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business

Blog, Business, Marriage, prayer, Stress

What has you blocked?

Leaves and coffee

On Friday, after having my morning hot, creamy coffee and prayer, I set about to do my work in my office on my laptop. I had a Voxer coaching call also with my biz coach, Diane Cunningham Ellis, which went well. Voxer is like a walkie-talkie app on your phone. It is very cool, fast, and fun!

My biz coach, Diane Cunningham Ellis

My biz coach, Diane Cunningham Ellis

Diane gave me some suggestions on improving my website and advice on how to prosper more in my business. (She often says, “If you’re not making money in your business, it’s not a business. It’s an expensive hobby!” Amen!)

About mid-morning, my husband Ray texted me that a plumber was coming. Ray had gone downstairs on Friday morning and heard the bathtub and the toilet water “bubbling.” (Gurgling)

Uh-oh. Ray said this is usually an indicator of a “blockage.” He did NOT want sewage coming back up through the drain in our basement, our toilets, and tubs, so he called a plumber immediately. 

Ray's ceramic turtle

Ray’s ceramic turtle

You have to understand something: my husband is NOT a man of fast action; he (and God) always seem to move at a turtle’s pace, in my opinion. Years ago, I gave Ray a ceramic turtle as a joke gift, telling him that I feel he and God move slow as a turtle (see pic above). I’m like a race horse, raring to get out of the starting gate and RUN. So when Ray told me that he had called a plumber (so fast!), I knew it must be serious. (Oh, crap, pardon the pun!)

My husband Ray

My husband Ray

When I told Diane on the Voxer Coaching call that Ray had called the plumber and now that was stressing me out (as if I didn’t have enough stress), she said that is just life. Plumbers, air conditioning repairmen, tech issues, unfortunately, it’s all  part of life. You just deal with it and keep moving! In her way, that’s very fast. Then she went on to tell me some more blunt (but needed!) advice about my website and business!

cappuccino and laptop

cappuccino and laptop

As I tried to work later that day after my coaching call, the two plumbers arrived. I showed one of them all of our toilets and told him about Ray’s concern over the “bubbling” that morning. He nodded knowingly, as if to say, “I’ve got this.”

Initially, I instructed the plumbers not to let my cat Natalya out when they went in and out the door, as she’s an inside-only cat. They assured me they’d look after her. I went to my office to focus on numerous to-do’s. Natalya is normally a very sweet cat. I think I did hear Natalya growling once at the plumbers, but for the most part, she sat on the carpet, staring with wide eyes at the strangers as they walked throughout our house.

Natalya in the sunroom

My cat Natalya in the sunroom

Then as I looked out my office window about an hour later, one plumber was RUNNING to their truck. A small army of plumbers suddenly arrived, talking together about the problem. I could hear one of the plumbers in the bathroom down the hall, frustrated and cussing once or twice as he worked under the sink. This was NOT a good sign – and how much was this going to cost us?

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Blog, Books, Business, Coaching, Ebooks, Podcast, prayer, Speaking, Writing

Women in Biz Podcast series (the joys and the challenges & success tips)

Women in Biz podcast series

Are you a woman in business/entrepreneur?

Would you like some great tips for success?

I’ve been having women guests for my podcast to either speak or be interviewed about the joys and the challenges of being a woman in business (or entrepreneur).

I have a few more women lined up to share in the following weeks, but here is who I’ve had as my guest so far, and their topic of discussion. They have been amazing and I think these podcasts will encourage and bless you!

  • Me (Kickstarting the series, sharing a bit about my own entrepreneurial journey);
  • Dana Arcuri, Certified Trauma Recovery Coach, Author, and Speaker (Trusting in God’s Unknown Territory);
  • My beautiful, precious sister, Maria Willis, Counselor (You can reach your dreams, even with mental health struggles);
  • My business coach, Diane Cunningham Ellis (Catch on and stay on fire in your business);
  • Doreen Penner, Canadian Coach, Speaker, and Author (Get clear & be confident);
  • Shelby B. Ketchen, Content Repurposing & Project Management & Launches (Get the “tech” help you need if you feel frazzled and frustrated.)

I also just added my podcast this week about the stressful events (and the joys) of house-sitting and puppy-sitting our daughter Heather’s puppy Angel, while she, her fiance Andy, and his 3 kids Kelsey, Kayden, and Eian drove from Belton, Missouri to Gulf Shores, Alabama and Pensacola, Florida, for a 9-day, relaxing beach vacation. (This might be a business venture idea for YOU; the national average income for puppy-sitters is $15 an hour, or $31,629 per year, according to ZipRecruiter.)

Two more interviews for my Women in Biz podcast series are lined up this week with Author/Editor/Speaker Sharon Rose (Write your story & leave your legacy) and Wellness Coach/Speaker/R.N. Joycelynn Harrell. (Working a J-O-B as you go for your dreams).  If you are interested in being a guest for my podcast (to speak or be interviewed), please contact me here.

What have you found to be the joys and the challenges of this exciting, but not always easy entrepreneurial journey? Please leave your comments below.

Be sure to subscribe to my podcast, Beth Jones International Speaker, on Anchor here. You can also listen and subscribe to it at Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, RadioPublic, Pocket Casts, and Stitcher. There is an opportunity to donate one of three amounts to my podcast at Anchor, so that I can continue creating episodes. Just choose the “Support” button at the top of the page. 

Beth Jones, International Speaker podcast

Blog, Books, Business, Coaching, Ebooks, Faith, Podcast, Speaking, Spiritual Gifts, Writing

Coaching for aspiring authors & speakers and other news

Speeding train Image source: Unsplash

Speeding train
Image source: Unsplash

This year started out slow, but the momentum is picking up now. I have a feeling that things are about to get much busier this spring and summer 2022!

The year started out with sharing part of my story in my writing coach Shelley Hitz and her husband CJ Hitz’s book, Kingdom Writers. You can buy a copy by clicking here.

They are now offering a writers conference called Count The Costs. Still time to get in! Just click here.

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