MAY Monthly Member Publication

COVER PHOTO COURTESY OF: LIZ PENSIERO STAGING & DESIGN | NEW CANAAN, CT

___ DO YOU HAVE THE RIGHT MINDSET? PAGE 06

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LIVE CHAT IS CHANGING CUSTOMER SERVICE PAGE 10

HOW QUICKLY DO YOU BOUNCE BACK? PAGE 11

GROWTH Opportunities DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM 79 Modules, 155 Business Building Assignments, 100% Growth GDP | MENTORSHIP Experience the Growth Development Program with daily mentorship and Squad placement.

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ELEVATE YOUR HSRA MEMBERSHIP ASHLEY FUENTES OWNER: STAGING THE NEST HSRA EXECUTIVE LEADER XL GROWTH MEMBERSHIP

I am so loving being a part of the XL Growth Membership program!

During our last meeting, we did a high-level check on our business growth over last year and I am excited to share that Staging The Nest's revenue is up over 77% over last year - year to date! I am so proud of our amazing team!

CONTENT INSIDE THIS ISSUE

4

FROM THE DESK OF JANA USELTON

6

DO YOU HAVE THE RIGHT MINDSET

8

WHEN THE TOP IS RIGHT

10

LIVE CHAT IS CHANGING CUSTOMER SERVICE

11

HOW QUICKLY DO YOU BOUNCE BACK

16

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

"Why not" attitude

HSRA Executive Leader: Ashley Fuentes, Staging the Nest

HSRA's newest rockstar: Carisha Davis

HSRA Digital Coordinator: Jill Johnson

HSRA Fearless Founder: Jana Uselton

HSRA Member: Liz Pensiero

21

10X MAINTENANCE

22

GETTING OVER STAGE FRIGHT

HSRA Elite Member: Young & Trish Kim, Staged Interior

HSRA VP of Operations: Laurie Graham

Book of the Month THE FIVE DYSFUNCTIONS OF A TEAM

By Patrick Lencioni

JANA FROM THE DESK OF

Here we are in May as another month rolls by us quickly. What an interesting and unique year this has been for us so far! Hopefully, it has been an amazing one for you as well.

We have definitely received some out-of-the-box requests within our staging company, but they have all been met with the attitude of “why not?”

Here are a few examples of our recent pivots from the norm: Can you stage the property we just purchased for my boss who travels to Dallas frequently and do a long-term lease?

Our reply?... Sure!

We have six apartments coming up on our short-term rental platform. Would you provide us a quote to do each of these? And by the way, we need them complete within two weeks.

Our reply?... Absolutely, we will get you a quote!

Can we buy the items in the property we are purchasing, and by the way, can you guys wait until we see it in person since we are out-of-town buyers?

Our reply?... No Problem!

Can you stage our seven-figure lake home within the week for Airbnb? We have also left some items in the property we would love you to incorporate.

Our reply?... You got it!

Yes, this year has been met with its challenges, but we also know there have been some INCREDIBLE silver linings. “Silver linings” was a phrase that Jennifer, our Production Director at MMH, challenged each of our team members to begin using when met with obstacles throughout the day. When difficult situations arise and complaints begin to flow, the team members listening immediately reply with two words: Silver linings! They then shift to immediate statements of gratitude and silver linings inside of the obstacle; offering solutions and results rather than creating an environment of negativity.

This concept has worked wonderfully for the last few months and we encourage you to try it with your teams as well. For this to make an impact on your team, however, it must first begin with you. As an owner or strategic leader in business, it is up to us to immediately respond with the right heart and go-getter attitude. It is time for some re-programming just as civilians must do when they enter the Armed Forces. Retrain the brain and the body to react and respond immediately and your team will follow. I will be talking about the bounce-back method in my article. Continue your “thrive mentality” and let’s build empires that are making a difference together!

xoxo

Do you have the right mindset to build and sustain a successful home staging business?

Ashley Fuentes

HSRA EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM OWNER: STAGING THE NEST

Building and sustaining a successful home staging business isn't for the weary; especially given today's challenges with the intense and ever-changing real estate market. We deal with obstacles and objections left and right! But for every obstacle, there is an equal opportunity. It's all about having the right mindset and staying focused on what will get you where you want to be. Over the years, I have learned what to do and what not to do from some of the most successful home staging business owners in the industry! With their guidance, mentorship, and leadership I have honed in on my top 5 areas of focus to keep my business growing and sustainable for the long haul. It really is all about your mindset!

