An interesting couple of conversations that have happened in the office over the last few days.

1. Thor had a discussion with a potential JV partner who asked us if our “branding is deliberate”?

2. The SalesDemon (AKA Pat Cash) had a conversation with someone who’s been on my list for a couple of years who said, “I used to really like Leela. Then she started swearing all the time. I don’t know why she did that. She lost so many of her ideal clients.”

Let me tell you a story about where I found myself at the start of my speaking and events career.

Thor and I were selling like mad things to fill rooms, using whatever JVs we could pull off, whoever we could find who was interested. We made some money. But I was miserable. Why?

Here’s a snapshot of people in our rooms then: Median age was 52. Predominantly women (when I DID get men, they were suits). Median income was below $50,000. And typical business structure was “Something that allows me to be at home with my kids”.

I met some really lovely women, people I really liked – but not the people I wanted to work with.

I was a 29 year old, heavily tattooed, ex-punker – proudly childless by choice. Trained by one of the greatest marketing minds of our time. Used to hanging out with entrepreneurs with businesses in the $5Million+ Bracket.

I made a decision about mid-way through 2009 that I wanted to change the people who were in my rooms. I wanted people like me.

If you look at the Roadshow over the last 2 years, you’ll see that we’ve totally achieved that.

So – is my branding strategic? Abso-fucking-loutely.

Why did Leela piss off a bunch of her “ideal clients”? Because they’re not my ideal clients. Never were. Nice enough people, not MY people.

I was not put on Earth to help hobbyists make a few dollars. I was not put on Earth to help people make money doing shit they hate. I was not put on Earth to wear beige, serve tea and be nice to everyone.

I was put on this Earth to lead rampaging armies.

My army is the army of the disenfranchised. I call them “alternative entrepreneurs” – some of them are in alternative industries (bands, tattooists, fashion designers), but they are also Mormons. They’re born again Christians. They’re mothers and fathers. They’re grandparents. They’re young and single. But they all have something in common. They’re looking for something different. They’re tired of the wealth creation scene (or have never been interested in it). They just want information without the NLP, Hypnosis, Pretty Veneer Bullshit. They’re attracted to us BECAUSE of the swearing – BECAUSE we’re different. I could never attract them by acting like everyone else – because THEY’RE not like everyone else. And neither are we.

I spent a long time looking for the places in which they congregate and then I realised … they don’t. There is no community for them. Because I hadn’t created it yet. That’s why I built the League of Bootstrapping, Streetfighting, Motherfuckers. That’s why it includes chapter meetings every week. That’s why I even built “crass, crude language” into the title of the program.  Because I WANT to alienate people who can’t cope with it. Because they’re too mainstream – and there’s a million places out there for the mainstream to congregate. But only one place for my disenfranchised army of alternative entrepreneurs.

Welcome home, motherfuckers.

I’ve worked with thousands of people from all walks of life over the last 7 years and I’ve found that all of them – from the multi-millionaire property developers, to young people on welfare – share a strange personality quirk. They ALL question their own self-worth.

They all fear discussing their own businesses in events, feeling as though their business isn’t a “real” business, compared to other people in the room.

I remember going through this myself. As a 27 year old involved in a $33,000 / year coaching program where the median age was 45 and the group was predominantly male, I felt ridiculous. What did I know about business? I’d been running my own for about 2 years and my mentor had asked me to join the program, it wasn’t a decision I’d made myself.

At one of our major group events of the year we did a group mind-mapping exercise. We all had to write on these giant pieces of paper what it was that was holding us back – why we hadn’t achieved the things we wanted to … and as I stood back and watched, dudes I had total respect for were writing things like “I’m not good enough”, “I don’t have a ‘real’ business”. These were people in their 40s, 50s and 60s – some of whom ran businesses in the Million+ bracket. And that THEY didn’t feel worthy was revelation.

At one event, many years ago, Thor and I sold a ticket to a dude who was a multi-millionaire property developer. He was, by far, the richest and most qualified person in the entire room.

On the first day of the event, he called us to let us know that while he was AT the hotel, he’d come down with the flu and wouldn’t be able to make the event. We sent soup to his room and thought little more of it – until we found out weeks later that he had not, in fact, been ill at all.

He’d been scared. Had a TOTAL freak out the morning of the event – was worried he wasn’t good enough. Couldn’t believe he had any value to add.

