Wednesday, August 10, 2011

I am hearing the message, loud and clear!

Today was day 4 of my "Flying Lessons" with Kelly Rae Roberts. Focus today was on blogging. I have never been a big fan of blogging or blogs, even though I was responsible for a really cool one back in the mid 90s. I earned a "New Fellow Fellowship" from "The Newspaper Association of America" and traveled to several newspapers around the country for a year and then in the end got to pick the one I wanted to go to for a week. I went to San Jose. There was a lot of new technology going on there and I thought I could learn something because I hadn't seen much going on at other newspaper across the country. I ended up hanging out with a really cool guy who showed me the ropes at the newspaper for about an hour every morning. I actually did the entertainment listings for the Contra Costa Times for a week. But most of my time was spent in coffee shops and  sight seeing until midnight every night. It was June 3, a beautiful day in sunny California day and I pulled up to a coffee shop and the old Bobbie Gentry song "Ode to Billy Joe" was playing on the radio. "It was the third of June, another sleepy, dusty Delta day. I was out choppin' cotton and my brother was balin' hay." At any rate, at the end of a very enjoyable year of travel I had to come up with an online project to present to the Newspapers Association of America panel so that they knew their money was well spent. I had run across an online diary (they weren't called blogs back then) of a couple of guys who were traveling in an RV across America on Route 66. First of all traveling on Route 66 in an RV has always been my dream for old age. I always visioned myself, with my husband in an RV at the end of long lives together traveling and camping across the land. I was a hippy, wasn't I? Now I see myself traveling to Spain and spending time in an adobe house in Santa Fe. So I thought this traveling online diary was a winner but I didn't see myself going anywhere any time soon, I had a 16 yr old and a 18 yr old at home. However, my friend Lana was going on a European tour with her dad Willie Nelson, so I asked her to meet with the new online department at the Austin American-Statesman and asked her to write a daily diary of their travels. It was an instant success. The next year, Statesman.com had a new manager and didn't want to participate so Lana started blogging on WillieNelson.com. Random House Books liked it so much that they offered her a book deal. Willie ended up taking over and writing the book himself but Lana made enough money on the deal to build a house for her daughter. So that was my first blog experience. I wasn't sure then and I am not sure now that what I have to say will be of interest to anyone but if Kelly Rae says it is key to her success I am going to give it a try! I have a commitment to my DREAM! I do! I do! This shouldn't be hard at all! I have been writing everything on Facebook that I should have been blogging. I love posting photos. Why not do it here?

Today I had to focus on creating jewelry for my art show at Highland Mall this weekend. I have found that it is important to have the big expensive canvas pieces so people know you are an artist but most purchases are small,  inexpensive items. Most people either can't afford a painting or don't have anywhere to put it but like to take something to remember the experience. Small inexpensive items at art shows are key to success.

Anyway here is a great video from my e-course. Simon Sinek says exactly what I heard on "Breaking the Millionaire Code" earlier this week. Is it a coincidence that I heard it twice in one week? I don't think so.  Christian and I are talking about committing to our art business. He is thinking BIG. I like that! We have opened the door to success. He just happened to walk into a textile art studio at The Hill in St Louis yesterday while waiting to get his cooking knives sharpened. Coincidence? What are the chanced that he would walk into a warehouse where 2 women were doing exactly what he wants to do. Paint one fabric?

So her is the video of the day. Key  -----> The goal is to do business with people who believe in what you are doing. Developing trust and loyalty. You and or your product makes them FEEL good therefore they want to be a part of it. You hire people who believe in your product and have an investment in it.
 Simon Sinek: How great leaders inspire action | Video on TED.com
"Breaking the Millionaire Code" quoted the Bible, Matthew 18:20 and what I have always believed about that Bible quote is that there is power in numbers. When two people or more people gather in his name and pray for the same cause there is more power.  I am praying for a Dream Team! Martin Luther King said "I have a DREAM," not I have a plan and he found thousands who had the same dream.


3 comments:

  1. Your art is so beautiful, Christina!

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  2. So pretty, congratulations on an excellent work christina, I love love this font, Im your new follower, from Flying lessons

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