Round One

My first round of training is complete! I can officially take on clients and have the tools to back up what I'm doing!

Alongside learning different coaching methods, and some insight into the approaches that might work best, I learned about myself as well. One of the things students are asked through their training is "What are you good at? What makes you unique?" And they expect answers.

Things that I have been taking for granted about myself, and didn't really put much thought into, leaped before my eyes with a thunderous hello.

Did you know, did I know, that I am good at sales? That my experiences in sales started 13 years ago? I never really thought about it. Through helping my mom at psychic fairs when I was an early teen, through those few years in retail, through the years I've spend fundraising money for charities, all combined works out to something pretty awesome.

So what did I really learn from that?

I learned that I can sell myself in this business. I can sell myself in anything. I have the experience, I have the knowledge....I just have to apply it.

I like what I learned.

The Learning Curve

I feel enlightened. I feel broadened. My understanding and knowledge power increasing simultaneously week after week.

I have been taking the beginnings of the the Power Coaching program at CLI, and am astounded at the seeming simplicity to it. Yet at the same time, what seems so simple is very complex. Oxymoron...I know. To have it laid out on the table and explained to me, it just makes sense. The principles and reasoning meld into my own lifestyle and belief system like they were meant to be there.

The theory behind it all, as I've found out, is based on years of research and development. A lot of hard work has structured what has made CLI a respected business. As the student however, I only gain from all of their hard work; I learn it and see the common sense behind it, but little do I see the time and energy that was put in to build it.

I find it phenomenal that speaking in a different manner and asking questions in an altered format can elicit an entirely new answer. That solutions to your issues can come tumbling out of your mouth, when yesterday, all those rocks were rolling around in your head with no where to go. Answers clearly come through, and provided you are willing to put action to your plan, you are good to go. While yes, some issues and concerns will take more than a one-time-through, progress is progress.

Last week was my first opportunity to take on the coaches role. I have been in the position of the client on many occasions. Switching seats was eye opening. Keeping focused and on track was not a difficult task, but it certainly took effort to stay at pace with the client, not rush him and make sure that he continually felt the focus on him and the positive aspects of the coaching session. Luckily, my 'client' was my teacher, and he did a great job of steering me where I needed to go, while still being able to find a solution to his issue.

I feel I still have way to come, but that I'm on the right track in getting there. Sitting in the seat as the client, I think this has been a benefit to my learning experience too. I can think back to what little idiosyncrasies my coach had that I really liked, and how I can utilize them myself.

Taking this course from CLI was a really good decision. I'm going to pay a lot of attention to this stepping stone on my path.

Movin' Up and Movin' On

September found me in a brand new city and a brand new apartment. My move to Toronto went fairly smooth. So far, the only hiccup is that my new telephone service provide of choice is failing to provide me with service.

Last Monday (aka one week ago) a gentleman came to my new apartment to hook everything up. Cable--check. Internet--check. Telephone--no check. While it's ready and rarin' to go, there is a 'connection issue.' While perhaps this might not be a terribly big issue--I mean, it's true that I kind of enjoy the peace of no telephone, and at this particular moment, my client base is quite small and I do have an email address--it's putting a hinder on several things. Such as business cards. Our graphic designer, Gemma, has created these fabulous business cards for us--reversible cards that one side is M&L and the other side is Fastrac. (Very cool!!) However, without my phone functioning, I don't want to give her the number that said telephone service provider told me. Just in case. And at this point, I'm so annoyed that I am actually going to enter the 21st century and just get a cell phone.

(Imagine the sounds of Angels singing here, rays of light to welcome me to technology....haha!)

So...off I go to get a cell phone. Wish me luck.

Change is in the wind

Maybe it's typical of women to change our minds all the time.

Or maybe it's a sign of genius.

I'll pick the middle road, and just say that changing our minds is good common sense and helps us to achieve greater things.

Our website is still under construction right now. Which is just as well, as we have recently made further changes to the services our business provides. This time, it's in stone. It's settled. And our website is going to reflect beautifully what we do.

