Collect all the affirming and encouraging emails, cards, and messages you get from your clients, creative cohorts, family, and friends.
If you need a positive pick-me-up, read their kind words and remind yourself just how amazing you are.
Take one dose of Right-Brain Booster as needed to enhance your creative intuition.
Name: Meghan Unterschultz
Company Name: Athena Communications Inc.
Website: www.athenacommunications.ca
Twitter: @AthenaLanguage and @AthenaTranslate
Note from Jenn: This week’s spotlight is such a great example of teammwork. It was cool to hear how the three women of Athena Communications Inc. collaborate in their business and how they co-created their Right-Brain Business Plan after a day of strategic planning. I loved hearing how each person brought a different style and process to the table. I’m sure you’ll be inspired by their shared vision, collaboration, and ambition. (All photos courtesy of Meghan Untershultz.)
What is your business and what makes your business unique?
Athena Communications is a translation and editing services company owned and operated by a trio of smart, dedicated, energetic women. In a nutshell, we are all about the written word, in any language.
Words are our artistry. Painters have their brushes, sculptors their chisels, and architects their drafting pencils. We have our dictionaries. With our tools, we create ideas. We reveal solutions. We build bridges of understanding.
Athena Communications was born out of a love of words and language, and a dedication to exceptional customer service. We are a small team with over 18 years experience between us in the language and communications fields. We know what we’re doing, and we apply that expertise to our clients’ projects.
How has the Right-Brain Business Plan helped you? What is different for you and your business after approaching planning in a creative, visual way?
We began putting our RBBP together quite late in the evening after a long day of strategic planning. We were tired and wanted to get it accomplished as quickly as possible. After we started, it became impossible to rush the process, but we found that we didn’t need to. Even though our bodies were exhausted, our minds were energized by the creative exercise.
Having our business plan hanging on our office wall, brightly coloured and visually engaging, keeps us focused on our goals and motivated to push forward through any daily drudgery or difficult obstacles we face.
How do you use your creative intuition in your work?
We do our planning with mind maps, organizing ideas and tasks together based on similarity rather than by timelines or other linear categories. We keep a ‘parking lot’ document of ideas and long-term plans and goals that crop up in meetings, in discussions, or random moments so that nothing is lost and we can revisit them and put them into action when the time is right.
Is there anything you’d like to share about your Right-Brain Business Plan in terms of what it’s made out of or how you made it?
As three women operating a business as partners, we know the importance of communicating in ways that make sense to a variety of ‘brain’ styles. We created our RBBP as a collage on a large poster board so we could hang it in our office. As we laid out the images we selected, it became clear that we were each visualizing the end result in a different way. Michelle naturally organized the images into logical categories with labels, Imelda laid out the images in clusters with spaces between them, and Meghan wanted to fill all the blank spaces. Meghan finalized this plan, and the background is filled since this is what her brain comfortably likes to look at. Next year, Michelle or Imelda will finalize the visual plan, and it will look entirely different.
What’s your vision for your business?
It may sound grandiose, but we dream of creating a new kind of company that offers our clients all the communication solutions they need, allows employees the freedom, flexibility, and autonomy needed to excel, and gives back to our community. Our business is built upon relationships, and we want to manage it in a holistic and organic way.
We are ambitious and driven to succeed, and we are equally determined to achieve that success on our own terms. In our minds and hearts, our business is intertwined with our commitment to our families and our communities. Imelda envisions a business her children look to with pride, wondering if they may work there one day. Michelle believes in people and she aspires to create a living legacy, a manifestation of how a company that focuses on relationships with staff, clients, suppliers and partners can be an inspiration and a role model. Meghan dreams of a company that gives back and creates prosperity not only for its stakeholders but for our local and global communities. Our business is inherently personal-and we would have it no other way. Athena Communications is an extension of ourselves, and as such it is a living entity that will evolve as we do. We imagine ourselves twenty years from today, looking back in awe at all we have accomplished and looking forward with purpose to the opportunities peeking over the horizon.
