Ever Wanted To Run Your Own Business?

Sally Forrest
5th July 2017  

There is something exciting and liberating about wanting to start your own business.

The thought of being your own boss, living life on your terms and watching the cash roll in is intoxicating.

Anyone can indeed start a business; however, the skill comes in making the business successful, profitable and sustaining the business over a number of years.

Over 50% of businesses fail within the first 18 months and over 95% of new businesses fail within the first 5 years.

The statistics are real and sobering.

In today’s economy, it is easier than ever to start a business, yet the figures remain the same for failure rates.

In fact, sitting in Singapore and reading the news over the past month, there have been report after report of smaller businesses closing their doors, and calling it a day.

So, what advice can I share with business owners from my experience?

Here are 3 top tips:

 

1)  CASH FLOW IS KING

 

If you start a business and it’s run from your home and you are a one-man band, then life is certainly easier. Overheads are lower; however, it may not be seen by many as a true business which is scalable.

Once you start renting an office, opening a space and employing staff, then cash flow needs careful consideration.

Suddenly you can find yourself needing to make $15,000 - $30,000 +  a month simply to “stand still” and pay the bills.

A business needs to ensure it has at least 12 months of cash available to cover its overheads before it begins operation, and at least 6 months on an ongoing basis to cover any eventualities.

 

2)  SKILL SETS

 

Hire staff with the correct skill sets and ones that match the brand.

For any business to succeed, staff are critical. As a business owner, you will need to invest time, energy and effort into getting the correct staff and ensuring they are capable and trained to do their roles.

Great staff bring amazing results.

 

If staff become a cost and are not adding value to the business, then it’s time to review.

An even worse scenario is that staff become a burden and actually slow the business down, need constant management and do not bring in return on investment.

In this situation, it’s time to make tough decisions and to review how the business is staffed.

 

Every member of staff needs to understand the return on investment equation and if they are not able to see that they have a role to play in bringing in business, delighting customers, making efficiency improvements or removing the burden from your shoulders, then it’s time to let them go.

 

Larger companies can carry “extra staff”, however smaller companies soon feel the pinch and need to take action swiftly.

 

3)  CUSTOMER FOCUS

 

Customers bring success to the business. The more the merrier.

 

No customers = no business, the equation is that simple.

 

Listen to your customers and take action on their needs.

What do they want from your business?

What products or services do they need from you?

Identify your top 20 customers and delight them.

Get into the mind-set of your customers.

 

It is easier to keep existing customers happy than it is to keep having to find new customers.

Customers are the life force of the business, delight them and you will find your business is more smooth sailing.

 

I hope my top 3 tips have given you some food for thought.

If you have a great business idea then I encourage you to move ahead.

Start out with awareness, take correct actions and the success will be yours.

 

If you want to book one on one business coaching with us at SoulCentre then please drop an e-mail to: info@soulcentre.org

 

We focus on creating the correct mind-set that brings you results.

 

Sally Forrest

BSC,MRPharmS,MBA

Managing Director
SoulCentre Pte. Ltd.

Cannot Sleep? Learn To Meditate

Vidhya Shailesh,

SoulCentre® Certified Meditation Teacher

29th June 2017

 

Unable to sleep even though you are very tired? Endless nights of sleeplessness followed by days of lethargy and sleepiness can sap your energy and leave you feeling miserable. Though insomnia or sleeplessness can be caused by many factors, stress is one of the primary causes for people tossing and turning in bed. An over stimulated mind, too much activity, absence of a winding down routine can all lead to an inability to fall asleep. Erratic mealtimes, lack of exercise, worry and emotional turmoil along with an inability to let go can be some other reasons.