Hammered out, here is what we do:

• Personal Coaching
• Corporate Coaching
• Resource Consulting
• Goal Setting Sessions
• Workshops and Seminars
• Resume Building and Profiling
• The Brain Walk Experience Parties

I can't wait for it to be up and running! But alas, greatness takes time...you can't rush genius!

September is set for one hectic month. I am moving to Toronto September 1, starting a brand new job (have to do something in the meantime to put food on the table!), and starting to take my course in coaching, so I too can be a Certified Power Coach and work alongside my mom in that area of the business.

When I look back at my life, I see how much I like change, and how much I initiate it myself. I've enjoyed every step of the way. Though sometimes, getting to that change is overwhelming and can take the wind out of my sails. All that has gone on this past year has done just that, but in my heart and in my head, I know it's all for the best, and the result is going to be glorious.

The pressure of change is well worth it, even if you don't know what is exactly at the end of the rainbow.

That's just grrrrrrrrreat...times two!

1. Marketplace magazine has been printed. Meaning my article is being read at this very moment by strangers. Strangers who will be delighted to know what we do and will call us for business.

2. Our official website has been set up! Well, the temporary page has anyways. But still!! It's there!!!!! www.ml-ideas.com. Check it out! The rest of it is on the way :)

Next step...applying for grants....

Officially speaking, that is

Brainstorming with my mom is like standing in the middle of a thunderstorm. Ideas come crashing down, flickers of light brighten the darkened corners of your mind. Everything happens so fast that you have to find something solid to hold to, something to remember it all with.

Something like a pen and paper.

The downpour has stopped and the sun has peeked out--we can come out from cover and bask in the shine of the final plan of all those hours brainstorming.

We have officially come to our goal; we have a plan in order. We can now progress forward with all business plans and start making it happen.

We essentially have two businesses. M&L Ideas & Co, and Fastrac Coaching & Leadership. We registered as a numbered corporation with the Canadian government, and have placed in it these two businesses. Mom had already been using Fastrac as the name for her coaching business before all of this started. So she transferred it over to be ours. I will be joining my mom as a coach, I am starting courses in September to get my certification as a coach.

Our two businesses will work closely together and provide support for each other, though each one will provide unique services. Combined, our vision of the two is to provide assistance in personal and professional development; from the beginning, all the way to the end. We don't want to leave clients out on a lurch.

Fastrac will provide the Coaching aspect--you come to us with a problem or goal in mind, and we will help you through it and achieve those those goals. We will assist in self-empowerment. Once that goal is realised, and you need help to make those goals happen, M&L Ideas & Co will step in and carry it through. You want to start a new business? We'll help you with that, point you in the right direction, provide you with contacts who can do what needs to be done. Looking for a new job? We will help with resume building, bio scripts, we will help you market yourself. Is it something more personal you want to attain, such as fitness? We can even direct you there.

We still offer the workshops we had initially discussed in the beginnings of our brainstorming. We haven't lost that aspect. In fact, we saw a growth opportunity with and have introduced The Brain Walk Experience--smaller settings where we can comfortably teach people how to self coach using the Brain Walk.

And as time passes, other ideas will evolve, I'm sure. Who knows what else we will add to the plate! But now, officially speaking, we know what we are doing.

The Power of Positive Thinking

I have to admit, it is hard to rearrange your thinking. To take those negative or nonchalant thoughts and make them positive. There are a lot of thoughts in a day that need to be refocused.

But. (There is always a but.)

In the midst of my trying, I have seen success of my positive thoughts, of my gratitude I am trying to express in the everyday. Some of these things are seemingly silly, but they mean a lot to me. Call them little achievements if you will.

Positive Thought #1:
I play soccer on a ladies rec league. I am an ok player; last year was my first season, and I feel I have come a long way. This year, I have been thinking positively about my skills. I set goals in my head for two things: That I will be able to kick the ball and give it a lot of air and that I will get a goal this year.
So far, I have learned how to kick the ball and get the air I want. I can send it soaring (well, not soaring, but pretty darn high...hehehe). I have not gotten the goal yet, but 2 games ago, I took a shot on the net. Pretty fantastic considering I am not a striker for the team!!!

