Just a quick note to encourage you to sign up for this webinar on making a successful career change. It’s led by Richard Alderson, founder of Careershifters who will be asking fellow coach Sonia Lakshman and myself your burning questions on career shifting.

http://www.careershifters.org/blog/dont-miss-out-our-monday-free-masterclass-is-full-but-we-still-have-space-on-tuesday

Follow the link above to register!

Sarah

What is your professional background?

I qualified as a Chartered Accountant in the UK. which has given me plenty of fantastic experience. Far from being stuck behind a computer screen with my figures, most of my professional life has been in project/staff management or in business development: company start ups, intrapreneurship, systems changes, intercultural management, coaching emerging markets, recruiting and managing teams so a lot more “fun” than what most people imagine!

What sparked the idea for Greenstays in France?

I was feeling unfulfilled and frustrated with not finding a decent challenging and varied role here in France (after having married a Frenchman), and somewhat fed up with big company politics and ethics.

My initial coaching sessions with Sarah helped me decide to work in travel somehow, as that is really my passion. So I decided last year to do an MBA specialising in tourism, in order to define my project further and give myself some credibility and contacts here in France.

From my dissertation research on “green” hotels I realised that the environmentally and socially engaged hotels, gites, guesthouses etc do exist, but they have almost no visibility in English on the web. Surveys show that whilst we want to have a great holiday and lots of fun, more and more of us also want to “tread lightly” and make a considered choice about where we stay. I want to help these largely independent, certified providers be found by lots of new English speaking clients.

How are you making the transition to self-employment?

Mentally the leap has been easy as I have really found myself - the entrepreneur that has been fighting to see the light of day for years! Based in Paris I have the chance to attend many fairs on tourism, sustainability and entrepreneurship which are all really inspiring.

Financially thankfully, the French system is such that if you have worked already a certain period of time here, then you are entitled to some project set up support which is similar to unemployment benefit. It won’t last forever, but long enough to stop the worry…

What obstacles have you overcome?

The main block for me is having the confidence to go it alone - I use a series of tricks to keep going, including taking Sarah’s advice to join a network of similar people. I am now part of the Paris Women’s Network Entrepreneurs Club and as such am in contact with some really inspiring ladies of all nationalities and business backgrounds.

I’ve also come across technical barriers. I have spent hours understanding the very best way to set up a low cost internet-based business and social media presence. My top tips here would be www.fiverr.com for logo ideas at 5$ a shot and www.wordpress.com, where there is lots of advice to help you create your blog for free.

What are your future plans for Greenstays in France?

My website www.greenstaysinfrance.co.uk (currently a blog) will give visibility in the English speaking world to those businesses in France that have taken real, credible and certified steps to monitor and reduce their environmental impact, and in some cases also increase their social impact.
I will provide a full online booking service in English, with a search facility, full descriptions with photos and customer reviews. I’ll also explain exactly what the different certifications mean.

What tips would you give aspiring entrepreneurs?

You don’t need to start big or spend a lot of money. Just get started and you will meet the people along the road who will encourage, inspire and help you. Above all, keep true to your ethics and find what will work for you and make you happy.

I have been to so many events where the biggest takeaway from all the entrepreneurs is that it is not about the money, but rather about having fun in what you do on a daily basis…. this is my dream and so far I am having lots of fun!!

Here are Kate’s top tips for green travel in France:

http://greenstaysinfrance.wordpress.com/2011/01/11/top-10-ideas-for-your-france-travel-in-2011/

If you’d like to receive more tips like these do sign up to Kate’s blog and connect with her on twitter @GreenstayFrance.

What gave you the idea for Greenstays in France?

I get a lot of telephone calls from heavily pregnant women wanting to reassess their career.  You’d be forgiven for thinking that these women would have other things on their mind…maybe their birth plan, or getting the nursery ready, or stocking up on nappies and frozen ready meals.

However as someone who flew to Beijing at 6 months pregnant and Geneva at 7 on career change reconnaissance missions, I can completely identify.

