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CREATIVITY + INNOVATION Page 14 of 50
Passion + talent + attention to detail = a Global Art Gathering in Brighton
The Global Art Gathering 2015 is behind us, but the magic of the event lingers on. Rose Radtke takes a look back on why the event was special for her…
Usually, when I picture Brighton, I picture home. The familiarity of my little flat, a pebble beach remaining unchanged as the seasons come and go, the route I take to work and the shops and cafes I like to mooch around at the weekend. But now I look back on one week in June 2015, and I see Brighton differently. I see it through the eyes of a group of people who arrived in a sunny, quirky seaside town on the south coast of England, eagerly anticipating exploring a new place and meeting long-distance friends in person for the first time.
This group of people are special. Led by Lilla and her lovely team (including husband Andy, son Jacob and daughter Natasha), they radiated positivity from the moment they set foot on British soil. They saw Brighton sparkling in the sunlight, and sought out treasure in the little shops that line the North Laines. While we obsessed over whether the weather was on the turn, they obsessed over our British accents and reveled in our polite, gentle culture.
A whole week was festooned with new people, group shopping trips and VIP events, but the main Global Art Gathering event, held at the Brighton Dome, was undoubtedly where the real magic happened. With artists from the UK meeting those from as far afield as Australia and New Zealand in person for the very first time, you could feel it in the air from the moment we opened the doors.
As I watched so many women (and one man!) join forces, I was struck by how different this event was to any conference I’d been to before. Instead of suits people wore colour and big smiles, and instead of business cards they exchanged compliments. I suddenly understood the power of this community that exists in the most part online, but sets a room alight when they come together. Even though I’m not an artist, that week I felt like one. And seeing those women living their passion made me more determined than ever to seek out my own.
Some really hard work went in to making this event happen. That much you could tell from the careful details on each table, the surprise envelopes hidden under each chair and the stage set up as a cosy living room. The attention to detail combined with the talented speakers and the passion of the crowd made the event so worthwhile for all those who’d travelled from far and wide.
I’m sure the Global Art Gathering 2015 will stick in my mind for many years to come. And I hope I’ll continue to draw on the magic I became a part of. Next time I’m feeling a little deflated I’ll cast my mind back to that special day and remember that I have passion, talent and thoughtfulness somewhere deep inside me.
Where does your mind take you when you need a lift? Is there a person, or a tribe, that continues to inspire you even when you’re not together?
All images by Debbie Joliff
What would you do with a day away?
Last week we had our annual ‘away day’ at Do What You Love. It was actually two days – a strategy meeting on Wednesday, and a day on a yacht on Thursday! We chartered the boat to give us a way to get a complete change of scenery, open our minds and think differently. And it worked!
We were brainstorming ideas for my book (more on that in the coming weeks), and it was amazing how the gentle lapping waves helped us forget about to-do lists and tune into some big deep questions.
It was also good to spend some fun time with our lovely team, on a gloriously sunny day, to hear more about their individual dreams and plans, and get to know them better.
We are only a small team, but moments like this are important.
Even if you work on your own (or for someone else), can you give yourself the gift of an away day? If so, here are some tips to make it special:
- Put it in your diary and guard that time carefully. No adding little meetings, or cutting it short for urgent business. Protect it, and make it happen.
- Go somewhere you don’t normally spend time, or use an interesting mode of transport to get there. Try being on the move as you think – perhaps walking, hiking, cycling, or sailing.
- Clear away all distractions (no email, no phones, no small people – just for a few hours!)
- Plan one specific thing to think about, and ask yourself a handful of probing questions
- Let your mind wander, and see what emerges
- Make notes about your ideas, as they may disappear as easily as they arrive
This week we challenge you to find time for your own awayday. We’d love to know what you thought about, and what came out of it – please share with us on Facebook or Twitter!
Have a lovely week
Beth and team
[Tweet “What would you do with a day away? “]
How my book became an Amazon best seller
This is a guest post by adventurer, author and motivational speaker Alastair Humphreys. Find out more about Alastair here.
The day you finish writing your book is not the day your book is finished. Nor is it the day the book is published and you gaze with a mixture of relief, disbelief, pride and trepidation on the book in your hand. Your book! At last!
