Everyday, many of us in the working-world walk a tightrope of revealing our personal and professional identities. The gap between who we are and who we want to be in business widens when we think we have to behave in a way to attract or convince colleagues and professionals of our worth. The funny thing is, it is our true selves that we want to be liked for, but we circumvent our vulnerability by creating a facade based on acceptance, success, confidence and authority. Sometimes, we abandon ourselves completely just to be accepted and successful, only to find years later that we are lost, unhappy and drained. If we all begin to bend more towards a balance, we may find ourselves working where we belong, and healthier and happier for it.

The nice thing about following your dreams and doing work that you are passionate about, is that you get to occupy that “awesome” spot most of the time.

It’s one of my values to be authentic with my clients, although this can’t be done without running the risk of sometimes exposing myself or becoming vulnerable. But that’s what is so profoundly fulfilling about my job, that’s why my clients are my friends and my friends are my clients. And this is what always impresses me about the people I get to meet through my work: all of them have demonstrated at one time or another, that they are capable of being themselves in their profession. Most of them reveal their honest passion and values to create something wonderful and beautiful and to share it with the world. And that is truly awesome.

I will be joining Supportland businesses Wednesday at the first ever Craft of Business event. Join me and Supportland businesses and organizations for a practical workshop on building cross-promotional tools and marketing campaigns. The event is designed to give you a plan ready for implementation. Registration due Monday, June 27. Details here .

Find a partner.

Partnerships are something we can’t live with and can’t live without. It’s true that two hands are better than one, but it’s hard for those of us who are not ambidextrous when it comes to control and creativity. Think about it. Your business is your baby: all of it’s identity and success, even failures have come from you. The truth is, this isn’t necessarily sustainable. You’re limiting your business’ potential when you don’t allow others to come in and help.

Not until it’s too late– literally, insomnia at 4 am, a never ending to-do list, a soar in demand and a shrinking bank account– do you suddenly realize you can’t do it alone. Often, help comes in the form of an assistant or a manager (or even better–a consultant like myself!). But when you’re hitting your head against a wall, running up against the same obstacles every month, i
gnoring your cash flows, focusing on minutia, delivering hodge-podge marketing, and feeling completely burned-out, it could be a great time to make a duplicate set of keys and get someone who can double your power and cut your time in two.

Co-parenting a business isn’t easy, there are compromises to be made, but it can be the next step to helping your business to survive and grow. Make sure to develop contracts, develop clear job descriptions and delegate responsibilities. Also, change your business plan to address the new vision of your shared business. Contact me for more information on how to create a successful partnership.

Read this important article, “Energy Performance Leads the Way,” regarding energy efficiency in Oregon, by my long-time friend, Kelley Beamer. As Cascadia Green Building Council’s Oregon Advocacy and Outreach Manager, Kelley works with the state’s sustainability community to create a positive environmental influence through the built environment.

Inspired by this article? My friends and clients at Abacus Energy Solutions can help you to get home energy help today!

Join me for p:earblossoms 2011 – ALCHEMY, p:ear’s 9th annual fundraiser, an inspiring evening to help raise the funds needed to work successfully with Portland’s increasing numbers of parentless and homeless youth.

Poison Waters, Johnna Wells, Holcombe Waller, Candace Bouchard (OBT), Meg Russel (TCP) and others will fill the evening with beauty and magic, leading us through our own metaphorical journey through the cavernous downstairs (filled with over 100 silent auction items, wines, abundant appetizers and the Transformation Bar!) to the journey upstairs, with a full dinner, performances, and 15 item Live Auction, where your hearts will open like your wallets in support of the vital programs at p:ear.

Only 400 seats, so buy your tickets early, and don’t forget the Golden Ticket Raffle, the $100 chance to win any Live Auction Item (including a handcrafted Gold and Ruby Pear Pendant, made especially for this event by Alchemy Jewelers, a luxurious trip to Cabo San Lucas, an Adventure Alaska Package with Airfare, Party Packages for 30 or 80, and even a Royal Dandie Miniature Pot-Belly Pig! – more on the website soon)!

Q: What is the catalyst for the healthy transformation of a youth into a sustainable young adult?

A: Someone who cares – YOU!

1. Obtain client emails. The most powerful tool of these coupon operations is the gazillion readers on the mailing list. Acquiring the emails of new customers means that you can leverage your own discount email programs in the future to the same audience with 100% of the earnings.

2. Convert new customers. A one-time customer purchasing a product or service at a deep discount is not a sustainable business model for many. Be sure to entice new customers with continuing rewards of supporting your business: a punch card, a follow-up appointment, a gift or a membership program are some ideas.

3. Your new customer likes a deal. That’s why they purchased your promotion in the first place. Be sure to keep them on similar discount emails and programs to support their style of purchasing. A separate mailing list for this demographic may be beneficial.

4. Never, ever, ever sacrifice quality for quantity. One of the attractions of these coupon promos is the instant (but often unsustainable) cash injection it will give your biz. With this cash comes increased demand. Careful, this may be a influx of business you are not capable of supporting. Consider that 300 new customers come to your establishment within a week, but they all receive mediocre service and poor quality product. With peer review sites like CitySearch and Yelp, this could hurt your business beyond repair. Do not participate in these programs if your operation cannot support a staff throughout the lifetime of the deal. You risk losing your profit margin to overhead.

5. Make it worth it. Most likely, these coupon companies will be taking a large portion (up to 60% of the sales). When you are offering a 50% discount, that means you are giving away products and services that will not likely cover overhead and expenses. Be realistic. If this is a last-ditch effort to save your business, it could be a Trojan horse. Make sure you have the time, staff and resources to support the lifetime of the offer. Retailers would benefit from the promotion because of the relief of reducing shrinkage (especially perishables and plants) or dead inventory, such as seasonal items.

Maybe you’re like me. Maybe you catch yourself every so often falling into an informational abyss: at home, in your pajamas, passively scrambling to collect information and justifying it by calling it relaxation. And maybe you’ll get uncomfortable enough about it to want to do something about it.

If you want a change of pace, or want to know why you should want to curb your electronic habits (like I do), please read this article by Behance CEO, Scott Belsky, about how you can reclaim your space, sanity and creativity by pulling away from devices and other stimulants.