Authentic Affiliate Academy
My business coach, Nicole Lilioa, recently launched her Authentic Affiliate Academy. I talked with her about why she decided to teach her method, and what affiliate marketing can look like for soul-centric businesses, who want genuine connections in their businesses right down to who they give reviews and referrals to.
Check it out and let me know if you have any questions about affiliate marketing for Nicole or myself. The Academy is for sale for $97 until October 5th ($147 after!) I am NOT an affiliate for this program. I just love Nicole and her teaching and coaching style. Her mastermind this year has been the best I have ever experienced.
Review of CoSchedule
Coschedule is a WordPress Plugin, that is a combination of an Editorial Calendar, and a Social Sharing Tool, all in one place.
Click for a better view.
When I first launched the new design of my site in June, I had some issues with my scheduling because I had written a large back log of posts, during the 8 months my site had been semi-non-functional. I also had posts that had been live on the old site that were good content.
So I went in search of an Editorial Calendar. The key thing I needed was the ability to easily schedule my posts on a regular schedule and taking into account product launches, vacation weeks, and life in general. I looked a few basic calendars that would show me visually when my posts were scheduled. Read more
Clearing Money Blocks
Lucky Bitch Money Bootcamp- You might have heard of it. If you haven’t, at it’s base, it’s a 6 week intense course on breaking through money blocks (like that having money is a horrible thing), and bringing awareness to where your life just isn’t working. It’s become one of my “secret” tools for gratitude and awareness.Short and sweet, the course is closing and going through a major upgrade itself (and price increase.)
My personal experience with this course has been very enlightening. I’ve manifested pay increases, clients, free plane tickets, free hotels, and I win giveaways all the time. Beyond the initial allure of money, the course goes so much deeper into a healthy, comfortable mindset on life.In 2010, someone- I don’t even remember who- shared a link on Twitter to a free call on romantic relationships and clearing relationship blocks. It was late in the evening, and I clicked over and started listening. Halfway through the call, I purchased her course for $45.I was one of 8 or so people in the course, and I got a free coaching call with Denise Duffield-Thomas for registering. Five years, and I vividly remember that entire call. We found blocks that were affecting every part of my life, not just my relationships.
In 2011, when Denise initially released her book, Lucky Bitch, I read it within hours, and then she released her Lucky Bitch Money Bootcamp. For the first round of the bootcamp, I didn’t have the money to buy it (imagine that). So I listened to all of her free webinars (she’s doing another on upgrading your business on July 21st) and soaked up as much as I could from the wings. Read more
An Honest Review of The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up
A few weeks ago, I watched a video on KonMarie’s The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing, thought I should buy it, and surprisingly the next morning my READS ebook hold on it became available. I’d been on the hold list for months.
I picked it up and have noticed several things. First of all there is nothing overall Japanese about this technique. It’s based off a course created by the author. KonMarie is a decluttering expert (as we call them in the US), and she’s trained in Feng Shui and a few other practicalities- however she really only covers her course premise in this book.
As a Feng Shui Practicioner, books on tidying, cleaning, organizing, energy, and Feng Shui, are regulars for me, as a sort of research. I’m always looking for new ideas and perspectives. KonMarie is definitely not looking for new ideas or perspectives. She has a very prescribed set of instructions for her process.My eight year old daughter asked me what I was reading, and after I read her the title and a few lines,
she said: “Does that make sense to you?”
E: “I like some of her ideas, but some of it sounds a little obsessive.”
E: “I like some of her ideas, but some of it sounds a little obsessive.”
R: “I don’t have to touch our cats to know they don’t need to be discarded. What about all the items in the kitchen or the hangers?”
In the light of “takes one to know one” as I read Kon Marie’s description of her childhood and her stealth attempts to tidy and declutter for the rest of her family, lying about it, and getting in trouble, I see warning signs of obsessive compulsion. She mentions in her section on Loungewear clothing that she can be ruthless in not allowing her clients to keep normal clothes for loungewear.
Translation
I’ve only seen videos of KonMarie speaking Japanese. I don’t know if she is fluent in English. I’ve also seen some reviews of her book basically making fun of it, for her concern for the energy of rolled up socks not being able to breath and relax.
