A Circuitous Route to Career Bliss

Moving from a secure and high powered career in law to the world of an entrepreneur was no easy task. Ellen discussed the transition with friends, family, and her husband, all of whom supported her in this daring new career move. She phased into landscaping keeping her hand in the legal world part-time, at first. Ellen worked on friends’ properties and eventually got referrals from them and a local nursery.

Building and stewarding client relationships is something that Ellen did regularly as an attorney and this skill transferred well into her new business. She enjoyed the immediate connection with new clients and the process of developing a landscape plan to make them happier in their home environment.

Ellen thrives on creating gardens and landscapes that capture her clients’ wishes – whether it’s recovering the beauty of an overgrown or ailing landscape or developing the possibilities of an empty space transforming it from a detriment to an asset with a little attention. She creates themed gardens to respond to a client’s interest, such as honoring a loved one, having a serene place to sit or meditate, or having an herb garden that provides outdoor interest and fragrance as well as bringing extra delight to cooking. She is a listener who partners with her clients to give them a way of reaching their goals whether they understand the green world or not.

The Weeds in a Workplace Garden

As her own boss, Ellen is thriving in an autonomous work environment where she can set high standards of excellence and have the freedom to create new services and products for clients.  As an owner of a new business she admits the lack of security and endless demands on her time can be worrisome.  But recognizing that she is now responsible for her success and is not held back by being an employee for someone else has proven tremendously liberating.

She encourages other women to think about what they really like to do and not be deterred by the fear of not being able to make a living. Ellen suggests that career changers “…try it on and figure it out. There is a wonderful opportunity for trial and error and you can always change your mind. When you have created your new career the money will come.”

Growing the Business

This budding entrepreneur (pun intended!) admits that watching expenses is always a concern. Her strategy is to keep overhead down and continue to build her clientele with excellent referrals and services that distinguish her from other landscape companies. Ellen learned early on that record keeping was a necessity and utilizes a variety of tools to manage her books, foster client communications, and facilitate marketing and networking.

Since gardening in Pennsylvania where Ellen lives and works is seasonal she keeps busy in the winter months by taking classes and learning new techniques that will enhance her services to clients.  She enrolled in the three year certificate in horticulture program at the Barnes Foundation. “It is always fun to learn more and discover new possibilities in landscaping.” Ellen also speaks to garden clubs and other groups giving presentations and demonstrations. She likes to plan new projects with clients so they can start in the spring and she has launched a series of winter-proof indoor themed gardens that make wonderful presents for all occasions.

Marketing is always an important part of growing the business, no matter what the season. Ellen hired a marketing expert and recently launched a website that has given her a much needed online presence. She uses business cards with her new logo to network and posts lawn signs at job locations to capitalize on curb appeal and drive-by prospective clients who see her work. She offers a free consultation as a way for her and a potential client to get to know one another and discuss the client’s goals.

In 2010 the Wynnewood Business Association launched a recognition program for Women in Excellence and Ellen is the first recipient of its Women’s Excellence in Business Award. She is very grateful for this award and sees it as a sign of growth as well as an incentive to continue to move forward with her company.

Garden Rehabilitator

Ellen has been landscaping since she was a child. She started her first garden with her Mom in Connecticut and carries many of those techniques with her today. Gardening has also been a therapeutic outlet for Ellen who found that immersing herself in it was a new way to create life when her marriage died. Gardening was cathartic and healthy way for her to rebuild and renew her life.

Likewise Ellen enjoys bringing diseased plants back to good health or moving an ailing plant to a better location in the landscape so they may provide renewed pleasure. Almost no specimens are beyond rehabilitation and with Ellen’s expert knowledge and tender loving care, most plants come back to thrive in time.

Growth Potential

2010 marks 4 years for Ellen’s business as a Limited Liability Company (LLC). She has steadily grown her clientele and works with a foreman and a crew who reflect the values of her company.  She has built a collegial team that enjoys working together and loves what they do.

Using her lawyerly skills in problem solving, contracts, and project management, Ellen has built a business she loves. Since she traded in her corporate business suits for jeans, a sun hat and waterproof boots, Ellen enjoys wearing skirts and dresses when she is not at work. But there is nothing better for this lawyer turned landscaper than digging in the earth and creating custom gardens that bring delight to the senses.

