Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy

E is for Easy...

Do you ever wonder, what other Health and Clarity coaches need to run their business? 

I AM ABOUT TO SHARE WITH YOU... WHAT YOU WOULD NEED IF YOU WERE JUST STARTING OUT AS A HEALTH AND WELLNESS COACH~

1.)  www.godaddy.com or www.greengeeks.com
Everyone needs a good domain name
I used the IIN website for a year or so. I wanted to put money into other things first.

2.) www.timetrade.com or www.acuityscheduling.com
I did it on my own for a year, and then I found it so much easier to pay a service or get a few months free of scheduling with clients. I set up my availability and they schedule. The calendar also travels to my smart phone no matter where I am.


3.) www.constantcontact.com or www.mailchimp.com or www.madmimi.com
Both of these are helpful, I used constant contact for all my newsletters, events, and mailings. I just moved over to mailchimp as it can do more of what I need it to do like opt in's on my webpage and more.

4.) A virtual assistant~ at some point you have to get a small team together. start thinking about what you don't love to do.. and think about having someone help you with that. I am not great at all the technical parts of building a website- so I use a VA.
www.taskrabbit.com or you can use www.Zirtual.com
Virtual assistants can range between $20 dollars an hour to $45 depending on what you want them to help you with.

5.) www.fiverr.com
I used Fiver to design my first logo after my IIN logo. I than used it for some promotion pages, covers for my ebooks and more. I have always been happy with the price and the turn around time. I had my first logo done for $10 dollars.

6.) www.picmonkey.com and www.canva.com
I use all the time for my social media marketing and for Fun facts of the day, YOU use it to place images on text. I use it a lot when I take a picture of a food, smoothie or exercise and put words or the recipe on top of the image, I can add a border and more. I use both of them and they are Free for normal things and upgrades get you more fonts, etc.

7. www.dropbox.com
I use this for all my documents, health forms, photos, waivers for clients to sign, video.
You can share all the documents with friends, clients and more. They can go to computer, phone or tablet. It is safe and secure, and sharing is easy.

8. www.weebly.com or www.wix.com or www.squarespace.com  ( website builder)
When your done with you IIN site you might want to use one of the above sites... or wordpress. I use weebly right now, but I  used wix before. I plan on moving to wordpress in 2015.

9.www.wepay.com, www.braintreepayments.com,
www.stripe.com  ways to sell your products and get paid.

10.www.quickbooks.com 
If you have an accountant or bookkeeper this is still a great website.


Bonus:
Social Media Managment
helps manage vimeo, twiter, facebook, google plus and more.
www.hootsuite.com and www.meetedgar.com


I hope this list helps empower you to get started thinking about some of the things you may need to start your coaching practice, and some of the expenses you may have monthly.

letter D for Doubt

I want to tell you a story:

A story about me and my business.

This is a story about a client and I.

A story that I thought would leave me derailed, feeling worthless and devalued- 

I had graduated from IIN ( the largest nutrition school) when I started doing many  more consultations ( health histories) and I was starting to get a nice client base, and building my email list. 
I met a women who was a Pilate's trainer, she came to one of my lectures. After the lecture she asked for my business card. For a number of months she followed me on my facebook fan page and commented and wrote me often.

Finally, the day came when she met me for a consultation. ( on a side note- "While I was at IIN I was Vegan and lost 35 lbs, While I was working on my business, I wanted to save money and so I did not hire a team I began doing everything myself. I spend more and more time in front of the computer, learning SEO , marketing, website codes and more. I let my food and my exercise slide")

Have you ever seen a coach of a football team, a basketball team or something physical and they don't look very fit? Well, I was that coach. I was not a fitness trainer or a fitness coach. I was just a coach. 

We sat down and had a great chat, I did the health history and she was really digging deep giving me good answers. I felt a connection.

NOW, it came to the part where I have to "close the deal" I had done it many times before so I wasn't nervous. If she chose not to work with me, it wasn't going to be a personal knock to my self-esteem, I had done a lot of personal growth over the year, and I know if she chose not to work with me~ I would be fine- I would get right back on that surf board and keep riding the wave.

