Day 26: HandsOn Leadership

I attended a leadership seminar tonight with Seattle Works called HandsOn Leadership.  My intent was to see how it was put together and look for opportunities where I could participate and get my name out there.  The conference was from 6-9 PM and it really was quite good.  They had a local consulting firm teach a section on project management and then the coordinator taught a section on conflict resolution.  It was fun and I had the opportunity to participate with a team.

The participants are really sharp and were very engaged in the seminar.  I am always listening for tidbits of information and good stories.  One particular individual told a story about leadership from his army days.  They classified leaders into different categories based on their style.  One particular style, the Outlook Leader, was not as effective as the others.  The Outlook Leader is one that manages all communication via email and never gets up to interact with their team.  Face time is kept to a minimum.  The insight from this style is that there really lacked a team cohesion and connection with the leader.

My thoughts in leaving the seminar is that a section on communication, team dynamics, or building productive teams would be ideal.  I also think that my project management experience would lend nicely to being a mentor for the teams as they undertake their initiative.  I am hopeful to be included in the program and instruct future seminars.  

I can definitely see how just putting myself out there is going to be the key to building connections within the community and getting my name out there.  I am spending an immense amount of energy just not sure if I am spending it smartly.

Day 25: Falling Behind

Oops I have fallen behind on my blog for this week.  I have been so busy finalizing my podcast that I didn't have time to do my writing.  I have learned quite a bit about podcasting, sound editing, and general creative work.  I am thoroughly enjoying the creative process!

I can already see how the podcast will change over time.  Even from the first and second episodes I made some minor tweaks.  I can certainly say that the second one took much less time to produce.  I decided to host them on my website as well as in iTunes to get some publicity.  I learned quite a bit about production on the first one and some of the tools available to me in the sound editing software.  I have a ways to go to get some polish on the podcasts but I am headed in the right direction.

As part of the polishing I decided that I needed a new logo for the two podcasts I am thinking of doing.  So I called up my designer friend and we are going to meet on Sunday morning to discuss it.  I want to keep the cost low so we will have to be creative.  Thankfully I don't need all the variations he created for the previous company logo.

I am investing a lot of time in building my knowledge and experience which will be critical to my success.  I am looking forward to landing 3 clients by June.

Day 24: Focusing Activities

My focusing activities for this week are to get my business bank accounts setup so that I can easily segregate business expenses from personal expenses, which will be immensely helpful for tax time.  The other activity planned for this week is to reach out to two potential mentors in my network and ask for help.  Finally, my last project is to distribute my quarterly newsletter.

My advertising on linked in has yielded 7 additional contacts who wish to receive my newsletter.  I am excited and hope that these potential leads will yield some clients for me.  

Other administrative items I need to focus on are spending some time reaching out to HR managers and doing some research.  Finding out what they are looking for when they hire a coach, where they go to look for these resources.  I know this is a pretty straightforward step to take and yet I had completely missed it.  A case of where I was too much in my head and not spending enough time doing big picture thinking.  Armed with this information I can refine my marketing strategy target those groups or locations where they are sourcing their coaches from.  In the meantime I have decided to hold off on certification until I do my market research.  It may be that that is not important to my potential clients.

I also  need to find a simple to use book keeping system that I can use to manage my finances and sales.  I want to be able to track this information and see how I am doing against my projections.  I am hopeful to find an online tool with a companion iPad app so that I can access it anywhere I have an internet connection.

I also want to spend some time thinking about my brand, my ideal client, and what my value proposition is.  I think it is unclear when I am sharing with other people.  I will say that I am proud of myself for just opening my mouth.  The other night at dinner I asked a friend if he knew any HR folks that I could talk with.  I explained the research that I wanted to do and sure enough he did know someone.  I will need to spend some time putting together my questions for my research.

I feel the excitement and momentum rising as I embark on this next chapter with my coach.

