Im Not a Startup Princess. But Im a Startup King.

Im Not a Startup Princess. But Im a Startup King. This is according to the startup princess herself as I would never call myself the king of anything right now (she has also called me the wizard) :p Kelly King Anderson grew up in a family of kings and has always had this element of kingdoms, royalty, etc. So when she started her business encouraging women entrepreneurs it was a natural theme, and a brand that was there for the taking. She snatched it up and ran with it! Kelly hosted the first Startup Princess Conference in Provo, Utah yesterday, and she invited me to exhibit to her 60-100 attendees. I was excited for the opportunity, as Ive been trying to figure out how to get more involved with her organization, but I had that problem ( the one where I could not be a princess you know ). I have to admit, I was driving home after the conference, trying to think of a more inspiring business event that Ive been to. I cant. This was the most inspiring, uplifting, and informational conference that I can remember attending. The audience was alive with energy and questions. There were those who had not started their own business but wanted to. There were those that were in the thick of starting their own business, and there were those who have very successful startups, or work with startups. I love conferences where everyone wants to be there, and this was one of them. Kelly King Anderson opened the event and had the entrepreneurs write down three to five things they needed in the next 60 days. The tagline on Kellys blog is Make a wish, make it happen! and this theme permeated the entire conference. There was mention in almost every presentation about networking, relationships, contacts, etc. (great for me, right?) The opening keynote was Becca Levie, who is a fabulous speaker with an amazing amazing! story. I had goosebumps as she shared her story with us (read about her childhood here unbelievable). But Becca has owned a number of businesses (right now she owns LipNotes) and was a terrific CEO-speaker. One of the things that I remember from her presentation is about how we think of ourselves, and the idea that no one will be able to think more of ourselves than we can (talking about having the right self-esteem). Becca shared the idea of grasshopperitis, which is a disease that 85% of the population suffers from (I bet you do!). She bases it on the story of Moses and his men who he sent on various missions. One group came back and reported and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight. (this is when the came across the giants (as in, David and Goliath) and were sure they would get crushed). Becca said if we see ourselves as insignificant and incapable, then our dreams will not happen (or something like that). I then went to Erika Wildes presentation titled Bootstrapping to Grow Your Startup. Erika owns StopDirt.com, a website that sells mats. Mats. Can you believe her startup is to sell other peoples mats online? Well, she does, and she does quite well (she shared company revenues). What a terrific, inspirational story. Im not even going to tell you how many hours she works now it will make you jealous! Another awesome speaker with terrific information (cash flow is king always watch your cash position!). Next was a panel discussion that was really cool, featuring Melissa Chappell (Raw Melissa (raw foods)), Lori Harris, of Mary Janes Shoes in Park City, UT, Melissa DeMordaunt (no picture below :(), of Snugabug Baby (they sell warmsies), and Tracey Christensen of Now I can Center for Intensive Therapy. What an awesome group of women who had ideas and developed them into businesses! They each got five minutes to share how they went from idea to execution it was so cool to hear what it took to get where they are now. One of the questions was how much $ did it take to get your business started. Huge differences, from the Mary Janes shoes needing the most startup capital (I think it was over $100,000) to Raw Melissa needing the least (she started with $30, made a pie, and sold it to a local health food store and the rest is history). The message was inspiring, but to see these women entrepreneurs sit there with some level of success, and to be recognized as leaders, wow, it was very c ool. The third session I went to on Building a Management and Support Team by Cydni Tetro. Ive bumped into Cydni a few times but this is the first time I heard her present. I have found Cydni to be the most talked about businesswomen in the Salt Lake area and now I know why. She hold a CS from BYU, and an MBA, so she has the capacity to talk geek-stuff, but she is clearly passionate about business. Her presentation was probably too much for startups, and more appropriate for companies that just got venture funding, but it had plenty of meat for people to think about. I just sat