There are tons of opportunities all around you to build your business. In the local newspaper, on business blogs, at networking events, in the shape of the person in line next to you in Starbucks.

The key is to be curious and talk to people. Every day. Ask them what they do and listen to their answers. And if you see a potential solution you can offer, then do it. Don’t start giving yourself all the reasons why they won’t be interested.

Finding new business opportunities is not some deep, dark secret. Neither is it complicated. Know what you do (the solution you provide), know who you do it for (your target markets) and then go out and start contacting people. That’s how you build successful business. One contact at a time.

Fiona Walsh, CEO, FM Walsh & Associates Inc., www.fmwalsh.com

Feeling blah about work and business? Feeling like you are missing the passion and fire you used to have? Working harder and longer isn’t going to bring it back. But I know what will.

Find yourself a really cool project to work on. Something that stretches you, excites you, invigorates you. Perhaps something you have been thinking about doing but haven’t really found the time to do yet. Yes, I know you’re probably thinking: “I’m so busy now – I can’t fit in anything more!”

Here’s how a really cool project could refuel you:

1. Whenever I start something new, and often it feels like a lot of work that I really don’t want to do, I always find myself attracting bright, talented people to the project and all kinds of unexpected doors open.
2. The sheer joy of doing something new and different gets me excited and passionate. It makes me realize that if you want to have an impact, you have to try uncharted waters. That’s truly how you make a difference.
3. When you pull people together that are excited and passionate, things move quickly, which means you don’t have time to moan about how overworked you are. You are having too much fun instead!

So if you are having a case of the February ‘blahs’, then do something memorable!

Fiona Walsh, CEO, FM Walsh & Associates Inc., www.fmwalsh.com

I hear a lot of people complaining that they need to get stuff done but don’t seem to have the energy to complete it. I was reading a great article by Cheryl Richardson and she offered this great piece of advice: You get passionate about getting things done only when you have the energy to do them. Forcing yourself to do things, pushing yourself constantly when your mind and body are not ready, is a waste of time.

You can reconnect with your passion for business by recognizing your own natural flow of energy and become a lot more productive.

Find yourself procrastinating on getting something done? Stop pushing. Sit back and relax and wait for the motivation to get it done. Much of the time we are just pushing ourselves to get stuff done that just isn’t that important.

So here’s Cheryl’s simple prescription: “”If you have the energy to do something, do it. If you don’t, don’t do it.” Sounds great, I said, but what about the nagging voices in my head that tell me I have to get things done first? “Ah, you see, this isn’t about your to-do list or your cluttered desk” she said. “This is about your mind. You need to learn to manage your mind by telling it to rest while you wait for the energy you need to get a task completed. If you move with the energy rather than against it, you’ll not only be happier, you’ll get more done in less time. But remember, you have to be brave enough to challenge the voices in your head that tell you you’re shirking your responsibilities or that if you wait too long, the energy may never come.”

Please click here to read the whole newsletter.

Fiona Walsh, CEO, FM Walsh & Associates Inc., www.fmwalsh.com

Make this the year of kindness to yourself. After all, if you can’t be bothered to be kind to yourself every day, why would anyone else? Stop criticizing yourself constantly. Stop expecting perfection. Laugh when you mess up. Dance when you are happy. Celebrate your successes.

When we are unkind to ourselves, when we put taking care of ourselves last on the list, what things are we teaching our daughters? What kind of role models are we?

Make 2010 the year of kindness to yourself. You won’t believe how strong an impact that will make on your confidence and on the others around you. And the effect on your bottom line will astound you. Nourish your spirit every single day this year.

Fiona Walsh, CEO, FM Walsh & Associates Inc., www.fmwalsh.com

Experience, hard word and talent are not enough to succeed in today’s workplace. You need to also focus on building a network that will bring you the success you want. Your career will likely span multiple jobs and fields and the best and fastest way to get where you want to be is having a network of people you can call on. Building an effective network takes time, planning and intention. Here are 5 rules that will help you out:

1. Talk to strangers. You never know who is standing behind you at Starbucks.
2. Build a network with intention; create a plan of the types of people you want to meet and work the plan.
3. Give as much as you get; don’t be stingy about looking for ways to help others out. This will repay itself many times over when you need a helping hand.
4. Reach out to people long before you need anything; do not be that person who only ever calls when they need something. That is not networking – that is using people and you will not be appreciated for it. Stay in touch regularly with the people in your network.
5. Ask for what you want, not what you think you can get. The simple act of asking will get you a lot more than you can ever imagine.

Remember: success does not come to those with a low tolerance for risk or those who are led by fear. Start talking to people – you will be surprised what you learn!

