Laid Off – What Now?

January 28, 2018Leave a comment

Losing a job is difficult, and can really shake you up. Now that one chapter has ended, it is time also to take action and rebuild your future. Here are some good steps to take when you are laid off from a job.

Find your center.

Relax, most everyone goes through this, and there is a light at the end of the tunnel, even if you don’t see it yet. Time to breathe, pray, meditate, and reflect on what you did in your last job, in order to find out what you would like to do next.

Create a new schedule, with specific daily goals and activities to build your new life.

Now that another company does not have control of your daily routine, it is time to create a new routine that will effectively build your confidence and help to increase productivity while you have off. My advice would be to include the following: wake up by 7:30am, shower, dress nice like you are going to work, get out of the house with your laptop and go to a coffee shop to apply for jobs, eat a good lunch, keep grinding busting out new business emails, contact everyone on your list for help including recruiters and such. You will get through this.

Resume updates and inventory of your assets and value.

This is a great time to first find out what you like to do, and make sure you apply to those types of jobs accordingly. This will mean building a new resume, categorizing your achievements, bragging about your best practices and value to the company.

Define the target companies and positions you would like to get, then apply and keep track of the progress.

Taking your next step will be a bit of a process, as now you have to work toward getting that next opportunity. This includes researching all the companies and positions that are available, catering your resume accordingly and reaching out. I am a big fan of creating an excel document monitoring each company you reach out to, and updating it to monitor progress.

If all else fails, contact the recruiters!

Time to call all the sharks out there to help you find that new opportunity. If you can find a recruiter in your specific industry, this will help to find the right opportunity for you.

Beast mode for part time work in the meantime.

There are many jobs out there that give you the flexibility of working part time where you can manage a side hustle before the full time hustle. Craigslist.com, Fivver.com, Monster.com, LinkedIn.com are a few but many can help get you the in the meantime position.

Apply for unemployment as it can take weeks to process.

Each state has it’s own system that allows you to apply for unemployment if you are laid off. Unfortunately if you are fired you will not be able to collect it, so this can be an opportunity to take other cash related jobs like becoming a waitress, bartender or babysitter so you can get things popping.

Take care of yourself.

Drink 8 glasses of water a day, and get plenty of fruit and vegetables. I know I sound like your mother but when you are down in the weeds it is a great opportunity to take care of the things you can control like your physical well-being.

Start a blog or create a journal to store your many emotions while going through this, you don’t need to share everything with family and friends if you don’t want to.

This is a safe place for you to store all your highs and lows during this transition period. It is a great way to vent and not worry about what others think of you.

Final thought, you will get through this. You are invincible, unbreakable, and very powerful. Control those negative thoughts and get to work! Also follow us on instagram @leverageambition for positive thoughts.

Keep it real.

10 Sales Memes for a Good Laugh

January 27, 2018January 27, 2018Leave a comment

In a way we are all salespeople, aiming to please and get the acceptance of others for likability, pride and most of all, money! Being in sales is not for the meek, you need a heart of gold and the ability to brush off neigh sayers that will reject your proposal via an email block, curse words, or my personal favorite, the response only with remove in the body! Awesome sauce!

I have seen it all, from hostile house wives to nasty executives, some people just do not liked to be pitched over email or telephone. Whatever you are selling, they just aren’t buying it! With that being said I have found the top sales memes that play on all the funny emotions sales people go through as they help try to promote new business. Enjoy!

Ugh. We can all relate to this. How is it legal that the government can take away half of our hard earned commission checks? Somehow it is and every time I am stumped by the flagrant slice of pie that is taken by good ole Uncle Sam before it is deposited in my bank account. Yikes!

The stress of getting, signing, contracting, getting all processed and finalized can cause premature wrinkles. Over the last 5 years I feel like I have aged 15 with the amount of hand holding I have had to do with clients and coworkers. Oy vey!

I have one potential client that saus this every time. Ain’t got time for that!

4. So interesting to over hear others talk about similar products and how they either help or hurt their business in some way. I find it funny too when the potential client complains about the competitor, but still decides to stay with them! Jeez louise.

You have to ride or die here folks, and live, breath, act, walk, talkyour sale. Failure only is good when you learn from it and adjust.

Coffee, coffee, coffee! It is the only way to bust out 1,900 introduction emails in one hour so you can sit and watch Netflix the rest of the day. Wha, wha, what?! No Netflix at work, duh guys.

This is the worst. You know management really hates you when they ask you to train the underpaid newbee they hired so they can do your job for half the money. Good luck with that!