 

 

Sleep is a way for our body and our mind to rest and rejuvenate. Therefore it is essential that we get our daily quota of sleep. Different people can have different sleep requirements. While some might feel refreshed with just 5 hours of sleep, some others might require 7 hours at minimum. A deep restful sleep will ensure your body feels rested and the mind refreshed. Sleeping too little or too much can harm you physically and can also dull the mind. Here are some tips from meditation and mindfulness you can use to ensure you have a restful night of sleep:

 

1)   LEARN TO MEDITATE

 

Meditation is a powerful way to train your mind to focus on the moment. The various techniques of meditation and the practices, when learnt properly bring our attention to the present moment and teach us to reduce the flurry of thoughts in our minds. Meditation and mindfulness has been scientifically proven to help with anxiety, stress and worry by bringing the mind to the present moment. A technique as simple as focusing on your breath can help create an internal state of relaxation and wellbeing. Lie down on the bed, place your hands over your belly and bring your focus on the breath. As you breathe, observe the rhythmic pattern of the breath. Continue to do this for a few minutes. This helps clear your mind, relaxes it and helps you settle down. It is also a very powerful way to quiet the chatter of the mind. Meditation teaches you to let go and to be in better control of your emotions. The above is just one of the several meditation techniques you learn and benefit from at SoulCentre®.

 

2)   HAVE A BEDTIME ROUTINE

 

A routine takes your mind off the stresses of the day and helps you focus on the task on hand. Sometimes even reading a book can help you detach from the day's events. Writing a journal, reflecting on the day gone by positively, listening to some soft music or even taking a short stroll in the garden are different ways of allowing your mind and your body to ease into a relaxing state.

 

3)   AVOID STIMULANTS

 

Avoid stimulants of all sorts before going to bed. This includes food based stimulants, medication, coffee, tea, carbonated drinks, sugar or even your laptops, phones and tablets. Electronic devices keep the mind stimulated and active. An active mind finds it very difficult to unwind. Keep a routine of switching off all electronic devices by 10pm.

 

4)   OFFER GRATITUDE FOR THE DAY GONE BY

 

Develop the habit of mentally offering gratitude for the day gone by. Think of the day and the events of the day positively and offer gratitude for it. Gratitude helps the mind become peaceful, calm and happy. Developing this bedtime routine helps you make peace with the events of the day and also helps you set the foundation for the next day. Most importantly it ensures you end the day in a happy frame of mind. At SoulCentre®, we believe a happy mind is positive and peaceful. And a happy mind finds it much easier to settle into sleep.

 

Learn Meditation and Mindfulness at SoulCentre® and take charge of your own health, happiness and peace of mind.

 

In just a few sessions through our unique Meditation Made Simple program, you will learn some valuable techniques that you can use on an ongoing basis. A regular meditation practice benefits you in ways beyond your imagination. You feel happier, healthier, and more peaceful, relaxed and will definitely sleep better.

 

So get in touch with us at info@soulcentre.org for more information or visit www.soulcentre.org.

Stage Fright? Anxiety? Overcome It With Meditation

Vikas Malkani,

Founder of SoulCentre

21st June 2017

 

Stage fright can happen long before you even get near a stage. The mere thought of standing in front of an audience can make your heart flutter or pound, the palms of your hand get cold and sweaty, and your knees start to shake and your mouth go dry. Your stomach may even get upset.

 

Public speaking is one of our most common fears, being rated above flying, financial loss, sickness, and even death. The fear can get so bad that some people may become physically ill before getting on stage. But this fear, often called performance anxiety or stage fright, is actually about the underlying social psychology of exposing oneself to an audience.

It happens to even the most experienced performers and even to ordinary people going for a job interview. Celebrities with stage fright include Rod Stewart, Barbara Streisand, Mel Gibson, and Carol Burnett. World class speakers like Anthony Robbins have admitted feeling queasy before their first performances and many prominent athletes tend to suffer from it as well.

Like most phobias, stage fright is a natural response to situations that are perceived to be dangerous or somehow detrimental. Psychologists who work with stage fright patients describe how their inner talk tends to focus on those things that could go wrong during the performance leading to a potential failure.

Studies have shown that these fears can be driven by perfectionism, an ongoing desire for personal control, fear of failure and an intense anxiety about not being able to perform properly when the time comes.

Psychologists have also observed that people with stage fright tend to place a high value on being liked and regarded with high esteem.

