I’ve been interviewed several times this month and wanted to give you the opportunity to listen via podcast download. Here is a link to Karen Hodges’ interview where:

We discover a few secret’s to Jane’s success:

• The rituals and routines she uses to keep her on her path
• How she deals with the inevitable obstacles on her entrepreneurial adventure
• What the view is from where she is now
• What’s next for her

An organization called The Skirted Roundtable has also posted our recent conversation. As they so eloquently put it:

We chatted about establishing core values, establishing our own worth and charging appropriately, learning from those who have done it before us and enjoying our successes. Great stuff and as we say on the podcast “Food for thought”.

Life without power continues to be a challenge. Here’s a photo of the bugaboo keeping my neighborhood in the dark.

Born with an entrepreneurial spirit, I’m finding a way–blogging this morning from Panera Bread where there is free wi-fi (before the public library opens), showering at my fitness center, putting on my makeup by daylight coming through the kitchen window for last night’s Remarkable Women’s Network event.

Also, today I let my clients know by text that they’d need to call my cell phone for our sessions. I sat in my car with the motor running (fortunately, I drive a hybrid, so it didn’t use up any gas) and coached from the driver’s seat. Appropriate, no?!

This is getting old. It may go on until Friday, we’re told. But here’s what I’m grateful for:

That I live in a country where I am completely assured that this will get resolved.

That it’s Daylight Savings Time and I can still see things in my house without the benefit of my battery-powered lantern until about 7:30pm.

That I have owned a MacBook since last June which retains its battery power for 4-5 hours, or about 3 hours longer than my Dell laptop held out.

That good friends offered me showers and a place to stay should I need it.

That 21 Remarkable Women showed up for last night’s event in spite of whatever was going on at home. One woman even saw an added benefit of the evening that she could charge her cell phone there while networking. I love being around positive, action-oriented people.

I trekked over to the nearby library only to have the door held open by a 10-year old boy entering with his family. “Lose your power?” he asked, probably due to the backpack and tote I was sporting. “40% of Westport lost its electricity,” he announced. So, I wasn’t surprised to find the outlets full of computer plugs, nor to hear the announcement a few minutes later over the PA system saying, “We’ve done what we can to set up as may plugs as we can. The Senior Center also has its doors open if you need to go someplace after we close at 5pm.” Felt good to know the status, that they were paying attention and also offering solutions to the dilemma. Made me grateful that I live here, that power will be restored and that this is only a short-term challenge.

I would love your opinion on the narrowed down selection of shots Kate took. She generously provided me with four re-touched options for consideration. Will you vote on your favorite via the comments section? 

The winner will be the one that goes onto my website and all my marketing materials for the next several years. No pressure!

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I’ve been staring at two vision boards that hang on the inside of my closet door daily for several years now. The very first one I ever created, before these two, came to fruition within a short time. I made it by cutting and pasting images of the places, people and things I wanted in my life. I visited Japan, renovated our master bath, created a forum for high-level artistic women, entertained good friends and emulated Julie Morgenstern.

These two newer boards are taking longer to manifest. I’ve been gazing at yoginis in impossible postures, lap pools and exotic locales. And Oprah. I realized just how long I’d had these boards in my closet when Oprah’s picture fell off. The glue which had been holding her attached to my vision had dried up. I lovingly placed her image in my jewelry box so I could continue to envision having her in my life. I’m still not sure what I’m looking for–hence the vision board–I just know it includes Oprah in some form.   

The reason I’m writing about this is that I believe it’s important to know what you want and to place your ad with the Universe. Clients recently have told me what they don’t want: aggravating clients, too little income, work that bores them. Among other recommendations I always suggest a vision statement or board so that they will become crystal clear and focus on what they do want.

Shortly after posting my May 1 entry about verbalizing what I need in relationships,  I was heading into NYC for the day. Having heard the weather prediction, I packed the cute little fold-up umbrella my daughter-in-law’s family gave me for Christmas. It was the first time I was carrying it and noticed a large tag tucked into one of the ribs. It was the company’s warranty.

Since I had a small pocket of time while waiting for the train, I read it.

Shedrain has been creating fine umbrellas since 1947. Our quality materials and expert craftsmanship stand the test of time. All it takes is a little care and common sense.

Always treat a Shedrain umbrella with respect and it will provide excellent protection for years to come.