The imminent arrival of a first baby can loom, Sword of Damocles-like, over our heads.  We are told our lives will never be the same. We will never be the same.

This is very frightening.  There’s an immoveable deadline out there and we don’t know who we’ll be on the other side of it.  Only a few short weeks remain where we can be sure we’ll have all our faculties. We’d better fix everything that’s not quite right with our lives RIGHT NOW. 

Often what’s not quite right is our work….and hence the phone calls.

I don’t pretend to offer a panacea but I proffer up here a few thoughts:

1. Ignore those people who say this is the end of life as you know it. Ok life will be different but you will still be you. If you hate mushrooms you’ll still hate mushrooms.  If you’re obsessively addicted to X factor you will be no less sad.  So have no fear.

2. By all means go with your pregnancy-induced surge in energy and make some preparations for a new career post birth.  Do analyze your career interest, skills, personality, strengths, ideal work environment and values, and come up with some potential directions in the same way as bumpless folk.

3.  Give yourself wriggle room. Don’t commit to anything that will be really hard or embarrassing to back out of. If there’s a course you’d like to take during your maternity leave, check whether you can get a refund or postpone if necessary. Don’t airily say to your boss as I did “don’t worry, I’ll be back after 3 months full time, you won’t know the difference.” (I ended up resigning and moving to China.) Instead use measured language, for example “I anticipate coming back at 6 months but may decide to take longer” or “I’d like to explore options for working part-time without committing at this stage.”

4. Know that this window of time you’re about to enjoy can be wonderfully liberating. Suddenly you have an additional identity.  You are not only Kate-the-disillusioned-lawyer, but Kate-the-amazing-mother-of-amazing-Josh.  You’re living proof that you can be someone else, happy and successful in a role that not long ago you had little idea how to pull off.  Perhaps Kate-the-interior-designer isn’t so far-fetched after all.

5. Be ready to experience perhaps the most creative and productive period of your life! Yes you may not get much sleep, and you will need to feed, wash, dress and gaze adoringly for long periods at your baby. Yes it will feel at times like your bottom has grown roots in the sofa.  But - certainly after the first 3 months - there’s still a fair amount of time left over for you. 

Have fun experimenting with stuff you never had time for before. During my maternity leave I wrote my first magazine article (which turned into a long-running column), learnt Mandarin (I use the term “learnt” loosely), and landed a job that was to prove a stepping stone to my new career in coaching. What a privilege those months were.

So pregnant readers amongst you take heart. Far from holding you back, motherhood can speed up your career shift.  Go for it!

It’s run over the phone so it doesn’t matter where in the world you are. First call Monday 31st Jan 8pm UK time.

You’ll need to book by Friday noon using this link http://www.careershifters.org/coaching

There’s just one space left so do act quickly if this is of interest

Sarah

A few months ago I started doing some coaching with Kerry, a remarkably can-do Australian living in London. I’m so proud of what she’s achieved in a very short space of time and delighted to share her story with you today.

What is your professional background?

I worked as an analyst in a big four accounting firm, as an economist for the Australian Treasury and eventually as a business analyst in commercial organizations in London. But none of these roles really fitted very well.

How long have you been interested in yoga?

 Somewhere in my early twenties I started doing yoga for health and fitness. Then last year I enrolled in the yoga teacher training course at one of London’s biggest yoga centres. The training was on weekends, so I could fit it around work. I wasn’t sure if I’d just do it for personal enjoyment, or to teach. Turns out I love teaching yoga!

What sparked the idea to set up Pop Up Yoga?

My boyfriend and I live in a flat above a commercial office space on a bustling high street. The office had been empty since we moved into the flat. We used to peer in the window and think, ‘What a great space! It should be used for something!’.

 Earlier this year I’d been working with Sarah to develop a business plan around teaching yoga when my boyfriend and I head back to Australia next year.

Then, Vacant Office Space + Idea for Pop-Up Studio + a pinch of Seize the Day = Why Not?

