Je Ne Sais Quoi: Leaving the 9-5

It seems like forever since I've posted about je ne sais quoi! So without further adieu, here's a little story about leaving the 9-5 from yours truly...

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away (or about 2 miles) there was a girl who worked in a cubicle. She arrived at her cube promptly at 8 every morning, and left around 5 to return home. Her daily tasks involved spreadsheets and databases and sales quotas. And her dreams at night were filled with Outlook tasks and appointments and phone calls.

The girl originally journeyed to the land of the cubicles hoping to build a future--a career and new skills and respectable accolades. But what she found instead was that she did not fit in. The cubes were too confining, the tasks too structured and formal. She longed instead for color and creativity and passion. But to pursue those things meant leaving the land of the cubicles, and she wasn’t sure if that was such a good idea.

Because there were some good things about this far, far away (ok, 2 miles) land, like a steady paycheck and security and upward mobility. Beyond the borders of her cubby were less comforting possibilities, like failure and financial decline and isolation. And so she stayed. Days turned to months. Months turned to years (okay...maybe 1.5 years). And she wilted. And withered. And eventually dried up.

But not completely.

Finally, mustering her small measure of courage, she decided to leave the land of the cubicles and try to move somewhere else. The journey was very bumpy. She was lonely and often afraid. She lost her income, her status, her connections. She spent many hours fretting and feeling low after working with little to show for her efforts. But she kept moving ahead anyway. Days turned into months. Months turned to years (2). And slowly--ever so slowly--she started to set buds again.

Little by little her vision got bigger, and her creativity grew. She got better at what she was doing, and the work revived her spirit. She spent less time fretting, and more time living. She discovered skills she didn’t even know she had. She made new friends. And people started to notice her presence once again.

Because finally she was blooming.

Every once in awhile, the girl finds herself driving past the far, far away land (2 miles from her house) of cubicles and spreadsheets and considers how far she’s come. It certainly wasn’t easy. But coming into yourself never is.

Read more about my "lifestyle makeover" by clicking here!
Also, to read this week's email, "Spring is Budding with Possibility," click here!

Narrowing the Parameters

It is not a secret that women have always worn a lot of different hats. We are mothers, employees, wives, friends, homemakers, daughters, sisters, caretakers, and so on and so on. So when asked the question, “who do you want to be?” the process of answering can get overwhelming. And takes careful thought. And some investment of time.

Is it no wonder, then, that we often just pass over the question entirely? Frankly it can feel like too much work to answer.



To help me tackle this query, then, I tried to narrow down the parameters a bit. First I considered character. What, I asked, are the three most important character qualities that I want to be known for? And after debating a list of choices, I decided I wanted to have 1) wisdom, 2) leadership, and 3) courage (often displayed as confidence). There were admittedly a lot of other virtuous traits I could have chosen--like empathy, charity, and patience--and perhaps some of those would make the top of your list. But I had to start somewhere, so I started with my top three.



Then I moved onto money. I figured that my attitude and relationship with money (or, more broadly, resources) said a lot about who I was, so I wanted to make sure the message was a good one. I determined that stewardship was my highest priority--meaning that above all things I wanted to be thankful and responsible with the money and resources I had. This meant being a conscientious consumer and a conservative spender. I also decided that I wanted to make money--to be profitable--during all the seasons of my life. Which led me to the next category: work.

I know that what we do isn’t who we are, but we can express who we are through our work. And so I decided that my work had to provide an outlet for my creativity and intellect, and that it needed to profit my family. Since the job I was working at the time of this little personal inventory only satisfied the last measure--profit--I knew I needed to make a change.



Finally, a large part of who we are involves the relationships we have in our lives. We don’t want our roles in relationships to completely define us, but we do want to be intentional about them. So I decided to examine mine and try to put them into order of importance. Was my role as a mother (well...future mother as in my case) more valuable to me than my role as a friend or a wife? If so, I would need to invest more into it. As such, I actually decided that Wife was my first priority (something I’m constantly trying to remember...), and that Mother came second, and Friend came third. Related to this, I also decided that Mother was more important to me than Worker, which gave me the permission to nurture my maternal side, and to ease up a bit on career.



In any event, this is a long-winded way of saying that taking the time to explore who I wanted to be was worth the energy, and narrowing down the question helped me get to the answers.

So if you’re feeling introspective this weekend, and have a bit of leisure time, consider the following:

:: what three character qualities do you want to be known by?
:: what do you want your money to say about you?
:: what kind of work would express your personality best?
:: and what relational roles are the most important to you?

