Self Starter Magazine July 2018

J U L Y 2 0 1 8

•

I S S U E 7 •

V O L

1

SELF STARTER Magazine

INSPIRING, ENERGETIC, CONNECTING

Jovial July

* Sarah Reynolds on how to create order * swapping busy for productive * Read Emma jane Rushworth`s intriguing life story

DO be so childish!

Come on, let`s have a laugh!

Of course you know that there is nothing more invigorating and uplifting than a good old laugh and although it might feel tough at times, try to see your situation in as positive a light as possible. There is always something good hiding amongst the bad, I promise you.

Someone once said "Be crazy; Laugh, Love, Live because this is the oldest you have ever been but it is also the youngest you will ever be!

As I work with people all day, every day, making the magazine but also working part-time in a supermarket (to get me away from the laptop), how I act and the energy I share with whomever I encounter is vital and I couldn't imagine a day without at least smiling at something and very often, the entire queue has a laugh with me!

"Oops, My Bad-You Must Have Thought You Were Dealing With A Grown Up..!"

P 03

July Stars EST. 2018

www.selfstarter.com EMAIL selfstartermagazine@gmail.com INSTAGRAM www.instagram.com/selfstartermagazine FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/SelfStarterMagazine TWITTER www.twitter.com/MagSelfStarter

Cover Photo Credits: Darren Fitzpatrick Photography & Kajsa Kinsella

Publisher & Editor-In-Chief Kajsa Kinsella Arklow County Wicklow Ireland

P1 P

04

Emma Jane Rushworth

Sinead Kieran

Lynsey Hanratty

Sarah Reynolds

Wendy Merrigan

Claire Gallagher

Sharon Thompson

"Be more wary of standing still than growing slowy"

Wow, the Weather!

Editors̀ Welcome

BY KAJSA KINSELLA Hi Everyone & All. I`m so excited about the lovely weather we are having lately. The warm caress of the sun is doing my soul so much good and I, for once, force myself to stop working and get up of the desk and sit in the sun for a while, as you can see on my red face!, and it`s so hard to draaaaag myself back inside.

This month, Lynsey Hanratty will help you to stop being so busy that you forget being productive and Sinead from Coaching by SMK can help you see how to live the life you desire.

I know you are all super busy so here is a really quick, nourishing and delicious recipe. For lunch today, make yourself a scrumptious vegetarian sandwich with tangy pesto, smooth mozzarella and fresh garden greens-yummy!

I recently joined forces with the superbly talented business maestro Finola Howard of How Great Marketing Works as I decided to take part in her online course and learn how to market my business and myself properly once and for all. Over the next few months, we will turn me into a marketing expert for my business and magazine, and you get to come along too as I will share my journey with you all. The course offers so much more than I can explain, so have a look on her website and see for yourself, I know you will love it!

Make sure to submit your entry in our exciting new competition-Grab Yourself A Mentor.

Win a 30-minute consultation with one of our three experts to get feedback, advice or simply to brainstorm.

We have two new columnists as from this issue; author and writer Sharon Thompson, who will review the best of Irish book releases for us and pick something really yummy for you to read and Clair Gallagher of Claire Creative who will teach us everything and anything about the importance of a P1

great online presence.

P

05

For You This Month

P 9. Wire sculptor Emma

P 14. Not to take things

P 22. The Cream Of The

Jane Rushworth creates a

personally when it comes to

Crop, showcasing

magical atmosphere with

your business is anything

Ireland`s best produce,

her heart felt constructions.

but an easy thing to learn...

design and craftsmanship.

P 12. Don`t you know it, you

P 16. Finally Lunchtime!

P 24. Is your business

are so busy being busy, you

Make a mouthwatering Pesto,

anchored in dreams or in

get absolutely NOTHING

Mozzarella, Cucumber

reality? Wendy

done! Lynsey Hanratty will

Sandwich in next to no time.

Merrigan challenges you

set you straight.

P

06

how to find out.

For You This Month

P 27. Living the life you really,

P 34. Super easy, super

P 42. Be in with the chance

truly want is often easier said

yummy-healthy apple, oats &

of winning a 30 minute

than done, but not impossible,

peanut butter balls.

consultation with one of our three experts.

ask Sinead!

P 31. Organizing queen and

P 37. Your website is your

P 44. What`s on in Ireland

author Sarah Reynolds is

face to the world-no

in July! Find the most

our cover girl and she

pressure then! Website

interesting and exciting

tells her exciting story.

strategy expert Claire

events in your

Gallagher is here to help.

neighbourhood.

P

07

"IF YOU CAN`T STOP THINKING ABOUT IT, DON`T STOP WORKING FOR IT" P

08

MADE BY THE PEOPLE AND FOR THE PEOPLE! DISCOVERING,DESIRING & DEVELOPING A CREATIVE LIFE By Kajsa Kinsella

Discovering who you truly are and what makes your heart beat that little bit faster, is a place where we all wish to find ourselves sooner rather than later and I think that Emma Jane Rushworth has managed to achieve just that!

As a member of a very creative family myself, stepping into Emma Jane`s picturesquely converted cottage which she shares with her husband and two young sons, instantly makes me feel right at home. Her busy household is made up of a lovely mixture of young and old style and one can feel that it is a home which is truly lived in. Everywhere you look there are bits and pieces of inspiration, as if scattered just by coincidence; a beautiful book here, a sweet coffee cup there, rustic chicken wire covering the cupboard windows and details which make me desperately long for having more time on my hands to be creative and as Emma Jane makes me a delicious cup of liquorice tea, I know this will be a great interview.

On we go through her house into the backyard, where I`m met by a selection of her fantastic outdoor wire sculptures which are left outside to rust to perfection.

Never did I think I`d say that in a sentence!

Her studio is again a Mecca for anyone who has creativity flowing through their veins as it is filled to the brim with tools big and small, wire, nuts and bolts, handmade details which are used for her creations, metals of any kind...everything she needs to create the most wonderful artwork I have seen in a very long time.

P

09

Imagination, creativity and individuality are three trusted companions Emma Jane has brought along with her on her travels through the world and her career and the pieces have finally fallen into place like a puzzle, as it often does.

Her career in design began when she was just young and her incentive for choosing a career path was to make money, and as she saw it, fashion design was the best place where to create a lucrative future. After she successfully completed her degree, a nerve-wracking interview with a representative of a large Indian clothing company followed in the lavish Ritz Carlton Hotel in London and I can only imagine the butterflies in her stomach having a party!

