When I was a little girl I imagined my name in lights.
When I was a teenager I saw myself on T.V.
As a young adult I imagined myself on stage talking to crowds of people.
Now, I look at my life and see I’ve gotten the essence of these things. My name is on the internet, I have an internet radio talk show and I teach groups of people through my coaching practice.
We all have visions and dreams and the ones we have from the time we were young are the ones that steer us in the direction our life is to go. Now, at my age, I am not interested in T.V., unless of course it’s Internet Television. I am interested, however, in doing the thing that brings me fulfillment, and right now I could not see myself doing anything else.
I get to not only empower (a word we use loosely), but change lives. Not an easy task. Not something you would say at 10 yrs old you want to do when you grow up. But the process of the change is what gets me really excited, because I do it by introducing financial freedom through entrepreneurship.
I get to pair my two loves – a love for helping other women and a love for business. My love for helping others goes way back to when I was a single mother. My biggest challenge then was “making ends meet.” I hated my 9 to 5 that had no future, but I knew I was destined for something bigger. I needed to take the necessary steps towards elevating my life first. But, like a lot of other women I was clueless about where to start and what to do. I had to find my way, teach myself and learn from long distance Mentors like Oprah, Kimora Lee Simmons, and my personal friend Cynthia Lippert, Broker for Keller Williams in Atlanta.
I watched, learned, and listened. But I think my biggest challenge today, yet most fulfilling part of what I do in helping these women, that happen to be single moms, is helping them move past the circumstances in their lives towards their dreams of something more.
I hated my 9 to 5 that had no future, but I knew I was destined for something bigger.”
We all want to be doing what we love. Unfortunately, a small percentage of us don’t get to do it.
Why I love what I do is because when lives have changed I know that what this woman is about to embark on could make a positive impact on her family’s future, mostly her children; how they see their mother living a life with purpose. I always say, “Do you want them to see mommy work hard and nothing changes?” or “Do you want them to see mommy work hard and everything changes?”
There is now this role model in their home of an enterprising woman…who loves what she does.
The other part is my mission in all. I believe single moms have big roles in the economic shift in this country. These women are not all on government assistance, contrary to popular belief. But these are hard working women that are doing their best to stay above the poverty line on a low single income. When these women are given the same opportunity as any single man to start and grow a business this will impact the face of the economy.
So, when you ask me, “Why do you love what you do?” I can tell you, “I love what I do because what I do leaves a mark on the people I work with, their families and this country.” Now, what’s not to love!
Marjorie Bostwick is a Transformational Business and Life Coach.
She works with single mom business owners, and single moms transitioning into business.
She is also the creator of The Single Mom Revolution Online Community.
Website: http://marjoriebostwick.com
I am simply in love with homebuilding! This business, in all of its many facets of responsibility, offers me a release for creativity, an opportunity for physical expression. In the end, what I do on a daily basis offers a long lasting reward that extends genuine benefits to others.
Fine personalized home building is not just an occupation; it is an orchestrated process that functions purely as a means to reach a glorious end. The complexities of the process simultaneously challenge me to stay sharp and multi focused on details even while watching a much bigger picture. Building is a study of wonderful contradictions and requires instantaneous changes in planning and direction. I have learned that I dare to take on such a complex whirlwind of organized chaos because as the creator, I am blessed to become empowered to make something that never before existed. Something we are able to touch, to examine and appreciate. Home building then offers to me exciting opportunities; the fluid continuum of process promises an ultimate microcosmic “Big Bang” creation experience of my very own to control. A fine home, one like no other before, will rise up from swirling debris of activity, maturing to fruition as a newly born physical monument offers promises for perpetual reward to the family who will share life within its walls.
Consider that a custom, personalized and meticulously tailored home will become somehow magically alive!
A successfully built home is mystically empowered to fulfill the changing needs of the clients who will dwell within. It will offer convenience, low maintenance and perpetuate utility throughout the owner’s current and future phases of life. As I direct from a centralized position of leadership, feeling like Fantasia’s Mickey, I look forward with excitement at the project tasking which lies ahead and how this will one day complement another’s life.
