*Please note, this blog post was originally posted to Design*Sponge in their Biz Ladies section.

Imagine your ‘perfect day’. What are you doing? Where are you working? Are you married or single? Do you have children? Where are you living and whom are you living with? Does this exercise seem slightly unrealistic to you? Well, maybe it does to some people but to me it seems like less of a dream and more of a reality now that I am finally in complete control of it.

Five years ago when myself and four financially-inept friends started the Smart Cookies, The Perfect Day was one of the many concepts we came up with to help align our spending with our goals and what it was we truly wanted out of life. We all realized that we had these BHAG (code for big hairy audacious goals) that we wanted for ourselves but none of the spending we were doing was getting us any closer, or close at all, to these goals. My spending certainly wasn’t getting me closer to fulfilling my dream of moving to the Big Apple & living in a brownstone walkup. Enter The Perfect Day & vision board. My personal vision board contains things that are easier to accomplish than others but at the end of the day, they are all things I want out of my life and I have learned to align my spending with these goals and visions to help me turn them into a reality. We all have a so-called ‘perfect day’ but are we really doing all we can to achieve it? I wanted to share a snap shop of what my vision board looks like (and keep in mind, it does change every-so-often)

I took this concept of ours and applied it to my new business Bratface Marketing because I see the purpose in the exercise and how visualization can take those ‘dreams’ and turn them into a reality. Being a small business owner in charge of the success of what I’ve started, I feel that its important I be realistic on what my business goals are when it comes to profitability, growth and the bottom line. One thing I have learned in business is that no idea is used to its fullest potential unless you share it with others! I wanted to give all you fabulous small business owners some of my step-by-step pointers on how to create a vision board for your business, how to set specific and realistic goals, and how to put your dreams out there & so you actually achieve them!

Be Realistic When Creating Your Vision Board

Some of us have grandiose plans to start a business, be the CEO, earn tons of money and live happily ever after on our own terms. But it isn’t all cupcakes and double rainbows, so it’s important to be realistic about what this looks like for your because it’s different for everyone. This is where a vision board can come in great use because it allows you to visualize and map out what you see for your business. Do you see your business with its own office space? If so, what does it look like? Do you see yourself operating the business from the city you are currently in or moving it elsewhere? If so, where would that be and what would that look like? Do you envision having lots of employees or just a few? Do you see multiple office locations? How is the space decorated? Do you see yourself working with specific companies? It’s all of these small details that you visualize and use to create your vision board which is the fun part because you get to be creative and you would be amazed at how the power of visualization can work once it’s in a space you see everyday. My vision board is right behind my desk where I work and it’s a constant reminder of what my personal and business goals are.

Divide the Vision Board Into Sections

This is one tool I started to use when I needed to take all my business ideas and make them into a more visual object (after all, I’m way more of a visual person so it made perfect sense to me). I made a vision board that is divided into business sections that I wanted to focus on. They include TEAM, CLIENTS, GOALS, MONEY, & NETWORKING. I divvied it up into these sections using a ribbon to categorize them.

The TEAM section was my vision of what the Bratface Marketing team looks like, how many people I wanted to eventually hire, what their roles were & their goals in the company. I also mapped out what my role in the company was in 1, 3 and 5 years because it isn’t uncommon that the company founder takes on other responsibilities or changes their role as the business grows and matures.

The CLIENTS section was a visual on the types of clients I wanted to work with (you can be specific with names of businesses if you want to get really granular) and specific industries I wanted my dream clients to be in. It’s ok to think outside of the box on this one because remember, it’s all about what your dreams are for your business. I’ve never had a problem reaching for those high in the sky stars because my philosophy is ‘you won’t until you try it’.

The GOALS section is all about miscellaneous goals I wanted for my business and me personally, since the two mesh in many ways. Similar to what I mentioned above, my personal goals include living in NYC, which will drastically change the nature of my business and clients, so its important I map out what that goal looks like. You can also note personal goals in here. I recently applied for a local Vancouver magazine’s Top 40 Under 40 award and one of my goals was to win this title, so that is also included in this section.

