So next Thursday I’m doing this thing, a teleclass, with my buddy Cairene MacDonald of ThirdHandWorks. I absolutely love Cairene and have participated in many of her Bite the Candy sessions where you carve out several hours to tackle a few of those things that have piled up—things that you don’t want to do–in a really gentle way. When Cairene asked me to be her January Guest Guide I jumped at the chance.
I’m really excited about it but also kind of nervous because it’s my first teleclass.
And it being my first teleclass, I totally don’t have the I should promote this thing shouldn’t I if I want people to come figured out. So this is me promoting it. Or really just telling you a little about it to see if it sounds like something that might be helpful for you.
Business planning for creative people
Since its January, we’re going to focus on business planning. But not the sucky, scary kind that makes creative people like you break out in hives.
What we’re going to do will be way cooler. We’re going to envision where we want our businesses to go and then create a visual business plan to get there.
As Cairene says: I love mind-mapping. I encourage my students to use mind-mapping. I think it’s a really useful tool to have in one’s tool box. It’s a technique that is organic and visual and intuitive and relational—and can help you discover and organize ideas in ways that list-making just can’t.
Exactly!
How it will work
Before we get to the mindmapping though, I’m going to help you tap into your intuition and take a visual journey through the landscape of your business. Maybe a visual touchstone or totem will emerge for you, like mine did recently when I got a vision of my people as sailboats bobbing gently in the Caribbean Sea.
We’ll imagine what you want to do in the coming year (or if you prefer, in the more immediate next three months.)
Then we’ll brainstorm ideas about your direction and organize them into a visual framework with clear action steps.
You’ll get to play with markers, colored sticky notes and big paper. And any other kind of fun stuff you can think of that your visual plan might need.
You’ll come away with a customized-for-you visual business plan. One that inspires and delights you. One you’ll want to use it every day like I do mine.
But I can’t draw!
If you’re intimidated about not having the art gene (relax, there isn’t an art gene), no worries. We’ll be using colored post-it notes and basic shapes to compose our ideas. And you’ll receive a file beforehand with some simple icon drawings from me that you can easily copy.
Interested? Head over here to sign up. And find that pack of colored markers you have tucked away because we’re going to give them a work out! See you on the call next Thursday.
Oh, and the call will be recorded if you can’t make it.