Sonia Friedrich https://www.verandahmagazine.com.au Byron Bay & Beyond Sun, 27 Mar 2016 05:43:10 +0000 en hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.4.2 Sonia Friedrich on how to be a game changer https://www.verandahmagazine.com.au/sonia-friedrich-game-changer/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sonia-friedrich-game-changer https://www.verandahmagazine.com.au/sonia-friedrich-game-changer/#respond Thu, 03 Mar 2016 23:45:48 +0000 https://www.verandahmagazine.com.au/?p=5610  Business mentor Sonia Friedrich has spent the past four years studying behavioural economics and neuroscience, and now she’s taking what she’s learnt into her...

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 Business mentor Sonia Friedrich has spent the past four years studying behavioural economics and neuroscience, and now she’s taking what she’s learnt into her coaching business.

“I don’t believe in the old way of marketing any more.” When you publicly say your change – something shifts forever.

The GAME CHANGER: You might have used new methods, proved them, mixed them in with some of the old safety net practices of the past, yet when you actually put voice to a shift that has occurred for you, you can’t go back. It’s a scary place, momentarily, as you stick your neck out. However you’ve felt splintered for a while as the old and new rubbed up against each other and just didn’t quite work.

When you state your change categorically, what happens is you feel absolute relief because you have jumped off the cliff and moved forever. You can never go back. In flight, everything is in alignment.

The old way disappears and you venture out on the new…with or without any followers. However there are usually a few. They are the ones that helped you get over the line yourself.  They are the ones you inspire. They are the ones who want you to succeed. Why? Because they are sick and tired of the treadmill too. Ground hog day is tiring and it’s not working anymore. It’s just keeping everyone busy, safe and for some the reason to stick with it is simply to keep their job.

However the seekers also feel intuitively there must be another way. You, the game changer are showing them, YES! there is.

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For the last four years I’ve built models, experimented, piloted, then implemented and shared the application of behaviour economics and neuroscience on marketing and business problems. I’ve become my biggest experiment and now for me it’s become mainstream. I can’t market or solve business problems the old way anymore. Why? Because I don’t believe this is the best starting point for any business – it costs too much of a clients money, takes too long and usually you can’t measure bottom line dollar impact as a direct result of what you are doing. Today we know better. These days we know so much more about human behaviour. Today I know of more than 100 GAME CHANGING ideas in business that I never dreamt of during my traditional marketing career.  What I want is to give you my clients the edge by adding something I know works. Here’s just a few of the changes:

TRADITIONAL MARKETING v GAME CHANGING MARKETING

  1. First objective is attitudinal shift v  the only objective is – behaviour change. Remember all that research that shows intention to purchase, yet six months later sales are stagnant or declining? Ask yourself, will this activity or promotion actually change behaviour? IF the answer is “NO”, easy…you don’t do it. Now how many of you will dare to do that? See how many tactics in your marketing and business plan fall away. GAME CHANGER! It’s time to outsmart not outspend the competition. It’s time to change behaviour.
  1. Focus groups observational exploration – real time (I wouldn’t recommend a focus group ever again and I’ve used hundreds of them in my career – check what you have planned in your budget for this year. Might be time to think again and make your research $ actually work for you). GAME CHANGER!
  1. Concept testing out of market split testing in-market (Turns out humans are poor predictors of their own future behaviour. So why would you start with concept testing?I can’t remember how many campaigns I’ve done like this…never again.) GAME CHANGER!
  2. Information heavy understanding of choice overload (Remember all the brochures that talk and talk and talk about our products and how fabulous they are? Well turns out our brain goes into overload very quickly (yours might be going into overload right now!) So why would we still try and communicate with customers like this, when we know it doesn’t work? I see major companies still doing this. There’s thousands of dollars down the drain right there. The core question becomes are you producing the materials because it’s what you’ve always done and the sales rep needs something to show the customers (ie makes you feel better) OR do you truly understand how humans engage with information and create to communicate (actually works)? Most posters and brochures are a waste of your promotional spend because they do not engage the customer. We know what will. Do you? GAME CHANGER!
  1. Single Specific context specific (our brain is hard wired to compare). I’ve seen sales reps meet their monthly targets within two weeks by changing the way products and prices are presented. I’ve seen revenue increase 300% in a month (at no cost, with no extra promotional materials or campaigns) for the same reason – now that’s a GAME CHANGER!
  1. One product one price product and price decoys – these are your secret agents if you understand how to use them. I’ve seen a 40% increase in revenue in one month for a client, at no cost, simply by stating a price decoy – now that’s a GAME CHANGER!

