In a departure from my normal entrepreneur interviews, in this podcast, I talk with Yum Brands CEO David Novak who talks about how to create a great culture for your startup. Although he is the head of a huge corporation, he talks about core building blocks that apply to any stage of business.

His book Taking People With You: The Only Way to Make Big Things Happen  breaks down the critical things you need to keep in mind to build a great business culture with happy employees, customers and shareholders. In our interview we discuss:

• How to choose the right people to grow your business
• How to develop and communicate a healthy work environment
• How to maintain a strong culture as you grow your business

In perhaps my favorite part of the interview, I asked David what he thinks about corporate employees (even in his own organization) who are doing a side hustle in addition to their day job. His answer may surprise you.

All proceeds from David’s book are going to the World Food Program to help in the fight against hunger.

Download our 16 minute conversation here: http://traffic.libsyn.com/escapefromcubiclenation/DavidNovak.mp3

Or listen here:

Those of you who have been following my work for awhile know that I have been heavily influenced by my coach mentor Dr. Martha Beck. Her book Finding Your Own North Star changed the course of my life when I read it nearly a decade ago, and eventually led to my Escape from Cubicle Nation work.

Martha is a Harvard-trained sociologist and bestselling author. She is Oprah’s life coach in residence, and writes a monthly column for O Magazine.

In this interview, I talk with Martha about her brand new book Finding Your Way in a Wild New World. Building on the research she started at Harvard many years ago, she explains how an encounter with an angry rhinoceros in Africa triggered an entirely new direction in her life, and led to this book. Rather than thinking your way to your right work, why not track your right life? We discuss:

• How to find a path in life that will make you happy
• Why the most “fancy” (wealthy, successful) people in the world are often unhappy
• What elders from around the world agree on about creating happiness and magic in your life

Find Martha at http://www.marthabeck.com

Download the podcast directly here: http://traffic.libsyn.com/escapefromcubiclenation/MarthaBeckPodcast020312.mp3 or listen below:

I walked in my son’s Cub Scout meeting late last night, and ran into the wife of our den leader. She is a wonderful person; an engaged mother, passionate volunteer and airline pilot.

“I am so sorry for being late,” I said. “I was teaching a class.”

“No problem at all, where were you teaching?” she said.

“On the phone,” I said.

She looked puzzled. “You were teaching on the phone? How does that work?”

“I teach marketing to coaches who are in the Martha Beck coaching program. They dial in from all over the world, and I deliver sessions on how to grow your coaching business .”

“Hmm,” she said. I could tell that this was the first time she had ever heard about a “teleclass,” or “phone coaching,” all standard practices in my industry for the last decade.

This informed, intelligent, professional woman was totally unaware of a business model that has supported me and my family for the past six years.

And yet when I am teaching marketing to new entrepreneurs, they often lament that “the market is so crowded for (coaches) (social media consultants) (weight loss experts) (music teachers) (lifestyle design bloggers) (fill in your business here).”

They often say things like “All I see all day are offers for teleclasses, or marketing programs, or retreats. How in the world can I get any clients when the market is so saturated?”

“Where do you see them?” I ask.

“On Facebook and Twitter, mainly,” they say.

“And who makes up the people who are in your Facebook and Twitter streams?”

“Well, there are the fellow coaches in my coach training program, and the instructors in the program (which generally is about 80% of their social media connections) and the rest are family and old high school buddies (which is about 20%).

The best metaphor I can think of to explain this is that you and your very specialized peers are all on a small island in the middle of the Pacific, carrying around signs promoting your services. You keep bumping into each other. Because you think that your tiny island represents the entire world, you are convinced that there are far more sellers than buyers. In the meantime, there are massive amounts of ideal clients and customers on seven continents around the world, totally unaware that you exist, and dying to get help.

So how do you break out of this micro lens of your market and start to see the real need?