She leaned over and said," LisaRenee I think you have this passionate charisma that I love, and I know you know a lot about health and clean eating, but I don't think I can work with you as a client, as your body type, the size you are -isn't fit in my eyes- and I wouldn't be able to be inspired by you. "

You could hear a pin drop.

Did I cry? NO- Did I want to cry? honestly no NOT THIS TIME... she did not rock me to my core with these comments. They were hard to hear as I was 190 at the time- but they motivated me to get back to taking care of me.

Why wasn't I angry or sad by this shocking comment?

Because she was HONEST
RAW 
and it showed me she wasn't my ideal client.

We wouldn't have been a good match.

She might have wasted my time, at each session by not really connecting with me, and not doing her action steps or meeting her goals.

IF she hadn't been honest with herself and her feelings, she may have signed up with me, and then if she didn't get the results, she would spread negative feedback- 

So don't let doubt get in your way- If a client sits with you in a consultation and says, no thank you. 

Don't doubt what you worked so hard to do.
Don't give up your dreams and go grab the want ads.
Don't  doubt your self-worth.
Don't let doubt paralyze you.

They were NOT your ideal client or they would have opened up their wallet~ and paid you.

Take some time to write down today- 
what is your ideal client?
Where do they hang out?
What do they do for fun?
What movies do they like?
What blogs or websites or magazines do they read?

TOP TEN

As a wellness coach and clarity coach, people often ask me what I recommend... to help with balance, stress and to make my days easier.

This is my TOP ten things I can't live without right now:

1. My gluten free- paraben free lipstick
www.redapplelipstick.com

2.Meal planning  

I can't go without menu planning ever... even if we decide not to eat at home one night, I have to cook on Sunday's and prep meals for the week. I use www.plantoeat.com 

It is a terrific service, there are lots out there but this is one of my favorites. I have also done freezer parties with WildTree, and having 10 finished meals waiting in my freezer is very appealing to me.

Another fun website for meal planning is Once a month meals www.onceamonthmeals.com

3. Email decluttering- cleaning- what I mean by this is a way to unsubscribe to things I might have been interested in a few months, or a year ago, but I am NOT interested now, and they are cluttering my email. So I use unroll me. (www.unrollme.com) it is so fast and easy and it rolls them up into one awesome daily email so I can read them there, or save them in a folder to read later. BEST thing I have ever done to feel like I de cluttered my computer.

4. Magnesium Salve

I have never had trouble sleeping, but I have trouble having restful sleep or not waking a lot. So a fellow friend who is a Health Coach makes Magnesium salve and she sent me some samples, it worked I had a well rested sleep and felt like I didn't wake up as much or at all. Her name is Beth Anne Kelleher and she has an Etsy store called Healthy balance Beth.

5.  a book -
You know I can't live without a current book I am following or reading and right now it is The Joy Diet.
By Martha Beck.

She also has a free download of worksheets to follow on her web page.

6. DoTERRA oils

In my quest to heal my gut, I stopped using OTC medicine. So I began to purchase oils. I use Oregano oil for sore throats. I use peppermint oil for headaches. I use oils for stomachaches, bug bites, ear infections and more.

My son has ADHD and I was diagnosed with adult ADHD a number of years ago. I have started using Frankincense with him, and I have seen a difference in how he acts. If you want to order something or just look around you can go to http://mydoterra.com/fountainofhealthhealingoils

7. Coconut oil-
I use it to cook with, to make my bullet proof coffee and to take off my makeup.
Nutiva is my favorite, but sometimes I buy other kinds.

8. Happy Herbivore-
 Meal planning I pay for from time to time.
www.happyherbivore.com

9. Kris Carr's newsletters and smoothie recipes
www.kriscarr.com

and drum roll please... the number 10 thing I can not live without.... right now....

10. The Farmers Market
I love going and finding new things I have never tried, herbs, lettuce and anything new.

C is for Cookbooks

C is for Cookbook

I am a huge fan of cookbooks... and I have a large collection. The collection I had when I was not a health and clarity coach, are different than the ones I love now... Here are a few I found this weekend in Hyde Park, NY in a store called Hammertown

Plenty is beautiful and it has been on my wish list for a few months.

This one my grandmother purchased me... so I own this one.

Now here are my favorites that I own:

I have tons more favorites... but I hope you enjoyed the list, and maybe you will check out a few.

