If only a genie could grant entrepreneurs’ wishes of landing new clients, increasing brand awareness and growing their bottom line to six and seven figures.
Through her consulting practice, Kim Kasparian promises to do just that, while finding peace in spirit and joy in your heart. Kasparian is founder of Success Genie: Success is your birthright.
“If I can do it, you can do it,” she told a packed room at Edith Wheeler Memorial Library Thursday. “I’ve coached hundreds of people to six and seven figure leaps. Today is about inspiring and motivating you to reach your clients. Raise your hand if you want 80 percent of your business to come from your phone ringing … good, I see I’m in the right place.”
Kasparian spoke at a Monroe Chamber of Commerce luncheon, an event co-sponsored by SCORE.
Kasparian shared the story of how a distracted driver blew past a red light and crashed into her vehicle in 1995. She was out of work for a year while recuperating and started listening to motivational speakers like Tony Robbins, who taught the benefits of listening to people and getting them what they need.
“When you learn how to connect, how to engage people, I promise you’re one call away from what you need,” she said. “Solve their problems, even if it doesn’t benefit you. That’s how they refer you to people. You become one of the most interesting people in their life and automatically they say, ‘what can I do for you?'”
Kasparian said she was $10,000 in debt until networking changed her life.
The three biggest mistakes
Kasparian shared the three biggest mistakes in business, the first not having a plan.
“How do you get there before you know what ‘there’ is?” she asked. “Be clear on what you desire from your networking. Put the dollar figure you deserve on a piece of paper. What am I willing to give to my network to get it?”
Otherwise, Kasparian said you will flounder at networking events.
She shared the story of her friend Kathy who started a business chronicling children’s memorable life moments through photos.
“By the end of the first year she was in puddles. ‘I didn’t make any money,'” Kasparian recalled. Why’d you do it? ‘To have fun.’ Did you have fun? ‘Yes.’ Congratulations!”
Kathy restructured her plan, making it part of her business as a marriage officiant and it took off, according to Kasparian.
Mistake number two
Kasparian said the second biggest mistake is making your marketing message all about you. “Make your message about who you want to serve,” she said.
She described the “hit-and-run snipers” who hand out their business cards and walk away at networking events, the cling ons who hang around one person and the wallflowers who stand in the corner with their arms folded.
“If you’re at an event, we want to know you,” Kasparian said, adding, “the more you let someone talk about themselves and show sincere interest, the more irresistible you are. Ask engaging questions.”
Kasparian said to introduce people to each other. “You want to make it about them,” she said.
Kasparian helped Joe Schroder, a man with 30 years experience as a textile manager who wanted to go into sales, selling dies. Schroder wasn’t making headway and admitted, as a manager, he avoided salespeople like the plague.
Rather than coming at people with a sales pitch, Kasparian recommended he use his experience in the industry to help textile managers, even if he had no direct benefit, and if they wanted to buy dies from him they could.
“He’s well known now,” Kasparian said of Schroder.
The biggest mistake
Kasparian said someone can do everything right in business, but fail from having the wrong attitude.
“You need to have an abundance mindset,” she said. “Your personal attributes, experience and personal heart is what people want from you.”
Kasparian said you have to believe you have immense value to share. “I do enough. I have enough. I am enough,” she said. “Repeat that to yourself every day.”
“The mindset comes first, the rest will follow,” Kasparian said.
The last story she shared was of Jack Crann, a well know dog behaviorist with a business called Peace of Mind Canine.
Crann was doing well, but fell into a rut when his revenue remained stagnant.
Kasparian asked him to take time off to have fun, tap into his passion, remember what he enjoys most about Peace of Mind Canine, a business he started so a dog would never have to be euthanized for bad behavior.
“I have a 200 percent increase in business and an overall improved lifestyle,” Crann said in a testimonial on Kasparian’s website.
‘Give to get’
Michael Ball, a financial advisor for Bankers Life Securities Inc., attended the Chamber lunch. He asked Kasparian if her services are expensive.
Kasparian encouraged him to first accept a free five day challenge, Turning Overwhelm Into Action, and have a free 30-minute phone consultation with her to see if Success Genie is right for him.
A Success Genie motivational CD was raffled off and Ball won.
“I guess I really have to see you,” Ball said with a smile as the room erupted into laughter.
“I’m going to call her, definitely,” he said after the program. Ball said the advice to listen to people and give to get stood out to him.
“I thought she was personable and knew what she was talking about,” said Kathy Moorhead, of LDK Property Solutions LLC.