The thing is, even if you could wave a magic wand tomorrow and have everything you’ve ever wanted:

You’ll NEVER be worthy enough. You’ll NEVER be good looking enough. You’ll NEVER be rich enough. You’ll NEVER be smart enough.

You just have to DECIDE you are good enough NOW – as you are. Then you need to put all that self-worth bullshit to the side and hustle like a mad-thing.

I’ve mentioned Carmel Glenane in a previous post. Recently, I was having a discussion with a client about how difficult they were finding it to bring together their spiritual business with their (self-admitted) “stuff” around sales. I went looking for pre-existing information on this and what I found was revolting. A whole lot of “spiritual guru’s” with their own stuff around sales and money, pushing that stuff on to others in the guise of “spiritual business advice”.

I do love working with this industry – but my biggest problem with it is: information that’s “intuitive”, “channeled”, “from source” needs to be checked, double checked and triple checked so that you make sure you’re not letting your own bullshit control your life and then blaming the Universe for it. Odds are if it FEELS uncomfortable, you should probably do it – not assume that everything is supposed to feel great all the time.

One of my biggest issues around the “Law” of Attraction is this whole – stuff should feel good thing. If we ONLY did that which made us feel good, we’d still be living in caves, drinking, eating psychotropic plants and having random sex with whoever came along. Living only in pleasure is called Hedonism – and it’s been the downfall of several societies. Including the US, I believe – but that’s a whole other topic. All of human civilisation is based on people pushing themselves out of their comfort zone, to do hard stuff that didn’t feel good.

As someone (I can’t remember who!) once said at a seminar I attended:

“If you want comfort – go get dead.”

It’s very hard to work with someone when they’re claiming that they can’t get over their own BS because the message not to is coming from “above”. Of course, when you think about that it will never be true. “Above” will always push you out of your comfort zone if you let it. And that BS that you continue to deny will continue to BITE YOU ON THE ARSE until you face up to it. You KNOW that. It’s what you tell your own clients on a daily basis.

Anyway, All of this made me think of how truly extraordinary Carmel is. As a business woman, yes – but particularly in the industry she’s in. To have such a hard-hitting approach to sales and money is almost unheard of. But it is EXACTLY what the world needs right now. Yes, she will be speaking at the Roadshow – but I can’t wait for four weeks for you guys to GET this. So I sat down with her yesterday and recorded this interview.

This isn’t for everyone – Carmel is full on. Some of you aren’t going to be able to hear this right now. That’s okay – it’s not going anywhere. Bookmark it, save it for when you’re ready.

But for those of you who are ready – this is going to change your lives.

This years third annual Renegade Rockstar Roadshow will be the FINAL one in it’s current format.

As you may have noticed over the last 6 months, we’ve begun moving in a slightly different direction – and as awesome an experience as the Roadshow has been for us, it’s time for us to do something different.

I am, at heart, an introvert. I’ve pushed myself like a crazy thing for 3 years – I’ve taken myself WAY out of my comfort zone, put myself (and Gulliver) under immense pressure and I’m really proud of everything we’ve accomplished. But speaking, events, “fame” even in this small way is not what I’m passionate about, is not naturally where my heart is.

Of course I’m nothing if not big on congruency, so I’ve done the thing I tell others they must do – get good at the things that will grow their businesses, even if those things don’t feel natural or comfortable. Perhaps ESPECIALLY if they don’t feel natural and comfortable! Three years is a good period of time to be able to say – I did it. I worked hard. I got good at it. And my turning away from this is not a fear-based decision, is not me running away – but rather knowing I’ve accomplished, I’ve jumped that hurdle and done it well – and now it’s time to move on to something else.

NOOOO LEELA! WHAT ABOUT THE ROADSHOW!!!!

The Roadshow will continue … just in a completely different format.

Renegade Rockstar Roadshow 2012
Speakerpocalypse

I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of seeing the same 5 speakers EVERYWHERE.

And I’m TOTALLY over the latest craze – bringing in speakers from the US and UK who a couple of years ago wouldn’t have bothered with Australia but I guess we’re good enough for them now that the money has dried up in their country.

See, the thing that gets me is that to get on a major “Promoter” stage in this country, you’ve got to be bland, beige, boring. It’s yawn worthy in the most major of fashions.

