Is This a Test?

Three hours after the opening of Compelling Storytelling last June, Sandy Dempsey decided she had made a terrible mistake in coming. During the lunch break, she ran into co-presenter Alice Barry and shared her misgivings. Alice smiled at Sandy and said, “Welcome to the world of entrepreneurship!” Not only was that just what Sandy needed to hear, but on the final day of the seminar she shared a moving essay about her own journey which she’d written the night before. 

To everyone’s delight, Sandy has been making great progress and has started a terrific blog called The Dreaming Cafe. The following piece was posted there on her return from Denver last weekend. 

By the way, you can meet Sandy Dempsey if you join us for Follow Through Camp in Dodge City, May 15 & 16.

Watching some of the biggest snow flakes I have ever seen fall from the sky Friday afternoon from my hotel window in Denver, Colorado, I asked myself, “Is this a test?”  

At one point it was snowing up to four inches per hour. Depending on where you were in the city, expected snow accumulations were 8-14 inches, outside the city up to 36 inches and in the foothills a few hours away, 48 inches.

About the same time my flight touched down, another plane was struck by lightening just prior to landing.  Luckily no one was hurt. There were reported tornado spottings.

The snow and rain was causing flooding. Numerous flight delays and cancellations were expected Saturday since the storm was slow moving and appeared to have stalled. By Friday night I-70, a major interstate, was shut down stranding hundreds of drivers that needed to be rescued and moved to shelters. Thousands in and around the city had lost power due to the heavy, wet snow causing tree limbs to fall and wires to break.

What the heck was I doing here?  Was I crazy?

Why was I in Denver?  

I reminded myself that I was here to participate in Barbara Winter’s Making a Living Without a Job and Establish Yourself as an Expert workshops at the Colorado Free University.  I was here for some ‘continuing education’.  

Saturday morning, an hour before the first workshop was to start, I headed out in the snow and rain.  It was slow going.  At one point I almost got stuck in eight inches of slush at a stop sign.  Didn’t they plow in Denver?  

 And, again, I thought to myself, “Is this a test?” 

I found The Colorado Free University, but I didn’t see many cars and the parking lot was worse than the roadways. This is crazy, I thought, and I turned around and headed back to the hotel.  As each mile clicked off the GPS, the knots in my stomach grew tighter.  I know what giving up feels like and it doesn’t feel good.

About halfway back, I pulled into a Burger King and called the school.  After being on hold for five minutes I finally got through to someone in student services.  He was very nice.  He confirmed that nothing was cancelled and classes would be held as scheduled.  I took a deep breath and turned back around.  It was raining and snowing even harder.  The tire tracks were being covered with fresh snow.

Ten minutes later I slid into the parking lot.  Noticing all the unplowed snow and slush I prayed that I would be able to get out at the end of the day.

Trudging through about six inches of slush, soaking my shoes, socks and pants, I entered the school and found the classroom rather quickly. There was one other student waiting.  No Barbara.  A few other students drifted in.  No Barbara.

I was getting a little panicky.  I had talked to Barbara briefly the day before and although I had her cell number I knew it would not be on because she told be she didn’t have her charger with her.I decided to take a walk, breath, relax and look outside.  Just as I rounded the corner a blast of cold air hit me and there in the doorway stood Barbara Winter.  I can’t tell you how happy I was to see her.

 The workshops, one right after another flowed in Barbara Winter fashion; tons of information, lots of stories to help you remember all the finer points and lots of camaraderie among the students.  My brain was on overload.  But, it was a good overload.

Later that night, watching more rain fall and the snow begin to disappear in my part of the city, I thought again, “Was this a test?”

 Yes, looking back, I think it was.  There were so many times I could have given up and turned back.  But, I didn’t.  

 I took action despite the weather, my fears and self-doubt.  I made it to Denver.  I braved the storm.  I met new people.  And I made it back home.

I didn’t give up.

