Ask Christina First

In this episode of Ask Christina 1st we get into the topic of branding. In reality branding is the totality of who you are. How you handle each element of business is an overall result of you, which is your brand. In the elements of business, each aspect is a vital source for the functionality of your company. How do you treat your customers? How much time and attention do you give into marketing, networking and advertising? All of it boils down to who you are as a person and how much energy you put into each thing. From there you can decide if you are a luxury, high end or low end brand? For homework, write down next to each element of business, how you operate in this field. If you're a high end business, you should include things that help explain why this is so. If you are low end, luxury, etc… do the same. Everything that creates your company is your brand, from color to customer service to how you dress. All of these elements create the overall look and feel of your brand. So, what do you do that creates your brand? Is this what you want your brand to be and what are ways you can improve? In this episode you will learn: 1. The elements of business and how they affect your brand. 2. How to understand the tone and overall feel of your company 3. Ways to help you improve your brand’s impact. Again, branding is the totality of who you are and the energy you put into it. The way in which people find you, meet and are introduced to you, sets the tone for how they will react to your brand and business. The first steps into improving your brand, is to identify where you are now and where you want to go.

In this episode of Ask Christina 1st, we dig into how to differentiate yourself from your market. The three main suggestions are you are already doing it, your nature and your own bias and lastly company culture. All three of these embody the totality of who you are which create your business. When you first created your company and vision, what were the things that made you different? It’s important to understand that you are already what makes it different. A way to make this process make sense is to do your due diligence. Christina suggests you begin by first finding 10 businesses in your market and area that are similar to yours. Find out what their price points are, what type of company it is and find out the overall culture of the business. The culture of a business boils down to everything you've chosen to include in how your business looks and how it is operated. What is the culture of your company? This is what will set you apart and be the underlying atmosphere of your branding and marketing. In this episode you will learn: 1. What is company culture and how it affects your branding? 2. Why it’s important to understand the competition in your area.3. How to fine tune your business so clients will find you amongst others in your field. Going back to understand your vision is a big part of understanding how to differentiate yourself from your market. Doing this can help you elevate to the next level by simply creating a platform that serves the unique qualities you bring to your market and expertise. Knowing you are already what makes your business different is key, use what makes you different to your advantage.

In this episode of Ask Christina 1st, we dive into the meaning of grass roots networking and why this is a major part in becoming a trusted expert in your field. Networking and marketing can be distributed in many forms like social media and advertising, however there are other ways to truly connect with your community that don’t require you to be in front of a computer. Investing in yourself so that you become a trusted and chosen expert in your field is the meat and bones of grass root networking. It's when you go out and introduce yourself to your community while also investing in becoming an expert in your field. One example Christina focuses on is going to in person meetings. She challenges you to find a meeting in your field of work and attend 4 meetings for a month. You can use sources like meetup.com, eventbrite.com, facebook.com and community calendar. In order for you to be chosen, you have to be an active member in your community. Finding out authentically what people need is another true aspect to grassroots networking. It’s not about selling something, it's about filling some of the holes in a person's life. Ask questions and inquire deeply into if someone could genuinely benefit from having you in their lives. In this episode you will learn: 1. What is grass root networking and how you can benefit from it. 2. Ways in which you can become a trusted expert in your field and within your community. 3. Why it’s important to be authentic and caring when people are potentially looking for your services.

What do you do for marketing your business? What materials do you invest in that help you get the word out? In this episode of Ask Christina First, we again focus on marketing as marketing is a necessity if you want to continue running your business. There are different ways that you can market your business/product and that can depend on what you price your product at. Some lower priced products for example, can benefit tremendously from using a platform like yelp, while higher priced products can rely heavily on referrals. Either way, the marketing material you use is essential in being found. Some marketing tactics require you to physically be present. Christna believes that for her, networking is one of the best forms of marketing. This can be attending events, speaking on panels, etc… Becoming recognized as an expert in your field is another great way to market your business. This can be done by contributing your work to magazines, blogs and those of the like. Not being afraid to share with the world how you can help people is key. In this episode you will learn: Various types of marketing materials that can help you get the word out. How to transform one form of marketing into another. Understand the significance of in person marketing. As Christina continues to focus on marketing, you will see the importance of making what you do known to the public. If you are someone that doesn't agree with one form of marketing, it’s okay to try another. What will work for someone else may not work for you. The key is to find what is right for you so that replacing your clients and maintaining cash flow has a positive impact on your business.

Are you a small business owner that shies away from marketing? Do you feel like marketing to any capacity is salesy? This mindset can actually negatively affect your business. Of the 4 cornerstones to running a business, marketing is one of the most important. The term marketing gets a bad rap because it was easily associated with a salesman whose primary job is to sell you something you probably didn't need. Now as an existing small business owner, this concept can leave a bad taste in your mouth, making marketing one of the more difficult parts of running a business. In this episode, Christina breaks down why good hearted business marketing is key to keeping your business successful. Once you take away the old concept of forcing people to buy things, you will soon realize how important it is to market your business in a way that suits you and your needs as an entrepreneur. Christina helps us understand what true marketing is and ways in which you can do this without the worry and judgement you may feel when it comes to marketing. You can do this kind of marketing by going to events, signing up to your local chamber of commerce, or even creating meaningful products to pass out to people. There are tons of ways to do marketing that don’t require you to feel ashamed or embarrassed. In this episode you will learn: Ways to market that aren't salesy? Why marketing is a crucial aspect to any business. How to let go of the negative concept that marketing is bad. Christina gives some amazing advice on how to change the way we think about marketing. The goal for starting a business is for it to be successful, but without marketing your chances of that happening are slim. Marketing can be a fun and positive way to keep you heading in the right direction.

In this episode of Ask Christina 1st, Christina focuses on being the good hearted business owner and how it affects your customer service. Sometimes in being a good hearted business owner, pricing your product properly to include time spent on customer service may be overlooked. Determining if you’re a high or low priced product should be the first step. This will help you figure out how much customer service is necessary for each product you offer. Christina shares an example about a time where she was on a phone call with a client at 8:30 at night while her family just arrived at their hotel room while traveling. Christina’s husband asked her why, and she replied that it's because that particular client pays for a higher priced product which gains them more access to her customer service. Differently priced products provide different levels of customer service. In this episode you will learn: 1. How to determine where you should price your product? 2. The level of customer service that should be included in each of those products. 3. How much does it cost you to service this product? A product is also a service. If you can spend the time determining all the points made above, you will have a better understanding of where your customer service should go. It doesn't mean that a lower priced product deserves less customer service, however it does play a role in how much of your time and money you are spending.

