Life and Work by Design Blog

How many times have you wondered what it would be like to have your own little business venture?  How often have you thought “I could do that…”?  How many ideas have you discarded because you decided they were silly or someone else told you they wouldn’t be viable?  

 If you aren’t already acquainted with Barbara Winter then you have missed some of the best inspiration for entrepreneurs out there.   And, as of yesterday, the new revised edition of her classic book, Making a Living without a Job is available everywhere.  

This new updated edition includes conversation about earning income in a chaotic economy, ways to use the internet and social networking to build a business, and how to leave your employee mindset behind.  I recommend buying this book to anyone who has ever given two minutes worth of day dream to doing something for themselves.  

Barbara has been my mentor and has more years than she would like me to tell of successfully marketing her own business without spending mega bucks.  Her philosophy is a marvelous combination of “keep it simple” and “just do it” that she shares with humor and contagious enthusiasm.      

You can order your copy today from my web-site bookstore (look in the career information category) or pick it up at your local book store.   

In the last 20 years or so, it has become common for people to change careers multiple times but a newer phenomenon is earning a living from multiple careers at the same time.

An article in the WSJ discussed boomers who have Slash Careers.   These are folks who spend a good part of their free time pursuing a passion, while still working at a full-time professional job.

Some examples are a lawyer who does caricature portraits on weekends; a hotel manager who writes mysteries in his off hours; or an English professor who sells her summer travel photography through local galleries.

Another recent article called them Portfolio Professionals and a third used the term Eclectic Professionals. An example would be a teacher who spends the summer doing different jobs that reflect her personal interests or to gain experience in a different field.  And I know a man who is a stock broker by day and a Wine Expert who stages wine tastings several nights a week.

You don’t have to be a professional to have a Slash career.  A story in the Philadelphia Inquirer told of a local man who loves to make independent films and documentaries, but who works intermittently as a longshoreman on the docks to earn income to pay bills and put his daughter through college.

An acquaintance of mine is a very successful executive consultant who always dreamed of being in the opera.  Now she works part-time in the evenings as an extra for the local Opera Company, dressing up in fabulous costumes, wigs and make-up to strut and dance her way around the stage.

If you are daydreaming of doing something new and different to earn your living, you are certainly not alone.   And the need to create additional streams of income is growing for many.  There are very few rules anymore- feel free to start working on an old dream, a new dream, or that long-held, really big idea. Combining two disparate careers is definitely possible.   There are no limits to what you can do!

One of my favorite bloggers is Leo Babauta at Zen  Habits – his is a constant voice that reminds me about three times a week to just SLOW DOWN.

  His advice to work on just one thing until it’s done without multi-tasking can’t be repeated often enough.  His little gem of a book called The Power of Less: The Fine Art of Limiting Yourself to the Essentials … in Work and in Life is an easy guidebook to a saner, less stressful life. 

  Babauta suggests lots of Zen Habits that can help us find a simple, common sense and quiet way to live and work.  Here are some of them for work:

     1. Set your 3 MITs (most important tasks) each morning. 

     2. Single-task   Focus your attention on only one thing 

     3. Zero Inbox - don’t even think about it first thing in the morning. 

     4. Process emails once a day - preferably around lunch-time.  

     5. Work while disconnected - turn off IM, Twitter, cell phone, email 

     7. Keep your desk uncluttered. 

     8. Clear and declutter one drawer, file or space for 15 min each day 

     9. Limit email answers to 5 sentences - write what you mean 

   10. Say no to commitments not on your important short list 

   11. Follow a morning routine - gratitude and meditation -5 minutes    

The very talented Leonie Allan at Goddess Guidebook has created a fun colorful poster you can print out and hang up (or download the desktop wallpaper) to keep you in a Zen frame of mind.   Visit her website to get it here  

If you have somehow missed the incredible performance of a woman named Susan Boyle from a small village in England, who is unemployed and always wanted to sing “in front of a big audience”, take 7 minutes out of your day right now to watch, be awed and to share in this dream come true.  Never say never, people!    Watch HERE

What if you had a chance to build a business where you get paid to turn your passion for thinking “Outside the Job Box” into an income producing business - and to make a difference in people’s lives
at the same time?

If you are a creative personality who loves to help others, take it one step further and work with them to help them discover ways they can turn their interests into income.

My colleague, Valerie Young, is the Dreamer in Residence at Changing Course. She also is considered an expert on uncovering career options for people who want to do their own thing. Hercareer change advice has been cited around the world. She’s beenstudying creative career change and entrepreneurship for well over a decade now - devouring every book and seminar she could. But, along with being an avid learner, she’s also an educator.

Of course, the question you have to answer right now: Is this the right path for you?

