Lamisha Serf-Walls

Why I SUCK at “Business” & Choose the Heart-Centered Path Instead

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Image from enlightenedbusinessacademy.com
Image from enlightenedbusinessacademy.com

So it might sound strange to you to read that a life & biz coach sucks at ‘business’ especially when she helps her clients expand their business and make more money and just launched a program for business owners right?

Allow me to explain.

I never really thought of myself as the ‘business’ type. I mean, when I finished college I was just focused on getting a J-O-B (any job really) to pay the bills.  I wasn’t in business school and really didn’t aim to be my own boss.  Heck I even went so far as to say that I couldn’t be a contracted employee or be commission based because I needed to have a steady income.  And the idea of being in sales made my stomach turn.  I just didn’t want to be that scummy used car salesman that was trying to get any Tom, Dick, and Sally in the door to make a buck.

It just wasn’t my style and yet I found myself working for not one, but TWO organizations that had a main focus on numbers.  More specifically I worked in proprietary education.  And while I don’t believe ALL organizations like this operate with one thought in mind, I found myself in two that were very similar.

Getting butts in seats meant I still had a job.  It just so happened that some of the people responsible for getting butts in seats weren’t necessarily concerned with if they were the right fit.

For almost 6 years I dealt with this internal and sometimes ethical dilemma of working in an organization that operated with this very hard to swallow way of doing ‘business’.  (You know like some of the unethical Wall Street Bankers etc.)  Set a goal, meet the goal by whatever means necessary, and don’t worry about the rest.

I hated it.  Hated that many students were treated like numbers and not individuals.  Hated the fact that despite the curriculum and expedited programs not being a good fit for many students, no one said anything.  That’s not entirely true.  We did speak up, but ultimately it wasn’t our decision to make.

So, after watching this dance occur over many years, I decided I didn’t want to be a part of that type of ‘business’ strategy.  I promised I wouldn’t get pushy, treat people like numbers, and spam my followers with ‘GET THIS NOW’, ‘SALE, SALE, SALE’ emails because let’s be honest, that shit is just annoying, not to mention it’s just not my personality.

Now you may be saying, “But what about all the business coaches out there that say you have to create urgency, get your products in front of a billion people, and throw statistics at you about sales funnels and landing pages?  Are they WRONG?!”

Maybe, maybe not.  I’m sure those tactics work to some degree since so many people employ them, but I have found another way to do business that feels better.

It’s what I call the heart-centered way.  sales

The heart-centered path is about connection, communication, compassion, and honesty.  It’s about sharing your journey with your tribe and being genuine with your words.  It’s about giving what they want and need while still understanding they are individuals.  It’s about serving your community and helping.  It’s empowerment. It’s service.  It’s grace.

It’s a different road for sure and it is also the premise behind Tama Kieves book Inspired & Unstoppable (a book I recommend to every heart-centered business owner I know).  Follow your heart and do what feels right.  If it feels unnatural and like a used car salesman just trying to make a buck, well that feeling is going to come through to your tribe.

I have found (pretty recently) that even when I am trying to loosely use the advice from the ‘pros’ who are making millions of dollars, it doesn’t always come across in the most authentic way.  It feels forced and what’s worse is my message doesn’t connect to the souls I am meant to work with.  When I am thinking about selling, products, and numbers the waters get a bit murky for me.  I get a bit uncomfortable and my message comes out disjointed and a bit ‘salesy’ which is not my intention.

However, when I focus on my intention of changing lives and helping people do what they love and succeed at it…it comes across as love and service.  THAT feels lighter, brighter, and much more inspiring and incidentally I find I connect with more of my tribe.  (Funny how that happens right?)

So, if you have a business or are thinking of starting your business, the best advice I have for you is this.  Choose to communicate, act, and serve from your heart.  If it feels like you are playing a role or wearing a mask, it probably isn’t right for you.  Connect with your purpose, why you started to begin with, and who you want to serve, that is where your heart-centered business will thrive.  With love.