THE beginning

So Let's start at the beginning

I was a Pre-K teacher for 14 years.

I started down a wellness path( to heal my auto-immune disease)

 to 

a school...

IIN

The Institute of Integrative Nutrition

I completed the school, graduated...and.... I spend 2 years working with clients. Busy moms who wanted to stress less and live more.

I enjoyed helping moms find a balance. I facilitated and helped women with Fibromyalgia, lupus and other auto- immune diseases, change their diets.

I loved guiding clients in seasonal detoxes to find out hidden food sensitivities, and food intolerance.

But I have been working with health coaches and women entrepreneurs, and have really enjoyed it.

I have found the tools that help

me get clear on my target market, get crystal clear on what I do and what I offer.

So I find myself at the Beginning again.

As I transition from working with busy working moms to working with entrepreneurs.

It's been exciting.

We have a connection.

I understand their struggle.

I help them identify action steps

I provide accountability to create change.

So if your also at a place of new 

Beginnings

and want to have a complimentary session with me, email me at

helpatfountainofhealthcoach@gmail.com

Letter A is for abundance

Today is Day one letter A of the A-Z challenge. 

Today's letter is A.

I want to talk about  Abundance (in your life).

You may think, what does Abundance have to do with being healthy and well.  I think the mind and body connection is a huge part of how we heal and how we feel.


The dictionary has a few meanings for abundance: One says the quantity or amount of something, which is ok- but I like the definition I found at Positively positive www.positivelypositive.com

Their definition says:" The essential meaning of abundance is that you are solidly happy who you are no external events good or bad can subtract your from your happiness."

Top 5 tips to having and receiving abundance

1) Look at the way you look and care for money. 
Are you open to receiving more money- new jobs- meeting possible new clients or prospects. How do you feel about money? Do you save? Do you keep money in your wallet or pockets all crumbled? or do you keep it neat, and show it how you appreciate it by facing all the money in one direction, and flattening out crinkled dollars.

2.) Remember your thoughts are real and can they carry energy. SO if you say I am never going to get paid more- than you won't. If you say I am never going to have more clients, than you won't. IF you say I a won't find a new friend, boyfriend  or significant other- chances are you might not.

3.)You can reduce your resistance to new things and raise your vibration, with exercise, positive thoughts in a nightly gratitude journal. Write down at night 3 things you were grateful for that day.

4)More self-acceptance of who you are and what you are- brings you closer to more abundance- I did the book A course in Miracles by Gabrielle Bernstein and I felt this book helped me slow down and think about who I was, and that it was ok to be ME the way I am without changing.

5) Try practicing mantras or affirmations that say things like:
Things always have a way of working out for the best…”
“Life has a way of working out for me…”
“I love waiting for what the Universe has in store for me…”
“There is a bigger and better plan I can’t see yet…”

Before I enrolled in the Institute for Integrative Nutrition I never nothing about the Law of Attraction, and if I did, I didn't believe it. Now that I have studied it, read books about it, and continue to work with other health coaches and female entrepreneurs and we focus on it, I have seen it work. I know positive energy has a powerful connection to abundance. The key is that you must be a good receiver, if you are not good at accepting compliments, gifts or hugs- you may not be receiving some of the energy and abundance that is coming your way. Practice being more open and receiving of help, gifts, and compliments. 

IF someone says, " I love your dress." Don't say, " Oh, this I got at target on a 50% off sale." Just say- Thank you.

Practice some receiving today and let me know what abundance comes your way. If you like this post share it and If anything resonated with you leave a comment below.

The moment I decided to ...

THAT MOMENT... June 2014

The moment I decided to work with female entrepreneurs, was the moment that I felt I had finally found the perfect client, to serve. 

I wanted to work with other business owners who were not afraid to look at their flaws, Women who  were tired of being in the perfection zone and wanted to move into digging deep, getting dirty... being messy and then find a calm.

Health and wellness coaches are my favorite group of people to work with. Because I GET THEM. I can identify with most of their struggles. Why? because I am a health coach.

I have struggles too:
Using mail chimp, getting newsletters done, writing new programs, marketing and staying balanced with my own life. Finding new clients, keeping clients, finding workshop venues, finding retreat spots... the list goes on...

