my small & medium business

Interview with Small Business Owner, Malti Bhojwani
Multi Coaching International
http://www.multi-coaching.com/

Tell us about yourself

I am an International Life Coach but prefer to call myself a Universal Muse. I have had an amazing 38 years. My daughter is 18, I am living the lifestyle of my dreams, working in a way that it feels like I am not working. I am grateful for the opportunity that The Universe has provided for me. I work on the phone with my clients mainly one on one for now, and we are developing a tele-conference way of coaching a group of people as well. I have worked with men and women in supporting them while they achieve what they want in life. My clients have lost weight, found partners, changed jobs, become coaches themselves, gotten over phobias, made money, mended their relationships and basically become more empowered. I feel very blessed.

What personal Goals have you set for yourself?

To have a book published

To have my coaching company grow 10 times it’s size

To contribute to less privileged women and children in India

How is your past work experience helping you in your present position?

I am a certified gemologist and in a strange way, I think having spent so many hours a day looking at natural gemstones under a microscope including diamonds, I learnt to find beauty in the “so-called” flaws in nature and in people.  In my work, this has helped me withhold judgment and become accepting that everyone is different and unique and therein lies their strengths.

I also worked in the import and wholesale business where I traveled a lot and have had to create stands in trade fairs to look fantastic in less than 2 days with my brother, this taught me that time is just an excuse. When we have to, we can produce amazing results in very little time. There are 86,400 seconds in a day for everyone, there is no such thing as having no time.

Working in business also taught me to be a “yes-woman” - knowing that I could deliver anything the customer wanted – we had enough resources and contacts to do so. So now too, I find it rare when I say “no” to a request – opening opportunities for myself and others all the time!

How is your company using the internet, web, Technology to increase awareness, Branding and selling online?

We use our website to sell our service, we will be using it to sell products – mainly books and e-books at this stage.

I also am working on affiliate programs with related products and I intend to link them up to my site in exchange for a link on theirs. I use google advertising a lot and I also use facebook, twitter, digg and youtube in a massive way.

How do you see the web as a strategic point for companies moving forward in the years ahead?

I see that more and more businesses are leveraging off each other on the web. I am excited to see what else comes out. 6 months ago I would have laughed if anyone had told me that I would be using facebook as the main way to promote my business today.

Tell us about a defining moment in your professional career and how that moment has stayed with you.

Well, funny you should ask me because recently on the 31^st of October 2009, my facebook fan page hit 1000 fans. I had made a public declaration that I would have 1000 fans by the end of October and it happened at 6pm EST on the 31^st!  This reinforced my belief in the work I do. I believe in the power of declaration and always get my clients to declare what they say they are going to have.

What steps did you take to achieve the success you have attained till to date?

I have been very persistent. I never backed down or took rejection. I looked at it as a number’s game, this attitude came from something I read about Colonel Sanders of Kentucky Fried Chicken : every “no” meant that you were getting closer and closer to a “yes”.

How much importance have you placed in building a good relationship with clients and partners?

My relationship with my clients and partners is all I have. It is a business where I am my product. I share of myself with my partners and my clients.  Continuously growing my relationship with my past and current clients and potentially future clients is the only way for me to grow my business. I am reliant on “word-of-mouth” and recommendations. Just maintaining a good relationship is not enough, relationships like life have to grow or they stagnate and then deteriorate. So I am always looking for ways to “up-the-game” and contribute to their lives in a growing and evolving way.

How do you start your day?

Prayer of gratitude to the Universe for the day, and waking up in peace.

A cup of  sweet Indian Chai, while I skim through all my emails in bed on my Blackberry,

A nourishing breakfast of muesli with milk or eggs-whites and

and a long walk.

What steps do you take each day to achieve success?

Personal Discipline of rising early.

Getting enough nourishment, sleep, exercise and laughter.

Writing in my gratitude journal every night.

Performing acts of belief once a day (acting as if I have already achieved one of my desires)

Write something inspirational on my facebook page or for a magazine or at least to a client .

What books are you reading now?

Siddharta by Hermann Hesse –  Novel about a man’s 360 degree journey through life learning the truth.