If you are unsure of where to begin with this heart-centered path and are prone to ditch the traditional ‘business’ plan that can feel a bit icky, there is still time to get signed up for the 90-Days to Biz Brilliance program and receive the bonus gift of my self-study Invest in Yourself program ($97 value) before you can buy it.  If it feels like the right program to take your business to another level (with love), I invite you to join this community of amazing heart-centered entrepreneurs who are changing the world with their work.  The world needs you and your biz to shine and I want to help you make that happen. 

 

3-Phases of Creation for your Dream Life & Biz

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I realized the clients I work with are in one of three phases of creating the life or biz of their dreams.  I want to know what phase YOU are in.  Share in the comments below and let me know what you are planning on doing to move to the next phase.

Do you know someone who might benefit from this? Feel free to forward and share this video for more to see. 🙂

 

Investing in Yourself

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invest

Another theme I keep coming across in my own life and the lives of my clients is self-care.  More specifically how difficult it is to invest the time, money, and space to really support ourselves in the way we need.

Is self-care a pain point for you?

Do you often find yourself overly exhausted, worried, frustrated, or saying ‘yes’ to everyone else but yourself?

It’s time to stop all that nonsense and begin investing in yourself.

I know there are a million reasons not to do it and to be honest, the ones I hear the most comes down to money and time.

We all have money stuff.  We either believe there isn’t enough or what we have is all we will ever make, but that’s not true.  There is plenty to go around and investing in yourself is one of the best ways to bring more into your life.  Sounds a bit backwards I know, but when you are stressed, frustrated, angry, and living in a mindset of lack, do you find you are met with even more lack?  It’s likely you are.  But, what if you took some time for yourself to relax a bit.  Get a massage, treat yourself to a manicure, purchase a course that can change your life, or hire a coach to help you reach the next level of your dreams?  Wouldn’t that feel good?

At first the thought of spending money on things that aren’t ‘needs’ can scare the pants off some people and create anxiety especially if money seems to be a bit tighter than usual.  And while I am not a ‘money coach’ per se, I do a lot of work with my clients on their money stuff because it’s a part of the beliefs and blocks that hold us back.  Our relationship with money can be quite stressed depending on how we grew up, what we were taught, and the messages we heard and in turn believed about it.  The same goes for spending money on seemingly frivolous things.

The truth is that investing in yourself is not frivolous or irresponsible.  It is a necessary part of self-care and life in general.  We aren’t here to simply survive and live paycheck to paycheck or to scrimp and save every penny we have.  We are supposed to enjoy life, feel good, and take care of ourselves, but I often find some people just aren’t ready to take the leap.  If that is you, then I invite you to start small.

Treat yourself to coffee every once in a while if that is your thing.  Or go buy a good book that you have been dying to read and know that it’s OK to invest in yourself.  And should you find yourself wondering about hiring a coach or enrolling in a course that is calling to you, do it!

There are always reasons not to invest in yourself and your dreams.  Money is tight, the car might need fixing, the kids college fund needs to be bigger, or you just don’t believe it will make a difference, but I assure you that you will be better off if and when you do.

I am not asking you to dump your responsibilities and quit your job to invest in yourself, but I am asking you to get in touch with what you really want and need right now and allow your intuition to guide you.  I believe wholeheartedly in the powers of the Universe guiding us to the people, articles, books, quotes, tools etc. that we need in the moment so you being here is not a fluke. Listen with your heart and get busy enjoying this amazing gift we have called life!

You know what’s funny?  I get many of the same complaints and excuses when it comes to the time factor too.  There seems to never be enough time to invest in yourself, but the truth is you just haven’t made it a priority.  I invite you to make yourself, your self-care, your growth, and your dreams a priority.  The world needs to see your light shine and you deserve to live a life of excitement, abundance, and joy.

So I ask you, what can you do right now to invest in yourself? 

 

If you have thought about working with a coach and haven’t taken the leap just yet, I would love to chat with you.  I am taking on new clients for April and I want to hear about your dreams and goals.  If I am not a good fit for you, I will help you find a coach that works for you.  I want you to get what you need to make your dreams come alive, it’s as simple as that.  Let’s schedule a 30-minute consultation to chat about what I do and what you want to achieve.  Simple, free, and totally worth the time.  Contact me today to get your consultation scheduled.  I look forward to chatting with you!