the journey to becoming an overnight success

i came across a very inspirational story on twitter about a make-up artist in pursuit of her dreams. 

if you can't see the video CLICK HERE.

no matter what industry you're in, if there's something you've been striving for, but just can't seem to get it - this is for you. read Tatiana's full story on Necole Bitchie's blog.

Work at Home Fail

There's no better way to start the new year than diving in deep with the intentions of making all the money you possibly can. If you're reading this and you're one of those people who thinks money is a four-letter word, this isn't the place for you. 

I believe in and seek abundance. The more I have - the more of a blessing I can be to others. 

I came across a work from home gig on Facebook. It was posted on a page that I trust by a blogger who specializes in finding legit opportunities. I read through it and set aside some time to start the application process. 

The position entailed calling apartment communities and completing phone surveys. Sounds easy enough doesn't it?! The pay was $10/hour and the project only lasted 4-6 weeks. Not bad at all. And you could even have noise going on in the background while making your calls.

The first thing you have to do is complete an assessment. 

Listen. This was no easy test. There were 30+ questions and almost every one contained multiple parts, which ends up being more like 70+ questions. And these weren't no multiple choice kinds of questions either. It involved reading - thoroughly - and writing out your answers. In sentences. 

After spending about two and a half hours and completing eight questions, I put it down to take a break. All of your reference materials weren't on one document. There were two different places you toggled back and forth to get your answers. I kept telling myself, "If you make it through this test - the work won't be that hard." I started back on the assessment again the next day and spent about 45 minutes on two questions.

Needless to say, I got a headache and tossed that shit aside. Permanently. 

Did I tell you if you miss more than THREE questions you won't be considered?? If this is what work at home jobs consist of - I ain't about that life! 

I totally understand having a process in place to get the right people to ensure the success of your project. But in my opinion, this was a little but too much. I seriously had flashbacks of studying for my real estate exam. 

So in conclusion: this initial work from home attempt didn't quite work out. 

I'll keep you posted on anything else I find. 

Instant Gratification | Short-Term Gain

My social life is non-existent. Unless you count Friday nights when Baby Daddy drags me out to eat. Getting me to step foot outside of Headquarters is a struggle, but I don't put up much of a fight when it comes to food. 

People on the outside looking in send their condolences. They interpret my focus and self-discipline to mean I'm missing out. Deprived of fun. That couldn't be further from the truth. 

One thing I've learned along my journey is that you truly get out of life what you put into it. How you spend your time now will determine how your time will be spent later. 

image: ann par

Put in work on the front end. 

A short-term sacrifice in exchange for long-term payoffs. 

VIDEO: Bloggy Boot Camp 2012

If you landed here and you're a blogger or you know a blogger - watching this video is a must. 

If you're a blogger searching for a blogging conference to attend - you're in luck. 

If you can't see the video CLICK HERE.

You still have time to get your ticket for Bloggy Boot Camp 2012: Brand Edition.

Got questions? Blast em below in the comments.

Wanna share your blogging conference experience?! Go ahead...in the comments below.

And if you know how to keep me from having these intoxicating looking YouTube thumbnails - please do tell!

Yes...You Can't Do It Alone

When I launched the personal style blog, I thanked a few people who helped make it possible. When you read my Backstory, you'll see how my Daddy influenced my entrepreneurial endeavors. 

Throughout my entire life I've had somebody, somewhere giving me a hand-up (not to be confused with a hand-out) so I could then help myself.

I moved to Austin 21 years ago. Me and a couple of girls decided to come for the weekend and never went back to the small town we called home. They had family here. I didn't. That was my primary reason for wanting to stay. I needed to gain my independence and the only way I could do that was by leaving my family. I'm the youngest of four kids, my Daddy's 13th child, and needless to say - I was spoiled loved. I was going down the road of non-stop mistakes with my sisters, uncle, and mama bailing me out.

Fast forward to today. I've raised the most amazing daughter anyone could ask for, have a brilliant son following along in her footsteps while making imprints that are uniquely his own, and have been afforded the opportunity to work in a variety of fields. But most of all, I get the greatest joy and sense of accomplishment from what I do as an entrepreneur. 