Many Health and wellness coaches are also mother's and they need to keep their own wellness in check. 

Last year I let myself go, I was working with 13 clients and they were getting results with their primary food (career, spiritualism, creativity, home environment, relationships, physical activity, finances, health and education.) We were working on crowding out foods that didn't serve them and adding in more greens, smoothies and less gluten. They saw results and so did I.

I sat in front of the computer, checking emails, marketing, reading theories on digestion, detox, and thyroid issues. I took online classes for my MBA and I worked hard on learning all I could about marketing. I cleaned my house, took care of my family, ran errands, cooked meals and left NO time for my exercise unless it was a few times around my neighborhood with my dog. I ate portions that were too big for me, ( not really realizing it) because I was not mindfully eating. I was eating in front of the computer, while working. All the things I tell my clients NOT to do.

I realized that I struggled with balance. I was trying to be a perfectionist. Perfect mom, perfect meals, perfect house, perfect coaching welcome pack, Perfect planned meetings, lectures and clean eating groups. ALL of this left little time for me to do self-care, whether that means visit with friends,  do yoga class for myself or take an Epson salt bath.

I had to invest money and time into slowing down, and letting go of my perfectionism. I had to take on less clients, and take time to dig deep.


For me digging deep meant hiring a few different health coaches as my coach. I needed to really get in touch with my feelings and do some healing before I could heal others.

Elena Lipson- Became my self-help mentor

Laura Madden- Became my visibility coach/style coach

Whitney Harris- Kept me working in my journal, to deal with fear, limiting beliefs and my issues around money.

Kate Northrup- Continued helping me dig deep into my money stories, and what you do with your money even when you get it, matters.

Brene Brown- Worked with a group of women doing the Gifts of imperfection course. Which is a journal based art class, to look at vulnerability, fear, perfectionism, and play.

I wove all my experiences, healing and fun into a terrific series of ecourses that I offer my  female health conscience entrepreneurs.

When I get to work with these gifted health and wellness coaches I feel like I get them to feel more like their authentic selves, not the self- their parents wanted, or their husband  wants or their children want or even who they think a health coach should be, but WHO THEY REALLY ARE. Who they WANT TO BE.

I welcome the opportunity to work with any one who is ready to find and be their authentic self.

WOMEN ready to bloom get ready for the launch this October. Perfection free ORCHARD

I give you permission to smell the peaches.
or dance in the orchard... whatever your authentic self would do...in a peach orchard... ( or a perfection free orchard)

Meditation Tip

I had a difficult time learning how to meditate for almost 6 years I struggled with trying to be still and let my mind go still.... NOW I understand and NEED this powerful way to slow down.


People don't always believe the power of Meditation.

 Meditation can help with so many things:

Depression                                          Chronic pain
Binge eating                                         Asthma
Fatigue                                                 Sleep problems
Heart disease                                        Substance abuse
High blood pressure                              Allergies



IF your looking for some fun meditations to try here is a list of great resources:

www.mindspace.org.uk/


http://geti.in/17Mos9v


www.chopra.com


www.mayoclinic.org/meditation


Try one of the following links above and let me know how you enjoyed it and if you were able to meditate and then come back here and post a comment, I would love to hear from you.

Top 7 WOMEN I adore- entrepreneurs

Being a Health and Wellness coach I am inspired by many of the other women in my profession.

Some of them, I would love to collaborate with one day, others I love reading their newsletters and really resonating with what they say.

Collette Baron-Reid

 
Collette  is a intuitive expert and a author and keynote speaker. She is one of my NEW obsessions. I have been using her wisdom cards with clients and myself for one year. I enjoy her oracle cards. They shed wisdom on questions I am pondering.
this is a video of her her website is fun and it's here
Here is my newest oracle deck

Laura Madden

Laura is a lifestyle and self-image coach. I have worked with Laura this year. She has helped me go from working behind my computer in leggings and yoga clothes to trying on more of my fun clothes in my closet, dressing to impress and to dress like my authentic self.  Laura says," Self-expression is the most effective form of self-promotion." She works with women entrepreneurs. Laura has a fun spirit and her videos get you to think about getting more visible yourself.
www.laura-madden.com
here is one of her fun in the closet videos...watch here  IF your closet is NOT organized you might want to check out her quick tip.


