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I’ve been a fan of Denyse Schmidt’s quilts, artistry and community commitment since I met her many years ago. I was sent by the WBDC (Women’s Business Development Center–then AWED–American Women’s Economic Development Corp.) to serve as a mentor. Within 20 minutes it was clear that Denyse knew exactly what she was doing and could have mentored me. The one recommendation I remember making was that she delegate more. Any influence I’ve had beyond that would have to be considered cheerleading. I think she’s amazing.
So, when my dear friend Linda visited last week bearing the current issue of American Craft magazine with Denyse’s image on the cover I was thrilled.
Denyse has been a full-time quilt designer for well over a decade. She’s an icon for most crafts designers I know–someone who has created a strong brand, maintained high quality relationships and not sold out or diluted her aesthetic for a quick buck. Denyse is the real deal.
I loved that the magazine shows her that way. The left side of the cover is a flap. Here’s the full image. Congratulations, Denyse!
I was walking at Compo Beach (Westport) with a new friend who recently left her place of work. She was cataloging her job search activities–informational interviews, lunches with colleagues, etc. “But what I would really like is to spend two weeks on the beach,” she said with a hearty laugh.
I believe the laugh came as a trained defense mechanism for all those practical colleagues who would dismiss the thought out of hand. “You can’t possibly do that and still claim to be a sane, responsible and prudent citizen,” I imagined they’d think, say or project.
But she was walking with me–a coach and proponent of following one’s bliss. “Do it!” I said.
I proceeded to tell her how refreshed and renewed I was having so recently spent a week by myself. I’d been responsible to no one in a beautiful, serene environment. Everything looked different and clearer when I returned.
The next day I attended an excellent pilot program put on by a client of mine and held at St. Birgitta’s Vikingsborg in Darien–two towns away from Westport. It is located on the Long Island Sound and is as serene a place as you could wish. Their rates are posted: $110 per day including three meals. I recommended it to my friend and hope she treats herself to at least a week.
Driving into downtown Westport I passed two antique stores in a row on the Saugatuck River. “Hmmm,” I thought “they must know their market and can be located where there’s not much parking.” Antiques stores don’t require the volume of spaces, say, that Costco needs. I also knew, in that moment, that I am not their customer.
Since I filter everything through the eyes of an entrepreneur, coach and blogger, I leapt to an “aha” for myself. I don’t intend that every person I meet–i.e. passenger that drives by the antique stores–needs to hire me. Like those shops, I only want well-qualified prospects taking an interest.
The antique stores and I all want customers who need our products and services. Our job is to locate ourselves physically through bricks and mortar in a prime location, or virtually by optimizing for search engines. Anyone looking for a coach or speaker who specializes in women entrepreneurs, small business owners and success needs to see those signposts that will lead to my services.
In this digital era, our location, location, location has morphed into SEO, SEO, SEO – search engine optimization. As I’ve mentioned before, I’m in the generation of digital immigrants. I’m on the learning curve of adding keywords to my website and blogging so that my market can find me. It’s challenging and exciting–especially when I get found.
When you think of me, what words come to mind regarding my services? I’d love your comments.
I had the privilege of hearing David Briscoe speak at the Kushi Institute Summer Conference on macrobiotics last week. I didn’t know when I walked into his classroom how coaching and macrobiotics might relate to each other. (Had I known, I would have taken the conference as a business deduction!) But his talk made it crystal clear.
His topic–Women’s Health: Heal Your Liver and Transform Your Health–addressed issues such as PMS, ovarian cancer, breast health problems, thyroid problems, digestive problems, emotional disturbances and more. His experience in treating women is that these dis-eases are attributable to liver ki (or chi) stagnation. He had my attention. In coaching, I often hear clients say “I’m feeling stuck” which David mentioned as a presenting symptom.
Where it totally hit home was when he got to the ways to relieve the ki stagnation. The #1 recommendation was this –
Find what it is that you truly want to do and do it with all your heart and without hesitation.
Helping clients figure out and do what they really want is the heart and soul of coaching. What a privilege to work with people to not only grow their businesses, but also improve their health.
Leave a comment if you’re interested in knowing what #2 and #3 are.
All of my coaching groups are on hiatus for the summer. My speaking kicks back into high gear mid-September. Several individual clients are taking a break from coaching over the summer. So I scheduled a brainstorming session with myself to figure out how to best use the open spaces on my calendar.
I came up with a healthy list that may stimulate you as well.
- Go through files. As dull as this looks, I always find gems in my drawers–opportunities laying in wait.
- Review goals sheets from my Mastermind Groups for themes, successes and patterns.
- Re-visit marketing my Distinguished Speaker Series to other Chapters of ASID around the country.
- Go through entire database (3500+ names) and segment, delete and update.
- Send holiday cards. I choose to reach out to my friends, clients and associates in the summer when mine is the only card they’re receiving, not one of 100. Our daughter got married in April, so I will send a photo to everyone along with warm wishes.
- Create a video for my website.
- Design a teleclass offering for 2009.
- Brainstorm book ideas.
