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So, you've decided to start your own business. Congratulations!
I have five financial items that I want you to think about before you open your doors:

• What type of entity best suits your business?
• Which financial software will your business be using?
• Reviewing financials is a must; you need to time block it religiously.
• Determine your expenses and income, but also categorize them.
• The most important and most challenging of them all is setting your budget.

1. What kind of entity are you going to be?

Now, you will get help from your accountant or attorney on this, but before you pay them big bucks, go to Google. I want you to Google LLC, partnership, sub-S corporation, or sole proprietor; I do not recommend the sole proprietor for most people just because there are some tax advantages the other way, but again talk to your accountant about that. You will determine this in advance because this will set up how you do...

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 Summary

•  We all hit our personal ceilings of achievement. We even know we will hit them repeatedly on our journey. Just starting out or evaluating what you have done in order to take it up a notch? Either way, this is going to be great stuff for you.
• "Excitement is a much stronger emotion if we let it lead the way."
• By the time you have gotten through the next 4 modules of this training your business is going to take on a life of its own. Stay tuned throughout April so you don't miss out!
• This first module of our Business Branding Skills training focuses on your mission statement. 
• Your mission statement is not just for your customers to get to know you but is the first piece that your employees, volunteers and team need to be able to connect with and relate to. Quite simply it’s the buy in.
• Sign up below to stay up with our latest trainings for your new business, to get the best deals on our...

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Summary

•  When we get hurt, forgiveness is one of the hardest things to do, and people tend to say I’m sorry with so little meaning it makes forgiveness that much harder.
• A true apology requires one to open up and be vulnerable, validate the other person's feelings and show genuine regret for his or her actions.
• Hanging on to anger, hurt and resentment causes stress, mental anguish and even true physical health problems. Leigh shares 5 ways to recognize when your body is telling you to forgive and let go. Read the full transcript below to find out what they are.
• "Relationships of all kinds are a valuable asset that are irreplaceable.  We need to treat each and everyone like a precious jewel that we take great care of."
• Really listen to yourself in the next few days, as well as listening to those around you.  How often does "I’m sorry” get thrown out there with no slowing down or thought?
• Sign up...

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Summary

•  So, what makes us so hesitant and downright sick to our stomachs to have these conversations? The short answer is FEAR.
• We need to stop and reprogram ourselves to envision how amazing the end result is going to be after the tough conversation.  You could even go so far as to be excited to talk to this person and have a fresh beginning to whatever the problem may be.
• "Make difficult conversations opportunities for growth."
• Click HERE to sign up for a FREE, no-obligation, One on One Strategy Session with High Performance Coach and Founder of Focus Forward Business Design, Leigh Wilson. Seriously, no pressure, we only want to give you the opportunity to try something you may not otherwise try, and it could completely change your life!
• In this blog, Leigh shares her strategies on dealing with tough conversations, whether it is a spouse, boss, or peer. As a bonus she includes methods for dealing with teens and...

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Summary 

•  On a scale of 1-10, how good of a friend are you? I bet if you are like most people, you would say you are a pretty good friend but know that there are times you could do better. We are going to explore HOW you can be a better friend in this week's blog. Check out the video, podcast or full transcript for more!
• "Being a great friend is a skill set like any other highly refined skill that has to be practiced on a continual basis."
• 5 Things to add to your intentional plan of being a better friend: Open your mind, care about the journey, be present, see your people more often and be grateful for the friendships you have. Read on to break these down further.
•  Being that friend that does not stand in judgment and is open and in fact welcomes new ideas or thoughts can be refreshing and truly lead to conversations that build a deeper level of friendship.
• I challenge you to look around or listen and you will find that most...

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Summary

• We are going to delve into dating that super special someone in your life to know how to have those difficult conversations whether it be with your kids, a co-worker, friend or family member. 
• As we get busy and have been with that amazing partner for months or years, we sometimes tend to get a bit complacent.  We may even go as far as taking them for granted without even realizing that we are doing it.
• I am going to share 3 important reasons to make date night a big deal and why it should be the most important thing on your calendar.
• "Like a house a relationship needs a strong foundation and dating provides the opportunity to build that foundation and maintain that foundation so that when the world throws us a curveball, we can handle it like any highly performing team would."
• Too often date night ends up being dinner and a movie with little to no engagement.  Think outside the box, back to when you wanted...

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Summary

• Over the years, my husband and I have tasted a lot of wine... good and bad, and as our taste buds have learned more, we have also determined drinking bad wine is not good for our overall experience. Much like surrounding ourselves with negative or toxic people is not good for our growth...hence the title.
• "One of the most detrimental things that we can do on our journey to growth, both personally and professionally, is surround ourselves with negative input."
• This can be a tough topic, and I get a lot of push back and objections with this one, because none of us like to do things that have the potential to be emotionally tough. However, we know the 5 people we spend the most amount of time with have the largest influence on our happiness and our long-term success or failures.
• Attitudes are contagious! Surround yourself with the good ones.
• "High achievers recognize that anyone aspiring to learn and grow brings great value to those...

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Summary

• What if there was a way to complete the crazy mornings with a feeling of peace and control as you go into your day with a smile on your face, knowing that you have this?
• "The key is that you must start each day with intention."
• It has been scientifically proven that the highest achievers begin each day with a set routine of specific activities that create balance, purpose and a clear direction to the day.  In turn, higher productivity, better work quality, more freedom and a healthier lifestyle have proven to be the result of this new habit change.
• "You deserve the right to have an amazing day and a fulfilled life, and I am here to tell you, that it all starts in the morning."
• Leigh Wilson will go over how to set yourself up for success in 5 easy steps: Start Your Day with Peace, Hydrate, Get Movin', Wake Up your Mind and Plan Your Day.
• Make this a part of your day for the next 30 days, and then, evaluate how you are...

Welcome to Focus Forward and module three of showing up as your best self.  This lesson is going to really give you the opportunity to change up how your entire day and week look.  I know how frustrating it can be to start off your day thinking that you have a clear picture of what you need to get done and even have it in your head exactly how the day is going to play out, just to walk into the office and be ambushed by everyone else’s needs.

This happens constantly and there does not seem to be an easy solution.  After all the people on our team or in our division have their projects that they are trying to move forward as well.  So, what can we do about it?  We have to set boundaries and put a time management system into place that unless the building is burning, or someone is bleeding…badly that the boundaries are immovable.  

Now I get it…people do need a piece of you and your time.  Yet, we cannot let them control the...

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Full Transcript

Welcome to Focus Forward Business Design and module two of showing up as your best self.  As we learned in the last module, that can have a lot of different meanings but the one first step is to show up for ourselves. Now that you know what that looks like it is time to get a bit more tactical. I am Leigh and this is Focus Forward Business Design.

To-Do lists are something that come with a ton of controversy between influencers, business leaders and university business instructors as well as anyone that has ever used one. Everyone has their own opinion of how to best use a to-do list or if it is even productive to use one at all, or if you are better off to lose the to-do list and focus on priority items that only accelerate your successes, goal completion as well as joy and personal advancement goals.

I truly don’t believe there is a right or wrong answer and that it is an entirely individualized decision based on...