Elaine Turcotte

Two years ago today, I was sitting at my desk, in front of a mirror, at a job that was a way to make ends meet but clearly not my life’s purpose and I was trying to hide the tears. All I could think was I am not where I want to be in my life. And I was really hard on myself about it. Yesterday, someone asked me how I feel about turning 40.... And the first thing that popped into my head was that I am exactly where I want to be (ok, well I wanted to be in Hawaii today but that’s geography). The last few years have been tough. And worth it. Had you asked me two years ago, I wouldn’t have believed that all the good things that are in my life now. I’m grateful that things fell apart so they could come together to create the beautiful life I have now. I am doing the work that I’m meant to do on this earth and I love it. I’m surrounded by a great community of friends and family. I share a beautiful home with a man who has stolen my heart and his weird, completely adorable dog has won me over too And I’m just getting started. #40 #onlygettingstarted #covidbirthday

We're celebrating 5 years in business today! I'm glad I didn't know how bumpy it was going to be - I wouldn't have started down this road if I had. I'm grateful for the clients I get to serve, the community of amazing entrepreneurs I'm surrounded by, and the person the last five years has shaped me into.... Happy St. Patrick's Day

I want every girl to know that her voice can change the world. - Malala Yousafzai ... #internationalwomensday See more

What's in it for me? In the last few weeks I've gotten voicemails and emails from two different companies requesting a phone conversation. In both cases, these people were new, taking over my file and wanted to chat.... What they failed to do was to tell me what was in it for me. It was all what they wanted, what was in it for them. In both cases, they were the third person looking after my file and to be honest, in a few months there would most likely be a fourth. So why would I give them my time? Time if the most valuable asset people have. If you don't make the "what's in it for me" clear to your customers, they aren't likely to give you what you asked for. And if you don't do this with your customers, your prospects certainly won't.

Every problem is an opportunity to make yourself look like a rockstar. It's a belief that my mentor shared with me in my last business. It's one that I live by. In business, there are bound to be problems to solve, hiccups, fires to put out, dissatisfied customers and clients.... That's not the important part. Nope. It's how you solve it that they'll remember most. This week, I brought up a concern with my moving company. Their response - defensive, attacking and accusatory. Not once did I hear an apology for the damage they caused. Instead, they looked to offload responsibility and explain their policy. I even had to remind them that I was their customer, not another party. I also told them that blaming their customer wasn't the way to build long term relationships in their business. It quickly destroyed any and all trust, where they really had an opportunity to build even more by listening, caring and fixing the situation. How you treat your customers when things are going wrong is a true measure of your business' beliefs and values. It may cost you more in the short term to fix the problem. In the long run, all you have is your reputation and your network in your business. Build it, nurture it. And always look at problems as opportunities to shine. by Alex Dekker

Selling is simply the transfer of excitement. Selling isn't evil. It doesn't have to be icky or slimy. We sell constantly. ... We tell our friends and family about the new thing we've tried. We tell them all the reasons they'll love it too. Now if we could only apply it to our business, our product or service, ourselves. Need help with your sales process? Don't have one? Click the book now button on this page to book your free strategy session and we'll chat about how to make your sales conversations more natural and profitable. See more

Do you journal? I never used to - in fact I hated it, until a few years ago. I don't keep a diary recounting the things that have happened to me. ... I do a have a book that I write in - lists of things to do, the things I'm grateful, goals, worries, beliefs I need to change, patterns and problems I need to work through, dreams. The scribbles would never make much sense to anyone (and I have a deal with my sister that they are the first things she burns if anything would ever happen to me). It does help me to process, organize myself and my thoughts. What do you use your journal for?

Lockdown. Today is usually the day when everything is supposed to go back to normal, but it isn't. Not this year. ... We're used to it. Staying home. Telling ourselves we're doing the right thing. Except this time, we know what it's like. We know what we're getting into. We've exhausted our Netflix watchlist, our online workouts are waiting for us, we've named our sourdough starters (and abandoned them) and the zoom fatigue is in full force. And we're also facing a long cold winter. It was spring last time and it was easier to be outside. It helped. Our mental health and our immune systems need attention. What got us through the last round, may not work again so we need to be vigilant, and creative. What's your best covid-coping strategy? Mine are a daily dose of vitamin d, good food, connecting with at least one person, getting dressed, outside and moving. See more

Nothing is magically going to change at midnight. But maybe, just maybe, we'll walk into this one with a bit more hope. Happy 2021

Every year, at this time I journal about the last 12 months before I look ahead. This one is a hard one to put into words. To keep the good and the bad in perspective, I use a list of questions to review the year.... Because it's easy to forget the good, to focus only on the hard moments, the things we didn't get done, didn't get to do, the losses... Here's a list of questions I use to review the year: What's the biggest lesson I learned? What did I discover about myself? Which of my qualities turned out to be the most helpful? What's the achievement I'm proudest of? What's something I learned to do or had never done before? What's something I did for someone else? What's the best advice I received? What did I create? What's the time I laughed the hardest? What am I most thankful for? If you're looking back on 2020 and thinking of all the things you didn't get done, just know that surviving it was one of my biggest achievement. See more

Because sometimes you just need to know someone has your back.