There are so many more.

I can’t justify the spend clients and communications and advertising agencies are wasting in traditional marketing anymore. For me this is lazy marketing. Behavioural economics and neuroscience change the game. Are you on board?

Understanding the brain is your business. Today, be a GAME CHANGER, or do yourself a favour and hire one.


 

To find out more, call Sonia.
Contact:
 sonia@soniafriedrich.com or 0412 359 424 or go to: soniafriedrich.com

Sonia Friedrich is a Mentor, Strategic Consultant, Speaker and Author. Her purpose is to empower people in business and in life. She adds insight from behavioural economics (BE) and neuroscience to an extensive marketing and advertising career. 

Sonia has worked with Fortune 500 companies building brands up to $250 million in Australia and New Zealand. She was the General Manager of Grey Healthcare Advertising in Sydney.Sonia lives in Byron Bay. She works with Company Directors, Executive teams and is available for business challenges, training, conference or speaking events. Organise your next conference with Sonia in Byron Bay or she will travel upon arrangement.

 

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2015 – That’s A Wrap! https://www.verandahmagazine.com.au/2015-thats-wrap/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=2015-thats-wrap https://www.verandahmagazine.com.au/2015-thats-wrap/#respond Thu, 17 Dec 2015 03:46:12 +0000 https://www.verandahmagazine.com.au/?p=5290 It’s that time of year again as the New Year approaches and many people feel exhausted and hurry to get to the finish line...

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It’s that time of year again as the New Year approaches and many people feel exhausted and hurry to get to the finish line of 2015 writes Sonia Friedrich, who has some holiday season survival tips – and more…

All around Australia, there have been conversations  from “I can’t wait my family arrives tomorrow” to “I can’t wait until it’s over”. Christmas has a lot riding on it. Let’s just recap the frenzy: there’s the buying of presents frenzy; the overeating food frenzy; the drinks and parties frenzy; the traffic frenzy; the family dynamic frenzy, the going into debt frenzy and the worst of all, the reignited trauma frenzy, which sits at its yearly peak. It’s a lot of association for just one day of the year.

Critical in the frenzy is to stop and hear your quiet. In silence you can reflect on all the good that has happened this year. Away from the noise of distraction, you can hear your truth. Can you think back to January, February, March etcetera and the good that happened. It can be difficult to look back. We find it easier to remember the here and now.

Here are some ways to help you think back and remember 2015. Ask yourself:

  1. What am I grateful for this year?
  2. Who really was a stand-out and why? Thank them today
  3. Who else are you grateful for? Thank them today too!
  4. Have there been 1 or 2 events that changed your life this year? What made them so? Relive and feel their energy. What was your part in making them happen? Thank yourself and thank any others involved too.
  5. Have there been celebrations of lives lost? Remember the joy or their presence on the earth and why you love them and what you miss the most.t-kitten-lion

Now bring it a little closer. Let’s look at YOU.

  1. What have you done this year that you are particularly proud of? Take a moment and pat yourself on the back.
  2. When did you really show up?
  3. How did you help others?
  4. What recognition were you given – both small or large?
  5. What recognition did you give to others?

Reminding yourself of all the reasons to be grateful takes you out of the frenzy and back to the gratitude and celebration of Christmas and your life. Remember your body follows your brain. When you apply focus with feeling you change your state of being. Feel this shift in your body and what it makes you wish to do and how you wish to be. Honour this.

Hold this space as you contemplate how you wish to celebrate and enjoy Christmas. Not through obligation, that helps no one. Instead celebrate and share through honouring of yourself and those you love. Choice from this spacious place of love changes your life and those around you. Whenever you are in a difficult situation over the next week, feel this. Remind yourself that this is the truth of who you are.

