Across The Desk With Elizabeth Plouffe

Are you an original? Do you even know what it means to be an original? I hadn't thought about it until someone called me an original. On top of that? They thought enough of helping me to understand what being an original means that they bought me the book on it. How cool is that? If you've spent your life, like me, being called unique and weird and different, then Originals by Adam Grant is the book for you. Why? Because it has helped me understand that just because I think differently, doesn't mean my thoughts aren't valid. Just because I like to improve processes and tinker with ideas doesn't mean I don't accept the status quo. Oh wait ... that's exactly what it means ;) And in case you're wondering? I use Chrome as my browser. Read the book to find out why that matters.

An entrepreneurs life is that of a non-conformist. While for some this sounds completely invigorating and awesome, for others it poses challenges. You might even call them blocks. Some kind climb over them. Some get, well, blocked by them. Here's a suggestion: take the time to identify what your blocks might be and learn to love them. Make them your best friend. Why? Because without doing this blocks can derail your business, leave you choking in the dust of others and keep you at the starting block instead of winning the race.

Is your online presence lacking verve? Colorless? Boring? Image impaired. Yikes! And to make matters worse, are you graphics skilled impaired? Does Adobe sound like a house you find down in Mexico? I've got a solution that even those with some graphics skills can make good use of. Canva is a resource that was recommended to me a few months ago and I haven't looked back since. I'm fortunate to have more than a passing acquaintance with with Adobe Illustrator. Canva makes it so easy to create social media headers, posts and resumes that you'd be nuts not to learn how it can up the verve factor for your online profiles. https://www.canva.com/

Are you set up to boldly go where your social media can take you? Yup. I'm was watching Star Trek blooper reels and outtakes from the movie just before recording this podcast and it was magical how it just came together. Deep space exploration and social media. That fits right? Let me explain. Most people work quite hard on their content. In fact, in honor of Labor Day, you could call it a labor of love. Now if you create crap content, don't take this advice because you want that crap to stay right where it is. But if you have put effort in, then make your social media channels work harder for you. Instagram is a sextuple threat that is worth getting to know. LinkedIn can be the filter you need to make sure some of your content is business audience friendly. And if you happen to suffer from "look at me" syndrome and are forever pushing out offers and email grabs, well, I've got some advice on that as well. What's the point of all of this? Make your social media work as hard as you do. Make sure your busi

Napoleon Hill. An author that walked this earth before I was a twinkle in my parents eye. In fact before my parents' were a twinkle in their parents' eye. In 1908 while interviewing Andrew Carnegie as a journalist for Bob Taylor's Magazine, a partnership and project was born to gather the experiences and wise words of 500 businessmen. Think and Grow Rich was born. Published in 1937, just after the stock market crash of 1929 and subsequent great depression, the insights offered on leadership and personal development are incredible. 79 years later you can see the full circle coming back to quality leadership and honorable business. This book has inspired me to recommit to my business in a way that I never expected. It's also reassured me that my dedication to not being an asshat business owner is absolutely the right thing to do. Not that it was actually in question but just sayin' ...

It's not odd to see Ken smiling. In fact, it's how I most see his face. When he says hello, he's smiling. When you chat with him, his smile invariably creeps up on his face. His smile is infectious and just makes you feel better to be around. What Ken's smile hides is his battle with Rheumatoid Arthritis and the pain that can travel around his body like that rogue garden gnome.

It will take 10 minutes of your time but the return on that investment can last for years. A thank you note. One of the most cost effective and authentic ways to promote your business and show your clients that you care. Are you already reaching for the stamps? Great!

Are you looking for graphics that you can use for Instagram, your website or marketing materials? Freepik is a fantastic resource that is worth paying for but there is also lots of fantastic free content. I don't read all the time ;)

Have you ever gone through a situation in your life where you've decided to make the huge decision not to accept status quo? Meet Ken Jaques, a successful Burlington businessman, who decided that the health care system didn't have enough wellness in it to overcome the amount of illness. In this two part intro, we'll meet Ken and discuss his time spent in IT consulting and knowing what it takes to grow a successful business and how he's taking on the current health care model.

Do you ever get to the end of your work day and feel like a sack of poop? Well that could be because you are. Kind of a gross thought right? Even worse? Being that sack of poop is actually killing you. On this episode of Across the Apothecary, I share my new adventure in to the world of working with a standing desk. I've been steadily gaining weight over the past two years despite adjusting my eating habits and incorporating walking. Not a gym kind of person but I'm also not scarfing down poutine and cheesecake on a regular basis. What have I been doing? Sitting. A lot. Between having to work at a desk for my business and then feeding my documentary / movie addiction, I've probably been sitting in excess of 12 hours a day. Yikes! No wonder my insides and outsides are not working properly! Give a listen for the stats on what sitting is doing to you, ways to get up more and the first step on my journey to getting poop done while standing up. Pun intended ;)

As a health professional, getting online can be a challenge. After all - your job is to see patients and make them better. Not pin, post, tweet and tumble. So what happens when you want to get online but don't have time? Sometimes you ask staff to write for you. Big mistake. But only if they aren't qualified to discuss what they are writing about. If that's the case - DON'T DO IT! You are going online to build your reputation and if you let someone who is unqualified and uneducated in the topic you are taking a HUGE risk. It's not worth it. Take a listen for some tips on how to get your content online and keep risk to a minimum.

