The mentoring process, for me, has been a very interesting one indeed. I started this competition with a small company offering a simple service. A service I believed in, a service that I was proud of... but also a service I was struggling to persuade people they needed. I had launched amidst an appalling economic climate as budgetary belts tightened all over London. However, I knew my established competitors were working so surely budgets were stretching. I could have continued in the same direction hoping to muscle in on the existing market. Given time and the right PR I probably would have got there. Or... I could take the radical option.
Ready to Leap
What I thought would be a relatively straightforward process of refining and 'relaunching' with renewed vigour -not to mention some great contacts all thanks to a very savvy businesswoman, has turned into Divine taking on a whole new life of its own. I'm now on the egde of an incredibly high diving board (you all know that feeling), about to launch myself and my business head first into a rebrand, reshape and a complete repositioning in the market!! Am I crazy? Probably. Am I enjoying it? YES (after the sheer terror and insecurity subsided that is). Of course a mentor's word is not gospel but I started this business with the feeling that the tide may take me in a very different direction... as long as I was open to it. So open I was -well, maybe not entirely from the beginning but open I sure am now.
The Tide is High...
A rather frustrating month since my last blog: so much hinges on my new website/logo/promotional material. Everybody assures me this process aaalways takes longer than you expect but the weeks are flying by, the competition is almost over and I don't feel like I've even started! I sometimes feel like I've burst out of the blocks and tripped over my own shoelaces, then watched in dismay as everybody else hurtles past me towards the finish line... as far as the competition within the competition goes I definitely feel as though I'm lagging behind. The goals I outlined at the beginning of the competition (what I hoped to acheive at 3months, then at 6) are completely redundant. It's no longer about securing X amount of contracts, having X amounts of weekly engagements; it's something much, much bigger. It has been a massive learning curve and a journey of real self discovery to boot, so I realise this experience in itself has made it all worthwhile. I don't want to give too much away at this point so bare with the vagueness - all will be revealed in good time.
Moving Forward
I met with an utterly delightful business contact of Krista's who will be doing my PR once everything is in order. She waits poised, Blackberry in hand for a concrete date my website will come to life like a beautiful cyber-butterfly emerging from its chrysalis so she can start waving her wand and getting me some press. PR was something I mistakenly overlooked the last time around... it seems so obvious now but I just wasn't thinking in the scale and scope of London terms.
Tomorrow I begin study towards another massage qualification to add to my slowly but steadily expanding repertoire. In refining the copy for the upcoming new and improved Divine website, as well as labouring over press releases I have started to dream in marketing-speak. What better way to get inspired about selling my incredible massage service than to immerse myself in massage itself for a couple of weeks.
'Till next time...
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
Don't Burst my Bubble!
Reading over my last blog I could almost feel the sun shining and hear the birds chirping. It all seemed very rosy indeed.... my my, how things changed in the days that followed...
Don't Count Your Chickens
Firstly, the very next day the large sum of money that was coming to me through personal acting endeavors was all of a sudden in jeopardy. The Americans decided they might not air the commercial - meaning I wouldn't get paid anywhere near the amount I was counting on. At the time this obstacle seemed insurmountable. This money was vital to cover said branding/website, put me through a costly massage course to refresh my skills... and to live, albeit frugally, for several months at least. I had exhausted my savings, was the proud owner of a maxed out credit card and had already borrowed from family. To be completely honest this competition was the sole thing that kept me from throwing it all in.
Look Before You Leap
Secondly -- and I shall keep this very brief as it's all in the past now and I came through it thankfully unscathed -- the very next day after that (following the monetary blow) came a niggling little feeling about the working relationship I was about to enter into (when and IF I eventually found the funds). Without going into further detail be very, very cautious before going into business with any party whatsoever, do your research and don't sign anything without a lawyer looking over it first. I was desperate both time and money wise and I needed a website fast... I was razzle dazzled and almost got myself into a spot of bother. Enough about that though.
