My Apology to Las Vegas

There it is again: Las Vegas heads up the story on Top Cities Hit Hardest by the Recession. We’ve been seeing these stories for months now, of course, but suddenly I’m feeling slightly responsible for this state of affairs.

As you may know, I lived in Las Vegas for nearly five years and I didn’t have a job one single day during my residence. Did I get counted in the jobless statistics? Was I contributing to those endless stories of the growing population of jobless folks?

That’s probably debatable, but there’s another indiscretion that I must confess:  I really didn’t do my part to boost the local economy.

Oh, there were regular shopping trips to Borders, Target and Trader Joe’s, but other than that I did almost no shopping. I wasn’t being a penny pincher, however. I was so content and happy living there that I just didn’t have the urge to accumulate unnecessary stuff.

The only thing that grew during my time as a Nevadan was my library. I also was an enthusiastic patron and supporter of the public library, which is exquisite.

And, lest you wonder, no, I didn’t leave money in slot machines or on the blackjack tables either. There were no expensive nights on The Strip, although I did regularly contribute to Cirque du Soleil’s bottom line.

I also upped the local economy by hosting several events that brought in out of town visitors, but these were so infrequent that I fear they didn’t boost nearly enough. (Of course, they did boost the businesses of the participants, but that took place back in their hometowns.)

So while it saddens me that Las Vegas has been through an ultra challenging time, I also know that there’s so much entrepreneurial spirit alive and well in this amazing spot in the desert that I can’t wait to see how they stage their comeback.

After all, there’s a good reason why Las Vegas has a reputation as a place for second chances. I’m just sorry I won’t be there to participate.

To Read or Not To Read

My niece Gretchen is about to give birth to her first child. During her pregnancy, her husband Tony has been reading to their unborn baby. Currently, he’s working his way through Don Quixote.

In my family, this is considered normal.

Of all the things I’m thankful for, high on my list is that I was raised by readers. Since I was the eldest child and my father was faraway fighting a war, my mother read to me incessantly. Happily, I’m still being read to.

In the midst of her kindergarten year, Zoe called. When I answered the phone, I was greeted with an exuberant, “Grandma, I can read!”  Read she can and does. When I’m a guest in their house, I have the pleasure of Zoe reading to me every evening.

Of course, you can catch book passion any time in life. However, the sooner you get it, the more time you have to consume more titles.

Once caught, this fever doesn’t diminish. My sister Nancy, who has lived abroad her entire adult life, is relocating to Santa Barbara. She told me that the shipping company required that she count the books in her library.

“I discovered,” she said, with some amazement, “that I own 1,026 books.” Now I’m eager to do an inventory of my own since I have no idea how many books are in my library.

Since Nancy and I are both moving into new homes, finding the perfect spot for our books is a top priority. I keep thinking of Anna Quindlen’s observation, “I will be most happy if my children grow up to be the kind of people whose idea of decorating is to add more bookshelves.”

So while reading for pleasure is what often snares us to begin with, a desire to become our best selves often has us exploring new sections of the library and bookstore.

If you’re building a business, new titles and old can accelerate your success, connect you with ideas, resources and inspiration you’d never have encountered while walking down the street.

Here are five old favorites that are a pleasure to read and filled with useful insights for the Joyfully Jobless life:

Growing a Business by Paul Hawken

Making a Literary Life by Carolyn See

The War of Art by Steven Pressfield

Small is the New Big by Seth Godin

A Whole New Mind by Daniel Pink

While some of these titles may be old friends already, I chose them because they all are worthy of more than one visit.

And if you aren’t a regular reader, make time every day to sample the creative thinkers, the life teachers, the pioneers who have wonderful things to teach us. If you don’t, you’ll be inflicting a needless handicap on yourself.

As the wise Jim Rohn used to say, “The only thing worse than not reading a book in the last 90 days, is not reading a book in the last 90 days and thinking it doesn’t matter. Skip a meal if you must, but don’t skip a book.”

