Have you been feeling a little out of breath lately, trying valiantly to keep up with the pace of change-change-change? This article is for you.
When I was a teen, I had the worst time in High School because I had to take swimming lessons. No matter what I tried, I always felt like I was drowning. I wasn’t, but it sure felt like it. Funny thing, what was drowning me wasn’t water, it was air.
I’ll spare you the many tears, hysterics, pleading to get out of swimming, and fast forward to today. I’m still not great at swimming, but these days I understand why. It’s simple:
I was someone who was always holding her breath.
Walking around on dry land doing life, seemingly like any other human, I was often holding my breath. Of course, when I had to, when my body needed me to, I would take a sip of air. A tiny breath, as surreptitiously as I could. Repeat.
No doubt this wasn’t good for me, but it was part of a survival mechanism, namely me trying to be invisible in order to stay out of trouble. Breathing too loudly might cause someone to notice me in a way I didn’t want. It was almost certainly an over-reaction on my part, and it seemed to work. But it was hell on my swimming.
Think about it — when a person holds their breath, they’re keeping themselves full of air — not letting anything in or out. They are resisting exhaling. And when a person isn’t exhaling, they can’t inhale either.
When swimming, because I wasn’t exhaling fully, I couldn’t inhale well either. No wonder I was a limp dishrag in the water – I had no power, no drive, no life force.
This, to me, is an excellent metaphor for what’s happening in the world right now, and the reason I share this story with you. In short: we’ve been doing a LOT of shallow breathing. We haven’t been exhaling the way we normally do. And because of that, our get up and go has gotten up and left.
Good news! The answer is simple. To feel better, we can actively do more exhaling, in all senses of the word.
To swim strongly into the uncertain future still ahead in 2021, we need to exhale in every area of our lives. And for those of us who help other people do life, we need to help THEM exhale too.
This can be very simple, and you can get started immediately. Just ask any questions that lighten the load, such as these:
What can I stop doing?
What can I get rid of (declutter)?
Where can I do less and feel as fulfilled?
How can I say more ‘nos?’
Where is it possible to lower expectations?
Who can I connect less with?
How can I communicate my need for space?
How else can I let go of things?
To be thorough about this, think through how to exhale in each area of your life, one by one, as if you’re going from room to room doing spring cleaning. Some ‘life areas’ include: your financial well-being, mental health, spirituality, home environment, hobbies and recreation, work and career, etc. But you can create your own categories to exhale in at any point. Then start applying the above batch of classic coaching questions.
In other words, find ways to exhale in 360 degrees and see if your life feels less like a whale-boned corset around you.
As we pause at the mid-point of 2021, it would be easy to feel helpless, particularly in the face of hopes and dreams that can feel far away. To get there, don’t underestimate the power of pausing to make space. Whether it’s your family or you, the members of your team, your clients and patients, or even just people you’re not interacting with in the world… everybody’s very full right now, and that’s when a little exhaling can really do some good.
Oh, also? On a physical level this can look like actually exhale more often, preferably noisily!
Do this and take back your life one spacious breath at a time. In a moment in history when it can feel so uncertain what we should be doing, this is something you can count on. It will help no matter what comes next. I know you won’t regret it.
How does the idea of encouraging everyone to exhale land for you? Is this something you can use to add value to your coaching calls with clients?
Just hit reply to let me know. I’d love to hear, and let out a big sigh with you!
Exciting News that some of you’ve been waiting for…
“Pink Spoon Marketing: Harnessing the Power of the Free Taste to build and grow your online business”…is now available in Live Microclass format.
As well, for the first time, there’s a Teaching License available which means you can teach this content yourself to your own clients and communities.
At long last, after first teaching it at an ICF conference in 2004, this material is finally getting a new lease on life. Updated over the years to improve its ability to:
- make complex marketing concepts simple to grasp so you stop feeling like a marketing dummy (because you’re really and truly not!)
- inspire creative thinking about income streams, offers and packages
- reduce marketing effort and expense < huge
- help determine what to give away, what not to give away, and when to evolve both those things, and
- inoculate you against scarcity thinking and online business trickery (!!)