1. Analyze your contacts on social media. How many are peers who theoretically are competitors? Feel free to stay connected with them, but expand your connections to include:
   -Connectors from very different industries, who might provide access to new markets.
   -Your clients. Put priority on following their work, being helpful and supportive.
   -Leaders in your industry who help you develop depth and mastery in your field.
   -Natural partners. Are you a web developer? Hang out with business or marketing coaches who can refer clients to you.
2. Analyze where you spend your time. There is nothing wrong with getting support from professional peers, but when you are in a market-expanding mode, you want to spend 80% of your time in front of existing customers (who often give you repeat business), as well as new contacts in new markets. I suggest you research:-Live groups on meetup.com
   -Professional groups on LinkedIn (the volume will boggle your mind)
   -Facebook pages that would appeal to your ideal customers
   -Your own community network. Do you think your dentist, doctor, barista, neighbor or yoga teacher knows what you do for a living? One of my neighbors, who I have known for 8 years, said to me the other day: “Oh, you work? I thought you were a stay at home mom.”
3. Build in a strong referral component to your business. Clients who you have worked with in the past are a great source of future business. They will most likely have a very different personal and professional network than you do. Make it easy for them to spread the word about the great services you provide by building in solid follow up systems and processes. For great ideas, see John Jantsch’s book Referral Engine.

If you think your tiny island is the entire world, of course you will feel stressed about market saturation.

Swim to shore. A whole new world of customers awaits.

Golden Gloves contender Amanda Wang and Pamela Slim. Photo by proud cousin Abe Cajudo.

They say the best way to learn something and reinforce positive behavior is to teach it.

So here, 5 minutes after gaining insight while on a walk to Starbucks, is my advice to help you “do the work” (said channeling Steven Pressfield).

To watch directly on YouTube, go here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zVWDH2QflA

What I neglected to say in the video is that exercising even a little bit makes everything feel better!

<Enjoy getting back to your regularly scheduled programming. I have a proposal to write!>

If you have studied small business marketing, you may have heard the frequent cheer “The money is in The List!”

And indeed, creating a strong email marketing list is a powerful foundation for any business, online or offline.

In this video, I give you a few things to think about as you are establishing your mailing list, as well as a cardinal sin to avoid. To view this directly on YouTube, go here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4xEkc0qEbg

More marketing tips coming!

At the end of this month, I am going to be opening a new section of Power Boost Marketing for enrollment. Power Boost Marketing is a year-long program which teaches practical, actionable ways to grow your business while strengthening your business foundation and amping up your personal brand. I kicked it off last October with a fantastic group of entrepreneurs, and they are already getting great results.

As part of the education about the program, I will be filming some special in-depth video segments for people who are particularly interested in marketing tips. In order not to inundate my regular mailing list or blog readers with this information, I created a special Power Boost list so you are notified about the content as soon as it is live. To join this list (which of course you can unsubscribe from anytime, just like my regular mailing list), put your information in here:

(If you cannot see this web form, you can fill it out by clicking on this link here: https://pamslim.infusionsoft.com/app/form/power-boost-marketing-waitlist )

Good luck building a strong and effective mailing list!

Happy 2012!

If you followed my planning videos in December, you may have defined some nice juicy goals for yourself this year.

And as you have started to execute those plans, you may have already faced some challenges and resistance from your market.

My best advice?

Don’t back down.

Here’s why:  (Direct link to YouTube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZY-BbkxIkGQ)

Bigger Fish! Pescadotes!

I came across a funny and realistic video yesterday on Facebook by Sonja Alarr, a wildly creative life coach who captures what happens when you want to move towards your goals, but find yourself running in the other direction.

(Watch on Vimeo at this direct link: http://vimeo.com/20876606

This was her first video, and I think you will agree with me that she knocked it out of the park.

See what happens when you feel the fear and do it anyway?

Her tips for getting unstuck and moving toward your goals:

1. Give yourself a hard deadline
2. Get a great teacher
3. Find time to practice
4. Get friends to help you
5. Get friends to help you (intentional duplicate)
6. Practice again
7. Say yes to yourself (even if it means saying no to someone else)
8. Practice some more
9. Silence the lizard
10. You guessed it – practice
11. Rest

I think Sonja has a bright future ahead of her.