Happy Introspection!

Glossary of Hats, all from handmade sellers on Etsy.com:
1. romantic chunky knit beret by crafts 2 cherish
2. knitcollar hood by hortensia handmade
3. 1940’s style linen hat by sanchia 845
4. havana fedora by tissage
5. birdcage by fatale femme

Being & Doing: reflections on a Monday morning

After almost two years of blogging, Monday mornings still give me pause. I wake up like most people thinking of the work week ahead--the projects I need to do, the appointments I have, the leftover tasks I didn’t finish from the previous week. And during this quick mental survey of the days ahead, I can’t help but think about the Monday mornings of my past--the ones when I woke up and dreaded the week ahead. On those days I didn’t want to get out of bed. My to-do list held no interest for me. My appointments were void of purpose. My leftover tasks felt like heavy weights on my shoulders.



Those were difficult Mondays.

Fortunately my weekly kick-offs have since improved. And the improvement began with a simple question: who do I want to be? Part of the answer--as you might guess--was that I wanted to be someone who enjoyed Monday mornings.



I find it interesting that we ask children “what do you want to be when you grow up?” and expect them to answer with what they want to do. Because being and doing are not the same thing. Two years ago, for instance, I was doing the expected full-time career, but I wasn’t being who I wanted to be.



I bring this all up because a) it is Monday, and b) originality begins with “who do you want to be?” My answer to the question--a creative entrepreneur/mom/wife/leader--was what led me to overhaul my cookie-cutter life in pursuit of something different. It is what led me here, to all of you.

Originality, then, is not something to do. Yes, there are plenty of original things we can do--many of them I write about here. But fundamentally I want to Be an Original. And that is what we’re going to gab about for the rest of this week. So stick around to hear more...and I hope you enjoy your Monday.

To read more about my "lifestyle makeover," click here.

Day 10: the Balancing Act (as told through vintage advertisements)

It is day ten at the Institute, and Mrs. Marple decided that it was time to address something that often challenges us in the pursuit of fine living: time management.

She commented about how busy we all are today, and how it is difficult to keep a balance between diligence (a necessarily quality for fine living) and burn-out.


The pressures on our time are numbered. First there's the expectation that we will put in a full day of work, because "what you do" often equates to "who you are" (a fact that clearly bugs Mrs. Marple).

But work is only the start. Then you're supposed to keep a clean and tidy house. Wearing heels. The heels are important. As is the apron.

And like it. Oh...you better like it.

And of course cooking is crucial (as is keeping the kids away from narcotics, which apparently this well-manicured mother has overlooked).

You are expected to make sure that kids have a well balanced meal. Although these parents might be more concerned that their son is clearly a serial killer waiting to happen. He's horrifying.

Multi-tasking is an obvious must. Like organizing your food in colorful tupperware while also catching up on the latest news.

And of course there are the garden-variety pressures of maintaining appearances so that you can enjoy a night out on the town with your friends (who are also clearly using some kind of narcotic...what was in the punch, I wonder?).


And with our rising health costs, it is important that you make time daily for fitness.

Do it for your country. Do it for yourself.

And yes--apparently these sexy sauna pants were a real product. They claim to slenderize exactly where you want in an amazing one-size-fits-all easily inflatable model.

Finally, after all of the above is accomplished, you also have to pursue those intimate times. Thankfully there are fashionable temptations like the above swim shorts to aid you.

As does this his-and-hers cowboy attire. Nothing is sexier. Except maybe that hairstyle.

And if you're really struggling, you can opt for these matching white jumpers. Because let's be honest--we all could use some help from time to time.

Mrs. Marple warned us that capitulating to all of these pressures on our time, appearance and mind can drain our creativity, which is the keystone of fine living. And though there are no easy tricks to keeping the right balance, practice can help.

As can white jumpers.

See you in class tomorrow!

Previous Days at the Institute:
Day 9: Pink, Pink & Pink
Day 8: Ditching Class
Day 5: Getting Ahead

Day 2: the Secret to Fine Living (and other things I already know but are good to remember anyway)

"The secret to fine living," Mrs. Marple said in today’s class, "is to know who you are. Not just what job you do, or whether you are single or married, or how you look.

"And who you are," she continued, "is a creative female with the ability to make your life into something special."

