A MsXMedia Publication
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today
Volume 1, Issue 9
CREATE
FREEDOM Bridging Business and Purpose
Don’t Gamble on Your “Plan A” 7 questions to answer BEFORE breaking those golden handcuffs
SPARK: Busting the Myths to Being Creative Financial Balance in this Unbalanced Economy
Next Month: What is YOUR Purpose Equation? | Managing Personal Energy
We are all born creative and whole. Yet the world tells us we are not, and we listen.
We each have gifts and talents uniquely our own. Then why are we told to work on our weaknesses?
And each of us has a purpose. So why do we try to be like everyone else?
Break the cycle and claim your personal power. It is gloriously YOU!
MermaidsInPowerSuits.com
!
today
Volume 1, Issue 9
CREATE
Check out Page 11 for Technology & Marketing News
FREEDOM
FEATURES “PLAN A” Instead of settling for the standard Plan B, answer these 7 questions for a better “Plan A” everyone needs one!
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A MsXMedia Publication
Bridging Business and Purpose Publisher Letter An inside look at what this issue of Create Freedom Today magazine is all about.
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...and MORE WordWorthy This months suggested reading “The Medici Effect”
20 Entrepreneur Spotlight An interview with an innovator already living their “Plan A”
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ENERGY Harness your ability of shifting between masculine, feminine and integrated energy for maximum health and performance.
4 MONEY Are you balanced in this unbalanced economy? Four financial domains that help balance debt and insecurity.
16 CREATE Do you think the sky has to be blue? Even if you are not an “artist”, these myths may be holding you back!
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Ask Ms.X From business to creativity, answers to member submitted questions.
19 Resources Looking for inspiration or help - our trusted resource partners are the best!
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Create Freedom Today magazine is published monthly by Ms X Media. Free subscriptions are available by signing up at www.MsXmedia.com. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the consent of the publisher. Interested in advertising? Please contact support@msxmedia.com The statements and opinions of the contributing writers and artists are their own, no warranty or results are assumed or guaranteed by publisher.
Publisher Letter
Marjorie Schoelles CEO, MsXmedia.com | High Voltage Marketing Mermaids In Power Suits | Mermaid Sand | Seahorse Gallery
As we move from summer to fall I find myself reflecting on the amazing gifts these past few years have brought. For most of my corporate career I was the stereotypical driven executive, concentrating on the road ahead and everything still undone. As I went from thinking about a “Plan B” to realizing what I really wanted was a purpose centered “Plan A,” so many other things shifted as well. SELF CARE This was a new one to me - the idea that I deserved to take time for just me, with no particular agenda or demands. Sure, I had long been a fan of spa days, but even then I was making mental lists of what came next. The idea of floating around in the pool, surrendering to the moment, being present to feel the breeze and hear the cry of the hawk overhead - that has been a slowly developing skill and much appreciated gift. 2
MONEY TALK I has often struck me as odd that we can talk budgets in the boardroom and at times will willingly discuss intimate details of our lives with friends, but seldom talk real money matters with those we are closest to. In the book review this issue we highlight portions from “The Energy of Money.” For many of us, money was not discussed within our family growing up, or if it was, it may have been around scarcity of it or how others had more. So many emotional issues are tied up with subject, yet if you look at money as a resource, tool and ultimately, energy - what a shift in perception. I use the analogy of my nurturing and respect of money to taking care of my car with regular maintenance and keeping personal promises to myself. Respect and positive action go a long way with all of our “life tools.”
Mermaid in The Moon - Tree of Life Series Marjorie Schoelles
MY INNER ARTIST Getting back to my theme of amazing gifts these past few years I was fortunate to be part of an inspiring mastermind group that expanded my boundaries and helped define my true purpose. I’m not sure there is a greater gift than that, aside from the love and health of my family and friends. With the expansion came staggering bursts of creativity in business and my personal art. With gratitude, thank you Baeth Davis, Ben Thole and my fellow Ignite Mentoring members - you are gifted, brilliant and have inspired me to new heights!
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Licia Berry’s multi part series on recognizing, balancing and integrating the masculine and feminine within us.
“When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.” ~ John Muir Licia Berry 2014
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here are two basic opposing energies that comprise everything in the physical universe. At an atomic level, we see this in the proton (positive charge) and the electron (negative charge). Since everything that physically exists is made of atoms, we can say that these two energies are in all that we can experience with our 5 sensory system.
