At the crossroads

Being a business owner is a lonely profession at times. When it’s busy, it’s a breeze. Just do the work. When it’s time to get new business or change direction, I often freeze. I don’t like making cold calls – although I’m getting better at it. Networking tends to be an effort that generates business down the road – sometimes way down the road.

A road in northwest Washington state. Photo by Liz Cezat

What’s a business owner to do? There’s LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook. While I have landed a few projects from those venues, I find social media to be more valuable in terms of learning new information; forming new ideas; connecting to new friends, associates or clients; and just having fun by posting and viewing people’s comments. I like to read inspirational blogs and quotes for a motivational kick.

Before change can take root, it seems like chaos must first occur. It’s time to implement my second quarter strategy, which is to add some training engagements while continuing to write for business and nonprofits. For this service, I will start contacting human resource departments, associations and nonprofits. I aim to expand my base of work rather than shift it entirely. I love to work with my graphic designers on annual reports, newsletters, brochures and websites for business and nonprofits. But, it’s vital to get out of the office and interact with others.

I’m reviving my seminar/training offerings with a session on “How to write better e-mails.” My expertise comes from being a communicator and writer. I want to share my knowledge with employees and others who have difficulty writing e-mails. Next week, I am meeting with a prospective client who has been talking with me about this program for about a year now. I trust that we will move forward.

Then, I need to set up my new iMac, upgrade the software and get ready to ride a speedy machine. That will be a beauty.

I find that envisioning my desired result is often the “kick in the pants” that is needed to move forward and try new things. Wish me luck – which is another way of saying, “Do the hard work of focusing. Take the right action steps. Make great people connections. And, above all, stay confident and positive.”

“The business of small business is no easy feat.” You can quote me on that.

Feel free to add your comments about how you handle being at the crossroads and deciding what action steps to take.

Can color make you happy?

Photo by Liz Cezat, Utah.

How important is color in your life? If you live in a world of beige or black & white, you might not notice how much vibrant colors or a subtle hue can stimulate your senses: not only your eyes, but also your imagination. People living in a beige world may not be fully cognizant of their surroundings while those who live in a black & white world may view the landscape simply as a backdrop to the business of life.

For the left-brain readers, I will correlate these colors to my PMS book. In this reference, PMS does not refer to Pre Menstrual Syndrome, rather it’s a book of color swatches with numbers known as the Pantone® Color Formula Guide. It is an indispensible tool for graphic designers and art directors.

Today, when I stepped out of the shower, I reached for my towel. It was poppy-pink (PMS 1787). Not the usual beige. I felt uplifted with this new color. Then, I realized that poppy-pink is such a cheerful color, how can you not be happy when you see it?

Yesterday, while watering the flowers in my garden, I noticed that the marigolds were not just yellow, some were golden yellow (PMS 116) yet others were a vibrant orange (PMS 21) and others were burnt red (PMS 186) – all stemming from the same stalk. These intense colors made me appreciate the true beauty of a marigold.

While planting in a friend’s cottage garden the other week, my boyfriend instructed me to put a pot of geraniums into a bed of deep green groundcover. I asked, “Why? It’s all green there.” He replied, “It could use a pop of color.” He was absolutely right. That flash of red was the perfect foil to a mass of green leaves.

When creating materials for print (newsletters, annual reports) or the web (websites, e-newsletters), my graphic designers always play off colors. If someone is wearing green in a photo, they create a green element elsewhere on the page or use a complementary color – such as red. I appreciate color as an art form. I see how it stands out, makes you take notice and might even change your perspective.

Picture this: You're walking in the rain on a city street in the bad part of town and you've sunk into a dark mood. Then you see a yellow car. It's the brightest spot on the dreary, rain-soaked street. All of a sudden you think of the sun and you involuntarily smile. That spot of color makes a connection that lifts your mood.

Just for a day, observe the colors that strike you. How does color affect your mood? I don't think it's a stretch to say that color connects us to the world and has some sway in increasing our happiness.