The price is right

Gordon and I met at Hennepin County Library today for coworking.

Was it a coincidence that the second floor, also known as the Jobs and Small Business Center, happened to be where we were storming?

It is becoming clear that this year is going to be stellar.  Our communication styles seem to be syncing, both literally and metaphorically.  Today, I set up gordon@standupmn.org, so if you have an extra minute, drop him a line and type hello!

The main tasks on my plate is to fix the website, update the business plan, hire staff, and source funding options and credit lines.  While Gordon is busy pricing out our gear list, clearing his PC, establishing relations with paddleboard vendors and potential food operators in the twin cities.  I think SeaSalt could be a great partnership with our tour packages...  Does anyone have a contact over there??

River Scouting Bedtime Recap

Job applications and web malware

I posted job applications on FB and craigslist last week and have been waiting for the resumes to start piling up.  Last year, I received 20 apps in the first week.  This year is different with only 2 apps, however, I am excited because the two apps have been referrals of people I know!  Word of mouth referrals are a great way to match people's skills with companies needs.  I have high hopes for the interview I will schedule next week!

I went to standupmn.org, my website, after a long winter break to find this warning screen from Google Chrome:

You can imagine my fear.  I am a partially self-taught, partial mentor-taught, novice webmaster and find malware removal to be just outside my skill set.  I contacted my old web mentor and hope he will be able to send me some advice.  Maybe this is a reason the apps haven't been piling up?

Finished 2011 Taxes. Yesterday.

The calendar reminded me that yesterday was Tax Day (Observed).

Turbotax already had most of my information and the form was awaiting a W-2 from my old employer, Catalyst Community Partners, to be uploaded.  I had met with some beautiful people earlier in the day, during a weekly Centering Prayer meeting (which is something like Christian meditation if you didn't know), and was surprised to hear that retired people still pay taxes!  Since I feel so blessed by this group, I was excited to share the way small businesses allow you to deduct expenses related to that business from your taxes.  Many of these older people mentor, volunteer, write, paint, and brainstorm with their time and so this, in my understanding, legitimates a small business!  It seems like there is a need for a small business 101 workshop...

http://www.brokenboxstock.com/item/Tree_Of_Life/485

Nothing has been written in this blog about what the staff did during the winter months (Probably should do this in a future post), but I will give you a teaser lesson which was learned.

Karma tries to teach us lessons.  Once the lesson is learned, the karma goes away.

Whether we believe in karma or not, or whether we know what karma is or not, the message is still relevant.  And the lesson learned from finishing a previously started tax return on tax day was that preparation is a seed which can grow into a tree of calmness, with two of the fruits being happiness and presence.  Both things everyone can enjoy.

What lessons is karma teaching you?

Happy planting!

Getting mobile

One great perk of running a small business is the mobile office.  

Today, I began work at Seward Coop, in south Minneapolis and decided to bike home, along the Mississippi river, to finish this blog post next to these beautiful gold finches just outside the window!


Hard to believe the snow falling today after sunbathing weather last weekend!

Round 2!

I settled into one of my favorite spaces along the river, opened my calendar, notebook and water bottle before planning continued for this summer's standup paddleboard season.

The planning was more on process than actual logistics.

Rules like: 'start two critical activities a day', and 'blog everything - the good, the bad and the ugly,' bring comfort to the sound of rushing water and countless tasks up ahead.  This is going to be fun...