dare to dream

Anonymous: Once, Someone Asked Who You Really Are

Once, a twenty-something-girl graduated college with a degree in Computer Science and a job offer at a hot tech startup in Silicon Valley. She was smart and ambitious and proud. She was apprehensive and self-critical and an impostor. She kept the fragments of her stories on her blog and on Twitter @once_a_girl.

Why do you sign your blog posts and e-mails with this oh-so-generic girl moniker? Why do you blog about being a successful Silicon Valley female without revealing who you really are? Who knows if you’re actually successful, or in Silicon Valley, or even female for that matter? This anonymity certainly can’t be helping your publicity. After all, nothing you write is ever going to spread through the various social networks if you have no following. In this day and age, authenticity counts for a lot. Gone are the online days of yore, when monkeyblue255 and his ilk would proactively a/s/l you just because you showed up to chat.

The anonymous denizens these days tend to be the trolls, the dregs of Internet society who use their nameless and faceless identities to launch brutal attacks on others. More and more, anonymity is seen as a form of weakness, a cowardice of sorts, like maybe you’ve got something to hide.

To be perfectly honest, maybe there’s something to that cowardice statement. It’s not like you haven’t tried blogging publicly before. You have tried--earnestly tried--to put keyboard strokes to screen, to record the bits and pieces of your life and share those experiences with others. You’ve always been a diligent dear diary girl, and writing for you is a form of therapy. It gives shape and clarity to the messy edges of your life, and provides an outlet with which to examine yourself, your job, and your sense of self.

Source: istockphoto

But the public part of blogging--that has and still is the hurdle. Because as soon as you considered that you were writing for an audience, everything changed. You wanted to post things that made you sound smart and interesting. You wanted your words to add to your personal brand. Hey guys, look at me! I’m a shining example of a girl who has everything under control! Come and be impressed by my veritable nuggets of wisdom!

The thought of neatly laying out your insecurities and hopes and confessions for your friends and coworkers to see--yes, you were afraid. You didn’t want them to think any less of you. The anonymity provided a security blanket, a liberating freedom to say exactly what was on your mind without worrying about how it slanted you in the eyes of others.

Would you have written about that male coworker who makes life difficult for you, or how you’ve struggled to speak up in large meetings if those posts were attached to your name? What about the fact that you’re secretly and simultaneously both cocky and insecure, but all you’ve ever wanted was to be accepted by the boys as a first-rate engineer? Would you have been so honest if you knew that your coworkers might read that and know those things about you?

In the long run, you hope that the answer is yes. You want to be true to yourself, the kind of girl who doesn’t care what other people think of her. The kind of girl who’s confident enough in her own fears and hopes that she can proudly wear them on her sleeve. Deep down, you know you’re not alone in your insecurities. The challenges of being a girl in a male-dominated industry are not unique. Maybe your stories will help others. Perhaps you’ll connect with other girls who feel the same. That’s why we write and talk and share, isn’t it? Because it helps to know that you aren’t the only one.

You aren’t the strong, bold, authentic girl of your ambitions yet. Yet. But as you continue the process of becoming her, your little anonymous blog in the corner of the Internet is the first baby step.

Have you ever considered writing anonymously?

What would be different?  Positive? Negative?

P.S. I made the image unusually big to remind me (I hope you) that there's a true, living person, behind these words.

Sick enough to get well

When I need to slow down, my body has always given me a nudge; this is a boon; I hadn't allowed myself to stop.

Permission now granted.

I rest.
I relax.
I say no.
I relax.

I rest.

Come Monday morning, I'll likely have bounced back.

Rest.

Giveaway: Frank Sonnenberg's Managing with a Conscience

Giveaway:  When you leave a comment here, (or tweet, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.) you'll be entered to win one of three autographed copies of Managing with a Conscience (2nd ed.) by @fsonnenberg. The giveaway will close on Thursday, February 23 at midnight (ET); I'll announce the winner on February 24.

