My Lifestyle Career

Who Fuels Your Innovation?

As I write this, it is a cold, rainy and gray afternoon in Connecticut, the type of day that normally makes me feel like curling up in bed with a good book and a cup of tea.  But instead of ending my day on a lethargic note, I am energetic and upbeat, thanks to a great conversation I enjoyed today over lunch with an old colleague I hadn't seen in over two years.  

My colleague is like a great cup of coffee who perks me up with a wonderful blend of inspiration and practicality.   Her suggestions are well placed; she knows when to talk and when to listen.  In just two hours time, I left our lunch pumped-up by the many ideas  we brainstormed together -- far more numerous than I could have envisioned on my own.

Some people may consider business lunches a "nice-to-do" networking activity.  But when you dine with the right person, the meal transforms into an activity that fuels both your body and your mind.  Ideas flow, problems are minimized and "insurmountable" challenges morph into interesting possibilities.  

So, next time you're feeling hungry for career advice, pick up the phone and invite one of your favorite colleagues to lunch.  Their input might provide just the jolt you need to get your energy, innovations and ideas percolating again.

5 Ways to Structure a Lifestyle-Friendly Business (so it doesn't take over your life!)

Last night, I had the pleasure of speaking to the Park Slope Parents Career Networking Group as part of a panel on the challenges of "having it all" as a working mom.  During the Q+A session, I was asked a question about whether it is possible to run a successful business - without it overtaking your life.  

It is an important issue that many entrepreneurs consider, particularly those who are starting a business specifically for lifestyle reasons.  Let me share some of my thoughts about ways to structure your business in order to maintain better control over your life and your business:

1) Offer a by-appointment only service: Limiting your client contact to a by-appointment only service  gives you the opportunity to schedule your work activities around your personal life.  When my children were in elementary school, I rarely booked clients during after-school hours -- I told clients I was booked between 3:00 - 6:00 and nobody seemed put-off by that.  Clearly, I made myself available when clients had an urgent need to speak, but that was a rarity, not the norm.

2) Niche your service to a clientele that has similar lifestyle patterns as your own:  All businesses have natural peaks and valleys built into their business cycles.  For example, an internet retailer who sells camp care packages will be busiest during the summer months, while a speaker touring the college circuit will be free during the summer.  Select businesses that are likely to afford you time-off when it is most beneficial to your lifestyle needs.

3) Leverage your expertise with informational products:  If you are selling your expertise as a consultant, coach or teacher, your income will be limited by your billable service hours.  However, you can multiply that income by adding downloadable informational products -- teleclasses, membership sites, e-books, podcasts, etc.-- to your line of products and services.  It takes work to develop those products, but once you have created them, the opportunities for marketing them on the internet 24/7 are virtually limitless.

4) Partner:  Find complementary business partners who can feed you business leads and work with you to provide client services.  This will reduce the amount of time you need to spend on marketing, increase your base of clients and provide you with a network of reliable colleagues who can help you out on an as-needed basis

5) Charge enough for your services:  One of the classic mistakes newbie entrepreneurs make is pricing their services too low.  As a result they have to work twice as hard to make the same amount of money as their more expensive competitors (and they tend to get a higher percentage of pain-in-the-neck clients).  

Of course, sometimes raising your rates can backfire, making you even more desirable to potential clients because they assume you must be the top-of-the-line provider in your industry.  I once had a client who provided SAT tutoring services and was looking to cut-back her hours.  I suggested she double her rates and take half the number of clients.  She called me six months later laughing that "it was the worst piece of advice she ever heard."  Evidently, once she raised her rates, the buzz around her services grew and she was more in demand than ever before!

Reinvention Strategy: Build a Better Sundae

When I was a child, one of my favorite activities was to go down to our local Carvel for ice cream.  Back then, your flavor choices were limited to chocolate or vanilla, although you could jazz up your selection with an assortment of sprinkles, nuts or sauces.  It still brings a smile to my face thinking of the twinkle in my Dad's eye as he ordered a "CMP" - a chocolate, marshmallow and peanut sundae.  

What a difference a generation makes.  By the time my own children were old enough to enjoy an evening of ice cream on the town, the choices for frozen dessert had exploded.  Carvel is now considered downright old-school compared to the allure of freshly-churned Italian gelato, chocolate dipped waffle cones and sorbet made from organic fruit.  Even our local ice cream truck has stopped selling popsicles in favor of ginger, coconut and hazelnut artisanal ice creams.

Just as our consumption of ice cream has been revolutionized by changing times and the influences of a global economy, so too has our world of work evolved to reflect a new dynamic. In a recent  NY Times op-ed column, Thomas Friedman emphasizes the need for all workers to adapt to these change with a new attitude and energy.

Friedman writes, "Just being an average accountant, lawyer, contractor or assembly-line worker is not the ticket it used to be.  As Daniel Pink, the author of "A Whole New Mind," puts it: In a world in which more and more average work can be done by a computer, robot or talented foreigner faster, cheaper "and just as well," vanilla doesn't cut it anymore.  It's all about what chocolate sauce, whipped cream and cherry you can put on top." 

Finding your niche, customizing your service, and putting your own unique stamp on your work is a critical skill for anyone looking to build a lifestyle career.  Don't look to be all things to all people.  Think about ways you can sell your expertise in a way that hasn't been done before.  

Here are some examples of enterprising moms who did just that in order to sell their food products. As you will see, they started with a basic concept, added their own unique twist and then turned "plain vanilla" into a delicious new offering:

Heidis Heavenly Cookies: Lots of people sell cookies.  But the beautiful boxes and ribbons Heidi uses to package her cookies transforms her treats into something really special.  Heidi started the business when her husband lost his job and she needed to find a way to make an income from home.  Today she enjoys a thriving business and the satisfaction that comes from knowing how happy her cookies make her lucky customers feel.

Challah Connection:  Jane Moritz has captured the power of the internet to help people send kosher food and holiday treats to their loved ones.  Started as a small local challah delivery service, Jane has grown her business to be the online leader for Kosher gifts.

The Lollipop Book Club:  At a time when local bookstores are struggling to survive, Karen Gallagher came up with a unique way to make ordering books a really "sweet" experience.  What grandparent wouldn't love to order a gift that would make their favorite youngster smarter and really happy at the same time?

Now, what about you?  Please share below. I'd love to hear your thoughts on ways you can transform your expertise into something new, different and delectable!