I’ve been getting quite a few emails from entrepreneurs asking me how to find your target market. More specifically, most people want to know what the most lucrative target market is.

Doesn’t everyone?

Some might answer by saying that the big money is in corporate. Others might tell you to open up an exclusive boutique-type company. Everyone has a different opinion on this … start small, start big, target VIP’s, target groups … the list goes on and on and on.

Here’s my answer …

I genuinely believe that you’ll make the most money doing what you are best at.

Here’s another question I get asked … why does one person make a lot of money in a particular niche while another does not?

Mostly because that person absolutely loves what they do and they’re naturally good at it. They have a passion for it that comes from deep inside of them. They are persistent and determined and never ever give up their dream. No matter what.

Listen, here’s how you’ll know you’re in the right niche …

You love what you do so much that you would do it for free. It doesn’t feel like work because you enjoy it so much. Plus you find the work really easy. Of course it’s easy to you, it’s your gift. You were born to do it. It’s like playing the piano. Everyone can learn to play, but only a few are naturals and really good at it.

Years ago, before we started up Triangle Concierge, my husband Ron and I decided to start a business. We were both tired of working for corporate America and wanted to start our own little company. So we started to think about what we could do. Back then, Ron’s mother worked in a bakery in Hoboken NJ making Hoboken’s famous bread. Using her recipe, we thought we could open up a bread business, install a brick oven and make the bread. So we went to my father, who was an entrepreneur, and asked him what he thought about our idea. His answer was this …

“What do you know about baking bread?” He asked me.

“Well nothing” I replied.

“Ok. What do you know?” He asked.

“I’m actually a great meeting planner” (I was in the meeting/event industry for 15 years).

He then leveled me a look and said simply … “do what you know.”

A few months later we opened up our first business … Meeting Planning Plus.

So do what you know. What industry are you coming out of?  Can you offer your new company services back to that industry?  When you first thought of opening up a business, where did your thoughts instinctively go?  Go there now. Trust your instincts as they are usually right. Don’t let your brain talk you out of something your heart is telling you to do. Do some market research and find out what the needs are in your area.

Then be willing to change. Go where your intuition takes you. We started out as Meeting Planners. We ended up as International Concierge Trainers. So it goes without saying here that somewhere along the way we were willing to change. When we hit the proverbial wall and the sales stopped, we didn’t just pack up our toys and go home. We looked at our operation and kept what was working and tossed the rest. We changed our name, redesigned our services, and tried again (and again and again, but that’s another story). Never give up.

So how do you find your niche?

Look into your heart for the answer. It knows the way you should go. Trust that feeling and go!

Have you ever heard of the expression water under the bridge?

It refers to past experiences and conflicts. The assumption is that the longer you live, the more water you have under your bridge. Most people use this expression when they are referring to a bad experience they had.

So here’s my question …

How much water has to be under your bridge before you can walk off?

Personally, I think you should focus on what is BEYOND the bridge, not what is under it. It’s hard to move forward in your life if you are constantly looking behind you. Start walking towards your future.

What are you waiting for?

Happiness can be yours if you stop waiting for it and start grabbing it!  BE happy now!  BE happy with what you have now!

I suggest that you focus on the positive aspects of your life, not the negative. Spend more time with positive people and less time with the negative ones who suck the energy right out of you. You know the ones I’m talking about! Remember, you are the sum of the five people you spend the most time with!  So lose the negative friends and start spending time with people who are positive and dare I say it?   HAPPY!

Here are a few tips to get you started. Start moving towards getting your body, mind and spirit together …

For your body …

Get some exercise!  Take a walk. Go to the gym. Play tennis. Go jogging. Do something to get your body moving. Try and commit to three days a week to start. Personally, I’m doing the “Couch to 5K” jogging program. Yes, I’ve taken up jogging at the ripe old age of 50!  Thought I was going to die the first time I did it, but it’s getting easier every time I go out there.

