Posted by Kate Stence on Mon, Apr 26, 2010
Overcoming Your Fears: The Entrepreneur's Journey
So you want to be an entrepreneur, right? That was my life dream. It was my solution for "having it all": a successful professional, personal and family life. These were my motivations. What are yours?
Like many entrepreneurs, I had major fears before taking the plunge. Having the entrepreneur’s dream, and making it a reality are two different beasts. There are many mental roadblocks that can inhibit you from taking the plunge:
I’m not sure about my idea. What if I fail?
Failure is what happens when you stop trying. No idea is perfect. Ideas evolve much like people. They grow, change, and need to be nurtured to blossom. Too many people think the idea is the key to entrepreneurial success. In reality, the idea is just the starting point. The challenges come with the journey that follows.
When I started Marry Me Live, I was a true idea romantic. I quickly realized that business success could not rely on the idea alone. Execution and evolution is the key to business prosperity. Although we are still true to the original mission (enabling everyone to attend the wedding regardless of geography), everything else about the business has evolved and changed in one way or another.
It is such a big risk. Is it worth giving up job security?
We all say we want to be an entrepreneur when times are bad. The question you need to ask yourself is “Would I still be willing to give up my job when times are good?”
Entrepreneurship isn’t for everyone. There is risk. There are ups and downs. It takes a certain mindset to stay positive when things look bleak. If the entrepreneurial drive is stronger than the benefits you receive at the best of times, it is time to re-evaluate your situation.
Look yourself in the mirror and determine if your current position is getting you closer to your entrepreneurial dream. If the answer is “no”, staying in your current situation is the “bigger” risk.
I'm scared. How do I get over my fear of “taking the leap”?
You are likely reading this article because you want to take the leap. You are halfway there. You’ve done your research. If you have not done your research, start by talking to entrepreneurs. You will realize that they are not super humans, but everyday people like you and me. Those individuals took the leap because their passion for their business overtook their fear of failure.
Still not convinced? Do something that scares you just a little bit everyday. Talk to that handsome stranger in the elevator, go skydiving, sing karaoke in a very crowded bar, whatever it is that gets you out of your comfort zone.
When you realize you are still alive and breathing, you may be closer to taking that leap after all.
I cannot afford to be an entrepreneur! How will I finance the business?
If you are passionate about being an entrepreneur, you will find creative ways to make it work. It could be a part-time job, friends and family investment, small business loan, or being a full-time employee/nights and weekend entrepreneur.
Keep in mind that you may not be able to afford your current lifestyle. Being an entrepreneur takes sacrifice. But, when you have the vision, the sacrifice is worth it.
These are a just a few of the many thoughts that I’m sure are swirling around in your head. After reading this, if you still think you want to be an entrepreneur, the best advice I can give you is to not over-think the process!
The biggest hurdle of all is keeping your fear of the unknown in check. The entrepreneur’s journey is risky, but it is that same risk that can make your dream a reality. You will never feel completely prepared, but that is what makes the journey so thrilling. Once you realize this, taking the plunge is much easier than you think. So step back, relax and jump!
About the Author:
Stacy Yamaoka is the co-founder of Marry Me Live, a live wedding streaming and wedding webcasting service enabling wedding couples to share their wedding LIVE with family and friends around the world. Stacy Yamaoka is also the Director of College Mentorship for Future Women Leaders.
Posted by Shradha Balakrishnan on Sun, Apr 25, 2010
Stanford Women in Business presents its annual conference, I Don’t Know to CEO, on Saturday, May 1st, 2010 at Stanford University. The conference strives to educate, motivate and connect students and young adults to achieve success at every point in their future careers. The conference will feature speakers who have reached these heights and are eager to share their stories.
At the conference, participants will take part in hands-on workshops and get the opportunity to network with others. For I Don’t Know to CEO 2010, they have an especially impressive line-up of speakers. Susie Cranston, author of "How Remarkable Women Lead," Rob Britton, a pioneer in the Airline Industry, and many more leaders of the fashion, finance and environment industries have agreed to share their stories with the aspiring entrepreneurs and leaders of today.
