Are Marketing Agencies Worth The Investment?

Are Marketing Agencies Worth the Investment?

In a world that’s relying on technology more and more every day, it’s no surprise that marketing has largely gone digital. As trends change and new platforms take off, it’s easy to start feeling left behind. There is a lot to take in and keep up with, even for the most savvy business owner.

Even if you really wanted to, keeping your brand totally offline isn’t really an option these days. Since your marketing is being done online, anyway… would you rather thrive in the digital landscape, or simply survive?

There are digital marketing solutions for all of your needs, to be sure, but many of us are lacking the time and skills to make those solutions a reality. Digital marketing agencies exist to turn your marketing problems into the results you crave. The great debate is whether it’s worthwhile to hand over the reins, or if you should roll up your sleeves and learn how to do it all on your own.

There are countless factors that play into this decision, with pros and cons on both sides. Which begs the question: how do you know if a digital marketing agency is right for you?

Should You Work with a Digital Marketing Agency or Learn It Yourself?

This is a hugely important topic that I have both invested in and been hired for.

First of all, what is digital marketing?

Basically, it’s marketing done online that helps you connect with customers and ideally drive the message (the strategy to a sale).

It’s also a fairly new and growing field that can be quite confusing to most people because there are so many moving parts: automations, tracking, variety, integrations, A/B testing, ads, creative, social media, and then some!

A digital marketing agency should be able to provide solutions to your basic problems of traffic, lead generation, and growth. Not only that, they should be able to show the results as data. For example, a digital marketing agency can create a social media content plan to grow your email list. They may help you execute it by creating the graphics, editing the videos, posting for you, and helping funnel the viewers into a place where they can give you their email (and thus grow your list).

That is just one example of how an agency can help. But you’re probably wondering: is it worth the investment?

To answer this question, let’s work backwards for a moment, because we need to address a few things:

Why do you need a digital marketing agency?
What are some of the goals you are looking for?
How much money can you invest in digital marketing services?
How well-versed are you in digital marketing and the types of results that would help your company move forward?
How long are you willing to work with a digital marketing agency to see results?
Where are you on your growth plan – starting? Wanting quantum leaps? Fairly advanced?
What’s your ideal budget and what specific services can someone else do for you that you perhaps REALLY dislike doing?

Can You Just Get a Virtual Assistant (VA)?

This is the age-old question! Ok, it’s not age-old, since digital marketing is a new industry… but it’s definitely one that comes up a lot in my groups and forums.

A VA is going to be an integral part of your business, but he/she is an assistant… not your executive marketing director.

This is where many people go wrong. They hire a VA and expect them to create a high-level strategy for them, and perhaps don’t get the results they want.

For example, a VA might help you with various tasks, ranging from creative projects, to executive administrative work, to client management. You, the business owner, should tell the VA what to do for the most part– of course, having open communication and being receptive to their suggestions, too.

Depending on their experience level, a VA will be able to take tasks off your hands so you can focus on the top revenue-generating activities for your business: creating content, networking, having sales conversations, and enrolling clients for your services or programs.

If you’ve considered hiring a virtual assistant, there’s a few things I would invite you to think about beforehand!

Write down all the tasks you’d like to get taken off your plate (including those that you probably hate doing).
Categorize all these tasks within themes; for example, social media content creation or managing members of a Facebook Group can fall under social media management/engagement, whereas calendar management and client organization can be under administrative work.
Interview people and don’t settle for the least expensive hire. I know that’s always appealing, but consider their skill level and their speed. Hiring a highly effective and efficient person for a bit extra may be preferable to having a slower assistant that needs micro-management. Time is money, friends!

I’ve Heard of an Online Business Manager (OBM)… What’s That, and Do I Need One?

Enter the online business manager! I would say this role falls somewhere between a digital marketing agency and a virtual assistant.

The exact definition of an online business manager, according to Indeed.com:

“An online business manager is a virtual support professional that helps organizations manage daily projects, processes and team members. They’re in charge of maintaining the operations of the company by tracking key performance indicators (KPIs), establishing goals and measuring their progress.”

Once again, this individual is NOT a digital marketer, but understands digital based business growth and the roles team members play to maximize your ROI.

I think it’s a smart investment to hire an OBM once you’re getting to 6 figures to exponentially grow your business. This way, you can have a clear view of what actions and efforts are needed to double, triple, or tenfold your expansion.

Digital marketing agencies might have an internal OBM that works for them, but this is not always the case.

So Now That I Know About These Roles… What Should I Do?

Digital marketing is a skillset that can take a new business owner from excited and pumped, to feeling confused and not sure what to do next.

Grow an email list?
Update my website?
Start blogging?
Run ads? (They didn’t work when I boosted my post!)
Should I go live at 2pm or at 8pm?
How do I make a reel?
These are all questions related to problems that a digital marketing agency can solve, or that a marketing consultant can advise on.

Depending on the agency and the services they provide, since not all agencies do everything, you’ll want to have a list (or at least an idea) of what you’re looking for when hiring someone to help you.

Make sure you’re well-versed in the tasks in your business you need outsourced. That way, you can focus on growth and service.

