I've been sloppy about this. Have you?

Fifteen years ago, I stood in front of a small group of women at the Women's City Club in Pasadena, armed with a flip chart and a message that would later become one of my most powerful presentations.

The premise was simple.

Agreements.

I spoke about how so many of us "accidentally" become business owners.

As Michael Gerber describes in The E-Myth Revisited, we have what he calls an "entrepreneurial seizure."

We believe we can do things better, we have a brilliant idea, or we crave more freedom.

Then, suddenly, we wake up a few months later, buried under the weight of responsibilities, stress, and multiple job descriptions.

Some people slip into the role of business owner effortlessly—they set up systems, create goals, and tackle marketing and sales with ease. Most do not.

Stepping into Business Ownership: Commitment with Eyes Wide Open

That day, standing by the flip chart, I emphasized that commitment to a business is something we must step into with our eyes wide open.

Just like in a marriage, we need to make clear agreements—with ourselves, our employees, and our customers.

I then shared my agreements and encouraged the ladies to come up with their own.

Without these agreements, it's easy to get lost, overwhelmed, and off-track.

When we lack clarity in our agreements, we make sloppy decisions—whether it's about finances, the types of products or services we offer, or even the clients we choose to work with.

Before long, we've diversified so much that we lose our business identity.

We set too many goals and end up accomplishing none of them.

We write down to-dos but aren't surprised when we fail to complete them by day's end.

Our integrity erodes, and our emotional bank accounts run dry.

Agreements: The Cornerstones of Your Business Plan

People often ask me, "How do you get so much done?"

My secret? It's the agreements.

While I will admit I have gotten a bit sloppy with my long-term business agreements over the years,

I have been impeccable with my daily and weekly agreements and my 90-day plan.

Clear agreements are the foundation of getting things done.

They are the cornerstones of our plans and goals, the boundaries that keep us on track, and the clear directives that empower our teams.

Without consistent and clear agreements, we end up micromanaging, procrastinating, and wasting time and money.

That presentation eventually became the signature program of the Women's Business Momentum Center, "The Strong Start."

I had fun with it—I made it a series of "secret missions" and even dressed in black like an undercover agent while playing "Mission Impossible" music during each assignment.

Through this program, the women identified their agreements, discovered their "why," and crafted a one-page plan for their business.

But then, new technology, new ideas, and new opportunities took us on a wild ride.

The Women's Business Momentum Center expanded with dozens of new programs, retreats, and online courses.

I helped women write bestselling books, master sales, and dive deep into marketing.

We launched DivaMind and even ran a 12-month speaker mastery program that included performing Shakespeare to hone communication skills!

When Agreements Take a Back Seat

For the first few years, I checked in with myself and the ladies on our agreements every year during our annual retreat.

But slowly, quietly, and almost accidentally, those agreements were forgotten.

The main mission of the Women's Business Momentum Center—"Think BIG, start small, and be consistent"—remained intact, but the agreements that supported it over the years have become sloppy.

How about you?

Do you remember the vows or agreements you made when you first started your business?

Were they clear and firm?

Or, like me, have you gotten a bit sloppy too?

As we wrap up 2024, the next few weeks are critical.

I'm not talking about political events, but about our professional lives.

The last quarter of the year has fewer focused weeks than any other quarter.

What you do over these next weeks will determine how effectively you leverage that precious time.

Q4 has only 6-8 truly active weeks, so if you're behind or distracted, you might find yourself in November with no plan and just a few weeks left before the holidays.

And then what?

You might end up postponing this year's goals (again) to next year.

But it doesn't have to be this way.

I invite you to join my free 90-Day Reset process to power up for Q4.

The 90-Day Reset: A 3-Step Process

Recharge Week: September 16 - 22, 2024
Use this week to recharge your batteries. Join the free kickoff webinar on Monday, September 16th at 12 PM PST to fuel your recharge and learn more about The 90-Day Reset

Rewind Week: September 23 - 29, 2024
Lean into curiosity—ask what worked, what didn't, and why from the last 90-Days. Join the Rewind Week kickoff webinar on Monday, September 23rd at 12 PM PST for deeper reflections.

During this week, members of the Momentum Squad can schedule their 1:1 coaching sessions with me—free of charge. Every member gets two 25-minute sessions every 90 days to help set up their plans.
(If you want to join and get that 1:1 time click here to learn more)

Roadmap Week: September 30 - October 6, 2024
After rewinding, it's time to create your strategic plan for Q4.
Join the free webinar to kick off Roadmap week, and members will schedule their second session with me to finalize a 90-day plan for Q4.

What to Do Now:

• Pull out your new 90-Day Planner and fill in all the dates for Q4. Members also receive free planners :) Yet another reason to join.
• In your current 90-Day Planner, label each of the three weeks of the reset (Recharge, Rewind, and Roadmap) so we're all on the same page and ready to move forward with momentum.
• Click here to register for all the 90-Day Reset webinars and mark them in your calendar!

But What About Those Agreements?

I'll be revisiting mine with the ladies in the CEO Power Pod—a 6-week mastermind designed to add extra accountability and commitment.

Together, we'll step into our roles as CEOs, working on our businesses, not just in them. We'll refine and recommit to our business agreements and make big strides in Q4 2024.

The CEO Power Pod will give you a strong start to the next quarter!
Click here to find out more.

Join the CEO Power Pod today and you'll also get a special BONUS. An in-person 90-Day Reset on September 29th in La Quinta, CA, where you'll share your agreements, recharge, rewind, and begin the roadmap process with a small group while lounging by the pool and hanging out in the hammock garden :)

Annual Retreat on January 10, 2025:

Kick off the new year with vision, passion, and commitment! At this retreat, we'll come together to review, reflect, and use our agreements to create our 2025 goals and vision.

Find out more about the Annual Reset Luxury Retreat here.

Let's recommit to our agreements and finish this year strong, with clarity and purpose. Are you with me?

The 90-Day Reset is a 3-Step Process: 🔥

🔋Recharge Week: September 16 - 22, 2024
Take this week to recharge your batteries.
Join the kickoff webinar on Monday, September 16th at 12 PM PST to learn more and download the scavenger hunt to fuel your creativity around recharging this week. 🕵️‍♀️🎉

🔄 Rewind Week: September 23 - 29, 2024
This is the week we lean into our curiosity—ask what worked, what didn't, and why. 🤔
Join the Rewind Week kickoff webinar on Monday, September 23rd at 12 PM PST to dive deeper into your reflections.

📝 Roadmap Week: September 30 - October 6, 2024
After we rewind, it's time to create your strategic plan for Q4. 📊
We'll have another webinar to kick off this week to complete your plug-and-play 90-day plan for Q4 2024. 🗺️

Click here to register for all the 90-Day Reset webinars and mark them in your calendar!

Yours Truly,
Marianne | The Get it Done Diva

Founder, Women's Business Momentum Center

P.S. If you have been looking for motivation, accountability and momentum then NOW is the best time to join The Momentum Squad