I’m excited to share with you that ”Align, Expand and Succeed:  Shifting the Paradigm of Entrepreneurial Success” hit #1 last week in 4 categories when it released on Amazon.com.

Today, I’m sharing the first half of my chapter in the book.  It’s too long to include the whole thing here so I'll be sending it out in 3 installments.  A big thank you to everyone who supported the book launch.  I'm driven by my desire to serve leaders across the globe.  This book was one way to reach out and bring healing, wisdom and encouragement to a hurting world.

“All is well. Everything is happening for my highest good. Out of this situation only good will come. I am safe.” – Author Unknown

 

My So Called “CRISIS“

“You are being laid off.” I put the phone down after being notified I had been laid off during the worst economic crisis in decades. The company where I worked for nearly 10 years laid off 900 people. I’m one of them. The fact that I was the primary income earner for my family was starting to sink in. How in the world would I be able to support my family when I Iived in a small town in Northern California?

It is June 2009. The housing market had crashed. President Obama had bailed out banking and financial institutions as the stock market was on the verge of collapse. News reports indicated that unemployment was so high there weren’t jobs to apply for. All around us homes were in foreclosure because people had walked away unable to pay their mortgages. It’s grim. Still I couldn’t deny the peace that prevailed and reassured me that everything would be alright.

One thought kept coming to me as I considered my next steps. What if being laid off was my opportunity to move into greater creativity and freedom? What if this so called crisis was God’s beautifully packaged gift to me? I sensed that all of my experience had brought me to this point to fulfill my highest purpose. In order to realize it I had to let go.

Humble Beginnings
During 28 years in corporate America I’d held many leadership positions. The most recent was Vice President, Senior Manager for a top investment management firm where I was responsible for the implementation of complex change initiatives in the US, Europe and Asia. I was well compensated, traveled internationally, and enjoyed opportunities to challenge and develop myself. But it wasn’t always this way.

Growing up I would have been voted least likely to succeed. As the third oldest of twelve kids, there were times my family relied on food stamps, community food programs, and thrift stores to get by. At one point there were six of us sleeping in one small room! Believe me when I say I didn’t live in the right neighborhood, have the right connections, or wear the right clothes. We were the family the church would come to at Christmas and Easter with donations. While I came from humble beginnings, my parents gave me something money couldn’t buy. They told me I could accomplish anything I put my mind to – and I believed them.

At 19 I moved out and went to work full-time promising myself I would do what it took to succeed. I desired to change my circumstances, but had no idea how. I stumbled through life until I was 25, when I was introduced to a book called “Think and Grow Rich.” The book’s premise was my future was only limited by my beliefs. That was when I started to examine what was possible for me and my life began to change. With small daily steps I began creating the life of my dreams. Now after working my entire career to get where I was, I was facing the fact that I could be laid off.

To be continued…

 

Align, Expand and Succeed; Shifting the Paradigm of Entrepreneurial Success is based on the premise that the world is changing at a very rapid pace. We are starting to see that cooperation brings better results than old style competition. It’s a new era and we need to work together to create success for everyone, not just for a few.

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Today we are featuring Sue Papadoulis, contributing author to Align, Expand and Succeed; Shifting the Paradigm of Entrepreneurial Success. This “just released” book is based on the premise that the world is changing at a very rapid pace. We are starting to see that cooperation brings better results than old style competition. It’s a new era and we need to work together to create success for everyone, not just for a few.

I’m still a work in progress! I was drawn to this book because I want to be a more conscious entrepreneur.

 

I come from a professional and corporate background where stress, anxiety, competition, manipulation, office politics are part of daily life.  I was a journalist for 10 years and then worked as a senior Public Relations executive for seven years.  Both jobs can be brutal, especially working in the media.

 

I gave up that way of life because I was so unhappy I was making myself physically sick.  While I didn’t know what I wanted to do, I knew I didn’t want to be immersed in negativity and office politics any longer.

 

Four years after leaving the rat race to start a family, I’m beginning to realize that my new path is opening the door to cooperation, sharing, motivation and inspiration. 

I use my intuition more. I’m more honest and open about who I am as a person, rather than trying to be someone or something I’m not.

 

For most of my corporate career I felt like I was a fraud; that if my boss or my colleagues could see the real me, they would be disappointed. 

 

But now I’m learning that the more I reveal of myself, the more successful I become. 

As I grow as a person and in my business life I am achieving greater success having opted out of what society deems as being ‘successful’.

 

I’ve realised that you don’t have to be hard and tough to be successful.  You simply have to be the best person you can be. 

 

The process of striving to become the manifestation of your highest calling in life opens the door to conscious entrepreneurship.

