May 8, 2009
ON THE TWISTING ROAD
(c) 2009 Discovery Lookout, Inc. and Stephen Coxsey
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IN THIS ISSUE:
*Steve’s Field Note
*The TWISTING ROAD TRAVEL LOG
*ANYTHING BUT MARKETING!
*BURGER BITES
*FEATURED RESOURCES – Join me as an “Outside The Job Box Career Expert ©”!
*ADVISORY BOARD — Spread the word!
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Steve’s Field Note
May 8, 2009
May is looking like a very busy month for our family already. Our older son graduates at the end of the month, so there are a lot of activities building up to that day. He also was invited to play in a soccer tournament, which might take up part of the next two weekends. Our younger son has his rainout games to make up from soccer, plus Tae Kwon Do classes and end-of-year activities at his school.
So we decided it was the perfect time to start guitar lessons! They’ve both talked for a while about learning guitar, but not with enough consistency to convince me. Now they’re consistent and insistent, so we’re giving it a go. I’m sure things will ease up for us in June.
In the TRAVEL LOG from the past week you can read about the terrifying experience I had when I pulled over to take a break on the Twisting Road and nearly collided with people aggressively chasing each other through the Rat Race. I also posted a response to a Seth Godin blog about constant growth and whether it’s what a business really wants. It fit right into my recurring thoughts about sustainability.
I accidentally wrote an article for ANYTHING BUT MARKETING! It was going to be a short forum post for the OJB Career Change Consultants, but it kept growing.
I didn’t finish April’s second BURGER BITE until the beginning of May, but the topic helped me deal with the delay and give it a lot of consideration.
I hope you will be helped, inspired, or at least entertained by this edition.
Enjoy the scenery On The Twisting Road!
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TWISTING ROAD TRAVEL LOG
I took a break from my journey on the Twisting Road this past Wednesday to get a bagel and cream cheese at Einstein Brothers’ Bagels. Turns out it’s near a busy entrance ramp to the controlled access lanes of the Rat Race Tollroad. Apparently it’s also near a point where the Fast Track passes overhead and people on the Rat Race try to figure out how they can get on that other highway.
Continue Reading…
Recently I’ve written about how to have a sustainable business and what sustainability means to solo entrepreneurs. In addition to criticizing large corporations’ business plans that require continuing expansion and growth just to cover loan payments and reach the break-even point, I brought up the idea that small business owners need to design and develop businesses that complement their lives to have long-term success.
Continue Reading…
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ANYTHING BUT MARKETING!
Marketing Dilemmas Of New Solo Entrepreneurs
I’ve noticed a couple of recurring conflicts when newly self-employed service professionals start to market. I discuss them regularly with my new coaching colleagues as we build our businesses, and I discuss them regularly with my
target=”blank”>Outside The Job Box Career Expert Consultant © colleagues. Seth Godin’s blog post today added another layer of thought to these conflicts. I started out writing a forum post for my fellow consultants, but it kept growing. I realized the information is helpful to all professionals who provide service to individuals and struggle with marketing, so I posted it here.
Continue Reading…
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BURGER BITES
The Burger Bites Series Is Designed To Bring You A Taste Of Coaching.
Burger Bites: Creative and Expansive
Coaching will always bring you to a point of defining tangible, measurable steps to take. But coaching does not stay confined to the world of practical steps. It takes clients through some creative exercises to open them up to possibility and expand their thinking to include new perspectives. This helps the client pick goals that are really meaningful and steps that are most likely to reach the goals. And it helps clients manage obstacles and resistance.
Continue Reading…
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FEATURED RESOURCES
“Outside The Job Box Career Expert And Small Business Ideal Consultant ©” Training
After our family sold our preschool and child care center, I was looking for my next career. Every time I would hear a story of creative career change, I thought maybe I was finding my calling. That guy who “chucked everything” to learn about growing chocolate? That might be for me! The other man who bought a business renting sailboats in the Caribbean? That might be for me!
I thought I wanted to do all the ideas I heard, until I realized what really spoke to me was the courage of these people to exercise their freedom and pursue their passions. Finally, after many months, I realized – I love helping people come up with creative career ideas and finding the way to pursue them!
Valerie Young of ChangingCourse.com is going to re-open the self-study version of her “Outside The Job Box Career Expert And Small Business Ideal Consultant ©” Training. She opens it in small blocks for two very important reasons.
First, you get boxes of materials, including up to four binders of printed materials and over a dozen CDs of consultations and interviews with business development experts. Second, Valerie is invested in helping the consultants be successful in their businesses so she offers ongoing support. She wanted to make sure that everyone starting the first block was getting the attention they needed before bringing in more students.
Great news! Valerie asked me to coordinate the community of self-study students to set up support groups, study groups, and future collaborations as we create our businesses. If you sign up for this program, you will join a creative community of supportive people who love to brainstorm together and support each other.
The Changing Course Club
Do you long to find work that you love, work that seems authentic and aligned with your gifts, talents, passions, and values? Do you have some ideas but no clue how to turn the things you love to do into an income? Join the club! I did, and it has helped me transform my life.
About two years ago I joined the Changing Course Club. I read through the workbooks and training materials, listened to interviews with work at what you love experts like Valerie Young, Barbara Winter, and Barbara Sher, and got active in the community forum. I got clear about my vision and clear about how I like to work with people. If you’re looking for direction and support, come join the Club. Click here to learn more.
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ADVISORY BOARD
That’s you. As always:
If you like what you read, please tell your family and friends. If you don’t like something, please tell me!
Thanks for Joining Me on the Ride,
Steve Coxsey
Authentic Life Work and Self-Employment Coach
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On The Twisting Road is a publication of Discovery Lookout, Inc. and Stephen Coxsey
(c) 2009 Discovery Lookout, Inc. and Stephen Coxsey