MarcyStahl-DirectSalesCoach-ezineI love working with women in home-based businesses. Prior to starting my coaching business, I ran a successful home-based business for nine years with a partner. After growing the business to over $1 million in revenue, I decided to look for a new challenge. Intuitively, I knew that I wanted to use the knowledge and skills I had gained working, first in the defense industry and then in my own business, to help other women. During the time I managed my own business, I received valuable mentoring from savvy women. They helped me reach new levels, understand my potential, and overcome obstacles. Now it is my turn to give back.

To learn more about me, click on:

After you’ve learned about me, here’s What’s Next.

Why I’m passionate about my current business

  • I believe that everyone is unique; everyone has the power of success
    within themselves. I love helping people get in touch with that! We are
    the only thing holding ourselves back!
  • I am a total believer in women as independent entrepreneurs. I always
    prefer to give my business to another woman, especially to a woman running
    her own business.
  • I value the independence and flexibility of the entrepreneurial lifestyle.
    I’ve spent the last decade working out of my house, with satisfaction
    and success. I enjoy spending my time with other like-minded people, who
    are passionate and motivated about what they do.
  • I groove on self-improvement and transformation.
  • I love helping people. I love seeing people change and grow into their
    fullest potential.
  • I love connecting people. I do a lot of networking and know many great
    women in a myriad of businesses. I’m happy to help connect you to my network.

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Why I’m qualified to help

  • I’ve been an entrepreneur since 1996, in a home-based business. I have
    practical hands-on experience with how this works and how to avoid pitfalls
    along the way. I’m not just telling you theories; I’m sharing lessons
    that I and others have learned and practiced. These are proven ways to
    succeed.
  • In every phase of my professional life, I’ve coached others. I’ve helped
    them achieve, become more successful, and I can help you. As a life-long
    learner, I’m always upgrading my skills. My coaching skills are expanding
    as I take on new clients and new challenges.
  • I have a deep background in teams: how they work and how technology
    can help. I spent many years helping the Departments of Defense and Homeland
    Security use technology to help teams of people in different geographic
    locations (virtual teams) to train and work together. I studied the factors
    that lead to high-performing teams. I evaluated different Internet-based
    technologies and their effect on teams. Direct sales teams are another
    example of virtual teams. My expertise can help you develop successful
    strategies to train your team and stay in touch with them, even when you
    and your team members are in different cities and states.
  • As someone who has been in the business world, I understand business
    issues and can help you sort through options to discover the best approach
    for your particular problem.
  • I’ve experienced the power of mind over everything else. As an entrepreneur,
    your mindset is the single most important factor determining your success.
    Are you holding yourself back with unfounded limiting beliefs? While you
    can occasionally rise higher than your beliefs, this tends to be a one-off
    event vs. a sustainable strategy. I’ll help you devise a sustainable strategy
    to realize your potential.
  • With my major technology background, I’m a trend spotter; I stay up
    to date on the innovations that make businesses more effective and efficient.
  • I’m a big-picture strategic thinker, grounded in practical experience.
    Together we can analyze the strengths of your business and chart a course
    for future growth.
  • As I never felt comfortable with a hard sell, I had to learn marketing
    and selling techniques that felt comfortable to me. My knowledge of marking
    and soft selling methods will help you reach your financial goals.
  • After completing training, I’m a qualified administrator of the Myers-Briggs
    Type Indicator. This tool can help you understand your working style,
    your preferred ways of communication, how you like to be rewarded, how
    you experience work stress and how you manage time. Just as importantly,
    it gives you insight into the different approaches of other types into
    those same matters. That knowledge can help you appreciate other styles,
    instead of finding them incomprehensible or annoying, and help you motivate
    other people more effectively.