I figured there was nothing like plunging yourself into a situation to find out if you liked it. I phoned up my friend Wendy, who was also on the Teacher Training course and put the idea to her. As it turned out, she’d been looking for a space to open a studio herself. Here was a great opportunity for both of us to explore what it was like to run a yoga studio.

With a Pop-Up concept, you offer the landlord a low rent to basically cover his costs while he finds a full commercial tenant. So we could test running our own studio for three months, and continue it in three-month blocks as we liked. I got the inspiration from all the shops and restaurants appearing under this concept in London over the last year or so. Recession sparks ingenuity!

How did you make the transition to self-employment?

Since I moved to London, I’ve always worked as a consultant on contract. This means that you get paid when you work and you don’t get paid when you don’t work. This helped me learn to create a discipline around managing my finances and planning for dry spells.

To be able to work in the yoga studio for three months, with no salary, I really had to think differently about my finances this year. Basically, I worked as an analyst for the first part of this year and when I got to the point where I had enough to live for the year plus an amount to invest in the studio, I stopped.

In doing so, I had to reduce my expectations of the year’s living costs. Happily, it’s a recession so it’s hip to be frugal!

Mostly, I was prepared in my own mind to spend the time and money I’d set aside to explore this interest. I felt what I’d learn through the experience of running a business would be worth it
 

What have you most enjoyed about your new work?

The adventure of it! Seeing the studio come together (and the way all my friends chipped in to help) was really exciting. Everyone loves the studio when they visit.

I especially love the teaching. It’s great to be in a studio environment and feel what it would be like to be a full-time yoga teacher.

What are the main challenges you are facing?

Getting the message out there. Once people come to the studio, they love it, but we have to get them to come. I think Marketing almost has to be the largest effort for a new business and an ongoing effort. Our approach is just to try different things and see which hits the mark. Everything we do is a learning experience.

What advice do you have for someone considering setting up a business around a passion of their own?

Just try it! Dip your toe in. If you can’t make the full leap right now, work out how to do it in some small way.

Be open to the fact that everything is a learning experience, even if the lesson is hard!

Also - get a great coach. Even if the idea is crystal clear in your mind, it’s a whole other thing to get it down on paper. A coach will help you draw out the parts that need more work, help you add some structure, sometimes encourage you to add a dose of reality (!) and importantly, help you work to some deadlines (I need this).  Sometimes it helps just to say things out loud to someone who is as excited about your ideas as you are.

——-

Thanks for the plug Kerry! I didn’t set that up, honest.

There’s so much I love about Kerry’s story, but I particularly endorse this advice:

“If you can’t make the full leap right now, work out how to do it in some small way”

What’s your dream? How can you make a small part of that come true, right now?

And if you live or work near Islington in London do ‘pop in” to Kerry and Wendy’s studio. For classes see www.popupyoga.co.uk

Hopefully this post will add a little sparkle to a dreary day. I’ve cooked up a brilliant project (if I say so myself!) that is rolling out over the next few months - the Do What You Dream Of Challenge.

I was inspired in large part to create this project by my friend and fellow coach Sital Ruparelia, whose work some of you may already follow. He’s just turned 40 and has set himself a fundraising challenge for the inspiring charity Room to Read. As I’ve just celebrated my 40th myself, I thought this was a wonderful way to mark an important staging post in life.

The idea is to spread a little “dream magic” by offering a free coaching session to 100 people to help them clarify and achieve a personal or professional dream.

In return, I’m asking you to pass on the goodwill by making a small donation (as much or little as you can afford) to help a child realise a dream of their own. I’ve set up fundraising pages with Make-A-Wish Foundation UK and with Barnardos so you can choose the charity whose work most resonates with you.

**So what’s your dream?**
A new job, a business idea, writing a book, a sabbatical, moving overseas?

Let’s focus with beady-eyed precision on that dream of yours and get it moving! We’ll spend 45 minutes together on the phone at a time that suits you. Up front, I’ll ask you to think about what you’d like to be different at the end of our session. Then we’ll work intensively towards making that happen.

You will leave with more clarity, focus and some immediate action steps that you’ve committed to.