Quote:

“Be as you wish to seem.” Aristotle

Ellen’s Advice and Action Steps:

• Take the time to figure out what you really love to do. Test-drive many things and know that you can always change your mind. You are not defined by your current occupation but have a diversity of talents and abilities within you.
• Never give up – what you are meant to do is out there somewhere waiting for you to discover it.
• Rally your support network (friends, family, additional resources) because you will need to lean on them during your transition.
• Don’t be afraid to reinvent yourself – it can be very liberating.

Resources:

Custom Gardens, LLC www.customgardensllc.com

Lucky for you, a new pocket sized resource is jam packed with useful information that will help you succeed. Tim Whitney is a Dallas executive, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and author. His latest book, The Fast Track 50- The Get-Ahead Guide for Temporary Employees combines his 22+ years of senior leadership experience with temporary employees along with team-building science. It is part of a bigger initiative to bring low cost training, E-Learning, and mentoring to the temporary employment industry called www.TipsForTemps.com and for the full time employee.

Tim is a master at showing you how to avoid the temp treadmill so you can take your short-term job and ride the career escalator upwards.  His Fast Track 50 Tips are savvy, easy to implement, and designed to give you a competitive edge. By developing memory tags, Tim shows you exactly how and when to implement these strategies in your temp work environment.

While the book is geared primarily at temps seeking full time employment, the FT 50 really is a great basis for anyone seeking: and entry level position, a new job, or a new career.  The reasons are simple – these 50 attitudes, actions, and behaviors help the person quickly fit in (Tim calls it ‘Teaming’) with an existing workforce.  One of the biggest things going against entry level folks or people changing careers is the ability to fit in with an existing workforce as part of the team.  Tim’s MBA is in Team Building and strongly plays into the methodology and simplicity of this new book/pocket guide.

Check out my interview with Tim on CBS Radio’s Career Coach Caroline on Tuesday, May 15^th at 5pm ET http://sky.radio.com/shows/coach-me/  We’ll be talking about his new book and the Fast Track 50 Tips to empower you to move from temp to permanent work faster. In this economy, proving you are indispensible is more important than ever so tune in to hear Tim Whitney share his wisdom and expertise to help you move forward with your career goals.

Little Doggie Lips

She had a very successful career in a huge advertising agency in Los Angeles working on campaigns for national brands including Panda Express, Saturn cars, eBay Motors, Shutterfly and The San Francisco Giants, to name just a few. As an Art Director, she was responsible for full-scale guerilla marketing from websites to TV commercials and everything in-between. The work was exciting and fast paced but after many years it left her stressed out, unbalanced, and unhealthy.

As a way to relieve her stress, Grace began to take photos of homeless dogs at the local animal shelters in order to help them find loving homes. As an Art Director, she developed a wonderful eye and worked with photographers regularly so she knew the craft even though she was not formally trained in the medium.

The hobby morphed into a sideline business and Grace began working early mornings, late nights, and weekends on her photography in addition to her ad agency job. She was clocking over 70 hours per week and received a significant raise at the agency after launching a popular national television campaign. But after 9 months of the cottage industry business and the grind of the day job, Grace quit the ad agency to focus on her photography full-time. This woman, in love with organic gardening, old books and little doggie lips recognized her calling and took the leap.

Do You Zig or Zag?

Grace’s background in advertising gave her the perfect set of transferable skills to launch her new business and make it a successful full-time venture. She designed her own website, developed her brand and marketed the business in order to attract clients. Grace uses social media resources to spread the word about her business including a blog http://www.shinepetphotos.com/blog/ that has become very popular with clients.

While Grace capitalized on her own self reliance she also knows the importance of distinguishing herself and her work. Since the time Grace launched ShinePetPhotos, over 70 new pet photographers have popped up in the Los Angeles area alone. She continues to be strategic and tap into her business sense to differentiate herself and separate her business from the pack.

At the ad agency she learned how to serve clients well and to solve problems. Advertising is not just marketing a product or a service, it involves solving real life problems and this has helped tremendously in her new business. Grace knew it wasn’t just enough to identify her passion for animals in the form of photography – she had to monetize it in order to make a livelihood out of this new venture.

