Look at our numbers!
We were in a tight spot and now we are able to do active debt reduction. The business is thriving and we are confident we’ll do well in the current economy.
My first quarter revenue in 2008 was equal to my total revenue for all of 2007!
I am halfway to my annual revenue goal at the beginning of quarter two; I trained an assistant, got a web page put together, hired someone to help with marketing, and plan to take 8 weeks of vacation in 2008!
We’ve nearly doubled our sales!
Cynthia brought order to our business by showing us how to achieve excellence in our retail store. Who knew the numbers could be so sexy!
2006 sales went from 0-$185K and this year will be even better!
I regained my core confidence by having to verbalize, write things down and engage in the planning process.
I started at zero and now I have clients and income!
I wanted to do things right from the beginning and knew I needed guidance. I wanted to work with Cynthia because she had started, run and sold a successful company.
I love my business!
Two years ago I was burnt out and ready to fold. But now I’m excited about going to work every day.
I have changed direction as a result of the work I am doing with Cynthia
Now that I know my target market, my marketing efforts are more successful.
One of the first things I did was to reduce my overhead by half!
I reduced my monthly overhead by about $2500, which gave me breathing room and I was able to start thinking more clearly.
I found out that I was doing lots of things right. I didn’t know that before the class!
How did you find out about Women Building Business?
I heard Cynthia speak on financial literacy and I liked that she spoke to my issues-she had practical experience and used words that I understood.
What made you want to sign up to take a course with Cynthia? What business problems were you hoping to solve/master?
I realized I was isolated and unhappy. Running the business alone for ten years without a clear direction was taking its toll.
I wanted to implement change. I wanted to improve sales and my ability to run my own business, to understand my financial statements, learn to create a budget and hire quality employees.
Which courses have you taken from Cynthia?
I completed the Women Building Business One Page Business Plan class and I work with her one on one.
What is the most important thing you’ve learned? The most surprising or unexpected thing?
The most important thing I learned is that everything will be ok. In the past I tried to muddle through each day and had no time or energy to even think about the rest of the week, let alone the bigger picture. Now I am looking at my plan, which outlines the whole year and I know what I need to do to make then plan real.
Most unexpected was that the One Page Business Plan is more than a piece of paper! Everyone always says you need to have a plan and by developing my OPBP I’ve learned that the actions I need to take are tied to tangible tasks that actually make the plan real!
Most surprising was the value of the group process. The camaraderie that developed allowed us to talk truthfully and intimately about our businesses. The support and understanding were worth their weight in gold. It was also liberating to realize that as business owners we are dealing with similar issues. I found out that I was doing lots of things right and in many regards have a well run business. I didn’t know that before the class.
How have your business skills grown?
With Cynthia’s help I learned to read my profit and loss statements, create a budget, evaluate who is and isn’t a “good” client, how to eliminate the ones that aren’t a good match and find more who are. I learned the importance of having a big picture view of my business and developing my one page plan got me to look at the bigger picture and realize the importance of being able to make decisions today about what needs to happen over time. I want to invest in my business now to reap the rewards later.
How has your business (and personal life) improved as a result?
I find I’m actually excited about the changes that are happening in my business and I want to talk about them! I hired a full time manager for the first time and based on the goals I outlined in my business plan, I am in the progress of upgrading the showroom.
Would you encourage others to take classes with Cynthia?
Yes, because I believe it is truly helping me. I have learned that it is important for a small business to have outside input and a place to share concerns, exchange information and get ideas. It turns out that six brains are better than one!
— Janet Gossett
Owner, Jay's Engraving
The most important thing I learned is that being part of a supportive group is priceless.
Rather than sharing my business trials and tribulations with my husband, I now have a group of people who will listen to me and provide useful feedback.
I surpassed my first year’s sales goal by 25%!
A year ago I opened my business in a small conservative town of 20,000 people who didn’t know what life coaching was. I now have an average of 10-15 coaching clients a week.
My revenue increased far beyond my expectations!
When I first started working with Cynthia three years ago, my business grossed about $30K. Last year, it grossed over $400K.