Your Christmas Pledge

Take it a step further. Write out your Christmas Pledge – of how you wish to hold yourself and travel through this festive season. It only needs to be a sentence or two. This small idea is powerful. In fact why not write out one for how you want the next year to be too. This is your Personal Pledge for 2016..

Change can occur. Simply by turning your attention to gratitude, you feel the power of your love for yourself and for others. Let this shift be how you choose to effortlessly fly though Christmas and set sail for 2016.

Merry Christmas and thank you for being.


 Find out more about Sonia on:  Soniafriedrich.com

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How to grow your business – events with Sonia Friedrich https://www.verandahmagazine.com.au/grow-business-events-sonia-friedrich/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=grow-business-events-sonia-friedrich https://www.verandahmagazine.com.au/grow-business-events-sonia-friedrich/#respond Fri, 09 Oct 2015 07:09:38 +0000 https://www.verandahmagazine.com.au/?p=4731 Verandah Magazine columnist and mentor Sonia Friedrich helps businesses grow by teaching the principles of behaviural economics.

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Verandah Magazine columnist and mentor Sonia Friedrich helps businesses grow by teaching the principles of behaviural economics.

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Disrupting inertia with a new buzz in business https://www.verandahmagazine.com.au/disrupting-inertia-new-buzz-business/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=disrupting-inertia-new-buzz-business https://www.verandahmagazine.com.au/disrupting-inertia-new-buzz-business/#respond Fri, 28 Aug 2015 11:21:21 +0000 https://www.verandahmagazine.com.au/?p=4536 Mentor and Strategic Consultant and Verandah Magazine columnist Sonia Friedrich is giving a series of three events sharing insights on behavioural economics and business...

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Mentor and Strategic Consultant and Verandah Magazine columnist Sonia Friedrich is giving a series of three events sharing insights on behavioural economics and business at Startinno in Byron Bay, starting on September 8.

For many in business and marketing the traditional methods of how to market and build a business have stood the test of time. To shake up old concepts that have built careers, industries and brands is no small feat. It also challenges our default position – our fear of loss. We are hardwired to stay with the status quo, unless there is a reason so significant it disrupts our inertia. It is easier to stick with what we know and apply our natural confirmation bias where our brain works to find those facts, case studies and successes that continue to support our position, and no doubt our career. It conveniently lets other information fall away.

As a new entrant, or in this case a new idea, arrives and shifts the goal posts forever, as in any market, not everyone survives. Tried and true is a common positioning we grip onto at this time. While some learn to play catch up, many fear the loss of what they know and can’t adjust or reinvent themselves quickly enough.

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We fear loss more than we value gain by a ratio of about 2: 1. I felt this loss myself when the ideas and new concepts of behavioural economics and neuroscience shook up what for decades I knew, believed and spruiked to build business and brands. I had been successfully building markets and brands for more than 25 years and to have new ideas question my ability or suggest I was doing it wrong, was welcomed with a harsh dose of cynicism.  But I had been asked to work in a team of very smart people, a small team of four, to build new models that would apply behaviour economics and neuroscience to market research and brands in Australia and the excitement of building something new disrupted my default.

It was so much fun! Taking the ideas of the Nobel prize winner Daniel Kahneman and the work he did for so many years with Amos Tversky, together with a cast of other inspiring thought leaders, we spent months sifting through their excellence. If these ideas worked in theory and in experiments, we imagined they must work in business and in real life too. In the process I was converted. I threw my old theory, methods and practices out into the wind, as I learned and then played, and created new models to apply to life.

We took them to the market to see how they would go. It turns out they work in the business world too. We won projects by working differently. Our focus was simple – apply the knowledge of behavioural economics and change behaviour. The results were far greater thananything I’d seen before.

Since then I have applied behavioural economic theory to business and brands, beyond market research. I have helped individuals apply them to their life and initiate much needed life change

I have seen:

Multi- million dollar media budgets cancelled on the spot

A 40% increase in revenue by creating a pricing decoy that cost nothing to implement

Life change in individuals as they finally break through their procrastination and have the tools to use for the rest of their life…and so much more.

