42: Perseverance

4 ways to keep your business sustainable with the right merchant account: 1. Get a sustainable merchant account: The last thing you want is for your payment system to close you out without and notice or recourse. You want to be sure to find a merchant account where you will not have to worry about waking up one day with your funds frozen. There are providers in the industry that maintain good relations with their bank partners so they are easily able to facilitate transaction issues if they occur. 2. Have a chargeback advocate: In business having absolutely 0 chargebacks is not the norm. Regardless of the reason you want to have a provider that will help you deal with these claims and win them for you. This helps you maximize your sales revenue to make your business more sustainable. 3. Get an integrated payment solution: Partner with a provider that will offer a variety of payment options to best suit your customers needs. Giving customers payment options convenient for them makes them loyal customers to your business. 4. Ability to manage your transactions: Be sure you have control of transactions where you can manage concerning transactions such as disputes and fraudulent occurrences. IG: @themarkforster LinkedIn

What would you do if you no longer under estimated yourself? What would it be like it you truly honored yourself? Will you operate like the end is secure? IG: @themarkforster LinkedIn

If you were gone for an extended period of time would your clients miss you? If the answer is no then face it, you are easily replaceable. When we do business with a company or a prospect finally becomes a client something finally occurs; a relationship is made. Look at your significant other, or your marriage for example. You got involved in that relationship knowing there will be the good and the bad. Same circumstances comes with client relationships. Communication, ability to listen, accessibility, determining wants and needs and then fulfilling on that need are what make clients “fall in love”. Yet, how many of us honestly do that?  Online marketers that I have worked with over the years are notorious for setting up an automated system that removes them from having to communicate with their clients outside of an FB group. It’s all really quick easy money with little attention to an actual solution.  We know that one person can not communicate with everyone, yet there are systems that can be set up to ensure that what they can NOT do for the client will still be taken care of. Now, if  we went away, for even a week, would they even notice?  How much are we really there for our clients?  Do we take their emails, calls or even follow up to ensure they are being taken care of? Do we even contact them enough for them to miss us?  Maybe you can’t contact them personally, yet is there a system in place to make this happen for you? Reflect on these questions are we head into 2021 and make it a top priority to change this human element that many businesses have lost during this amazing time of technological advances. Instagram: @themarkforster LinkedIn

Right now you may be starting out in sales or just starting your business. To this I say one thing. No matter where the road takes you, be you the whole way. When you are in the trenches and looking to expand your client base it is very easy to get caught up in looking for the quickest path. For example, a client asks if you are able to achieve this need, and without hesitation you reply “of course”, knowing full well that you are not going to be able to make it work. Right there you shot yourself in the foot for any future business. And on top of that word of mouth spreads more now than ever. The ripple effect is real. As much as you think about the money, you must tell yourself that reputation trumps all. A quick sale is cool. Yet a lifelong customer is everything. IG: @themarkforster Linkedin

As you round out 2020 I ask that you do this exercise. It is rare that we actually reflect in an objective. It is okay to celebrate. It is okay to embrace the wins of the year.  These "small" parts have all added up to the whole.  You have permission to be proud of yourself. Amongst all else that went on this year do not forget the power you held in your victorious moments. Look deep within. Trust me, they are there. Resources: IG: @themarkforster LinkedIn: Mark Forster

John Marrone is the founder of John Marrone Growth Expert. He is a transformational coach and speaker who provides actionable tools and strategies to high performers in order to ensure they reach their goals in all areas of life. John is also the host of Power of Progression Podcast where he has feature guests such as Patrick Bet-David, Brad Lea, Trent Shelton and many more. Check out all of his resources and find him on social at the following links below: Website Instagram Facebook YouTube

Aaron Golub became the first legally blind student-athlete to play in an NCAA football game against UCF (10/3). It has been a privilege to develop a relationship with him over the past 3 months. In todays discussion he shares with us his area of concentration during his speaking engagements throughout the county. He focuses on the 3 Ps. Plan | Passion | Perseverance.  The limitations that Aaron has been able to use as his strengths should be a key indicator that we all have something inside of us that we can tap into to further where we are in life.  For more information from Aaron be sure to reach out to him on the following platforms: Instagram Speaking LinkedIn

Decided to cut out a lot of introductions and fluff. Really wanted to get straight to the point here. Also, it was a little later than I anticipated. Hope you can relate to this and truly understand that embracing pain is one thing. Yet finding the beauty and meaning behind that pain is a total different mindset.

This was a bit later than I had hoped but wanted to get it done regardless. Bear with me if quality was poor here. I am just understanding at a deep level that we are the sum of our past and present thoughts. Our minds literally build our reality. So how does one become the architect of their life? This begins with thoughts, and beliefs that then correlate into our decisions through habits and actions, which then lead us to our body, money, and relationships that are in our current state. So to build yourself up again I recommend a few things: 1. No phone 1-2 hours upon waking 2. Cold shower (just do it) 3. Meditate 4. Hydrate Be in a place of power to tackle your big domino instead of focusing on the never ending to do list of bullshit. Things that make you stay"busy" yet are a complete waste of time. Remember structure equals freedom (by the way this entire episode is me showing you that I would rather put material out than make it perfect, I DONT GIVE A FUCK)

Stripped away at the raw truth of things. Just an update for why I have been out of it and expressing the reason why feeling pain is okay during this time.