Day 23: Coach Hired

I interviewed two other coaches and finally settled in on the one that was the best fit for me.  We are going to work on a network plan and really get my name out there.  I signed up for a three month engagement and will begin on April 6.  We will meet twice a month with homework in between.  I am so excited to be focused on this element of my business.  I now realize that I have been holding off because I did not know what the next step to take was.  I am afraid because it is something that I am passionate about and don't want to hear rejection from others that may not find value in what I am doing.  I still have not forgotten my commitment to myself to have 15 clients by the end of the year.  I am confident that with the help of my coach I will be successful.

I am finding my new productivity plan has the effect of focusing me on my most important tasks to complete within the next seven days.  I was successful at completing those tasks for last week.  I guess I should not be surprised how this entrepreneurial journey is one of emotion as much as it is of action.  It almost feels like a roller coaster ride with the associated ups and downs.  I find that my energy and commitment wanes at times too.  The key is to keep forward momentum and push through the troughs.

Day 22: Coach Interviews

I setup two more interviews for marketing coaches today.  I want to ensure that I pick the best one for me and that I get the most out of the money I am going to spend.  I think it will be worth the cost and effort to get things kicked off.  I should know more next week and will be a little behind in hiring my coach but it will be worth the delay.

I setup my wireless network today in the office.  It is lightening fast and will be nice to minimize the amount of chords that I need.  I should only need one chord that plugs in my cinema display and then it can power everything else.  I really like having a minimalist landscape.  It helps me to focus better.

I also decided today that to enhance my creativity I am going to install a wall sized whiteboard.  That way I can have the maximum amount of space to write and not be limited by my current one.

I have started listening to audiobooks during my daily workout to try and consume more information and maximize my time.  Given this I should be able to get through at least two audio books per month which amounts to 24 books this year.

Day 21: My First Podcast

With the help of a very good friend I have finished the recording of my first podcast, entitled "Maximizing Effectiveness".  I am so proud of this accomplishment and excited to get it edited and posted to iTunes for distribution.  I did not anticipate this would be so difficult to get completed.  Although my friend, who is a professional programming director created an Intro/Outro that I can use for each episode along with a segment marker.  Now that I have done this once I and figured out the tools I am confident future podcasts will be easier to produce.

I have embedded a copy of the Intro below for your enjoyment.

Podcast Intro

The equipment I purchased to produce my podcast seems to be working out just fine.  I purchased a microphone, a pop-filter, and Garage Band to do my audio editing.  Some of the important things I learned when producing my first podcast is:

1. Less is more when it comes to wording.
2. Start off using a script, as you become more comfortable you can speak from an outline.
3. Stand up while recording, it enables you to enunciate and have more power in your voice
4. Record one segment at a time.  If you make a mistake, pause and re-record the segment again.  The outtakes can be edited out later.
5. Wear a pair headphones while you are recording so that you can hear your own voice.
6. For my setup, mp3 format renders the best quality audio.

If you have any interest in syndicating your content in this way I certainly encourage it.  It was a lot of hard work and a tremendous amount of fun at the same time.  Eventually I would like to get into video production as well.

Day 20: Striking out on my own

I am loving what I am doing so far and I have been able to accomplish a significant amount in the short time I have been engaged in following my passion.  I ran across an article today that really spoke to me and highlighted some things to keep in mind when striking out on your own.

Of the many things the article focused on I have already observed that 1) some people think I am crazy and think I should have given more effort to my full time job.  2) It is good to keep my ideas secret from some people. 3) It is a lot of work to get going but don't sacrifice your personal relationships, family, and friends at the expense of everything else.

They also included a checklist for making sure you get off on the right foot.  I am proud to say that I have accomplished all of these within the first four weeks of starting my business.  They are:

1. Find a good Tax Consultant
2. Remember you don't need the money
3. Put together an invoicing system
4. Find a good productivity system
5. Plan time off and sick days
6. Find other people like you

The full article can be found at here.

I also ran across another blog focused on creativity call the 99 Percent..  Give it a read for some interesting insight on the creative process.

Day 19: Volunteering

I have had a goal for quite sometime to get involved in the community.  I want to share my talents with others and enrich their lives.  I am currently delivering food to home bound individuals and participating in a campaign for same-sex marriage in Washington.  I am passionate about leadership and want to mentor other emerging leaders and assist them in recognizing their potential.