And just like all of the people who welcomed me into their homes when I couldn't go and be with my family, I've been blessed to meet folks who embrace, inspire, and push me to achieve greatness in business. 

The notion that you can OR did do it alone is laughable. 

If you're striving for success and despite your efforts, you just can't seem to get there - it might be a good time to survey your circle of influence. Take inventory of your support group. Look at where your roots are planted in the community. 

Oh...you don't have any of that? 

Well it's about time you step away from the computer and start to really connect.

If you're any closer to your dreams today than you were yesterday, chances are, somebody helped you get there. 

Tea invited me to her Word Carnival. Wanna see what other bloggers/small business owners have to say about this topic? Go ahead...click here.

The Dark Side of Online Friendships

There's something I've been wanting to share with you for a while now. I was waiting for the right time and decided the whole Facebook friend issue was a good segue. 

I've talked alot about the wonderful relationships I've developed as a result of the online connections I've made. What I haven't talked about are the ones I believed to be genuine and it turned out they were anything but. 

SITUATION #1:

A blogger and I connected on twitter last year and started reading/commenting/sharing each other's posts. She was very vocal about a particular stand she took when it came to mommy blogging and I shared some of the same views. Over time, it seemed like her tweets became more aggressive and self-centered. She was constantly retweeting the praise and recognition she was getting from others. 

Here's what I know about social media: you can use it however you choose, but I don't have to be subjected to it. It's that simple. That's what the unfollow button is for. So that's what I did. I unfollowed her. It had nothing to do with what I thought about her as a person, and everything to do with what I want coming across my timeline. Before I had a chance to explain to her why I had unfollowed, she'd gone over to Facebook and unfriended me. Ok great. Now I know all of the inbox messages we exchanged and the sentiment she shared when commenting on my blog posts should have been taken at face value. 

Here's where I'll also hold myself accountable. I shouldn't have been so naive in the first place. Lesson learned. 

SITUATION #2:

Another blogger and I began our online relationship back in 2008. In 2011 we became closer. I'm not sure how it happened, but we ended up exchanging phone numbers which led to daily text messages and a phone call at least a couple of times per month. I. Was. Thrilled! I'd finally found someone who had the same long-term blogging goals as myself. We bounced ideas off of each other, talked about her coming to Texas for a small blogging event I wanted to have, and ended up sharing very personal details about our private lives. Yes...more than what I already tell you here on my blog. 

And get this. I had told this person about Situation #1 and we both agreed if we ever had any issues with each other - perceived or otherwise - we'd talk about it. Well guess what? That didn't happen. I noticed she wasn't responding to my texts (when in the past, if she was busy she'd tell me...proactively, I might add) and the blog engagement stopped. I called twice and left voicemail messages asking what was wrong and never got a return phone call. 

I was really hurt. This wasn't anything like Situation #1. I walked away from that one and never thought twice about it. But person #2 and I had talked about this very thing and how we were actually friends and how friends don't treat each other that way. To this day - I've been trying to figure out what I did wrong. What did I say or do to offend her? It obviously had to be my fault. 

*By now, I'm sure you're thinking bloggers are extremely dysfunctional. My response to that: we're human. 

SITUATION #3:

This person is the one I've 'known' the shortest amount of time. She's an entrepreneur with a specific focus, but she goes outside of her niche to connect with other people. That was the thing I liked about her. She didn't stay inside her box of industry professionals. 

She sent an email telling me she was coming to town and extended an invitation to meet in person. You know I was all over that opportunity! Well, when it came time for her to be here, I followed up so we could finalize the details. Not a single response. 

You've got to be kidding me. What the hell is my problem?!

I waited a couple of weeks and sent her a note. And in that note, I told her if I'd done anything to upset her to please let me know. 

Can somebody let me know where I'm screwing up so I can fix it please?!

Well much to my surprise, I got a response back with an apology. It turns out she'd been experiencing a multitude of personal issues and her way of dealing with things was to shut down. Ohh how I can relate to that. 