Focusing On Main Areas

There are several things an agency can handle for their clients on a regular basis, which I will list below.

First, always create an overall marketing strategy for brand positioning, visitor growth and optimization of sales. This can be both for services or product-based brands.

Goals:

Start a new brand and brand image
Increasing audience and visitors
Growing your email list
Launch a program or product

Platforms and Technologies:

Social Media
Instagram: Creating the posts, scheduling, growing the account
Facebook: Adding posts to your page or group
Paid Advertising
Creating FB and IG ads
Google Ads
Reposting metrics and return on ad spend
Installing tracking for metrics
Website or Funnel Creation
Creative copywriting
Graphic design
Integrations and automations
SEO (Search engine optimization)
Email Marketing

What if I Don’t Have an Agency Budget? And How Much Can That Be?

This is such an important question, because sometimes people hire agencies out of desperation. This happens when they can no longer keep up with all the marketing tasks at hand, plus the sales that need to move the needle forward in their business.

Agencies can charge $3,500 – $20,000 a month, depending on what it is they are doing and the level of management it entails. An 8- or 9-figure business typically has a much bigger budget, which also comes with a higher level of responsibility for the agency to manage.

A personal brand won’t need all of the services listed above when they’re first starting, since most of the business won’t come from paid advertising. Because of this factor, the cost might be on the lower end of the range.

Depending on where you are in business, you can also hire a marketing consultant to do a big picture overview with you, creating the plan and strategy. This will then be given to your virtual assistant and online business manager to implement alongside yourself.

At the end of the day, you want to focus on doing what you’re really good at. If marketing isn’t on your list, then consider working with a professional to get you started on the right path versus throwing spaghetti at a wall and seeing what sticks.

Time lost is much worse than money lost, and most of the time, you need to hire a really terrible agency or consultant to get no value from your investment.

Your business growth depends on wise investment of marketing to grow your sales, so be smart with who you work with. Make sure they’re aligned with your values, your vision and your goals.

I’m here to help you, so please feel free to reach out on a discovery call and see how we can support your growth goals.

How to overcome burnout and stay motivated

The top tell signs of burnout and how to overcome them to stay motivated

Let’s talk entrepreneur life for a bit? Especially the solo-preneur? Have you figured out how to overcome burnout when it hits? Yup I’m talking to you hard working, highly motivated, stubborn, freedom loving you out there. I know you so well because I am you and I’ve worked with hundreds of others like you. I remember the first time I hit burnout. It was a sunny Miami day and I realized I’d been indoors for hours working on my monthly content planning that looked more like scratches on a dry erase than a cohesive content map. Hour 2 of getting absolutely nothing done I texted my husband and said: “I don’t think I’m cut out for this as I feel like such a fraud! I either need to go back to school or figure something out cause this isn’t working!!!!” Insert some teary eyed emojis. That turned into my first I hit a wall, exhausted, uninspired moment in my 15 years of entrepreneurship. I’d been pulling late nights working on my new program, the funnels, the content, the launch systems and all the things that come with the online business world. I wasn’t really eating right, my sleep was interrupted by ideas and to do lists… and my yoga practice had fallen to the wayside. Do you relate at all to this?? If so, keep reading.

Definition of burnout and depletion

According to the APA Dictionary of Psychology, the definition of burnout is “physical, emotional or mental exhaustion, accompanied by decreased motivation, lowered performance and negative attitudes towards oneself and others.” Can you relate at all? I am sure you’ve maybe experienced burnout at some point when things didn’t go as planned perhaps. Your program launch didn’t make you the 5 figure sales. The size of your email list shrinks with every email marketing newsletter you send and you’ve grown it by a few in comparison. Your social media following is not doing what all your hard work and effort says it should be doing. Burnout is real and I’m going to share with you how to deal with it!

Identifying feelings of total drain and lack of motivation

First how can you tell if you’re experiencing burnout let alone overcome burnout? I have struggled with this because of my action centered personality that usually pushes through bouts of “not feeling it”. But let’s identify some real burnout style feelings:

Putting it ALL on the back burner: This is the sign that you’ve checked out. You skipped social media all together because every idea felt like “blah”. You skipped the newsletter because “why does anyone want to read what I have to say”. Stopped promoting your program because last time no one bought it.
This one is an alert! You’re not excited about what you do! You became an entrepreneur because you love what you freaking do! And now… OMG you’re questioning if you’re even good at what you do and if you should find something else.
The question of how good you really are kicks in. Imposter syndrome coming in strong with this one. I understand you get this feeling every now and then, but when it’s burnout it’s constant.
You literally stop everything and wonder if you should get a job or a therapist. I don’t think we need to delve on this one much do we?
The mood for anything other than binging on tv shows, scrolling through social media feeling guilty for scrolling on social media and the thought of working ON your business is like nails on a chalkboard.

How you can overcome burnout

There’s no real trick here I can simply write out because we’re all different and different approaches are necessary but I will go into some ideas that might help you!