Even though I already knew this, it was nice to be reminded of it once again. After working for years in a job I didn't enjoy, I found myself using this very piece of encouragement and advice to make a dramatic change. I quit my job and subsequently discovered a whole world of possibility right inside my front door. It was a good decision, and I knew that Mrs. Marple’s advice was true.
She then went on to explain that each of us has the opportunity to develop four major areas in our lives: our industry (how we share our talents with the world), our character, our home, and our outreach (how we help others). “I will,” she explained, “give you assignments during the next 28 days specifically designed to help you develop these areas.”

And she passed out a survey for us to take home and complete before class tomorrow. I've included one for you in case you forgot. Apparently Mrs. Marple doesn't believe that dogs (or husbands, kids, haunted vacuums, and/or devious roommates) will eat your homework.

Speaking of homework...I hope it will not be too much, because frankly I already have a lot on my plate. But I’m guessing that even if I don’t get to all of it right away, I can always come back to it later, when I have more time.

Just don’t tell Mrs. Marple.

**Download Mrs. Marple's 4 Pillar Survey!**

Previous Days @ the Institute:
Day 1: Acceptance
Mrs. Marple's Institute webpage

the Recesionista Brand

Yesterday I asked you all to think about your “introduction” speeches--the ones you make when you introduce yourself to strangers for the first time. Like, “hi, I’m Sally and I twirl batons in my spare time, and work in plumbing during the day." Or, "I'm Patty and I take care of my three small children all day while secretly dreaming about a career in the circus."

The Labels Don't Fit
Introduction speeches became very relevant to me last year as I transitioned into my new life of “domestic entrepreneurialism.” Because for a long time I didn’t really know what to say about myself when I met new people. There weren’t any good labels for what I was doing. I was too entrepreneurial to be called a housewife. But my entrepreneurialism was too informal for me to be a “small business owner.” And since I wasn’t a mom, I couldn’t apply the stay-at-home-mom sticker. And obviously the 9-5 label no longer fit.

This was perhaps when I decided that what I needed was a label-less brand. Like the look of couture without the designer’s initials stitched into the seam. I wanted people to be able to identify the qualities of my “brand” without subjecting myself to the oversimplification of a label.

Unsurprisingly, over a year later, many of the qualities I settled on have trickled their way into my writing. Certainly they've been running like threads throughout this Recessionista series: entrepreneurialism, creativity, being leaders from our homes.... And though I haven’t exactly figured out how to package that neatly into an introduction speech, I’m working on it.

Three Things...
Because what I want for myself and for you readers--whether you work full time or stay home or balance some combination of both--is a brand that communicates three essential things: creativity, resourcefulness and leadership. When people meet me, I want them to know that I practice thinking outside of the box, that I am smart about the resources I have (whether they are tangible, like my money or my supplies, or intangible, like my skills and talents), and that I am a leader. And I wouldn’t mind shattering their preconceived notions about the vital nature of work done from and for the home while I’m at it.

New Speeches
Certainly I don’t expect all of us to start adding “hello, I’m a Recessionista,” to our introductory speeches. Because frankly that would be weird. And also because “Recessionista” is more like a label than a brand. But I would love to have some introductions that stretch beyond convention by sparking hints of creativity, resourcefulness and leadership. Like, "hi, I'm Sandy and I spend my time raising my two young children and growing my scrapbook network. I'm always looking for new members to join me in scrapbook therapy, to swap supplies, and share ideas. Would you be interested?" Or, "I'm Kathy and I work as an accountant by day, helping people navigate their finances. And since I love dogs, I also volunteer weekly at the pet shelter where I connect animals with new families. It's my way of helping our community."

As for me, "I'm Stephanie and I'm a blogger who passionately writes about domestic life all day. And yes--I did make this red dress. What did you say your name was again? James, was it?"

Previous Recessionista Posts:
Brand It!
Thinking Outside the Box
Homegrown Resilience
Servin' Up Solutions

Brand It!

I was putting on my white cotton sundress today for the first time this spring, and couldn’t help but think about last week’s post on “accessorizing” my life with creative ventures. And as I was looking at my dress, with it’s slightly vintage style, I wondered what type of “brand” would fit me. Fit me not so much in the fashion sense, but in the “whole person” sense (seriously--I do think about these things when I’m getting ready in the morning. I’ll have a doctor look into it momentarily.)

So Popular
Let me explain. Branding, of course, has gotten oh so popular these days, what with our flashy marketing tricks and clever sales hooks. And naturally with all of this marketing going on, it was bound to trickle down into our personal lives in a motivational, self-help kind of way eventually. And while I normally try to avoid all that proactive self-awareness, in the case of branding I have to confess that I’m intrigued.