One Thursday is Not Enough

When I first began making regular trips to London, I discovered that mid-November was a perfect travel time. It was a quiet time for my business and it was a quiet time for the travel industry so all sorts of bargains abounded.

Several of these trips had me away from home on Thanksgiving. Invariably, an American would ask me if the holiday was also celebrated in the UK. I’d politely point out that one of the things the Pilgrims were most thankful for was that they’d escaped from their British homeland.

On the other hand, British friends would tell me they wished they had a holiday focused on gratitude. I’d nod in agreement, but refrained from telling them that I never cared all that much for Thanksgiving. It always seemed a bit phony to me—and the menu never changed.

My feelings about Thanksgiving did change, however, and it’s become my favorite holiday. I remember the exact moment when that occurred.

My siblings and I were gathered at my mother’s house one Thanksgiving and I was sitting on the living room floor laughing hysterically at some silliness. The next moment,  I was engulfed by the thought, “I love being with these people.” I realized what a blessing it is to have a family that you not only love, but truly like.

From that time on, I decided to make every Thursday a mini-Thanksgiving Day. Sometimes I send thank you notes, sometimes I just meditate on current gratitude.

There’s one ritual, however, that I always include: I pay my bills on Thursday. Doing so used to be a source of dread, but that has been transformed because of a story I read in Living a Beautiful Life by Alexandra Stoddard.

In a chapter on creating rituals, Stoddard mentioned that she had a friend who had a bill paying ritual. She’d light candles, play lovely music, get out her favorite pen and write checks. It became an interlude in her busy life that she looked forward to.

It had never entered my mind that paying bills could be anything other than a necessary chore. I decided to test the notion.

My ritual is less romantic, but it’s a ritual nonetheless. It’s a time to give thanks for the blessings in my life that makes it possible to pay those bills, to contribute to the prosperity of others and to keep wealth circulating. I think about the recipient of each check (even when it’s a big impersonal organization) and send a silent blessing.

Both my attitude and bank account have been richer since putting this into action. Best of all, I discovered that one Thanksgiving per year just isn’t enough.

A Few Thoughts on Living Rich

Several years ago, Marlo Thomas compiled over 100 personal stories in a book called The Right Words at the Right Time.  People both famous and less well known shared stories about a moment when words changed their lives.

Many of the stories concerned moments when someone was on the verge of giving up, but got back on track because of a few encouraging words. The book is a terrific reminder that our words have more power than we may realize.

It wasn’t until I began my own journey of self-discovery that I found myself startled, encouraged and inspired by the words of others. How did that author know I need to hear those very words? Were there universal truths that could be revisited over and over again and make an impact every time?

I didn’t really care what the explanation was. It was enough to know that despite distances of time and geography, there were others who had thoughts that touched me and, frequently, lighted my path.

Soon I found myself filling notebooks with quotations that were eloquent and enlightening. Hundreds of my favorites are now gathered in a nifty little book called Seminar in a Sentence.

Here’s a tiny sampler of thoughts on what it means to Live Rich:

In this world, it’s not what we take up, but what we give up, that makes us rich. ~ Henry  Ward Beecher

Life engenders life. Energy creates energy. It is by spending oneself that one becomes rich. ~ Sarah Bernhardt

I knew that to be at home in the world was the way to grow rich. The way I wanted to be rich. ~ Marlena de Blasi

The lack of wealth is easily repaired but the poverty of the soul is irreplaceable. ~ Michel de Montaigne

Both having money and not having money make fantastic adventures possible that would not otherwise be possible. Same for having, and not having, anything else. ~ Mike Dooley

It is better to live rich than to die rich. ~ Samuel Johnson

Here is what would be pitiful: if your income grew and you didn’t. ~ Jim Rohn

If you’re going to let your fear of poverty govern you life your reward will be that you will eat, but you will not live. ~ George Bernard Shaw

Money loses its value the moment you try to hang onto it. Money only has value when you’re willing to let it go. Money has its greatest value when it leaves your hand, because it empowers you to be, do and have something that you choose to be, do and have. ~ Neale Donald Walsch

The secret to a rich life is to have more beginnings than endings. ~ David Weinbaum

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If you’d like your own portable Seminar in a Sentence, click on the link and let me know where you’d like yours sent.