My Top Five Areas of Focus: Dominate your area. This means executing strategic partnerships with Realtors, service providers, and vendors in your area. Also, you need a strong pricing structure that makes sense for your market. Be an influencer in your market - in person, online and on social media. Show up everywhere! With these actions you won’t be chasing the dollars - they will come to you.

Mentorship. Surround yourself with like-minded people - entrepreneurs in and out of the home staging industry. Don't be afraid to ask questions. People who succeed in life have also failed - and they have a lot to share and offer to others.

It's okay to vent about challenges and ask for help, but always share your concerns upwards to a mentor, and never downward to an employee. We must pour into our employees, and not burden them with additional issues.

While you are growing, be a mentor to someone else! Share what you have learned as this will not only strengthen your leadership skills, but it is enriching to know you have helped others around you!

Leadership. Position yourself as a Leader, NOT a Boss. There is a huge difference. As leaders, we must encourage and empower our team to take ownership in their roles within the company. When they see themselves as a leader they will not only perform their jobs better, but will hold each other more accountable to the company. We must model the strong leadership values we want to see for them to understand our expectations; this builds company culture and values.

Education inside and outside of the Home Staging Industry.

Our industry is amazing and employs some of the smartest, most creative, and talented people I have ever met; yet we are very much still in an infancy stage. This is why HSRA is such an amazing alliance to be a part of!

There are so many industries around us that support and align with what we are doing, so why not look outside of our industry for additional information, support, knowledge, training, etc. Think Grant Cardone and 10X, think Mike Michalowicz and Profit First, think INMAN, think home builders, and the list goes on. The more knowledge you can gain from outside industries the stronger you can be inside of your own - because then you will become the go to for that information. Education is key!

Martha Stewart said it best, "Without an open-minded mind, you can never be a great success."

Set Goals. In fact goal setting is one of my most favorite things on this list! This is all about strategizing with your team and getting them involved in the big picture of the company. You as the business owner must learn and understand your financials, and you have to KNOW YOUR NUMBERS. When you do this, you can set massive action goals for your weeks, months, quarters and years ahead.

You can even set daily goals to achieve in your personal and professional life. But you have to be intentional with your goals and the action plan to attain them.

For instance, you can set a goal to sell and complete 20 stages per month. But then do a deep dive on that goal and set an action plan to achieve it - i.e. make 100 or 200 cold calls per week, visit 50 real estate offices per month, offer incentives / promotions on your services, etc. All of these actions help you to achieve that goal of 20 stages per month. Just be intentional with your goals and action plan. You, your team, and your company as a whole will thank you!

As the leader of your company, do you have the right mindset? Let’s hold each other accountable so we can all take our companies to the next level!

-Ashley Fuentes, Staging The Nest

Stronger TOGETHER

Carisha MEET

HSRA'S NEWEST TEAM MEMBER

I don’t believe in things happening by accident or coincidence. I believe that there are divinely orchestrated moments in time that we are fortunate enough to stumble upon. Being initially connected to and now becoming a part of the dynamic HSRA team is no doubt an example of one of those moments in time that I am excited to have been fortunate enough to stumble upon.

My name is Carisha and I am the newest member of the HSRA team. For the past decade-plus a few years, I have been blessed to wear a cape and be a superhero in the classroom as a K-12 educator. The greatest joy of my life thus far has been being able to teach, equip and empower this next generation. I taught everything from English and writing, to English as a second language, to visual arts. And while I have transitioned out of the four walls of a classroom, my heart and passion for teaching has not dissipated. Within all of us are many gifts and talents that I believe are intended to be used in different ways and across different spaces.

Our comfort zones will oftentimes keep us using those gifts and talents in the same spaces and doing the same things because it’s “what we have always done”. But, our gifts are not just for us. We are given gifts to share with the world around us.

I have held strong to that truth for a long time and decided that it was time to put my money where my mouth was and use my gifting in education and teaching in the business realm. And here I am.

