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Life Simplified

Lose the Drama. Be Authentic.

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Be Authentic

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“What does being authentic mean?  Simply stated, it means be who you are.  Be the same person in every circumstance.” ~ James Autry, The Servant Leader

We love a good story with lots of twists and turns.  It intrigues us to see Don Draper of Mad Men or Al Pacino in The God Father live different lives.

That’s great for fiction, but what about real life?

Living Different Lives

Living different lives in reality is stressful.  You are always searching for time to do what you enjoy.  When you do have downtime, you’ve forgotten what you like.  The result is filling up your time with more to do’s.

If you’re doing this in your business, it could be detrimental to your growth.  Although 50 years ago it might have been an accepted practice, today with the advent of social media, authenticity is what sells.

Choose Be Authentic Lifestyle

By using the definition provided by James Autry above, to be authentic means to be the same person no matter what the situation.  The benefits of adopting an authentic lifestyle are:

  1. It’s easier.  Being the same person in the office, with clients and at home, makes life smoother.
  2. It’s reliable.  You don’t have to “jump into character” as you move from one situation to another.  You don’t have to worry about giving yourself away.  Others sense this and you become more reliable.
  3. It’s consistent.  Common sense says if you are the same in all areas of your life, you become consistent in your actions and reactions.
  4. It’s trustworthy.  Your customers, friends, family can tell when you aren’t being authentic.  You come across fake, shallow and most of all as someone who may not be trusted.  I know that’s now the way you want to be perceived in any area of your life.
Back To Mad Men

Leave the story lines to the writers.  Don’t become a character in your own life.  As much as you may like to watch others live out these complex stories, simplify yours.

Then the next time you turn on Mad Men, you’ll realize how difficult their lives are caused by not being authentic.

Choose a be authentic lifestyle.  Relax into your life.  You may find you give up somethings, but you’ll discover what you truly love.  That’s when live gets fun.

 

Vondenbrink Consulting

 

Do you want to effectively use social media in your business, but feel too vulnerable?

Contact us for a free consultation on how we can help.

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A Real Servant Leader: Mrs. Collins

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Unsung Heroine Recipients: True Servant Leader

Photo Credit Kelly Goodwin Photography via Flickr

Being Honored At The State House

I had a unique opportunity this week.  I was honored by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as an Unsung Heroine.  80 women were selected from across the state for their contributions to their community.

It was a wonderful honor, but that’s not what made it unique for me.

As my sister and I found our seats,  a woman came up to me and said, “I bet you don’t remember me.”

A Blast From The Past

I looked deeply into her eyes and said, “Mrs. Collins?”

She was my sixth grade science and homeroom teacher.  My favorite teacher by the way. Out of the blue I was 11 years old again, although now I towered over her 4 foot frame.

A Servant and Leader

As I sat through the ceremony, I realized how this woman had influenced me. Mrs. Collins was both a servant and a leader in my life.  Her teaching style served at least me in so many ways.  Always an enthusiastic student, she make learning even more fun.  We did things in her science class that others never heard of.

She made you feel important, loved and cared for as an individual, an important part of the learning process.  She had high standards, but helped us live up to them, rather than expected us to figure out how.

This sense of service made her a leader in my life.  She made me feel confident at an awkward age.  She made me feel strong.  She made me feel smart.  It was a feeling I rarely had again going through formal education.

I don’t know if Mrs. Collins knew the influence she had in my life back then, but I’m forever grateful she does now.

You As Servant and Leader

Every day each of us has a chance to be both a servant and leader to others.  When we can accept both roles, we make an impact far beyond our products and services.

Being a servant may have some negative connotations in your mind, but think about it differently.  As each person enters your life, ask how you can serve them.  It’s not just about doing volunteer work.  It’s about being of service to the person right in front of you.

When you authentically serve others, you naturally become a leader.  Like Mrs. Collins, you earn a place of respect in the other person’s eyes.

 

Keynote Speaker | Jen Vondenbrink | Life Simplified

Looking for a speaker for your next event? 

Jen Vondenbrink is a keynote speaker talking about reaching your full potential, how to be a servant leader in business and of course social media in business.

Book Jen.

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Secret to Success: Being of Service

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Secret to Success Being of Service

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“Service is the rent we pay for being.  It is the very purpose of life, and not something you do in your spare time.” ~ Marian Wright Edelman

Don’t Give It All Away

“Give what you can, but don’t give it all away,” advised a mentor when I started my business.

In today’s world of inbound marketing, the theme is give it away.  Teach people valuable lessons.  In doing so they will trust you and become customers.

This creates a dilemma with what I learned.  Do you feel the same way?

The two ideas seem juxtaposed.  One says help but only to a point.  The other says help and then help more.  Which do you do?