In order to attend I Don’t Know to CEO 2010, please visit their website
and register.
If you have any questions or concerns about the conference, please feel free to contact the VP of Conference, Rebecca Johnson (beckyj1@stanford.edu).
Posted by Shradha Balakrishnan on Fri, Apr 09, 2010
Guest post by XuanThu Pham:
"OK, nobody is going to talk to my model right now, I need to finish her eyes," Sheila gently but firmly whispered as she brushed hues of grey on the model's eyelids. The model was talking, and distracted, making it a bit challenging for Sheila to set the makeup in just-the-right-way. Who could blame the model? The whole excitement about getting your personal makeover was hard to keep mum about.
I watched Sheila curiously as she applied customized makeup on two women in a clockwork manner. She was focused. The world buzzing around her - invisible. It's almost as if she was performing a solo dance. A Martha Graham of Makeup, so to speak. The repertoire would go like this:
Brush on eyeshadows. Step back. Look at model. Sheila's eyebrows furrow in slight disapproval as she studies the eyes. Add a few more strokes on the cheek bones. Step back and look. And a sigh of contentment is let out. She finally secured the look she wanted and moves on to the next part of the model's face. Her process was intriguing and for a moment, I wondered if she did yoga stretches before each makeup job since doing makeup involves so much physical movement.
There are many makeup artists in the Bay Area, but once in a while, you meet a professional that has a distinct style, background, and work approach that catches your attention. Sheila Patel is one of them. We recently sat down together and talked about her work, life, and career. Here are some of her thoughts and experiences, which she shared with me:
Me: Tell me about why you do your work and what you have worked on. Who do you work on now?
Sheila: I really enjoy making women look their best by playing up their best features. I'm passionate about makeup and believe that no matter how beautiful you are, good makeup can truly enhance they way you look. I have done the entire gamut of makeup services including TV commercials, MTV, music videos, bridal makeup, fashion shows, and product launches.
In addition, I worked with many actors in India such as Bipasha Basu. I've worked on celebrity brides as well as TV. I've done some prestigious commercials with Coca Cola, Lakmé, and Close Up toothpaste, and a ton of music videos, which were all fun.
Now, I provide services to whoever wants to look great. With individuals, I work on weddings, budding models, and individuals who need that perfect look to make an impression for that very hard to secure job interview. With the B2B space, I can work with ad agencies, film productions, digital media, and music videos, which I've done work for extensively in the past.
Me: What inspires you?
Sheila: My family inspires me to be the best person I can be. Generosity inspires me. OMG, I am sounding like a beauty pageant contestant...occupational hazard. Kevin Aucoin inspires me. My mentor in India, Cory Walia, is another person. Bill Gates and President Barack Obama are also great inspirations for me.
Me: Where do you normally work?
Sheila: I work wherever the location requires me to be. Whether it be studios, wedding locations, movie sets, trailers, etc., I go where the job takes me.
Me: Which specific makeup job have you done that you are most proud of? Why?
Sheila: I was with MTV India at the time and I did a whole series of shows with Malaika Arora called "MTV Love Line." She is very beautiful. The way the show was filmed and styled made Malaika look stunning and it all came together beautifully. I really enjoyed that.
Me: If you have advice to give to people who want to pursue a similar career, what would that be?
Sheila: Follow you heart. If you feel passionate about something, you will find a way to be successful.
Me: Please tell us three interesting factoids about yourself.
Sheila: 1. I love good food, wine, gossip, and great company (is that considered as one factoid?) 2. I am a better cook than a makeup artist. 3. I can't dance.
