The Work/Life Balancing Act

Halloween at work: edgy's iffy, sexy's out

(Allison Romero, Jeffrey Shapiro and Andrea Cox of the Arstein & Lehr law firm, dressed as members of the Addams Family for last year's Halloween bash, plan to celebrate again this year, part of the firm's morale-boosting efforts)

Are you dressing up at work today? If you are, experts say go with the fun or spooky costume rather than the racy one.

Of course, almost any costume can become sexy. My hubbie wore a Fred Flintstone costume and said the women were touching his hairy chest all day. Who knew?

If you have a sexy costume that your wore over the weekend, you might want to modify it for the office -- consider wearing a sweater or wear some tights.

"It's not worth risking your reputation for a day of fun," Heather Brock, a labor lawyer for Fowler White Boggs in Fort Lauderdale told the Sun-Sentinel. She said that employers should stay away from politics or religion in the workplace when they consider what costume to wear. But she also advices to encourage employees not to overreact to the Halloween fun.

For those of you who are single, you might want to take note of this: Halloween ranks favourably as a time to meet a potential mate. The Vancouver Sun reports that both men and women said they would be more attracted to someone wearing a Halloween costume -- of course, men go for women in sexy costumes and women go for men in funny costumes.

In a Miami Herald article today, I wrote about how some companies use Halloween as a morale booster to lift employee spirits in a effort to finish the year strong.

I love that some workplaces have Halloween parties and encourage workers to dress up. Do you think it makes a difference in morale? If you're discouraged from celebrating Halloween at work, does it put you in a bad mood at work today?

How responsible are we for our kids' actions?

Being a parent is not for sissies. As a working parent, you will question whether you made the right decision each time you discipline from your cubicle, referee sibling fights from a hotel room or attend a business meeting rather than a class party. You inevitably will hear your kid say at least once: "All you care about is your job."

You will learn that regardless of the choices you make, things will happen with your children. They will happen when you are present and when you are not around, and when they are beyond your control, they can be devastating.

An article in the Miami Herald sent my heart racing in a way that only parents of teens can understand. It's a horrible story of a teen and the deep trouble she has gotten into.

The article was about a 19-year-old University of Miami student who was coming home late from a night out at  the LIV nightclub in Miami Beach. She allegedly had been drinking. Around 4:30 a.m., her 2011 Audi hit another car at an intersection, an accident that claimed the life of a grandmother. On Monday, the student was slapped with a DUI manslaughter charge for the fatal wreck. The charge carries a 15-year maximum prison sentence. She also was charged with a third-degree felony count of possessing a false drivers license. Prosecutors earlier said that Villanueva had several fake IDs which she used to get into the nightclub.

Villanueva, a UM sophomore, played varsity lacrosse and soccer at Palmer Trinity High, has pleaded not guilty and is under house arrest pending trial. There is a real possibility this girl will do jail time.

There's more: the family of the grandmother, Eyder Ayala, 68, is suing Villanueva and her father, who owns the Audi she was driving, for negligence.

This is an upsetting story from every viewpoint. Commenters on the Herald site have called Villanueva a spoiled rich kid and quite a few have said she and her parents deserve the trouble they have gotten into.

I'm aligned with this commenter: This is very sad, and here but for the grace of God goes any teenager's parent.

I know some of you might say, my kid would never be in this kind of trouble. You might say, I take the time to teach my kids responsibility and consequence.

Let's ask this question to any parent: If your child was off at college, can you be sure he or she wouldn't drink and drive?  I know, you've given the lecture a million times. I certainly have. But can you be 100 percent sure your kid would NEVER do it. And, if he or she did, should you be responsible if you have title to the car he or she drives?

I would answer no parent can be certain.  I feel once a child turns 18 and heads off to college, that child becomes responsible for his actions and unfortunately, teens learn from consequences of their actions.

Blogger Deborah Crawford writes: Responsibility is not a lesson that can be learned from lectures. You cannot tell someone to behave responsibly and expect that your parenting job is done. Responsibility is a growing and learning experience. And, most of us need a bit of help when it comes to learning to be “responsible”.

There are teens who max out credit cards, skip school, curse at their parents and never suffer consequences of their actions. There are teens that do the right thing all the time. So, when a child turns 18 or goes off to college and messes up, are both these sets of parents responsible?

Readers, at what age do you feel teens are responsible for their own actions and as busy as we all are these days, what can you do as parents to make them more aware of consequences?

 

 

Is the work life conversation going anywhere?

