This first week has been…

Crazy, exciting, fun, stressful.  It has had so many ups and downs I stopped counting.  It has also been a week that reminded me to always… ALWAYS… trust my intuition.  I stopped trusting it for a second.  Why?  Because everything was so topsy turvy that I did not trust anything my body was telling me.

It took a second time around to trust…

That my intuition was right.  It also took a second look to figure out what it was actually telling me.  As I sat there, staring it right in the face, my body tensed, my mind raced and I knew that having this reaction to the same thing, twice, was not a coincidence.

I talked it out, and in doing that I had a BIG epiphany, knew what was causing the physical reaction, and trusted my intuition.  The second I did, I felt lighter and less stressed.  When I say lighter, I mean, physically lighter.

What have I learned?

That I’m going to make time to be in touch with my body.  That in doing this, I will hear it when it is telling me something.  That I will hit the pause button when I need to, will step away from things when I need to and will even get rid of things when I need to.  That I will only surround myself with those things and people I can trust right now, because I’m still in the beginning.  Anything that causes me to lose focus and feel stressed for no reason, is not allowed.

I also learned that I’m in this ‘starting my own business’ thing for many reasons.  To try it, to offer a product I’m excited about, to give people a tool that is in their price range and allows them to do things that are uber cool, to make a living, to work with people I’m excited to be around and do business with.

I am my own boss…

And that is the most important lesson I learned from this.  This is my idea and my company and I’m going to lead it as such.  If I wanted a boss telling me what to do every second, I’d go back to the corporate world where I had a boss I really liked.

Trust… trust… T.R.U.S.T. your intuition.  It will tell you when you’re getting off track… and will save you lots of stress and hurt.

Today I have a lunch, so I’m working at a coffee house while I wait to meet up with the person.

It is so cool to be surrounded…

By a ton of people who are entrepreneurs, just. like. me.  I hear them taking calls, typing on their computers, taking deep breaths.  I see them thinking, reading and figuring things out.  We all give each other that knowing glance.  Like, yes… I know you are one of me.  I can’t believe I’m now part of this group.  It is AWESOME!

I’m also reminded…

Of the corporate world.  I hear the few people who are having a coffee house meeting.  Talking about what they should do about so and so, how they should play this particular political game, how they should explain to their boss that their project came off the rails.  It is interesting… I could so easily join that conversation and be at ease.

So many years on the corporate train doesn’t just stop existing because I jumped off.  It also doesn’t stop feeling somewhat comfortable to me just because it’s not MY day anymore.  I still feel like I AM in a corporate job, because it hasn’t sunk in yet.  My brain still thinks that yesterday and today are just a break or vacation of sorts.  It doesn’t know that this is for real.  I’m really a consultant a couple days a week and working on my own product/business the other days.  I’m truly in charge of my own schedule, my own business, my own needs.

It is all so cool…

To be on my new path, starting a new chapter.  It is an amazing feeling!  I know there will be moments that I miss the team I left in order to pursue my dream.  It was (and still is) an AMAZING team.  One of the best I’ve ever had the pleasure to work with.  I, for the most part, liked getting up and going to work.  I liked what I did and the people I worked with directly (both clients and colleagues).  But… I also really wanted to have my own business, do my own thing and step-out on my own.  I’ve stayed in the space I love, which means I still get to work with the people I really like and want to do business with.

And so it goes…

I am in this amazing spot right now.  Happy about all of the experiences I have had, all of the amazing things I’ve learned and the great friendships and connections I’ve made while working for corporations.  Also, excited for what is to come, the new relationships to be made, the launching of my own product and business.

Mostly, I’m thankful for where I’ve been, because I wouldn’t be able to do what I am now, and appreciate it so damn much without everything that came before!

Happy Tuesday!

It feels great (and a bit terrifying!)

I stopped being an employee on Friday…

And tomorrow I will wake up my own boss.  I will be making the decisions, will be responsible for what happens next, will be e-mailing and calling my advisors to get a good dose of ‘support.’

So, what is my first order of business?

Well, on my first day, here is what I have on my to-do:

1. Get my calendar system set-up and working
2. Get my contact management system in order
3. Send out updated contact information to my network
4. Finish up a legal document so it can be filed and completed

I think that is a pretty good list.  I am working hard to make realistic schedules for my days.  I’m sure it will take some time to nail it down.  I’m pretty sure I’ll need to remind myself to eat lunch!

What else will I do on my first day, as my own boss?

I can tell you, with certainty, that I WILL drink a cup of coffee, from a real mug, with my husband and I will take my dogs for a walk… possibly in the middle of the day.

I will also make time to start doing yoga again.  I get giddy just thinking that this is possible.

So… here I am…

I am making sure I hold on to the feeling I have right now.  It is one of excitement and exhilaration.  I’m looking forward to the unknown an what is possible.  I can’t wait to see where the coming weeks and months take me.

What do you think?  Have you been where I am?  What were your thoughts and emotions?  Any tips for moving from corporate employee to entrepreneur?

Everywhere I look right now, there is change.  I love it!

