Escape from Cubicle Nation

Interested in a "what should I do with my life" workshop?

Most of you who read my blog know that I love to work with people in corporate jobs who have a hot idea for a business but are perplexed by how to make it happen.  That is the primary focus of my coaching work, and I try to stay clear on that, to follow my own advice of choosing a niche and sticking to it.

But I get quite a few (hundred, actually) emails from people who say they know they are not happy in their jobs but have no idea what to do next.  Up to this point, I have said to most of them:

"Go buy Martha Beck's book Finding Your Own North Star and go through the exercises.  If, after doing that, you get clear that you want to start a business, call me and we can discuss working together.  If not, I would be happy to refer you to great career counselors who can help you find a more rewarding job."

I point people to this book since I consider it a prerequisite to any kind of career work.  It has fantastic exercises for deciphering your conflicting desires, clarifying what you enjoy doing, clearing out any crappy thoughts that get in your way and providing a clear framework for making it through a career transition successfully. I have read it many, many times, and each time have gained new insight into my own path in life.

So recently, my friend and fellow Martha Beck master coach Brooke Castillo gave me a great idea:  she taught a 12-week teleclass using the book where each week the group would work through one chapter. She said it was an amazing and valuable experience for the participants.  I got really fired up, since I think it would be a blast, and a great way to help a group of people who feel kind of lost. 

So before putting anything "official" together, I wanted to test interest.  Does something like this sound fun to you? 

Class details:

Dates:  Start sometime in July
Meetings:  1 hour every week for 12-15 weeks (depending on if we cover one chapter a week or collapse a couple)
Format:  Conference call, recorded if you miss.  Private web forum available for participants for questions, sharing feedback, my coaching etc.
Cost:  I'm thinking around $500, but that is not yet set in stone

If it sounds good, would you mind signing up on this list?  That way I can gauge interest, and send  information to those who want more.  Feel free to email questions to pcs (at) ganas (dot) com.

Please remember to look for a confirmation email right after you sign up, as you have to open it and click the link to validate your subscription to this list, in order to get the follow up emails.

Thanks for your input!  I am looking forward to it.

Profiled on Entrepreneur.com: Weekend Entrepreneur

Michelle Anton, author of the Weekend Entrepreneur blog on the Entrepreneur.com network, was kind enough to publish an interview with me on her site today, Living Happily Ever After Escaping the Cubicle.  Check it out, and leave a note!

The focus of Weekend Entrepreneur is entrepreneurial ventures you can start on the side of a day job so that you test the waters of being a business owner, bring in extra cash, scratch a creative itch or just try something new.  It is a strategy I highly recommend, as it can give you first-hand knowledge of the reality of being your own boss.  I have mentioned theory vs. reality before on the blog, with my homemade drawings that illustrate what my college professor drew for us on the white board before we embarked on an international study program:

Which is quickly matched with life "on the ground":

Any of you out there who have made the leap to entrepreneurship know what I am talking about!

Entrepreneur.com has some great information, including my favorite business mentor Tim Berry's blog Up and Running.

Michelle recently co-wrote Weekend Entrepreneur:  101 Great Ways to Earn Extra Cash in Your Spare Time, based on ideas profiled on her blog.  I am sure that extra cash sounds good to many of you out there these days. 

Thank you so much Michelle for the opportunity to meet your readers!

If you sent me an email recently -- please send again!

Thanks to all who commiserated with me about my recent hard drive crash on my new iMac.  It made for quite an exciting couple of days!

Final report:

I got all my data back, except for everything in Outlook.  That includes current and archived emails, contacts and calendar information.

This is not all of my information from the beginning of time, but rather the last few months, when I switched from PC to Mac. 

So ... if you sent me an email recently and have not heard back ... would you mind resending? My email address is still the same, pcs (at) ganas (dot) com.

I will be sending a special note to all of my Escape from Cubicle Nation Advisory Council members who had submitted wonderful anecdotes and information for the book, which are now freely cavorting with each other in the "land of the lost files." (To find out more about my book advisory council -- details here -- I encourage you to sign up!)

I have forever sworn off Outlook and now am now a happy user of gmail.  I am busy incorporating gmail lifehacking tips from Gina Trapani's book Upgrade Your Life which I will blog about soon, as it is full of wonderful information.

Although losing data is never fun, in a strange way, I feel lighter, more free and excited about my new computer work environment.  I don't believe in accidents, so maybe this is part of a divine plan to make sure I have the most streamlined, secure and flexible work infrastructure possible.

