How an Ex-Teacher Gets a Fix, Why Manifesting is the $Hit and Other Things I Learned During COVID

Wrapping up the longest and darkest days of winter with some much needed focus on doing what I enjoy most, supporting others, manifesting new opportunities and sharing a few lessons I re-learned about being an entrepreneur during COVID.

I’ve been feeling a little bug lately. Not sure if it’s the weather, lack of in-human contact, pandemic blues or a combination of the all these things, but I’ve been feeling stir crazy. I finally put my finger on it. It’s the instructor-bug. Once upon a time, I was a university professor. I hated that job! I mean I really hated it. I quickly found that what I liked most — teaching actual students actual information they can use in actual life — was not what you spent most of your time doing. And the classroom and university space are terribly political environments. There were lots of things that frustrated me about the job, that I don’t miss but what I do miss is teaching actual people, actual information they can use in their actual life.

Since leaving the college classroom behind, I’ve realized there are lots of other great ways to teach and connect with people over learning. I’ve had the unique opportunity teach in some pretty interesting contexts including professional development training for small business owners, City of Columbus employees, graduate course instruction, and colleagues from various jobs. This set up is so it comes to you by no surprise that I saw a teaching opportunity and went for it!

One of a lessons I’ve learned since joining the coaching ranks is the challenge many coaches have with knowing how to market themselves and what exactly that means. To help more coaches focus on doing their best work, increase project opportunities and really get out there, I’m working on developing a marketing masterclass to help coaches do just that and much more.

Cuz I Learned Manifesting is the $hit

Like a lot of people, I started doing some very different things in 2020, I became a career coach, I launched a business, did a lot more video than I ever imagined and began digging into the idea of manifesting. Since I began to realize how powerful it is to create the reality that I want by being intentional about aligning my energy, with my thoughts and actions, I have been surprised and amazed over and over again.

Over and over again, I began to focus my thoughts on what I really needed and wanted. I began to write these thoughts down in as much detail as I could imagine at that moment. I would speak about these priority needs and wants, visualize achieving these milestones, and imagine how these achievements would make me feel. What I saw, over and over again, were the pieces of my needs and wants manifesting before my eyes. It is so exciting and empowering to imagine, visualize and create the reality I want to have for myself and my family by putting out into the world what I want to attract. That’s just so powerful! And what I came to quickly realize is for me a lot of the ways I was putting out into the world what I was attracting (i.e. manifesting) was by leveraging personal branding techniques and marketing strategies.

These experiences convinced me there was an exciting and unique opportunity for me here to bring together manifesting and personal branding to help other attract new opportunities and live the boss life you want and deserve. Having these experiences personally, as well as coaching my friends and family to utilize manifesting quickly became a way of life and the inspiration for starting the Manifesting New Opportunities Through Personal Branding learning community.

Each first and third Tuesday, I will connect with Ingomu learners through the mobile app for a high energy group coaching experience that will inspire you to imagine what’s possible for you coupled with proven branding strategies you can use to help you put out in the world what you wish to see for yourself.

I have been anxiously awaiting the launch of the Ingomu Learning app which will be available first on Android and later on Apple. If you’ve been following, you’ve realized the launch has been pushed back a time or two, which is expected. But for reals, it’s been a challenge to be patient! So, I’m thrilled to have the first live session scheduled for Tuesday, March 16, 2021 at 7pmEST and fingers crossed, we are set.

When the app goes live, you will be able to view my recorded learning community session as well as 50+ other recorded sessions. What I really love most about being part of this new venture is the breath and depth of coaching and support users have available to them. As the app grows you can expect to see more than 80 group learning communities, coaches representing widely diverse professional and personal areas, as well as across the globe. It’s going to be such a fun and exciting mobile-first learning experience, so I encourage you subscribe and see what all the hype is about!

Now, I know what you may be asking yourself, how can I get in on this manifesting flavor if I can’t get the app just yet? We’ve got you covered friends! You can subscribe to the Career Connections newsletter and bookmark this blog to get the latest. Join Manifesting New Opportunities community on Facebook. There I share manifesting tips, insights, my bi-monthly Manifest Mondays videos and branding info.

What I Re-Learned About Being an Entrepreneur During a Pandemic

Becoming an entrepreneur has been such an interesting and empowering experience. It’s not my first time around the block here. Like a lot of people experiencing unemployment during the Great Recession, I rocked the gig economy as a freelancer and contract worker. During that time, I had a portfolio of clients and spent most of my time working too much, charging too little and chasing cheap clients who under valued my knowledge and service. I know I make it sound so fun, and it truly was. It was also very tough most likely harder than it had to be. But because I really had no clue how to treat my work like a running a business I eventually got tired and went back to full time employment for the next five years.

Last year, when life changed as we knew it, I found myself faced with all the shitty decisions 2020 presented for a lot of women. How to work (in any capacity) maintain increased childcare and home care duties, try to find a job during a global pandemic. It didn’t take long to realize launching my own venture was going to be my best option under these conditions. I was scared shitless about going to this edge. I realized if I was going to survive I needed to have my own venture and I needed to figure something out fast.

Although, I didn’t plan on pursuing entrepreneurship full time again, it has been the most thrilling, empowering, mortifying and crazy experience. Even if you do not have plans to be a business owner forever or full time, for me and I think other women, having your own company or side hustle can help you in ways you never imagined.

Here are a few other valuable lessons the pandemic has helped me re-learn about being an entrepreneur.

1. Multiple streams of income is an absolute necessity because literally anything can happen.
2. “Job Security” is a relic of the past and even the most essential employees can be let go under the right conditions.
3. A side hustle that you can monetize can be how you upshift your career, maintain your sanity, stay productive and earn cash during leaner moments.
4. Anyone can become an entrepreneur with the right resources, support and guidance.
5. There’s a difference between freelancer and entrepreneur.