Positive Thought #2:
(Here's where it gets stretched a bit...) I have run out of my coffee at work and I keep forgetting to grind up more at home to bring in. I detest the coffee that is made at work, so I avoid it at all costs. This morning I was putting the thought out there that it would be nice to have a decent cup of coffee. And lo and behold, Tricia walks over to ask if I want to do a coffee run with her. Mmmmm....Starbucks coffee for me.

Positive Thought #3:
(And now it's just kind of ironic and funny) I bought a lotto ticket the other day for the draw last night. Remembering to think in the present tense, yesterday after dinner I said to my roomie, "I am so happy now that I have won the lottery tonight!!" So this morning, I checked my ticket...and...da da da dahhhh!!!!!!!!!! I WON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was not the jackpot (clearly, if I had won the jackpot, this would have been the first point in this list...actually, this list would not be written because I'd be on my way to claim the jackpot...), it was $10. But still! It's ten more dollars than I had yesterday!!

And that is my sharing for the day. I'll remember to keep thinking in positive terms, and it will all come up roses!!

The Queen called Edinburgh

Our workshop this past weekend in Stratford at the Queens' Inn was one of those hidden successes. While our attendance was not what we had hoped for, we still had an audience to work with. The nice thing about working with a smaller group was that the workshop took on a very cozy, very familiar atmosphere, and those who were there, seemed very comfortable to participate.

Mom and I learned a thing or two as well. The money we invested in advertising was not exactly returned to us~perhaps the medium is something for us to consider as not being our best avenue. We also learned that the smaller group was not only easy to work with, but that they also gave phenomenal responses on their evaluation forms.

So this led us to think....why not target small groups? In fact, why not target specific small groups. And rather than have workshops where we are drawing people from every which way, draw from circles of friends, from co-workers, from people who are content together as a group. Offer 'parties' to these people, and they can host them, they can invite their friends. Think of a Tupperware party, but make it a self coaching party. Make it a Brain Walk Party. And call it the Brain Walk Experience.

Edit Edit Edit

A few revisions to the article...we came up with a stellar idea and wanted to pump it up in the article. I'll repost it when I get back home :)

275 words

A most enjoyable aspect of this new adventure is getting to do a variety of tasks--most of which I thoroughly enjoy!!

Last week, mom and I discussed the idea to put an article in a local magazine up in Bruce County, called Marketplace Magazine. Since an article is essentially an advertisement, those article's don't come cheap. Gottsta pay to get the word. Decision made, as mom pulls out an issue from 2 years ago that she still has kicking around the house. It's a magazine that hangs out, apparently.

The folks at the magazine said that either we can write it up ourselves, or they will get the details and write it. Handy Melissa suggests that I write it myself!! I think I did a pretty good job at it to....

"When psychic Mary Lynn Stevenson predicted 2007 to be a year of change and economic growth, little did she know how much that was going to impact her own life.

While earning her certification as a Power Coach from Coaching and Leadership International Inc., Lynn Stevenson presented her daughter Melissa with an idea. To create a business whose mission it is to assist people in personal and professional development; to assist people achieve their goals and find success.

M&L Ideas & Co. was born. Melissa and Lynn have joined together their unique pasts and experiences, and now promote upbeat, positive and creative thinking. Hosting a variety of workshops, based on the ideologies of Power Coaching, M&L Ideas & Co. has set forth to make an impact. Working with groups of all sizes, Lynn and Melissa are putting forth the message of how each individual person can make a difference in their own life by creative positive thought patterns and taking the physical steps to get there.

Along side the workshops and keynote speaking, is Fastrac Coaching and Leadership. Lynn’s brand of Power Coaching has been thoroughly and diligently learned – she graduated at the top of her class. Offering individual coaching sessions and personalized packages, coaching is an ongoing partnership that helps clients find fulfilling results in their personal and professional lives.