Well, let’s talk about that. Let me ask you this… ~ Are you somebody who’s always clipping out articles for friends and acquaintances? Always turning other people on to resources and alternatives they never knew existed?

~ Are you a creative problem-solver?

~ Do you instinctively jump in to help others?

~ Do you find yourself constantly thinking up potential business
ideas?

If that describes you, then I bet people love talking with you… Maybe they even seek you out. And why wouldn’t they? After all, thinking about creative ways to make a living without a “job-job” is something that just, well… comes naturally to you I’ll bet.

If you’re interested in taking your passion of helping others find their calling, she’s just opened up her registration for her Outside the Job Box Career Expert Course.

In these economic times, there are many more people who are seeking alternatives ways to make a living
without a j-o-b. It’s become increasingly clear that the demand for people who are trained to help folks pursue creative entrepreneurial paths is greater than ever before.

If this appeals to you, you owe it to yourself to check it out.  Now is just as good a time as any to consider becoming an independent consultant.

Here’s the link to check out her course:

http://ChangingCourse.com/cmd.php?af=958047

Don’t delay! She started taking registrations earlier in the week. You really can create the life you really want. But it’s not going to happen without you taking action.

If you have any questions, feel free to get in touch with me.

In the last post I talked about the importance of having a Personal Mission Statement (or even a series of them) that express the goal(s) you would like to achieve in the next year or so, and the values you want to maintain to get there.

Another important exercise is to develop the Big Picture or a Vision Statement that expresses what you want your life to look like over the next 5 – 10 years.

Vision statements are longer and paint a large picture of the life you desire using lots of detail, adjectives and emotion to express your hopes and dreams.

You know how some TV sets have a smaller window where you can actually watch one show on the main screen and keep an eye on another in a smaller screen?  (If you live with a sports fan, you know this feature well!)   Laurie Beth Jones, author of The Path,  uses that as an example of how to look at the picture of WCI (What Currently Is) and at WCB (What Can Be) at the same time.

You can’t change your current life or work overnight but you can begin to focus your attention on a distant picture to help you pick and choose the path to get there.

So what does your vision look like?  There’s an article about the five W’s called The Possibilities are Endless on my website where I suggest some of the choices you can consider.
•    WHERE would you live?
•    WHAT would you be doing?
•    WHO would you be doing it with?
•    WHEN would you do it?
•    WHY do you want to do it?

Write your Vision Statement as if it is already happening. Here’s some of mine:
I live at least part of the year at the beach or near a body of water and travel frequently; I write books and do some public speaking to earn an income, and spend some time each day reading, playing the piano and doing art projects; I have a significant other person in my life and visit with my family often; I only work about 4 hours a day to leave time for volunteering and community involvement. I feel good that I am demonstrating to my children and grandchildren how to live a balanced life.

I’m not there yet, but I know where I’m headed.   Just like the Mission Statement, my Big Picture or Vision Statement gives me guideposts to use when making daily choices about how I spend my time, energy and money.

So, what’s your vision?   Most of you have at least heard about The Secret or The Law of Attraction.   These are the two most recent iterations of an ages old philosophy that says  “what you focus on will grow, what you ignore will whither.”

If you focus on a vision of the best life you can imagine you will find opportunities suddenly popping up. The key is paying attention so you don’t miss them.

When’s the last time you wanted to throw a temper tantrum? Have you wished you could smash plates or bash a pillow to death to work out your feelings?   While Sarah Lavely was going through a divorce she found that smashing her china in the driveway brought her some therapeutic benefit and Voila – a great idea was born.   Her new business is called Sarah’s Smash Shack.

Like all great small biz ideas, it’s simple.  A store-front, a supply of cheap china and glassware,  permanent markers for writing fateful messages on the back of the plates and some creative marketing are all it takes. Oh, and some safety goggles.  She says her clients range from 8 to 65+ and everyone leaves feeling much better.

As soon as I read about this my brain started racing.   Add a room full of big pillows for pounding, and maybe a Screaming room where someone could just let it all out.  Write a great, fun press release and send it to all the papers, tv and radio stations and I think you’d be good pretty much anywhere.

Sarah’s place has two Break Rooms  :)– one smaller one for loners or couples and a larger one for groups.  You can gather your friends for a party.  You can buy things to smash there or bring something that you just need to destroy along with it’s memories.

She was an emergency medicine veterinarian who has turned her compassion toward fellow humans a couple of days a week.  “When I see my clients smile, laugh, and cry, let loose and transform, I know I’ve done something incredible here.”

You can check out the web-site at http://www.smashshack.com - or read the article by Erin Bell  in the February issue of Psychology Today.

With the prevalence of US citizens going to work in foreign countries around the globe, a new opportunity for folks who love art and also desire to do something meaningful with their work is quickly expanding.

