Clue #6: One Part Mom, One Part Rock Star

If you've read my bio blurb in my weekly ezine, it says "one part mom, one part rock star". That's only slightly tongue in cheek.

When I was a little girl, I dreamed of touring the country, being a rock star, singing songs I wrote. In fact, I've even self-released two albums. You can even listen to some of my music. It's 'defniitely not mainstream pop music' - or at least that's what one of the guys at Universal Music said when I submitted my demo for a listen.

I've never been a conformist - at least not on the surface. I have some core beliefs that are pretty standard, but my mode of operation has always been a little on the rebellious side of things. If people tell me I 'Can't' do something, I almost always say "watch me!" and figure out a way to do it anyhow.

So even though I'm a relative unknown in the music industry, I have fans across the globe that listen to and enjoy my music.

And just to be clear, this post has NOTHING to do with me forming a rock band, releasing a new album or touring whilst playing my music. The Stand Up Coach and I are planning a 'world tour', but you'll hear more about that at another time, and it has nothing to do with these new developments.

It's really been the last couple of days that have crystallized these must do activities for me.

As far as your guesses go, Lauren's on the right track. This isn't about a speaking tour (there's more details about that coming later in Spring), and it isn't about me quitting my DS company (HEAVENS NO!). This is about me stepping into a space that I should have been in all along, and was too afraid to do it.

The only antidote for fear is faith.

I always envisioned Rock stars, in my mind, as fearless. They could get up on a stage, entrance a crowd of thousands and inspire throngs of people with their work. Everytime their music plays freely over the airwaves, you get re-inspired, transported and motivated to feel this kind of empowerment from within the very music itself.

I always wanted to have that kind of effect on people. Without the drugs, scandals and bad habits that many musicians were known for. I wanted to inspire and motivate people with my creations and do it in a very unconventional way.

That means taking a zig when others zag. It means standing out in a crowd. It means going against the grain.

Like a Rock Star.

In this economy, people are still paying $500 a seat to see The Police live in concert. Why?

Because they're Rock Stars! They've established themselves as a household name to the audience that loves them. They don't have to worry about whether or not people will show up to their concerts, or if they'll make enough money to pay the bills this month.

They're ROCK STARS!

Watch what other direct sales coaches are doing right now: they're sweating. They've taught you everything they know. You've heard it all before, and to keep themselves alive, they're doing bargain basement price slashing. One direct sales coach is offring a teleseminar series (5 calls) for $40! That would barely cover the costs of putting on the FIRST call, let alone all 5.

Why is she doing that? Simple, just like you (well, some of you) bookings are down. Her income is tanking, and she needs to stay at the top of mind to keep you buying from her.

Another diect sales coach piloted a monthly telecoaching program at an introductory rate, and couldn't get enough members to raise it to the standard rate she wanted to charge. Why? Because she's just regurgitating her content!

There's nothing new there.

Like a good Rock Star, you have to have new material on a regular basis. Sure, the Greatest Hits are fun to hear, and familiar. They're easy to embrace. And YES, you run the risk of alienating some of your die hard fans when you create something new. But on the whole, your fans want to be delighted with something exciting, different and NEW.

Do you remember the first time your favorite band played a new song on the radio? I do. I would scooch up to the radio as close as I could so I didn't miss a single note. I'd scribble down the lyrics as fast as my pencil could keep up. I wanted to be the FIRST to know that new song, so I could share it with everyone - and look cool in the process.

Sometimes I still do that, although I will admit I'm a bit more restrained as a 'grown up' than I was as a child. i don't actually push people out of the way anymore to get to the radio.

So when direct sales coaches offer "new" products, I get excited! I scramble to the front of the line to see what it's all about.

And I usually shuffle away with my head hung down in shame at another batch of regurgitated content.

Don't get me wrong, booking, selling, and recruiting are the 3 pillars of direct sales. If you want to be truly successful, you have to do all three in some combination.

But there's more to this business than just those three things, and frankly, I'm tired of hearing so-called industry 'experts' that just keep saying the same things over and over and over.

Maybe that list of 100 people ISN'T enough to get your business started. Maybe you DO have to think outside the box - especially in this economy.

So that's what I'm doing. I'm thinking outside the box. I'm doing something that, as far as I know, no other direct sales business coach has ever done before. I'm going against the grain and doing some things that no other direct sales coach would ever DREAM of doing, because to them, it would mean losing money.

But I think like a ROCK STAR!


Think you've got this all figured out yet? Bet ya don't! But the clues get hotter as the day goes on today. We're leading up to the BIG unveil tonight at 7pm eastern. Post your comments below. The first one to correctly guess will win a complete set of all the physical products I've ever created (yes, even my music CD's, if you want them!).

No I didn't fall in a hole...

I've been absolutely swamped with a plethora of new activities to keep me occupied. My eldest is back in school - and already on his first suspension today. Oy.

We just finished Chicago, the musical to RAVE reviews and a sold out house. I ended up doing TRIPLE duty on this show. I had originally signed on to play the role of Matron Momma Morton (yes, the Queen Latifah role, but please do not compare!) and help out as vocal coach for the show. About a week before opening, I was also asked to take over as BAND DIRECTOR.

Talk about a humbling experience. I haven't directed an instrumental ensemble since my college days. For those of you that think you just wave your arms and music comes out, well, you're partly right.

I was put in front of some of the best musicians our town has to offer - and to direct Kander and Ebb is no small feat - but with a 5 piece ensemble - and at least ONE of them is a band director himself in real life - and did I mention they were all guys?

Yeah, I felt a wee bit intimidated. I mean, the drummer has played with some of the biggest names in modern rock and roll history. The sax player has more years experience than I have been living on this little rock. And did I mention the trumpeter is classically trained and is the high school band director in a Flint Suburb?

My palms weren't just sweaty because it was hot on that stage.

Opening night was more of a trial by fire for me than anything else I've experienced in my life. In my two (Count 'em TWO) conducting classes I had at college - only ONE was for instrumental music - I was taught the very rudimentary basics of conducting:

1. Mark the score for changes in tempo, key, mood, etc.
2. Analyze the music to know what's going on where (see #1 if you're unclear)
3. Note any cues
4. Practice conducting the music BEFORE your do it in front of your ensemble.

Well, I could pretty much scrap #4 because I had to jump right in on a dress rehearsal. Being part of the musical already was helpful because I already knew some of the music, but the incidental, between scene music (walk-offs, etc) I had never heard before, and well, let's just say I'm not the world's greatest sight-reader.

So I over counted, gave too many prep beats, and tried to be OVER helpful with my band. Some of the guys didn't mind, but I could tell there was a bit of derision in the ranks.

The whole show was cues - and with actors sometimes coming in on time and sometimes not, it was a new arrangement every night.

And we pulled it off to thunderous applause every single night.

But the guys who deserve the applause sat behind that bandstand. I waved my arms, and THEY made me look good.

And now that it's over, I'm glad - and I'm gonna miss 'em.

Tom, Frank (and Glenn for one night only), Larry, Gary and Chris: Y'all rock. Thanks for helpin' a girl overcome herself.

But next time, I want more notice.