Either I've become much more likeable in the last 30 days or...we've moved to a home that everyone wants to visit, almost every weekend! I like to think it's a little of both...

Just a like a plant that gets a new pot, I feel refreshed and expansive, and I was glad to share the energy with my parents this past weekend. Here we are at the Kingfisher Resort indulging in a little seafood buffet.

If you haven't given yourself the gift of a repotting lately, could there be a better time than now? Sometimes it can be fearsome to 'not know' what you'd do if you were to think differently or bigger.

So if I can convey something to you it's this:

Whatever you do, you can't get it wrong. (with thanks to Abraham)

Life Coach Anne Barry Jolles, another one of our January Implementation Challenge Winners, self-published her latest book, Rise and Shine Anytime: Simple Questions to Wake Up Your Life .

What's notable about Anne's book is not only its content, but its beautiful design, full of Anne’s own artwork. She crafted it for individual sales and for use as a gift item when purchased in bulk by corporations.

Of course, in true Multiple Streams fashion, there is a pink spoon embedded seamlessly and elegantly within. Readers are invited to receive a complimentary 6-week ecourse to reinforce the concepts in the book. This technique is an excellent way to build a targeted mailing list and deepen the connection with fans without adding the burden of extra work.

Congratulations, Anne, on the launch of your beautiful new book and your skillful use of the Multiple Streams concepts!

This book is like a tapas experience of hundreds of powerful and provocative coaching moments. "Rise and Shine Anytime" is not so much a book you read as a resource you can dip into whenever you might be feeling stuck.

Michael Bungay Stanier http://www.boxofcrayons.biz
2006 Canadian Coach of the Year

The History of Coaching Comes to Life

In an astounding accomplishment, I am thrilled to announce that Dr. Vikki Brock has completed her Ph.D. dissertation titled "Grounded Theory of the Roots and Emergence of Coaching."

This 693 page document (including appendices and references) is the result of three years and 170+ interviews, and is now available for your viewing pleasure at The Foundation of Coaching's Research Repository. 

Pause just for a moment to let this sink in now would you? While the amount of research-based work in our field is growing, it still isn't 'every day' that a PhD concerning coaching is completed. 

Vikki says her intention was to ensure people are recognized and valued for their contribution to the coaching field. Bravo, Vikki, on this milestone of an accomplishment. 

We can hardly wait for the book version of your dissertation to be published very soon! 

CoachVille Caffeine Featuring the Future for Thomas Leonard

New readers may not know that from 2000 to 2003 I had the privilege of working as General Manager of CoachVille and ThomasLeonard.com. When this oft-described 'father of coaching' died unexpectedly of a heart attack on February 11, 2003, now owner of CoachVille Dave Buck and I had a - very bad - falling out. You know, the kind of falling out that takes years to hit bottom and then another set of years to heal.

Five years later, I can say with a full heart that it's never too late to do just that - heal old wounds. If you know the story a little, I think you'll be delighted to hear the following quick and dirty (but heartfelt) recording where Dave and I begin talking publicly about what happened, and what we have planned for the future of Thomas' material and his life messages. Your feedback and requests towards this end are as always most welcome. :-)

I put this much better on the call itself, but let the record show, please, that I am truly grateful for this peace summit. And Dave? Can't wait to unveil our new project...thank you again.

Click here to listen to this very special (at least for me) episode of CoachVille Caffeine.

In my work with various six-to-seven figure clients, i've come to notice some very essential 'shifts' that business owners must make to get there.

One shift in particular can be quite the challenge...

Key #1: Come to realize that your business is not yours; it's only on loan to you

YOU are *not* in control.

Whether you have children or not, you've likely heard the saying 'Children are not ours, they're only on loan to us.'

Somewhere along the path to seven figures, often comes the realization that the same thing applies to your business. It's a foundational piece of the journey.

Sooner or later, you, the CEO, Founder, President, Owner, or whatever title you hold, realize that you are not in control, and the business is in actuality *not* yours. It hits you between the eyes. And regardless of your spiritual beliefs or personal faith, let's see if this makes a kind of sense:

Your business is really only on loan to you to shepherd awhile.

Different business owners respond to this very differently, so pause a moment now to make a note...how does this Key strike you? As something true, and freeing? Or odd, and uncertain? Maybe something else entirely.

Well, let's say a little more. What does it mean, your business is only 'on loan' to you? Case in point is the real-life story of a multimillion-dollar business called CoachVille, founded by the late Thomas Leonard.

While I was working as General Manager for CoachVille, Thomas once said to me,

"Andrea, you're managing a multimillion dollar business for me now. I need for you to know I expect you to manage it, not control it."

