Inspiring Greatness: Cindy Sherman.

Cindy Sherman is the first woman to break $1 million in a photography sale. She studied painting before she became a photographer and is known for her conceptual and chameleon-like self-portraits.

Below read a snippet on how she speaks on her budding career as a female artist in Time Magazine’s FIRSTS Women Who Are Changing The World.

I never felt pigeonholed as a child in terms of my potential. But I did feel that I’d probably be expected to settle down and get married and have kids at some point. I definitely remember from all the old movies and TV shows from the time, like The Donna Reed Show and Leave It to Beaver, all these women that were portrayed as these perfect moms. I never really saw myself as that. I never imagined myself getting married, I never imagined myself in a bridal gown, and I really never imagined myself having kids – and I never did.

In an issue of LIFE magazine, I saw Lynda Benglis as a young artist throwing paint on her floor. I don’t know how old she was then. I was probably in high school, but it was the first time it dawned on me that a woman could be an artist.

When my career got started in the ’70s, I did feel like I was being taken seriously. I didn’t really notice any kind of difference between men and women artists until I would say the early ’80s, when specific men started to become very successful. Even though I was critically successful, it was definitely a big distinction between what their work sold for and what my work sold for.

As I evolved in the ’70s, I think I took for granted what the first wave of feminist artists had to go through. I never felt like an activist because I didn’t experience that kind of fighting., It’s not like I would say I’m not a feminist, I just couldn’t quite identify with those women. Of course we’re all feminists, right? We all want women to be seen as equals. I am shy and not a person who can debate and take on critical political talk. But at the same issues definitely piss me off and show up in my work, and I definitely have always used my work as a forum to address a lot of things that I can’t say, that I can’t articulate.

Cindy Sherman, American photographer and film director.

Tell me, who inspires you? Share below in the comment section or join the conversation in the Facebook group.

No List? No Problem! How to Build an Audience with Paid Ads

We’ve been told (and told and told) for years that “the money is in the list” and that “your mailing list is your biggest business asset.” But if your list numbers are hovering in the low four-figures—or fewer—with no sign of growth on the horizon, such advice can seem a bit unhelpful.

The fact is, building a list is a catch 22: You can’t get signups without traffic and it’s difficult to find traffic when you have no list. What’s a busy entrepreneur to do?

Paid Ads Make List-Building Easy

By strategically placing ads in front of your target audience, you can drive tons of traffic to your opt-in offers and enjoy conversion rates of two or three percent or more. Even better, with some tweaking and split testing of your offers, you can carefully refine your ads and copy so that you’re attracting your exact ideal client and filling your list with buyers who are ready to take action, rather than freebie seekers.

All you need to run paid ads to your opt-in pages is:

A compelling offer, such as a video training series or live webinar
Copy to grab the attention of your target audience

Best Ad Placements

Once you have your components in place, the only question remaining is where to run your ads. You have dozens of choices, from Twitter to Google to YouTube to solo email spots.

The key is to first determine where your market is most likely to be hanging out. If they’re on LinkedIn, then running ads on Twitter will be a waste of time. Keep in mind the cost as well. Ads on Facebook are generally less expensive and less competitive than a Google Adwords placement.

Start Small, Then Refine

Once you’ve decided where to place your ads, it’s time to set your budget and begin running a small set of ads. Consider setting a small daily budget, such as $10 or $20 at the beginning, so you can get a feel for how your ads will perform. Watch the traffic, track your conversions, and create split tests of your landing page and ad sets to determine which performs the best. You can also refine the audience you’re targeting based on the stats you receive. For example, if you find that men between the ages of 20 and 30 are clicking but not opting in, you might want to remove them from your audience.

At least at first, it’s best to avoid running ads for paid products. Conversions for a free offer will far outshine those to a paid product—especially if your program is expensive. After all, those who are clicking on an ad most likely do not know you at all, so it takes a much bigger leap of faith to offer up a credit card number than it will to provide an email address.

Ad Copy Blunders to Avoid

Have you ever clicked on an ad because you saw an adorable pair of sandals that you just had to have, only to land on a page full of sneakers, with not a sandal in sight? It’s frustrating, to say the least, and that kind of ad to landing page mismatch will kill your conversions.