In this episode of Ask Christina First, we learn how to deal with customer emergencies and why adding time into your daily schedule is necessary in order to handle these emergencies as they come in. A major first step is understanding and accepting that emergencies happen and will happen on a daily basis. Preparing for these emergencies using your existing systems will create a space where you can handle the urgency and move forward. How much time you allocate for emergencies depends on the level of customer service you’ve promised your customers. For example, if you are a luxury business, your high level of customer service is going to have to be incorporated into your current system. Being a high level luxury business requires a high level of attention to your customers and their needs. The space needed to handle emergencies needs to be prioritized in your time management system. Another way to add in emergencies is during your daily dump. Here you can add slots of times where an urgency can be handled or where it will make sense to allow allocated time to handle this particular problem. This creates a space where your customer urgencies aren't hijacking your time. How you handle these emergencies plays a major role in the atmosphere of your business which includes your overall values. Are you a business that runs off of fight or flight or does your business hold values that require and allow you to focus on what's important and getting it done? In this episode you will learn: 1. Why adding customer urgencies to your daily schedule will save you time and headaches. 2. Discover what level of customer service you’ve promised your customers in the beginning. 3. How to determine if your business is ran on fear or instincts. Customer emergencies are a big part of running a business, but if you do not make space for these emergencies to be handled your business could begin to feel the pressures of it. Making time for emergencies is a great way to keep you, your employee’s and your customers happy.

In this episode of Ask Christina first, we explore both the pros and cons of being a good hearted business owner and how that can affect your systemic systems. The past few episodes have been on systems, but Christina focuses more on why as a good hearted business owner, those systems are overextended. A trend Christina recognizes with good hearted business owners, is the tendency to deliver high grade customer service for a product or service that doesn't equate in compensation or time. Christina’s goal is for people to see the true value beyond just delivering exceptional service and products. You have to take into consideration the many systems that need tending that must be factored in. Delivering exceptional service and not being paid the same for its value, can over time cause your business to fail. The goal is to run and grow a successful business and good hearted business owners seem to take the short end of the stick on this matter in particular. Over delivering. In this episode you will learn: 1. How to decipher if you are one of these good hearted business owners.2. Understand how your systemic systems create the ton for your business and how it all matters.3. Why systemic systems will help support the success of your business now and in the future. The reason Christina is so passionate about the good hearted business owner, is because she is aware that your purpose lies very deep in why you started the business in the first place. Helping the world become a better place probably holds significant impact in your business and your life. However that doesn't mean that your services and products shouldn’t include all that is necessary for the overall functionality of your business and the success of your business.

In this episode, Christina continues with Systemic Systems giving us the background on Peter Senege who was responsible for bringing the concept of systemic systems to the forefront in his book “The 5th Discipline” published in 1990. The core design of systemic systems boils down to culture and the culture related to how you run your business. When you walk into a store, let’s say a pet store or a gym, it’s the feeling that creates the culture which is a derivative of the systems that are in place. Christina takes us from the history of where the concept came from to how this affects your employee’s and how they function within the system you’ve created whether you know it or not. If you’ve developed your business on survival learning, that will eventually create the culture in which you and your employee’s move forward. Culturally, people who become employee’s aren't taught to create their own projects within the business. Employees are usually trained to rely on their boss or manager for direction and if you, the owner or manager developed the business on survival learning, this is what your employees will follow. In this episode you will learn: 1. Who Peter Senge is and his influence on systemic systems. 2. How culture plays a huge role in systemic systems. 3. Why your systems create the foundation for your employees and why that can be a good or bad thing. As you can tell Christina is a huge believer in systems and their benefit to your business. The culture you imply will be what your customers and employees feel. It’s your overall presence as a whole and this will be determined by how well you implement and manage your systems.

In this episode of Ask Christina 1st, we dive into the importance of Urgent vs Important. As we know all successful business have a good handle on what we call time management. However things arise daily that may through a wrench in that well thought out daily schedule that may require our immediate attention. This leaves us no choice, but to step away from that well prepared task list. Christina helps us understand the difference between urgent and important. Urgent usually comes about in the moment for example something urgent can be, a client panicking, a misplaced invoice, missing inventory, etc… Urgent matters require immediate attention and cannot be held off. Things that are important for your business are inventory, bookkeeping, social media, marketing, upkeep, etc… Important matters are required to maintain your business, but are not urgent. In this episode you will be able to:1. Decipher urgent from important2. Learn the quadrants of urgent vs important3. Ways to maintain and handle those matters as they arrive 4. When it becomes necessary to delegateChristina has been digging deep into time management and Urgent vs. Important is vital because it relates to our everyday life that we cannot control. It helps tremendously to know what is considered urgent and what’s considered important. https://www.christinasuter.com/

Are you a good hearted business owner that shys away from time management? In this episode Christina directs her attention to the good hearted business owner and talks about why a time management system is better suited for you. Time management can be daunting to start if you feel as though the natural flow of operation best suites you. Christina on the other hand challenges why this may not be true. As a good hearted business owner, your main goal should always be responsibility and accountability especially for those who are your employees or independent contractors working for you. Your overall time management will reflect how those you work with treat you and handle your assigned task to them. If you are too care free with your time, that will reflect in your responsiveness and overall management, which can in turn produce team mates who are careless. If this sounds something like you, it can all be changed by simply adding a time management system to your life. This will also help you in your personal care routine, which we all know is extremely crucial in our health and well being. The more organized and caring you are towards your time, the more it will be reflected in how others work with and for you. In this episode you will learn: 1. Tactics to help the good hearted business owner create a time management system. 2. Discover why time management aids in personal care. 3. How your teammates actions reflect your overall structure and time management plan. Christina helps us by taking us back to time management and engaging on how important it is for a small business. Sometimes the authentic, natural way of doing things can cause hiccups. Those hiccups can be fixed and altered by simply adding a time management system to your business and life. https://www.christinasuter.com/

In this episode of Ask Christina 1st, we talk about client emergencies and how they affect how you run your business. Can you ever remember a time where your client made you feel frantic and out of control? Well that happens when we fall into the trap of allowing our clients emergencies to become ours. The goal is to remain in peace while you are bombarded with these issues. A key to doing this is by responding at a time that is suitable for you even if that means not right away. A clients emergency can surface at any given time and it doesn't make sense for you to disturb your business in order to immediately attend to this matter. The question you have to ask yourself is “is this okay for my business?” Determine whether or not the situation truly affects your business while also considering your feelings towards the matter. A great way for finding out how many times you’re disrupted a day is by creating a time log. For five days keep a log of how often you were hijacked. This will help you figure out how much time you need to set aside a day, week, or month to help you with emergencies and interruptions. In this episode you will learn: 1. Why your clients emergencies are not yours. 2. Proper ways to handle the situation so that you remain calm and in peace. 3. How to create a time log to help figure out the time you need to set aside for emergencies. When people are in a state of urgency they typically tend to release that energy onto everyone else. As a business owner it's your job to handle all situations in a friendly and professional way even when someone is in an emergency. www.christinasuter.com