Emma Jane was hired as a designer and after having packed her bags, she caught a flight to Paris where she spent the next five years working partly in India, partly in France and attending shows and photo shoots all around the globe.

It was the life she had wished for and understandably, she loved every minute of it.

Five years later, she felt that her time with this particular company was coming to an end and she returned back home. Not long after, she was snapped up by another company, and this time, her sails were set on the distant shores of Hong Kong, a place of incredible intensity, fast-paced living and nearly frightening commercialism.

One year in, Emma Jane felt that her time to return and seek employment closer to home had arrived and frankly, she couldn`t wait to spend some time with her beloved dog again, whom she had left in the care of her parents as she departed for Hong Kong.

As luck would have it, she soon found placement as designer for a large Irish fashion company based in Greystones, County Wicklow and from all the stunning and intriguing locations she had visited, this was the place on earth which proved itself to be where she feels that she truly belongs.

Enjoying the busy life of again traveling here, there and everywhere and, as she says herself, she must have put in enough stitches in her career to cover the entire Ireland, a few years later and with now a young son waiting for her at home, she had to begin listening to her inner self as it became increasingly hard to leave this little bundle behind. Going on long trips, taking her very far away from him and her husband was beginning to break her heart and yet again, a decision had to be made.

P

10

MILAN, PARIS, LONDON, HONG KONG, NEW DEHLI, NEW YORK... SOMETIMES IT TAKES A FEW TURNS AROUND THE GLOBE, TO FIND WHERE YOU TRULY BELONG. In 2014, Emma Jane was unemployed for the first time in a very long time, and she had to consider what she was going to do and how she was going to do it, to support her young family.

Funnily enough, it was during a conversation with her mother, that the light-bulb moment came to her and she yet again felt the excitement of paving the road to a new career bubbling up inside her.

"I remember a little wire dinosaur you made for me when you were only 16, and you didn`t need any blueprint or anything, you just made it up from imagination", Emma Jane was reminded by her mum as they discussed what she could do.

That was it, off she went with a pair of pliers and a roll of wire and from her hands grew a sculpture of a large chicken which was intended for outdoor use.

Since then, whatever she has created has been bought by very happy customers and she truly enjoys the fact that her creativity is only restricted by herself and not by any other surrounding factors which give her an immense sense of freedom and satisfaction.

This way, she is allowed to fully satisfy her artistic urges and create to her heart`s content.

Business is going really well and her pieces are always adored by the masses at the annual Bloom festival in Dublin where she receives many orders and inquiries. As her outdoor collections have been so well received, Emma Jane is currently developing smaller artifacts made in bronze for indoor decoration and I can`t wait to enjoy the beauty she creates.

Thank you, Emma Jane for being so frank and honest with me, I`m so impressed by your endless positivity and energy!

Your sculptures play on the very heartstrings of so many and I wish you the very best of everything and anything in life.

Look after yourself and thank you again/

I am truly impressed with her tenacity whilst working with these harsh materials which are tough to bend to your will, but I get the clear impression that this girl has a will of steel and whatever comes in her way, she will find a way to either conquer it or move it so that she can keep on climbing the ladder to success.

P

11

"Stop being busy – be productive instead!"

By Lynsey Hanratty There are only 24 hours in the day, and you have to get everything done on your ever growing to do list, work on your growing business, and ensure there’s something ready for dinner at the end of the day.

You’re tired being a busy fool, rushing around all the time chasing your tail and feeling like there’s no light at the end of the tunnel when it comes to getting the really important stuff done in your life and business.

An endless stream of tasks and ‘stuff’ comes piling on top of you like last weeks laundry and you are struggling under the weight of it.

What if you could be more adaptable for when the real emergencies show up or be able to set aside time in your day to do something you want to do, like meet a friend for coffee or take a half hour at lunchtime to sit and read a book. Being productive isn’t the same as being busy – ‘busyness’ covers up for the fact that people are just not organized! The difference is how you manage to get things done and take action, busy people are firefighters, lunging from one emergency to another, productive people are strategic and take the time to focus on what they really want and what's important to them.

Lynsey Hanratty worked in the wellness arena as a neuromuscular and physical therapist for over 3 years before moving into coaching to fulfilling her own ambition of helping wellness businesses realize their potential and use their gifts and talents to have their own successful businesses. She does this by way of one to one business coaching as well as speaking at various events.

If you would like to avail of Lynsey’s 30 minute complimentary Profit Roadmap session to work on retaining and attracting clients and build your wellness business, you can contact her at hello@lynseyhanratty.com or call her on 086 3569689.

NOMADIC

P

12

|

24

But how do you become more productive with the limited time you have from juggling your business commitments and family life, and still have time for yourself? Here are 5 ways to swap busyness for productivity: 1. Prioritize!

Productive people have a mission, they won’t let the day run away with them when the inbox starts to ping. Having a clear goal for your day ahead normally starts the night before by setting goals for what needs to be done tomorrow. Productive people focus on 2-3 tasks that need to get done and they stick to this goal. Each day they are working towards their bigger goal by breaking down the big tasks into manageable, smaller chunks.

2. Get Laser Focused Productivity comes from being laser-focused on the goal, whether you have 20 minutes on your lunch break to work on your fledgling business ideas or 10 minutes to make a call to a contact to ask for advice or help on moving your goals forward.

Focusing on the little pockets of time you have during the day to get things done on your priority list will get you to your goal even faster.

3.. Eat the Frog Mark Twain once said ‘Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.’ Brian Tracy’s best selling productivity book ‘Eat the Frog’ highlights that getting the hardest thing on your list out of the way first thing ensures you’re productive by breakfast time! This is what will set you apart from the ‘busy’ people. Productive people deal with the hardest tasks first thing.

4. Be Clear On Your Goal And Stop Procrastinating!

When you have clarity around your goals, you are less likely to procrastinate and are more motivated to get the work done.

Procrastinators (that includes the busy people!) usually don’t have a clear goal or mission in mind. They just do whatever demands their attention the most at that moment instead of stepping back and thinking carefully about the next move.

