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About Your Subscription
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Changing Course
is dedicated to helping you:
~Live Life on Purpose
~Work at What You Love
~Follow Your Own Road
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Inside Today's Issue
Featured Article
Dealing With the Competition
Featured Resource
Yes You Can!
Work At What You Love Workshop Update
Guest Article
Living My Dream
Upcoming Workshops & Teleclasses
Resources for A Change |
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The human
mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions.
~ Oliver Wendell Holmes |
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Dealing With the "Competition"
Some Dos and Don'ts for Small Business Owners
By Valerie Young
As a small business owner, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately about the
seemingly contradictory notions of competition and collaboration. This pondering
began with an article in Entrepreneur magazine that contained a list of
factors that “contribute to a poor marketing mindset.” Parts of the article were
appallingly contrary to my own marketing mindset, prompting me to write the
following letter to the editor:
Dear Editor,
As a longtime entrepreneur who understands the importance of marketing,
I’ve always been a great fan of guerrilla marketing guru Jay Conrad
Levinson. So while I gained much from he and Al Lautenslager’s article
Mind Over Market (March 2005), one of the marketing-sabotaging attitudes
they trumpeted left me cold.
Apparently those of us who are guilty of “lacking a competitive spirit,
not having a killer instinct, and not playing to win” are doomed to failure.
This may be what I refer to as a “genderalization” but based on my
experience working with other women business owner’s, this kind of
eat-or-be-eaten approach just doesn’t resonate with the majority of my
gender.
In fact, rather than trying to “kill” or “beat” my competition, I go out
of my way to refer prospective clients who would be better served by more
traditional employment vs. entrepreneurial-oriented career counselors. I
also actively courted two highly successful “competitors” in the form of
Barbara Sher (I Could Do Anything If I Only Knew What It Was) and Barbara
Winter (Making a Living Without a Job). Together we produced – and share in
the profits – of a 24-set CD program for aspiring entrepreneurs called
Making Dreams Happen (ChangingCourse.com/mdhcds.htm).
A perhaps more accurate interpretation of what some may see as lacking
competitive spirit is the conviction on the part of many women that there is
something wrong with a definition of success that says in order for me to
win, someone else has to lose. It’s also the kind of win-win-win marketing
strategy that has me and my competitor’s laughing all the way to the bank.”
Valerie Young
Dreamer in Residence
ChangingCourse.com
(As an important aside, something as simple as a letter to the editor can
serve as a great no-cost way to market yourself or your business. In addition to
hopefully making some readers rethink their approach to competition, the letter
led to more exposure. An Entrepreneur columnist writing a book on marketing is
including my story in her chapter on collaborative marketing and I was
interviewed by Kiplinger magazine for a feature on dream jobs coming out this
September. Best of all, for zero advertising dollars, I promoted my work and
that of my “competitors” to Entrepreneur’s over half a million subscribers.)
So how do can you work with the competition?
“Compliment” Your “Competitors” Work
By “compliment” I don’t mean praise, although I readily encourage that too.
What I mean is that if you like an individual’s or a company’s way of thinking
or doing something, whether that’s teaching, or furniture design, or floral
arranging, or food preparation, then find a way to contribute to their body of
work, process, concept, or technique in such a way that everyone is richer for
it.
For example, what makes my working relationship with
Barbara Sher and Barbara Winter so utterly delightful is precisely the fact that
our philosophies are so very similar. For example, the obstacle part of
what Barbara Sher refers to as “Wishes and Obstacles” I’ve always called “Work
Arounds.” based on my belief that when it comes to changing course, problems are
simply things to be worked around. What Barbara Winter calls profit centers (a
concept she pioneered) I refer to as income streams.
It’s impossible for there not to be some degree of
overlap in our respective messages. Just try, for instance, to talk about
tapping into your inner genius, battling resistance, or getting support for a
dream (just three of Barbara Sher’s many areas of expertise), or making a living
without a job or jumpstarting your entrepreneurial spirit (Barbara Winter’s
passion and the titles of fist and newest life-changing books respectively), or
the steps involved in escaping the job world, the Life First Approach to Career
Planning, being an “opportunity analyst,” or How to Feel as Bright and Capable
as Everyone Seems to Think You Are (ChangingCourse.com/handbook.htm)
(my specialties) without also talking about things like fear, challenges, gifts,
hopes and dreams, creative careers, finding your true calling, dream bashers,
dream supporters, obstacles, self-doubt, self-marketing and all the rest that go
into getting from “here to there.”
