Sunday, March 27, 2011

$60/Hr

Just before new years, I invested in a teeth whitening business.  I spent a couple of weeks asking various salons to allow me to whiten people's teeth in exchange for a percentage of my fees.  I also posted an ad on Craigslist.  I had a few takers from the Craigslist account right away but I had an entire month with no customers at all.  That's when I realized I needed to do something else as well.

I started reading books, investigating business opportunities and writing this blog.  Aside from reposting my ads on Craigslist, I haven't done anything to market the teeth whitening business.  Instead, I spent a lot of time and energy cleaning up the rarely used loft room of my house, converting it to my insurance office.

Although my attention and energy was with the insurance business, I started receiving calls for appointments with the teeth whitening.  Each appointment only takes about an hour so I don't mind leaving my office (and my home) to go into the "real world." It also doesn't hurt that even after paying a commission, I'm making about $60 an hour.

My favorite part about the teeth whitening business is that I get to meet new people.  They have already decided to purchase my service by the time I meet them, so I don't need to sell them anything.  I just help them get whiter teeth and learn a little bit about them.  The lady I met on Friday was pretty special.

She was 85 years old.  Some people have real trouble getting the cheek retractor into their mouth, but this lady was so anxious to have her teeth whiter, she had no trouble at all.  I could tell that she didn't like having to sit there for so long, but she knew what she wanted and didn't complain. 

Her friend told me that she had been a pastor's wife here in Houston for many years, that she was a published author and also a public speaker.  For the 45 minutes that she was in the health food store getting her teeth whitened, she was a brave lady relaxing in my chair.  Her teeth were 8 shades whiter when we were done, and her smile was huge.

My Yiyi passed away earlier this month, and this lovely lady reminded me of her.  I couldn't help but ask her for a hug before she left.  She gave me a wonderful hug and I left with warm fuzzies.  I'm not just a stuffy insurance sales person working from home.  On occasion (like tomorrow morning) I get to go out into the world and brighten people's smiles:)

Friday, March 18, 2011

Putting My Plan Together

The book I blogged about the other day really gave me permission to explore every angle that I want to explore.  I decided to go ahead and make a last Hail Mary attempt to make my primary source of income from the insurance industry. 

I've been busy putting together a twitter page, facebook page, and blog spot for my "new" business.  My coach has already talked to me one on one once and got me started with all of this homework.  Aside from getting all of my pages together, he has given me access to his quoting software (worth a bunch of money every month), given me a source for free database management, and gave me the name for much more cost effective errors and omissions insurance.

Still on my list of things to do is filling out the paper work for the new insurance carriers and setting up my home office. I'm typing all of these blogs from a 10" screen netbook so I've been scoping out a more grown-up style that I can work on for 8-10 hours a day.  I also purchased a headset to use with my magicjack for outgoing calls.  When it arrived today, I discovered it doesn't work on my netbook or on my cordless phone...I'll re-list it on Amazon.

Without guilt, I've been able to continue to explore the idea of becoming a coach.  I'm not sure how it will fit into my life just yet, but I've been very interested in attending the Fowler, Wainwright International Institute for Professional Coaching.  Because of I Can Do Anything If Only I Knew What it Was, I know that it's o.k. to maintain my interest in this field.

I had to giggle out loud when I listened to a webinar about becoming a coach.  One of the very first slides said "You don't need to have all the answers to be a great coach.  You just need great questions." Helllllllooooo? That was the ONLY thing that others told me I was good at...asking questions.  I am very excited to know that this career is out there. 

I an determined to make this insurance thing happen...and I am going to be a coach.  Maybe my niche will be coaching teachers about what kind of life they will have after teaching!!!!:)

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Thinking A Bit Clearer Now

I've been really frustrated trying to figure out what to do next.  When I first stopped teaching, I immediately picked up the phone and tried to make insurance sales.  I also signed with a group company so I could have someone local to help me.  My "help" wanted me to work in a phone bank 40 minutes away from my house, and it was difficult to make the drive.  I also found out very quickly that I really HATE cold calling.

I started to get some referrals from local property and casualty seeds I had planted earlier in the year, but when I tried to get help from my general agent for individual sales, no one would return my calls.  I felt stranded.  Even when I could hot leads, I didn't know how to efficiently work with them.  I was days away from giving up on the business when I saw something listed under one of the franchise ideas.

I went a little nuts last night debating whether or not I should continue in the business with this "new help."  Then I went more nuts trying to figure out why I was having so much trouble deciding what I wanted to do.  I've been working for 20 years now but I've got another 27 or so years left.  I was really beating myself up for being interested in so many areas and not having "one passion."

