Annena Aikins

Analyzing the Warrior-Preneur, a Brand Built on Power

   

After meeting Ann Evanston, MA, Social Psychologist, social networking expert and the woman behind the Warrior-Preneur brand, I became curious about the “warrior” and wanted to know who Ann was when not on stage giving a presentation. 

Who is Ann Evanston, the Warrior-Preneur and what does she do?
In a climate where so many companies have lost creditability, Ann teaches people how to use their personality to connect with and attract or “pull” clients to them instead of squeezing clients into buying their products or services. 

“We don’t trust big faceless corporations; we want to know who we are doing business with.”

With her social psychology background and an understanding of human behavior, Ann teaches her clients, whether a small business owner or a person climbing the corporate ladder, how to get results. 

Ann designed her signature teaching methods from combining techniques of great warriors and strategies from great leaders and entrepreneurs.  “I teach how to find the voice that you need to be able to create collaboration, buy-in, ownership, leadership, in order to influence others, to understand intrinsic motivators of others, so you will get the results you desire.”

For more than twenty years, Ann has been teaching her unique methods and developing business and corporate leaders all over the world. 

First impressions are lasting
I remember the first time I saw Ann Evanston, the Warrior-Preneur, was at a local Bay Area meetup group, The Entrepreneur & Small Business Academy, led by Patrick Schwerdtfeger.

At the meetup, there were more than one hundred business owners and entrepreneurs present.    Though, I did not have the opportunity to meet Ann that night, of the fifty+ people who gave brief introductions, Ann was one out of four people, besides the host that I remembered.   

I am not sure whether it was her message about having a “Thrival” mindset, the name “Warrior-Preneur” or both that stuck, I just remember thinking, “there is something about her?” 

Credibility–check!
To my surprise, my second encounter with Ann was at an eWomen Network event in Oakland about a month later.  When I arrived, Ann was one of the first people to greet me.  I instantly recognized her from the meetup and before she could say anything, I said, “Hey, you are the Warrior Woman.”  The Warrior-Preneur had been branded in my head from a 30-second sound bite from a month ago. 

At the luncheon, I witnessed Ann’s effectiveness as a communicator and presenter, when she gave a presentation about online social networking, a phenomenon that is difficult for many people to completely grasp.  With ease, she demonstrated her expertise and knowledge by explaining multilayered web 2.0 online social networking tools and applications that can take a person several months to learn. 

Ann’s credibility as an expert was proved golden by multiple women who testified about her professionalism, wisdom and genuine concern for others.  If Ann never said one word at the luncheon, the testimonials alone were enough to sell you on her value.

A genuine gift
Later, during a telephone interview with Ann, I realized, her energy, was what left me thinking “there is something about her” from an earlier encounter.  I am not a metaphysical, the earth, moon and stars kind of person, but some people have ability to set a charge off in others and Ann’s energy, a genuine gift, is magnetic and it “pulls” you to her. 

After our conversation, I noticed a change in my energy level.  Though she was not coaching me or intentionally trying to pump me up, by the time we finished, I was fired up and ready to take on the world. 

The warrior is within you
Ann Evanston is not a brutish or untouchable warrior, who exists in the confines of her own reality, like those seen on television, but a warrior that rallies the troops and ignites fire and passion among people who need help.

Operating in truth, she meets people on their level and helps them tap into their power, the warrior inside to take charge and produce results. 

I asked Ann what advice she would give a single mother who wants to start a business but is too afraid to do it?  In true warrior fashion, she said:

“You cannot be afraid of fear… if you are waiting because you think there are certain perfect things that have to be in alignment for you to work, it will never happen.  Embrace the entrepreneurial spirit within you and allow that spirit to lead you to success.”  

According to William Arruda, the “guru” of personal branding, “a personal brand is authentic to you, differentiating from your peers and relevant and compelling to those who are making decisions about you…it is your unique promise of value.”   

Undoubtedly, the Warrior-Preneur brand is authentic.   Ann walks her talk and lives what she teaches people.  Not many people can call themselves a warrior and pull it off.  However, for Ann being a warrior is not a contrived, false image but it is who she really is.  After meeting her, talking with her and hearing others speak of her, I discovered that the Warrior-Preneur and Ann Evanston are one and the same and you can’t get any more authentic than that.

To learn more about Ann Evanston, the Warrior-Preneur and to get her new book, The Power of Leadership: On Being the Leader Producing Results, visit www.Warrior-Preneur.com

 

Essential tools for building a personal brand

I have said it and many other branding experts have said that you do have a personal brand, whether you put the effort into or not.  So why not make sure that your personal brand and message are consistent?  Why not flood the web with information about your personal brand so when people Google your name, they will read what you want them to read?

There are many wonderful tools to help you promote your personal brand as Steve Strauss spelled out in this article:  Ask an Expert:  Get personal with your branding efforts.