A few weeks ago, Lolly Daskal, Founder of Lead from Within, asked if I would read Managing with a Conscience (2nd ed) by Frank Sonnenberg, saying, "His is one of my top books of the year, and I have read many books."  In Managing.., Sonnenberg, formerly the national director of marketing for Ernst & Young Management Consulting, examines nine critical success factors for competing in the 21st century.  As he notes, "You won't find these attributes in the annual report because they are intangible and difficult to quantify. But that doesn't make them any less important..."

There was so much to like about Frank's book.  In addition to my thinking he'd make a great guest on Real Recognition Radio, and that several of the checklist were the kernels of a great HBR post, here are just few ideas that stood out. 

1)  Watch for language that stifles creativity.  In the chapter, "It's a good idea, but...", Sonnenberg talks about how we quash innovation via verbal roadblocks.  Here are just a few: "What you came up with is ok, but let's do it differently." "I know there's no reason to have it tomorrow, but I want it then." Or, "Sorry I didn't review your idea yet.  I've seen 50 others like yours this week." If you're like me, I say these at work... I say them even more at home.

Source:  Shelli Dorfe, Etsy

2)  The importance of stories:  "Stories are nonthreatening; they expand perception, highlight possibilities, challenge the imagination, and make difficult concepts engaging.  Stories help us deal with complex feelings, open us to new relationships, and call us to action.  To be effective, stories must include goals reached, aspirations achieved, and dreams fulfilled."

When I first left Wall Street, I wrote a story, titled "Daughter of the Wind."  Even if I never publish this book, the story will have helped me deal with complex feelings, to make meaning of my life, and to mark a dream fulfilled.

3)   Listening:  According to Sonnenberg, "Though we spend 45% of our time listening, if report cards were given out, few us would receive a passing grade.  Barriers to listening include:  assuming a subject is uninteresting and tuning out, focusing on how something is said rather than on what is being said, reacting too quickly before the message is completed, picking up on emotional words and not hearing the rest of the message, listening only for facts, rather than trying to absorb the ideas, allowing yourself to be distracted, and avoiding listening to subjects you don't understand."

Prior to reading this, perhaps you, like me, thought yourself a good listener.  I'm especially guilty of avoiding listening to subjects I don't understand.  Well, actually, I could do all of these better, including listening for facts, not just ideas.

I could go on, but rather than listening to me, I'd rather you listen to Frank. To be eligible for one of three autographed copies of Managing with a Conscience, leave a comment here, or you can post something to social media w/ a link back.  Here are some suggestions:

"A minute can be a lifetime" http://bit.ly/AppHX1 -- @fsonnenberg v @johnsonwhitney
"Learn to treat time as personal capital.  Invest it wisely." - @fsonnenberg v @johnsonwhitney
"If grades were given out for listening, would yours be passing?" http://bit.ly/AppHX1 - @fsonnenberg v @johnsonwhitney
"Trying to do everything yourself is not good management, it is an addiction." http://bit.ly/AppHX1 - @fsonnenberg v @johnsonwhitney
"Character in the long run is the decisive factor in the life of an individual and of nations alike." http://bit.ly/AppHX1 - Theodore Roosevelt via @fsonnenberg

Ten Buck Talk: w/ Lisa Gates and Chrysula Winegar

On Wednesday, February 22 (my 1/2 birthday!) at 7pm ET/4pm PT, I will be joining The Daily Thrive's Lisa Gates and Chrysula Winegar for their first ever Ten Buck Talk teleconversation.

I'm quite excited. 

Not only because Chrysula and Lisa are two terrifically smart, articulate women, but because some of the pre-call questions they've posed have stirred my imagination. Combine their ideas with the topics you raise, and I suspect we'll be in for an hour of interesting-ness. As a bonus, $3 out every $10 will go to Rachel Cook's documentary The Microlending Project. 

You can register here, and I hope you will!

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For more from Lisa Gates, read her Dare to Dream post The Terribly Beautiful Trouble with Asking, and the ForbesWoman piece about me titled Breaks the Glass Ceiling with a Brass Ring. 

You may also enjoy Chrysula Winegar's piece Oh My Goodness, I Left My Voice on the Bus which happily is featured in Dare, Dream, Do.

