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.

They imagine themselves sitting in their large private office eagerly awaiting a long line of interesting employees with interesting problems in need of interesting solutions.

Ask people already in HR though and they’ll paint a very different picture.

Instead of spending time helping people, they end up dealing with things like hiring, terminations, benefits, pensions, payroll, and grievances.

A lot of jobs seem different from the outside.

Think about your current career or job. Now that you’re there, is it what you thought it was going to be? Probably not.

Fantasy vs. Reality

Entrepreneurs are not immune to this “leap before you look” syndrome.

Every business has its more mundane parts, especially in the beginning when you’re bootstrapping your business as a “solo-preneur.”

But still, the goal is to love more of the work than not. So, before you leap, you need to check out just how wide the expanse is between fantasy and reality.

How do you test out a business idea?

Well, if you want to run a bed and breakfast (and for people who are natural hosts, there are lots of wonderful aspects of running a B & B) the best way to get your feet wet without taking a financial soaking is to become a B & B sitter.

Just like it sounds, sitters take over the day-to-day operations of established inns so the owners can go on vacation or otherwise get away.

Companies like Deserve a Break actually match B & B owners in Australia and New Zealand with experienced relief workers. Similarly, in the UK, farmers can turn to a decades old company called Loring, King and Loring for relief and contract milking and agricultural staff.

Another option is to go to “school.”

Sticking with our B & B example, you don’t need to earn a four year degree in hotel and restaurant management to learn how to run an inn.

Many B & B’s offer weekend workshops for aspiring inn-keepers and some owners do individual consulting.

If there are no classes in your area, contact a local B & B and ask if they’d let you intern with them in exchange for some free staffing time once you’re trained.

By Valerie Young

At 32, Dyan deNapoli decided to pursue her childhood dream of working with animals. Despite fears that she wasn’t “smart enough” to handle the rigorous math and science courses, the self-employed silversmith took a chance and returned to school for a degree in animal science. Not only did she pass, but she graduated with flying colors.

After interning at the New England Aquarium in Boston, Dyan was hired as the Senior Penguin Aquarist. One of the highlights of her career was playing a key role in the rescue of 40,000 penguins from an oil spill in South Africa.

After nine years, though, Dyan realized she’d gone about as far as she could in her job. Besides, the physical demands were taking a toll. When her mother passed away, it was a kind of wake-up call.

Dyan was still committed to somehow working to protect endangered species. However, she now yearned for the freedom and flexibility she’d known back when she was her own boss.

But how on earth does someone go about becoming a self-employed penguin expert? That was the question Dyan asked five years ago when she arrived at my Work at What You Love workshop.

Something Magical Happens Whenever You’re In the Company of Dreamers

If you’ve been to one of my seminars, or any seminar for that matter, then you know what can happen with the right guidance and support. You begin to realize that anything is possible.

Little wonder it was in that very room where Dyan says she had her “aha moment!” She’d create a traveling penguin-education show to teach children and adults about the biology and conservation of penguins and their habitats!

As exciting as that was for me to hear, I’ve heard hundreds of equally exciting and entirely doable dreams. Sadly, I’ve watched many profitable business ideas die for lack of attention.

But Dyan stuck with hers. Within a matter of months, she’d branded herself as “The Penguin Lady” and given the first of what would be many talks at schools, libraries, assisted living facilities, and civic organizations.

Like I said, a lot of people “talk” about their dreams, but relatively few act. So I invited Dyan back to speak to a new group of dreamers the following year.

I was so proud of her. Yet, as I listened to Dyan tell her story, it was obvious to me that she’d only scratched the surface of what was possible. Don’t get me wrong, the local events she was running were terrific. But Dyan had a dream that begged to be bigger. So I pulled her aside for a “bump- it-up” pep talk.

“Think about it,” I said. “When people meet you, they don’t say, ‘Oh, you’re one of those ‘penguin ladies’ you hear so much about.’ You are THE penguin lady. If you really want to make a difference, Dyan, you should be operating on a national and international stage. You’ve got to bump it up!”

At the end of every workshop, I ask participants to state an intention in front of the entire group. With a hundred people as her witness, Dyan stood and said: “Next year I’m going to be the onboard penguin expert on a nature cruise to the Galapagos Islands.”