Why is it that non- sales executives that have no idea how to sell and maintain accounts get to decide our fates? Unrealistic sales goals are such a bummer and can sometimes be counter productive. It is always good to talk to your sales person before hand to find out what they think there sales goal should be to get an idea of what they think they can accomplish.

Dude! This is awful. There is always that guy who thinks he is Tom Brady. Step back bro! Just because your parents still pay your rent doesn’t mean your poop doesn’t stink. Giddy up boy, better get that next sale!

10.

Why is it that every new sales job you take you are in tiger blood beast mode than 2 months later you are over it? Brenda in finance is why. You just don’t care like Brenda in finance who is living off your sales cuts. Sarcasm delivered to you sales freaks! Here’s to your next inked contract! 👍😎🦄🛫🌞🎅👩‍🚀

SAG Awards 2018 – Family Night

January 21, 2018Leave a comment

The Screen Actors Guild, also known as the SAG, is hosting their 24th Annual Awards Show tonight, where actors celebrate each other’s performances in television and film! This is like the SuperBowl for Actors, and I am excited to see the nominees and fashion. Also Kristen Bell is a hilarious comedian so I think she will add some fun flavor to the event. Seems they have never had a Master of Ceremonies before and she was blessed with the honor of hosting it.

I was not too familiar with what the SAG was or did until my husband decided to get into the acting business. The SAG as a union and organization itself represents the best interests of actors, helping to protect them for fair pay, benefits, and fair working conditions. It was a union created to protect the exploitation of the actor, and was founded in 1933 to help give fair working conditions to the people and support of the acting business. This award show is typically a precursor to the Academy Awards that will be happening later on this year, and history shows that the winners here are more likely to go on to win at the Academy Awards too.

I was wondering where we would watch the show, and it seems after looking around on my TV Guide here that you can see the SAG Awards tonight on both TNT and TBS at 5pm PST. E! Online is also filming the red carpet live so we can check out all the pretty dresses and fashionable sleek suits. My husband is an actor, so we are excited to watch!

We heard they are giving out a total of 13 awards tonight, and with the federal government shut down and protests country wide, it is bound to be politically charged.

I admit I have not seen all the series and films that are being honored today, but heard from E! News that they include the following:

Big Little Lies
The Big Sick
Get Out
Lady Bird
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Roman J. Israel, Esq.
Feud: Bette & Joan
Stranger Things
Game of Thrones
Black-ish
VEEP
Glow
Ozark
Better Call Saul
House of Cards
Master of None
Sherlock

I also tried to find more information at the SAGAwards.org website, but looks like their server is having trouble processing all the request. Time for an upgrade SAG! 🙂

Hope you enjoy the show!

Home Remedies for Cold Relief

January 21, 2018Leave a comment

It’s that time of year! Cold Season 2018! My entire family has been sick this weekend with colds and it has been pretty brutal. Both of my boys have red underneath their nose due to the constant nose blowing that has been going on and it makes for a very cranky household all in all.

Below are some things we have been doing for quick relief and hopefully a potential cure so we can start the work and school week off right.

1) Disinfect your home.

I have been cleaning and disinfecting the major living areas since our colds started. This will help to not spread it from person to person in the house. I used Lysol with bleach to disinfect the bathroom, kitchen floor, doorknobs, handle to the refrigerator so that the virus is not spread and contained as much as possible.

2) Change your bedding, including comforter, sheets and pillow cases.

During the night I saw that my children were sneezing and drooling, awesome combo I know! I want to be sure that there is new bedding replaced daily until the cold subsides so it does not get in the way of recovery.

3) Take baths and showers.

Steam is a wonderful way to break up any bad mucus in the body, and is also a great way to rid yourself of any cold symptoms you may be having. For some reason my legs were super sore, so I decided to take a warm bath and it really helped. Also, my children have been taking many baths as well to break up the snot in their nose to help drain it.

4) Stay hydrated, drink plenty of fluids.

My throat is starting to hurt on the third day now, and I have read that it is very important to stay hydrated and drink plenty of water. I have also been drinking Lipton tea with a little bit of coconut almond milk and it has helped give me energy.

5) Warm steam compress on face.

I remember my mother running a small wash cloth under the hot water in the sink, wringing it out of the water and giving it to us to put over our face until it got cold. You don’t have to wait until it gets cold but I would definitely recommend giving this a shot if you don’t feel like getting into a bath to get the steam to help loosen up the mucus in your body from the cold.

6) Vitamins.