A Clear Picture of Success

When I asked Grace to distill her personal brand down to a few works she responded with modern pet photography. Her images are beautifully real and capture the relationship of the animal and their human families as well as the unique personality of each furry friend. She aims to capture the pets in their natural environment, with gorgeous natural light, doing their favorite things.

The adage that time is money is even more applicable according to Grace who now works from home. She goes on location for her photography shoots but her days are filled with hard work managing and building the business. She does find time for gardening and cooking which was not always possible when she worked at the ad agency.

Grace feels more balanced, healthier, and has a sense of calm in her new work that everyone around her has recognized. Working with dogs and cats as your subjects takes a lot of patience. Although Grace considers herself impatient with most things in life, she has developed a sense of serenity and peace with the animals which makes for a good photo shoot.

The accolades are piling up and Grace has become widely recognized in a short period of time. She is the official photographer of The World’s Ugliest Dog Contest, has cover photos showcased in The Bark Magazine and her shots were in a feature story about Perez Hilton’s dog, Teddy. Grace was also named LA’s best pet photographer two years in a row by Tails Magazine.

Grace’s grit and determination have helped her transfer the ad agency skills into her own business. She is committed to doing everything she can with character and integrity and has built her business on those values. She finally feels like she is doing what is right for her and has a sense of contentment about the new career that she is designing.

Coming Full Circle

As a little girl, Grace knew she was passionate about animals. Little did she know then that many years later she would develop a business to celebrate her furry friends and capture their essence with photographs.

Grace’s friends and colleagues thought she was crazy to quit a lucrative job in the midst of a recession but she kept her eye on the prize and never looked back. In 2 years, her business has grown exponentially. She operated in the black her very first year and nearly tripled her intake during the second year. Working full-time while growing the business was one of the most challenging things Grace has ever done but she earned her dream career with sweat equity, business savvy and the wisdom to know the importance of distinguishing herself from the competition.

And needless to say, she has the most lovable furry clients to work with on a daily basis so life is grand.

Grace’s Advice and Action Steps:

• Identify your passion – then monetize it!
• Be strategic and learn how to differentiate your personal brand to separate yourself from the competition. Identify your niche market.
• Know that if you start a new business you will have to work extremely hard and manage your time wisely. It’s all up to you.
• Learn how to connect your transferable skills and experiences with a new opportunity.
• Develop a plan.

Quote:

“If you are more excited to leave your job on Friday than you are to come in to work on Monday, something is wrong.” Donny Deutsch

Resources:

Shine Pet Photos www.shinepetphotos.com

Blog www.shinepetphotos.com/blog

Some say Clinton had presence and was always fully in the moment and never distracted when talking with people. He clearly had presidential power during his Whitehouse tenure but his charisma was evident before that and remains constant after his time in the oval office. The power he exuded was confidence, in addition to his ability to express goodwill and empathy.

While some think charisma is innate and can be learned early on, others develop their career charisma over time. The late Steve Jobs, for example was much more charismatic from 1984 onwards. If you watch footage of him speaking you can actually hear and see the transformation and how he gained confidence and warmth in his voice and presence later in life.

So what do the magnetic personalities of celebrities like George Clooney, Ellen DeGeneres, and Meryl Streep have in common? Experts believe that you can give your charisma and your career persona a boost by applying these tips:

• Keep a relatively still body language. Excessive nodding and fidgeting can make you appear impatient, insecure, and nervous. Think regal and tall – even when sitting.
• Wait a second or two when someone asks you a question. The technology driven culture has cultivated a lightning fast response expectation but the pause is powerful and builds anticipation, power, and a sense of control. A brief pause will make the person asking you the question feel more valued because you are taking time to consider their answer.

Charisma is not just about how others perceive you – it’s about how you make others feel. Gather your thoughts, be still, listen authentically, and validate those around you and you’ll be well on your way to ramping up your career charisma. These ideas were generated from an article in Parade Magazine about Olivia Fox Cabane’s new book: The Charisma Myth. So get out there and light up a room!

These women have extensive experience strategizing, creating, and executing multimedia campaigns for a myriad of clients in a variety of industries. But, their entrepreneurial spirit blossomed after both women experienced ongoing morning sickness during their respective pregnancies. In fact, at Carla’s baby shower the two were commiserating about the drab gray acupressure wrist bands that were helping Carla keep her morning sickness at bay. She was no longer nauseous but the dull wristbands did nothing to enhance her adorable maternity outfit!

