This post is from Jake, aka The Beer Tool Man. After being virtually introduced to him and seeing that he’s a new Etsy shop owner and being knocked out by his shop announcement (seriously – it’s killer), I asked if he’d want to share anything with you kids on this here blog. Thankfully, he obliged twofold: with a post and a giveaway!
I didn’t want to start typing this because I could not think of the perfect opening line or even a subject to talk type about, but I knew that if I could just start then the rest would work itself out…
When typing this (like most things in life) the hardest part is taking that first step and that’s true no matter what you have dreams of doing. I’m lucky enough to be able to help people through this everyday as an admissions officer for a university. When I’m talking with students for the first time they’re anxious about the future, getting into school, how to afford it, classes to take, etc but it’s amazing how better they feel when I point out that they have already taken the hardest step by asking for information. It’s all downhill from there. I want us to dig a little deeper into why taking that initial leap is so hard in the first place. I’ve broken it down into two things: “Unknown” and “Perfect.” Read the rest of this entry »
I torture one of my Operations groups with their very first piece of homework: an exercise I call Friends and Family Findings. Just one week into our sessions, they have to send an email to at least 3 people and ask them how they inspire the other person, why the other person keeps ‘em around, and the like. It’s scary. It’s anxiety-producing. And it results in feelings similar to birthday wishes and Christmas mornings, with heaps of kudos and compliments and soul-bearing truth rained upon the client (figuratively, of course). What always comes from this is seeing – in black and white – how people view your strengths, your offerings, your uniquity. Some are surprised by the reflection that their friends and family hold up to them, and other get reinforcement that what they’re putting into the world has been received. But often, it leads my clients to say, “Huh. I thought everyone can do that. I guess I’m more than just OK at it.”
What can you give yourself credit for that you normally don’t acknowledge (that you’ve done today, that others tell you that you rock at, etc)?
Last week, I started a new series called The Recession is Bullhonkey, where I’m planning on sharing stories of those who have gotten hired and/or started their own businesses (or sometimes both!) since 2008. This is April’s Story, who I’ve had the priviledge of coaching and who I can say is one of the sweetest, hardest-working, talented designers in the biz!
In 2008, I was doing a job I enjoyed for a boss I hated. The anger and contempt I felt toward my boss were taking over my life, so I was looking for a way out. After a series of (very emotional and trying) events at the office at the end of the year, I was laid off in January of 2009. It was a huge relief to not have to answer to the boss anymore, but I was also scared. The first week I did nothing but watch TV and work on getting back to a happy state of mind. Then I started looking for jobs. When you’re on unemployment, you have to apply to at least 3 jobs each week. I had a pretty good resume, and even though everybody was getting laid off I thought I’d find a job quickly. I’d never had trouble getting hired before. After a month of no work and 0 responses to my job applications, I was getting really sick of applying. To break the monotony, I’d designed some valentines and opened an Etsy shop. And that’s how, in February 2009, Everything Little Miss began.
Throughout that spring and summer, I kept applying for jobs (at least 3 a week), but I had a new hobby / business to make it a little less boring. It was actually pretty fun. But then I started to get nervous again, because I was reaching the end of my unemployment and I’d applied for at least 100 jobs, been interviewed and turned down for 3, and hadn’t heard from any of the others. I really didn’t want to apply for an extension, but I was worried that I’d have to. So I wrote an email to all of my friends + acquaintances in the Boston area that said something like “You all know I’m unemployed and looking for a job, so if you know of one please let me know!!!” A guy I knew responded to that email and offered me a job. Essentially, I was hired as a secretary. Not my dream job, but I would get a paycheck and I’d be able to work from home remotely (yay for technology!), so I accepted with high spirits. Read the rest of this entry »
When there’s yin, there’s yang. When there’s black, there’s white. When there’s low Clubhouse numbers, there’s…a book deal!
Back in the fall, Jessica Swift was approached by Tonia, an Acquisitions Manager at North Light Craft Books (they published Kelly Rae Roberts!), asking if she’d be interested in writing a book for them. She responded, “Why yes, yes I would. Also, I have already kinda wrote one with my friend Michelle. Here it is, in case it interests you.” (Ain’t she sweet?!)
To back it up, a few months prior, we got an email sent to us straight from our Contact page, asking if we’d wanna make The Declaration of You into “a book-book”. After a round of “Duh please!”, that publisher (different from this one) pitched us to her boss. We’re not sure exactly what he said, but it prompted her to give us this feedback:
“My publisher felt you might want to consider approaching young adult houses. I’m not sure if that fits with your goals, but for what it’s worth, that’s an idea.”Read the rest of this entry »
If you watched my I Quit My Day Job: 22 Month Update on Monday, then you know I wasn’t my usual chipper self. I know, I know, it’s hard to believe – but above and beyond the boob cancer, I was disappointed in the recent launch of my Clubhouse. It was something I was working on in the back on my brain for months, and real actively for 8-ish weeks. Everyone I told about it reacted super favorably, and would offer tons of encouragement and kudos. I told my Mom and my husband, “I think I’m going to make a lot of money this month – my Clubhouse is opening up and I think the members will be pouring in!” I even asked my Virtual Wizard if she’d want more hours, as I’d love to hire her more often since I’m gonna get a nice foundation with The Clubhouse Money. Let’s say I was Law of Attraction-ing it up, but in a I-really-believed-it way. I was sure. I was confident. I was On To Something.
