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How Can I Beat A Bad Economy? Expert Reveals the Secret is to Start with a Little Soul
By Melissa Evans

Debt-ceiling debates, creditrating crises and international economies teetering on a double-dip recession might just be more than enough to scare would-be entrepreneurs out of the risky business of pursuing their ambitions. But not all of them.

Self-made success story Melissa Evans believes innovators who have come to know their true strengths and align their business with their purpose and natural abilities will succeed even in turbulent times.

"Entrepreneurs and companies who have a clear understanding of who they are operate with certainty and confidence, which are the two things businesses and customers want most in these troubled times," said Evans, a healthcare industry consultant and author of Sole to Soul: How to Identify Your Soul Purpose and Monetize It (www. soletosoulbook.com). "Everyone is not broke in this economy, some are thriving. Monetizing your purpose is the best way to have an abundant life."

Hers is a modern, spiritual take on a classic economic theory: Countries and individuals are most successful and efficient when they know what they do best and focus on it. Aspiring entrepreneurs seeking more control over their financial futures or those looking to remake their careers after a layoff aren’t out of luck if they look inward and define their natural talents, she advised.

Evans offers these points for those looking to swim against the economic undertows:

Entrepreneurs must start by looking inward: They must know, love and be themselves to be successful.

They must inspire people to become aligned with their strengths and natural abilities and to put those skills to good use and to work for the good of their community.

Business people and companies must understand and assess the importance of being clear about their service so that customers can find them.

That clarity and forthrightness, in turn, will help people and companies monetize the talents and skills they offer, while removing limits to their growth.

"These are times that call out for individuals and business - and even our nation - to clearly define what makes them powerful, unique and able to move forward," Evans said. "The greatest eras of economic growth occur when individuals, communities and countries embrace their gifts, talents and purpose and come from a place of genuine service - then they will be financially successful."

As legions of both the unemployed and working people face the prospect that the overall economy will not improve soon, Evans believes a defeatist attitude is the worst possible path to take for individuals and the nation at large. Having interviewed scores of successful business people who succeeded despite the odds against them, Evans said the path to prosperity is clear: Those willing to work toward a single-minded, soul-inspired goal are successful and in turn create abundance for others, she said.

When a company becomes totally focused on how they can be of the utmost service, they become focused on fulfilling their sole purpose. A company’s sole purpose can also be its soul purpose. Providing the utmost service as a company means providing the utmost service to each individual who buys the product or uses the service provided by the company.

Bill Gates wanted to put a personal computer in every household in the world. That was his sole purpose and his soul purpose. He knew that having a personal computer would enhance everyone’s lives, and it has! It wasn’t just about what he would gain, but how other people would benefit as well. Walt Disney had a dream as well. He wanted to design a place where children AND adults could have fun, and let their imaginations run wild.

When a business person is living in his soul purpose, he’s not going to be doing exactly what the person to the left of him is doing, or the person to the right of him is doing. His offering is uniquely his. When he’s being of the utmost service in his soul purpose, no one can provide that service better than him.

Because each person has his or her own unique fingerprint in this world, each person’s soul purpose is equally unique. To help business people define their soul purpose, Evans offers the following questions every entrepreneur may want to take some time to consider (and be honest!):

What comes easily to the entrepreneur?

What are his strengths?

What are his talents?

Where has she flourished in the past - where was she in life and what was she doing that caused her to flourish?

Whose tears has she cried?

Whose story or circumstances have moved her to tears?

What fills her up with joy?

At what point or time in life has he felt at most peace?

What short-circuits him - what life situations make him feel out of his comfort zone, short-circuiting his brain and limiting his ability to shine?

What does he look forward to, and what does he dread?

What environment allows her to laugh and feel joy?

What are the character traits of people who lift her or people who drain her?

Where does he feel most at home, most drawn to: water, mountain, city, or country?

"It’s easier to find inspiration in an environment that feeds your soul," Evans said, "so you need to be able to recognize that environment and let your soul play. A beautiful, wonderful, right environment will help you find your soul purpose - so you can take that purpose and translate it into your sole purpose. When you do, you can grow your business in today’s double-dip economy."

Evans warns that people who live their ‘soul’ purpose often come across others who resent their success. In cases like this, she said, it is crucial to be unapologetic - to avoid hiding from their gifts or underselling themselves to accommodate others. She offers business people who are "living their soul purpose out loud" these best practices for living unapologetically:

1. "Speak with authority." Tap into self-acceptance, self-love and influence. "No one else can offer exactly what you offer and no one else can do what you do," Evans said. Business owners must believe they are destined to provide a service to their tribe - and even when they face opposition, they continue to provide exceptional service, to shed their timidity and to shine. This results in a business that thrives - all the time.

2. "Embrace your uniqueness." Evans said that while many business owners may use similar titles, each one is unique - and each one will best serve himself by knowing exactly what gift he has to offer, and offering it. The fact that he lives in alignment with his soul purpose will come across in his work and he will attract new tribe members like a magnet.

3. "Be your own fingerprint." A business owner’s fingerprint represents her, and only her. It can be easy for a business owner to fall into the trap of comparing herself to others, but although Evans acknowledges that for a business person, watching someone else achieve the things she wants to achieve can be discouraging and frustrating. But Evans warns them to stay away from that trap. "She recommends business owners focus on doing what they do best. "When you’re being of the utmost service in your soul purpose," she said, "no one can provide service better than you. Don’t apologize for your gifts, use them!"

When a business owner embraces his soul purpose, he better serves his tribe. In turn, he thrives as his tribe members seek him out - in any economy, at any time.

"You can monetize your ‘soul’ purpose, but it’s not all about the money - it’s about your gift and what you offer to others," she said. "Those who understand what skills and traits make them special, who then develop a purposeful business plan and know how to remove the barriers that stand in their way - even a barrier as big as a recession - will and do succeed."

Melissa Evans, MHA, PMP, Master Coach, self-made millionaire at age 31 and "The Guru of Implementation," founded The Broshe Group in 2001 in Atlanta, Georgia. With her focus on the healthcare industry, Evans helped numerous companies improve patient care, safety and service while growing profits. Her privately-held company serves clients worldwide. Read more at www.soletosoulbook.com.