Almost like going back to school, for the purposes of this article, we’re going to examine the behavior of the electron, the negatively charged particle in the atom. It flies around the center or nucleus of the atom, containing and hold4
ing everything inside the core, including the proton (the positive charge) and the neutron (neutral charge). It “contains” the atom by connectivity. Connectivity, the Primary Feminine Principle (and how this applies to everything in your life) So, what does this have to do with you, your health, your relationships, your business, and your success? EVERYTHING. The feminine dynamic is “plugged in” to the felt sense of being connected to All Creation. The awareness of that connection is relational and drives the feminine to ask, “Is this choice supportive for the whole?” This is connectivity. When we are aware of the feminine quality of connectivity, we are aware that what we do impacts every facet of our lives as
well as every facet of the rest of our community. We also feel and experience the whole system of creation and our part to play in it. In addition, we feel the benefit of support, success and belonging. The feminine dynamic, by nature, attends to the needs and operation of the whole, whatever that whole may be. A “whole” is another word for a system. The keen awareness of what is life affirming to a system as a whole is the foundation of life itself. The health of a system is dependent on the choices made by the elements of that system. If the elements or members of that system consistently make choices that undermine the balance of that system, the system will suffer a lack of health. The members of systems are therefore charged with responsibility for the health of the system, and making choices that are life affirming for that system.
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A personal story from Licia on experiencing connectivity. I sat across the room from a young woman, an acquaintance, who was clearly in pain. Her face showed her internal struggle to stay outwardly calm, but it was obvious where her power was engaged. I knew this because as I looked at her, suddenly I felt her broken heart and her shock, as well as her grief. What appeared to be a solid person, entirely distinct and separate from me, now seemed to be living through me. I was taking on her pain, and in my knowledge of transmutation and healing, I was assisting her to find a way to manage her pain. Inside myself, I took ownership of what I was feeling, and brought my healing tools into the holy work of mending what’s been torn asunder. As I saw my broken heart healing, I felt the grief come to the surface. Later, I cried for the woman who would not allow herself to cry, hot tears of genuine sorrow and loss. As I did this rite for her, I kept her face in my thoughts. Akin to prayer, my act of healing lifted her up into awareness, and an ability to deal with her loss. My love for another aspect of All Creation melded me to her, and affirmed how connected we are to one another. ~ Licia
Separation, the Primary Masculine Principle
keep the system intact.
The masculine dynamic creates separation, a needed quality in a physical universe! If we didn’t have separation, there would be no creation, no stars, no people, no parts. In all of the creation of the physical, the masculine dynamic is responsible for the continued expansion of life. The masculine energy of Individuation is what made the parts of the whole. The masculine dynamic works to separate from the system, while the feminine works to
In our culture, we’ve been trained to value the masculine quality of Individuation to the point that we may forget the feminine quality of Connectivity. We may feel alone, afraid, like we have to compete to win. We may feel a lack of passion, purpose, connection.
an impact on our relationships and choosing to act with awareness • Learn more about the partnership of feminine and masculine principles in how we live day to day
We can remedy this by: • Choosing to be more aware of our part in the communitywhat unique powers do we bring? • Acknowledging that we have
Next Month: we will explore how feminine energy is Inclusive. The defense of the parts, the boundaries to identify and delineate those parts, and the defense of those boundaries is all given to the masculine dynamic, which is Exclusive; appropriate defense of boundaries is a needed aspect of physical life.
Licia Berry is president and CEO of Illumined Arts, a health and well-being curriculum consortium. A veteran educator and speaker for 25 years, she enjoys working with individuals and groups who seek consciousness, freedom and success in all areas of their lives. Learn more at http://liciaberry.com Create Freedom Today! MsXmedia
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Listen to the Radio Interview about our September 20 Workshop, so much great information and ideas! h p://www.blogtalkradio.com/liciaberry/2014/08/27/business-energy-and-purpose 6
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7 Questions to Answer Before You Leap We’ve talked about our “Plan B” for years. What we would do if: ~ a “restructuring” happens ~ we get a new boss that drives us crazy ~ the company merges and we now do the job of 4 people or we are getting close to finally saying ENOUGH!
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Our Plan B dreams range from better pay, better benefits, more vacation or even starting our own business. The risk is not looking seriously at what is making you long for a different pasture. Sometimes the grass is greener on the other side
because there is more sh*! - um... fertilizer. And let’s be honest - why settle? Don’t you want your next stage to be stellar? A little self examination and introspection can go a long way toward creating an first rate “Plan A.”