With 20+ years of collective marketing experience, Romy and Carla hit the mother-load of ideas and conceived the plan for a more fashionable and functional acupressure wrist band. Two years later Psi Bands (pronounced “sigh”) were born.  www.psibands.com

Ancient Wisdom Meets FDA Standards

Psi Bands use acupressure, an ancient healing art, supported by scientific studies to relieve nausea when placed at the Nei-kuan acupressure points on the wrists. These drug free wrist bands help relieve nausea in a natural way. In addition to pregnant mothers, Psi Bands have been used successfully to help those suffering from motion sickness, post surgical anesthesia nausea, and Chemotherapy induced nausea. Wrist acupressure is widely used for the relief of nausea because it is noninvasive, easy to self-administer and affordable. These FDA-cleared bands are now available in major retail stores nationwide and internationally.

Romy and Carla are on a mission to provide high quality, fashionable, comfortable and affordable products that make a positive difference in the lives of people suffering from nausea. If that weren’t impressive enough, Psi Bands donates a percentage of its profits to Fertile Hope, a LIVESTRONG initiative dedicated to providing reproductive information, support and hope to cancer patients and survivors whose medical treatments present the risk of infertility.

Back of a Napkin Idea to Sustainable Business

These women have a wealth of marketing and advertising experience between them but how did they actually get this product off the ground? Romy told me that the initial product sketches were drafted on the back of a napkin! Friend and colleague, Peter Schouten joined the women in the business and his expertise in product design and development was the perfect complement to the PR and marketing expertise of Carla and Romy.

Romy and Carla knew from the get-go that they were onto something when they conceived the idea for Psi Bands. After extensive research, the two women decided that they had a solid business model and quit their day jobs. They admit it was a scary leap of faith but a necessity to make it a sustainable business. Since they love what they do and love that they are helping people in the process, Romy and Carla know they made the right choice.

Work/family balance is their largest challenge, but they love what they do and would not have it any other way. Romy reported: “We try to stay “in” the moment – whether it is with our children or working on the business.” With 20/20 hindsight, the women know now that some of their hiring choices would have been different if they had to do it over again They would start with a focus on ensuring that their team members share the company’s goals and vision.

Future goals for Psi Bands include continuing to build brand awareness, landing some additional large retailers nationally, and growing the international expansion. At the end of the day, Romy and Carla both believe you must love what you do. These mothers of invention are thriving!

Romy and Carla’s Advice and Action Steps:

• Be sure your partners and employees/consultants have the same goal and vision for the company.
• Seek out the advice and expertise of others when you don’t have the experience to make an informed decision.
• Join women entrepreneur groups to network, find inspiration, and share ideas.
• Follow your dreams, do what you love, and believe in yourself!
• Listen to your gut, do your research, and believe in your product/service 100%. Your passion will need to carry you through the inevitable business challenges that you will face.

Quotes:  “There will be bumps. Savor the journey.”

Resources:

Psi Bands www.psibands.com

Make Mine a Million $ Business www.makemineamillion.org

National Association of Women’s Business Owners (NAWBO)  www.nawbo.org

Savor the Success  www.savorthesuccess.com

The Mom Entrepreneur Support Group www.themomentrepreneur.com

Ladies Who Launch – www.ladieswholaunch.com

Jennifer King  is an HR Analyst at Software Advice, a company that reviews and compares human resources software. She reports on trends, technology, and best practices related to HR. She wrote a great piece on her HR blog distilling 5 tips for new managers that she collected from new managers. This advice, coupled with the wisdom she gleaned from an executive coach just might help you through the tough times in your new role until you become more effective leading your new team.

Jennifer will be my guest on CBS Radio Career Coach Caroline at 5pm ET on Tuesday, May 1, 2012. Tune in for this important conversation with best practice tips for new managers. Here is a brief look at Jennifer’s top 5 tips.

Get to Know Your People and What They Want. Take as much time as possible in the beginning of your transition to get to know your direct reports. Talk to them about their career goals, what they want out of their current position, and how you can best support them.