Now a days most of us are so wrapped up in our own drama that we don't always pay attention to what is actually being said to us. The remembering part? Well, that can be a challenge too. Luckily, I've been able to recall some wise words from folks in my life whose opinions actually matter to me. Why is this important? Because those wise words can change your life if you pay attention and put them to good use. Now put the damn phone down and listen!

Still not on board with putting yourself out there? Get. Over. It. If you are in business then you are in the business of networking. Why? Because people are NOT going to magically find you and be drawn to your magnetic personality and think you are just the most awesomest person EVER! They need to meet you and then all those things happen. I'm back out in the networking world and over the past two weeks so many opportunities have come up because of it that's it's ridiculous. In this episode of Entrails, I'll give you some tips and tricks for putting your big kid pants on and getting your business out there! Or at least attending events for free... That's also awesome :)

Are you a reader? Or at least a learner? Or at least curious? Something? I'm a massive reader and while most WWW's are devoted to books, this week is devoted to why you should read books for your business. A friend told me she felt like she wasn't working on her business if she was reading about business. And I understand that - I do. BUT, you are missing a whole world of expertise and opportunities if you don't continue to learn about business! Andrew Carnegie himself (he was a huge bigwig) was a proponent of Master Mind groups. The value they provided. The skill gaps they filled. So here's an idea: think of reading, podcasts, videos and the like as your very own Master Mind group. Learn from people who've already succeeded much like you are trying to do now. Take advantage! This week - learn about how books can enrich your business relationships, improve your conversation and help you deliver the best possible service to your clients. After all - isn't that why you're in business in the first place?

So you might have heard a bit about me sprinkled throughout Across the Desk or Entrepreneurial Entrails but what I haven't shared is my love of being involved in health care. For 13 years, health care was my career. As a medical office administrator and then as an instructor for the MOA program. How lucky was I? I get to teach AND teach medical curriculum? Sigh. I miss being a teacher ... But I digress. Take a listen and learn more about my life in health and my personal share on one of the highlights of my medical career that made it really clear the impact it's possible to have on someone's life.

Christie Ellinger and I sit down to discuss the ups and downs of being an entrepreneur and a pilates instructor. Pun intended ;) Christie has to be one one of the most passionate instructors I've EVER met. She is committed to health, wellness, learning and feet. We didn't get to feet today but she'll come back to Across the Apothecary and discuss the amazing tool of shaking hands with your feet. Today though we focused on the entrepreneurial journey and the stages you go through in your career that can lead you to right where you need to be to start your own business. We also touch on the best parts of impacting someone's health in a positive way and the passion that drives health pro's to keep giving the best of themselves to their clients. Sometimes, you just have to leave it all on the mat.

Is it different being a female entrepreneur than a male? Well, never having been a male, I'm not sure of the answer. But having been a female for a very long time (as in always), I know what the experience is like for me. That's not to say that men don't share some of the same concerns and foibles of the entrepreneur life but I'm pretty certain that the roles at home are quite different. Yup, I went there. This week, The Ballsy Gang got together and talked about sharing. Feelings? No. Recipes? No. Clothes? Hell no. We talked about the load. The almighty load of stuff that women as entrepreneurs have added to their load because they've always carried that load so why drop the load now that you've taken on a bigger load. Did you get that? Take a load off and listen and you'll see what a I mean ;)

So what have I done with my life? Some would say too much. Some would say not enough. I haven't saved the world so far but that's not to say it won't end up on my to do list at some point. Right now though I'm busy trying to use all the education, skills and experiences I've gathered in my varied and storied career to build a business. I've been: 1. An event security guard. 2. A pub security guard. 3. A medical office administrator. 4. An instructor. 5. A cashier. 6. A waitress. 7. A bartender. 8. A ticket agent at Toronto Pearson Airport. 9. A food demo lady. 10. A unit administrator. 11. A nanny. 12. An entrepreneur of a gardening business, a cake decorating business, a business centre and a communications business. I'm not sure if I'm done yet but it's sure going to be fun finding out :)

Have you ever wondered what's really going through a prospects' mind while you're pitching away about your business? Did fear ever come to mind? Me either. Most people don't think of themselves or their service / product as scary but that's how those hearing the message can feel. While listening to you they are evaluating you as a threat! So put the spear down and pick up the book Pitch Anything by Oren Klaff. It's changed the way I talk about my business, the way I source prospects and opportunities and the way my business is going to grow. From crocodile brain to hanging the right frame in the room, Oren Klaff takes you through the steps you need to incorporate in to your business pitch from your backstory to your closing sentence.

I look for inspiration wherever I can. A bit of an inspigroupie if you will. This morning I hit one of my usual haunts, the TED talk circuit. I have learned the weirdest and best stuff by taking chances on speakers that show up as recommendations. Why? Because I like to think I don't discriminate on where inspiration comes from but this morning, I realized I do. Why is it we can be more open to accepting wisdom about over coming challenges from someone who has a visible disability? The same wise words out of the mouth of someone who appears to be able bodied in most general sense of the term, might not move us quite so much. But is that fair? Does it matter what the challenge is or that it was overcome?