STOP, DROP and WRITE! When I feel burnout happening I stop all work related activities, I drop my clients if I can and I start writing. I don’t call it journaling because I write on a notepad… but you’re probably more organized than I so open your journal. I write 3 things: something I’m grateful for, something I’m excited about and something I look forward to doing. Since entrepreneur life eats so much of our time, I like to always have my eye on the prize… maybe it’s shopping, a trip or a nice dinner out.
GO CRY. Yes, go have a freaking tantrum. Cry, kick, punch a pillow, stomp. My toddler is so good at tantrums I’ve now added some new strategies to my repertoire. The lay face down on the ground sobbing is a good one… I do make sure the floor is clean first. I realized when I have a tantrum, drama filled, wail fest I feel good immediately. They last a few minutes usually and it takes pressure off for weeks!
PHONE A FRIEND. This is not the easiest one for me because the last thing I want to do is bother people… so I usually call or text a “work friend”. Someone who I know is an entrepreneur, whom I’ve shared a mastermind with or whom I know has been there, done that. It’s important to have this work friend because they have more empathy that a corporate friend.
EAT SOMETHING DELICIOUS. Food can instantly make you smile. Eat something that’s comforting, that is nourishing and makes your heart smile. I go for something carb laden or that I used to eat as a child. Indulge for once without the guilty feeling. You can walk it off later or take a HIIT class if that’s your thing.
VISION BOARD! Usually when burnout happens we lose motivation right? Grab Canva or a poster board and go to town dreaming and reconnecting to your WHY! I love this video about trying and not being stuck. It always makes me tear up and go do something awesome!

Next steps for motivation

Now that you’ve either cried, eaten and written let’s address how to prevent burnout and step into motivation that’s consistent! Motivation is a living breathing entity that’s within the heart of most entrepreneurs who are passionate about what they do. It’s not something that you can create, but instead something that’s attainable! To recap get the energy moving in your body, mind and soul.

branding expert business growth entrepreneur healthyliving motivation

Why Content Marketing Works to Grow Your Business

Welcome to the fast moving world of content marketing that maybe seems a bit out of your grasp sometimes. You might be wondering what this term is and why it matters to you? You’re in the right place with this article as I’ll break down why content marketing is one key tool that should be implemented in your client acquisition and retention process pretty much immediately.

Let’s go over why content is essential nowadays for business owners. First of all, the landscape of marketing and advertising has changed drastically over the last decade where more eyes are on cell phones vs TV’s and where social media apps sway our buying decisions. So it’s essential that businesses have a strong social media presence in order to connect to their potential and existing customers.

Technology is moving so fast and making it so easy to create right at your fingertips! But, which apps are the best? Which ones are easy to use if you’re not techy and which really do what you need at that moment? Especially if you’re creating content you’ll want apps and software that either save you time, money or a headache!

What is Content Marketing?

For many business owners, the best way to connect to their audience is through teaching, giving value and creating a trust bridge towards a purchase. This can be done through valuable content, whether it’s a longer video or a shorter reel, it helps create an affinity with your audience so when you release a product or a new service, they know you are a trusted source of information and problem solution.

By the Oxford dictionary the definition of content marketing is “a type of marketing that involves the creation and sharing of online material (such as videos, blogs, and social media posts) that does not explicitly promote a brand but is intended to stimulate interest in its products or services.”

Why Is Content Marketing So Important?

If you want your company to thrive in today’s landscape and have a leading edge, you want to start some sort of content marketing strategies right away.

You can:

Increase your sales
Loyal customer base
Cost savings
Increased lifetime customer value

Content marketing helps your customer not feel like they’re being sold to, but instead be supported through their buying decision. No one wants to feel like they’re getting bombarded with “buy buy buy” as it pushes them away. It’s actually a brain function that moves people into safety and retreat mode and can kill a sale right away!

So what providing useful, valuable, interesting and compelling content does is helps to create a bond between your customer and your brand that helps disarm the run away mode and establish trust.

There’s a fine line between content and advertising that can confuse people. Content delivers value! Plain and simple. It could be informational value or even entertainment value. This is why Instagram reels and TikTok are the hits right now. Many companies combine the information and entertainment to teach while building that trust factor!

Basically one rule of thumb you can count on is to give away content that people would pay for, and the more you give, the more perceived value you get and the more like and trust factors you build.

Types of Content

Website: Your website can be a hub for where you can write blogs that are chock full of value. Your website should connect with the reader and provide opportunities to learn, understand and also connect. Remember, marketing is your chance to solve a problem that addresses a pain point to which you are the solution. Making your website be a content hub where your audience is heard and seen vs a ton of facts can be a perfect way to establish a better relationship. Also, when you’re focused on content you improve your SEO ratings!

YouTube: The world’s #2 search engine is a perfect place to show off what you know! Creating valuable content on YouTube consistently is a strategy as people go there to look for things they need to learn. It is also time consuming so make sure it’s something you want to start and continue doing. I teach people about content repurposing all the time, and usually I have them start with long form content (a longer video) which can be reused, chopped up and shared.

Social Media: Having a solid social media strategy can help a brand stand out in today’s landscape. The top social media platforms right now are Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Snapchat and Pinterest. Having a solid plan to share your content on all of these platforms to reach a wider audience can help your visibility grow. Remember most people consume hours of social media daily!

