new job, going after a promotion, or saving for a house. Whatever it is you are going for - now is the time to do an honest gut check on your commitment and your discipline.

Ask yourself: What does it really take to get what I want?

Do you need to get up early? Stay up late? Turn off the TV? Cut up the credit cards? Skip dessert? Go to the gym daily? Take on an new project at work? Do more professional networking?

My challenge to you is to choose one area where you're going for the gold. Pick one goal that you've let a lack of commitment and lack of discipline get you off track. Now, decide to recommit yourself and to have daily discipline towards reaching that goal.

Grab a pen and paper right now and write down exactly what you will do to move toward your goal - then read it every day to remind you of what action you must take . By doing so, it won't be long before you'll once again feel the thrill of victory!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Doreen Rainey is a Life Coach and Speaker who helps her clients Get RADICAL! For a FREE 30 day membership to the RADICAL Lifestyle Women's Network or to subscribe to her bi-weekly newsletter, visit her website. Join Doreen in the Washington, DC area for the 2010 Get RADICAL Women's Conference featuring Jillian Michaels, Fitness Trainer from The Biggest Loser and Rhonda Britten, Emmy Winner Life Coach from Starting Over and Celebrity Fit Club.

Your Calling Circle

I use to have a cell phone plan that only allowed me to call a certain group of people at no charge. The company called it my "calling circle". With a limited number of spots, I had to think carefully, and choose wisely, who I would let in.

Who would be worth my coveted free airtime? Family? Friends? A couple of coworkers? And I wasn't the only one making this type of decision. I knew other people who had the same type of plan. Would I make it into their calling circle? Have I fostered enough relationships to be worthy of someone else's talk time?

Fast forward a few years, and most of the plans now allow you to call anybody and everybody at any time. People no longer have to think about who to let in and who to exclude. That's what technology has done to us.

With so much access to people and information available in every possible form, we no longer have defined parameters of deciding who, or what, gets let into our "circle". We get emails from companies we don't remember signing up for. We get "friend requests" from people we barely knew years ago - or don't know at all. We have access to the Internet from just about anywhere. And we have hundreds of television and radio stations vying for our time and attention. No wonder it has become so challenging to manage our circle.

With a New Year just a week away, now might be the best time to become the gatekeeper of your circle again. To evaluate all the things that have infiltrated your circle - the good, the bad, and the complete time waster. Your circle is valuable space and should only be occupied by those people, and things, that contribute to your joy, fulfillment, peace and to the path that leads towards your family, personal, and career goals.

What Will the New Year Bring For You?

If you're like me, in the midst of all the holiday preparations, you're thinking about 2010 and what the new year will bring.

Knowing some of the things I want to accomplish, I've already become part of a mentor program and have joined a business mastermind group - both of which begin after the new year.

Taking a few steps now to set things up in January is a great way to get your year off to a fantastic start.  And if you're looking for a way to set your goals, gain focus and create a practicle plan of action, have I got the program for you! 

Check out my brand new self-paced coaching program.

-------------------------------------------------------

  7 Steps for Taking Charge of Your Professional and Personal Life

• Are you ready to make changes in your professional or personal life but not sure how?
• Do you have goals and aspirations that you have yet to achieve?
• Does the thought of doing something different scare you - even though you know you need to make a change?
• What would it be like to define success for yourself and then take positive steps to achieve it?
• How would your life be different if you reached your goals in your finances, career, health, and/or life balance?

If any of these questions apply to you, now is the time to invest in you with this brand new self-paced coaching program.

This step-by-step coaching program shares how to take bold and courageous action towards achieving your self-defined success. Giving you a blueprint for taking charge of your professional and personal life, you’ll deepen the learning about your passion and purpose and move forward in action to create the life – and the lifestyle - you deserve.

Your 3-CD set and accompanying workbook is not a “one size fits all” solution. I understand that your goals and dreams are just that - yours. Knowing this, the program provides an interactive format that allows you to focus on your unique goals, ambition and aspirations, so that you can design the action steps necessary for your own success - at your own pace.

Being released on January 14, 2010, you can save now by taking advantage of pre-release discouts.  Find out more.

Don't Be Afraid to B.R.A.G. in 2010

I've heard many people say they don't make New Year's resolutions.  I've even heard some say that resolutions don't mean anything - that it's a waste of energy, effort and time. 

Well, I think the majority of the people that make these type of comments are people who haven't been able to stick to their resolutions!  And even though I have been one to fail to reach a resolution or two over the years, I still think it's a great motivator to get you moving towards your goals.

Now, I do agree that you can decide to make a change at any time in your life.  The moment you make a decision is the moment you have the power to be, do and have something different.  It is true that you don't have to wait for January 1st, however, there is something inspiring about a brand new year.  There's something exciting about feeling like you have a clean slate.  There's something very motivating about the chance to "start over" and do something bigger and better than you have ever done before. 