------
Learn more about Sheila Patel at:
sheila@sheilapatelsf.com
www.sheilapatelsf.com
Media contact:
XuanThu Pham
RedRadish Marketing
www.redradishmarketing.com
xuanthu@redradishmarketing.com
XuanThu Pham is a marketing communications consultant, with expertise in helping individual entrepreneurs, early stage businesses, and tech companies develop and launch their marketing programs. She has worked for clients in the technology, services, consumer products, nonprofit, and marketing/advertising spaces in the U.S. and Asia-Pacific regions. Please visit www.redradishmarketing.com to learn more or just to drop by and chat about all things Star Trek, food, and design.
Posted by Shradha Balakrishnan on Wed, Mar 17, 2010
A guest post by Pat Obuchowski:
"Networking puts eyes and ears in places where you yourself can't look and can't listen."
~Max Messmer
A client of mine was laid off after 15 years with the same company. One of her first realizations was that she wished she had networked more during that time to stay in contact with people she met in her industry and to make new contacts. This would have proved invaluable to her when she started to look for new work.
What is it about networking that's not working for you? I'm talking about the old fashioned face to face contact, not social networking, which is a whole other topic.
We continue to hear that networking is the number one way to find the job we're looking for, earn the business we want, find the resources we need, and to make the connections we need as human beings. Well, why aren't we all stars at networking?
I always thought networking had the meaning of working hard to grab as many people as you can in your net. Kind of like fishing for tuna. The more the better. I thought it was an odd word to use.
Dictionary.com defines networking as: a supportive system of sharing information and services among individuals and groups having a common interest.
Isn't that a much more effortless way of looking at it? Oh, it's supportive. That means that I can also help other people. And by the way, that is the best approach to take. Magic words asking someone "How can I help you?"
Oh, it's a system. There is an order, a schema. Now, that I can work with. I need a plan to work in a system. I can do that.
Oh, it's sharing information and services. It's not about going in and being desperate to make the one right connection (although it is about making connections). I have lots of information and great services to share. And, oh, it's about sharing. I just have to find that common point and we're off!
Oh, we have a common interest. Of course. That is what would draw a group of people to any networking event. All I have to do is find the common interest.
They are there for the same reason as I am. To find a supportive system of sharing information and services among individual and groups having a common interest. Knowing we're there for the same reason sure does make it a lot easier.
Now having a different perspective on networking, here are a few things that I have found to work for networking at events.
1. Just do it. I was really fearful of networking when I started my business eight years ago, but now I consider myself a pretty good networker. I still feel the GULP and I still do it anyway. I remind myself that most of these people are here for the same reason I am.
2. Be specific. Have your 15-30 second elevator speech ready. Use a networking event as a playground for testing out your elevator speech. Use it and see how it lands. Try it several times and if necessary revise it.
3. Future contact. I remember that in all likelihood if this isn't an industry event or a regular networking event, I will never see most of these people again...unless I want to. This idea frees me up to do things such as test my elevator speech, or a new marketing phrase I want to set up, or to do a survey of something.
4. Ask the other person, "How can I help you?" These are the magic words and I have found that most often, people don't know what to ask, but they do love being asked. You just must be prepared to help them if they do ask you for something specific.
5. Keep your promises. If you say you're going to do something, e.g., make a connection, give a referral, send an article, be sure you do it. There is nothing worse than breaking a promise to start off a relationship.
"The successful networkers I know, the ones receiving tons of referrals and feeling truly happy about themselves, continually put the other person's needs ahead of their own." ~Bob Burg
Expect a call from me soon. I'm networking.
About Pat Obuchowski:
Pat Obuchowski is CEO (Chief Empowerment Officer) of inVisionaria, a Leadership and Team coaching organization. She currently serves as a Global Board Director for the International Coach Federation, the largest professional coaching association in the World.Web: www.inVisionaria.com
Linked In: http://www.linkedin.com/in/patobuchowski
*Image: Spectrum by Lumax Art
Posted by Shradha Balakrishnan on Thu, Dec 03, 2009
Last month, we posted about a Meet-the-Author event for a new book called Girl on Top. The author, Nicole Williams, has shared with us an excerpt from her book, which we thought will resonate with many of you:
Entrepreneurship: Do you have the spirit?