Each one of these situations has taught me something different. And I guess the main takeaway is that the person you've known the longest may not be the person who you have the strongest relationship with. Communication is a two-way street and no matter how much I hold myself accountable, I can't take all of the blame for what may have gone wrong. 

Online relationships can be deceiving. All you have is a person's written word. Their comments, updates, etc. When you look at that and measure it against their actions, they should be aligned. Just like in real life. 

I've got to be really careful how I use the word friend. It doesn't mean I can't initiate new connections, it just means I can't lose sight of what's real and what's not. 

Stairway to Success - PERSISTENCE

This is the third post in the Stairway to Success series.

CLICK HERE to see my thoughts on Ambition, which will then take you to the quote that started it all. 

PERSISTENCE

(n) - the act or quality of being persistent

PERSISTENT

(adj) - refusing to give up or let go; persevering obstinately

Anyone who has ever won at anything will tell you they couldn't have done it without the existence of this word.

Those who end up on the losing end, in most cases, didn't have the endurance to stay the course. 

I could've given up on a number of things a long time ago -specifically, my entrepreneurial dreams - but I chose not to. Continuing to forge ahead isn't about the action itself. It's about making the decision to do so. 

There are two sides of the persistent coin. The good and the bad. We sometimes only focus on the positive connotation of the word. Neglecting to look at the things we should give up. Those which prevent us from taking the next step up the stairs of success. 

Blaming our circumstances, wallowing in self-pity, and nurturing toxic relationships to name a few. For some, these things are constantly in the picture. A staple of one's daily life.

Persistently pulling you in the opposite direction you desire to go.

Going Out Of Business

There's a locally owned coffee shop I would go to at least once a week if it were closer to Headquarters. I've asked the owner on more than one occasion to open a store in my neighborhood. That's how much I enjoy his place. I'd choose it over The Crackhouse on any given day. 

The owner and I collaborated on a project and shared the spotlight for my first ever live tv interview. Something I'll never forget. 

In March 2012, he announced the closing of one of his stores. Publicly. He sent the information out to his blog subscribers (BTW: his blog is sent via newsletter, which isn't anything at all like the typical newsletter). The outpouring of support was unbelievable. That's what happens when business owners take the time to connect with their customers. On an emotional level. 

His latest update landed in my inbox last week. The subject line: Will Kick Butt Close Its Doors?

Thomas always crafts clever headlines to get you to open his stuff and I was praying this was another of those instances. After reading, I realized it wasn't. He shared that although sales at his existing location rose by 20% after closing the other location, Kick Butt Coffee still isn't profitable. 

If you've been following my blog, you know I'm no stranger to financial struggles. Some will criticize Thomas and I for airing our dirty laundry and others will admire our honesty. 

If people don't know what's wrong, they can't do anything to help make things right. When Thomas posted the news on Facebook, feedback and suggestions started flying all over the place. If we, his customers, want his doors to remain open - we have to know what's going on so we can do our part to keep him in business. I started brainstorming last night on ways to make that happen. 

Thomas can't sit around waiting for his caffeinated cohorts to spring into action. He has to do his part. And that he did by calling on his mentor. That's something I still haven't found. The right person - who's accessible  - who not only understands my vision and goals, but has accomplished them his/herself. 

Will Kick Butt be around for another five years? Will I finally get that big media break I've been looking for? 

I'm no fortune teller, but I believe a breakthrough is on the way...for Thomas and I both. I can feel it. 

Click here to read Kick Butt's story.

One Word Business Plan

What started out as a 'word of the week' turned into 'word of the month' for me. I'm not complaining because it was a good thing. It was my intention to master one thing and one thing only. Focusing on it for one week straight. 

That was a few days into January and here we are looking February dead in the eye. 

In case you forgot, my goals for 2012 are centered around the same three words from last year. And the one short-term-turned-long-term word I'm focusing on drives those three words. 

So what do you do to keep it front and center so you don't get distracted and thrown of course? 

There's only one logical answer to that question:

You write it on the bathroom mirror.

Paying The Price For Growth

Saturday night on the Suze Orman Show, the one-on-one guest was a graphic designer who needed Suze's help. In addition to her bills, the graphic designer had a total of $40,000 worth of work she'd performed but had never been paid for.