25 Ways to Tell if You are Mentally Stuck on Stupid

Mentally stuck on stupid is a general way to say someone is full of self-doubt, depressed and lack motivation.  Life is not as rich as it once was and dreams, desires and goals seem unobtainable.  For this person, who moves around with a gray cloud overhead, the easiest tasks are hard to complete. Though he or she does not have any physical problems, they just can’t seem to find the drive to progress in life.  A person, who was once full of life and thriving, just gives up and wastes away.

Sometimes it is hard to realize that you may be stuck, check out some of the signs:

1. Every entry in your diary says the same thing – “I am so miserable.”

2. You and your friends get together to play Top This, competing to see who is worse off – “you think that is bad, well top this – “I did not get out of bed for a week and my family did not know I was at home.”

3. You favorite phrases are, I can’t, I’m confused, I don’t know and I don’t care.

4. Dressing up to you is putting on a clean pair of sweats.

5. Your mattress has a big dent in it that is the perfect mold of your body.

6. You looked in the mirror and did not recognize the person staring back at you.

7. Ben, Jerry and Godiva are your best friends.

8. When people call you in the middle of the day, you pretend that you were not sleep.

9. The last time you appeared in a family photo was three years ago.

10. You always intend to start your job search, tomorrow.

11. You do not have any favorite things – not a favorite song, color, actor, etc.

12. You have tried on more than one occasion to internally combust.

13. You are still mad at your Ex who broke your heart four years ago.

14. Your house is a mess and you have been there all day.

15. You were once the life of the party, but your friends no longer call you to go out.

16. Your list of negative things about yourself is three times longer than the positive list.

17. Your children cook their own meals and check their own homework.

18. Exercise, what? Maybe a walk to the front of the house and back to your room.

19. Sweets and junk food don’t give you a buzz anymore, but you still eat them anyway.

20. Getting out of the house is a trip to Wal-Mart.

21. You spouse just looks at you and shake his or her head.

22. Primetime news makes you cry.

23. Your alcohol receipts exceed your food costs.

24. People see you on the street and don’t recognize you anymore.

25. You don’t know what day it is.

Not Creating a Personal Brand May Be Costing You More Than You Think

If you have not established your personal brand it may be costing you more than you think.  If you have dismissed the ideal of developing your personal brand and do not see the value in it, check out this article by Chad Levitt The Lost Opportunity Cost of Not Creating Your Personal Brand.

Liberate Yourself - the power of intention

If you believe you can achieve.  Start walking towards your goal by taking one step at a time.

So I Quit My Day Job: Dear Boss You're Fired

What are you thankful for?

Every day that you wake is an opportunity to be thankful for something new.  We tend to say that we are thankful for what we have but often take things for granted.  We give a general thanks for our lives, for our loved ones and health but continue to move on with our days without really appreciating the unobvious things that bring us joy and make life easier.

Sometimes we get so accustomed to having certain things, that we really do not value them, until they are taken away.  

When was the last time you looked at the little things that you do or have that makes life a little easier?  I challenge you to take a few moments and look around to see the small things, then say thanks.  Here are a few things on my list:

1. I am thankful that I can take a full cleanse breath in my lungs.
2. I am thankful for having warm water to take a nice bath.
3. I am most thankful that my two fun loving sons are loud and run around tearing up my house (aggravating me).  They jump up and down on my furniture, scream, shout and karate chop each other – thank you!
4. I am thankful that I can see the beautiful flowers outside my door.
5. I am thankful for having a choice between spring, sparkling, or tap water.
6. I am thankful for my mother-in-law who washes the dishes every night, so I do not have to.
7. I am thankful that my mother can make a mean pot of white beans with smoked turkey. 
8. I am thankful for my husband, the workaholic for taking time to sit down with my oldest son to draw and share his collectable comic books.
9. I am thankful for having a wonderful daycare provider and teachers who take good care of my children.
10. I am thankful for being able to run up the stairs without getting winded.
11. I am thankful that I can still do cartwheels and the splits.
12. I am thankful that if I run out of milk, the Super Wal-Mart is less than a mile away.
13. I am thankful for Trader Joe’s Joe Joe’s natural vanilla cream cookies.

What are you thankful for?

Two Sides of the Mind

The mind is a two-sided coin; on one side are endless possibilities of dreams fulfilled and opportunities to reach amazing heights, if you just believe.

A place where words like power, courage and phenomenal live.  There are no constraints on this side of the coin, only life.

Passion for living flows like honey, dripping from of the mouths of those who desire to indulge.  Mountains that stand tall like jolly giants will be defeated and reduced to the size of pebbles by those who just believe.

Every day presents a chance to cross new oceans to reach new plateaus. 

On this side of the coin life is what you make it. 

The other side of the coin is a place of bondage, a dark place where fear, self-doubt and depression exist.  Like cancer they slowly work their way through the mind, killing everything until nothing is left. 

Being trapped in the confines of a mind that is paralyzed with fear creates a slow seeping insanity that eventually overtakes its victim. 

Chants of “I wonder” and “only if” ring over and over again on this side of the mind until it gives in to silence.