Fiona Walsh, CEO, FM Walsh & Associates Inc., www.fmwalsh.com

Clients come to me because their sales are not where they would like them to be – they want to see higher revenues in their business. They want to attract new customers. And they want me to tell them how. My answer is always the same. How much networking do you do? What do you do on a regular basis to get in front of new prospects?

I did a seminar for a group of graphic designers who were all struggling to grow their businesses. The only networking they did was to attend graphic design conferences – where they met other graphic designers! Like most people, they hated networking.

To grow your business, you have to uncover new opportunities. How do you expect new customers to find you? Networking is one of the most effective ways to find them and to build visibility for your business. It offers you the chance to expand your network. Figure out places where your potential customers hang out, such as:

• Local chamber of commerce
• Industry organizations
• Business networking groups
• Rotary
• Conferences
• Toastmasters

Put together an interesting description of what you do that will encourage people to ask you questions. One businesswoman who is an executive management coach, describes herself as a “corporate instigator”. She leaves every event with 2-3 good contacts and her practice is booming – she even has a wait list for new clients.

Still hate networking? Get over it!

Fiona Walsh, CEO, FM Walsh & Associates Inc., www.fmwalsh.com

“Success is a state of mind. If you want success, start thinking of yourself as a success.”Joyce Brothers

I love this quote!  And how true it is.  I really only accomplished amazing things in my life when I started thinking of myself as a success and just going for it, rather than giving myself all the reasons why it might now work out.  Thanks to a very inspiring business woman – Karen Engelage – owner of Beauty Solutions for today’s inspiration.

Fiona Walsh, CEO, FM Walsh & Associates Inc., www.fmwalsh.com

I recently presented a seminar to new business owners on sales and marketing. There was a lot of excitement in the room as these new ventures are being launched. But what also struck me was the amount of hesitation and overthinking that was going on. As they get deeper into building their business, so many people become paralyzed by the amount of stuff they don’t know. Often they overcompensate by obsessing over small details that they feel they have control of. The result is a lot of wasted time and opportunity. The fact is that you will never know everything you need to know when running a business – it is a constant learning experience. Stop hesitating. Stop sweating over the small stuff. Just get out there and learn while you do. Believe in your ability to learn and succeed.

Fiona Walsh, CEO, FM Walsh & Associates Inc., www.fmwalsh.com

I see so many women hold themselves back because of fear. As an entrepreneur I have come to recognize how insidious fear can be at times. It approaches you quietly, subtly and faintly whispers in your ear – and you find yourself holding back without even realizing it.

I experienced this myself last week. I was having lunch with a business associate and she mentioned the fear she had experienced prior to doing a pitch for a big project and how she allowed it to let her believe her competition were a better fit for the account that her. (The client didn’t agree – they hired her.) We laughed about it and toasted her success.

I realized a while back that I had a habit of procrastinating on big projects. I thought my foot-dragging was due to having too much other work and other priorities that came first. But in a moment of clarity, I realized it was fear that was holding me back from jumping on the big stuff. Once I realized this, I stopped doing it. Now I write out a quick plan of action for big projects, so I don’t get tripped up by that fear.

That’s the funny thing about fear – once you acknowledge that it is there and take action anyway – it loses its power to affect you. My challenge to you today: look at what you are procrastinating on in your life and take one action step to get it going. That is the best way to get fear out of your life.

Fiona Walsh, CEO, FM Walsh & Associates Inc., www.fmwalsh.com

I have been watching a business associate trip herself up for several months now.  She won’t put any systems into place in her business.  She won’t set any rules for her self to limit the hours she works or when she is available.  She makes herself constantly (and I mean constantly) available to her clients.

Then she complains constantly about how hard it is to build a business, how she is overworked, how clients are so demanding.  In short, she is a DQ (Drama Queen).  I used to think she just needed some guidance to make her company more efficient and more profitable so she would be less stressed.

I finally realized that she never implements any of the advice given to her.  She just keeps doing the same thing over and over, and then complains to everyone around her that she’s unhappy.  She won’t change anything.  She loves being a DQ, loves living in chaos and stress and loves to complain.

Being a DQ hurts your bottom line and your reputation.  You lose credibility with other people and that means you lose business opportunities.  Who wants to do business with a DQ?  If you love drama in your life, save it for your personal life.  It doesn’t belong in your career or your business.  If you are a DQ, do us all a favour and quit being one.  Build a business that you can be proud of, rather than one you complain about.

Fiona Walsh, CEO, FM Walsh & Associates Inc., www.fmwalsh.com