Work Less PROFIT More Business Podcast

In this episode, Kareen and I explore:Basic principles of DISC personality profilesWorld Health Organization's definition of ‘mental health’The difference between mental health and mental health issuesPersonalized mental health strategiesDISC examples of early warning signs of burnout and how to avoidD’s tend to be high achievers, delegation is a problemThey won’t find meditation helpful but perhaps taking a walkI’s will need to schedule some social time to have fun DAILY; this will help them re-chargeS’s need to make sleep a top priority as this is how their body will re-chargeC’s who like to work (perfectionists) need time to schedule leisure i.e. puzzles, journaling will help them re-chargeABOUT KAREEN Kareen Aristide is a Human Behaviour Expert and a Mental Health Practitioner who specializes in blending personal development and mental health for holistic growth. With nearly 25 years of experience as a pastor, speaker, trainer, coach, and author, she empowers individuals, teams, and communities. Kareen holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in Neuroscience and Mental Health and is pursuing a Post-Baccalaureate Diploma in Cognitive Science. A Certified DISC Human Behaviour Consultant and a Top 100 Black Women to Watch in Canada honoree, Kareen is also the founder of She Did It Collectives.Connect with KareenLink to webinar replay on personality + mental health:  https://www.kareenaristide.com/personality-mentalhealthLink to the LinkedIn article on my story: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/finding-purpose-through-pain-my-journey-overcoming-burnout-aristide/?trackingId=ESZvH99kTDu3utiV4uF7Mw%3D%3DACTION PLAN:Become more self-aware and more aware of othersLearn more about your own personality profile as this will better equip you to avoid burnout or other mental health challengesDevelop a habit to recharge that works for you.Book a Growth Strategy Session – www.dianalidstone.com/applyConnect with me here: diana@dianalidstone.com www.dianalidstone.com https://www.facebook.com/diana.lidstone https://www.linkedin.com/in/hiredianalidstone/ WORK WITH MECurrently, there are 2 ways you can work with me: I am only accepting private clients in my 12-month Business Accelerator program (here) or  By booking a VIP Grow Day which is intensive session designed to give you my undivided attention and acceleration to accomplish something extremely fast. More information here. Share your feedback with me by clicking here and leaving a short voice message!

Over and over again, business founders find themselves in a trap! A growth trap where they feel trapped by their business – not only is it running their life; it’s consuming almost every waking hour; they are working as much as they can; and YET... they have this feeling that something could be better; something could be different.In this episode, I’ll talk about the growth trap; the difference between scaling and growth and how to avoid the most common mistakes business owners make when they want to stop being Chief Everything Officer and are ready to scale! Just a note – in episode 136, I outlined 7 scaling mistakes to avoid….. so in this episode I’m talking about additional challenges that you might face as you scale your micro business! ACTION PLAN Identify where you are in your business growth (emerging, growing or scaling) and decide if you truly want to scale. Are you facing any of these scaling challenges?  If so which ones? Download my Business Self-Assessment tool to identify your strengths and possible gaps so you know your next best step Book a Growth Strategy Session so we can strategize how you can best grow or scale your business. ABOUT ME: Hi friends, Want to escape the chaos of the day to day running of your business?  Then I’m your gal. I’m a champagne lover and a sought-after business coach for small business leaders who want to grow, and scale their business without the hustle or burn out. I’m also a best-selling author, award-winning speaker and podcast host. After almost 40 years as an entrepreneur, I’m best known for my straight-talk, no BS and the simple business and marketing strategies that bring my clients more joy, profit and freedom.  My podcast, Work Less PROFIT More business podcast offers tips and strategies for small business owners who are tired of working too hard for too little profit, and having little or no free time.   You can do this! Connect with me here: diana@dianalidstone.com www.dianalidstone.com https://www.facebook.com/diana.lidstone https://www.linkedin.com/in/hiredianalidstone/ Work with me: Currently, there are 2 ways you can work with me: I am only accepting private clients in my 12-month Business Accelerator program (here) or  By booking a VIP Grow Day which is intensive session designed to give you my undivided attention and acceleration to accomplish something extremely fast. More information here.  Share your feedback with me by clicking here and leaving a short voice message!

