Business – Page 5 – Life Unfolds Blog

Right-Brain Business Plan – AEDM Day 29

How many of you cringe when you hear the words business plan? Or maybe even worse… budget, cash flow or P&L statement? If you’re like me, those terms (especially the financial ones), make your skin crawl. Yet, as an entrepreneur it’s vital to know where you’re going and what it’s going to take to get there.

So, how about approaching business planning (and life planning) from a visual, creative and fun perspective instead?

The idea of doing a more right-brain approach to my business plan came to me while brainstorming materials with my colleagues Starla Sireno and Tara Russell at The Fearless Entrepreneur. As we refine resources and exercises to use with our business coaching clients, it’s also important that we walk our talk, too. So, I revisited my business plan (originally in a boring, static Word document) and decided to update it for 2008 and beyond using my art visioning techniques.

Above are the front and back covers of my Artizen Coaching business plan accordion book. I started off decorating the front with a really cool art studio image from a magazine. Then I thought it would be clever to have the back be more of the “zen” in the Artizen.

Here are some detail shots of the interior.

Typically a business plan has sections such as: an executive summary, company description, industry analysis, target market, financials, marketing and sales plan, etc.

In the first couple of pages I wanted to just set the tone of my business and also list out the different products and services I’m offering or working on.

Next, I got clear on my strategic alliances and affiliations – who I’m working with and what organizations I belong to for networking and support. It’s a relief to know I don’t have to go it alone!

For the finances, I really wanted to concentrate on abundance and chose images/words around that. I have my P&L statement folded up in the little manila envelope so I can pull it out and look at it when I need to.

These last pages are about marketing and getting myself out there. Part of what triggered doing this project now was that today I received galley copies of the book that I’m featured in: The Girl’s Guide to Kicking Your Career in Gear and I got excited about next year! I also want to write a book, so there’s a little 3D book attached to one of the pages.

Tomorrow, I’m going to write out more details on the back of each page. Now that I have visuals and the emotional connection to what I’m wanting to create, I can articulate it more clearly in words. I’ll probably write out my strategy and tactics in a creative way, too, and have some images as well.

How do you plan out your business and personal goals? What if the process was more fun and engaging? What else would be possible for you if you let your creativity and intuition run wild?

[tags]National Blog Posting Month, NaBloPoMo, Art Every Day Month, business planning, right-brain business plan, art visioning, expressive arts coaching, business coaching, entrepreneurship, collage, book arts, accordion book[/tags]

The Art of Unfolding… My New Coaching Brand

I’m excited to announce that I’ve launched my new coaching brand, Artizen Coaching: The art of unfolding your life vision.

I wanted an updated brand that captured my creative, playful side as well as my naturally “Zen” state. And, thanks to Claire Fontana at Pitch Agent, the new name Artizen Coaching was born. (Also thanks to my husband who took the gorgeous main photo on the home page plus many of the pics throughout and who helped me develop the site).

After several painstaking years of wondering how to better incorporate my coaching with art and creativity, it feels good to have found a way to more fully express what I’m about and how I help women awaken their inner muse.

Going through a branding process is a great way to reflect on who you are, what you want to bring to the world and what your authentic voice is. Even if you don’t have your own business, per se, I love the idea that everyone is their own “Me Inc.” How are you representing your own “Me Inc.’s” values, vision and mission? How are you being the “CEO” of your own life?

[tags]Artizen Coaching, coaching, expressive arts coaching, branding[/tags]

Ladies Who Launch LIVE!

Friday was the big San Francisco Ladies Who Launch LIVE event. Despite battling a cold all week, I couldn’t miss this amazing gathering of more than 300 women. There were inspiring speakers, including Mariel Hemingway who talked about healthy living, and panelists giving expert advice on launching.

You can watch this segment from A View from the Bay to see highlights from the day and the fashion show (photo above).

Several of us were at the site on Thursday getting ready for the big day. We definitely bonded as we stuffed gift bag after gift bag with swag. It was like early trick or treating!

I can’t believe that the Oakland Incubator kicks off next week. We’ve got a great group of gals ready to launch their ideas and I’m excited to start launching! Stay tuned for more!

[tags]Ladies Who Launch, entrepreneurship, women in business, creativity, Ladies Who Launch LIVE[/tags]

We Have Lift Off

On Wednesday, the daytime September SF Incubator celebrated their final week together. All the Incubatresses helped each other with action items and provided contacts, support and encouragement. I’ve been inspired watching how all of them have really claimed their vision for their businesses. And it’s been breathtaking to witness the milestones they’ve accomplished in just four weeks. Watch out world!

Our lovely launchers pictured above include back row from left to right: Susan Meyer, Jaime Addington, Aurora Medina, Lindsay King, Megan Moyer, Pam McLaughlin, Jennifer Lynne, Allie Covarrubias (Bay Area LWL Director). Front row from left to right: Gina Wu, Britt Michaelian.)