What is it about your current situation you like the most? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
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What do you like the least? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
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Create Freedom Today! MsXmedia
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What is your current satisfaction with the level of (give examples if possible - why you like one thing and care less for another) Freedom: _________________________________________________________________ Benefits: __________________________________________________________________ Responsibility / Authority: ____________________________________________________ Insert your own “hot button” here: ____________________________________________
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To what degree can you influence a change in your current situation (sometimes we forget that we have 100% responsibility for our own actions and reactions) __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
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If you were considering a different job, what are the deal breakers (important to note before you get into the heat of interviewing and negotiating) __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ Take a moment to also list the “Must Haves” and “Negotiables” ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ continued on next page...
Create Freedom Today! MsXmedia
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What discovery work have you done for what your true purpose in life is? Very often we go through our day-to-day routines doing what we “should” rather than what we are “meant” to do. List programs, masterminds, mentorships and the results in helping you get a crystal clear purpose. See resources at the bottom of the page. __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
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To help gauge where you are on the flight or fight scale, if you had to imagine your life in 6 months, what is your level of satisfaction/frustration if things remain the same? List them in priority. __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
Remember the line before about the grass may be greener on the other side for a reason? Well, it may be something more attractive then fertilizer - maybe it is more autonomy, better benefits or much desired freedom. Our point is to know the “why” you want something different and
the “how” of getting there. And a special note about your purpose. We are each born with our own unique talents and gifts. Living and working in congruency with our life purpose is far easier and more rewarding on all levels than struggling through the normal grind.
Many folks have moved toward their purpose with various programs (some of which we note below.) We encourage everyone to invest the time, energy and effort in to growing in your knowledge and stepping into your full potential.
Resources: Interested in knowing how the world sees you? Try the Fascinate Profile at HowToFascinate.com (last we checked is was $37 for a single profile) What about your Human Design? https://www.humandesignamerica.com/chart And if you want your current situation or new endeavor to be built on your purpose, including identifying what holds you back and what can catapult your forward, SURGE and PowerHouse levels may be for you. www.MermaidsInPowerSuits.com/surge 10
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The latest in Technology, Marketing and Social Media Tips (and anything else we come across that we think will help elevate your business to the next level)
From a recent post on MOZ.com Local Event Marketing: Earn Links, Build Citations, Get Reviews, Increase Foot Traffic, and Win at Local SEO
Online marketing has been rapidly evolving over the years and a major paradigm shift has happened which has caused marketers to stop building links and start thinking of how to earn them.”
“The recent Google Pigeon update that affected local search was just another example of why marketer’s should never put all of their eggs in one basket.
Check out the article to learn how a well planned event marketing strategy can help you over some of Google’s hurdles. http://moz.com/blog/local-event-marketing
Social Media - Use it the way consumers want you to, not the way you think will drive sales.
tremendous trust builders and key to having your page, posts and products shared and liked.
According to a recent Gallup Poll, social may not be the strongest influencer for purchasing, but it trumps about everything else for connection. Brands like Coke have learned that the conversation with a consumer goes much further on social than a straight pitch. (check out some of the fun they have been having with their “name” campaign: https://www.facebook.com/ cocacola) Two way communication can also be a way to sway grumpy customers to raving fans by addressing concerns in the open. Especially with Millenials. Authenticity and transparency are both
Create Freedom Today! MsXmedia
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We were told to color inside the lines. The grass is green, the sky blue. They don’t have to be. ~ Marjorie
Painting Above Green Skies | Tree of Life Series Artist | Marjorie Schoelles
What myths are holding you back from exploring your dreams, living a fully creative life? CREATIVITY
Our own opinion of what is good enough often leads to a slippery slope of perfectionism and First, let’s start with how you define creativity. Do frustration. Combine that with any external influences and it’s a wonder stores like Michaels you have a preconceived notion that it is about stays in business. It is a testament to our innate paints, pencils, brushes...a camera perhaps? optimism and curiosity that we revisit, reinvent or start anew in our creative endeavours. Look at the first part of the word, brought from CREATE. It can be as simple as reclining on a Enjoy the process and be less blanket in the park with your family, finding concerned with the outcome. faces in the clouds. Or as complex as writing a play. WASTE The point is to acknowledge what your core creativity yearns for, nurture the desire and honor the time it may take to explore as an investment in yourself. Give yourself permission and support to explore your creative ideas.
OPINION Have you ever thought “That’s not good enough” about any of your creative expressions? At any point, were you graded on how well you could make a still life look like a photograph? Or maybe it was a story that had to follow a certain structure. Or cooking class that demanded a certain consistency to the soup.