For more on the fabulous She Negotiates course, click here.

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If you were going to ask a question during this hour-long conversation, what would you ask?

Annie Bourne: Before You Publish, Do These 5 - no, 6 Things!

Dear Whitney,

You are about to publish your book. What an accomplishment! I can’t wait to read Dare Dream Do, and hope to catch a glimpse of the galleys before your publication date on May 8.  I'm also delighted to share with you what I learned in publishing my first book. These tips are by no means comprehensive, or even the best, but they are gems I discovered and will carry them with me into marketing The Second Secret of Edwin Hoff. My only major recommendation has to do with timing:  Please do these things BEFORE YOUR PUB DATE. Once your book comes out, you will be tumbling forward, responding to readers and inquiries and book clubs -- with little time to spare, or think. 

1.   Build a bank of 30 blogs. You already write and tweet very helpful content for your followers. Consistent blogging - one a week - is one of the best ways to sell books. I learned this post-launch and from others’ successes. Apparently, a blog will impact book sales for 3 days while a tweet apparently shows impact for a few minutes. I wish that, pre-launch, I had built a bank of well-written, short pieces that I could post, once or twice a week, to build consistency. Whenever a current idea moves you, you can of course blog about it. But while you are busy with other post-publication demands, it would be fabulous to have a bank of blogs on hand to establish consistency and maintain it. A “Blog Bank” should be mandatory on every pre-pub checklist.

2. Write the outline of your next book. In the course of submitting The First Secret of Edwin Hoff to publishers, my agent also sent it to a book-to-film agent in Hollywood. We were delighted that he saw in the main character potential for a series, and asked to see The Second Secret. So, in the lull between submission and publishing, I wrote the outline for my next book. We sent it off; he said he’d like to see the manuscript; and then the outline went into a manilla folder to wait while we were consumed with the launch of “Edwin 1”. This was lucky timing for two reasons:

First, I had learned things to apply to “Edwin 2”. These lessons came out of another manilla folder full of rejection letters and emails from agents and publishers. I scoured them for consistency. There was some, particularly around the concept of “traditional plot structure.” What’s plot structure? Exactly. So I googled, and studied, and learned. My personal goal for Edwin 2 is a tight, driving, traditional thriller plot structure that still surprises. On pub day for Edwin 1, my best efforts for Edwin 2 were outlined and in the folder.

This was a good thing, because readers’ responses really affected me. If they had been bad, it could have made me stall. But they were surprisingly positive. And this cut the gas line completely. How would I live up to their expectations? How did I even write the first book in the first place? Edwin 1 evolved through so many revisions, where on earth did I start? How could I create another book I loved that much again? See? Dead halt. So I didn’t start writing, and didn’t start writing, until one day, three weeks ago, it was time to follow my one writing rule: Apply Ass to Chair.

Then I reached into my drawer and found something wonderful: the outline. Yes, much will end up under the red pen. Much will be sent to clipboard purgatory, cut and never to be pasted again. But I have a place to start - it’s a running start - and a goal built on lessons learned at my most advanced point as a writer. And for that, I am ever grateful. Because it is hard, and not fun, to create under the burden of expectation. So build yourself a runway for your next effort when you have space to think, analyze, learn and improve, and before the expectations from the first - for good or ill - can befall you. Edwin 2 is coming along faster than I’d hoped, and is a lot of fun to write.

3. Tech Up. Before you start needing to use twitter and facebook and your web campaigns effectively, learn the tools at your disposal for doing so efficiently and for monitoring them. Set up your analytics. Learn how to save time and be more influential. I’ve retweeted this article.  Have I read it? Yes. Absorbed it? No. Followed its advice? Nope. This remains on my “to do” list. This too should be on the mandatory pre-pub checklist. Please, geniuses on the web, create a service that does all of this for us poor scribes. Free us up to write. (Actually, someone is....stay tuned, writing friends, for something good soon comes our way....)

