I’m having fun with a service called Animoto, especially for those of us who do not like to get in front of the camera. Yup, working my way up to that one 
. For now having fun creating videos for The Blue Jeans VA and for my clients. I look forward to sharing more.
Do you have procedure written out for common tasks?
April 22, 2009 By View Comments
As I start to build my team and create plans for the future, I am being reminded how important processes and procedures are to efficiency and communication.
I have been so anti-proceedure in the past, check lists yes to help me remember all the areas to consider, but step by step instructions? No way too constricting. And… I hear this from my clients as well.
Many of my clients are highly creative, go with the inspiration of the moment, my like me! The thought of being forced to follow a set of procedures will curb the flow of creativity. I was in the same boat. [Read more...]
Top 4 Lessons learned about launching an eBook
September 10, 2008 By View Comments
Launching my eBook Simple Steps To Creating Your Portable Office has been a huge learning experience. Thankfully a fun learning experience… enough so that I want to try it again soon!
Lesson #1: Take it one step at a time
If you look at the process as a whole – writing, editing, proofing, launching and promoting an eBook can seem to be a huge project and it is. It was such a relief to look at the entire process from beginning to end and break it out into smaller more manageable chunks and assigning target completion dates to each step. Once I went through that process with my coach it seemed very doable and I began to look forward to the process.
Lesson #2: Have 2nd & 3rd sets of eyes proof for you
After writing and editing both my ebook and my website I got to the point where I felt cross eyed and realized I needed a break. So I stepped away for a few days so I could come back fresh and also enlisted the help of several people to critique my ebook and website. It is amazing what a different perspective can do for you in a project like this.
Lesson #3: Have fun and learn lots!
This really can be a fun process and an incredible opportunity to learn lots of new things. Take your time, enjoy the process and use the opportunity to create a product you can be proud of and are excited to promote and talk about. I learned a lot about me, even more about my chosen topic and had the opportunity to interact with friends and acquaintances as they helped me proof and critique to make my eBook the best it could be.
Lesson #4: Keep it simple – Don’t over analyze
Here is that simple theme again! Don’t over analyze, don’t over criticize and don’t over complicate things. The process is actually quite simple but does not always feel that way so keep it simple, work with a mentor or a friend who will hold you accountable and keep you on track and will remind you to
Keep it Simple!
Simplify & Systematize
July 25, 2008 By View Comments
So I have been noticing a theme in my little corner of the world lately…
"Our life is frittered away by detail… Simplify, Simplify." ~Thoreau
From writing my ebook to business planning to marketing plans I am learning to simplify, simplify.
Its not always easy either! There are some projects and ideas that seem overwhelming with information overload. It is times like this that I know it is time to stop… take a deep breath… and gather my scattered thoughts and take it one step at a time.
This is when I realize and remember just how important it is to set up a system, but where do you start? Sometimes I’ll try an outline and take a look at the steps involved… but honestly most of the time that is just too complicated and is not a good way to capture the fleeting gems quickly enough. That is when I break into my bag of tricks and pull out the power tool ‘Mind Map’.
This super cool tool helps me gather each thought and idea ( great ideas of course:)! ) and get them down on paper all in 1 place. Check out the definition and example of a mind map at Wikipedia . They can be hard to explain so it is usually best to see an example in order to get the ‘picture’.
For creative thinkers, entrepreneurs, renaissance souls and multipreneurs thoughts and ideas can scatter here, there and everywhere so capturing them and putting them onto paper is essential. When I have a new idea my brain can go a little nuts. I have learned that it is just best for everyone concerned to take a second and write it down so I wont obsess in my efforts to not forget.
Mind maps allow these scatters thoughts and ideas to come into a cohesive form. When you use a problem solving and organization tool like a mind map you can start to see a pattern, a series of steps that must be taken from Point A to Point B without jumping to Point F first. A simple tool that can make a great system!
See? Simplify & Systematize… that seems to be a theme.
Entrepreneur's and the Never Ending Project List
April 1, 2008 By View Comments
If you are like me you have a project list that is a mile long and then some! As soon as you have one done, 5 more seem to pop into its place. The entrepreneur is a dreamer and an idea person, usually unending ideas! It keeps the business fun and exciting….and exasperating at times.
There are 3 things that I have found make a difference in working on my project list:
- Quiet time to think and dream
- A notebook to jot ideas down
- Organization of both paper and computer files
The first one Quiet Time for me is essential. The day can get so crazy busy that I try to sit down and look at my project list and the status of the projects during my lunch or during a commercial break or during a teleseminar recording I downloaded. Guess what! It doesn’t work! Now I am budgeting time each week to just sit down and work on managing my projects, it is at these times that I find I get a lot more done and generate new ideas to pursue or refine ideas.
Second having a notebook nearby to jot down ideas. As a creative entrepreneur I have ideas pop up into my head at times when I just do not have time to work on. It has been great to one main place that I know I can go to and jot down my idea or that scribble on a sticky note and have in my idea journal. Maybe you prefer to type and use the computer. Why not keep a project folder on your desktop, a notepad document and even the notes feature on Google desktop. Use whatever method works for you and your work flow. Just remember that it needs to be in one central place.
Organizing your paper and computer files is also essential so that you know the information you need is at your fingertips. It is hard to find time to dedicate to organization but the little time it takes you up front can save you hours of time and frustration later.
For some great organization tips join me in a teleseminar series with Tracy Lawton of Complete Office Organization System. Sign up for her newsletter and you will receive great tips and an invitation to her upcoming free teleseminar starting on April 10th. I highly recommend it.
So this is how work on my project lists…how do you tackle your project list? What works for you? Do you have any tips and ideas?