I picked up one of my books again, this one screamed my name from the clearance section of Half Price Books.  The title is I Could Do Anything If I Only Knew What It Was but it might as well have been called "Brenda, Read This!" I got to chapter 6 yesterday just as I was feeling bad about myself for not having any clear goals. The title of the chapter convinced me someone was sending me a message: "I Want Too Many Things; I'm All Over the Map"

It was this chapter that has really helped me take a breath and release my stress.  According to chapter 6, there is a reason I don't know what I want to be when i grow up.  I have a title! I'm what this author calls a scanner.  It's wonderful to have a title!  This new title of scanner even explains why (as I blogged yesterday) my aptitude test came out with no highs and lows. 

Smith and Sher describe me to a T on page 102: 
Scanners want to taste everything.  They love to learn about the structure of a flower, and they love to learn about the theory of music. And the adventures of travel.  And the tangle of politics.  To scanners, the universe is a treasure house full of a million works of art and life is hardly long enough to see them all. 

They go on to say:
If you're a scanner, you have extraordinarily special and valuable skills.  You love what is new, you don't suffer from fear and indecisiveness.  You're highly adaptable to new cultures you're so flexible you can turn on a dime.  You're a lightening-fast learner, curious about anything you don't already understand; you like and respect all kinds of thinking.  Although you may be unwilling to dedicate yourself to one path, you don't lack discipline or have a low IQ.  On the contrary, you're dedicated to learning all that you can, and you're intelligent enough to delight in all that you learn.
After they told me what I was, they told me how to deal.  The book had me list out ten "lives" and then place them into areas of my life.  I felt so good, I knew what to do!  I can still write and act, but my main source of income is going to be from educating people about insurance.

I signed up with my new general agent this afternoon.  I've already attended one web seminar and I'm going to work one on one with my general agent tomorrow afternoon.  I know I'll still be making some cold calls, but I also know its only one small part of my entire new life.  I'm sooo excited! 

Monday, March 14, 2011

Should I Sell Insurance?

Sometimes I feel like I'm tearing myself into too many pieces trying to figure out what to do next.  After three months of nothing, I'm starting to feel more rushed.  I'm ok financially but I was never one to enjoy the feeling of being in limbo.  This was one of the things I disliked the most about teaching.  The window to move to a new position or location was so small.  I only had about 6 weeks to find another position and move.

Now I've been "available" for three months and I still don't know which direction I want to go.  I've been reading several books that are designed to help me find that perfect career and many of them ask what I'm good at.  I remember several years back taking an aptitude test and the administrators were amazed.  They said that all of my results were at a mid-level.  A "normal" person would have peaks in some aptitude areas and lows in others.  I didn't have any lows...but I didn't have any highs either.

A couple of the books asked what others say I'm good at.  The only recurring thing I can think of is that through-out the years people have actually told me they like my questions.  I ask a lot of questions.  Sometimes I think I annoy sales people and other presenters but on several occasions I have been told that people really appreciate my questions.  I haven't yet figured out how to convert this knack into a source of income.

Last night I got the chills because I thought I'd finally figured it out.  Before I got sick, I was working toward my school counseling certification and prior to that I had considered a career as a professional counselor.  I decided not to attend anymore school (I'm still paying off $70k in student debt.)  Counselors definitely ask a lot of questions.  I'd already given up on counseling but something else fits what I've been doing every day.  I thought that maybe I could make use of all of the self-help books I've been reading and become a life-coach. 

I poked around and looked at some plans to become a coach, one of which was at the 48 days website.  I'm just not sure if I can handle the required marketing.  Today it went further into the back of my mind.  I'm nervous about it because I don't know if I could be successful.

Before I started this blog, I had looked at different business opportunities and crossed many of them out as I went along.  Debtaway seemed to take advantage of clients that don't have any money or sense about them.  Vending machines are definitely not my thing and I'm not convinced that an online store is going to make me a few thousand dollars just by being. 

Today I spoke to someone about coaching me one-on one about selling insurance. He wants a reasonable fee and will schedule time to work with me one on one.  He provides a website and a quoting system.  He also starts me off with some leads.

What I haven't mentioned yet is that back in April of last year, I got my life and health insurance license.  I spent hundreds of dollars on leads but I only submitted one policy and it was from a personal referral.  The money was definitely good for that one policy but I had real problems with marketing. I've been paying for errors and omission insurance and an affiliation membership but I haven't been making any money.  I considered giving up the insurance business, but today I was thinking about it pretty strongly. 