For some, there is a pervading myth that unless an action leads to a concrete result (money, networking, leverage, recognition) it is a waste of resources. Perhaps the real waste is in not simply allowing yourself to “be yourself ” instead of being driven in so many areas. Allow yourself moments of stillness, looking inward to find that spark of innate desire to create. Challenge: What three creative moments, ac-
tions, ideas will you honor in the coming month? _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________
Interested in exploring more? Being Inspired? Having support as you recapture your creativity? Find all this and more at www.MermaidsInPowerSuits.com/SPARK
Create Freedom Today! MsXmedia
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Each month Create Freedom Today magazine interviews an Entrepreneur that brings tremendous value to their clients, our readers and the world.
I help highly creative women who are in psychic pain reclaim their most deeply buried gifts so that they can live with no shame making fabulous money being all of who they are. ~ Denise Dee This issue, we have Denise Dee, a true rebel that has broken the mold of tradition and stepped forth to speak her truth. Q: Please give us a bit of your story?
At the age of 12 I got tired of fighting. I bit the “apple of good and evil,” swallowed, and started stuffing my feelings. I was anorexic and came close to dying. The thing that brought me back to wanting to live was when my hair started to fall out.
Denise: One of the biggest things I teach is that our most painful personal journeys point us in the direction we can best serve. What we try hardest to bury is what ends up being the greatest source of inspiration for others. I was highly psychic as a child. I joke that I was not so much “reading between the lines” as I was reading silence. My childhood home was full of secrets and lies—and I swore when I grew up I would do everything I could to help other people not feel so alone. I was determined to fight boxes and definitions of “good” and “evil.” I fought with my mother, the nuns and any form of outside authority telling me what was the “truth.” 14
A few years later, Punk Rock came on the scene and gave me back my voice!!! It sparked my rage, my passion, my creativity. I had 20 or so fabulous years— writing, drumming, shooting photos. Then I got married. My husband was very creative but lacked the drive I had. I began to not want to “outshine” him. Yes, really! He left me for another woman. And that sent me deep into myself. I swore I would stay celibate until I “fixed” what was “wrong” with me before I dated again. This sent me running from person to person, astrologers, psychics, healers, trying to find the “answer.”
channeling class that I fully rediscovered the DEPTH of my psychic gifts. My teacher said I had a room full of guides and that I needed to be reading and teaching yesterday. Even before I finished the course she urged me to charge professional rates—as much as she was charging. So I was BORN to reconnect you with your gifts!!! Q: What are you working on right now?
Denise: I’m working on a book “The Rebel’s Guide to Manifesting” and am currently teaching people how to meet their guides and meet the parts of themselves they may be hiding in my course “Meet Your Guides” find out more here http://denisedee.com/ meet-your-guides/ Q: What three projects/business ventures/changes have come before?
Denise: I published punk It wasn’t until l took my first
litzines Lobster Tendencies and
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The Closest Penguins in the 80’s and 90’s. These were photo-copied 8 ½ by 11 zines that brought together a wide range of artists, musicians and writers who were considered outcasts and gave them a stage to talk about what really mattered to them. This was before the days of the internet and I mailed these zines to people all over the U.S.A. and in many other countries. This was my first sense of how far-reaching my message was and that I had to go find my tribe. 2) I ran an art gallery The Eastside Ten out of my house in Flagstaff, AZ. My house was on the ‘working class’ side of town and brought people in to see art who had never stepped foot in a gallery before. I hung art on the outside walls of the house as well as inside and themed each show to a pressing issue that needed more diverse points of view. 3) I wrote, directed and produced my play “The Family Tree” at the San Francisco Fringe Festival. This was the first play I wrote (since childhood) and it received major acclaim winning ‘Best New Drama’ and most Innovative Staging. The theme that ran through all of these was finding outside the box ways to get my message and the message of my ‘community’ out into the world. Q: What has made the biggest difference to elevating your success?
