[ thank you ]

Thank you to anyone who commented or emailed me regarding my recent break-up. I know I haven't responded to anyone, but know that I truly truly appreciate all the kind messages. I've been completely swamped this week, and now have about 50 emails and well over 100 blog posts to catch up on, so I haven't had a chance to thank the people who reached out to me.

In amazing news, today I graduated from my Ladies Who Launch Incubator Intensive Program, and am enrolling in the ongoing program. The intensive was so, so, so amazing, and I absolutely cherish the women I met through it. I definitely made some great friends!

Also, I did indeed find an apartment to move to, and I am actually moving on Thursday! So soon, so crazy. It's in a great location, and it's a perfectly-sized-for-one studio. I'm getting all new furniture and am going to decorate it in a completely different style than my current place, so that's ultra-exciting.

I do promise I'll return with regular posting soon, I'm just not sure how soon!

[ and so it commences... ]

Welcome to National-Blog-Posting-Month (NaBloPoMo). Thanks to Sadira for inviting me to play along! The deal is, you pledge to blog every-single-day of November. Uhhhh... crap. I usually have a week between posts.

I tried to think of a theme for the month, so it would propel me forward. Let me tell you, it was hard for me to think of something I could actually write about every-single-day for thirty days. I mean, I have passions, but, seriously, overkill city.

I wound up deciding to go kinda-sorta holiday themed. As in, since November is the month of Thanksgiving, the theme of my NaBloPoMo will be giving thanks. Things I'm thankful for. I'm sure I don't consciously think of things I'm thankful for often enough. I'm also sure I should think of things I'm thankful for more often.

So, although I'll continue posting about day-to-day life and random pictures and complete randomness, I will, every-single-day (I'm going to try so very hard!), at least post one thing that I am thankful for.

And now, back to our regularly scheduled program...

Monday, I went to the Ladies Who Launch Second Annual Launch Party. It was down in Tempe, at the Tempe Center for the Arts, which is an absolutely beautiful building, in a quite pretty location as well. I met a bunch of new people, and saw a few people I had met at the beginning of the month. It got me even more excited for my Incubator session in January. I really really can't wait. I was especially impressed (and flattered), that the leader of the sessions, Bevla, actually remembered my name and where we had met. She knows everyone, and actually can keep all of their names straight! That impresses me a lot, because I have trouble remembering people's names, especially if I've only met them once.

I got a whole bag of fun goodies: green cleaner (not even one little bitty toxin in there!), a bag of pasta from an Italian restaurant (which Jesse and I must now go too, I've been hearing great things), information about a bunch of different businesses, bright pink heart-shaped pasties (absolutely hysterical!), a little sample jar of lavendar orange shea butter (also a green product, and smells SO good!), coupons for various things, and a gratitude rock (part of the inspiration for my NaBloPoMo theme).

And the actual bag is made of that crazy indestructible fabric, which means Jesse and I have another grocery bag! Yay for making efforts at being green!

Different people got up and gave what LWL calls Elevator Pitches: you have thirty seconds to sell your business. I was glad I wasn't called to give one, because I have no idea what I would say. I should think about it!

And there were a bunch of raffles, and I actually won something! And in my opinion, it was the best thing to win!

I won hotel accommodations for two people, three days two nights, at any of twenty-six locations!!! It doesn't expire until the end of December 2008, so Jesse and I are going to save up our money for a year, and then go to one of the more fun places next winter! I'm thinking Aruba... or the Bahamas... or Cabo... or maybe St. Thomas!

So much fun!

This weekend, I have off from work, so Jesse and I have planned a fun-filled weekend of Phoenix adventures. I don't want to spoil future posts, so stay tuned!



Today I Am Thankful For (TIATF):

Ladies Who Launch. So inspirational, so motivational, so accepting, so supportive.

[ ladies who launch ]

Finally... I've got some time to write about the Ladies Who Launch meeting I went to Tuesday night. I've been really busy with work the past couple days, and just too tired to do much blogging. However, I'm energized right now, ready to blog for a while, and then jump into work.

So. Ladies Who Launch. The meeting was Tuesday night, at this really cute boutique called Get Dressed! in Scottsdale. The deal with Ladies Who Launch is that it's a group for female entrepreneurs. Women who are starting a new business, or think they want to, but aren't sure where to start, where to go next; or women who have a small business and are looking to expand, but again, aren't sure how to do that. It's a support group, an ocean of ideas. I know that when describing it, it sounds cheesy, but words can't express the experience I had on Tuesday.

So you can sign up for a four-week "Incubator," which is four two-hour sessions. After that, you can become a member.

Anyway, Tuesday was the last day of the September Incubator. On the last day of the session, they invite new people to come. I found it through MeetUp, but a lot of people were friends of women who were in the Incubator, or had found it through the newspaper. First, the women who were graduating the program went around, and said what their business was, where it was when they started and where it is now. They also talked about the impact of the program on their lives in general. Everyone had such positive and uplifting comments. One women said she honestly felt like she could launch ANY business tomorrow, and be totally and completely successful, simply because of the program.

After a quick break for some snacks and chatting, the new people talked about why they were there and what they wanted to do. That was also incredibly inspiring. I know that I'm not alone in wanting to start a business and not knowing where to start, but sometimes it feels like I am alone in that, especially being in a place where I still don't really know anyone outside of work. Hearing all these women saying that they are in the same boat was so reassuring and so helpful. A lot of the women were creatives: photography, jewelry design, interior design and organizing, fashion. But also, a lot weren't: legal, a website to find "lost girlfriends," consulting, a business for dog sitters.

Remember how I said I needed someone or something to light a fire under my ass... well, consider it lit!

Literally, the second I got home from the meeting, I went online and signed up for the January Incubator. I'm a little bummed that it's not for three months, but hopefully, I'll be farther along with FiveGoodGoats in those three months!

I definitely think I met some potential friends. A few women have already emailed me saying we should get together & talk business and life. Another woman was also a photographer, and we're definitely going to try to get together soon

And, I already have two potential clients! I just need to work out my pricing, and I'll actually kinda be in business!!!!

So, moral of the post: if you're a woman, looking to start a business, check out Ladies who Launch & see if they have a group in your area!