Our Vision
We will build a company that enables the global exchange of ideas and information, and offers straightforward communication solutions for our clients. We recognize that play and happiness are integral to business success, and we interlace the qualities of autonomy, gratitude, sharing, learning, and innovation to build a company that acts with integrity, leads with passion, and earns the trust and respect of team members, partners, and clients. We listen to ensure clarity, we are responsive to generate energy and momentum, and we use our values to make sound business decisions and to build long-lasting trust relationships. We make no assumptions and we reserve the right to change our own rules to act in the best interests of our team, our partners and our clients.
Our Mission
We help businesses and organizations communicate clearly to their customers, business partners and stakeholders by providing expert and start-to-finish translation and editing solutions.
What advice do you have for other creative entrepreneurs?
Listen to your hopes, not your fears.
Trust your dreams, and do not shy away from greatness.
Think big, but take it one small step at a time.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
Even if you do not operate a creative business, starting any business is an act of creation. And starting your own business is worth it, even if it feels scary and overwhelming. To borrow from Nike, just do it!
Creative Resources
Click here for more information about Meghan Unterschultz.
Click here for Right-Brain Business Plan™ e-Course and the Right-Brain Business Plan e-Book.
I’ve been in Vancouver British Columbia this week for some masterminding with the brilliant Andrea J. Lee and fabulous fellow participants of her Wealthy Thought Leader mentorship program. On Tuesday, Andrea hosted TEDxYVR and we watched eight TED talks around Andrea’s theme of “Playing with Possibilities.”
My favorite talk that we watched was this one from Tim Brown on creativity and play from a couple years ago. I really loved the experiential exercises he did with the audience (we did them too, well, except for the slingshot things – you’ll just have to watch!). He gave fascinating examples about using exploring, building, and role playing to increase your design creativity.
I also enjoyed Matt Ridley’s talk on When Ideas have Sex. His discussion about the meeting and mating of ideas to make new ideas made me think about the organic emergence of #emmit that happened in the Twitterverse this week. It’s as if the Right-Brain Business Plan had sex with a clown (it’s not that dirty, really!).
Tori Deaux is hosting an #emmit chat this Saturday, December 11th at 3pm EST. Visit her post for the latest info on tomorrow’s chat. There’s bound to be lots of great meeting and mating of ideas on having fun in your business!
If you’re ever feeling superstuck or down in the dumps, find one itty-bitty thing you can celebrate, and celebrate now!
I don’t care if it’s the fact that you just replenished the staples in your stapler. When you’re feeling low, every little step forward counts. Being a creative entrepreneur can be a tough job, so cut yourself some slack.
Take one dose of Left-Brain Chill Pill as needed to quiet your judging mind.
With 2011 right around the corner, I like to take this time to start planning for the new year. I actually get excited about planning because for me it means, rolling up my sleeves, whipping out colorful markers, and mapping out all of my creative ideas.
Here are some of my favorite right-brain business planning supplies and tools that make the process fun and effective:
This Paper Source giant wall calendar is the bomb. I tear off each month and tape them all along a wall in my creative space. I plan out my projects and plot my milestones using sticky notes and colorful markers.
Of course sticky notes are a staple and you can spruce up your collection by getting fun shapes like flowers, stars, and arrows.
Like many creatives, I’m usually working on multiple projects and ideas at once. I love tucking away my clutter and chaos in these colorful boxes from IKEA.
I’ve been swearing by Levenger Circa Notebooks for more than a decade. I love the versatility of this cross between a spiral notebook and three-ring binder. I have the hole punch, too, so I can add in my own paper and doodles.
My latest Levenger love is the Oasis Concept Pad. It’s large pad of paper with a blank middle perfect for placing sticky notes and mind mapping flanked by two lined columns for notes and to-dos. You can also fold the sheets in half, hole punch, and stick in a Circa notebook. Heaven!
