Atlanta Events - Come and play!

If you are in the Atlanta area, here are two events that you are so going to want to be a part of!

Ladies Who Launch Live in Atlanta!  Talk about being around a group of soul sisters!  This is an  international group of women who are launching projects, programs, businesses, dreams all over the place! The LWL Live event is November 8.  They have a list of presenters talking about women in business with joy and creativity (I'm in heaven!) as well as one of the founders of Ladies Who Launch. 

I'm going to be exhibiting the Joyful Business products and I'd love for you to stop by and say hello!  I also have my good friend and collegue, Wendy Watkins from Passionfruit People, who is going to be playing with me at the booth.  Wendy is piloting a women's retreat program using the Joyful Business Guide!  Come see us - we'll be passing out free hugs! Register at their website

Also, another event that is not to be missed!  A collegue of mine, Rick Tamlyn, who is an amazing coach,  presenter, TV personality, and transformational leader is presenting his workshop here in Atlanta. It's called the Bigger Game workshop.  This is an absolute must for anyone who is ready to step into playing a bigger game in their life and/or business.  Playing a Bigger Game, stepping into the Big Dream or the Big Vision looks very different for everyone.

It's a weekend event - November 10 & 11. Here you'll gain clarity and step into claiming what you need for your BG success!  My husband, Marc and I are heading the Georgia Coach committee to bring this workshop to Atlanta - so come meet both of us! (there are lots of opportunities to say hello in person lately!)

This is a very affordable workshop for small business owners wanting to claim their vision, couples who want to create and share their big vision for their family or their life together, or an opportunity for non-profit organizations to align and reconnect to what they are all about.

Register before October 31st and save $50!

See you soon!

Let's meet up at the ICF Conference!

Hi!

If you are going to be at the International Coach Federation Conference in Long Beach, CA next week, please drop me a note or look for me.  I'll either be hanging out at my friend Marcy's booth from Coaching Toys, at the Coaches Training Institute booth, catching up with old friends, or...hanging out at the conference bookstore.

This year the conference bookstore is carrying a full line of Joyful Business products!  I'm so excited! I'm going to have to take photos of the display and be on hand at the author-signing to chat up the new colorful system of creative tools for business planning using attraction principles.

Watch for an upcoming post with tips for exhibiting and getting into conference bookstores!  Wow - have I learned a lot over the past few months!  I've spent plenty of time behind a booth at various exhibits in my corporate marketing days.  It sure is different when YOU are the business owner behind the table!

Please say hello!  See you in LA!

Laura 

Spirit at Work Conference

Last weekend I had the pleasure of attending the Spirit at Work Conference. They held their annual awards and conference here in Atlanta. The conference, entitled Beyond Wealth: Creating and Measuring Authentic Success, honored companies and individuals who have demonstrated certain criteria that fosters human values like courage, compassion, faith, and hope. It was inspiring to be in the company of such purposeful, professional and committed people. There were people from all around the world who came to this intimate conference to celebrate and discuss how business can be different.

I was excited to hear Patricia Aburdeen's keynote program. She is the author of MegaTrends 2010.  She blends the practical business goals with demonstrating how companies who have followed a holistic mission of impacting "stakeholders" vs. just "stockholders" when growing a company.  She also cited Stephen M.R. Covey's (Big daddy's son) book, about trust. When trust -in an organization/team/within oneself - when trust goes up then speed goes up and costs come down.  Isn't that amazing to hear?  When we trust each other things happen at a quicker pace and it's cheaper because we're all in sync.  (isn't that beautiful to envision?) We intuitively know this to be true and yet we often  still feel pressured that the way to quick revenue to move quick regardless of the trust of the environment/circumstances/people/intuition.

I also volunteered to support a few of the conference speakers as room monitor, as well as, display the Joyful Business products in the bookstore. It was very fun to be at the author signing party sharing the Joyful Business products with spiritual minded, gratitude-loving, business people!