In this episode of Systemic Systems Why Do I Care Part 2, Christina takes us even further with pointing out how to determine if your current systems are effective in regards to your business and overall performance. Every morsel of what you handle in and with your business is a system. From how and when you send out emails, when you market your business whether through social media or newsletters, down to when you make phone calls. All of these actions whether you think of it that way or not, has some kind of system attached to it. Set aside some time to go through each of these systems and find out your cycle and how you in particular handle each one. Sometimes an ineffective system just needs a little improvement and you may find it to be completely unnecessary, eliminating it all together could be best. A big hindrance in many businesses is not allowing others to step in to help and this can occur when you have not taken the time to write out each of your systems. Having too much pride in running a business can slow you down tremendously. A good way to begin this process is setting aside some time to track your systems. In this episode you will learn: 1. How to determine if your current system is effective or not2. Ways in which tracking your systems and creating a timeline can help3. Why having too much pride can slow you downWe all have systems regardless of how well we’ve tracked and operated in these systems. Having systems is crucial, but it can also be a drawback if you create systems that only you know how to handle. This episode is designed to bring in new light to old habits that someines need a new perspective. https://www.christinasuter.com/

In this episode of Ask Christina 1st, she takes us on a journey through the system of the manufacturer and the distributor and how that process and relationship is a prime example of a systemic system. Successful systems require successful habits that allow for proper tracking and monitoring. A great system to monitor to determine this is your cash flow management. Your ability to manage your cash can create a space that is positive and abundant or negative and straining. In her example of explaining the relationship between manufacturer and distributor, Christina points out how the system begins to deteriorate or become what we know as distribution or the process of it. Systems engage with more systems in order to create flow. Why Christina cares is because a lack of systems implements a lack in organization, follow through, and overall management. Christina knows that systems guide your business to the next step, which we assume all businesses have as a goal. In this episode you will learn: 1. How systems make or break your business. 2. Why the distributor and manufacturer example is extremely useful. 3. Tips on how to implement good system protocols and configuration. Although systems can sound redundant, its a very crucial aspect to business and life and functionality Sometimes systems aren't necessary, but when running a business and serving, systems will bring you peace and insight.

In this episode of Ask Christina First, we explore how to delegate and the steps you can take to make that transition. When your small business grows, there are tasks and projects that will require outside input regardless if you are capable of doing them yourself. This can be a difficult changeover for those who have been doing everything on their own. Deciding what you want to handle and what others can do can be a daunting task for those who are attached to their business. A great way to get this moving is by creating 3 lists. The first is what are your strengths. The second is, what is your nature. And the third is what do you like to do/expert at and does it make you money. These 3 lists will help you organize the tasks that require your hand and those that can be delegated to outside sources. A good example is bookkeeping and accounting work. Sending that off for another to handle is simple and may not require too much input aside from organization and communication. Once you’ve made it to this point, create an appropriate protocol that will allow the delegation process a smooth transition. That protocol will include delegating in detail. The main focus when communicating to this new person is, what is the end result and can you do it? At the end of the day that is the main component in delegation. All you need to know is can the job be done and when. In this episode you will learn: 1. Why delegation is crucial to a growing company. 2. The 3 list that will help you make that transition. 3. What are the tasks that require your attention and what can be done by others. Delegating can be a hard task for many, especially for those who have handled most if not all of their business matters alone. Delegation is inevitable for growth, which is a great sign that you are moving forward.

In this episode of Ask Christina First, we explore how to delegate and the steps you can take to make that transition. When your small business grows, there are tasks and projects that will require outside input regardless if you are capable of doing them yourself. This can be a difficult changeover for those who have been doing everything on their own. Deciding what you want to handle and what others can do can be a daunting task for those who are attached to their business. A great way to get this moving is by creating 3 lists. The first is what are your strengths. The second is, what is your nature. And the third is what do you like to do/expert at and does it make you money. These 3 lists will help you organize the tasks that require your hand and those that can be delegated to outside sources. A good example is bookkeeping and accounting work. Sending that off for another to handle is simple and may not require too much input aside from organization and communication. Once you’ve made it to this point, create an appropriate protocol that will allow the delegation process a smooth transition. That protocol will include delegating in detail. The main focus when communicating to this new person is, what is the end result and can you do it? At the end of the day that is the main component in delegation. All you need to know is can the job be done and when. In this episode you will learn: 1. Why delegation is crucial to a growing company. 2. The 3 list that will help you make that transition. 3. What are the tasks that require your attention and what can be done by others. Delegating can be a hard task for many, especially for those who have handled most if not all of their business matters alone. Delegation is inevitable for growth, which is a great sign that you are moving forward.

During our last leg of Christina’s Time Management series, we end with understanding the importance of shared systems and project delegation. When running a business, one of your greatest assets will be how well you communicate with your employees. As the owner of the company, it is your responsibility to deliver follow up and feedback so that your employees feel a sense of appreciation and inclusion. Creating shared systems will be the governing factor for proper communication, take management and project delegation. All too often, we tend to demand project completion without fully understanding or following up with what our employees are already working on. Proper project delegation requires 3 parts that will help alleviate tension and lack of empathy. Before a project is distributed, it is your job to make sure you have a clear understanding of what the outcome is. Handing over a well thought out project saves you time and minimizes unnecessary back and forth. This allows you and the person you're sharing a project with much needed clarity and well thought out to do’s. It’s also important you create an agreed upon system so that all communication and tasks are easily accessible to all parties. The greatest takeaway from Christina’s time management series is understanding that it all boils down to your sense of overload. Time management itself is useless if you are not able to focus and maintain that focus until project completion. It is designed as a guide to help you organize your workload and be mindful of what’s most important. Each person is allocated the same amount of time each day. What you do with that time will determine how well you know yourself and how well you are committed to being focused. In this episode you will learn: 1. Why proper project delegation is so important and how shared systems play a role. 2. Why feedback and follow up is crucial in project management. 3. Why creating a desired outcome will create flow and clarity for the project, you and your employee’s. 4. Why time management is useless unless you are focused and able to visualize the outcome. Christina’s time management series is truly for those who are ready to take their business and life to the next level. It is about growth and being able to show up and get things done. Time management is necessary for the development of projects, but also the development of self which is the primary culprit in discovering who and what we want to be. Allow this series to be a how to for discovering the importance of shared systems, employee appreciation and personal development.