5. Get Strategic!

Having a strategy means planning your week in advance on a Sunday night and thinking about how the upcoming week will get you closer to your bigger goal. Braindump all the things you need to do on a sheet of paper, then prioritize them (1,2,3) and decide what days of the following week they need to get done. Taking 30 minutes out of your Sunday morning or evening could make all the difference between a productive week and a busy week ahead. Organization is key to keep focused on your goals.

It’s so much easier to move on to the little things once the daily to-do list is completed, you have eaten the frog and achieved in a day what most busy people spend all week trying to do. With these points in mind, what steps are you going to take tomorrow to become more productive and laser focused on your business plans?

What frogs are you going to eat, to realize your goals and ambitions?

If you’d like more tips on productivity and ways to be more strategic with your precious time while you start or build your business, email me at hello@lynseyhanratty.com for my free Plan For Productivity workbook.

Being productive isn’t the same as being busy – ‘busyness’ covers up for the fact that people are just not organized!

P

13

Investigating

How To Stop Taking Things Personally That thing when people tell you not to be so sensitive...!

It`s not ME...it`s YOU and your obvious lack of appreciating my hard work and my business which I built on blood, sweat and tears!!

Wow, when someone criticizes your enterprise, they rip apart your soul, your child and your heart. It hurts and is a pill which can be very difficult to swallow.

People disagreeing with your business or disliking it is, of course, going to happen at some point. If not right at the beginning, then further down the line and let me tell you, it`s no fun when it happens.

You have slaved over your computer, your books and your pen and paper for an eternity, fighting your hardest to get everything right, building a business of which you can be proud of and which will hopefully financially support both you and your family.

Then, some bright spark comes along and starts picking holes in it, disapproving of it.

Finding faults, and ridicules your dreams and hard work, and within an instant, make you feel like you are still in the kindergarten schoolyard. No adult person appreciates being made to feel like they are entrepreneurially inadequate and the claws are coming out, and maybe the tissues too...

By Kajsa Kinsella P

14

Now, what we often fail to see is that the criticism is not meant as being personal, but productive and here is how you learn to appreciate it and make use of it, rather than it sending you to bed with a box of tissues for an entire week!

"Always make the comeback stronger than the setback." *Realise* That when someone is out to hurt your feelings or be rude, it`s more often than not a reflection of his or her own shortcomings and insecurities, than of your business.

*Ask Yourself* How else can an upsetting comment be perceived; what can it mean and other than it cutting your soul in two, could it be constructive to your business?

*Look at it from their side* For this person standing in front of you, and whose eyes you wish to poke out, is a potential customer and how they see your business is a great learning tool for you, so smile and do your best to listen!

*Phone A Friend* And ask the opinion and advice of someone you trust and can request honesty from. See how they interpret the criticism and how you can tackle the issue best without upsetting yourself.

*Take The Oportunity* To look at your business from a stranger`s point of view and do your utmost to see what they see; both it`s strengths and weaknesses and enjoy making it better for everyone

*Remember*

That how you feel about yourself, your progress and your business is in no way, shape or form defined by people who wish to make you cower. Stand tall. Chin up!

*Realise*

That you simply cannot please everyone, it`s not going to happen, so listen to what they have to say, make sure to learn from it and move on.

CONSIDER THIS

"You only know how strong you are when you have no other choice"

Remember, when this someone does make you feel like your̀e pretty much useless, take a few minutes to remind yourself of why you do what you do. *I keep a "Compliments Jar", and every now and then, I write a little note about what I`ve achieved or things I like about myself and when things get tough, I pick some notes out and read them.

I promise, before long, you will smile again. *Be kind to yourself and speak to yourself as loving and caring as you would a dear friend in need. It might feel silly at first, but your heart and soul will heart it and find energy and enthusiasm again. *Aaaaand BREATHE...

P

15

Lunch Time!

QUICK & DELICIOUS MAKE A MOUTHWATERING LIGHT LUNCH P

16

IN MINUTES

MOZZARELLA, PESTO & CUCUMBER SANDWICH

"Its̀ As Simple As This: Eat Good=Feel Good!"

You can`t beat a great sandwich, and this one, bursting with green vigor is so full with flavours, textures, and goodness, you can really feel how well it treats your body as you munch away to your heart's content!

Directions & Ingredients Two Slices Of Brown Bread - Toast Or Other Buffalo Mozzarella Green Pesto Fresh Cucumber Freshly Washed Lamb`s Lettuce Fresh Thyme Toast the bread until it`s crispy and let cool.

Spread a generous layer of delicious green pesto on both slices and dress one with sliced buffalo mozzarella, sliced cucumber.

Wash the lamb's lettuce and pull it apart a little Pluck a few then add it to the sandwich.

Pluck a few twigs of fresh thyme and add it to the mix too.

Close the sandwich with the second piece of bread and cut it in four pieces with a sharp knife-Enjoy!!

P

17

Certainty

Uncertainty

Confidence, Conviction, Reliability, Validity, Certitude

Unpredictability, Unreliability, Misgiving, Quandry, Reservation

Optimistic

Ambition Aspiration, Intention, Desire, Vocation, Target

Sanguine, Buoyant, Bright, Energetic, Promising

Pessimistic Defeatist, Bleak, Lugubrious, Alarmist, Fatalistic

Use Your Words!

We all wish to feel confident in discussions and come across as intelligent and articulate, but it`s easy to feel hesitant and you sometimes get "lost for words".

Here are a few snazzy synonyms of common words to add to the conversation!

Energetic

Unenergetic

Dynamic, Sparkling, Bouncy, Indefatigable, Zealous

Apathetic, Inattentive, Lethargic, Lacksidasical, Indifferent

Quality Strong Compelling, Convincing, Potent, Profound, Undoubtable P

18

Standard, Superiority, Distinction, Transcendence, Calibre

Weak Frail, Untenable, Timid, Implausible, Irresolute

FREE ON THE NET

SMALLPDF is my savior when it comes to merging my pdf`s together to make this magazine-it blends everything together seamlessly.

Great App! Find it in your app store.

WHATS APP BUSINESS - as a big fan of Whatsapp already, I`m delighted to find that it now offers a separate platform where you can connect with your customers, creating a professional profile, Find it in your app store

BUFFER lets you connect up to three social media accounts so you can precreate and plan your scheduled posts.

Super practical! https://buffer.com/

OFFICE SUITE FREE +Pdf Creator is a fab app for android, which lets you have Word, Excel, Power Point and PDF at your fingertips!

