the logic + love of the nonrefundable policy. mine, that is.

 
 

Here it is: THE FIRE STARTER SESSIONS is a non-refundable investment in your mojo and moxy -- similarly to the commerce for artwork, a book you'd buy from a bookstore and read, a consulting exchange, a concert, or an album that you would digitally download.

This is counter to the predominant e-book culture, I know. And I understand that having a satisfaction or money back guarantee helps to reduce buying resistance. I get it. But both my intellect and my heart are standing in the value of what I've created, and the responsibility and free-will of each of us.

BELOVED BUYERS:
1. Always, always know where your money is going. Get to know me before you pay me. Hang out, read my stuff. It won't take long to see that my belief system is melange of the deeply esoteric, and no-shit street smarts, and that my acumen comes as much from raising venture capital and hustling the media, as it does from Buddhism and too many self-help retreats. You'll probably get a lot more out of my work if you feel a sense of kinship with, or at least a likable curiosity about me and my perspectives.
2. Credit card and PayPal money is real money. It's easy to click-click. Lot's of on-line retailers rely on the click-click psychology. I'd much rather that you value your money in such a way that buying THE FIRE STARTER SESSIONS feels like a high-traction investment, because you are worth it. And you most certainly are.
3. In the grand scheme of your vocation, your fulfillment and financial freedom, $150 is, potentially, a micro investment.

BELOVED FELLOW ARTISTS:
1. Give it your all. As an artist and a strategist, my responsibility is to show up and be fully available with every ounce of wisdom and experience that I've got to give. Holding back or reserving my better stuff for down the road isn't an option for me. For this product, this is the absolute best I have to give. That intention counts for a lot. But not everything of course. In the end, you need to deliver something with utility. According to the reviews, this is incredibly useful stuff.
2. Be specific about the features and format. I clearly layout what you'll get in terms of format. The Table of Contents says it well.
3. Test it out. And then test it out some more. Over 500 clients and seminar participants heard and responded to my theories and how-to's over the last two years. And a few dozen literary agents, editors, and willing guinea pigs reviewed my material to suggest improvements and affirmed it's practical application, and sometimes, it's sheer brilliance.
4. Wave your passion flag. As for the ineffable elements I promise to deliver, like, "inspiration" and "mojo fire" while I appreciate that we're all motivated and inspired by different things, if you're not moved or illuminated by at least half of the motivational content in The Sessions, than dude, not even puppies and miracles could blast through your cynicism.

I get asked if THE FIRE STARTER SESSIONS will help someone achieve XYZ, or help them get clear on their goals or their life purpose, or give them SEO tips, or creativity prompts, and does it have value for someone who's still working in a corporate j-o-b.

My first answer: absolutely, positively, without a doubt, maybe.
My second answer: If you want it, get it. Follow your heart. That way, you're guaranteed to learn what you need to know.

Love + Respect,

posted 24 May 10 in: business + wealth articles   ·   tags: ,

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super hero syndrome + the practical response to crazy ambition

 
 

or, "How to Accomplish Great Big Stuff in a Short Amount of Time"

Technically speaking I created THE FIRE STARTER SESSIONS in under twelve weeks. The holy spirit of digital love and audacity entered my soul and MacBook Pro and said: GO FORTH AND CRANK IT, LAPORTE! Maybe it's Catholic residue, but I felt called. So I set an impossible deadline for myself and I declared that the e-book was done--that it actually existed somewhere on the cosmos already, and all I needed to do was pull it down from the ether into pixel form.

I was crazy. Ca-ra-zee. It's a good thing that I revere Crazy. Crazy gets stuff DONE. Crazy eats impossible for her afternoon sugar fix. And if I may use some Kerouac to pat myself on the back, "Here's to the crazy ones."

That said, having been around plenty of start-ups and politicians in my career, I've seen a whole lot of the stupid-kinda-crazy.

STUPID CRAZY is the unrealistic, delusional, (and often inflated) thought that you can accomplish big, fast, amazing professional things while keeping the rest of your life in a state of "balance." Young dudes/dudettes in Silicon Valley and other such wanna be's have this one down--and they get dumped by their fiancees, quietly deal with anxiety, and know little about life outside...their life.

It's the Super Hero syndrome: I can do it all! I can squeeze more hours out of the day; keep up my exercise regime, be romantically attentive; well groomed n' stylin'; AND! launch a brilliant, brain-powered innovative, substantive product in record time. Nothing will change. I'll just fit MORE in.

Of course you have to do MORE. You have to expand in order to reach new heights. But that critical more-ness needs to be poured directly into your project, not spread thin amongst a bunch of pre-existing obligations and habits. Focus your moreness.