Kristen Hedges

Kristen was a health coach I loved to follow last year, she is someone that inspires me. She is now doing more sisterhood work and yoga. She created the  meditation cards below. I love the style of  her writing it's real and raw.  I love her simple art work and I enjoy the 365 day writing challenges she offers.
I recently purchased her meditation cards because I needed something fun to help me meditate more, and each card had a idea or meditation to try.

www.kristenhedges.com She does offer micro-coaching and is planning some cool retreats so head on over and see what she is up to. I am part of her membership group with sisterhood. If a sisterhood interests you than check out her web page. Kristen also taught me about what a mandala is and I have begun making and creating mandalas in my art journal.

I am starting to draw my own, and to color them in. "The word Mandala (pronunciation mon- dah- lah) means "circle". A Mandala represents wholeness, a cosmic diagram reminding us of our relation to infinity, extending beyond and within our bodies and minds.

The mandala appears to us in all aspects of life, the Earth, the Sun, the Moon and more obviously the circles of life encompassing friends, family and communities.

Mandalas are circular designs symbolizing the notion that life is never ending. Many mandalas have spiritual significance to an individual or group of individuals. The Hindus were one of the first people to use a mandala as a spiritual tool, but the mandalas most individuals are familiar with, are ones made by Buddhists.

Mandalas are used for meditation purposes allowing the individual meditating to become one with the universe. There are not many who are able to achieve this state of mind from just studying a mandala. The symbolism behind the creation of a mandala can have significant meaning for many individuals whether they are Jewish, Buddhist, Christian, Pagan or of any other religious orientation.

Mandalas can be created by individuals to symbolize their journeys through life. Mandalas can also tell a story of where an individual has been. In some cases they will reveal the individuals path in life. Groups can create mandalas that will reveal what they should be doing in order to grow and develop as a group.* excerpt taken from the blog Spiritual Awakening."

Mickey Trescott

I just started following Mickey on her facebook page Autoimmune Paleo a few months ago. As some of you know I was diagnosed with Lupus in my late 20's and I still follow autoimmune information. I found her cookbook The Auto-Immune Paleo cookbook terrific. ( It is an allergen-free approach to managing chronic illness) I love most of her recipes but her Tuna on endive is my favorite.
www.autoimmune-paleo.com

Rachel Feldman

I "met" Rachel right after graduating from IIN ( The Institute for Integrative Nutrition) and although I had all the skills to begin coaching clients, I felt I really needed a little help. Rachel was that help. She is a Health and wellness coach and a business coach to health-focused solopreneurs. She has taught me so much about running a successful detox and has helped me with my own health and digestion.
www.rachelswellness.com
She is really a MAMA who wants other MAMAS to feel empowered by taking health in our own hands, and trying holistic approaches to medicine and food.
Rachel is the reason my detoxes are as successful as they are for me, and my clients. She taught me that the scariest moment as an entrepreneur is the moment before you start. Before you start juicing, before you start seeing new clients, before you start a new lifestyle goal, before you start exercising more, it's always so scary right before.

Amanda Kraft

I have know Amanda since about May of 2013 we met in Whitney Harris's peer coaching for Holistic MBA. We were on the road to being health coaches. Amanda is a professional photographer, who's eye to detail and images that pop are what makes her someone I love to follow. She has taken some food photography that I feel is food porn to a foodie.  Her specialty is FUN before and after style High-school Senior portraits.
To check out her pictures go towww.amandakraft.com
Amanda has a Delicious Crock pot chicken chili recipe on her blog that I make often and LOVE.
She has also enlisted me in her latest adventure BOOTCAMP- the beachbody version called the 21 DAY FIX which mixes exercises, Shakeology drinks with measuring your food and looking at portion control.

The last one is not a person but a website I love.
www.neweverythingessential.me

I sell essential oils, and many times my clients, friends and family have questions about if an essential oil can help them. I send them to this website and the plug in a ailment they have and then the advice for what kind of  oil is best,  will pop up and they decide if that oil is for them.
I send them to my website and they purchase the oil and then let me know how it worked and if they enjoyed it.
you can order here

Hope you found someone you would love to chat with or connect with.