I’m thinking about handing out warranties to everyone I meet from now on. Treat me with a little care, common sense and respect and I’ll provide excellence for years to come.

Imagine finding reinforcement for my message from the Shedrain Umbrella company!

While I was writing today’s blog about collaboration, I went to my image resource for a photo of an iconic partnership–a couple photographed from behind with the sun beaming rays all around them, or something similarly inspiring. What I repeatedly found was this–white men in business suits shaking hands. Not my world!

Where are the women professionals? Few and far between! People of color? Forget it! Women over 4o? Not on this stock photo site. It’s not a battle I choose to take on, but a quiet reminder that there are still unspoken hurdles to leap out there in the world of business and life.

My piece on collaboration will wait until next week when I’ve had time to locate a more suitable representation for my message.

“I am committed to destroying the myth of the starving artist.”

When I read that quote in the NYTimes Sunday Business section in December, I knew I had to take action. I, also, am committed to seeing women (men, too!) thrive and prosper in their creative endeavors. I recognized a kindred spirit and wanted to reach out and join forces.

I immediately wrote a letter to the gentleman quoted and was honored to get together with him on my trip to Florida last week. Here I am after that inspiring meeting.

I once believed that if you were really talented you would never have to market yourself or take one tiny step out of your comfort zone. You would be discovered and your world would be filled with ringing telephones, opportunities and patrons.

Receiving a call from the White House in the early 80′s, which was a life-changer,  substantiated that belief. I was asked to participate in the annual Easter Egg event by submitting my painted eggs to their display. That remains the one and only opportunity that came my way without my being able to trace its origin.

EVERY other opportunity I’ve ever had has been preceded by an action I’ve taken:  selling my wares, sending direct mail, blogging, speaking, networking or exchanging a business card with someone over coffee.

I’m not sure what will develop from this new alliance, but I am sure that honoring the urge to schedule an appointment 1200 miles south of my home was a passion I had to follow.

One of the most dramatic professional changes I’ve been privileged to witness since I began coaching in 2002 is Jessica Bram’s transformation from public relations practitioner to full-time writer.

Jessica and I have worked together in just about every capacity I offer–one-on-one coaching, Mastermind Groups and my Create Your Own Future retreat. In that time she has created a vision for herself, done the work of transformation (no wands involved here!), grown and changed into the writer she’d always dreamed of becoming.

For years I heard Jessica say, “I want to write.” Now she says, “I’m a writer.” If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video clip is worth millions. Click on this link to hear about this in Jessica’s own words.

To learn more about Jessica’s book, her writing workshops, her commentaries and her blog click on each highlighted link.

On Monday a coaching client mentioned feeling inadequate to put herself in front of high-end clientele .  The next day I heard the same fear articulated by another woman I was coaching who also had that “less than” thing going on. Then, over lunch with a colleague yesterday same story again.

So, what started as an “hmmmm” on Monday, took on trend status Tuesday and proved to be an epidemic by Thursday. Definitely a blog topic for today!

I’m traveling to Florida next week to be with good friends and have also scheduled an appointment while I’m down there to meet with the President of an acclaimed art college to offer a collaborative event. My gremlins are SCREAMING: “Why would he be interested in YOU?” “He has millions of alums who can do what you do in high heels and backwards.” “What could you possibly offer that he doesn’t already have enough of?”

Do you need me to share more to qualify for this sorority? I didn’t think so…

Fortunately, I participate in a spiritual fellowship every Friday morning and heard just what I needed today to address this issue:  the fear that lies beneath our desires.

I believe that my intuitive hit to contact this gentleman, based on a quote of his I read in the NYTimes awhile back, was the spark of God in me. And that my gremlins represent FEAR and are combated only by action.

What’s on the other side of this impostor/less-than/fear-of-success syndrome is faith, success and the unknown. It used to be more comfortable for me (us) to wallow in the familiar, icky as it may be. I can’t do that any more.

The way I get beyond my saboteurs, head games and paralysis is to name it and claim it, to ask for help and to do the next right thing. I pick up the phone, describe what’s going on to a caring friend, and describe the action I’m going to take on my behalf. It has worked every time I’ve done this and is the underpinning for my success to date.

The fear doesn’t go away. I keep doing scarier and cooler things in my business. But the muscle I’m flexing to overcome the fear is growing stronger every time I use it.