I have also really enjoyed getting to know Tricia Molloy, author of Divine Wisdom at Work.  I first heard  her speak a few weeks ago at the Enlightened Entrepreneurs Network.  Next thing I know I'm being the room monitor for her program at Spirit at Work. Don't you love how the universe works in synchronicities?  Or, as Tricia refers to them as "godwinks"!  She shares her 10 Universal Principles for working with Wisdom.  We're like two spirit sisters!  Be sure to check out her book on her website at Divine Wisdom at Work!

En-joy!

Laura

Joyful Business Guide - as seen in Choice magazine!

We are so excited to celebrate with you!

The Joyful Business Guide system is featured in this month's issue of Choice magazine - the magazine of professional coaching!  The JB Guide system is featured as one of the new hottest coaching products - woohoo!

Thanks to Marcy Nelson-Garrison from Coaching Toys who did a wonderful review of the Joyful Business Guide system and the various daily tools. Marcy said, "The Joyful Business Guide is warm, colorful and engages you right away," and notes that the program "brings joy, playfulness and the laws of attraction to work in building and sustaining a successful business."

This is definitely going on my gratitude list!

If you would like to see the article in Choice magazine...here's a peek.  If you are interested in the coaching profession and would like to buy your own magazine you can typically find them at Barnes & Noble or at this link to Choice magazine.

Enjoy!

Laura

Free Teleclass - Demystifying the Business Plan!

Free Teleclass for Coaching Mom - Entrepreneurs!

Demystifying the Business Plan – Creating Your Own Heart-Based Business Guide

Tuesday, October 23; 1:00 - 2:00 pm eastern

Bridgeline: 407-649-8983

Does the idea of creating a business plan excite you, thrill you, make you want to run out and put one together? For most of us lifestyle entrepreneurs the answer NO. Either we don’t think we need one, it sounds too tedious and boring, or we don’t know how. Basic law of attraction principles show us that what we focus on we attract – so there’s good reason to put all your ideas and dreams into a central area….and it can be fun, easy, and inspiring!

Join Laura Howard West, PCC, CPCC as we learn 7 ways of creating our own heart-based business guide using our own creativity, attraction principles and marketing principles made simple!

I hope you can join us!

Laura

Entrepreneur Lessons from the Lemonade Stand

For the past couple of weekends there have been a group of girls running a lemonade stand on the corner  (great location!) in my neighborhod. It seems whenever I am running back and forth to soccer games or a tennis match those girls are out there raising money for various charities and running their enterprise.

As I kept making trips in and out of the neighborhood, I loved the progression I saw.  Much like our own businesses - I saw their endeavor evolve.  First they had a table, then chairs and then more chairs and then the awning. Just like us they had to add more support, supplies and structures to help them do what they set out to accomplish.

On one of my trips up to the grocery store and dry cleaners (and yet another class of lemonade - pink this time), I saw a group of boys running down the front yard of a neighboring house, laughing and carrying a table and a waving a sign that said "Air  " - I just had to laugh!  Competition!  They knew a good thing when they saw it and went for the trendy item (air). Since I was driving by in a convertible - I had plenty, but I stopped anyway just to support my local entrepreneurship.  Notice in the photo at the lemonade stand - the blue table was from the "air stand" - they didn't last too long and I imagine the girls convinced them to add it to their "shop". Another wise business move - having your business look big!

I love the Lemonade Stand sign. A true testimony to how our businesses change....we add some  products/services...we run out...we substitue others...we test things...we keep on with our business even though we are no longer selling "lemonade" at our "lemonade stand". We listen to what our customer wants along with what we can offer (or what we have in our pantry, so to speak!)

It takes vision, creativity, courage, and a willingness to let go and see what happens!