All this new year talk can get overwhelming, can’t it?

Between plans, resolutions and goals, it is easy to get frustrated before the first week of January is over.

Let’s step back from the pressure of big goals and talk about some practices that will anchor productive behaviors, the key to consistent progress throughout the year.

Take a few minutes to jot down responses to these four questions:

Question 1:
What thought am I going lead with as I take my first step out of bed?

My husband often shares a teaching from his grandfather, who was a very wise person and a medicine man. His grandpa told him to be very aware of how he stepped into a new day, by taking a moment before rising from bed to focus on a positive and uplifting thought. Then to step slowly and purposefully on the ground to set that thought into motion.

Which thought do you start your day with?

“I have to pee.”
“Oh man, I really dread going to work this morning.”
“How in the world am I going to pay my bills?”

Try replacing it with a more inspiring one, like:

“Today, I will truly be of service to my clients.”
“I am planting seeds today that will build my business into a strong and enduring source of value.”
“I will create a thing of beauty today.”

Question 2:
What do I want to create this year that will be a proud addition to my lifelong body of work?

Is it a book? A new program? An adventure with your spouse and kids? An important volunteer effort that will make a lasting difference in your community?

Sort through the big list of “things to accomplish” for the year, and pull out the ones that you will be truly proud to create. Highlight them in your plans, and make sure that you make it a priority to get them finished by year-end.

Question 3:
What values do I need to activate to help me meet my goals this year?

My 6-year old son Josh went to Boy Scout Winter camp last week. One of the activities he participated in was to choose three values that he resonated with most. He chose “Positive Attitude,” “Perseverance” and “Courage.”

I was so excited about these values that I adopted them for 2012.

“Positive Attitude” means I am going to be extra vigilant of my thoughts, so that I do not get distracted by unimportant tasks, or nagging doubts.

“Perseverance” means I am going to work with my team to build a truly strong and supportive business structure so I can deeply serve my clients. I know this will be challenging, so I have to stick with the work, even if it is tedious or uncomfortable at times.

“Courage” means I will step into new situations, business opportunities and creative projects with the heart of a warrior. I will get my new book done, and it will be great. I will pursue new and different ways to expand the Escape from Cubicle Nation brand. I will work with my fears, not be defeated by them.

Choose your own value “activators,” and use them when you hit rough spots or challenges.

Question 4: 
How will I define success this year?

It is very important to personalize your vision of success. Create a definition that not only includes financial targets like “earn $75,000,” but qualitative targets like “laugh often during the day” or “enjoy my work while I am doing it.”

For some more background on creating your own vision of success, check out this post:
http://www.escapefromcubiclenation.com/2010/02/08/how-do-you-want-to-lead-your-life/

Our killer year

2012 will be a great year, because we will MAKE it that way.

This clean slate ahead of us is the chance to do things differently, and get different results.

I believe in you. I believe in me. I believe in us.

Let’s do this!

On this last day of 2011, as we prepare for a rocking 2012, I am tremendously proud to celebrate and share the people I have been lucky enough to work with this year.

Clients came from individual coaching  and programs and classes. While I served over 400 people, given the nature of my work, many of my corporate employee clients wisely choose to NOT publicize their affiliation with “The Escape from Cubicle Nation Lady.” To those of you in this category, I am so proud of the work you are doing, and celebrate your accomplishments with a quiet fist pump in the air.  Working the side hustle is not for the faint of heart, and you do it with so much grit and grace.

Many programs were taught with amazing people, like Michele Woodward for Career Invention, Lift Off with Charlie Gilkey and Partnership Playbook with Desiree Adaway. Thank you for being such ethical, smart, talented and supportive partners. I am very blessed to work with you.

I also want to think my outstanding team from Out:think: Tim Grahl, Joseph Hinton and Brian Morykon  who did amazing design work and kept my site humming, and helped me roll out many new digital courses this year. And my own team Marta Costa and Megan Everett, who were the backbone of my business, and my sanity.