I am currently admittedly not taking any vitamins, and I heard with a virus there is really no stopping the cold and that it has to just run it’s course. However, my kids have taken their vitamins during this cold more consistently and I have seen improvement.

7) Eat fruit.

Try to eat some fruits to help give you some energy if you are a little head foggy. I have had a bunch of grapes and apples handy to help kick this cold.

8) Get rest.

Sorry, this is a hard one if you are always on the go. You need to rest. I would avoid anything strenuous like heavy workouts, going outside in the cold for prolonged periods of time and stress. If you can meditate, put on some nice music, like rain, waves crashing from the ocean, birds, anything that will help you heal that would be helpful for your recovery. Stay in bed if you can, and try to get a little fresh air if you can by cracking a window.

Consult your physician if you are not feeling well just in case it is a bacterial infection that may need antibiotics. We have not seen the doctor yet as we do not have fevers, so trying to let the virus run it’s course.

If you are sick too, hope these tips help you!

Enjoy the day!

I Cheated on the Whole30

January 16, 2018January 16, 2018Leave a comment

Ug. It’s been tough starting the second round of the Whole30 diet. This time around I had a few dinner parties to attend and blew it as I drank wine, plus my dinners out and about in town definitely had sugar somehow as the meat I ate was not uncured and organic. On that note I am prepping for a restart tomorrow. Buggers.

What was on my grocery list to restart? Glad you asked!

Russet potatoes, for what you may ask?
- I can always stab with a knife and put in the microwave for 10 minutes at work, bringing along Tessemae’s Ranch Dressing to top it with, along with some Himalayan pink salt.
- I use these for mashed potatoes during the week.
- I use these as roasted potatoes, french fries and/or potato chips during the week.
- I use these as a breakfast potato hash.

Kale
- I roast this in the oven for Kale Chips.
- I use as a salad for lunch.
- I use in a dinner side on the pan with olive oil.

Cherry Tomatoes
- I use in the salads for lunch.
- I use as a snack during the day raw.
- I use as a side cut up for salsa, and dip with homemade plantain chips.

Plantains
- I slice these up and either bake in the oven and use as chips or put them on the stovetop and eat them as a dessert.

Eggs
- I eat 3 eggs every morning sunny side up.
- I boil eggs as a salad topper if I am in the mood for it.

Grapes
- Anytime snack.

Apples
- Anytime snack.

Chicken Breast
- Top it with garlic powder, black pepper, Himalayan Pink Salt, paprika, red chili flakes.

I can’t believe I blew it, but time to start again in the AM. It is harder for me to start this because I already lost over 10 pounds so feeling better, but still not to my goal. I have to imagine how I will look and feel after the weight loss, which is one:

More confident.
Pretty.
Crazy.
Sexy.
Cool.

Did you get that TLC reference? If not here you go:

Have a great night!

Tips to Improve your Work Day

January 14, 20181 Comment

Growing up in a big family, there was always some drama going on in our home. When someone was cranky in our house, we would say HALT. This stands for being Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired. This is a funny buzzword to remind you to ask yourself what is wrong when you weren’t feeling up to par.

Since most up up work over 35 hours a week, either from home, or in an office environment, we tend to be HALT motivated on a daily basis. For me, a great start to the day is always key in having me perform my best. When I am Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired, it seems to put a damper on my day.

Instead of wallowing, I like to look at positive motivational videos on YouTube or positive motivational memes on my Instagram account, @leverageambition.

Some tips on how to improve your work week below:

1.) Get a good night sleep.

This is key. I find that when I leave my phone in my bag for the night, that is in my closet downstairs, is when I get the best rest. I usually put it in my bag as I bring the kids upstairs to sleep, so we are all able to disconnect and be undistracted before bedtime. I typically like to read books to the boys, and when we are done, we are typically ready to all pass out. I go to bed anywhere from 9-11pm and get up anywhere from 7-9am. A great night sleep and feeling refreshed in the AM helps me get through anything!

2.) Eat well, drink healthy and stay hydrated.

This is one that I always forget myself. Luckily my husband does not drink alcohol, which helps me not drink alcohol too. I find that if I drink the night before, the next day at work is awful, and I feel all the HALT adjectives. So it is key to not drink alcohol during the week so that you are not off your game in the morning. Not only that, but what you eat and drink directly has an effect on your mood and actions. I try to stay hydrated with water and fruit during the day, but also drink coffee and tea too if I need a fix. This helps me maintain my productivity and positivity. Also when eating, I try to go high protein as high carbs makes me want to sleep at my desk.