Learn to See Your Work Through Others. As a manager, you’ll likely be spending most of your time in meetings, discussions with senior management, and one-on-one conversations with your team, which will leave you less time to work on your own projects. You’ll eventually begin to see your work shine through your team as you give direction and offer guidance.

Listen Up! The ability to listen to your team and give guidance without assuming you immediately know the right answer will be critical as you spend more one-on-one time with your employees.

Develop Your Own Style. While it may feel easy or natural to mimic the management tactics of your previous boss, those same tactics might not work for you. Instead, think about what they did and how you can learn from them to develop your own style.

Don’t Expect to Be Awesome in the Beginning. One of the biggest misconceptions held by first-time managers is that they’ll be good at management from the get-go. In most cases, though, new managers need training and development just like any new hire within an organization.

Tune into CBS Radio’s Career Coach Caroline Tuesday at 5pm ET  to hear more expert advice from Jennifer King for new managers.

Be a guide, not a dictator. Deepak Chopra’s leadership helps guide without prescribing. In a world where anyone can tell (and often will) you what to do and think, his message is that you can believe what you want to believe and to honor your own path.

Go beyond your niche. Instead of premiering the film to an audience of Chopra loving celebrities, Gotham chose to launch the film to a tech savvy, less spiritual audience. It was a risk but proved that the message could stand the test of a “real” audience and go beyond the typical Chopra fan base. Always take your message beyond your typical audience.

Share a personal story. Businesses are typically very bad at being personal or letting the personality of their people shine through their product or services. In the film, Chopra’s struggles are human and his journey is believable so the humanity shines through and tells a compelling story that brings the audience even closer.

Don’t take yourself too seriously. In a world filled with oversized egos from people who are more than Twitter- famous, you should always remember humility, levity, and the reality that on a human level we are all equal no matter how recognizable or influential.

Don’t shy away from the truth. How does a son realistically depict his father in a film? In this case, there were no Deepak requested edits or revisions to the final cut. Being accurate and honest by telling the truth will win an audience authentically in leadership, marketing, and in life.

In college, Emily was on a pre-med track and even took the MCAT exam before changing to a Business major. Jessica studied Mass Communications and Fashion and both sisters ended up with jobs in their respective industries that made them solvent but left them wanting more.

Solvent But Looking for More

Hey Lady Shoes was an idea that kept coming back to them repeatedly, like fate prodding them into action. “We had to do this, there were too many signs to ignore.” according to Emily. This calling stemmed from a series of not so well-heeled events and a magic instant when the sisters had their collective aha moment. Seasoned runners, both ladies endured their share of bodily injuries but none more excruciating than from an extended evening in uncomfortable high heels.  These shoe addicts realized they were not alone in their quest for a comfortable and stylish heel but Jessica’s wedding shoe trauma propelled the twins into action.

Vow to Never Settle

A former fashion executive, Jessica refused to wear stiff and dye-able shoes even though nobody would see them under her floor length wedding gown. After a full year of searching for the perfect shoes, for her perfect day, she was despondent and settled for a generic pair of metallic heels. According to Jessica, she vowed “…never to settle again, through sickness and health, ‘til death do they part.” And thus the twins’ double aha moment became clear at the exact same time. They were on a quest to create an anti-dye-able, actually danceable, wedding shoe.

Science and High Technology Come Together in a Killer Shoe

As reported on their witty and creative website – the twins believe in pro-choice; the choice to have a killer shoe that isn’t a killer shoe. And thus the perfect pair was born! The shoes feature a wider dance toe box and a full insole made of patented Poron technology (a NASA-developed breathable high density foam). They make you feel like you are walking on air and ensure that you can dance the night away with elegant styles that will empower every woman with confidence and poise. With cheeky names like Pre-Nope and Off the Market, these shoes are stunningly beautiful and will entice shoe loving women to purchase them not only for weddings but any occasion when you want to look and feel your best.

This Cinderella slipper story sounds flawless but the twins had their fair share of challenges getting started. Jessica’s wedding was annulled shortly after it happened and she was more determined than ever to give this new business her all. Both twins quit their day jobs and moved back home with Mom and Dad to save money and focus on the business 100%. Between personal savings and brown bagging lunches, they were able to come up with enough money to get the business started. They admit to moments of having nothing but faith in their product, a sense of humor, and each other.