The MONEY section is all about numbers. This was the least fun part for me because I tend to have an allergic reaction to math as I always have, but it’s an exercise you need to do because the responsibility is on your shoulders. I mark my monthly, quarterly and annual revenue goals I want to hit in 1, 3 and 5 years, the # of clients I would ideally like to be working with on a regular basis & what my future client load looks like, the cost of what my business is & how much I spend in 1,3 and 5 years (office rent, supplies, subscriptions, programs, affiliates, networks etc). I also listed what my time is worth and various tiers of billing I charge clients. Its really important to have these #’s in a visual space because the more often you visit them, the more you will stay on track.

Finally, the NETWORKING section is my fave because I love getting out and meeting new people. I make a list of the people I want to connect with, how I’m going to get there & which events and conferences I want to attend. I have always wanted to attend some wickedly fantastic conferences and meet ups in NYC & San Francisco, so they are listed so I can connect with some awesome business people & organizations. I also want to build the speaking part of my business, connect with companies and organizations that want to bring speakers in for their conferences & seminars. I LOVE meeting new people and connecting because 95% of my business is based on word of mouth and referrals, so I know its important to the livelihood of my business.

Networking also includes mentors. I wrote about connectors, trendsetters and influencers in a previous post and talked about how important it is to have these people in your life, business or personal. Visualize & make a list of the people you want as your business mentors. They can be anyone you admire or respect, local or national, and be sure to choose people who are specialized in specific industries. The Smart Cookies Advisory Board is compiled of business people in areas like finance, web/online & entreprenurialship because those were the areas we needed the most guidance on and they were a big part of our empire.

Be Smart, Plan Financially (the non-visual part)

When starting a business, you have to be OK with the fact that you may not make any money in the first few months. Some do, others struggle a bit more. What I know for sure is that if I didn’t have my finances straightened out (thanks to the Smart Cookies) and if I was still living beyond my means, I wouldn’t have had the financial capability or common sense to start a business on my own (sad but true!). If you’re lucky and working full time, you can typically get the business ball rolling when you are off the clock in your spare time (not at your day job!). This can include creating your business development plan, determining what the company’s brand is going to be, and how much the business is going to cost to get started (all your incidentals – website, branding, accounting, legal etc). Having a job at the same time helps with your living expenses (especially if you are single and on the hook for paying all your bills yourself!). Its advice I’ve offered to a few of my friends who are in jobs they want to move on from and go out on their own. If you can, get as much done while you’re still earning a paycheck before you leave because it will help you out financially until you get your business off the ground.

However, if you have already gone out on your own with no regular paycheck, you have to be realistic and smart about what your monthly living expenses are costing you & what start-up costs you will be incurring. If you can keep your business overhead costs low, then do so. I still work out of my home because I can and getting an office would be an extra expense I would be ok with in the future, but can do without for now. Also knowing your bare-minimum monthly costs helps because it gives you an idea of how much you need to make in order to cover the basics. Everything on top of that is a bonus and you can adjust or save accordingly. I knew that I could easily manage to pay my bills and live a decent life on $2,500 a month (scary to know that 5 years ago I was spending $1,500 MORE than what I was earning pre-Smart Cookies! Yikes.)

Business Plans Aren’t the Be All End All….

I know I may be putting myself out in front of the firing squad with this tip, but a business plan isn’t always needed when you start a business. We did one for Smart Cookies because we had so many parts of the business that needed flushing out. We also had the intention of having investors come on board and possibly selling the company in 5-8 years. We needed a plan for these reasons alone, but I know the pressure when you start a business. Everyone tells you, “you need to have a business plan before you do anything”. Talk about a kill-joy! Its ok to say no but you have to look at your intentions and ‘blue sky planning’ when it comes to your business & its goals. If you plan on keeping a small, boutique business with a few employees you may not necessarily need one.

As an alternative to a business plan, I drafted up a business development plan in PowerPoint for Bratface Marketing, which included my growth plans, monthly, quarterly & annual revenue goals, target clients & industries, Bratface Marketing’s ideal clients etc. We did this for each employee as well because we all had various targets and companies we wanted to go after. We even added our business plans for the next 3-5 years and projected all the numbers that coincide with those.

At the end of the day, you have to plan your business the best way you can that is the best for your company. There is no one-size-fits-all and some like to take the more traditional approach (i.e. draft up a business plan) while others like to take a more unconventional approach.

I think this is a great exercise for any small business to do because its something different and everyone responds to something visual. If you can make it your own and create the business you’ve always wanted, then why not show it off? If you do create a vision board for your business, I would love for you to share it with me so I can share with others. You just never know where it will take you…..