Of all the types of entrepreneurs in the world, you won’t expect a wellness professional to suffer from burnout!  But here’s the personal story of how it happened so slowly, she didn’t recognize how it came to be. My guest, Lydia Di Francesco shares her lessons learned in today’s episode. Lydia and I have a very honest and open conversation about: How burnout crept up on her What burnout looked like for her, personally Her lessons learned  5 steps to recovery  ABOUT LYDIALydia Di Francesco is the CEO and Workplace Wellness Specialist at Fit + Healthy 365. Lydia has worked in the wellness industry for over 12 years. She holds a Bachelor of Social Sciences and an MBA from uOttawa and is a Certified Workplace Health and Performance Practitioner. Lydia works with organizations to create and deliver effective workplace health and performance strategic plans that support employee well-being and mental health and result in greater productivity and retention.  Lydia is a former radio host of a wellness segment on CHIN Radio Ottawa, a regular TV guest expert and has been published in national and local magazines. She was recently selected as a Businesswoman of the Year. ACTION PLAN: Pay attention to your own body, feelings and health Be strategic as to how you spend your time  Find ways to re-charge yourself – it’s a priority for business owners If you want to Work Less, Profit More -- Book a Growth Strategy Session – www.dianalidstone.com/apply ABOUT ME: Hi friends, Want to escape the chaos of the day to day running of your business?  Then I’m your gal. I’m a champagne lover and a sought-after business coach for small business leaders who want to grow, and scale their business without the hustle or burn out. I’m also a best-selling author, award-winning speaker and podcast host. After almost 40 years as an entrepreneur, I’m best known for my straight-talk, no BS and the simple business and marketing strategies that bring my clients more joy, profit and freedom.  My podcast, Work Less PROFIT More business podcast offers tips and strategies for small business owners who are tired of working too hard for too little profit, and having little or no free time.   You can do this! Connect with me here: diana@dianalidstone.com www.dianalidstone.com https://www.facebook.com/diana.lidstone https://www.linkedin.com/in/hiredianalidstone/ Work with me: Currently, there are 2 ways you can work with me: I am only accepting private clients in my 12-month Business Accelerator program (here) or  By booking a VIP Grow Day which is intensive session designed to give you my undivided attention and acceleration to accomplish something extremely fast. More information here. Share your feedback with me by clicking here and leaving a short voice message!

People may forget what you say; forget what you did; but they will never forget how you make them feel – take on the famous quote Maya Angelou. So how do you make people feel? Your clients, your team, your suppliers?? My guest today is known as the FROG Lady – listen and find out why and how recognition can play an important part of your role as CEO of your small business. Sarah McVanel is a globally recognized Recognition Expert, acclaimed speaker and author – as well as a recovering perfectionist, mom and an entrepreneur with too many letters after her name for me to count! Sarah and I discuss and laugh about: When I first met her and what I thought about her business then Why she is known as the FROG lady What FROG stands for Simple ways to incorporate recognition in our daily lives – the correct way A simple exercise you can do for self-recognition A link between recognition and avoiding burn out Some great examples of how you can make others feel appreciated ABOUT SARAHTrue acceptance is believing people are worthy before they’ve earned it. Imagine a workplace that extends acknowledgment and appreciation to its employees before they even start.Sarah is a recognition expert, professional speaker, coach, author, recovering perfectionist, and movement maker of F.R.O.G. Forever Recognize Others’ GreatnessTM. With 25+ years of experience, she invigorates companies to see their people as exceptional so that, together, they can create a scrumptious, thriving culture where everyone belongs.As the founder of Greatness Magnified, Sarah is proud to have built a thriving organization that specializes in providing training programs and certifications for employees at large. By being solution focused and resilient in changing times, she can help to build a healthy and recognition-rich team. Contact Sarah here: https://greatnessmagnified.com/ ACTION PLAN:Learn the acronym F.R.O.G. (forever recognize others greatness).FROG someone you know today – get out your phone & text someone.Make it a habit to FROG a friend, colleague or business person each day.Download: Recognition Cool Stuff  (here).Let me know how you recognized your own greatness or someone else! Connect with me here: diana@dianalidstone.com www.dianalidstone.com https://www.facebook.com/diana.lidstone https://www.linkedin.com/in/hiredianalidstone/ Share your feedback with me by clicking here and leaving a short voice message!