The managers and marketers of brands, together with the support companies they engage – advertising agencies, market research, public relations, media buyers, education will need to apply behaviour economics if they want to survive. Why? Because if they aren’t using behaviour economics, their competitors are. New businesses are emerging that use behaviour economics and neuroscience to create and maintain an edge. Strategic planners are being replaced by ‘choice architects’ and personal development is being replaced by ‘reality architects’.

There is a new language in business, it’s called behaviour economics and it’s time to jump on board.

SoniaFriedrich events flyer


Mentor and Strategic Consultant Sonia Friedrich will give a series of three events sharing insights on behavioural economics and business:

Event 1: Where are you losing customers?

Event 2: What’s a brand anyway?

Event 3: Irrational Pricing Strategies Win!

Book early to avoid disappointment, as all three events are likely to sell out. To find out more or book your ticket visit: startinno.com/events/growing-your-business

Find out more about Sonia on:  Soniafriedrich.com

Verandah Magazine is proud to be a sponsor of Sonia Friedich’s events.

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So, what do you do? https://www.verandahmagazine.com.au/so-what-do-you-do/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=so-what-do-you-do https://www.verandahmagazine.com.au/so-what-do-you-do/#respond Thu, 13 Aug 2015 02:50:06 +0000 https://www.verandahmagazine.com.au/?p=4420 Verandah Magazine’s resident strategic mentor and business coach points out the absurdity of judging someone by what they do, and suggests we should all...

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Verandah Magazine’s resident strategic mentor and business coach points out the absurdity of judging someone by what they do, and suggests we should all stand up and be counted for everything we are…

“What do you do?” In my opinion these four words have a lot to answer for.

Suddenly, all sorts of associations and assumptions start firing in our memory, based on personal experience with others or on societal conditioning. Often what we attach to the answer has little to do with the actual person standing in front of us. The poor bystander is in our mental firing line and we can’t stop the attachments that are already causing certain automatic responses, and yet all this person has done is answer a simple question and state their profession.

Whatever our profession, when we ask somebody what they do, the majority of us all react in a similar manner – whether the answer is tradesman, lawyer, nurse, dentist, teacher or politician. We determine the standing of that person in society, their salary range, the type of house they might live in, the car they might drive, suburb they live in, what they eat, wear and how they may enjoy life. All this happens in a few seconds as we unconsciously, grab, dissect and process information. In just a few moments we have decided who this person standing in front of us is and yet we are all so much more that what we do.

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So much of our identity comes through our profession – but why? Why need to place each other in boxes? Are we really trying to open a dialogue and find out more about the other person, or are we simply asking an habitual question that helps us determine the hierarchy of where we fit in, so that we can feel safe or know how to protect ourselves?

There is so much more to each of us than a job that used to define us. Next time you are asked: “What do you do?” why not share some other aspects of what you do and give a well-rounded and honest answer that encapsulates the fullness of who you are? Answer: I am a partner, lover, sister, dog walker, cat cuddler, cook, runner, swimmer, artist, author, amateur photographer, cyclist, gardener, cleaner, speaker…meditator, hostess, movie watcher, strategic consultant, , and I do many other things too. How about you?

Diffusing the power we place on profession is one way to redirect the conversation. Or you can simply bring the actual question “What do you do?” into relationship and ask: “Why would you like to know?”, and see what happens from here. The conversation may abruptly end, which means neither of you need to waste further time with pleasantries OR you might for the first time have a real conversation. Both are perfect.


 

Sonia Friedrich is a Mentor and Strategic Consultant to Multimillionaires and Business Owners. She’s launched a new DVD that you can download or stream or purchase as a hardcopy – How to Set Fees and Terms – for Consultants and Service Providers. If you would like to find out more visit www.soniafriedrich.com.

 

 

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Money, money, money. Must be funny. In a rich man’s world… https://www.verandahmagazine.com.au/money-money-money-must-funny-rich-mans-world/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=money-money-money-must-funny-rich-mans-world https://www.verandahmagazine.com.au/money-money-money-must-funny-rich-mans-world/#respond Fri, 12 Jun 2015 01:44:44 +0000 https://www.verandahmagazine.com.au/?p=3919 When it comes to our relationship with power and money most of us struggle, writes Verandah Magazine columnist and business mentor Sonia Friedrich, who...