AT THE START OF YOUR CRAZY AMBITIOUS PROJECT:

1. Ask yourself what you're going to have to give up in order to pull it off. It's a total downer of a question and Super Heroes hate this part of strategy. In order to launch THE FIRE STARTER SESSIONS on time, I gave up: most all TV, a lot of sunny weekends outside, about a 40% of my monthly income (I had to cut back on clients to have more creative time,) and pretty much all socializing. You cannot pull off energy intensive big-wins in a state of harmony. It happens in bursts and fits and pushing and grooving--innovation by nature is disruptive, not easy going.

Something will have to give so greatness has room to emerge. So give it up before it takes you down.

2. Line up some "multi-dimensional" support. When it's nose-to-the-grindstone time, we tend to get the grindstone kind of people on board--suppliers, designers, editors, marketers, "work/task" people. But this is precisely the time when you need some spiritually-informed intelligence to back you up. Within the first two weeks of starting on the e-book I worked with Bindu Wiles for writing coaching; I signed up with Dyana Valentine; I plugged into a wonderful Naturopath, Dr. Diane Chung, who works virtually; I had a session with Hiro Boga; and then I consulted with astrologer Ophira Edut about the best or worst time to launch. All that woo-woo love and insight helped me navigate the heavy-duty logistics on a daily basis.

3. Declare your intentions as widely as possible. Announce that you're going "away" for a while. When you're proactive about announcing your short term, utter neglect and blatant unavailability to the rest of the world, you solve some problems before they start. I told my friends that I was going into the creative bubble and would be up for air late May. And so when I missed a birthday, and when I had to repeatedly say "no thanks" to tea dates, it was not only cool, but I didn't feel guilty and anti-social. I felt responsible and supported. Bonus!

Half of getting where you want to go is KNOWING WHAT IT TAKES TO GET THERE. Crazy ambition requires radical practicality. Otherwise, it's just stupid.

. . . . . . .

INTERVIEWS

: $11K in 11 Hours, a tell-lot's interview on how I launched with The Launch Coach himself, Dave Navarro. READ HERE
: My take on "burnout", an interview with Rock. Paper Scissors. READ HERE
: The truth never attacks, an interview on My Courageous Life. LISTEN HERE
: The effect of social media on marketing with MacDonald Marketing. READ HERE

. . . . . . .

LOVE FOR THE FIRE STARTER SESSIONS


"Blown away. Energizing, motivating, authentic, relevant."
- Lori Race

"Every page is rich, rich, RICH in intersecting resources, ideas and strategy. Glorious multimedia: audio, videos, workbooks, oh my. And the words….poetry in power. Truth bombs rang in my ears long after I put it down."
- Tanya Geisler

$150 for the full-tilt love.
And! $5 from every copy goes to the charity you choose.

Click here to view the Table of Contents!
Click here to watch the video!

. . . . . . .

GROUP COACHING WITH LIANNE RAYMOND

Lianne Raymond is kicking off a program to support women who are ready to step into the "ring of fire" with a group coaching program designed specifically around THE FIRE STARTER SESSIONS.
GO FIND OUT MORE FROM LIANNE.

posted 19 May 10 in: business + wealth articles, creativity + art + design articles   ·   tags: , ,

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today is an epic day. hot, happy, epic.

 
 




It doesn’t really matter where you are on the scale of entrepreneurial drive, or if you’re in the jungle with a machete or a butter knife. You can call it a hobby, a labor of love, or a world domination plan. You can rival. You can float.

You can call it ambition, hunger, inspiration, drive, avocation, food on the table—whatever. You can crush the competition, unify an industry, or change just one person’s life.

If you want to make lots of really good stuff happen, then that’s really exciting—for all of us. If you want to earn a living by doing meaningful things—then that’s exceptional.

This truth is most evident: we entrepreneurs, artists, and change agents define ourselves on our own terms.

- from THE FIRE STARTER SESSIONS, prelude


Ladies and gentleman, fellow seekers, tribes-people, and lovers of making good stuff happen...

THE FIRE STARTERS SESSIONS IS OFFICIALLY + FULLY LAUNCHED!


$150 for the full-tilt love.

And! $5 from every copy goes to the charity you choose:
The Acumen Fund or Women for Women International

Click here to view the Table of Contents!
Click here to watch the video!


It's an inferno. Really. It's epic. I'm thrilled for about 10,000 reasons, but mostly because I stayed true to my intention to just give 'er. I pray you find it useful. I trust that you will.

