Virtually Yours Personal Assistants

I have lots of friends in their thirties who are trying to figure out what they want to be when they grow up. These aren’t people who have been backpacking around the world since high school either. They went to college, interned, got their degree, their first job, and were ready to conquer the world.  A few went back to school for a masters. Some switched companies. But after ten years in their chosen profession have discovered “this ain’t it”. They are asking “What’s out there for me?”

Is it so surprising though? Who, at 18, can figure out who they are, let alone what they want to do the rest of their lives? 

Regardless of age, so many of us are in that same place. We’ve discovered new talents, interests, and limitations that we didn’t have at 18.  Why waste another minute doing something you already know that you don’t enjoy? Whether your in your 30s, 40s, or 50s NOW is the time to regroup. It’s not too late. And there are so many options. Start your journey to your new you today.

Here are a few resources.

This article  on BusinessKnowHow.com talks about important steps to take as you consider what your next career should be. It’s written by the owner of  Vocation Vacations , a company that offers vacation packages that let you take a one to three day total immersion mentorship vacation performing one of over 140 careers - from actor to wine sommelier. I love the idea of test driving a new career.

Here’s a site that talks about the art of “self direction”. There’s even a quiz to help you decide if you’re in the right career.

This blog by Tim Berry, founder of bplans.com, suggests you look at who you are at the core to determine your new business venture. Definately worth checking out.

Happy venturing!

Warren Brown is the owner of CakeLove, a bakery with locations in the DC metro area that specializes in creating scratch cakes and pastries. A few years ago, a friend and fellow dessert lover sent me a link to his website and I was instantly smitten. Not so much by the cakes (though within weeks I found myself at the bakery buying far more than I planned to) but by his story.

Warren Brown was a lawyer who found his passion in baking cakes. What I love about his story is that he did what so many people are afraid to do - leave behind a “good job” to pursue his passion. It didn’t matter to him that others would think he was crazy, that he had spent years studying for his degree, or that his future was uncertain. By stepping out on faith he was able to open a successful bakery with 4+ locations, launch a TV show on the Food Network, and gain a loyal following of CakeLovers (I am one of many!!). Here are a few words from Warren Brown on pursuing your passion:

Perhaps you have to be somewhat, well, narcissistic to really indulge your passions. Being passionate is about recognizing what makes you happy, focusing on and learning about it, and, ultimately, doing it in the name of your own satisfaction and pleasure. It’s not self-centered to lead your life in a direction that satisfies you. It’s necessary to feel at peace.

Prioritizing your passion means that you carve out room in your life to explore and understand it. Once you understand yourself and what you care about, you’ll be in closer touch with your life and the others around you. For a while others may see you as aloof, but once you arrive at being in touch with your heart and soul, others will find inspiration in you to do the same.

How did it work for me? I explored my interests, developed them, listened to feedback and kept going. Now my career is my former side interest and I love my job. Sure there is pressure, and the hours are very long, but it’s manageable. I’m expected to create new recipes, share new tastes and flavors, and interact with people - I love that! Once I gave priority to what makes me happy, my life very naturally evolved into CakeLove.

Read more…

Gotta Love It!

One of the first steps in starting a business is developing a business plan. It’s a pretty scary step but one that is vital in helping to determine the future direction of your venture. Here’s a list of resources we recommend:

FREE

SCORE Business Plan Template: http://www.score.org/template_gallery.html

BPlans.com also has a number of free plans available online in several categories: http://www.bplans.com/Sample_Business_Plans/index.cfm 

LOW COST

Check your local community college for a continuing education course on business plan writing. For a relatively small fee you’ll meet other aspiring entrepreneurs, get low cost classroom materials, and have an instructor who can answer questions and refer you to other resources.

MODERATE COST

Review Amazon.com to find highly reviewed books on business plans (or save a few bucks by borrowing them from your local library). If you insist on spending money, one book we personally recommend is New Venture Creation - Entrepreneurship for the 21st Century by Timmons and Spinelli. At 700 pages its no quick read but the CD that accompanies the book is an excellent resource for thinking through every aspect of your new venture.

Once written, you should revisit your business plan periodically to review and, if necessary, reevaluate your direction.

What other business plan writing resources would you recommend?

A few years ago I had the pleasure of attending the Oprah Live Your Best Life Tour in DC. Her message was about living your life on purpose. I still reference my notes when I need inspiration. Here are a few nuggets on passion from “O”:

Passion is your spirit seeking expression - it is what gives you juice. Your purpose in life is to find out what your calling is. Start looking at the things in your life that really fill you up and that will give your life purpose. Find out what you love and find a way to get paid for it. Realize that you are not your circumstances, you are your possibilities.

O my!

I’m sure we all have resolutions for 2008. Maybe yours is related to your health or your family or to that dream deferred.

I hit the nail on the head didn’t I? You once had big dreams but the spouse, the kids, and life in general just got in the way. Besides, you’ve got a decent job that pays the bills and consumes what’s left of your life.  But deep down you can’t help but feel that you aren’t investing in your skills, talents, or dreams.

My resolution for 2008 is to inspire and to be inspired. The focus of this blog for 2008 will be to inspire others to follow their dreams.