Less than three months later, she wrote to tell me she’d arranged to do just that. Shortly after, CNN interviewed her on-air about a mass penguin stranding off of Brazil. Next, the operators of an Antarctica cruise called to see if she’d “possibly be interested” in being an on-board educator on a 14-day, all-expenses-paid cruise. Boy was she!

And two years later that South African oil spill rescue operation Dyan worked on turned into a six-figure contract with Simon and Schuster. How? One word: Action.

Dyan asked her friend Kate Victory Hannisian from BluePencilConsulting.com to help her polish her final book proposal.

Next she registered for an annual Boston area writers conference called Muse & the Marketplace (GrubStreet.org) which is where she met the agent who got her the big book contract.

Then she sat down to write the biggest and hardest paper she’s ever written… one word, one sentence, one paragraph, one chapter at a time… and hundreds of edits later, The Great Penguin Rescue was born.

Make no mistake about it — Dyan is special. At the same time, the only thing that makes her different from anyone else with a dream is that she took a single step and then followed through. If you’re ready to find and spread your wings, decide on one small action you will take today — then do it!

To learn more about Dyan deNapoli and The Great Penguin Rescue visit ThePenguinLady.com

My Year in Pictures and What It Taught Me That Can Help You Too

By Valerie Young

I talked to a friend recently who, despite starting out the year with the best of intentions, feels really discouraged about how little she’s accomplished on her goal of bringing a product idea she has to market. “I had such great hopes that this year would be different,” she said with a sigh. I knew how she felt.

Once the euphoria of getting a six-figure book deal with a major publishing house wore off, I realized I’d seriously underestimated how much work this was going to be. After all, I’ve been speaking on the Impostor Syndrome for some 25 years. And I’d long ago self-published my own book, “How to Feel As Bright and Capable As Everyone Seems to Think You Are.” But as I soon discovered, self-help is a particular genre with a particular format — one that was very new to me.

I’d spend days working on a few pages only to discover what I’d written was confusing, redundant, boring or all of the above. So I really do know what it’s like not to be as far along as you’d like. But still, I plugged along.

“What have you done so far?” I asked my friend. Rather sheepishly she replied, “Nothing,” Guess what? When you do nothing, you get nothing. This conversation got me thinking about my own year. I knew I’d accomplished some things, but amazingly I am still working on this book after almost two years!

Where Has the Time Gone?

I’m a visual person. So I thought it would be fun to put together a pictorial review as I have become addicted to taking photos with my iPhone. Along with the photos are some lessons learned along the way — lessons I hope inspire you to take action on your own deferred dreams.

April 2009

When I wasn’t out helping salamanders cross the road so they wouldn’t get squashed I was of course writing my book.

With the stress of the book writing I was actually grateful for all the times I had to jump in to help my neighbor Suzanne coax her very determined bull “Eric” back to his own pasture. No easy task since Eric much preferred the company of Phoebe and Molly, the Scottish Highlander’s temporarily being boarded in the pasture across the street.

April was also the second time I offered open enrollment for the self-paced version of the Profiting From Your Passions Coach Training Program. Over 40 new coaches signed on from as far away as the United Kingdom and Australia! What an honor.

Lessons: I re-learned how easy it is to feel overwhelmed or even discouraged when working on a big project. Besides taking the bull by the horns it helps to take frequent long walks. That’s when those confused thoughts start to come together.

May 2009

I love win-wins. But I love win-win-wins even more!

In May I took a break from writing to bring 15 Profiting From Your Passions graduates to Ryan Lee’s first Continuity Summit in Stamford, Connecticut. I know Ryan, so I was able to get the group in for free in exchange for being on-site “idea joggers.”

Attendees won because they could brainstorm with a team of people trained to help them think outside the box about how to monetize — or in this case to “continuitize” — their interests. Ryan won because he got to offer his 1000+ attendees this cool bonus for free.

And the coaches won because they got a guest pass to the entire three day training on a topic that can only make them better brainstormers for their clients. Plus, they were treated to a private pre-Summit session where Ryan himself taught them how various continuity models can be used to create recurring streams of revenue.

Lesson: When you help others they want to help you in return. Investing in your education is investing in your business.

On the family front, my nephew Thomas graduated high school and is now at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. Don’t let the photo fool you. He’s 6 foot 6 inches.