Sit on the sidelines of a child's soccer or baseball game and you will see parents, men and women, on their cell phones or iPads handling work issues while cheering from the bleachers. Today, the workplace goes wherever we go and parents, men and women are trying to juggle all our responsibilities. It can be challenging for men and women.

Have employers come to see work life concerns as more than just "mommy" issues?

October is National Work and Family Month. It's a great time to step back and look at where the cconversation has come from and where it is going. What kind of support are you getting from your employer to help you do your job well? Are the right people at companies involved in the work life cconversation?

In a blog post today, Donna Klein talks about how the struggling to balance work, family, care giving and, in many cases, pursuing education is made all the more challenging against the backdrop of anemic economic growth, rising tuition and health care costs, and high unemployment.

She writes,  "Work-life conflict is no longer an issue confined solely to working mothers, but how a diverse group of working mothers and fathers, caregivers, nursing mothers and students balance the dual demands of work and life."

True, but do businesses understand that evolution? Do they care about job satisfaction, increasing recruitment and engagement, and building a strong future talent pipeline? Over nearly a decade of writing about work life issues, I've spent hundreds - no thousands - of hours searching for an answer to this question. Sometimes, I think the country has taken a giant step forward. Sometimes, I think we're stuck or worse, taken a step backward. 

Here are the positive changes I've seen:

1. Organizations like the  WorldatWork's Alliance for Work-Life Progress, Families & Work Institute and Corporate Voices for Working Families have risen to the forefront to push policies, highlight corporate initiatives and recognize best practices. At the same time, some companies are eager to tout their best practices to recruit and retain working mothers and fathers.

2.  More business leaders are part of dual-income families and want that flexibility that their staff desires. This has forced some to understand and embrace proposals and requests to shift work hours, work from home on occasion and   More of these proposals and requests are coming from men, particularly those near retirement age.

3. Men are taking to blogs. I see more men writing about their juggling act and commenting on blogs that cover work life topics. As men take more responsibility for child care and house work, they are sharing their , if not at work then at least on the Internet.

4. The work life conversation isn't going away. I see the conversation going on in big companies, small companies, at the White House, at national conferences, even at monthly meetings of business groups. There definitely is increased awareness that issues such as elder care, paid maternity leave and quality after school care are concerns for a growing population of American workers.

5. Paid sick leave has gained national attention. While we don't have a national policy -- yet -- there's momentum. I'm hoping that one day soon people won't have to feel compelled to go to work sick or bring a sick child to work with them.

Here are the area's where we are stuck or have room for improvement:  

1.  Employer programs that support work-life balance exist but are underutilized because workers fear that will cost them their jobs. The results of global survey by WorldatWork's Alliance for Work-Life Progress disappointed me: "We set out to study men and work-life integration, but instead uncovered workplace trends showing employees suffer a variety of job repercussions for participating in work-life programs, even when their leaders insist they support the business value," said Kathie Lingle, executive director of WorldatWork's Alliance for Work-Life Progress. "This conundrum can be so oppressive that some employees go underground, resorting to 'stealth maneuvers' for managing their personal responsibilities."

2. Businesses still don't understand that you can't pile more and more work on a person, expect them to be on call at all hours, and not eventually burnout or disengage. I've asked companies what they plan to do about overworked or disengaged staff. Few have solid plans going into the new year.

3.With the ubiquitous smartphone, the work day has begun to encroach on family time. Men and women are struggling to set boundaries. But few are having the conversations about this encroachment with their managers or supervisors. More of us need to find the courage to stand up and push back.

4. Too many business owners believe the conversation about the bottom line is in conflict with talk about work life issues. Companies need more education that the two go hand in hand.

Here's where I'd like to see the work life conversation go as we head into a new year:

1. Businesses should survey employees to find out which work life issues they face and which services they’d like to see offered. Men and women should be encouraged to participate.

2. Experts should drive the point that a culture of flexibility correlates with lower employee turnover. The cost of training a new employee surely is higher than allowing a good worker to come in an hour later and stay an hour later. The conversation must change to re-frame flexibility from a perk to a strategic iniative that makes good business sense.

3. Employees need to speak up about why they leave. If work life conflict becomes so impossible that it forces a worker to resign, he or she needs to make that known along with what the company loses (talent, knowledge, etc.) by his or her departure. If it helps even one manager to "get it" it can make a difference going forward.

The National Work and Family Month blogfest includes some fascinating posts on work life issues. The blogfest is running on Huffington Post primarily, but several posts have been repurposed for BlogHer and WorldatWork Post. Here is a link to the NWFM page on Huffington Post, BlogHer, and WorldatWork.