My Own Personal Brand?
Intrigued because after leaving my 9-5 job, I found that I had to give myself a little branding makeover. I went from “career girl responsibly pursuing a future in finance” to...well...I wasn’t sure. Housewife? Small business owner? Writer? Perhaps a little bit of all of the above?

In essence, I needed to know Who exactly was I, and How was I going to share myself with others?

Our Public Selves
And so I bring up this subject of branding (which, since I haven’t said it already, is basically the process of figuring out how to present yourself to the public) because I’ve spent a lot of time during this Recessionista series writing about entrepreneurialism and resumes and leadership. And all of these activities involve us as women expressing our personalities and ambitions to the outside world. And frankly this task can get tricky.

For instance, how many of you readers are stay-at-home moms, and have struggled to articulate what you do to strangers in small talk? “I stay home,” isn’t a very satisfying "brand," but it often becomes the label anyway. Or how about those of you who work full time, but don’t feel that your jobs fully express (or express at all!) your interests and personality? The “what do you do?” question bugs you because what you do from 9-5 isn’t who you are. Not even close.

So how do we, as women, find a way to communicate who we are in a way that is more accurate and satisfying than “I stay home,” or “My job is...”? The answers, perhaps, can be found with a little time spent branding.

Setting the Stage
Naturally there are a Ton of ways I can speak about this process, but frankly this post is already getting too long. So, rather than talk your ear off all morning, I will set the stage for a continuation of this subject in the days to come. Consider it my way to begin wrapping up Recessionistas, and tying everything together under a “Recessionista brand." Because before the summer is upon us, and we're too relaxed to give much care to our public presentation (outside of how we look in a bathing suit, of course), I thought we could spend a little time thinking about what it means to share our vibrant, multi-dimensional selves with others.

Homework
So, to get the ball rolling, I have some homework for you. Don't worry--nothing too serious. Just a small exerice, which is to:
think about your "introduction speech"? (You know--the one that you give to people when you are introducing yourself.) What do you say? More importantly, what do you omit? Are you pleased, or discontent, with it? Why?

I'll bring my answer, plus more, to tomorrow's post. Hope to see you then!

Previous Related Posts:
Express Yourself: entreprenuerialism as an accessory
Recessionista Resume
But I'm Not Crafty (and other misconceptions about being an entrepreneur)
Now is Our Time

Express Yourself: entrepreneurialism as an accessory

ahem...An analogy for entrepreneurial expression:

Picture, if you will, your different roles as a woman as the various pieces of your wardrobe. Marriage, motherhood and career are like your staples--the hard working items that provide the foundation for your look. They are your favorite jeans that go with everything, or the classic white dress shirt, or the pair of black heels. They define the most important work and relationships in your life.

Adding a Personal Touch
But a wardrobe isn’t usually great if we stop there. Though very stable and solid, it lacks a certain punch. Sure, we’ve probably expressed our own style to a certain extent in these roles, adding our personal touch as a wife or bringing our own character to mothering. Just like choosing a boot cut over a slim leg, or peep toes over square. But those choices still don’t adequately express the fullness of who we are, and what our style is.

Because in order to that, you need accessories. Handbags, fun shoes, skirts and scarves. Prints, stripes, colors and texture. For me, these final touches that we add on top of our roles as wives and moms and worker bees are where some of the best opportunities lay for personal expression.

A Good Accessory
And it won’t surprise you to learn that I think one of the best ways to accessorize our lives is through entrepreneurialism. Not the formal go-out-and-get-a-business-license kind, but the creative, interest-and-talent-driven type. Nurturing your hobbies and skills, and daring to bring them out from the closet and wear them in public, can be very rewarding. Like turning your love for reading into a book-review blog. Or sharing your passion for children’s development by organizing a weekly educational field trip for your daughter’s friends and neighbors. Or cultivating your fancy for beads by designing your own special jewelry line. These things, like headbands and purses, are what make us stand out in a crowd and sparkle. They are what make us us.

Some Days...
It is true that sometimes we don’t have the energy to accessorize. Some days it is enough to throw on our tried-and-true denim and black flats and head out the door. Some days, marriage and kids and career are all that we can juggle. But for a Recessionista, not every day should be like that. Some days--hopefully most days--are meant for more style. Days for marriage and kids and work, and also a little extra flare. A little creativity on the side.

My, don’t you look nice today in your polka dots and red shoes--
--Why, thank you. They’re my favorite. I try to wear them whenever I can.