Lessons: When you help others, they want to help you in return. Investing in your education is investing in your business. Make time for the young people in your life… they grow up so very fast.

June 2009

My people don’t do humidity. So Florida in the summer is not my thing. But then I saw Russell Brunson was doing a marketing seminar in Delray Beach. With a September book deadline fast approaching, I really didn’t really have time to go. But I’d seen Russell speak at Ryan’s event and knew I could learn from this guy. The fact that it was Delray Beach gave me an additional incentive to have lunch with AWAI Executive Director and friend Katie Yeakle.

I’m a huge fan of AWAI. Whether it’s training people to make money as a freelance copywriter or how to get paid to travel via travel writing, photography, and import-export, or how to start a resume writing business or break into romance writing — simply put, they do great work. (Feel free to read my complete reviews of these and other self-employment options at ChangingCourse.com/cooljobs.htm)

Lesson: In addition to family and friends, make time to connect with people in your business life as well.

July 2009

After being on calf watch for months, baby Boris finally arrived! No he is not the illegitimate son of Eric the wayward bull. His real father is Vulcan, who went back to his home farm after fulfilling his fathering duties. I spent the summer happily keeping my eye on mother and baby while their owners were off building a new farm 30 miles away.

I also made another quick trip. This time to attend one of Yanik Silver’s Maverick Business Insider meet ups. Profiting From Your Passions Coaches Kate Fessler and Carrie Jeffers were there as well.

The first half of the day Yanik spoke to the group about branding and connecting with your customers. In the afternoon we were bussed to an indoor race track for a little team competition. The squirt guns were Yanik’s idea. You know, in case we got bored riding around a track in little go-carts. One of my team members was Mike Filsaime who, in addition to being a hugely successful information marketer, is also a really nice guy. I’m not exactly the race car driver type. But I did my best to try to win one for the team! I say “try” because we came in second to last.

Lessons: Continually stretch yourself outside of your comfort zone. Be grateful for small pleasures… and cows.

August 2009

With only four weeks to finish the book, August was a blur. I wrote from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. seven days a week. Can you say carpel tunnel?

Lessons: Everything takes twice as long as you think. A book, like any big project is always one step, one word, one sentence, one paragraph, one chapter at a time.

September 2009

The last chapter was rough (understatement), but I hit my September deadline. A 3-day whirlwind trip to Manhattan began with a meeting with Heather Jackson, my editor at Crown. I assumed we’d talk about my book. Instead it was a farewell meeting. Heather told me she’d seen the handwriting on the wall for publishing as we know it and wanted to be ahead of the trend. So she was leaving to pursue a new career — bringing fiction to television.

I was happy for Heather, but, selfishly, sad for me. She’s had lots of best-sellers including Tim Ferris’s The 4 Hour Work Week. It was actually Heather who came up with the title.

I did get to meet my new editor Suzanne O’Neil. Suzanne was busy with other books which gratefully bought me time to go back and rewrite the last chapter.

The main reason I went to New York was to be a part of a fun-filled romp Carrie Wilkerson organized for top affiliates Suzanne Evans and me. In addition to being interviewed for Carrie’s online TV show, we saw Wicked, and took a trip to Vayner Studios to meet and interview social media phenomenon, star of Wine Library TV, and author of the best-seller Crush It Gary Vaynerchuk.

The trip capped off with a quick interview with a producer at WPIX television who’d seen some of my tips in a recent issue of More magazine. She and the videographer asked if I’d ever thought of creating a TV show! I was flattered… and intrigued.

No there were no sheep in New York. These shots are from my fabulous day at The Big E which is a big state fair but for all five New England states. I spent a lot of time in the animal barns and chatting with my very favorite people — entrepreneurs! For a fun read check out the my Big E article at ChangingCourseArchives.com/issue217.html

Lessons: Honor your deadlines, do mix business with pleasure, and talk to and learn from entrepreneurs anywhere and everywhere you find them.

October 2009

More book editing. I did get to a Red Sox game. The Angels were ahead by three runs. It was already close to 11 pm on a “school night.” We had a 90 mile drive ahead of us. So my friend Char and I decided to leave just before the last inning.

Big mistake. The Red Sox came back to tie the game. Then with two outs and the bases loaded, “Big Poppie” hit a home run.