I’m truly tickled to get to teach this material once again. When I say this class is at the heart of all of the business coaching I’ve been blessed to do over the years, I am 100% not kidding. This is a small but mighty gem.
So how will this work? Well, for the Microclass, we’ll gather via Zoom on Thursday, May 27, 2021 from 1000 to 1200 pm pacific time for 90 minutes of teaching, and space for Q&A and spot coaching afterward.
The teaching will cover:
- The Pink Spoon Model itself as a guide for income stream and marketing decisions. This is a rich visual metaphor that walks through the Baskin Robbins Ice Cream Store Journey. We’ll use a customize-able and re-usable worksheet for this, which you’ll get a copy of to apply whenever you like.
- Real-life examples of the Pink Spoon business model at work. In this section, we’ll do an exercise to determine the best place for you to focus your efforts and resources in the second half of 2021.
- The most common mistakes on the path to a successful online business so you can make a clear plan to avoid them!
- Then finally, there’ll be time for you to ask questions. My plan is to stay on the line for as long as it takes, so you get what you came for!
By the end of this MicroClass, you’ll have cut through any fog/confusion, and leave with a practical approach to your online business that makes things make sense in the bigger picture. Exciting!
The investment for the 90-minute LIVE teaching plus Q&A is USD $37. To ensure ample space for Q&A, seating will be capped at 50 participants.
”But Andrea, did you say you’re making the Pink Spoon Marketing content available in a Teaching License now as well?”
Yes! It is, after all, one of the things I get asked for the most (second only to the JV Money Formula.) That means it’s high time to set it free in a Teaching License so anyone who wants to can teach it in its full glory, and charge for it, if you wish. Here’s how this part will work:
In addition to the Microclass above, the Train the Trainer class will be held on Tuesday June 1, 2021 from 1000 to 1200 pm pacific, also via Zoom.
We’ll spend the first 90 minutes going over best practices and use the remaining time for Q&A specific to how to excel at training this material. To be clear, this license allows you to teach this material to your clients and community for their personal use, and is a one-time fee with no royalties or renewal fees attached. You may adapt and evolve the content as you see fit, and you may charge for it or give it away as you see fit.
Specifically in our class time, we’ll cover:
- How to teach the Pink Spoon model, broken into three distinct parts, including ways you can customize it to suit your teaching style, audience and the length of time you have.
- The bigger picture roots and philosophy behind the formula so you’re grounded in context for teaching it.
- Common mistakes and best practices for trainers of this material.
- Possibilities and opportunities to teach this material, whether that be to generate revenue directly, to enrich and integrate your existing offers, or as a standalone bonus gift, etc.
- Then finally, there’ll again be time for you to ask any questions. (Again, my plan is to stay on the line for as long as it takes to answer all you have for me.)
The Microclass + Teaching License for Pink Spoon Marketing is now available for the first 25 interested individuals at an investment of USD $127.
Note: Due to strong interest in our stress-free teaching licenses, we historically reach our seating capacity very quickly. Please register early to avoid disappointment.
I feel very grateful to have the kind of mind that cooks up outlandish but useful teaching constructs like this one, and I’m looking forward to leaning on a team of trainers to take this material further out into the world. Making complex things simple is an act of rebellion when so many things conspire to make things hard and confusing so we stay sheep-like! I hope you’ll go for it and make a ton of hay out of the material for many long years to come.
As for tactical information, check out the FAQ below. Otherwise, I invite you to pick from one of the options above to get registered.
Here are just a few words from past students/clients:
”Andrea is beyond exceptional in her speaking, training and coaching abilities.
Her ability to take complex information and present it to audiences of many levels is a true gift.”
— Vince Kramer, Founder, Imagine Miracles
“Andrea has the unique ability to see the conventional world and turn it on its side, generating more options, more opportunities, and more space and ease.
