Her talk was titled “Ready, Set, Go” and the gist of it was that there are so many things outside your control in life (so true!). You must be you, go with what you’ve got, and move forward in life anyway! If you think about it, what other choice do we really have?

Why was her presentation so fantastic?

Not only was it inspirational, but it Ms. Stallings delivered an authentic applicable message, and did not try to pitch us anything at the end of her talk!

Here’s the deal . . .

Because Charlotte Stallings was paid to speak, the inevitable “sales pitch” that is so common nowadays when people give a talk was not present anywhere in her speech!

So which is better – paid speakers or “speaking for free” (in order to sell your product or service)?

Let’s examine both models.

The “Speak to Sell” model is championed by none other than Lisa Sasevich. Now, you should know that I love Lisa Sasevich! She clearly is someone who has a lot of class. In fact I took her course last year – the “Speak to Sell” bootcamp, which is going on right now. Check it out here at: www.speaktosellbootcamp.com.

Lisa touts that you should speak for free, and then sell the audience on your programs, products, and services during your talk. In this way (there is a method to giving such a talk), you will receive more money from people buying your programs, than you would from collecting a speaking fee.

In contrast, Charlotte Stallings did not try to sell us anything at the end of her talk! As a result, her presentation was more polished and professional than others I have seen. She was truly there to share, for the joy of giving and speaking – she did not have to sell anything during or after her speech because she was paid to speak!

As the TBPW Program Chair, I have the responsibility to evaluate speakers, and recommend who comes to speak to our group at monthly meetings.

So now I ask you which model is better?

Or do both have their place?

There is certainly such a thing as being too young, and on the flip side, there is such a thing as waiting too long!

Why do I bring this up?

Because most professional women have their life planned out – first they get started in a career, then get married and have a family. After graduating from college, many will spend their 20s building a career. At that time, they aren’t worried about having a family yet – they think there’s plenty of time ahead of them – and that they can just get off The Pill (or whatever form of birth control they might be using) and get pregnant. That’s what “Family Planning” is supposed to be all about, correct? It is the idea that you have control over what point in time you will have children, along with how many children you will have.

But what most women don’t count on is not being able to get pregnant. That’s when life throws a monkey wrench in all the best laid plans.

It is absolutely devastating for any woman, who knows how to work hard, and has worked hard to get where she is in her career and life, to be told that she can’t do something (get pregnant). Especially because infertility is something over which you have very little control. Most women are not prepared to deal with this! It’s unexpected and it’s not part of the plan.

The thing about facing infertility is that there is nobody really to talk to about it, especially if your friends are able to get pregnant easily. They just don’t understand! One client of mine undergoing infertility treatment told me that all her friends drifted away after they had kids and she couldn’t. As a result, she didn’t have any support to help her get through this critical time in her life.

That’s where an experienced coach can help. The truth is that most people who have not experienced infertility firsthand only have a superficial understanding of it! My clients are usually extremely grateful to finally find a coach who can relate and understand. That’s one reason I call myself “The Full-Time Woman’s Coach.” Even though I do have several male clients, these issues of career, family, motherhood, starting your own business and work/life balance are all intertwined.

That’s why I will soon be giving my first ever tele-seminar titled “The Balancing Act” for women in business. This session is for you if you can answer “Yes” to any of these questions:

Do you often feel overwhelmed?

Does work-life balance elude you?

Do you ever feel challenged with trying to balance work, life, and family?

Are you considering starting a business and wondering how on earth you are ever going to fit one more thing into your life?

How do you squeeze one more thing into your crazy schedule?

Even our cell phones need to be recharged and so do you!

Can you make it? Or know someone else who needs to attend? If so I would love to hear from you!

So what exactly is a business model?

A traditional business model is the way in which you or your company operates on a day-to-day basis, in order to generate revenue, income, and profits. Business models differ slightly from business plans in that business plans are formal written documents (usually written prior to starting the business), that outline the day-to-day operations as well as the long term goals and vision for a company. In contrast, business models usually describe or reference businesses that are already up-and-running. Business models can be flexible (adapt to changing marketing conditions), break paradigms, and redefine entire industries.

While all of this is all well and good, there is actually another type of business model.

What is that, you ask?