Now you need to sell your book. This requires at least as much work, and is almost as important, as crafting your beautiful manuscript was in the first place.
My book Microadventures, reached #12 on the chart for all books sold on Amazon UK. To put this in context, my long-time most popular book, Moods of Future Joys, is currently sitting at 33,365 in the book rankings!
Here are a few things to consider that will help you boost your sales on Amazon.
1. How does your book, and how do you, the author, look on the site?
How good is your Amazon author page? Get your photo, bio and Twitter feed all up to date on there.
How good is the book page itself? Can you ‘Look Inside’ the book? Are there plenty of images available (where appropriate)? Are there enough? Is the description of the book as good as it could be? Look at the books of your competitors to see how you match up.
If you have several versions of the same book available (paperback and Kindle, for example), get them consolidated onto one page. Fix any inconsistencies. Having random rubbish appear when people search for you and your books damages your brand equity. Yes I did just write “brand equity”!
2. Make sure the book is very “discoverable”
People search for books in two way, so you need to focus on both things. These are:
Search: What keywords are people going to type in to find your book? Amazon explains it well: “Please include any words customers would use to search for your product on search engines that aren’t already in your item title attributes – brand name, model name, target audience, product description, size, size unit of measurement or colour name.” You can get idea of the stuff that people search for by typing in a word to the Amazon search box. Amazon then drops down lots of suggestions. Nab these. Then write the word followed by ‘a’ to get the popular second words beginning with ‘a’. Then do it for ‘b’ and so on… (Thanks, Jo, for this tip!)
Dual Noding: Also known as “finding your book in more than one area”. Look at the list of topics on the left of the page here. Could your book fit into more than one category? Where might the customer reasonably search for your book? There are a bazillion sub-categories to all of these things too. You obviously want to be in the right category. But bear in mind that if you can become a best-seller in a tiny, random category then you can more or less claim your book to be best-selling without feeling too much of a fraud. Clearly every book ever written claims to be best-selling so I wouldn’t hold too much in store from this dubious honour!
See what random categories my book has ended up in:
3. Casting the net wide
I should have (but haven’t) tried to get the book on Audible.
4. Reviews
If you are an Amazon customer yourself you will know how you respond to items that have lots or not many reviews. Which do you prefer? My personal preference is for books that have lots of reviews, but not when the reviews have blatantly all just been written by the authors friends with an instant 5-star rating.
When Microadventures came out I worked really hard to get people to review the book. I asked – a lot – on social media. I probably annoyed people by doing it too much. I didn’t ask them to write a good review, I asked for an honest review. I didn’t just want 50 identical 5-star reviews from my friends. I believed that the book was good and that the reviews would genuinely be good. So I was willing to accept a few bad ones too, if necessary. Like this 1-star review I got.
5. Rally your tribe
Amazon takes note of spikes of sales: sudden sharp bursts of activity are more likely to get your book zooming up the charts than a steady trickle of sales. You need to rally your tribe – your friends, family, blog readers, social media followers and beg, plead, order them to buy your book on one certain date. Don’t do this lightly – it’s quite annoying for them. But people are willing to tolerate you hassling them like this if you’ll built up a rapport and a store of goodwill. Here’s how I did it for Microadventures. I went so far as to offer one of my other books for free as an incentive.
I am certainly not an expert about any of this stuff, so I would welcome any thoughts and suggestions you might have.
Good luck!
Why creativity is so important (and how to unleash yours) + last chance to join the DWYL e-course – starts today!
A very pregnant me hosting a discussion on passion, connection and community with Lilla Rogers and Kelly Rae Roberts
Wow, what a week. Here at DWYL HQ we are recovering from an incredible few days of being ‘lovebombed’ by creative women from across the world. We hosted our first live event since the original Do What You Love retreat, and it was such an uplifting, energising experience.
‘Make Art That Sells: The Global Art Gathering’ brought together creative women (and one creative man!) from around the world – as far away as Australia, New Zealand, the US and right across Europe – to our city of Brighton to learn how to make art that is more commercially viable whilst staying true to themselves. It was a live version of the wildly popular ‘Make Art That Sells’ online courses we produce for top art agent Lilla Rogers, and was special in many ways.