VERY STOKED READERS

The lovely people who pre-ordered received the full version yesterday. Tweets of love:

"To borrow from my favorite of her notecards, @DanielleLaPorte's FireStarter Sessions are fanfuckingtastic. Blown. Away."
@ealvarezgibson

"have read FSS on a train, a tube, a plane and at two different desks today. am exploding with ideas. thank you thank you"
@saslockey

"OMG! full edition of the Fire Starter Sessions is in my inbox! spending whole day with @daniellelaporte's genius."
@photobird

"Loving it. It's amazing."
@AbbieMood

"LOVING @DanielleLaPorte's Fire Starter Session...glory boardin', ease and mojo. A sublime must-buy."
@TanyaGeisler

"Inspired by the white hot @DanielleLaPorte, I am lighting a fire under my ass w/ her fab new FireStarter worksheets & videos!"
@cherylsorg

"I am pulsing with excitement!"
@nona_jordan

GROUP COACHING WITH LIANNE RAYMOND

Lianne Raymond is kicking off a program to support women who are ready to step into the "ring of fire" with a group coaching program designed specifically around THE FIRE STARTER SESSIONS.

Cool eh?! Her idea! Lianne is a deep, deep, well of perception. Every coaching client I've sent her way has glowed. I can't wait to hear how this goes (and if I'm allowed, I'd like to show up for a session or two!)

The program consists of weekly 90 minute group coaching calls where you'll "address any resistance, ask questions, celebrate successes and dance with whatever else shows up." GO FIND OUT MORE FROM LIANNE.

Blaze your trail!

With a grateful heart,

(HOLY SMOKES! IT'S LAUNCHED!)

posted 11 May 10 in: business + wealth articles, creativity + art + design articles   ·   tags: ,

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15 tips for public speaking that apply to shining at work, and just about everywhere else

 
 



1. Gratitude is always the best place to begin.
Any and every gig is an honour. Thank the host, and thank the audience for the possible mountains they moved to show up and listen to you.

2. Being prepared is an act of love. And intelligence.
Even if you can improv with the best of them, do a complete run through in advance, and a written key points list of your talk. I like to do a verbal run through in the tub the day before (the tub is my second office, really,) and I do a key points list the morning of the event.

3. Lead with your best stuff.
Make an entrance. Put forth your Big Point right away. Start with your best story, your funniest joke, your guiding theory. Don't make them wait to see you shine. Grab 'em from the get-go.

4. Know who you're talking to.
A co-presenter and I gave a talk to a group of underprivileged single moms. My co-presenter talked about shopping at Tiffany's and Saks. They turned on us. It was ugly. Along this same line…

5. Research your audience.
Guy Kawasaki is great at this. At a presentation in Vancouver last year, he sported a Vancouver Canucks jersey, made some good jokes about the event organizers, and told some personal stories that related to the organization's mission.

6. Actively respect your audience.
A playwright friend of mine commented on an actor's performance: "You could tell she didn't like the character that she was playing. And you've always got to find something to love about who you're playing to make it real." Same goes for your audience. You won't always be presenting or pitching to your tribe, to people you "like"—find the common ground and put your love there.

7. Never, ever admit to fatigue.
I heard a very popular author open his talk, to a packed theatre, with "I'm quite tired, I've been on the road for a few days." Instant downer. It made us feel guilty for keeping him up past his bedtime, or ticked that we spent $50 to hear a jet-lagged psychologist. I've done gigs on two hours of sleep, in the middle of a professional tragedy, stoned on Sinutab. You get up there and you SMILE, no matter what. You can collapse when you get off stage.

8. Stay in the lead as long as you're on stage.
A few weeks ago I was speaking to a ballroom of university business students at The Four Seasons Hotel. As I was leaving the stage, a woman at the back of the room raised her hand. I'd just handed back my mic, but I gestured to take her question. She proceeded to tell me that I was dressed like a slob and not setting a good example to the students about personal branding. Not kidding. (And I looked HOT, BTW.) You could have heard a pin drop. Heckled! First time for everything.

"And how have you come to be here tonight?" I asked her. I figured she sneaked in. She mumbled something about being a mentor, and then she made a dash for the door, carrying her various tattered shopping bags. "Well," I said to the stunned audience. "Now you have an example of what elegant is and what elegant isn't. And that's branding." I didn't exhale until I got in my car.

9. Plan your finish.
Wrapping up can be the hardest part of a talk because you've either used up all of your good stuff, you've gone over time, or you have space to fill. Hold on to your closing gold nugget so you can leave on a high note either way.

10. Believe that people are rooting for you.
It's vastly true that every single person watching and listening to you wants you to be amazing. They want a great experience. No one likes to see someone bomb. They really do want you to win.

11. Go easy on the apologies.
This is a tricky one, because elegance is the numero uno concerno. But things like, "Sorry to keep you waiting," "My apologies for the technical snafu," can create more snags in your fabric. Sometimes, most of the time, it's better to just keep going. An ice skater doesn’t apologize for slipping. She keeps skating, distracting you with the next great move.