I know. I had the same dumb perplexed expression on my face too.

But get this. It wasn't because folks had skipped out on paying her. She - the business owner - hadn't bothered to bill the clients! She said on tv, in front of the Lord and everybody, that she would get so caught up in completing the work, she'd just move on to the next project without invoicing.

At the end of the show, Suze gave entrepreneurs two pieces of advice. One I agreed with. The other I didn't.

GOOD ADVICE

Hire someone to do the stuff you can't do. Or the stuff you're not good at. It makes sense and sounds doable on the surface, however I understand that not everyone is in a financial position to outsource.

In this particular situation, it appears the graphic designer had the means to hire help. And we all know in the age of the ever-popular virtual assistant, recruiting a freelancer takes away the risk of hiring a permanent employee. And it's a helluva lot cheaper too.

YOUR BLOG AS A BUSINESS

A couple of weeks ago I participated in the #BlogTrends chat on twitter. The topic was expanding your blog. During the course of the chat, I made the comment that at some point, you have to hire help.

Well what did I do that for?! Folks got all upset telling me how they would never hire someone to write for them.

Ok. That's fine. Neither would I.

When you look at your blog as a business - instead of a hobby - you have a different perspective. Yes, you love to write, Yes, you love to share whatever it is you're sharing, but you don't lose sight of your blog being a source of income.

BAD ADVICE

Suze acknowledged there are quite a few people starting businesses as a result of the crappy job market. She went on to say if you can't afford to outsource your weaknesses, you probably shouldn't take the entrepreneur route.

Suze. I love you, but you're wrong.

HIRING FREE HELP

I've been really bummed out about not posting more videos on my blog. In case you didn't know, The Girl is my videographer. She enjoys going out with me to different places to shoot and then doing the editing.

While you may not have access to a tech-savvy teenager, I'm sure there's someone in your network who would love to give you a hand. You just have to ask and be willing to offer some assistance in return.

When I made the statement about hiring someone to help expand your blog, that's what I was talking about.

What do you need to take your blog up a notch?
Sidenote: You can remove the word 'blog' and insert business, quality of life, etc.

Where can you find the resources to help you get there?

I examined every penny I have looking for extra money to bring on a project-based videographer. That's just a fancy way of saying I was in desperate need of someone to follow me around town and hold my flip camera.

Low and behold, it turns out an employee of one of my coaching clients was willing to do it for free to get experience. She has a homebased business and wants to integrate video into her marketing.

Perfect. Problem solved. It's a win for both of us. It didn't cost me anything, but had it - I was willing to pay. What I could afford, of course.

If you're looking to grow in the upcoming year, it might help to think with the end in mind.

Don't look at yourself as a struggling blogger (if you google 'struggling blogger' and my picture comes up, please don't tell me!).

You know the popular blogger who boasts about making money and gets invitied to all the conferences and commands big bucks for her sponsored posts? At some point she realized she couldn't do it all on her own.

When you're ready to treat your blog like the thriving business it can be, you'll realize it too.

4 Priceless Lessons from Free Publicity

This past Saturday I had the privilege of appearing on our local NBC station. It was my third time on the live weekend morning show and this time around I gave tips on getting the most out of gift cards.

This past Saturday was also Small Business Saturday. When I originally sent my pitch, it was for a segment featuring affordable accessories as gift-giving ideas. I'd done all the research on trends and colors and everything.

KXAN does a fantastic job of featuring locally owned businesses, so it made perfect sense to start local.

Nobody told me this part: Getting companies to respond to you is damn near impossible. At least that was my experience.

Of the three businesses I reached out to, two never responded and the one owner who did was skeptical about how her company was going to be portrayed. Yes - after specifically stating that I'd like to feature a few of her accessories on an affordable gift-giving tv segment, she still had concerns.

Ok. You can sell me your stuff, but you're questioning me promoting it - on tv?!

All of this may be fairly new to me, but I refuse to beg folks to allow me to give them free publicity.