Last week, I conducted a teleseminar called:  Jumpstart Your 2010 - RADICAL Goalsetting.  This call was designed to help the participants get a headstart on thinking about where they are now and where they want to be at the end of next year.  One way to do that is to B.R.A.G.

Whenever I start working with a new client - I always make them B.R.A.G.  That simply means to set a Big Radical Audacious Goal.  This is the one goal that blows all your other goals out the water.  This is the one goal where even your most supportive friend or family member would have their doubts.  This is the goal that scares the crap out of you  - yet excites you at the same time.

I encouraged the people on the call to do this - and I'm encouraging you as well.

*  Declare your B.R.A.G.
*  Write it down. 
*  Break it down. 
*  And then go for it.

And, if you want some tips on how to set and achieve your B.R.A.G., feel free to take a listen to the teleseminar from last week. 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Doreen Rainey is a Life Coach and Speaker who helps her clients Get RADICAL! For a FREE 30 day membership to the RADICAL Lifestyle Women's Network or to subscribe to her bi-weekly newsletter, visit her website. Join Doreen in the Washington, DC area for the 2010 Get RADICAL Women's Conference featuring Jillian Michaels, Fitness Trainer from The Biggest Loser and Rhonda Britten, Emmy Winner Life Coach from Starting Over and Celebrity Fit Club.

Looking For the Easy Way Out

It's Called Work for a Reason

I love this book by Larry Winget. It highlights the best approach people should take to achieve any goal they have set for themselves - WORK. But sadly, in our world of instant gratification, getting by, or getting over, the concept of work has gotten lost.

Dictionary.com defines work as “exertion or effort directed to produce or accomplish something; labor; toil.” But through my years as an HR Director, a college professor, and life coach, I've come to realize one very important, but disappointing, fact:

Most people don’t want to exert, give effort, labor or toil. They just want results. And they begin to spend more time trying to figure out how to get the results they want with the least amount of effort, instead of putting in the "sweat equity" to produce the desired outcome.

People want to go back to school to finish or advance their education. But then they fail to commit the time necessary to study and learn. Instead, they want to do “just enough” to get by. School is not about getting a piece of paper, it’s about learning and challenging your mind. If you’re in it for the piece of paper, you probably aren’t working that hard.

People want to advance on their job – be rewarded for their efforts through position and salary. Yet, they are looking to do just enough to meet the minimum requirements – all the while waiting for that big promotion to come through. What would it be like if you showed up on time, gave 100%, became a real team player, shared ideas, paid attention to details, refused to let a customer go unsatisfied, or never allowed your reports, presentations, or any product to leave your desk without your full confidence that it was the absolute best you could do?

People want to lose weight – so they take pills, drink teas, get shots, or try to get through 7 days of the latest celebrity diet. They are looking for that quick fix without exerting, giving effort, laboring or toiling. They don’t want to consistently exercise. They don’t want to focus on nutrition and balanced meals in the correct portion size. They don’t want to do the work.

Finally, people want a successful business. They have big dreams of doing what they enjoy and getting paid for it. They have visions of providing for their family, taking grand vacations and giving to others. They talk to anyone who will listen about their big ideas. Yet, they only give minimum effort to writing their business plan, sticking to a daily work schedule, networking, managing their money, giving good customer service and following up on potential leads.

So, if you are wondering why you aren’t getting the results you really want, maybe you should check you level of exertion, effort, labor and toil.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Doreen Rainey is a Life Coach and Speaker who helps her clients Get RADICAL! For a FREE 30 day membership to the RADICAL Lifestyle Women's Network or to subscribe to her bi-weekly newsletter, visit her website. Join Doreen in the Washington, DC area for the 2010 Get RADICAL Women's Conference featuring Jillian Michaels, Fitness Trainer from The Biggest Loser and Rhonda Britten, Emmy Winner Life Coach from Starting Over and Celebrity Fit Club.

What If...

1.  What if you were an overweight kid - and am now one of the most recognizable fitness trainers in the country?

2.  What if you had more money than most people dream of at 31 years old - only to be broke 2 years later - and then gain financial freedom again?

3.  What if you lived in fear for decades after watching your father kill your mother and then turn the gun on himself  - and now teach millions how to live a fearless life?

4.  What if people looked at you and only saw beauty - but no brains - and now you're a top entertainment attorney teaching women how to excel in the boardroom?

5.  What if you were so focused on proving yourself and being an overachiever that you pushed yourself to accomplish incredible success, but wasn't enjoying the journey - only to now share with the world how to live a life of balance.

What if you attended an event that would inform, inspire, motivate and educate you to design the life you want - and also help you  become bold and courageous enough to make it happen?