But there is a solution…
Credit Your Sources
As a public speaker and seminar leader for over 25
years and a writer of sorts for the last ten, ethically speaking, it’s always
been incredibly important to me to credit my sources. Partly I think it comes
from my strong need to “do the right thing.” It also comes from the fact that I
come from a long line of story tellers.
If you’ve ever listened to me speak on Turning Ideas
into Income, How to Feel as Bright and Capable as Everyone Seems to Think You
Are, or Outside the Box Career Planning, then you’ve heard me tell lots of
stories. But having been in the speaking business
for as long as I have, I know a lot of speakers who “pick up material here and
there” but don’t always credit the here or the there. Like the corporate VP who
attended an event I spoke at in Dallas last month who “jokingly” told me after
my presentation that he was going to “steal” one of my stories. There’s no
question he’ll use my story but somehow I have my doubts as to whether he’ll
credit me as the source.
Precisely because I do know how these things go, I
always make it a point to reference my sources. For example, when I talk about
Dream Busters, I often repeat Barbara Winter’s marvelous exchange with a
workshop participant who lamented that she, “always wanted to be a professional
caricaturist, but everyone says there’s no money in it.” To which Barbara wisely
asked, “And, how many professional caricaturists have you spoken with?”
And although quotes are public domain, I’m so
fanatical about crediting my sources that I often find myself not only
referencing the source of the quote but the person who turned me on the quote as
well! For example, as part of that same story, Barbara Winter goes onto share a
wonderful bit of Sufi philosophy that goes something to the effect of, “When
embarking on a journey, never ask for directions from someone who has never left
home.”
I’ve learned a ton from both Barbara Winter and
Barbara Sher. And I like to think they have learned from me as well. We all have
our own way of coming at a problem. It was my own personal process of taking the
leap from the corporate world to self-employment that has had the most profound
impact on how I approach a topic near and dear to each of our hearts – helping
other people work at what you love.
Fearless Collaboration
I’m all for giving credit. But sometimes this business of
claiming credit can go too far. For example, while in England delivering a
workshop called Fearless Marketing, Barbara received an email from the people
representing Rhonda Britten, author of a book called Fearless Living. Barbara
was told to cease and desist using the word “fearless” in her materials, the
insinuation being that Ms. Britten has a lock on that word. In mock retaliation
Barbara and her sister decided they’re going to own the word “the.” Knowing a
good idea when I hear one, I’m claiming the word “and.”
A similar thing happened to me a decade ago. After
attending a conference where I’d handed out some flyers for my newsletter
bearing the headline, “Do You Feel Like You’re Living in a Dilbert Cartoon?” I
receive a similarly threatening letter from the law firm representing the
company that had owned the rights to Dilbert products. Since my newsletter would
in no way diminish their profits, in fact it may even enhance them, my little
newsletter was in no way a threat. But then, if you have a “kill the
competition” marketing mindset, then everyone is a threat.
Entrepreneur magazine is famous for taking people to court
that use the word entrepreneur in their business name. And international
powerhouse McDonald’s has stooped to suing local pubs owned by generations of
McDonald families in Scotland.
What all of this means to you as an aspiring business owner
is this: Just because you use common sense when marketing your business, doesn’t
mean others will. On the other hand, don’t become be so protective of your work
that you never get it there for fear that someone will “steal” your idea.
I’m a savvy enough to know that there are situations where
you’d be wise to be wary of the competition. But for most small business owners,
competition shouldn’t be an overriding concern. Not everyone gets that. When I
tell my non-entrepreneur friends of my plan to train other people to set up
their own creative career consulting businesses around the country, their
response is always the same: Aren’t you training the competition?
I suppose I am. But the way I see it, is it’s a big world
out there. I’m only one person and I’m not the least bit worried that a couple
of dozen or for that matter a couple of hundred people doing what I do is going
to put a dent in my business. As far as I’m concerned, the more people who are
spreading the word that you really can make a living doing what you love on your
own terms, the better!
About the Author
Off the beaten path career
counselor, Valerie Young, abandoned her corporate cubicle to become the Dreamer
in Residence at
ChangingCourse.com, offering free resources
to help you discover your life mission and live it. An expert on the Imposter
Syndrome, she's presented her How to Feel as Bright and Capable as Everyone
Seems to Think You Are program to over 30,000 people.