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When it comes to our relationship with power and money most of us struggle, writes Verandah Magazine columnist and business mentor Sonia Friedrich, who has just released a new DVD on how to set terms for customers.

There seems to be a weird relationship the majority of us have around money. So often we lose our power when the subject comes up. We find it a difficult to discuss, let alone ask for money for the services we offer. We whisper our fees and terms, start to sweat, or even discount the fee right on the spot. Many of us simply avoid the topic of money all together, and divert the conversation to something completely different. But of course none of this serves us at all. Money, or abundance, is such a central part of our life and actually helps life flow. We need to learn basic skills for these discussions and to love and embrace the topic rather than fear it.

When you run your own business, being able to talk about money, without fear, is a critical part of the daily conversations – and it needs to be. After all it creates the survival of your business, helps pay the bills and ideally, is what allows you to make a profit and live the life you dream. Understanding human behaviour toward money (including your own) can help you understand how customers behave around money too.

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Did you know that you (and all humans) fear loss more than you value gain? You do this at a ratio of 2:1. This means that you prefer to stay in a situation that you are in, even if it isn’t good for you. What is the implication of this in business? It means even if you know a product or service is good for you, your default position is the status quo. This default position remains the same until you emotionally engage with the product or service and this tips you over to disrupt your status quo. Your customers are exactly the same. Customers will fear losing not only the position they are in, they will also fear losing the money they are about to part with for your product or service. Even when you know something is good for your customer this fear of loss is one of the reasons they simply cannot make the decision to purchase it and walk away.

You physically feel pain when you pay. Seriously! The insula (or insular cortex) in the brain fires when you are about to part with cash. This is one area of the brain associated with anxiety and pain. No wonder it hurts to pay. You literally have the pain of paying.

Have you ever seen Apple discount their products? No. Never. Why? They know that discounts permanently damage the perceived value of the brand. So when you’re thinking about having a discount to bring in some short-term revenue, be aware that the relative value now associated with your brand is reduced forever.

There are many factors involved in the interaction and association we have with money. Understanding some of these not only helps put customer decision-making and judgement in perspective. You can learn to use some of these aspects to the financial advantage of your business.

Instead of fearing money it is time to embrace it. Make money your friend. Love the numbers and start to see and feel a shift in your relationship and power with money.


Sonia Friedrich is a Mentor and Strategic Consultant to Multimillionaires and Business Owners. She’s launched a new DVD that you can download or stream or purchase as a hardcopy – How to Set Fees and Terms – for Consultants and Service Providers. If you would like to find out more visit www.soniafriedrich.com.

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The right price in the right place at the right time https://www.verandahmagazine.com.au/right-price-right-place-right-time/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=right-price-right-place-right-time https://www.verandahmagazine.com.au/right-price-right-place-right-time/#respond Wed, 13 May 2015 12:11:09 +0000 https://www.verandahmagazine.com.au/?p=3693 When Dan Swan from start-up incubator StartInno met business mentor and Verandah Magazine columnist Sonia Friedrich, the result was a brain-storming session that created...

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When Dan Swan from start-up incubator StartInno met business mentor and Verandah Magazine columnist Sonia Friedrich, the result was a brain-storming session that created a powerhouse workshop on how to attract customers – and the first one is running on May 27 at the StartInno offices in Byron Bay.

“I’ve been involved in numerous successful technology start-ups,” says Dan Swan, who has a PhD in Innovation in the Creative Industries. “I’ve worked in the US, UK and in Australia, and my experience in innovation spans the full project lifecycle which is where I see how I can help people wanting to start a business.”

For Sonia Friedrich, the impetus to work with Swan came from her desire to help entrepreneurs and business owners understand the human behaviour that lies behind business decisions. “I really want people to gain this information before they talk to marketers, advertisers, PR companies and the media because it’s so vital for them know how to present and communicate their ideas to customers and to investors.”

Working specifically on how customers behave towards price, Friedrich, who has a Bachelor of Business in marketing, and has worked for numerous Fortune 500 companies, says that the secret is in understanding what she calls, “behaviour economics. There’s been a lot of research done into the brain and how we (and therefore customers) make judgments and decisions. We understand the biases that are used to support personal beliefs and choices – but what I’ve learned is that we can directly change behaviours.”