in awe as she talked and talked and talked, thinking she is one of the smartest business people that I know. No wonder she holds a VP role at NextPage, as well as a number of consultant gigs around here (not to mention her own startup, Rocky Mountain Voices). She is very, very sharp. The last session I went to was Creating Strategic Partnerships by Rachael Herrscher, of Todays Mama (and now, blogger at entrepreneur.com). I have known Rachael for a while, as Kelly would include her on e-mails that she has sent me in the past. But this was the first time that we actually got to talk, and I got to see her in action. Rachael is just 29 and has been building an awesome business for the last three years. Ill probably blog on her stuff later, since there is so much to it, but the takeaway I got from her presentation was great. As you know, I am looking for industry partners and so I was interested in hearing about how Rachael found her partners. During her presentation I learned that Rachael considers all of her network contacts partners (!!). Media partners, distribution partners, etc. I had been thinking of my partners as those who pay a license fee to me to incorporate JibberJobber into their system, but now Im shifting the definition so that all of the people and companies I deal with are partners in one way or another. This is huge because partner means a lot more than contact or associate or even vendor, customer, etc. I learned a lot from Rachael, and Im sure there is much more to learn. Watching her company grow in this next phase is going to be very, very exciting. Barbara Vineyard, Owner and editor of Wasatch Woman Magazine, ended the conference as the final keynote speaker. Barbara has a great, inspirational story. She is very transparent in her magazine, which is very refreshing. She talked a lot about her team, having their pictures on various slides as she described them and how great they were. You could tell that she had put together stellar team and allowed them to do their jobs. I think its fair to say that Barbaras message is if I can do it, anyone can do it! I would have liked to attend sessions from Inc 500 recipient Katie Maloney, Liz Galloway from Lotus Effects Spa Consulting, Nancy Cadjan from Sign Babies and Carrie Dunn from XO Marketing but I had to choose Maybe next time. Kelly, this was an awesome, awesome event. Congrats for bringing it to Utah, and helping women entrepreneurs (and me) make a wish, make it happen! Im Not a Startup Princess. But Im a Startup King. This is according to the startup princess herself as I would never call myself the king of anything right now (she has also called me the wizard) :p Kelly King Anderson grew up in a family of kings and has always had this element of kingdoms, royalty, etc. So when she started her business encouraging women entrepreneurs it was a natural theme, and a brand that was there for the taking. She snatched it up and ran with it! Kelly hosted the first Startup Princess Conference in Provo, Utah yesterday, and she invited me to exhibit to her 60-100 attendees. I was excited for the opportunity, as Ive been trying to figure out how to get more involved with her organization, but I had that problem ( the one where I could not be a princess you know ). I have to admit, I was driving home after the conference, trying to think of a more inspiring business event that Ive been to. I cant. This was the most inspiring, uplifting, and informational conference that I can remember attending. The audience was alive with energy and questions. There were those who had not started their own business but wanted to. There were those that were in the thick of starting their own business, and there were those who have very successful startups, or work with startups. I love conferences where everyone wants to be there, and this was one of them. Kelly King Anderson opened the event and had the entrepreneurs write down three to five things they needed in the next 60 days. The tagline on Kellys blog is Make a wish, make it happen! and this theme permeated the entire conference. There was mention in almost every presentation about networking, relationships, contacts, etc. (great for me, right?) The opening keynote was Becca Levie, who is a fabulous speaker with an amazing amazing! story. I had goosebumps as she shared her story with us (read about her childhood here unbelievable). But Becca has owned a number of businesses (right now she owns LipNotes) and was a terrific CEO-speaker. One of the things that I remember from her presentation is about how we think of ourselves, and the idea that no one will be able to think more of ourselves than we can (talking about having the right self-esteem). Becca shared the idea of grasshopperitis, which is a disease that 85% of the population suffers from (I bet you do!). She bases it on the story of Moses and his men who he sent on