This last volunteer opportunity will have a dual benefit of helping others and beginning to build my network.  I need to start socializing with successful people in the business industry and increase my confidence associating with executives.

I had an interview today with SeattleWorks a non-profit that hosts a leadership summit and and post training mentoring.  It sounds like an excellent opportunity and one that I would be very interested in.  I just put myself out there and doors are opening.  I am hopeful that I will be invited to be on the faculty myself one day soon.

I read a great article today regarding confidence and it outlined a plan for building confidence and making it a habit.  The first was eye opening to me as it highlighted the need to let go of the past and get closure on anything that is open.  My coaching workshops also talk about this as well in the form of "being complete".  I thought about some of the things that I have left open and really need to work on getting to closure so that I can focus on the present.  In addition to this concept they outlined 6 confidence building strategies:

1. Every day remind yourself that you did some things well.
2. Read inspiring biographies and autobiographies
3. Be thankful
4. Build excellent support around you
5. Push yourself to accomplish short-term goals
6. Do something for yourself every week

All excellent reminders of practices that can turn into positive actions.  "Everything you want is on the other side of fear".  I will do well to remember this sage advice.

Day 18: Hiring a Coach

I mentioned in a previous post my desire to hire a coach for myself.  I need some help establishing my brand, marketing myself, and using this as a method to reach my goal of getting 15 new clients this year.  

I interviewed my first coach today and it was an interesting discussion.  He definitely has the experience and skills that I am lacking in terms of marketing.  He focuses on developing strengths and wears both the coach and consultant hat.  We talked about several things and I was pleased that I am proceeding in the right direction for some things and others I am definitely deficient.  Simply things like leveraging my linked in network and marketing myself as a leadership coach.  We also talked about the need to establish a brand, refine my elevator pitch, and develop a marketing plan.  This is definitely the right move for me and something that would greatly help me in taking the next step in maturing my business.

I also attended the PSCA chapter meeting today and really enjoyed meeting other coaches in the area.  I left feeling renewed, much like I did while completing my CTI coursework.  I have a new focus and will plan to attend these meetings each month.  There was one other individual that does something similar to what I do and all the others had varying specialties.  The guest speaker just so happened to be a marketing coach.  What are the odds that I would find run across someone with the exact skills I was looking for.  I am going to engage with her and see if it would be a good fit and how she can help me in developing my marketing efforts.

My goal is to make a decision by Friday on which coach I want to hire.  This is exciting and scary at the same time.  I am determined to reach my new client goal.

Day 17: Connections

I found the benefit of speaking up about my business today.  It is interesting how serendipity can play a role in opening up new doors.  Planning is good and helps us remain focused but I am learning to be open to new ideas and opportunities.

I was telling someone about my foray into podcasting and talking about how much fun I was having and at the same time struggling with putting a professional finish to it.  Come to find out the individual I was talking to is a radio program director.  He offered to help me with my intro/outro as well as provide some coaching on how to improve the sound of the content.  This will be a lifesaver since I cannot afford to hire professional talent to work on this.  I am learning as a small business owner I have to wear many of the hats and do what I can myself rather than relying on experts.  I am learning a ton, but it also takes me additional time to get things done since I am basically learning as I go.

We also started talking about leadership and he told me about his new boss and the technique he used when coming on board.  He came into his role due to the passing of the other manager.  The other manager was well respected and liked by the staff.  The new manager didn't come in guns blazing with a new plan to turn things upside down.  Instead he took a more deliberate and patient approach and simply listened.  He got to know the team and built an environment of collaboration and trust.    I was able to turn this into an opportunity to ask for an interview.

We are going to connect this week and solidify timing to work on these tasks.  Once again the network trumps all in terms of putting myself out there and sharing my passion with others.