Shining a Spotlight on Small Business

Janesville, Minnesota, the small town where I grew up, had a population of about 1200 when I was living there. It also had 4 grocery stores, 2 hardware stores, 2 dry goods stores, a bakery, 4 restaurants, 4 gas stations, 3 bars, a law firm, 2 doctors, 2 farm equipment companies, a Dairy Queen and a drug store.

Besides the 1200 loyal customers who lived in town, the businesses were also supported by the farming community that surrounded it.

By the time I was in college, people were being enticed to travel a short distance to a town that was 16 miles away  where supermarkets and Kmarts were popping up offering more merchandise than could be found at home.

Slowly, the longtime merchants in my hometown began to retire and close up shop. Like many small towns, the impact of all that business going elsewhere was felt.

There are, of course, all sorts of explanations for the changing landscape of small business in America. What wasn’t noticeable at first, was that while Main Street was changing, so was small business and what it meant.

The media talked about small business being gobbled up by big box stores and while that was one aspect of the changing face of business, it wasn’t the only thing going on. Familiar businesses were disappearing, but entrepreneurial spirit was simply moving elsewhere.

Even as the quest to recruit workers for large organizations with out-of-control ambitions for world domination continued, there was a Quiet Revolution taking place that largely went unnoticed.

In retrospect, it appears this revolution was a very good thing. Mom and Pop businesses no longer were limited to running the corner grocery store. Suddenly, Mom and Pop were becoming partners in a new paradigm of what it meant to be entrepreneurial.

A desire to make a living was certainly part of the motivation, but not the only one. Fueled by individuals who were rediscovering philosophy and spirituality, the new breed of entrepreneur brought values, passion and curiosity to their enterprises.

Still, nobody paid much attention—except for the happy clients and customers of these specialty operations. Without the confines of location, these new little business wonders were free to ply their trade anywhere and everywhere.

Those with wanderlust grabbed their passports and built their businesses both at home and abroad. Others traded in their family homes and permanent addresses for a motorhome and took to the road. Others, fascinated by technology, began connecting with kindred spirits all over the globe.

These hardy pioneers were inventing a new definition of what it meant to be an entrepreneur—and it bore little resemblance to the shopkeepers and corporate models of the past.

If they opted for small town living, that was just fine. Their customers and clients didn’t need to be living down the street in order to do business with them. If they loved the thrill of big city living, that was also an option.

Freedom was now limited only by their own imagination. We may no longer call them pioneers, but they certainly are blazing new trails, innovating, and committing themselves to creating the life of their dreams.

And these pioneering folks are about to have a special day of their own.

In case you haven’t heard, November 27 is the first ever Small Business Saturday, a day when everyone is being encouraged to support small businesses. Of course, if you’re a small business owner, you may already have a personal policy of doing that as often as possible.

Even so, start thinking now about ways to help the spotlight shine more brightly on the folks who are putting their energy and time into keeping small business alive and well.

In case you need more incentives, check out Steve Strauss’s Top 5 Reasons to Participate in Small Business Saturday.

On Conduct Unbecoming

A few weeks before Christmas, a friend was recounting her frustrating experience at the post office. “Not only were the clerks cranky,” she said. “The line was full of people who obviously don’t come to the post office very often.  It was like trying to get through an airport full of infrequent flyers.”

I knew just what she meant.  When people are unaccustomed to doing something, such as traveling, they’re unaware of customs and procedures which are second nature to those who are experienced.  Even the casual observer would notice that amateurs behave differently.