12. Dress up.
When you're on stage being well dressed says, "I cared about you enough to polish it up." Sunday best.

13. Affirm, pray, focus, ommm.
Whether it's a staff meeting you're leading or a concerto performance, a short pre-show ritual pulls your energy into your center. Before I take the stage I say this quickie prayer, "Help us shine." That's it. That covers me, the audience, and the world in one fell swoop.

14. Ask questions.
Frame your stories into questions and you've created a conversation.

15. Know how you want to feel when you're done your presentation.
Ultimately, you can't really control what the audience does and if try to, you're likely to fumble. I've had what I thought were hilarious stories that didn't get so much as a giggle. And I've had low-engagement audiences that swarmed me after I got off stage. You just don't know.

What you can aim for is how you want to feel. And when you anchor into that feeling, your energy gathers a momentum and you get into the magical flow. When I leave the auditorium, I want to feel like I connected, like I was divinely feminine, and innovative--on my personal edge. And if I did my best to be those things, than I can sleep well, even if I forgot to say thank you, or I tripped over a speaker, or got heckled by a bag lady.

PS...
All-important style tips:
Ladies:
: Wear a good bra. You know, 80% of women are wearing the wrong fit of bra, right? Well, when that happens on stage, it's tragic. While we're on the topic...
: Tits up. You heard me. Lift your girls up and your entire posture changes.
: False eyelashes. Don’t be afraid of them. When you're being photographed, the small touch of glam can give you just the right amount of voom voom.
: Always have a back up outfit.
: High heels are a must. Because, it's not how you feel, it's how you tower.

Gentlemen:
: Shave. A 5 o'clock shadow looks great when you roll over in the morning, but in the spotlight or on camera, you do not look suave, you look like a bum. Or like George Michael in 1991.
: The pants. It's all about excellent fitting pants. Get a tailor.

. . . . . .

Hey, did I mention that THE FIRE STARTER SESSIONS FULL EDITION LAUNCHES THIS WEDNESDAY?! Well it does, and let me tell you, it's freaking EPIC. I'm thrilled, jittery, pleased, excited, and ready to get some sunshine.

If you order it now you'll still get the sneak peak chapter pronto, and all 12 of my videos are now loaded into the private, top-secret video-viewing place for the special people who want to set their life ablaze.

CLICK HERE to see the mondo Table of Contents

"I quickly downloaded the first chapter and it's blowing my mind. Amazing. I can't wait to get the rest. This chapter alone is worth way more than $150."
- Tim Murphy

"After The Fire Starter Sessions, you'll stop thinking of yourself as a 'little entrepreneur.'"
- Abby Kerr

"This material is dripping with passion, credibility, and vulnerability."
- Toni Reece, The PEOPLE Academy

. . . . .

The Freak Revolution ladies, Pace + Kyeli, have pulled together a great roster for the World-Changing Writing Workshop, which will run every Thursday from June 10th to July 15th. I'm going to jam about some creativity + publishing nitty gritty. I'm really excited to get into it.

REGISTRATION OPENS TUESDAY MAY 11th! CHECK IT OUT.

posted 10 May 10 in: business + wealth articles, creativity + art + design articles   ·   tags:

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fear.less stories: the beautiful epidemic of fear

 
 


I learned this great little self-psych, truth-excavating trick in a Diamond Approach workshop: repetitive asking of the same question. It's simple, annoying, and soul-exfoliating. And it ALWAYS works with me and my fear. If you can breathe through the discomfort of not knowing, or the blocks that come up with digging into the "logic" of fear, this exercise can be incredibly effective, and fast. It just requires an open heart.

Following is an excerpt from Fear.Less Stories, an interviewed from Ishita Gupta. You can download the full, gorgeous magazine by clicking here now:
I sound a bit hard core, but I'm much more sweet then this snippet might have you believe. (All the more reason to go read the full article.)

. . .

We’re a culture of fear because we’re a culture of conformity. I’m a Zen master when it comes to fear with my entrepreneurial clients. I get out the cane and whack it and tell them, “Get over it.” I ask, “Do you want to be scared or do you want to be broke? Do you want to be scared, or do you want to move forward?” It’s OK if you want to be scared. You can do that if you want to stay in your 9-to-5 job.

When you make it that black and white, it becomes clear which way they’re going to go. I often do an exercise with people where I repeat the same question to them two, three, four times until we get to what’s really bothering them, until we get to their truth. If someone’s talking about their start-up, I say, “What are you scared of?” And they might say, “I’m scared of losing money.” I say, “What are you scared of?” They say, ‘I’m scared of making my husband angry.” I say, “What are you scared of?” They say, “I’m afraid of being alone.”

And there you go. There’s always a silent moment. Who’d have thought they’re scared to start their business because they may end up alone? Just the exercise of seeing that “a-ha” moment is fuel for getting on with things.

