Whole Life Boogie

Anyone who knows about my entrepreneurial interests over the years knows that entrepreneurial author/speaker/coach, Barbara J. Winter has long been a business mentor/”pal” of mine.

Since finding the first edition of Barbara’s wonderfully inspiring book, Making A Living Without A Job: Winning Ways for Creating Work that You Love (Bantam Publishing) back in the 1990s…a book which “rescued” me from a job I absolutely–let’s say–did not love (at all!)…I have been a follower…and kind of entrepreneurial “groupee.” I found Barbara’s book in a bookstore one night after another aggravating day at work. The title called out to me BIG TIME! I read the book…LOVED IT…emailed her my compliments…and after she quickly replied and kept an email conversation going…a wonderful entreprneurial friendship was born! Barbara and her book gave me inspirational and practical tips which have been helping me to grow my own passion-following business projects ever since…while helping to keep me positive and motivated despite the challenges that come up (most of them in my own thinking: fears, self-doubt, etc.).

FINALLY this year, 2010, was a time to put my money where my mouth is (so to speak) and help get this “passion-following entrepreneurial philosophy” (that I soooo believe in) out to the masses! What better place to get Barbara’s hopeful business message out to others……especially during this challenging economy…than at Borders Bookstore’s Wall Street branch? Not only does this help my fellow New Yorkers (many of whom have been laid off) to find some kind of career hope…but it also helps to promote Barbara’s book (the 2010 Edition) for all the help she’s given me…AND helps to promote her upcoming Joyfully Jobless Jamboree event Oct. 15th & 16th in Texas (which I’m helping to coordinate).

On top of all of this, the Book Club has been helping me to build my own inspirational event business experience and confidence, while getting to meet some great entrepreneurial “kindred-spirits” in my hometown of NYC (finally)! For as another great entrepreneurial author, Barbara Sher, says, “Isolation is the dream-killer.” Yes, I firmly believe it is important for all of us entrepreneurs to frequently be around like-minded, possibility-thinkers who will help to cheer you on as you do the same for them. That’s one of the easiest ways to insure that you stick to your path, and take the right actions to make your dreams a reality.

With that said, the Making a Living Without a Job, book club/book reading event (which I discuss more on the events page of this website) was small, but to me, a success! I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to get to use Borders Bookstore/ Wall Street branch in NYC to hold this 5 week Wednesday night event this past summer. (Thank you to Nicole Giglio, Dahlia and the rest of  the Borders’ staff for giving me this wonderful opportunity). I got to meet some great entrepreneurial New Yorkers who were eager to read Barbara’s book and share their own insights each week. Special thanks to Sharon, Jim, Nelson and Judith who participated in most of the classes, as well as to others who were only able to come by once, but added to the inspiration. (Photo above: Marty, Nelson, Lynn and Sharon). Of course, last but not least, is the person who let me run with this opportunity to use her rich work to help inspire others, and myself, in the process…the author herself…my mentor, Barbara Winter… AND my entrepreneurial “tribe” and cheering section whom I met through Barbara, especially Alice Barry, Sandy Dempsey, Terri Belford, Jami Yanowski and my other pals from Barbara’s seminars.

It was a great experience…and I couldn’t have done it without my “tribe”…old members and new. And, with God’s continued help, there’s more fun and inspiration to come!

With gratitude,
Lynn