3.) Develop friendships at work, i.e. don’t be a jerk.

This has always been hard for me as I have always been very competitive at work. I also like to keep my private life private, but it seems that this has been the wrong approach. I started a new job a few years ago and was very uptight the first few months as I was anxious to perform and do a great job, so I felt I did not have time for others. This was a mistake and I regret it now as someone was promoted above me on my team that was PC and friendly with everyone. My bad. Reality is that your co-workers should actually be an extension of your client list, and you should always be on your best behavior, positive, non-gossipy and confident in a non-jerky way. A good way to do this is ask them out to lunch, ask them how their personal life is going, give praise to the good things they are doing, give help as you can.

4.) Set Goals, and be accountable for your wins and losses.

This is key in success. If you can set daily, weekly monthly, yearly goals, this is ideal. It helps keep you on track, and makes you accountable for your work in a long term and short term basis.

Do you have any tips? Feel free to share below, it’s always nice to hear from you! Enjoy the rest of your day!

🙂

Whole30 Lunch – Homemade Baked Potato Chips with Boiled Eggs and Tessamae Ranch Dressing

January 13, 2018January 13, 2018Leave a comment

2018! I am on Round 2, Day 2 of my Whole30 diet. First round last year I lost 13 pounds, and looking to lose 10 more this time around. I have to admit I gained 3 pounds or so since my last round. I haven’t had raw sugar however I did have non-compliant meat and dairy products sparingly. I think this had to do with the weight gain. Also it is that time of the month as a woman, so typically I gain at least 5 pounds of water weight. Crazy I know, but I am hoping this was the reason for the weight gain too.

Day 2 of the Whole30 and the menu I have had thus far consists of Kale Chips that I baked in the oven at 425 degrees fahrenheit, and actually only drizzled some olive oil on top with Himalayan salt and pepper. I didn’t have a full breakfast this time around so by lunch I was ready to feast!

For lunch, I am doing hard boiled eggs and potato chips. To make the potato chips, I sliced white potatoes thin, all the same size. I drizzled them with olive oil, garlic powder, paprika and black pepper, saving the Himalayan salt for last.

Once I put them in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 40 minutes I worked on the hard boiled eggs. I put them in cold water on the oven, and made 4 but only was able to eat three. I kept them on the stove for 10 minutes boiling and then turned the heat on low to have it simmer there for another 5 minutes. The inside of the yolk was still not all the way cooked, but I like it like that.

I added my favorite dressing that is Whole30 compliant, which is called Tessamae’s Ranch Dressing. It is Whole30 approved on there website here: www.whole30.com, and they have others too like Caesar, Hot Sauce, Ketchup and more. I found this in the vegetable section of my grocery store Ralph’s, but you could find it in the salad dressing aisle too.

I have to say it was so delicious, and even my picky eater of a toddler loved it too! Obviously they are not officially on the diet, but here and there they get adventurous and try new foods which is amazing.

Enjoy your lunch, and hope you try it! 🙂

How to Deal with the Jerk at Work

January 13, 2018January 20, 2018Leave a comment

Dang it. Another job, another set of jerks to deal with. You change jobs and you think you are waving them goodbye, only to find that the same wankers seem to be following you from job to job. How is this possible? Thing is, you need to be able to spot and manage them with a great sense of self control & strength.

We have to deal with all sorts of jerks throughout our careers, coming from the deep dark corners of never never land, somehow they have found you, and will keep following you until you retire. Key is managing your emotions in a healthy way to overcome an unhealthy jackass.

I have learned a few things over the course of my time in different jobs that I thought I would share in support of dealing with Mr. and Mrs. @$$ Bags below…enjoy!

1.) Don’t stoop to their level.

You are not them. You are amazing. Calm down. Don’t let their misery spread to you and effect your great work.

2.) Do not talk about them to other coworkers.

Do not say their name in the office. Do not give them a taste of their own medicine. Don’t take revenge. The universe will somehow shell it out.

3.) Avoid, and limit interaction as time allows.

Avoid interaction as much as possible, and cc as many people on emails as possible so that if they are not being accountable for their work, others are aware. If others do not initially defend you, this will at least give you a digital trail of their behaviors and bad work.

4.) Focus.

What is your goal at work today? How is the asshole involved? How can you hit your objectives without adding them into your day?

5.) Treat the person with respect.

Ug this is the worst ad most painful awful thing, being polite after someone is a dick. But guess what, when you treat the bully with respect, you will make your parents proud. The bully is looking for another bully. Don’t let them make you them!

6.) Check your attitude.