I wanted to launch it on my birthday, but that fell on a Saturday and I thought I “shouldn’t” do it then. I thought of opening the clubhouse doors the day before, but Friday was the “wrong” day, too. And Monday was a national holiday, so nobody would be paying attention then…(right?) So Tuesday the 17th it would be! I wrote the newsletter and scheduled it for 7a Eastern that day, and scheduled the blog post to go up a few hours prior. I let in The Sneak Peek People the week before, using them to make sure the welcoming process was smooth (which I could not have come close to doing without the help of my Virtual Wizard, Arwyn!), to see if anything was broken and/or confusing, and to give some life to the private Facebook group before the first “official” person came in on Tuesday at 7:01a Eastern (I presumed). 18 people were already there, and I felt confident that at least another 20 would join them that day.
The first “official” Clubhouse member came in at 1:16p Eastern. I told myself, “Everyone had a busy morning back at work…the sign-ups will be pouring in now!” Read the rest of this entry »
At the Golden Globes, Jean Dujardin(did you see him in The Artist? You must, you must!) said that when he was first starting out, an agent told him he’d never work in movies because his face was too expressive. When he accepted his award, he said, “Thank you for giving me the chance to prove him wrong.”
It’s about that time…I’m just 2 months shy from my 2 year entrepreneuriversary, and I’m not in a great mood about it. Here’s why I’m feeling like I have a bad case of the poopy pants (hint: it begins with an “l” and ends with an “-aunch”).
Geez Louise Louise, I can’t believe I waited ’til the very last day to tell you guys about the new round of How to Build a Blog You Truly Love, a butt-and-blog-kicking e-course headed by the amazeballs Liv Lane. In 6 weeks, you’ll get advice/wisdom/tidbits from 20 contributors like SARK, Christine Kane, Jess Swift, Kelly Rae Roberts, Amanda Oaks, Aimee Dolich, Alexandra Franzen and lil’ ole me.
Cutting to the chase: 6 weeks. A 300 page PDF of the class content. A personalized blogging blueprint. Your blog’s purpose. A community of other creative (wannabe) bloggers. Audio. Video. Exercises. Essentially: crazy-good stuff.
So if you have a lil’ baby blogging seed in the back of your mind that you’ve been scared to act on, or if you have a living-breathing blog that’s collecting some interweb dust, or if you wanna take your active blog and give it a shot in wherever your computer’s arm is….then click here to check out How to Build a Blog You Truly Love.
(Links here are affiliate links, but seriously, have you known me to partake in something or hooplah something up just to have it be a big stinkball? No. No, you haven’t. I promise all sorts of goodness here and with everything else I give my time/effort/attention to. Pinky swear promise. That’s the serious kind.)Read the rest of this entry »
Yup. I’m scared to write this post. Not because I don’t believe in what I’m saying, but because I know that the recession is real and has affected millions across the country and around the world. This post, and the series that will follow, are not in any way, shape, or form meant to negate that. Hell, a family member of mine recently saw his company go from one that employed over a hundred to one of twelve once a corporate acquisition took place. I know the struggles, the challenges, the stress, and the trauma that comes with losing your job or not being able to find one for weeks/months/years at a time. I have absolute empathy for those that can no longer take care of their family, or need government assistance, or lose their homes. I’m not ignoring the sobering statistic that more than 13 million (!!!) people are still unemployed and more than half of them have been out of work for more than six months. I absolutely, positively do not mean to make light of that. That’s not why I’m here, putting this controversial title out into the world and waiting for possible tomatoes to be thrown at my blog for the first time in the 3 years I’ve been blogging.
Why The Recession is Bullhonkey, then? Honestly, I hear of someone leaving their job or getting a new one at least once a week, whether it’s my current/former clients, friends, family members, friends of family members, old co-workers – you name it, I’ve heard it. Often. I just had to bring that to light to negate this Great Big Excuse that you’re stuck where you’re at because “I’ll never get another job” or “I’d be crazy to give up a sure thing.” Yes, you can (dare I say “will”?!) get another job. No, you wouldn’t be crazy to give up “a sure thing” (or is it?). It’s time to shed a light on people who are getting laid off – and find a new place to land within a few days/weeks. It’s time to spotlight the people who left their “sure thing” to start their own thing – and are making it work. It’s not only time to out them, but to hear their stories, learn how they did it, and get ideas/inspiration to do the same.
Hi, kids! I'm Michelle Ward, C.P.C. As a graduate of NYU/Tisch's musical theater program & a certified life coach, my path to being a Career Coach for Creatives was clear - I pounded the pavement enough myself! With this blog, I plan on sharing my own experiences as a life coach/performer/entrepreneur, as well as the tips/tools/How To's I've picked up along the way. Stick around for a dose of empathy, a shot of butt-kickin', a wagon full of enthusiasm, & a crapload of inspiration.
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