Readers, where do you see the work life conversation going? How can we improve upon workers resorting to stealth maneuvers for managing their personal responsibilities?

 

Five Yoga practices that will help you at work

This morning, when I woke up, I had every intention of going to an exercise class. Instead, I began clearing email and before I knew it, I had missed my class,. Many of us get so busy juggling the daily work life balance, that we don't make time for exercise. But my guest blogger today makes a great case for fitting it into your schedule.

 

 

Allow me to introduce Janet Kyle Altman. Janet is marketing principal for Kaufman, Rossin & Co., one of the top CPA firms in the Southeast. I hope you enjoy her blog post as much as I did.

 

 

All I really need to know about management I learned in yoga practice

 

My grandmother was a very tall woman.  When she was in her mid-80s, I took her back to New York for the last time to visit my mother.  One of my most horrifying memories is from that trip.  Going down the escalator in Miami International Airport, she lost her balance and fell forward. 

This is one of the reasons I started practicing yoga.  I wanted to do everything I could to be strong, flexible, and above all well-balanced as I grew older. 

Earlier this year I was confronted by a challenging management situation.  I had asked several of my staff to complete a project that involved some tedious research, adding email addresses to a list of business prospects. It wasn’t glamorous, and there was no glory involved, but it had to be done.  Weeks passed, and it had not been completed.  I was angry.  I thought, as managers often do, Nobody wants to do the annoying tasks. They only want to do the fun stuff.  Do I have to do everything myself around here?

Then I took a step back.  I sat down in my office with my feet flat on the floor and my spine straight.  Had I given them enough direction?  Probably not.  Had I checked in with them along the way?  Nope, not once.  Had I made it clear how important this simple, thankless task was to our long-term goals?  Definitely not. 

As I thought these thoughts, I heard a sound.  It sounded like Darth Vader was in the room.  It was my Ujjayi breath, the Victorious Breath that yogis focus on throughout their practice. It helps slow down the breathing, and it focuses the mind. I realized that I was using my breathing to calm my emotional reaction, and to focus my mind on what a good manager should do.  And I realized at that moment that the principles of good management closely follow the basic principles of yoga practice, as I have learned them.  Here are a few examples.

 

1.    Daily practice changes everything 

I started practicing yoga the day I turned forty.  I wanted to develop a healthy routine that I could continue into my old age.  I began with a video and then progressed to classes.  I learned early on how important it is to practice daily.  Every day my body has different strengths and weaknesses. Every day I feel stronger after I complete my practice. 

Management is a daily practice as well.  If you only think about managing your people when they make mistakes or when you have more work to give them, you’re not managing them at all. If they only know how they’re doing once a year at reviews, you’re giving them no opportunity to improve.  But spend time each day helping someone understand an assignment, checking the status of an important project, or giving feedback on performance and you’ll begin to see the rewards.  Your team will be stronger. 

2.    Focus on alignment.

 

My favorite yoga practices flow swiftly from one pose to another, but never at the expense of alignment.  For example, it’s tempting to bend forward to reach the toe in Trikonasana, forgetting that it’s a side bend and not a forward bend.  If it takes an extra moment to tuck my tailbone and pull my shoulders back, that’s a moment worth spending.

The time it takes to align your team is just as valuable.  Share the objectives of a project instead of just assigning tasks.  Discuss the company’s short and long-term goals.  My team laughs at how often I quote Steven Covey’ssecond habit, “Begin with the end in mind.”  But without knowing the target, how can we allign our efforts and stretch to reach it?  

 

3.    Specific adjustments improve results.

I had been trying for years to get my heels to the floor in downward dog, but I had never really noticed my quadriceps.   I barely knew where they were.  Then a few months ago Nicolay, my Tuesday morning teacher started to say “tighten above the knees” in standing poses.  Then Ian, my Sunday teacher, said it too.  What a difference this adjustment made!  By tightening my quads I was really using my thighs, not just letting them take up the space between my hips and my knees.  My heels have moved much closer to the floor, and some days the left one even touches down!

Do your employees get specific adjustments and feedback from you? Management expert Bruce Tulgan urges you to “talk like a performance coach,” giving specific feedback to improve results.  Here’s a good example: one member of my team does a lot of writing, and I kept correcting the same mistakes again and again in his work.  But when I shared a list of the specific things I was noticing that he could do better, the light bulb went on.  He keeps the list by his computer, and I don’t see the same errors anymore. 