4.  Make a Strategic Business Development Plan. Think like a deal junky. Who, beyond your friends and relations and business partners - and their friends and relations and business partners - are likely to enjoy your book. Build a plan to reach out to them. Maybe get in touch with them early; tell them what’s coming. Offer to speak or skype with them. Again, I must slot this in the “lessons learned” category, but you have time to do it now. As the publishing/marketing wave crashes overhead, it will be helpful to have tethered yourself to a strategy that lengthens the long tail of your book.

5. Make Author/Book Business Cards. Spend money on business cards. Put your book jacket cover on the front left third of the card, and your author name and contact info, including twitter handle, facebook pages, and author website on the right hand side. On the back, put quotes, Amazon rankings, logos of outlets where the book can be purchased. People look at, hold and collect business cards. But postcards are expensive, become clutter and get tossed. Anecdotally, I’ve found nearly a 50% sales effect per business card distributed. (I’m sure that number is overly high.) But today, for example, I gave out two cards. Shortly, Amazon notified me, at the request of one of the recipients, that she had bought the book. How fabulous! Which reminds me...

There’s an all important 6th...do this before pub date, and every day after....

6. THANK EVERY READER. Books are sold one at a time. They certainly are read that way. I am deeply grateful for each person who devotes their valuable time - part of their life - to read my pages. I really am. So, thank you, Whitney.  I hope you enjoy meeting Edwin.

Good luck with Dare Dream Do, Whitney. The book will be a smash!

Your friend,
Annie
writing as A.B. Bourne, author of The First Secret of Edwin Hoff, c. 2011 Watch Hill Books

P.S. I loved Annie's book which I do hope will become a movie.  You can visit her blog at www.abbourne.com and follow her on twitter @anniebourne. Or follow Edwin by clicking “like” on her Facebook author page.

My Ode to Whitney Houston

My 4th grade class snickered when we heard over the intercom, "Please send Whitney to the office, he will be leaving now."  As a 6th grader, I remember waiting for my parents to pick me up from the Almaden public library.  When my mother called to say she would be late, the clerk hung up the phone, not realizing I was within earshot, snarkily remarked, "Whitney.  What kind of a name is that?"  In high school, there were the dances, when people would ask me my name, "Whitney."  "Wendy?".  "No, Whitney." I'd  whisper-shout in the boy's ear.

I probably won't ever forget "I Will Always Love You" from The Bodyguard, one of the most romantic films ever.  I especially won't forget that because of Whitney Houston, my name became a real name.  After she catapulted to stardom, it was no longer, "What kind of name is that?", but rather people accidentally introducing me as "Whitney Houston."  That's the kind of name. I. have. I'd think.

Our names are our identity, our who we are.  After initially feeling nothing at her death, I now find myself grieving, even weeping a little. 

Whitney Houston gave my name a face.

With her death, a little piece of me -- Whitney Johnson -- has died inside.

Why I'm Glad Sheryl Sandberg Isn't On Facebook's Board

She’s been described as Mark Zuckerberg’s most valuable friend, the key cog in the vast machinery of Facebook that makes everything else work.  The one person without whom Facebook would have never gotten this close to an IPO, a woman who helped propel Mark Zuckerberg’s social experiment into a juggernaut. 

Forget the question of why there are no women on Facebook’s board, how could Sheryl Sandberg not be?

Gobsmacked as I am at her omission, and recognizing that this may have been a severe pain point (see conversation recounted in the New Yorker article), there is a piece of me that is grateful that this position of influence has, thus far, been denied Ms. Sandberg. Because I have to wonder if her 2010 TEDWomen talk -- a talk that has rallied this current generation of career women to step up and “own their success” – would have been given if Ms. Sandberg already had a seat at the table.

 
Sylvia Ann Hewlett suggests that Ms. Sandberg's pedal-to-the-metal rhetoric underestimates what a slog success would be without the bevy of powerful mentors (eg, Larry Summers) and credentials (eg, Harvard) that have benefited her career.  Even so, if I were in her shoes, I would question why I wasn’t on the board.   Did she need to be smarter, credentialed, or prettier?  Or had she finally come face-to-face with bias?  Either way, if Ms. Sandberg had already been admitted to the inner sanctum, could she have given a speech encouraging aspiring women everywhere to reach with all their might for the brass rings that have long been handed to male executives?  Would her impassioned speech have had as much power and resonance if it didn’t come from her own place of sorrow at being denied a very significant seat?