There are so many awesome could-be speakers in this country who could REVOLUTIONISE the industry and change the world – but who never get a chance because they’re not part of the in-crowd.

2012 is going to change all of that.

My mission, from the day I started in this industry, was to:

“Unleash an authentic and congruent army of next generation rock stars to turn the speaking and business development industries on their head.”

THAT is the legacy I want to leave.

So, at the 2011 Roadshow I’m looking for 10 Rock Star Speakers. People who are passionate about changing the world. Over the 12 months between 2011 Roadshow we’re going to work on molding them into hard core BSMs. No – I’m not promising untold riches with no work. You should know me better than that by now. This will be hard. It will be confronting. You’re going to have to let go of some of your old stuff – but we’ll support you every step of the way in that. We’ll give you access to EVERYTHING we know – to all of our resources, to all of our people. This will be a no-holds-barred, full on 12 months and at the end of it you’re going to be different.

We’re going to document it every step of the way (video, blogging, articles, products, books). We’re going to literally turn you into the Rock Stars of this industry.

Then, YOU will be the speakers at the 2012 Roadshow. Not me. Not Thor. YOU.

And from there, your mission will not just be to change the world doing what you do – but to create another 10 Rock Stars by passing on the new skills you’ve learned. And then, to have them create another 10 Rock Stars. To Infinity and Beyond!

This is the Opposite to the way the industry normally works – because most speakers are afraid you’ll become their competitors. I’m not afraid of that – at all. Hell, I want out of the speaking game … but I can’t do that in good conscience without knowing that other Warriors of the Light are continuing the Grail Quest.

And besides – you know me. Not with a whimper but with a Motherfucking Bang.

On a personal note – I have learned SO MUCH over the last 7 years – it’s been an incredible ride.

I want to thank everyone who has taken this journey with us.

But mostly – I want to thank Gulliver. Despite my clear insanity at each step of the way, from the very first Productise or Die to now he has been on the phone dialing like a mad thing. Every day, no matter how hard things have been, no matter how rude and nasty people have gotten, he’s done what most people fear to do – he’s gotten up and gotten on the phone. We’ve been in some tight spots over the years, but together we’ve managed to get through every single one of them – often using little more than sheer force of will. It’s been exhausting, elating, frustrating and incredible – and through each and every day I’ve been blessed to have a warrior by my side, shield to shield, who has believed in me more than the fear. Who has pushed himself to inhuman feats of strength – and who, at the same time, has been there to support me when I’ve thought I was going to break. I don’t think many people are as blessed as we are to work side by side every day. We’ve seen the worst and the best in each other – and my respect for him has only grown. He is my (bunny shaped) rock. I love you baby.

For those of you who aren’t yet booked in – this is it. We can literally only get 140 people in the room. We’re well and truly past 50% full. Prices go up again at the end of the month. If YOU want to be part of this incredible project … if you’re ready to take your business to the next level and to be the Rock Star taking the stage at the birth of a new generation of events … call us. Call us now.

Or hit up: http://www.RenegadeRockstarRoadshow.com

I’ve been playing with Google Plus, so I thought I’d make a video for you – just on the basics, a quick tour if you will.

If you want an invite, pop me a message

If you’re following me on Facebook (and if not, why not?? http://www.facebook.com/leelarocks) you would have seen that Thor and I are visiting Egypt in November.

This is part of our training with our spiritual mentor, Carmel Glenane. We’ll be spending two weeks at sacred sites around Egypt, meditating, doing rituals and getting married again.

Carmel

Carmel has been gently reminding me regularly (as all good sales people do) that I was yet to put down my deposit for the trip. And the reason I hadn’t was simple: This years Roadshow is the most expensive one yet – current front end cost is around $69,000 (damn my expensive tastes!).

And when you’re focusing on filling a single event, the front end sales also have to cover your living expenses for 6 months, not to mention our 3 staff members. I had the money for the deposit in my bank account, but I didn’t want to spend it. You know that feeling – you’ve got a nice little pile of money in the account and you avoid touching it. You keep it there, you know – just in case. It’s safe. It’s comfortable.

I wanted to wait until after the Renegade Rockstar Roadshow to put down the deposit because I wanted to play it “safe”.

And then I started thinking about my clients. Every day, I ask people to commit their little safety pile to me – trusting that I can show them how to exponentially increase it. We’ve now got more than 80 people registered for the Roadshow. 80 people who’ve taken a leap of faith – who’ve decided to make a stand, here and now. Who’ve decided to believe – to trust that they’ve made the right decision and that they’re going to make the most of their own investment.