Infographics: These are long form graphics that have valuable information. These can be carousels on an Instagram feed, a blog post on your website, or even a graphic on a YouTube video. These can include statistics, step by step, guides and a combination of all.

Podcasts: Did you know that According to The Infinite Dial 2021, US weekly podcast listeners averaged eight podcasts in the last week. Only 11% of US podcast listeners older than 12 listened to only one podcast in the last week. Most (21%) listened to about five, while 19% listened to anything from six to 10 podcasts per week. This is a great platform to get right into the ears of a receptive audience.

How to Start Content Marketing

Gary Vaynerchuk said something so valuable once that shifted how I create content “Don’t Create Content, Document Your Process!”

Creating new content all the time is exhausting and not really most time effective, so what you want to do is document your process as you work through projects, or do behind the scenes or even just explain the why behind what you do. Most importantly, content marketing helps you be seen and understood.

People want to connect with a person vs a brand and thus why brands such as Nike use spokespeople to showcase their products.

It might not feel natural to start making videos or showing up consistently on social media, but trust me once you create a strategy, get some coaching and start implementing, it will feel easier.

It’s also priming your potential customers to an easier purchase and almost crushing their objections before they get to the buy. It makes the runway shorter and why companies see a huge return on their marketing.

Essential Tools

In today’s landscape there are so many softwares and tools to help you stand out as a brand. These are my daily suggested essential tools that you need in order to create great content that can show you off as the expert, so you can help your potential clients get the results they’re in need of.

In this blog, you’re going to learn exactly what these tools are, how to use them, and why they help maximize your time so you don’t get sucked into tech land.

Tool #1: The Voice Memo App

You don’t have to be sitting in front of your computer if you have a great idea – you can whip out your phone! It’s free, it’s easy to use and it helps you capture moments when you’re not at the computer.

Any time you have thoughts that you haven’t had the chance to write down, grab the voice memo app and record exactly what it is.

If you received a download during meditation, or if you had a meaningful conversation that sparked an idea – don’t forget the value of this resource in your pocket.

The second way you can use your voice memo app is to get professional audio while you’re recording a video.

This is a little-known hack that can improve the audio quality of your videos and even help you to repurpose your content into a podcast! You can even record your next book as a dictation and then transcribe it.

The voice memo is a resource most people underestimate!

Tool #2: The InShot App

Use this app to edit your videos in a super easy way and on the go.

InShot has made editing videos for different platforms extremely easy. From cutting clips, trimming, editing sound, adding music, text and stickers and even making your own videos, this app is very handy and user friendly.

There’s many video editing apps out there, and I’ve tried several and InShot is still my favorite. It’s $14.99 per year, making it a low priced app that’s easy to use immediately.

It doesn’t do advanced editing techniques like splitting the screen or adding custom graphics, but you’ll edit a video in minutes.

Tool #3: Later

This is the app I use for scheduling on social media that saves me hours.

This helps you to not feel like you’re constantly in the hustle and bustle of social media, and you can feel at ease about your content for the week so you can focus on engaging with people on social media more.

Later is a leader in the industry for scheduling as they have been one of the initial softwares to do this type of work. It saves you a ton of time by pre scheduling your feed posts and stories. It also has an information full blog to help you navigate the ever changing landscape of social media.

Tool #4: Canva

This is hands-down the best tool for creating the graphics you need for your social media, branding materials, client materials, freebies, video editing, and so much more. Canva has the ability to make anyone a graphic designer.

With pre-made templates for just about anything, Canva helps you stand out as a brand in minutes. It has grown extensively as a graphic editing platform where you can even edit videos, create presentations, websites and printed materials. One of my favorite tools is the background remover which with one click allows you to position a photo anywhere on a canvas and create really dynamic graphics!

As a business owner, Canva can be one of the most useful tools in your deck and at a low price that ranges from $10-$14 a month, it really can’t be beat.

Tool #5: A CRM that brings it all together and helps you focus on sales!

Now that you know how to use tools to generate content, you can’t forget that you also need to find a provider for your landing page creation, email sending, and customer relationship management.

My tool of choice is HighLevel. With this system, I can build my landing pages, send emails, SMS messages, and even create pipelines for my potential leads all in one place from email marketing to building funnels and having a snapshot of client acquisition and your potential monthly revenue.

It’s one of the most robust tools out there that helps you organize your business, have stunning landing pages to help you sell your programs and services.

Click here to start your free trial to the best software out there!

All in all, the tools you are using for your business mean nothing if you don’t have a strategy in place for executing on them in a thoughtful way. Make sure you have daily accountability towards your execution of your strategy so you can achieve meaningful goals for yourself and your business.

I’ve been marketing for years and once I began applying a strategic content marketing bringing clients in has never been more fun and makes me feel like I give in order to receive! Get started with your authentic marketing systems today!

xox,

Arianne

content marketing

Why You and Your Biz Are Like Happy Eggs

Why are you and your biz like happy eggs?

This might sound like a strange title I know.

