Now What?® Coaching

from Laura Berman Fortgang

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Female Entrepreneurs On the Rise

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Did you know that the number of women-owned businesses in the US  —now 29% of all businesses — is increasing faster than the national average for businesses overall?  Check out this report which lists the regions where this growth is occurring the most.  If you’re a woman about to start a new business, take strength from the fact that you’re in good company and part of a significant trend.

“The Top 15 States For Female Entrepreneurs.”

For more on this topic, see also:

New OPEN Study Reports Growth of Women-Owned Businesses for 2012

8.3 million or 29 percent of all businesses in the US now owned by women 

Now What Q&A-Is Quitting a Good Idea?

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Today’s question comes from a member of our community in Washington, DC who participated in a recent Community Call, and is answered by Laura.  

Question:

Is it a good idea to have a six-month goal to change jobs?  Should I quit so that I have more time to devote to  figuring out what I want to do next?

Answer:

While how long it takes to change careers varies for everyone,  setting a time frame for your goal can help get you moving.  As a guideline, the Now What?® program is designed to be completed in 90 days, at the end of which you’ll have clarity about the direction you want to pursue.   From there, you’ll execute an action plan to actually make the change.  In terms of whether quitting will help you in this process, of course it will depend on the specifics of your situation.  Sometimes it’s what needed if you’re really burned out but it’s also possible that after a few weeks of not working you might feel more tense than relaxed.  If you can, keeping your job is the strongest position to be in when interviewing for something else. 

The key thing is to take some action and start the process toward finding clarity.  It’s very likely that just starting the process will lift your spirits because you’ll see yourself doing something about it and making progress.  In fact, in the very first chapter of Now What?® you’ll identify the factors that are draining your energy or bothering you the most.  By beginning to work on solutions for these right away, you’ll feel more motivated and positive.  I also recommend doing what I call a “hobby by emergency” which is some tactical or physical activity that engages your senses.  This gets your creative mind in gear.

 

Use Your Passion to Fill a Need

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Here’s a great example of turning a lifelong passion into a successful  business.  Notice how the founder, Rita Goldberg, not only identified a need (kids learning to swim) but also enhanced the way in which the need is filled by adding to the skills delivered (learning to swim + safety skills).  It’s a creative approach that adds value for the people she serves and it’s smart business, too.

How can you use your passion to fill a need?

“How to start a swim school.”

 

Now What Q&A-Unemployed and Interviewing

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Today’s question comes from a member of our community who participated in a recent Community Call, and is answered by Laura Berman Fortgang.  

Question:

My position as a Benefits Manager and HR generalist was eliminated last year.  When I’m on an interview, I need a   better way to answer the question:  What have you done in the last year? The caller then described some of the positions for which she had interviewed, yet did not convey enthusiasm for them.

Answer:

My immediate gut reaction is it sounds as if you don’t want a job in this field.  I get that you need money and it’s the path of least resistance.  In a new field there might be an initial salary reduction but with growth potential.  You might like to take a look at the life story exercise in Chapter 4 of Now What?®.  Interpreting your life story will help you pick up on themes and generate ideas about future roles to explore.                                                   

In terms of how to respond to interviewers who ask what you’ve done since becoming unemployed, the most important thing is to show that you’ve been using the time prudently, whether that includes researching certain fields or learning something new.  Focus on the positive and on how you’ve been productive with the time.