There are a couple of things I’m excited to announce here: the first is that SkinnyGirl Margarita is now available to buy in Canada ($15/btl)! The other announcement is that Bethenny came to Canada and I met her (note the evidence in the photograph to your left)!

It’s kind of funny with the timing of this encounter. I had just written my last blog post on why I adore Bethenny Frankel and how she has been such an inspiration to me – both personally and professionally. Within a week of writing it, I found out that she was coming to Canada to sign bottles of her newly launched drink! Right then, I was on a mission like no other: to meet her in person and (hopefully) get her to sign one of the many Bethenny-branded items I had. Would it be her yoga DVD? One of her books I had on my shelves? Or the latest Forbes Magazine where she graced the cover? I know I couldn’t get her to sign them all, so I settled on her latest book, A Place of Yes because I started reading it at a time in my life (now) when I needed a book to provide some inspiration and because I related so much to Bethenny, so I knew it would resonate with me. Ironically enough, I have gotten to know the yoga/pilates expert who was in Bethenny’s video with her, Kristin McGee and I will be visiting her in NYC this summer and she will sign the DVD for me. I love networking particularly with smart, sincere women who have been successful building a business based on their passion.

After lining up for 30 minutes outside, Bethenny finally arrived at the liquor store on Bute/Alberni in downtown Vancouver. Now, I will be the first to admit that I can get star struck (ask any of my girlfriends, its true). There is something surreal about meeting someone in person who you only know through television or in the media and there is a side to me that didn’t think I would ever have such an opportunity. I had been watching Bethenny for a while, starting with The Real Housewives of NYC and now on her own TV shows, Bethenny Getting Married & Bethenny Ever After. But the TV shows are just one element to the whole brand. Like I mentioned in my last post, as a business woman, she is one tough cookie but very smart. She built a brand from nothing all by herself, and didn’t let the critics stop her. When Beam Global Spirits & Wine came along and acquired her SkinnyGirl Margarita drink, Bethenny said 2 years ago none of the big liquor brands were interested in a low-cal, all natural margarita drink because they didn’t think it would sell. All these companies were being run by men who didn’t realize there was a need in the market for such a drink targeted towards women. Boy were they wrong. Through hard work, dedicated, tenacity and well, balls, she didn’t take no for an answer and kept going for her dreams. 2 years and $100 million dollars later, SkinnyGirl is now available across North America and is flying off the shelves quicker than you can say “holy margarita balls!”

As I moved up in the line and approached Bethenny, my heart was pounding because (a) I couldn’t believe I was in her presence and (b) I had no clue what the hell to say without sounding like a total idiot! I had so much to tell her but in reality, at signings like these, you gotta keep the line moving because you are 1 of 200 people trying to accomplish the same thing, and I knew Bethenny was onto city #3 of her cross country tour. How does the girl do it?! Also, I thought this would be a great opportunity to bring her a little gift so I brought along 2 of my books that I wrote with the Smart Cookies and cute Smart Cookie t-shirt. A female entrepreneur isn’t a success without a little shameless self-promotion, am I not right?!

All in all, she was an absolute delight even if I did only get to meet her for all of 60 seconds. For all the long days, flights from coast to coast, sleeping in hotels, being away from her family, and signings she has had to do, she seemed genuinely happy to be there because if there is one thing Bethenny isn’t is selfish. She is fully aware that she would not be where she is without the support of her true fans and she was every bit the lady I thought she would be. Genunine, sincere with a big smile on her face.

Thank you for making my Saturday Bethenny. Let’s hope we meet again.

It’s no secret to my friends and family that I’m a HUGE fan of Bethenny Frankel. Her books are in my kitchen & on my night stand, her yoga DVD has a permanent spot in my DVD player, her website is bookmarked on my internet browser, you can sometimes find a bottle of SkinnyGirl Margarita in my fridge, and I’m an avid follower & fan of her on Facebook & Twitter. When I talk about her and how much of an influence she has had in my life, my face lights up with envy. Yes, I am a committed fan to say the very least…

You have to know that I’ve been dying to write about these three particular topics because they represent who I am (a ball buster), who I admire, respect & look up to (Bethenny Frankel) and what I do for a living (business woman). Throughout my business & personal life, I’ve had to make tough decisions, taken chances and risks I never thought possible but along the way, I’ve been lucky to have people who have motivated and inspired me to help me truly find the path I am meant to walk down.

