When Bob Page told his friends and family he wanted to quit his auditing job to start his own business, they were less than encouraging to him. Well, that’s actually an understatement. Basically what they told him was he was crazy.

Fortunately he didn’t listen. Instead he figured that if he could devote time to doing what he loved, he could make money – even if it was less than what he was earning at a CPA. Bob was right on the first count. When you love what you do, it’s hard not to make money. What Bob didn’t realize at the time was that his “crazy” idea would wind up making him more money than he’d ever dreamed of.

You see, today Bob’s company, Replacements Ltd. is the world’s largest supplier of discontinued china, glassware, flatware, and collectibles. It all started when Bob bought a part interest in a Greensboro, North Carolina antique store. A customer asked if he could find some missing pieces for her china set. He did. And then an interesting thing started to happen. According to his website:

“As friends learned of his interest in china and crystal, they asked him to be on the lookout for particular dinnerware patterns they needed as well as pieces they had lost or broken. Bob quickly found himself devoting more and more time to his hobby, often staying up until the early morning hours to fill orders. Bob stored the china and crystal in his attic, while his bedroom served as his office.”

When the Small Business Administration (SBA) refused him a loan saying his idea would never work, Bob convinced the owner of a commercial building to rent him retail space. He got the word out by placing small ads in magazines.

His crazy idea worked! In his first year he grossed more than $150,000 in sales. In 2002, sales exceeded $69 million and in 2008 (the latest figures available) sales exceeded $85 million.

Now, the company’s 455,800 square foot facilities house an inventory of nearly 13million pieces from over 340,000 patterns, employs some 500 people, and serves more than ten million customers worldwide.

So much for the wisdom of friends, family, and the even the experts at the SBA!

Speaking of finding support, try to imagine what Katie Wainwright’s family and friends had to say when she told them she wanted to pick up dog poop for a living.

You read right. In 2003 Katie started Doggy Doody Disposal in my home town of Agawam, Massachusetts. The company provides “doody scooping” or bagged doody removal for clients in western Massachusetts and northern Connecticut.

In addition to residential clients, they also service commercial property owners, pet related businesses, golf courses, parks, realtors and more. The company credo is “We do doody so you won’t have to.” And as a dog owner myself I appreciate the added touch of keeping their client’s informed of any changes in their dog’s doody. I mean who does that?!

These are just a couple of the countless other “crazy” ideas that have proved the nay sayers wrong and helped catapult the idea maker out of a job they hate into a life they love. The next time you get a crazy idea for a small business do two things:

First, get a notebook and label it Crazy Business Ideas. In one section, collect examples of crazy idea that have worked. In another keep a running list of your own crazy money making ideas.

Next, seek out people who will support your idea. Unless you come from a family of entrepreneurs, chances your supporters aren’t in your family or immediate circle of friends. Where will you find them? You don’t have to own a business to join an organization inhabited by entrepreneurs. Although I have zero interest in inventing a product, I once joined a local inventors group because I love the energy of being around can-do, make-it-happen type people.

Similarly, you don’t have to be a business owner to join your local Chamber of Commerce. Many communities also have some sort of association of small business owners that meet on monthly basis.

As the great actor Katherine Hepburn once said, “Life is to be lived. If you have to support yourself, you had bloody well better find some way that is going to be interesting.”

Some of the most interesting means of support begin as a crazy idea. The key is to keep coming up with them, then when you find one you love, recognize that the only sane response is to go for it.

You’ve Seen Mega Hit DVD “The Secret”
How’s That Working for You?
If Your Dream Has Stalled, Then It’s Time to “Manifest This”

By far the highlight of the recent Suzanne Evan’s event in Orlando was the premier of a Hollywood-quality film by Blue Melnick called “Manifest This.”

The movie (which Suzanne executive produced) challenges the “imagine it and it will come” premise behind the hugely popular DVD The Secret.

Because of the humor it would be easy to call the movie a spoof. But in fact the film includes serious interviews about the real secret of success from people who’ve earned plenty of it. Yes you hear from super-success coach Suzanne Evans, marketing expert Joe Polish, the fellow who handled masterminded the marketing of The Secret.