Firstly, it brought together some of my favourite women, a number of whom are business partners and all of whom are dear friends, including Lilla, Kelly Rae Roberts, Rachael Taylor, Margo Tantau and more. It was life-affirming to spend so much time, and have so many rich conversations with them all.
Secondly, it made me so proud of our awesome team, who worked so well together to make it a really magical experience.
And last but not least, it became the catalyst for many creative journeys that are only just unfolding, as it brought together a new community of creatives who bonded over shared dreams and values, laughter and generosity of spirit.
Although the majority of our work is delivered online, and that very valuable communities are built there, it is impossible to deny the power of bringing together like-minded people to discuss, share and learn. Friendships blossom, business ideas burst into life and people really start to glow. It’s as if they suddenly got permission to be creative, to want to make a career from that, and to be proud of what they do. And why not? Creativity is what makes the world interesting, ever-changing, beautiful and unexpected.
How about you? Are you being as creative as you could in your life? We are all on a creative journey. For each of us, that journey probably began earlier than we realise, and runs deeper than we know. Along the way, we discover new mediums of expression, and new parts of ourselves.
Creativity isn’t just about painting, or writing, or taking lovely photographs. It’s about the way that you interpret the world, how you think, and what you do with that information. Discovering and pursuing what you want to do and be and feel in your life is one of the greatest creative adventures you could ever undertake.
If you are under the impression that there are two types of people, ‘creative’ and ‘not creative’, I can assure you that is a myth. We all have creative capacities, but some people use them more than others. At different times, different sides of our brain are dominant; but they’re interconnected, and we use both sides at any one time. It is possible to develop our creative capacities over time – sometimes this happens through need, and sometimes through desire – and with practice, we may become more in tune with our creativity. Don’t be fooled into thinking creativity is something that has to be learned. It doesn’t. It is in you already. All you need to do is to feed your creative soul.
To me, creativity is all about ideation and the creation of something that did not exist in a particular form before you made it that way. Creativity is proactive – it is about making things, and making things happen.
Creativity is exciting – it is about making decisions which are not necessarily the same decisions others would make, and which may invite the unknown. Creativity is imagination – it is about beauty, possibility, and wonder.
How do you unleash that creativity? Here are a few ideas which you can get started on straight away:
- Give yourself permission to spend time bring creative, and silence the voice that tells you it’s a waste of time
- Surround yourself with people who also value creativity – sign up for a workshop, join an online forum, get involved in a local group
- Tackle the normal, routine parts of your day from a creative perspective. Make your to-do list beautiful, do a photo walk on your way to work and post it on Instagram, cook a delicious meal and consider the colours on the plate, write a letter to an old friend… anything goes.
Discovering a need for more creativity, and choosing to pursue that, is one of the most frequent outcomes of our flagship e-course ‘Do What You Love’ (which starts TODAY). If you feel that the time is right to explore your own creativity and general life direction further, why not join us? This is the LAST TIME this course will run this year, as I am heading off on maternity leave soon, and have several creative projects of my own in the pipeline for that treasured time off (not to mention welcoming a new baby into the world in a few weeks’ time!).
This week we challenge you to be more creative in your everyday routine. Share your ideas on Facebook or Twitter, and don’t be shy about it!
Have a great week
Beth
Dreamer, doer or a dreamer who does?
Are you a dreamer and a doer? What’s your big dream? What are you doing to make your dream come true?
8 ways to identify your passions and purpose
As Confucius said, “choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life.” It’s great advice, but it’s not always that simple. Discovering what you want to do in life is, for many people, a life-long pursuit. Yet when you do eventually find your passion it is like finding your personal guide to happiness. You feel motivated, inspired, and so much clearer about what your next steps in life should be.
If you know you want to do what you love, but you’re not sure what that is, here are our top tips for pinpointing your passions:
1. Take a trip down memory lane
Often, our truest passions emerge in childhood, only to be squelched by real life pressures. So think about what you loved doing when you were little. Did you love animals? Taking care of people? Storytelling? Playing shopkeeper? Drawing? Painting? Speaking French? Revisiting these things could be the key to unlocking big dreams and doing what you love.
2. Relax your mind
When slow down and still our minds we listen to our inner voice and reconnect with our true authentic selves. Practicing yoga or Tai Chi each day, walking in nature, meditating and taking time to chill out, can help us find the answers we’re looking for.
