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.

Weekend Excursions for Your Entrepreneurial Spirit

Anytime’s a good time to feed your entrepreneurial spirit, of course. But if your weekend means you have a little extra time, here are some armchair travels for the joyfully jobless.

I admit I’m a bit of a snob when it comes to business cards so when Sara Young handed me hers at the end of my San Antonio workshops, I took notice. “Where did you find this wonderful thing?” I asked. To my surprise, she told me hers had come from Etsy.com. I couldn’t wait to check it out for myself and was dazzled by the selection. If your business involves earth-moving equipment, you won’t find anything here, but if you want something funky and slightly different, this could be a treasure chest for you.

Before you head over to Etsy, check out this article that Nicole Relyea sent me on Creative Business Cards. You’ll be astonished by the original creations in this piece. You’ll see cards that look like theater tickets, one made from a household object, another that looks like a razor blade. No kidding.

Wish you were wildly creative? That’s what Ken Robert thought, too, but decided to settle for mildly creative. He wrote a terrific piece about his discovery and I bet you’ll find it useful, too. Check out How to be Mildly Creative.

Your Next Quest is the name of Michele Meagher’s business which helps women design the next chapter of their lives. Her February Quest Maker interview is with Margaret Winter, my baby sister, and it’s a great story of making the transition from employee to entrepreneur. Go take a look.

In 1999, I took an 8 month sabbatical and spent part of the time traveling solo in Europe. Along the way, I met an artist in London who urged me to contact Alternatives, a long-running program that offers workshops and talks on all aspects of spiritual and personal growth. Since I was avoiding anything resembling business at that time, I listened to her recommendation and promptly forgot about it. Fortunately, Alternatives came back on my radar screen and I became a huge fan of their work. Needless to say, I’m thrilled to be going back to London the end of this month where I’ll be doing two all-day workshops with them. On March 29 there’s Making a Living Without a Job and the following Saturday, April 4, What Would an Entrepreneur Do? If you or an entrepreneurial friend are in that part of the world, I’d love to see you there. 

Whether you’re in the UK or not, you can listen to the lively podcast interview I just did with Alternative’s director Steve Nobel about learning to think like an entrepreneur.

Several days ago, I had to take my car in for some minor repairs. I grabbed a brand new book I’d ordered to take along for company while I waited. To my amazement, I found myself hoping the mechanic wouldn’t finish too soon. I could hardly put the book down. What was so enchanting that I didn’t want to leave the smelly brake shop?

Rubies in the Orchard by Lynda Resnick, that’s what. Resnick is a) a marketing genius and b) a fabulous storyteller. You may not know her name, but I’m guessing you have heard about some of the companies she and her husband have grown: Franklin Mint, Telaflora, POM Wonderful and FIJI Water. Besides having a fascinating personal story, Resnick’s book is loaded with marketing tips she learned along the way. Highly recommended.

Finally, join me for a teleclass or two. On Thursday, March 19, we’ll be exploring A Beginner’s Guide to the Seminar Business. If you’ve been thinking about adding seminars and workshops to your portfolio, but don’t know how to get started, this one’s for you. If you’re itching to travel and looking for ways to turn seeing the world into a profit center then How to Support Your Wanderlust will give you dozens of ideas for becoming an entrepreneurial gypsy. That one’s coming up on Monday, March 23. And if you can’t join me in person, you can still register and receive the audio download.

When setting out on a journey, do not seek advice from those who have never left home. ~ Rumi