Most people work hard and fit their lives around their business or their work. This has been true for many decades, and is the core foundation of the 40+ hour work week. Fast forward to the latter half of the 20th century, when societal changes support more women entering the workforce in the latter half of the 20th century. Today, many moms who are also entrepreneurs are redefining the traditional business model, by making their work fit in with their lives and not the other way around.

Business coach Sandy Krakowski puts it this way:

“Instead of building a business that you have to wrap your life around, why don’t you build a life that you can wrap your business around!”

In other words, have work fit your life – this is the other business model!

There comes a moment for many moms when they realize they are dealing with too much, and/or their plate is too full. Something’s got to give! For me, it was finding out that my daughter had to get on the school bus at 7:55AM, while the classes I was teaching started at 8:00. There is simply no way I could commute and get to a client’s office in 5 minutes!

The bottom line is that today many “Full-Time Women” women (women who are busy working women, moms, wives, and/or entrepreneurs), are looking for more flexibility. Their priority is their family, and they are looking for work (or a business) that fits around their life, instead of trying to squeeze their family into the time that’s leftover outside of work. They want to do it the other way around, so they can see their kids grow up.

Generation X in particular, is the first generation that does not want to sacrifice family time for work. It is especially important to them to be there for their kids, and not miss their children’s piano recitals or school plays due to work, as their parents often did for them!

There are many ways in which you can fit your work around your life. One is to start your own business. There are pros and cons for doing this – yes, you can work when you want to, but it is still a lot of work to start a business!

Another method is through direct sales companies (Mary Kay, Tupperware, Arbonne, various lines of jewelry, etc.) or Multi-level (also known as Network) Marketing. It seems every time I turn around I am invited to a party for one of these products. I just read a great blog by Susan Kherker, who is a Vice-Presidential Marketing Director for ProVision RX. She talks about being able to be there for her son’s golf tournament and watching while he made Eagle. A very exciting moment that she was able to witness in-person! Her MLM home-based business provided her with the freedom and opportunity to do this!

Creating a life that you want, with work that works for you – this is the new business model!

I would love to hear your thoughts.

Long gone are the days when the first company you went to work for was the company you stayed with for your entire career. In those days, most employees moved up effortlessly through the chain of command until they worked their way to the top!

In this day and age, companies are not loyal to their employees, and in turn, employees, especially the younger generation (Gen X and Gen Y), are not especially loyal to the companies who employee them. Many change jobs (or job hop), in the hopes of getting a huge increase in their salaries and advance their careers all at the same time. I have met several whose attitude is “Why should I be loyal to any one company when this is ‘at will’ employment and I can be laid off at any time?” And, I have to say that there is a certain validity to this philosophy, as companies use outsourcing and layoffs as a way to cut costs (salaries) and increase profits.

Today people – women in particular – want more flexibility in their lives and work. The corporate scene, where workers put in 80 hour work weeks for a nice steady paycheck, is not as appealing as it used to be. Especially when all of their energy is spent after a long hard day at work and when they arrive home they are essentially too tired to spend any quality time with their family. As a result, women are leaving Corporate America in droves!

I coach many working moms, who are missing out on their kid’s lives and activities due to their full-time jobs. When you work full-time for a company, they feel like they “own” you and your time. You are not free to say no if you don’t want to attend an out-of-town meeting, for example. Eventually workers get resentful and the job becomes a burden.

So what is the New Work Model?                      

Making your work fit around your life, instead of your life fit in around your work.

So what are some options for doing this?

Some people decide to work part-time. In traditional income models people work 40 or more hours a week, and earn a standard annual salary, paid weekly or monthly. But going part-time doesn’t necessarily mean working only 20 hours a week!  Working part-time can mean working a few hours a day, or 1 or 2 days per week, or working on a project for several months in a row, and then having several months off. It all depends on your business model.

Another option is to start your own business, which can give you a lot of flexibility. Today, more people are starting businesses than ever before and more women are starting businesses than men! Of course there are pros and cons to starting your own business, but that’s the subject of another blog post! Another option is Multi-Level Marketing (also known as Network Marketing), which lets you work where and when you want to.

The bottom line is that many women are looking for more flexibility, and work that works around their life, instead of trying to squeeze their life into the time that’s leftover outside of work.

Today is my THREE year anniversary. I quit my job and never looked back!!! I’m excited everyday to do what I LOVE!!