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Swan, who began StartInno to encourage local businesses through their start-up phase, is a firm believer in the concepts of networking, and co-working. “Byron Bay is a melting pot for new business,” he says. “Outside of the main cities we have the highest density of creative industries anywhere in regional Australia – to me the idea of business start-ups being able to access a community that includes seasoned entrepreneurs as well as fledgling business ideas is a great way to share what’s worked – and why it’s worked. My journey began by just starting, and so what drives me is to help others ‘just start’ as well.”

One of the main topics for the night will be to help participants understand the emotional engagement customers have with price and how to use it to their advantage. Topics will include:

  • The path of least effort
  • The pain of paying
  • Decoys
  • The power of free
  • Why discounts permanently damage
  • and more
Sonia Friedrich, business mentor and consultant

Sonia Friedrich, business mentor and consultant

 

Dan Swan, StartInno founder.

Dan Swan, StartInno founder.

For Friedrich, teaching business owners how damaging it can be to discount their price is something about which she is passionate.  “When I mentor business people on this it’s incredible to see the direct result that occurs from the shift in thinking that prices have to be discounted to never discounting – it’s a very powerful thing to learn,” she says. Until recently Friedrich was mentoring everywhere but Byron Bay, but – a bit like Swan – she too, as a resident of almost 12 years standing – has seen so many creative businesses start up here, that now she has applied her mentoring to herself. “I realised that I’d really rather not get on a plane to Sydney for work if I didn’t need to,” she says. “I’ve also found it’s very rewarding working with business owners in Byron Bay because small business owners are risk-takers. Unlike many multi-national companies where fear of change can set in, or people are worried about introducing something new because they fear they might lose their job, I find principals of smaller companies welcome the change – directors of small to medium size firms can see the advantage of these ideas and actually implement them in a few days or a week.”


 

To book tickets go to:

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/attracting-customers-with-sonia-friedrich-tickets-16854039887?ref=ebtnebtckt

https://www.startinno.com/events/attracting-customers


 

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For more information on Sonia Friedrich go to: www.soniafriedrich.com  For more information on StartInno go to www.startinno.com

 

 

 

 

 

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Art wall is art for all https://www.verandahmagazine.com.au/art-wall-art/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=art-wall-art https://www.verandahmagazine.com.au/art-wall-art/#respond Fri, 01 May 2015 12:05:21 +0000 https://www.verandahmagazine.com.au/?p=3607 Says Verandah Magazine columnist and business mentor Sonia Friedrich of this photograph she captured outside Byron Bay’s Bayleaf Café recently: “Over the last year...

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Says Verandah Magazine columnist and business mentor Sonia Friedrich of this photograph she captured outside Byron Bay’s Bayleaf Café recently: “Over the last year I’ve watched the creation of public art generously supported by Bayleaf Café. A few times I’ve stopped to speak with the artist if I’ve seen them on the day of installation. This is the current one which probably only has a few days or weeks left before a new artist appears. I think it’s brilliant that a café is providing their wall for art.”

 


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Locate your Weapons of Mass Distraction – and destroy https://www.verandahmagazine.com.au/locate-weapons-mass-distraction-destroy/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=locate-weapons-mass-distraction-destroy https://www.verandahmagazine.com.au/locate-weapons-mass-distraction-destroy/#respond Wed, 15 Apr 2015 11:55:54 +0000 https://www.verandahmagazine.com.au/?p=3453 It’s true to say that most of us find ourselves distracted from the main game at various times during our day, writes Verandah Magazine’s...

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It’s true to say that most of us find ourselves distracted from the main game at various times during our day, writes Verandah Magazine’s resident business mentor, Sonia Friedrich, of our habit of creating our own WMD’s.

I think everybody would recognise that unless you have the ability to be robotically focussed, you are likely to get distracted often – by phone calls, e-mails, Facebook, texts, tweets, children, spouse, neighbours and conversations from people who drop in and ask for a moment of your time. “Just one more thing” is the phrase that makes our eyes roll. We know there will be just another, and then another!

Then there are WMD’s – the Weapons of Mass Distraction – we invite in because we want to delay the inevitable and prefer to procrastinate before getting on with the difficult project ahead or the next goal we’ve set for ourselves. There are so many reasons we use to justify our procrastination.