Previous Related Posts:
Your Inner Entrepreneur
But I'm Not Crafty (and other misconceptions about being an entrepreneur)
Recessionista Resume

Recessionista Resume

This past week I was browsing the office supply aisle at the store, and took notice of all the different “resume grade” paper options for sale. For a premium price, you could buy fine linen or parchment or watermarked sheets, each promising to make a good first impression with the resume recipient.

And for some reason the sight of all these papers lined up in a row got me thinking about modern resumes, especially during a recession. And I wondered “what type of resume would a Recessionista have?”

Does Career = Job?
A comment made by a friend later in the week provided a key clue. She mentioned that she didn’t think a person’s career should be defined solely by their job(s). In her opinion, a “career” included activities done both in and outside of traditional employment. I was intrigued by this broader definition of work and considered what a Recessionista resume would look like if it followed this philosophy.

Ideas for a Recessionista Resume
And though I haven’t settled on exact formula (as if there is one), the following are some ideas I think a Recessionista could include on her resume:

* details of her “extra curricular” activities. These activities, be they social clubs, hobbies or volunteer engagements, say a lot about a person. Granted, an employer is not looking for the same type of “well rounded person” that, say, a college admissions board is looking for, but when these activities can be tied to job skills, they can really make a resume shine.

* highlights of entrepreneurialism. Employers are not too keen on hiring someone who already has their own business, but they do love to hear about your sales and marketing skills. Recessionistas can play up their creative entrepreneurialism in ways that won’t scare away an employer by emphasizing these skills as part of an ongoing and informal entrepreneurial lifestyle.

* quantified accounts of resourcefulness. Although an employer isn’t likely to be impressed with “I managed my household budget for 10 years,” they might take a second look at “I cut 15% off of budget spending and invested the difference for a 10% return.” And yes, you will have to explain that these savings were done at home, but coupled with a description of how you approached your savings & investment strategy, you might make a great impression.

A Little Risky
Of course modifying a resume to include some of these non-traditional features is a little risky, and some risks might not be worth taking. So if you feel more comfortable with a traditional resume, stick with that. But if you are looking to broaden your definition of "career" to include a variety of skills and activities that fall outside of your job, a resume is a great place to start.

And in my opinion is beats the pants off of linen or parchment paper.

Do you have any resume tips you'd like to share? Or maybe your thoughts on "careers" verses "jobs." Post your thoughts below!

Previous Related Posts on Resumes and Work in a Recession:
Building a Resume that Rocks
My Recession Proof Plan for the Work from Home Life
My Stay at Home Resume Makeover
Smarty Pants: Is Staying Home Foolish in a Recession?

But I'm not Crafty...(and other misconceptions about being an entrepreneur)

“Yeah, but I’m not very crafty,” is a comment I often hear from women when I start talking about entrepreneurialism. As if making things using needles or thread or paint or yarn are somehow the only ways for women to be entrepreneurs.

I Get It:
Don’t get me wrong--I get it. As I’ve written before, I was never that lemonade-stand kid. But now that I’m all grown up, somehow I managed to find myself with not one but a small handful of entrepreneurial ventures, and I realize that I had to overcome several misconceptions along the way. Misconceptions that I think are worth sharing...

Misconceptions:
you have to make something. A quick scan through my archives will clearly reveal that I Love making stuff and Love the stuff other people make. But creating a product to sell is only one way among many to be an entrepreneur. Selling a product you don’t make, for instance, is a very popular way to earn a living (just look at all those home-party business opportunities out there). Selling a service (teaching, consulting, designing, etc.) is also an almost limitless way to gain a wage. In other words, being crafty is not a prerequisite.

you have to make a lot of money for it to be “real.” This fallacy is one of my pet peeves. Yes, money is a great legitimizer of work. But lots of women I know use their entrepreneurialism to share their creativity with the world, enhance the lives of others, or earn supplemental income for important causes. Maybe their businesses aren’t big or fancy, but they are fulfilling. And that, to me, is as “real” as it gets.

you have to have a formal business. This is probably one of the biggest hurdles to overcome--this idea that in order to nurture your entrepreneurialism you have to create a business name and compute taxes and hire an accountant and buy stationary. In reality, a lot of entrepreneurial activities are informal. It is very clever, for instance, to use your web design skills in a trade for piano lessons. Or to exercise your event-planning expertise to organize a swap meet. These activities have monetary value (either by making or saving money), but are not formal at all.