#1 reason people start a business – freedom. In the USA, the SBA says that 80% of the  29.6 million small businesses are run by a single person – the solopreneur. But most often these entrepreneurs realize that true economic and personal freedom isn’t possible by being the solopreneur … because:They are caught in the daily grind – the day-to-day running of their business. Rarely take vacations or time off to recharge.Work is all there is – their business runs their life. Sound familiar? But what if you could serve more people?   What if you could grow and scale your business to have a bigger impact and grow your income? In this episode, learn: The different questions asked by skilled experts and business builders How their perspectives and mindsets are different 3 core pillars to master to evolve from solopreneur to CEO If those 3 core pillars sound familiar, it’s because they are the 3 core areas of the WLPM framework that has guided hundreds of other skilled experts to evolve into true visionary CEO’s. ACTION PLAN: Determine where you are in your business growth? (just beginning, trapped or freedom).Ask yourself Which perspective is predominant in my business (skilled expert or business builder).Examine the 3 core pillars required to evolve to CEO.Book a Growth Strategy Session – www.dianalidstone.com/apply.ABOUT ME: Hi friends, Want to escape the chaos of the day to day running of your business?  Then I’m your gal. I’m a champagne lover and a sought-after business coach for small business leaders who want to grow, and scale their business without the hustle or burn out. I’m also a best-selling author, award-winning speaker and podcast host. After almost 40 years as an entrepreneur, I’m best known for my straight-talk, no BS and the simple business and marketing strategies that bring my clients more joy, profit and freedom.  My podcast, Work Less PROFIT More business podcast offers tips and strategies for small business owners who are tired of working too hard for too little profit, and having little or no free time.   You can do this! Connect with me here: diana@dianalidstone.com www.dianalidstone.com https://www.facebook.com/diana.lidstone https://www.linkedin.com/in/hiredianalidstone/ Work with me: Currently, there are 2 ways you can work with me: I am only accepting private clients in my 12-month Business Accelerator program (here) or  By booking a VIP Grow Day which is intensive session designed to give you my undivided attention and acceleration to accomplish something extremely fast. More information here. Share your feedback with me by clicking here and leaving a short voice message!

It doesn’t matter what industry you’re in – whether you’re a lawyer, accountant or other professional, real estate investor – there’s a lot of competition for clients!So how do you stand out from your competition?And what if standing out didn’t involve endless posting on social media?During this engaging episode, Chantal & I share:Why being good in business isn’t good enough and why you have to build a stand-out business.Her ABCs of how a client ‘chooses’ you.How she and I buy boots and shoes (it does have relevance).5 strategies to stand out.Her Stand Out test (here) as well as her new book.ABOUT CHANTAL CORNELIUSSince founding Appletree Marketing in 2000, Chantal Cornelius has spent the last two decades helping hundreds of service-based businesses grow and achieve their goals by making strong emotional connections with their clients.Chantal knows that the key to standing out from competitors is to build strong, long-lasting relationships with clients.  Her mission is to help business owners realize that the path to success doesn’t involve churning out endless social content.  In her work, Chantal introduces service-based businesses to different Stand Out Strategies that they can use to make the best emotional connection with their clients.  She explains how to utilize them, in order to stand out from their competitors, by incorporating more emotion and empathy into their work.Her third book, scheduled to be published in the autumn of 2024, further explores the emotions behind consumers’ buying decisions.When she is now showing her clients how to blow their own trumpets, Chantal is the National President of the Professional Speaking Association (UK) and can also be found riding her horse, walking her dog, or working in her garden!Connect with Chantal here or on LinkedInACTION PLAN:Listen to how your clients feel about working with you.Take the Stand Out Test (here).Of the 5 strategies (certainty, connection, contribution, growth, significance) which one resonates best with you.Get your report from Chantal on how to use your best Stand Out Strategy.  If you’d like more support to further build a stand-out business, Book a Growth Strategy Session – www.dianalidstone.com/apply.Connect with me here:diana@dianalidstone.comwww.dianalidstone.comhttps://www.facebook.com/diana.lidstonehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/hiredianalidstone/WORK WITH ME:Currently, there are 2 ways you can work with me:I am only accepting private clients in my 12-month Business Accelerator program (here) or By booking a VIP Grow Day which is intensive session designed to give you my undivided attention and acceleration to accomplish something extremely fast. More information here.Share your feedback with me by clicking here and leaving a short voice message!

Can’t believe that this is the last week of this free 5-part training series on how to get focus and find your freedom without hiring an additional employee!One thing I know for sure is that when I listen to podcasts like these – great ideas pop into my head and I need a place to record them – rather than little bits of paper scattered all over the place.Don’t forget to grab your workbook here: www.dianalidstone.com/takenotes so you outline how you’ll implement these strategies.If you missed the earlier part of this workshop series, you can find them here:Ep 155 – Get Focused: Build your business with purposeEp 156 – Which activities move the needle?Ep 157 – Free up time: Why it’s Systems BEFORE Team Ep 158 – Save Time & Sanity: 5 Productivity Strategies Ep 159 – How to Reduce Your Workload: A 7-Step SequenceToday – I want to share a couple things with you:How much time you will actually save if you implement the strategies and tactics I’ve shared with you this week – you’ll be astounded!!The 9 core pillars you MUST master if you want to grow and scale without hustle and burnout (WLPM Framework)The exact sequence you’ll need to implement right now and in the futureWANT TO………Get back on track?Stay focused on the right activities for your business right now?Eliminate what’s not working?Make a plan for the upcoming 90 days?And have me right along side you to guide you?!Check out https://dianalidstone.com/shop/quarterly-retreat/RESOURCES MENTIONED:Ep 64: https://dianalidstone.com/blog/podcast/ep-64-want-to-make-more-money-niche-down/Ep 65: https://dianalidstone.com/blog/podcast/ep-65-debunk-5-niching-myths-if-you-want-to-scale-your-small-business/Ep 24: https://dianalidstone.com/blog/podcast/ep-24-fall-in-love-with-marketing-use-your-content-personality-to-attract-your-dream-clients-with-guest-amy-hager/Ep 56: https://dianalidstone.com/blog/podcast/ep-56-client-attraction-without-social-media-is-it-possible/Share your feedback with me by clicking here and leaving a short voice message!