The answer is both by adopting the mindset of being of service.

A business absolutely devoted to service will have only one worry about profits.  They will be embarassingly large. ~ Henry Ford

Being Of Service

Being of service is thinking about the customer,  developing products/services to meet their needs, and getting out there to help them every day.

I spoke to another mentor a couple months a go.  I asked him how he gets the add on sale from a customer.  He said he does the best job possible for them.  He quotes one job.  Focuses on delivering above quality work and being of service.  As one job finishes the company asks him to help on something else because he’s demonstrated value to them.

Every interaction you have online and offline leads to sales.  The more you can be of service to others, the more they will buy from you or refer you to qualified customers.

When Is It Too Much?

It is too much when you’re giving away your core products/service because you think you have to in order to get business.  That is not being of service.  It’s also taking on clients that can’t afford your services because you feel bad for them.  That also is not being of service.

When and if you do offer services for free, have a reason.  Is it for a charity?  Is it to gain exposure to a new audience?

Always ask yourself, is there another way I can be of service besides giving away my core business?

Taking care of people should be your number one priority.  A local photographer, Jen Osojnicki, Photographer, makes sure each of her couples feels absolutely special before, during and after the event.  She goes as far as sending them Happy Anniversary messages and Baby Congratulations.  You can see the intimate relationship she has with her clients on Facebook.  Her clients become the star of the show.

In return they spread the word, come back and continue to engage with Jen long after the wedding.

HubSpot also does the same thing.  They educate their audiences through blogs, papers, webinars, etc.  The level of trust they instill way before the sale allows them to focus on the needs of the customers when they are ready to buy.

The aim of marketing is to know and understand the customer so well the product or service fits him and sells itself. ~ Peter Drucker

Combine Business and Being of Service

When you combine your business mind with beingof service, you become curious about your customers rather than thinking of them as a number.

To get started review your existing customers.  Ask yourself, how can I be of service to them?  What expertise can I share with them that would be valuable?

Go a little farther.  Ask what can I do for future customers today that will serve them over and over?

Start building a culture of service oriented business and you’ll see the returns in how your business grows.

 

Keynote Speaker | Jen Vondenbrink | Life Simplified

Looking for a speaker for your organization?

Jen Vondenbrink is a keynote speaker talking about reaching your potential, how to be a servant leader in business and of course social media for business.

Book Jen today for your event.

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Jen Vondenbrink Of Foxboro MA Recognized As A Massachusetts ‘Unsung Heroine’

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Jen Vondenbrink Massachusetts 2013 Unsung Heroine

(Foxboro, MA) – Foxboro resident and business woman, Jen Vondenbrink, was honored by the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women (MCSW) as a 2013 Unsung Heroine at a State House ceremony on Monday, April 29, 2013..

Vondenbrink is the owner and founder of Vondenbrink Consulting, a business consulting firm located in Foxboro and formerly known as Life Simplified.

Vondenbrink is an active Director of the Tri-Town Chamber of Commerce, which serves the communities of Foxboro, Mansfield and Norton. A founding member of the Chamber’s Women’s Link Committee, she also serves as the organization’s Social Media Manager..

In 2012, Vondenbrink spearheaded the Chamber’s newly-established Buy Local campaign, with the goal of. engaging local businesses and residents. The campaign culminated in the Buy Local Back-to-School Contest for which students were invited to submit essays about their favorite summer memory. The winner received prizes from local businesses totalling over $500 plus a day with her family at the Deutsche Bank Championship at the end of August. The Buy Local campaign was so successful, it now has become an annual Chamber event.

Outside of her Chamber activities, for the last three years Vondenbrink has been active in the Mansfield Youth Baseball program, donated hundreds of hours to employment support groups, provided free workshops for small business owners, and conducted workshops at the Mansfield Public Library. Recently, she has also joined the Marketing Unzipped collaborative which provides small businesses with marketing education and support..

The Unsung Heroine recognition ceremony was held at the State House to honor women who were identified by the MCSW in partnership with state legislators for using, “(their) time, talent, spirit and enthusiasm to enrich the lives of others,” without fanfare or recognition.

To find out more about Jen Vondenbrink or Vondenbrink Consulting, visit her website http://yourlifesimplified.com or her personal blog http://yourlifesimplified.com/appetit-for-life.

ABOUT VONDENBRINK CONSULTING

Located online at http://yourlifesimplified.com, Vondenbrink Consulting (JVC) provides small business consulting and public speaking services to growing businesses and non-profit organizations. Founded by Jen Vondenbrink of Foxboro, MA, JVC uses a unique process that blends traditional coaching with personal coaching to encourage change and bring about growth, especially in the area of social media engagement.

 

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