I’m talking about an importing business for all the wonderful artwork, home décor products, clothing and jewelry that is being produced by indigenous artisans in villages in Cambodia, Brazil, Uganda, Thailand , Viet Nam, and Guatemala to name a few.

I know lots of people who do this in one way or another.  One got started when her husband was traveling to Uganda for business and she tagged along. She started out one day in search of a wall hanging for her home and found a village of talented women and young girls weaving beautiful pieces.   When she asked if she could buy one she discovered that they really didn’t know how to market their wares beyond the street market in neighboring cities.   She spent the rest of her two weeks locating other artisans and returned to the states determined to find a way to help these people earn a decent wage for their efforts that would then help them support their families and villages.  Her organization today supports schools and feeds children in two villages through the non-profit she developed from her sales and donations.

Another importer I know is an interior designer who traveled to Thailand on vacation, found a village that was making beautiful silk scarves from silkworm to finished product.  Again, they had little access to markets where they could sell their creations.  She has helped them design new items to produce including pillows and wall hangings that are sought after in the US. She travels several times a year (a business deduction!) to meet with them to decide on new products and to help them with their business plan.  In turn, she has created a business for herself that is unique and rewarding.

The third one I will mention buys hand-knit woolen mittens, hats, purses, scarves and sweaters from villages all over the mountains of Guatemala.  Again she gets to travel to her favorite part of the world, helps many women support their children and pays them a fair wage that slowly improves the life in these third world places.

One of these ladies maintains a storefront.  One sells through other designers and the third one sells at a street market in Philadelphia.  They all participate in the various Fair Trade Fairs that are commonly sponsored by churches and community groups.   They are earning income, traveling and helping others all at the same time.

If you have family living or working in another country, or just want a way to travel and learn about another part of the world, this is a concept that can be started small and grown in a way that fits your lifestyle.

Want to know more?    Comment below and I’ll get you resources and information.

I love the library and now that most of us are trying to cut-back and spend less I recommend you put it on your “I’m bored - What can I do?” list.  I try to spend at least an hour a week just browsing.  Last week’s search turned up a couple of gems I’d like to suggest.

McGraw-Hill has a series on Careers for ___(lots of different groups) and there’s one titled Careers for Homebodies & Other Independent Souls by Jan Goldberg.  It’s a jam-packed little soft-cover book that is a must-read if you are considering starting any sort of home-based business.  The first two chapters help you determine if you are the right type of personality to be self-employed, the next two spell out the steps to getting started, and the rest gives examples of real people and their biz ideas.

For those of you who live in Canada, it contains lots of resources for you as well.  The appendix has excellent lists of current books, web-sites and organizations that will help you find your way.

I’ve added it to my bookstore - go to my website, click on the Books tab and you can see all the books I’ve recommended in the last couple of years.  You can purchase right there and add other items from Amazon if you wish.  Same prices and same free-shipping deals - only I get a small commission.  I’d appreciate your support and it makes choosing easier.

Of course I understand if you want to use the library to borrow it instead…..:)

I quit making useless resolutions a long time ago, but about 5 years ago someone suggested that you could give the new year a theme that would kind of over-arch the choices you make, the projects you tackle and the new experiences you decide to try.  I liked that idea and have chosen themes like “Independence”, “Connections” and “Just Do It Now” in the past.

On a recent train trip I had lots of time to ponder the coming year and decided on my new theme - only this time it’s more like a mantra.   A mantra is a word or sound repeated to aid concentration during meditation among practitioners of Buddhism.  The more modern definition is a statement or slogan repeated frequently.

During almost all of my adult life I have owned LBCs - Little British Cars - like an MG or a Triumph as a hobby.  I’ve had 7 all together in different colors, sizes and condition but they were all a blast to drive especially with a group from the car club.  They make this unique putt-putt sound that no other car can imitate.

I know the picture of me that you all see appears to be a pretty straight, conservative mature woman, but put me behind the wheel of a little sports car and I become someone else!  A someone else that is let free to feel the wind in my hair and swoop around curves and up and down hills exuberantly.  I love that!

As I remembered this on the train trip I decided that my mantra for 2009 will be  “Vroom- Vroom.”  I will try to make choices and do things that will allow me to feel like I’m behind that wheel again.  I will plan a few trips to new places, go looking for some new friends who share my enthusiasm for life and learning, try a couple of new things that scare me a little like a hot air balloon ride, and do the two things that thrill me - sailing and LBCs - as often as I can.

What’s your mantra going to be?   Take a minute right now and think about a big theme that you could adopt that would challenge you to try some new things; to reach new heights; to stretch yourself just a little.    Post your theme on sticky notes around you at home and at work. Or write it on small tags and tuck them into drawers, books and pockets to remind you what you are aiming for this year.

If you’d like to share your mantra or theme, please comment here.  We could create a great list and inspire each other.