Research shows that of the time given to a workday, 80% is spent doing tasks with little to no value and only 20% is spent doing something important. That’s a BIG scary stat!And yet when Google sends me my website report, one of the MOST looked at pages – is a blog I wrote in 2018 – how to increase your odds of success by 95% ... it seems people WANT to be more productive.So today – Day 4 of my free masterclass, The Ultimate Focus & Freedom Masterclass, I’ve cobbled together not just 5 productivity tips to save you time and your sanity but more like 5 concepts to apply in your business that will make you more productive.Don’t forget to grab your workbook here so you can create how you’ll best apply these concepts. One thing I know for sure is that when I listen to podcasts like these – great ideas pop into my head and I need a place to record them – rather than little bits of paper scattered all over the place.If you missed the earlier part of this workshop series, you can find them here:Ep 155 – Get Focused: Build your business with purposeEp 156 – Which activities move the needle?Ep 157 – Free up time: Why it’s Systems BEFORE Team Ep 158 – Save Time & Sanity: 5 Productivity Strategies Next week – the exact sequence to implement big changes in your business:Ep 159 – How to Reduce Your Workload: A 7-Step Sequence.Want to really save some time?  Make more $$$? Have more freedom?If you’re feeling like the Chief Everything Officer of your business or feeling overwhelmed and frustrated because you just can’t seem to get stuff done – then I invite you to attend my upcoming QBFPD – it’s one of the best solutions toGetting back on trackStaying focused on the right activities for your business right nowEliminate what’s not workingMake a plan for the upcoming 90 days!And have me right alongside you to guide you!Check out https://dianalidstone.com/shop/quarterly-retreat/RESOURCES MENTIONED:CEO WEEKLY Checklist: 5 tips to make your week more productive– download herehttps://trafft.com/time-management-statistics/5 Easy Ways to Increase Your Productivity – read here9 Productivity Tips to Work Smarter, not harder! – read hereShonda Rhimes – Year of Yes (book)My typical Model Agenda – view here9 Activators of Your Well-Oiled Business Machine – view hereShare your feedback with me by clicking here and leaving a short voice message!

If you’re anything like a lot of my clients, you heard this before… Systems will set you free! Sound familiar? But what I do hear back from my clients is that they don’t know where to start to create systems and they are often confused about what it truly means to create systems.It’s Week 3 of my 5-week podcast training series The Ultimate Focus & Freedom Masterclass designed to help you save 10+ hours per week in your business without hiring another employee!If you’re just joining me – be sure to head back to episode 155 – to start from the beginning.  Ep 155 – Get Focused: Build your business with purposeEp 156 – Which activities move the needle?Ep 157 – Free up time: Why it’s Systems BEFORE Team Ep 158 – Save Time & Sanity: 5 Productivity Strategies Ep 159 – How to Reduce Your Workload: A 7-Step SequenceAlthough today is all about SYSTEMS – instead of giving you a specific exercise, like I did in previous episodes, I thought I would change it up and tell a story instead!You’re going to hear about Cynthia, a lawyer, and her journey through growth, the growth trap, and finally creating systems to help her scale and ultimately have more joy, profit and freedom in her business.RESOURCES: Register: Check out https://dianalidstone.com/shop/quarterly-retreat/Download checklist:– www.dianalidstone.com/gifts-libraryCheck out the Work Less PROFIT More Business Freedom Framework here with its 9 essential elements that must be mastered so you can experience more joy, profit and freedom from your business.Share your feedback with me by clicking here and leaving a short voice message!

As a business owner, if you ever struggle with deciding what to tackle first on your to-do list or if you ever wonder how to pinpoint the tasks that will have the biggest impact on your business growth – have no fear, you aren’t alone. Ep 155 – Get Focused: Build your business with purposeEp 156 – Which activities move the needle?Ep 157 – Free up time: Why it’s Systems BEFORE Team Ep 158 – Save Time & Sanity: 5 Productivity Strategies Ep 159 – How to Reduce Your Workload: A 7-Step SequenceThis week’s episode will help you solve that challenge with a couple of simple, step by step exercises so you focus your time & energy on what matters most to your business growth.It’s Week  2 of my 5-part podcast series The Ultimate Focus & Freedom Masterclass and if you’re just joining me – be sure to head back to episode 155 – to start from the beginning.  You can grab your workbook here – www.dianalidstone.com/takenotes so you can easily follow along.Today is all about you choosing the right activities for you to work on, for your business, for RIGHT now. Once you see the simplicity of what I’m going to share, you’ll always know exactly where to focus your time.Let’s get going…. OTHER RESOURCES MENTIONED:Think Like a CEO, free book chapter (Here)Fall in Love with your marketing: Use your content personality (listen here)Share your feedback with me by clicking here and leaving a short voice message!