Find it in your app store.

"THE BEST WAY TO DOUBLE YOUR MONEY IS TO FOLD IT IN HALF AND PUT IT BACK INTO YOUR POCKET!" There are SO many excellent free programs, platforms, and apps on the net for business owners, which are just as efficient as the paid ones. You`d be mad not to at least try those out before the ones that charge, but always be careful when downloading anything from the internet.

P

19

NO! learning the most difficult thing in the world-saying NO..!

By Kajsa Kinsella NEIN, NIET, NADA, NEJ, Nooooo. It doesn`t matter in which language you express your disinterest in a certain matter, you still have to get over the metal block of wishing to please each and every one who happens to come your way. Learning to stand by your decision to only taking part in things which benefit you personally and business-wise.

For far too many of us, the ability to say no is deemed to be THE most difficult thing to learn, as we tend to fall back into people pleasing-mode naturally and almost automatically.

P

20

When you are new in business and are just starting out, the wish of grabbing each and every opportunity of networking, connecting and listening to what other people find you should do with your business comes natural, as you are understandably excited and full of the energy of a newborn.

Any project presented to you seems of value, no matter the cost or the inconvenience; we are afraid of saying no, fearful of missing out on THE opportunity to further our enterprise.

The saying "You have to kiss many frogs before finding the prince" is somewhat true also in business, i.e. you do have to dare to take chances, push yourself to make business connections and hope that they lead to something good and productive.

BUT, do be sensible when it comes to spending far too much of your time, effort and money and learn to dare to say no to things which don`t aide you where you are at the moment. Once you have made your NOMADIC | 24 millions, you can feel more at ease about spending your time and money as you please but for now, focus and keep working!

Thanks, But No Thanks Thank Them And Say That You Will Get Back To Them If And When You Can Commit.

Know The Implications Of Saying Yes Aswell As The Implications Of Saying No.

Be Honest If You Dont̀ Feel That It Is The Right Fit For You Or Your Business.

Offer An Alternative And Suggest Someone Else Who Could Help.

Keep It Simple, You Dont̀ Owe Anyone Any Complicated Explanations.

Say Nothing...

As An Answer On Some Requests, Silence Is The Best Reply.

P

21

k c i P s ` r o t i d The Cream Of The E Crop

Stephen Ryan at Irish Design Shop Filip Vanas I`m really impressed with the sleek, clean lines of Filip Vanas`stunning collection and have found more than one birthday present on his website! € 95.00 www.filipvanas.com

Edel Grace This couple of fully hand made teddy bears are the most adorable I have seen in a very long time!

Large € 45.00 Small €17.00 www.eirlooms.com

P

22

I have to say, there are very few things I love more than great pens and pencils! €: 18.5 www.irishdesignshop.com

Dunbeacon Pottery I LOVE chunky mugs and cups, something proper to hold on to when you`re enjoying a hot cup of something and these are simply gorgeous!

Coffee Cup: € 14.50 www.dunbeaconpottery.com

Crossogue Preservatives

Alchemy Juice

Mmm, €: See full menu in store www.alchemyjuice.ie

This box includes a variety of jams hand selected by Veronica and comes complete with your choice of personalized label.

"Savoury Box" € 60.00 www.crossoguepreserves.com

Seymours Biscuits Using the artisan butter from their very own dairy farm, this Wset Cork family company is using their first-hand experience to create divine biscuits for us all!

"Social Circles" € 5.95 www.seymours.ie

Badger & Dodo From Australia to Ireland, Brock Lewin is the founder of a coffee company with exquisite flavours and aromas. € Visit website to view the full range www.badgeranddodo.ie

Lakeshore You can`t beat a great mustard and Lakeshore are the masters of spice, flavour and quality!

Available in Supervalu, Dunnes, Superquinn € See In Store www.lakeshore.ie

P

23

GRANTED, YOU DO NEED TO LOVE WHAT YOU DO TO SUCCEED, BUT IS THAT REALLY ENOUGH?

WHAT ARE YOU STARTING TO BUILD A BUSINESS OR A PASSION ?

By Wendy Merrigan

P

24

Hobby, Passion, Business three very different things...

When starting your own business venture, it's important to understand what you love as a hobby or passion, needs to translate into a business venture.

If you like baking, it doesn't mean you can work hard and be happy earning your living as a baker. Perhaps it's a passion but you could struggle with it as a business.

To focus on what you love and not consider your customers and only 'follow your passion', would (in my opinion) not be a good idea.

You need a business to generate a living and income and support you and perhaps your family, and therefore, you need to ensure you are satisfying customer needs. Not creating what you believe people will want. The mantra we hear might be 'Build it and they will come'. I'm a much more practical person than that.

*Build what is required and what you will be paid for, as you service the needs of your client / customers.*

Focusing on what customers want will always win. Satisfy a need better than anyone else in the market or figure out what your niche is and stick to that.

Keep your hobbies separate. Ensure you get enough time to still enjoy life and your new found business as well as your family and loved ones.

Set yourself up financially sound from day one by taking good advice. Learn how to record your books and records yourself if you can't afford someone to help you out at the start. Ensure you know what is allowable as a tax deduction and what is not (before you spend your money).

If you want to grow your business, see it for what it is and don't focus on saving tax only. Yes, we all want to be as tax efficient as possible but focusing on keeping your income low will not be the same mind-set as an entrepreneur 'growing their business'.

Think about your own mind-set and become aware of how you view and talk about your business.

Starting out is exciting, fun, tough work and can feel like a whirlwind of emotions. Keeping focused on a business model and don't get caught up in it taking over your life.

Wendy Merrigan is a Chartered Accountant with a practice in Dublin. She enjoys working with business owners setting financial goals, targets and putting action plans together the insure targets are reached. If you wish to talk to Wendy or attend one of her workshops, email wendy@williamsmerrigan.ie and set up a call or meeting.

P

25

REMEMBER, Always be yourself.

Those Who Mind, Don`t Matter & Those Who Matter, Don`t Mind.