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WMD’s take time, energy and space. If you really had to calculate the minutes, hours or days of WMD’s you allow in one week of your life, it would probably be extremely surprising. Try and observe your distraction habits and see what you find. I ask you to simply become aware. Take it one hour at a time. Each time you allow a distraction acknowledge to yourself that is exactly what youve welcomed in. Take the time to break the WMD down. Through this you make unconscious and habitual behaviour conscious. From here change can occur. Regarding the WMD, ask yourself:

  • Has it helped you?
  • Did you allow the distraction to avoid feeling something? If so, what?
  • Did you enjoy the distraction?
  • Was it necessary?
  • What would you have achieved without it?
  • Were there any consequences that you didn’t need because of it?
  • Did it escalate into a web of distractions?
  • Was there someone else involved, or did you initiate it?
  • How much time did it end up taking out of your day?

It’s time to minimise your WMD’s and some simple techniques can help:

  1. Whenever someone calls or knocks on your office door, WMD’s are heading your way. If you can’t say: “I’m not available”then say: “I’ve really only got a minute I have an urgent project to finish”. Give them one minute and cut them off. This is not a lie. The urgent project is called self-protection and getting on with your life. You are defending yourself against the verbal artillery that is about to fire at you and launch in your direction and leave collateral damage.
  2. Whenever you hear gossip – disengage.
  3. Unsubscribe from those e-mails that you don’t look at yet they fill your inbox. Do it as soon as they arrive. Each day you leave them is another minute of WMD artillery gathering and clouding over you.
  4. Un-tick the “receive e-mail” from all your LinkedIn Groups.
  5. Give Facebook, LinkedIn – or any other social media – a designated time once a day. Then allocate 5-10 minutes for them as a scheduled break. Make sure these are not the times of day when you are at peak performance.

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  1. E-MAIL: When you are working on a project keep your e-mail closed so you don’t get pulled to check e-mails as you see them arrive. Respond to e-mail at low productivity times or when you are giving yourself a 15 minute ‘rest’ between what you are doing and the next project.
  2. PHONE – turn it off. Seriously what’s that urgent? A death or accident is urgent. Turn your phone off for hours at a time and then check it and respond accordingly.
  3. MOVE – If someone is a WMD for you, then move away from them. Go for a walk or find another space to work that enables you to finish what you need to have completed. If you can’t move away from them, wear headphones. They are a physical barrier to anyone attempting to take your space, time and energy.
  4. DECLUTTER – taking the time to get rid of clutter is actually not a distraction. It can be the best clearing and use of your time to free up what you keep shuffling around. Allocate at least two hours a week (if not a day) to declutter. Feel the energetic shift as you eliminate the old and make space for the new.
  5. BREATHE – Take a few deep breaths, relax and focus on what you really need to do right now. A few seconds of meditation can easily get you aligned and back on track.
  6. SELF-SOOTHING WMD’s. Become aware when you turn to your addictions as self-inflicted distractions from being with your feelings. Face what is really happening in your life. Identify your addictions and add them to the list of WMD’s. Add to the list. It’s time to turn your WMD’s into WMC’s – Weapons of Mass Creation.

Sonia Friedrich is a mentor, author and speaker. She has worked for Fortune 500 companies and helped create markets and build brands worth up to $250 million in Australia & New Zealand. She recently launched her book ‘11 Steps to Healing – for Multimillionaires and Business Owners’.

Visit soniafriedrich for more.

BUY 11 Steps to Healing here: $29.95 + p&h
lulu.comsonia+friedrich

Book Review by Barry Eaton here
verandahmagazine.healing-hand-business-owners

 

 

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The seduction of corporate prostitution https://www.verandahmagazine.com.au/seduction-corporate-prostitution/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=seduction-corporate-prostitution https://www.verandahmagazine.com.au/seduction-corporate-prostitution/#respond Sat, 07 Mar 2015 10:22:19 +0000 https://www.verandahmagazine.com.au/?p=3145 Verandah Magazine’s resident business mentor, author and speaker Sonia Friedrich turns the torchlight on her corporate career, and finds that it was not all...