And so like we did in 2009 and 2010, please raise your fists in the air and celebrate these amazing people who rolled up their sleeves, faced their fears and shipped something meaningful  in 2011.

A for Awesome

Abe Cajudo quit his comfy day job to do more good in the world. Find him at AbeCajudo.com.

Adam Issadore launched a successful tour and drummed with over three thousand campers this past summer with his company Path To Rhythm Group Drumming Programs.

Alaia Williams launched her first intensive program – Optimize – to serve clients who want to organize and streamline their businesses in a short (but focused) amount of time.

Ali Davies created her first group programme for Self-Employed Women who want to make 2012 their best year yet. It is fully booked and launches in Jan 2012. She also sold her house ready to move to Vancouver in 2012 as part of her design life mission. Her online home, AliDavies.com, is dedicated to helping Self-Employed Professionals who want to design life and business on their own terms.

Alison Lueders left her corporate job to launch GreatGreenEditing.com, a company that provides website writing and copyediting services to green businesses and socially conscious organizations in the health, education and nonprofit sectors. Great Green Editing strives to be a green business itself, and is privileged to assist clients who make the world a little better every day.

Alison Elissa Horner launched her What The Hell Am I Doing With My Life? coaching program for entry level adults – to rave reviews.

Amanda Wang won her second boxing match on her quest for the Golden Gloves. She is documenting her journey living with Borderline Personality Disorder while living a full and meaningful life.

Amy Steindler launched the first Through Your Own Lens retreat – a unique program that uses photography as part of a life-coaching toolkit to foster self-exploration and expression.

An Bourmanne launched OwnYourLifeCoaching.com, dedicated to helping brilliant people who just got stuck in perfection and what other people might think of them to own their brilliance and live their life instead of someone else’s.

Andre Blackman brought his vision to reality by leading the team that launched the FastForwardHealth.org Film Festival, showcasing public health innovations. It was such a hit that they were invited to bring the program up to NYC in February for Social Media Week!

Andrea Vahl was proud to launch SocialMediaBizSchool.com as a collaboration with four other fabulous experts. It’s been going well and they are excited!

Angelica Perez, of NewLatina.net, won the 2011 Top Latin@ 2011 Award, awarded by LATISM (Latinos in Social Media).

Annching Wang quit her job, started a boutique copywriting business for designers and artists, and is now in the process of launching a fashion line.

Antonina Geer launched the Financially Savvy Inner Circle group coaching program, inspiring and empowering women entrepreneurs to get their “finance savvy on” and to take control of the money side of their businesses in order to boost profits, increase cash flow, and live the life they deserve!

B for Bodacious

Barbara Stafford launched a new service to help clients “escape from executive row” and quickly launch successful consulting practices by providing them with a one-stop marketing solution that includes strategy, branding, web design, copywriting, lead generation, social media and more.

Beatriz Alemar started her coaching practice and launched Your BreakThruLife.com, providing coaching and resources for young professionals and entrepreneurs who feel stuck in their careers and lives.

Rather than pursuing another vice presidency in higher education fundraising, Beth Herman established EBH Consulting, LLC, and is now serving college and university clients with talent management programs, training for advancement staff, and executive coaching for leaders. Her anchor client signed a six-month contract for her to develop a learning program for 200 employees.

Beverly Belling designed and launched Creative Meditation to help people develop an interesting and effective meditation practice that also “floats their boat”.

Bridget Pilloud designed and launched Shop at the Bridge, an online store of products designed for spiritual support and healing!

Brooks Duncan created the Paperless Document Organization Guide to help you organize and find your electronic documents when going paperless.

C for Committed

Carlos Hernandez is having fun as a social media minstrel at Nordstrom San Francisco, on their Facebook and Twitter pages!

Cate Brubaker received this comment from a SmallPlanetStudio.com client: “Kudos to you for creating useful programs and for unabashedly doing what you love.”

Cath Duncan is uber-proud of the rich, comprehensive and practical Creative Grief Coaching Certification program that Kara Jones and she put together!

D for Delicious

Danielle Chonody launched a blog that shows people how to build a multiple income stream business that lets them design their own Max Lifestyle.