"Live the life you desire, such a simple thing to do – Yes / No?? " Imagine feeling clear on who you are a

Here is a client statement which tells you a

person, where you are going, imagine

bit about what I do.

that sense of clarity with no cloud

"When I first met Sinead it was at a very low point

hanging overhead and you are free

in my life. I felt lost, without any idea what to do,

from stress and self-doubt. Pretty

or which way to turn. It all changed once I met her.

great! This is how my clients feel

We went right back to basics, to ensure that I

having worked with me. This is how

understood who I was/am as a person, before

one of my clients feels – today!

making any big decisions about a career. When Sinead first posed the question “what are your values?” I was dumbstruck. I hadn’t a clue what I valued, and as it transpired I had no idea how to value myself. Through her gentle guidance, words of encouragement and positive outlook I was able to figure out what it is that I love, the areas of my life that needed improvement, and a roadmap as to how to get there. It’s been almost a year since our first meeting and now when I look back, I don’t recognize the person I was anymore. I feel so much more myself, much calmer, and more secure in my decisions. This is all thanks to the wonderful, kind and compassionate Sinead Kieran" NOMADIC

|

24 P

27

"My name is Sinead Kieran owner of Coaching by SMK and I am a Life and Business coach I would love to share with you how I help people to find and create a life and business that they absolutely freaking LOVE! " Now that you can visualalise the power of coaching let me explain how I found coaching. I began my career working in a call center for multinationals, little did I know that my multinational career would span over 18 years.

I have worked all around the work from India, China, USA to Germany. I have worked for companies such as PayPal, Symantec and Siemens and worked with clients from the BBC to Nike. I climbed the ladder very quickly and made it to the Senior management team. I had the car, the house, the shoes – I had made it!! Not bad for a girl from Louth. I loved it, the people, the places, the buzz and I am truly grateful to my teams, mentors and their belief in me. But why then was I not happy on the inside?? Surely I had it all?? On the inside I struggled with anxiety, confidence issues, binge eating and depression. I masked it well and tried various forms of “fix Sinead” activities in the background. In 2016 a colleague suggested I look at a coaching course, coaching was becoming the new buzz word in business. Little did I know at the time that this course would change me from the inside out and my path in life.

Fast forward to April 2017 when I handed in my notice and began my own coaching company – Coaching by SMK. I began to live the life I truly desired.

People often ask me, what it coaching and what exactly do you do? For my clients I like to use one analogy, in my coaching I help people step out of a situation, look in, review, action and move forward. How do I work with people? it’s a combination of questioning techniques, visualization, activities but mostly it’s about listening. Allowing a client to speak uninterrupted and feel heard. Creating a non-judgmental space where a client can feel safe and secure to download / off load and find what THEY want. That last line is so important, it’s about what they want, not what I want, their partner wants etc – it’s their life and again “live the life YOU desire”.

Another client that has looked in, found who she is at her core and moved forward: "I count myself a very lucky lady having gotten the chance to work with Sinead over the past three months. Coming from one of the lowest points in my life I can truly say barriers that were cemented in place from my early years have been blown away, no longer a part of my life thankfully.

Sinead is one of the sweetest people I have met in a very long time.

She shows genuine love for her job. I have so much to be thankful for because of her. I am truly a different person to where I was only three months previous. I look forward to the next three months with this lady!"

P

28

Lets̀ Try Something Out! I’m quite a visual person and I like to help clients picture where they can be, what would it be like when…… Therefore in a typical session I have come to use a lot of visual techniques, one being jigsaws to help frame and structure sessions.

Go with me ------- Imagine your life is a jigsaw. For example, imagine your life 5 years from now, you have met the partner, living in the dream home, with the car, the job, the perfect kids, your healthy, great friends, no money issues, extended family are great – it’s a pretty cool picture!!

But what if the partner doesn’t work out, what if you hate your current job, business isn’t great, what if some of the jigsaw parts just don’t fit no matter what you do?? It’s a horrible feeling and can vary but typically this is where the anxiety, lack of confidence, stress, self-worth, lost, stuck and many other feelings come into play. Its ok not to be ok. Coaching is the perfect fit for this type of situation, you know deep down that you are not happy and are ready to take a step towards making a change. Clients that embrace the coaching process tend to work with me over a period of time as no one is going to get the bottom of the “why” a jigsaw piece isn’t fitting in one session. Sessions can begin on the topic of “I want to change firms” and end up with “I want to change career” there is no one size fits all. You need to trust the process, it works….

My passion is people and I am blessed to be in a situation where I can help people move forward.

On a personally level, coaching helped me find my true potential – as my coach once said, your apprenticeship is over….

In such as busy world 5 things I keep in my personal toolkit to help me daily to continue living the life I desire are: 1. Stop comparing yourself. Stay focused on yourself Action: Write down your goals, your values and what is super special about you. Have it on a card and to hand for any unforeseen wobbles 2. Relax and breathe. Don’t stress the small stuff Action: Recognize your stress triggers and have a trigger word or action to break the thought. Mine is Clear Clear Clear.

Maybe you might like to visualize or mediate 3. Love yourself. You are a gift, nothing would be the same if you didn’t exist.

Action: You are the only one of you, what makes you unique, journal and play around with this. I start my day with I AM…..

I AM beautiful, I AM loved etc 4. Be positive and look for the good in every situation Action: The glass is half full. Think about your day and be grateful for lessons, maybe you spilt coffee down your top, use it as an icebreaker in a meeting 5. Do what you love, life is short – live the life you desire.

Action: Don’t pretend to like things and go with the crowd, go with your gut and do what makes you smile

P

29

Organising plays a very important role in our wellbeing

Photo Credits: Darren Fitzpatrick Photography

By Sarah Reynolds

Sarah Reynolds is an organising expert and the owner of Organised Chaos.

Organised Chaos – Dublin’s first professional de-cluttering and organising business - was established in 2010 during a career sabbatical. Sarah has always been passionate about organising and decided to follow this passion and develop her business idea which she had close to her heart for nearly fifteen years.

Sarah is the only trained Professional Organiser in Ireland. She trained under the personal guidance of America’s number one Professional Organiser, and regular contributor to the Oprah show, Julie Morgenstern in New York.

Find Sarah on www.organisedchaos.ie or contact her on 086-3601083 You can buy her book "Organised" on amazon.co.uk

P

31

Photo Credits: Mark Duggan Photography

"I HAD MY " AH-HA" MOMENT, WHILST WATCHING OPRAH WITH MY MUM"

My journey started out when I was little I suppose. I’ve always enjoyed tidying. I don’t have any transformation story to tell. Organising was just something I liked - I liked to tidy my schoolbag or bedroom.