Toss the confetti – it’s Week 1 of my 5-day podcast series The Ultimate Focus & Freedom Masterclass!!I’m super excited to be offering this free training – Some of you who know me, may have done a similar training with me; however, I’ve updated this one for you.It’s all about helping you reduce your workload and free up 10+ hours/week without hiring a new employee. So if you feel overwhelmed, and frustrated that you can never seem to get enough done in your day or week – then this is for you!!(Grab your workbook here: www.dianalidstone.com/takenotes)Here’s what we are going to cover:Ep 155 – Get Focused: Build your business with purposeEp 156 – Which activities move the needle?Ep 157 – Free up time: Why it’s Systems BEFORE Team Ep 158 – Save Time & Sanity: 5 Productivity Strategies Ep 159 – How to Reduce Your Workload: A 7-Step SequenceBy the middle of next month, if you take this information and implement it, you’ll know exactly how to reduce your workload, prioritize your most important tasks AND have a roadmap for your journey forward.In today’s episode, I share a Mad libs formula i.e. fill in the blank template that will allow you to create more focus in your business – it actually acts as a GPS for you and for your team!Be sure to have your workbook (here) and a pen so you can jot down notes and build your own Vision Statement!I also give you 2 tips on how to use this statement to increase your focus.Grab your workbook here   www.dianalidstone.com/takenotesRESOURCES MENTIONED:Read:  Vivid Vision by Cameron HeroldListen: https://dianalidstone.com/blog/podcast/ep-71-99-of-small-firms-dont-do-this/REGISTER: QUARTERLY BUSINESS FREEDOM PLANNING DAY – next date – September 16Share your feedback with me by clicking here and leaving a short voice message!

If you’ve ever been the surrogate to a group of young kittens, you’ll learn that they have boundless energy to run in every direction without really accomplishing anything – are you running around like that?  I don’t want that for you because it ultimately leads to burn out!You don’t have to look very far to hear about entrepreneurial burnout – you can read about it in major news outlets, major magazines, podcasts and you’ve probably hear from someone close to you about how they’ve ended up in the hospital or tanked their relationships because of it.If it’s so prevalent – why does it happen?In this episode, I outline 7 common reasons/myths that I’ve seen that lead to the dramatically overworked business owners!As I’ve been coaching the overworked and often underpaid business owner, I have seen that to significantly reduce their workload – the answer doesn’t come from productivity apps, webinars, or complicated planning journals.  This episode is the background to my upcoming 5-part masterclass series entitled The Ultimate Focus & Freedom masterclass….. and it’s free!Starting Monday next week, I’ll be releasing 5 episodes to help you dramatically reduce your workload and reclaim 10+ hours a week, without hiring an employee.Be sure to subscribe so you won’t miss this valuable content.Head over to www.dianalidstone.com/takenotes to download the workbook!OTHER EPISODES related or mentioned:Ep.71 - 99% business owners don’t doEp. 72 – Unsexy truths about growing a 7-figure businessEp. 43 – What my husband’s retirement taught me about my businessACTION STEPS:Stop – spend 10 minutes really thinking about how you run your business.Which of the 7 WHY’s is causing you to lose control of your business?Mark your calendar for the 5-part, free training series – The Ultimate Focus & Freedom Masterclass.Grab your workbook here - www.dianalidstone.com/takenotes so you can follow along and customize your strategy.Here’s the graphic of my WorkLessPROFITMore framework with the 9 essential elements of a self-running business engine.Share your feedback with me by clicking here and leaving a short voice message!

