Two Great Career Sites for Foodies

I sometimes joke that in my next life I’d love to come back as a chocolate shop owner. The pragmatic side of me knows the realities of making chocolates day-in and day-out would likely wear thin quickly (while I pack on the pounds equally quickly), but the dreamer part of me thinks it would be great fun to spend my days around homemade toffees, almond bark and chocolate dipped sea salt caramels – at least for a week or two.

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Second-Act Careers Around the Web

It’s been exactly one month since Second-Act Careers hit the market, and wow, what a month it has been! I want to extend my sincere thanks to everyone who purchased the book or told others about it – I am ever so grateful for  your support.

As you can see from my expression in the photo, it is still such a thrill for me every time I go into a bookstore and see the book on display. I suspect it will get old at some point, but for now, I am savoring the moment.

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5 Sites To Inspire Your Second-Act

I’ve done several interviews recently about Second-Act Careers and one of the questions that I keep getting asked is,” What do you recommend that people do to get their own second-act careers started?”

Of course, there are lots of things people can and should do. But one of the easiest ways to get this process rolling is to simply make a conscious effort to surround yourself with second-act success stories. These stories do more than just entertain: they expand your world of possibilities, empower you with helpful resources and inspire you to move forward with your own reinvention journey.

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Great New Career Resource for Boomers: NextAvenue.org

I am delighted to announce that beginning today, October 1, 2012,  I’ll be writing a weekly blog post every Monday about careers, work and volunteering for NextAvenue.org.  The site, which launched in May, is an initiative of the PBS system with content tailored to meet  the unique needs of the boomer generation

On the Work & Purpose channel, you’ll find dozens of articles, videos and resources designed to help you with every aspect of your career including reinvention, entrepreneurship, the job search and encore careers. Beyond the Work & Purpose channel, the site also covers the following topics:

• Health & Wellness
• Money & Security
• Caregiving
• Living & Learning

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How to Make Cash From Your Crafts: 9 Helpful Resources

This past weekend I got to indulge in one of my favorite weekend activities by visiting a crafts fair. I’m not quite sure why I enjoy crafts fairs so much, but there is something about the combination of being outdoors, munching on kettle-corn and seeing good old-fashioned entrepreneurship in action that I find hard to resist.

As I strolled among the booths, I found myself thinking that in many ways being a crafter is a perfect lifestyle career (although having to work the occasional weekend might be a deal-breaker for some). It allows you to be creative, work a flexible schedule, deduct travel expenses and meet interesting people. And thanks to sites like Etsy.com, it is now possible  for people to sell their crafts while working from home as well.

The amount of income you can potentially earn from your crafts will depend  upon a number of variables (skill level, demand for your products, pricing strategies, etc). But if you’re willing to take the time to learn the “business of the business” it is possible to turn your passion for crafts into real profits.

If this sounds like an income option you’d like to learn more about, here are nine resources to help you get started:

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