Lesson: Tough it out because, like they say, “it’s never over until it’s over.”

November 2009

The month began with a wonderful birthday dinner compliments of Lisa and Haley. Just getting to hang out with Haley is a gift alone!

After Haley, the highlight of November (okay my entire life) was being a part of a very intimate Q&A session with billionaire adventurer and social entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson of Virgin Airlines, Virgin Records, and countless other companies under the Virgin name.

We only had an hour with Branson. But in that time we could ask him anything we wanted. I decided to pick his brain about my grand plan to train thousands of people around the world to be Profiting From Your Passions coaches. I won’t take the time here to relay the full exchange. What I will say is he thought my idea was, and I quote, “absolutely brilliant!”

That was great of course. But I was really impressed with his answer to Eben Pagan’s question, “What’s the difference between the mindset of a millionaire and a billionaire?” Branson replied there really isn’t one. Rather success always come down to being a good listener and respecting people, adding, there are a lot of people in the world who will never get to be rich through no fault of their own. I knew then I liked him.

Our meeting with Branson was a fundraiser for his non-profit organization Virgin Unite. which was holding their annual Rock the Kasbah star-studded gala later that night. Despite the glare of the television lights, I managed to get some shots of Branson with actors Jenna Elfman and Sharon Stone. Once inside, I chatted briefly with an incredibly nice and surprisingly tiny Paula Abdul. The food was incredible and I had front row seats to Natasha Bedingfield, Estelle, and Gavin Rossdale who rocked the house. What a treat!

It was fun being dressed up and hanging out with some really impressive entrepreneurs. People like Q&A session organizer Joe Polish, who’s raised over a million dollars for Virgin Unite, Yanik Silver who has already booked a spot in the Virgin space shuttle, and entrepreneur and thought leader Eban Pagen. I had a wonderful chat on the taxi over to the gala with the very down to earth CEO of Virgin Unite and fellow Massachusetts native Jean Oelwang.

I knew I’d see everyone who’d been at the Branson meeting earlier that day. I never expected to be at a big Hollywood gala and actually run into other people I knew! People like Mike Hill, Ali Brown and Mari Smith, Russell Brunson, and countless other entrepreneurs whose work I know and admire. Oh, and did I mention I wore my grandmother’s gown from the 1930s? She passed five years ago this week. She would have loved to have seen me in that dress!

November ended with a long awaited vacation to Mexico.

What I needed was total R&R. Kind of like Cokie here in his blanket — total chill.

But what I got was a go-go vacation that left me more exhausted than when I arrived. Oh, and did I happen to mention my people don’t do humidity? Still I loved the animals, the spectacular sunsets, the people and the culture.

Lessons: Some millionaires and billionaires are jerks, but most are really decent people — just like anyone else. Be grateful for blessings big and small and work with what you’re given.

December 2009

December 4th I closed on my first investment property — a five bedroom, three bath house for only $103,000. The catch? It needed a ton of work. We’re talking burst pipes, rewiring, an unintentional walk through closet, ripping out filthy shag carpet with my friend Ange.

It was hard work, but after so many months working on the book, it was incredibly satisfying to work with my hands for a change. It’s hard to see the total before and after but this will give you a glimpse.

Speaking of transformations… By the end of fall enrollment period, a total of 27 new people went from wishing they could find a way to get paid to brainstorm cool business ideas to making the commitment to join the expanding Profiting From Your Passions coach community. With students and graduates now from as far away as Singapore, Kenya, Norway, Australia, the UK, Barbados, even Kazakhstan its clear that this trend of making a living doing you love without a j-o-b has gone global.

Boris and the rest of the cow family moved to a new farm. I’m not sure who cried more — me or him. Okay, it was me.

Lesson: Take calculated risks then work hard like heck to make them pay off.

January 2010

I was insanely busy serving as general contractor to get the house ready for the renters. But boy did I learn a lot! The best part was I got to help out a family with three young children who’d been burned out of their home two days after Christmas. They’re rebuilding less than a mile away and needed to find a temporary home so their kids could go to the same school. I feel like this connection was meant to be.

In the middle of all that drove to the other side of the state to speak to packed auditoriums of graduate students at MIT and Harvard. Having gone through the doctoral process myself I know how easy it is to feel like everyone else is brilliant and you’re just a fraud.