Oh, and you can bet I will be backing up my files 3 different  ways every day.

Have a great weekend everyone!

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Special note to Peter (last name?) who left a message today on the Martha Beck blog post "Do you HAVE to do anything?"  I accidentally deleted your wonderful comment!  We got sprayed by tons of "online poker and casino" spam, so in my haste to delete a bunch, I deleted yours.  I felt heartsick, as I loved the comment!  If you have the thoughts to share again (it was about your realization that you don't HAVE to read all your RSS feeds), I would be so appreciative if you would re-post them.  If not, know that I really loved your example and encourage you to keep the good thoughts going.  :)

EfCN now has search

Inspired by a tip when I had coffee with John Jantsch the other morning (thanks John!) I added Google Custom Search to the upper right-hand of this blog.  I should have had search capabilities a long time ago, but got lazy.  Thanks to all of you who goaded me to do it (Pete W. and Robin in particular).

Given my limited coding skills, I can't figure out how to have the results display on my own blog page like John's does on Duct Tape Marketing, so for the moment, I am having Google host the search results.

But I am getting some help with blog enhancements next month, so I will straighten it out then.

My first move is in the spirit of "improvement, not perfection!"

Have a great weekend everyone!

Queen for a day, thanks to the Pakistani Spectator

My very kind friend Ghazala Khan from the Pakistani Spectator conducted an interview with me and posted it this morning.  Read it here.

I think the lead quote is one that I will have to frame and put above my desk.  Yesterday, I was a woman overwhelmed with emails, concerned with the volume of dirty laundry in my hamper, and wondering what to cook for dinner.  Today:

"Pamela Slim is the queen of blogging world. She is the leading change agent of this planet right now illuminating the lives of thousands and thousands of people around the globe, intentionally and unintentionally."

What a difference a day makes!  :) 

The interview questions are extremely diverse, from what I think about politicians using Twitter to the relationship between the developed and developing worlds.  I am not sure I did any of the questions justice, but it was interesting to think about how blogging connects us in so many ways.

And my interactions with the reporter reminded me of something I learned while living in Bogota, Colombia:  often, people who live with the most conflict, threat of violence and uncertainty are the most kind and decent human beings on the planet.  Despite Colombians living through centuries of bloodshed and civil wars, they are generous, funny and spirited.  I get the same sense about the Pakistani people.  While the mainstream news only reports on the heartbreaking violence and political turmoil, it is good to remember that amidst that danger and violence are smart, concerned citizens who want the very same thing the rest of us do:  a good life for their children, purpose and passion at work and a healthy planet.

I am going to try to get the most out of my "queen for a day" status.  When my husband asks for my help, I will say "Sorry honey, I wish I could take out the recycling, but I am busy illuminating the lives of thousands of people around the globe."

Do you think it will work?

New audio program to help entrenched employees launch out of their cubes

Last year, up until about 5 minutes before having a baby (ok, a week!) I was putting the finishing touches on an audio product that I created to gently nudge entrenched employees out of their cube.  It was too much to launch a new baby Slim and a product at the same time (my first bona fide information product, by the way, woo hoo!), so I waited until I was in full business gear to tell you about it.  For some reason, today felt like a good day, so here goes!

The product covers what I feel are the critical first steps to get out of your cube.  They don't have to do with writing a business plan or creating a logo or setting up a blog, they have to do with understanding and evaluating your fears about leaving a business and getting clear on the kind of life that would make you happy.

In my experience working with clients, if you don't deal with these things first, it makes the rest of the process very difficult.

I chose to record audio because it feels more personal to talk through the exercises.  I recorded it in the VoiceAmerica studio here in Phoenix where I did my  radio show.  I was assisted by the kindest, most encouraging and supportive engineer I know, Ryan Treasure .  He set up a special booth in the studio with curtains, procured a really great quality microphone, provided 5 bottles of water, and talked me through the whole recording process.  I was REALLY pregnant at the time, so he even helped me in and out of the chair.  Thank you Ryan for being such an awesome human being and consummate professional.

Product Summary

• 40 Minute CD in three sections: 
  
  • Step 1:  Assess your fears and identify antidotes
  • Step 2:  Clear your mind
  • Step 3:  Paint a picture of your ideal life
• 35 page booklet with the full text of the audios, exercises and additional information

If this sounds like something that would interest you, check out the full sales page here!
www.ganas.com/phase1

I am really excited about this, and want to thank all of my readers for continually goading me to do better and do more.  You are the best!

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Update 2/2:  All systems go!