It doesn’t matter how far down the track with your dream you are or even if you have one. Many people for example tell me they desperately want radically different work, but they don’t have a clue what it could look like. We can use our time together to start figuring that out. Book here: https://my.timedriver.com/6QXQ1

More about who you’ll be helping

You probably have children in your life: sons, daughters, nephews, nieces, godchildren or children of close friends. Even though there are times they cause serious harm to our blood pressure (ref: The Pizza Wars, Elsa’s recent insistence that her pizza slices were the wrong sized triangle), we know how blessed we are to have them in our lives.

It’s a privilege to be part of a young child’s development: to witness their growing confidence, talents, and thoughts about the world. To listen to their dreams - policeman, superhero, singer, deep sea diver - and ponder how these or later dreams might unfold in their adult lives.

Sadly not every child has the promise of a happy future, whether that’s due to a serious illness or difficult family or environmental circumstances. You can help change this.

Make-A-Wish Foundation grants the special wishes of children who are fighting life-threatening illnesses. This year they will help around 1,000 children be princesses for the day, swim with dolphins, visit Disneyland Paris…whatever their dream is, Make-A-Wish will make it come true and give that child and their family an irreplaceable memory.

Barnardos work to give children the best possible start in life and a chance to fulfill their potential. They run 415 projects all over the UK, tackling issues such as drug misuse, poverty, homelessness, sexual abuse and domestic violence.

Help a child realise their dreams and you reach yours…

Go to https://my.timedriver.com/6QXQ1
to access my online calendar and choose a time that suits you. (Please note I’m aiming to complete these sessions by mid December).

After we speak, I’ll send you a link to my fundraising pages so that you can choose a charity. There’s no obligation to donate, but if you would like to, I’d be very grateful for your contribution.

***Please pass this on!***

Please forward this post to family, friends or colleagues who may be hatching a dream of their own. Thank you!

Don’t want coaching but would like to help?

Thank you again! I’d be delighted to accept your donation.

Click below to donate securely via the Just Giving website:

Make-A-Wish Foundation http://www.justgiving.com/cowsfrommywindow

Barnados http://www.justgiving.com/cowsfrommywindow2

I’ll keep you updated with how much we’re raising. Here’s the link again to book your dream coaching session. https://my.timedriver.com/6QXQ1

I hope to be speaking with you soon!

“Astonish me” he’d say to the photographers, designers and artists under his wing at Harpers Bazaar magazine, where he was art director in the 40s and 50s. And they’d be inspired to produce their very best work.

I love these two simple words. When I start a new project, I try to remember them. As the project takes shape in my head, I ask myself

“is this astonishing?”

Invariably it isn’t. But these words cast a weird kind of magic. Surprisingly easily, an idea pops up that’s on a totally different level.

Try it now. Think of something you want to create in your life.

Maybe you want a pay raise.
Maybe you’re developing a new product or service for your business.
Maybe you’d like to work a bit more space into your day.

Instead of thinking of reasons to justify a 5% payrise to your boss, ask yourself “what does an astonishing payrise look like?”

Perhaps that’s enough to nudge you up to 10%. That’s good…but ask again. Is it astonishing?

What about 50%? What effect would that have on your life? What new possibilities would open up for you?

Don’t rush too quickly to how you’ll make this happen. Take some time to savour what astonishing would do for you.

Then think about what it would take for you to make that happen. Perhaps you’ll need to do some more training, initiate a project outside the scope of your normal work, or apply for a different role within or outside of your organisation.

Of course the 50% increase might not happen overnight. But we sure do get creative when we’re properly motivated!

…A quick aside for the perfectionists amongst you…(I count myself in)

There’s a time for astonishing and a time for “good enough”.

When to go for astonishing
When you’re relaxed and happy, and all is well in your world - your husband brings you flowers, your kids adore you
When you want to build on something that’s already working for you
At the start of something
Whenever the words “astonish me” make you feel free, open and inspired…with a curdle of excitement in your stomach.