3. Think about what makes you special
No one else has your personality and your unique combination of talents, wisdom, strengths, skills, and creativity. Identifying what sets you apart and what comes easily and naturally to you will take you a step closer to doing what you love. Remember that we are all here for a reason and we all have our own light to shine on the world.
4. Find the themes
What themes seem to show up aregularly in your life? What are you drawn to time and time again? What areas of your life are full of joy and light? When we recognise and acknowledge the re-ocurring patterns in our life, we can begin to understand what they are teaching us and act on them to take us closer to doing what we love.
5. Figure out what excites and energizes you?
“Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.” ~ Oprah Winfrey
What do you most look forward to in day-to-day life? What makes you smile? What activities leave you feeling mentally refreshed and energized? What hobbies see you losing track of time? Can you make a career out of this, so your passion can become your day job?
6. Think big, think positive and believe
If we are continually telling ourselves we can’t, then we will never believe we can. You can create affirmations, focus on the things you want, or make a vision board that shows your future success.
7. Forget about the money
If money were limitless, what would you be doing? Remember that being happy is not the same as being rich – you can always scale back. Focus on your interests and your passions, even if they seem farfetched; doing something you love will make you happier than being paid for doing something you hate. More on this at 5 Reasons You Should Never Work for Money.
8. Trust synchronicity and take action!
“If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.” ~ Milton Berle
When we trust our gut feelings and invite something new into our lives it can trigger a series of events that can, potentially, change our lives. For instance it was taking a calligraphy class that inspired Steve Jobs to start Apple. You’ll never know if you like something unless you give it a try so stop finding excuses and go for it! Learn a language, sign up for a class or course, try a sport you’ve never played before, become a volunteer for a cause you feel strongly about, or start the business plan you’ve been dreaming about, and it will take you another step closer to finding your passion.
The Do What You Love e-course will help you identify your passion and purpose. If you know it’s time to make a major change in your life – if you are seeking personal, professional or financial freedom and need support to find your way – don’t miss it! The course starts next week so find out more and register here.
Is your routine holding you back?
[Tweet ““If you think adventure is dangerous try routine. It’s lethal.” ~ Paulo Coelho”]
For me variety is the spice of life. I like every day to be different and I’ve always tried to avoid falling into habits and routines. So when I had my little boy, almost two years ago now, I’m the first to admit that being at home all day and juggling feeds, nap times, nappy changes, and everything else that a new baby brings, took some getting used to.
As any new parent knows, having a tiny little person relying on you for everything is hard work. You’re no longer have the freedom you used to. Even the simplest task, like meeting friends for coffee, requires an element of forward planning and spontaneity gores out of the window. Within weeks I developed my own little way of doing things. I was in the motherhood groove and and before long I had a routine!
My husband and I were in Brighton when I realised just how much of a creature of habit I’d become. It’s amazing how much clarity a change of scene can bring. Being by the sea, exploring a new city, and escaping the ‘daily grind’ left us both feeling inspired, refreshed and re-invigorated.
Getting a new perspective
Zack was now a few months old and having adapted to being parents things were becoming much easier. We realised that while there are always going to be jobs to do, and obligations and responsibilities to fulfil, life doesn’t have to feel like Groundhog Day.
Exploring a new city
On the journey home we agreed that while some routines are helpful and even necessary, especially for Zack, others had seen us get too comfortable and complacent. So we decided that some things needed to change.
Things that changed after our trip:
- I left my 9-5 and started writing part-time for Do What You Love. Now I’m free to work wherever and whenever I choose and to do all the things I love – be a mum, go running, do yoga, and be creative. Embracing new opportunities and connecting with interesting new people is part of the job so no two days are ever the same. I want Zack to grow up understanding that my work makes me happy and that I have my own hopes and dreams.
- We stopped complaining about how much time we waste watching TV and now, instead:
– we limit the amount of TV we watch
– we have regular date nights
– we have dinner as a family and talk
– we socialise more in the evenings with family and friends
– we spend more of our free time being creative and working on our own passion projects
- We looked at our finances to see where we could cut back and save money for a weekend away every few months.
- We both started doing more exercise. I joined a gym and my husband started running with colleagues at work.
