Project: Unfabricated: The Live Event

One Couch. 16 stories. 19 people. Hundreds of followers, friends and lives touched.

However, it started with one story, one that two weeks from today will be told.

Dreamers, doers and thinkers – this is a heart-to-heart talk you do not want to miss. It is an exploratory look into the mindset of an entrepreneur’s process from failure to success.

• How do you take an idea and turn it into a business?

• How do you take a business and turn it into a brand?

• How do you take a brand and turn it into an inspiration?

• How do you inspire people when you feel uninspired? 

Laura Wallace would be the first to tell you that she is just like anyone else. That she has no special powers. That she has her ups and downs and downs and downs. That she catches colds and sometimes does not feel like getting out of bed. So that is why this is the heart-to-heart that matters most. Because it is real. Real people. Real conversation.

She cares about your life and your story and your passions and your purpose.

That even though she had no idea purchasing The Green Couch would play such a difference in her outlook in life, she cannot look at it any other way – she must help others speak, follow and fulfill their dreams. And this time she is doing it LIVE!

She is ready to spill her gutsy. Are your ears ready to catch it? Are you ready to accept the challenge to change the direction and go with your gutsy and follow your dreams? What is your couch telling you?

Come one, come all – January 27th is calling you!

-The Green Couch

Reserve Your Unfabricated Seat Here: Eventbrite

Project: When On The Side Becomes On The Forefront

There are certain things in life that are a matter of legality. When we are young, we must follow a set of rules. Until a certain age, we must do certain things and until a certain age we cannot do things.

During that time, we may rebel the system: Our parents, politics and any system of power seems to be against us and our dreams.

Sometimes we feel as if there is never a choice.

We get up.
We shower.
We get changed.
We eat.
We go to school
We come home.
We do our homework.
We eat.
We go to bed.
We get up.
We shower.
We get changed.
We eat.
We got to school.
We come home.
We do our homework.
We eat.
And we repeat this process for years. 

Until we reach that pinnacle where we get to move out of mom and dad’s house and live this lifestyle at a more mature level; on a college campus.

We get up…a little later than we should.
We shower…when time permits.
We get changed…when we remember to do laundry.
We eat…ramen noodles.
We go to school…because it is the right, expected thing to do.
We come home…to our home away from home.
We eat…more ramen noodles
We go to bed…on an unmade bed.
 

This goes on for months, semesters, perhaps years. However, deep down there is no majors or minors that can fulfill that dream of ours. And we are reminded of several brilliant people who while they may be billionaires their brilliance, their passion supersede their savings account:

• Bill Gates, Microsoft

• Mark Zuckerburg, Facebook

• Ralph Lauren, Fashion Designer

• Many more and maybe you

It is because of them that what was on the side – their dreams, their passions, their vocation – became their forefront.

Maybe it is our day-jobs, maybe it is the pursuit of a degree, only we can know. But there comes a time we have to reevaluate the priorities of life and take the leap and live the life of a risk taker if we want to live the life of an entrepreneur.

What is your “On-The-Side?”

-The Green Couch 

Project: The Green Couch Initiative

We tweet, post messages on Facebook, encounter people in impromptu meetings and set up sessions on The Couch. All with one intentional goal: To inspire people to speak, follow and fulfill their dreams.

We’ve formed an ever-expanding community of entrepreneurs that spill their risk-taking gutsy. Some whom are new to the game, others who are just beginning to pursue their dreams. Some getting their first taste of success, some their first taste of failure.

And so continues our purpose, to create a safe virtual and physical environment in which people - in which you- can,

1.)  Speak [your dream] Sometimes it’s literal – we need to voice it, we need to shout it. It’s like we say around here, “If it’s not a Hell Yeah! it’s a No!” Put some oomph behind your declaration. It may be to yourself, to your family or in your business proposal, but it’s time to speak it.

2.)  Follow [your dream] Follow up and follow through. Now that you’ve spoken up, it’s real. And there are people watching you follow your dream and who might want to follow along. Part of that business proposal can include an addendum that includes, “The Hell Yeah Guide to Making it Happen!”

3.)  Fulfill [your dream] Setting a deadline, meeting it and moving on to the next milestone? That’s called success. But there’s a reason they say reach for the stars. 1. Because they are so high, you’ll always push yourself to work upwards and 2.) Because there are so many you always have another star to reach.

 And when that happens, when you find another star, you have an opportunity to Speak [your dream]…

-The Green Couch

Project: Burger Queen And Dairy King

Dear Entrepreneurs and Esteemed Employees,

No matter how vast or how specific your talents and skill sets may be, hone them and own them. Don’t compare your blooper reel to the highlight and credit role of those around you. Don’t quantify bullet points or question the number of blazing balls others can juggle, or the fact that others can even juggle.

And just because they can do notable, Pulitzer and peace-prize-winning acts all while changing the “M” in front of their illionaire status to a “B” does not mean you aren’t great at what you do or have a personal greater calling.

No matter how many miles you can walk in someone else’s shoes, when it comes to comparing your talents, your skills and your success rate, do not feel pressured to trade in your penny loafers for steeled toes, or your sandals for stilettos. Do not feel pressured to trade in your Queenly status for the King’s. Whether you flip burgers or serve ice cream, go with it; hone it and own it.

It is not about being better; it’s about believing in your dreams and your capabilities.

It’s about believing in your burger flipping capabilities and being a King at it.

-The Green Couch

Project: The Importance of Being Earnest

Yes, you are in the right place. We are still all about entrepreneurs spilling their risk taking gutsy, inspiring others to speak, follow and fulfill their dream.

(Meaning no, this is not IMDb. It is not a summary of Colin Firth’s 2002 RomCom 1890 period drama with the same title, The Important of Being Earnest.)