Let’s rewind a bit and take you back to when my Bethenny love story first started. Firstly, I have a confession to make: I am obsessed with The Real Housewives franchise. There really is no good excuse as to why I do, but I can’t help but be a voyeur into these ladies lives and think to myself that I have a boring life in comparison. As Miranda from Sex and the City said, ‘it’s my thing, let it go”. But the 1 person out of all the ladies whom I resonated the most with was Bethenny Frankel of the NYC franchise, and the fact that she lived in the city of my dreams, was the icing on the cake for me.

Bethenny Frankel you say? Well if you don’t know who she is yet, maybe this recent cover story & article in Forbes Magazine will help fill in the gaps for you. Or maybe a little look into what her empire consists of will help shed some light as to why I admire her as a businesswoman. Currently, her empire consists of:

- Four New York Times best-selling books

- Two hit TV shows (and speculation that she is getting her own talk show)

- A low-cal margarita mix – the gem that started it all – SkinnyGirl Margarita’s

- Body shapers & smoothers (think Spanx for the Smart Cookie – affordable)

- A SkinnyGirl Daily Cleanse

- An easy to follow, at home yoga DVD (which I love!)

- A sold out SkinnyGirl Tasting Tour where she has an intimate conversation with her audience again, being    herself with no questions off limits (this inspired me to do the same for the Smart Cookies)

- A regular column in Health Magazine

….and the list goes on.

How could I not admire her? Because I am a true marketer at the root of my being, I know what it takes to create a brand from nothing while sticking to your truth, core values & what you stand for. Bethenny has done just that with her SkinnyGirl brand but also reflects her personal brand because that is what the audience loves about her. Transparency. Honesty. Candidness. Vulnerability.

On the flip side I do realize she isn’t everyone’s cup of tea…and from what I’ve been told, neither am I:) She reminds me of myself because we both speak our minds, are full of wisecracks, can be brutally honest and habitually share more information than we should and more than most people even want to know, but as the Forbes article says “she has become the most well-known entrepreneur on television by making her business everyone’s business.” You have to give the girl credit because this could have turned out completely different if she didn’t strike a cord with her audience & viewers.

I respect her qualities & candor more than you ever know because I feel that in this day-in-age, businesswoman in particular are so afraid to vocalize their successes without being accused of being a show-off, while showing their vulnerabilities and struggles they went through to get there. What you see is what you get with Bethenny, and if you can’t take it, don’t ask for her opinion, even if she does (on occasion) put her foot in her mouth (this also being true when it comes to myself). Bethenny and I also have more in common – we are both successful business woman (well, she’s on aslightly different level than me, but you get the point:), we have published at least 2 books, starred in our own TV shows and know what its really like to build a brand from scratch, while being single and financially strapped. Oh and did I mention she happens to live in the city I love the most?

Let me take you back a few years to reflect on my story and why it correlates with Bethenny’s. When I started my first company, the Smart Cookies, it was a complete and utter shock because it unexpectedly went from a personal & private struggle and turning into a full-fledged business after we appeared on the Oprah show back in January 2007. But I am a strong believer in things happening for a reason and clearly the reason behind the Smart Cookies had many sides: it allowed myself & my friends to openly talk about our financial struggles & pitfalls with each other, to start living the life we truly wanted, becoming financially savvy & making it a money-making business. It was also the powers to be telling me to focus on this new venture because I had a knack for entrepreneurialship & business. If it had not been for that one opportunity – sitting on Oprah’s stage, being 100% honest of how we used to live beyond our means, but successfully turned that around – I would still be working for someone else, on their terms, fighting for more money & a better title. Five years later, I can’t imagine doing anything else.

Fast-forward to December 2009 when I decided to continue on my quest to self-employment and started another company called Bratface Marketing. Marketing, branding and strategy were my bread and butter and I had spent 10 years climbing the proverbial corporate ladder from a receptionist to a Director of Marketing. Since I was already out on my own, I thought, why not just create my own marketing firm? And so I did…with the encouragement of my friends, family and colleagues, I took the plunge and started from scratch.