Find more articles written by
Valerie at
ChangingCourse.com/articles/ |
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We should
all do what, in the long run, gives us joy, even if it is only picking grapes or
sorting the laundry. ~ E.B. White |
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Featured Resource
Yes You Can!
Today… With Just A Little Encouragement, You Can Take Control Of Your Life
And Truly Live A Richer, More Balanced Life Doing Work You Really Love
 If
you really want to create a more balanced, rewarding life doing work you truly
love, you'll need to create a mindset that will instantly turn ‘can’t’ into
‘can.’
There will always be dream dashers.
But the world is also full of people who believe in the power of a dream.
There’s just no better way to adjust your mindset than by “hanging out” with a
group of people who know how to guide you along your path and give you that
inspirational jolt you need to stop wishing and start doing.
That’s exactly what you’ll get in Yes You Can! The Inspirational Kick in the
Pants You Need To Take Control Of Your Life and Go After Your Dreams, available
in either an
eBook or paper. Learn more at
ChangingCourse.com/yesyoucan.htm |
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Being
courageous requires no exceptional qualifications, no magic formula, no special
combination of time, place and circumstance. It is an opportunity that sooner or
later is presented to us all. ~ John F Kennedy |
Workshop Update
I’m busy finalizing the agenda and have
actually lined up three more speakers for our Friday night
“Creative Self-Bossers” panel:
Linda Siska, Potter
In addition to making her living as a
potter for over 25 years, Linda Siska’s life and way of doing
business has been a personal inspiration to me. Barbara Winter
often talks about how when it comes to starting a business,
small is beautiful. Among other things you’ll learn from Linda
how slow and easy is beautiful too.
Francis Mozea
Specialty Food Company Owner
I learned about Francis Mozea at
the Franklin (Massachusetts) Community Development Corporation
(CDC) web site
FCCDC.org/foodprocess/foodprocess.html.
The CDC runs a food processing center and training for
entrepreneurs interested in producing and selling their
specialty, organic, natural or gourmet products. Francis, who
came to the US from Nigeria some 25 years ago, left his
corporate job to launch his line of shallow-fried authentic
Nigerian bean cakes, made of black-eyed peas.
There’s more to his story but I’ll
let him tell you in his own words. Here’s what Francis had to
say on the About Us page of his website (TheBeanCakeCo.com):
“Dreams! We all
have them. We imagine our hopes for the future; where we
want to take our lives; things we want to accomplish. I am a
lover of foods from all cultures and I thought that someday,
I’d like to start and run a successful food company. For the
longest time my dream remained just that — a dream— while I
toiled in the corporate world as a nursing home
administrator.
My wonderful wife always encouraged me to pursue my
aspirations; to take a chance with the belief that it is
better to try and fail than to never try. My fear was that
we have young children and lots of bills hanging over our
heads. Knowing how unhappy I was in the corporate world, and
how I longed to follow my dream, my dear wife never stopped
urging me to believe in myself and God, and take a leap of
faith.
Then came 9/11 and the realization that we all have one life
to live, and that life is short and unpredictable. And I
thought that I had better seize the day while I can. In June
2002, we started The Beancake Company, with the goal of
bringing some of the wonderful foods I grew up with in
western Nigeria to the tables of this great country.”
Craig Della Penna
Bed & Breakfast Owner, Realtor, Rails-to-Trails Expert
Craig Della Penna wears several
hats. For 20 years, he marketed rail freight and operated New
England’s largest and most successful railroad owned
transloading facility — Railroad Distribution Services, Inc. Craig
went on to stay in the rail business but this time working for
the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy as their New England Field
Representative focusing on the legislative affairs end of
building rail trails.
Having given over 500 lectures in
16 states and Canadian provinces, Craig is a sought after
motivational speaker on the economic development, tourism, and
community development aspect of rail-trails, and their
leveraging small amounts of public dollars to redevelop
forgotten or hidden lands into treasured places.
He is the author of four books and
numerous op-ed/guest editorials on the value of smart growth
development, and rail-trails. In 2002, The Ride Magazine named
him as the most effective advocate for bike and rail-to-trail
conversion issues on the eastern seaboard.
When he’s not serving as Executive
Director for Northeast Greenway Solutions, a 501C3 firm set up
to help bring cogent solutions to communities developing rail
trails, Craig also works as a professional realtor specializing
in antique/historic homes and homes near to rail-trails or other
greenways. (Learn more at CraigDP.com.)
