Tuesday, 07 Oct 2008
Wake Up America! This is Real…
www.DonnaSpeaks.com
If you’ve been living under a rock these past couple of months you might not be aware of the economic state of the U.S. For those of us who are trying to keep our homes and our jobs and still afford groceries and an occasional prescription, this is some heavy duty stuff we are facing. I’ve lost count of the number of banks that have failed, but according to an article by Chris Isidore with CNNMoney.com, there was a net loss of 159,000 jobs in September, the ninth straight month the U.S. economy has lost jobs. The August job loss was revised to 73,000 jobs. That brings us to a grand total of 760,000 jobs lost so far in 2008.
As my dear Uncle Bernie would’ve said…Listen America! Are you going to sit around and wait to be laid off and then decide to take control of your financial future? If you choose that route, let me know how things turn out for you. To those of you who are being proactive, I applaud not only your efforts, but more importantly, your mindset. You realize the potential impact the recession can have on you and you simply don’t want to play Russian roulette with your only source of steady income. If you’ve ever thought about starting a business, now couldn’t be a better time. Here’s a bit of start-up advice to get you off the ground and running in no time. When this dark financial cloud does lift, you’ll be ahead of your competition and fulfilling your entrepreneurial dreams.
Stop Worrying About Start-Up Costs: I’m not in denial – I know money is tight right now. Don’t go looking for a small business loan. Instead, closely examine your budget and expenses and tap into the money that you already have. Make a few lifestyle changes. Cut back on how much you spend on entertainment, clothing, and other frivolous things. You can start a successful home-based business for well under $500. Paula Deen built her multimillion dollar empire with $200 and a loaf of bread.
Make a Living Doing What you Love: Why are you brainstorming about opening an in-home daycare center when you really don’t even like kids? You or your business won’t thrive unless you are doing something you love. I’m talking about passion. I know you’ve heard it a thousand times already, but I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to wake up excited about the work you do. What’s the one thing that you would do if you had all the free time in the world? What brings you so much joy that you would do it for free? That’s it! That’s your passion and your calling! Now start brainstorming on how to do it AND get paid.
Don’t Forget Where you Came From: I don’t care who you are or what you have, someone or something has inspired you along the way. You owe it to those people to share your successes with them and others who are less fortunate. I’m speaking to you now from the standpoint of recognizing that your life is already abundant. If you allow your balance sheet to define your success, you can stop reading right now because you’ve completely missed the point. Find a cause and donate your time and/or money without expecting anything in return. If you begin to give now when you feel as if you yourself don’t have enough, imagine how much easier it’ll be when your net worth is ten times what it is today.
About the Author:
Donna L. Johnson is a public speaker and foreclosure survivor.
For more information on how she can help you or someone you
know, visit www.DonnaSpeaks.com or email info@donnaljohnson.com.
Copyright ® 2008 by Donna L. Johnson
Reproduction of any portion of this article is permitted if
credit is given to Donna L. Johnson. Inclusion in publications
for sale is only permitted with prior written permission.
Tuesday, 16 Sep 2008
Donna Coaches Ty in Chicago and Denise in Texas
www.DonnaSpeaks.com
Thanks to Mel Robbins, host of a nationally syndicated radio talk show, DonnaSpeaks is getting around! Don’t get me wrong – I put in my fair share of blood, sweat, and tears but it sure does help to have a CNBC contributor in your corner.
I recently helped Ty in Chicago put an action plan together for breaking into the speaking industry. When she initially called me (yes! I answer my own phone!), she admitted that she had some fears and reservations because she didn’t know how receptive I would be to having a complete stranger call out of nowhere needing help. FYI…that’s what coaching is all about. Ty had a laundry list of audiences and topics that she wanted to speak on and only a few of them were closely connected. She talked and I listened and took notes. By the end of the call, I’d managed to help her define her target audience, gave her a topic that would best suit that audience, and a plan that she could immediately execute.
Denise in Texas contacted me for financial guidance. Like so many of us, she had more bills than she had money. She was in a pickle about who to pay and how much and of all things, how to best allocate whatever would be left over. My advice was to pay the “urgent” bills first – the necessities that you can’t live without – shelter, electricity, water, gas, and food. Everyone else could wait! Put the cable, cell phone, and any other miscellaneous bills on the back burner this pay period, but definitely call the creditors to explain the situation and workout a payment arrangement.
This is what I do – one day at a time – one person at a time – listen, connect, and offer practical real life solutions that guarantee results.
Have a question for me? I’d love to chat with you – contact me today. You are not in this alone.
Wednesday, 03 Sep 2008
Green is the New Black – Wear it in Your Home Office
www.DonnaSpeaks.com
For those of us who are privileged and blessed to be able to work from the comfort of our home office on a daily basis, we are already doing the environment a favor by not commuting. I’m going to give you a few more ways that you can join the Eco-Entrepreneur movement:
Go on a Business Card Diet: Cut back on the number of business cards that you hand out. Do you randomly pass out $100 bills to everyone you meet while networking? Of course not. Start treating your business cards like cash. Don’t offer your cards unless you know there’s an opportunity for a ROI. Instead, refer people to your website – all of your contact information is there. This is guaranteed to drive more traffic to your site and you can then convert these visitors to clients.