Aha Moment! Given what I do – which is coach women how to leave their steady full-time job in Corporate America and go out on their own, I thought I would invite Myrna to tell her story here, even though she is not my client. She graciously agreed. So here is Myrna in her own words:

My Life As An Independent Graphic Designer by Myrna Galan

They say time “flies when you’re having fun” and I can say it’s true. It’s been 3 years since I quit my last job in Corporate America.

I have been a graphic designer since 1993. I have had some fun jobs but they were still just a job.

I’ve always been creative and I can say it’s my passion. I started with drawing and sketching. When I got to high school, I had an art teacher that told me about “commercial art.” I didn’t know what that was at the time, that’s what graphic design was called back then.

So what does Myrna suggest for those who are thinking about beginning a career?

If you know what you want to do, learn as much as you can about your industry and invest in yourself. Take classes or read books. Don’t worry about the “competition,” just worry about being the best at what you do!

In my last job, I had been thinking of taking “the leap of faith” for a few months. It was something that I would think about every day. I knew I had a purpose and sometimes just getting a paycheck is not enough.

On the Monday of the week I quit my job, I remember getting an email with a quote by Mark Burnett. I keep it in a frame on the wall by my desk. It reads ‘I will guarantee you the day you step outside your comfort zone by making success your goal is the day you discover that adversity, risk, and daring will make life sweeter that you ever imagined.‘

I do have to say, I remember waking up the day after quitting, I gasped, I said “What have I done?!” I composed myself and got dressed, I set up my home office and emailed all my contacts. I got a ton of replies with “Congratulations,” which was reassuring to me!

It was exciting to start something new! I didn’t have any clients lined up or even a “plan” but I worked hard on building my client base. I have built up my business through business networking and I’m blessed to have so many referrals. It does take time and effort , and some events cost money, but now I make my own schedule and spend more time with my family. I will never forget missing seeing my little niece in her first Halloween costume. I had to work late, I only saw a picture of the day. By the time I arrived at my sister’s home, my little niece was a asleep. I’m happy to report, I got to spend several days with my niece in Florida, at Disney for Spring Break, and no one said it was time to get back!

Starting your own business is a learning experience, I would recommend starting with a business plan. That will help guide you to your next level. If you are wondering what kind of business to start, think about what you love to do. Set up a price list and be ready to present it to a potential client. Don’t be afraid to be confident about your prices. You are worth it!

Also, learn about bookkeeping and business taxes! Keep everything in order from the beginning!!

Of course I have challenges! I’m not saying there are no challenges or obstacle but the reward is greater that any of those things. Trust me! You will know, and have no doubts, when it is time to “take the leaf of Faith!”

About Myrna Galan

Myrna Galan is a native Texan. She has lived in Houston all of her life. She attended The Art Institute of Houston and earned an Associated Degree in Visual Communications. She is married to the love of her life, George, and has 2 wonderful step sons. She enjoys spending time with her family and volunteering at her church and the Junior Achievement program. She is CEO/Graphic Designer of Galan Graphix since 2009. For more information go to https://www.facebook.com/GalanGraphix

P.S. Note from Karen – Thank you Myrna, for agreeing to tell you story here. I have personal experience with her design work (and I know it is awesome!), because one of my clients used her recently to design their logo!

Let’s find out . . .

Lame leaders do not lead by example. Setting a standard by doing (practicing what they preach) is a concept that is essentially foreign to them. Rather, their mantra is “Do as I say, not as I do.” True leaders set the example by modeling the behavior they want others to emulate, because they know it comes from the top down.

Lame leaders do not like to be challenged; they always think they are right, and are not open-minded enough to consider another perspective. Some (not all) managers do not like to take chances, or get out of their comfort zones. If they are in a management position by default, and not by choice (or because they are qualified), then they may not possess the vision, clarity, or innovativeness for where their product or company should be headed in the future. Many avoid conflict or other unpleasant situations that make them uncomfortable. They may even take extreme steps for avoidance, including not returning phone calls or emails, being unresponsive, or blaming someone else.

Lame leaders are not professional. What are some examples of not exhibiting professional behaviors? Lame leaders do not say “Thank you” or otherwise acknowledge other people’s efforts (whether they have done a good job, or even at all). They may play favorites, thereby letting some employees get away with certain behaviors but not others, and not applying a uniform standard equally to all employees. They may talk about employees behind their back, or talk about certain employees to other employees. In addition, they may tell you one thing to your face but do or say something else entirely behind your back.