This won’t be the last test or obstacle I will encounter on my journey, but it will serve as a reminder of what I am capable of overcoming.

How about you?  Have you ever been ‘tested’?  What did you learn?  Share your story with me.  Email me at Sandy@TheDreamingCafe.com

 

 

 

 

Moving in the Direction of Her Dreams

Barbara, I read your book years ago and took your class at the local Adult Ed program here in Seattle. I have also taken a couple of your teleseminars when I needed more encouragement. You really inspired me to push out to be an entrepreneur. I have been working as a nurse and was searching for a way to get out and start my own business, but was not sure in what area I wanted to go.

I have finally taken the plunge! I will be leaving nursing (always keeping my license current though) and starting massage therapy school on 2/25 in Sedona, Arizona. I can’t wait to start this new chapter of my life. I am forever grateful to nursing for all it has taught me and helped me grow as a person.

Massage therapy school is just the start; ultimately, I want to get into energy medicine. In the meantime, I will continue doing the photography business on the side. As I love taking photos and inspiring others to follow their passions.

The hardest thing about leaving my job was the false sense of security it gave me. This has caused me to pass up opportunities in the past, because I was too afraid.

In January I prayed with my whole heart for an answer as to what I should do with my life and to keep an open mind, not expecting to leave nursing so soon. That night at work one of the nurses I work with told me I should look into moving to Arizona. It was totally out of the blue. I was trying to pursue a nursing job down there, but nothing was coming through.

Then a few days later, my Mom called me up and told me I should look at becoming a massage therapist. My Mom has never done this before, as she buys into the theory of never leaving a “secure, steady paying” job. So on 1/16, I called up several massage schools and found this amazing school in Sedona! I will be leaving Seattle exactly one month to the day when my Mom called me to check out massage therapy school. This is one of the fastest moves and most drastic changes I have ever done in my life, but it feels so RIGHT! It is also one of the smoothest and least stressful moves I have ever done. The only stress I feel from this move is when my brain tries to scare me about financial worries.

I look forward to taking more teleseminars from you, maybe even a seminar as I will be close to Vegas now. For the drive from Seattle to Sedona I’ll be listening to your Making Dreams Happen.

Thanks again for the encouraging me to not be afraid to step out of my comfort zone.

Denise Beck

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Opportunity knocking? Here’s an invitation for you to share your expertise and expand your market at the same time. This new start-up is looking for talent. Here is their recent Twitter post: @LiveCounseling Are you a qualified expert?  Sign at  http://www.livecounseling.com Our customers need you.

It’s better to be ready to go than to wait until you are perfectly ready. ~ Twyla Tharp

Joyfully Jobless in London

For years I was a hotel-hopper with every visit to London. In my quest to find a reasonably priced hotel, I ended up staying in plenty of shabby (but not chic) hotels that were well past their sell by date. That frustration came to an end four years ago when I decided to sample the offerings of At Home in London.

Although I wasn’t sure I’d feel comfortable staying in a private home, my apprehensions were dispelled on my first stay. Owner Maggie Dobson has gathered a pool of homeowners, many of them empty-nesters who have cleverly turned a spare room into a profit center. Since Maggie vets every home she represents, there’s not much chance of an unpleasant surprise.

On my recent trip, I stayed in two different homes and enjoyed them both. The first weekend was a return visit to the home of Angela and David Inman. Angela is a woman who understands multiple profit centers. In addition to her affliation with At Home in London she also has a business marketing wellness products. Her primary business, however, is as a decorative artist. She showed me photos of a 7-story house she and four other artists spent 14 months covering in extraordinary murals. During my stay, she spent a night doing repair work on the Mama Mia! set. The next day she was off to begin a botanical painting class. 

When I returned from Rome, I headed to the charming and lively suburb of Chiswick  where I moved into Valerie & David Yates-Green’s Wellness Home. I had been warned that shoes were not allowed in the house so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I was greeted by my hosts at the front door and invited to have a cup of tea with them. “So where do you live in Las Vegas?” David asked me. When I said I was out on the west side in Summerlin, he broke into a grin and said, “That’s where my daughter lives.” Then he added, “Valerie’s aunt lived there so she’s made three trips to Las Vegas.” We bonded on the spot.