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My personal role models

My grandmothers and my mother. All 3 of these women
are powerful advocates of education. In 1938, my late grandmother Stahl
graduated from college to teach English and later became a college counselor.
My grandmother Shaffer, who is in her mid-90s, never went to college yet
pushed her children to get training beyond high school. And my mother shared
that emphasis on higher education. I grew up knowing that I would go to
college – there was simply no other option for me! The women in my family
are also incredibly strong. They are survivors who’ve overcome personal
tragedy and difficult circumstances to build lives that they are proud of.

Suze Orman. She is on a mission to empower women
through financial education. I admire her goal and I also admire her straight
talk. She cuts right to the key issue, which often is not money – it’s a
relationship or self-respect issue.

Olivia. Every shy person needs a dose of Olivia
in their life! I recommend starting with Olivia Saves the Circus.
This is one of my favorite books of all time. I keep a small Olivia doll
on my desk, as a reminder to be bold. And also to wear great outfits.

Dalai Lama. I saw him speak in Washington DC and
loved it. He is totally open, in the present moment, and willing to be engaged.
He does not appear self-conscious, insecure or anxious. What a powerful
experience we could create for ourselves and others, if we listened to each
other the way he listens to people: attentively, caringly, and totally engaged
in the moment! I love his message of love and tolerance.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Fairness is hugely important
to me. I believe that everyone deserves the same chance at success in life.
I admire MLK for his message of equality and justice, his ability to unite
and inspire, and his selflessness for a cause. He was also an imperfect
human, as are we all. The noble in us is mixed with the ignoble.

Jimi Hendrix. He’s my fashion role model; I love
velvet jackets, dramatic patterned shirts, and bold jewelry. When I’m in
doubt about what to wear, I ask myself: what would Jimi wear? That usually
points my way out of a fashion dilemma.

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About my life

While both of my parents were from a small rural farming community in Michigan,
my childhood was spent moving around the country. North Carolina, Nebraska,
Hawaii, and Virginia right outside Washington DC were places I called home.
My father was in the Navy. Every few years we settled in a new community.
I made new friends and attended a new school.

During college, I attended George Mason University and graduated with a
B.S. with honors in computer science. I continued on and then was awarded
an M.S. in computer science from George Mason. I held down part-time jobs
throughout my college years. By the time my formal education was completed,
it felt like I had also gotten degrees in perseverance and time management!

After college I worked at the defense think tank, Institute for Defense
Analyses, where I had worked part time during school. The job involved research,
analysis and writing. It focused on using technology to help the Department
of Defense. I published articles on simulation and gaming and spoke at many
conferences – if you’re interested in that, see my full
list of technology publications
.

In 1996, I formed a small government contracting firm with a female colleague.
Along the way, we changed business models, expanded from defense work to
homeland security, and grew the company to over $1M in revenues. We were
always a virtual company – everyone, employee or consultant, full-time or
part-time, worked from home.

After 9 years, I was ready for a change. I wanted to work one on one with
individual people rather than work with a large bureaucracy like the government.
I wanted to be in a position where I could see the outcome of my work and
the positive impact it made in people’s lives.

I knew that I would find it extremely satisfying to be a personal business
coach for direct sales team leaders. I had proven myself and now wanted
to take the lessons I learned and use them to help other women realize their
potential. I knew I had the capacity to mentor others and knew that I would
love doing it.

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Marcy, on a personal level

These are some of the things I like to spend time on.

  • Natural-born organizer. I co-founded a meetup group in VA. http://socialnetwork.meetup.com/498/
  • Major book reader. See my book
    club’s list
    . My favorites are in bold.
  • Jazz/rock/world music fan.
  • Accessory aficionado. Jewelry, purses and shoes – it’s all good.
  • Writer.
  • Quote collector. I have a blank journal into which I copy poems and
    quotes that strike me.   For example, “If you limit your choices only to what seems possible or reasonable, you disconnect yourself from what you truly want, and all that remains is a compromise.”  Robert Fritz

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What’s Next

Now that you’ve learned about me, I’d like to offer help to you. It’s easy
to arrange for a complimentary consultation where we can explore your business
concerns. Here’s how you can Contact Marcy.