It’s not surprising, then, to see new business owners behave in ways that are inappropriate, but that doesn’t excuse such conduct. Behaving badly will not move you toward success and will not make your journey a pleasant one.

If you’re taking on the role of entrepreneur, here are some pitfalls to avoid no matter what stage of development your business is in.

° Never complain. And especially do not complain to your customers. A friend was checking in for a flight and was told that it had been canceled. “Could you put him on a different carrier?” I asked.

The gate agent snarled at me and said that was impossible, then added, “We’ve been working without a contract for two years.”

Not only was that none of my business, it had nothing to do with the situation.

If  business is slow or you have unsolved problems, chose carefully with whom you discuss these circumstances.

° Never do your accounting in public. Sarah decided to organize a monthly dinner for women in business. She found a location, got a good price on the dinner and began advertising.  She intended to cover her costs and make a small profit for her efforts.

After a couple of women challenged the cost, Sarah became defensive and at the third meeting addressed this by defensively telling the group (most of whom were delighted by the opportunity to meet) where every penny went.

Some people were shocked by this public disclosure, but it had an even more damaging effect on Sarah, who cancelled the project thinking she was the target of criticism.

While people who are not doing well financially seem the most eager to talk about it, your finances should never be the subject of  discussion with anyone other than your accountant, business partners or spouse.

° Tell the truth. In fact, take a cue from Nordstrom’s and make it your policy to under promise and over deliver. Being ruthlessly honest is not only good manners, it will keep your relationships running smoothly with your customers and build your reputation as a trustworthy person—one worth doing business with.

And if you’re just getting started in business, don’t exaggerate your experience, but don’t be embarrassed by your lack of it, either. Emphasize what you have to offer (such as devotion to your clients) and focus on your assets.

° Apologize only when it’s appropriate. There’s a hilarious scene in Wayne’s World when Garth and Wayne meet Alice Cooper and prostrate themselves chanting, “We are not worthy.”

That may be funny in the movies, but it’s pathetic to see adults with a misplaced sense of people pleasing grovel in front of their customers, apologizing for things that they aren’t responsible for—such as the weather.

If you make a mistake, by all means apologize, but don’t apologize for the fact that you are selling something—or you’re taking up space on Earth.

° Remember that half-hearted attempts create half-hearted results. If you are tentative about your business, if you never quite complete things, if you are waiting around for goodness to happen, you’re not fully engaged.

The world is littered with abandoned projects that could have succeeded with a full out attack.

Giving up on your dreams (and blaming it on circumstances or other people) is the most unbecoming conduct of all.

Another Beginning

Normally a day that includes spending time at LAX would not be cause to celebrate. Today is different, however. Nancy’s coming home.

Nancy is my expat sister. Younger than me by two years, she’s spent her entire adult life living abroad. The earlier years of her life were spent being a thorn in my side.

For starters, she was the favorite child of our parents who didn’t conceal their pride in Nancy’s intellectual achievements.  It wasn’t until midlife that I realized Nancy had suffered as much as I had because of the preferential treatment she’d received (but never solicited).

That wasn’t what drove me the craziest, however. What perplexed me the most was the certainty with which Nancy choose her path in life. From the moment she learned about archaeology, she knew where she was headed.

How, I marveled, could a 14-year-old know such a thing? I was older, after all, and totally clueless. I remained that way until the end of my third decade. But not Nancy.

While I was floundering and frustrated, Nancy was mastering Latin, Greek and Italian. While I was fearing I’d be spending my life in Janesville, Minnesota, Nancy was setting up her apartment in Athens, Greece.

Years passed with irregular and infrequent contact. Then things began to change.

One by one, family members began making trips to Greece to visit her. They’d return filled with enthusiasm, bearing stacks of photos of ruins and what looked to me like rubble piles.

I was the last person in the WInter clan to make the trip myself. It was eye-opening and life-changing. It was the first of several visits I made to her adopted homeland, including the one I made when Nancy was hospitalized and needed a bit of backup.