What This Means

It means I’m on a whole new path.  I’m starting my own company, and it feels great!  I’m trying new things, working with new people, and I’m loving every minute of it!  It also means that this blog may have some change in tone.  This is what I wanted all along.

What I’ll Be Doing

More to come on that.  It is a web application, it is in a fun space… one I’ve been around for quite some time, and it is in development mode… right. now.

Other than the product dev, launch and otherwise starting a company… I’ll be taking my dogs for a walk in the morning, after I have a cup of coffee in a real mug, with my husband.  I’ll be working harder than I have in a long time, and I’ll be working with amazingly awesome people.

Who I’ll Be Doing It With

Right now it’s a lean team, with some advisors and a few contractors.  Over time, this will change, but for now… it is how it must be.  But, if one looks outside of my immediate company… I’ll be doing this with a whole bunch of people from all over the place, who are already helping me.  Helping me with feedback, suggestions and most of all… support.

How This Feels

Amazing, incredible, exhilarating… terrifying !  No joke.

Stay Tuned

Much more to come.  For now, I’m working really hard, doing lots of stuff, and looking ahead with much excitement!

Because, yes, I was at Lift Off, and yes, it took everything to another level.

3…2…1…

Leading up to the Lift Off weekend, I felt like the countdown clock couldn’t come soon enough.  I kept looking at the calendar and would will it to change pages faster.  Then, all of the sudden… it was here.  I was getting on the plane, landing at Phoenix airport, getting my car and driving up to the ranch.  I was at Lift Off!

Immediate Changes

Upon arrival, I felt instantly lighter.  I got the key to my cabin, unpacked, got a cup of coffee and sat on my porch… with a book.  Something I had been wanting to do for awhile, and finally, I was getting the chance.  Looking out at the mountains and the Saguaro’s going as far as the eye could see was incredible.  It inspired me right away.

Then We Met

At dinner… you wouldn’t believe that most of us had met for the first time.  there were all kinds of conversations, people telling stories… and laughing… lots and lots of laughing.  It was amazing.  To ‘fit’ with a group of people so quickly.  This was definitely going to be a very different retreat!

Then we worked…

This was not just working… this was full on, head first, figure out what it is you’re doing work.  The kind of work that makes the epiphanies come (and not stop!), the kind of work that causes amazing ideas to come out, and show themselves.  The kind of work that makes a day go by fast, and makes you feel like you really did something.

Then we presented…

To hear what others were working through… what their ideas were, and where they needed help was probably one of the most inspiring parts of the weekend for me.  To hear other people talk about what their business is, what they want it to be, where they want to go… not just inspiring… life changing!  It made me realize I’m not alone on this crazy entrepreneurship path.  That there are other people who see the world as I do.

The presentations never really stopped, once they began.  Because every time all of us were together for a break or a meal… we were talking about all of the cool projects that were getting started, refined, completely changed.  Nobody could stop us.  We wanted to support each other and hear more.  It was AWESOME!

Then we all said goodbye…

Which was hard.  I wasn’t ready to go home and not have my tribe with me at dinner.  I couldn’t believe I had bonded with this group of amazing people so quickly.  I’m a bit jaded when it comes to stuff like this, but it is true.  I bonded with each and every one of them.

Then we tweeted…

We all got home… and twitter was full of these great and amazing people.  Everyone talking about what was going on.  Sharing success stories, telling others about Lift Off (that they should go, no matter what!).  It was nice to have twitter for the transition.  The one thing we all seemed to have in common… we were EXHAUSTED.  Processing.  Could not think, had to go to bed at 9PM (I’m usually up until midnight) kind of processing.

Then the success stories flooded in…

I can’t even begin to tell you how many of us had amazing (and I’m not using that term lightly) success stories right off the bat.  First clients, new clients, articles being picked up on various blogs, starting transitions out of full time employment to take the plunge 100%… and so on and so forth.

I have talked to people about this.  It is not a phenomenon that is happening with this group.  This was a group of people ready for major change, and Lift Off forced us to think through our businesses… our plans, our ideas, our struggles.  We all worked hard to get things out, and the amazing thing is, once things were out, then ideas just kept coming, action plans got made, and measurable results got defined.

I believe that Lift Off caused a mental shift that allowed each one of us to see our businesses and ideas clearly.  So clearly, that we could take real action.  I know for myself, it caused me to see the entire picture much more clearly, and in bite sized chunks.  It was no longer a huge sea of ideas floating in my head.  It was a real business, with a plan and a desired outcome.

And now… life is different

And it is good.  I (among others) have jumped off “the cliff” and made the conscious choice to do our thing.  To take the next logical step… to take the risk… and make our thing happen.

It is amazing to see how much has changed for all of us.  How much we all learned.  How excited we are to take on the challenge.

The best part… we all have an amazing support team that just over a week ago… we did. not. have.  It makes all the difference.

If you are thinking about going to the next Lift Off… don’t think any longer.  Just go.

Because when momentum builds, it seems slow, and then pow, it is taking on a life of its own… and it cannot be controlled.