Everyone is struggling with the same thing: fear of being his or her true self. Everyone from artists to start-ups to high-level CEOs - everyone. They all have the same craving, the same longing to just get paid and be authentic. My God, it’s a beautiful epidemic.


 . . .

Ishita Gupta interviewed me over the phone for the Fear.Less Stories project. She and her collaborator, Clay Hebert, were two of the superstars who made the cut for Seth Godin's highly sought-after Six Month MBA program.

Their project: inspire action through real life stories of how people have approached fear. The result: an elegant and motivating "micro magazine" that brings together the stories of Muhammad Ali, Howard Zinn, Karen Armstrong, Tony Hsieh, and one of my personal favourites, Parker Palmer, and other real life non-conformists. It's gorgeous. Go check it out.

. . . . . .
Visit Fear.Less Stories for some serious inspiration (and great design)
Ishita on Twitter: @ishitagupta
Clay Hebert on Twitter: @clayhebert
Seth Godin on micro magazines and a future of media

. . . . . .
THE FIRE STARTER SESSIONS FULL LAUNCH COUNTDOWN IS ON! MAY 12!

CLICK HERE to see the epic table of contents

. . . . . .
INTERVIEWS
You gotta love a man who loves Rumi. Nathan Hangen + me on grief, focus and real business: WATCH HERE

Carmen Torbus + me on money and cheer-leading: LISTEN HERE

←   read all current inspiration articles

posted 6 May 10 in: inspiration + spirituality articles   ·   tags:

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the sacred yes we wish for…and warrant

 
 

I used to think I was weak n' needy for wanting my "big break." I dreamed of being discovered. I toyed with the willingness to enter some Svengali deal where an agent dude or silver foxy dada would see my raw talent and shape me into a formidable star--a fresh new voice on the scene. I longed for Someone Really Important to give me a Yes that would change my life.

One day, that Yes came.

My first literary agent is one of the most powerful people in the business. With an agency roster like Malcolm Gladwell, Al Gore, Camille Paglia, Michael Moore, Jane Fonda, Anderson Cooper, even Danielle Steel...publishers and producers trip over themselves to take her her call. The day she signed me, my life changed. I was in bed for the teleconference. 10am EST, 7am PST. It was snowing out. She was extolling the merits of the book proposal, and in my state of stunned glee, I had to interrupt. "May I ask a question?" I said. "Does all this meaning that you're taking on the project?"

She laughed. "Yes!"

I had it. It felt like someone had lifted the red velvet curtains to my heart. I hung up the phone and cried. And I thought to myself, "God really wants me to do my work, 'cause this is it."

It's natural to crave the sacred Yes. Ideally, you give yourself the Yes first. That self-love methodology is all neat and tidy and evolved. But I think you still get evolution bonus points even if it takes a dozen power people to convince you that you are fabulous. Neil Young said that he didn't know for sure if he was talented until his albums sold. Fair enough.

It's the kernel of our humanity to want to be seen, recognized, understood--celebrated, even. And when that kernel is watered, magic tends to proliferate.

The sacred yeses you get don't have to be exceptional or prestigious or catapulting. The yeses can be votes of confidence, offerings of counsel, connections, a bitta cash when you need it most.

And you don't need to be a big league power broker to give someone a sacred affirmative.

We are all power brokers. Yes?

. . . . . . .
"If you haven't heard, or you've been on the fence about pre-ordering Danielle LaPorte's FIRE STARTER SESSIONS for entrepreneurs, run, don't walk. You will not be sorry. The first chapter is brilliant and I am sure the rest to come will be. just. as. amazing."
- Nona Jordan, business & life coach

"I quickly downloaded the first chapter and it's blowing my mind. Amazing. I can't wait to get the rest. This chapter alone is worth way more than $150."
- Tim Murphy

"After The Fire Starter Sessions, you'll stop thinking of yourself as a 'little entrepreneur.'"
- Abby Kerr

. . . . . . . .
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Master speaking coach, Gail Larsen as a spot left in her May 13-17 Transformational Speaking Intensive on Whidby Island. Her work is life-changing.

The very smart chickas at Freak Revolution have pulled together a great roster for the World-Changing Writing Workshop, which will run every Thursday from June 10th through July 15th. I'm going to jam about some creativity + publishing nitty gritty and I'm really excited about it. CLICK HERE to get on the "tell me more list," registration opens May 11th.

. . . . . . . .
INTERVIEWS
Hiro Boga is a cosmological gem and my favourite find of 2010. We talk about creativity and conscious business: LISTEN HERE.

Alexandra Franzen is the firecracker behind "Unicorns for Socialism" - smart and sassy. We talked about sleazy networking and word association: WATCH HERE.

←   read all current inspiration articles

posted 27 Apr 10 in: White Hot, creativity + art + design articles, inspiration + spirituality articles   ·   tags: ,

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the worst business advice i’ve received

 
 



Really bad advice is just great advice in reverse.