Part yoga-for-the-mind, part nuts-and-bolts, her coaching, teaching, wisdom, and experience are perfect for our current times: times when business as usual no longer applies. Get ready to be delighted!”
— Kris Carey, Reinvention Expert & Director of Training, Get Clients Now! ™
Got Questions? Here are some answers!
What are the exact dates and times of the calls?
The Microclass will be held on:
Thursday, May 27, 2021 from 1000 to 1200 PM Pacific / 100 – 300 PM eastern
If you choose the Microclass + License option, there will be two classes in total. The above is the first class, and the second class, which covers the Train-the-Trainer material, will be held on:
Tuesday, June 1, 2021 from 1000 to 1200 PM pacific / 100 to 300 PM eastern.
Convert your time zone here.
I’m not sure if I’ll be teaching the Pink Spoon material to anyone, is it okay/should I still buy the license?
You are most welcome to buy the Microclass + License option if you wish, even if it’s not 100% clear where you’ll teach with it. If you’re keen on this topic and material, investing in the teaching license will give you a deeper level of understanding, which can be useful when you’re using the material for your own purposes. Just like many people take a teacher training (yoga, English as a second language, Somatic Experiencing or other, etc.) without intending to teach it, you can think of it as an advanced level of the material.
I can’t attend these times live. Should I register now anyway or wait?
If you’re keen to have this material or license soon, then yes, register now so you can get the recordings, spreadsheet, and downloadables within a few days after the live dates.
Will I be able to download and save the recordings?
Yes, they are yours to keep safe so you can refer back as many times as you like.
What kind of tech setup will I need?
Classes will be held on Zoom technology in a password-protected room. You’re welcome to attend with your webcam on or off.
What if I have questions; what happens after the class is over?
I will hang out after the 2 hour teaching calls to answer questions for as long as it takes, and you will have the opportunity to email me with any questions for a week after the class.
What happens if a lot of people buy the License, will that mean I won’t make the kind of money from teaching it like I hope?
It’s possible, and a reasonable question, so let me see if I can help. First, the license option is capped to 25 people this round, so, one of the best ways to get value from the license is to invest with the intention of doing something with it soon. Make your adaptations and then break the ice, go public with the material.
In fact, if you only teach it to a single private client and you very likely have the equivalent of your investment returned. Some other ideas to rapidly monetize: teach it in beta to your existing community; add it as a bonus class to an existing offer, etc. (We’ll talk more about this in the Train-the-Trainer class.)
Still, to really address your question, I’ve priced the license in a way that this risk should be low for you. Ask yourself, what is the minimum level I would need to see back in order to make the license worth it. I hope that helps with your decision!
Is there no Facebook group for this class?
That’s right, because this is a very quick and straightforward class, there will not be an online group. There is however a FB group for alumni of my classes which you’ll be welcome to join afterwards.
Do you offer refunds if the program isn’t right for me?
I hope the class experience is clearly described here, however if you discover it isn’t right for you, I will refund the full tuition when requested by the end of day May 27, 2021, the day of the Microclass.
Where do you stand regarding inclusion, and, creating a safe space?
I’m committed to creating a space that maximizes learning and failing. I expect everyone’s best efforts towards a respectful, transparent and kind classroom, and you have my promise I will uphold that.
What can I expect after I register?
You’ll see a confirmation page, and then you’ll receive two emails (1) a receipt for your purchase and (2) a welcome email from me.
Where can I ask any other questions?
Email us at info@andreajlee.com and we’ll be glad to get back to you!
To register now for either the Microclass Only Option, or the Microclass + License Option, click on your preferred button here:
“Pink Spoon Marketing: Harnessing the Power of the Free Taste”
2-Hour LIVE Microclass Only – 50 seat capacityUSD $37
“Pink Spoon Marketing: Harnessing the Power of the Free Taste” Microclass + LICENSE
2-Hour Live Microclass + 2-Hour Train-the-Trainer – 25 seat capacityUSD $127
Photo credit top to bottom: Max van den Oetelaar; Dstudio Bcn; Sigmund, all on Unsplash.