Many of whom I know, for a fact, had piles much smaller than mine. Who had accumulated those piles over much longer periods of time. And I realised that by NOT putting down the deposit on my Egypt trip I was being completely incongruent. I was asking my clients to do something that I was not prepared to do myself.

And that, my friends, is NEVER cool. That is NOT who I want to be.

It also makes me a hypocrite … although, I have to say, I think hypocrisy is one of the hallmarks of being human … find me a person who says they’re not a hypocrite and I’ll show you the definition of irony.

The Isle of Philae, Egypt

Anyway, yesterday, I went to see Carmel and put the deposit down on my Egypt trip … and then the strangest thing happened.

The work phone rang, on a Sunday. And I told Thor he could answer it (normally I would insist on a Sunday that we let it go through to message bank) – and it was someone we’ve never spoken to before, who has been watching our stuff and who bought the highest Rock Star level ticket for the event (More than $3,000). And I was like. Yeah, Universe. Okay. I hear you.

Make a decision. Make a commitment. DO IT. Even though it’s hard – no, actually – ESPECIALLY because it’s hard.

The Universe LOVES decisive action and you’ll be rewarded for it every time.

You don’t get the Gold Medal BEFORE you get up at 5am every morning, train your arse off, focus on nothing else – you get it after. You don’t get the abundance BEFORE you spend the money, put yourself on the line, make the commitment – you get it after.

Money is a fluid energy, not a static one … the more you try and hold it, the more it slips through your fingers (Lord Vader!). Which is not to say you should be irresponsible with it – but putting off investing in the things you know you need to do … waiting another year … another month … another day … another HOUR damn it! – only hurts you and ensures the abundance you’re waiting for flows to those who are already up and training at 5am …

Speaking of which, as part of my preparation for our trip to Egypt, I’ve been living in crazy land – up at 6am for the sunrise each morning, meditation for an hour, dog walking for an hour, alkaline diet, no alcohol (nooooooo!). Again – a decision, a commitment … a choice to do what’s needed.

A choice I curse EVERY morning – I am sooo not a morning person! – as I drag my arse out of bed. I’m doing a bunch of work right now that I WILL Share with you guys … first view will be on the Friday at the Roadshow, with Carmel there to put it in context for you … the rest … well, I’m journaling and diarising the whole thing.

I don’t know how many of you have read “The Mists of Avalon” by Marion Zimmer Bradley, but I was obsessed with that book when I was 16 … particularly with the character of Morgana. This whole journey is like my own Grail Quest. It’s too soon to discuss what that means on a larger scale, but the plans are unfolding every day and frankly it’s scaring the shit out of me. Which I know means I’m on the right path.

“It’s in the moments of decision that our
destinies are shaped.”

Tony Robbins

If there is a lesson I SHOULD have learned before the age of 32, but which I’m totally getting right now …. it’s about when it’s better to just shut the fuck up.

When I was little(r), in my early twenties – before I had a successful business and when I was a total mess myself in my life – I used to HEART getting on the then version of social media (forums, chat rooms) and giving unsolicited advice on all kinds of things … from business to relationships to careers and self-esteem … advice I hope to hell no one ever took too seriously. I would wander around saying

“I’m SO good at giving other people advice … I just don’t know what to do with my own (whatever topic was annoying me).”

The fact is, I was good at giving advice, but I wasn’t giving GOOD advice. Spouting crap allowed me to feel powerful and like I was achieving something, even though I wasn’t. When I discovered Tony Robbins and started working through Personal Power and then went on to start a business, I got too busy to dispense advice.

These days, I only give advice to people who pay me for it. Not because, as some would have you believe, I’m greedy and selfish. Quite the opposite. I’m never going to assume that YOU or anyone else wants the benefit of my opinion. You have to specifically ask me if you want personal feedback. I NEVER give it without request. And the most REAL request I get accompanies credit card details. When people give you money they (normally – although not always) want to hear what you have to say. Or think they do.

Over the last few days a “life coach” has been commenting on Thor’s posts. The first time she started to coach without asking, I resisted the temptation to do the normal Leela thing and slap her silly. Instead, we gently pointed out to her that she was thread jacking and then changed the topic.