As you know beyond a doubt, any business with substance on its way to significant financial success takes on a life of its own. This was definitely the case at CoachVille.

Thomas said,

"CoachVille is like a giant tiger, with a tail that thrashes around as it runs back and forth. Riding on its back, you can't control it, you can only ride with it and from time to time, you might be able to lean into it with one knee or the other. But whatever you do, if you try to control it, it will break your back."

Literally. I've personally witnessed business owners' backs being broken, and I'm pretty sure you can think of a few examples too, if you consider it a moment.

To apply this key to your own situation, ask yourself 'In what way am I trying to force my business in a certain direction?'

How can loosening my grip on it, and listening deeply to how it wants to grow, help me nurture my business in a vibrant and organic way?

As the owner of a business that inspires for a living, I know without a doubt that you are here to elevate the lives of people you serve. Now let me ask whether you're ready for your business
to coach you as well? Just think of it as the shoe on the proverbial other foot. :-)

When asked what Thomas' plan was, for CoachVille, or where he was headed, his answer was usually 'Nowhere' or 'Who knows?' But internally the way he described it was this:

» Continue reading

Part-time Office Manager Position Now Open at a Progressive, Caring Business

Do you know someone who's looking to join a team? Take on a 'j-o-b' with its attendant security but not the four-letter word kind? 

Heart of Business, Inc. is a (go figure) heart and spirit-based small business training company. They provide products and services to micro and personal-sized businesses, and...they're hiring. 

Side note: I've known Mark Silver from 'afar' for a very long time and happily encourage you to take a look - they are making serious money and meaning and are 'great people.' Here are some details about the role from Mark's announcement:

The perfect candidate for this Super Detail-Oriented Office Assistant/Manager will be someone who wants to grow with the company, be stretched, learn, and is willing to do a wide variety of tasks and projects to help us do that.

* We're not looking for virtual assistants.

We've already worked with virtual assistants, very happily. Our current virtual assistants, whom we love dearly and who will still be on-call for us, agree with us that we need more.

* This position has tremendous growth opportunity.

Heart of Business has too many opportunities, and not enough hands to get to them all. It's a blessing, and I'm humbled by it. And, if the right person can help us get to more of what's waiting, we're anticipating some solid opportunities for whomever we hire that goes beyond hourly wages.

Click here for more information and be sure to pass along to anyone you know in the Portland area.

Looking for a new niche or focus for your coaching business?

Michael Port, author of Book Yourself Solid and Beyond Booked Solid, is offering professional coaches the opportunity to become one of only 20 Book Yourself Solid Certified Coaches in the world.

Here's everything you need to know about the Certification:

http://www.bookyourselfsolid.com/certification

As of Monday there were only 7 spots left. So, if you're interested, I encourage you to apply now. Michael's coaching network will funnel clients to you and give you a proven brand building system on which to
successfully build your own business.

Remember, an unlimited number of applications will be submitted but only 20 high potential coaches will be
selected. The sooner you apply, the quicker you can be accepted.

Go here now to quickly learn more and apply:

http://www.bookyourselfsolid.com/certification

As I look out my window I see our green-green yard in the Comox Valley, British Columbia with its forest and vegetable garden, cherry tree and thigh-high rosemary.

In the 30 days since moving here from Calgary, Alberta, we've already BBQed seafood 3 times, discovered a perfect little lake within 10 minutes drive, had visits from raccoons, hummingbirds galore, rabbits and a heron. Quite the contrast I'll tell you from the prairies where it was a minor miracle if a single bird spent a single moment in our yard.

Suffice to say it's an embarrassment of riches, except...okay...I'm not at all embarrassed! Thanks for the well wishes. I'm happy the move is done, and terrifically curious at how life will unfold and what new me will emerge, from impossible to elegant, in this new environment.

Coaching Tool of the Month:

Sharing documents during telephone meetings has become fairly commonplace, but it can still be rather expensive and complex to do so, not to mention adding webcams and all that razzle dazzle.

But if it were easy and inexpensive, would you dive in?

Enter Dimdim a no-fee web conferencing service where you can share your desktop, show slides, collaborate, chat, talk and broadcast via webcam with absolutely no download required for attendees. (Can you hear your technical help breathing a sigh of relief?)

All you need to make Dimdim work is a simple download installed on your hosting service, and then it is 'ready to go' when you are.

Imagine being able to show your clients, right then and there, examples of what you are discussing in a coaching session, online training or TeleSummit - be it websites, photos, videos or just you hamming it up. You could also use it with your various online groups and take communicating with your virtual assistants and JV partners to a whole new level.

Watch this space for an opportunity to test it here with the Creating What Matters community, in a future issue of this newsletter. And, once you've tried it, do let us know how it goes.