Why So Much Attention?
And why do I put so much emphasis on entrepreneurialism? Because I believe that we as women are innately talented and creative, but that we often don’t see our talents as entrepreneurial opportunities. This is a crying shame to me, recession or not. Intuitively I think we understand that “work” doesn’t fall so neatly into “employment” and “parenting,” and yet we so often find ourselves in these little boxes anyway. By placing a high premium on entrepreneurialism, I’m hoping to encourage all of us to see work in a more realistic light: as fluid, unconventional, creative opportunities for us to share/barter/sell our skills with others, and receive likewise from them.

So when we stop seeing entrepreneurialism as just a formal-tax-paying-number-crunching-income-earning endeavor, but also as community-stewardship-resourcefulness-creativity, we might just find ourselves out in the lawn with lemonade.

Previous Recessionista Posts:
Your Inner Entrepreneur
Smarty Pants: Jobs vs. Livelihoods
A Wallet Full of Friends

Smarty Pants: Is Staying Home Foolish in a Recession?

note: smarty pants posts are my responses and reflections on current events, and the questions they stir up.

Fair Questions:
Will the stay-at-home lifestyle become an inevitable casualty of the recession? This is the question I asked myself when I read a recent article in Time Magazine about women scrambling to get back into the workforce after leaving it to raise children.

It is a fair question. Other fair questions include: is it foolish to be home right now? should women try to get jobs before it gets too late? is staying home during a recession a financially irresponsible choice?

The answers to those questions, of course, are relative. What might be responsible for one person would be unwise for another. Nevertheless, I think that there are some themes and trends worth pondering about stay-at-home living and the current recession:

Worth Considering...
* Fear influences our perspective and decisions. For many of us, this recession is scary. The notion that the “window is closing” for employment might cause some of us to pursue a conventional job even when we don’t want or need one, usually for fear that someday we might.
* Furthermore, staying home--a choice that on its own incites cultural resistance--becomes even harder when the focus on dollars and cents is intensified. The day-to-day activities that don’t generate income, or generate small income, are more tempting to eschew in favor of traditional work and payment.

But:
* There are ways that you can be proactive about work while staying home. Many women manage to launch small companies from their homes that provide either living or supplemental incomes for their families. Furthermore, women staying home can prepare themselves to enter the workforce if needed by taking steps to heighten their employability now. Read below under “previous posts” for more information.
* Also, working and income are not the only safeguards during this recession; home management helps too. Strong community ties, disciplined budgeting, creative resourcefulness, and the like can all fortify a family against the throngs of recession. Paychecks are not the only solution.

A Defense
Certainly I would never council someone to stay home if they weren’t making ends meet at the end of the month. But I do think that home-based lifestyles are particularly vulnerable during recessions, and I find myself wanting to defend them. Not just because I work from home, but also because I think they provide tangible (dare I say quantifiable?) value.

Thoughts?
What are your thoughts? Are you staying home and feeling heightened pressure to hit the pavement? Are you currently searching for work? What do you think about stay-at-home living during a recession? Post your comments here.

And don’t forget to become a part of my inner circle by signing up for my newsletter today!

Previous Related Posts:
Smarty Pants: Jobs vs. Livelihoods
Overcoming Objections
Building a Resume that Rocks
My Recession-Proof Plan for the Work-from-Home Life

Marketplace Maven's Book Review: the Anti 9-5 Guide by Michelle Goodman

Since I'm taking the month of January to hunt down new Mavens for the first season of 2009, I thought I would use this time to highlight a few great resources out there for the entrepreneurially inclined.  First on my reading list this year has been Michelle Goodman's The Anti 9-5 Guide.  

The books starts with a familiar story (at least familiar to me) of a young woman--Michelle--working the 9-5, stuck in a cubicle, and hating it.  So she ditched her job and launched her freelance career.  Without a plan, I might add.  This book is her "if I only knew then what I know now" tome to being your own boss.  

Unlike a lot of career books that teach you how to set up and manage a business, Goodman's book shows you how to get out of the job you don't like and into the profession you've been dreaming of.  A more creative, flexible, and freelance profession.

Goodman includes a lot of tips that I wish I would have had during my days as a 9-5-banker-contemplating-a-big-career-change, like how to do research about the job you want (hint: a lot of it includes networking and interviewing other people).  She stresses how important budgeting is before you leave your bread-and-butter job, and how to nurture a business on-the-side until it is grown enough to work full time.  Goodman also shares some great tips on working from home (I applied a lot of these to myself), and how to work with kiddos/spouses/pets in the house and still get stuff done!  