At the core, my process starts with the understanding that a home’s structure should ergonomically enhance an owner’s entire life experience and that their home’s design must pay homage to their history and honor their soul. I also have seen that a home’s true value is not necessarily about packing in every trendy gadget, it is rather more about using wisdom and sensibility throughout the entire process. Therefore I enjoy applying the real world lessons taught by classical architectural theory, for just as people are made in a unique manner, their sanctuary should be so. I love to tailor their home around them to wrap like a favorite pair of cozy jeans that conforms and perfectly fits to their own body of lifestyle.
For sure, the end results are a welcome source for satisfaction for me as well; the day a particular home project comes to a close, I experience my own catharsis, in a way like childbirth I deliver their home, handing them the key to their new base for life. As I walk away down the driveway upon that last day, I must leave my “child” with an understanding that I may be of no further use to that creation. I have done my job, but thankfully, just as a parent sees his child move away through bittersweet tender eyes, all at once I face a wonderful transition, a new phase in life on the horizon, a new creational process to look towards, a new dawning for the sharing of excitement. What can be better than that!
…the day a particular home project comes to a close, I experience my own catharsis, in a way like childbirth I deliver their home. “
Building fine homes is, I suppose, a compulsion for me; over the years I have come to the conclusion that life’s journey is all about what we were meant to actually be doing, not what we had thought we should do at any one point in time. I was “supposed” to be an engineer according to my instructors and my family; they recognized my penchant for exacting detail in math and science, and concluded that my path should be obvious to me. A long story later, as I made my way through higher learning, supporting myself while working in the building field, I found that I was actually meant to use my passion in a much more tactile and practical world, one which allowed a more physical expression for creativity. I have a soulful appreciation for fine craftsmanship, thoughtful design, and the firm belief that proof of God will be found within each particular of detail. I felt an electric release in combining my innate understanding of architecture, structural dynamics, management and personal service with a holistic sense of “home” as a form of sanctuary. I still do, because this is what I was meant to be doing.
It is undeniable that the expected end result of my labors will be cherished and become a vital part of a family’s community. But for me, the reward of process is what speaks to my soul. I feel it allows me to understand God in some small way, elementary and plebian in nature to be sure, but nearer to him nonetheless.
To build such a complement to another’s life is a worthy opportunity and it is always a true blessing when I am chosen to perform; it is a wonderful relief to be able to express my passion. I celebrate my job; I do so love what I do!
____________________________________ A Note from Business Life Stories Team:
Take a tour of one of Rinek Home models through this Palm Coast with Julie video:
the day a particular home project comes to a close, I experience my own catharsis, in a way like childbirth
When I woke up Sunday morning, I did not want to go into work.
The explanation includes a limo, champagne, roller skates, and the night before, but that’s another story. And if it wasn’t a Sunday shift—notoriously difficult to fill on 30 minutes’ notice—I might have called in. The day’s main assignment:
A photographer was already assigned. The festival ran from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The story was due sometime after 6 p.m. In other words, it was as complicated as I made it.
I arrived with a game plan: Find and interview the organizer. Grab some literature. Make a lap or two. Talk to festival-goers and vendors. Head back to the newsroom. Write. File. Edit. Home.
On the second lap, I met Sara Fox.
Sara is a shy artist whose parents were both Holocaust survivors, but she didn’t know the extent of their torture and loss until she was in her 40s when her mother finally did a recorded interview retelling her devastating experiences. Sara is 60 now with wispy blonde hair and sad, hopeful eyes; eyes of a sensitive painter who must feel to create.
It took her three years to paint six panels inspired by her mother’s and father’s stories. And I use the word ‘inspired’ loosely. It was more of a journey of shared pain for the Israel-born artist. She could barely talk about it without crying.
“Watch the video,” she said. And so I did.
Her mother’s tale of losing her own parents and siblings in the Holocaust is wrenching. Sara finished painting her family’s story in 1995. The large acrylic piece is full of haunting images of her beaten grandfather, Nazi soldiers, bodies, and death. It also shows Sara and her siblings, all of whom are successful because of the quiet sacrifices of her parents.
When the video was done, there were three women seated around me and festival volunteers breaking down exhibits. People had come and gone. Some had stayed for a while and left; the video is so painful to watch, not even Sara stuck around.
But when it was done, I turned and she was there. She looked at the expression on my face and said, “Now you understand.” And that’s when I cried.
“Hate is wrong,” she said through our tears. “That’s a lesson we learned. You are a writer and you are a beautiful person. Your words will change the world.”
I left the festival crying. It was about so much more than food and music and knick knacks, it was about a spirited culture that had survived Hell and learned to live and laugh again. And Sara was the heart of my story.