 

I am on a journey of conscious entrepreneurship. I don’t have all the answers, but I’m open to my life’s higher purpose and I’m willing to be vulnerable in that process.

I wanted to be surrounded by others who were on a similar path to me and who could teach me how they were being conscious in business.  I was seeking to be inspired and learn from others.  I also have great faith in Christine Kloser and Lynne Klippel having watched them for some time, so I knew I would be in great hands.

 

Being a contributor has been a wonderful sharing and learning experience on so many levels.  Writing my chapter has led me to open up about a painful time in my life, which I hope will help others in a similar situation.  I was caught up in a life that wasn’t truly my own. My chapter reveals how I extracted myself from that and started on the path towards authenticity. Through the process I’ve faced the fear of revealing my true story to friends, family and colleagues who will probably be surprised by what they read. 

 

I was also inspired to learn more about the process of marketing a book, which I can now apply to future projects.

It mirrors my own journey of finding alignment with my own core values and beliefs, and then seeing the benefits of living this way.  Aligning with your true purpose brings so many gifts, both professionally and personally.  It brings untold riches on so many levels.

 

I am specially qualified to write about this topic because I feel passionately about helping others step into their own greatness, whatever that may be.  My mission is to inspire and motivate others to move beyond fear and take that leap of faith – for me that was leaving a corporate career and staring my own home business.

Like many others, I was caught on that treadmill of wanting more, working harder, feeling empty and looking for fulfillment in all the wrong places.  I can relate to people who are in that place now and I understand the challenges they face.  Being a conscious entrepreneur is a life long journey. For those who are thinking of making a change, I am here to guide them as best I can.  

Writing has always been my passion.  As a child, I loved to write in my diary.  As an adult, I became a journalist, and then completed a Master’s Degree in Creative Writing.  As a conscious entrepreneur, I use my writing skills to help others and convey my message of inspiration and hope.

 

I love to write, and I love that I am able to creative a livelihood from this gift. 

I am very proud of my involvement in this book because I am revealing more of myself than I ever have before.  Writing my chapter was part of my own healing process in the journey to excavate the real me.  I am acknowledging for the first time, my own physical and emotional breakdown, which is likely to come as quite a shock for many people including my friends and family.  I’m proud to have revealed myself in this way – it took great courage and a belief in who I am today as a person.  

I am already a part of another anthology to be released soon called Inspired for Life.  I am looking forward to the success of both books and being able to reach more people in the process.

 

I am also working on product development including the upcoming release of the Home Biz Chicks Starter Kit, and the Home Biz Chicks Success System, as well as promoting my already successful DIY PR Kit which teaches businesses how to generate their own free media publicity.

 

The year ahead is all about product promotion and the launch of my first live events. 

If you want to feel inspired to change your own way of life then this is a must read.  If you’ve ever hoped to be more than you currently are, or do something greater than you currently do, this book will inspire you to step into your own greatness. 

Business owners needs to open their eyes to the power of conscious entrepreneurship if they are to succeed in the coming decades.  This is the new way of doing business and those who are the fore-font of this trend will no doubt capitalize. 

I feel at my most creative when I am well rested, feeling energized and inspired. I get into the place by spending a few minutes feeling grateful, meditating and asking for divine inspiration.

 

For others, I recommend being open to being creative at your most productive times of the day.  Know when you are at your most productive and set aside some time to be creative.

 

I also recommend giving yourself the freedom of expression.  So, keep a journal where you can write without thinking.  Have a notebook where you can draw or paint whatever you are feeling.  Don’t over-think the process or worry about what others might think or say about the results.

I think many people feel compelled to share their own story with others. It somehow gives you a sense of legitimacy and achievement.  By revealing yourself through your story, you are also opening the door to helping others, which was a significant motivator for me.

 

Since childhood I have felt compelled to share stories on paper, and this is the culmination of many years of seeking a way to express who I am and move forward on my own journey. 

Are they 100% happy with where they are at in life? Are they on that fruitless search for something more?  Are they sick and tired of the ‘every day’ and looking for an answer? 

 

They may well find it in the pages of this book.   The stories will enlighten, entertain and touch your soul. 

Have the courage to step up to your highest calling, face challenges and the naysayers, and overcome your fears.  You’ll find inspiration to do this in the pages of Align, Expand and Succeed.

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Being a conscious entrepreneur means that I am following my passion and sticking to my core values no matter what.  In the face of difficulty, I do not choose short term gains over long term relationships.  I always am thinking towards the future and how I can help my customers.   I strive to provide more than the customer expects.