Coming In Like A Wave

Yesterday was the Mavericks surf Contest, where the top 24 surfers gather to take on one of the  most intense waves in the world.  They fly in from as far as South Africa (Congrats to Chris Bertis who won the competition after flying for 32 hours to be there!) and drive up from as close as Santa Cruz to compete.

While watching the competition on the Mavericks website, I was in awe of the capabilities of the guys in the water.  They were riding 40-50’+ wave faces, all day long.  To see them take on a momentum that is totally uncontrollable, is an amazing site.  I think the following quote says it all:

“We witness the courage the surfers muster to challenge Nature’s most brute and merciless forces, and with that we are inspired to face our own fears.” — Maverickssurf.com

The Momentum, The Fear, The Conquering

Just as the surfers, who don’t turn and run when they see an uncontrollable momentum coming at them, but rather, take it head on… I am choosing to go head first into a growing momentum that I see headed towards me.  One that would normally cause my lizard brain to go into high gear, tell me to flee, tell me to stay in my comfort zone, tell me not to do it.

But this time, is different.  I’m ready to take it on, and am working as hard as I can to turn the fear and adrenaline into a positive force that will take me places I can’t even imagine right now.  I’m riding this wave as far as it will take me, and if I fall down, I will take the next one that comes in and ride it as far as it will take me.

On The Edge

So… right now, in this place… I’m right on the edge.  I’m looking down and know it’s time to be all-in.  Go for it.  This thing that I’m working on has all the elements I’ve been looking for:

1. It’s something I love to do
2. It will allow me work with people I like and respect
3. It will give me a massive challenge
4. It will be fun

I am ready to face my own fears… dive in, and ride the wave that is coming, instead of letting it pass me by.

All I know is that when I have my own business, and I need to form a team, I’m calling them my pit crew.

Are you starting a racing business?

No, not at all.  But, I got to go to a NASCAR race, and let me tell you… it’s all about the pit crews, oh, and the driver, oh yeah, and definitely the car.  But really… watching the pit crew is like watching a well rehearsed dance number on Broadway.  Except there’s no dancing, and I’m not really all that into Broadway plays… so maybe that’s a bad example.  But know this… it’s amazingly cool to watch the pit crew!

The pit crew… why I watch them as much as the race itself.

I’m not a big NASCAR person, but I’ve gone to a few races in my day, and honestly, there are times I catch myself watching the activity in the pit as much as the race itself.  The speed and seeming ease with witch they work.  It’s something to see.  I think in their off months, they should coach teams on better communication, trusting that the other people can/will do what they say they will and most of all… speed and efficiency.

Except, I think that speed and efficiency are results of good communication and trusting fellow teammates.

Communicate, communicate, communicate.

Based on the amount of equipment I saw, I believe that communication is at the core of what these teams do.  They talk to the driver, to people on the track and to each other.  I’d love to hear the communication.  I bet it is mostly people listening to a few people talking.  I don’t know this for sure… but I don’t think that 10 people are barking orders.

They seem to do almost everything without talking much.  Of course, the sound coming from the track may have something to do with this.  But, when a car comes into the pit, they flag it down, people get to work and then the head person (or at least they appear to be the head person) says something, pats the back of the car and the driver is gone.

Respect and trust.

Again, I’ve never worked on a pit crew.  Watching them work, and hearing that the rules are quite strict about what members on the pit crew can and cannot do based on their role, makes me believe they need to have a lot of respect and trust if they want to be an efficient pit team.  Turns out that the crew working on the car are not allowed to go over to the tool box and grab a wrench.  A designated tool person must hand it to them.  If the pit person working on the car grabs the wrench on the other side of the wall… they are out of the pit for the remainder of the race.  There is no such thing as substitutions, either.  They are just out… and the rest of the crew must work with one less set of hands.

So… each member of the team must trust that their fellow teammates will do their job.  They cannot step in.  Not even if they want to.  They must trust that the best person is in that position and will get it done.  I like it.

Practice, Practice, Practice.

The amount of practice that must go on… I can only imagine.  The weeks and months leading up to the season, the car nuances being learned, the personality of the team coming to light.  Like any good team, they aren’t just born, they are created and honed and put through the ringer together.  Through a little thing we call practice.

I’m sure that the driver practices hearing and feeling the car.  Practices how to communicate what is wrong with the car.  What the sound is they heard, what the feeling is they felt.  The pit crew must practice interpreting this feedback so they can figure out what is wrong, what needs to be adjusted, what needs to be replaced.  In 10 seconds or less.

The tuning on the car is so precise, that just swerving the car back and forth during a yellow flag can mean the difference between first and second.  The little details are so important that during long races, they will break for 10 minutes to allow the team to make any adjustments they feel necessary due to the way the track is running, the way the car is reacting to the temperature of the asphalt, the way the wind is blowing.  I mean, any little nuance is taken into account and corrected for, if possible.

This is why I want a pit crew.

Because with a good team, who I can trust and respect… anything is possible.  With a team that sees a way to fine tune the business by making the smallest of changes… the business is going to do better.  With a team that is willing to stop at lap 100 and reassess because things are not going as planned… the business will be able to go directions that one never thought possible.

Can’t wait to get going… can’t wait to have a pit crew!

What are some things you look for in a team?