You’ve heard it before – the riches are in the niches! Narrowing your niche makes your marketing easier and when your marketing is easier, you’ll close more sales!Or in the case of a real estate investor, he attracted more deals and more capital!  Two things real estate investors are always looking for!Listen as my special guest shares his story!ABOUT SIBTAIN PANJUSibtain Panju and his wife Insiyah are the co-founders of PRAGMA Incorporated, a real estate investment company focused on acquiring & developing multifamily real estate in Canada.  They help professionals and high-net-worth individuals protect and grow their wealth in a tax-efficient manner using real estate.Before becoming a full-time real estate investor, Insiyah was a high school math teacher.  She is also a realtor and a youth empowerment coach.Sibtain has a finance background and over 20 years of banking experience.  He leverages his experience in corporate finance and business strategy for his real estate business.PRAGMAN Inc. has a strong commitment to giving back on a monthly basis a portion of their proceeds and making a lasting impact.  Believing in universal access to clean water, food, and education, they actively contribute to the construction of water wells, sponsorships for orphans and support education initiatives for underprivileged families.Contact: https://www.pragmaproperties.com/Work Less PROFIT More program mentioned in this episode – Differentiate to Grow (here)ABOUT ME:Hi friends,Want to escape the chaos of the day-to-day running of your business?  Then I’m your gal.I’m a champagne lover and a sought-after business coach for small business leaders who want to grow and scale their businesses.I’m also a best-selling author, award-winning speaker and podcast host. After almost 40 years as an entrepreneur, I’m best known for my straight talk, no BS and the simple business and marketing strategies that bring my clients more joy, profit and freedom.  My podcast, Work Less PROFIT More business podcast offers tips and strategies for small business owners who are tired of working too hard for too little profit and having little or no free time. You can do this!Connect with me here:diana@dianalidstone.comwww.dianalidstone.comhttps://www.facebook.com/diana.lidstonehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/hiredianalidstone/Work with me:Currently, there are 2 ways you can work with me:I am only accepting private clients in my 12-month Business Accelerator program (here) orBy booking a VIP Grow Day which is an intensive session designed to give you my undivided attention and acceleration to accomplish something extremely fast. More information here.Share your feedback with me by clicking here and leaving a short voice message!

Whether you’re a lawyer, accountant or other professional – it's important to realize that we are currently in a global marketplace. With today's technology, no longer is our business growth stalled or capped by our location. For instance, there was a time when bookkeepers or lawyers only worked with clients within a 5-10 mile radius. It’s no longer true today. Some of my clients have bookkeepers overseas.If we have a global marketplace – that means there’s more competition than ever.  Your competition is global!So, how do you stand out from your competition? How do YOU get chosen?It’s easier when you consider the 9 strategies I’ll share with you today!ACTION PLAN: Which of these 9 differentiators could your business improve upon?Is there 1 or 2 you need help clarifying?Book a Growth Strategy Session – www.dianalidstone.com/applyABOUT ME:Hi friends,Want to escape the chaos of the day-to-day running of your business?  Then I’m your gal.I’m a champagne lover and a sought-after business coach for small business leaders who want to grow and scale their businesses.I’m also a best-selling author, award-winning speaker and podcast host. After almost 40 years as an entrepreneur, I’m best known for my straight talk, no BS and the simple business and marketing strategies that bring my clients more joy, profit and freedom.  My podcast, Work Less PROFIT More Business podcast offers tips and strategies for small business owners who are tired of working too hard for too little profit and having little or no free time.You can do this!Connect with me here:diana@dianalidstone.comwww.dianalidstone.comhttps://www.facebook.com/diana.lidstonehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/hiredianalidstone/Work with me:Currently, there are 2 ways you can work with me:I am only accepting private clients in my 12-month Business Accelerator program (here) orBy booking a VIP Grow Day which is an intensive session designed to give you my undivided attention and acceleration to accomplish something extremely fast. More information here.Share your feedback with me by clicking here and leaving a short voice message!

While it is true that customers are attracted to the best marketers, not necessarily the best products, it is our job as business leaders to turn prospects into customers, in other words, to close the sale.My guest on this episode is a master storyteller AND communication specialist.We chat about:Two necessary ingredients of storytelling.What communication intelligence is.How you can decode your prospect's communication to close more sales faster and more effectively.How to power script or how to write a message for different value codes and combine them in a single email.Clues on how to identify your prospect's B.A.N.K. value codes.ABOUT HELEN HARWOOD SNELL Helen uses her expertise as a storyteller and certified communication coach to create messaging that reaches the right audience and closes sales faster. She develops web content, marketing materials, blogs, presentations, signature talks and books. She also teaches the structure of clear communication and storytelling in workshops for those who want to master their writing craft. She understands you are your brand. She is an International Best-selling author and speaker. Many of her stories come from parenting her three children, being in nature, and being mastered by her dogs. Her audacious dreams include writing a book series for special needs adults and living on a sustainable property.Contact info: https://linktr.ee/helenharwoodsnell FREE GIFT: https://my.bankcode.com/helensnellCrack your code into your own personality values in less than 90 seconds!ABOUT ME:Hi friends,Want to escape the chaos of the day-to-day running of your business?  Then I’m your gal.I’m a champagne lover and a sought-after business coach for small business leaders who want to grow and scale their businesses.I’m also a best-selling author, award-winning speaker and podcast host. After almost 40 years as an entrepreneur, I’m best known for my straight talk, no BS and the simple business and marketing strategies that bring my clients more joy, profit and freedom.  My podcast, Work Less PROFIT More business podcast offers tips and strategies for small business owners who are tired of working too hard for too little profit and having little or no free time. You can do this!Connect with me here:diana@dianalidstone.comwww.dianalidstone.comhttps://www.facebook.com/diana.lidstonehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/hiredianalidstone/Work with me:Currently, there are 2 ways you can work with me:I am only accepting private clients in my 12-month Business Accelerator program (here) orBy booking a VIP Grow Day which is an intensive session designed to give you my undivided attention and acceleration to accomplish something extremely fast. More information here.Share your feedback with me by clicking here and leaving a short voice message!