From my experience, out of the deepest sorrow emerges our greatest strength and contribution.

Take Clayton Christensen for example, the NY Times bestselling author of The Innovator’s Dilemma: I wonder if his speech (now a book) “How Will You Measure Your Life?,” would have the same poignancy or even urgency, had he not suffered the blow of a heart attack, late-stage cancer, and a stroke?

What of Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the founder of the Special Olympics, a woman of tremendous wealth and privilege?  Would she have started the Special Olympics had she not witnessed her mentally retarded sister Rosemary treated with what Shriver described as “unbearable rejection”? Or if she hadn’t personally “experienced the sting of rejection as a woman who was told that the real power was not for her.” Meanwhile John Kanzius sought to find a cure for cancer, not just because he was denied health, but because of the pain he saw in the eyes of children being denied theirs.

Reflecting on my own journey of writing Dare, Dream, Do, some of the richest narrative, the most deeply felt moments are those that have come from personal sorrow and struggles, my own and others.  This book was born not from prolonged days of splendor in the sunshine but rather through the struggle of a blustery, sleet-filled winter. As we wrestle with the losses in our lives, the disappointments and moments of cosmic unfairness, we often make our greatest contribution.

Some may call this matter of a board seat frivolous.  I would argue empathy does not discriminate.  Others may say that compared with the heroic feats of beating back cancer, Sheryl Sandberg’s rallying cry for women is rather pedestrian. However, if we concur with the Dalai Lama's view that the “world will be saved by Western Women,” then encouraging women to not only enter the room, but to “occupy a chair” and sit at the table is of paramount importance.

It’s time for Mark Zuckerberg to put a face, if not two or three, on the women of the world.  And yes, it should be Sheryl Sandberg in the room -- at the table. But I’m grateful that during the time she remains without that seat, she reminds us that, despite our efforts, obstacles remain, even as she has empowered us to enter the room, sit at the table, and chair our lives.

Chris Oestereich: Paging Tomorrow's Heroes

Chris lives with his wife Eileen and their two sons in St. Louis, MO, where he works as a project manager and sustainability leader.   He maintains an active presence in social media, sharing ideas via Twitter (@costrike) and his blog (http://dystopianpresent.wordpress.com), which revolves around social and environmental justice issues.  Chris enjoys playing soccer with his boys and spends much of his free time learning about global food systems.  He intends to somehow complete his first book, tentatively titled “Food Fight: Humanity at the 4th Agricultural Crossroads,” later this year...

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Some might wonder why I read a blog that "encourages women to dream, and then to act on their dreams."  Okay, so I'm not the target audience, but that's not what matters.  What does matter is that Dare to Dream is a clarion call for women to step up, claim equality and do something amazing with their lives.  We should all have such a great purpose. 

Equality for its own sake is reason enough to pursue this cause, but for those who aren't swayed so easily, there's more.  There's a growing body of evidence which suggests that "companies with more than three women on their board have a higher return on investment."  There's no doubt in my mind that this is true and that we'd be better off if we made it a priority to develop women as leaders.

I'll offer my family as a case in point.  I consider myself a pretty decent parent, but my wife's selfless approach consistently blows me away.  Whether to sacrifice for our children is never a choice that's weighed, but an automatic trigger that's pulled for her.  I know she's a special person, but I also think there are basic differences in the general perspectives of men and women which are important to consider.

Source: istockphoto

Geert Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory offers clarity.  Hofstede, the founder of comparative intercultural research, measured the general tendencies of national cultures on the following four dimensions: Power Distance (PDI), Uncertainty Avoidance (UAI), Individualism versus Collectivism (IDV), and Masculinity versus Femininity (MAS). (Definitions of Hofstede's cultural dimensions are listed at the end of this post.)  His research found that the US is a highly individualistic, masculine, short-term oriented culture.  Put simply, it’s every one for themself, winner take all, can’t see past the end of our noses around here.  From where I stand, it seems things could be better for all of us.  I believe that we could use a little balance on these dimensions, and that having more women in leadership positions would help us strike that balance.

