Work At What You Love Workshop Update

There is so much happening with the upcoming Work at What You Love Workshop that I hardly know where to begin! Attending this workshop is truly the chance of a lifetime. That’s because I’ve been very busy lining up a very cool group of people who have agreed to come and share their hard won secrets to quitting your job and getting a life.

I'd like to introduce you to some of the dynamic entrepreneurs you’ll meet this August in Northampton. Even if you can’t make the workshop, I know you’ll be inspired by their stories, but before we do that, I want to give you an update on some logistical information...

Update on Overnight Accommodations

In addition to the discounted rates we’ve arranged at some local hotels there are a number of lovely bed and breakfasts in the area. The average rate is $95 which typically includes a full breakfast. To find a list of B&Bs in the area go to http://www.BedAndBreakfast.com/northampton-massachusetts.html

If you plan to stay at one of the local hotels offering a Changing Course discount, I encourage you to book soon! Northampton and the Pioneer Valley in general is a vacation destination. That means we were only able to get a small block of discounted rooms at each location and any unreserved rooms will be released in mid-July.

Working Artist, Bonnie Druschel

I first met Bonnie about six years ago when she signed up for a weekly business group I was running for small business owners that was sponsored by a local bank (which by the way is a great venue and credibility-enhancer if you're considering doing something similar). The series was geared toward people who wanted to grow their fledgling business. At the time Bonnie was a struggling artist and jewelry designer.

Thanks to Bonnie's persistence and vision, today her business is thriving due in large part to a licensing agreement she landed with a giftware manufacturer. Her colorful and uplifting artwork has been used for all sorts of products including coffee mugs, votives, magnets, key chains, gift bags, gift totes, and jewelry pins. Many of these products also feature inspirational sayings coined by Bonnie herself.

Bonnie will talk about what it takes to get your artwork licensed and how, one step at a time, she made her own dreams come true! You can visit Bonnie's virtual studio at SundazeStudios.com

Animal Communicator, Dawn Allen

Imagine filling out the line on forms that asks for your occupation with “professional animal communicator.” Well, that’s what Dawn Allen does. Commonly known in this neck of the woods as the “pet psychic,” Dawn prefers the emphasis to be on her communication skills.

Okay here’s where I have to admit that I’ve worked with Dawn in an attempt to get at the possible route of my dog’s drastic behavior change. What fascinated me about Dawn was not so much that she has a gift for communicating with dogs, cats, horses and the like, but that she’s managed to turn what she does into a full-time living leaving time for her to work on her fabric art.

Dawn will share how she trained for her career and how she’s now getting paid to train others who share her interest in understanding life from the animal’s point of view. Dawn’s web site is DawnAllen.org

Weaver and Exotic Fiber Farm Co-Owner, Ed Cothey

Although he wouldn’t remember me, I met Ed while out on a Sunday drive through the local hill towns with a group of friends. A sign on the side of the road read simply, “Fiber farm” and pointed to a dirt road. None of us were sure what a fiber farm was but were game for an adventure.

The farm name Tregellys is Cornish for “Hidden Homestead” and according to Ed the farm was born when he and his poet wife Jody traded a wood-chipper for a few dairy goats, and picked up two pigs and two Merino sheep at the Heath Fair. The farm expanded rapidly to includeAngora goats, Llamas, Alpacas, Yaks, Icelandic, Navajo Churro, Soay, Jacob, Shetland, and Karakul Sheep, White Galloway Cattle, Dzo and Dzomo’s, Black Angus and Jersey Cattle, 7 Dogs, 5 Cats, Ducks, Geese, Chickens, Turkeys, Pheasants, White Peacocks, a Poitou and a mini Donkey.

Before long Ed, a commercial fisherman in his native England, learned to weave. Today Ed is a self-described “fiberholic.” Ed will share how his business has transformed from creating and selling beautiful naturally dyed yarn to a traveling fiber animal educational program for children and others. Oh, and in his spare time he’s learning to make jewelry. Although Ed is currently in India until late July, you can visit the animals at the farm web site at TregellysFibers.com

Photographer, Digital Photography Instructor, Frame Shop Owner, Rich Wagner

Rich is truly a man of many talents – and income streams. He began his photographic career in college as a freelance photographer for Pittsburgh newspapers. After graduation, photography remained a hobby during his 20-year career in retail, and in 1984, Rich opened a custom framing and fine art gallery. His shop, Imagine It Framed, located in Simsbury, CT, recently had the honor of being designated as one of “America’s Top 100” custom framers by Décor Magazine. (This interesting entrepreneur also owns an ice cream shop!)

Rich’s work is in private and public collections all over the world. His images hang in public corporations and private foundations from San Diego to Boston and in homes from the Americas to the Far East. He’s going to talk about how anybody can make money selling their photographs and that you don’t need to spend thousands of dollars on fancy camera equipment to do it. In fact, he specializes in taking digital photos.

Rich has been so successful at selling his photos that the American Writers and Artists Institute (AWAI) asked him to co-author their new self-study course Turn Your Pictures into Cash: A Comprehensive Course in Taking and Selling Amazing Photographs, you can learn more about it at T hePhotographersLife.com/cc/

The details are still being worked out, but it looks like we may be able to talk Rich into conducting a special bonus session late Saturday and into Sunday. Stay tuned for details!

In the next issue I’ll tell you about some more of the exciting entrepreneurs you’ll be meeting at Work at What You Love. Oh, and remember when I said this August was the chance of a lifetime? Well, I ran across this quote from Charles Handy that put things into perspective, “For the first time in the human experience, we have a chance to shape our work to suit the way we want to live instead of always living to fit in with our work... We would be mad to miss the chance.”

I count myself among the lucky few who have been able to shape my work to suit the way I want to live, all the more so because my mother, Barbara, never had that chance. The last nine and a half years of her life were spent working incredibly hard at her job as a second-shift custodian at a nearby university. And while her physical presence is no longer with me, rarely a day goes by when I don't feel her important presence lovingly cheering me and my Big Dreams along.

Before he died, Michael Landon reminded us, “Whatever you want to do, do it now. There are only so many tomorrows.”

I hope you can join me and Barbara Winter this August in Northampton. I look forward to meeting you... and helping you quit your job and work at what you love!

For all the details, visit ChangingCourse.com/workshop.htm

P.S. The early registration special discounted price ends June 30, 2005.

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