2010, By the Month

2010, By the Month Positive Thinking by thinkaboutrainbows The countdown to 2011 has begun! The fam has left (whadda great time!), Christmas Hanukkah are over, and theres nothing but a big, empty week between 2011 myself. No sessions on the books and barely any plans to speak of (nothing but finishing up Battlestar Galactica -were so close!, attending my hubbys improv show taking my weekly Zumba class!), and Im basking in what 2010 was what I want 2011 to be.   Id love it if you joined me! When I read this post by Tiffany that broke her year down by month,   it was something I wanted to blatently copy (that seems to be a theme) to start off this particular week. OK, not totally blatently copy Im gonna insert my own breakdown here instead of copying hers. Ha! Could you imagine if I didnt?! Silliness. What I really wanted to do here is to create part memory book, part growth-chart of my business as it took its baby steps. I certainly dont mean for you to click every link or leave you with the impression that I have a big fat head but, as is my style, this is my way of celebrating. Im putting the money where my mouth is, people! And youll see I chart my head-scratchers and epic fails, too. Bring it! Jan 2010 launched the new version of my website, thanks to the talent of web designer extraordinaire Bekky Pollock incorporated When I Grow Up Coach into an LLC and turned into a fancy business lady overnight, complete with a business account and a cool debit card that said, Michelle Ward, When I Grow Up Coach (I like to put expenses on it say, This ones on The When I Grow Up Coach) featured in the Newsweek video, Put Me In, Life Coach, which ended up being all about me (eek!) recommended by Danielle LaPorte as a high energy Gen Yr focused on getting people to their best career, might have fainted because of it announced new group coaching sessions only got 1 sign-up, which does not a group coaching session make. Refunded her money and brushed myself off. kept coaching with private clients at night, on weekends and my lunch hour while working as an Executive Assistant from 9a-6p Mon-Fri kept working on Spring Feb 2010 interviewed for The Sweet Unfolding quoted in MetroNews, which I got to read on the subway on the way to work (so cool to see my name in print!) drew a self-portrait for The Mathematics of Glamour kept coaching at night, on weekends and my lunch hour while working as an Executive Assistant from 9a-6p Mon-Fri kept working on Spring March 2010 quit my job (hallelujah and amen!) and threw a Freedom from Corporate America party to celebrate interviewed (and interviewed by!) Danielle LaPorte for The Digital Firestarter Sessions took new headshots with Joel Bischoff interviewed for The Passions Possibilities podcast Art Wall kept working on Spring kept working with my private clients, this time with way freakin more availability One of my reject headshots, which I still love. Me and my friend Deirdre, who was my co-worker and co-Corporate-America-coop-flier, at our Freedom from Corporate America party. Those smiles didnt go away all night. April 2010 announced the 2nd annual When I Grow Up Coach scholarship co-picked a new co-host for Spring, my former client current friend Tiffany Moore! wrote a pretty freakin personal 21-page workbook, Pounding (My Head Against) the Pavement, which all new old newsletter subscribers get for $0 Jess planted the seed for what turned out to be The Declaration of You kept working on Spring kept working with my private clients May 2010 worked for Jessica Swift at SURTEX met her for the first time even though we knew each other for about a year!, solidified our love for each other kept working on what wound up being The Declaration of You kept working on Spring kept working with my private clients personally responded to 154 scholarship entries, picked 1 winner launched 9 group coaching sessions from the losers who were interested. As you can imagine, not much more happened this month. From l-r Kelly Rae Roberts, Mati Rose, Jess Swift me at SURTEX! June 2010 spoke on the Blog Out Loud 6 panel ( am still incredulous I was asked!) celebrated my 2nd blogiversary kept working on what wound up being The Declaration of You kept working on Spring kept working with my private group clients realized that even though I had almost 20 clients, it wasnt resulting in 20 sessions/wk, which was my goal. Realized something was broken, but unsure what. July 2010 Nominated as a finalist for The Next Top Newsletter featured in the Innerpreneur Spotlight and on CRAVE appeared live on 107.1 in Minneapolis on the Get Real Gals show took a lunch with Danielle of Etsy to talk about how I can help her help the Etsy sellers kept working on what wound up being The Declaration of You kept working on Spring kept working with my private group clients started charging my clients by the month instead of by the session, which lead to my biggest month of 2010 at that point a strong foundation for the money to keep comin in; started offering email coaching combo email/phone session packages; raised my prices 20%. August 2010 interviewed by manusmade attended BlogHer and interviewed on camera (there was a make-up lady everything!) for Women, The 5G Network kept working on what wound up being The Declaration of You kept working on Spring kept working with my private group clients made more money this month than if I had worked in my Corporate America job, fell over realized I had to start a waitlist of sorts for new clients, which lead to a 4-6 week wait for new clients for the rest of the year. Scared to tell new peeps theyd have to wait to work with me, but ended up making me exclusive and in demand. Liked comparing myself to hot restaurants. September 2010 wrote a guest post for the Kind Kindred series on Kind Over Matter Gypsy Girls Guide interviewed for The Examiner PolyRepublic podcast kept working on Spring kept working with my private group clients continued working hard on what was then announced as The Declaration of You (although it was shrouded in secrecy); created a super French host, Pierre François Frédéric, put him on a stick and made a movie to promote/announce the ecourse; incredulous that this is my job. October 2010 the post I wrote for the Etsy Storque, Six Secrets of the When I Grow Up Coach (they named it, not me!), goes up, gets about 400 love-filled comments fills me with tons of warm fuzzies launched the first Declaration of You e-course with over 100 sign-ups kept working on Spring kept working with my private group clients had the funnest time ever at the very first in-person Spring meeting (aka Carolyns wedding!) interviewed for Life of the Freelancer and GirlHabits contacted by a literary agent to see if Id be interested in writing a book, met with said agent received a contract, cried. Me, Tiff and Jess at Carolyns wedding, and possibly my favorite picture ever. Our Declaration of You co-host, Pierre! November 2010 gave my first presentation (following Danielle LaPorte!), Putting Yourself First, at the Women Entrepreneurs for Women Entrepreneurs webinar finished the first Declaration of You e-course (to rave reviews!) immediately put the next one on the books started working on The Declaration of You e-book created When I Grow Up gift certificates raised my rates another 20% interviewed on Pursuing Our Passion, Alternatively Lovely, The Right-Brain Business Plan via podcast on Red Dress Studios kept working on Spring kept working with my private group clients signed agreement with literary agent, cried again starting writing book proposal, cried a third time December 2010 finished the first Declaration of You e-book kept working on Spring kept working with my private group clients contributed to How to Find Hidden Jobs in amNY ( my big mug was included along with my name this time!) hired Brass Knuckles Media to start doing PR for me come Jan (oh yes) came up thisshort of what I realized was a ridiculous high money goal for 2010, my first year as an entrepreneur (I missed it by about $8K, Im thinkin!) wrote a guest post for The Organic Sister and Scoutie Girl (stay tuned for both of em!) started writing a When I Grow Up workbook for creative career changers breathed, planned, dreamed, reflected and Zumba-d it up spent 3 hours later gettin this post together and couldnt be happier