Danielle Leslie announced WeAreBIGFiSH.com to the world and landed 3 major-brand marketing clients within 45 days of launching.

Debbie Weil launched VoxieMedia.com with her Beta Author Boost program to help busy subject matter experts finish writing a short business book in 8 weeks. It sold out in less than 12 hours!

Deena Baikowitz, and her partners at New York-based FireballNetwork.com, spent 2011 teaching clients across North America how to be power networkers and mix business with pleasure to land more clients. They provided red-hot advice to individuals, corporations and membership associations on how to work a room, deliver an elevator pitch, plan a networking event, get their name on a building, and spark their network to ignite their business.

Denise Canellos, MS, CNS launched her Juice of the Tomato site, a genetic nutrition counseling program, and her Nutrition for Cancer Survivors online course.

Desiree Adaway created the Executive Director Mentoring Program, which provides coaching, strategy and mentoring sessions around starting and leading a nonprofit organization.

E for Excellent

Emily Ho launched SustainableFoodworks.com, which focuses on cooking and eating mindfully.

Ericka Hines secured and completed contracts for a federal government agency and a national foundation interested in providing leadership development to their staff and grantees, and spoke to students from high school to law school and nonprofits about the need to have more social change leaders.

Erin Howard launched Streamline Marketing to help small businesses learn about and use email and social media marketing to get more business.

F for Fantastic

Florence Moyer launched her coaching business, FloMotionCoaching.com, where she helps people discover and do meaningful work by combining powerful career coaching with nature connection and practices of those who live in close connection to the natural world. Check out her What’s Next? group coaching class that begins January 11, 2012!

G for Go Get Em!

Gail Gaspar, of  iDecide Coaching, launched her November teleclass, Superwoman on the Outside, Doubt on the Inside: Secrets to Owning Your Success Revealed and 90-Day Leadership Momentum Mastermind. For program details, please visit  iDecideCoach.com.

George Palmer launched a digital delivery platform at DigitalDeliveryApp.com. It’s like ejunkie & friends but streamlined, easier to use and a lot more reliable.

GK Zachary launched two websites, AdultMartialArtist.com and NewLyceumMedia.com – and had a lot of fun in the process!

H for Hot Stuff

Heidi Dobbs created EssentialElementsOfHappiness.com, a program to guide entreprenuers in building values-driven businesses while designing their own meaningful success!

J for Joyful

Jackie Dolan launched her life-coaching website, JackieDolan.com, AND signed up for Pam Slim’s PowerBoostMarketing.com. Gotta keep movin’ forward!

Jane Cronin is experimenting at her Creativity Cauldron, a writer’s group without the bad wine or the bickering. You don’t need to be a writer to join in either.

Janine Gilmour launched TouchstonAdvisoryServices.com, providing employee development and business coaching services.

Jen Louden is busting with happiness from sharing TeachNow with over 250 teachers.

Jen Trulson became a Martha Beck Master Coach and focused on creating community and connection with her Inner Circles, a sacred space for women to create a life they love.

Jen Waak quit her day job as a result of LiftOffRetreat.com, rebranded her coaching business as KeyboardAthletes.com, and is looking forward to delighting more clients in January 2012 with her Energy Bank Bootcamp.

Jenni Prokopy went from her quietest quarter ever to a super-full schedule of speaking, consulting and developing new projects to launch in 2012!

Jennifer Armstrong published her conversation with Heidi Grant Halvorson about how to set goals that will lead you to success in 2012, as part of her new series: Talks with Thought Leaders.

Jennifer Bailey launched What Matters Most 365: Life By Design™, an intensive, 8-week, one-on-one, virtual “boot camp” that is the kick in the pants needed to get serious about living life by intentional design.

Jennifer Hofmann launched the Creative Haven community for bright, creative women who are clearing their home offices to make space for their dreams.

Jennifer Lyle launched a blog – Jim Burson’s Solution-Based Basketball – and a business, Exohs, LLC – with her husband, speaker/ consultant/ coach Jim Burson as a result of attending LiftOffRetreat.com.

