Project: How to Be Creative In a Corporate World

It is easy to lose sight of "you" in a universal system. Even in the name of solidarity, there has to be a way to find a way to capture a sense of solitary refinement; a way to create a space that is singularly yours.

Here’s how we get in touch with our space and add a touch of our taste:

• Color: We are in love with Poppin: now this is a company with an array of bold colors. Their vast supply of office accouterments can help liven up many sections of any office – both on the go, in or on the desk, supply closet and even actual furniture pieces.

• Casual Fridays (or Fiesta Fridays): While some may be finding it hard to shake off Taylor Swift’s Shake it Off, sometimes you need to shake off the stress and start off the weekend early. De-stressing at work and ensuring that you’ve established an ambiance that encourages friendship, communication and a little bit of liberation can be found in creative business clothes and some zesty food!

• Extracurricular Activities: Who said your co-workers cannot be friends? Whether it is 5ks or soup kitchen volunteerism, it is important to strengthen your relationship and build more than your company community. You are a leader in your neighborhood; respected and admired - when you step outside of the concrete walls, explore the avenues to find additional ways to be a resource. It will feel amazing to be seen as a team and feel awesome to work as a team.

• Wall Art: Whether it is post-it notes, whiteboards or chalk drawings, our hero’s quotes are the fuel to our emotional and mental fires. It can be a satisfied client, a historic fictitious character or esteemed politician or poet. Daily reading of positive words is like a personal testament to our struggles or our success similar to displaying a trophy for all to see.

Sometimes you just need to see a little bit outside of your space. Just like fine dining and acquiring new tastes, explore ideas outside of your own cubicle and see what you can find around your own box. Think what could compliment your style and take baby steps towards that goal and go beyond.

The corporate world is a necessary place - it keeps us aligned, but it is the dotted lines that tell us where we can cut, and we all like to keep a pair a scissors handy, do we not? (Good thing Poppin sells them, eh?) So find your dotted line, get creative, cut it and show off your personality in your workspace!

-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