The next weekend the girls were at their Lemonade Stand again. I stopped by for a sip of my favorite  sweet pink treat along with a homemade chocolate chip cookie ( a new addition to the product offerings).  One of their father's rode by on the lawn mower and yelled something to his daughter...I heard him say..."she'll want to see it".  I couldn't believe my entrepreneur eyes...they took out graphs and charts!!  These creative business women knew the power of watching sales and determining what was selling and what wasn't. I don't know if you can see this graph but it's obvious from the numbers that the lemonade, cookies and Gatorade are the big winners. While the pudding was creative it didn't sell as well.

They also understood at the tender ages of 10 - 12, the power of a pie chart to tell a story.  They  showed me a pie chart of several charities where ALL the money from their lemon-inspired business was going to. My heart was engaged. I bought another cookie!

Support Your Neighborhood Lemonade Stand! 

(You never know - you could be impacting the lives of these creative young women (and men)...they could be the future Bill Gates, Oprah, and Richard Branson's....)

Yum...

Laura

More Vision Boards & Some Vision Board Tips

I received a lot of feedback, questions and comments about the inspiring the Vision Board posting.  I also received some questions about the process so I want to share a few steps and tips.

First, I wanted to share  My Ideal Client Vision Board as another example. It has a combination of things...current client photos, pictures that represent qualities about clients (peaceful, creative, happy, zest for life!), I have a money tree which represents an abundance mentality (yes, money really can grow that fast! :),  cantaloupe popsicles - just because they look rich tasting, unusual, creative and fun, I have lots of symbols representing creative projects...songs, music, books, products of all types. I also added a photo of a group of women from a workshop I led and pasted them at the beach (symbolizing the women's retreats by the sea I want to start leading)...and if you see your photo on here...yes, I might want to coach you and you also represent other creative women like you!  (thanks for being a part of my vision)

What is so wonderful about this board is that it hangs in my office and reminds me of what energizes me, who inspires me, where I am and where I am going. I love to look at it and imagine the possibilities!

Here are a few of my favorite tips for creating a Vision Board.

1.  Pick a large background to build your vision on. It could be a poster board, a large piece of flip chart paper (see example), foam core, a tri-fold foam core display, even several pieces of paper taped together to make it big.  (It needs to be big for the impact, and to give you some room to play)

2.  Gather a large stack of magazines. All types of magazines...your favorites, those ones that are inspiring (Oprah's magazine, Body and Soul, Coastal Living, Real Simple are some favorites).  Also, look for different magazine..business, entrepreneur, wine and food magazines, etc.. Good places are to ask your neighbors, beauty, dentist, doctors and spa salons are usually happy to let go of old issues.

3. Set aside some time just for going through the magazines. No scissors needed for this part. Just flip through and let your eyes fall where they fall. See what photos, words, headlines grab your attention.

R - I - P the page out!  Notice when your energy soars! R - I - P!  Claim that page!  See a word that grabs your attention?  A phrase that makes you smile? R - I - P! Don't edit, don't wonder why you like something. Don't talk yourself out of it to be practical (this is a visioning - dreaming board, after all!). Claim the pages by ripping them out!  Just keep ripping - this part feels really good!  Get a good stack - you might do it all in one sitting or you might want to peruse a stack a little at a time. 

4. Now it's time for scissors.  Go through your stack of pictures and words. Let yourself enjoy them! Smile....and just trim the pictures, words, phrases.  Don't worry about where to put everything yet...just trim away the unwanted parts and savor the good stuff that makes you feel good!

5.  Now it's time for putting it all together.  Start by just laying out each piece. Don't worry about it being perfect. This is only for you! Let some pieces hang off the page. Tilt this one. Tuck another one behind and let it peek out. Or, you might have a center focus like a word, big photo, or a photo of YOU! (or the theme of the vision board like money, relationships, a new house, a new office) 

6.  When you feel ready start glueing. Some people want to get the page laid out and then glue and others want to just pick up and glue and let it unfold.  There are NO RULES! :)  Some adhesive suggestions:  glue stick is easy (although won't last beyond a couple of years), YES adhesive, Mod Podge is one of my favorites, even a tape runner is easy.

