CREATIVE SUCCESS NEWSLETTER, NUMBER 32 - ­April 15, 2003

CREATIVE SUCCESS NEWSLETTER
Gail McMeekin, LICSW
Career/Creativity Coach and Author
Mailto:gail@creativesuccess.com
http://www.CreativeSuccess.com
NUMBER 32-­April 15, 2003

SUCCESS STRATEGIES FOR CREATIVE SOULS SERIES

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WELCOME SUBSCRIBERS
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This free newsletter goes to subscribers only and is sent out on
the 15th of each month. This is the 5th issue in the "Success
Strategies for Creative Souls" series. If you have missed any
issues, you can have them sent to you by following the
instructions on my website at the bottom of the page
http://www.creativesuccess.com/info/new.html

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A COLLAGE OF INSPIRATION
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The new magazine Artist's Sketchbook, April 2003 issue, is now in
the major bookstores and includes my article titled "In the
Habit"­why creativity rituals can help you find and keep your
muse. You will also find great articles by other creativity
experts such as Julia Cameron, Eric Maisel, and Lee Silber. If
your local booksellers are out of copies already, you can order
this special issue online at
http://www.artistsmagazine.com/mags_tam_display.asp?id=1414

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ANNOUNCING A NEW CREATIVE SUCCESS GROUP FOR WOMEN BUSINESS OWNERS
WHO HAVE BEEN IN BUSINESS 5 OR MORE YEARS
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Are you experiencing Creative Success in your business and your
life? Are you feeling fulfilled and excited about the challenges
on your to-do list? What's the next growth step for you and your
company? Are you still invested in your mission or are you feeling
burned out, overworked, and lost? For so many female business
owners, the 5, 10, and 15 plus year markers can be valuable
turning points. You have gotten smarter for sure, but are you
capitalizing on that? Is it time for new clients, alliances,
products or services, or a new business model entirely? Are you
meeting your financial, lifestyle, and spiritual goals?

Beginning in July and September, I will be starting a new 6 month
group program for women entrepreneurs who have been business
owners for five years or more. This national program will offer
individual and group phone coaching, e-mail consulting, online
course content and self-assessment tools and exercises, and group
support. The goal of this group experience is to spark your
creativity so you can leverage your unique products/services in
today's challenging marketplace. You will achieve the following
results:

*A Re-commitment to or Re-design of your Business

*The Ability to Leverage Your Creative Style in the Marketplace

*A Clear Connection with Your Passions and Fascinations NOW

*A New Marketing/Promotional Plan

*New Time Prioritization Strategies

*Collaborative Models that Work for Your Management Style

*Increased Joy and Fulfillment with Your Work

This group will be limited to 10 women, require a phone interview
and written application, and group members will be invited only
after a screening process. The time commitment will be four hours
per month with opportunities for additional support and learning
available. The group will be confidential and offer a rich
diversity of business experiences and knowledge. If you are
interested in being considered for this special opportunity to
revitalize your business and live the life you truly want, you can
email Gail McMeekin at mailto:Prosuccess@aol.com for further
information. Gail has been a business owner and coach for 20 years
and is an expert on creativity, positive life choices, business
visioning and strategy, positive management skills, and goal-
setting and time-management. The course fee will be $2500.00. For
a bio on Gail and more information about her experience and
services, check out http://www.creativesuccess.com.

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SUCCESS STRATEGY #5: COLLABORATIONS AND AFFILIATIONS
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Selecting the right colleagues and affiliates is a key success
strategy for any career path. Whether you work for an organization
or have created your own, the people with whom you partner impact
your results as well as your fulfillment and reputation.
Creativity also thrives in relationships with complementary skills
nurtured by mutual respect. Successful partnerships and alliances
depend on complete honesty, self-assessment and awareness, open
communication, and a dedication to resolve conflicts on the part
of all participants.

Over the course of my years as a career coach, I have cautioned
many clients against taking ill-suited jobs or joining forces with
partners where there may be a mismatch. I have seen a pattern with
many female entrepreneurs where two insecure women team up
together with the same weaknesses and a shaky business plan.
Disaster usually strikes and may even end in the courtroom. If you
are considering doing contract work or becoming an employee of an
organization, do your research. If the company jerks you around in
the hiring process or your intuition tells you that it's all too
"perfect", beware. You want to be connected to the best people,
products, and services. Desperation and the impulse "to just get
it done" reap dangerous liaisons. As a business owner, there are
huge differences between collaborations and official partnerships.
You can fulfill your needs for collaboration with a variety of
networks, team projects, success teams, and other modalities. You
don't have to make an alliance official unless you have road-
tested it and it makes sense legally and professionally.