This is why I love my job. Because I never know whom I will meet and I meet the most amazing people who change my life in one unexpected encounter. And I get to share their untold stories with the world.
My balcony doors are open and the warm tropical breeze is making the curtains flutter as the waves of the Caribbean sea crash against the sandy beach in a soothing pattern just 50 yards away.
Ramon Peralta, Conceptualizing
I’m in my Ponce, Puerto Rico office, my ocean front hotel room actually, in between rounds of golf, putting the finishing touches on a coming soon splash page for a client’s new online travel website which launches today. Before I head back for a lunch buffet and another 18 holes, I have to remember to reformat a PowerPoint template for a client who kept calling me during my first tee-time. Its moment’s like this when I truly feel blessed and love what I do.
Now this isn’t a typical week… My normal office environment is in the ‘burbs, the woods actually, of Huntington, CT, and instead of waves crashing, I’m usually wearing a fleece and eating oatmeal while working to the sounds of my French bulldog’s not-so-soothing snoring pattern.
This is a special week, it’s the 3rd year I join my client, a large Connecticut mega-church, on their annual Men’s Ministry golf trip. It was on this very trip three years ago, that I met the Arch-Bishop, and shared with him some ideas on how best to reach the ‘young-people’ with text messaging, blogs, and social media. He was impressed with my marketing insights and invited me up to meet with his Marketing and Communications Director, and I have been developing brand identities for many of the church’s various ministries, and most recently began working on a direct mail campaign to help expand the reach of his television broadcasts and increase ratings.
It takes a special kind of discipline to play golf all week, field calls on the course, and get the work done in the evening and early morning hours while the rest of the golfers are lounging about the resort and partaking in the local fare. Having several clients on retainer requires me to manage my time wisely and ensure that all my deadlines are met.
While at the airport, I was developing logo concepts for an upcoming travel startup. On the airplane, I worked on some icon illustrations for a client in Chicago. I have to admit though; startups are my true passion, and having spent 10 years as Jay Walker’s creative director has a lot to do with it.
I began working with Jay back in ’98 when we were working on a ‘name your price’ concept of selling excess inventory and unsold airplane seats called priceline.com. Having come from a direct marketing background, both Jay and I new that at the core of any business was direct-response. This concept was a win-win for both the airlines and the consumer – we just had to convince them in the boardrooms as well as out in the marketplace. I learned quickly that the over-the-shoulder advertising the consumer was going to see and hear in print, tv and radio was just as important as the charts, graphs, sales decks, and marketing material the executives were going to see in the boardroom. Holy Sh*% Batman was always the desired response.
For 10 years, I worked directly with Jay, and led a team of ‘Creative’s in bringing select patents out of his extensive portfolio to life. We became experts at ‘stand-alone vaporware’.
Ramon Peralta
I became an expert at making a company, product or business solution look not only like it was real, but like it had a strong positioning in the marketplace. It was through effective marketing collateral, strong logo design and well thought-out, convincing presentation materials that we were able get investors to sign checks.
Mr. Walker’s salesmanship had something to do with it as well. My biggest accomplishment post-priceline-era, was rolling out the creative materials across nine casino properties in Las Vegas for a product called “Guaranteed Play” — which was a new way to buy video poker action. I was responsible for all things graphic from the website to slot machine toppers, t-shirt designs, indoor/outdoor signage, game graphics and direct mail marketing materials.
These days, I offer my design and marketing skills to a wide variety of clients. I tend to attract and prefer clients of an entrepreneurial nature: Startups and new businesses particularly as they always offer the potential for revenue share or equity.
If I could cash in all the equity I’ve received over the years, I’d be on a permanent golf trip, but alas, the nature of the startup world is high-risk/high reward. And that’s part of what attracts me the most. The potential for a large windfall is probably what gives me the initial rush, but I also have a knack for ‘drinking the kool-aid’.
I genuinely love hearing about a person’s new idea for a business, and getting them more excited about it than they were before we met. I love seeing the ‘big picture’ in my head, and then heading back to my studio to sketch out a layout for a website, or begin sketching out logo concepts.
Getting the client’s approval on a final logo is always the culmination of many conference calls about serif or sans serif fonts and about the psychology of colors. You ever see anyone rush into a conference room to talk about numbers or budgets? No, of course not. But when the topic of conversation is the new company logo, everyone has an opinion. That’s because it’s the fun stuff. And who doesn’t like fun?