I also took a quick overnight trip to Miami to attend the annual Entrepreneur magazine conference. The entire conference was free thanks to sponsor UPS. It was wonderful to be around so many different kind of entrepreneurs with very cool businesses. I’ll introduce you to a number of them in a future issue. For now notice the joy in the faces of people who are doing their own thing. It’s contagious!

The totally cool part was that I got to pitch my business story to Entrepreneur editor Justine Petrucelli, meet editor in chief Amy Cosper, and chat with someone who’s work I’ve admired since he wrote his first best-seller in the 1980s, Guerilla Marketing guru Jay Conrad Levinson.

But wait! It gets better! I was also interviewed by the MSNBC show Your Business. Before you get too impressed, they interviewed anyone willing to stand in line. Here’s the clip if you want to see it http://tinyurl.com/ycoz6fn Expert panelist Michael Port totally didn’t get my question (in his defense I could have been more clear.) Gratefully host JJ Ramberg did. I don’t think it’s my ticket onto Oprah or anything but it was fun to see myself on national television.

Another fast trip to New York for an amazing personal business coaching with Gary Vaynerchuk. Given that he charges corporations $50,000 a day I felt incredibly honored. What a brain that guy has! While I was there I met up with my agent and my editor at Crown where we (finally) set a publishing date for the book — August 2011!

Lessons: Invest in your education. Hang out with the people you want to be. Step up to the mike. Small steps really do add up. Be patient. Be grateful.

February 2010

Ah winter in New England. I for one find it beautiful.

It’s also nice to get away and Suzanne Evan’s Be The Change event in Fort Lauderdale was the perfect excuse to follow the sun. It was also a chance for another meet up with a group of the Profiting From Your Passion coaches. Some came as part of a special four-month marketing coaching program I’d arranged for Suzanne to lead specifically for my coaches. Others came as a guest of me and Suzanne. A few coaches missed the group shot but I tracked them down for solo ones.

Other than the one live training I held in 2008, all of the other Profiting From Your Passion coach trainings have either been conducted as a Teleclass or offered as a self-paced program. Even with all the additional support — the monthly calls, active forum, and the chance to team up in small study groups, I miss not meeting people in person. That’s why I love being able to provide these kinds of additional support, networking, and educational opportunities. The coaches get to connect with each other and I finally get to meet them!

Not everyone who wants to turn their interests into income wants to be a coach. So I decided to hold a workshop for people who are ready once and for all, to decide what they love to do, figure out how to make money doing it, and make a plan. But I was also tired of all the travel. So I held the first of two Profiting From Your Passions Retreat & Workshop right in my own home. I got to work more deeply with them and they formed a tight support team to stay on track after the seminar.

Lessons: Keep learning and growing. Go, do, give as much as you can. Don’t be afraid to experiment.

March 2010

One more Profiting From Your Passion workshop and retreat here at my home. This time we stopped by to meet and learn from a neighbor — executive coach and seminar leader Neil Yeager author of The Seventh Prism. Each group has its own personality!

And yet another chance to connect with even more Profiting From Your Passion coaches when I once again arranged for a group to attend Ryan Lee’s 2010 Continuity Summit. They had a blast and I got to show off the fancy new table display!

The next week, three of the coaches served as onsite “Idea Detectives” at Yanik Silver’s Underground Marketing 6 seminar. I was able to get them a free pass to what is normally a $2500 event and the attendees got some great laser coaching for free. The coaches totally rolled with the 007 theme of the Underground doing their thing in trench coats!

At the 11th hour I forfeited my seat at the Underground to attend Brendon Burchard’s seminar on building partnerships with non-profits and corporations. It was an outstanding seminar with lots of great information I can use when I launch my book. Sometime this year or next I also envision a national “Profiting From Your Passion Seminar Tour” with dream sponsors like Entrepreneur magazine, Staples, the Kaufman Foundation and other organizations interested in supporting entrepreneurs. Wish me luck!

Lessons: Go out of your way to meet up with old friends and make new ones. Entrepreneurs rock — if you aren’t hanging out with them now, make it your business to start now. Think big!

