The HOT List - September 2015

Ahhh...September.

We’re on the cusp of my favorite season. Fall.

No matter how old I get, my calendar still follows the school year. So, September always feels like the start of something new. Something exciting.

Yes. I was one of those kids who’d religiously check the mail EVERY DAY prior to the start of school eagerly awaiting the envelope that would contain my teacher assignment and classmates for the new school year.

And, this year is no different. The inaugural show of The Clarity Confessions kicked off in August, and I have all the fall shows already lined up for you. And, they are AWESOME.

Over the next few months, you’ll learn the business secrets of branding experts, TEDx speakers, bestselling authors, and industry leaders. Really, really good stuff.

(If you haven’t already, you can sign-up for the show HERE & gain immediate access to the latest Clarity Confession with Where Is My Guru founder, Jessica Durivage.)

September, for me, is the perfect time to set up my launching pad for the new year. (Yes, believe it or not 2016 is just a few short months away.) I look at the goals I set for myself and my business this year, and evaluate what I can do in this last quarter to set myself up for the best possible entrance into the new year so that I can hit the ground running!

If you’re like me and are feeling like September’s calling you to buckle down and get back on track with your business goals after the summer, I invite you to set up a complimentary Clarity Consultation with me to see if working together is the right way to set you up for BIG wins in 2016.

With business buckling-down in mind, here are a few things that’re making my business + life easier these days. I hope they do the same for you!

Tools I’m Digging…

I love business tools that are user-friendly, convenient, beautiful and FREE, and these two babies hit the spot.

To keep my calendar organized (and pretty!), I’ve switched over to Calendly. It syncs with Google Calendar, Outlook and other platforms, and allows clients and contacts to schedule time with me -- and I can be completely hands-off! Calendly lists your availability so your client can pick the day/time that’s best for them. It then shoots you both an email, puts the event on your calendar and sends reminders prior to the booking. So helpful.

The other tool I’m crushing on is Typeform. It’s becoming a more and more popular way to build attractive, easy-to-use (and fun-to-use) forms and surveys. Create contact forms, questionnaires, surveys, order forms, evaluations, etc. etc. etc. Even better, you can then share your creation via email, pop-up, with a link or embed it directly on your website. Fabulous! (You can see how I'm using Typeform here.)

What I’m Having Fun With…

Get-to-know-you calls.

To be completely honest, phone calls used to be the bane of my existence. I hated “wasting time” on the phone.

But, I’ve turned a corner, and now I really enjoy getting on the phone (or on Skype) for get-to-know-you calls with potential business friends and my community.

Why? Because I LOVE hearing about people’s businesses, the amazing things they’re up to and what’s on the horizon for them.

I love idea hashing, brainstorming, offering (and receiving) advice, and talking to people who really and truly get what it’s like to be an entrepreneur -- the highs AND the lows.

If talking to your community and fellow entrepreneurs isn’t currently on your to-do list, I strongly encourage you to consider making time for this activity. The insight you’ll gain to improve your business is immeasurable.

Plus, you’ll be totally jazzed after a good call -- your motivation will be through the roof!

Who I’m Intrigued By…

Jessica Nazarali. The It Girl Coach.

She’s on online business expert for new coaches, and she honestly just seems like a super fun girl to hang out with.

Her deal? She travels the world while working 1x1 with clients and also hosting live events and meet-ups for budding coaches. Fun!

Plus, her business is booming -- she made over $350K in the first half of 2015 (impressive, I know!) all while visiting far-off cities and enjoying a lifestyle that she loves with her husband.

Definitely someone to check out and be inspired by.

And Finally, What I’m Eating…

Trader Joe’s Curry Sauce. Yum.

My sister introduced this sauce to me a few weeks back, and it’s delicious.

For all you busy entrepreneurs out there with limited time to pull together a delicious, healthy meal, you need to stock some of this stuff in your pantry.

For a super quick dinner, I like to prep a spaghetti squash, toss in extra veggies (like peppers, onions and snow peas) and then add in Trader Joe’s Curry Sauce. So very tasty.

That rounds out September’s HOT List.