go’ or ‘release’ things. I have been through anorexia and addiction sis done. Discovering my Life and I will fight for your beaten Purpose and more importantly down spirit and body to come the Gift Markings that I have back to life - as strongly as I - because if we are not using fought for mine. I don’t have the those gift markings we are in the answer - none of us do. This is ‘penalty zone’. I was keeping myself a bit hidden because of the a random chaotic world and yet what I do know is that we are ‘no one understands me’ that my Innovator Life Purpose has on the here to use our gifts fully. You student path. And because of my may not get results until you fully gifts not being appreciated when I understand who you are. And all those parts someone told you was a child. As I like to say “The to get rid of like your anger, your Truth Teller is not always Welrage, your questing and questioncome” ing. Your “Who said so?” and Having a mentor who is also an “Why?” - until you fully FEEL Innovator . And having a noand OWN those parts of you- you holds barred brand that states are going to feel half-alive. As openly who I am. As soon as I soon as I started fully feeling and started calling myself “The Rebel Seer” my business skyrocketed. I expressing ALL of me- I started making more money. Getting changed that to the Rebel Manipissed off and frustrated can festor because I wanted to emphasis that I help people manifest. release the Voice and the message you buried. A True Rebel knows that the most Creative Act of Rebellion is to A note from Denise: Take Charge of your Own Life I spent most of my life rebelling. and your Ability to Manifest As a child, as an artist and as a business person. I know what it feels like to feel as if no one sees you or understands you. I know what it feels like to have people tell you that what you want to do is not practical or realistic. I know how annoying it is to have people tell you to ‘let it
Denise: Having a hand analy-
Denise Dee RebelSeer.com 415-426-9318 denise @rebelseer.com If you are truly ready to see where and why you are stuck and blocked, the answers are in your hands. I will identify your Gift Markings- which are extra potential gifts - if you are not using these you could be in the penalty zone Find out more here:
Gift Marking reading http://rebelseer.com/gift-markings-special/ Create Freedom Today! MsXmedia
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Achieving Financial Balance and Confidence in an Unbalanced Economy
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here is much confusion and chaos as it relates to financial information. Just look at the headlines regarding real estate values, the stock market volatility, low interest rates, and worries about inflation. Add to this all the rhetoric being presented by both political parties, no wonder people are paralyzed and afraid to make financial decisions. Can you blame them? I think it’s important to understand what got us where we are. Most people are simply out of balance, financially speaking. We’ve become a nation of spenders. We have too much mortgage debt and credit card debt. We’ve forgotten how to save money. When working with my clients, I use a program called The Living Balance Sheet®. We focus on four financial domains: Protection, Assets, Liabilities, and Cash Flow. I’ll give you a brief overview of each of these financial domains
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and the rules applying to these domains . Protection: we focus on protection first, full replacement and lifetime protection. I want my clients to be fully protected in the event of an unplanned and untimely event such as a car accident, a hurricane, a fire or unexpected medical problems. I also want to make sure they never lose the protection. Assets: in this domain, the focus is on helping increasing your rate of return, with minimal risk, we look for tax advantages, and liquidity. Many people are in trouble today because they focus just on the rate of return and are taking undue risk. Liabilities: here we work on helping eliminating debt, reducing taxes, and mortgage selection. Many foreclosures are because people chose the wrong type of mortgage.
Cash Flow: our planning process encourages clients to increase their income, protect themselves first, build cost of living savings, look for debt and tax efficiency, and live a budgeted lifestyle. I find it interesting that all of a sudden the financial press is telling us to be more conservative, save money and spend less. By using The Living Balance Sheet®, we always suggest that our clients do these things and to be prepared for Life’s Unplanned and Untimely Event.
John H. Curry CLU®, ChFC®, AEP, MSFS®, CLTC
FREE Report Understanding the Real Cost of Living www.JohnHCurry.com/LBS
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THE SECURE RETIREMENT SCORECARD™ NAME: _____________________________________ DATE: ______________________________ Decide where your position is on the scale from 1 (disagree with statement) to 10 (completely agree with statement).
Rating
Statement
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I have a clear, welldefined vision of my future I have clear retirement goals I have a strategy to grow, protect my wealth, and optimize my retirement I have a step-by-step action plan to achieve my retirement goals My finances are organized and efficient I am confident about the performance of my investments I have a single source of trusted advice and I am able to make informed decisions I have a trusted team of advisors helping me achieve my goals I have a plan to protect and enhance my lifestyle I have a strong sense of confidence about my future ADD COLUMN TOTALS
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John H Curry, CLU®, ChFC®, AEP, MSFS®, CLTC - Registered Representative and Financial Advisor of Park Avenue Securities LLC (PAS), 3664 Coolidge Court, Tallahassee, FL 32311. Securities products/services and advisory services are offered through PAS, a Registered Broker-Dealer and Investment Advisor. 1 (850) 562-3000. Financial Representative, The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America (Guardian), New York, NY. PAS is an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Guardian. North Florida Financial Corporation is not an affiliate or subsidiary of PAS or Guardian. PAS is a member FINRA, SIPC.