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Verandah Magazine’s resident business mentor, author and speaker Sonia Friedrich turns the torchlight on her corporate career, and finds that it was not all that she had imagined it was.   Ask yourselves the uncomfortable questions, she writes, and you may not like the answers but the process can transform your life.

Recently it came to my attention that questions I was asking myself about the lessons I had learned during my corporate career were having a profound impact on my life. If I was to be truthful with myself the answers were confronting. One of the most uncomfortable questions of all was to ask myself if I had ever prostituted myself during the course of my career.

Naturally, the question isn’t about whether I was a lady of the night, or getting paid for services rendered by selling my body. The question was:

Was I a woman of the day selling my Self and my Soul for money?

My first response was: “No way, you’ve got to be kidding.” Then, when my ego stepped aside, I chose to take a closer look. My interest was piqued to discover if I was living with the integrity I had prided myself upon. It was time to hear an honest reply. But when I asked the question again, the answer was clear – ‘Yes’, my inner voice told me, I had sold myself during the course of my career.

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In fact, when I thought about it, it was laughable that I’d believed that I hadn’t sold myself. Through the archetypal profile of the Prostitute, which we all hold, I came to understand a core element of my own life that I had chosen. I had never grasped that I was selling myself in the process. I was proud of my job, the company and my achievements and vocal in supporting them. I did this for years on end. Until I stopped.

Survival I learned was too easy an excuse and my definition of survival was a First World version. The justifications flooded in. I needed to eat, pay the bills, pay rent, then my mortgage, buy clothes etc. I did it to keep my job and to get promoted. There were plenty of reasons. My heart sank deeper and deeper. I had bought the bulls#@t and sold my soul willingly for years. But now that I knew, was it o.k to continue? Absolutely not.

Looking back, I was in daily situations at work where people treated each other poorly; where money was squeezed out of every client with the sole aim of making more money; where my integrity was compromised by colleagues; where my integrity was compromised by myself; where I helped build new markets and manipulate the masses for corporate gain; where people were belittled, where numbers and statistics and ‘facts’ were used to communicate perceived truths; where people lied; where some salivated in their seeking of revenge; where clients were ridiculed behind their back and of course, never to their face. And this was in corporate environments held in high regard within industry because they were number one in their field. The conditioned societal expectation – read exploitation – of the Self (our norm), through work is brainwashing of the highest fundamental merit. Yes, they paid me well, when I fought for it. My corporate pimps sold a compelling story and I loved the hit.

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My soul never gave up. It fought long and hard to be heard. It took volcanic bellowing from within with an instant requirement for resignations. “I just can’t do this anymore”, my inner Self cried. Finally I woke up. I had sold myself in the corporate world for too long and no matter what I was paid, it wasn’t enough.

Perhaps it’s time to check in with your heart and soul and listen for the answers:

  • Where am I, or when have I been a corporate prostitute? In other words selling your intellect, services, skills, integrity, word, morals, time, body, soul or life? Where and when do you feel used and compromised by other people’s agendas?
  • Where am I, or when have I been a corporate pimp? Where have you used others (employees, peers, clients, customers, suppliers) and been able to justify reasons for doing it?

The lure of money and power is attractive, magnetic and addictive. So much so, most of us compromise ourselves for money and/or power for our entire lives.

When you see situations where you are about to prostitute yourself again ask “Is it worth it?” Is it worth losing your integrity, morals, time or soul yet again?

The first step is to say “No.” This can be the most frightening thing of all. But do it once and magic happens – your power returns and as you show up, so does the Universe. Removing yourself from these debilitating situations will restore your energy, power and sense of Self. From today make your choice – act with integrity and self love and begin to make choices that support you, and your true self.


Sonia Friedrich is a mentor, author and speaker. She has worked for Fortune 500 companies and helped create markets and build brands worth up to $250 million in Australia & New Zealand. She recently launched her book “11 Steps to Healing – for Multimillionaires and Business Owners”.

Visit soniafriedrich for more.

BUY 11 Steps to Healing here: $29.95 + p&h
lulu.comsonia+friedrich

Book Review by Barry Eaton here
verandahmagazine.healing-hand-business-owners

 

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