M&L Ideas & Co are available to host workshops in your area. If you are interested in having a workshop specifically designed for you, your community, friends or co-workers, contact Lynn and Melissa at 000-0000, or visit us online at www.ml-ideas.com. For coaching sessions with Fastrac Coaching and Leadership, you can contact Lynn at 000-0000."

Believe you me, it was hard to fit that within the 280 word limit. I got it in at 275. Let's just say there was a lot of editing, and a lot more information included. But all in all, I really liked writing it, and I am really looking forward to developing my writing skills to utilize with our business.

And by the way, the website is so close to being up and running!!!

A message from Mom

Hi, I’m Lynn, Melissa’s mom, her business partner.

Sometimes it is hard to realize my little girl is all grown up and is now a beautiful young woman. And one, I might add, that I am very proud of.

I have been self employed for over 20 years and this is the first time I have taken on a business partner. It seems odd having someone else to share the responsibilities with. It is not always easy to ‘hand things over’ and not be the one in total control. Delegating is not always one of my strong points.

I know I made the right choice when I approached Melissa with the idea of creating a business together. We each have our own unique strengths and abilities which compliment each other.

In business situations she refers to me as ‘Lynn’, it seems so strange. Again, a sign she is not that little kid anymore. I know I made the right decision when I approached Melissa about the two of us going into business together. I look forward to a long and successful partnership. I know we will have a few hurdles to overcome, but I also have the confidence to know we will be a success.

On Saturday, July 7th, we have our first workshop as a team and it is going to be great. It is at the Queen’s Inn in Stratford. Hope to see you there!

Workin' on the Workshop

It's really happening.

The first full weekend in July, we are hosting a workshop in Stratford on the Law of Attraction. This will be the first, official workshop as organized by M&L Ideas & Co. In other words, this will be the first workshop that I will have had a hand in the organization and promotion of it!!

I feel pretty grown up. Most of the time, I still feel like a kid who is just kickin' around, not too sure what I'm doing, where I'm going. But being responsible for organizing the venue and food, all of the advertising and such, I feel like I'm finally ahead of myself, that I'm doing things right! I feel like a professional!!! AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! That's a bit scary and exciting all in one!!

I worked out some free advertising with local media, such as with CTV on their 'What's On Where' board that they post both on the internet and run as commercial clips on their local stations, and I've even gotten a short time slot for an interview with the local radio station!! Pretty cool!! And of course, flyers posted like crazy around town and the surrounding areas. Let's not forget the typical paid ads in the newspaper too!!

The venue where we are hosting the workshop is at The Queen's Inn. I picked it mainly because the family that owns it is friends with one of my close friends. (And not to mention, the pub attached to the Inn has the best wings in the world. For real.) Anyway, it's this fabulous old inn, (take a peek at their site and you will agree!) that has that great Victorian feel to it. They have a couple different rooms available for functions such as ours, we have picked the Edinburgh room.

AND!!!!

We have arranged for a feature guest speaker too!! One of my mom's associates, Anny Tenbult, who have been a Certified Power Coach for nearly a decade has agreed to come down and host the portion on the BrainWalk!! The BrainWalk is a power coaching tool that can be used with a coach or by yourself, it's pretty cool. It will be interesting for both my mom and I to see how someone else presents a workshop on the BrainWalk~variety is the spice of life!!

Well...I'm keeping my fingers and toes crossed that this is going to be a mad success next Saturday!! If you know where Stratford is, and you have got some time on July 7...come down to The Queen's Inn to find out how the Universal Laws affect your life and what you can do with them to make it better!! Just email me with any questions freshideasco at hotmail.com (you know the drill, I just don't want spammers!!)

the ducks are lining up

We've got most of the content written for our website!! Just have to put some finishing touches on it this weekend.

Meeting with the graphic designer next weekend to get it all going!!

I'm so excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What's in a name?

After settling on a name for our business, sketching out logos and such, we find out we are unable to use the name we had wanted. Turns out there is another business registered in Ontario with the same name.