Old dreams are overtaken by dust, complacency settles in like morning fog and hope abandons its maker, never to return.

What side of the coin do you live?

"Every Transition Begins With An Ending"

To successfully move through life and appreciate all that it has to offer requires the ability to adapt and change.  We must change when people move in and out of our lives, with the environment, technology and culture because nothing stays the same. 

Unless you want to become a relic, trapped in a past long gone, you must be open to grow.

From daybreak to sunset, we wear many hats that require us to transition from one role to the next. 

In a life span our roles change as well, we go from dependent child to independent adult to an adult with dependents and we end by depending on our dependents.

“The longest day comes to an end” and with it, so does the “good ole days,” when life was sweet, so sweet that we could not let go of it. 

Your time at the top of the corporate ladder will be limited and one day you will have to come down from the top. 

Friday nights at the club will be replaced by play-dates and bedtime stories.

The comfort of owning the only bookstore in town for thirty years will be replaced by fear when the big box store moves down the street. 

Depression will replace self-confidence in the mind of the former superstar athlete who just got cut and replaced by a newer, faster model.

Unable to let go of how things used to be, we cling to them in our hearts and minds.  We dream about it those days, we listen to old songs that carry the memory of good times in between beats and lyrics.   

We protest the “new” and try to convince others to stand vigil with us to keep the times of the past alive.

In the book, Transitions:  Making Sense of Life’s Changes, William Bridges says:

“Every transition begins with an ending.  We have to let go of the old thing before we can pick up the new one–not just outwardly, but inwardly, where we keep our connections to people and places that act as definitions of who we are.”

Our unyielding desire to hold onto to yesterday prevents us from moving toward the gifts that the future holds. 

The world does not have to be as small as you have made it.  Imagine the new possibilities and the opportunity to experience new people and places if you give life a chance.  

New challenges await you, new mountains to climb and new seas to sail if you can just let go.

  

What does your Personal Brand Say About You?

Even if you have not put thought into "branding" yourself, or have not taken the time to dig deep inside yourself to unearth your unique gifts, talents and skills, you have a personal brand.

Your brand is not only made up of your promise of value, but also your image, your style, your environment and the way you communicate.

Saying who you are is only one part of sending a "brand message," you have to live it. 

Authenticity is critical to your personal brand, so if you are saying one thing but living in a different way, then people will take notice. 

If you are trying to land new clients for your business or impress a recruiter for a job opening, how you "package" youself will play a role in whether doors open to you or not.

In Personal Brand:  what is yours? - Roberta McCulloch-Dews, explains how image plays a role in everyone's personal brand and how we have one whether we are conscious of it or not.

Learn to Solve Problems by Changing The Way You Think

As with most habits, we are programmed to think about things in a certain way.  We approach and try to solve problems by using the same methods.  We rationalize based on habits, environment and training. 

It is easy to get extremely comfortable with the way you do things.  Without knowing it, we become cemented in believing that our answer is the only right and logical answer to a problem.  When our solution does not work, we get frustrated or give up. 

The next time you come against a problem that you cannot easily solve and before you walk away frustrated, try to look at the problem from a different perspective.   Flip the problem upside down, or better yet, you stand on your head, and look at the situation from a different angle, you may just find your solution.

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A few years ago, I was considering buying a bigger house with more closet space to solve my storage problem.  My clothes, shoes and accessories would not fit inside my closet without being crammed in. 

I consulted a professional organizer, bought tubs and bins but nothing worked.  One day, while killing myself, rearranging my closet, trying to find a way to make room for my clothes, I heard a voice whisper, “you do not need a bigger house with a larger closet, you need less stuff.” 

It never occurred to me that I had too much stuff.  However after taking a good look at all my clothes, shoes, coats, jackets and purses, I was shocked to see that I was hording things that I did not need and did not wear. 

I decided to clean out my closet and give away anything that I did not use.  I thought I could be a blessing to someone who needed clothes and shoes, instead of them taking up space in my closet.

If it was not for the voice (who I like to believe was God), I would have never changed my perspective.  I had one way of looking at things and frustrated myself on trying to fix the problem. 

Since, that episode I clean out my closet regularly, which has become a freeing experience.  By giving away things I do not need, I have room for the things that I use; help people in the process and now have fewer items to maintain.

I was listening to a man complain about his chosen profession.  He said he loved what he did and could not imagine himself doing anything else.  However, his business caused him grief because he could not make any “real” money.  He was having a difficult time maintaining his lifestyle with the money that he was earning.  He was frustrated because he tried every way in the book to make his business successful.  

Perhaps he is looking at the situation from the wrong perspective.  His problem might not be about the sum of money he earns but may have to do with lifestyle.

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I was complaining to my husband (he would say I was fussing) about something that he said, that I did not like. 

His response to me was, “change the way you think, so you won’t care about what I say and it won’t bother you.”

So, I said, “you are absolutely right, from now on, I will change how I think and I can careless about ANYTHING you have to say!”