April 2010

One year later. Another spring and I am still editing my book and prepping for a series of speaking engagements. A keynote to university administrators next week in Baltimore, two for women entrepreneurs and accountants in Canada in May, and a potential series of workshops for several hundred women scientists and engineers in June in Germany.

I’m also continuing to find ways to build on my Profiting From Your Passions Coach Training Program. The changes in the economy has convinced me that this work is needed now more than ever. People finally get that there’s no such thing as job “security.” And with that understanding they’re more open to the idea of taking a chance on themselves.

Meeting so many coaches this year has given me some great ideas about how to make the training even better. So I’ve also been busily working on that. The last time I held an open registration period for the coach training was last November. So right now I’m taking names of people who want to be on a list to get advance notification of when the program opens up again later this month.

If you like the idea of getting paid to brainstorm, add your name and primary email address and I’ll be in touch soon when I have more details. ChangingCourse.com/first-in-line.htm

After a whirlwind year I’m also at an interesting turning point in my life. No I’m not leaving Changing Course. But after 15 years I am seriously looking for ways to do things differently.

And I need your help. I put together a super short survey to get your input on what you need to take the leap from having a boss to being your own boss — how I can best help you get there.

I would be honored and grateful if you’d take three minutes now to share your thoughts. All you have to do is click here.

Lessons: Constantly look for ways to improve your products and services. And don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it.

Your Turn

How often do you look back to track your progress? I’m not talking about the obligatory New Year review. I mean really go back and month-by-month to see where your time and energy really went. What has your last year been like? What strides have you made in pursuit of your dreams? What lessons have you learned or relearned? How can you use these lessons in the service of your dream?

If you don’t like what you see, remember — spring is the time to break out and really mooooove your dream along. And for my friends down under, fall is a great time too!

Can you say the same thing about what you do? Take a moment now to think about exactly how you would describe your life as it is today.

Now read how Louise describes her life…

“When I am not visiting with customers or painting at my gallery and working studio in a restored 1834 mill, I am off to my favorite painting locations, usually in New England and not far from home.

Sometimes I’m lucky enough to bunk with friends so I can paint in Kenya or travel with a daughter in Guatemala, returning to work on a series about the rainforest. Other painters join me to paint in the Southwest or Vermont or Martha’s Vineyard. In the winter, I’m likely to explore new painting ideas or old favorites like junk cars and trucks.”

Sounds like heaven doesn’t it? When you see the photos of Louise at work (http://www.louiseminks.com), you’ll be even more determined to take control of your own destiny as well.

One reason I wanted you to meet Louise is because it’s important that you know people like this really do exist and you really can make a living doing what you love.

Having role models like Louise help you counter all the naysayers who tell you to forget your silly dreams and stick with your job… no matter how stressful it is or how miserable it makes you.

The other reason I wanted you to meet Louise is because I just signed her on to be a part of a unique event called, “Profiting from Your Passions” — a highly personalized weekend workshop and retreat get-away I’ll be facilitating right in my home in beautiful Montague, Massachusetts from February 26-28.

I’m calling it a workshop/retreat but it’s essentially me doing
3 days of intensive private consulting and brainstorming with a very small group of only 6 or so people. There will be plenty of exercises designed to get your mind buzzing and answers flowing.

The “retreat” part is important too. The view from my expansive living room windows alone will make you think bigger about your life… and your dreams.

In fact Louise is just one of several local artists and entrepreneurs who have generously agreed to host a stop on the “Profiting from Your Passions Tour.” On the tour, you’ll get to meet Louise in her peaceful studio by the water and chat about how she managed to turn her dream into reality.

While everyone attending the workshop will have their own gifts and interests, the destination is the same — to hone in on what you love to do and then figure out how you can make money doing it. And with my expert guidance and 15 years experience, that’s exactly what will happen.

If you love the idea of…

~ living life on your own terms…
~ discovering what it is you truly love to do…
~ determining viable ways to turn your passions into profits…
~ learning from inspiring entrepreneurs who are already making a living without a job…
~ walking away with a plan — and a built in weekly support group to make sure you follow through…

…Then don’t miss your chance to get away from the noise of every day life where you can take maximum advantage of the tools, the information, the guidance, the perspective, and the support you need to FINALLY be able to say, “I love what I do and do what I love.”