To go it alone or not to go it alone? That is the question. Actually the real question is: Are entrepreneurs born or made? This one has been making the rounds for years and there are no definitive answers. I grew up with a dad who's an entrepreneur so I'm not entirely sure what I was born with and what trickled down from watching him bust his ass, but I'm going to guess there's more born than made. If you're not born (or able to grow or learn into) what I'm talking about below, you're asking for trouble.
Rules are written for other people: I was speaking at a television industry conference and before everyone was let into the room, I listened to a guy tell us how hard it is to sell a TV show, "the chances are one in a million". After sharing my story of selling 13 episodes of a show concept upon first pitch, the guy came up to me and asked how it happened. I didn't say it aloud, but in my mind I'm thinking...because I'm not you...or the 999,999 others out pitching their show.
It's sound egotistical (and maybe it is) but to be an entrepreneur you need to believe that the odds, the statistics and the rules don't apply to you. Nine out of ten start-up businesses fail in the first five years. You'd be screwed walking into this reality and not believe you'll be the one who will defy the odds. This rules-are-for-others concept is also essential from the perspective of looking for new ways of doing things. The name of the game is innovation and some of the best businesses have been built around taking a tried-and-true idea or rule and turning it on its ass. Rules are not for you.
Fearlessness: Leaving the comfort of the warm, comfortable cocoon of the ‘man' is not for the faint of heart. As I actually think and write about it here, it's not that as an entrepreneur you don't feel fear - you do - but you become not only immune to it, you learn to actually feed off it. If your idea of being out on the limb is ordering pork rather than chicken, you're in for a rude awakening. To put your name, money, reputation on the line is big, fat, exhilarating deal. You're going to be scared and the question you need to ask yourself is, Can you handle it? I've met a lot of failed business owners and more often than not, they become paralyzed and can't think straight in the face of the fear.
A refusal to lose: I'm not just saying this for the sake of bravado and it's not that I don't question myself, threaten that I'm leaving, or want to give up, but at the end of the day I know I will not let myself lose. And to me that looks like walking away. There's a certain kind of stubbornness that comes with entrepreneurship. On the outside it looks like you're crazy to be holding on for dear life, and not giving up at the point at which any other sane, rational person would have walked. As an entrepreneur you have to be willing to fail (you're going to make mistakes) but you can't let yourself lose - huge difference. One of my very favorite business books is called Many Miles to Go by Brian Tracy. His message is one of perseverance and dedication and I use it as a constant reminder that the greater your vision, the longer it will take to build.
About the Author:Nicole Williams is your tell-it-like-it-is big sister who happens to be an expert in all things career. Through her work as a best selling author, speaker, editor-in-chief of the go-to online destination for working women, and as founder and CEO of WORKS by Nicole Williams, she provides honest life-changing advice to women who want to take control of their careers.
Posted by Dyna Lopez on Tue, Aug 25, 2009
The following are more classes and seminars serving the San Francisco Bay Area that target small business owners, entrepreneurs or anyone thinking of making the leap, such as myself. Unlike the free or low cost seminars that I've previously posted, these require a higher fee. Please review links for more information.
So mark your calendars:
Crafting your online integrated marketing campaign
http://bit.ly/socmed4you
WHEN: Aug 26, 2009 / 9:30am-12:30p
WHAT: "Define your personal brand and design your integrated marketing campaign. Identify your tagline and keywords. Write online profiles, polish your resume, and create short and long form bios." - iRM Consulting
WHERE: San Francisco State University Downtown Campus, 835 Market St., SF
MULA: Click on link
Job Seekers Looking to Network
http://www.meetup.com/Bay-Area-Job-Seekers-Professionals-Looking-to-Network/
WHEN: August 26, 2009 / 7:00pm - 9:00pm
WHAT: Network with employed and unemployed professionals. Everyone, especially recruiters and HR professionals encouraged to attend.