Try to understand where this person is coming from. Are they threatened by you? Are they unhappy with their own manager or pay? Is everything OK in their home, private life? You need to seem the bully or jerk as a person, even if they seem like a demon.

7.) Persevere.

There is something about the word perseverance. It is a beautiful, elegant word, and behavior. Stand tall, stand your ground and if all else fails, report it to her direct manager or HR.

Good luck you beautiful creature!

8 Top Sales Email Subject Lines for a Home Run in 2018

January 13, 2018Leave a comment

My last post was a hit, so I wanted to share the wealth on some of my greatest email subject lines to help pop off your revenue in 2018!

SPAM rules the world, hopefully your potential client hasn’t blacklisted you already with your awful pitch. Lol. Before you prospect your websites, you have to vet it thoroughly to make sure they would benefit from the product or service you offer. Then you need to make sure the person you connect with is the right person to decide on running with your product or service.

There are many different theories on the different email subject lines that get your potential client to open it, but the main email really is where you have to create and display your relevance and how your product is going to make them soar!

I have tested many different subject lines, but at the end of the day you have to ask yourself, ‘how is this person/company going to win by working with me?’

Below are the top subject lines I have tested with the best open rates. This won’t guarantee your success however if your client would really benefit from your product or service, they should at least open your email and NOT put you on their SPAM list with the following subject lines:

10 mins — Friday?
New exciting opportunity
How’s my timing?
Free Idea’s
Checking in?
Invite
Exclusive Invitation
[your company] + [their company]

What are your favorite subject lines? What have you seen work best?

The main factors in closing the sale are plentiful, I would say that if you are lucky enough to get a response or call, make sure you listen to the potential client, ask questions about them and their issues on your products or services and what they do or don’t like about their current situation. I wouldn’t rehearse bullet points ever, but remember all the benefits and get ready for them to ask a lot of questions on your services including the cost model, time frame of service, key people involved in your product or service, next steps that need to be taken, benefits if their is an expected outcome, and more.

A few other tips, don’t bullshit your potential client. Don’t lie, don’t make small talk, don’t let them know about you. This email is all about them, and how you are helping them take their business to the next level. Sorry, they don’t care about your awesome weekend, so don’t bring it up.

If you are looking for advice, or have questions on the process, feel free to put your troubles below and I can try to help. My father was a salesperson and very good at it, so I was able to learn from him growing up, but also learned by doing and experimenting different tactics.

If you put your mind to it, and put your customer first, you can do it!

Have a great weekend!

Best Instagram Profiles to Kick-Start your Sales Job in 2018

January 11, 2018January 12, 2018Leave a comment

Happy 2018 everyone! Beast mode time for all those in sales positions this January! So I thought it would be great to share some of the top Instagram profiles to follow to kick-start your day and help keep you motivated!

As a salesperson, doing the same thing day in and day out can become cumbersome, so it is always great to reevaluate your pitch, mindset and end goal before going into the office to get a clear mind before reaching out to new prospects.

Lately I have been cold emailing prospects to get them on a call to learn about my company’s services, and I have found that the shorter the email the more likely the prospect is willing to respond. We are so inundated with ads online and via email daily, so getting straight to the point in a sentence or two is really a great way to get people’s attention fast, to respond fast.

Below are the top Instagram profiles I am following to keep me on my A++ game:

Sales Remastered

Sales Bros

Sales Tips

Sales 4 Salesmen

Motivation

Motivational Videos

Get Shit Done

Overall the force is within you, you just need that extra motivation to get your next sale! I love the quote ‘only the average are always at their best’ as everyone knows only how sales cycles work and can influence your lifestyle and well being.

I have been in sales now for over 20 years and I know the most successful sales people always have one thing in common, CONFIDENCE! We all have bad days, but it is good to have that ‘fake it ’til you make it’ attitude where you can even do your best when things are not great.

I have been at many different companies selling different products and lately I have discovered that I get bored pretty easily with what I am selling. When I think about what a sale is and how it effects the world it makes me feel better. All sales are really solutions, bettering your current state. If you do not believe in the product and know that it won’t really help someone or something, then it is a conflict and I suggest moving on.

Only when you are passionate about making a difference in your own lives or others is when you can truly make a sales and not feel guilt, and feel happy about what you are doing on a daily basis.

I would recommend meditating and taking some time to reflect on your goals this year and how you are going to achieve them daily.

We are in a fresh new year so it is time to make your goals clear to yourself and the world and hold yourself accountable to these goals.

Wishing you a fruitful week!

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