Tonight over dinner my friend Hisun said she often thinks about my statement that this is the Year of Amy. Officially that year came to a close on March 8. That was essentially the anniversary of me being out of my marriage for a year. I promised myself that I would take that year to reflect on me, what I want, my values, my friends and family, and my personal development.
I am in a happy place. No challenge is too big. Panic goals are pulled into stretch goals.
Recognizing that the marriage was not working for me was a giant step. Bringing it to a close was so disappointing as it felt like failure. In comparison to these major life choices little things like presenting a training session on the 33rd floor of a London skyscraper was peanuts (although looking at the photo on this blog link does get me a bit woozy). Applying and being accepted into a a Doctoral program was another huge step...which resulted in me being in Statistics which is even more surprising. But I'm doing it.
Now I've hired my friend Simone to help me build my consulting biz plan. She is an amazing coach. In just one session I've gained so much more clarity on what where I've come from and where I'm going. Strategic planning for a strategic planning consultant.
More to the point - I've learned to love and value ME over the past year. As Drew Barrymore says in the Feb/March issue of BUST magazine quoted from Harper's Bazaar, "I've been single for months now, and I've turned my attention toward my passions, my friends, and the causes I believe in. It's about learning who I am, not through a man but for myself." Notice she has set a moving-towards as opposed to moving-away from goal. Digging it Drew.
Showing posts with label cameron coaching. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cameron coaching. Show all posts
March 13, 2009
June 18, 2008
Leading the Life I Want to Live
The past couple of months I've been reconnecting with friends and family here in the States. I'd call it a sabbatical of sorts. How often in your life do you get to visit with friends and family, take a break, think about where you're going, what you've done, choose where to live and what you want to do? I keep joking that if I could only live my life this way. But then I realized the most obvious thing on my morning bike ride today - I am living the life I want to lead.
Consulting nationally and internationally
Spending quality time with friends and family
Traveling and adventuring
Writing
Teaching
Coaching
Being a photographer
I'm doing all of it! Now to pump up the volume and make some excellent money and I can keep living this lifestyle. I return to San Francisco on June 28 and I know that living in my beloved city I will have the proper base to keep it going.
Consulting nationally and internationally
Spending quality time with friends and family
Traveling and adventuring
Writing
Teaching
Coaching
Being a photographer
I'm doing all of it! Now to pump up the volume and make some excellent money and I can keep living this lifestyle. I return to San Francisco on June 28 and I know that living in my beloved city I will have the proper base to keep it going.
March 4, 2007
E-Mythology Realized
My buddy Simone requested, actually nearly demanded, that I read The E-Myth Revisited: Why Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About it by Michael E. Gerber. Any recommendation from Simone is always worth the pursuit so I went yet again to Paddington Library here in London and picked up a copy. As always her advice was spot-on. Now I turn to you and say read it if you have or are considering starting a small business.
Gerber is a story teller which makes this book very easy to read and internalize. The E-Myth methodology is simple and builds on the concept that a small business owner is more than an entrepreneur, but rather is someone who must balance innovation with systemisation while being a technician and a craftsperson.
All small business owners need to articulate their Primary Aim prior to even thinking about starting a business – what is it that you want to do with your life? How much do you want to make, what do you want your role to be in the business? This ensures that you understand that you are building a business and working on it as opposed to it running you.
Then create a quantifiable Strategic Objective that drives your passion for the business. Non profit arts organisations are great at this one – its about making the art. But quantifying that statement becomes more difficult. What does success look like? And most important, what is your exit strategy.
The biggest idea in the book is that you should create your business with a franchise model in mind. This means that you think from the start that you will need to be able to slot almost anyone into the various posts that will exist when the business is in full swing. Of course from the start it may just be you. Build an organisational chart, create job descriptions and then even if you are the only person you should sign a post agreement for every job you are taking on. This way you know that you are an employee of the business not just an owner. As you find people to fill the posts you handover the work as well as a detailed manual of how that job needs to run.
Every time I think about starting a business, which is at least six times a year, I craft it around me and my skills as opposed to functions and systems that can be taught to someone else who is filling a post. The book encourages you to hold on to that passion, build it into your business culture but make sure that you create hard, soft and information systems that allow others to carry out your vision.
Gerber is a story teller which makes this book very easy to read and internalize. The E-Myth methodology is simple and builds on the concept that a small business owner is more than an entrepreneur, but rather is someone who must balance innovation with systemisation while being a technician and a craftsperson.
All small business owners need to articulate their Primary Aim prior to even thinking about starting a business – what is it that you want to do with your life? How much do you want to make, what do you want your role to be in the business? This ensures that you understand that you are building a business and working on it as opposed to it running you.
Then create a quantifiable Strategic Objective that drives your passion for the business. Non profit arts organisations are great at this one – its about making the art. But quantifying that statement becomes more difficult. What does success look like? And most important, what is your exit strategy.
The biggest idea in the book is that you should create your business with a franchise model in mind. This means that you think from the start that you will need to be able to slot almost anyone into the various posts that will exist when the business is in full swing. Of course from the start it may just be you. Build an organisational chart, create job descriptions and then even if you are the only person you should sign a post agreement for every job you are taking on. This way you know that you are an employee of the business not just an owner. As you find people to fill the posts you handover the work as well as a detailed manual of how that job needs to run.
Every time I think about starting a business, which is at least six times a year, I craft it around me and my skills as opposed to functions and systems that can be taught to someone else who is filling a post. The book encourages you to hold on to that passion, build it into your business culture but make sure that you create hard, soft and information systems that allow others to carry out your vision.
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