Now hang it up somewhere you can see it often....in your office, in your bedroom, on your closet door, in the bathroom!  Develop a practice where you look at it often....perhaps the same time each day. Imagine your vision coming true...it's here, right now...enjoy the feeling of savoring it now.....

I promise...things will start shifting. you will notice more of what is related to your vision board. You will start attracting those conversations, resources, people who will hold a piece to your vision.

A few more tips:

• Leave some white space around your photos and let them breathe.  I like to color the "empty space" yellow...it makes things pop!
• Use only words. Make it simple and use only words.
• No words and only pictures.

Possible Vision Board Themes - create a vision board focused on one of these things/themes in your life:

• New Relationship
• New Friends
• Your children
• Your business
• Your Ideal Client
• Your Ideal Support person (like an assistant, or collaborator, or joint venture)
• Your Office
• Your Life in 5 years
• Travel Vision

Here's another type of Vision Board:  A Gratitude Board.  My six year old son, Sam,  created this "ME" board  about all the things he loves in his life. ( I know...Awwww...)

Have fun, let go of the "shoulds - rules- buts" and just let it be what ever you create....

It's all beautiful - because it's from your heart.

Laura

SELF Magazine "10 Most Inspiring Women"

I was inspired to buy this issue of SELF magazine to read their story about SELF's "10 Most Inspiring Women".  I pulled a quote from each and thought I'd share in the passionate fire!

Let Her Inspire You:

Sheryl Crow:  "If we could all always act out of compassion, the world would be a very different place. It seems like a such simple ideal, but I am constantly trying to remember who i was born to be: a compassionate human being who chooses love over hate."

Ellen Degeneres:  "One of my aims is to feel good about myself, which is all mental, all about attitude. It has nothing to do with size. You just have to let go of perfectionism and keep focusing on the next moment because if you don't, you're going to miss out on something. you have to stay present every second."

Jessica Simpson: "I know in my heart that I'm not done doing what I'm supposed to be doing. There's so much in life left to be fulfilled. I never want to be standing at the to of the mountain. I don't want the mountain to ever be high enough. I want to climb." (after being interviewed about her long time philanthropic efforts with Operation Smile, and various orphanages and charities)

Hillary Clinton: "I went into public service to help children in need. I never could have predicted where life would take me. Find inspiration, whether in your family or a community problem you're determined to fix. You may even surprise yourself."

Vera Wang: "I'm living proof that no matter how circuitous the path or how long the journey, you have to pursue your dream."

Maya Angelou:  "Don't make money your goal. You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Pursue things you love doing and do them so well that people can't take their eyes off you."

Sandra Bullock:  "It's good to do things that scare the s--- out of you!"

Aimee Mullins: "So many people go through life not really living. We're all born with certain circumstances, but you can choose who to be."

Oprah Winfrey: "Leadership is having the courage to show true action."

Kathleen Sebelius, Governor of Kansas: (for the first time ever - 9 women are Governors): "Try running for office, helping in a campaign or just becoming an informed voter - all are strategic ways to get involved"

I don't know about you but I'm feeling pretty powerful as a woman.....

Laura

Vision Boards - Unique ideas for your board!

                                                    Vision Boards have become all the rage! 

Everyone is really catching on to how powerful this simple creative process can be.  I love that....deceptively simple and deeply powerful.  This vision board to the left is one that my husband and I did together before we were married representing what we wanted to create together in our marriage.

I have created collages for years. I remember that some of my first ones as a teenager were actually collages of my favorite movie stars and singers...Lindsay Wagner (Bionic Woman), Linda Carter (Wonder Woman)...is there a theme? Add to it...Olivia Newton John, Cher.  Evan back then I intuitively understood the power of pictures and the metaphors for what I wanted in my life.