Eat healthy food. Add more fruits and vegetables to your diet. In fact, try and eat a vegetarian meal once or twice a week. It will make all the difference in the world. Ron and I are eating more vegetarian meals and making fish and chicken a side dish and not the main event. I also don’t eat red meat, although Ron does once in a while. We have eliminated as much processed food as we can. I read labels and if I don’t understand the ingredients, then we don’t buy it. If I see high fructose corn syrup or anything “hydrogenated” I really don’t buy it!

For your mind …

Make a Wish List of what you want to do with your life. Start small and slowly move to bigger things. How do you eat something really big? One small bite at a time.

Now from that wish list, create your action list. What actions can you take RIGHT NOW to obtain that first goal on your wish list?  It could be as simple as internet research.

For example, let’s say that one of the things on your wish list is that you want to be in a good relationship with someone. You can say affirmations and be as positive about it as you want, but unless you want to marry the pizza delivery guy, you’ll have to go out and actually do something to make that wish a reality.

For your spirit …

Start a gratitude journal. What are you grateful for?

Gratitude takes you to a different plane because it brings your brain to a higher place. It changes your focus from what you don’t have, to what you do have. Gratitude for what you do have will take you to a place where you can begin to make lasting positive changes to your life.

Take five minutes each day and write down the things you are grateful for in that moment. They could be simple or complex, it really doesn’t matter. Just write it down.

Today, I am grateful for …

1. My family
2. My health
3. My job
4. It’s a sunny and warm day
5. My house is clean
6. I’m drinking a great cup of coffee

I’m sure you get the point.  They don’t have to be monumental, they can just be simple things that you are grateful for.

If you do this simple thing every day, keeping positive and living a happier more fulfilling life will start to become a reality.  You’ll see the things around you that you are grateful for versus the crap that you’re not.

Gratitude will help you keep your focus on the love and prosperity around you, and will help you stay away from fear, lack and hate.

Gratitude will guide you to the hope of a better tomorrow.

Until next time,

Katharine Giovanni

Hello everyone,

It’s time to rant again … I like to keep people thinking about things that are easily forgotten.

There are some tragic natural disasters going on in the world right now – weather-related, floods, earthquakes or just turmoil, there’s a lot going on. The good news is that there are people who are ready to help when these tragic situations arrive. People like the Red Cross or similar groups around the world come in and help take care of people when they are in need. They arrive with no idea of the situation or what they are coming face to face with. They just come to lend a hand or help get shelter to people who don’t have it. To do this they need donations. Even if you do not have money to give these days, please give time and volunteer when you can.

I remember years ago when our sons were very small, there was a tanker truck that flipped over near our home. The problem was that it was filled with toxic chemicals that could explode at any time. It was really late at night when the firemen knocked on our door asking us to evacuate. So we woke the boys up, packed them up  and went to a Red Cross Shelter that had been set up. Hot coffee, blankets and friendly faces greeted us at the door. Later the Red Cross put us in an hotel room for the night. From that day on I have always held the Red Cross in high regard and regularly give money to them. An extremely valuable and caring organization.

Joplin, Missouri recently got hit with a major tornado killing hundreds and wounding thousands. It caused miles of devastation. With so many lives totally destroyed I felt the need to write about it. With major tornados killing many people in Alabama, Georgia and even here in North Carolina in the last month not to mention the many who die from natural disasters around the world, the need is great. Organizations like the Red Cross are there to help. They show up whenever there is a need around the world to give a helping hand.

So I write this for anyone who cares about others. You never know when you might need help yourself! Please reach out and give your money and/or time and serve others. I promise that it will come back to you in some way (even if it is just something simple like being happy you gave a helping hand). You’ll be amazed at how good you feel when you are doing something good for people. It is the best gift you can give someone. No matter what country you live in, I can tell you that there is a organization similar to Red Cross who is there to help. There are even people out there who are not affiliated with anyone. They just help because that is who they are. Find them and help.

We all need help sometimes. So please pass it forward and reach out and help. Every little bit helps. So please reach out to your friends and family and remind them to help.  Don’t wait for tragedy to strike … help now.