Day 16: The Startup Curve

I stumbled across an interesting article today that codifies the startup curve that most companies go through.  It is good to know what I am up against as I look to start up my coaching practice.  It starts with the techcrunch of initiation followed by the wearing off of novelty.  This is a pretty deep plunge which eventually plateaus into the trough of sorrow.  It dips again before you reach the promised land.  I can see that I have a long way to go and there are some difficult days ahead for my business.  The closing words of this article really resounded with me and provides encouragement to just get out there and release my product.  Then as I gain experience in the form of feedback I can release waves of improvement to my approach, technique, and effectiveness.

Along these same lines I have come to the conclusion that I myself need to hire a coach to assist me with my marketing efforts.  I know on the surface it sounds crazy that a coach would need to hire a coach, yet all the literature I have read indicates this is a highly effective way to improve performance.  After all is that not what I am selling to my clients?  I requested information from 3 local coaching firms and will look forward to seeing if there is a good fit.

I know that I can make a success of this business.  I am confident in my abilities and with the added benefit of completing my certification process I will be credentialed, which adds strength to my message.

Day 15: Administrivia

I have found that it is easy to focus on the tasks that are the least productive to building my practice.  I am putting the cart before the horse in some respects and need to remain focused on obtaining paying clients. To that end I have signed up for a new coach referral service called Noomii.  Potential clients post their coaching needs and then coaches bid to provide service.  So far I have been the high bidder on two potential engagements but they have not converted into actual opportunities.  In reading the FAQs for the site, on average coaches get 6 clients per year.

I also started up my LinkedIn Advertising in hopes of generating traffic to my website and obtaining some sales leads that I can convert into clients.  In reviewing my blog post on commitment I can see that I am not walking the walk.  I need to update my profile to reflect that I am a leadership coach.  Otherwise everyone just sees me as a program manager.

I placed 5 calls to non-profit organizations yesterday to generate some leads for speaking or pro-bono work.  My goal is to contribute back to the community and build brand awareness in the market.  Today I plan to place an additional 5 calls to try and fill my lead pipeline.

I am becoming an active member in my local International Coach Federation Chapter to build a network and associate with other coaches.  I know that it is a shear numbers game and I need to talk to as many people as possible to start making these connections.

In putting myself out there I just received my first payback.  I had an individual sign up for a complimentary coaching session this Saturday.  This is really exciting!!!

Day 14: Getting the Word Out

It has been almost three weeks since I began this venture.  In that time I have created a website, published a newsletter, written a marketing plan, and leveraged social media to begin establishing a name for myself; build some credibility.  Now it is time to actually get out and start meeting people.

I have done much preparation and feel it is time for me to get out there and start talking to people about what I do.  Start sharing the content I have created.  To be honest I am really stuck on this one.  I guess I was under the popular misconception that if I created all this content clients would start showing up on my doorstep asking for my business; I was definitely wrong on this point.

So what do I do when I am at a loss for the next step, I brainstorm.  I spent some time this morning thinking of opportunities to get out and start meeting people.  Here is what I came up with:

1. Look for pro-bono speaking engagements.
2. Call potential customers and offer a free coaching session
3. Tell everyone I meet about my business and spread the word
4. Get a magnet sign for the car
5. Post business cards
6. Join a club
7. Look for a board position with a non-profit

I need to balance flooding the market with my message and targeting my message to the right people.  Action is the name of the game.  I can tell that my internal anxiety is kicking in here and causing me to focus on the tasks and activities that don't require interaction.  I need to change my inner belief that customers will just come to me if I am good enough.

I am learning that business is 80% psychology and 20% action.  You have to get over your fears very quickly and focus on the important actions to get the results you want.  I am going to add these items to my list and start working on them this week.  

I am committed to getting 3 clients this quarter and 15 clients this year.

Day 13: Structure

I have found that for me that structure is so critical to having a productive day.  Others could probably get by working from their home office, not me.  I get to distracted with errands and to-dos around the house that I get side tracked.  Plus it adds an element of professionalism to my day.