Hmmmm......so we put our heads together to come up with a new one. We put it forth, had it checked it, found availability and have claimed it as our own.


Welcome to M&L Ideas & Co.


My roommate is a graphic designer, and I had asked her a while ago if she would be interested in creating a logo for us. Mom and I sketched it out, but putting in on a computer...beyond me! Busy gal that she is, she didn't have time to do it.


Ironically enough, the day that we registered our name, Erin asked me about the logo. I told her the new name, and she whipped one right up!! It's like it was meant to be, the way it worked out like that.

www.something.com

As we progress through the development of our business, we are looking at getting ourselves a website. After all, these days, how can a business function without a website??

We've been in touch we a couple graphic design firms, looking for quotes and such. We hammered out what kind of format we want and what kinds of pages we would require. We've also designed our logo~which I am very excited about!~and want to get that on an electronic file.
The designer whom we have decided upon (I think), his name is Justin. He has presented us with some nifty ideas. We want to have regular access to our site to post event updates, and talk about our feature speakers and stuff like that, and he has suggested that we have a blog-like site, where it will be easy as pie for us to manage it. Hmmm...I think I can handle that!!! LOL!!

But now we are faced with the content of the site. Meaning, we have to write it up and hand it over. I sat at my laptop the other night, drawing blanks of what I wanted to say about our company!! I couldn't believe it!

Let's think about this. We need to write up a page about who we are, what we offer, and why. This is where I keep getting stuck. I can't decided if we should have the home page list this info right away, or if there should be a link on "about us"...and then additionally, what should be separated from the "about us" to the home page?? Does that follow very well, or have I confused you as much as I am confusing myself?

Ironically, I think I need to work out all this website stuff on paper, not on my laptop. I think technology is not going to help me get organized for this. Eek!

Here's keeping my fingers crossed that I can get this sorted asap so we can move forward and get this up and running. Thank heavens I don't need to worry about the technical stuff, just the words...

Not just another number

This past week, mom and I travelled north to spend some time in Bourget, a quaint town just outside of Ottawa. Our purpose was to get some work done, decisions made, and of course, to relax. We stayed at The Domaine Bourget Inn & Spa, a wonderful inn set in the country. The family who runs it are warm and friendly, and the ladies who work in the spa are just as nice. It was a random choice to stay there, but I'm glad we picked it....I suspect we will be returning there soon!!





We were able to spend time working on the Law of Attraction workshops, and creating great matches of what we could pair with it. We have established the kinds of people we would like to be working with us, as well as different venue types. Legal decisions were agreed upon, and roles were agreed upon (I tried to say that I should be CEE--Cheif of Everything Else, but then we decided it was not formal enough!! LOL!!). We've got some great marketing tools available, and most of it will be free! Just need to work on my savvy, and we're set!



Outside of business, we were also able to spend some time relaxing, and do the typical tourist thing--some shopping and sightseeing. We were able to go to the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Hull, where mom has not ever been. It was pretty cool to share that experience with her!

We also took a day and went Montreal, where I had not ever been. Mom had been there when she was a teenager. So that was pretty neat. We had good intentions of full sightseeing, however, the Eaton Centre was just too huge, and time went too fast! Haha! Oh well, it just means we will have to go back to see more.

Our business trip finished up back at mom's house on Sunday afternoon. Her lawyer came over and went over some of the finer details with us. Again, a few more decisions were made. We are officially registered as a business, complete with a numbered Canada Inc. name. While it's true, we are a numbered company, we are more than just another number.

We have fresh ideas to sell!

A Secret of the Ages

The other weekend mum and I went to Toronto to attend a day long seminar based on The Secret. There were five motivational speakers (plus one very funny comedian as the host) who were fabulous motivational speakers in their own right.

Now I have to admit to you, I only had heard about The Secret, I was not fully aware of exactly what it was. I knew it was about something to help you make your life better; it was some sort of positive thinking guide, motivation smack dab in your face.