Much to my surprise, Kohls was the only retailer who returned my phone call and showed interest.

After sharing my frustrations with my contact at the station, she decided the gift card segment would be more timely. When I sent the original pitch - the one for affordable accessories that local business owners didn't respond to - I also included two other pitch ideas. Gift card tips was one of them.

And from this I learned the following:

1. Working with small businesses and solo-entrepreneurs doesn't always equal less red tape. Sometimes egos can take the place of stringent corporate policies and procedures.
2. This was very stressful in the beginning, but I enjoyed it.
3. When you present Plan A, it's a good idea to throw Plans B&C in the mix...just in case.
4. Once you realize you've mistaken a transaction for a real relationship, accept it and keep it moving.

Lessons, experiences, challenges or whatever you want to call them are around us all the time. These snafus shape our journey. And thanks to something I read on @AnOptimisticMom's blog, I know this one was right on time.

The Unemployed Entrepreneur® Talks To Miss Coupon Diva

photo courtesy of misscoupondiva.com

This past Friday I went from doing the sit-down version of the electric slide to crying my eyes out in a span of 15 minutes.

Why was I electric sliding  at 8am in the first place? Because I got a tweet from my friend Zara...made me do the happy dance when I read it.

Immediately after that I sent an email to someone I've been wanting to work with. Actually, it's someone I wanted to hire to represent me. I gave him my vision - the big picture - which I haven't shared with anyone. Not even  my sisters. He asked questions, good ones. The best one being about revenue. The note I sent Friday morning was a link showing him what can happen when a blogger crosses over and gets the attention of mainstream media. A tv show. Not a drama filled reality train wreck, but a show that allows you to do what you love and get paid for doing it.

He responded back immediately telling me he wasn't the person for the job. As a result of not having experience in the industry, he said he couldn't ensure my success. I hit reply and proceeded to let him know had I not thought he could do it, I wouldn't have asked. The tears had started to flow before I hit send.

My plan was to cry myself to sleep. It was all of 8:35 a.m. I'd been up for two hours. 

NO DOES SOMETHING TO ME

It never fails. Whenever someone tells me no, I get this urge deep down inside to go even harder...after a snot slingin' session of course. And his no wasn't a no like, "You really should give up this dream of yours". He wasn't doubting my abilities, he was questioning his own. Even still - I didn't like hearing the word no.

Early on in my working career, I was told I wouldn't make it to management because I didn't have a college degree. What people failed to realize is that I've always had an entrepreneurial drive. They were looking at my lack of formal education as something that would hold me back and I always pointed to my hands-on experience and real-life scenarios to get me up the ladder. While others were in the classroom learning how to do it, I was actually in the trenches doing it.

When I decided to get my real estate license, I was told over and over again I wouldn't pass the state exam on the first try. The instructors had statistics to prove it. I proved them wrong.


IMPULSE HAPPENS FOR A REASON

I don't know what the reason is, I just know you should act on it. I went to Facebook and saw an update from Miss Coupon Diva, Joyce K. House. That led me to clicking and going over to her page. That led to another click which put me on her website.

End result: within minutes I had picked up the phone and called the number on her contact page.

I was clearing my  throat, preparing to leave a message when she answered. I assumed someone who has the amount of national exposure she has doesn't answer their phone. Joyce admitted during our conversation she rarely answers - it has nothing to do with my assumptions. She went on to say that everything happens for a reason.

I wanted to know how she'd gotten the amount of media exposure she had. But first I burst into tears and told her I was about ready to give up. She responded with a frank yet calm, "Well why would you want to do that?!"

She went on to tell me she'd done it all herself. She shared that recently she bartered with someone to help her out and suggested I do the same. I told her I hadn't taken that route because of how reluctant some people are to the idea of doing it. She responded in that same authoritative tone, "Well move on to the next person".

We talked for over half an hour. Exchanging stories of how we'd both been helped and done wrong by people whose only intent was to help themselves. She told me about ways she's been giving back and her plans for doing more.

She gave me advice and told me to start contacting radio stations. Something I haven't done. She told me to start couponing again (I confessed I got really lazy and stopped). I gave her my word that I would.