Well, I’m an egg snob and if my eggs don’t have bright orange yolks, I’m not eating them. It actually reminds me of an episode of Portlandia where they went out to eat and asked the waiter if the chicken they ordered was organic. If it was free range. If it had lots of sunlight. What it’s name was and if it had friends. (Pretty funny episode if you ask me).

Well, I’m the same with my products and things I invest it. I only want top notch food for my family and myself and rather spend a couple extra dollars on that knowing I’m also supporting small farmers in the process.

I do the same with my water, my clothes and anything else I spend my money on. Quality always beats quantity and knowing there’s good energy behind it is even more important!

Why is this blog then about Happy Eggs when I’m a business coach?

VALUE. Plain and simple. Your value and how you price yourself to be more exact.

Did you know most holistic entrepreneurs have a tendency to underprice themselves by 10-15%?

In this (our) industry there is a stigma around money and asking for your worth. In my book, The Abundant Yogi I talk about this exact thing in more detail, but to get an idea we have been used to providing discounts and lowering our rates due to covid almost instantly.

Why lowering your rates is a bad idea

First of all let’s talk about perceived value and what it means in the world of commerce. When something FEELS more expensive and is presented that way, you automatically get the essence that it’s more valuable.

Think Happy Eggs vs plain old eggs. Simply the packaging and the promise was good enough to charge $1 more than regular eggs, and if you’ve ever heard my presentation about pricing then you know $1 based on a volume based business can turn into $$$$$$!!!

Now do some quick math for yourself – if you lower your rates or on the flip side don’t raise your prices (ever!), you’re basically digging a hole for yourself that will be harder to dig out of. For example, it’s easier to give someone a discount vs raising your price right?

Let’s say I’m an acupuncturist and my rates have been $100 a session for the last 3 years and then because of covid I dropped them by $10, it’s going to be harder to raise my price back to $100 since now people think my rates are $90. Instead what I could’ve done, is given a 10% off and kept my prices the same.

On another note I’ve seen plenty of businesses raise their prices in the last 6 months or add a covid tax of 99 cents!

So STOP lowering your value and your prices.

What does this all mean for you as a Happy Egg?

You want to create a value 3 ways.

Your experience, wisdom and time. You want to make sure you show that you’re the best at what you do and price according to all the trainings and experience you have under your belt.
The perceived value of your brand and message. Yup.
You want to show up as a professional and deliver that initial VA VA VOOM feeling when someone opens your website, your social media or anything outward facing.
Making sure your offerings have that added value that goes beyond time. For example, my client Chloe did a 3 week breath course and charged more because she created an irresistible value stack that really (not pretend like many people do) gave over $150 worth of products and services.

Can I side note for a second? This is why ALL my clients create some sort of an online product that can be sold as a stand alone OR can be added as a BONUS on their programs!!!

Why should you apply this info right now?

2021 is your year to create and radiate. It’s vital the offerings you create and put out there show off your bad-assery. You deserve to make back all the money you’ve spent in growing your knowledge and wisdom and your diligent service to help others heal and feel better.

Go over your pricing and get it out there with pride and knowing fully you will deliver 110% of what people pay for. And if you haven’t gotten a chance to get your business planning 15 minute discover call – let’s do it!! 2021 waits for no one.

www.calendly.com/ariom/discover

Hugs + Love,

Arianne

Lessons From The Yoga Mat

The Magical Yoga Mat

Every-time I step on my yoga mat I learn something new. Whether it is a lesson from a teaching by my gurus or an internal realization. Today’s lesson sparked a HUGE aha.

I was practicing with Richard Freeman, an Ashtanga Yoga teacher with knowledge beyond the asana that relates to energetic qualities.

He said something that struck me and verified my purpose as a health and wealth ambassador. The word vinyasa which we use often in our classes is “a sequence to which we put order that creates the opportunity to hold space”. He said that it is an “offering that has internal and external qualities”.

Of course my creative mind grabbed my notebook at that moment and drew a chart with 2 columns – and I invite you to do this with me. And maybe sit on your yoga mat and do this so you can connect with the energy you’ve offered on your mat throughout your life as a yogi.

Internal + External Qualities

Create a column with the world internal qualities and write down all your internal gifts – the qualities that make you, you. The good and the awesome and then the ones which keep you stuck or paralyzed.

For example in this column you would write your strengths, gifts and values.

I wrote:

Creative
Quick
Smart
Energetic
Supportive
Courageous
Fearful
Analytic

Then write the external qualities. More of the physical and tangible ones.

For example I wrote:

My smile
Strong body
Flexible
Great hair
Painful left hip
Carpal tunnel

I ask you to write to good and the things to be improved (notice I didn’t write the word bad or negative) so that you can create balance and have something to look forward to working on.

Why Yoga Is So Important In This Transformation

The practice of yoga, the vinyasa aspect of it, is designed to do create a sequence in which your actions lead you to transformation. Your yoga mat is a placeholder for the offerings you give the practice. Everytime you step on the mat, you leave parts of you that are holding you back from attaining goals and partaking in that samsara (the birth and rebirth of the soul in sanskrit).