Overall, her practical how-to's were insightful and easy to implement.  And encouraging.  I can wholeheartedly say that this is the book I wish I had had before I left the 9-5, but it is certainly better late than never.  So, if you are contemplating a career change from the cubicle to the home (say a new mom, or a twenty-something creative crafter, or a current maven), this is a great book to add to your library.

To read an interview of Michelle, conducted by previous Mavens Lauren Bacon and Emira Mears of The Boss of You, click here.

See you all tomorrow!

Related Posts:

Marketplace Mavens: Lauren Bacon & Emira Mears

Calling all Mavens!

Grassroots Jobs

Help!  I Need a Lifestyle Makeover!

My Domestic Renaissance

I have a confession to make.  Ever since the holidays ended and I started up with this Nesting series, I've been feeling a little guilty.  Guilty because focusing on creating a comfortable and secure home doesn't seem like "real work."  You'd think that after intentionally choosing to leave the "real work" of 9-5 banking a year ago for the precise reason of wanting more time at home that I'd be over my internal conflicts, but apparently they linger.

I took some comfort, then, in the pages of The Gentle Art of Domesticity by author and blogger, Jane Brocket, this morning.  In her introduction, she describes her departure from the "real world" of her professional career into something that was more fulfilling and authentic for her--domestic life.  She confesses to sometimes struggling (much as I do) with setting aside a formal career, but with several books, a successful blog, and a flexible, family-centered schedule, I'd say she has accomplished a lifestyle that many of us women only dream about.

I address this issue here at the beginning of Nesting because I figure that I'm not the only one who is drawn to the creativity and possibility of "home," and perhaps feels a twinge of guilt over that attraction.  We work the 9-5 because financially we must, or because that is the acceptable cultural norm, but how many of us would rather pass the time Nesting instead?  It can't just be me....

Jane Brocket reminds us that choosing a domestic life is "a conscious choice to do something 'old-fashioned' and 'quaint,' to choose not to buy and consume endlessly, but to make and create for a change."  I couldn't have written it better myself.  The opportunity--the challenge--to create is the primary quality that attracts me to this lifestyle.

I guess over the last year I've instituted a "domestic renaissance" in my life.  I wish I could say that I'm 100% comfortable with that choice, but obviously I still wrestle with feeling like I'm not doing real work.  My guilt, however, has not yet persuaded me to change course (again), and tromp back into the 9-5.  Instead, I'll invest my time in Nesting for awhile longer and see where that takes me.

Calling all Mavens!

One of my favorite features on this blog to write is the weekly Marketplace Maven article, which I publish on Mondays. Each week I get to tell the story of a female entrepreneur who I admire. Many of these women work from home while raising a family, or abandoned the 9-5 (like I did) for something more fulfilling, or have found a way to elevate their creative interests from hobby to career. Some of them I have met and interviewed personally, while others are women I know from a distance, through their blogs or their books or their businesses.

Because I have so much fun writing this Maven section, I am excited to start another year of Mondays featuring more inspiring women. I have a few already on my list to interview, but I need your help finding more.

I know that you know women in your life who fit the Maven profile: creative, entrepreneurial, and working for themselves in some capacity. Perhaps you, yourself, are a Maven. Well, I want to hear your story or your nominations. Therefore, I'm dedicating the month of January to search out new stories for 2009! I'm hoping that by the beginning of February I'll have a dozen or more Mavens to feature.

Please consider giving your friend, or yourself, the opportunity to motivate and encourage other women to pursue their entrepreneurial passion by sharing examples of how to do it! Send me your Maven story today, by emailing me at shillberry@comcast.net.

A Domestic Anniversary of Sorts

It's the Monday after the Christmas holiday, and if you are anything like me, you are struggling to find the motivation to be productive.  Especially with another holiday just days away.  Alas, we must dig deep and persevere!

I hope that you all enjoyed your holiday.  We had a great Christmas up in the snowy mountains where I enjoyed several days of movies and long naps and knitting by the fire.  Now that I'm back home, I find myself staring blankly at my to-do list, which includes among other things grocery shopping (my refrigerator has a shocking lack of food), cleaning, and putting away all those annual holiday decorations back into the boxes and into the basement until next year.  At least my husband already did all of the laundry (I know--he's a keeper).

I've also caught myself reflecting a lot on my life over this past year, probably because the new year marks an anniversary of sorts for me.  I suppose I could call it my "domestic anniversary" because one year ago I quit my 9-5 job in corporate America and set out to makeover my lifestyle.  I was searching for a more creative livelihood (hence the blogging and the Etsy store), and something closer to home (technically something in the home).  I told myself that I'd give it a year, and then reevaluate my choices.  Well, the time for reevaluation has arrived.