A few years ago, Nancy left Athens and moved to Rome. Since her specialty is Etruscan architecture, she had spent a great deal of time on excavations in Italy and doing research for her book Symbols of Wealth and Power .

Her affection for Italy was eagerly shared with all of us. We had family reunions in Sinalunga, Lucca, Venice and Florence. We loved having an Italian speaker and scholarly expert as our personal tour guide.

These shared travel adventures were filled with laughter and new discoveries about each other. We developed a new ease with each other that spilled over into time together back home.

So I’m not the only member of our family starting a new chapter in life. It seems likely, of course, that Nancy’s adjustment to California living will be more of a change than mine has been. After all, I just drove in from the desert.

I also imagine that all four of my siblings are wondering what this new gathering of the clan will bring. This is, amazingly, the first time in half a century that we’ve all lived within driving distance of one another.

There will be festivities with the entire family on Sunday—and much to celebrate when Thanksgiving rolls around this year.

Right now, however, I’m just thinking about the short road trip to LAX with my sister Margaret and brother Jim. And I’m recalling Jane Howard’s reminder: “Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family. Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one.”

10 Things Self-Employment Can Teach Us

Comedian Paula Poundstone once said, “My father always told me I needed something to fall back on. But I knew if I listened, I’d fall back.”

I thought of that this morning when I read Connie Hozvicka’s blog post about that very thing.

Connie, who did a pair of marvelous workshops at the Joyfully Jobless Jamboree, is brand new to the Joyfully Jobless life. Like most of us, she’s had to challenge some not-so-helpful conventional wisdom.

What creative person hasn’t been told You Need Something To Fall Back On? Read Connie’s take on it here.

Here are ten other bits of wisdom that haven’t been widely circulated. It’s my personal list of things self-employment teaches me each and every day.

1. To think creatively and see that there are opportunities to approach the most ordinary tasks in creative ways.

2. To be an enthusiastic problem-solver.

3. It’s okay to be uncomfortable. In fact, comfort zones are much scarier.

4. Expanding is more fun than shrinking.

5. Right livelihood alters the way we think about work.

6. We can be more, do more, have more than we originally thought possible.

7. Imagination is a power tool.

8. If we ask better questions, we get better answers.

9. Personal responsibility is heady stuff.

10. Lifelong learning is a joy.

“There’s an unexpected pleasure attending the life of a voluntary student,” said Oliver Goldsmith. I think he was talking about us.

Spread an Entrepreneurial Virus

When  speaker Jerry Gilles told his audience of would-be writers that they should buy one hardcover book every week to support the industry they were part of, there was an audible gasp in the room.

What Gilles was suggesting wasn’t radical at all. It is just one way to put into action  the idea to  “Support That Which Supports You.” Successful people do that all the time.

As entrepreneurs, we have numerous opportunities every day to spread the entrepreneurial spirit. Here are a few ways to do just that.

°  Be joyful in the world. Make other people wonder why you’re so happy. As you go about routine errands, think about those you interact with and how they’re part of your success team. The postal clerk, bank teller and print shop are helping you accomplish your goals, after all.  Let them know they’re appreciated.

°  Adopt a protégé. Even if you’ve only been in business a short time, you’ve probably learned more than you realize.  Helping someone who knows less than you do can serve a dual purpose: besides making their journey  smoother, you’ll also see how far you’ve come.

That can be a huge confidence booster. Coach, encourage and support someone who’s just getting started. Ask them to pass it on.

°  Share what you’ve learned. Write a What I Learned From Starting My Own Business article and get  it published in a local business paper or post it on your Web site.

What do you wish you’d done differently? What was the best surprise you got in starting your own business? Pick six or ten key lessons and find a way to share them.

° Talk to the media. Local media is always on the lookout for stories about interesting folks in their midst. Let them know you’re there. Don’t just be a publicity seeker, however. Come up with an angle that’s newsworthy.