I’VE NEVER UNDERSTOOD WHY MY HUMAN WON’T LEAVE THE HOUSE WITHOUT HER LEASH. I THINK SHE’S AFRAlD OF GETTING LOST. BUT IT’S OK, I KIND OF LIKE SHOWING HER AROUND. — HARPER adopted 08-18-09
Okay, technically I don’t have to go by Ms X, the mystery guest or speaker any longer, but it’s still fun to remember how I was able to build so much while still working my full time job. ~ Marjorie See my full story at MermaidsInPowerSuits.com/Marjories-Story
Q: I have an idea for a product, what can I do to see if I should develop it further?
consulting and have a simple website, but not much else. What should my next step(s) be?
A: If it is a physical product you would want to sell in stores and on Amazon I would follow a similar path to what I did with the Mermaid Sand products. Do some keyword research, see what people are looking for and make prototypes for testing.
A: Congratulations on looking to multiply your streams of income! You sent me the link to your website and the basic structure is there and looks like you are using Word Press - good. I would suggest: • Creating a way to engage with people that come to your site. Building “the list” is one of the top priorities you have. You need an “opt-in” for folks to subscribe to your newsletter or receive a special report. Otherwise, your traffic and engagement die off as soon as someone clicks away. There is a saying in that the “riches are in the niches but the real money is in your list.” • Depending on your current employment, speaking gigs is a great way to gain new clients. And many events are on the weekends - check your local media and chamber calendars for ideas.
I started with the language and idea formatted in a parchment scroll - when I saw my target audience with tears in their eyes, clutching it to their chest and wanting to know where they could buy more, I went further. Start small and as inexpensive as you can (the first issue of the book was soft cover and sold for $15) and go to festivals, trade shows or events (wherever the target client can be found) and pay close attention to price and quality obstacles and listen to their feedback. What I WOULD NOT do is base it solely on “I love the idea so other people will too” or the fact that Aunt Edna thinks you are brilliant. You may be brilliant, but that doesn’t necessarily sell product. I would also read Masterson’s book “Ready, Fire, Aim.” Some folks find him annoying, I found it helpful as I was launching the testing. One of the toughest things is to NOT be married to the outcome - the market needs to decide for you. Q: I am currently employed and want to start on my “Plan A” as you call it :-) I’ve done some
Without knowing your life purpose, I hesitate to go further not knowing if you are meant to be in the spotlight, or have gift markings that point toward a more defined path. But it’s hard to go wrong with list building and outreach. And a final note, unless it conflicts with your current job, I would suggest publishing articles on Linked In and your local paper. It elevates you as an authority in a crowded marketplace. You indicated you enjoy writing so I would encourage you to leverage the passion and skill.
Interested in having your question answered here? Simply email: support@MsXmedia.com We do our best to pick the most often asked questions, so check every issue. Not a subscriber yet? Please visit MsXmedia.com and opt-in to our FREE magazine offer! Create Freedom Today! MsXmedia
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A photo of Marjorie’s personal copy!
The Medici d Eff ffect Frans Johansson, 2006
That’s a small and simplistic view of the much broader idea of the three main areas of the book.
From the book cover “Why do so many worldchanging insights come from people with little or no related experience? Charles Darwin was a geologist when he proposed the theory of evolution. And it was an astronomer who finally explained what happened to the dinosaurs.”
The Intersection: where, like the Medici family of the Renaissance, you bring together people from different disciplines to work out creative solutions. Sounds simple, and it’s a true mastermind approach, but how many of us do it?
The Medici Effect clearly demands an elevation of thinking about how we currently work, plan and innovate. Of particular importance is the idea that innovation comes when you create an intersection of fields, disciplines or cultures, shifting existing concepts into new ideas. It’s about breaking down the silos that exist when we say “This is an accounting department meeting - operations wouldn’t know what we are talking about.” Yet the subject of the meeting may be about workflow, and what better person than a logistical minded operations individual that is geared toward deadlines and streamlining.
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Creating the Medici Effect: Breaking Down the Barriers Between Fields (or labels within an office and organization) and both Igniting and Capturing the Explosion of Ideas. Making Intersectional Ideas Happen: This is getting you over the hurdle with focus on Executing Past Your Failures and Breaking Out of Your Own Network. One of the greatest risks we face in business is too narrowly focusing on where our ideas and solutions come from. Don’t let habit or the fear of change hold you back from looking outside for inspiration! ~ Marjorie
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