Nowadays, my vision boards and vision books have morphed into images that are both powerful and calming....quiet power is a consistent theme.

Most of my clients work with vision boards or collages. They have a vision of a topic come alive through pictures, words, color, and express their creativity even in the materials they choose to use.

Several years ago I facilitated a workshop for my chiropractor's office. Everyone in the office created a vision collage for what they wanted in  their lives.  When I came back for a treatment last year, Dr. Shelley West said to me that she had recently found her vision board from 3 years ago and she said "You know what? Everything on that board has come true!"

As part of the Joyful Business Guide system, I recommend creating vision boards for your ideal clients, your ideal vendor partners and your life vision.  It's inspiring to take a photo of your vision board and then add a color copy of it to your guide - it's part of creating your own personal inspirational guide.

Spending the time claiming photos, discovering words that bring a visceral response, seeing an object that intuitively speaks to you....all this is a way of uncovering your deepest yearnings and giving them some air time...letting them be discovered and claimed.

Here are some sample visions from several Joyful Business owners. I hope you'll get lots of ideas and inspiration for possibilites for your own...

I love this idea of using something unexpected! A shell, a piece of bark, or a piece of driftwood even. This is from Beverly Keaton-Smith of Embrace Your Gifts and Soar. 

These are from Beverly too. She was in a visioning mode in September!  Must have to do with it being her birthday month that makes her (us) feel like taking stock of life and dreaming of possiblities....

I like this one...."Bev Goes Big!"  This one prompted Beverly and I to talk about what "big" looks like and we even had a phone call where we got on the phone as though it were 2012 (although we probably won't even have phones by then!)...we imagined ourselves 5 years into the future, calling each other up and sharing what was going on in our lives, celebrating our business successes, what our husband's are up to, where we have traveled, and what is bringing us joy in this year!  What fun...and you'd be surprised at the things that will spill out!

This one just uses words and color for impact. My client Jenny Chafe, a very cool voice and movement coach from NYC, did this one as an easy way to get her thoughts out about her ideal client. Simple, easy to do in a short amount of time and yet a powerful reminder of who she is attracting.

Here's another creative idea - lay out your vision board and forget the glue!  My client Tara Seawright, a wonderful interior stylist from NYC, laid this ideal client collage out on her floor and then took a photo. She says it gives her such inspiration as she spends a few minutes of each day looking at it.

You can create your vision collage as an ongoing project. Here is an example from Joyful Business owner, Ginger Burr, of Total Image Consultants. She has created an Attraction Book. She uses it to collect images and words, quotes and ideas for what she wants more of in her life.  Ginger shares how it is a very relaxing ritual to do at night before bed. Pulling a few photos out, cutting and pasting.  Very nurturing and ...as we know, powerful too!

I hope you have enjoyed a few of these ideas of simple and yet creative ways you can create your own vision board - collage - shell - book! 

Let it be simple. Don't edit the photos, images, or words...just let them quietly (or sometimes loudly) inform you.

Please share your examples of how you use this process to create and attract in your life and business!  your ideas inspire us!

Laura

When Life Becomes a Rollercoaster.....

Today I'm thinking of my friend Wendy Watkins of Passionfruit Growers. She is an amazing coach and very fun woman.  The other day at a Georgia Coach meeting she gave me this magnet - it was so perfect!  She spotted it right after a conversation we had about what a wild ride I feel like I'm on with my business.

Well, today Wendy is on her own wild rollercoaster ride!  She is leading her first women's retreat up in the North Carolina mountains.  She has a  wonderful group of women entrepreneurs from Atlanta and she is diving them into creating their Joyful Business Guide's - their very own creative and inspirational business plan for their unique businesses.

I can't wait to hear the stories and see photos!

Throw your arms up in the air and enjoy the ride!

WOOHOO.....

Laura  (PS:  Thanks to the creative work of Suzy Toronto of Tingleheart for this wonderful joy-giving magnet!)