We are back at it with Implementing a Time Management System. As time management continues to be a very important topic for Christina, we continue the conversation around getting things done. Whether you're running a small business or running a household, tasks are inevitable and getting them done should be a priority. Christina begins this show with breaking down the mind dump concept, which is designed to help you gain clarity for your everyday tasks down to your long term projects. For your everyday task, handling the most important duties first are imperative. This will alleviate the many pressures that come with getting things done. Tasks that are the most important should have priority over things that don’t need your immediate attention. Maybe a bit of discipline is required to do this, but it will get you where you need to be. Be aware that of that task list you create everyday, only about 50% of it will get completed and that is okay. The goal is to get everything out and focus on things that require your immediate attention. The mind dump exercises should be done every morning as soon as you step foot in your office or work space. The next big element is doing a 6 month review of where you are in your business. This requires you to take a deeper look at your projects and assess if those projects are still in alignment with your purpose. Six months is a decent amount of time to determine where certain projects and tasks stand in your business. Sometimes projects and tasks can naturally change over time, which will require an evaluation to determine its importance or lack thereof. It's vital for any business to do periodic project/task assessments to make sure they are on track and moving according to plan. On occasion a project or task can lose its momentum and in that case if you don’t want to rid it completely, you can add it to your someday or maybe list for the future. The most crucial part of this concept is being honest and ready for revision. The key is making sure you are 100% aware of what needs to be done and not being afraid to remove things or add them as needed. In this episode you will learn: 1. Tactics for a proper mind dumping morning routine. 2. Determine what task/projects hold priority over others. 3. Creating a list to keep your tasks and projects under control. As you can see Christina finds time management to be the one of the most important factors of a successful business. As you begin to implement these steps, you will notice a significant change that is necessary for not only your company’s growth, but for your personal growth as well.

In this episode of Implementing a Time Management System Pt. 1B, Christina finally gets us to a point where we understand the concept of time management. In this show each system is broken down even further with an emphasis on action and what that means for either a task or project. Each project should have at least 1 actionable task to begin with. After that task has been completed you then move on to the next action step, which should not be dwelled upon until the first action step has been completed. Maintaining clarity throughout the time management system is crucial and a major focus in this series. Another big factor in this show is making sure you have a daily schedule that will allow you to get through your tasks and projects with more efficiency and precision. Your daily schedule should include first clearing out your messages and inboxes before your actionable items and project task arise. This will help declutter your work space and your mind before the real work begins. The most helpful way to begin a project list is by creating a pile of everything including papers, objects that need fixing, a shoe that needs repair, tickets to next week's game, receipts, etc… This pile will be the starting point on creating that much needed project list. In this episode you will learn to: 1. Each project should have at least 1 implementable task. 2. The importance of creating a daily schedule and how it affects your work environment. 3. Learn WHAT IS IT? 4. The filing system that filters and eventually creates your project and task list. 5. Electronics vs paper. Implementing a Time Management System Pt. 1B is a thorough follow to Christina’s previous shows. Understanding the importance of time management is crucial and will be a significant guiding point to your success in business and in daily life.

Implementing Time Management Systems Pt. 1A brings us to a place of understanding time management and how each category requires a system. In Time Management Now, Christina talks about the importance of time management and the different sectors associated with it. In this show we go even further into each system and why time management is more of a mind management system and its relationship towards the things we want to accomplish. Although it may seem like 24 hours of our day goes into our work, the 16 hours we spend awake can be allocated to many different things. Managing your time in those hours can have a huge and significant impact on how your tasks and projects are completed. Now we dig into the details of each system, which are the calendar system, the task system and the filing system. The most important aspect of a good system is that as things come in things must go out. This can get in our way mentally by not having the ability to fully get things out and done. When tasks, projects or to do’s are stuck in our brain, it boggles us down making it almost impossible to move on to the next step. An effective time management system is being able to bring everything in and move it back out again to its proper place, leaving you with freedom, clarity and accomplishment. In this episode you will learn how to: 1. Effectively decipher what should go on a calendar and what shouldn't 2. How to properly allocate time between your daily activities that will create a stress free environment and lead way time before and after each activity. 3. The difference between a task and a project and which categories to put them in. Christina’s time management series is extensive and provides in depth knowledge and examples on how managing time can create the freedom you desire.

In this episode of Ask Christina 1st, we get a big lesson on time management, which is more than a vital part of everyone's life regardless if you're an entrepreneur, agent, parent, coach, runner, etc… Time Management Now takes us to the part where immediate results directly reflect our organization and how well we are filing. Christina first talks about the David Allen system, which suggests we go over our to do list once a week. Christina, however, suggests that this part take place either every two weeks or once a month. Consistency with time management is crucial as your to do list can begin to get out of hand, which will make it difficult for you to catch up. Next, she goes into depth about the filing system she uses to organize her paperwork and her office space. Have a system organized by months so that your paperwork is easy to find. It creates a system that is effective, easy and can be traced back if necessary. This can pertain to both business and personal and Christina gives a great example of how she would plan a trip to the aquarium a month or so before the actual trip. She helps us find ways to stay clutter free while also incorporating tactics that create ease, organization and easy access to reflect. Another important time management tactic is the calendar system. Christina explains the importance of getting it all out during this phase. Making sure you fill your calendar with what needs to be done immediately as opposed to focusing on things that are far in the future. In this episode you will learn more about: 1. The David Allen System.2. What each system is and it’s basics. 3. The importance of time management and how it pertains to everyday life and overall productivity. Time Management Now is a part of a larger series by Christina, which truly brings us closer to clarity and overall life management. This episode is an introduction to the series and lays an important foundation for all this series has to offer.

In this episode of Ask Christina 1st, Christina helps us clean up our inventory to find out what we have, what we need to get rid of and how. For small business owners that have inventory, a great place to start is finding out what it is you're selling the most of and what you're selling the fastest. Inventory can be both an asset and a liability depending on how well it's selling. If you deal with perishable items of course there is a system in place because those items are on a time limit. However, for products that don’t physically expire, there still is a time stamp on them and this will fall on branding and the market. For example, let’s say you wrote a book and the content of the book is talking about the crash of 2008? It’s clearly decade old information, but with the right marketing and rebranding tactic you can sell that item so that it is no longer collecting dust on your inventory shelf. In this episode you will learn how to:1. Discover new ways to rebrand your old inventory. 2. Organize, label and catalog your inventory so that you can plan ahead. 3. Learn ways to market an old product. Inventory is a vital component to almost every business. It is also extremely crucial to make sure you are handling your inventory properly. This show will give you some much needed advice and insight on where to go next with your inventory.

Today Christina talks about a very important question and that is do you really know what your product is? For those of you that do, congratulations, but for those who don’t, here are some ways to help you define what that might be. The first step in discovering what your product is is to understand and define the steps you have your clients walk through in the beginning. This can include how you greet your potential client, how you list out your services, what they can expect from you, what information is required from them and more. This not only defines your product, but it also shapes what your client will expect moving forward. The hardest part is always being able to say what it is you will be offering and what they will receive in return. This process could be harder for those who provide a service as opposed to an actual product, however all of this information applies to both. After you’ve been able to clearly define your product, the next step is going over the value each step will offer your client. As you know Christina always says pull out a piece of paper and a pen. Begin writing all of this down until you are comfortable with what you’ve come up with. These two steps will truly take you to the next level and will give you and your clients the confidence necessary in moving forward.