The next day she came onto another post on which we were discussing the link between money and self-esteem and started ranting about how money means nothing … and having been through what we’ve been through recently, having all of the money we needed and having a sudden crisis of “Is this what I really want?”, I completely agree … money, on it’s own, means nothing … however, money, spiritually and self-esteem are NOT mutually exclusive … rather, they are inextricably linked. Getting all of those ducks in a row is the goal. I said something to this effect and she started ranting about how money isn’t the most important thing … which I’m pretty sure I had agreed with – then went on to talk about how she was unsurprised that we were “stuck” (where she got that I’m unsure – 6 months ago, yes. Today – I’m more unstuck than I EVER have been) because our energy was so “bitter”.

Then she said something that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about – she said that she had every right to “speak my truth”.

Okay – maybe you do. But when is it “truth” and when are you being judgmental of two people you’ve never met before and don’t know anything about?

How is your “right” to speak YOUR “truth” more important than MY right to live in my truth and to quite enjoyment of that?

Are there times when speaking the “truth” you perceive is NOT the right move and maybe you should just Shut The Fuck Up?

I know it sounds like I’m giving this more energy than it deserves, but I’m bringing it up for a very specific reason – one of the biggest things I see on Facebook … one of the things that has lead me to lose my temper on a number of occasions …

If I’m going to be coached or mentored by someone, I’m going to search out someone who I feel aligned with. I’m going to spend time with them, getting to know them and most importantly – letting them get to know me. And then I’ll decide whether I want to take on what they have to say.

I’ve got a mentor. She hits me with some HARD truths sometimes. But I’ve given her permission to do that – and I do everything she tells me to do, because I know her feedback is coming from a place of Truth, not of fear or of trying to control me.

Some random chick posting at me on Facebook about what I should Think, Say or Do is going to be MORE than ignored … I’m what’s known (in NLP) as a mis-matcher (OMG is she using NLP terms?!) … tell me what to do and I’ll do the opposite.

Anyone who considers themselves a Master NLP Practitioner should easily be able to read that from my Facebook page and blog! My mum used to call me “Mary, Mary” – but hey, I know all about my mis-matchery and I’ve been able to use it as a really good tool in my business … you know what they say – there are no negative personality traits, so long as you understand and harness who you are.

I’ve had many people over the years try and “coach” me.

One who told me I had to stop being affectionate towards Gulliver in public because it would make certain people not want to buy from us (pft – it’s not like we’re having sex on the seminar stage … anyone who dislikes that I love my husband is quite welcome to take themselves elsewhere).

One told me that I needed to use NLP to “reframe” my “stuff” around sales – because then I’d be able to just do marketing and not sell (oi vey – I work so hard to eliminate this myth that you can run a business without sales … surely your NLP would be better used curing your own fear around sales rather than trying to change the fabric of reality to conform to your fear).

One told me I needed to be authentic “with edits” – that to me would be not actually being authentic. You can love me, hate me or be indifferent to me but the one that can’t be denied is that, positive or negative, good mood or bad, I’m honest about what I’m feeling. You know when I’m in a bad mood. You know when I’m happy. That’s not the way everyone chooses to do business, but I’m certainly raw – in what some people would call a grating and extremely annoying way.

Here’s the thing.

All of us have opinions – and all of those opinions are informed and coloured by our own experiences, fears, pain and personalities. That’s cool – that makes you HUMAN. And none of us can escape that …

The problem I see is largely with this whole “coaching” thing. Psychiatrists are trained NOT to coach … to ask questions … to keep themselves out of the equation. Coaches are NOT taught to do that … and the difference is obvious.

When was the last time a psychologist or psychiatrist came on Facebook and started analysing you? I’ve never heard of that happening … but several times a day I see people with lesser qualifications, running around handing out free and unrequested advice.

I think Coaching needs to be a regulated industry – but in the meantime, I’d love to see life coaches having a bit of integrity around what they do.

What would that look like?

Well, for starters it would look like ABC – Ask. Before. Coaching. At the very least. Personally, I would prefer you to wait until you were actually asked.