When to opt for good enough
When your life isn’t going so swimmingly….your kids have chicken pox, it’s snowing, the boiler just broke and your dog has the runs
When you’ve done lots of work but you just aren’t putting it out there
When the words “astonish me” make you feel pressured…with a curdle of nausea rising in your stomach.

Take a few seconds now to choose an aspect of your life.

What would astonishing look like?

Just a quick note to say I’m running another Find Work You Love group coaching programme.

FWYL starts Wed Sept 29th and runs for 8 weeks up to and including 17th November.

You can find out about the impressive career changes made by past participants, and more details of the programme here:

http://www.cowsfrommywindow.com/findworkyoulove

I hope to be speakng with you soon on the calls!

Sarah

My Amazing brother and dad

I’m very proud to announce that in August, Chris and his business partner Ian bought GBR Helicopter Group, the company Chris joined as a pilot 3 years ago.

Much of GBR Helicopter Group’s business comes from tourism - they are the exclusive provider of helicopter services to all the fixed reef platforms on the Great Barrier Reef. They also carry out commerical work with a wide range of companies, and are contracted to transfer marine pilots on and off cargo ships navigating the Great Barrier Reef. (I was lucky enough to fly with my brother on one such transfer - landing on a moving ship!)

So Chris and Ian are now responsible for a staff of 45, a fleet of 8 aircraft, three boats and a dozen cars. It’s like Monopoly, but far sexier - and for real. Our dad is out there with them at the moment, putting his finance/management skills to use and having a fabulous time.

There are so many reasons I’m incredibly proud of my brother.

- He had the imagination to conceive a completely different life for himself
- He had the courage to believe he could pull it off
- And above all, he persevered.

It’s eight years since Chris’s first flying lesson. During that time, he’s witnessed the tragic death of a fellow pilot. He’s been turned down from flying jobs he longed for. And he’s been through some tough times financially.

But he now owns his own business, in an industry he is passionate about, operating out of one of the most beautiful parts of the world.

When our own dreams are in their infancy, it’s easy to doubt they will ever materialise. Take heart from my brother’s story.

I remember the summer he collected me from Sydney airport, and on the drive to his home, confided his dream to become a pilot.

“Don’t tell mum and dad” he urged. “I don’t want them to worry. I’m keeping this quiet until it’s further down the line.”

Every dream starts off small. Closeted away, protected, uncertain. But hold fast to your dream, for one day you’ll be living it.

Still better than a bowl of fruit

But fear not (!), I think this is a GOOD THING.

For we are not the same people throughout our lives.

At about 8, I identified a type of shoe that pleased me. I recall they had little holes all over them, punched in a pretty pattern. I stuck loyally to my hole-y shoe style through many size upgrades. How my mother must have cheered on the rare occasions when I would swap from red to blue.

At 14, I was a devoted member of the Star Wars Fan Club. My walls were plastered with posters. My favourite was one of Han Solo. But I was worried. Adulthood was fast approaching, and I knew grown-up taste ran to proper framed pictures. A world of sensible landscapes, faithfully depicted fruit bowls or obscure abstract art - not film star posters. How could I ever relinquish Harrison Ford?

In my early thirties, when struggling to define what “helping people” really meant to me (which demographic, helping in what way?), there was at least one thing of which I was totally sure. I did not mean children or “old people.”

Yet more recently, that has changed. Since having my daughter Elsa, I feel passionately about helping children think independently, and develop the confidence to stick to their guns in going for what’s important to them. I’m not yet inspired by issues that relate to older people, but I imagine that could change as my parents age, and as I grow older myself.

As we have new experiences, meet new people, acquire new interests and reach different life stages it’s only natural that what constitutes happiness for us in terms of work and life will likewise evolve.

The lesson I take from this is to dial down on the pressure. We don’t need to identify the perfect job or business, to be pursued relentlessly until the day we retire. We can just think about what would make us happy for where we’re at in our life right now. And be confident that with each adjustment, we bring with us a rich smorgasbord of experiences, skills, knowledge - not to mention increased maturity - that is eminently transferable to the next phase of our lives.

In the meantime, I wonder where that poster got to?