In this episode of Ask Christina 1st, defining a clear product is the goal. How do your clients understand the process of your product? Christina asks us to take out a piece of paper and a pencil so that, with clarity, we can begin to define the steps we use to get our clients to understand what they are getting. Despite the many differences that are associated with having different clients, there should be deep clarity into knowing what you offer and what they are getting. Your product is the overall service your clients are expecting from you. This can include your natural talents and gifts, the way you deliver your product the comfortability attached to your product and many other things. Once your clients have a clear understanding of your product then you can begin to charge them what you deserve to be paid. Some clients may require less and therefore you adjust your pricing accordingly. The fundamental take away from this show is to be able to be at peace knowing you and your client are fully aware of what you are giving and what they are getting. In this episode you will learn: 1. How to clearly define your product.2. Create a well written description that will help your customers fully understand your product. 3. How defining your product aids in marketing and sales. Defining your product will bring you and your business much needed clarity. This will allow you and your clients the ability to communicate and progress so that you both feel secure and in alignment.

In this episode of Ask Christina 1st, Christina opens us up to all systems overview. Systems are the ways in which each part of your business functions. They also can go down on a scale of how well you are implementing these systems in your business and how you can improve them over time. Similar to the 9 Core Business Elements, systems are more so concerned with the functionality as each system pertains to something different and should have its own system. Of course giving detailed examples of each system, Christina starts us off with product. A system for a product could be the system you have in place from the time a customer purchases your product, how they receive the product and your inventory upkeep after the product has been sold. Are you responsible for your inventory or do you work with a company that handles it for you? Do you wait until there are only 1, 5 or 10 items left before you restock or do order product as needed? These are ways in which you can start to look at your systems and see if they are benefiting your business or hurting it. In this episode you will learn: 1. What are systems and why they are important.2. Why do certain systems work and others don't?3. How can you implement these systems into your business for maximum usage.All systems overview will give you a jumpstart to making those changes you have been thinking about for some time. Get out your pen and paper and start making your systems work for you.

In this episode of Ask Christina 1st, we talk about the 9 Core Elements and How Essential they are for small business owners. Starting off with product, customer service and systems we learn the key elements for each one and how to garnish all we can from them. The 9 elements are key components for starting and maintaining your business and the services and products you offer. Christina helps us break each one down providing examples and data to help us understand the importance of these elements. Depending on what you offer, not all of these elements may apply to you, but there is a good chance most of them are necessary. Each element is a category containing many subcategories that require concentration and research, which we then apply to our own lives and businesses. In this episode you will learn: 1. What are the 9 core plus 1 core business elements. 2. Why elements are pivotal for any business development. 3. The importance of applying these elements. 4. Ways to help you implement these elements into your business. The 9 core elements will help you to not only organize your business, but also find out what is necessary for overall impact and abundance. You can listen to the full episode of the Ask Christina 1st podcast located here:

In this episode of Ask Christina 1st, Christina continues with her spiritual principles in Business series. This show focuses on customer service and team management. Implementing your spiritual practices in these two forms of business can help in tremendous ways by bringing forth clarity, patience and understanding. All necessary tools when working with people especially those who are your customers and people on your team. As small business owners, a huge portion of our time goes into working with people who contribute to the foundation of our business, each requiring an approach that could help move everyone forward. In this episode you will:1. Be able to see how your spiritual practices help you run a smoother operation which will reflect in the overall business flow. 2. Learn to implement practices that help alleviate customer push over.

In this episode of Ask Christina 1st, Christina shares her insight on what it means to incorporate spiritual practices into your business. As a firm believer in doing your business that is your purpose, Christina forces us to dig inside why we hesitate to market ourselves. Drawing on experiences of the not so trustworthy salesman, Christina challenges us to look beyond the negatives attached to marketing and sales, reminding us that it is a disservice to ourselves. Christina’s goal in this show, is to convince us that our business is our purpose and therefore marketing is a part of the grander process. Once you have accepted your purpose and are proud of what you are offering the planet, you begin to start sharing what you do as opposed to trying to sell what you do. In this episode Christina will:Help us identify our scarcity thinking when it comes to marketing.Why spirituality is connected to our business and purpose. Solutions for how to step into our light and not be afraid to share what you do. The spiritual principles in business marketing will help us find clarity as to why we hide away from the things that will help us make it to the next level. Christina’s goal in this episode is to help us reconnect with our source and realize our potential and realize that sharing what we do is much different than trying to sell what we do.

In this episode of Ask Christina 1st, Christina encourages us to rethink how we spend time on our leadership skills and also our Cash Flow. As a small business owner, you hold the responsibility of making sure your employee’s and yourself are in a good space. Christina talks about us walking into our light and not apologizing for being who we are. In business so much of who we are is engraved in the foundation and direction of our purpose. Rethinking the roles you’ve obtained in leadership can help iron out some core issues. Another very important aspect is cash flow. Cash flow allows your business to deliver its promise to clients, employee’s and you. Using examples of hydrogen and oxygen molecules, Christina lays out a great way in which we can relate how we operate in business. In this episode Christina will explore: Ways in which you can include spirituality into leadership and how leadership affects the outcome. Why it's important for us to step into our light and not shun from what is meant for us. Understand that cash flow is your duty as a business owner and how cash flow adds to your purpose.

Who are your customers and how do you keep track of them? Discovering what’s trending about your customers can help you better understand what your customers need. The three trends you need to pay attention to are who are your best customers, what are your customers buying more of and how do you keep them happy? Tracking is essential when making sure you are providing your services and products based on what your customers needs are. Finding out where most of your sales are made will be a great starting point for how you discover what your customers truly want. For example if your company sells hair products, it’s important to know what products are selling the most and which are stagnate. You can do this by tracking your products and sales for the past 6 months to a year. In that you will be able to fine tune your expenses and marketing efforts as well as update your inventory to match customer needs which leads to you knowing what makes your customers happy.

How do you know when there is a change in your industry? Do you read up on it or do you watch videos? Do you ask others in your field or do you attend conferences and workshops? Spotting trends in your business is a very effective way to remain an expert in your field. Being knowledgeable about the current changes and state of your industry can help you stay ahead of the game. In this episode Christina helps us understand the many different ways that you can spot trends in your field. A great way to start is by reading twenty minutes a day on topics related to your industry. Believe it or not, most people in your field dont do this. Most people don't actually take the time to study the current state of affairs in their field and because of this, they can miss where to redirect next within their own business.

How is your purpose connected to your business? Although this may seem like a heavy question, its without a doubt the reason you started your business and it probably has something to do with your purpose. Even if you never thought that deep into it, your business is indeed a part of your purpose and with that, transformation is required. That transformation is your responsibility and can be found in researching what is happening in your industry. Challenge yourself to do an industry review by taking 20 minutes out of your day to research what is changing in your field. Where is your industry moving? Is it stagnate or is it introducing new technologies and ideologies that is causing it to move rapidly into the future? Every industry is different and trends will always change, but where do you fit into all of this? Do you know what of your industry is changing, how fast, where, and why? We can look at Amazon and see how much they’ve altered the retail industry by providing a service most shops are and did not provide causing a massive shift in an industry that was once at a point in time, and industry standard. If one company can change an entire rhythm of business and set a new trend, it’s almost mandatory that you find out who the Amazon of your industry is. Start by doing an industry review every 6 months. What you are looking for is trends, what your competitors are doing,pricing points, what products are coming out, where your industry is moving and so forth. This can be used as a guide to see where you stand in your industry and what you need to do in order to keep up, if that is of course a part of your purpose and your mission statement.

