Jose Ucar shares his August plans!

August is upon us – it’s the month of holidays, summer fun and time off for many people. It’s also the time of the Olympics (from July 26) and the Paralympics (from August 28).

So how are small business owners coping with the month often known as ‘silly season’?

Up today is Jose Ucar, a communication and influence expert at Jose Ucar Ltd. Based in Surbiton, Jose is a keynote speaker and holds masterclasses and coaching for business leaders and professionals on impactful communication.

How is August looking in your business? Does this month hold any special significance in your business? Anniversary, milestone, accreditation, new premises? New staff? 
August is the month when I decided to embark on my business journey offering talks, coaching and training  to businesses worldwide. Definitely a month to celebrate this important milestone that completely changed my life and that has enabled me to positively impact so many people from a variety of backgrounds and nationalities. 

I also like to use August to slow down and plan for the final quarter. I may go on holiday with my wife, although not the case this year. I’ve only taken a short break this time to work on myself and I’ve already had a couple of coaching sessions with my mentors which is key for my personal and business development.

August is great for self-reflection. 

What are your personal plans for this month – if you are happy to share? 
I use it to reconnect with friends and family, to meditate, relax and appreciate what I have achieved. As I relax, I also come up with new ideas so it’s a great time to get my creative juices flowing. 

August helps me realign myself with what matters the most in my life: health and family. I tend to build new habits around healthy eating and also exercise more frequently. Two months ago I began CrossFit with my wife Ana and we are both loving it. 

And some days, I just do nothing, which is also fantastic. 

What advice/tips would you give to small business owners trying to navigate the ‘holiday’ period? 
My top three tips would be:

• Slow down and on occasions, just do nothing. Disconnect from everything and reap the benefits of being refreshed once you go back onto your day to day.
• Check in with yourself and realign your values. This is a big one for me. Sometimes I find myself working on certain projects that can mismatch the things that matter to me the most. 
• Dream. Use this time to imagine things exactly how you would like them to be in your life and business and start thinking about what you could be doing to get there. Expand your vision and enjoy the feeling.  

It’s the Olympics or Paralympics this month, any thoughts, memories or relevance to you or your business or organisation this month? 
Yes. The Olympics are a great reminder of discipline and commitment, resilience and perseverance, adaptability, focus, mental toughness, clarity, passion and drive, teamwork and leadership. 

These traits are essential for both Olympic athletes and business owners as they pursue excellence in their fields.

It’s a reminder that we can all achieve great things if we set goals and commit to the process. 

August 13 was International Left Handers Day. Are you left-handed and what issues, if any, have you ever had around being left handed? 
I’m left handed. It was a challenge when learning how to write because back in Venezuelan schools desks, called ‘pupitres’ were characterised by a built-in writing surface that is attached to one side of the chair, typically designed for right-handed students. The desks usually had a single armrest on the right side, where students could rest their writing arm while taking notes or doing schoolwork.

For left-handed students like me, this design was very uncomfortable and inconvenient, as I had to write with my left arm unsupported, leaving my arm in the air while writing.

Just an anecdote, I turned out ok (or so I think). 

August 20 is World Photo Day. Can you share a photo as an attachment which means something to you this year so far?
I couldn't decide between the pictures that I received from a friend based in Melbourne showing my book Global Influence amongst many famous books and authors and the picture of participants at one of my classes.

Did you know August 21 is World Entrepreneurs Day? What does this word mean to you and do you apply it to yourself? 
No, I didn't know August 21 is World Entrepreneurs Day. To me, "entrepreneur" is more than just a noun, it's a verb. It’s something you need to actively exercise to keep realising your dreams because nothing ever stays the same. Being an entrepreneur means constantly adapting, innovating, and pushing forward, always in motion to make your vision a reality.

Can you name one business you’d like to give a summer shout out too? Who has gone the extra mile for you recently?
I’d like to give a huge shout out to Sue Knight. She is a great mentor and a person I look up to. She is always there when I need her. 

You can find her at https://sueknight.com/

Have you got any services or special offers you’d like to mention? 
I wanted to let you know that I still have some availability over the summer and autumn for speaking, masterclasses and coaching. Here are some of the topics I specialise in:

• Presenting with impact and confidence
• Developing your personal brand
• Influence without borders
• Selling through storytelling
• Becoming a leader with global influence
• Building authentic connections in a globalised world
• Transforming fear into confidence
• Developing a winning mindset
• Motivating international teams
• The power of feedback and difficult conversations
• Boosting Your Team's Emotional Intelligence

If you're in the London or Greater London area, or even if you're interested in international gigs, I'd love to discuss how we can work together. Let's connect and make an impact!
 

You can find out more about Jose at www.joseucar.com