- We made a 5-year plan that will help us live the life we really want and create our own special memories along the way.
10 simple ways to shake up your routine today:
- Change your schedule. Get up with the sun and take an early morning walk. You’ll see your world differently, sense different emotions in the people you meet and hear different sounds.
- Change your style – do your hair or make-up differently or experiment with clothes to find a new look.
- Commute a different way to work, or instead of going by car take the bus, train, walk or cycle.
- Take a class or a course in something you’re interested in, who knows what doors may open.
- Pick a different place to hang out. If you meet friends at a local bar, try a local restaurant. Or do something different – go to a sporting event watch a gig or have a dinner party.
- Have a conversation with someone new. Make this your daily mission and who knows, you might make a friend for life!
- Make more of your lunch break. Go to museums, try new restaurants, meet a friend, walk in the park, do something you’ve never done before or go somewhere you’ve never been before.
- Have a mini-adventure at the weekend. Do a road trip, go hiking or camping or explore a new city.
- Be inspired and get creative. Watch this playlist of TED Talks to kickstart your creativity, or read this excerptfrom Pico Iyer’s TED Book, The Art of Stillness.
- Take a day off and give yourself permission to do anything you want. Go for a long, solitary walk; write poetry; bake; go shopping; read a novel; watch a blockbuster; paint; make something for a friend; have a picnic in the middle of nowhere and then lie in the grass and look at the clouds.
[Tweet “Have you ever felt stuck in a rut?”] Do you follow the same routine, day in, day out? What small changes could you make to mix things up today?
Rachel
The Do What You Love e-course will help you ditch bad habits and boring routines, and lead you to see what you really want (or need) more clearly.
“I am now far more open to ideas and willing to say yes to opportunities. I think, well, what’s the worst that can happen?!” Shona W., Do What You Love participant, Jan 2015
Join us this June for the experience of a lifetime.
Why more time is not what you need, and other productivity tips for writers
This is a guest post by one of the UK’s leading experts in digital distraction and digital detox and author of The Distraction Trap: How to Focus in a Digital World, Frances Booth. Find out more about Frances here.
[Tweet ““If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” ~ Toni Morrison “]
Whether you work as a writer, aspire to be a writer, or use writing for business, these tips will help you be more productive with your writing. This is the second post in a two-part series. For more productivity tips, you can read part one of Top Productivity Tips For Writers.
Today we’ll look at the pressures around writing, creative fuel, and why more time is not what you need. Try these strategies for staying productive as a writer.
Give yourself less time
Having unlimited time to write isn’t always helpful. We might dream of that sabbatical, that year off, or retirement … when we’ll finally write that book. Then the huge chunk of time we’ve been waiting so long for finally arrives … and we don’t get round to writing. Would you believe it, we’ve got too much time! Huge swathes of time can leave us without a structure, and without any pressure to get on with our writing. Of course, too much pressure isn’t healthy either, but we’re looking for a balance that encourages us to write.
So, give yourself a bit less time. Give yourself one day a week to work on your book, rather than waiting for the whole week. Give yourself three hours to write that blog or article, rather than waiting for a whole day. What happens when we give ourselves less time? We’re forced to prioritise, we’re forced to say no to things that don’t really matter, and we’re forced to leave to one side – never to be done – the unimportant tasks we were filling our time with.
The drama lives on the page
It’s easy to get dramatic about writing. The turmoil! The angst! The difficult plotline! But getting dramatic about why it’s such a struggle is energy spent on the wrong thing. Tension should be in the words and the sentences you create. If you’re making a big fuss out loud about that piece, that chapter, or that blog that is so impossible, then ask yourself why. Yes, writing is difficult, and yes, we need methods and strategies to deal with the blocks and fears we face. But being dramatic isn’t going to solve it. It will just slow you down. Do some work on dealing with blocks or on sustaining yourself as a writer instead.
Creative fuel
Two of the main reasons writing grinds to a halt is that a writer is either blocked or has run out of steam. To solve the running out of steam problem, make sure you’ve given yourself enough creative fuel. This can seem counter-intuitive as a productivity strategy. But switch off your computer, get up, go out, and do something inspiring. Go for a walk, visit a gallery, or potter round a shop – do whatever you feel like doing to explore. There’s no agenda here, and you don’t have to write about what you’re doing. You’re simply gathering creative inspiration. When you return to your writing, if you’ve stocked up on creative fuel, the words will flow more easily. Staying inspired is one of the best ways to stay productive as a writer.