4.    Honor differences.

 

Yoga teachers frequently remind us, “It’s your practice.”  They tell us that each of us should do what we can, and that we are all different.  They remind us to practice ahimsa (non-violence), and to stop and adjust if there is pain.  There is often someone in class whose practice inspires me, but I’m only competing with myself.  Every day is different, too, and even the two sides of every yogi’s body are different.  In my twisted pigeon I can always reach my toe on the left side, but I’ve never gotten close on the right.  But that doesn’t let me off the hook. 

Every employee is different as well, and good managers notice these differences.  Treating everyone fairly doesn’t mean treating all employees the same.  Different skills mean a stronger team, if they are honored and appreciated.  Rewards should be different, too. Some employees are motivated only by money, but others appreciate time off, flexibility in their hours, or the ability to work from home.   Understanding their differences makes management easier, because you can fine-tune rewards.

Recently, for example, I had to tell my team that we were moving to a different floor to make room for another growing department.  Two of my people share what I thought was a beautiful space, with a granite floor, a big glass front wall, and custom built-in workspaces.  But when I asked them what I could do to make their new workspace better for them, it turned out that the glass was the thing they liked least, and the granite magnifies every sound!  One said he would love to get out of the fishbowl and have some privacy; the other wants to have some input on the furniture and décor.  By asking, and honoring their differences, I’m rewarding them in ways the will appreciate.

5.    Move gracefully, but without delay.

Virginia, most challenging teacher, uses the phrase “without delay.”  It’s tempting to take an extra breath or two when moving between poses or switching sides in a sequence, but she pushes us to continue the flow.  I like to think it keeps my right and left sides more balanced, as one follows the other without delay.

Acting without delay is key to effective management.  Giving constructive criticism to a staff member right away means that small issues don’t have time grow or fester.  Timely positive feedback makes your appreciation more powerful.  Good managers do both consistently, and without delay.

All I really need to know about management, is a matter of what yogis call “taking it off the mat” and applying yoga’s principles in everyday life.   When I began my practice I was looking for strength, flexibility, and balance.  I never expected it to change my life so dramatically.  Yoga changed the way I sit, stand, and move through the world.  Most surprising, it has taught me ways to manage more effectively.

 

 

Balancing work and breast cancer treatment

Meet two courageous women who have spent the last year balancing work and treatment for breast cancer. When I spoke to them, they told me they consider themselves lucky. They are fortunate to work for an employer who has given them flexibility and encouragement throughout their treatment. As co-workers they also had each other to give them support. 

I'd like you to meet Lisa Tighe and Kathryn Bass, who are my guest bloggers. Lisa is director of Human Resources and Kathryn is Chief Financial Officer of Greenspoon Marder law firm in Fort Lauderdale.

Every woman who has battled breast cancer has a unique story to share; but, at the center of each story is a common theme: the importance of a strong support system.  For us, two long-time co-workers, our support systems emerged from what many would consider an unlikely source.

Lisa: I never saw it coming.  I have no family history of cancer, and I got regular mammograms.  Yet, last July, I became one of the statistics, “one of eight.” 

My first instinct was to prepare my husband and daughter; then, I realized that instead of spending the coming year preparing to die, I could fight for my life.  Now, one year later, I have short hair and a few scars, but I am cancer-free.

Like many women, I had a tremendous support system, including my husband and daughter and, quite notably, my employer.  Greenspoon Marder allowed me and my daughter, who also works there, flexible work schedules and armed me with the technology to work when and where I chose.  Not a day passed without a phone call, text, card or gift from my co-workers.  They even rallied around the cause and raised $12,000 for the Susan G. Komen For the Cure® foundation in just one month!

Now, it’s my turn to pay it forward, and I am thankful that I have that chance.

Kathy:   Breast cancer is humbling, to say the least.  I’ve learned to accept help, which is something that does not come easy to a person with a stubborn streak. 

I was diagnosed just five days before my divorce, so my support system came in the form of my mother, friends, employer and my staff.  Lisa was a tremendous resource for me, because she had already experienced the process and was very open about what to expect.  Greenspoon Marder allowed me a flexible work schedule.  My co-workers, especially my Accounting Controller/assistant/friend, were a tremendous help,  taking me to doctor appointments, caring for me after chemotherapy, and making sure I had what I needed.  They have become like family. 

Last week, my staff held an “end of treatment” party for me, coinciding with Greenspoon Marder’s week-long fundraiser for Susan G. Komen for the Cure®.  It’s amazing to see everybody coming together for a great cause, and it makes me believe that, together, we will find a cure someday.