To learn more about the “Profiting from Your Passions” Workshop and Retreat — including travel details — go to http://ChangingCourse.com/retreat.htm

Life is short. Isn’t it time you made the commitment to finally figure out what you want to be “when you grow up” and how to actually make money doing it?

To your dreams,

Valerie Young
Dreamer in Residence

http://ChangingCourse.com

P.S. I’m waiting to hear back from a few more entrepreneurs who you’ll get to meet and learn from in February. I’ll keep you posted as I do.

The whole point of doing this intimate workshop is to give people the kind of personalized laser coaching that’s impossible to do in a large 75-150 person seminar. Since I can only accommodate a very small number of people in my home, I expect Profiting from Your Passion workshop and retreat to fill quickly.
Here’s the link again: http://ChangingCourse.com/retreat.htm

Valerie Young
Dreamer in Residence
ChangingCourse.com

How many times did you hear that question when you were a kid?

Back then, it really didn’t matter too much what you said… you could say you wanted to grow up to be a ballerina or a major league ball player or the "ice cream man" and ride around in an ice cream truck all day.

At age 5 or 8 or 11, no one took these career leanings too seriously. That is until you got a bit older. At which point the idea that you were serious about being a ballerina or a ballplayer or the ice cream man was probably met with a lot of resistance from most of the adults in your life.

People told you to put away your silly ideas about being "happy" and just get a "good job."

So everyone from your guidance counselor to your mother swayed you toward being a teacher or an engineer or an executive. There’s just one problem. You’re miserable.

And sadly, you’re not alone. As Benjamin Disraeli once said, "Most people will die with their music still in them."

But, what if the most "real" thing you can do is to do work that reflects your authentic self? To find a way to actually live your life on your own terms?

What if what you really need to do is to get "unreal."

After all, as Will Smith reminds us, "Being realistic is the most commonly traveled road to mediocrity." Is that what you really want?  

I mean you only have this one life. And how you live it is up to you.

Perhaps you’ve buried your dreams for so long that you don’t even know what they are any more…

Or, maybe you already know what you love to do, but you just haven’t figured out how to make money doing it…

Either way, I’d like to help.

You see, I’ve helped literally thousands of people answer these same questions for themselves.

In my coaching practice, I obviously work with people on a one-to-one basis. These are 90-minute laser brainstorming events. I call them "laser" sessions because I have a laser-like focus on my client and how he or she can take one or more of the things they love to do and turn it into one or multiple profit centers.

Some people prefer having the time to delve in more deeply and thrive on the energy of a group. Over the last 15 years I’ve run seminars from coast to coast called "Work at What You Love."

Here you’re looking at upwards of 150 people coming together in big hotel ballroom seeking answers to the question, "What do I love to do — and how can I make money doing it?"

Being able to spend concentrated time with one person is great because it really is all about helping them in a highly focused and personalized way.

And yet, there is really nothing quite like a room buzzing with the energy of dozens and dozens of aspiring entrepreneurs. Everyone learning together and encouraging one another’s dreams. It’s an amazing time.

But here’s the thing…

Everyone at my big seminars learn a ton.
But what they don’t get is lots of time with me.

As fun and energizing as these big workshops are, when the group gets over even 25 people, there’s really no practical way for me to connect with and work intensely with people on a really personal, individual level.

That is until now! Drum roll please…

After much "noodling" in my head, I finally came up with a way we can both have it all.

"Intensive Time And Personalized Coaching With Me
PLUS The Energy, Excitement, And Support Of
Like-Minded Souls Who, Like Me, Are Raring To
Help You Finally Discover AND Profit From Your Passion"

Want to know what I’ve cooked up for you? Click here to learn more. But don’t wait because my big idea is happening really soon!

ChangingCourse.com/retreat.htm

To your dreams,

Valerie Young
Dreamer in Residence
http://ChangingCourse.com

P.S. George Eliot wrote, "It’s never too late to be what you might have been." Isn’t it time you finally made the commitment to discover the work you were meant to do? CLICK HERE NOW to learn how.

Perhaps deep down they’d love to be a pet photographer… or write children’s books… or run a spiritual retreat center… or become a personal chef… or bring their product idea to market… or find a way to get paid to travel.

Well, they’re hardly alone.

Job dissatisfaction, downsizing, and the growing desire for more work/life balance are forcing people to think about alternative ways to make their living. And this migration out of corporate America has created a unique opportunity for career consultants and coaches.