various missions. One group came back and reported and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight. (this is when the came across the giants (as in, David and Goliath) and were sure they would get crushed). Becca said if we see ourselves as insignificant and incapable, then our dreams will not happen (or something like that). I then went to Erika Wildes presentation titled Bootstrapping to Grow Your Startup. Erika owns StopDirt.com, a website that sells mats. Mats. Can you believe her startup is to sell other peoples mats online? Well, she does, and she does quite well (she shared company revenues). What a terrific, inspirational story. Im not even going to tell you how many hours she works now it will make you jealous! Another awesome speaker with terrific information (cash flow is king always watch your cash position!). Next was a panel discussion that was really cool, featuring Melissa Chappell (Raw Melissa (raw foods)), Lori Harris, of Mary Janes Shoes in Park City, UT, Melissa DeMordaunt (no picture below :(), of Snugabug Baby (they sell warmsies), and Tracey Christensen of Now I can Center for Intensive Therapy. What an awesome group of women who had ideas and developed them into businesses! They each got five minutes to share how they went from idea to execution it was so cool to hear what it took to get where they are now. One of the questions was how much $ did it take to get your business started. Huge differences, from the Mary Janes shoes needing the most startup capital (I think it was over $100,000) to Raw Melissa needing the least (she started with $30, made a pie, and sold it to a local health food store and the rest is history). The message was inspiring, but to see these women entrepreneurs sit there with some level of success, and to be recognized as leaders, wow, it was very c ool. The third session I went to on Building a Management and Support Team by Cydni Tetro. Ive bumped into Cydni a few times but this is the first time I heard her present. I have found Cydni to be the most talked about businesswomen in the Salt Lake area and now I know why. She hold a CS from BYU, and an MBA, so she has the capacity to talk geek-stuff, but she is clearly passionate about business. Her presentation was probably too much for startups, and more appropriate for companies that just got venture funding, but it had plenty of meat for people to think about. I just sat in awe as she talked and talked and talked, thinking she is one of the smartest business people that I know. No wonder she holds a VP role at NextPage, as well as a number of consultant gigs around here (not to mention her own startup, Rocky Mountain Voices). She is very, very sharp. The last session I went to was Creating Strategic Partnerships by Rachael Herrscher, of Todays Mama (and now, blogger at entrepreneur.com). I have known Rachael for a while, as Kelly would include her on e-mails that she has sent me in the past. But this was the first time that we actually got to talk, and I got to see her in action. Rachael is just 29 and has been building an awesome business for the last three years. Ill probably blog on her stuff later, since there is so much to it, but the takeaway I got from her presentation was great. As you know, I am looking for industry partners and so I was interested in hearing about how Rachael found her partners. During her presentation I learned that Rachael considers all of her network contacts partners (!!). Media partners, distribution partners, etc. I had been thinking of my partners as those who pay a license fee to me to incorporate JibberJobber into their system, but now Im shifting the definition so that all of the people and companies I deal with are partners in one way or another. This is huge because partner means a lot more than contact or associate or even vendor, customer, etc. I learned a lot from Rachael, and Im sure there is much more to learn. Watching her company grow in this next phase is going to be very, very exciting. Barbara Vineyard, Owner and editor of Wasatch Woman Magazine, ended the conference as the final keynote speaker. Barbara has a great, inspirational story. She is very transparent in her magazine, which is very refreshing. She talked a lot about her team, having their pictures on various slides as she described them and how great they were. You could tell that she had put together stellar team and allowed them to do their jobs. I think its fair to say that Barbaras message is if I can do it, anyone can do it! I would have liked to attend sessions from Inc 500 recipient Katie Maloney, Liz Galloway from Lotus Effects Spa Consulting, Nancy Cadjan from Sign Babies and Carrie Dunn from XO Marketing but I had to choose Maybe next time. Kelly, this was an awesome, awesome event. Congrats for bringing it to Utah, and helping women entrepreneurs (and me) make a wish, make it happen!