(To protect the identities of the following well-intentioned bozos and mogul wannabes, names are being withheld.)

Constantly innovate.

I live to innovate. It’s one of my favourite practices. Howevah…innovation for the sake of innovation is masturbation. Innovation fascination can distract you from what’s already really working. It’s disruptive by nature. The pursuit of new n’ flashy can block you from going from good to great.

Once you have lots of online traffic, then you can figure how to monetize it.

That only works if you’re playing a very big league game, and you have stupid amounts of time and money to burn through. And even then it’s incredibly risky. For the rest of us babies, we need to stick to making stuff that people want to pay for—immediately.

Take the money.

Most of the time (not all the time) the source of the money is as important as the money itself. When you’re the start-up beggar, it’s tough to be choosy. But remember the rules of nature: otherwise cute and friendly animals tend to get vicious when their territory or uh, nuts are threatened. Hang with friendly creatures.

Leave your emotions out of it.

I had an investor tell me to calm down when (unbeknown to him but very known by me,) the hired fox was robbing the hen house we’d all invested in. And I, being the Head Hen n' all, had my feathers very appropriately ruffled.

“Look, the best thing for you to do is leave your emotions out of this, Danielle,” Dudeboy told me, rubbing the key to his Mercedes and twisting his espresso cup round in the saucer.

Sad but true, this tends to be a male/female thing. A Dudeboy gets angry and it’s cool, it’s warranted. A Chickwoman gets pissed and she’s just “freaking out.” Men go by their "instincts." Women follow their "emotions." Same thing, asshole.

In a quagmire of politics, my “emotions” were the most effective radar system I had—my “emotions” were telling me exactly what was going on, before it could be proved. You can let your emotions rule without over-ruling your good sense and integrity.

Just do one big thing at a time.

When it comes to actual time management I’m a big fan of focus. You need to tune out Twitter and email to make some creative, productive headway.

But in terms of overall development strategy and creativity, the singular focus route has never worked for me. I just can’t do one project at a time. I need to feed different parts of my brain and spirit. And with more than one iron in the creative fire, the fire just gets higher.

It doesn’t matter who gets the credit.

Screw that! It matters. A lot.

. . . . . . .

This is the final excerpt I'll be releasing from the prelude of THE FIRE STARTER SESSIONS digital book. The full book launches May 12! Pre-order now and get the "True Strengths & The Metrics of Ease" session immediately!


"I quickly downloaded the first chapter and it's blowing my mind. Amazing. I can't wait to get the rest. This chapter alone is worth way more than $150."
- Tim Murphy

"After The Fire Starter Sessions, you'll stop thinking of yourself as a 'little entrepreneur.'"
- Abby Kerr

"If you haven't heard, or you've been on the fence about pre-ordering Danielle LaPorte's FIRE STARTER SESSIONS for entrepreneurs, run, don't walk. You will not be sorry. The first chapter is brilliant and I am sure the rest to come will be. just. as. amazing."
- Nona Jordan, business & life coach

. . . . . . . .

INTERVIEWS

Maria Ross at Red Slice and I talked about authenticity in branding.

Yvonne Bynoe from Sophisticated Woman & Mama asked me some great questions about money, honey.

LaFemmeSabotage threw 3 Big Questions at me.

posted 23 Apr 10 in: general + announcements   ·  

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the best business advice i’ve ever received. part 2

 
 
This is excerpted from the prelude of THE FIRE STARTER SESSIONS digital book. The full book launches May 12! Pre-order now and get the "True Strengths & The Metrics of Ease" session immediately!


CLICK HERE TO READ PART 1 if you missed it.

Be daring. Be different. Be first.

- Anita Roddick, founder of The Body Shop

I was co-running The Body Shop Canada’s Department of Social Inventions. The culture was fresh and progressive – the glory days of new social responsibility. Anita was a Tasmanian devil-angel. Daring, different—I had those qualities in spades. But moxy and uniqueness don’t add up to much if you don’t execute. Getting there first changes everything. Everything.

Know your rights.

- Lance Tracey, founder of lots of big companies

Angelina Jolie has this phrase tattooed across the back of her neck. I get it now. When I went through a messy business divorce I was inclined to jump though hoops and meet all the scary demands being hurled at me because surely, “they” must be “right.” Resist submission until you get all the facts.

Follow the money.

- Plenty of people

Old business guys love to throw this adage out. It’s so true. If you can find out who’s making the most money and how, you will solve multiple mysteries.

Create a 'Culture of Yes'

– Steve Rechtshaffener, former CCO of Electronic Arts

Steve is the former CCO for Electronic Arts, one of the leading game developers in the world, so he knows a lot about getting teams to push their creative limits. You need to surround yourself with people who can trust your creative insanity, people who want to get out of the box more than anything. This is not the same as “yes men” this is about audacity. When dreamers unite, they get a lot done.