So what are some qualities of good leaders?

True leaders welcome and take advantage of other people’s strengths and use those strengths to their advantage. They know that having smart, creative people on their team will help make them shine along with their whole organization! In contrast, lame leaders are threatened by other people’s strengths. When an employee starts to shine, they immediately put those employees “in their place”! Lame leaders will do everything they can to stay in charge and make sure other people know it. Because they are insecure in themselves, they don’t want anybody else to outshine them.

Real leaders welcome high achievers to their teams because they are secure in their own right. Real leaders embrace what others bring to the table, in terms of knowledge and skills; not only that, they embrace and publicly acknowledge other people’s  contributions to an organization. Real leaders are not threatened by, or jealous of, other people’s accomplishments.

What else? Real leaders develop or mentor other people so they can grow and reach their potential, (instead of try to squash them under their thumbs). Real leaders are visionaries. They share their vision with others and form alliances in order to accomplish a goal. Real leaders recognize when something is not working, and are not afraid to change course.

Now I ask you – how about you?

What makes a leader?

Do you have any examples or stories of lame leaders? How about real leaders who inspired you?

Because I do career coaching, this subject has come up recently in discussions with my clients. But also on a personal level, I have received a lot of inquiries from my GIS colleagues, so I thought I would write about it.

Many of you who have known me a long time, have asked about my own personal career change out of over 20 years in GIS into a new career of business and career coaching. There are several aspects I will discuss here.

The first is that it is very rare nowadays for one person to do the same thing their entire life. I heard one statistic that people change careers up to 8 times in their life. I think 2 or 3 careers in a lifetime is perhaps more realistic.

With increased lifespans, if a person ends up doing the same thing for all of their working years, it can get boring pretty quickly. Plus, as you change and grow as a person, what you have always done for a living may not be a fit anymore. In your early 20s, when you choose a subject to study (or a career to pursue) in college, it’s hard to know if that career will still be a fit for you when you’re 40 or even 60 years old.

So how do you change out of one career into another, especially if you have deep emotional ties to the people (colleagues, co-workers, etc.) in a certain career field (as I did with GIS)?

Focus on moving forward.

If you are burned out in a job or a career, and/or ready for a change, how do you know when it’s time to move on? Consider:

How much have you accomplished in that career field lately?

Are you still coming up with new ideas?

Do you have anything else to contribute in that field?

Are you still able to earn a living in this field, or are job prospects slim?

              Are you eager to learn new things? Or do you roll your eyes at the prospect?

If you can’t answer with an excited “YES!” to most of these questions, then it’s probably time to move on.

Focus on moving forward and what’s in front of you, even if it’s scary. There is something better waiting for you.

For me personally, moving forward and embracing my newfound coaching career in its entirety was very difficult to do. Even though coaching is a perfect fit for me, and I truly believe it was what I was meant to do, I hung on to my old career for a while. Because I had been successful in GIS, and was “known” as a well-respected software instructor for many years, it was difficult for me to let go of that persona.

So why did I leave?

For a while I lived in two worlds, using my job as a “loan” while I built up my coaching practice (a strategy I learned from my own coach!). However, things had changed a lot in GIS – from easier-to-use integrated technologies, to not as much demand for in-person instructor-led training anymore. All of the companies I was certified to teach for had made significant changes to their training programs or closed them down entirely. But more than anything else, it simply wasn’t who I was anymore, even though others tried to pigeonhole me. I had simply grown out of that career (I am sure that many of you can relate!).

So how do you know what is the right path for you?

God shows you the way. He may close some doors but then others open, or he makes the path easier in a certain direction. Eventually your new career will take off! Joel Osteen calls this “an anointing of ease” – where things come to you naturally, and you are in a groove or a flow.

Now that my coaching career has started to take off, I look at the clients who I have helped in their lives, careers, and businesses, and it is very fulfilling to me. I have met some of the most amazing people, including my clients, who I wouldn’t have met if I had not started coaching. On top of that, my clients value me and appreciate the work that I do. I have a new book – Entrepreneur Extraordinaire – coming out in a few weeks (Listen to the free tele-summit book launch here). Now I can look ahead to the future with excitement and a high expectation from this new career. If you think about it, when I first started out on my own teaching GIS and GPS, I didn’t know I would be successful either.

