As you may know if you've read some past posts, I was trying out a few things here in Guate and while I was continuing my school PR work for several US clients, I just wasn't sure it made financial sense for me to go. And then the universe, as it often does if you let it, stepped in. My session for my first 2 hour workshop on communication planning got accepted (kind of a big deal), and a couple friends stepped in with offers of shared hotel rooms and team discount registrations.
My session was first thing Monday 8 a.m. and it got off to a little bit of shaky start...I had tested my mic and everything else (something I've done every year since a fiasco presentation at CAPIO.) Then the techies stopped by to check my work and offered to replace my mic batteries to make sure they lasted the full two hours. My bestie Kate had offered to be my right hand during the session and the two of us started joking that now that everything was set up, no one would probably show up in my room set up for 200. We even started making practical plans for how much more interactive things could be if we had as few as five people come.
Then 20 minutes before the presentation, they started filing in...and in...and in. Be careful for what you wish for, right? After an introduction that sounded like it was about some other lady living some other life, I got up and hoped I could deliver on what was being promised the now close to 200 folks. As I started to speak, I saw lots of confusion, head shaking and a couple people at my nearest table signaling for me to come over. A few quick seconds later, the mic actually turned on and so did I.
As I prepared for the session, I wasn't sure about taking up a full 2 hours, but it went so fast! When you are doing what you love, what you know in your heart you were meant to do, when you feel like you are having real IMPACT and are in the flow, time stops. I could have stayed there with folks all day talking about research, analysis, strategies and evaluation....my inner data geek planner goddess was in heaven.
Afterwards I realized something....I hadn't felt that way very often lately.
As the song goes, I need to be needed. And I set about the rest of the seminar asking my super smart PR peeps about different business models that would meet my needs - to stay based in Guatemala with my hubby but give me the flexibility to jump in and help folks that need me. My remote consulting work, the envy of people who wish they could travel like us, would continue but I needed more. I needed an occasional jolt of impact, where I would travel to a client and work intensely with them either because they had a gap in their PR office due to family leave or a transition or for a short-term project.
The response from my colleagues has been tremendous and I can't believe I never thought of it before.
Lucky for me, my man is always my biggest supporter and so here we are, launching SchoolPRPro. (Can you believe I got that domain? Me neither!!)
And, contrary to the way I fell into business three years ago, this time I am following my own PR planning advice. I am writing a comprehensive plan, adding several new marketing tools and even starting with a quick survey to create a baseline that I can track each year.
So, if you have a moment, I have a few things to ask that will really help me:
- Take my 6 question survey
- Check out my fancy new site (schoolprpro.com) that I created in a few days with Wix
- Share the site with anyone you think might be interested in my new services
- If youŕe interested in Wix, do it through this link so I can get credit
- Sign up for my new email updates through the front page of my site- only once or twice a month, a link and summary of the latest, greatest education and PR related stuff
- Check out this super cute pic of the new kitty, Charlie, we got to hang out with Osa
- Continue sending me your good wishes, it's obviously working ;-)
Oh, and if youŕe still not tired about hearing about my crazy life or missed it the first time, our move to Guatemala is already re-run material on House Hunters International. It airs again August 13th and 14th.
Peace and love!
t
PS - Sac peeps, I'll be back in town soon and will share the dates when I have them.
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