Thankfully, there are a number of things that can be done about it.

 

Here are 3 ways which will help you overcome your stage fright and performance anxiety:- 

 

1) MEDITATION – Meditation is the science of training your mind to serve you rather than to harm you. Meditation is an ancient process that is scientific and structured and most efficient when learned from a qualified and capable teacher. By training your mind, you can overcome the fear that arises out of uncontrolled negative thinking.

Here are some strategies that meditation offers to overcome your anxiety and stage freight.

Meditation Strategy 1

Keep Calm – Because of performance anxiety, people often rush through their presentation, speech or other performances. As a result, in spite of knowing everything, they fail to give their best. So keep calm and start slowly. Give yourself time to get used to the audience and get into you comfortable pace.

Meditation Strategy 2

Take Deep Breaths - Be it stress or nervousness, deep breaths can provide you with that feeling of relaxation. So 5-10 minutes prior to going on stage, take deep breaths for about 3 minutes to keep yourself relaxed and calm.

Meditation Strategy 3

Visualization - Visualization techniques can be particularly effective as it creates a positive image in a person's mind about the desired outcome. Mentally creating images of a successful event, and even projecting oneself after the successful performance alleviates feelings of anxiety.

Meditation Strategy 4

Think about it - Visualize yourself on the stage, standing in front of an audience that’s listening, smiling and applauding you. Think about how talented you are, and imagine yourself in past performances where you impressed your audience. Change your point of view and think about how badly the audience needs the information you want to give them.

2) FOCUS ON THE GIVING NOT THE RECEIVING - Stage fright is not really about the fear of the stage. It is the fear of being laughed at and judged by the people who are watching you. In reality, everyone present in the audience is not there to laugh at you, judge you or criticise you. They are there to watch you perform and hence you need to give your best shot. So, instead of focusing on the people and what they are going to think about you, focus on what you have to present and do it the best way you can. This will ease the pressure which is already building.

3) PRACTICE MAKES IT EASY - One of the most effective ways to deal with stage fright is to get on stage as much as possible, regardless of the discomfort. The more you do it, the easier it becomes.

Vikas Malkani is a Mind and Life Mastery Coach. Vikas is also an authority on meditation and mindfulness and has taught its secrets to CEO’s, Hollywood starts, Royalty and sports champions.

He has been called the #1 wisdom coach in the world.

Connect with Vikas at info@soulcentre.org and start creating your new life!

The Secret Is To Say YES To The Important Things In Life!

Sally Forrest

17 May 2017

 

 

At a recent Meditation workshop, the students were sharing why they attended the Meditation class, what was their driver?

 

It was one of those Ah-Ha moments for me, as their responses are all too familiar.

• Life is too stressful
• I have “lost” myself
• I have become sick
• It’s all too much and I simply need to de-stress
• I am not in control of my thoughts
• There has to be more to life than the one I am living
• I’m depressed and unhappy

We get so busy that we forget to notice what we are doing with our time and what we are saying “Yes” to in life.

 

In a world of far too many distractions we are being constantly pulled here and there and we no longer take ownership of our time.

 

We allow “other people’s“ agendas to occupy our day, it really is that simple.

 

An e-mail comes in, we react.

 

A text message beeps and we look at it within 3 seconds usually.

 

A what’s app group is set up and before too long 15 messages a day are flying here and there taking up time, energy and effort.

 

We also allow other people to occupy our mind space, and often these are people we hardly know.

 

Admit it you scroll down Facebook and take in all those images and stories and before too long these people (who you do not even know personally) have taken root in your mind space. You even find that your daily communication starts to change to what you saw on social media today.

 

Then there is Linked in, Private Messaging, Instagram, Twitter and a whole host of other distractions to bombard your precious mind space with.

 

OK ENOUGH.

It’s time to STOP, REVIEW and then take DIFFERENT ACTIONS

 

Here is my 3-step process to support you :

1. DELETE any accounts that no longer serve you. Too drastic? Well then limit the time you spend on them. For example, spend 15 minutes 3 times a day checking the social sites as a MAXIMUM.
2. Focus on what you WANT to spend time on. List these things and plan them in the diary.
3. Plan in “Me time”, time to do the things that relax and pamper you.

