Many successful business owners and salespeople wake up and take on their day driven by an empowering mantra. In business, a mantra captures the essence of a company’s mission statement in a succinct, memorable manner.

Just as businesses have mantras, so do many individuals. A personal mantra likely says a lot about you and your values. For some, a mantra is kept rather private. It stands as a personal reminder about what matters to them and how they strive to conduct themselves in business and in life.

Those who choose to share their mantra with others – be it clients, prospective clients, colleagues, or employees – effectively say, “This is what I’m all about” and “Here’s what you can expect from me.”

Here are a few examples of mantras from successful names in business:

“Success is going from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm.”  – Dean Graziosi

“Fun should come first.” – Barbara Corcoran

“You don’t get paid for the hour, you get paid for the value you bring to the hour.” – Shaun Rawls

“The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” – Sharran Srivatsaa

I’d like to share a mantra with you that I’ve said over the course of my many years in business and sales. Today, as the business development strategist at Celeste Giordano Coaching, I share it with clients and encourage them to dig deep and discover the mantra that will drive them to build powerful, long-lasting relationships and succeed in becoming a legacy business.

So here is my mantra: “Frank, Fair, Firm, and Fun“. These are the 4 “Fs” that you can count on from me.

When I say I’m FRANK… it means that I tell it like it is and don’t pull any punches. One thing that you can always count on from me is honesty. While the truth can sometimes be challenging to digest, my clients continuously express their appreciation for my frankness. They know it comes from a place of genuine caring, rather than ineffective, arrogant criticism.

For those of you who are looking to build a legacy business in record time, working with a ‘frank’ individual can be eye-opening. The foundation of your business must be built on truth – what really is and what really isn’t. Is it possible that you may not be telling yourself the frank truth about your own business? That’s why I’m here – to show you what you can’t see about yourself AND your business. For that reason, I am very frank.

When I say I’m FAIR… it means that I will treat you fairly. I’m frank, but I’m fair. Fairness is a concept we’re taught at a young age, but it is challenging for many to put it into practice. Fairness is seeking justice with and for those you deal with on a day to day basis, whether it’s the new prospect on the other end of the phone, a difficult client, or even someone in your personal life.

Do you treat people fairly? Are your business deals fair? Are your comments and judgements fair?

If I have questions about what my clients are doing and why they’re doing it, I’ll ask. I don’t make assumptions about anything without thoroughly exploring what’s really happening in their business. There’s often more going on than meets the eye at first glance. Making assumptions about people before getting to know them is unfair, unproductive, and often destructive to relationships. Unless I’m given a reason not to, I give you the benefit of the doubt. For that reason, I am very fair.

When I say I’m FIRM… it means I stand by the advice that I share with others. While many business coaches are tempted to tell their clients what they want to hear, I don’t believe this strategy does anyone any favors. In fact, allowing clients to believe that their mindsets and strategies are perfectly fine, when they are ineffective or even destructive, is a serious disservice. The very reason people turn to business strategists and sales coaches is because they want guidance on how to best overcome hurdles, reach their goals, and build thriving businesses.

I know what works and what doesn’t work. I have been training and developing business people for 40+ years now. I have developed a system for success because I’ve learned from years of personal experience, successes. and failures. For that reason, I’m very firm.

Lastly (but also important) when I say I’m fun… I mean it! It helps that I love what I do, enjoy working with people, and am passionate about helping my clients thrive personally and professionally. When you enjoy what you do, your energy is contagious. People will be drawn to you at networking events and more receptive to your sales pitches.

If you aren’t having fun, you aren’t going to earn any money (especially not lots of it)! The first step to making money is taking all the seriousness out of it. I notice that when people wrap a lot of significance around money, they usually have trouble making more of it.

When I work with clients, we often find ourselves laughing through the ups and downs of building a legacy business together. I look forward to every accountability call and coaching session because each is rich with exciting and enjoyable opportunities. For that reason, I’m very fun!

I’ve said it before, and I’ll reiterate it again: a mantra gives people a snapshot of who you are.

I love learning about what drives people to get up in the morning ready to put in the work necessary to accomplish great things. So I’d love to know in the comments: What’s your mantra?

At Celeste Giordano Coaching, I work one-on-one with entrepreneurs and sales professionals to develop the daily habits that will generate the RESULTS they seek. If your sales numbers are lackluster, let’s work together to figure out why and turn your results around this year.

Celeste Giordano’s mission is to help business owners develop the skills, knowledge and attitude necessary to “DoublePlus^TM” their income and become effective and inspirational leaders in their fields. Whether it’s taking your successful business to the next level or starting a new venture, she will teach you the exact skills and strategies you need to enroll more quality prospects, build a rock-solid team, and break through obstacles to achieve real profit and lasting success. Celeste is a professional business growth specialist, a master sales strategist, and dynamic speaker with 40 years experience in direct sales and managing high-performing teams.

To learn more about Celeste, click here.

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At Celeste Giordano Coaching, I work with each client to implement the strategies they’ve been missing that will enable them to break through barriers preventing them from the success they know they are capable of. Contact me today to find your future clients who just don’t know what they’re missing.