Have a great week everyone. Get out and help!

Ron

I’ve been hearing the same word a lot lately.

I heard it from more than a few clients this week as well as someone standing behind me in line at the grocery store the other day.

The word?

Can’t.

“I can’t afford that”, “I can’t do that”, “I can’t pay that.”

Well, I have good news and bad news for you.

The bad news is that if you think you can’t then you won’t. Simple as that.

Why?

You just told me you “can’t”. You just said it yourself!!!

The good news is that you can change that with a thought. So try this … instead of saying “I can’t afford that” turn it around by saying “I can buy that, but am choosing not to right now.” Think prosperous!!!  If you walk around lamenting the fact that “you can’t” … then you won’t.

Try and have more positive thoughts than negative ones during the day.

If you had all the money you needed in the bank right now, what would you be thinking? Would you be stressing out over money the way you are now?

Why wait?  Act that way now! Think those thoughts now!

Act as if it has already happened and start saying … I can!!!

Until next time,

Katharine Giovanni

Whatever it takes … an incredible group of words when you think about it.

I’ll do whatever it takes.

To what?

Whatever it takes to become a success?

Whatever it takes to lose the weight?

Whatever it takes to pay my bills?

Whatever it takes … even if it means giving something up?

I was watching Oprah a while back, and was told a story about two young men who saw an oil tanker go off the road right in front of them. As the truck burst into flames, they pulled their car over and without thinking ran down the embankment, raced through the flames, and pulled the driver out to safety. Seconds after they pulled him out the truck exploded. The amazing part was that they did it without thinking! They told Oprah it never occurred to them to not do it, they simply saw a man in need and reacted. She just sat there in awe.

Whatever it takes.

Personally, I’ve lived by this mantra for years. I’ve done whatever it took to get our company up and running with no budget. Whatever it took to get my mother help when she was sick. Whatever it took to help our neighbors when they were in need. Whatever it took to get the association I run back on its feet. And when I ran into a wall, I did whatever it took to get back up.

It never occurred to me to NOT run into the fire when someone or something needed me … I just did it without thought.

I’ve also been known to do whatever it takes to BELIEVE that I can do whatever it takes.

My husband Ron does whatever it takes. A few summers ago, he ran into a nasty undertow to save someone from drowning. He saw the lifeguard race into the water and instinctively ran in after him. He also saved two people from choking to death when he was in his twenties. He’s done this sort of thing a lot over the years. It’s who he is.

Whatever it takes … no matter what the topic.

So do whatever it takes to become a success and reach your dreams!  NEVER give up!!!  Do whatever it takes to be kind, loving, generous and warm. Do whatever it takes to help someone out this holiday season. Do whatever it takes to spend time with your family.

How much should you do? How hard should you work? What should you change?

Just do whatever it takes.

Until next time,

Katharine Giovanni

Our family recently took a much needed vacation and it was worth it as we had a great time and got the rest we needed.  My wife and I both  love to travel but don’t often get the chance due to our teenage sons busy schedule. We had even less time when they were younger.   Travel allows us to relax and remove ourselves from everyday hustle and bustle.

When we travel, Katharine and I tend to notice good (and bad) service more than other people since we are customer service trainers, and this time the service was wonderful. This year we went on a cruise and no matter where we went on the ship, there was someone looking to be of service to us.  It was outstanding.  As many of you know, I love to talk so I tend to talk with everyone I meet. From the staff to all the many passengers from different countries. I also learned quite a bit about the many different people who work on the ship, how hard they work, and how grateful they were to be on the ship working there. They all came across to me as being happy which is something that you don’t see very often.

Why is this not the norm in our everyday life? Can businesses afford not to give the best service possible all the time? Can they afford to lose just one customer? If you own a business, do you think about this every day? Do you train your staff to always provide the best service each day? If you do not, then you need to make sure they are aware of the importance of service each day until it becomes a regular happening. Businesses need to stay on top of their service and provide service that goes above and beyond. If the people who work day in and day out on cruise ships with little time for themselves can do it, then why can’t it be done here on land? I know as a consumer I deserve the best in service and demand it or you will lose my business.