In my teachings, both as a yoga teacher and business coach, I focus on this transformation as the core of the movement from your current reality to the next aspect of you. It’s the constant evolution which moves you closer to the 8th limb of Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga system, which is enlightenment.

What Your Yoga Mat Teaches You

I leave you with this invitation – everytime you step on your yoga mat, decide what your offering is. What are you leaving on the mat and what are you receiving. What lessons do the poses, the breath and the focus or dristi, teach you.

This is awareness that you’ll take off your mat and into your daily practice. It’s what is called mindfulness and can weave into everything you do.

I invite you to explore the asana beyond the physical pose and find those internal qualities that shift, bend and grow.

Write me back and let me know what you explored and what aha moments happened that created more space and freedom in your body, mind and soul.

See you soon!

Increased Income – Yes Please!

Yay For Increased Income!

It wasn’t too long ago when I believed payroll was only for “successful people”. For those who were making “real money”.

Side note: Can you see where none of the above statements even make sense?

These were all illusions I had set up because of comparisons to others who I assumed made so much more money than I, who were living more grandiose and who obviously could afford to pay themselves a salary.

I thought, keep all the money in my business account and pay myself as little as possible JUST IN CASE.

Just in case what? What was I setting myself up for? Failure?

So here let’s all say “Yes Please!” to increased income.

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The Reality

Here’s the deal. Now that you and I are professional adults as I like to call it, this is why and how I tripled my salary in just a few short months.

I wanted to settle down and buy a house
I wanted to start investing my money into other things
I asked the “successful people” what they did

Big realization was that I was limiting myself massively on item 1 because no one would lend me money since I earned “so little”. I was also telling the universe that I didn’t need to earn a lot of money because I lived simply. I also wasn’t building up my credit or giving myself cushion to start an IRA, invest or do anything else with my money. It is all about increased income and opening the doors for it to flow in from clients into your business and from your business into your life.

I created an abundance mantra for you:

The Result

I decided to triple my payroll salary and see what happened. Let me tell you – magic. I realized I was scared in the beginning but once I started the 3x everything fell into place. The fear left because I welcomed more clients into my life and saw more abundance via income to support the pay increase. Also I was able to get a better loan for my home which SAVED me money in the long run and started a chunkier savings account that made money FOR me as well as an IRA for my retirement.

I also felt PROUD of myself for not thinking small and limiting myself. Once I committed to saying – money generates more money I was able to feel really abundant and help my clients from a place of growth vs limits.

The Challenge

Here’s my ask of you- notice how much you pay yourself monthly – is it worth your value? Is is just enough or is it party time in your bank? Do you leave all your money in your business account just in case you need to cover expenses or can you trust yourself and the universe to be bigger and more affluent? Can you commit to 2x your salary or even more? And with this extra income, can you commit to sharing it via a donation (whether big or small) or even crazier, treat yourself to something nice?

Let’s all increase our worth and increase our salaries to show 2020 who’s in charge – the ever expansive universe who wants us to be ever expansive and abundant!

Also this is an invite to jump on a strategy session with me if you want to invite growth in life and biz – SCHEDULE YOUR CALL HERE (usually $297) for $97.

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What Does It Mean To Be Independent

To be independent. This word INDEPENDENT I feel gets used often and thrown around a bit. What does it really mean?

I write from this from England on the day the United States celebrates it’s independence from England which made me think quite a bit.

As humans we love independence. We love freedom. We long for making our own decisions and not be dependent on others for our livelihood.

Not only that, but as creative and holistic entrepreneurs we are drawn to be completely on our own, leading our businesses, creating our schedule and having the life we want because being independent is a top value we hold dearly.

What happens when you loose freedom and independence? How do you feel?

This word and feeling is something hundreds and thousands of people have lost their lives for. Who have given everything to be free.

What does this mean in your life and business? As you know to me as an entrepreneur they go hand in hand.

Freedom To Create

Having freedom to create is a gift that makes us human and those of us with ideas that want to be seen and heard are constantly on the search of how to get those ideas out and express.

This is why many of us turn to be instructors, coaches, creative entrepreneurs. Because of this calling to be independent to express and share.

What happens sometimes is that we are stuck not knowing what to do or how to do it so that our essence of freedom, liberty and independence is stifled under how to make this lifestyle and underlying value work. By the way, this is when most people call me asking for help and advice.

Dependently Independent

So knowing we are on this lifelong search for freedom and being independent, do you feel like you’re dependent on others to achieve your independence.

Let’s name some ways we are independent:

Financially independent – This is a dream come true for many of us yet we are dependent on clients (unless you’re a trust fund baby) to pay us to achieve this.
Relationship independent – If we’re married or single we’re dependent on others affection to fill this area of our lives.
Religious independent – This is a trickier one because many people do not have this freedom. But many are dependent on religion to serve as a backbone for their lives.

As the Huff Post states there are 2 types of independence and one is being free with rules. They used this quote “Any yachtsman knows,” he replied, “that in order to enjoy the freedom of the high seas, one must become a slave to the compass.”