It seems like the fee this coach would charge (and reimburse as I made sales) would be worth it if I really want to be in the insurance business.  The problem is I don't know if it is what I want anymore.  Could it be that I've frozen my self so cold that I'm afraid to move?  Something just tells me that this would be a job and not something I would be passionate about.

Things I like about insurance:
  • I can work from home.
  • My work would be mostly from home.
  • There is money from residuals.
  • I'm already licensed and could start right away.
  • I'd be educating people.
  • I believe in the product and have a lot of knowledge about it.
  • I can work days, nights, or both.
  • I can incorporate my writing "hobby" into the marketing.
  • I can be licensed in more than one state at a time and I can work from anywhere in the world.

Wow, I think I may have talked myself into this.  Things that make me uneasy about it are:
  • It is selling a product.
  • It requires a license (something to fear losing).
  • There is a lot of competition.
  • I'm not sure how quickly I would "grow out of it."
I think the last one is the biggest.  Aside from not being successful, I'm worried that I might get tired of it in a couple of years and find myself writing a blog about life after insurance!  I'm going to dig a little deeper into these books, then sleep on the insurance idea.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

The Search

I found myself researching business ideas until 6am today!  Not a good way to keep on a "normal" schedule but I couldn't help myself because I found a free ebook that described so many different low cost business opportunities that I couldn't stop reading it.  It is on the sticky note to the right of the resource page.  Some of his ideas were really zaney (renting plants) and others (massage therapy) required a license that I don't have.  Still, I kept reading all 80+ pages because it was better than anything else I had read in the three months I've been out of work.

  I've been selling off my educational books on Amazon and I absolutely love waking up to new sales! The free e-book listed some places where I could get discounted close-out books.  I checked into them, but I need to be the most competitive on Amazon in order to make the sales.  The best source I found required an investment of $7500 as a minimum.  I haven't given up on the idea but I'm going to have to find another way to make  that kind of money before I try an investment like that.

At the back of the book there were two more websites with even more ideas.  I couldn't get through all of it last night so I woke up to look at http://www.youngentrepreneur.com/blog/100-business-ideas-you-can-drive-home-today/

The website listed a re-sale opportunity I hadn't thought of yet.  Wedding dresses!   I decided to actually make an investment today and try to buy something to re-sell.  I went to my favorite thrift store looking for some wedding dresses.  No white gowns today but I spent $5 on  3 party dresses and 2 pairs of pants.  If I get $5 for each item, I will have made 500%.  I'm starting small but hoping I can get a feel for what will sell quickly and grow from there.

Well off to work!

Saturday, March 12, 2011

The Background Story-is there life after teaching?

My biggest fear when I started teaching (and through my entire 17 year career) wasn't that a child would vomit on me or the principal would spend half a day in my class.  My worst fear from the very start was losing the wonderful career I had and not being able to teach.  I loved my work so much that I regularly feared the situation I now find myself in.  What would happen if I couldn't teach?

Anytime you type "former teacher" into the search engine, you come up with stories of teachers accused of misconduct (ok gross misconduct) and their life is forever changed.  The interesting thing is, all of the stories begin with "accused of" and that is all it takes.  I knew from the time I took my first position (opened in the middle of the year because the teacher was arrested for having relations with a high school student) that my career could be over at the mere accusation of a student, parent, or co-worker who didn't want me around.

This is a lot of stress to carry with you when you enjoy what you are doing so much.  Not only did I need to fear the actions of others, but I consistently needed to self audit my language and actions anywhere I would be seen.  The termination of a teacher holding beer steins in various countries on a Facebook page only added to the sometimes over-whelming fear that something could get in the way of me and my wonderful title of "teacher."

Perhaps in future posts, I can describe the various places I taught which included prek-university with the exclusion of k,6th,9th and 10th.  For now I'll just describe the reason I find myself looking for a life after teaching.

I found myself full-circle in a position of my dreams this year.  I was hired to run the preschool program that was operated by juniors and seniors.  I was to instruct the high school teachers and they instructed the prek students.  I loved everything about this position and was doing a pretty good job despite a few "bumps in the road."  Then the unexpected happened: I became ill. 

My worst fear came true, but not because of anyone accusing me of anything.  I can no longer teach because my body won't let me. 

So begins my life after teaching.  I'm 3 months into my life now and I still have not figured out exactly what comes next. If there is anyone out there who has already made this type of transition, I'd love to hear from you!