Now I’ve written about how great the service was on the ship, but unfortunately it did not extend to the passengers as their lack of manners was noticeable, to say the least. The respect for others (which you all know from past articles is a pet peeve of mine) was not always available. It was so bad at dinner one night even our 17 and 15 year old sons noticed and mentioned it to us! It was amazing how people just lose all ability to be respectful, and lack etiquette. Perhaps many people just don’t know how, or have not been taught when they were younger. The rudeness by some were amazing.  Now it may be that there were cultural differences but respect and etiquette is something that everyone should have, no matter who you are. It is something everyone should learn and practice.  So I give my hats off to those who work with these people every day on the ship, it makes it even more special to me.

Hope everyone has a great week. Please feel free to share this article if you feel it is something that hits close to home for you.

Regards,

Ron Giovanni

Everyone needs a vacation.

Yes, I’m talking to all you entrepreneurs out there who don’t think they can afford to get away.

In the last few weeks, I’ve spoken to dozens of entrepreneurs and I’ve asked them all the exact same question …

“When was the last time you took a vacation?”

Every single one of them said it had been more than a year. One gentleman had been in business for over 6 years and still hadn’t taken time off.

I completely understand the drawbacks …

• If you don’t work, you don’t get paid
• Decisions need to be made
• There is simply too much work to do
• You don’t have the money to go on vacation

So with all these things weighing heavily on your mind, why am I even suggesting that you take a break?

Recently, my chiropractor told me about a study done comparing tennis players. Both had the exact same training and coaches. Both played extremely well. So why was one player starting to lose and the other wasn’t?  They discovered that it was because one player allowed their body to rest and the other continued to practice and push themselves. In another study conducted by Expedia, they discovered that “when returning from vacation, more than one-third of respondents feel more productive and better about their jobs, with more than half also claiming to feel rested, rejuvenated and reconnected to their personal life.”

Once a year you need to take some time off so that your brain can reboot itself. You need down time so you can come back to your company rested with a new perspective. If you don’t, you start to suffer from an entrepreneurs worst disaster – burn out. You all know what I mean … those days when you wake up and just can’t get your brain to start. Three cups of coffee later and you still can’t seem to focus. You don’t get as much work done as you should and you lose perspective. One “tired” day leads to a string of them with no end in sight.

I should know, I’ve been feeling like this for over a month now.

In fact, the last time I ignored what my body was telling me was several years ago when I ended up flat on my back in the hospital. It was almost as if my body said “if you don’t stop, I’ll make you stop.”

Don’t do that. Trust me, it’s not fun.

I know it’s a 24/7 world out there. I also know our technology allows us to take our office absolutely everywhere. Everyone tells you that technology is going to make your life easier, and often it does. However, the dark side of technology is that we don’t rest like we should, and it’s hurting our business.

So when do you know it’s time to take a vacation?

• You’re always tired. Coffee stops working.
• You’re sick all the time.
• Your temper is getting shorter and shorter.
• It’s been over 6 months since you’ve taken time off.
• All you talk about is work.
• Although you love your job, you can’t concentrate.
  

Time to take a break!!!!

As it turns out, taking a vacation makes you more productive. It helps you regain perspective for your business and brings balance back to your personal life.

So take some time off so that you can come back to your business with a fresh perspective and a renewed energy!!!

(NO you may NOT take your blackberry or laptop with you. If you absolutely have to, then so be it.  Please just limit your exposure to it.)

I also practice what I preach … I’m taking next week off so my brain can reboot.

Have a great week everyone!

Katharine

I was doing a search on concierge companies the other day when I noticed something very odd. Most of the websites I found didn’t give me any information about the owner of the company!  The “about us” section was generic and had no names in it. There were no biographies, no list of staff … nothing.

I don’t know about you all, but I like to know who I am doing business with. I like to read about the history of a company, and when I call them, I also like to have a name to ask for.

