Kathy Burrus, Green Hope Coaching

March 2014

Good Morning Kathy


In this newsletter:


Are you as excited  as I am about the approach of Spring?  It is my most favorite time of year, mostly because after the long, cold winter (especially this winter), it brings such joy to begin feeling the warmer temperatures, hearing the birds singing, and seeing the bits of new growth in my yard. I'm not forgetting that we could get more snow yet, but just the thought of Spring gives me hope.

I've realized this week that my business is going through a 'nearly spring' season also. It has been an intense, but extremely beneficial time for GHC.  Let me explain.

At the beginning of the year, I signed up to be part of the Ropp Triplett Business Plan Competition put on by the Bluffton Center for Entrepreneurs (I always have to look up how to spell that.) for new or emerging (less than 3 years old) businesses.  It involves attending a weekly class put on by Kathy Keller, director of the Small Business Development Center at Rhodes State discussing how to  create a working business plan that I will use to grow my business.  This week is our last class and next week  myself and 4 others in the class, present our business plan to representatives of the BCE to be critiqued and judged 1st, 2nd & 3rd.  Though we would all like to win the $5000 grand prize and a years worth of business mentoring, we have all agreed that the process of writing the business plan itself has been of great value. 

In the process of working through this I have realized a couple of things.

1. This is not my first business plan.  I did create one 3 years ago when I was getting started with GHC. But the operative word is 'working' business plan.  I doubt I referred back to the first one more than a couple of times. 

2. I am an entrepreneur!  I have never had an inkling of desire to be- or planned to be until GHC.  But it's what I do now. And I'm fascinated by it.

I read an article some time ago which make a great deal more sense to me now.  It spoke of the Transition Curve that a new start up business goes through.


 

start up transition curve


The Business Plan I attempted to create when I started was definitely filled with Uniformed Optimism.  As I grew in my awareness of what it took to run the business of doing what I love doing- which is coaching, I began to develop an Informed Pessimism.  

This led quite quickly to the Crisis of Meaning.  Questions like:

  • Is this worth it?
  • Is it making any difference in anyone's life?
  • I don't want to just be creating 'busyness' - how to I be about transformation?

I understand why many businesses - when they get to this point- do the Crash & Burn. I am pretty sure that this could have easily been me.  

What made the difference?   Well, my daughter's both got married in 2013, and to make sure I would be available for them, I took a step 'out' of GHC.  I didn't DO most of what I had been working so hard to do the 2 years before. I just let it be! Now I realize that is a luxury most business owners don't have. But for me, it was just what I needed.

I began to SEE what Kathy Burrus, Green Hope Coaching was really about. Helping people intentionally design HOPE for life, love & loss. That's part of my own story, it's part of my own strengths.  It's what I want to be about. It's what I began to lose sight of in the busyness of business. I am grateful to say that this whole process of building a working business plan is beginning (I know I'm just scratching the surface) to help me intentionally build hope  for GHC.  

So...why do I tell you all this in a newsletter designed to help you do life, love & loss?

Well, because that transition curve is really true in a lot of areas of life.  We can all lean from it.

We start a new project- we are excited at first, then it gets hard, we say 'why are we doing this?".

We get married, we are so 'in love' with each other, then our 'prince charming' or 'beautiful princess' does something 'frogish' and our fairytale comes to a Crisis of Meaning! 

There are many examples we could give here, but isn't it amazing how quickly we can arrive at the Crisis of Meaning?

NOW, according to the chart, you have two options.

  1. Crash & Burn
  2. or with Informed Optimism- also called HOPE- you can move forward in the direction of the vision/ the dream that God gave you to begin with.

What is your situation right now where you are in the CRISIS OF MEANING?
What are you going to choose?   

Are you going to Crash & Burn? Or move on with INFORMED OPTIMISM- HOPE!!!

I'm choosing HOPE! Informed Optimism, not just wishful thinking.

For me, that means I'm choosing to do the hard work of creating a business plan this month.  I'm choosing to move forward at identifying what it takes to do what God has called me to.  I appreciate your prayers- not just for me, but for all 5 of us 'entrepreneurs' in the competition!  This is hard business!  

But then, you are somewhere in this TRANSITION CURVE too!  If you need help negotiating the turns, give me a call.  That's what I do- help people intentionally design hope in life, love & loss.

I'd love to hear where you think you are- and what you are doing about it!  Just hit REPLY and let me know. Also Please forward this newsletter to someone else in your world who you think might benefit from it.  Thanks! My business grows best from your referral.

Here's to SPRING!

Kathy

419-306-8311   •   kathy@greenhopecoaching.com   •   www.greenhopecoaching.com


GHC SPRING OPPORTUNITIES

In a recent post at GHC's online home, I shared some of the exciting things going on this year.  (Read about it here.)

 To highlight the big things, GHC is partnering with AuthenticIntimacy.com and the founders, Linda Dillow and Dr Juli Slattery to empower intimacy in marriage. Some of the ways we are doing that is:

  • Kathy was on the launch team for Authentic Intimacy's new book, Pulling Back the Shades. This book speaks to 50 shades of Gray phenomenon that is spreading like wildfire among women of all ages, race, and spiritual place. They share the little spoke of fact that we can be spiritual and sexual at the same time. If you want to know more, check out the first chapter here. 

  • Passion Pursuit Women's Studies built around the DVD/workbook series by Linda & Juli.  One group is running currently, another will be starting late spring.  The women who are currently participating said after the first night, "If I only came to this one session, it is transformational."  Be watching for more details regarding GHC's next group.

  • Authentic Intimacy is coming to NW Ohio!  October 3 & 4, 2014  We are very excited!  We are putting together a PRAYER TEAM now if you would like to be on the ground floor of bringing Linda Dillow and Dr.Juli Slattery to our area. Pat Hixon is our prayer team leader and will be forwarding prayer requests on to you regularly.  Sign up right here! 




One other thing in the works is the return of Celebrate the Dance. 
It is exciting to report that this is the most 'asked about' event we do at GHC.  It has become our signature event.   Be watching for the specific date-but we're looking at early June.  Plan to get your registrations in early because space is limited. More details will be posted soon. 

Information about all this and more can be found at www.greenhopecoaching.comStop by soon!

For questions, or to set up your private coaching session, email kathy@greenhopecoaching.com.

Looking forward to seeing you around GHC this spring!


Kathy Burrus
Green Hope Coaching with Kathy Burrus