I told her maybe I had a fear of reaching out to the national media on my own. That perhaps I thought the only way I could get to that level was by hiring a professional. She told me that made sense and she reinforced that I could do it. I believed her. Not because she was telling me something I wanted to hear, but because she was telling me from her own experiences. That made all the difference in the world.

Here's a clip of Miss Coupon Diva on TLC's  show Extreme Couponing:

Decide. Do.

The opportunity to auctioneer a live auction for charity was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.

My friend Monica is the one who introduced me to the group hosting the event. My relationship with the local Interior Design Society chapter started as a result of her recommending me to come in and speak.

She popped the question about two weeks before the big day and told me I could get back with her in a couple of days. If I had put too much time into thinking about the fact I'd never done anything like that, it wouldn't have happened.

In my mind, I only had one choice: DECIDE. Right there on the spot. Not a minute later.

So that's what I did. I said yes to something that initially scared the shit out of me and could potentially ruin my chances of ever working with this group again. Or any other organization attending and seeing me for the first time.

You see all of those arrows shooting out of the green guy's head up there?! Yep. That's exactly how I felt. Not this time, but damn near every time I do something that seems crazy or impossible.

Why do I DO it? I won't ever know or reach my full potential otherwise. 

And guess what? Neither will you.

People jump out of airplanes, climb deadly mountains, and swim with sharks all the time. These are things that present a real danger! Stuff that can kill your ass if you make one wrong move. 

When you're weighing your options trying to figure out if you should or shouldn't, don't look at the worse case scenario. That's where you mess up. Look at the pros - not the cons. 

• I was introduced to more like-minded people. 
• I spent time giving back. Something I can never do too much of. 
• The overwhelmingly good feedback I received raised my confidence.
• I challenged myself and moved to a whole'nother spectrum of my comfort zone. 

Not bad. Not bad at all...and I didn't even mention the free margarita and nachos.

photo: Richard Scott33

Email Confession: Gratitude and Commitment

Today's Video: Don't Wait For The Slam Dunk

I've been guilty of this. I would justify it by telling myself I hadn't quite earned the right yet...I had to keep my nose to the grind so I wouldn't lose focus.*

If you can't see the video CLICK HERE.

On those really challenging days when it seems like nothing is going your way (had one of them myself yesterday), you have to look a little harder to find the victory. It doesn't always show up as a win...sometimes it's just a matter of deciding to stay in the game.

*I inadvertently said I was contacted by entities who want to work FOR me when I should've said they were interested in working WITH me.*

Chronicles from The Crackhouse: Day 3

Let me start off by saying this can get really really expensive! God knew what He was doing when He told Dr. Gupta to give me that gift card. I thank them both...kindly. 

I clocked in this morning around 8am and was able to get my other corner office. 

Patrick must spend the night in this place. He always manages to get the most valued piece of real estate. Yes - Patrick is his real name. Don't you know your coworkers on a first-name basis?! Looking at how his cube is set up, I can guess where his headquarters is located. Hint: rhymes with Hell. I tried to take a picture of it while he was on smoke break, but it didn't come out good. Sorry.

ALL-HANDS OFF-SITE

Whenever I think about the place that rhymes with Hell, lame buzzwords immediately come to mind. Corporate jargon makes me cringe. I'm meeting some friends for dinner this evening. Doesn't that sound better than, "I have an all-hands off-site tonight"?

My friend's mom is in town visiting. Long before she got here, she sent me a note on Facebook letting me know she wanted to meet me. I didn't ask why. Decided it would be more appropriate to ask when we meet. I'm really looking forward to hearing what Ms. Pearl has to say. She's retired and spends time volunteering at a school reading to kids and helping with their homework. An example of how your golden years should be spent.

Since I won't be at Headquarters after-hours, I had to get here early before The Boy and The Girl start pinging me asking when I'm going to circle back with them. No matter how task driven I may be, they always seem to stay in my pipeline.

360 DEGREE FEEDBACK

When The Girl and I went on our walk last night, I asked her how she felt about me going across town holding up a sign saying, 'Need Help!':

Her: Mom - no, that's not right. There are really people who need help.
Me: I know - you're lookin' at one of em. 