The sexy, stylish and witty brand is very reflective of the twins’ personalities. They wanted to capitalize on the twin synergy and develop a shoe line that really solved a common problem for women in heels – pain, that is. The twins were fortunate to have Dana Fried, former CFO/COO of Taryn Rose Shoes and shoe maven as a mentor for their business venture.

Every Girl Needs a Mama

By taking several classes at the Academy of Art in California, the girls learned the basics of design and manufacturing.  With Jessica’s fashion industry know-how and Emily’s business savvy, the twins sketch out the designs for their shoe styles by hand.  Manufacturing takes place in China and that is where Mama Leung came in very handy. The sisters ventured to China seeking a manufacturer and with Mom’s Chinese language expertise, plus some stellar networking, they were able to secure the business contracts they needed to produce the shoes. Mom’s career in real estate helped the sisters understand the power of networking and the necessity of building professional relationships to grow your business.

Big Risks Can Equal Big Returns

Jessica admits that they often learned the hard way about referrals and warns others not to simply trust a recommendation. “Be a smart business woman and ask questions so you won’t be taken advantage of.” Emily admitted – “With every problem you have to realize there is a solution out there, a door opening if another closes. This mentality sheds a little light when you feel like you’re stumbling around in the dark, taking big risks and jumping off cliffs like crazy people.” The twins believe that with a big risk you get a big return and so far, their risk has paid off.

While they wished they would have taken the time to learn more about the manufacturing, trademark and international shoe production industry early on, the twins believe there’s never really a perfect time to start a business.  The difference with their success is that they did something. “We’ll be learning something new everyday for the next 25 years; if we had waited until we were comfortable knowing everything, we’d be 80 years old and nowhere near where we are now.” says Emily.

Their goal is to take the business, which they identify as being in the newborn baby stage, and send her to college some day with an internationally recognized shoe brand that women will line up to buy. Now recognized as a wedding brand, Emily and Jessica want Hey Lady Shoes to become more mainstreamed for women who want to embrace their inner confidence and not be afraid to get some attention by wearing a great pair of shoes for any occasion.

I love that this business is not just about beautiful shoes that feel good – it’s about confidence building and empowerment for women. Emily and Jessica have a twin sister energy that is infectious and exhilarating and we can expect great things from this dynamic duo. Now I’m trying to decide between buying a pair of Daddy’s Girl or Twinkletoes myself! www.shopheylady.com

Emily and Jessica’s Advice and Action Steps:

• There is a fine line between doing what’s right and what makes you happy career wise so take the time to find out what makes you tick.
• The perception of your brand is incredibly important. Really consider your branding before you launch since reinventing a brand is harder than taking the time to create an identity that is true to your product and your company.
• Be honest with yourself and listen to your gut!
• You must have a strong work ethic to run your own business but have fun and remember your sense of humor – sometimes you will need it.

Quote:  “Everything will always work out – trust yourself!”

Emily & Jessica Leung (they even quote in tandem!)

Resources:

Hey Lady: www.shopheylady.com

Savor the Success – www.savorthesuccess.com

Ginger landed her first job performing singing-balloon-a-grams while attending the College of Charleston. After graduation, she struggled to find her own way by dabbling with a few restaurant, real estate, and ad agency jobs. When she finally found her niche, in the movie industry, she was able to use her unique passion for entertaining others to market family-friendly films. But Ginger’s true passion for living wasn’t fully ignited until she published her first children’s book: When Donkeys Fly.

What Will Your Epithet Say?

Looking back at how it all began, Ginger recalls waking up one morning after attending her uncle’s funeral worried that even if she were the very best at her job in the film industry, her epithet would read: Best B Movie Buyer in the Business – and that just wasn’t enough. As a senior “blurbologist” (her own unique term), she wrote the copy on the back of dvd/videos, scouted new producers, and licensed family films to be sold at retail.

After learning of all of the wonderful ways her uncle gave back to the community during his lifetime, Ginger decided then and there that she wanted to make a difference in the world and began indulging her true passion – writing.  She wrote When Donkey’s Fly, left her six figure career in what she called the “… gloom and doom entertainment industry”, and embarked on a mission to lead, and encourage others to lead, an extraordinary life.