If there is one thing I have been told that remains consistent, is that I have balls when it comes to business (think Samantha from Sex and the City). I’ve never been afraid to hold my ground, introduce myself to total strangers in the business world, network and ask the questions most people wouldn’t have the courage to ask. I have had such a drive to be successful, grow my business and get out there, that people just sit back and watch in amazement. One of those goals in life was to move to NYC. I remember being 7 or 8 years old, and people would ask me “what do you want to be when you grow up?” and I gave this crazy, adult, choreographed answer: I want to be a surgeon, live in NYC on the Upper East Side, in a brownstone walk-up, and date occasionally. There you have it. My parents still to this day do not know where that came from but my father clearly knew I was destined for big things and I was not going to let anything get in my way!

Not sure why I thought a girl from St. Johns Newfoundland had any business working in the Big Apple, but I knew that I belonged there and it was the land of opportunities, fashion, art, food and business. Or maybe I just watched too many 80’s movies that depicted power businesswomen like Working Girl or Baby Boom. That, along with my life-long obsession with Woody Allen movies, jazz and most recently, Sex and the City. So what’s a girl to do? I created a vision board. This was one of the many things we did in our initial money group as Smart Cookies and its really simple: you create a board that visually represents the goals, dreams and things you want in life. They can range from people in your life; places you want to travel, words of inspiration – anything! You make it what you want and visualize them happening. Hey, if Oprah strongly believes in them, you know it’s a good idea.

So back to Bethenny. When I first saw her on the Real Housewives of NYC, I knew instantly that I could relate to her. Single but wanting a relationship, marriage and kids one day; a business woman building a brand from nothing & trying to stand on her own two feet while the people around you are getting married, having kids and moving onto the next chapter in their lives. The only difference between Bethenny and I was that I had blonde hair and a strong, loving family foundation who supported me 100%. Although I had been successful at my job, I felt like that was all I had besides my family and friends (and I do have the best friends). My love life was all but existent and I felt like I was falling into a bit of a dating/relationship rut. I kept questioning things: was I intimidating to men? Were they threatened by my success? Was I too independent and gave off the impression that I don’t need a man? I was 31 with no prospects in view and I couldn’t figure out why. I kept picturing myself at 40 without ANYONE to share my fabulous life with. Of course my friends were the first to tell me that would NEVER happen but in all honesty, I knew that it was a possibility and it scared the crap out of me.

When all the amazing things started to happen for Bethenny’s I was so happy and I told myself “You can have it all! A successful business AND the great relationship!” I remember her saying in an episode of the RHONYC “I don’t want to be alone on a Sunday night….I want the relationship and a supportive man but I don’t know if I can have it all to the degree I want my business & career….”. All of a sudden, overnight, she got it, but not without its struggles. It reaffirmed my belief in knowing that anything is possible & anything can happen….when you least expect it. Like Bethenny has mentioned many times (again, sharing a lot of personal info here…) even ‘with it all’, it still comes with its struggles, arguments, disagreements and compromises. Trust me, Bethenny will be the first to tell you that!

So, as I wrap this post up, I wanted to say, Bethenny thank you for inspiring me, showing me that you can achieve everything you want in life, you just have to believe in yourself and let the judgment from critics roll off your back. Meeting you one day would be the icing on my cake and the cherry on my sundae.

Recently, Bratface Marketing was asked to be part of an exciting new talk radio show geared towards entrepreneurs living day-to-day life while balancing family, business and personal priorities. The Broad Perspective is a weekly radio segment airing on AM650 Radio (CISL) & looks into the lives of women who simply create what they want in their lives. Among the demands and contradictions thrown in their direction they manage to develop and achieve their goals. They accept the challenge with open arms while keeping those arms available for children, spouses, friends, and family. They take challenge in stride wearing the many hats required of them.  They do it with nothing but a simple acceptance but do not mistake simple acceptance for simplicity in their action.  Complex in execution the entrepreneurial woman achieves it all regardless of the hurdles put in her path.

Andrea Baxter will be contributing a broad perspective on all things women, business, marketing and hot topics in the news.

The show will start April 8th airing each and every Friday from 6-7pm on AM650 Radio (CISL). Stay tuned on details when Andrea’s first segment is live!

Till then, check out a recent video that was used to promote the new segment, which features successful entrepreneurs in Vancouver which asks them the simple question of “If you could go back when you first started in business, what advice would you give yourself?” Definitely worth watching!

*Please note, this blog post was originally posted on CRAVE Company’s blog & in Design*Sponge’s Biz Ladies Section.