I didn't have the bandwidth to pushback. It might be in everyone's best interest to refocus and ramp up my productivity or possibly consider rolling out a new paradigm shift.

It's tabled for now. A good segue for me to take it offline.

And in case you just stumbled upon this and have no idea what's going on, Views from The Crackhouse will bring you up to speed.

Today's Video: The Good, the Bad & the Marketing Ugly

I drive past this place regularly. As much as I love food, nothing about this sign makes me want to go in and try it:

If you can't see the video CLICK HERE.



The Girl & The Boy came along when I shot this one...they got nervous when people started coming outside to see what was going on.

Views from The Crackhouse

 

This is my cubicle today, right now as I type this blog post. It's a well known coffee shop. I affectionately refer to it as The Crackhouse.

Why? Internet service at Headquarters has been disconnected. No, not due to technical difficulties, but financial difficulties. They send a technician out for one. Not the other.

Someone is going to read this and relate to it. They'll appreciate my honesty and see themselves having been in a similar situation. Someone else will read this and be judgmental. They'll determine what they think about me as a person based solely on this. They'll have all kinds of unsolicited advice. Much of which will equate to, "Get a job!".

Let me share a little secret with you: I know people with TWO jobs who can't pay their bills!

DOWNWARD SPIRAL

There are over 14 million unemployed Americans. There were 18,000 jobs created in June. The math is simple. Sad, yet simple.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. I'm not trying to get folks to abandon their job search. I want people to realize job creation isn't the answer. And it never will be.  The individuals who survive this "new economy" will be those who create their own opportunities. They need information, resources, and support in order to do so. 

Not everyone is cut out to be their own boss. We need worker bees to make the world go 'round. The problem is that companies are phasing out humans and using technology in their places. End result: lower paying positions which leads to under-employment and survival jobs just so they can eat. Not to get by or get ahead. But to provide basic necessities.

STOP SAYING YOU'RE FINE

Mel Robbins wrote the book. Seriously. It's the name of her book. In other words, stop lying about what's going on in your life. I can't tell you the number of times I've been at a networking event with women and everyone is doing fine...business is booming...more clients than they can handle...ready to bring on employees.

When they corner me alone, I get the real low down. They're struggling. Going back and forth with going back to work or forging ahead on their entrepreneurial journey.

If Katy Perry's car was repossessed before she was 'Katy Perry' why the hell should I walk around with my head hanging down because my internet was cut off? Tyler Perry slept in his car. He was homeless. We all know how that story ended. 

When I watched Pursuit of Happyness yesterday, I reflected on a statement Chris Gardner made. He summed up his internship as, "no salary...not even a reasonable promise of a job." I guess I'm sort of interning for myself right now. Despite the overwhelming obstacles he faced, he kept going. Doing whatever he had to do along the way. This movie has to be the best portrayal of real life I've ever seen. Mr. Gardner's success didn't come as a result of him buying a high-priced info product or by going on an exclusive member only six figure retreat. It came the way it should. By staying the course. Even when it didn't make sense to anyone else. He kept going.

PLAN B

For the average person, it might be to start a business - maybe. My Plan B is going to work for someone else - on a part time basis. As long as I'm not asking you to pay my bills, don't question why.

Several times a week I come across an article written by an expert telling people to close up shop if they aren't making any money. Trying to convince them that their business isn't a real business - it's a money sucking hobby. 

What. The Hell. Ever!

Didn't we learn a thing or two about armchair quarterbacking from the Casey Anthony trial?!

Work your plan until you can't work it anymore. Explore every possible option in the book. Do not allow yourself or anyone else to define you by your circumstances - past or present. 

If all else fails, feel free to invite the critics to kiss your ass.

Today's Video: So You Think You're a Smart A**?!

Well, well, well...as I was waiting for this video to upload, LaTara Bussey Ham-Ying shared this on Facebook:

People who have a need to try and be an expert in everything are often looking for ways to validate themselves and feel very lonely!

We both can't be making this stuff up can we?