Bring your femininity to bear.

- Karen Lam, business coach

My very best decisions and strongest maneuvers have been fuelled by what would typically be labeled as feminine characteristics. This counsel may sound like it’s only applicable to 50% of the population, but receptivity, intuitive guidance, tenderness, and fierce inclusivity are transformative powers that anyone can wield. Our future depends on it.

The boss ain't always right. But the boss is always the boss.

- Dennis Laporte, aka, my dad

My first job was selling hot dogs at my old man’s hockey arena. (I made $4.32/hour, which made me enough to keep me in Gypsy jeans and Bonnie Bell lip gloss.) As the boss’ daughter, I took the liberty of uh, like, questioning some of his, like, policies. He had to admire my feistiness, but was quick to state the facts about who was in charge: him. End of conversation. Get back to work.

Conclusion: it’s better to be the boss.

. . . . . . .

"If you haven't heard, or you've been on the fence about pre-ordering Danielle LaPorte's FIRE STARTER SESSIONS for entrepreneurs, run, don't walk. You will not be sorry. The first chapter is brilliant and I am sure the rest to come will be. just. as. amazing."
- Nona Jordan, business & life coach

"This chapter is BEAUTY. Your words give me permission to be awesome."
- Sarah Lockey

. . . . . . .

INTERVIEWS

Crystal at BigBright Bulb and I talked about how to get a stationery line off the ground in no time flat.

I adore coach Susan Hyatt because she calls me a "bad ass". LISTEN HERE to our power chick chat about making work happen for you. Super energizing.

posted 19 Apr 10 in: business + wealth articles, creativity + art + design articles   ·   tags:

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best business advice i’ve ever received. part 1

 
 
This is excerpted from the prelude of THE FIRE STARTER SESSIONS digital book. The full book launches May 12! Pre-order now and get the "True Strengths & The Metrics of Ease" session immediately!


Don't spend it before you have it.

- Melody Biringer, self-proclaimed start up junkie, founder of over twenty businesses, most currently: The CRAVE Company

This is such a difficult course to stay when the money finally starts coming in, or you get some serious interest from your biggie client on your biggie proposal, or you finally convince the loan officer at the bank that you’re a worthy human being. Hard fact: before you earn it, you don’t have it. Projections and ideals do not equal money in the bank.

Don't spend it when you get it.

- Robert Kent, wildly successful photographer and philanthropist

My last business partner and I were expecting mid-six figures for a book advance. Dreams were ballooning. Family was swooning. Our ship was coming in! The deal wasn’t even sealed and we had picked out a new house and the custom-made sofa to go with it.

“That wave of money is going to come in,” Rob said to me over Souvlaki, “and it’s going to take you right out with it.” My dreams of a Dwell pre-fab house started to crumble.

“Listen,” Rob continued. “You need to feel the power of sitting on it, of letting it actually feed your creativity. If you spend it when you get it, you’ll have to catch up with it, and that will sap your energy.”

We didn’t listen. We sank most of our advance money into the book and needless company growth. We didn’t need to expand. We needed to deepen, to stay lean and focused. Not long after, we were developing bigger projects to keep up with ourselves. I should have listened to this…

Grow organically.

- Rikia Saddy, marketing strategist

Rikia declined to invest in one of my companies because she thought it was the kind of business that should “grow organically…one step leading to the next. Your work needs to build on itself.” Those words would echo in my mind when it all fell apart. And when I started my solo, biggest venture ever.

Fuck your so-called principles.

- Mr. A., lawyer

Some young TV producers and I were very tangled in a very good-for-them but bad-for-me contract. “It’s not about the money grab they’re going for,” I ranted to my lawyer. “I don’t care about the money. It’s about the principle of the matter. What they’re doing is so wrong and they bloody well know it.”

“So you want to drag this out for months because of your principles?” he said. “You want to sink a few more grand into this because of your principles? I’ve had a lot of clients over the years that have made themselves sick, wrecked their marriages, or drained their finances to protect their so-called principles.

Of course the Producer Girls are wrong. They’re greedy twits. You could counter sue and probably crush them. But fuck your principles and get on with your life.”

And so I did.

Only do it if it's fun. If it's not fun, make it fun. If you can't make it fun, don't do it.

- Peter Russell, physicist/philosopher

Ah, sweet Peter. If only I took this jesterly sagacity to heart way back when, I’d have avoided so much agony. This has become my most impassioned mantra. I do only what I want to now, and that’s crazy fun.

Don't burn bridges.