WHERE: The Bar On Church. 198 Church St., SF
MULA: Click on link. You must RSVP for this MeetUp event.
***PLEASE NOTE THAT FOR THIS EVENT, YOU MUST BE A REGISTERED JOB SEEKER OR NON-JOB SEEKER ON THE WORKYOURCAREER.COM SITE, OTHERWISE THERE WILL BE A $5 FEE AT THE DOOR THE DAY OF THE EVENT. CREATING A PROFILE ON THE WORKYOURCAREER SITE IS FAST AND FREE, AND YOU CAN DO SO AT: http://workyourcareer.com/signup.aspx
Successful Consulting
WHEN: August 28, 2009 / 8:30am-3:00pm
WHAT: For people interested in pursuing a Consulting or Contracts business: Pros and Cons.
WHERE: San Jose Entrepreneur Center, 84 W Santa Clara St., San Jose
CONTACT: Silicon Valley SCORE at 408-288-8479
Check back for more additions to this weekly list on my blog: sfnative2008.blogspot.com
Posted by Andrea Heilbronner on Mon, Aug 24, 2009
The generous women organizers behind FailCon: Understanding Success have offered all FWL members a 25% off discount! Early bird pricing ends tomorrow, so make sure to buy tickets (with the discount!) today if you know you're interested. More info on the conference is below....
Why should YOU be there?
9 out of every 10 startups are likely to fail, most likely in their first year. You need to know the common mistakes people make and how successful founders overcame them. FailCon will discuss:
* Early team communication and where it can break down.
* What ruins virality.
* How investors handle failing companies.
* What's makes an investor slam the door in your face.
* How to handle a client if your service fails to deliver.
* Classic UI and design mistakes.
* Common online marketing mistakes.
* And many more!
How is FailCon different from other social web conferences?
FailCon is the first event to examine the failures founders, investors, designers, and social web professionals have experienced, what they learned, and how they recovered. Every presentation is pre-screened for fresh content, detailed personal stories, and clear explanations on what went wrong and how to avoid the mistakes now. This is our 7th conference, and we're looking to take a new approach and shake things up.
So who IS going?
Aside from some great press and attendees, some of our speakers include:
* Max Levchin; Founder of Paypal (Interviewed by Jessica Vascellaro from the Wall Street Journal)
* Mark Pincus; Founder of Zynga
* Sandy Jen and Seth Sternberg; Co-founders of Meebo
* David Hornick; Partner at August Capital
* Brandon Schauer; Experience Design Director at Adaptive Path
* Max Ventilla; Co-founder of Aardvark
* Diane Benedikt; Co-founder, Venture Insight
* Ron Conway; Angel Investor and Limited-Partner at Baseline Ventures
* Lane Becker and Thor Muller; Co-founders of GetSatisfaction
* Kavin Stewart; Co-founder of LOLapps
* and more!
How do I get there at an affordable rate?
Early bird tickets end TODAY!
Use this link to register: Buy Tickets
So what are the details?
FailCon: Understanding Success takes place on October 27th at the Hotel Kabuki in San Francisco.
It is followed by an SFbeta after party at 111 Minna, from 6pm - 10pm.
Your ticket gets you entrance to both, two meals, and a day of awesome presentations and networking opportunities!
Posted by Shradha Balakrishnan on Fri, Aug 21, 2009
:: Current Title & CompanyFounder,
Six-Figure Pet Sitting Academy:: Online Profiles
Join Kristin on LinkedIn
Join Kristin on Facebook
Follow Kristin on Twitter
:: Favorite Book(s)?
Sabbath: Restoring the Sacred Rhythm of Rest by Wayne Muller, The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss, Attracting Perfect Customers by Hall and Brogniez and Secrets of Six-Figure Women by Barbara Stanny
:: Women Leader That Inspires You?
Michelle Obama and Oprah are the first two that come to mind. I appreciate their strength, personal power and heart.