When I was sixteen, my mother and I were watching the Oprah show and Julie Morgenstern came on. She is a Professional Organiser and she was talking about her new book and her business. It was my own “ah-ha” moment as here was someone who also loved tidying and she was talking to Oprah about it! From then on, I kept it in the back of my mind to explore that possible business but I went off to university and got a ‘proper job’ first.

I started with my first client in 2011 when I was still working full time. I continued to work full time with Organised Chaos as my side hustle for the next three years. I was the first person to work as a Professional Organiser in this country and essentially introduced a new industry into Ireland. I finally bit the bullet and left my permanent and pensionable job when I was in my early thirties and went full time with Organised Chaos.

For those who don’t know, Professional Organising started in Los Angeles in 1984 and is defined by Wikipedia as a service helping “individuals and businesses design organizing systems and processes to improve quality of life, personal productivity, and greater efficiency”.

We work with home clients and from small businesses to large corporations. We look at any aspect that might help you feel more organised from your wardrobe, utility room, time management, family routines, to workplace wellbeing, health and safety and office relocation moves. To name but a few ways of getting organised works as a service.

Thankfully, Professional Organising seems to be seeing an increased interest from homeowners over the last few years in this country. Large corporations and businesses are starting to see its’ importance from the point of view of staff wellbeing, however, this is still on a small scale. Explaining how actual organising sessions focussing on the space and stuff within the corridors and on the desks of companies benefits productivity, bottom line and first impressions is still a work in progress and the main challenge currently for Organised Chaos.

P

32 8

"Running a business takes on a life of its’ own."

Helping spread the word of this service was the publication in 2018 of my first book with Gill publishers ‘Organised - Simple Tips to Declutter your House, your Schedule and your Mind’.

This was always a dream of mine and it was fantastic to achieve it and see it in the shops. Hopefully, the organising industry and my business will continue to grow and gain the recognition it deserves over the coming years. I really do believe that with the increased level of stress in society and perceived lack of time, getting organised can really help you. Organising plays a very important role in our wellbeing - personally, at home and in business.

Running my own business has without a doubt been so much harder than I ever thought it would. The amount of selfmotivation you have to find within yourself and the uncertainty you have to deal with have been huge learnings for me.

Running a business takes on a life of its’ own. It is love that keeps it going, there are ups, and there are downs, relationships come and go with it, finances are challenged, you lose faith and then it brings you such joy.

Life teaches you many lessons and if you’re an entrepreneur, you learn those lessons twice if that makes sense!

I still don’t know if or how it’ll all unfold. I have many dreams for the business and a gut instinct that I can’t explain, but from somewhere deep inside me, it tells me to keep going.

P

33

Naturally Yummy Snacks P

34

"Made in just a few minutes!"

Apple & Peanut Balls You Will Need: 200 g of Apple 60 g of Raisins 150 g Crunchy Peanut Butter 200 g Rolled Oats

Once they are done, pop them in the fridge for a little while for them to firm up.

Wash and peel the apple before starting.

Chop it in small cubes and remember to remove the core, all pips, and bits of stalk and pop it into a shallow cooking pot with a dash of water.

Gently heat the pot and stir the apple so it doesn`t burn.

Once the apple begins to soften, gently mash it with a fork in the pot and cook until it`s fully soft.

Take the pot from the stove and leave the apple mash to cool a little.

Once it`s safer to handle, add the oat flakes to the apple and stir well.

Add the raisins and the crunchy peanut butter and fuse it together with a wooden spoon until you have a soft mixture.

Roll into little balls and leave in the fridge for ca. 30 minutes to cool them and firm them up a bit.

Enjoy!!

P

35

The Power OF The Hashtag The hash-what!?

I have to confess, getting to grips with internet and all its possibilities at the age of nearly 40 when I finally plucked up the courage to start out in business was not an easy task, let me tell you! My head was spinning with all the new information about platforms, strategies and most of all Hashtags...what the heck is that!?

A hashtag is a symbol which you put in front of a word which characterizes your image or post. It tells us what it`s about and what we can find there.

If I was to search for buying a new boat, (not that I even have an old one, but a girl can dream!) I`d look for #boat #boatforsale #newboatforsale #sailing #boatbuying.

People who are selling boats would add these hashtags to their social media activity and so you find them immediately, cutting out a lot of unnecessary searching and whoever is looking for what you do, will find you straight away.

Too many times have I seen fantastic content with only a few likes, due to the lack of hashtags.

Have a look at what you are saying in your post and try to figure out what words people would use to find it.

In every field of entrepreneurship there are many different hashtags you can use to narrow down the search, but here are a few general ones for business, which could be of help to you.

#business #biz #selfemployment #entrepreneurship #selfstarter #entrepreneur#smallbusiness #businesswoman #businessman #success #b2b #b2c #startups #hardwork #nevergiveup #hustle #fortune # social #womeninbusiness #work #ilovemyjob

Get your own lead generating machine so you can get as many clients as you want from your website.

By Claire Gallagher

Your website can do lots things but what is the one purpose it SHOULD serve? It should be generating leads for your business every single day! So how can you create a site that generates leads? You just need remember this one thing.

People will take action when they feel they've found what they’re looking for.

Sounds totally obvious, doesn’t it? Well it is but then everything is when you’re aware of it. Problem is most people get websites because they know they need one, they don’t think so much about what they need it to do for them. And believe me, it can do a lot!

When I’m not looking after my two babies, I’m helping service-based business owners transform their ineffective websites into lead-generating machines! Yes. Machines. Your website should work like a machine and if it doesn’t - you really need to read on.

One of the biggest problems I see with business owners is that they have websites that are simply not working for them. They’re not generating any leads… no leads, means no clients and therefore no money coming into the business!

P 36

At the same time they invest lots of time and money into a website that continuously fails to make them any money! They feel overwhelmed and stuck by this technical tool that could be doing so much more but they just have no idea where to start or what to do and it’s already eating up way too much time for little or no return. Sound familiar?

There are thousands of decisions to be made when creating or improving your website and yes, it can be stressful but because people will take action when they feel they've found what they’re looking for. When you approach your website from this angle - all your decisions become easy and obvious and the result is a site that makes you money!

When your website is working for you it’ll effectively and repeatedly bring clients to your doorstep! Who doesn’t want that?