But more importantly – with your clients and within yourself – it would mean taking the time to look within rather than just reacting. WHY are you telling people they don’t need to sell? Is it because you think sales is evil? Is that something you should be pushing onto other people or is it something you should be reframing within YOU …

BUT #1 Absolutely Most Important would be … when in doubt or when someone hasn’t specifically asked you for your feedback or analysis … or when speaking YOUR truth is used as a weapon to attack someone else:

Your life coaching certificate and NLP mastery doesn’t give you the right to force your view onto other people – and it certainly doesn’t give you the right to attack other people because they are breaking YOUR rules of how YOU think they should be living …

And I hope the few people who I know are reading this to prove further to themselves and others just how much The Leela sucks REALLY take some time to think about this. I see them on Facebook talking about live and let live and how everyone has the right to speak their truth … and then I receive emails from them berating me for my language … live and let live, so long as you follow my rules.

I really think the world – and certainly the online world – would be better served if people STOPPED “speaking their truths” so often and took a second to

Shut. The. Fuck. Up.

If it’s not something you’d say to someone’s face … if it’s unrequested feedback on WHO you think someone is … or how you disagree with their behaviour or personalities … just Shhhh.

Shutting. The. Fuck. Up.

A lost skill it’s time to resurrect.

I grew up in what I suppose could be considered an unconventional family.

My mother has been involved with various “new age” philosophies for most of her life which lead to experiences that I now understand maybe not everyone grew up with – I was encouraged to talk to fairies, to play with dragons, to explore past lives, to commune with my guides, to work with energy.

By the age of 16 I was tarot reading professionally (and running kids parties, dressed up as a fairy!). I would spend holidays working with my mum and her friend at the (early) Mind, Body, Spirit and other new age festivals.

In my early 20′s I suffered from severe, genetic depression and to handle that, I self-medicated with a number of substances. This, as you can guess, took me to a dark place and brought some dark stuff to me. After a few extremely spooky experiences, I decided to leave the spiritual stuff alone for a while and focus on the material stuff.

And I did – for the next 10 years, I focused on getting me better – overcoming depression without drugs, repairing relationships from my past and building a business that I’m extremely proud of.

Our Backyard

So late last year, Gulliver and I packed up our 2 bedroom flat in Melbourne and moved to a six bedroom house in Northern NSW, with views out over the Tweed Valley and Mt Warning (3 generations of my family are buried in Murwillumbah at the base of Mt Warning – you could call this my heartland). The business has been doing well. I married the man of my dreams. And all of a sudden I lost all of my motivation.

For 2 months, I had no interest in doing anything. It wasn’t quite a relapse into depression – it was more like a loss of direction. The “Whys” that had sustained me previously suddenly didn’t seem big enough and I floundered (THIS is one of the reasons I’m so huge on systemising your business and leveraging yourself – being ABLE to have a 2 month crisis and still have enough money in the door to pay the bills!).

One day, we end up outside of a store called Atlantis Rising … they offer readings so we stop outside, looking at their price list. A young, vivacious girl comes out (yes – OUT … of the SHOP … because we’re looking in the window! TAKE NOTE RETAILERS!) and G and I are like … dude … Sales. Process. We’re salespeople – nothing makes us happier than being sold to well!

Carmel

I settle on having a reading with the shop owner, Carmel Glenane. Her reading is spot on – all about my loss of motivation and my need to rediscover my passion. She asks me if I’ve been meditating and I tell her that I struggle to do it on my own – she lets me know that she offers 1:1 meditation sessions, which I take up, working with her every other day for a month.

Within 2 sessions (three DAYS) – I have more energy than I can remember ever having before … I feel reconnected to who I am and where I’m going …

A few months down the track now and this has been sustained.

I’ve gone full circle, in a way – but I feel really blessed to have taken that time away to focus on the material. It’s given me grounding I know I didn’t have before and which I see lacking in so many people involved in the spiritual world …

What I love about Carmel is that she’s not a “fluffy duck” – yes, she’s totally connected to the Powers That Be. Yes – she’ll talk to you about the pantheon of Egyptian Gods as though they were standing next to you. BUT – she’s also an incredible business woman … some of my favourite Carmel quotes …

“Sales is love.”

“The day I stop selling is the day I die.”

“If you’re not selling, you’re not helping anyone.”

Or this outstanding story of her telling off someone in her shop who was making excuses about the reasons she couldn’t buy one of the beautiful Shankari Talismans (she doesn’t sell jewelry – she sells Talismans, you can see why I heart this chick!) – and Carmel KICKED HER OUT. She was all like

“If I have the guts to put myself on the line for 18 years
running this business, importing these talismans so that you
have the opportunity to heal through them, don’t you DARE
disrespect me by giving me excuses as to why you can’t.
It’s such a dirty, dirty word – can’t.”