The bottom line is that you have to do what is right for you, regardless of what other people tell you. There will be always be naysayers. Careers (and jobs!) can plateau or are no longer fulfilling – hey it happens (that is a great time to consult a career coach by the way!).

Another thing I will say is follow your heart. Don’t do what others expect you to do. I had to come up with what worked for me, based on my skills, background, and experience. I was fortunate because there is a lot of overlap in the skills used in training and those used in coaching. You may have to get some additional education. But whatever it is, move forward. Change is hard – sometimes it is difficult to let go of the old – your old life, old ties, old friends (and colleagues), and move into the new! But do it, because the rest of your life is waiting for you!

Now I ask you – what are your stories?

Any career changers out there who want to share your perspective?

In my talk – “The Balancing Act” – I discuss the challenges working women face when deciding if and when to have children in their life, the benefits and stigma of going part-time in the corporate world, and the decision many career women make to start a business after having children. Recent college grads who are extremely focused on their career may think they have all the time in the world to get pregnant and have children.

However, waiting to have children after the age of 35 can cause other, sometimes unforeseen issues, including infertility, and possible birth defects. Those things, combined with a few other issues that come with being older parents, including being part of the “sandwich generation” (simultaneously taking care of elderly parents and young children), not having as much energy later in life to raise kids, and being the oldest mom in the room when at children’s school events and activities, can make parenthood very challenging at an older age. Afterward, the Q&A session generated an excellent discussion among the attendees. Below are some of the highlights.

Are most companies open to the idea of letting women work part-time after she has a child?

The group had different experiences with this situation. In the end it comes down to the individual company – who you work for really does matter. Larger companies may be less sensitive about losing women who are good employees than smaller companies are. Smaller companies know that good people are hard to find and they may value them more, thus allowing them to have part-time opportunities when their children are younger. If companies are “old school” or are run by “good ‘ol boys” then you may have less of a chance to go part-time. In any case, you must first prove yourself to the firm and be valued before you can approach the firm about any of these options.

When women decide they have had enough of 80+ hour work weeks, and want out of Corporate America, what are their options?

At this point, many women go part-time, try flex-time, quit entirely, or start their own business. Each of one of these options has its pros and cons. But overall, when women leave companies for more flexibility, the workforce loses talented, capable people! And even though the corporate world’s loss is the PTA/PTO’s gain, these are still huge issues unless companies recognize that they need to provide more flexibility for working mothers.

Women leave Corporate America for many reasons, many times for more flexibility. But there are other reasons as well. Many hit the glass ceiling, meaning they have gone as far as they can go with a certain company or even in a certain career (I coach a lot of people who are in this position and who are looking for a career change). Others hit a different kind of ceiling, in terms of a pay cap on their salaries, and decide to leave to start their own business.

What if a woman decides to quit her job and stay home with her children for a few years?

If a woman decides to re-enter the workforce, then she will have to see what the economy is like at that time. She may have to brush up on her skills, technical or otherwise, before starting the job hunt process.

What about gaps in a resume? That can be compensated for with volunteer activities; furthermore in this economy, having a 1 or 2 year gap in work experience is not unusual because many people who have been laid off are often between jobs for an extended period of time. If a stay-at-home-mom decides to start her own business after a few years, then she may need to hire a business coach to help her get started.

What if you are extremely focused on your career and you don’t have kids, are you more likely to get promoted?

The answer to this one was a “Yes”. A woman from the audience answered and said that because she didn’t have children, that she was able to rise to a higher rank within a company than her female counterparts with children, and also she was able to travel when others couldn’t. However, one of my own clients sacrificed having a family in order to attain the status of “partner” at one of the big consulting firms, and today she no longer works there!

The bottom line is that you never know what’s going to happen to you in your life. You may or may not have kids, but don’t live with the regret of not having them in favor of a career. Sometimes your plans don’t work out, or what you thought you were going to do with your life changes. As you get older, your priorities change. You may go through a career change as what you decided to do with your life originally (ie. what you studied in college), is no longer fulfilling. Bottom line – don’t live with regrets because it’s the things in life that you don’t do that you will regret the most!