What makes me happy, however is the freedom to create my own schedule, and to work on a wide variety of clients with a wide variety of people. Currently my clients include a music/lifestyle web portal, a kid’s idea incubator, a legal publisher, a travel start-up, a collegiate athletic conference, a science foundation, a foster care service provider, a mega-church and a software company. I also provide ‘ghost’ design services for many local boutique agencies. Much more satisfying than sitting in a cubicle churning out the same subject matter day in and day out, but I don’t knock it. To each his own. Being an entrepreneur of any kind is not for the faint of heart. It requires a lot of faith to keep pushing forward believing that the work will continue to come pouring in.
The other great satisfaction I get from running my own design firm is that I get to form impromptu teams of “super-friends” when the projects call for it. For example, if it’s a startup in need of corporate identity, or a software company in need of some icons, or an iPhone application or software developer in need of illustrations, I can handle the job single-handedly.
There are many occasions however, where I need to pull in a few extra navy seals to do the job. For instance, I have a client that wants us to build a 10-12 page microsite to see if he can generate any income with AdSense and Google AdWords and affiliate marketing/lead generation. For this project, I pulled in a copywriter/marketing specialist and a web developer. I will handle the user interface design, but I had to form a team of ninjas to pull the job off. I love having the flexibility and resources to pull a team together, and then disband it until the next opportunity to ‘fight crime’ arises. It keeps my overhead low, and chances are good that one of those ‘ninjas’ will pull me into a job when they come across one that requires senior level creative design. In effect I always have extra sets of eyes and ears out in the field looking for the next design or business project.
Relationship building is huge for any business, whether you are self-employed like myself, or work for a huge corporation. How you treat people plays a critical role in the longevity of your business. Skills and talent are crucial, but can you put your own reputation on the line for someone that you have pulled in as an additional resource?
When you create this virtual team of business partners, will the chemistry come across in a positive way to your client? Will your client feel confident that you can pull off that next design challenge or business project? Synergy is often hard to come by, but I believe in the laws of attraction. I make a conscious effort to maintain a positive attitude no matter what. In doing so, I believe I attract other positive minded people by gravitating towards them. At the core of any good business is the sincere desire use your God-given talents and abilities to help others. If you can make a good living while doing so, and get some golf in somewhere in the Caribbean, then consider yourself blessed.
From an early age I was asked to lead, to contribute in some way to others. I always wondered why, and as the years passed and I gained more self confidence I found the courage to ask. I was always told ‘because you can; because people will listen to you’.
I wasn’t really aware that I could actually affect profound change until, freshly separated and needing to feed my two children, I was asked to lead a failing sales team, to which I would later be head-hunted in two countries because that sales team excelled at what I had taught them. That was the beginning of a career in motivational speaking and training on “Mindset Awareness” for me.
It is best to describe why I love what I do by first stating what I believe and know for sure in the journey I have undertaken to understand and deliver excellence. Firstly: Success is never about you; it’s about what you do to empower others. Secondly: Leadership doesn’t just happen; it’s a deliberate act of will.
Chanty Lang-Vermaas
Any success achieved in life starts out with a ‘can do’ mindset, therefore the fear is a betrayal of that. And so, that’s where I start.
You can’t play the whole game at once; you play it one step at a time.
I absolutely know these two things about business:
1) You won’t know if you are qualified to do something until you’re doing what it is you wish to qualify in and,
2) there are two kinds of players in life, those who strive to play their game with skill, focus, control, desire and strive for excellence with the nerve and audacity to win; and those who do not. I work and play with those who do.
I learned long ago that if you wish to win, you must first start by knowing the rules of the game and then go out and play it. Playing it safe doesn’t always deliver the best possible game plan; you must be prepared to take some risks to win. Sitting back doesn’t get you in the game, playing does! This is where I come in.
I am paid to push, prod and produce results, to develop changes within the company and to encourage and deepen the ‘step up mentality’. I get the job done and so do those I work with. I truly believe you can achieve your goals well before you arrive at the envisaged destination. With a ‘can do‘ mindset anything is possible in life.