All this launching has me super excited about leading the Oakland Incubator in November! Happy launching!

[tags]Ladies Who Launch, Incubator, women entrepreneurs[/tags]

Let’s Do Launch!

I’m always raving to people about Ladies Who Launch. I just love the positive, creative vibe of this vibrant group of women. Last night was the Launch Party for the Silicon Valley chapter. There was a great turnout at the Bryant Street Gallery and a buzz of excitement in the air.

Allie is our fearless Bay Area leader and she has enough energy to light up San Francisco. When she asked me last month if I was interested in leading the Oakland chapter, I was certainly intrigued! I went right away to pick up the Ladies Who Launch book to refresh myself on the Incubator experience and get an even deeper look at what the organization is taking a stand for. I devoured the book in less than a day. With every page I turned I said, “Yes! This is such good stuff! I love it!” Their message of feminine leadership and intuition so resonates with my coaching and creativity work.

According to the founders’ research:

“Women want to feel fulfilled, have fun, enjoy their femininity, and not sacrifice these desires for financial success. Women are redefining the very notion of success as they incorporate many elements, not just career or family, and want to be able to celebrate their personal creativity in whatever manifestation that means… Women are natural connectors, they derive fulfillment from relationships, and use them to move forward and execute ideas…Women tend to treat creative projects and new businesses like their children: they become emotionally attached.”

Their approach to embracing the feminine gives us permission to really go for our dreams, ask for help along the way and celebrate the process!

Allie invited the four Bay Area leaders together this afternoon for our first team meeting. I’m super excited to be collaborating with these savvy, fun gals! I know I’ll learn a lot and will have a blast along the way. And I can’t wait to get started sharing with other women the magic of the Ladies Who Launch Incubator program! I’ve been saying to my husband that I’m always having to drive into the city for cool networking events. Well, as they say a complaint is usually a request in disguise, so I’m loving the opportunity to bring this nationally acclaimed way of “launching” to women in my neck of the woods.

[tags]Ladies Who Launch, Incubator, women entrepreneurs, Oakland[/tags]

My One Year Anniversary of Freedom

This weekend I celebrated my one year anniversary of taking the leap from Corporate America to live my dreams! To honor the milestone, I uncharacteristically threw myself a “Freedom Party” (part of my goal to step out more and be seen!) and invited friends and family who have supported me on my journey.

My parents drove up from L.A. to help me prep which was so amazing given what a full week I had leading up to the party. We grilled yummy chicken and shrimp skewers and feasted on a wide assortment of decadent desserts.

The biggest treat of all was spending the day with so many important people from all different parts of my life. Of course there were my parents, Brian and his parents and then there were friends from school and work, coaching friends, family and even my neighbor (also a Gap girl) came over from across the street.

In this picture are friends representing my high school, college, Accenture and Gap days. I hadn’t seen my high school speech friend Cat (in the purple) in probably 10 years and am so thrilled that she’s recently moved to the Bay Area. How timely that my parents also brought up a box of my old speech trophies. The morning of my party I was reading the notes on the bottom of some of the trophies. Our speech coach Mr. Fong always encouraged us to capture our thoughts about the event on the bottom of the trophy so we could remember what the experience was like. I’m so glad we did that as I was able to reminisce on one of my major accomplishments of making it to the state championships, along with Cat, my senior year. I wrote 15 years ago, “This trophy means so much to me because it represents the hardest fight I had to face this year in speech, overcoming my doubts. It feels so great to have all the right things happen for me finally.” Those words rung true for me, too, on this new milestone as I reflected back on a year of being out on my own.

Not only did I reflect on the past year, but I also looked out toward next year and asked the guests to also answer the question “What do I want my life to look like one year from now?” We wrote our responses on “lily pads” that we placed on the “Take a Leap” pond. Even some folks who couldn’t come sent in their responses to be included in the festivities. Some highlights of my intentions for the next year include (gulp!…) writing a book, creating creativity/coaching kits, being a leader for CTI, leading workshops and retreats that make a positive difference in people’s lives, continuing to grow my coaching practice, being peaceful and fulfilled, connecting deeply with Brian and spending quality time with him and our dog Emmett.

It was cool to see the array of dreams in the “pond.” If you’re so inspired, I invite you to add your response to the question, too! I look forward to seeing how all of our visions manifest over the coming year.

I feel so grateful to be living my dreams and to have the support and love of my family and friends. Here’s to another amazing year!

[tags]entrepreneurship, life coaching, yoga, creativity, escaping Corporate America, manifestation, visualization[/tags]

C.E.O. Women Graduation Night

For the past month or so, I’ve been working with Yessica on building her jewelry business. Friday night was her C.E.O. Women graduation ceremony and I was so glad that I was able to be there to support her.

