Post by Kristy Straka, contributing Women On Business writer
I recently realized that personal health and wellness are directly related to the health and wellness of our business. Having a fit mind and a fit body are both signs of a fit business. Our physical appearance is the first look that a potential client has into our business. If our potential clients see that we are dedicated to ourselves and our own well being, most of them are interested in finding out more about how sharp our business truly is.
It was one question that made me realize how gaining 40 lbs and elevating to a size 16 made me and my business mildly depressed. I owe a lot to Kris Fiser who is the owner of www.fiserfit.com in Colorado Springs, CO. She is a BioSignature Practitioner who strengthens and tones bodies for entrepreneurs. She is the first person who will tell you that the health and wellness of your body is directly related to the health and wellness of your business.
She connected the dots a long time ago, became a personal trainer, a walking testimony for her business, and now speaks to a national audience about how creating our own health and wellness success speaks volumes because it is the first impression of a successful entrepreneur.
One day, she asked me, “Is your business as fit as your body?” First of all, I thought “WOW, what a powerful question!” It was a rhetorical question, but I immediately retained her as my personal trainer, and I think about that question everyday. I was
out of shape and so was my business.
I then thought of what a great marketing approach she had because she honestly believes that a person’s health and fitness says a lot about them as a person, and she is right. If someone were to ask you if your business is as fit as your body, what would your answer be?
We are all walking billboards for our businesses. My appearance was suffering, and I had become a sad testimony for my business. Kris was healthy, fit, and in-shape. Needless to say, she was a great walking testimony for her business. Yes, she’s a personal trainer, but I have seen many personal trainers who were not a good testimony to their business just like I was not the walking billboard I wanted to be for mine.
Is your business as fit as your body?
I committed to the fitness of my body and strengthening my business in January of this year. I listen to Kris everyday as she strives to make her business better. She wants other women to look successful and be successful. She not only has a passion for her work, but sees first hand what improving ourselves can do for our business. Of course she has a great body, but with it comes hard work. She works hard at keeping herself fit because she is her own billboard. Most of her clients are entrepreneurs, and she helps them understand that their bodies are their first impression in business, and they need to make a good one. Have you ever seen overweight cardiologists? I have seen many of them and cannot believe that they are not all the pillar of health.
I realize now 40 lbs lighter that being fit and being healthy is a direct reflection of how I am perceived in the business community. Kris Fiser made me realize that I am the first impression of my business. Being out of shape negatively affects our minds and our attitudes. Low self esteem affects how strong we stand, how confident we are, and our overall ability to be more competitive in the business world.
After I started working out, I was amazed that most fat women in business, like me, were telling me that I would just have to accept that I was not going to be able to lose my weight easily because I was pre-menopausal. I am a person who believes “I can!” I am not a person who believes someone when they tell me “I can’t.” If they can’t, I can and that’s a successful entrepreneur!
In four months Kris Fiser had me down to a size 8-10 and helped increase my overall strength. Although this article is about getting our bodies in shape, I am writing it because I want you to stop and think about what type of direct reflection you are on your own business. My business attitude changed when my personal perception of me changed. Are you confident, are you strong, do you walk tall, do your business clothes look tailored? Do you have the I can do attitude?
If you are in business for yourself or if you want to go into business for yourself, you cannot be invisible? We are the most visible part of our business, and we are the first impression of our business. Once I became invisible, my networking stopped, and my business started deteriorating.
I feel it is necessary for all women in business to realize that we are and always will be judged by our physical appearance first. Some may not like that statement, but it is true. Our physical presence is the first impression of our business. If you are self-employed, you already are a competitor. Women will always compete with younger business women, with strong competitive women and even with those who have elected to have plastic surgery so they look younger.
Being in business is hard work, and working on our personal walking billboard is hard work, but it is all a part of marketing. It is very competitive in the business world, especially during low economical times. I hope all of you take advantage of the business slump and put a fresh coat of paint on your billboard. Women don’t need to find themselves, they need to recreate themselves.
Susan Gunelius
Susan Gunelius is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Women on Business. She is a 30-year veteran of the marketing field and has authored a dozen books about marketing, branding, and social media, including the highly popular Ultimate Guide to Email Marketing, 30-Minute Social Media Marketing, Content Marketing for Dummies, Blogging All-in-One for Dummies and Kick-ass Copywriting in 10 Easy Steps. Susan’s marketing-related content can be found on Entrepreneur.com, Forbes.com, MSNBC.com, BusinessWeek.com, and more. Susan is President & CEO of KeySplash Creative, Inc., a marketing communications company. She has worked in corporate marketing roles and through client relationships with AT&T, HSBC, Citibank, Intuit, The New York Times, Cox Communications, and many more large and small companies around the world. Susan also speaks about marketing, branding and social media at events around the world and is frequently interviewed by television, online, radio, and print media organizations about these topics. She holds an MBA in Management and Strategy and a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing and is a Certified Professional Career Coach (CPCC).
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