As for me, I’m working to disrupt myself to become a better husband and father, leader, and co-creating change agent.  I went back to school to earn an MBA a few years ago and then decided I wanted to work on sustainability issues, so I’m now half way through a Master’s program in sustainable development.   I’m learning as fast as I can, while building relationships and increasing my ability to influence positive change.  My formal education may be drawing to its close (Who knows, maybe a PhD is in the offing…), but my thirst for knowledge is unquenchable.  I'm going to continue working to figure out what matters to me and then digging in on those topics.

In short, I think I’m living proof that we can disrupt ourselves.  It starts with that nagging feeling that life could be more, that we could be more.  For me it was the feeling that my work was unsatisfying and the idea that continuing down that path was truly inconceivable.  When you feel that tug, grab hold of it and don’t let go. (It might just be your ikigai.)  Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu said that, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”  That first step will likely be hard (If it wasn't, everyone would do it.), but it can also be incredibly exciting.  All it takes is the decision to break free from your patterns and try something new.  Turn off the TV, take a deep breath, and take that first step towards doing something great.  Don’t wait for purpose to find you.  Look for it in the things that rev your engine.  Pursue your passions and start working on your “dent in the universe.”

And when things start to happen don’t worry.  Don’t stew. Just go right along. You’ll start happening too.” Dr. Seuss (Oh, the Places You’ll Go!, 1990)

Source:  istockphoto

You might find it odd that a guy, who’s still working to advance his career, would openly advocate for the development of women leaders.  Well, I guess I look at things a bit differently than most.  We often hear talk of the rising tide which lifts all boats, but the last few years have exposed holes in that metaphor.  I believe our cultural traits shed light on the difficulties here.  We look out for me (instead of we) and use a dangerously short timeline in our decision-making processes.  Having more women in leadership positions would help us shore up those deficiencies, thereby creating more and better opportunities for all.

Back to the question of why do I read Whitney's blog? That's easy.  In my efforts to disrupt myself, I am constantly looking for sources of inspiration.  The posts may target women, but I find they inspire indiscriminately.

I especially love this line, "Don't wait for purpose to find you."  It reminded me of Amelia Hertzberg's post Ballerina, Superspy, Oh My.

Were you familiar with Geert Hoftstede's cultural dimensions theory?

Are you stepping up?

P.S.  Chris has been nominated for the First Movers Fellowship Program at the Aspen Institute, please do wish him well.

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Definitions via Geert-Hofstede.com:

Power Distance (PDI)
This dimension expresses the degree to which the less powerful members of a society accept and expect that power is distributed unequally. The fundamental issue here is how a society handles inequalities among people. People in societies exhibiting a large degree of power distance accept a hierarchical order in which everybody has a place and which needs no further justification. In societies with low power distance, people strive to equalise the distribution of power and demand justification for inequalities of power.

Individualism versus collectivism (IDV)
The high side of this dimension, called Individualism, can be defined as a preference for a loosely-knit social framework in which individuals are expected to take care of themselves and their immediate families only. Its opposite, Collectivism, represents a preference for a tightly-knit framework in society in which individuals can expect their relatives or members of a particular in-group to look after them in exchange for unquestioning loyalty. A society's position on this dimension is reflected in whether people’s self-image is defined in terms of “I” or “we.”

Uncertainty avoidance (UAI)
The uncertainty avoidance dimension expresses the degree to which the members of a society feel uncomfortable with uncertainty and ambiguity. The fundamental issue here is how a society deals with the fact that the future can never be known: should we try to control the future or just let it happen? Countries exhibiting strong UAI maintain rigid codes of belief and behaviour and are intolerant of unorthodox behaviour and ideas. Weak UAI societies maintain a more relaxed attitude in which practice counts more than principles.