When I studied the bookcases that were located throughout the house, I saw many favorite and familiar titles. I knew I was in the right place—even though I’d left my shoes at the front door.

The next morning I was heading out to my What Would an Entrepreneur Do? seminar. Valerie asked me about the seminar and then said she’d love to tell me her story about how she went from years of being an unhappy corporate employee to being an enthusiastic entrepreneur. I couldn’t wait to hear.

That evening, I joined her in the tv lounge and she shared her journey which began with a diagnosis of breast cancer a decade ago. That led her to wonder why she had gotten ill and she began exploring the subject of wellness. Along the way, she had the vision of creating a wellness bed and breakfast somewhere in a countryside. One day her sister pointed out that she could open such a business right in the city. The tranquil Welness Home has been welcoming guests from all over the world for the past four years. 

Since connecting with Joyfully Jobless strangers is one of my favorite travel rewards, I came home with plenty of evidence that the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well almost everywhere. I’ll be sharing more of those stories in upcoming posts.

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Opportunity knocking? Here’s an invitation for you to share your expertise and expand your market at the same time. This new start-up is looking for talent. Here’s their recent Twitter post: @LiveCounseling Are you a qualified expert? Sign up at http://www.livecounseling.com Our customers need you.

You would do well to fail frequently so you can learn a great deal more than someone who is afraid to fail and therefore takes little risk. If you have passion for what you are doing and aim high, good things will happen even if it takes a lot of failing to accomplish them.~ Bernie Siegel

You Might Just Need a Little Jumpstart

Five or six years ago, image coach Sue Donnelly attended Making a Living Without a Job in London. A few days later, she sent me this report about what happened the very next day:

Just thought I would email to say a big thank you  for Sunday’s workshop, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Also thought you might be interested in what has happened since.

I was very elated when you talked about all of us being on earth to have a good time rather than the struggle which we all seem to take for granted. It does, therefore, seem logical that people who need your talent/skill will find you. I thought alot about this on the way home and the following happened on Monday:

1. An ex corporate customer rang to ask me if I would be interested in running some 3 hour workshops @ £500 each

2. A large Building Society has asked to see me on Friday re personal branding of some of their employees

3. A very large utility company has made an appointment for me to see them re branding issues and customer relationship concerns at the end of the month.

4. A director of a women’s charity has emailed to say she wants me to do some “personal branding” with her.

5. The Daily Mail rang and asked me for my comments on a piece they were writing, which appear in today’s paper

6. A new coaching organisation has requested my input for numerous courses over the summer months.

7. Two networking friends have devised a plan for regular women’s “health and fitness” packages and want me to be a part of them

8. An ex-corporate colleague has moved job and has asked me to take over all his outstanding appointments/workshops

9. A Relationship Coach has asked if I would be interested in working with her on a  joint package 

10. My husband bought me a fabulous new jacket 

I still had time to take in a yoga class, tell a friend ( an astrologer) at length about your course and your books, and go to my choral society practice. Not bad eh? Keep up the good work and I’ll maintain my new found beliefs – as they are sure working for me at the moment.

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You can find out more about Sue’s booming business by visiting her Web site Accentuate Me. Sue is also the author of four books including her latest Feel Fab at 50.

A Case Study in Outsmarting Resistance

Those of us who met Sandy Dempsey at Compelling Storytelling last June, have watched with delight as she’s begun moving in the direction of her dreams. Part of that is her The Dreaming Cafe blog which included this part of her story this week.

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I have been sitting on the fence for months, undecided whether to attend the Follow Through Camp hosted by Barbara Winter and Alice Barry May 15th and 16th in Dodge City, Kansas.