I felt that I have a message to share.  I see a lot of people struggling and feeling helpless in this economy and I think my story might be able to help someone.  I had to overcome challenges and preserver to get in the place of grateful abundance that I am in today.   I lived in poverty growing up, supported myself when I moved out at 18 by waitressing, got married young, had a child, and divorced by 24.  As a single mom, I was still able to complete U of IA’s Nursing program to get my degree.  I rented out half my house to, worked nights and weekends, and ate beans and rice in order to pay bills.  I had no time to study yet I still graduated at the top of my class with honors.   For me to make it through this struggle and complete school, I had to have a vision and belief that I could attain it.  I believe anyone can overcome a bad situation with the proper mindset.   It is a no excuses attitude. 

In business and in life, we need others to help us grow.  We have one mind and one set of experiences to draw from as individuals.  When you collaborate with others, you are able to expand your thinking and learn other angles you couldn’t think of on your own.   I have grow my business, TLC Medical, by gaining key partnerships.  It is because of these partnerships that more opportunities come to me.  In business, we will get much further if we share ideas and help each other out.  All businesses benefit from collaboration.

I started my business with pure passion and not much money.  My husband and I mortgaged everything we owned for me to take this climb.  I have learned that the most important character traits of a conscious entrepreneur are passion + persistence = belief.  I feel that I can show through example how to take what you love and turn it into a highly profitable business. 

It’s definitely not for the money.  I make plenty from my company.  Writing, in reality, is costing me money.  I want to make a difference.  I have built a multimillion dollar business in 5 years and I believe anyone can do this with the proper mindset.  I have a strong emotional desire to help others that are scared to take the leap into entrepreneurialism.    

I have met so many wonderful people involved with this project that I would have never met otherwise.   This team has pushed me to expand my thinking and their writing gives me the warm fuzzies.   The authors are amazing and I am proud to be involved with each of them.

I know I want to continue to write.  As long as I have the desire, I will continue to do it.  Right now I am focused on developing programs and content that can help others achieve their dreams.  I also hope to do some speaking and inspire others. 

The energy from the group is something I cannot describe.  My spirit is lifted by every contact that I have with one of the authors.  If you want to look at the conscious side of business, the side that never gets reported, this is a must read.

All we hear about in the media are the irresponsible companies, the unemployment rate, and the corrupt.  This book will show you how truly wonderful entrepreneurship can be.

For me it is running. I think I am going to start carrying a voice recorder with me on my runs.  I have the best ideas on a run. 

I wanted to make a difference and believe that this is a common theme among the authors.  I hear so many people disgusted with their jobs.  They feel trapped. I want to show them that there is an alternative.  The world is going through some significant changes right now and people need hope. The media just keeps hammering the economy and anyone listening to that would think the financial system is falling apart.  I am here to tell you the economy is great.  If you have a niche, get out there and participate. Everything is so specialized now that you can find your niche in any market.   I want to help motivate people to believe in themselves so that they can start a niche business.

I would ask them if they have ever wanted something so badly nothing could stop them?  I mean this very literally.  If you had a burning desire that was so strong, the world could not hold you back.  I think there are a rare few that will say they actually had this kind of experience. Most people never let themselves feel this kind of desire for fear of getting out of their comfort zone.  I bet among the 40 authors in AES, there will be at least one you can relate to, and maybe, their story will help you see that your vision is possible and help you to get past the fear.    

Read the book.  Like in my previous answer, one of these stories could change your life. 

I found the answer. I couldn’t. I couldn’t get it all done. And even if I could there would be 30 more things to come in to take the place it to fill my time. As in much of life I had the opportunity to look at all the things that had to be done and figure out which meant the most to me. 

What was my priority? I’m glad I made the right choice. My goal is to look back at the end of my life and know that I lived my life in alignment with my values and what I believe I’m here to do on this earth. It may sound like a lofty goal – but that’s truly how I want to live my life. As conscious leaders, is there any other way?

As leaders we live in a highly charged business environment. The new norm for organizations is to demand more and more from their people, leaving their teams to scramble to keep up. There will always be too much to do and often feels like there is too little time. So my question to you is – what are your priorities?  I’m not just talking about your work priorities. I want to know what means the most to you in life. When you look across the landscape of your career, relationships, health and spirit – what are your priorities?

Your leadership is dependent on finding a balance between each of those categories based on the vision you have for your life and how you define success. You’ll know when you’re getting out of alignment when you feel like you should be doing something that’s not on your calendar. A wise person once told me that if you want to know someone’s priorities check their calendar and the checkbook. I challenge you to look at both of those this week and see what you find. If it’s not what you want it to be take 1 small step to align with your values and priorities. It will be worth the effort.