Several weeks ago, I was given the opportunity to join the HSRA and Model My Home teams for “A Day in the Life” of a Home Staging company. This provided me an opportunity to see the business from a potential employee standpoint, but also from the perspective of a potential client. These companies both are bonafide rarities, in that their passion for their clients, their eye for design, and their goal of excellence is apparent from the moment that you walk through those doors. I am a firm believer that when the top is right, everything else will follow. You can gauge the success of something by its fruit. The fruit and success of HSRA and Model My Home is rich and very apparent in their staff and in everything that they do. After that day, I knew that if allotted the opportunity, I wanted to be a part of the great thing that they had going on.

I am excited by the prospect of being able to contribute my expertise and experience to the training and education programs, clients, and members here at HSRA. But even more that, as a lifelong learner, I am excited to grow and learn from this amazing team and amazing business Partners.

Let’s go!

Carisha

In addition to her experience as an educator, Carisha is also an artist that strives to create art and home decor that transforms spaces. Her catalog of services for companies and clients alike for the past decade has spanned from interior decorating and home staging, to creating and designing home decor and fine art - We are so excited that we now have her as part of the HSRA Family!

LIVE CHAT IS CHANGING CUSTOMER SERVICE

Jill Johnson Digital Coordinator Live Chat is Changing Customer Service In a digital world, everyone wants things immediately- from overnight shipping to instant access to a product that was purchased online. When it comes to the Staging world, however, that really just isn't possible, unless you have some kind of superpower.

Adding a live chat option to your website enables you to have real-time conversations with your customers. It's quick and convenient for users on each side of the device. Plus, sometimes it is almost even faster than a general phone call. There's a lot more to a live chat than simply providing quick customer support; which we will cover in this month's article in just a few bullet points.

1. Live chat Increases sales and conversion rates Now, who doesn't want that?

The first major benefit of using live chat on your website is the potential to increase sales.

The American Marketing Association companies who used live chat see, on average, a 20% increase in conversions!

While a potential client is browsing your website, looking at your gorgeous photos, they will most likely have questions about your services as well as pricing. With live chat, you can answer them immediately, while the buyer is still on your website. It gives you the chance to hold your clients by hand, help answer any questions, and reach a buying decision. A report by eMarketer found that 35% more people will purchase after using live chat.

2. It Helps build trust with clients Sellers and agents are naturally skeptical of purchasing a service they don't really know much about. With live chat, you can have a direct conversation with your potential client that allows you to build trust and close the gap between you and that potential client As we all know, trust is extremely important in the Staging world. This potential client is going to be giving you access to their own home. Imagine giving a stranger a key to your home... Yeah, that wouldn't be the smartest idea if you didn't truly trust them.

With these articles each month, my goal is for each one of you to finish reading with a plan to incorporate these tips into your business. Your next step is to search for the best live chat software to add to your website. There are plenty out there that also give you the option to respond from your phone, not just from behind a computer screen. Do some research to figure out which is best for you. HubSpot, our CRM, gives the option to embed an HTML code into the website, which is super easy. All responses to the live chat can be done through the CRM as well as through the mobile app. If you would like more information on HubSpot, please reach out to us at info@myhsra.com and we can get you plugged in at a discounted rate.

Not only does live chat help build trust and answer questions, but it also gives them peace of mind knowing they are chatting with a real-life person.

3. Live chat can satisfy your customers at a higher level I don't know about you, but when I am looking into a new program or software to use, I want to talk with someone before making a big purchase. I don't just want to get on the phone and call, so I normally search for a chatbox. It makes things so much easier and I can make sure I ask all of my questions as well as read through later if I need to refer back to it.

Did you know that live chat has the highest satisfaction levels with 73%, compared with 61% for email and 44% for a phone call?

Normally we would think a phone call is better, but it does depend on who you are servicing.

PHOTO COURTESY OF: ASHLEY FUENTES | STAGING THE NEST

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: ELENA CARDONE

HOME STAGING & REAL ESTATE

SUMMIT

2021 HOME STAGING AND REAL ESTATE SUMMIT

Attend the Home Staging Summit and leave with the proven strategies top Staging Professionals utilize to build successful Home Staging & ReDesign businesses. You, your business, and your clients deserve the incredible knowledge you will gain during the conference. Join the scores of other Home Staging Summit attendees and share the Experience

How quickly do you BOUNCE BACK?