Don’t talk about it. Do it
We need to be careful how much we talk about our writing. There is a danger that we can spend energy and time on talking about writing, rather than actually on writing. For example, we might tell everyone about the book that we have ‘all ready in our head’. But we’re talking about it instead of actually getting it down on the page. It isn’t a book or a blog or an article until it’s actually written. Talking about our writing can also dilute our focus. It can scare us too – we put pressure on ourselves unnecessarily. It’s better to just get on with the piece. Get productive and get writing. Then you can talk about the piece when it’s finished.
Dealing with the pressure
Lots of the time we waste on writing is because we’re scared. We’re scared of pressing publish, we’re scared of people reading our words and we’re scared of being judged. When we write, we make ourselves vulnerable. We need to acknowledge this pressure so we can be more productive with our writing. We need to work through our fears – this is important work that needs doing and is worth spending our time on.
Some of the ways we react to this pressure include spending time checking, checking, and checking again. Or, we finish a piece, or a book, or a blog, but we never submit or publish it. All we’re doing is protecting ourselves. But like starting, the finishing line is another point where you can save huge amounts of time with your writing. How much time are you spending delaying or procrastinating once you’re finished? Clearing that final hurdle and pressing send is an important part of the process. So once you’ve finished, don’t delay. Take a deep breath and press publish.
Do What You Love interview – Jessica Nazarali
Imagine feeling creatively fulfilled in your work, having plenty of time to spend with your loved ones, travelling all over the world and earning a six figure salary, all while making a real and lasting difference to other people’s lives… Well for Sydney-based Jessica Nazarali, this is no longer a dream, it’s reality.
Just 12 months after quitting her day job, hiring a business coach, and going all in on her business as a Divine Living Coach, she gained the reputation as the next big ‘it girl coach’ and earned over $250,000. Four years on, aged 27, she runs a thriving business helping new women coaches create successful coaching businesses and build beautiful, personal brands.
“I always knew I wanted to do something “big” in the world,” Jessica says. “I’ve never wanted to lead an ordinary life, just scraping by only taking holidays once a year, only eating at my favourite restaurants on ‘special’ occasions, buying a new outfit only if I could justify the spend. As scary as it was to take the leap and be a full-time Divine Living Coach and entrepreneur, the thought of looking back in five, 10 or 20 years time and thinking “what if” seemed MUCH more scary. I’ve always believed that the world is better place when women do work they love and I am passionate about helping them to fulfil their true potential. It feels so good knowing that in some way I’m making a lasting difference.” Enjoy the interview. ~Rachel
1. How did starting a blog inspire you to become an entrepreneur?
I started out with a blog in 2011 on healthy living and eating, and over time, it grew to have a big following. Even though I thought I was terrible at writing when I first got started, I grew to love the process of writing and photo-documenting. Of course, I loved my readers too! From here other bloggers started asking me for tips on how to make their blogs as widely followed as mine was and eventually, that turned into coaching. A new business was born. I thought I would be a healthy eating coach, since that was the topic of my blog. It felt like a natural shift. But that wasn’t what I loved, which was helping women change their lives by starting their own coaching businesses. At first, I was trading my coaching services for beauty therapy, so I’ve come a long way since then.
2. You can help women turn their dreams of creating a six figure coaching business into a reality… how?
I take my clients through every step of the process, from the ‘big stuff’ such as getting over the fears that are holding you back to the tiny details like using Facebook ads and the importance of beautiful web design. Many women come to me with no coaching business at all – just a dream they’ve been thinking about – and after going through coaching with me or one of my programs, they are booking high end, one-on-one clients.
3. As women we all live busy lives so what advice would you give to help us find the time to step outside our routine, dream and get a vision for our next phase?
I love this question! I do a few things. First, I try to fit in at least a bit of yoga everyday. That really keeps me grounded and focused. Also, I have music on almost always, but especially when I’m masterminding or daydreaming. It really sets the tone for the positivity I want in my life and my business. Last but not least, travel always does this for me. I usually return from a trip with a huge, new plan to get started on.