Part of me desperately wanted to go and the other part had every excuse in the book…Dodge City is two hours from the nearest airport…Kansas has never been on my list of places to visit…it’s tornado season…I don’t want to spend the money when my job could be eliminated any day…I’m not ready for this step…and on and on.

Monday a friend and I were playing around with business ideas for both of us, when I said I needed to take things to the next level in my entrepreneurial quest. Then I began telling him about the Follow Through Camp. He said, “It sounds like just want you need right now regardless of what happens here.”

You know what? He was right. I have several business ideas and have been starting to move in the direction I want to go, but I need to take it to the next level. The energy, enthusiasm and support I will receive from attending the Follow Through Camp is just what I need right now. I have so much I want to do and I am so ready to take the next steps.

Monday night after work I made the decision. Within an hour of arriving home I made my hotel reservations at The Dodge House, made my flight reservations and a car reservation and submitted my workshop registration.

But  the story doesn’t end there.

When I had difficulty making my reservations online for The Dodge House I called the hotel to make them over the phone. But, I forgot to ask for my reservation number and they forgot to give it me. Instead of calling, I went back online to send a request for it to be emailed or faxed to me. I must have entered my email address incorrectly because the next day Charla Swift, the owner, called to tell me my confirmation kept bouncing back and could I confirm my email address.

I was very impressed with her friendliness and professionalism. I never had the owner of a hotel call me personally before. We had a nice conversation and I discovered she was actually calling from Colorado where she was visiting her sons, for the holiday.

Now, where she was calling from didn’t really mean a whole lot until later that night when I received Barbara’s Joyfully Jobless Newsletter. The newsletter closed with an invitation to attend Barbara’s ‘Making a Living Without a Job’ and ‘Establish Yourself as an Expert’ workshops in, can you guess, COLORADO! Both workshops were being held in Denver at the Colarado Free University on Saturday April 18th.

It was too much of a coincidence to let go, so just for fun I went to Travelocity to check airfares. I could hardly believe my eyes when I discovered they were having a special..Philadelphia to Denver, $218, round-trip, non-stop! I could hardly believe it myself, but since it was late I decided to sleep on it.

By morning I couldn’t forget it and told my husband about it. He said, “Is that why you are so happy this morning?” I couldn’t stop grinning.

I went online again and  there was the same deal. I didn’t have time to sit on the fence and ponder this decision. So, guess I’m headed to Denver, Colorado next weekend!!

Decisions are like dominoes, sometimes. Once the first one falls, more follow. My decision on Monday to attend the Follow Through Camp in Dodge City, Kansas, was the first domino to fall.The second domino fell  with my decision to follow the signs, invest in myself, and attend two more Barbara Winter workshops in Denver, Colorado.

I am kind of curious now…what will be the next domino to fall, the next decision, the next step in building my dream?

 

Most of the time we don’t see the obvious opportunity–if you intentionally create the connections, you’ll get more of them, and better ones too. ~ Seth Godin

Lost Her Job, Found Herself

When I started at Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, I felt that I was back in high school with a new boss.  The work was challenging and in my position as a processor, I could do extra work to continue to achieve higher pay through getting my underwriting degrees.  I was making a good salary and bonuses like $1600 per month.  In 2004,  I was chosen as 1 of the 1000 Outstanding Wells Fargo Home Mortgage employees and my husband and I were given a Caribbean Cruise.   Life could not have been better.  I planned on working at Wells Fargo until I retired.

 Then something strange happened and it was only until the later part of 2008 that I finally figured out what occured.  A new manager was hired to my department in May of 2004.  I balked when she asked me to do something unethical. She looked me straight in the face and said that I was to do as I was told —no questions as things are busy and we have to complete things fast.

 The next day, I put in my two week notice. It seems so weird to think that in 2004 I knew something strange was going to happen with the mortgage industry and I did not want any part of it.  For years, I wondered what was going on and it was not until last year that it finally came out that these poor mortgage practices have caused financial hardship globally. 

