Welcome to the first ever Superhero Mastermind Blog Tour! I am pleased to be a part of this powerful team of business women. I will be adding a link to each participant as they show up on tour in the Treasures section.
From the time I opened the internet portal to my business on September 23, 2011, pretty much everything has been a first.
I’ve never been an entrepreneur, I’ve been a counselor and a social worker. I never even worked in retail. Before I started my professional career I was a secretary, a waitress, a cook and a housecleaner. As a professional I started up programs and directed them for years. How different can it be, right? Uh, a lot different!
In the past I enjoyed teaching classes on assertive communication, increasing personal power and journal writing for spiritual growth. I started my first blog, Many Rivers To Cross, a little over three years ago and fell in love with photography as an art form. It took some time but I discovered a niche of people who also love nature photography. My passion for writing and photography were ignited.
Goddess Leonie Dawson has created a magical space through her business, GoddessGuidebook.com. A little over a year ago I joined an international circle of incredible women. We make the most of the sacred space to further explore ourselves, our worlds and our divine essences. It’s been a safe place to share hopes and dreams. It was there that the seed for a business idea was planted when Leonie’s How to be a BusinessGoddess! was launched. Using the Wild Donkey Riding method of bringing ideas to fruition, women were starting new projects and new businesses. I started to believe I could do it too.
At the beginning of August I injured my back. For almost two months I could do very little but rest and hobble around. I had already been soaking up information for months in the Goddess Business Circle. Inspired by other women who were launching their own businesses, I felt guided to do the same. I struggled with the name of my new business until it occurred to me that everything I want to do or share is what comes from my heart. I’ve been helping other people for years. I’ve been keeping a journal for even longer. I just knew that I had something of value to share. The time it took for my back to heal was just about the amount of time I needed to create my website.
Through the Goddess Circle network I found my talented web designer, Michelle Millichip at Artisantopia. On my own I lasted about five minutes trying to design my website! Technical computer skills are not where I shine most brightly. Rather than struggle for months to figure it all out, I hired Michelle to help me. It was worth it because then I could concentrate on content. After using some of Jennifer Lee’s Right Brain Business plan ideas, I started writing content. Another circle sister, Meg Goodmanson, volunteered to proofread for me. She offered valuable suggestions and gave me the confidence to put my initial pages out there. I set my launch date (so I couldn’t chicken out) and succeeded in meeting it. I felt fear gremlins tugging at my heels through most of this process. I said hello to them, told them I appreciated their comments and kept on going. I am learning to trust the process of feeling the fear and doing it anyway.
I decided to quit my day job too. I wanted to put my whole heart into my new business. I convinced my husband that we could save money on our taxes with a home-based business. Fortunately I have his financial and emotional support. Wendy Mair, my Retreat in a Box partner, mentioned that there was a Womens’ Entrepreneur Conference being held in October and suggested we attend. Great idea! It was there that reality slapped me in the face. Women asked me about my business. I responded that I had a website to uh, help women take better care of themselves. They looked at me blankly. I mentioned that women have a difficult time taking care of themselves because they are so busy taking care of everyone else. They shook their heads, yes. And?
I realized I do need a plan! I do need a 30 second elevator speech! I do need clarity and focus! So, dear readers, I am exactly one month out of the gate and this is where I am. Thrilled and excited to have begun a new journey, anxious about how it’s going to work out, driven to clarify what it is I’m doing. I have a book full of beautiful nature photographs and journaling prompts, The Spiral Journey, available for downloading as a pdf. The Retreat in a Box will be available on November 1 for shipping.
It’s happening! I know a lot more will happen in the next year as I learn and grow into my heart-based business. It’s the wave of the future. Business will not be done as usual. It’s the antidote to corporate greed, rock on Occupy Wall Street! Did you know that nearly 104 million businesses are majority owned by women? These businesses provide more than 12 million jobs and generate more than a trillion dollars in sales! (www.sba.gov)
Time for a spectacular giveaway! One FREE RETREAT IN A BOX! Be among the first to be dazzled by the total awesomeness of creating your own spa retreat at home! To win:
Like Loran’s Heart on Facebook
Post a tweet about my site and the Superhero Mastermind Blog Tour
Leave me a comment here and let me know how and where we connected! I will randomly draw a name, contact you and ship you your box by November 1.
And next on this astounding tour is Robyn from An Empowered Life. Be sure to check her out.
10 comments
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Petrea
October 23, 2011 at 10:49 am (UTC -6) Link to this comment
Wow Loran what a wonderful opportunity! I have tweeted, liked you on FB and signed up for your newsletter (not sure why I hadn’t already
)
Loran Hills
October 23, 2011 at 10:53 am (UTC -6) Link to this comment
Petrea, I suspect you have been too busy to track me down in all these places but I am glad you did now!
Lisa
October 23, 2011 at 11:08 am (UTC -6) Link to this comment
HI ! I’m Lisa~ it is nice to meet you
Petrea sent me and I am glad she did. I am also part of the Goddess Circle, but don’t participate as much as I would like to~ life has been super busy with all this donkey ridin goin on ! lol
I don’t happen to tweet, but I do like to share the good stuff I find with personal friends and FaceBook
toodles noodles~ xoxo,
L
Loran Hills
October 23, 2011 at 11:41 am (UTC -6) Link to this comment
Hi Lisa! Nice to meet you too. Any friend of Petrea’s is a friend of mine. Did you sign upmfor the newsletter? That will get you an extra chance for the retreat box.
Stephanie
October 23, 2011 at 4:26 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
It is so nice to hear your process and how you are emerging as an entrepreneur. I love your offerings. We are on similar paths! I like your facebook page and will be sharing your page on my wall.
Also I would love to swap buttons. I’d like to put you on list of Truth Telling Sister Goddesses
Stephanie
Loran Hills
October 23, 2011 at 4:34 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
Sure, we can swap! Thanks.
Jacqueline Gates
October 23, 2011 at 7:29 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
Ms Loran, what a delicious journey you’re on ~ I’m so very glad you shared it with us!
I read somewhere that Louise Hay says that when something happens to your back, it’s a metaphysical manifestation of ‘not wanting to continue in the same direction’. Seems very appropriate for what happened to you!
I’m so excited to be able to witness the birth of your new adventure, and thank you again for taking us along with you.
You’ve inspired me already to take much better care of myself!
Bliss-ings,
the goddess known as Jacqui
Suzi Dronzek
October 23, 2011 at 8:12 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
Awesome post babe! Love it! Thank you!
Allurynn
October 23, 2011 at 11:44 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
Love reading about your wonderful adventure Loran. There are always wonderful nuggets of wisdom in your posts, Love it! As always you inspire me, wish you the best in your journey!
Natasha
October 24, 2011 at 12:20 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
I LOVE sharing information and love for powerful, creative, incredible Goddesses like YOU!! I’m SOOO freakin’ proud of ALL that you are doing!!!! I am doing cartwheels right now…can you see them?? I’m going to share a link to you on FB right now and on Twitter – why?? Because you are just THAT awesome!!!!