Business is like a game of golf; you need to know the rules of the game before you can play well. You need a team who are on the same green, knowing all the rules and focused, armed with a great tee off and direction to deliver their best shot. This is foremost on my mind when working with clients. I am both the coach and the caddy, allowing them to play the game to their ultimate ability, supporting their vision, looking for the best moves and getting them all aiming in the right direction.
Business is like a game of golf; you need to know the rules of the game before you can play well. ~ Chanty Lang-Vermaas
I enjoy working with professionals whose aim is usually further then their reach; these are the hungry ones, the forward thinkers and players. I love leaving my clients with motivated executives/teams with a more profoundly aware mindset in their tool bag. Watching others step up to their potential is what keeps me excited and still stepping up in my own game. When I’m bringing out the best in others I know I’m really bringing out the best in me too.
Just like golf, to succeed you must be flexible, do what it takes to change and get the results you want. I play with my right hand and putt with my left. I found it hard to putt with my right so I changed hands. Business is like that; sometimes you must adjust to unorthodox methods to get your best shot played. I observe my clients, how they approach their game, their mindset, how they focus, their skills, and, their motivation; from there I can see what their potential is and how to assist them in obtaining excellence. When you step up, others will step up too.
There’s a defining moment in everyone’s life when fear takes a step backwards and self-belief steps forward. This is called courage, and it arrives when you hear yourself say I’m unsure; but you step up anyway. Those moments empower us all. I am privileged enough to induce and witness courage daily.
Chanty Lang-Vermaas: "Chantified"
I will bend, coheres, unleash, confront and encourage companies, teams and individuals to lead, embrace and achieve their greatest version of themselves. Whilst everyone is fearful of the unknown and change, everyone is equally empowered by the known and embraced. When I see that light go on in the eyes of my clients knowing they ‘get it’, it engulfs me with great satisfaction. I know things will never be the same for them. They have awakened the master within.
Winning is also about loosing. Loosing shifts your focus and allows you to let go of what holds you back or no longer serves you or your business. Knowing when to let go allows you the right to claim future successes. If something no longer serves you, it will no longer nourish, enrich or create growth, therefore why cling to it? I assist companies in knowing its ok to change and create fresher newer opportunities and to widen their field. You don’t necessarily need to stay with the tried and true to succeed; in fact it can be a hindrance.
My company, Business-Spirit does not use nor endorse the generic program mentality. I know that “one size DOES NOT fit all!” None of my clients’ problems are off the shelf, so why expect the solutions to be! All my clients are individually accessed for their unique requirements to enable, enrich and empower positive change and progress. My business focus is on the client’s direction and is the main emphasis in individualizing every program. I have made sure these programs are built around structures best suited to encourage optimum outcomes; and are best ‘tailor made‘ to the uniqueness of the individuals and are therefore NOT ‘off the shelf‘ products.
My training program Finite Visioning Strategic Management Program (or Finite Visioning for short), was the flagship program I created for my first sales team over 30 yrs ago now and the one that had them producing those earlier excellent results. I still use that format today, the only difference being the needs of my clients. This 4-day program incorporates presentation skills, listening techniques, sales mentality and leadership awareness, each person leaving with the skills needed to communicate clearly, concisely and with a lot of fun to get deals done.
My business has led me in helping companies and individuals worldwide to reach their highest potential, thus boosting performance leadership and inspiring team spirit. I enjoy applying my ability to intuitively know what lies within others and to draw it out. I call it casting shadows into light.
My clients tell me I leave them Chantified with ‘hot teams‘ who are more motivated and focused and hungry to play at the top of their game. That’s a nice compliment, however, it helps to have great clients to begin with to produce those results.
It is said that to win you only need to show up. That may be true if you only wish to be a spectator. However to win; you must play.
And play I do….. and that is why I love what I do. I can’t imagine doing anything else.
I have held one job or another since I turned fifteen and got my eager hands on a work permit. Since then every position I have had, every boss I have worked for, every task I have undertaken, every company I have represented – ultimately they have helped me grow and led me to where I am today. In true 21st century fashion, I am a netizen wearing many hats on any given day.
I am the internet marketing arm of an established web design firm (www.creativepages.net) as well as a writer of fiction, visual artist, mother, and my most recent venture: writing for Examiner.com as the designated Daytona Food Examiner. My position as Daytona Food Examiner is a new adventure in creativity and marketing that I have found to be extremely interesting and rewarding.