But also you hear from people like…

…Barry and Fran Weissler the producers behind hit Broadway revivals like Chicago, La Cage aux Folles, Sweet Charity, Cabaret, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and many more.

…Larry Winget, the five-time New York Times/Wall Street Journal bestselling author of such books as You’re Broke Because You Want To Be: How to Stop Getting By and Start Getting Ahead and Your
Kids Are Your Own Fault: A Guide For Raising Responsible, [...] Continue Reading…

In the Life

If I had to sum up the last few weeks in just two words it would be Water and Wow.

Water…A mid-March trip to the charming seaside town of Woods Hole on Cape Cod fell on the first of a string of record-breaking summer-like days. So after speaking on the impostor syndrome at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, I drove around in my usual “Hey let’s see where this road goes” style.

Wow… I resisted the urge to hop the ferry to Martha’s Vineyard and instead stumbled on the Cornelia Carey Sanctuary. I spent an hour exploring the delightful bay-side nature trail built on a peninsula. Heaven!

More Water, More Wow

On to Florida!

First stop was Delray Beach and lunch with my friend and president of the American Writers and Artist’s Institute Katie Yeakle. I’ve been to several AWAI events in Delray but this was my first tour of their offices.

One of the bigger Wows came in the form of a serendipitous voice mail from a close friend I’ve known since junior high — who I might add, never, ever calls me on my cell phone.

Dianna moved to Pittsburgh some 20 years ago so I don’t get to see [...] Continue Reading…

I’ve been producing the Changing Course Newsletter for 17 years. During that time I’ve learned a thing or two thousand about what it really takes to change course.

For starters…
It’s good enough right now!
So many people seeking to change course want to make sure they get everything — their web site, their logo, their business card — just right. As a consequence they never launch.

Recently I came across my very first Changing Course business card. I printed them myself from my computer onto flimsy perforated paper designed for this purpose. I did it on the cheap and they looked it.

It was a wonderfully visual reminder of the need to start where you are with what you have. Your first anything will never be as great as your future everything. As success coach Mike Litman says,
“You don’t have to get it right. You just have to get it going.”
Don’t let the turkeys get you down.
I recently did my first ever webcast presentation. That meant that for an hour I had to act natural delivering a PowerPoint presentation while speaking directly into the camera perched on top of my computer. In other words, they could see me but I couldn’t see them.

The [...] Continue Reading…

Blame it on Mexico!

After an amazing week in sunny Mexico with some of my best friends in the whole world, I have to admit –it was tough coming back to the cold.

Of course Cokie wasn’t happy to be left behind. At least he got to still enjoy one of this favorite treats – sweet potato skins.

Before I get to the vacation part I must say I love Mexican entrepreneurs! Ethical, encouraging of sales but not overly pushy, and evidence of their good humor was everywhere.

My favorite sign promised free margaritas all day tomorrow. Wonder how many gullible tourists come back only to find out the offer is only good tomorrow?

The 5000 square foot penthouse apartment was unbelievably gorgeous. Hammocks for everyone on the huge wrap around porch where we ate every meal.

A wonderful woman named Jenny not only cleaned for us (well, as much as five women who kept a tidy house would allow) but she cooked too. Where else can five people get a delicious authentic Mexican dinner for $50 total? She made so much food that it lasted nearly three meals!

We did some sight-seeing. But I could have just as easily hung out with Martha Beck’s new [...] Continue Reading…

Hobbyists are passionate about their avocation. According to Webster’s Dictionary, an avocation is, “A subordinate occupation pursued in addition to one’s vocation, especially for enjoyment.” But what if you want to turn your avocation into an enjoyable full-time vocation? Here’s how:

Get Creative About Making Money

Successful artist Ann Kullberg always loved to draw. But when this single mother of two discovered professional-grade colored pencils it wasn’t long before her art was winning awards.