I wish EVERYONE in business had this mindset! It’s so rare to find that mix of spiritual, but grounded. Most spiritual types suck with business – and most business types who talk about spirituality are using it as a sales tool.

And it’s random, because I’ve been looking for a mentor for four years. I’ve searched all over the world – interviewed a whole bunch of people (without them knowing, of course!). I’ve watched how they treat their clients and how they run their business and I’ve weighed up whether they were the right match. And I’ve struggled with not finding anyone who really gets me within the business community … and it turns out that’s because she was hiding in the LAST place on Earth I would have looked … the spiritual community.

That’s why we’ve asked Carmel to come and speak at the Roadshow this year.

It’ll be a non-compulsory session – but for those of you who are looking for more … who need to balance heart and pocket - who want more energy (6 YEARS of non-stop work stress GONE in 3 days … I can’t even tell you.) – who want to bring passion, heart, money, business – all of these things into one. I’ve never met anyone who does this like Carmel – yes, it will be far out. It’s going to totally blow your mind. She’ll also help you get past your mental BS – in a totally loving and spiritual way. Just be warned – this woman takes no shit. She’ll call you on your crap. You can see why she fits in so well with us!

Look, it’s become really clear to us that we don’t fit in on the Wealth Creation scene … recent feedback is that other speakers refuse to share stages with me (random, right? But funny … and ALWAYS from women. And always from women who’ve never met me … their issues, not mine) … look, either way – we don’t fit in on the “spiritual” scene either (mainly because they are THE SAME SCENE – not just figuratively, as in attitudes and stuff … but also LITERALLY – the same group of people).

So fuck it.

We’re just going to create our own scene … instead of buying into the politics of the current speaking industry, I’m putting my energy into finding people who aren’t the same 10 people you see at every multi-speaker event. I’m looking for people who would normally be censored – who are honest and authentic and most importantly who are on a HOLY MISSION … these are not the people you ever see at events, because they don’t have the “right” stuff. They don’t know the right people, look the right way – they’re not members of the In Crowd and no one has taught them the secret handshake.

You see – I don’t believe all of this BS around the industry that the reason it’s in the state it’s in is because people are “greedy” and “just chase money” – I think there’s a lot of people ON stage as well as off, who are lost. Who don’t know what they should be doing. Who desperately want a HOLY MISSION – but don’t know what that mission is for them.

They’re not greedy – they’re just intensely driven but they don’t know towards what. They know they’re destined for more – they know they have everything they need to be intensely successful, to change the world – but they don’t know what it is they want to change precisely (mainly because, if they can step out of their ego for a second and check it – they know that for things to change, first they must change).

It’s showing in people’s results.

“The seminar industry is collapsing.”

No. The speakers are collapsing. They’ve GIVEN so much for so long and just the giving hasn’t been enough …

If you’ve seen the Identity Principle presentation I did at TEDX Byron Bay you’ll know my model on this – Know who you are, Own who you are, Live who you are, Give who you are. But GIVE is last – not first. Without the mission, the giving saps you – and the bloody mission moves it’s Goal Posts every couple of months as you achieve … or it seems that way when the MISSION is surface.

And THIS is what I’ve ALWAYS been about … from the time I was a kid … Identity. Mission. Purpose. Changing the World – even if that sometimes means tearing it down. Even if that sometimes means challenging your perceptions or shaking you out of your comfort zone by swearing, by being different, by living outside of the box.

Oh and hey … the announcement of this years Roadshow Party Theme …

Odin and Thor

In fitting with this whole Fu Fu, out there turn in stuff -we’re urging you all to come as Rock GODS and GODDESSES – Thor, Odin, Loki, Diana, Artemis, Zeus, Mars (TOGA! TOGA! TOGA!), Isis, Osiris – do some research and find the God/dess you feel best represents your business right now … a patron saint, if you will … Carmel is going to talk to you about your Business as an energetic being … so this will really fit in well!

Yeah, It’s been a ride…
I guess I had to go to that place to get to this one
Now some of you might still be in that place
If you’re trying to get out, just follow me
I’ll get you there

I’m not afraid to take a stand
Everybody come take my hand
We’ll walk this road together, through the storm
Whatever weather, cold or warm
Just let you know that, you’re not alone
Holla if you feel that you’ve been down the same road

We. Are. Back!

