Business redirect: Time to get to work

After months of focusing on learning about new ways to think about my business, I realize I could investigate options forever. I would actually really enjoy that, since I love to learn and have an almost insatiable appetite for new information.

Atlas, I believe I have reached a point where much of the information is rehashing what I have already found. Sure there are new nuggets that emerge, but in general, I have read an enormous amount of material on business and marketing. It’s unlikely I am going to learn much more until I start applying it. Yes, its time to get down to work.

Making choices

I could get paralyzed by choice. OK, really I have been paralyzed by choice. So I have decided to view the process as a lens of exploration. I might pick well, and I might not, but I will continue to learn. Continuous assessment and small tweaks that will hopefully lead to a new whole.

When I try to look at the whole big picture I get overwhelmed. I get caught thinking I have to redesign the wheel. Especially because I love to design big things. There is a lot of appeal in the brainstorming, ideation, and mad scheming of all kinds. Less so in the structural details.

Other people do actually like the parts that are less exciting to me, so I am clear I want to create a structure that allows for different people to intersect with it in multiple ways. I am not a lone ranger, I prefer to collaborate with other people. There are some amazing resources available, I just have to chose which ones I am going to try first. While I am also attracting and building the relationships that will lead to collaborators.

Creating a viable business structure

There is a new business resource, Good Little Biz designed to help independent service professionals develop thriving resilient businesses. I was fortunate to be part of the beta testing group, and even though I am not strictly a service business, I am finding the worksheets on the site to be really helpful. The site provides a free guided process of looking at the core value exchange you are offering (or not as the case may be). I will be using parts of this process in conjunction with my own tools, and writing about them as I go here.

I would  encourage anyone who is operating a small professional service business to take advantage of this resource. Just reading through the worksheets and the list of common mistakes we make helped me see not only how my current business has failed to thrive, but also others in the past.

Creating the Organic Business Manual

I’ve started the Organic Business Manual class. Our first assignment is to create a container that is flexible, accessible, tangible and beautiful, and to come up with a name we like. My first thought was I get to shop for organizing devices, but then remembered I promised I wouldn’t do that. The popular, and I admit probably logical choice, is a three ring binder. I painted the image above for the cover to remind myself that the structure I develop for the operations will allow me to examine the core of what is important and  build the trunk from which all else can grow. Still don’t have a clever title for it. Any ideas?

Continuing the decluttering

I’m making strides in some areas, and still stuck in others. Which still feels like huge progress. I certainly have a momentum going, and just as the lovely Lisa Baldwin has promised, it starts with something small and opens up from there.

Speaking of which, Lisa has teamed up with Goddess Leonie to create a new version of her clutter class which will start on June 15.  Click here to visit Declutter Goddesses website!. Very affordable.  Here is a mini-description:

Here is a new e-course that is beginning June 15. It’s called “Making Space for Your Goddess to Shine” and is a six week e-course on divine decluttering & magical space clearing. Created by professional organiser & simplifier Lisa Baldwin & goddess guide & teacher Leonie Allan, the course takes you through practical and spirited ways to make your home sparkle with energy and support you. It covers a huge range of gorgeous tools & genius-shininess including:

• decluttering gently, easily & divinely
• using crystals, herbs, smudging and sound to cleanse your home’s energy
• use feng shui to create prosperity & your dreams
• developing and trusting your intuition
• organising in a super-simple “oh my goddess, it’s actually possible” kind of way
• creating a soulful altar as a place of inspiration, connection & peace
• clearing negative or stuck energies out of your home
• making your home a place of comfort, inspiration and support for you

Continuing to be creative everyday

I paint first thing every morning. This week I also went to the Schrieners Iris Gardens, which were in peak bloom. I think I got some great photos, but discovered I do not have a compact flash reader here. So I can’t see them yet. Soon.