HOW CAN YOU HELP THEM FEEL LIKE THEY’VE FOUND WHAT THEY’RE LOOKING FOR? Understand what they’re looking for!

You could call this market research but it does not require technical tools or complicated data analytics.

Simply talk to 5 (or more) of your best past clients. Get a better understanding of what they were struggling with when they reached out to you.

What specific words do they use to talk about this?

What else had they tried before working with you?

Take lots of notes and notice common points.

Create a statement that tells them that you have what they’re looking for!

Based on the conversations with your best past clients, craft a powerful statement that speaks to their problem or desire. Use their words. Be clear. Be SO clear that within seconds of reading this statement a visitor to your site will know what you do and what specific problem you solve for your clients.

You have 3 seconds. If they don’t understand what you do in 3 seconds, they're gone. They’ll have no reason to stick around or come back.

If it is clear what you do, they take action and buy from you, or contact you. They’ll also remember you AND what you do because it is crystal clear. Even the likelihood of getting referrals is way higher.

How can your site help them to take action?

Tell them what ONE action you want them to take and make it easy and obvious.

If you want people to contact you. Make that easy and obvious to do.

If you want people to book a session with you. Make that easy and obvious to do.

If you want people to join your mailing list. Make that easy and obvious to do.

But chose one. Just one. Remove all distractions. And please make sure that those important buttons work and that the emails reach you. Test your contact form.

Test your sign up form. Test your booking link.

Does this sound like something you need for your website?

Do you want to end the online confusion and have as many leads as you need then I click here to book a free discovery call with me: https://clairecreative.com/book-now/ I can help you see what you need to do to transform your website into a lead generating money-making machine.

I can't wait to hear from you.

Claire P 37

When you think about your website... *Think of it as your best salesperson* Instead of your site just looking pretty, think about it as your employee.

Your website is a business asset, a marketing tool, a salesperson! When you think about it this way, your site will become more ACTIVE. It’s not enough for it to look good. Your site has to have a purpose.

Check your site. Can site visitors easily understand why your products and services are great?

*Think about your customers and the words they use* When you write the text for your website, do you suddenly turn into a robot?

Especially if you’re trying to follow an SEO formula to crowbar in as many keywords as possible. Don’t forget about the human beings your site is serving. Write your website copy in your own tone of voice as if you were talking directly to your customer. When you use the kind of vocabulary that they use, you’re more likely to resonate with them. You’re more likely to be found on search engines and your brand will be stronger because you’re putting more personality into it.

Check your site. Does it sound like a human? Does it sound like you?

*Think about how you’re going to attract visitors* Creating a website and hoping people will find it? It’s like opening up a shop in the dessert and hoping for a passing camel! How do you plan to invite and entice people over to your site? Are you using social media? Are you hoping that people will find you on a Google search? What can you do to increase your chances of being found?

Check your site. How are people finding you? (You can check this specifically in Google Analytics under the ‘Acquisition’ section.)

Think about how you’re going to convert site visitors into paying clients Do you have a call to action set up? Is there any way for you to capture contact details so that you can follow up with site visitors?

Check your site. Is there a way to get back in touch with people who visited?

*Think about your deadline* The longer you leave it, the more potential clients you’re missing out on.

Have you been meaning to update your site? If there are changes to be made that will lead to more business and more money, what are you waiting for?

Check your site. What do you need to do to get more leads?!

(For a free consultation with Claire visit www.clairecreative.com/book-now) P 38

We Have Teamed Up!

The highly influential, experienced and superbly talented Marketing Strategist and Brand Builder Finola Howard of How Great Marketing Works and I have joined forces!

I`m delighted to announce that I have signed up to Finola`s fantastically credited marketing course, which is THE place to go to become the master of your own marketing, a skill which will impact everything that has to do with your business. You will be trained and coached in getting to know yourself and your business inside out, back to front and front to back again; to think like a marketing strategist every step of your entrepreneurial path.

The programme, which will challenge you to get to the top of your game by teaching you how to best utilize the power and passion you have as a self-starter and entrepreneur, is made up of 12 modules of bite-sized steps and easy to understand videos, practical worksheets and lots of help to keep you organized and on the right track.

Each month, I will share my discoveries, my inspiration and my revelations with you all.

Dont̀ wait until you get too busy and forget about this again - sign up to Finola`s 14-day free trial TODAY and see how you can take charge of the future of both you and your business.

https://howgreatmarketingworks.com/

P

41

Module 1 Each section is constructed in a very clear and simple to follow way with a video which includes easy to understand imagery.

Finola is there to talk you through each step and the full text is inserted beneath, so you can refer back at any time.

Make sure to print out her worksheets and we`r e good to go! * During the very first module, the objective is for you to get to know yourself and your business as it stands right now. Dig deep and discover how you think your customers perceive you and how you wish they would experience dealing with you.

Through brainstorming exercises, which certainly helped me see my business in a much clearer light, we list off all the words that are associated with who we are, what we offer and how we`d like our customers to feel about us. Often, we are so caught up in our busy world, that losing oversight of this can happen really quickly. One eye-opener for me was when I was asked to condense the words I had gathered into a 10-word statement. it really forces you to decide who you are.

* The second step is all about figuring out if where you are and if what you do makes any sense. If it benefits you or damages you. Let`s learn to ditch the stuff that does not do us any good, and to keep the things that do. Find out how to communicate what you do to your customers; dissect your personal life, i.e networking organizations, memberships, and look into your social media channels/groups. Why do you take part and are they working for you or not? As scary as it may sound, dissect your actual business: your location, your website and online presence, and all the printed material you are using to further your enterprise.

Is it working for you?

* The section which got to me the most was when Finola asked me to list my strengths and my weaknesses. Let me tell you, it is as challenging to have to dig deep and show your most disabling weaknesses as it is to be truthful about what you consider to be your strengths.

Both tasks were eye-openers and I`m very glad I was made aware of it, as I now use them both to further my business.

It`s an in-depth exercise of discovering your strength and weaknesses where you aim to Value Your Strengths and to Cure Your Weaknesses and let me tell you, only one module in, and I feel like I can take on the world!

IÂ have to say, I`m so happy that I decided to take this challenge on, as even before I began, felt that I had a potential business and life-saver in my hands, The deep insight and knowledge about myself as a person and the type of business I wish to run is provided to me on a silver platter by Finola. Onwards and Upwards!