During the two weeks, I read a lot of books and decided that I was going to find a fun job.  Since I had been making bonuses, I had money saved up.  I read a book called Making  a Living Without a Job by Barbara Winter.  It changed my life.

 I decided the one place that makes me most happy is being with dogs and cats.  In October of 2004, Aloha Pet Care, a dog walking and pet sitting service formed and it has been going great ever since.  I make twice the amount per year that I did when I worked for Wells Fargo and every day I feel fulfilled and joyful.

 In May of 2008, I finally got to meet Barbara Winter at a conference she put on for entrepreneurs called What Would the Entrepreneur Do.  It was all about creating that business for yourself that fulfills all of your needs.  Through this conference, I discovered my long desire to be a pet portrait artist and my new business, “Images to Smiles” was formed. 

 Aloha Pet Care is going strong and I had an Art Show at the Northrup King Building in Northeast Minneapolis on March 29th which will be a fundraiser for a pit bull rescue group.

 My passions of dogs, art, fundraising, and working with people have all come together in this new business.  Had I stayed at Wells Fargo, I would have kept being an employee and never would have found out who I am.

 Lisa Sellman, Pet Care Extraordinaire

Aloha Pet Care

 

Joyfully Jobless? Speak up

When Liz de Nesnera noticed the front page story in the New Jersey Star Ledger, she was excited. After she read it, however, she felt she wanted to get into the conversation. Here’s the letter she wrote in response.

I wanted to send you a note regarding your article “Wall St. survivors: Former financial executives reinventing themselves as entrepreneurs” which appeared in today’s Star Ledger. While I applaud the five people you featured, and wish them the very best in their new endeavors, I felt that your article was a bit skewed. Every person you wrote about bought into a franchise.

While this is one way to start your own business, it’s not the only way, nor is it necessarily the most feasible way for everyone who gets laid off. Those that get laid off may not have the $15,000, let alone $100,00 available to buy in.

I was laid off in May of 2005 from a job I held for 9 years. Like many of those you mentioned in your article, I decided that it was “now or never” for me to take that leap and go out on my own. As the primary caregiver to my mother who had a stroke 14+ years ago, I started a resource website for Caregivers  which I still maintain as a labor of love.

Then I went back to my love of voice over and recording and am now a successful a full-time freelance bi-lingual (English/French) voiceover artist with clients all over the world. After almost four years I can say that I am making a living, able to pay my bills and LOVE what I do! (You can see what I do and hear my demos at www.HireLiz.com) My initial investment of a website host, new computer, professional microphone, professional recording equipment and software, as well as the sweat equity of setting up my recording space and websites were MUCH less than the lowest $15,000-franchise-buy-in quoted in your article.

 With the help of friends I have made along the way, plus a lot of networking, joining relevant professional associations as well as online sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter, I am living my dream of  being my own boss. Like many of those featured in your article I work long hours, but frankly it doesn’t feel like work because I’m passionate about what I do.

 I’m thrilled that the people you mentioned have found their niche. I just wanted to provide an alternate non-franchised perceptive  from someone who has been there, and is now happier than ever working for themselves.

 

Now is the Time

A few weeks ago, I had to make a trip to the brake shop and grabbed a new book I’d received to keep me company. I settled in on a hard chair with a styrofoam cup of bad coffee and resigned myself to a long wait. Half an hour later, I was so enchanted by Lynda Resnick’s Rubies in the Orchard, I found myself hoping the repair would take a long time. 

I’ve been raving about the book ever since. When I saw that Resnick had written an article  called Five Reasons Americans Can Be Happy, of course I checked it out. Here’s a little sample:

Now is the time for which entrepreneurs have been longing. Those who choose to shun their muck-colored glasses for rosy ones will see the opportunity awaiting them. What’s more, they will see that innovation and altruism will attract the many talented individuals currently seeking employment, because those attributes are more lasting than the oversized tactics employed by yesterday’s dinosaurs.