So now I ask you “Do you have any comments and feedback on any of these issues?”If so, I would love to hear your stories!

So what exactly is innovation?

Innovation in business is a significant improvement in a product or process that often results in increased efficiency, a new paradigm, and/or an improvement in corporate profits. So what results in innovation? Often when a new process, technology, or technique, is applied to an existing business or product (ie. during the manufacturing process). Another method of innovation is applying a new technology to another industry, thereby giving a boost or competitive edge to a company or product.

One of my regular blog readers (thank you Roy A. Ackerman) supplies a “parochial” definition of innovation. According to Roy, “Innovation involves a change in a process or product that results from study and/or experimentation and bringing it to reality. Changing your business operations from paper entry to computer could have been considered innovative two decades ago; now it’s simply routine. Changing the color of your packaging is not innovation.”

What are some other specific examples of innovation?

Let’s start with Henry Ford, who didn’t so much invent the automobile as he did mass production of it. The assembly line is what made production of an automobile more efficient, and thus more affordable. How? Before the assembly line, cars were made one-at-a-time, by hand. Because of the high number of man hours required to produce a car, the cost for an individual auto was quite expensive. The assembly line, an idea (or innovation) which Ford perfected, allowed for mass production of cars; as a result, each auto took less time to produce and lowered the price point, thus making them affordable to the masses.

Another example is Steinway & Sons pianos. During the 170+ years that the company has been in business, they have been issued over 130 patents based on innovations that have improved the quality of their pianos. Many of these innovations were based on emerging (at the time) engineering and scientific research, including new developments in the understanding of acoustics, which resulted in major shifts forward in the musical arena. As a brand, Steinway & Sons has become synonymous with excellence; they are top-of-the-line, state-of-the-art premium pianos sought-after by most artists.

NASA is a prime example of new technology applied to other industries. Like it or not, the space program has been a major driver in the U.S. economy. How? Because of having to figure out how to do things that had never been done before – not only sending a man into space – (watch Apollo 13), but also how to adapt objects commonly used on earth for use in zero gravity. As a result, a whole slew of new materials came out of the space program. These materials were then applied in other industries to make tennis rackets, and bicycles – all of which led to improvements in these sports. Now that’s innovative!

So how about you?

Do you have any examples of innovation?

What do you to do apply innovation in your business?

Let’s start with a quote from Bill Gates:

“Capitalism has worked . . . (but) it has shortfalls. It doesn’t necessarily take care of the poor, and it underfunds innovation.”

Now let’s follow-up that up with a fact:

In 2009, the United States ranked dead last of 40 nations examined by the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation when it came to “change” in “global innovation” over the previous ten years.

Innovation is one of the most critical factors for having a long-term successful business. Businesses that don’t ever change, innovate, evolve, or keep up with the times don’t grow and thus won’t have a future.

The best companies, the ones that are most innovative, are the ones who flow in a constant state of iterative change and evolution. They don’t get stuck doing things the same way, they are fluid, and can turn on a dime. They recognize that “just because they’ve always done things a certain way” doesn’t mean that things always have be done in that exact way. When faced with a challenge, they can change and adapt.

So how does this apply to you?

If you are a sole-proprietor you must keep up with the latest-and-greatest technology, constantly improve your processes, and periodically reinvent yourself and your business. If you keep on doing the same thing over and over again, in the same way, and don’t ever come up with anything fresh or new, you will stagnate and eventually go out of business. Other companies with newer business models will pass you by.

So what can you do to innovate?

Never let yourself get stagnant. Be flexible and open to new ideas. Learn as much as you can, attend industry conferences, and keep up with trends and technology. Figure out ways to apply new technology to your existing business processes.  Know what your competitors are doing. This is all part of being an entrepreneur!

The bottom line is if you are doing business the same way you are right now, in ten years, you may be out of business. Like these ideas? Look for more information, tips, tricks and ideas in my new upcoming book Entrepreneur Extraordinaire. You can pre-order a copy by clicking here. Also don’t forget to download a copy of my free report “Top 10 Mistakes that New Business Owners Make” by filling out the opt-in form on this webpage.

Now I ask you:

What do you do to innovate in business?

Have you thought about it?

What new processes or technology have you adopted lately?