But that’s not all. Craig and his
wife Kathleen operate Sugar Maple Trailside Inn, an 1865 bed &
breakfast in Northampton. This award-winning restoration was
featured on HGTV’s Restore America and the Boston
Globe's Travel page. Their B&B sits 8 feet away from southern
New England’s first municipally built/operated rail trail, the
City of Northampton Bikeway. Learn more at
Sugar-Maple-Inn.com
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You gain
strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop
to look fear in the face.~ Eleanor Roosevelt |
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There is
one thing stronger than all the armies in the world, and that is an idea whose
time has come. ~ Victor Hugo |
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Guest Article
Living My Dream
By Amy McNeil
Like many of you, my dream was to escape from my
corporate job and start my own business. Like many other “escapees”, I
followed the script that I was given by my family. I went to a good college,
majored in something sensible, and then got a decent paying job in Corporate
America. I spent the next 11 years working for a large company. Right out of
the gate, I could see that my personality was at odds with the expected
behavior of a dutiful corporate citizen.
Having always been a free spirit, I prided myself on my
individuality, creativity, integrity, frankness, and ability to “think out
of the box.” Unfortunately, I discovered that these prized qualities often
translated into the most egregious of sins in my new environment. But for
some reason, I still felt compelled to stick to the “script.” I soldiered
on. I even managed to find “success.” Hardworking and competent, I
established a good reputation and got promotions.
But sadly, the higher I climbed, the more separated I
felt from my true essence. With each promotion, I felt I had to sell out
just a little bit more. I sometimes even felt like a stranger in my own
life. As part of my survival skills, I pictured myself as a character in a
Dilbert cartoon. I’d always been amused by the absurd and ironic, and I’d
found the mother load as far as that goes! But eventually, the job lost its
entertainment value. When it got to the point where I couldn’t see the
humor anymore that was my wake up call. I knew I had to change course.
I was about 30 years old at the time. I knew I wanted
more out of my life. However, when I looked ahead, all I could see was a
working stiff who would probably drop dead at an early age due to the
monotony of it all. Ugh! On the other hand, there were a few little details
that stood in my way…things like mortgages car payments, etc. I had
responsibilities. How could I give up my paycheck? Besides, what the heck
would I do? I got brain cramps thinking about all of the obstacles.
Even though I couldn’t see a clear exit strategy, I
decided to at least take some small steps. The first thing I did was to take
a critical look at my current financial situation. For starters, I paid off
my credit card debt. After that, I bumped up my savings and maxed my
contribution to the 401K. I had recently been promoted, but instead of
taking more money for myself, I put the entire salary increase into savings.
I also became more cautious about my spending. Although I still had to go to
my job everyday, I took comfort in that fact that I was at least planning
for my independence.
I also changed my way of thinking and the way I spent
my time. I cut back on the perpetual complaining and unpaid overtime.
Instead, I redirected my energy into soul searching. I tried to hone in on
what I really want to do with my life. I read lots of books, listened to
motivational speakers, sought out resources on the web, brainstormed ideas,
and talked to people with interesting livelihoods. I also allowed myself to
indulge in those escape fantasies. At work, they were always making plans
for the future. I would tell myself that I wasn’t going to be around for
those plans anyway. And there were little things too. I remember seeing a
group picture at a company Christmas gathering and thinking I wouldn’t be in
next year’s picture. The less committed I was to the job, the easier it was
to pursue a new direction.
While still employed, I increased my real estate
holdings. I upgraded from a condo to a single-family home. My mission over
the next 2 years became to invest as much sweat equity as I could into the
house and then sell. Not all that handy, I focused mostly on cosmetic
improvements. Since I had arranged to work from home, I would often paint or
do yard work while at the same time facilitate a conference call. I became
the master of multi-tasking. After 2 years, I sold the house, making
significant profit. I also purchased a multifamily rental property, which I
would later move into, as part of my downsizing strategy. I eventually ended
up relocating to another state to take advantage of a lower cost of living.
Another goal was to cut my tax bill. I educated myself
on tax planning, hired an accountant, and sought to maximize my deductions.
I deducted expenses related to the rental business, home office, and travel.
In the meantime, there were all kinds of layoffs at my
company. While people think getting laid off is a bad thing, it certainly
has its benefits, especially when you’re ready for it. In my case, it would
mean hefty severance pay, a reimbursement program to start a business, and
eligibility for unemployment benefits. So I let my boss know that I would
“not be unhappy” if I was cut. It worked and I was lucky enough to get the
boot. That layoff, along with my other strategies, kept me on solid
financial ground. I had no need to scramble after another job.