4. You talk a lot about wow factors – ways we can all ‘up-level’ and keep improving ourselves personally and professionally. Why is it so important to learn, grow and keep developing ourselves and how can we all start doing this today?
Well, no one is going to make your dreams happen but you. I decided I was going to make my dreams come true No. Matter. What. I keep that in mind with every decision I make and every leap I need to take. It makes the fear of failure less scary because even if I don’t succeed at one little thing, it’s part of a larger success story. So it’s important not to let one potential mistake stop you in your tracks.
Beyond that, if you’re not continuing to improve all the time, it gets boring, right? No one wants a boring coach. So I like to keep things interesting for myself and for my clients.
5. Tell us about your business courses… what do they involve and how do we know which is right for us?
Your First Leap is everything you need to launch a coaching business and say goodbye to the day job that is holding you back from so much more. You’ll build a quit plan that makes sense for you and your life and get started building your dream business.
Find Your First Paying Coaching Clients is for women who are ready to go from no paying clients to successful coaching business that consistently get high end clients using premium packages. You’ll learn all of the steps to put your business together and create a brand that feels uniquely personal. While there are many business programs out there, there are not so many that focus solely on coaches AND specifically helping them find coaching clients. It’s important for new coaches to focus on finding clients because when you find your first paying clients, your confidence and belief in yourself really sky rockets.
Then, my new program, The Next It Girl Coach is about making a huge impact with your unique message to become the next ‘big thing’ in the coaching industry. What I love about It Girl is that it gives you permission to want fame and fortune along with reaching more people through your coaching career.
6. Your book, Leaping from the ladder, is written for women with big dreams who want to do what they love everyday. How does it help women figure out whether they are ready to be their own boss and get started?
Leaping From the Ladder is part memoir of my own experience going from corporate career girl to coaching queen, and part how to guide, walking you through everything you need to know about working for yourself and transitioning from reliable paychecks to earning your own income. It’s perfect for you if you want to start building your dream business with your eyes wide open about what it means to be your own boss and how to make it happen.
7. Mindvalley has asked you to create a coaching program for their new company Evercoach, how did this come about, what’s the program about, and what is involved?
Yes! This is really exciting, isn’t it? It’s a lesson in not underestimating yourself, for sure. A couple of months ago my husband mentioned that he thought Mindvalley would “love to partner with me” (being the very supportive husband that he is!) and I went into, “Well, maybe in five years when I’m more established, blah, blah.” Not a month later, I got a call from Mindvalley, based on a referral from Gina DeVee, asking me to create a course for them! So, my course will be coming out next month and it’s called Thrive.
8. How does it feel to see your business dreams come to life?
It feels amazing! Back when I was working in corporate, if you had told me I would be where I am right now – running my own 6-figure business, traveling the globe (as I write this from the south of France!), working with amazing clients to help them build their dream coaching businesses – I think I would have fainted!
9. What’s the key to getting balance?
I actually find it’s easier to balance it all now than it was back when I was working in my day job and running a business on the side. I don’t take it for granted that I can go to lunch with friends when I want, start my work day as early or as late as I need to, and work from anywhere in the world as long as I have my laptop.
10. What are the next steps in your business dream? What’s your ultimate dream?
Big question! I’m working on a couple of new projects right now, including the Mindvalley course, that are really expanding my vision of what’s possible in the very near future. Ultimately, I would love to have a huge platform for sharing my message with the world.
Jessica’s snapshot
Happiest place: Anywhere with my husband!
Quickest way to find clarity: Take a break and leave the house
Yoga position you love: Pigeon. I hated it when I first started yoga but now I really love it.
Mantra of the moment: I’m a millionaire
Most inspiring book you’ve read: I love Leveraging the Universe by Mike Dooley
Biggest ‘ah-ha’ moment in the last year: Anyone can be a millionaire within three years. Think about how empowering that is!
Three words that describe you: Determined, fun, love
Quote you live by: “Done is better than perfect”
Wish for the world: A ton of healing can come from accepting who you are, flaws and all. If everyone could do that, the world would be a happier, healthier place.
For more information about Jessica and the fascinating work she does visit her website and connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.