Ann knew that drawing alone wouldn’t pay the bills – at least not right away. So in the early years, she supplemented her art by substitute teaching and cleaning houses. Ann also got busy coming up with creative ways to spin her love for drawing into income. Thirteen years later Ann travels the country teaching classes, does commissioned portraits, has a contract to write a second book, and is designing colored pencil by number kits for beginners.

Ann also came up with the idea of having her own on-line magazine where professionals and novices a like sign up for book reviews, critiques of artist’s work, business and art advice, workshop listings and more. In the first four months over 200 paying subscribers signed up.

Do Your Homework

Get [...] Continue Reading…

Winston Churchill said, “The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”

Over the course of 16 years I’ve heard from thousands of people struggling with so-called career “problems.” These problems invariably involve reasons why they can’t (or won’t) pursue their true passion.

I don’t mean to be dismissive of anyone’s feelings. Clearly to them these things certainly *feel* like problems.

It’s just that when you view the world through the lens of optimism and creative self-employment as I do, you discover that most opportunities come disguised as problems.

This article began as a response to a deluge of FAQ coming in from people interested in “profiting from your passions” career coaching I do. Half way through my response I realized that the same mental roadblocks that keep the people you’re about to meet from pursuing this particular path are really no different than for most of my readers seeking to change course. Fortunately, the solutions are universal as well.

In fact, these problems are no different than those I hear from anyone on the fence about making the leap from having a boss to being their own boss.

The good news is most problems that seem daunting are [...] Continue Reading…

What if you could be at home — or anywhere in the world — and get paid to brainstorm with clients over the telephone about creative ways they can turn their interests into income.

Stay at home moms, recently downsized or retired folks, returning vets, recovering attorneys all have one thing in common…

They’re hungry for ways to make money without a j-o-b.

If you’re bullish on self-employment, naturally think outside of the job box, and want to start or grow an existing coaching business doing what comes naturally, then in literally a few weeks you could be earning income as a licensed Profiting from Your Passions Career Coach.

I recently shared this short video with the 400+ people who’ve already expressed a keen interest in being a part of the next training.

You’ll discover the 3 key characteristics you absolutely must possess to effectively help others see ways to turn interests into income.

The video also answers to some of the most pressing questions received so far from the coach training survey.

And, you get to meet my dog Cokie Roberts. too!

Registration for the next Profiting from Your Passions Career Coach Training doesn’t open until next week.

Game Changing Resources that Your School Guidance Counselor, Your Career Counselor, and Your Own Mother Never Told You About… But I Will
Information truly can set your clients (and you!) free.

On this informational webinar, I’ll share 5 of my most frequently recommended resources.

These are the kinds of game changing resources that help my clients go from wishing they could make money without a job to doing it!

There’s a reason most people don’t know about these resources.

That’s why you’ll also discover 10 important ways in which Profiting from Your Passions career coaching differs from traditional career or life coaching.
Monday, January 23rd
12:00pm Eastern

Please understand that I want to be able to ensure I can adequately support everyone who registers. For that reason, spots are limited.

So if you feel called to help others to find their calling, I strongly suggest you sign up here to get your name on the “first in line” list for priority notification when the doors open sometime next week.

Katharine Graham said, “To love what you do and feel that it matters, how could anything be more fun?”

If you truly want to change course, you need to stop thinking about what’s “realistic” and instead think about what’s possible.

For those of you who’ve been reading this newsletter since 1995 or even for a few months, this may seem obvious. But I assure you, not everyone is on the same page.

That point was really driven home a few years ago when I hosted a small dinner posted for a few friends.

One of my guests was taking a Spanish class. So I mentioned the invitation I’d received from International Living magazine to speak at a conference in Panama for people who want to live and work overseas.

Before sitting down for our dinner, I gave my dog Cokie his. As I mixed up a concoction of chicken and sweet potato, I reminisced about a delightful woman I’d recently met while in Paris who makes her living as a professional dog chef.

As we retreated to the living room for dessert, one of my guests picked up a copy of Sir Richard Branson’s biography on my coffee table. Much to her surprise it was autographed.

That of course required an explanation of how I wound up being part of an intimate “pick [...] Continue Reading…