Now, mum took the notes, so forgive my rusty memory. However, my favourite speaker went by the name Lisa....her last name is now forgotten by me. (I should really work on my memory skills). She was fabulous. No other way to say it. Her main point was that if you believe you can achieve it, you can. You have to work towards your goals, but more importantly, you have to know where you are right now before you can get there. It's like you have a map of your life, but before you get to your destination~before you even hop in the car, you have to know your starting point. Know yourself, believe in yourself and be yourself. I really liked that.

The other four speakers were very good too. Though there was a focus on money a bit too much for my taste. It varied by the speaker. While one seemed to pass along the message that money = happiness, and happiness = money, another noted that happiness is found in all aspects of life ~ family, friends, career, health, financial gain. But the overall message was good. If you work hard, put yourself out there, and keep a positive perspective, it will come back to you. While it may not come back back in the way you hope, it will still come back.

I was raised by the golden rule: Do unto others as you would have others do unto you. I was also raised to be a positive person and have faith that life will all work itself out the way it is supposed to. To me, a lot of the things they said was just common sense. On one hand, I struggle to wonder why more people don't know this 'secret' of life, why it is not naturally ingrained in them. But then on the other hand, all I have to do is look around the room I sit in all day, and see how everyone is so busy busy busy with what is going on right then, that they don't take the time for their inner self, they don't take the time breathe, they don't take the time to achieve. And right there, I can understand why it takes someone standing on a stage saying these simple ideas to make them think about it, and make them want to apply it in their own lives.

While it doesn't seem there there would be much to unravel for us to find the secret in our lives, I guess in reality, it would take us all some time to find a good seat where we can examine what lies inside first. We can't all expect miracles overnight, but at least we can all find a happy thought everyday to help.


We all have to pick and choose what we hear and what we want to retain. It is like anything in life. While I may not have agreed with all that was being painted on the stage before me, if I took a step back to look at the bigger picture, and put that message in my heart, I felt like I had left that room with something special.

And that makes me smile.

And the Adventure is....

So now you might be wondering just what it is we are doing. Not that I am going to give the eggs away in the basket to you, but I'll give you a hint.

We are building a company based on Universal Laws. We are hosting and organizing workshops and seminars, as well as working towards running a Professional Life Coach training academy.

What are the Universal Laws, you ask? They are 'laws' that are constant and applicable to all people in the world, no matter what. Things like the Law of Attraction--you attract people, places and things into your life to help you find your way through it emotionally, spiritually, physically and intellectually. Or the Law of Equality--Your true needs, desires, wants, dreams and such are just as important and equal to those of everyone else in existence; all people are equal.

Universal Laws are simple truths that allow all of us to achieve greatness if we can just accept them and work with them.

Your next question...what is a professional life coach? My personal explanation is that a life coach is like your own guidance counsellor--except that it is you who makes the ultimate decisions, not them. You could be faced with personal or professional issues that you want help with, and a life coach assists you by asking you the right questions, and getting you to come up with your own answers. You state what your goals are, and you figure out how to achieve them.

Who wouldn't want to be a part of that? A part of a business whose goal it is to add peace and comfort, and even success, to the world?

(Well, Ontario for now. The world later.)

I'll keep you posted!

A new beginning

Today is my first blog about a new adventure I am taking with my mother. Together, we are joining forces and building a new business. It is one that I feel will have an impact, and one that is very achievable.

We have founded Fresh Ideas & Co., an organization that will have many paths to follow. We are beginning by hosting workshops and seminars, and building towards creating an academy for training life coaches. Who knows what will fall in between it all, but I can't wait to find out!

Basically right now, our workshops are based on the Law of Attraction, and then we are going to tie other topics into it, so we can reach a wider market. In just a couple weeks, I am taking a week off of my current job to go away and brainstorm with mom on what all we can be doing. To sort out where we are right now and where we want to be. Map it all out I guess.

I thought it would be a fun idea to have a blog and write about the things that come up as we are building this business, about the fun people we come across in this journey and surely about the hilarious stories that are bound to be told!!

It's bound to be a great year!