Your ad copy is making a promise to the reader. If your landing page doesn’t fulfill that promise, your readers will click away, and you’ll have wasted the money you spent to get them there. Before running any ads, be sure your ad headline, image, and copy all match the message on the landing page.

Paid advertising was once a tool used only by big companies or marketers with a lot of money to spare, but today they’re more cost-effective than ever, and the technology makes them easy to create and monitor. If you haven’t yet tried your hand at this useful traffic generation method, it’s time to do some experimenting. You might just find your list numbers—and sales—growing.

“You are responsible for your life.” Oprah Winfrey – TRANSFERED

Have you ever thought that you just lived the same year twice? Noticing that you are in the same place today as you were last year or the year before? You are responsible for your life
I have, I had repeated the same problems, my challenges hadn’t changed, my thought process was the same. Total deja-vu, everything was-the-same… I had been working like crazy, putting in a crazy amount of hours but nothing was different than it was the year before. There was no growth and nothing had improved.

When I realized this, in that pivotal moment, I realized that it wasn’t that I was not working hard enough but because I had not been taking 100% responsibility for my life.

It’s a powerful lesson that Oprah says she learned at an early age. If you want to move forward in life, only you can make it happen by taking responsibility. Watch below as Oprah shares her story.

[Tweet “”Only you have the power to take the responsibility to move your life forward. The sooner you get that, the sooner your life gets into gear.” Oprah Winfrey”]

TVS has launched the Inspired Action Mastermind!

A premium mastermind for mission-driven, service-based women entrepreneurs who are ready and willing to put in the work it takes to reach the next level!

Inside the Inspired Action Mastermind, we are an intimate group of entrepreneurs, all of which are committed to the success of one another’s businesses. It is a mastermind that provides the support and guidance you need to help you move your business forward. Because, when you’re in the right mastermind group, you can start to see your business and yourself through someone else’s eyes as you support one another and leverage each other’s experiences.

If you are ready and willing to shift your mindset and tackle all the hard questions to accomplish your dreams, then join us.

Learn about the Inspired Action Mastermind

You are responsible for your life

Define your own success. If I can, so can you.

Are you able to define your own success? For the longest time, I wasn’t. I am talking years, of feeling that I was not successful. Even though my business was booking 50+ weddings a year, family portraits, commercial work, corporate events… the list goes on and on. I was shooting as often as I wanted, editing and providing product and value to my clients. Every. Single. Day.

Yet, in my head, I was not successful. I could not put my finger on why I felt that way, I was doing what I loved and loved doing it! It wasn’t until I burned out that I realized what it was. I didn’t have anything to measure my success with. I had goals, yes but they were broad, vague and seemed to always be in the distant future.

At my wit’s end, I sat down and decided it was time to define what success meant to me, not to everyone else. I mean, specific goals aside, what EXACTLY did it mean?

So, I did what any reasonable person looking for answers did. I googled it.
What did I find? I learned the definition of success is:

‘the accomplishment of an aim or purpose’

That sure hit me like a hammer! I looked at my monitor and said, out loud, “So setting a goal and accomplishing it is the meaning of success? No, too easy!” I had to dig deep to define my version of success. Getting it in my head that it is not what my family and friends think or even my industry collogues or leaders think, but MY definition of success. It was vital that I stopped comparing myself to others in the industry and realize their success has no bearing on my own.

I took a few days to reflect and truly work out precisely what it is I needed to feel fulfilled and know what success meant to me. I realized I wanted to spend as much time with my family as possible. As well as continue to build my businesses and inspiring other women, like me, to follow their path. I needed to know that I was making a positive impact on the business world and genuinely making a difference. Finally, I wanted to be able to go to Starbucks or out for dinner whenever I felt like it without needing to see if I could afford it and have a Broadway Across Canada subscription. Very clear, very specific and very attainable.

So now, I work from home running two businesses, I help hundreds of women run their businesses and have the freedom to enjoy that latte whenever I want AND I have my subscription! Les Misérables in July! BAM!

For me, that’s success. For others, maybe not.

I guess what I am trying to say is, I changed my perspective on success and you can too. By no longer viewing what was perceived as success through the “glazed over” look of thinking I needed more, I was able to dig deep within myself and figure out what success meant for me. Which made it that much easier to achieve.

To help you out, if you haven’t already, download the free 2018 goal setting workbook, define your success, set and accomplish your goals!