Best Professional Resume Writing Services - Northern Virginia

Best Professional Resume Writing Services - Northern VirginiaIf you are looking for the best professional resume writing services Northern Virginia then you have come to the right place. Resume writing service companies in Northern Virginia to deliver an amazing resume package tailored to meet the needs of your unique and diverse clientele.You will discover that the best professional resume writing services Northern Virginia are a combination of creativity, and the ability to know what is going on in the workforce in Northern Virginia. This combined capability gives you the opportunity to create a resume that will stand out as being a highly qualified resume. You will also be able to attract the attention of employers seeking applicants with specific skill sets, and specific industry experience.Companies in business sectors such as finance, accounting, marketing, and human resources use resumes on a daily basis to draw the attention of hiring managers and decision makers. An outstand ing resume is the first thing that most prospective employers see when they receive the resume. The design of the resume is important and how it looks should match the skills, abilities, and interests of the job seeker.It is the individual's ability to prove his or her own unique skills and experience that will catch the attention of hiring managers. People who have earned a college degree often get overlooked when it comes to selecting employees for certain positions. Being able to describe one's specific skills and experiences as an employee with a strong college degree will allow the applicant to stand out. The best professional resume writing services Northern Virginia will offer you an effective resume package that will reach its full potential to attract hiring managers and decision makers.Many people use word processing programs to develop their resumes and then use professional resume writing services to help them with formatting and layout. The best professional resume writ ing services will provide excellent editing services as well. They will also make sure that all of the information is properly and accurately listed on the resume, and the resume package is formatted properly to display to the best advantage.Most professional resume writing services will also help you choose a cover letter for the resume, and develop a great resume package that is very creative and efficient in attracting the attention of hiring managers. This can all be accomplished very quickly and at very low cost. The professional resume writing services will also discuss every step of the process with you in detail, giving you the opportunity to ask any questions you may have and making sure that you understand what exactly they are doing for you.These types of services are found in Northern Virginia. A lot of businesses are located in the Washington, DC area and those who work in these sectors often need the services of professional resume writing services to help them with th eir resume packages. Because many employers from the Washington, DC area find themselves in the position of needing a resume package, they often turn to the best professional resume writing services Northern Virginia in order to find a professional resume writer.The benefits of using a professional resume writer are many, including the ability to avoid the many pitfalls associated with writing a resume, and the ability to make sure that all of the personal contact information is provided on the resume package in a unique and appealing way. Professional resume writing services offer a wide variety of packages and it is up to you to decide which resume package will work best for you.

How a Postgraduate Degree can Help you Stand out from the Crowd

How a Postgraduate Degree can Help you Stand out from the Crowd Sponsored post by Middlesex University. A Worthwhile Investment Having just completed a three-year degree at a cost in excess of £30,000, many students may feel that pursuing study further with a postgraduate course is beyond them. However, the reality is that in an increasingly competitive jobs market that extra investment could soon be repaid in the world of work. In a Competitive Job Market, an Average Degree isnt Enough A recent report from the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR) has highlighted just how competitive the market is at the moment. After an in-depth poll of its members, the group found that leading companies receive an average of 73 applications for each graduate vacancy. Naturally, this number varies significantly between the different sectors. For investment banking positions, 142 graduates typically apply, while in the retail sector this number rises to 154. Furthermore, the requirements sought by companies have also been raised. Previously, a 2:1 degree classification was considered the minimum requirement for many graduate roles; now a number of companies are considering those with first-class degrees only. A Postgraduate Degree will Add a Lot to your CV For graduates with a solid 2:1, therefore, the market for graduate jobs is shrinking. In such circumstances, pursuing a post-graduate degree at a top institution could be a much more effective way of pushing a career forward than seeking work immediately. Furthermore, this is a good time to be in education; the AGR poll notes that graduate job numbers are down on last year due to the UKs economic struggles. Completing a postgraduate degree puts an individual ahead of undergraduates when it comes to finding a job. Holding an MA, MSc or similar demonstrates a degree of expertise and a commitment to a particular field which is highly prized by employers. Most postgraduate courses also involve a level of work experience that is hugely valuable. Universities typically have strong relationships with industry, and work placements are a key part of the learning experience. Once again, having this work experience on a CV helps one candidate stand out from another, as well as providing the student with useful contacts. Other Postgraduate Alternatives to Consider Alternatively, for those who are unsure of their future path, a postgraduate degree could unlock a whole new career. Graduates in science and mathematics disciplines can have their postgraduate course paid for by the government by going into teaching. The demand for teachers in these areas means that the Department for Education will pay part or all of the costs of a PGCE. More details on this can be found here. This post is sponsored by Middlesex University 5

