It’s been 15 years since I featured the unlikely success story of a homemaker named Lorraine Doan.
Now as then, this story offers hope for anyone who wants to follow your own road but been told, “it can’t be done.”
Like many businesses, Lorraine’s was born out personal crisis when her marriage of 23 years came to a sudden and unexpected end.
At midlife, Lorraine was forced t0 support herself and her kids.
Despite starting piano lessons a mere six years earlier – and at the most devastating period of her life – Lorraine began to compose hymns.
Then she decided to produce an album.
There was just one little problem…
Lorraine had no previous business experience, no computer skills, no knowledge of the music industry, and no financial backer.
Most industry experts would have predicted a doomsday failure.
Lorraine’s, dream of making, never mind selling her own album, should have been history, forgotten, and buried.
But that’s not what happened…
Breaking into Music On a Wing, a Prayer, and a “Secret”
In just two years and without the benefit of commercial advertisement or the backing of a major label Lorraine had placed 13,000 copies of her album The Promise.
That was in 2000. Since then that number has grown to an astounding 91,000 copies!
How Lorraine did it was the subject of an interview with Lisa Hendey, founder CatholicMom.com. (A site which by the way, offers another great example of someone who took a passion and ran with it!)
In the interview Lorraine credits God for her gift, the inspiration to create an album, and for leading her to people who become collaborators and champions.
From there Lorraine used the same “secret” as every other successful small business owner – she rolled up her sleeves and got busy, explaining:
The marketing and distribution of my album was something I learned from scratch. I developed a very simple strategy. I called every Catholic store in the US that I could find. Then I mailed a demo and followed up with a phone call.
Her dedication paid off.
Today Lorraine has over 900 accounts that sell her album including some Christian stores.
Since starting her own independent music publishing business in 1998 Lorraine recorded two more albums, her music has been featured on television and radio, been a frequent guest speaker at various Catholic churches and gatherings, and produced albums for another artist.
Turning Can’t Into Can
We all have gifts. Including you.
Once you discover your gifts, you’ll have also found the path to living life on your own terms.
Sadly, though most people fall victim to the belief that it’s not possible to change course. Little wonder.
“By the time you’ve hit your 20’s,” says Walter Anderson, author of Courage is a Three Letter Word and The Greatest Risk of All, “you’ll have heard a whopping 25,000 “can’ts.”
Twenty-five THOUSAND… that’s a lot of “can’ts.”
You can’t work at what you love and make a good living.
It’s too hard.
There’s too much competition.
It will never work.
Impossible.
The message is clear: You need to just forget about your crazy dream.
The problem is… you can’t.
The fact that you’re reading tells me you really do know it’s possible to do as the Changing Course motto says and work at what you love… follow your own road… and live life on purpose.
That’s why it’s so important to learn from people like Lorraine.
And to every other self-bosser who ignored conventional wisdom and said, “Yes I can.”
Lorraine was in her mid-forties when she changed course. Once again proving in the wise words of the Victorian writer George Eliot…
“It’s never too late to be what you might have been.”
You just need to start.
Today is the last day to get your free copy of Yes You Can: The Inspirational Kick in the Pants You Need to Take Control of Your Life and Go After Your Dreams (a $29 value).
If you’re ready to turn can’t into can, then click on the heart now to learn how you too can…