Artist Greg Evans had a great piece written  about him in  Colorado Avid Golfer magazine after he sent out a press release titled “From Corporate Life to Creative Life.”

Might your personal story be of interest? Or do you have expert advice to share that could add to your  visibility?

° Do  the opposite. The entrepreneurial path is not about following the crowd. One way to keep your creative muscles tuned up is to find ways to do things differently than everyone else.

Thinking in opposites is an easy starting point for finding a unique way of doing even simple things.

° Be a student of success. Eavesdrop on conversations and you’ll hear how many people are clueless about success factors and the behavior that leads to genuine success.

Teachers like Jim Rohn devoted their lives to studying winners and their findings are documented in books, in seminars and on CDs. Be more than a casual student of what they have to say.

° Conduct regular interviews with entrepreneurs. My niece Gretchen is associate business editor of the Ventura Star. She was telling me that one of the best parts of her job is talking to passionate entrepreneurs. “If they know you’re interested, they love to talk about their business.”

You don’t have to  be a newspaper reporter to take advantage of all this enthusiasm. Seek out entrepreneurs and be genuinely interested in hearing their stories. Easy as that.

° Support small business whenever possible. There are numerous ways to do this beginning with patronizing the entrepreneurs in  your community. You might pay a little more at your local hardware store, but you may also discover you’ll get useful advice along with your purchase.

And don’t overlook opportunities to form alliances and create joint projects with other entrepreneurs. Collaborations can create positive synergy.

° Help a kid. One of the most common regrets I hear from adults is that they weren’t exposed to entrepreneurial thinking earlier. So cheer a young upstart on.

° Connect with your tribe. While some old organizations, such as the Chamber of Commerce, may not be a fit for the new creative entrepreneur, look for places where the joyfully jobless congregate and join them.

You Never Know Who’s Watching

While waiting for my flight back from Denver on Sunday morning, I engaged in one of my favorite airport activities—people watching. As I noticed my fellow travelers move around the airport restaurant, I thought to myself, “Every one of them has a story.”

Although I don’t recall hearing many stories while sitting in airports, I’ve certainly had my share of fascinating seatmates on long journeys.

One of those was a weary  traveler I’ll call Sam that I met in Newark. Like me, he was heading back to Minneapolis after a trip to London. Unlike me, his day had been filled with travel detours and delays.

When he finally seated himself, I asked a simple question, “Are you coming or going?” He told me he was going home. When we discovered that we’d both been in the UK to lead seminars for entrepreneurs, we bonded instantly.

Then Sam told me a story I’ll never forget. He said he was flying to Los Angeles to give a talk and was seated in first class next to an elderly, inexperienced traveler. Although my new friend had planned to spend the flight working on his presentation, his seatmate was in need of help.

Sam abandoned his own plans and decided to see what he could do.

When dinner arrived, the older man found it difficult to cut up his food, so Sam helped him out. When he needed to go to the plane’s restroom, he told Sam he was nervous about doing so. Sam took him to the toilet and even helped him zip up his pants. He then helped him back to his seat.

Throughout it all, Sam said, there was never any word of thanks offered, but that didn’t keep him from assisting the man.

Upon landing, the wheelchair that had been ordered didn’t arrive so Sam stayed with the fellow until he was united with his relatives.

The next day, Sam delivered his talk to a professional organization sharing his thoughts on service. At the end of his talk, a man in the audience stood up and said, “We hear a lot of speakers talking about lofty things and I often wonder if they live up to their words. I just want everyone here to know that I was on the same flight as Sam yesterday and watched him as he cared for the elderly man sitting next to him.”

Sam was, of course, quite surprised by the voluntary testimonial, but said he’s never forgotten the experience.

He told me, “It’s easy in our populated world to think we can remain anonymous and to some extent that’s true. However, we never know who might be watching us as we go about our lives.”

Someone has suggested that we can tell a great deal about someone’s character by observing how they treat waiters and cab drivers—or total strangers seated next to them on a long flight.