AS OWNERS, WE SOMETIMES THINK IF WE KNEW WHAT WE KNOW NOW WE MAY HAVE MADE DIFFERENT DECISIONS; ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO OWNING A STAGING AND REDESIGN BUSINESS.

JANA USELTON

We face many situations in our business that call for a bounce back. Like you, there are multiple factors in our day that give us an opportunity to respond or react. Team member calls in sick. We receive a bill that is astronomical. A piece of furniture gets damaged on site. Your right-hand person resigns. The list goes on and on.

As owners, we sometimes think if we knew then what we know now we may have made different decisions; especially when it comes to owning a staging and redesign business. Let’s face it, a good 50% of our time can be allocated to solving problems, pivoting, and responding to setbacks.

How quickly we respond matters!

We call this the bounce back ratio.

Your ability to resolve, find solutions, and enhance processes to avoid the typical challenges we face in business matters.

We use setbacks as set-ups for solutions. As you grow, this becomes more important for your teams to practice.

Let’s use a less complicated scenario. In fact, on a scale of 1 to 10 with one being simple and 10 being most difficult, we may rate this as a level four challenge.

Situation: you receive a call that your delivery truck has broken down on the side of the road on the way to a stage. How do you react? Better yet, how has your team been trained to respond to the situation without getting you involved?

Your bounce-back rate, and your ability to train your team to respond in the same manner, is pivotal to the ultimate success of your company.

If we as business owners cannot make quick and accurate decisions in a situation like this, how do we expect to train our teams to do the same? This level four situation could easily turn into a level ten and derail the day.

BOUNCE

This adds stress and frustration, eventually contributing to the loss of clients and teammates.

Our bounce-back rate matters. Our quick decisions matter. How long we carry the burden and stress of past decisions matters. Great companies move forward in the presence of adversity.

Incredible companies move forward faster! This gives them a competitive advantage. When you lose that teammate, you replace them with someone two times better. You have the confidence to know past occurrences can actually create a better future.

Football teams go through tough and grueling practices to learn new plays on how they can respond when their opponent attacks. Their bounce back rate will determine if they win the game. If we don’t learn from “past injuries” or mistakes, we run the risk of moving forward disabled and at a disadvantage.

Let’s all take a moment to write down anything on our mind weighing us down, past or present, and let’s determine to have a quick resolve allowing us to move forward. We cannot change the past, only learn from it. If you’re carrying extra stress, make sure you practice the method of "completed staff work." Complete what you know is your responsibility and train others to respond and bounce back in the same way with their tasks. Rate each challenge you're faced with on a level of 1 to 10 and then tackle that challenge head-on to solve it quickly. Let’s reduce your bounce-back rate by half the typical time it would take you to get over a situation, learn creative solutions, and move forward in confidence.

If we avoid the opportunity to make something better, we lose future time and money.

I believe we can all accomplish the ability to reduce our bounce back rate by 50%! Who’s with me? If this article spoke to you in some way, please email me at info@myhsra.com and let me know. We believe in you!

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

MEET LIZ PENSIERO LIZ PENSIERO STAGING & DESIGN NEW CANAAN, CT

Liz Pensiero, Owner & Principle Stager of Liz Pensiero Staging and Designs, LLC is an award-winning, Professional Home Stager based out of Stamford, Connecticut specializing in both Occupied and Vacant Staging throughout lower Fairfield County, Connecticut. Liz has been Staging & photo styling homes of all styles and price points since 2014. She is a 2020 recipient of the Real Estate Staging Association "Top 100 Most Influential People" as well as a 3-times "Best of Houzz" winner. As a lifelong resident, Liz has been immersed in the local Real Estate market for years and understands the unique fabric of the Connecticut housing cycle. She has become a valuable partner for many of the area's Top Real Estate Agents who turn to her for Staging at all levels. Liz believes Staging is a marketing tool meant to help homeowners achieve top dollar, regardless of listing price. Some of her favorite projects are family homes that have been lived in for years. "Those homes that are filled with stories and memories and beautiful, well-made, mid-century modern furniture can be the most exciting transformations. It is a thrill to be able to bring those homes back to life and introduce them to the world again. I absolutely love being able to incorporate some of the family’s pieces into my designs! It makes for a unique and curated look that impresses both in person and through the camera lens. As a Home Stager, we are being invited into someone's home to help them disconnect and release it to the next owner... that is a true honor". As a wife of nearly 23 years and mom to three ranging in ages 10 to 20; life is busy, full, and truly blessed.