A Complete Blur
Needless to say, Christmas was not the glorious relaxing family break I had been hoping for. My ego was bruised, I was broke, overeating, bursting into tears at the slightest thing AND I didn't have a website... or the money to pay for one. It all seemed rather bleak and once again I'm not sure that I would have possessed the fortitude to stick it out had it not been for this fabulous competition! It all seemed too hard.
Show of Solidarity
Last week was a long overdue get together of the fellow winners organised for us by the sharp and brilliant fellow mentee Michelle Peers. I'm already looking forward to the next one and hopefully we manage to complete the group this time. It really should be something we do much more often, certainly for the duration of the competition but also beyond, when we'll be fending for ourselves.
All Hail 2009!
On the 15th (yes only 4 days ago) the indecisive Americans put me out of my wretched misery and gave me the good news that the TV commerecial will air and I will in fact receive my full fee. Ohhhh the relief!! The pure unadulterated glee that washed over me when I opened that email.
I can now move forward! I DO want to make a success of Divine - and I can.
Reconnecting and Refocusing.
My second meeting with Krista was invaluable in reigning me back in. It had been a tumultuous month and I was feeling a very scattered. We went over the angle I need to take (bearing this dreaded recession in mind), looked at how I can diversify slightly and really cemented all this in my mind. I really am back to square one when it comes to a website but I have an even clearer approach and two lovely webdesign companies that I will decide between this week. The deposit has been paid on my course and I begin my refresher Diploma course next month too. Yay hooray.
Til' next time....
Don't Count Your Chickens
Firstly, the very next day the large sum of money that was coming to me through personal acting endeavors was all of a sudden in jeopardy. The Americans decided they might not air the commercial - meaning I wouldn't get paid anywhere near the amount I was counting on. At the time this obstacle seemed insurmountable. This money was vital to cover said branding/website, put me through a costly massage course to refresh my skills... and to live, albeit frugally, for several months at least. I had exhausted my savings, was the proud owner of a maxed out credit card and had already borrowed from family. To be completely honest this competition was the sole thing that kept me from throwing it all in.
Look Before You Leap
Secondly -- and I shall keep this very brief as it's all in the past now and I came through it thankfully unscathed -- the very next day after that (following the monetary blow) came a niggling little feeling about the working relationship I was about to enter into (when and IF I eventually found the funds). Without going into further detail be very, very cautious before going into business with any party whatsoever, do your research and don't sign anything without a lawyer looking over it first. I was desperate both time and money wise and I needed a website fast... I was razzle dazzled and almost got myself into a spot of bother. Enough about that though.
A Complete Blur
Needless to say, Christmas was not the glorious relaxing family break I had been hoping for. My ego was bruised, I was broke, overeating, bursting into tears at the slightest thing AND I didn't have a website... or the money to pay for one. It all seemed rather bleak and once again I'm not sure that I would have possessed the fortitude to stick it out had it not been for this fabulous competition! It all seemed too hard.
Show of Solidarity
Last week was a long overdue get together of the fellow winners organised for us by the sharp and brilliant fellow mentee Michelle Peers. I'm already looking forward to the next one and hopefully we manage to complete the group this time. It really should be something we do much more often, certainly for the duration of the competition but also beyond, when we'll be fending for ourselves.
All Hail 2009!
On the 15th (yes only 4 days ago) the indecisive Americans put me out of my wretched misery and gave me the good news that the TV commerecial will air and I will in fact receive my full fee. Ohhhh the relief!! The pure unadulterated glee that washed over me when I opened that email.
I can now move forward! I DO want to make a success of Divine - and I can.
Reconnecting and Refocusing.
My second meeting with Krista was invaluable in reigning me back in. It had been a tumultuous month and I was feeling a very scattered. We went over the angle I need to take (bearing this dreaded recession in mind), looked at how I can diversify slightly and really cemented all this in my mind. I really am back to square one when it comes to a website but I have an even clearer approach and two lovely webdesign companies that I will decide between this week. The deposit has been paid on my course and I begin my refresher Diploma course next month too. Yay hooray.
Til' next time....
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