If you enjoy any of this month’s HOT List items, let me know about in the comments below, on Twitter @CailenAscher, or in the Facebook Group.

Have some fun stuff you’re lovin’ on lately? Let me know. I’d love to check it out!

Happy September! xo,

P.S. Missed out on last month’s HOT List? There was a must-read book, top places to connect with like-minded, purpose-driven entrepreneurs and suggestions for giving yourself a little me-time. Find it HERE.

the most important tool for your yoga business

do you know what the most important tool is for your yoga business?

are you thinking...

website? blog? youtube channel? facebook page? marketing campaign? mailing list?

well, yes. all of those things are super important for yoga biz building, but i'm making a case today that they're not the most important tool.

this tool that i'm sharing in today's video is the most valuable thing i have in place for my business -- and i'm realizing that now more than ever being a new mama with fewer hours to devote to my business.

better yet, this tool costs nothing, is easy to set up and is likely something you're already familiar with! (pretty cool, eh?)

so...what is it???

i've included everything you need to know in this week's video. watch now to learn exactly what it is and how to use it to maximum benefit for your biz.

do you have a business-building tip for the short-on-time? share it in the comments below!

i LOVE learning from you!

biz: 8 F-R-E-E yoga business+marketing resources

starting a yoga business isn't easy -- but there are plenty of great (and FREE!) tools that certainly make it easier.

one of the beautiful things about starting your own business these days is that there are so many amazing platforms, websites, and social media sites that you can make use of to streamline your marketing, reach your ideal students, and grow your yoga following for little or no money!

the barriers to entry have been removed. 

you no longer need $5k to start a website, $10k to market & advertise, $3k for some decent PR, or a hefty deposit & monthly rent for a studio -- you can do it all yourself & handle 99% of your biz online!

in truth, all you need is to believe in yourself, some stick-t0-it-ness, a lot of heart, and to remember that you're here to make a difference in your own unique and special way!

if you're ready to get serious about making yoga your career -- you've come to the right place!

here is my list of some of the best F-R-E-E business+marketing tools for yoga teachers :-)

1. Mailchimp - use mailchimp to start a yoga newsletter for your students -- it's a great way to build relationships, grow your yoga community, and establish yourself as a yoga expert
2. Hootsuite - this platform allows you to manage & schedule ALL of your social media accounts.  if you NEVER remember to update facebook or twitter, you'll love this :-)
3. Buffer - another great app for social media.  use buffer to stagger & spread out your tweets and posts so that they drip out to your social media sites over time
4. Wordpress - this is what i built my website on, and what most web designers/programmers use and recommend...AND it's free!  claim your website or blog today on wordpress.org
5. Facebook Pages - as a yoga teacher, you NEED a facebook page that is separate from your personal account.  a facebook page is specifically designed for entrepreneurs and businesses so that fans, followers, and students have  place to find and connect with you without seeing your personal family pics.
6. Twitter - even if you're unfamiliar with twitter and how to use it, it's still a good idea to claim your name.  that way, once you get big and famous, and want to start "tweeting", you won't have anyone else out there pretending to be you!
7. Yoga Trail - yoga trail is a premier & very popular yoga listing site where teachers and studios can create professional profiles so that people searching for yoga instruction in your area can find you.  plus, it's totally free!!!
8. The Yoga Recipe - this is a totally ingenious new site that i recently found.  there are two ways to make use of the yoga recipe: (1) you can create a "shop" and sell your class plans, sequences, playlists, and more, OR (2) you can shop for them!  the beautiful thing about this site is that it's by yoga teachers, for yoga teachers, and serves the yoga community as a whole!  so cool!
9. BONUS - my CALM biz newsletter - every week i share practical & actionable biz and marketing advice for yoga teachers with the hope of inspiring you to turn your teaching hobby into a career.  it's totally free to sign-up AND when you do, you'll recieve a copy of my Yoga Biz Essentials e-book as a thank you.

ok, so there you have it.  8 (+BONUS 9th) great marketing+business resources that are totally FREE and fun to use!

check out ONE today, and post a comment below and let me know what you thought about it :-)