Jennifer Peek launched her signature A la Carte coaching services, which are 90-minute highly-focused power sessions.

Jill Murphy introduced Good By Design, the next generation of her consulting practice, specializing in starting and scaling socially engaged businesses.

Joanna Penn went full-time author-entrepreneur with TheCreativePenn.com, finished her 2nd novel, and launched How To Write A Novel with an industry pro.

Joy Agcongay taught her very first class, a pilot for her upcoming Playful Marketing Expedition, with the help of many mentors, hearts and hands.

Julica Hermann had a hyper-productive year in which she added teaching, group coaching, a blog, a new website, a joint venture, and public speaking to her coaching biz, but the thing she’s most proud of is realizing that nothing – not even the coaching practice she loves and lives for – is worth her well-being. 2012 will be a year of big changes, and she’s looking forward to them!

K for Killer

Katie McClain was excited to introduce her new group class, Love Yourself… Lose the Weight, a mini-soul journey to more love and less weight for YOU in 2012!

Kelly Eide partnered with Sal Roux to create a safari retreat connecting you to the ancient wisdom of Africa; to the land, to the animals, to the cradle of mankind, and to your inner tracker. Find your mojo with them in September 2012!

Kelly Kingman partnered with Pace Smith to create The Way of the Peaceful Entrepreneur, a course beginning in January which will help aspiring entrepreneurs create a profitable Internet-based business without giving up their sanity or burning out.

Koren Motekaitis’ favorite moments in 2011 were each time a weight loss client had difficult moments in her life and did NOT use “food as her friend” to help her through the situation. Check out her Confidential Weight Loss Coaching Circle.

Kristen Carter launched a workshop for corporate teams based on the ISPEAQ technique she developed for having difficult conversations. Her technique works just as well outside the office but she’s proud to have developed a worksite application for it.

Kyle Durand realized his long-term vision for fast and easy paperless contract creation with OurDeal.com.

L for Lovely

Lailey Jenkins and Kelly Pratt helped folks find creative freedom with the Artist’s Way at Work teleclass.

Lana Phillips made some amazing connections with wonderfully smart people and developed The Sad Cafe Community as a sanctuary for people who pay attention to those who haven’t before been seen — a refuge for the listeners.

Larah Ritchie heroically escaped Alaska with her family by driving 6500 miles to her heart’s home in the beautiful Tennessee Smoky Mountains. She also announced the many flavors of the BrainyFeet Self-Made Business Academy… a virtual incubator and training program for micro-business owners.

Laura Wolfe started her own biz, Cultivate Coaching and Consulting, and created the Becoming a Better Performance Manager – the Basics workshop while in Pam Slim’s Power Teaching class.

Laurie Foley created a video about learning, and taught coaches and solopreneurs how to cook up their best year ever in The Planning Kitchen, a virtual retreat that is still quite yummy.

Earlier this year, Lisa Alessi launched Find Your Why, Find Your Way, a revealing exercise that connects you to the meaning behind the work you do and is now super excited to introduce Life Beyond the Hamster Treadmill, a telecourse designed to help people feeling sucked in by the daily grind find greater satisfaction and fulfillment in each day.

Lisa Bourdon is living her passion as a life coach and intuitive eating counselor helping women satisfy their hunger with a truly luscious life. At LisaBourdon.com she helps women transform their relationship with food and with their bodies – from struggling and feeling “not enough” – to pleasure and fulfillment. Yum!

Lisa Wood launched her wildly successful WordPress Without Overwhelm course that teaches you exactly how to set up and manage your own WordPress website from start to finish.

Liz Eastwood of NaturalCatCareBlog.com published her first little booklet on Amazon Kindle: Natural Flea Control for Cats Made Simple: Solve your flea problems, save money, protect your cat.