Why do I love writing for Examiner.com? I post articles according to my topic while incorporating a local slant. We are paid according to page views, based on a formula which takes into account subscriptions and session length. It is an outlet for some of my established pleasures (writing, cooking) as well as a way to educate myself in my current career (social media, search engine optimization).
Connie Rice
On top of this I am able to incorporate my latest artistic pursuit: macro photography. My previous affinity for painting has given way to a fascination with taking pictures of objects as close up and magnified as possible – and what other subject matter has the intricacy and mystery of food. I believe that the unification of so many of my skills, interests, and strengths into one job is why I like Examiner.com.
Other reasons I enjoy working as an Examiner: as a writer for the Food and Drink Channel, I am given very little restrictions and no micromanagement. This is heaven for an indepedent self-starter. That being said, if help is needed it is not difficult to obtain. There is a sense of community with the other writers and I have made at least one friend that I think will be with me for the long term.
As a whole I feel I am part of a fresh, dynamic, evolving segment of the Internet that promises to teach me more and take me into who knows what direction in the future. It is reminiscient of having been swept up into the wild days of the dot com boom. I like the feeling of embracing the unknown and of being part of what’s next.
I would like thank the Office Divvy Team for being so gracious as to let me pen a guest post for Business Life Stories. I would also like to thank them for tweeting one of my favorite articles, Top 10 Reasons Why Bacon is the New Black, on their phenomenally successful Twitter feed.
Connie Rice can be found on Twitter as @DaytonaFood
A Guest Post by Joan Koerber-Walker, Founder of CorePurpose, Inc.
Joan-Koerber-Walker -- Founder, CorePurpose, Inc.
When my friends at Office Divvy offered me the opportunity to share ideas here on the Business Life Stories Blog, I thought “How great!” When I actually sat down to write it, I learned that sharing why you do what you do is not as easy as it sounds.
You see, I get to do a lot of different things across a wide spectrum of activities. The more involved and engaged I am, the happier I am. And since I like to be happy – I have many projects all running at once. You can see some on the things I am or have been involved in on my Google and LinkedIn Profiles.
At that root of it all, the best way I can describe myself is as an innovator. Everything I do is tied to my own personal definition of innovation which is:
Innovation is doing something in a new way to make life better for the PEOPLE who matter.” – Joan Koerber-Walker
At Home, the people who matter to me are my family. Making life better means listening to them, being interested and involved in what is important to them, and trying to make our lives better by encouraging and supporting them in realizing their goals and dreams. Making their life better, makes my life better.
At Work, whether it is at CorePurpose, the company I founded in 2002, at RiboMed Biotechnologies where I serve as Treasurer and on the Board of Directors, or at Callaman Ventures, where I serve as an Executive in Residence, my driving need to innovate helps me to look at both challenges and opportunities in a new way to find solutions that enable growth, create return on investment, and make life better for the people who matter in the business world – our employees, our partners, our customers, and our investors.
Some days you’ll find me at the computer, tweeting or writing articles and blog posts that share ideas on how we can make our business or personal lives better. Other days, I climb in my car or board a plane and travel to a different place. It may be to meet privately with the executive team of a client or partner to explore solutions to the challenges and opportunities facing their company or it may be to take to the stage and share ideas with a larger audience. But either way, I get to apply what I have learned along the journey – what worked and what didn’t – to new solutions that create new opportunities.
All Smiles – making a difference makes me smile – Celebrating with the OTEF team at the close of a successful AZEC09. (Left to Right: Merlin Ward, Joan Koerber-Walker, Francine Hardaway, Steven Groves. (Photo by Mark Goldstein)
In My Community, I love to do what I do. That means rolling up my sleeves and getting involved as a volunteer on many different projects. It might be working on solutions for small business health care, garnering support for OTEF’s work in helping at-risk populations find economic self-sufficiency through entrepreneurship, spreading the word as an Ambassador for SCORE® on how small businesses can access expert resources that help them grow their businesses, or simply meeting with local business owners to exchange ideas or share contacts while I sip my Diet Coke. (I never did acquire a taste for coffee.)
All of these activities let me put my inner innovator to work PLUS the added benefit of getting to meet and work with really great people. Who wouldn’t want to do that!
So – Why Do I Do What I Do? Probably the simplest answer is “Because I can – and I love to do it.” But in whatever I do – be it at home, at work, or in my community – I hope I make life a little bit better than it was before. After all – that’s what innovation is all about.