If you can't see the video CLICK HERE.

3 Media Lessons from an Almost Famous Blogger

After pitching interviewing tips for the unemployed, I was invited a couple of weeks ago to be a guest again on KXAN's weekend news.

I think I was more nervous this time than I was the first time around. In case you didn't know: there are no do-overs on live tv!

Weekend anchor, Catenya McHenry, does a good job of making me feel relaxed and I love her conversational interviewing style.

While I'm totally ecstatic about this whole experience, I want to share with you how it all came about - from the beginning. If media exposure isn't your bag of chips, pass this along to someone else who may benefit from it. 

LESSON #1: RELATIONSHIPS MATTER

If you follow me on twitter, you know I often tweet about people I've connected with online and then have either developed an offline relationship or nurtured our online connection to the point where it feels like we really know each other. There's a huge difference between meeting someone for coffee because you think they're a good prospect versus genuinely getting to know someone and then allowing the relationship to evolve organically.

I met me and The Boy's barber through my hairstylist. He relocated to Austin after Hurricane Katrina and KXAN interviewed him last year when they did a story on New Orleans natives who were rebuilding their lives. Meteorologist Rhonda Lee is one of his clients. I asked to be introduced to her. Rhonda told my barber to pass her contact info on to me and I reached out to her with a story idea. At the time, Rhonda didn't know Thomas, the owner of Kick Butt Coffee, but ended up meeting him at a local event prior to us going on the show. 

Are you keeping up with the relationship thread so far?!

After my first time as a guest, I introduced the producer to Linda D. Wilson. Well, what had happened was I gave all three ladies a gift made by Linda. Note: I bought the gifts with my money - she didn't sponsor me. You can see Linda's appearance here. I met Linda a couple of years ago when she attended one of my workshops.

LESSON #2: DON'T BE A JACKASS

All of this takes time. And patience. If you don't have either one, none of what I tell you will work. 

Following-up is tricky. You have to be on the radar just enough to let the producers know you're interested, but not to the point where you start to get on their nerves. Instead of trying to come up with a routine check-in (ie: once a week, every two weeks, etc.), just focus on reaching out to the media when you have a timely, newsworthy story idea. Never once have I ever emailed an outlet asking if they got my email. If it didn't come back undeliverable - assume they got it and move on.

Don't ask when they'd like to have you back. Listen to the feedback and depending on what you're told, use it as an opportunity to create an invitation for yourself. That's what I did. After my first appearance, the producer came out and congratulated us on a good segment. Even the camera man chimed in as to how well it went. The producer then told me she'd be in touch to have me come back on. She also mentioned it would be after the SXSW festival - a busy time for local media here in Austin.

I sent a follow-up note a few weeks after SXSW and included a newsworthy pitch in the same email. It was short and sweet. Three tips with about two sentences each. About a month later, I sent another email with a different pitch I'd carefully customized. I didn't know if they'd highlight the tips, but in case they did, they all began with the letter C. Something the viewers would be sure to read and remember. The extra time and effort I put into it paid off.

LESSON #3: TRAIN LIKE A PROFESSIONAL AMATEUR 

I don't have a journalism degree and have never worked in the media industry. Everything I've managed to accomplish has been self-taught. Thank God for blogs like this one to help me along the way.

Pitching ideas from your comfy home office is one thing and actually sitting behind a news desk next to people who do this for a living with cameras and lights all in your face is a whole'nother story. Be ready.

I spend hours in the classroom. And what does my classroom look like? Most would probably describe it as useless web surfing and brain numbing tv watching. There are times when I really want to have a glass of wine with the Basketball Wives, but I can't because I gotta report to the lab with Anderson Cooper. Saturday nights with Suze Orman count as a double-date. I get a personal finance smackdown while visualizing being on my own set that bears a striking resemblance to hers.

No matter what is you want to do, you can't make excuses anymore. You can't blame a lack of this, not enough that, or another person for that matter. You just read a true story of how one woman is doing it all herself. Opening up her mouth, lining herself up with the right people, and rolling up her sleeves determined to get the job done. 

If it's working for me, it sure as hell will work for you.