So in order to have freedom and independence we are subject to being connected and tied to other circumstances to achieve the ultimate freedom.

Why This Matters

At the end of it all, your independence should make you feel happy, satisfied, proud and fulfilled. Whether it’s attached to others (like clients, income, spouses, and then some).

If you are not vibing where you are right now, if you feel stifled, over dependent or not connected to your highest self ideals, I invite you to do something.

First take time to make a call with me then check out my last post about the 9 Environments and do the wheel and the exercise.

Lastly, create a vision board of what it means to be independent to you, regardless of your external situations.

I leave you with a quote from Cicero: “What then is freedom? The power to live as one wishes.”

Always big hugs and thank you!!!

Arianne xoxo

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5 Tips To Keep You Motivated

Want to keep motivated?

This is exactly what we will cover today because it sometimes feels daunting to always be moving in a direction… motivation sometimes just isn’t there right? And when shit hits the fan, how do you stay motivated?

I am excited and motivated about getting back to my blogging.

So many shifts in my life that kept me from stepping back into my zone of magic and one of those was actually not finding motivation.

This is all about motivation today. The 5 tips to keep yourself going.

How to keep moving forward when you just feel like you can’t

Well what if I told you one of the easiest ways is to actually stop sometimes.

I have an awesome chat group with some fellow master minders and today’s chat was all about being lazy.

Why is being lazy so important to keep you motivated?

You become an efficient and effective producer. These are 2 very different concepts by the way. Being efficient isn’t always being effective, so put the 2 together and you are an accomplishment machine!
Procrastinate! In my online course I teach all about using tools to be an effective procrastinator. Now this doesn’t mean waiting until the last minute and getting all stressed out about it. It means using the essence of it and setting a deadline!
Community. Being motivated when you are alone sometimes is so hard. This morning I even woke up with sadness and frustration and 1st thing I did (after letting myself wallow for a few minutes) was call a friend. And the result is we are setting some time apart to work together and get some shit done.
Set boundaries on what you invest in. I should also say who. By creating a NO answer you curate time for yourself to focus on what makes you happy. You stop moving your energy horizontally and move in deeper into your self and your goals.
Be the clever self you are. Give yourself a pat on the back and say thank you for being clever and discerning. In Sanskrit buddhi, which means intellect, holds discernment as a quality that refers to the higher mind This is the observer that watches how our inner world works and makes decisions of what’s important (or not important.

Let me tell you a story of how my client chose to motivate vs give up.

I’m sitting helping my client create her training manual and sales page for her training she’s putting out. I suddenly see the smile disappear from her face.

She looks up and says I can’t do this.

I see the frustration in her eyes.

I know this feeling because I have been there many times.

What happens I say if you don’t do this training? What happens if you actually launch it and it’s successful?

Sometimes being an entrepreneur and a self starter gets really really hard. It’s not always easy.

But you know what her answer was… “If I don’t do this then the people who would take my training wouldn’t get this new modality to teach”

And then what if they don’t?

“Then students won’t get to take my awesome classes all over the city… AND I’ve disappointed myself with ALL the hard work I’ve already put in”.

Close your eyes and picture 1 thing that motivates you!

Let that be your one thing. Your one reason for not stopping. It can be completely self-less or maybe a bit self-fish. And that’s OK!

Paying off your credit card debt is what motivates you… perfect.

Going on a vacation for the 1st time in 3 years is your motivation… perfect.

Donating to save the elephants is your driver… perfect.

And always don’t forget to meditate as whether it’s anger, frustration, fear or all the other things, meditation will keep you grounded. 🙂

Just put your best foot forward and go.

The world is waiting for you.

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Top 10 Buddhist Books You Should Be Reading

I’m a huge fan of reading books. We should all aim to read at least 1 book a month.

In case you were looking for a great book to curl-up with and enjoy on a rainy afternoon or a little light reading outside in the sunshine, check out these 10 Buddhist books that you definitely should be reading.

Selected by the editors of Lions Roar

After the Ecstasy, the Laundry
by Jack Kornfield
(Bantam, 2000)

According to Jack Kornfield, enlightenment does exist and is even pretty common. The rub is that after achieving it, day-to-day tasks and troubles still await you. This is a guide to translating our spiritual awakenings into our imperfect lives.

A Beginner’s Guide to Meditation
by Rod Meade Sperry and the editors of the Shambhala Sun
(Shambhala, 2014)

Advice and inspiration from Buddhism’s most renowned teachers, including many Shambhala Sun readers’ favorites like Pema Chödrön, Thich Nhat Hanh, the Dalai Lama, Norman Fischer, Judy Lief, and many more.

Being-Peace
by Thich Nhat Hanh
(Parallax, 1987)

Addresses both personal awakening and engaging compassionately in the world. Using anecdotes from his own life, as well as poems and fables, Thich Nhat Hanh teaches his key practices for dwelling in the present moment.

Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism
by Chögyam Trungpa
(Shambhala, 1973)

Based on the highest view of the Vajrayana school, it defines basic principles not only of Buddhism but of spiritual practice altogether. Always contemporary and relevant, a profound influence on how Buddhism is understood today.