-John Petersen, Futurist

At the time I thought this was staid and stodgy convention. Yawn - heard it a hundred times. And how could I possibly stomach being nice to General So & So for being such a such n’ such – I was outta there, wasn’t gonna look back. But John went on to philosophize a bit, and it touched me. “The world is a small town, and you never know when you’re going to circle back and need someone. Besides, it’s rarely worth telling someone off, there’s always something better to do with your time.”

Of course, I have burned some bridges. TNT kaboom and obliterated. In fact, I said to one client who accused me of shopping out his proprietary slogans to another client, “You best consider this bridge burned. To a crisp.” But generally, bridge preservation in work relationships is about basic kindness and dignity to all parties. And that’s always a good thing.

TUNE IN TOMORROW FOR PART 2.

Love,

. . . . . . .

"If you haven't heard, or you've been on the fence about pre-ordering Danielle LaPorte's Fire Starter Sessions for Entrepreneurs, run, don't walk. You will not be sorry. The first chapter is brilliant and I am sure the rest to come will be. just. as. amazing."
- Nona Jordan, business & life coach

. . . . . . .

INTERVIEWS

Tammy at Rowdy Kitten asked me:
"What are your thoughts on self-imposed limitations?"
Me: Self-imposed limitations can be a major act of creativity, I’m talking more about discipline and the boundaries that come with being focused on your art. It’s what Twyla Tharp called “The Bubble”. You enter a zone for a period time to get the art out, to get the job done by letting yourself be consumed. You can’t live in that bubble always, but it’s a sweet, productive place to be... READ MORE.

Jennifer Hritz asked me about the importance of “play” for adults!
Me: Work without play is death. Life without play is work. READ MORE.

posted 18 Apr 10 in: business + wealth articles   ·   tags: ,

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step away from the karma. choosing not to get involved.

 
 

Why do we give?
Why do we hold back?
What does it mean to give freely?
When we give of ourselves, what are we giving?
Can you give too much? Too much...love?


GIVING: Part 1 in a potentially endless series
In this segment, I'm exploring the shadowy side of "giving." The kind of giving that has some barbs on it. It creates snags. It may look free, but it costs your psyche and everyone involved.

Both of these statements are true:

You are the center of the universe.

You're not that important.

Somewhere in that spectrum of interdependence is our tenderly human, potentially very messy need to be needed. The ego loves to be needed.

FREE IT UP
I was called for jury duty this year. It was a murder case. Her name was also Danielle, and she'd been accused of fatally shooting her man. How jury selection works here is that they get a few hundred potential jurors to file into the courthouse. Each person stands before the judge and nine out of ten of them give some reason why they should be let off the hook from doing their civic duty. "I'm a single mom. I'm having surgery. I'll be in Europe. I'm friends with the lawyer." It's a tedious, fascinating process.

This was one of those occasions where I knew I could pull some cosmic strings. It felt within my control to make this go in the direction I wanted it to, but I would have to be piercingly clear about the outcome I desired: on the jury, or not?

I looked at The Accused sitting like a still mouse in a glass box. She was tiny, forlorn, she might have worked in a convenience store. She looked straight ahead, sadly. But when my name was called, she looked my way. Our eyes met, woman to woman, Danielle to Danielle. I shot her some love. She needed it. And in that second, the voice that lives in the center of me said, Poor thing. She did it.

And then my I'm So Important Voice kicked in: I'd be so great on a jury. Like Henry Fonda in 12 Angry Men. Logical but empathic. A leader. A Crusader of Fair Justice. I'd have new stories to tell. This case needed someone just like me. Yeah.

Gross.

Did I really want to play a role in sending someone to prison for life? Did I want to "free" someone who'd killed someone's son? Did I want to play God for a day? It wasn't about time spent. It wasn't about democracy, it was really about something much more powerful than that: influencing freedom.

This situation wasn't a page I wanted in my book. This wasn't for me to carry.

And then that voice that lives in the center of me said: Step away from the karma. Just step away.

Click. My inner gears shifted into high clarity. "God, take me out of this." I said. This was not my drama.

I was next in line to go before the judge. The person right in-front of me was selected as the final juror. Magic Number 12. "Ms. LaPorte," said the Bailiff, "You're free to go."

Freedom, chosen.


. . . . . .

Pre-Order THE FIRE STARTER SESSIONS now, and you'll get a Sneak Peek Chapter: True Strengths & The Metrics of Ease

"Sweet Jesus woman, this chapter is a BEAUTY."
- Sarah Lockey

. . . . . .

AWESOME INTERVIEWS
Susannah Conway has the most gorgeous cult following ever. She asked me some fabulous questions about setting your value and inspiration. So, I answered via video. WATCH HERE

Courageous Kate is a deep listener and profound thinker. This is a really great interview about growth and creativity. LISTEN HERE.

←   read all current inspiration articles

posted 11 Apr 10 in: inspiration + spirituality articles   ·   tags: ,

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