Try it for a week and soon your life will be back on track and the stress levels will reduce.

 

You were not born to react to a beeping phone, walk the streets staring at it, panic if you left it behind, take it to bed with you, check it as soon as you wake up……. take back your life and make a change!

 

You have one life – LIVE It fully with awareness and full responsibility.

 

If we can support in any way, please do connect.

Join our life lesson events or book a one on one coaching to support your first step on the journey.

Simply connect : info@soulcentre.org

Meditation – Benefits For Sleep

Vikas Malkani

30 November 2016

NEW BOOK LAUNCH!! INSTRUCTIONS FROM SOURCE

WISDOM AND BEAUTY – INSTRUCTIONS FROM SOURCE

Sally Forrest

23 November 2016

www.soulcentre.org

Instructions from Source is a beautiful coffee table book full of inspiration and beauty.

188 Instructions that will guide you on how to live a fuller and happier life.

These instructions came to Vikas in moments of deep meditation and are simple to apply to life. Just one instruction when applied to life will make a huge difference.

The wisdom is interspersed with beautiful images depicting nature in all its splendor.

“The circle of life begins with me.”

“What your mind becomes full of your life becomes full of.”

“Everything and everyone is your teacher if you pay attention.”

“It is not change that hurts you; it is your resistance to it that does.”

The books are limited edition as only 500 are printed.

Each one has its own number.

Each book is A4 in size, hard backed and complete with butterfly cover.

Opening Special Offer – Ideal for X'mas gifts

Individual books are $75 SGD

Buy 3 for $150 SGD

Buy 6 for $270

Reserve your copy today. Connect on info@soulcentre.org

What Is Meditation – Meditation For Beginners

Sally Forrest

16 November 2016

The term meditation is often misunderstood.

Many assume that it is difficult to learn and that you have to sit cross legged on the floor for hours on end and achieve a state of “no thought”.

Many think it is linked to certain religions and is not for everyone.

www.soulcentre.org

Allow us to clarify exactly what meditation is and how it can support you in life.

Meditation simply is a way that allows you to see how your thoughts are affecting your reality.

“As you think, so you become” is the basis of meditation.

Once you start to see your thoughts and understand that they really do affect how you feel and act in life, then you have a choice to take.

“Do I want to keep thinking in a certain way – always reacting to the external world and its stimulus, and getting disturbed and upset about things I cannot control or do I want to choose my thoughts in a considered way and respond to life differently.”

Let me give you an example; you are driving to work in the morning and a car suddenly cuts into your lane with no indication.

The first reaction could be to horn the driver, get angry and allow this anger to translate into actions (you pull an angry face at the driver- raise a finger in the air – get angry and rant to those in your car, naming and blaming the driver in front as “an idiot/stupid“)

I think you know the scene and it’s a familiar one.

In the moment of anger, you lose all of your happiness and it was not even something that you did – it was as a result of an external event.

With meditation, you first see what is happening and then see how your thoughts are reacting to the external situation. You then simply allow yourself to make a decision – do these thoughts support me and my peaceful/calm mind or not?

The event has happened already and you cannot change or control the external event. However, what you can control is how your respond to it.

Meditation provides you with tools and techniques that allow you to choose how you want to respond to life instead of reacting to it.

It is easy to learn and at SoulCentre® techniques are shared that you can apply in every situation that life offers.

At SoulCentre® we teach through life stories and practical techniques that will suit every occasion.

We teach from beginner all the way to teacher level. Many of our teachers now travel all over the world teaching and sharing the wisdom with others.

Anyone and everyone can learn, children from the age of 6 all the way to seniors of 86 have passed through our Meditation Made Simple® programs.

So what are you waiting for?

Sign up today for a class and see how life changes.

It will be the best decision you have ever made.

http://www.soulcentre.org/meditation-programs