America is the Home of True Innovation

Most of modern society’s greatest discoveries are the direct byproduct of the can-do spirit of the American inventor and entrepreneur. Think of some of the most recent achievements of our fellow citizens… the Human Genome Project, space exploration, computer technology and the Internet (there’s a reason code is written in English and not Hindu or Chinese). Now, faced with the potential devastation of global warming and the dangers of our dependence on foreign oil, America will focus its efforts on environmental advancements and be an example for change.

In America, technological breakthroughs breed like mechanical rabbits, with one new disruptive technology hopping after another. Some of the most innocuous inventions have proven earth-shattering, with reverberations felt around the planet. The Internet is the poster child for disruptive technology, but even such inventions as Amazon’s Kindle and Apple’s iPod have rocked their respective industries by changing how we entertain ourselves. There will be more disruptive technologies in this time of need. In a garage somewhere, two kids are cooking up a widget that will make our lives both easier and less expensive.

If you’d like to read the entire article, you’ll find it here.

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Quick reminder that if you want to add seminars & workshops to your repertoire, there’s still time to join me for A Beginner’s Guide to the Seminar Business, my teleclass that’s coming up on Thursday, March 19, 8 PM Eastern, 5 PM Pacific.

How to Spot a Joyfully Jobless Person

After I had lived in my Minneapolis apartment for a year, the property manager confessed that she and her assistant found me mysterious. They had come to the conclusion that I was a kept woman, since I didn’t seem to keep regular working hours. Equally perplexing, she said, was that every time she saw me I was smiling. What in the world would cause such a thing? 

It gave me great pleasure to know that I had provided them with hours of amusement. I suspect that as more and more of us become Joyfully Jobless there will be more puzzled neighbors. What makes the Joyfully Jobless different? Besides laughing a lot, their behavior is different than that of 9-5ers.  Here are five characteristics:

* They have unpredictable schedules. Generally, they do not leave and return home at regular hours. Instead, you may find them shopping during quiet times, enjoying a midweek movie matinee and heading to the post office when the lines are shortest. Being out of sync with traffic suits them.

* They’re not in attendance. Having left the world of tedious, time-wasting meetings, the Joyfully Jobless are reluctant to align themselves with groups who allow tedium in their gatherings. It’s not that they’re loners, but the Joyfully Jobless are picky about how they spend their precious time.

* They do talk to strangers. Since curiosity is one of their strongest traits, the Joyfully Jobless want to know what others are thinking and doing. The fact that the person next to them in line or on a flight is a total stranger does not keep them from striking up a conversation. 

* They’re confident, but not arrogant. They trust their own ideas and are willing to make mistakes, learn, move on. Personal responsibility is not just a nice idea. It’s their guiding star.

* They  create and live  interesting stories. Here’s one I received from Kristin Russo in No. Scituate, RI who wrote to share it last week:

This month finds me truly joyful. Just one week after I left my teaching job, I was hired as a feature writer for my local newspaper.  My job is now to report good news from our schools and other community arenas, and to write pieces on home and family.  In other words, I’m getting paid to visit my children’s schools, to chat with my friends, and to shop at my favorite stores. I have other projects in the pipeline and am buoyed by my recent success.  Keep the inspiration coming!

 I received my Master’s degree in Teaching Secondary Education English in 2007 and embarked on what I hoped would be long teaching career.  It lasted a year and a half before I decided classroom teaching wasn’t for me.

 I read your book last summer and took your advice about volunteering.  Volunteering really is a great way to ensure you get to do something you enjoy.  I decided to join a  local job networking group and I now volunteer to help job seekers create cover letters and resumes.  I’m teaching similar writing skills that I taught my high school students (proper grammar, punctuation, writing voice and flow), but I find adult learners to be more motivated and more fulfilling to work with than high schoolers.  This volunteering position became the subject of my first story for the newspaper; they loved it, and now I’m a regular correspondent.