When Donkeys Fly is an inspirational book for all ages that encourages people to believe in themselves despite any obstacles. When Donkeys Fly won the Mom’s Choice Award ® for “Most Inspirational/Motivational” new book and this is the message she is on a quest to share with anyone who will listen.

Ginger and her faithful flying donkey travel to schools, churches, colleges, and women’s groups all over the country to read the book, sing a song, and encourage other donkeys to fly.

Flying without a Net

In the spirit of the book, Ginger and a friend started a band called “Cosmo and the Flying Donkeys” to encourage other music lovers to follow their own passions. But how does one walk away from a financially secure job and start a new career as a first-time author or musician and make ends meet?

This new author took advantage of the growing self-publishing movement and borrowed against the equity in her home to finance the book and launch her new career.

This leap of faith was incredibly scary but also invigorating for Ginger who, for the first time, was flying without the proverbial safety net. The ability to shed corporate policy for personal satisfaction was very liberating for Ginger who is now relieved to be able to speak her own truth.

She recalls being on pins and needles in the film industry – much of the time living and working in a stress-based environment. Now, as her own boss, she can spend the afternoon playing with her niece, walking the beach or taking her Dad to the doctor because she is in charge of her own time.

Quality of Life

Even though she can’t count on a regular paycheck every Friday, Ginger believes that her lifestyle has changed for the better. For the first time in years, she can literally taste and enjoy the food she eats and not have to wolf down meals to make the next meeting or deadline.  Ginger has embraced a life of “living in the moment” and appreciates the simple pleasures more than ever.

“I knew that I made the right decision when I had my first massage after leaving the entertainment industry. After a few minutes of massage, my magical masseuse was surprised to find that the “stress knots” she routinely battled in my back were gone. Who knows how many years I have added to my life by choosing to follow my heart instead of my wallet.”

Ginger reports that financially things are going well and although she is not making what she did in the film industry (yet!) she is happy because she is living her values and following her passion and you can’t put a price tag on that.  She encourages others to follow their hearts and that is the premise of her book.

In addition to the book, donkeys are flying through classrooms with the help of Ginger’s techno savvy sister who developed a series of activities and resources for collaborative technology & literacy integration projects. Using Skype and Voicethread, kids can instantly connect with the characters and the events in the story. Students enjoy the rhythm of the text and the captivating illustrations and can even connect with Ginger directly through www.skypeanauthor.com. Ginger is thrilled to be able to find new ways to share the positive message of the book with children all over the world and maintains a blog– Friends of the Flying Donkey – where she shares moving stories of her adventures in the classroom and beyond.

Here is a letter that was forwarded from a First Grade teacher after one of Ginger’s school presentations:

“I think Ms. Hodge did a wonderful job!    One child in my class had struggled drawing a picture of herself yesterday so I asked her to finish it today.  She did a wonderful job and as I bragged on her, she stated, “I just let my donkey fly.”

The Mission

Ginger is on a personal mission to improve self esteem and literacy in schools. For younger students, she reads her book, sings her song and walks kids through the publishing process with a message that will boost self confidence and creativity. For high school students, she adapts the message to focus on career development with practical tips to follow their dreams to the job market.

Ginger’s Flying Donkey team also has plans to further promote literacy by recruiting college and semi-pro athletics to go to schools, read the book and share stories of how their own donkeys learned how to fly.

According to Ginger:

“It has been statistically shown that students whose reading scores are below the national average in 3rd grade rarely ever catch back up, so our goal is to share the positive message of ”When Donkeys Fly” with every 3rd grade student.  And South Carolina is only the beginning…

For students to learn to read, they first have to believe it is possible, right?  Our goal is to take literacy to a higher level by encouraging kids to believe that they can do anything,  including excel at reading despite their own circumstances or previous test rankings.

To date, we have a commitment from The Carolina Gamecocks, interest from The Citadel Bulldogs, The Charleston RiverDogs, The Florence RedWolves, and yes even a few Roller Derby teams… and this is only the beginning!”

Donkey Power

The charming book assures girls and boys everywhere that their dreams can come true. Several scenarios describe how people scoff at the heroine’s hopes to play baseball, to own a big boat, to be President of the United States, etc. by saying “You’ll do that….when donkeys fly.” Then one day she spots a flying donkey and realizes that all things are possible.