Q: TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF AND WHERE YOU ARE IN BUSINESS TODAY. I have been in business since 2014. I started out small, just doing occupied projects through word of mouth. My first job paid $200 and I was thrilled. Today, my first-quarter sales have tripled my total annual sales of just two years ago! I do believe that the pandemic has played a large part in that. Our Real Estate market and our proximity to NYC have just exploded since our lockdown was lifted last May. I believe this tremendous growth can't be sustained forever, so for now, we ride the wave while we can.

Who are the big Agents in your area? Is the house on the main road? Do they have water or sewer issues? Do they sit on wetlands? How is the school district? Is there building, traffic, or construction concerns in the neighborhood? If you are asking people to trust you to help sell their home, know your stuff! Only then can you confidently go into the home and give constructive Staging help.

Create relationships with a few key Agents in your area. Realtors are essentially your way in!

They know when properties are getting ready to list. They will be the ones to refer you. Provide special Realtor pricing to these key Agents. Service their client needs first so you become their go-to Stager.

Q: FROM BEGINNING UNTIL NOW, HOW HAS YOUR BUSINESS CHANGED?

Q: HOW ABOUT SOME ADVICE FOR THE PERSON DOING MOST EVERYTHING IN THEIR BUSINESS?

Brand recognition is probably the biggest.

I have tried to stay fairly consistent in my brand message. By keeping a constant rotation of emails, networking, advertising, and social media, I have been able to grow my brand within my market. In the past few years, the quality of work has changed.

Projects are larger and the work seems to be even more important because Home Staging is better understood today than it was just a few years ago. The amount of work is much more consistent. Rather than waiting weeks between jobs, the work has turned into multiple projects 5 days a week.

Q: WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE SOMEONE STARTING OUT? Start slowly and thoroughly, learn your local Real Estate market. Remember, we are ultimately Real Estate consultants. Our primary job is to assist Real Estate Agents and homeowners to sell quickly and at the highest price possible. Make sure you are proving yourself to be a knowledgeable and valuable resource to your audience.

Understand if there is low inventory. How long are homes staying on the market?

I currently do almost everything! I wish I had the advice! I made my first hire about 2 years ago because I just got too busy to do it all alone. My assistant handles most of my social media and is with me on all projects.

She knows my business well so I can delegate when necessary. I also partnered with a local moving company about a year ago. That was a lifesaver! If I have any advice, it would be to delegate where you feel comfortable. We can't do it all; however, we can do things better if we can find someone we trust to help. I'm still learning how.

Q: WHAT SUGGESTIONS DO YOU HAVE ON MANAGING INVENTORY AT AN EARLY PHASE AND MOVING TO A MORE SEASONED BUSINESS? The biggest part of this business is not design but inventory management! One of the biggest growing pains I found was learning how to have the right inventory available at the right time and at the right price.

SPOTLIGHT

LIZ PENSIERO STAGING & DESIGN Liz Pensiero NEW CANAAN, CT

My advice would be to start slow! If you are going to make the investment, make sure you buy pieces that are neutral enough to be used multiple times, but won't become stale or too taste specific over time. Speak to your local storage facilities and work out long-term pricing with them. Many have the first month free! Invest first in accessories that are easy to store and change frequently. Buy local! Facebook Marketplace has really elevated their game lately! It is a wonderful place to find items such as gently used coffee tables & dining tables. I still find wholesale freight costs to be astronomical and Covid has caused huge shipping delays.

Try buying smaller pieces from your local area when starting out. I also have collaborated with several local artists and photographers that give their pieces to me on loan for my Staging projects. Due to Covid precautions, many galleries are closed and therefore most artists have a huge inventory of artwork they can't do anything with. These mutually beneficial relationships help keeps costs down, artwork inventory fresh, and help display their most recent pieces. My advice, get creative!

