Sheila's Guide To The Good Stuff

I’m working on a book, and it’s NOT about travel or social media!

Seems as though every time I turn around these days, someone I know is cranking out a book. For speakers like me, it’s almost a rite of passage.

I spent a lot of time wrestling with the idea, and trying to figure out why my portfolio of print articles and blog posts since early 2006 wasn’t enough to give me the credibility that can apparently – even today – only come from a book.

Honestly, it seems a bit silly that all of my tech and blogging buddies consider a book, made of paper, to be a pinnacle of geek achievement. Does anyone else find that a bit, well, ODD?

So I did what I do….I stewed and pouted and tried to find reasons to say No, and ultimately it ended up the way it always does for me….I decided that it was worth my time and effort to write a book, but not the one that people might expect.

A travel guidebook is a pain in the rear to compile and write, there’s no real money in it and it’s often outdated very quickly.

A social media book would be a rather naked bid to catch this year’s hot marketing topic. An offline entity doesn’t seem like the best medium to convey thoughts about online topics – especially when this blog works just fine for that, thanks.

I wanted something evergreen; something that could be picked up at a bookstore or ordered online five years from now, and would still be relevant, engaging and helpful.  When in doubt, I turn to my own experiences because I know them best, and thus was born The Elastic Waist Entrepreneur (or here is the book’s Facebook Page, if that’s your thing.) It’s about launching an online business for older women, especially when you really don’t know what the hell you’re doing, like me.

Since I have this project on the brain, I submitted a speaking proposal with serial entrepreneur Wendy Piersall to the South by Southwest Interactive (SXSWi) tech conference, held every March in Austin, Texas.  It’s right down the road from me, and I’d be an idiot not to attend one of the world’s biggest tech events when it’s a 30 minute drive away.

As part of the unique Panel Picker process at SXSW, you can vote for and comment on proposals, so here is my shameless plug for you to add your vote and voice to the comments about the proposal, if you’d like.

Our proposal page: Elastic Waist Entrepreneurship for Women 40+

Why elastic waists? Because as a comfort-seeking old lady of 50, that’s what I was wearing when I came up with the book idea.

No matter how it ends up, thanks for your support, and see you in Austin in March 2012!

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Getting a bit tired of people offering to buy you coffee and “pick your brain?”

I have to tell you, this sort of request was a lot less bothersome when I had a salaried position than it is now, when I’m an entrepreneur and a freelance writer/speaker/consultant, and my time is quite literally how I make a living.

Sure, some people don’t mean anything by it, some have read networking advice that says I’ll be flattered to be asked, and others really ARE moochers.

How can you tell the difference, and how can you turn those people who are fishing for information into possible paying customers of your work?

I have some answers for you.

There’s a live webinar on the topic coming up tomorrow (April 26, 3 pm CST) with me and my Tourism Currents business partner Becky McCray, plus we’re including a toolkit with a workbook and role-playing audio, all in a package we’re calling How To Draw the Line Between Free and Paid.

The live version of our webinar will only be offered this one time; anyone who signs up after Tuesday will have to settle for the recording. During the webinar, we’re going to add some valuable tips:

• The advantages (yes, there are a few) and disadvantages of sometimes working for no pay.
• How to tell the difference between predatory brain-picking and friendly questioning.
• Why social media tends to cause us to be overly casual about the value of our work.

All the details are here: http://is.gd/DrawTheLine

If you’re ready to jump right in and sign up, go straight to the registration page here: http://is.gd/DrawTheLineSignUp

Nope, it’s not free; it’s $37. We’re charging because we want you to take it seriously, and actually do the work required to set up a system to change brain-pickers into customers.

Plus, we’ve gotta stand by our own words, and no, you may not pick our brains for free!

We promise, though, that it will be worth every penny.

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When should you continue to be part of a team, and when should you strike out on your own?

At what point do you start to question whether your individual efforts for the benefit of a team are not worth the benefit to you, personally?

When should you take a gimlet-eyed view of your output vs input and ask, “What’s in it for me?”

Confidence in your own talents and abilities is critical.

When you’re less confident in your abilities, you’ll do anything for a team because you figure it’s not possible to make it on your own.  It’s learning time.

As you gain confidence, it’s normal to begin (even almost unconsciously) measuring the value of what you’re providing and comparing it to the value of what your team brings to you.

I am at that point.

I’m not sure that I like being here.

I’m thinking about it.

I’m grateful for mentors and friends like Liz and Becky and events like SOBCon, so I don’t have to think alone.