Having sales conversations that convert and that aren’t an hour long is vital to a successful and profitable business! In this episode, I want to share my journey with sales and how one simple change can increase your conversion rates and reduce the time you spend on sales calls!ACTION PLAN: How to increase your conversion rates & reduce the time spent on sales conversations:Read Anatomy of a Sales Conversation (here).Identify the gaps in your sales conversations.Adjust your format.Measure & monitor your conversion rates.ABOUT ME:Hi friends,Want to escape the chaos of the day to day running of your business?  Then I’m your gal.I’m a champagne lover and a sought-after business coach for small business leaders who want to grow and scale their businesses.I’m also a best-selling author, award-winning speaker and podcast host. After almost 40 years as an entrepreneur, I’m best known for my straight talk, no BS and the simple business and marketing strategies that bring my clients more joy, profit and freedom.  My podcast, Work Less PROFIT More business podcast offers tips and strategies for small business owners who are tired of working too hard for too little profit and having little or no free time. You can do this!Connect with me here:diana@dianalidstone.comwww.dianalidstone.comhttps://www.facebook.com/diana.lidstonehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/hiredianalidstone/Work with me:Currently, there are 2 ways you can work with me:I am only accepting private clients in my 12-month Business Accelerator program (here) orBy booking a VIP Grow Day which is an intensive session designed to give you my undivided attention and acceleration to accomplish something extremely fast. More information here.Share your feedback with me by clicking here and leaving a short voice message!

Pricing your services for profit can be a challenge for most business owners.  And in some industries like bookkeeping, accounting and legal, it’s been tradition to price by the hour.  But this week, my special guest will challenge you to think differently about your pricing, especially if you’re a lawyer!Special guest from the United Kingdom, non-practising lawyer Shaun Jardine and author of Ditch the Billable Hours and I have a lively discussion on pricing and how value-based pricing can be beneficial not just to law firms but others who traditionally price by the hour.We also talk about:How lawyers and other experts are no longer the gatekeepers of knowledge and why pricing can no longer be based on knowledge.The principle of ‘our ice is melting’. Value-based pricing as a brand differentiator.Who has ownership of pricing in your business?Giving your clients a choice of service level.When you go through the process of changing your pricing structure, it’s best to have two pairs of eyes on your new structure.ABOUT SHAUN JARDINEAs a lawyer and former law firm CEO of a top 250 law firm, he has a unique insight into what makes law firms tick. Shaun founded Big Yellow Penguin (BYP) in 2021 with the aim of encouraging and helping lawyers and law firms to move on from the 20th century and adopt practices, including value pricing, which will make their futures more secure, both financially and operationally, and enjoy practising their craft again.Shaun has recently finished writing his first book  ‘Ditch The Billable Hour’ !  which was published in January 2024.https://www.bigyellowpenguin.co.uk/ACTION PLAN: 1.        Download 125+ steps to implement Value-based Pricing here.ABOUT ME:Hi friends,Want to escape the chaos of the day to day running of your business?  Then I’m your gal.I’m a champagne lover and a sought-after business coach for small business leaders who want to grow and scale their businesses.I’m also a best-selling author, award-winning speaker and podcast host. After almost 40 years as an entrepreneur, I’m best known for my straight talk, no BS and the simple business and marketing strategies that bring my clients more joy, profit and freedom.  My podcast, Work Less PROFIT More business podcast offers tips and strategies for small business owners who are tired of working too hard for too little profit and having little or no free time.  You can do this!Connect with me here:diana@dianalidstone.comwww.dianalidstone.comhttps://www.facebook.com/diana.lidstonehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/hiredianalidstone/Work with me:Currently, there are 2 ways you can work with me:I am only accepting private clients in my 12-month Business Accelerator program (here) or By booking a VIP Grow Day which is an intensive session designed to give you my undivided attention and acceleration to accomplish something extremely fast. More information here.Share your feedback with me by clicking here and leaving a short voice message!