Games People Play by Eric Berne – A Psychology book on the games we play.

Conversations with God – Neal Donald Walsch

My daughter’s unpublished work in progress.

What websites do you regularly visit?

Amazon.com

My facebook page to respond to interactions and to write

Travel websites always looking to see where my Frequent Flyer miles can take me or at least upgrade me.

How is technology important to you in your personal and professional life?

Absolutely. It is the lifeline. I use my blackberry, sms, email, google, facebook to run my business and keep in touch with my loved ones and friends.

Define Success.

Success is different to all of us.

Earl Nightingale in his book "The Strangest Secret" wrote:

Success is the progressive realization of a worthy ideal.

A teacher teaching in a school because it is what he/she wants to do - isn't that success?

A wife and mother, who always wanted to be just that - isn't she successful?

An entrepreneur who starts a company that imports clothing and distributes it because it is what he wanted to do - isn't he/she successful?

To me success is to be living the lifestyle I desire whilst growing everyday getting closer and closer to being a huge international coach and writer. So, if I am enjoying my work, am close to the people I love, free to travel and be with loved ones whenever I want to, am always able to contribute to other people’s lives, if I am fit, healthy and look good in my own eyes, I am successful.

Social media like facebook, twitter, linkedin are widely used for business networking online. How does Multi Coaching International plan to use Social media?

I am a very active facebooker, using my facebook page to launch my articles, discussions, videos and audios.

I use twitter for my quotes and great links. I use LInkedin to connect but not as much as facebook. I am a Digger and I use Youtube and Delicious as well.  It has been my platform and I could not imagine running my business without Social media. I advertise a fair bit through Social Media and use one to leverage the others. I believe you can’t overuse it!  Today, I am at almost 1000 fans of a page I started only months ago.

Do you think entrepreneurs are important to society and why?

Entrepreneurs make critical contributions to economic development. They bring technology and innovations to the commercial market - and in the process, even help to develop whole new industries. In fact, in the US “Economist” they probably said it better: "America gets more than half of its economic growth from industries that barely existed a decade ago..."

What must business owners do in their business to focus on to stride through this current business climate? What are you doing?

Be resilient, stay positive, act as if there is no “current business climate” and it is all good. That is the only way to be. Whatever the climate, businesses out there are still growing and earning money. I am charging full steam ahead. I have never been more motivated or inspired. My belief in myself and Multi Coaching International is stronger than ever so I am riding the momentum.

Although I don’t believe in astrology too much, I am a Taurean, we are strong, quiet and dig our hooves in deep, and when the time comes, and we see “red” we charge.

What keeps you awake at night about your work?

Nothing. I no longer do anything that keeps me awake. I trust that all is well, have very positive expectations and never indulge in anything that may question my own integrity.

What is your leadership style?

I call myself a quiet and motivating leader. I enroll people and motivate them towards stuff that they desire themselves rather than to “get-away” from where they are not happy being. I lead by example and that is probably why I always attract to myself clients and an audience who are going through the similar journey to my own and want the same things I wanted/want. I am very casual and vulnerable in my coaching and presentation style, I look to build rapport and dispel any illusion of hierarchy.

Do you think great managers are born or can they be taught to be great managers?

I think anyone can learn almost anything if we are truly passionate and interested and involved in the higher good. In a business, if there are sales targets to be met, I think manager would be great if they were included in the goal and encouraged to help contribute to it. They have to be given responsibility and some power.

Where do you find your source of inspiration and strengths to uplift yourself?

I am constantly working on my book with my friend and co-author Chandru Bhojwani (not related despite the common last name)

I am always listening to audio books that I find inspiring that are sharing the same message that I do, only in a different way. My brothers keep me inspired and my love and my daughter keep me strong and uplifted!

My client’s success and fan’s acknowledgement of my writing inspires me to coach and to write more and more.

What sports do you play?

I swim, do pilates, yoga and weights and I love to bowl!

Share with us 1 final positive business tip

Have a very clear intention about everything you set out to do. If you are going into a meeting, be clear in your head what you intend to create in the meeting. If you are about to launch a project, be clear of your intentions. Your intention is what will determine the outcome.