Time for a Morning Makeover

Time for a Morning Makeover How does your morning look? Do you jump out of bed after your seventh snooze, stressed and confused,  rushing for the shower? Do you grab an apple on your  way out the door and chomp it as you run to the bus station, missing your bus by only the most frustrating of margins, choking on seeds as you bite too far? Do you then run 15 minutes down the road to the train station instead and jump on a crammed carriage only to realise you left our work phone at home on your bed?  Talk about stress! Thats no way to start the day, is it? If the above sounds like you, you need to take a step back and slow down.Leisurejobs.com has created the below infographic to help you give your mornings a kick-start.  Super successful people dont spend their mornings working themselves into a stressful lather; they use their mornings to set them up for a  productive day. If youre sitting there thinking you might need a morning makeover, how about sprinkling a bit of the below into yours? After all, Barack Obama, Jessica Ennis-Hill, Bruce Lee and Sir Richard Branson do. Positivity Rise earlier to give yourself that 25th hour. While everyone sleeps, you could be plotting  taking over the world (in a positive way, of course!) Breakfast Check out some tasty breakfast ideas here! Even if youre in a rush, dont skip your morning mean youll pay for it later if you do The only one who can tell you you cant win is you and you dont have to listen. Jessica Ennis Hill Planning Have an active to-do list and measure your  progress to keep yourself on track. Being organised and planning things ahead will Exercise We all know we should be exercising! Not only does it release endorphins, but will also make you feel better about yourself. You have to look after your body and your mind to be in your  optimum state! You dont learn by following rules. You learn by doing and falling over.  Sir Richard Branson Sleep You need to get a proper nights sleep to function properly. While cramming in extra work before bed might seem like a great idea, you need to say NO and learn how to switch off. Switching off before bed time will mean you sleep better they talk about turning off your screens / mobile before bedtime and giving yourself a break and for good reason! Unclutter It is not daily increase, but a daily decrease. Hack away at the inessentials. Bruce Lee Motivation Whether  its coffee, a great book or a walk, try to motivate yourself to rise early, to get the most out of your morning  and day ahead. Quiet Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones weve been waiting for. We are the change we seek. Barack Obama

Why is Acoustics Resume Writing Service Important?

Why is Acoustics Resume Writing Service Important?The Acoustics Recruitment Inc. (ARI) review of the Acoustics resume writing service offers several tips on how to put together a successful resume. One tip is the use of bullet points. The ARC Review also suggests that most people who follow this tip end up having the right information in their resumes. It does not matter if it is what the employer wants to see or not, as long as the person has everything listed in their resume, they will have an advantage over others.In ARI's view, the bullet points should be placed in the body of the resume, even though they may appear redundancies at first glance. This is because the objective of the bullet points is to summarize the job description of the position. The aim is to summarize the things that should be included on the resume in a concise manner.With regard to formatting, ARI's opinion is that there is no need to worry too much about the position you are applying for. It is common knowl edge that most people applying for higher profile positions have more experience than others, therefore they get hired faster. As a result, it is important to emphasize the years of experience that you have in the past in your resume. This will help you in making yourself stand out from the crowd.However, the Acoustics website also recommends against using data type such as the sentence case, as it is not required by most employers. The company does not recommend against using an American or British English data type, because these data types are universal and can be used anywhere in the world. The use of international format when applying for higher level positions can also prove helpful in the end, as it will help you in convincing the employer that you know the different dialects of the world.Another tip that ARI shares with its customers is the fact that they should avoid copy-pasting information from other resumes into their own resume. Such information may be distracting, thus , it is best not to use such information in your resume.Similarly, the Acoustics review suggests that the resume should be written in a two-paragraph format. They suggest that a resume should only be used to inform a potential employer about what you have accomplished. So, if your goal is to appear more serious about the job you are applying for, you should only list the accomplishments that are related to the job you are applying for.It also suggests that a person should only include the personal information on the first page of the resume. They advise the person to highlight the achievements that are relevant to the job in the first paragraph. In the second paragraph, one should describe yourself and then the date of graduation and any awards you may have won.The advice guides the person to express their goals, qualifications, and experience in a clear manner. This should help them to get their foot in the door of the company. In the end, if the person follows the tips provided by ARI and takes note of the other resume writing services available, it would be easier for them to stand out from the crowd.