Do you ever ask yourself who you are in your industry or how you differentiate yourself from your competitors? No matter the industry you're in, it's important to understand who you are up against, who you can learn from, and where your particular market is heading. The amount of effort and resources you put into your overall brand, will determine where you stand in your market. Do you provide high end services and products or are you offering lower end services and products? Do your due diligence and find what you can about people who you feel provide the level of business you wish to aspire to. What does their website look like and what is the quality of the content they provide? Where are they marketing and to who? Who are their clients and what type of services and products do their clients pay for. Are they regional, national or international and if so what are they doing to maintain interaction? Who you are in your industry is determined by how you compare to those who are also in the same field. In this episode of Who Are You In Your Industry, Christina will walk us through multiple strategies to use when contemplating where we stand in our market and how to get to the next level.

Are you stressed? Is your business causing you this stress or are you unsure of where it’s coming from? Stress is a very generic emotion that is derived from a cause or situation and in order to fix what is, the problem at its core needs to be revealed and then dismantled. If your business has bought you some kind of stress, it usually comes from finances, employees, productivity, etc… The biggest stress builder in business is reaching your bottom line. That bottom line rolls over into your personal life making stress from your business also the stress you can experience in your everyday life. You can begin this process by tracking all that is associated with your bottom line. Does the income from your business pay for your personal life, your mortgage, your groceries, kids education, and health expenses? Can you cut down some of your personal expenses? Are there things you can do in your personal life that will relieve some tension from your business? Most likely yes. There are things you can begin to do today that will help lower the stress you are experiencing by finding out what is causing you the most stress, finding ways to eliminate it, and getting to the bottom line of how to improve your situation.

As a small business owner there are times when you experience stress or at least sense a feeling of urgency when it comes to your business. Symptoms of stress can be anything from feeling anxious, not sleeping well, snapping at others, to screaming, overeating or overspending.Stress is an indicator, it's not a problem solving tool and it's not a resolution, so the question is, what's causing your stress. Stress indicates that something is off course either within your personal life or within your business, something is off. Stress isn't just for times when things are going bad, you can experience stress when things are going well, too. If you're a small business owner who is experiencing stress, start with your bottom line. If your business is not accumulating debt for longer than a month at a time, your business is cash flowing, if it's not, you now know where to focus your attention and that will help you reduce your stress. If you as the business owner are bringing home income that is allowing you to feed yourself and take care of your family, then you are doing well. If your business isn't doing well and you aren't able to bring money home or pay yourself, eliminating stress will mean taking a long, hard look at your numbers and making adjustments.

What do you know about systemic systems? Do you have systems in place for every aspect of your business and if so how do these systems help? What we all need to know as small business owners is that we all have systems in place that regulate how we want our business to run. However, over time your nature which is implemented into these systems may not always work. With that, it is your job to make sure those systems are being revitalized to fit the overall brand and functionally of your business. The systems you set in place give you your power as a business owner because those systems are very individualized to fit your vision and what you want your company to be. The best way to understand how this works is to write down all of the systems you use in your business. That can be anything from how you handle orders, what you direct your employees to do when a customer is unsatisfied, how you want the cleaning people to place the plants in your office all the way to what CRM system you use for tracking. Anything that helps you run your business is a systemic system that you somehow gave life to. For this show Christina wants you to take some time to find out what your systems are and grade them. What needs to be improved? What can you do to make sure those systems are effectively working and that you are not being stuck in your nature? Systemic systems lays the foundation for how our customers see us as business owners. This is where you create what you want from your business by understanding and implementing the systems that will get you where you want to go.

Finding the balance between work and life, we could say is the ultimate dream. How come finding this balance can be so difficult especially when you are a business owner juggling a family, a marriage, a business, school, accounting, life and everything in between? Where is that silver lining that makes doing what you do all that more important? In this episode Christina helps us explore the possibilities of making a work life balance a reality. What keeps you excited everyday about being an entrepreneur? Think of the reasons you choose this lifestyle and what keeps you waking up everyday to complete your work. What does work life balance mean? It means having both a fulfilling amount of work as well as a fulfilling amount of personal time. For starters, creating your own definition of what work life balance is will help you figure out what’s important to you and where you should be putting your energy, time and resources. Your instincts are a good indicator for helping you determine where you should be spending your time. For example, Christina loves spending time with her family, but she also truly loves being a consultant. When the time comes where she no longer wants to indulge in work, that’s a sign to her that it’s time to shift gears and be with her family. There are so many indicators and everyone is different. What ways do you sense it’s time for you to make a shift in your work life balance? Do you have a balance at all and if not what are some of the habits that stop you from making it a reality?

How many sides can one person take on when it comes to running a business and are these sides necessary for the type of business you are running? Christina helps us figure out the three main types of small business owners and which are love and connection, discipline and punishment, and lastly avoidance and neglect. Do you fall under one of these categories or are you a mixture of a few? It’s very important you solidify what type of business owner you are as it will transpire into how you handle your employees and everything in between. In this episode Christina breaks down each category and gives examples as to the different ways each of these affects how you run your business. We can assume that most people have never questioned what type of business owner they are, not knowing that they have over time indeed developed a style that has created an overall structure. This episode will help you discover what type of small business owner you are and what you can do to improve and or stop some of the habits that come along with it.

How does being a good hearted business owner affect how you treat your employees? Are you too soft in how you handle task distribution or do your frustrations get tangled up in how you delegate? Being a small business owner comes with a slew of challenges, but also it comes with great fulfillment and purpose. In this, how do you manage your team and are the results of that reciprocated so that you are aware of what's going on? Managing a team requires you, the leader to wear many hats. A big factor in team management is time management and how well you juggle the two so that the business is running smoothly and effectively. In this episode of Good Hearted Business Owner & Team Management, Christina shares ways on how to effectively manage a team without feeling overwhelmed or frustrated. It is not to say that these things don't come with managing a team, however there are tactics that can be set in place to help make sure you and your team are always on the same page working towards the same goals.