Instead, I could now put all my attention on starting a
business. Surprisingly though, I struggled to stay focused. While I had
always dreamed of this freedom, it was almost like too much of good thing.
Instead of planning my business, I found myself watching Oprah or going to
the mall. It finally occurred to me that I needed connection. I had to find
like-minded people, people who were either in my shoes or had been in my
shoes. I ended up applying for and getting accepted into an entrepreneur
program targeted towards dislocated workers.
While the goal of the course was to write a business
plan (which I found helpful by the way), my main purpose was to find
connection and structure. The program forced me to focus on my goals and
hone in on my dreams. I had deadlines to meet as well as support from others
who were in the same boat. All of this was a huge help in getting the ball
rolling. The lesson learned for me was that I definitely couldn’t do it
alone.
As for now, I’m still on this path, working towards my
dreams. Although I may have navigated the big leap from the J-O-B, I have to
admit that I often feel like I landed on a roller coaster. Some days I wake
up, and I’m absolutely thrilled with myself. I’m living my dream. I’m doing
something I love. My old life seems a million miles away. Other days I wake
up absolutely horrified. Am I out of my mind? What I have done? Do I really
think I can pull this off? Next thing I know I’m scanning the job ads. And
on it goes.
But even though this journey is unsettling at times, I
stay the course. Whenever I’m tempted to give up, it seems there’s always
something that pulls me back. Sometimes it comes in the form of an
intriguing new project or maybe a smile on a client’s face. One customer
told me of her friend being moved to tears by a portrait I did of her
recently deceased mother. Her friend said it was the nicest gift she ever
got. You see…those are the things that keep me going – the things that
return me to my essence. And that’s something the biggest promotion in the
world could never do for me!
About the Author
In 2005, Amy McNeil started Rembrandt in the Rough,
which sells commissioned digital artwork and photo restoration services. Her
mission is to seek and unveil the "Rembrandt" in ordinary snapshots and time
worn photographs. Working exclusively in the digital medium Amy transforms
photographs into fine art, using a variety of styles such as oil,
watercolor, or pen & ink. Visit her at RembrandtMe.com.
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The
difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not
a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will. ~ Vince Lombardi |
Upcoming Workshops & Teleclasses
This Summer, Discover How to Replace
Your Job With Work You Really Love…
and Gain the Freedom, Flexibility, and Quality of Life You Deserve
Work at What You Love:
The
Life-Changing Workshop for
People Who Want to Quit Their Jobs and Get a Life
August 19-20, 2005
Northampton,
Massachusetts
ChangingCourse.com/workshop.htm
Can You Take a Simple Picture?
If yes, you could make $200-$2,000 a week taking snap shots in your own
backyard… on your family vacations… or anywhere in the world you care to travel.
You don't need fancy equipment. And you don't need to know
a thing about photography to get started.
This August 20th-21st you'll
learn first-hand just how
easy it is to turn your snapshots into cash, and enjoy the freedom,
independence, and travel that freelance photography delivers. All while you
explore one of New England’s most enchanting cities.
Rich Wagner professional photographer, digital photography
instructor, and frame shop owner (and a panelist at this summer’s Work at What
You Love workshop) and Lori Appling, Director of the American Writers and
Artists Institute’s Travel Writer program will be your instructors at this “fast
track” condensed version of their popular 3+ day course
The Ultimate Travel Photographer's Workshop.
Saturday August 20th from 5:00pm-7:30pm
Sunday, August 21st from 8:00am-5:00pm
Northampton,
Massachusetts
ChangingCourse.com/courses.htm
(*Note: You do NOT need to attend Work at What You Love to register for this
special photography course.)
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Teleclasses with Barbara Winter
Barbara has three great teleclasses coming up: Creativity
Tune Up
How to
Support Your Wanderlust
A
Beginners Guide to the Seminar Business
Learn more at
ChangingCourse.com/courses.htm
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Resources for a Change
Opportunities for Creative Types
Award-winning singer John Mayer is inviting aspiring song writers to write their
own chords and melodies for one of his own lyrics. Send a CD of your version of
the song in and the winner will be featured in Esquire magazine. Learn
more at
Esquire.com
Converse shoes is having a video contest where entrants submit a 24 second film
about the values and spirit of Converse. Some entries will be featured on their
website and if they choose your entry for a TV commercial, you can win $10,000.
Learn more at ConverseGallery.com |
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live
life on purpose