If you love brainstorming, teaching, coaching or otherwise pointing out interesting ways other people can make money doing what they love, this is your chance to get paid to do what comes naturally…

My “Passions into Profits” Coach Training & Business Start Up Program is the first and ONLY entrepreneurial track career coach training system to hand you a proven blueprint that will enable you to…

• Create a unique income stream to serve clients with entrepreneurial interests

• Gain access to specialized training, tools and resources for creating careers outside traditional structures

• Gain the tools you need for faster business growth

• Discover literally hundreds of creative ways to make a living without a job — examples you can use with your clients again and again.

• Quickly find key resources that help your clients turn their business dreams into reality

• Know specific techniques you can use to help your clients develop expertise and a track record even when they have zero experience or training

• Learn cutting-edge marketing strategies — as well as proven standbys — to help you build your Passions into Profits Coach training practice… fast!

The opportunities are endless and the timing is right….

• people whose jobs are secure now realize the wisdom of starting some kind of small business on the side…

• people whose jobs are being eliminated now realize that they have nothing to lose and everything to gain by starting their own business. After all you can’t fire yourself!

• people in the early stages of retirement are looking for ways to earn some extra money – preferably by being able to work at home…

Reserve your seat now for this informative Webinar. Limited seats are available, reserve yours now at ChangingCourse.com/paidtobrainstorm.htm

If You Love Brainstorming, Teaching, Coaching or Otherwise Pointing Out Interesting Ways Other People Can Make Money Doing What They Love, Then Please Don’t Miss This Chance For You to
Get Paid To Do What Comes Naturally

• Are you constantly thinking up potential business ideas for yourself or other people?
• Are you forever turning friends and acquaintances onto resources and alternatives they never knew existed?
• Do you instinctively jump in to help others brainstorm ideas?

If that describes you, then I bet people love talking with you…

Maybe they even seek you out. And why wouldn’t they? After all, thinking creatively about ways to make a living without a “job-job” is something that just, well… comes naturally to you I’ll bet.

It does to me, too. Now I’d like to show you how you can share in my success as well. Since launching Changing Course in 1995, I’ve heard from literally hundreds of people who would love to get paid to do what I do:

“I’ve spent much time trying to find my own calling, and I realized that what I really like to do is help other people realize their dreams.” ~ Jean

“To see someone’s eyes light up when I’ve given them a great idea, is an incredible feeling. People are so grateful when you show them that a new path really does exist.” ~ James

“I’ve been doing this kind of thing for years for free – I might as well get paid!” ~ Gretchen

The “Passions into Profits” program is the first and ONLY entrepreneurial track career coach training system to hand you a proven blueprint.

You get everything you need to be able to offer private coaching or run workshops to show people viable ways to make money doing what they love – and get paid to do it.

To date over 130 people from as far away as Singapore, Kenya, Norway, Australia, the UK, Barbados, even Kazakhstan have learned how to launch themselves into a whole new first-time business or create a profitable add-on income stream to their existing coaching business.

This is an amazing opportunity to start your own business doing what you love – brainstorming creative ideas to turn passions into profits!

But don’t take my word for it. Listen to what people in the program had to say…

Schedule Your Free Business Brainstorming Session Today

If you are seriously considering training to become a Passions into Profits Coach so you can get paid to brainstorm with private clients or run workshops, read on…

There are two versions of this program:

The Passions into Profits Coach Training only

Or, the Passions into Profits Coach Training Marketing Jumpstart version

The last thing I want is for you to sign up for something that’s not right for you. And if you do sign up, I definitely want you to hit the ground running!

To decide which option – if either – is right one for you and to see how you can your own at-home business started for under $500, click here to schedule one of a very limited number of 15 minute Business Brainstorming sessions with me. *International callers, Valerie can phone you. (Sorry this offer is only for people considering becoming a Passions into Profits Coach. To schedule a personalized 90 minute career consultation with Valerie call 413-367-0222)

“For the first time in the human experience, we have a chance to shape our work to suit the way we want to live instead of always living to fit in with our work… We would be mad to miss the chance.” ~ Charles Handy

 Don’t miss out on this opportunity for this free 15 minute session with me… here’s the link again: http://my.timedriver.com/MN64L