My Staedler Triplus Fineliner pens are my trusty note-taking companions. I love that the carrying case transforms into a stand.
I also love having a magnetic bulletin board where I can post my goals, vision boards, and other inspirational goodies, a small easel on my desk to display my values cards, and a mini notebook to carry around in my purse so I can capture ideas on-the-go.
What tools do you use in your creative planning process? I’d love to hear. May your planning for the new year be filled with sparkles and magic.
Follow circus ringleader Tori Deaux’s lead and give your plans and projects silly names. Tori named her business plan Emmit and he sure became the life of the party!
If your Right-Brain Business Plan was a character who would he or she be?
Take one dose of Right-Brain Booster as needed to enhance your creative intuition.
Name: Nicole Graham
Company Name: Bauhinia Solutions
Website: www.bauhiniasolutions.com
Twitter: @bauhiniahk
Note from Jenn: I’m so excited to bring this week’s Hong-Kong-based spotlight to you. I first connected with the lovely Nicole Graham a few years back through her other business Modern Goddess and I’ve always been impressed with Nicole’s vision, creativity, and ability to make things happen. Her new business Bauhinia Solutions celebrated its one year anniversary earlier this month. Congrats, Nicole! Read on to find out what sparked this innovative, international business idea, how Nicole responded proactively to her business landscape, and what fabulous tips she has for creative entrepreneurs. All photos courtesy of Nicole Graham.
What is your business and what makes your business unique?
Bauhinia Solutions offer virtual business services for Executives and Solopreneurs. Our services range from secretarial/administration support, content writing, and blog management to graphic design, Facebook page development, and web development. We’re a team of nine including myself and my Office Manager, and we all work from our own office environments either from Hong Kong, Australia or Canada.
The thing that makes us unique, particularly in Hong Kong, is that we offer administration and secretarial services on an ‘as needs’ basis. Other business offer writing services, graphic design and web development, I am specifically marketing to those looking for secretarial and administrative support, and allowing the other services to flow naturally. The other unique aspect to the business is that we are one of two active, English speaking companies offering these services in Hong Kong.
How has the Right-Brain Business Plan helped you? What is different for you and your business after approaching planning in a creative, visual way?
Business planning is not new to me; I’ve had extensive experience in the traditional method, however back in June, I was still vague about the direction I wanted to take my business. I was stuck and I felt I needed to take a different approach to my business planning.
As an ideas gal, a creative thinker, a mind mapper, a vision boarder, I found Jennifer’s Right-Brain Business Plan™ easier to work with than the traditional business planning approach. Once I started, the process flowed.
The traditional approach usually takes me a month to complete as I really drag myself kicking and screaming through it. This time, my Right-Brain Business Plan™ took me a weekend. I had to force myself to take a break and to go to sleep… I was so excited and right ‘into’ the process.
Today, I am really clear on our direction, the type of people I want on my team, who my ideal clients are and what my strengths are within the business. I am now saying to my clients “My strengths are… and this is how I can help you…” Previously, I wasn’t speaking up, I wasn’t being heard.
What goals (big or small) on your business plan have you already accomplished or have made progress on?
One of my goals was to implement a project area for the team and on our 1st birthday which was on 1st December, I introduced the team to Pax, our Client Project Management System. I have had it custom built and not only will the team use it, clients will also be able to use it to check project progress, add tasks (if they have a Virtual Assistant) or respond to a request (if project related).
Another goal was to recruit a couple of Virtual Assistants and at the same time, write a Policy and Procedure manual, a proper Associate Agreement and outline a clear recruitment process. This was all achieved and in the process I recruited three top notch PA’s who wanted a lifestyle change. I offered them flexible, work at home opportunities, and they offered me extensive, high level, executive experience. It is a win, win for all of us.
How do you use your creative intuition in your work?