Yay!

It’s been a mad few months (wedding, birthday, general shenanigans) – but we’re finally  back in full awesomeness mode, and ramping up for this years Renegade Rockstar Roadshow. Keep an eye out next week for the launch of Renegade Rockstar TV … so excited …

Over the last two months I’ve been conducting an experiment in change.

One of the first things I did was to permanently get rid of my deactivated Facebook account. I’ve spent too much time getting dragged into other people’s BS … and it is INCREDIBLE how much more I’m getting done, but more importantly, how much space I have in my head for creativity and ideas. FB was clogging up so much mental space that is better used on finding fun things to do …

Next, I got rid of my mobile phone. Yup – gone. No mobile connection. It’s been AWESOME. It’s also totally freaked out a bunch of people.

I first got the idea from Dan Kennedy who refuses to use a mobile phone … I was like. That’s odd. How will people get in contact with you? Ohhhh. They won’t. Ahhhhh …

And thus, I had my phone switched off (yes, yes – people have asked me, why not just turn the phone off and leave it off. I don’t have that kind of impulse control. If it’s there, I’ll use it – so I went to my telco and asked them to switch it off altogether. Full commitment to the scientific process, damn it!). Now, if people want to contact me, they have to call the office. Which means there’s a gatekeeper between me and people who want to waste my time. I’ve always been very jealous of my time and I’m learning to be even more so recently. It also means that both I and the people I spend time with HAVE to be organised and on target when we decide to do things or meet each other. There’s no,

“Oh, I’ll call you when we get there and we’ll figure it out.”

From the start there is a time and a place – and the integrity to maintain that promise.

The phone and the Facebook thing have upset a few people – and I’m okay with that. If doing what I need to do for my own good makes someone else angry, THAT is a person (friend, family member, client, prospect) that I DO NOT need in my life!

I’ve been spending a lot of time getting centred and back on track – the last few years have been really stressful and that was a large part of the reason we moved to Northern NSW late last year – this has always been my spiritual home (three generations of my family are buried at the foot of the Mt Warning, which I can see right now from my kitchen window). The beach, the rivers, being near my family for the first time in 13 years – it’s been good to come home.

And as I’ve centred and come back to myself it’s been interesting to watch the things – and particularly the people! – that have melted away from my life, as if by magic. A lot of the “poison” has disappeared without a trace and is being replaced with extreme awesomeness.

Speaking of extreme awesomeness, please be upstanding and welcome the newest member of our team, Tani Beister!

Some of you will know Tani from last year’s Roadshow – she’s now working with us as my right hand priestess of Radness … eventually I’ll be getting rid of my email as well as the phone and Facebook, so Tani will be first port of call for a lot of our clients.

I don’t know about you, but I like to count years on birthday’s – I feel like my birthday makes a lot more sense as New Years Eve than some arbitrarily defined start date. With that in mind – happy new year! I’m starting this one in a better place than I’ve been in in a LONG time – and given how awesome things have been going up to now, I’m SUPER Stoked to see what’s going to happen with the new energy and clarity we’ve got in the business. You’ll definitely be seeing some slight changes in the way we do things over the next few months – starting with the Roadshow.

But there’s been some other, deeper changes that have been taking place …

Look, I’m not going all Faux-Spiritual, Law of Attraction, Fu-Fu-Wah-Wah on your arses … but as some of you know, I grew up in an intensely spiritual environment. For the last 10 years I’ve been ignoring that while I’ve focused on getting the physical, material stuff right (an important part of the equation that I think a lot of spiritual out-there types miss … great if you’ve got a sense of spiritual superiority – but that’s not going to pay the bills or feed the puppies) – and I feel like the time is right to start melding both parts of my life back together again … that will, without a doubt, create some changes in the way we do things in the business.

But NEVER FEAR- we’re still the last bastion of radness for Bootstrapping, Streetfighting, Motherfuckers. We’re still kicking arse and taking names. We’re still swearing and partying. That shit won’t change any time in the foreseeable future.

Haha … maybe just see it like we’re “kicking arse for (insert name of preferred deity here)”.

It’s going to be an interesting and transformational year … can’t wait to have you join us on this incredible journey!