:: Who Was Your Best Manager? Why?
My best manager was the owner of a restaurant that I managed. He let me know what his expectations were and then he let me run the restaurant in the way that I thought was best. He gave me lots of freedom and autonomy which helped me to thrive as an employee and as a manager.
:: Your First "Real" Job?
I've never had a "real" job. I worked for a veterinarian and a dentist as an assistant and then worked in the restaurant business. I started my own pet sitting and dog walking business in my early twenties and have been self employed since then.
:: Where Do You Do Your Best Thinking?
In my journal while doing my "morning pages" (I've got a stack of journals in my shed!) and on my hiking trail in the woods. Sometimes my best thinking occurs on my bike or at the gym or in a brainstorming session with my many self employed friends.
:: What Do You Value Most in Employees? Colleagues?
In employees I value a willingness to do the best job possible and a commitment to integrity and responsibility. In colleagues I value our holding each other to a high standard.
:: What Would You Like to Be the World's Best At?
The best coach at helping business owners see and run their business from outside the box!
:: What Do You Consider Your Greatest Achievement?
I'm working on what I think will be my greatest achievement to date-my book for business owners.
:: What Is Your Personal Mission Statement?
My personal mission is to assist business owners to run their businesses with ease and profit so that they can create a rich and meaningful work life and personal life.
Posted by Shradha Balakrishnan on Tue, Aug 18, 2009
A guest post by Elizabeth Zirk (see previous posts, "Becoming Fearless" and "Relight Your Spark"):
My fearless journey started back in January of this year. Now, it's the beginning of August. That's seven months! Thirty weeks! Five thousand, one hundred and ten hours! As an individual, that's a lot of time to be able to do something. Imagine what the world could do in five thousand hours…
But I digress. Where am I now? Well, I'm certainly not stopping!
I printed business cards from VistaPrint and they arrived just in time for FWL's Signature Event on August 11th. Just in time for me to practice my pitch. OK, don't get nervous now Liz! Just take a deep breath and stop thinking. Once I stop thinking about something, I tend to listen more. And when I listen, I can react genuinely. My friend Han told me that!
So, how does my pitch sound? Well, to be honest, it sounds pretty similar every time I describe my non-profit venture to someone new. Supporting study abroad alumni, language culture programming, leadership workshops, networking events. And just this Tuesday, I said out loud…
"Yeah, by this time next year, I hope to raise enough money to have a seed group of students in the program. Maybe 10 students, maybe they're all in SF, maybe they're all over the Bay Area. I'm thinking of talking with the Monterey Institute of International Studies, I've heard they have great cross-cultural workshops….."
As Joey Lawrence would say, Woah! Where did that come from?!
The Monterey Institute of International Studies is a great environment for cultural language learning. I've also just found out that MIIS is now an affiliate of Middlebury College. And if you haven't heard about Middlebury College yet - it's an amazing world-class place, where it's all about learning a foreign language immersion-style. No cell phones even, no calling home, nada!
I had considered that in a year's time I might be just getting off the ground. This time around, I was actually putting real intention behind my words! Go Liz Go!
I'm realizing that no matter the pace, I've still got some forward motion. And that's a happy place to be in. I'm not setting expectations too high and then feeling bummed when things don't work out. But if I never say out loud what I intend to do, my goals would never happen.
Sadly, Starla's course comes to an end this month. I'll miss the warmth and knowledge that the group has imparted to me on my journey to become a fearless entrepreneur. So, instead of missing it, I'm trying to hold on to it. My peers aren't going away, they're in the same boat as me. We're continuing on in the spirit of the course! We'll meet up every now and then, pushing each other towards our goals, relaying any new resources that might be helpful.
I've only grown. I've never regretted this course of action, taking the plunge. I've learned that fearlessness can't be taught. It can only be discovered, strengthened, and unleashed.