Now I’d love to hear from you. How will you define success for yourself? Let me know below in the comments or visit V-Net and share with a community of women in business, like you.

Hello, May!

Oprah’s SuperSoul Conversations

I belive that one of the most valuable gifts you can give yourself is time. Taking time to be more fully present. ~ Oprah Winfrey

Just under a year ago, the crazy successful TV series from Oprah Winfrey, Super Soul Sundays, was converted a podcast. Oprah talks with a fascinating selection of writers, philosophers, spiritual leaders, and celebrities about discovery, growth, life, experiences and so much more. It is designed to motivate you, guide you through life’s biggest struggles and help bring you one step closer to your best self.

I don’t have cable tv, haven’t for many many years, so I didn’t even know that Supersoul Sunday even existed until I came across the podcast! And I am so glad I did, listening to each episode has been very inspirational and motivating. The conversations are always along the theme of conscious living, self-discovery and how to live a fulfilling life.

Subscribe, listen, breath it all in and begin your journey!

Do you listen to podcasts? Share your favourites below or in the Facebook group, I’d love to find more to listen too!

Do what you love. | Monday Motivation

A little food for thought on this snowy Monday morning…

Hello, March!

Success is no accident! Free 2018 goal setting workbook!

It is time to actually live the life you have always dreamed of. Make 2018 the year you are going to achieve incredible things. Over the next year, you are going on an epic journey. You will be growing your business and will accomplish something incredible by creating a life you love.

All of this will not happen overnight, it won’t be by accident, and it will not be handed to you on a silver platter. It will happen because you will make it happen, with intention.

All you need to do is show up, work hard, and never give up.

About a that “hard work” part I mentioned, I am here to help, we will do this together! So, let’s get started!

First, be clear about what you want to achieve in 2018 – and stand by it! Everything you want to accomplish is going to need a plan, which is why you are going to make a plan to make it happen. It isn’t easy achieving your goals but with focus, you can set yourself up and get on the path to success.

Download the 2018 Goal-Setting & Planning workbook at start your year off with intention. No sign up required, it is totally free to download! As I said above, the only thing that will get you to where you want to be you. So it is time to make a plan for how you are going to be the best version of yourself for 2018.

Be sure to leave a comment and share your business goals for 2018!

[Tweet “Success is not an accident and I know that you are going to achieve the incredible in 2018.”]

2018 Goal Planner

Inspiring Greatness: Create your own table.

Did you hear? Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are engaged! (Of course, you did. Unless you live under a rock or have successfully managed to avoid any and ALL forms of media, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TV, radio, newspapers, or haven’t talked to another human in the last week.)

Before it was announced that she would be the worlds newest member of the Royal family, Meghan Markle was already an inspiration to women everywhere.

With America soon being able to lay claim to its very own member of the British royal family, it’s only natural that people are trying to absorb in as much information about Miss Markle’s life as possible. She is bound to be one of the most Googled women in the past year, however; I want to focus on one particular moment from her past that is making the rounds on social media. Her speech at U.N. Women’s 2015 conference.

This simple 9-10 minute speech and her story of how her actions made such an impact are truly inspirational.

I encourage you to watch this over and over again, I have, and use her words as inspiration for you to make an impact. For you to follow your gut, and be the change you wish to see in the world.

Oh, and I have to add, OMG she is marrying a real-life Prince! Who says you can’t be a feminist and still have your very own Prince Charming?

Meghan Markle at UN Women

Looking to surround yourself with more inspirational women?
Why not join us inside the Study Hall?
Accountability. Community. Support.

Become a member for only $7/month!

Benefits of the Study Hall Facebook Group:

Accountability Calls – 30 minute “working” room sessions. You can pick and choose which ones you want to join, just a few or all! (total value of $120/month) (These are NOT social or coaching sessions – we hop on, we focus on our business, we work together-quietly.)
Ask Me Anything Sessions – Monthly 1-hour AMA group session, inside a Library Room, that you can ask Joelene anything you want. During AMA sessions, I will do my best to answer all questions, but research may be needed and patience is appreciated! (Group coaching value $150/ month)
A goal-setting session on the last Friday of each month to review successes and declare intentions for the next month. There is also an accountability goal-setting thread. (Group coaching value $150/ month)
Access to the Studio Library Resources

This group is capped to allow for intimacy, networking and to ensure member success.

Starting Your Own Business