One of the things I have been grappling with is how to bring structure to my coaching engagements.  What does the startup/contracting phase look like.  How do I bill customers? How will I deliver my services?  What does it look like when the coaching engagement ends?  How do I measure progress to ensure we are meeting our goals?  All of these things have been swirling around in my mind and I have lots of ideas that need to get written down and codified.

I spent some of my thinking time today and put together a new client package which describes my services, fees, policies, and approach.  Given my target audience I want to ensure that it is polished and professional.  One of my next steps is to get the contractual forms reviewed by a lawyer to ensure they are complete.  Again I don't want to spend the bulk of my time contracting, instead I want to focus on providing my services.

I also need to start giving some thought as to how I will manage my scheduling, manage/track client actions, and record my sessions for client playback.  Perhaps this is the budding idea for an iPad app, one where they can login to a portal and access their recordings, coaching materials, worksheets, etc.  I can see that I will have no trouble filling my "thinking" time with challenges to solve.

Today I am working to finalize my blueprint for the week that ensures I am working toward my goals.  I still have only recorded half of my 101 so I have work to do.

Day 12: Practice, Practice, Practice

I just returned from my first training session in pursuit of coaching certification.  It was an amazing weekend full of adventure, anxiety, and learning.  I am not a big crowds person to begin with so you can imagine my anxiety when I first arrived and there was about 20+ people in this big room.  It was sparsely adorned with the exact number of chairs placed in a circle.  I arrived early determined to introduce myself to others and be as social as possible; I succeeded in my first goal.  

I like the premise of the class in that we all give each other permission to practice on one another and create a safe environment to fail and learn.  I acknowledged to myself that this would be difficult yet necessary to embark on this new journey.  I succeeded in my second goal.

I made some good friends and contacts that I hope to keep in touch with.  It truly is all about networking and I want to maximize this resource for my benefit.  My next course is in about a month and I am so excited!  My third goal coming out of my first class is to make sure that I practice, practice, and practice the concepts to further my learning.

In an attempt to further my learning and proceed toward my goal I set up coaching sessions with my sister, my friend Ken, and another friend Trent.  These are not paid engagements as I am really focused on honing my craft, being comfortable "dancing in the moment" and actively listening to my intuition.  Setting and accomplishing goals is so rewarding.  With each step my visualization of having a successful business is coming to be.

I did a reality check today on expenses and they are getting a little out of control.  I need to start reigning them in and ensuring that I am expending only what I need to until I start generating some revenue.  I want to proceed as if I am a fully functioning business with the caveat that somethings can be done manually for the time being.

Day 11: Change takes time

The further I get into this project the more I am realizing that this will not be a quick transition.  In fact moving from the relative safety and security of a corporate job to that of an independent requires an immense amount of courage.  I have a vision and I am committed to reaching it.  That means I am willing to put in the required effort, enjoy my successes, and learn from my failures.  This is really as much about a career transformation as it is about a personal maturation.

The more I read and research leadership I know there is a real need for what I do.  Organizations are desperate for answers on how to deal with increasing complexity and the speed of change in our global economy. I have started by creating a framework, I have dubbed the Success Architecture.  The center of it all is purpose.  This is critical for without a true sense of purpose, specific goals, and a vision we have no hope of changing.  For the first time in my life I am experiencing these and it is truly liberating and difficult at the same time.  At this point there is a constant battle between the old and new, the resistance to change, and the threat of giving in and going back to what I know.  I must keep my vision in the forefront of my mind and embrace the metamorphosis that has begun.

I am currently reading two books at the moment.  The Power of Focus and Thinking for a change.  I didn't know at the beginning that they would be so complimentary.  A primary component of developing focus is learning and taking the time to think and reflect.  I have a great deal of work to do in this category.  I don't really set aside time for thinking and therefore I have kind of let life happen instead of going after what I want.  As I work through this book I am trying to implement the steps from each section as they hold the promise of powerful change when practiced with discipline.  Right now I am in the process of capturing my 101 goals which I will then categorize into 1, 3,5,10 year timeframes.  I have not taken the time to dream like this ever, which probably explains why my singular focus became work.  I am about a third of the way towards defining my 101 goals.

