People ask me all the time why I don't have a website .....

I know, I know, I know.

So, here's the thing.  As a smart and strategic self employed entrepreneur who has taken on risk over the last 15 years, and dabbled into a number of strategic projects with others, I fully admit I need one.  The problem is, do I need just one and how do I crossover my offerings/interests into one fantastic site?

I am aware of the value of a great website and brand.  I have a number of domains that I have reserved for various new business ideas I have on the go and some which may just become an expense.  I even picked up domains for my own kids, in their name, because I believe it will be all about branding as these millennials try to stand out from the crowd.  

Am I the only entrepreneur who has a number of projects on the go, working with a variety of different clients (some pro bono and others paying) in a number of different lines of work that combines their passions?

I have been told that I do represent my brand well, so at the very least, that's a relief! I represent myself and my core values authentically when I meet people or prospective clients.  I show up as who I am and not pretending to be someone else. I have over 15 years working for strong award winning brands like Nurse Next Door, Kids & Company, Kumon Canada and CEFA (Core Education Fine Arts) to name only a few.  

Thus the twitter profile photo that keeps changing..... for me, it is a true reflection of me and who I really am.    

My twitter profile picture might have some shock value, but hey, the reality is that I have a passion for hockey and at 45 I started a female hockey team (I play D) and it is all part of my story.  In this other photo of me on the ice with my girlfriend, it too shows that I enjoy life outside of work which I feel is valuable to a corporate culture. 

Meet my LinkedIn and business profile photo.  Yes, this is me showing up as the professional that I am.  You can see the other (more serious) side and read more about me here.  It's about relationships and building trust. I love collaborating with companies and clients.  Each client themselves show up to me in a variety of ways too.  Some like to meet in the office setting formally while others like to meet over a beer at lunch.  You see, I do respect differences and I am thrilled to continue to collaborate with (and meet more) interesting people, doing remarkable things as I continue this journey. 

So, yes, I do need a website where I can pull it all together to tell my story about how I can help connect to the customer,  activate the relationship and deliver results across a variety of target groups.

Stay tuned.  I commit to making this happen by 2016.  My various mentors tell me it's time.

#4 

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The changing face of my Pleasantville

So scary when I hear people talking about retirement - it freaks me out in a number of ways. Primarily because it might mean that my friends and my community will become dispersed as people are starting to sell their homes as they venture into their next 50.  The houses are sold only days after the sign is posted and large empty mansions are replacing the quaint family ranchers.

The face of the community is definitely changing and I can't say I like.  I don't like my grey hair either but it's my reality!

The houses in my community 20 years ago were filled with young families and young kids attending the local preschools (I taught at one of them for many years).  Peter Rabbit was filled with little ones clutching their own change to buy 5 cent candy (fuzzy peaches, sour keys) after school while some of their Mom's sat on the bench outside the one local coffee shop planning the next school fundraiser.  We were all balancing our lives with work, volunteerism and family.  I felt we were united.  We would host community adult baseball games (where the kids had to watch their parents) and camped together as families! To date, many of us celebrated turning 40 then 50, play on the community duffers hockey teams (Sliverbacks, Silverbellies and Stanley Cupcakes) and celebrate family university kid send off parties.  We have grown up together and I want to grow old together.

I love my community we call Pleasantville.  It is located at the base of the beautiful North Shore mountains.

If we sell our homes where would we go?

It wasn't until I read an article and posted on my social media channels, did I realize that others in my community were concerned about what retirement looked like to them as well and where they would they go?

In this story, four couples that were best friends over 20 years decide to invest in their friendship and land and work with architect Matt Garcia to build their own mini-town. They pooled their money and bought land near Llano River in Texas building 400 square foot home at a price tag of $40K each.  There are so many stories of similar boomer co-housing communities popping up which were first popular in Europe.

The new model looks more like something between the single-family world and the hippie communes.  Mostly boomers and empty-nesters, come together with their own unit but sharing resources.  I would get Jim West to design and construct it.  Our pal Kim Little could provide us with coach houses.  We might be on a vineyard, in a warm climate which had a common area fire pit, sports court, bar and on-site physio and a shared caregiver.  We might use golf carts or bikes as our transportation and maybe eat from a community garden.  There would be music, laughter and maybe a dance floor.  No idea would be a bad one and many of us would continue to dabble in self-employment just for fun.

We would be around friends and likeminded.

This would be my new Pleasantville.