M for Magnificent

Maira Holzmann finally launched her Playful Warrior Wilderness Retreat set to adventure this summer.  It’s a retreat for those of you, like her, who may have lost sight of their playful self and can’t wait to reclaim her.  Fortunately, play, glee, laughter and creativity are now her regular playmates. Find out more about her offerings at www.empowermentexperience.com

Marjory Mejia relaunched her sparkling new digital sanctuary, Awakening Sacred Flow, on December 21st, helping creatives revolutionize their space to reveal their most brilliant self.

Max Daniels created her Basic Meditation for Busy People class for people who have only five minutes a day – That’s all you need!

Megan Everett finally made the leap to becoming self-employed at Megan-Everett.com. She is now the online business manager for some truly wonderful people; creating business systems and managing their projects and virtual teams so that their businesses can grow and they can fulfill their dreams!

Melissa Dinwiddie launched the Creative Ignition Kit and Creative Ignition Club, her creative recharge toolkit and support community all in one, where big-hearted creatives come to get fired up! She also joined forces with Michelle Nickolaisen to create the DayOfGenius.com, a day-long virtual retreat happening on January 8th to help you make 2012 your best year yet!

It took three years, but Michele F. Gartner finally launched OrderingCupcakes.com to inspire, coach and laugh with young professional women.

Michelle Currie‘s proudest accomplishment was running the Women’s Drum & Dance Weekend; her first workshop in the USA!

Mimi Plevin-Foust co-created and launched the Passion, Purpose & Profits workshop, helping folks who want to make more money and have more fun align their greatest passions and purpose with joyful ways to create more income.

Monique Johnson said goodbye after working for 4 years on Wall Street to start her own business, and created a free step-by-step video course on how to create Your Virtual Handshake.

N for Never-ending Celebration

Nailah Blades kissed her corporate job Goodbye and embarked on her journey as a full-time life coach. She also launched her first tele-course, Unleash Your Big Dream, and danced a happy jig to celebrate it all!    

Natalie Currie launched TheWayFindingCoach.com, her sustainable life and business coaching practice. She works with overwhelmed eco- and socially conscious individuals, green entrepreneurs, and social enterprises to help them discover their meaningful work and create their sustainable lifestyle.

Everyone deserves a meaningful career since we spend a large part of our lives at work. Ngee Key Chan re-launched his career coaching business, YourOwn360.com, which provides strategies, tools and resources to help working professionals faced with challenging career decisions move to better, more meaningful and fulfilling situations.

P for Positively Fabulous

Pace Smith created The Way of the Peaceful Entrepreneur, a course for those of us who would love to start our own businesses but are afraid of the stress or risk involved. Registration opens in January 2012!

Pat Katepoo added a new Time Off to Travel section to WorkOptions.com, and is preparing to release the Six-Week Sabbatical Proposal Template.

R for Righteous

Rachel Boller launched MilkglassBaking.com, shipping custom-order pies and specializing in California fruit and nut pies. She also launched a class called Fearless Pie Dough 101!

Rachel Rodgers, Esq. offered a lawyer’s advice and services to the previously unserved market of Gen Y entrepreneurs, and her online law practice, Rachel Rodgers Law Office, was featured in these articles on MSNBC, Entrepreneur and the Christian Science Monitor.

Rebecca Mullen launched her coaching business, AltaredSpaces.com, and is digging into the question “What altars are altering you?” with clients from coast to coast.

Rhiannon Llewellyn rebranded her business and herself, and is now offering all the things that bring her best self to the world: web design, teaching, coaching, and community at BrandHarmonyStudio.com

Rob Modzelewski put his design superpowers and technical know-how to good use helping solopreneurs and startups with their online communication and WordPress set-up at RobModz.com

Rodger Constandse launched BuildAThrivingPractice.com, where he shows coaches, consultants and professionals how to use online marketing to attract more clients and make more money doing work they love.

S for Smoking

Sarah Yost launched Shiny Object School, a collection of free and paid resources to help Soulpreneurs start and finish their important work.

Seh Hui (aka @felixleong) volunteered and nurtured a local tech meetup called Webcamp KL, effectively expanding his personal network and opportunities.

Seth Parker launched SiteTourBook.com, an iPad tourbook for the retail real estate industry.

