April 30, 2014

Favorites April 2014

The Creative Entrepreneur by Lisa Sonora Beam

“A Do-It-Yourself Visual Guidebook for Making Business Ideas Real”

My friend Frances introduced this book to a small group of us and it became incredible art therapy for us all. Lisa has created a method of writing a business plan that is unlike anything you’ve done…it’s fun, creative, messy, deep, challenging, rewarding. Get to the game plan, yes, but the path is an incredible journey…

She writes:

“The Creative Entrepreneur offers a dynamic left/right brain approach to developing a business focus that evaluates underlying internal issues unique to creative types and show how to practically address them.”

I’ve done most of the book twice: once in a group of three women and the second time with a group of four women, it took us months! I highly recommend doing it with at least one friend–it helps to have someone to share the processing and keep you on task. Nothing like peer pressure.

The questions and tasks cover a wide range of modalities to help you dive in. Sometimes challenging, they guide you to find the sweet spot overlap of your gifts, skills, meaning, and value of both you and your business ideas.

OOooo making S.M.A.R.T. objectives fun…

You create your own Visual Journal by following along with her workbook to help with business development from an unconventional and creative perspective. A blank book, some paints, some pens, scissors and glue… much can happen with just a few supplies!

These are from my journals.

Recipe cards to give your different modes a nudge when facing a challenge. I couldn’t stop making these—real life cut-and-paste.

Lisa’s words say it so well…

“Business is more about emotions than most business people care to admit. It’s time to put the passion for work and the joy of creation back into business.”

Cheers to that!

And cheers to spring.