Elizabeth Zirk grew up in the Bay Area, and works at WestEd, a leader in educational research and development. She does a lot of other things too! Check out her blogs at http://www.aliascrazy.com.
Posted by Katherine Monahan on Fri, Jul 31, 2009
:: Online profiles
Visit Tarra's Website
Join Tarra on Facebook
Join Tarra on LinkedIn
:: Favorite Book(s)?
I am always asking: "How can we design our work lives so they are an expression of our gifts and making a contribution to the world?" I've found the following books personally helpful and they've also informed my work with coaching clients. I know each of the authors personally and appreciate that they "walk their talk."
True Work: Doing What You Love and Loving What You Do by Justine and Michael Toms
Callings: Finding and Living an Authentic Life by Gregg Michael Levoy
Bringing Your Soul to Work: An Everyday Practice by Alan Briskin and Cheryl Peppers
:: What women leader inspires you?
I am passionate about awakening feminine leadership and am grateful for so many inspirational leaders, especially in the San Francisco Bay Area! I was blessed to meet Lynne Twist, author of The Soul of Money and co-creator of The Hunger Project (http://www.thp.org/) and The Pachamama Alliance http://www.pachamama.org/, at a life changing conference I attended, called The Quest for Global Healing http://www.questforglobalhealing.org/. Lynne is a global leader who embodies grace, gratitude, and humility. She encourages people to become citizens of the world and transform their relationship with money. Other Bay Area women leaders who inspire me include Sara Ellis (who co-founded Young Women Social Entrepreneurs while in her 20's http://www.ywse.org/weblog/2008/05/faces-of-ywse-s.html), environmental activist Joanna Macy (http://www.joannamacy.net/), organizational consultant/cultural anthropologist Angeles Arrien http://angelesarrien.com/, and Juanita Brown, the founder of The World Café, an innovative organizational development methodology for facilitating conversations that matter (I have had amazing results facilitating it), http://www.enlightennext.org/magazine/bios/juanita-brown.asp.
:: Who Was Your Best Manager? Why?
I have to confess that I have been an entrepreneur almost my entire life. I have appreciated collaborating with many women leaders who are authentic, creative, and supportive of their team.
:: Your First "Real" Job?
It was working in a non-profit organization as a case manager for homeless and runaway youth. After struggling with burnout and a realization of how organizations often re-create the very dynamics that they are working against, I decided to find alternative ways to lead change in the world.
:: Where Do You Do Your Best Thinking?
I do my best thinking while hiking on Mt. Tamalpais. The most beautiful trails are walking distance from my home. I love the expansive view of the ocean surrounded by the beauty of the mountains. I try to hike at least once a day because I find that nature is my great teacher and source of inspiration. I also consider these walks part of my spiritual practice.
:: What Do You Value Most in Employees? Colleagues?
I value authentic leadership. Women, in particular, have strengths in compassion, communication, collaboration, and creativity.
:: What Would You Like to Be the World's Best At?
I would like to be the world's best me. I think each one of us has unique gifts and strengths, and our purpose in life is to unfold these gifts and realize our potential. For example, I know that I am good at generating ideas, supporting people, coaching and leading teleclasses and workshops. I am not particularly skillful at administrative details or project management, so I focus on doing what I am best at and surround myself with others who complement my skills.
:: What Do You Consider Your Greatest Achievement?
One of my favorite achievements so far has been co-leading a 5-day workshop at The Omega Institute (http://eomega.org/) on a new model of transformational activism for emerging leaders. I loved seeing a diverse group of people come together in the spirit of being of service during these times in the world. Each person fully brought their gifts and passions for making their contribution in the world. I loved learning more about how people envision this new paradigm of leadership. It also moved me to see how people shared resources, developed projects together and supported each other with their visions! I am passionate about creating community so it delights me when people from my workshop stay connected and co-create.
:: What Is Your Personal Mission Statement?
My aim is to support women who are committed to leading positive change in the world. I want women to have work they love, abundance (of every kind!), community, and a sense that they are living their purpose.