Happiness Is an Inside Job
by Sylvia Boorstein
(Ballantine, 2007)

With her characteristic warmth, Sylvia Boorstein teaches how practicing right mindfulness, concentration, and effort leads us away from anger, anxiety, and confusion and into calmness, clarity, and joy.

Mindfulness in Plain English
by Bhante Gunaratana
(Wisdom, 1992)

Perfect for anyone interested in mindfulness, Buddhist or not. This classic of the Theravada tradition explains what mindfulness is and isn’t, how to practice it, and how to work with distractions and other obstacles.

Real Happiness
by Sharon Salzberg
(Workman, 2010)

Using almost no Buddhist-specific terms, this helpful little book nonetheless hits all the right notes when it comes to how to do basic meditation and related practices that can help us cultivate more kindness, connection, and contentment in our everyday lives.

What Makes You Not a Buddhist
by Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse
(Shambhala, 2008)

A precise delineation of the key tenets that define Buddhism, versus what is superfluous, merely cultural, or not Buddhist at all. A good book to read if you’re deciding whether or not you’re a Buddhist, or just want to know what Buddhism really is.

When Things Fall Apart
by Pema Chödrön
(Shambhala, 1997)

If you’re facing a challenging time in life, this is the book you want. It shows how to develop loving-kindness toward yourself and then cultivate a fearlessly compassionate attitude toward your own pain and that of others.

Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind
by Shunryu Suzuki
(Weatherhill, 1973; fortieth anniversary edition, 2013, Shambhala)

Though covering Zen basics like zazen posture, bowing, intention, and so on, Suzuki Roshi’s masterwork is hardly just for Zen people—or just for beginners, for that matter. It skillfully introduces important Buddhist concepts like non-attachment, emptiness, and enlightenment.

See the original list here

Reach out to me at hello@bizzyyogi.com to tell me what you think. Have you read any of these before? Are you interested in reading them? What’s your take?

I read any and all emails that come in, so don’t be shy!

If there’s something specific you’d like to hear about or you have a question that you’d like asked, please submit it at www.BizzyYogi.com/Questions and I’ll do my best to answer and get you what you’re asking for.

The Inside Scoop On Yoga Retreats

I spend a lot of time on retreats. Whether I’m hosting one of my own or I’m helping other Yogis plan their retreats, it is something that takes up a good amount of space in my brain.

I’ve spent over 10 years perfecting the formula for creating an amazing retreat that will not only benefit the one who’s hosting it, but also the Yogis that are going to attend it.

This blog isn’t about me today. I’m sharing an objective article from a writer that I don’t personally know that’s giving you the inside scoop on Yoga retreats.

Check it out:

The following is an unbiased article by Lisa Sands

I never thought I would be the “type of person” who would go on a yoga retreat. I thought that sort of thing was for people with way too much time on their hands, people with lots of money to spare, or lots of problems to run from.

But, there I was in the tropical heat of Bali with 20 other women, getting up at 6 a.m. for sunrise yoga, tapping into my goddess nature, wearing sarongs, going without makeup. Thinking. Not thinking. Praying. Listening. Questioning. Thanking. Hating myself. Loving myself. Loving myself some more like it was my job.

How I arrived at the decision to go is not nearly as interesting or important as the experience itself, or the way it changed me afterward. What I did not realize when I put down my deposit, almost a full year before, is how much I would need it when the time came, and how it would fill a void in my life I could not have predicted.

Twenty people, mostly strangers, meeting halfway around the world to practice yoga…is fantastic and special and, yeah, a little uncertain and uncomfortable. And you are the perfect person to go, just as you are, complete with your baggage, sadness, questions and fears.

Everyone is there for a different reason—most come for spiritual growth, reflection, or healing. Some come to deepen their physical practice. Me? I was there for the adventure—I craved a life shake up.

I was feeling aimless and unsettled. I wanted to be somewhere that looked and felt so different than home. I wanted to see if I missed my life and the people I loved. I wanted to get to know me again. For reasons I can’t really explain, I sensed that I needed to be far away from the familiar so that I could stake a claim for my future self.

I came back home with eyes wide open to the beauty of other another culture. I was more confident, at ease, and tolerant of myself and of others. I looked fear in the eye and left it in the dust. I bonded with other strong, capable women and learned that they, like me, had their own unique, painful, and beautiful journeys and things to confront and reconcile.

I learned from them and they are part of me.

So if a little voice is whispering to you and you have an unexplained stirring for something you can’t name, you may be wondering what it is you really need.

If you need to break free from expectations, to shout out and wildly proclaim your truth, or if you need to get really quiet and inside yourself, and let a big ugly cry happen, then yeah, a yoga retreat is for you.

Don’t wait. Do it. You’re worth it.

Original Article here

What did you think of this? Feel free to reach out to me at hello@bizzyyogi.com and let me know.

Want to learn how I completely doubled my income without teaching more Yoga classes, having a large following on Social Media, or needing to know anything about marketing? Meet me at www.BizzyYogi.com/YogiMasterclass for the Masterclass that teaches you exactly how I did it and how you can do it, too.