She is so passionate and determined, I can’t help but be energized and inspired when I’m around her. I got to meet her two young children, her mom and sister-in-law and her English tutor. All of whom were so proud of her accomplishments, too. In the program she built her business plan, determined her target market and created a marketing presentation. She also led a workshop through C.E.O. Women’s Shine Your Brilliance events where she taught participants how to make their own beautiful jewelry.

It was so great to also hear the stories of other graduates, many who are immigrant women, and to see how they’ve overcome challenges to now live the American Dream.

[tags]C.E.O Women, microenterprises, volunteer, non-profit, business coaching[/tags]

C.E.O. Women

In 2005 I started to do volunteer coaching with an amazing non-profit called C.E.O. Women in Oakland. They help to create economic opportunities and self-sufficiency for low-income immigrant women in the Bay Area through teaching English and entrepreneurship skills so that they can make a livelihood for themselves.

My previous client was a massage therapist from Japan who was building her massage business. I was always so inspired by her tenacity and courage given the many challenges she faced in her life.

I just had a call with my current client who is from South America and is starting her own jewelry business. Her dedication and passion are contagious and it brings me so much joy to see her putting herself out there and trying new things even though it can be scary! I am also so grateful to the fabulous women in my networking circles that have generously offered their time and support to my client. Their experience and insights have been invaluable to someone just starting out! Thanks Nicole Kidd, Liza Sonia and Keren Peled. I love how women support each other so graciously. You guys rock!

Also, at this past weekend’s conference, C.E.O. Women was awarded a grant from the eWomen Network foundation. It was so wonderful to see this great organization get the support and recognition to keep on making a positive difference in the lives of women!

[tags]C.E.O. Women, eWomen Network, volunteer, non-profit, business coaching, microenterprises[/tags]

Meeting Carly and Stedman

Carly Fiorina, former CEO of HP, gave a key note speech at the final day of the eWomen Network conference in Dallas. She shared personal stories of her humble beginnings in the business world, about the challenges she faced early on as a young career woman in a man’s world and her insightful perspectives on what leadership means. She describes leadership as seeing and seizing possibilities and helping others to do the same. She mentioned that it’s about helping people face and overcome fear. And it’s about making change happen. According to her, change is driven by leaders and is powered by collaboration, which is why Carly says, women are natural born leaders.

Not only was her talk inspirational and thought-provoking, it also rang true with authenticity and courage as she spoke from the heart. I look forward to reading her memoir “Tough Choices” to learn more about this amazing female leader.

Stedman Graham also spoke to us this morning on building a personal brand. It all starts with really knowing who you are first and living according to that (not by what others label you – he shared in his case he was labeled with self-defeating thoughts growing up in a community that didn’t think he’d go far and now days being referred to as “Oprah’s boyfriend!”). He had some pearls of wisdom to share about making sure to fill your own well first before being able to fully give of yourself. In fact, he had asked Oprah if she could share some advice with the group. So he whipped out his Blackberry and read to us word for word an e-mail she sent him from South Africa telling us that she was replenishing her own well by spending time with the girls at her Leadership Academy!

Stedman was gracious during the book signing making it a point to shake everyone’s hand and being very present with each and every woman who stood in the long line to meet him. I picked up his book “Diversity: Leaders not Labels” and am excited to read his perspective on moving beyond race toward more collaboration and appreciation of the uniqueness we all bring.

[tags]eWomen Network, Carly Fiorina, Stedman Graham, book signing, conference[/tags]

Drumming to Our Own Beat

I arrived in Dallas, TX yesterday to take part in the 2007 eWomen Network Conference this weekend. More than 2,000 women entrepreneurs have descended upon the Hyatt Regency from all over the U.S. and Canada to connect, share and learn from each other. So many things have transpired already, but below are a few highlights.

Last night was the Femtor Awards Gala. Many amazing women won awards for all their wonderful achievements. The most moving part of the evening was when Julie Rems-Smario was honored as the Humanitarian of the Year for her work as Executive Director of Bay Area’s non-profit DeafHope which helps Deaf survivors of domestic and sexual violence get the care and support needed to protect themselves and their children. I don’t think there was a dry eye in the house!

The talented group from Drum Cafe led us in a lively tribal drum circle to kick-off the festivities this morning. The room pulsed with energy and aliveness as all 2,000 of us banged away on our African drums while chanting this year’s conference them “Daring. Determined. Dynamic.” I loved when they had one half of the room drumming and the other side listened while having our hands touching the drum. We could “hear” their beat vibrating through to our fingertips. What a cool visceral way to experience a form of “dialogue.”

[tags]eWomen Network, women entrepreneurs, conference, drum circle[/tags]