In this episode of Ask Christina 1st, she interviews Bruce Norris of The Norris Group on how he got started in real estate. Bruce who has three plus decades in the real estate business and shares who, what, when, where and why he was able to create his expansive real estate career. Dealing with the recession in 2008, Bruce was one of the first people to figure out that the recession was going to take place. It was his memo that allowed people to pull out before the big crash. Unfortunately at the time, Christina didn't know Bruce so she was one of the investors that didn't get the memo and lost everything. Bruce, in the real estate community is considered one of the best and brightest in his field. Bruce’s knowledge and skill has granted him the term guru to many people who look up to him and rely on his updates in order to stay safe and educated in the real estate market. Bruce shares his story and well as stories he has encountered along the way. Bruce is very well known for holding a great deal of integrity which you understand by the end of the show. https://www.thenorrisgroup.com

In this episode of Ask Christina First we dive into time and leadership style. Are you the knit picker- are you the manager always looking over the shoulder of your employees, expecting your staff to be mini versions of you, and checking in so many times that you could have just done the project yourself? Do you micro-manage? Time management might work well for you but you may have trouble letting things go. The David Allen system says that when you delegate a project, get clear on the performance level of the project. Then get clear on what the vision of the project is and what the story of the project is. Empower the people you trusted enough to hire, to use their skill and background knowledge and apply them to your vision, project, and product. Don't deliver the project with the details, you don't need to give your contractor or employee the 'how', that creates a micro-managing environment. Take a receptionist for example, you don't tell a receptionist how to field multiple calls. You hire a receptionist with experience and trust that they'll use their experience and knowledge to field calls, direct calls, and take the necessary messages. You tell them what the intro is when they answer the phone and then take your hands off of their work. Though your nature is to call to the details, you have to empower your employees and team members and give them a sense of accountability. Friendly & Open Style- Are you the type of leader that just wants the work done? You're friendly and accepting and give your employees lots of space. You deliver the end vision but you don't provide any details or specifics, your terms are idealistic and lack structure. This style means you provide a generic vision, but you don't provide enough information to set the employee or contractor up for success.

In this episode of Ask Christina 1st, she challenges the belief that you can’t be kind and good and still do necessary business tasks such as marketing your products or services or pitch sales.Your purpose is to lead and that means having the willingness to be right and wrong and to know that your decisions make a difference. You can lead by example by letting your yes be yes and your no be no, knowing that your employees and clients are taking note. Another aspect of leadership is your willingness to be seen by not hiding your light. Don’t hide your light and don’t detract from or hide your power or expertise. Instead, be willing to have your marketing material show you as the expert you are. You can also begin by making your knowledge public. Publish blog posts as an expert- it’s part of your job and your work needs to be found so you can enrich people’s lives. What if the sun refused to shine or withheld its brilliance? We would be deeply affected by that and you are the same. Nature doesn’t apologize for itself and nature abhors a vacuum. You are here to fulfill your purpose, so step into it. While doing so, hold your shape; be findable, be seen, and keep your boundaries. Maintain your integrity and professional limits with employees and customers.

The Currency of Employment is an episode about how to remain a friendly employer without crossing the boundaries of becoming friends with your employees. It is natural for us as entrepreneurs to want to be friends with our employees; we’re all personable people, so it happens. The thing you must be mindful of as an employer, however, is to be friendly with your employees, but not become their friend.Your employees and independent contractors relate to you similar to the manner that a child does to a parent. You pay them, you provide their financial stability, so, they are dependent on you. If you are a business owner who divulges too much information, whether about the business or your personal life, you run the risk of crossing boundaries. Think about the kind of boss you are, are you inclusive when it comes to information sharing? Even if you are spewing information off-the-cuff about the business, you are including employees in conversations that you shouldn’t. From the employees’ perspective, they will begin to lose faith in the stability of their job when know that much about the business.

In this episode of Ask Christina 1st, she interviews real estate investor David Thompson of Thompson Realty. David earned his MBA in finance from Thunderbird School of Global Management, and graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. degree from Arizona State University. After spending twenty years in a corporate job, David decided that it was time to pursue a passion he picked up along the way. He has helped investors with over 4500 apartment buildings. During this interview Christina gets David to tell us how it all began and why he chose real estate as his way out. https://thompsoninvesting.com/

In this episode of Ask Christina 1st we continue our conversation on why employees leave. This show, however Christina breaks down from the perspective of the employer and how the employer can better understand the culture of their business. A great way to start assessing this is by asking yourself some serious questions about the quality and longevity of your company. Is your company a long standing trusted company that customers rely on? Is it profitable? Do your employees enjoy working there and does your company serve more than one industry? Asking this questions well help you discover the culture of your company as well as understanding what your employees are experiencing work for you. According to the LA Times article mentioned in part one of this show, statistics shows that 54% of employees care about the type of relationship they have with their employer. Therefore are you setting up an atmosphere where your employees are excited and fulfilled to work for you, or is the atmosphere chaotic and anxious? It's imperative you begin to alter your company based on what you find by asking these questions. Employees leave for many reasons, but the boss holds significant impact whether they stay or leave.In this episode you will learn:1. The proper questions to ask to find out how your employees feel about working for your company?2. Why employees can take on your emotions and how to not let that happen.3. How to create a balanced environment that enables productivity and peace for both employee and employer.

In this episode of Ask Christina First, we focus on why employees leave. Now you may have a ton of ideas, however the one that stands out the most is how employees feel about their boss or person in charge. If you're the boss/lmanager, how you interact and engage with your employees determines if they want to actually be there or not. Taking an article from the LA Times, Christina shifts through each reason why employees leave their employers. The first two categories listed are people want to move on to a new job or the relationship with their boss or management is unpleasant. Both of those categories alone make up 47% of the poll making those two reasons the highest. Christina, however finds solutions for both employee and employer. This can boil down to how do you handle relationships with your employees? Do you hire the right people for the job? Can you relate to them in any way? Can you manage them within the culture of the company? Do you know how to work with your employees? Asking these questions will help the employer find the right employees. There however will always need to be boundaries in place so that the work always comes first. An employer and employee should maintain a healthy work balance within the workplace without it ever getting too personal.In this episode you will learn:Why employees eventually leave their jobs?Why management and employer should maintain an atmosphere that employees enjoy coming to everyday.How to keep all parties happy while also keeping the business productive.Here are a few steps from the LA Times article Christina uses as a reference in this show:1. To gain respect from your employees, know the business and the individual's job. Employees respect managers who know what they're doing.2. Acknowledge their work and have an honest respect for their work. Offer up praise and inquire about what they learned in the process. This shows an interest in their growth and work and affirms the hard work they've put in to succeeding.3. Have an open door policy and when you can, actually leave the door open. Eliminate the physical barrier between the boss and the employee and let it be clear that you are available. There are times when you need to close your door, but whenever possible, leave the door open to ensure employees know you are interested and want to help.