 Last week I covered a Literary Character Day party in my 9-year-old’s third grade class.  Yes, I got paid to spend time with my child at school.  That story was a hit with my editor and with my son!

 I was called in to the editor’s office yesterday and given some plumb assignments.  I’ve been asked to do a feature story on homeowners who are looking for low-cost ways to spruce up their homes for spring, and I will be visiting my favorite home furnishing stores to write this story.  I mean it – I am getting paid to shop at my favorite stores!

 I’ve also been signed on as a regular contributor to the newspaper’s Living section, and have been asked to cull story ideas and resources from my circle of friends.  Yup, I’m getting paid to have coffee with my buddies. Best yet, I work from my home office, so my time is truly my own.

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A Whole New Mind by Daniel Pink has been one of my favorite books for the past few years. Keep an eye out for his PBS special Living On the Right Side.

 

Italy Calling

Fans of Eat, Pray, Love recall that when Elizabeth Gilbert wanted to regain her capacity to feel pleasure, she headed to the place where it’s celebrated—Italy. For centuries, Italians have also found pleasure in entrepreneurial pursuits.

One of my favorite modern stories of Italian business comes from John Berendt’s book The City of Fallen Angels where we are introduced to Massimo Donadon, the Rat Man of Treviso, who entertains guests at a dinner party with the story of his rise to success as a manufacturer of rat poison that’s sold throughout the world. 

Since Italy’s been calling to me recently, I wanted to showcase the joyfully jobless spirit Italian style. Let’s start in Rome with the Institute of Design & Culture founded by American expats, art historian Dr. Laura Flusche and Susan Sanders. Visit their site and check out their gorgeous blog, Eternally Cool and you’re in for a visual feast. You’ll also see that these women understand the concept of multiple profit centers.

If you’d like to have a daily dose of modern Italian culture, sign up for the delightful Italian Notebook. Every day brings another glimpse into this culture. Last week, for example, there was a story about Alfonso Bialetti, inventor of the ubiquitous stovetop coffeemaker which has sold a whooping 270,000,000 units since its invention. The previous installment introduced us to Camogli, a town whose plain buildings have been transformed through the artistry of trompe-l’oeil.

Rick Steves has always been passionate about Italy and about small, family-owned and operated businesses. His 14-day Best of Village Italy provides wonderful opportunities to meet winemakers, cooks, artisans and other village entrepreneurs.

If you’re a reader of my Joyfully Jobless News ezine, you may recall my recent article about Carlo Pescatori, a Venetian entrepreneur I met two years ago when my siblings and I rented an apartment from him. Carlo has added another profit center to his portfolio and offers conversational Italian tutoring via Skype. If you want to spruce up your language skills, check out Parlo con Carlo.

Speaking of Venice, the NY Times has a long, but fascinating, piece on Frugal Venice that is worth reading whether you’re planning to visit or not.

If you’re in the mood for a bit of armchair travel involving Italy, I have a couple of favorites to recommend. Sarah Dunant’s The Birth of Venus is one of the most extraordinary novels set in an extraordinary time when Florence was under siege by the religious fanatic Savonarola. 

Modern Florence is the setting for The Monster of Florence by Douglas Preston and Mario Spezi, a book I couldn’t put down. Here’s how Amazon describes it: When author Douglas Preston moved his family to Florence he never expected he would soon become obsessed and entwined in a horrific crime story whose true-life details rivaled the plots of his own bestselling thrillers. While researching his next book, Preston met Mario Spezi, an Italian journalist who told him about the Monster of Florence, Italy’s answer to Jack the Ripper, a terror who stalked lovers’ lanes in the Italian countryside.

Another treasure is Sprezzatura by Peter D’Epiro and Mary Desmond Pinkowish. Sprezzatura is the art of effortless mastery and this book introduces us to 50 Italians whose mastery impacted the world.

Finally, there’s Alan Epstein’s As the Romans Do: An American Family’s Italian Odyssey, in which you’ll meet another expat entrepreneur.