For me it is listening to a client’s administration or business frustrations and then mulling them over – actually I ‘sit with them’… I let them in, float around, and then allow Spirit to guide me and provide me with the solutions in a timely manner, and Spirit does.
Being an ideas gal and also solutions focused, I find that a number of options present themselves. This is one of my strengths. I take a consultative approach.
Once the client decides on the path she/he wants to take, I then allocate one of my team members to execute the solution. I’m not a great executioner.
Is there anything you’d like to share about your Right-Brain Business Plan in terms of what it’s made out of or how you made it?
Rather than use magazine images, I searched the Internet for images that I wanted and took photos myself. I also used real testimonials, created wording in fonts I liked and used coloured paper that matched the colours of my business brand.
I created pockets for aspects of my business plan that would change over time (goals, action plans, position descriptions, services, products). At any time I can change the cards within the pockets or add to the pockets. The shell will stay the same for some time (ideal client, the feedback I wish to hear, my expenses, my office environment, how to set goals etc.).
What’s your vision for your business?
In Hong Kong many companies do not offer people in the administration and secretarial field opportunities for flexible working hours or work at home opportunities. And many small business and Solopreneurs are working long hours trying to do everything within their own business because they do not know there is support available to them.
My vision is to introduce Executives and Solopreneurs in Hong Kong to Virtual Assistants and to provide more flexible working hours and work at home opportunities for those that want it.
What advice do you have for other creative entrepreneurs?
One thing I’ve learnt is that any idea I come up with and run by my darling husband is not necessarily fantastic – he loves me, he’s in the airline business, and he’s constantly amazed at how many ideas I have. Of course, to him, my ideas are fantastic… I’m an ideas gal and he is my rock, my security, my base and I love him for it but he’s no longer my ‘run my idea by’ guy.
I now know that I need to run my ideas by people who are in business because they understand business, and the challenges that we can face managing a business. I still share my ideas with my husband; however I’m no longer relying on his feedback.
Be selective with who you run your ideas by. Family and friends can be supportive or just the opposite. You want people to be objective, knowledgeable and in touch with the business world.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
I started Bauhinia Solutions due to what seemed to be a gap. While working in my other business, The Modern Goddess, I had people approaching me asking if I could offer certain services. They had often been referred by a client or a participant of a previous workshop. For more than 12 months I said I couldn’t help them with whatever it was they were asking me about.
Then one day I had an ‘aha’ moment… instead of saying ‘no’, what if I pulled a team together and said ‘yes’. From that moment, the Universe provided. All along the Universe had been showing me an opportunity which I had been ignoring. At first it was just a few clients, while I sorted out how the business was going to work. After a month or two, I realized that the business name was not right and thankfully I hadn’t done much in the way of marketing. I quickly rebranded and launched as Bauhinia Solutions.
From that point, business has flowed with very little marketing or promotions (mostly blogging, and chatter on our Facebook business page). Our clients have come to us through word of mouth or via Facebook.
I found that what I resisted persisted and the more I said no, the more people contacted me and asked if I could offer all the services I offer today through Bauhinia Solutions. The thought of ME having to do the actual service sent me running for the hills, however once I stepped back and looked at it more creatively, I realized I could still utilize my strengths as a coach and consultant, and also use the strength of others.
The lesson learnt is that once I listened to the message the Universe was sending me, things flowed and business flowed. I am using all my skills as a coach and I am still assisting people to move forward with their business; it’s just not the picture I imagined it would be.
For now, I’m going with the flow and putting things in place for Bauhinia Solutions to evolve and grow. I plan to move back into actively working in my other business, The Modern Goddess and have a balance between the two.
Jennifer, thank you for the opportunity to be your Spotlight. It was a delight working with your Right-Brain Business Plan.
I wish everyone’s Right-Brain Business Plan journey to be magical, and I wish you all great success in your business.
Creative Resources
Click here for more information about Nicole Graham.
Click here for Right-Brain Business Plan™ e-Course and the Right-Brain Business Plan e-Book.