I can't say that this year has been a piece of cake.  Parts of it (many parts of it) have been challenging for me.  It was more difficult than I anticipated to walk away from a steady income, and to answer the "what do you do?" question.  I was also often pulled between my post-feminist cultural upbringing and my secret attraction to domestic life, and had many an argument in my head about the significance of my choices to leave my career and work from home.  Furthermore, starting a business (as many of the mavens I feature on this blog already know) often requires more patience and discipline than I felt prepared for.

Nevertheless, one year later, I wouldn't have changed a thing.  And I certainly have no desire to turn back.  In fact, my "domestic convictions" are growing rather than diminishing.  Yes, certain aspects of my "lifestyle makeover" are still uncomfortable, but no more so than certain aspects of the 9-5 life I lived before.  And when I log onto this blog, or add something new to my Etsy store, or talk to someone about my life, I feel pretty good about my choices.

All of this to say that I am looking forward to another year of creating and writing and making a home and waxing poetically about social issues and how they apply to domestic life.  

Starting, of course, with the grocery list....

Marketplace Mavens: featuring Lori of Premier Designs (Part II)

I mentioned in last week's Maven post that my conversation with Lori from Premier Designs warranted at least two weeks, and so we are continuing with Part II today.  (note: in case you missed Part I, click here to catch up!)

I was inspired by Lori's personal story of fortitude, and we spent a great deal of time talking about overcoming obstacles, working for yourself, and building confidence.  Beyond that, though, there is another element to Lori's work that I wanted to highlight because I think it is an important part of female entrepreneurialism: the home-party business model.

Most of us are familiar with this type of work.  You host a party and invite your friends and coworkers.  Then a representative from the company (be it Party Lite or Mary Kay or Avon or Pampered Chef) comes and makes a presentation about the products.  Samples are tried, perhaps games are played, and--if the party is good--wine is served.  The representative has two goals at the parties: one is to sell products, and two is to possibly recruit other women to join the company as well.

Now--let's be honest: these business models often get a bad rap.  Because the products, and the selling venue, are very...well..."girly," they tend to not garner the kind of respect that more "formal" business get.  They are chided for being "hobbies" rather than "jobs," and therefore aren't taken seriously by some.  And because so many women dip their feet into selling but then quickly fizzle out, they have a reputation for over-promising success.

Because these are common perceptions, I wanted to give Lori a chance to address them, and make a case for why this type of business model has been so good for her.  Here were the points she made:

1.  Home-party businesses allow women/mothers to work from home, which was critically important for a single mom like Lori.  They offer the kind of flexibility that moms need in a way that most jobs do not.

2.  There are great opportunities for coaching and mentorship.  I envied Lori as she talked about some of the women in her company who were there to encourage and motivate her as she built her business.  And I know she provides the same encouragement to the women selling under her.  I know firsthand how lonely entrepreneurship can be, and this type of built-in support can be priceless.

3.  Contrary to most start-up businesses, these models often require little overhead (like rent, supplies, inventory, staff, etc.), usually offer financing (at lower rates and for lower amounts than most banks would ever offer), and even provide tax help.  In other words, the companies often remove the biggest barriers that might discourage women from running their own businesses, and that is commendable.

4.  In Lori's words, you get out of them what you put into them.  She acknowledged that many women drop out early, but that the persistent ones are successful.  It is a matter of motivation, confidence and endurance, she explained.  Lori is a testimony to all three, and supports three children from her "girly" job selling jewelry, so obviously she speaks to success from personal experience.

So, in a nutshell, Lori reminded me that there are many virtues to a home-party business, like support and coaching, financial help, and flexibility.  She wanted to encourage women out there to be open minded and even enthusiastic about this type of business and the opportunities it provides for women to work for themselves (so keep that in mind when someone asks you to host a party!).  After listening to the benefits, I can see why.  Of course not every woman is interested in selling products in the homes of friends and family, but if you are toying with the idea of making some money, and looking for a low-risk opportunity, take it from Lori: consider Premier Designs or another home-party company as a good place to start your home-based career.

On a general note, I have to say that these interviews and stories are by far my most favorite thing to write on this blog.  And while this will be the last Maven post for the year, I am really looking forward to hearing more great stories in 2009!  And I'm always looking for great Maven candidates, so don't hesitate to email me your story or nomination today at shillberry@comcast.net!