P

41

P

39

PICK THE WONDERFUL BRAINS OF A PROFESSIONAL

Emma DÀrcy, Marketing Mentor & Trainer Paul Dunphy, Social Media Consultant & Curator

Tara Boo, Creative Powerhouse & Advocate Of Imagination

To WIN A 30 Minute Consultation With One Of These Experienced Professionals, Simply Got To www.selfstarter.ie & Submit Your Entry The Three Winners Will Be Drawn At Random And Notified On The 25.th Of July

P

40

WHAT`S ON IN JULY

P

43

Sharon Thompson's debut crime novel, 'The Abandoned' was published by Bloodhound Books UK on 25th Jan 2018. It launched at #1 in Kindle Irish Crime Fiction. Publisher Bloodhound Books have signed her for a further two crime novels and some of her other manuscripts are on submission, through her agent, Trace Literary Agency.

Sharon lives in Donegal, Ireland and writes crime fiction, short stories and commercial fiction. Sharon’s short stories have been published in various online magazines and she writes anything she can!

Sharon is the co-founder of #WritersWise, a trending, fortnightly, promotional tweet-chat. (www.writerswise1.wordpress.com). Its mission is to encourage and support writers to reach as wide an audience as possible.

On Sunday mornings, Sharon’s regular column is on Woman’s Words with Donegal Woman www.donegalwoman.ie/author/sharon-thompson/ Sharon also founded #Indulgeinbooks on stylish woman's website, Indulgeme.ie https://indulgeme.ie/indulgeinbooks-7-new-books-may-2018/ and has started her own online writing group called #Indulgeinwriting.

Linking established and establishing writers together. http://www.Indulgeinwriting.com.

Find her on www.sharontwriter.com and @sharontwriter.

THE WRITTEN WORD

The Lost Letters of William Woolf by Helen Cullen Inside the Dead Letters Depot in East London, William Woolf is one of thirty letter detectives who spend their days solving mysteries: Missing postcodes, illegible handwriting, rain-smudged ink, lost address labels, torn packages, forgotten street names - they are all the culprits of missed birthdays, broken hearts, unheard confessions, pointless accusations, unpaid bills and unanswered prayers.

On Bone Bridge by Maria Hoey

Her Name Was Rose by Claire Allan When Emily lets a stranger step out in front of her, she never imagines that split second will change her life. But after Emily watches a car plough into the young mother – killing her instantly – she finds herself unable to move on.

Torn between his love and commitment to his wife and his romantic idealism, William must of follow the clues in Winter's letters to solve his most important mystery yet: the human heart.

Kay Kelly has always envied pretty, privileged Violet-May Duff, but the two young girls come from very different worlds.

Suddenly befriended by Violet-May and welcomed into the grand Duff house, Kay finds herself intrigued by Mrs Duff, a woman with a past, charmed by Rosemary-June, Violet-May’s ethereal sister and falling helplessly in love with their brother, Robbie.

It all seems too good to be true. And it is. One mild September afternoon the three girls take Violet-May’s baby brother for a walk in his pram. What happens on Bone Bridge that day will change all their lives forever.

Now in her thirties, Kay’s path crosses once more with the Duff family and it doesn’t take her long to realise that something is very wrong. With the life of a child clearly threatened, Kay is forced to accept that what happened all those years ago on Bone Bridge has come back to haunt her. Now, not only must she resurrect painful memories, but the time has come to finally face up to terrible truths, even if it means putting her own life in danger.

Published by Poolbeg Press

Published by Harper Collins

When William discovers letters addressed simply to 'My Great Love', however, his work takes on new meaning. Written by a woman to the soulmate she hasn't met yet, the missives capture William's heart in ways he didn't know possible, and soon he begins to wonder: Are these letters truly lost? Or might he be the intended recipient-could he be her great love?

And then she makes a decision she can never take back.

Because Rose had everything Emily had ever dreamed of. A beautiful, loving family, a great job and a stunning home.

And now Rose’s husband misses his wife, and their son needs a mother. Why couldn’t Emily fill that space?

But as Emily is about to discover, no one’s life is perfect … and not everything is as it seems.

Published by Harper Collins

Sure, we can`t talk business Alllll the time! est the r n e h tw omen iscussing m d r d a r awkw eeting are 6 and you t a h t 1 m ... r o d boar t is 15 of the resul e h t her 3... whet is 105 r e w ans

any t̀ get n a c s g Thin mist: an! i s s e they c e s The P r u ! , of co worse imist: But pt The O

An almost hysterical man calls 911 and yells," Please come quick, its̀ my wife, she is pregnant and she is in labour and it is really intense.!"

"Is this her first born?", the operator asks.

"Now, I dont̀ know what your̀e playing at, as it should be perfectly clear that this is her husband!"

cat today.

I saw a poster of a missing ?"

It said "Have you seen my cat nt̀.had I So I called them up to say I like to help where I can.

Light t ravels faster why so than s me peo ound.T ple ap bright hat is p ear to , until be qui you he t e ar them speak. .!

A childs̀ o bservatio n: If moth at fathers̀ er laughs jokes, we have gues house. ts in the

I cant̀ believe I forgot to go to the gym again today-thats̀ seven years in a row now!

I cant̀ help it, I just like to sleep naked.

The air hostess could have been a bit more understanding, I find.

did you Wow, you look great today, loose weight? t call me Hold on a second, did you jus pect!? both ugly AND fat in retros

I know I should c lean my but priv window acy is im s... portant too, righ t?!

Who cares ab out the fact th at a glass of Nutella has a bout 9870 ca lories, I never eat th e glass anyw ay!

The person who thought it clever to install the toile t light-switch on the outside of the ba throom, clearly di dnt̀ have any siblin gs...or work colle agues!

So much ha s changed si nce my girlfriend to ld me wer̀e h aving a bab for instance y, my name, m y adress, my telephone n umber

Thank You! I hope you have enjoyed the magazine, that it has inspired you and given you a bit of a boost to start on your own path of entrepreneurship.

My most sincere gratitude to this month`s contributors; Lynsey Hanratty, Wendy Merrigan, Sarah Reynolds, Claire Gallagher, Sharon Thompson, Sinead Kieran & last but by no means least, the artistic genius Emma Jane Rushworth