The book has an added challenge of hunting for the hidden donkey in the illustration on each page.  And the “Note From the Author” in the back of the book reveals the deeper, more spiritual, message of the hidden donkey with those who wish to find it.

Although When Donkeys Fly is a child-friendly book, it can also be the perfect gift for graduation, birthday, or any holiday for the special people in your circle of friends and family.

After growing up in the direct-to-retail world of the film industry, Ginger’s transferable skills and experience were very applicable when the time came to market her book.  She attends national conferences and speaks to groups from kindergarten classes to national professional organizations.

In fact, When Donkeys Fly was chosen by Executive Women International (EWI) as the book featured at their National Reading Rally. When asked about her finest hour as an author, Ginger recalls the looks on the faces of the students chosen from Louisville, Kentucky to be honored guests of EWI. As they entered the convention center, pages of the book were blown up bigger than life, animated donkeys flew across 30 ft screens, and over 600 executives gave a rousing standing ovation as the music played from a special rendition of “I Believe I Can Fly”.  Anyone could tell, simply from their expressions, that these students from one of the most poverty-stricken schools in the state believed that anything was possible… when donkeys fly.

Everything Happens for a Reason

Ginger doesn’t take full credit for writing the book and believes that the book was simply a gift that was meant to be shared. The day the ideas came to her, Ginger literally pulled her car over to the side of the road and remembers the words coming to her faster than she could write. She wrote the entire book in less than seven minutes, but feels that the ideas for it must have been “baking” in her mind for years.

Once written, Ginger sent an email to all of her friends from college who now have children, to get their reactions to the story.  Soon after the email, her friend C.B. Markham answered and said “I love the story so much I am going to illustrate this book… just for me.” Long story short, Ginger loved her illustrations and the power of seek and you will find was confirmed.

Ginger has plans in the works for her own publishing company, Donkey Fly Press and has two other books in the pipeline: When I Get a Dog and When Pigs Fly. She has taken stock of what is important in her life and made sacrifices to follow her passion. After the initial shock of job separation, she is now at peace with her decision and has made it her mission to help children and adults overcome obstacles, achieve empowerment, embrace their self confidence and follow their own flying donkeys.

Ginger still lives in South Carolina with her faithful Labrador, Sadie and her boat “Mr. Right”.

Ginger’s Advice and Action Steps:

• Set your intentions.
• Follow your passions.
• Savor every moment.
• Don’t let money drive your decisions.
• Strive to be peaceful and productive.
• Help those who help others.
• Remember that everything happens in divine time.

Quotes:

“Take a moral inventory of what success means to you – really think about it!” – Ginger Hodge

“Everyone can sing, you’ve just got to find your song”. – Ginger Hodge

Resources:

When Donkeys Fly www.whendonkeysflybook.com

Executive Coach, Mark Samuel has some great ideas we can all implement from his new book: “Making Yourself Indispensable” as summarized in a great Forbes article by Deborah L. Jacobs.

Help others – “me oriented” people focus on their own success at the expense and exclusion of their colleagues. Focus on being “we oriented” without any expectation of personal benefit.

Aim high – dedicate yourself to high standards of performance, teamwork, and communication. Mediocrity will get you nowhere – always aim to do your best and support co-workers and supervisors.

Be adaptable – change is constant so be open and flexible to new technology and working conditions. Even better if you can anticipate and stay ahead of the curve!

Keep commitments – be a professional your colleagues can depend on and when a problem arises, address it immediately and provide an alternative solution.

Play big – don’t limit yourself to your job description. Go above and beyond to support your team and expand your role by taking on new challenges that need attention.

Be a resource – invest the time to be a resource for information, contacts, or problem solving. You colleagues will identify you as the go-to professional and seek out your wisdom.

Build your human capital – no matter how experienced you are, continue to learn new skills and improve your performance. Professional development is a life-long process.

Turn adversity to advantage – persevere to achieve your goals and showcase your resilience. Use the difficulties you’ve encountered to overcome and improve.

Don’t work in isolation – getting other perspectives can help refine your ideas. Reach out to others for input and professional wisdom.

Show appreciation – acknowledging the contributions of others by celebrating their achievements will boost morale and help bring a team closer together.