In this episode of Ask Christina Suter we focus on part two of the Bottom Line. The culture of America as a whole, and among many small business owners is that we don’t want to be thoughtless in our business. We are anti-big business because it can be heartless, greedy, and does not revolve around a human or good belief system. It is absolutely possible to be a conscious minded, kind, or good-hearted business owner, and not have it negatively affect your bottom line.One of the things that should be clear to employers and employees is the difference between being friendly and being friends with employees. Being friends with your employees means you treat them with the same personal guidelines you’d treat your actual friends. Friends share, as a version of currency, but your employees are not your friends; treating employees as friends crosses boundaries. Employees are people you have hired to perform a task, fill a role, and to carry out their job, the exchange there is their time, talent, effort, and work in return for payment. Avoid adding friendship currency, giving leniency, or being unresponsive to employees when they fail to uphold their side of the employment agreement.Friends excuse, forgive, and may not even mention tardiness; employers don’t have that option. If your employee shows up late for work, fails to complete a project, or speaks poorly of their job to coworkers or customers, take action. All of those things contribute to a negative work environment, bring down morale, and ultimately, it is time and money out of your pocket. Late employees cost more, they require you or others to fill in for them in their absence, and their work isn’t being completed when they aren’t present.For the benefit of the employee, as their boss, be sure that you comment on and/or establish warnings and consequences when work is not done or tardiness occurs. This will keep the bottom line unaffected, and will help reassure the employee that their presence and their work matter. Encourage employees to show up on time, do their best, and to be proud of their work. When speaking with your employee, inquire as to whether there is a way you can help or support them in their home life. Maybe a temporary situation in their personal life is prohibiting them from arriving on time, make temporary changes to their hours or schedule so you both win. Adjust their job description or commitment, if they can’t perform the tasks assigned to them right now. Give him or her the opportunity to have a voice, and to see that you understand and that they matter. If nothing changes and warnings have been given, offer a new position entirely, or let them go.If, by nature, you are a generous person and want to run and own a generous business, be sure to value your time and efforts. Price your products and pay yourself and your employees appropriately. Assess whether you pay your employees too much or yourself not enough, and most of all, remember you are not responsible for the livelihood of your employees.

In this episode of Ask Christina 1st, we gladly jump back into real estate with Brent Kesler from the Money Multiplier. Brent originally from Kansas, but lives in Florida started his career as a chiropractor. Finding himself almost a million dollars in debt, Brent took it upon himself to attend a conference that would change his life, but not at first. After a year and a half of contemplation, Brent decided that he would give this concept a try. A concept known as the infinite banking concept derived from the book “Becoming Your Own Banker.” Three years after taking his first step, Brent was able to get him and his family out of debt simply by using whole life insurance. Most people turn the other cheek when they hear life insurance, but Chrisinta and Brent both use whole life insurance policies in a mutual fund for investing amongst other things. Brent now teaches his methods to over 2,000 students nationwide as well as speaks at many conferences across the country. Brent will be speaking at FIBI Pasadena Thursday February 20, 2020. https://themoneymultiplier.com

In this episode of Ask Christina Suter we focus on the Bottom Line. The culture of America as a whole, and among many small business owners is that we don’t want to be thoughtless in our business. We are anti-big business because it can be heartless, greedy, and does not revolve around a human or good belief system. It is absolutely possible to be a conscious minded, kind, or good-hearted business owner, and not have it negatively affect your bottom line.One of the things that should be clear to employers and employees is the difference between being friendly and being friends with employees. Being friends with your employees means you treat them with the same personal guidelines you’d treat your actual friends. Friends share, as a version of currency, but your employees are not your friends; treating employees as friends crosses boundaries. Employees are people you have hired to perform a task, fill a role, and to carry out their job, the exchange there is their time, talent, effort, and work in return for payment. Avoid adding friendship currency, giving leniency, or being unresponsive to employees when they fail to uphold their side of the employment agreement.Friends excuse, forgive, and may not even mention tardiness; employers don’t have that option. If your employee shows up late for work, fails to complete a project, or speaks poorly of their job to coworkers or customers, take action. All of those things contribute to a negative work environment, bring down morale, and ultimately, it is time and money out of your pocket. Late employees cost more, they require you or others to fill in for them in their absence, and their work isn’t being completed when they aren’t present.For the benefit of the employee, as their boss, be sure that you comment on and/or establish warnings and consequences when work is not done or tardiness occurs. This will keep the bottom line unaffected, and will help reassure the employee that their presence and their work matter. Encourage employees to show up on time, do their best, and to be proud of their work. When speaking with your employee, inquire as to whether there is a way you can help or support them in their home life. Maybe a temporary situation in their personal life is prohibiting them from arriving on time, make temporary changes to their hours or schedule so you both win. Adjust their job description or commitment, if they can’t perform the tasks assigned to them right now. Give him or her the opportunity to have a voice, and to see that you understand and that they matter. If nothing changes and warnings have been given, offer a new position entirely, or let them go.If, by nature, you are a generous person and want to run and own a generous business, be sure to value your time and efforts. Price your products and pay yourself and your employees appropriately. Assess whether you pay your employees too much or yourself not enough, and most of all, remember you are not responsible for the livelihood of your employees.

In this episode of Ask Christina 1st, we talk about curbing your business expense and what it means. Business expenses are broken down into two categories, fixed and variable. Fixed are the core expenses that don’t move a lot, these expenses have a monthly payment commitment, a contract, or an agreement, and require a specific payment amount. Variable expenses are those business expenses that vary, or change, and aren’t essential to keeping your business running. The management of both expenses and the way to curb your business expenses boils down to tracking.Business owners tend to focus on their variable expenses in order to change them, but the core expenses should also be looked at. Can you reduce the amount of your electricity bill, the rent, can you reduce a full time employee to part time employment position, which will also save you on benefits. Make cuts that are unnecessary or repetitive, don’t just cut hours or benefits for the sake of doing it, cut back on things that waste money. Comb through your fixed expenses and determine what expenses are many not actually core; if your business can run without renting out space, without a landline or multiple phone numbers or websites, eliminate those things and save a significant amount of money.In this episode you will learn:1. How to differentiate between your fixed and variable expenses.2. Why deciding what should go and what should stay will help you save money.3. How to track your expenses including advertising, rent, employee salaries, equipment, etc…Every business is its own entity, so there is no formula that works for every business; it wouldn’t be advantageous. It would be easy to look at the highest things on your expense sheet and cut them, but that would not solve the problem, because every business has its own pattern and process.

In this episode of Ask Christina 1st, we get into the discussion of all things relating to your budget. It would be safe to say that not many entrepreneurs are savvy with numbers and accounting, which can indeed affect how you manage your budget. The first step in breaking down your budget is a list. Create an itemized list of your fixed and variable expenses and put them into the categories of either personal or business. Be sure to clarify which expenses go into what category. For example your car, home and gas can be both depending on what you use these things for. Your personal budget will include groceries, self care products, outings, fast food, child care, etc… Your business budget will include equipment, storage pertaining to your business, employee pay, supplies, advertising/marketing, legal fees, accounting fees, etc…. Getting serious about where your money is going is the first step into creating a budget that is for you and your lifestyle. Furthermore, something to pay attention to is your anxieties attached to money and how they affect your spending habits.In this episode you will learn:1. How to categorize your fixed and variable expenses and determine which go in what category, personal or business. 2. How to recognize when your spending habits are attached to your anxieties.Another great tip is to maintain your budget weekly if you can. Being able to log your weekly spending gives you a solid expense sheet at the end of the month.