So if you have the "urge to merge", ask yourself these key
questions:

1) Are you an introvert or an extrovert? How much alone time
versus group time suits you?

2) What is your relationship pattern? Do have a string of
collisions in your past or a steady track record of positive
connections?

3) Of the collisions you have had, what part did you play in the
process? Pay attention to your vulnerable points.

4) What can a potential partner or employer do for YOU? What are
you hoping to gain with an alliance? Is it something you could or
ought to be doing yourself? For example, as we talked about last
month, we all need to learn how to self-market, but different
models support our intentions.

5) Are you confident that you can negotiate well on your own
behalf? If not, what data/skills/knowledge do you need so you can?

6) Before you seek alliances, write a mock ad about what you are
seeking in another person or organization and include all the
necessary details such as integrity, work hours, skills, personal
style, etc. that are essential for a positive outcome.

7) SHOP AROUND. Be picky and value yourself enough to take your
time. Know what you want and write down every hesitation you
uncover. As with any relationship, readiness is key. Both parties
have to be on the same wavelength at the same time.

8) Set up an experiment with one project before you decide about a
long term affiliation. Trust is earned! Face up to the truth­
whatever happens. You can find the right people and the best
model for you, but be sure and subtract the colleagues and
organizations that fail YOUR test!

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CHALLENGE
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1. What kind of collaborations sound like FUN to you?

2. In what circumstances do you love to be in control and when do
you long for company and input?

3. Do a 360 feedback exercise on yourself and ask your friends and
lovers, co-workers, peers, associates, etc. how you excel as a
person and a professional and where you let yourself and others
down.

4. Then visualize attracting the right circle of influence for
YOU!

CREATIVE ACTS AND RESOURCES

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BABY BOOMER WORKSHOP IN BOSTON
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Are you wondering how to manage the new workplace and lifestyle
options? According to Tucson career coach, Deborah Knox, Baby
Boomers ages 45-60 are going to retire earlier, but work longer.
So, that leads to lots of opportunities for creativity in the
future which Deborah has been researching the past several years.
Join Deborah and the Career Counselors Consortium for her
workshop: NEW CHOICES: Creating the Third Wave ( A Values Based
Approach) on May 2 from 9-4 PM in Boston. To register, call 617-
964-7048 or link up to http://www.careercounselorsne.org.
Deborah's website is http://www.lifeworktransitions.com

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SCULPTING THE CREATIVE PROCESS
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I received an email last month from Catherine Jo Morgan telling me
about her free online creativity journal called Hand Forged
Vessels. Catherine makes iron, paper, and mixed media bowl
sculptures. Her journal is full of wonderful references, creative
musings and challenges, and thoughtful commentary about the
gestalt of the creative process. Her link is
http://radio.weblogs.com/0120691

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HONOR YOUR INTUITION
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Intuition expert Lynn Robinson just released her new book titled
Compass of the Soul (Andrews McMeel, 2003). I endorsed this book
as follows: "By following the principles that Lynn lays out in
this book, you'll learn to realize your dreams. Your spiritual
life will deepen. Doors will begin to open. You'll gain
confidence, courage, and self-esteem. All of us are born with a
wisdom that provides guidance, and Compass of the Soul shows us
step-by-step how to discover and follow that wisdom." Lynn has
made a special offer to the subscribers of Creative Success. She
will send you SEVEN valuable gifts to thank you for your purchase
of her book from Amazon.com. After your purchase, forward your
Amazon email receipt to mailto:Gifts@LynnRobinson.com

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CALL TO ACTION
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Artist and creative community builder, Marney Makridakis has
created a new 4 week e-course beginning April 28 titled "Goalar
Energy: A Unique Guidance Program for Extraordinary Action" that
offers day-by-day guidance for getting your inspired project into
action and DONE! She is offering this first course at 50% off and
it includes a "Creative Consolidation" workbook and additional
teleclass participation. To register, visit
http://www.ArtellaWordsAndArt.com/workshops.html.

Creatively yours,

Gail McMeekin