Raising your rates can be one of the most uncomfortable activities you do in your business and yet, it can be one of the most satisfying too!In this episode, I talk about:Money set point10 signs it’s time to raise your ratesClient stories of how and when to raise your ratsACTION PLAN:Which of the 10 signs applies to you?Decide how much you will raise your ratesRaise them now!ABOUT ME:I’m a best-selling author, award-winning speaker and podcast host. After almost 40 years as an entrepreneur, I’m best known for my straight-talk, no BS and the simple business and marketing strategies that bring my clients more joy, profit and freedom.  This podcast offers tips and strategies for small business owners who are tired of working too hard for too little profit, and having little or no free time.Connect with me here:diana@dianalidstone.comwww.dianalidstone.comhttps://www.facebook.com/diana.lidstonehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/hiredianalidstone/Want to turn your goals into easy-to-follow weekly & monthly action steps?  Attend the next Quarterly Business Freedom Planning Retreat -- register here (https://dianalidstone.com/shop/quarterly-retreat/)Finally, you'll know exactly where to focus your time, money & energy not just for predictable profits but also for the freedom you've always desired!Share your feedback with me by clicking here and leaving a short voice message!

(This podcast was inspired by an article from E-myth)One of my deepest held core values is ‘life before business’.  As I’ve moved to the farm, my life has changed and so has my business to be in alignment with my desired life.In this episode, I share 4 actions you can take to build a business that supports your desired life!I also share the story of the Donkey & the Lion – how and why we sometimes have to walk away from those who drain our energy!I hope you enjoy it!DOWNLOADS: Freedom Scorecard (here)ACTION PLAN:Write down specifics on what you want your life to look likeCreate a vision for your business that supports your lifeChange the way you spend your timeUnderstand the relationship between people & systemsABOUT ME:I’m a best-selling author, award-winning speaker and podcast host. After almost 40 years as an entrepreneur, I’m best known for my straight-talk, no BS and the simple business and marketing strategies that bring my clients more joy, profit and freedom.  This podcast offers tips and strategies for small business owners who are tired of working too hard for too little profit, and having little or no free time.Connect with me here:diana@dianalidstone.comwww.dianalidstone.comhttps://www.facebook.com/diana.lidstonehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/hiredianalidstone/Podcast Series to Grow & Scale Your Business:Get out of the Weeds & Back in the Driver’s Seat (downloadable workbook here)Episode 134 – The Growth Trap: A normal part of the journey (here)Episode 135 – The M-Myth: Why doing more isn’t the answer (here)Episode 136 – 7 Costly Scaling Mistakes to Avoid (here)Episode 137 – Research proven elements of a sustainably scalable business (here)The Ultimate Focus & Freedom Masterclass (downloadable workbook here) Ep. 86 – Get Focused: Build Your Business With Purpose (here)Ep. 87 – Determine Your Most Impactful Tasks (here)Ep. 88 – Free Up Time: Systems BEFORE Team (here)Ep. 89 – Simple Strategies to Skyrocket Your Productivity (here)Ep. 90 – 7 Step Roadmap to Dramatically Reducing Your Workload (here) Share your feedback with me by clicking here and leaving a short voice message!

Welcome to the 3rd part of this podcast series – The Path to Predictable Profits & Sustainable Success!!!To summarize, this series is filled with gold nuggets to help you build a predictably profitable business.Episode #144 – Where to focus your time,  money and energy right now?  I shared the 7 elements of the Freedom Stack.Episode #145 – #1 Mistake keeping your business from being predictably profitable -- I shared my favourite F word and 3 areas of your business to simplify & streamline for sustainable success.Today Episode #146 – My favourite strategy for creating a predictably profitable business & a life I love – I share how to get off the cash flow/revenue roller coaster!In this episode, I mention:Year at a Glance template (here)A simple method for ensuring consistent cash flowHow to fill in the revenue gapsACTION PLAN:Draw a 12-month calendar or download Year at a glanceInsert your Core Offer launch dates and possible payment plansConsider how you can best fill in the revenue gapsRegister for Business Freedom Quarterly Planning Retreat here (use coupon – save100)ABOUT ME:I’m a best-selling author, award-winning speaker and podcast host. After almost 40 years as an entrepreneur, I’m best known for my straight-talk, no BS and the simple business and marketing strategies that bring my clients more joy, profit and freedom.  This podcast offers tips and strategies for small business owners who are tired of working too hard for too little profit, and having little or no free time.Connect with me here:diana@dianalidstone.comwww.dianalidstone.comhttps://www.facebook.com/diana.lidstonehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/hiredianalidstone/Want to turn your goals into easy-to-follow weekly & monthly action steps?  Attend the next Quarterly Business Freedom Planning Retreat -- register here (https://dianalidstone.com/shop/quarterly-retreat/)Finally, you'll know exactly where to focus your time, money & energy not just for predictable profits but also for the freedom you've always desired!Share your feedback with me by clicking here and leaving a short voice message!