 

Shocking admission: People would give up sex rather than Facebook

 

 

How addicted are you to Facebook? This video is hilarious....lots of people in this studio audience would rather give up sex for a week than give up Facebook. I understand their Facebook addicition, but really?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Making your boss an ally

Over the years, I've had amazing bosses, some who have been instrumental in making me a better writer and employee. I've also had horrible bosses, including one who told me to quit my job and find another profession. I really think there's an art to finding a good boss and dealing with a bad one.

Today is National Boss Day.

Despite the horrible work environment that permeates businesses in general in America, 59 percent of American workers polled by Adecco Staffing said they wouldn't change a thing about their bosses. That's much higher a percentage than I would have expected!

And there's more good news: 78 percent believe if their jobs were in jeopardy, their bosses would fight to keep them. I think that number says that those who survived the massive layoffs are valued.

We all want to feel like we're "in" with the boss. If you're wondering how to make your boss an ally, consider this survey finding: 68 percent of American workers socialize with their boss outside the office, a number that appears to have increased slightly, according to Jennie Dede, vp of recruiting for Adecco Staffing. "Socialization could include dinner, drinks and viewing athletic events, she says. "Many employees want their manager to know who they are outside of work and what activities they participate in."

Sports and pop culture are good topics for conversation with the boss, but if you're trying to make your him or her your ally, stay away from talk about dating,relationships and your significant other The topic was deemed the most uncomfortable, according to survey respondents.

Another route to making your boss an ally, focus in on their passion for what they do for a living...get them to talk about it with you.

Most of the 800 people surveyed think the best bosses are those who are passionate about their work. They said they like to feed off the enthusiasm of a manager. About a quarter of respondents said they'd like to ask their superior if they are passionate about their job and if they wish they had pursued another career path.

Workers, don't be afraid to ask the boss questions about how he does his job and why he enjoys it. It's a great way to get "in" with the boss. Bosses, if you love your job, let your employees know.

Making your boss your ally is key not only at work, but also if you decide to leave your job. The survey found people are more likely to stay connected to ex-bosses on social networks when they were friends outside of work. By now, we all know that social networks are critical when you're job hunting.

As the country celebrates National Boss Day, what do you think makes a great boss? Is it someone who takes the time to get to know you outside of work? Do you think it's overstepping the boss role to get to know workers on a personal level?

 

 

 

Lessons from Quarterback Tim Tebow

Let me start by saying I'm a huge Tim Tebow fan. For those of you who don't know who he is, Tebow is the former golden boy quarterback for the Florida Gators football team and the new starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos.

This summer, Tebow came out with an autobiography called Through My Eyes. When I read it, I could understand why Tebow has excelled in sports. He's one of the most focused people on earth.

Tebow was raised in a small town in Florida and taught three things: family is everything, regilion is everything, hard work is everything. He is not distracted by parties, girls or social activites of any sort. His life really isn't about balance. It's about football, playing it and playing it well.

Tebow regularly talks about how he believes in working harder, longer and putting in more than any other player to reach his goals of being the best in his position.

While the rest of us juggle work and fun, Tebow just concentrates on work. That lazer focus has paid off. Tebow doubters have been proved wrong. When Tebow was recruited by the Denver Broncos, naysayers said he would never be a starter quarterback. Tebow proved them wrong.

Now, Tebow-mania has hit South Florida. On Monday, it was announced that Tebow will start for Denver against the Dolphins on Oct. 23. On Tuesday, more than 2,000 tickets for the game sold on the secondary market --  That equaled the previous six weeks of sales for the game. Columnist Dave Hyde wrote this morning, "You can count on your hand the number of players in team sports who sell tickets just by showing up."

Now, I'm not advocating of everyone put their job before EVERYTHING else. But I think Tebow is an example that when you do that, when you put in the time and the hard work, you not only reach your goal, you become a role model for others. Of course, it helps Tebow's popularity that he's good looking and charitable. As blogger Mama Sass pointed out there are moms everywhere who are ready to auction off their first-born daughters to the T-man. But I can assure you, T-man isn't paying attention. He's working hard on throwing passes on the field, and showing the rest of us his drive will pay off. 

How hard is working the night shift?

Truly, I've never stopped to think about what life is like for the person filling my prescription at CVS late at night or techie who gets me out of a computer freeze up at midnight. I love 24/7 convenience but someone has to pay the price for making services available at all hours.