Masculinity versus femininity (MAS)
The masculinity side of this dimension represents a preference in society for achievement, heroism, assertiveness and material reward for success. Society at large is more competitive. Its opposite, femininity, stands for a preference for cooperation, modesty, caring for the weak and quality of life. Society at large is more consensus-oriented.

Building a Business Model Around a Book

In Clayton Christensen's book The Innovator’s Prescription he explains that business model innovation is one of the core elements of a successful market disruption.  Meaning, that a simplifying technology may spark the disruption, but it is the business model that maximizes the reach of the technology.  Last month I wrote about what I've learned thus far in writing/publishing Dare Dream Do. This month, I'll share what I'm doing to wrap a business model around the book:

1)  Build a website (or online presence) -- It's not really true that if you're not on the web you don't exist. But it is. My online presence has historically been more of a stake in the ground with the simple www.whitneyjohnson.com landing page, and this here blog. With the launch of the book, it's time to have a proper homestead.  The problem is that just as I am not much good at a major remodel of a home, remodeling and expanding my website isn't my forte either.  I do have a pretty strong sense of what I want the site to do, but the design and technical aspects are out of the realm of my expertise.  Fortunately, I've got a good designer in Brandon Jameson, a good builder Eric Hackenberger, and Rusty Shelton for SEO optimization.  Stay tuned.

2)  Shoot a 2 -minute video trailer - As an online retailer, Amazon has the luxury (or call it a requirement) of hosting a 1 1/2-2 minute video trailer.  Happily, Jill Friedlander at Bibliomotion connected me with Dean Russell who shot the trailer, while my book manager Carolyn Monaco introduced me to Phoebe Ramler; and, no I didn't want to take the make-up off ever, I felt so lovely.  Meanwhile my friend Julie Marriott was kind enough to let us use her kitchen for the shoot. Dare Dream Do is meant to feel like we are sitting around a table drinking hot cocoa while sharing stories with treasured friends.  Julie's home and friendship captures that feeling perfectly.  The hardest part of the day was the first couple of takes. I got all wooden-y, trying to deliver a memorized script rather than just talking about why I wrote the book. I did finally loosen up; I hope that viewers will sense my enthusiasm for the topic.

3)  Write an e-book on how to run a Dare Dream Do circle/retreat.  I procrastinated on that one for several weeks. But alas, I have finally started, and do plan to hit my deadline of February 15.  I don't know yet whether this will be sold as an e-book or be downloadable for free on the website.  This will be about 10 pages long, and be a sort of lesson that will allow women to study the book together, either in one evening, or 2-3 evenings.  Because what women do is so often intangible and difficult to measure, my experience is that we dream best when we dream together.

4)  Organize my social media life -- "Are't you already a social animal?" my daughter would ask me.  It's true I am, but Becky Robinson, who was referred to me by JesseLyn Stoner, is helping me put some order around all my animal activities.  Like -- "create the daredreamdo facebook page"; then ask all of your friends to like your facebook page (please do); create a twitter page for daredreamdo. Working with Becky is a pleasure.  She's expert, has a tremendous ethic, and has an excitement for the book that goes well beyond money.

5)  Blurbs -- Blurbs, of course, are 3rd party endorsements from people who are not only willing to invest the time to read the book, but to share a small piece of their good reputation.  Asking for blurbs is a bit scary, especially from people you know and admire.  WHAT IF THEY DON'T LIKE IT?  But when you get one back, it's quite thrilling.  Here's one, for example, from Barbara Corcoran, NYC real estate mogul and investor on ABC's reality show Shark Tank. 

Dare.Dream.Do is filled with great advice and energizing true stories from real women who are bootstrapping their way toward a dream.  Pick up this book and you just might find yourself living a life you’ve only imagined! This should be required reading for anyone with a forgotten wish, a pie-in-the-sky fantasy or a quiet dream hidden in their heart.  In other words, Everyone.

The countdown continues. It's only 93 days until May 8, 2012, she squeals.

Will you go to the Dare Dream Do page and Like?

Do you have a dream that is in search of a business model?

Anything you'd like to know about the process of launching a book?