I also stumbled across a program called the Leadership Circle which also espouses these concepts and has developed a framework that quantifies the leadership characteristics of an individual, giving them a baseline from which to begin their journey.  I am going to participate in their training/certification process this year.

Taking some time for learning has been rewarding, insightful, and enabled me to recalibrate my trajectory.

Day 10: Talking with Successful People

I set a goal this year to find successful people and schedule time to interview them in an attempt to learn what makes them successful.  What habits and habits have they implemented that have helped them be successful.  What are they reading both for business and pleasure.  What clubs do they belong to.  So today I took my first step toward reaching this goal and spoke with a successful marketer that I worked with on a past project.

It was very insightful talking with her.  I just listened and took it all in, absorbing the knowledge she had to share.  So here are the main points I took away from our discussion:

• Find something that differentiates you from the competition that is not easily replicated.  One of the best ways to identify this is to do some research and find what makes the current process difficult, for example pricing model, contracting process, or delivery.  Sometimes just addressing these can be a differentiator.
• Don't be afraid to be irreverent.  Guard your time, it is limited and you need to focus on those things that only you can do.  Do not attend meetings without agendas and even then really think if you need to be there.  Hire competent people and let them take ownership for their area of responsibility.
• Cut out bureaucracy where possible.  Simplify workflow so you aren't approving yesterday's ideas that are already out of date.
• Work is not going to come to you.  You have to get out there and network, speak at engagements, do anything to establish credibility and differentiate yourself.
• Reading is so important to continually build knowledge.  She recommended the Malcolm Gladwell books.

This was such a rewarding experience and one I haven't tapped into so far in my career.  I can't wait to find my next individual I want to meet and learn some more about being successful.  There is a wealth of knowledge and experience out their in your network.  Go out and take advantage of it, people are always willing to share what they have learned.

Day 9: Hypersyndication

Marketing is definitely one of my weak points and yet a critical part of a budding business.  I have been reading and scouring the web to build my knowledge in this area.  I ran across a website called lynda.com that has training videos on numerous topics.  While searching for information on creating podcasts I found one on hypersyndication.  While simple in concept it is powerful in effect.

Basically hyper syndication is reusing your content and syndicating it on numerous channels.  Based on what I learned I have developed my approach to this.  I am already generating content in the form of newsletters, book summaries, and a daily blog.  The next step is to broadcast this via RSS and podcasts to reach a broader audience.

So I set up RSS on my website and blog and signed up with services that advertise blogs.  My hope is to get some traction, which in turn will result in paying clients.  First and foremost I am trying to establish myself as an authority in the field of leadership development.

I also went and purchased a microphone to record my podcasts and have already started converting the material I have published into the new format.  I have also been practicing recording to get the right sound in my voice so that it will be pleasant to listen to.  Once I get them recorded I will start publishing them on my website and iTunes.

The other elements of my marketing plan include finding speaking engagements, purchasing a list to place some cold calls, and offering complimentary coaching sessions.  I also want to hire a coach to assist me in building my practice.  In all my research and my discussions with my SCORE mentor I am on the right track.  Soon this will start to pay off in terms of credibility and new clients.

Day 8: My First Newsletter

I spent the weekend working on finishing up my first newsletter.  The format is still a work in progress and will continue to evolve as I move forward.  I spent some time researching newsletter format and content before arriving at mine.  In addition to the content I needed to choose a delivery provider, list manager, etc.  I chose Constant Contact for many reasons including a feature rich product that can grow as my company grows.

I started with a pre-built template and customized for my use to ensure alignment with the look and feel of my website (e.g. color scheme, fonts, etc).  I have decided to have the following sections:

• Introduction - This section welcomes my readers and introduces the theme for that month.
• Leadership Toolbox - Tips, tools, and implementation suggestions to drive action.
• Tool Spotlight - Highlights a tool that supports the main theme.  The tool can be either a piece of software or a framework/methodology.
• Executive Library - A series of books that go into more depth on the theme.  I have linked these to my Amazon Associates account so that if they purchase from my website I get credit.
• Manager Spotlight - A monthly interview with leaders in different industries that focuses on what they do to be successful.