How Far Back to Go in Resume Writing

How Far Back to Go in Resume WritingWriting a resume, one of the most important documents you will ever create, is really only as far back as when you actually sit down to write it. While the details may vary, your resume remains more or less the same, whether it's an adult-oriented resume for the job of secretary, or a child-oriented resume for the job of babysitter.How far back to go? How far back to go? The answer to this question will affect everything from the specific details of your application (it has to be modern, it has to be current), to the content of your cover letter, and how well your networking skills will do you in when you go out and approach job candidates yourself.First off, how far back to go will depend on the job itself. Depending on the industry you are trying to get into, how far back you go will likely vary. Many adults who are applying for jobs as a secretary will need to start at the beginning of their employment. This means that they should begin by putti ng together a resume covering their educational background, if any, for that job.If they didn't attend college, they will need to go back to when they worked their first job. This means that they should start from the point when they got hired to the end of their employment.A couple of points to remember when going back to when you were employed to your own employer. First, you may not know the exact dates your company was founded, or what your salary levels were, so take the time to research this information. You may also want to get references for the different positions you applied for.If you need help with this, you should definitely consider hiring a professional resume writer. Their expertise can help you make the most of the information you have and can even help you provide examples of your work history to prove that you deserve the position you're applying for.Next, how far back to go is going to depend on the kind of candidate you are trying to hire. You want to look at th e kind of job you are interviewing for, and see where your needs are.Do you need a supervisor experience, or are you looking for someone who can provide an experience behind the scenes, or who can show you something new? Is it a manager or just an entry-level position? Knowing where you need to go with your resume will help you find the perfect match for the job.

Whoah - were on TED.com o) - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Whoah - were on TED.com o) - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Holy crap one of the videos from our conference last year is featured on the front page of ted.com. And featured very prominently! Which means that it has now been viewed over 50,000 100,000 times! And its no wonder the presentation in question was one of the highlights of our 2009 conference on happiness at work: Dr. Srikumar S. Raos wonderfully inspiring and funny presentation. It very satisfying for me to know that something we helped create has now inspired so many people in the TED community and around the world. Also, its a professional ambition of mine to speak at TED and this way, I almost already have by proxy :o) You can watch Srikumar Raos entire speech here (18 minutes): Dr. Rao is the man behind the pioneering course Creativity and Personal Mastery. This is the only business school course that has its own alumni association and it has been extensively covered in the media including the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the London Times, the Independent, Time, the Financial Times, Fortune, the Guardian, Business Week and dozens of other publications. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