Today we are going to talk about being an earnest entrepreneur. What exactly is that - who is that- according to Webster's definition?

Here are three characteristics of an earnest person and the importance of them:

1.    Passionate: Recently we encountered young sibling entrepreneurs who shared this beyond their age advice, “Just realize it’s going to take longer than a day or week or a month to reach your goal.”

The Importance of Being Passionately Earnest: If it is your passion, does it matter how long it takes to pursue it [your goal]. Passion overrules impatience and nurtures a patient spirit.

2.    Diligent: Last week we spoke about dreams becoming reality when you turned your Saturdays into a work opportunity from home and explored the concept of, “What if your second job could be your passion and turn into a primary focus?”

The Importance of Being Diligently Earnest: One small startup step at a time until you are an entrepreneur puts everything into perspective. Diligence is the difference of between whether we are going to have three wheels or two.

3.    Purposeful: I heard a kind man with a loud voice once say (and then I repeatedly hit play), “Your why is what matters. Your why is what gets you up, gets you going. Your why.”

The Importance of Being Purposely Earnest: If it changes, when it changes, the WHY it changes, the reason behind your passion and your diligence determines your success and the road to success. Purpose is the language when your heart, soul and mind get gutsy and get things done. Nike gets it, do you? Just do it, right? Right!

So dear entrepreneur,

Be earnestly passionate.

Be earnestly diligent.

Be earnestly purposeful.

Because the importance of being earnest will overrule the impatience, helping you see the power of your dream, and it will put everything into perspective - it will always remind you of your why.

Now, why wouldn’t you want to be earnest?

-The Green Couch 

Project: Part of The Special Opps

They’re the elite, perform strategic operations, have the advantage of their superior’s support and the element of surprise and yet they are practically self-reliant. They are unconventional, can overcome innumerable obstacles and have undergone and surpassed both physical and intelligent hurdles.

They are the special operation task force. And they mean business.

They take calculated risks. And they have taught me there’s a big difference between taking chances and being a risk taker.

Characteristics of taking chances:

Being blindingly and obsessively passionate with end results. Being inconsiderate of your surroundings – not taking into account the welfare of your family, friends, associates and employees. Gambling away your investor’s collateral. Jumping into business ventures without taking time to research. Desperate. Done.

Characteristics of taking risks:

Someone who is courageous and who is willing to put aside materialistic and conventionally idealistic dreams in pursuit of selfless and worthwhile, fulfilling visions. Someone who is passionate about who they are, what they do and know what matters in life. They count the cost and are willing to come up short. Dreamer. Doer.

I was in the vicinity of a wise woman recently and heard her say,

“Another good sign of an entrepreneur – people think you’re crazy.”

It’s true. There’s a good kind of crazy and yet still that inner calling to be an entrepreneur is something that comes with its own set of code of ethics, rules and standards. As a risk taker, you will be presented with and will search and seek out many special opportunities. Be wise in how you choose them and what you do with them.

•    Will this help people?

•    Will this help the next generation?

•    Will this make people - make me - happy?

•    Does the purpose of the produce or service align with my character?

•    Is this part of my dream?

•    Will it be successful in more ways than just financially?

•    In 20 years will I still love it?

•    Is this a reflection of who I am?

•    Will this be another job or a joy?

•    Am I willing to fight for it?

•    Will I keep my day job too and stay up all night to sustain it?

•    If I cannot do it am I willing to learn?

•    If I were to fail, would I rebuild?

•    Am I in it for the money?

If the only question you answered confidently was the last one with a “heck yes!” then it’s time to reevaluate the status of an entrepreneur, a risk taker. The lifestyle isn’t as glamorous as you may think. People will think you are crazy. You see, an entrepreneur is a dreamer. A doer. You’re up all day. All night. There are times you hate it, times you want to quit. You think you’re alone; there are times you want to be left alone but you’ve been given a special opp - a special opportunity, that is - and you took the risk.

After the highs and the lows, the rewards are that much more meaningful, which we’ll see next week when we’ll learn that there is no such thing as an overnight success. No matter what media may tell us, we have an entrepreneur’s insight that tells us the battle that really happens between the hours of when you go to bed and when you arise refreshed.

Until then, refocus and remember why you do what you do,

-The Green Couch Project

Project: Chutes and Ladders On the Road to Success

Growing up many friends, family and children played a gamed called chutes and ladders. You may be familiar with it if not let me surmise the goal: The one to reach the top of the ladder first wins. In other words, the object of the game is to win.

As with most games reliant upon dice, this game of chance depends upon which number you roll. If your pawn lands on a square with a ladder – up you go with a higher success rate of winning. Land on a square with a chute? It is bye-bye baby.

As an entrepreneur, we battle daily trying to decipher the difference between it is all in the wrist (a roll of the dice) and balance that with one of our favored words – it is all in the risk. (Another game – another time.)

However, more importantly, we have to align our priorities and follow the procedure to climb that ladder. We are not talking about the corporate ladder; we are talking about the ladder of success.  The way you spell success we leave to you, however while success is subjective it is always an elevation of where we are, to where we are going.

So here’s the steps we need to follow to free ourselves from the chute and follow the ladder.

Who cares the number you roll. Shoot for the innumerable stars – that is a risk we like talking about:

-Believe in Your Idea

-Dream About It

-Set a Goal: 

A goal is a dream with a deadline. – Napolean Hill

-Be Disciplined: 

Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment. – Jim Rohn

-Track Your Achievements & Take Time to Celebrate

As always believe in your dream, believe in it and always have a goal in mind. Because if you are reaching for the stars, there are many rings to your ladders and equal many amounts of chutes. Are you up to playing the game?

It is your turn! Ready, set, roll.

-The Green Couch