Q: WHAT PROCESSES NEED TO BE IN PLACE IN A BUSINESS SUCH AS YOURS? Contracts are important. Remember you are going into people's homes. We are being trusted to move their things around, change things from room to room, tuck things away in drawers, etc. Oftentimes, we are referring painters, bringing in movers, and hiring organizational consultants. Make sure you have a contract in place so you are covered for ANY situation that arises.

Research insurance coverage. RESA has some very affordable options. I always make sure that I have the homeowner's (or responsible party's) credit card on file which I hold as security against any damage to my inventory. Having a solid contract in place that requires a signature shows that you are a serious professional business and not a hobbyist.

Q: WHAT ARE SOME LESSONS LEARNED? I've learned that I don't have to be the biggest or the best. When I was first starting out, it was very easy to feel intimidated by the larger, more well-known Staging firms.

Those established, multi-warehouse entities filled-to-the-brim with a ton of gorgeous white furniture! I pivoted a few years back and decided, rather than striving to keep up with them, I would create a business model that worked for me. It was then, my business started to flourish. Don't spend your time competing; spend your time providing quality work in a manner that works for you. There is no right or wrong way. If you are thriving and happy (and making money!) then continue on the path that works for you. Be the best at what you do... not what your competition does. I feel, as humans; we are always learning. There is always something new to learn, no matter how long we've been doing something. I've learned that we evolve. The Staging I did when I was first beginning was not nearly as confident as my work is now. I look forward to creating new and better work for new clients. The more we learn, the more we have to offer our clients.

ANY LAST-MINUTE ADVICE FOR OUR MEMBERS? One of the best things I have done in my career is join our professional organizations. Home Staging can be very isolating. Our peers and colleagues are often seen as our competition. I often feel as if I work alone in a bubble. As humans, we are social creatures by nature, and, at times; I miss the ability to have peer interaction. By joining HSRA, RESA, and IAHSP, I have found the ability to reach out to other Home Stagers. In the techsaturated & Covid weary world of today, Facebook groups and Instagram have become the new water cooler. Take advantage of thisOprah newWhinfrey way of connecting and networking. Post pictures, ask questions, provide insight for others and contribute where you can. You'll be glad you did!

Great Communication Begins with

10X MAINTENANCE ELITE LEADERSHIP YOUNG & TRISH KIM Staged Interior Chantilly, VA HSRA Elite Leadership

Is the 10X Rule only for the growth of your business or is there such a thing as “10X Maintenance?”

As we celebrate Staged Interior’s 15-year anniversary, we are 10x-ing on inventory clearance, warehouse space reduction, and any areas where inefficiencies have crept up.

A blessing in disguise for staging companies in this extremely low inventory real estate market is that the expenditure for new purchases is almost nil due to the quick staging/destaging turn around. We have also put new rules in place to help manage the inventory.

Here are the 5 steps to control your inventory: 1. Do not buy unless it is absolutely necessary.

2. Do not buy something just because it is on sale.

3. If you have to buy furniture, sell a like-kind piece of furniture.

4. Sell, donate, recycle, or dispose of 30-50% of what you have.

5. Reduce your storage/warehouse space.

In March, we terminated the 2,000 sqft office we were leasing and relocated it to another space that was housing spec home accessories, resulting in a $30,000 annual savings.

We are working with an estate sales company to systematically sell 30-40% of the inventory to reduce the warehouse space by 25% in 6 months - a $70,000 savings.

A 10X Growth and a 10X Maintenance - match made in Staging Heaven!

Get over Stage Fright and In Front of the Camera

If you want to attract more people to your business, you must be in front of people or at least be in front of a camera. After speaking with many of you, I know public speaking - whether on a platform or on camera - is not a favorite!

But here is the great thing...you are not alone! As much as I love getting on stage and speaking, I also get fearful and experience stage fright. In fact, public speaking outranks death in what most people fear. Isn’t that crazy!

It was interesting to me how they described themselves - usually in a negative way, such as “I have a large forehead” or “I have a crooked nose”, etc…however, once the forensic artist finished their portrait everyone was so surprised by 2 things - how beautiful the image was and how much they resembled the image.

This month I am offering you six tips to prepare you for the camera or crowd!

2. Acceptance of Yourself

1.Get Over Yourself – Yep, I Said It. It is time for a reset of your mindset.