Some people will tell you they love working the night shift. I thought this week, I'd take a peek into the lives of those who work these non-traditional shifts and see how they handle work life balance. If you've ever done shift work, let me know if you think it's easier or more difficult on your personal life.

Posted on Tue, Oct. 11, 2011 Shift workers face a host of challenges By Cindy Krischer Goodman balancegal@gmail.com (Alexia Fodere / For The Miami Herald) (Tiffany Sebregandio, a night shift nurse in the ER at Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood) Who hasn’t appreciated the convenience of picking up a prescription antibiotic at 10 p.m. or calling tech support late at night when your computer freezes? As our lives have become more chaotic, most of us have grown used to 24/7 convenience and having our emergencies handled at all hours. But for the increasing number of employees who provide late-night services, working outside the traditional daytime work hours takes a huge toll on their health and family life. Today about 15 million Americans — the people who come to our rescue at all hours — are shift workers who navigate the balancing act of marriage, childcare and friendships amid irregular sleep and job schedules. “I’m always exhausted,” says Tiffany Sebregandio, an emergency room nurse at Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood. Eleven years after starting her nursing career on the night shift, she continues to work 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. “I enjoy it,” she says. Now, with young two children, 1 and 5, Sebregandio often spends her night starting IVs or administering CPR to an accident victim and arrives home just in time to have her 5-year-old daughter tuck her into bed before dad drops her at school. If all goes well, Sebregandio may get a few hours of sleep before she awakes to run errands, pick up her little guy from daycare, prepare dinner and eat with her family before she heads back to the hospital. If a child is sick or her husband works late, she may have to give up sleep and try to squeeze in a catnap later in the day. “My sleep pattern is all over the place,” she says. “But if I worked the 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. shift, I’d never get to see my kids.” Last week, I participated in a  blogger roundtable by thewakeupsquad.com with three people who work non-traditional shifts — a motorcycle cop, a pilot and an emergency medical services worker. All three could be headed to work when the rest of us are slipping under the covers. They spoke about the challenges of making their lives work on the clock and off. The pilot mentioned he once fell asleep on the job, only to look over and see his co-pilot asleep, too. The motorcycle cop said he relies on his wife to understand that he needs to sleep rather than help with the kids when returning home after long shifts. And the emergency medical services worker, who is married to a firefighter, revealed she has spent many a Christmas or Halloween alone or alone with their kids because her husband was on a shift. Read more.

Jessica's secret for being your own boss

Some of you think...if I could just work for myself, life would be great. But being your own boss is harder than you would imagine. One day, I was talking to my pal, Jessica Kizorek, founder of BadassBusinesswomen.org. She was having a great day, but she wasn't doing anything she needed to be doing to make money. We chatted about how hard it can be to do what you love AND make money. She said our conversation gave her an idea for a blog post. So, I asked her to be a guest blogger. I think you'll enjoy her post.

   
 

I’m a TERRIBLE employee.

Call it a strength or call it a weakness, but I am really bad at taking orders.  My whole life I’ve wanted to make the rules.  Which is exactly why I HAD to be my own boss.    

Most entrepreneurs I know are rule breakers.  They are rebellious and fiercely independent.  

If I had it my way, I would spend my entire day working on MY personal projects - Badass Business Women, Make Them Beg, and my new secret blog I obsess over day and night. Though each one is designed for profit, not all of them generate good money YET. So how do you do what you love AND pay the bills?

In order to bank roll my independent projects, I’ve had to build a business that generates good money.  I’ve spent a bunch of money building my brands.  I’ve had to hustle for clients.  I’ve had to develop the capacity to do valuable work in exchange for money.  I’ve forced myself to learn how to attract clients and sell them on my storytelling skills.

It’s a fine line.   At heart I’m an artist.  I’m a free spirit.  I want to do my “art” of speaking, teaching, inspiring, writing.  I want to create brands.  I want to connect with people.  I want to travel the globe.  I want to tell stories that need to be told.

But the real money comes from the CEOs who hire me to evaluate THEIR brand.  To innovate for THEM.  To design the future of THEIR company.  They pay me for access to my brain, and the dozens of brilliant vendors I bring to the table.

Am I selling out?  Not really.  I’m doing what I love.  For other people.

And I’m created a pretty cool life.  I check email when I feel like it.  My clients don’t call me.  I’ll call them.  They love me.  I love them.

So…do what you love, but make good money doing it.  Keep working yourself closer and closer to the ideal.  I know you want it to happen overnight.  But once you earn it, you’ll revel in it.