What if you attended the 2010 Get RADICAL Women's Conference and gained success tools, strategies and insight from:

Woman #1:
Jillian Michaels from NBC's The Biggest Loser

Woman #2:
Kim Snider, Owner, Snider Financial

Woman #3:
Rhonda Britten, Emmy Winning Life Coach from the hit TV show Starting Over and Celebrity Fit Club

Woman #4:
Marshawn Evans, Miss America Finalist, Entertainment Attorney, author of SKIRTS in the Boardroom, and former contestant on The Apprentice

Woman #5:
Valorie Burton, Life Strategist and bestselling author of How Did I Get So Busy?

What if...
-------------------------------------------
General and VIP registration is now open with early bird pricing.  Find out more:  Get RADICAL Women's Conference.

How To Ask For a Raise

One of the greatest skills you can obtain is the skill of negotiation. Understanding how to present your position and persuading others to your way of thinking serves you well in both your professional and personal life.

Working in HR, I was always surprised when candidates for a job accepted our first offer. I was also surprised when we promoted someone and they didn't negotiate a higher salary. I have also been surprised when companies would say "no raises this year" and employees wouldn't question their own pay. But the greatest surprise of all? When people would ask for a raise in a way that demonstrated they had no idea how to position themselves to get the answer they wanted.

Now, this is not to say that you will always get a higher starting salary, more money when you get promoted, an increase when the company says there's no money, and a raise when you ask. But, I do believe you must always ASK. And more importantly, you must ask RIGHT.

I was talking to a friend last week and she shared that she was told that she was up for a promotion. My response? "Great, with a heads up, it gives you time to prepare your salary negotiation." You would have thought I grew wings. She had no idea that promotions were "negotiable." Well, I'm here to tell you - everything is negotiable.

So, here are my tips for asking for a raise:

1. Make Sure You Deserve One.
Tenure is not a reason for getting a raise. Doing your job well is not a reason for getting a raise (you already get something for that - it's called a paycheck). Take the time to write out, specifically, what you have done that deserves an increase. What additional projects have you taken on? Have you taken over duties from someone who is no longer there? Has your job expanded beyond its current responsibilities? Are you now managing more people? If you can't articulate why you deserve a raise, then maybe you don't.

2. Know the Market.
What is your job worth? Notice, I didn't say what are YOU worth. Just because you are the best receptionist the company has ever had doesn't mean they will pay you $100k to answer their phones.

Research salary surveys and find out what the market is paying for your job. There are industry surveys, non-profit surveys, and surveys by location. You can even hire someone to do a market study on your position - this is especially helpful when your job is Director, VP or C-level. Once you have the survey data, you can add to that number based on your past performance and future contribution. By doing this, when you give them your number, you'll be able to back it up.

3. Timing is Everything
Patience is definitely a virtue in business. You have to know the "vibe" of your boss to know when to talk money. Make sure that you'll have uninterrupted time to discuss it. Nothing is worse that making your pitch and having your boss distracted by email, phone calls, or having to go to another meeting.

4. Be Professional and Methodical
Lay all of your cards on the table. Be bold, courageous, professional and methodical. This is not the time to let emotions get the best of you.

I like to open with something like "I'm her to talk to you about a raise." Then, begin with why you deserve one (refer to #1) and be specific. Then, move to your research. You could start with "Based on market data for this industry and location, salaries for my position are...). You can even suggest ways the budget could cover your raise (reducing spending in certain areas). Finally, end with what you want (5%, 10%, $10,000, $15,000).

Then, SHUT UP!

Wait for a response. No matter how long it takes, do not say another word. Let the next words that fill the air belong to your boss. It might just be "okay".

4. Don't Leave Unless You Have an Answer Other Than No.
If you don't get an "okay", don't take "no" for an answer. The reality is, very few bosses can make that decision on the spot (and even if they can, they won't). Ask for a time frame for an answer. Ask what the process is for getting an answer. Then, thank them and reiterate your commitment to the organization.

When the times comes for your boss to get back to you and if you don't hear anything, don't get mad, take the initiative to ask for another meeting. Be ready - you may have to negotiate again.
Possible outcomes:

• You get what you want! (Yea!)
• You get less than you want, but more than if you had never asked. (Not bad!)
• You get a delayed yes - you agree to revisit it in 30, 60, 90 days. (Follow up)
• You get a "no" - which means you are no worse off than you were before you asked. (Revisit at review time)

5. Continue to Be a Star
No matter what the answer, no matter how long the process takes, work hard and continue to give your best. Don't let your pay dictate your contribution. You can stay at your job, you can look for another, but you should never do less than your best.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Doreen Rainey is a Life Coach and Speaker who helps her clients Get RADICAL!
For a FREE 30 day membership to RadicalLifestyle.com or to subscribe to her bi-weekly newsletter, visit her website.
Join Doreen in the Washington, DC area for the 2010 Get RADICAL Women's Conference featuring Jillian Michaels, Fitness Trainer from The Biggest Loser.