I completely understand that many of you might wish to remain anonymous for security reasons. I get that. I also understand that security issues might be why I can’t find where you are located anywhere on your website. At least give me the city and state!

Well, here’s the good news and the bad news.

The good news is that hiding your name and location will indeed help keep you secure in today’s world.

The bad news is that it might cause you to lose customers. Hiding your name and company location might cause people to wonder why you are doing this. They might suspect that you have no experience, or worse … that you have a something to hide.

At the very least, I humbly suggest that you put your name and title on the website. You don’t have to have a biography if you don’t want to (although I strongly suggest that you do), at least give us a contact name. You also don’t need to list your full address, just give me the city/state where you are located!!! I might not know that 212 is New York City, so to find out where you are I’ll have to do an internet search on your area code. I’ve done this search many times over the years, but your clients won’t. They’ll just click off and go to your competitor.

The key to success in any business is to be warm, friendly and approachable.

Until next time,

Katharine

Faith is hard.

Why?

Mostly because it’s hard to have faith in something you can’t see, touch or smell. I can feel it in my heart but I can’t see it and I certainly can’t touch it. It becomes especially hard when your brain is talking you out of something your heart is telling you to do.

Many years ago, my husband Ron and I took our two sons to Maine to visit family.  I remember it was a beautiful morning and my two brothers decided that we should all climb a mountain. Easy for them to say as I wasn’t in “mountain climbing” shape back in those days, but off we went anyways despite my griping. Due to two bad knees, Ron stayed behind.

The climb wasn’t bad and I soon found myself at the top. Since I’m terrified of heights, I stayed by the tree line where I was certain I would be safe. My family, however, had no fear whatsoever and they all eagerly walked onto the cliff.

Although it was very beautiful up there, I found myself frozen in place.  I was absolutely terrified and refused to leave the safety of the tree line. In fact, from where I was standing, I couldn’t see beyond the first rock. It was like an infinity pool as I couldn’t see what was beyond the first ledge. So from my perspective it looked like my sons were standing right at the edge of the mountain.  Of course I panicked even more and started pleading with them to come back.

Actually, if you want me to be completely honest with you, I wasn’t just pleading, I was yelling like a screaming lunatic.

My brothers clearly agreed that I was a lunatic because they both turned around and looked at me like I had lost my mind.

To calm me down, my younger brother called to my sons to come back. Lance then turned around and started to walk towards me. When he got closer he gently asked me to walk towards him and told me that it was completely safe. Come and see for yourself, he said.

Faith.

Having faith in something you can’t see, and trust that my heart knew what it was doing.

My inner voice gently nudged me forward.

Shaking like a leaf, I took a step. Then after a deep breath, I took a few more. I soon found myself standing on a very flat rock that winded around the mountain like a staircase. There was no steep cliff. I’ll admit that I felt a bit silly and gingerly wandered around with Lance for a few minutes. To their credit,  neither of my brothers laughed, nor did I get the famous “I told you so” line. They simply smiled at me and we moved on.

Now why am I telling you this story?

It’s all about faith …

If you have hit a wall with your business or personal life, then it’s time to move beyond the clearing. You need to move beyond the safety of the trees so that you can  go to the next level of your life!

Now I completely understand that it’s hard, I’ve been there.  You need to move beyond those fears if you want to get beyond the tree line. Is it a fear of success or a fear of failure?  What if I told you that you absolutely can’t fail? Would you move forward?  What would you do?  How would you act?  What’s the first step you would take to make your dream a reality?

Do that now.

Know that there is a huge flat rock beyond that clearing. You might not be able to see if from your vantage point, but it’s there. Now take a deep breath and start. Let faith and your inner voice be your compass.

What’s the worst thing that can happen?  You’ll fall?

Listen, I’ve fallen down thousands of times. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with falling.  It’s only wrong if you don’t pick yourself back up and try again.

Now take my hand and take that first step. I know you can do it!

If you have faith, you can do anything.

Until next time,

Katharine Giovanni