The theme for the first issue is Focus.  I had a great time putting together all the material for this first newsletter and sent if off to the editor today.  I am going to start with a monthly newsletter and see how that goes, although I am a bit skeptical that I can keep up with that pace.  I have included a screen capture of the layout below.

I have also decided that I will repackage my newsletter and blog contents into a podcast in an attempt to reach a wider audience.  I have done a significant amount of research on microphones, software, and techniques for scripting a podcast.  My equipment is set to arrive in the next couple of days and I have scripted out my first podcast episode.  I am excited to try my hand at broadcasting.

Day 7: A Retrospective

I thought I would take a few lines in today's post to host a retrospective about where I was just 7 days ago  and where I am at now.  If you'll remember it was quite an emotional decision to strike out on my own and several times before I jumped shipped I tried to talk myself out of it; thinking it wasn't as bad as I thought it was.  I just realized something looking back...it was that bad and I am glad to be charting a new course on my own.

Sure I traded some short term financial security with the big pay-off in terms of finally having a career.  No longer a slave to the billable hour and the quarter end dash, I am free to focus in on the big picture and my future.

I am so excited for my coach training to begin, it will be held in Vancouver, BC at the Marriott hotel.  I am ready to put my best foot forward and go with a learning mind.  I also found another training that I am very interested in pursuing as a form of new client intake.  It is called the Leadership Circle and is a 360 feedback system that looks at a leader from several dimensions and provides a quantitative perspective on which to have an introductory discussion.  The value that this tool provides is that the individuals results are aggregated against a database of hundreds of thousands of data points.  In my opinion this is going to be an excellent methodology to define the "work" that we will be focusing on.

The root of this theory is rooted in systems-based thinking.  It is ironic that I just attended a webinar on systems-based coaching that broke it into two quadrants: the visible and invisible.  The visible are considered our goals and actions or those things which we can physically observe.  The invisible is our belief system which drives the goals and actions in the visible system.  The two are inextricably linked and work together as a complete system.

I spent time reviewing the proposed logos for my company and together with my graphic designer we were able to zero in on the perfect image.  I have attached the the logo below.

This is the company header for my stationary:

The great part about working with a graphic designer is that he thought of everything.  He didn't just provide a single logo, but one's with different backgrounds (dark, white, transparent), sizes, and formats.  He also created my letterhead so that I can print it on demand.  He also helped me design my business card which turned out splendidly.  This was the best $300 I ever spent!

I also started a leadership blog called "The Leadership Daily", the only problem is that I am not doing a great job keeping up with the daily part.  Perhaps I was a little too ambitious in defining the interval.  I also want to start writing a newsletter.  I will start with a monthly interval to see how that works.

Now for a great weekend!

Day 6: Thinking

I find that I spend a great deal of time thinking lately, not daydreaming but actual thinking.  I have found that brainstorming, followed by cycles of refinement is what is needed to vet ideas and see if they are worth pursuing.

In terms of getting my name out there I have signed up with the GSBA, started advertising with Google adwords, setup social media, and attended one networking event.  I need to do more, these items are not netting any hits.  I'm thinking it might be time to do a webinar or find a small speaking engagement.  I need to refine my elevator pitch as well as putting together some material that I can share with others.

I decided to canvas my Linked In network and ask previous collegues if they would be willing to help me out with my coaching training.  I was surprised how many were willing to be my guinea pig.  Which brings me to my latest news, I have chosen a course provider.

I listened to an information session from both InviteChange and CTI and I preferred CTI over InviteChange.  Primarily because I am focused on business coaching rather than life coaching.  CTI offers many more options in terms of leadership development than did InviteChange.  Both are ICF certified.  So I start my first class in March and I am really excited to get my credentialing underway.

I have been working fast and furiously on my website to get that live.  I have written all the copy and I am just awaiting feedback from my editor.  Once I receive that I will be able to make the site live.  Here is a snapshot of the homepage.