Thanks to Ky, Lisa and all of the Office Divvy Team for challenging me to answer the question – Why do you do what you do? – and for allowing me to share my musings with you.
Joan Koerber-Walker
Joan's Blog is a recommended/featured blog by Business Life Stories.
My life as a “business match-maker” started well before I formally understood the concepts of brokering, or networking. I believe I started to understand core business ideas as early as my first paper route. But I couldn’t put words to what I was learning at the time.
I am a Digital Media Professional. In this role, I’ve lead or contributed to many teams in the production of numerous media projects, that have ranged from Rich Media Applications; Web Development; Video; Print; Database Integration; Content Management; Multi-Channel Marketing Programs; Scent Marketing, Immersive Spaces, and now Social Media. Within those projects are rich stories about the people, the technology, the creative, the conditions, the outcomes, and then of course, when all is said and done the ongoing relationships.
My partners (Sim Taing and Ky Ekinci) and I were all working from our home offices and traveling to clients, and our client’s client locations, when we thought there would be value to a co-working space, where we lived in Palm Coast (in North-East Florida). Recognizing that this business idea may be wrong or right, we decided to forge on and start Office Divvy. We found ourselves meeting business people that for a variety of reasons did not want to carry the overhead of a full-time office. We started our venture out of the kinship we were feeling with entrepreneurs and business owners like us. We gained from being with each other and appreciated the periodic reprieve from our independent focused tasks, which seemed to bring a fresh perspective with it.
As we would meet prospective Office Divvy Members, they would see us as peers and quite naturally tell us their Business Life Story. There was a lot of common ground and many areas to relate on. Ideas, referrals and other forms of valuable input were welcome. Member stories would include how they started, what matters to them, and often times accidental paths and self discovery at the most unexpected times that lead them one way or another in business. But the most common thread was why people love what they do.
In my consulting life, in digital media, I’ve had terrific success matching people and businesses. It has always been a strong suit and an area I take great pride in. As people tell us about their businesses, we cannot help but organically match them to a prospective buyers, like professionals or potential partners. It is sometimes something seemingly simple, like an extra ticket to a luncheon; something completely new like a member considering markets outside of the US; or perhaps the birth of an entirely new product, whatever it may be, we’ve earned the role of trusted partner and advisor.
An example of a basic routine goal within our organization: Introduce 2 people in our network who may benefit from knowing each other. As we grow and add new members to our Office Divvy Team, we’ve had to create goals that are shareable and easy for people to make their own.
I love what I do. I’ve had the most unbelievable good fortune, family and friends, business and life experience. Working with diverse clients from Fortune 500 companies to sole practitioners has given me a truly well rounded view that aids me every day. Because I am learning about new people, places, products, and ideas constantly, it forces me to have to look at things differently. I love what I do because I am in the world drawing connections constantly. Social media and the wave of what’s coming, positions me to be able to leverage the collective and share it, making the possibilities of who can be connected, through what ideas, over what time period – endless. Just Fantastic. What’s not to love?
I stumbled upon a video of Bill Gates and Warren Buffett on Leadership, in a CNBC piece from the Columbia Business School. At the end of this short segment, Buffett stated the following:
If the reason you’re doing something is because everybody else is
doing it, forget it, you haven’t got a good reason.. ~ Warren Buffett
Mr. Buffett’s statement seems obvious. “Don’t follow the herd” seems like fairly good advice. But more so the idea of “having a good reason” stands out as something that requires more examination.
Adapting to a changing business landscape, perceived and real competitive threats, intelligence about what the customer wants can create significant change, usually at a fast pace, from what the founders had perhaps started with. Answering the question: “What is my reason for starting this business?” or “What is my reason for staying in this business?” or “Why do I love what I do?” can certainly yield useful results.
We’re offering a location for a broad range of business professionals to add their answers to this question “Why I Love What I Do?.” We expect it to help shatter a few stereotypes, and interest readers in new and unique points of view. An honest answer to “Why I Love What I Do” may not always be one that you expect; however, keeping Mr. Buffett’s statement in mind, may lead to some genuine discovery.
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With best wishes to you and your loved ones in this Holiday Season..
Welcome to Business Life Stories -- including "Why I Love What I Do" and other stories from the Entrepreneurs, Startups, Small Business Owners, Solo-Practitioners, Investors and Philanthropists.. Read more...