I enjoyed this book, however, I wonder if something wasn’t lost in translation. Some parts come across very ridged in their rule enforcing, and in others it seems like she might have been trying to make a joke-but it got lost in the curves of Japanese to English. I also think something might be lost culturally. I think Japanese readers might take her over-enthusiasm differently than Americans.
Read it or Not?
I’m not sure I’d buy a copy of the Life Changing Magic of Tidying, as this is readily available at most libraries. (I utilize our library endlessly so that we don’t spend our housing budget on books through.) I think she has some great tips. If you are able to pick it up and take away what works for you, and not feel guilty or oppressed when you don’t subscribe to all her sock-loving thoughts, I’d suggest picking it up. If it’s just going to become another volume in the stack of decluttering books, take this away- when you clean an area, clean all of it. Dump the drawer totally out, and hand things one at a time.
P.S. Folding is fun.
KonMarie claims that folding is fun, and that all but one of her clients has come away from her course having subscribed to that theory. I just have a difficult time believing this one. I give Riley $5 a basket to fold our laundry.
KonMarie claims that folding is fun, and that all but one of her clients has come away from her course having subscribed to that theory. I just have a difficult time believing this one. I give Riley $5 a basket to fold our laundry.
4 Best Headsets and Microphones for Recording in your Home Office
As some of you many know, my first business was a virtually based business-focused transcription company. One of my most popular posts, and a question I still get asked a lot is related to headsets and recording devices. This is an updated post from my transcription website.
Looking for the best device to record interviews, podcasts, phone calls, or Camtasia videos for your home office? Take a look at these 5 outstanding and affordable options.
Headsets
Plantronics .Audio 995 Wireless Stereo Headset
*2015 update: I finally had to buy a new headset. It lasted 6 years, had been dropped in water, carried in my bag multiple times a week, beat to crap, and it still worked. But one of my cats got ahold of a snag in the “leather” cover on the ear pieces and tore it apart. I finally gave in and ordered a new one, identical to the one I’d had all this time. New one is awesome too.
*2014 update: Ok. So I’m hard on electronics and stuff. I take my laptop and headset with me a lot so I’m tossing my stuff in my briefcase all the time. One day I tried to pull the USB dongle for my .995 out of my laptop at the coffee shop and it basically snapped in half. I had to get a pair of pliers to get the metal bit out of the port. A little finagling and I was able to fix the dongle. And my five year old headset still works perfectly fine. (Although I probably will replace it this year.)*
*2013 update: Reason #459 I love my Plantronics Headset: My headset is now 4 years old. This week our condo had our carpet cleaned. I had picked up some stuff and moved a table into my bathroom to get it off the carpet… including my headset. Somehow, (I’m blaming Pudding) my headset ended up pushed off the table into the cat’s water dish for an unknown number of hours, while the carpet dried. Overnight in a bowl of rice, and it’s still working fine.
*2012 update: I have now had my Plantronics headset for 3 years. At one point, my USB dongle died. Plantronics replaced with no problems. I know the day Plantronics comes out with a headset this comfortable with a micro-dongle, I’ll be fighting for the front of the line.
*Original Post: I love, love, love my 995 Wireless Headset. In fact, I’m on vacation right now and it’s on my night table in the hotel room with me. I never travel without it and I use it nearly every day. It has a USB receiver which gives it a better sound quality and connection than a Bluetooth device. When I was transcribing a great deal, I would use it for 8-10 hours a day and it was still comfortable to wear. I even gave one away for our business anniversary in February 2010. I also bought one for my Project Manager.
The audio quality is phenomenal. Many times the quality using my Skype subscription is much better than using my cell phone or even a land line phone. The microphone is sound cancelling and I have had instances where my daughter was talking to me and the person on the other end of the phone couldn’t hear her.
The only thing about the Plantronics .Audio 995 Wireless Headset is it’s a little bulky because of the additional padding for comfort. I wish Plantronics made one of these headsets that folded for easier travel.
I could talk about this headset all day but for $55, my best advice is order one now.
So if I love the Plantronics headset so much why do I need another device? First the headset can’t record two or more people well. Second on occasion you may want to record a live speech or interview. Read on for microphone and handheld recorder suggestions. Read more