Natural Light is a Win-Win: We could all use a bit more vitamin D. Flip the switch to off and let the sun do its job. If your home office doesn’t get much sunlight, purchase an eco-friendly lamp that uses compact fluorescent bulbs. They use approximately 75% less energy and can last up to 10 times longer.
Think Before you Print: Don’t you just love it when you get an email from someone and they’ve given you a friendly reminder at the end of their signature block telling you to only print the email if you really need it? Hello! File the email electronically and refer to it as needed. If you’re worried about email folder overload, check your folders on a regular basis and delete the emails you no longer need, but wanted to print in the first place. If you still find it hard to end your love affair with the printer, use the paper wisely and print on both sides.
Visit www.liveearth.org for a cute ‘Green is the New Black’ tee—just don’t wear yours on the same day that I wear mine!
Copyright ® 2008 by Donna L. Johnson
Reproduction of any portion of this article is permitted if credit is given to
Donna L. Johnson. Inclusion in publications for sale is only permitted
with prior written permission.
Friday, 22 Aug
2008
How Damon Dash and Other Celebrities Can Avoid Foreclosure
www.DonnaSpeaks.com
We get daily reminders of how real the mortgage crisis in
America really is – from staggering statistics reported by
economic experts to television commercials persuading us to
consolidate debt and file for bankruptcy. But what if you didn’t
have to look at these things to know that millions of people –
including celebrities - were just one mortgage payment away from
being homeless? Would you know what to do if you found yourself
in this situation?
Anywhere from 2–3 missed mortgage payments can start foreclosure
proceedings and before you know it, you are fighting to keep the
place you call home. If you’re willing to hang in there for the
long haul and make a few lifestyle changes, selling and
abandonment aren’t your only options. If you truly want to save
your home, you’ll have to act fast and maybe even hire a trusted
and reputable professional to assist you with the process.
Prioritize Your Debts:
Your mortgage payment must be your top priority. If you fall
short of your payment a few hundred dollars every month, get a
part-time job to supplement your income. Stop making payments on
unsecured debts such as credit cards and personal loans. Take
that money and apply it to your mortgage. Yes, paying late will
cause you to accrue late fees and hurt your credit, but the
consequences aren’t as severe as when you get behind on your
mortgage.
Don’t Ignore Your Lender:
As soon as you know you can’t make your payment, call your
lender immediately. Being proactive helps to build a stronger
case in the event that you do have to get a professional
involved. Respond to every letter you receive and always respond
by the deadline. Your lender is going to call you at least twice
a day, so answer the phone and be polite.
Show Good Faith:
The lenders don’t want your home – they want their money. With
that said, don’t allow them to force you into a payment
arrangement that you can’t keep. Know upfront exactly how much
you can pay toward your arrears and negotiate the late fees. Be
sure to get these terms in writing and do your part by not
breaching the agreement.
Restructure Your Loan:
If you’ve had a permanent change in your financial situation and
ability to pay, then you need a permanent strategy to avoid
being in this situation again. This restructuring is known as a
loan modification in the lending industry. Ask for it by name.
This can be done in many ways, but typically involves taking
your delinquent payments and moving them to the “back end” of
your loan, thus increasing the original loan amount. You may
also inquire about an interest rate reduction or a forbearance,
which allows you to skip a couple of payments all together.
Unfortunately, there are companies out there who are taking
advantage of desperate homeowners. Always do thorough research
before employing someone and entrusting them with your money.
Steer clear of any offers that seem too good to be true and
don’t sign anything until you’ve read it and understand it in
its entirety.
About the Author:
Donna L. Johnson is a public speaker and foreclosure survivor.
For more information on how she can help you or someone you
know, visit www.DonnaSpeaks.com or email info@donnaljohnson.com.
Copyright ® 2008 by Donna L. Johnson
Reproduction of any portion of this article is permitted if
credit is given to Donna L. Johnson. Inclusion in publications
for sale is only permitted with prior written permission.
Wednesday, 12 Aug 2008
Life After The Big Idea
www.DonnaSpeaks.com
I must start off by thanking the entire team at The Big Idea. A
huge shout out to Talent Producer Michelle (yes – she and I are
on a first name basis now!) and of course, Donny Deutsch. His
brilliance and candor has helped me in more ways than you could
imagine.
When I told my family that the show had called and I would be
participating, once the dust settled, my 14 year old daughter
turned to me and asked, “So what’s next?” I hadn’t even had time
to fully embrace this moment and she had the nerve to ask what I
was going to do next. Although her question caught me completely
off guard (just as Donny did when he asked what my brand stand
for), I was proud of her thought process and commended her
accordingly. Her question was proof that she’s not only
listening to what I say, but she’s paying attention to what I do
(I’m becoming a better parent by fussing less and leading by
example more – a trait that every good manager displays).
What am I going to do next? I’m going to harness this
opportunity and use it to my advantage. I’m going to take the
tools the power council provided and put them into action. I’m
talking about execution. Did you think I could just sit her and
tout on my website that I was on The Big Idea and checks would
magically appear in the mail? Not! And for those of you who
would opt to take that route, your lives would be back to normal
after your 15 minutes of fame.
What is the desired outcome of my relentless perseverance and
execution? Nothing other than to become a better person than I
was the day before and to share my experiences - both good and
bad - with everyone who can relate to my story. Why? To make
their paths a bit easier to navigate while following their
roadmaps to success.
That’s my personal brand: Representing what you can overcome and
become by serving others with passion, authenticity, and
gratitude.