If I had a dollar for every time my father told me I’d have a career in the creative industry, I’d be a millionaire by now. As a kid growing up, I didn’t think I had to ‘find my niche’. I already knew what I was destined to be, where I was going to live & what I was going to do as a profession. But life didn’t turn out that way, and boy, was I headed in a direction that didn’t at all match my ‘plans’. What I didn’t realize when I was young, was that finding your niche really means finding your way, and finding what you were good at and succeeding at that skill, whatever it was. Life always has other plans for you but if you can learn a few pointers along the way that will help you out, then you are well on your way to finding your niche. Below are some of my key tips on how to find your niche. These have helped me tremendously, not only find my niche, but also grow as a person and master some skills I never thought I had.

Network & Connect

This is #1 in my books. Networking and connecting with the right crowd is key no matter what type of business you are in or the type of position you hold. In fact, Iwrote an article about it because I know that if you arm yourself with the right networking ammunition, you can conquer anything & anyone. Connecting and networking with business folks doesn’t have to be invasive nor does it have to seem like a sales pitch. It’s all in the art of how you approach, knowing what you want to take out of the conversation & how you remain connected with them after the initial meeting. Business people ‘get’ that networking and connecting is a natural part of any entrepreneur’s growth in the business world but when you do it right, you will see the positive changes it can truly make.

Do your own SWOT Analysis

If companies believe in making a SWOT to understand what their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities & threats are you should do the same for your own personal brand. Consider it you making the most of your talents and opportunities. In the words of the famous French chemist, Louis Pasteur, once said, “Chance favors the prepared mind.” Chances are, you are most likely to succeed in life if you use your talents to their fullest extent. Similarly, you’ll suffer fewer problems if you know what your weaknesses are, and if you manage these weaknesses so that they don’t matter in the work you do. If you look at yourself using the SWOT framework, you can start to separate yourself from your peers, and further develop the specialized talents and abilities you need to advance your career.

Your Personal Brand

A personal brand is a great 2^nd step after you determine your SWOT. Remember, branding is more that just your ‘visual identity’. Branding reflects your personality, your traits, the way you dress, the way you shake someone’s hand, the way you communicate with others and the list goes on. An article in Fast Company states, “Everyone has a chance to stand out. Everyone has a chance to learn, improve, and build up their skills. Everyone has a chance to be a brand worthy of remark.”

Listen + Learn

No matter how experienced someone is at business, listening is still a challenge for most people and not everyone does it right. “Listen 90% of the time and talk 10% of the time” is a quote I heard that I believe is very true. People love to hear themselves talk, but are they really listening? Making eye contact? Both of these are very important when you are (a) networking and (b) listening to clients what their needs are. If you listen carefully, you ask the right questions and you always learn.

Don’t Be in a Rush

Growing up, if there was one thing I was always guilty of doing it was rushing everything. I was always in a rush to grow up, to get to the next step, make money, own a place, and get to the top of the food chain. You name it; I was in a rush to get there. What I have learned through my experiences: Rushing. Doesn’t. Get. You. Anywhere. Ambition on the other hand is entirely different. Having ambition, drive and tenacity are awesome traits to have because with those, you often find you get to your final destination much quicker….and you do it all without rushing, but taking the time, effort & skills to get there.

Don’t Be Afraid to Fail

The word ‘fail’ often scares people because it is seen as a sign of defeat and well…. failure. Everyone fails at something in his or her life. It’s what you take away and learn from that failure that makes you a stronger person & allows you to grow. Keep in mind, that what you see as a failure is not necessarily what others see in us. We are our own worst critics and we are always the hardest on ourselves, but what if we looked at ourselves as others see us? Would you consider something you did a failure or a success? If you asked me, I have failed at a lot of things in my life, but I wouldn’t consider myself a success if I didn’t look at those so-called failures, learn from them and moved onward and upward. Now, I look at them as the best things that could have happened to me.

My first company, The Smart Cookies, was founded because of what I considered a failure: I was bad at managing my money, racked up thousands of dollars of debt & considered myself a lost cause when it came to my finances. But because of my situation, I started a money group, got smart with my finances, was a guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show, wrote 2 best-selling books, hosted a TV show and much more…all because I took something I thought I was a failure at and turned it around into a success. It’s possible….you just have to be willing to see the positive in it and learn from them.