How - and Why! - I Experiment with my Business - When I Grow Up

How - and Why! - I Experiment with my Business - When I Grow Up Ive been The When I Grow Up Coach since 2008. Thats 8 years! Its 21%  of my life! The point is: Its a long-ass time. And yet, although I have a business that supports me although I have a business I can trust although I feel like Ive (almost) done it all during that time theres still so much room to grow. To play. To experiment. To explore. When I start working with my clients, I encourage them to take action earlier than theyre ready, because action leads to knowledge. Without doing it yourself, you just dont know. But you not only have to do it you have to notice everything thats going on that relates to it.  Turning a blind eye to  whats happening along the way the good, the bad, the ugly, the yucky, the amazeballs, the eh is like youre not doing anything at all. Reminding my clients that Its just an experiment! also allows them to breathe easier with their career idea. It  relieves the pressure of whatever-theyre-trying-to-do and makes it about more then just succeeding. The expectations drop or are totally eliminated! and now were in Nancy Drew mode, taking notes on whats happening and hypothesizing why. No matter what stage of business youre in, experimenting with something automatically makes it a success. It cant be a failure, because its just an experiment. I like to practice what I preach, but Im not big on quickie experiments. When I offer something, you best believe theres blood, sweat, and tears behind it. For example, I started working on Career Change Masterclass  6 weeks before the cart opened. I spent 20 hours on it, from the lead up   writing the sales page, setting the marketing plan, working with my designer, loading up social media posts, etc until the cart closed almost 2 months later. To be honest? It bombed. I had 1 sign-up while the cart was open, and another registrant accidentally get through a week after the offer was down from the site. My December income was gone, and because of the refunds it looked like Id be having my first ever negative month in January. And yet I wasnt devastated. I had my Nancy Drew hat on the whole time. After it was over, I wrote two pages of notes on what I learned from the bum launch. I dont know  exactly why Career Camp Masterclass didnt work, but I have my ideas. I was paying attention, and I realized quickly that it took hindsight to see what didnt work about the entire offer. But just like my Clubhouse, which also bombed the first time I ran it, Im already putting wheels in motion to retool it and offer it again this year definitely at a lower price point and definitely at a different time of year. Now, lets remember how long Ive been doing this for. Some offers are absolute home runs for me, and others crash and burn. But nothing makes me close up shop, or have me despair in my choice of career. In seeing all I do through a lens of experimentation, I just cant fail. Last month, you might have noticed my make-me-an-offer birthday offer, which popped into my head when I was told Id have a break from my treatments in February.  I realized I wasnt happy thinking of taking the time off from coaching, and the other projects I have in my head (book proposal, workshops, in-person event) werent appealing for me to work on. What I really wanted during the time was more one-on-one coaching, and yet I knew I couldnt start working with anyone long-term until April. Also Ill admit to it I really wanted to see if I could make a nice amount of money appear out of nowhere (aka with zero prep), and the thought of making a negative amount of money in January was no bueno. (Yes, I know my word of 2016 is Accept. I really just couldnt.) I thought of resurrecting one of the short-term coaching packages Ive offered in the past, but it felt too hard. I didnt want to write a new sales page, or schedule out a ton of promotional tweets. I wanted it to be easy, and fun, and get me matched up to the clients I wanted to work with who couldnt otherwise work with me. When I put that post up, I knew I only wanted to fill about 6 spots for February. I assumed a lot of offers would be too low for me to accept, and that it would take two-ish weeks to find the right people with the right offers. However, before that week was out, I had 22 applications and 16 invoices waiting to be reconciled. That means 72% of the offers that were made paid for and scheduled! I had 13 new clients and 3 grads (those are what I call my one-on-one client who has worked with me for at least 12 sessions) on my calendar, filling up February, March and part of April as well. The crazy part? I made exactly what I projected to make for Career Change Masterclass, and its gonna lead to my best January ever for my biz. You might hear that, to have a successful business, you have to offer what  you want to work on. You also  might hear that, to have a successful business, you have to give your audience what they want. My eyes have been open since 2008, and I havent stopped paying attention to the intersection of what works for me and what works for my clients.  That is where you find your successful business. That, and a Nancy Drew hat. What have you experimented with lately? What are you now gonna experiment with and how are you gonna record your field notes? I wanna hear about it in the comments!