We are our own worst enemy. I guarantee what you think of yourself is not what others see. I am reminded of a viral video produced by Dove manufacturers of products for hair and skincare. This video campaign called “You’re More Beautiful Than You Think” had a forensic artist come into a studio with his back turned to women in the room, and he asked them to describe themselves.

What does that tell you? Yes...you are more beautiful than you think!

Your mind is a very powerful tool and must be trained to be successful. You have likely heard the term “stinkin’ thinkin”. You need a mindset reset to accept that you are more beautiful than you think, you are perfectly capable of doing anything, and you have great value to share. The more we resist something the worse we feel about it, so it is important to change our thoughts about this and be open to the endless possibilities that will come from conquering our fears.

3. Remember Your Why

5. Make it a Habit

When it is “showtime”, you will naturally be nervous. Whether it’s going live on Instagram or getting on stage, everyone faces some kind of nervousness – it is natural and the best way to get over these feelings is to remember your “why”.

Professionals say it takes 21 days to form a habit, so my challenge to you is to go LIVE on Instagram EVERY DAY in May! Jill & I will be joining you in this challenge as well.

Why are you doing what you doing, and how can it help people you are speaking to? If truly believe in your “why”, it reduce the fears and anxiety are facing.

are the you will you

4. Visualize Success Beforehand We have all heard Jana say, “If it’s not written, it’s not real”, and this tip is very similar.

If it’s not visualized, it’s not real.

When you visualize, your mind does not know the difference between what is happening in your current reality and what is in your imagination.

Therefore, picture yourself feeling confident as you walk onto the stage or in front of the camera, enjoying giving the presentation, and people being blown away by what you have shared. You can imagine a standing ovation, picture the smiles on the audience members' faces, and hear how others are sharing with you what an amazing job you did. Think of all the problems you are solving for the audience and how it will make their lives easier.

The more you visualize that outcome the more the brain will try to reproduce it because it will see that as a reality.

Habits are important in life and we all have them, whether good or bad.

Everyone lives out of habit. Do you have a nightly habit? I do - every night before I head upstairs for bed I have to clean the living room and kitchen and prepare my coffee for the morning. With this routine, when the alarm goes off at 5 am and I go downstairs, I am not walking into chaos. Instead, the house is nice and neat, the coffee is brewing, and I can start my day off on a positive note.

Habits serve as triggers to get us in an emotional state and to help us remember things. Therefore, you can do the same thing to prepare yourself for speaking on camera or in person. Set yourself up for success.

For instance, I often will practice in the mirror my facial expressions, my posture, and movements. For some odd reason when I stand, I like to stick out my stomach...like WHY??

Why would I do that? LOL, that is the last place I want to draw attention to, but it is something I work on as well as eye contact and learning to smile more often.

Someone who does this perfectly is Jana! She has perfected the smile. It doesn’t matter what she is doing speaking, meeting, or teaching she is always doing it with a smile. The more you do something, the more familiar it becomes and the more comfortable you become doing it.

So, join Jill & me on our Instagram feeds as we go commit to doing a LIVE video via stories or in our feed EVERY DAY IN MAY!

6. Get Into Character Lastly, get into character! Believe it or not, I am not always so bubbly and outspoken. Actually, it is quite different at home, even to the point that recently my husband called me a hermit.

He gets to see the “real Laurie”, one that is kind of quiet and mostly silly. However, when it is “showtime” something turns on in me, all the passion I have to help others and to encourage and inspire people takes over and shines through me. The passion I have inside - that is my WHY; to help others be successful far outweighs the nervousness, the butterflies, and the fears of what others will think. The moment I can connect with someone, give them some encouragement, tips, or items of value it is all worth it.

I have been doing public speaking now for 20 years, starting as a leader in my church, and have been on many stages and platforms, among many different people in different walks of life and the one thing always remains - the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others. Over the course of time, I have struggled with challenges in my weight, insecurities, fears of judgment, etc. and I constantly remain able to overcome those things by keeping these six steps in mind.

I want to encourage you today to get in front of the camera, jump on a stage, share your story, your success, and see how it helps others. You will be glad you did; it will not only make you a stronger person, but it will also attract more people to your business! I am here cheering you on!

See you on the ‘gram!

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