Shana Montesol Johnson launched DevelopmentCrossroads.com, a blog for international development professionals and aid workers who want to have a high-impact career they love. In what she calls “a labor of love and madness”, Shana managed to meet her goal of writing one blog article every week for 52 consecutive weeks. She also helped coaching clients get clear, get unstuck, and take action through the What’s Next? group coaching program, which was designed by the brilliant Master Certified Coach Michele Woodward. Shana will offer the What’s Next? program again in January 2012 – one group in person (Manila, Philippines) and another online.

Stacy Stone introduced EthicalLaunch.com, which empowers creative entrepreneurs with the tools and support they need to change the world (one launch at a time).

Susan Falcone founded PoweringPossible.com, a website dedicated to helping professional women massage the demands of life and career to more effectively support their personal and professional goals without compromising their vital physical and emotional well-being.

Susan McEvilly left a secure cubicle with bright lights and benefits for the joy, fun and satisfying work of an independent consultant and entrepreneur. Find her servicing cubicle dwellers who use WebEx for online meetings at MeetMeInTheCloud.com.

T for Toasting You

Clarity Coach Tanya Geisler relaunched her site TanyaGeisler.com to reflect where she’s been and where her clients are now: ready to step into the starring roles of their lives.

Tea Silvestre, aka TheWordChef.com, moved 300 miles to build a new life with her man; re-branded/re-launched her marketing consulting business and founded the Tastiest Small Biz Brand Awards (to be announced in early 2012).

Theresa Robbins launched The Coach at Heart Connection, a wickedly fresh program for new coaches that hooks them up with the support and connection they need while transitioning into being the coach they were born to be.

Tia Sparkles Singh launched and sold out 2 awesome courses that will become part of her regular offerings: a 21-day Inner Sparkle e-course and a 4-week Social Media course. Learn more at YourLifeYourWay.net.

Tzaddi Gordon created some of her most exciting design work ever for her clients and increased her dedication to making art-for-art’s-sake. Find her at ThriveWire.ca.

W for Wonderful

Wendy Beall launched ChangingYourMind.com to help individuals, Western medical professionals, and alternative practitioners learn to engage the mind-body connection to improve health, stop burnout, and feel better NOW — The Cure for Everything classes start January 2012, teaching you how to develop a whole new foundation for well-being – health from the inside out – through deliberate use of your mind-body connection.

Y for Yowza

Yolanda A. Facio, drawing on her experience starting and operating successful local businesses, has launched RedHotMomentum.com, a platform for helping others get clarity about and solutions for all the challenges of running a business.

After making it one year as a full-time small business owner, Yoneco Evans launched a second freelance practice and a new course, Designing Better Online Trainings, which teaches other solopreneurs how to design online courses.

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Thank you so much to all of my clients, blog readers, Twitter and Facebook buddies, family, friends and neighbors who made this year a rich, meaningful, interesting, productive and lesson-filled year. While I celebrate the highlights, projects shipped, clients served and awards earned, I also celebrate the missed opportunities, flops and miscalculations. All of it is part of the wild, messy, crazy-making yet joy-filled journey of being an entrepreneur.

As my Jedi Council member Guy Kawasaki says, you must plant 100 flowers and watch what blooms. For the record, they rarely bloom where and when you want them to.

I am so blessed to do work I love with people I care for and admire deeply. Thank you everyone for your trust, partnership and support.

May your 2012 be filled with joy, meaning, abundance, health and laughter.

Before I close up shop for the year, I had a tiny bit of advice for any awkward moments around the holidays. I hope they help. Feel free to write them on flash cards and pull them out at opportune moments.

You define your own success. Don’t worry about how others define theirs.

Laughing with your relatives is so much more enjoyable than debating them.

Life is messy. Beautiful, exquisite, perfect messiness. The root of all creation, and the foundation of all innovation is swirling chaos.

Never believe what you read in annual reports, advertising campaigns and family Christmas letters.

Love – for yourself, for others, for ills, pains and difficult spots – heals.

Have a wonderful holiday. Be good to yourself. You deserve it.